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Cse In News

Delhi air was dirtier this October than in 2019

NEW DELHI: Delhi saw worse air pollution this October than in the same month in 2019, despite Diwali falling in October last year, CPCB data shows. Delhi averaged an AQI of 265 (poor) in October this year as compared to 234 last October. Track the pollution level in your city This despite air quality having fallen to “severe” on the final couple of days of October last year, following Diwali celebrations on the 27th. This October, the AQI did not touch severe levels but pollution was high due to meteorological factors and a sharp increase in farm fires in Punjab. November pain could be sharper October 2020 has, however, fared marginally better than October 2018, which had an average AQI of 269, data shows. Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at India Meteorological Department (IMD) and head, Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said, “Though the monsoon withdrawal happened on September 30 this year, Delhi did not receive rainfall since September 8. In 2019, the capital received moderate showers of 47.3 mm on October 4 and trace rainfall on October 1, while there was extended monsoon till October 10 last year.” “Moderate to high rainfall helps in settling down pollutants while light rain could make air quality worse,” Srivastava said. He added that calm winds prevailed during most of the nights in October this year impacting dispersion of pollutants while wind speed was nil in the third week of the month in 2019. While October 2017 had the highest average AQI amongst the four years, Delhi only had half the number of stations then (17) than it does now (36), while Diwali had also come much earlier that year (October 19). Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “Stubble burning started earlier this year and its contribution to Delhi’s PM2.5 was substantially high on a few days. Last year, the air quality deteriorated during Diwali time but AQI was affected this October due to stubble burning and winter conditions.”

On Nov. 6, check out young Sudbury climate activist Sophia Mathur in 'The Nature of Things' season premiere

Sophia Mathur, the young Sudbury teen who brought the Fridays for Future movement to Greater Sudbury, will be featured in the premiere of the 60th season of CBC television’s The Nature of Things Nov. 6. In 2018, she began spending one Friday a month away from the classroom to lead public protests in solidarity with Swedish teenager and climate activist, Greta Thunberg. Thunberg was nominated last year for a Nobel Peace Prize for creating the Fridays For Future (FFF) movement. Mathur was one of the first youth to join FFF international and soon after established Fridays For Future Sudbury (FFFS). To launch the 60th season of CBC’s The Nature of Things, host David Suzuki goes to the front lines of the climate rebellion, and into the streets that raged with protests this summer, to paint a vivid portrait of a generation in revolt. “Rebellion,” the exciting new documentary from producers/directors Mark and Caitlin Starowicz, premieres Friday, November 6 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service. In Rebellion, Suzuki profiles activists in the revolt, from Greta Thunberg with her Fridays for Future strikes, to Gail Bradbrook of the Extinction Rebellion movement that has seized headlines with their dramatic actions. Rebellion also features interviews with leading figures in the climate crisis, including Sir David Attenborough, known the world over for his brilliant nature documentaries and now his passionate call for governments to wake up to the climate catastrophe. “Suddenly people are hearing,” Attenborough tells Suzuki. “And suddenly young people, particularly, are saying it out loud, and they’re saying to the older generation, which I guess contains us both: How could you let this happen? You knew about it, how could you let this happen?” Audiences will hear from veteran activists and new ones: actor Jane Fonda rallying in front of the Capitol in Washington; Varshini Prakash of Sunrise Movement that has had a major impact on the US election; legendary climate activist Bill McKibben of 350.org, as he dramatically leads an occupation of the Chase Bank; and leading activists in India, like Bhavreen Kandhari and her “army” of children, as well as acclaimed climate scientist Sunita Narain, who takes aim at the US and Canada for their “massive carbon footprint.” “Rebellion” is an action-filled documentary that captures the beginnings of a movement that is changing the world. Directed and produced by the family documentary team of Mark Starowicz and Caitlin Starowicz (She Walks with Apes, Mommy Wildest). Suzuki brings a wealth of personal experience to this story, as his daughter, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, was the first young person to gain worldwide notoriety when she issued a plea for action on climate change in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. In Rebellion, Cullis-Suzuki reflects on the differences between activism then and now, noting that her generation did not have the benefit of social media and speaking positively about how much today’s school kids have accomplished. Even as the coronavirus kept activists indoors, they kept up their campaigns on social media. Then, as calls for racial justice began to receive increasing support across the U.S. and globally, bringing tens of thousands on to the streets around the world, the calls for climate justice merged with that movement, and the protests continue to this day. For civil rights leader and activist, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, climate protest and the fight for racial justice are intertwined. “This movement is now beginning to understand what it means to take care of humanity,” he says in Rebellion. “It’s a time to care about our brothers and sisters here on this planet.” “Rebellion” sets the stage for what might come next: “Young people are driving this,” says Suzuki, “and it’s about their very survival in the future.” “This was an extraordinary journey for us,” says co-director Mark Starowicz, “I think this is a generational tipping point – the world is changing.” “The sense of energy and passion we saw was overwhelming,” says co-director Caitlin Starowicz, “we were on the front lines of fundamental social change.”

