<p style="text-align: justify;">&ldquo;If winters are here can the smog be far behind?&rdquo;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">If you live in Delhi or for that matter in north-west India, chances are you must have listened to this resigned lament at least once every year before the onset of winters.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Smog, a combination of smoke and fog, has a corrosive quality and plays havoc with your respiratory system. In Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR), the problem has grown over the years and has assumed dangerous proportions during the last decade and a half.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">During the 1980s and 90s, the problem of smoke and smog had started raising its ugly head but at that time the reasons were different. The use of diesel as fuel in buses and auto-rickshaws as well as the indiscriminate burning of waste was considered to be the main culprits. So when the city shifted to CNG (compressed natural gas) for autos and buses, there was an immediate improvement in the ambient air quality.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style="text-align: justify;">However, in the first decade of the 21st century, all the gains made due to the implementation of CNG were lost because of a host of reasons. &nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Still, the menace can be fought but a multipronged action needs to be taken in a mission mode.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">But before talking about the solutions we should know the causes of smog in Delhi and the limitations they will put on the solutions implemented in the future.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Delhi is geographically predisposed to suffer from the haze. Proximity to arid zones of Rajasthan, increasing desertification coupled with erratic wind flow patterns during winter creates a situation where even moderate pollution can lead to long spells of haze.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Adding to this, many new and old sources of pollution have conspired to choke Delhi in the last two decades. &nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Right now the city suffers from smog due to four main reasons &ndash; burning of crop stubble in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, the presence of polluting industries in the NCR region, very high density of diesel-run automobiles as well as constant and widespread construction activities.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Let&rsquo;s begin with crop residue burning. Earlier, when the crops were harvested by hand, they would get easily mixed with the soil when tractors were used since the stubbles left behind were very small. Now long staffs of stubbles are left behind because of the mechanised thrashers and harvesters, leaving no option for the farmers but to burn them.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Technicians, scientists and engineers should come together to find a solution to this problem on an emergency basis and the government should financially help the farmers to introduce new methods of harvesting their crops once they are in place. Penalising them alone wouldn&rsquo;t work.</p>

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<p>Most of the industries, in and around Delhi fall into the category of MSMEs or Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises. They use diesel and furnace oil, two of the most polluting fuels, as their sources of energy.&nbsp;A thorough research has already been done and various government agencies suggest that a cleaner fuel in the form of natural gas is available and can readily be provided to these industries.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The industry, on the other hand, fears it will escalate their cost of production and make their product unviable in the market. The government should sponsor a scheme to compulsorily change their fuel use.&nbsp;We should remember that these small enterprises operate on very little margins so they would need government help to make a transition to cleaner fuel. Tax holidays and soft loans to implement fuel transition and technology installation can be a way forward.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Third, there should be a complete ban on construction activities between the months of October to March.&nbsp;In a growing economy, construction activities will happen and should happen. But it should be made time specific in the context of NCR to stop its ill effect on health during a season which increases pollutant levels in the air.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Fourth, is automobiles. Here, the people&rsquo;s participation is needed. The government should seriously consider banning certain types of automobiles for personal use, especially diesel driven SUVs and other big cars, and encourage people to use public transport as much as they can.&nbsp;For this, the government will also have to provide last mile connectivity and improved bus services which are reliable and comfortable. Bicycle lanes should be strictly followed and a heavy penalty should be imposed on those who violate it.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Finally, the coal-fired power plant in Delhi should be phased out and the government should force the distribution companies to source electricity from gas-fired power plants and solar farms from Rajasthan.&nbsp;It may increase the power bills a bit, but that&rsquo;s a small price to pay for clean and healthy air.&nbsp;</p>


Delhi chokes from burning of crop stubble in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, the presence of polluting industries in the NCR region, very high density of diesel-run automobiles as well as constant and widespread construction activities.?

“If winters are here can the smog be far behind?” If you live in Delhi or for that matter in north-west India, chances are you must have listened to this resigned lament at least once every year before the onset of winters. Smog, a combination of smoke and fog, has a corrosive quality and plays havoc with your respiratory system. In Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR), the problem has grown over the years and has assumed dangerous proportions during the last decade and a half. During the 1980s and 90s, the problem of smoke and smog had started raising its ugly head but at that time the reasons were different. The use of diesel as fuel in buses and auto-rickshaws as well as the indiscriminate burning of waste was considered to be the main culprits. So when the city shifted to CNG (compressed natural gas) for autos and buses, there was an immediate improvement in the ambient air quality. Smog, a combination of smoke and fog, has a corrosive quality and plays havoc with your respiratory system. × However, in the first decade of the 21st century, all the gains made due to the implementation of CNG were lost because of a host of reasons. Still, the menace can be fought but a multipronged action needs to be taken in a mission mode. But before talking about the solutions we should know the causes of smog in Delhi and the limitations they will put on the solutions implemented in the future. Delhi is geographically predisposed to suffer from the haze. Proximity to arid zones of Rajasthan, increasing desertification coupled with erratic wind flow patterns during winter creates a situation where even moderate pollution can lead to long spells of haze. Adding to this, many new and old sources of pollution have conspired to choke Delhi in the last two decades. Right now the city suffers from smog due to four main reasons – burning of crop stubble in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, the presence of polluting industries in the NCR region, very high density of diesel-run automobiles as well as constant and widespread construction activities. Let’s begin with crop residue burning. Earlier, when the crops were harvested by hand, they would get easily mixed with the soil when tractors were used since the stubbles left behind were very small. Now long staffs of stubbles are left behind because of the mechanised thrashers and harvesters, leaving no option for the farmers but to burn them. Technicians, scientists and engineers should come together to find a solution to this problem on an emergency basis and the government should financially help the farmers to introduce new methods of harvesting their crops once they are in place. Penalising them alone wouldn’t work. Now long staffs of stubbles are left behind because of the mechanised thrashers and harvesters, leaving no option for the farmers but to burn them. × Most of the industries, in and around Delhi fall into the category of MSMEs or Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises. They use diesel and furnace oil, two of the most polluting fuels, as their sources of energy. A thorough research has already been done and various government agencies suggest that a cleaner fuel in the form of natural gas is available and can readily be provided to these industries. The industry, on the other hand, fears it will escalate their cost of production and make their product unviable in the market. The government should sponsor a scheme to compulsorily change their fuel use. We should remember that these small enterprises operate on very little margins so they would need government help to make a transition to cleaner fuel. Tax holidays and soft loans to implement fuel transition and technology installation can be a way forward. Third, there should be a complete ban on construction activities between the months of October to March. In a growing economy, construction activities will happen and should happen. But it should be made time specific in the context of NCR to stop its ill effect on health during a season which increases pollutant levels in the air. Fourth, is automobiles. Here, the people’s participation is needed. The government should seriously consider banning certain types of automobiles for personal use, especially diesel driven SUVs and other big cars, and encourage people to use public transport as much as they can. For this, the government will also have to provide last mile connectivity and improved bus services which are reliable and comfortable. Bicycle lanes should be strictly followed and a heavy penalty should be imposed on those who violate it. Finally, the coal-fired power plant in Delhi should be phased out and the government should force the distribution companies to source electricity from gas-fired power plants and solar farms from Rajasthan. It may increase the power bills a bit, but that’s a small price to pay for clean and healthy air.

