Page 45 - Air Pollution

NHRC raises concern over 'tardy progress' towards zero stubble-burning aim

The NHRC on Friday expressed serious concern over the "tardy progress" towards achieving zero stubble burning to reduce air pollution, with its chairperson saying the time has come to "fix responsibility of officers from the top to bottom". National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra said this while chairing the full Commission follow-up hearing through video conference on the matter of Delhi air pollution, which the rights panel had taken up suo motu last year on the basis of media reports, officials said. Expressing serious concern over the tardy progress towards achieving zero stubble-burning to reduce air pollution, the NHRC chief said the time has come to "fix responsibility of officers from the top to bottom". He said, "We have to rise to the situation as millions are choking due to air pollution and cannot allow it to be so perpetually". "The poor farmers cannot be blamed solely for stubble burning some of them do not have the financi

Exposure to air pollution linked to increased stroke risk within 5 days

Short-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to an increased risk of stroke, according to a study. The meta analysis, published recently in the the journal Neurology, defined short-term exposure as occurring within five days of the stroke. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death. Signs of a stroke can range from mild weakness to paralysis or numbness on one side of the face or body. "Previous research has established a connection between long-term exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of stroke," said study author Ahmad Toubasi, from the University of Jordan in Amman. "However, the correlation between short-term exposure to air pollution and stroke had been less clear. For our study, instead of looking at weeks or months of exposure, we looked at just five days and found a link between short-term exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of stroke," Toubasi said. The analysis involved a review of 110 studies that included

Delhi implementing comprehensive strategy to tackle pollution: Centre

Delhi is implementing a comprehensive strategy to tackle air pollution with a focus on reducing dust pollution and emissions from transport and firecrackers, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Wednesday. Delhi currently boasts a fleet of 7,041 buses, including 4,088 Delhi Transport Corporation buses and 2,953 cluster buses. These include 456 e-buses and 94 mini electric buses. To bolster public transport and reduce individual vehicle emissions, the city plans to add 850 more buses by September 2023 and an additional 650 by March 2024, the Centre's air quality panel said. As of September 23, Delhi has 943 operational Pollution Under Control certification stations and a staggering 33.56 lakh PUC certificates have been issued. In a bid to promote eco-friendly mobility, Delhi has seen a surge in the registration of electric vehicles with more than 2.38 lakh EVs registered as of September 22, the CAQM said in a statement. The city currently has 3,100 charging ...

Strict action against agencies violating dust control norms in Delhi: Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday said strict action will be taken against agencies found violating dust control norms in the national capital. The minister held a meeting with officials of government and private construction agencies and instructed them to follow the city government's guidelines to prevent dust pollution during the winter season. "All agencies engaged in construction work were instructed to follow 14-point guidelines to control dust pollution," he said in a post on X. It is mandatory to install anti-smog guns at construction and demolition sites larger than 5,000 square metres, he said. All construction agencies have to provide on-site training to workers regarding the guidelines, he added. The guidelines include erecting dust/wind-breaking walls of appropriate height around construction sites and covering scaffolding with tarpaulin or green netting. All vehicles, including those transporting construction material and debris, must be cleaned and the

J'khand to restrict setting up of coke units in Dhanbad to combat pollution

In a bid to improve the air quality of Jharkhand's Dhanbad district, no new hard or soft coke units will be allowed there from October 1, a state pollution board official said on Sunday. The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) issued an order in this regard early this week. "This is a temporary restriction, which will remain in force till the Air Quality Index (AQI) falls within the permission limit prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board in Dhanbad district," JSPCB member secretary YK Das told PTI. However, this order will not impact the existing hard or soft coke units of the district. "They will be operating as usual by following the compliance guideline," he said. According to the order issued by the JSPCB, "The applications seeking Consent to Establish (CTE), which will be received till September 30, will be reviewed. If any error was found in them, the applications will be cancelled and no further action will be taken on those applications." According t

