POLLUTION
Delhi's air quality remains in 'severe' category, AQI at 412
Delhi's air quality plummeted to 'severe' on Saturday, with an AQI of 412, posing significant health risks. Twenty monitoring stations recorded 'severe' readings, primarily due to vehicular emissions and stubble burning. The city experienced reduced visibility due to mist and smog, while temperatures reached 29.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees above average.
Pollution: Delhi Transport Department mandates colour-coded fuel for vehicles
The Delhi Transport Department is introducing color-coded stickers to identify fuel types on vehicles. This initiative aims to combat pollution and is mandated for both new and old vehicles. Stickers can be obtained from dealers or booked online. Non-compliance will result in penalties under the Motor Vehicles Act.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai inspects Narela-Singhu border to check GRAP IV implementation
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai inspected border areas to ensure compliance with GRAP stage IV, which restricts polluting vehicles. Rai urged neighboring states to cooperate in reducing pollution. The Railway Board implemented staggered work hours for its Delhi-NCR employees due to severe air quality.
How Delhi can learn from Beijing & London to combat air pollution
Delhi's annual winter smog crisis, while severe, is not insurmountable. Drawing inspiration from Beijing and London's successful anti-pollution efforts, the article highlights the importance of political will, tackling pollution at its source, and coordinated action.
Delhi pollution: SC orders Centre, police to set up 113 checkposts to curb entry of trucks into national capital
The Supreme Court has ordered the Centre and Delhi government to ensure enough check posts at all entry points to curb pollution. The court directed strict implementation of GRAP stage IV measures in Delhi-NCR, despite a slight improvement in air quality.
NDMC launches 'night cleaning drive' amid Delhi's 'very poor' AQI levels
The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has launched a night cleaning initiative in an effort to combat the city's 'very poor' air quality. The drive began in Khan Market and will be expanded to other areas with the support of market associations.
Health Warning: Air pollution kills, us
A new Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study reveals that air pollution caused 1.7 million deaths in India in 2019. The study highlights COPD, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory infections as leading causes of death linked to air pollution.
About 18% of deaths in 2019 attributable to air pollution: ICMR study
A report by India's leading health research body found that air pollution caused 1.7 million deaths in 2019. This represents 18% of all deaths in the country that year. The primary cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study identified industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, and the burning of solid fuels as major contributors to air pollution.
Delhi Pollution: Coal plants' target miss to add to the deadly smog
India's efforts to combat severe air pollution face a setback as most coal-fired power plants are expected to miss a deadline for installing sulfur-dioxide emission control equipment. The delay, attributed to high costs and potential power disruptions, raises concerns about public health and the effectiveness of pollution control measures.
Delhi air quality dips back into 'severe' category; smog reduces visibility as AQI touches low levels
Delhi¡¯s air quality has once again plunged into the 'severe' category, with the AQI reaching 424 on Wednesday morning. The city continues to be engulfed by thick smog, disrupting daily life and causing delays in train services. A toxic foam has appeared in sections of the Yamuna River, highlighting the scale of pollution. Authorities have enacted Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), including vehicle restrictions and school closures, while Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has urged for cloud seeding to combat the smog. The Supreme Court has also called for strict enforcement of anti-pollution measures.
Delhi's AQI 494 or 1,600? What's with the difference and which is more accurate
Delhi experienced alarming air pollution levels on Monday. The city's air quality index (AQI) reached 494, the second-highest recorded value. While international platforms reported even higher figures, both measurements indicated hazardous air quality. The discrepancy arises from different AQI scales and calculation methods. Despite the variations, Delhi's air pollution posed significant health risks.
Delhi barely livable: Shashi Tharoor criticises Centre over Delhi air pollution, calls govt 'unconscionable'
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticized the government over Delhi's severe air pollution, calling it the world's most polluted city and 'nearly uninhabitable.' He highlighted the lack of government action despite years of crisis. Schools in Delhi and Gurugram have shifted online due to hazardous air quality, while the Supreme Court advised wearing masks within its premises.
North India suffocates: Overrun hospitals, empty malls, cancelled flights ¡ª NCR under siege
North India, including Delhi-NCR, faced severe air pollution on Monday, with AQI levels reaching 500, triggering health emergencies, school closures, and work-from-home advisories. Hospitals reported a surge in heart attacks and asthma cases due to toxic air quality. Major cities like Patna, Lucknow, and Chandigarh also experienced hazardous air. The Delhi government imposed stage 4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan, grounding flights and affecting daily life.
Delhi Pollution: How thermal plants that power your homes can help you breathe easier with this new tech
A study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reveals that installing flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) systems in 12 coal-based thermal plants within a 300-km radius of Delhi could reduce sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions by up to 67%. However, slow progress in implementing this technology, despite government directives, remains a challenge.
North India facing medical emergency due to stubble burning: Atishi
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi attributed the hazardous air quality in north India to stubble burning in BJP-ruled states. She commended Punjab, governed by AAP, for reducing stubble burning incidents, while criticizing the BJP for inaction. Delhi's air quality reached 'severe plus' levels, prompting stricter pollution control measures.
BJP-ruled states sending diesel buses to Delhi to aggravate pollution problem: Rai
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai accused BJP-ruled neighboring states of worsening the capital's pollution by sending BS IV diesel buses despite a ban. Rai stated that these states are deliberately violating GRAP III guidelines by sending prohibited vehicles. He highlighted that 70% of Delhi's pollution originates from outside sources. Enforcement teams are actively issuing challans to violators.
BJP demands closure of schools up to Class 5 to protect kids from air pollution
Delhi experienced its first dense fog of the season. The BJP urged the Delhi government to close schools up to Class five due to hazardous air quality. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva stated the city had become a gas chamber. He said PM 2.5 levels crossed 400 and PM 10 levels crossed 1,000.
Pollution occupies centre stage as BJP's Delhi assembly election campaign picks up pace
The BJP is set to challenge the AAP in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Their campaign will focus on pressing issues like pollution, corruption, and the state of infrastructure in the capital. The BJP aims to highlight the AAP's alleged failures in addressing these concerns, particularly the hazardous air quality and the polluted Yamuna river.
Jairam Ramesh slams NITI Aayog over 'call for power plants to pause installing sulphur reducing gear'
Former Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh criticized a reported proposal by NITI Aayog to halt the installation of equipment meant to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions at coal-fired power plants. He emphasized that these emissions significantly contribute to air pollution and public health concerns in India should not be disregarded in this context.
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