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घरों के लिए सौर ऊर्जा कार्यक्रम की कम नहीं हैं चुनौतियां

इंजीनियर लक्ष्मी नारायण अपने शहर के उन लोगों में हैं, जिन्होंने सौर ऊर्जा की रोशनी सबसे पहले अपने घर में देखी. 2020 में अपने घर की छत पर उन्होंंने सोलर पैनल लगाया था और इस तरह भोपाल में सौर ऊर्जा के क्षेत्र मरें अगुआ बन गए. वह अपने देश को जीवाश्म ईंधन से बचाना चाहते हैं, जो धरती को गर्म कर रहा है. 60 साल के नारायण ने थॉमसन रॉयटर्स फाउंडेशन से कहा, "मैं नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के आइडिया के महत्व को समझता हूं और हर किसी को इसे अपनाना चाहिए." नारायण के इस कदम ने भोपाल के कई लोगों को छतों पर सोलर पैनल लगाने के लिए प्रेरित किया. लोकसभा चुनाव के ठीक पहले शुरू हुई एक नई सरकारी योजना अधिक से अधिक लोगों को अपने घरों की छतों पर सौर पैनल लगाने के लिए प्रोत्साहित कर रही है. भारत 2030 तक नवीकरणीय क्षमता को तीन गुना करना चाहता है. घर की छत पर सोलर पैनल फरवरी में लॉन्च की गई योजना के तहत सरकार ने घरों की छतों पर सौर पैनल लगाने के लिए 75 अरब रुपये की सब्सिडी देने की घोषणा की है, इसके तहत एक करोड़ घरों की छत पर लगे सौर पैनल को ग्रिड से जोड़ा जाएगा. इससे उपभोक्ताओं को बिजली बिल घटाने में मदद मिलेगी और अतिरिक्त यूनिट बेचकर वह पैसे भी कमा पाएंगे. इससे घरों में 30 गीगावॉट सौर क्षमता पैदा होने की उम्मीद है. अप्रैल के आखिर में प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र ने एक इंटरव्यू में कहा था, "मैं तीन चीजें चाहता हूं. हर घर का बिजली बिल शून्य होना चाहिए; हमें अतिरिक्त बिजली बेचनी चाहिए और पैसा कमाना चाहिए और मैं भारत को ऊर्जा क्षेत्र में आत्मनिर्भर बनाना चाहता हूं क्योंकि हम इलेक्ट्रिक वाहनों के युग में प्रवेश कर रहे हैं." प्रक्रिया को आसान बनाने की कोशिश यह प्रक्रिया जो पहले जटिल थी अब इसे आसान बना दिया गया है. सौर पैनलों को लगाने और उसके लिए आवेदन करने के लिए ऑनलाइन पोर्टल लॉन्च किया गया है. योजना के तहत सब्सिडी सीधे लोगों के बैंक खातों में जमा की जाती है. नया रूफटॉप सौर प्रोग्राम भले ही लोगों को छतों पर पैनल लगाने के लिए बढ़ावा दे रहा है लेकिन नारायण के कुछ अलग अनुभव भी हैं. उनका कहना है कि ऑनलाइन पोर्टल कई नौकरशाही सिरदर्दों के जवाब प्रदान करेगा जो प्रक्रिया को बाधित करते थे, लेकिन उनके मुताबिक बड़ी चुनौती बिजली वितरण कंपनियों या डिस्कॉम को शामिल करना है. दिल्ली स्थित थिंक टैंक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) के दिसंबर 2023 के एक अध्ययन में कहा गया है कि डिस्कॉम को छत पर सौर पैनलों के लिए राष्ट्रीय ग्रिड तक निर्बाध पहुंच और कनेक्टिविटी प्रदान करनी चाहिए थी, लेकिन यह कभी-कभी "कंपनियों के व्यावसायिक हित के सीधे टकराव में होता था."

India's solar power subsidies for homes face scepticism

renewable energy and thought that everyone should 60, whose action inspired many others to do the same Madhya Pradesh state in central India. Now, a new government scheme - unveiled before voti elections in April - aims to encourage more people to in The new programme, launched in February, provides 7 billion) in subsidies to install grid-connected rooftop s around 10 million homes, allowing consumers to redu when the sun shines and sell extra units to the grid to It is expected to create 30 gigawatts (GW) of solar capa to a reduction of 720 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions over the 25-year lifespan of the rooftop syste "I want three things. Every household's power bill shou sell surplus electricity and earn money; and I want to m in the energy sector as we transition to the era of elect Minister Narendra Modi said in a televised interview i The process, which was previously complicated and fra simplified with the creation of a one-stop online porta applications and facilitate installations. Subsidies are people's bank accounts. India overtook Japan to become the third-largest solar 2023, providing 5.9% of global growth in solar, a report said on May 8 But Ember noted that wind, solar and other low-carbo growing fast enough to meet India's rising electricity d The new rooftop solar programme is meant to boost th experience offers a cautionary tale. He says the new online portal will provide answers to headaches that used to bedevil the process but, in his e challenge is getting the electricity distribution compa board. A December 2023 study by the Centre for Science and Delhi-based think tank, said DISCOMs were supposed access and connectivity for rooftop solar systems to th this was sometimes "in direct conflict with business in companies". Narayan said that although he saved up to 250,000 ru electricity bills over three years thanks to his 6 kilowat selling excess electricity to the grid proved to be proble DISCOMs proving ineffective partners. "The electricity distribution company charges me 8 rup consume from the grid, but for the surplus solar electri the grid, they pay me 1.5 rupees per unit. How is that fa