Smog: No easy way out for Delhi

<p>Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-pollution-public-health-emergency-primary-schools-to-remain-closed-today-23699">today that all schools will remain closed </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-pollution-public-health-emergency-primary-schools-to-remain-closed-today-23699">till</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-pollution-public-health-emergency-primary-schools-to-remain-closed-today-23699"> </a>Sunday due to the worsening air quality in the national capital.</p>

<p>Delhi&#39;s deputy CM had said on Tuesday that if<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-wakes-up-to-hazardous-smog-23655"> the pollution worsened then the odd-even scheme</a> for private vehicles will be back in the national capital. He also said construction work in Delhi would be stopped due to high pollution levels in the captial.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Smog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Smog</a> canopies the national capital; early morning visuals from area around India Gate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/WDseG2LAjy">pic.twitter.com/WDseG2LAjy</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/928078574979919873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier asked Sisodia to shut down schools as the pollution levels rose alarmingly in the capital today on Tuesday.</p>

<p>The Indian Medical Association has declared a &quot;public health emergency&quot; and appealed to the government to stop outdoor sports and other such activities in schools to protect the health of children.</p>

<p>Air quality remains &quot;severe&quot; areas like Delhi&#39;s Lodhi Garden. Various areas including Dwarka, India Gate, Dhaula Kuan and RK Puram remained covered in a thick haze.</p>

<p>The Delhi government has issued a health advisory for high-risk people, including children, the elderly, pregnant women and those suffering from asthma and heart ailments.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Visuals of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Smog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Smog</a> from area around Faridabad&#39;s Sarai Metro Station. <a href="https://t.co/x4tCoZTmTJ">pic.twitter.com/x4tCoZTmTJ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/928086486703947776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Delhi's deputy CM had said earlier that if the pollution worsened then the odd-even scheme for private vehicles will be back in the national capital.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said today that all schools will remain closed till Sunday due to the worsening air quality in the national capital. Delhi's deputy CM had said on Tuesday that if the pollution worsened then the odd-even scheme for private vehicles will be back in the national capital. He also said construction work in Delhi would be stopped due to high pollution levels in the captial. #Smog canopies the national capital; early morning visuals from area around India Gate #Delhi pic.twitter.com/WDseG2LAjy — ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2017 × Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier asked Sisodia to shut down schools as the pollution levels rose alarmingly in the capital today on Tuesday. The Indian Medical Association has declared a "public health emergency" and appealed to the government to stop outdoor sports and other such activities in schools to protect the health of children. Air quality remains "severe" areas like Delhi's Lodhi Garden. Various areas including Dwarka, India Gate, Dhaula Kuan and RK Puram remained covered in a thick haze. The Delhi government has issued a health advisory for high-risk people, including children, the elderly, pregnant women and those suffering from asthma and heart ailments. Visuals of #Smog from area around Faridabad's Sarai Metro Station. pic.twitter.com/x4tCoZTmTJ — ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2017 ×

Pollution levels: All schools to be closed in Delhi till Sunday, says Manish Sisodia

<p>The dense fog in Bhatinda,&nbsp;Punjab has resulted in a huge&nbsp;accident leading to the death of at least&nbsp;10 students with at least 25 others injured.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The low visibility due to the smog in Bhatinda led to the collision of four vehicles.</p>

<p>A truck rammed into a Scorpio and then collided with the college bus killing ten students.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The accident happened in Bhucho&nbsp;mandi, a village in Bhatinda.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One student who suffered serious injuries was referred to PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh.</p>

<p>Finance minister of Punjab, Manpreet Singh Badal has assured one lakh as compensation to the students who have died in the accident.</p>

<p>The 25 injured have been promised compensation of Rs 50,000.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner said that a college bus had stopped on the expressway, a truck collided with a Scorpio which&nbsp;hit the college bus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Finance Minister of Punjab, Manpreet Singh Badal has assured to give one lakh as compensation to the students who have died in the accident

The dense fog in Bhatinda, Punjab has resulted in a huge accident leading to the death of at least 10 students with at least 25 others injured. The low visibility due to the smog in Bhatinda led to the collision of four vehicles. A truck rammed into a Scorpio and then collided with the college bus killing ten students. The accident happened in Bhucho mandi, a village in Bhatinda. One student who suffered serious injuries was referred to PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh. Finance minister of Punjab, Manpreet Singh Badal has assured one lakh as compensation to the students who have died in the accident. The 25 injured have been promised compensation of Rs 50,000. Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner said that a college bus had stopped on the expressway, a truck collided with a Scorpio which hit the college bus.

