Dr Sneha Tirpude, pulmonologist at Pune's Ruby Hall Clinic, suggests simple measures to protect your lungs when the air quality is poor.
With Delhi recording air pollution levels seven to eight times above safe standards on Monday, the city government announced the return of its flagship odd-even scheme after four years anticipating further deterioration of air quality post-Diwali.
Gaps in enforcement, limited monitoring, and easy access to firecrackers from the NCR region where restrictions were slack were largely responsible for the widespread flouting of the cracker ban in Delhi on Diwali, experts have opined.
The Bombay High Court has ruled that the use of loudspeakers is not an essential part of any religion and has directed law enforcement agencies to take prompt action against loudspeakers that violate noise pollution norms. The court also ordered the state government to direct religious institutions to adopt mechanisms for controlling noise levels, including calibrated sound systems with auto-decibel limits. The decision came in response to a petition filed by two housing associations alleging police inaction against noise pollution caused by loudspeakers installed on mosques in the area.
The flag will be taken down on July 24, 2028, which will mark the conclusion of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, which is held once in 12 years.
The Iranian government has said that the explosion was likely related to chemicals being stored.
The survey was conducted in 88 major industrial clusters in the country.
Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages has moved the National Green Tribunal, challenging the order.
The city's 24-hour Air Quality Index, recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 418, up from 334 the previous day, and it may trigger stringent restrictions under the third stage of the graded response action plan to mitigate hazardous conditions.
Billions of rupees spent on river cleaning programmes have gone down the drain. This situation cannot be allowed to continue, says Business Standard.
The political and ideological differences between the Congress and Shashi Tharoor is no longer a matter of whispers.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday said she felt like the protagonist of the Hindi movie Nayak after being selected for the post and asserted that it was not a 'lottery' but an honour for all daughters of the country.
The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 420 at 8 am on Thursday, compared to 426 at 4 pm on Wednesday. The AQI map prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board showed clusters of red dots (indicating hazardous air quality) spread across the Indo-Gangetic plains.
Protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act turned violent in Cachar district of Assam on Sunday, with protesters throwing stones at police and the police using batons to disperse the crowd. The incident occurred in Berenga area of Silchar town where around 300-400 people protested without permission. The Cachar district administration imposed prohibitory measures across the district under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent further unrest. The order prohibits gatherings of five or more people without permission, carrying weapons, organizing protests, and traffic disruptions.
The poisonous haze has been causing significant problems for people with existing respiratory issues, according to doctors.
The Central Pollution Control Board has declared Gujarat as the most polluted state in India.
This time, Delhi saw a sharp improvement in air quality just ahead of Diwali which can be attributed to intermittent rainfall on Friday and wind speed favourable for the dispersion of pollutants.
The Maha Kumbh, billed as the world's largest gathering, concluded on Wednesday after 45 days, with lakhs of devotees taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Despite a stampede that killed at least 30 people, millions continued to visit the Kumbh, seeking salvation through the ritual bath. The event saw a mix of faith, tradition, and technology, drawing pilgrims and tourists from across the globe.
According to Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Sameer app, the city's air quality index (AQI) stood at 449 in the severe category at 8 am on Saturday. It was 462 on Friday.
After a long and harsh spell of heatwave, Delhi witnessed a pleasant morning on Thursday, with the weather department saying parts of the national capital received light rains.
Tej Pratap Yadav, an RJD leader and former Bihar minister, has been criticized for ordering his security guard to dance during Holi celebrations. The constable was sent to the police lines after he danced in uniform during the festivities at Yadav's residence. The incident has sparked controversy, with many criticizing Yadav's behavior. The incident also highlights the blurring of lines between personal and official duties in India, where politicians often use their positions to exert influence over subordinates.
Under the emergency plan, stringent actions are implemented based on the air quality of the city.
Authorities have suspended civil construction works in Delhi and Haryana as part of emergency measures to improve air quality.
Recent reports of heart attacks occurring while dancing, driving, or even walking have raised concerns about the condition's unpredictability. Experts emphasize the importance of regular health check-ups to detect underlying heart diseases and prevent sudden cardiac events. Factors contributing to the rise include unhealthy lifestyles, genetic predisposition, and inadequate sleep. The article highlights the need for increased public awareness and stricter implementation of government programs to address the growing trend of heart attacks, particularly among younger individuals.
Ramesh asked the PM why river Ganga is "dirtier than before" even after spending Rs 20,000 crore on the Namami Gange project.
A thick layer of fog was seen in several parts of the city, weather officials said.
The eight critically polluted areas are Ludhiana (Punjab), Varanasi-Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh), Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Bhavnagar (Gujarat), Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), Dombivalli (Maharashtra), Aurangabad (Maharashtra) and Navi-Mumbai (Maharashtra).
A smoke-free zone would be demarcated around the Golden Temple at Amritsar to shield the historic shrine from the increasing pollution in its vicinity.
The Centre on Monday earmarked a separate Rs 2,217 crore for 42 urban centres to tackle air pollution and announced the much-awaited voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and polluting vehicles, even as it shrunk the budgetary allocation for the environment ministry from the last fiscal by nearly eight percent. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech for 2021-22, announced a total of Rs 2869.93 crore for the ministry, Rs 230 crore less than the last fiscal. Officials said the outlay has been lesser this time as the economy is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Air pollution may lead to a faster spread of Covid-19 infection as it causes coughing and sneezing, government officials told a parliamentary panel on Friday, according to sources.
Air quality in Delhi and its suburbs dropped to the severe category again on Wednesday morning, with smoke from post-harvest paddy straw burning in neighbouring states accounting for one-third of the air pollution in the national capital.
The Congress on Friday claimed that a 'silent undercurrent' is brewing across western Uttar Pradesh against the 'failures' of the Modi government, as it flagged issues such as 'neglect' of sugarcane farmers and examination paper leaks.
Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal went to the Election Commission's office in New Delhi on Friday and furnished his reply to the poll body over its notice to him on his 'poison mixed' in Yamuna water remark.
Virendra Kumar Sinha's pollution control device can be attached to generators or other diesel engines, to bring down noise and air pollution.
Violation of the provisions entails a punishment of a jail term up to five years or with fine up to Rs 1 crore or with both, the ordinance released by the Ministry of Law and Justice on Thursday said.
Sunil Bharala, the chairman of the state Labour Welfare Council, said stubble burning is an 'age-old practice'.
The Madhya Pradesh high court in Jabalpur on Monday directed the state government to take steps within six weeks for disposal of Bhopal-based Union Carbide's 337 tonnes of hazardous waste as per safety protocols, while restraining the media from publishing any fake news on the same.
Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre and some states for the enforcement of emission norms for vehicles.
The commissioning of these ships is of great significance for the Coast Guard, that is the nodal agency for oil spill response in India's Exclusive Economic Zone under the National Oil Disaster Contingency Plan.
'These measures should be in place throughout the year in order to bring down AQI levels to 100 or below'
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