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Green credit scheme encourages ‘environment-friendly’ behaviour, but needs strong regulation to work

India’s environment ministry has proposed a Green Credit Programme under which individuals, organisations and industries can earn and sell credits for certain environment-friendly activities, which can then be traded. While the programme may incentivise environmental protection, experts are concerned it could lead to greenwashing if not regulated properly. There is uncertainty over details of how the credits will be calculated, measurement of benefits and what happens if the credits are fraudulent. With the aim to incentivise sustainability and environmental protection, India’s environment ministry has proposed a programme to enable individuals, organisations and industry generate “green credits” for voluntary activities deemed beneficial for the environment. But without proper oversight or strong regulatory mechanisms, the scheme could open the door to greenwashing or double counting, experts warn. The draft Green Credit Programme Implementation Rules, released on June 27 by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), propose awarding individuals and other entities with credits for undertaking eight “environmental interventions.” These credits can then be “made available for trading on a domestic market platform,” says the draft of the programme. India has dabbled with similar mechanisms to drive down energy consumption and is now wading into the trade of carbon credits while setting up its domestic carbon market. But unlike a carbon market – which prices a standard unit of per tonne carbon emitted – the Green Credit Programme (GCP) doesn’t yet have a standard unit of measurement for the benefits accrued across various activities, which range from tree plantations to sustainable infrastructure. The GCP is envisioned to function as a separate market mechanism but may overlap with the carbon market if the “green credit” also results in the reduction of carbon emissions, notes the programme draft. “Even tracking carbon credits, which focuses on just one gas, is a complex exercise that is challenging to regulate. Extending that same method to other ecosystems and pollution areas creates a strong risk of greenwashing,” Avantika Goswami, programme manager for climate change at the Centre for Science and Environment, told Mongabay India. “It also raises serious questions about how rigorous the monitoring will be and who should take responsibility for pollution reduction and biodiversity savings.” Trupti Mishra, a professor at the Interdisciplinary Programme in Climate Studies at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, states, “I believe any programme, regardless mandatory or voluntary, needs robust process, involving technical support, good measurement tools and more importantly proper monitoring at the source level. Since green credit or for that matter carbon market are new programmes for Indian companies, these would work well with process support involving awareness to monitoring.” The programme aims to propagate the ‘Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) Movement’ spearheaded by the government, which aims to promote healthy and sustainable living. The LiFE concept was given a boost at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, where it featured in the cover decision text that influences global climate action. The draft programme comes at a time when India is hosting the G20 Presidency and will have to walk the talk on its international climate commitments, which include achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. India has also committed, in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to creating a carbon sink capable of absorbing 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide through additional forest and tree cover. Who gets the green credits and how? A wide cross-section of society can participate in the GCP, notes the draft notification. This includes individuals, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, forestry and sustainable agriculture enterprises, urban and rural local bodies, private sectors, industries and organisations of different kinds. The eight activities that can generate credits include planting trees; harvesting and saving water; treating wastewater; promoting natural and regenerative agricultural practices; improving waste management, segregation and collection; reducing air pollution; conserving and restoring mangroves; obtaining an Eco Mark label for manufacturing and constructing buildings, which is a label that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) gives to environment-friendly products. “Overall, this is a great initiative. But it will be challenging to implement and requires the establishment of a scientific committee with activity-specific experts, who can frame the requirements for receiving green credits,” said Easwaran J. Narassimhan, an associate professor at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), a Delhi based think tank. “The administrator must ensure that every credit generated under different categories are not ‘hot-air credits’ (unsubstantial or lacking real value) and are additional to what is already happening anyway,” Narassimhan added. The administrative body tasked with implementing the GCP is the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), a research and capacity-building organisation that doesn’t typically deal with implementation. As part of the GCP, it will be in charge of granting credits and maintaining a registry of green credits, among other responsibilities. Guiding the ICFRE will be a Steering Committee, which will formulate guidelines for implementation and verification, make recommendations for which sectors should be included in the programme, and review and monitor it. The central government may empanel auditors to audit the entire system from time to time, says the draft. Areas of uncertainty India’s experience with such market mechanisms has been with mixed results. The Perform Achieve and Trade Scheme (PAT) launched in 2012 encourages 13 carbon-intensive industries to reduce their energy consumption. Energy saved is certified and can be sold to entities that did not meet their targets. The second cycle of the PAT scheme, which ended in 2019, resulted in emissions reductions worth around 68 million tonnes. A 2021 study by the Centre for Science and Environment, however, found that for the thermal power sector, a major emitter, energy reductions were only 3% compared to the sector’s total energy consumption. “This highlights the fact that the target given to TPPs is very less compared to the overall emission reduction from the sector,” the study said. “Having the option of acquiring energy saving certificates for compliance makes it far less expensive for thermal power plants to demonstrate compliance by installing energy saving measures,” the study found, adding that thermal power plants that didn’t comply weren’t always penalised. Similarly, another market-based instrument, the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC), allows electricity distribution companies (discoms) and other entities to buy these certificates from generators if they are unable to meet their renewable purchase obligations (RPOs). A 2021 report by Intellecap, an advisory service, found an over-supply of RECs due to poor enforcement of penalties among non-conforming discoms. It also found that demand was overwhelmingly driven by obligated entities with little voluntary participation. The GCP is ambitious because it covers various activities under several different sectors. But it could also lead to problems when being implemented, say experts. “The liquidity of these credits for trading in the market is another concern. Are credits generated for specific activities tradable within the activities? If not, there needs to be clarity on how credits generated in different activities are comparable,” said Narassimhan from CPR. The question of how the credits will be calculated is ambiguous in the draft notification, which says a value will be arrived at after considering “the equivalence of resource requirement (for a project), parity of scale, scope, size, and other relevant parameters.” Measuring the benefit of certain activities should be done carefully, experts say. For example, rewarding a waste-to-energy plant with a green credit might be counterproductive if it processes mixed waste, leading to higher emissions. While Mishra from IIT-Bombay acknowledges that double counting is not an issue with green credits and carbon credits programmes, she does express concerns about the potential for greenwashing, which is <the practice of making products, activities, or policies seem more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than they actually are. She explains, “Green credits are supposed to complement the action of companies. Only buying credits and no internal action is a sign of greenwashing. It may be an easier way for the companies to park it under sustainability activities and action for SDG goals. There are possibilities that companies can greenwash by falsely communicating or overhyping their credits, buying unreliable credits and buying credits unrelated to companies’ sectoral activity.” The draft notification also makes no mention of what will happen if credits are found to be fraudulent. The GCP also proposes to link with the Accredited Compensatory Afforestation (ACA) scheme under the Forest Conservation Rules (2022), which allows private and public entities to grow plantations on non-forest land and sell them to project proponents looking to “compensate” for the forest diverted to their projects. While the ICFRE will administer the GCP, the ACA scheme is administered by state and district forest departments. They also fall under two different laws – the former under the Environment Protection Act and the latter under the Forest (Conservation) Act. “While both these reforms are being pursued under different laws, they have to be understood as a series of reforms that the government has to undertake to reconcile global commitments and national policy requirements. The monitoring, however, is likely to be complex as it will not just be done by different institutions, the compliance will be subject to the legal standards of two different laws. It will be a challenge to reconcile the data generated under both these processes, as there are risks of double counting and other related gaps,” said Kanchi Kohli, an environmental researcher at CPR.

Monsoon Mayhem: Jugaad won't wash, it'll only drown

For the last few days, northern India has been battered by rains due to the confluence of two weather systems: the monsoon winds and the western disturbance. Many towns and cities have caved in. On Sunday, the national capital was transformed into 'Jheelon ka shehar'. The larger NCR, an economic hub, was crippled. In Himachal Pradesh, the Beas is washing away highways, heavy vehicles, residences, hotels and bridges like Lego toys. Nearly 700 roads are blocked in Himachal and 100 in Uttarakhand due to mud- and landslides. At least 34 According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), during January 1-September 30, 2022, of the 273 days, there has been some natural calamity or...

