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'Please Protect Our Right to Live': Women Protesters Write to CJI, Oppose Second Waste Plant in Bawana

Environmental experts have also raised concerns about such projects. Reports by organisations such as the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) have warned that incineration of unsegregated waste, especially in densely populated and industrial zones, poses grave health and ecological risks. For the past 150 days, a group of women – mothers, grandmothers, and homemakers –from Sanoth village in Delhi’s Narela zone have been staging a peaceful protest against the setting up of a second waste-to-energy (WTE) plant in the area, where locals say they already face pollution-related health hazards due to the presence of an existing WTE plant. With folded hands and unwavering resolve, they have now made an emotional appeal to the highest judicial authority in the country: the Chief Justice of India (CJI). In a letter sent on May 20 to the CJI, the women describe their lives as “forgotten,” forced to live in what they call “Delhi’s dumping ground”. “Garbage from across the city comes here, into our homes, into our skies, and into our lungs,” the letter reads. Sanoth village, situated on the outer edge of Delhi in Bawana, already suffers under the shadow of a massive WTE plant that burns thousands of tonnes of unsegregated municipal waste daily. The residents say this has turned the air toxic. Children cough through the night, elderly residents battle respiratory and kidney ailments, and young women are falling ill at alarming rates. “We already have three dumping grounds and countless polluting industries, where are we supposed to go now? My daughter complains of stinging eyes and chest pain. Is this the cost of living in our own village?” says Vimla, a resident. Ignored by elected leaders Despite writing letters to their local MLA and MP, the women say their protests have been met with silence. No official has visited them. Instead, they now face an even harsher blow: approval for a second WTE plant just 800 meters from the village. This new facility will process an additional 3,000 tonnes of Delhi’s waste everyday. “Another fire. Another furnace,” their letter to the CJI states. “It won’t just burn garbage, it will burn what little peace we have left.” The women describe how their children, instead of playing freely, now struggle to run for even a minute. “Their tiny lungs are already damaged. We may not have data or reports, but this is our everyday reality. We know what it feels like to sit beside a sick child and wonder if the air itself is killing them,” say the women. A fight for the right to breathe Since their protest began on December 20, the women of Sanoth have braved Delhi’s harsh winter and scorching summer, refusing to relent. Their demand is simple yet profound: the right to breathe clean air. In their letter to the CJI, they invoke Article 21 of the Constitution, the fundamental right to life. “If development means breathing in cancerous fumes, drinking contaminated water, and watching our grandchildren suffer, then what is this, development or destruction?” they ask. Environmental experts have also raised concerns about such projects. Reports by organisations such as the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) have warned that incineration of unsegregated waste, especially in densely populated and industrial zones, poses grave health and ecological risks. Yet in working class neighborhoods like Bawana, these concerns are often ignored. “We are not included in decisions that affect our lives,” the letter states. “Plans are made for us, never with us.” “Please stand with us, Hon’ble Sir. Please protect our children. Please protect our right to live,” the letter adds. For the women of Sanoth, this plea to the Chief Justice may be their final hope.

Valmik Thapar, India's 'tiger man', dies at 73 after battling cancer

Valmik Thapar, India’s renowned conservationist and widely known as the country’s ‘Tiger Man’, passed away at the age of 73 on Saturday morning at his Kautilya Marg residence in Delhi. He had been battling cancer. He will be cremated at the Lodhi Electric Crematorium at 3:30 this afternoon. Thapar, a towering figure in India’s conservation landscape, dedicated over four decades of his life to wildlife preservation, with a special focus on tigers. He co-founded the Ranthambhore Foundation in 1988, a non-governmental organisation focused on community-based conservation efforts. He was a vocal advocate for stronger anti-poaching laws and the preservation of natural tiger habitats, often pushing for the demarcation of exclusive zones free from human interference. Reacting to Thapar's demise, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh paid tribute, saying, “Valmik Thapar, a legendary figure in the world of conservation over the past four decades – especially tigers – has just passed away. It is a great loss.” Highlighting Thapar’s role in preserving Ranthambore, Jairam Ramesh further said, “Today's Ranthambore, particularly, is a testimony to his deep commitment and indefatigable zeal." Thapar's father, Romesh Thapar, was a well-known journalist. His aunt is historian Romila Thapar, and his cousin, journalist Karan Thapar. Thapar married theatre artist Sanjana Kapoor, daughter of actor Shashi Kapoor, and they have a son. Thapar served on over 150 government panels and task forces, including the National Board for Wildlife led by the prime minister. In 2005, he was appointed to the UPA government’s Tiger Task Force after the alarming disappearance of tigers from the Sariska Tiger Reserve. Though the final report by the task force, chaired by environmentalist Sunita Narain, promoted human-animal coexistence, Thapar submitted a dissent note, warning that such optimism could endanger tigers. He argued that large tracts of land needed to be preserved solely for wildlife if tigers were to survive in the long run. Thapar was mentored by Fateh Singh Rathore, a pioneer in Indian conservation and a key figure in the original Project Tiger team. Thapar authored or edited more than 30 books on wildlife, including the acclaimed Land of the Tiger: A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent (1997) and Tiger Fire: 500 Years of the Tiger in India. He also brought Indian wildlife to international screens through documentaries, co-producing and presenting several films for the BBC. In 2024, he appeared in the documentary My Tiger Family, celebrating 50 years of observing wild tigers in Ranthambore.

