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Delhi Air Pollution: आज भी AQI 362 पर, प्रदूषण का स्तर ‘बहुत खराब’ श्रेणी में; अभी और जहरीली हो सकती है हवा

नवंबर में 11 दिन हवा दमघोंटू रही. इस दौरान वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 400 के अंक से ऊपर रहा जबकि पूरे महीने का औसत सूचकांक 376 के अंक पर रहा. जो कि बीते 6 सालों सबसे ज्यादा है. अब तक साल 2016 के अक्टूबर-नवंबर सबसे प्रदूषित माने जाते थे लेकिन इस बार वो रिकॉर्ड भी टूट गया है. दिल्ली-NCR में तेज हवा के चलते मंगलवार को प्रदूषण (Delhi Air Pollution) के स्तर में मामूली कमी दर्ज की गई थी. हालांकि बुधवार को भी SAFAR-India के अनुसार, दिल्ली में ऑलओवर वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) ‘बहुत खराब’ श्रेणी में 362 है. बुरी खबर है कि हवा शांत पड़ने से अगले दो दिनों के बीच हवा में प्रदूषण का स्तर और भी ज्यादा बढ़ने का अंदेशा जाहिर किया गया है. केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) के मुताबिक दिल्ली के लोगों को प्रदूषण से भरी जहरीली हवा से अभी राहत नहीं मिलने वाली है. हवा की गति थोड़ा तेज होने के चलते मंगलवार को प्रदूषण के स्तर में गिरावट आई थी और दिल्ली का औसत वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 328 के अंक पर रहा. इस स्तर की हवा को बेहद खराब श्रेणी में रखा जाता है. इससे पहले सोमवार के दिन सूचकांक 389 के अंक पर रहा था. यानी चौबीस घंटों के भीतर ही इसमें 61 अंकों का सुधार हुआ था. कई दिनों बाद ऐसा हुआ था कि दिल्ली का कोई भी इलाका ऐसा नहीं है जहां का वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 400 के अंक से ऊपर यानी गंभीर श्रेणी में हो. राजधानी दिल्ली के लोगों ने इस बार के नवंबर महीने में सबसे ज्यादा खराब हवा में सांस ली. इस पूरे महीने में 11 दिन हवा दमघोंटू रही. इस दौरान वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 400 के अंक से ऊपर रहा जबकि पूरे महीने का औसत सूचकांक 376 के अंक पर रहा. जो कि बीते 6 सालों सबसे ज्यादा है. दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण और वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक की ज्यादा वैज्ञानिक और सुस्पष्ट तरीके से गणना वर्ष 2015 से शुरू की गई है. इस अनुसार देखा जाए तो जब से दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण के स्तर की गणना हो रही है, तब से लेकर अब तक यह नवंबर का महीना सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषित साबित हुआ है. इस बार नवंबर महीने में 11 दिन ऐसे रहे जब वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 400 के अंक से ऊपर यानी गंभीर श्रेणी में रहा. इसकी तुलना में वर्ष 2020 में नवंबर के महीने में नौ दिन हवा गंभीर श्रेणी में रही थी. जबकि, 2019 में सात, वर्ष 2018 में पांच, वर्ष 2017 में सात, 2016 में दस और 2015 में छह दिन वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 400 के अंक से पार यानी गंभीर श्रेणी में रहा था. इस बार नवंबर के महीने में एक दिन भी ऐसा नहीं रहा जब वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक 200 के नीचे आया हो. महीने भर में 17 दिन बेहद खराब श्रेणी में हवा रही जबकि सिर्फ दो दिन खराब श्रेणी में हवा रही. अभी दिल्ली में हवा दमघोंटू रहेगी सीपीसीबी के मुताबिक दिल्ली की हवा में अभी भी ढाई गुने से ज्यादा प्रदूषण मौजूद है. मंगलवार की शाम को चार बजे हवा में प्रदूषक कण पीएम 10 का स्तर 272 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर रहा. जबकि, पीएम 2.5 का स्तर 142 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर पर रहा. मानकों के मुताबिक हवा मे पीएम 10 की मात्रा 100 और पीएम 2.5 की मात्रा 60 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर से नीचे होनी चाहिए. तभी उसे स्वास्थ्यकारी माना जाता है. सफर के मुताबिक मंगलवार के दिन दिल्ली के प्रदूषण में पराली की हिस्सेदारी सिर्फ एक फीसदी रही. इस दौरान पराली जलाने की 186 घटनाएं दर्ज की गई हैं. मौसम विभाग का अनुमान है कि बुधवार और गुरुवार के दिन राजधानी दिल्ली में हवा शांत पड़ने की संभावना है. हवा जब चलेगी भी तब उसकी रफ्तार चार किलोमीटर प्रति घंटे से कम ही रहेगी. इसके चलते प्रदूषक कणों का बिखराव बेहद धीमा रहेगा और वे ज्यादा देर तक वातावरण में बने रहेंगे. इसी के चलते बुधवार और गुरुवार को प्रदूषण के स्तर में बढ़ोतरी का अंदेशा है. मौसम ने बिगाड़े हालात! इस बार सितंबर के महीने में रिकॉर्ड बारिश हुई थी और उत्तर भारत से मानसून की वापसी देर से हुई. इसके चलते पंजाब और हरियाणा के खेतों में पराली जलाने की प्रक्रिया देर से शुरू हुई. जबकि, इसी समय में दीपावली का त्योहार था. इसी बीच हवा की रफ्तार भी धीमी हो गई. विज्ञान एवं पर्यावरण केंद्र की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता राय चौधरी ने बताया कि इन तीनों ही कारकों के मिलने के चलते इस बार नवंबर के महीने में लोगों को भारी प्रदूषण का सामना करना पड़ा है. राजधानी दिल्ली में वर्ष 2016 को सबसे ज्यादा खराब हवा वाले वर्ष के तौर पर जाना जाता है. वर्ष 2016 में नवंबर के महीने का औसत सूचकांक 374 के अंक पर रहा था, इस बार नवंबर के महीने का औसत सूचकांक इससे भी दो अंक ज्यादा यानी 376 के अंक पर पहुंच गया.

Why the picture was hazier than usual this November

New Delhi: This November saw prolonged smog episodes with intermittent breaks. Data of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows that severe smog episodes began on December 5 (a day after Diwali) and continued till November 13, with a break of two days when the air quality improved marginally to the upper end of the “very poor” category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the “severe” category for three days in a row, from November 26 to 28. Experts said a combination of factors led to the high level of pollution this month. Between November 5 and 13, the air quality remained in the “severe” category and touched the “very poor” category on just two days, November 8 and 10. Though air quality remained mostly “very poor” from November 13 to 24, it reached the extreme end of “very poor” on November 25 with AQI clocking 400. It stayed in the “severe” category for three consecutive days. In 2020, the smog episode stretched from November 5 to 10. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “The prolonged smog episodes with intermittent breaks this November were one of the longest in recent times. As farm fires are reducing, local and NCR emissions are impacting the air quality. Taking lessons from previous years, when smog episodes occurred in December and January, it’s important to plan strategies for reducing emissions.” Experts said a combination of factors, mostly high impact of stubble burning, calm wind during night and local and regional sources of pollution, affected the air quality in the first half of November. However, the impact of stubble burning became negligible in the second half. As winter set in, local and regional sources of pollution became prominent due to meteorological factors like low temperature, high moisture, low mixing layer height and slow winds during the day. SAFAR analysis showed that the share of stubble burning to Delhi’s PM2.5 was 30% from November 9-13 and it reduced to 4% from November 23-27. Tanushree Ganguly, programme lead, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, said, “Our analysis suggests that while the first half of November 2020 was marginally more polluted than this year, the second half of November 2021 was more polluted than last year. Ventilation parameters like wind speed and mixing height slightly favoured the dispersion of pollutants, but declining temperature and reduced wind speeds resulted in poor air quality. Unlike last year, we didn’t experience any rain this November.” Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, said, “On many days, the mixing layer height was reduced to 200-300 metres, which is normally over 500 metres during winter months. This resulted in concentration of particulate matter. Wind speed also remained low on many days, affecting the dispersal of pollutants. A strong forecasting system is needed and studies should be done on health impact on high pollution days.”