Dust Control In Focus As Air Turns Very Poor

After witnessing four ‘poor’ days in a row, Delhi’s air quality worsened further on Tuesday. The air quality index (AQI) entered the ‘very poor’ category at 302. The last time the city saw a higher AQI than this was on Feb 14 at 341. No respite is expected from bad air as the air quality is predicted to stay in ‘very poor’ to ‘poor’ category for the next few days. The Commission for Air Quality Management conducted an emergency meeting and decided not to impose measures under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). However, it asked agencies to intensify dust control measures. Delhi’s air quality started deteriorating from Tuesday morning after dust-raising winds prevailed in the city. Central Pollution Control Board’s data shows that AQI was in the higher-end of ‘poor’ category at 290 at 10 am, but it crossed 300 by 3 pm. The city has been witnessing a streak of bad air days since May 3. Two stations—Anand Vihar and Shadipur— saw the air quality slipping into ‘severe’ category with AQI surpassing 400. Neighbouring cities also recorded high AQI on Tuesday— Greater Noida (340), Noida (319), Faridabad (303), Ghaziabad (281), and Gurgaon (291). Dust is currently a major source of pollution in the air. A met official said, “Soil is dry due to no intense rain activity for the past few days. Dust-raising winds of 10-15 kmph blew during the daytime.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, a quick review of the data showed that PM10 was dominating AQI at most stations of Delhi, including Anand Vihar, and there was substantial difference between PM10 and PM2.5 levels. “This is indicative of the summer problem with high levels of dust in the air. This also needs a monitoring of dust generating activities like construction sites of buildings and infrastructure and if adequate and effective dust barriers and mitigation measures have been adopted. There is a need to control dust generating vehicular traffic and open burning. We need a summer action plan to control key sources of pollution,” she added. Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, said the higher concentration of dust was due to higher wind speed as compared to other months. “The main source of dust is our alluvial riverbed soil plus our activities on soil. Alluvial soil is just like talcum powder that gets lifted with increased wind speed.” CAQM posted on X that particulate matter load over the region has increased due to rapid changes in wind direction and speeds due to high convection rate and absolute dry conditions leading to continued suspension of dust and may not be attributed to any specific local sector. The air quality is likely to remain ‘very poor’ on Wednesday and may stay in the ‘poor’ category on Thursday and Friday.

Mercury climbs to 42°C as dry, dusty winds bring Delhi AQI down to ‘very poor’

IMD said Delhi’s maximum should drop marginally around May 12 due to a western disturbance, which may bring light rain and overcast skies Clear skies for the past few days raised Delhi’s maximum temperature to 42 degrees Celsius (°C) on Tuesday, three degrees above normal and the highest so far this year, and the dry conditions brought dusty winds to the city, resulting in a drop in air quality to the “very poor” zone. The Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) saw dry, dust-raising winds of 10-15 km/hr throughout Tuesday. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), respite is unlikely over the next three days, with the maximum temperature to remain above 41°C, and similar dusty conditions expected to prevail across the city. “At 42°C, this is the highest maximum so far for Delhi this year. No heatwave conditions have been recorded at any station. We saw consistent winds of 10-15 km/hr during the day. Since we have not seen any significant rain spell in the last few weeks, the topsoil is dry and these winds are raising local dust. Similar conditions may prevail on Wednesday, too. Easterly winds are now beginning to blow towards Delhi, which tends to bring a little moisture. There are chances the maximum may drop to 41°C on Wednesday and Thursday, but there is no significant respite,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at IMD. In terms of minimum temperature, Delhi recorded a low of 24.2°C, which was a degree below normal. No heatwave Though the Safdarjung observatory is considered representative of Delhi’s weather, other locations, particularly in the outer parts of Delhi, are even warmer. The highest maximum on Tuesday was 43.9°C at Najafgarh, and 43.1°C at Jafarpur, IMD data showed. The highest maximum recorded at any weather station so far this year was 44°C at the Sports Complex station (Akshardham) on May 5. Delhi is yet to record a heatwave day so far this year. IMD classifies it as a “heatwave” when the maximum is more than 40°C, while also being 4.5 degrees or more above normal. The highest maximum recorded in May last year was 43.7°C on May 23. In 2022, it was 45.6°C on May 16. In 2021, it was 41.6 (May 5) and in 2020, it touched 46.0°C on May 27. Light rain on weekend IMD said Delhi’s maximum should drop marginally around May 12 due to a western disturbance, which may bring light rain and overcast skies. “We may see cloudiness, light rain and gusty winds of 25-35 km/hr on May 11 and May 12. This may bring down the maximum to around 40°C,” Srivastava said. Forecasts show the minimum temperature is likely to hover between 24°C and 25°C till the end of the week. High dust pollution After four consecutive “poor” air quality days, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the “very poor” category on Tuesday. The Central Pollution Control Board’s national bulletin, released every day, showed the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) for Delhi was recorded at 302 (very poor) — a rise from Monday’s average AQI of 247 (poor). The last time Delhi’s AQI was in the “very poor” zone was on February 14 when it was recorded at 341, data showed. Forecasts by the Centre’s Early Warning System (EWS) showed that AQI was likely to stay “very poor” on Wednesday as well. “The air quality is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ zone on Wednesday and may improve to the ‘poor’ category on Thursday and Friday,” EWS said in its daily bulletin. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, in the wake of the deteriorating air quality and decided not to impose the emergency-level Graded Response Action Plan (Grap). However, it has asked all agencies in NCR to intensify actions to control dust in the region. “The average AQI of Delhi has touched 300 due to highly unfavourable meteorological conditions. Particulate matter load over the region has increased due to rapid changes in wind direction and speeds due to high convection rate and absolutely dry conditions leading to continued suspension of dust and may not be attributed to any specific local sector. All agencies concerned have been asked to intensify actions for abatement of dust arising from various C&D activities, linear projects and from roads, pathways or right of ways and open areas through various dust abatement measures prescribed by CAQM,” it said in a statement on Wednesday. Dust consists of coarser particles, which leads to a spike in PM 10 concentration. Last May, Delhi had seen one “very poor” air day, on May 17, when AQI rose to 336 that day, again due to dust-raising winds. Though the overall average was “very poor”, CPCB data showed two stations, Anand Vihar and Shadipur crossed the 400 mark. CPCB classifies an AQI between 0-50 as “good”, between 51 and 100 as “satisfactory”, between 101 and 200 as “moderate”, between 201 and 300 as “poor”, between 301 and 400 as “very poor”, and over 400 as “severe”. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, of research and advocacy, at the Centre for Science and Environment, said PM 10 was the prominent pollutant at present, a reflection of high dust pollution. “This is common for the summer months when there is high dust pollution impacting the city. This shows the need to monitor dust-generating activities at construction sites and ensure effective mitigation measures are in place. A summer action plan is needed to act on all local summer sources of pollution,” she said.