Valmik Thapar, India's 'tiger man', veteran conservationist passes away at 73

Renowned conservationist Valmik Thapar, a towering figure in Indian wildlife protection and literature, passed away at the age of 73 on Saturday morning at his residence. Thapar had been battling cancer for some time. Widely regarded as one of the most dedicated voices for tiger conservation in India, his passing marks the end of an era in wildlife advocacy. Born in New Delhi in 1952, Thapar devoted over five decades of his life to the study and conservation of wild tigers, particularly in Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park. He co-founded the Ranthambhore Foundation in 1988, a pioneering NGO that emphasized community-based conservation strategies. Mentored by Fateh Singh Rathore, one of the leading figures of India’s original Project Tiger, Thapar emerged as a staunch advocate for habitat protection and strict anti-poaching measures. Family and education Valmik Thapar hailed from a distinguished family of intellectuals and public figures. His father, Romesh Thapar, was a renowned journalist. Historian Romila Thapar is his aunt, while his cousin is veteran journalist Karan Thapar. He studied at The Doon School and graduated with a gold medal in sociology from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. Thapar was married to theatre personality Sanjana Kapoor, daughter of legendary actor Shashi Kapoor. The couple have a son. Legacy of conservation Over the course of his career, Thapar was involved in more than 150 government committees and task forces, including the National Board for Wildlife, chaired by the Prime Minister. In 2005, he was appointed to the Tiger Task Force formed by the UPA government after tigers vanished from the Sariska Tiger Reserve. While the task force, chaired by Sunita Narain, submitted a report supporting coexistence between humans and tigers, Thapar issued a dissenting note. He cautioned against overly optimistic views, insisting that long-term tiger survival depended on strictly protected, human-free habitats. “He expressed concern that the report was overly optimistic about the coexistence of tigers and humans. Thapar argued that for tigers to survive in the long run, certain areas needed to be kept free from human interference. He said that a minimum area should be managed exclusively in its natural form for a tiger.” Prolific author and filmmaker Thapar wrote or edited more than 30 books on wildlife, including Land of the Tiger: A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent (1997), and Tiger Fire: 500 Years of the Tiger in India. His literary contributions spanned decades and helped elevate public awareness of India’s rich biodiversity. He also produced and presented several acclaimed wildlife documentaries for international platforms such as the BBC. His landmark series Land of the Tiger (1997), a six-part exploration of the subcontinent’s natural world, received widespread acclaim. As recently as 2024, he appeared in the documentary My Tiger Family, chronicling his five-decade-long journey with the tigers of Ranthambore. Tributes pour in Tributes from across the political and environmental spectrum poured in following news of Thapar’s demise. Conservation biologist Neha Sinha described him as “the international voice of Indian tigers for many many years” and encouraged readers to revisit his influential works such as Tiger Fire and Living with Tigers as a tribute. Wildlife conservationist Nirmal Ghosh remembered him as “a giant of tiger conservation” and said Thapar leaves behind “a lasting legacy as a global spokesman for the tiger.”

‘Tiger man’ Valmik Thapar took train to Ranthambore in his 20s on a whim. It changed his life

