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Cse In News

India’s farmers between policy promises and harsh realities: Double income or double crisis?

In a country that proudly calls itself agrarian, the continuing suicides of farmers and agricultural labourers remain a moral and policy failure. The scale of distress is not anecdotal; it is starkly visible in data compiled by institutions such as the Centre for Science and Environment. In 2021 alone, 10,881 people linked to the agricultural sector died by suicide—an average of nearly thirty lives lost every day. This was the highest figure in five years, surpassing even 2016, when 11,379 such deaths were recorded. These numbers are not just statistics; they represent broken households, abandoned fields, and a deepening crisis that refuses to recede. The timing of this spike is telling. While the country grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers were also engaged in prolonged protests against the Centre’s three agricultural reform laws. Amid this turbulence, states like Maharashtra reported 4,064 suicides, followed by Karnataka with 2,169 and Madhya Pradesh with 671. Even relatively prosperous agricultural regions such as Punjab and Haryana recorded distressing figures. The question that emerges is unavoidable: why did suicides rise again despite repeated policy assurances and relief measures?

Delhi unveils anti-air pollution plan for 2026; experts seek 'tangible targets'

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said the government needs to have a report card on the targets it has set. “What we are looking for now are actual implementation measures, not just announcements. What happens to their seasonal plans? These tend to be immediate, reactive responses.” Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced the rollout of the Air Pollution Mitigation Action Plan 2026, positioning it as a shift towards measurable, outcome-driven clean air governance. However, even as the government outlined an ambitious multi-sector strategy, experts cautioned that without strong enforcement, tangible targets, and long-term consistency, the plan risks repeating the shortcomings of previous efforts. Gupta held a review meeting and stressed that clean air and environmental protection are now central to the government’s policy framework, backed by dedicated budgetary allocations for clean mobility, dust control, waste management, greening, and pollution monitoring. The action plan released on Friday focuses on key sources of pollution – vehicular emissions, road dust, construction activity, industrial discharge, and biomass burning – through a scientific, data-driven approach, the government said. It identifies 11 priority sectors with clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and real-time monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance. Gupta stressed that the government has a “zero-tolerance” policy towards polluting vehicles. She said the “No PUC, No Fuel” rule is being strictly enforced, supported by cameras that automatically detect number plates. Expanded bus fleet, restrictions to vehicles entry From November 1, entry of goods vehicles into Delhi will be restricted to those compliant with BS-VI norms or powered by CNG or electricity. Non-essential traffic inflow will also be regulated. In periods of severe pollution, the government may consider staggered office timings, work-from-home directives, and additional restrictions on polluting vehicles for immediate relief. The government has set a target to expand the bus fleet to 13,760 by 2028-29, prioritising electric buses. Integration of metro and RRTS networks with feeder buses, e-autos, and shared mobility services is expected to improve last-mile connectivity and reduce dependence on private vehicles. To accelerate electric mobility, 32,000 EV charging points will be installed over the next four years. The upcoming EV Policy 2026 will focus on two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, alongside transitioning government fleets to cleaner fuels. To mitigate dust pollution, the government is deploying mechanical road sweepers, water sprinklers, and anti-smog guns on a large scale. Mist spray systems are being installed across roads and mandated for large buildings. Nearly 3,500 km of roads are being redeveloped with paved surfaces, green buffers, and utility ducts. A scientific road asset management system and time-bound pothole repair mechanism aim to eliminate dust at the source and improve durability. The government has set firm deadlines to eliminate legacy landfill sites—Okhla by July 2026, Bhalswa by December 2026, and Ghazipur by December 2027. The air quality monitoring network is being expanded alongside the creation of a centralised Green War Room and an Integrated Command and Control Centre. Ward-level “Vayu Rakshak” teams will be deployed, while the 311 platform will be upgraded to enhance citizen reporting The government has also set a target of planting 7 million trees, shrubs, and bamboo in 2026-27, with a long-term goal of over 10 million plantations. Experts sceptical Despite the government’s ambitious announcements, experts expressed concern that the plan largely repeats old measures. Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, said, “We have already seen enough plans over the years. What this plan needs is tangible targets and the government needs to monitor the base emission load and quantify the possible reduction in terms of emissions. Year-on-year, we need to target a reduction.” Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at Envirocatalysts, said while the full plan is not yet in the public domain and will have to be assessed, implementation remains the key – which has been lacking in previous years. “We have plenty of plans but we suffer from poor implementation every time.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said the government needs to have a report card on the targets it has set. “What we are looking for now are actual implementation measures, not just announcements. What happens to their seasonal plans? These tend to be immediate, reactive responses.” Aarti Khosla, director at the think-tank Climate Trends, said the plan largely appears to have similar measures as last year’s plan. “Broadly, there is not much that is new here. However, the fact that they’re looking to plan for pollution in advance – ahead of winter – is important and we need year-round focus on air pollution.”

