The national capital's air quality remained "severe" for the fifth consecutive day on Monday, with calm wind speed exacerbating the effect of stubble burning. V K Soni, the head of <keyword id="3573341" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-India-Meteorological-Department">the India Meteorological Department</keyword>'s environment research centre, said a major improvement in Delhi-NCR's air quality was highly unlikely in the coming days. "The air quality is likely to be recorded in the upper end of the 'very poor' category on Diwali if we discount firecrackers emissions. If people burst crackers, pollution levels can increase to 'severe' to 'severe plus' category (emergency)," he said. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday imposed a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) from November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight, saying "celebration by crackers is for happiness and not to celebrate deaths and diseases". An official said the newly-constituted Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas is likely to hold a review meeting on Monday considering the situation. The city's air quality index (AQI) stood at 474 at 11 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. Its 24-hour average AQI was 416 on Sunday, 427 on Saturday, 406 on Friday and 450 on Thursday, the highest since November 15 last year, when it was 458. The neighbouring cities of Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, and Gurugram also recorded "severe" air quality. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". PM10 levels in Delhi-NCR stood at 591 microgram per cubic meter (g/m3) at 10 am, the highest since November 15 last year, when it was 637 g/m3, according to CPCB data. PM10 levels below 100 g/m3 are considered safe in India. PM10 levels are considered in the "severe plus" category if their concentration is more than 500 microgram per cubic meter, according to the Graded Response Action Plan for Delhi-NCR notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2017. PM10 is particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers and is inhalable into the lungs. These particles include dust, pollen and mold spores. The levels of PM2.5 - finer particles which can even enter the bloodstream - were 381 g/m3 at 11 am. PM2.5 levels up to 60 g/m3 are considered safe. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the wind speed was 3 to 4 kilometres per hour in the morning and the minimum temperature 10 degrees Celsius. Calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, while favourable wind speed helps in their dispersion. There was shallow to moderate fog in the morning which led to smog. It reduced visibility to 600 meters at the Safdarjung Observatory, Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the IMD's regional forecasting centre, said. He said the situation is likely to continue till November 15 as the wind speed is not expected to pick up significantly. The central government's Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi also said a "significant improvement in air quality is not likely" owing to slow wind speed, particularly during night time, and contribution from farm fires. "The farm fire count over Punjab remains very high which is likely to impact the air quality of Delhi-NCR and other parts of northwest India," it said. The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said surface winds have become calm and are predicted to remain so for the next two days. "This is a major factor due to which no quick recovery is expected unless a drastic reduction in fire counts takes place," it said. SAFAR said the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 29 percent on Sunday. It was 42 percent on Thursday, the maximum this season so far. Last year, the stubble contribution to Delhi's pollution had peaked to 44 percent on November 1, according to SAFAR data. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hyperloop-pod-carries-two-humans-through-a-tube-at-over-160-kmph-for-the-first-time-ever/articleshow/79121765.cms">Hyperloop pod carries two humans through a tube at over 160 kmph for the first time ever</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/top-cyber-espionage-groups-that-have-india-in-their-crosshairs/slidelist/79120867.cms">Top cyber espionage groups that have India in their crosshairs</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/bigbasket-the-e-grocery-startup-which-tata-group-is-eyeing-admits-a-data-breach-of-over-20-million-users/articleshow/79122791.cms">BigBasket, the e-grocery startup which Tata Group is eyeing, admits a data breach of over 20 million users</a>

Delhi's air quality continues to worsen hitting severe with relief unlikely soon

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) As Delhi faces another tryst with air pollution, about 73 per cent households of Delhi-NCR now have one or more individuals suffering from pollution-related ailments like cough, cold, sore throat, headache, burning eyes and difficulty in breathing, a survey revealed on Tuesday. The national capital has been recording severe category air quality since the last six days. Delhi's air quality index stood at 467 micrograms per cubic metre at 6 p.m., almost touching the hazardous category. According to the public health experts, smog-related health hazards such as cough, cold, sore throat, burning eyes and difficulty in breathing can lead to short-and long-term ailments such as aggravating respiratory and cardiovascular problems, and even lung cancer. 'LocalCircles' conducted a survey to find the aggregate percentage of households in Delhi-NCR having one or more individuals facing pollution-related health ailments. The first question asked citizens, "With Delhi-NCR air quality having deteriorated by 1,000% in the last 6 weeks and AQI now in the 500-700 range, what are you and your family experiencing?." About 5,965 responses from Delhi, 1,544 from Gurugram, 1,514 from Noida, 1,357 from Ghaziabad and 1,441 from Faridabad were received. Of which, 85 per cent households in Delhi, 62 per cent in Gurugram, 68 per cent in Noida, 43 per cent in Ghaziabad, and 66 per cent in Faridabad said "either 1 or more individuals are suffering from pollution-related ailments". Meanwhile, only 13 per cent households in Delhi, 13 per cent in Gurugram, 19 per cent in Noida, 19 per cent in Ghaziabad, and 17 per cent in Faridabad said "no members of the family have any of the above and are doing fine". The aggregate views of citizens suggest that 73 per cent households of Delhi-NCR now have one or more individuals suffering from pollution-related ailments like cough, cold, sore throat, headache, burning eyes, and difficulty in breathing. Delhi has reported the highest number of one or more individuals in the household facing pollution-related ailments, followed by Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gurugram. On October 15, 2020, LocalCircles published the findings of a survey that said 65 per cent households in Delhi have one or more individuals who have started experiencing pollution-related ailments. The second question in the survey has tried to understand the perception of Delhi-NCR citizens if they'd socialise during Diwali. Residents of Delhi and NCR typically meet their friends and extended family before and after Diwali. Many Diwali parties also take place during this period. To the second question that asked citizens, "With Delhi-NCR AQI now in the 500-700 range and Covid-19 daily cases load near 7,000, how do you plan to socialise this Diwali?", 5,908 responses from Delhi, 1,364 from Gurugram, 1,449 from Noida, 2,650 from Ghaziabad, and 1,318 from Faridabad were received. Of which, only 22 per cent of respondents from Delhi, 20 per cent from Gurugram, 25 per cent from Noida, 22 per cent from Ghaziabad, and 50 per cent from Faridabad said "will socialise" this Diwali. The aggregate views of citizens suggest that only 25 per cent of residents of Delhi-NCR will socialise this Diwali given the double-threat posed by air pollution and the likelihood of getting infected with Covid-19 on the present air quality conditions. This is a positive sentiment among the respondents from Delhi-NCR as the majority have planned to lesser their social visit come Diwali, or would just stay home and celebrate the occasion with close family and not visit nor host any gathering. Meanwhile, the NGT earlier this week has banned all kinds of firecrackers between November 7 and 30 in cities with "poor" or worse air quality across the country, aimed to reduce pollution levels during the festive season. Celebration comes with planning and that requires shopping. Given the AQI and Covid-19 daily caseload, the survey tried to understand citizens' plans if they'd visit the local market, main market, mall for festive shopping, or would they opt for home delivery from retail or local stores, or shop online for Diwali celebrations. To the question that asked, "With Delhi-NCR AQI now in the 500-700 range and Covid-19 daily caseload near 7,000, how do you plan to do festive shopping between now and Diwali?", 5,560 responses from Delhi, 1,411 from Gurugram, 1,639 from Noida, 1,273 from Ghaziabad, and 1,314 from Faridabad were received. Of which, 29 per cent of residents in Delhi, 43 per cent in Gurugram, 22 per cent in Noida, 44 per cent in Ghaziabad, and 66 per cent in Faridabad have said to "visit markets and malls for Diwali shopping". The aggregate views of citizens suggest that 36 per cent residents of Delhi-NCR plan to visit markets and malls for Diwali shopping. Last weekend, many of the main markets saw over-crowding situations with no social distancing and near zero enforcement to Covid-19 protocols. With Covid-19 caseload worsening and AQI levels further deteriorating, over-crowded main markets can be extremely risky.--IANS aka/sdr/

