Latest news with #Naqi
Observer
02-06-2025
- Observer
EA launches ‘Naqi' air quality index application
MUSCAT: The Environment Authority (EA) on Monday launched a new digital platform, the 'Naqi' (Pure) app, for smartphones, providing users with real-time, accurate air quality index data. The 'Naqi' app features advanced capabilities, including an interactive real-time air quality map based on geographic location, along with detailed reports on pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and other variables. The 'Naqi' platform will be accessible via its website and the app for all iOS and Android users, supporting Oman's environmental sustainability vision and digital transformation. The app utilises a visual alert system with a colour-coded scheme (from green for good quality to red for hazardous conditions) for quick and effective air quality assessment. It also provides current weather data, integrating air quality and weather conditions to enhance users' daily planning accuracy. The platform supports both Arabic and English to broaden its user base. The app's launch coincides with World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5, to advance digital transformation in environmental systems, improve access to environmental information and enhance quality of life. - ONA
Muscat Daily
02-06-2025
- Muscat Daily
New app ‘Naqi' offers real-time air pollution updates across Oman
Muscat – In a step towards enhancing environmental awareness and public health, Environment Authority (EA) has launched a new mobile application – Naqi – designed to provide real-time air quality updates across Oman. The app was officially unveiled on Monday in the lead-up to World Environment Day observed annually on June 5. Available on both iOS and Android platforms in Arabic and English, Naqi offers a user-friendly interface and a host of advanced features that allow residents, commuters and health-conscious users to monitor air quality with precision. It also supports access via web browsers, broadening its availability on all digital platforms. One of the standout features of Naqi is its interactive map, which displays real-time air quality indicators based on users' geographic location. It offers comprehensive reports on key air pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, among others. To help users make informed decisions, the app employs a colour-coded alert system – ranging from green (indicating good air quality) to red (indicating hazardous conditions). This intuitive visual guide simplifies understanding for users of all ages. In addition to pollution data, Naqi integrates live weather information, offering a holistic view of environmental conditions. This combination enhances the app's utility for daily planning, particularly for those with respiratory conditions, outdoor workers and athletes. The launch aligns with Oman's national efforts towards digital transformation, environmental sustainability and meeting the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. EA officials emphasised the fact that the app will play a vital role in raising environmental awareness and providing reliable and up-to-date information to improve quality of life. With air quality increasingly recognised as a key determinant of public health, especially in urban areas like Muscat, the rollout of Naqi marks a forward-thinking approach to environmental monitoring in the sultanate.
Express Tribune
26-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Industrial sector demands electricity tariff to be set at Rs26 per unit
Listen to article The Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) President, Junaid Naqi, has urged the government to immediately reduce electricity tariffs to Rs26 per unit to ensure the survival of industries and stabilize the national economy, Express News reported. Naqi stated that excessively high electricity rates are severely affecting industrial production, employment opportunities, and business sustainability. He warned that Pakistan's industries are losing their competitive edge in global markets due to these rising costs. He called on the government to take immediate measures to bring electricity costs to a realistic level. He also urged that the benefits from renegotiated agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) be directly passed on to consumers. Failure to reduce electricity prices promptly, he cautioned, would lead to industrial shutdowns, increased unemployment, and an economic crisis—challenges that the country cannot afford. Rejecting the 2600% increase in security deposits by power distribution companies (DISCOs), Naqi labelled the move as an unjust financial burden on industrial consumers. He argued that industrial consumers already pay 99% of their bills, making such an excessive increase entirely unjustifiable. He also criticised the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) for reducing fuel adjustment charges by only Rs3 to Rs4 per unit in December and January, calling the cuts insufficient, unlawful, and unfair. He accused NEPRA of depriving Karachi's industries of their rightful relief without any formal decision, stating that such unauthorized deductions violate transparency and fair regulatory practices. He demanded an immediate reversal of these deductions to ensure that Karachi's industries receive their due relief. Additionally, he reiterated his call for electricity tariffs to be reduced to Rs26 per unit, the reversal of the 2600% increase in security deposits, and the full transfer of negative fuel adjustment benefits to consumers. The KATI president urged the government and regulatory authorities to implement urgent reforms to protect the industrial sector. He warned that Pakistan's industries are already under severe pressure, and if electricity tariffs are not reduced, the country could face irreparable damage to exports, employment, and overall economic stability. He expressed hope that the government would take swift and decisive action to prevent further damage to the industrial sector.
