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Cse In News

Agra नार्वे से आई टीम ने देखी शहर की सफाई व्यवस्था

उत्तरप्रदेश न्यूज़ डेस्क नॉर्वे के राजदूत हैंस जैकब फ्राइडनलुंड, काउंसलर रॉयल नॉर्वेजियन एंबेसी मेरिट स्टरैंड एवं महानिदेशक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट न्यू दिल्ली डॉक्टर सुनीता नारायण एवं अन्य द्वारा आगरा नगर में ताजमहल के आसपास के क्षेत्र में किए जा रहे घर - घर से कूड़े के संग्रहण, जन जागरूकता अभियान एवं कूड़े के पृथक्कीकरण कार्यों का अवलोकन किया गया। ताजमहल स्मारक के पास स्थित घनी बस्ती में स्थानीय नागरिकों से इस संबंध में फीडबैक भी प्राप्त किया गया। इसके उपरांत समस्त सदस्यों द्वारा पेठे के निर्माण की प्रक्रिया को शास्त्रत्त्ीपुरम स्थित निर्माण स्थल पर जाकर समझा गया एवं इससे जनित होने वाले वेस्ट के निस्तारण के संबंध में जानकारी प्राप्त की गई। टीम द्वारा दोपहर में कुबेरपुर स्थित लैंडफिल साइट का निरीक्षण किया गया एवं लीगेसी वेस्ट के निस्तारण को समयबद्ध एवं तकनीकी रूप से मानकों के अनुसार करते हुए पाए जाने पर कार्य की सराहना भी की। टीम ने नगर निगम मुख्यालय में इंटीग्रेटेड कंट्रोल एंड कमांड सेंटर का निरीक्षण कर स्मार्ट सिटी मिशन से संबंधित कार्यों के संबंध में जानकारी प्राप्त की।

Why is Delhi’s air so bad?

Delhi has suboptimal air quality all year round, but there are reasons why the conversation around pollution in the city resurfaces every winter. In October and November, the months leading up to a chilly winter in most of northern India, Delhi and its surrounding region invariably get enveloped in a deadly mix of pollutants and fog that can cause severe lung disorders. Air quality dips, often in the red “very poor” and “severe” zones. The smog leads to watery eyes, migraines, and lung and heart diseases. Overall, in 2019 alone, 1.67 million Indians died and the country’s economy lost $36.8 billion because of pollution. Delhi’s pollution is peculiar because it is caused by factors both local—and under the state government’s direct control—and from outside its territory. The extent to which each contributor impacts air quality changes with the time of the year. Vehicular and industrial pollution If the covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 weren’t enough proof of the impact of emissions on air quality, a reopening economy has made it abundantly clear. Delhi and much of the Indo-Gangetic plain saw clear skies between April and June 2020. It was short-lived, though. As industries reopened, traffic picked up, and coal-powered thermal plants in the areas surrounding Delhi began to function at full capacity, Delhi’s deadly winter haze was back. While the supreme court has come down heavily on both the state and central governments this year for not finding lasting solutions to this problem, Delhi’s air had an odd silver lining. Changing rain patterns meant a wetter-than-usual monsoon, which broke decades-long records and lasted well into September. This helped ground much of the particulate matter. Yet, the festival season and a sudden increase in vehicular traffic—on some days, back to even pre-covid levels—contributed up to 50% of the pollution in the city, according to Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). It estimated that between Oct. 24 and Nov. 8, the weekdays leading up to and after the Hindu festival of Diwali, slow-moving traffic due to the festival rush caused an increased concentration of pollutants. “​​While PM2.5 is influenced by several other factors, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is more closely related to traffic trends,” the CSE’s analysis said. “During the study period, NO2 levels show a strong correlation with congestion. The levels increase when traffic speeds go down.” But this particular analysis by CSE is limited to internal pollutants in Delhi. Stubble burning Farm fires in the agriculture-majority states of Punjab and Haryana heavily impact Delhi’s air quality. Farmers in these neighbouring states switch from rice to wheat cultivation and need to clear the previous crop’s residual stubble. Specialised machines for this are both expensive and time-consuming, especially for farmers with smaller holdings. This year was particularly tough with an extended monsoon narrowing the window further between wheat and rice.

AQI stays in ‘very poor’ range, may improve today but worsen again

Gurgaon: With winds picking up speed, the city air quality improved to 310 on Monday from 364 on Sunday but remained 'very poor' for the eighth straight day. The wind speed increased from 10km/hr on Sunday to 19km/hr on Monday. According to Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), there is some disperal of pollutants due to the wind. The air monitoring station in Teri Gram recorded the highest pollution levels on Monday, with an AQI of 331, followed by Vikas Sadan with an AQI of 304, Gwalpahari with an AQI of 303 and Sector 51 with the lowest AQI of 301. Air quality experts said that emissions from transport vehicles, industries, construction sites, waste burning, and stubble burning, dust from roads and unfavourable meteorological conditions keep contributing to the high pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. “The region needs strong winds, which can flush out pollutants. Due to calmer winds and low temperatures, pollutants have been getting trapped, resulting in a rise in pollution levels,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research-advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), there will be further improvement in air quality on Tuesday, maybe even to the ‘poor’ category, if there is no increase in fire counts. Local surface winds, which contributed to the improved air quality on Monday, may continue on Tuesday, increasing the dispersion of pollutants. However, from November 24, local as well as transport-level winds may slow down, resulting in a slight deterioration in air quality. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Gurgaon recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 25.7 degrees Celsius on Monday. The low temperatures continue to prevent the dispersal of pollutants closer to the ground, said air quality experts. On Monday, not only Gurgaon but also neighbouring cities of Faridabad and Delhi registered improved air quality, with AQIs of 330 and 311, respectively. On Sunday, Faridabad had an AQI of 377 and Delhi had an AQI of 349. Tanushree Ganguly, programme lead of Council on Energy, Environment and Water, said, “While Delhi’s air quality remained in the upper end of ‘very poor’ category for the past one week, it improved marginally on Monday due to relatively stronger surface winds in the afternoon hours, which are favourable for pollutant dispersion.” Meanwhile, the air quality in Noida and Ghaziabad also improved on Monday as the cities recorded AQIs of 270 and 254, respectively.

How construction sites are causing congestion, adding to pollution load

NEW DELHI: The laying of a 220KV power cable by Delhi Transco Ltd opposite Alaknanda market has badly affected the movement of traffic there. The excavated soil on the site lies unevenly covered against the prevailing anti-pollution imperative to prevent dust from blowing. Vehicular emissions due to their slowing down of traffic on the blocked road are adding to the pollution load in the area. Though Delhi government has lifted the ban on construction sites, digging work has impacted the smooth movement of vehicles. When TOI visited the site on Monday, it found that the ongoing work was the cause of congestion most of the time, with the condition aggravating during the peak traffic hours. A parking attendant at Alaknanda market said, “Due to the ongoing construction work, the traffic moves at a snail’s pace during the peak hours in the morning and evening. In those hours, it becomes difficult for vehicles to move from the parking lane because of the lack of space.” Bishwadev Majumdar, a bank employee, said there were dust clouds almost all the time and traffic snarls on the route every day. Similarly, the work of laying power cables by Delhi Transco Ltd on Outer Ring Road near Munirka causes congestion on the stretch during the rush hours. The construction site was following all guidelines issued by the environment department to control dust pollution, but traffic pollution wasn’t under check. Experts said a proper strategy was required at large construction sites that impede traffic flow. Amit Bhatt, executive director, Integrated Transport, World Resources Institute-India, said, “When someone is outdoors, the individual is exposed to pollutants higher than the overall air quality of the city as that person is in direct contact with emissions from vehicles. If their travel time increases due to congestion, the commuter is exposed to poor air for additional time. Hence, it is necessary for authorities to ensure smooth flow of traffic and reduced travel times.” Bhatt added, “The big projects should come up with a strategy to manage the mobility during construction activities, especially when the air quality is in the ‘very poor’ to ‘severe’ categories. Proper traffic management measures are needed, such as deployment of additional traffic marshals or diversion of the traffic to different routes.” Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, concurred that large-scale construction and road work need to be better timed to avoid the peak winter pollution period. “From the past trends and forecasts, we now know how winter pollution behaves and the need to avoid certain things,” she said. “Moreover, such works not only contribute to local pollution, but also aggravate congestion and, so vehicular emissions that increase the particulate load during bad air days.” Responding to queries, a Delhi Transco official claimed, “The work of laying power cables was halted after the ban on construction activity. However, all guidelines to control dust, like covering the soil and sprinkling water on it are being followed. The deadline to complete the project is April next year, but we have targeted a completion date of March 31. However, we will finish the work on the stretch between Tughlakabad extension and Masjid Moth within a month.” The official added, “The work at a site begins after coordination with land-owning agencies and Delhi police. The contractor of the project deploys its own marshal to help people for proper flow of traffic.” According to the Decision Support System, which has been developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, to forecast the sources of local and regional pollution that can impact Delhi’s air, the contribution of transport to the city’s PM2.5 load was likely around 25.5% and that of construction around 3.5% on Tuesday at 8.30pm.

