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Between a dead and a toxic river, city’s hard road to water

"Forget about treating the water, it cannot be used for irrigation or wildlife," said Sunita Narain, environmentalist and director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). She underlines that despite regular monitoring and huge investment, the condition of the river is far from improving. Noida: For a city with two rivers, Yamuna on the west and Hindon on the east, Noida should have never had to worry about water. But thanks to the state of either river, the city must go to gresat lengths to source its drinking water from the Ganga or tap into the water table, effectively making something that it should have never had to worry about one of its prime areas of future planning as the city's contours see fast expansion. While Hindon was declared a ‘dead river' by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) almost a decade ago due to severe pollution levels, Yamuna becomes toxic downstream before it reaches Noida, flowing through Delhi. According to CPCB's latest water quality report of samples from Yamuna and Hindon collected from six different places in Ghaziabad and Noida, the water is not even suitable to support aquatic life or fisheries. CPCB monitors the quality of river water every month on parameters like dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD), apart from the presence of total coliform and faecal coliform, to categorise the water samples for usage. DO is a river's ability to support life, BOD a measure of its ability to heal itself. At Okhla barrage, Yamuna's dissolved oxygen is just 2.1mg/litre while Hindon shows zero dissolved oxygen at Kulesra village. The rivers' BOD levels (16.7 mg/l and 50.0 mg/l, respectively) and COD levels (74.4 mg/l and 246mg/l, respectively) far exceed safe drinking water standards, which require BOD to be under 2mg/l and DO above 5mg/litre. Bacterial contamination is also severe, with Yamuna showing 2 lakh (measured in MPN/100ml) faecal coliform and Hindon containing 39 lakh total coliform and 30 lakh faecal coliform, astronomically higher than the safe limit of 50 MPN/100ml. According to the monthly report of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), when Yamuna enters Delhi, DO is close to the standards prescribed by World Health Organisation, but by the time it reaches Noida, DO falls drastically and BOD becomes 40-50 times higher than the permissible limit. "Forget about treating the water, it cannot be used for irrigation or wildlife," said Sunita Narain, environmentalist and director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). She underlines that despite regular monitoring and huge investment, the condition of the river is far from improving. Narain pointed out that two drains—Najafgarh and Sahadra—contribute almost 80% of the load of effluents and sewage into the river. "All drains must be tapped for 100% treatment of sewage and further recycling and reuse of water instead of being poured back into the drains after treatment," she said, suggesting that all de-sludgers must be tagged with GPS to ensure that they do not empty into the river. Another environmentalist, Abhist Kusum Gupta, who was successful in drawing govt action to clean up the Hindon through his plea before the National Green Tribunal, said he has not lost hope. "If Germany can clean up the Rhine, why can't we clean up the Hindon, which has historical and cultural significance for the country?" he said. Gupta stated that apart from plugging the sewage discharge, strict provisions should be made to stop industries from pushing their toxic effluents into the river. An analysis of the Hindon water by researchers from the department of zoology and environmental science, Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, revealed that among all the heavy metals studied—cadmium, chromium, nickel, manganese, zinc, iron, and copper—only copper and zinc were found below the standards of WHO and CPCB. "If this trend of contamination with heavy metals continues, it may impact the quality of underground water," said the research paper, indicating that aquifers may not be usable in the vicinity of Hindon's flow because of its heavy load of pollutants.

Why is Noida Facing Water Crisis, Possible Supply Disruption Despite Sitting Between Yamuna and Hindon Rivers

Environmentalists like Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, stress that the situation is dire. "Forget about treating the water; it cannot be used for irrigation or wildlife," she stated, emphasising the urgent need for comprehensive sewage treatment and pollution control measures. Noida Water Crisis: Noidais grappling with a severe water crisis, despite being bordered by two rivers, the Yamuna and Hindon. Recent reports show that both rivers are heavily polluted, forcing the city to seek alternative sources for drinking water. The Noida weather news is increasingly dominated by concerns over water quality and availability as the city expands. Pollution Levels in Local Rivers The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has declared the Hindon a 'dead river' due to extreme pollution levels, while the Yamuna becomes toxic as it flows through Delhi, as per a TOI report. According to the latest water quality reports, samples from the Yamuna and Hindon indicate that the water is unsuitable for aquatic life. Critical parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) show alarming results. For instance, the DO level at Okhla barrage is a mere 2.1 mg/litre, while the Hindon shows zero DO at Kulesra village. These levels far exceed the safe drinking water standards. Bacterial Contamination and Health Risks Bacterial contamination is another major concern. The Yamuna exhibits 200,000 faecal coliform per 100 ml, while the Hindon contains 3.9 million total coliform, significantly higher than the safe limit of 50 MPN/100 ml. Environmentalists like Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, stress that the situation is dire. "Forget about treating the water; it cannot be used for irrigation or wildlife," she stated, emphasising the urgent need for comprehensive sewage treatment and pollution control measures. Two main drains, Najafgarh and Sahadra, contribute nearly 80% of the effluents and sewage that pollute these rivers. Narain suggests that all drains must be fully treated to recycle and reuse water rather than allowing it to flow back untreated. Abhist Kusum Gupta, another environmentalist, remains hopeful for change. "If Germany can clean up the Rhine, why can’t we clean up the Hindon, which has historical and cultural significance?" he said, advocating for strict regulations against industrial effluents. Researchers from Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya have found that heavy metals like cadmium and chromium are present in alarming quantities in the Hindon. Only copper and zinc were below WHO standards, raising concerns about the future quality of underground water. The situation calls for immediate action to address the pollution crisis affecting the rivers. In summary, Noida weather is increasingly influenced by the water crisis stemming from the pollution of the Yamuna and Hindon rivers. As the city continues to grow, it faces challenges in ensuring safe drinking water for its residents. The need for effective pollution control and sewage treatment is more critical than ever, as environmentalists advocate for a sustainable approach to restore these vital water sources.

Uttar Pradesh | No place in Agra for Taj of sweets

The smell of syrup in the air, the hot petha rolling out of factories on both sides of the road, their candied memories travelling up and down the country in tiny coloured boxes by road, rail and now air—this is the identity of Agra’s Noori Gate area. About seven kilometres from the Taj Mahal, these desi ptisseries also churn out tiny, delicate monuments to the sweetness of composite culture. If the Taj was born in Shah Jahan’s mind, legend has it that the petha was born in his royal kitchen—upon a royal firman to create a sweet delicacy as pure and white as the Taj! Marble was traded for white pumpkin, Agra’s magic spell was spoken, and voilathe world was suddenly sweeter. That magic spell is being broken. The Noori Gate petha manufactories, running unbroken since the Mughal period, have been ordered to shift out of the city. That also breaks other ties with history. In 1929, the revolutionary Bhagat Singh, after shooting down British police officer John Saunders (the Lahore Conspiracy Case that led to his hanging), spent a few days hiding in a two-storey house right here in Noori Gate area. Girish Singhal, 63, lives next to this house, beginning his petha-making career in his two-room abode in 1980. Over 40 years on, he’s worried. “I do not have the resources to go 30 km away and set up business afresh. If there’s too much pressure, I’ll stop making petha and open a grocery shop but not move.” Anoop Mittal, 50, another Noori Gate native, conjures up the Gilauri Patta, a special sweet made from petha. “I make petha on the ground floor of my two-storey house,” he says. “It’s a cottage industry for my family. If I shift out, I won’t be able to bear the costs. I’ll have to stop.” Noori Gate has over 500 small and big units related to petha production. Over 5,000 people work here, churning out some 1,000 quintals of petha daily. For about three decades, the locality has attracted the attention of disapproving government planners due to an ironic inversion of the petha’s relation to the Taj: the fear that pollution caused by this sweet-making industry could be damaging the heritage monument. On April 3, the Supreme Court ordered the evacuation of petha units from the city. It was hearing cases related to the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ), a designated 10,400 sq. km area around the Taj, established to protect it from pollution. After this, the Agra administration and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) have started surveying these petha units. Pollution is indeed an issue. After the TTZ was set up in 1983, the use of coal in kilns was banned and petha units adopted gas-based technology. In 2013, the UPPCB imposed a complete ban on the entry of coal-laden trucks into Agra. But problems persisted. According to a 2021 study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the city’s petha industry generates about 17,800 kg of solid waste per day, mostly petha peels, sugar syrup and lime water. District officials say a campaign was launched in 2018 to educate petha producers about the importance of proper waste disposal, also granting aid to the big players to procure equipment for it. A large part of the industry, though, falls under the unorganised sector, beyond the pale of government benefits.

