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Cse In News

Fabcoins hit the fast lane as loyalty points book electric SUVs

Loyalty points are no longer just window dressing at the checkout. In a move that pushes rewards out of the shopping bag and into the fast lane, Fabindia has teamed up with Mahindra Electric Origin SUVs to let Fabfamily members book premium electric SUVs using loyalty currency alone. Under the partnership, customers can secure bookings for Mahindra’s Electric Origin models, the BE 6 and the XEV 9e, by redeeming just 1,000 Fabcoins. Those points translate into a booking value of Rs 21,000, turning everyday purchases into a gateway to electric mobility rather than another percentage off the bill. The collaboration brings together two Indian brands that have long positioned sustainability at the heart of their businesses. This time, the focus is not on limited period discounts but on stretching the idea of loyalty into real world utility, where points can unlock high value experiences and products. For Fabfamily members, the offer also introduces flexibility. Customers can lock in an eSUV booking with as few as 400 Fabcoins and complete the balance over time. Once the 1,000 Fabcoin threshold is reached, the booking is automatically processed, removing the pressure of a one shot redemption. Fabfamily itself has been steadily evolving into a broader lifestyle ecosystem. Members earn up to 10 percent back in Fabcoins on Fabindia purchases, with additional multipliers through brand partnerships that offer redemptions of up to 30 times value. The programme also allows Fabcoins to be donated to organisations such as WWF India and the Centre for Science and Environment, adding a cause led layer to spending habits. Beyond points, the programme includes concierge services under FabONE and a gentler tier migration system that limits downgrades, making status retention less punitive than traditional loyalty structures. The Mahindra Electric Origin SUV reward goes live on 19 December 2025. More than a festive hook, the tie up signals a shift in how loyalty programmes are being reimagined, moving from transactional perks to high impact rewards that blend lifestyle, sustainability and mobility into a single proposition.

Fabindia Partners with Mahindra to Offer BE 6 and XEV 9e Bookings via Loyalty Program

Fabindia has announced a partnership with Mahindra Electric Origin SUVs that enables its loyalty program members to book electric vehicles using accumulated reward currency. The initiative represents a novel application of retail loyalty programs in India's automotive sector. Under the arrangement, Fabfamily members can book Mahindra's BE 6 or XEV 9e electric SUVs by redeeming 1,000 Fabcoins, which the company values at ₹21,000 for booking purposes. This creates a 21-times multiplier on the standard coin value. Fabindia members typically earn up to 10 percent back in Fabcoins on purchases from the retailer. The program introduces a phased booking option where customers can secure a reservation with 400 Fabcoins and accumulate the remaining balance over time. Once members reach the 1,000-coin threshold, the booking is automatically processed. William Nanda Bissell, Managing Director of Fabindia, described the partnership as demonstrating how loyalty programs can deliver value beyond traditional discounts. He characterized the offering as promoting conscious consumption and sustainable mobility while empowering customers. Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of Mahindra's Automotive Division, stated that the collaboration reflects both companies' focus on integrating mobility solutions into customer lifestyles. He indicated the partnership aims to make electric SUV ownership more accessible. The Fabfamily loyalty program extends beyond retail transactions, incorporating partnerships with hospitality brands like The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and Indian Accent restaurant, where coins can be redeemed at up to 30-times value. Members can also contribute Fabcoins to environmental organizations including WWF-India and the Centre for Science & Environment.

Indian media address advice from spokesperson for Chinese Embassy in India on pollution control as smog chokes New Delhi

In TOI's report entitled "'This is how we did it': China embassy has advice for Delhi pollution; ultra-strict vehicle norms, public transport push key" published on Thursday, it said that these measures "are not unheard of in India." Quoting Anumita Roy Chaudhur, the Executive Director of Research and Advocacy of Centre For Science and Environment, the media said that: "In China, action was not taken just in Beijing but in 26 cities and towns to tackle the problem, which is regional. The first lesson is that the actions they took were urgent, stringent, and at a large scale. They took deep to enable massive energy transition, like getting rid of coal not only in industry but also in household use."

