Page 44 - Air Pollution

Delhi LG expresses concern over spike in stubble fires in Haryana, Punjab

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has written to the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana expressing concern over the rise in stubble fires in their states and asked them to take remedial measures to protect the national capital from increased air pollution during winter season. In his letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Saxena said it is "extremely worrisome" that the incidents of stubble burning between September 15 and October 11 have reached 1,063 -- 300 more than the figure for the corresponding period last year. Saxena had written to Mann last year as well when Delhi was choking under pollution caused by smoke from across its borders. "Between October 24, 2022 and November 2, 2022, there had been an increase of 19 per cent in the incidents of parali burning in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous year. You would also recall that last year, of the 5 states that affect Delhi's air quality, Punjab had remained the only non-performing outlier," said the ..

Delhi air in 'poor' zone on Saturday, min temp 2 notches above normal

The minimum temperature in the national capital on Saturday settled at 21.4 degree Celsius, two notches above the season's average, officials said. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 260, in the 'poor' category, around 8 am. The IMD has predicted a mainly clear sky becoming partly cloudy towards afternoon or evening. The maximum temperature is likely to settle at 36 degrees Celsius. The humidity at 8.30 am was recorded at 83 per cent. 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'.

PM's Principal Secy chairs task force meeting on air quality in NCR

The Principal Secretary emphasised the need to shift to cleaner fuels and EVs and develop EV Charging facilities

Stubble burning: Delhi govt launches drive to spray bio-decomposer

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday launched a drive for spraying bio-decomposer in paddy fields in the capital to prevent stubble burning. Since 2020, the Delhi government has been using Pusa bio-decomposer, a microbial solution that decomposes paddy residue in 15-20 days, to prevent stubble burning in the capital. Farm fires are a major reason behind a spike in air pollution in Delhi-NCR in October-November. The government sprayed the bio-decomposer over 4,400 acres of paddy fields last year, Rai said, adding that 5,000 acres of land will be covered this season. The minister said stubble burning is rampant in Punjab, but he hoped that the number of farm fires would come down due to the steps taken by the AAP government in the agrarian state. According to the Union environment ministry, the maximum share of farm fires in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution stood at 34 per cent on November 3 last year and 48 per cent on November 7, 2021.

Teams formed to improve air quality at 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said the city government has formed interdepartmental teams to improve air quality at the 13 air pollution hotspots in the capital. The 13 identified hotspots are Narela, Bawana, Mundka, Wazirpur, Rohini, R K Puram, Okhla, Jahangirpuri, Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Mayapuri, Dwarka. These hotspots were identified based on the annual average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in these areas. At a press conference, Rai said specific action plans have been developed to identify and mitigate local sources of air pollution, with the goal of achieving an immediate improvement in air quality. He said an inventory of pollution sources reveals that construction work, emissions from diesel vehicles, broken roads, and traffic congestion are the primary reasons for poor air quality at Anand Vihar. Rai said, "Interdepartmental teams have been established to address these issues. We will deploy 12 mobile anti-smog guns to control dust pollution in t

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Send notice to anti-dust norms violators: Govt to pollution control panel

During the inspection process, Rai found that the various norms related to the anti-dust campaign were violated and instructed Delhi Pollution Control Committee to issue a notice regarding violations

SC seeks report on steps being taken to control air pollution in Delhi-NCR

On Wednesday, Priyanka Kakkar, a spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that the air quality in Delhi has been the best this year

Delhi's air quality 'poor' on Saturday, maximum temp settled at 35.5 deg C

Delhi's air quality was in the "poor" category on Saturday, and the maximum temperature settled at 35.5 degrees Celsius, one notch above season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The minimum temperature settled at 20.9 degree Celsius, a notch below the season's average, officials said. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded at 214 at 7 pm. 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". On Friday, the Centre's air quality panel directed authorities in the National Capital Region to enforce a ban on coal usage in hotels and restaurants, and to take punitive measures against polluting industries and thermal power plants as the air quality in Delhi plunged into the "poor" category. This action comes as part of the government's pollution control plan known as the 'Graded Response Action Plan' (GRAP) which is

Gopal Rai launches anti-dust campaign in Delhi to combat air pollution

The Delhi Minister also informed that the first phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has been implemented in Delhi aimed at curbing dust pollution in the capital

Gopal Rai launches month-long drive to combat dust pollution in Delhi

Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai Saturday launched a month-long drive to prevent dust pollution in the capital and said strict action will be taken against anyone found violating relevant norms. The Centre's air quality panel on Friday directed authorities in the National Capital Region to enforce a ban on coal usage in hotels and restaurants, and to take punitive measures against polluting industries and thermal power plants as the air quality in Delhi plunged into the 'poor' category. This action comes as part of the central government's pollution control plan known as the 'Graded Response Action Plan' (GRAP) which is implemented in Delhi-NCR to combat air pollution during the winter season. Rai said the "Anti-Dust Campaign" is being launched in view of the worsening air quality. "This will include measures such as the installation of dust control equipment at all sites exceeding 500 square metres, with real-time monitoring available through a web portal," he said. He said

Delhi's air quality turns 'poor', minimum temperature at 20.9 degree C

The air quality in the national capital on Saturday was in the 'poor' category, and the minimum temperature settled at 20.9 degree Celsius, a notch below the season's average, officials said. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded at 231 at 9 am. 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'. On Friday, the Centre's air quality panel directed authorities in the National Capital Region to enforce a ban on coal usage in hotels and restaurants, and to take punitive measures against polluting industries and thermal power plants as the air quality in Delhi plunged into the 'poor' category. This action comes as part of the government's pollution control plan known as the 'Graded Response Action Plan' (GRAP) which is implemented in Delhi-NCR to combat air pollution during the winter season. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a