ट्रैफिक जाम के खिलाफ हमारी जंग, हर वक्त, हर जगह लगने वाले जाम से दिल्ली परेशान, ऐसे होगा जाम से मुकाबला

सिस्टम को करें इंटिग्रेट: दिल्ली में लगने वाले जाम लोगों की सेहत पर भी सीधा असर पड़ रहा है। गाड़ियां रुक-रुक कर चलती हैं, जिससे ज्यादा धुआं निकलता है। जाम में फ्यूल भी ज्यादा खर्च होता है। ज़रूरत है कि इंटिग्रेटेड पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम मज़बूत हो। साथ ही वॉकिंग और साइकिलिंग के लिए सुरक्षित इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर बनाया जाए। -अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी, एग्जिक्यूटिव डायरेक्टर - रिसर्च, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) ब्रिटेन के पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री ऋषि सुनक ने भारत मंडपम में आयोजित 'इंडिया AI इम्पैक्ट समिट' के दौरान 19 फरवरी 2026 को तंज कसते हुए कहा था कि आर्टिफिशियल इंटेलिजेंस (AI) बहुत कुछ कर सकता है, लेकिन दिल्ली के ट्रैफिक को ठीक नहीं कर सकता। इससे एक नई बहस छिड़ गई थी, क्या वाकई राजधानी में ट्रैफिक के हालात इतने बुरे हैं? जाम के कारण क्या हैं? ट्रैफिक पुलिस के पास इन्हें दूर करने के लिए क्या रणनीति है? अन्य सरकारी विभागों से किस तरह से तालमेल किया जा रहा है? हम लेकर आ रहे हैं एक खास सीरीज, जिसमें एनबीटी के रिपोर्टर राजेश सरोह समस्याओं की जड़ तक जाकर पड़ताल करेंगे और एक्सपर्ट से मिलकर उपाय भी सुझाएंगे।

How the Yamuna appeared relatively ‘cleaner’ during Chhath Puja in Delhi last year

Out of the 20-plus drains that merge into the Yamuna after Wazirabad, two drains cause over 80% of the pollution load: Najafgarh (70%) and Shahdara (14%), as per a report by the Centre for Science and Environment. Every year, during the preparations for and festivities of Chhath Puja in Delhi, there is a rise in discourse around the pollution that plagues the holy Yamuna river as it passes through Delhi. Visuals of people standing in the river while surrounded by toxic foam on river create a temporary uproar which also fuels political parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to point fingers at each other. Yamuna’s passage across Delhi, especially the 22-kilometre stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla (which constitutes under 2% of the rivers total length of 1,400 kilometres) contributes to around 76% of the pollution load of the river, as per official data, majorly due to the several drains that merge into the river in this stretch. The discolouration of the river water, from being almost transparent at the northernmost sampling location (Palla) to severely discoloured along with foam at Okhla, is also evident as The Hindu reported earlier this month. Just before the commencement of the Chhath Puja festivities on October 25, the Haryana government diverted nearly all the water from the Hathnikund Barrage towards Yamuna, thereby, diluting the holy river water’s pollutants, as reported by The Hindu in October 2025. This “unprecedented” step by the newly-formed BJP government, that came back to power in Delhi after 27 years, was met with backlash by AAP, did improve the water quality, as the data shows. Every month, the water quality is sampled across eight locations by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) as shown in the map below. The water enters Delhi at Palla, where the quality of the water meets the standards set by the Central Pollution Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as the highly polluting Najafgarh drain flows into the Yamuna downstream of the Wazirabad bridge.