Delhi briefly bans some construction to reduce deadly pollution

India's federal pollution control board has temporarily banned some construction activity in New Delhi and called for stringent measures to stop farm fires causing air quality to plummet and leaving a toxic haze. The Indian capital has been facing one of the worst spells of air pollution in years, which doctors and environmentalists say is worsening the health effects of a third wave of coronavirus infections. Delhi's air quality index was "very poor" at 334 on a scale of 500 on Wednesday. That was an improvement from severe conditions in the past three days after wind picked up and dispersed pollutants. But air quality is forecast to deteriorate closer to the Hindu festival Diwali this weekend, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said in a notice. The CPCB ordered a shutdown of asphalt mixing plants and stone crushers until Nov. 17 in the capital and satellite cities, and told city authorities to ensure stricter enforcement of dust control at all construction sites and penalize violators. Other measures included stepping up mechanized cleaning of roads and checks on rubbish burning. Beyond the capital itself, the pollution board ordered the state governments of nearby Punjab and Haryana to take "immediate stringent actions" to curb stubble burning, which has been a major source of air pollution this season. "These are temporary measures where the big challenge would be enforcement," said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, an executive director of research and advocacy at the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. "But, the awareness level among people needs to go up dramatically this year because of COVID-19." On Monday, India's main environment court, the National Green Tribunal, forbid the sale and use of firecrackers, a traditional part of Diwali celebrations.

Enough laws to tackle pollution, political will lacking: experts

In 1985, social activist and lawyer M C Mehta filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking the closure of Shriram Industries, operating in a dense area of Delhi. MC Mehta vs Union of India would go on to become a landmark environmental case and, over the coming decades, the basis for a slew of orders to check air and water pollution – including the setting up of the EPCA or the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority for the National Capital Region of Delhi. With the Centre now bringing in a new ordinance for the setting up of a Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas, a body that will see the EPCA getting dissolved, Mehta says the battle against air pollution lacks not laws or committees, but political will. “The problem is of lobbies such as the vehicular lobby… If it weren’t for the intervention of the courts, very little would have got done,’’ says Mehta, adding the Commission’s composition of primarily government officials – from the Centre and states – is therefore a matter of concern. EXPLAINED Difference in size, power A key difference between the new commission and EPCA are their size and composition, as well as powers. The commission, Additional Secretary (Environment) Ravi Aggarwal says, will have 17 members, drawn from across sectors and even from NITI Aayog, ISRO and NGOs. The EPCA had seven members, two of them permanent. While EPCA had some powers, the commission has powers as well as duties, which means that it is “accountable and has to show results”, Aggarwal says. The EPCA's main function was to assist the Supreme Court. “If the government did its job, there would be no need to set up commissions, or for people to approach the courts. The manner in which the ordinance was brought in, overnight, without a proper discussion, was also inappropriate,’’ he says. Navroz Dubash, professor, Centre for Policy Research, reiterates Mehta’s stance, saying an effective executive would have been able to curb air pollution. “There should be a well-designed executive body with defined public space within it representing all sectors, because the problem of pollution is multi-sectoral. The intent of the Commission is off-kilter. It seems to view the problem of air pollution as one of enforcement, whereas it is a political problem – one of political will,’’ says Dubash. Dubash was appointed to the EPCA when it was reconstituted in 2018. In 2019, he resigned “because I didn’t feel I was being effective in EPCA, where the members had little input”. He adds that persistent problems will continue despite the Commission. “Take, for instance, stubble burning. Farmers have relevant questions of why they are being targeted and not the transport sector,’’ he say. The Environment Ministry, however, points to fundamental differences between the EPCA and the new Commission to say that the new body will be more effective. Additional Secretary Ravi Aggarwal says, “The Commission, unlike the EPCA, has the power to appoint officers and IGs of different states are also members of the body – which is what you need for effective implementation.’’ The Commission can also take suo motu cognizance of violations or act on complaints. “These were powers that had been given to the EPCA as well. But in two decades, the EPCA did not take a single suo motu action and did not receive any complaints….The EPCA has been a failure not just of governance but also of civil society groups. They did not address citizen grievances at all, which they were meant to do,’’ says environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta.

Pollution spirals out of control as government sleeps at the wheel

As the iconic India Gate disappeared behind a curtain of thick, toxic haze once again this week, the Central government finally moved beyond advising people to eat carrots and listen to music to deal with air pollution. As Delhi battled with alarming levels of pollution in November last year, Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare had tweeted “Carrots also help against other pollution-related harm to health.” Prakash Javadekar, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate change had shared a music composition and said “Start your day with music.” Severely criticised by the Supreme Court for its nonchalance this time around, the Centre has formed a new agency and given it enough legal and administrative teeth to clean up the air in the National Capital Region.

Payment for not burning stubble?