Summer season but winter AQI: Why condos off GCR Extn breathing bad air

Gurgaon: The station at Sector 51 reported ‘very poor’ air quality index (AQI) for the last nine days, which spiked to ‘severe’ at 403 on Tuesday. These readings are notably high for this time of the year, since such AQI levels are generally witnessed in winter. Residents have expressed concerns about smoke and ash from illegal waste burning contaminating the air. According to data recorded by the station — around 5km away from the upscale Golf Course Road Extension area, which has high pollution levels because of traffic congestion and damaged roads — the 24-hour average AQI ranged between 316 and 378 during May 1-6. It was in the ‘very poor’ category. Located at Gurugram University, the station covers densely populated areas, including sectors 29, 46, 47, 50, 51, 52 and 57. The station is surrounded by highrises, hospitals, schools, and markets within a 10km radius. There are several construction sites in the vicinity, where sand and other materials are often left uncovered and diesel concrete mixers add to the pollution. Garbage dumping and burning is rampant in vacant plots, residents said. “We have been noticing ash across the sector, especially in the morning, for the past two days. I was alarmed on Tuesday when my elderly parents started having asthma attacks. This is not winter, when you expect AQI to worsen due to smog. If this happens in summer, where will we go?” asked Abhya Sharma, a resident of Sector 47. “Air quality is worsening day by day, and it’s becoming hazardous. We are risking our lives daily by living in these conditions. I have two kids aged 11 and 7 and I am scared to even let them play outdoors given the current conditions. They have been complaining of breathlessness, headaches and stomach pain. Dust pollution, air pollution due to the burning of garbage, trash spilling onto roads, and flaunting of construction norms is rampant. But authorities only talk about pollution caused by vehicles,” said Saurabh Chandre, who lives in Unitech Espace, Sector 50. Experts said May and June are already considered very dusty months in Delhi-NCR because of meteorological conditions. The AQI is likely to worsen in the coming days as the region is expected to witness dust storms, they said. “The areas near this station are very prone to waste burning. Frequent movement of heavy vehicles at night on potholed stretches also leads to a rise in pollution here. Dust storms will further increase pollution levels,” said Shubhansh Tiwari, research associate at the Centre for Science and Environment. Asked about the analysis, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials admitted that the station has been reporting high AQI as it is close to several air pollution hotspots. Chairman P Raghavendra Rao said, “I have directed the regional officer of Gurgaon, as well as MCG, to immediately look into the matter and initiate appropriate action.” Meanwhile, regional officer Kuldeep Singh said they are examining the data to determine what is causing the spike. Doctors said when pollution is high, there is a rise in hospital admissions of people with lung conditions, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). “Being exposed to air pollution over a long period of time can cause asthma, COPD and other ailments. If you’re exposed to high levels of pollution during pregnancy, the baby has chances of developing asthma regardless of whether you are asthmatic or not. Air pollution also increases the risk of lung infections like bronchitis and pneumonia, as well as lung cancer. PM2.5 particles can reach the breathing sacs in your lungs and enter the bloodstream,” said Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, head of critical care and pulmonology at CK Birla Hospital.