Delhi PNG Rollout to 111 Villages: A Crucial Step in India's Clean Energy Drive

Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi's airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. May 16 Expanding Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to 111 villages in Delhi's periphery is a significant step towards addressing the needs of communities left behind in India's clean cooking fuel transition, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in India. "These villages represent pockets that could not transition earlier despite economic opportunities nearby. If it were possible, they would have transitioned by now. These are households with the least socio-economic privileges, making this a crucial equity-favouring initiative,” Balakrishnan told PTI, referring to the Delhi government's latest push to extend PNG supply to the rural areas. The initiative by the Delhi government in partnership with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and other city gas distribution companies aims to replace traditional biomass and LPG use with cleaner, safer, and more affordable piped gas connections. It is part of a phased plan to connect all 357 villages in Delhi to the PNG network by the end of 2025. The development comes just over a month after Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlighted in an exclusive interview with PTI the urgent need to scale up LPG subsidy schemes in India. Neira highlighted that India's reliance on biomass fuels such as wood and dung for cooking contributes heavily to indoor air pollution and associated premature deaths, urging Indian authorities to maintain and expand existing clean cooking programmes to reduce health and environmental risks. The Delhi PNG expansion targets over 1 lakh households across the 111 villages, mostly low-income communities that have faced unreliable or no access to clean cooking fuels for a long time. Experts pointed out that these clusters, often excluded from urban clean energy initiatives, lie within Delhi's airshed and contribute significantly to the city's pollution burden. Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi's airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. The CSE's 2024 report India's Transition to E-Cooking revealed that 41 per cent of India's population still relies on solid biomass fuels, which emit around 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - about 13 per cent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions.

Delhi in grey scale:In a matter of hours, PM10 rises by up to 44 times

NEW DELHI: At 5pm on Wednesday, the hourly PM10 concentration in southwest Delhi's Najafgarh was 68 micrograms per cubic metre. It had spiralled immensely to 2,969 micrograms per cubic metre by 8am on Thursday. The reason why the coarse pollutants jumped 44 times within a few hours was the wind that brought dust from west Rajasthan, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. In fact aer the dust intrusion, the hourly PM10 concentration across the city jumped in no time. Though DPCC's hourly PM10 data was unavailable for Wednesday night, the data showed that the concentration was below 200 micrograms per cubic metre. This crossed 1,200 micrograms per cubic metre early on Thursday, with some monitoring stations recording an hourly PM10 level of 2,000 micrograms per cubic metre. The hourly PM10 touched 2,163 micrograms per cubic metre at Sri Aurobindo Marg in south Delhi at 8am on Thursday compared with 133 at 4pm on Wednesday. In northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar, the hourly PM10 concentration soared from 204 micrograms per cubic metre at 3pm on Wednesday to 2,396 at 9 on Thursday morning. The 24-hour average national ambient air quality standard for PM10 is 100 micrograms per cubic metre and that of the World Health Organization is 45 micrograms per cubic metre. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "During summer months, Delhi experiences wind-blown dust events that impact the PM10 levels. In an urban environment, coarse particles of dust mix with combustion material and turn toxic.

'PNG rollout to 111 Delhi villages key correction in clean energy drive'

Expanding Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to 111 villages in Delhi's periphery is a significant step towards addressing the needs of communities left behind in India's clean cooking fuel transition, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in India. "These villages represent pockets that could not transition earlier despite economic opportunities nearby. If it were possible, they would have transitioned by now. These are households with the least socio-economic privileges, making this a crucial equity-favouring initiative, Balakrishnan told PTI, referring to the Delhi government's latest push to extend PNG supply to the rural areas. The initiative by the Delhi government in partnership with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and other city gas distribution companies aims to replace traditional biomass and LPG use with cleaner, safer, and more affordable piped gas connections. It is part of a phased plan to connect all 357 villages in Delhi to the PNG network by the end of 2025. The development comes just over a month after Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlighted in an exclusive interview with PTI the urgent need to scale up LPG subsidy schemes in India. Neira highlighted that India's reliance on biomass fuels such as wood and dung for cooking contributes heavily to indoor air pollution and associated premature deaths, urging Indian authorities to maintain and expand existing clean cooking programmes to reduce health and environmental risks. The Delhi PNG expansion targets over 1 lakh households across the 111 villages, mostly low-income communities that have faced unreliable or no access to clean cooking fuels for a long time. Experts pointed out that these clusters, often excluded from urban clean energy initiatives, lie within Delhi's airshed and contribute significantly to the city's pollution burden. Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi's airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. The CSE's 2024 report India's Transition to E-Cooking revealed that 41 per cent of India's population still relies on solid biomass fuels, which emit around 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - about 13 per cent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The report also noted that while the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) expanded access to Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, it did not guarantee sustained clean cooking transitions for many beneficiaries. Many continue to use mixed fuels due to affordability and supply issues, limiting the scheme's health and environmental impact. "PNG connectivity, with its pipeline infrastructure, can overcome issues of fuel refilling and access, making a continuous supply of clean fuel possible," Roy Chowdhury told PTI. "But affordability, safety awareness, and community support will be key to the sustained use of PNG in these villages. Noting the gendered impact of clean fuel access, founder of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group Bharati Chaturvedi said that enabling poor women to access cleaner cooking fuels is vital for women's health and that of their children. Indoor air pollution kills thousands monthly in India, and infants often bear the brunt because they stay close to their mothers during cooking, she told PTI, adding that many women in these peri-urban villages work in informal sectors such as waste collection, domestic work, or vending, where taking time off to navigate subsidy paperwork or installation procedures is challenging. Air pollution contributed to 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, with India and China recording 2.1 million and 2.3 million fatalities, respectively, said a 2024 report by an independent US-based research organisation, in partnership with UNICEF. The report stated that air pollution contributed to the deaths of 1,69,400 children in India under the age of five in 2021 and also said that air pollution was the leading risk factor for deaths in South Asia, followed by high blood pressure, diet, and tobacco.

