Page 25 - Air Pollution

Delhi's AQI improves to 161, pollution relief to continue for 2-3 days

Delhi's AQI came down to the 'moderate' category on Wednesday evening, with this period of relief expected to continue for the next two to three days

Delhi breathes easy after gap of 50 days, AQI in 'moderate' category

Delhi breathed clean air on Wednesday after a gap of 50 days as the air quality was recorded in the 'moderate' category, offering much-needed respite from the high levels of pollution. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city was recorded at 178 at 4 pm, registering an improvement from 268 on Tuesday. Earlier, the AQI was recorded in the 'moderate' category with a reading of 198 on October 15. However, the AQI had deteriorated and shifted to the 'poor' category the following day, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. Speaking about the improved air quality, an official of the India Meteorological Department said strong surface winds were forecast in the city on Wednesday. The winds will blow till December 7 when a new western disturbance is expected, which will lead to moderate fog starting December 8. Of the 38 air quality monitoring stations in the city, only Sri Aurobindo Marg reported air quality in the 'very poor' category on Wednesday, while eight

NGT issues notice to Centre on persistent air pollution crisis in Delhi

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Centre on the "persistent air pollution crisis" in the national capital. The NGT was hearing the matter where it had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a media report based on a study about the reasons for air pollution being emissions from thermal plants and the prevailing weather conditions. In an order passed on November 27, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "As per the article, a recent study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has revealed that thermal power plants in the region are responsible for emitting 16 times more air pollution than the pollution caused by stubble burning." The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel said that at present, Delhi was facing a "persistent air pollution crisis, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) (recently) reaching an alarming 488, falling under the severe plus category." It

Stubble burning among causes of Delhi pollution: Officials tell House panel

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is among the main reasons for air pollution in Delhi-NCR and several steps are being taken to encourage farmers to use paddy residue for animal feed and industrial purposes, a top Union environment ministry official told parliamentarians on Wednesday. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Leena Nandan, while making a presentation on air pollution in Delhi-NCR before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, also took suggestions from the MPs to reduce air and water pollution. Sources said she told the MPs that the government was trying to promote the use of Basmati rice, whose residue is used for animal feed, besides using the paddy straw for industrial purposes. She also listed vehicular emission as another reason for air pollution and said the government was making efforts to promote e-vehicles in the national capital. Construction activity in the national .

Delhi's Nov PM 2.5 level reaches highest monthly avg in 8 yrs despite Grap

Delhi's PM2.5 level in November reached its highest monthly average in eight years despite the implementation of GRAP measures, a recent report has revealed. A report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) highlighted that Delhi's PM2.5 concentration soared to an average of 249 micrograms per cubic metre in November -- the highest since 2017 -- despite enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and a decrease in stubble burning incidents. In November 2016, the average PM2.5 level was recorded at 254 micrograms per cubic metre, the highest November reading, followed by 249 micrograms per cubic metre this year. PM2.5 are fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, about the width of a human hair. These are so small that these can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, posing significant health risks. A report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) highlighted that Delhi's PM2.5 concentration soared

Grap IV hardly enforced? SC questions Delhi govt on air pollution crisis

The Supreme Court emphasised the need for a 'downward trend' in air pollution levels in Delhi NCR before considering easing restrictions under Grap-IV

SC refuses to relax Grap-4 restrictions unless AQI shows 'downward trend'

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to relax emergency measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) dealing with air pollution in the national capital till it noticed a downward trend in the AQI level. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih further sought the presence of the chief secretaries of NCR states to appear through video-conferencing to inform it whether or not any compensation was paid to the construction workers who were without work owing to the restrictions. Notably, there has to be a downward trend before the Supreme Court relaxes GRAP 4 restrictions. The bench said the chief secretaries of NCR states including Delhi, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan will have to appear through video-conferencing at 3.30pm on December 5. "There is hardly any implementation of stage 4 of GRAP to deal with air pollution in the national capital, remarked the bench, questioning the Delhi government on the number of officers deployed by it to implement the

Unintended consequence: The poor face the brunt of pollution control

Construction bans are becoming the norm each winter, it is incumbent on state authorities to design a mechanism to compensate temporarily unemployed workers

Winters of despair: How Delhi's pollution curbs affect construction workers

"When they stop our work, we don't just lose the wages. It's the food on our plates and the little we try to save for our children's future," says Raju Singh, a mason from Bihar. He was one of thousands of migrant and local construction workers rendered jobless following the November 11 ban on constructions, prompted by the Delhi-NCR's air quality plunging to hazardous levels. More such bans are likely to follow throughout the winter. While that is good news for the city's residents, the story is different for these construction workers. "Even though working in the polluted air makes it hard for us to breathe, I would rather work than sit idle," Raju Singh says, describing the crushing blow the restrictions have on his finances. These trysts with work stoppages have become an annual affair for him, and hundreds of others like him. The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) -- a statutory body responsible for formulating ...