Watch: 10 students die in accident due to fog in Punjab

<p>The Supreme Court ban on firecrackers this Diwali (October 19) began with a bang (no pun intended) but ended in a whimper.</p>

<p>We talk about &quot;judicial activism&quot; but this is a classic case of the top court being constrained to take action, on a petition filed by three infants after the alarming rise in pollution levels and smog which enveloped the national capital last year on Diwali.</p>

<p>On October 13, the court refused to modify its earlier order banning the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR.</p>

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<h5>The administration allowed those people who have already purchased firecrackers to burst them on Diwali.</h5>
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<p>&quot;It&#39;s just an experiment for one year, we will take stock after that,&quot; Justice A K Sikri, who heard the case today, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-refuses-to-lift-ban-on-firecrackers-in-delhi-ncr-says-its-an-experiment-for-1-year-22393">was quoted as saying by WION</a>.</p>

<p>The judge said its 2016 order suspending the licences &quot;should be given one chance to test itself&quot;.</p>

<p>Far from activism, the Supreme Court ban stopped short of altogether banning the bursting of firecrackers. The administration in Delhi and the National Capital Region issued directives to the shopkeepers to stop selling firecrackers. But the administration allowed those people who have already purchased firecrackers to burst them on Diwali.</p>

<p>The results were there for everyone to see. While pollution levels, which were &quot;very poor&quot; just 10 days prior remained at &quot;very poor&quot; on the night of October 19, they shot up to &quot;severe&quot; the next day, the Central Pollution Control Board reported.</p>

<p>The online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the city on Diwali glowed red, indicating a &quot;very poor&quot; air quality as the volume of PM2.5 and PM10 sharply rose from around&nbsp;7 pm.&nbsp;The&nbsp;state-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)&nbsp;estimated the 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10, ultrafine particulates which are up to 30 times tinier than the width of a human hair, at 154 and 256 micrograms per cubic metre at around&nbsp;11 pm.</p>

<p>The 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10 were 424 and 571 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) the next day, much higher than the safe limits of 60 and 100. PM 2.5 can travel through the respiratory tract and reach the lungs causing short-term respiratory ailments such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing and sneezing. They can also worsen respiratory ailments such as asthma and heart disease.</p>

<p>Real-time pollution data was alarming. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee&#39;s (DPCC) RK Puram monitoring station recorded PM2.5 and PM10 at 878 and 1,179 micrograms per cubic metre at around&nbsp;11 pm. The pollutants peaked after&nbsp;midnight, surpassing the corresponding 24-hour safe limits of 60 and 100 more than 10 times. The monitors stopped working after&nbsp;midnight, suggesting that the pollutants had gone through the roof.</p>

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<h5>Stricter laws and stringent enforcing mechanisms seem to be the only way forward.</h5>
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<p>The Air Quality Index (AQI), a barometer for measuring air pollution, was above 400 in most places in the National Capital Region (NCR) the next day. It was at a &quot;hazardous&quot;&nbsp; 978 in New Delhi&#39;s RK Puram area. US embassy&#39;s pollution monitor also recorded &quot;hazardous&quot;&nbsp; with the index scoring an alarming 878, which the mission considers &quot;beyond its air quality index&quot;, which ends at 500. On Diwali, the AQI improved from &quot;severe&quot; (431) in 2016 to (319) &quot;very poor&quot;, the Central Pollution Control Board reported.</p>

<p>A &quot;very poor&quot; air quality implies that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure to such air. If the air quality dips further, the AQI will turn &quot;severe&quot;. An AQI level of 0-50 is considered &quot;good&quot;, 51-100 &quot;satisfactory&quot;, 101-200 &quot;moderate&quot;, 201-300 &quot;poor&quot;, 301-400 &quot;very poor&quot;, and 401 and above is &quot;severe&quot;.</p>

<p><strong>The way forward</strong></p>

<p>Stricter laws and stringent enforcing mechanisms seem to be the only way forward. We have the police for keeping crime in check, the traffic police for fining those who violate traffic rules. Perhaps, a similar law-enforcing mechanism on Diwali could be implemented.</p>

<p>China recently set up an &quot;anti-smog police force&quot;. Perhaps, something similar may help us breathe a little easier.</p>


Stringent action such as enforcing an 'anti-smog police force', is required to check air pollution during Diwali

The Supreme Court ban on firecrackers this Diwali (October 19) began with a bang (no pun intended) but ended in a whimper. We talk about "judicial activism" but this is a classic case of the top court being constrained to take action, on a petition filed by three infants after the alarming rise in pollution levels and smog which enveloped the national capital last year on Diwali. On October 13, the court refused to modify its earlier order banning the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR. The administration allowed those people who have already purchased firecrackers to burst them on Diwali. × "It's just an experiment for one year, we will take stock after that," Justice A K Sikri, who heard the case today, was quoted as saying by WION. The judge said its 2016 order suspending the licences "should be given one chance to test itself". Far from activism, the Supreme Court ban stopped short of altogether banning the bursting of firecrackers. The administration in Delhi and the National Capital Region issued directives to the shopkeepers to stop selling firecrackers. But the administration allowed those people who have already purchased firecrackers to burst them on Diwali. The results were there for everyone to see. While pollution levels, which were "very poor" just 10 days prior remained at "very poor" on the night of October 19, they shot up to "severe" the next day, the Central Pollution Control Board reported. The online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the city on Diwali glowed red, indicating a "very poor" air quality as the volume of PM2.5 and PM10 sharply rose from around 7 pm. The state-run System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) estimated the 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10, ultrafine particulates which are up to 30 times tinier than the width of a human hair, at 154 and 256 micrograms per cubic metre at around 11 pm. The 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10 were 424 and 571 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) the next day, much higher than the safe limits of 60 and 100. PM 2.5 can travel through the respiratory tract and reach the lungs causing short-term respiratory ailments such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing and sneezing. They can also worsen respiratory ailments such as asthma and heart disease. Real-time pollution data was alarming. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) RK Puram monitoring station recorded PM2.5 and PM10 at 878 and 1,179 micrograms per cubic metre at around 11 pm. The pollutants peaked after midnight, surpassing the corresponding 24-hour safe limits of 60 and 100 more than 10 times. The monitors stopped working after midnight, suggesting that the pollutants had gone through the roof. Stricter laws and stringent enforcing mechanisms seem to be the only way forward. × The Air Quality Index (AQI), a barometer for measuring air pollution, was above 400 in most places in the National Capital Region (NCR) the next day. It was at a "hazardous" 978 in New Delhi's RK Puram area. US embassy's pollution monitor also recorded "hazardous" with the index scoring an alarming 878, which the mission considers "beyond its air quality index", which ends at 500. On Diwali, the AQI improved from "severe" (431) in 2016 to (319) "very poor", the Central Pollution Control Board reported. A "very poor" air quality implies that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure to such air. If the air quality dips further, the AQI will turn "severe". An AQI level of 0-50 is considered "good", 51-100 "satisfactory", 101-200 "moderate", 201-300 "poor", 301-400 "very poor", and 401 and above is "severe". The way forward Stricter laws and stringent enforcing mechanisms seem to be the only way forward. We have the police for keeping crime in check, the traffic police for fining those who violate traffic rules. Perhaps, a similar law-enforcing mechanism on Diwali could be implemented. China recently set up an "anti-smog police force". Perhaps, something similar may help us breathe a little easier.