My logic, as an environmentalist and campaigner for clean air, is that this will be a perverse incentive, writes Sunita Narain By : Sunita Narain Should farmers get paid for not burning their fields? This is an extremely contentious issue today because the northern Indian region stares at another winter when stubble is burnt in fields and winds bring the pollution to cities like Delhi — already choking from the spit of vehicles and local sources of pollution. The logic behind this is that rewarding farmers with cash would dissuade them from burning their fields. My logic, as an environmentalist and campaigner for clean air, is that this will be a perverse incentive. In other words, it will be easily abused so that there is more stubble burning as there will be the promise of the reward; and each year the amount of the reward will have to be raised. The incentive will become the perverse reason for doing what is clearly wrong. But, I am being screamed at in social media platforms — the taglines being “I am elitist, ignorant, out of touch with reality” and, of course, “anti-farmer”. That said, it is a fact when the reward was given last year — the Punjab government disbursed some Rs 29 crore to 31,231 farmers — the number of stubble fires actually went up against the previous year’s count. But that is not even the point. Farmers need assistance — there is no question about that. I am not even talking about the larger problem of agrarian distress where farmers are caught in the pincer between high prices of inputs as against the need to depress food prices for consumers. This system that discounts the labour of farmers ends up discounting their soil and water systems as well. It needs to be fixed. We need to recognise the problem and find the way ahead — one that provides income to farmers and improves environmental sustainability. We know farmers burn stubble because they have a short period between when they harvest paddy and when they have to sow the next wheat crop. We also know that this period has been shortened because the government has notified a delay in planting paddy — postponed by roughly a month so that it is planted closer to when the monsoon arrives in the region; all this has been done so that farmers do not overexploit groundwater. You can argue that farmers should not plant paddy in these water-scarce regions. You would be correct. But the answer is complicated because governments procure paddy with an assured minimum support price (MSP). Farmers then are caught in the pernicious pecuniary trap — the stubble of basmati paddy is not burnt because it can be used for fodder. But basmati paddy is not under MSP because it can be traded internationally. So, farmers still grow non-basmati paddy for MSP and then have no alternative but to burn the stubble. They choke, we choke. The answer then is three-fold: One, use machines to plough back the straw into the ground and do so without impinging on the time that is needed for sowing the wheat crop. But agricultural equipment are expensive (also, they were not available till a few years back). So, in the past two years, the Union government has provided funds so that state governments can procure these machines and make them available to farmers at no cost or at a minimal cost of operation. By the beginning of the stubble-burning season this year, in Punjab alone, some 50,000 machines had been given at 80 per cent subsidy to custom-hiring centres and to individual farmers. Tilling biomass back into the ground would also improve soil fertility. The second part of the solution is to provide value to the biomass — farmers will not burn if they can be paid for the straw. There is huge potential here — from generating power to using straw to make compressed biogas (CBG). Much is happening here as well. The first CBG project should go online by early 2021; many more are in the pipeline. Last month the Reserve Bank of India put CBG on its list of priority-sector lending; the State Bank of India has circulated a loan scheme for this; and, oil companies have agreed on a buy-back rate of Rs 46/kg for five years. So, the straw that is burnt today will be converted into fuel for use in vehicles. Then there is also the option of using straw to replace coal in old power plants — this would not only help to extend the life of the built infrastructure, but will also reduce environmental costs. The third option is to wean farmers away from growing paddy and to diversify their cropping options. This, obviously, is more challenging but needs to be done. The fact is that we need to do much more to provide real options to farmers. For instance, they could be paid for their ecosystem service of soil organic carbon sequestration. But all this needs to be done in ways that it builds the foundation for doing what is right. To justify that farmers must burn if they are not paid cash incentive is doing injustice to them and to the lungs of the children of the country.

