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Time of India
4 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
City turns a bowl of dust, shows AQI; Courtesy: Potholes & patchy repairs
Bhopal: The city's air quality has been constantly deteriorating for the past six days. The air quality index in all three different air monitoring stations of Bhopal was around 40 on July 13. It increased to 75 on July 16 and was 100 on July 19, as per the Central Pollution Control Board. The flying of dust from damaged roads due to the monsoon was the main reason for the city turning into a dust bowl after reduced rainfall activity. The AQI of the city was rated in the good category a week ago. Air quality came down to close to the moderate category on Saturday. The AQI of Idgah Hills was 108, TT Nagar 100, and AQI in Paryavaran Parisar was 92 on Saturday morning, as per the CPCB. A week ago, the AQI was around 40 in the three areas of the city. Officials said, apart from the damaged roads, flying dust from vehicles and an increase in construction activities after showers lead to an increase in pollution levels. Showers may add to traffic woes, suspend power supply, and lead to water logging issues, but when it comes to air quality, it is the best time of the year. Showers do wonders for air quality. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Think Aliens Don't Exist, These 22 Facts Might Make You Change Your Mind Liseer Read More Undo The reason why air pollution comes down during rains, experts pointed out, is that dust gets heavy in showers and does not fly in the air. Vehicular pollution also decreases as tyres do not lead to the flying of pollutants and dust in the air, as it settles down on the ground. This is the reason why pollution levels come down during rains. Experts said air quality is measured by taking into account the levels of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx), RSPM10, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air. Of the four, officials said, PM2.5 is the most harmful to health and causes severe lung diseases. PM10 is due to dust and construction, including the building of roads, while PM2.5 is due to dust, human activity, and climatic conditions.
Barnama
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Barnama
Prasarana Rolls Out 310 New Diesel Buses To Boost Services In Klang Valley, Penang
KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) today launched 310 diesel buses, under the 2025 Bus Replacement programme, to enhance public transport services in the Klang Valley and Penang. Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, said that this marks Prasarana's final procurement of diesel buses, aligning with the government's goal to shift towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and low-carbon public transport system. 'As the country's primary public transport operator, Prasarana plays a crucial role in delivering safe, efficient, and reliable bus and train services. With the addition of these new buses, I am confident that service quality will continue to improve, offering greater comfort, safety, and accessibility to the public,' he said. He added that the initiative is part of Prasarana's long-term strategy to replace aging assets and enhance operational capabilities, in line with the Ministry of Transport's and the Malaysian government's vision to strengthen the country's public transport system. Loke said this in his speech at the launch of the new diesel bus ceremony, which was also attended by Land Public Transport Agency director-general, Datuk Azlan Shah Al Bakri; Prasarana Group president and chief executive officer (CEO), Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah; and Rapid Bus chairman, Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali. Loke said that all 310 diesel buses, manufactured by Higer, will be deployed in stages on selected routes, particularly in densely populated areas with high passenger demand, to provide more frequent and user-friendly services. He added that Higer was chosen following a comprehensive evaluation, based on technical performance, safety, and reliability. 'Although these buses are imported from China, all components are fully assembled in Johor, supporting the government's technology transfer agenda, and contributing to the growth of the local automotive industry. Beyond the technical advantages, this move also helps build local expertise and create job opportunities for Malaysians,' he added. 'These buses comply with Euro 5 emission standards, one of the world's strictest benchmarks for controlling pollutants such as nitrogen oxide (NOx). This will contribute to improved air quality, particularly in major urban centres.
India Today
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- India Today
Cracking down on cars: Can Delhi's old vehicle fuel ban really clean its air?
