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Time of India
11 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
How bad air & urban heat have cancelled out 88% of Delhi's comfortable hrs in a yr
New Delhi: Air pollution and urban heat cancel out 88% of Delhi's comfortable hours in a year. According to the latest research, Delhi experiences around 2,210 thermally comfortable hours in a year, defined using an outdoor temperature range of 18 to 31 degrees Celsius. However, 1,951 of these hours coincide with poor air quality (AQI above 150), leaving just 259 hours in a year for residents to enjoy both clean air and comfortable temperatures. Chennai mirrored Delhi's challenge, with 88% of its comfortable hours too impacted by air pollution, suggesting that the convergence of climate stress and ambient pollution is becoming more common across Indian metros. The study found the situation to be better in other cities like Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, providing more usable outdoor conditions than Delhi. The research by CEPT University and Respirer Living Sciences advocated Personalised Environmental Control Systems (PECS) to design and manage better indoor environment to provide comfort in polluted and warming cities. The study said that conventional building operations, which are either based on fully sealed air-conditioned spaces or unfiltered natural ventilation, no longer met the needs of urban India, especially in cities where thermal comfort and clean air rarely overlapped. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Jeder schwärmt von dieser Wärmepumpe GmbH Hier klicken Undo The study proposed the incorporation of a personalised environment which offered localised thermal comfort and air quality using proper ventilation. The study also introduced the concept of "temporal mixed-mode buildings" or designs that adapt dynamically to outdoor conditions. These buildings combine sensor-based feedback with intelligent ventilation and filtration strategies, enabling occupants to breathe clean air without unnecessary energy expenditure. "PECS contributes to both short-term and long-term health and energy performance outcomes. With ongoing improvements in AQI across Indian cities, there is growing potential for occupants to utilise natural ventilation when outdoor conditions permit," said Rajan Rawal of CEPT University. "Nevertheless, PECS continues to offer substantial energy savings under prevailing conditions, serving as a contextually appropriate strategy to ensure thermal comfort, safeguard occupant health, and reduce energy demand. PECS work especially well in conjunction with low-energy solutions like ceiling fans and task-based ventilation, which enhance perceived comfort through increased air movement without the energy costs of cooling the entire space." The modelling conducted by the research team also showed that buildings using PECS could achieve major energy savings for ventilation, which is 72% in Chennai, 70% in Ahmedabad, and 68% in Delhi, when compared with conventional air-conditioned setups. "PECS is also an equity solution. It allows even schools, community centres or homes without full heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) systems to deliver healthier environments. We're not just rethinking comfort; we're reimagining what low-energy, people-centric buildings can look like in polluted and warming cities," said Ronak Sutaria, founder and CEO, Respirer Living Sciences.
New Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Breathless in Bengaluru: Air pollution graph shooting up in past four years
BENGALURU: It's not just Delhi that is battling smoky skies, air pollution has been on the rise in Bengaluru too since the past four years, showed a study report released on Monday. According to a study of data collated from AtlasAQ platform, Respirer Living Sciences, air pollution in Bengaluru, particularly particulate matter-10 (PM10) has seen a rising trend since 2021. According to the report, PM10 in Bengaluru in 2021 was 63.4µg/m³, and rose to 74.7µg/m³ in 2022. Though it dropped to 69.1µg/m³ in 2023, it was higher than the national average of 60µg/m³. In 2024, Bengaluru recorded 71.3µg/m³. 'Bengaluru is often celebrated for its green cover and moderate climate, but it has failed to live up to its reputation when it comes to particulate air pollution. The four-year analysis reveals that PM10 concentration in the city exceeded the national safety limit from 2021 to 2024, including during summer months when better dispersion is typically expected. These figures may be lower than in Delhi or Patna, but still violate the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (60µg/m³), indicating that no season in Bengaluru offers entirely safe air,' the report said. According to the report, Silk Board area stood out with PM10 levels reaching 101.1µg/m³ in 2022 and 95.8µg/m³ in 2024. Air pollution levels in RVCE-Mailasandra shot up from 84.7µg/m³ in 2022 to 99.3µg/m³ in 2024, while PM10 levels consistently stood above 75µg/m³ at the City Railway Station and Kasturi Nagar. The report also noted that AQI was not low even at residential areas in Bengaluru, including BTM Layout and Hombegowda Nagar. 'Bengaluru's air quality challenges have been quietly growing — and we're now seeing the effects clearly in the data. Despite having better climate conditions, the city has not had a single year of safe air. Its clean city image needs a serious reality check,' said Ronak Sutaria, founder and CEO of Respirer Living Sciences. The report attributed the rise in PM10 levels to increasing traffic, unregulated construction, and limited enforcement of dust control in peri-urban zones. It also pointed to the need for expanding Bengaluru's air monitoring network, redesigning traffic hotspots and integrating clean air into the city's growth and infrastructure plans.
New Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
PM10 levels in cities beyond safety limits over past four years: Pollution Control Board
NEW DELHI: According to the air quality data recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the annual particulate matter (PM10) levels have consistently exceeded national safety standards over the past four years. While the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) sets the safe limit for PM10 at 60µg/m³, major Indian cities are experiencing PM10 levels that surpass a staggering 200 µg/m³. PM10 refers to particles with diameter of 10 micrometer (µm) or smaller. Short-term exposure to these particles is linked to worsening of respiratory conditions, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which can even result in hospitalisation. Key sources contributing to the elevated PM10 levels include vehicular emissions, unregulated construction activities, waste burning, industrial operations, and seasonal phenomena such as crop residue burning and temperature inversions, particularly in states of northern India. An analysis by Respirer Living Sciences (RLS), a leading climate-tech firm, shows Delhi, Patna, and Lucknow top the list of worst-affected cities with annual PM10 levels exceeding 200 µg/m³, while Chennai and Bengaluru – with least PM levels among 11 surveyed cities – still exceeded national safety limits. The Indo-Gangetic plain remains a concern for policymakers to improve its quality. The analysis, based on real-time data sourced from CPCB monitoring stations across the country, reveals that all 11 metropolitan cities in the country consistently breached the NAAQS for PM10 pollution between 2021 and 2024. The analysis underlines that despite multiple policy interventions and city-level action plans, PM10 concentrations remained well above the permissible limit of 60 µg/m³ in every city assessed. The report shows that cities in northern India, particularly Delhi, Patna, Lucknow, and Chandigarh, reported the highest annual PM10 levels, with peak readings beyond 250 µg/m³ in certain hotspots. For instance, Delhi's Anand Vihar station recorded 313.8 µg/m³ in 2024, showing slight improvement over previous years. In Patna, Samanpura saw PM10 levels rise to 237.7 µg/m³, while Lucknow's Lalbagh remained above 160 µg/m³ throughout the study period. The report calls for a multi-pronged response to tackle PM10 pollution across metropolitan cities, highlighting the need for stricter enforcement of emission norms.
News18
22-04-2025
- Health
- News18
Mumbai's Air Pollution Isn't Just A Winter Problem, Breaches Safe Limits In Summer Too: Study
Agency: In 2024, Malad West recorded a sharp spike in PM10 levels, rising to 154.5 µg/m ³, a nearly 50 per cent increase from the previous year The PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less) levels in the city have consistently breached the national safety threshold of 60 µg/m ³ not just during winter peaks, but even in the summer months, a four-year study has revealed. In 2024, Malad West recorded a sharp spike in PM10 levels, rising to 154.5 µg/m ³, a nearly 50 per cent increase from the previous year. Shivaji Nagar, another critical hotspot, registered an alarming 211.0 µg/m ³ in 2023 before dropping to 102.2 µg/m ³ in 2024, still over 70 per cent above the national limit. Siddharth Nagar-Worli saw levels rise from 57.1 µg/m ³ in 2021 to 119.2 µg/m ³ in 2023 before slightly improving to 105.1 µg/m ³ in 2024, the study revealed. Other consistently polluted locations include Chakala-Andheri East, Kurla, Deonar, Vile Parle West, and Mazgaon, all of which remained above safe levels year after year. 'PM10 levels in the city have consistently breached the national safety threshold of 60 µg/m ³, not just during winter peaks, but even in the summer months," the study by Respirer Living Sciences, a climate-tech start up, showed. The report indicates that PM10 pollution in Mumbai is a persistent issue throughout every season, with no sustained improvement over the last four years. Short-term exposures to PM10 have been associated primarily with worsening of respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), leading to hospitalisation and emergency department visits. Mumbai's annual PM10 averages were 109.3 µg/m ³ in 2021, 119.7 µg/m ³ in 2022, 118.6 µg/m ³ in 2023, and 90.0 µg/m ³ in 2024, the study said. 