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Building resilience to climate change in Addis Ababa

By Mekonnen Teshome Tollera – Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa (Sheger) was born twice: first, as a crowded city; and then again, as a beautiful Sheger with clean rivers, public spaces and parks, bicycle paths and walkways along the riverside. The city of 4.6 million people is being born again as a result of a multimillion dollar project “Beautifying Sheger” intended to decorate Addis Ababa. This 29 billion birr (about $1.028 billion), rivers and riversides development project is slowly making the city green as works for developing and rehabilitating the two rivers in the city launched in February 2019 progress. The project, an initiative of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, is expected to be completed within three years and has created job opportunities for hundreds of Ethiopians and some Chinese too. The project is running along two of the largest rivers of the city, stretching a total of 51 kilometres, all the way from the mountains of Entoto through the city to Akaki River. The commissioner of Addis Ababa Environmental Protection and Green Development Commission, Alem Asefa says: “As an adaptation to climate change the riverside project will install waterpermeable pavements to better deal with floods and storm water and improve water storage and use.” The Changing Addis Ababa climate Impulsive changes in climate including rising heat waves, drought and flash floods in Addis Ababa are negatively impacting natural resources and city productivity. A recent study by Open Access: “GIS based quantification and mapping of climate change vulnerability hotspots in Addis Ababa” confirmed that the city “…is vulnerable to climate change impacts…” “The degree of vulnerability is underpinned by the interaction of multiple factors mainly adaptive capacities of subcities, location based characteristics and changes in climatic parameters,” it accentuates. Alem Asefa, Commissioner of Addis Ababa Environmental Protection and Green Development Commission, told InfoNile in Addis Ababa that scientific projections suggest that the city will face enormous challenges of climate change unless necessary measures are taken to significantly reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. Alem further explained: “If abusing the city master plan, especially the urban green component and emissions of greenhouse gases, including those from transport and industry are not controlled in the coming years, continued growth of their atmospheric concentrations is projected to result in severe climate change.” According to the commissioner, the most important anthropogenic influences on climate in Addis Ababa and neighbouring areas are the emissions, changes in land use, such as urbanization and agricultural activities. Enabling Addis Ababa adapt to climate change The rivers and riversides development project aims at curbing the serious environmental effects of pollution and habitat degradation of rivers through planning, design and management of riverside areas. Commissioner Alem says greening is recommended for containment and abatement of air pollution in urbanindustrial environment. “Carbon is sequestered in the process of plant growth as carbon is captured in plant cell formation and oxygen is released during photosynthesis. Branches, leaves and other materials that fall to the forest floor may store carbon until they decompose,” noted Alem. Additionally, he said, “forest soils may sequester some of the decomposing plant litter through root and soil interaction,” as he related greening efforts with adapting climate change. Optimally designed green belts can be effective in reducing the impact of fugitive emission and pollutants accidentally or otherwise released at ground levels. Alem says in addition to energy-efficient technologies in transport, industrial sectors, and buildings and development of green infrastructures including green development will help Addis Ababa mitigate climate change. Polluted rivers of Addis Ababa A number of research results from university academic and research institutions show that rivers of Addis Ababa are highly polluted due to congested residential houses and manufacturing industries’ presence around the water bodies. For example, an assessment study on the water chemical content of the Akaki river published by Research Gate (2017) – “Pollution Status of Akaki River and Its Tributaries (Ethiopia) Evaluated Using Physico-Chemical Parameters, Major Ions, and Nutrients,” indicates that the water quality of the TAR shows pattern of behavior linked to anthropogenic sources with the intensity of human pressure associated with industrial effluent, domestic wastes and agricultural activities. As the issue is a matter of high concern, the government in collaboration with local and international institutions is also making efforts to further analyze the water pollution and take necessary measures against polluter industries like leather tanneries and chemical industries. Director of India Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Mrs. Sunita Narain recently told this reporter in New Delhi that CSE has launched chemical analyses of the Akaki River, a river in central Ethiopia, to identify the concentration of heavy metals in the river and present recommendations on the possible solutions. Residential wastes, sewage flowing into the river and the disposal of single use plastic material are some of the major polluting factors of rivers in Addis Ababa. Managing and Mitigating floods A flood related study by ScienceDirect (2016) – “Flood Risk and Vulnerability of Addis Ababa City Due to Climate Change and Urbanization”, states that the Akaki catchment’s urbanization rate grown by 10% only from 1993 to 2002 and flooding risks in Addis Ababa has also shown significant increase. The study attributed the vulnerability of Addis Ababa to riverine as well as flash floods due to extreme climatic events and upper catchment activities and the vulnerability to flooding is more aggravated due to a poor drainage system, rapid housing development along river banks and using inappropriate construction materials. Therefore, the riverside development project also aims to enhance the wellbeing of city dwellers