73% Delhi-NCR households report pollution-related ailments

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) To improve the national capital's air quality, the Delhi government on Sunday said it has installed 23 anti-smog guns at key intersections and construction sites across the city, and assured that this number will be increased, if necessary. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that the Public Works Department (PWD) has installed these 23 anti-smog guns. He also said that PWD officials have also been instructed to sprinkle water on trees, roads and on the construction sites to combat dust pollution. "A total of 150 water tankers have been deployed for sprinkling water," Rai said. "I have also instructed the PWD officials to increase the number of tankers further so that all the key roads of Delhi can be covered. If necessary, we will install more anti-smog guns as well at the key intersections of Delhi." The Delhi government this year has launched a massive anti-pollution campaign - 'Yuddh Pradushan Ke Viruddh' - which is being led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Rai. However, pollution levels breached the emergency threshold twice this month here with a grey apocalyptic smog enveloping the city for days, blotting out the sun and obsuring landmarks. To curb increasing pollution, the Delhi government had on November 5 also banned the sale and use of all kinds of firecrackers in the city till November 30. The National Green Tribunal had also imposed a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Region from November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight. Sources in the government said that over 70 lakh litres of water was sprinkled at 13 pollution hotspots in the past 36 days by the Delhi Fire Service to hold down dust as a measure to improve the deteriorating air quality in the city. The drive began on October 17 following orders from the Delhi government to check the dust pollution in the city, said the officials. Delhi's Fire Service Department has been also participating in the exercise and springling about two lakh litres of water on city's roads, construction sites and other key places regularly. The major 13 places, declared as pollution hotspots by the Delhi government, are Jahangirpuri, Narela, Ashok Vihar, Vivek Vihar, Dwarka, Mundka, Rohini, Wazirpur, Okhla, Bawana, Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh and R.K. Puram. --IANS rak/vd

23 anti-smog guns across Delhi to combat dust pollution

New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) The morning after Diwali celebration, a thick blanket of noxious smog enveloped the national capital and shot up the pollution in the city to "emergency" level on Sunday where the hourly average concentrations of PM 2.5, a deadly pollutant, touched more than 1000ug/m3 at midnight, the Ministry of Earth Sciences officials said. The satellite towns also showed emergency and severe level readings of AQI. The situation has followed after the non-compliance of people from bursting crackers. As per System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the effective Stubble fire counts (with sufficient potential) estimated reduced significantly to around 350 on Saturday in contrast to around 2,586, a day before Diwali. "In view of this, stubble burning share in PM2.5 in Delhi's air is almost negligible and estimated as around 4 per cent for today," the officials shared. As per SAFAR, the overall AQI of Delhi remained 525 while in Noida, it crossed 600 with PM10 being the lead pollutant. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) measured AQI in Ghaziabad at 473, in Greater Noida at 432, and Gurugram at 425. In Delhi, the air quality has maintained emergency level deterioration for the last five days. However, the ministry officials noted three very positive developments which were expected to bring a quick recovery from the current pollution scenario. "(1) The boundary layer winds have picked up and changed its direction to easterly now which is not favorable for stubble fire-related intrusion. (2) The better ventilation condition is likely to prevail now for faster dispersion; and (3) An isolated scattered rainfall under the influence of fresh Western Disturbance by today evening is also expected," the officials reasoned. The officials also forecast that the AQI is likely to start improving from the afternoon and settle in the lower end of very poor category on Monday. They also said that the AQI may touch the poor category in case of enough rains and washout. Before Diwali, the Ministry of Earth Sciences had claimed that the level of PM2.5, is likely to be lowest in the past four years under zero-firecracker scenarios during Diwali. On November 9, the National Green Tribunal had imposed a blanket ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Region till November 30. The direction was also applied to cities and towns where air quality during November fell to 'poor' and above categories. In 2019, however, even though the Delhi Government had organized four days of laser shows to convince the residents to choose life over firecrackers, the morning after Diwali, city's air quality had turned worse than 2018. With the spike in air pollution in Delhi-NCR, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had ordered closing of hot mix plants and stone crushers till November 17 and also asked Punjab and Haryana to take stringent actions to curb stubble burning. The AQI is forecasted to stay in the middle-end of the Very Poor category on Monday and Tuesday. However, only drizzling may trigger secondary particulate formation to only slightly improve the current level to balance the recovery, but it has very less probability. --IANS str/in

