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Technological leapfrog will transform India, says Kant

A technological leapfrog will transform India and the country must seize the opportunity to lead in clean-tech manufacturing amid global disruptions, India’s G20 Sherpa and former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has said. In an interview on the sidelines of the Centre for Science and Environment’s annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue, Kant also acknowledged that the lack of financial support from developed nations, historically responsible for climate change, could impact developing countries’ new climate targets.

करोड़ों खर्च करने के बाद भी दिल्ली में यमुना क्यों है प्रदूषित? जानें क्या है वजह

करोड़ों खर्च करने के बाद भी दिल्ली में यमुना सबसे अधिक प्रदूषित क्यों हैं? सीएसई (सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट) के AAD (अनिल अग्रवाल डायलॉग) में सीएसई की वॉटर एंड वेस्ट वॉटर की सीनियर प्रोग्राम मैनेजर सुष्मिता सेनगुप्ता ने इस पर एक प्रेजेंटेशन दिया। उन्होंने कहा, दिल्ली में कितना गंदा पानी निकल रहा है, यह महज अंदाजे पर आधारित है। ऐसे में यमुना कैसे साफ होगी? फॉर्म्युले के अनुसार जितना पानी सप्लाई हो रहा है, उसका 80 प्रतिशत पानी वेस्ट वॉटर माना जाता है। पानी सप्लाई आबादी के आधार पर कैलकुलेट होती है, लेकिन मौजूदा आबादी कितनी है? उसकी सही जानकारी नहीं है। दिल्ली में यमुना 22 किलोमीटर हिस्से में बहती है। यह पूरी यमुना का महज दो प्रतिशत है और यमुना का सबसे प्रदूषित हिस्सा है। लोकसभा में दिए गए एक सवाल के जवाब में बताया गया था कि 2017-2021 के बीच दिल्ली में यमुना की सफाई पर 6500 करोड़ रुपये खर्च किए गए। 2024 में राजधानी में 3600 एमएलडी सीवेज जनरेट होता हो रहा था, जबकि सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट की क्षमता 3033 है। एसटीपी का इस्तेमाल 2574 एमएलडी सीवेज को ट्रीट करने में हो रहा है। यमुना में छोड़ने से पहले ही 71 प्रतिशत वेस्ट वॉटर को ट्रीट कर लिया जाता है। मार्च 2025 तक इसकी क्षमता 550 एमएलडी और बढ़ाने का लक्ष्य है। उन्होंने बताया कि 14 एसटीपी ही डीपीसीसी और सीपीसीबी के स्टैंडर्ड पर पानी को ट्रीट कर पा रहे हैं। इंटरसेप्टर सीवर प्रोजेक्ट में भी 108 ड्रेन को सीधे यमुना में गिरने से रोकने का काम किया जाना है। वहीं, 22 बड़े नालों में 9 को यमुना में गिरने से रोका जा चुका है। दो नाले दिल्ली गेट और सेन नर्सिंग होम आंशिक रूप से अब भी यमुना में गंदगी लेकर जा रहे हैं। क्या कहती है रिपोर्ट? रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, एक दिन में औसत 1.5 मिलियन लीटर सेप्टेज कलेक्ट और ट्रीट होता है। सुष्मिता ने बताया कि 2021-22 के इकोनॉमिक सर्वे में दिल्ली की 30 प्रतिशत आबादी अनऑथराइज्ड कॉलोनियों में रहती हैं। यहां के टॉयलेट सीवर सिस्टम से कनेक्ट नहीं हैं। इन्हें टैंकर खाली करते हैं और फिर उन्हें पैसे बचाने के लिए खुले नालों में डाल देते हैं। यह नाले सीधे यमुना में गिरते हैं। कैसे साफ होगी यमुना ट्रीटेट पानी को नालों में बहाने की बजाय रियूज और रिसाइकल करें। सीवेज ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट नदी के पास है, तभी उसे सीधे नदी में छोड़ा जाए। सिर्फ 331 एमएलडी ट्रीटेड वॉटर का इस्तेमाल हो रहा है। इसे बढ़ाया जाए। इसका इस्तेमाल खेती, बागवानी, इंडस्ट्री, झीलों को रिवाइव करने में हो।