by mitigating river flooding, creation of public spaces and parks, bicycle paths and walkways along the site as well as to face-lift the image of the city. “Addis Ababa riverside project will reduce the amount of sediments and other pollutants disposed to the rivers and create greener urban centers suitable for living through plantation and/or reclamation of the river buffers with suitable trees, shrubs, herb and grasses along the different river buffer zones which can act as efficient biological filters or sinks for particulate and gaseous emissions, generated by vehicular movements and various industrial activities,” said Commissioner Alem. Transforming Addis Ababa into a greener, resilient and happier city Apart from the exceptional riverside greening and Addis Ababa’s beautification effort, the government of Ethiopia has designed holistic climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies and policies and has been strictly implementing them. Ethiopia’s National Adaptation Plan (NAPETH) which costs about USD 6 billion annually to address climate change, is integrating projects including botanical gardens and zoo park centers in Addis Ababa, river and riversides development, Mount Entoto and its surrounding tourist destination development projects and the Addis Abeba parks development projects are undertaken under River Basins and Green Areas Agency established in July 2018. A group of scholars in their recent study entitled “Current status and management practice of urban green spaces in Addis Ababa: A reflection on their potential for carbon sink” write that the role of Addis Ababa’s integrated green spaces development is vital in regulating climate and is noteworthy as it plays a momentous role in mitigating climate change by sequestering a significant amount of carbon. According to a study conducted by Samson Aynachew, the city of Addis Ababa has reserved 22,000 ha area of land for green space development. With regard to spatial distribution of public parks in Addis Ababa, this indicates that, out of the ten sub-cities of Addis Ababa, the “Gullele” sub-city has the largest share of Public Park, i.e. 9.8ha followed by “Nifas Silk” sub-city (6.2ha), “Yeka” subcity (5.65ha), “Kirkos” sub-city (4.6ha) and “Lideta” sub-city (4.4ha). The Addis Ababa city Master Plan categorizes the urban green areas into local, district and city level green areas. At the local level there are many open and green areas which are used for festivals; children playgrounds and other social activities. Some of them are left out spaces between residential houses and the ones which are distinguished as urban open spaces are not managed well. The district level green areas include street sides, parks, plazas and most of the open spaces found in the center of the city. These places are officially designated as plazas, squares, streets and parks. The management of these places looks relatively good, but they are not properly managed when it comes to the use of the spaces. City level green areas include forest areas which are usually found in mountainous and preserved areas. These areas are well managed in the sense of preservation of trees and forestation, but people do not use them since they are not easily accessible and do not have the necessary facility to be used as recreational areas. Valuing urban green spaces in mitigating climate change With the launching of the first phase of the 12km riverside development of the total 51km by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in October 2019 and some previously finalized works, the lifting of Addis Ababa’s face is being materialized and people have started to test the fruits of the greening efforts. For instance, people of Addis Ababa have started enjoying greenery luxury with the completion and opening of some sections of the riverside development around the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The protection and cleaning work of Addis Ababa’s rivers has already started due to the fencing and isolation of the water bodies as part of the construction efforts. As part of Addis Ababa’s beautifying project, the installation of metal holders for flower pots and planting flowers in the median divide on Africa Avenue in Bole all the way from Bole International Airport to the National Place has been finalized and are being enjoyed by the city residents and visitors. Urban green areas play a very important role as a carbon sink. Recognizing the importance of urban trees for this purpose, the interest in preserving and maintaining the urban trees are increasing. Carbon sequestration is a phenomenon for the storage of carbon dioxide or other forms of carbon to mitigate global warming, says Miss Alem Asefa, Commissioner of Addis Ababa Environmental Protection and Green Development Commission. Tree planting drives are not new in Ethiopia. In July 2019, a massive tree planting campaign was initiated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, aiming at restoring the country’s landscape and tackling the climate change crisis. This covered the whole of Ethiopia including Addis Ababa. A world-record of 353,633,660 tree seedlings were planted across the country in a 12-hour span. Public recounting of the project Residents of Addis Ababa now are also optimistic that their city is changing for the better and becoming greener than ever. Tesfaye Abate is one of these residents who have witnessed a remarkable greening revolution in Addis Ababa. He says this could help control droughts and floods that have been affecting his community. “I am really very pleased to see our city becoming greener over the last decades and I hope this will enable us to adapt and cope with the ever escalating effects of global warming and the changing climate.” Professor Fekadu Beyene, Commissioner for Ethiopia’s Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission says greening efforts are imperative to curb climate change. The Professor also agrees that the river side and the intensive tree planting activities in Ethiopia notably the “Green Legacy,” a national go green campaign, are vital to adapt and mitigate climate change. Professor Fekadu Beyene says that Ethiopia’s Green Legacy campaign is an exemplary greening activity made to realize the country’s vision of building a climate change resilient economy.