Drop in air pollution in India during 2020 nationwide lockdown slowed snow melting in Himalayas, finds study

A decrease in air pollution in India during the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the melting of snow in the Himalayas, according to a new study. As business came to a halt, particulate pollution reduced and, as a result, more than 27 million tonnes of snow and ice were saved from melting compared to 2019, the report published in the journal PNAS Nexus showed. The researchers used satellite data to track the impact on snowmelt during the two-month nationwide lockdown in India in the spring of 2020. The study assessed that changes in Himalayan RFSLAPs (influence of human activities on radiative forcing on snow) is linked to Indian lockdown. Differences between the RFSLAPs in 2020 and the average from 2017-2019 over the Tibetan Plateau was calculated. The differences during the lockdown period (from April to May) and differences during the pre-lockdown period (from January to March) were kept in consideration. As an important emitter of light absorbing particles (LAP), human activity largely controls the variation of LAP concentrations in ice and snow, the report noted. “Dust aerosols from the Indian Peninsula have been reported to have a strong physical connection with the darkening of snow and ice on the Tibetan Plateau.” Assessing RFSLAPs⁠ is essential for providing valuable guidance for effective mitigation strategies. However, LAP variations reflect a complex mixture of anthropogenic emissions and natural environmental factors and are very sensitive to meteorological conditions, the researchers wrote in the report. For example, changes in winds can affect LAP transport and deposition, and temperature and snowfall are closely related to the accumulation of LAPs in the snow, the scientists explained. How did the impact take place? The COVID-19 pandemic has created a unique natural experiment for revealing and answering the long-standing question of how reductions in human activities can affect air pollution. To cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian government implemented a national lockdown from March 25-May 31, 2020. This led to an unprecedented reduction in economic and transportation activities and pollution levels. Aerosol optical depth values dropped sharply and air quality improved across the country. LAP concentrations over the Indus Basin have also decreased greatly. Such a reduction in LAPs over India might have meant a substantial drop in pollution transported to the Tibetan Plateau. This study provides evidence that reductions in anthropogenic emissions are helpful to decrease snow and glacial melt. It also offers evidence that the reduction in transboundary LAPs has a remarkable beneficial effect on the reduction of the Himalayan snow and ice melt. It provides an opportunity for targeted emission mitigation to constrain the timing and magnitude of future glacier retreat. Mineral dust transported from the Thar Desert by westerly winds deeply influences RFSLAPs and the rate of ice and snow melting in the western and central Himalayas. Thus, reduction in deforestation and overexploitation of the Indus River Basin may help improve the ecological environments around the Thar Desert, and further decrease mineral dust transport to melt ice and snow on the Tibetan Plateau. Furthermore, continued use of fossil fuels in the future would increase ice and snow melt by increasing the LAPs, in addition to leading to sustained global warming. With rising temperatures, ice and snow over the Himalayas have been melting at an accelerating, alarming rate in recent decades, the researchers wrote. “At the current pace of warming, up to 70 per cent of Himalayan glaciers could be lost this century.” Reducing particulate pollution in South Asia, they said, could help preserve what snow and ice remain. Overall, these results suggest that the anomalies in Tibetan Plateau RFSLAPs were tied to absorbing aerosol optical depth (AAOD) over the Indian Peninsula. “Notably, India is a major emitter of anthropogenic LAPs over the Indian Peninsula, but the reduction in AAOD and RFSLAPs during the lockdown cannot be entirely explained by a decrease in human activities in India as the meteorological conditions and the nonanthropogenic LAPs coming from multiple countries are also important factors for the changes in AAOD and RFSLAPs.” Over a billion people in South Asia depend on the steady melt of snow and ice in the Himalayas through the spring and summer for fresh water. But particulate pollution from cars, trucks, factories and power plants in South Asia disperse over the mountain range, disrupting this process. Soot darkens snow and ice, causing it to absorb more of the sun’s energy and melt faster. Experts on air pollution in India provided further explanation in the wake of the study observations. “It is known that black carbon falls onto snow and ice and changes the overall reflectivity of those surfaces, making them melt faster. Therefore, any reduction in its concentration through augmenting clean fuel supply, better combustion system and overall air pollution control measures is bound to help,” said Vivek Chattopadhyay, senior programme manager, Clean Air Programme, Centre for Science and Environment. However, at the same time, scientists need to highlight the effects of both overall impacts of rising temperatures due to global warming as well as localised effects of black carbon to emphasise the fact that air quality improvement and greenhouse gas emissions reduction must become a two pronged strategy, he added. Also, black carbon reduction measures will have positive health benefits on populations too, according to the expert. “Lockdown was perhaps a once-in-a-century opportunity to observe what clean skies look like and, therefore, its positive messages should continue to drive us towards continuing clean air measures which can have many benefits.” We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.

World needs over $75 bn for a 75% slash in energy-related methane emissions

Over $75 billion in funding is required to slash just energy-related methane emissions by 75 per cent by 2030, two-thirds of which would be generated through oil and gas operations, a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) said. Around $55 billion would be required in upstream oil and gas facilities. Over $20 billion would be required in downstream facilities, noted the report titled Financing Reductions in Oil and Gas Methane Emissions. The extraction and transportation of oil, gas and even coal release methane through defective valves or pipes, referred to as fugitive emissions. Fixing the malfunctioning parts and processes by employing leak detection and repair (LDAR) programmes prevents methane emissions amounting to 13 million tonnes (Mt) according to the IEA’s 2030 Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario, the report noted. Therefore, roughly 70 per cent of the proposed amount to abate methane emissions is capital expenditure on new equipment. Of which, 30 per cent is only pertaining to operating costs, primarily related to LDAR programmes, the report said. Around 6 Mt of methane emissions may be avoided using vapour recovery units by capturing the gas before flaring or venting by 2030. The practice of burning pressurised natural gas during oil extraction, either as a safety concern or because of being uneconomical to sell, is known as flaring and releases methane emissions. Similarly, venting is the process of directly releasing methane gas into the atmosphere during oil and gas extraction. Furthermore, around 21 Mt of methane release can be avoided by replacing pumps, controllers, compressors and other equipment with low- or zero-emissions alternatives, the report stated. “The final 6 Mt is avoided through additional processes and measures such as blowdown capture, reduced emissions completion and routing tank vents to recovery systems,” the paper said. With the rapid deployment of the above-mentioned technologies, methane emissions from oil and gas operations will fall to 17 Mt in 2030 from 80 Mt in 2022, according to the NZE scenario for 2050. The energy sector contributes to nearly 40 per cent of anthropogenic methane emissions, while methane emissions are also generated from agriculture and waste. However, tackling methane emissions from the oil and gas sector amounting to 80 Mt is essential to limiting global warming in the short term as it has immense potential for abatement, the report said. Reduction in methane emissions accounts for more than 15 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the IEA’s NZE scenario by 2030. Abating methane is a low-hanging fruit — it can have a relatively quick impact on reducing global warming since methane lasts in the atmosphere for only about a decade, said Avantika Goswami, programme manager, Climate Change at Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment. “And considering that technologies to abate methane in oil and gas have been deemed to be cost-effective and mature today, the sector must step up and take the lead, particularly in developed countries like the US and the Middle Eastern oil and gas producers,” she added. Just under $34 billion in spending is needed in high-income countries, $27 billion in upper-middle-income countries, $13 billion in lower-middle-income countries and $3 billion in low-income countries, the report stated. Globally, the sale of captured methane would fetch oil and gas producers returns at $45 billion, the researchers hypothesised. Still, institutional and economic barriers prevent the mobilisation of investment. “More than 40 per cent of the emissions reductions to 2030 come from measures with no net cost (assuming an 8 per cent rate of return over the lifetime of the measure),” the report said. This is because the capital and operating costs of the abatement measures are less than the market value of the additional gas that is captured and can be sold, the report added. Oil and gas companies should bear the primary financial responsibility of methane abatement measures as the global oil and gas industry’s net income doubled to nearly $4 trillion in 2022, IEA emphasised. Of which, 2 per cent of the expenditure would be enough for methane emissions reductions across the supply chain according to the NZE scenario by 2030. A new international effort is needed from governments, industry and philanthropy to fill the financing gaps identified in this report, notably the $15-20 billion of spending required in low- and middle-income countries, the paper read. “Non-binding pledges like the Global Methane Pledges are unlikely to drive this action — the mandate must be driven by governments,” Goswami added.

