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World Environment Day 2026: Odisha in Top-5 Environmental Performer Still Battling Extreme Heat, Dirty Air| Special Feature

Bhubaneswar: Few Indian states tell the story of climate change as vividly as Odisha. Over the last three decades, the state has transformed from being a disaster-prone coastal region into one of India's most closely watched laboratories for climate adaptation. Yet, even as Odisha earns recognition for its environmental governance, fresh data show that the battle against climate and pollution risks is far from won. The contradiction is striking. The Centre for Science and Environment's (CSE) State of Environment Report 2026 ranks Odisha among the country's top five states in overall environmental performance, reflecting sustained investments in disaster preparedness, waste management, climate budgeting, forest protection and renewable energy initiatives. At the same time, Odisha remains among India's most climate-stressed states. Data from CSE's climate vulnerability indicators show Odisha recorded 18 extreme weather days between January and March 2026, placing it among the states witnessing frequent weather disruptions. The report's heat-related indicators also place Odisha in the higher-risk category, underlining how rising temperatures continue to threaten public health, agriculture and livelihoods. For a state that endured the devastating 1998 heatwave and the 1999 Super Cyclone, these numbers are more than statistics. They are reminders of why Odisha began investing in climate resilience. The State That Learned From Disaster Environmental experts often point to Odisha's response to successive climate shocks as a model of institutional learning. The 1998 heatwave exposed the state's vulnerability to rising temperatures. A year later, the Super Cyclone claimed thousands of lives and reshaped the state's development priorities. Since then, Odisha has built one of India's most sophisticated disaster management architectures. Cyclone shelters, early warning systems, evacuation protocols, climate-resilient infrastructure and dedicated disaster funds have significantly reduced mortality from extreme weather events. The state's climate strategy has gradually expanded beyond disaster response to include environmental governance, renewable energy, urban waste management and climate budgeting. That transition is reflected in Odisha's strong performance in the State of Environment Report 2026. Air Pollution Remains Odisha's Weakest Link Yet, while Odisha scores well on several environmental governance parameters, air quality remains a major concern. The latest global assessment from IQAir paints a sobering picture of pollution across the state's industrial and urban centres. Among the 9,446 cities monitored worldwide, several Odisha cities continue to rank among the world's most polluted urban locations.

No longer a dirty fuel: Why India is backing coal to survive the global gas crisis

Coal gasification, one of the solutions being touted now to offset the crude vulnerabilities, produces more carbon dioxide than a conventional coal-powered thermal power plant, according to an assessment by the think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). “It remains a carbon-intensive pathway. Without carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), coal gasification can lead to substantial CO emissions and lock in high-carbon infrastructure,” says Parth Kumar, Programme Manager Sustainable Industrialisation Unit, CSE.

Is Pune turning into a heat trap?

A survey by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows that the condition of the rivers in a city are also responsible for the rising local temperatures. "The high level of untreated sewage turns rivers into open sewers, along with rapid infrastructural growth along its banks. This untreated sewage system releases a large amount of greenhouse gases, further contributing to the increase in heat," the research states. The study also states that constant building of dams and other concrete structures has resulted in the stagnation of the river blocking its flow along with the polluted water resulting in a rise in its temperature.

Bengal lags in green action as report flags poor climate record and weak enforcement

Bengal was among the poorest-performing states in taking action on key environmental agendas last year, a recent report has revealed. The report titled "State of India's Environment 2026: In Figures", prepared by the magazine linked to environmental think tank Centre for Science (CSE) and Environment, found that Bengal ranked 24th among 28 states, followed by Punjab, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan in the green performance sector during 2024-25.