India’s SDG Struggle: Uneven and slow progress casts shadow on 2030 deadline

India is falling short in nine of 16 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), trailing global averages and ranking 109th out of 167 countries, according to the Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) State of States: Are We on Track to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals 2030, released this week at the Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2025. The report, drawing from the Sustainable Development Report 2024 by Dublin University, NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24, and the Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections 2011-2036 by the National Commission on Population, paints a mixed picture for the nation of over 1.4 billion. Tamil Nadu shines at third place with a score of 78 but lags in 19 of 108 indicators — 18% — across 12 SDGs, reflecting India’s broader battle to meet the 2030 deadline. Nationally, India’s SDG score rose from 66 in 2020-21 to 71 in 2023-24, showing some progress. Yet, the CSE report flags stagnation since 2020 in SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). SDG 1 (No Poverty) is the lone bright spot, with multidimensional poverty — covering health, education, and living standards — down to 14.96%. Still, Bihar (34) and Arunachal Pradesh (below 50) lagged, eight states like UP scored 50-64, and a key measure — extreme poverty below $1.25 daily — was dropped in 2023-24, leaving gaps in the data. The report warns that, globally, no SDG will be met by 2030 at this pace, with India’s 2019-2022 decline only slightly offset in 2023. Advertisements Tamil Nadu, projected to exceed 76 million people by 2036, ranks third behind Kerala and Uttarakhand. Its score of 78 beats the national 71, earning ‘front runner’ status (65-99) in 13 of 17 SDGs. The state leads SDG 1 with a 2.2% poverty rate — far below India’s 14.96%— thanks to robust welfare schemes. It scores 100 in SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), ensuring every home has electricity, and lifts SDG 13 (Climate Action) to 67 with 25% forest cover to curb climate change. However, Tamil Nadu stumbles in 19 of 108 indicators (18%), spread across 12 SDGs, notably SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). In SDG 5, it scores 50-64, with a sex ratio of 929 females per 1,000 males matching the national figure. SDG 14 (Life Below Water) also hits 50-64, with 43% of its coastline eroding, while SDG 11 and SDG 15 fall below the national average due to urban strain and weak afforestation data. Across India, state scores range from 57 (Bihar) to 79 (Kerala and Uttarakhand), with Union Territories at 65-77. Kerala excels in SDG 3 (82) for health and SDG 4 (80) for education, while Bihar trails in SDG 1 (34) and SDG 2 (40). Tamil Nadu’s 78 outpaces Uttar Pradesh (64) and Gujarat (67), where 30-43% of indicators lag below 50. India performs well in four SDGs — SDG 3, SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7, and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) — with all 36 states and UTs hitting at least half their targets. SDG 7’s strong showing, with most states above 65 except Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Daman and Diu, stems from tracking just electricity and clean cooking fuel access, skipping global metrics like CO2 emissions. SDG 5, however, is a national low point, with 14 states below 50 and 17 at 50-64. India’s sex ratio is 929, 29.2% of married women face spousal violence, and only 13.96% of landholdings are female-owned, underscoring gender inequality.

KV 2 organises expert talk on green school and sustainable practices

Kendriya Vidyalaya 2 (KV 2) at Yekkur in the city recently organised an expert talk on green school and sustainable practices to enhance environment conservation awareness among students. Interacting with students, environmentalist Jeeth Milan Roche highlighted the current alarming state of the environment with special focus on challenges in and around Mangaluru. He emphasised the critical importance of not compromising on humanity’s basic needs – air, water, food, and shelter – stressing that these resources must be preserved and protected for future generations. Sharing techniques for increasing green cover, Mr. Roche spoke about the need for balanced urban development that doesn’t come at the cost of nature. “We must ensure that our city remains livable and sustainable, with all kinds of development happening harmoniously with nature,” he said. The session also celebrated the school’s achievement of earning the ‘Green’ rating in the Green School Audit conducted by The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi. School principal Jaswinder Lal and others were present.

