NEW DELHI/GENEVA (Reuters) - Across the river from Delhi’s Red Fort, the grim neighbourhood of Seelampur lives off what consumers in the modern world throw away - their broken or obsolete electronic and electrical goods.
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri today launched the toolkit for Swachh Survekshan-2021, the sixth edition of the annual cleanliness survey of urban India conducted by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Addressing on the occasion, Mr Puri said, every year, the Swachh Survekshan is redesigned innovatively, to ensure that the process becomes more robust, with focus on sustaining the behaviour change.
Just 17.4% of the world's discarded electronics was recycled Across the river from the Red Fort in Delhi, India, the grim neighbourhood of Seelampur lives off what consumers in the modern world throw away — their broken or obsolete electronic and electrical goods.
Kochi: An analytical study by the centre of science and environment has found that Kochi has shown dramatical drop in air pollution levels during the lockdown period compared to other cities.
Used protective gear, masks, gloves and syringes add to environmental concerns as well as financial costs of hospitals There has been a near five-fold increase in biomedical waste generated on account of Covid, with used protective gear, masks, gloves and syringes adding to environmental concerns as well as financial costs of hospitals.
A new study published in Nature Sustainability journal on June 22, 2020 says poorly-designed and poorly-enforced campaigns to plant a large number of trees could be counterproductive, Tree plantations can contradict the real purpose of planting trees, according to the study, presented in a recent DownToEarth magazine, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) based in New Delhi, India. There was a high risk that tree plantations could contradict the real purpose of planting trees, said Eric Lambin, the study's co-author a professor in Stanford University's School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, according to DownToEarth. Plantations that were poorly enforced could be responsible for releasing more carbon and losing biodiversity, Lambin added. Forests have the biggest role to play in slowing down biodiversity loss from human interventions and in combating climate change as they sequester carbon as biomass. Keeping carbon sequestration and increasing biodiversity in mind, campaigns to plant trees gained a lot of traction in recent years. The Bonn Challenge seeks to restore forest area more than eight times the size of the state of California in the US by 2030. Similarly, the Trillion Trees campaign aims to plant a trillion trees across the world. Doing so without paying attention to local forest cover, however, would hinder such aims, said the study, taking into account the impact of subsidies given for such campaigns -- the first of its kind to do so. "In light of global enthusiasm to plant a trillion trees, it's important to reflect on the impact of past policies," said the study's lead author Robert Heilmayr, an assistant professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, US. The researchers looked at one of the world's longest-running and influential subsidy policy: Chile's Decree Law 701. The law subsidised 75 per cent of afforestation costs and offered support for ongoing plantation management. Poor enforcement and budget limitations led to a situation where government subsidies replaced native forests with profitable tree plantations. This in turn reduced native forest cover, with plantations, shrublands or marginal agricultural lands cropping up in areas where forests may have naturally regenerated, according to the study. In the same way, it was found that nearly 80 per cent of the Bonn Challenge campaign commitments involved planting monoculture tree plantations or a limited mix of trees that produced products like fruit or rubber, instead of restoring natural forests. Plantations sequester less carbon, are involved in less habitat creation and erosion control than natural forests. If planted trees replace forests like grasslands or savannahs, the potential for replenishing biodiversity is lost, as such natural forest ecosystems have evolved to support unique, local biodiversity. Plantations can, thus, only work if plantations efforts include strong subsidy restrictions, including prohibitions against replacing native forests with plantations.