Haryana will study pollution sources in 14 NCR districts

GURUGRAM: The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) is planning to carry out a yearlong study to identify the sources of pollution and the amount of their contribution in the air in 14 NCR districts of the state. Officials said the study — the first such in the state — was the “need of the hour”, pointing out that despite enforcing emergency measures under GRAP, the air quality in the region had hovered around the “very poor” category for the past one week. Studies to identify the sources of pollution were planned earlier too, but they were never executed. Last year, HSPCB had planned to carry out such a study in four NCR districts of the state, but called it off because of the pandemic. This study is crucial because once the pollution sources are identified, it would pave the way for the authorities to chalk out a long-term plan for the region. Congratulations! You have successfully cast your vote The 14 districts where the study may be carried out are Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Jhajjar, Jind, Karnal, Mahendergarh, Nuh, Palwal, Panipat, Rewari, Rohtak and Sonipat. “A similar study planned in four districts — Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat and Panipat — could not be carried out last year because of the pandemic. This year, the board will set up a special cell where experts will collaborate with each other for collecting the primary data in the 14 NCR districts. The secondary data is available. The special cell will analyse that too,” said S. Narayana, secretary at HSPCB. At present, Haryana identifies hotspots and then works on mitigating air pollution in these areas. If implemented, it would be the first time that a study on listing the sources of pollution and their contribution would be carried out. Officials said the focus of the study would be to identify the ground-level concentration of pollutants, list the emission factors from vehicular and non-vehicular sources, and prepare an inventory for different air pollutants and their emission rate and loads. The study will also include the contribution of PM10 and PM2.5 levels. “The study will create emission inventories for each city, giving the main sources of air pollution in addition to every sector’s contribution to the overall load. A scientific study is required for suggesting the mitigation measures after taking into account the techno-economic feasibility and other social factors. Experts from the IMD will also be involved in the study,” said Narayana. Apart from identifying the sources of pollution, the study will also note down the contribution of each. For instance, if industries are found contributing to the pollution in the region, the study will also specify the type of industries that are the most polluting. This will help the authorities take a call on which industry to shut when the air turns foul and which factory to allow. Experts called for a regional study. “Air pollution is no more a local problem, it is a regional one. So far, most of the action plans on pollution have been Delhi-oriented. But it should be NCR as a whole. This needs interstate coordination,” said Dipankar Saha, a former head of CPCB. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at the Centre for Science and Environment, explained why the study was crucial to the region. “There are two types of studies – inventory and source appropriation. It is important to carry out both. The inventory survey identifies the different sources of pollution and tells us about the profile of each in different areas. The appropriation study informs us how much each source contributes to the ambient air. This will help one understand how the relative contribution of a pollutant changes with season,” she added.

India’s coal ‘phase down’ call was all about climate justice

At Glasgow, the developed world looked keen to get rid of coal, but was silent on oil and gas. This precisely stoked India’s opposition to ‘phasing out’ the fossil fuel On the last day of the all-important climate summit at Glasgow on November 12, COP26 president Alok Sharma was in tears. He squarely blamed India and China for ‘watering down’ the Glasgow Pact by their opposition to ‘phasing out’ coal. “China and India will have to explain to climate-vulnerable countries why they did what they did,” said Sharma, expressing “deep frustration” at India’s stand. Alok Sharma, a British politician, probably would never understand that India did not have a choice. It appears that Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav was in the forefront, suggesting that the wording of the agreement be changed from “phase out” coal to “phase down”. A school of thought believes India did not have to take such a strong stand on coal given the fact that we are already on course to meeting our renewables target for the decade, which would mean less dependence on coal. However, there is another belief that India can think beyond coal only after 2030, hoping that by that time new sources like hydrogen, which promises cheap and clean energy, become viable. The Federal will look at four prominent and intricate subjects – renewable energy, coal, climate finance and adaptation – that were deliberated upon at the COP26 and give a perspective on each of them. This article looks at India’s stand on rooting out coal as a source of energy. If coal is bad then so is gas For records, the developed world labels coal (a fossil fuel) ONLY as the main reason for high CO2 emissions and the major cause for climate change. India, on the other hand, has argued that if coal needs to be phased out then so should oil and gas — two other prominent fossil fuels that are only comparatively cleaner than coal. The US and the European Union (EU) don’t agree mainly because they are largely dependent on gas and oil to meet their energy requirements. The US, in fact, has discovered large sources of shale gas, of late. As per one estimate, the United States produced some 37 billion cubic feet per day of shale gas in 2015. The country is projected to produce 80 billion cubic feet of gas per day in the next 20 years. There is evidence that shale gas exploration too has an environmental cost. “The original COP document mentioned ‘phase out of coal’. The proposal did not mention other fossil fuels, like gas and oil, which are used extensively in developed countries and drive the economy of the middle-east. It is a fact that coal is the mainstay of energy systems in developing countries. So India’s original proposal said ‘phase out of all fossil fuels’, which is fair and more in sync with climate science. That was pushed back. So at the last moment India stuck to the term ‘phase down’ of coal,” said Priyadarshini Karve, national convener, Indian Network on Ethics and Climate Change (INECC), who has been closely associated with all the earlier COP summits. “I don’t see what’s the fuss about phase out or phase down. What is important is that the Glasgow Pact did not set a time frame on ending coal usage. Also, if you analyse the Glasgow document in terms of real numbers, it doesn’t really matter what words we use here,” said Avantika Goswami, Deputy Program Manager, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. Even among the G-20 countries, India is the only one which is working at a pace required to meet the 2 degree C temperature control scenario. So coal or no coal, the developed nations need to look deep within before telling India what it should do. What matters is global equity A “phase down” would mean that India – the third highest polluter in the world – could still use coal and not commit to eradicating its use completely, which is being criticised in the western world. The million-dollar question is: Can India afford to phase out coal as yet? In a country where 70% of electricity generation is still dependent on coal and where about 2% of the population (more than 2 crore people) still does not have access to electricity, it is difficult to give any commitment on removing coal from the system. India can think of getting rid of coal only gradually and cannot be compared with the developed nations who have long back used the coal they wanted to (or even more) and have a historic responsibility towards emerging nations which are still at the cusp of development. “Without providing the requisite finance, and not grants, it is unfair on part of any developed country to expect India to migrate completely to renewables in the coming decade or so,” said Goswami. “What matters is global equity or climate justice,” said Samrat Sengupta, programme director, Climate Change and Energy at the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. India’s methane dilemma On the issue of ending fossil fuel subsidies too India faces a precarious situation. COP26 held detailed discussions on ending subsidies to fossil fuel companies, but India cannot blindly say ‘yes’ to such a move because it offers heavy subsidies on LPG cylinders to its below poverty line population and cannot end it abruptly, lest the population moves back to biomass based fuels like wood, which adds to deforestation and air pollution. At Glasgow, the US initiated a methane pledge, with a collective commitment from more than 100 countries on cutting global methane emissions (a greenhouse gas) by at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030. India stayed out of this deal as well because joining the pledge would mean a death knell for Indian agriculture. Cattle are considered a major sources of methane emission and India has a huge population of cows and buffaloes (35% of world population), which are not just useful source of milk protein and farm yard manure, but also considered sacred by a large majority. How can India commit to controlling methane emission then? Meanwhile, beef is heavily consumed in the US. Would Americans sacrifice their steak for a better environment? India’s doing its bit, it is time for the world to imitate As per Prime Minister Modi’s commitment at Glasgow, India will cut its carbon emission by 1 billion tons (1 Gt). As per one estimate, in a life-as-usual scenario, our carbon emissions by 2030 would reach 4.48 billion tonnes. But with the new commitment, our emissions in 2030 will be down to 3.48 billion tonnes. While India’s per capita CO2 emission in 2030 would be 2.31 tonnes that of the US will be 9.42 tonnes, EU 4.12 in 2030, the UK’s will be 2.7 tonnes and China’s would be around 8 tonnes per capita. At the same time, India aims to install 552 GW renewable energy (solar, wind, nuclear) by 2030, which would be roughly 70% of all electricity generated in India. Contrast this with today’s 70% dependence on coal. (These calculations are based on the Central Electricity Authority’s Optimum Energy Mix report, which says that India’s power demand in 2029-30 will be 817 GW). Of course, when it comes to optics, India’s stand on coal comes out as a bad diplomatic move. Since India is not the only country interested in the economics of coal, it could have done well to take a subdued position. South Africa, China and Australia must be happy that India took all the brickbats. The bottom line is that India’s refusal to agree on “phasing out” coal should not be considered as “watering down” of the COP26 agreement. India has made a commitment. Will the world follow?

