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Mumbai civic body allows firecrackers only on Diwali day: Traders upset, activists welcome it

After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday prohibited citizens from bursting firecrackers at public and private places, the Mumbai and Thane districts’ Fireworks Dealers’ Welfare Association has said that the decision would lead to excess inventory and close to 60% interest loss. The ban has been exempted for the main day of Diwali which falls on November 14 (Saturday), when Mumbaiites can burst two variants (sparklers and flower pots) of firecrackers. “Every day we are getting fresh guidelines. This is not how a business can function. It is wrong to take such decisions so close to the festival date,” said Minesh Mehta, secretary of the association, adding, “Considering the Maharashtra government has already urged citizens to celebrate a safe Diwali and reduce the use of firecrackers, there was no need for BMC to implement a separate decision to ban them.” Raju Ghone, a dealer from Kurla, said that the customers who had already purchased firecrackers’ from his shops at south and central Mumbai prior to the BMC’s decision are now coming back to return the fireworks. “There is absolute chaos and confusion in Mumbai after the decision. We are already running on 80% losses this year, and on top of that, buyers who purchased the crackers are returning them and demanding their money back. We are not sure how we’ll manage,” said Ghone. Mehta added that many dealers pay manufacturers for the fireworks at the end of the festive season. “They won’t be able to that now. We’re anticipating that our warehouses won’t be able to hold excess inventory till next year, even as a 60% interest loss cannot be made up for following this ban. We’re also facing added pressure from the manufacturers at Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, as many states have banned crackers this year,” he said. A spokesperson from Essabhai Fireworks Pvt Ltd, the largest firecracker dealer in south Mumbai, said, “60% of our stock only has majorly light emitting (low sound and smoke) crackers. Flower pots and sparklers account for less than 10% of our inventory. So far, we had only three days of good sales and this week we were expecting to see the most sales. But now, we are worried after BMC’s decision.” Meanwhile, citizens are divided over the decision. Girgaum resident Abhinav Bandekar said, “For once, we hope this Diwali would be a quiet one, especially after all the issues Mumbai has already faced this year.” However, Lokhandwala resident K Bharadwaj believes that the BMC must have made the decision earlier. “I had already purchased firecrackers worth ₹10,000 for my children. There should have been prior intimation by BMC on such a decision. This is harassment,” he said. Independent experts said restrictive measures – either a complete ban on crackers or limiting timing for bursting them on Diwali night – were needed to reduce episodic pollution and the chemical loading of the environment. “Mumbai has been in the grip of a serious Covid-19 crisis. Therefore, there is a need to take action to deepen public understanding of the risk. But regulatory action on cultural practices is difficult to enforce as we have seen in the past. Regulations can be effective only through strong public awareness and support. Outreach programmes and medical evidences and advisories are critically important to build support for such measures,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi.

