Latest news with #Roychowdhury
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Mega cities in India see high concentration of ozone pollution this summer
A recent analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reveals high ground-level ozone pollution in major Indian cities like Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai this summer. Ozone, formed by reactions involving pollutants from vehicles and industries, poses a public health risk. The analysis emphasizes the need for improved monitoring and mitigation strategies to address this growing concern. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads All mega cities in India, including Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai, saw high concentration of ground-level ozone pollution this summer season, according to a new analysis by think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).A previous analysis had shown that ozone, instead of particulate matter, was the main pollutant in Delhi's daily Air Quality Index (AQI) on several days this new analysis by the CSE's Urban Lab highlighted that ozone, unlike primary pollutants, is not released directly from any forms through complex chemical reactions involving nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide (CO), pollutants emitted by vehicles, power plants, industries and other sources of substances react in the presence of sunlight, leading to the formation of ozone at the ground level. Anumita Roychowdhury , executive director at the CSE, said: "If unchecked, this can become a serious public health crisis as ozone is a highly-reactive gas and can be harmful even with short-duration exposures."She added that while cities in north India experience high ozone levels in summer due to intense heat and strong sunlight, cities in warmer climates are also seeing consistent ozone exceedance in other current policy focus must be expanded to include improved monitoring, the mitigation of this toxic gas and a reduction in high local mitigation needs drastic control over a range of gases from vehicles, industry and all combustion sources, Roychowdhury Kaur, deputy programme manager at the CSE's Urban Lab, said: "Inadequate monitoring, limited data and inadequate methods of trend analysis have weakened the understanding of this growing public health hazard across cities of India. Instead of merely averaging out the levels for the city, which is the standard practice to estimate the AQI, it is also important to adequately capture the high levels of local build-up and exposures in the hotspots and design mitigation strategies accordingly."Between March 1 and May 31 this year, Mumbai recorded ozone exceedance on 32 out of 92 days across its monitoring stations, a 42-per cent drop compared to the same period last year. The worst day in terms of spread was March 29, when eight out of 31 stations reported exceedance. The highest ground-level ozone concentration recorded was 90 micrograms per cubic Kolkata, ozone levels crossed the safe limit on 22 out of 92 days, a 45-per cent decline compared to last summer. The city also saw an overall improvement, with the average hourly ozone peak dropping by 22 per saw ozone exceedance on 45 of the 92 days, a 29-per cent increase from last year. The worst day was March 31, when four of 14 stations recorded levels above the recorded 20 ozone exceedance days, a 55-per cent drop compared to last summer. The highest ozone level recorded in the city was 51 micrograms per cubic saw ozone exceedance on 15 days this summer. No such exceedance was reported during the same period last year. In comparison, the city had three exceedance days in 2023 and 19 in 2022. The highest level this year was 64 micrograms per cubic metre.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Log on to portal: Embassy to students stuck in Israel
Kolkata: A day after India announced Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Israel, a number of students from Bengal have started registering themselves with the Indian embassy for evacuation. Nilabja Roychowdhury, a research scholar with the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, has registered with the embassy in Israel for evacuation. Roychowdhury, who was not ready to evacuate and had decided to wait, said on Friday: "The embassy officials will take care of the visa, and the journey to Jordan is also likely to be arranged by them." While Safed, located in northern Israel, was not much at risk, the unpredictable situation has prompted him to change his mind. Aniruddha Bera, a research fellow at Tel Aviv University, who was also hoping for the situation to improve, has also registered himself with the Indian embassy. "The situation is under control so far, but I have registered myself with the embassy," he said. Divya Mukhopadhyay, a resident of Khardah, who is pursuing post-doctoral research in plant pathology at the University of Jerusalem, initially decided to stay back for a few more months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2 & 3 BHK Homes Near Padur, OMR Starting @ ₹72.50 Lakh* TVS Emerald Undo He has only