'While there was a slight dip in 2024, the city has remained above the safe limit throughout, with no year offering reprieve. The consistently high numbers confirm that even during summer, when pollution levels are typically expected to drop due to better dispersion, PM10 concentrations stayed dangerously elevated," the study said. 'The data tells a very clear story that there is no clean season left in Mumbai," said Ronak Sutaria, Founder and CEO of Respirer Living Sciences. 'Even in the summer months, PM10 levels are not just above the limit, they are multiple times higher. This is a citywide, year-round issue that must be addressed through urban planning, infrastructure reform, and regulatory enforcement." The report identifies traffic emissions, unregulated construction dust, industrial activity near port zones, and inadequate dust control mechanisms as primary contributors to Mumbai's PM10 burden. It also calls for a comprehensive action plan that includes strict enforcement of dust suppression protocols at construction sites, expansion of public transport, improved traffic management, and deployment of real-time monitoring networks at the ward level to drive hyperlocal action. The study also recommends that clean air goals be integrated into the city's master planning and transport infrastructure strategies to achieve measurable and equitable improvements in air quality. First Published:
Indian Express
21-04-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Pune's PM10 pollution surges beyond safety limits despite seasonal variation: Report
An analysis of Pune's air quality by Respirer Living Sciences, a climate-tech startup based on four years of data from the AtlasAQ platform, shows that PM10 concentrations in the city have consistently breached the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) limit of 60 µg/m³—even during summer months when pollution is expected to ease. Particulate Matter (PM10) pollution refers to airborne particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less, which can penetrate deep into the respiratory system, leading to severe health issues, including respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and premature mortality. The AtlasAQ platform was developed to enable validated long-term air quality trend analysis of Indian cities which have the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) network. According to the report released on Monday, Pune city has shown high seasonal variability, but no sustained improvement across any of the four years. Pune's citywide PM10 levels spiked from 70.9 µg/m³ in 2021 to 98.9 µg/m³ in 2022, and remained high at 95.9 µg/m³ in 2023, before slightly declining to 86.8 µg/m³ in 2024. 'While this drop may seem encouraging, none of these values meet the NAAQS benchmark, indicating that air quality remains unsafe throughout the year,' Ronak Sutaria, Founder and CEO of Respirer Living Sciences told The Indian Express. 'The narrative around Pune often assumes it's a clean city—but the data doesn't support that,' Sutaria said adding that even our so-called 'clean seasons' are not actually clean. 'PM10 pollution here is 'unpredictable, persistent, and well above safe limits,' he added. As per the analysis by Respirer Living Sciences, station-level data reveals extreme intra-year fluctuations. Karve Road showed a dramatic 177.6% rise from 50.0 µg/m³ in 2021 to 138.9 µg/m³ in 2022. Alandi also recorded a spike to 127.3 µg/m³ in 2023 before dropping to 89.0 µg/m³ in 2024. Locations like Transport Nagar, Bhosari, Mhada Colony, and Revenue Colony consistently reported annual averages above 80 µg/m³, while not a single station recorded levels below the national threshold. The report identifies rapid construction, road dust, vehicular congestion, and growing urban sprawl as key contributors to PM10. It recommends the enforcement of dust control protocols, greater investment in sustainable mobility, and real-time ward-level monitoring to enable more targeted action. When contacted, Pune Municipal Corporation's environment department officer Mangesh Dighe said he was not aware of the report. However, multiple strategies are being taken to spray droplets and settle dust particles to improve air quality levels. 'Recently the civic administration introduced the fog cannon machine mounted vehicle to deploy along busy roads to reduce road dust and air pollution,' he said. The fog cannon carrying 6,000 litres of water uses a high-pressure pump to spray water droplets and settle dust particles.
