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Cycling ban runs contrary to pollution mitigation efforts in India

The eastern Indian city of Kolkata, once a capital under British rule, has a rich tradition of cycling and was home to the country's first bicycle club set up by the British in 1897. Now a campaign is gathering steam to remove a ban on cycling on 64 roads at a time when the city authorities are coming up with a cycling masterplan, which includes creating 120km of cycling tracks as part of a clean air action plan. The plan, which identifies strategies to reduce pollution from every source, is part of the National Clean Air Programme, a federal initiative. Authors Ruskin Bond and Amitav Ghosh, film-maker Aparna Sen and singer Usha Uthup are among dozens of prominent citizens who have now backed the campaign #BringBackCycles to fight the ban. The campaign has been initiated by non-governmental organisation SwitchON Foundation, which in an open letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the removal of the ban, arguing that bicycles are zero-emission transportation that enables livelihoods and reduces congestion as they take up approximately five times less space than cars on the roads. "Every city is moving in the direction of non-motorised transport for congestion and pollution. The other angle is of livelihood. Lots of people cycle to work. This cycle ban is unusual in a country where the poor widely use cycles to get around," said Mr Vinay Jaju, managing director and co-founder of SwitchON Foundation. I feel the system is so car-centric. Kolkata has been designed in a way to encourage cycling or walking. It is sad that cities like London and Paris are trying hard to include more cycling and we have a ban," he added. Cities across India are coming up with ways to mitigate pollution by creating infrastructure for bicycles. The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority has drafted the cycle masterplan that seeks to create 120km of cycle tracks. But it has yet to start implementation amid contradictions like the cycle ban. In Kolkata, the traffic ban dates back to 2008, when the traffic police, trying to rein in unruly traffic, prohibited cycling on 38 roads. By 2013, the ban had expanded to include 162 roads, resulting in protests. It was then reduced to 64 roads. On some roads, cycling is totally banned, but on other roads, it is prohibited between 7am and 11pm. Over the years, the Kolkata police have explained that the ban was put in place to better manage chaotic traffic. The Kolkata traffic police told the Kolkata High Court in 2014 that the cycle ban was there "because cycles and other forms of non-motorised transport have been running indiscriminately through the roads". But pollution in Kolkata, like other large congested metros, remains a big problem. Last winter, pollution touched the very severe category. According to a 2019 study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, cars contribute 20 per cent to 25 per cent of air pollution. A recent study, titled Evaluation Of The Impact Of Ambient Air Pollution On Respiratory Health Of Traffic Police In Kolkata, found that traffic constables were among a higher risk group and likely to develop respiratory dysfunctions due to pollution. Ms Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said cities needed to understand the importance of making cycling a priority. "Things are moving (in Kolkata) with the bicycle masterplan. Especially in the context of Kolkata, cities really need to understand the opportunity they have. Not just that more people are cycling. In terms of compactness, Kolkata has a huge advantage (to reduce pollution) and it is very conducive to promote non-motorised transport," she said. "Cycling is a very important mobility option. A lot of leveraging is possible today with petrol prices (going up). If you increase the glamour quotient, not just for the poor, it should be seen as a mode of choice for the rich and middle class." The coronavirus pandemic has also seen more people taking to cycling. Cinematographer Satanjib Gupta uses his bicycle as his main mode of transportation now. "It's the most convenient vehicle for me. The street length is very short - 5km to 6km. Whenever I choose a destination, it is less than 10km. After Covid-19, I never use any other kind of vehicle. I have avoided public transport," said Mr Gupta, who is a member of BYCS, an Amsterdam-based social enterprise promoting cycling. "After Covid-19, cycles are getting more attention. Many people cycle to the city centre to earn money. It's the poor who suffer the most. And if you see a 'no cycling' board everywhere in the city, you feel discouraged."

50% coal-fired plants flouting water norms

BATHINDA: Advocacy group Centre for Science and Environment has claimed that half of country’s fresh water based coal-fired power plants fail to meet the 2015 water-use standards. Citing its study titled ‘Water Inefficient Power’, the CSE claims that even six years after these norms came into force, the thermal-power industry continues to guzzle water. In support of its theory that the sector was adding to water stress in the country, CSE says it found 48% of coalpower fleet to be in waterscarce districts like Barmer and Baran in Rajasthan. “Counted among the most waterintensive industries, the coalpower sector is responsible for about 70% of the total freshwater withdrawal by all industries. Indian power plants with cooling towers consume twice as much water as their global counterparts,” reads the report. The 2015 norms (re-revised in 2018) requried the plants installed before January 1, 2017, to meet a water consumption limit of 3.5 cubic metres per megawatt hour of power produced. For the plants installed after January 1, 2017, this limit is 3 cubic metres per MWh, apart from adopting zero liquid discharge. Additionally, all freshwater-based plants must install cooling towers and meet the 3.5 cubic metres limit. The seawater-based plants were exempt from meeting this limit. The compliance deadline of December 2017 has long passed. The water standards for thermal power plants were introduced in 2015 along with the emission norms. Though emission norms timelines were revised twice (2017 and 2021), while the water norms were overlooked. CSE industrial pollution unit programme director Nivit Kumar Yadav said: “Many power producing regions of the country have water crisis and water pollution because of the discharge from these plants.” CSE surveyed plants of more than 154 gigawatt capacity and found 50% non-complying, most of these state-owned. The CSE claims that some of the old plants operate without the cooling towers, indicating a flouting of not only the water norms but also the emission standards. These pre-1999 units were identified for retirement but neither retired yet nor upgraded, says CSE deputy programme manager Sugandha Arora. The survey found loopholes in the self-reported data and variance in formats across states. Yadav said: “This sector should reduce its massive water footprint, report data accurately, and ensure zero discharge in newer plants.”