जमीनी हकीकत: जलवायु परिवर्तन और धन संबंधी प्रश्न

यह बात पूरी तरह स्पष्ट है कि जलवायु परिवर्तन (Climate change) के कारण दुनिया मौसम की अतियों की मार झेल रही है। यह बात भी स्पष्ट है कि इस तबाही का असर भी असमान है। यह दुनिया के सबसे गरीब देशों में गरीब लोगों को सबसे बुरी तरह प्रभावित करती है। क्लाइमेट फाइनैंस या जलवायु वित्त (Climate Finance) केवल वह भुगतान या हर्जाना नहीं है जो जलवायु परिवर्तन के इन विपरीत और असंगत प्रभावों को कम करने के काम आए। बल्कि इसका संबंध उस बदलाव के लिए धन मुहैया कराना भी है जिसकी इन देशों को विकास की प्रक्रिया में जरूरत है। उन्हें अलग तरह के विकास की आवश्यकता है ताकि वे बिना अधिक उत्सर्जन के आगे बढ़ सकें। यही वजह है कि जलवायु न्याय इतना अधिक मायने रखता है। जलवायु न्याय शब्द का सबसे पहली बार इस्तेमाल सन 1992 में यूएन फ्रेमवर्क कन्वेंशन ऑन क्लाइमेट चेंज (यूएनएफसीसीसी) में किया गया था। वहां इस बात पर सहमति बनी थी कि ऐतिहासिक रूप से वातावरण को प्रदूषित करने वाले देशों को उत्सर्जन कम करने की आवश्यकता है। इस बात पर भी सहमति बनी थी कि शेष विश्व जिसे विकास का अधिकार था उन्हें वित्तीय मदद और तकनीकी मदद मुहैया कराई जाएगी ताकि वे टिकाऊ वृद्धि हासिल कर सकें। बहरहाल, बीते 30 वर्षों से अधिक समय में दुनिया में अनगिनत जलवायु सम्मेलन हुए हैं और इनका इरादा प्राय: इस सिद्धांत को शिथिल करने या समाप्त करने का रहा है। परंतु बदलती जलवायु की तरह ही समता का मुद्दा भी खत्म होने वाला नहीं है। आज, दुनिया की आबादी का 70 फीसदी हिस्सा अपनी बेहतरी के लिए ऊर्जा या अन्य अनिवार्य आवश्यकताओं के मामले में सुरक्षित विकास नहीं हासिल कर सका है। इस बीच दुनिया का वह कार्बन बजट लगभग समाप्त हो गया है जो दुनिया की तापवृद्धि को औद्योगिक युग के पूर्व के स्तर से 1.5 डिग्री सेल्सियस से नीचे सीमित रखने के लिए आवश्यक था। अब यह भी स्पष्ट है कि 2009 में सालाना जिस 100 अरब डॉलर राशि का वादा किया गया था और जो अब तक भ्रामक बनी हुई है, वह राशि भी शायद अपर्याप्त साबित होगी। वैसे भी उसे हासिल करने में काफी देर हो चुकी है। हकीकत में एक अलग तरह का सुरक्षित भविष्य हासिल करने के लिए बहुत बड़ी धनराशि की आवश्यकता है। ऐसे में हमें तेजी से पैसे जुटाने की आवश्यकता है। परंतु केवल इतना ही पर्याप्त नहीं है। हमें ढांचागत मुद्दों पर भी विमर्श करना होगा जिनमें वैश्विक असमानता शामिल है। इस असमानता के कारण यह लगभग तय है कि दुनिया के गरीब देश उत्सर्जन में कमी की कीमत नहीं चुका पाएंगे। मेरे सहयोगियों ने एक रिपोर्ट तैयार की है जिसका शीर्षक है ‘बियॉन्ड क्लाइमेट फाइनैंस।’ यह रिपोर्ट इस मसले को सुलझाने में मदद करती है। हम जानते हैं कि जलवायु वित्त के नाम पर एकत्रित की गई धनराशि अपर्याप्त है। हमें पता है कि जलवायु वित्त से दुनिया का क्या तात्पर्य है इसकी कोई ऐसी परिभाषा नहीं है जिस पर सभी सहमत हों। परंतु हम यह नहीं जानते हैं या इस बात पर चर्चा नहीं करते हैं कि जलवायु वित्त के नाम पर जो भी राशि दी जा रही है वह किसी किस्म की रियायत नहीं है। इस राशि में बमुश्किल 5 फीसदी अनुदान है जबकि शेष ऋण या इक्विटी के रूप में है। ऐसे में आश्चर्य की बात नहीं है कि जिसे जलवायु वित्त का नाम दिया जा रहा है वह उन देशों को नहीं मिलने वाला है जिन्हें उसकी सबसे अधिक आवश्यकता है। आश्चर्य की बात नहीं है कि ये फंड वहां जाते हैं जहां पैसे बनाने की संभावना अधिक हो, जहां वित्तीय बाजार स्थिरता को खतरा कम हो और जहां वित्त की लागत कम हो। एक सौर ऊर्जा संयंत्र स्थापित करने पर यूरोप में उसकी ब्याज लागत 2-5 फीसदी होती है, ब्राजील में यह 12-14 फीसदी और कुछ अफ्रीकी देशों में यह 20 फीसदी तक होती है। ऐसे में जाहिर है ब्राजील और अफ्रीका में संयंत्र लगाना व्यावहारिक नहीं होगा। परंतु ज्यादा बुरी बात यह है कि अगर यह पैसा ऊंची ब्याज दर वाले ऋण के रूप में अफ्रीका जाता है, जो कि अनिवार्य तौर पर होता है तो बस उन देशों की ऋण चुकाने की समस्या में ही इजाफा होगा। विभिन्न देश कर्ज चुकाने में डिफॉल्ट नहीं कर सकते हैं क्योंकि वैसा करने से उनकी क्रेडिट रेटिंग खराब हो सकती है। परंतु जलवायु परिवर्तन उनकी स्थिति को और खराब कर देगा क्योंकि सर्वाधिक संवेदनशील देश वे हैं जिन पर कर्ज का बोझ अधिक है। जलवायु परिवर्तन की हर आपदा इन देशों को और अधिक कर्ज के बोझ में डुबा देती है क्योंकि वे अपने आप को बचाने के लिए हर बार नया कर्ज लेते हैं। इस बीच इन देशों की क्रेडिट रेटिंग खराब कर दी जाती है और उनकी ऋण की लागत और बढ़ जाती है। यहां मैं वैश्विक रेटिंग प्रणाली में निहित पूर्वग्रहों की बात नहीं कर रहे हैं लेकिन इन्हें इसी तरह तैयार किया गया है कि तमाम देश नाकाम हो जाएं। आज मुश्किल से गुजर रहे अधिकांश देश जिन्हें उत्सर्जन कम करने के लिए भी धन चाहिए। उनका कर्ज का बोझ बढ़ता जा रहा है। वे वार्षिक ब्याज के रूप में जो राशि चुकाते हैं वह 2023 में उनके सरकारी राजस्व के 16 फीसदी तक थी। जाहिर है अब हम छोटे बदलावों की बात नहीं कर सकते हैं। ऐसे भी प्रस्ताव हैं जिनके मुताबिक रियायती वित्त व्यवस्था के लिए नई धनराशि तलाश की जा सकती है। इनमें सर्वाधिक उल्लेखनीय है ब्रिजटाउन एजेंडा। बारबाडोस की प्रधानमंत्री मिया मोट्टली ने इस बारे में स्पष्ट आह्वान किया है। हमें जल्दी जवाब चाहिए। लब्बोलुआब यह है कि जलवायु वित्त की यह प्रवृत्ति बदलनी होगी जहां अब तक वह केवल विभिन्न देशों का कर्ज बढ़ाने का काम कर रहा था और उन्हें अगली त्रासदी के लिए और मुश्किल में डाल रहा था। ऐसे में अब जरूरत इस बात की है कि जलवायु परिवर्तन जैसे इस बड़े संकट के लिए वाकई धन जुटाया जाए।

