Punjab, Haryana announce Rs 2,500 an acre incentive to stop stubble burning

MP farmers may move SC for inclusion; UP to set up biomass plants; farmers say relief too late for this year.

Following the Supreme Court rule to boost ranchers for halting the consuming of paddy crop stubble to check air contamination, the legislatures of Punjab and Haryana have reported a reward of Rs 2,500 a section of land for little and negligible ranchers who are yet to begin such movement.

Rancher bunches state the motivating forces could have kept ranchers from consuming stubble in the event that it had gone ahead time. More, they need the impetus to be a lasting element.

In Madhya Pradesh, which has of late additionally observed developing occasions of stubble consuming, rancher bunches have chosen to appeal to the Court to remember them also for such a bundle.

In Haryana, the state government has reported an extra Rs 1,000 a section of land motivating force for custom-enlisting focuses and straw baler units, to help their operational expenses. The Rs 2,500 a section of land has been determined by expecting 25 quintals of paddy is reaped from a section of land of land in Punjab and Haryana. In Punjab, news organization PTI reports that to guarantee the pay, ranchers need to fill a self-announcement proforma with their panchayat office by November 30. The sum would be legitimately credited to the ledger of the qualified rancher.

Uttar Pradesh, which additionally faces the issue of stubble consuming has chosen to set biofuel plants in each locale, where ranchers can sell their waste stubble for age of power. Boss Minister Yogi Adityanath said two such units are coming up in Sitapur and Gorakhpur; this will be reached out to different locale.

In Punjab, up until now, around 48,000 episodes of homestead fires have been accounted for this year, higher than a year ago. It was less in Haryana and UP. The all out zone under paddy in Punjab is around 3,000,000 hectares, of which straw administration is required on around 2,000,000. In the rest of the territories, ranchers have possess game plans for straw administration. The state delivers around 20 million tons of paddy straw every year.

In Haryana, the region under paddy for the most part is 1.3 million hectares, from which around 12 million tons of straw is delivered each year.

This year, up until now, authorities said of 2.9 million hectares in which paddy is planted, the yield has been collected in very nearly 90 percent of the zone, which implies that there is plausibility of stubble consuming in 10-15 percent of the rest of the territory (30,000-35,000 hectares) if ranchers don't assimilate remedial measures on schedule.

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Climate change to hurt health of children born in India for life: Lancet

Indian children, who are already exposed to bad air and are particularly susceptible to malnutrition and infectious diseases, will experience greater impacts of climate change.

At current emission rates, a child born today will face lifelong health impacts of climate change, according to a new report. By the time he or she turns 71, the world will be 4 degrees-Celsius (deg-C) warmer than the pre-industrial levels of the mid-1700s.

Indian children, who are already exposed to bad air and are particularly susceptible to malnutrition and infectious diseases, will experience greater impacts of climate change, as we explain later.

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Here are some of the ways in which climate change will impact the lives of children from infancy to old age, as per the 2019 The Lancet Countdown report published in The Lancet, a medical journal:

Shrinking average yields of rice and maize will inflate the price of these crops, increasing the malnutrition burden, which is already higher among Indian children

Changing weather will increase the prevalence of infectious diarrhoeal and mosquito-borne diseases to which children are particularly susceptible

Air pollution will worsen, increasing the number of deaths attributable to fine particulates

Incidence of severe floods, prolonged droughts and wildfires will increase with rising temperature, putting lives at risk

The Lancet Countdown, which launched its first edition in 2016, is a comprehensive yearly analysis that tracks progress across 41 key indicators, demonstrating the health impacts of climate change.

“Children are particularly vulnerable to the health risks of a changing climate,” said Nick Watts, executive director, The Lancet Countdown, in a statement. “Their bodies and immune systems are still developing, leaving them more susceptible to disease and environmental pollutants. The damage done in early childhood is persistent and pervasive, with health consequences lasting for a lifetime.”

About 600 million Indians are at risk from the fallout of a rise in global mean temperature, IndiaSpend reported on October 8, 2018.

For the world to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and protect the health of the next generation, the energy landscape will have to change drastically and soon, the report said. Countries have to try and limit global warming to 2 deg-C by ramping up efforts to decrease carbon emissions through nationally determined goals under the agreement.

Delhi's air quality dips to 'severe' levels, likely to worsen on Wednesday

The air quality monitor predicted the pollution levels in Delhi-NCR are expected to enter the "severe-plus" or "emergency" category today.