Some plants may worsen air pollution on a warming planet, shows study

On a warming planet, plants like oaks and poplars will emit more of a compound that exacerbates poor air quality, contributing to problematic particulate matter and low-atmosphere ozone, a study shows. The same compound, called isoprene, can also improve the quality of clean air while making plants more resistant to stressors including insects and high temperatures. "Do we want plants to make more isoprene so they're more resilient, or do we want them making less so it's not making air pollution worse? What's the right balance?" said Tom Sharkey, a professor at Michigan State University in the US. "Those are really the fundamental questions driving this work. The more we understand, the more effectively we can answer them," Sharkey said. Isoprene from plants is the second-highest emitted hydrocarbon on Earth, only behind methane emissions from human activity. Yet most people have never heard of it, the researchers said. Isoprene interacts with nitrogen oxide compounds found in air

Hotspots, anti-smog guns: MCD draws up winter plan to mitigate pollution

Focus on hotspots action against open burning of garbage and deployment of anti-smog guns at construction and demolition sites are among the measures planned by the MCD as part of its winter action plan to mitigate pollution, officials said on Thursday. In a statement, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi also said it has constituted a dust control and management cell (DCMC) as part of the plan. The civic body has geared up to combat air pollution in upcoming winter season, and working in this direction, a winter action plan 2023-24 has been prepared, it said. Under this, the MCD has planned various initiatives. According to the plan, it has been decided that strict vigilance will be ensured to stop open burning of garbage and its dumping. Monitoring will be strengthened to stop use of coal or firewood in hotels and open eateries, it said. The statement said the MCD has identified 13 pollution hotspots -- Narela, Bawana, Mundka, Wazirpur, Rohini, R K Puram, Okhla, Jahangir Puri, An

Delhi most polluted city in past year, Mizoram sustains cleanest air: Study

Although its air quality improved marginally, Delhi remained the most polluted city in the year ending September 30, with a PM2.5 concentration of 100.1 micrograms per cubic metre, which is three times the government's safe limit, according to a new analysis. The analysis conducted by independent think tank Climate Trends and tech firm Respirer Living Sciences, that manufactures real-time IoT-based air quality monitoring devices, showed that Aizawl and Mizoram have India's cleanest air with a PM2.5 level of only 11.1 micrograms per cubic metre. Four more cities from the National Capital Region -- Faridabad (89 micrograms per cubic metre), Noida (79.1 micrograms per cubic metre), Ghaziabad (78.3 micrograms per cubic metre) and Meerut (76.9 micrograms per cubic metre) -- also feature among the top 10 most polluted cities. The report is based on the analysis of the government's PM2.5 data from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, and focuses on the cities covered under the National

India, Nepal neglected in int'l funding to tackle air pollution: Report

State of Global Aiir Quality Funding 2023--has been published by the UK-based Clear Air Fund in partnership with the Climate Policy Initiative

Delhi's 'Green War Room' to combat air pollution begins operations

The Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday launched the 'Green war room' which is set up in Delhi to curb the persisting problem of air pollution in the city

Nanoparticle emissions from vehicles in Delhi pose health risks: Study

Delhi has been experiencing hazardous levels of nanoparticles in urban air, especially in the roadside environment, directly related to vehicular engine exhaust, raising pubic health concerns, according to a study. Nanoparticles are minuscule particles, often measuring between 10 to 1000 nanometers (nm) in diameter, making them invisible to the naked eye. These particles are more dangerous to human health due to their much smaller size compared to PM 2.5 or PM 10. Being 600 times smaller than a human hair, they can penetrate deep into our lungs, bloodstream, and even the brain. The study, published in the journal Urban Climate, was conducted on Bawana Road in northwest Delhi, connecting Delhi to Rohtak in Haryana. The monitoring location is surrounded by educational institutions, households, and commercial areas where the dominant source of pollution is vehicular, the researchers said. Other sources include biomass burning, fuel used for residential heating in winter, and firework

Delhi 'Green War Room' to combat pollution will function from October 3

The Delhi government's control centre to monitor air pollution and redress complaints -- 'Green War Room' -- will start functioning round-the-clock from October 3, officials said on Monday. Launched in 2020, the Green War Room has state-of-the-art air quality monitoring equipment and a team of experts, including scientists and data analysts, which keeps an eye on all sources contributing to Delhi's air pollution and helps the city administration implement its action plan. Though the Green War Room functions round-the-year, the 24X7 monitoring will start Tuesday onwards, an official said. The Delhi government on Friday launched a 15-point action plan to mitigate air pollution in the capital during the winter season, with a strong emphasis on addressing dust pollution, vehicular emissions and the open burning of garbage. During a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that separate and specific action plans have been designed for each of the 13 air pollution hotsp

Centre's action plan to check air pollution in Delhi takes effect

The Graded Response Action Plan -- a set of anti-air pollution measures implemented in Delhi-NCR during the winter -- came into effect on Sunday. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), an autonomous body tasked with improving the air quality in Delhi and its adjoining areas, made crucial changes to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) last year and again in July. The new changes include strict restrictions on the plying of overage vehicles and a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in eateries, restaurants and hotels when the Air Quality Index (AQI) breaches the 200-mark. BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers will be immediately banned in Delhi and Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar if the AQI crosses the 400-mark. The CAQM, a statutory body formed under an Act in 2021, amended the GRAP in 2022 to ensure proactive implementation of anti-air pollution steps based on forecasts up to three days in advance. Earlier, the authorities would