four months left to complete his research. But the evolving situation prompted him to rethink his decision. "The students will be taken to the Israel-Jordan border by Indian embassy officials. From there, they will be flown out of Jordan," said Subhomoy Mukhopadhyay, Divya's uncle. "I spoke to my son on Friday morning. He said that his name didn't appear in the first list. Although he has not taken a final decision about leaving Israel, he is likely to be included in the second allotment if he opts to return. He told us that things are still normal for him — he's attending classes," said Sudhamoy Mukhopadhyay, his father. Sankhanava Kundu, who moved out of Israel after completing his research at the University of Haifa a few months back, said, "When everyone decided to move out of Israel last year, seven of us stayed back. The university was closed, and most of the students left Israel. We decided to finish our project, come what may. We were self-alert and were very responsive to sirens. It took us immense courage to stay put there, and the Indian Embassy was constantly in touch with us. But we sailed through," he said.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Ground-level ozone at 5-yr high; south, northwest Delhi worst hit
New Delhi: The city experienced its highest ozone levels in five years this summer, according to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment. The eight-hour rolling average of the gas exceeded safe standards for 14.2 hours daily, increasing from 12 hours in previous summers. The analysis revealed that south and northwest Delhi were most affected, showing the broadest geographical spread of ozone exceedance since 2018. The study indicated that ground-level ozone surpassed national safety standards throughout the 92-day summer period from March 1 to May 31, with breaches occurring on 83 days. The established eight-hour standard for O3 is 100 micrograms per cubic metre. "Ground-level ozone pollution remained consistently high across the region, with the maximum concentration exceeding 100 microgram per cubic metre on each of the 92 days between March 1 and May 31, highlighting the persistent and widespread nature of the problem," the study said. "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." Ozone forms through chemical reactions involving nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide, which are released by vehicles, power plants and factories. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 34歳以上の男性が今年最高のPCゲームと絶賛！今すぐ無料でダウンロード BuzzDaily Winners ゲームをプレイ Undo These substances react in sunlight to create ground-level ozone. This highly reactive gas poses serious health risks. It can inflame and damage the airways, increase susceptibility to infections and worsen respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. CSE analysed summer trends from 2021 to 2025 (until May 31) using CPCB's official online portal, Central Control Room for Air Quality Management. The findings showed Nehru Nagar breached the safe level on all 92 days, followed by Najafgarh (82 days) and Okhla Phase-II (81 days). Only six locations, Anand Vihar, IHBAS, ITO, Shadipur, Narela and Knowledge Park in Greater Noida, maintained levels below the standard. On several days this summer, therefore, ozone was the lead pollutant instead of particulate matter in the daily air quality index. "Out of 18 days between May 25 and June 11, ozone was the lead pollutant on 12," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, CSE. The study also said there was no system to address the ozone problem under the Graded Response 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," Roychowdhury pointed out, calling for measures to curb ozone.
NDTV
04-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Can Ambitious Green Wall Project Save The Aravallis? What Expert Said
New Delhi: The Aravalli range, made up of India's oldest fold mountains, is bleeding. Stretching 692 km from Delhi to Gujarat, this range stands as a vital shield, holding back the Thar Desert, guiding monsoon winds, and cradling over 300 plant and 120 bird species in its vibrant ecosystem. But relentless deforestation, illegal mining, and creeping desertification are ripping apart its ecological core, threatening rivers, biodiversity, and millions of livelihoods. Tomorrow, on World Environment Day 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will plant the first saplings of the Aravalli Green Wall Project in Delhi's Ridge, launching a 1,400 km-long green belt to heal this ancient guardian. NDTV spoke to Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), to explore whether this ambitious vision can triumph over the Aravallis' mounting crises. The Aravallis' Wounds The range's green cloak is tattered. Forest cover fell 0.9% from 1999-2019, with the central range losing a staggering 32% since 1975 to urban sprawl and mining. Illegal mining has obliterated 25% of Rajasthan's Aravalli hills since 1967-68, despite Supreme Court bans in 2002 and 2009. Of 4,150 mining leases for copper, zinc, and marble, only 288 have environmental clearance. Desertification