The roar beneath the noise: Nagaland’s climate reckoning

As we mark World Environment Day 2026 (WED-2026), under the theme #NowForClimate, humanity stands at a definitive crossroads, To a casual observer, June 5th might seem like just another date on the calendar. But for those witnessing the rapid, violent transformation of our ecosystems, this day carries unprecedented weight. It is no longer a day for mere celebration; it is a global reckoning with our responsibility to the only home we have. For decades, the climate crisis was told in the future tense—a series of distant warnings, abstract targets, and elusive deadlines muffled by the “noise” of political delay, corporate distraction, and public denial. But nature does not negotiate. Today, the planet speaks a brutal language of extremes: rising seas, melting glaciers, aggressive wildfires, devastating landslides, destructive floods, and erratic and extreme weather patterns that push human endurance to its absolute limits. We once spoke of 1.5°C as a distant boundary line; today, we are actively crossing it. Yet, if we listen closely, a different signal is also rising beneath the noise. Worldwide, positive tipping points are beginning to outweigh the negative. We see solar arrays reclaiming rooftops, wind turbines lining horizons, systematic urban redesigns prioritizing people over pollution, and massive reforestation efforts taking root. However, while global progress offers a glimmer of hope, the reality in Nagaland is far more immediate and visceral. Here, the abstract “noise” of climate change has been replaced by the roar of flash floods, the sudden collapse of mountain highways, and the silent, cracking earth of unseasonal droughts. The theme for World Environment Day 2026 focuses squarely on climate change and the signals we choose to send back to Earth. The question is no longer whether change is coming—the crisis is already here. Our recent scars show us that we have moved from seasonal expectations to a state of constant vigilance. The true test is how fast we move, and whether we possess the collective courage to steer a world already in motion towards survival. The Data of Disaster: Nagaland’s Intensifying Emergency While international summits debate future targets, the first Nagaland Disaster Statistics Report 2023, and the subsequent Reports of 2024 and 2025 released by the Directorate of Economic & Statistic, Government of Nagaland, provides a sobering reality check. Our state is in the grip of a rapidly accelerating climate emergency. Between 2018 and 2021, water and climate-related incidents in Nagaland surged by a staggering 200%, climbing from 337 annual incidents to a record 814. The empirical evidence paints a terrifying picture of our new climate reality: • The 393% Rainfall Surge: Extreme cloudbursts and flash floods have evolved from rare anomalies into consistent seasonal threats. In a historic deluge during the 2025 monsoon, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded that Nagaland received 49.8 mm of rain in a single 24-hour window compared to the normal baseline of 10.1 mm—firmly placing the state in the “large excess” category. These events triggered devastating flash floods in Dimapur and Niuland, submerging homes and livelihoods. • The Capital as a Frontline: In Kohima, the frequency of cloudbursts exploded from just 7 incidents in 2018–19 to 49 in 2020–21. According to the Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) Climate India Report 2025, Kohima also recorded the highest number of warm monsoon days among all Indian state capitals, with higher-than-normal minimum temperatures occurring on 98% of the monsoon days. This trend culminated in July 2025, when the capital experienced a staggering 10°C spike in minimum temperatures compared to historical averages. This dramatic shift indicates that Kohima is experiencing rapid urban climate warming and severe ecological disruption. • Thermal Extremes and Anomalies: Paradoxically, while summers burn hotter, official data highlights an escalating trend of cold wave incidents in several high-altitude districts. Concurrently, hailstorms rose from 26 cases in 2018–19 to 55 in 2020–21, with Mokokchung district bearing the highest volume of hailstorm-induced destruction. • A Landscape in Motion: Landslides are now a permanent structural crisis rather than an occasional inconvenience. In 2023 alone, Nagaland recorded 964 active and reactivated landslides. This geological instability continued unabated through 2024 and 2025, highlighted by the tragic September 2024 landslide series on National Highway-29 that claimed six lives and completely severed the vital lifeline between Dimapur and Kohima. Furthermore, landslides are aggressively eating away at food security, destroying 412.5 hectares of paddy land between 2022 and 2025, with the damage scaling exponentially each year (47.79 ha in 2022–23; 143.99 ha in 2023–24; and 220.7 ha in 2024–25). • The complex water crisis: In a cruel paradox, a state battered by excess rainfall faces a water-stressed future, as ground water levels in urban centers are dropping rapidly and rural natural springs are drying up, leaving the state to alternate between extreme dry season water shortages and destructive monsoon flash floods. Water levels are decreasing due to a combination of climate induced erratic rainfall, which causes high runoff on steep terrain and the drying mountain springs due to deforestation. Unchecked urbanization and ground water over extraction in hubs like Dimapur, paired with Kohima’s aging leaky infrastructure, severely worsens the regions water crisis. Compounded by heavy waste contamination Nagaland’s once pristine rivers and streams our only source of sustainable water, have degenerated into open sewage and garbage drains. As per the Nagaland Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health, drought across Nagaland are likely to increase by 25-50% by 2050s sWhile the reform-linked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on June 2, 2026 under the Central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 framework is a highly welcome structural intervention, the ongoing depletion of local water sources threatens its long-term viability. Without proactive groundwater replenishment and watershed protection, newly installed rural pipeline infrastructure risks becoming a network of empty, non-functional fixtures rather than reliable utilities.. • Agricultural and Biological Disruption: From the high-altitude apple orchards to the low-lying rice terraces, farmers report completely disrupted harvest cycles and the sudden emergence of novel pests. Centuries-old traditional ecological knowledge is being broken by a climate that no longer follows the old rules. Biological epidemics and pest infestations are now frequently triggered by these volatile climate shifts. The most recent incident reported is the 40% maize yield loss feared in Mokokchung due to the invasive Fall Army Worm (FAW). • Unregulated Stone Quarrying and River bed stone and Sand Mining The localized boom in construction has triggered rampant, unregulated surface mining along critical ecological zones. Hillside stone quarrying and riverbed stone/sand mining operate with minimal environmental oversight, particularly along vulnerable river channels and steep highway corridors. Stripping hillsides destabilizes fragile geological formations, directly accelerating the frequency of devastating landslides. Simultaneously, deep riverbed mining alters natural river hydrology, triggering severe downstream erosion and intensifying flash floods during heavy downpours. Biological related incidences (epidemics, pest infestations, etc) and Geological related incidences (landslides ) are mostly triggered by climate change The Convergence of Vulnerabilities These disasters do not exist in a vacuum. Nagaland’s climate crisis represents a dangerous convergence where fragile geological conditions meet rapid unplanned population growth, a lack of resilient infrastructure, and the systemic disregard and destruction of our natural resources and land. Compounding this vulnerability is a severe ecological deficit. Nagaland has recorded one of the highest rates of forest cover loss in India, losing approximately 800 square kilometers of forest between 2013 and 2023—representing roughly 6.11% of the state’s total forest area. Driven by unsustainable shifting cultivation (Jhum), infrastructure expansion, and timber harvesting, this rapid deforestation degrades local biodiversity, triggers massive carbon emissions, and accelerates soil erosion, which directly fuels the landslide crisis. Nagaland is thus experiencing severe land degradation, with approximately 47% to 50% of its total geographical area classified as degraded or highly vulnerable to risk. [Source: Down to Earth] These recurring destructive patterns clearly demonstrate that we are facing the harsh realities of climate change. While these shifts are largely driven by global trends, we must recognize that localized environmental degradation plays a significant role too. Acknowledging our internal impact is essential if we are to implement effective, proactive measures to mitigate these natural disasters Harnessing ELIONA: Moving from Predictive Data to Strict Enforcement The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority’s (NSDMA) recent launch of ELIONA, an AI-driven disaster intelligence supercomputer, marks a revolutionary shift from reactive rescue to proactive mitigation. By delivering a 48-to-72-hour window of hyper-local, predictive data, ELIONA provides Nagaland with a mathematical blueprint for survival and rapid financial recovery through parametric insurance. Yet, a stark reality remains: the world’s most advanced technology is only as good as the human action following it. Precise prediction cannot prevent a catastrophe if human-induced environmental destruction goes unchecked. Translating ELIONA’s simulations into real-world safety requires absolute political will and strict local enforcement. Concerned authorities can utilize the supercomputer’s dynamic hazard maps to enforce unyielding, evidence-based building bans on “structurally unsafe” urban patches across steep terrains like Kohima and other hill areas as well as in low lying areas, firmly resisting commercial and political pressures. Urban planners can also leverage these virtual simulations to audit existing infrastructure, identifying and retrofitting roads, bridges, and buildings that actively choke critical natural drainage paths. Crucially, the state can regulate unscientific hill-cutting, quarrying, and riverbed mining for stone and sand, which destabilize mountain slopes, alter river courses, and directly trigger the flash floods and landslides that ELIONA is trying to predict. While ELIONA offers the perfect tool for simulation-driven governance, stopping human-induced environmental degradation remains a policy and community enforcement challenge. The 72-hour data window is an invaluable asset, but its ultimate success hinges on how effectively we rewrite our building codes, protect our slopes, and enforce accountability on the ground. Ownership as the Anchor for Resilience Sustaining life in Nagaland requires moving beyond simple environmental awareness; it demands a radical, structural redesign of our relationship with the land. Because 88.3% of the land in Nagaland is community/private-owned, rigid, top-down climate mandates are fundamentally designed to fail. The state’s ecological survival strategy must hinge entirely on decentralized, community-centric models. To align with India’s 2030 carbon sink targets, targeted internationally funded initiatives are actively collaborating with indigenous institutions to transform traditional, short-cycle Jhum cultivation into sustainable, climate-resilient agroforestry ecosystems. Concurrently, the strategic expansion of Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) proves that local clans and village councils remain the most effective guardians of regional biodiversity. It is hoped that these targeted, localized interventions provide a scalable roadmap to systematically regenerate our depleted forest cover, stabilize fragile terrains, and restore the vital balance of our state’s ecosystems.

दूषण, जल संकट एवं बढ़ती गर्मी से हांफ रही दिल्ली

विश्व पर्यावरण दिवस पर सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (सीएसई) द्वारा जारी रिपोर्ट 'स्टेट आफ इंडियाज एनवायरमेंट 2026 : इन फिगर्स' दिल्ली की मौजूदा स्थिति को लेकर चिंताजनक तस्वीर पेश करती है। रिपोर्ट बताती है कि आने वाले साल दिल्ली के लिए पर्यावरण, सेहत, इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर के लिहाज से चुनौतीपूर्ण होने वाले हैं।

