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10 Environmentalists to watch out in 2023

- Sunita Narain, Editor, Down To Earth and Environmentalist Sunita Narain is one of the foremost environmentalists in India who has had a significant impact on environmental discourse and played a pivotal role in shaping environmental policies and regulations. She is the Director General of Centre for Science and Environment and the Director of Society for Environmental Communications. She has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable development practices, advocating for environmental justice, and raising awareness about pressing environmental issues such as water management and air pollution control. She is the recipient of many accolades, including the Padma Shri, for her environmental work.

Telangana tops in environmental performance, KTR hails CSE rankin

Lauding the ranking, state Minister K.T. Rama Rao said that Telangana, which has been topping national charts in various parameters, proved yet again that it is a role model to country. : Telangana has been ranked in the top in terms of overall environmental performance in the annual report of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a prominent public interest research and advocacy organisation. The progress achieved in increasing forest cover and in municipal waste treatment was considered for the ranking. Lauding the ranking, state Minister K.T. Rama Rao said that Telangana, which has been topping national charts in various parameters, proved yet again that it is a role model to the country. He claimed that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's brainchild 'Haritha Haram' and other environmentally friendly programmes secured this rare honour

Telangana tops in environmental performance, KTR hails CSE ranking

Telangana has been ranked in the top in terms of overall environmental performance in the annual report of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a prominent public interest research and advocacy organisation. The progress achieved in increasing forest cover and in municipal waste treatment was considered for the ranking. Lauding the ranking, state Minister K.T. Rama Rao said that Telangana, which has been topping national charts in various parameters, proved yet again that it is a role model to the country. He claimed that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's brainchild 'Haritha Haram' and other environmentally friendly programmes secured this rare honour. KTR recalled the state government's pioneering initiatives which led to the remarkable increase in the green cover in both rural and urban areas, the social benefits and national, international recognition achieved because of them, waste-to-energy programmes and other aspects. He said that the Chief Minister undertook the Haritha Haram programme to reverse the damage caused to the environment in the state. The minister said that the state government implemented the programme, with the cooperation of people, to increase the green cover from 22 per cent to 33 per cent. KTR said that various organisations have recognised the positive impacts the programme had. About 273 crore of saplings were planted in the last nine years, which led to an increase in the forest cover from 19,854 square km in 2015-16 to 26,969 square km in 2023. A remarkable 24.06 per cent of geographical area in the state is covered with forests. The minister cited the Forest Survey of India's report, which stated that the Haritha Haram programme increased the green cover in the state by 7.70 per cent. The Minister said that along with social forestry, parks were developed in both urban and rural areas. KTR said that the green budget is allotted under the Panchayat Raj Act and Municipal Act, which is a first of its kind. Now, he said, about 15,000 nurseries, nearly 19,400 Palle Prakruthi Vanams, and 2,725 large Palle Prakruthi Vanams were developed. The minister said that Rs 700 crore was spent to develop urban forest parks in cities. Hyderabad has been recognised as the Tree City of the World. He said that the state government implemented best practices in sanitation management too. The process of biomining, to ensure scientific disposal of waste, was started in municipal corporations and municipalities. KTR noted that 24 Megawatts (MW) were produced through waste-to-energy in Hyderabad. The state also stood as a leader in generating electricity through alternative sources. The minister said that while only 74 MW was produced through solar energy when the state was formed in 2014, it surged to 5,865 MW now. He said that it is a matter of pride that the small state stood in second position in the country in terms of generating power through solar energy and that it is a testament of the state's commitment. KTR said that the national and international level recognitions to the state government's efforts gives further inspiration. He recalled policy think tank NITI Aayog's appreciation that Prakurthi Vanam concept is a role model to the country. He said that this is a recognition of the state government's comprehensive and balanced environmental policies and Chief Minister KCR's commitment to the environment.

