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Stubborn Stubble: Pollution Woe Rears Ugly Head Again

New Delhi: Farm fires are steadily beginning to show up on satellite data with the total harvest stubble burning count in Punjab and Haryana having surpassed 500 so far. The delayed withdrawal of monsoon this year means the stubble burning count, which is lower compared with earlier years, is only now expected to go up. A total of 528 paddy residue burnings were recorded from Sept 15 to Oct 8, according to satellite data compiled by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), which follows the standard protocol 2021 notified by the Commission for Air Quality Management. Of the fires, 222 were recorded in Punjab and 171 in Haryana. In Punjab, 99 farm fires have been spotted in Amritsar alone. Similarly, of the total crop residue burning events in Haryana so far, 38 counts have been recorded in Karnal and 36 in Kurukshetra. In the Sept 15-Oct 9 period, the number of farm fires in neighbouring states were 1,337 in 2023 and 734 in 2022. However, the farmers started clearing their fields of rice harvest stubble late this year after the monsoon withdrew from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi only on Oct 2. Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst, Envirocatalysts, said, "Stubble burning has begun and is expected to peak by late Oct-early Nov, coinciding with the festive firecracker period. This will likely lead to hazardous pollution levels during that period. Though there may be a slight decrease in stubble burning this year, it is still expected to significantly impact air quality." Dahiya noted, "The episodic nature of stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab, combined with the prevailing winds blowing towards Delhi-NCR, will worsen the air quality. This, along with existing emissions from transport, power and industry, and unfavourable weather conditions such as low temperatures and weak winds, is likely to push air quality to hazardous levels again, as it does annually." He added that a long-term, sustainable solution to the air pollution crisis lay in reducing emissions at sources. But, he observed, efforts across sectors remained insufficient or were too slow to address the scale of the problem. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, pointed out that Diwali this year would be celebrated early when colder conditions were yet to set in. "It's a wait-and-watch situation. We will need to consider changes in weather patterns and how successful the states prove in controlling stubble burning," she said. Last year, during the stubble burning period from Sept 15 to Nov 30, there were reports of 39,186 farm fires in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, NCR districts of UP and Rajasthan. In the same period in 2022 and 2021, the cumulative paddy residue burning events were, respectively, 52,992 and 78,550.

15,500-18,500 stubble fires predicted in Punjab, Haryana this winter, unless on-ground action ramps up