उच्च तापमान में वृद्धि पूर्व-औद्योगिक स्तर से 1.5 प्रतिशत अधिक खतरनाक है?

2015, 196 अच्छी तरह से अनुकूल परिस्थितियों में, जो जलवायु परिवर्तन एक कानूनी रूप से संशोधित है, इस स्थिति में (2100 वर्ष) बेहतरी को बेहतर बनाने के लिए – औद्योगिक शिक्षा से 2 बेहतर और एक समान है। करना है। 1.5 तक समाधान करने का प्रयास करें. इस विषय पर सलाह देने के लिए COP26 KOP26 विज्ञान की ऊंचाई पर, 1.5 कुछ मिनट की जलवायु पर बात की, जलवायु के लिए जलवायु विज्ञान की दृष्टि से ऐसा ही होगा। : प्रदूषण के लिए गलत तरीके से लागू होने वाले मौसम के लिए रेडियो का समूह 27 वर्ष की तरह होगा वृद्धि क्या है? इंटर्नेशनल चार्ज पर लागू होने पर बदलते मौसम (एटीसी) 1850-1900-पूर्व-औद्योगिक – को बदलने के लिए उपयुक्त होते हैं। यह अनुमान है कि इस विश्व में जलवायु-औद्योगिक वर्षों में 1.1 वैश्विक उच्च तापमान है। निकाह के गोडा है अंतरिक्ष अध्ययन के लिए कहो कि 1800 के दशक के अंत में उच्च तापमान 13.7 डिग्री था, आज यह 14.8 डिग्री विज्ञान है। पिछले एक से अधिक शतकों में से एक। जलवायु में 2 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि 1.5 प्रतिशत की दर से होती है? 1.5 और 2 चर्चा के बीच बातचीत के बारे में। , 1.1 . लगभग 0.4. यह ग्रोथ से बेहतर है। एम्पाइप के अनुमानों से पता चलता है कि अगर हम अद्भुत हैं तो हम शतक के अंत तक 1.5 डिग्री को पार कर सकते हैं। इसलिए, 1.5 वैश्विक रूप से स्वीकार करने के लिए तैयार है। ग्लोबल को 1.5 बंद होने से भविष्य में परिवर्तन होने से कुछ कम होने में मदद मिल सकती है। तापमान में वृद्धि करने के लिए 1.5 और 2 तापमान में वृद्धि करने के लिए उच्च तापमान पर वृद्धि करें। गुणवत्ता के मामले में कुछ भी बेहतर कर सकते हैं: : इस अत्यधिक तापमान में आने वाले लोगों की संख्या में 0,5 प्रतिशत की क्षमता और 2 चरम तक पहुंच सकती है। रिपोर्ट्स के हिसाब से ग्रोथ 1.5 प्रतिशत तक बढ़ रही है। , अगर तापमान में वृद्धि 2 प्रतिशत हो तो पृथ्वी के तापमान में वृद्धि होगी। चेतावनी दी है कि शहरी गर्मी द्वीप के कारण शहरों को हीटवेव सबसे बुरे प्रभावों का अनुभव, उन्हें आसपास के ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों की तुलना में गर्म रखेगा। : नि पृथ्वी के वातावरण में 61% अधिक जलवायु वातावरण में जलवायु 1.5 प्रतिशत तापमान में संक्रमण की मात्रा कम होती है। : 18.4 और 27 करोड़ के बीच में 2 प्रतिशत परस्पर संपर्क में आने के साथ ही 2050 में पानी की कमी का सामना करें। पर जल की कमी का भी अनुमान लगाया जा सकता है। : एसीसीसी के अनुसार, जैसा कि 1.5 जलवायु की बातचीत में ऐसा होता है, बाढ़ पर, बाढ़ आती है। : से प्रभाव खत्म हो जाएगा और वह नष्ट हो जाएगा। 1.5 प्रतिशत के आकार पर होने पर, 6 प्रतिशत कीट, 8 प्रतिशत पौधे और 4 प्रतिशत जलवायु आकलन भौगोलिक स्थिति को अधिक कम कर देता है। 2 प्रतिशत होने पर, ये 18 प्रतिशत, 16 और 8 प्रतिशत हो जाएगा। आईपीसी के मामले में, खराब होने के परिणाम हो सकते हैं। उदाहरण के लिए, प्रगण में मदद करने वाले जैसे जैसे -जैसे के गुण उसके उत्पाद पर क्रियात्मक क्रियाएँ होंगे। : जंगली की आग जैसे चरम परमाणु वातावरण में 1.5 प्रतिशत की दर से परमाणु अत्यधिक शक्तिशाली और तेज। से विविध का प्रभाव पड़ता है। : 2 प्रतिशत पर, जैसा 13 प्रतिशत को अवलोकन में देखा जाता है, जो कि 1.5 प्रतिशत अधिक क्षेत्रफल में सक्षम होते हैं। पर्यावरण और मछली के स्तर में वृद्धि पर प्रभाव: वृद्धि 1.5 प्रतिशत वृद्धि पर भी वृद्धि प्रतिशत में वृद्धि होगी। . 1.5 डिग्री के उत्पादन के स्तर पर, 2100 तक मछली के स्तर में 0.4 का अनुमान है, अगर कृषि का स्तर 2 प्रतिशत तक बढ़ सकता है, तो मछली का स्तर 0.46 मीटर बढ़ जाएगा। यदि तापमान 2 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक पहुंच जाता है, तो पृथ्वी के 70 प्रतिशत से अधिक तटरेखाओं में तटीय बाढ़, समुद्र तट कटाव, जल आपूर्ति का लवणीकरण बढ़ जाएगा। इश्क का चैट है कि 1.5 प्रतिशत साक्षात्कार में, उच्च मानसिक साक्षात्कार वाले होंगे और यह 2 प्रतिशत अधिक हो जाएगा। समुद्री वित्तीय विवरण : 1.5 प्रतिशत तापमान में वृद्धि पर, हर 100 को कम एक मिनट में मुफ्त में माना जाता है। , प्रक्रिया प्रक्रिया में परागण के मुक्त होने की आवृत्ति हर 10 साल में कम से कम एक बार होगी। और भोजन पर: गर्मी में 1.5 प्रतिशत वृद्धि मानव स्वास्थ्य, स्वास्थ्य और जल आपूर्ति के लिए बढ़ सकती है। 2 वातावरण होने के कारण यह भी हो सकता है। में ख़राब होने पर अक्षम हो सकता है। तापमान से संबंधित बीमारी और मृत्यु का जोखिम 1.5 प्रतिशत भी कम होने पर होता है। : संस्कृति परिवर्तनशील है, इसलिए वैश्विक विकास को बढ़ावा देना है आईपीसीसी निर्धारण, आहार संबंधी सुरक्षा में 1.5 प्रतिशत की उम्मीद है। एपीसीसी ने कहा कि, अगर, और इसी तरह की अन्य जानकारियों के लिए। आँवले की गुणवत्ता की दर 2 प्रतिशत कम होगा। समय कम होगा। पर्यावरण के हिसाब से सही तरीके से व्यवहार करने के लिए 1.5. 1.5 करने के लिए तैयार है? प्रेक्षक के रूप में रिपोर्ट की गई रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, सूचना प्रकाशित होने के बाद एक सूचना प्रकाशित होती है। कु. इस तरह से कहा गया है, इसलिए COP26 में नए वादों के असत्य, 1.5 युद्ध पर विचार करने की आवश्यकता है। ने सभी प्रकार से अपने पर नियंत्रण किया है। सेन्टर के मामले में बेहतर स्थिति होने की स्थिति में, यह 1.5 प्रतिशत प्रतिशत गुणवत्ता वाले होते हैं। कोई स्पष्टीकरण नहीं है। यह प्रक्रिया प्रक्रिया प्रक्रिया हो रही है। की दर से गति करने के लिए और बेहतर से काम करें। तापमान में 2 मिनट की दर से डेटा दर्ज़ करने के लिए आप डेटा दर्ज करेंगे। होने से होगा। रघुनंदन ने कहा कि आईपीसीसी ने सचेत किया है कि 1.5 डिग्री की वृद्धि पर यह अंत तक खतरनाक है। : पर्यावरण परिवर्तन, उपस्थिति के लिए खतरा: पर्यावरणविद्या सुनीता नारायण