Delhi's recent decision to ban diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from refuelling in the city is being promoted as a bold step to curb air pollution, but experts warn the policy is unlikely to significantly reduce the city's toxic air—and may even miss the real drivers of older vehicles do contribute a disproportionate share of particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, accounting for 28% and 41% respectively, this ban targets only a fraction of the overall pollution sources in the National Capital Region. advertisementDelhi's air pollution is a complex, multi-source problem, with major contributors including construction dust, industrial emissions, crop burning in neighbouring states, waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerators, and seasonal weather patterns that trap pollutants close to the ground. A commuter rides past a notice stating fuel ban for end-of-life (EoL) vehicles under the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), at a petrol pump in New Delhi. (PTI Photo) Vehicle emissions are just one part of a much larger puzzle."In 2020, with the introduction of BS-VI standards, emissions have been reduced by 80% compared to BS-IV vehicles and by nearly 98% compared to BS-I vehicles. While the decision to not let end-of-life vehicles refuel in Delhi will curtail their operations, the issue lies in the mechanism with which the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is issued," Vivek Chattopadyay, Sr Fellow, Air Pollution Control Program, CSE, told added that the PUC does not test for particulate Matter 2.5 or Nitrogen oxides in vehicles, which need to be fixed to fix the pollution vehicles account for nearly 50% of PM2.5 emissions and 80% of NOx emissions, and that's from vehicles of all vehicle restriction experiments in Delhi, such as the odd-even car rationing scheme, produced only modest short-term improvements — a 10-13% drop in PM2.5 levels — before pollution levels rebounded, largely because other sources remained unaddressed and traffic patterns adjusted to the new rules. Police personnel keep a vigil at a petrol pump after fuel ban for end-of-life (EoL) vehicles under the directions of Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), in New Delhi. (PTI Photo) Moreover, bans focused solely on vehicle age do not account for actual emissions performance. Many older vehicles, if well-maintained or retrofitted, can pollute less than newer, poorly maintained current policy also risks pushing lower-income residents — who are more likely to own older vehicles — toward financial hardship, without providing affordable alternatives or robust public transport the city's air quality ranking among the worst worldwide, the Delhi government has struggled to find solutions, as citizens pay the price — losing an estimated 12 years of life expectancy to persistent air air quality plans do include ambitious targets for electrifying public transport and expanding non-motorised mobility, but these efforts require far more integrated, systemic action and regional cooperation to be removing older vehicles, without tackling the broader sources or improving infrastructure, is unlikely to yield lasting air quality argue that a comprehensive approach — tightening inspection and maintenance regimes, accelerating the shift to cleaner fuels, enforcing construction and industrial emission standards, and addressing regional crop burning — is essential for meaningful, sustained such systemic reforms, vehicle bans risk being a symbolic gesture rather than a transformative solution for Delhi's air.- EndsMust Watch
Glasgow Times
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow law firm representing claimants in group action
Thompsons Solicitors, based in Wellington Street, is acting for individuals and businesses in the case against several Ford companies. The action relates to alleged use of defeat devices in Ford diesel vehicles manufactured to Euro 5 or Euro 6 emissions standards, excluding Euro 6d and Euro 6d Temp. The devices are claimed to have unlawfully reduced the effectiveness of the vehicles' nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions control systems, causing loss and damage to the pursuers. The full public notice can be viewed at Read more: Man charged with assault and theft after incident Proceedings have been brought by Graeme Hamilton, acting as the representative party on behalf of the group. The case is being heard in the Court of Session. The action is being brought against Ford Motor Company, Ford Motor Company Limited, Fordwerke Gmbh, Ford Motor Company of Australia Pty Limited, Ford Retail Limited, FCE Bank Plc, and ALD Automotive Limited. Anyone who has not previously made a claim in the group proceedings but wishes to do so is invited to contact Thompsons Solicitors. The firm can be reached by email at mbemissions@ or by post at Patrick McGuire, Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, 70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, G2 6UA.
Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Ozone pollution this year highest since 2021 in Delhi: Report
Delhi has recorded its highest ozone (O3) levels this summer in the last five years, with readings breaching the safe mark for 14.2 hours on an average in a day, a report shows. This eight-hour rolling average has gone up from 12 hours in a day from the last two summers, 11.7 hours in 2022 and 12.2 hours in 2021, according to the report released by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Tuesday. The eight-hour safe standard for the pollutant is 100 μg/m3. The analysis also shows that Delhi recorded its widest geographical spread of ozone exceedance in the past five years this summer, with south Delhi and northwest Delhi being the worst impacted. CSE said ground-level ozone levels exceeded the national safety standards on all 92 days in the summer period – considered as March 1 till May 31, while it exceeded the safe standards on 83 out of the 92 days in the summer. 'Ground-level ozone pollution remained consistently high across the region, with the maximum concentration exceeding 100 µg/m³ on each of the 92 days between March 1 and May 31, highlighting the persistent and widespread nature of the problem. The worst day in terms of spatial spread was April 28, when 32 out of 58 monitoring stations across the region reported ozone levels above the safe limit. The highest regional intensity was recorded on April 13, with the Delhi-NCR average reaching 135 µg/m³..' said the analysis. Unlike primary pollutants (emitted directly from sources), ozone is not emitted directly from any source, but is formed through chemical reactions involving nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon monoxide — pollutants released by vehicles, power plants, factories and other combustion sources. In the presence of sunlight, these substances undergo a series of cyclic reactions that result in the formation of ozone near the ground. CSE took into account summer trends from 2021 to 2025 (up to May 31) available on the Central Pollution Control Board's official portal. Data showed that Nehru Nagar was the worst impacted station, exceeding standards on all 92 days. This was followed by Najafgarh (82 days) and Okhla Phase-II (81 days). In comparison, six locations – Anand Vihar, IHBAS, ITO, Shadipur, Narela and Knowledge Park in Greater Noida did not exceed the standards even on a single day this summer. 'This summer, several days have recorded ozone — instead of particulate matter — as the lead pollutant in the daily Air Quality Index (AQI). Out of 18 days between May 25 and June 11, ozone has been the lead pollutant on 12,' said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director and in-charge of clean air programme at CSE. 'But there is no system to address this problem under the current Graded Response Action Plan for emergency action to reduce exposure or to address its sustained mitigation with longer term clean air action plan. While the policy attention is nearly fully focused on particulate pollution, co-control of toxic gases from vehicles, industry and combustion sources that contribute to ozone formation in the air is neglected,' she said, calling for focused action against the highly reactive gas.