सरकार खाद्य मिलावट से सख्ती से निपटे, खाद्य वस्तुओं की दोहरी कीमत न रखी जाए

पाया गया था कि चीन से आयातित एक विशेष प्रकार की चीनी को शहद में मिलाकर एफएसएसएआई के परीक्षण मानक को भी पास किया जा सकता है। राजधानी दिल्ली स्थित सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट द्वारा किए गए शोध के अनुसार भारत में बेचे जा रहे शहद के 70 नमूनों में से केवल 3 ही अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर स्वीकृत हो सके थे। हानिकारक तेलों और पशु-चर्चा का व्यापक रूप से इस्तेमाल सड़क किनारे के ढाबों और कुछ भोजनालयों में मक्खन के रूप में किया जाता है। केंद्र और राज्य सरकारों को इस संबंध में आवश्यक कदम उठाने चाहिए, जिससे देश में मिलावटी ‘मक्खन’ का उपभोग संभव न हो सके। तिरुमाला तिरुपति देवस्थानम में कुछ साल पहले लड्डुओं के पवित्र प्रसाद में मिलावटी घी के उपयोग की चौंकाने वाली घटना सामने आई थी, जिससे यह साफ हो गया है कि ऐसे निवारक कदम उठाए जाएं जिससे हलवाइयों और भोजनालयों द्वारा इस प्रकार का मिलावटी देसी घी उपयोग में न लाया जा सके। देसी घी के निर्माता का ब्रांड-नाम और दूसरी जरूरी जानकारी अनिवार्य रूप से भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा तथा मानक प्राधिकरण (एफएसएसएआई) के साथ साझा की जानी चाहिए। यूपी में मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ ने निर्देश दिया कि सभी खाद्य केंद्रों के संचालकों, मालिकों और प्रबंधकों का नाम और पता प्रदर्शित किया जाए, साथ ही रसोइयों और वेटरों के लिए मारक व दस्ताने पहनना अनिवार्य किया जाए, इसके साथ ही होटलों और रेस्तरां में सीसीटीवी कैमरा लगाया जाना भी जरूरी है। हिमाचल प्रदेश सरकार के मंत्री विक्रमादित्य सिंह ने भी इसी नियम के पालन की इच्छा जताई है। सभी राज्यों को ये कदम उठाने चाहिए। हमारे यहां भोजनालयों के भंडारों में चूहों का भागना-दौड़ना बहुत आम है, जिससे रसोई गंदी होती हैं। एफएसएसएआई ने खाना पकाने के लिए बार-बार तले जाने वाले तेल के नियंत्रण पर महत्वपूर्ण कदम उठाया है। क्योंकि बार-बार ऐसा करने यह तेल हमारे स्वास्थ्य के लिए गंभीर खतरा बन जाता है। समय आ गया है कि भोजनालय चाहे कितना छोटा क्यों न हो, वहां आरओ जल-शुद्धिकरण यंत्र लगाना से जरूरी है। शाकाहारी और मांसाहारी भोजन के लिए रसोई के बर्तन अलग-अलग हों, ताकि शाकाहारी लोगों को भावनाओं का सम्मान किया जा सके। केंद्र सरकार को चाहिए कि वह योग की तरह अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर शाकाहारी भोजन को बढ़ावा दे और सभी सरकारी आयोजनों में केवल शाकाहारी भोजन ही परोसा जाए, इसे सुनिश्चित किया जाना चाहिए। अयोध्या और मथुरा जैसे पवित्र शहरों में हिंदुओं की भावनाओं के अनुरूप मांस की बिक्री पहले से ही प्रतिबंधित है, वहां शाकाहार को बढ़ावा मिल रहा है। इसलिए भारत सरकार को संयुक्त राष्ट्र से संपर्क करके 1 अक्टूबर को विश्व शाकाहार दिवस मनाए जाने का अनुरोध करना चाहिए, स्कूलों और रेलगाड़ियों में ताजा पकाए गए भोजन की जगह ब्रांडेड पैक्ड खाद्य पदार्थ मिलने चाहिए। आए दिन ऐसी रिपोर्ट्स देखने को मिलती हैं कि स्कूलों में मध्यान्ह भोजन के रूप में पकाए गए चावल और दाल घटिया क्वालिटी के हैं। यहीं नहीं उनमें कीड़े-मकोड़े, मेंढक, छिपकली और चूहे तक पाए जाते हैं। इसलिए पैक्ड भोजन ज्यादा भरोसेमंद होगा, सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने 19 अप्रैल 2021 को केंद्र और राज्य सरकारों से उन रिपोटों पर टिप्पणी मांगी थी, जिनमें कहा गया था कि भारत में प्रसिद्ध कंपनियों के लोकप्रिय ब्रांडों में भी मिलावटी शहद बेचा जा रहा है। पाया गया था कि चीन से आयातित एक विशेष प्रकार की चीनी को शहद में मिलाकर एफएसएसएआई के परीक्षण मानक को भी पास किया जा सकता है। राजधानी दिल्ली स्थित सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट द्वारा किए गए शोध के अनुसार भारत में बेचे जा रहे शहद के 70 नमूनों में से केवल 3 ही अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर स्वीकृत हो सके थे। खाद्य वस्तुओं की दोहरी कीमत न रखी जाए भारत सरकार की सार्वजनिक कंपनियां तमाम सुविधाएं और सब्सिडी पाकर भी कोई अंतरराष्ट्रीय रैंकिंग क्यों नहीं पाती हैं। इसी संदर्भ में इंडियन रेलवे कैटरिंग एंड टूरिज्म कॉरपोरेशन तथा मदर डेयरी के प्रबंधन से पूछा जाना चाहिए कि सार्वजनिक पैसे के भारी निवेश के बावजूद आखिर वे विश्व के शीर्ष 100 ब्रांडों में अपनी जगह क्यों नहीं बना सके? सरकार को पानी की बोतलों और खाद्य वस्तुओं की दोहरी कीमत की अनुमति भी नहीं देनी चाहिए, एक सामान्य कीमत खुले बाजार के लिए और दूसरी उड़ानों, थिएटरों और पांच सितारा होटलों के लिए, यह उपभोक्ता-विरोधी प्रथा बंद होनी चाहिए,