Delhi’s PM2.5 levels fell 48% during 2020 lockdown, finds study

Among other cities in India, Chennai and Amritsar recorded even higher improvements in air quality -- with 62% and 51% reductions in PM 2.5 concentrations, respectively Delhi recorded a 48% reduction in PM 2.5 concentrations during the nationwide hard lockdown from March 25 to May 31 last year compared to the same time span in the years between 2015 and 2019, a study has found. This improvement, however, was not visible before or after the lockdown period, underscoring the need for long-term measures to battle air pollution across cities. Particulate Matter 2.5 -- or PM 2.5 -- are extremely tiny pollutants (2.5 microns in diameter or smaller) that can be inhaled and dissolve into the blood stream. High exposure to them is known to cause respiratory and heart issues. Indian and some Chinese cities recorded some of the highest improvements in PM 2.5 concentrations globally during the complete lockdown period, but not so much during pre- or post-lockdown periods, the study by the World Meteorological Organisation and the Global Atmosphere Watch said. For example in contrast, during the pre-lockdown period Paris recorded 58% reduction but only 9.5% reduction during lockdown; Augsburg recorded a 70% reduction in PM 2.5 levels during pre-lockdown but only 6.8% during lockdown period. Munich recorded only 5.3% reduction during lockdown; New York 27%; Sao Paolo 17% and Madrid saw an increase by 17% which may be linked to meteorological factors the study said. Among other cities in India, Chennai and Amritsar recorded even higher improvements in air quality -- with 62% and 51% reductions in PM 2.5 concentrations, respectively. Scientists also found that levels of Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) -- another prominent air pollutant -- reduced by 55% during the lockdown period in Delhi, compared to only 4.3% in pre-lockdown and 32% reduction during partial relaxation of lockdown curbs. “For India, a noticeable reduction was observed during the partial lockdown despite lesser restrictions on mobility…During the full lockdown, reductions in PM2.5 concentrations were observed in both northern and southern hemisphere cities, more notably in India, a few Chinese cities (Chengdu, Guangzhou, Wuhan), Tartu, Seville, Moscow, Montreal, Mexico City, Quito and Lima,” the study titled “A global observational analysis to understand changes in air quality during exceptionally low anthropogenic emission conditions” said. India went into a 68-day lockdown from March 25, 2020 to stem the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. All economic activities and businesses came to a standstill, factories and shops shuttered down and offices shifted to a work-from-home mode. Since then, there have been several regional lockdowns depending on the severity of an outbreak in an area, but the country as a whole has not implemented nationwide restrictions to the same degree. Lockdown periods varied from region to region. The specific dates were provided by the city data providers and validated with other data sources. From this information, lockdown stages were defined to ensure a consistent comparison for the same city, across cities and regions. Still, New Delhi ranked the world’s most polluted capital for the third straight year in 2020, according to IQAir, a Swiss group that measures air quality levels based on PM2.5 concentrations. Last year, Delhi’s 20 million residents breathed some of the cleanest air on record in the summer because of coronavirus lockdown curbs, but battled toxic air in the winter months largely due to a sharp increase in farm residue burning in neighbouring states. “Covid-19 proved to be an unplanned air-quality experiment, and it did lead to temporary localised improvements. But a pandemic is not a substitute for sustained and systematic action to tackle major drivers of both pollution and climate change and so safeguard the health of both people and planet,” said WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said in a statement on Friday. The study, published in the National Library of Medicine on August 20, looked at the data from in situ ground-based air-quality observations from over 540 traffic, background and rural stations spanning across 63 cities from 25 countries in the world. Globally, it observed decreases of up to about 70% in mean nitrogen dioxide (NO2), another pollutant, and between 30% and 40% in mean PM2.5 concentrations over the 2020 full lockdown compared to the same period in 2015–2019. There were also some “complex signals” retrieved from the data studied. For instance, Spanish cities Madrid and Valencia saw an increase in PM 2.5 levels during their lockdown period mainly due to transport of pollutants from Africa. Similarly Beijing, Shenyang and Xi’an also showed similar spikes because of secondary formation of particulate matter, the WMO study led by Centre for Atmospheric and Climate Physics (CACP) and Centre for Climate Change Research (C3R), University of Hertfordshire and other institutions said. Scientists said these deviations in results prove that governments need long-term measures to battle air pollution, high exposure to which is linked to not just health issues but also lower life expectancy. “This unplanned air-quality experiment can serve as a benchmark for policymakers to understand whether existing air-quality regulations would protect public health. While lockdowns had a clear impact on air quality in urban areas, the spatial and temporal extent of that impact, the specific role of meteorology and of episodic contributions (e.g. from dust, domestic and agricultural biomass burning and crop fertilisation), and the cascade responses from indirect and non-linear effects are far from being fully understood,” WMO said in its firstAir Quality and Climate Bulletin on Friday. “I think the message is very clear. Overall emissions levels from local pollution sources had reduced but more importantly, there was a reduction in emissions from the entire airshed, so even transport of pollution was addressed. We need a similar strategy for the entire Indo-Gangetic plains now,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment.

How Assam’s cow protection law could devastate the state’s already-stressed rural economy

In a state where more than 70% of its population is still dependent on agriculture for livelihood, the new rules will make cattle trading virtually impossible. Barely three months after the Bharatiya Janata Party was reelected in Assam, the state government moved the Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021 to protect cows, a sacred animal for most Hindus. On July 12, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma introduced the Bill to replace the Assam Cattle Preservation Act 1950, claiming that the older legislation does not have sufficient safeguards to regulate the slaughter, consumption and transportation of cattle. The Bill was passed on August 13, the last day of the Budget session. Advertisement The new legislation prohibits the sale and purchase of beef in areas inhabited by non-beef eating communities and within a 5-km radius of a temple or a satra (as Vaishnavite monasteries are called). The legislation further specifies a ban on interstate transport of cattle to and from Assam, without valid documents, ostensibly to stem smuggling of cattle to neighbouring Bangladesh. The newly passed legislation has also banned the slaughter of cows of any age, as opposed to the age of 14 years specified in the earlier law. Declining livestock sector Many fear that the passage of the legislation will make cattle trading virtually impossible because law-enforcement agencies are likely to interpret it arbitrarily and that ambiguities in the clauses will encourage vigilantism. With the passage of new legislation, Assam became the latest entrant to the growing list of states to amend or introduce laws to protect cows since the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government came to power in 2014. Between 2001-2013-’14, the livestock sector was a major driver in the growth of farmers’ income, registering an annual growth of 4.5% over the period. However, the fortunes of the sector have taken a nosedive since the mid-2010s. IndiaSpend detailed the adverse effects of such laws on the livestock economy. Advertisement The growth of beef and leather exports has come to a halt since 2014. The growth in beef exports fell from 35.93% in 2013-’14 to 3.06% in 2017-’18. India is responsible for 13% of the world’s leather production, but the growth in the export of leather and leather products declined from 18% in 2013-’14 to 1.4% in 2017-’18. As more than 70% of the state’s population is still dependent on the agriculture sector for livelihood, compared to less than 50% for all of India, the new law could have a particularly adverse effect on Assam’s rural economy. The latest round of National Sample Survey data shows that the state has experienced negative growth in overall farmer income (-0.34%). The livestock sector is one of the few bright spots in the state that has registered a growth rate of 9.47% in income. The sector’s contribution to the rural income is 12%, next to agriculture (63%) and wage/salary (21%). ‘Demonetisation of assets’ The new legislation is set to change the role that the livestock sector plays in Assam’s beleaguered rural economy. In the state, more than 97% of livestock is in the unorganised sector. Most farmers in the state report that though the cattle they own are of indigenous breeds that have low milk yields, they rely on the additional income they obtain from selling the cattle after they become fallow and stop producing milk, typically after 10 years-12 years of a cow’s life. Advertisement As per the 19th round of Livestock Census conducted in 2012, the state has a cattle population of 1,03,07,700, of which only 3.84% is exotic or crossbreed. The figure at the national level is 20.81%. However, indigenous cattle still account for 54.41% of total milk production in the state. A recent study by Go Anusandhan Sanstha, a cow research institute in Mathura, reported that a milch cow yields an economic return of Rs 85 per day. Unproductive cattle, on the other hand, yield a loss of Rs 60 per day. Unable to dispose of such cattle after the expiry of their productive period, farmers are left with no option but to abandon the cattle. Such disruption, in the words of environmentalist Sunita Narain, amounts to “demonetisation of farm assets as farmers cannot sell the livestock to traders, causing severe loss to his income from such endowment”. The economic burden of fallout from such laws will fall disproportionately on smallholders, many of whom belong to disadvantaged communities. In the state, small and marginal farmers together account for 93.62% of households reporting major sources of income from self-employment in the livestock sector. Many of them belong to disadvantaged communities such as the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. In Assam, these communities account for 22.73% of households compared with 4.42% at the national level. Shift towards buffaloes The evidence from the latest livestock census shows that the new legislation in Assam is also unlikely to achieve its much-avowed goal of protecting sacred cows as the states with more stringent laws against cow trading and slaughter have witnessed a sharp decline in their cattle populations. Advertisement Stuck with cattle that cannot be disposed of, farmers are increasingly moving towards buffaloes, which is, as in other states, kept outside the ambit of The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill 2021. However, such a shift towards more expensive livestock such as buffaloes and hybrid breeds would more likely get concentrated among relatively better endowed rural households, leading to increased rural inequality. The shock to the livestock sector in the state has come at a most inopportune time. A recent World Bank Document titled “Assam: Poverty, Growth and Inequality” prepared for the state notes that rural poverty is stubbornly high in the state at 34%, which changed little from 36% in the previous decade. The state has also recently secured the ignominy of one of the worst-performing states along with Bihar and Jharkhand in the third edition of Niti Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals that was unveiled in June. Most rural areas in the state under duress have increasingly witnessed resource-poor rural households undertaking seasonal migration from rural to urban centres, many even outside the state to support their fragile livelihoods. Advertisement If shock from the Covid-induced lockdown is not enough, the new legislation on cow protection could deal a final nail in the coffin of the already-battered rural economy in the state.