After slight relief, Delhi and its suburbs have again been engulfed in thick blanket of smog as fall in the temperature and wind speed pushed the city's air quality in the "severe" zone.

Delhi's overall air quality index (AQI) fell to 467 at 6:30 am from 425 on Tuesday evening, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

The PM 2.5 stood at 317 while the PM10 was recorded at 451.

The air quality monitor also predicted the pollution levels in Delhi-NCR are expected to enter the "severe plus" or "emergency" category today.

Meteorologists said the national capital recorded on Tuesday morning a minimum temperature of 11.7 degrees Celsius, the season's lowest so far. It is two notches below normal for this time of the year.

Most of the 37 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi recorded air quality in the severe category on Tuesday.

Faridabad (413), Gurgaon (511), Ghaziabad (461), and Noida (572) also choked on extremely polluted air.

An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. An AQI above 500 falls in the 'severe plus' category.

According to SAFAR, the share of stubble-burning accounted for 25 per cent of Delhi's pollution on Tuesday, up from 18 per cent on Monday.

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Delhi continues to struggle for clean air as AQI slips to 'very poor'

The city recorded a decline in the pollution levels on Saturday and Sunday with the air quality moving from the 'very poor' to 'poor' category owing to favourable wind speed.

Business Standard : Pollution in New Delhi on Monday morning fell to "very poor" after being "poor" as the air quality index (AQI) slipped to 346 at 7:00 am, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

The AQI in adjoining areas of Noida, Gurgaon was registered at 315 and 355 respectively.

An AQI between 201 and 300 is 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category.

Air quality in the city improved from "very poor" to "poor" on Saturday and Sunday because of wind speed.

It was a cold breezy Monday morning with the minimum temperature settling at 16 degrees Celsius.

Humidity was recorded at 66 per cent.

On Sunday, the maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded at 28 degrees Celsius and 16 degrees Celsius respectively.

Meanwhile, acting on a slew of directions from the Supreme Court, implementing agencies have taken "major action" at 13 pollution hot spots in the national capital, including closing 23 polluting industrial units, over the last three days, officials said on Sunday.

Municipal corporations have lifted 400 metric tonnes of construction and demolition waste and 1,200 metric tonne garbage during the period, they said.

After the apex court directed a three-member Monitoring Committee to oversee the implementation of pollution-control measures, its chairman Bhure Lal visited the hotspots of Wazirpur, Ashok Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Dwarka and R.K.Puram on November 8 and Narela, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Mundka on November 9, according to the officials.

Air pollution: Best air purifiers and masks that can help you breathe easy

Business Standard lists five anti-pollution gears that may be most efficient during poor and hazardous air quality in your city.

With most of India — capital New Delhi in particular — struggling to breathe because of hazardous air quality, people are forced to look at measures to prevent illness. Some of the most important things to do is getting good air purifiers and pollution filter masks. These come in different shapes and sizes, each with its own qualities and benefits. Which one should you go for? Business Standard lists five best anti-pollution gears to help you make a more informed choice:

Dyson Pure Hot+Cool air purifier (Rs 54,900)

This tower-shaped air purifier is a successor to the Dyson Pure Cool air purifier (review). As the name suggests, it is designed to work in all weather conditions. Like its predecessor, the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool does not look, work or perform in the same way as other air purifier in the market. Designed for indoor use — the living room, bedroom or large lobby areas — this air purifier has inbuilt sensors that detect pollutants, such as PM 2.5 and PM 10, and volatile organic compounds, such as benzene and formaldehyde, that are emitted from paints, burning of candles and materials in furniture, and nitrogen. It cleans the air based on the readings of its sensors. This air purifier has inbuilt Wi-Fi that makes it easy to connect with Android and iOS devices. With the help of the Dyson link app, you can fetch the air quality reading from the air purifier in real time. The app also shows the filters’ health and notifies when they need to be cleaned or replaced.

Honeywell Air Touch i9 (Rs 18,900)

This air purifier makes a good choice for moderate rooms of around 350 sq ft size. It has a minimalist design that makes it a good fit in contemporary living spaces. The air purifier has a three-level filteration process — a pre-filter for cleaning the air of large particulate matter, such as PM 10; a HEPA filter to bring down the PM 2.5 level and other particulate matter of up to 0.3 microns in size; and a HiSi filter that absorbs smoke and toxic gasses. The most likeable feature of this unit is its top panel. It operates with a light touch and is simple to understand. The touch panel has a PM 2.5 indicator, three modes for adjusting the fan speed, a night mode to turn the panel light off and a power button.

