Page 15 - Air Pollution

Delhi air remains poor for 5th day, 9 stations in red zone ahead of Diwali

Delhi's air quality continued to deteriorate on Saturday, remaining in the "poor" category for the fifth consecutive day, with nine monitoring stations falling in the red zone of the "very poor" category as pollution levels spiked ahead of Diwali. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 268 at 4 pm, placing it in the "poor" category. Within the NCR region, Ghaziabad recorded a "very poor" AQI of 324, while Noida and Gurugram remained in the "poor" category with AQIs of 298 and 258, respectively. Out of the 38 monitoring stations in the capital, nine reported air quality in the "very poor" category, with some locations inching towards the "severe zone. Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 389, followed by Wazirpur (351), Bawana (309), Jahangirpuri (310), Okhla (303), Vivek Vihar (306), Dwarka (310), and Siri Fort (307), according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to the

Delhi air quality remains 'poor' ahead of Diwali, temperatures dips

The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 19.6 degrees Celsius, 1.2 notches above the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Relative humidity was recorded at 87 per cent at 8.30 am. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 32 degrees Celsius, the IMD said. The weather department has forecast mist and fog on Saturday and Sunday. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'poor' category, with a reading of 252 at 9 am, Central Pollution Control Board data showed. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.

Diwali 2025: How asthma and COPD patients can protect their lungs from smog

As pollution peaks this Diwali, pulmonologists share essential tips for people with asthma, COPD, and chronic bronchitis to stay safe, breathe easier, and enjoy the festivities without fear

Diwali 2025: How to protect your lungs and breathe easy amid toxic air

Health experts share simple, science-backed ways to avoid cough, wheezing, and breathlessness as pollution levels soar across Indian cities during Diwali

Delhi's first cloud seeding trial likely after Diwali, awaiting IMD nod

Delhi's much-anticipated first trial of artificial rain through cloud seeding will be held after Diwali, once the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) gives a green light, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. During a media briefing on Wednesday, Sirsa said that pilots have already completed trial flights over the area where the cloud seeding operation is planned. The aircraft have been fully equipped for the process and the crew is trained and familiar with the region, he added. "The entire setup is ready from permissions to pilot training. The aircraft are fitted with cloud seeding equipment, and pilots have flown over the target areas to prepare. Now, we are just waiting for the IMD's approval," he said. The first trial is expected to take place the day after Diwali or shortly thereafter, depending on suitable weather conditions. The Delhi government's cloud seeding project -- a major commitment by the BJP-led administration -- has been postponed multiple times d

Stubble burning: Will extended rains this year cut pollution or worsen it?

Punjab produces about 20 million tonnes of stubble annually, while Haryana produces about 8 million tonnes of paddy stubble

SC allows 5 days trial for green fire crackers in Delhi-NCR; reserves order

CJI-led bench has allowed the bursting and sale of NEERI-approved green firecrackers for five days during Diwali in Delhi-NCR, with strict time limits and enforcement measures to curb pollution

Delhi govt launches innovation challenge of ₹50 lakh to curb air pollution

The Delhi government has announced cash rewards of up to Rs 50 lakh for innovators and researchers who develop effective and scalable solutions to curb air pollution in the city. During a press conference on Friday, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa launched an innovation challenge for pollution reduction solutions, inviting individuals, startups, and research institutions to submit ideas aimed at reducing particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) emissions. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), which is spearheading the programme, has invited proposals from innovators, technology developers, R&D institutions, universities, and registered entities across India. The challenge will focus on two main areas - reducing emissions from BS-IV or below BS-IV vehicles and capturing PM2.5 and PM10 particles from the ambient air, Sirsa said. The selection process will involve three stages: a preliminary scrutiny by the DPCC, a technical review and field trials by an ...

Delhi's air pollution forecasts miss PM2.5 levels by up to 35%, says CEEW

Delhi's Air Quality Early Warning System underpredicts PM2.5 levels by 30-35% due to outdated emission inventories, highlighting need for regular updates to improve forecasts and decision-making

Asian carbon capture push may add 25 bn tonnes of emissions by 2050: Report

Asian countries' growing support for carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce fossil fuel emissions could result in nearly 25 billion tonnes of additional greenhouse gases by 2050, undermining the Paris Agreement and exposing their economies to risks, according to a new report released on Monday. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology designed to trap carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from sources such as power plants and industrial facilities, prevent them from entering the atmosphere, and store them underground in geological formations. The study by Climate Analytics, a global climate science and policy institute, assessed current and prospective CCS deployment in China, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, which together account for more than half of global fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. It said emissions from many Asian economies, led by India and other developing countries in South and Southeast Asia, show no