Meena Janardhan Lower levels of suspended particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels during the lockdown cleared air quality across India. But a new analysis of 22 mega and metropolitan cities in India, done by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) of summer air quality trends during the lockdown reveals other details. While the PM2.5 and NO2 curves fell and flattened dramatically in cities, tropospheric ozone pollution (henceforth ozone) increased and even breached standards in several cities: a fact that was not widely noticed. Invisible ozone became the most prominent pollutant in several cities. Instead of the official method of considering only the fixed eight-hour average (from 8 p.m. to 4 p.m.) to assess ozone levels, the CSE adapted the global best practice of calculating the maximum eight-hour average of the day. This indicated higher exceeding levels in cities. The CSE researchers point out that ozone is primarily a sunny weather problem in India that otherwise remains highly variable during the year. It is a highly reactive gas; even short-term exposure (one hour) is dangerous for those with respiratory conditions and asthma. That is why ozone has a short-term standard – one hour and eight hours, as opposed to 24 hours for other pollutants. Ozone is not directly emitted by any source but is formed by photochemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and gases in the air under the influence of sunlight and heat. Ozone can be controlled only if gases from all sources are controlled. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy, CSE said, “This pandemic-led change in air quality has helped us understand summer pollution. Normally, every year, winter pollution is what draws our attention. The characteristics of summer pollution are different: there are high winds, intermittent rains and thunderstorms, and high temperature and heat waves. This is in contrast to winter — with its inversion, lower mixing height of air, and cold and calm conditions that trap the air and the pollutants in it.” The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) publishes the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin to inform about the severity of daily pollution. With all pollutants down, ozone, even at a comparatively lower level, became the most prominent pollutant of the day in several cities and led the daily AQI. “This pandemic has shown that big reduction is possible only if all regions clean up together and at a scale and with speed across all critical sectors including vehicles, industry, power plants, waste, construction, use of solid fuels for cooking and episodic burning. There is a need for an agenda for a ‘blue sky and clear lungs’ for the post-pandemic period to sustain the gains. This action must also ensure the co-benefit of reducing both particulate and gaseous emissions, including ozone,” Roychowdhury stressed. The ozone layer is a natural, protective layer of gas in the stratosphere (the second major layer in the Earth’s atmosphere). It lies approximately 25 miles above Earth’s surface. As NASA explains, 90% of the ozone in the atmosphere sits in the stratosphere, the layer of atmosphere between about 10 and 50 kilometers altitude. The natural level of ozone in the stratosphere is a result of a balance between sunlight that creates ozone and chemical reactions that destroy it. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Without ozone, the Sun’s intense UV radiation would sterilize the Earth’s surface. In 1976, atmospheric research revealed that the ozone layer was being depleted by chemicals containing chlorine and bromine. These include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were commonly found in air conditioners, refrigerators and spray cans; halons, which are found in fire extinguishers; and methyl bromide, which is used to kill weeds, insects and other pests. In 1985, researchers discovered an ozone hole above Antarctica (later known as the ozone hole). The adoption of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 banned the production of CFCs, halons and other ozone-depleting chemicals. The ban came into effect in 1989 and led to ozone levels stabilizing by the mid-1990s and recovering in the 2000s. Recovery is projected to continue over the next century, and the ozone hole is expected to reach pre-1980 levels by around 2075.In 2019, NASA reported that the ozone hole was the smallest ever since it was first discovered in 1982.
The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) of the Energy Policy Institute at the University Of Chicago (EPIC), stated in one of their statistics that, weighted pollution in Delhi alone reached 113.9 units in the year 2016 from 72.88 units in the year 2012. Research Nester has released a report titled “India Air Purifier Market – Regional Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2027” which also includes some of the prominent market analyzing parameters such as industry growth drivers, restraints, supply and demand risk, market attractiveness, year-on-year (Y-OY) growth comparisons, market share comparisons, BPS analysis, SWOT analysis and Porter’s five force model. The World Air Quality Index project (AQI) displayed the air quality level to 999 AQI on the 3rd of November’19, at around 2 pm. Moreover, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) stated in one of their reports that every third child in Delhi (India) alone have impaired lungs due to the high level of pollutants that are present in the air of the city. The report also added that life expectancy grew down by 2.6 years in India owing to outdoor and household air pollution together. Additionally, The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) of the Energy Policy Institute at the University Of Chicago (EPIC), stated in one of their statistics that, weighted pollution in Delhi alone reached 113.9 units in the year 2016 from 72.88 units in the year 2012. The statistics portray the severely growing concerns for the rising air pollution levels and the associated health threats that it possesses. Owing to various sources of pollution, for instance, agricultural practices, such as jhum cultivation, industrial pollutants, and