Dire State of Delhi’s Sewage Treatment Plants Raises Alarming Concerns

In Delhi, a pressing crisis looms beneath the surface. The national capital’s Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), entrusted with the crucial task of purifying wastewater, have fallen into a dire state, sparking alarming concerns. A majority of the STPs in Delhi have failed to conform to prescribed standards, posing serious concerns for public health and the environment. Produced below are the abridged version of the transcripts of the video story on the dire state of Delhi’s Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) The sewage treatment plants in Delhi have long been under scrutiny for their poor water treatment capabilities. However, the situation now is so critical that the poor conditions of these plants are directly impacting both public health and the environment. According to the data gathered by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), out of the 35 operational Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Delhi, 22 have not conformed to the prescribed standards. “These sewage treatment plants, which DPCC has said are not meeting the NGT mandated standards, were old assets. They were constructed and designed for certain design parameters and honourable NGT in its order of 30th April 2019 mandated stringent parameters to the STPs, and these STPs weren’t designed for those. So, therefore these STPs remain non-compliant with respect to the stringent design parameters and a few of them, because of technological issues, are non-compliant. So, these STPs need to be retrofitted. These need to be upgraded in terms of technology,” explains D.P. Mathuria, Executive Director (Technical) of the National Mission for Clean Ganga. During our visits to several STPs across Delhi, such as the Coronation Pillar STP, Kondli Phase IV STP, Mehrauli STP, Molarband STP, Okhla Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4 STPs, and the Yamuna Vihar Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3 STPs, we found that most of them had not conformed to the prescribed standards. The poor technological capabilities of the STPs themselves may be one of the major challenges, but this problem runs even deeper. “One of the biggest resettlement colonies in Savda Ghevra doesn’t have a sewage system. So, it is based on septic tanks built under the property. A large population of Delhi, therefore, their sewage is entering the river,” states Depinder Kapur, Programme Director of the Centre for Science and Environment. Another major issue compounding the existing crisis is the fact that several drains in Delhi are discharging untreated water into the Yamuna River. “Treated water, even from the STPs, is released into Yamuna or released into nullahs. 50 per cent of Delhi’s sewage is flowing in the nullahs and other neighbouring states’ sewage is also coming in. Whatever you are treating, 40-50 per cent, you are putting it back in the same nullah, it doesn’t help,” says Kapur. Delhi generates 792 MGD of sewage daily and has 35 Sewage Treatment Plants at 20 locations. However, these 35 STPs can only treat a combined total of 632 MGD of sewage, which means that Delhi already has a gap of 160 MGD in its sewage treatment capacity. “One of our important findings in the Centre for Science and Environment’s lab report tests which we have done for STPs is that somehow there are 1 or 2 parameters which most of our STPs cannot handle,” notes Kapur. While the Delhi Jal Board has taken steps to improve the capacity and technology of STPs, timely execution is crucial as any more delays could have severe consequences for public health and the environment. “There are about 20 odd numbers of STPs which require upgradation both in terms of technology and capacity. Delhi Jal Board took up these initiatives, and they have identified agencies for retrofitting and upgrading, and they are doing this work against some timelines. The deadline is around mid of next year,” states Mathuria. The critical state of Delhi’s sewage treatment plants, the discharge of untreated water into rivers and poor urban planning all continue to pose a severe threat to public health. While urgent action is the need of the hour, the consequences of inaction are far-reaching and irreversible.

Climate change: It's all about money

It is abundantly clear that the world is being battered by extreme weather events because of climate change. It is also equally clear that the burden of these devastations is disproportionate — they hit the poor in the poorest countries the hardest. Climate finance is not just payment or reparations needed to mitigate and adapt to these disproportionate impacts of climate change. It is also about providing finance for the transition that these countries still need to develop. They need to develop differently so that they can grow without adding as much to the stock of emissions that will further jeopardise our common existence. This is why climate justice — as enshrined in the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) — matters so much. It was agreed that countries responsible for the stock of emissions in the atmosphere (historical polluters) would need to reduce emissions. It was also agreed that the rest of the world, which had the right to development, would be provided with the finance and technology to grow sustainably. However, over the past 30 years, the world has convened countless conferences only with the intention of diluting and erasing this principle. But the issue of equity, like the changing climate, will not go away. Today, 70 per cent of the world’s population have still not secured development in terms of energy or other essentials needed for their well-being. Meanwhile, the world has practically run out of the carbon budget to limit warming to below the guardrail of 1.5°C above the pre-industrial period. It is also clear now that the $100 billion a year pledged in 2009 — which is still illusory — may be too little, too late. It is a fraction of what is needed for securing a different development future in our world. So, we need to find the money and we need to do this fast. But this is not all. We need to discuss structural issues that underpin the vast inequities in the world, which make it certain that countries in the global South cannot afford the price of adaptation or mitigation. My colleagues have put together a report, aptly titled “Beyond Climate Finance”, which helps deconstruct this issue and suggest the way ahead. We know that the amount of money called climate finance is inadequate. We know that there is no agreed definition of what the world means by climate finance, and this allows for much creative accounting. But what we do not know, or discuss, is that whatever is being given in the name of climate finance is not concessional — roughly 5 per cent are grants and the rest are loans or equity. It is also then no surprise that what is termed climate finance is not going to the countries where it is needed the most. It is no surprise because these funds go where there is opportunity to make money; where there is (at least perceived) less risk in financial market stability; and so, where the cost of finance is lower. The cost of finance (interest rates) to, say, set up a solar plant would be 2-5 per cent in Europe, 12-14 per cent in Brazil, and as high as 20 per cent in some African countries. This would make the plant unfeasible in Brazil and African countries. It would not happen. Period. Worse, if this money goes to Africa in the form of loans — as it invariably does, with high interest rates — it would only add to their problem of repayment. Countries cannot afford to default on loans because that makes their credit ratings worse. But climate change will make them worse because the most vulnerable countries are also the ones with a high debt burden. Every climate-change disaster takes these countries to greater indebtedness because they borrow to survive and rebuild. These same countries are then stamped with poor credit ratings, which make their cost of borrowing and capital even higher. I am not even getting into the inbuilt bias of the global ratings system, but it is clear it is designed to make countries fail. Today, the most vulnerable countries, which also need funding for climate mitigation, have a crushingly high debt burden — the money they pay in annual interest is as high as 16 per cent of their governmental revenue in 2023. So, we can no longer talk about small changes, or about short-changing the poor. There are proposals on the table to unlock new money for concessional finance. The most notable is called the Bridgetown Agenda — with the clarion call coming from the formidable Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados. We need answers and fast. The bottom line is that climate finance can no longer be the money that goes to only increase the indebtedness of countries and make them even more vulnerable to the next disaster. So, let’s get real about the need for real money for this existential crisis called climate change. The writer is at the Centre for Science and Environment sunita@cseindia.org, Twitter: @sunitanar

World Population Day : बढ़ती आबादी वरदान है या अभिशाप ?