March air was ‘moderate’, but pollution dipped sharply since March 25

In March, the city recorded an average daily air quality index (AQI) value of 113, implying that it was experiencing largely ‘moderate’ air quality over the past month. However, the city has seen a sharp dip in pollution levels since March 25, when a nationwide lockdown to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) was enforced. Since the lockdown began, most vehicles have been off the streets and Gurugram’s air quality has ranged between 42 to 77, in terms of its daily average AQI value, while levels of particulate matter have remained within nationally prescribed ‘safe’ limits. The city’s average AQI value for February, as per Central Pollution Control Board data, was 190 (also in the ‘moderate’ category). “The air quality has remained in the ‘moderate’ category over February and March, but with a slight improvement due to the lockdown, as well as the rainfall earlier in the month. We will see an even sharper improvement between March and April, as the lockdown continues, mainly due to the shutdown of industries and lack of vehicles on roads,” Sachin Panwar, a city-based air quality scientist, said. Morning and evening peaks in the level of PM 2.5 (due to daily rush-hour commutes causing heavy traffic movement) have also flattened in the days since the lockdown came into force, according to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Data from three of Gurugram’s air quality monitors—at Gwal Pahadi, Sector 51, and Vikas Sadan— confirms that this is the case. All three monitors show PM2.5 to be at an average value between 40 and 50μg/m³ per day over the past 10 days, which is within the national safe limit of 60μg/m³. These monitors also show a sharp reduction in the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which can be directly attributed to the absence of vehicles on city streets, and closure of non-essential industries, both of which burn fuel and are major sources of NO2 in the atmosphere. “This analysis brings out the pronounced effect of traffic on hourly pollution trend and daily exposures to toxic vehicular pollution. With traffic minimised, hourly trends plummet. This is sharply evident in NO2 trends,” the CSE said in its analysis. Hindustan Times | Gurgaon| April 3, 2020

Hyderabad welcomes Kids’ health food startup

HYDERABAD : For most kids, the word ‘snack’ conjures up images of a pack of chips, cookies, chocolates or sugar filled jellies. Many children graze through the day eating unhealthy snacks that are not specifically targeted for their age. As per a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment, 93% of children between the age group of 9-17 eat packaged food. Children today have access to packaged food more than ever. A quick stop at the supermarket can result in a number of snack packs that are mostly unhealthy. Parents often find it difficult to buy trustworthy, wholesome, healthy and guilt free snacks that are suitable for children. "That is how Timios was born," says founders, brother sister duo, Aswani Chaitanya and Hima Bindu. The Hyderabadi duo say that their idea was to give design healthy food products for children. "Age-appropriate covering age ranges starting from 6 months to 12 years. (Babies, toddlers and schoolers). Each product is made with 100 per cent natural ingredients and contains zero preservatives," they add. The idea for Timios, which is funded by MTR Foods, came about when Aswani moved to India from the US in 2014 after spending about 15 years at top tier investment banks. Once he returned, he was in search of healthy age appropriate snacks for his two boys. Unlike in the developed markets, there were no options for healthy yet tasty snacks designed for children. He realized the gap in the market and teamed up with his sister Hima Bindu, who holds a masters degree in nutrition and has worked as a research associate "Each of these products are designed in suitable portions to provide the necessary nutrition. We are working out on other snacks for toddlers and schools," says Bindu. They are available on e-commerce websites and in over 250 stories including baby and organic stores.

Blue skies, clean air: how the coronavirus lockdown is rejuvenating our environment

