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Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Neeri studying health effects of microplastics, experts discuss sustainable tech, waste management
Nagpur: CSIR-Neeri director Dr S Venkata Mohan on Thursday expressed concern over plastic waste entering the oceans during his address at the institute's auditorium on the occasion of World Environment Day. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Plastic waste is a major issue globally. Only 10% of plastic is being recycled. Plastic management is a multi-pronged issue. Neeri is monitoring microplastic, toxicology and health issues from it," he said. Dr Mohan described Neeri's role in plastics management, including the monitoring of microplastics in air, water, and soil. He also mentioned that Neeri is actively involved in health studies related to microplastic exposure. He briefed the audience on technologies such as waste-to-graphene conversion and thermocatalytic combustion for plastic waste management. K Rajeevan, vice president and chief technology officer, Larsen and Toubro Limited, Chennai, was the chief guest. Besides Dr Mohan, Dr P Ganesh Kumar, R&D Head, L&T Water Technology Centre, Chennai, was also present. A meeting was also held between Rajeevan and Neeri scientists to explore new avenues for joint research, technology transfer, and deployment Rajeevan said that science and technology can play a pivotal role in converting plastics into biodegradable materials. He highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle complex environmental challenges. He stressed the need to shift from a linear to a circular economy and called for a change in mindset — from exploitation of nature to co-existence with it. He also underlined the value of sustainable innovations in industrial processes and urged scientists and engineers to develop scalable and affordable green technologies. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Rajeevan briefed about water supply, irrigation, and municipal wastewater projects accomplished by Larsen and Toubro Limited. He discussed smart monitoring systems, automation, and advanced technologies such as membrane filtration and MBBR, highlighting their role in delivering efficient, sustainable, and scalable water and irrigation solutions for both urban and industrial applications. He informed that the Prime Minister recently inaugurated the L&T-built Surya Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme to ensure a water-secure future for Vasai-Virar and Mira Bhayandar regions. He also highlighted the futuristic innovations of L&T's Water Resource Centre.. Dr Debishree Khan, senior scientist, Neeri, conducted the proceedings. Prakash Kumbhare, senior principal scientist, Neeri, proposed a vote of thanks.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Fatal thunderstorms outcome of atmospheric cocktail, say experts
At least 59 people in two states died due to incidents connected with a thunderstorm that ripped through swathes of northern India late on Wednesday, officials said on Thursday. Meteorologists studying the storm said the system was the product of a complex atmospheric cocktail—multiple cyclonic circulations, abundant moisture from two seas on either side of the subcontinent, and extreme daytime heating—all supercharged by unusual persistence of the winter weather system known as Western Disturbances that should have retreated by now. The phenomenon appears linked to unusual weather continents away—record heat in the Arctic Circle that is displacing cold air southward, triggering unseasonable cold across locations such as the US Eastern Seaboard. This disruption echoes similar unusual shifts in a key weather system impacting India at present. M Rajeevan, the former secretary of the ministry of earth sciences said western disturbances—Mediterranean-origin cyclones that normally impact India in winter before moving to northern latitudes during summer — have persisted well into summer. 'You expect western disturbances to move north of the Indian region in April, May, June months. In some years we are seeing that their impact is continuing in summer which is not good for the monsoon,' Rajeevan said. 'There are some studies which are suggesting that the active western disturbance season is shifting in recent years and studies that show reduced arctic sea ice can affect mid-latitude circulation and monsoon extremes,' he added. Rajeevan's assessment of what is happening in India is similar to developments thousands of kilometres away. Parts of Iceland logged near-record temperatures of 27°C in the Arctic Circle, while western Greenland hit 19.9°C, well above average for the time of year. Both phenomena, experts say, are driven by Arctic warming that displaces cold air southward—the same atmospheric disruption that is pushing western disturbances into India. But Wednesday's storm also emerged from a perfect confluence of other atmospheric conditions. 'There was a cyclonic circulation and a trough which was impacting the entire northern region. Adding to this was ample moisture from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, and extremely high day temperatures. Hence, there is atmospheric instability,' Rajeevan explained. The atmospheric instability, he said, manifested 'like bubbles, which can bring a lot of rain and thunderstorms'. The occurrence of so many such systems is 'somewhat unusual though not impossible,' Rajeevan added, calling for a close watch on whether these factors can impact progress of monsoon. To be sure, IMD officials stated that there was no active western disturbance over northwest India on Wednesday. But another expert made a more nuanced assessment. Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet said these cyclonic circulations triggering thunderstorms over NW India are indeed a result of mild western disturbances seen as a trough over the region. A cyclonic circulation is present over southern parts of Punjab, which is expected to cause mild dust storm spells in the evening or night time and thunderstorm to rain over most parts of northwest India till May 27, he added. 'Due to this cyclonic circulation, a trough extends from south Punjab to northeast India across south Haryana and north Madhya Pradesh. Delhi-NCR is in the vicinity of this trough. Thunderclouds develop due to moisture, leading to widespread thunderstorm and dust storm activities,' he said. On Friday and Saturday, mild dust storm activity is likely across northwest India, with thunderstorm and rain likely from May 25 to 27. 'This will lead to a drop in temperature in the region again,' he said. Uttar Pradesh, especially West UP, bore the brunt of the severe weather. The deaths resulted from a deadly mix of weather-related hazards: lightning strikes claimed multiple lives, including a 65-year-old man in Saharanpur's Khajuri village and a six-year-old girl in Sonbhadra. Structural collapses killed several others, including an 80-year-old woman killed when a wall fell on her in Firozabad's Mogra village and a 26-year-old man crushed by an under-construction wall in Kannauj. Falling trees and infrastructure added to the toll—a constable in Bijnor died when his motorcycle collided with a storm-felled tree, while a heavy metal hoarding structure crushed a 44-year-old man at Jhansi railway station. The storm's ferocity was most evident in Delhi, where wind speeds reached 79 km/hr at Safdarjung, 78 km/hr at Pragati Maidan, and 74 km/hr at Palam—velocities equivalent to a cyclonic storm by Indian meteorological classifications. Temperatures plummeted from 37°C to 23°C in just one hour at Palam airport, while rainfall aggregated 13.5mm in Mayur Vihar and 12.1mm at Safdarjung. The extreme weather paralysed the capital between 8:00 and 8:30 pm Wednesday. At least 12 flights were diverted from Indira Gandhi International Airport, with over 50 delays reported. Delhi Metro services on the Red, Yellow, and Pink lines were disrupted after damage to overhead equipment, whilst hailstorms lashed parts of west, central, southeast and east Delhi. Meanwhile, a low-pressure area over the east-central Arabian Sea is expected to intensify into a depression by Friday evening, potentially triggering early monsoon onset over Kerala—2-3 days ahead of the normal June 1 date. But Rajeevan warned that the persistence of western disturbances could disrupt the monsoon's crucial northward progression. Combined with reduced winter snowfall in recent years, he said these shifts suggest fundamental changes in atmospheric circulation patterns. 'These developments should be tracked,' Rajeevan said, noting that continued western disturbance activity 'will not allow monsoon to progress properly.' Wednesday's deadly storm serves as a stark reminder of how the climate crisis and distant Arctic warming can trigger extreme weather thousands of kilometres away, reshaping India's weather landscape in ways that could have far-reaching implications for agriculture, urban infrastructure, and the monsoon system that sustains hundreds of millions of lives.
New Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Brace for early onset of monsoon in Kerala, say weather experts
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An early monsoon is becoming increasingly likely, with favourable weather patterns expected to develop by May 24. Various weather models predict heavy rain thereafter. While the southwest monsoon typically arrives in Kerala around June 1, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast its onset around May 27, with a margin of error of plus or minus four days. Last year, the monsoon arrived a day ahead of schedule on May 31. If the onset is declared on May 27 or earlier, it would mark the earliest arrival in the past 15 years, with the previous earliest onset occurring on May 23, 2009. Experts attribute several factors to the early onset. 'The monsoon has already reached the Sri Lankan side after making an early appearance in the Andaman Islands. Favourable conditions are strengthening the westerly winds by May 25, while larger climate factors like sea surface temperatures are also supporting the monsoon's early arrival,' Rajeevan Erikkulam, a meteorologist with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, told TNIE. The IMD officially declared the monsoon's arrival in the Andaman Islands on May 13, marking an advance of 10 days from the usual schedule. This season, experts are predicting a change in the usual monsoon pattern. Traditionally, the monsoon begins in the southern regions, moving northward in surges to cover the entire country by July 15. However, this year, the northern districts of Kerala are expected to receive more rain during the initial phase of the monsoon than the southern regions. 'A low-pressure system forming over the Karnataka coast after May 25 could cause a northward tilt in rainfall distribution. As a result, rain intensity will likely be higher in the north than in the south,' Rajeevan said. While weather models provide a mixed outlook for the overall monsoon season, predictions range from below-normal to above-normal rainfall.