Delhi's battle with poor air quality continues; Noida's AQI improves

While Delhi struggles, its neighbouring areas are showing slight improvement. The air quality in Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Noida was recorded in the 'poor' category

Updates: New Maharashtra govt to be sworn in Mumbai at 5 pm on Dec 5; PM Modi to attend

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Delhi's air quality 'very poor' as haze lingers, pollution levels surge

Delhi's air quality remains in the 'very poor' category, with pollution levels surging across the city. Haze persists, and the AQI continues to hover above 300 in many areas

No data to establish correlation of disease due to air pollution: Govt

Air pollution is one of the aggravating factors for respiratory diseases, however, there is no conclusive data available in the country to establish a direct correlation between any disease caused exclusively by air pollution, MoS for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Lok Sabha on Friday. The health effects of air pollution are synergistic manifestations of factors which include food habits, occupational habits, socioeconomic status, medical history, immunity and heredity etc. of the individuals, Jadhav said in a written reply. Air pollution is one of the aggravating factors for respiratory ailments and associated diseases, however, there is no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlation of disease exclusively due to air pollution, Jadhav said in the reply. The Union Health Ministry provides technical and financial support to the states and union territories to strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals received in the form of Program

AQI 10-15 in Delhi? This home's 15,000 plants & solar power make it happen

Take a peek inside this Delhi home that breathes clean air and is completely off-grid. The resident couple conserves and recycle water, and mix stubble with organic compost to create plant fertiliser

Landscape fires reason for 90% pollution related deaths globally: Study

Over 90 per cent of the global deaths per year linked to air pollution from landscape fires were in low and middle-income countries, including India, according to a study published in The Lancet journal. Other countries with the highest burdens of disease due to landscape fires, including wildfires, were China, Indonesia and those in the sub-Saharan Africa. The findings highlighted geographic and socioeconomic inequalities in how landscape fires affect public health, an international team of researchers, including those from Monash University, Australia, found. Landscape fires occur in natural and built-up settings and can include both forest fires and those caused due to human activities. Most of the resulting deaths are related to the air pollution caused due to such fires, contributing to long-term cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. The study attributed roughly 0.45 million deaths a year to heart-related conditions and about 0.22 million deaths annually to respiratory ...

Air pollution crisis: Buy health insurance policy that covers your lungs

With worsening air quality, health insurers are seeing a spike in claims related to lung diseases

Can't address pollution without cutting fossil fuels import: Gadkari

India cannot address the problem of pollution without reducing import of fossil fuels, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday. Addressing 'Times Drive Green Conclave & Awards 2024' event, Gadkari further said a bio-fuel economy is very import today and it is in good position in India. He said 40 per cent of air pollution in the country is because of the transport sector. "Pollution is a big concern in India.. without reducing import of fossil fuels, we cannot reduce pollution in the country. In the transport sector, we need to find out alternative for fossils fuels... We need to develop sustainable development model," Gadkari said. The road transport and highways minister also noted that India is facing problems in the agriculture sector due to surplus production of wheat, rice and sugar. In this context, he said the government has taken decision to diversify agriculture into energy sector. "Today there are 400 projects in Punjab, Haryana, and Maharashtra where they are ..

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor', police ramps up vehicle checks

Residents of Delhi are at the risk of developing lung damage as thick layers of smog continue to cover the national capital

No 'good' air days for Delhi this year. When will the capital breathe easy?

No 'good' air days for Delhi in 2024, with AQI hovering between 'poor' and 'severe'. As November pollution spikes, the capital continues to gasp for clean air

Vehicular, industrial pollution among main sources of pollution: Govt

During post-monsoon and winter months, lower temperatures, lower mixing heights, inversion conditions and stagnant winds lead tothe trapping of the pollutants resulting in high pollution in the region