• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

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

• Water Programme

Ensuring Proper Flow Key To Revive Yamuna: Experts

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

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi’s roads worsen India’s toxic smog crisis

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

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

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

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

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

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

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

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

After decades commuting on New Delhi's parlous roads, office worker Ashok Kumar spends more time than ever stuck in the gridlock that packs the Indian capital's thoroughfares and pollutes the city. The sprawling megacity of 20 million people is regularly ranked the world's most polluted capital, with traffic exhaust a main driver of the toxic smog that permeates the skies, especially in winter. Delhi's patchwork public transport network struggles to cater for a booming population, with long queues snaking outside the city's underground metro stations each evening and overloaded buses inching their way down clogged arterials. When I came to Delhi, the air was clean because there were hardly any cars or bikes on the roads," Mr Kumar told AFP while waiting for a ride home outside the city's main bus terminal. "But now everyone owns a vehicle." Mr Kumar spends nearly four hours each day in what he described as a "gruelling journey" to and from his home on Delhi's far southern outskirts, alternating between commuter buses, private shared taxis and rickshaws. Even at the age of 61, Mr Kumar is hoping to save enough money to buy his own scooter and spare himself the pain of the daily commute. "Not many people can afford to waste their time on public transport," he said. Private vehicle registrations have tripled in the last 15 years - there are now more than 13 million on the capital's roads, government figures show. The consequences are felt year-round, with Delhi road users spending 1.5 hours more in traffic than other major Asian cities, according to the Boston Consulting Group. But come winter, the daily inconvenience escalates into a full-blown public health crisis, as prevailing winds slow and the thick blanket of haze settles over the city sees a surge in hospital admissions from residents struggling to breathe. Vehicle emissions accounted for more than half of the city air's concentration of PM2.5 - the smallest airborne particles most hazardous to human health - at the start of November, Delhi's Centre for Science and Environment said. A study from the centre last year showed that the capital was experiencing a steady decline in public transit ridership. Infrastructure has improved since the turn of the century, when Delhi inaugurated the first links in an underground rail network that now spans more than 250 stations and stretches into neighbouring satellite cities. But the Centre for Science and Environment said long distances between metro stops and residential areas was pushing commuters to switch to private vehicles. "The Metro is convenient but I still had to take an auto-rickshaw or shared taxi from the station to my home," Mr Sudeep Mishra, 31, told AFP. His daily commute was a 50km return journey, including the 2km he had to navigate between the nearest station and his home - now all done on a second-hand motorbike. "It was a hassle and expensive as well," said Mr Mishra, also a white-collar worker. "It made more sense to buy my vehicle to save time and money." Experts say this poor last-mile connectivity is a particular issue for women, who often have to choose between private transport or risking a walk on dark and unsafe streets. The move to private vehicles has seen Delhi's bus network atrophy, with more than a hundred bus routes culled since 2009. The state-run Delhi Transport Corporation's fleet has shrunk by nearly half since a decade ago and last ordered new buses in 2008 - with a planned expansion marred by corruption claims. There is a direct link between this under-investment in public transport and the capital's worsening air pollution, said Mr Sunil Dahiya, a New Delhi-based analyst with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Official campaigns have attempted to lighten the haze in recent years, with the city at one point banning vehicles from the roads using an alternating odd-even system based on licence plate numbers. Groups of youngsters are paid to stand at busy traffic intersections, waving placards urging drivers to turn off their ignitions while waiting at red lights. And incentives have been offered for electric vehicle owners, but with only 145 charging stations across the city, take-up has been slow. Mr Dahiya told AFP that only a huge investment to make public transport more appealing and convenient would start to solve the intractable problem. "We need aggressive growth in public transport to start seeing an absolute reduction in air pollution levels," he said.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

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

• Director General Office

River Cities Alliance can play crucial role in connecting cities with rivers: MoHUA Secretary

