Soumya Pillai
Soumya Pillai covers environment and traffic in Delhi. A journalist for three years, she has grown up in and with Delhi, which is often reflected in the stories she does about life in the city. She also enjoys writing on social innovations.
Articles by Soumya Pillai
Eight of 10 most polluted cities this winter were in NCR, UP: CSE study
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 08:37 AM IST
While Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr and Greater Noida topped the list of most polluted cities in this region, Noida and Delhi were not far behind. Kanpur and Lucknow occupied sixth and ninth positions on the chart
Eight of 10 most polluted cities this winter were in Delhi-NCR and UP, finds CSE study
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 24, 2021 11:43 PM IST
Eight of 10 most polluted cities in the country this winter were located in the Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh region, an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows
Rented cycle cheapest transport in Delhi but lack of infra a hurdle: WRI
UPDATED ON FEB 24, 2021 01:56 PM IST
The Delhi government and the city’s municipalities are working on plans to ensure that cycling tracks are marked along major arterial roads
Delhi forest dept conducts workshop for road owning agencies
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 23, 2021 11:50 PM IST
The Delhi forest department on Tuesday conducted a workshop for the road owning and construction agencies of the city to educate them on ways to preserve the ecology of an area while undertaking digging and construction activities
SC panel to meet today to decide fate of trees that face axe in Metro expansion
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 24, 2021 03:27 AM IST
In a petition before the Delhi high court, it was submitted that for the construction of three of DMRC corridors —Janakpuri-RK Ashram, Maujpur-Majlis Park and Aerocity-Tughlakabad—the Metro had sought permission to cut 11,454 trees.
First high dam on Yamuna may pose flood risk to city: Experts
By Jayashree Nandi, Soumya Pillai, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 22, 2021 02:07 PM IST
The move has reignited a three-decade old worry among environmentalists who have been flagging the project as a potential risk for the national capital.
Delhi forest dept tells infra agencies how to preserve environment
By Soumya Pillai, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 22, 2021 04:44 AM IST
This workshop was scheduled after the Delhi high court in an order issued on February 10, asked the Delhi government to initiate measures to sensitise agencies to the importance of preserving trees while undertaking civil construction work.
Road accident fatalities hit 30-year low in 2020
By Soumya Pillai, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 20, 2021 03:09 AM IST
Police Data showed that in 2020, 1,163 fatal accidents were reported in the city, nearly 19% less than the fatal accidents reported in 2019.
Dense February fog leaves weather experts surprised
UPDATED ON FEB 20, 2021 03:37 AM IST
In February, very dense fog has already been recorded for 3-4 hours. On Friday too, visibility at the Palam weather station fell below 50 metres. Other parts of the city also witnessed moderate fog.
5.5km of Metro Phase-4 line may traverse Ridge, documents show
By Soumya Pillai, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 19, 2021 12:50 AM IST
Documents accessed by Hindustan Times show that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has sought permission from the forest department to take up 50,875sqm of Ridge land for permanent and temporary use.
Rail roko: Delhi Metro shuts entry, exit to four stations
PUBLISHED ON FEB 18, 2021 02:18 PM IST
In a tweet on Thursday, DMRC said that entry and exit to Tikri border, Pandit Shri Ram Sharma, Bahadurgarh and Brigadier Hoshiar Singh have been closed. Officials said this was done because of “security concerns” raised by Delhi Police
PWD gets notice for demolition waste on forest department land
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi, Hindustan Times
UPDATED ON FEB 18, 2021 07:48 AM IST
The order, issued by deputy conservator of forests (DCF- west zone) Navneet Srivastava on February 11, said the PWD was found “dumping construction waste/malba inside the green belt located near Brar Square railway crossing on the Ring Road”.
Winter over, this February could be among the warmest: IMD
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 12, 2021 07:03 AM IST
According to IMD data the maximum temperature recorded on Wednesday at the Safdarjung weather station, considered to be the official marker of the city, was 30.4°C, seven above the season’s normal.
Delhi’s fight against pollution set to get smarter
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 11, 2021 01:34 AM IST
Source apportionment is the practice of deriving information about pollution sources and the amount they contribute to ambient air pollution levels.
Over 30% deaths in ’18 caused by fossil fuels: Study
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 10, 2021 03:11 AM IST
The study, which has been published in Environmental Research, a peer-reviewed journal, states that more than 8 million people are killed each year by air pollution from burning fossil fuels like coal and diesel.