road transport dusts amongst others, all of these factors are contributing towards greater air pollution in India. Owing to such a factor, there is a rising demand amongst individuals for devices that can provide filtered and fresh air, emitting all the hazardous particles present in the air. Additionally, with the rising gross national income of the nation, and anticipations for greater purchasing power of the individuals, coupled with rising awareness for health amongst people, all of these factors are anticipated to contribute significantly towards the growth of the India air purifier market. “The Final Report will cover the impact analysis of COVID-19 on this industry (Global and Regional Market).” Click to Download Sample Report: https://www.researchnester.com/samplerequest- 2083 The India air purifier market is anticipated to record robust CAGR over the forecast period, i.e. 2019-2027. The market is segmented by end user into residential, commercial and others. Among all these segments, residential segment is anticipated to hold largest market share on the back of rising concerns for air borne diseases that can affect the children, who may generally have a weak immune system and are likely to remain susceptible to such diseases. However, the concern for restrictions in the purchase of the product by lowincome populations owing to high endproduct cost and greater maintenance cost is estimated to act as a barrier to the growth of the India air purifier market during the forecast period. This report also studies existing competitive scenario of some of the key players of the India air purifier market, which includes profiling of Eureka Forbes, Koninklijke Philips N.V. (AMS: PHIA), Honeywell (NYSE: HON), Kent RO Systems Ltd., Blueair, Panasonic India, Crusaders, Sharp Business System India Pvt. Ltd., Daikin Airconditioning India Pvt. Ltd., and Dyson Technology India Pvt. Ltd. “The Final Report will cover the impact analysis of COVID-19 on this industry (Global and Regional Market).” The profiling enfolds key information of the companies which comprises of business overview, products and services, key financials and recent news and developments. Conclusively, the report titled “India Air Purifier Market – Regional Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2027”, analyses the overall India air purifier industry to help new entrants to understand the details of the market. In addition to that, this report also guides existing players looking for expansion and major investors looking for investment in the India air purifier market in the near future. Research Nester is a one-stop service provider, leading in strategic market research and consulting with an unbiased and unparalleled approach towards helping global industrial players, conglomerates and executives to make wise decisions for their future investment and expansion by providing them qualitative market insights and strategies while avoiding future uncertainties. We believe in honesty and sheer hard work that we trust is reflected in our work ethics. Our vision is not just limited to gain the trust of our clients but also to be equally respected by our employees and being appreciated by the competitors.
A new study published in Nature Sustainability journal on June 22, 2020 says poorly-designed and poorly-enforced campaigns to plant a large number of trees could be counterproductive, Tree plantations can contradict the real purpose of planting trees, according to the study, presented in a recent DownToEarth magazine, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) based in New Delhi, India. There was a high risk that tree plantations could contradict the real purpose of planting trees, said Eric Lambin, the study’s co-author a professor in Stanford University’s School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, according to DownToEarth. Plantations that were poorly enforced could be responsible for releasing more carbon and losing biodiversity, Lambin added. Forests have the biggest role to play in slowing down biodiversity loss from human interventions and in combating climate change as they sequester carbon as biomass. Keeping carbon sequestration and increasing biodiversity in mind, campaigns to plant trees gained a lot of traction in recent years. The Bonn Challenge seeks to restore forest area more than eight times the size of the state of California in the US by 2030. Similarly, the Trillion Trees campaign aims to plant a trillion trees across the world. Doing so without paying attention to local forest cover, however, would hinder such aims, said the study, taking into account the impact of subsidies given for such campaigns — the first of its kind to do so. “In light of global enthusiasm to plant a trillion trees, it’s important to reflect on the impact of past policies,” said the study’s lead author Robert Heilmayr, an assistant professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, US. The researchers looked at one of the world’s longest-running and influential subsidy policy: Chile’s Decree Law 701. The law subsidised 75 per cent of afforestation costs and offered support for ongoing plantation management. Poor enforcement and budget limitations led to a situation where government subsidies replaced native forests with profitable tree plantations. This in turn reduced native forest cover, with plantations, shrublands or marginal agricultural lands cropping up in areas where forests may have naturally regenerated, according to the study. In the same way, it was found that nearly 80 per cent of the Bonn Challenge campaign commitments involved planting monoculture tree plantations or a limited mix of trees that produced products like fruit or rubber, instead of restoring natural forests. Plantations sequester less carbon, are involved in less habitat creation and erosion control than natural forests. If planted trees replace forests like grasslands or savannahs, the potential for replenishing biodiversity is lost, as such natural forest ecosystems have evolved to support unique, local biodiversity. Plantations can, thus, only work if plantations efforts include strong subsidy restrictions, including prohibitions against replacing native forests with plantations.