Diwali pollution: Too little too late?

<p>Hypothetically, time travels in my head, always take me to an imaginary window, through which I can see lush green trees across the street. Maybe after a cup of tea, practise yoga, inhaling the fresh air and while travelling to another place, cross a fresh stream or any water body that is responsible for providing drinking water to the city. Time and space window shopping, is a few minute luxury, always failing to the gravity of reality.</p>

<p>The alarming deterioration of air quality in and around my city, especially this time of the year always attracts multiple reports from various angles, parallel planes with other issues, and studio debates on the white smog. While all this goes on, we still breathe. We breathe the analogies, theoretical solutions, and short-term bans. All the while still choking on a constant deteriorating air of the National Capital Region and then like any particulate matter which cannot be seen, yet harmful for lungs as it can be absorbed by the body, we settle down at a corner away from the action.</p>

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<h5>Prolonged exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with the adverse cardiovascular event.</h5>
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<p><strong>Bad air, bad blood</strong></p>

<p>Various scientific studies prove that prolonged exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with the adverse cardiovascular event.</p>

<p>Both gaseous air pollutants (ie, ozone, sulphur and nitric oxides, carbon monoxide) and particulate matter (pm) cause adverse effects on health. However, the most serious effects are related to the particulate matter.</p>

<p>When we inhale polluted air with high levels of pm 2.5, due to their characteristic small size it penetrates beyond the upper respiratory tract into alveoli of the lungs, and from there enter into the circulation system.</p>

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<h5>The World Health Organisation calculates the urban air pollution is an important cause of global mortality, being responsible for almost 700,000 premature deaths.</h5>
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<p>These particulate matters also consist of many toxic substances (eg: metals) which leads to oxidative stress, i.e. impaired performance of cells caused by the presence of too many oxygen molecules in them and fibrinolysis, a process which prevents blood clots formation.</p>

<p>Few other toxins lead to blood clot formation in the arteries, thus considerably increasing the chances of a heart stroke. The World Health Organisation calculates the urban air pollution is an important cause of global mortality, being responsible for almost 700,000 premature deaths.</p>

<p><strong>The saga of an outsider: particulate matter</strong></p>

<p>The human immune system consists of many policemen known as the antibodies, their job is to check any infiltration of foreign bodies called antigen. In case they identify such antigen, pass the intelligence information to all the other forces (enzymes and other immune bodies).</p>

<p>Their job is to surround the foreign body and start killing it. Such intra body war-like scenario often gives out silent signals like itching and reddening of the area.</p>

<p>When a similar heightened process occurs in lungs due to the particulate matter, a foreign body settling in alveoli, the muscles in the airways of the lungs constrict, as a result the person find difficulty in breathing.</p>

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<h5>India accounts for a quarter of deaths caused worldwide by the two most chronic respiratory diseases COPD and asthma.</h5>
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<p><strong>The facts</strong></p>

<p>According to a recent survey: 35 per cent kids from Indian metro cities have asthma, whereas, about 22 million Americans have asthma. There are 5.4 million people with asthma in the UK, in every 10 seconds, someone is having a potentially life-threatening asthma attack in the UK.</p>

<p>India accounts for a quarter of deaths caused worldwide by the two most chronic respiratory diseases, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma, according to the latest global burden of disease study.</p>

<p><strong>Perspective beyond obvious</strong></p>

<p>With each blow on the environment, we must realise that we are pushing the human race towards a vulnerable and low-quality lifestyle. We must have lost faith in ourselves, otherwise, we would have never doubted the power of one person dedicated to a good cause. The fact that we are casual about our habits and passive to surrounding problems, expose a threatening world in coming days. With the fast depletion of the basic resources, we are almost walking on the edge of time, where we might have to change few definitions in the social science books.</p>

<p>One of the leading physicists, Stephen Hawkings believes that human stupidity and pollution are the biggest threat to the mankind.</p>

<p>Even in a divided world, the sorrow of the environment unites us. Before the grief turns a threat to existence, lets at least make an attempt towards a better future.</p>


The continuous deterioration of air quality is leading to various cardiovascular diseases and breathing problem