Samsung AX5500 (Rs 34,999)

This air purifier is a silent operator that does its job without making too much noise. The air purifier comes with a standard netted pre-filter and a two-in-one carbon and HEPA filter. According to the company, this air purifier is capable of servicing up to 645 sq ft — the size of a large living room.

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Tourists turn their back on Delhi as air pollution reaches record levels

Rising pollution levels is an added problem for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is trying to reverse an economic slowdown as he seeks to lure investors to the South Asia nation.

Business travelers and tourists are avoiding New Delhi, as air pollution in India’s capital reached record levels, travel agents said.

Booking inquiries for hotels and flights to New Delhi have slumped since the festival of Diwali on Oct. 27, said Sharat Dhall, chief operating officer of the business-to-consumer segment at Yatra Online Inc. Bursting of firecrackers as part of the festivities worsened pollution caused by farm stubble burning in areas around the capital city.

Business travelers are looking to reschedule their visits to a later date, Dhall said in an email, adding that tourists are preferring Himalayan hill stations and destinations in the state of Rajasthan, home to the Thar desert, over New Delhi, famous for the 12th-century Qutab Minar and the Red Fort, built in the 17th century.

Pollution levels in New Delhi surged to more than three times of what’s considered hazardous over the weekend, increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease and lung cancer. While both provincial and federal governments have taken steps, including limiting private vehicles usage and shuttering factories, they have been unable to stop farmers from burning crop stubble -- smoke from which is the main reason for air becoming a lethal cocktail at this time of the year.

Bookings and travel searches for New Delhi from key international areas including Singapore, Thailand and Qatar have fallen 44 per cent, according to travel website Ixigo. On the other hand, bookings and queries from New Delhi to other destinations have increased 25 per cent, Ixigo said. Last-minute bookings from Delhi to other metros like Mumbai and Bangalore have also surged 20 per cent.

Rising pollution levels is an added problem for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is trying to reverse an economic slowdown as he seeks to lure investors to the South Asia nation. Almost 11 million foreign tourists arrived in India last year, government data showed, as Modi’s administration unveiled a campaign to showcase everything from the country’s mountains to deserts and rain forests to wildlife parks.

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Relief for Delhi-NCR as air quality improves to 'very poor' category

Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'very poor' overall air quality.

In a major relief for the residents of Delhi-NCR, the air quality on Wednesday morning further improved. The air quality index in the national capital dropped from yesterday's 365 to 356 at 6:30 am. The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said, "The AQI is back to 'very poor' category after rapidly recovering from 'severe' largely due to faster boundary layer winds (40 kmph)."

Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'very poor' overall air quality.

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category.

The India Meteorological Department said winds gusting up to 25 kmph were flushing out pollutants faster.

"There are good chances of rains in northwest India on Wednesday night and Thursday due to a western disturbance. The precipitation will cover Delhi-NCR, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh," head of IMD's regional weather forecasting centre of Kuldeep Srivastava, said.

Taking a grim view of the surge in pollution levels, the Supreme Court on Monday slammed authorities for failing to curb pollution in Delhi-NCR and said they have left people to die.

Passing a slew of other directions to prevent the rise in air pollution levels, it imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on anyone carrying out construction and demolition activity in Delhi-NCR, and a fine of Rs 5,000 on offenders involved in garbage or waste burning. The Bench said it had “no sympathy for farmers indulging in it (stubble burning) as they are putting lives of others at risk”.

The odd-even scheme, which kickstarted on Monday has entered Day 3 with only even-numbered non-transport vehicles allowed on Delhi roads. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has claimed that due to the odd-even rule, 15 lakh vehicles have been taken off the road.

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Delhi pollution: AQI still in 'severe' category, Odd-even enters Day 2

The odd-even scheme, which kickstarted on Monday has entered Day 2 with only odd-numbered non-transport vehicles allowed on Delhi roads.

Pollution levels in the national capital surged on Tuesday morning as the air quality remained in the 'severe' category. A day after high wind speed helped bring down pollution levels in the city, SAFAR, the government-run monitoring agency, said Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 411 at 7:00 am. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'severe' overall air quality.

