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<ul><li>A recent study by Greenpeace has revealed that India ranks third on the world’s list of most polluted countries. </li><li>Seven of the world’s 10 most polluted cities are in India. </li><li>Globally, the alarming increase in air pollution is expected to cause 7 million premature deaths in the next year.</li></ul>A new study has revealed that India accounts for seven of the 10 most polluted cities in the world, with Gurugram ranking as the worst in the world with highest level of pollutants. Countrywise, India ranks third on the world ranking for <a href="https://www.airvisual.com/world-most-polluted-cities?continent=&amp;country=&amp;state=&amp;page=1&amp;perPage=50&amp;cities=">highest</a> PM 2.5 concentration, which are tiny particles believed to the most harmful for human health. Gurugram, in the National Capital Region, is the most polluted city in India and the world — with an average <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/21193/latest-air-pollution-data-ranks-worlds-cities-worst-to-best/">air quality index</a> at 135.8, recorded last year. Other Indian cities that rank in the top 10 list includes Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, Noida, Patna, and Lucknow . The report published by Greenpeace, India has highlighted that the alarming increase in air pollution may cause seven million premature deaths globally next year due to unequal distribution of PM 2.5 particles contributing to air pollution. Overall, 64% of the 3,000 cities covered in the report surpassed the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on PM2.5 exposure, which includes pollutants such as sulphate, nitrate and black carbon among others. These particles may also lead to lung and heart disorders. This comes when India already has the most number of real-time data coverage centers, monitoring the <keyword id="2071721" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Quality-Index">air quality index</keyword> around the country. It’s evident that in addition to monitoring, there is a pressing need to set pollution reduction targets and consumption caps on polluting fuels such as coal, petroleum and diesel in the most polluted areas. Productivity losses from pollution covers nearly 8.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in India, as per the World Bank analysis. In fact, stubble burning contributing to pollution, has lead to economic loss of ₹ 2 trillion in India, annually. Stressing on the world economy Yeb Sano, Executive Director of Greenpeace South East Asia <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/international/press-release/21193/latest-air-pollution-data-ranks-worlds-cities-worst-to-best/">said</a> “Air pollution steals our livelihoods and our futures, but we can change that. In addition to human lives lost, there’s an estimated global cost of $225 billion in lost labour, and trillions in medical costs. This has enormous impacts, on our health and on our wallets.” According to another <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/most-polluted-cities-in-india-will-still-have-filthy-air-despite-ncap-says-greenpeace/articleshow/67749627.cms">report</a> by Greenpeace on pollution, even if the country reduces PM10 levels that it targets to accomplish by 2024, India will still have 139 cities with hazardous pollution levels. Here’s a list of the 10 most polluted cities across the globe: <ol><li>Gurugram, India</li><li>Ghaziabad, India</li><li>Faisalabad, Pakistan</li><li>Faridabad, India</li><li>Bhiwadi, India</li><li>Noida, India</li><li>Patna, India</li><li>Lucknow, India</li><li>Hotan,China</li><li>Lahore, Pakistan</li></ol>See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/most-polluted-cities-in-india-will-still-have-filthy-air-despite-ncap-says-greenpeace/articleshow/67749627.cms">India's plan to fight air pollution has a flaw, says Greenpeace</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pollution-aside-stubble-burning-may-have-cost-india-a-loss-of-2-trillion-study/articleshow/68264811.cms">Pollution aside, stubble burning may have cost India a loss of ₹2 trillion: Study</a>

India accounts for 7 of the world’s 10 most polluted cities — with Gurugram ranked as the worst: Study

A luxurious city with crystalline structures, sumptuous apartments, ritzy malls and shopping arcades—that’s what comes to mind when we think of Gurgaon. But behind the glossy veneer lies a darker side. Built as mandated by the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, which encouraged the private sector to develop huge land parcels and build apartment blocks and office complexes, Gurgaon is an example of poor urban planning, mismanagement and malfunctioning infrastructure. The city that aims to become India’s <keyword id="6356662" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Singapore">Singapore</keyword> by 2021 has poor air quality, roads with potholes and chaotic traffic to show for itself. Also consider the absence of public transport; a water table depleting at an alarming rate of 2-3 m per year; 8-10 hours of daily power cuts; sewage spilling on roads in the absence of waste management; 50 per cent of the population residing in haphazard conditions; and a high crime rate. 
 To make Gurgaon truly smart, all these issues must be considered by government agencies and private developers. For its part, the <keyword id="2970864" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gurgaon-government">Gurgaon government</keyword> has come up with a zero-outage target to be achieved within a year; this smart energy grid vision offers scope—and hope—for the city to become smart. Smart water management and conservation and rainwater harvesting would lead to availability of water 24/7 while recharging groundwater. To enhance infrastructure services, smart infrastructure design and planning are needed in sync with local government initiatives. To tackle traffic issues, smart integrated mobility would reduce private vehicular traffic by providing better public transport and last mile connectivity and prediction and mitigation of congestion would lead to better air quality. And the mammoth structures of glass must turn smart, adding intelligence to buildings to conserve energy, and become responsive and interactive in order to fulfil the demands of occupants. 
 
(The article has been contributed by Pratap Padode, Fouder and Director of Smart City Council of India.) 
 