The use of recycled plastics in packaging of food and drinks needs to be re-deliberated

New Delhi, 30 November 2021: LawWiser, India’s first video-only knowledge-sharing platform for the legal community, today released a Consultation Paper on “The Dilemma of Recycling Plastics in India”. The objective of this Consultation paper is to address and highlight the seriousness of the dual issue of the safe and sustainable disposal methods of waste plastics and the adverse impacts, if any on the health and safety of humans from the use of recycled plastics. The recommendations from the Consultation Paper are shared with the concerned Ministries and FSSAI for re-consideration of the Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment) Rules, 2021, (Second Amendment) introduced on 17 September 2021. Experts from various fields participated in the Virtual Open Forum – Atin Biswas, Programme Director, Municipal Solid Waste, Centre for Science and Environment, Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, Deputy Programme Director, Centre for Science and Environment; Sudipto Sircar, Advocate, Supreme Court, Delhi High Court; Ashish Agarwal, Secretary, Recycle India Foundation; Dr Vijay G. Habbu, Polymer Scientist and Adjunct Professor, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, There have been a series of legislations to address waste management in India. The Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, was introduced to set up a regulatory framework for manufacture, usage, and recycling of plastic bags to ensure efficient management of plastic waste. In March 2016, The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate change (MoEFCC) to tackle the menace of plastics waste further notified, the Plastics Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016. The rules make source segregation of various types of waste mandatory and introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as an environment policy instrument, and assign physical, financial, and environmental responsibilities to producers, brand owners, and importers of plastics. The Virtual Open Forum conducted by LawWiser focused on the impact and concerns raised by the introduction of the second amendment to the Plastics Waste Management Rules, 2016 . The PWM (Second Amendment) Rules, 2021 states that carry bags or products made of recycled plastic” can be used for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging ready to eat or drink food stuff”. This is subject to appropriate standards and regulation under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006), by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The experts in the Open Forum deliberated that there is a need to first address the set of challenges and issues before it is implemented. In this paper, we understand and explore different aspects, of the new notification which includes Understanding the issue of recycling plastics in India Need for regulation of informal sector The Second Amendment (2021) is not in harmony with the earlier provisions The critical role of the bodies like FSSAI in the implementation of such amendment. The experts have unanimously voiced the concern that “with lack of proper facilities and standards for recycling there is only growing concern how these rules will be effectively implemented. And, ideally this amendment should have incorporated specific recommendations from FSSAI.” The concern of the experts is that: It is alleged that in India the majority of the recycling industry deploys very inferior quality recycling machines which can potentially make plastic more toxic in nature. Moreover, standards for the recycling of plastic have not been specified in India, making it all the more difficult to understand the chemical conformity of recycled plastic. Such permission for use in food and medicine packaging could pose a serious threat to human life and the environment. It is a huge concern that continuous recycling of plastic not only degrades the quality but also brings in life-threatening toxic impurities in them apart from issues of collection and sorting of such plastic. Elsewhere, in countries like the United States of America, manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that the recycled product is of suitable purity. The Food and Drug Administration in the US is very well aware of the contaminants from post-consumer plastic that may appear in the final product. Therefore, each proposal of using recycled plastic is evaluated before issuing a no-objection letter. Also, The European Commission back in 2018 was preparing to fast-track approval of 140 recycling processes for use in food and drink packaging. The proposal to approve the said recycling processes has also involved the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). However, the final approval of each process rests with the European Commission.

छह सालों में सर्वाधिक प्रदूषित रही नवंबर में दिल्ली की हवा, पर्यावरण विशेषज्ञों ने बताई ये दो वजह

नई दिल्ली [संजीव गुप्ता]। इस बार दिल्ली में नवंबर का महीना पिछले छह सालों में सर्वाधिक प्रदूषित रहा है। 2016 से लेकर अभी तक इस माह में गंभीर श्रेणी की हवा वाले सर्वाधिक दिन दर्ज किए गए हैं। सोमवार तक माह के 29 दिनों में से एक भी दिन दिल्लीवासियों को अच्छी, संतोषजनक और मध्यम श्रेणी की हवा नहीं मिली। मंगलवार को इस माह के आखिरी दिन भी दिल्ली की हवा बहुत खराब श्रेणी में ही रहने वाली है। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि नवंबर 2016 में गंभीर श्रेणी यानी 400 से ऊपर के एयर इंडेक्स वाले 10 दिन दर्ज हुए थे। वर्ष 2017 में यह संख्या सात, 2018 में पांच, 2019 में सात और 2020 में नौ दिन रही थी। इस साल नवंबर में सोमवार तक गंभीर श्रेणी के एयर इंडेक्स वाले दिनों की संख्या 12 पहुंच गई। 15 दिन एयर इंडेक्स बहुत खराब और दो दिन दिन खराब श्रेणी में दर्ज हुआ। पर्यावरण विशेषज्ञों के अनुसार मानसून की देरी से वापसी और उत्तर भारतीय राज्यों में पराली जलाने की घटनाएं भी देर से शुरू होने के कारण इस साल हवा ज्यादा खराब रही है। पराली जलाने के मामले आमतौर पर नवंबर के मध्य तक शून्य स्तर पर आने लगते हैं, जबकि इस साल नवंबर के आखिर तक भी सिर्फ कम हुए हैं, खत्म नहीं। सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वाययरमेंट (सीएसई) की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता राय चौधरी बताती हैं, इस सीजन में पराली जलाने की धीमी शुरुआत देखी गई । आमतौर पर नवंबर तक पंजाब और हरियाणा में पराली जलाने के मामले कम होने लगते हैं। लेकिन, इस बार अक्टूबर में यह मामले ज्यादा नहीं थे, जबकि नवंबर के पहले सप्ताह में बढ़ने लगे। हालांकि प्रदूषण का चरम मुख्य रूप से दिल्ली- एनसीआर में स्थानीय प्रदूषकों के कारण है। चौधरी के मुताबिक, ''वर्तमान में दिल्ली के पीएम 2.5 में पराली के धुएं की हिस्सेदारी महज दो से छह प्रतिशत है, जिसका अर्थ है कि अब हम जो गंभीर प्रदूषण स्तर देख रहे हैं, वह दिल्ली के स्थानीय प्रदूषण का परिणाम है। इसलिए स्थानीय प्रदूषण स्त्रोतों के खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई की जरूरत है। वहीं मौसम विभाग के पर्यावरण और अनुसंधान केंद्र के प्रमुख वी के सोनी ने बताया कि पराली की आग के साथ इस माह स्थानीय मौसम भी प्रदूषकों के फैलाव के लिए प्रतिकूल था। दिल्ली ने इस माह कई दिन देखे जब धीमी और शांत हवाएं दर्ज की गईं। सोनी ने कहा, ''जहां आमतौर पर नवंबर प्रदूषण के लिए एक बुरा माह होता है, वहीं इस बार हमने कई दिनों में धीमी और शांत हवाएं भी देखीं।'' “पूर्वानुमान कहता है कि मंगलवार को भी अधिक सुधार के आसार नहीं है। प्रदूषण का स्तर बहुत खराब श्रेणी में ही रहने की संभावना है।''

