Page 8 - Air Pollution

Stubble burning not political issue, states should work on it: Tomar

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday expressed concern over rising incidents of stubble burning in four major north Indian states including Punjab and appealed them to take steps to control it. The minister said since 2018, the central government has provided funds and machines to the states for the management of stubble burning incidents. Stubble burning is not a "political issue" and the states should work towards curbing it, he said. The minister said that PUSA decomposer, developed by the agri-research body ICAR, is effective in controlling stubble burning, and appealed to state governments as well as farmers to make use of more such machines. "Despite providing crores of rupees and 2 lakh machines, stubble burning incidents are rising and it is a cause of concern," Tomar said addressing a day-long event on 'Pusa decomposer'. Since 2018-19, the Central government has provided Rs 3,138 crore to four states -- Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana -- for the ..

NHRC summons chief secretaries of Delhi, 3 neighbours over air pollution

Alarmed over the rise in pollution in Delhi-NCR, the NHRC has asked the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to appear before it on November 10 to discuss the matter, an official statement said on Friday. The National Human Rights Commission said it is "not satisfied" with the actions taken so far to address the issue and that "much more" needs to be done to reduce pollution in Delhi. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 426 (severe) at 9:30 am on Friday, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. An AQI above 400 is considered 'severe' and can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses. The NHRC asked the chief secretaries to inform it within a week about the steps taken by their respective governments to stop stubble burning. "Their reports must also inform about the effect of smog towers and anti-smog guns. It should also have information on how many anti-smog guns are operational and what further st

Anti-pollution curbs: Primary schools to be closed in Delhi from tomorrow

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that primary schools will be closed from Saturday in view of spike in pollution levels in the national capital. Speaking at a press conference, he noted that deteriorating air quality and pollution levels were a problem of the entire north India and the Centre should take steps to address it. "This is not the time for blame game and politics, but time to find a solution to the problem. Blaming Kejriwal or the Punjab government won't help," he asserted. The city continued to reel under the eye-stinging pollution with air quality recorded in the ''severe'' category even on Friday. Kejriwal announced that from Saturday onwards, classes up to fifth standard will be closed and outdoor activities for classes above fifth standard will be suspended. "We are also mulling over implementing odd even scheme for plying of vehicles," he said. The chief minister was joined by his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann. Kejriwal accepted that the stubble

SC agrees to hear on Nov 10 plea raising air pollution issue in Delhi

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine on November 10 a plea seeking urgent steps in connection with air pollution in Delhi

Delhi's minimum temperature settles at 16.5 deg C; air quality 'severe'

The national capital continues to reel under the eye-stinging pollution with air quality recorded in the 'severe' category, while the minimum temperature settled at 16.5 degrees Celsius, a notch below the normal. According to Central Pollution Control Board data, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi stood at 426 at 9.30. The relative humidity at 8.30 am was 92 per cent, the India Meteorological Department said. The maximum temperature on Friday is expected to settle at 31.3 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal, according to the IMD. Anand Vihar and Jahangirpuri were the most polluted places in the capital with AQI at 471 and 485 respectively. The areas that recorded severe AQI are Alipur (475), Ashok Vihar (470), Bawana (482), Burari (460), DTU (446), Dwarka (474), ITO (438), Mundka (476), Narela (477), Nehru Nagar (482), Patparganj (435), Rohini (474), Sonia Vihar (472), Vivek Vihar (471) and Wazirpur (475). An AQI of above 400 is considered severe and can affect healt

Severe air pollution in Delhi: BJP asks AAP to order closure of schools

The Delhi BJP on Friday demanded that the AAP government order closure of schools in the national capital in view of severe air pollution. Addressing a press conference at the Delhi BJP office, national spokesperson of the party Shehzad Poonawala said the AAP government should stop playing with the lives of the children and close the schools. "Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is working like a part time chief minister of Delhi, should tell the people what steps have been taken by his government to curb pollution in the city," Poonawala said. Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said the party will take to the streets if the Kejriwal government does not order closure of schools. Raging farm fires and stagnant atmospheric conditions pushed the capital's air quality index to the edge of the "severe plus" category on Thursday, prompting authorities to invoke the final stage of anti-pollution curbs, including a ban on diesel-run light motor vehicles. The Commission for Air Quality ...