Courtesy: <keyword id="2827653" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smart-Cities-Council-India">Smart Cities Council India</keyword> 
<a href="http://india.smartcitiescouncil.com/">http://india.smartcitiescouncil.com/</a>

Way to Smart Gurgaon

Delhi's air quality worsened again and slipped into the 'severe' category on Tuesday morning. At 9:36 am, the air quality index (AQI) was 414. The AQI at Bawana, Wazirpur, Anand Vihar and Rohini was 445, 442, 442 and 440 respectively. According to the government air quality monitoring service SAFAR, the city's air quality was in very poor category on Monday which turned to severe by the evening. The average AQI stood at 360 on Sunday. In the National Capital Region (NCR), the AQI in Noida was 436, while Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 445. Greater Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad recorded AQI of 436, 365 and 404 respectively. On Monday, most of the 37 air quality monitoring stations in Delhi recorded air quality in the 'severe' category. An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. Above 500 falls in the 'severe plus' category. With the winter setting in, a dip in the minimum temperature makes the air cold and heavy leading to accumulation of pollutants close to the ground.

Delhi's air quality dips and peaks as citizens hold their breath

<ul><li><keyword id="2370" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="hollywood">Hollywood</keyword> actor and an <keyword id="6356826" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ENVIRONMENT">environment</keyword> activist <keyword id="26566" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Leonardo-DiCaprio">Leonardo DiCaprio</keyword> shared images of the protest against <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> in Delhi. </li><li>India’s national capital Delhi has been gasping for air as Air Quality Index went beyond 1000 in several parts of the city. </li><li>Several celebrities in India like Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza – have spoken about the toxic air in Delhi on their social media pages. </li></ul>Hollywood actor and an environment activist Leonardo DiCaprio has shared images of the latest protest held in Delhi against rising air pollution-- on his Instagram feed. DiCaprio reposted images about the protest on November 5 where 1500 people participated. Within 20 hours of the actor posting the image, there were over 7 lakh likes on it <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[


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 India’s national capital Delhi has been gasping for air as Air Quality Index went beyond 1000 in several parts of the city. As air turned hazardous, schools closed down, corporates offered work from home options and Delhi government implemented the odd-even scheme. Several celebrities in India like Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza – too have spoken about the toxic air in Delhi on their social media pages. Last Sunday, a Citizen Mass Meet was organized in Gurgaon to demand corrective measures to fight air pollution. The protestors were hoping to find an amicable solution to stubble burning, unauthorized construction, and burning of coal and wood. They were also suggesting options like improving public transportation – and expanding green cover. Recently, Indian ride hailing unicorn Ola and global tech giant Microsoft too inked a partnership to measure real-time street air quality index in Delhi. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/makemytrip-ceo-deep-kalra-to-protest-against-air-pollution-in-gurgaon-on-sunday/articleshow/72065559.cms">MakeMyTrip CEO is one of 10,000 people planning a protest against air pollution in Gurgaon on Sunday</a>

Leonardo DiCaprio joins the list of celebrities to voice their concerns on Delhi’s air pollution

(Photo Source : IANS) <ul><li>Around 35% of residents in <keyword id="157098" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-NCR">Delhi-NCR</keyword> say they have given up on central and state governments’ ability to act against pollution and want to move out of Delhi NCR, said a recent survey by citizens forum LocalCircles </li><li>More than half of the respondents reported they were facing a pollution issue while 13% said they had seen no impact on their health. </li><li>Around 57% of the respondents said they do not use masks or air <keyword id="2029750" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="purifiers">purifiers</keyword> to fight pollution. </li></ul>Pollution levels in Delhi and the National Capital Region have become so bad that 35% of residents of India’s capital say they want to leave the city permanently, said a <a href="https://www.localcircles.com/a/press/page/delhi-ncr-residents-want-to-leave-the-city-due-to-air-pollution#.W-wBLOgzbIU">survey </a>conducted by a social media based organisation, LocalCircles. Another 12% of residents say they will continue living but want to get away temporarily when pollution levels are higher. A staggering 57% of respondents said they have faced health issues because of pollution but haven’t seen a doctor yet, while 30% of respondents said they or a family member had seen a doctor or visited a hospital in the last three weeks because of air pollution. Only 13% said they had seen no impact of pollution on their family , said India Times the <a href="https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/almost-35-of-people-in-delhi-ncr-want-to-permanently-leave-the-city-due-to-toxic-air-pollution-356650.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">report</a>. Several medical experts have warned residents in the region about the health risks of worsening air quality in the region, particularly the harmful effects of PM2.5 and PM10 particles that can cause damage in the lungs when inhaled. Over 100,000 children below the age of five have succumbed to health issues said <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/toxic-air-killed-highest-number-of-children-in-india-in-2016-who-report/articleshow/66446692.cms">a WHO report. </a> Stop-gap measures More than half of the respondents seemed unprepared to cope with the pollution with air purifiers and masks with 56% of those polled saying they had neither. While <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-national-capital-records-very-poor-air-quality-ahead-of-festival-season/articleshow/66380366.cms">air purifiers</a> and air masks have flooded the market, many high quality ones that protect against the dangerous PM 2.5 particles remain expensive and out of reach for many. Air purifiers can range from ₹ 8,000 to ₹40,000. Unsurprisingly, only 8% of respondents said they had an air purifier. And only around 15% said they had face masks. And another 21% said they had both an air purifier and a mask. The survey polled over 12,000 citizens living in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad. Delhi’s air quality improved from ‘severe’ to ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-national-capital-records-very-poor-air-quality-ahead-of-festival-season/articleshow/66380366.cms">very poor</a> ’ category on Wednesday. According to Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the air quality is likely to improve in the coming two days, reported <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/quit-ncr-poll-finds-35-of-respondents-want-to-leave/some-respite/slideshow/66619682.cms">Economic Times</a>. SEE ALSO : <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/clean-air-week-india-to-deploy-emergency-measures-for-controlling-air-pollution/articleshow/66446663.cms">‘Clean Air Week’ — India to deploy emergency measures for controlling air pollution</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-iit-jodhpur-has-developed-a-future-fuel-made-of-sunlight-and-water/articleshow/66546362.cms">India’s IIT-Jodhpur has developed a ‘future fuel’ made of sunlight and wate</a>r <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/diwali-fireworks-backfire-over-300-people-arrested-for-violating-sc-order/articleshow/66555141.cms">Diwali fireworks backfire: Over 300 people arrested for violating SC order</a> <h1 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: 1.1em; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(34, 34, 34) !important;"> </h1>