From tying a buffalo to a tree to observe the hunting behaviour of Ranthambore National Park’s famous resident tigress Padmini and her cubs, to taking on his own colleague in the Tiger Task Force in the pursuit of prevention of poaching in Sariska, conservationist and author Valmik Thapar dedicated over four decades of his life to shaping India’s tiger conservation programme. His fight to protect India’s big cats continued till the end. Thapar breathed his last at the age of 73 early Saturday. He passed away at his house on Kautilya Marg in Delhi after a battle with cancer. Condolences poured in from all quarters for the ‘Tiger Man’—a name he rightfully earned. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Thapar’s death was a “great loss”. “Today’s Ranthambore, particularly, is a testimony to his deep commitment and indefatigable zeal. He was uncommonly knowledgeable on a variety of issues relating to biodiversity, and not a day passed during my Ministerial tenure without our talking to each other—with me almost always at the receiving end,” Ramesh wrote in an X post. The former environment minister said that during his tenure as chairman of the standing committee, Thapar was a constant source of valuable suggestions and advice. “We had arguments, but it was always an education to listen to him, full of passion and concern. He was truly an unforgettable one-of-a-kind,” he added. Thapar’s life and work In the early 1970s, hunting tigers was a popular sport at Ranthambore. It was around then that Thapar, who was then in his 20s battling personal crises, decided to leave everything behind. He caught a train to Ranthambore, and this whim, he said, “changed his life”. “I didn’t know anything about tigers then. But I fell in love with the beauty of the place,” Thapar said in the opening of a BBC documentary in 2024. He said that upon his arrival at Ranthambore, with the help of the park director and another pioneer in tiger conservation, Fateh Singh Rathore, he spotted his first tiger in the park. They named her Padmini. And that is how his journey began. Apart from being an astute conservationist, Thapar was also a celebrated filmmaker and author, who penned around 32 books, including Land of the Tigers—A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent, Living with Tigers and The Secret Life of Tigers. He also served in over 150 committees for tiger conservation at both the Centre and state levels. In 2005, Thapar was appointed as a member of the Tiger Task Force to look into the poaching of tigers at the Sariska Tiger Reserve. After the committee, led by environmentalist Sunita Narain, presented its report, Thapar wrote a dissent note, claiming that the task force was misrepresenting the ground realities. He asserted that tiger reserves needed dedicated zones, where human interference would not be allowed. While he was known mainly for his work around tiger conservation, he also extensively worked on wildlife conservation at large. He was very vocally critical of the Narendra Modi government’s Project Cheetah, stressing that India’s weather, prey-base and terrain were not cheetah-friendly. According to conservation biologist Neha Singh, Thapar was a “fearless advocate for the tigers”. “He was the international voice of Indian tigers for many many years,” she said.

Despite ban, illegal encroachments around Dal Lake continue unabated

Environmental experts and studies by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) attribute this alarming reduction to unregulated construction, urban sprawl, and the expansion of floating gardens. Furthermore, according to CSE, over 50 percent of Srinagar’s lakes and wetlands have already been lost to such activities over the last century. Despite several government regulations and initiatives aimed at protecting the iconic Dal Lake, including the Jammu and Kashmir High Court’s 2014 ban on illegal constructions in and around the water body, illegal encroachments and construction continue unabated. These activities pose a serious threat to the lake’s delicate ecosystem and long-term sustainability. Over the years, unauthorized structures — ranging from houses and shops to large commercial buildings — have steadily mushroomed along the lake’s banks and within its interior. Notably, areas like Harwan, Ishber, Baba Demb, Rainawari, Saidakadal, Dalgate, Kand Mohalla, Sofi Mohalla, Tinda Mohalla, and even the ‘Rakh-e-Arth’ resettlement colony, developed specifically for rehabilitating Dal dwellers, have witnessed an increasing number of such developments. Many of these unauthorized structures are built without the required permits, with construction materials often ferried via boats into the lake’s interior to bypass road access limitations and regulatory oversight. This practice has disrupted the lake’s natural water flow and contributed to the degradation of its delicate ecosystem. Dal Lake, once sprawling over 75 square kilometers in 1200 AD, has now shrunk to just over 20.3 square kilometers — a stark indicator of how unchecked development has eroded the water body. Environmental experts and studies by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) attribute this alarming reduction to unregulated construction, urban sprawl, and the expansion of floating gardens. Furthermore, according to CSE, over 50 percent of Srinagar’s lakes and wetlands have already been lost to such activities over the last century. To address the crisis, the J&K government introduced a Rs 273-crore conservation plan that includes dredging, catchment area management, and sewerage improvements. Additionally, in 2014, the J&K High Court imposed a ban on the construction of any new illegal structures in and around Dal Lake. A committee was also set up to monitor the situation and recommend conservation strategies. While these measures were intended to protect the lake, they have had limited impact on curbing the growing encroachments and illegal constructions. Environmentalists and social activists have expressed growing concern over the deteriorating state of Dal Lake. Many believe that current efforts lack the urgency and scale required to tackle the escalating crisis. Tariq Ahmad Patloo, a renowned social activist leading campaigns to save the lake, warned of irreversible consequences if timely action is not taken. “If we don’t act now, we may lose Dal Lake forever. Illegal constructions and flawed policies are pushing the lake to the brink,” he said. Patloo emphasized that enforcement alone will not suffice without political will, sustained community involvement, and a transparent policy framework prioritizing ecological restoration over unchecked development. Responding to these concerns, a senior official at the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), requesting anonymity, acknowledged the severity of the situation but pointed to limited manpower and logistical challenges hindering enforcement. “We carry out demolition drives with a handful of staff. Although we receive support from other departments, without adequate personnel and police protection, effective action remains difficult,” the official said. According to official data, between September 23, 2024, and May 22, 2025, the LCMA carried out 399 demolitions of illegal structures, issued 71 notices against unauthorized developments, and registered 37 FIRs related to encroachments. The authority also seized 16 vehicles used in violations. However, despite these actions, the scale of encroachment continues to overwhelm available resources. Officials say that while demolition drives serve as a deterrent, they are not enough to stop illegal construction. “There’s often political pressure, resistance from locals, and in some cases, legal hurdles that delay or halt action,” the official added. Environmental experts believe that unless stricter enforcement is paired with community awareness and long-term ecological planning, the degradation of Dal Lake will continue. They stress the importance of involving local residents in conservation efforts, offering sustainable livelihood alternatives, and strictly monitoring land-use changes around the lake. As illegal encroachments continue to shrink Dal Lake, the need for a long-term, effective solution has never been more urgent. Only through concerted efforts by the government, local communities, and environmental activists can this natural heritage be preserved for future generations.