FT-IE event: India’s climate actions to be discussed today

In the first official explanation for pushing the amendment, India’s Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, in an event organised by The Indian Express and The Financial Times on Tuesday, is expected to speak about the rationale and significance of the change made in the Glasgow Climate Pact. AT THE recent climate change conference in Glasgow, India forced an amendment in the final agreement, getting a reference to phase-out of coal changed to ‘phase-down’. Though it was done with the backing of several developing countries, the move was seen by many in the developed world and civil society organisations as diluting the ambition of global climate action. In the first official explanation for pushing the amendment, India’s Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, in an event organised by The Indian Express and The Financial Times on Tuesday, is expected to speak about the rationale and significance of the change made in the Glasgow Climate Pact. Yadav will participate in a discussion titled ‘New Technology and Green Economy: Two Trends Shaping a New India’, which is fourth in a series of events being organised by The Indian Express and The Financial Times called ‘India’s Place in the World’. Yadav, who had personally piloted the amendment during the final hours of the conference in Glasgow, is expected to talk about the implications of the change in phrase for developing countries like India, and what it would translate into in terms of timelines for reduction in usage of coal for electricity generation. He is also expected to answer questions on the new climate commitments announced by India at the Glasgow meeting, including the promise to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070. The interaction with Yadav will be followed by another with Praveer Sinha, CEO of Tata Power, one of the oldest and most prominent energy companies in the country. Rapid scale-up of renewable energy capacities and usage is at the heart of India’s climate action plans, and companies like Tata Power are the crucial change agents. Sinha is expected to talk about India’s renewable energy scenario, the need for further reforms in the sector, and his assessment of the India’s new climate targets. Towards the end of the evening, Ajay Mathur, director general of International Solar Alliance, and Sunita Narain, head of Centre for Science and Environment, will join in a live conversation over India’s climate change action plan, the transitions taking shape, the opportunities opening up, and the push that is required for India to leapfrog into becoming a cleaner and more efficient economy.

Electrified road to greener mobility

Data from the COP26 in Glasgow indicated that representation from entities associated with fossil fuel is the highest, with 500-plus accreditation. Perhaps that also highlights the urgency with which we need to tackle the scourge of emission as a result of vehicular pollution. No wonder the race to net zero is a fast and furious one and pressure is mounting on India to set a date by which it plans to achieve this target. This is exactly why Day 3 of Autocar Professional’s Two-Wheeler Week concentrated on various aspects of green mobility, especially in the context of two-wheelers that account for nearly 60 percent of the petrol used on Indian roads. A power-packed panel representing various facets of the industry deliberated on the topic. It included: -Mahua Acharya, MD and CEO, Convergence Energy Services -Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director — Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) -Pankaj Dubey, Co-founder and Director, Power Global US & CEO & MD Power Global India -Sanjeev Saxena, President-Automotive, Schaeffler The sheer number of two-wheelers on Indian roads makes them accountable for nearly 50 percent of the pollution load in the transport sector. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director — Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science & Environment (CSE), outlined the broad view on how the industry needs to evolve to bring in a true sense of sustainable mobility. She emphasised the need to “see a regulatory mandate and a clear target and time-bound implementation.” A long-term policy visibility for the industry is crucial and cities need to have integrated mobility solution. But ultimately any alternative fuel adoption is a function of market forces and she pointed out how, “along with designing appropriate fiscal solution, the consumer has to be part of the solution.” Green mobility = electric mobility? Increasingly electrification is emerging as the future energy source for all practical purposes. But in a country like India, coal is a major source of electricity. In that context, will reducing tailpipe emission address the real issue? Roychowdhury points out how “EVs are called emissions elsewhere vehicles as the emission happens at the coal power plants. Therefore, we need to ensure that emissions from electricity generating plants are cleaned.” In fact, the need for clean energy is so striking that a new high-level coalition for clean energy was announced at the Glasgow Climate Summit. The One Sun Declaration, endorsed by more than 80 countries including India, is based on the concept that " The sun never sets — every hour, half the planet is bathed in sunshine. By trading energy from sun, wind and water, we can deliver more than enough clean energy to meet everyone's need." But this is exactly a point where India needs to lay greater emphasis on syncing environmental and industrial policies. Mahua Acharya, MD and CEO, Convergence Energy Services feels that, “Ambitious targets help but the regulatory mandate drives a change.” It also provides the push to the market. “It is currently getting to a point where two are working together. The regulatory mandate doesn’t always mean policy decision. Sometimes, it could just mean an execution order inside an institution,” she added. Though we are seeing a lot of action in terms of policies aimed at boosting EV adoption, Mahua pointed out that it is perhaps, “a good time to formulate some of the environmental policies in conjunction with the EV policies. It would be great if the market could signal or quantify some benefits for improved air quality.” But that said, the need to clean up the grids is important and reiterated by every speaker. While the Green Grids Initiative gets underway, Anumita added that “India needs to look at ways to meet the target for generation of 450 MW of renewal energy by 2030. That’s a win-win we must go for but no reason for not going for electrification of vehicles and make tailpipes zero emission.” Economics of EV adoption The economics of electrification however continues to be a key concern. As Ather Energy’s Ravneet Phokela outlined on Day 2, consumers would not be convinced about shifting to EVs unless it makes value proposition to them. Pankaj Dubey, co-founder and Director, Power Global US & CEO & MD of Power Global India, explained that, “Unless EVs make a value proposition, we are unlikely to see significant adoption. We need to provide affordable solution to the customers. Providing energy as a service or offering swappable batteries is an option in this regard. We have to offer a win-win proposition to customers and business partners.” CESL’s Acharya explained that the economics of an EV revolve around the cost of ownership. Citing the example of the plight of State Transport Undertakings, she said, “Even after FAME, there is still a gap in the cost of ownership of bus. The market needs significantly more risk mitigation instruments in the market. Payment security is crucial.” This is particularly important given the recent spike in fossil fuel prices. Though there are new regulations to improve efficiency and cut down emission but as Acharya pointed out, “At the end, these are primarily for diesel. The cost of ownership often comes in the way for those willing to make the shift.” This is another barrier in the way of faster EV adoption. While the running cost of ownership for EVs is nearly 50 percent less than conventional fuel, the steep buying price continues to come in the way of faster adoption. According to Dubey, “We need to evolve a situation where EVs become a win-win without subsidies.” Acharya too is hopeful, “In five years, I do not think we will need subsidies for buses. Probably, three-wheelers will also not need subsidies in three years. For two-wheelers, the market will speak for itself.” The speakers reiterated that the NITI Aayog sees the possibility of nearly 80 percent electrification of the two-wheelers. According to Roychowdhury, “We see big possibility given that 90 percent of charging for two-wheelers is possible at home and most trips are short distances and range anxiety is much lesser.” Two-wheelers, in fact, have the smallest carbon footprint amongst motorised transportation. Charting out the course for the future, Acharya signed off saying, “A lot of public transport will see a lot of electrification going forward. We are hopeful that our environmental policies will also sync in. Repurposing will be a function of market forces and tackling strategic assets needs attention. Localisation and reskilling are other factors to look into.”