Delhi records 11 days with 'severe' air quality, breaks record for 'worst' November

New Delhi: According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi struggled with severely polluted air for 11 days in November this year. As per the board, the number of days with 'severe' pollution was the highest since detailed records have been maintained by the pollution watchdog On Saturday, the average air quality index (AQI) of Delhi increased to severe levels as the figure rose to 402. This was the 11th day that recorded severe air pollution in the national capital. 10 dangerous days in November 2016 Initially, Delhi had recorded 10 dangerous air days in November 2016, according to the CPCB. In 2016, pollution in the national capital had prompted the administration to declare an air emergency and implement the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in the National Capital Region (NCR), as directed by the Supreme Court. In 2020, Delhi recorded 9 days with severe air quality while the number was 7 in 2019. In 2018, 5 severe air quality days were seen in Delhi, while this number 7 seven in 2017. According to CPCB data, Delhi has not recorded a single day with moderate air quality in November this year. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment told Hindustan Times, "We saw a slow start to the stubble fires this season. Usually, by November, the farm fires in Punjab and Haryana start declining. But this time, in October there weren’t many fires, but by the first week of November, it started increasing. " She added, "Currently, the stubble fire share in Delhi’s PM2.5 levels is only about 2-6%, which means that the severe pollution levels that we are seeing now are a result of local pollution in all of Delhi-NCR. "

Climate change in India: Battling floods amid spike in extreme weather

Chennai: After dozens lost their lives in severe flooding in southern India, environmentalists are calling on government officials to prioritise climate-proof infrastructure and take measures to prevent further destruction due to major weather events. India’s tech hub Bengaluru was recently inundated by floodwaters, following torrential downpours that killed scores of people across the south of the country over past weeks. Lakes surrounding the city, which is the capital of the southwestern Karnataka state, overflowed after three days of ferocious downpours. This submerged roads, flooded homes, and left more than 24 dead across the region. Meanwhile, neighboring Andhra Pradesh state is continuing to reel from the aftermath of heavy rains and flash floods that wreaked havoc on the state, killing at least 34 people. As a result, more than 50,000 people have been lodged in relief camps in the four worst-affected districts. Additionally, hundreds of vehicles and passengers were stranded after primary rail and driving routes were closed. In Tamil Nadu state, heavy rains shut down the capital Chennai earlier this month. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) later forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over coming days in the region. Monsoon rains ‘in excess’ “Clearly, the northeast monsoon rains are in excess this time. Yes, these are extreme weather events, but I do not know whether this will become the new normal in the coming years,” IMD Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told DW. Many scientists believe such extreme rainfall events will become more frequent over the coming years. In the face of this, some are calling on officials to prioritise the climate-proofing of infrastructure. As monsoon floods raged across the subcontinent in August this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its sixth assessment report, which again noted increasing frequency of heavy precipitation events since the 1950s and connected them to human-induced climate change. A new study released by Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) in October, ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, maps India’s climate vulnerability. The study showed that southern regions are the most vulnerable to extreme climate events and their compounding impacts. Additionally, according to the CEEW, more than 80% of India’s population live in districts highly vulnerable to extreme disasters, including drought, flooding and cyclones. What’s more, only 63% of the country’s 748 districts have an official disaster management plan, and only a third of those that do have plans have updated them beyond 2019, the study found. ‘A surge in extreme events’ Given that India is the seventh-most-vulnerable country with respect to climate extremes, climate action needs to be scaled up at both the sub-national and district levels, according to Germanwatch, a Bonn-based non-governmental organisation. “India needs to do a granular risk assessment that will account for hazards, risks and vulnerability. A surge in extreme events has been observed across India after 2005. Our sensitivity analysis shows that this is primarily triggered by landscape disruptions,” Abinash Mohanty, an author of the CEEW study, told DW. “We also need to undertake climate-sensitive landscape restoration focused on rehabilitating, restoring, and reintegrating natural ecosystems as part of the developmental process,” he added.Other experts believe that mitigating floods and droughts should require fitting irrigation structures to capture rain, acting as both a sponge during flooding and a storehouse during drought. “We are getting our water management wrong, we are building in floodplains, destroying our water bodies and filling up our water channels. We now see more rain and more extreme rain events,” Sunita Narain, director-general of Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment, told DW. Narain believes that authorities need to plan systems properly in order to divert floodwater. “It means linking rivers to ponds, lakes and ditches so that water is free to flow. This will distribute the water across the region and bring other benefits like recharging groundwater,” she said. In most cities, waterways have typically been overlooked in the name of urban growth. After the devastating floods in Chennai in 2015, experts pointed out that the biggest culprit encroaching on urban waterways and wetlands was actually the state government, which had built runways, bus terminals and industrial parks by filling in and paving over bodies of water. Add to this a promise of increased precipitation as climate change marches on. In recent years, weather officials have pointed out that the surface water temperature of the Arabian Sea has risen from 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) to 29 degrees, which is causing more frequent formation of low-pressure areas and cyclonic circulations, resulting in heavy rains.

Air Pollution LIVE Updates: SC Asks Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and UP Govts to Show How They Complied With Air Quality Commission's Directions