Telangana tops in environmental performance, KTR hails CSE ranking

Telangana has been ranked in the top in terms of overall environmental performance in the annual report of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a prominent public interest research and advocacy organisation. Lauding the ranking, state Minister K.T. Rama Rao said that Telangana, which has been topping national charts in various parameters, proved yet again that it is a role model to the country

KTR Calls for Public Participation in Cleanliness Drive on World Environment Day

Minister for IT, Industries, and MAUD, K T Rama Rao, delivered a keynote address at the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) on the occasion of World Environment Day, urging the participation of common people in the government's efforts to clean cities and villages. Highlighting Telangana's commitment to environmental protection, Minister KTR referred to the Centre for Science and Environment's recognition of the state's leading role in this regard. He expressed pride in the achievements of the people and Chief Minister KCR over the past decade, emphasizing the significant progress made in various sectors, particularly in the development of Hyderabad. However, he emphasized the need for further efforts to transform the city into a global destination, and assured that the government is actively working towards that goal. Minister KTR instructed officials to designate every Saturday as 'Rethink - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (RRR) day,' during which discussions on waste management and recycling initiatives would take place at the planning level. Commending CM KCR's visionary approach to state development, Minister KTR also inaugurated the Knowledge Hub, a collaborative initiative between the Telangana government, ASCI, and the Environmental Surveillance Laboratory. He expressed gratitude to ASCI for their support and cooperation in this endeavor.

Around 240 tonnes of plastic waste gets dumped in India's national capital every day, says report

India's national capital New Delhi has been currently generating more than 1,100 tonnes of plastic waste every day, but only around 870 tonnes per day (TPD) is being managed or recycled, which leaves a gap of 242 TPD or around 22 per cent of the plastic waste load of Delhi, which finally either reaches the drains or ends up in landfills or contaminates the River Yamuna, as per the latest data. A target of June 2024 has been set by the national capital to bridge this gap completely. Experts stated that officials may have to work much harder, especially considering that it was not able to implement the ban on 19 single-use plastic (SUP) items successfully. Municipal bodies shared data during their meeting held with the high-level solid waste monitoring committee, as per which the current plastic waste generation figure of the national capital stood at 1,113.25 TPD, and only 871.25 TPD is being processed, leaving a gap of 242 TPD which needs immediate attention. The committee was appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and is headed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. Programme director of the municipal solid waste sector at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Atin Biswas said that waste segregation is the base for any city which is aiming to find a solution to its waste problem. “At present, even this figure of 78 per cent of plastic being recycled seems fairly high, as Delhi is not segregating its waste like other cities. Only when that is being done, can waste be effectively separated. Until we achieve segregation at source, this target of June 2024 appears highly unlikely,” Biswas stated.

To erase plastic waste, focus on recyclability

In the past 50-odd years, the world has learnt, to its horror, the problems of long-lasting and non-destructive substances that were once considered wonder materials. Take DDT, the persistent pesticide that had such a long residence time in the environment that it led to the accumulation of the adverse substance in the eggs of birds and the blood of humans. Or chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a non-destructive chemical, which literally burnt a hole in the stratospheric ozone layer. Worse still is carbon dioxide, emitted from the burning of fossil fuels, which lasts and lasts – its residence time is estimated to be anywhere between 150-200 years in the atmosphere – and results in a catastrophic climate crisis.

Report: Around 240 tonnes of plastic waste gets dumped in India’s national capital every day

Currently, the national capital of India, New Delhi, is generating over 1,100 tonnes of plastic waste daily. However, only around 870 tonnes per day are being managed or recycled, leaving a gap of 242 tonnes per day or approximately 22% of the total plastic waste load in Delhi. This unmanaged waste either ends up in drains, landfills, or contaminates the River Yamuna, according to the latest data. To address this issue, New Delhi has set a target to bridge this gap completely by June 2024. Experts believe that officials will need to put in much more effort, especially considering the unsuccessful implementation of the ban on 19 single-use plastic items. During a meeting with the high-level solid waste monitoring committee, municipal bodies shared data indicating that the current plastic waste generation in the capital is 1,113.25 tonnes per day, with only 871.25 tonnes per day being processed. This leaves a gap of 242 tonnes per day that requires immediate attention. The committee, headed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, was appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Atin Biswas, the program director of the municipal solid waste sector at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), emphasized that waste segregation is crucial for finding a solution to the waste problem. Biswas stated that Delhi is not segregating its waste like other cities, and until waste segregation at the source is achieved, the target of June 2024 seems highly unlikely. Furthermore, Delhi is also falling behind its single-use plastic goals. Despite the ban on 19 SUP items from July 1, 2022, onwards, these items are still commonly found in the city’s markets. Many shop owners, like Bhiku Ram, continue to use plastic straws and spoons due to substantial price differences with alternatives. There is a need for agencies to enforce the ban more effectively and for consumers to change their mindset and choose alternatives to plastic. Additionally, the government of Delhi has announced plans to clear all three dumpsites in the capital. The Okhla dumpsite is expected to be cleared by December 2023, Bhalswa by March 2024, and Ghazipur by December 2024. These dumpsites cover a total area of 200 acres and hold approximately 28 million tonnes of legacy waste.