Dip in farm fires in neighbouring states of Delhi as kharif season ends

With farm fires being almost over, Delhi's pollution scene is still going to be bad owing to local pollutants and adverse meteorological conditions as cold conditions set in, said experts. NEW DELHI: Crop stubble burning instances in neighbouring states that saw a major spike this season with the numbers going as high as seen in 2016, are on a decline now with the kharif season coming to an end. This time the season has ended late, mainly because of delayed harvest. With farm fires being almost over, the city’s pollution scene is still going to be bad owing to local pollutants and adverse meteorological conditions as cold conditions set in, said experts. As per an analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), this year Punjab and Haryana (combined) reported a total of 85,754 farm fires, highest since 2016. While the farm fires usually subside by mid-November, this year noted a delay by 4-5 days. The slight shift observed in the farm fires trend is attributable to the delayed harvest on account of delayed monsoon withdrawal. “With the season’s close approaching, fires are dipping with daily counts less than 1,000 from November 17. With the current kharif season coming to an end, it is important for the states to engage with farmers to take stock of continued burning and to address the logistical and financial shortcomings. For the next season, the respective state governments should incentivise farmers to transition away from paddy,” said L S Kurinji, programme associate, CEEW. “Burning is almost over in Punjab and Haryana but continues in parts UP and MP. The numbers are on a decline, as season is ending,” said Pawan Gupta, a research scientist at the Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research, Universities Space Research Association. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment said while the phase of external emissions is almost over, stringent action is required to curb local pollutants to prevent the smog episodes in the latter half of winter. Satellite data shows decline Satellite data from NASA also showed a decline in the number of farm fires in the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh

नार्वे के राजदूत ने आगरा में देखा सॉलिड वेस्ट मैनेजमेंट, पेठा कचरे से बायो गैस बनाये जाने का दिया प्रजेंटेशन

Agra. नॉर्वे के राजदूत हैंस जैकब फ्राइडनलुंड, काउंसलर रॉयल नॉर्वेजियन एंबेसी मेरिट स्टरैंड एवं महानिदेशक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट न्यू दिल्ली डॉक्टर सुनीता नारायण एवं अन्य द्वारा आगरा नगर में ताजमहल के आसपास के क्षेत्र में किए जा रहे घर -घर से कूड़े के संग्रहण, जन जागरूकता अभियान एवं कूड़े के पृथक्कीकरण कार्यों का अवलोकन किया गया। ताजमहल स्मारक के पास स्थित घनी बस्ती में स्थानीय नागरिकों से इस संबंध में फीडबैक भी प्राप्त किया गया। इसके उपरांत समस्त सदस्यों द्वारा पेठे के निर्माण की प्रक्रिया को शास्त्रीपुरम स्थित निर्माण स्थल पर जाकर समझा गया एवं इससे जनित होने वाले वेस्ट के निस्तारण के संबंध में जानकारी प्राप्त की गई। टीम द्वारा दोपहर 3 बजे से कुबेरपुर स्थित लैंडफिल साइट का निरीक्षण किया गया एवं लीगेसी वेस्ट के निस्तारण को समयबद्ध एवं तकनीकी रूप से मानकों के अनुसार करते हुए पाए जाने पर कार्य की सराहना भी की गई। टीम द्वारा नगर निगम मुख्यालय में इंटीग्रेटेड कंट्रोल एंड कमांड सेंटर का निरीक्षण कर स्मार्ट सिटी मिशन से संबंधित कार्यों के संबंध में जानकारी प्राप्त की गई। अंत में टीम द्वारा किए गए भ्रमण एवं अवलोकित किए गए कार्यों के संबंध में महापौर नवीन जैन से अपर नगर आयुक्त विनोद कुमार गुप्ता एवं पर्यावरण अभियंता पंकज भूषण की उपस्थिति में विस्तृत वार्ता की गई। नगर निगम द्वारा सॉलिड वेस्ट मैनेजमेंट क्षेत्र में किए जा रहे कार्यों एवं प्रयासों पर प्रसन्नता व्यक्त करते हुए अपने अमूल्य सुझावों से अवगत भी कराया गया। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट द्वारा पेठा निर्माण से जनित होने वाले वेस्ट के आकलन एवं इसके पुनः: उपयोग व निस्तारण के संबंध में एक विस्तृत रिपोर्ट भी प्रस्तुत की गई, जिसके अनुसार प्रतिदिन लगभग 45 टन कच्चे पेठा से 27 टन पेठा तैयार किया जाता है एवं इस प्रक्रिया में प्रतिदिन 18 टन सॉलि़ड वेस्ट जनित होता है। इस वेस्ट का निस्तारण बायो सीएनजी गैस बनाकर अथवा इसको चारे के रूप में गौशाला में उपयोग कर किए जाने के संबंध में आंकड़े भी प्रस्तुत किए गए। महापौर नवीन जैन द्वारा निर्देशित किया गया कि समस्त पेठा निर्माताओं की एक बैठक बुलाकर इस संबंध में विस्तृत चर्चा करते हुए एक कार्य योजना तैयार की जाएगी ताकि पेठे के निर्माण से जनित होने वाले वेस्ट का निस्तारण समुचित रूप से सुनिश्चित किया जा सके। इस दौरान महापौर द्वारा अतिथियों को बुके एवं स्मृति चिन्ह भेंट कर सम्मानित किया गया।

What’s it like to live in the most polluted pockets of Delhi?