What’s in Your Food Parcel? The Black Plastic Story Most Indians Don’t Know

A 2022 packaging waste audit by the Centre for Science and Environment found that over 90 percent of food delivery containers collected in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai were black plastic trays. Over 90% of food delivery containers in cities like Delhi and Mumbai are made of black plastic. Durable and sleek, they’ve become the norm—but many are made from untraceable recycled materials. This raises critical questions about food safety, poor recyclability, and the urgent need for safer packaging alternatives. Open any food parcel from a restaurant or cloud kitchen today, and you’re likely to see the same thing — a sleek black plastic container holding your steaming biryani, paneer curry, or noodles. Whether it’s from a street-side joint or a five-star kitchen, black plastic has quietly become the face of food packaging across Indian cities. But beyond its polished look lies an important question: what exactly is this plastic made of — and is it safe for your food? This feature takes a closer look at black plastic in India’s food industry, tracing its rise, unpacking what makes it different from regular plastic, and exploring whether it poses risks that we haven’t fully acknowledged yet. The rise of black plastic in Indian food delivery Black plastic containers were not always the norm. Their rise coincided with the explosion of food delivery services in India around the mid-2010s, when platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Uber Eats, and a wave of cloud kitchens transformed the way urban India accessed restaurant food. For food businesses working with tight margins, black plastic offered everything they needed — heat resistance, durability, affordability, and a premium appearance that concealed stains or spills from oily and spicy foods. By 2018–19, black containers had become a staple across metropolitan kitchens. A 2022 packaging waste audit by the Centre for Science and Environment found that over 90 percent of food delivery containers collected in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai were black plastic trays. What makes black plastic different? At first glance, black plastic may not seem any different from the transparent or white plastic often used for salads, dahi, or takeaway boxes. But key differences emerge in how it’s made and how it functions. To give black plastic its uniform appearance, manufacturers use carbon black pigments. These pigments absorb infrared light, which means black plastic cannot be detected by most recycling machines. As a result, even if the material is technically recyclable, it usually ends up in landfills or gets incinerated.

How has the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) shaped India’s approach to sector-wise pollution control? What gaps persist in managing industrial emissions under NCAP?

Why the question As India marks five years since the launch of its National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), a new review by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has noted progress as well as persistent gaps in the country’s fight against air pollution menace. Key demand of the question To examine how NCAP has structured clean air action across sectors and to analyse why industrial pollution remains inadequately addressed despite ongoing policy efforts. Structure of the Answer: Introduction Briefly mention the NCAP as a 2019 national strategy for reducing air pollution in non-attainment cities with sectoral targeting. Body Mention how NCAP influenced action in transport, waste, dust, and monitoring systems with examples of innovation. Highlight gaps in industrial emissions control like weak jurisdiction, lack of statutory enforcement, and poor scaling of best practices. Conclusion Suggest need for legal strengthening of NCAP and inter-agency collaboration to integrate industrial zones into the air quality governance framework.

