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New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
City's PM10 levels drop 12% in seven years
CHENNAI: Among the four cities – Chennai, Tiruchy, Madurai and Thoothukudi – in Tamil Nadu that are covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), the capital city recorded a modest PM10 reduction, while Thoothukudi recorded the sharpest reduction in the seven year period between 2017-18 and 2024-25 According to the data presented by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Lok Sabha, the average concentration of PM10 levels in Chennai dropped by 12.1 % from 66 µg/m3 in 2017-18 to 58 µg/m3 in 2024-25. Thoothukudi, meanwhile, recorded a 54.5% reduction with the PM10 levels dropping from 123 µg/m3 in 2017-2018 to 56 µg/m in 2024-2025. The average concentration of PM10 levels in Madurai and Tiruchy dropped from 88 and 72 in 2017-18 to 57 and 61 in 2024-25 respectively. Meanwhile, Chennai fared poorly in terms of drop in PM10 levels compared to other metropolitan cities like Mumbai (44%), Kolkata (37%), and even Delhi (15.8%). However, in terms of the actual average concentration of PM10 levels recorded, Chennai with 58 µg/m3, fared far better than Mumbai (90), Kolkata (92), and Delhi (203). Although Chennai is now closer to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 60 µg/m3, experts say the progress is incremental and insufficient given the scale of urbanisation, traffic, and construction activity. 'The figures may look acceptable on paper, but the health impact remains tangible. We continue to see rising respiratory cases in urban centres like Chennai,' a senior pulmonologist at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital told TNIE.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Chennai sees a modest 12 per cent reduction in pollution levels, yet lags in NCAP targets
CHENNAI: Chennai has witnessed only a 'modest' improvement in air quality despite being part of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched in 2019. According to the data presented by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Lok Sabha, the average concentration of PM10 levels in Chennai dropped by 12.1% in the year 2024-25 compared to 2017-18 --far below the reductions achieved by other major cities like Mumbai (44%), Kolkata (37%), and even Delhi (15.8%). The city's annual average PM10 concentration was reduced from 66 µg/m3 (microgram per cubic meter) in 2017-18 to 58 µg/m3 in 2024-25. While this places Chennai closer to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 60 µg/m3, experts say the progress is incremental and insufficient given the scale of urbanisation, traffic congestion, and construction activity. 'The figures may look acceptable on paper, but the health impact remains tangible. We continue to see rising respiratory cases in urban centres like Chennai,' a senior pulmonologist at the Government General Hospital, told TNIE.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Lessons learnt from FGD policy
Navigating energy transition in a large developing country like India throws up a number of challenges. Meeting the growing energy demand in a reliable and affordable manner while achieving the decarbonisation trajectory requires a policy design that minimises the cost of compliance with laid down targets and environmental standards. Deployment of new clean technologies may lead to cost reduction in long term but the avoidable increase in energy prices in near to medium term has the risk of impacting the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals and industrial competitiveness. Let us look at the facts which led to revision in the approach regarding installation of Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) equipment in existing and new coal-based power plants . Instead of focussing at the compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), the SO2 emission standards notified at stack level(discharge from chimney of the plant) in 2015 led to a situation where each thermal plant was required to invest in technologies like FGD. This imposed not only extra cost of about 30 paise per unit of electricity but also higher emissions of carbon dioxide due to increase in auxiliary consumption of the plants for running the FGD. The imbalance in supply of imported components and sudden increase in demand led to a situation that Damodar Valley Corporation saw an increase of cost in FGD project from ₹50 lakh per MW to ₹1 crore per MW in a short period. It took several years and avoidable cost increase in power supply to realise on the basis of a number of scientific studies that in most of the cases, NAAQS could be easily met by simply adhering to the already laid down chimney height norms which ensure that the emission from low sulphur