New Delhi: It is that time of the year again when acres of paddy fields in Punjab and Haryana are set ablaze for the next crop season, bringing plumes of thick, grey smoke into the national capital. And this year is unlikely to be any different. Satellite data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shows that northwest India is predicted to record 15,500-18,500 stubble fire cases this season unless strict on-ground monitoring is conducted. Hiren Jethva, senior aerosol remote sensing scientist with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, analysed the area of paddy sown in the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana using NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Aqua satellite, which is a 36-band spectroradiometer designed to measure the physical properties of the atmosphere and the biological and physical properties of the oceans and land with a detection power up to 1 km. “Post-monsoon seasonal fire prediction (October and November) for 2024 over northwest India has arrived. Aqua MODIS NDVI (normalised difference vegetation index) data suggests nearly 15,500-18,500 fire occurrences (1-km detection) strictly under ‘as usual burning’ practice (2002-2016)—comparable to 2020 but lower than in 2016 and 2021,” Jethva said. He, however, added that on-ground action by government agencies to reduce stubble fires could reduce the numbers significantly. This was proven by the numbers in 2023. “Actual fire counts in 2023 were lower by 40 percent than predicted, indicating some serious ground efforts to reduce burning activities. Hoping for even more momentum this year,” he said. Declining trend Every year, by September end, farmers in agrarian states, including Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, start setting their fields on fire to get rid of paddy stubble left behind after harvest. Despite concerted efforts by the central and state governments to provide mechanised alternatives, farmers burn stubble as an easy and cheap option. The smoke from this large-scale burning, however, is carried to Delhi and neighbouring states with the winter winds, worsening the already poor air quality of the region. According to the Union Environment Ministry data, stubble fires in Punjab and Haryana have been on a decline. Government data shows that between 5 September and 30 November, Punjab recorded 36,663 stubble fires in 2023, as opposed to 49,922 in 2022, 71,304 in 2021, and 83,002 in 2020. In Haryana, only 2,303 stubble fires were reported in 2023. In 2022, the state registered 3,661; in 2021, 6,987; and in 2020, the fire count in Haryana was 4,202. “Punjab recorded an overall 27 percent decrease in the total fire counts owing to paddy stubble burning during 2023 as compared to 2022. The percent reduction in the farm fires in 2023 with respect to the figures in 2021 and 2020 has been 49 percent and 56 percent, respectively,” a 2023 statement released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) read. It added, “A substantial reduction has also been witnessed in the total number of paddy farm fires in Haryana, i.e. 37 percent reduction in 2023 vis-à-vis 2022. The reduction in farm fire incidences in 2023 with respect to 2021 has been much higher at 67 percent, while a reduction of 45 percent has been witnessed compared to the incidences in 2020.” Early numbers Experts monitoring trends say stubble burning has already begun in Punjab and Haryana, with nearly 127 fires reported between 19 and 24 September. “The early paddy varieties are being harvested. By mid-October, the numbers will likely go up further,” said Ravindra Khaiwal, professor at the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, in Chandigarh’s Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). Every year, along with Punjab and Haryana, crop residue burning from Pakistan also adds to India’s pollution load. During winters, north-westerly winds blowing from these farmlands end up in Delhi, increasing the pollution load. The frigid season does not allow these pollution particles to disperse at a regular rate, leading to the annual deterioration of air quality. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said that finding a solution to this annual problem would require intervention on multiple levels. “The authorities have to conduct strict monitoring on-ground. But this is not a long-term solution. Machines for mulching straw need to be made available to farmers, provide financial incentives, and have a functional alternative for straw management,” Roychowdhury said.

Chennai Air Show: Is Wet Bulb Temperature Cause Behind Deaths?

Chennai: Five people died due to heat stroke at the 92nd Indian Air Force (IAF) Day celebrations at Marina Beach in Chennai. Around 15 lakh people participated in the event that was witnessed by a large number of people. Poovulagin Nanbargal (Friends of the Earth), an environmental organisation, said that while complaints are being raised about the state government's mismanagement and lack of drinking water facilities, the incident should be seen as an early warning of climate change. Accordingly, they have attributed the deaths to 'wet bulb temperature'. It is important to know the weather conditions of Marina Beach during the weekend. Chennai weather on the event day: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a maximum temperature of 36 degrees Celsius in Chennai on the day of the event. Accordingly, the Nungambakkam weather forecast recorded a maximum temperature of 34.3 degrees Celsius but felt like 42 degrees Celsius with a humidity of 70 percent. According to the 'Poovulagin Nanbargal' organisation, the 'wet bulb temperature' is the reason behind this weather condition. What is 'wet bulb temperature'? When the 'wet bulb temperature' crosses 30 degrees, it is considered dangerous, reducing sweat secretion in the body, where body heat is unable to escape causing heat stroke. Death occurs due to persistent internal organ failure. In addition, more people gathering at a single place could have resulted in a rise of 2 degrees mercury level, according to the organisation. Noting that the 'wet bulb temperature' deaths at Marina Beach are an alarm bell for climate change, scientists said that similar deaths are already occurring in neighbouring countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan. 'Wet Bulb Temperature' deaths in India "In June alone, 1,300 pilgrims have died due to extreme heat. In India, 733 people have died in summer due to heat wave. In a single day in northern India, 58 people died due to heat waves during the Lok Sabha elections. Of these, 33 were election officials," Poovulagin Nanbargal shared the figure. Chennai Air Show: Is Wet Bulb Temperature Cause Behind Deaths? Heat-related ailments (AFP) Governments didn't heed warning! A few months ago, a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report on 'Wet Bulb Temperature' had warned that Tamil Nadu would be more vulnerable to heat than Mumbai and Delhi. Even Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has spoken about wet bulb temperature in the last few years. "Despite all these warnings, we have witnessed irreparable losses due to lack of proper planning," the Poovulagin Nanbargal said in a statement. It has demanded proper procedures to manage such large gatherings in future along with a better planning mechanism.