‘32% of India’s municipal solid waste is burnt illegally or chokes drains’

Per capita plastic waste generation has almost doubled in India, reveals CSE report ahead of World Environment Day. About 32% of municipal solid waste remains unaccounted for across India, even as 71% of legacy waste remains unattended ahead of the 2024 target of completely remediating it, reveals a new report. Six of the 10 states with the highest unaccounted waste are in east and north-east India. As many as 11 states, including six from the Northeast, have not even started treating their legacy waste. These alarming figures were shared ahead of World Environment Day by the environmental advocacy not-for-profit organisation Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) through ‘The State of India’s Environment 2023: In Figures.’ The World Environment Day is observed on June 5 each year. This year’s campaign #BeatPlasticPollution calls for global solutions to combat the plastic menace. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shows that plastic waste generation during the year 2019-20 across 35 states and Union Territories was estimated at approximately 34.69 lakh tonnes per annum (TPA). The per capita plastic waste generation has almost doubled over the last five years. The maximum quantity of plastic waste is generated in Maharashtra (13%), followed by Tamil Nadu and Punjab (12% each). Of the total solid waste generated for 2019-2020, the share of plastic waste was just 6.30%. However, experts warn that any percentage of plastic is harmful to the planet as it remains on land for thousands of years and, upon reaching water bodies, causes massive marine pollution and hurts marine biodiversity. As per the CPCB data for 2020-21, the total quantity of solid waste generated in India was 1.6 lakh tonnes per day (TPD), of which 1.52 lakh TPD of waste was collected. As much as 79,956.3 TPD (50%) of waste was treated and 29,427.2 (18.4%) TPD goes into landfills. The remaining 31.7% (rounded off to 32%) of the waste generated remains unaccounted for. This is a rise from 2019-2020, when the share of unaccounted solid waste was 25.8%. “The data shows that the government does not know where this 32% waste goes. It is clear that this is the solid waste that ends up choking the drains of our cities or is burnt illegally,” the CSE report stated. In July 2022, when India banned single-use plastics, the CPCB had rolled out a mobile application called SUP-CPCB that allows citizens to complain about illegal plastic sale and use. Data compiled by the CSE showed that the app received complaints from 138 cities. However, 81 cities failed to redress even a single complaint. “The only positive is that today, as much as 50% municipal solid waste is being treated as compared to a mere 19% in 2015-16,” said Rajit Sengupta, one of the lead analysts and authors of the CSE report. “The State of India’s Environment 2023: In Figures is our attempt to use the best available data points to tell you the story of India’s environmental performance: where it has faltered, where it has managed to move towards a sustainable existence, and where, if any, are the gaps in data,” said Sunita Narain, CSE’s director general. In this report, the CSE has for the first time analysed and ranked the performance of India’s states on four key parameters: overall environmental performance, agriculture, public health, as well as public infrastructure and human development. Incidentally, the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop a legally binding, international instrument on plastic pollution, including the marine environment, concluded on June 3. Soon after, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), stated: “Plastic has been the default option in design for too long. It is time to redesign products to use less plastic, particularly unnecessary and problematic plastics, to redesign product packaging and shipping to use less plastic, to redesign systems and products for reuse and recyclability, and to redesign the broader system for justice.”