Double Income or Double Crisis? A Bitter Question from Farmers

For our agrarian country, the suicides of farmers and agricultural labourers are a shameful reality. In a single year, more than ten thousand farmers and agricultural labourers have taken the extreme step of suicide. According to data published by the environmental organization Centre for Science and Environment, in 2021, 10,881 people associated with the agricultural sector died by suicide. This means that in 2021, the number of people committing suicide daily was around thirty. The death toll in this single year is the highest in the last five years. While the country was battling the global COVID crisis, this was certainly a challenging time. At the same time, farmers stood in protest against the three agricultural reforms introduced by the central government. In 2021, Maharashtra recorded the highest number, with 4,064 farmers and agricultural labourers committing suicide, which is noteworthy. This was followed by Karnataka with 2,169 and Madhya Pradesh in third place with 671. In Punjab and Haryana, the number of farmer and agricultural labourer suicides was 270 and 226 respectively. Earlier, in 2016, about 11,379 people related to agriculture had committed suicide. After a decline in these numbers in previous years, why did the suicide rate rise again in 2021? This must become a matter of concern for us. In fact, one of the major reasons for this increase is the decline in food grain production due to unpredictable climate changes in recent times. Moreover, pest attacks on crops and the fall in market prices of agricultural produce, along with rising input and farming costs, have made farming increasingly difficult. Farmers are not even getting the benefit of Minimum Support Prices, yet the government continues to beat the drum of doubling farmers’ income. Farmers often take loans to recover their losses and then get trapped in a cycle of debt. The humiliation and harassment by moneylenders and middlemen, along with depression, make suicide seem like the only option for them. Today, farming has become a loss-making occupation for farmers. As a result, either farmers are committing suicide or their children are leaving agriculture in search of a better future. In such a situation, it is natural to question what happened to the central government’s promise of doubling farmers’ income. Today, there is an urgent need to implement policies that ensure farmers receive fair prices for their produce. It is unfortunate that we are unable to protect the lives of the food providers who contribute significantly to the country’s food security through their hard work. There is a need for a practical evaluation of why the policies announced by various governments to increase farmers’ income are not reaching them in reality. Helping farmers cope with the harmful effects of global warming on crops at all levels is the biggest challenge. Efforts must be made to boost farmers’ morale. Along with this, there is a need to diversify crops to protect them from excessive rainfall and to increase production. Improved seed varieties must be developed that can provide sufficient productivity even with less water and higher temperatures. For this, agricultural scientists and agricultural universities must work on a war footing. Otherwise, not only will farmers suffer huge losses, but the country’s food security could also be at risk. The reality is that a farmer or agricultural labourer embraces death only when all doors seem closed to them. In resolving this, the role of the government, society, and voluntary organizations becomes crucial. Even before the start of the summer season, reports of water scarcity in many parts of the country indicate an alarming situation. The latest data from the Central Water Commission clearly shows the severity of the growing water crisis in India. The data indicates a worrying decline in water levels in reservoirs across the country. According to the report, by April, the water available in major reservoirs across the country has decreased to about thirty percent of their storage capacity. This is a significant drop compared to recent years and points toward drought-like conditions. It is being said that the root cause of this is the El Niño phenomenon. In reality, the decline in water storage is due to insufficient rainfall over a long period. As a result, drought-like and insecure conditions have emerged in many areas. In fact, people in the eastern and southern parts of India are facing this crisis. Moreover, due to continuously rising temperatures, groundwater levels are rapidly decreasing. Due to its severe impact, water scarcity has become serious in states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The country’s IT hub, Bengaluru, is facing a severe water crisis, which is affecting not only agriculture but also daily life. Its impact goes beyond immediate concerns. We must accept that the agricultural sector, considered the backbone of the country’s economy, is currently facing many complex challenges. These are adversely affecting various crops. One of the reasons is that even today, half of the country’s cultivable land depends on monsoon rains. In such a situation, the future of agriculture depends entirely on the normalcy of the monsoon. In this context, the meteorological department’s forecast of a normal monsoon brings hope but can also create uncertainty. In such circumstances, to face any impending crisis, there is a need to intensify water conservation efforts—from households to all agricultural practices and industrial activities. There is also a pressing need for large investments in water infrastructure and management systems to improve water storage and distribution efficiency. Along with improving agricultural practices, efforts should be made to reduce water usage through crop diversification so that the effects of drought can be minimized. At the same time, there is a need to promote traditional water conservation techniques. Moreover, awareness campaigns should be conducted to encourage people to use this precious natural resource wisely. Undoubtedly, there is an urgent need to recognize the dangers of the impending water crisis and take swift and decisive steps to secure the future of coming generations.