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Food prices may remain low if IMD's prediction holds true
This year, India might receive an 'above normal' monsoon for the second year in a row, according to the first monsoon forecast for 2025 by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The country is likely to receive about 105% of the long period average (LPA) rainfall this year with an error margin of ± 5%. The LPA for southwest monsoon rainfall in the 1971-2020 period was 87 cm. If the rainfall received is less than 90% of the LPA, it is 'deficient'. If it is between 90% and 95% of LPA, it is 'below normal'. And if it is within the 96-104% range, it is 'normal'. An LPA range between 105% and 110%, as is the forecast for 2025, is 'above normal'. Rainfall is in 'excess' if it is above 110% of the LPA. This is just the first forecast; an update will be issued in June. Past data shows that the IMD's first monsoon forecasts have mostly been off the mark. The difference between the first forecast and the actual rainfall received has been within the ± 5% range only eight times in more than two decades. However, adopting a new strategy for monsoon forecasting in 2021 seems to have improved the accuracy of IMD forecasts. Chart 1 shows the difference in first rainfall forecast by IMD and the actual rainfall received in the respective years (in % points) Dr. Madhavan Nair Rajeevan, Vice Chancellor, Atria University, and former Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, believes that the IMD's forecasts have improved substantially and that errors have significantly reduced. 'Seasonal forecasting is a challenging task due to its inherent limits in predictability. It is the most challenging problem in climate forecasting,' he says. He explains that since 2007, the IMD has been using an advanced statistical model with much more accuracy. And since 2021, it has been using a 'multi model ensemble dynamical system' for generating seasonal forecasts, in addition to statistical models which couple the climate forecasting models of various global climate agencies along with the IMD's own models. If the actual rainfall received adheres to the forecast, this year will be the second year in a row when India will receive an 'above normal' rainfall. While monsoon rainfall in 2024 was 108% of the LPA, it was 'below normal' in 2023. These are just the average figures for the country as a whole, and there are usually significant geographical variations. For instance, in 2023, though the country received 'below normal' rainfall, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry received 'excess' rainfall. In the same year, east Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Bihar received rainfall much below India's average. Rajeevan says that while the IMD is trying to predict such spatial variability, there is still a lot of scope for improvement. Chart 2 shows the spatial distrubution of rainfall across regions during the southwest monsoon season (as a % deviation from normal). Data for 2023-24 The Indian monsoon is highly susceptible to the vagaries of climate change and global warming — particularly the El Nino and La Nina effect. The El Nino is a sporadic weather event that causes warm surface water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. La Nina causes cold ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. These have been linked to changing rainfall patterns and crop failure in India. However, the IMD forecast for this year predicts neutral El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions during the monsoon. This in effect means that neither El Nino nor La Nina is expected to interfere with the monsoon this year. These weather events are also a function of their interaction with the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), a climate pattern in the Indian Ocean. A positive IOD may help rainfall despite the El Nino, and worsen its impact if it is negative. A good monsoon also implies good farm output, easing any concerns of a rise in food prices. Rising food and vegetable inflation have been worrisome trends in the last two years and have been driven in a large part by erratic rainfall. Inflation data since January 2025, however, shows an easing of food prices mainly because of a good harvest last year, says Nambi Appadurai, Director, Climate Resilience Practice, WRI India. Food inflation started easing in January 2025 when it dropped below 6% from over 8% in December 2024. This slide continued in the following months and food inflation dipped below headline inflation in March 2025 for the first time since July 2023. Chart 3 shows headline and food inflation (Y-o-Y change, in %) Appadurai points out that 'a variety of external factors' and not just a good monsoon impact food prices. The Economic Survey last year noted that apart from unpredictable rainfall patterns, weather conditions such as heatwaves, other logistical issues, trade controls, and plant diseases also had a major effect on food prices in the past two years. An HSBC research report asserts that rising temperatures have overtaken rainfall as the main reason in pushing up food prices. 'Last year the monsoon was 'above normal' because of which the agricultural output grew by 3.6% and foodgrain production by 5.7%,' he adds. India is expected to produce about 166 million tonnes of foodgrains in 2024-25 according to the second advanced estimates. Meanwhile, production estimates for cereals (159 million tonnes) and rice (121 million tonnes) for 2024-25 indicate the highest rate of production growth in about a decade. While the 'above normal' monsoon prediction for India this year is good news, a better spatial distribution of rainfall is more important for crop production. For instance, while 'excess' rainfall in the regions of Maharashtra in 2024 led to destruction of onion crop, 'deficient' rainfall in some areas of the Gangetic plains and Punjab led to a delay in paddy sowing, driving up the cost of food. Source: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) Also Read: U.S. visas issued to Indian students decline by 30% in Trump's first month of presidency