Countries like Bangladesh cannot adapt forever

"We can no longer lose time in prevarication or in finding new excuses not to act, including empty promises of net zero by 2050," said Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment. World Environment Day 2026 arrives at a moment when the climate crisis no longer allows the luxury of delay; immediate action is imperative. United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) 2025 Emissions Gap Report warns that current policies put the world on a pathway to about 2.8°C of warming this century. Irreversible impacts of climate change are already widespread and intensifying with every increment of warming, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). For Bangladesh, this is explicitly visible in climate vulnerable areas as river erosion, salinity, heat stress, cyclones, livelihood insecurity, and displacement. And even before the world crosses 1.5°C as a long-term average, many frontline communities are already living with danger. Two degrees is not a safety line for the Global South. It is a danger zone negotiated into acceptability. The problem is not the promises made but the global climate politics of delayed action and accountability. From the very beginning, global climate diplomacy has produced a lot of targets, commitment to pledges, roadmaps, funds, institutions and careful compromises. But when it comes to the part of delivery, it keeps arriving late. Which is nothing more than some empty promises. "We can no longer lose time in prevarication or in finding new excuses not to act, including empty promises of net zero by 2050," said Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment. Adaptation cannot be the excuse Bangladesh is often seen as an example of global adaptation success story. Which is true, it has improved cyclone preparedness, early warning systems, shelters, disaster response, and community level adaptation. These achievements are significant and impactful. But these recognitions are turning into traps. When the world is celebrating resilience strategies of countries like Bangladesh too comfortably, adaptation is becoming an excuse for global inaction. How long should a country keep adapting, and to what extent should it be expected to adapt? A country cannot keep raising embankments while the world keeps raising emissions. Farmers cannot endlessly adjust cropping calendars and use resilient crops if rainfall becomes unpredictable. Coastal communities cannot adapt forever to salinity. Urban workers cannot simply "cope" with extreme heat. There are limits to adaptation and resilience as well. And those limits are being exceeded repeatedly nowadays. Anthropologist Myanna Lahsen has warned that climate governance often becomes technocratic and elite driven, shaped by models, expert language, and diplomatic abstractions that do not always reflect lived realities of affected people. This is why climate science must not become a shield for weak politics. If people are already losing land, culture, health, dignity, and even life below 1.5°C of global warming, progress of climate action cannot be judged only by what appears in COP negotiation texts. Promises are not protection The history of COP negotiations shows the pattern. COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009 carried the promise that developed countries would mobilise $100 billion annually for developing nations. More than a decade later, COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 called for adaptation finance to be doubled. Then in COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in 2022 established the Loss and Damage Fund, then next year in COP28 in Dubai, 2023 moved to operationalise it. After another year in COP29 in Baku in 2024 pushed discussions toward a higher climate finance goal, and after COP30 in Belém in 2025, the Fund's first funding window finally opened. Yet for vulnerable countries, each COP has often meant another round of delayed negotiations before promises become reality, while the impacts of climate change continued to intensify in the meantime. The Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) is an important step. But without adequate, grant-based, accessible finance, it risks becoming procedure rather than protection. But a ray of hope finally came when legal landscape was shifted. The International Court of Justice's 2025 advisory opinion strengthened the language of state obligations on climate change, which gave the vulnerable countries a bit stronger base for diplomacy, litigation, fossil fuel accountability, and financial claims. Because climate finance is not charity. It is tied to responsibility, historical emissions, and transboundary harm. Bangladesh must also deliver at home Still, Bangladesh cannot wait passively for global justice. National action is not a substitute for global accountability, but it is necessary for survival. This is why Bangladesh needs a mitigating plan, a transformative approach, and a domestic climate finance pathway that is clear, measurable, and locally grounded. That means creating a national climate finance taxonomy, strengthening climate budget tagging and tracking, using the National Adaptation Plan's estimated $230 billion need by 2050 as a financing roadmap, and aligning CSR with measurable resilience outcomes. Industries must also carry mitigation responsibility through energy efficiency, emissions reduction, climate risk disclosure, and cleaner production. Also, Nature-based solutions should be treated as national infrastructure for countries like Bangladesh who are at the frontline of facing climate impacts. The National Adaptation Plan, Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, coastal embankment programmes, urban heat action plans, wetland protection, and locally led adaptation should place mangroves, wetlands, rivers, forests, haors, and urban trees at the centre of resilience planning. Given the growing global energy and power crisis, Bangladesh must therefore prioritise energy transition without delay. Because continued dependence on imported fossil fuels exposed the country to price shocks, foreign exchange pressure, and instability in the power sector. Bangladesh's NDC 3.0 sets a target of achieving 25% renewable energy in the power mix by 2035. Every available resource – financial, legal, technological, institutional, social, and ecological of the country – must now be mobilised to the right place, at the right speed, for real climate action. The choice before Bangladesh is not between demanding global justice and acting nationally anymore. It must do both. World Environment Day 2026 should therefore not be treated as another annual event. It should be a political reminder that climate action has entered its decisive decade. Bangladesh can adapt, but not endlessly. It cannot carry the burden of historical emissions alone; it cannot adapt forever.

Goa tops India in environment, health & infra rankings

On the eve of World Environment Day, Goa has emerged as one of India's best-performing states in environment, public health and infrastructure indicators, securing the top position in three of the four categories assessed in the State of India's Environment 2026: In Figures report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report, released in New Delhi on Thursday, ranked all 36 states and Union Territories across four thematic areas- Environment, Agriculture and Land, Public Health, and Public Infrastructure and Human Development using official government data. Goa topped the national rankings in environment, public health and public infrastructure and human development, underlining the state's relatively strong performance in key development indicators. However, the report also flagged several environmental concerns that continue to threaten Goa's ecological future. In the environment category, Goa secured the top rank ahead of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura and Odisha. According to the report, Goa's strong performance was driven largely by its high share of renewable energy sources in power generation. Yet the report cautions that the state cannot afford complacency. Despite topping the charts, Goa continues to face challenges related to changes in forest cover, sewage treatment and the management of polluted river stretches. Goa also emerged as the best-performing state in the public health category, ahead of Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Kerala and Sikkim. The report highlighted a unique achievement- Goa is the only state in the country where all registered deaths are medically certified with a known cause of death. However, even in healthcare, challenges remain. The report noted a shortfall in government hospital beds per 1,000 population, indicating that healthcare infrastructure needs strengthening despite the state's overall strong performance. In the public infrastructure and human development category, the State once again secured the top rank, followed by Nagaland, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The report observed that public infrastructure remains a major challenge across much of the country, with 32 out of 36 states and Union Territories scoring below the halfway mark in this category. The only area where Goa performed poorly was Agriculture and Land, where it figured among the bottom five states alongside Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha and Telangana. The report noted that farmer welfare remains one of the weakest-performing indicators nationally, with 27 states and Union Territories scoring below the halfway mark in the category.

अन्नदाता पर महासंकट! 14 राज्यों में क्यों बढ़ी किसानों की खुदकुशी? पर्यावरण दिवस पर पढ़ें चौंकाने वाली रिपोर्ट

देश के ग्रामीण और कृषि क्षेत्र से जुड़ी एक चिंताजनक प्रवृत्ति सामने आई है. हाल के आंकड़े बताते हैं कि किसानों और खेती-किसानी से जुड़े अन्य लोगों के बीच आत्महत्या की घटनाएं कई राज्यों में बढ़ी हैं. 14 राज्यों में ऐसे मामलों में इजाफा दर्ज किया गया है, जो कृषि क्षेत्र की मौजूदा चुनौतियों को उजागर करता है. रिपोर्ट का एक और गंभीर पहलू यह है कि अब कई राज्यों में कृषि मजदूरों की स्थिति किसानों से भी अधिक खराब दिखाई दे रही है. डाउन टू अर्थ की रिपोर्ट के आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, 13 राज्यों में कृषि मजदूरों द्वारा आत्महत्या किए जाने की दर खेती करने वाले किसानों से ज्यादा हो गई है. यह स्थिति इसलिए भी महत्वपूर्ण है क्योंकि कुछ वर्ष पहले, 2019 में, ऐसे राज्यों की संख्या केवल 9 थी. विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि यह बदलाव ग्रामीण भारत में बढ़ते आर्थिक दबावों का संकेत हो सकता है. अनिश्चित रोजगार, बढ़ता कर्ज, खेती से घटती आय और मौसम संबंधी जोखिमों ने खेती पर निर्भर परिवारों की मुश्किलें बढ़ा दी हैं. खासकर कृषि मजदूरों के सामने आजीविका की स्थिरता का संकट और गहरा होता नजर आ रहा है.