Delhi's PNG rollout to 111 villages crucial course correction in India’s clean energy drive Experts

Expanding Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to 111 villages in Delhi’s periphery is a significant step towards addressing the needs of communities left behind in India’s clean cooking fuel transition, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in India. "These villages represent pockets that could not transition earlier despite economic opportunities nearby. If it were possible, they would have transitioned by now. These are households with the least socio-economic privileges, making this a crucial equity-favouring initiative,” Balakrishnan told PTI, referring to the Delhi government’s latest push to extend PNG supply to the rural areas. The initiative by the Delhi government in partnership with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and other city gas distribution companies aims to replace traditional biomass and LPG use with cleaner, safer, and more affordable piped gas connections. It is part of a phased plan to connect all 357 villages in Delhi to the PNG network by the end of 2025. The development comes just over a month after Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlighted in an exclusive interview with PTI the urgent need to scale up LPG subsidy schemes in India. Neira highlighted that India’s reliance on biomass fuels such as wood and dung for cooking contributes heavily to indoor air pollution and associated premature deaths, urging Indian authorities to maintain and expand existing clean cooking programmes to reduce health and environmental risks. The Delhi PNG expansion targets over 1 lakh households across the 111 villages, mostly low-income communities that have faced unreliable or no access to clean cooking fuels for a long time. Experts pointed out that these clusters, often excluded from urban clean energy initiatives, lie within Delhi’s airshed and contribute significantly to the city’s pollution burden. Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi’s airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. The CSE’s 2024 report India’s Transition to E-Cooking revealed that 41 per cent of India’s population still relies on solid biomass fuels, which emit around 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - about 13 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The report also noted that while the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) expanded access to Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, it did not guarantee sustained clean cooking transitions for many beneficiaries. Many continue to use mixed fuels due to affordability and supply issues, limiting the scheme’s health and environmental impact. "PNG connectivity, with its pipeline infrastructure, can overcome issues of fuel refilling and access, making a continuous supply of clean fuel possible," Roy Chowdhury told PTI. "But affordability, safety awareness, and community support will be key to the sustained use of PNG in these villages.” Noting the gendered impact of clean fuel access, founder of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group Bharati Chaturvedi said that enabling poor women to access cleaner cooking fuels is vital for women’s health and that of their children. “Indoor air pollution kills thousands monthly in India, and infants often bear the brunt because they stay close to their mothers during cooking,” she told PTI, adding that many women in these peri-urban villages work in informal sectors such as waste collection, domestic work, or vending, where taking time off to navigate subsidy paperwork or installation procedures is challenging. Air pollution contributed to 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, with India and China recording 2.1 million and 2.3 million fatalities, respectively, said a 2024 report by an independent US-based research organisation, in partnership with UNICEF. The report stated that air pollution contributed to the deaths of 1,69,400 children in India under the age of five in 2021 and also said that air pollution was the leading risk factor for deaths in South Asia, followed by high blood pressure, diet, and tobacco.

दिल्ली के 111 गांवों में पीएनजी पहुंचाना भारत के स्वच्छ ऊर्जा अभियान में महत्वपूर्ण सुधार: विशेषज्ञ

भारत में व्यावसायिक एवं पर्यावरणीय बेहतरी के लिए विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन के सहयोगी केंद्र की निदेशक कल्पना बालकृष्णन ने कहा कि दिल्ली के आसपास के 111 गांवों में पाइप्ड नेचुरल गैस (पीएनजी) ‘कनेक्शन’ का विस्तार करना भारत में स्वच्छ खाना पकाने के ईंधन के बदलाव में पीछे छूट गए समुदायों की जरूरतों को पूरा करने की दिशा में एक महत्वपूर्ण कदम है। बालकृष्णन ने ‘पीटीआई-भाषा’ से कहा, ‘‘ ये गांव ऐसे हैं जो उनके समीप ही आर्थिक अवसर मौजूद होने के बावजूद बदलाव का हिस्सा नहीं बन सके। यदि यह पहले संभव हो पाता तो अब तक इनका कायापलट हो गया होता। ये वे परिवार हैं जिनके सामाजिक-आर्थिक विशेषाधिकार सबसे कम हैं जिससे यह एक महत्वपूर्ण समानता-अनुकूल पहल बन जाती है।’’ उन्होंने ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में पीएनजी आपूर्ति बढ़ाने के दिल्ली सरकार के नवीनतम प्रयास का जिक्र करते हुए यह बात कही। दिल्ली सरकार ने इंद्रप्रस्थ गैस लिमिटेड (आईजीएल) के जरिये 111 गांव में पाइप्ड नेचुरल गैस (पीएनजी) की बृहस्पतिवार को आपूर्ति शुरू की, जिससे पीएनजी से जुड़े गांव की कुल संख्या अब 241 हो गई है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने ‘पीटीआई-भाषा’ के साथ बातचीत में कहा कि यह प्रयास न केवल दिल्ली के वायुक्षेत्र में ग्रामीण उत्सर्जन को नियंत्रित करने के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है, बल्कि ग्रामीण परिवारों को ईंधन प्रदूषण के संपर्क में आने से होने वाली परेशानियों से भी बचाएगा। सीएसई की 2024 की रिपोर्ट ‘इंडियाज ट्रांजिशन टू ई-कुकिंग’ के अनुसार, भारत की 41 प्रतिशत आबादी अब भी ठोस बायोमास ईंधन पर निर्भर है, जो सालाना लगभग 34 करोड़ टन कार्बन डाइऑक्साइड उत्सर्जित करती है जो देश के ग्रीनहाउस गैस उत्सर्जन का लगभग 13 प्रतिशत है। चौधरी ने कहा, ‘‘ पीएनजी से जुड़ने से पाइपलाइन अवसंरचना के साथ ईंधन भरने और पहुंच की समस्याओं को दूर किया जा सकता है, जिससे स्वच्छ ईंधन की निरंतर आपूर्ति संभव हो सकेगी।’’ संयुक्त राष्ट्र बाल कोष (यूनिसेफ) के साथ साझेदारी में एक स्वतंत्र अमेरिकी शोध संगठन की 2024 की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, 2021 में वायु प्रदूषण के कारण दुनिया भर में 81 लाख लोगों की जान गई जिसमें भारत तथा चीन के क्रमशः 21 लाख और 23 लाख लोग थे। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि वायु प्रदूषण से 2021 में भारत में पांच साल से कम उम्र के 1,69,400 बच्चों की जान गई। वहीं दक्षिण एशिया में वायु प्रदूषण से मौत के मामले सबसे अधिक हैं।

Experts Say PNG Rollout To 111 Villages In Delhi A Crucial Step Read more at: https://www.ndtvprofit.com/business/biz-png-expansion Copyright © NDTV Profit

Expanding Piped Natural Gas connections to 111 villages in Delhi’s periphery is a significant step towards addressing the needs of communities left behind in India’s clean cooking fuel transition, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in India. "These villages represent pockets that could not transition earlier despite econom The Delhi PNG expansion targets over 1 lakh households across the 111 villages, mostly low-income communities that have faced unreliable or no access to clean cooking fuels for a long time. Experts pointed out that these clusters, often excluded from urban clean energy initiatives, lie within Delhi’s airshed and contribute significantly to the city’s pollution burden. Speaking toPTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi’s airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution.