A new study published in Nature Sustainability journal on June 22, 2020 says poorly-designed and poorly-enforced campaigns to plant a large number of trees could be counterproductive, Tree plantations can contradict the real purpose of planting trees, according to the study, presented in a recent DownToEarth magazine, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) based in New Delhi, India. There was a high risk that tree plantations could contradict the real purpose of planting trees, said Eric Lambin, the study's co-author a professor in Stanford University's School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, according to DownToEarth. Plantations that were poorly enforced could be responsible for releasing more carbon and losing biodiversity, Lambin added. Forests have the biggest role to play in slowing down biodiversity loss from human interventions and in combating climate change as they sequester carbon as biomass. Keeping carbon sequestration and increasing biodiversity in mind, campaigns to plant trees gained a lot of traction in recent years. The Bonn Challenge seeks to restore forest area more than eight times the size of the state of California in the US by 2030. Similarly, the Trillion Trees campaign aims to plant a trillion trees across the world. Doing so without paying attention to local forest cover, however, would hinder such aims, said the study, taking into account the impact of subsidies given for such campaigns -- the first of its kind to do so. "In light of global enthusiasm to plant a trillion trees, it's important to reflect on the impact of past policies," said the study's lead author Robert Heilmayr, an assistant professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, US. The researchers looked at one of the world's longest-running and influential subsidy policy: Chile's Decree Law 701. The law subsidised 75 per cent of afforestation costs and offered support for ongoing plantation management. Poor enforcement and budget limitations led to a situation where government subsidies replaced native forests with profitable tree plantations. This in turn reduced native forest cover, with plantations, shrublands or marginal agricultural lands cropping up in areas where forests may have naturally regenerated, according to the study. In the same way, it was found that nearly 80 per cent of the Bonn Challenge campaign commitments involved planting monoculture tree plantations or a limited mix of trees that produced products like fruit or rubber, instead of restoring natural forests. Plantations sequester less carbon, are involved in less habitat creation and erosion control than natural forests. If planted trees replace forests like grasslands or savannahs, the potential for replenishing biodiversity is lost, as such natural forest ecosystems have evolved to support unique, local biodiversity. Plantations can, thus, only work if plantations efforts include strong subsidy restrictions, including prohibitions against replacing native forests with plantations.
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said since the starting of the national lockdown, pollution from ozone in 22 mega and metropolitan cities in India "increased and even breached standards in several cities". Around the world, Covid-19 lockdowns cleaned up the air as a plethora of economic activities were brought to a standstill. However, new research shows that while NO2 and PM2.5 levels plummeted during this period, pollution from ozone shot up. On Wednesday, the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said since the starting of the national lockdown on March 25, pollution from ozone in 22 mega and metropolitan cities in India “increased and even breached standards in several cities”. Ozone as a pollutant The highly reactive ozone gas (O3) helps protect life when it is in the Earth’s stratosphere. There, it forms the ozone layer, which filters ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In the troposphere (meaning at groundlevel), however, ozone acts as a pollutant that can trigger several health problems among vulnerable groups, and is known to be associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Along with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), tropospheric ozone is responsible for many of the ill effects caused by outdoor air pollution. What the CSE study says The CSE analysed trends for the four major pollutants– PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and ozone– for the period January 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020 in Delhi-NCR (including Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Noida), Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Ujjain, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Patna, Visakhapatnam, Amritsar, Howrah, Pune, Guwahati, Lucknow and Kochi. The study included spatial trend analysis of ozone in selected cities. As per the study, as many economic activities stalled during the lockdown, PM2.5 and NO2 levels plummeted in most cities, and this caught public attention. However, the maximum standard average of invisible ozone pollution exceeded standard levels in these cities for several days. In Ahmedabad, the maximum average exceeded the standard for 43 days, Ujjain 38 days, Gurugram 26 days, Ghaziabad 15 days, and Noida 12 days. In at least one measuring station in Delhi- NCR and Ahmedabad, ozone levels were higher than standard values on two-thirds of lockdown days. The maps below, provided by CSE, based on CPCB data, show the wide variation in the NO2 and ozone zones in cities despite the comparatively lower levels.
