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Delhi yet to implement bylaws for plastic waste management

CSE analysed data from the Central Pollution Control Board and found the country generated 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste every day It is the largest producer of plastic waste among the metropolitan cities in the country, but Delhi continues to operate without any plastic waste management bylaws. The city banned 19 single-use plastic items on July 1 2022 and a comprehensive campaign – 100 Days to Beat Plastic – launched by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) this January culminated on April 22, marking International Earth Day. But these drives against plastic continue to lack teeth due to non-operationalisation of plastic waste regulations, civic officials and waste management experts say. Based on the government of India’s plastic waste rules 2016, the urban development department of Delhi government published draft bylaws on August 13, 2021 but lieutenant governor VK Saxena subsequently directed MCD in January 2022 to frame and publish plastic waste management bylaws. The draft bylaws were published by the urban development department on August 13, 2021 providing a 30-day period for seeking objections and suggestions regarding the rules. The order received by the MCD dated January 10, 2023 says the draft was “published with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor (referring to Saxena’s predecessor Anil Baijal) and after consultation with stakeholders, the final draft of plastic waste management bylaws was submitted for approval of LG”. Yet, the final bylaws are yet to be notified. A senior municipal official associated with waste management said that the process is stuck on account of “legal complications”. “We sought opinion from legal department and the act says that if any new fine or user charge is being enforced, the government of the state or the central government will have to notify it. We have decided to put it as a preamble in the house of councillors whenever the election is finalized”, added this person who asked not to be named. The election for the post of mayor is expected to be held on April 26 and normal house proceedings are expected to resume from next month. A senior municipal official from the sanitation department said that in the absence of bylaws, they have been using petty fines of insanitation and littering provisions to issue challans. “Specific fines for plastic waste as well as control over entire supply chain will widely empower our actions against the plastic waste,” the official said. Under the 100 days to beat plastic campaign that ended on Saturday, the civic body seized 14,164kg of plastic products and issued 1,596 challans, but these were issued under insanitation/littering provisions, not the draft bylaws. According to a second MCD official who too asked not to be named, “current municipal waste management rules prescribe a fine of ₹500 for littering but the penalty under the draft bylaws goes up to ₹50,000 with responsibility fixed on producers and importers of plastic items.” The problem of plastic is acute in Delhi which, according to the “State of India’s Environment 2022” by the Centre for Science and Environment last month, generates 689.8 tonnes of plastic waste daily — the highest among India’s metropolitan cities. CSE analysed data from the Central Pollution Control Board and found the country generated 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste every day. The draft bylaws also have a provision for a fine of ₹5000 for open burning of plastic waste while littering attracts a fine of ₹1000. Similarly, a ₹50,000 fine is mandated for producers/importers and distributors if they fail to make arrangements for waste collection system as part of extended producer responsibility or simply fail to collect used multilayer plastic sachet/pouches. The draft rules also mandate a thickness marking on plastic carry bags and a fine of ₹10,000 for violations. “The draft bylaws treat single use plastic items much more stringently. Moreover, they require all producers and distributors to mandatorily register with Delhi Pollution Control Committee within three months of notification and to maintain records of people engaged in the plastic waste supply chain. According to the second MCD official, the draft bylaws also ban the use of single-use plastic in gutkha, tobacco pan masala and drinking water sachets of any size and packed water bottles having capacity less than 1 litre. Bharati Chaturvedi, environmentalist and founder of Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group said that Delhi needs to put additional financial burden or tax to make some of these single use plastic items unviable. “We have seen very poor awareness campaigns being run by the agencies and that needs to change. The focus should be on the reuse economy. There are various ways of encouraging the reuse economy which is basically gone.” HT reached out to the LG office for comments on the matter, but officials there declined to comment. Atin Biswas, a waste management expert and programme director of municipal solid waste sector in Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the bylaws are the responsibility of the municipality and the registration of producers/importers may be beyond the scope of bylaws. “The bylaws are a part of third layer of legal instruments under the decentralisation envisaged under 74th amendment to the Constitution. This empowers local body and pollution boards to impose fines or ban certain products. Specific bylaws are a wonderful legal tool provided they are implemented well,” Biswas said. He added that the corporation can carry out large number raids and seize vast amounts of banned products but unless action is taken at the production level. “Most of the banned single use plastic items are not branded so they cannot be linked to a particular manufacturer. Most of the manufacturing of such items occurs in informal industries. The source needs to be tackled. Multi-layered plastic which has low recycling value needs to be tackled for dealing with plastic waste and we need a more comprehensive communication strategy,” he said. Siddharth Singh. programme manager of Environmental Governance and Solid Waste Management at CSE, said Delhi will need to enforce the single use plastic ban, but the city has failed miserably to do that. “Bylaws will help a city like Delhi to take the commitment to fight against plastic pollution a step ahead than the national law. However, Delhi is still struggling to meet the national law,” he said.