Air Pollution LIVE Updates: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will hold a high-level meeting today to review the air pollution situation in the capital, officials said. The minister will take stock of the situation with senior officials of the departments concerned and discuss steps that could be taken in addition to the existing restrictions on construction and truck entry, an official said. The Supreme Court will also conduct a hearing on a public interest litigation pertaining to high levels of air pollution in Delhi-NCR today. The Delhi government had on November 25 re-imposed the ban on construction and demolition activities following the Supreme Court order in this regard. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi recorded the most number of severely polluted air in November this year, compared to data maintained the pollution watchdog in previous years. The city experienced 11 days of ‘severe’ pollution, whereas in 2020 it was nine days and in 2019, seven. According to CPCB data, Delhi has not recorded a single day with moderate air quality in November this year. The Supreme Court directed the Centre to respond to issues related to construction activities including the Central Vista project under its domain besides asking Delhi and NCR states to file their replies to show compliance of directions issued by the commission on air quality management to curb pollution. • The Supreme Court posted the matter for hearing on December 2. • The Supreme Court asks Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and UP govts to explain the steps they’ve taken in compliance with directions by Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR to curb air pollution and seeks compliance reports from them Supreme Court says it will ask the Centre whether continuing construction work at the Central Vista project is adding to dust pollution and asks Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to explain what steps were taken to curb air pollution caused by the project in Delhi • Supreme Court says if state govts do not implement the directions issued by it, Centre and Commission on air pollution, then it will set up a task force for implementation of measures to reduce pollution. • The advocate general for Punjab says, “no direction has been issued except for stubble burning. I want to point out issue of transportation pf paddy. There was a meeting held, various states showed interest in transporting paddy." • “Everyone’s intention is good, everything is good, but still nothing is achieved," the court responds after the solicitor general says directions were issued after holding meeting with their chief secretaries, etc. “everyone was on board before issuing directions. We have now started personally visiting for compliance." • In the SC hearing, the Chief Justice says these are issues where imposing fines etc wont help, there has to be implementation. If they won’t implement, creating task force is the only way, Live Law reports. • Supreme Court expresses concern over rising air pollution levels in Delhi. The apex court observed that while pollution levels are rising, there is another problem of COVID-19. • Students attend school as air quality improves slightly. • American space agency NASA, on Saturday, shared a picture that shows the level of air pollution, and has identified the problem causing it. Photos tweeted by NASA Earth show “heightened fire activity in Northwestern India as farmers burn off excess paddy straw after the rice harvest. SEE PICTURE • United Residents Joint Action, a consortium of over 2,500 resident welfare associations in Delhi, launched on November 26 a citizen-driven campaign to monitor compliance and implementation of pollution-control norms. Representatives from 13 identified hotspots of Delhi will work closely with the municipal corporations in Delhi and help report incidents of waste burning, debris dumping or other violations in their area. “Air pollution can no longer be dismissed as a localised concern, particularly in the landlocked north Indian cities, which accounts for the majority of information indicating the problem’s significance. Instead, the problem must be handled before it turns into a public health emergency." READ MORE • Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said the workers affected by the ban on construction activities in the national capital will be provided a financial assistance of Rs 5,000 each and his government will also compensate them for the loss of minimum wages. • Delhi’s overall air quality is in the ‘very poor’ category today, as per SAFAR. Despite schools returning to the offline mode, bus services were much slower to restart. While a few schools will resume their transport services with limited services from Monday, a majority of schools are yet to do so, according to an Indian Express report. • Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying that the stubble fire share in Delhi’s PM2.5 levels is only about 2-6%, meaning the severe pollution levels that we are seeing now are a result of local pollution in all of Delhi-NCR. • The current air quality index (AQI) reads 458, which comes under the ‘severe’ category, as per CPCB real-time data. • Physical classes in schools, colleges and other educational institutions will resume and government offices are set to reopen from today.

Nueva Delhi se asfixia por la contaminación de gases tóxicos

La capital de India cierra escuelas, impone el teletrabajo y limita el uso del coche Una espesa niebla que se combina con las emisiones industriales y vehiculares deja atrapadas algunas poblaciones bajo una tremenda capa de polución Ocurre en todo el norte de la India cada invierno. Un año más, el país vuelve a asfixiarse bajo una espesa nube de contaminación tóxica provocada por los gases de escape de los automóviles, la quema de rastrojos por parte de los agricultores, la contaminación industrial, la quema de residuos y las obras de construcción. Una espesa niebla que se combina con las emisiones industriales y vehiculares deja atrapadas algunas poblaciones bajo una tremenda capa de polución, que se mantiene por las bajas temperaturas actuales. Entre las muchas ciudades indias que respiran con dificultad, Nueva Delhi encabeza la lista año tras año. Esta misma semana, la capital del país y varios estados circundantes han cerrado las escuelas, han impuesto órdenes para trabajar desde casa y se está contemplando la posibilidad de cerrar la ciudad durante todo el fin de semana, en un intento de hacer frente a los niveles mortales de contaminación que han vuelto para envolver la región. Una espesa niebla tóxica de color marrón que ahoga a la población encapota la ciudad. En las últimas semanas, en lo que se ha convertido en un temido acontecimiento estacional, Delhi ha sufrido niveles de contaminación 20 veces superiores a los considerados saludables por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. La crisis del aire sucio en esta ciudad de más de 20 millones de habitantes ha puesto de manifiesto la gran dependencia de la India del carbón, que representa el 70% de la energía del país. A los cierres de escuelas en el corazón del gigante asiático, - que se han producido tan sólo unas semanas después de su reapertura tras 18 meses de cierre por la pandemia de Covid-19-, se han sumado medidas como la paralización de las obras de construcción o la petición a los conductores de los 13 millones de coches de Delhi que apaguen los motores cuando estén detenidos en los semáforos. Mientras tanto el gobierno está debatiendo si mantener las industrias abiertas, y algunos expertos advierten de que un cierre lograría muy poco en el control de la contaminación, sino más bien lo que causaría son trastornos en la economía y afectaría enormemente a la de los residentes. ”Esta no es la solución que buscamos, por ser enormemente perturbadora. Además, hay que tener en cuenta que la economía ya está bajo presión y que los pobres están en un serio peligro”, aseguró Anumita Roychowdhury, directora ejecutiva del Centro para la Ciencia y el Medio Ambiente, una organización de investigación y defensa de Nueva Delhi. En los últimos años, el gobierno de Delhi ha adoptado diversas medidas para reducir la contaminación, como el cierre de todas las centrales eléctricas de carbón, la ampliación de las redes de transporte público que ahora sólo funcionan con gas natural, la prohibición de que los camiones diésel entren en la ciudad durante el día, la imposición de una política de combustibles limpios y la regulación de la construcción. Otros estados del norte de la India, como Punjab, Haryana y Uttar Pradesh, también han impuesto esta semana la orden de trabajar desde casa, debido al descenso de la calidad del aire. El ministro jefe de Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, ordenó que la gente utilizara el transporte público en lugar de los coches y que se aplicara la prohibición de quemar rastrojos.