Covid-19 is not a mere oversight or an inconvenient accident; it is a result of the actions we have taken to build a world that is both inequitable and divisive Sunita Narain These have to be the weirdest and the most tumultuous times we have lived in. But they are also the most confounding. Coronavirus seems to be unleashing the best and the worst in our world today. On the one hand, we have news of cleaner air — not only in Delhi but also in other parts of the world. There is evidence of a dip in greenhouse gas emission. There is also evidence of human fortitude, empathy, and, above all, selfless toil by millions who work in health care and essential services. It’s their determination to win the war against the virus and to save lives that will be the hallmark of this epic struggle against Covid-19. On the other hand, we have increased use of plastic because we have to fight this infection; there are cities that are giving up the practice of segregating household waste because they just can’t keep up with the growing medical waste and plastic personal protective kits. So, we are going backward. Then, people don’t want to travel in public transport. They fear congested public spaces will add to the risk of contagion. So, as cities open up, private vehicles are bound to increase on city streets. It’s the same with fossil fuel emission, which contributes to climate change. It’s also the time when we are witnessing the worst of human nature — from the lack of action to provide money and food to the vulnerable, including the workers who lost their jobs and were desperate to go home; to the callousness to divide people based on religion or race; to, of course, the untold misery of many who lost their loved ones because they could not get help in time. It’s all there. But let’s look ahead because there will be light at the end of the Corona tunnel and the world we build now will be our future. And, as I say this, let’s also be clear that this is not a rhetorical or an open-ended quest for answers. It is about doing the impossible — finding ways of doing things differently now, when the health crisis is at its peak. We can’t wait for the normal to return because then it will neither be new nor different. And it is possible. The strategy is to find inventive answers, which will work for multiple challenges. Take air pollution in our cities. We know that vehicles are a major contributor to toxins in the air; of these, the worst are heavy-duty trucks that ply in and out of our cities. In January (pre-lockdown), some 90,000 trucks entered Delhi each month; in April (during lockdown), it was only 8,000. So, how do we avoid pollution as we resume our pre-lockdown days back? The fact is that India has made the transition (during lockdown) to a much cleaner fuel and vehicle technology. In the case of heavy-duty vehicles, this would mean a reduction of 90 per cent between pre-April (BSIV) and current BSVI. It is also a fact that the automobile industry is in massive financial distress. Here, we have a win-win solution. If the government was to devise a smart scheme to provide truck owners subsidy for scrapping their old vehicles and replacing them with new ones, it could be a game changer. But the trick is to make sure that the old vehicles are scrapped and recycled and do not end up adding to pollution somewhere else. It is the same with public transport — today it is under pressure for safety. But it is also a fact that without public transport, our cities cannot move. We now realise its importance. So, a financial stimulus to rebuild cities for the future to move people, not vehicles, can begin now. We need to restart public transport with all precaution; we need to augment it fast and find ways to support cycling and walking. The data shows that the bulk of the daily trips are below 5 km in our cities — so it is possible. But the scale of disruption we have seen today demands a similar scale of response as well. This can be done, but it needs imagination and concerted, obsessive action. When it comes to industry and its pollution, it boils down (literally) to what is burnt. So, if we can make moves to first change the fuel — from coal to natural gas — pollution will come down drastically. Then if we can move to electricity for combustion, and if that electricity can be from cleaner sources (natural gas, hydel, biomass, and renewables), it will work for local air pollution first and then also combat climate change. Again, this is within reach. But all this is premised on the belief that we humans want a better tomorrow. Covid-19 is not a mere oversight or an inconvenient accident; it is a result of the actions we have taken to build a world that is both inequitable and divisive, and discounts nature and our health. So, let’s not be naïve that tomorrow will be better — it will and can be better but only if we make it.