साक्षात्कारः पर्यावरणविद् सुनीता नारायण ने बताये प्रदूषण से निजात के उपाय

धान की कटाई के वक्त पराली और दीवाली के समय पटाखों को पॉल्यूशन का कारण बताकर सारा का सारा ठीकरा फोड़ा जाता है। जबकि, प्रदूषण के कारण कुछ और ही हैं, जिनकी सच्चाई हुकूमतों को पता होती है। लेकिन जानबूझकर इग्नोर किया जाता है। इस वक्त भी पॉल्यूशन से लोग परेशान हैं, कोरोना और पॉल्यूशन के कॉकटेल ने लोगों की मुश्किलें बढ़ाई हुई हैं। दिल्ली सरकार ने पटाखों की ब्रिकी पर बैन किया है। सवाल उठता है कि क्या ये पाल्यूशन का सॉल्यूशन हो सकता है? इस विषय पर सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट की अध्यक्षा सुनीता नारायण से रमेश ठाकुर ने विस्तृत बातचीत की। पेश हैं बातचीत के मुख्य अंश! इसे भी पढ़ें: साक्षात्कार- प्रकृति की ज़रूरतों को हमने पीछे छोड़ दिया हैः जल पुरुष राजेन्द्र सिंह प्रश्न- दशक भर पहले भी पराली जलाई जाती थी और दीपाली पर पटाखे भी फोड़े जाते थे। अचानक ऐसा क्या हुआ कि पॉल्यूशन का कारण इन्हें ही मान लिया? उत्तर- ये हुकूमतों की बनाई मनगढ़ंत कहानियां मात्र हैं। राजधानी सहित कुछ अन्य राज्यों ने पटाखे जलाने पर रोक लगाई है। हालांकि कुछ हद तक सहूलियतें मिल सकती हैं, पर निवारण नहीं? अब सवाल यह है कि प्रदूषण को लेकर सरकारें साल भर क्यों सोती रहती हैं? पॉल्यूशन का सॉल्यूशन चंद दिनों के बैन से निकलेगा? क्या पटाखा ही पॉल्यूशन का असली विलेन है? प्रदूषण फैलाने वाले अन्य यंत्रों पर बैन क्यों नहीं लगाती सरकारें? क्या पॉल्यूशन के बहाने त्योहारों को टार्गेट किया जाता है। पॉल्यूशन पर सख्ती से पॉलिसी बनानी होगी। प्रश्न- पॉल्यूशन पर रोकथाम के लिए ईमानदारी से पहल करनी होगी। जैसे दो वर्ष पूर्व सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने बीएस-3 वाहनों की ब्रिकी पर रोक लगाई थी? उत्तर- कड़ाई से फैसला लेना सरकारों के लिए किसी चुनौती से कम नहीं होगा। गरीब की चिमनियां तोड़ना तो आसान होता है, पर कारख़ानों को बंद करना मुश्किल होता है। पर्यावरण संरक्षण व स्वच्छ आबोहवा के लिए सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने बीएस-3 यानी पुराने वाहनों की ब्रिकी पर तुरंत प्रभाव से रोक लगाकर स्वस्थ समाज को बढ़ावा देने के मकसद से एक मानवीय फैसला लिया था। सरकारें भी ऐसा फैसला ले सकती थीं, पर उन्हें राजस्व व कमीशनखोरी पर पानी फिरने का डर था। पर्यावरण प्रदूषण नियंत्रण प्राधिकरण (ईपीसीए) ने पूरे देश में ज़हरीली हवा से निजात दिलाने के लिए एक समान नियम-फ़ायदों वाला विस्तृत एक्शन प्लान का ड्राफ्ट उच्च न्यायालय को हमने ही सौंपा था। जिस पर अदालत ने ऐतिहासिक फैसला दिया था। प्रश्न- पॉल्यूशन की रोकथाम पर आखिर चूक होती कहां है? उत्तर- देखिए, पॉल्यूशन पर सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने साफ कहा है कि इस समस्या पर नियंत्रण पाना सरकारों की ज़िम्मेदारी है। सरकारों को सुनिश्चित करना होगा कि उनके राज्यों में स्मॉग कैसे कम हो। पॉल्यूशन के मामले में अपराधों की ग्रेडिंग की जरूरत है। इस मामले में 16 नवंबर को अगली सुनवाई होगी। पॉल्यूशन रोकने के लिए केंद्र सरकार अध्यादेश लाई है। अध्यादेश के तहत आयोग बनाने को मंजूरी दी गई है। इस आयोग में केंद्र और अन्य राज्यों के प्रतिनिधि शामिल होंगे। आयोग में एक अध्यक्ष और 17 सदस्य होंगे। आयोग के निर्देश नहीं मानने पर कार्रवाई होगी। 1 करोड़ तक जुर्माना लगाया जा सकता है। 5 साल तक जेल की सजा भी संभव है। प्रश्न- पर्यावरण मुद्दे पर आपकी लड़ाई लंबे समय से चल रही है? उत्तर- प्रदूषण को रोकने के लिए औरों को भी आगे आना चाहिए। सामूहिक चेतना की जरूरत है। सरकारों को पता है कि आसमान में विषैली गैसों का ज़ख़ीरा तैर रहा है। पेट्रोल-डीजल पदार्थों व ऑटो कंपनियों के चलते सड़कों पर बेतहाशा उत्सर्जन हो रहा है, पर नियंत्रण करने के लिए अपनी ओर से कोई प्रयास नहीं किए जाते। सरकारें नियमों का दुरुपयोग नहीं कर सकेंगी। क्योंकि समान नियम-फ़ायदों वाला विस्तृत एक्शन प्लान का ड्राफ्ट हमने पिछले माह छह मार्च 2017 को ही सुप्रीम कोर्ट में जमा करा दिया था। ड्राफ्ट में दिल्ली सरकार, केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) और ईपीसीए के एक्शन प्लान के प्रमुख प्वाइंट को शामिल किया गया है। इस प्लान की एक-एक प्रति दिल्ली, हरियाणा, राजस्थान और उत्तर प्रदेश सरकार को भी भेज दी गई है। प्रश्न- ऑटो ईंधन नीति लागू होने से भी प्रदूषण में सुधार नहीं हुआ? उत्तर- जब पहली बार 2003 में ऑटो ईंधन नीति संबंधी पहली सिफ़ारिशें आईं तो उसमें 2010 तक का रोड मैप शामिल था। पर किसी भी सरकार ने इच्छाशक्ति नहीं दिखाई। ऑटो कंपनियों पर सरकारें त्वरित फैसला करने की बजाय उन पर मेहरबान बनीं रहीं। उस वक्त भी हमने सरकारों से आग्रह किया लेकिन किसी ने भी हमारी बातें नहीं मानीं। इसके बाद हमने दूषित पर्यावरण का हवाला देकर ऑटोमोबाइल कंपनियों से उत्सर्जन युक्त पदार्थों पर रोक की मांग की। उन्होंने भी अनसुना कर दिया। एक कंपनी ने तो हम पर मानहानि का मुकदमा तक कर दिया था। साल 2015 में आई ऑटो ईंधन नीति लागू होने से पहले ही दम तोड़ दिया। दरअसल सरकारें चाहती ही नहीं हैं कि पुराने कंडम वाहन सड़कों से हटें। लेकिन हमारा प्रयास होगा कि 2020 तक भारत बीएस-6 तक पहुंच जाए।