Fed up of pollution, more than 35% of residents in India’s capital say they want to move out permanently: Survey

<ul><li>As <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> levels continue to worsen in India’s national capital and its surrounding area, New Delhi has decided to observe ‘Clean Air Week’ between 1 November to 5 November.</li><li>52 teams along with the support of local police and representatives from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will be coming together for the campaign.</li><li>The campaign will cover New Delhi and the surrounding areas of the National Capital Region (NCR)— Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida.</li></ul>The air quality in India’s national capital, New Delhi, has become a major challenge <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/toxic-air-killed-highest-number-of-children-in-india-in-2016-who-report/articleshow/66446692.cms">threatening millions of lives</a>. The growing concern for air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) has pushed the government to organise a Clean Air Week from 1 November to 5 November. It’s an initiative by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in collaboration with the Delhi government and the other NCR cities, in order to combat the worsening conditions. Clean Air Week, scheduled just ahead of <keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword>, will bring together <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/clean-air-week-52-teams-supported-by-local-police-to-be-on-ground-in-delhi-4-neighbouring-cities/articleshow/66451468.cms">52 teams</a> along with the local police to take action against polluters in New Delhi and its neighbouring cities including Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad from this Thursday. Teams have also been formed to ensure safety on the roads of Delhi-NCR. Each team would have a senior official from MoEFCC and representatives from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). 44 of these teams are based out of Delhi and other cities will have 2 teams each supported by the local police. The teams will also ensure that the repeat offenders are taken seriously by ensuring criminal proceedings and that citizens abide by the <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/firecracker-ban-firecrackers-other-than-green-crackers-will-not-be-sold-in-delhi-ncr-supreme-court/307240">restrictions on placed on fireworks</a>. The Indian Supreme Court has directed that citizens in Delhi-NCR can only burst crackers between 8 PM and 10 PM during Diwali, one of India’s most popular Hindu festivals. And, people can’t just burst any old firecrackers, they have to be ‘<a href="https://news.google.com/articles/CBMihgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5pbmRpYXRvZGF5LmluL21haWwtdG9kYXkvc3RvcnkvZ3JlZW4tY3JhY2tlcnMtc2hvcGtlZXBlcnMtZGVsaGktbm9pZGEtc3VwcmVtZS1jb3VydC1lY28tZnJpZW5kbHktZGl3YWxpLTEzNzkxNTEtMjAxOC0xMC0zMdIB1AFodHRwczovL3d3dy1pbmRpYXRvZGF5LWluLmNkbi5hbXBwcm9qZWN0Lm9yZy92L3Mvd3d3LmluZGlhdG9kYXkuaW4vYW1wL21haWwtdG9kYXkvc3RvcnkvZ3JlZW4tY3JhY2tlcnMtc2hvcGtlZXBlcnMtZGVsaGktbm9pZGEtc3VwcmVtZS1jb3VydC1lY28tZnJpZW5kbHktZGl3YWxpLTEzNzkxNTEtMjAxOC0xMC0zMT9hbXBfanNfdj0wLjEjd2Vidmlldz0xJmNhcD1zd2lwZQ?hl=en-IN&amp;gl=IN&amp;ceid=IN%3Aen">green fireworks</a>’. The meeting held under the chairmanship of Union Environment Secretary, CK Mishra, proposed certain urgent steps that can be taken to address the issue. The Delhi government has also been asked to deploy 400 sprinklers as a backup to mitigate any crisis. In addition, construction sites in area have been instructed to shut down temporarily. Even trucks carrying construction and demolition waste aren’t allowed to move around the city uncovered. And if they do, the trucks will be confiscated. Mishra’s proposal also stated that the authorities will have to ensure that there is no burning of industrial waste and biomass fuel. Since of one the main problems in Delhi is its burgeoning traffic, it has also been advised that the Delhi traffic police launch a special drive for lane driving. District magistrates have be enrolled to ensure security and safety in their respective areas. The CPCB teams will be monitoring the <keyword id="2071721" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Quality-Index">air quality index</keyword> in Delhi and NCR region while the campaign will continue till 5 November. It has been emphasised that all the necessary steps must be taken to ensure that air quality levels don’t plummet even further.