Air Strategies for Delhi to combat rising pollution levels

The Delhi government can show the way forward by employing an imaginative mobility policy that would address the pollution problem in the capital While pollution has been a longstanding and perpetual challenge for the whole country, the urban areas and the metro cities have particularly borne the brunt of this scourge. Indian cities have regularly featured among the world’s most polluted cities in recent years. And among Indian cities, Delhi has often been the worst-performing one with the dubious distinction of having been ranked the most polluted city in the world for the fourth consecutive year in 2022. So what can Delhi do to moderate and reduce the rising pollution levels? Recognize pollution as a multifaceted challenge First, the authorities must treat Delhi pollution not merely as an environmental concern but as a larger policymaking challenge which is invariably also intertwined with a range of other issues such as rampant and unplanned urbanization, rising population, ever-surging vehicular population, fossil fuel combustion, stubble burning in the neighbouring states, shoddy and unsystematic waste disposal and management and burning of firecrackers during Diwali and the extended festive season. Tackle vehicular pollution Given the excessively high contribution of vehicular emissions on account of a disproportionately high number of vehicles on Delhi’s roads, the government must mount an immediate and full-frontal campaign to tackle this issue first. According to a recent analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment, vehicles contributed to 51% of PM2.5 levels in the city, the most dangerous air pollutant for human health. And of vehicular emissions, according to another study, 20% of emissions came from four-wheelers Auto LPG is far better than others Exhaust emissions of vehicles running on auto LPG as compared to those running on petrol emit 75% less CO, 85% fewer hydrocarbons, and 40% less NO while leading to 87% less ozone depletion. Furthermore, auto LPG emits almost no black carbon and has a zero global warming potential (GWP) as against CO2 and methane 25. Auto LPG is a better option than even EVs, for now While the recent policy push on EVs must be appreciated, there is a need to acknowledge that setting up an EV ecosystem not only necessitates an enormous amount of investment but also has its supply chain-related constraints, especially in terms of the availability of lithium-ion batteries, a key prerequisite. In contrast, auto LPG already has a well-oiled infrastructure in place. Moreover, not only an auto LPG vehicle is a cheaper option than an EV, the price of converting an existing ICE vehicle into LPG is far more modest as compared to converting it into an electric vehicle. Auto LPG is better than CNG We have seen how over the years, the authorities in Delhi have been gradually bringing in CNG buses for public transport. While CNG may be good for large vehicles such as buses, for a private vehicles such as cars and other four-wheelers, LPG is a better choice. According to experts, auto LPG cylinders weigh less on account of their operating pressure being around 25 kg per cylinder as against 200 kg-300 kg of a CNG cylinder, impacting the performance of the vehicle. BS norms are not enough It is worthwhile to note that despite the introduction of Bharat Stage (BS) emission norms and the need for a periodic upgrade for vehicles in terms of stringency and implementation, our cities including Delhi continue to reel under heavy pollution. This has occurred even as cities such as Delhi were mandated to be among the first ones to implement and upgrade the required emission norms from time to time as compared to smaller cities and the rest of the country. Delhi Govt’s approach Admittedly, the Delhi government has taken a slew of measures such as setting up smog towers and air filtration systems, taking up traffic-related dust management, identifying and monitoring pollution and traffic hotspots, and most notably, implementing Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) earnestly. Under GRAP, the recent prohibition of plying diesel non-BS VI-compliant four-wheelers and entering heavy trucks in Delhi is particularly notable. At the same time, the government has also initiated steps on other non-vehicular origin emissions such as appealing to neighbouring states for redress stubble burning, suspending construction activities and banning firecrackers As part of policy stimulus, bringing down GST on auto LPG and conversion kits would be a first step. Simultaneously, it would also have to accelerate measures on other fronts responsible for the city’s pollution. (The writer is Director General, of Indian Auto LPG Coalition)

Delhi transport dept to organise online consultation for EV subsidy

In some situations, dealers enter incorrect information in the forms, such as the consumer's bank account number, resulting in the consumer not receiving the subsidy on time The Delhi government, which provides a subsidy for the purchase of electric vehicles (EV), has found that at least 15-20% of people who purchase such vehicles cannot collect them due to erroneous paperwork. To ensure all consumers who purchase EV two-wheelers and three-wheelers can take advantage of the subsidy, the Delhi transport department's EV cell would host online training and consultations for dealers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) every two weeks to explain the procedure of obtaining the subsidy, EV cell officials aware of the matter said on Sunday. "We realised that even though it is a basic process, the dealerships and OEMs need to revisit it to be up to date on the process and make fewer mistakes. So, we will show them the form online and explain what needs to be done in each category during this type of refresher training," said N Mohan, chief executive officer of the EV cell. Under its EV policy 2020, the Delhi government provides subsidies to EV purchasers. However, rather than deducting the subsidy from the purchase price, it is transferred directly to the consumer's account after the purchase. The dealer or OEM fills out a document with the consumer's information, which the transport department validates, and the transfer is completed. Officials said that in some situations, dealers enter incorrect information in the forms, such as the consumer's bank account number, resulting in the consumer not receiving the subsidy on time. Then, the documents must be returned to the dealers, who take a long time to fill the details. According to officials, while the subsidy is moved directly to the consumer's account, it is only transferred to Aadhaar-connected bank accounts, details of which are frequently incorrectly filled in the forms. Other common errors include improper name spelling, incorrect address, and incorrect car model number. "We make every effort to complete all forms within ten working days. The main issue is that if a form is inaccurate and returned, it takes a long time to return after all the facts have been corrected. This is because the dealers must then take an interest and obtain all of the customer's information again. We are attempting to shorten this turnaround time so that there are fewer errors and the forms do not need to be returned," Mohan added. He also said that a small session for two-wheeler dealers was held last week and another session for three-wheeler dealers and OEMs will be held in two weeks. The dealers can also explain their difficulties; if there are any technical challenges, the department can help them handle them, he added. There are currently 23 OEMs and 131 dealers in Delhi for EV two-wheelers, 98 OEMs and 202 dealers for EV three-wheelers, and two OEMs and 15 dealers for EV four-wheelers. According to the Delhi EV Policy, two-wheelers are eligible for a ₹5,000 subsidy per kWh of battery capacity (maximum ₹30,000). Three-wheelers are eligible for a ₹30,000 subsidy per vehicle, regardless of overall cost or battery capacity. The subsidy for four-wheelers is no longer available because it was only available for the first 1,000 EVs registered under the scheme. The Delhi government had allowed a subsidy of ₹10,000 per kWh battery capacity for four-wheelers, up to a maximum of ₹1.5 lakh. "By 2023, 10-15% of automobiles sold in Delhi will be electric. To fulfil policy targets for 2024, it must be 2.5 times (the EV policy says the Delhi government aims to have 25% of all vehicles registered in the city to be electric by 2024). The incentive programme or subsidy is a critical instrument in driving adoption, but we have recently encountered roadblocks in the process. The provision of bi-weekly training to the OEM sales team is an excellent first step toward increasing process efficiency, transparency, correctness, and ease of documentation. Furthermore, strengthening B2C (buyer to consumer) contacts in the EV segment is necessary," said Annanya Das, mobility programme manager at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). However, she emphasised that the key to avoiding long-term errors will be to assess efficiency indicators such as processing time and information precision regularly.

जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से भारत में बदतर होती जा रही पलायन की स्थिति

जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से भारत में पलायन की स्थिति बिगड़ती जा रही है. गर्म लहरों, बाढ़, चक्रवात और समुद्र के बढ़ते जलस्तर सहित चरम मौसम की वजह से लोगों को घर छोड़ना पड़ रहा है. यह समस्या और ज्यादा गंभीर हो सकती है.प्रोतिमा राय अब भी बुलबुल चक्रवात की वजह से हुई तबाही को याद कर सिहर उठती हैं. इस उष्णकटिबंधीय चक्रवात ने 2019 में सुंदरबन को तबाह कर दिया था. कई लोगों की जान चली गई थीं. बंगाल की खाड़ी में बने इस चक्रवात ने 27 साल की राय सहित सैकड़ों परिवारों को अपना गांव छोड़ कर सुरक्षित क्षेत्रों में पलायन के लिए मजबूर कर दिया था. राय ने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया, "खेत खेती करने लायक नहीं बचे. खेती करना और मछली पकड़ना यहां के लोगों की आजीविका का मुख्य साधन था. समुद्र के बढ़ते स्तर और खारापन ने सुंदरबन के मुख्य क्षेत्रों में रहने वाले लोगों से उनकी आजीविका का प्रमुख साधन छिन लिया.” जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से पलायन को मजबूर लोग सुंदरबन से अभी भी स्थायी, मौसमी और अस्थायी तौर पर पलायन जारी है. ग्रामीण घरेलू सर्वेक्षण के अनुसार, अलग-अलग परिवारों के करीब 25 फीसदी से अधिक कमाऊ लोग काम की तलाश में अस्थायी रूप से पलायन कर गए हैं. सुंदरबन बंगाल की खाड़ी में निचले द्वीपों का एक समूह है, जो भारत और बांग्लादेश में फैला हुआ है. यह अपने अद्वितीय मैंग्रोव वनों के लिए प्रसिद्ध है. भारतीय सुंदरबन में कुल मिलाकर 104 द्वीप हैं, जिनमें से 54 पर इंसानी बस्तियां हैं. पर्यावरणविद् बताते हैं कि तटीय कटाव और समुद्र का बढ़ता जलस्तर धीरे-धीरे सुंदरबन की धरती को निगल रहा है. गांवों के कई लोग कोलकाता जैसे शहरों की ओर पलायन करने के लिए मजबूर हो रहे हैं, क्योंकि उनकी उपजाऊ भूमि तूफान और बाढ़ की बढ़ती संख्या के साथ खारी हो रही है. मदद के लिए कोई राजनीतिक योजना नहीं कोलकाता में रहने वाले पर्यावरण और जलवायु विशेषज्ञ जयंत बसु ने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया, "जलवायु परिवर्तन और उसकी वजह से होने वाले पलायन की समस्या दूर करने के लिए, कोई भी प्रशासनिक नीति या योजना नहीं है जिससे वहां रहने वाले लोगों को सामाजिक सुरक्षा उपलब्ध कराई जा सके.” पूर्वी राज्य ओडिशा भी प्रवासी श्रमिकों का एक महत्वपूर्ण स्रोत है. जलवायु परिवर्तन यहां के लोगों को ज्यादा कमजोर बना रहा है और इस वजह से वे काम की तलाश में पलायन कर रहे हैं. उड़ीसा में चिल्का झील खारे पानी की सबसे बड़ी झील है. यह पक्षियों का भी बड़ा बसेरा है. पर्यावरण में होने वाले बदलाव से यह भी अछूता नहीं है. इससे यहां की लोगों की आजीविका काफी हद तक प्रभावित हुई है. क्यों होता पलायन और विस्थापन पर्यटन उद्योग में काम करने वाले सुज्ञान बेहरा ने डॉयचे वेले को बताया, "चरम मौसम की घटनाओं के बाद झील के उत्तरी किनारे पर स्थित मंगलाजोडी शहर में रोजगार के विकल्प सीमित हो गए हैं. कई लोगों ने स्थायी रूप से बाहर जाने का फैसला किया.” शहर की आबादी करीब 10,000 है, जिनमें से ज्यादातर लोग झील के आसपास ही किसी न किसी काम में लगे हुए हैं. जलवायु की वजह से होने वाला पलायन अक्सर चरम घटनाओं से प्रभावित होता है, जैसे कि तूफान, बाढ़, सूखा, समुद्र का स्तर बढ़ना या खेती वाले इलाके में खारे पानी का जमा होना. एक्शनएड और क्लाइमेट एक्शन नेटवर्क साउथ एशिया ने दिसंबर 2020 में एक रिपोर्ट छापी. इससे पता चलता है कि भले ही वैश्विक समुदाय ग्रीनहाउस गैस कम करने का लक्ष्य निर्धारित किए हुए है और उस मुताबिक काम कर रहा है, फिर भी पांच एशियाई देश भारत, पाकिस्तान, नेपाल, श्रीलंका और बांग्लादेश में 2030 तक 3.75 करोड़ लोग विस्थापित होंगे. वहीं, 2050 तक यह संख्या बढ़कर 6.29 करोड़ तक पहुंच सकती है. सबसे ज्यादा विस्थापन सिर्फ भारत में 2050 तक जलवायु से जुड़े आपदाओं के कारण 4.5 करोड़ लोगों को अपने घरों को छोड़कर दूसरी जगहों पर पलायन करना पड़ेगा. यह संख्या मौजूदा समय में चरम घटनाओं के कारण पलायन करने वाले लोगों की तीन गुनी है. दूसरे शब्दों में कहें, तो मौसमी मार की वजह से पलायन करने वाले लोगों की संख्या 2050 तक तीन गुना बढ़ जाएगी. ‘भारत की पर्यावरण स्थिति रिपोर्ट 2022' के मुताबिक, जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से होने वाले पलायन के मामले में भारत दुनिया का चौथा सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित देश है. यहां 2020-21 में 30 लाख से अधिक लोगों को अपना घर छोड़ने के लिए मजबूर होना पड़ा. सबसे अधिक पलायन वाला देश चीन है. यहां मौसम से जुड़े आपदाओं की वजह से 50 लाख से ज्यादा लोगों को अपना घर छोड़ना पड़ा. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की निदेशक सुनीता नारायण बताती हैं कि जलवायु संकट के प्रभावों को देखते हुए, स्थानीय जलवायु को रहने लायक बनाने और अर्थव्यवस्थाओं की सुरक्षा करने के लिए निवेश करना जरूरी है. सीएसई ने 15 राज्यों में व्यापक तौर पर अध्ययन किया और पता लगाया कि जहां भी इस तरह का निवेश किया गया वहां पलायन को रोकने में कामयाबी मिली और गांवों को लाभ पहुंचा. दरअसल, जिन गांवों में पानी भंडारण की सुविधा शुरू हुई और स्थानीय लोगों को लाभ पहुंचाने के लिए पारिस्थितिक संसाधनों का इस्तेमाल किया गया, वहां पलायन करने वाले लोग वापस लौटने लगे. चक्रवात से बचने के लिए महिलाएं लगा रही हैं मैंग्रोव के पौधे नारायण ने विशेष रूप से महात्मा गांधी राष्ट्रीय ग्रामीण रोजगार गारंटी अधिनियम (मनरेगा) का उल्लेख किया, जो एक सामाजिक सुरक्षा उपाय है. इसका उद्देश्य ग्रामीण लोगों के 'काम करने के अधिकार' की रक्षा करना है. उन्होंने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया, "आपके पास भविष्य बदलने की क्षमता है. जरूरी नहीं है कि यह जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से बढ़ते पलायन की कहानी हो. मनरेगा और ऐसी योजनाओं का उद्देश्य उन पारिस्थितिक बुनियादी ढांचे में निवेश करना है जो स्थानीय आजीविका और सामुदायिक लचीलापन को बढ़ावा देते हैं. यह जलवायु परिवर्तन के दौर में महत्वपूर्ण है. अंतरराष्ट्रीय विकास संगठन ‘आईपीई ग्लोबल' में जलवायु परिवर्तन और सस्टेनेबिलिटी विभाग के प्रमुख अविनाश मोहंती ने भी कहा कि भारत को जलवायु परिवर्तन से होने वाले नुकसान, विशेष रूप से पलायन जैसी समस्या को हल करने के लिए गहन आकलन करके, अलग-अलग क्षेत्रों पर पड़ने वाले प्रभावों को पहचानने की जरूरत है. पलायन को गंभीरता से नहीं लिया गया मोहंती ने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया, "पलायन को सीमित करने के लिए बेहतर नीतियों और कार्य योजनाओं की जरूरत होती है. विशेष रूप से ऐसे क्षेत्र के लिए जहां के लोगों की आजीविका कृषि और पर्यटन जैसे जलवायु संवेदनशील क्षेत्रों से जुड़ी हो. भारत में राष्ट्रीय और राज्य स्तर, दोनों जगहों पर जलवायु से जुड़ी जबरदस्त कार्य योजना है, लेकिन शायद ही इसमें जलवायु की वजह से होने वाले पलायन को प्रमुख समस्या के तौर पर शामिल किया गया है.” भारत दुनिया के उन देशों में शामिल है जहां हर साल सबसे ज्यादा लोग विस्थापित होते हैं. उनमें से अधिकांश लोग आपदाओं की वजह से ऐसा करने को मजबूर होते हैं. आंतरिक विस्थापन निगरानी केंद्र (आईडीएमसी) के अनुसार, भारत में फिलहाल 1.4 करोड़ लोग ऐसे हैं जो जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण विस्थापित हुए हैं. हालांकि, इन आपदाओं के बाद विस्थापित होने वाले लोगों को राहत और पुनर्वास के मामले में तुरंत सहायता मिलती है, लेकिन लंबी अवधि के लिए उन्हें उनकी जरूरत के मुताबिक पर्याप्त सहायता नहीं मिलती. 2021 में ‘भारत में जलवायु की वजह से विस्थापन और पलायन' नाम से हुई रिसर्च में पता चला है कि जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से आजीविका का पारंपरिक स्रोत और बुनियादी ढांचा तबाह होने के कारण लोग पलायन कर रहे हैं, ताकि वे गरीबी से बच सकें. उत्तराखंड के पहाड़ी जिलों में अनियमित बारिश और घटते जल स्तर ने लोगों को अपना घर और खेत छोड़कर मैदानी इलाकों में पलायन करने के लिए मजबूर कर दिया है. उत्तर बिहार के सहरसा जिले में एक विस्थापित समुदाय लगातार आने वाली बाढ़ की वजह से परेशान है. इंटरनेशनल फोरम फॉर एनवायरनमेंट, सस्टेनेबिलिटी एंड टेक्नोलॉजी के संस्थापक चंद्र भूषण ने डीडब्ल्यू को बताया, "देश में लंबे समय से सूखे, बाढ़ और अन्य चरम घटनाओं के कारण लोग अपने राज्य में एक जगह से दूसरी जगह पलायन कर रहे हैं. वे गांव छोड़कर शहरों का रूख कर रहे हैं. वहीं, कुछ लोग दूसरे राज्यों का भी रूख कर रहे हैं. यह व्यापक तौर पर स्वीकार किया गया है कि जलवायु परिवर्तन की वजह से ऐसी आपदाओं की बढ़ती संख्या के कारण इस तरह के पलायन की प्रकृति भी बदल गई है.” भूषण ने कहा, "राज्यों ने कोविड-19 के बाद से प्रवासियों के मुद्दों को गंभीरता से लेना शुरू कर दिया है, लेकिन जलवायु की वजह से होने वाले पलायन के लिए कोई अलग नीति या पहल शुरू नहीं हुई है.”