Delhi: Heading for record? 5 severe days in November already

NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded seven ‘severe’ air days in November last year, while just five such days were recorded in November 2018. In November 2017, seven such days were recorded. However, Delhi has already recorded five ‘severe’ days this month and is on course to record a more polluted November than the last three years. Track the pollution level in your city While this spike in air pollution has largely been down to meteorological conditions and a rise in stubble burning cases, Delhi is yet to see the impact of Diwali this year, which will take place on November 14. Experts say while crackers have been banned in the region, violations are still expected. IMD officials say ‘severe’ air may continue for the next two days as well with no significant change in wind speed or temperature expected in the next 48 hours. “Only from November 12 onwards, some improvement is expected but then Diwali is around the corner and conditions may once again worsen,” said a Met official. So far, Delhi is averaging an AQI of 386 this month, with a peak of 477 (severe) recorded on Monday. Last November, Delhi had recorded a peak of 494, however, the capital had also recorded a spell of rain towards the end of the month. This year, Delhi is yet to see a spell of rain since September 8 — causing pollution levels to gradually increase. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), says traditionally, a spike in pollution is seen after Diwali and with severe ‘smog’ conditions already prevailing, the impact of Diwali will be crucial over the next two weeks. “While a ban on firecrackers exists, even some violations will lead to another spike and once again cause air pollution to reach ‘severe’ even if it improves over the next few days,” said Chowdhury. Historical data shows that air quality can remain ‘severe’ for up to two days after Diwali if firecrackers are burst.

Pollution severe for third straight day in Gurugram

Pollution severe for third straight day in Gurugram, Monday Delhi’s worst this year GURUGRAM: City’s air remained in the ‘severe’ category for the third consecutive day on Monday, with the air quality index (AQI) being recorded at 482 owing to the increase in stubble burning incidents and low wind speed. Thick smog was witnessed in the city throughout the day. The AQI was recorded at 439 and 434 on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Three of the four monitoring stations in city — Vikas Sadan, Gwalpahari and Sector 51 — showed the AQI in the ‘severe’ category on Monday, While the data could not be calculated in Teri Gram station. In Sector 51, the AQI was recorded at 500, it was 461 in Gwalpahari and at Vikas Sadan it was 492. The major air pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 also remained high throughout the city. Track the pollution level in your city The official in the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) said that the rise in the air pollution was due to various climatic conditions. “The decrease in temperature with low wind speed and atmospheric pressure has caused the deterioration of air quality in the city,” said Kuldeep Singh, regional officer, HSPCB. “We have intensified our monitoring to check waste burning incidents and other activities which are adding pollutants in the air. All necessary measures, including sprinkling of water, mechanised vacuming are being implemented by the agencies concerned,” Singh added. Meanwhile, Delhi recorded seven ‘severe’ air days in November last year, while just five such days were recorded in November 2018. In November 2017, seven such days were recorded. However, Delhi has already recorded five ‘severe’ days this month and is on course to record a more polluted November than the last three years. While this spike in air pollution has largely been down to meteorological conditions and a rise in stubble burning cases, Delhi is yet to see the impact of Diwali this year, which will take place on November 14. Experts say while firecrackers have now been banned in the region, violations are still expected. IMD officials say ‘severe’ air may continue for the next two days as well with no significant change in wind speed or temperature expected in the next 48 hours. “Only from November 12 onwards, some improvement is expected but then Diwali is around the corner and conditions may once again worsen,” said a Met official. So far, Delhi is averaging an AQI of 386 this month, with a peak of 477 (severe) recorded on Monday. Last November, Delhi had recorded a peak of 494, however, the capital had also recorded a spell of rain towards the end of the month. This year, Delhi is yet to see a spell of rain since September 8 – causing pollution levels to gradually increase. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), says traditionally, a spike in pollution is seen after Diwali and with severe ‘smog’ conditions already prevailing, the impact of Diwali will be crucial over the next two weeks. “While a ban on firecrackers exists, even some violations will lead to another spike and once again cause air pollution to reach ‘severe’ even if it improves over the next few days,” said Chowdhury. Historical data shows air quality can remain ‘severe’ for up to two days after Diwali if firecrackers are burst.

Stop outdoor activities, exercises, say experts as air quality worsens

Noida: Suspend your daily outdoor activities, especially during the mornings, suggest experts, as the high pollution levels in Noida and adjoining areas make even healthy persons vulnerable to heart and lung ailments. As the air quality levels of Noida, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida oscillated between the bookends of the “severe” category for the past three days, and in the higher end of the “very poor” category before that, experts say the air is unfit for any kind of outdoor activity, especially those that lead to physical exertion such as jogging, brisk walking or cycling. “All outdoor activities which increase breathing rate, be it jogging, running, walking or cycling, must be immediately stopped. On an average a person takes 16 to 17 breaths per minute but while exercising, this increases to 50 to 60 breaths per minute. This, in the current air quality, increases the intake of toxins by at least two to three times, which can weaken organs. In the current scenario, inhaling two to three times more toxins is equal to smoking 20 cigarettes a day,” said Dr Arvind Kumar, founder Lung Care Foundation and head of the chest surgery at Sir Gangaram Hospital, Delhi. He added that symptoms like heavy breathing, choking sensations, dry cough, itchy nose, itchy eyes are the early symptoms showing that pollution is taking a toll on health and weakening the lungs and heart. “If exposed to polluted air for a few days, these symptoms are temporary. On prolonged exposure, though, such symptoms become long term and in many cases, permanent. We who live in the National Capital Region are anyways exposed to at least four months of bad air quality,” he said, adding that precautions such as staying indoors and wearing N95 masks should be taken. According to data obtained from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), pollutants particulate matter (PM)2.5 and PM10 in Noida and Greater Noida have been six to ten times higher than the permissible limits, hovering around 400 and 620 microgrammes per cubic metres (µg/m3), since Thursday. The permissible limit for PM2.5 is µg/m3 and for PM10 it is 60µg/m3. However, experts suggest that pollutants in the region, especially the annual average PM2.5 – the aerosols that mix with the bloodstream through lungs – are 143 µg/m3 over three times the national standard. “The pollutants are at severe levels at present, which means that they can affect even healthy people. Even “moderate” air quality affects people with asthma and lung-related issues and by the time air quality becomes “very poor”, the risks of respiratory illnesses increases. That’s why it is important to avoid prolonged exposure to polluted air,” said Shambahvi Shukla, program officer, air pollution at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Meanwhile, a cyclists’ and jogger’s group in the city said that they feel the pollution taking a toll on their efficiency and health, prompting them to suspend their morning runs and long cycling trails.