India battered by extreme weather on 331 of 334 days in 2025, new data shows

India experienced a relentless spate of extreme weather events on 331 out of 334 days between January and November 2025, according to a new analysis that highlights the growing severity of climate impacts across the country. Researchers said the pattern — covering heatwaves, coldwaves, storms, cyclones, heavy rains, floods and landslides — reflects an increasingly unstable weather regime. The research, conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and reported by Down To Earth, shows that the frequency of extreme events has risen sharply compared with recent years. The first 11 months of 2025 saw 4,419 lives lost, up significantly from 3,006 deaths in 2022, with vast swathes of agricultural land damaged and infrastructure hit across regions.

बीजिंग से दिल्ली: स्मॉग के खिलाफ दशक भर लंबी लड़ाई के सबक

भारतीय विशेषज्ञ इस बात से सहमत हैं कि क्षेत्रीय तालमेल की कमी एक बड़ी बाधा है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की अनुसंधान और वकालत की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा: “चीन में, समस्या से निपटने के लिए केवल बीजिंग में नहीं बल्कि 26 शहरों और कस्बों में कार्रवाई की गई थी, जो कि क्षेत्रीय है। हमें दिल्ली-एनसीआर के लिए अपनी योजनाओं में समानताएं मिलेंगी, लेकिन बड़े पैमाने पर क्रियान्वयन की कमी है। हमारे पास केवल आपातकालीन उपाय नहीं हो सकते; कार्यान्वयन चौबीसों घंटे होना चाहिए।” जैसे-जैसे राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र (NCR) स्मॉग की घनी और जहरीली चादर में लिपटा हुआ है, और वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) अक्सर 450 के ‘खतरनाक’ स्तर को पार कर रहा है, पूर्व से एक अप्रत्याशित ट्यूटोरियल सामने आया है। चीन, जो कभी दुनिया के सबसे प्रदूषित शहरों का घर था, ने स्वच्छ हवा के लिए अपना रोडमैप साझा किया है, जिसने भारत के पर्यावरणीय संकट के प्रति खंडित दृष्टिकोण पर एक नई बहस छेड़ दी है। भारत में चीनी दूतावास की प्रवक्ता यू जिंग ने हाल ही में दोनों राजधानियों के बीच तुलना साझा की। जब दिल्ली दृश्यता और सांस लेने की समस्या से जूझ रही थी, तब बीजिंग ने 68 का ‘मध्यम’ AQI दर्ज किया। बीजिंग का यह परिवर्तन किस्मत की बात नहीं है, बल्कि एक दशक लंबे, युद्ध-स्तर के हस्तक्षेप का परिणाम है। 2013 में, बीजिंग का वार्षिक PM2.5 औसत 101.7 µg/m³ था; 2024 तक, यह गिरकर 30.9 µg/m³ पर आ गया। बीजिंग ब्लूप्रिंट: आपातकालीन उपायों से कहीं अधिक जिंग द्वारा साझा किया गया “बीजिंग मॉडल” दो प्राथमिक स्तंभों पर प्रकाश डालता है: आक्रामक वाहन नियंत्रण और बड़े पैमाने पर औद्योगिक पुनर्गठन। परिवहन के मोर्चे पर, बीजिंग ने केवल अस्थायी ‘ऑड-इवन’ योजनाओं को लागू नहीं किया। इसने “चीन 6” उत्सर्जन मानकों (यूरो 6 के बराबर) को अपनाया, लाखों उच्च-उत्सर्जन वाले पुराने वाहनों को बाहर किया, और लाइसेंस-प्लेट लॉटरी प्रणाली के माध्यम से कारों की वृद्धि को कड़ाई से सीमित किया। साथ ही, शहर ने दुनिया के सबसे व्यापक मेट्रो नेटवर्कों में से एक