Environment

PARADISE, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire that moved so fast firefighters didn’t even try to stop it killed five people, authorities said Friday as the blaze quadrupled in size after leveling much of a Northern California town of nearly 30,000 people.

Only a day after it began, the fire near the town of Paradise had grown to nearly 110 square miles (285 square kilometers), and investigators found five people dead in vehicles that were torched by the flames.

New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) Close to 50 lakh kilogrammes of firecrackers were burst in Delhi on Diwali despite a Supreme Court directive limiting the bursting of crackers to only two hours, according to a report by a research group.

That is the same amount of firecrackers burst last year.

It equates to 1,50,000 kg of mass of PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres).

Reacting to the report by Urban Emissions, Ritwick Dutta, environment lawyer, said the violation is not unexpected.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Toxic smog shrouded the Indian capital as air quality plummeted to hazardous levels Thursday after tens of thousands of people set off a multitude of firecrackers to celebrate the major Hindu festival of Diwali.

KANPUR: To keep the Ganga River clean and clear, the city’s thirteen nullahs are being tapped on a war footing. Besides, as many as 7000 cusec waters will be released daily in order to increase the water level of the river. There will also be endeavours to minimise pollutants in the water flow.

Bioremediation process is considered to be amply used in order to treat the contaminated water by altering environmental conditions to stimulate the growth of micro-organisms and degrade the target pollutants.

New Delhi, Nov 6: A group of people on Tuesday gathered outside the office of the Environment Ministry to protest against the alarming rise in the pollution level that has raised health concerns.

The protesters held placards displaying messages like 'Delhi air is poisonous', 'breathing is killing me', 'My Right to Breathe' and 'Unbreathable  India' outside the Indira Pariyavaran Bhawan.

The protesters also sang songs and asked the government to stop the stubble burning going on in the surrounding states of Delhi.

New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) Tourists, including foreigners, visiting Delhi ahead of Diwali on Monday complained of having a tough time due to increasing air pollution as a thick haze engulfed the city, with some even cutting short their trips citing health concerns.

Some of them said pollution masks were proving ineffective as the air quality has turned "severe", forcing them to visit hospitals to seek treatment for breathlessness, allergy and irritation.

Emily, from Amsterdam, said she was cutting short her visit to Delhi due to the deteriorating air quality.

KANPUR: A truck laden with 24 tonnes of banned polythene below 50 microns was seized within Kanpur Municipal Corporation precincts here on Monday. The total value of seized polythene has been estimated at rupees 13.50 Lakh.

Amrit Lal Nagar, the additional municipal commissioner stated that a truck laden with 24 tonnes of banned polythene was confiscated.

KANPUR: Whether it is Sisamau Nullah or Nawabganj Nullah or Ranighat Nullah, unfinished work was creating hurdles in the tapping of different nullahs (streams) falling into the Ganga River here.

The work on nullahs tapping continues to be carried despite the expiry of the first time limit of October 30. Meanwhile, the testing of Sisamau Nullah failed owing to rupture into the connection within 15 minutes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Earth’s protective ozone layer is finally healing from damage caused by aerosol sprays and coolants, a new United Nations report said.

The ozone layer had been thinning since the late 1970s. Scientist raised the alarm and ozone-depleting chemicals were phased out worldwide.

New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) Delhi recorded its worst air quality of the season on Monday, with the pollution levels inching towards 'severe plus emergency' category due to a change in wind direction and rampant stubble burning in neighbouring states.

The PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) and PM10 concentrations touched 365 and 503 respectively, touching the 'severe-plus emergency' category, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.