MPCB report out: Did Mumbai really breathe easy in 2019-20?

The concentration of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and respirable suspended particulate matter (PM10) in 2019-20 was the lowest in 11 years, an annual report by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has revealed. According to the Air Quality Status Report 2019-20, PM10 concentration fell from 178 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) in 2009-10 to 121 µg/m3 in 2017-18, 129 µg/m3 in 2018-19, and 95 µg/m3 in 2019-20. Likewise, NOx levels fell from 99 µg/m3 in 2009-10 to 75 µg/m3 in 2018-19 and 47 µg/m3 in 2019-20. The report has revealed that Mumbai’s NOx levels declined by 37%, while the PM10 level dropped by 26% from last year. Meanwhile, PM2.5 levels – tiny pollutant particles of 2.5 micron size that are most dangerous – were below permissible limits across all the 11 real-time ambient air quality monitoring stations in Mumbai in 2019-20. The annual sulphur dioxide (SO2) concentration in the city ranged within 7 µg/m3 and 16 µg/m3, far below the annual limit of 50 µg/m3. PM10 pollutants, which are solid and liquid particles, pose a great risk to human health as they can enter deep into the lungs during respiration and some may even reach the bloodstream. NOx pollutants, which are majorly caused due to vehicular emissions, lead to reduced lung function and oxygenation of body tissues. “With the focus being laid on tighter emission norms, enhanced monitoring, on-ground implementation of directions issued by MPCB, adherence to directives under the action plan, and several awareness programmes focused towards achieving clean air, Mumbai has managed to address specific emission sources that led to a decline in PM,” said VM Motghare, joint director (air quality), MPCB. “However, a lot more needs to be done to bring the levels below safe limits and the recent funds sanctioned by the Centre (₹244 crore) will help in achieving this.” Though the year-on-year air quality trends have shown positive trends in PM10 and NOx levels for the entire city, location specific levels across 11 stations in Mumbai revealed that PM10 pollutant levels were above permissible limits in 2019-20 in every station, while nine stations had unsafe limits for NOx. The area around the international airport in Sahar, Andheri, had the worst NOx concentration (87 µg/m3) across Maharashtra, followed by Sion and Kurla at 79 µg/m3 and 76 µg/m3 respectively. “Necessary steps, especially towards curbing vehicular emissions, are being undertaken to mitigate the issue of NOx pollution,” said Motghare. For PM10, highest levels were recorded at Kurla (140 µg/m3) followed by Sion (117 µg/m3), Sahar (116 µg/m3), and Mulund (103 µg/m3). The remaining stations recorded concentration in the range of 64 µg/m3 and 98 µg/m3. The safe limit for PM10 is 60 µg/m3. In Mumbai, all observations were made from April 2019 to March 2020 where MPCB analysed the air quality index (AQI) range for the period for 11 monitoring stations. MPCB categorises AQI levels in the 0-50 range as good; 51-100 as satisfactory; 101-200 as moderate; 201- 300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe. Overall areas around Kurla, Sion, the airport, Bandra and Sion were most polluted in 2019-20. Very poor AQI was observed only at Bandra (one day) and Sion (six days) during 2019-20. Poor AQI was reported for most observations at Kurla (19%), followed by airport area (14%) and Sion (13%). Moderate AQI was observed at Kurla and Mulund for more than 50% observations, while Powai, Sion and Vile Parle recorded around 30% observations. Worli and Colaba recorded 35% moderate AQI observations. Good AQI was recorded for only 21% of total observations in Mumbai with maximum good air days at Borivli (43%) and minimum at Kurla (3.8%). Independent experts who studied the report said that the analysis indicated that Mumbai still needed stringent action to control NOx and PM, and bring them to safe annual average limits. “Overall, the pollution curve peaks during November to February when the monthly averages of PM and NOx levels go above the indicative annual standards,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi.