HYDERABAD: The city saw a rise in pollution levels during lockdown 4.0, when restrictions were relaxed, says a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi. In Hyderabad, the relaxation saw an over 40% increase in NO2 (Nitrogen dioxide) which is directly linked to vehicular traffic, the study says. The city was not far from Delhi, which saw an increase of 49%, Bengaluru (38%), and Ghaziabad (49%). However, it was not close to the cities which saw the highest increase such as Chennai (77%), Kochi (539%) or Visakhapatnam (89%). Researchers from CSE said that during the lockdown, “Hourly NO2 curve was flattened in all cities daily, with morning peak almost disappearing and evening peak reducing by 22-90%.” They saw a similar reduction in PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5) levels across cities during the lockdown. But in Hyderabad, the gains made in the middle of the lockdown for PM2.5 did not last as levels returned to those in the first phase. While pollution levels in the city remained well within acceptable standards, researchers warned that increased traffic and industries could hamper gains, especially since worsening levels were being noticed. The analysis covered 22 mega and metropolitan cities in the country from the period of January 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020. Speaking to TOI, Anumita Roychowdhury, ED-research and advocacy, CSE, said: “This pandemic has shown that a big reduction is possible only if all regions clean up together and at a scale and with speed across all critical sectors including vehicles, industry, power plants, waste, construction, use of solid fuels for cooking and episodic burning.” She suggested that for the post-pandemic period to sustain any gains made during the lockdown, it was important to reduce all pollutants. In a surprise, the study noted that the lockdown was not the cleanest period for the city, with the previous monsoon being cleaner
New Delhi: India has the world’s oldest desert locust control programme. The British government established the Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) in 1939 in Karachi following a deadly locust plague between 1926 and 1931. India has the world’s oldest desert locustcontrolprogramme. The British government established the Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) in 1939 in Karachi following a deadly locust plague between 1926 and 1931. Between 1939 and 1946, the main function of the organization was surveillance in the Thar desert and issuance of warnings to the then Indian states about the possibility of desert locust swarms, their movement and breeding, according to the LWO’s Ready Reckoner. In 1946, the LWO moved to Delhi under the directorate of plant protection, quarantine and storage under the ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare. There were locust outbreaks of different intensities in India in 1812, 1821, 1843- 44, 1863-67, 1869-73, 1876-81, 1889-98, 1900-1907, 1912-1920, 1926-1931, 1940-1946, 1949-1955, 1959-1962, 1978, 1993, 1997, 2005, 2010 according to the LWO. Today, the LWO has 250 employees who survey locust populations and issue bulletins every fortnight that help farmers prepare for a locust invasion. LWO carries out locust surveys or population monitoring activities in line with a survey schedule finalized at the beginning of every locust season, prepares and submits the locust survey reports for the department of agriculture and cooperation; organizes and supervises locust control operations as and whensorequired; coordinates with state governments and the Border Security Force (BSF) for locust control operations, among others. LWO also organises the Indo-Pak locust officers border meeting for exchange of information on locusts, situation in their respective countries during locust season (June to November), the Ready Reckoner says. “Even when there is no locust attack as such, we are surveying and making reports. We also coordinate with the Food and Agriculture Organisation to prepare for possible outbreaks,” said KL Gurjar, deputy director, LWO. Keith Cressman, senior desert locust officer at the FAO, said at a webinar organised by the Centre for Science and Environment last month: “India is well equipped. It has the oldest national locust programme” and so wasbetter prepared to handle the invasions during the current locust upsurge. According to the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in South- West Asia publication, the five-year invasion from 1926 to 1931 was estimated to have caused damage to crops alone of Rs 2 crore. Damage was also caused to fodder and pastures, resulting in heavy mortality among cattle, goats and sheep. The report states that South West Asia has experienced several locust plagues in the past. Locusts are mentioned in Sanskrit literature, including the Mahabharata. It also finds mention in the Iranian Zoroastrian Vendidad, the tenth chapter of the Book of Exodus in the Bible and in the Al-Araf chapter 7 of the Quran.