दिल्ली की जनता पर दोहरी मार, कोरोना और प्रदूषण मिलकर सांसें छीन रहे हैं

कोरोनारूपी महामारी एवं महाप्रकोप से जुड़ी हर मुश्किल घड़ी का सामना हमने भले ही मुस्कुराते हुए किया, लेकिन जाता हुआ कोरोना अधिक रूला रहा है, अधिक दुर्गम सार्वजनिक चुनौती बन रहा है। कोरोना को लेकर सरकारी घोषणा एवं आकलन भी चुनावी घोषणा पत्र की तरह लगने लगे हैं। भारत में जब कोरोना के मामले नगण्य थे, सरकारें बहुत जागरूक थीं, जब मामले चरम पर थे, सरकारें निस्तेज हो गयी थीं, यह कैसी विडम्बना एवं विरोधाभास है? देश की राजधानी दिल्ली अभी कोरोना और प्रदूषण की दोहरी मार से पस्त है। एक तरफ कोरोना इस सप्ताह नए-नए रेकॉर्ड बना रहा है तो दूसरी तरफ प्रदूषण पर भी रेड अलर्ट जैसी स्थिति पैदा हो गई है। इंडियन कौंसिल ऑफ मेडिकल रिसर्च के महानिदेशक बलराम भार्गव ने सितम्बर के मध्य में कहा था कि हमने कोरोना कर्व को इस तरह संभाला है कि हमारे यहां बड़े चरम की स्थिति बिल्कुल नहीं है।’ यह बयान भले ही एक राजनीतिक बयान नहीं है, भले ही इसे आत्मविश्वास के लिये दिया गया बयान कहा गया हो, लेकिन यह ज्यादा आत्मविश्वास को दर्शाता है, अतिशयोक्तिपूर्ण प्रतीत होता है क्योंकि अकेले दिल्ली में गत बुधवार को 5,673 एवं गुरुवार को 5,739 नए कोविड मरीज सामने आए। इन आंकड़ों के मध्य यह चर्चा होने लगी कि क्या दिल्ली में कोरोना की तीसरी लहर चल पड़ी है, क्या यह कोरोना के प्रति उदासीनता के कारण पनप रही भीषण लहर है, क्या यह बढ़ रहे वायु-प्रदूषण की निष्पत्ति है? हालांकि, दिल्ली के स्वास्थ्य मंत्री सत्येंद्र जैन ने तीसरी लहर की पुष्टि के लिए एक सप्ताह तक कोरोना के ट्रेंड पर नजर रखने की बात कहीं है। इसे भी पढ़ें: वायु प्रदूषण के मुद्दे पर ट्रंप ने क्यों की भारत की आलोचना ? कितना होगा नुकसान ? चिंता की बात यह है कि दिल्ली में प्रदूषण का स्तर भी नित नए रेकॉर्ड बना रहा है, हवा जहरीली हो गई और वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक के आंकड़े तो किसी का भी रोआं खड़ा कर देने वाले हैं। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के अनुसार दिल्ली की हवा अभी इतनी जहरीली हो चुकी है कि सांस संबंधी नई-नई बीमारियों का बहुत गंभीर खतरा हो गया है और यह कोरोना महामारी के पुनः पनपने का बडा कारण बन रहा है। बहरहाल, ध्यान रहे कि कोरोना वायरस भी इंसान के श्वसनतंत्र को ही प्रभावित करता है। ऐसे में अगर प्रदूषण के कारण किसी व्यक्ति का श्वसनतंत्र कमजोर हुआ तो कोविड-19 महामारी होने की स्थिति में उसके जान पर खतरा कई गुना बढ़ जाता है क्योंकि महामारी से उसकी लड़ने की क्षमता बिल्कुल कम हो जाती है। साल 2020 कोरोना की भयावह छाया में गुजरा है। विस्थापन, अपघाती मौतें, बीमारी का भय और बदतर आर्थिक हालात ने पूरी दुनिया के जीवन को अस्तव्यस्त कर दिया है। कोरोना से डर और दहशत का माहौल थमा नहीं है। मार्च से लॉकडाउन की पटरी पर चल रहा भारत अब धीरे-धीरे भले ही सामान्य तो हो रहा है लेकिन दिल्ली सहित देश के कुछ भागों में बढ़ रहे कोरोना मामले चिन्ता का कारण बन रहे हैं, दुनिया एवं देशभर से आ रही वायु-प्रदूषण, बाजारों में बढ़ती भीड़, सामाजिक दूरी, मास्क, मौज-मस्ती के लिये बरती जा रही लापरवाही की तस्वीरें नयी आशंकाओं को जन्म दे रही हैं, कोरोना महामारी को पनपाने का बड़ा कारण बन रही हैं। दिल्ली के आसमान पर प्रदूषण की जहरीली धुंध जानलेवा साबित हो रही है, कोरोना वायरस सांसों में प्रवेश कर रहा है तो वहीं दूसरी ओर हवा में प्रदूषण की मात्रा के आंकड़े डराने वाले हैं। याद कीजिए बीता साल जब दिल्ली में सांसों का लेना मुश्किल हो गया था, स्कूल बंद हो गए थे और शहर की रफ्तार थम-सी गई थी। ऐसे में सवाल यह उठता है कि कोरोना काल में प्रदूषण की ये आहट ज्यादा किसे भयावह बनाती है? कोरोना को या फिर जहर भरी उस हवा को जिसे हम प्रदूषण कहते हैं और जिसे बीते 5 साल से सरकारें, न्यायपालिका रोकने के लिए हाथ-पैर मार रही हैं, लेकिन कोई कारगर उपाय नहीं कर पायी हैं। दरअसल, पहले भी कई रिपोर्ट्स में कहा जा चुका है कि विश्व की नब्बे फीसदी आबादी असुरक्षित हवा में सांस ले रही है और वायु प्रदूषण मानव स्वास्थ्य के लिए सबसे बड़े खतरों में से एक है। इसे भी पढ़ें: दिल्ली-एनसीआर में वायु प्रदूषण को नियंत्रित करने के लिए कानून लाएगी सरकार आईआक्यू एयर के सीईओ फ्रैंक हैम्स के मुताबिक, कोरोना वायरस अंतरराष्ट्रीय