Pollution

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities The mood in Whitefield and adjoining areas of Bangalore has been upbeat of late. The citizen’s group from the area created history on October 29th by getting a Supreme Court (SC) order which, for the first time, pulled up Graphite India limited (GIL) operating a plant in the area, as a serious offender contributing to air pollution by imposing a fine of INR 50 lakh based on the “polluter pays principle.” “We are very happy; we entered the SC as intervention petitioners challenging Graphite India Limited (GIL)…

While walking home from my daughter's, I caught the sunlight, slanting in beams in the dusty morning air: Ironic that it's the pollution in our air which shows up the shafts of sunlight! The scene also illustrates why traffic problems in our city, and country, are rather more complicated than elsewhere. There is such a variety of vehicles, motorized and non-motorized; two-, three- and four-wheelers jostling for the road, and amidst all the chaos, the hapless pedestrians, making their way too. I wish I'd been able to capture the bullock-cart that went past just before I clicked! For all the…

Dear Readers, We have good news and bad news. First, let's get the bad news out of the way: Diwali firecrackers are partially banned. And now for the good news: Diwali firecrackers are partially banned. The Supreme Court gave its ruling just 15 days before Diwali on November 7, in response to a petition on the behalf of three children in September 2015, pleading for a ban on the manufacture and sale of firecrackers to protect their health. In 2016 and 2017, the SC had passed an order with many restrictions on the manufacture and sale of firecrackers in Delhi…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities The 1.8 lakh and counting auto rickshaws on Bangalore streets are a boon and bane in equal measure. They are literally the last bastion for last mile connectivity in Bangalore but their role in mobility as a connecting cog to the main modes of transport (or access egress)  is unregulated, making them a bit of a nightmare. Public transport, which is often presented as a panacea for the unending nightmare of mobility in a city as crowded as Bangalore, is hampered quite often by issues of last…

A gentle mist spread over the lapping waves of the Tambrabarani or Thamirabarani, as the skies broke into a morning smile. The river did not look as if it was flooded or in full flow, as it lazily gurgled and swirled over pebbles, while small fish sometimes leapt in quick flashes. A pearly hue was just beginning to infuse the waters as the morning rubbed out sleep from its eyes. But by then crowds of people had already gathered -- bending, and taking three dips as part of the ritual "bath" for which they had travelled for days, and changed trains…

பல்லவபுர நகராட்சியின் கீழுள்ள 42 வார்டுகளில் கடந்த மூன்று வாரங்களாக பல சுகாதார சீர்கேடுகள் நடைப்பெற்று வருகிறது. நகராட்சியின் பல பகுதிகளில் கடந்த சில மாதங்களாகவே குப்பைகளை சரியாக அப்புறப்படுத்தாமலும், குப்பைகளை முறையாக மேலாண்மை செய்யாமலும் அதிகாரிகள் தவிர்த்து வருகின்றனர். பல தெருக்களில் வீட்டுக்கு வந்து குப்பைகளை சேகரிப்பது முன்னறிவிப்பின்றி நிறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. பல இடங்களில் எப்போதுமிருக்கும் குப்பைத்தொட்டிகள் அகற்றப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால் பலரும் குப்பைத்தொட்டி இருந்த இடங்களில் எப்போதும் போல குப்பையை கொட்டி வருகின்றனர் அதை சரிவரக் கையாளாததால் சாலைகளில் பறந்தும் சுற்றுப் பகுதிகளில் துர்நாற்றம் வீசியும் சுகாதார சீர்கேட்டுக்கு வித்திடுகிறது.பல தெருக்களில் தொடர்ந்து குப்பைகள் தீயிட்டு கொளுத்தப்பட்டு வ௫கிறது. இதை பற்றி சுகாதார அதிகாரியான (Sanitary Officer) தி௫ செல்வராஜ் அவர்களிடம் பல முறை புகார் அளித்த போதும், செய்கிறேன், பார்கிறேன் என்ற பதில் மட்டுமே அவரிடமிருந்து வ௫கிறது ஆனால் நடைமுறையில் எந்த மாற்றத்தையும் காண முடியவில்லை. இச்சூழலுக்கு காரணம் பல்லவபுர…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities The drastic rise in air pollution levels in Indian cities over the years has been a cause of extreme concern, especially after the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out that several Indian cities were part of the top 20 most polluted cities in terms of PM 2.5 levels. As part of a recent study by Aishwarya Sudhir ( supported by Co-Media Lab and Climate Trends), titled Bengaluru’s rising Air Quality Crisis, air pollution levels were tested for PM 2.5 (atmospheric particulate matter with diameter less that 2.5…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities Ruchika fumed behind the mask that her mother tied around her nose everyday. She had to pass through Peenya, the "dirtiest and "most polluted" locality in Bengaluru to reach her workplace. Her mother, a health expert, had told her "This is the point where pollution in 2015 was 1300 ug/m3." That figure in itself made no sense to Ruchika, till her mother added that the junction was 26 times more dangerous than the World Health Organisation's recommendation and 13 times worse than the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)'s  standards!…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities Over the years Bengaluru has seen a exponential increase in the number of registered vehicles; with the official data at 73 lakh vehicles as of January 2018. Out of these, 50 lakh vehicles are two-wheelers, while there are 14 lakh four-wheelers. One of the major causes of air pollution in mega cities in India such as Bengaluru is due to the emission from transportation sources. In a recent study by Centre for Science and Environment, Bengaluru ranked third among 14 metropolitan cities in India in terms of…

Imagine a walk on the Kotturpuram bridge on any morning or evening - a glance below provides a picturesque sight: people shouting in happiness, their row boats on the tranquil waters of Adyar River, free from traffic. The happiness on their faces is evident; it makes you feel the joy of rowing. You cannot help thinking how beautiful the journey of these rowers would be -- navigating in the seemingly serene waters, encountering fish and feeling the cool breeze. But the reality is quite different.  And ugly. The breeze carries the stench of sewage, often unbearably foul. And what rowers…