Ramky Enviro partners with GHMC to launch construction & demolition waste recycling plant in Hyderabad

amky Enviro Engineers and GHMC have launched a construction & demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant in Jeedimetla, Hyderabad. The Jeedimetla plant is another step in the company’s efforts to help address the low C&D waste recycling rate of the country. The Jeedimetla C&D waste recycling plant is a state-of-the-art processing facility fully equipped to handle the collection, transportation, processing and management of C&D waste generated in and around Hyderabad. The plant has the capacity to process up to 500 tonnes of C&D waste for recycling per day. The plant will operate under a public-private partnership model. The inauguration was presided over by KT Rama Rao (Hon’ble Minister for MA&UD, Industries, and IT & C). Also present were Dr Bonthu Rammohan H.W.Mayor, Hyderabad; Chamakura Malla Reddy (Hon’ble Minister for Labour & Employment, Factories); Sunkari Raju (Hon’ble Member of Legislative Council); P Mahender Reddy (Hon’ble Member of Legislative Council); KP Vivekananda (Hon’ble MLA, Quthbullapur Assembly Constituency); and Manthri Satyanarayana (Hon’ble Corporator, Suraram, Ward No. 129). Goutham Reddy, MD & CEO, Ramky Enviro Engineers, said: “This new C&D plant, equipped with a processing capacity to handle up to 500 tonnes of waste, will help the city build up its waste recycling capabilities to address the long-standing issue of construction debris dumping on roadsides, open plots, and other places. While it will be a relief to the city which will clear lot of road side heaps and heaps in parks and open places in the city, it is able to recycle and recover more than 90% of the materials collected. We at Ramky Enviro are proud to partner with GHMC in inaugurating this plant for the city of Hyderabad” Recent research by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reveals that India only manages to recover and recycle about 1% of its C&D waste. “To improve C&D waste recycling and management in India, our country and its cities will need many more such facilities. Ramky Enviro is committed to working with our partners and the authorities to launch similar plants across the country with the aligned objective of building a clean and green environment with high standards of liveability for generations to come,” Reddy added.

Pollution is an airshed issue and govts’ inability to work together stalls action

SC panel EPCA’s long stint, with Sunita Narain and Bhure Lal at helm, has come to an end with the constitution of a commission for air quality management in NCR. Jasjeev Gandhiok & Priyangi Agarwal speak to them about what was achieved in 22 years, inadequacies of the system and what remains to be done So, India’s air is filthy, says Donald Trump, and our hackles go up? Earlier, airlines have cancelled flights to Delhi because of the smog. Years later, nothing much has changed. Do you think we are condemned to live with this? SN It is a bit unfair to say that. Overall, there is a sense of despair all around and we are a highly cynical people, but I think things have changed. We need to be clear that we are taking steps to clean up our air. That is more than I can say for Mr Trump, whose country’s emissions have actually increased in the past few years. The 2019 greenhouse gas emissions of the US are higher than they were in 2016. The US is not going to meet even its extremely meagre commitments under the Paris Accord. So, let’s not allow Mr Trump to determine how good or bad we are because it’s like the pot calling the kettle black. The air pollution agenda has moved ahead in three ways. Firstly, now we have huge public anguish about air pollution. Bhure Lal ji and I have struggled to make pollution a big issue as it was not central to policy or politics or in the minds of people. Today, there is anguish all around that there is pollution and that is pushing policy and politics. Secondly, through our efforts and efforts of the governments, there has been huge work to build a public information system on air quality in the region. We have a very dense network of monitors and we have built a health index so that you know and I know what’s the quality of air and how it impacts your health. Thirdly, a lot of efforts have been made over the past few years which I believe are beginning to show up other than in those two critical months whether it is BS VI fuel, bypasses or the RFID system. The moot point is, we need far more drastic action if we want clean air. You speak of the need for drastic action. What is required to bring about a change in the long term? SN You cannot deal with air pollution through knee-jerk and short-term measures. There is a difference between the two existing instruments of policy. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is an emergency action plan. If there is fire, you do not talk about building a new fire station. You put out the fire. Then there is the Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP). Why did we see clean air during the lockdown? Because two critical sources of air pollution vanished – vehicles went off the road and no trucks were entering the city. Second, no industrial combustion was taking place. We still had dust, we still had garbage burning. If you are looking at an action plan for the future, then two big steps need to be taken. We have to get rid of pet coke and furnace oil in the region but it gets replaced by coal. In Delhi, coal has been banned but it is being used illegally in many areas. So, the biggest challenge today is to usher in the next CNG revolution. If you remember, EPCA started its journey by asking for a transformation in the fuel use in vehicles. We called it a leapfrog. We said, don’t just clean up diesel but move to CNG. We believe very strongly that we need a similar gas revolution in all of NCR, where natural gas or electricity must replace coal. You also need to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