सुर्खियों में छाया हुआ है, जबकि वायु प्रदूषण एक मूक हत्यारा है जिसके कारण एक वर्ष में लगभग 7 मिलियन से अधिक मौतें हो रही हैं। उत्तरी भारत में इस वक्त लोगों की सेहत पर दोहरा खतरा मंडरा रहा है। हर साल हवा में प्रदूषण हम सभी की सेहत के लिए एक बड़ा खतरा साबित होता है, लेकिन इस साल प्रदूषण के साथ कोरोना वायरस महामारी सेहत पर दोहरा आक्रमण कर रही है। प्रदूषण का सीधा असर दिल, फेफड़े और शरीर के बाकी अंगों पर होता है। कोरोना और प्रदूषण के इस दोहरे आक्रमण के समय में लोगों को अपना खास ख्याल रखने की जरूरत है। खासतौर पर उन लोगों को जिन्हें फेफड़ों से जुड़ी बीमारी है या सांस लेने में तकलीफ रहती है। ऐसा इसलिए क्योंकि कोरोना वायरस संक्रमण में भी शरीर में ऑक्सीजन की मात्रा कम हो जाती है और साथ ही प्रदूषण की वजह से भी सांस लेने में दिक्कत आएगी। आसपास के राज्यों में सर्दी और पराली के जलाने की वजह से सीओपीडी और अस्थमा के मामले बढ़ रहे हैं। पूरे उत्तर भारत में हवा की गुणवत्ता खराब हो रही है। सर्दियों की शुरुआत में तापमान गिरा है और हवा की गति कम हुई है। इसके साथ ही दिल्ली के आसपास के इलाकों में पराली जलाये जाने से स्थिति बदतर होती जा रही है। पर्यावरणविद और एनसीआर की पर्यावरण प्रदूषण प्राधिकरण की सदस्य सुनीता नारायण बताती हैं, मैं इस साल बहुत डरी हुई हूँ। कोविड-19 के साथ ये दोहरी मार हो सकती है क्योंकि वायरस हमारे फेफड़ों पर उसी तरह हमला करता है, जैसे हवा में प्रदूषण। इसलिए हमें प्रभावी कदम उठाने की जरूरत है। वे कहती हैं, दिल्ली, हरियाणा, यूपी, पंजाब या राजस्थान में हमारे प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड बहुत कमजोर हैं, इनके पास बहुत सीमित कर्मचारी हैं, इसलिए इनकी क्षमता बहुत कम है। हमें इन संस्थानों को सशक्त बनाने की जरूरत है। निराशाजनक स्थिति यह भी है कि दिल्ली में प्रदूषण के साथ-साथ गन्दगी भी कोरोना के लिये खतरा बनी हुई है। यहां सफाई के नाम पर बार-बार राजनीति हो रही है। ऐसा भी देखने में आ रहा है कि आम जनजीवन से जुड़ा यह मुद्दा भी राजनीति का शिकार है। दिल्ली सरकार केन्द्र को दोषी मानती है तो केन्द्र दिल्ली सरकार की अक्षमता को उजागर करती है, पिसती है दिल्ली की जनता। लेकिन कब तक? यही वजह है कि दिल्ली हाई कोर्ट को स्वयं इस मामले में कई बार हस्तक्षेप करना पड़ा है। इससे इन्कार नहीं किया जा सकता कि स्वच्छता और स्वास्थ्य एक-दूसरे से सीधे जुड़े हुए हैं। नरेन्द्र मोदी ने धूल-मिट्टी को साफ करने के लिए झाडू उठाकर स्वच्छ भारत अभियान को पूरे राष्ट्र के लिए एक जन-आंदोलन का रूप दिया और कहा कि लोगों को न तो स्वयं गंदगी फैलानी चाहिए और न ही किसी और को फैलाने देना चाहिए। उन्होंने “न गंदगी करेंगे, न करने देंगे।” का मंत्र भी दिया। लेकिन दिल्ली में सफाई का जिम्मा तो भाजपा के पास है, फिर उसकी कथनी-करनी में अन्तर क्यों? कचरा बनी देश की राजधानी एवं प्रमुख शहरों में लोग टूटती सांसों की गिरफ्त में कब तक जीते रहे हैं? सुधार की, नैतिकता की बात कोई सुनता नहीं है। दूर-दूर तक कहीं रोशनी नहीं दिख रही है। दिल्ली के मुख्यमंत्री दिल्ली की जानलेवा समस्याओं पर रेडिया-टीवी एवं समाचार पत्रों में विज्ञापन के अलावा क्या कारगर उपाय कर रहे हैं, क्योंकि जानलेवा वायु प्रदूषण के शिकार लोग अपने घरों तक में सुरक्षित नहीं हैं। जल निकासी की माकूल व्यवस्था न होना शहर में जल भराव का स्थायी कारण बनता रहा है, वह भी जानलेवा होकर। शहर के लिए सड़क चाहिए, बिजली चाहिए, जल चाहिए, मकान चाहिए और दफ्तर चाहिए। इन सबके लिए या तो खेत होम हो रहे हैं या फिर जंगल। जंगल को हजम करने की चाल में पेड़, जंगली जानवर, पारंपरिक जल स्रोत सभी कुछ नष्ट हो रहा है। यह वह नुकसान है जिसका हर्जाना संभव नहीं है और यही वायु प्रदूषण का बड़ा कारण है। कोरोना महामारी एक सबक है शासन व्यवस्थाओं को चुस्त-दुरस्त होने का, जीवनशैली को बदलने का, पर्यावरण एवं प्रकृति के प्रति जागरूक होने का। शरीर, मन, आत्मा एवं प्रकृति के प्रति सचेत रहने का। हर कोई अपना और अपनों का ध्यान रखें। स्वस्थ जीवनशैली अपनाएं। अच्छा सोचें। दूसरों को माफ करें। दूसरों की मदद करें। खुद पर भरोसा रखें। नियमित ध्यान और स्वाध्याय करें। समभाव और सहजभाव में रहना सीखें। प्रकृति, पर्यावरण एवं आसपास को साफ-सुथरा रखें। यही वह क्षण है जिसे हमें समझना है, पकड़ना है और जीना है।

