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Punjab: Sahnewal school awarded for best green practices

The School of Eminence, Sahnewal, was recently declared the ‘Best Green School’ in the region after it successfully cracked a rigorous on-campus audit. The audit was spearheaded by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and facilitated by the Punjab... The School of Eminence, Sahnewal, was recently declared the ‘Best Green School’ in the region after it successfully cracked a rigorous on-campus audit. The audit was spearheaded by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and facilitated by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) and the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Punjab. The audit comprised of six key subject areas, including air, energy, food, land and water. School of Eminence principal Mandeep Kaur said they never knew that the sustainable practices exercised in the school would one day fetch them recognition at the highest level. “Reducing carbon emissions by use of bicycles or travelling to school by foot by students, banning of packed food, promoting sustainable eating habits, adopting energy-efficient lighting and maintaining green cover — these practices have been adopted by the school. With the recent recognition, we would double our efforts in this direction,” she said with a sense of attainment. The school won the award on the basis of the audit conducted by the CSE to measure the efficacy of resource management and green practices, apart from empowering the schools to adopt eco-friendly practices, reduce environmental footprints and optimise resource management. The principal proudly added that one of the best practices adopted by the school is that in the morning assembly, the students are educated about an environmental issue with the motive to train them to adopt eco-friendly habits in school as well as at home. “In the school canteen, junk food is not allowed and as far as mid-day meal is concerned, I make it a point to first taste it and then distribute it among the students. There can be no compromise as far as the health of the kids is concerned. Waste management is practiced both inside and out of the class. Senior students serve food to the juniors in a way that there is minimum wastage. Teachers have been appointed to see to it that the students are served as per their requirement. They can ask for more, but wastage is not allowed,” she said. “Efforts are made to reduce dry waste too. Tearing, wasting or misuse of paper is not allowed in the school. The students are educated about the correlation between paper and trees,” the principal added. “The building is ventilated to the extent that in hot sultry weather, the students can sit comfortably in their classes even if power plays truant,” she shared. “Out of 600 students in the school, 10 to 15 use bikes to reach school. All others come on bicycles or by foot. The school staff also prefer to either pool vehicle or use public transport. Out of 30 teachers, only five come to the school by cars. The ones residing in Sahnewal walk their way to school. The students are exhorted to fight against all kinds of pollution and maintain cleanliness on the campus. They are warned against receding water table and the scrupulous use of water in daily life. The teachers keep a tab on the number of times the water tank is filled during the day and the quantity of water used during the day. No drop of water goes waste in the school,” Mandeep added. “The students are taught to completely shun single use plastic from their daily life and are motivated to plant trees. The plantation drive is not reduced to an official formality. It is a move in which we seek the support of each and every student. It is the duty of each and every student and teacher to adopt a sapling and keep a close watch on its growth till it becomes self-sustaining,” avowed the principal. “The coordinator of the eco club Lovepreet Sharma, along with his colleagues Lovedeep Kaur and Gurpreet Singh, gift each student a sapling on his or her birthday. Last week, the students of senior secondary class had their practical exam in the subject of agriculture and they were asked to bring a sapling each and share it with junior appointing him as a guardian of the plant with a promise that when they revisit, their sapling would greet them as a plant,” she shared.

साहनेवाल स्कूल को सर्वोत्तम हरित प्रथाओं के लिए सम्मानित किया गया

स्कूल ऑफ एमिनेंस, साहनेवाल को हाल ही में इस क्षेत्र का ‘बेस्ट ग्रीन स्कूल’ घोषित किया गया, क्योंकि इसने कैंपस में कठोर ऑडिट में सफलता प्राप्त की। इस ऑडिट का नेतृत्व सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने किया और पंजाब स्टेट काउंसिल फॉर साइंस एंड टेक्नोलॉजी (पीएससीएसटी) तथा पंजाब के विज्ञान, प्रौद्योगिकी और पर्यावरण विभाग ने इसमें सहयोग किया। उन्होंने कहा, "छात्रों द्वारा साइकिल का उपयोग या पैदल स्कूल जाने से कार्बन उत्सर्जन में कमी लाना, पैक किए गए भोजन पर प्रतिबंध लगाना, स्थायी खाने की आदतों को बढ़ावा देना, ऊर्जा-कुशल प्रकाश व्यवस्था को अपनाना और हरियाली बनाए रखना - इन प्रथाओं को स्कूल ने अपनाया है।