Delhi's PNG rollout to 111 villages crucial course correction in India’s clean energy drive: Experts

Expanding Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to 111 villages in Delhi’s periphery is a significant step towards addressing the needs of communities left behind in India’s clean cooking fuel transition, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in India. "These villages represent pockets that could not transition earlier despite economic opportunities nearby. If it were possible, they would have transitioned by now. These are households with the least socio-economic privileges, making this a crucial equity-favouring initiative,” Balakrishnan told PTI, referring to the Delhi government’s latest push to extend PNG supply to the rural areas. The initiative by the Delhi government in partnership with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and other city gas distribution companies aims to replace traditional biomass and LPG use with cleaner, safer, and more affordable piped gas connections. It is part of a phased plan to connect all 357 villages in Delhi to the PNG network by the end of 2025. The development comes just over a month after Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlighted in an exclusive interview with PTI the urgent need to scale up LPG subsidy schemes in India. Neira highlighted that India’s reliance on biomass fuels such as wood and dung for cooking contributes heavily to indoor air pollution and associated premature deaths, urging Indian authorities to maintain and expand existing clean cooking programmes to reduce health and environmental risks. The Delhi PNG expansion targets over 1 lakh households across the 111 villages, mostly low-income communities that have faced unreliable or no access to clean cooking fuels for a long time. Experts pointed out that these clusters, often excluded from urban clean energy initiatives, lie within Delhi’s airshed and contribute significantly to the city’s pollution burden. Speaking to PTI, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Anumita Roy Chowdhury said that the effort is important to not only control rural emissions within Delhi’s airshed but also to ensure health security of rural households by reducing their exposure to solid fuel pollution. The CSE’s 2024 report India’s Transition to E-Cooking revealed that 41 per cent of India’s population still relies on solid biomass fuels, which emit around 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually - about 13 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The report also noted that while the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) expanded access to Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, it did not guarantee sustained clean cooking transitions for many beneficiaries. Many continue to use mixed fuels due to affordability and supply issues, limiting the scheme’s health and environmental impact. "PNG connectivity, with its pipeline infrastructure, can overcome issues of fuel refilling and access, making a continuous supply of clean fuel possible," Roy Chowdhury told PTI. "But affordability, safety awareness, and community support will be key to the sustained use of PNG in these villages.” Noting the gendered impact of clean fuel access, founder of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group Bharati Chaturvedi said that enabling poor women to access cleaner cooking fuels is vital for women’s health and that of their children. “Indoor air pollution kills thousands monthly in India, and infants often bear the brunt because they stay close to their mothers during cooking,” she told PTI, adding that many women in these peri-urban villages work in informal sectors such as waste collection, domestic work, or vending, where taking time off to navigate subsidy paperwork or installation procedures is challenging. Air pollution contributed to 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, with India and China recording 2.1 million and 2.3 million fatalities, respectively, said a 2024 report by an independent US-based research organisation, in partnership with UNICEF.

GROWING MENACE OF FOOD POISONING

People should take time in preparing their food It is unacceptable that Nigerians would be dying from what ought to sustain and indeed, keep them alive. Across the country, incidents of deaths after meals are now common. Since the causes of many of these deaths were never accurately determined, it is becoming increasingly clear that the way some foods are being processed pose serious health risks, especially to vital organs and the immune system. The most endangered are people already malnourished as they lack the proper mix of amino acids that are vital ingredients in detoxifying some of the poisons. Ordinarily, food-borne diseases affect disproportionately the most vulnerable of society, the infants, young children, pregnant women and the elderly. The death last week of five siblings in Anambra State from suspected food poisoning, has heightened concerns. The children reportedly ate a meal prepared by their mother before they started experiencing stomach aches, vomiting, and other symptoms, which worsened over time and were rushed to the hospital where they all died. Their mother, who also ate from the same meal, is said to be in critical condition. While we commiserate with the family of the deceased, we hope that health authorities in the state will investigate the cause of the tragedy and make public their findings. Meanwhile, the issue of food safety has for several years posed a daunting challenge in Nigeria hence an urgent need for strict compliance with laws on food preservation. For instance, experts have identified improper use of agro chemicals and pesticides to control pests on grains as one of the causes of the rising cases of food poisoning in Nigeria. Last year, the University of Ibadan released report of a study which revealed that over 50 per cent of pregnant women in some rural areas had detectable levels of pesticides in their blood. Jointly conducted by the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the report reveals the adverse effects of chemical poisoning cases especially concerning food-borne diseases with their attendant social, economic and health costs. The consumption of food grains that have been laced with pesticides by vendors to preserve their shelf life and protect them from destruction by pests puts many people at risk of gastro-intestinal disorders and some types of cancers. Given the alarming rate at which people, including sometimes a whole family, eat certain food and then die, there is an urgent need for public enlightenment on the danger associated with some of the food items we consume. Nigerians must also be made to understand that certain food can be dangerous if not properly processed. For instance, it is important that there be a campaign on cassava-based dishes which are widely consumed in Nigeria, where it is a major source of carbohydrates. They are by far the commonest meals, with popular appeal to the poor. But cassava has one major drawback: When poorly processed, the roots and leaves contain a substance named Linamarin which when eaten is converted to cyanide, a poisonous gas which could be fatal when inhaled or ingested. The processing of cassava often employed by the traditional methods and rural women is said to be good enough to effectively contain the toxic content found in cassava, whether of the sweet or bitter variety. But these days, many of the producers adopt short-cut processing techniques, which turn out to endanger lives. In some cases, particularly those with high cyanide levels, mere exposure to volatile substances while being processed can cause some health disorders. The poor preparation of cassava meals, according to experts, can leave enough of this poisonous substance to cause acute intoxication, goitre and in some cases death.

Yala Glacier Dies: Himalayas Feel The Blow Of Climate Change As Melting Glaciers Severely Impact Rainfall, Snowfall