Telangana: TIF’s skill development center inaugurated in Nalgonda

KTR said that Telangana was perhaps the only state, which was levied a penalty of Rs 1000 a day for officials if they failed to clear the approvals within the stipulated time. Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao inaugurated the Telangana Industrialists Federation’s (TIF) skill development and common facility centre at TIF MSME Green Industrial Park in Nalgonda’s Dandu Malkapur. Stressing that the government was ensuring both welfare and development, KTR said the country’s youngest state was not setting benchmarks against the best in the country but against the best in the world. “Under chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s leadership, Telangana has been witnessing a rare confluence of welfare and development,” KTR said. MS Education Academy Pointing that on the occasion of World Environment Day, the Centre for Science and Environment released its annual report and adjudged Telangana as the top state for its overall environmental performance, KTR said, “Likewise, in the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ rankings released by the Central Government, Telangana was among the top-performing states.” ALSO READTelangana IT exports clock 31.44% growth at Rs 2,41,275 cr in FY23 Recalling that the state government introduced TS-iPASS in November 2014 for transparent and time-bound approvals for setting up units, KTR said that Telangana was perhaps the only state which was levied a penalty of Rs 1000 a day for officials if they failed to clear the approvals within the stipulated time. “A senior citizen drawing Rs 2000 monthly pension was happy and so were industrialists for timely approvals and support being extended by the government. Now, this is called holistic welfare and development,” lauded the minister. Highlighting the green cover spread in the state, KTR said, “Gujarat government had declared two-day power holidays in a week. This was after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ruled the state as chief minister for a long term. However, the truck drivers share that while driving on national highways, they can easily recognise the entry into Telangana due to the lush greenery.” “No other chief minister had the vision of planting 240 crore saplings under the Haritha Haram programme and introducing mandatory 10 percent Green Budget for ULBs and rural bodies,” KTR said.

समस्तीपुर: पर्यावरण की रक्षा हमारी सुरक्षा,सुमन सौरभ।