Authority seeks collaboration to improve water infrastructure in Nairobi

Senior officials from the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority, together with members of the Water and Sanitation Committee, have agreed on modalities under which the authority can collaborate with the county to improve water infrastructure. The officials who made a rare appearance at the Water committee explained how the county can benefit from some of its services. Led by the body's Chief Executive Officer Julius Mugun, the officials shared various areas to explore, among them flood control and drainage management, rainwater harvesting, drilling of boreholes and rehabilitation of existing ones. The CEO explained that counties have the constitutional mandate to offer water services, which means national government agencies must collaborate with devolved units. "The Water Act 2016 and the 2010 Constitution assign responsibility for water supply and sanitation to the 47 county governments, and the Water Act 2016 provides the legal framework for their implementation," he said The Authority has implemented several water for schools’ projects in Nairobi and is seeking to tap into the Nairobi situation where flooding is common, while water harvesting is hardly practised. The authority is seeking to formulate strategies for sustainable development and maintenance of water systems,a joint venture to explore measures to mitigate flooding and improve drainage systems and advocacy for adoption of environmentally sustainable rainwater harvesting practices. It is also seeking collaboration on projects to advance access to reliable water sources through borehole initiatives. Committee Chairman Kennedy Oyugi welcomed the initiative and promised to arrange for more meetings that will involve officials from the county, Nairobi and Athi Water agencies respectively. According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Kenya faces a national water crisis with more than 16 million of the Kenyan population relying on untreated and unsafe water sources. Rural families spend approximately $38 per month on water, while urban households with piped systems in cities like Nairobi spend only $4.46.

India–Norway Marine Pollution Initiative

The India–Norway Marine Pollution Initiative (INMPI) has helped Agra improve waste circularity and reduce plastic leakage into the Yamuna River, with successful interventions in managing petha and footwear waste. What it is? A bilateral collaboration between the Government of India and Government of Norway to address marine litter, especially microplastics (MPs) and macroplastics from land-based sources. Launched In: 2019, under the India–Norway Ocean Dialogue. Aims: Reduce plastic and microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Support circular economy in waste management. Promote policy reform, local action, and scientific research. Assist municipalities in evidence-based plastic leakage reduction. Key Features: Technical support to Indian cities by leading environmental organisations (e.g., Centre for Science and Environment – CSE). Pilot projects in riverine cities like Agra. Studies on pre-consumer industrial waste, plastic drainage leakage, and microplastic load. Use of brand audits, polymer categorisation, and scientific sampling for policy impact.

Climate change sidelined as America pivots to fossil-fuel-heavy future

“This is not the time for energy transition, this is the time for energy addition,” said United States (US) Energy Secretary Chris Wright to cheering applause. He was speaking at one of the largest energy conferences, CERAWeek, in Houston last month, and the room was overflowing with heads of energy companies and other experts. Attending the week-long conference, it was clear to me that our world had changed. Still, it is important to understand what and why this complete rejection of climate-change policies is happening in a world that is warming rapidly with catastrophic weather impacts. This is not the time to bury our heads in the sand and think that the Donald Trump administration’s energy policy will not lead to massive changes in their world and ours. What is its reasoning for this shift? First, the gross national debt of the US has reached $36 trillion; interest payments are larger than what the country spends on defence. So, the answer is to “re-industrialise” and not “deindustrialise”, in the words of the US energy secretary. This thrust on onshore manufacturing will require more energy and more energy infrastructure. Second, China has taken the lead in many new areas, from supply chains and manufacturing electric vehicles to solar. The Trump administration says it must not lose the artificial Intelligence (AI) race to China. This means building energy-intensive data centres at a pace not seen before. The country has some 5,000 data centres, which consume 3 per cent of its grid-based electricity. This is expected to exponentially increase, and data centres are projected to consume 8-12 per cent of electricity by the end of the decade. All of this means more power generation. Till now, as the country had reached its peak growth levels, electricity demand had more or less stagnated. Now it is expected to increase. Then, what will be the source of this “new” power generation? The Trump administration says it cannot depend on renewables to supply this electricity. Mr Wright told the audience that renewables met only 3 per cent of US energy demand in spite of the huge investment, and so the energy transition is not real. This, of course, is misleading because in terms of electricity generation, renewables have now overtaken coal in the US, contributing to 15-17 per cent of the electricity in the past year. But if all energy is taken as the measure — including the consumption of oil in transport and industry — the share of renewables in the energy mix decreases. But this is not semantics for the Trump administration. It is convinced that there is a need for reversing the previous administration’s energy policies, which were “myopically focused on climate change”. It also says this has led to an increased cost of electricity, adding to the burden of households (again, there is no data on this but then the game is about perception and persuasion). So, energy growth will be from natural gas, a fossil fuel (and bringing back coal), and the US administration is fast-tracking all that is needed to increase its production and generation. This will add to emissions of greenhouse gases, but as the energy secretary said, carbon dioxide, unlike carbon monoxide, is not a pollutant. Climate change is just a footnote in the US’ plans. This is not to say that climate change is completely out of the door. In the US’ view, the export of natural gas, which is being pushed hard by the current administration, will displace coal in places like India because it is less polluting. There is also some talk of investment in mitigating methane emission from natural gas production and consumption — but less seriously, because there is really no driver for climate action left in this administration. The focus is now on nuclear power, particularly on small modular plants that could supply captive electricity to data centres. China (and Russia) is building hundreds of gigawatts of nuclear plants and it is “hoped” that the US will catch up, with either fusion or fission technology. But what is clear is that the promise of green hydrogen power is dead in the water. So, it’s back to brown energy and this time, with no apologies for the responsibility of the US in taking the world to climate jeopardy. This is really where the rubber hits the road. Instead of its proposed 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emission by 2030, in all likelihood, the country will increase its emission. The fact is the US has already overused its share of the global carbon budget; now it will gobble up more. What, then, happens to the rest of the world, particularly countries like India or the continent of Africa, which needs more energy for development? The plan was that countries like the US would decrease their share by making the transition out of fossil fuels. Now that the US is back with a vengeance, the guardrail of keeping the world below 1.5° centigrade temperature rise looks nearly impossible. I am writing all this not to depress you but to make it clear that we must not live in a fool’s paradise. This new brown-energy policy of the world’s largest historical polluter and second-highest greenhouse gas emitter annually will have horrendous ramifications. What should we do? Let’s continue to discuss this. The author is at the Centre for Science and Environment sunita@cseindia.org, X: @sunitanar

