Patna: The Indian state of Bihar has launched zero-emission electric buses to cut pollution and clean the environment.
The air quality which improved significantly as a result of the lockdown has once again turned alarming in the state with the capital city Patna being in the severe grip of pollution.
The state government launched the eco-friendly e-buses on Tuesday. In the first phase, 12 e-buses have been rolled out while 13 more such buses are scheduled to run by the month end. However, they have higher fares compared to fuel-run buses, which have not gone down well among the daily commuters.
These buses are equipped with various facilities such as panic buttons, GPS, CCTV cameras, speed governors, fire safety devices, mobile charging points, alarm bells and digital boards. The availability of panic buttons and alarm bells assumes much significance in the light of increasing incidents of sexual harassment of girls. The buses are also fully air-conditioned.
Yet, with just a reported 500 electric vehicle charging stations operational across India – when the operational necessity has been pegged at 2,600 – the true scale of the challenge before Tesla, and indeed other EV automakers, comes into view. The government has unveiled grand plans to install as many as 69,000 charging kiosks at petrol pumps across the country but given the pace at which EV infrastructure development has taken place in recent years, achieving such a goal is still some distance away.
Tesla will also come to find that the characteristics of the Indian consumer do not necessarily facilitate a full-blooded appreciation of electric vehicles. The company is likely to make its foray into India with its Model 3 and although pricing details are yet to be revealed, one can safely say that its cost will be prohibitive to the average Indian with a, reported, per capita income of Rs 5.6 lakh – almost 31 per cent lower than that of China s.
Dhaka s air quality hazardous jagonews24.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from jagonews24.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Dhaka’s air quality ‘hazardous’
UNB
21st December, 2020 12:13:50
Dhaka, one the most polluted cities in the world, ranked worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday morning.
It had a score of 323 at 10:35 am. The air was classified as ‘hazardous’ and in this condition, everyone may experience more serious health effects.
When the AQI value is more than 300, people are advised to avoid all outdoor exertion.
Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Kolkata occupied the second and third spots in the list with scores of 294 and 293 respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting the daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
Dhaka’s air quality ‘hazardous’
File photo: Rashed Shumon UNB, Dhaka UNB, Dhaka
Dhaka, one the most polluted cities in the world, ranked worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) this morning.
It had a score of 323 at 10:35am. The air was classified as hazardous and in this condition, everyone may experience more serious health effects.
When the AQI value is more than 300, people are advised to avoid all outdoor exertion.
Pakistan s Lahore and India s Kolkata occupied the second and third spots in the list with scores of 294 and 293 respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting the daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.