पर्यावरण दिवस विश्व भर में हर साल 5 जून को मनाया जाता है। यह एक महत्वपूर्ण अंतर्राष्ट्रीय उत्सव है जिसका मुख्य उद्देश्य पर्यावरण की संरक्षा, स्थायी विकास और पर्यावरणीय जब जागरूकता को बढ़ावा देना है। यह दिन लोगों को पर्यावरण संरक्षण के महत्व को समझने और इसकी रक्षा करने के लिए प्रेरित करता है।पर्यावरण दिवस को संयुक्त राष्ट्र जनरल असेंबली ने 1972 में प्रारंभिक रूप में घोषित किया था।इसका उद्घाटन 1974 में हुआ और उस समय से यह एक महत्वपूर्ण पर्यावरणीय उत्सव बन गया है। पर्यावरण दिवस पर विभिन्न देशों में विशेष कार्यक्रम,संगोष्ठी, सडनुक्कड़ नाटक,पर्यावरण जागरूकता कैंपेन,पौधरोपण आदि आयोजित किए जाते हैं।पर्यावरण दिवस के अंतर्गत,लोगों को उनके आस-पास के पर्यावरण के प्रति संवेदनशील बनाने,पेड़-पौधों की रक्षा करने,प्रदूषण कम करने,जल संरक्षण,वन संरक्षण,जलवायु परिवर्तन के प्रभावों के प्रति जागरूक करने का प्रयास किया जाता है। बढ़ती पर्यावरणीय चिंताओं और विविध पर्यावरणीय कठिनाइयों से उबरने के लिए कुछ अनिवार्य कदम उठाना,इक्कीसवीं सदी की विशेषता रही है। प्राकृतिक आपदाओं और विध्वंसों के कुप्रभाव के बाद ही 21वीं सदी में मनुष्य जाति चेतस हुआ कि आने स्वार्थ पूर्ति हेतु उन्होंने अपने सबसे बड़े और स्थायी अवलंबन का ही नुकसान किया। मसलन जलवायु परिवर्तन आज दुनिया की सबसे जरूरी पर्यावरणीय समस्याओं में से एक है। इक्कीसवीं सदी में, ग्लोबल वार्मिंग,विशेष रूप से जीवाश्म ईंधन के जलने ने बिलकुल नये डायनामिक्स को हमारे सामने खड़ा कर दिया है। 2015 में पेरिस समझौते ने जलवायु परिवर्तन से लड़ने के लिए एक ऐतिहासिक अंतर्राष्ट्रीय प्रयास के रूप में कार्य किया। परिणामस्वरूप,इस शताब्दी के दौरान जलवायु परिवर्तन को कम करने और नियंत्रित करने के प्रयासों में तेज़ी आई है।जलवायु परिवर्तन के बारे में जन जागरूकता और पर्यावरण पर जीवाश्म ईंधन के नकारात्मक प्रभावों में वृद्धि के रूप में नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा (रिन्यूएबल एनर्जी) स्रोतों के पक्ष में ध्यान देने योग्य बदलाव आया है। सौर और पवन ऊर्जा प्रौद्योगिकी को प्रोत्साहित करने वाले कानून ने 21वीं सदी में उल्लेखनीय विकास किया है। इक्कीसवीं सदी में,जैव विविधता संरक्षण ने महत्वपूर्ण महत्व प्राप्त कर लिया है। तेजी से वनों की कटाई, निवास स्थान के नुकसान, प्रदूषण और प्राकृतिक संसाधनों के अतिदोहन के परिणामस्वरूप कई प्रजातियां विलुप्त हो गई हैं।लुप्तप्राय प्रजातियों को संरक्षित करने, आवासों को बचाने और टिकाऊ भूमि और संसाधन प्रबंधन को आगे बढ़ाने की पहलों ने लोकप्रियता हासिल की है।अब कोशिश यह की जाती है कि पर्यावरण,सामाजिक और आर्थिक मुद्दों के एकीकरण पर जोर दिया जाए। है। वर्तमान परिदृश्य में पर्यावरण सक्रियता और जागरूकता में काफी वृद्धि हुई है। विश्व स्तर पर, लोगों, समुदायों और संगठनों ने स्थायी उपायों को बढ़ावा देने,नीतिगत सुधारों पर जोर देने और पर्यावरणीय चुनौतियों के बारे में जागरूकता बढ़ाने के लिए एक साथ काम किया है।उदाहरण के लिए,युवा जलवायु कार्यकर्ता ग्रेटा थुनबर्ग के फ्राइडे फॉर फ्यूचर आंदोलन ने दुनिया भर का ध्यान आकर्षित किया है और समूह कार्रवाई को प्रेरित किया है। सुंदरलाल बहुगुणा याद आते हैं जिन्होंने चिपको आंदोलन के ज़रिए हम में पर्यावरण के प्रति जागरूक होने और संवेनशीलता बरतने का अलख जगाया। बहुगुणा जी के अलावा कई प्रमुख भारतीय पर्यावरणविद् हैं जिन्होंने भारत में पर्यावरण संरक्षण और स्थिरता के क्षेत्र में महत्वपूर्ण योगदान दिया है। उनमें से कुछ उल्लेखनीय नाम हैं, वंदना शिवा, सुनीता नारायण, मेधा पाटकर, अनिल अग्रवाल, चंडीप्रसाद भट्ट,अनिल अग्रवाल,राजेन्द्र सिंह इत्यादि।वंदना शिवा ने जहाँ कस्थायी कृषि,जैव विविधता संरक्षण और किसानों के अधिकारों के लिए एक मुखर वकालत की वहीं सुनीता नारायण एक पर्यावरणविद् और सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की महानिदेशक हैं,

