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Trans fat in oils

Oil is essential for our body to function. But that does not mean that we should take for granted the cooking mediums we use in our food. As the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) laboratory report recently discovered our branded edible oils are full of unhealthy trans fats. The results showed trans fats in seven leading vanaspati brands were five to 12 times the 2 per cent standard set by Denmark. Trans fats are formed during the process of addition of hydrogen atoms to oils, a process industry prefers as it keeps the oil from turning rancid and ensures a longer shelf life.

Mercury

Mercury is a very toxic and dangerous substance. It is  poisonous in all forms - inorganic, organic or elemental. Mercury is a proven neurotoxin. Inhaling mercury vapours can severely damage the respiratory tract. Sore throat, coughing, pain or tightness in the chest, headache, muscle weakness, anorexia, gastrointestinal disturbance, fever, bronchitis and pneumonitis are symptoms of mercury toxicity. Health concerns should be reason enough for us to properly manage its imports and disposal.

Making water-excreta accounts

How will India supply drinking water in cities? Many argue the problem is not inadequate water. The problem is the lack of investment in building infrastructure in cities and the lack of managerial capacities to operate the systems, once created. This line of thought then leads logically to policy reform, to invite private investment and hand over public water utilities to private parties to operate.

CSE fellow gets Bangladesh government’s award for best stories on climate-induced disasters

Salahuddin was selected as a fellow for CSE’s Media fellowship on Climate change for the South Asian region titled Climate Change in South Asia: Indications, Impacts and Innovations for Survival. Under the fellowship Salahuddin did a series of stories called the 'Tears of the Sunderbans' in the Daily Inquilaab.

Rubber stamp authority

by Ashutosh Mishra, Nidhi Jamwal, Sujit Kumar Singh, Aparna Pallavi and Ruhi Kandhari

Chhattisgarh announced a proposed investment of more than Rs 1,77,000 crore in the state. Until October 2008, it had signed over a hundred MOUs with companies like Jindals, Tata Steel and Essar. After a couple of months of this announcement, a bureaucrat heading the state environment regulatory body resigned.

Monographs

Footfalls: Obstacle Course to Livable Cities			Choc-A-Block: Parking Measures to Address Mobility Crisis
Avert the great guzzle: Fuel Economy Regulations: Setting the Principles Right			A report on the independent inspection of fuel quality at fuel dispensing stations, oil depots and tank lorries
Safety of CNG Buses in Delhi: Findings and Recommendations			The smokescreen of lies: Myths and facts about CNG
Engines of the Devil

2nd coalition of the willing: bad for climate and for us

Let me be straight: As the clock ticks to Copenhagen, how low is the world prepared to prostrate to get climate-renegade US on board? Is a bad deal in Copenhagen better than no deal?

Born into Hell

Continuing nightmare in Bhopal: CSE laboratory tests soil, water samples from Union Carbide. Finds high contamination of pesticides and other toxins.
 
 
 
 
 

Footfalls: Obstacle Course to Livable Cities

This study provides detailed analysis of walking conditions in Indian cities. The analysis indicates that walkability is overlooked and undervalued in transport planning, and that improved walkability is justified for equity and efficiency sake.

It provides specific recommendations for improving walking conditions to address a variety of planning objectives.

The new lords of misrule

Last fortnight, we began discussing ‘authorities’, and asked: Is this variant of governance reform working? This time, let’s consider the Food Safety and Standards Authority (fssa). It was created because of a recommendation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee which investigated our report on pesticide content in soft drinks and the lack of standards to regulate contamination in food.