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Cse In News

PM2.5 level rises beyond safe limit in Gurgaon, Teri Gram pollution hotspot

Gurgaon: The city's air quality index (AQI) on Wednesday went up to 276 from the previous day's 260. An analysis of PM2.5 data from air quality monitoring stations over the past 10 days shows that pollution is concentrated in a few chronic pockets instead of being distributed evenly across the region. Data from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) indicates that Teri Gram has emerged as the city's most critical pollution hotspot so far this month, recording PM2.5 levels above 300 on six days. The station reported levels of 304 on Dec 1, 333 on Dec 2, 326 on Dec 4, 342 on Dec 6, 345 on Dec 7 and 323 on Dec 9. Sector 51 has reported consistently high baseline pollution as well, with short periods of relief. PM2.5 levels remained in the poor category for most of the first 10 days of the month, recording 283 on Dec 1, 292 on Dec 2, 251 on Dec 3, 262 on Dec 4 and 295 on Dec 5. After a brief dip to 179 on Dec 7, pollution rose again to 327 on Dec 8 and remained high at 297 on Dec 9. At Manesar's industrial belt, monitored at Sector 2 IMT, PM2.5 levels crossed 320 for four consecutive days between Dec 1 and 4, with readings of 323, 331, 327 and 302. Levels dropped slightly to 282 on Dec 6, 254 on Dec 8 and 238 on Dec 9. Vikas Sadan showed noticeable day-to-day variation rather than persistent high levels. PM2.5 levels fell to 159 on Dec 2 and 162 on Dec 9, although the area also recorded temporary spikes to 293 on Dec 4 and 290 on Dec 5. Gwal Pahari remained the least polluted among the five stations, although it too experienced seasonal smog. While there were brief spikes above 300 in early Dec, PM2.5 levels generally stayed lower than in the city's core hotspots. Lower traffic density and better air movement due to its elevation helped keep pollution comparatively lower. "The data shows that the air crisis is driven by persistent micro hotspots rather than uniform pollution across the city. With Teri Gram, Sector 51 and IMT Manesar repeatedly recording unsafe air, civic agencies need to focus on location-specific enforcement and source-wise control instead of broad city-level measures that do not address these chronic pockets," said Shubhansh Tiwari from the Centre for Science and Environment. "We have identified hotspots where pollution levels remain consistently high. Targeted enforcement drives are under way in these areas, including checks on construction dust, industrial emissions and waste burning. Strict action is being taken against violators, and monitoring is being intensified," said Krishan Kumar, regional officer, Haryana State Pollution Control Board.

NHRC Conference Highlights Public Services for Human Dignity

Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, stressed the necessity of recognizing the right to a clean environment as fundamental to living with dignity. She urged stakeholders to innovate and support scalable solutions in sanitation, energy, and public health sectors, reinforcing that rights should reflect true lived experiences, not mere policy frameworks. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India hosted a pivotal National Conference today, themed ‘Ensuring Everyday Essentials: Public Services and Dignity for All,’ at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This event, held in observance of Human Rights Day, was chaired by NHRC Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, who emphasized the importance of public services and individual dignity in upholding the country’s status as a welfare state. Justice Ramasubramanian pointed out that elected representatives create policies aimed at public welfare, while civil servants are responsible for executing these policies. He stressed that public servants play a crucial role in bridging the gap between policy formulation and the delivery of benefits to citizens, citing ideals from the Ramayana to illustrate the importance of efficiency in achieving maximum benefit swiftly and cost-effectively. Reflections on Progress and Human Rights Delivering the keynote address, Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, highlighted Human Rights Day as a reaffirmation of India’s democratic principles. He noted the country’s significant strides in recent years, particularly in enhancing living standards through housing, nutrition, healthcare, and employment security. Citing Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Dr. Mishra pointed out India’s transition from focusing solely on civil and political rights to a more comprehensive approach that includes socio-economic and cultural entitlements.

दिल्ली-NCR में इस बार पॉल्यूशन का 'टॉक्सिक कॉकटेल', इन 5 नए खतरों की आहट

CSE की अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी कहती हैं कि यह ट्रेंड दिखाता है कि मौसम पर निर्भरता कम होनी चाहिए, लोकल स्रोतों पर नियंत्रण जरूरी है.