Mayor admits to city climate crisis at launch of Kolkata Climate Action Plan

Firhad Hakim announces planting of 25 lakh trees in and around Kolkata; experts call for fossil fuel emission cut-down During a meeting on World Environment Day on Monday, mayor Firhad Hakim admitted that Kolkata was under acute climatic stress and pointed out that the situation had turned worse owing to a spate of environmental violations over the last two decades. The programme was organised by the Environment Governed Integrated Organisation (EnGIO), with support from the Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) and My Kolkata. Hakim announced a slew of measures to combat the threat, including preparation of Kolkata Climate Action Plan that he launched during the event. A coalition of pan-India organisations and experts led by Kolkata Municipal Corporation would prepare the plan within six months. Environmental non-profit EnGIO and green platform Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) will coordinate the preparation, while Observer Research Foundation Kolkata, Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), Climate Trends and Press Club, Kolkata, will also contribute. “Years ago, monsoon would have arrived by this time, while this year we are having 40-degree Celsius temperature at daytime. We have made it worse as nearly 3,500 water bodies have been filled up over the last two decades and we lost about 20,000 trees only during Cyclone Amphan,” said the mayor in the meeting. “We used to call Kolkata the ‘City of Joy’; now with mounting air pollution, it is about to become a city of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease),” said Hakim, adding that the civic body had decided to plant 25 lakh trees on both banks of the Hooghly till Dakshineswar, on the banks of Tolly’s Nullah and in the East Kolkata Wetlands besides on land reclaimed from waste dumping site in Dhapa. “We have announced in Copenhagen and subsequently in Glasgow that city transport will be shifted from fossil fuel by 2030. We are working on that commitment besides also creating a charging infrastructure around the city. We expect that the Kolkata Climate Action Plan would be finalised within six months,” said the mayor. Debasish Kumar, who represented KMC in the last global climate summit at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, said that the civic body would provide all support to the proposed initiative. The expert committee announced to guide the process would have specialists from all related sectors such as industry, transport, power, drainage, public health, biodiversity, air pollution, economics and communication. Many represented these sectors during the meeting on Monday. “I am very happy to be part of the committee and would provide all inputs in framing the Kolkata Climate Action Plan. Climate change is quickly becoming unmanageable and cutting emission from fossil fuel burning is a key issue,” said Subimal Ghosh of IIT Mumbai, a climate science expert and an author of the recently published IPCC’s sixth assessment report on climate change and also a member of the Kolkata committee. “From the transport sector, we would provide all relevant information and will support through our IIT-based team,” added Bhargav Maitra of IIT Kharagpur; another member. Abhijeet Chatterjee, a scientist from Bose Institute and also a committee member supposed to provide expert input on air pollution of the city and its linkage to climate change, pointed out that his team was already working on the agenda. Other committee members Aniruddha Mukherjee, a professor of Calcutta University, Arunabha Majumdar, a former director-head of All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Anumita Roy Chowdhury, an expert from the Center for Science and Environment, CANSA director Sanjay Vashist were also present, the latter digitally. “We plan to generate sector-wise status report and recommendations; inputs from series of stakeholder meetings and finally, a matrix combining all the inputs , and expect to come up with an agreed and pragmatic climate action plan for the city within scheduled period,” said Jayanta Basu, a communications specialist attached to EnGIO and also a committee member.

Telangana leads the way for environmental conservation: Report

Telangana topped a list of states and Union Territories for environmental conservation, with an increase in forest cover and sewage treatment playing a key role in helping the state secure the top post, according to a report released by a renowned think tank. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a public interest research and advocacy organisation, in its annual compendium of data titled ‘State of India’s Environment 2023: In Figures’, gave Telangana seven of 10 marks in the report published ahead of the World Environment Day, which falls on June 5. The state was followed by Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra, while Rajasthan, Nagaland, Bihar, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur were at the bottom. The indicators comprised change in forest cover in 2021 over 2019, share of municipal solid waste that gets treated (2020-21), share of sewage that gets treated (as of June 30, 2020), change in installed grid renewable power in 2020-21, percentage change in the number of polluted rivers in 2022 over 2018, stage of groundwater extraction in 2022 and percentage of waterbodies not in use in 2022. However, Telangana performed below average in three parameters —share of waterbodies not in use, stage of groundwater extraction and change in number of polluted river stretches. The performance indicated high levels of pollution in river stretches in the city, shrinking water bodies that exist in the city limits and an increase in groundwater extraction. Minister K.T. Rama Rao attributed the state’s good performance to the ‘Haritha Haram’ flagship forestation programme of the state government, besides other conservation efforts taken across the state. He cited government initiatives for a "remarkable increase in the green cover" in both rural and urban areas, besides waste-to-energy plants and other initiatives, which subsequently led to social benefits, and national and international recognition. The minister said that the Haritha Haram programme aimed to increase the green cover from 22 per cent to 33 per cent, as part of which about 273 crores of saplings were planted in the past nine years, which led to an increase in the forest cover in the state from 19,854 square kilometres in 2015-16 to 26,969 square kilometres in 2023. A remarkable 24.06 per cent of the geographical area in the state is covered with forests — a fact also noted in the Forest Survey of India’s report, which stated that the Haritha Haaram programme increased the green cover in the state by 7.70 per cent. Rama Rao also underlined that the state government implemented best practices in sanitation management, such as biomining, to ensure the scientific disposal of waste. Also, 24 megawatts (MW) of power were produced through waste-to-energy plants in Hyderabad as the state led the way in generating electricity through alternative sources.