चिंताजनक: उत्तर भारत में 2025 तक और गहराएगा पानी का संकट, ग्लेशियर पिघलने के कारण नदियों का कम हो रहा प्रवाह

यूनेस्को की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार भारत में पिछले दो दशकों से वर्षा में गिरावट दर्ज की जा रही है, इसलिए खेती-किसानी के लिए भूमिगत जल का इस्तेमाल करना पड़ता है। इससे भू-जल दोहन लगातार बढ़ रहा है। देश में जल संकट लगातार गहराता जा रहा है। संयुक्त राष्ट्र की संस्था यूनेस्को की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार 2025 तक भारत में जल संकट बहुत बढ़ जाएगा। आशंका जताई गई है कि अत्यधिक भूजल दोहन, अत्यल्प जलसंरक्षण और ग्लेशियर पिघलने के कारण गंगा, ब्रह्मपुत्र व सिंधु जैसी हिमालयी नदियों का प्रवाह कम हो जाएगा। उत्तर प्रदेश, पंजाब, हरियाणा, राजस्थान, महाराष्ट्र, बिहार, गुजरात, छत्तीसगढ़, कर्नाटक, मध्य प्रदेश, तेलंगाना, ओडिशा और तमिलनाडु ड्राई जोन की श्रेणी में आते हैं। ड्राफ्ट अर्ली वॉर्निंग सिस्टम (डीईडब्ल्यूएस) के अनुसार देश का 41.82 फीसदी हिस्सा सूखाग्रस्त है। यूनेस्को की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार भारत में पिछले दो दशकों से वर्षा में गिरावट दर्ज की जा रही है, इसलिए खेती-किसानी के लिए भूमिगत जल का इस्तेमाल करना पड़ता है। इससे भू-जल दोहन लगातार बढ़ रहा है। जितना भी बारिश का पानी जमीन में अंदर जाता है उसका करीब 80 फीसदी सिंचाई और पीने के लिए निकाल लिया जाता है। वर्ष 2021-22 में आई कैग रिपोर्ट के अनुसार पंजाब, हरियाणा, दिल्ली, राजस्थान और काफी हद तक उत्तर प्रदेश में 100 फीसदी भूमिगत जल का दोहन हो रहा है। 2030 तक ये शहर होंगे डे जीरो की कगार पर पंजाब, हरियाणा और उत्तर प्रदेश सहित कुल 13 राज्यों में पानी का भारी संकट पैदा होने की आशंका है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट की एक रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक देश के करीब 25 शहर 2030 तक ‘डे जीरो’की कगार पर होंगे। डे-जीरो का मतलब पानी की आपूर्ति के लिए पूरी तरह अन्य साधनों पर आश्रित होना है। ऐसे शहरों में कानपुर, गुरुग्राम, फरीदाबाद, दिल्ली, मेरठ, जयपुर, बंगलूरू, कोयंबटूर, कोच्ची, मदुरै, चेन्नई, सोलापुर, हैदराबाद, विजयवाड़ा, मुंबई, जमशेदपुर धनबाद, अमरावती, विशाखापत्तनम, आसनसोल और आगरा जैसे शहर शामिल हैं। 1600 घन मीटर रह जाएगी पानी की उपलब्धता समग्र जल प्रबंधन सूचकांक (सीडब्ल्यूएमआई) रिपोर्ट के अनुसार देश के 21 प्रमुख शहरों में लगभग 10 करोड़ लोग जल संकट की भीषण समस्या से जूझ रहे हैं। वर्ष 1994 में पानी की उपलब्धता प्रति व्यक्ति 6 हजार घन मीटर थी जो 2025 तक घटकर 1600 घन मीटर रह जाने का अनुमान है, इसके बावजूद बढ़ती आबादी जल संकट को और गहरा करेगी। हालांकि नीति आयोग ने समग्र जल प्रबंधन सूचकांक (सीडब्ल्यूएमआई) का दूसरा संस्करण तैयार किया है, जिसमें उत्तर भारत के कुछ राज्यों में जल प्रबंधन में सुधार दिख रहा है। इसके बावजूद रिपोर्ट कहती है कि बीते 50 सालों में देश में जिस तरह से पानी की मांग बढ़ी है उसके सापेक्ष जल प्रबंधन की प्रकिया में तेजी नहीं देखी गई। इसी से आपूर्ति और मांग में अंतर लगातार बढ़ता जा रहा है। कमजोर जल प्रबंधन नीति : रिपोर्ट के अनुसार भारत में वर्षा जल का मात्र 15 फीसदी पयोग होता है, शेष जल बरसाती नदियों के रास्ते बहकर समुद्र में चला जाता है। यूनिसेफ की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार 50 फीसदी से भी कम भारतीयों को स्वच्छ पेय जल मिल पाता है, क्योंकि यहां के भूमिगत जल में फ्लोराइड की मात्रा काफी ज्यादा है। सरकार के एक सर्वे में देश के 25 राज्यों के 209 विकासखंडों के भूमिगत जल में आर्सेनिक की मात्रा अधिक पाई गई है। यह ह्रदय और फेफड़ो के रोगों को बढ़ावा देता है।