‘Clean Air Week’ — India to deploy emergency measures for controlling air pollution

<ul><li>Over ₹8.3 million was collected within a span of just two days as ‘<keyword id="7002739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Clean-air-week">Clean Air Week</keyword>’ was implemented in India’s national capital.</li></ul><ul><li>The 52 teams deployed for the monitoring worked in Delhi and the neighbouring cities to keep the pollution levels in check. </li></ul><ul><li>The total penalised amount for Friday was recorded to be ₹3.9 million and ₹4.2 million for Saturday with a majority of complaints specific to illegal construction and demolition activities. </li></ul>During ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/clean-air-week-india-to-deploy-emergency-measures-for-controlling-air-pollution/articleshow/66446663.cms">Clean Air Week</a>’ the Indian government has shown its seriousness by imposing penalties on people who were found violating the regulations put forward by India’s Central Pollution Control Board (<keyword id="68804" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="CPCB">CPCB</keyword>). In fact, over <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/politics/over-rs-83-lakh-penalty-imposed-for-violating-pollution-norms-cpcb/articleshow/66500454.cms">₹8.3 million</a> was levied in just two days as the directives were brought into force in India’s national capital, New Delhi, and its neighboring areas. The teams deployed under the campaign monitored the implementation measures taken to overcome the deteriorating condition of air pollution, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said. These teams visited different parts of Delhi and the neighbouring cities including Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Gurgaon to keep a check on the status of the quick action. Looks like the citizens are now showing concern towards the environment they’re living in since around 576 complaints were lodged on Friday itself. This resulted in the <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rs-80-lakh-penalty-imposed-in-two-days-for-polluting-activities-in-delhi-ncr-cpcb/story-SNU9QumRAXuHQdtcAdfYVI.html">collection</a> ₹3.9 million in fine by the 52 teams onboard in the national capital. Come Saturday, fines escalated to ₹4.2 million from the 465 complaints that were registered. CPCB also said that most of the complaints that were registered on Saturday were specific to illegal construction and demolition activities. This covered 167 of the total complaints registered. But despite air pollution being the most trending topic of concern for the national capital, people have continued with their regular practices of industrial emission and garbage burning. Along with this, a lot of complaints were related to the vehicular emission, traffic congestion and pollution from the generators. Also the internet has shown a positive <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rs-80-lakh-penalty-imposed-in-two-days-for-polluting-activities-in-delhi-ncr-cpcb/story-SNU9QumRAXuHQdtcAdfYVI.html">response</a> towards the situation since 376 of the total complaints were through the ‘Sameer App’ launched as a government initiative to combat the worsening air pollution levels and around 89 were through social media platforms and e-mail messages. But there’s a lot to achieve still since the <keyword id="2071721" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Quality-Index">Air Quality Index</keyword> (AQI) was <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/over-rs-83-lakh-penalty-imposed-on-sunday-for-violating-pollution-norms-cpcb/1372399/">recorded</a> to be 336, which still falls under the ‘very poor’ category according to the CPCB and is still worsening at an alarming rate. The pollution levels were recorded to be the worse this Monday. The government is working rigorously towards the problem and directed the transport department and traffic police to intensify the checking of polluted vehicles in order to control the pollution levels.

India’s ‘Clean Air Week’ crackdown resulted in the collection ₹8.3 million in fines

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> in a verdict blamed disappearance of Aravalli Hills as one of reasons for rising pollution in Delhi. </li><li>31 out of 128 Aravalli hills in <keyword id="6355588" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="rajasthan">Rajasthan</keyword> have disappeared due to <keyword id="6367140" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="illegal-mining">illegal mining</keyword> activities. </li><li>The negligence of the Rajasthan government has led to severe environmental consequences. </li></ul>The Supreme Court have discovered one more reason for deteriorating air quality in New Delhi. The <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/shocking-human-activity-is-making-entire-hills-in-the-aravallis-disappear-with-disastrous-long-term-consequences/1360378/">unrestrained mining activities by real estate firms have caused much damage to Aravalli Hills</a> in Rajasthan. In fact, 31 out of 128 hills in the range have already disappeared and the number is only increasing. Rajasthan government has been held responsible for not keeping a check on illegal mining activities being performed in 115.34 hectare area of the range. The court has instructed the state to take immediate steps to restrict these activities within 48 hours. The state government was getting a royalty of ₹5,000 crore against illegal mining activities conducted on the hilly area. Aravalli Hills have been playing a crucial role in balancing the climate of Indus-Ganga plain in Northern India. Many climatic factors like rainfall, and soil conservation are dependent on the old mountain range. Inching sand dunes towards National Capital Region <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/how-shrinking-aravalis-opened-giant-gateway-for-dust-pollution-in-delhi-ncr/articleshow/65816163.cms">Sand dunes are approaching National capital region</a> through the Harchandpur village, Sohna which is merely 20 km from Gurgaon and 60 km, revealed a study by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in 2017. The Aravallis in Rajasthan and Haryana used keep the velocity of wind in check, but because of the mining activity the wind pattern is getting directed towards the plateau and that contains a lot of sand and dust. Limited seasonal rain Earlier, the hills accelerate seasonal rainfall in the nearby areas. The degradation in hills along with changing land patterns and weather exploitation has decreased the amount of seasonal rainfall to minimal. As a consequence, the mining activities are transforming land in barren desserts. Decline in number of rainy days To much surprise, the damage is not only accelerating the pollution level but it is also decreasing the number of rainy days from 60 to 80 days to 18-30 days which is constantly affecting monsoon patterns in North India.