New Challenges In Eco Fragile J & K

The Jammu and Kashmir ecologically fragile region is prone to various types of natural disasters like earthquake, floods, soil erosion, landslides, snow avalanches, snowstorms and high velocity winds. Every year, the impact of natural disasters causes many deaths and damage to property in crores. The recent land sliding, land sinking and flash floods witnessed by Jammu and Kashmir sends red signals ringing for all its residents to wake up before it is too late otherwise, its residents should be ready for destructive natural disasters any time in the very near future. Why Jammu and Kashmir recently witnessed flash floods, landslides and land sinking just for a few days of rain. There are a number of responsible reasons. Increasing human activities and haphazard constructions in ecologically fragile regions for the last many years have destroyed natural resources like green forests, grasslands, wetlands, fresh water rivers, fertile lands, mountains and glaciers. These anthropogenic activities have increased the risk of vulnerability to natural disasters and threatening human lives as well. Soaring pollution, unprecedented deforestation, road construction, terrace cultivation and illegal encroachment of water bodies and forestland with no regard for environmental, geological, geomorphological, and ecological conditions have increased risk of landslides, land sinking and floods here. According to a report of New Delhi based NGO namely the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), more than 50 % of lakes, wetlands, and ponds in Srinagar have been encroached for the last one hundred years. Large-scale urbanization, growing population, urban concretization, global warming, and climate change for the last one decade further vandalised our natural resources tremendously. Discharge of sewage, waste, silt and weak and damaged embankments due to reckless illegal mining and continuous movement of trucks, JCBs, dumpers and other heavy vehicles used to carry riverbed material have put a greater extent of pressure on our water bodies. These activities have reduced the carrying capacity of water bodies in the region and some water bodies have become extinct. Lack of proper drainage system, choking of drains, canals and wetlands have further increased the vulnerability to natural disasters. Construction of ring roads and other structures without implementation of guidelines to drain out rainwater have added more woes to the people. The rampant misuse of the building permission norms all across Jammu and Kashmir and lack of strict action by the concerned department has turned most water bodies into cesspools. Massive landslides, land sinking and floods have now become very common in Jammu and Kashmir amid few days of normal raining. Torrential rains, snow avalanches, snowstorms and high velocity winds are also witnessed here in all seasons causing loss of lives and damage to property of people. Recent moderate levels of rain for some days caused flash floods and triggered massive landslides in many parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Flash floods, landslides and land sinking created havoc adding misery and pain to common people by damaging houses, agricultural fields, crops, orchards, roads, bridges, schools. All schools have been closed and university examinations’ postponed. The Srinagar Jammu National Highway, Mughal Road and Srinagar Leh roads have isolated the Kashmir valley from other parts of India leading to panic and chaos. Thousands of livestock as a source of livelihood for poor people in remote and rural areas perished, apple orchards uprooted and property of people in crores of rupees destroyed. Hundreds of houses and some school buildings developed cracks in kupwara, Ramban Budgam, Kulgam, Baramulla districts due to seepage of water and they became unsafe for people and students respectively. The water level of rivers, lakes, wetlands, streams, canals increased much and even orchards and agricultural fields have been completely waterlogged in various parts of the Kashmir valley particularly Puwama, Budgam, Shopian, Kulgam, Kupwara and Baramulla. The Jhelum was flowing at a flood declaration mark at certain points particularly at Ram Munshi Bagh Srinagar. However, all the concerned departments in all districts relocated the affected families and ensured relief, temporary accommodation, food and other essential services to the affected. “The policy makers should formulate productive and innovative policies that can cope with all types of disasters in Jammu and Kashmir. The state Disaster Management authority, Pollution Control Board, and Irrigation and flood Control Department and Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (EIA) should work in cooperation and make joint efforts to involve the public for disaster awareness and prevention measures. People should sincerely pledge to work together for disaster free Jammu and Kashmir. Otherwise, we will have to pay a huge price and suffer a colossal loss in the future.” The ecologically fragile J&K already falls under the high seismic Zones IV and V and cannot withstand the rampant and unscientific development and construction any time. Reckless anthropogenic activities by materialistic people without environmental clearance from Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (EIA) is only adding to the volcano that might explode anytime in future and engulf the whole valley in the form of floods, earthquakes, land sliding and land sinking. The natural resources that add beauty to the Jammu and Kashmir particularly mountains, hills, forestlands, water bodies, forests etc. need adequate safeguards against onslaught to protect their fragility. Removal of encroachments of water bodies, strengthening of embankments and their restoration for increasing water-holding capacity is the need of hour. Development and construction of structures and roads on scientific lines and implementation of environmental laws without any violation will play a crucial role in disaster prevention. Proper flood management plan should be devised by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to avert disasters in future. We cannot prevent disasters like floods, earthquakes and land sliding but prevent loss of lives or minimize damage by various effective strategies and ways. Everybody in Jammu and Kashmir should devote and work for the welfare of the environment like Manzoor Wagnoo, Dr. Raja Muzaffar, Dr Tauseef, Faiz Bakhshi, Advocate Nadeem Qadri, Syed Adil, and Syed Farhat. It is pertinent to mention that these environmentalists are working sincerely and tirelessly and contributing significantly to the environment. Civil society, NGOS, and religious scholars should also come forward to bring awareness to people that they cannot encroach, pollute water bodies, and construct houses on vulnerable spots. The government should devise an effective strategy to deal with such natural disasters in future. The policy makers should formulate productive and innovative policies that can cope with all types of disasters in Jammu and Kashmir. The state Disaster Management authority, Pollution Control Board, and Irrigation and flood Control Department and Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (EIA) should work in cooperation and make joint efforts to involve the public for disaster awareness and prevention measures. People should sincerely pledge to work together for disaster free Jammu and Kashmir. Otherwise, we will have to pay a huge price and suffer a colossal loss in the future. (The author is a teacher at Govt Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwa Budgam. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.) mushtaqa07@gmail.com

Troubled spice route

In a belated move, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has swung into action. It has asked states to collect different brands of powdered spices for testing. This follows a ban imposed in early April by the food regulatory authorities in Singapore and Hong Kong on two widely sold Indian brands, MDH and Everest, in which the presence of the carcinogenic pesticide ethylene oxide was discovered. Lab reports on samples from India will be placed before an expert committee and a consolidated report is likely in about 25 days. The government is also in the process of formulating guidelines for the use of ethylene oxide in samples of spices for domestic and export markets. This flurry of regulatory activity must be welcomed but it also raises questions about its efficiency and ability to take proactive action. The fact that India has taken over a month to respond to the complaints of regulators in overseas markets that are significant for Indian spice exporters will certainly raise questions, not least because the crisis over lethal pesticide traces in India’s food exports has been festering for a while. Last year, for instance, the US recalled three spice mixes from MDH for containing salmonella bacteria and the media reported a rapid rise in European Union (EU) alerts on pesticide residues present in basmati-rice consignments from India. These developments have a doubly damaging potential. The immediate one is to severely impact a booming spice export business of $4.25 billion (2023-24), accounting for 12 per cent of global spice exports. At a time when key overseas markets are turning unpredictably protectionist, slow and opaque responses to food-safety complaints is a contrarian signal to send. The second and no less insidious is the public-health implication for a country where public spending on health care remains sub-par. Dangerously high pesticide residues in packaged food and drink have been an issue that has been tirelessly highlighted by organisations such as the environment and health advocacy group Centre for Science and Environment for more than two decades, without conspicuous response from the regulator. The recent ban by the Hong Kong and Singaporean food safety regulators underlines the dangers. Their scrutiny pointed to high levels of ethylene oxide, which is not recommended for use in food. In other words, its presence in any food item renders it unfit for human consumption, and prolonged ingestion is potentially carcinogenic. The serial rejection of shipments from both these brands by international bodies did not appear to have galvanised the Spices Board, which comes under the Ministry of Commerce, or the FSSAI into immediate action. Vigilance in food regulation demands more than setting standards or responding to the demands of industry lobbies. Last year, the Punjab government and rice exporters responded to the threat of rejection of basmati-rice stocks by the EU by working with farmers to stop spraying banned insecticides. Their efforts, however, are being thwarted by pesticide manufacturers, a politically powerful lobby in India that has a long history of putting profit before public health. These are issues that the FSSAI urgently needs to address. The health of Indians and India’s booming food export industry depends on it.