Alert : देश के करीब 25 शहर 2030 तक ‘डे जीरो’की कगार पर, इसमें जयपुर शामिल

जयपुर। राजधानी सहित पूरे प्रदेश को जल संकट का सामना करना पड़ सकता है। संयुक्त राष्ट्र की संस्था यूनेस्को की रिपोर्ट में खुलासा किया गया है कि 2025 तक देश में जल संकट बहुत बढ़ जाएगा।कुल 13 राज्यों में पानी का भारी संकट पैदा होने की आशंका है। 2030 तक कई शहर डे जीरो की कगार पर होंगे, इसमें जयपुर भी शामिल है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट की एक रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक देश के करीब 25 शहर 2030 तक ‘डे जीरो’की कगार पर होंगे। डे जीरो' का मतलब, वह दिन जब नल से जल आना बंद हो जाएगा और पीने के लिए लोग पानी को तरसेंगे। ऐसे शहरों में जयपुर, कानपुर, गुरुग्राम, फरीदाबाद, दिल्ली, मेरठ, बंगलूरू, कोयंबटूर, कोच्ची, मदुरै, चेन्नई, सोलापुर, हैदराबाद, विजयवाड़ा, मुंबई, जमशेदपुर धनबाद, अमरावती, विशाखापत्तनम, आसनसोल और आगरा जैसे शहर शामिल हैं। ड्राई जोन राज्य 2021-22 में आई कैग रिपोर्ट के अनुसार पंजाब, हरियाणा, दिल्ली, राजस्थान और काफी हद तक उत्तर प्रदेश में 100 फीसदी भूमिगत जल का दोहन हो रहा है। ड्राफ्ट अर्ली वॉर्निंग सिस्टम (डीईडब्ल्यूएस) के अनुसार देश का 41.82 फीसदी हिस्सा सूखाग्रस्त है। उत्तर प्रदेश, पंजाब, हरियाणा, राजस्थान, महाराष्ट्र, बिहार, गुजरात, छत्तीसगढ़, कर्नाटक, मध्य प्रदेश, तेलंगाना, ओडिशा और तमिलनाडु ड्राई जोन की श्रेणी में आते हैं। 10 करोड़ लोग जल संकट का कर रहे सामना समग्र जल प्रबंधन सूचकांक (सीडब्ल्यूएमआई) रिपोर्ट के अनुसार देश के 21 प्रमुख शहरों में लगभग 10 करोड़ लोग जल संकट की भीषण समस्या से जूझ रहे हैं। वर्ष 1994 में पानी की उपलब्धता प्रति व्यक्ति 6 हजार घन मीटर थी जो 2025 तक घटकर 1600 घन मीटर रह जाने का अनुमान है। यूनिसेफ की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार 50 फीसदी से भी कम भारतीयों को स्वच्छ पेय जल मिल पाता है, क्योंकि यहां के भूमिगत जल में फ्लोराइड की मात्रा काफी ज्यादा है। राजस्थान की कई जगह पर फ्लोराइड की समस्या है।

गांधी के ग्राम स्वराज्य की मिसाल है विनोबा भावे का ग्रामदानी गांव सीड़

‘डाउन टू अर्थ’ से साभार सीड़, राजस्थान के उदयपुर जिले का एक गांव। देखने में यह राजस्थान के अन्य गांवों की तरह ही हैं, लेकिन जैसे ही आप गांव के थोड़ा अंदर पहुंचते हैं तो आप ठिठक जाएंगे। सड़क के एक ओर लगा बोर्ड आपका ध्यान बरबस ही खींच लेगा, जिस पर लिखा कि ग्रामदानी गांव सीड़ और इस बोर्ड के ठीक दूसरी ओर दिखेगा एक भवन, जहां लिखा है- ग्राम स्वराज भवन। राजस्थान के उदयपुर शहर से लगभग 80 किलोमीटर दूरी पर स्थित गांव सीड़ वल्लभ नगर विधानसभा क्षेत्र के अंतर्गत आता है। यह गांव महात्मा गांधी के ग्राम स्वराज्य परिकल्पना की एक मिसाल है। गांधी के ग्राम स्वराज्य की परिकल्पना को मूर्त रूप देने के लिए आचार्य विनोवा भावे ने जिन गांवों को चुना था, उसमें से एक गांव है-सीड़। इन गांवों को ग्रामदानी गांव कहा जाता है। क्या है ग्राम दान ग्रामदान क्या है ग्रामदान 1951 में गांधीवादी विनोबा भावे द्वारा शुरू किए गए भूदान आंदोलन का विस्तार है। भूदान का मतलब था, बड़े भूस्वामियों द्वारा भूमिहीनों के लिए भूमि का दान, लेकिन ग्रामदान का अर्थ है- पूरा गांव अपनी जमीन को एक आम ट्रस्ट के तहत रखेगा, जिसे ग्राम सभा या ग्राम समिति कहा जाता है। इसके बाद गांव के बाहर या ग्रामदान में शामिल नहीं हुए गांव के व्यक्ति को जमीन नहीं बेची जाएगी, लेकिन भू-स्वामी इसकी खेती जारी रख सकते हैं और लाभ उठा सकते हैं। विनोबा भावे, जिन्हें महात्मा गांधी ने ब्रिटिश शासन के