Articles by Jasjeev Gandhiok
Sarvodaya Enclave lost 143 trees in 7 years, Delhi forest dept finds
The inspection was carried out using a combination of satellite imagery and a physical re-census, following orders issued by the Delhi high court on October 11 last year, asking the forest and wildlife department to take action within six weeks’ time
Updated on Jan 15, 2022 07:04 PM IST
Delhi’s green cover up over 5%, but forest area dips marginally
The report showed while Delhi recorded a slight decrease of 0.44sqkm in its forest cover, it recorded an increase of 18sqkm in total tree cover – a result the forest department said is due to large-scale plantation drives
Updated on Jan 14, 2022 06:52 AM IST
Govt forms 11-member council to protect city’s biodiversity, plan for its future
The council will function as an autonomous unit under the forest and wildlife department of Delhi and receive separate funds. It will hold its first meeting on Friday
Updated on Jan 13, 2022 01:21 AM IST
Despite rule, no pet shop in Delhi registered with state animal welfare board
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018, makes it mandatory for pet shops in Delhi and other states to be registered with the State Animal Welfare Board. An official from the department told HT that they have begun work on registering pet shops
Updated on Jan 13, 2022 01:15 AM IST
Dense fog spell delays early flights
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said rain over the weekend brought sufficient moisture to Delhi, which may lead to spells of moderate to dense fog in the coming days as well.
Published on Jan 12, 2022 01:22 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Why is Delhi not recording much fog this winter season?
- Not only is the lack of “dense fog” hours strange, but Delhi has also not recorded enough shallow to moderate fog hours
Published on Jan 11, 2022 08:42 PM IST
Clean air targets not met in Delhi NCR
The annual level of PM 2.5, minute dust that enters deep into the lungs and bloodstream, was two and a half times the national annual benchmark of 40 mcm, and as much as 20 times the safe limit prescribed by the World Health Organization.
Published on Jan 11, 2022 04:38 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Weekend rain gives city wettest Jan in 27 yrs, season’s lowest max temperature
- The day saw the city receive 5.4mm of rainfall between 8.30am and 5.30pm, after 41mm rain the previous day, taking the total precipitation in Delhi for the month to 63.6mm -- the most in January since 1995.
Published on Jan 10, 2022 04:27 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Delhi plans mesh of sensors to monitor pollution air hot spots
Pollution is one of the biggest problems dogging Delhi, and the city experiences a public health emergency every winter with the air quality deteriorating to hazardous levels
Updated on Jan 07, 2022 06:24 AM IST
Delhi shivers at season’s lowest max temperature
The rain, coupled with low clouds also created a haze that prevailed during the day, keeping visibility between 400 and 1,200 metres, which led to a slight deterioration in air quality, despite the rain, IMD scientists said.
Updated on Jan 06, 2022 05:14 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Fourth runway, T1 upgrades: 2022 a crucial year for Delhi airport
The revamped T1, which is currently undergoing work to double its capacity from 20 million passengers per annum to 40 million passengers, will integrate the departure and arrival terminals under one roof.
Updated on Jan 03, 2022 04:38 AM IST
Post-stubble burning, why Delhi sees a second spike in pollution in December
- It is the second spell that is more worrying in the pollution fight as it occurs due to high background emissions in the region
Published on Jan 01, 2022 05:38 PM IST
Chain-link fencing replaces barbed wires in Delhi’s Sanjay Van
In 2019, activists had filed a complaint with the forest department about animals, such as nilgai, getting stuck in the barbed wires, causing them to get grievously injured or die in the process.
Published on Dec 31, 2021 10:12 PM IST
Cold wave returns: Temp falls to 3.4°C, Delhi may be cooler today
Met officials it was the sharpest drop in the minimum temperature this season so far since the mercury dropped to 3.4°C from 8.4°C recorded on Wednesday.