Rethinking Every Drop: The Innovators Solving India's Water Crisis At Both Ends

If new sources are one aspect of the solution, reuse is the other. A recent report, Waste to Worth by Centre for Science and Environment, India generates over 72,000 million litres of sewage per day, yet more than 70 percent is discharged untreated. Currently, only about 28 percent of wastewater is treated, highlighting both a gap and a significant opportunity. Summer arrives early these days. Recent data from the Central Water Commission shows that reservoir levels across India stand at just 54 percent of total capacity, with several regions already facing localised deficits. The total live storage of water across 47 reservoirs in South India has already dropped to 47.66 percent of capacity. In Tamil Nadu, Sholayar stands at 31 percent of normal water levels and Vaigai at 38 percent. Meanwhile, 91 percent of India’s 719 districts have received no rainfall since March 2026 and the monsoon is still months away. This is not a seasonal dip. It reflects a deeper structural stress that is becoming increasingly predictable. According to the analysis published by The Guardian and Watershed Investigations, New Delhi is among 38 of the world’s 100 largest cities experiencing “extremely high water stress,” where withdrawals for public supply and industry are nearing available limits, driven by resource management gaps and accelerating climate pressures. At the national level, NITI Aayog warns that by 2030, water demand could double the available supply. The question is no longer whether India faces a water challenge but how it can accelerate solutions that are already emerging. Beyond Rivers and Reservoirs One of the most promising shifts is the move towards alternative, climate-resilient water sources. Air contains nine times more water than all the world’s rivers combined and Bengaluru-based Uravu Labs has been harnessing this resource. Using desiccant materials, Uravu captures moisture from ambient air and converts it into potable water using solar and biomass energy, commercialised as ‘Water from Air.’ Since inception in 2017 the company has conserved over 2.07 lakh litres of groundwater and prevented the use of 3,400 tonnes of single-use plastic. Atmospheric water generation represents a decentralised and climate-resilient approach. Unlike traditional sources such as rivers and groundwater, both vulnerable to variability, the moisture in the air does not deplete with use. For a country where reservoirs are already under pressure before peak summer, this offers a meaningful shift in how water can be sourced. The Second Life of Water If new sources are one aspect of the solution, reuse is the other. A recent report, Waste to Worth by Centre of Science and Environment, India generates over 72,000 million litres of sewage per day, yet more than 70 percent is discharged untreated. Currently, only about 28 percent of wastewater is treated, highlighting both a gap and a significant opportunity. Water circularity, where wastewater is treated, reused, and reintegrated into systems is increasingly central to long-term water security. Indra Water, a startup based in Mumbai, exemplifies this “reuse at source” innovation. Its patented ElectroX technology enables up to 99 percent recovery of industrial wastewater through electrochemical treatment, without the need for added chemicals. The process reduces lifecycle costs by 35 percent and shrinks spatial footprint by up to 90 percent. To date, Indra Water has treated and recycled over 2.5 billion litres of wastewater, eliminated more than 8,500 tonnes of harmful chemicals, and reduced over 10,000 tonnes of sludge. Building for the Long Term: Systems That Secure Water Futures While innovation is critical, long-term water security requires systems. This means moving beyond fragmented interventions to integrated infrastructure that can sustain water availability across decades. Generational water safety depends on sustained investments, efficient distribution systems, real-time monitoring, and policy frameworks that incentivise reuse and conservation. Technologies such as AI-driven treatment systems, IoT-enabled monitoring, and decentralised water solutions are enabling this transition, transforming water from a finite resource into one that can be managed, optimised, and reused. Ecosystem Momentum and the Path to Scale India’s water innovation landscape is seeing growing momentum across startups, investors, and institutions. Recent investments, such as Megaliter Varunaa securing INR 15 crore to advance urban water circulation, highlight increasing investor interest in scalable, technology-led solutions. Scaling these solutions across cities and industries will require the right mix of capital, collaboration, and execution. Just as important is adaptability, ensuring these innovations can seamlessly translate across diverse geographies and real-world water challenges, delivering impact where it matters most. India does not lack solutions, it risks falling short on speed. Today’s solutions are not hypothetical. They are being built, tested, and scaled, drawing water from the air, recovering it from waste water, and managing it through smarter systems. What remains is the urgency to connect these efforts with capital, policy, and adoption at scale. The sky offers a new source. The drain can be repurposed. The opportunity now is to build the systems that make both count.