हाथरस में भयानक गर्मी, 40 डिग्री से ऊपर धोखा दे रहे एसी, जानिए किस टेंपरेचर पर चलाना चाहिए एसी? जानिए कारण और बचाव के उपाय

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की एक ताजा डी के मुताबिक, जैसे ही तापमान 40 डिग्री से ऊपर पहुंचता है, तो 5-स्टार एसी भी 1 या 2-स्टार एसी जैसी बिजली खपत करने लगते हैं। भीषण गर्मी में जब तापमान दिन में 40 डिग्री से ऊपर चला जाता है, तब लोग राहत पाने के लिए एसी का सहारा लेते हैं। लेकिन अब यही एसी कई घरों में धोखा दे रहे हैं। दिन में चार से पांच घंटे तक 42-45 डिग्री तापमान के कारण तमाम पुराने और इर्टर एसी ट्रिप कर जा रहे हैं, जिससे लोग परेशान हैं। गर्मी में एसी आराम जर देता है, लेकिन लापरवाही या गलत उपयोग से यही राहत बड़ी परेशानी बन सकती है। सही देखभाल और समझदारी से इस्तेमाल करें, ताकि आपका एसी आपको गर्मी में धोखा न दे। एसी मिस्त्रियों की डिमांड बढ़ी, मजदूरी भी महंगी ई शहर में कई एसी मिस्त्रियों की मांग इतनी बढ़ गई है कि उन्हें मरत के लिए कई दिनों की बुकिंग मिल रही है। कुछ मिस्त्रियों ने तो गर्मी का फायदा उठाकर अपनी मजदूरी भी बढ़ा दी है। छोटी-छोटी लापरवाहियां कर रही हैं बड़ा नुकसान विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि बत से लोग एसी के फिर को 7 से 10 दिन में साफ नहीं करते, जिससे कूलिंग में कमी आ जाती है। साथ ही, समय-समय पर सर्विसिंग न कराने से भी एसी जल्दी खराब हो जाते हैं। बिजली की खपत भी एक चिंता सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की एक ताजा डी के मुताबिक, जैसे ही तापमान 40 डिग्री से ऊपर पहुंचता है, तो 5-स्टार एसी भी 1 या 2-स्टार एसी जैसी बिजली खपत करने लगते हैं। यानी बिजली की बचत के जो दावे बीईई (BEE) करता है, वो अधिक गर्मी में फेल हो जाते हैं। कंप्रेशर की ताकत बना रही है फर्क जानकार बताते हैं कि पुराने रेसिप्रोकेटिंग कंप्रेशर वाले एसी, जो ज्यादा बिजली खाते हैं, वे ही इस तपती गर्मी में बेहतर दर्शन कर पा रहे हैं। वहीं, हीं इर्टर एसी और रोटरी कंप्रेशर वाले एसी बार-बार ट्रिप हो रहे हैं।