Speaking on the occasion the Union Minister said that this is an excellent initiative which will enable cities to learn from each other’s successes and failures as well as connect people with the rivers. Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the River Cities Alliance, a dedicated platform for river cities in India to ideate, discuss and exchange information for sustainable management of urban rivers, here today. This first-of-its-kind Alliance in the world symbolizes the successful partnership of the two Ministries i.e., Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The Alliance will focus on three broad themes- Networking, Capacity Building, and Technical Support. The Secretariat of the Alliance will be set up at National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA), with NMCG's support. The participating cities in the River Cities Alliance are Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Srinagar, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Munger, Patna, Berhampore, Hooghly-Chinsurah, Howrah, Jangipur, Maheshtala, Rajmahal, Sahibganj, Ayodhya, Bijnor, Farrukhabad, Kanpur, Mathura-Vrindavan, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Aurangabad, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Pune, Udaipur and Vijayawada. The Hon'ble Prime Minister in the meeting of the National Ganga Council held at Kanpur in December 2019, had highlighted the need for new river-centric thinking in planning for cities on the banks of rivers. "Cities should be responsible for rejuvenating their rivers. It has to be done not just with a regulatory mindset but also with a developmental and facilitatory outlook" stated the Prime Minister. Subsequently, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA) have collaborated together to launch the River Cities Alliance (RCA). Speaking on the occasion the Union Minister said that this is an excellent initiative which will enable cities to learn from each other's successes and failures as well as connect people with the rivers. Shri Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs stated, "The River Cities Alliance can play a crucial role in connecting cities with their rivers, and that it can be a model for all cities in the Basin and beyond to emulate". Shri Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti stated "This Alliance will give an opportunity to municipal administrators and their teams to take path-breaking initiatives and learn and inspire each other". In his address, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General NMCG said "Although the Alliance began with the Ganga basin cities, it was extended to include cities beyond the basin as well. Thus, the work and knowledge products which will be developed under this Alliance will help cities to learn from each other and be enriched by both national and international experiences". Shri Hitesh Vaidya, Director, NIUA said that "The River Cities Alliance is a culmination of 3 years of efforts for river sensitive development of our cities." Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment was of the view that the idea of a River City Alliance is critical as rivers are crucial for cities. During the session, Hon'ble Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with the other dignitaries launched the River Cities Alliance video and also unveiled the Urban River Management Plan for Kanpur City. The primary objective of RCA is to provide the member cities with a platform to discuss and exchange information on aspects that are vital for sustainable management of urban rivers such as minimizing their water footprint, reducing impacts on river and water bodies, capitalizing on natural, intangible, architectural heritage and associated services and develop self-sufficient, self-sustainable water resources through recycle, reuse strategy. The Alliance cities will work towards adopting and localizing national policies and instruments with key river-related directions, prepare their Urban River Management Plans and develop city-specific sectoral strategies that are required for sustainable urban river management. The Alliance gives opportunities to these cities to strengthen governance aspects for river cities and improves their liveability to attract external economic investments, access state of the art knowledge and frameworks as well as an opportunity to serve as the site for unique demonstration projects which will be implemented by NIUA and NMCG. The 30 member cities include Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Patna, Howrah, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, etc. from Ganga basin states and Aurangabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar, Pune, Udaipur, Vijayawada, etc. from non-Ganga basin states. During the day, three sessions were also conducted. In the first session, discussion pertained to 'Operationalizing the River Cities Alliance' which included a presentation on Urban River Plan Management of Kanpur, that was followed by a moderated discussion with Commissioners/Executive Officers of the 30 member cities. The second session was a Roundtable Discussion on 'Holistic Urban River Management' between Dr. Suresh Rohilla, CSE; Mr. Suresh Babu, WWF; Dr. Madhu Verma, WRI-India; and Mr. Manu Bhatnagar, INTACH. The third session focused on 'Forging Synergies for the River Cities Alliance' which comprised of a panel discussion with Ms. Sonia Chand Sandhu, ADB; Ms. Manasi Sachdev, UN-Habitat; Ms. Anitha Sharma, Embassy of Denmark; and Ms. Martina Burkard (GIZ). Ms. Anitha Sharma also shared about the recently signed Strategic Green Partnership between Denmark and India which focuses upon cities and rivers, amongst other key focus areas. With regards to the water sector, the Government of Denmark is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

