CSE Study

Pesticide regulations

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture without paying much heed to the consequences of its unregulated and indiscriminate use . This fact has been known to our policy makers for nearly five decades. The government is atleast under law supposed to regulate its use. The Insecticides Act of 1968 is a key piece of legislation that is supposed to govern the use, manufacture, distribution, sale and transport of insecticides with a view to lowering risks to human and animal health.

Anderson's Extradition & Approval for a Memorial

A Delhi court of the chief metropolitan magistrate gave the green signal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on March 23 to extradite former Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) chairperson Warren Anderson- an accused in the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy case, now based in US. Anderson, now 90, has never faced trial in the Bhopal gas tragedy case.

BIS agrees Phthalates are harmful

The BIS agrees that there is a need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys. The BIS stated this in a response to the Bombay High Court on Feb 24th 2011. The court was hearing a PIL filed by the Consumers Welfare Association in 2007, seeking action against the sale of toxic toys in India. The Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice D Y Chandrachud in September last year, asked the BIS to respond to central government's suggestions on the need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys.

Anderson's Extradition & Approval for a Memorial

A Delhi court of the chief metropolitan magistrate gave the green signal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on March 23 to extradite former Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) chairperson Warren Anderson- an accused in the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy case, now based in US. Anderson, now 90, has never faced trial in the Bhopal gas tragedy case.

Special Mention on Cancer Train

By H K Dua in the Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2011
 
Train No 339 leaves Abohar every night to reach Bikaner next morning.  Over a period of time it has come to be known as “Cancer Train”.  This train has acquired the dubious reputation simply because nearly 100 cancer patients travel by it from Punjab to Bikaner for diagnosis and treatment at the Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Institute.

BIS agrees Phthalates are harmful

The BIS agrees that there is a need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys. The BIS stated this in a response to the Bombay High Court on Feb 24th 2011. The court was hearing a PIL filed by the Consumers Welfare Association in 2007, seeking action against the sale of toxic toys in India. The Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice D Y Chandrachud in September last year, asked the BIS to respond to central government's suggestions on the need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys.

Sponge iron’s dirty growth

In the years to come, India's expanding steel production will be largely driven by sponge iron. Sponge iron, also known as direct reduced iron(DRI), is produced from direct reduction of iron ore (in the form of lumps, pellets or fines) by a reducing gas produced from natural gas or coal. Sponge iron gives a cheaper way of producing steel which has a high demand in the market. 

Monographs on vehicular pollution and mobility issues

• Footfalls: Obstacle Course to Livable Cities (.pdf)
• Choc-A-Block: Parking Measures to Address Mobility Crisis (.pdf)
• Avert the great guzzle: Fuel Economy Regulations: Setting the Principles Right (.pdf)
• Fuel adulteration report (.pdf)

Status of implementation of CNG as a fuel for urban buses in Delhi

On April 1, 2001, there was mayhem in Delhi. Not many buses were plying on the roads as the Supreme Court ruling on moving the entire public transport fleet to
CNG, came into effect. Unfortunately this had not been complied with. Without diluting the original order the Supreme Court only allowed a conditional extension of the deadline till September 30, 2001. Download report...

Diesel hides behind CNG

What’s going on? First the key partners of the Central Pollution Control Board -- IOC, and NEERI -- involved with yet to be released source apportionment study made claims publicly that LPG is the most polluting fuel in our cities. Now in quick succession a second study follows from CPCB that ranks CNG as the “worst” fuel and Euro II-III diesel as the “best”. No other government in the world has every branded CNG as worse than Euro II-III diesel.