Gurgaon only NCR city in red zone, air ‘very poor’

Gurgaon: Air quality in Gurgaon was the worst, and the only one to exceed the 300-mark, According to the Central Pollution Control Board's bulletin on Sunday, Gurgaon's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) scaled to 317, in the ʻ very poor' category. Siwan, in Bihar, ranked second, at 281 (poor). The city outdid all its NCR neighbours in air pollution. Delhi's AQI was 178, Greater Noida's 132, Noida's 158 and Ghaziabad's 128 – all of them in the ʻmoderate' category on Sunday. Experts pointed out that the key pollutant was ozone, overtaking the usual culprits – particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and carbon monoxide (CO). Data from the Gwalpahari air quality monitoring station showed that 8-hour average of ozone concentration touched 318ug/m3 on April 11 and 313ug/m3 on Sunday — more than triple of India's safety limit, 100 micrograms per cubic metres, and the worst among three stations in the city. Ozone (O3) is generated closer to land when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides, released from diesel and CNG vehicles, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as gasoline used in industries. Experts said the increase in temperature and sunny days was the major reason for ozone formation over PM2.5 and PM10 during the summer months . High ozone concentration in Gwal Pahari could be a result of its proximity to the Aravali hills, which trap pollutants and prevent dispersion. The area is also close to industrial zones and highways, where emission of gases that react to form ozone can be higher, they said. "We expect cleaner air in April, but it's hard to breathe even now. Govt needs to act—trac management, industrial emissions… something must change, " said Piyush Verma, a resident of Sector 56. Experts, too, said the region's air quality crisis wasn't just a winter problem anymore. "Ozone is a warning sign of unchecked emissions from vehicles and industries. We need year-round pollution control measures, not just seasonal xes, " said Shubhansh Tiwari, a associate at the Centre for Sceince and Environment

Ggn only NCR city in red zone, air 'very poor'

Air quality in Gurgaon was the worst, and the only one to exceed the 300-mark, among all 211 cities for which data was available from across India on Sunday. According to the Central Pollution Control Board's bulletin on Sunday, Gurgaon's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) scaled to 317, in the 'very poor' category. Siwan, in Bihar, ranked second, at 281 (poor). The city outdid all its NCR neighbours in air pollution. Delhi's AQI was 178, Greater Noida's 132, Noida's 158 and Ghaziabad's 128 - all of them in the 'moderate' category on Sunday. Experts pointed out that the key pollutant was ozone, overtaking the usual culprits - particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and carbon monoxide (CO). Data from the Gwalpahari air quality monitoring station showed that 8-hour average of ozone concentration touched 318ug/m3 on April 11 and 313ug/m3 on Sunday - more than triple of India's safety limit, 100 micrograms per cubic metres, and the worst among three stations in the city. O3 concentration was also double that of the safety limit at Sector 51 station (201ug/m3 on April 11, and 196 ug/m3 on Sunday), and the lowest, though still above the maximum safe standard at Teri Gram station (120ug/m3 and 111ug/m3). Data was not available for April 12, and from the Vikas Sadan station. Ozone (O3) is generated closer to land when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides, released from diesel and CNG vehicles, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as gasoline used in industries. Experts said the increase in temperature and sunny days was the major reason for ozone formation over PM2.5 and PM10 during the summer months . High ozone concentration in Gwal Pahari could be a result of its proximity to the Aravali hills, which trap pollutants and prevent dispersion. The area is also close to industrial zones and highways, where emission of gases that react to form ozone can be higher, they said. "Ozone inflames and damages the lining of the respiratory tract, causing symptoms such as coughing, throat irritation, shortness of breath and chest pain. For individuals with asthma, bronchitis or other respiratory diseases, exposure can trigger severe attacks. Even in healthy individuals, long-term exposure can lead to reduced lung function and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections. It can also potentially worsen cardiovascular conditions," said Dr Arunesh Kumar, senior consultant for respiratory medicine at Paras Health in Gurgaon. "We expect cleaner air in April, but it's hard to breathe even now. Govt needs to act-traffic management, industrial emissions... something must change," said Piyush Verma, a resident of Sector 56. Experts, too, said the region's air quality crisis wasn't just a winter problem anymore. "Ozone is a warning sign of unchecked emissions from vehicles and industries. We need year-round pollution control measures, not just seasonal fixes," said Shubhansh Tiwari, a research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment. "Reducing precursors is critical to addressing the most prominent summertime pollutant-ground-level ozone. This makes it imperative to target major precursor sources such as power plants, vehicles, industrial emissions and waste," said Manoj Kumar, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