Hypothetically, time travels in my head, always take me to an imaginary window, through which I can see lush green trees across the street. Maybe after a cup of tea, practise yoga, inhaling the fresh air and while travelling to another place, cross a fresh stream or any water body that is responsible for providing drinking water to the city. Time and space window shopping, is a few minute luxury, always failing to the gravity of reality. The alarming deterioration of air quality in and around my city, especially this time of the year always attracts multiple reports from various angles, parallel planes with other issues, and studio debates on the white smog. While all this goes on, we still breathe. We breathe the analogies, theoretical solutions, and short-term bans. All the while still choking on a constant deteriorating air of the National Capital Region and then like any particulate matter which cannot be seen, yet harmful for lungs as it can be absorbed by the body, we settle down at a corner away from the action. Prolonged exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with the adverse cardiovascular event. × Bad air, bad blood Various scientific studies prove that prolonged exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with the adverse cardiovascular event. Both gaseous air pollutants (ie, ozone, sulphur and nitric oxides, carbon monoxide) and particulate matter (pm) cause adverse effects on health. However, the most serious effects are related to the particulate matter. When we inhale polluted air with high levels of pm 2.5, due to their characteristic small size it penetrates beyond the upper respiratory tract into alveoli of the lungs, and from there enter into the circulation system. The World Health Organisation calculates the urban air pollution is an important cause of global mortality, being responsible for almost 700,000 premature deaths. × These particulate matters also consist of many toxic substances (eg: metals) which leads to oxidative stress, i.e. impaired performance of cells caused by the presence of too many oxygen molecules in them and fibrinolysis, a process which prevents blood clots formation. Few other toxins lead to blood clot formation in the arteries, thus considerably increasing the chances of a heart stroke. The World Health Organisation calculates the urban air pollution is an important cause of global mortality, being responsible for almost 700,000 premature deaths. The saga of an outsider: particulate matter The human immune system consists of many policemen known as the antibodies, their job is to check any infiltration of foreign bodies called antigen. In case they identify such antigen, pass the intelligence information to all the other forces (enzymes and other immune bodies). Their job is to surround the foreign body and start killing it. Such intra body war-like scenario often gives out silent signals like itching and reddening of the area. When a similar heightened process occurs in lungs due to the particulate matter, a foreign body settling in alveoli, the muscles in the airways of the lungs constrict, as a result the person find difficulty in breathing. India accounts for a quarter of deaths caused worldwide by the two most chronic respiratory diseases COPD and asthma. × The facts According to a recent survey: 35 per cent kids from Indian metro cities have asthma, whereas, about 22 million Americans have asthma. There are 5.4 million people with asthma in the UK, in every 10 seconds, someone is having a potentially life-threatening asthma attack in the UK. India accounts for a quarter of deaths caused worldwide by the two most chronic respiratory diseases, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma, according to the latest global burden of disease study. Perspective beyond obvious With each blow on the environment, we must realise that we are pushing the human race towards a vulnerable and low-quality lifestyle. We must have lost faith in ourselves, otherwise, we would have never doubted the power of one person dedicated to a good cause. The fact that we are casual about our habits and passive to surrounding problems, expose a threatening world in coming days. With the fast depletion of the basic resources, we are almost walking on the edge of time, where we might have to change few definitions in the social science books. One of the leading physicists, Stephen Hawkings believes that human stupidity and pollution are the biggest threat to the mankind. Even in a divided world, the sorrow of the environment unites us. Before the grief turns a threat to existence, lets at least make an attempt towards a better future.

The future seems blurred through smog and dust

<p>China today launched a global carbon dioxide monitoring satellite to understand climate change, hours after it lifted nearly a week-long red alert for the worst smog that engulfed about 40 cities in the country.</p>

<p>The 620-kilogram&nbsp;satellite TanSat was put into orbit by Long March-2D rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China&#39;s Gobi Desert early this morning, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. This was the 243rd mission of the Long March series rockets. Besides TanSat, the rocket also carried a high-resolution micro-nano satellite and two spectrum micro-nano satellites for agricultural and forestry monitoring.</p>

<p>China is the third country after Japan and the US to monitor greenhouse gases through its own satellite. The satellite was sent into a sun synchronous orbit about 700 kilometres&nbsp;above the earth and will monitor the concentration, distribution and flow of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, Yin Zengshan, chief designer of TanSat at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) micro-satellite research institute said.</p>

<p>The satellite will help understanding of climate change and provide China&#39;s policy makers with independent data. On a three-year mission, TanSat will thoroughly examine global carbon dioxide levels every 16 days, accurate to at least 4 ppm (parts per million), the report said.</p>

<p>The new satellite will enable China to obtain emissions data first-hand and share it with researchers worldwide, Yin said.</p>

<p>The Paris agreement on climate change came into force on November 4, with more than 100 countries committed to reducing their carbon emissions. The satellite can trace the sources of greenhouse gases and help evaluate whether countries are fulfilling their commitments.</p>

<p>TanSat means a louder voice for China on climate change, carbon reduction and in negotiations with a bigger say on carbon trading.</p>

<p>Earlier in midnight, Beijing lifted the red alert for air pollution as cold air dispersed the smog that has affected the city since December 17 which drew strong criticism from public as it disrupted the normal life. Beijing woke up this morning with a relatively clear sky.</p>

<p>Since December 17 emergency measures such as even-odd car restrictions will end and classes will resume at schools, official media reports said. While the red alert was implemented by 23 cities including Beijing, 17 other cities implemented Orange alerts for pollution. PM2.5 density in the capital remained high throughout the period of the red alert.</p>

<p>About the satellite Lu Naimeng, TanSat chief scientist said concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased from 280 ppm to 400 ppm over the past 150 years, leading to an increase in average global temperatures of about 0.7 degrees Celsius over the last century.</p>

<p>China&#39;s CO2 emissions are to peak around 2030, with emissions per unit of GDP cut by 60 per cent of 2005 levels by the same date.</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


As its cities are engulfed in the world's worst smog, Beijing is being forced to take up the lead in international climate change science

