Page 4 - Pollution

UP to New Delhi: Yamuna's pollution crisis is a multi-state failure

Failure to build sewage treatment plants or keep them running well is choking the river

Delhi's air quality improves to 'moderate' category, AQI drops to 183

Unfavourable weather, including a partly cloudy sky and low wind speed, has worsened air quality in Delhi

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor'; rain expected in early February

To combat rising pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reimposed Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the national capital

Indian refiners test FOWE's emulsion tech to clean polluting bunker fuel

Indian oil refineries have initiated tests of fuel emulsion systems from a Monaco-based company to clean highly polluting bunker fuel as they eye significant benefits, including substantial fuel cost savings and a reduction in environmental impact of the high carbon-emitting fuel used in ships. Two state-owned oil firms deployed Fowe Eco Solutions' (FOWE) patented Cavitech devices at their refinery and depot installations to check the result of emulsified fuel oil (bunker fuel), sources aware of the matter said. Trials showed substantial reduction in emissions and better fuel efficiency, they said, adding the refiners are now looking at tests for its commercial use. Requiring very little initial investment and eliminating the need for installation downtime, the FOWE uses a process known as cavitation using its Cavitech device, which allows emulsification of fuel oil, also known as furnace oil, with fresh water. This process, which does not require any additives or further processing

Thane civic body cracks down on developers flouting pollution control rules

The civic authorities in Maharashtra's Thane city have pulled up developers for flouting pollution control guidelines during construction activities and halted work at the sites of seven developers, an official said on Saturday. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has initiated strict action against developers flouting pollution control guidelines and issued orders to halt work for developers failing to comply, the official said. According to the city development department, of 317 construction sites instructed to follow dust pollution control measures, punitive action was taken at 182 sites for non-compliance, and a cumulative fine of Rs 9.25 lakh was levied on violators. Additionally, show-cause notices were issued to 120 developers, questioning why their construction activities should not be stopped, and of these, seven developers who failed to provide evidence of compliance were ordered to halt all work. Assistant Director of Urban Planning Sangram Kanade confirmed the ...

Delhi's Bawana plant sparks protests, locals threaten to boycott polls

The proposed waste-to-energy plant in Bawana has taken centre stage ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections with the local residents raising environmental and health concerns and a section threatening to boycott the polls if the project proceeds. The plant has been planned on a 15-acre site near the Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste in DSIDC Sector 5. Speaking to PTI, residents from over 15 nearby villages have claimed that the project will result in the destruction of trees, increased air and water pollution, and long-term health risks, including respiratory ailments as well as neurological disorders. They also argued that emissions from the waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, such as dioxins, furans, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), and even heavy metals like mercury and lead, will not just worsen the air quality but also endanger public health. The toxic emissions from this plant will put our lives at risk. We're already struggling with pollution fr

Russia warns of environmental harm as oil from tankers pollute beaches

Russian officials warned of severe environmental damage Wednesday as thousands of people came out to clean up tonnes of fuel oil that spilled out of two storm-stricken tankers more than two weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, near Moscow-occupied Crimea. More than 10,000 people, largely volunteers, raced to rescue wildlife and remove tons of sand saturated with mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product, according to Russian news reports. Authorities in Russia's southern Krasnodar region last week announced a region-wide emergency, as the fuel oil continued washing up on the coastline 10 days after one tanker ran aground and the other was left damaged and adrift on December 15. The move came days after Russian President Vladimir Putin called the oil spill an ecological disaster. On Wednesday, New Year's Day, Krasnodar officials said the oil kept on surfacing on the beaches of Anapa, a popular local resort. More than 71,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil had been removed along 56 ...

Delhi's air quality remains 'moderate' after record rains, AQI at 183

Intermittent showers over the past few days have helped reduce pollution levels in the national capital

Residential sector key source of PM2.5 pollution in north India: Study

Pollution in east, north and central Indian cities primarily comes from residential and transportation sectors, while in western India, industry and energy are the main contributors to local PM2.5 pollution, a study has found. Published in the journal Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, the study also found that PM2.5 pollution in cities in south India majorly comes from the industry and residential sectors. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Maharashtra, and the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, analysed pollution levels in 53 cities, having more than a million population during the winter of 2015-2016. Residential emissions -- from burning biomass for cooking and heating -- were found to be the leading contributor to local PM2.5 pollution in Srinagar (68 per cent), Varanasi (37 per cent), Allahabad (34 per cent) and Kanpur (33 per cent). The transportation sector's contribution to local PM2.5 pollution was found to be higher in north Indian .

Man-made products could be storing 8.4 bn tonnes of carbon: Study

About 8.4 billion tonnes of carbon is estimated to have been accumulated and stored in long-lasting products from around the world made by humans, such as plastics and buildings, between 1995 and 2019, according to a study. Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands said this 'fossil carbon' added to the 'technosphere' -- the sum of all human-made objects, both in use and discarded -- equals around 93 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions from around the world in 2019. They added that the carbon locked up in the 'technosphere' has a huge potential to add to greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing the lifetime of products and recycling rates are two ways to reduce the amount of fossil carbon entering waste streams, the researchers suggested. "Over these 25 years (1995-2019), 8.4 billion tons of fossil carbon have accumulated, with approximately 0.4 billion tons added each year, with a huge potential for further contribution to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions,"

Severe cold wave hits India: North freezes, Delhi chokes on 'severe' AQI

India shivers under a cold wave as freezing temperatures grip the north, while Delhi's air quality worsens to 'severe', prompting Grap Stage IV restrictions

Grap-IV in Delhi-NCR: What stays open, what shuts amid pollution curbs

Construction has been suspended, truck entry restricted, schools shifted to hybrid learning, and offices are running at 50 per cent capacity as Delhi air quality worsens amid stagnant winds

SC eases Grap restrictions in Delhi, moves to Stage II due to improved AQI

The top court said that if AQI goes above 350. Stage-III measures will have to be immediately implemented, and if AQI crosses 400 on a given day, Stage-IV measures will have to be re-introduced

Sonowal issues 'HaritSagar' guidelines to reduce pollution at ports

The guidelines also stated that all truck operators who use green fuel i.e. CNG/LNG/Hydrogen and its derivative or electric fleet may be identified and incentivized

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

Industry has to heed the environment: UPPCB chairman Ravindra Pratap Singh

Singh spoke about the steps being taken to make people environment-conscious

Highlights: Sebi introduces mark-to-market basis valuation for repo transactions by mutual funds

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India aiming to finalise carbon deals with Japan, Singapore, and S Korea

Talks over prospective future deals also are taking place with Germany and Sweden

CJI urges judges to allow virtual hearings due to rising pollution in Delhi

Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday said all judges have been asked to allow virtual hearings wherever possible in view of the severe pollution levels in the national capital region. As soon as the bench comprising the CJI and Justice Sanjay Kumar assembled, lawyers, including Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Kapil Sibal, referred to the worsening pollution in Delhi and NCR and sought immediate measures to deal with it. We have told all the judges to allow virtual hearings wherever possible, the CJI said. Pollution is getting out of control, Sibal said. He was supported by various lawyers that also included Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Gopal Sankaranarayanan It needs to go down. The message should go to other courts, Sibal added. The solicitor general said the top court, as a matter of principle, should go virtual. We have given the message to accommodate everybody. Moreover, online is anyway available," the CJI said. On Monday, the top court took note of

Air emergency in Delhi: AQI exceeds 1,500; smog halts life, schools closed

According to Swiss air technology firm IQAir, AQI readings across Delhi ranged from 1,300 to 1,600 on Monday morning