A matter of life

Air pollution, a silent killer, eats away almost nine years of a person’s life in north India The people of Delhi in particular and north India in general wake up to a dangerous reality. Air pollution is turning from bad to worse and is making them die early. An American research institute has said the average Indian in this region is going to lose over nine years of his or her life if air pollution remains at the 2019 levels. The worst-polluted region is the Indo-Gangetic plain, including Delhi. About 40 per cent of the population lives here. Delhi is the most polluted where air pollution is shortening life by nearly a decade. Uttar Pradesh is a close second at 9.5 years. Air pollution is enveloping this region like a coffin cloth. The WHO guidelines say that PM 2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter) should not go beyond 10 microns per cubic metre. In 2019, the average concentration of PM 2.5 in India was 70 microns per cubic metre — the highest in the world. If these levels continue to hold, they will eat away people’s lives. These particles are ultra-fine and pass through the lungs and, carried by the bloodstream, expose nearly all cells in the body. A Centre for Science and Environment report quoted research papers that these particles cause “head-to-toe harm”, from heart and lung disease to diabetes and dementia and cancer to brittle bones, damaged skin and fertility. Air pollution is said to have caused 1.8 million deaths in 2015, averaging about the same since then. Three factors — garbage burning, construction and transportation — cause air pollution in India. Biomass burning pollutes the air in the rural areas along with seasonal stubble burning. Experts have suggested that garbage burning be tackled first and in the short term. In most Indian cities, over three-fourths of garbage is collected daily. If municipal efficiency is increased to lift the remaining garbage, burning would be avoided and that can reduce air pollution to some extent. Measures are being taken by the Government to check pollution on account of transportation and construction. The National Clean Air Programme is aimed at cutting particulate pollution by at least a third at the 2017 levels by 2024. If that is achieved, national life expectancy may increase by about two years and 3.5 years for residents of the northern region. However, these are massive exercises as the number of vehicles continues to zoom and construction activity sees no contraction at all. On top of it, violation of environmental rules is rampant. It is now imperative to reduce traffic-based air pollution by carpooling and sharing taxis, using bicycles and public transport, owning CNG and electric vehicles, improving road signages for easier driving, lane driving and better roads to avoid jams, and shifting to solar energy. Western countries also faced air pollution in the past but they made progress in the last decades not by chance but as a result of policy choices. That is what every Indian has to make because it is a life-and-death question.

TV namigi: Podnebne spremembe, Dvanajsti mož in Džungla

Dokumentarec o vplivih na podnebne spremembe, zgodba iz II. sv. vojne o porazu, ki je postal simbol junaštva in dogodivščina četverice popotnikov v Boliviji. Podnebne spremembe: Dejstva: TV SLO 2 ob 20.00 Climate Change: The Facts. 2019. 1/2. Režija: Serena Davies. Glavne osebe: David Attenborough, Greta Thunberg, Michael E. Mann, Sunita Narain, Naomi Oreskes. Dok. odd. 60 min. Podnebne spremembe so bile dolgo stvar prihodnosti, toda zdaj podnebje spreminjamo tako hitro, da prvič v zgodovini vidimo tudi posledice. Silovitejše nevihte in poplave, izrazitejši vročinski valovi, naraščanje morske gladine, suše, požari v naravi, tajanje ledenikov...