Unbreathable: Public apathy shoots AQI to emergency level in Delhi-NCR

A good school for the children, a bungalow in an elegant part of the Indian capital, a job as a freelance writer, a maid, a driver, an inverter for the power cuts, and a water purifying system. These were some of the items Indian expat Jyoti Pande Lavakare ticked off on her list as “done” as she prepared to leave the piercing blue skies of Palo Alto in California to return to New Delhi in June 2009 with her husband Ajay, a technology start-up executive. The move proved smooth. Within months, the household had settled into a new rhythm. They were returning to spend time with their elderly parents and ensure their son, Madhav, and daughter, Naina, both in their early teens, had some “connection” with India, where both Jyoti and Ajay had grown up. They hoped to make them more resilient by teaching them to cope with power cuts, water shortages, and similar hardships. What Lavakare, now in her early 50s, hadn’t bargained for was the poisonous air. The city had a “hidden” secret: its air was fouler than Beijing’s but hardly anyone knew. With every passing winter, the air quality was plummeting. Jyoti Pande Lavakare. “In 2014, I realised something was making us all sick. At my children’s school, children were falling ill constantly. My friends’ children were falling ill. I had a bad asthma attack. When we met other expats, the talk was about what was wrong with the air,” says Lavakare. She thought she was being hypersensitive. Indian friends teased her for having become too “American”. But Lavakare began reading about and researching the air quality and soon became obsessive about the pollution. When the American embassy in Delhi, which had been collecting air quality data but keeping it private, released the figures to the public in 2015, the secret was out. Lavakare was right to be obsessed: New Delhi’s pollution was off the charts, registering 222 during US President Barack Obama’s visit in January 2015. Readings from 151 to 200 are considered unhealthy, and any above that very unhealthy, meaning “health warnings of emergency conditions”. The Indian capital’s residents were living in a gas chamber. In January 2015, Bloomberg quoted David Spiegelhalter, a University of Cambridge statistician, as saying that, by visiting the capital and breathing its air for just three days, Obama might have cut six hours from his expected lifespan. New York Times correspondent Gardiner Harris (a neighbour of Lavakare’s in Sunder Nagar) wrote a quietly impassioned article on how he was leaving New Delhi after his young son suffered a horrifying asthma attack. Breathing the air was the equivalent of smoking 44 cigarettes a day, according to the independent Berkeley Earth science research group. “At first I was in denial. Had I brought my children back to India to breathe pure poison and harm their lungs? But when the data started coming out … I knew we were in a crisis,” says Lavakare. She bought face masks and air <keyword id="2029750" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="purifiers">purifiers</keyword>, but that was only dealing with her own patch. Angry at the horror of the city’s 20 million residents breathing filthy air, she co-founded Care for Air in 2015 with other professionals, as a platform to build awareness that the city was in the midst of a “public health emergency” and to lobby for clean air. With her colourful silk saris and long wavy hair, pushed back by her glasses, Lavakare is now well-known as an expert on air pollution; she is invited to join television debates. She is unimpressed with the measures the New Delhi government has just announced to “minimise” (no one is talking of eliminating) the pollution this winter that turns the capital into a kind of “air gulag”, thick with tiny particles known as PM2.5 which damage not just respiratory systems, as many seem to think – but many other human organs too. The quality of October’s air plunged to “poor” even before Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights when the bursting of firecrackers makes the “normal” pollution many times worse. On some days in late October, the state-run Central Pollution Control Board’s air quality index stood at around 300 – six times the recommended level. The index has risen as high as 999 after Diwali for two consecutive years. This year, the government began putting tougher measures in place. Under its Graded Response Action Plan, drivers are allowed to use their cars every other day, depending on whether their number plates end in an odd or even number, to limit vehicle emissions; people found burning waste are fined; bus and metro services are increased; the use of diesel generators has been banned; and water sprinklers and mechanical sweepers will be used to deal with the construction dust and debris that is responsible for the bulk of the pollution. <h2 style="margin-top: 1.14286rem; margin-bottom: 0.428571rem; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.21429rem; font-family: Merriweather, serif; vertical-align: baseline;">At first I was in denial. Had I brought my children back to India to breathe pure poison and harm their lungs?Jyoti Pande Lavakare</h2> By getting the doctors on Care for Air’s board to appear on television to talk about its effects, visiting schools to educate children, and galvanising the media to cover the subject, the group has succeeded in raising public awareness and making people, even the poor, demand action. You can see the difference in the booming sales of air purifiers and face masks. “When people first began wearing masks a few years ago, people used to stare. It seemed odd. Or they’d cross the street, thinking the person was contagious. Now no one thinks twice about wearing a mask,” says Mukesh Nath, a chemist in Sarai Jullena. For Lavakare, the fight for the right to breathe clean air has become fused with her personal life. She’s not worrying about her children – Naina has gone to Barnard College in New York, where she is studying sociology, and Madhav, currently on a gap year, has been accepted by Yale University in Connecticut. It’s more that, while she was campaigning and lobbying against pollution, it sneaked into her family, devastating it. Jyoti Pande Lavakare (left), her late mother Kamale Pande and father Jagdish Chandra Pande. Photo: courtesy of Lavakare family She had returned to India to spend time with her parents. But over a year ago, her mother, Kamale Pande, a classical vocalist and non-smoker, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. She had no family history of the disease and was otherwise in excellent health. Suddenly, all those abstract statistics were embodied in her own mother’s lungs. Specialists linked the disease directly to <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> and Lavakare has no doubt at all about the causal link. In her book Choked, published this year, Beth Gardiner wrote: “You see one person run over in the street and you’ll never forget it, but thousands dying from the effects of dirty air will never even faze you.” Lavakare’s mother died last year. Trying to process her grief is one reason Lavakare is working on her own book, called Breathing Here is Injurious to Your Health, to be published next year. It’s the story of her relationship with her dying city, with pollution, her mother’s suffering and on what can be done to spare Indians from pollution’s catastrophic impact. The fight for clean air is going to be prolonged. Misleading statistics have to be contested, for one. The Delhi government recently issued full-page advertisements to trumpet how air pollution had been cut by 25 per cent thanks to its efforts. <h2 style="margin-top: 1.14286rem; margin-bottom: 0.428571rem; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.21429rem; font-family: Merriweather, serif; vertical-align: baseline;">Sometimes, I wish we hadn’t given up our green cardJyoti Pande Lavakare, who returned to India with her family from Palo Alto, California, in 2009</h2> “Experts agree that there is no data available – at least in the public domain – that clearly validates the claim. It doesn’t mean the government is lying, but unless independent data analysts and scientists can access the data, no one can say whether this is just another piece of fake news or a manipulation of cherry-picked statistics,” says Lavakare. Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi, says the coming weeks will see pollution getting worse. “There are 14 ‘hotspots’ – areas where pollution levels exceed the average because of the burning of municipal solid waste and industrial waste. To reduce the remaining 65 per cent of pollution, these sources need to be tackled,” she says. Lavakare wants action on a “war footing”. The city needs an empowered and accountable authority whose sole goal is to reduce pollution. She is convinced that neither New Delhi nor the country – last year, 11 of the world’s 15 most polluted cities were in India – can afford incremental progress. Anger inflects her voice, mostly when she talks of how little has been done. “Take 2018 – there was not a single ‘clean air’ day in the city. Take the government’s Clean India (Swachh Bharat) campaign. “How you can have a Clean India without clean air?” Or the government’s other pet scheme, Make in India. “How can you Make in India if you can’t breathe in India?” Lavakare asks. The figures are not just dispiriting, they are apocalyptic. A report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago in 2016 said air pollution was reducing the life expectancy of the average New Delhi resident by about 10 years. She and Ajay discuss whether they should become “pollution refugees” by leaving the city for Goa, a coastal state in India’s southeast. Friends have already sold up and fled. Many have had nasty health scares. Some have opted for crazy commutes, such as between Delhi and Toronto or Delhi and London. “Sometimes, I wish we hadn’t given up our green card,” she says.