Several neighbourhoods in Delhi, one of world’s most polluted cities, record much higher levels of pollution than the daily average index value indicates For 35-year-old Rajesh Devi, pollution is a clear and present danger but despite knowing that it was taking a toll on her, she continues to travel from her house in Mundka to a factory where she works as a seamstress because, according to her, if she would stop, her family will starve. Dhruv Sinha of Dwarka Sector 8 has confined the movement of his 74-year-old father to a room despite his doctor’s advising a daily walk to keep the septugenarian’s diabetes in control. Every winter, Sinha used to send his father to his native in Bihar to escape high levels of air pollution in the Capital. Thirty-six-year-old Mumtaz, a resident of Bawana, has developed tuberculosis. Her doctor’s say that prolonged exposure to extreme air pollution levels is one of the primary reasons behind her condition. The parents of Dhriti, 7, and Arunima. 12, in Chandni Chowk have told them to give up on their outdoor games, and play video games instead, since October so that they are protected from pollutants in the air. Sagar Raj, a resident of Anand Vihar, says despite his locality consistently coming up in the list of most polluted neighbourhoods, the government authorities have done little over the years to address the issue. Raj says they were completely at the mercy of home air purifiers. Several neighbourhoods in Delhi record much higher levels of pollution than the daily average index value indicates. For instance, between November 1 and 21, Delhi recorded its average AQI in the severe zone (between 400-500) for 8 days, compared to 14 severe days in Anand Vihar and 11 such days in Bawana. This, doctors say, entails heavy costs in terms of health for the residents of these areas. “As doctors, we see the impacts of pollution on people firsthand, especially on the more vulnerable sections like senior citizens and children. In many health issues you might not see an immediate impact of pollution exposure but in more chronic cases, pollution does play a role in deteriorating a patient’s condition,” said Arvind Kumar, founder of Lung Care Foundation and chairperson of the Institute of Chest Surgery, Chest Onco Surgery and Lung Transplantation. Weather forecasters and scientists have time and again pointed out that besides working on long-term and immediate measures to curb pollution levels in the city, the authorities must ensure area-specific plans and monitoring since every neighbourhood profile in the capital is different, and has different kinds of local sources of pollution. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment said, “While Delhi needs to work on a holistic pollution control plan for the entire city, it is also imperative that there is a local action plan as well. This is because the pollution sources in each area are different. The landfill smoke and open garbage burning is not as big a problem in central and south Delhi as it is in the outer districts,” she said. Over the last two weeks, Hindustan Times spoke to residents of Mundka, Bawana, Anand Vihar, Dwarka Sector 8 and Chandni Chowk, which reported the highest pollution levels since Diwali among the 39 areas where air quality is monitoredby central, local and scientific agencies. Most of the residents that HT spoke to mentioned that despite the fact that the authorities know the exact months when pollution levels start rising, only “cosmetic” emergency measures are taken each year instead of a long-term action plan which works round the year. Delhi government initiated several measures such as shutting of schools and construction activities in the city on November 13, a day when the Supreme Court slammed both the state and central governments for doing little to control pollution in Delhi NCR and blaming the farmers for burning stubble, instead. The court also ordered the NCR state governments to hold an emergency meeting, following which on November 17, the federal anti-pollution agency, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) week-long measures across NCR such as shutting of schools, work from home for government staff and banning construction. However, most these steps were being implemented half heartedly, as meteorological factors such as improved wind speed coming to the rescue of the citizens and clearing air of pollutants to some extent. HT finds how is it like to live in five of one of the most polluted residential pockets in the national Capital.. Mundka (highest average AQI in November: 493 ) Thirty five-year-old Rajesh Devi, who works as a seamstress in the Mundka industrial area, and lives in the area, said if people like her start sitting at home fearing pollution, then her children will starve to death. She said wearing whites is also a privilege for the residents here, because the toxic chemicals from industries, open garbage fires and the dust from unpaved roads, turn them pale yellow soon. “The haze you see, you might find it unusual, but for us this is our everyday reality. You can ask any woman here, after one or two months, the white shirts of the school uniforms turn yellow. To mask it, I dip my kids’ uniforms in neel powder (indigo powder), but my daughter hates that because it makes her shirts blue. But that’s the only way these clothes will last a few years. We do not have the money to keep buying new uniforms every year,” said Devi. Mundka, an industrial area located in west Delhi, is among the 13 pollution hot spots that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) recognized in 2018. Despite claims of focussed pollution control efforts, this locality has continued to top the list of the most polluted pockets of the Capital. On November 12, when Delhi’s AQI spiked to 471, the average AQI of Mundka had escalated to 493. Naresh Kumar, a Congress leader who is familiar with the locality, said the condition of roads in the rural areas, including Mundka, is extremely bad and this is also adding to the pollution in the area. “The mechanical sweepers and water sprinklers are reserved for the VIPs in Lutyens’ Delhi, the government and the municipal agencies have not bothered to deploy any pollution control measures here. Are the residents here not human beings? Or are their lungs made of steel?” asked Kumar. Dwarka sector-8 (highest average AQI in November: 470) Till Covid-19 pandemic hit the country, Dhruv Sinha, a resident of Dwarka Sector -8, would send his 74-year-old father, Brij Mohan Sinha, to his native town in Bihar every year in winters when the pollution levels in the national capital enters emergency levels, and remain consistently high for weeks. For the past two years, the Brij Mohan has to stay confined to his room with an air purifier despite doctors advising him go for a daily walk to keep his diabetes under control. “My father has not stepped out of the house since Diwali because of the high pollution levels. He gets cranky and depressed staying at home 24x7, because he is used to meeting his friends for evening walks. But our family doctor advised that going out in such high pollution levels might do his health more harm than good,” said Dhruv. Sumegha Sharma, a resident of Dwarka sector-10, and an environmental activist who has been working in the area for over five years now, explained that the pollution levels in Dwarka, despite being a largely residential area, remain high primarily because of various construction projects going on in the sub-city and also because of open waste dumping and burning. “Waste burning is a major pollution source in Dwarka. Since many plots are vacant, people have turned it into convenient garbage dumping points, and every few days it is set on fire after dark. The area is also developing, so many construction projects are ongoing and the AQI here tends to be higher than the rest of the city. Despite very specific issues, which are known to the authorities here, no action has been taken so far,” she said. AQI recordings over the last two days show that even on days when the average air quality of the city has improved to the upper end of very poor category, Dwarka was among the areas that continued to remain in the severe zone. For instance, on Sunday at 2pm, the average AQI of Delhi was 371, considered in the very poor zone on CPCB’s AQI scale, but the pollution levels at Dwarka was 401, in the severe range. Bawana (highest average AQI in November: 483) When 36-year-old Mumtaz moved to Delhi with her husband over 15 years ago, she had hopes of a better life from what she had back in her village in Uttar Pradesh. She planned to set up a small shop of beauty products while her husband earning a steady income from his work. But life took a turn for the worse for her in 2017, when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. The doctors at the local government hospital told her that the prolonged exposure to the pollutants at the factory where she worked could be one of the reasons behind her disease. “It could be that or someone from the workforce had it and transmitted it to me, because the workspace where we all work is very small. It took me a year to completely recover, but even now I find it difficult to breathe on certain days. I feel tightness in my chest. Now I think that life back in our village was better, at least we could have clean air and drinking water,” said Mumtaz. A study titled, ‘Association Between Ambient Air Pollution and Elevated Risk of Tuberculosis Development’, conducted in Taiwan in 2019 highlighted broad-scale evidence showing the significant association between ambient air pollutants and the development of tuberculosis (TB). The study showed that short and long term exposures to particulate matters with aerodynamic diameters less than 10ug/m3 (PM10) and 2.5ug/m3 (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOX), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are highly likely to be associated with the elevated risk of TB. Doctors back home have also highlighted the health risks associated with exposure to such high levels of pollution. Dr Rajesh Chawla, senior consultant of pulmonary and critical care at Indraprastha Apollo hospital, said that there was nearly a 20% increase in the number of patients coming in with exacerbations of their chronic respiratory conditions around Diwali this year. Chandni Chowk (highest average AQI in November: 492) Every day exactly at 5pm, seven-year-old Dhriti and her 12-year-old sister Arunima, leave whatever they are doing and sit before the television set to play video games for an hour. Till October, this was the time that they ran outside to play with their friends in the neighbourhood park, but because of the high pollution levels they have been confined to their house. “We bought them this video game set last year after Covid-19 pandemic, when they could not go outside and play. Children also need some entertainment. For one hour every day, we allow them to play video games, after which they have to go back to their homework or reading a book or any other chore,” said Sumitra Vishwas, Dhriti and Arunima’s mother, a resident of Chandni Chowk’s Gupta Residency. Many like the Vishwas family are concerned that the high pollution levels in the national capital could ruin the health and quality of life for their children. They said children are forced to stay cooped up at home, instead of freely running around and playing with their friends in the park. “You would see many children playing around in the local parks here in the evening, but on days when the pollution levels are high the number of those who venture outside is very less. You do not need any monitoring equipment; you can see the haze in the air. Who would want to subject their children to such toxic air? It is better to keep them safe,” said Mohammad Irshad, a resident of Daryaganj. Senior Delhi Pollution Control Committee officials said the pollution levels around Chandni Chowk are showing a rising trend this season because of multiple development activities going on in the area. “You have the some road repair work going on in Chandni Chowk area, plus in less than five kilometre radius you also have the other construction work going on at the Pragati Maidan,” a senior official said. The children in the area have also become more aware of the need for a partnership between citizens and governments so that Delhi’s air can be improved. “We are taught in school how Delhi is the most polluted capitals in the world. It is definitely the government’s responsibility but everyone in Delhi, including children like us need to do our bit as well. We can plant more trees in our areas and tell our parents to avoid private cars and take the Metro instead. This will be our contribution towards making our own future better,” said 16-year-old Sayali Parashar, a resident of the area. Anand Vihar (highest average AQI in November: 486) Anand Vihar, which located right at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, has been suffering from a locational disadvantage from years. While known as a transport hub, the area also has many residential complexes. The residents in these areas said that several complaints to shift the transport hubs to the outskirts of the Capital have been ignored by the government. “Despite being one of the most polluted locations of the city, no government agency has bothered to take any significant pollution control measures in this area. Recently a smog tower was installed here, but we are not very sure how much filtering of air is happening because of it,” said Sagar Raj a resident of Gitanjali Apartments, which is barely four kilometres away from the Anand Vihar bus terminal. Many older residents in his society prefer to move to their children’ houses to escape the winter pollution, Raj said. “The filters of my air purifiers need to be changed every year, because it gets choked. According to the company representatives, it needs changing only after three-four years in Indian cities. Imagine if the air purifier filters are getting to choked, what this pollution is doing to our lungs,” he added. A senior DPCC official said that they have created a list of localities apart from the 13 major pollution hotspots, where action is being tightened. “We made a list of 150 localities within these 13 hotspots and other areas where there were specific pollution problems. We have ordered the agencies to tackle these problems and submit regular reports to us,” the official said. Jogi Ram Jain, standing committee chairperson of the north Delhi municipal corporation said that they are making all efforts to minimise pollution levels in the city. “We have started 24x7 patrolling of our areas and special teams have been made for this purpose. We are also following all directions of the pollution monitoring agencies and conducting regular water sprinkling and sweeping of roads to control dust levels,” Jain said.