Tides of change

The gentle roar of the ocean lulled Indian mother-of-two Banita Behra to sleep each night, until one day the encroaching tide reached her doorstep. Behra is among hundreds of people from the disappearing and largely abandoned coastal village of Satabhaya, whose displaced former residents have been officially recognised by the government as climate migrants. She grew up watching helplessly with her neighbours as rising seas, driven by climate change and upriver dams, slowly claimed the land around them. “We were doing well there. We used to catch fish,” the 34-year-old told AFP. “But the sea came nearer and took away our homes.” Satabhaya is the hardest-hit of several rural idylls along the seafront in eastern Odisha, a state that has also been battered in recent decades by tropical cyclones and floods of increasing ferocity. Behra’s home is now underwater, 400 metres out to sea, while a few of her neighbours who refused to move live in makeshift thatched huts by the new shoreline. A weathered brick wall is all that remains of what was once a seaside temple. Last year the Odisha government announced funds for a resettlement colony in Bagapatia, 12 kilometres inland from their village, giving each family a small plot of land and USD1,800 to build a new house. Authorities said the scheme was the first of its kind in India for those forced to leave their homes by climate change. But life in Bagapatia has been tough for the new arrivals: without seas to fish and farmland to cultivate, many are depressed by having lost their self-reliance and way of life. In order to survive, most of the community’s men have had to take jobs to work as labourers out of state. Behra’s husband is now away 10 months of the year, working on the opposite side of the country and sending money home to provide for their two young children. “We miss him, some days I feel like crying,” she said. “But what can we do?” Rising global temperatures driven by human activity have led to a consequent rise in global sea levels with the melting of polar ice caps. Odisha, where millions of people live in coastal settlements along the Bay of Bengal, is particularly vulnerable to the encroaching waters. Satabhaya sits at the mouth of the mighty Mahanadi River Delta and its coasts were once replenished by earth carried by the currents from inland. But an upriver dam-building spree in the decades since India’s independence from Britain in 1947 drastically cut the amount of sediment deposited where the waterways met the sea. That left Odisha’s coasts vulnerable to erosion and lacking a critical defence against rising sea levels. Across the state, sea levels increased by an average of 19 centimetres in the five decades to 2015, according to a 2022 paper co-authored by researchers from the state’s Berhampur University. Tamanna Sengupta of India’s Centre for Science and Environment think-tank told AFP that Odisha had the highest number of villages severely impacted by coastal erosion in the country. The crisis had been worsened by the “growing frequency and intensity” of cyclones and floods in the area, she added. “Locals have been displaced and those who remain are at risk of losing their homes to intensifying floods,” Sengupta said.

4 Days In A Row! Air Poor, GRAP Missing

New Delhi: The city’s air quality continued to remain in the ‘poor’ category for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, with the air quality index (AQI) at 247. In some stations like Chandni Chowk, Jahangirpuri, Shadipur, NSUT Dwarka and Mundka, the air quality deteriorated to ‘very poor’ and the AQI reading was over 300. Though Delhiites have been breathing bad air, measures under Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) are yet to be implemented. When contacted, there was no immediate response from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, Delhi’s air quality was in the higher end of the ‘moderate’ category on May 1 and 2 and worsened to ‘poor’ on May 3, when AQI stood at 264. This further deteriorated in the days that followed — the reading was 281 on May 4 and 291 on May 5. Immediate relief from bad air is unlikely and the city may record a long streak of ‘poor’ days. The air quality is expected to stay ‘poor’ till May 9, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi (EWS), the forecasting body under the Union ministry of earth sciences. “The outlook for subsequent six days from May 9 is that the air quality is likely to be in ‘poor’ to ‘moderate’ category,” it said. CPCB’s data shows that May 2023 saw five poor days in a row. Experts said that since IMD has predicted that there is a 50% possibility of a dust storm on Tuesday, it could aggravate the air quality. According to Sunil Dahiya, South Asia analyst, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), “GRAP was planned in a way that it would be implemented depending on AQI levels, irrespective of season or politicians. However, GRAP loses its initial motive when high AQI levels prevail.” “To fight bad air, a systematic long-term approach is needed to kill pollution at source and emergency measures should be placed when AQI is high. No statutory body can curtail pollution with such behaviour,” he added. Explaining the reason behind the high pollution levels, Dahiya said, “In summer, soil is loose and suspended in the air. In the absence of reduction of fossil fuel consumption for vehicles and industries, pollution from the same sources remains high. Road dust should be controlled.” Stressing on the need for a summer action plan, Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, “The nature of pollution during summer is different from that in winter. During summer, we experience a combined challenge of rising dust pollution and more frequent exceedance of ozone levels. Ozone action needs to target the combustion sources.” According to a Delhi govt official, “A summer action plan is being prepared.”