China today launched a global carbon dioxide monitoring satellite to understand climate change, hours after it lifted nearly a week-long red alert for the worst smog that engulfed about 40 cities in the country. The 620-kilogram satellite TanSat was put into orbit by Long March-2D rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China's Gobi Desert early this morning, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. This was the 243rd mission of the Long March series rockets. Besides TanSat, the rocket also carried a high-resolution micro-nano satellite and two spectrum micro-nano satellites for agricultural and forestry monitoring. China is the third country after Japan and the US to monitor greenhouse gases through its own satellite. The satellite was sent into a sun synchronous orbit about 700 kilometres above the earth and will monitor the concentration, distribution and flow of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, Yin Zengshan, chief designer of TanSat at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) micro-satellite research institute said. The satellite will help understanding of climate change and provide China's policy makers with independent data. On a three-year mission, TanSat will thoroughly examine global carbon dioxide levels every 16 days, accurate to at least 4 ppm (parts per million), the report said. The new satellite will enable China to obtain emissions data first-hand and share it with researchers worldwide, Yin said. The Paris agreement on climate change came into force on November 4, with more than 100 countries committed to reducing their carbon emissions. The satellite can trace the sources of greenhouse gases and help evaluate whether countries are fulfilling their commitments. TanSat means a louder voice for China on climate change, carbon reduction and in negotiations with a bigger say on carbon trading. Earlier in midnight, Beijing lifted the red alert for air pollution as cold air dispersed the smog that has affected the city since December 17 which drew strong criticism from public as it disrupted the normal life. Beijing woke up this morning with a relatively clear sky. Since December 17 emergency measures such as even-odd car restrictions will end and classes will resume at schools, official media reports said. While the red alert was implemented by 23 cities including Beijing, 17 other cities implemented Orange alerts for pollution. PM2.5 density in the capital remained high throughout the period of the red alert. About the satellite Lu Naimeng, TanSat chief scientist said concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased from 280 ppm to 400 ppm over the past 150 years, leading to an increase in average global temperatures of about 0.7 degrees Celsius over the last century. China's CO2 emissions are to peak around 2030, with emissions per unit of GDP cut by 60 per cent of 2005 levels by the same date. (PTI)

China launches satellite to track global carbon emissions

<p>After being hit by the worst smog in years, New Delhi today saw thick fog following a couple of weeks of clear weather.</p>

<p>Thursday&#39;s fog affected in the Indian capital and nearby regions affected road, rail and air travel.</p>

<p>The visibility was below 50 metres (55 yards) early morning, leading to the Indira Gandhi International Airport suspending operations. Around four domestic flights were diverted in the morning.</p>

<p>&quot;There was dense fog during the night which caused a lot of problems. It is natural and can lead to accidents on the road,&quot; said passenger Ravinder Singh, flying to Sydney via Bangkok, told Reuters.</p>

<p>Northern railways informed that 50 trains were running late.</p>

<p>The fog is expected to persist for a week, weather forecasters said.</p>

<p>North India, and in particular New Delhi, suffers from a temperature inversion at this time of year that traps air pollution.</p>

<p>The US&nbsp;Embassy&#39;s monitoring station recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 297 that is classified as &quot;very unhealthy&quot;.</p>

<p>It, however, was not as bad as readings that approached 1,000, which is way off the AQI scale that runs to 500, during the first week of November, caused by firecrackers during the Diwali festival and burning of crop stubble in nearby regions.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from Reuters)</p>


North India, and in particular New Delhi, suffers from a temperature inversion at this time of year that traps air pollution

After being hit by the worst smog in years, New Delhi today saw thick fog following a couple of weeks of clear weather. Thursday's fog affected in the Indian capital and nearby regions affected road, rail and air travel. The visibility was below 50 metres (55 yards) early morning, leading to the Indira Gandhi International Airport suspending operations. Around four domestic flights were diverted in the morning. "There was dense fog during the night which caused a lot of problems. It is natural and can lead to accidents on the road," said passenger Ravinder Singh, flying to Sydney via Bangkok, told Reuters. Northern railways informed that 50 trains were running late. The fog is expected to persist for a week, weather forecasters said. North India, and in particular New Delhi, suffers from a temperature inversion at this time of year that traps air pollution. The US Embassy's monitoring station recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 297 that is classified as "very unhealthy". It, however, was not as bad as readings that approached 1,000, which is way off the AQI scale that runs to 500, during the first week of November, caused by firecrackers during the Diwali festival and burning of crop stubble in nearby regions. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

After smog, Indian capital welcomes foggy winters

<p>&quot;Do you want to wait till people start dying ... People are gasping for breath,&quot; India&#39;s supreme court asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) today, pulling it up for not having an action plan ready to deal with the &quot;emergency&quot; smog situation in the Indian capital and asking the Centre to list time-bound measures to tackle the worsening air quality.</p>

<p>The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur criticised the CPCB for its &quot;sluggish&quot; response on the issue.</p>

<p>&quot;Do you (CPCB) want to wait till people start dying? The response cannot be sluggish. People are gasping for breath. People are in such a situation and you are waiting,&quot; PTI reported the bench as saying.</p>

<p>&quot;You must have plans. How will you have spread of stations (to monitor air quality) that will clear the picture? You need to immediately plan as to how many stations will be reasonable, looking into the importance of the situation. You must prepare a plan and tell us,&quot; the bench told CPCB chairman S P Singh Parihar.</p>

<p>&quot;We want you to take into consideration all the different inputs which are coming and draw a plan where you can have a proper system, a proper centralised control room, a graded level of air quality and also the response to it. You have to evolve a consensus. You must not allow the things to go out of your hands,&quot; the bench added.</p>

<p>The bench has advised a meeting of all stakeholders with CPCB chairman to be held on November 19.</p>

<p>The board, in consultation with government, will prepare a detailed plan specifying measures and the authority responsible for implementing recommendations in a timebound manner to deal with the issue, the court said.</p>

<p>The &nbsp;&quot;emergency plan&quot; will also comprise measures needed to tackle graded level of pollution and identify how many central pollution control units are required to have a clear picture of the air quality.</p>

<p>The Solicitor General (SG) told the bench that &quot;all laws and regulations were in&nbsp;place but the implementing agencies were not able to do what they are required to do&quot; to deal with the situation.</p>

<p>Parihar said they need more stations to cover industrial and commercial areas so that they can have more details about the air quality.</p>

<p>&quot;You will have to tell us what will be graded air quality and how will you grade the air quality level as satisfactory, moderate, poor or severe. It may not be able to have an ideal situation in place like Delhi with so much of vehicles but there should be a plan in place,&quot; the apex court said.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) criticised the Indian government for its lackadaisical attitude.</p>

