Page 2 - Smog

How is Lahore, the world's most polluted city, battling toxic air?

The capital of Pakistan's most populated province of Punjab, Lahore is just 25 km (16 miles) from the border with India, and is considered the cultural capital of the country

Pakistan: Punjab sets up 'smog war room' to tackle hazardous air pollution

But Wednesday's index score for Lahore fell short of last week's unprecedented score of 1900, which had exceeded recommended levels by more than 120 times, prompting closure of primary schools

Toxic smog blankets Delhi as winter nears, air quality index hits 'severe'

The city's overall score on an air quality index kept by India's top pollution authorities was 'very poor' at 384, the ministry added, and was likely to stay there until Thursday

Brief relief fades as Delhi's AQI climbs to 'hazardous' levels post-Diwali

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shows that certain areas of Delhi are grappling with hazardous pollution levels

DDMA meeting: Authorities discuss dust mitigation, staggered office timings

Dust removal and mitigation on a mission mode will be the focus area of the multiple agencies engaged with the implementation of anti-pollution measures in the city grappling with deteriorating air quality, authorities decided in a DDMA meeting on Thursday. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, after the meeting, said that the timings of the government offices in Delhi may be changed to control pollution. "There was discussion on changing the timings of both central and state government offices in Delhi to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads at the same time," he said in a statement. Delhi government has requested the LG to discuss with the central government the possibility of conducting artificial rain in Delhi on a pilot basis, so that action can be taken in emergency situations, he said. The LG has assured of the same. A special drive will be launched to stop diesel buses, from the neighbouring states, from entering the city, the minister said and warned of action agains

Breathe at your own risk: How Delhi's air is taking a dangerous turn

Health experts warn that vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly, face heightened risk, raising serious concern over the long-term impacts of air pollution

Delhi wakes up to a blanket of smog; AQI drops to 'very poor' in many areas

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts unfavourable weather will continue, keeping pollution levels high until at least Sunday

Southeast Asian countries consider ways to boost 'green financing'

Senior finance and central bank officials from Southeast Asia and major economies met Thursday in the scenic Laotian city of Luang Prabang to discuss ways to help the region build resilience against shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters brought on by climate change. The need for faster progress was dramatically apparent as the city and surrounding region were engulfed in heavy smoke from fires some set to clear forests for crops, some ignited by record high temperatures and tinder-dry conditions. The air quality index early Thursday was nearly 300, or very unhealthy. Laos and other countries in Southeast Asia have committed to seeking more sustainable ways to feed their people and power their economies. The question is where the money will come from to do that. Green finance is among several items on the agenda of the finance meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations related to countering the mounting impacts of global warming. The officials also were

Smog tower non-operational due to delayed salary: Bharadwaj targets Centre

The staff operating the smog tower at Connaught Place shut it down on Sunday over alleged non-payment of their salaries, according to sources

Lahore receives first artificial rain to combat smog with UAE's assistance

Lahore, one of the world's most polluted cities, on Saturday received its first artificial rain, following an experiment conducted by Pakistan's Punjab government with the help of the UAE to combat smog. Addressing a press conference here, the Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the experiment was conducted in 10 areas of Lahore and it was successful. Around 10 per cent of areas in Lahore received rainfall today due to cloud seeding experiments, he said, adding that at least 48 flares were deployed for cloud seeding. "Light showers were witnessed in the 10 areas of 15 km radius. The results of the experiment are being further gauged," he said. "Not a single penny was spent for the artificial rain. To combat smog, the government is ready to take any measure," the chief minister said. He also thanked the UAE government's help in initiating the artificial rain, also known as cloud seeding, to wash away pollutants in the air in the provincial capital. Last month, lo

Pakistan smog crisis: Lahore tops global pollution ranking with 470 AQI

The second-largest city in Pakistan continues to suffer from a smog crisis that has affected the health and livelihood of millions of people