दिल्ली की हवा ‘मौत का कॉकटेल’, पराली नहीं लोकल प्रदूषण असली कातिल

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की नई रिपोर्ट ‘टॉक्सिक कॉकरटेल ऑफ पॉल्यूशन ड्यूरिंग अर्ली विंटर इन दिल्ली–NCR’ बताती है कि अब राजधानी की हवा को सबसे ज्यादा नुकसान स्थानीय स्रोत पहुंचा रहे हैं। वाहन, उद्योग, कचरा जलाना और बिजली संयंत्र मिलकर 85% प्रदूषण पैदा कर रहे हैं।

Delhi-NCR Faces 'Toxic Cocktail' Of Pollution, Says CSE Report Warning Of Five New Dangers As Local Sources Gain In Strength

This year, the pollution crisis in the Delhi-NCR region has stretched from October to December, maintaining consistently severe to critical AQI levels even with minimal contribution from the crop residue burning. A new report by the Centre for Science and Environment, 'Toxic Cocktail of Pollution During Early Winter in Delhi-NCR', identifies local emission sources as the prime culprits and warns of five new dangers that are now expanding and aggravating. The pollution this year, the report said, is a deadly combination of high PM2.5 combined with high NO2 and CO. Experts at the CSE say that minor measures can no longer help; strong, systemic changes are needed to cut emissions from vehicles, industries, and power plants. 1. Longer And Uncontrolled Pollution Season This year, the pollution episode has lasted for over 80 days, extending from October well into December, whereas it used to subside by November. In fact, the AQI has stayed in the 'Very Poor' to 'Severe' category for almost the entire month of November. Scientific Fact: Compared to the previous year, PM2.5 averaged 9% less but equaled the three-year average, remaining steady at around 100 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³). Reason: During winter, the atmospheric boundary layer turns shallow and traps pollutants. Vehicular emissions increase manifold during peak traffic time-7-10 Am and 6-9 PM-and the PM2.5 increase is pretty rapid. According to the CSE expert Anumita Roychowdhury, this trend reflects a reduced dependence on meteorology, with greater priority given to source control at the local level. 2. Explosion Of Pollution Hotspots And Regional Spread Hotspots of pollution have increased manifold since 2018, where a number of places recorded alarming levels of contamination. Worst Affected: Jahangirpuri recorded an annual PM2.5 average of 119 µg/m³, followed by Bawana and Wazirpur at 113 µg/m³. New Hotspots: Other emerging areas include Vivek Vihar with 101 µg/m³, Nehru Nagar, Alipur, Siri Fort, Dwarka Sector-8, and Patparganj, crossing the 90 µg/m³ mark. Reason: These hotspots, now identified as permanent, are driven by dense traffic, industries, construction activity, and waste burning in North and East Delhi. 3. Local Sources Emerge As Primary Villain: Contribution of 85% Due to heavy rains in Punjab and Haryana, the incidents of stubble burning were considerably fewer this year, contrib­uting less than 5% on most days in October-November, and peaking at only 22% on November 12-13. Scientific Fact: Even with minimal stubble burning, the air remained toxic. PM2.5 affected AQI for 34 days, PM10 for 25 days, and Ozone for 13 days. Reason: This points overwhelmingly to local sources: vehicles (contributing NO2 and CO), industries, power plants, waste burning, and domestic fuels. CSE draws the conclusion from this that although reduced stubble burning prevented severe peak spikes, the dangerous average pollution levels remained stable. ADVERTISEMENT 4. The Silent Threat: Toxic Cocktail of NO2 and CO While headlines might be dominated by PM2.5, the concurrent rise in NO2 and CO levels creates a toxic cocktail often overlooked. Science Fact: NO2 and PM2.5 increase together at morning and evening peaks because of traffic. CO exceeded the 8-hour standard of 2 mg/m³ on more than 30 days at 22 monitoring stations, with a maximum of 55 days in Dwarka Sector-8. Health hazard: This combination is especially hazardous because it deteriorates the lungs, blood, and heart, making the air much more toxic to breathe.