New Delhi’s toxic air and how one expat family was affected – sick children, asthma, a death, and a campaign to awaken city to pollution threat

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) : As Delhi faces another tryst with air pollution, a nine-year-old climate activist, Licypriya Kangujam has appealed the government to declare health emergency in Delhi, emphasising that people are choking due to the noxious air. The national capital has been recording severe category air quality since the last five days due to an increase in stubble burning and unfavourable wind speed. Delhi's air quality index stood at 474 micrograms per cubic meter at noon, almost touching the hazardous category. "I would like to appeal to everyone to not use firecrackers to celebrate Diwali, because it creates a lot of noise and air pollution which is very dangerous for our health. Millions of children are dying every year due to the air pollution crisis," said Licypriya Kangujam, holding a placard which read "Declare health emergency in Delhi. We are choking!" Kangujam, who is also the founder of 'The Child Movement', has always been on the forefront of the fight against air pollution. Last month, she and 12-year old activist Aarav Seth were briefly detained by the police for protesting against the rising air pollution outside Parliament House. "I am fighting to save our planet and future. Please celebrate Diwali by not using firecrackers. If we are all together, we will fight this air pollution. We can make a change if we are together," Kangujam further said. Speaking to IANS, Aarav Seth said: "Enough has been said and done for saving the environment. Now is the time to take action and to ensure clean air for us and generations to come." On a brighter note, the National Green Tribunal on Monday imposed a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Region from November 9 to November 30. The direction also apply to all cities and towns where the air quality during November fell under the 'poor' and above categories. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel emphasised that citizens are entitled to breathe fresh air which right cannot be defeated on the ground that enforcement of such right will lead to closing of such business activity. Meanwhile, Delhi's neighbouring regions - Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida -- are also logging severe quality of air. Gurugram and Greater Noida's air quality remained the worst amongst all, with air quality of 484 and 483 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively. According to Ministry of Earth Science's System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, "Low dispersion condition continues in Delhi region along with high fire-related intrusion, this has led to the accumulation of pollutants near the surface. No quick recovery is expected unless a drastic reduction in fire counts takes place." (Aakanksha Khajuria can be contacted at aakanksha.k@ians.in) -- IANS aka/ash

'Declare health emergency in Delhi,' 9-year-old climate activist requests govt as pollution spikes

Delhi woke up to a grey morning as an apocalyptic smog blotted out the sun from the sky and smudged landmarks from view with air quality inching closer to "emergency" levels on Tuesday. Air quality monitoring stations at Mandir Marg, Punjabi Bagh, Pusa, Rohini, Patparganj, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Najafgarh, Sri Aurobindo Marg and Okhla Phase 2 maxed out - as air quality indexes hit the 500 mark, <keyword id="67999" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Central-Pollution-Control-Board">Central Pollution Control Board</keyword> data showed. The smog reduced the visibility to merely 300 meters in the morning affecting traffic, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Delhi recorded an AQI of 487 at 9 am, which falls in the "severe" category. The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (474), Ghaziabad (476), Noida (490), Greater Noida (467), and Gurugram (469) also recorded "severe" air quality. This is the sixth "severe" air day on the trot in Delhi. The city witnessed seven "severe" air days in November last year. The levels of PM2.5 - finer particles which can even enter the bloodstream - in Delhi-NCR were 605 g/m3 at 8 am - around ten times the safe limit of 60 g/m3. PM10 levels stood at 777 microgram per cubic meter (g/m3) at 8 am, the highest since November June 14, 2018, when it surged to 847 g/m3, according to CPCB data. PM10 levels below 100 g/m3 are considered safe in India. If PM2.5 and PM10 levels are more than 300 g/m3 and 500 g/m3 for over 48 hours, emergency measures such ban on construction activities, entry of trucks and car rationing scheme can be implemented under the Graded Response Action Plan for Delhi-NCR notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2017. Government agencies and experts said calm wind speeds were exacerbating the effect of stubble burning and a "quick recovery" is not possible unless the number of farm fires reduces drastically. V K Soni, the head of the IMD's environment research centre, said a major improvement in Delhi-NCR's air quality was highly unlikely in the coming days. "The air quality is likely to be recorded in the upper end of the ''very poor'' category on Diwali if we discount firecrackers emissions. If people burst crackers, pollution levels can increase to 'severe'' to 'severe plus' category (emergency)," he said. <keyword id="2462566" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-National-Green-Tribunal">The National Green Tribunal</keyword> on Monday imposed a total ban on sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) from November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight, saying "celebration by crackers is for happiness and not to celebrate deaths and diseases". The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said, "Low dispersion condition continues in Delhi along with high fire-related intrusion. This has led to the accumulation of pollutants near the surface." "No quick recovery is expected unless a drastic reduction in fire counts takes place," it said. SAFAR said the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution was 38 percent on Monday. According to the IMD, Delhi recorded calm winds and a minimum temperature of 10.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday morning. Calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, while favourable wind speed helps in their dispersion. There was moderate fog in the morning which led to smog. It reduced visibility to 300 meters at the Safdarjung and Palam weather stations, an IMD official said. The newly-constituted Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas on Monday stressed the need to enforce existing laws, directions and SOPs to minimise air pollution on an emergency basis. It is expected to review the situation on Tuesday. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said action will be taken against those not complying with the ban on firecrackers under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act which included a jail term of up to six years. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-is-90-effective-in-preventing-coronavirus-in-those-who-havent-been-infected-ever-before/articleshow/79130097.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is 90% effective in preventing coronavirus in those who haven’t been infected ever before, shows data from latest trials</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/mm-q2-earnings-tomorrow-profit-likely-to-fall-19-percent-but-tractor-sales-may-help-revenue/articleshow/79129620.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Strong tractor sales may cushion M&amp;M’s revenue but profit is likely to remain under pressure, say analysts</a>

Delhi-NCR's air quality on brink of "emergency" after city records AQI of 487 — falling in the 'severe' category for the sixth consecutive day