• Director General Office

India battles floods amid spike in extreme weather events

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

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

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

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

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

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

• Director General Office

Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Launches River Cities Alliance -A Dedicated Platform For River Cities In India To Ideate, Discuss And Exchange Information For Sustainable Management of Urban Rivers

New Delhi : Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the River Cities Alliance, a dedicated platform for river cities in India to ideate, discuss and exchange information for sustainable management of urban rivers, here today. Thisfirst of its kind Alliance in the world symbolizes the successful partnership of the two Ministries i.e., Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The Alliance will focus on three broad themes- Networking, Capacity Building and Technical Support. The Secretariat of the Alliance will be set up at National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA), with NMCG’s support. The participating cities in the River Cities Alliance are Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Srinagar, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Munger, Patna, Berhampore, Hooghly-Chinsurah, Howrah, Jangipur, Maheshtala, Rajmahal, Sahibganj, Ayodhya, Bijnor, Farrukhabad, Kanpur, Mathura-Vrindavan, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Aurangabad, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Pune, Udaipur and Vijayawada. The Prime Minister in the meeting of the National Ganga Council held at Kanpur in December 2019, had highlighted the need for a new river centric thinking in planning for cities on the banks of rivers. “Cities should be responsible for rejuvenating their rivers. It has to be done not just with a regulatory mindset but also with a developmental and facilitatory outlook” stated the Prime Minister. Subsequently, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA) have collaborated together to launch the River Cities Alliance (RCA). Speaking on the occasion the Union Minister said that this is an excellent initiative which will enable cities to learn from each other’s successes and failures as well as connect people with the rivers. Shri Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs stated, “The River Cities Alliance can play a crucial role in connecting cities with their rivers, and that it can be a model for all cities in the Basin and beyond to emulate”. Shri Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti stated “This Alliance will give an opportunity to municipal administrators and their teams to take path breaking initiatives and learn and inspire each other”. In his address, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General NMCG said “Although the Alliance began with the Ganga basin cities, it was extended to include cities beyond the basin as well. Thus, the work and knowledge products which will be developed under this Alliance will help cities to learn from each other and be enriched by both national and international experiences”. Shri Hitesh Vaidya, Director, NIUA said that “The River Cities Alliance is a culmination of 3 years of efforts for river sensitive development of our cities.” Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment was of the view that the idea of a River City Alliance is critical as rivers are crucial for cities. During the session, Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with the other dignitaries launched the River Cities Alliance video and also unveiled the Urban River Management Plan for Kanpur City. The primary objective of RCA is to provide the member cities with a platform to discuss and exchange information on aspects that are vital for sustainable management of urban rivers such as minimizing their water footprint, reducing impacts on river and water bodies, capitalizing on natural, intangible, architectural heritage and associated services and develop self-sufficient, self-sustainable water resources through recycle, reuse strategy. The Alliance cities will work towards adopting and localizing national policies and instruments with key river-related directions, prepare their Urban River Management Plans and develop city-specific sectoral strategies that are required for sustainable urban river management. The Alliance gives opportunities to these cities to strengthen governance aspects for river cities and improves their liveability to attract external economic investments, access state of the art knowledge and frameworks as well as an opportunity to serve as the site for unique demonstration projects which will be implemented by NIUA and NMCG. The 30 member cities include Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Patna, Howrah, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, etc. from Ganga basin states and Aurangabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar, Pune, Udaipur, Vijayawada, etc. from non-Ganga basin states.

