Page 18 - Air Quality

Mumbai air quality deteriorates for second day, local trains delayed

Mumbai's air quality reported worse that Delhi's on Wednesday, following rise in temperatures

Delhi recorded second-best air quality during Jan-Sept in 6 years: CAQM

Delhi-NCR recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 167 from January 1 to September 30 this year, the second-best for the corresponding period in six years, the Centre's Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said on Saturday. Better air quality during this period was recorded only during the pandemic-affected 2020, it said in a statement. In 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018, the average AQI during this period ranged from 180 to 193. Delhi experienced its only "good" air quality day of the year, with an AQI of 45, on September 10, the final day of the G20 Summit. Despite less rainfall in September 2023 (82.7 mm) compared to September 2022 (165 mm), the average AQI for the month this year (108) remained on par with last year (104). Between January and September this year, Delhi saw 193 days with "good" to "moderate" air quality (average AQI less than 200), surpassing the previous five years (excluding 2020), during which the number of such days ranged from 146 to 174. The CAQM

Centre's action plan to curb air pollution in Delhi comes into force Sunday

The Graded Response Action Plan -- a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the Delhi-NCR region in the winter season -- will come into force on Sunday. The Commission for Air Quality Management, an autonomous body tasked with improving air quality in Delhi and the adjoining areas, had made crucial changes to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) last year and again in July this year. 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 Air Quality Index (AQI) crosses the 400 mark. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body formed under an Act in 2021, had amended the GRAP in July last year to ensure proactive implementation of anti-air ...

Bad air quality linked to rise in suicide risk in rural populations: Study

Air pollution driven by wildfires have been linked with a heightened risk of committing suicide in rural populations, according to new research in the US. Every 10 per cent increase in particulate matter, or PM2.5, pollution in the rural counties was linked to a rise of 1.5 per cent in monthly suicide rates, the study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, US, found. There is now evidence linking air pollution, long known for its bad effects on physical health, with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and suicide, according to David Molitor, a professor of finance at the university and co-author of the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). For the study, the researchers used data on deaths by suicide and satellite-based measurements of wildfire smoke and PM2.5 concentrations in the US from 2007-19. They then compared year-on-year monthly levels of smoke exposure at the county-level to changes in .

Rain lowers temperature, Delhi records first 'good' air quality of the year

The weather forecast predicts generally cloudy skies with the possibility of light rain or drizzle in a few places on Monday, with temperatures ranging from 32°C to 24°C

Delhi govt forms special teams to monitor air quality during G20 Summit

The Delhi government has formed special teams to ensure that the city's air quality remains at a satisfactory level during the G20 Summit, which will witness several world leaders take part, officials said on Friday. The 11 teams formed for each district -- comprising the district magistrate concerned, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) deputy commissioners and probationary IAS officers -- will take steps such as the use of water sprinklers and mechanised sweeping to check dust, a senior government officer said. The G20 Leaders' Summit will be held at the newly-built international convention and exhibition centre -- Bharat Mandapam -- at Pragati Maidan on Saturday and Sunday. The officer said, "The focused approach has started showing results with the air quality at a satisfactory level of 83 on Friday evening. It was at 87 a day before." Delhi has grappled with pollution over the past few years. However, Environment Minister Gopal Rai recently said PM10 and PM2.5 -- the two ...

Intense, frequent heatwaves measurably worsening air quality: WMO

Increasingly intense and frequent heatwaves, compounded by wildfires and desert dust, is measurably worsening air quality, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Putting heatwaves in the spotlight, the report showed that heatwaves in the US and Europe, triggering wildfires and accompanied by desert dust intrusions, respectively, both led to dangerous air quality in 2022, affecting human health and environment. It is not just high temperatures which are a hazard, but the impacts of resulting pollution, often overlooked, are just as pernicious, the 2023 WMO Air Quality and Climate Bulletin, the third in an annual series, said. Air quality and climate are interconnected because the chemical agents affecting both are linked. This is because the substances contributing to climate change and degrading air quality are often emitted by the same sources. For example, fossil fuel combustion emitting carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide (NO) can lead to t

Intensity of heatwaves worsen air quality due to climate change: WMO

The 2023 WMO Air Quality and Climate Bulletin, the third in an annual series, puts the spotlight on heatwaves to draw attention to the fact that it is not just high temperatures that are a hazard

Delhi residents on track to lose 11.9 years of life to pollution: Study

Delhi has emerged as the world's most polluted city in a new study which has also found that its residents are on track to lose 11.9 years of life if the current levels of pollution persist. The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) released by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago also showed that all of India's 1.3 billion people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the 5 g/m3 limit set by World Health Organization (WHO). It also found that 67.4 per cent of the country's population lives in areas that exceed the country's own national air quality standard of 40 g/m3. The study said fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) shortens an average Indian's life expectancy by 5.3 years, relative to what it would be if the 5 g/m3 pollution limit set by (WHO) was met. The AQLI said that Delhi is the most polluted city in the world with its 18 million residents on track to lose 11.9 years of life expectancy on average relative to the WHO limit

Geospatial AI, machine learning to be used for monitoring air quality

Geospatial artificial intelligence and machine learning based models will soon be used to monitor air quality in key Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata, a senior scientist said on Thursday. Highlighting the increased use of mathematical modelling tools in India, ISRO chair professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies P G Diwakar emphasised the importance of linking sustainable development goals and air pollution indicators. Diwakar was speaking at the India Clean Air Summit (ICAS) 2023 organised by the Centre for Air Pollution Studies (CAPS) at the Center for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy (CSTEP) in Bengaluru. "We must link up SDGs and air pollution indicators, as highlighted by the United Nations 2030 Agenda, particularly in the context of SDGs 3.9 (which relates to mortality from environmental pollution as per the 2030 SDG Agenda) and 11.6 (which sustainable cities and communities)," Diwakar said. "Using geospatial ...