का निर्माण किया और इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों की ओर बदलाव को तेज किया। दूसरे चरण में एक कठिन लेकिन आवश्यक औद्योगिक बदलाव शामिल था। बीजिंग ने 3,000 से अधिक भारी उद्योगों को बंद कर दिया या स्थानांतरित कर दिया। इसका एक प्रमुख उदाहरण चीन के सबसे बड़े इस्पात निर्माताओं में से एक, शौगांग (Shougang) का स्थानांतरण है। इस एक कदम से सांस लेने योग्य कणों में 20% की कमी आई। खाली किए गए औद्योगिक स्थलों को लावारिस नहीं छोड़ा गया, बल्कि उन्हें टेक हब और पार्कों में बदल दिया गया; पूर्व शौगांग साइट ने 2022 शीतकालीन ओलंपिक के लिए कार्यक्रमों की मेजबानी भी की। क्षेत्रीय समन्वय: लुप्त कड़ी चीन से सबसे महत्वपूर्ण पाठों में से एक “क्षेत्रीय दृष्टिकोण” है। दिल्ली में प्रदूषण का दोष अक्सर पड़ोसी राज्यों में पराली जलाने या भीतरी इलाकों से निकलने वाले औद्योगिक धुएं पर मढ़ा जाता है। चीन ने बीजिंग-तियानजिन-हेबेई क्षेत्र के साथ समन्वय करके इससे निपटा। सामान्य विनिर्माण को हेबेई में स्थानांतरित कर दिया गया, जबकि बीजिंग ने उच्च-मूल्य वाले अनुसंधान और विकास को अपने पास रखा। भारतीय विशेषज्ञ इस बात से सहमत हैं कि क्षेत्रीय तालमेल की कमी एक बड़ी बाधा है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की अनुसंधान और वकालत की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा: “चीन में, समस्या से निपटने के लिए केवल बीजिंग में नहीं बल्कि 26 शहरों और कस्बों में कार्रवाई की गई थी, जो कि क्षेत्रीय है। हमें दिल्ली-एनसीआर के लिए अपनी योजनाओं में समानताएं मिलेंगी, लेकिन बड़े पैमाने पर क्रियान्वयन की कमी है। हमारे पास केवल आपातकालीन उपाय नहीं हो सकते; कार्यान्वयन चौबीसों घंटे होना चाहिए।” राजनीतिक इच्छाशक्ति का अंतर हालाँकि भारत ने BS-VI (यूरो 6 के बराबर) मानकों को अपनाया है और हाल ही में ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन प्लान (GRAP) चरण IV के तहत पुराने वाहनों के राजधानी में प्रवेश पर प्रतिबंध लगा दिया है, लेकिन प्रवर्तन अनियमित बना हुआ है। एनवायरो-कैटलिस्ट (EnviroCatalyst) के संस्थापक और मुख्य विश्लेषक सुनील दहिया ने जोर देकर कहा कि उपकरण उपलब्ध हैं लेकिन इच्छाशक्ति असंगत है। दहिया ने कहा, “वाहनों के प्रदूषण के लिए सुझाए गए सभी कदम भारत में आजमाए गए थे, लेकिन वे केवल इसलिए काम नहीं कर पाए क्योंकि वहां निरंतर राजनीतिक इच्छाशक्ति की कमी थी।” अंतर्राष्ट्रीय चिंता और यात्रा परामर्श यह संकट अब पर्यावरणीय चिंताओं से ऊपर उठकर एक राजनयिक और आर्थिक मुद्दा बन गया है। सिंगापुर उच्चायोग ने ब्रिटेन और कनाडा के साथ मिलकर दिल्ली आने वाले नागरिकों के लिए यात्रा परामर्श जारी किया है, जिसमें उड़ान में देरी और स्वास्थ्य जोखिमों का हवाला दिया गया है। सिंगापुर के उच्चायुक्त साइमन वोंग ने नागरिकों से सतर्क रहने का आग्रह किया क्योंकि केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) ने आपातकालीन उपायों के सबसे सख्त स्तर को लागू कर दिया है। बीजिंग का संदेश स्पष्ट है: स्वच्छ हवा प्राप्त करना संभव है, लेकिन इसके लिए केवल आपातकालीन “बैंड-एड” लगाने के बजाय एक शहर के चलने और सांस लेने के तरीके में आमूल-चूल, दीर्घकालिक बदलाव की आवश्यकता है।