Permanent commission to control air pollution defines holistic approach: Javadekar

The Centre’s decision to bring in an Ordinance for setting up a Commission for Air Quality Management in the “National Capital Region and Adjoining Area” has been welcomed by experts and environmentalists, including members of the now-dissolved EPCA Sunita Narain and Bhure Lal. The statutory authority replaces the 22-year-old Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) or any committees’ body constituted so far for air pollution matters in the NCR region. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar called the permanent commission a “consolidated”, “collaborative” and “participatory” approach between Centre, States, local bodies and other stakeholders for monitoring, tackling and eliminating the causes of air pollution. “Air pollution is not a problem of Delhi and its corporations alone but of a big airshed that includes the NCR. The Centre and the four NCR states have to work together to tackle the problem,” he said, calling it a holistic approach, a special new regime for special region spread over five states. Regarding whether states, including Punjab, may have issues given its jurisdiction, Javadekar said the issue of paddy stubble, which contributes anywhere between 4 to 40 per cent to air pollution, “will not remain a problem in next three-four years with the kind of research, innovations and solutions in the pipeline”. The Commission will have jurisdiction in adjoining areas beyond the NCR in Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan. There are also strict repercussions for default— a jail term up to five years and penalty up to Rs 1 crore. According to officials the aim is to replace “inadequate, haphazard and temporary commissions, authorities, etc., appointed either judicially or administratively. For the first time a regulatory mechanism for stubble burning is put in place. It will identify, specify and rigorously enforce measures for eliminating and mitigation of air pollution included, but not limited to, controlling or eliminating activities of stubble burning, vehicular pollution, road dust and urban construction”. The government is expected to replace the Ordinance with a Bill in the next Parliament session. The CPCB, SPCBS will continue to deal with the subject. However in the case of conflict the orders of the commission will prevail. CPCB’s nationwide powers will stand Studies show that north Indian states in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) region face the twin challenge of high population density and heavy concentration of air pollutants round-the-year, both urban and rural areas. Any substantial reduction in pollution is possible only if the administrative approach includes regional pollution sources and regional coordination mechanism among States Chairperson and member of now dissolved EPCA Bhure Lal and Sunita Narain said the move showed the intent and determination of the union government to mitigate the high levels of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. Prof S N Tripathi from IIT Kanpur and member, NCAP steering committee welcomed the “much-needed move. The key problem was how to coordinate among these states. There was no single body, authority, ministry or state which was empowered or dedicated to do that. This ordinance is an excellent example of learning from what the US did in California”. Prof Navroz Dubash, Lead Coordinating Author, IPCC said the “new Commission could bring focused and sustained attention to air quality, and help solve inter-departmental coordination problems. But equally, without clear benchmarks of progress and without ways of devising creative solutions, it could reproduce old deadlocks”.

Centre sets up permanent Commission to tackle air pollution in Delhi territory

Dissolving the 22-year-old Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) that has so far addressed air pollution in Delhi, the Centre has constituted a “permanent” body — the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas. Encompassing Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the all-powerful body assumes several powers to coordinate action among States, levy fines — ranging up to ₹1 crore or five years of prison — to address air pollution. Brought in via an ordinance on Thursday, it awaits formal perusal by the Supreme Court before it can be brought into effect. There will be at least six permanent members and it will be headed by a former or incumbent Secretary to the Government of India, or a Chief Secretary to a State government. It has members from several Ministries as well as representatives from the States. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and its State branches have the powers to implement provisions of the Environment Protection Act for air, water and land pollution. Their powers continue. However, in case of dispute or a clash of jurisdictions, the Commission’s writ will prevail specific to matters concerning air pollution. A major weakness, environmentalists and experts have said, in tackling air pollution in Delhi and the surrounding region, has been the inability of agencies such as the CPCB and the EPCA to consistently enforce rules on the ground. Rules to, for instance, factor in stubble burning or prevent pollution from thermal plants do exist, but these are often not strongly enforced always in States due to political considerations. A senior official in the government said the new Commission would be empowered to constitute special investigative groups for stricter implementation but the letter of the ordinance has no detail on the creation of new cadre or groups tasked with implementation. “The major issue with the ordinance will be when it comes to implementation, as EPCA had almost similar powers but failed miserably in cleaning the air even after being in force for more than 20 years. The question of whether it’s a positive move or just a distraction and wasteful exercise will be decided on the fact whether the ordinance changes the status quo when it comes to ground implementation and strict action on polluters or not,” said Sunil Dahiya, Analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. EPCA Chairman Bhure Lal, and Member Sunita Narain said in a letter to the Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday that they “welcomed” the creation of a new Commission. They also listed key contributions of the EPCA — the notification of the Graded Response Action Plan that lists out measures to be taken in case of worsening pollution, the construction of the Regional Rapid Transport System and early adoption of BS-VI fuel standards, among other measures. “In the ultimate analysis, the effectiveness of the Commission will be determined by the choice of its permanent members, especially its Chairperson,” said Ajay Mathur, Director-General, The Energy Resources Institute. “We need to ensure that these members have the capability to bind together the States into air quality solutions that can and will solve our air quality problems.” Describing the Commission as a “bureaucratic vessel”, Navroz Dubash of the Centre for Policy Research said in a statement: “The fact that it was created practically overnight, with no discussion and input, does not inspire confidence that it will open the doors to a more fruitful conversation and action across all interests...The Commission is a lost opportunity to explicitly set the ground rules for an air-shed based approach — one that could have been deployed in polluted areas across the country.” Others rued the lack of diversity in representation. “Of the 15 members, only three members representing NGOs have been included. The Commission has been given power to co-opt members, but the majority are Ministries which are engaged in actions which contribute towards pollution — the Ministry of Power, Housing and Urban Affairs; Road Transport and Highways; Petroleum and Natural Gas. The only exception is the Ministry of Agriculture. Crucial Ministries missing are the Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Labour,” said environmental lawyer Ritwick Datta in a statement.

Regulations for stubble burning in the offing – Penalty may include 5 year jail term, Rs one crore fine Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/national/regulations-for-stubble-burning-in-the-offing-penalty-may-include-5-year-jail-term-rs-one-crore-fi

The newly established Commission for Air Quality for Delhi NCR will establish a regulatory mechanism to control stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and pockets of west Uttar Pradesh as crop residue burning remains the most important source of air pollution in Delhi-National Capital region at the onset of winter. The Commission would be having suitable legal and administrative authority to take up clean up measures to be undertaken in Delhi and adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Such measures would be taken in consultation with state governments. As the new body replaces the Supreme Court-mandated EPCA, its chairperson and former bureaucrat Bhure Lal and member Sunita Narain reminded Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar that taking actions to stop stubble burning and implementing a new parking policy in Delhi with steep charges for private vehicles were among the pending agenda that needed to be fulfilled to clean up Delhi air.