New Delhi lifts construction ban as air quality ‘slowly improves’

Indian capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday dropped to 303 on a scale of 500, down from 499 nearly a week ago. New Delhi has lifted a ban on construction activities as air quality improved marginally, but schools and offices will remain closed until at least Wednesday, says the Indian capital’s environment minister. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday dropped to 303 on a scale of 500, down from 499 nearly a week ago, when a thick haze hung over the city of some 20 million people. The current AQI levels still indicate “very poor” conditions, according to government monitoring agencies. INTERACTIVE- air pollution symptoms(Al Jazeera) “Air quality is slowly improving,” Gopal Rai, the capital’s minister for environment, forest and wildlife development, told a news conference. “Labourers were facing difficulties, and that is why we have decided to resume construction activities.” Rai said the authorities would monitor construction sites to ensure that builders follow dust-control measures set out by the government. In an interview with Reuters news agency late last week, Rai said the city would consider restricting private vehicles to driving on alternate days if severe air pollution continued to plague India’s capital. Apart from banning construction, the city government had also shut schools and offices, allowing people to work from home. Rai told the news conference the authorities would review the city’s air quality on November 24 and then decide whether to reopen schools and offices. “We are closely monitoring,” the minister said. He also urged residents to use public transport. Vehicular emissions contributed to more than half of Delhi’s air pollution between October 24 and November 8, the Centre for Science and Environment think-tank said earlier this month. New Delhi’s choking air put more children in hospital with breathing problems, doctors said last week, and the government shut five power stations and extended school closures to contain the crisis. Air quality deteriorates sharply in the winter months in Delhi, often ranked the world’s most polluted capital. Pollutants emanating from crop residue burning, transport, industries, and coal-fired plants outside the city tend to get trapped as temperatures fall during winter.

Delhi lifts ban on construction as air quality improves marginally

NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (Reuters) - New Delhi has lifted a ban on construction activities as air quality improved marginally, but schools and offices will remain closed until at least Wednesday, its environment minister said on Monday. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 303 on a scale of 500, down from 499 nearly a week ago, when a thick haze hung over the city of more than 200 million people. The current AQI levels still indicate "very poor" conditions, according to government monitoring agencies. "Air quality is slowly improving," Gopal Rai, the capital's Minister for Environment, Forest and Wildlife Development, told a news conference. "Labourers were facing difficulties, and that is why we have decided to resume construction activities." He said the authorities would monitor construction sites to ensure that builders follow dust-control measures set out by the government. In an interview with Reuters late last week, Rai said the city would consider restricting private vehicles to driving on alternate days if severe air pollution continued to plague India's capital. Apart from banning construction, the city government had also shut schools and offices, allowing people to work from home. Rai told the news conference the authorities would review the city's air quality on Nov. 24 and then decide whether to reopen schools and offices. "We are closely monitoring," the minister said. He also urged residents to use public transport. Vehicular emissions contributed to more than half of Delhi's air pollution between Oct. 24-Nov. 8, the Centre for Science and Environment think tank said earlier this month. Delhi's choking air put more children in hospital with breathing problems, doctors said last week, and the government shut five power stations and extended school closures to contain the crisis. read more Air quality deteriorates sharply in the winter months in Delhi, often ranked the world's most polluted capital. Pollutants emanating from crop residue burning, transport, industries and coal-fired plants outside the city tend to get trapped as temperatures fall during winter.

What is stubble burning’s contribution to Delhi’s pollution? It depends on which data you look at

