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Time of India
02-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation enforces pollution rules for private sites, ignores own
Ahmedabad: While private builders in Ahmedabad have been mandated to install air quality monitoring sensors at construction sites for over a year, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has failed to enforce the same standard on its own projects. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite clear orders from senior officials over a year ago, engineers overseeing AMC's construction work have not installed these sensors, citing the absence of provisions in existing tenders. AMC's engineering department is currently handling the construction of nine flyovers, underpasses, and railway overbridges — none of which are equipped with air quality sensors. Likewise, new civic infrastructure projects such as ward offices, community halls, sewage and water treatment plants, party plots, water tanks, and pumping stations also lack these sensors. Even newly floated tenders continue to exclude this mandatory requirement, highlighting a gap between AMC's public commitments and its internal practices. Ironically, AMC has been pushing private construction sites to comply with this rule for over a year, especially as part of its initiatives under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The civic body has also been running awareness drives and pilot projects to reduce dust and emissions, including the development of urban forests and oxygen parks, installation of mechanical smart parking systems, automated traffic regulation systems, CNG furnaces in crematoriums, procurement of CNG buses and electric vehicle charging stations with solar power supply for electric buses. Many of these measures were overseen by a consultant agency hired by AMC's air quality management cell, whose term was recently extended by a year. Despite its internal lapses, AMC has been actively pursuing various pollution-control projects and has seen measurable results. This includes a robust monitoring system, utilizing both CAAQMS and manual stations, to identify pollution hotspots. Based on this data and source apportionment studies, mitigation plans are being developed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The city is also actively participating in a central govt initiative by regularly uploading critical information such as SVS, grant expenditure, utilization certificates, and PIP to the PRANA portal. In addition to these technical and administrative efforts, a significant focus is on public engagement and internal training. Workshops are being held to train staff on data uploading procedures, and public awareness programmes are being organized across the city. Furthermore, a new software is under development to streamline the complaint handling process related to air quality. A recent AQI survey by the Gujarat Environment Management Institute (GEMI) showed a 40% improvement in Ahmedabad's air quality, leading the Centre to reward the city with an incentive grant of Rs 120.04 crore for 2022–23. Consequently, the consultant agency's term was extended. AMC collects fees for air sensors, but installations lag Ahmedabad: A year after the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) rolled out its policy to install air quality monitoring sensors at large construction sites, the results are mostly invisible, much like the sensors themselves. Though builders dutifully pay the required fees while getting their plans approved, the civic body has failed to ensure timely sensor installation, thanks to a chronic shortage in supply and lethargic performance by the designated agencies. "Under the rules introduced in Aug 2023, construction projects over 10,000 sq m must install air quality sensors, which are meant to alert AMC officials if pollution levels spike. These devices are connected to an online monitoring platform that tracks air quality in real time and is supposed to trigger fines in case of repeated violations. The idea was sound: monitor, warn, penalise. But over the past year, not a single builder has been fined based on the data collected, largely because the infrastructure meant to generate that data never got installed at many sites," said an official, speaking on condition of anonymity. AMC now plans to install air quality monitoring sensors at every construction site, collecting fees from builders when approving construction plans, and the designated agency installs the sensors. So far, 100 sensors have been set up across the city. But behind the scenes, AMC's plan is stuck in a tangle of poor planning and patchy execution. "While three agencies were roped in to handle installation and maintenance, only one has been reliably showing up for work. The others do not work regularly on maintenance. They collect fees during plan approval stage but do not install sensors on time," said the official. This leaves AMC with a backlog of construction sites without proper monitoring. MSID:: 123063875 413 |
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Air quality worry in Mumbai: Many areas cross safe pollution limit, says report
MUMBAI: Although Mumbai, as a whole, reported average toxic PM2.5 levels in air below the national standard, several hotspots within the city such as Deonar, Sion, Kandivali East, and BKC recorded pollution levels above the limit. This highlights the need for strict enforcement of hotspot-based measures to effectively reduce PM2.5 concentrations, said a latest national report on air pollution. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has released its half-yearly analysis of air quality across India for January to June 2025, revealing a persistent and widespread challenge in meeting both national and international air quality standards. The report draws on data from Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) in 293 cities, offering a comprehensive snapshot of PM2.5 pollution. The PM2.5 particles in air are considered carcinogenic and can be absorbed in blood upon breathing. Mumbai's air quality, as reflected in PM2.5 averages from January to June, shows that several of its locations experience higher pollution compared to other major coastal cities like Chennai, Kolkata, Vijayawada, and Puducherry. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Deonar in Mumbai stands out as one of the most polluted monitoring sites among all the listed coastal locations, with other Mumbai areas such as Sion, Kandivali East, Bandra Kurla Complex, Borivali East, Worli, Mazgaon, Shivaji Nagar, Sewri, and Kurla also registering PM2.5 levels above or equal to NAAQS (national ambient air quality standards) which is 40 μg/m³ (micrograms per cubic meter). You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai While the NAAQS for PM2.5 is 40 μg/m³, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a much lower, and safer, level of 5 μg/m³. Many Indian cities including Mumbai's few suburbs experience levels exceeding both the Indian NAAQS and the WHO guidelines. 'These figures place Mumbai's air quality in a more concerning bracket, especially when compared to many sites in Chennai and Puducherry, where the PM2.5 concentrations are generally lower,' the study stated further. According to the report, the compliance assessment shows that PM2.5 data was available for over 80% of days in 239 cities with CAAQMS. Among these, 122 cities exceeded India's annual National Ambient NAAQS of 40 μg/m3, while 117 cities remained below this threshold. However, all 239 cities surpassed the much stricter World Health Organization (WHO) annual standard of 5 μg/m3. This widespread exceedance indicates that air pollution continues to pose a significant public health risk even in cities that are technically 'compliant' with Indian standards, report stated further. 'While Kolkata also has several locations with high PM2.5 concentrations, Mumbai's pollution levels are notable for their consistency across multiple sites. In contrast, Chennai's monitoring stations, particularly those in residential and peripheral areas, often report much cleaner air. Puducherry and Vijayawada show even lower PM2.5 averages, indicating better air quality. This comparison highlights that Mumbai, despite its coastal location, faces significant air pollution challenges, making it one of the more polluted coastal cities in India during the first half of the year,' said CREA's analyst and researcher Manoj Kumar. 'Addressing the air quality crisis in any Indian city requires a multi-sectoral approach. Fragmented or seasonal measures are not enough. Urgent steps are needed to update national standards, expand NCAP coverage to gaseous pollutants, and enforce mitigation measures for all polluting sources to safeguard public health throughout the year,' added Kumar
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Hyderabad's Bolarum saw highest ozone pollution this summer, says study
Ozone pollution spiked in several parts of Hyderabad this summer, but it was the industrial belt of Bolarum that saw the worst of it. Between March 1 and May 31, Bolarum recorded 17 days when ground-level ozone levels breached the safe limit — the highest in the city — according to a research paper published by the Centre for Science and Environment titled 'An invisible threat: Ground-level ozone – Metro cities' based on a study by Anumita Roychowdhury and Sharanjeet Kaur. The study tracked air quality in five major cities — Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata-Howrah, Bengaluru and Chennai — using data from 80 stations under the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS). As per the study, Bolarum is most chronically affected by ground-level ozone pollution, and exceeded the standard for 17 days in the study period. While the standard is 100 μg/m³ (micrograms per cubic metre of air), the levels of ozone nearly touched 140 μg/m³ on the days mentioned. There were no exceedances at other stations in the city barring ICRISAT which exceeded the standard for two days and Ramachandrapuram which exceeded for one day, totalling to 20 days of ozone exceedance in the city. The days of exceedance in Hyderabad were more concentrated between May 2 and 20. Good news is that the figure is 55% lower than what was recorded last summer. A comparison of May 2025 with May 2024 reveals that ground-level ozone is now lingering in the atmosphere even after sunset, and the average hourly ozone peak is 3% higher than last year, the study noted. At 45, Bengaluru recorded the highest number of days with ozone exceedance. Mumbai recorded 32 days, Kolkata 22 days, and Chennai recorded the lowest at 15 days. Unlike primary pollutants which are emitted directly from sources such as vehicles and industries, ground level ozone is formed through intricate chemical reactions involving nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide, which are the pollutants released by vehicles, power plants, factories and other combustion sources, the study said. In the presence of sunlight, these substances undergo a series of cyclic reactions that result in the ozone formation near the ground. VOCs also have natural sources such as vegetation adding to the complexity, which explains the higher levels at ICRISAT. What's more threatening is that the ground level ozone can travel long distances, turning into a regional pollutant. It impacts agricultural productivity, threatening food security. Ozone is a highly reactive gas which can be harmful even with short duration exposure, and result in serious public health crisis, the study warned. Ground level ozone can inflame and damage the airways, increase susceptibility to infections and worsen respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Children with underdeveloped lungs, order adults and people with existing respiratory conditions are particularly vulnerable. Hyderabad is prone to experience ozone exceedances during winter too, driven by cold, stagnant conditions and poor vertical mixing. But this winter, there was substantial improvement, with the city recording just nine days of exceedance which is a sharp decline from 43 days recorded during the winter of 2024, the study observed.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Air quality in Mumbai's Deonar and Sion worse than coastal cities of Chennai and Kolkata in Jan-June 2025, finds national study on air pollution