जनसंख्या दिवस इसलिए मनाया जाता है ताकि दुनिया बढ़ती आबादी के नकारात्मक परिणामों से अवगत हो और उसको लेकर जागरूक हो सके। भारत अब दुनिया में सबसे अधिक आबादी वाला देश बन चुका है। उसने जनसंख्या के मामले में चीन को भी पछड़ा दिया है। बढ़ती आबादी वरदान है या अभिशाप ? इस सवाल पर विशेषज्ञों की अलग-अलग राय है। आबादी के अनुपात में संसाधन नहीं बढ़ते अर्थशास्त्री थॉमस रॉबर्ट माल्थस ने कहा था मानव आबादी की वृद्धि दर उस दर से कहीं ज्यादा होती है जिस दर से मानव निर्वाह के साधन (कृषि उत्पाद) बढ़ते हैं। जनसंख्या दोगुनी रफ्तार से बढ़ती है जब कि जीवन निर्वाह संसाधन सामान्य गति से बढ़ते हैं। इसका मतलब है कि बढ़ती आबादी के कारण जमीन, जंगल, पानी, खनिज कम पड़ते जाएंगे। ये बात अक्सर महसूस की जाती रही है कि बढ़ती आबादी का मतलब ज्यादा गरीबी और ज्यादा असमानता है। दूसरे वर्ग का मानना है कि बढ़ती जनसंख्या भारत की अर्थ व्यवस्था को गति प्रदान करेगी। यह ज्यादा उत्पादन के लिए प्रोत्साहित करेगी, ज्यादा उत्पादन होगा तो खपत बढ़ेगी और खपत ज्यादा होगी तो विकास भी होगा। भारत सबसे युवा आबादी वाला देश है। भारत की 68 फीसदी काम करने योग्य आबादी देश के सकल घरेलू उत्पाद (जीडीपी) को बढ़ाएगी। अनुपयोगी डिग्रियों से बेरोजगारों की फौज ये सच है कि भारत में युवा वर्ग की जनसंख्या अधिक है लेकिन यह जनसंख्या देश के विकास में तभी योगदान कर सकती है जब वह कौशल और शिक्षा के मामले में सक्षम हो। ब्लूमबर्ग संस्था की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, भारत में बेकार डिग्रियां बेरोजगारों की एक पीढ़ी तैयार कर रही है। भारत में शिक्षा अब उद्योग बन चुका है जो करीब 117 एरब डालर तक पहुंच गया है। जो युवा बिना किसी कौशल के ग्रेजुएट हो रहे हैं वो अर्थ व्यवस्था के विकास को कम कर रहे हैं। भारत में कामकाज करने योग्य लोगों की आबादी जरूर अधिक है लेकिन इसमें स्किल की कमी है। जापान में कुशल श्रणिकों की आबादी 80 फीसदी है जब कि भारत में केवल 3 फीसदी है। अगर नहीं चेते तो अगला विश्व युद्ध पानी को लेकर होगा बढ़ती आबादी के कारण प्राकृतिक संसाधनों का अंधाधुंध दोहन हो रहा है जो आत्मघाती है। भावी विनाश के संकेत मिलने भी लगे हैं। जीवन के लिए अन्न जितना जरूरी है उससे ज्यादा जरूरी है पीने का पानी। मीठे पानी के श्रोत लगातार कम हो रहे हैं। जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण भूगर्भ जल का स्तर तेजी से से नीचे गिर रहा है। धरती का लगभग तीन चौथाई हिस्सा पानी से भरा है लेकिन इसमें पीने योग्य पानी सिर्फ 3 फीसदी है। इस तीन में से दो फीसदी पानी बर्फ और ग्लेशियर के रूप में है। यानी पीने योग्य पानी (मीठा पानी) सिर्फ एक फीसदी है। इस हिसाब से पेयजल प्रकृति का बहुमूल्य उपहार है जो अत्यंत ही सीमित है। लेकिन मीठे पानी का धड़ल्ले से दुरुपयोग हो रहा है। आज से तीस साल पहले संयुक्त राष्ट्र के तत्कालीन महासचिव बुतरस घाली ने कहा था, अगर इंसान ने पानी के महत्व को नहीं समझा तो अगल विश्व युद्ध पानी के लिए होगा। वह इसलिए क्यों कि पेयजल के बिना एक दिन भी जीवन की कल्पना नहीं की जा सकती। घटते खेत कैसे सबका पेट भरेंगे ? आबादी बढ़ रही है और खेती योग्य जमीन कम हो रही है। सबका पेट भरने के लिए रसायनिक खादों और कीटनाशकों का आंख मूंद कर प्रयोग हो रहा है। इसकी वजह से जमीन की उर्वरा शक्ति लगातार कम हो रही है। अभी तो यही कहा जा रहा है कि भारत अनाज के मामले में आत्मनिर्भर है। लेकिन अगर रसायनिक खादों और कीटनाशकों का अतिशय प्रयोग नहीं रुका तो एक दिन भारत की अधिकतर जमीन बंजर हो जाएगी। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट की एक रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक देश की 30 फीसदी जमीन बंजर होने के कगार पर है और इसकी वजह है यूरिया का अंधाधुंध इस्तेमाल। लोग अक्सर महंगाई के लिए कालाबाजारी और सरकार की नीतियों को जिम्मेदार मानते हैं लेकिन इसके लिए बढ़ती आबादी भी एक बड़ा कारण है। कृषि उत्पाद सीमित हैं लेकिन इसके तलबगार बढ़ गये हैं। क्या आर्थिक तरक्की में भी भारत चीन को पछाड़ेगा ? भारत अगर आबादी के मामेल में चीन से आगे हो गया है तो क्या वह आर्थिक तरक्की में भी चीन को पीछे छोड़ देगा ? विशेषज्ञों के मुताबिक इसके लिए भारत को चार मोर्चों पर बेहतर प्रदर्शन करना होगा। शहरीकरण, बुनियादी ढांचा, कौशल विकास और विनिर्माण क्षेत्र में तेज प्रगति करनी होगी। भारत में शहरों की संख्या तो बढ़ रही हैं लेकिन उसके मुताबिक सुविधाएं नहीं बढ़ रहीं। शहरी आबादी स्वच्छ हवा और पानी की कमी से जूझ रही है। भारत के शहर दक्षिण कोरिया और चीन जैसे व्यवस्थित होंगे तभी शहरीकरण का फायदा मिलेगा। भारत खेती पर ज्यादा निर्भर है। अब उसे मैन्युफैक्चरिंग सेक्टर में चीन की तरह ही कमाल करना होगा तभी जनसंख्या बल का फायदा मिल सकता है।