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe.

Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category.

The odd-even scheme, which kickstarted on Monday has entered Day 2 with only odd-numbered non-transport vehicles allowed on Delhi roads.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), Noida (493) and Gurugram (405), also breathed polluted air.

Taking a grim view of the surge in pollution levels, the Supreme Court yesterday slammed authorities for failing to curb pollution in Delhi-NCR and said they have left people to die.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta took serious note of crop burning in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh and said it cannot go unabated every year.

"Can we survive in this atmosphere? This is not the way we can survive," the bench said. The bench called the pollution in Delhi-NCR as atrocious and said no one is safe even inside homes.

The Centre, in response said that the number of 'good' to 'moderate' days increased to 175 in 2019 against 157 in 2018. According to the Centre, the bursting of firecrackers during Diwali, stubble burning and adverse meteorology conditions exacerbated the pollution level in Delhi-NCR.

Passing a slew of other directions to prevent rise in air pollution levels, it imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on anyone carrying out construction and demolition activity in Delhi-NCR, and a fine of Rs 5,000 on offenders involved in garbage or waste burning. The Bench said it had “no sympathy for farmers indulging in it (stubble burning) as they are putting lives of others at risk”.

Business Standard

Delhi pollution: Odd-even scheme starts as AQI hits 708, schools shut

In the National Capital Region (NCR), Noida (720) and Gurugram (833), also breathed extremely polluted air.

Even as India's capital city scrambles to tackle its epic air pollution problems, there seems to be no end to the woes of people residing in Delhi and its adjoining areas. On Monday morning, Delhi air quality was in 'severe-plus emergency' category. SAFAR, the government-run monitoring agency, said Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) was 708 at 6:30 am. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded severe-plus emergency overall air quality.

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category.

The odd-even scheme and road space rationing scheme kickstarted today, with only even-numbered non-transport vehicles allowed on Delhi roads on the first day of the exercise. The impact of the scheme is yet to be seen.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), Noida (720) and Gurugram (833), also breathed extremely polluted air.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences' air quality monitor, SAFAR, said the city's overall AQI reached as high as 708 around 5 pm, which is 14 times the safe level of 0-50.

ALSO READ: Delhi air pollution: 19 flights cancelled, over 550 delayed and 37 diverted

On Sunday, low visibility due to heavy smog disrupted flight operations at the Delhi airport, with 37 flights diverted to other airports and more than 250 departures and 300 arrivals delayed, officials said.

NASA satellite imagery showed vast swathes of the northern plains, covering Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, blanketed under a smoky haze.

Weather experts said any significant improvement in the situation is highly unlikely unless there is rainfall, which may occur on November 7 and 8 under the influence of Cyclone Maha and a western disturbance.

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Air purifier, pollution mask sales spike as Delhi battles health emergency

While Hindware is expecting sale of its air purifiers to double this year, brands like Xiaomi, Blue Star and Daikin, too, are expecting significant rise in sales.

Business Standard : As air quality in the Capital continues to deteriorate, sale of preventive items like air purifiers and pollution masks have spiked significantly. Manufacturers are observing a 30 to 100 per cent rise in demand compared to the same period last year.

While Hindware is expecting sale of its air purifiers to double this year, brands like Xiaomi, Blue Star and Daikin, too, are expecting significant rise in sales. Haier, which has recently launched its air purifying products for home, is already observing a spike in demand from the markets in Delhi and adjoining regions that contribute over 80 per cent of the total market volumes. Rakesh Kaul, president, CEO and whole-time director at Somany Home Innovation, a Hindware group firm, said that over the past three to four years, the degrading air quality and increasing concern towards health issues has fuelled sales of air purifiers and pollution masks in the country.

But with the current situation in Delhi NCR, where schools are being shut and there is an increase in the number of health-related issues being reported, there has been a significant growth in the air purifier market.

Firms are not only focusing on meeting the heightened demand as a public health emergency is underway in the region, they are also taking measures to ease the purchasing process. Some of the firms are even concerned about the side effects of complete dependence on artificial measures like air purifying machines and masks as lack of any holistic measures to curb air pollution is haunting citizens.

Panasonic, for example, is offering extended warranty and consumer finance options to make purchases accessible and affordable, said Syed Moonis Ali Alvi, general manager for air purifier business at the Japanese firm. A Xiaomi spokesperson said the company has set up a dedicated page on its shopping portal for air purifiers and pollution masks.