75% pedestrian facilities unsafe, in violation of norms: Study
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 09, 2021 05:57 AM IST
The survey found that at least 12 traffic refuge islands in central Delhi were beautified with saplings, statues or other installations, leaving little space for pedestrians to wait while the traffic signal was green for the vehicles.
75% pedestrian facilities unsafe, in violation of norms: Study
PUBLISHED ON FEB 08, 2021 11:46 PM IST
New Delhi:At least 75% of Delhi’s pedestrian facilities do not follow international standards of road safety, according to a survey by independent researchers which found that spaces meant for pedestrians were either encroached by people to feed birds or by the authorities to plant trees and place other obstructive installations
Several Delhi metro station gates shut in view of farmers’ ‘chakka jam’ call
By Soumya Pillai, Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 06, 2021 12:03 PM IST
- The metro stations were closed on the orders of the local police to prevent any unruly elements from reaching central Delhi, said DMRC officials.
Delhi not to be impacted by ‘chakka jam’, say farmer leaders
By shiv sunny, Anvit Srivastava, Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 06, 2021 02:11 AM IST
The chakka jam will be a part of a series of events scheduled by the farmers’ groups to press their demand for the repeal of the three contentious laws passed by the Parliament in September to deregulate agricultural trade.
Delhi not to be impacted by ‘chakka jam’, say farmer leaders
By Shiv Sunny, Anvit Srivastava and Soumya Pillai
PUBLISHED ON FEB 05, 2021 11:50 PM IST
New Delhi: The three-hour ’chakka jam’ on Saturday afternoon to protest against the three farm laws will not impact Delhi and the national capital region (NCR), Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers unions which is spearheading the agitation, said on Friday
How commuters are exposed to pollution
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON FEB 05, 2021 01:48 AM IST
The study revealed that people who travelled in the open air - those who took autorickshaws and pedestrians - were the most exposed to pollution.
Protest, blockades: Locals have to take long way home
PUBLISHED ON FEB 04, 2021 03:42 AM IST
The dirt track, which widens to up to five-foot as one moves closer to the Singhu border protest site, is one of the two routes that locals have been using for the past one week to cross the protest site.
Fresh fervour at Tikri, even as protesters keep watch for trouble
By Soumya Pillai, New Delhi
UPDATED ON FEB 01, 2021 04:07 AM IST
Hundreds walked several kilometres to reach the protest site, singing folk songs, waving the tricolour and raising slogans to encourage the movement.
Delhi Congress passes resolution to appoint Rahul Gandhi as party chief again
By Soumya Pillai | Edited by Sparshita Saxena, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 31, 2021 07:34 PM IST
- The resolution was passed on Sunday during a meeting of senior leaders convened by Delhi Congress president Anil Chaudhury.
Leopard spotted in Delhi, alert issued
PUBLISHED ON JAN 30, 2021 01:45 PM IST
Deputy conservator forests (north division) Navneet Srivastava said that after being first spotted on January 27, the leopard was also spotted on January 28 and January 29 near the Najafgarh drain.
Tikri simmers after ‘locals’ demand farmers’ eviction
By Ashish Mishra, Soumya Pillai, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 30, 2021 03:34 AM IST
- Police did not let the counter-protesters to move towards the site where farmers are sitting.
Property worth crores destroyed, still gauging damage, say officials
By Soumya Pillai, Ashish Mishra, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
PUBLISHED ON JAN 28, 2021 05:19 AM IST
- Public Works Department (PWD) officials said the damage estimation process began almost immediately, but estimates peg it at nearly ₹1 crore.
Farmers’ tractor rally throws Delhi traffic out of gear
UPDATED ON JAN 26, 2021 01:37 PM IST
Roads around Meerut Expressway, Akshardham, Pragati Maidan, Vikas Marg, ITO, Mandi House, India Gate, Mukarba Chowk, Outer Ring Road, Delhi-Noida Link Road, Ghazipur border, Singhu border, and Chilla border had to be closed for general traffic
Delhi had 7 of India’s 10 bad air hot spots last year: Report
PUBLISHED ON JAN 25, 2021 02:46 AM IST
The Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Standards (CAAQMS) dashboard also shows that on January 23, ITO in Central Delhi was the most polluted locality in the country by a significant distance.
Delhi: Six samples from zoo test negative for avian flu
PUBLISHED ON JAN 23, 2021 01:03 AM IST
Ramesh Pandey, director, National Zoological Park in Delhi said that while the zoo has not reported any fresh case of the flu, safety protocols have not been relaxed.