Air pollution needs smart responses, not gimmicks

Polluted air cuts 9 years from life expectancy of 40 pc Indians, says study Days after Delhi chief minister inaugurated a smog tower as his government’s answer to air pollution that has already reached critical levels, yet another study shows that air pollution could shave off as many as nine years from the life expectancy of as many as 40 pc of India’s populations. Indian government and business need to get serious about tackling air pollution immediately rather than gimmicks like smog towers and the like. On September 1, the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago published a study saying that up to 40 pc of Indians, or close to 550 million people, could see their life expectancy drop by as many as nine years due to air pollution levels. The study said that large parts of northern, central and eastern India have to face significantly high levels of pollution for a sustained period of time during the year. The report also cautioned that it was alarming to note that India’s high levels of air pollution have expanded geographically over time and highlighted worsening pollution levels in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The report did have a positive tinge to it, but it was a highly conditional positivity. The researchers at the Chicago University said that if India managed to achieve the targets set in the National Clean Air Programme then it could hope to reverse some of the damage caused to the health of its population. The report said if the targets were achieved and sustained, then life expectancy could rise by 1.7 years nationwide and 3.1 years in New Delhi. Under the NCAP, the government is committed to cut pollution in 102 most polluted cities across India by up to 30 pc in the next three years, by cutting industrial emissions and vehicular exhaust, introducing stringent rules for transport fuels and biomass burning and reduce dust pollution. It also envisages improved monitoring of pollution. Just days before this report was published, on August 23, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated a fancy smog tower in the central business district of Connaught Place on a pilot basis to clean air. The tower, standing 24 m tall, aims to clean about 1000 cubic metres of air per second. Opening the tower, Kejriwal said that the efficiency of the project would be evaluated by expert teams from the IITs in Mumbai and New Delhi at the end of two years and then more such towers could be installed. Though the tower may be good enough to clean the air in the near vicinity, environmentalists say it is a showpiece but not much more. “These smog towers are definitely not going to work and also it is a futile exercise. First to let the pollutants to get emitted from many sources and then trying to capture it through smog towers. It would be useful if they install pollution control devices used in a few better technologies, to cut down the emissions at the source so that they don’t get released in the atmosphere. Because once it is in the atmosphere, it is difficult to do anything. Since air moves constantly, even if you clean a specific area, it will get polluted again,” Vivek Chattopadhyaya, senior programme manager (Clean air and Sustainable Mobility) at Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), tells Media India Group. Chattopadhyaya adds that the focus of all efforts has to be in pollution control at the source itself rather than installing a smog tower, putting up air purifiers at home. “The solution has to be for the public interest at a large scale. So that entire population gets benefitted,” he adds. Pollution sources no mystery The government has long known the key sources of pollution in the capital as well as all over the country. Automobile emissions are one of the biggest contributors, and along with industry and construction, they account for an overwhelming proportion of the total air pollution. For instance, in Delhi and neighbouring areas, vehicular pollution contributes more than one-third of the pollution in the capital. All over India, the figures don’t vary much. The government has initiated some actions to curb automotive emissions such as pushing electric vehicles as well as tightening emission norms with the introduction of BS-VI, jumping from current BS-IV. Analysts welcome the move as a bold one but say this is contradicted by laxity in other areas. “The government has taken a tough decision to introduce BS-VI norms that match those prevailing in Europe and other countries right now. It was a bold decision to move directly from BS-IV to BS-VI. But other sectors like power plants and construction have a diluted road map. They are allowing the norms to be implemented over a longer period of time. That is not helping us to reduce air pollution in a big way. Also, a huge effort has to be made in other smaller sources which are widespread in nature like small scale units, medium scale industry units and garbage burning. These are very large-scale issues due to the sheer number of sources,” says Chattopadhyaya. “Also, areas with higher pollution levels should have tighter norms than others. I think if we adopt this strategy and national clean air programme gets further strengthened, not just looking at cities, right now we are looking at say 122 cities, but there are more than 5,000 cities and towns in India, and if we don’t control air pollution in all the cities, then the NCAP cannot be successful. So, the scope of the action has to be expanded and the scale has to expand along with the stringency,” he adds. Even in adoption of electric vehicles, the movement is rather slow. For instance, the Delhi government has set a target of EVs to number about 25 pc of all vehicles in the city-state by 2024. But with three years to go, EVs make for only 1.3 pc of all vehicles. Nationwide figures are perhaps worse. The government has not yet finalised a cut-off date or even strategy to push the automobile industry from internal combustion engines to EVs. Though some ideas were floated by NITI Aayog, the rebranded planning commission, but they were far too ambitious and were junked by union minister Nitin Gadkari as well as the industry. Pollution hurting future generations as well as economy The higher levels of air pollution present in India impacts the children and younger population more. A recent survey showed that the prevalence of asthma and allergic symptoms was higher among children in Delhi when compared to kids in Kottayam and Mysuru, where the air pollution levels are considerably lower. Conducted by the Lung Care Foundation and Pulmocare Research and Education Foundation, the study involved over 3000 children in the age groups of 13-14 and 16-17 years. The researchers say that lung function approaches its peak around these ages, and hence the study focused on these children and who had been living in the same city for the past 10 years, to gauge longer term impact of air pollution on human health. In Delhi, 52.8 pc of the children reported sneezing, while the figure stood at 39.3 pc for Kottayam and Mysuru. While 38.4 pc of children in Delhi reported cough, the corresponding figure for Kottayam and Mysuru was 18.9 pc. A total of 31.5 pc of children in Delhi reported shortness of breath, while only 10.8 pc in Kottayam and Mysuru experienced it. Poor health and lower life expectancy have a severe economic bearing as well. As India’s population is overwhelmingly young, the country could end up paying a much higher price if it continues to neglect air pollution, say analysts. “A World Bank assessment said that air pollution has associated health cost to population as well as the economy, economic productivity as well as other things. It costs about 3 pc of the GDP. But the mitigation or controlling air pollution would cost around 1 pc of the GDP. So, mitigation is cheaper than the cost that we are incurring due to air pollution. I think on the economic sense also we need to push for action because that will also improve the economy as well as the health of the people,” says CSE’s Chattopadhaya. There is enough research and evidence in front of leaders like Kejriwal that mitigation at the root – by cutting emissions and enhancing energy efficiency of all devices as well as adopting greener lifestyle — is the only way to curb air pollution. Smog towers can only serve to fog their own minds about the priorities that need to be accorded to curb this all-pervasive menace.

Delhi govt in talks with Centre to ease restrictions on induction of e-buses

Jasmine Shah, vice-chairperson of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission said that the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has already floated a tender for 300 e-buses and as a large part of its fleet is going to retire in the next couple of years, there is an opportunity to scale up the number of e-buses. New Delhi: Delhi government is in talks with the Centre to ease restrictions on the number of electric buses that can be inducted under the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) scheme so that up to 5,000 electric buses can be added in Delhi’s in the city’s public transport fleet in the next five years. Jasmine Shah, vice-chairperson of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission said that the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has already floated a tender for 300 e-buses and as a large part of its fleet is going to retire in the next couple of years, there is an opportunity to scale up the number of e-buses. Shah was speaking at a webinar organised by the Centre for Science and Environment to discuss ways to build scale and speed up zero-emission mobility. “This is where the alignment with FAME needs to be improved. The upfront subsidy that FAME gives drives down the cost per km and a state like Delhi can easily absorb three or five thousand e-buses in the next five years,” Shah said. He said that there are restrictions on how many e-buses can be subsidised under FAME, but that doesn’t work for a city of the scale of Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru. He said Delhi has the know-how, backend support and infrastructure and everything is all set but for this small hitch. Sunita Narain, director-general of CSE said that if there is no transformation of scale in the adoption of electric mobility, the benefits will not add up. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE said that a ‘zero-emission mandate’ is required in the country, along with other accelerators like charging and battery ecosystem, fuel economy regulations, financing strategies, etc. Roychowdhury said incentives provided by Delhi government can also reduce the on-road price of electric two-wheelers by 57% on average. Shah added that Delhi’s EV policy gives generous incentives and the two-wheelers and three-wheelers are going to be the game changers when it comes to scale and volume. “Delhi government is giving the remaining permits for autorickshaws only to e-autos and there would be more than 4,000 e-autos in the city soon,” he said.