• Sustainable Food Systems

India’s waste management systems unfit to address the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health threat and has become one of the greatest challenges in the efforts to fight infectious diseases. In the wake of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which concluded today, sector experts discussed how agriculture, pharmaceutical companies and low-cost waste management technologies aid in preventing AMR containment. The World Health Organization has declared antimicrobial resistance, commonly known as AMR, as one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity. Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens, according to the global health body. India, a global pharma giant, has a huge problem of antimicrobial resistance and experts have been warning against it. “India has a huge population and the antimicrobial resistance issue with India is quite prominent,” said Shaikh Z. Ahammad, Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. He was speaking at a webinar organised today by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). It was a part of the non-profit’s three-part webinar series to mark the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week that falls from November 18 to 24. The webinar focused on the theme of ‘environmental and prevention agenda’ and how the world can ensure that waste from food systems, pharmaceutical and manufacturing, and human health systems is effectively managed to contain AMR, and on the importance of preventive approaches. Also Read: India, a pharma super-power, must address the serious threat of antimicrobial resistance Antimicrobials – including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics – are medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death. It threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi, warns theWorld Health Organization (WHO). Overuse of drugs, sewage treatment plants and AMR According to a note released by CSE, antimicrobial resistance accelerates due to the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in human health, animal health, food-animal production, and crop production. Additionally, the environment plays a significant role – waste from farms, factories, community, and healthcare settings contribute to the emergency and spread of AMR through environmental routes. Talking about how the sewage treatment plants create pollution, specially in Delhi, instead of treating it and also aid in the problem of AMR, Sheikh said that the problem of antimicrobial resistance can create a double burden for the country since it is still fighting to manage commercial pollutants like sewage and is yet to create infrastructure do deal with it. India has a huge population and the antimicrobial resistance issue with India is quite prominent. Representational photo. Also Read: Environment ministry quashes limits for discharge of antibiotic residue in water bodies “Because of a huge population we use a lot of water for survival. Additionally, we generate almost 40 million liters of sewage everyday, apart from industrial water. Sewage is creating a significant impact on the environment. In a case study where we focused on Delhi, we found that while the sewage treatment plants do several good things for the environment, however with respect to AMR, most of the treatment plants work like a harbouring station. They increase the pollution rather than treating it,” he said. AMR and agriculture In his presentation, Ed Topp, Principal Research Scientist, Environmental Microbiology and Chemistry, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada stated that large amounts of antibiotics are used for prevention, therapy, and in some jurisdictions growth promotion as well. AMR can be transmitted through food chains whereas waste streams can do so to the environment. In many lower-income settings, households that reside in close proximity to animals may have concerns of direct exposure to AMR through those animals, Topp noted. “Microbial use is contributing to AMR food production systems and in one health context, that is of concern both from environmental dimension and the health dimension,” Topp said. Also Read: The growing menace of antibiotic pollution by pharma hubs needs urgent attention He called for reducing antimicrobial use where possible through stewardship practices wherever alternatives make sense so that individual animals can be treated and not held in herds. “A big challenge that we have in this sphere is source attribution, so clearly pointing the picture from food or environmental matrix into humans is a challenge,” he added. WHO had listed lack of clean water and sanitation and inadequate infection prevention and control promoted the spread of microbes, some of which can be resistant to antimicrobial treatment. For representation purpose only. AMR and waste from farms and factories The three antimicrobial resistance determinants identified by Rajeshwari Sinha, programme manager at the Food Safety Programme of CSE, included antibiotic residues, resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes that travel across multiple sectors. She also noted that the nature of waste and AMR determinants vary across sectors and local contexts. Talking about the inter-sectorial transmission also takes place in AMR, she said “Waste from animal farms particularly poultry, dairy, fish as well as crop farms form a huge component of agriculture fertilizer and contribute to making the soil fertile for raising crops. At the same time, it’s used to feed fish, mushroom farming. Waste from dairy farms finds its way into useful components in agriculture. Thus, within each sector, there can be inter-sectoral happening which adds to the reservoir of AMR determinants.” Also Read: Antimicrobial resistance could possibly become next public health crisis: Experts It’s important to note that WHO had listed lack of clean water and sanitation and inadequate infection prevention and control promoted the spread of microbes, some of which can be resistant to antimicrobial treatment. Sinha also noted that there was very limited on-the-ground progress – lack of dedicated funding within the overall limited funds for AMR, limited know-how and capacity due to absence of global guidance, complexity and cross-cutting nature of the issue. In her presentation, she also highlighted that the environmental AMR issue is so far dependent on surveillance which is resource-intensive and technically demanding. A few of her recommendations included prioritising and investing in the environmental AMR agenda from both a global and national level and focusing on prevention at farms, biosecurity, clean water, alternatives, good animal husbandry practices, and vaccination.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

While spotlight’s on Delhi, smaller northern towns often fare worse in air quality