also looms: 8.2% of Haryana's land turned arid by 2018-19, and 8% of the Aravallis-5,772.7 sq km-was lost by 2019, with 22% more at risk by 2059. These assaults have dried rivers like the Sahibi and Luni, eroded soils, depleted groundwater, and slashed biodiversity, undermining the region's climate resilience. A Green Wall of Hope The Aravalli Green Wall Project, launching June 5, 2025, aims to weave a 1,400 km-long, 5 km-wide green belt, inspired by Africa's Great Green Wall. Starting with 24,990 hectares in Haryana's Gurgaon, Faridabad, Nuh, Rewari, and Mahendergarh, it will plant native species, revive 75 water bodies, and bolster soil conservation, targeting 1.1 million hectares by 2027. "The Aravalli Green Wall Project is a very critical step forward. Since our childhood, we have seen massive degradation of the Aravallis. This project will restore confidence that we can protect, conserve, and expand this essential resource." Aligned with India's UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification), CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), and UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) commitments, it promises to curb desertification, boost biodiversity, and create jobs while cooling the region and filtering dust that fuels Delhi-NCR's air pollution crisis," said Ms Roychowdhury. "The wall will act as a wind and dust barrier," Ms Roychowdhury explained, "consistent with global best practices for green walls, addressing the intersection of clean air challenges and climate change," she added. Eco-Tourism: Opportunity or Threat? The project's eco-tourism push-safaris, nature parks, and trekking routes-aims to fund restoration and engage local communities. But could increased human activity harm this fragile ecosystem? "The Aravallis are a fragile ecosystem," Ms Roychowdhury warned. "Tourism can't take over or disrupt the local ecological balance. We have to be respectful and sensitive to the communities and species that depend on this region." She stressed that unregulated tourism risks habitat disruption, pollution, and wildlife displacement. To counter this, CSE recommends robust safeguards: "We advocate for strict regulatory frameworks-limiting visitor numbers, enforcing waste management protocols, and ensuring low-impact, non-invasive infrastructure. Species introduced for reforestation must be native to avoid ecological imbalances," she said. On the risk of over-commercialisation, Ms Roychowdhury is clear: "The Aravallis are a buffer between Delhi, Haryana, and expanding urban areas. Unregulated development, like stone quarrying or encroachments, must stop for the green wall to succeed. Community involvement is essential, but it must prioritise ecological restoration over commercial interests." She emphasises enforcement and scale: "The clean air agenda cannot succeed on a small scale. We need speed of implementation, but it must integrate local needs without allowing tourism to dominate. Conservation must always come first," she said. As PM Modi plants saplings tomorrow, the Aravalli Green Wall signals a fierce resolve to heal this ancient range. But, as Ms Roychowdhury underscored, "The green wall will work only if we stop urban pressures. It's a matter of enforcement and implementation."
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ex-Army chief Gen Roychowdhury lauds 'Operation Sindoor', says India should continue such strikes
Former Army Chief General Shankar Roychowdhury commended the security forces for their actions against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, emphasizing the need for continued strikes to curb terror activities. He lauded 'Operation Sindoor' as a successful operation following the Pahalgam terror attack. General Roychowdhury advocated for a sustained response to Pakistan's terror attacks through low-intensity conflict. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army General Shankar Roychowdhury on Wednesday lauded the security forces for acting against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and said that such strikes should continue to keep a check on terror activities. Speaking to PTI, Roychowdhury, the country's 18th Army chief, praised ' Operation Sindoor ' and said it was a "great operation with excellent planning.""It's been a resounding success. 'Operation Sindoor' was a great operation with excellent planning," he retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba 's base missile strikes were carried out two weeks after the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Roychowdhury, who was the army chief from November 1994 to September 1997, also said, "India should continue hammering them (Pakistan). In Hindi, there is a term laaton ke bhoot baaton se nahi mante'... They are like that. There is no war-like situation. It's already an undeclared war."The idiom means that strict action is necessary for a person who does not understand the language of love."I think that India should continue striking again and again. We have to continue replying to their terror attacks with low-intensity conflict," the General said.