How banks continue to ignore climate disaster-induced debt

As India is convulsed with industrial development-induced climate emergencies — heatwaves, pollution, heavy rains, floods, and more — not a day passes without a climate disaster. The country witnessed 99% of the disaster days in 2025, according to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). As people lose lives — 4,419 in 2025 as per the CSE study — livelihoods, property, and health, each episode of disaster inevitably turns into a financial catastrophe. A major aspect of the financial aftermath is the debt obligations on small borrowers — personal, retail, or agricultural — which loom on those who have lost loved ones, assets, and sources of livelihood. What are our banks and financial institutions doing to relieve the financial stress of the disaster-affected? In the recently concluded winter session of parliament, the Ministry of Finance’s response to Congress MPs’ questions on loan relief provided to individual borrowers and small traders by scheduled commercial banks in the aftermath of floods, landslides, and intense rainfall-related damages from 2019 onwards paints a profoundly disappointing picture. This is at a time when India is beset with climate disasters. The report Mapping Climatic and Biological Disasters in India, co-published by the National Institute of Disaster Management, states that between 1995 and 2020, India was struck by 1,058 extreme weather events, including floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves, and cold waves. Flooding was the most frequent hazard, making up about one-third of all events. Heatwaves were the next most common at nearly a quarter, while droughts constituted just over one-fifth. Cold waves accounted for around 16% of the total, and cyclones, which had the smallest share, accounted for roughly 5%, the report notes. The Climate Risk Index 2026, released during COP30, estimates that “between 1995 and 2024, India witnessed 430 extreme weather events, leaving 80,000 dead, 1.3 billion affected, and ₹170 billion in losses.” Loan waivers as climate disaster relief Against this backdrop, the Indian bank’s response to the financial devastation borders on indifference if not apathy. From 2019-20 to 2025-26, there is a complete absence of loan waivers for either individual borrowers or small traders in any state or year! This holds across all categories — agriculture, individuals, and small traders. The data shows that for banks, “loan waiver” — the complete cancellation of debt obligation — as a relief measure is effectively non-existent in climate-disaster contexts. Write-offs, too, are almost entirely absent. With the exception of one instance in Kerala (FY 2023-24), where write-offs amounting to ₹11.7 million were approved for individual borrowers, no write-offs have been reported for small traders in any state. This indicates that write-offs are not being provided for disaster survivors. A write-off occurs when a hard-to-recover loan is removed from a bank’s balance sheet. Technically, the borrower can still be approached by the bank to recollect the written-off loan.

Rajasthan’s Sacred Groves Vs India’s Solar Ambitions: Why Are Locals Protesting?