With the COVID-19 lockdown in place, smog has given way to blue skies, waterways are seeing more marine life, and pollution levels have dropped to a large extent. A few days ago, Noida’s busiest Sector-18 had an unexpected guest. A Nilgai was spotted walking leisurely on the road. The sight was a welcome change from the usually jam-packed road. Similarly, in Kerala’s Kozhikode, a Malabar civet, which is a critically endangered animal, was spotted walking on the road. Ever since the coronavirus pandemic struck across the globe, several reports have emerged highlighting the return of many species to their natural habitats. earth environment (Image source: Shutterstock) The drastic measures taken by governments because of the spreading of the novel coronavirus, and the shutdown of factories, commercial establishments, and vehicular movement, has resulted in a drop in the pollution levels across the world. As the pandemic continues to halt industrial activities, it has given people some time to breathe. But, is all of this only a temporary mirage? As coronavirus is rapidly spreading around the world, most people are still confined to their homes. Schools, and offices have remained shut for weeks now. While some have lost their jobs, others are struggling to earn their daily bread amidst the lockdown. Most of the major events and conferences such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), Facebook’s annual conference, and the World Athletics Indoor Championships stand cancelled. Several countries have tightened their borders and restricted the issuance of visas. ‘Work from home’ and ‘social distancing’ have become the new norm in everyone’s lives. work from home coronavirus (Image source: Shutterstock) According to latest reports by the World Health Organisation, there has been over 8.5 lakh COVID-19 cases reported across the world so far, with a little over 42,000 deaths. In short, the virus has affected people irrespective of their social and economic status. In the thick of all the gloom and doom, there is a silver lining. Mother earth seems to have rejuvenated itself – smog has given way to blue skies, marine life is seeing increased activity, pollution levels have dropped, and animals as well as birds are moving about on their own accord. Also Read Senior citizens face a high coronavirus risk. Here’s what you can do New York The famous Times Square at New York bears a deserted look due to the coronavirus pandemic. Image Credit: Tayfun Coskun and Anadolu Agency, Getty Images A considerable improvement in air quality Satellite imagery shows signs of nature scoring a victory. Both environmental researchers and scientists have evaluated the air quality, one of the most prominent parameters. With unnecessary travel being discouraged and manufacturing units facing a closure, the data gathered shows the emergence of cleaner air. According to a research by Columbia University, both carbon monoxide and carbon-dioxide emissions were observed to have fallen by around 50 percent and 10 percent, respectively, in the bustling city of New York. China pollution levels A before and after comparison of the level of nitrogen dioxide across China as depicted by NASA. An analysis carried out by Carbon Brief noted a 25 percent decrease in emissions across China during February 2020 due to the reduced use of coal and crude oil, as compared to the same time in 2019. Furthermore, the amount of nitrogen dioxide also dropped by 36 percent right after the Chinese New Year holiday, compared to last year. This can be verified with the measurements made by the NASA OMI instrument. Italy The European Space Agency's satellite image showing a drastic drop in air pollution at Italy after COVID-19. Some of the moststark differences were recorded in Italy, CLEAN AIR AND SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY Spain, and France – the three countries which imposed lockdowns much earlier than other European nations. The nitrogen dioxide levels across all of them saw a slump. Particulate matter (PM2.5) was sharply down in London, Cardiff, and Bristol since the closure. Sign up for Newsletters Check out our popular newsletters and subscribe Dropdown India too has been breathing easy in the last few days. The Air Quality Index (AQI) sank to as low as 93 last month in New Delhi as compared to 161 in March 2019, as per IQAir reports. Bengaluru There is hardly any vehicular emission at Brigade Road, one of Bengaluru's busiest shopping areas. Image Credit: PTI “All the hustle and bustle in my neighbourhood has disappeared. It feels like everything around is ushering a beautiful spring. This sure is a consequence of the drastic reduction in carbon emissions from vehicular movements. The goal should be to take this trend ahead in the days to come,” says Suresh Heblikar, a filmmaker and environmental activist based in Bengaluru. The World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. It also estimates the death toll due to air pollution to be around 7 million every year across the globe. In fact, the Collective of Doctors for Clean Air have stated that individuals residing in highly polluted areas can be more vulnerable to coronavirus due to the already caused damage to their respiratory systems. Nevertheless, the improvement in the air quality owing to the outbreak of the pandemic looks like a ray of hope in the times to come. Also Read COVID-19 diary: Why we will wait till next year to enjoy the cherry blossoms in Japan Undisturbed habitats for marine life While the COVID- 19 lockdown has made it imperative for people to stay indoors, animals seem to have been undeterred by it. The quiet street corners, empty parking lots, and deserted parks have given more space for nature to take control. The subdued humdrum surrounding tourism and the reduced number of motorboats in Venice has led to cleaner waterways. The nationwide lockdown is also providing perfect condition for olive ridley turtles to lay eggs in Odisha’s Gahirmatha beach and Rushikulya’s rookery. Usually, this event is known to attract huge crowds and officials from the Forest Department generally deploy a considerable amount of efforts and resources to patrol gatherings, protect the eggs, and later release the hatchlings into the sea. However, this time around, there were no such interruptions. All of this shows that the pandemic is resulting in more room for animals to thrive even amidst the margins of urbanised existence. Olive ridleys Olive ridleys on the coast were seen on the coast of Odisha's Gahirmatha beach. Image Credit: Shutterstock. Also Read How people are donating to the Centre's PM-CARES Fund to fight coronavirus Is this a long-term trend? It is said that times of disruptions tend to lead to big transitions. The COVID-19 shutdown has given people a glimpse into what the world might look like if we live sustainably and conserve the resources of the planet. But, can people expect a transformation in the future? SocialStory got in touch with a few environmentalists to understand their take on this. Sunita Narain, a renowned environmental activist and the Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), is of the view that the environmental restoration amid coronavirus outbreak is just a phase that might not have a long term impact. “Right after this health crisis subsides, it is imperative to get the economy back in shape. People need to get back to work and continue leading their lives. This is just a phase. People can learn from it. However, we require long-term solutions like that of the utilisation of clean energy, conservation of forests, and efficient waste management systems in order to see real impact,” she explains. While decreasing carbon footprints due to a standstill in industrial operations and vehicular movements is a sign of optimism, looking at the enormous scale at which global warming and 3 Monthly compilation of CSE’s media clippings: for the month of April 2020 environmental degradation is taking place, there is little joy in the air. A combination of policy and structural changes, conscious efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the individual level, and better awareness levels is expected to bring out tangible results. R Rammurthy, an environmental activist who has been at the forefront of cleaning several water bodies across India resonated with this. Your Story | April 2, 2020