दिल्ली वायु प्रदूषण पर चीन का बयान: ‘समस्या की जड़ पर वार कर धुआं साफ किया’

एक समय दुनिया की ‘स्मॉग कैपिटल’ कहलाने वाला बीजिंग आज वायु प्रदूषण पर होने वाले शोध में एक सफल मॉडल के रूप में देखा जा रहा है। चीन ने यह बदलाव कैसे किया और भारत इससे क्या सीख सकता है—इस पर भारत में चीन के दूतावास की प्रवक्ता यू जिंग ने सोशल मीडिया प्लेटफॉर्म X पर सिलसिलेवार पोस्ट के जरिए जानकारी साझा की है। तेज़ शहरीकरण, समान चुनौती यू जिंग ने लिखा कि तेज़ शहरीकरण के कारण वायु प्रदूषण की समस्या चीन और भारत, दोनों के लिए समान रही है। लेकिन बीते एक दशक में चीन ने जिस निरंतरता और सख्ती से नीतियां लागू कीं, उनके नतीजे साफ दिखाई देते हैं। PM 2.5 में बड़ी गिरावट उन्होंने आंकड़ों का हवाला देते हुए बताया कि वर्ष 2013 में बीजिंग में PM 2.5 का वार्षिक औसत 101.7 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर था, जो 2024 में घटकर 30.9 माइक्रोग्राम प्रति घन मीटर रह गया। यह गिरावट चीन की सख्त नीतियों का सीधा परिणाम है। परिवहन सेक्टर में कड़े नियम यू जिंग के अनुसार, सुधार के दो बड़े मोर्चे रहे—परिवहन और उद्योग। परिवहन क्षेत्र में चीन ने ‘चाइना 6NI’ जैसे अल्ट्रा-सख्त उत्सर्जन मानक लागू किए, जो यूरो-6 के बराबर हैं। पुराने और अधिक प्रदूषण फैलाने वाले वाहनों को चरणबद्ध तरीके से हटाया गया। निजी वाहनों पर नियंत्रण के लिए लाइसेंस प्लेट लॉटरी, ऑड-ईवन और सप्ताह-दिवस आधारित ड्राइविंग नियम लागू किए गए। इसके साथ ही मेट्रो और बस नेटवर्क का बड़े पैमाने पर विस्तार किया गया और इलेक्ट्रिक मोबिलिटी को बढ़ावा मिला। उद्योगों पर निर्णायक कार्रवाई उद्योगों के मामले में चीन ने और भी कठोर कदम उठाए। 3,000 से अधिक भारी उद्योगों को बंद किया गया या शहर से बाहर स्थानांतरित किया गया। चीन की बड़ी स्टील कंपनी शौगांग को हटाने से ही सांस में जाने वाले कणों में लगभग 20 प्रतिशत तक कमी आई। खाली हुई औद्योगिक जमीनों को पार्क, व्यावसायिक केंद्र और तकनीकी हब में बदला गया। शौगांग का पुराना परिसर 2022 विंटर ओलंपिक्स का स्थल भी बना। भारत क्या सीख सकता है भारतीय विशेषज्ञ मानते हैं कि ऐसे उपाय भारत में भी चर्चा में रहे हैं, लेकिन अंतर पैमाने और राजनीतिक इच्छाशक्ति का है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनूमिता रॉय चौधरी के अनुसार, चीन में कार्रवाई केवल बीजिंग तक सीमित नहीं रही, बल्कि 26 शहरों में एक साथ की गई। वहीं, एनवायरोकैटेलिस्ट के संस्थापक सुनील दहिया का कहना है कि भारत में BS-6 जैसे मानक मौजूद हैं, लेकिन उनका सख्त क्रियान्वयन कमजोर रहा है। बीजिंग की कहानी: इरादों की मिसाल बीजिंग की कहानी हवा से ज़्यादा इरादों की कहानी है। यह साबित करती है कि वायु प्रदूषण कोई नियति नहीं, बल्कि नीति और प्राथमिकताओं का नतीजा है। भारत में हर सर्दी के साथ प्रदूषण आता है और अस्थायी उपायों तक सीमित रह जाता है। जबकि बीजिंग ने बीमारी की जड़ पर वार किया। दिल्ली की मौजूदा स्थिति फिलहाल हालात पर नज़र डालें तो केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) के अनुसार दिल्ली में वायु गुणवत्ता ‘बहुत खराब’ श्रेणी में बनी हुई है और AQI 358 दर्ज किया गया है। सवाल यही है—क्या हम हर साल धुंध को नियति मानते रहेंगे या बीजिंग की तरह उसे इतिहास बनाएंगे?