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> of <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> has imposed a ban on bursting pollution causing fireworks during <keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword> in the country’s national capital, New Delhi. </li><li>Meanline, the other cities and states in the country have no such restrictions and can go about bursting normal fireworks. </li><li>If people in New Delhi want to burst ‘normal’ fireworks during the festive season, they will have to travel between 140kms to 200kms out of the city. </li></ul>India’s top court has cracked down on fireworks ahead of Diwali, one of India’s biggest Hindu festivals. While the Supreme Court has the banned the manufacturing and sale of all ‘pollution causing’ fireworks in New Delhi in face of deteriorating air quality, other states and cities in Indian can still indulge in normal fireworks. That being said, the Supreme Court has issued an alternative where people in New Delhi and its surrounding areas can still burst <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-are-green-crackers-5415113/">‘green fireworks’</a>, but only between the hours of 8PM and 10PM. The court also mentioned that green firecrackers would eventually supersede the other kinds with the increase in their manufacturing from next year onwards. It’s not that other states aren’t considering more strict regulations on the bursting of fireworks during the festive season, but they are still allowed to call on their previous stock of fireworks, green or otherwise <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/supreme-court-only-green-crackers-to-be-used-in-delhi-ncr-5428096/">according to</a> Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan. But the ban on the online sale of fireworks through e-commerce portals like Amazon and Flipkart applies across the nation. In order to ensure effective implementation, the Supreme Court has also threatened to drag online retailers to court if they don’t abide by the issued guidelines. The rest of India The issue with the Supreme Court’s directive is that not everyone around India celebrates Diwali at the <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/diwali-crackers-bursting-time-north-south-india-supreme-court/story/286530.html">same time</a>. While northern states celebrate Diwali at night, southern states prefer to celebrate it in the morning. Meanwhile most states in the east celebrate Diwali a before the actual ‘designated’ day of the festival. States like Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-modifies-firecracker-order-tamil-nadu-puducherry-can-fix-timing-but-cannot-exceed-2-hours-5425063/">permitted</a> the use of fireworks between the hours of 4 AM to 5 AM in the morning and 9 PM to 10 PM during the night. Meanwhile, in the city of Mumbai, shopkeepers are <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/after-supreme-court-order-firecracker-retailers-stare-at-losses-this-diwali-stock-up-other-items-in-mumbai-5428097/">diversifying</a> the products they offer to include more ‘decorative fireworks’ and those approved by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). The firework ban legally covers areas that are nearly <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/firecracker-ban-in-delhi-where-all-ban-is-applicable-to-purchase-crackers-legally-this-is-how-far-you-will-have-to-go-answer-will-break-your-heart/888749/">140 kms to 200 kms</a> from the eastern and the southern borders of Delhi spreading out over 21 districts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. About <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/many-people-now-want-curbs-on-firecrackers-in-their-cities-says-assocham/article9908815.ece">35%</a> of the citizens responded positively towards the ban of polluted firecrackers considering the<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/clean-air-week-india-to-deploy-emergency-measures-for-controlling-air-pollution/articleshow/66446663.cms"> worsening air pollution</a> situation. However, a lot of people still believe that the ban will not make much of a difference to the air quality. Majority of people are now gearing up for muted celebrations this Diwali, though the effectiveness is yet to be seen. Government initiatives have largely impacted the fireworks industry in India and it has seen a degradation of nearly 40% over the last five years.

The rest of India can burst normal fireworks, but its national capital is restricted to staying ‘green’

This year, as in years past, there will be a lot of fanfare and celebration surrounding the festival of lights. While the <keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword> festival definitely merits a big celebration, it's equally crucial to do it with the utmost <keyword id="46574" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="safety" source="Orion">safety</keyword>. The number of eye damage cases that occur during the Diwali celebration is significantly higher than average due to the use of firecrackers. Elder family members should therefore keep an eye on the kids while they participate in the Diwali festivities. A majority of firework-related eye injuries can leave a person permanently blind because of persistent visual loss. Continuous smoke from cracker explosions might irritate the eyes or make them water. Avoid bottle rockets, which are regarded as the riskiest cracker variety, keep a safe distance from burning crackers, wear safety goggles, and refrain from wearing contact lenses while breaking crackers. When an <keyword id="45567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="eye-injury" source="Orion">eye injury</keyword> occurs, do not touch it; if a piece of debris is lodged in the eye, do not remove it; instead, keep your eyes closed and visit an eye doctor; if a chemical enters the eyes, immediately irrigate them for 30 minutes, and then seek immediate medical attention. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Do's &amp; Don'ts while bursting crackers" comment="subhead" text="Do's &amp; Don'ts while bursting crackers">Do's &amp; Don'ts while bursting crackers</cmsannotation> Do's: Ensure to buy <keyword id="54214" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="fireworks" source="Orion">Fireworks</keyword> from a licensed dealer Keep a bucket of sand or a fire extinguisher handy. Ensure there are no inflammable and combustible materials around the fire-cracking area. Follow all safety precautions issued with the fireworks. Discard used fireworks in a bucket of water Ensure to burst crackers in safe areas that are not crowded Dont's: Don't let children play alone with firecrackers Don't wear synthetic clothes or loose garments; thick cotton clothes are ideal Don't apply cream or oil to the affected area, in case of an eye injury, consult an ophthalmologist immediately Don't light crackers while holding them in your hand; they should always be lighted in open grounds pointing straight up. Don't keep the firecrackers near burning diyas or agarbhattis Each person must take care and caution when celebrating the holiday because injuries from fireworks can also happen to innocent onlookers. Let's promote happiness and joy this Diwali while putting the safety of your loved ones first. (Dr. <keyword id="6158" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pallavi-joshi" source="Orion">Pallavi Joshi</keyword>, Consultant-Cornea, Ocular Surface and Refractive Surgery) SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/delhi-hc-junks-plea-challenging-blanket-ban-on-firecrackers/articleshow/94983590.cms">Delhi HC junks plea challenging blanket ban on firecrackers</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/spend-your-money-on-sweets-says-sc-as-it-turns-down-plea-against-firecracker-ban/articleshow/94987642.cms">Spend your money on sweets says SC as it turns down plea against firecracker ban</a>