<p>&quot;Governments elected by people have the least concern for the health of its citizens&quot;, the NGT today said as it passed a slew of directions including setting up of centralised and state level monitoring committees to prepare action plans to combat pollution in a bid to tackle environment emergencies.</p>

<p>The board asked Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to consider banning 10-year-old diesel vehicles from plying on the roads, PTI reported.</p>

<p>Every state committee should, in their first meeting, notify one district where land use of agriculture is high and make it a model district for implementing orders to stop stubble burning, the board said.</p>

<p>Terming as &quot;severe&quot; levels of pollution when PM 10 and PM 2.5 are above 431 and 251 micrograms per cubic metre respectively in the ambient air, it said when air pollution takes such alarming proportions, immediate steps are needed to be taken as an&nbsp;environmental emergency.</p>

<p>It said that helicopters could be used to sprinkle water in the Delhi-NCR region.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


The three-judge bench said an "emergency plan" will comprise the measures needed to tackle graded level of pollution

"Do you want to wait till people start dying ... People are gasping for breath," India's supreme court asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) today, pulling it up for not having an action plan ready to deal with the "emergency" smog situation in the Indian capital and asking the Centre to list time-bound measures to tackle the worsening air quality. The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur criticised the CPCB for its "sluggish" response on the issue. "Do you (CPCB) want to wait till people start dying? The response cannot be sluggish. People are gasping for breath. People are in such a situation and you are waiting," PTI reported the bench as saying. "You must have plans. How will you have spread of stations (to monitor air quality) that will clear the picture? You need to immediately plan as to how many stations will be reasonable, looking into the importance of the situation. You must prepare a plan and tell us," the bench told CPCB chairman S P Singh Parihar. "We want you to take into consideration all the different inputs which are coming and draw a plan where you can have a proper system, a proper centralised control room, a graded level of air quality and also the response to it. You have to evolve a consensus. You must not allow the things to go out of your hands," the bench added. The bench has advised a meeting of all stakeholders with CPCB chairman to be held on November 19. The board, in consultation with government, will prepare a detailed plan specifying measures and the authority responsible for implementing recommendations in a timebound manner to deal with the issue, the court said. The "emergency plan" will also comprise measures needed to tackle graded level of pollution and identify how many central pollution control units are required to have a clear picture of the air quality. The Solicitor General (SG) told the bench that "all laws and regulations were in place but the implementing agencies were not able to do what they are required to do" to deal with the situation. Parihar said they need more stations to cover industrial and commercial areas so that they can have more details about the air quality. "You will have to tell us what will be graded air quality and how will you grade the air quality level as satisfactory, moderate, poor or severe. It may not be able to have an ideal situation in place like Delhi with so much of vehicles but there should be a plan in place," the apex court said. Meanwhile, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) criticised the Indian government for its lackadaisical attitude. "Governments elected by people have the least concern for the health of its citizens", the NGT today said as it passed a slew of directions including setting up of centralised and state level monitoring committees to prepare action plans to combat pollution in a bid to tackle environment emergencies. The board asked Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to consider banning 10-year-old diesel vehicles from plying on the roads, PTI reported. Every state committee should, in their first meeting, notify one district where land use of agriculture is high and make it a model district for implementing orders to stop stubble burning, the board said. Terming as "severe" levels of pollution when PM 10 and PM 2.5 are above 431 and 251 micrograms per cubic metre respectively in the ambient air, it said when air pollution takes such alarming proportions, immediate steps are needed to be taken as an environmental emergency. It said that helicopters could be used to sprinkle water in the Delhi-NCR region. (WION with inputs from agencies)

'Are you waiting for pollution related deaths?' India's top court asks pollution control board

<p>Here&rsquo;s some good news for all those iPhone users who often find themselves shrugging a lot - be it during a chat or in comments on social networks. Because your iPhone is soon going to have a dedicated emoji to represent the same.</p>

<p>Apple has released a developer preview of iOS 10.2 which includes new emoji such as Shrug and Fingers Crossed.</p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s how the Shrug emoji will look on your iPhone after it is updated to iOS 10.2:</p>

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<p>The new iOS 10.2 update includes new emoji including the much-awaited shrug emoji. (WION)</p>
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<p>Besides, the new iOS update will bring along all those 72 emoji which were approved in June 2016 by the Unicode Consortium, a body which standardises emoji and sets other language standards for the computing industry.</p>

<p>Some of the popular additions in the new list include Fox Face, Selfie, Black Heart, Avocado and Owl.</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition, new emoji representing different professions have also been included in the new iOS 10.2 release. The list includes professions such as Firefighter and Judge, with female and male versions of each (in all skin tones). In total, the new iOS update includes emoji support for 16 new professions - which appear as 32 emoji on the keyboard - one female and one male.</p>

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<p>A range of professions on the emoji keyboard in iOS 10.2. (WION)</p>
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<p>Apple has also updated the appearance of all those existing emoji which were not updated in the last release back in September.</p>

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<p>Brand new emoji designs in iOS 10.2. (WION)</p>
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<p>While a developer preview of iOS 10.2 is out, it is still not known as to when Apple will roll out the new software update to the public. But it is expected to be released only this month.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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Chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh shall meet once in two months to discuss pollution-control measures

Here’s some good news for all those iPhone users who often find themselves shrugging a lot - be it during a chat or in comments on social networks. Because your iPhone is soon going to have a dedicated emoji to represent the same. Apple has released a developer preview of iOS 10.2 which includes new emoji such as Shrug and Fingers Crossed. Here’s how the Shrug emoji will look on your iPhone after it is updated to iOS 10.2: The new iOS 10.2 update includes new emoji including the much-awaited shrug emoji. (WION) × Besides, the new iOS update will bring along all those 72 emoji which were approved in June 2016 by the Unicode Consortium, a body which standardises emoji and sets other language standards for the computing industry. Some of the popular additions in the new list include Fox Face, Selfie, Black Heart, Avocado and Owl. In addition, new emoji representing different professions have also been included in the new iOS 10.2 release. The list includes professions such as Firefighter and Judge, with female and male versions of each (in all skin tones). In total, the new iOS update includes emoji support for 16 new professions - which appear as 32 emoji on the keyboard - one female and one male. A range of professions on the emoji keyboard in iOS 10.2. (WION) × Apple has also updated the appearance of all those existing emoji which were not updated in the last release back in September. Brand new emoji designs in iOS 10.2. (WION) × While a developer preview of iOS 10.2 is out, it is still not known as to when Apple will roll out the new software update to the public. But it is expected to be released only this month.