Climate In 2025: Extreme Weather Events That Shaped India's Year

As 2025 draws to a close, it's worth looking back at what's been a genuinely terrifying year for India's climate. If there's one thing this year will be remembered for, it's the extreme weather events that highlighted the country's vulnerability to climate change. The Year's Worst Hits Remember that brutal April heatwave? Delhi was absolutely sweltering, and temperatures crossed 40°C. It doesn't sound that dramatic until you realise it was 4 degrees hotter than similar heatwaves before 1987. Human-induced climate change was the main culprit, affecting not just India but Pakistan too, according to a ClimaMeter study. Then there was Cyclone Montha. The destruction it left behind was staggering, about Rs 53 billion in damages, impacting Andhra Pradesh the most. Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rainfall, while alerts went out to Odisha, West Bengal, Puducherry, and several other regions. Meanwhile, North India faced cold waves, with fog and low temperatures, basically making everyone's daily routine a nightmare. Extreme Weather Events On 99% Of Days The Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth dropped their Climate India 2025 report in November, and the findings are shocking. India faced extreme weather events on 99% of days during the first nine months of 2025. When it comes to extreme weather events, we're talking about heatwaves, cold waves, lightning, storms, heavy rain, floods and landslides. As per the report, at least 4,064 lives were lost, and 9.47 million hectares of crops were affected. This is just a summary; the details of the report are far more scary, highlighting the urgent need to work on quick response action during such weather conditions. The northwest region recorded the highest frequency of extreme weather events, with 257 event days, followed closely by the east and northeast at 229 days.

Rajasthan Secures Over ₹130 Crore in CSR Commitments to Boost Water Conservation Efforts

Rajasthan’s push toward long-term water security received a major boost as corporate and civil society partners committed more than ₹130 crore in CSR support at a recent high-level state consultation in Jaipur. The consultation, centred on “Building Public–Private–People Partnership for a Water-Secure Rajasthan,” was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Department of Watershed Development and Soil Conservation and implementing partner Aravali. The platform brought together government departments, CSR organisations, academia and grassroots institutions to chart a coordinated path for sustainable water management. The Government of Rajasthan signed MoUs amounting to ₹100 crore with leading CSR partners including Piramal Foundation, PHD Chamber, Arpan Seva, HPCL and ITC to support Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (MJSA) 2.0. The commitments aim to strengthen rural infrastructure, promote innovative water-conservation practices, and build capacity at the panchayat level. Additional MoUs worth ₹14 crore were formalised—₹9 crore from PHD RDF Chamber of Commerce and ₹5 crore from Piramal Foundation and Arpan Seva Sansthan—to mobilise ₹100 crore investment for carbon credits through plantation efforts across 10,000 hectares of wasteland. Further pledges of ₹21 crore came from Ambuja Cement, Dharampal Satyapal Group, ITC, Jamnalal Bajaj Trust and HPRRL, along with support for village groundwater cooperatives under the MARVI concept. Deliberations through the day focused on aligning government schemes with CSR strategies, reinforcing the link between water security, rural livelihoods, farmers’ income and climate resilience. Participants identified the need for stronger infrastructure, technology-driven solutions, capacity-building and scalable conservation models. Representatives from more than 20 corporate entities—including Piramal Foundation, ITC, Ambuja, Shree Cement, DS Group, JK Cement and the Jamnalal Kaniram Bajaj Trust—shared insights. Their views were complemented by contributions from 15 NGOs such as Arpan Seva Sansthan, Ibtada, Pradan, FES, Centre for Micro Finance and Gramin Vikas Trust, highlighting on-ground challenges and innovations. Academic and research institutions including ICRISAT, MNIT Jaipur, IIT Roorkee, Kanoria College and Western Sydney University added scholarly depth to the discussions. Padma Shri awardees Laxman Singh and Shyam Sundar Paliwal also provided valuable perspectives rooted in community-led models. Officers from key water-related departments ensured a comprehensive administrative lens to the conversations. Addressing the consultation, Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar said the CSR commitments mark a decisive step toward a water-secure Rajasthan. He underscored the role of community participation and innovation in ensuring sustainability. In his keynote remarks, he highlighted how CSR-backed interventions under MJSA enhance community ownership and strengthen long-term outcomes. Muhammad Junaid, Director, Watershed Development and Soil Conservation, outlined progress under MJSA and PMKSY, stressing the importance of adopting best practices from ongoing innovations. He said showcasing successful models and interventions is critical to shaping future strategies and action plans. UNICEF reiterated its commitment to climate resilience and environmental sustainability. Paulos Workneh, Chief of WASH, emphasised alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6 and SDG 13. He noted that collaborative efforts since 2023 have strengthened local water-security initiatives. Rushabh Hemani, Chief In-Charge and WASH Specialist, UNICEF Jaipur, noted that the partnership aligns with the state’s 2047 water-security vision, structured into phased milestones for 2030, 2035 and 2047. The consultation also featured experience-sharing sessions with organisations including AIWC Marvi, Centre for Science and Environment, Ambuja Foundation, Jamnalal Kaniram Bajaj Foundation, ITC, PHD Chamber of Commerce, Dharampal Satyapal Group and Shree Cement Foundation. UNICEF presented field insights to guide collaborative planning, marking a significant stride in Rajasthan’s journey toward a water-secure and climate-resilient future.

