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Light pollution in India: appraisal of artificial night sky brightness of cities

Author

Listed:
  • Tanya Kaur Bedi

    (Indian Institute of Technology)

  • Kshama Puntambekar

    (School of Planning and Architecture)

  • Sonal Singh

    (ITM University)

Abstract

The spectacular progress of lighting equipment in recent decades has resulted in an enormous increase in outdoor lights and night-sky brightness which is the most noticeable effects of light pollution has increased rapidly in many countries. Any pollution is a consequence of urbanization forces, which correspond to a significant threat to human health and the environment. Despite the increasing awareness and interest, there is a need for quantification of light pollution at a national and local scale. In developing nations like India, the supremacy of basic issues often undermines the new-found urban problems that have the potential of affecting the environment at a larger scale. Light pollution is one such predicament that needs a response. This study intends to mark the fundamental concept of light pollution, its impacts, and develop an atlas of the ten most populated Indian cities following the magnitude of their brightness computed using high-resolution satellite data. It also attempts to relate the degree of brightness of these cities with safety in cities, which is the primary purpose of lighting at night, also taking into account various factors that may impact the night time lighting and safety in urban areas. According to the study, street lights installed in a city exhibit a considerable correlation with the brightness levels of the cities, which may point towards a significant source of light pollution in cities. The paper concludes with a discussion of some best practices in the context of light pollution and the scope for further investigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Tanya Kaur Bedi & Kshama Puntambekar & Sonal Singh, 2021. "Light pollution in India: appraisal of artificial night sky brightness of cities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(12), pages 18582-18597, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:23:y:2021:i:12:d:10.1007_s10668-021-01384-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01384-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andreas Jechow, 2019. "Observing the Impact of WWF Earth Hour on Urban Light Pollution: A Case Study in Berlin 2018 Using Differential Photometry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, January.
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