Delhi’s Pollution Crackdown: Over 31,000 Vehicles Fined During GRAP Restrictions In NCR

Old vehicles are among the biggest contributors to Delhi’s air pollution, and during the winter months, restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) hit these vehicle owners the hardest. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) revealed that over 31,000 challans were issued to vehicles that violated GRAP norms this winter. Every year, as pollution levels rise in Delhi, especially during winter, the government enforces stricter pollution control measures. Under GRAP Stage 3 and 4, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles are not allowed to operate on city roads. These norms are triggered when the Air Quality Index (AQI) crosses 350 and 400, respectively. The DPCC report stated that GRAP was in force for 42 days this winter, 13 days under Stage 3, and 29 days under Stage 4. During this period, officials cracked down on older vehicles, issuing challans to those caught violating the ban. From January to December 2024, over 4.5 lakh vehicles were checked for compliance. Among them were nearly 50,000 trucks that had no business entering Delhi but attempted to pass through. These were turned away at the city’s borders. Environmental expert Anumita Roy Chowdhury from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) believes the long-term solution lies not just in vehicle bans but in improving Delhi’s public transport. She noted that if reliable public transport is available, people will naturally reduce the use of private vehicles, which would help cut down pollution more effectively.

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 countries’ 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 a unique opportunity for countries like India—not to pit development against climate action but to subsume it within policies designed for growth. For instance, we know we cannot “fix” air pollution without redesigning mobility because personal vehicles, however clean, take up road space and add to pollution and congestion. The Western world has taken the path to subsidise and electrify personal vehicles, which is leading to disruption in industries as they strive to rework supply chains and re-deploy labour for electric cars. We have the opportunity to think of another route—one that reinvents mobility so that we can move people and not cars. This means investing in electric buses and affordable transport like paratransit and two-wheelers. India’s NDC must be about upscaling and integrating low-carbon public transport, and not just counting electric cars. The policy is driven by cleaning up local air but has the added benefit of combating climate change. It is the same with the hard-to-abate industries. We know from experience that our industry will invest in technology that saves costs and increases competitiveness. The cement industry, for instance, switched to using fly ash, not to decarbonise but to use waste as raw material, substitute limestone and reduce the costs of energy. The future of low-carbon industrialisation lies in similar win-win solutions, such as the reuse of waste materials from iron ore slag to biomass to refuse-derived fuel from municipal garbage—all designed to reduce the use of coal and other fossil fuels and to improve efficiency. Most importantly, we must re-engineer the idea and design of a green economy. We cannot afford to mouth platitudes of green employment, knowing fully well that the renewable energy or electric vehicle transition, per se, does not mean more livelihoods. In fact, recent news shows that thousands of jobs have been lost in the UK because of the shift from blast to electric arc furnaces. This is why we see the pushback in Western countries, where much has been said without substance, and this has prompted people, worried as they are about climate change, to care more about livelihoods. India’s opportunity is in the reworking of its economy so that local resources can be used for local livelihoods. If we do this, we can sequester carbon in trees and soil, build resilience in society, withstand extreme weather shocks and also stem migration. We cannot afford an economy that is driven only by the gross domestic product (GDP), which extracts and exports produce, and not by gross nature product (GNP), which invests in natural resources for livelihoods locally. Our plan for climate change is the one that works for people and the Planet. DTE

दिल्ली के वायु प्रदूषण से इन वाहन मालिकों को ज्यादा नुकसान, काटे गए 31 हजार से अधिक चालान