विश्व पर्यावरण दिवस विशेष: बदलता मौसम बना चिंता का विषय, 124 वर्षों में पहली बार टूटा तापमान का रिकॉर्ड

विश्व पर्यावरण दिवस के अवसर पर जारी रिपोर्ट ने देश में तेजी से बदल रहे मौसम और पर्यावरणीय असंतुलन की गंभीर तस्वीर सामने रखी है। विशेषज्ञों के अनुसार कटते जंगल, घटते जलस्तर और बढ़ता प्रदूषण मौसम के संतुलन को लगातार बिगाड़ रहे हैं, जिसका असर देशभर में स्पष्ट रूप से दिखाई देने लगा है। पर्यावरण संस्था सीएसई (सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट) की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार वर्ष 2025 भारत के इतिहास का आठवां सबसे गर्म वर्ष दर्ज किया गया। रिपोर्ट में बताया गया है कि चरम मौसम की घटनाओं के कारण वर्ष 2025 में देशभर में 4,421 लोगों की मौत हुई, जबकि हर आठ में से एक भारतीय किसी न किसी मौसम जनित बीमारी से प्रभावित पाया गया। रिपोर्ट के अनुसार जून से सितंबर तक का मौसम सामान्य से 0.09 डिग्री सेल्सियस अधिक गर्म रहा, जबकि अक्तूबर से दिसंबर के दौरान तापमान सामान्य से 0.10 डिग्री सेल्सियस कम दर्ज किया गया। सबसे चिंताजनक तथ्य यह रहा कि देश के 36 राज्यों और केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों में से 21 राज्यों में 24 घंटे के अधिकतम तापमान ने पिछले 124 वर्षों का रिकॉर्ड तोड़ दिया। विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि यदि पर्यावरण संरक्षण की दिशा में प्रभावी कदम नहीं उठाए गए तो आने वाले वर्षों में हीटवेव, सूखा, बाढ़ और अन्य प्राकृतिक आपदाओं की घटनाएं और बढ़ सकती हैं। विश्व पर्यावरण दिवस पर लोगों से अधिक से अधिक वृक्षारोपण करने, जल संरक्षण अपनाने तथा पर्यावरण को बचाने के लिए सामूहिक प्रयास करने की अपील की गई है। पर्यावरणविदों का मानना है कि पृथ्वी को सुरक्षित रखने के लिए केवल सरकारी योजनाएं ही नहीं, बल्कि आम नागरिकों की सक्रिय भागीदारी भी बेहद आवश्यक है। आने वाली पीढ़ियों को सुरक्षित भविष्य देने के लिए आज से ही पर्यावरण संरक्षण को जन आंदोलन बनाना होगा।

8 साल में 83% बढ़ा ई-वेस्ट, प्रदेश में रोज 7695 टन कचरा

देश में मोबाइल, कंप्यूटर, टीवी और अन्य इलेक्ट्रॉनिक उपकरणों के बढ़ते उपयोग से ई-वेस्ट (इलेक्ट्रॉनिक कचरा) तेजी से बढ़ रहा है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (CSE) की स्टेट ऑफ इंडियाज एनवायरमेंट 2026 रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, भारत में पिछले आठ वर्षों में ई-वेस्ट उत्पादन 83 प्रतिशत बढ़ गया है। वर्ष 2018-19 में देश में 7.71 लाख टन ई-वेस्ट पैदा हुआ था। यह 2025-26 में बढ़कर 14.15 लाख टन से अधिक हो गया है। 2025-26 में कुल ई-वेस्ट का केवल 69.2 प्रतिशत ही प्रोसेस हो सका। करीब 31 प्रतिशत ई-वेस्ट बिना उपचार के रह गया। रिपोर्ट बताती है कि 2024-25 में ई-वेस्ट प्रोसेसिंग की दर 82.9 प्रतिशत तक पहुंच गई थी। 2025-26 में इसमें गिरावट दर्ज हुई है। यह संकेत है कि ई-वेस्ट की मात्रा बढ़ने की तुलना में प्रोसेसिंग क्षमता उतनी तेजी से नहीं बढ़ रही। रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, राजस्थान के शहरी क्षेत्रों से प्रतिदिन 7695 टन ठोस कचरा निकल रहा है। राज्य में 96 प्रतिशत वार्डों में स्रोत स्तर पर कचरे को अलग-अलग किया जा रहा है। 98 प्रतिशत कचरे का रिसाइक्लिंग हो रहा है। यह राष्ट्रीय औसत से बेहतर स्थिति है। ई-वेस्ट सामान्य घरेलू कचरे से अधिक खतरनाक होता है। इसमें सीसा, पारा, कैडमियम और अन्य विषैले तत्व मौजूद रहते हैं। यदि इसका वैज्ञानिक निस्तारण नहीं किया जाए तो यह मिट्टी, भूजल और मानव स्वास्थ्य पर गंभीर प्रभाव डाल सकता है। शेष पेज 9 पर कचरा अलग हो रहा है, प्रोसेस नहीं हो रहा देशभर में 88% वार्डों में कचरे का पृथक्करण हो रहा है और संग्रह दर 97% तक पहुंच गई है, लेकिन राजस्थान के 9,985 वार्डों में से केवल 51% ही शत प्रतिशत घरों से कचरे का अलग-अलग (सूखा-गीला कचरा) पृथक्करण कर पा रहे हैं, जो राष्ट्रीय औसत से 37 अंक पीछे है। असली समस्या यह है कि कचरा अलग तो हो रहा है, मगर प्रोसेसिंग प्लांट तक पहुंचाने की व्यवस्था नाकाफी है। राजस्थान में रोज़ 7695 टन कचरे में से 44% बिना उपचार के पड़ा रहता है। तुलना करें तो केरल 100% पृथक्करण के साथ 99% प्रोसेसिंग पर है, मध्यप्रदेश भी 99% पर। गुजरात और चंडीगढ़ ने 100% प्रोसेसिंग हासिल की है। यहां तक कि उत्तरप्रदेश जैसा बड़ा राज्य भी 98% पर है। दूसरी तरफ पश्चिम बंगाल 10%, मिज़ोरम 25% और नागालैंड मात्र 8% प्रोसेसिंग पर हैं। राजस्थान इन फिसड्डी राज्यों के करीब खड़ा है। CAG की फरवरी 2026 की रिपोर्ट में राजस्थान के शहरी निकायों पर सीधे सवाल उठाए गए हैं। अक्टूबर 2026 की डेडलाइन से पहले हालात नहीं सुधरे तो स्वच्छ भारत मिशन का लक्ष्य महज कागजी आंकड़ा बनकर रह जाएगा। रैंकिंग : देश के राज्यों की तुलना (स्कोर 100 में से) रैंक राज्य स्कोर स्थिति 01 गोवा 66.69 देश में सर्वश्रेष्ठ 02 असम 66.32 बेहतर प्रदर्शन 25 बिहार 42.65 चिंताजनक 26 तमिलनाडु 42.01 गंभीर स्थिति 27 राजस्थान 37.69 खतरे की घंटी (सबसे फिसड्डी) ई-कचरे में ₹51,000 करोड़ का कीमती माल कबाड़ में 2018-19 में 7.71 लाख टन ई-कचरा था, जो 2025-26 में बढ़कर 14.14 लाख टन हो गया। पिछले साल 82.9% ई-कचरे की प्रोसेसिंग हो रही थी। इस साल यह घटकर 69.2% रह गई। यानी 31% ई-कचरा बिना उपचार के पड़ा है। ई-कचरे में ₹51,000 करोड़ का कीमती माल छुपा है, मगर वह अधिकतर अनौपचारिक कबाड़ बाज़ार में चला जाता है। राजस्थान में ई-वेस्ट }2018-19 से 2025-26 के बीच ई-वेस्ट में 83% वृद्धि }2025-26 में 14.15 लाख टन ई-वेस्ट उत्पन्न • }केवल 69.2% ई-वेस्ट का ही निस्तारण हो सका • }करीब 31% ई-वेस्ट अब भी बिना उपचार के • }राजस्थान में प्रतिदिन 7695 टन ठोस कचरा उत्पन्न • }राज्य में 98% कचरे का प्रसंस्करण हो रहा है।