Telangana's green initiatives best in the country: Report

The report published by Centre for Science and Environment commends Telangana for increasing its forest cover Telangana has emerged as the top State in overall environmental performance, as per a report, ‘The State of India’s Environment 2023: In Figures’, released on the eve of World Environment Day on Sunday. The report, published by Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth, commends Telangana for progress in increasing forest cover and municipal waste treatment. Scoring more than 7 out of 10 points, Telangana is the only State which has shown more than 7% improvement in forest cover from 2019 to 2021. The State has also developed facilities to treat most of its waste and sewage. It has also shown remarkable achievement in generating power from renewable sources. However, the State’s performance is below average in parameters such as ‘share of water bodies not in use’, ‘stage of groundwater extraction,’ and ‘change in the number of polluted rivers stretches’. The overall rank was determined by considering 32 indicators in four areas — environment, agriculture, public health, and infrastructure. Telangana, along with Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat, emerged as the leading States in the report. Telangana secured the 4th position in public health infrastructure and human development, with a score of 7.8. In agriculture, the State stood at the 18th position with an overall score of 4.1, while in public health, it stood at number 13. Meanwhile, MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao lauded the government officials for their efforts in contributing to the increase in the State’s green cover and improving public health sector. He said that Telangana was already a role model for the country, particularly with its unique policies focused on the environment, and the government remains committed to creating a better atmosphere for future generations. According to the Forest Survey of India report, Telangana has witnessed a 7.7% increase in greenery. The Haritha Haram programme launched to restore depleting forests, stands as the second-largest people-led initiative globally, with nearly 273 crore plants planted over the last nine years. To ensure proper sanitation in urban areas, Telangana has introduced a bio-mining programme for processing accumulated garbage in municipalities and municipal corporations across the State. Moreover, Hyderabad city ranks second in the country in terms of energy generation from waste, producing 24 megawatts of electricity. KTR lauds officials MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao lauded the government officials for their environment protection efforts and improving public health sector

24 extreme weather events in Bengal this year: Report

KOLKATA: In just one year, the impact of climate change has become far more severe in Bengal. While there were only 10 extreme weather events in the whole of 2022, in just over five months this year, there have already been 24 such events in Bengal, revealed the latest report of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on the state of India's environment 2023 on the eve of World Environment Day. In 2022, India experienced extreme weather events on 314 of the 365 days, leading to a loss of over 3,026 lives and damage to 1.96 million hectare of crop area. While heatwaves were common in the first part of 2022, hailstorms became the predominant extreme weather phenomena in 2023. "Our attempt is to use the best available data points to tell you the story of India's environmental performance: where it has faltered, where it has managed to move towards a sustainable existence, and where, if any, are the gaps in data," said CSE director general Sunita Narain. Bengal has a mixed bag in different categories of environmental and climate-related governance among the states. In terms of overall environmental performance, the report has ranked Bengal among the bottom five states with its score being 3.7 out of 10. Telangana (score 7.2) is at the top for its progress in increasing its forest cover and in municipal waste treatment. However, the state has performed below average in parameters such as "share of water bodies not in use", "stage of groundwater extraction" and "change in the number of polluted river stretches". In agriculture, Bengal is somewhere in the middle at 11th position with a score of 4.6. Madhya Pradesh takes the top slot for the highest share of net value added, and its jump in foodgrain production. However, almost half the crop area in the state remains uninsured. While Delhi leads in public health, Bengal remains somewhere middle in the 16th rank with a score of 4.5. Delhi has allocated the highest share of its budget to health and boasts of a robust network of healthcare facilities. It, however, has a low immunisation rate. In public infrastructure and human development, Bengal again remained in the bottom half along with the north-eastern states. Gujarat leads the rankings - it makes the cut for its performance in providing employment and tap water connections. The state, however, ranks comparatively low in sex ratio and has a high proportion of rural households using unclean cooking fuels. On the management of municipal solid waste: With its 120 legacy dump sites, Bengal is one of the top five municipal waste generators (14.6 million tonnes) per day with 95% of its waste to be remediated. In 2020-21, India generated over 160,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste a day - 32% of this remained accounted for. This unaccounted waste usually ends up choking drains or is burnt illegally. On the brighter side, the country's waste treatment and monitoring improved.