Chennai IAF air show: Higher wet bulb temp may be reason for spectator deaths

CHENNAI: Despite more than 10 lakh people at the Marina beach for the air show, there was no death due to stampede. However, all the deaths were heat- The engineer also pointed to a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which said that Chennai was the hottest mega city in the country with its summer average heat index at 37 degrees. The impact of humidity on Chennai’s heat index is 6.9 degrees, the study had said.

भाटियां स्कूल को मिला ग्रीन स्कूल का अवार्ड

राजकीय वरिष्ठ माध्यमिक पाठशाला भाटियां को ग्रीन स्कूल अवार्ड से सम्मानित किया गया। इसी के साथ ईको क्लब की गतिविधियों में उत्कृष्ट प्रदर्शन करने पर विशेष ट्राफी और प्रमाणपत्र मिला है। यह सम्मान सोलन में आयोजित सम्मान समारोह में उपायुक्त मनमोहन शर्मा से विद्यालय की कार्यवाहक प्रधानाचार्या ऋतु अवस्थी ने प्राप्त किया। गौर रहे कि जिला स्तर पर पर्यावरण संरक्षण में सर्वश्रेष्ठ करने पर ग्रीन स्कूल का यह अवार्ड विद्यालय को सेंटर फॉर साइंस और एनवायरमेंट नई दिल्ली की ओर से आयोजित ग्रीन स्कूल प्रोग्राम के अंतर्गत प्राप्त हुआ है। दूसरी ओर सर्वश्रेष्ठ ईको क्लब का सम्मान एनवायरमेंटल एजुकेशन प्रोग्राम के अंतर्गत बेहतरीन वार्षिक ईको क्लब रिपोर्ट प्रस्तुत करने पर विद्यालय को प्राप्त हुआ है। इस विद्यालय को यह सम्मान सत्र 2016-17 से प्राप्त हो रहा है। ईको क्लब प्रभारी गुरचरण सिंह व सह प्रभारी विज्ञान स्नातक अध्यापिका वंदना राज के उत्कृष्ट विचारों के साथ-साथ विद्यार्थियों का विशेष योगदान है। विद्यालयों को हरा भरा बनाए रखने के लिए विद्यालय का ईको क्लब दैनिक कार्य कर रहा है। विद्यालय की प्रधानाचार्या ने समस्त विद्यालय परिवार को बधाई दी और कहा कि पर्यावरण संरक्षण को जीवन का आधार बनाने का संदेश दिया। इसे विश्व के सुरक्षित भविष्य के लिए अति महत्वपूर्ण बताया।