Here’s how the vanishing Aravalli hills in Rajasthan are affecting air quality in Delhi

A few months ago, my doctor told me that I couldn’t run outside anymore. I didn’t protest. For the past four years, I’ve gone on a run every alternate day in Gurgaon, in the NCR region. However, I find my stamina decreasing each year. And the headaches and coughs are getting worse. I finally caved in and went to a doctor after a bout of incessant coughing kept me up for hours at night. “Go to a gym,” he said, “and make sure that the gym has an air purifier”. On April 17th, <a href="https://www.stateofglobalair.org/sites/default/files/soga-2018-report.pdf">a report </a>released by the Health Effects Institute, an American non-profit, showed that India accounted for roughly 25% of all deaths related to <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> in 2016, while <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> led with 26%. Furthermore, India and China together accounted for 50% of all 106 million disability-adjusted life years, which is the number of healthy years lost in a person’s life due to air pollution. The report, titled “The State of Global Air”, explained that outdoor air pollution, or exposure to PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers), and indoor air pollution (the residential burning of coal, biomass and waste) together accounted for well over 6 million deaths in 2016. This makes air pollution the highest environmental health risk and the fourth highest cause of deaths in the world after high blood pressure, obesity and tobacco usage. And the problem is getting worse. The number of annual deaths attributable to PM2.5 have increased by more than 20% from 1990 and 9% from 2010 on a global level. Not only does being exposed to PM2.5 lead to lung diseases and respiratory infections, but it can also increase the chances of heart attacks and strokes and has been linked to diabetes, mental illnesses and degenerative brain diseases like dementia. As recently as last year, a toxic <keyword id="68139" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smog">smog</keyword> over <keyword id="66" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword> (in November 2017) resulted in a <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Science/Ql9lrhoB3jixBXDzxrKJJI/Delhi-pollution-Smog-shortening-lives-say-doctors-as-hospi.html">threefold rise in patients</a> at the city’s Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute. Manoj Khati, a shopkeeper and long-time resident of Delhi, said that what he initially thought was a heaving cough turned out to be chronic bronchitis. "For three days I haven't stopped coughing, I felt as though I would die," he said in a statement to the AFP at the time. The Health Effects Institute’s report initially presents air pollution as a global problem by saying that 95% of the world’s population live in areas that exceed the WHO’s guidelines for healthy air. However, 58% live in areas that do not meet the body’s least-stringent air quality target (PM2.5 concentrations above 35 micrograms per cubic meter), and they are largely in the developing world - North Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and China. In fact, the relative difference in PM2.5 concentrations between the least-polluted and most-polluted countries is rising rapidly, from a 5-fold gap in 1990 to a 11-fold gap in 2016, as developing countries are prioritising economic growth over pollution control. The report, does however, highlights China’s progress in reducing air pollution compared to countries in the Indian subcontinent. India has a population-weighted annual average concentration of 76 micrograms per cubic meter compared to China’s 56. While China experienced a dramatic increase in average weighted concentrations prior to 2010, its exposure levels have since declined. Meanwhile, from 2010 to 2016, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India have recorded the sharpest increases in PM2.5 concentrations in the world. The air pollution problem isn’t only restricted to cities. People living in rural areas are becoming increasingly vulnerable to health problems caused by the burning of solid fuels like biomass and coal for the purposes of cooking and heating. Household air pollution lead to 2.6 million deaths in 2016, a large share of which came from countries in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 2.45 billion people in the world are exposed to indoor pollution, of which 560 million are in India and 416 million are in China. The lower access to healthcare in rural areas makes the problem especially acute. Nearly <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/15/health/india-air-pollution-study-intl/index.html">75% of deaths</a> due to air pollution in India are said to take place in rural areas. Most importantly, the burden of air pollution falls disproportionately on the very old and the very young. Around 62% of the burden of disease attributable to exposure to PM2.5 falls on people above the age of 50, while 28% of the total years lost due to indoor burning of solid fuels fall on children below the age of 5. Not only are we failing our senior citizens, but we’re also failing the youngest members of our global population. I’ve started running on a treadmill in a swanky gym not too far from my house. I’m slowly building up my stamina again. But the headaches and coughs, while less severe, are still a problem. I can’t completely avoid exposure to the air outside. I have no option to leave my house every day during the week for work or on the weekend in pursuit of a social life. Like every other resident in the National Capital Region, I am trapped in a gas chamber. And because the day-to-day changes in air quality are minimal, we choose to ignore the problem. As the saying goes, if it’s everyone’s problem, then its no one’s. While the Modi administration has sought to protect its own by <a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/india-pollution-air-purifiers/exclusive-faced-with-delhis-pollution-modis-government-bought-air-purifiers-idINKBN1GW0TR">installing air purifiers</a> in the Prime Minister’s office and six other government agencies, the government’s efforts to reduce air pollution on a local and national scale leave a lot to be desired. There have been a few steps in the right direction, however. At the beginning of this month, fuel stations in New Delhi <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/bharat-stage-6-fuel-goes-on-sale-in-delhi-ncr-heres-how-itll-affect-your-car/1118188/">started selling Bharat Stage VI</a>, the cleanest category of fuel in the country. The move will need to be backed up the gradual phasing out of old vehicles and the priority production of compliant vehicles by manufacturers. Additionally, in order to reduce indoor air pollution, the government is also <a href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/6-000-new-distributors-to-boost-lpg-s-rural-reach-117101900465_1.html">expanding the distribution</a> of liquefied petroleum gas to people in rural areas. The Central Pollution Control Board is also setting emission standards for a range of industries from power to cement. In January this year, the government <a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/mbErel.aspx?relid=175437">announced the launch</a> of its National Clean Air Programme, aimed at controlling air pollution in the medium term. Coincidentally, the environment ministry released the <a href="http://envfor.nic.in/sites/default/files/NCAP%20with%20annex-ilovepdf-compressed.pdf">draft guidelines</a> of the programme yesterday, inviting recommendations by the 17th of May. The guidelines include protocols for setting up an extensive network of monitoring stations, an air quality forecasting system, a pollution management plan for 100 cities and a plantation drive. However, the guidelines did not include any specific targets for pollution reduction and they were heavily skewed towards the monitoring of air quality as opposed to its improvement. The State of the Air report concluded on a note of urgency with respect to India. “If no further action is taken, population exposures to PM2.5 are likely to increase by over 40% by 2050”. If you thought the air in Indian cities was unbreathable now, it’s going to get a lot worse over the next three decades. We can all go to gyms if we can’t run outside, but where will we go if we can’t walk outdoors anymore?