Safety Tips: Do's & Don'ts while bursting crackers

<keyword id="68884" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="telangana" source="Orion">Telangana</keyword> minister <keyword id="200109" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="K-T-Rama-Rao" source="Orion">K.T. Rama Rao</keyword> on Thursday agreed to a proposal for setting up a sex offenders' register in the state on the lines of the one in the US. The proposal was mooted by eminent social activist Sunitha Krishnan. The minister for urban development, municipal administration, industry and information technology suggested her to present the concept note. "Let's absolutely get it done. Please present the concept note and we will take it forward," tweeted KTR, as the minister is popularly known. He responded to a tweet by Krishnan, co-founder of Prajwala, an <keyword id="6366591" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NGO" source="Orion">NGO</keyword> that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates sex-trafficked victims. "Can we set up a <keyword id="2151986" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sex-offenders-register" source="Orion">Sex Offenders Register</keyword> for the State of Telangana of convicted offenders on the lines that exists in the USA which even the public can access for the purpose of recruitment etc," wrote Krishnan. She offered to submit a concept note based on the research of 20 countries. The proposal came a day after the driver of principal of a school was arrested in <keyword id="6354552" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hyderabad" source="Orion">Hyderabad</keyword> for sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl in the school. The police have booked Beemana Rajani Kumar (34) under Section 376 AB of the IPC and Section 6 read with 5 (m) of POCSO Act. He was produced before a magistrate, who sent him to judicial custody. The police have also booked principal Madhavi for negligence. She was said to be absconding. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/delhi-hc-junks-plea-challenging-blanket-ban-on-firecrackers/articleshow/94983590.cms">Delhi HC junks plea challenging blanket ban on firecrackers </a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/adani-transmission-bags-project-from-best-to-install-over-1-million-smart-meters-in-mumbai/articleshow/94982223.cms">Adani Transmission bags project from BEST to install over 1 million smart meters in Mumbai</a>

Telangana mulls proposal for sex offenders register like in the US

New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) The levels of air pollution during Diwali this year were found much higher as compared to the last year while a significant dip was found in noise pollution level, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed on Sunday. In a special report, the CPCB said almost all pollutants reported higher values on Diwali day and pre-Diwali day this year as compared to 2019. "It is observed that if compared with 2019 pre-deepawali day (21.10.2019) concentrations of NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 were found to be much higher on pre-deepawali day (on 09.11.2020) at all the monitored locations, while SO2 concentrations were at similar level. On Deepawali day (14.11.2020), almost all the pollutants reported higher values as compared to 2019 Diwali day," the report stated. However, the report attributed its outcome to high share of stubble burning and meteorological conditions and perennial issue of deteriorated air quality during November in Delhi-NCR, not on account of fire-cracker bursting. Though Pitampura recorded an increase in PM and SO2 indicating impact of firecracker bursting on Deepawali day, it added. "The contribution of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 concentration was 32 per cent on Diwali day this year as compared to 19 per cent last year. Therefore, it may be inferred that elevated PM2.5 concentrations in 2020 in comparison to previous year had enhanced contribution of stubble burning and the same is also reflected in elevated levels of CO and NO2," the report revealed. The CPCB observed that the hourly average concentration of PM2.5 started increasing from 11 p.m. on November 14, it reached peak in most of the stations at around 1 a.m. and continued at higher levels till 5 a.m. The city level average calculated for PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations on Deepawali day (14.11.2020) were 645 µg/m3 and 483 µg/m3 respectively. "Most of the parameters including PM2.5 monitored by stations set-up at IHBAS (Dilshad Garden), DMS (Shadipur) and NSIT (Dwarka) were found more on both pre-deepawali and deepawali days compared to 2019," the report added. Meanwhile, the central agency noticed a significant drop in the noise pollution level this year in comparison to 2019. The manual monitoring of six locations before Diwali revealed that the noise level was found declined at Lajpat Nagar, Mayur Vihar Phase-II, and Janakpuri, in comparison to previous year. However, the highest level was recorded at Kamla Nagar this year on pre-deepawali day, the report stated Meanwhile, real-time monitoring of ten stations showed that day time noise levels have decreased in 2020 as compared to pre-deepawali day of 2019 at seven locations. Only NSIT Dwarka, R.K. Puram and ITO stations have recorded a slight increase in day time noise. The night time noise found increased at Anand Vihar and ITO, the report said. CPCB carried out ambient air quality and noise level monitoring on select pre-Deepawali day (09.11.2020) and on Deepawali day (14.11.2020) in Delhi like previous years. Ambient Air Quality was monitored at 40 locations (3 manual stations and 37 real-time stations). Ambient Noise level was monitored at 16 locations (06 manual and 10 real-time noise monitoring stations). Three continuous air quality stations (operated by CPCB, NABL accredited) have been used for comparison with last five years' data. CPCB carried out ambient air quality and noise level monitoring on pre-deepawali and deepawali day in Delhi. The air quality was monitored at 40 locations with 3 manual stations and 37 real-time stations. Meanwhile, the ambient noise level was monitored at 16 locations including 6 manual and 10 real-time noise monitoring stations. The air quality dipped to severe at several places across the national capital on Saturday night owing to a combination of stubble burning and firecrackers burst during the Diwali celebrations in violation of a ban on the same. The Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM 2.5 pollutant stood at 481 in Anand Vihar, 444 in IGI Airport area, 457 in ITO, and 414 in Lodhi Road area, all four in the 'severe' category, at 11 pm on Saturday, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) data. A thick blanket of smog was seen at several places across the national capital as the Diwali celebrations came to an end late Saturday night. Meanwhile, the air quality was 460 at Anand Vihar, 382 at IGI Airport area, 415 at ITO, and 322 at Lodhi Road. --IANS str/rs/