Here's why every parent should check out Timios' healthy, ageappropriate snacks for children

Timios' Co-Founder Aswani Chaitanya tells Shreesha Ghosh why it is important for children to develop thse correct dietary habits at an early age For most children these days, the word ‘snack’ conjures up images of a packet of tomato-flavoured chips, cookies, chocolates or sugar-filled jellies. Numerous children push through the day eating unhealthy snacks, especially ones that are not specifically targeted for their age. As per a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment in 2016, 93 per cent of children between the age group of 9-17 years eat packaged food. The study also showed that 56 per cent of the children consume packaged sweet products like chocolates and ice creams more than twice a week and 53 per cent consume packaged salty food like chips. Parents often find it difficult to buy trustworthy, wholesome, healthy and guilt-free snacks that are suitable for children. This was the genesis for Timios, a start-up that makes organic, ageappropriate snacks for children. Founded by brother-sister duo, Aswani Chaitanya and Hima Bindu in 2016, Timios has a range of healthy food products designed for children. Timios products are ageappropriate, covering age ranges starting from six months to 12 years — babies, toddlers and schoolers. Each product is made with 100 per cent natural ingredients and contains zero preservatives. We spoke to Aswani about the process they follow to make the snacks and why it is important for children to adopt the right dietary habits. Here's what transpired: How essential is it for children within the age of 12 years to consume healthy snacks? For optimum health, three meals plus two healthy snacks per day is necessary. Healthy snacking is important for children because their smaller stomachs fill up fast and they burn energy quickly. Between meals, snacks give their growing body the nutrients and hydration it needs. A lot of children, at an early age, indulge in unhealthy snacks like chips, sweet products and packaged food nowadays. How will Timios help? Children today have easier access to packaged food now more than ever before. A quick stop at the supermarket can result in a number of snack packs that are mostly unhealthy. Currently, there are hardly any options available in the category of healthy age-appropriate packaged food for children. That's where we entered the market. How and when did you and your sister come up with the idea of Timios? What prompted you to start such a venture? The idea of coming up with a food brand for kids was sparked during our many supermarket visits where there always seemed to be a tussle between parents and their little ones. There was a huge gap when it came to children’s snacks, so I dived deep into research and reached out to friends and family to understand the market more. My wife played an integral role in all of this too, comparing what was available in the UK and India. It was discovered that that apart from a handful of known mega brands, there was nothing in this space that was specific to healthy snacking for kids. This is a concern because nutrition plays a very important role at this age. It was very clear that this needed to be addressed. Fortunately for me, my sister is a nutritionist and had just delivered a baby then. She too was on the lookout for some work that allowed her to stay at home more often. My father being an agricultural scientist also brought in valuable contributions. We reached out to paediatricians and got relevant references. Products: 9 months - 12 months Whole Grain Melts: Naturally dried fruit or vegetables 12 months - 2 years Zookers: Animal shaped biscuits made with natural ingredients Mini Oaty Bites: Soft and chewy bites for kids above 18 months 2 years and above Multigrain Munchies: Guilt-free natural munchies Natural Raisins: Raisins procured directly from Turkey with zero chemical treatment and sugar Cereal Crunchies: Made with whole grains and real strawberries 4 years and above Energy Bars: On the go treats made with rolled oats, berries, dates, etc What goes into making the snacks? From choosing the grain to checking the texture and quality, everything is noted and studied before it goes for production. All the products are 100 per cent natural and tested on a regular basis until the end-product is ready. What types of products do you offer? We have seven categories of products. Timios offers finger food, munchies, energy bars and much more. Each of these products is designed in suitable portions to provide the necessary nutrition to growing children. | April 2, 2020

This entrepreneur feeds dozens of unwanted monkeys every week

Dharmender Kumar is a 38-year-old entrepreneur residing in Muzaffarnagar in the Uttar Pradesh region of India. He was nicknamed “monkey lover” for his affinity and affection for local monkeys. The area is full of wild monkeys, but Kumar is unafraid. In the video above, you can see him gleefully sitting on the ground with dozens of the hungry critters, equipped with a red bucket of chickpeas. The monkeys gather around him to grab a bite of one of their favorite foods. According to Newsflare, Kumar wants to spread awareness about animals and care for them. He says he has never had a negative encounter with the animals and finds them to be quite amicable. Monkeys have always been a presence in some rural areas of India, according to Down to Earth magazine. In 2016, local government officials released an advertisement in the paper to crowdsource ideas about how to manage the monkeys without hurting them. The creatures had reportedly wreaked havoc on crops that belonged to farmers or stolen food from people who were merely carrying groceries. “We have been receiving a lot of complaints on the havoc created by the monkeys and dogs. Complaints pouring in have become a daily feature,” V. P. Singh Badnore, BJP MP and chairman of the Rajya Sabha House Committee, told Down To Earth over the phone. “However, we will not kill them nor will we encourage anybody to kill them. It is not a ‘menace.’ It is only an issue that requires management.” In Muzaffarnagar, where Kumar is located, “local residents estimate there are four to five groups, each consisting of at least 15- 20 monkeys, which have made life difficult for farmers and others,” according to Down to Earth. Perhaps, that’s why Kumar’s work is all the more important, especially as he demonstrates how humans can coexist pleasantly with wild monkeys who are just looking for food. | April 1, 2020