Delhi CM to release govt's 'Winter Action Plan' on Oct 1 to curb pollution

"To control pollution during winter the government has decided to prepare a Winter Action Plan. We had a discussion with experts and a joint meeting was held today," said Rai

Kejriwal to announce Delhi's winter action plan on Oct 1 to check pollution

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will announce the winter action plan on October 1 to check pollution in the capital, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference after holding a meeting with 28 departments, Rai said that 13 hotspots have been identified in Delhi and a special plan will be made for them. "We held a meeting with 28 departments today and all have been directed to give their winter actions plans by September 25. There are 13 such hotspots that have been identified and special plan will be made for them," Rai said. He further stated that 13 teams have been formed for the 13 hotspots and 15 points have been listed that the government will work on. "The 15 points that we will focus on are - hotspots, stubble pollution, vehicular pollution, open garbage burning, industrial pollution, green war room, realtime apportionment study, complete ban on firecrackers, tree plantation, urban farming, eco waste park, public awareness, communicati

Sydney blanketed by smoke for a 4th day due to hazard reduction burning

Sydney was blanketed under thick wood smoke for a fourth consecutive day on Thursday due to hazard reduction burns in preparation for the wildfire season. Australia's most populous city after Melbourne has recorded some of the world's worst air quality readings since the controlled burning of fuel loads in the surrounding landscapes began on Sunday. Fire authorities have only carried out 14% of planned hazard reduction burns across New South Wales state as of this week and are attempting to catch up before what is forecast to be a hot and dry Southern Hemisphere summer. New South Wales Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd said the burns were suspended on Thursday and Friday because of excessive pollution levels and that Sydney's air was expected to clear soon. It's mostly due to the smoke, Shepherd said of the postponements. For the next 48 hours, we'll give this smoke a chance to clear without fire agencies adding additional smoke to it, Shepherd added. Rain had prevented .

Reports of extra 10% GST on diesel cars false, says Union Minister Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari said that it is essential to clarify that there is no such proposal currently under active consideration by the government

MCD deploys water sprinklers to control pollution during G20 Summit

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Saturday said that anti-smog guns and water sprinklers have been deployed to control pollution in the national capital, where the G20 Summit is underway. The MCD is putting main emphasis on roads around G20 summit. Municipal corporation of Delhi has deployed 20 anti-smog guns at pollution hotspots to control pollution. The anti smog guns have been deployed at sanitary landfill sites situated at Bhalaswa, Ghazipur and Okhla and pollution hotspot at Anand Vihar, an MCD official said. The two-day G20 Summit began on Saturday. The MCD said that 15 anti-smog guns have also been deployed at high-rise buildings, Civil Lines, Green Park zonal building and Tilak Nagar Colony hospital. Municipal corporation of Delhi has pressed 253 water sprinklers, which includes 30 truck mounted anti-smog guns which sprinkle roads with an average of 9-10 km of road length per day per machine which translates to approximately 2,000 km per day," the MCD official ..

Delhi: Gopal Rai holds meeting on winter action plan to fight air pollution

Gopal Rai further said that the Government will organize an "Environmental Experts Meet" regarding the Winter Action Plan at the Delhi Secretariat on September 12

World losing race to meet climate change commitments: COP28 president

The summit, which opened on Monday, is focused on mobilising financing for Africa's response to climate change

PM10, PM2.5 levels in Delhi down 45% since 2014: Environment Minister

In a "big relief" for Delhi residents, the PM10 and PM2.5 levels have declined by an average of 45 per cent in the last 9 years, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters here after a meeting with officials of the environment department, Rai said that work on a 'winter action plan' to tackle any rise in air pollution levels has begun. The levels of particulate matter (PM) 10 and 2.5 usually start increasing from the last week of October and attain a peak in November when temperature plummets, requiring measures to check the poor quality of air, he added. "There is news of big relief for Delhi's people. The PM 10 and PM 2.5, which are two important parameters of air quality and determine the level of air pollution in Delhi, have registered a downward trend since 2014 due to efforts of Delhi's people and the government," the minister said. However, the Delhi government under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is determined to bring it .

