AIR POLLUTION: Coal plants get 5 more yrs to spew toxics, ‘Most polluted’ four, 95% breathe toxic air

From Regional Press: Uttar Pradesh

Deadly air of Sonbhadra, Singrauli, Watchdog “Won’t Act”

Amar Ujala reported Sonbhadra air quality index (AQI) as “worse than Delhi”. April 23, Sonbhadra AQI: 316 µg/m3 , April 20: Sonbhadra AQI 301 µg/m3, Delhi AQI 246 µg/m3.

Country’s “coal capital” Singrauli’s AQI was off the chart: Khadiya Bazar PM10 792 µg/m3, Shakti Nagar 1566 µg/m3 (PM10), 04 µg/m3 (PM2.5). Singrauli hosts Coal India subsidiary NCL, 70% of its workers are battling life-threatening asthma, diabetes, damaged eyes and kidneys. Pollution control authorities who “stay in NCL quarters, use NCL vehicles” won’t take action, local press reported.

‘Will fix coal plants by 2022’, Four ‘most polluted states’, Draft clean air plan ‘lacks targets’

Polluting coal plants will be fixed in 5 years (by 2022), Centre informed top court. Coal plants may also get 5 more years to ensure 100% usage of fly-ash.

Meanwhile, Centre said cities of Maharashtra, UP, Punjab and Himachal faired worst on clean air standards between 2010-2015. Of 94 identified cities, Maharashtra topped with 17 polluted cities, followed by UP (15), Punjab (8) and Himachal (7). Recently, Centre released draft National Clean Air Plan (NCAP) that “lacks clear targets”.

WHO: 7 million air pollution deaths every year, ‘Over 95% world breathes unsafe air’, Killer indoor air

Latest WHO study says around 7 million people die every year from air pollution, over 90% of these deaths occur in Asia, Africa. The data covered 4300 cities in 108 countries. Another majorstudy revealed 95% world population breathe unsafe air, gap between the most polluted and least polluted countries has risen from 6 to 11 fold. In India, one in four pollution deaths were caused by Indoor air pollution, the study said.

Polluting diesel car sales drop, Carmakers ‘tampering clean targets’

Polluting diesel car sales dropped drastically. Five years ago, every second car sold in India was a diesel. Today it’s one in four cars. The WHO classifies diesel emission as a “Class I” carcinogen.

Meanwhile in Europe, carmakers have been caught cheating, trying to manipulate post-2020 targets to weaken regulation by half.

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