जहरीली होती दिल्ली की हवा:400 पार जा सकता है एक्यूआई, ईपीसीए ने लोगों को दिया अनावश्यक घर से बाहर नहीं निकलने की सलाह

घटती पारे के साथ दिल्ली जहरीली होती जा रही है। अगर हवा की दिशा और रफ्तार में नहीं हुआ बदलाव तो अगले दो दिनों तक ऐसी ही स्थिति बनी रही स्थिति तो शनिवार को और रविवार को और हालात बिगड़ सकते हैं और दिल्ली की एयर क्वालिटी इंडेक्स का आंकड़ा 400 के पार जा सकती है। ऐसे हालात को देखते हुए केंद्रीय पृथ्वी विज्ञान मंत्रालय के अधीन आने वाली वायु गुणवत्ता निगरानी संस्था सफर इंडिया और पर्यावरण संरक्षण एवं प्रदूषण नियंत्रण प्राधिकरण ने लोगों को अनावश्यक रूप से घर से बाहर नहीं निकलने की सलाह दी है। पंजाब और हरियाणा में पराली जलाए जाने के असर के कारण दिल्ली-एनसीआर में वायु प्रदूषण खराब स्थिति में पहुंच गया है। बताया जा रहा है कि हवा की रफ्तार कम होने और पराली का धुआं बढ़ने से इस साल अक्टूबर के तीसरे सप्ताह में ही एयर क्वालिटी इंडेक्स के हालात खतरनाक हालात बन गए हैं। शुक्रवार को हवा इस सीजन की सर्वाधिक प्रदूषित रही। वहीं सफर इंडिया का कहना है कि बृहस्पतिवार को पंजाब-हरियाणा में पराली जलाने के 1.231 केस सामने आए। दिल्ली के प्रदूषण में पराली के धुएं की हिस्सेदारी 17 फीसद तक रही। दिल्ली-एनसीआर में सभी जगह एयर इंडेक्स 300 के पार हो गया। यह हवा की बहुत खराब श्रेणी है। वहीं दिल्ली के 10 इलाकों में एयर इंडेक्स 400 से ऊपर गंभीर श्रेणी में पहुंच गया। सैर पर जाने वालों को सांस की परेशानी गुरुवार की रात से फिर से उत्तर-पश्चिमी हवा बह रही थी और इसकी गति भी 10 किलोमीटर प्रति घंटे से कम रही। नतीजा स्मॉग के साथ-साथ प्रदूषण भी बढ़ने लगा। शुक्रवार सुबह दिल्ली-एनसीआर के लोगों ने आंखें खोलीं तो बाहर खासा धुंध था। सुबह सैर के लिए जाने वाले लोगों को सांस लेने में परेशानी का समाना करना पड़ा। ईपीसीए की सदस्य सुनीता नारायण ने कहा है कि कि सभी एजेंसियों को प्रदूषण की रोकथाम के लिए सभी कोशिशें करने के लिए कहा गया है। जरूरत पड़ने पर कुछ और सख्त निर्णय भी लिए जाएंगे। राजधानी में 14 डिग्री पहुंचा न्यूनतम तापमान,पड़ेगी कड़ाके की सर्दी राजधानी में न्यूनतम तापमान14 डिग्री तक पहुंच चुकी है, कुछ दिनों में कड़ाके की सर्दी पड़ने वाली है। मौसम विभाग के अधिकारियों ने बताया कि मौजूदा समय में राजधानी दिल्ली में सर्दियों का आगमन हो चुका है और यहां का न्यूनतम तापमान लगातार गिर रहा है। + हालात यह है कि इलाकों में इन दिनों तापमान 14 डिग्री से भी नीचे पहुंच रहा है। मौसम विभाग का अनुमान है दिल्ली में कड़ाके की ठंड पड़ेगी। मौसम विभाग के अधिकारियों ने बताया कि मौजूदा समय में राजधानी दिल्ली में आसमान साफ है। साथ ही सुबह-सुबह मिस्ट देखने को मिल रही है। प्रदूषण का स्तर हवाओं की गति और दिशा के चलते लगातार बढ़ रहा है। वहीं तापमान कम हो रहा है जो प्रदूषण के लिए अनुकूल है। इस कारण कड़ाके की सर्दी पड़ने की उम्मीद है। शनिवार के पूर्वानुमान हैं कि यहां पर अधिकतम और न्यूनतम तापमान क्रमश 34 और 14 डिग्री के आसपास बने रह सकते हैं। इससे पहले शुक्रवार को राजधानी दिल्ली का न्यूनतम तापमान 14.4 डिग्री सेल्सियस दर्ज किया गया जो कि सामान्य से 4 डिग्री कम है। अधिकतम तापमान यहां 34 डिग्री सेल्सियस रहा है कि सामान्य से 3 डिग्री ज्यादा है।