Global trade shifts open doors for India, it’s time to lead cleantech: Amitabh Kant

New Delhi, Feb 27 Geopolitical instability has disrupted global trade, creating a vacuum that India must use to boost its cleantech manufacturing and economic growth, former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant said on Wednesday. In his address at the annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue organised by the Centre for Science and Environment, Amitabh Kant highlighted India’s potential to become a global leader in battery manufacturing, electric two-wheeler, and three-wheeler production, and other sustainable industries. “It’s a huge opportunity for India to do battery manufacturing. If you do not do this, we will become a colony importing goods from China and our imports in all these clean tech manufacturing will become huge, much more than what we do in terms of oil,” he said. He recalled how China stepped up when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2016. As a result, China now controls 80 per cent of the world’s critical minerals. Amitabh Kant believes a similar opportunity is emerging, and India should seize it to strengthen its clean-tech sector. However, he also pointed out weaknesses in India’s municipal governance, stating that poor management has worsened pollution and urban challenges. “If 42 of the cities in India are amongst the 50 worst polluting cities in the world, then there is a huge failure of municipal governance,” he said. He added that it has nothing to do with finances or the Central government. He stressed the need for better pricing of water and electricity to prevent wastage, contending that free electricity has led to excessive groundwater extraction. He suggested a pricing model where those who consume less should pay lower rates, while heavy consumers should pay significantly more. “I entirely agree that water needs to be priced because India, with 17 per cent of the world’s population, has just 4 per cent of water,” he noted. He added that 90 per cent of water is being consumed by agriculture. “That means rice and sugar cane are consuming all your water. And we are actually exporting virtual water in the name of basmati rice,” he noted. Citing Singapore’s transformation from a per capita income of $600 in 1965 to $90,000 today, he said India can achieve similar success through governance and economic reforms.

India's tardy progress on development goals set by UN, ranks 109th among 167 countries

India ranks 109th among 167 countries in terms of its performance in 2024 towards achieving the United Nation-mandated sustainable development goals (SDGs), a report released on Wednesday said, adding that it was a cause for “concern” not only for India but globally as well. India has improved its ranking by three positions over the last year. The State of India’s Environment 2025 report, published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), is based on the UN-backed Sustainable Development Report and the Niti Aayog report for 2024. The report has been published jointly by former deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former CEO of Niti Aayog and India’s G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant and CSE director-general Sunita Narain. “As the world’s most populous nation, home to over 1.4 billion people, India’s progress on SDGs matters not just for itself, but for the planet. However, between 2019 and 2022, the country’s SDG performance fell behind global trends. While 2023 saw a reversal, India’s 2024 ranking remains a concern — 109th out of 167,” the report stated. All UN member countries have agreed to achieve 16 sustainable development goals by 2030, which aim to improve the quality of life for people and the planet. India, with a score of 63.9 per cent, is lagging behind the composite global score of 67 per cent. India’s scores in nine parameters out of the 16 SDGs are lower than the world average. They include zero hunger; good health and well-being; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; industry, innovation and infrastructure; reduced inequalities; sustainable cities and communities; life on land; and peace, justice and strong institutions. Uttarakhand tops the SDG chart in the country with an overall score of 79.2 per cent. Tamil Nadu and Kerala have clocked 77.4 per cent and 77 per cent, respectively. Bengal, which has marginally improved its score to 72.1 per cent, has been ranked 13, Gujarat 16, Maharashtra 17 and Uttar Pradesh 21. Bihar is at the bottom of the list with 56.9 per cent.

A technological leapfrog will transform India: Amitabh Kant

Rajasthan: India A technological leapfrog will transform India and the country must seize the opportunity to lead in clean-tech manufacturing amid global disruptions, India's G20 Sherpa and former Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has said. In an interview with PTI on the sidelines of the Centre for Science and Environment's annual Anil Agarwal Dialogue, Kant also acknowledged that the lack of financial support from developed nations, historically responsible for climate change, could i...

Big Opportunity For India To Boost Clean Tech Manufacturing, After US Climate Withdrawal: Amitabh Kant

There is a massive opportunity for India to boost clean technology manufacturing in wake of the US withdrawal from global climate action efforts, and ongoing breakdown of global supply chains, said India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on Wednesday. “Last time when the US withdrew from the Paris Agreement, China capitalised on it, and now controls the critical minerals, EVs and battery supply chains. With the US backing out again, India has huge opportunity to fill the vacuum, because we manufacture two-wheelers, four wheelers and electric products," said Kant speaking to CNN-News18 on the sidelines of 2025’s Anil Aggarwal Dialogue (AED) organised by Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).