CSE report: State has highest number of stations that do not comply with PM 2.5

Only 13% of India's cities and towns have air quality monitoring stations, according to a report by the Centre for Science and Environment. Maharashtra has the highest number of monitoring stations that do not meet pollution mapping criteria, and only 12% of cities comply with national air quality standards. This leaves nearly half of the country's population outside the air quality monitoring grid. The report highlights concerns over the performance of monitoring stations, particularly for key pollutants like PM2.5 and ozone. Efforts are being made to increase the number of monitoring stations in Maharashtra and other districts. The latest report on the ‘Status of air quality monitoring in India’ published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) last week revealed that only 13% of India’s census cities and towns have air quality monitoring stations. According to the report, Maharashtra has the highest number of monitoring stations that do not meet the particulate matter (PM) 2.5 pollutant mapping criterion. There are about 15 air pollution monitoring stations in Pune. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) established five of them in Pune City and Pimpri-Chinchwad, while SAFAR (System of Air quality and Weather Forecasting And Research)-Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) has 10 stations in both cities. In addition, five more MPCB stations are in the testing phase. However, citizens continue to face difficulties in obtaining real-time and archive data on air pollution. According to the report, only 12 per cent of the 4,041 census cities and towns have air quality monitoring systems that are compliant with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the clean air targets under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and only 200 cities monitor all six key criteria pollutants. SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, CO, and Ozone are examples of pollutants. This leaves nearly 47 per cent of the country’s population outside the maximum radius of the air quality monitoring grid (manual and real-time combined) and 62 per cent outside that of the real-time monitoring network. Regarding the Maharashtra air quality monitoring network, the CSE research revealed that, according to the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) standard, real-time stations must send data every 15 minutes, and a complete set of data is deemed at the value of 75 or more per cent of scheduled monitoring. However, the assessment suggests that Maharashtra (20 stations) has the highest number of stations that do not reach the 75 per cent valid 24-hour values in 2022, followed by Karnataka (16 stations) and Gujarat (12 stations). In 2022, all stations in six states and three UTs met the 75 per cent valid 24-hour value. Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Punjab, Tripura, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Puducherry are among them. Avikal Somvanshi, lead researcher from this report said, “We have analysed data available on CPCB’s portal and from previous publications,” We discovered that numerous stations do not comply with the standards and that several stations have been inactive for a long time, with no data submitted from these stations in recent times.” He noted that, while the number of manual and automatic monitoring stations in Maharashtra has expanded over the last decade, the performance of these stations remains a source of worry, particularly for key pollutants like PM 2.5 and ozone. Nitin Shinde, sub-regional officer, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Pune said, “Efforts are being made to increase the number of monitoring stations in the state,” said Nitin Shinde, sub-regional officer, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Pune. Recently, the city of Pune introduced five new automatic monitoring stations as well as a mobile van. Similarly, additional stations are being built in other districts.” He stated that the majority of existing stations are manual stations that require a person to go to the station, collect samples, and send them to the lab for examination. Methodology of the Report The CSE evaluation study included 883 manual stations and 409 real-time stations. This has taken into account both manual monitoring as part of the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) and real-time monitoring as part of the CAAQMS. It also examined publicly available data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) websites and publications as of December 31, 2022. This report assessed the adequacy of the air quality monitoring network and air quality data, spatial distribution, population coverage, and data completeness throughout the country.

The Fertiliser Scene: A Soil Living On Steroids

The farmers of the green revolution states gave up their age-old multiple cropping system, which was based on a balanced use of soil, water and manure, to adopt the rice-wheat cropping system. The idea behind the recently announced PM-PRANAM (Prime Minister-Programme for Alternative Nutrients for Agricultural Management) is very progressive. It aims to replace chemical fertilisers with natural (organic and bio) fertilisers. Overdoses of chemical fertilisers to increase yields have exterminated the natural nutrients of the soil. The soil in large parts of the three green revolution states — Punjab, Haryana and UP — today is like an ageing man living on steroids. He can still work, but inside he is hollowing. His efficiency and output are dropping. The soil in other states is headed for the same destiny. However, the road to PM-PRANAM’s implementation is foggy. First of all, no special money has been allocated for it in the Union budget. The money for it is to be generated by reducing the quantum of central government’s chemical fertiliser subsidy to the farmers. The state governments are expected to motivate farmers to switch to natural fertilisers in order to reduce the subsidy amount. The central government is going to give 50% of the saved subsidy amount to the state government for promoting production of natural fertilisers and raising awareness among farmers for using them. Do the state governments have the capability to engineer a switch to natural fertilisers on a large scale? Their record has so far been poor. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a leading ecological think-tank, released last year found that the natural fertiliser sector was neglected, unorganised and unregulated. The state governments were not utilising most of the funds allocated by the central government to promote production of organic and bio-fertilisers. Production of natural fertilisers is low. And even their quality goes largely uncertified. The quality control infrastructure is poor. Most states do not have their own testing laboratories. Eight states have their laboratories, but their capacities are not properly utilised. Less than a third of the capacity of seven Regional Centre of Organic Farming laboratories was utilised in 2019-20. The number of bio-fertiliser samples tested in the laboratories, instead of increasing, dropped from 654 in 2013-14 to 483 in 2019-20. The proportion of bio-fertiliser samples failing quality tests increased from 1 per cent in 2013–14 to 44 per cent in 2019–20. Fake ‘natural’ fertilisers are being sold to the farmers. That is eroding their trust in natural fertilisers. The success of PM-PRANAM hinges on farmers’ adoption of natural fertilisers. How will they do it unless they see benefits in it? First, natural fertilisers must improve their soil’s health. Two, they must reduce their cost of production. Three, they must bring them as good a yield and as good an income as they are getting from use of chemical fertilisers. After being used to a certain level of living standards, the farmers will not be willing to switch to natural fertilisers unless they are able to maintain it. The government will need to work hard to promote adequate production of natural fertilisers which are not only of high quality but also of as much potency as chemical fertilisers to give high yields. But PM-PRANAM would not be enough to regenerate the soil and motivate the farmers. Because the soil’s health has degenerated, and not only because of the use of chemical fertilisers — over-irrigation is also a major cause. The farmers of the green revolution states gave up their age-old multiple cropping system, which was based on a balanced use of soil, water and manure, to adopt the rice-wheat cropping system. The government needed adequate rice and wheat to feed the nation. It encouraged farmers to grow more and more rice and wheat. Both the crops demand several times more water than other crops such as maize or millets do. Over-production of rice and wheat meant over-use of river water and groundwater. The result was high salinity in the soil and greater loss of natural nutrients. At the root of the problem, therefore, was the rice-wheat cropping system. It was causing the loss of the natural nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon, zinc, iron and manganese. It has been chewing the soil like a demon and it is still not satisfied. Unless the farmers give up the rice-wheat system and adopt a diverse cropping system to reduce their dependence on chemical fertilisers and water, the soil cannot be restored to its normal health. And the farmers will not adopt a diverse cropping system, unless they get a guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for 23 major crops (7 cereals, 5 pulses, 7 oilseeds, 4 commercial crops) for which the central government fixes a base price every year. The government need not procure all the major crops. It has to only fix a minimum price that even private buyers will have to pay. The government will have to do that in order to promote crop diversification. It is clear from the recent agitation by sunflower growers in Haryana. Although the central government fixed sunflower seed MSP at ₹6,400 a quintal, private traders were willing to pay not more than 4,200. The state government was not buying it at all. After the farmers mounted protests, the state government agreed to buy them at the rate of ₹4,800 a quintal plus ₹1,000 a quintal by way of compensation for the difference between the MSP and the average market price. The amount ₹4800+ ₹1000=₹ 5,800 still fell 600 short of the MSP. The farmers blocked Chandigarh-Delhi roads. Eventually, the state government agreed to pay them Rs 5,000 a quintal, raising the effective price to ₹6,000. You cannot blame farmers. They are willing to diversify to save their lands. Sunflower cultivation in Haryana rose from 9,440 hectares in 2018-19 to 12,290 hectares in 2020-21, 13,020 hectares in 2021-22 and 14,160 hectares in 2022-23. If the government guarantees an attractive MSP for the produce, sunflower acreage will progressively increase. The acreage of maize, millets and other crops will also increase. Arun Sinha is the author of ‘Against the Few: Struggles of India’s Rural Poor’ and other books