Published on Dec 31, 2021 01:21 AM IST
Delhi met national PM2.5 standards for only half of 2021
In an analysis released by the System of Air Quality of Weather Forecasting And Research (Safar) on Thursday, Delhi recorded a total of 49 ‘good’ air days – when the 24-hour average PM 2.5 concentration was below 30 micrograms per cubic metre
Published on Dec 31, 2021 01:14 AM IST
2021: The year when Delhi broke a weather record every month
Not only did Delhi see extreme cold waves at the start and end of the year, it witnessed an intense monsoon that continued well into late October as the city recorded 1,512.4mm of rainfall till December 29, the second highest ever
Published on Dec 30, 2021 12:14 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, New Delhi
Delhi govt plans to phase out single-use plastic in 2022
Senior environment department officials involved in framing the policy said the document will be shared with all government departments “within the next fortnight” for suggestions and comments before being tabled in the cabinet meeting.
Published on Dec 28, 2021 11:30 PM IST
Best of times, worst of times: Delhi’s air see-sawed in 2021
The city may have got some control over its air in non-winter months, but the annual November-January smog build-up remains a major problem area
Updated on Dec 28, 2021 03:17 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Worst December air spell holds Delhi in vice grip
Delhi recorded an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 459 on Sunday, the worst since November 12, when the index had a reading of 471.
Updated on Dec 27, 2021 02:45 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Delhi: Experts call for steps to sustain wildlife at Asola Bhatti sanctuary
With striped hyenas and leopards, the natural park not only has top predators and scavengers, but a variety of herbivores, largely fulfilling a complete foodchain and ecosystem
Updated on Dec 27, 2021 03:11 AM IST
Soumya Pillai and Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Power plants around Delhi are far from meeting norms to reduce air pollution
While Delhi may have shut down its last thermal power plant in Badarpur in 2018, experts say air quality in the National Capital Region cannot improve until coal-based thermal power plants are phased out
Updated on Dec 24, 2021 05:21 PM IST
Delhi’s air pollution levels in ‘severe’ zone for 3rd consecutive day
Weather and environment experts have said that a mix of factors may have led to the worsening of air quality, including lower-than-expected wind speed and a poor assessment of the impact of lifting restrictions
Updated on Dec 24, 2021 03:23 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Delhi pollution body hires 50 environmental engineers, to train them via 3-week module
Officials of DPCC said this training module, which HT has had a look at, will be the guiding tool for all future recruitments for technical positions, with particular focus on air pollution
Published on Dec 23, 2021 12:36 AM IST
Designated feeding spots latest sticking point in conflict over stray dogs
Many are opposed to multiple feeding spots; some even want them to be fixed outside colony boundaries
Updated on Dec 23, 2021 05:15 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, New Delhi
NCR resolved 50% pollution-related complaints: CPCB
Among the NCR states, Delhi is faring best, having resolved nearly 63% (761) of the 1,214 complaints filed during this period.
Updated on Dec 22, 2021 01:48 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, New Delhi
Delhi airport records lowest carbon emissions: Study
Delhi airport is followed by the Kuala Lumpur airport (5.83 million tonnes), Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (6.53 million tonnes) and Dallas’s Fort Worth airport (7 million tonnes)
Published on Dec 21, 2021 10:59 PM IST
Delhi experiences coldest morning of season, mercury dips to 2.9°C
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that cold wave conditions will continue across Delhi on Tuesday. On Monday, the mercury dipped to 2.9 degrees Celsius at the Jafarpur weather station in south-west Delhi.
Updated on Dec 21, 2021 12:30 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, New Delhi
Why real-time source apportionment data could help Delhi combat air pollution
In its MoU, which was signed with IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, TERI and IISER Delhi, the government specified the need to identify real-time sources of pollution
Published on Dec 20, 2021 08:33 PM IST
As air quality improves, CAQM lifts construction ban in Delhi-NCR
CAQM said construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR can resume immediately since air quality in Delhi has improved from the ‘very poor’ category and has been in the ‘poor’ category consistently for the last three days
Updated on Dec 20, 2021 02:17 PM IST
Trees and robots in NCRPB plan to combat pollution
The plan suggests creating green corridors, green barriers along highways and a dense biodiversity park network, along with implementing technologies such as smog towers and floating water drones/robots.
Updated on Dec 20, 2021 01:14 AM IST
Jasjeev Gandhiok, New Delhi