EPCA lauds creation of the new body that took its job

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Courtappointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority wrote to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday, welcoming the formation of a new commission to manage air quality in the National Capital Region. The proposed panel will replace the 22- year-old EPCA, which stood dissolved as on Thursday. Delhi government and environment experts also approved the setting up of the new body, but said the central government’s intent had to be backed by political will to deal with pollution. “It clearly shows the intent and determination of the Union government to mitigate toxic pollution in the region,” said EPCA chairman Bhure Lal and member Sunita Narain in the letter to Javadekar. “Over the past many years, we have worked to find solutions and to recommend action through our reports to the government and to the honourable Supreme Court. We are grateful for the consideration given to our work and to the fact that many of our recommendations have been implemented.” Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said the state government welcomed the Centre’s ordinance on the new commission. However, he added, “Political will is required to combat air pollution. We do not see how the new commission is different from existing bodies like EPCA or CPCB.” Rai added that what was actually needed was a body headed by the Union environment minister with all state chief ministers as members. “We need to fix targets and accountability, else we will keep passing the buck from one commission to the next,” said Rai. Enumerating the measures it took since its formation in 1998, the EPCA letter said its present key works needed to be expedited and implemented by the new commission. The outgoing pollution monitoring panel suggested “fourthgeneration reforms” like “massive augmentation of intracity public transport” and weaning away of industries, power plants and other users from polluting fuels like coal to natural gas, electricity and renewable to ensure clean combustion. Experts told TOI that while the new body could play a key role in coordinating pollution alleviation steps, only enforcement on the ground would bring about significant change. “The new commission, through sustained attention to air quality, can help resolve interdepartmental coordination problems, but equally, without clear benchmarks of progress and without ways of devising creative solutions, it could reproduce old deadlocks,” opined Dr Navroz Dubash, Centre for Policy Research, and lead coordinating author, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Tanushree Ganguly, programme associate, Council for Energy Environment and Water, pointed out, “Unlike EPCA, which had representatives from Delhi institutions and public agencies, the new body will have representatives from all NCR states and its jurisdiction also goes beyond NCR. Having said that, the ordinance only sets up a dedicated authority to curb air pollution in NCR and adjoining areas but doesn’t outline the sectoral mandates.” Dr Ajay Mathur, director-general, TERI, said, “An important issue is the precedence accorded to the decisions of the commission with respect to those of the central and state pollution control boards. Mutually inconsistent actions among states (for example, GRAP in NCR and paddy stubble burning in upwind states) impede short-term air quality improvements and long-term solutions.” The ordinance adapts key learnings from the American experience, observed professor S N Tripathi, head, civil engineering department, IIT-Kanpur, and steering committee member of the National Clean Air Programme. “While the Environment Protection Agency is an empowered body, California posed a singular challenge as a hotspot. So, the California Air Resource Board was set up to tackle that particular airshed,” he said. Some eco activists, however, wondered whether the new body would be different from EPCA. “You are replacing one authority with a new one and a dozen senior bureaucrats,” said activist Vimlendu Jha “There is no mention of engaging and empowering grassroot executives who actually run the show and as far as we know nothing about funds and powers for CPCB or SPCBs.”

Move shows determination of government to mitigate pollution: EPCA writes to Prakash Javadekar

The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) on Thursday wrote a letter to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar welcoming the commission for air quality management in the national capital region and adjoining area ordinance, which has replaced the 22-year-old pollution monitoring body. Bhure Lal, chairperson, and Sunita Narain, member, EPCA, in a letter to Javadekar said that the move showed the intent and determination of the union government to mitigate the high levels of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. “Over the past many years, we have worked to find solutions and to recommend action through our reports to government and to the honourable Supreme Court. We are grateful for the consideration given to our work and to the fact that many of our recommendations have been implemented,” the letter read. Listing the actions taken by EPCA to tackle pollution levels in the region and the impact of those actions, the members said that there were some initiatives that the monitoring body was overseeing and now that the Central commission had taken over, their implementation could be continued to ensure long term solutions for air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.

‘New body shows govt intent’: Epca bows out with grace after 22 years

The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (Epca) on Thursday welcomed the ordinance to put in place a new anti-pollution agency that replaces the 22-year-old monitoring body. In a letter to union environment minister Prakash Javadekar, Epca chairperson Bhure Lal and member Sunita Narain said the move shows the intent and determination of the union government to mitigate the high levels of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. “Over the past many years, we have worked to find solutions and to recommend action through our reports to government and to the honourable Supreme Court. We are grateful for the consideration given to our work and to the fact that many of our recommendations have been implemented,” the letter read. Enlisting the action taken by Epca to tackle pollution, the members said there were some initiatives that the monitoring body was overseeing and now that the central commission has taken over, these can be implemented.