The roar beneath the noise: Nagaland’s climate reckoning on World Environment Day 2026

The Capital as a Frontline: In Kohima, the frequency of cloudbursts exploded from just 7 incidents in 2018–19 to 49 in 2020–21. According to the Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) Climate India Report 2025, Kohima also recorded the highest number of warm monsoon days among all Indian state capitals, with higher-than-normal minimum temperatures occurring on 98% of the monsoon days. As we mark World Environment Day 2026 (WED-2026), under the theme #NowForClimate, humanity stands at a definitive crossroads, to a casual observer, June 5th might seem like just another date on the calendar. But for those witnessing the rapid, violent transformation of our ecosystems, this day carries unprecedented weight. It is no longer a day for mere celebration; it is a global reckoning with our responsibility to the only home we have. For decades, the climate crisis was told in the future tense—a series of distant warnings, abstract targets, and elusive deadlines muffled by the “noise” of political delay, corporate distraction, and public denial. But nature does not negotiate. Today, the planet speaks a brutal language of extremes: rising seas, melting glaciers, aggressive wildfires, devastating landslides, destructive floods, and erratic and extreme weather patterns that push human endurance to its absolute limits. We once spoke of 1.5°C as a distant boundary line; today, we are actively crossing it. Yet, if we listen closely, a different signal is also rising beneath the noise. Worldwide, positive tipping points are beginning to outweigh the negative. We see solar arrays reclaiming rooftops, wind turbines lining horizons, systematic urban redesigns prioritizing people over pollution, and massive reforestation efforts taking root. However, while global progress offers a glimmer of hope, the reality in Nagaland is far more immediate and visceral. Here, the abstract “noise” of climate change has been replaced by the roar of flash floods, the sudden collapse of mountain highways, and the silent, cracking earth of unseasonal droughts. The theme for World Environment Day 2026 focuses squarely on climate change and the signals we choose to send back to Earth. The question is no longer whether change is coming—the crisis is already here. Our recent scars show us that we have moved from seasonal expectations to a state of constant vigilance. The true test is how fast we move, and whether we possess the collective courage to steer a world already in motion towards survival. The Data of Disaster: Nagaland’s Intensifying Emergency While international summits debate future targets, the first Nagaland Disaster Statistics Report 2023, and the subsequent reports of 2024 and 2025 released by the Directorate of Economic & Statistic, Government of Nagaland, provides a sobering reality check. Our state is in the grip of a rapidly accelerating climate emergency. Between 2018 and 2021, water and climate-related incidents in Nagaland surged by a staggering 200%, climbing from 337 annual incidents to a record 814. The empirical evidence paints a terrifying picture of our new climate reality: • The 393% Rainfall Surge: Extreme cloudbursts and flash floods have evolved from rare anomalies into consistent seasonal threats. In a historic deluge during the 2025 monsoon, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded that Nagaland received 49.8 mm of rain in a single 24-hour window compared to the normal baseline of 10.1 mm—firmly placing the state in the “large excess” category. These events triggered devastating flash floods in Dimapur and Niuland, submerging homes and livelihoods. • The Capital as a Frontline: In Kohima, the frequency of cloudbursts exploded from just 7 incidents in 2018–19 to 49 in 2020–21. According to the Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) Climate India Report 2025, Kohima also recorded the highest number of warm monsoon days among all Indian state capitals, with higher-than-normal minimum temperatures occurring on 98% of the monsoon days. This trend culminated in July 2025, when the capital experienced a staggering 10°C spike in minimum temperatures compared to historical averages. This dramatic shift indicates that Kohima is experiencing rapid urban climate warming and severe ecological disruption. • Thermal Extremes and Anomalies: Paradoxically, while summers burn hotter, official data highlights an escalating trend of cold wave incidents in several high-altitude districts. Concurrently, hailstorms rose from 26 cases in 2018–19 to 55 in 2020–21, with Mokokchung district bearing the highest volume of hailstorm-induced destruction. • A Landscape in Motion: Landslides are now a permanent structural crisis rather than an occasional inconvenience. In 2023 alone, Nagaland recorded 964 active and reactivated landslides. This geological instability continued unabated through 2024 and 2025, highlighted by the tragic September 2024 landslide series on National Highway-29 that claimed six lives and completely severed the vital lifeline between Dimapur and Kohima. Furthermore, landslides are aggressively eating away at food security, destroying 412.5 hectares of paddy land between 2022 and 2025, with the damage scaling exponentially each year (47.79 ha in 2022–23; 143.99 ha in 2023–24; and 220.7 ha in 2024–25). • The complex water crisis: In a cruel paradox, a state battered by excess rainfall faces a water-stressed future, as ground water levels in urban centers are dropping rapidly and rural natural springs are drying up, leaving the state to alternate between extreme dry season water shortages and destructive monsoon flash floods. Water levels are decreasing due to a combination of climate induced erratic rainfall, which causes high run off on steep terrain and the drying mountain springs due to deforestation. Unchecked urbanization and ground water over extraction in hubs like Dimapur, paired with Kohima’s aging leaky infrastructure, severely worsens the regions water crisis. Compounded by heavy waste contamination Nagaland’s once pristine rivers and streams our only source of sustainable water, have degenerated into open sewage and garbage drains. As per the Nagaland Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health, drought across Nagaland are likely to increase by 25-50% by 2050. While the reform-linked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on June 2, 2026 under the Central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 framework is a highly welcome structural intervention, the ongoing depletion of local water sources threatens its long-term viability. Without proactive groundwater replenishment and watershed protection, newly installed rural pipeline infrastructure risks becoming a network of empty, non-functional fixtures rather than reliable utilities. • Agricultural and Biological Disruption: From the high-altitude apple orchards to the low-lying rice terraces, farmers report completely disrupted harvest cycles and the sudden emergence of novel pests. Centuries-old traditional ecological knowledge is being broken by a climate that no longer follows the old rules. Biological epidemics and pest infestations are now frequently triggered by these volatile climate shifts. The most recent incident reported is the 40% maize yield loss feared in Mokokchung due to the invasive Fall Army Worm (FAW). • Unregulated Stone Quarrying and River bed stone and Sand Mining: The localized boom in construction has triggered rampant, unregulated surface mining along critical ecological zones. Hillside stone quarrying and riverbed stone/sand mining operate with minimal environmental oversight, particularly along vulnerable river channels and steep highway corridors. Stripping hillsides destabilizes fragile geological formations, directly accelerating the frequency of devastating landslides. Simultaneously, deep riverbed mining alters natural river hydrology, triggering severe downstream erosion and intensifying flash floods during heavy downpours.