While it is not the main cause of pollution in winters, it is definitely an episodic problem, say experts. On November 15, the central government submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court saying stubble or crop-residue burning contributed to only 4% of air pollution in Delhi. While the affidavit (which FactChecker has access to) said the contribution was 4% in winters and 7% in summers, another section in the same affidavit said that paddy stubble burning contributed 35%-40% to the capital’s particulate matter 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations. This caused an outcry among sections of the media and experts in the air pollution domain on the actual contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s severely deteriorating air quality. Adding to the confusion in the variation of figures, solicitor general of India, Tushar Mehta, in his oral submission of the affidavit, said that the stubble burning figure was less than 10%, Bar and Bench reported. There has not been, thus far, a definite answer regarding the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s air pollution. Environment policy experts FactChecker spoke to said that it all boils down to the interpretation of data. They emphasised that although stubble burning is not the main cause of pollution during all of winter, it is definitely an episodic problem. This means that it significantly adds to air pollution during the crop-burning season which happens between the start of October and mid-November each year. Stubble burning is the large-scale burning of crop residues from the rice-wheat systems of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, according to the Centre for Science and Environment. But before we delve into the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s pollution, it is worth noting what data the central government excluded while submitting their affidavit to the Supreme Court. October data missing The Centre said that the data was sourced from a scientific study but did not disclose the name, organisation or time period of the study. However, the government cited an August 2018 study conducted by The Automotive Research Association of India and The Energy and Resources Institute which was prepared for the Department of Heavy Industry Ministry under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises of the government of India, Bhargav Krishna, a fellow at Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research, told FactChecker via email. Advertisement The study, titled “Source Apportionment of PM2.5 & PM10 of Delhi NCR for Identification of Major Sources” collected data between April 2016 and June 2016 (summer period) and November 2016 and February 2017 (winter period) at 20 locations in Delhi but left out the month of October. The study specifically mentioned, “It is to be noted that the contribution of agricultural burning is not fully accounted for in this study as the monitoring and modelling periods did not include the month of October, when the burning activities are generally at their maximum.” Moreover, the study said that the figures were averaged for the entire period (including summers) and hence, “do not highlight the contribution of agricultural burning, which happens during a certain number of days and cause episodically high pollutant concentrations”. “Stubble burning is a seasonal problem, and in the period that it is prevalent, can cause anywhere between 20%-50% of the overall air pollution loading,” said Krishna. “If you average out all the sources over the period of a year, the contribution of stubble burning and other biomass burning would come down further.” Besides, the government’s own real-time data published by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research and The Central Pollution Control Board show a much higher figure. SAFAR’s data show that the daily contribution varied between 7% on November 1 to 48% on November 7 with the latter figure being the highest till date this year. These dates coincide with this year’s Diwali celebrations which clearly add to the pollution but there is also another reason for the rise in pollution. “After Diwali, there was a sudden spike in pollution levels but we expected this for the simple reason that during October we had a lot of rains which in turn deferred the burning of crops,” Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, told FactChecker. Episodic contribution The data by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research is highly variable on a daily basis, according to Chowdhury. “It can range from 1%-4% on some days, going up to 20%, and on some days hitting 30%-40%,” she said. “But it is not consistently high at all.” This is true because there were 1,797 fire counts on November 2 while the share of stubble fires to Delhi’s air pollution was around 7%, whereas on November 8, 5,450 fire counts were reported, sharply increasing the share of stubble fires to 48% around that period. The overall air quality during this peak period also fluctuated from Air Quality Index 300 PM10 in the “poor” category to AQI 551 PM10 in the “severe” category. Experts also said that the speed and direction of the wind and the intensity of the burning played a major role in pollution levels in Delhi. Further, Chowdhury said that this is only one phase of the season. If you take the entire winter into consideration, the proportion comes down even further. Because crop burning does not happen every day, she said. “Also, it is not a round-the-year problem,” she explained. “And if we check figures for the whole year, the proportion is going to be really small. Hence crop burning is only an episodic problem in Delhi.” Smog in New Delhi a day after Diwali. Photo credit: Manvender Vashist/ PTI Experts also focussed on major sources other than agricultural fires that contributed significantly to air quality deterioration in Delhi and National Capital Region. As per the Centre for Science and Environment’s analysis of total pollution sources to PM2.5 in Delhi between October 24 and November 8, the capital’s local sources reported 31%, of which Delhi’s transport sector accounted for more than half (51%) of its local pollution sources. This is followed by household pollution (13%), industries (12%) and construction (7%). Experts said that even if we stop stubble burning completely, considering the crop burning season’s average contribution of 30%, Delhi’s AQI would come down from 450 plus to 300, which would still fall under the “poor” category. “The situation today is that if AQI is around 200-250, we feel happy, while we should worry that it is manifold higher than the air quality guidelines,” Sagnik Dey, associate professor at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, told FactChecker. “We all were happy when the lockdown improved the air quality, but we did not fully understand the implications of the air quality level not remaining below our National Ambient Air Quality Standards throughout the lockdown,” said Dey, adding, “That itself indicated that the background level pollution is very high and unless year-round efforts are made, we would not be able to improve the situation.” Workable alternatives Experts said that the stubble burning issue is a byproduct of decades of poor policy-making. Current air pollution policies are largely aimed at tackling episodic high-exposure events, said Krishna of the Centre for Policy Research. “Whether it be the retroactive application of Graded Response Action Plan emergency measures to be taken to reduce pollution], ineffectual smog towers or ad-hoc measures like diverting truck traffic around the capital. These are all sticking plasters on a gaping wound that needs long-term care and attention,” he said. Advertisement Although Graded Response Action Plan was mentioned in emergency measures, the centre also listed long-term measures taken by them to the Supreme Court. These include Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network, air quality forecast and measures for control of vehicular, industrial and waste emissions Further, Chowdhury and Dey said that in-situ and ex-situ management practices should be implemented fully and equipment such as happy seeders, hay rakes and straw choppers be made available to all farmers. For in-situ management, farmers mix the stubble back into the soil so that they do not have to burn it. While in ex-situ one can collect the straw and use it for something else such as generating power, said Chowdhury. “But all this is very infrastructure-centric. The government has to build the infrastructure and access points so that it is scalable across regions. At the same time, when we specifically look at Delhi and National Capital Region we have to focus on local sources of pollution. Although it is important to zero down on Delhi-NCR, we need a regional, integrated and scaled-up source-wise approach,” she concluded. To avoid reaching episodic peaks, Krishna suggested that actions planned under mechanisms such as Graded Response Action Plan be engaged proactively. “We already have air quality forecasts from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research and Urban Emissions among others, surely we can use them to apply measures such as power plant closures and construction bans,” he said. Advertisement Alternatives, again, in this case, must be well thought through, and cannot simply be techno-fixes that address the “here and now” but focus on long-term transitions in cropping patterns that align with the economic needs of farmers in these regions, Krishna suggested.

A major improvement in air quality is unlikely to happen: Sunita Narain

During winter, excessive emitters from all sectors must be checked, but air pollution action must continue throughout the year for sound results, she says; GRAP without long term action cannot be fully implemented. Sunita Narain, is one of India’s best-known environmentalists. With the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) since 1982, she is a major proponent of the Green concept of sustainable development. Currently, as director general of the Centre, she is treasurer of the Society for Environmental Communications and editor of the fortnightly magazine, Down to Earth. Narain’s views are well regarded for being in depth as well as candid. Here she talks to Moneycontrol about the deadly pollution scourge that makes Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) the most polluted places on the planet every succeeding winter. Depressingly, nothing appears to change, despite a high-decibel rhetoric, year after year. Excerpts from the interview: Why is the NCR, and India in general, caught up in this pollution bubble? Winter after winter, it is the same story, the same explanations offered, with roughly the same results. Air quality regulatory framework is weak in terms of comprehensive action in all emission sectors, which leads to high air pollution in cities. At the same time northern India, particularly Delhi NCR and other cities, face smog problems due to its geographical position (land locked) and meteorological conditions (atmospheric calm conditions), so air pollution gets accumulated in the air. Emissions come from various sources such as vehicles, industry, power plants, crop residue burning, among others. As someone who knows the environment better than most, who do you believe is the biggest polluter? Some experts put it down to vehicle exhaust, heavy industry such as power generation, small-scale industries like brick kilns, suspended dust on the roads due to vehicle movement and construction activities, open waste burning, combustion of fuels for cooking, lighting, and heating, among others. Is that a fair descending order? --ADVERTISEMENT-- Ads by All the above-mentioned sources contribute in different ratios. Delhi has moved many industries out of the city and converted the rest of them to PNG. It allows only gas-based power plants. In addition, there are restrictions on use of coal and other polluting fuels such as coke -- overall contribution of industrial and power plants has reduced over the years. In the case of vehicles, major reforms such as use of CNG and improved quality of fuels and BS-VI norms have helped a lot; however, the total number of vehicles is still very high, so total vehicular emissions load still contribute about half of PM2.5. Since NCR sources also impact Delhi's air quality, widening the ambit of similar measures particularly in transport, augmentation of public transportation, industry and power plants emission control will help the region a lot. During winter, biomass and refuse burning also contribute. Therefore, solutions for all sectors must be implemented. But surely, after being a top-of-the-mind subject for so many years, how is it that we haven’t made substantial, or perhaps any progress? For instance, Delhi has the highest ambient particulate matter pollution exposure in the country for the last several years. Delhi also has the highest cluster of small-scale industries in India. As discussed earlier, unless all the key sectors such as industries and power plants' emission control, large scale improvement in public transportation, more use of electric vehicles, use of renewable energy, solutions to biomass, waste-burning and clean energy usage doesn't increase, a major improvement in air quality is unlikely to happen -- because Delhi region is land locked and experiences atmospheric calm conditions for most part of the year. Without underrating the magnitude of the problem, what would you recommend to the government? What needs to be done on a SOS basis, at the policy level, to restore some clean breathing space in a choked national capital? During winter, excessive emitters from all sectors must be checked, but air pollution action must continue throughout the year. Why is it that some of the steps taken so far have not worked? Is it because they are too piecemeal? What, for instance, do you make of the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)? There is a comprehensive clean air action plan which comprises short, medium, and long-term action -- this must be implemented, and new activities must be added as needed. GRAP is a contingency plan and now five-day, sometimes even a 10-day forecast of weather and likely air quality are available, but measures under it must be implemented in true letter and spirit. But GRAP without long term action cannot be fully implemented. For instance, GRAP measures include following Supreme Court orders on firecrackers but this was not followed, as we observed. GRAP also says augment use of public transport but without availability of good well connected public transport throughout Delhi and NCR it can't be done -- so in summary key measures have to be implemented throughout the year not only during winter. Similarly crop residue burning requires a multi-faceted solution package to be implemented. Do you believe too much stress has been put on farmers burning rubble during the harvest season? It puts the onus of pollution on the agriculture class, without holding the others accountable. It’s really a concern during the few weeks in winter when Delhi- NCR's ventilation capacity is weak (due to meteorological factors); therefore, various solutions must be looked at for implementation. Dependence on paddy must be reduced in water scarce regions, early yield varieties should be promoted, units should be set up to turn stubble into fuel pellets, composting should be promoted. Farm practices should be thoroughly studied, and agricultural experts should come up with solutions that help the farmers as well as reduce the need for burning the crop residues. Is there a divergence of view between the central and state governments on how to combat pollution? What do you make of the Union government’s flagship National Clean Air Program (NCAP) plan? NCAP compliance should be aligned with state action since air quality management requires involvement of various arms of governments in states. State wise targets must also be set, considering each state's impact on another state's air quality. Funding should be tied up with action and results. Do you believe the odd-even programme needs to be introduced on a permanent basis? Public transportation should be promoted, and such facilities should be made available to the public so that dependence on personal vehicles reduces. Odd and even measure is meant for only short duration. How do the lofty plans enshrined in Cop26 square up with India and its capital being the most polluted places on the planet? Climate action deals with different sets of measures but in many areas they converge. Because the same sources emit health damaging air pollutants as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, at the country level and state/city level efforts should be made to have co-benefits in both fronts. What does it say about us as a nation, considering that some countries like China, who India considers an Asian competitor, have managed to get around the scourge? India must learn from what has worked in other countries and how. Solutions are often different considering the local context; therefore, a country-specific and region-specific aggressive plan must be followed which takes the growth measures on a green path rather than on a polluting path. India must strive for clean air while it grows economically.