Delhi Clean-Air Action Plan: The agenda to reduce air pollution and protect public health

In 2016, Delhi experienced one of its worst Diwali smog episodes in many years. Several factors converged to create the dirty haze that enveloped the capital region with the onset of winter. Scientists had predicted a near-total lack of wind and a severe spike in pollution levels on Diwali day – and they were proved right. Even before the Diwali smog could thin out, the weather turned hostile once again. Lower level anti cyclone—a weather phenomenon which prevents the dispersal of smog—developed around Delhi on November. There was virtually no wind in the vertical column. As a result, the smog thickened and worsened. According to the India Meteorological Department(IMD), this was the worst smog episode with very poor visibility in the last 17years.

Online Training Programme on Understanding Environmental Law for Improving Environmental Management

Centre for Science and Environment is organizing a ten days long online training programme on 'Understanding environmental law for improving environmental management' from 01-10 September 2021. Programme Objective: This course has been particularly designed to capacitate the people working in the field of environment and the prospective environmentalist with an objective to develop a better understanding and knowledge of the laws and their interrelationship. Learning from the Programme: Better understanding of environmental governance structure of the country, major institution, and their implementation statistics. Increased understanding of the obligations of industry and individuals under various environmental laws and regulations and how to meet these obligations. Understanding the impacts of violations and noncompliance. Role of National Green Tribunal (NGT), environmental courts and public interest litigation (PIL). Understanding of international treaties and agreements Government of India subscribes to the impact of non-compliance with such agreements on business. Who can apply? Industry professionals; Environment Consultants; Environment Engineers Researchers and academicians Students aspiring to work in environment field For Other Details, Please Contact: Event Name: Online Training Programme on Understanding Environmental Law for Improving Environmental Management Website: https://www.cseindia.org/ Date: 01-10 September 2021 Centre for Science and Environment Address: 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area New Delhi-110062 Mobile: 91 1140616000 Email: ishita.garg@cseindia.org

Delhi bans firecrackers ahead of annual pollution spike around Diwali

Those letting off firecrackers in New Delhi this Diwali will be fined 200 rupees (S$3.44) and could be jailed for up to six months, according to latest anti-pollution measures announced by the Indian capital territory on Wednesday. The move is part of a wider ban on firecrackers, including their storage and sale, ahead of the festival next Monday that usually coincides with an annual spike in air pollution during winter, when low wind speeds trap pollutants in the lower atmosphere. Smoke from firecrackers contributes significantly to Delhi’s toxic air, which on Friday ranked “poor” on the air quality index that measures levels of eight main pollutants. Emissions from the city’s 13-million-plus vehicles and from factories add to this toxic cocktail. This worsens further as farmers in neighbouring states burn paddy stubble to clear their fields for the next sowing season. A similar ban on crackers was imposed last year but it was flouted widely. After their acrid smoke engulfed the city and its adjoining areas on Diwali evening on Nov 4, Delhi’s air quality index reached the “severe” zone the next day – the worst air quality level the city had seen the day after the festival since monitoring began in 2015. The onset of this year’s winter has been the cleanest since 2018 due to an extended rainy season in October that has since ended. Pollution levels have been climbing in recent days, with the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) issuing an “early winter pollution alert” on Thursday, indicating that airborne levels of particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) are on the rise.

