Urban local bodies used over ₹7,000 crore to fight road dust, Lok Sabha told
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Urban local bodies spent ₹7,094.39 crore on road dust control under the National Clean Air Programme, with significant reductions in PM10 levels reported, HT reported citing government’s written response in the House. Out of 130 cities, 48 million-plus cities/ urban agglomerations are funded under the XVth Finance Commission Million-Plus City Challenge Fund as an air quality performance grant, and the remaining 82 cities are funded under the Control of Pollution Scheme of MoEFCC. Till date, ₹13,852.22 crore has been released to 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as critical gap funding to implement air pollution mitigation measures. Funds under NCAP are released to each cities for implementing the City Action Plan, which includes measures to control road dust as one of the components
The Centre said so far, ₹13,852.22 crore has been released to 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as critical gap funding. Funds under NCAP are released to each cities for implementing the City Action Plan, which includes measures to control road dust as one of the components, but it has been the primary focus of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) since its launch in 2019, with much lower funding for combustion sources that emit pollutants, a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) assessment had found, the newspaper report said.
Air pollution can both fuel and suppress lightning in India: study
A new study covered by Mongabay found that air pollution intensifies lightning when it increases moderately and it declines under very high pollution levels. The research shows regional differences, with northeast India responding to pollution at much lower thresholds than west-central India due to contrasting moisture conditions, the article noted, adding that aerosol particle size plays a crucial role in lightning formation, with dust, fine industrial particles, and sea salt affecting cloud electrification differently. The study authors recommend that integrating air-pollution data into weather models could improve lightning prediction and help reduce fatalities in India. “Tiny pollution particles, or aerosols, act like seeds, creating many small cloud droplets that get lofted high into the atmosphere. There, they freeze into ice crystals and graupel (soft hail), and collisions between these ice particles generate electrical charge; lightning occurs,” the outlet explained, quoting one of the authors.
Lightning is among India’s deadliest natural hazards, accounting for nearly 40% of all natural disaster-related deaths each year, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. While rising temperatures and stronger convection linked to climate change are known to influence lightning activity, a new study pointed to air pollution as another key factor shaping how lightning forms inside clouds.
Green court starts probe into illegal brick kilns operating in MP tiger reserve
Illegal brick kilns operating in the Ratapani Tiger Reserve, extending from Bhopal to Raisen in Madhya Pradesh, have caused serious damage to the biodiversity of the wildlife sanctuary leading to the loss of habitat of the wild animals. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a panel to probe the issue, the Deccan Chronicle reported.
The sarpanch of the Bamnai gram panchayat lodged a complaint with NGT citing mushrooming of illegal brick kilns in the buffer zone of the tiger reserve, leading to air and water pollution, caused by the smoke, billowing from these units, and ashes, generated from them.
Meanwhile, wildlife activist Ajey Dubey said kiln owners have felled lakhs of trees illegally in the RTR for decades, causing immense damage to the biodiversity of the reserve and subsequently the habitat of the wild animals.
Green court questions Uttar Pradesh move to treat Assi river as drain, over 30 drains discharge sewage in Ganga
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) questioned the Uttar Pradesh government’s plan treating the Assi river in Varanasi as a drain. The green court said permanently tapping stormwater drains to divert sewage is neither legally nor environmentally sound. Over 30 partially or untapped drains continue to discharge untreated sewage into the Ganga and Varuna, DTE reported, adding that over 60% of Varanasi households remain outside the sewer network, with the NGT seeking a clear timeline for full connectivity. The green court has raised serious concerns about the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government’s approach to cleaning the Ganga, citing the continued discharge of untreated sewage and industrial waste into the Ganga and its tributaries in Varanasi.
State data showed a total of 76 drains in Varanasi and Chandauli flow into the Ganga and Varuna rivers. Of these, 33 drains flow into the Ganga, further 43 drains flow into the Varuna.