Air pollution: India's national green tribunal favours committee for emergency action plan

Forest fires that blanketed Southeast Asia in thick haze last year released the greatest amount of climate-changing carbon since record blazes in 1997, producing emissions higher than in the whole of the European Union, scientists said on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia choked under a layer of toxic smog in September and October last year, caused by thousands of fires started in Indonesia to cheaply clear land for palm oil crops and for pulp and paper plantations.<br />
<br />
The fires and resulting haze, an annual occurrence, pushed up pollution levels, caused schools to close, flights to be disrupted and people to fall sick across the region.<br />
<br />
Last years blazes were the worst for years with El Nino, a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific, causing tinder-dry conditions.<br />
<br />
The study by scientists from the Netherlands, Britain and Indonesia, published in the online journal Scientific Reports recently, was the first scientific report calculating greenhouse gas emissions from the fires using measurements on the ground combined with satellite observations.<br />
<br />
&quot;There have been some isolated studies before where people artificially set fires in the lab to try to understand the chemical characteristics of peatland fire smoke in Indonesia,&quot; said Martin Wooster, one of the scientists and a professor of earth observation science at Kings College London.<br />
<br />
&quot;But no one had done this on natural fires, and especially not on the kind of extreme fires seen in 2015,&quot; he added.<br />
<br />
The researchers first measured the ground-level smoke composition from peatland burning in the region, including in Indonesias Central Kalimantan province, one of the worst-hit areas.<br />
<br />
They combined the data with satellite information to work out greenhouse gas emission estimates from the fires. They concluded that 884 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was emitted in the region last year, with 97 per cent originating from forest fires in Indonesia.<br />
<br />
The results showed that regional carbon dioxide emissions from the fires were 11.3 million tonnes per day in September and October 2015, more than the 28-nation EUs daily emissions of 8.9 million tonnes during the same period.<br />
<br />
The researchers also said the emissions were worse than during the 1997 fires, considered the worst on record.&nbsp;At that time, there was an even longer drought and widespread burning due to a stronger El Ni?o.<br />
<br />
The researchers said they hoped the findings would contribute to a better understanding on the need for fire prevention and improved ways of managing the land.<br />
<br />
&quot;What is important is the applicability of a study like this in helping policy makers to use more accurate fire emission factors to design policy and act to prevent further fires and greenhouse gas emissions,&quot; said scientist Daniel Murdiyarso from the Indonesia-based Center for International Forestry Research.<br />
<br />
The Indonesian fires have prompted criticism from green groups and other Southeast Asian nations, accusing Jakarta of not doing enough to crack down on the slash-and-burn forest clearing techniques.<br />
<br />
In a bid to tackle the issue, President Joko Widodo announced in April plans for a moratorium on new palm oil concessions and asked firms to raise yields on existing plantations instead of clearing forests.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

Thousands of fires started to cheaply clear land for palm oil crops and for pulp and paper plantations disrupted flights and caused sickness

Forest fires that blanketed Southeast Asia in thick haze last year released the greatest amount of climate-changing carbon since record blazes in 1997, producing emissions higher than in the whole of the European Union, scientists said on Tuesday. Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia choked under a layer of toxic smog in September and October last year, caused by thousands of fires started in Indonesia to cheaply clear land for palm oil crops and for pulp and paper plantations. The fires and resulting haze, an annual occurrence, pushed up pollution levels, caused schools to close, flights to be disrupted and people to fall sick across the region. Last years blazes were the worst for years with El Nino, a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific, causing tinder-dry conditions. The study by scientists from the Netherlands, Britain and Indonesia, published in the online journal Scientific Reports recently, was the first scientific report calculating greenhouse gas emissions from the fires using measurements on the ground combined with satellite observations. "There have been some isolated studies before where people artificially set fires in the lab to try to understand the chemical characteristics of peatland fire smoke in Indonesia," said Martin Wooster, one of the scientists and a professor of earth observation science at Kings College London. "But no one had done this on natural fires, and especially not on the kind of extreme fires seen in 2015," he added. The researchers first measured the ground-level smoke composition from peatland burning in the region, including in Indonesias Central Kalimantan province, one of the worst-hit areas. They combined the data with satellite information to work out greenhouse gas emission estimates from the fires. They concluded that 884 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was emitted in the region last year, with 97 per cent originating from forest fires in Indonesia. The results showed that regional carbon dioxide emissions from the fires were 11.3 million tonnes per day in September and October 2015, more than the 28-nation EUs daily emissions of 8.9 million tonnes during the same period. The researchers also said the emissions were worse than during the 1997 fires, considered the worst on record. At that time, there was an even longer drought and widespread burning due to a stronger El Ni?o. The researchers said they hoped the findings would contribute to a better understanding on the need for fire prevention and improved ways of managing the land. "What is important is the applicability of a study like this in helping policy makers to use more accurate fire emission factors to design policy and act to prevent further fires and greenhouse gas emissions," said scientist Daniel Murdiyarso from the Indonesia-based Center for International Forestry Research. The Indonesian fires have prompted criticism from green groups and other Southeast Asian nations, accusing Jakarta of not doing enough to crack down on the slash-and-burn forest clearing techniques. In a bid to tackle the issue, President Joko Widodo announced in April plans for a moratorium on new palm oil concessions and asked firms to raise yields on existing plantations instead of clearing forests. (Reuters)

Land-clearing forest fires choking Southeast Asia in 2015 release record carbon

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