Siddharth Singh, an expert from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said that plastic pollution has become a huge problem today. Research is still needed to find out what kind of impact small plastic particles are having on nature. Plastic nanoparticles reach the clouds by evaporating with water. Recently, microplastic particles have also been found in the fresh snow falling in Antarctica. The Yala Glacier has been declared dead. It is believed to be the first such glacier in Nepal and potentially the first in Asia to have died. Located in the 3,500-kilometer-long Hindu Kush Himalayan mountain range, the Yala Glacier has now become an example of the frightening impact of climate change. It is a rare glacier in the region that has been continuously monitored for the past 10 years. Included in the global glacier casualty list, the Yala Glacier is proof of how rapidly the Himalayan cryosphere is melting. The cryosphere is the key component of the Earth system that includes frozen water such as glaciers, ice sheets and permafrost. Since 1975, approximately 9 trillion tons of ice have disappeared from mountain glaciers worldwide. According to scientists, if this rate continues, most glaciers could become history by the end of the 21st century. The condition of the Yala Glacier is enough to indicate that this is not just loss of ice, but a warning of imminent water scarcity and destructive floods for future generations. Extending over 3,500 kilometers across eight countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan – the Hindu Kush Himalayan mountains feed 10 major river basins. They are home to 240 million people. It is estimated that over 1.65 billion people downstream depend on their water for drinking and sanitation, agriculture, hydropower and ecosystem services. Increase in heat due to climate change has caused significant damage to glaciers. This is impacting the entire ecosystem. The rapid disappearance of glaciers is a wake-up call for the Himalayan ecosystem, climate balance and human life. Examples like the Yala Glacier warn us that if we do not take swift and concrete action, we will stand helpless in the face of water scarcity, landslides and devastating floods in the coming decades. The research paper titled ‘Perennial Snow and Ice Cover Change From 2001 To 2021 In The Hindu Kush Himalayan Region Derived From The Landsat Analysis Ready Data’ states that snowfall in the Himalayan region decreased by 13 per cet from 2001 to 2021. During this period, an average of 751 square kilometers of snowfall decreased per year, which reflects the effects of climate change. Western Himalayas Decline Impacts Everest Scientists from NCPOR found that the Sutri Dhaka glacier has seen a decrease of over 50 per cent in ice thickness by June 2024. Analysis of satellite data has also revealed that up to 150 meters of ice has been lost from the upper part of Mount Everest. Researchers believe that the ice is no longer just melting but is directly vaporising, leading to a loss of approximately 2.5 mm of ice per day. This is a direct indication of the increasing impact of climate change. The process of direct vaporisation clearly shows that temperatures are rising. The humidity in the air is decreasing, and sunlight is falling directly on the glaciers. This is quite dangerous for glaciers because this process rapidly eliminates ice and prevents any water from accumulating. In his study, Glaciologist Mauri Pelto, a Professor of Environmental Science at Nichols College in the USA who studies glaciers, stated that analysis of images obtained from NASA satellites from October 2023 to the beginning of January 2025, revealed a rapid decrease in ice on Mount Everest in 2024 and early 2025. The reduction in ice on Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, indicates that the climate is warming at a dangerous level. A report published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) states that in regions like the Himalayas, the problem of rising temperatures is threefold: it leads to the melting of mountain glaciers, which can cause floods. It also reduces glacial coverage, leading to a decrease in the long-term availability of water for people, agriculture and hydropower. As glacier cover diminishes and the area is replaced by water or land, albedo - the amount of light reflected without being absorbed on a surface - also decreases. This can increase absorbed solar energy, leading to more warming. Water Crisis And Threat of Glacier Bursts Experts believe that glacier melting may initially increase water in rivers, but gradually, as glaciers disappear, the water levels of these rivers will start to decrease, which could lead to a severe water crisis in the future. Excessive water is accumulating in the lakes formed by melting glaciers, increasing the likelihood of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) incidents. Parmanand Sharma, Senior Scientist at NCPOR, states that this will have a serious impact on downstream water resources, sea level and many perennial rivers of India. Many major rivers of both India and Nepal (such as the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, Kosi) originate from Himalayan glaciers. Sharma says that these changes in snow and glacier areas significantly impact the water budget of several perennial rivers, which are crucial for the livelihoods of major populated regions in India. In December 2024, Nepal received 20-25 per cent more rain than usual, following a prolonged warm spell. Warm conditions continued in January 2025, leading to rapid ice melt from early December to early February 2025, resulting in visible higher snowlines. Black Carbon Is Extremely Dangerous. Black carbon, particles generated from sources like forest fires and an increase in the number of vehicles in mountains, settles on the surface of glaciers and absorbs the sun's rays, dramatically accelerating the rate at which ice melts. According to former scientist Dr JC Kuniyal, these black particles have now become an invisible enemy for Himalayan glaciers. This black carbon is reaching glaciers with the air. The increasing number of vehicles in the mountains is also a major cause of black carbon emissions. Black carbon is a key component of fine particulate matter, PM2.5. Its emissions have serious health effects. A report estimates that air pollution caused by black carbon was responsible for over 8 million premature deaths in 2021. Increased Heavy Rainfall In Himalayan Foothills Scientists have found that aerosols such as black carbon and dust have led to an increase in heavy rainfall events in the foothills of the Himalayan region, making the Indo-Gangetic plain one of the most polluted regions in the world. This was revealed in a study by a team of researchers from National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Leipzig Institute for Meteorology (LIM), University of Leipzig, Germany, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. They showed that particulate emissions can alter the physical and dynamic properties of cloud systems. This in turn leads to an increase in downwind rainfall events over polluted urban areas. Declining Snowfall In Himanchal And Nubra Valleys ISRO and HIMCOSTE reports say that in valleys like Himachal Pradesh and Nubra, an average reduction of 2 mm of snowfall has been recorded every decade. Meanwhile, the increase in the amount of rainfall has further increased the climate imbalance. These valleys fall under the Karakoram and Great Himalayan ranges. Due to climate change, snowfall has decreased in both the valleys but rainfall has increased. The study found that in the last three decades, a lot of fluctuations have been seen in the month of December. DRDO scientist MR Bhutiani, in one of his research, has predicted the possibility of maximum temperature in the northwestern Himalayas increasing by 3 degrees in the next 120 years. This increase in temperature will change the climate of the mountains. In such a situation, further reduction in snowfall can be seen in the coming times. Nano Plastics Increased The Danger Recently, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the College of Earth and Environmental Science in China found in their research that normally, when sunlight falls on the ice of a glacier, it reflects 100 per cent of it. However, when small plastic particles accumulate on the ice, they absorb the sunlight. This increases the temperature in the glacier and causes it to melt. These small plastic particles, which reach glaciers with the air, are smaller than five millimeters in size. The Chinese researchers have found microplastic particles in the Arctic, Alps, Tibet, Andes, and Antarctica. According to the scientists, intensive research is still needed to understand the full impact of microplastics. These changes have affected water resources and the hydrological cycle on a large scale. It is expected that glaciers in the Tibetan plateau may melt by up to 21 percent in the 21st century, due to which the amount of water flowing from the glaciers into the rivers originating from here may decrease by up to 28 percent in the future. According to a study, between the 1960s and 2000, microplastics contributed 8 percent to the rapid melting of the glacier near Nam Co Lake in Tibet. Due to small plastic particles, the temperature here increased by two and a half degrees. Apart from microplastics, glaciers are also melting rapidly due to black carbon. In some parts of the Arctic, due to black carbon, the rate of melting of ice increased by one to three percent between July and September. Siddharth Singh, an expert from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said that plastic pollution has become a huge problem today. Research is still needed to find out what kind of impact small plastic particles are having on nature. Plastic nanoparticles reach the clouds by evaporating with water. Recently, microplastic particles have also been found in the fresh snow falling in Antarctica. Impact on India The Himalayan mountain range, often referred to as the "Third Pole," is home to the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar regions. These glaciers are crucial for maintaining water supply across Asia, especially in India, where they feed major river systems like the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus. However, recent studies indicate that these glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates due to climate change, resulting in significant environmental and socio-economic challenges for India and its neighboring countries. Kedarnath Like Disaster May Increase In recent years, satellite imagery has revealed a significant increase in the number and size of glacial lakes, with 676 lakes identified since 1984 that are expanding. These lakes pose a direct threat to communities living downstream if they overflow or burst. An example of such a threat is the Kedarnath disaster. Food Crisis May Increase Approximately 70% of India's agriculture depends on glacial meltwater for irrigation. Variations in water supply due to changes in glacier dynamics can severely impact crop yields and food security. Farmers may face increased risks from both flooding during spring melt and reduced water availability during the growing season. (This article was translated for Jagran English by Akansha Pandey.)