Africa water crisis threatens lives, food security, economic stability – Report

Few weeks ago, Centre for Science and Environment (SCE), a not-for-profit public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, India, released its Down To Earth annual State of Africa Environment 2024 report. The report, which was released in Nairobi, Kenya, three weeks ago, highlights the intersection between water on the one hand and migration, climate change, poverty and diseases on the other. The State of Africa Environment 2024 report emphasized that Africa faces escalating water crisis that threatens economic collapse, exacerbates poverty, and endangers millions of lives. All 54 African countries are water-insecure, with the continent hosting 22% of the world’s most critically water-insecure population. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, is under immense pressure, with 36% of its people lacking secure access to water. The water crisis, fueled by rapid urbanization, climate change, and inadequate infrastructure, is poised to worsen unless immediate action is taken. The report noted that the demand for water in Africa is expected to skyrocket by 283%, with municipal and domestic needs accounting for 92 billion cubic meters of this surge. Urbanization is a significant driver, placing intense pressure on already fragile water systems. By 2050, at least 24 large cities across 15 African countries will face severe water scarcity as the gap between water supply and urban growth widens. Dr malesi Shivaji CEO of Kenya Water and Civil Society pointed out that the water insecurity in Africa is not solely about the quantity of water available but also about how it is managed. While the continent contains 677 lakes, including three of the world’s ten largest freshwater lakes, the management of these resources is increasingly failing to meet the needs of its burgeoning population. Sunita Narain, Director General of CSE said warned leaders in the continent to deal with the issues with more sense of urgency as climate change is further compounding the issues. Shifts in weather patterns and rising temperatures are affecting Africa’s hydrological cycle, leading to reduced rainfall and increased evaporation. In regions heavily reliant on agriculture like Nigeria, these disruptions are triggering food insecurity and economic instability. In particular, flooding of lakes, exacerbated by climate change, has led to crop loss and mass migration, further escalating the crisis. She said the human cost of the crisis is devastating, especially for the most vulnerable populations. Water-borne diseases like cholera are on the rise, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas where access to sanitation is inadequate. Children under five are disproportionately affected, with 190 million African children facing the combined threats of water-related risks, water-borne illnesses, and climate hazards.

Waste sorting at home a weak link in Swachh Bharat

Ten years after the Central government introduced the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) on October 2, 2014 as a flagship initiative to improve India’s solid waste management, a lack of segregation at source remains a major hindrance in realising the environmental and economic benefits of the mission, experts have said. In India, segregation at source was first introduced as a mandate as part of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, first notified by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEF&CC) in the year 2000, later in 2016, and subsequently in the SBM 2.0 guidelines in 2021. Sanitation being a state subject, the onus of implementation was on states and was eventually carried out by municipalities and other local bodies. However, the national capital continues to fare poorly on almost all waste management parameters — slow remediation of landfill sites, cleanliness of residential and market areas, as well as poor door-to-door waste collection. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the civic body for around 94% of the Capital’s geographical area, claims to have achieved 100% door-to-door waste collection and 55% waste segregation at source, but these numbers have been questioned by RWAs, experts and in some instances the mayor herself. During a Supreme Court hearing in July, it was revealed that 3,000 tonnes of unprocessed waste is daily dumped in Delhi, of the 11,000 tonnes of waste generated. The story is not rosy in other big cities either — Mumbai has a source segregation of 65%, with 49% of the waste processed, while in Bengaluru, 99% of the waste is segregated but only 81% is processed. Sectoral experts said despite reporting a high rate of segregation of waste, only a few cities have a robust system of sorting trash at source, or at the household-level itself. Thus, largely, solid waste is manually segregated by waste collectors at large centralised waste processing centres without following standard quality checks or worse mixed waste is dumped in mounting landfills, which makes regular headlines over public health risks. According to experts, the presence of mixed waste leads to undesirable outcomes such as waste-to-energy (WtE) plants running inefficiently and needing more fuel to incinerate waste, leading to both environmental and financial losses. More than 10 WtE plants across India have shut down due to economic infeasibility despite government subsidies since 1987, according to a study by Down to Earth. The ones that are running often are fined by pollution control boards or pulled up by courts over environmental concerns, they said. Further improperly segregated organic waste produces methane during composting—a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon oxides–just as unprocessed waste. Mixing plastics, glass, and synthetics in organic waste also produces compost that leads to poor soil health by stopping water percolation, gas exchange, and overall longer decomposition times. Worse, heavy metal contamination can lead to reduced crop growth and poses a threat to food safety. A study of compost samples from Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2023, showed that compost from various sites in Delhi and Ahmedabad contains high levels of pathogenic bacteria, heavy metal suggesting the need for better quality control. Swati Singh Sambyal, an independent waste management expert, said wherever segregation at source has been successful due to deep engagement between municipal officials and citizens involving community organisations, non-government actors and heavy investment in de-centralised waste management processing centres. But most big cities have models which are often inefficient, she said. In Delhi, the bulk of 8,000 tonnes of waste gets processed majorly via incineration-intensive technologies while the remaining is dumped in landfills. “This means a lot of money is spent on transporting waste which could otherwise be spent on biogas generation, recycling facilities. But in most big cities, most money is spent on collection and transportation alone,” she said.