TMS Ep513: Tax collection, air pollution, OMC stocks, Google Search's genAI

Is softness in tax collection a cause for worry? How can India fix its air pollution woes? Should you avoid OMC stocks? Google Search's generative AI experience: How it works? All answers here

'Developed nations overconsuming carbon budget; too little left for others'

Developed countries have consumed more than 80 per cent of the global carbon budget, leaving countries like India with very little carbon space for the future, the government said on Thursday. Responding to a question by BJP MP CM Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey told the Rajya Sabha that India is doing far more than its fair share to combat climate change. Developed countries have consumed more than 80 per cent of the global carbon budget (since 1850) for limiting average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2100, leaving countries like India with "very little carbon space for the future", the minister said. Rich nations are "eating into even this reduced entitlement" for India. Despite this, India has chosen to walk its climate talk, conscious of the need to pioneer a sustainable development pathway for the entire globe, while attending to the needs and aspirations of its people, economy and society, he said. Climate science defines carbon budg

Air pollution could be driving antibiotic resistance: New Lancet study

Controlling air pollution could aid in reducing antibiotic resistance, which is when disease-causing microbes are able to resist the drugs designed to kill them, according to new research published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal. The association between PM2.5 air pollution and increase in antibiotic resistance has strengthened over time, with enhances in PM2.5 levels leading to larger increases in antibiotic resistance in more recent years, the analysis found using data for 116 countries from 2000 to 2018. Sources of PM2.5 include industrial processes, road transport, and domestic coal and wood burning. Previous research indicates 90 per cent of the world's population, or 7.3 billion people, are directly exposed to unsafe average annual PM2.5 levels, with 80 per cent of them living in low- and middle-income countries. PM2.5 air pollution was one of the leading factors driving antibiotic resistance, accounting for 11 per cent of changes in average antibiotic resistance level

Govt panel strengthens measures to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR

A government panel tasked with improving the air quality in Delhi and its adjoining areas has made crucial changes to a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the region in winter. The 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. In addition, BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers will be immediately banned in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar if the AQI crosses the 400 mark. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body formed under an Act in 2021, had amended the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), first notified in 2017, in July last year also to ensure proactive implementation of anti-air pollution steps based on forecasts -- up to three days in advance. Earlier, the authorities would implement these measures, including banning construction and demolit

CAQM asks Delhi-NCR to reduce air pollution due to use of diesel generators

The Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has asked Delhi and states in NCR to minimise air pollution due to indiscriminate use of diesel generator sets in industrial, commercial, institutional and residential sectors. At a review meeting with the power distribution companies in Delhi and NCR districts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, the panel discussed their preparedness for the winter season when there is a spike in air pollution levels. The meeting aimed at ensuring reliable and uninterrupted power supply during the critical period when air pollution generally worsens due to unfavourable meteorological conditions. One of the key points reiterated during the meeting was the need to minimise air pollution resulting from indiscriminate use of diesel generator sets in industrial, commercial, institutional and residential sectors, according to a statement. The power distribution companies assured the CAQM that efforts are being made to curtail dependence on .

Combating air pollution

Rural areas should not be left out

12% Indian cities have air quality stations, 47% people unmonitored: Report

Only 12 per cent of India's 4,041 census cities have air quality monitoring stations with just 200 of them monitoring all six key pollutants, severely limiting the ability to assess and address the extent of pollution across the country, according to a new analysis. Environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which conducted the analysis, said nearly 47 per cent of the country's population remains outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid. The study showed 62 per cent of the population is outside the coverage radius of the real-time monitoring network. This lack of comprehensive monitoring is concerning as compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the goals of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) rely on accurate and robust monitoring systems. The NCAP aims for a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024 with on 2017 as the baseline year. Anumita Roychowdhury, the executive director of .