Dedicated portal to register and manage bulk waste generators

The MCG initiative is truly unique & has potential to inspire other Indian cities to adopt similar measures, benefiting from its citizen-driven online system The proportion of waste produced by an urban local body municipality attributable to a bulk waste generator (BWG) should be around 30-40 per cent, according to the guidelines set forth by the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation in 2017. Gurugram, colloquially known as the ‘millennium city’, produces an estimated 1,200 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day (TPD). Of this volume, around 1,000 TPD is directed to the Bandhwari landfill owing to the city’s inadequate waste processing capabilities. Despite the existence of a sole concessionaire agreement for solid waste management for a 22-year tenure, involving the private agency, this situation continues to endure. BWGs are defined by the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016 as structures occupied by the following entities: Local bodies, public sector undertakings or private companies, central government departments or undertakings, state government departments or undertakings, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions, hostels, hotels, commercial establishments, markets, places of worship, stadia and sports complexes. The average waste generation rate of these establishments must surpass 100 kilogramme per day, including all streams of waste. The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon, however, has reclassified BWGs as any source that produces 50 kg or more of solid waste per day, in connection to the power and authority vested in urban local bodies by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act to make decisions and implement amendments in accordance with local needs. Conforming to the SWM Rules, 2016 and the corresponding municipal bye-laws in SWM, all resident welfare and market associations, gated communities and institutions exceeding 5,000 square metres in area, as well as hotels and restaurants are obligated to comply with the following regulations: Ensure waste is segregated at the point of generation; Deliver recyclable materials to authorised waste pickers or recyclers; Process, treat, and dispose of biodegradable waste as much as possible on-site via composting or bio-methanation; and Deliver any remaining waste to waste collectors or an agency designated by the local governing body The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has partnered with MCG to provide technical support through research, advocacy and capacity building. During this endeavour, CSE conducted a deep-dive study on waste management practices by BWGs and recommended a series of reforms in the existing ecosystem that includes notification of the draft by law with mandatory provisions for BWG compliances, capacity building of urban local body officials, extensive re-survey of BWGs, re-empanelment of private agencies to support BWGs, rejuvenation and restructuring of the ‘Citizens’ Monitoring Committee’ (CMC) to make waste management more inclusive. During the engagement, MCG notified its draft bye-law for public comments and notify it officially for enforcement soon after. The re-survey helped MCG to arrive at a comprehensive database of 1,681 BWGs, of which, 400 have been notified for compliance and the rest are in the process. In its effort to strengthen the support ecosystem, MCG empanelled 13 private agencies to engage with the BWGs to manage their wet waste, dry waste including domestic hazardous waste and electrical and electronic waste, respectively. It has also revived the CMC as per CSE recommendation and a constant lobbying from the citizens. The city has also renamed it ‘Citizens’ Supervisory Committee’ (CSC). The committee has played a critical role to revise the draft bye laws and do the later proceedings for its notification and other necessary overhauls pertaining to the BWGs. The most recent and one of the most important steps taken by MCG following the CSE recommendations and support from CSC is related to management of BWGs by introducing a comprehensive management information system for enrolment, geo-tagging and concurrent monitoring of BWGs through the digital platform. The system requires detailed information from BWGs during registration, categorising them based on types. BWGs can then geo-tag themselves using a built-in map feature. Additionally, the system prompts BWGs to specify their level of waste segregation, processing and disposal methods, accompanied by photos or other evidence. This self-reported data aids the city in monitoring BWGs for compliance and conducting regular checks. The portal allows BWGs to submit reports on waste generation and processing weekly, monthly and quarterly. Gurugram is continuously enhancing the system to include more features for BWGs.

FSSAI Increases Permissible Pesticide Levels In Spices By 10 Times

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has drawn attention after it recently announced a significant increase in the permissible levels of pesticides in spices, sparking concerns among consumers and industry stakeholders. According to a media report, the maximum residue limit (MRL) for pesticides in spices has been raised from 0.01 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) to 0.1 mg/kg, marking a tenfold increase. While this adjustment purportedly stems from various representations made to the FSSAI, reactions to the decision have been mixed. Dileep Kumar, CEO of Pesticide Action Network, expressed apprehension, stating to media that this relaxation could result in heightened rejections of Indian spices in major export markets. Additionally, Kumar warned of potential implications for public health, suggesting that the move might facilitate the import of spices with elevated pesticide levels. The decision has also drawn scrutiny from experts and advocacy groups. Down To Earth, in a report dated 24 April, highlighted concerns raised by Amit Khurana, Programme Director for Sustainable Food Development at the Centre for Science and Environment. Khurana had emphasised the need for transparency and data-driven justifications behind such a significant revision in pesticide limits. He further cautioned that the increased pesticide levels could pose serious health risks to consumers. The timing of this decision coincides with recent international actions against spices with elevated pesticide content. Last month, countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, and Maldives imposed bans on the sale of popular spice brands MDH and Everest due to concerns over high pesticide levels, particularly ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen. Despite assertions by the affected brands regarding the safety of their products, foreign regulators advised against their usage, citing potential health hazards. As debates surrounding food safety and regulatory standards intensify, stakeholders await further clarity from the FSSAI regarding the rationale and implications of the revised pesticide limits in spices, amidst growing concerns over consumer health and international trade dynamics.