Weather condition, stubble burning lead higher pollution on Diwali: CPCB

Arumugam Chinnaswamy set up his makeshift booth selling firecrackers in a Chennai neighbourhood a week ahead of <keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword>, the Hindu festival of lights, with great expectations of doing a brisk trade. Yet a week later, he has been forced to pack up more than half his stock in the hope he’ll have better luck next year. “Four years ago, I sold firecrackers worth 800,000 rupees (US$11,288) on the eve of Diwali alone. This year, the sales have not even been a quarter of that,” said Chinnaswamy, 65, painting a grim picture that will be recognised by many in the Indian fireworks industry. <a href="https://hp.teads.com/?utm_source=inread&amp;utm_medium=credits&amp;utm_campaign=invented%20by%20teads" target="_blank"></a> Chinnaswamy buys his firecrackers in Sivakasi, an industrial town in the southern Indian state of <keyword id="20154" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</keyword> that produces more than 90 per cent of the country’s fireworks. Sivakasi’s dry climate has helped to make it the firework capital of <a href="https://www.scmp.com/topics/india" class="link-text">India</a> and many production facilities in the town have been in the business for close to a century. For the most part, the industry has resisted mechanisation and still deals in handmade products. Its 1,100-plus manufacturing units provide jobs for 800,000 mostly uneducated workers and its diligent labour force have earned the town the nickname of ‘Little <keyword id="6355311" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="japan">Japan</keyword>’. But this reputation is under threat, struggling under the weight of an anti-pollution campaign, regulatory uncertainty and the arrival of cheap black-market Chinese imports. Irregular monsoons and a slowdown-induced cash crunch have not helped matters either. Industry figures estimate the Diwali sales of India’s 80 billion-rupee firecracker industry took a 30 per cent drop this year. A TOXIC PROBLEM With pollution in Indian cities among the worst in the world, the government has come under pressure to do something about the nation’s toxic air – a problem that becomes more acute during Diwali due to the toxic fumes emitted when celebratory fireworks are set off. This Diwali, for instance, many areas in New Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 999, the highest possible reading (the recommended limit is 60). That makes the fireworks industry seem like an easy target when it comes to meeting government air quality targets. Trouble began brewing in October last year when the Supreme Court banned the manufacture of traditional fireworks containing barium nitrate, a chief polluter. That decision put a rocket under the industry, as barium nitrate is cheap and is used in about 75 per cent of all firecrackers in India. Factories in Sivakasi responded with a four-month shutdown protest that decimated annual production levels by up to a third. Apparently realising it had overstepped the mark – and that enforcing the Supreme Court regulations would be next to impossible – the government stepped in to rescue the industry, offering its assistance in the manufacture of environment-friendly crackers containing fewer pollutants, but it was too little, too late. “The Supreme Court verdict was simply Delhi-centric with the vague idea of [cracking down on] urban pollution. It lacked any on-the-ground knowledge of the fireworks industry,” said Tamil Selvan, president of the Indian Fireworks Association, which represents more than 200 medium and large manufacturers. “Fireworks are low-hanging fruit for the anti-pollution drive as the industry is unorganised. Could the government or judiciary place a similar blanket ban on more pollution-causing industries like automobiles, plastics or tobacco?” asked Selvan. CHINESE COMPETITION The industry has also been hit by a flood of cheap Chinese firecrackers that are smuggled into the country on the black market. In September, the country’s federal anti-smuggling agency, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, cautioned various government departments that huge quantities of Chinese-produced firecrackers had reached Indian soil in the lead up to Diwali. But industry sources complain they have seen little action from the government to combat the problem. Legally, Indian manufacturers can neither import nor export firecrackers. The Indian firecracker industry is the second-largest in the world after <keyword id="1334" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>’s. Raja Chandrashekar, chief of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Fireworks Traders, a lobbying body, said low-end Indian-manufactured firecrackers such as roll caps and dot caps – popular among children – had struggled to compete with Chinese-made pop pops and throw bombs. “Despite our repeated complaints to government bodies, Chinese firecrackers find a way into India, particularly in the northern parts. This is severely affecting our business,” said Chandrashekar. While more Chinese fireworks might be entering India, the effect has been to undermine the industry, resulting in fewer sales overall. FIZZLING OUT? The Sivakasi fireworks industry faces other problems, too. Not least among these is the use of child labour, which had been rampant until a government crackdown a few years ago, and the practice of some factories to operate without proper licences and with questionable safety standards. But despite the darker aspects of the industry, its role goes beyond merely helping Diwali celebrations go with a bang every year. “The livelihoods of over five million people who are indirectly involved in the business, in areas such as trade and transport, depend on the survival of the industry,” said Chandrashekar. That survival looks increasingly in question. Dull sales of fireworks have been reported in major cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, though exact numbers can be hard to come by due to the unregulated nature of the industry and unreliable numbers shared by manufacturers. So great has the resultant outcry been that some cynics even wonder whether the industry is struggling as much as it claims or whether it is part of a ploy by manufacturers to gain more government concessions and avoid any further crackdown. “These firecracker manufacturers lie through their teeth about the Diwali sales for self-serving motives such as tax avoidance. The overall business is healthy,” said Vijay Kumar, editor of the Sivakasi-based monthly magazine Pyro India News. “Though there was a 30-40 per cent shortage in annual production, all the manufactured products have been sold this year. No large stockpile is left with any manufacturer.” Still, regardless of the manufacturers’ motives, the result of the industry’s struggles has been that street sellers like Chinnaswamy have fewer fireworks to sell – and they are struggling even to sell those. Chinnaswamy says people are confused about the government’s anti-pollution drive and about what firecrackers are now legal and this has discouraged them from buying. Despite the government’s effort to promote “green crackers” he says these are too hard to come by to be a ready solution, at least for this year. “There was no clarity on what type of firecrackers, whether green crackers or otherwise, can be set off and at what time of the day. Many consumers even asked me whether or not the conventional firecrackers are totally banned while there was much misinformation floating about on social media,” said Chinnaswamy. Shaking his head, all he can do is hope that next year his Diwali goes with more of a bang.

The explosive truth about the link between Chinese fireworks and India’s dim Diwali

The <keyword id="58529" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jharkhand-government">Jharkhand government</keyword> on Tuesday allowed congregation and religious ceremony on the banks of rivers, ponds and other public waterbodies for <keyword id="60716" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="chhath">Chhath</keyword> puja, two days after banning the same in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. <keyword id="1747596" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chief-minister-Hemant-Soren">Chief Minister Hemant Soren</keyword>, however, urged devotees to celebrate the <keyword id="59030" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chhath-festival">Chhath festival</keyword> at home as much as possible to avert the risk of getting infected by coronavirus. The government was criticised by opposition parties after <keyword id="10135899" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-state-disaster-management-committee">the State Disaster Management Committee</keyword> issued a guideline on Sunday night saying that no one would be allowed to assemble near waterbodies during the Chhath festival. The Chief Minister's Office on Tuesday said in a statement that the guideline has been amended and now devotees are allowed to hold Chhath puja on the banks of all types of waterbodies outside Containment Zones. Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that the threat of coronavirus is not yet over and appealed to the people of the state that they should follow other COVID protocols such as maintaining social distance and wearing masks while celebrating the festival in rivers and ponds and other waterbodies. He sought cooperation of the people in this regard. The administration, however, did not lift several of the measures listed in the guideline such as bursting of firecrackers, setting up of stalls and holding of cultural programmes near waterbodies. Earlier in the day, Soren chaired a meeting of <keyword id="9463880" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-state-disaster-management-authority">the State Disaster Management Authority</keyword> about safely holding the festival amid the pandemic situation. Disaster Management Minister Banna Gupta was present at the meeting. At the meeting, the chief minister said that public sentiment is attached with the Chhath puja during which devotees gather on the banks of rivers, ponds, dams and lakes in the morning and the evening. In such a situation, arrangements have to be made for organising the festival safely, he said. The BJP, which had slammed the government for disallowing congregation of devotees near waterbodies during the festival, welcomed the new decision. "At last the state government understood public sentiment," BJP state president Deepak Prakash said. Leaders of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the coalition partner Congress had also urged the government to allow people to assemble along waterbodies to celebrate the festival. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/as-covid-19-cases-spike-in-delhi-aarvind-kejriwal-government-has-proposed-plans-to-limit-guests-at-a-wedding-to-50-people/articleshow/79259569.cms">Delhi government wants weddings to be restricted to 50 people, markets to be sealed if norms violated</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/ahead-of-modi-and-xi-virtual-meet-at-brics-summit-india-foreign-minister-warns-of-rcep-damaging-consequences/articleshow/79257760.cms">India's Foreign Minister warns of RCEP's 'damaging consequences' ahead of Modi and Xi's virtual meet at BRICS summit</a>