Bengaluru failed to beat the heat: Why ward-level action plans are urgent

According to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment, the built area in Bengaluru has increased from 37.5% to 71.5%, while the green cover has only increased by 7.6%. To tackle rising temperatures, priority should be given to greening areas with less vegetation. Ragiri Sankara is a cab driver based in Bengaluru. “Tackling the heat is a huge task these days,” he says. To be driving all day in the heat is very tiring; the car heats up very fast. “I pack different juices daily to keep myself cool,” he adds. Gig workers, street vendors, waste pickers, construction labourers, and the urban poor face a higher risk of heat stress than the general population. Now that summer has ended and the monsoon is setting in, the government has once again failed to effectively manage heat stress in Bengaluru. The need for a localised HAP A study in The Journal of Climate Change and Health classifies Bengaluru Urban and Rural as moderate-risk districts. However, Bengaluru Rural faces the highest exposure, while Bengaluru Urban falls into the high exposure category. This underscores the need for localised data to assess heat stress impacts on different communities and develop targeted action plans. But Bengaluru does not even have a heat action plan (HAP) except for a state HAP. Shruti Narayan, Managing Director-Regions and Regional Director-South and West Asia, C40 Cities, notes that localised ward-level heat stress assessments enable targeted, community-specific interventions by identifying areas of heightened exposure — often low-income neighbourhoods with poor housing, limited tree cover, and inadequate access to cooling resources. How can localisation help So, how exactly could a localised heat action plan help? Vulnerable communities face greater risks due to age, health issues, and unstable jobs. For daily wage earners, lost productivity means lost income. Ward-level data helps integrate lived experiences with technical mapping to inform inclusive planning that reflects local risk perceptions, access to essential services (such as health, water, electricity, housing and transport), and resilience capacities. “Ultimately, it empowers communities to co-create solutions and advocate for equitable adaptation measures,” Shruti adds. To give an example, she points out that granular ward-level data on the impact of heat on health is largely missing. Combining thermal imaging, qualitative interviews, and community engagement with spatial dataset analysis could be a potential solution. Similar mapping can be adopted for greening efforts. Action is key But implementing measures to combat heat stress is more important than measuring it. “It is not just important to measure the heat stress, we should look into how we can incorporate it to take necessary measures to protect the most vulnerable,” says Sobia Rafiq, co-founder of Sensing Local, an Urban Living Lab based in Bengaluru. Strategies to combat heat stress can focus on urban planning, green infrastructure, public awareness, and community engagement. “Localisation provides an understanding of the problem and helps identify simple solutions that can later be scaled up,” says Sobia. Even for other weather events like flooding, settlements near raja kaluves or stormwater drains are more vulnerable, so actions like evacuation should prioritise these communities. By analysing a locality’s built-up area and the types of jobs people do, we can identify communities most vulnerable to heat exposure. “But we can’t just be working on developing a database on this,” she adds. It is more important to implement actions side-by-side. Instead of relying on broad heat measurements, we need a localised, multi-dimensional approach to tackle heat stress. When the government proposes strategies like cooling systems or shelter models, the private sector—such as architects and urban planners—can step in to suggest effective cooling solutions and shelter designs. Identifying spaces for greening Another localised measure could be improving green cover. Areas with more greenery are much cooler than those with dense construction. According to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment, the built area in Bengaluru has increased from 37.5% to 71.5%, while the green cover has only increased by 7.6%. To tackle rising temperatures, priority should be given to greening areas with less vegetation.

CSE Calls For Support To Community Seed Banks To Ensure Food Security In Climate-Risked Times

Based on its conversations with experts and practitioners involved in community seed banking, the CSE has found that these banks face challenges related to funding, infrastructure and policy support India is witnessing a decline in agricultural growth due to drop in foodgrain production – from 4.7 per cent in 2022-23 to 1.4 per cent in 2023-24. Promoting diversified farming systems that use traditional seeds can help stem the rot, says the CSE report A new report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), released here to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, celebrates the ‘seed savers’ and community seed banks of the country. Speaking at the launch of the report, Vibha Varshney, who heads the Biodiversity and Food team at CSE, said: “Traditional seeds are more resilient to extreme weather events. We conducted an online survey of non-government organisations, community seed banks and individuals to understand how India was faring on preserving this invaluable resource – this report has been culled from their responses, coming from 15 states from across the country.”

This Indian Forecasting Breakthrough Can Warn You Two Hours Ahead — Down To The Village

Between 2022 and 2024, India saw an 18% rise in the number of heatwave days up from just 5% in 2020. The result? More crop damage, more power outages, more health emergencies. The Centre for Science and Environment reported that 2024 alone had more weather-related crop loss than the two previous years combined. BFS enters at a time when these extreme weather events are no longer rare - they're regular. With this system, hyperlocal alerts for rain, hailstorms, and floods can be issued in advance, giving people time to protect themselves, their homes, and their livelihoods.