Agra, Firozabad, Vrindavan had higher pollution levels than national capital after Deepavali; experts call for focus on areas beyond NCR too An analysis of air quality data by The Hindu shows that Agra, Firozabad, and Vrindavan were more polluted than Delhi during the week after Deepavali. However, during this period, the media attention and actions were concentrated more on Delhi and the NCR. While Delhi was among the top 10 most polluted cities for three out of seven days, Agra, Firozabad, and Vrindavan were part of the list for four days, as per the air quality index (AQI) data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Also, the average daily AQI of these three places is more than that of the national Capital. On some days, other non-NCR districts such as Kaithal and Kanpur made it to the top 10 list and were more polluted than Delhi. Interestingly, Delhi was never among the top five polluted cities in the country during this week. The Supreme Court ordered actions have also been mainly for the Delhi-NCR, which is monitored by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas. For instance, despite the high pollution, schools were not closed or construction activities were not banned in Agra, Firozabad or Vrindavan after Deepavali, officials said. However, on November 13, these actions were taken in Delhi after the Supreme Court pulled up the State and Central Governments earlier that day. Also, Delhi and the NCR have a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), according to which, different actions kick in as per levels of air pollution. But no such plan exists for areas beyond the NCR. Most polluted From November 5-11, the average daily AQI of Delhi was 414.8, while Vrindavan’s was 438.14, Agra’s 429.85, and Firozabad’s 437.6. On November 9, Delhi was not part of the top 10 polluted places, and there were four non-NCR districts in the top 10 and Firozabad was the most polluted place in the country. Similarly, on November 10, Agra was the most polluted place in the country. Delhi has 39 air quality monitoring stations, while Agra has six and Vrindavan and Firozabad have only one each. “It is not that we are not giving attention to these cities. These three cities are also part of the 132 cities which are covered by the NCAP (National Clean Air Programme),” a CPCB official said. About smaller cities witnessing higher pollution compared to Delhi, the official said that though meteorological conditions of Delhi and these places are similar, local factors could be behind the higher AQI. Attention needed Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of Centre for Science and Environment, a research and advocacy NGO, said that during winter, the natural ventilation of the entire Indo Gangetic Plains (IGP), which stretches from Punjab and touches the boundaries of West Bengal, is constrained and pollutants get trapped. This is due to a drop in temperature, wind speed and the height up to which pollutants can be dispersed in the atmosphere. “A big chunk of the IGP is affected by stubble burning also. Because of these factors, several cities and sub-regions that are outside the NCR, but within the IGP, are more polluted than even Delhi during winter. But the annual average pollution of these places could be lower than Delhi,” Ms. Roychowdhury said. “Delhi gets an undue importance as initial cases on air pollution were filed about the Delhi-NCR in the Supreme Court. Because of the court orders, the region got focus,” she added. But Ms. Roychowdhury said that the Government should pay more attention to the entire IGP for pollution mitigation, as the entire region is more vulnerable to high pollution. “The NCAP is for 132 cities. The Government should implement NCAP at district and State levels and take into consideration rural areas too, instead of just focusing on cities,” she said.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

What happens to your body when you breathe in polluted air | In Focus podcast

Every year in November and December, the residents of Delhi and the National Capital Region, find it hard to breathe. Toxic air chokes the lungs, doctors advise people to avoid outdoor walks and runs, hospital outpatient services overflow with people facing respiratory problems, and there is a call for emergency measures to bring the air quality index down from severe to satisfactory. Meteorological conditions such as cold air and a drop in wind speeds combine with the year-long emanation of pollutants into the air from industries, vehicles, construction as well as stubble smoke, along with festive firecrackers -- and together they contribute to the noxious air that prevails across the Indo-Gangetic plain at this time of the year. What happens to your lungs and body when you breathe in polluted air on a daily basis? How does this impact our health long term? Where does India stand in its pollution levels compared to the rest of the world? And what urgent action can governments take to protect, and help provide cleaner air for future generations? We speak on this and more in this episode. Guest: Vivek Chattopadhyaya, Sr Program Manager, Clean Air and Sustainable Mobility of the Centre for Science and Environment