7 districts account for 84% farm fires in Hry in 20 days

Gurgaon: Seven districts of Haryana account for almost 84% of stubble burning incidents the state has recorded between Sept 15 and Oct 6, data compiled by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has revealed. Haryana registered 127 cases of farm fires during this period. Although the numbers are lower than last year's 190, they are way higher than 48 and 24 incidents reported in 2022 and 2021, respectively. In numbers, the seven districts account for 107 of these 127 cases this year. While Karnal has the highest number of fires at 37, it is followed by Kurukshetra (27), Kaithal (9), Ambala (9), Faridabad (9), Sonipat (8), and Yamunanagar (8). Experts studying air quality trends insisted that the period between Sept and Nov was crucial, given the widespread practice of burning farm residue to prepare the fields for the sowing season in Haryana, Punjab and UP. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), agreed that the govt had taken measures to bring down farm fires, but asserted that more needed to be done. "Govts have been providing subsidies to farmers to discourage stubble burning, but additional measures need to be taken. Haryana has around 90,000 machines to assist farmers in tilling their land in a manner that utilises the stubble instead of burning it. The govts must ensure that this technology is accessible to even marginal farmers," she said. According to Chowdhury, the state govt must also create a market for agencies to purchase the crop residue so that farmers are discouraged from burning it. "We have several power plants that use crop residue to create biofuel. We have not yet developed a capacity to reach out to every farmer in the state. We need to come up with more ways to reduce the number of farm fires every year. Each and every farmer must have access to technology," she added. Scientists also emphasised on the need for in-situ and ex-situ management techniques based on district planning exercises to overcome the problem. An official, meanwhile, claimed the govt had provided machines at subsidised rates to farmers in 469 villages, which were part of the 12 hotspot districts identified by it. Govt data of this year shows that paddy is grown across 38.9 lakh acres in the state, generating an estimated 81 lakh tonne of crop residue. "Farmers usually burn crop residue to clear their fields and prepare them for the next crop. But this spikes up environmental pollution levels and poses several health hazards. The main reason for crop residue burning is the narrow window between harvesting rice and sowing the next crop. We have deployed machines across the state. Their optimum utilisation has been planned too. We have mapped villages and specified dates when these machines will be available there," said Darshan Singh, technical assistant in the agriculture department. Data over the past few years points to a progress in reducing incidents of farm fires, but still not enough to improve air quality across NCR cities. In the 2023 kharif season, Haryana recorded 2,303 active fire locations (AFL), which was 37% lower than those in 2022 (3,661 AFL). Farm fires were almost double in 2021 (6,997).