खिलाफ 1942 में भारत छोड़ो आंदोलन शुरू करते समय अपना पहला सत्याग्रही चुना था देश में, खासकर तेलंगाना क्षेत्र में असमान भूमि स्वामित्व को लेकर हो रही हिंसा से बहुत परेशान थे। हैदराबाद से 40 किलोमीटर दूर पोचमपल्ली गांव में, एक जमींदार के युवा बेटे रामचंद्र रेड्डी ने जब भावे के समक्ष अपने गांव के भूमिहीन लोगों को अपनी जमीन का हिस्सा दान करने की पेशकश की। तब भावे ने फैसला किया कि वह पूरे भारत के भूस्वामियों को प्रेरित करेंगे कि वे स्वेच्छा से अपनी भूमि का एक हिस्सा भूमिहीनों को दान कर दें। इसे उन्होंने ‘भूदान’ आंदोलन का नाम दिया। अगले कुछ वर्ष के बाद अपनी भूदान पदयात्रा के दौरान उन्हें अहसास हुआ कि लोगों को ग्रामदान के लिए प्रेरित किया जा सकता है। उन्होंने गांव के लोगों को अपनी जमीन को एक ट्रस्ट के पास रखने की अपील की और व्यवस्था की कि हर व्यक्ति न केवल भूमि का एक छोटा सा हिस्सा बल्कि उनकी आय का 1/40वां हिस्सा ट्रस्ट को दान करे, जिससे भूमिहीनों का भला हो सके। भावे के ग्राम दान आंदोलन ने समुदाय में सभी को समान अधिकार और जिम्मेदारियों का अहसास कराया और उन्हें स्वशासन की ओर बढ़ने के लिए सशक्त बनाकर प्राकृतिक संसाधनों के संरक्षण का मार्ग प्रशस्त किया। आज, भारत के सात राज्यों में 3,660 ग्रामदान गांव हैं, जिनमें से सबसे अधिक ओडिशा (1309) में हैं। इसके अलावा आंध्र प्रदेश, बिहार, महाराष्ट्र, ओडिशा, राजस्थान, तमिलनाडु और उत्तर प्रदेश में ग्रामदानी गांव हैं। इनके अलावा असम में भी ग्रामदानी व्यवस्था थी, लेकिन सितंबर 2022 में असम सरकार ने असम ग्रामदान अधिनियम, 1961 और असम भूदान अधिनियम, 1965 को निरस्त कर दिया। उस समय तक असम में 312 ग्रामदान गाँव थे। अलग-अलग राज्यों के अपने-अपने अधिनियम हैं, लेकिन ग्रामदान अधिनियम की कुछ प्रमुख विशेषताएं इस प्रकार हैं: गांव के कम से कम 75 प्रतिशत भूस्वामियों को भूमि का स्वामित्व ग्राम सभा को सौंप देना होगा। ऐसी भूमि कम से कम गांव की 60 प्रतिशत भूमि होनी चाहिए। कुछ राज्यों में यह प्रतिशत कुछ कम है। जैसे- राजस्थान में गांव की कुल भूमि में से कम से कम 51 प्रतिशत भूमि ग्रामसभा को दान करनी होगी। आत्मसमर्पण की गई भूमि का पांच प्रतिशत गांव में भूमिहीनों को खेती के लिए वितरित किया जाता है, लेकिन इस जमीन को पाने वाले लोग बिना ग्रामसभा की अनुमति के उसे हस्तांतरित नहीं कर सकते। बाकी जमीन दाताओं के पास ही रहती है; वे और उनके वंशज इस पर काम (खेती आदि) कर सकते हैं और लाभ उठा सकते हैं। लेकिन वे इसे गांव के बाहर या गांव में ऐसे व्यक्ति को नहीं बेच सकते जो ग्रामदान में शामिल नहीं हो। ग्रामदान में शामिल होने वाले सभी काश्तकारों को अपनी आय का 2.5 प्रतिशत समुदाय को योगदान देना चाहिए। लगभग सात दशक बाद ग्रामदानी गांव किस स्थिति में हैं, यह जानने के लिए डाउन टू अर्थ ने महाराष्ट्र और राजस्थान के 10 ग्रामदान गांवों की यात्रा की। जिनके बारे में सिलसिलेवार रिपोर्ट की जाएगी। आज पढ़िए उपरोक्त गांव सीड़ की कहानी लगभग एक हजार आबादी वाले सीड़ गांव में वैसे तो किसी भी परिवार के पास जमीन का मालिकाना हक नहीं है, लेकिन गांव में कोई भी ऐसा परिवार नहीं है, जो भूमिहीन हो। मतलब, हर परिवार के पास इतनी जमीन है कि वह अपने परिवार के भरणपोषण के लिए खेती कर रहा है। इसके बाद विनोबा पूरे देश में घूम-घूम कर ग्रामीणों को ग्राम दान के लिए प्रेरित करने लगे। विनोबा देश भ्रमण करते-करते उदयपुर के वल्लभनगर कस्बे में पहुंचे। जहां उनकी मुलाकात सेठवाना गांव के युवा कार्यकर्ता रामेश्वर प्रसाद से हुई। रामेश्वर प्रसाद के साथ तब कई गांव के लोग थे। विनोबा ने इस दल से ग्राम दान करने की अपील की। “1959 की बात है। मैं अपने साथियों के साथ विनोबा जी