दिल्ली से भी भयावह है भिवाड़ी का प्रदूषण संकट लेकिन इस पर कोई बात नहीं करना चाहता

लाल ज़ोन में छोटे शहर बीवाड़ी राष्ट्रीय संकट की स्थानीय तस्वीर है. छोटे औद्योगिक शहर बड़े प्रदूषणकारी बन गए हैं. CPCB निरीक्षण, CAG ऑडिट और संसदीय कमेटी की रिपोर्टें बार-बार बताती हैं कि देशभर में पर्यावरण इंजीनियरों, लैब तकनीशियनों और मॉनिटरिंग सिस्टम की भारी कमी है. 2021 की सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वायरनमेंट (CSE) रिपोर्ट में पाया गया कि 2009 में प्रदूषित घोषित किए गए 88 औद्योगिक क्लस्टरों में से कई में 2018 तक हवा, पानी और मिट्टी का प्रदूषण और बढ़ गया. 33 क्लस्टरों में वायु गुणवत्ता बिगड़ी, जिनमें मथुरा, बुलंदशहर-खुर्जा, मुरादाबाद और तारापुर शामिल हैं. पिछले साल मेघालय के औद्योगिक शहर बर्नीहाट को IQAir रिपोर्ट में दुनिया के सबसे प्रदूषित शहर के रूप में रैंक किया गया था. हरियाणा का धारूहेड़ा भी एक बड़ा दावेदार है.

Nigeria discloses readiness to end open defecation nationwide by 2030

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government towards eradicating open defecation nationwide by 2030 in line with the United Nations Convention. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mahmud Adams Kambari, who represented the Minister, revealed this recently in Abuja during a press briefing with the global theme: Sanitation in a Changing World, We’ll Always Need the Toilet.Geographic Reference Balarabe lamented that 4.2 billion people globally live without safe toilets, while over 45 million Nigerians still practice open defecation, adding that only about 25 per cent of the population has access to safely managed sanitation facilities. He noted that the 2025 WTD theme reflects the growing impacts of climate change, rapid urbanisation and widening inequalities that weaken sanitation systems. The Minister called on sub-nationals to prioritise the provision of toilets and the effective management of waste to enhance environmental health, explaining that lack of toilets and poor waste management contribute significantly to diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid and intestinal worm infections, which continue to claim lives—especially among children below the age of five. Mrs Sushmita of the Centre for Science and Environment, India, pledged the support of their centre to mitigate open defecation and promote environmental sustainability in Nigeria.Waste Management In her welcome address, the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health (PC/EH), Bahijjah Abubakar, who represented the Permanent Secretary, noted that millions globally still lack access to safe toilets, while many continue to practice open defecation. The Permanent Secretary stated that open defecation poses serious health and environmental risks, especially to women, children and other vulnerable groups, as poor sanitation fuels the spread of diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid, which remain major causes of illness and death among children under five. The Registrar of the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), Dr Yakubu Mohammed Baba, in his goodwill message, called for urgent inclusive action on sanitation, stressing that inadequate access to safe toilets remains a major challenge amid climate change, population growth, urbanisation and social inequality. Yakubu maintained that toilets are not ordinary facilities but essential markers of public health, human dignity and social progress. Also, the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Dr Abubakar Ahmed Kende, emphasised the constant necessity of sanitation as a human right despite global challenges and called for urgent action to expand access to safely managed sanitation in a world affected by aging infrastructure, rising demand, climate change and widening inequality. Kende reiterated: “We live in a changing world marked by innovation, migration, economic changes and climate uncertainty. In fact, one thing remains constant—we will always need the toilet for convenience and dignity.”

If Breathing in Delhi is Not a Right, What Does Dignity Even Mean?