Climate Change and the Future of Farming in Meghalaya

A recent article by Anna Notsu titled ‘A Rain of Blessings’: Rethinking our Future with Water’, brought to light the very intimate connection that rains have to the landscape of Meghalaya and the culture of its people. She mentioned the unprecedented hailstorms in Shillong to the unusually prolonged dry, hot days in East Jaintia and how water, whether too little or too much, has become a topic of everyday conversations in the state. She asks the pertinent question: what will happen if the situation repeats in the future, possibly worsening in the coming years? Looking at the weather pattern of the last few years, it seems her fears are coming true a little too soon. On June 17, 2022, Mawsynram recorded 1,003.6 mm of rainfall in a day, breaking the record it had held since 1940. On the same day, Sohra, also known as Cherrapunjee, recorded the maximum daily rainfall of 972 mm—the highest in 27 years. I accompanied a team from The Wire, a national publication, to Sohrarim on the day these records were broken, documenting the agricultural practices of the Khasis living on the watershed dividing Sohra from Khat-ar Shnong. Strong winds almost blew me off the cliff as I struggled with my umbrella while trying to climb down 3000 steps to the village where the community was waiting for us. Innumerable waterfalls had begun streaming down the steep walls of the watershed, making the entire landscape appear like something out of a movie depicting a magical scene in the Amazon, in search of a lost city or hidden civilization. However, the heavy rainfall had a devastating impact especially on the potato crops elsewhere. Over the next weeks, as I travelled to the different villages on the plateau, I heard the same story repeated by the farmers—crops being destroyed by the strong winds and heavy rainfall. The following year, 2023, was also extreme—but in the opposite direction. Besides the monsoon season (June to September), Meghalaya receives substantial rainfall during the pre-monsoon season, from April to late May. Rainfall during these months is comparable to the monsoon season and is vital for vegetable crops like beans. Any delay in rainfall could have adverse effects on the farmers who are looking to harvest these crops and prepare the field for planting new crops. That year, however, the rains were uncharacteristically very late. I had gone for a workshop with the farmers in West Khasi Hills. But while I waited with my colleagues for the farmers, someone informed us that the farmers could not attend the program. The evening before, the rains had finally arrived, and they immediately went to the fields to prepare the land for sowing crops. Any delay and the entire year could have gone to waste. I learned this lesson again during a visit to a village in Ri Bhoi last month. Around the same time that Anna’s article was published, I accompanied a photographer from National Geographic who was working on a story for Nature’s ‘Where I work’ series. During our interaction with the farmers, they pointed out the dried-up leaves and the widespread pest attacks affecting the bean plants. The delay in rainfall slowed the maturing of the crop and the farmers could not harvest them. Soil temperature was also quite high, delaying the planting of ginger, which is one of the most important cash crops for the community in this village. Near to the village is Bhoirymbong, which is the largest wholesale market for ginger, bringing traders from inside and outside the state. So, any impact on the ginger crop could have had a devastating effect on the local economy and lives of the farmers. Fortunately, rainfall arrived soon afterward, saving the farmers, at least temporarily. The delay in rainfall also has the effect of raising the temperature, whose impact can go beyond desiccating the crops and delay the planting season. In 2023, the temperatures rose sharply and many parts of the state started experiencing heat waves. The temperatures in Garo Hills reached almost 40 degree Celsius, forcing the closure of educational institutes in many parts of the state. I’m already planning to buy a fan for the summer months—something I never imagined would be necessary in Shillong. As an organisation which is working with the revitalisation and strengthening of the Indigenous Peoples Food Systems, NESFAS (North East Society for Agroecology Support) is very concerned with the impact that climate change can have on indigenous peoples. They contributed a case study to the 2024 CSE (Centre for Science and Environment) publication First Food: Future of Taste. In the chapter titled Solace in Diversity, written by NESFAS, farmers in West Khasi Hills reported a trend of decreasing summer rainfall coupled with rising winter temperatures, sparking concerns about potential rice harvest failures in the future. A similar situation is being faced by farmers in Ri Bhoi as well. In Sohra, areas where jhum cultivation is practiced have seen a decline in the yield of jaiing, or black mustard. The central uplands where bun is practised are also experiencing extreme weather, which are affecting the yield of vegetables like cabbages and cauliflower. Farmers in Jaintia Hills have also seen the yield of tuber crops like potato, taro, and especially sohphlang, a local nitrogen-fixing perennial herb, being severely affected by the changing weather. In fact, in 2021 the yield of both potato and sohphlang failed completely in some villages of West Khasi Hills, leaving the farmers with no seeds to plant for the next season. Farmers had to source seeds, either by borrowing or buying them with cash, from neighbouring villages that still had some seeds to spare. The changing climate has also affected foods that the local indigenous community harvests in the forest. Wild vegetables like jamyrdoh (Houttuynia cordata), and jatira (Oenanthe linearis) are an integral part of the local dishes and are highly rich in micronutrients, especially Vitamin K. These are now becoming difficult to find. This appears to be true for wild fruits as well. In the past, people found wild fruits like sohphie (Myrica esculenta) abundantly during April. But now its fruiting season has been getting delayed by more than a month, i.e., May, which coincides with heavy rainfall. This result in a lot of fruits getting damaged, reducing the amount of fruits people can collect. The community is concerned that if this continues, they may not harvest sohphie anymore in the future. Last year, I participated in a stakeholder meeting organized by a firm appointed by the Government of Meghalaya to discuss the ‘Meghalaya Climate Emergency & Green Growth Framework’. According to their press release the government appears to have already prepared the draft, which will eventually become law. I’m unsure if the Assembly passed such a bill. But considering the challenges that the farming community is facing and will face in the coming years because of climate change, such legislation is the need of the hour. All of us will therefore look forward when the discussion happens on such a bill in the Assembly. The time to act is already overdue, and any further delay could have devastating consequences for our farmers. (The views expressed in the article are those of the author and do not reflect in any way his affiliation to any organisation or institution)

Yamuna Needs More Than Money

Elections for the Delhi Legislative Assembly have concluded and there is a new party in power. This is the dance of democracy, but this time there was one key difference. When pollsters asked people why they voted against the party in power, the answers threw up issues that we know matter but do not make it to the list. Pollution in the river Yamuna—the 22 km stretch that passes through Delhi—was on top; then came toxic air pollution and garbage. Till now, environmental issues have made it to the manifestos of parties, but this time voters have spoken and hopefully this will make a difference. As the new government gets down to the business of cleaning the Yamuna it must be clear on a few things. One, it is not that the last state government or even the government before the last were not serious about cleaning the Yamuna. All governments have had the intention to clean the river that has become a sewage canal. Huge funds have been spent—both by the Union and state governments. According to an official estimate, Rs 6,500 crore were spent in the four years between 2017 and 2021. This is a massive amount. But it may even be an underestimation, since the funds to clean the river come from different sources and account heads. So, it is not about commitment or funds. Two, there is a plan for cleaning the river and because this is about Delhi, just about every court—from the apex court to National Green Tribunal—has active cases to review this action plan. Every month, a report is prepared diligently by the state government; every month it is filed in court. So it should not be assumed, as the new government takes charge, that nothing has been done or that nobody cared. That rhetoric is good for the pre-election time when parties need to score points. But it is not conducive for the critical and considered steps that are needed now. What needs to be deliberated is that despite this money, the attention and the action plan, nothing has visibly improved in the state of the river. The monthly reports filed by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee show that in most months, the river’s water quality, as it enters the city at Palla or where it draws its water from at Wazirabad, is fairly good. But within a few kilometres of its 22 km journey through Delhi, it dies. By the time water quality is checked at the next monitoring point of Interstate Bus Terminal (ISBT), the dissolved oxygen has gone from the mandated standard of 5 mg/litre to 0; and faecal coliform counts have risen many times. It is important to note that lack of oxygen means that the water has no life. So, we can say the river in Delhi is dead, even if it has not been officially cremated. The fact is, the action plan needs to be re-worked so that it can be impactful. We are not doing things right. This is what needs to be understood. So, what should be the agenda for cleaning the Yamuna? First, there should be focus not just on tracking the building of sewage treatment plants (STPs) but also on the amount of sewage that is in-tercepted and taken for treatment. This means accepting that large areas of Delhi are not connected to underground sewerage systems—the current plan only pays lip service to this. But this ignores the sheer scale of the city that is unconnected to official underground sewerage systems. Here, people have no option but to depend on desludging tankers for septage management. The good news is people are managers of their own sewage. This means, the state does not have to invest in building and refurbishing sewage pipelines and extending them to unconnected areas—whose numbers are growing as cities expand. The key step is to ensure that all desludging tankers are registered; have GPS installed; and a control room is set up to monitor the tanker movement. In addition, it is important that the desludged material is taken to treatment points so that the used water and sludge can be reused. Second, the plan must ensure that “treated” wastewater is not discharged into drains, where it gets mixed with untreated wastewater from un-official areas. The treated effluents need to be completely reused and recycled. Currently, according to the Delhi Economic Survey, less than 10 per cent of treated wastewater is reused. Most STPs are not located at the river front and so, the treated wastewater is discharged into the same drains that carry the untreated sewage to the river. It is no surprise then that there is no real impact on the quality of the water. The action plan must focus on the 22 drains of the city; pollution management is about estimating the quality not only through standards like biological oxygen demand (BOD), but also through the quantum of wastewater. Delhi has to ensure that it has a plan for each drain; and the plan is to reduce the pollution load by intercepting untreated sewage, by not adding treated sewage and finally by treating the remaining wastewater in the drain as close to where it is discharged into the river as possible. Currently, Delhi takes water from the Yamuna and returns sewage to it. Now it must take water and also return water to the river. Only then can the river flow.