How mass gatherings like the Kanwar Yatra cause episodic pollution

Without adequate waste management infrastructure, mass gatherings can end up polluting water, land and the air. “My daughter and husband had an upset stomach and not even once did we find a toilet to use,” said Annu Devi, a resident of Meerut who was one of the 40 million Kanwar pilgrims who came to Haridwar this year in July. “All of us have no other option than defecating in the open.” With the 12-day long Kanwar Yatra, when devotees of Lord Shiva from across the country, especially north India, take a trip to the Ganges, Haridwar becomes home to several million Kanwariyas, as the pilgrims on the journey are known. The number of pilgrims is higher on Mondays, the day considered the most pious by devotees of Shiva. The Kanwar Yatra took place this year from July 14 to July 26. Because of a lack of infrastructure to handle the excess waste generated by the visitors, festivals such as these cause what is known as “episodic pollution”. This usually happens because of mass gatherings that end up creating untreated waste, which pollutes the land, air or water, and impacts people’s health, and the area’s ecology. There is evidence of episodic pollution from mass gatherings like the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj and in Nashik in 2003, polluting river and land, and the excessive bursting of firecrackers during Diwali polluting air. Better planning, management and facilities in the city for waste disposal can help in coping with episodic pollution, say experts. Few toilets for lakhs of pilgrims The 2,525 km long Ganga rises in the western Himalayas in Uttarakhand, flowing southeast through the gangetic plains of north India into Bangladesh, emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Following the Amazon and the Congo, Ganga is the third largest river of the world, by discharge. Over 450 million people live in the Ganges River basin, and human waste is the cause of most of the pollution of the river. As of 2019, 122 million litres of sewage a day was produced from the district of Hardiwar, including Roorkee, and all sewage treatment plants were working at full capacity, as per a report by the GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment. During the Kanwar Yatra, with the river Ganga at its centre, people, mainly from the north Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, travel to Haridwar to bathe in the river. They also take Ganga Jal, the river’s water – considered holy – back home, filled in plastic containers, which come in all sizes from 250 ml to 5 litres. This happens through the Hindi month of Saawan which is believed to bring the monsoon, overlapping with July and August. Haridwar witnesses episodic pollution every year due to the Kanwar Yatra with the arrival of around 20-30 million pilgrims who stay in the city for at least 24 hours, said Vijay Verma, the director of Haridwar-based JP Health and Research Institute that researches on Ayurveda, allopathy and the environment. “Apart from 1,360 permanent (Nagar Nigam and Sulabh) toilets, we had installed 2,840 mobile toilets this year which came with two tankers each from the sewer department so that the waste could be sucked constantly,” said Haridwar’s District Magistrate, Vinay Shankar Pandey. Pandey put the number of pilgrims at 40 million or, an average of 3 million a day. That means 3 million pilgrims had just 4,200 toilets between them. As a result, all of the 10 pilgrims IndiaSpend spoke to said they had to defecate in the open as they were not able to find any toilet. “2019 recorded 3 crore (30 million) pilgrims during the Kanwar yatra in Haridwar who stayed in a very compact area of around 5 kilometres radius of the city,” said Verma. “The entire area is used not just to be lived in but also defecation and urination around Ganga.” The presence of chemicals and microorganisms in Ganga river water varied at different sampling sites. A study, published in the Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science in 2018, looked at samples from Har ki Pauri, Vishnu Ghat, Daksh Mandir, Pul Jatwara and the Bhimgoda Barra after the celebration of the Kanwar Mela in 2017. It concluded: “mass bathing and religious activities greatly influenced the water quality of River Ganga.” This study adds that the pH of river water increases, likely due to the usage of detergents used by the pilgrims to bathe and wash clothes in the river as bathrooms are not usually accessible. There is a larger presence of faecal coliform or bacteria present in human excreta, in the water during the Kanwar Yatra, the study said. Verma has been observing the Kanwar Yatra in the city for over three decades. He says, “most of the visitors are between the ages of 20 and 35, who go all the way to Gomukh [source of the Bhagirathi, one of the main streams of the Ganga] resulting in its pollution as well.” The Pathri power house [where the waste is filtered and treated] in Haridwar sees tons of waste in the river post the Kanwar Yatra which includes submerged plastic and religious waste. This not only harms aquatic animals but also impacts Rajaji National Park, home to many endangered birds, Verma said. Because of the waste, the Ph level of water fluctuates, and its temperature changes, which impacts aquatic life. Pollutants after mass gatherings include anti-inflammatory and common antibiotics, caffeine and antibacterial medicines. Once pharmaceutical residues enter water and soil, they also become incorporated into plants grown in these soils or waters. This has been reported in cabbage, cucumber, corn, carrot, lettuce and green onion in experimental studies. Amongst other pollutants, the overall concentration of polypropylene copolymer (PPCP), a plastic, also increased. This could be a result of mass bathing, urban waste, effluent from domestic sewage treatment plants and effluent treatment plants of the nearby industrial area, the researchers wrote. Episodic pollution worsens the situation. Take for instance, the Prayagraj Kumbh in 2019, which had over 122,000 eco-toilets, as per a paper by Delhi Technical University, published in April 2020. In 2019, the waste generated during the 55-day long Kumbh was about 18 times more than what the district produces daily. The existing sewage treatment capacity of the district at about 254 million litres per day was not able to treat even half of the generated waste at that time, the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment had said. Overburdened waste management system One Monday morning, there was a knock at the door and when I went to open it, a group of four men insisted that I let them in so that they could use the toilet, says Anil Chauhan, a resident in the Paudi area of Haridwar. “I got scared at first, then let them in to avoid any sort of violence or ruckus.” Due to a lack of public toilets, pilgrims either need to knock on doors or urinate and defecate in the open. This in the backdrop of a sewage treatment system that is inadequate for even the city’s regular population. Even on a usual day, without the influx of pilgrims, nearly 19% of the plastic waste generated in Haridwar is mismanaged, which means it is either leaked on land, water or burnt, as per a 2020 report from the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology. “Episodic pollution could be managed only by limiting the daily arrival of pilgrims in the city and ensuring a proper arrangement and management for the waste they leave behind,” said Ravi Chopda, director of People’s Science Institute, Dehradun.