Delhi's 50% work-from-home conundrum: A pollution-era mandate is colliding with how offices actually operate

Vivek Chattopadhyay, principal programme manager for clean air and sustainable mobility at the Centre for Science and Environment, explained, “The purpose of this move is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, given that they are a major source of pollution. For listed govt organisations, circulars can be sent directly, especially to the larger ones, as the responsible authorities can manage that.”

New Delhi’s persistent toxic air pollution poised to worsen

Leading environmentalist Sunita Narain said air pollution was a great equaliser. “We will never clean up Delhi’s air by being nice to everybody, particularly the rich,” she said, adding that tackling pollution necessitated implementing uncomfortable decisions, not half measures. The authorities have implemented the highest Stage IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan to tackle pollution, which includes halting construction, restricting industrial activity, and limiting the movement of older vehicles, but to no avail. After several weeks of persistent toxic conditions, pollution levels in India’s capital, New Delhi, remain hazardous. The official Air Quality Index (AQI) across the capital on Thursday hovered between 300 and 400, exposing residents to pollution levels which are 20-30 times higher than those considered safe by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The extreme pollution has enveloped the city in a thick, choking smog. It has also blocked sunlight, forcing vehicle drivers to switch on their headlights to avoid accidents during the day, while pedestrians and cyclists cautiously grope their way across the city through the grey haze. Scores of flights and trains have been delayed or diverted, with visibility dropping to dangerous levels, and emergency services at government and private hospitals have struggled to cope with the rising number of cases involving the elderly and children, who are most susceptible to inhaling poisonous PM2.5 and PM10 particles in the atmosphere. These microscopic pollutants – far thinner than human hair – exist in dangerously concentrated levels in Delhi’s deathly air, penetrating deep into the lungs. They also enter the bloodstream, sharply increasing risks of chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, heart disease, and other potentially fatal conditions. “My elderly father was admitted into hospital after an entire day of waiting, as he was wheezing heavily,” said Rampal Maurya, a gardener from South Delhi’s Sangam Vihar residential colony on Thursday. Even now, his father is not being attended to in the overcrowded ward, where he is sharing a bed with two other patients, as there are simply not enough doctors in attendance. Clothes designer Rita Paul (65), said the city had become a “gas chamber” and that for the past three weeks she has been forced to spend the entire time at home surrounded by air purifiers. “I dare not go out, lest I choke,” the 65-year-old stated. Leading environmentalist Sunita Narain said air pollution was a great equaliser. “We will never clean up Delhi’s air by being nice to everybody, particularly the rich,” she said, adding that tackling pollution necessitated implementing uncomfortable decisions, not half measures. The authorities have implemented the highest Stage IV measures under the Graded Response Action Plan to tackle pollution, which includes halting construction, restricting industrial activity, and limiting the movement of older vehicles, but to no avail. [ Environmental and climate crises present ‘growing peril’ for humanity, UN report warnsOpens in new window ] They have also mandated that half of all government and private sector employees work from home and all schools operate online, to protect children from the poisonous air and keep buses that transported them off the roads. Environmentalists, however, have warned that such “feeble” measures are unlikely to help, as stagnant winds, temperature inversion, vehicular emissions, dust and sand from construction work, and crop stubble burning in neighbouring Haryana and Punjab states have jointly created the suffocating haze over Delhi, which is poised to get worse. They say stricter emission controls, reduced vehicle use, expanded public transport, bans on stubble burning, enforced industrial regulations, promotion of clean energy, and long-term urban planning are urgently needed to safeguard public health and curb Delhi’s lethal pollution.