लोगों के स्वास्थ्य पर बहुराष्ट्रीय कम्पनियों की ओर से हो रहा है जानलेवा हमला

स्वास्थ्य स्थितियां बेहद चिंताजनक हैं। भारतीय मध्यवर्ग की डाइट बद से बदतर होती जा रही है। जैसे-जैसे मध्यवर्ग की आमदनी और व्ययशीलता बढ़ती जा रही है, उसे अपने शरीर में कैलोरीज की मात्रा बढ़ाने के और मौके मिल रहे हैं। यूं भी भारतीय परंपरागत रूप से भोजनप्रेमी होते हैं। बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियों के खाद्य पदार्थ एवं डिब्बाबन्द उत्पादों के सेहत पर पड़ने वाले घातक प्रभावों पर दशकों से विमर्श होता रहा है, लेकिन जैसे-जैसे मर्ज की दवा की रोग बढ़ता गया, वाली स्थिति देखने को मिल रही है। अब जाकर विभिन्न शोधों के निष्कर्षों के आधार पर विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन ने खाद्य पदार्थों व पेय पदार्थों में मिलाये जाने वाली कृत्रिम मिठास को कैंसर को बढ़ाने वाला कारक माना है। बात केवल कृत्रिम मिठास की नहीं है, तरह-तरह से भारतीय भोजन के स्वास्थ्यवर्द्धक कारणों को कुचलने एवं स्वास्थ्य पर हो रहे जानलेवा हमलों की भी है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (सीएसई) ने हाल ही में अपने एक अध्ययन में बताया कि बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियों द्वारा बेची जाने वाली कुछ स्वादिष्ट खाद्य सामग्रियों में स्वास्थ्य के लिए हानिकारक तत्व हैं। इसकी तीखी प्रतिक्रिया हुई। चाय और भुजिया, कोल्ड ड्रिंक्स और समोसा, बटर चिकन और नान का मजा लेने वाले भारतीयों में बहस छिड़ गई कि आखिर यह कैसे नुकसानदेह साबित हो सकता है। भारत में नेस्ले कम्पनी द्वारा बनाई जाने वाली मैगी पर गुणवत्ता को लेकर उठे सवाल भी हैरान करने वाले हैं। मिलावट वाले खाद्य पदार्थ एवं डिब्बाबन्द उत्पादों के बढ़ते प्रचलन से देश के लोगों का स्वास्थ्य दांव पर लगा है, लेकिन उन पर नियंत्रण की कोई स्थिति बनती हुई नहीं दिख रही है। विदेशी पूंजी एवं रोजगार की आड़ लेकर इन कम्पनियों की आर्थिक महत्वाकांक्षाओं, गलत हरकतों एवं स्वास्थ्य को चौपट करने वाली स्थितियों को किसी भी कीमत पर स्वीकार नहीं किया जाना चाहिए। देश में गुणवत्ता वाले खाद्य पदार्थ ही लोगों के स्वास्थ्य की रक्षा कर सकते हैं, इसके लिये सख्त कानून के साथ ही राजनीतिक इच्छाशक्ति दिखानी होगी। बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियों के खाद्य उत्पादों से अस्वास्थ्य एक व्यापक समस्या बन गयी है। शिक्षित-अशिक्षित, गरीब-अमीर, स़्त्री-पुरुष, युवा-प्रौढ़ सभी इन उत्पादों के आदी होकर परेशान हैं। इनके अधिक सेवन के कारण सबको किसी-न-किसी बीमारी की शिकायत है। चारों ओर बीमारियों का दुर्भेद्य घेरा है। निरन्तर बढ़ती हुई बीमारियों का प्रमुख कारण बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियों के खाद्य उत्पादों का भारतीय भोजन में शामिल होना है। इन बीमारियों को रोकने के लिये नई-नई चिकित्सा पद्धतियां एवं आविष्कार असफल हो रहे हैं। जैसे-जैसे विज्ञान रोग प्रतिरोधक औषधियों का निर्माण करता है, वैसे-वैसे बीमारियां नये रूप, नये नाम और नये परिवेश में प्रस्तुत हो रही हैं, इन बढ़ती बीमारियों का कारण जंक फूड, डिब्बाबन्द उत्पाद एवं कृत्रिम मिठास है। जांच एजेंसियों की लापरवाही, संसाधनों के अभाव, भ्रष्टाचार, केन्द्र-राज्य सहयोग का अभाव और लचर दंड-व्यवस्था का खामियाजा उपभोक्ताओं को अपने स्वास्थ्य को खतरे में डालकर चुकाना पड़ रहा है। दुनिया में बहुराष्ट्रीय शीतल पेय कंपनियों के पेय, सोडा, च्यूइंग गम आदि पदार्थों में कृत्रिम मिठास का धड़ल्ले से प्रयोग किया जाता है। दरअसल, मनुष्य पर कैंसरकारक असर के बाबत अंतर्राष्ट्रीय एजेंसी आईएआरसी और विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन के कैंसर अनुसंधान प्रभाग के अध्ययन का हवाला दिया गया है। निस्संदेह, इन निष्कर्षों ने दुनियाभर के उपभोक्ताओं की चिंताओं को बढ़ा दिया है, जो लंबे समय से इन उत्पादों के सेवन को लेकर दुविधा में थे। विशेषज्ञों ने उस पुरानी दलील को तरजीह नहीं दी कि एक सीमित मात्रा में कृत्रिम मिठास से बने उत्पाद घातक नहीं होते और इनका उपयोग किया जा सकता है। निश्चित ही बहुराष्ट्रीय कम्पनिया अपने मुनाफे के लिये जन-जन के स्वास्थ्य से खिलवाड़ कर रही है, बावजूद इसके दुनिया के शक्तिशाली देशों में प्रभावी इन कंपनियों के खिलाफ कोई भी बात नक्कारखाने में तूती की आवाज बनकर रह जाती थी। भारत में भी ऐसी कम्पनियां तेजी से पांव पसार रही हैं। भारतीय परिवारों में इंस्टैंट नूडल्स, आलू की चिप्स, कोल्ड ड्रिंक्स ने कहर बरपाया है, ये तमाम खाद्य एवं पेय उत्पाद भले ही जायकेदार होते हैं लेकिन इनका सेवन स्वास्थ्य को चौपट कर रहा है। इनका प्रचलन बढ़ता जा रहा है, आखिर क्यों न बढ़े, हमारे तमाम बड़े सुपरस्टार्स उनका विज्ञापन जो करते हैं। आखिर, कोई ऐसा उत्पाद हानिकारक कैसे हो सकता है, जिसके विज्ञापन में किसी प्यारे-से बच्चे की आवाज सुनाई देती हो या जिनमें ‘अपने ग्रैंडपैरेंट्स से प्यार करो’ ‘कुछ मीठा हो जाये’ जैसे विज्ञापन जन्मदिन से लेकर शादी तक हर अवसर के लिये पसरे हैं, जो भावनात्मक मूल्यों से खिलवाड़ करते हैं। यदि हम इन विज्ञापनों पर भरोसा करें तो पाएंगे कि कैडबरी, चिप्स और कोला का सेवन करने वाले लोग साधारण लोगों की तुलना में ज्यादा प्रेमपूर्ण, सभ्य, आधुनिक व संवेदनशील होते हैं और बर्गर और फ्राइड चिकन के कारण आप बेहतर दोस्त साबित हो सकते हैं। तो आखिर माजरा क्या है? कैडबरी ने तो भारतीय देशी मिठाइयों के भविष्य को ही धुंधला दिया है। स्वास्थ्य स्थितियां बेहद चिंताजनक हैं। भारतीय मध्यवर्ग की डाइट बद से बदतर होती जा रही है। जैसे-जैसे मध्यवर्ग की आमदनी और व्ययशीलता बढ़ती जा रही है, उसे अपने शरीर में कैलोरीज की मात्रा बढ़ाने के और मौके मिल रहे हैं। यूं भी भारतीय परंपरागत रूप से भोजनप्रेमी होते हैं। ऐसे में अगर जायकेदार लेकिन सस्ते खाद्य पदार्थ आसानी से मुहैया हों तो क्या कहने। भले ही यह जायका जहरीला हो। इसी में जागरूकता की कमी और अनैतिक विज्ञापन संस्कृति को भी जोड़ लें तो हम पाएंगे कि हम भयावह स्थिति की ओर बढ़े चले जा रहे हैं। यह जांचने के लिए हमें किसी लैबोरेटरी स्टडी की जरूरत नहीं है कि हम जो खा रहे हैं, उनमें से कुछ चीजें हमारी सेहत के लिए वाकई नुकसानदेह हैं। एक ज्यूस ब्रांड ऐसा आमरस बेचता है, जिसके हर गिलास में आठ चम्मच शकर हो सकती है। इंस्टैंट नूडल्स का एक पैक अशुद्ध और अपरिष्कृत स्टार्च से बढ़कर कुछ नहीं होता। बच्चों को दूध के साथ पिलाए जाने वाले जौ निर्मित तथाकथित पोषक आहार शकर से भरे होते हैं। नाश्ते में जो महंगे खाद्य पदार्थ लिए जाते हैं, उनकी हेल्थ वैल्यू एक मामूली रोटी जितनी भी नहीं होती। तली हुई आलू की चिप्सें और पेटीज बर्गर निश्चित ही सेहतमंद चीजें नहीं हैं। इसके बावजूद इन उत्पादों के निर्माता ब्रांड टीवी पर विज्ञापन के लिए करोड़ों रुपए खर्च करते हैं ताकि हमारे मन में इन उत्पादों के प्रति चाह जगाई जा सके। इन उत्पादों के कारण हमारा वजन बढ़ रहा है, तनाव एवं अवसाद को जी रहे हैं, मधुमेह के रोगी चरम पर पहुंच रहे हैं, हृदयरोग के आंकड़े भी इन खाद्य पदार्थों के बढ़ते प्रचलन के कारण चौंकाने वाले हैं। निश्चित रूप से पूरी दुनिया में घातक कृत्रिम मिठास, डिब्बा बन्द उत्पाद एवं जंक फूड के दुष्प्रभावों को लेकर नये सिरे से बहस का आगाज होगा। सवाल केवल बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियों के उत्पादों का ही नहीं है, जिन मिठाइयों और नमकीन को हम अपनी परंपरागत विरासत का एक हिस्सा समझते हैं, घरों और रेस्तरांओं में जिस तरह का तरीदार शोरबा परोसा जाता है, रेलवे स्टेशनों पर जिस तरह के समोसे और पकौड़े बेचे जाते हैं, वे सभी हमारे लिए नुकसानदेह हैं। लेकिन न तो सरकार, न ये कंपनियां और न ही हम इसे लेकर चिंतित हैं। हो सकता है आने वाले कुछ सालों में हमें इसकी कीमत चुकानी पड़े। आज हम जिस समृद्धि पर गर्व करते हैं, वही हमारे लिए महंगा सौदा साबित हो सकती है। जिन लोगों के पास खाने को कुछ नहीं है, वे भोजन को बुनियादी जरूरत मानते हैं, लेकिन जिनके सामने भरण-पोषण की कोई समस्या नहीं है, वे इसे आनंद का एक और माध्यम मानते हैं। अलबत्ता अति हर चीज की बुरी है। हमें बहुराष्ट्रीय कंपनियों पर लगाम कसने की जरूरत है, क्योंकि लगता नहीं कि वे अपने उत्पादों में पौष्टिकता परोसती है या विज्ञापनों में किसी तरह की नैतिकता का निर्वाह करती हैं। यदि वे कोई ऐसी चीज बेच रही हैं, जिसके दीर्घकालिक परिणाम घातक हो सकते हैं तो उन्हें इसका खुलासा करना चाहिए। जंक बेचने वाली कंपनियों से हमारे बच्चों की रक्षा की जानी चाहिए। विज्ञापनों को नियम-कायदों के दायरे में लाया जाना चाहिए। भोजन में जहर परोसने वाले देश के लोगों के लिये एक बड़ा खतरा है, इस खतरे से लोगों को बचाने के लिये महज व्यावसायिक या व्यवस्थागत समस्या मान कर समाधान करना उचित नहीं है, बल्कि कठोर एवं निष्पक्ष कानून व्यवस्था बननी चाहिए। बहरहाल, इस मुद्दे को दुनिया में नया विमर्श मिलना तय है। जन स्वास्थ्य की दृष्टि से यह कदम जरूरी भी है। -ललित गर्ग (लेखक वरिष्ठ पत्रकार एवं स्तम्भकार हैं)