Management of other firms like Blue Star and Nirvana masks are rather concerned about the unavailability of natural solutions to the growing problem. The deteriorating quality of air that began with fire cracker pollutions on Diwali last week, has now got worse.

B Thiagarajan, joint managing director at Blue Star, said that while installing air purifiers at homes, offices and in cars help in reducing pollution levels inside the premises, it is the ultimate step when no other options are available.

Delhi chokes as pollution levels remain 'severe' for second straight day

On Wednesday morning, the Delhi air quality index was 422 -- a little worse than Tuesday's AQI of 414 at 8 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

Delhi air pollution: There is no respite from severe air pollution in Delhi as air quality remained in the "severe" category on Wednesday morning. The air quality was similar to what it was on Tuesday, the day it slipped into the "severe" category in the city and the adjoining areas.

At 6 am, the city's overall air quality index (AQI) was 422 -- a little worse than Tuesday's AQI of 414 at 8 pm, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. Above 500 is severe-plus emergency category.

Delhi's air quality took a hit after Diwali night due to a combination of firecracker emissions, stubble burning and unfavourable meteorological conditions.

Since then, pollution levels have been oscillating between the lower end and the higher end of the very poor category.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on on Tuesday appealed "with folded hands" to Punjab and Haryana to take concrete steps against stubble burning to prevent the national capital from becoming a "gas chamber".

His statement came after latest NASA images showed a drastic spurt in crop residue burning in the neighbouring states. The stubble plume from north-west regions has become one of the significant factors adversely affecting Delhi's air quality.

Business Standard

World Environment Day 2019: Air pollution claims 7 million lives each year

Hard facts: Four million people worldwide die prematurely each year from air pollution in Asia-Pacific region alone.

World Environment Day 2019 : Air pollution, both outside and inside homes, is a silent and deadly killer responsible for the premature deaths of seven million people each year, including 600,000 children, according to a UN Special Rapporteur on environment and human rights.

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Poor air quality is a global public health emergency

David Boyd, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia in Canada, said that over six billion people, one-third of them children, are regularly inhaling air so polluted that it puts their life, health and well-being at risk.

How bad is the current situation?

Every hour, 800 people are dying, many after years of suffering from cancer, respiratory illnesses or heart disease directly caused by breathing bad air.

Outdoor air pollution

Air pollutants are everywhere, largely caused by burning of fossil fuels for electricity, transportation, and heating, as well as from industrial activities, poor waste management and agricultural practice.

Indoor air pollution

Women and children, who in many less wealthy countries spend a lot of time at home, are disproportionally affected by indoor air pollution caused by cooking, heating or lighting with solid fuels and kerosene.

Boyd identified seven key steps, which include monitoring air quality and impact on human health, assessing sources of air pollution; and making information publicly available, including public health advisories. Programmes in India and Indonesia that have helped millions of poor families switch to cleaner cooking technologies and states that are successfully eliminating the use of coal-fired power plants are a few examples of good practices. Also, many actions to ensure cleaner air can be designed to simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, resulting in a double dividend.

Air pollution kills 1.2 mn Indians in a year, third biggest cause of death

The study titled 'State of Global Air 2019' reported that the life on average of a South Asian child growing up in current high levels of air pollution will be shortened by two years and six months.

Business Standard : Exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to over 1.2 million deaths in India in 2017, a new global study said on Wednesday.

The study titled "State of Global Air 2019" reported that the life on average of a South Asian child growing up in current high levels of air pollution will be shortened by two years and six months, while the global life expectancy loss is 20 months.

At the same time, the study noted, India has initiated major steps to address pollution sources like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, accelerated Bharat Stage VI clean vehicle standards and the new National Clean Air Programme.

"These and future initiatives have the potential, if fully implemented as part of a sustained commitment to air quality, to result in significant health benefits in coming years," Health Effects Institute Vice President Robert O'Keefe said in a statement to IANS.

The Health Effects Institute is an independent, non-profit research institute funded jointly by the US Environmental Protection Agency, industry, foundations and development banks.

Worldwide, air pollution is responsible for more deaths than many better-known risk factors such as malnutrition, alcohol use and physical inactivity, according to the annual report.

In India, air pollution is the third highest cause of death among all health risks, ranking just above smoking. Every year, more people globally die from air pollution related diseases than from road traffic injuries or malaria.