India accounts for 25% of all air pollution deaths in the world

<keyword id="6521786" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Urban-planning">Urban planning</keyword> and its execution at present in India can at best be described as being rudimentary. The rains and the ‘urban floods’ that one sees in cities as distant as Mumbai and Gurgaon are living examples of the urban experience in India. The purpose is not to demean or demotivate architects and urban planners and their enormous contribution since India’s Independence. However, it is to bring to the fore the fact that citizens’ experience within cities is not pleasant in most cities in India today. Part of the problem has to do with the massive influx of people and the inability of the cities’ <keyword id="17408" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="infrastructure">infrastructure</keyword> to cater to this influx. However, part of it also has to do with the inability of state and the private sector to provide services while having a rent-seeking mentality. 
 
The first of these problems/opportunities that exist is with respect to urban housing and allied urban services. It includes not only delivery of quality housing to value conscious people moving to cities but also looking at fulfilling other related and allied services. It also includes the provision of gas supply, electricity supply, and water supply. The range of services can either be public or private. However, the major point is the delivery of these services at competitive rates for value-conscious consumers. 
 
Secondly, roads, mobility platforms/systems, etc. that form major infrastructure elements within Indian cities need to be designed/ maintained properly. These along with waste are often not accorded the attention that they deserve in India especially with the kind of urban density that Indian cities have. Drainage and sanitation are often an issue in the rainy season that causes several water-borne diseases. Proper sewage disposal, drainage systems as well as fully functional waste collection system as it leaves individual houses are crucial for building a healthy city. 
 Third, most Indian cities are without lungs. It is because most of them do not have proper landscape planning and a functional mechanism for the preservation of trees. India’s cities are the one of the most polluted cities in the world. According to a recent report by the World Bank, the economic impact of the ambient air <keyword id="13001" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="pollution">pollution</keyword> in India is as high as atleast1.6% of its GDP. The problems of asthma and other lung related ailments are precisely due to the ‘lack of lungs’ in the cities along with air pollution. 
 
Fourth, mobility options within a city are often limited and problematic. These relate to end-to-end mobility choices within cities that are safe, comfortable as well as cost effective. Mass transit systems work wonders in dense urban locations but can be a nightmare to design and implement. Choices like collective biking for people who reside close to their workplaces can also contribute to a healthy city. Also, real-time information within cities is critical for making quick decisions. It includes not just the GPS system for directional navigation but also information about traffic flows that could prevent congestion and lead to productivity gains and an efficient city. 
 
Finally, while designing and building cities of the future one has to look carefully at the workplaces and commercial spaces within the city. These form the economic engine within a city. As the middle class in India increases further, these are bound to take greater prominence within cities. 
 
Over the next two decades, these broad areas should be focused on to mitigate the adverse effects of India’s burgeoning urban population and build more livable cities. It will not only enable systematic urban development but also help in making urban reality a pleasant experience in India. 
 
(The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Competitiveness, India. Amit Kapoor is Chair, Institute for Competitiveness &amp; Editor of Thinkers. The views expressed are personal. Amit can be reached at <a href="mailto:amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in">amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in</a> and tweets @kautiliya)

Making Future Indian Cities more Livable

After missing out the all-time favorite noodles <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Maggi+">Maggi </a>in our menu, it’s the king of the kitchen, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=onion">onion</a>, which makes us cry now. With soaring prices of onion, sellers are now finding newer ways to woo the customers. And the best they can think of is to sell this key ingredient to prepare Indian meals at a lesser price. 
 
As per an Economic Times report, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=online+grocery">online grocery stores</a> like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Localbanya">Localbanya</a>, MeraGrocer, <keyword id="3020147" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Freshfalsabzi">Freshfalsabzi</keyword>.com and <keyword id="2817480" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="GrocerMax">GrocerMax</keyword> are offering onions at Rs 40-69 per kilogram against Rs 80 or more per kg in the retail market. 
 
If experts are to be believed, these online platforms are able to sell onions at such a low price because they’ve cut-out the middlemen. 
 <keyword id="2047523" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="LocalBanya">Localbanya</keyword> CEO Karan Mehrotra cleared the air by saying that they could make it because of a mix marketing strategy and procurement. He said, "We do take a hit on margins at times for the benefit of customers.” 
 
The eCommerce platform, which is partly inventory-led, also uses just-in-time procurement, thus gets very good deals at times and it passes on the benefits to the customers. Localbanya started a grocery subscription plan this week. 
 