CSE welcomes direct fleet renewal and electric vehicle integration in Delhi-NCR

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has welcomed the Rs 9,585-crore Union Cabinet scheme for phasing out old buses and trucks, a move that aims to target the toxic air of Delhi-NCR. The compressed two-year programme aims to pull roughly 2.07 lakh heavily polluting commercial trucks and buses (BS-IV and older) off the roads. To fast-track the transition to clean BS-VI or zero-emission electric vehicles, the scheme unleashes a mix of financial incentives: a 5 per cent interest subvention on vehicle loans, monthly fuel vouchers up to Rs 4,800, an 8 per cent manufacturer discount, and state registration fee waivers coupled with road tax concessions. “CSE has consistently advocated for an ironclad, well-funded fiscal strategy since the first drafting of the national old vehicle phase out and scrappage rules in 2018-2021. This targeted financial mechanism addresses the economic barriers faced by fleet operators. When combined with broader bus electrification programmes and the PM E-DRIVE scheme’s support for 1,100 electric trucks in Delhi, this package becomes a game-changer capable of eliminating the most toxic segment of vehicular PM and NOx emissions in the region. It pivots our regulatory landscape away from a weak, voluntary model into an aggressive, incentivised track to protect public health,” says Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, CSE. Disproportionate toxic footprint of Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDVs): This decision addresses a critical environmental challenge, says CSE. As the official press release notes that as per the 2018 ARAI-TERI source apportionment study for the NCR, the transport sector accounts for 14 per cent of PM.5, 40 per cent of carbon monoxide (CO), and a staggering 63 per cent of nitrogen oxide emissions. In the transport sector, heavy-duty trucks and buses are just 3 per cent of the total vehicle fleet, but they generate 36 per cent of all vehicular PM emissions. In fact, a one pre-BS heavy-duty vehicle pollutes as much as 14 modern, BS-VI compliant vehicles. Even a newer BS-IV model emits 2.7 times more than its BS-VI counterpart. Older legacy vehicles lack advanced and efficient emission control systems like BS-VI variants, such as Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). As engines age, components undergo severe wear-and-tear, causing incomplete combustion and massive releases of emissions. Replacing old vehicles that met weaker emissions standards compared to the current BSVI vehicles standards highlights the critical importance of this targeted phase-out: A single 15-year-old legacy diesel commercial vehicle emits 11 times higher particulate matter (PM) and six times higher nitrogen oxides (NOx) than a modern compliant BS-VI diesel vehicle. An old BS-I heavy-duty diesel truck is designed to emit up to 35 times higher PM compared to a new BS-VI vehicle. Legacy BS-III diesel trucks emit up to 15 times more PM than compliant BS-VI models. Compared to a compliant BS-IV variant, a 15-year-old diesel model emits 7.6 times more PM and 3.4 times more NOx. Direct support for fleet renewal more important when vehicle inspection programmes are not yet robust: The timing of this targeted financial intervention is vital. Roychowdhury says CSE’s evaluation highlights that “India’s technology-driven, fitness-based vehicle retirement framework currently suffers from severe structural gaps. The national network is constrained by a stark shortage and uneven distribution of automated infrastructure, with only 181 Automated Testing Stations (ATS) and 134 Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) operational nationwide”. Moreover, current testing systems remain trapped in severe inefficiencies: The ATS leniency trap: Out of nearly 2.5 million tests logged on the Ministry of road transport and highways’ (MoRTH’s) Automated Fitness Management System (AFMS) portal, an astonishing 98 per cent passed as fit, with 2 per cent declared unfit and a negligible fraction (685 vehicles) successfully flagged as End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs). Weak emission testing: Current fitness inspections continue to rely on obsolete Pollution Under Control (PUC) protocols that only examine idle smoke density or basic carbon monoxide. They are entirely inadequate for advanced screening and cannot measure critical load-based pollutants such as NOx or PM. The retest loophole: The database gives owners up to 180 days to complete repairs and undergo multiple retests, turning the automated infrastructure into a temporary repair-and-return track rather than a strict scrappage identifier. At a time when on-road systems cannot yet deploy advanced screening — such as dynamic chassis dynamometer testing or real-time road measurements via Remote Sensing Devices (RSD) to catch gross polluters — widespread fiscal incentives are the most effective lever to guarantee immediate emission reductions by permanently pulling high-emitting trucks off the road. The Rs 9,585-crore architecture addresses the traditional economic barriers that prompt fleet owners to evade formal de-registration in favour of the informal sector. Address real-world emissions: While disciplined implementation of this scheme is critical to improving regional air quality, true emissions control hinges on rigorous on-road monitoring. To rein in real-world driving emissions from internal combustion engines, Delhi-NCR must integrate advanced technologies like remote sensing devices (RSD) and On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) systems. Past Delhi pilot studies exposed the technical reality of high on-road emissions. Even on-road CNG vehicles emit substantially higher real-world driving emissions than expected under urban loads. Says Roychowdhury: “Ultimately, the region needs a much larger, more ambitious thrust toward the wholesale electrification of both bus and truck fleets to permanently eliminate tailpipe toxic exposures.”

இந்தியா 2030 SDG இலக்குகள்: பிராந்திய ஏற்றத்தாழ்வுகள் அச்சுறுத்தல்!