Jharkhand government takes u-turn, allows Chhath puja celebrations along waterbodies

The world is becoming more conscious of the environmental pollution due to different kinds of human activity. Amidst the growing efforts in every sector to move towards eco-friendly alternatives, <keyword id="810932" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Eco-friendly-crackers">eco-friendly crackers</keyword> mark a new way of celebrating Diwali with less impact on the environment. <keyword id="6123753" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-crackers">Green crackers</keyword> as they are called, eco-friendly <keyword id="32601" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Crackers">crackers</keyword> are a new initiative by the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). These crackers feature different formulations than the present crackers and fireworks you will see around in the market. The goal of developing green crackers is to reduce pollution and minimize the health risks. What are green crackers? The regular firecrackers pose high degree of pollution and health risks. The green crackers or eco-friendly crackers are manufactured from alternative raw materials to leave lesser impact on the environment and pose lesser health risks. News about green crackers In a recent press meet held on October 5, 2019 in New Delhi, the Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan explained about the green crackers and showed some recently developed green crackers to the media persons like flower pots, pencils, sparklers and chakkar. Talking on the green crackers, the minister said the environmental friendly crackers will help maintain the vibrant tradition of celebrations besides also providing livelihood to millions of homes that are solely dependent on the manufacture and sale of fireworks. In a tweet, the minister said, “These will reduce the dust &amp; smoke associated with crackers by 30% and also reduce sulfur oxide &amp; nitrous oxide emissions by 20%”. Manufacture of green crackers The manufacture of green crackers has started in India already and thee eco-friendly crackers and fireworks are right now available for sellers and consumers in India in the market. The new formulations for the making of green crackers have been developed based on the suggestions received from the Supreme Court. Following the moves by the Supreme Court, so far about 230 MoUs and 165 non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) have been signed with the companies that manufacture fireworks. The green crackers have been developed as a result of the initiatives by the CSIR based on the new formulations for emitting lesser pollutants and sound. Since these crackers and fireworks make use of Potassium Nitrate as an oxidant, there will be about 30 percent reduction in the amount of particulate matter emitted. The prices of green crackers are lesser than or at least equal to the prices of the regular crackers. As per the instructions by the government, the green crackers manufacturers are printing a green logo developed by the government and a quick response (QR) code on the crackers and packets in order to help distinguish them from the regular ones. Why green crackers have been developed? On grounds of increasing pollution levels due to the firing of crackers, in October 2018, the Supreme Court had banned the manufacture, sale and use of crackers that are not environment friendly. The apex court had also announced some restrictions on the time of bursting the crackers during the <keyword id="3405" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-celebrations">Diwali celebrations</keyword>. During last year, the territory of Delhi faced very poor levels of air quality following Diwali due to the emissions from crackers and fireworks. As per the Supreme Court orders, the green crackers are not loud enough beyond a particular limit. It is mandatory for the green crackers to be free of harmful ingredients like arsenic, mercury and barium. The manufacturers must obtain clearance for the green crackers from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO). The CSIR got some samples of newly developed green crackers approved by the PESO and so the Supreme Court has permitted the bulk manufacturing of green crackers from May 2019. There is no better way of celebrating this Diwali then by buying green crackers you can find easily in the market.

What are eco-friendly crackers and how are they made

The tradition of bursting crackers brings so much excitement to <keyword id="3405" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-celebrations">Diwali celebrations</keyword>. Children and elders like crackers alike. While bursting crackers can be a great fund and entertainment, there are some downsides to bursting crackers including air and soil pollution. The loud sounds emanating from the crackers cause serious disturbances to people and animals. The widespread environmental and health hazards connected with the bursting of crackers has led to the government and courts apply some restrictions on the use of crackers and fireworks. Adverse effects of crackers Following the severe health hazards posed by the crackers for the residents in Delhi, the Supreme Court has ordered a ban on the sale of firecrackers. This move has received mixed reactions from the public. While we all can know the deadly effects of crackers on the already degenerating air quality, it is time that we take steps to prevent any health issues to this generation before it gets too late. With a creative planning, it is possible to replicate the fun of <keyword id="469551" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-without-crackers">Diwali without crackers</keyword>. Ideas to celebrate Diwali without crackers Go for short trips Plan for a short family trip or a get-together with close relatives you have not visited in the near past. This can bring in a lot of fun and also give room to refresh the relationships and bonds that has been robbed of our lives by the modern culture. Gift someone Use the money saved from crackers to buy some hand-made gifts or custom gifts to your near and dear ones. Gifts are a great way to make people happy. By gifting someone, you can make yourself happier than bursting crackers. Floral decorations and patterns in lamps Make attractive rangolis with family. This can give vent to your creative ideas and projecting the artists buried deep inside you. Arrange lamps in different patterns and geometrical designs. Lamps that are lit and arranged in different ways can add light, great looks and a sense of auspiciousness around. Do some charity Gift some sweets, clothes, toys or books to underprivileged children. Let the Diwali bring them happiness and cheers. Charity is in fact given a great importance in our religious tradition. Our scriptures say charity done during festivals bring added merits. Go gaming Diwali holiday can be used to play with family and friends. Give up the mobiles and digital gadgets for a day and commit yourself to spend them time together with family and groups. Since group games have disappeared from us, Diwali can be used to play team games with the family, friends, communities, and neighbors. Organize feasts Cook some delicious dishes and invite people to partake it with you. Sharing food with others can be great fun and can also bring in a lot of fulfilment and happiness. If possible, donate food to underprivileged ones. Concluding remarks By giving up crackers during Diwali, you are celebrating a greener Diwali giving your bit to the environment. While you get to save a lot of money, the amount you saved without buying crackers can be used for some other useful and interesting things connected with the festival. Diwali without crackers also means a safe Diwali with fewer accidents and health hazards.

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