Pressing the Reset Button

There are three key reasons countries need to electrify their vehicle fleet. One is climate change. The transport sector guzzles massive amounts of oil—petrol and diesel—and globally contributes roughly 15 per cent of the annual carbon dioxide emissions. Zero-emission vehicles, or electric vehicles (EVs), replace oil with electricity, generated ideally in renewable energy plants, and are hence seen as the solution. The second reason, which is more important for “our” cities, is that replacing petrol and diesel vehicles with zero-emission vehicles will reduce local pollution. And third, it will save us valuable foreign exchange as oil consumption reduces. All of these are valid reasons to act. But these alone cannot usher in the change that is needed. We need a reset; a review of what we are doing and why, so that we can move not just the vehicle electrification agenda but get the benefits that are so desperately required. Let us take our cities first, where electrification coalesces into double-triple benefits by reducing toxic air pollution, saving on foreign exchange and providing co-benefits of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. All good. But only if we are clear about the intent of policy and then drive its outcome—deliberately and at scale. It was in 2019 that the NITI Aayog laid out India’s EV ambition—by 2030, EV sales penetration would be 70 per cent of all new commercial cars, 30 per cent of private cars, 40 per cent of buses and 80 per cent of two- and three-wheeled vehicles. We are still far from this—as of mid-2025, the only segment that is surging is three-wheelers, with close to 60 per cent of new registration being EVs. These are mostly non-branded, locally built three-wheelers that crowd roads but provide an affordable commute. The rest of the EV fleet transition is too little to speak about; 5-6 per cent of the new registrations of cars, two-wheelers or even buses are EVs. This makes no dent at all in reducing pollution or oil imports or decarbonisation. This is when we know that vehicles are the top contributors to the toxins we breathe. The problem is not just with the different categories of vehicles that add to pollution, but also with their numbers on the road that add to congestion and in turn to pollution. So, the twin action agenda for air pollution control is to make the transition to clean vehicles and to reduce the vehicle numbers. When Delhi transitioned to compressed natural gas (CNG) in the early 2000s, it targeted gross polluting vehicles such as buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws. This category of public and commercial vehicles has the highest mileage of travel in any city, particularly Delhi, and the science of pollution is clear that the longer the travel, the greater the emissions. In addition, a public subsidy given for replacing the old with newer CNG vehicles was directed towards upgrading the public transport system—providing space for people to move and not vehicles. But Delhi’s story went wrong—a policy mistake we must not repeat as it negates the gains of clean air and wastes public investment. Delhi, in the two decades post its CNG revolution, has not been able to sufficiently improve its public transport so that it restricts the growth of vehicles on the road. Delhi adds some 1,800 new personal vehicles each day; of which over 500 are private cars. The country on the whole adds over 10,000 private cars onto its roads every day. This implosion of vehicles on our roads, despite all the new flyovers and road networks, has meant that we are stuck in traffic and speeds are down. My colleagues at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) analysed hourly travel time data, extracted using Google API and found that during weekdays, Delhi witnesses an average speed reduction of 41 per cent during morning peak hours and 56 per cent during evening peaks. The correlation between hours spent in traffic and growing air pollution is well established. But the story gets worse; another study by my colleagues found that buses were stuck in the same traffic and these chronic delays meant that ridership goes down as people shift to more dependable private transport. The Delhi metro, which has an incredible reach now, is also losing because of the lack of last-mile connectivity and its cost and hassles. So, the way ahead is to be focussed and deliberate in our policy. The National Clean Air Plan (NCAP), which targets all cities with high air pollution, must converge towards the twin goals of cleaner vehicles and lesser vehicles. It is not enough to count only the number of new electric buses—which is crucial—but also its modal share in traffic so that each city plans to scale up public transport and make it possible for us to spend less time and money on commute; more quality time at home; and, most critically, breathe air that does not make us ill. This is not all. The question is: do we really need private EVs in India and the rest of the world? I will discuss this next time. DTE The writer is the Director-General of CSE and editor of Down To Earth. Views expressed are personal

Rework The Economics

India should not take action to combat climate change. As I said this to a group of climate change envoys from various European countries, I could notice signs of confusion on their faces. I explained to them my reasons. Development is the most significant challenge that a country like India faces. We know today that this growth should also be inclusive and sustainable. And if we achieve this, we hit a sweet spot—our actions to reduce local pollution and to drive green livelihoods will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this way, our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which puts together the package of actions to reduce emissions, would be based on co-benefits; development, if done right, will also address the urgent crisis of climate change. We know that it is in our interest to achieve this twin goal. We are vulnerable to climate change impacts. But if we do development differently, it would help us avoid the pitfalls of marginalising actions designed solely for climate change. It would help us deepen the public acceptability for taking steps that may not be easy or convenient. I am not sure if I convinced the group of hardened climate negotiators as their world is narrowly focused on counting greenhouse gases. But let me explain this to you. India, like many other countries, has to ensure growth. This means providing millions with employment, healthcare, education and housing, and increasing energy supply. This has to be our development priority. But development will require taking action that meets the needs of all. So this calls for a change in strategy. We cannot afford a capital- and resource- intensive pathway that adds to environmental degradation and inequity in society. We have learnt over the past decades that we cannot adopt the western-country approach to first pollute and then clean up. We just do not have the financial wherewithal to keep repairing the damage. We have to reinvent growth and this is what many policies in India have done: they have built inclusive sustainability as an outcome of the development policy. This is the unique opportunity for countries like India—not to pit development against climate action but to subsume it within policies designed for growth. (Courtesy: Down To Earth; Writer is Director General of CSE and editor of Down To Earth, an environmentalist who pushes for changes in policies, practices and mindsets)

Bharat Forecast System: India launches world's most precise weather model to improve predictions