இந்தியாவின் அதிக மக்கள்தொகை கொண்ட முக்கிய மாநிலங்கள், வளர்ச்சி மற்றும் சுற்றுச்சூழல் இலக்குகளில் பின்தங்கியுள்ளன. இது இந்தியாவின் 2030 நிலையான வளர்ச்சி இலக்குகளை (SDG) அடைவதில் பெரும் சந்தேகத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது. கழிவு மேலாண்மை, பொது சுகாதாரம் மற்றும் உள்கட்டமைப்பு ஆகியவற்றில் உள்ள கடுமையான பிரச்சனைகள், தேசிய முன்னேற்றத்தைக் குறைத்து, பொருளாதார ஏற்றத்தாழ்வை அதிகரிக்கும் என Centre for Science and Environment ஆய்வில் தெரியவந்துள்ளது. பிராந்திய ஏற்றத்தாழ்வுகளின் கட்டமைப்புப் பிரச்சனை இந்தியாவின் வளர்ச்சியைப் பற்றிய சமீபத்திய மதிப்பீடுகள், வளங்கள் நிறைந்த, அதிக வளர்ச்சி கொண்ட கடலோர மாநிலங்களுக்கும், நாட்டின் அதிக மக்கள்தொகை கொண்ட உள்நாட்டுப் பகுதிகளுக்கும் இடையிலான இடைவெளி அதிகரித்து வருவதை உறுதிப்படுத்துகின்றன. நிலையான வளர்ச்சி இலக்குகளில் (SDGs) தேசிய அளவிலான முன்னேற்றம் பெரும்பாலும் செய்திகளில் இடம் பெற்றாலும், உத்தரபிரதேசம், மகாராஷ்டிரா, பீகார், மத்தியப் பிரதேசம் மற்றும் மேற்கு வங்காளம் போன்ற இந்தியாவின் முக்கிய ஐந்து பொருளாதார மையங்கள், தங்கள் மக்கள்தொகைக்கு ஏற்ற நிலையான உள்கட்டமைப்பு மற்றும் மனித மேம்பாட்டுப் பலன்களைப் பெறுவதில் சிரமப்படுகின்றன. இந்தத் தொடர்ச்சியான பின்தங்கிய நிலை வெறும் சமூகப் பிரச்சனை மட்டுமல்ல, இது நாட்டின் பொருளாதார வளர்ச்சிக்கு ஒரு கட்டமைப்பு ரீதியான பின்னடைவாகவும் உள்ளது. ஏனெனில், இந்த மாநிலங்கள் நாட்டின் மக்கள்தொகை ஈவில் பெரும் பங்கைக் கொண்டுள்ளன. சுற்றுச்சூழல் மற்றும் உள்கட்டமைப்பு பற்றாக்குறை புதுப்பிக்கத்தக்க எரிசக்தி உற்பத்தியில் பொதுவாக உயர்ந்த இடத்தில் இருக்கும் மாநிலங்கள் உட்பட, பெரும்பாலான மாநிலங்களில் கழிவு மேலாண்மை மிகப்பெரிய தோல்விப் புள்ளியாக உருவெடுத்துள்ளது. கோவா போன்ற முன்னணி மாநிலங்கள் கூட, கழிவுநீர் சுத்திகரிப்பு மற்றும் மாசுபட்ட நதிப் பகுதிகளை நிர்வகித்தல் உள்ளிட்ட குறிப்பிடத்தக்க சுற்றுச்சூழல் சவால்களை எதிர்கொள்கின்றன. விரைவான நகரமயமாக்கலுடன் சுற்றுச்சூழல் பாதுகாப்பை ஒருங்கிணைப்பதில் ஒரு முறைப்படுத்தப்பட்ட இயலாமையை இந்தத் தரவு காட்டுகிறது. மேலும், மின்சாரம், வீட்டுவசதி மற்றும் இணைப்பு (Connectivity) போன்ற பொது உள்கட்டமைப்புகள், 32 மாநிலங்கள் மற்றும் யூனியன் பிரதேசங்களில் இன்னும் போதுமானதாக இல்லை. இதனால், நீண்ட கால பொருளாதார விரிவாக்கத்திற்குத் தேவையான அடிப்படைத் தேவைகளைக் கூட பெரும்பாலான பகுதிகள் பூர்த்தி செய்யவில்லை. நிர்வாகம் மற்றும் வள ஒதுக்கீட்டின் சிக்கல்கள் இந்த பிராந்திய ஏற்றத்தாழ்வுகள் நீடிப்பதற்குக் காரணம், இந்தியாவின் பல்வேறு மாநிலங்களின் தனித்துவமான நிர்வாக மற்றும் புவியியல் சவால்களை பாரம்பரிய வளர்ச்சி மாதிரிகள் கணக்கில் எடுத்துக்கொள்ளத் தவறியதே ஆகும். மும்பை அல்லது கொல்கத்தா போன்ற பெருநகரங்களை வரலாற்று ரீதியாக சார்ந்திருப்பது, நேரடி அந்நிய முதலீடு (FDI) மற்றும் தனியார் முதலீட்டை ஒருமுகப்படுத்தியுள்ளது. இதனால், பின்தங்கிய மாநிலங்கள் குறைந்த மூலதன வரத்து மற்றும் பலவீனமான நிர்வாகத் திறனுடன் ஒரு சுழற்சியில் சிக்கியுள்ளன. ஆபத்துக் கண்ணோட்டத்தில், அதிக மக்கள்தொகை கொண்ட வட மாநிலங்களில் காற்று மாசுபாட்டால் ஏற்படும் இயலாமை-சரிசெய்யப்பட்ட ஆயுட்காலங்கள் (DALYs) சமாளிக்கத் தவறுவது, பொது சுகாதார அமைப்பில் ஒரு பெரிய சுமையை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது. இது இறுதியில் தொழிலாளர் உற்பத்தித்திறனைத் தடுக்கும். மேலும், பஞ்சாப் போன்ற பிராந்தியங்களில் அதிக உள்ளீடு தேவைப்படும் விவசாய முறைகளைச் சார்ந்திருப்பதும், இயற்கை விவசாய உள்கட்டமைப்பு இல்லாததும், காலநிலை தொடர்பான தீவிர வானிலை நிகழ்வுகள் அடிக்கடி நிகழும் நிலையில், நாட்டின் உணவுப் பாதுகாப்பிற்கு கடுமையான ஆபத்துக்களை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது. முதலீட்டாளர்கள் மற்றும் கொள்கை வகுப்பாளர்கள் கவனிக்க வேண்டியது என்னவென்றால், 'Aspirational Districts' திட்டங்கள் நல்ல நோக்கத்துடன் இருந்தாலும், வடகிழக்கு/மத்திய மாநிலங்களுக்கும் அவற்றின் தெற்கு/மேற்கு மாநிலங்களுக்கும் இடையிலான தனிநபர் வருமானம் மற்றும் சமூக உள்கட்டமைப்பில் உள்ள பரந்த இடைவெளியை நிரப்ப தற்போது போதுமானதாக இல்லை. எதிர்காலக் கண்ணோட்டம்: 2030-ல் ஒருங்கிணைப்பு சவால் 2030 SDG இலக்குகளை அடைவதற்கு, ஒட்டுமொத்த தேசிய வளர்ச்சி இலக்குகளிலிருந்து, உள்ளூர்மயமாக்கப்பட்ட, மாநிலம் சார்ந்த, மீள்திறன் கொண்ட உள்கட்டமைப்பு திட்டமிடலுக்கு ஒரு தீவிர மாற்றம் தேவை. காலநிலை அபாயங்கள் அதிகரிக்கும் நிலையில்—2025 தரவுகளின்படி கிட்டத்தட்ட ஆண்டு முழுவதும் தீவிர வானிலை நிகழ்வுகள் பதிவாகியுள்ளன—இந்த பின்தங்கிய பிராந்தியங்களில் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்காமல் இருப்பதற்கான செலவு தொடர்ந்து அதிகரிக்கும். எதிர்கால பொருளாதார உந்து சக்தி, இந்த பின்தங்கிய மாநிலங்கள் நிலையான தனியார் மூலதனத்தை ஈர்க்க தங்கள் நிர்வாக கட்டமைப்புகளை நவீனப்படுத்த முடியுமா அல்லது நாடு இரட்டை வேக பொருளாதாரத்தால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு, அதன் உலகளாவிய நிலைத்தன்மை கடமைகளைத் தவறவிடுமா என்பதைப் பொறுத்தது.