Delhi में भरा 'मुफ्त का पानी', सीएम 'ध्यानमग्न'; शहर जलमग्न

Heavy Rain In Delhi: देश की राजधानी दिल्ली को पेरिस बनाने के दावे किए जा रहे थे लेकिन दिल्ली पेरिस बनने की बजाय इटली के शहर Venice जैसी बन गई है. नई दिल्ली: आज हम आपके लिए एक Quiz भी लेकर आए हैं. आज हम आपको एक झरने की तस्वीर दिखाएंगे. आपको बताना है कि ये झरना भारत के किस राज्य में है? और जहां ये झरना है उस हिल स्टेशन का नाम क्या है? लोग पैसे खर्च करके ऐसे Water Falls देखने के लिए पहाड़ों पर जाते हैं. लेकिन ये झरना किसी Hill Station पर नहीं बल्कि दिल्ली में मौजूद है और इसे देखने के लिए सरकार ने कोई टिकट नहीं रखी है. आप दिल्ली में बारिश के दिनों में ऐसे झरनों का आनंद मुफ्त में ले सकते हैं. दिल्ली छोड़ ध्यान में डूबे सीएम केजरीवाल इस समय देश की राजधानी दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री अरविंद केजरीवाल जयपुर में ध्यान यानी Meditaion में डूबे हैं जबकि दिल्ली पानी में डूबी है. अरविंद केजरीवाल जयपुर में 10 दिन के विपस्सना ध्यान शिविर में हिस्सा लेने गए हैं, जबकि दिल्ली पेरिस बनने की बजाय इटली के शहर Venice जैसी बन गई है. जहां सड़कों पर नाव चल रही है. दिल्ली की सरकार ने लोगों को मुफ्त पानी का वादा किया था. लेकिन दिल्ली की सड़कों पर प्रचुर मात्रा में मुफ्त का पानी ऐसे भर जाएगा इसकी किसी ने कल्पना नहीं की होगी. अगर आप दिल्ली में रहते हैं तो आपको छुट्टियां मनाने के लिए पहाड़ों पर जाने की जरूरत नहीं है क्योंकि दिल्ली के Fly Overs से ही पानी के झरने फूट रहे हैं. दिल्ली की सड़कों पर Swimming Pool का आनंद इसके अलावा आप दिल्ली की सड़कों पर ही नदी, तालाब और Swimming Pool का आनंद ले सकते हैं और इनमें से किसी भी सुविधा के लिए आपको पैसे नहीं चुकाने हैं. ये दिल्ली सरकार की बाकी योजनाओं की तरह बिल्कुल मुफ्त है. दिल्ली में बीते दो दिनों में कुछ ही घंटे बारिश हुई लेकिन दिल्ली की सड़कें मिनटों में समुद्र में बदल गईं. दिल्ली में चाहे साइकिल पर चलने वाला व्यक्ति हो या गाड़ी से चलने वाला व्यक्ति सबको दो दिन से ऐसा ही लग रहा है जैसे दिल्ली एक दरिया है और इसमें डूब के जाने के अलावा किसी के पास कोई रास्ता नहीं है. दिल्ली में भारत सरकार के बड़े-बड़े मंत्री, हाई कोर्ट और सुप्रीम कोर्ट के जज, प्रधानमंत्री, राष्ट्रपति समेत तमाम VVIP रहते हैं. लेकिन चाहे इनमें से किसी का भी बंगला हो या कोई पुलिस थाना दिल्ली में शायद ही कोई ऐसी जगह होगी जहां बारिश का पानी ना भरा हो. दिल्ली के जब एक पुलिस थाने में पानी भर गया तो कुछ लोगों ने Social Media पर लिखा कि ये पानी थाने में अपना जुर्म कबूल करने गया है. हालांकि ये बारिश ही अकेली समस्या नहीं है. कुछ ही मिनटों की बारिश के बाद पूरी दिल्ली अक्सर जाम हो जाती है. एक मेट्रो ट्रेन की Window से बनाए गए इस Video को देखकर आप समझ जाएंगे कि दिल्ली में आज Traffic Jam की क्या स्थिति थी? ये हाल तब है जब ट्रैफिक जाम की वजह से दिल्ली की अर्थव्यवस्था को हर साल 70 हजार करोड़ रुपये का नुकसान होता है. वैसे तो आपको ऐसी तस्वीरें भारत के किसी भी शहर में दिखाई दे जाएंगी. चाहे वो दिल्ली हो मुंबई हो, बेंगलुरु हो या चेन्नई लेकिन दिल्ली भारत की राजधानी है. भारत की पहचान है. सोचिए अगर आज ओलंपिक खेल टोक्यो में नहीं, बल्कि दिल्ली में हो रहे होते तो क्या होता. शायद नौकायान की प्रतियोगिता के लिए अलग व्यवस्था करने की जरूरत ही नहीं पड़ती बल्कि दिल्ली की सड़कों पर ही इसका आयोजन हो जाता. अगर G7 देशों की बैठक दिल्ली में होती तो शायद दुनिया के बड़े-बड़े नेताओं को नाव में बिठाकर सम्मेलन वाली जगह पर पहुंचाया जाता. दिल्ली में जिन इलाकों में बाढ़ जैसी स्थिती है उसमें से कुछ इलाके NDMC के अंतर्गत आते हैं. जबकि कुछ इलाकों की जिम्मेदारी दिल्ली सरकार की है. यानी इसमें सबकी बराबर गलती है. लेकिन सवाल ये है कि जब दिल्ली की सरकार दिल्ली को पेरिस जैसा बनाने का श्रेय लेती है तो फिर उसे इस समस्या के बारे में भी गंभीरता से सोचना चाहिए. बता दें कि दिल्ली में पिछले 12 वर्षों में ये सितंबर के महीने में हुई सबसे ज्यादा बारिश है. लेकिन ज्यादा बारिश का बहाना बनाकर सरकारें शहरों को डूबने के लिए नहीं छोड़ सकती. दिल्ली ही नहीं भारत के ज्यादातर शहरों में थोड़ी सी बारिश के बाद सड़कें पानी में डूब जाती हैं क्योंकि भारत में Urban Planning पर कभी किसी सरकार ने ज्यादा ध्यान ही नहीं दिया. आपको जानकर हैरानी होगी कि हजारों वर्षों पहले भारत में जो सभ्यताएं विकसित हुई थीं उनमें पानी की निकासी के ज्यादा बेहतर इंतजाम थे. Centre For Science And Environment के वैज्ञानिकों के मुताबिक, अंग्रेजों के भारत आने से पहले भारत में बाढ़ और बारिश के पानी की निकासी की शानदार व्यवस्था थी. तब बारिश आज की तरह परेशानी का कारण नहीं बनती थी बल्कि बारिश की एक-एक बूंद का सही इस्तेमाल किया जाता था. लेकिन जब अंग्रेज भारत आए तो उन्होंने पूरे भारत में नहरें और नाले बनाने शुरू कर दिए और पानी का प्रबंधन भारत के लोगों के हाथों से निकलकर अंग्रेजी अफसरों के हाथ में चला गया और आजादी के बाद भी ये परंपरा कायम रही. प्राचीन भारत के लोग प्रकृति के साथ सामंजस्य बिठाकर चलते थे जबकि अंग्रेज प्रकृति पर विजय पाना चाहते थे. उदाहरण के लिए आप एक तस्वीर देखिए. ये मिट्टी के जो टीले आप देख रहे हैं इन्हें राजस्थान में कुंडी कहा जाता था आम तौर पर इसे कुंड भी कहते हैं. कुंडी सिस्टम के तहत ऐसे टीले बनाए जाते थे जिनमें बारिश का पानी जमा हो जाता है और फिर यहां से ये पानी कुओं में