Indian coal combustion get dispersed easily. Except for the coal deposits of NE region of India, Indian coal is characterised by high ash but low sulphur with less than 0.6 per cent concentration. Coal in our NE region has sulphur content from 3 to 5 per cent which is not used much in power generation. The sulphur concentration can go up to 5 per cent in imported high sulphur coal. Thus, the Ministry of Environment and Forest has rightly exempted about 78 per cent of the power plants from investing in FGD and saved the avoidable burden on electricity prices while mandating the adherence to stack height norms to ensure dispersion of emissions. At the same time, it has continued the obligation for plants in or vicinity of NCR region and million plus cities where SO2 emission load in the ambient air is high on account of other pollution loads like industrial units and vehicular emissions. For other critically polluted areas, a case-by-case approach has been planned based on scientific analysis. But meanwhile several power plants have started implementation of FGD which would add a burden of about more than ₹50000 crores. However, the revised policy approach has saved avoidable investment of more than ₹1.4 lac crores. The revised approach is welcome as it meets the national environmental standards without avoidable cost increase in basic infrastructure like electricity. It will also avoid the increase of CO2 emissions which last far longer in the atmosphere aggravating global warming, emissions involved in mining and transport of lime stone and wastage of water. I am sure that Hon'ble Courts will also approve the decision based on scientific studies. But the lessons learnt in this case should not be forgotten while designing the policies in other areas. Two key lessons emerge. First, that major decisions should be taken only on the basis of pilot projects in multiple locations with their results thoroughly assessed by independent scientific studies, and secondly, the policy design should be largely technology neutral for achieving the overall national goals. Another case of such a policy overreach is the mandated source wise renewable energy consumption obligations. We have mandated separate targets for various sources like solar, wind, hydro, distributed energy sources etc within the overall yearly targets. Some fungibility has been permitted for year-to-year adjustments. But the cost optimisation opportunities are largely missed at the stage of capacity expansion planning if the concerned distribution company has to comply with the source wise targets. The overall objective is decarbonisation of grid electricity which can be achieved by several routes like solar, wind, hydro or for that matter even nuclear. A sound policy will be to permit complete fungibility as long the overall targets of non-fossil electricity are met. Why a state of NE region rich in hydro should be compelled to import wind energy from far off distances if it increases the overall system costs. A case of sound and balanced policy is Carbon Credit Trading Scheme for reducing the emission intensity of high emitter industrial units. The scheme permits adoption of the most cost-effective technologies, and even trading of the credits, as long as overall trajectory of emission intensity reduction is achieved. This gives full freedom to the designated industrial unit in making economic choice while ensuring compliance with nationally determined goals. The policy makers need to make choices very carefully based on economic principles and scientific reasoning and not on the basis of opinions to avoid the risks to our development attainments.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
103 cities show drop in PM10 levels under clean air programme
Representational Image NEW DELHI: One hundred and three out of 130 cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) showed an improvement in the levels of PM10, one of the key pollutants, in 2024-25 compared to 2017-18, with Mumbai registering the highest decline of 44% among the six big metro cities, followed by Kolkata (37%), the environment ministry told the Lok Sabha on Monday. The data, shared in response to a Parliament Question, shows that Hyderabad and Bengaluru recorded a drop of 26% each, Delhi of 15%, and Chennai of 12% in the PM10 levels. Though a total of 22 cities have met the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) by reporting annual average PM10 concentrations of less than 60 micrograms per cubic metre (g/m3), Chennai is only big metro that met the acceptable limit by recording annual average concentration of 58 g/m3. On the other hand, the PM10 levels in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru continue to be higher than the acceptable limit. Exposure to PM10 leads to and exacerbates numerous health conditions, including asthma, cancer, stroke, and lung disease. A total of 64 cities have shown a reduction in PM10 levels by more than 20% in 2024-25 with respect to base year 2017-18 and 25 of these cities achieved a reduction of more than 40%. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Writing in English Doesn't Have to Feel Hard Grammarly Learn More Undo Among the cities that showed the most improvement, Bareilly reported a decline of 77% in PM10 levels (from 207 g/m3 to 48 g/m3), followed by a 74% dip in Varanasi (230 to 59 g/m3), 59% in Firozabad (247 to 100 g/m3), 57% in Dehradun (250 to 107 g/m3), 56% in Moradabad (222 to 96 g/m3) and 55% in Kanpur (227 to 102 g/m3). Besides Chennai, the other cities which reported acceptable PM10 levels in 2024-25 included Bareilly, Nellore, Silchar, Sivasagar, Rajamuhndry, Kadapa, Tuticorin and Trichy.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Punjab's air pollution crisis deepens beyond stubble burning
1 2 Chandigarh: Punjab is grappling with a persistent air pollution crisis that extends far beyond seasonal events like stubble burning . Industrial hubs such as Mandi Gobindgarh and Ludhiana, along with the holy city of Amritsar, are facing consistently poor air quality. An analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has revealed worrying for the first half of 2025. From Jan to June, concentrations of both PM2.5 and PM10 in all eight monitored cities across the state consistently exceeded national safety thresholds, posing significant health risks to residents. Air quality trends of eight cities in Punjab were analysed using data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). These cities include Mandi Gobindgarh, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Ropar, Bathinda, and Khanna. Mandi Gobindgarh recorded the highest average PM2.5 concentration at 62 µg/m³, well above the safe limit. Ludhiana wasn't far behind at 53 µg/m³, followed by Patiala at 46 µg/m³. Other cities like Khanna (45 µg/m³), Amritsar (44 µg/m³), and Jalandhar (42 µg/m³) also showed concerningly high pollution levels. Even cities with relatively lower readings, such as Ropar and Bathinda (both at 41 µg/m³), remained above the safe limits. Ludhiana's six-month average PM2.5 of 53 µg/m³ is significantly higher than the safe limit of 40 µg/m³, indicating potential severe health impacts for its residents. Experts stress that the composition of PM2.5 is considerably more dangerous to human health than PM10 due to its smaller size, allowing it to penetrate deeper into the lungs. PM10 levels across Punjab cities during the first half of 2025 remained consistently high. Mandi Gobindgarh once again topped the list with an average of 116 µg/m³. Ludhiana registered 104 µg/m³, while Rupnagar (99 µg/m³), Jalandhar (98 µg/m³), and Patiala (96 µg/m³) reported similarly elevated levels. Amritsar (90 µg/m³), Bathinda (87 µg/m³), and Khanna (85 µg/m³) also remained well above the national annual standard of 60 µg/m³. In Ludhiana, PM10 levels were above National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for 100 out of 181 monitored days. Mandi Gobindgarh, once called the 'Steel Town of India', is now confronting environmental consequences. The very factory chimneys that were once symbols of prosperity are now emitting vast quantities of fine particulate matter, effectively turning industrial growth into a significant pollution problem for the region. Similarly, Ludhiana, the state's largest industrial hub, is experiencing a significant air quality problem. Its economic activity generates substantial industrial emissions, and this, combined with pollution from vehicles and waste burning, is leading to a noticeable decline in air quality. "High pollution levels were recorded even before the usual stubble burning season. This shows that the bad air quality is a continuous and worsening problem, not just something that happens at certain times of the year," said Gurpreet Kaur, state lead of 'Clean Air Punjab'. "This data is a stark reminder that air pollution in Punjab is not just a stubble-burning issue — it's a year-round public health emergency. We urgently need to invest in clean industries, clean transport, and stronger local action plans tailored to each city's realities. The health impacts of long-term exposure to high levels of PM2.5, which penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, are well-established," she added. AIR QUALITY FIGURES (JAN-JUN 2025) Mandi Gobindgarh: PM2.5: 62 µg/m³ (Highest) PM10: 116 µg/m³ (Highest) Ludhiana: PM2.5: 53 µg/m³ PM10: 104 µg/m³ Patiala: PM2.5: 46 µg/m³ PM10: 96 µg/m³ Khanna: PM2.5: 45 µg/m³ PM10: 85 µg/m³ Amritsar: PM2.5: 44 µg/m³ PM10: 90 µg/m³ Jalandhar: PM2.5: 42 µg/m³ PM10: 98 µg/m³ Ropar: PM2.5: 41 µg/m³ PM10: 99 µg/m³ Bathinda: PM2.5: 41 µg/m³ PM10: 87 µg/m³
