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Air Pollution Updates: Deposit Rs 5,000 Each in Bank Accounts of Workers, Says CM Kejriwal as Ban on Construction Work Reimposed Amid Spike in Pollution

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said that air pollution levels have risen again today, as compared to last three-four days. He added that considering the situation and Supreme Court order, a ban has been re-imposed on construction and demolition activities. “I have given an order today to deposit Rs 5,000 each in bank accounts of construction workers in view of a ban on construction activities due to air pollution. We will also provide compensation to workers for their loss according to their minimum wages," Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said. Air quality in the national capital continues to be in the ‘very poor’ category with the AQI clocking 390 at 9 am on Thursday, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed. The city’s 24-hour air quality index (AQI) stood at 361 on Wednesday. Neighbouring Faridabad (394), Ghaziabad (362), Gurugram (322) and Noida (330) also recorded their air quality in the ‘very poor’ category. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’. The minimum temperature in the national capital was 9.7 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season’s average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. While the maximum temperature is likely to settle at 28 degrees Celsius, the relative humidity recorded by the weather department at 8.30 am was 95 per cent. The weather man has predicted “mainly clear sky" for Delhi on Thursday. Scientists at the the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) scientists attributed this to the restrictions on polluting activities such as construction, thermal power plants and truck movement in the NCR, according to a Hindustan Times report. Meanwhile, experts questioned why forecasts were not used to take preemptive measures. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) told Hindustan Times that forecast-based monitoring of pollution needs to be leveraged in order to ensure pre-emptive action. What stopped the agencies to take this action when Delhi had already recorded so many severe air days right after Diwali? Agencies need to focus on pre-emptive action based on air quality forecasts to prevent such spikes,” Roychowdhury said. Asking why should Delhiites suffer very poor air quality, the Supreme Court on Wednesday called for advance preventive steps to deal with the situation before it becomes severe, observing that any dip in pollution is because of the wind, an “act of God, which too may come to zero by the end of the day." The court also wondered what signal the country is sending to the world when the national capital is hit by air pollution, and told the Centre and the National Capital Region(NCR) states to continue with their measures to curb air pollution. Graded response to deal with the spike in air pollution should be taken before the situation becomes severe, a special bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said, and made it clear that it will not close the pollution case and continue the hearing even if pollution comes down by “virtue of God’s act" or restrictions. “Why should Delhiites suffer this severe and very poor air quality?" the apex court asked. “This is the national capital. Look at the signal we are sending to the world. You can stop these (pollution causing) activities in anticipation itself…” The court then pushed for evolving a statistical model for Delhi with the help of the Indian Meteorological Department(IMD) to anticipate a weather situation and take advance measures against air pollution. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, at the outset, said that after the last order, the situation has improved as the Air Quality Index(AQI) was at 403 on November 16 and now it was 260. Delhi’s quality showed an improvement due to strong winds on Sunday and Monday but slipped to “very poor" category on Wednesday due to dip in mercury and wind speed, according to official data.

Delhi eases pollution-related curbs; schools, govt offices to reopen on Nov 29

Entry of CNG and electric trucks carrying non-essential items from other states into New Delhi will be allowed from Saturday. The ban on petrol and diesel trucks, however, will remain in place until December 3 Delhi’s environment minister Gopal Rai announced the easing of pollution-related curbs in a phased manner on Wednesday. Schools, colleges and educational institutions will open on November 29, along with government offices, whose employees have been working from home. The measures were imposed by the government last week to tackle the escalating pollution crisis in the Capital. Entry of CNG and electric trucks carrying non-essential items from other states into New Delhi will be allowed from Saturday, the minister said. The ban on petrol and diesel trucks, however, will remain in place until December 3. “For the last three days, we have observed a reduction in the pollution levels in Delhi. We have decided to ease the restrictions, but a strict watch will be kept on the sources [of pollution],” Rai told reporters. The state government and affiliated offices had switched to work-from-home mode for their staff since November 17 to cut down on the use of private vehicles. The minister said that the government is providing special shuttle buses from the secretariat to nearby metro stations to encourage people to use the metro instead of their own vehicles. “Construction activities have already been allowed, but we are keeping a close watch on the sites. If any violation is found, we will temporarily ban operations and impose heavy fines,” Rai said. The minister said that till Wednesday, 1,221 construction sites were inspected by 585 teams deployed by the government across Delhi, with 105 sites shut down for violating dust-related norms. “These sites were not adhering to the 14-point guideline we had issued. They have been shut down and a penalty has also been imposed,” Rai said. After a slew of pollution control measures were implemented by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the Delhi-NCR region and adjoining areas on November 16, the Delhi government imposed restrictions, extended a ban on the entry of trucks, continued to keep schools shut, and allowed its employees to work from home in a fresh order released last Sunday. Sudha Acharya, the chairperson of the National Progressive School’s Conference, which has over 120 private schools in New Delhi as its members, welcomed the government’s decision to resume in-person classes in school. Acharya said that schooling had been disrupted due to constant closures and it was necessary for students to return to classrooms. “The reopening of schools was much needed. Students have stayed away from school for a very long time and it’s time that they return to the classrooms,” said Acharya, principal of ITL Public School, Dwarka. The Delhi government’s decision came on a day when the city’s air quality began to deteriorate as wind speeds slowed down over the Capital. New Delhi’s 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 reading shot up to 365 – in the “very poor” category - at 2pm on Wednesday. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said New Delhi will continue to see variations in the air quality, with meteorological factors playing a key role. To counter that, it is important to ensure strict vigilance so that extreme curbs don’t need to be imposed again, she said. “Air quality will improve and worsen all through this winter now, but it is important that adequate measures are taken in advance so that we don’t reach those severe [pollution] levels. Pollution from construction sites and garbage burning can easily be controlled. We also need to see what can be done to reduce emissions from the vehicular sector. While the government is trying to promote public transport, it is also turning out to be a big challenge,” she said.

