Page 5 - Air Pollution Study

Record-high pollution sickens thousands in Pak's cultural capital of Lahore

Record-high air pollution in Pakistan's cultural capital of Lahore is sending more people to hospitals and private clinics, doctors said Wednesday as authorities warned a complete lockdown could be imminent if residents fail to don face masks and follow other guidance related to smog. The warning came after residents out on the streets in Lahore, which has a population of 14 million, were seen overwhelmingly without masks. Doctors say most people are complaining of either having a cough or that they feel their eyes are burning. Tens of thousands of patients suffering from respiratory diseases were treated at hospitals and clinics in a week, said Salman Kazmi, vice president of the Pakistan Medical Association. You can see people coughing whenever you go, but they still hardly wear face masks, he said. Lahore remained the world's most polluted city Wednesday morning, with air-quality index hitting a record high of over 1,100. Anything over 300 is considered hazardous to health. A t

Pollution occupies centre stage as BJP's Delhi poll campaign picks up pace

The BJP has put the pollution issue at the centre stage of its campaign strategy for the Delhi Assembly polls scheduled to be held in February next year, according to party leaders. Along with this, corruption, bad condition of roads, water supply and poor infrastructure are among the issues with which the opposition party plans to target the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the elections, the BJP's Delhi unit chief Virendra Sachdeva said. Pollution is one of the main poll planks of the party, he said. The city's air quality has been worsening as it edged closer to the severe zone in some areas on Tuesday. The Delhi BJP has been mounting relentless attacks on the AAP over the issue of hazardous air as well as toxic froth witnessed on the Yamuna river. "Not just air pollution, the AAP government's failure to clean the heavily polluted Yamuna in Delhi is another issue that touches every Delhiite. People are falling ill due to worsening air quality. We cannot let the AAP government go

BJP says AAP's failure to repair damaged roads worsened Delhi pollution

The BJP on Friday claimed Delhi's air quality had worsened due to AAP and Arvind Kejriwal's failure to repair the city's damaged roads by October 31 and not the firecrackers burst on Diwali. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, who visited the Shastri Park area on Friday, claimed hundreds of roads in the city were lying in disrepair despite promises by former chief minister Kejriwal and his successor Atishi to repair them before Diwali. "AAP should stop indulging in politics and blame game and focus on local sources of pollution such as dust that are more responsible for the hazardous air quality in Delhi," Gupta said. He said the air pollution situation in Delhi was as bad as it was before Diwali and added that AAP and Kejriwal should stop "misleading" the people. They said the rise in pollution was due to the firecrackers, indulging in politics over the issue, he charged. "If all the damaged roads in the city are repaired and sanitation is improved, polluti

Haryana stubble burning persists, farm leader cites farmers' compulsion

Besides Mann, the meeting was also attended by the Secretary (Fertilizers), Chief Secretary of Punjab, and Additional Chief Secretary (Punjab)

Ramesh backs renewable energy, public transport to tackle air pollution

Asserting that air pollution is one of India's leading public health challenges, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said cracking down on stubble burning will not suffice and there was a need to re-imagine India's economic and sustainability model, with a large-scale shift to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and public transport. Ramesh also stressed it is time to redo The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 to reflect the public health consequences of air pollution and also called for a review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 2009. Former environment minister Ramesh cited a report by The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change to flag concerns over air pollution. "A new report by The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change has revealed some disturbing findings on air pollution in India: A total of 16 lakh deaths in India in 2021 were due to air pollution," he said in a post on X. Fossil fuels, such as coal and liquid gas, ...

India saw steepest surge in greenhouse emission in 2023, says report

The UNEP report reveals a technical potential to cut emission by up to 31 gigatons of CO₂ equivalent in 2030, representing about 52 per cent of the 2023 emission and up to 41 gigatons by 2035

Tracking air: As Delhi AQI worsens, experts call for long-term solutions

Transportation sector contributes approximately 41 per cent to Delhi's pollution, experts suggest implementing Beijing-like measures

Air pollution: 22 FIRs lodged, 16 Haryana farmers held for stubble burning

In an effort to discourage farmers from burning crop residue, the Haryana agriculture department has implemented strict measures

Delhi Metro to make 40 extra trips each day amidst rising AQI: Gopal Rai

Delhi's environment minister also announced more anti-pollution measures, including the deployment of more than 6,000 MCD staff for road dust control, and 1,800 traffic personnel at congestion points

Road side dust, vehicular pollution reasons for pollution: Environmentalist

The issue has now become a political controversy with BJP and Congress attacking AAP over their irresponsibility over the issue

Changing weather conditions responsible for Delhi's poor air quality: Rai

Delhi's air quality has deteriorated to the 'poor' category due to changing weather conditions and the pollution level is expected to worsen after Diwali, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Saturday. Rai told PTI Videos that the Delhi government is doing everything it can to control dust pollution and needs the cooperation of residents. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the 'poor' category with a reading of 273 at 9 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. In some areas, the air quality was worse. The AQI in Mundka and Bawana stood at 366, Wazirpur 355, Jahangirpuri 347 and Anand Vihar 333, all in the 'very poor' category, the data showed. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. Rai said Delhi's air quality has dropped to the 'poor' category due to changing weather conditions and with temperatures dropping, the .