Air Pollution Update: नवंबर में जहरीली हवा ने तोड़ दिया पांच साल का रिकार्ड

नई दिल्ली [संजीव गुप्ता]। इस साल दिल्ली में नवंबर का महीना पिछले पांच सालों में सर्वाधिक प्रदूषित रहा है। 2016 से लेकर अब तक इस माह में गंभीर श्रेणी की हवा वाले सर्वाधिक दिन दर्ज किए गए हैं। रविवार तक माह के 28 दिनों में से एक भी दिन दिल्ली वासियों को अच्छी, संतोषजनक और मध्यम श्रेणी की हवा नहीं मिली। शेष बचे अगले दो दिनों में भी दिल्ली की हवा गंभीर या बहुत खराब श्रेणी में ही रहने वाली है। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) के आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि नवंबर 2016 में गंभीर श्रेणी यानी 400 से ऊपर के एयर इंडेक्स वाले 10 दिन दर्ज हुए थे। वर्ष 2017 में यह संख्या सात, 2018 में पांच, 2019 में सात और 2020 में नौ दिन रही थी। इस साल नवंबर में रविवार तक गंभीर श्रेणी के एयर इंडेक्स वाले दिनों की संख्या 12 पहुंच गई। 14 दिन एयर इंडेक्स बहुत खराब और दो दिन दिन खराब श्रेणी में दर्ज हुआ।पर्यावरण विशेषज्ञों के अनुसार मानसून की देर से वापसी और उत्तर भारतीय राज्यों में पराली जलाने की घटनाएं भी देर से शुरू होने के कारण इस साल हवा इतनी खराब रही है। पराली जलाने के मामले आमतौर पर नवंबर के मध्य तक शून्य स्तर पर आने लगते हैं, जबकि इस साल नवंबर के आखिर तक भी सिर्फ कम हुए हैं, खत्म नहीं। सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वाययरमेंट (सीएसई) की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता राय चौधरी कहती हैं, इस सीजन में पराली जलाने की धीमी शुरुआत देखी। आमतौर पर नवंबर तक पंजाब और हरियाणा में पराली जलाने के मामले कम होने लगते हैं। लेकिन इस बार अक्टूबर में यह मामले ज्यादा नहीं थे, लेकिन नवंबर के पहले सप्ताह में बढ़ने लगे। हालांकि प्रदूषण का चरम मुख्य रूप से दिल्ली-एनसीआर में स्थानीय प्रदूषकों के कारण है। अनुमिता राय चौधरी के मुताबिक, ''वर्तमान में दिल्ली के पीएम 2.5 में पराली के धुएं की हिस्सेदारी महज दो से छह प्रतिशत है, जिसका अर्थ है कि अब हम जो गंभीर प्रदूषण स्तर देख रहे हैं, वह दिल्ली के स्थानीय प्रदूषण का परिणाम है। इसलिए स्थानीय प्रदूषण स्त्रोतों के खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई की जरूरत है। वहीं मौसम विभाग के पर्यावरण और अनुसंधान केंद्र के प्रमुख वी के सोनी ने बताया कि पराली की आग के साथ इस महीने स्थानीय मौसम भी प्रदूषकों के फैलाव के लिए प्रतिकूल था। दिल्ली ने इस महीने कई दिन देखे जब धीमी और शांत हवाएं दर्ज की गईं। वीके सोनी ने कहा, ''जहां आमतौर पर नवंबर प्रदूषण के लिए एक बुरा महीना होता है, वहीं इस बार हमने कई दिनों में धीमी और शांत हवाएं भी देखीं।'' “पूर्वानुमान कहता है कि 29-30 नवंबर से पहले सुधार की संभावना नहीं है। प्रदूषण का स्तर बहुत खराब श्रेणी के ऊपरी छोर पर रहने की संभावना है।' नवंबर माह में दिल्ली का एयर इंडेक्स (एक से 28 तारीख) एक नवंबर - 281 दो नवंबर - 303 तीन नवंबर - 314 चार नवंबर - 399 पांच नवंबर - 469 छह नवंबर - 437 सात नवंबर - 428 आठ नवंबर - 390 नौ नवंबर - 404 10 नवंबर - 372 11 नवंबर - 411 12 नवंबर - 471 13 नवंबर - 437 14 नवंबर - 330 15 नवंबर - 353 16 नवंबर - 403 17 नवंबर - 375 18 नवंबर - 347 19 नवंबर - 381 20 नवंबर - 374 21 नवंबर - 349 22 नवंबर - 311 23 नवंबर - 290 24 नवंबर - 361 25 नवंबर - 400 26 नवंबर - 406 27 नवंबर - 402 28 नवंबर - 405

Worst Nov for Delhi’s air: 11 ‘severe’ pollution days

November has been the cruellest month this year in Delhi, with 11 days showing severely polluted air on the monitors of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the highest since detailed records have been maintained by the pollution watchdog, with three days for the month still to go. On Saturday, the average air quality index again rose to severe levels (402) for the 11th day this month, breaking the record of 10 dangerous air days in November 2016, CPCB data showed. The alarming situation in 2016 had led to the administration declaring an air emergency and putting in place the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in the National Capital Region (NCR), following directions of the Supreme Court. In 2020, Delhi saw nine severe days in November, and seven in 2019, historical data showed. In 2018, five severe air quality days were seen in Delhi, while this number was seven in 2017. Delhi has not seen a single day of moderate air quality this November. The air has been this poor likely because of the late withdrawal of monsoon and a delay in the burning of farm residue in north Indian states, experts said. The number of farm fires usually drops around the middle of the month, but has only just subsided this year. “We saw a slow start to the stubble fires this season. Usually by November, the farm fires in Punjab and Haryana start declining. But this time, in October there weren’t many fires, but by first week of November it started increasing,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, a non-profit. The pollution peak, however, is largely because of local pollutants in Delhi-NCR, she pointed out. “Currently, the stubble fire share in Delhi’s PM2.5 levels [ultra fine particulate matter] is only about 2-6%, which means that the severe pollution levels that we are seeing now is a result of local pollution in all of Delhi-NCR,” she said. PM 2.5, or particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres, can enter deep into the lungs and bloodstream, and cause serious health problems. “We need targeted action against local pollution sources, and measures will have to be implemented with greater vigour by agencies,” Roychowdhury said. While the number of severe air days was higher this year, the spells of continuous severe AQI days that last for over two days were for shorter durations, but were more recurrent. Delhi saw its first severe spell from November 5, a day after Diwali, to November 7. The next spell, which also lasted three days, continued from November 11 till November 13. The capital city and its neighbouring areas saw another severe air spell that started on November 25, and with Saturday’s AQI recording of 402, continued again for three days. Air pollution will continue to be dangerously high at least till November 29, the India Meteorological Department has predicted. Along with stubble fires, the local weather this month was also unfavourable for dispersal of pollutants, explained VK Soni, head of the weather bureau's environment and research centre. Delhi this month saw several days when slow and calm winds were recorded, he said. “While November generally is a bad month for pollution, this time we also saw slow and calm winds on many days,” Soni said. “The forecast says that improvement is unlikely before November 29-30. The pollution levels are likely to remain in the upper end of very poor category.” Delhi government spokespersons did not respond to requests seeking comment. A senior Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) official said, “Keeping in mind the dangerous rise in pollution levels, we ordered a ban on construction in Delhi and this ban was later also put in place by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). We also banned the entry of trucks carrying non-essential items into Delhi and also ordered the closure of schools.” HT approached officials in the Union environment ministry and CAQM for comment on whether new measures will be taken to reduce severe air pollution levels, but they declined to comment and said measures are already being taken and that the Supreme Court was informed.

Ensuring Proper Flow Key To Revive Yamuna: Experts

New Delhi: Despite the first phase of Yamuna Action Plan being started in 1993 and more than Rs 1,500 crore being spent on various projects to rejuvenate the river, no significant change in water quality has been seen in the last two decades. Experts say while the focus of the government has been on construction of sewage treatment plants (STP), other issues like proper flow, discharge of industrial effluents and rejuvenation of the floodplain have failed to get the required attention. In Delhi, the 22km urban stretch of the Yamuna from Wazirabad to Okhla is the most polluted. The National Green Tribunal-appointed Yamuna Monitoring Committee, which has now been dissolved, in its report last year had stated, “The analysis on water quality (between 2015 and 2020) both by CPCB and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) clearly doesn’t point to a trend towards improvement in water quality.” A report prepared by DPCC in October this year stated that all eight monitoring stations didn’t meet the parameters related to dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand, which revealed the poor quality of water. Manoj Mishra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan said, “There was no improvement in the Yamuna over the years as the priorities of the government were wrong. The primary focus was on STPs. Linking sewage management with river rejuvenation will not give the desired results.” The Yamuna has lost a majority of its flow, but ensuring it is still not the priority. Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have to come together to ensure the environmental flow. Anything less will only result in shifting of the goal posts, as has been the practice till date,” added Mishra. Vimlendu Jha, founder of Swechha NGO, said, “The six-point plan announced by the chief minister to clean the Yamuna will not be sustainable till environmental flow is ensured. We need interstate cooperation for it. An NGT order says industries should ensure zero liquid discharge. However, treated waste released from industries goes into the Yamuna. Neither treated nor untreated industrial effluents should be allowed to be discharged in the river.” “The government should give attention to rejuvenation of the floodplain, which helps in recharging surface and groundwater. No encroachment and no redevelopment should be allowed on the Yamuna floodplain,” added Jha. Sushmita Sengupta, senior programme manager, water and sanitation programme, Centre for Science and Environment, said efforts were taken earlier to construct new STPs, but attention was not given to run existing plants at their full capacity. “In an urbanised set-up, constructing sewer lines and connecting them with new STPs is a challenge,” she added. Ravi Agarwal, director, Toxics Link, said waste released from industries also goes to STPs, which have not been designed to deal with such effluents. “Many reports state that common effluent treatment plants do not meet the required standards. Though a ban on sale, storage, transportation and marketing of soaps and detergent that do not meet Bureau of Indian Standards norms was imposed this year, implementation has been a big issue. More accountability and public awareness are required,” he added.