Mumbai: In the first six months of 2025, Mumbai, as a whole, reported average toxic PM2.5 levels in the air below the national standard, but several of its areas, including Deonar, Sion, Kandivli East, and Bandra-Kurla Complex, saw higher pollution compared to other coastal cities like Chennai, Kolkata, Vijayawada, and Puducherry. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This highlights the need for strict enforcement of hotspot-based measures to effectively reduce PM2.5 concentrations, stated a latest national report on air pollution, which draws on data from Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) in 239 cities. The PM2.5 particles in air are considered carcinogenic and can be absorbed in blood upon breathing. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has released its half-yearly analysis of air quality across India for January to June 2025, revealing a persistent and widespread challenge in meeting both national and international air quality standards. Deonar stands out as one of the most polluted monitoring sites among all the listed coastal locations, with other Mumbai areas, such as Sion, Kandivli East, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Borivli East, Worli, Mazgaon, Shivaji Nagar, Sewri, and Kurla, also registering PM2.5 levels above or equal to NAAQS (national ambient air quality standards) which is 40 μg/m³ (micrograms per cubic metre). "These figures place Mumbai's air quality in a more concerning bracket, especially when compared to many sites in Chennai and Puducherry, where the PM2.5 concentrations are generally lower," the study stated. According to the report, the compliance assessment shows that PM2.5 data was available for over 80% of days in 239 cities with CAAQMS. Among these, 122 cities exceeded India's annual National Ambient NAAQS of 40 μg/m3, while 117 cities remained below this threshold. However, all 239 cities surpassed the much stricter World Health Organization's (WHO) annual standard of 5 μg/m3. This widespread exceedance indicates that air pollution continues to pose a significant public health risk even in cities that are technically 'compliant' with Indian standards, the report stated further. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "While Kolkata also has several locations with high PM2.5 concentrations, Mumbai's pollution levels are notable for their consistency across multiple sites. In contrast, Chennai's monitoring stations, particularly those in residential and peripheral areas, often report much cleaner air. Puducherry and Vijayawada show even lower PM2.5 averages, indicating better air quality. This comparison highlights that Mumbai, despite its coastal location, faces significant air pollution challenges, making it one of the more polluted coastal cities in India during the first half of the year," said CREA's analyst and researcher Manoj Kumar. "Addressing the air quality crisis in any Indian city requires a multi-sectoral approach. Fragmented or seasonal measures are not enough. Urgent steps are needed to update national standards, expand NCAP coverage to gaseous pollutants, and enforce mitigation measures for all polluting sources to safeguard public health throughout the year," added Kumar
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Byrnihat, Delhi top two most polluted cities in India till June-end, says new analysis
An analysis by non-profit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has revealed that Byrnihat on the Assam-Meghalaya border was the most polluted city in India in the first half of 2025, while national capital Delhi, Hajipur in Bihar, Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and Gurgaon in Haryana were among the top five most polluted. Byrnihat's average particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) concentration was 133 micrograms/cubic metre (ug/m3) while Delhi's PM 2.5 average stood at 87 ug/m3. PM 2.5 pollutants are very fine and easily inhalable, and can enter the bloodstream through the lungs. As per the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), 40 ug/m3 is the prescribed limit for PM 2.5 levels. Most days in Delhi (63) were in the moderate category, which reflects air quality concentration in the 61-90 ug/m3 range. For 29 days, the city's air quality was in the very poor quality category. Sasaram, Patna, and Rajgir in Bihar, and Talcher and Rourkela in Odisha were the other cities in the top 10 most polluted cities till June. In the January to June corresponding period for 2024, these same 10 cities were the most polluted in the country, with Byrnihat and Delhi occupying the same spots. The analysis was based on air quality data drawn from the government's continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS) in 293 cities. 'Among these, 122 cities exceeded India's annual National Ambient Air Quality Standards of 40 micrograms/metre cube, while 117 cities remained below this threshold,' the analysis stated. Meanwhile, Mizoram's capital Aizawl was the cleanest city in the country. Its average PM 2.5 concentration was 8 ug/m3, which was still higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) prescribed 5 ug/m3 level. Tirupur and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, Bareilly and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, Maihar in Madhya Pradesh, Imphal in Manipur, and Chamrajanagar and Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka were the other cities among the top 10 cleanest cities. Among the 131 cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), 98 have CAAMS installed. Of these, 55 cities exceeded the national standards. Among the 141 cities not covered under NCAP, 67 cities exceeded the national standards. To underline the depth of non-compliance, the analysis pointed out that till now, 259 of the 293 cities with CAAMS had already overshot their annual particulate matter 2.5 standards. Overshoot days signify that cities have already crossed the threshold of their annual standards. Thus, even if the air quality improved, it would not meet its annual standards. An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