According to Binit Das, a renewable energy expert at Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), rooftop solar power systems signal a strong move towards decentralised clean energy. According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) report dated December 2025, 23.9 lakh households had installed rooftop solar systems toward the target of one crore households by March 2027 under the PM Surya Ghar scheme. From coastal villages to forest heartlands, The Quint is telling the full story of how climate change is reshaping lives and ecosystems in India. Help us do more. Become a member. Pankaj Bishnoi is a resident of Khetolai, a village in Jaisalmer’s Pokhran tehsil, which lies close to the international border and is best known for India’s twin successful nuclear tests conducted in 1974 and in 1998. Here, the orans, or the sacred groves, are dedicated to Guru Jambheshwar, a spiritual leader revered by the Bishnoi community as its founder. Pankaj Bishnoi, who grew up in this arid landscape, tells The Quint that in the desert, the existence and survival of communities depend on these deified biodiverse woodlands. “Every village typically has an oran characterised by high biodiversity, especially the unique khejri trees that can even survive in drought. The size of orans varies from 10,000 bighas (2,500 hectares) to 60,000 bighas (15,000 hectares). The oran in Khetolai covers 5,000 bighas (1,266 hectares),” Bishnoi says. “Wildlife, and even our cattle, depend on them,” he adds. For centuries, life went on as usual in this harsh yet unique landscape. Today, however, the rapid expansion of renewable energy projects, locals like Bishnoi allege, is endangering the survival of their sacred orans.

Why Iran war has forced India to bring kerosene back to the kitchens

We still need to build systems that can withstand disruptions without reverting to sources that were phased out,” says Binit Das, programme manager in the Renewable Energy unit at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi. India’s decades-long effort to phase out the use of kerosene, once the lifeline of household energy, has been abruptly brought to a halt. In a rare move, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has temporarily relaxed petroleum safety and licensing rules, allowing the distribution of kerosene through retail outlets, including petrol pumps in 21 states and Union Territories (UTs) for 60 days. The decision comes amid global supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has strained LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) logistics and raised energy security concerns. Under the notification, the government has allowed oil companies to store up to 2,500 litres of kerosene per retail unit and distribute it for cooking and lighting. However, this emergency rollback poses a deeper question of how kerosene, which was once essential as a domestic energy source, became obsolete, only to resurface in a crisis. Why was kerosene once India’s lifeline household fuel? For decades after Independence, kerosene was central to India’s energy economy. It was widely used for both cooking and lighting by rural and low-income households, especially before LPG and reliable electricity became widespread. Many families depended on kerosene stoves for meals and lamps for illumination, making it an integral part of everyday life. The fuel was distributed among 160 million households (around 800 million people) by the government through the Public Distribution System (PDS) for cooking and lighting purposes, according to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. The government heavily subsidised kerosene to ensure affordability, particularly for poor households lacking access to cleaner fuels. What led to the decline of kerosene in India’s energy system? Over time, India’s kerosene distribution system, built around heavy subsidies and the public distribution system, began to show structural weaknesses. Rising subsidy burden By the early 2000s, kerosene was one of the most heavily subsidised petroleum products in India, with the government bearing a large share of the cost to keep it affordable for households. Reports show that kerosene subsidies accounted for government spending of about 0.01 per cent of GDP in 2010–11. Even in more recent years, before being phased down, the centre continued to incur substantial expenditure, and the subsidy bill ballooned as global crude prices rose. For example, the kerosene subsidy stood at ₹7,339 crore in 2015–16, before declining to ₹3,259 crore in 2020–21 as allocations were reduced, and then to zero in 2022–23, according to the ministry’s annual budget documents. Diversion and black marketing One of the major concerns with subsidised kerosene was that a substantial amount of it did not reach the intended beneficiaries. Research and government-related studies show that there was widespread diversion of PDS kerosene into the black market, with estimates suggesting that around 40–45 per cent of PDS kerosene was diverted. Inefficiency and leakages Beyond diversion, the broader PDS system suffered from systemic inefficiencies that affected kerosene distribution. Government and independent studies highlighted: Poor targeting of beneficiaries, with ineligible households often receiving supplies Weak monitoring and outdated beneficiary databases How did policy shift drive the phase-out of kerosene? By the mid-2010s, the Government of India started to systematically reduce its dependence on kerosene in the following ways: By cutting allocations to states By launching Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) pilots for kerosene By persuading states to voluntarily scrap the quota system As a result, states such as Delhi have scrapped the supply of kerosene. How did LPG expansion under Ujjwala change household energy use? The turning point in the decline of kerosene use in the country came with the rapid growth in LPG access, which transformed the way in which households’ energy needs were fulfilled. The launch of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in 2016 marked a major policy shift. The scheme was designed to provide LPG connections to women from poor households on a subsidised basis, reducing their dependence on conventional fuels such as kerosene and firewood. Since its rollout in 2016, the scheme has provided over 105.7 million LPG connections to beneficiaries, as of February 23, 2026, according to the PMUY dashboard. The growth in LPG access was accompanied by efforts to improve LPG distribution networks, improve last-mile delivery, and promote sustained usage. As LPG coverage widened, the use of kerosene began to decline rapidly. Some states began to reduce their allocations towards kerosene, with some considering stopping the distribution of kerosene completely. How sharply have kerosene production and consumption declined? According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s India Energy Statistics 2025, India’s kerosene economy has shrunk considerably in recent years, with production reducing by 83 per cent from FY17 to FY24. Production fell from around 6 million metric tonnes to almost 1 million metric tonnes. Consumption reduced even more, from 5.30 million metric tonnes in 2017 to merely 0.30 million metric tonnes in 2024. This is a reduction of around 94 per cent. This transition was also driven by growing evidence on the health risks of indoor air pollution caused by traditional fuels, reinforcing the need for faster adoption of cleaner alternatives. This shift led to a policy focus on: Subsidising a non-polluting fuel instead of a polluting fuel Moving from kerosene to LPG Moving from mere survival to better health, safety, and dignity, particularly for women The growth in LPG access, therefore, was not just about replacing kerosene with LPG, it was about redefining the link between household energy use and public well-being. Why is kerosene making a temporary comeback in India now? The revival of kerosene in India’s energy mix is linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia, which have disrupted global fuel supply chains and created uncertainty in the availability of petroleum products. The government is trying to reduce pressure on LPG. Although LPG continues to be the primary cooking fuel in most households, disruptions in fuel supply have prompted the government to take measures to ensure that the energy requirements of households, particularly for cooking and lighting, are not adversely affected. The petroleum and natural gas ministry has introduced temporary measures to ease the fuel supply situation in the country. These include: Relaxation of kerosene distribution norms, allowing greater flexibility in storage Retail-level distribution of kerosene through petrol pumps Use of PDS stock-keeping units (SKU) to supply kerosene to specific states and UTs These measures are aimed at providing short-term safeguards and draw on an existing but largely phased-out system, enabling the government to quickly deploy an alternative fuel option in times of crisis. “This is a classic energy security move. In times of crisis, governments fall back on legacy systems that still exist. And even though bringing back kerosene addresses the immediate energy crisis, it also raises concerns around indoor air pollution. But putting everyone on electric sources of energy also comes with challenges, as a large number of people cooking together will put pressure on the grid. The temporary return of kerosene signals that, on one hand, India retains fallback options, but, on the other hand, it also highlights underlying vulnerabilities. We still need to build systems that can withstand disruptions without reverting to sources that were phased out,” says Binit Das, programme manager in the Renewable Energy unit at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi. Kerosene’s story in India is not merely the journey of a fuel, but of the country’s broader economic and policy transition. From a period of scarcity, when subsidised distribution was essential, to years of reform aimed at reducing financial burden and leakages, and shifting towards cleaner energy and sustainability targets, to now, when it reappears as a temporary fallback in response to external shocks.