India on path to meet renewable energy target in 2030, but hurdles remain

Today, roughly 12% of our energy needs are fulfilled from solar, wind and nuclear. Without hydel power, India will have to increase installed RE capacity from 500 GW to 700 GW to meet the energy requirement in 2030 The climate summit at Glasgow (COP26) ended last week with promises — big and small. The representatives of 197 nations signed a mutually agreed document, called The Glasgow Pact, which should set the direction for how humanity tackles the most critical challenge it has ever faced. Going forward, we shall look at four prominent and intricate subjects – renewable energy, coal, climate finance and adaptation – that were deliberated upon at the COP26 and give a perspective on each. I – Renewables Prime Minister Narendra Modi made two significant announcements at the climate summit in Glasgow (COP26): India will get its non-fossil energy capacity to 500 gigawatt (GW) by 2030 · The country will meet 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030. The two promises may sound big, but in reality are just an extension of the commitments India made at the Paris Summit of 2015. Nevertheless, they are significant and have helped the country get a lot of international attention, which should eventually translate into much-needed funding for the rapidly expanding renewable energy market, especially solar. In Paris, India had said it would generate 40 per cent of its installed energy capacity from non-fossil sources (solar, wind, hydro, biomass and nuclear) by 2030. Accordingly, the government revised and set an ambitious target of installing 450 GW of renewable energy (RE) by 2030. In Glasgow, Modi revised the RE installation target for this decade from 450GW to 500GW, an 11% jump. First, let’s have a look at the current RE scenario in India. By 2022, the government aims to achieve RE installation target of 175 GW, which includes 100 GW of solar power. In August this year, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy declared it has installed 100 GW of renewable energy capacity with additional 50 GW being installed and 27 GW in the tendering process. Add energy produced via large hydro projects, and the total installed RE capacity goes up to 146 GW. This means we are on course to achieve the 175 GW target by 2022, of course with challenges ahead. The promises made at COP26 and the way forward Much of the discussion at Glasgow revolved around efforts needed to limit earth’s temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius of the pre-industrial levels by 2050 and strong steps each country should take in the coming decade (by 2030) to make it happen. Since PM Modi promised that India will meet 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030, it becomes pertinent to look at how much energy we consume today and what would be the requirement in the coming decade. The Central Electricity Authority’s Optimum Energy Mix report states that India’s power demand will be 817 GW in 2029-30. Of this, 522 GW is estimated to come from RE sources, which includes wind energy’s 140 GW and 280 GW of solar energy. As of today, roughly 12% (100GW) of our energy requirement is fulfilled from renewables. Of course, this does not include hydel electricity. “To be able to meet the 2030 target of 50% from renewable energy, considering the demand stays at 817 GW, India needs to increase installed capacity from 500 GW to 700 GW,” says Samrat Sengupta of the Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi. If hydel power is added, RE installed capacity requirement will come down to 630 GW, which is achievable. A power demand of 817 GW by 2030, minus the RE installed capacity of 500GW (as promised by Modi) leaves the electricity deficit at 317 GW. For records, India’s coal capacity by the end of this decade will be 266 GW. Therefore, renewables (500 GW) + coal (266GW) + hydel (70 GW) should help us meet or rather exceed our power requirement of 2030. All this while meeting our commitments under the Glasgow and Paris agreements. Challenges ahead The solar segment has the lion’s share of 60% (280GW) in India’s promise of 500GW by 2030. At the current pace, we need to install 25 GW of solar capacity every year. In the first six months of 2021, we added only 1GW of renewable energy capacity a month, states the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data. Of the target to install 175GW RE by 2022, 100GW has to come from solar — 40 GW rooftop solar and 60 GW ground-mounted utility scale. Till July this year, we have managed to install only 43.94 GW, the CEA data adds. Secondly, our solar industry depends heavily on imports for solar panels, modules and other accessories, which have become costlier by 20% to 25% since the pandemic. Even before the pandemic (in 2019-20), India imported USD 2.5 billion worth of solar wafers, cells, modules, and inverters. Therefore, to meet its ambitious target, the Centre needs to boost domestic production of solar equipment. Power distribution companies (discoms) in several states discourage solar net-metering (Difference between net-metering and gross-metering) for the fear of losing business and becoming financially unviable. India needs a uniform policy for purchasing solar electricity, which is in favour of the consumer and is investor-friendly, something on the lines of what PM Modi hinted at Glasgow. Also read: COP26: India polishes its climate reputation at Glasgow Additionally, several solar ground-mounted projects have run into rough weather due to opposition from local communities and environmentalists for their adverse impact on the local ecology. It would be good if the target for rooftop instalments is hiked from the present 40% to say 60%, considering that it would meet with no resistance. In fact, energy experts say rooftop solar installations are more environment-friendly and have the potential to generate lakhs of jobs and promote entrepreneurship. Sengupta said, “It will be important to see how good we are in grid integration and storage integration. If we can do it then achieving the RE target for 2030 should not be an impossible task, of course with challenges.” Pune-based Priyadarshini Karve, who specialises in renewable energy and urban sustainability, said, “At Glasgow, countries made new pledges mainly focused on solar energy and energy from the oceans. Over the years the cost of renewables has gone down while the prices of fossil fuels have become volatile. This has helped keep the momentum going. Thankfully the trend has continued with COP26.”