Crackers banned: Now over to enforcement

Bursting and selling crackers this season could attract a fine of up to R1 lakh, Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said on Friday, a day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a bid to check the rising pollution levels, announced a complete ban on the sale and use of fireworks, including “green varieties”, in the capital till November 30. The ban comes into force Friday midnight. Rai said people caught selling or bursting crackers could be slapped with a fine up to R1 lakh under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act (1981). “Prosecutions will be made under the Air Act, which has a provision to fines going as high as R1 lakh. The amount of fine will depend on the scale of the violation,” Rai said. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Friday issued a detailed set of directions all the district magistrates and Delhi police, asking them to enforce the ban strictly. “The ban would be implemented from Friday midnight. We have asked the enforcement agencies to submit a daily action taken report. We will be monitoring the situation closely,” said a senior DPCC official. Pollution caused by firecrackers is a huge problem every winter, aggravating the quality of air already affected by other factors such as stubble burning, local emission, falling wind speed, weather conditions, etc. The environment minister will convene a meeting with representatives from the environment department, DPCC, divisional commissioners and Delhi Police on Monday to chalk out a detailed action plan. The enforcement teams said they were prepared to enforce the government order. Devesh Srivastava, joint commissioner of police (southern range), said special teams had already been constituted at police station and district levels to implement the earlier rule of allowing only green firecrackers (less-polluting varieties). “We had special teams of special staff and district vigilance to deal with the problem, but now that we have heard of a complete ban, we’ll have to go even further,” Srivastava said. A meeting of top police officers is likely soon to chart out the course of action. The officer said since it will be a challenge to enforce the ban in the city’s bylanes, meetings will be arranged with resident welfare associations and market bodies in each area to ensure individuals do not burst firecrackers. “We are activating our eyes and ears scheme particularly for this purpose so that a check can be kept on individuals as well, not just the sellers,” Srivastava said. Police said they will focus on the 167 shops that were granted temporary licences to sell green firecrackers before the ban was announced, to ensure the stock procured by them is not sold illegally. “While we were already out in the field to prevent the sale and purchase of illegal firecrackers, now we’ll push out our special teams a week prior to Diwali when people are actually seen lighting firecrackers,” said Srivastava. The police are relying on neighbours to tip off about individuals flouting the rules. Experts agreed that implementation of a ban of such a large scale would require public participation and awareness campaigns. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said the Supreme Court had banned the sale of traditional firecrackers in 2017, but the stock is still being sold illegally and its proof can be heard around neighbourhoods. “Enforcement is not easy when you have to track every bylane and neighbourhood. Getting crackers across the borders is easy. Effective implementation of the ban will only happen if people participate,” Roychowdhury said. The police said that to prevent people buying crackers from neighbouring cities such as Ghaziabad and Noida, they will intensify random checks at border points. Haryana has also announced a complete ban on the sale of firecrackers.

Here's Why India's Air Quality May Fuel COVID-19 Cases

As a thick quilt of smog wraps itself around India, signaling the start of the fall pollution season, experts warn that the worsening air quality could make the country’s COVID-19 problems even worse. One of the most common symptoms of severe coronavirus cases is breathing difficulty. And doctors are of the belief that if the ambient air suddenly becomes more toxic, as it does every year around this time in northern India, then more people who become infected by the virus might end up on hospital beds. Air pollution inflicts a massive toll on the Indian economy. Its scale, complexity and urgency necessitate a strong, coherent, and coordinated fiscal response by the government. However, recent relief and stimulus spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the Indian economy and led to a massive spike in public debt. With limited room available for fiscal manoeuvre, the Indian government faces the colossal challenge of funding procedures to improve air quality. “Air pollution increases the risk of non-communicable diseases—the same underlying conditions that make people more likely to experience severe illness or death from COVID-19,” said epidemiologist Sumi Mehta from the global non-profit Vital Strategies told AFP in an interview with Daily Sabah. India is now struggling with two major health challenges that are both mugging the respiratory system and peaking at the same time. The coronavirus cases are spreading far and wide, putting India on the pathway to have the main accounted virus caseload in the impending weeks. “There are serious worries that during winter when higher air pollution levels, in any case, worsens respiratory illness and increases hospitalization, the vulnerability to COVID-19 may be further enhanced,” added Anumita Roy Chowdhury of the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment said in a statement made to the Daily Sabah channel. The chief medical officer of Gurugram city near New Delhi, Virender Yadav, told the channel some recovering COVID-19 patients were experiencing a reoccurrence of respiratory conditions prompted by the heightened air pollution. There are various policies and programs that have been implemented in India to address the issue of air pollution. Like any other policy measure, the success and efficacy of these programs has been contingent upon collaboration and coordination across various stakeholders. One of the most recent policies launched to tackle air pollution is the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched in early 2019. The NCAP calls on 122 cities across India to develop city-level Clean Air Plans to implement mitigation strategies for ambient PM concentrations. In the background is India’s worrisome air pollution, which shoots up in the fall and winter. The rapid economic growth of the past two decades and along with it, increased urbanization and overcrowding has left India dreadfully polluted. This time last year, India was habitat to 14 of the 20 cities with the most dangerous air worldwide, and health experts have detailed how such conditions can lead to brain damage, respiratory problems, and early death. Far from passing its COVID-19 peak, India is creeping toward one of the worst phases of the ongoing pandemic. The smog’s return in the winter, a festival season with no mob management, and approaching political campaigns marked by large election rallies all pose an acid test for India. The upcoming months will determine if the nation finally shifts on the way to normalcy, or sees an additional spike that pushes it past the US as the nation with the most cases of coronavirus.