Gopal Rai to convene high-level meet on GRAP stage 4 execution in Delhi

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will convene a high-level meeting on Friday to discuss the implementation of curbs on polluting activities under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan, officials said. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index spiralled to 450, just a notch short of the "severe plus" category as the share of stubble burning in the national capital's PM2.5 pollution soared to 38 per cent amid stagnant conditions and favourable transport-level wind speed. As Delhi stood at the edge of a public health emergency, the Commission of Air Quality Management had on Thursday directed authorities to ban the plying of four-wheeled diesel light motor vehicles in the city and adjoining NCR districts and the entry of trucks into the national capital as part of anti-pollution measures under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). However, BS-VI vehicles and those used for essential and emergency services are exempted, according to an order issued

AQI continues to be severe in Delhi-NCR, stubble burning major share

The air quality in Delhi continued to remain in the 'severe' category on Friday morning as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city jumped to 472.

Delhi air pollution: GRAP stage 4 to be implemented with 'immediate effect'

While the primary focus is on restrictions on entry and intra-Delhi movement of vehicles, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed all agencies to strictly implement Stage IV.

Delhi pollution: GRAP Stage IV kicks in amid severe air quality

The overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain in 'Severe' category from till Sunday

Over 100 transport teams to be deployed to ensure trucks don't enter Delhi

A total of 120 teams of the transport department will be in action at Delhi's entry points to ensure that trucks, apart from those carrying essential items, do not enter the national capital, officials said on Thursday. With Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) a notch short of entering the "severe plus" category, a central panel directed authorities on Thursday to ban the plying of four-wheeled diesel light motor vehicles in the city and the adjoining NCR districts and the entry of trucks into the capital as part of the anti-pollution measures under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). However, BS-VI vehicles and those used for essential and emergency services have been exempted, according to an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). With a spike in the pollution levels, the enforcement teams of the transport department are fully involved in ensuring that the anti-pollution measures are implemented. "The teams will be deployed at the ent

Air pollution: Noida schools to hold online classes till Nov 8, says order

All schools in Noida and Greater Noida were Thursday asked to hold classes online for students up to Class 8 till November 8 in view of increasing pollution in the National Capital Region, according to an official order. The schools have also been told to hold classes for students of Class 9 to 12 online as far as possible, said the order issued by Gautam Buddh Nagar's District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) Dharmveer Singh. Outdoor activities like sports or meetings will stay completely banned in all schools, the order further stated. "All schools have been asked to move to online medium for teaching students up to Class 8. They have been asked to switch to the online mode for students of Class 9 to 12 also to the extent possible," Singh said. "However, no outdoor activities like sports in schools are allowed till November 8," the DIOS told PTI. Gautam Buddh Nagar has around 1,800 schools including higher education centres, spread across Noida and Greater Noida, as on date, the offi

McKinsey lists 10 steps to decarbonise India while pursuing economic growth

India emits a net 2.9 gigatons of carbon-dioxide equivalent every year, third-largest globally, as of 2019, according to a report recently released by McKinsey Sustainability

GRAP curbs will not impact Noida Airport construction, say officials

Implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to check pollution in Delhi-NCR will not impact the construction work of the upcoming Noida International Airport, officials said on Thursday. The greenfield airport is coming up in Jewar, some 75 km off Delhi, along the Yamuna Expressway. The airport is being developed in four phases and the first phase is scheduled to be completed by September 2024. According to the officials, a delay in the completion of the project would also leave the Swiss concessionaire Zurich International Airport AG under a penalty of Rs 10 lakh per day. "According to the order of the Commission for Air Quality Management dated October 29, 2022, there is no obstacle in the construction work of the Noida International Airport," said an official of the Yamuna Expressway Authority. The Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a fully-owned subsidiary of Zurich International Airport, said according to GRAP orders, airport construction is ...