पहुंचता था. कुंडों को ढककर रखा जाता था इसलिए इसमें जाने वाला पानी पीने लायक भी होता था. लेकिन जब अंग्रेजों ने भारत में शहरों का निर्माण शुरू किया तो उन्होंने अतिक्रमण को बढ़ने दिया. ड्रेनेज सिस्टम को प्राकृतिक ढलान के विपरीत बनाया जाने लगा. यानी पानी की निकासी का जो सिस्टम ऊपर से नीचे की तरफ होना चाहिए था वो नीचे से ऊपर की दिशा में बनाया गया. इसलिए आज भी ज्यादा बारिश की स्थिति में पानी आगे बढ़ने की बजाय पीछे लौटने लगता है और फिर सड़कों पर जमा हो जाता है. आजादी के बाद भी इस स्थिति को नहीं बदला गया. Indian Institute Technology Delhi की एक रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, दिल्ली का ज्यादातर ड्रेनेज सिस्टम 1976 के मास्टर प्लान पर आधारित है. ये मास्टर प्लान उस समय दिल्ली की 60 लाख की आबादी के लिए बनाया गया था जो अब बढ़कर सवा दो करोड़ हो गई है. हैरानी की बात ये है कि इस ड्रेनेज सिस्टम के तहत आने वाले ज्यादातर नालों का बहाव भी ऊपर से नीचे की तरफ नहीं बल्कि नीचे से ऊपर की तरफ है. IIT Delhi ने जब इस ड्रेनेज सिस्टम पर एक Study की तो पता चला कि पानी की निकासी के लिए बनाए गए दिल्ली के 183 नालों में से 18 पूरी तरह गायब हो चुके हैं क्योंकि इन नालों के ऊपर अब अतिक्रमण कर लिया गया है. बाकी के नाले या तो गलत ढंग से बनाए गए थे या फिर इनमें इतनी गंदगी जमा हो जाती है कि पानी आगे ही नहीं बढ़ पाता. इसके अलावा किसी भी शहर में Sewage और बारिश के पानी की निकासी के लिए अलग-अलग नाले होने चाहिए. लेकिन दिल्ली जैसे शहरों में जगह की कमी वजह से ये दोनों नाले आपस में मिल जाते हैं. Sewage के पानी में लोगों द्वारा फेंकी गई गंदगी भी होती है इसलिए पानी के बहाव में रुकावट आ जाती है. इसके अलावा जब दिल्ली में ज्यादा बारिश होती है तो यमुना में गिरने वाले नालों के गेट बंद कर दिए जाते हैं. इसकी वजह से भी पानी को आगे बढ़ने का रास्ता नहीं मिलता. कुल मिलाकर भारत के शहरों को बारिश वाली बाढ़ से बचाना कोई बड़ी बात नहीं है. इसके लिए सिर्फ वही Common Sense इस्तेमाल करनी होगी जिसका इस्तेमाल सैंकड़ों वर्ष पहले हमारे पुरखे करते थे. अब सवाल ये है कि दिल्ली की ऐसी स्थिति के लिए जिम्मेदार कौन है? दिल्ली में पानी की निकासी के लिए 11 अलग-अलग सरकारी विभाग जिम्मेदार हैं यानी दिल्ली में जितने Drainage System नहीं है उससे ज्यादा सरकारी विभाग इस सिस्टम के लिए जिम्मेदार हैं. इसके अलावा दिल्ली की सड़कों के रखरखाव की जिम्मेदारी 6 सरकारी विभागों पर है. इनमें से प्रमुख हैं National Highways Authority of India यानी NHAI, Public Works Department यानी PWD, Delhi Development Authority यानी DDA और दिल्ली के पांच नगर निगम. NHAI और DDA भारत सरकार के अंतर्गत आते हैं जबकि PWD पर दिल्ली सरकार का नियंत्रण है, इसके अलावा दिल्ली के ज्यादातर नगर निगमों पर बीजेपी का कब्जा है. यानी दिल्ली को पानी में डूबोने के मामले में सब मिले हुए हैं. दिल्ली के लोग मुफ्त के पानी में डूब रहे हैं तो देश के लोगों की उम्र बढ़ते प्रदूषण की वजह से कम होने लगी है. Chicago University के Energy Policy Institute ने भारत के वायु प्रदूषण पर एक रिसर्च की है. जिसके मुताबिक प्रदूषण की वजह से भारत के 40 प्रतिशत लोगों की औसत उम्र 9 वर्ष तक घट सकती है. यानी अगर कोई व्यक्ति 80 वर्ष तक जीता है तो भारत के वायु प्रदूषण की वजह से उसकी उम्र 71 वर्ष ही रह जाएगी. इस Study में दावा किया गया है कि उत्तर भारत के 48 करोड़ लोग हर रोज खतरनाक वायु प्रदूषण का सामना करते हैं. जिस हवा में उत्तर भारत के लोग सांस लेते हैं वो दुनिया के किसी भी हिस्से के मुकाबले 10 गुना ज्यादा जहरीली है. लेकिन मध्य और पश्चिमी भारत के लोगों की स्थिति भी ज्यादा अच्छी नहीं है. वर्ष 2000 के बाद से महाराष्ट्र और मध्य प्रदेश जैसे राज्यों में हवा की गुणवत्ता भी बहुत खराब हुई है और यहां के लोग भी वायु प्रदूषण की वजह से पहले के मुकाबले 2 से 3 वर्ष कम जी रहे हैं. इस रिपोर्ट में ये सुझाव भी दिया गया है कि अगर भारत सरकार एक मजबूत Clean Air policy लेकर आए तो भारत के लोगों की औसत उम्र 5 वर्ष तक बढ़ सकती है. सिर्फ दिल्ली में ही अगर वायु प्रदूषण का स्तर World Health organization की गाइडलाइन के मुताबिक हो जाए तो दिल्ली वालों को जीवन जीने के लिए 10 अतिरिक्त साल और मिल जाएंगे. WHO की Guidlines कहती हैं किसी शहर में वायु प्रदूषण का स्तर 10 Micro-Gram Per Cubic Meter से ज्यादा नहीं होना चाहिए. लेकिन वर्ष 2019 में भारत में प्रदूषण का स्तर करीब 70 Micro-Gram Per Cubic Meter था. यानी जितना होना चाहिए उससे सात गुना ज्यादा. Medical Journal 'Lancet' के मुताबिक, वर्ष 2019 में दुनिया के 92 लाख लोगों की मौत वायु प्रदूषण की वजह से हुई थी. इनमें से 16 लाख से ज्यादा मौतें अकेले भारत में हुई थी. वायु प्रदूषण का आंकलन करने वाली संस्था IQ Air ने हाल ही में दुनिया के सबसे प्रदूषित देशों की लिस्ट जारी की थी. इसमें भारत तीसरा सबसे प्रदूषित देश है. इस लिस्ट में पहले नंबर पर बांग्लादेश और दूसरे नंबर पर पाकिस्तान हैं. यानी प्रदूषित देशों के मामले में Top 3 देश भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप के ही हैं. इसी साल दुनिया के सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों एक लिस्ट भी आई थी. जिसमें TOP 10 प्रदूषित शहरों में 5 भारत के शहर थे. इसमें दिल्ली से सटा गाजियाबाद दूसरे नंबर पर और दिल्ली तीसरे नंबर पर थी. इसके अलावा इस लिस्ट में लखनऊ, मुजफ्फरनगर और हापुड़ जैसे शहर भी शामिल थे.