The truth, if we follow the historical trail, is that this crisis did not creep up on us. It was engineered through choices. Is Delhi choking because winter arrives? Or because leadership repeatedly chose convenience over caution, industry over health, and spectacle over science? The Centre for Science and Environment has documented this journey in unsettling detail: from the “black smog” of the 1990s to the long battle for clean fuels, to the brief relief brought by the CNG transition, and finally to the slow erosion of every gain as diesel vehicles surged, construction sprawled unchecked and public transport fell behind demand. The city’s air did not become toxic in a single moment; it became toxic through a chain of decisions that consistently placed citizens last. If a citizen cannot breathe safely in the capital city of the world’s largest democracy, what does that say about the state of our democracy itself? This is the question that Delhi forces upon us each winter, when the air turns abrasive and the horizon dissolves into a grainy, toxic blur. We deem this as seasonal, inevitable, and even cultural. But is it natural for a state to allow its citizens to inhale poison? And more importantly, what does it reveal about the place of dignity in India’s constitutional imagination? Our constitution does not treat dignity as a flower-pot decoration. It is embedded in Article 21, consolidated by judgments that ‘the right to life means the right to live in conditions that honour the human spirit’ i.e. the conditions that allow people to grow, work, breathe and aspire without fear. In a growing nation that takes pride in ambition, economic rise, and global visibility, dignity must be understood not as charity but as an entitlement. Yet Delhi’s air tells a different story: a story of how dignity is quietly negotiated away. Why has breathing, an act that precedes every right in a democracy become the first right to be compromised?

NHRC, India organises a National Conference on ‘Ensuring Everyday Essentials: Public Services and Dignity for All' commemorating Human Rights Day

Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment emphasised the importance of right to a clean environment in realising a dignified life.Noting the progress, she called for more innovative, scalable and institutionally supported solutions in the field of sanitation, energy and public health. She urged strengthening public institutions to deliver rights as lived realities rather than policy aspirations. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India organised a National Conference on ‘Ensuring Everyday Essentials: Public Services and Dignity for All’ to commemorate Human Rights Day at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi today. Chairing the inaugural session, NHRC, India Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian said that the Commission has looked at the theme of this year’s Human Rights Day from the perspective of public services in India and the dignity of the citizens. The reason why we chose public services and dignity of the individual as ‘everyday essentials’ is that our country is a welfare State, as seen from the Directive Principles of State Policy.

NHRC, India organises a National Conference on ‘Ensuring Everyday Essentials: Public Services and Dignity for All' commemorating Human Rights Day

Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment emphasised the importance of right to a clean environment in realising a dignified life. Noting the progress, she called for more innovative, scalable and institutionally supported solutions in the field of sanitation, energy and public health. She urged strengthening public institutions to deliver rights as lived realities rather than policy aspirations. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India organised a National Conference on ‘Ensuring Everyday Essentials: Public Services and Dignity for All’ to commemorate Human Rights Day at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi today. Chairing the inaugural session, NHRC, India Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian said that the Commission has looked at the theme of this year’s Human Rights Day from the perspective of public services in India and the dignity of the citizens. The reason why we chose public services and dignity of the individual as ‘everyday essentials’ is that our country is a welfare State, as seen from the Directive Principles of State Policy.

राष्ट्रीय मानव अधिकार आयोग(एनएचआरसी), भारत ने मानवाधिकार दिवस के उपलक्ष्य में ‘दैनिक आवश्यकताओं की सुनिश्चितता: सार्वजनिक सेवाएं और सभी के लिए गरिमा’ विषय पर एक राष्ट्रीय सम्मेलन का आयोजन किया

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने गरिमापूर्ण जीवन सुनिश्चित करने में स्वच्छ पर्यावरण के अधिकार के महत्व पर जोर दिया। प्रगति का उल्लेख करते हुए, उन्होंने स्वच्छता, ऊर्जा और सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य के क्षेत्रों में अधिक नवोन्मेषी, व्यापक और संस्थागत समर्थन वाली समाधान प्रणालियां विकसित करने की आवश्यकता बताई। उन्होंने आग्रह किया कि सार्वजनिक संस्थानों को इस प्रकार मज़बूत किया जाए कि अधिकार सिर्फ नीतिगत आकांक्षाएं न बनें, बल्कि वास्तविक जीवन में अनुभव किए जाने वाले अधिकार हों।