'Air quality monitoring stations in city have max population coverage'

A report by the Centre for Science and Environment, which is an analysis on the status of air quality monitoring stations, says that Delhi has the highest share of its population covered by real-time monitoring stations. However, the overall condition in the country is bad as only 12% of India's census cities and towns have air quality monitoring stations. The report says that 21% of Delhi's population lives within a 2-km radius of the city's 40 real-time monitoring stations and 100% of its population is within a 50-km radius of a real-time monitoring network. Chandigarh has the second highest coverage with 19% of its population residing within the 2-km radius. "Considering the combined coverage of national air quality monitoring programme (NAMP) and continuous ambient air quality monitoring station (CAAQMS) networks, only 43 districts have 100% of pollution monitored within the 50-km radius.... These districts are mostly in Delhi-NCR," the report said. The CSE said the number of manual monitoring stations in the country has doubled since 2010, while the number of real-time monitoring stations has grown 20-fold. "However, about 860 million (62%) people in the country live outside the 50-km radius of real-time air quality monitoring stations (CAAQMS only) - which means they do not receive the daily AQI-based health alerts. Only 2% population lives in the immediate coverage zone of real-time monitoring stations," the report said. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director for research and advocacy, CSE, said: "Limited air quality monitoring makes it challenging to identify the non-attainment status of a vast number of cities and regions and impedes effective evaluation of clean air action and improvement in air quality needed for evaluation of performance of clean air action." She added: "It is necessary to ensure equitable distribution of monitors and hybrid monitoring with a standardised air sensor network and satellite-based monitoring."

CSE report reveals grim state of air quality monitoring in India: Only 12 percent cities, towns have required stations A new analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has exposed the sad state of air quality monitoring in the country. Accordi

CSE report reveals grim state of air quality monitoring in India: Only 12 percent cities, towns have required stations A new analysis by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has exposed the sad state of air quality monitoring in the country. According to it, 47 per cent population lives outside the air quality monitoring network and 62 per cent do not have access to daily alerts on local air quality index.

Only 12% of India’s census cities have air quality monitoring stations

The Center for Science and Environment (CSE) has exposed a significant lack of air quality monitoring infrastructure in India through a comprehensive analysis. Michael Mann, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, led the study, which reveals that only 12% of the 4,041 cities and towns surveyed in the country have adequate systems of air quality monitoring. Furthermore, the study highlights the dismal state of the country’s air quality monitoring network, with only 200 cities monitoring the six key criteria pollutants. The analysis, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights the critical need for robust air quality monitoring to effectively forecast and mitigate the impacts of climate change-related extreme weather events. Meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the clean air goals of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) is highly dependent on reliable air quality monitoring. The study states that the air quality monitoring grid, which includes both manual and real-time monitoring, does not cover nearly 47% of the Indian population. Furthermore, an alarming 62% of the population is not included in the real-time monitoring network, thereby depriving them of daily air quality updates. Identifying areas of noncompliance and evaluating the effectiveness of clean air actions are challenged by this lack of coverage. NCAP’s compliance assessments under NCAP are also prevented from including more harmful pollutants such as PM2.5 and ozone due to limited monitoring and data availability.