Delhi’s roads worsen India’s toxic smog crisis

After decades commuting on New Delhi’s parlous roads, office worker Ashok Kumar spends more time than ever stuck in the gridlock that packs the Indian capital’s thoroughfares and pollutes the city. The sprawling megacity of 20 million people is regularly ranked the world’s most polluted capital, with traffic exhaust a main driver of the toxic smog that permeates the skies, especially in winter. Delhi’s patchwork public transport network struggles to cater for a booming population, with long queues snaking outside the city’s underground metro stations each evening and overloaded buses inching their way down clogged arterials. “When I came to Delhi, the air was clean because there were hardly any cars or bikes on the roads,” Kumar told AFP while waiting for a ride home outside the city’s main bus terminal. “But now everyone owns a vehicle.” Kumar spends nearly four hours each day in a “gruelling journey” to and from his home on Delhi’s far southern outskirts, alternating between commuter buses, private shared taxis and rickshaws. Even at the age of 61, Kumar is hoping to save enough money to buy his own scooter and spare himself the pain of the daily commute. “Not many people can afford to waste their time on public transport,” he said. Private vehicle registrations have tripled in the last 15 years-there are now more than 13 million on the capital’s roads, government figures show. The consequences are felt year-round, with Delhi road users spending 1.5 hours more in traffic than other major Asian cities, according to the Boston Consulting Group. But come winter the daily inconvenience escalates into a full-blown public health crisis, as prevailing winds slow and the thick blanket of haze settles over the city sees a surge in hospital admissions from residents struggling to breathe. Vehicle emissions accounted for more than half of the city air’s concentration of PM2.5 — the smallest airborne particles most hazardous to human health-at the start of November, Delhi’s Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. ‘It made more sense’ A study from the centre last year showed the capital was experiencing a steady decline in public transit ridership. Infrastructure has improved since the turn of the century, when Delhi inaugurated the first links in an underground rail network that now spans more than 250 stations and stretches into neighbouring satellite cities. But the CSE said long distances between metro stops and residential areas was pushing commuters to switch to private vehicles. “The Metro is convenient but I still had to take an auto-rickshaw or shared taxi from the station to my home,” Sudeep Mishra, 31, told AFP. Mishra’s daily commute was a 50-kilometre (30-mile) return journey, including the two kilometres he had to navigate between the nearest station and his home-now all done on a second-hand motorbike. “It was a hassle and expensive as well,” said Mishra, also a white-collar worker. “It made more sense to buy my vehicle to save time and money.” Experts say this poor last mile connectivity is a particular issue for women, who often have to choose between private transport or risking a walk on dark and unsafe streets. The move to private vehicles has seen Delhi’s bus network atrophy, with more than a hundred bus routes culled since 2009. The state-run Delhi Transport Corporation’s fleet has shrunk by nearly half since a decade ago and last ordered new buses in 2008 — with a planned expansion marred by corruption claims. Cosmetic solutions There is a direct link between this underinvestment in public transport and the capital’s worsening air pollution, said Sunil Dahiya, a New Delhi-based analyst with the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Official campaigns have attempted to lighten the haze in recent years, with the city at one point banning vehicles from the roads using an alternating odd-even system based on licence plate numbers. Groups of youngsters are paid to stand at busy traffic intersections, waving placards urging drivers to turn off their ignitions while waiting at red lights. And incentives have been offered for electric vehicle owners, but with only 145 charging stations across the city, take-up has been slow. Dahiya told AFP that only a huge investment to make public transport more appealing and convenient would start to solve the intractable problem. “We need aggressive growth in public transport to start seeing an absolute reduction in air pollution levels,” he said. – AFP

Delhi's choked roads worsen India's toxic smog crisis

After decades commuting on New Delhi's parlous roads, office worker Ashok Kumar spends more time than ever stuck in the gridlock that packs the Indian capital's thoroughfares and pollutes the city. The sprawling megacity of 20 million people is regularly ranked the world's most polluted capital, with traffic exhaust a main driver of the toxic smog that permeates the skies, especially in winter. Delhi's patchwork public transport network struggles to cater for a booming population, with long queues snaking outside the city's underground metro stations each evening and overloaded buses inching their way down clogged arterials. "When I came to Delhi, the air was clean because there were hardly any cars or bikes on the roads," Kumar told AFP while waiting for a ride home outside the city's main bus terminal. "But now everyone owns a vehicle." Kumar spends nearly four hours each day in a "gruelling journey" to and from his home on Delhi's far southern outskirts, alternating between commuter buses, private shared taxis and rickshaws. Even at the age of 61, Kumar is hoping to save enough money to buy his own scooter and spare himself the pain of the daily commute. "Not many people can afford to waste their time on public transport," he said. Delhi's patchwork public transport network struggles to cater for a booming population. Private vehicle registrations have tripled in the last 15 years—there are now more than 13 million on the capital's roads, government figures show. The consequences are felt year-round, with Delhi road users spending 1.5 hours more in traffic than other major Asian cities, according to the Boston Consulting Group. But come winter the daily inconvenience escalates into a full-blown public health crisis, as prevailing winds slow and the thick blanket of haze settles over the city sees a surge in hospital admissions from residents struggling to breathe. Vehicle emissions accounted for more than half of the city air's concentration of PM2.5—the smallest airborne particles most hazardous to human health—at the start of November, Delhi's Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. 'It made more sense' A study from the centre last year showed the capital was experiencing a steady decline in public transit ridership. The move to private vehicles has seen Delhi's bus network atrophy, with more than a hundred bus routes culled since 2009. Infrastructure has improved since the turn of the century, when Delhi inaugurated the first links in an underground rail network that now spans more than 250 stations and stretches into neighbouring satellite cities. But the CSE said long distances between metro stops and residential areas was pushing commuters to switch to private vehicles. "The Metro is convenient but I still had to take an auto-rickshaw or shared taxi from the station to my home," Sudeep Mishra, 31, told AFP. Mishra's daily commute was a 50-kilometre (30-mile) return journey, including the two kilometres he had to navigate between the nearest station and his home—now all done on a second-hand motorbike. "It was a hassle and expensive as well," said Mishra, also a white-collar worker. "It made more sense to buy my vehicle to save time and money." Experts say this poor last mile connectivity is a particular issue for women, who often have to choose between private transport or risking a walk on dark and unsafe streets. Private vehicle registrations have tripled in the last 15 years—there are now more than 13 million on the capital's roads, government figures show. The move to private vehicles has seen Delhi's bus network atrophy, with more than a hundred bus routes culled since 2009. The state-run Delhi Transport Corporation's fleet has shrunk by nearly half since a decade ago and last ordered new buses in 2008—with a planned expansion marred by corruption claims. Cosmetic solutions There is a direct link between this underinvestment in public transport and the capital's worsening air pollution, said Sunil Dahiya, a New Delhi-based analyst with the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Official campaigns have attempted to lighten the haze in recent years, with the city at one point banning vehicles from the roads using an alternating odd-even system based on licence plate numbers. Groups of youngsters are paid to stand at busy traffic intersections, waving placards urging drivers to turn off their ignitions while waiting at red lights. Official campaigns have attempted to lighten the haze in recent years, with the city at one point banning vehicles from the roads using an alternating odd-even system based on licence plate numbers. And incentives have been offered for electric vehicle owners, but with only 145 charging stations across the city, take-up has been slow. Dahiya told AFP that only a huge investment to make public transport more appealing and convenient would start to solve the intractable problem. "We need aggressive growth in public transport to start seeing an absolute reduction in air pollution levels," he said.