ભારતના SDG લક્ષ્યાંક 2030 જોખમમાં? પ્રાદેશિક વિકાસના અંતર પર નિષ્ણાતોની ચિંતા

ભારતના પાંચ સૌથી વધુ વસ્તી ધરાવતા રાજ્યો વિકાસ અને પર્યાવરણીય લક્ષ્યાંકોમાં નિષ્ફળ જઈ રહ્યા છે, જે દેશના 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) ના માર્ગમાં ગંભીર પ્રશ્નાર્થ ઊભા કરે છે. Centre for Science and Environment ના નવા વિશ્લેષણ મુજબ, આ રાજ્યોમાં કચરા વ્યવસ્થાપન, જાહેર આરોગ્ય અને ઈન્ફ્રાસ્ટ્રક્ચરમાં ગંભીર સમસ્યાઓ છે, જે રાષ્ટ્રીય સ્તરની પ્રગતિને અવરોધી શકે છે અને આર્થિક અસમાનતા વધારી શકે છે. પ્રાદેશિક અસંતુલનનો માળખાકીય બોજ ભારતના વિકાસના આંકડાઓનું તાજેતરનું મૂલ્યાંકન દર્શાવે છે કે સંસાધન-સમૃદ્ધ, ઉચ્ચ-વૃદ્ધિ દર ધરાવતા દરિયાકાંઠાના રાજ્યો અને દેશના સૌથી વધુ વસ્તી ધરાવતા આંતરિક વિસ્તારો વચ્ચે અંતર વધી રહ્યું છે. જ્યારે Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) પર રાષ્ટ્રીય સ્તરની પ્રગતિ ઘણીવાર ચર્ચામાં રહે છે, ત્યારે વિગતવાર ડેટા સૂચવે છે કે ભારતના પાંચ મુખ્ય આર્થિક એન્જિન - ઉત્તર પ્રદેશ, મહારાષ્ટ્ર, બિહાર, મધ્ય પ્રદેશ અને પશ્ચિમ બંગાળ - તેમની મોટી વસ્તીને ટકાઉ ઈન્ફ્રાસ્ટ્રક્ચર અને માનવ વિકાસમાં રૂપાંતરિત કરવા માટે સંઘર્ષ કરી રહ્યા છે. આ સતત નબળી કામગીરી માત્ર સામાજિક ચિંતાનો વિષય નથી, પરંતુ રાષ્ટ્રીય અર્થતંત્ર પર માળખાકીય બોજ છે, કારણ કે આ રાજ્યો દેશના વસ્તી વિષયક ડિવિડન્ડનો નોંધપાત્ર હિસ્સો ધરાવે છે. પર્યાવરણીય અને ઈન્ફ્રાસ્ટ્રક્ચરની ખાધ કચરા વ્યવસ્થાપન મોટાભાગના રાજ્યોમાં સૌથી મોટી નિષ્ફળતા તરીકે ઉભરી આવ્યું છે, જેમાં નવીનીકરણીય ઉર્જા ઉત્પાદન માટે સામાન્ય રીતે ઉચ્ચ ક્રમાંકિત રાજ્યોનો પણ સમાવેશ થાય છે. ગોવા જેવા ટોચના પ્રદર્શનકર્તાઓ પણ ગંભીર પર્યાવરણીય પડકારોનો સામનો કરી રહ્યા છે, જેમાં ગટરના પાણીની સારવાર અને પ્રદૂષિત નદીઓના વિભાગોનું સંચાલન શામેલ છે. ડેટા ઝડપી શહેરીકરણ સાથે પર્યાવરણીય સુરક્ષાને એકીકૃત કરવામાં વ્યવસ્થિત અસમર્થતા દર્શાવે છે. વધુમાં, 36 રાજ્યો અને કેન્દ્રશાસિત પ્રદેશોમાંથી 32 માં જાહેર ઈન્ફ્રાસ્ટ્રક્ચર - વીજળી, આવાસ અને કનેક્ટિવિટી - હજુ પણ અવિકસિત છે, જે દેશના મોટાભાગના ભાગોને અસરકારક લાંબા ગાળાના આર્થિક વિસ્તરણ માટેની મૂળભૂત આવશ્યકતાઓથી નીચે રાખે છે. શાસન અને સંસાધન ફાળવણી: જોખમોનું વિશ્લેષણ આ પ્રાદેશિક અસંતુલનની સતતતા સૂચવે છે કે પરંપરાગત વિકાસ મોડેલો ભારતના વિવિધ રાજ્યોના અનન્ય વહીવટી અને ભૌગોલિક પડકારોને ધ્યાનમાં લેવામાં નિષ્ફળ રહ્યા છે. મુંબઈ અથવા કોલકાતા જેવા મહાનગરો પર ઐતિહાસિક નિર્ભરતાને કારણે FDI અને ખાનગી રોકાણ કેન્દ્રિત થયું છે, જેના કારણે ઓછા વિકસિત રાજ્યો ઓછી મૂડી પ્રવાહ અને નબળી શાસન ક્ષમતાના ચક્રમાં ફસાયેલા છે. જોખમી પરિપ્રેક્ષ્યથી, ગીચ વસ્તી ધરાવતા ઉત્તરીય રાજ્યોમાં વાયુ પ્રદૂષણ સંબંધિત ડિસેબિલિટી-એડજસ્ટેડ લાઇફ યર્સ (DALYs) ને સંબોધવામાં નિષ્ફળતા જાહેર આરોગ્ય પ્રણાલી પર વધતો બોજ ઊભો કરે છે જે આખરે શ્રમ ઉત્પાદકતાને અવરોધશે. વધુમાં, પંજાબ જેવા પ્રદેશોમાં ઉચ્ચ-ઇનપુટ કૃષિ પદ્ધતિઓ પર નિર્ભરતા - કાર્બનિક ખેતીના ઈન્ફ્રાસ્ટ્રક્ચરના અભાવ સાથે - આબોહવા સંબંધિત આત્યંતિક હવામાન ઘટનાઓની વારંવારતા વધતાં દેશને ગંભીર ખાદ્ય સુરક્ષાના જોખમોમાં મૂકે છે. રોકાણકારો અને નીતિ ઘડનારાઓએ નોંધ લેવી જોઈએ કે 'આકાંક્ષી જિલ્લાઓ' કાર્યક્રમો, ભલે તે સારા ઇરાદા સાથે હોય, હાલમાં ઉત્તર-પૂર્વીય/મધ્ય રાજ્યો અને તેમના દક્ષિણ/પશ્ચિમી પ્રતિસ્પર્ધીઓ વચ્ચે માથાદીઠ આવક અને સામાજિક ઈન્ફ્રાસ્ટ્રક્ચરમાં વિશાળ અંતરને ઘટાડવા માટે અપૂરતા છે. આઉટલુક: 2030 માં સંકલનનો પડકાર 2030 SDG એજન્ડા હાંસલ કરવા માટે એકંદર રાષ્ટ્રીય વૃદ્ધિ લક્ષ્યાંકોથી સ્થાનિક, રાજ્ય-વિશિષ્ટ, સ્થિતિસ્થાપક ઈન્ફ્રાસ્ટ્રક્ચર આયોજન તરફ આમૂલ પરિવર્તનની જરૂર પડશે. જેમ જેમ આબોહવા જોખમો વધે છે - 2025 ના ડેટા લગભગ વર્ષભરની આત્યંતિક હવામાન ઘટનાઓ દર્શાવે છે - આ ઓછી કામગીરી કરતા પ્રદેશોમાં નિષ્ક્રિયતાનો ખર્ચ વધતો રહેશે. ભવિષ્યની આર્થિક ગતિ સંભવતઃ આ પાછળ રહેલા રાજ્યો તેમની વહીવટી ફ્રેમવર્કને આધુનિક બનાવીને ટકાઉ ખાનગી મૂડીને આકર્ષિત કરી શકે છે કે કેમ તેના પર નિર્ભર રહેશે, અથવા દેશ બે-ગતિવાળી અર્થવ્યવસ્થાના બોજ હેઠળ રહેશે જે તેની વૈશ્વિક સ્થિરતા પ્રતિબદ્ધતાઓને ચૂકી જવાનું જોખમ ધરાવે છે.