Delhi govt in talks with Centre to ease restrictions on induction of e-buses

Delhi government is in talks with the Centre to ease restrictions on the number of electric buses that can be inducted under the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) scheme so that up to 5,000 electric buses can be added in Delhi’s in the city’s public transport fleet in the next five years. Jasmine Shah, vice-chairperson of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission said that the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has already floated a tender for 300 e-buses and as a large part of its fleet is going to retire in the next couple of years, there is an opportunity to scale up the number of e-buses. Shah was speaking at a webinar organised by the Centre for Science and Environment to discuss ways to build scale and speed up zero-emission mobility. “This is where the alignment with FAME needs to be improved. The upfront subsidy that FAME gives drives down the cost per km and a state like Delhi can easily absorb three or five thousand e-buses in the next five years,” Shah said. He said that there are restrictions on how many e-buses can be subsidised under FAME, but that doesn’t work for a city of the scale of Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru. He said Delhi has the know-how, backend support and infrastructure and everything is all set but for this small hitch. Sunita Narain, director-general of CSE said that if there is no transformation of scale in the adoption of electric mobility, the benefits will not add up. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE said that a ‘zero-emission mandate’ is required in the country, along with other accelerators like charging and battery ecosystem, fuel economy regulations, financing strategies, etc. Roychowdhury said incentives provided by Delhi government can also reduce the on-road price of electric two-wheelers by 57% on average. Shah added that Delhi’s EV policy gives generous incentives and the two-wheelers and three-wheelers are going to be the game changers when it comes to scale and volume. “Delhi government is giving the remaining permits for autorickshaws only to e-autos and there would be more than 4,000 e-autos in the city soon,” he said.

This August was more polluted than last two

New Delhi: August 2019 and 2020 saw two and four “good” air quality days, respectively, but no such day was recorded this year, data from Central Pollution Control Board shows. In terms of average Air Quality Index (AQI), Delhi fared the worse this August than 2020 and 2019, but better than 2018. The average AQI this August was 107 as against 64 in 2020, 87 in 2019 and 112 in 2018. Though the city recorded two “heavy” rainfall days this month, experts said rainfall pattern, high dust concentration and other local emission sources played an important role. An AQI between below 50 is classified as “good”, between 51 and 100 as “satisfactory” and between 101 and 200 as “moderate”. “Poor” air ranges from 201 to 300, “very poor” from 301 to 400 and “severe” from 401 to 500. n August last year, the highest AQI was 87 and no “moderate” day was witnessed. However, 21 “moderate” air quality days were reported in August this year. According to India Meteorological Department’s data, 10 rainy days were recorded in August this year against 15 and 16 rainy days in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Though August 2018 saw 19 rainy days, experts said some days recorded very light to light rainfall and pollutants remained in the air. Experts said the prominent pollutant in the last week of August this year was PM10, suggesting high concentration of dust in the air. Dipankar Saha, former head at CPCB’s air laboratory, said, “Rain played a key role in August this year. As fewer rainy days were observed, the top soil was not wet enough to settle down the pollutants.” Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “The city saw more dry spells this August than in the past two years. Due to a longer dry spell this time, the particulate levels were higher. The impact of local sources should also be investigated.” LS Kurinji, programme associate, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, said, “Data from the Safdarjung weather station indicates that Delhi witnessed less rainy days in August this year compared with 2020. Further, a rise in activity levels was witnessed owing to the economic reopening. Google mobility trends showed the number of trips for retail and recreation purposes and work almost doubled in August 2021 compared with last year.”

Gurugram incinerator plant 'illogical' in Indian scenario: Activists tell public hearing

The government’s plan to set up a Waste to Energy (WtE) incinerator plant at Gurugram’s Bandhwari landfill has brought into debate the effectiveness of such plants in managing solid waste. Setting up an incinerator plant is “illogical” in the Indian scenario, according to several experts. Residents from various sectors of Gurugram and from surrounding villages expressed disapproval of the “waste to energy plant” and its expansion from 15MW to 25MW. Activists from the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) along with various NGOs, social and environmental groups, including the Citizens for Clean Air, NCR Waste Matters, Warrior Moms, members of the Aravali Bachao Citizens Group etc. were present and marked their protest for the plant a public hearing organized for the plant's expansion. The hearing was called by the civic bodies on the subject of waste to energy plant expansion on August 31, 2021. Despite heavy rain, more than 200 people from Gurugram, Faridabad and nearby villages around the landfill came to attend the public hearing. A waste-to-energy plant (WtE) is a waste management facility that combusts waste to produce electricity. This type of power plant is sometimes called a trash-to-energy, municipal waste incineration, energy recovery or resource recovery plant. What is not accounted for is the large amount of noxious gases, the products of low temperature combustion of unsegregated waste, being spewed out by the plants into the city’s already polluted air. An expert compared this process with creating landfills in the sky. WtE by incineration is a non-viable, non-feasible technology. It will force the operators and governments to slowly divert more and more waste towards the incinerators because it is a very expensive technology and can be economically feasible only if 50-60% of waste goes into it. Solid municipal waste (SWM), if not handled scientifically, has the potential to damage the health of the environment and become a public health hazard. The emphasis of waste management policies should transition from disposal to source separation to recycling and finally to waste prevention. Nearly half of India’s WtE plants, meant to convert non-biodegradable waste, are defunct. Further, the country’s inability to segregate waste has resulted in even the existing plants working below capacity, according to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment. The authorities are viewing waste only from a ‘trading’ point of view and not its management. Instead of monetising aspect alone, there should have been mention of due processes for handling of recyclables and a list given of empanelled recyclable agencies to meet with the objectives of SWM rules of resource management. The dry waste should be going to designated Dry Waste Collection Centres for optimum resource recovery for recycling purposes with authorised agencies. The Vendor Agreement is a serious reflection of the civic mess and failed SWM practices in the city of Gurugram. The agreement also resonates with the unaccountable and insensitive nature of waste handling activity being carried out in the city by the sole waste concessionaire of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG). Ruchika Sethi from the Citizens for Clean Air mentioned about the worsening air quality of Gurugram. In 2017, in order to address the prolonged exposure of Gurgaon citizens to poor air quality (5-9 times the safe level of PM 2.5), we submitted a petition signed by 25,000 concerned citizens. We also gave a road map to address the local sources of year-round pollution such as the rampant practice of waste dumping, levelling in open grounds and burning of waste (including plastic, municipal, e waste) in open areas. But the suggestions were ignored. She said that once this incineration begins, we won't be able to undo the damage done to the air quality. Shashi Bhushan from the DASAM spoke about Integrating waste pickers, scrap dealers, aggregators, recyclers at ward level and augment their work and provide infrastructure support either by way of some basic machines which will help stack and aggregate the dry waste as well as allocate land to work as secondary sorting sheds or dry waste collection centres. If waste is from different parts of Gurugram and Haryana, why should Bandhwari village suffer? He raised questions about the implementation of SWM Rules which are not being implemented by the municipal corporations. He demanded that Material Recovery Facility (MRF) centres to be set up at ward levels thereby following the SWM Rules. He alleged that this plant will destroy the only source of livelihood for thousands of waste pickers. Environmentalist Saurabh mentioned about the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) plant which was built in collaboration with Angel Biotech a few years back but later burned. The plant was set up using the taxpayers money and later burned using the same. He questioned the panel and asked them about the things found in household waste which will be burned to produce energy. He added that he has been working since the last 13 years to develop greens and clean our environment but we’ve received no support from the government. Environmentalist Vaishali Rana asked the authorities that if the waste is from different parts of Gurugram and Haryana, then why is the waste not sorted at their originating point only? Why do the people of Bandhwari village have to face the impact of the huge landfill site? She alleged that the environmental clearance which was taken by the company is based on false information. The report submitted by the company for clearance of 2019 doesn't mention that the area which is sought for the plant comes under Aravali which falls under ‘gair mumkin pahar’ (uncultivable hill) and is notified under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA). For the same, they need to seek permission from the Central Government and not the Haryana Forest Department, she said. Knowledge support was provided by Shibu K. Nair of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Dr Shyamala Mani and many environmentalists who backed the opposition to the plant.

