In future, car owners in Delhi may have to shell out money for passing through congested areas of the city. This follows a judgement of the Delhi High Court directing the city authorities to consider all options to clear road congestion. This may include deterrent measures like levying congestion fees on private cars passing through crowded areas.

One hundred and forty days before Delhi hosts the Commonwealth Games, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, on May 15, called a meeting to discuss ways to control air pollution in the city.

in china, taxi drivers are perhaps the most exposed to air pollution. Cleaning the air of a city might make their hearts healthy, a study reported. Eleven healthy non-smoking taxi drivers of Beijing who worked 12-hours a day were monitored before, during and after the 2008 Olympics.

OUR nomadic ancestors had to quickly
cover long distances while hunting. A
prey that ran faster had to be outrun.
While running after the animal they
constantly moved their arms; it reduced
the effort and counterbalanced the body
weight. People now run after buses,
sprinters run to win a medal. But the
dynamics of running have not changed.
What a team was interested in knowing
was why humans swing their arms even
while walking.

The researchers from the University

First of its kind advisory on making buildings damp and mould-free

Easing traffic the Beijing way impractical for Mumbai says government

traffic curbs suggested by the Bombay High Court to reduce congestion in Mumbai has been termed impractical by Maharashtra. On June 10, the court had asked the state to try out a traffic restraint scheme. It entailed private vehicles bearing registration numbers ending in particular digits are kept off the road on certain days of the week.

Traffic pollution is known to cause chronic bronchitis and asthma, killing thousands every year. But that is not all. Simply living beside a busy
road has its consequences. Particles in vehicular exhaust can stick to lungs for longer than was known, endanger the health of an unborn child,
lead to joint pains and even trigger male infertility

Stickier than glue
Smoke from a chulha or a wood fire can never cause as much damage as emissions resulting

Air pollutants damage genes, affect human behaviour

THE air you breathe in may affect your health in more ways than you think. Besides causing respiratory disorders and hypertension, pollution may
be damaging genes and changing human behaviour, revealed a study on health of urban population in Delhi and rural population West Bengal
and Uttarakhand.

luxury diesel cars may become dearer and bulk diesel consumers may no longer get fuel at subsidized rates. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas plans to impose 25 per cent cess on big diesel cars and charge industrial consumers the market price of Rs 57 per litre, Rs 22 more than the current price. The railways and state transport undertakings will be exempted from paying the market price.

Centre's intent on ambient air quality standards unclear

India's national ambient air quality standards have hit a roadblock. Revised after 14 years and finalized in May, the standards await the Union
Ministry of Environment and Forests' (moef) clearance. Looks like the clearance will

Acceleration in vehicles increases ultrafine particles

the Union Ministry of Finance imposed an additional duty of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per vehicle on big cars and utility vehicles on June 13. The decision comes as a knee-jerk reaction to the skyrocketing international crude prices. While welcoming the move as a step forward, experts said staving off an energy crisis would require making the tax progressively harsher and linking it with fuel economy standards for vehicles.

gas-guzzlers in London's Borough of Richmond, in southwest London, will now have to pay hefty parking charges. The Richmond council cleared a plan to introduce emission-based parking charges in the first week of February.