The Climate Without, The Hunger Within

For more than three decades now, the evidence on climate change has been accumulating with a consistency that science rarely achieves. Each year’s measurements confirm and extend the last. The warming is real, it is accelerating, and its costs are being paid unevenly, falling heaviest on those who contributed least to producing it. This much is established beyond reasonable argument. And yet something in us does not quite respond to it as established fact. The Centre for Science and Environment’s State of India’s Environment 2026 report offers the latest occasion to notice this. In 2025, extreme weather events struck on ninety-nine percent of all days between January and November, killing 4,419 people and destroying 17.41 million hectares of cropland; four years ago, the crop damage figure stood at just over 2 million hectares. Thirty states and union territories experienced extreme weather for eight consecutive months. The report additionally warns that seven of the nine planetary boundaries that define a safe operating space for life on earth have now been breached, among them climate change, freshwater depletion, and ocean acidification, whose acidity has increased by thirty to forty percent since the industrial era. The Germanwatch Climate Risk Index 2026 ranks India ninth among the most climate-affected countries across the last three decades. These are not projections. They are last year’s account, and the year before that, and the year before that, each worse than the one preceding it.

यमुना सफाई- 8372 करोड़ खर्च, फिर भी सबसे प्रदूषित नदी: 37 में से 33 एसटीपी का ट्रीटेड पानी फिर नालों में मिल रहा; दिल्ली का यमुना प्रदूषण में 80% हिस्सा

Over ₹8300 crore spent and 37 STPs built, yet Yamuna remains India's most polluted river in Delhi. CSE report highlights poor infrastructure planning and...