Act now or the Earth will choke on plastic

oday is World Environment Day and the UN’s focus this year is on the plastic pollution crisis. While plastic has become a vital part of everyday life, experts warn that its annual production could treble over current levels by 2060. At the current recycling rate of 9% that would be a recipe for disaster. The only way out of this mess is to use less plastic and recycle more The world now produces 460 million tonnes of plastic every year – double of what it did 20 years ago – and at the current rate plastic production will treble by 2060. That’s because affordable, durable and flexible plastic is in everything from packaging to clothes and beauty products. image0 (3). Unfortunately, more than two-thirds of plastic products – such as packaging – have a short useful life, and they add to the pile of toxic waste. Globally, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, while 22% finds its way into landfills, oceans, rivers, lakes and other reservoirs where it not only damages the soil and poisons groundwater but also chokes marine life and enters the food chain, posing a serious health hazard. Two Main ProblemsRavi Agarwal, director of the environmental NGO Toxics Link, says plastics have two main problems. “Firstly, they are not biodegradable as waste, which globally exceeds 350 million tonnes (MT) a year. They can persist for hundreds of years as waste.” Agarwal is an expert who has worked in the fields of waste and circularity for years. He says more than 5.3 trillion plastic pieces are already in the oceans. They can be found in every corner of the Earth, down to the Mariana Trench – the deepest point in the ocean – as floating masses in ocean gyres, and in fish and birds that mistake it for food. image1. “Plastics have become new ‘bio-forms’ entangled with living creatures, not infrequently killing them. Microplastics, which are 5mm in size or less, have been found in fish, drinking water, human blood and in soil.” The second problem, Agarwal says, is that “plastics are often carriers of very toxic chemicals that have been introduced to make them usable.” Heavy metals like chromium, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) like BPA (bisphenol A), phthalates, BFRs (flame retardants), etc, leach out from plastic packaging and products like feeding bottles, teethers and electronic products during use, or during waste disposal and recycling. They can cause cancer, neurological effects, etc, with even a low dose over a prolonged period. Rivers Full Of Waste Plastic touches every part of our lives. About 60% of material made into clothing – including polyester, acrylic and nylon – is plastic. Industrial fishing gear adds about 45,000 tonnes of plastic to the oceans every year. And plastic is even used in seed coatings for agriculture. The OECD’s first Global Plastics Outlook report released last year noted that in 2019 alone, 6.1 MT of plastic waste had leaked into aquatic environments and 1.7MT had flowed into oceans. “There is now an estimated 30MT of plastic waste in seas and oceans, and a further 109MT has accumulated in rivers,” it said. So, even if plastic waste mismanagement stops today, the plastic that’s already in rivers will continue to leak into the oceans for decades. Role In Global Warming The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which has been working on a legally binding instrument to deal with plastic pollution, says plastics also contribute to the climate crisis: “The production of plastic is one of the most energy-intensive manufacturing processes in the world. The material is made from fossil fuels such as crude oil, which are transformed via heat and other additives into a polymer. In 2019, plastics generated 1.8 billion MT of greenhouse gas emissions – 3.4% of the global total.” Circularity Is The Answer What’s the way out? Experts agree that it’s time to shift to a “circular” plastic economy in which plastic is not used and discarded but kept in the economy at its highest value for as long as possible. “Clearly, we need to use plastic, but we need better management based on the principle of minimising what cannot be recycled; understanding the limits to recycling, and banning items like multilayered plastic,” says Sunita Narain, director general of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the New Delhi-based think tank on environmental issues. But while systemic reform is needed, individual choices can also make a difference. That’s why many countries, including India, have taken a citizen-centric approach to avoid single-use plastic products wherever possible. India already has a countrywide ban on single-use plastic, and this World Environment Day (June 5) it will make a big pitch for tackling plastic pollution as a key component of its Mission LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment) – a mass movement for an environmentally conscious lifestyle. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will himself appeal to citizens on the occasion to deal with plastic through collective actions. Making Better Plastics Should we aim to return to a plastic-free life? Agarwal is sceptical about the idea. “Technically, we can live without lastics, of course, but these materials have become integrated into almost all aspects of our lives today. Hence, contemporary life without plastics seems hard to conceive.” Instead, he recommends making better, environment-friendly plastics. “This can be achieved by making materials that are degradable (bio-plastics), or using plant-based materials to break plastic’s link with fossil fuels. Secondly, toxic chemicals in plastics can be substituted with safer additives to make them easier to recycle. And finally, we can minimise plastic use by reducing packaging, eliminating non-essential or single-use plastics, and improving waste management and disposal.