Breathless in India – Transport Emissions central to capital’s toxic air

Breathable air can’t be a luxury for a country aspiring to be an economic superpower. But for the millions of inhabitants of the national capital region (NCR), and several other cities in the country, the toxicity of the air they inhale is something that they feel, experience and is very palpable. They no longer need the daily nuggets of information about the rising Air Quality Index (AQI), the high PM2.5 level to appreciate the severity of the situation. For the record, the NCR and adjoining areas invariably shifts to a spell of “very poor” or “servere” air quality with intermittent falls to the “hazardous” category, ahead of the winter onset. But the fact is during most parts of the year, except for certain short periods of heavy monsoon rains, Delhi’s air remains abysmally poor. The authorities are reportedly going to get another study conducted to determine the relative contribution of various air pollutants, but experts contend instead of a more accurate “source apportionment,” quick, concrete action to curb the quantum of pollutants is what the city needs at this hour. Who is the highest contributor to Delhi’s pollution nightmare? Transport sector’s share in emissions is the highest, and serves as a sort of “critical mass” when it comes to accumulation of air pollutants. A situation similar to what NCR is now witnessing was experienced in Chinese cities like Beijing a couple of decades ago. However, despite China being the world’s largest automobile producer and consumer, it has managed to reverse the air quality deterioration of its cities. Its multi-pronged strategy includes converting coal to gas, achieving high fuel quality, installation of sophisticated terminal treatment facilities, and strict enforcement of emission standards. In contrast, the NCR’s planned transition into cleaner public transport and electric vehicles (EVs) to fight persistent air pollution is making only slow headway. Delays in awarding tenders by the Delhi state government and Convergence Energy Services (CESL), owned by a few power-sector PSUs, have slowed a proposed rollout of the large batch of EVs, sources said. Delay on E-busses and public transport Though the Delhi government’s transport department has finalised plans to procure 5,000 new e-buses, none has hit the roads yet. “Deliveries are now expected to start only by March 2026, and full deployment may take several years”, an official source told FE, on condition of anonymity. The slowdown is despite the fact that the capital urgently needs more buses to ease road congestion and reduce reliance on private cars. According to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSC) study last year, an estimated 1.1 million vehicles enter and exit Delhi daily, worsening the air quality. A high-level task force on air quality has stated that Delhi holds more than half of all vehicles in the NCR and 37% of vehicles in Delhi-NCR still belong to the outdated BS-I to BS-III emission norms. Experts say that replacing the city’s entire existing bus fleet with new electric buses could cut total pollutant emissions by nearly 75%, offering one of Delhi’s most effective tools for reducing ambient pollution levels. The draft Delhi EV Policy 2.0 has laid out even more ambitious goals—95% EV penetration in new registrations by 2027 and 98% by 2030. However, a reality check suggests that Delhi is already struggling. The previous policy, which targeted 25% EV penetration by 2024, achieved only 13–14%, revealing a significant implementation gap. “More worrying is the daily synchronised rise of PM2.5 (particular matter) and other toxic gases of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) largely from vehicles and combustion sources, creating a toxic cocktail that has gone unnoticed,” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, CSE said. “Yet, every winter pollution control efforts is dominated by the dust control measures with feeble action on vehicles, industry, waste and solid fuel burning,” Roychowdhury said while adding that Delhi and NCR cannot hide behind the smokescreen of farm fires any more as even with much lesser contribution to local air quality this time. The environment ministry has acknowledged that stubble burning remains an episodic yet significant contributor to winter pollution in Delhi-NCR, alongside vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, waste burning, construction dust, landfill fires, and weather patterns during early winter months.

बगैर जांच बिगड़ रहा खेती का 'खेल'; पोषक तत्वों की कमी बढ़ा रही लागत, पैदावार में भी गिरावट, पढ़िए कैसे करें मिट्टी का मैनेजमेंट