NDTV 24x7 : CSE Spokes Person : Sunita Narain Program Name - News 27-Jun-2020 - 19:38:30 Conversation with Dr Sunita Narain, Director, CSE over Locusts attack in Delhi
Back in March, when India went into nationwide lockdown mode to curb the spread of novel coronavirus, an unintended yet favourable side-effect to emerge from it was the drastic fall in air pollution levels across the country. But while the flattening of PM2.5 and NO2 curves made the news, tropospheric ozone pollution rose significantly, as per the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). According to an analysis conducted by the CSE, which involved close monitoring of 22 Indian mega-cities, the amount of ozone in the atmosphere breached the standards in major urban areas across the country. Before diving into the rise in ozone, let us first understand what it is: Ozone is a chemical compound that is not emitted directly by any source; instead, it forms through photochemical reactions between pollutants like oxides of nitrogen (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other gases in the air, under the influence of sunlight and heat. This very fact makes ozone tricky to control—to reduce it, the fundamental gases from all sources need to be controlled. Ozone happens to be a highly reactive gas, however, as even short-term, onehour exposure can be especially harmful for individuals with asthma and respiratory conditions. The presence of this pollutant poses a problem particularly during the spring and summer months in north, central, and the arid parts of western India. It has also been observed to increase during warmer winters in the southern and coastal cities. To analyse the ozone trends during the lockdown period, CSE ditched the traditional method of measuring ozone between the fixed time slot of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Instead, it adopted the best global practice of considering the maximum rolling eight-hour average every 24 hours—which worked far better, considering ozone levels tend to peak post 4 p.m. Subsequently, they were able to calculate the number of days during which ozone levels exceeded the standard in at least one air-monitoring station in a major city, and the list goes as follows: Delhi: 67 days (i.e. at least one station in the city recorded ozone levels exceeding the standard for 67 days) Chennai: 61 days Gurugram: 57 days Ghaziabad: 56 days Noida: 42 days Kolkata: 17 days Mumbai: 5 days Furthermore, the Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) publishes on a daily basis indicated that due to the drop in other pollutants, ozone became the most prominent pollutant of the day in several cities, thereby leading the AQI scores. Another interesting finding arrived through the mapping of ozone concentrations spatially across the megacities, as the study found that ozone pollution was at its highest in the greenest parts of the city. Stations with the lowest NO2 pollution recorded the highest ozone levels, due to the simple fact that the ozone in cleaner areas has no NOx to react with, and as a result, ozone concentration builds up at such locations. The coincidence of the nationwide lockdown measures and summer months led to ozone popping its ugly head up for all to see, and it is now up to us to take the appropriate top-down and bottom-up approaches towards killing this pollutant before it kills us. Speaking on this very need, Anumita Roychowdhury, executive directorresearch and advocacy, CSE, stated: “This pandemic-led change in air quality has helped us understand summer pollution. Normally, every year, winter pollution is what draws our attention. The characteristics of summer pollution are different: there are high winds, intermittent rains and thunderstorms, and high temperature and heatwaves. This is in contrast to winter—with its inversion, lower mixing height of air, and cold and calm conditions that trap the air and the pollutants in it. “This pandemic has shown that big reduction is possible only if all regions clean up together and at a scale and with speed across all critical sectors including vehicles, industry, power plants, waste, construction, use of solid fuels for cooking and episodic burning. There is a need for an agenda for a ‘blue sky and clear lungs’ for the post-pandemic period to sustain the gains. This action must also ensure the co-benefit of reducing both particulate and gaseous emissions, including ozone.” | June 27, 2020