From Plans to Practice: Clean Air in Cities | Infravision Conversation | Anumita Roychowdhury

Too many cities produce plans, too few produce results. In this urgent conversation, Anumita Roychowdhury explains why repeated emergency measures are inadequate, argues for annual report-cards tied to departmental budgets and compliance systems, and lays out a three-part practical agenda (energy transition, mobility transition, circularity) needed to bend air-quality trends for good. She also draws on successful demonstrations – from Indore’s waste segregation and compressed biogas buses to Addis Ababa’s bold EV import rule and Dakar’s electric BRT corridors, to show that systemic change is possible when politics, policy and implementation align.

All-India Seminar on “Bio-CNG in Circular Economy Challenges and Way Forward”.

An upcoming All-India Seminar on “Bio-CNG in Circular Economy” on January 9, 2026, in Kolhapur, focusing on waste, sugar sector opportunities, policy, and tech. Other related events include past seminars by the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) on India’s bio-CNG potential, and webinars/training by organizations like the Institute for Industrial Development (IID) and Indian Biogas Association (IBA). These events cover production, government policies, technology, economic viability, and the future of Bio-CNG (purified biogas) in India, linking it to sustainability and energy security.

Year Ender 2025: चक्रवात, भूकंप से लेकर भूस्खलन तक..., विश्व भर में आपदाओं ने इस साल मचाया कहर

Year Ender 2025: मानव जीवन के लिए प्राकृतिक आपदाएं सबसे ज्यादा खतरनाक होती है जो कहर बनकर इंसान पर टूटती है। साल 2025 खत्म होने की कगार पर है और इस साल जनवरी से लेकर दिसंबर तक देश-दुनिया ने कई आपदाएं...

Allergies don’t end with monsoon: Why winter triggers more eye irritation

Eye​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ allergies may have been associated with the monsoon for most of the Indians, but the situation is completely different for the 2025 winters, which have brought us persistently high levels of air pollution and low humidity, leading to eye irritation across the big cities. Thus, the data released by the Centre for Science and Environment’s winter air quality analysis for 2024-25 clearly outlines that megacities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai have experienced the worsening of their PM2.5 levels during the winter period when the fine particulate pollution was consistently above the WHO guidelines for the whole winter season. Short-term exposure to very high concentrations of PM2.5 and other pollutants can cause the disruption of the tear film and the irritation of the ocular surface, which can be accompanied by symptoms of burning, itching, watering and redness. Apart from this, the quality of winter air gets even worse due to weather factors such as temperature inversion and low wind speeds, which prevent pollutants from diffusing and, therefore, local concentrations increase. According to Dr. R K Sachdev, Sr. Cataract & Refractive Surgeon, Dr Sachdev Maxivision Eye Hospitals, “Winter-related eye allergies are frequently misunderstood and under-treated. Over the last few years, we have observed a marked rise in patients presenting with eye irritation during winter rather than the monsoon. Many patients assume these symptoms are simple dryness or screen fatigue and delay treatment. When inflammation is allowed to persist, it can worsen allergic conjunctivitis, aggravate dry eye disease, and significantly affect visual comfort and daily functioning. Early evaluation is critical, particularly during winter. Silent Rise in Winter Eye Allergies Winter​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ eye irritations, unlike eye infections caused by the monsoons, escalate slowly and are, in most cases, of a chronic nature. Research and clinical audits until 2025 have indicated that the prevalence of dry eye disease in urban India has gone beyond 30 per cent, with the winter season being acknowledged as a major period of aggravation. The co-existence of dry eye and allergic conjunctivitis is getting more and more prevalent, thus leading to extended symptoms that lower productivity, concentration, and the overall quality of ‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌life.