Glasgow Climate Pact Agreed At COP26 Undermines ‘Climate Justice’, Say Experts

Climate change affects different people differently and is likely to create more inequity, say experts New Delhi: Nearly 200 nations agreed to adopt the ‘Glasgow Climate Pact’ on November 12, after more than two weeks of discussions and negotiations at the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) climate summit at Glasgow, UK. The aim was to finalise the Paris Agreement rule book in order to avert the impacts of global warming and to ask governments to strengthen their climate targets to prevent the warming of the planet to exceed 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels. According to experts, while the Glasgow Climate Pact made some progress in terms of emissions-cutting goals, it has completely undermined the concept of climate justice. What Is Climate Justice? Climate justice is the fair treatment of all people in the creation of policies and implementation of actions that address climate change, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. D. Raghunandan, Scientist and member, Delhi Science Forum said that when cyclones, floods or droughts strike, too often those hit hardest are poor and marginalised communities who bear little responsibility for global warming and climate change. He explained that climate justice has emerged from the idea that historical responsibility for climate change lies with wealthy and powerful people – and yet it disproportionately impacts the poorest and most vulnerable. He said, This concept of ‘climate justice’ is reshaping of climate action from efforts to only cut emissions into an approach that also addresses human rights and inequality. It is the industrialised, developed nations who gathered wealth by burning fossil fuels, but it is the socially, economically, the environmentally vulnerable people like tribals, poor, farmers, fishing communities, children, people with disabilities who face the brunt of the worst impacts of extreme weather events caused by climate change. Global warming is also an ethical and political issue, and not just a purely environmental issue and this is what climate justice is about. Climate Justice: What Happened At COP26? According to Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi based think tank, about 70 per cent of the world’s population needs access to carbon space for development; they cannot be told not to develop. However, poor nations with miniscule per capita carbon footprint are asked to constrain their developmental health in trying to abide by the Paris Agreement. COP26 was supposed to confront this inequity and ensure that it is addressed while securing low-carbon pathways for the world, she said. COP26, failed at climate justice, according to CSE experts. The following happened at COP26, according to CSE: – Civil society and activists were locked out of the discussions. – Major developed countries who are big polluters did not commit to domestic fossil fuel phase-out, only to halt funding it internationally. – An upwardly increasing climate finance goal was not agreed upon. The final text acknowledges the needs of developing countries for climate finance and sets out a process to deliver on those needs. – Finance for ‘Loss and Damages’, which refers to the cost of destruction caused by extreme weather events, was not announced. The COP just decided to establish a dialogue between parties, stakeholders and relevant organisations to support efforts to avert, minimise and address loss and damage associated with climate change. – The pact has no mention of historical emissions. It just “notes” the “importance for some of the concept of ‘climate justice’, when taking action to address climate change”. Ms Narain asserted that dismissing climate justice as a concept that is important only for “some” is Glasgow Climate Pact’s fatal flaw. She said that the parties to the pact have failed to understand that climate justice is the pre-requisite for effective climate action- it has to be the bedrock of action. The Pact’s fundamental and fatal flaw is in the very first page – where it says, rather dismissively, that it notes the importance ‘for some’ of the concept of climate justice. We cannot erase the fact that certain countries – the United States, European Union, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and Russia and joined now by China – have consumed roughly 70 per cent of the carbon budget, the space in the atmosphere that is available to keep the world below the 1.5 degree Celsius temperature rise. The challenge is that the world has run out of carbon budget, but some 70 per cent of the world’s people still need the right to development. As these countries grow, they will add emissions and take the world to catastrophic levels of temperature rise. It is for this reason, climate justice is not an add-on concept for some, but the pre-requisite for an effective and ambitious agreement. This lack of understanding is at the core of the problem. Mr Raghunandan stressed that neglecting ‘Climate Justice’ in global accord, will make vulnerable communities facing a high risk of climate change, like the poor with lower means to deal with damages, even more vulnerable to hardships, hunger and displacement. Climate justice is a matter of human rights. It is important because, climate change will affect different people and places differently, and so is likely to increase inequalities within and across nations, creating even more injustice. COP26 should have addressed this because climate change is not only the biggest public health threat but also a danger to the existence of humanity.

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.