Bhopal’s only IT park fails to take off

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh has made significant strides in the field of Information Technology (IT) by formulating six IT policies over the years. However, despite these efforts, the states capital’s sole IT park is still struggling to attract companies and generate employment opportunities for the local youth. The IT park, situated on New Jail Road, was established with the promise of providing 6,000-7,000 jobs. Despite its proximity to airport and highway, the park could not achieve the desired results even after eight years since its inception. Not even 1,000 people are currently employed in the park. Bhopal’s only IT park fails to take off The development of the IT park has been sluggish. Not more than 12 companies have initiated their operations in past eight years in the park that offers 100 plots spread across the 212-acre and a total built-up area of over one lakh square feet. Officials responsible for the IT park's management stated that notices were issued to defaulters as per the stipulated timeline in the IT Act. However, nothing was done on the ground. They also claimed to have initiated the process of reclaiming plots from those who have failed to start work. The IT policies were introduced in 1999, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2023. An individual who benefited from the policy initially worked as a consultant and later transitioned to the role of a marketing manager. Some companies that acquired plots in 2014-15 are still operating from rented premises in MP Nagar and other parts of Bhopal. A company owner said that the govt had initially promised to allocate software projects to private firms but failed to fulfill its commitments. To address the issues, the state govt must take proactive measures to attract more companies. Providing incentives, improving infrastructure, and creating a conducive business environment could be some of the steps in this direction. The government must take urgent action to revive the park, attract investments, and generate employment opportunities for the local youth. Only then can the state truly harness the potential of the IT industry and contribute to the overall economic growth of the region. We also published the following articles recently MCDs parking plan parked for 3 yearsMCD faces obstacles in PAMP implementation. 17 colony plans submitted, 4 approved. Delhi govt silent. CAQM's directions raise concerns. Stack parking at Nizamuddin Basti prioritized. Centre for Science and Environment input crucial for dynamic pricing enforcement.109673051 How to park 'cool' in scorching summers in India: Parking tips and suggestionsPrevent car overheating in India by parking in shade, using sunshades, enhancing airflow, and installing window tinting for heat reduction, privacy, and compliance with visibility regulations.109753387 Amsterdam parking space up for grabs for 495,000 eurosA parking space near P.C. Hooftstraat in the Netherlands was listed for almost half a million euros, facing an acute housing shortage of 390,000 homes, with the average house price at 430,000 euros.109799417

Rich vs developing feud at climate financing talks

Major differences are emerging again between rich and developing countries on who should contribute to the new quantified goal on climate finance, according to the Third World Network, an independent non-profit that is tracking the negotiations at Cartagena in Columbia. The primary agenda of the annual UN climate meeting to be held in Baku in Azerbaijan in November would be to negotiate a new goal for climate finance, which currently has a floor of a minimum of $100 billion every year after 2025, that is expected to help developing countries transition to a low-carbon future. In an Ad Hoc Work Programme (AHWP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Cartagena in Colombia from April 23 to 26, the US is reported to have said the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) is “voluntary” for those that “choose to pay”, referring to Article 9.3 of the 2015 Paris climate pact that deals with climate finance. India, speaking for the like-minded developing countries (LMDCs), said the goal must be in accordance with the principles and provisions of the convention and the Paris Agreement, which is equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and Article 9 of the pact. Article 9 stipulates that wealthy nations shall provide financial resources to assist developing countries to both mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate crisis. This translates into the goal being delivered by wealthy nations to developing countries in line with the latter’s existing and evolving needs, mainly because the developed world is historically responsible for most of the emissions that has caused the climate crisis, India argued. Arabian and African countries supported the LMDC grouping in the meeting. These arguments were captured by the Third World Network, which tracked the meeting in Colombia, and also the webcast provided by UNFCCC. These differences are expected to blow up at the Baku summit. Developed countries are now of the view that the contributor base should be determined based on evolving capabilities of nations with the capacity to pay, the level of emissions, and the nations’ GDP. They also said there has to be a discussion on who would receive the money. When the US argued that contribution to the NCQG was entirely voluntary, the Arabic nations clarified that the $100 billion goal was also in the context of Article 9.3 and there was unequivocal consensus that it applied to developed countries. India on behalf of LMDC said it did not agree with any feature relating to “domestic resources of developing countries” in the discussion. The NCQG is about how developed countries will provide support to developing countries, it said. India also said that “it makes no sense for the NCQG to be outcome-based”. The only outcome that can be traced as part of the goal was whether the quantum committed by developed countries was commensurate to the needs of developing countries, it argued. References to the contributor base and differentiation across beneficiaries were unacceptable and these were diversionary tactics, India said. “The NCQG should provide a clear agreement on burden-sharing among developed countries to establish their ‘fair share’ of their collective obligation to provide climate finance, which allows predictability, transparency, and accountability,” it said. India said the group had already proposed an amount of over $1 trillion per year based on the current needs, which can be updated based on the availability of new needs. “While the US made a statement that generated a lot of buzz, the same article (Article 9) has been used by developing countries to suggest the exact opposite position,” said Sehr Raheja, programme officer, climate change at the Centre for Science and Environment, an advocacy group. “India for the LMDCs stressed that a renegotiation of what Article 9 means is not a part of the NCQG mandate.”