GRAP curbs: Gopal Rai to convene meet on Friday amid rising pollution

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai will convene a high-level meeting on Friday to discuss the implementation of curbs on polluting activities under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan, officials said on Thursday. Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index spiralled to 450, just a notch short of the "severe plus" category as the share of stubble burning in the national capital's PM2.5 pollution soared to 38 per cent amid stagnant conditions and favourable transport-level wind speed. As Delhi stood at the edge of a public health emergency, the Commission of Air Quality Management on Thursday directed authorities to ban the plying of four-wheeled diesel light motor vehicles in the city and adjoining NCR districts and the entry of trucks into the national capital as part of anti-pollution measures under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). However, BS-VI vehicles and those used for essential and emergency services are exempted, according to an order

Air quality panel orders ban on diesel LMVs in Delhi-NCR, entry of trucks

With Delhi's air quality index (AQI) a notch short of entering the "severe plus" category, a central panel on Thursday directed authorities to ban the plying of four-wheeled diesel light motor vehicles in Delhi and adjoining NCR districts and the entry of trucks into the capital as part of anti-pollution measures under the final stage of the Graded Response Action Plan. However, BS-VI vehicles and those used for essential and emergency services are exempted, according to an order issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management. (CAQM) The order stated that the state government may take a call on the closure of educational institutions, non-emergency commercial activities and plying of vehicles on odd-even basis. Central and state governments may decide on permitting work from home. "Ban on plying of 4-wheeler diesel LMVs in NCT of Delhi and Districts of NCR bordering Delhi, except BS-VI vehicles and vehicles used for essential/emergency services," the order read. The CAQM also

Patients surge at hospital OPDs as Delhi air quality remains 'severe'

Hospitals in Delhi are teeming with people suffering from cough, nasal congestion, shortness of breath and even asthma attacks as an eye-stinging smog blankets the national capital. With Delhi's air quality remaining 'severe', doctors advised a return to wearing masks to guard against pollution. While forecasters on Wednesday predicted the air quality to improve due to stronger winds, Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 426 at 9.10 am. An AQI of above 400 is considered 'severe' and can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing illnesses. At Holy Family Hospital in Okhla, there has been a 30 per cent increase in such patients coming to out-patient departments, said Dr Sumit Ray, head of department of critical care. Last year, the hospital had started writing "pollution-related" in diagnosis in what was probably a first for a medical facility here. "There were two ICU (intensive care unit) patients for whom we wrote that diagnosis. For writing that

53% Delhi-NCR residents say stubble burning main cause of pollution: Survey

Around 53 per cent of the Delhi-NCR residents identify stubble burning in neighbouring states as the "primary cause" of rising levels of air pollution, according to a survey. The survey conducted by LocalCircles is based on responses from 20,000 citizens. Around 10,037 respondents identified stubble burning by farmers in adjoining states as the root cause of bad air quality in the national capital, it said. Delhi's air quality continued to be in the 'severe' category on Thursday with its Air Quality Index (AQI) dipping at 426 at 9.10 am, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed. The data breakup shows that a much smaller percentage or 13 per cent believe the primary cause is "motor vehicle emissions", while 7 per cent of the respondents blamed it on "garbage burning in the city". Around 7 per cent respondents held "industrial emissions" responsible and 7 per cent blamed "construction activity", the survey said. When asked about the Odd-Even vehicle program, around 1

Farm fires' share in Delhi's pollution 38%, highest this season: Experts

The share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution jumped to 38 per cent on Thursday, which, experts said was the reason behind the thick layer of pungent smog over the national capital. The increase in stubble burning has kicked off a political slugfest, with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday saying that there had been a 19 per cent rise in farm fires over 2021 in Punjab and that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had turned the national capital into a gas chamber. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in turn, blamed the central government for rising incidents of stubble burning in Punjab and said it should "resign" if it cannot control air pollution. Gufran Beig, founder project director, SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said, "The share of stubble burning in Delhi's pollution has increased to around 38 per cent which is quite significant." The air pollution situation is the worst in Noida which falls into the path of emissions

Delhi wakes up to thick smog, air quality index dips to 'severe' again

While the forecasters on Wednesday predicted the air quality was likely to improve on the back of stronger winds, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi stood at 426 at 9.10 am