Data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) cited in the report highlighted that the total crop area damaged in 2024 due to extreme weather was higher than in previous years. In a major boost to India's weather prediction capabilities, the government on Monday unveiled the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS) — the world’s highest-resolution weather model, operating on a 6-kilometre grid. Developed by researchers including Parthasarathy Mukhopadhyay, the model aims to deliver more granular and accurate forecasts, especially for small-scale weather patterns. "This significant milestone represents a major leap in India's self-reliance in meteorological sciences, enabling more accurate and granular weather forecasts up to panchayat level for disaster risk reduction, agriculture, water resource management and public safety," a senior official from the Earth Sciences Ministry said. The BFS was made possible through the installation of Arka, a new supercomputer at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) campus last year. Arka boasts a computational capacity of 11.77 petaflops and a storage capacity of 33 petabytes. "The previous supercomputer 'Pratyush' used to take up to 10 hours to run the forecasting model. Arka performs the same data-crunching within four hours," Mukhopadhyay told news agency PTI. Union Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh dedicated the Bharat Forecasting System to the nation at a function in New Delhi. — DrJitendraSingh (@DrJitendraSingh) According to M. Ravichandran, the BFS will leverage a network of 40 Doppler Weather Radars from across India to generate highly localised forecasts. “The BFS provides insight into weather events likely to take place in a grid of 6 km by 6 km against the earlier models that gave predictions for a 12 km grid,” he explained. The number of Doppler radars is expected to rise to 100, which would allow the weather office to issue nowcasts — short-term forecasts for the next two hours — for the entire country. The system offers high-resolution forecasts for the tropical region between 30 degrees South and 30 degrees North latitudes, which includes the Indian mainland spanning from 8.4 degrees to 37.6 degrees North. In comparison, Ravichandran pointed out that the global forecast models run by the European, British, and US weather offices operate at resolutions ranging from 9 km to 14 km. The BFS arrives at a critical time when weather anomalies are increasingly influencing India’s economy, particularly in the form of sticky food inflation. The government, in its latest Economic Survey, noted that frequent extreme weather events over the past two years have played a significant role in driving up food prices. Data from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) cited in the report highlighted that the total crop area damaged in 2024 due to extreme weather was higher than in previous years. India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, according to the Economic Times, revealed a notable increase in the frequency of such events. Between 2022 and 2024, heatwaves were recorded on 18 per cent of days, a sharp rise from 5 per cent during 2020 and 2021. The Economic Survey recommended developing climate-resilient crops, improving data systems, and reducing both crop damage and post-harvest losses to achieve long-term price stability. Supporting these concerns, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its monthly bulletin flagged the impact of weather anomalies on vegetable prices, stating that temperature anomalies have increased, prompting the need for temperature-resistant crop varieties. Despite these concerns, the bulletin noted that the inflation outlook has improved, with food inflation declining more than expected. However, weather-related and global risks continue to pose challenges.

Now, an EV dashboard to help motorists locate charging stations across city

The new portal also responds to findings from a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study which revealed that despite rapid growth in EV numbers, public awareness about charging station locations remains critically low. Kolkata: In a significant step towards transforming Kolkata's urban transport into a greener, cleaner system, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) unveiled a comprehensive electric vehicle (EV) dashboard and interactive map to help city motorists easily locate charging stations. Titled ‘Accelerating Net-Zero Transition of Public Transportation in Kolkata', the web portal is designed to address the city's growing demand for EV infrastructure by projecting long-term charging requirements up to 2050. The portal was recently launched at an energy conclave in Kolkata and aims to bridge the critical information gap about charging infrastructure for both residents and incoming EV traffic from neighbouring districts such as Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas. The real-time dashboard offers an interactive map displaying 166 existing charging stations for over 15,000 registered EVs in Kolkata. However, TERI officials caution that the real number of electric vehicles in the city is likely much higher, as a large portion of e-rickshaws and low-speed two-wheelers — travelling under 25 kmph — do not fall under the registered category and remain undocumented. With support from the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, TERI commissioned the study and developed this digital tool as part of a broader roadmap to help Kolkata reach its net-zero targets. The new portal also responds to findings from a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study which revealed that despite rapid growth in EV numbers, public awareness about charging station locations remains critically low. Samik Dhar, a Kolkata-based EV owner, said: "The govt must include EV charging stations in road signage. So far, there is none." A K Saxena, a senior director at TERI, said: "With strategic recommendations on grid infrastructure, energy storage, and decentralised energy access, this portal lays out a clear roadmap for a sustainable and inclusive energy future. Bengal is actively pushing its e-mobility goals, with a target of 1,260 electric buses by 2025, up from the current 80."