राज्य ब्यूरो, नई दिल्ली। राजधानी में प्रदूषण के कई कारण हो सकते हैं, लेकिन इसका सबसे बड़ा असर पुराने वाहनों पर पड़ रहा है। ग्रेडेड रिस्पांस एक्शन प्लान (ग्रेप) के तीसरे और चौथे चरण के प्रतिबंध लगते ही बीएस तीन मानकों वाले पेट्रोल से चलने वाले वाहन और बीएस चार मानकों वाले डीजल से चलने वाले वाहनों पर रोक लग जाती है। अगर ये सड़कों पर नजर आते हैं तो इनके खिलाफ कार्रवाई की जाती है। आमतौर पर मानसून को छोड़कर, दिल्ली में प्रदूषण का स्तर ज्यादातर दिनों में सामान्य से ज्यादा रहता है। लेकिन, सर्दियों के दौरान स्थिति और भी खराब हो जाती है। इससे निपटने के लिए राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र में प्रदूषण को रोकने के लिए GRAP प्रतिबंध लगाए जाते हैं। AQI के 350 से ऊपर होने पर GRAP 3 प्रतिबंध लगाए जाते हैं और 400 से ऊपर होने पर GRAP 4 प्रतिबंध लगाए जाते हैं। इस दौरान पुराने वाहन मालिकों को काफी परेशानियों का सामना करना पड़ता है। दिल्ली प्रदूषण नियंत्रण समिति (डीपीसीसी) की हाल ही में जारी रिपोर्ट से पता चलता है कि सर्दियों के दौरान जीआरएपी प्रतिबंधों के मद्देनजर कितने वाहनों को निशाना बनाया गया। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी का कहना है कि वाहनों पर प्रतिबंध लगाने के बजाय दिल्ली की खराब परिवहन व्यवस्था को सुधारना बेहतर होगा। अगर ऐसा संभव हुआ तो दिल्लीवासी निजी वाहनों का इस्तेमाल वैसे भी कम कर देंगे। डीपीसीसी की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक सर्दी के मौसम में कुल 42 दिन तक ग्रैप प्रतिबंध लगाए गए। 13 दिन तक ग्रैप 3 प्रतिबंध लगाए गए, जबकि 29 दिन तक ग्रैप 4 प्रतिबंध लगाए गए। इसके चलते पुराने इंजन वाली गाड़ियों को भी प्रतिबंधों का सामना करना पड़ा। इस दौरान कुल 31 हजार 209 वाहनों का चालान किया गया। वर्ष 2024 में जनवरी से दिसंबर के बीच कुल चार लाख 52 हजार 833 वाहनों की जांच की गई। 49 हजार 484 ऐसे मालवाहक वाहन थे, जिनका गंतव्य दिल्ली नहीं था, लेकिन वे यहां से गुजरना चाहते थे। ऐसे वाहनों को बाहर से ही वापस कर दिया गया।

Environmentalists, activists, and opposition slam the AAP government for pro-industry pollution law ahead of Ludhiana bypoll.

The Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s decision to adopt the Centre’s Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024 in Punjab—allowing industries to discharge pollutants into water bodies in exchange for financial penalties—has ignited a political and environmental firestorm in the agrarian and river-rich state. The controversy revolves around the state’s recent adoption of the amendment, which replaces provisions of the landmark 1974 law. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed a resolution last month to adopt the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, enacted by the Centre. Critics have labelled the amendment a “license to kill,” warning it could irreversibly damage Punjab’s fragile river and groundwater ecosystems. While the original Act included stringent jail terms of up to six years for violators, the amended version replaces criminal penalties with monetary fines ranging from Rs10,000 to Rs 15 lakh. The Punjab Cabinet approved the amended law on February 27, making Punjab the 19th state to adopt it. The move has drawn sharp criticism from environmentalists and opposition leaders, who questioned the need to amend a law that had been in force for 50 years. They accused the AAP-led state government of yielding to industrial and corporate pressure at the cost of Punjab’s water health—especially ahead of the crucial Ludhiana West by-election, where industrial interests are dominant, and AAP faces a litmus test. Jaskirat Singh, a water activist associated with the “Kale Pani Da Morcha”—a movement protesting water contamination in the Buddha Nallah of Ludhiana—called the amendment a “license to kill” Punjab’s rivers. “This government has shown loyalty to the big corporate houses facing action under the previous Act. The timing of this amendment, ahead of the Ludhiana West bypoll, shows the government is under pressure from industrialists,” he said. Jaskirat, who is leading protests against the amendment in Ludhiana, also accused the AAP government of failing to implement the earlier Act, which mandated strict punishments. “There are around 50 big industrialists accused of violating Section 33A of the Water Act, 1974. This amendment will allow them to escape by paying penalties,” he added. Another activist, Colonel Jasjit Singh Gill (Retd), warned the new law would allow industries to pollute with impunity. “March 28 will be marked as a black day for making Punjab waters black permanently. Shame on such lawmakers who sacrificed Punjab’s right to reject black laws,” he said. While the Act was enacted by the Centre and left optional for states to adopt, environmentalists argue that it is ill-suited for Punjab’s water resources and agriculture. AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP and prominent water activist Balbir Singh Seechewal—who had previously been a vocal critic of the state’s failure to enforce the 1974 Water Act—faced criticism for remaining silent on the issue. However, in the Rajya Sabha, Seechewal expressed dismay, calling the amendment “pro-industry” and emphasised the need to strengthen the original Act and reinstate punitive provisions. He urged the government to at least impose the highest penalties consistently to deter violators. The state government has yet to issue an official response to the backlash. However, when the cabinet approved the amendment on February 27, it defended the move by highlighting that Punjab became the 19th state to adopt the Centre’s law, which is already in force in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Union Territories. One of the most contentious aspects of the amended law is the shift in control from the state to the Centre. Under the new provisions, the Centre will appoint adjudicating officers to impose penalties, and appeals will go to the National Green Tribunal, with 10% of the penalty amount to be deposited in advance. This shift has raised concerns about the erosion of federal powers, as the state’s role in nominating the chairperson of the State Pollution Control Board has also been removed. Environmental experts say the timing of the amendment couldn’t be worse. The State of the Environment Report 2023, released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth, revealed that 46% of India’s rivers are already contaminated. Punjab has faced severe criticism over river water pollution and remains under NGT scrutiny due to its failing sewage treatment systems and deteriorating groundwater quality. Social activist and advocate Kamal Anand criticised AAP, stating, “They won the last election on the promise of saving Punjab’s rivers. Now, they’re following the same path as previous governments. Adopting this amendment shows the AAP government has no real concern for Punjab’s water or the health of its people.” Passed by Parliament in February last year, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill, 2024, amends the original Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The Act establishes the Central and State Pollution Control Boards (CPCB and SPCBs) to prevent and control water pollution. The amendment decriminalises several violations, replacing criminal penalties with monetary fines. Initially, the amended law was implemented in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the Union Territories, while other states were given the option to adopt it by passing resolutions.