Growing human-wildlife conflict calls for strict habitat management measures

Synopsis: There must be a total halt on further destruction of wildlife habitat due to so-called development projects such as dams, railways, multilane highways, power lines, etc., that continue to degrade forest habitat and cut off wildlife corridors and avenues of movement. The forest degradation is mainly due to the rapid expansion of existing metropolises. A trumpeting wild elephant charged at me from 50 yards while I was walking on a track in my coffee plantation in Karnataka’s Kodagu district a mid-morning in November 2020. To escape, I dove for the cover of the coffee bushes to my right and tried to run, but stumbled and fell. As I lay in a fetal position, I could hear the fast-approaching elephant. He could not see me on the ground with his head above the coffee bushes. Trampling my leg, he rushed away with a strange squeak. I felt no pain at the moment. That would come later. With a titanium rod hammered into the bone between ankle and knee, the recovery of the broken leg has been complete, but the scars on the mind will remain. I am now just another statistic under the ‘injured’ column in the data on human-wildlife conflict. But it is only those few of us who have survived a wild animal attack who know the true meaning of ‘conflict’. A few years ago, India celebrated 50 years of Project Tiger. Conservation efforts have boosted the tiger population across the country. But it has also endangered human life. In Kodagu alone, there have been 10 tiger attacks with eight deaths in the past few years. Meanwhile, cattle kills by tigers in Kodagu have exceeded the 300 mark. While an encounter with wild animals is traumatic for humans, it is equally traumatic for wildlife to face attempts to capture them. The process of migration through large areas of human habitation that were once traditional corridors of movement is also extremely stressful, especially for elephants. Wanted: A coordinated effort The only way the species can sustain itself is by migrating to greener pastures during summer for water and fodder through high-risk human zones, crossing high-speed highways, and railway tracks. It is to be understood that elephants under stress are more likely to be aggressive. The Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and the adjoining elephant reserves of South India cover an area of 12587 square kilometres and have a population of about 11,000 elephants. It is the largest population of Asian elephants in the wild. These forests also have sizable numbers of gaurs, leopards, sloth bears, and tigers that are increasingly coming into conflict with humans. There is a need for a coordinated effort by three states, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, to draw up a roadmap for improved habitat management of this landscape. Development and degradation of habitats While the elephant population has marginally increased since 1978, there has been a drastic disintegration of elephant habitat and corridors. Hydroelectric projects and dams have swallowed and decimated elephant habitats soon after independence. Subsequently, linear infrastructure projects such as roads, railways, and transmission lines, and a large number of tourist resorts have become major impediments to the easy migration of elephant herds through a landscape that is a mosaic of disconnected forests and agricultural lands. Human fatalities caused by elephants have steadily increased in India, with 545 in 2021-22, 605 in 2022-23, and 629 in 2023-24, as per the analysis by Rajit Sengupta and Kiran Pandey from the Centre for Science and Environment. Meanwhile, the figure for elephant deaths due to electrocution, poisoning, and railway track deaths has exceeded 500 during the past five years. Human-wildlife conflict, more commonly known as human-animal conflict (HAC), is growing by the day. While Kodagu, Hassan, Chickamagalur, and Tumkur are hotspots of conflict in Karnataka, the problem is also acute further south in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It extends to Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Assam, and to the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, where Down to Earth has reported that several villages in the Pauri district are turning into ‘ghost villages’ after being abandoned by their residents. Many villagers are migrating to urban areas after increased sightings and attacks by leopards. Meanwhile, wild animals are snared, shot, electrocuted, poisoned, and targeted with explosives, causing agonising pain, injury, and death. During the past two decades, HAC has continued to escalate despite continued efforts to mitigate the problem. Why so? The reason is not hard to find.