'Absolute defiance': SC slams Punjab, Haryana over stubble burning

Terms air pollution monitoring panel in NCR as 'toothless wonder'; summons Haryana chief secretary to explain non-compliance and lack of strict measures against offenders

After SC rap, CAQM forms 'flying squads' to curb stubble burning by farmers

As part of this strategy, flying squads from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have been deployed to hotspot districts in both states from October 1 to November 30, 2024

CAQM revisits study: Vehicles, dust, industries lead Delhi-NCR pollution

In Delhi, road dust and transportation are the primary sources of PM10 and PM2.5 pollutants, while industrial emissions dominate in the NCR region

Stroke cases rising globally, air pollution, heat driving numbers: Lance

Incidence of stroke and related deaths are rising substantially around the world, with air pollution, high temperatures and metabolic risk factors such as high blood pressure and physical inactivity, driving these increases, according to estimates published in The Lancet Neurology journal. Researchers found that the contribution of high temperatures to poor health and early death due to stroke has increased 72 per cent since 1990 and is likely to continue increasing in the future, thereby highlighting how environmental factors can impact growing stroke burden. Further, for the first time, particulate matter or PM air pollution was found to have the same contribution as smoking towards causing a fatal form of brain bleed, according to the researchers forming the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) group. The GBD study, the "largest and most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time", is coordinated by the Institute for Healt

Human activity imperiling planet's critical life-support systems: Study

Looking at necessities of a livable Earth - including the climate, freshwater systems, biodiversity and soil nutrients - the researchers find almost all have crossed crucial thresholds

Greenpeace India warns of poor air quality in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mysuru

Three major cities in Karnataka -- Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru -- have registered deteriorating air quality as the air pollution is on the rise, said a Greenpeace India report on Saturday. The report, 'Spare the Air 2' flags serious health concerns as the average PM 2.5 and PM10 levels soar in 10 major cities of southern India, significantly exceeding the air quality guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO). PM2.5, or fine particulate matter, is a type of air pollution that consists of tiny particles that are 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter. PM10 is an air quality term for particulate matter that is 10 micrometers. The report has analysed the air quality standards of Hyderabad, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Mangaluru, Amravati, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru, Mysuru and Puducherry. The lead researcher of the report Akanksha Singh said, "Clean air is fundamental to our health, yet this report reveals that particulate matter levels in all cities have ...

15 of 24 Haryana cities among 100 most polluted in India, says report

Fifteen out of 24 cities in Haryana ranked among India's 100 most polluted cities based on PM2.5 levels in the first half of 2024, according to a new analysis. According to India's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), safe limits for PM2.5 and PM10 annual levels are 40 micrograms per cubic metre and 60 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively. However, these limits are much higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2021 guidelines, which recommend 5 micrograms per cubic metre for PM2.5 and 15 micrograms per cubic metre for PM10. Air quality data from January to June showed that every city in Haryana exceeded both NAAQS and WHO PM10 standards. Faridabad was the most polluted city in Haryana, with an average PM2.5 level of 103 micrograms per cubic metre, far above NAAQS and WHO guidelines. Only three cities -- Palwal, Ambala, and Mandikhera -- managed to keep PM2.5 levels below the NAAQS limits. Gurugram had the highest PM10 concentration at 227 micrograms per cu

UP urges Centre to consider setting up panel to tackle air pollution

The Uttar Pradesh government has asked the Centre to consider establishing an airshed coordination committee to manage air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, officials have said. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) is a major hotspot for atmospheric pollution in India. During winter, pollution levels in the IGP sharply increase due to unfavourable weather conditions such as low temperatures and slow wind speeds. This decline in air quality has reduced life expectancy in the region -- home to 40 per cent of India's population -- by around seven years, according to the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC). In a letter dated July 22, the Uttar Pradesh government requested the Union environment ministry to consider setting up an airshed coordination committee for the IGP. "Uttar Pradesh is located in the heart of the IGP. We have been advocating for addressing air pollution at the airshed level. Significant progress can be made if all states work together," a state

Indoor air pollution poses bigger health risk than outdoor: Experts

Indoor air pollution is a bigger health risk than outdoor air pollution in India, and sometimes cities are cleaner than nearby villages where household pollution is higher, according to the country's two top policy experts. Addressing the India Clean Air Summit (ICAS) 2024, Principal Advisor, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Soumya Swaminathan said, "Studies done in Delhi have shown that women's average exposure to high levels of black carbon (women who are mostly at home) is as much as auto-rickshaw passengers going around outdoor exposed to the ambient air pollution in Delhi, resulting in high systolic blood pressure." "Cities contribute less than 20 per cent to the overall state emissions, wherever they have been assessed, but household emissions predominate, ranging between 20 per cent and 40 per cent. Across the country, we are seeing is that sometimes cities are cleaner than the surrounding villages where household air pollution predominates," she said at the summit ...