Public transport, power plant norms key to panel’s success, say experts

New Delhi: Experts on Friday welcomed the appointment of members of the newly formed Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR by the Centre on Friday and said that the body needed to look into strengthening the pollution control boards and work on a number of key sectoral issues, including scaling up of public transport and implementing norms for power plants. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment, said, “Setting up of the commission shows the intent of the government to give the issue of pollution the attention it deserves. This is the right time and opportunity to dive deep and take action in several sectors.” “The priority areas include implementation of power plant standards and access to reliable electricity, affordable clean fuels, scaling up of public transport, municipal infrastructure for waste management and elimination of solid fuels in households and open eateries. This will have to be achieved on a regional scale, which will require a strong compliance framework,” Roy Chowdhury added. Karthik Ganesan, fellow at Council on Energy, Environment and Water, said, “Delhi Pollution Control Committee and state pollution control boards need to be given a free hand to build scientific and human resource capacity to ensure compliance from large emitters. The commission must find a way of coordinating across multiple agencies responsible for acting against polluting activities, direct staff and provide necessary financial resources.” Environment minister Gopal Rai asked for stubble burning to be made a priority issue and consider using the biodecomposer solution developed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Delhi’s neighbouring states.

Film reviews: Movies with Sophia Loren, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane and eco-activists new and old

One good thing the COVID-19 drag on the movie houses has done is let small films get some attention. I deal with several like that today, some of them Canadian or made in Canada. But I start with the one big title of the week and the return of an iconic Italian. LET HIM GO: This week, in particular, you might be in the mood for a nostalgic movie about the American experience as it used to be. This one will do, and it’s in theatres. It’s a western of sorts, set in the 1950s or early ’60s (judging by the cars). You see plenty of big sky country and an actor who feels right at home there. Kevin Costner plays a retired sheriff, with another familiar movie star, Diane Lane, as his wife. (They played Superman’s parents in a couple of movies.) Here they lose a son in a riding accident and a daughter-in-law and grandson to a quick marriage to a sketchy and abusive guy from another state, then set out on a road trip to find them. All of this setup is so rushed, it’s hard to connect to it. But it’s easy to understand the urge of a grandmother to want to see her grandson. And to cringe at what they find. Courtesy of Focus Features Chief amid all that is Lesley Manville as the overbearing matriarch of a scary ranchland family. They are feared, though why isn’t clear. Hardly matters. Violent people acting crazy out there on the prairie are common in films like this. You don’t need to explain them. The film spends most of its time finding them, a good stretch building tension and anxiety, and then a quick, fiery and bloody denouement. It’s a common movie outcome, arrived at with a loping pace but a single-minded narrative force. A secondary character adds a brief sub-plot. He says he’s a victim of residential schools designed to drive “the Indian” out of him. The film, set in Montana and one of the Dakotas, but filmed in Alberta, is strong on atmosphere and traditional values, like family and sacrifice, but shaky in the storytelling. (International Village, Marine Gateway and suburban theatres) 3 out of 5 THE LIFE AHEAD: What a welcome return. Sophia Loren hasn’t been in a movie for 10 years. Her son, director Edoardo Ponti, has brought her back and has drawn an exceptional performance out of her. It is understated, though the backstory is bleak. In the film, she’s a Holocaust survivor but doesn’t talk about it. She prefers to show her survival instincts, which had her work as a prostitute for years, and she now helps other sex workers by running a sort of daycare for their children. It’s from a Romain Gary novel that was filmed 23 years ago as Madame Rosa and went on to win an Academy Award.

KTR inaugurates first ever construction & demolition waste management plant

In the nation, recycling has been instrumental for a larger extent. The latest findings of a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) put forth that India monitors to recover and recycle only about one per cent of its construction and demolition (C&D) waste that remains littered in landfills or in the soil. KTR, minister of IT, industries, MA and UD Telangana has took a path breaking decision to encourage Hyderabad’s first construction & demolition waste management plant at Jeedimetla. The response comes after Construction and Demolition Waste Rules and Regulations of 2016, and even the Swachh Bharat Mission have urged the utilization of recycled material in August post CSE’s findings. KTR took to Twitter, to announce about the inauguration ceremony today morning. The post read, ”Will be inaugurating Hyderabad’s first construction & demolition waste mgmt plant at Jeedimetla. One more plant at Fathulguda coming up Plant has been developed in PPP mode to recycle the waste & create tiles/bricks, road metal, coarse sand to reuse in pavements, construction etc”, (Sic). The plant has a recycling capacity of 500 tonnes per day. It’s a ground breaking initiative by Telangana and also second largest plant in India. Minister CH Mallareddy, Mayor Bonthu Rammohan, MLC Raju Shambipur among others graced the ocassion.

