Pollution Control

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 .

National Pollution Control Day 2024: Know history, significance, and more

National Pollution Control Day is an occasion to remember those who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas tragedy on 2nd December 1984. Here's all you need to know

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

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

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

Delhi's air pollution takes centre stage at COP29, experts call for action

Delhi's hazardous air quality was a key focus at COP29, as experts warned about the health risks of air pollution and called for immediate global action. Aarti Khosla, Director of Climate Trends, sais that Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) had reached dangerous levels, with some areas recording particulate pollution above 1,000 microgram per cubic metre. Pollution comes from many sources like black carbon, ozone, burning fossil fuels, and farm fires. We need solutions that tackle all of these, she said. Khosla also explained that low wind speeds during the La Nia weather pattern are trapping pollutants in the air, making the situation worse. While we discuss major global issues, millions of people's health is at risk. We must act fast, she said. Courtney Howard, Vice-Chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, shared her experience from Canada, where wildfires forced the evacuation of 70 per cent of her population in 2023. This was expensive, even for a rich country like ours. ..

Delhi bans BS-III petrol, BS-IV diesel four wheelers amid rising pollution

Violators will face prosecution under Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, and a Rs 20,000 fine

Delhi Metro to make 40 extra trips each day amidst rising AQI: Gopal Rai

Delhi's environment minister also announced more anti-pollution measures, including the deployment of more than 6,000 MCD staff for road dust control, and 1,800 traffic personnel at congestion points

Makers of electronic goods and telecom gear oppose draft recycling rules

Meity officials support the view of associations representing manufacturers

Petrol pump owners seek to meet Delhi transport minister over PUCC rates

Petrol pump owners on Thursday wrote to Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, seeking a meeting with him to revise PUCC rates for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates in the national capital. The letter comes days after the Delhi Petrol Dealers' Association (DPDA) shut down nearly 600 PUC centres functioning at petrol pumps, saying the hike was not commensurate with operational costs. On July 11, the Delhi government increased the PUC certificate charges for petrol, CNG and diesel vehicles after a gap of about 13 years. The hike ranges between Rs 20 and Rs 40. "Sir, most of the PUC centres have operated the last few years in losses to avoid any inconvenience to the general public. However, due to this extreme unviability, many PUC centres have been forced to surrender their licenses in the last few months. The Managing Committee of the DPDA had thus resolved to close PUC centres across Delhi from July 15 in light of the "arbitrary and grossly insufficient hike", it said.

Delhi’s pollution control centres to shut down

LG undid plans to make city pollution-free by ordering tree felling: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday alleged that Lt Governor V K Saxena scuttled the efforts of the Arvind Kejriwal government to make Delhi pollution-free by allowing the feeling of 1,100 trees in the Satbari ridge area without permission. There was no immediate reaction from LG office to the allegation. Addressing a press conference here, AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said that in the last 10 years, the Aam Aadmi Party government has taken many long-term and short-term steps to control pollution in Delhi. "One such long-term measure is planting trees. The Delhi government has brought Delhi's green cover to a historic high in the last 10 years and Delhi's green cover is now about 24 per cent. "In the last four years, two crore trees have been planted in Delhi. As many as 17 city forests exist in Delhi and the Aam Aadmi Party government is creating six more forests in Delhi," she said. The AAP leader said that the Delhi government is developing "city forests" near the metro sta

Petrol pump owners show dissent, to shut PUC centres in Delhi from July 15

Petrol pump owners said PUC centres will be shut from Monday onwards, expressing their dissatisfaction over the recent proposed hike in rates of pollution certificates by the city government. The operation of the pollution under control (PUC) centres is unviable, they said in a statement issued on Sunday. Delhi government on Thursday increased the PUC certificate charges for petrol, CNG and diesel vehicles after a gap of about 13 years. The hike ranges between Rs 20 and Rs 40. The new rates will be effective as soon as it is notified by the Delhi government, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot had said. In a statement issued, the Delhi Petrol Dealers' Association (DPDA) said, "Since the operation of PUC centres is unviable, many PUC centres have surrendered their licenses in the last few months. The managing committee of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association has thus resolved to close PUC centres at their retail outlets across Delhi from July 15 in light of arbitrary and grossly ...

Rajasthan's trade bodies flag increasing production cost concerns

Industries, including firms in the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector, are finding it difficult to survive the competition due to higher costs compared to neighbouring states

Pollution control board's approval must for vehicle scrapping facilities

The Amended Rules also states that a government-owned vehicle or a vehicle seized by law enforcement, will not be eligible for any incentives

Most cities on path to achieve national clean air target; Varanasi leads

The government allocated Rs 9,631 crore to reduce the levels of particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller by 40 per cent in 131 cities by 2026 from the 2017 levels

Experts wary about artificial rain's feasibility in curbing pollution

Can artificial rain dissipate toxins in the air? As the skies over several parts of north India turn blue again and pollution levels improve from 'severe' but continue to be 'very poor', the question of whether cloud seeding can really be a long-term solution gathers urgency. It is a tempting prospect and nothing more, say scientists, stressing on the need to tackle the problem at its root. Artificial rain is not just expensive - an estimated Rs 1 crore to induce rain in an approximate 100 square kilometre area - but also offers temporary respite. The respite artificial rain offers is short-lived... the return of polluted air swiftly restores hazardous levels, highlighting the need for more sustainable solutions, Sunil Dahiya, an analyst with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, told PTI. Artificial rain can't be induced to last for days and over such large geography as NCR or north India which limits its usage as air pollution reduction technology for the region, he ...

TN Pollution Control Board issues directions to CPCL on Ennore oil spillage

CPCL shall also be liable to pay compensation to the families adversely impacted due to the oil spillage, including the loss of livelihood, it said

Air Pollution: Several states haven't utilised sanctioned funds, says NGT

This comes after NGT going through the reports filed by various states on the implementation of comprehensive mitigation measures for the prevention, control, and reduction of air pollution

States, UTs asked to report on staff strength in pollution control bodies

The National Green Tribunal has directed all states and Union territories to file reports regarding the actual staff strength in state pollution control boards and pollution control committees. The tribunal also sought a report regarding the infrastructure in their environmental laboratories. The NGT was hearing a matter where it had taken suo motu ( on its own) cognisance of a media report claiming that the pollution control boards (PCBs) across the country did not have the resources to perform their functions. The report cited several reasons, including inadequate sanctioned strength of personnel, a high number of vacancies especially in technical positions and the absence of proper training. In a recent order, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said, "The news item raises a substantial issue affecting the compliance of environmental laws." The bench said according to a Central Pollution Control Board report, the news report ab

In UN talks for plastic treaty, delegates to face off over production limit

"We are at a pivotal moment in this process," said Andres Del Castillo, a senior attorney of the Center for International Environmental Law who is an observer to the negotiations