Smog towers not practical solution to air pollution: Delhi pollution board

Two experimental smog towers in the city have not been effective in reducing air pollution and the operation of these costly giant air purifiers lacks merit, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT). In a report submitted to the NGT last week, the pollution control body emphasised that smog towers cannot be a "practical solution" to the air pollution problem and the two such structures in Delhi should be re-purposed for the "dissemination of technical information on air pollution control as a museum". In the report, DPCC's senior scientist Nandita Moitra said the Rs 25-crore smog tower at Connaught Place, operational for two years, can only mitigate air pollution by up to 17 per cent within a 100-metre radius. Considering Delhi's vast area of 1,483 square kilometres, the pollution control body said the city would need more than 47,000 such towers, with each costing Rs 25 crore for installation and requiring Rs 15 lakh monthly for ...

Poisonous haze blanketing Delhi thickens, air quality turns 'severe' again

The poisonous haze blanketing Delhi thickened on Wednesday with the air quality turning severe again amid stable atmospheric conditions. The national capital's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 401. It was 397 on Tuesday. It was 358 on Monday and 218 on Sunday, 220 on Saturday, 279 on Friday and 437 on Thursday. Neighbouring Ghaziabad (378), Gurugram (297), Greater Noida (338), Noida (360) and Faridabad (390) also recorded very poor air quality. 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', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'. Delhi's air quality dropped over the last few days despite the state government implementing stringent measures, including a ban on construction work and the entry of diesel-guzzling trucks into the city, to control pollution. According to IQAir, a Swiss company that specialises in air quality ...

What is a smog tower and do they work? How is India fighting air pollution?

When temperatures drop and wind speed declines, toxic particles from car tailpipes, industrial chimneys, and construction sites remain trapped over India's capital and its satellite cities.

Did we ask you to implement odd-even on taxis, SC asks Delhi govt

The Delhi government said that the court's suggestion to ban app-based taxis registered outside Delhi from entering the capital may cause a problem for commuters

Smog towers no solution; Centre not in favour of more giant air purifiers

Punjab told to immediately announce incentive scheme on lines of Haryana to encourage farmers to shift from paddy, manage stubble

GRAP III invoked, anti-smog guns deployed to fight against pollution

Invoking stage III of pollution control plan, deploying anti-smog guns and re-launching the 'Red light on, Gaadi off' campaign are among the measures taken by the Delhi government and other agencies with the city's air quality entering the 'severe' category, officials said. According to a Delhi government official, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) stage 3 has been implemented in the national capital with a complete ban on construction or demolition activities. The Centre's pollution control panel invoked the GRAP III on Thursday, directing a halt on non-essential construction work, stone crushing and mining in Delhi-NCR. Under this stage, restrictions are also imposed on the operation of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar. The Delhi administration, which has stepped up measures to tackle the pollution menace, has deployed anti-smog guns in several places such as Anand Vihar, Kashmiri Gate ISBT, ITO, Pusa

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 LG Saxena flags off 13 multipurpose vehicles to fight smog, pollution

Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday inaugurated 13 multipurpose vehicles equipped with anti-fog sprinklers and anti-clogging facilities to clean the city's streets. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has procured 28 such vehicles from the Ministry of Environment, 13 of them were flagged off Monday and the rest will come by February 15. Each vehicle costs Rs 48 lakh. An official said that the vehicles have a 5,000-litre water tanker each fitted with a sprinkler system, jetting arrangements, and an anti-smog gun. Speaking at the flagging-off ceremony, Saxena said: "By these vehicles, I am sure we will be able to fight the pollution war more effectively." "The best part of this vehicle is that it has jets for water sprinklers. It also has anti-clogging facility and it can also clean the spits of paan on the footpath. I am very hopeful that this will be a milestone in our war towards pollution," he added.

Smog engulfs Delhi; air quality in 'very poor' category, AQI at 369

Smog engulfed the national capital on Saturday morning pushing the overall air quality to remain in 'very poor' category with an overall Air Quality Index of 369