Diseases increasing due to adulterated food

In recent times, cases of death due to heart disease, diabetes and cancer have increased rapidly among small children and youth. The outbreak of dangerous diseases caused by fungus and viruses has increased. According to the report of the World Health Organization, 14.1 lakh new cases of cancer were reported in the country in 2022, in which more than nine lakh people died. According to the report, cancer incidence will increase worldwide by the year 2050. According to IRAC, the international organization for research on cancer,There has been an increase in thirty-five types of cancer in addition to the increase in mouth, throat and breast cancer over the years. The sudden increase in stomach, colon, prostate, skin and blood cancers is surprising. While obesity is increasing among people in the country, it is also causing increase in cancer cases. According to the World Health Organization, by 2035 the number of people dying from cancer in India will reach 35 lakh per year. Cancer is caused by abnormal growth and division of human body cells. Food items containing chemicals and raw materialsLifestyle is also the reason for this. According to the report of 'Centre for Science and Environment' (CSE), 93 percent children living in cities eat canned food items once a week, while 53 percent children eat instant food i.e. 'junk food' every day. Have eaten. From cities to poor children of villages, their daily routine is starting with 'junk food'. In the period from 2011 to 2021, the business of 'junk food' in the country is continuously increasing at the rate of 13.37 percent. Due to this, eleven percent of the children of the country have become victims of obesity. 'Lancet magazine's research reportAccording to 2022, 1.25 crore children were overweight than the expected weight. This number is increasing 25 times more than the figures. The reason for this new phenomenon is the presence of multinational influence in the country. After getting permission for foreign trade, companies are given open permission for all types of trade including catering items. The trend of processed canned goods has increased very rapidly in the country. In the year 1990s, people from poor to rich and from young to old in the country started considering canned food as a food item to instantly satisfy hunger.Are. A large number of common people have now become dependent on market food items instead of taking home-made snacks to work. More than one in seven adults in the country over the age of 20 whose daily diet includes highly processed foods do not consider themselves healthy. Too much salt in canned food, too much 'preservatives' along with artificial sweeteners in soft drinks. Are responsible for cancer diseases including liver, kidney disease, brain tumor etc. Artificial beverages, chocolates and canned fruitsComplaints of urine infection due to the juice of custard apple have increased rapidly in the country. CSE figures show that 71 percent of the population in the country is not eating a healthy diet. Due to which every year 17 lakh people in the country are dying due to diabetes, cancer, tuberculosis and heart related diseases. According to the report of America's 'Institute for Health Statistics and Pollution', after cigarettes and alcohol, most of the deaths in the world are caused by consuming more salt than the prescribed quantity. World Health Organization: No more than 2 grams per adult per day is allowed.A research by an NGO named 'Toxics Link' has claimed that one of the reasons for the increasing cancer and heart disease in the country is the micro particles of plastic present in salt and sugar. The only area of ​​concern in canned goods is salt or sugar. Thousands of women there have filed a case against an American cosmetics company alleging that its product is spreading 'mesothelioma cancer'. Whereas in India, these products are being sold indiscriminately by claiming that they are of high quality and this 'good' product of physical beauty is being sold indiscriminately.'Asbestos' is used to make cosmetics on the body longer lasting. According to the report of 'British Medical Testbird', asbestos in beauty products is not easy to detect with available technology. Therefore, cosmetic companies claim their products to be virus-free, but beauty products contain trace amounts of "talcum and benzene". , which is carcinogenic. The concerned departments neither have adequate staff nor adequate capacity to monitor and inspect the items of daily use including food items and medicines in the country.t testing laboratories. State governments lack the financial budget to run such departments. According to the rules of 'Food Safety and Standards Authority of India' (FSSI), a food inspector should have the responsibility of monitoring a maximum of two thousand shops, but in each state, each food inspector has the responsibility of monitoring up to fifteen thousand shops. By the year 2022, there were only 224 food testing laboratories in the country. In which the number of government laboratories is not more than hundred. At times due to shortage of laboratoriesDue to lack of investigation, those involved in adulteration are left out of the penal action. In the past, even after an Indian spice company based in Hong Kong and Singapore, the sale of these products in the Indian market was not stopped after the import ban, because there was no clear test report from the Indian laboratories. Whereas use of high quantity of carcinogenic 'preservative' on the company's product was found in foreign laboratories. Due to laxity in Indian law and delay in investigation, the crime of adulteration has not been effectively prevented. despiteThere does not seem to be any concern about tightening government checks, the quality of food and the health of citizens. In the past years, on public demand, some state governments including Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have increased the punishment for adulteration, but have not been able to improve the investigation process by amending the law. The long process of investigation, hearing and corruption have proved helpful in acquitting Radhi. Food Safety Standards Authority of India regulates quality and defective products in sales, manufacturing andFor the purpose of restricting the storage of 1, registration of fourteen digits has been made mandatory; But even today sixty percent of food vendors do not have a license. Reason: Lack of monitoring system. Unhealthy food items are sold indiscriminately on the roadside. In case of an accident due to adulterated material, it is not easy for the administration to trace it. The truth is that the government machinery remains asleep until any incident occurs.