Delhi govt wants electric vehicle chargers in all big parking lots

This would target large commercial businesses that have parking lots with a capacity of more than 100 vehicles, like hotels, hospitals and malls. The Urban Development Department of the Delhi government has written to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to introduce a mandate in the bylaws for large private establishments to enable electric vehicle chargers in their parking lots, according to Jasmine Shah, Vice Chairperson, Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi. This would target large commercial businesses that have parking lots with a capacity of more than 100 vehicles, like hotels, hospitals and malls, he said, while addressing a webinar organised by the Centre for Science and Environment on opportunities and challenges with regard to zero-emission vehicles. Also read |No ‘good’ air day in Delhi so far this year At these large lots, a minimum of 5 per cent of parking space will have to be enabled with electric vehicle chargers, Shah said. These can be slow chargers, mainly for two and three wheelers, he added. The move will introduce 20,000 to 25,000 slow chargers in the city, though it could take some time, Shah said. Shah was speaking about charging infrastructure being a focus area for the Delhi government in the coming year. The government is also attempting to set up 100 public EV charging stations through a competitive tender, and is hoping to close the tender in about a month or two, Shah said. These public charging points are likely to come up at prominent places, like metro stations. The Delhi government is working with discoms to launch a single-window facility for EV chargers on private premises like apartment complexes and offices, Shah said. “By making a call to your discom, you can get charging equipment installed.” To expand charging infrastructure, a mandate would have to be formulated and enforced such that any parking lot, whether owned by the DDA or MCD, will have at least 10 per cent of the parking spots enabled with EV chargers, he added. t has been a year since the Delhi government’s electric vehicle policy was notified. The share of EVs in new vehicle registrations has gone up from 1.2 per cent before August 2020 to 3.3 per cent this year, Shah said. This, however, is still far from the government’s target of 25 per cent by 2024.

Stop misuse and overuse of critically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals: CSE

Antibiotics that can save lives are becoming ineffective. Part of the problem is that these critically important drugs are misused and overused in the food-producing animal sector for commercial gains. The covid-19 pandemic has re-emphasised the importance of medicines that can treat – we must conserve these medicines before this silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance swamps us completely,” said Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Narain was speaking at an international webinar organised by CSE on Friday evening on conserving the use of critically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals to contain growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This webinar was the first in a series of interactions planned and led by CSE to discuss the need for coherence in global guidance, as highlighted by CSE in its new report — Conserving the use of critically important antimicrobials: gaps and possibilities in global guidance and Indian policy framework. “There is a need for coherence in global guidance on the use of these antimicrobials. Countries will struggle to take effective action unless a clear and uniform message is given to them by all the different agencies involved,” Narain added. Antimicrobial resistance is an ongoing public health crisis which, if not contained aggressively, is expected to cause catastrophic damage to human-health, animal-health, food productivity, livelihood and attainment of several sustainable development goals (SDGs). Critically important antimicrobials as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) are the sole or one of the limited available therapies to treat serious bacterial infections in humans.Use of antibiotics can lead to AMR, but one big part of the problem is that those considered critically important for humans are misused and overused in food-producing animals for reasons other than treatment, which are avoidable. The webinar was addressed by a panel that included – besides Sunita Narain — Peter Beyer, unit head a.i., AMR Global Coordination Department, WHO; Junxia Song, senior animal health officer, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); Olafur Valsson, AMR liaison officer, Antimicrobial Resistance and Veterinary Products Department, World Organisation for Animal Health; J Scott Weese, professor, Ontario Veterinary College and director, Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, University of Guelph, Canada; and Amit Khurana, programme director, Food Safety and Toxins, CSE. What does the CSE report say The CSE report highlights three key issues in the global guidance of tripartite organisations — WHO, FAO, and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) – which are guiding countries to combat AMR. These are: Need for a significant overlap in antimicrobials considered critical for humans and food-producing animals Need for coherence in position on use of critically important antimicrobials Need for clarity and strong action on use of antimicrobials for disease prevention. Speaking at the webinar, Olafur Valsson acknowledged the lack of coherence: “The general direction of the tripartite is not aligned. We are working together and also more closely with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to address this issue. We are working on a tripartite strategic framework to align our work on all aspects of our response to AMR.” “The issue of disease prevention is a murky area. People tend to subsume whatever they want to call prevention under the issue—earlier it was growth promotion and later it was sub-therapeutic doses administered on a daily basis. But such use is actually abuse,” added Peter Beyer. Stressing the need to take the fight to the ground, J Scott Weese says, “Wherever we can, we should make an effort to ensure antimicrobials are not used, because they are obviously overused. We need to promote the use of drugs that cause the least damage. We need to educate our way out of antimicrobial overuse.” In the report, CSE researchers point out that sending out a coherent message is particularly important for low- and middle-income countries of the Global South, which are dependent on the global guidance. Says Amit Khurana, the lead author of the report: “The CSE report recommends that the WHO-FAO-OIE Tripartite should consider developing a uniform and strong guidance on the use of critically important antimicrobials across all food-animal sectors. It should also focus on concerted interventions to develop a good understanding of global- and country-level use of critically important antimicrobials and resistance against them in animals and humans, along with linkages.” Earlier this week, the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (GLG) also called upon countries to markedly reduce the overall use of antimicrobials, particularly the highest priority critically important antimicrobials for terrestrial and aquatic animals and plants. “We need to change the way we are producing our food. We have to work towards food systems which are less dependent on chemicals. Countries in the Global South cannot afford to first chemicalise and then spend money to clean up,” says Narain, who is also a member of the Global Leaders Group on AMR. The CSE report also presents practices and policy gaps in India related to antimicrobials considered critical for human health, but used in food-producing animals.It exposes the use of several critically important antibiotics in the poultry, dairy and aquaculture sectors in the country. It also highlights gaps in policies and recommendsdeveloping a roadmapfor different food-producing animals and changes required in policies, regulations, standards and guidelines, in addition to creating awareness, building capacity and better enforcement.