Centre Brings New Law By Ordinance To Tackle Air Pollution In Delhi-NCR

Faced with rising air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Centre has introduced a new law through an ordinance that puts in place a powerful oversight body and provides for up to five years of jail term and ₹ one crore fine for violators with immediate effect. Under the ordinance released by the Ministry of Law and Justice today, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has been dissolved and replaced by a commission comprising over 20 members. "The ordinance may be called the Commission for Air Quality Management In National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance 2020. It shall apply to national capital region and also adjoining areas in so far as it relates to matters concerning air pollution in the NCR. It shall come into force at once," it said. The ordinance was signed by the President on Wednesday. As per the ordinance, the areas where it shall be in force include Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, adjoining areas of the NCR and Delhi where any source of pollution is located which is causing an adverse impact on air quality in the national capital region. The commission will have the power to lay down parameters of air quality, discharge of environmental pollutants, inspect premises violating the law, ordering closure of non-abiding industries/plants etc. "Any non-compliance or contravention of any provisions/rules or order/direction of the commission will be an offence punishable with a jail term up to five years or with fine up to ₹ one crore or with both," it said. The ordinance comes within days of a statement made by the Centre through Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the Supreme Court during a matter related to pollution in the NCR in which he had said the Centre will bring a new legislation on "Air Quality Management in the National capital Region and adjoining areas". The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that it has come out with an Ordinance on curbing pollution and it has been brought into effect already. As per the new law, the Supreme Court appointed body, EPCA which was formed in 1998, has been dissolved and any action taken by it shall be deemed to have been taken under the corresponding provisions of the ordinance. "The order made under environment protection act 1986, constituting Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) For the national capital region wide order dated January 29, 1998, is hereby repealed and the EPCA is hereby dissolved. "Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken by the EPCA for the NCR under the said order, shall be deemed to have been taken under the corresponding provisions of this ordinance, it said. The EPCA was a two-member body with Chairman Bhure Lal and member Sunita Narain, who also heads the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an environment think tank. The members of the new commission as per the ordinance shall include a chairperson, who is or has been the secretary of Government of India or chief secretary of a state, a representative of environment secretary and five ex-officio members who are either chief secretaries or secretaries in charge of the environment department of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The commission will also include two full time members who have been joint secretaries to the central government, three full-time independent technical members who have specific scientific knowledge regarding air pollution, one technical member from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), one technical member nominated by ISRO and three members of NGOs having experience in matters concerning combating of air pollution. "There shall be a full-time secretary who shall be the chief coordinating officer of the commission and shall assist in managing the affairs of the commission," it said. Other than these, the commission may also appoint associate members, one representative each from the Ministry of Road Transport, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and a representative of any association of commerce and industry. The chairperson will hold the post for three years or until she/he attains the age of 70 years. The commission will have three sub-committees, one each for monitoring and identification, safeguarding and enforcement, and research and development. The commission will have power to take mitigation measures, issue directions/orders suo moto and entertain complaints under any other existing laws such as the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Centre introduces new law through ordinance to tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR

In a bid to tackle the persistent problem of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Centre has introduced a new law through an ordinance which comes into force with immediate effect. Under the ordinance released by the Ministry of Law and Justice on Thursday, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has been dissolved and replaced by a commission comprising over 20 members. The members are yet to be selected. Violation of the provisions entails a punishment of a jail term of up to five years or with fine up to Rs one crore or with both. "The ordinance may be called the Commission for Air Quality Management In National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance 2020. It shall apply to national capital region and also adjoining areas in so far as it relates to matters concerning air pollution in the NCR. It shall come into force at once," it said. The ordinance was signed by the president on Wednesday. As per the ordinance, the adjoining areas where it shall be in force include Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, adjoining areas of the NCR and Delhi where any source of pollution is located which is causing an adverse impact on air quality in the national capital region. The commission shall have the power to lay down parameters of air quality, discharge of environmental pollutants, inspect premises violating the law, ordering closure of non-abiding industries/plants etc. "Any non-compliance or contravention of any provisions/rules or order/direction of the commission will be an offence punishable with a jail term up to five years or with fine up to Rs one crore or with both," it said. The ordinance comes within days of a statement made by the Centre through Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the Supreme Court during a matter related to pollution in the NCR in which he had said the Centre will bring a new legislation on "Air Quality Management in the National capital Region and adjoining areas". As per the new law, the Supreme Court appointed body, EPCA which was formed in 1998, has been dissolved and any action taken by it shall be deemed to have been taken under the corresponding provisions of the ordinance. "The order made under environment protection act 1986, constituting Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) For the national capital region wide order dated January 29, 1998, is hereby repealed and the EPCA is here by dissolved. "Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken by the EPCA for the NCR under the said order, shall be deemed to have been taken under the corresponding provisions of this ordinance,” it said. The EPCA was a two-member body with Chairman Bhure Lal and member Sunita Narain, who also heads the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an environment think tank. The members of the new commission as per the ordinance shall include a chairperson, who is or has been the secretary of Government of India or chief secretary of a state, a representative of environment secretary and five ex-officio members who are either chief secretaries or secretaries in charge of the environment department of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The commission will also include two full time members who have been joint secretaries to the central government, three full-time independent technical members who have specific scientific knowledge regarding air pollution, one technical member from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), one technical member nominated by ISRO and three members of NGOs having experience in matters concerning combating of air pollution. "There shall be a full-time secretary who shall be the chief coordinating officer of the commission and shall assist in managing the affairs of the commission," it said. Other than these, the commission may also appoint associate members, one representative each from the Ministry of Road Transport, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and a representative of any association of commerce and industry. The chairperson will hold the post for three years or until she/he attains the age of 70 years. The commission will have three sub-committees, one each for monitoring and identification, safeguarding and enforcement, and research and development. The commission will have power to take mitigation measures, issue directions/orders suo moto and entertain complaints under any other existing laws such as the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It will have the power to prohibit activities that are likely to cause or increase air pollution in the NCR and adjoining areas. PTI AG AAR AAR