Residents, experts welcome firecracker ban in Delhi; traders complain

On a day when Delhi’s air quality took a nosedive to reach severe levels, the Delhi government’s announcement to ban firecrackers came as a whiff of fresh air for residents. Environment experts also welcomed the move, saying this was the only way to prevent an impending air emergency ahead of Diwali. Menaka Ray, general secretary of South Delhi Residents’ Welfare Committee, said 53 parents of children below the age of 5 years had sent out a joint petition to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to take action against cracker bursting ahead of Diwali this year. She said the move has come as a relief to all those parents and many others. “My daughter was born with asthma and every year days before Diwali her condition worsens. Many parents like me are thankful for this move,” said Ray. Kejriwal on Thursday said the decision to ban firecrackers was taken after assessing the Covid-19 situation, which was made worse by pollution. Environment experts said while this ban shows intent on the part of the government, successful implementation can only happen with the participation of people. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said: “We need to be much more aggressive to control pollution. When you introduce such a ban, enforcement becomes tricky. People’s participation is of utmost importance now,” she said. TRADERS UPSET But the news came as a shocker to cracker traders, who had already procured licences and had stocked up on permitted ‘green crackers’. “How can the government announce a blanket ban on all firecrackers with no warning? We had invested lakhs and now we are just left to fend for ourselves?” Tushar Ramdas, a wholesale trader said. Many saw this as a rerun of the 2018 ban by the Supreme Court, which had left hundreds of traders in the lurch. “Many traders sell their wives’ jewellery and take shops on rent. How will these people survive now?” said Hardayal Singh from the Rajouri Garden cracker market association. Senior officials said all 93 licences issued by the department for sale of green crackers are now cancelled. ENFORCEMENT A senior Delhi Pollution Control Committee official said implementation of the ban will begin. Delhi Police said they are awaiting for orders. Last year, police had arrested 261 people for selling or bursting illegal firecrackers on or ahead of Diwali and had registered 433 FIRs. They had seized 9,758 kilos of illegal firecrackers. Most of these FIRs and arrests had happened on Diwali night.

Delhi air enters ominous ‘severe’ zone; local factors, stubble play crucial role

Local pollutants, weather factors, and a season-high contribution of stubble fire to the city’s air together pushed pollution in the national capital to the ‘severe’ throughout Thursday, with some areas perilously close to the 500-mark — the highest level on the air quality index (AQI) scale. In some areas, the levels of major pollutants exceeded the accepted safe-limit by eight or nine times. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed that as Delhi collectively gasped for breath on Thursday, pollution levels in areas such as Anand Vihar, Mundka, Bawana, Narela, Vivek Vihar, Jahangirpuri and Dwarka spiralled out of control. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that while weather did play a spoiler for Delhi, local pollution sources also acted up. In a meeting with the CPCB taskforce the IMD said that the primary pollutant in Delhi’s air on Thursday was PM10 (coarse particulate matter), which is primarily dust. Stubble fires also contributed to 42% — the highest so far this season — of Delhi’s PM 2.5 load on Thursday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar) under Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. At 7am on Thursday, when the city’s hourly average AQI was moving upwards from 450, pollution levels in Anand Vihar and Narela were above 480. Bawana, Vivek Vihar and Dwarka were also quick to join the list with their hourly average AQI reading settling at 492, 488 and 482 respectively. In Anand Vihar, which is surrounded by two major inter-state bus terminals, the levels of PM 2.5 (ultrafine particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 micrometres) started climbing during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. At midnight on Wednesday, the PM2.5 level in Anand Vihar was 507ug/m3, and though it consistently reduced through the night, it remained above the 300-mark. At 7am on Thursday, the levels were 385ug/m3. In west Delhi’s Mundka, the situation was no better. As winds calmed on Wednesday, the PM 2.5 levels around the area spiked to touch 567ug/m3 at 11pm on Wednesday. Data maintained by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (Dpcc) shows that at 7am on Thursday, the PM 2.5 levels in Mundka were recorded 416ug/m3, as against the acceptable standards of 60ug/m3. Shops owners around Mundka Metro station said the area was covered in a blanket of haze throughout Thursday. Despite the visible deterioration in air quality, industrial activities, private constructions and garbage-burning continued unabated, residents said. “It was like a scene from a Hollywood movie set in a post-apocalyptic world. The government claims that they are conducting high-level meetings to control pollution in Delhi, while all they need to do is fix the basics. The road here is broken, which means that any vehicle crossing from here pushes a cloud of dust all over. There is no check on industrial activities and open burning. Garbage is not picked up roadsides for days together and once or twice a fortnight, someone sets it on fire,” said RP Yadav, a businessman in Mundka. In residential areas such as Dwarka, dust became a primary contributor in Thursday’s pollution. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee’s monitoring station in Dwarka’s Sector 8 recorded a peak PM10 level of 902ug/m3 at 6pm, which dropped marginally, but remained above 800ug/m3 as of 9pm. In India, the acceptable standards for PM10 are 100ug/m3. In south Delhi’s RK Puram, the PM10 level saw a sudden spike after 4pm. Data shows that from 257ug/m3 at 4pm, the levels consistently rose to reach 659ug/m3 at 9pm. While locals in all of these areas complained of insufficient pollution measures by government agencies in these areas, enforcement teams continued to repeat their claims that action was being taken across the city to reduce pollution levels The latest action taken-report submitted by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation shows that the agency has deployed 134 water sprinklers in their jurisdiction to keep dust levels in check. Jai Prakash, north Delhi mayor said, “Sprinkling was done twice on Thursday, keeping in mind the high pollution levels. Apart from this, 48 vigilance teams were also put into action to check for violations. From October 29 to November 3, we have issued 113 challans amounting to around R17 lakhs.” Experts said since weather conditions become unfavourable during winters, it becomes imperative that enforcement be made effective. “In Delhi, even though we have bent the annual pollution curve, we still have to reduce levels of bad air by 60% to meet the clean air standards for PM2.5. So, if you are still so high above the acceptable mark and you also have the unfavourable winter conditions, action needs to be stepped up,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).