Overall, long-term exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollution contributed to nearly five million deaths from stroke, diabetes, heart attack, lung cancer and chronic lung disease in 2017.

Out of these, three million deaths are directly attributed to PM2.5, half of which are generated from India and China together.

South Asia -- Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan -- is the most polluted region, with over 1.5 million air-pollution related deaths.

The report found China and India together were responsible for over half of the total global attributable deaths, with each country facing over 1.2 million deaths from air pollution in 2017.

Vehicles seem to be 'bigger' contributor to pollution than firecrackers: SC

The Supreme Court also asked the Centre if there could be any comparative study to see pollution caused by both.

The Supreme Court Tuesday said why people were "running after" firecracker industries when it seems that automobiles were "bigger" contributor to pollution, and asked the Centre whether there was any comparative study on pollution caused by both.

While expressing serious concern over loss of jobs of people involved in manufacture and sale of firecrackers, a bench of Justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer said, "We do not wish to generate unemployment."

"Is there any comparative study on what proportion of pollution is caused by firecrackers and what proportion is caused by automobiles? It seems you are running after firecrackers, but bigger pollution contributor is perhaps vehicles," the bench told Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, who was appearing for the Centre.

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The top court said, "You must tell us some way of preventing unemployment also. We cannot have people unemployed and hungry. There are areas where firecrackers can be used."

"We cannot give them (those who have lost jobs) money. We cannot support their families.

Unemployment is there," the bench said.

The bench also raised a question as to how manufacture of firecrackers could be stopped if the trade is legal and people have licence to carry out the business.

"Nobody has tested this in relation to Article 19 (which says all citizens shall have the right to practise any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business). If the trade is legal and you have the licence for this, then how can you stop this? How can you leave people unemployed?" the bench observed.

The court was hearing a plea which has sought a complete ban on use of firecrackers across the country on the ground that it gives rise to pollution.

The apex court had last year said people in the country can burst firecrackers only from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali and other festivals, and had allowed the manufacture and sale of only "green crackers" which have low emission of light, sound and harmful chemicals.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the ASG told the bench that the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and other expert agencies were experimenting and they have come up with composition of "green crackers".

Regarding the use of barium nitrate, which was earlier banned by the apex court, Nadkarni said, "Barium was banned in firecrackers by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Supreme Court also banned it.

Haze engulfs Delhi and nearby areas as air quality deteriorates further

In NCR, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Noida recorded 'very poor' air quality.

In no deviation from the usual these days, Delhiites woke up under a pall of thick haze on Wednesday with the air quality remaining in the 'very poor' category in the national capital on the second consecutive day after it showed signs of improvement.

The overall air quality index (AQI) of Delhi was recorded at 360, which falls in the 'very poor' category, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR).

The level of PM2.5 -- particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres -- was recorded at 198 and the PM10 level was recorded at 340, SAFAR said.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The CPCB said Ashok Vihar, Mundaka, Narela and Wazirpur recorded 'severe' air quality, while 22 areas of Delhi recorded 'very poor' air quality.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Noida recorded 'very poor' air quality, the CPCB data said.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, a haze has engulfed the national capital and the wind speed and ventilation index are "extremely unfavourable" for dispersion of pollutants.

Ventilation index determines how fast pollutants can get dispersed.

The ventilation index of around 6,000 sqm/second gets rid of pollutants, but it came down to 1,500 sqm/second on Tuesday in the city.

"The air quality is very poor and as expected, gradual increasing trend is noticed," SAFAR said.

"It is likely to remain very poor with a gradually increasing trend till Wednesday without any major episode and then likely to decline but continue to remain in very poor," it said.

"The surface wind speed further declined as compared to yesterday. All other meteorological factors are unfavourable and likely to remain so at least until tomorrow. 

The contribution from stubble biomass has almost seized," the SAFAR said.

Meanwhile, in order to combat air pollution, the Delhi government on Tuesday released the draft of Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy 2018 for public comments.

"About 30 per cent of particulate pollution in winter is caused by vehicles. A rapid adoption of zero-emission electric vehicles is therefore of great importance to Delhi. 
Recognising the need for a new approach to kick-start electric vehicle adoption, we have drafted a comprehensive Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy with an aim to make Delhi a leader in the adoption of electric vehicles. We believe that going electric and breathing better are two sides of the same coin," Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said in a statement.

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