Delhi's choked roads worsen India's toxic smog crisis

Sprawling megacity of 20 million people is regularly ranked world's most polluted capital After decades commuting on New Delhi's parlous roads, office worker Ashok Kumar spends more time than ever stuck in the gridlock that packs the Indian capital's thoroughfares and pollutes the city. The sprawling megacity of 20 million people is regularly ranked the world's most polluted capital, with traffic exhaust a main driver of the toxic smog that permeates the skies, especially in winter. Delhi's patchwork public transport network struggles to cater for a booming population, with long queues snaking outside the city's underground metro stations each evening and overloaded buses inching their way down clogged arterials. When I came to Delhi, the air was clean because there were hardly any cars or bikes on the roads," Kumar told AFP while waiting for a ride home outside the city's main bus terminal. But now everyone owns a vehicle." Kumar spends nearly four hours each day in a "gruelling journey" to and from his home on Delhi's far southern outskirts, alternating between commuter buses, private shared taxis and rickshaws. Even at the age of 61, Kumar is hoping to save enough money to buy his own scooter and spare himself the pain of the daily commute. "Not many people can afford to waste their time on public transport," he said. Private vehicle registrations have tripled in the last 15 years -- there are now more than 13 million on the capital's roads, government figures show. The consequences are felt year-round, with Delhi road users spending 1.5 hours more in traffic than other major Asian cities, according to the Boston Consulting Group. But come winter the daily inconvenience escalates into a full-blown public health crisis, as prevailing winds slow and the thick blanket of haze settles over the city sees a surge in hospital admissions from residents struggling to breathe. Vehicle emissions accounted for more than half of the city air's concentration of PM2.5 -- the smallest airborne particles most hazardous to human health -- at the start of November, Delhi's Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. A study from the centre last year showed the capital was experiencing a steady decline in public transit ridership. Infrastructure has improved since the turn of the century, when Delhi inaugurated the first links in an underground rail network that now spans more than 250 stations and stretches into neighbouring satellite cities. But the CSE said long distances between metro stops and residential areas was pushing commuters to switch to private vehicles. "The Metro is convenient but I still had to take an auto-rickshaw or shared taxi from the station to my home," Sudeep Mishra, 31, told AFP. Mishra's daily commute was a 50-kilometre (30-mile) return journey, including the two kilometres he had to navigate between the nearest station and his home -- now all done on a second-hand motorbike. "It was a hassle and expensive as well," said Mishra, also a white-collar worker. "It made more sense to buy my vehicle to save time and money." Experts say this poor last mile connectivity is a particular issue for women, who often have to choose between private transport or risking a walk on dark and unsafe streets. The move to private vehicles has seen Delhi's bus network atrophy, with more than a hundred bus routes culled since 2009. Also read: New Delhi vows, as it does each year, to clean its filthy air The state-run Delhi Transport Corporation's fleet has shrunk by nearly half since a decade ago and last ordered new buses in 2008 -- with a planned expansion marred by corruption claims. There is a direct link between this underinvestment in public transport and the capital's worsening air pollution, said Sunil Dahiya, a New Delhi-based analyst with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Official campaigns have attempted to lighten the haze in recent years, with the city at one point banning vehicles from the roads using an alternating odd-even system based on licence plate numbers. Groups of youngsters are paid to stand at busy traffic intersections, waving placards urging drivers to turn off their ignitions while waiting at red lights. And incentives have been offered for electric vehicle owners, but with only 145 charging stations across the city, take-up has been slow. Dahiya told AFP that only a huge investment to make public transport more appealing and convenient would start to solve the intractable problem. "We need aggressive growth in public transport to start seeing an absolute reduction in air pollution levels," he said.

Delhi pollution: Delhi govt revives ban on construction after SC order

New Delhi: A day after the Supreme Court ordered a ban on construction across the National Capital Region (NCR) until further orders, the Delhi government on Thursday re-imposed the ban on construction and demolition (C&D) activities in the city and said the labour department is working out a financial assistance scheme to help daily wage labourers affected by the ban New Delhi: A day after the Supreme Court ordered a ban on construction across the National Capital Region (NCR) until further orders, the Delhi government on Thursday re-imposed the ban on construction and demolition (C&D) activities in the city and said the labour department is working out a financial assistance scheme to help daily wage labourers affected by the ban. “The Supreme Court had issued an order last night in this regard and considering that, all construction and demolition work in Delhi is being banned again. Plumbing, interior decoration, electric work, and carpentry work will be allowed, but apart from that, all construction and demolition work is being stopped,” said Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Thursday, adding that government agencies were already working towards implementing the Supreme Court’s orders to control air pollution levels in Delhi. Noting that the government is keeping a close eye on air quality, the minister said the current ban will stay in place until the situation improves. “We are mentally prepared for everything. If the situation improves, we will consider the prospect of reopening and if the situation worsens, we will take more actions as required. For the past week, because construction and demolition work was halted, construction workers had been facing trouble, so the government has now decided to provide financial assistance to these workers. For this, we will work with the labour department and prepare an outline,” he said. The minister also said that the government is encouraging use of public transport services, pointing out that CNG buses are being used to ferry government employees from highly concentrated areas such as Timarpur and Gulabi Bagh. “Along with that, we are also starting a shuttle bus service for all the nearest Metro stations so that people coming from the Metro can reach the office more conveniently. Trucks entering Delhi from outside, except for essential services and trucks running on CNG and electricity, have already been stopped,” said Rai on Thursday. Construction activities in Delhi were halted for a period of five days, from November 16-21, following which the ban was lifted on November 22. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said all measures listed under the ‘severe’ category and below of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) are already in place in Delhi, and added that extreme measures such as closure of schools and construction activities come under the ‘emergency’ category. “These measures only need to be taken when forecasts show air quality will become extremely bad in the coming days and stay in that range for some time. However, we already have a number of existing measures in place and it is important to enforce them better. Monitoring existing measures is critical,” she said. Delhi and the National Capital Region, in an annual winter rerun, has been in the grip of hazardous air pollution as a toxic smog lingers over the Capital and its adjoining cities, leading to a public health emergency. This November has also seen the number of farm fires reaching a new high with the enforcement of a ban on the practice collapsing. The city’s pollution levels on Wednesday began to worsen as winds weakened. The air quality index (AQI) was “poor” on Tuesday - for the first time since November 1 - with a reading of 290 recorded, according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s 4pm bulletin. The AQI shot up to 361 — in the “very poor” category — at 4pm on Wednesday, and touched 400, on the brink of “severe category”, according to Thursday’s bulletin.