Delhi air pollution system predicted very poor air quality at 80% accuracy

Delhi's air pollution forecasting system could predict "very poor and above" air quality days with more than 80 per cent accuracy in the last two winters, according to a new study published on Wednesday. The study by Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) said the city's Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS) successfully forecast 83 out of 92 "very poor and above" episodes (air quality index above 300) in winter 2023-24, and 54 out of 58 such days in 2024-25. The system also improved in predicting the severe pollution days (AQI above 400). While it managed to correctly flag just one out of 15 such days in 202324, the number jumped to five out of 14 in the following winter. "The high accuracy of Delhi's early warning systems is a positive sign. Updated emission inventories can improve the accuracy further. It would enable us to have a better understanding of what pollutes Delhi's air and in what quantities," said Mohammad Rafiuddin, programme lead at CEEW. He added that

Datanomics: Punjab still at top in stubble burning, MP closing in

The share of Madhya Pradesh has seen a steep surge in farm fire incidents in recent years, accounting for 35 per cent of total in the country

SC asks CAQM, CPCB, states to submit air pollution control plan in 3 weeks

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the CAQM, CPCB and state pollution control boards to come out with measures to prevent air pollution within three weeks, ahead of the onset of winter when pollution levels spike. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran also pulled up states over vacancies in their pollution control boards and asked states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab to fill them in three months. The bench also passed similar directions to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). It, however, granted six months for filling up promotional posts in state pollution control boards, CAQM and CPCB. The CAQM is a statutory body formed by the Centre and its main goal is to manage and improve air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) and its adjoining areas, which include parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The bench was hearing a suo m

Toxic fumes in aircraft cabins? WSJ finds link to brain fog, rising illness

Aviation experts and crew warn of toxic fume events in aircraft cabins as WSJ finds rising reports of brain fog, nerve damage and respiratory illness

Ozone layer on track to return to 1980s levels by mid-century: WMO report

The Earth's protective ozone layer is on track to return to 1980s levels by the middle of this century, with the 2024 Antarctic ozone hole smaller than in recent years, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a new report. The WMO Ozone Bulletin 2024 said lower ozone depletion this year was partly due to natural atmospheric factors but stressed the long-term improvement reflects the success of global action. The bulletin was released on World Ozone Day, which also marked the 40th anniversary of the Vienna Convention that laid the foundation for international cooperation on ozone protection. "Forty years ago, nations came together to take the first step in protecting the ozone layer, guided by science, united in action," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "The Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol became a landmark of multilateral success. Today, the ozone layer is healing. This achievement reminds us that when nations heed the warnings of science, progres

Fighting air pollution will take more than masks and symbolic fixes

The human cost is staggering. If India were to bring its pollution levels down to WHO norms, life expectancy will increase for everyone

Delhi-NCR residents lose over 8 years of life to toxic air, says study

According to the AQLI 2025 report, Indians breathe air worse than WHO's safe limits, losing 3.5 years of life expectancy, up to double in Delhi, Bihar, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh

Air pollution shortens average Indian's life by 3.5 years: Report

All of India's 1.4 billion people live in areas where annual average particulate pollution levels exceed the WHO guideline and even those in the cleanest regions of the country could live 9.4 months longer if the air quality met global standards, according to a new report. The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago's (EPIC) 2025 report said PM2.5 concentrations in India in 2023 were higher than in 2022. These levels are more than eight times higher than the WHO guideline and reducing them to permanently meet the global standard would add 3.5 years to the average life expectancy of Indians. According to the WHO's 2021 air quality guideline, the annual average limit for PM2.5 is 5 micrograms per cubic metre, while for PM10 it is 15 micrograms per cubic metre. These limits are far stricter than India's own standards, which currently allow 40 micrograms for PM2.5 and 60 micrograms for PM10. The report said 46 per cent of India's population lives in areas where annual PM2

Heat-house plants: Lack of anti-polluting FGD systems in TPPs a concern

These alarming figures underscore the urgent need for stronger environmental policies

Tharoor urges Centre, states to align efforts for clean air solutions

Batting for concerted action to tackle air pollution, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has called on the Central government and states to work together, alongside experts, industry, civil society and citizens, to align efforts and implement scalable solutions -- from clean transport to cleaner fuels. Noting that air pollution transcends economic, social and political divides and is both a grave public health crisis and an environmental emergency, Tharoor said it demands not just our best ideas, but our collective courage and concerted action across sectors and states. The Thiruvananthapuram MP made the remarks at a high-level roundtable on 'Clean Air and Public Health: Advancing Collective Action' at the India Habitat Centre here on Tuesday. Hosted by Tharoor and convened by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and AirQualityAsia (AQA), the dialogue was the seventh such roundtable since 2017 that brings together India's leading air quality experts, policymakers, health ...