Overshadowed by Waste: Living Adjacent to Delhi's Okhla Landfill

It has been more than a year now since then chief minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi V.K. Saxena inaugurated a sanitary, engineered landfill in Tehkhand Okhla on March 12, 2024. In a social media post announcing the inauguration, Kejriwal called it “a significant step towards sustainable waste management and environmental conservation”. The engineered landfill is now operational and running. While the lives of those living near the landfill have improved slightly, their living conditions still leave much to be desired. The efficacy of the engineered landfill also remains unknown. There are three main landfill sites in Delhi: Ghazipur, Okhla and Bhalswa. As per a press release issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), it has not authorised any of these three sites. However, municipal bodies have informed the DPCC that they have no option but to use these sites to dispose of municipal solid waste, as land is unavailable in Delhi. They also claim that a request has been made to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to allot land for landfill sites, but to no avail. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation and North Delhi Municipal Corporation have stated that these landfill sites are being continued at the risk of human life. Additionally, Delhi also has three Waste to Energy (WtE) plants: Timarpur-Okhla WtE plant, Ghazipur WtE plant and Narela WtE plant. However, an investigative report by The New York Times cites the WtE plants as a cause of several pollutants. The locals in Okhla and Bawana have previously protested the opening of these plants but to no avail. The engineered landfill has come up as a poignant solution to the problem of ash generated upon processing in a WtE plant. A landfill is a carefully constructed site wherein inert, unprocessable waste is discarded. However, the three ‘landfill sites’ in Delhi operate as unmethodical sites where all municipal solid waste is dumped. In a video posted by the Aam Aadmi party, Durgesh Pathak, the former incharge of MCD has explained the working of the engineered landfill, which offers systemic treatment of waste, in a way that minimises environmental impact. The engineered site has a five-layer membrane, which prevents the contamination of land. The ash generated from WtE plants is dumped at the site, and pressed. The ash is then covered with a layer of dirt and soil. Further, the engineered site has pipes which collect contaminated rainwater and transfer it to a ‘leachate treatment plant’. This prevents groundwater from being contaminated. Once the engineered landfill is at capacity, Pathak claims, the site will be suitable for use, as a recreational park or a land for further development. Kalaam is a 32-year-old migrant worker from Bihar. He owns a tyre repair shop and sits right outside the Okhla landfill. He claims to have watched the landfill transform from a dense jungle to a cement factory and then to the garbage dump it has now become. He affirms the positive effects of the engineered landfill and WtE plants built close to the landfill. “As far as I can tell, the garbage dump has become smaller, even though the trucks seem to be bringing in more waste. I hear that the plant processes the waste into electricity. There used to be a lot of smoke earlier, but that has also decreased since the new (engineered landfill) development.” Kalaam is hopeful but says he fears for the residents of VP Singh Camp, the actual stakeholders of the landfill’s toxins. VP Singh Camp, named after former prime minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh, is a resettlement colony in Tughlakabad, Delhi. According to the Delhi Shelter Board website, VP Singh Camp is registered as a Jhugi-Jhopdi Cluster (JJC) in Ward 197 of South Delhi. It has over 1,709 households, across an area of 38,500 square metres. The lanes are narrow, and the place has a strong stench due to its proximity to the Okhla landfill. Rajnish Singh Das, a 50-year-old man who works as a priest at a mandir on the outskirts of the JJC, claims to have watched the landfill become its present size. “It grows bigger every year. All parties reassure us that they will clear out the area, but to no effect.” He speaks of the foul odour that plagues the area, “The stink is persistent in this area, but we have gotten accustomed to it. It is especially terrible during the monsoon because the rain causes the waste to roll onto the roads. Dark, visibly contaminated water gets logged on the roads, and the entire place reeks terribly.” Talking about the engineered landfill and the WtE plant, he says, “Earlier, a lot of ash and fumes used to rise from the plant, but that has decreased in the past year. It might not be much, but at least there is less solid ash now.” Water crisis The primary problem faced by the residents of the VP Singh camp is the dearth of clean water. The groundwater is pale yellow and has a distinct smell. Bindu, Rajnish Das’s wife, tells The Wire, “The water here is not drinkable. We only use it for cleaning and washing. But washing clothes with this water leads to them losing their colour and turning yellow.” With no clean water supply and no means to purify the contaminated water, most residents of the area resort to buying bottled water for consumption. “Everything you consider pleasant weather only results in hardships for us. As the wind blows, so does dirt and light waste from the landfill, such as poly bags. When the rain falls, so does the garbage,” says Shyam Yadav, the owner of a dhaba on the outskirts of the colony. He talks about buying bottled