Another Delhi-based online fruits and vegetable retailer FreshFalSabzi too is selling onions at Rs 40 per kg. "We are selling onions at a loss but have reduced marketing spends, including spends on local ads and sponsorships," said Rajesh Gupta, chairman of the RSND Group-promoted FreshFalSabzi, which has hired TV actress Sakshi Tanwar to promote the site. The e-tailer gets vegetables directly from farms and is selling them on a no-profit-no-loss model at least for now, said Gupta. 
 
The price rise is not just limited to onions. After unseasonal rains hit the country this year, prices of other essential fruits and vegetables like potato, brinjal, radish and carrot are also going up in the markets. On the other hand, the online prices are said to be at least 10% cheaper. 
 
In a similar move, Gurgaon-based online store MeraGrocer ran a 30% discount promotion from Wednesday to Sunday and it offered onions for Rs 42 per kg. The company has extended the campaign to this week as well, but this time only for vegetables. 
 
"The whole campaign was around the concept of cheaper than wholesale price. Cheaper than Azadpur mandi," said Saurabh Chadha, co-founder of MeraGrocer. The company has also decided to offer daily discount deals, he added. 
 The online grocers, as per the industry insiders, aren’t making money and are running short of money as most of them have already spent a lot on marketing and promotions. A recent report by researcher Kantar Worldpanel, eCommerce for fast-moving consumer goods (<keyword id="34523" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="fmcg">FMCG</keyword>) will increase 47% to $53 billion by 2016, up from $36 billion in 2014. 
 
As per K Radhakrishnan, co-founder Grocermax.com, "We have driven the selling price down to Rs 69.50 per kg for 45-55 mm diameter onions, whereas similar quality is selling at Rs 80 to 85 (in the open market). Customers are sometimes unaware that traders mix small-sized onions which they end up buying." 
 Fresh FalSabzi.com's Gupta said, the minimum order value is Rs 249 and it doesn't sell more than 2 kg of onions to a customer on a given day to prevent hoarding. "For other vegetables, we ensure at least 10% discount compared to the retail price elsewhere," he said. Some sites engage in cross-subsidies. The founder of one <keyword id="1640900" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Online-grocery">online grocery</keyword> said prices of lemon, beetroot and lettuce have been raised to keep onion rates down. 
 
<a href="http://www.chilloutpoint.com/images/2010/05/naughty-mischievous-baby-boys/naughty-mischievous-baby-boys-11.jpg">Image source</a>

Now, you can buy Onions at Rs 40 per kg at the most unlikely market place

Yup, you have got it right – there’s no typo here. We are not talking about the traditional Monday morning blues that make people call in sick. Neither are we talking about the just-back-from-vacation crowd who is bound to feel a flutter in the stomach when faced with stomaching the gruelling workplace routine once again. Instead, there is a not-so-recognised but alarmingly growing trend when a perfectly healthy individual walks in smiling in the morning and limps back home pale and unwell after the work hours, often calling <keyword id="343" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Friends">friends</keyword> and family and telling them how ill she is. In one extreme case, a friend called up a neighbourhood drugstore from her office, ordered some pills and asked the shop to deliver the package to a neighbour so that she could swallow some as soon as she was in. Could it be a ‘sudden attack’ of some mysterious flu? Could be, in a few cases, but some therapists and workplace counsellors feel it is nothing more or less than a <keyword id="23666" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="stress">stress</keyword> attack at work – mostly triggered by seemingly inconsequential things that stress you out at the end of the day. 
 
To deal with after-work blues, check out these six things that could be hampering your feeling of well-being. 
 
Don’t skip food – it will suck you to the bottom 
Energy wise, that is, and it can very well affect your work. So get the basics right before it is too late. By basics, we mean basics – healthy food, lots of liquid and a few tea/coffee breaks in-between that should not mar your productivity, but will keep your energy up the whole day. It’s easier said than done, of course. Some crucial meeting may be scheduled during lunch and you could be grabbing some snacks (instead of a proper meal) as and when you get time. Worse still, some people sit hunched up all day – sipping coffee or cola as they work. Well, that’s not helping you exactly. 
 
Our body craves food when it is fill-in time and you are bound to snap up if you skip lunch regularly. But in case you can’t take a 30-45 minute break for lunch, here’s some sound suggestion. Just split it up, instead of eating in chunks. Try to have a quick and early lunch whenever it fits your schedule and give it another go around 3.30-4 pm. Also, get some nutritious cookies for healthy snacking if you are working late. And drink as much juice/water as you can. Once I came across a particularly busy executive who made it a habit to keep his glass filled and sipped it throughout the day. We can all follow suit without too much hassle. 
 
Get comfortable – your desk is your second home, after all 
All of us have come across those lost souls (even in big corporations) who spend a precious half hour in the morning looking for their ‘comfy’ chairs which seemed to have been spirited away by some malicious demon during the night. No matter what is offered to such a person, she will shake her head and tell you it’s definitely not her chair. A tussle with a fellow-worker is not unlikely either, both trying to establish their ownership. Or if it’s not the chair, it’s the air-conditioner (always too high or too low for comfort) or a dirty desk or something similar. 
 While most of us laugh derisively when we come across such things, it could indicate something more than mere whims. Are you ergonomically fitted out where you spend around eight hours a day, if not more? A well-lit, well-ventilated, not-too-cramped workstation is bound to keep you healthy and <keyword id="17573" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Happy">happy</keyword>. Report blinking lights and broken furniture as and when they occur and let plenty of fresh air in unless you are working in a centrally air-conditioned building. Dust could be another deterrent, especially for those suffering from some kind of allergy or other. Stick to a cleaning routine, take the junk out (right from old papers to useless gifts like a row of oversized mugs that you don’t plan to use) and make sure the place reflects your character and personality. A little green (a bottled plant or two or some fresh flowers), some funky or classic desk essentials and some human touch (can be a great poster or a funny quotation) will light up your day and those who visit you. 
 
