China offers help to India in countering Air Pollution in Delhi
New Delhi: Amid New Delhi’s battle with air pollution, China’s spokesperson to India Yu Jing took to X to draw parallels between the air pollution crisis of both countries and added that Beijing stands ready “to share our journey toward blue ones.”
New Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) remained ‘very poor’, ranging over 300 for the past week while other Indian cities too battled rising air pollution due to dust pollution, vehicle emissions among other factors.
According to the IQAir report, three of the top 5 spots in South Asia in the list of most polluted cities were in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
“China once struggled with severe smog, too. We stand ready to share our journey toward blue ones and believe India will get there soon,” Yu wrote on X Tuesday.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s latest data, AQI levels were almost 400 with Kaithal in Haryana and Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh recording ‘Very poor’ levels of 393 and 384 Tuesday. Thootukudi in Tamil Nadu recorded the highest AQI of 486 and was placed in the ‘Severe’ category.
Air pollution accounts for over 2 million deaths per year in India, according to various studies.
China, on its part, had battled a similar crisis in 2013, infamously known as the ‘airpocalypse’. Measures then taken by the Chinese Communist Party-led government included banning new coal-run power plants, limiting car ownership and rolling out all-electric bus fleets.
The government also cut down on iron and steel production and launched an afforestation program with around 35 billion trees being planted across 12 provinces.
“With over $100 billion invested, China’s forestry spending per hectare exceeded that of the US and Europe, tripling the global average,” according to a 2021 report by Earth.Org,
China’s 2013 environment policy the Air Pollution Action Plan, led to Beijing’s PM 2.5 levels dropping down to 33 percent and a reduced concentration of particulate matter down to that of 35 percent.
A follow up to this saw China launch a Three-Year Action Plan for Winning the Blue Sky War in 2018 which covered all cities and aimed to reduce PM2.5 levels by 18 percent across cities. It also tackled ground level ozone, a pollutant produced when volatile organic compounds react with nitrogen oxides and set a reduction target of 10 percent for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 15 percent for nitrogen oxides.
To counter smog, the East Asian country also built ‘the world’s largest air purifier’, a 100 metre long tower in 2018 in Xian. According to reports, it led to a 15 percent decrease in particulate matter in the city.
However, there is a catch. An Economist article also pointed out how China, while cutting its sulphur emissions to tackle the pollution crisis, unintentionally led to an acceleration of global warming. The report states that scientists believe that East and SouthEast Asia, led by China, are now the main contributors to decrease in sulphate aerosols, which help cool the Earth by reflecting sunlight and enhancing cloud formation.
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National Herald case: Shivakumar to seek time next week to appear before Delhi police
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said he will ask for time from Delhi police to appear before them next week, to provide required information as part of the probe into the National Herald case.
He said he will seek time after the ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature ends on December 19. He will also ask the Delhi police to provide him the FIR copy.
Shivakumar, who is in the national capital, had earlier said that he will appear before the Delhi police on Monday. But, he postponed the plan in order to rush back to Karnataka to participate in the last rites of veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa, scheduled later in the day in Davangere.
"I had to go (to appear before the Delhi police), but I have to go back urgently. I'm asking them for time, stating that I will come next week," Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi.
"They (Delhi police) have not attached the FIR copy while issuing notice to me. I need FIR copy, because we had already given all the required replies to the ED. I don't know what the FIR says, I only read in papers. They have given notice, I will ask for a FIR copy. I will come next week after the Assembly session."
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is "supposed to be having vital information" pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
In the notice dated November 29, the EOW had asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Investigators have sought details about his personal background, his association with the Congress party, and a complete break up of funds allegedly transferred by him or associated entities to Young Indian.
To a question on meeting AICC General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, amid the ongoing power tussle between him and CM Siddaramaiah over the Chief Minister post, Shivakumar said when he comes to Delhi, he usually meets every one.
"Whether it is Surjewala or Kharge (AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge) or Venugopal, I will meet everyone. During lunch yesterday I met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. I have met everyone. What's wrong?" he asked.
Shivakumar was in Delhi to take part in Congress' "Vote Chori" rally on Sunday, and had also participated in the lunch organised by the party for its leaders.
Responding to a question, whether any meeting is planned with leaders today, the Deputy CM said, he and Kharge will be travelling together to Karnataka, to pay last respects to Shamanuru Shivashankarappa.
Asked if he will seek time for a separate meeting with Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi, during the next visit to Delhi, Sivakumar said, "such things will be there between us in the party.... you don't worry."