Parliamentary committee makes widespread recommendations to improve air quality

Current standards recommend PM10 levels don’t cross 60 micrograms annually and PM2.5 levels stay below 40 micrograms, which the Centre for Science and Environment told the Committee was “too lenient.” The World Health Organisation revised its standards to reflect the documented health impacts at minimal levels of exposure, recommending PM2.5 not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic meter and PM10 stay below 15 micrograms per cubic metre on an annual basis.

Unreliable data mask just how bad the air quality crisis is in India

Recent remarks about pollution from two Indian officials have increased frustration among residents who say policymakers are unwilling to acknowledge the severity of India’s air quality crisis. When Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav told Parliament earlier this month that India’s capital, New Delhi, has seen 200 days with good air quality readings, pollution experts and opposition leaders said he chose a figure that overlooked the worst pollution months. A week later, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the air quality index — a measure of air pollution — was similar to a temperature reading and could be dealt with by spraying water. Crowds jeered her at a subsequent public event, shouting “AQI” in reference to the city’s poor air quality readings. Residents in New Delhi and surrounding areas engulfed in toxic smog over the last few months said these are just the latest examples of officials denying the severity of air quality problems. “Instead of doing cloud seeding, I hope the government will wake up and take some real action,” said Anita, a 73-year-old New Delhi resident who goes by only one name. “It’s a shame.” Environmentalists and data experts said India’s air quality measurement standards are looser than in countries such as the United States, so moderate readings often mask dangerous pollution levels. India’s government air quality standards are also less stringent than World Health Organization guidelines. Experts said these gaps can erode public trust, even as few residents fully grasp how harmful polluted air is. Gaps in India’s air quality data India’s air quality is measured through a nationwide network of monitors and sensors, as well as satellite data. The monitors collect robust data, but there are too few of them, said Ronak Sutaria, CEO of Respirer Living, which builds machines and software for air quality monitoring. He said that the system falls short of letting citizens know how polluted the air in their neighborhoods really is. In 2019, India launched the National Clean Air Program, which set targets aiming to reduce pollution by up to 40% in 131 cities by 2026. The program has seen relative success, providing millions of dollars for monitors and water-spraying machines to reduce dust generated from vehicles plying the roads, construction activity and winds that blow desert sand into the cities. However, air pollution experts said the program has done little to reduce pollution from carbon-spewing industries or vehicle emissions, which are among the biggest sources of dirty air. Other sources include the burning of crop stubble on farms, use of wood and cow dung as cooking fuel and burning of garbage. A 2024 report by the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based think tank, found that 64% of funds under the program went toward reducing dust and only 12% to reducing pollution from vehicles and less than 1% to bringing down industrial air pollution.

CAQM expert panel discusses vehicular emissions, clean mobility measures

New Delhi: An expert panel constituted by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to curb vehicular emissions in Delhi-NCR held its first meeting on Monday, focusing on key issues such as segment-wise vehicular emission contributions, exposure risks, Electric Vehicle (EV) readiness and infrastructure needs. TOI had reported on Saturday that CAQM had set up an expert committee to review policies, programmes and regulatory frameworks related to clean mobility, including Bharat Stage (BS) emission norms, electric mobility initiatives and fuel-efficiency standards across Delhi-NCR. Emission inventory studies for Delhi conducted by IIT-Kanpur in 2015, TERI-ARAI in 2018 and SAFAR in 2018 have estimated the transport sector's contribution to PM2.5 pollution at 20%, 39% and 41%, respectively. The first meeting of the committee was held today under the chairmanship of Prof Ashok Jhunjhunwala and co-chaired by Dr (Prof) Randeep Guleria. "The committee will place concrete, actionable recommendations for reducing vehicular emissions in the forthcoming meetings," said CAQM, adding that the next meeting is scheduled for Dec 18. The expert committee comprises representatives from Niti Aayog, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, Centre for Science and Environment, International Council on Clean Transportation, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, TERI and CAQM. Separately, CAQM has earlier approached the Supreme Court seeking a review of its Aug 12 order that restrained authorities from taking coercive action against 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in Delhi, recommending that relief not be extended to BS-III and older vehicles.