As for me, I got fascinated when I watched a colleague drawing two soaring swans on her glass cabin door with a black marker. Even in a futuristic office, that rough sketch gives me a sense of freedom and space whenever I look at it. 
 
Nurture wellness – go walking, playing, gymming 
We tend to lose our health and wellness without noticing it at first, especially if we are in a ‘pressure cooker’ situation all the time and feel drained out at the end of the day. To help people out, most offices today come with a recreation room (some even have meditation/nap rooms, an IT professional working in Gurgaon told me), if not a full-blown gym. If you are one of the lucky few with a multi gym in office, congrats! But do make sure you have some expert help before attempting to take down those ungainly pounds and get some advice on the diet and duration of a fitness session. In case you are a first-timer, take it slow. You can’t really do too much, too soon, and need to invest a lot of time and patience to build stamina and strength. 
 
For those without such onsite facilities, there is always the age-old staircase and some brisk walking to your colleagues’ workstations, instead of chats and phone calls. One set of health-conscious people whom I knew made it a regular practice to walk to the bus stop in the evening which was some distance away. Walking that 1 km not only gave them some much-needed exercise, but helped them unwind as well, by talking things over and discussing several office issues. Start today and you will inevitably feel better after some sweat sessions. Because most of the time the lethargy is in the mind. As soon as you realise that you have come out of the rut and doing something effective about staying well, your body confidence returns and your energy level goes up, boosting your morale and your work, even if you don’t become size zero overnight. 
 
Stay productive – disruptions are exceptions, not rules People often fret how they happen to be behind work schedule and the backlog piles up – much to their horror. I distinctly remember a knowledge worker who went into severe <keyword id="6354802" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="depression">depression</keyword> and fell physically ill because she was asked to churn out five articles a day and was in mortal fear of losing her job. If you are in a similar situation, stop ducking your manager’s salvoes and take control. 
 
One good strategy to remain focused throughout the day is to cut out on addictive social media, unproductive chats, unnecessary e-mail and time-consuming meetings. A more detailed weekly meeting, followed by a daily preview/review for 15-30 minutes should not only save time but keep things in order and the deadlines in view. Long water cooler side chats, frequent coffee breaks and venting your frustration through chain mail won’t help you either; so try and stay away from those. Once we manage to do away with disruptions, more productive time is bound to be on the cards. Some people even go to the extent of scheduling things out while wrapping up. Review what’s pending at the end of the day – so that you know what your priority is the morning after and start working on those as per your plans. 
 
But if you still feel you are overloaded or if you overwork yourself, try deputing work or talk to your colleagues, managers and people who matter in your project. Together, it is possible to usher in a collaborative solution and make sure that people can grow in a way they want to. 
 
Know what you’ve achieved – EACH day 
Some days feel like a total waste of time, mostly because we have had bitter altercations with colleagues or superiors. Or worse still, we have just done some routine work that does not have any relevance any more. A friend of mine had worked as an editorial production manager and the job required her maintaining a production sheet in Excel. She was compelled to accept the job as she had been laid off suddenly and had a family to support, but it was certainly not her cuppa and she rapidly lost interest in the job. 
 Thrust into a volatile <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> and faced with fast shrinking job opportunities, many of us try to go on board where they don’t belong and the outcome is a productivity and professional burnout, to say the least. Still, over a period of time, even a relevant career could be offering less value in terms of learning, growth and fulfilment. The reasons can be many – right from a change in the company’s core offerings to limited management vision that fails to offer horizontal growth. Talking to your manager could help, of course, but at times, it could be beyond your boss’s control. Simply put, there is no simple solution in such a case. 
 
If your work has become routine and doesn’t add much value to the company’s core, try developing some new skills and show your firm how you can reposition your profile along with the regular job. Most firms will be happy to recognise the extra efforts you are putting in. But in case you fail to get that adrenalin kick out of your work at the end of the day, it makes sense to look for a job that’s more of an intellectual, cultural and value fit. 
 
Stay hungry, drink deep – life’s fountain won’t ever dry up 
Finally, do not let your vision go. Even if you are beginning as an intern or rebuilding your skills from the scratch, it’s not impossible to become a member of Jeff Bezos’ two-pizza team (may not be at Amazon, of course, but every company has a core and creative team where decisions are made). In every organisation, at every level, you will come across a small, tight group who is making a conscious decision at a specific point of time. Feel inspired, get involved and put your expertise into action – you are bound to get noticed and feel valued. 
 And here’s one last piece of wisdom I got from a manager when I got laid off for the first time. You will be joining and leaving many more companies from now on – some you will leave on your own and others will let you go. But whatever that might be, learn from every situation (that one quality will be your lifeline) and when you leave, take the learning and leave the emotional baggage behind you. What matters most is your passion for the work and the value that work brings. Just remember that and let <keyword id="818790" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="the-rest">the rest</keyword> go, gracefully. As Jerome K. Jerome so sensibly wrote – throw the lumber over, man! At work, live life without angst or regret, and it gets better every day.

You Searched For "gurgaon air quality" and got 12 results

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