मिट्टी में आर्गेनिक कार्बन, नाइट्रोजन, फॉस्फोरस की कमी हो गई है. जबकि PH वैल्यू अधिक हो गई है. इससे फसलों की पैदावार गिरने के साथ खेती की लागत भी बढ़ रही है. बेतहाशा रासायनिक उर्वरकों के उपयोग से मिट्टी की सेहत खराब होती जा रही है. सन 1967 में आई फिल्म 'उपकार' का गाना...' मेरे देश की धरती सोना उगले, उगले हीरे मोती...' आज भी लोगों की जुबान है. मगर, इन 58 वर्षों में मिट्टी की सेहत साल दर साल खराब होती गई. क्या है इसके पीछे का कारण?, किस तरह के उपाय करने होंगे?. पढ़िए ईटीवी भारत की रिपोर्ट... साल 2015 में शुरू हुई थी सॉइल हेल्थ कार्ड योजना :केंद्र सरकार ने साल 2015 में देश में सॉइल हेल्थ कार्ड योजना शुरू की थी. इसका मकसद देशभर के किसानों के खेतों की मिट्टी की जांच करना और मिट्टी में कौन से पोषक तत्व कितनी मात्रा में हैं, ये बताना था. इस योजना के तहत किसान जिला स्तर और मंडल स्तर पर भूमि परीक्षण प्रयोगशाला के विशेषज्ञों से मिट्टी की जांच करा सकते हैं. मिट्टी के प्रमुख तत्वों की जांच के लिए एक किसान को महज 33 रुपये देने होते हैं. जबकि, मिट्टी में मौजूद 12 पोषक तत्वों की जांच के लिए 102 रुपये देने होते हैं. जांच में मिट्टी की सेहत खराब निकलने पर इसके लिए उपाय भी सुझाए जाते हैं. 48.5 प्रतिशत मिट्टी में ऑर्गेनिक कार्बन की कमी :नवंबर में सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट ने देशभर में लिए गए मिट्टी जांच के आंकड़ों का विश्लेषण किया. इसकी रिपोर्ट भी जारी की. खुलासा हुआ कि देश की लगभग 64 प्रतिशत मिट्टी में नाइट्रोजन की कमी है. जबकि 48.5 प्रतिशत मिट्टी में ऑर्गेनिक कार्बन बेहद कम है. मतलब मिट्टी में पहले जैसी ताकत नहीं रही है. इससे खेती की लागत बढ़ रही है. मगर, उसके मुकाबले पैदावार घट रही है. ऐसे में एक बड़ा सवाल यह है कि अगर मिट्टी की बीमारी का सही इलाज नहीं हुआ तो हमारी थाली तक अनाज कैसे पहुंचेगा? डीएपी-यूरिया पर जोर, मिट्टी की जांच पर ध्यान कम :आगरा कृषि विज्ञान केंद्र के अध्यक्ष व वरिष्ठ कृषि वैज्ञानिक डॉ. राजेंद्र सिंह बताते हैं कि केवीके पर किसान पौधों के पीलेपन, कम वृद्धि समेत अन्य शिकायत लेकर आते हैं. किसानों से जब पूछा जाता है कि मिट्टी की जांच कराई? तो उनका जवाब न में होता है. वह बस इतना बताते हैं कि बुवाई के समय खूब डीएपी और यूरिया का इस्तेमाल किया गया था. वरिष्ठ कृषि वैज्ञानिक के अनुसार किसान यह भी बताते हैं कि पानी के साथ भी यूरिया छिड़का गया है. इसके बावजूद पौधे सही से वृद्धि नहीं कर रहे हैं. ऐसे में किसानों को सलाह देते हैं कि फसल की बुवाई से पहले मिट्टी की जांच कराएं. मृदा में सूक्ष्म पोषक तत्वों की कमी से पौधा कमजोर रहता है. वृद्धि भी ठीक से नहीं होती है. इससे पैदावार प्रभावित होती है. पहले मिट्टी में जिंक, सल्फर, मैंगनीज, आयरन और कॉपर जैसे सूक्ष्म पोषक तत्वों की कमी नहीं थी. अब मिट्टी में ऐसे सूक्ष्म पोषक तत्वों की कमी अधिक देखने को मिल रही है.

Stubble Burning: पंजाब-हरियाणा में पराली जलाने पर सख्ती... 50 फीसदी मामले कम, देखें रिपोर्ट

Stubble Burning Cases: पंजाब और हरियाणा में पिछले एक साल में पराली जलाने की घटनाओं में 50 फीसदी से ज्यादा की कमी आई है। इसके अलावा पिछले 2 सालों में दोनों राज्यों में पराली जलाने को लेकर 68 करोड़ रुपये का जुर्माना भी लगाया...