Trams in Kolkata a boon, not a bane, argue green activists

Transport experts have voiced their dissent against the plan to shut down tramways in Kolkata. The brakes on trams was initiated by the Left Front government in West Bengal in the ’90s and is about to be implemented by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government. Over the past three decades, climate change and environmental considerations have worked towards a comeback for trams — an environment-friendly mode of transport. Kolkata, however, seems to be moving on the opposite track — with West Bengal transport minister Snehasish Chakrabarty informing Calcutta High Court about its decision to stop tram services in an affidavit linked to an ongoing case about trams. The plan is to discontinue the 150-year-old tramways in Kolkata. Only the heritage route along the Maidan will be retained. The minister reasoned the government’s decision was based on the commuters’ demand for faster modes of transport, as well as to counter congestion caused by the slow-moving trams. Transport experts have voiced their dissent against the plan to shut down tramways in Kolkata. The brakes on trams was initiated by the Left Front government in West Bengal in the ’90s and is about to be implemented by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government. Over the past three decades, climate change and environmental considerations have worked towards a comeback for trams — an environment-friendly mode of transport. ADVERTISEMENT Kolkata, however, seems to be moving on the opposite track — with West Bengal transport minister Snehasish Chakrabarty informing Calcutta High Court about its decision to stop tram services in an affidavit linked to an ongoing case about trams. The plan is to discontinue the 150-year-old tramways in Kolkata. Only the heritage route along the Maidan will be retained. The minister reasoned the government’s decision was based on the commuters’ demand for faster modes of transport, as well as to counter congestion caused by the slow-moving trams. ADVERTISEMENT Ads by The decision has been countered by both environmentalists and transport experts. In a recent meeting held in Kolkata, environment, transport and urban development experts decided to set up a committee involving key transport and environmental experts across the country. “We will come up with an interim report within a month if possible; and the detailed report will take longer,” said a person associated with the process. “Trams should not be seen as a heritage transport in Kolkata, but as an effective node in its transport infrastructure like in so many other cities in the world,” said Bhargab Maitra, a transport expert and professor at IIT Kharagpur. “The concerns of the government and commuters can be addressed effectively through detailed techno-management studies”. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, an air pollution and transport expert with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said there is no conflict between real estate and tramways. “It is possible to integrate real estate development on tram land alongside tramways, as is being done in Hong Kong and elsewhere,” she said. Tram activists allege that the major driver behind the decision to withdraw service is the sprawling land available in the heart of the city where the eight tram depots stand. The prize land could fetch hundreds of crores for the cash-starved state government. “Parts of several depots have already been handed over to private entities and the latest step has been taken to expedite the process,” said Mahadeb Shi, secretary of Calcutta Tram Users Association (CTUA), which has moved court in 2022 to save the tramways. Roychoudhury argued that trams can hardly be blamed for traffic congestion. Instead, it creates none of the problems associated with carbon intensive transport infrastructure. “There is no evidence that roads with trams face more congestion compared to those that do not have trams,” said Roychoudhury. “We are adding 87,000 vehicles a year and if we do not encourage mass public transport like trams, the city will soon just cease to move.” Tathagata Chatterjee, another ace urban development expert, presented several examples across the world to underline how trams have made a comeback not only for environmental reasons but also as an effective transport mode.