Delhi records best air quality so far this year with AQI of 59: CAQM

Delhi on Saturday recorded its cleanest air quality so far this year with an AQI of 59, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Intermittent rain in most parts of Delhi has played a role in improving the national capital's air quality and keeping temperatures in check. "Delhi today registered its best AQI of 2023. Delhi's average AQI clocked 59 today. The earlier recorded best AQI of Delhi during current year was 64 on 9th July. Let's continue working together towards cleaner skies and a healthier environment," the CAQM said in a tweet. 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'. Delhi on Saturday recorded a maximum temperature of 31.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average, and a minimum temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department ...

Delhi has witnessed 30% improvement in air quality: Minister Gopal Rai

While air pollution is steadily rising across the country, the national capital has witnessed a 30 per cent improvement in its air quality, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday. Rai was speaking at the launch of the annual sapling plantation drive from the campus of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute here. During the drive, which usually begins during the monsoon, saplings will be planted across the Delhi to increase the city's green cover. "Air pollution in Delhi has reduced by 30 per cent while it has steadily increased in the rest of the country," the minister said at the launch of the drive. Rai also launched an online portal to allow Delhi residents to book free saplings. "The city government is close to delivering on its promise of planting two crore saplings in the national capital in five years," he said. "Before the state elections, we promised to plant two crore saplings. We planted 32 lakh in 2020-21, 35 lakh in 2021-2022, 50 lakh in 2022-23 and

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 .

Improving Delhi's air quality has been most difficult task: CM Kejriwal

A day after the Environment Ministry said Delhi registered the highest number of 'good to moderate' air quality days this year since 2016, barring 2020, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said improving air quality in the city has been the most difficult task. Delhi also experienced the least number of days with 'poor to severe' air quality in the first half-year period (January to June) in 2023, compared to the corresponding period since 2016, except for COVID-19 affected 2020. "This was perhaps the most difficult task -- improving air quality. But a series of steps taken by Delhiites helped us achieve this seemingly impossible task. Still a long way to go. But Delhi people have always done what others thought impossible," Kejriwal said in a tweet. The average AQI (air quality index) for Delhi during this period also remained in 'moderate' category -- below 200. Delhi reported its lowest average AQI during 2023 (JanuaryJune) compared to the corresponding period for the seven .

Canadian wildfires causing unhealthy air quality again in parts of US

Drifting smoke from the ongoing wildfires across Canada is creating curtains of haze and raising air quality concerns throughout the Great Lakes region, and in parts of the central and eastern United States. Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on Tuesday issued an air quality alert for the entire state, while in Chicago where the air quality has been categorised unhealthy by the US Environmental Protection Agency officials are urging young people, older adults and residents with health issues to spend more time indoors. Just driving into the zoo ... you could just see around the buildings, kind of just haze," said Shelly Woinowski, who was visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Some day care centres in the Chicago area have told parents that their children will remain indoors on Tuesday due to the poor air quality, while one youth sports club says it adjusted its activities to add more time indoors. We recommend children, teens, seniors, people with .

Indian researchers develop low-cost mobile pollution monitoring tech

They have developed a low-cost mobile air pollution monitoring framework in which, pollution sensors mounted on public vehicles can dynamically monitor the air quality

Smoke from Canada wildfires deteriorates NY air quality; worse than Delhi's

The air quality of New York city has deteriorated as smoke from the Canadian wildfires poured into the US East Coast and Midwest, with data showing that the pollution level in the metropolitan city was highest among significant cities worldwide, even surpassing New Delhi. Situation was such that the picturesque and renowned skyline of New York City became invisible on Wednesday behind a hazy veil of smoke from the Canadian wildfires flowing into the region. According to IQAir, New York City had the highest levels of air pollution among significant cities worldwide on Wednesday morning, surpassing even New Delhi. Recently in a global air quality report, India was ranked eighth on the list, with Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Bangladesh being the five most polluted countries in 2022. The weather forecasters expect hazy weather to continue in New York through the rest of the week. AccuWeather forecasters expect very unhealthy" levels to continue through the rest of the week. Th

New York state comes under air quality alert amid Canadian wildfires

According to the National Weather Service, rampant wildfires in the Canadian province of Quebec brought widespread haze and smoke to the Northeast and Great Lakes areas of the US

Rajasthan minister inaugurates 33 air quality monitoring stations

Rajasthan Forest and Environment Minister Hemaram Chaudhary flagged off a public awareness rally on World Environment Day today and inaugurated 33 new air quality monitoring stations in the state, officials said. The minister also laid the foundation stone of Integrated Resource Recovery Park at Tholai in Jamwa Ramgarh area in the district, a statement said. Two thousand saplings were also distributed free of cost by the forest department, it said. Addressing a programme organised by the State Pollution Control Board, Chaudhary said that single-use plastic has been banned in the state for a safe future and for pollution control. The Rajasthan government's new forest policy promotes planting as many more trees as possible, the minister said via videoconferencing. He also said that the environment can be saved by the active participation of common people.

Delhi to expect a dry morning as humidity levels drop to 57%, says IMD

Air quality continues to remain at moderate levels, with temperatures expected to rise by 2-3 degrees Celsius over the next two days