वैश्विक व्यापार व्यवस्था में अमीरों का प्रतिशोध

अमेरिका के राष्ट्रपति Donald Trump ने इन दिनों वैश्विक वस्तुओं के व्यापार को जोखिम में डाल दिया है। इस वैश्विक व्यापार व्यवस्था में लाए जा रहे नए बदलावों के परिणाम के बारे में बताना असंभव है, जिसके अपने अंतर्संबंधों में ही बेहद जटिलता है। इसे किसी भी देश की आर्थिक वृद्धि और समृद्धि के एकमात्र रणनीतिक खेल के रूप में स्थापित किया गया है। लेकिन यह समझना महत्त्वपूर्ण है कि यह क्यों हुआ, इससे हमारी दुनिया में क्या बदलाव आया है और आगे का रास्ता क्या हो सकता है? सबसे पहले, अतीत पर नजर डालते हैं। यह विचार 1990 के दशक की शुरुआत में आकार लेने लगा, जब उस दुनिया (जिन जगहों पर बड़े पैमाने पर औद्योगीकरण हो रहा था) ने जनरल एग्रीमेंट ऑन टैरिफ ऐंड ट्रेड (गैट) को एक औपचारिक वैश्विक संस्था, विश्व व्यापार संगठन (डब्ल्यूटीओ) के रूप में बदलने का फैसला किया। विचार यह था कि इससे वैश्विक व्यापार को एक मुक्त क्षेत्र में लाया जा सकेगा और व्यापार नियमों का पालन करने की शर्तें सभी पर लागू होंगी। ऐसे में दुनिया एक हो जाएगी। इसका एक और उद्देश्य था जिसने आज की औद्योगिक दुनिया को परेशान कर दिया है। इस बात को समझ लिया गया कि औद्योगीकरण को बढ़ावा देने वाले इन देशों में विनिर्माण की लागत अधिक थी। इसके अलावा, श्रम महंगा था और पर्यावरणीय नियमों की सख्ती की अलग लागत थी। यह वह समय था, जब पहले से ही औद्योगिक विकास करने वाले देशों को स्थानीय वायु प्रदूषण और जल प्रदूषण की समस्या से जूझना पड़ रहा था जिसमें बारिश का पानी अम्लीयता से भरपूर होने के साथ ही नदियों में विषाक्त पदार्थों की समस्या भी बढ़ रही थी। इन देशों को सार्वजनिक स्तर पर व्यापक आक्रोश का सामना करना पड़ा रहा था और ऐसे में उन्होंने वैश्विक व्यापार के नाम पर क्लासिक ‘नॉट इन माय बैकयार्ड’ (निंबी) सिद्धांत लागू किया जो अपने यहां नुकसान पहुंचाने वाले उद्योनगों का विरोध कर दूसरे जगह इसको बढ़ावा देने के सिद्धांत से जुड़ा है। मशहूर अमेरिकी अर्थशास्त्री लैरी समर्स 1992 में विश्व बैंक में थे और वर्ष 2001 में हार्वर्ड विश्वविद्यालय के अध्यक्ष बने। उन्होंने उन दिनों एक आंतरिक टिप्पणी में लिखा, ‘सबसे कम मजदूरी वाले देश में जहरीले कचरे को डंप करना आर्थिक रूप से बेहद तर्कपूर्ण है।’ द इकॉनमिस्ट ने एक शानदार रिपोर्ट ने इसे स्पष्ट रूप रेखांकित करते हुए कहा कि समर्स ने कहा है, ‘प्रदूषण को उनकी खुराक बन जाने दो।’ उनका यह तर्क अनूठा था कि जिन देशों में कम मजदूरी है और जहां नियमन भी कम है उनके साथ व्यापार करना सस्ता पड़ेगा। समर्स ने लिखा कि आप जितने अमीर होंगे, अपने पर्यावरण को उतना ही साफ रखना चाहेंगे और ऐसे में लागत अधिक बढ़ेगी। उन देशों में जहरीले तत्वों के बारे में अधिक सार्वजनिक चिंता जताई जाएगी जहां लोगों का जीवन काल लंबा है और लोगों को प्रोस्टेट कैंसर की संभावना उन देशों की तुलना में ज्यादा होगी जहां पांच साल से कम उम्र में मृत्यु दर प्रत्येक 1000 लोगों में से 200 है। समर्स ने काफी कटु शब्दों का इस्तेमाल किया लेकिन उन्होंने जो कहा वह आर्थिक और व्यापार वैश्वीकरण का प्रमुख कारक था। डब्ल्यूटीओ 1995 में बना और 2001 में चीन इसमें शामिल हुआ। तब से पीछे मुड़कर नहीं देखा गया। असलियत यह है कि वैश्विक विनिर्माण पूरी तरह से औद्योगिक दुनिया के देशों से चीन जैसे देशों और फिर वियतनाम, बांग्लादेश और कंबोडिया में स्थानांतरित हो गया। दरअसल यह पूरी तरह से सबसे कम लागत खोजने की प्रक्रिया रही है यानी जैसे-जैसे नियमन और श्रम की लागत बढ़ती है वैसे ही उद्योग उन नई जगहों की तलाश में जुट जाता है जहां उसे लागत के लिहाज से फायदा हो और सख्त नियमन की दिक्कतें न आएं। हम इसे भारत में भी देखते हैं यानी जैसे ही प्रदूषण नियामक शिकंजा कसता है, उद्योग किसी अनधिकृत बस्ती वाले क्षेत्रों में कामकाज चलाने लगते हैं। इस मुक्त-बाजार वाली दुनिया में, बाजार में प्रतिस्पर्धी बने रहने के लिए श्रम और पर्यावरण की लागत कम करके आंकना पड़ता है। ऐसे में श्रम अधिकारों (बाल श्रम अधिकारों सहित) या पर्यावरण की रक्षा की जरूरत जैसे किसी भी नैतिक बात को छोड़ दें। यह बिल्कुल सही नहीं है। इस वैश्विक व्यापार व्यवस्था के लगभग 25 वर्षों में अब नए विजेता और पराजित देश हैं। 1990 के दशक की शुरुआत में जब डब्ल्यूटीओ के लिए आर्थर डंकल के मसौदा प्रस्ताव को आगे बढ़ाया जा रहा था तब विकासशील देश इसके विरोध में खड़े हो गए थे। उदाहरण के तौर पर भारत में निर्बाध वैश्विक व्यापार के विचार के खिलाफ विरोध प्रदर्शन हुए क्योंकि ऐसा महसूस किया गया था कि इससे सबसे गरीब लोगों, विशेष रूप से किसानों की आजीविका खत्म होगी और इन्हें पश्चिम के औद्योगीकृत बड़े खेतों से आने वाले खाने-पीने के सस्ते सामानों की डंपिंग का सामना करना पड़ेगा। 1999 में जब कई देशों के मंत्री इस नई वैश्विक अर्थव्यवस्था का जश्न मनाने के लिए सिएटल में जुटे तब इस अनियंत्रित वैश्वीकरण के खिलाफ व्यापक रोष देखा गया था। वहां अमीर देशों के प्रदर्शनकारी भी आए थे जो विनिर्माण के पलायन और बेरोजगारी की समस्या से जूझ रहे थे। इसके कारण जलवायु परिवर्तन दूसरी सबसे बड़ी समस्या बनी है। सच तो यह है कि पश्चिमी देशों में उत्सर्जन वास्तव में कभी कम नहीं हुआ बल्कि यह नए उत्पादन स्थलों पर स्थानांतरित हो गया। लेकिन इससे फायदा पाने वालों ने यह सुनिश्चित किया कि इन सभी बातों को छिपा दिया जाए। पश्चिमी देशों की कंपनियां कम आय वाले देशों में जाने लगीं और इन्होंने खूब मुनाफा कमाया। इन देशों में उपभोक्ता (हम सभी) सस्ते सामानों के कारण खुश थे। इन सबके बीच सेवा और प्रौद्योगिकी क्षेत्र में काफी तेजी आई, बैंकों और वित्तीय बाजारों ने खूब पैसा कमाया लेकिन खराब आमदनी-वितरण की नीतियों के कारण लोगों के बीच असमानताएं ज्यादा बढ़ीं। इसका बुलबुला तब फूटा जब ब्रेक्सिट प्रकरण हुआ क्योंकि यह मामला रोजगार से जुड़ा था और जैसा कि मैंने उस वक्त लिखा था यह अमीरों का बदला था। ट्रंप ने अपने पहले कार्यकाल में भी आज जैसी ही संरक्षणवादी और टैरिफ की बातें की लेकिन कोविड की बाधाओं के बीच यह दब गया। अब, जोरदार तरीके से फिर से इसकी वापसी हो गई है। बेशक, वैश्विक व्यापार प्रणाली ने हम सभी को फंसा रखा है। कम मजदूरी वाले देशों को वैश्विक व्यापार से आर्थिक लाभ हुआ है। व्यापार, सेवाओं और वित्त के कारण आपस में जुड़ी इस दुनिया में अलग होने की भारी कीमत चुकानी पड़ेगी। लेकिन यह स्पष्ट है कि कुछ तो बदलना होगा। यह नई व्यापार प्रणाली जो भी स्वरूप लेती है उसके कारण हमारी दुनिया के अधिकांश हिस्सों में सकारात्मक बदलाव आएगा या उसमें गड़बड़ियां होंगी। आगे हम इसका विश्लेषण करते रहेंगे। (लेखिका सेंटर फॉर साइंस ऐंड एन्वायरनमेंट से जुड़ी हैं)