Inclusivity in transition

The world is fast-tracking the transition to a green economy. It is moving towards renewables, like solar and wind, to replace coal and gas in energy systems; towards electric vehicles to replace oil for transportation; and towards hydrogen to replace fossil fuels in industry and energy. These are the three big changes expected to drive reduction in emissions in a world that is fast heating up, and with hugely consequential weather disasters. There is no doubt that the world needs to move with speed and at scale. But what will be the business model that we take to the new green world? I ask this as there are inherent problems with the old model of resource utilisation and its social and environmental fallouts. Take the issue of mineral extraction—be it coal, iron ore or aluminium. The mining of these raw materials, needed for energy and industry, have led to massive environmental fallouts. In India, as we have painfully found out, this mineral wealth is often under forests, wildlife habitats and, of course, tribal homes. This is why we say this resource curse is about rich lands and poor people. The fact also is that to get to the minerals we need for our economy, we have had to cut forests and displace local communities that had lived in this habitat. The tragedy of this extractive and revenue-generating economic model has been that the people who live on these lands have hardly benefited from the resources. This is the core of what is wrong in our world, not just emissions from these industries that then led us to catastrophic climate change. I ask this because in the new green economy, the world will still need minerals; though, different ones—lithium, nickel, copper, cobalt, graphite—but still those that are found under forests and, invariably, on the lands of the most marginalised. This is true of not just India but the world. New York-based market consultancy MSCI reports that 97 per cent of nickel, 89 per cent of copper, 79 per cent of lithium and 68 per cent of cobalt reserves in the US are within 55 km of Native American reservations. It is the same in other regions—from Central America to Africa to Asia. The green transition will mean an exponential growth in the need for these minerals. Will there be a difference in the way we conduct business with the Earth and its people? Battles are already being waged. In the US, for instance, mining majors Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton’s Resolution Copper mine in Arizona has come under fire from indigenous communities because the digging will have to happen on lands held sacred. The story is the same wherever the new gold rush is, across the world, with no new rules of engagement. In India, we have had a long tryst with making mineral extraction environmentally and socially just—sadly without solutions that work. Years ago, the Supreme Court had ruled in the Samata judgement that no mining can happen on tribal lands without the participation of the tribal people. It meant that, at the least, the tribal people would need to be equal shareholders in the business. But this was negated. Then came the effort to share the revenue from mining with these communities. In fact, the first draft of what then became the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) was to make the communities partners in the business. But this, too, got diluted. The grand idea of sharing benefits or making people partners in mineral development got reduced to an additional cess on minerals. This tax is deposited into DMF and gratuitously used by the government to fund what it would like to see as development, without much participation of the people who live on the land where the minerals are found. The situation is the same with environment and forest clearances. The objective at one time was to ensure that communities have rights to consent to these projects; that clearance would give weight to their objections to projects in greenfield forestlands. But this protection is being whittled away in the name of growth. It could have helped build a socially inclusive and just green future. The other issue that always led to contests in the old economy was the location of the project—from thermal power to iron smelters—because communities feared that pollution would jeopardise their life and livelihood. The same question is now being raised about the location of windmills and solar projects—that they are in areas inhabited by people or wildlife. The question, again, is this: in our promised green economy, will governments make rules that resolve the conflict in ways that improve local communities and their environment, or will the rush for transition mean more of the same old ways, or even worse? The fact is that the poor never really benefitted from the wealth generated in the old economy. The lands where coal was mined and energy produced still remain without electricity. Will the new economy make sure it is inclusive? Only then can it be sustainable. And if not, then the new economy is not new, or green. DTE

Cost concerns limit impact of PM Ujjwala Yojana among poor in cities

Chanda Pravin Katkari, who lives in Panvel on the outskirts of Mumbai, applied for a free LPG connection under the PM Ujjwala Yojana one-and-half years ago, but has yet to get a response. She still uses the traditional chulha, most of the time. Chanda and her sister-in-law share the cost and occasionally use their mother-in-law’s Ujjwala LPG cylinder though. “The cylinder lasts only one-and-half months if the three of us, living in separate households, use it regularly. Since we can’t afford this, we use it sparingly so that it lasts us about three months,” she says. Chanda’s experience outlines the two major issues plaguing the PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) – one, that many are still left out of scheme coverage, and second, that a large section of Ujjwala beneficiaries are unable to afford refills. The Narendra Modi-led government launched the PMUY in 2016, with the aim of enabling women from poor households to transition from traditional cooking fuels (firewood, coal, dung cakes, etc) to LPG. The emissions from traditional cooking fuels can cause health effects like respiratory diseases, heart diseases and cancer. 100% coverage, but whom does it cover? According to a press release by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, LPG coverage in the country was 104% as of January 2022, a huge leap from the 62% coverage in 2016. The ministry credits the Ujjwala scheme for this. As per the PMUY website, 10.3 crore households currently have an Ujjwala connection. Under the scheme, the first cylinder would be given free of cost, and there will be a subsidy for subsequent refills. While the press release may give the impression that all households in the country now have LPG connections, a senior official at the ministry says the exact percentage of coverage is difficult to estimate in the absence of recent Census figures. The 104% coverage mentioned by the ministry is based on population estimates extrapolated from the 2011 Census. “We don’t have the current state wise population figures. Without recent Census figures, it’s difficult to make inferences about LPG coverage. The number of households may have increased and there may have been more migration to certain states,” says the official. A small section of consumers also have multiple connections, pushing the percentage above 100, he adds. “Many people hold on to their old connections even if they move to a new place.” The National Family Health Survey-5, conducted in 2019-21, showed that 41% of the Indian population still used biomass as cooking fuel. A recent report from the think tank CSE (Centre for Science and Environment) estimated this would lead to cumulative emission of 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is about 13% of India’s greenhouse gas emissions.

FSSAI Increases Permissible Pesticide Levels in Spices by 10 Times

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has now allowed an increased quantity of pesticides as compared to what was allowed earlier, Economics Times has reported. Known as the maximum residue limit (MRL), the increase is up to 10 times, according to the ET report published May 4. The MRL has increased from 0.01 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) to 0.1 mg/kg. “This relaxation means Indian spices will face more rejections when exported to some large markets,” ET quoted Dileep Kumar, CEO of Pesticide Action Network, as saying. He also said this move may facilitate the import of spices with higher amounts of pesticides. The FSSAI has said it has increased the limit on the basis of several representations made to it, though the report doesn’t specify who made them. Down To Earth reported on this on April 24. It quoted the Centre for Science and Environment’s programme director for sustainable food development Amit Khurana as saying, “If you [FSSAI] are making such a huge upward revision, then you have to substantiate it by releasing the data based on which the decision was made.” He also said the increase could severely impact the health of those consuming these spices. Last month Hong Kong, Singapore and Maldives had banned the sale of MDH and Everest brands of species for being high in pesticide content. Their food regulators had found a high content of pesticide ethylene oxide, which is also cancer-causing. These countries had advised their citizens not to use these products. The MDH had rejected the reports of foreign regulators and claimed their species were completely safe.