water to cook the food served at the dhaba. “The water quality here is so bad, even animals wouldn’t want to consume it – it is unappealing to look at, smell and taste. It cannot be used even to rinse vegetables. I spend about Rs 100-200 on water bottles each day.” Yadav alleges that the groundwater does not even allow for detergents to lather. “Sometimes we use bottled water to let soap lather and then rinse with the groundwater.” “The pale yellow colour of the water is possibly due to the landfill leachate seeping into the groundwater,” explains Bhawana Tanwar, the executive director of There is No Earth B, an NGO working towards climate action. Soluble components from the waste dissolve into the rainwater that falls onto the landfill. This contaminated water, called ‘liquid leachate’, causes groundwater to become contaminated. “The usability of the water can only be understood upon studying the microbacterial contaminants, dissolved metals, dissolved oxygen pH value and other impurities present in the water.” Lack of sanitary washrooms To further exacerbate the perils of the colony, there are only two community toilet complexes in the area. As per the data on the Delhi Shelter Board website, the region only has one toilet complex, the status of which is given as “repair required”. Nandini (11) is one of the many young children growing up in the shadows of the towering landfill. “My house does not have a washroom, so we rely on the community toilets, which also close by 11 pm. I avoid going to the washroom too late, but if there’s no other choice, I go to the mountain (landfill).” Several people confessed to open defecation, either near the landfill site or in the jungles surrounding the area. “We walk long distances just to use the washroom. It is scary to do so after sunset because many local men are often under the influence by then. It is common to be harassed,” says Vineeta, a resident. “Some people have built personal washrooms in their houses now, but most of us rely on the community toilets,” says Mintra Thakur, a 35-year-old woman who lives in a rented single-room house in the colony. “If we need to go at night, we either ask the neighbours or find other means,” says the single mother. Mintra says that the children in the colony frequently fall ill, owing to the subpar living conditions. Health impact “A large majority of my family income goes into hospital bills. You can hear it in my voice: the allergens due to the landfill have led me to have persistent coughs and a sore throat,” says Kamlesh, a woman in her mid-50s. She talks about how residents cover their faces while walking, but one can only mask up for so many hours. “Using this water to bathe also causes our hair to become dry and rough.” Dr S.K. Shaha is an Ayurvedic medicine doctor who has a clinic in the camp. He talks about the common ailments in the area: “I often get patients with persistent coughs and difficulty breathing. Bathing with the contaminated groundwater also leads to several common skin ailments, such as eczema.” He also talks about infectious diseases caused due to poor living conditions: “The waste attracts houseflies, which are known vectors of diseases. Hygiene is a luxury the locals don’t have.” Multiple studies cited by the National Institute of Health (NIH) have shown that people living close to landfills have a greater chance of facing illnesses such as asthma, cuts, diarrhoea, stomach pain, recurring flu, cholera, malaria, cough, skin irritation, diarrhoea and tuberculosis. Unsegregated waste Tribhuvan Singh Bisht, deputy programme manager at the Centre for Science and Environment, a research organisation based in New Delhi, explains that the ‘landfills’ in Delhi are garbage dumps. The ‘sanitary landfill’ can be better explained as a ‘monofill’. “Landfills are regulated areas specifically designed to manage waste safely to minimise environmental impact. Most ‘landfills’ in India are unregulated garbage dumps where all organic and inorganic waste is indiscriminately dumped.” Tanwar adds, “Separating the organic and biodegradable waste from the non-biodegradable waste at the source lets us treat it in a scientific matter. Going back to practices such as composting to treat organic waste can be a key step in minimising environmental pollution.” Bisht explains that the WtE plants are supposed to only treat matter which has no way of decomposing by itself – plastics. “In an ideal scenario, only plastic waste would be burnt in WtE plants. This would increase the efficacy in generating electricity and decrease the environmental pollutants. However, the lack of segregation makes this impossible.” While the MCD waste collection truck does have separate compartments for organic and inorganic waste, it has been observed that citizens continue to dump unsegregated waste. Speaking of the engineered landfill or monofill, Bisht explains that the purpose of the project is not to treat the waste, but the ash generated when the waste is processed in WtE plants. “Burning of waste in WtE plants leads to the generation of fly ash. This fly ash contaminates the air, and when the solid matter is disposed of in a garbage dump, it seeps into the groundwater. This is where the monofill plays a key role by offering a space for the ash to be dumped properly. The engineered landfill has a geotextile membrane which prevents the ash from coming in contact with the groundwater.” Bisht maintains that the efficacy of the ‘sanitary landfill’ is a question which would remain unanswered. The Wire reached out to the MCD to ask about living conditions around the sanitary landfill and its efficacy. The article will be updated if a response is received.