हरियाणा में पराली जलाने के 127 मामले आए सामने, 7 जिलों में सबसे अधिक 84 फीसदी घटनाएं दर्ज

हरियाणा में पराली जलाने के मामले में गिरावट आई है. 15 सितंबर से 6 अक्टूबर के बीच प्रदेश में पराली जलाने के कुल 127 मामले दर्ज किए गए हैं. इनमें से 84 फीसदी घटनाएं सिर्फ 7 जिलों में सामने आई हैं. भारतीय कृषि अनुसंधान संस्थान (IARI) की ओर से जारी आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, पिछले साल इसी अवधि के दौरान हरियाणा में पराली जलाने के 190 मामले सामने आए थे. लेकिन साल 2022 और 2021 में पराली जलाने की घटनाएं क्रमशः 48 और 24 दर्ज की गई थीं. खास बात यह है कि इस साल इन 127 मामलों में से 107 मामले सात जिलों में हुए हैं. करनाल में सबसे अधिक 37 आग लगने की घटनाएं हुईं. इसके बाद कुरुक्षेत्र में 27, कैथल में 9, अंबाला में 9, फरीदाबाद में 9, सोनीपत में 8 और यमुनानगर में 8 मामले सामने आए हैं. द टाइम्स ऑफ इंडिया की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि हरियाणा, पंजाब और यूपी में नवंबर से सितंबर महीने के दौरान ज्यादा रबी फसलों की बुवाई की जाती है. ऐसे में इस दौरान पराली जलाने के ज्यादा मामले सामने आने की आशंका है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की कार्यकारी निदेशक अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा है कि सरकार ने खेतों में पराली जलाने की घटनाओं को कम करने के लिए कदम सही उठाए हैं, लेकिन उन्होंने जोर देकर कहा कि अभी और भी कदम उठाए जाने की जरूरत है. सरकार दे रही है किसानों को सब्सिडी उन्होंने कहा कि राज्य सरकारें पराली जलाने की घटनाओं को खत्म करने के लिए किसानों को सब्सिडी दे रही हैं. लेकिन इसके बावजूद भी कुछ और उपाय किए जाने की जरूरत है. हरियाणा में किसानों को अपनी जमीन की जुताई में मदद करने के लिए करीब 90,000 मशीनें हैं. अगर किसान चाहें, तो इन मशीनों से पराली प्रबंधन कर सकते हैं. वहीं, सरकारों को भी यह सुनिश्चित करना चाहिए कि यह तकनीक सीमांत किसानों तक भी पहुंच सके. चौधरी के अनुसार, राज्य सरकार को एजेंसियों के लिए फसल अवशेष खरीदने के लिए बाजार भी बनाना चाहिए, ताकि किसानों को इसे जलाने से रोका जा सके. 469 गांवों में मशीनों का वितरण हालांकि, वैज्ञानिकों ने इस समस्या से निपटने के लिए जिला नियोजन अभ्यासों पर आधारित इन-सीटू और एक्स-सीटू प्रबंधन तकनीकों की आवश्यकता पर भी जोर दिया है. इस बीच, एक अधिकारी ने दावा किया कि सरकार ने 469 गांवों में किसानों को रियायती दरों पर मशीनें उपलब्ध कराई हैं, जो इसके द्वारा पहचाने गए 12 हॉटस्पॉट जिलों का हिस्सा थे. इस वर्ष के सरकारी आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि राज्य में 38.9 लाख एकड़ में धान उगाया जाता है, जिससे अनुमानित 81 लाख टन फसल अवशेष उत्पन्न होते हैं. किसान इसलिए जलाते हैं पराली अधिकारी ने कहा कि किसान आमतौर पर अपने खेतों को साफ करने और उन्हें अगली फसल के लिए तैयार करने के लिए फसल अवशेष जलाते हैं. लेकिन इससे पर्यावरण प्रदूषण का स्तर बढ़ जाता है और कई स्वास्थ्य संबंधी खतरे पैदा होते हैं. अधिकारी ने कहा कि फसल अवशेष जलाने का मुख्य कारण चावल की कटाई और अगली फसल की बुवाई के बीच का समय कम होना है. हमने पूरे राज्य में मशीनें तैनात की हैं. उनके अधिक से अधिक उपयोग की भी योजना बनाई गई है.