BS-IV checkmate
The country has a massive problem of older and more polluting vehicles. But why should this be an argument for delaying transition?
Pet coke conundrum
We are buying the world’s dirtiest fuel as if we have no worries of air pollution. This needs to change
Legal framework paper
India has set ambient air quality standards for several pollutants. According to the rules of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the annex monitoring agency, the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) should be met for at least 98 per cent of the days in a year.
Seethe against smog, now
Why is it we cannot get our act together to implement actions against air pollution?
Towards Clean Air in Nigerian Cities
This is a rapid review of the current concerns around urban air pollution and public health challenges in Nigerian cities.
Auto industry misleading us, says CSE; vehicles remain a major source of air pollution
CSE challenges the misleading number game of the industry to underplay vehicular pollution
Delhi Clean-Air Action Plan: The agenda to reduce air pollution and protect public health
In 2016, Delhi experienced one of its worst Diwali smog episodes in manyyears. Several factors converged to create the dirty haze that enveloped the capital region with the onset of winter.
Wheels are turning
Let’s share cars; take a bus or metro; cycle or walk Early this month, I was in the Delhi High Court, where a battery of lawyers had filed separate petitions against the odd-even scheme of the Delhi government. This is a scheme to ration car usage so that in the critically polluted winter months only half the vehicles are on the road. Their arguments were that the scheme had led to enormous inconvenience and worse, daily pollution data showed no impact on air quality. Cars, they said, were not responsible for pollution.
CSE says ambiguous Delhi IIT studies on vehicular air pollution being used selectively by ministry of road transport and highways
Slams the ministry for trying to confuse and slow down policy action on vehicular pollution and block decisions on old diesel vehicles
CSE warns Delhi-NCR on smog: Step up action to prevent public health disaster
Delhi enveloped by smog – what is the key reason?
Smog Digest: 2014
Come out and claim the road
I write this column from my bed, recovering from an accident that broke my bones. I was hit by a speeding car when cycling. The car fled the scene, leaving me bleeding on the road. This is what happens again and again, in every city of our country, on every road as we plan without care for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. These are the invisible users. They die doing nothing more than the most ordinary thing like crossing a road. I was more fortunate. Two cars stopped, strangers helped me and took me to hospital. I got treatment. I will be back fighting fit.
Gas, found and lost
Natural gas as fuel has environmental benefits, particularly when compared to burning coal for power generation or using diesel for vehicles. So when the government increases—in fact, doubles—the price of domestically produced natural gas it has far-reaching implications for air quality and public health. But these benefits do not matter at all in the price-benefit calculations.
Pedestrian questions
Have you ever noticed the footpath? Does it even exist? And if it does what is its height from the road? What should be the ideal height that allows for pedestrians to walk without fear of being run over or breaking a leg clambering onto it, while not allowing cars to park and take over this public space?
Ponty, buses and PPPs
Liquor baron Ponty Chadha and his brother who were killed in a fratricide incident had another business not widely known. Ponty had recently acquired the concession to run public transport buses in Delhi. His company had won the bids for three clusters with a combined fleet of 600-odd vehicles. Now questions are being asked about who will run the business.