Delhi’s Ozone Levels Spike Sharply In Many Areas, Raising Alarms Over Public Health

Ozone pollution has surged to alarming levels in several parts of the capital, reaching nearly twice the permissible limit. According to SAFAR, a monitoring agency under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, ozone concentration near the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium hit 239 micrograms per cubic meter on Tuesday. As per national air quality standards, this level should not exceed 100 micrograms per cubic meter. Scientists note that while ozone spikes were previously confined to the summer months, the trend has now become a year-round concern in many parts of the country. Elevated ozone levels can damage the lungs and significantly increase the risk of heart disease, making it a growing public health threat. Unlike other pollutants, ozone doesn’t have a single direct source. Instead, during extreme heat, emissions from vehicles and power plants react in the atmosphere to form ozone, leading to a rise in its levels. According to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), many Indian cities have witnessed a worrying increase in ozone pollution. This summer, ten major cities recorded dangerously high ozone levels, with Delhi being the most affected. The report, titled “An Invisible Threat: Air Quality Tracker”, analyzed ozone trends in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Greater Ahmedabad, Greater Hyderabad, Greater Jaipur, and Greater Lucknow. The findings revealed that ozone levels rose more sharply between January and March compared to the summer months of April to July. Ahmedabad reported an astonishing 4000-fold increase in ozone levels compared to last year, while Pune saw a 500 per cent rise and Jaipur recorded a 152 per cent jump.

Troubling Ubiquity

Plastic, a versatile material with a lifespan of hundreds of years, has multiple benefits and uses. However, its production, consumption, and disposal have severe environmental consequences, including water pollution, marine life deaths, and a significant carbon footprint due to fossil fuel dependence. According to European Environment Agency (EEA), the average annual plastic consumption in Western Europe is approximately 150 kg per person, exceeding the global average of 60 kg by more than twofold. According to a recent report, the United States generates the most plastic waste per capita worldwide, with an average American producing 130.09 kg annually. In contrast, India’s per capita plastic waste generation stands at around 19.88 kg. As a relatively recent invention, plastic’s affordability and adaptability have made it ubiquitous in modern times. However, its lifecycle poses significant challenges. Alarmingly, only about 9 per cent of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, while 12 per cent has been incinerated. The remainder remains in use or has been disposed of in landfills or released into the environment, including oceans, as per EEA. In March 2022, the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly adopted a landmark resolution to develop an internationally legally binding instrument addressing plastic pollution, including in marine environments. The resolution tasked the UNEP Executive Director with convening an INC to craft the instrument, adopting a comprehensive approach that encompasses the entire life cycle of plastic, from production and design to disposal. A growing tide of plastic waste is threatening the Ruzizi dam in eastern Congo, leading to frequent power outages in several major cities. Local authorities are scrambling to address the issue, which highlights the devastating environmental consequences of plastic pollution. The environmental impacts of discarded plastics, littering, leaching of toxic components and the contamination of ecosystems and the food chain with micro plastics, are well established. Even after centuries, plastic waste remains, refusing to decompose. Its persistence harms marine life and ecosystems. The toxic chemicals leach into water sources and there are several human health risks from micro plastic consumption. The plastic waste disintegrates into microscopic pieces, contaminating the food chain and endangering humans and animals. Oceans and landscapes are congested with plastic, from the deepest sea beds to the highest mountains. Emissions from production, use, and disposal degrade the environment, accelerating climate change. Despite mounting evidence, plastic production is expected to rise, intensifying the crisis. Urgent action is necessary to mitigate the effects of plastic pollution. Consensus on plastic pollution remains elusive, mirroring challenges in climate talks, due to economic, job, and development concerns. The High Ambition Coalition advocates drastic measures, including a 40 per cent production cut by 2040 and lifecycle interventions. In contrast, oil and petrochemical lobbies resist reductions, promoting recycling and waste management instead. Plastics, primarily made from fossil fuels like petroleum, natural gas, and coal, are at the centre of this debate. The Global Coalition for Plastic Sustainability, an alliance of plastic-producing countries, pushes for a waste management-focused approach. According to a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report, Iran’s announcement of Global Coalition for Plastic Sustainability faced opposition at the INC’s third session. The coalition’s status was downgraded to a “like-minded group”. However, Iran’s interventions on behalf of this group garnered support from Russia, India, Cuba, and Western Asian nations, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iraq. This coalition advocates for a legally binding instrument prioritising waste management to minimise the impact on plastic-producing countries. India, adhering to the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) on climate issues, emphasises that any legally binding instrument should consider individual countries’ circumstances. Indian officials assert that solutions to pollution should not involve binding targets or production caps.