से मिलने गया। विनोबा जी ने हमसे पूछा कि जितने भी लोग आए हैं, क्या उन सब हाथ के बुने कपड़े पहने हैं। मैंने विनोबा जी को बताया कि ये सभी किसान हैं। खेतों में कपास उगाते हैं और उसी कपास को धुनकर गांव के ही बुनकरों से अपने लिए कपड़े बनवाते हैं। यह सुनकर विनोबा बहुत खुश हुए और उन्होंने कहा कि जिस तरह कपड़ा काम में लिया है, उसी तरह अपनी सारी आवश्यकता की चीजें गांव में बने हुए हों, ताकि गांव का पैसा गांव में ही रहे। गांव का स्वावलंबी बनाओ, गांव को एक परिवार बनाओ। गांव में प्रेम कायम करो और गांव में ग्राम स्वराज कायम करो। विनोबा जी का यह हुक्म हमें मिला और हमने इसकी पालना शुरू कर दी।” रामेश्वर प्रसाद यह बात कहते-कहते कहीं खो से जाते हैं। रामेश्वर प्रसाद के प्रयासों से ही गांव सीड़ के साथ-साथ गोपा की भागल, हरियाखेड़ा, मंगरी फल्ला ने भी ग्राम दान का संकल्प पत्र भर दिया। 1954 में राजस्थान ने राजस्थान भूदान यज्ञन अधिनियम बना दिया था। जब विनोबा भावे ने ग्रामदान की पहल की तो 1960 में राजस्थान में राजस्थान ग्रामदान कानून पारित कर दिया गया। “राजस्थान में ग्राम दान” के लेखक एवं कुमाराप्पा ग्राम स्वराज्य संस्थान के निदेशक अवध प्रसाद कहते हैं कि 1965 तक कुल 426 ग्रामों के ग्रामदान संबंधी संकल्प हुए। एक्ट के अनुसार ग्रामदानी गांवों की जिम्मेदारी भी भूदान बोर्ड पर आई, लेकिन अलग से ग्रामदान बोर्ड के गठन की कार्रवाई काफी धीमी गति से चली, जिसकारण ग्राम दान अभियान तेजी नहीं पकड़ पाया। परंतु 1971 में एक बार फिर राजस्थान में ग्रामदान अभियान ने तेजी पकड़ी, जिसके बाद पुराने अधिनियम को खारिज राजस्थान ग्राम दान अधिनियम 1971 लागू किया गया। राजस्थान का ग्रामदान अधिनियम देश के अन्य राज्यों के कानूनों के मुकाबले सबसे मजबूत बताया जाता था। सीड़ और उससे सटे तीनों गांव गोपा की भागल, हरियाखेड़ा, मंगरी फल्ला को राजस्थान ग्राम दान अधिनियम 1971 के तहत ग्रामदानी अधिसूचित कर दिया गया। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट द्वारा 1991 में प्रकाशित किताब “हरे भरे गांव की ओर” में लेखक अनिल अग्रवाल व सुनीता नारायण सीड़ के बारे में लिखते हैं कि केवल यही एक गांव देश में हमने ऐसा देखा, जहां भूमि के इस्तेमाल की पूरी योजना और उसे लागू करने के नियम बने हुए हैं। सार्वजनिक भूमि को दो श्रेणियों में बांटा गया है। पहली श्रेणी की भूमि में चाराई और पत्तियां तोड़ना वर्जित है। दूसरी श्रेणी की भूमि पर चराई की जा सकती है, लेकिन पत्तियां तोड़ना या पेड़ों को नुकसान पहुंचाना मना है। गांव वाले साल में एक बार घास काटते हैं। किताब में 1987 के सूखे का उल्लेख करते हुए कहा गया है कि सूखे के उन दिनों में भी 80 बैलगाड़ी घास काटी गई थी। बाजार में उस समय उस घास की कीमत 50 हजार रुपए थी। यह घास सब परिवारों में बराबर बांटी गई थी। गांव में न केवल सार्वजनिक बल्कि निजी जमीन पर खड़े पेड़ों को काटने की भी मनाही थी और ग्रामसभा से पूछ कर ही पेड़ काटे जा सकते थे। सभा भी तभी अनुमति देती थी, जब पेड़ की लकड़ी का इस्तेमाल घरेलू उपयोग के लिए किया जाता हो। सीड़ की सीमा में 800 बीघा में फैला वन क्षेत्र भी आता है। जिस पर वन विभाग की नजर है और ग्राम सभा से यह वन क्षेत्र विभाग के हवाले करने का दबाव डालता रहता है, लेकिन ग्रामसभा इसका जमकर विरोध करती है। ग्रामसभा के वर्तमान अध्यक्ष बाबरू राम कहते हैं कि जंगल हमारे अधिकार क्षेत्र में आते हैं, हम इसे सरकार को नहीं देंगे। यह जंगल गांव वालों ने खुद ही तैयार किया था। अपने हाथों से पेड़ लगाए थे। जब वन विभाग के कर्मचारी इस पर कब्जा करने आए तो गांव के हर व्यक्ति ने इसका विरोध किया। इस विरोध में महिलाओं की भूमिका प्रमुख रही। स्वास्थ्य विभाग से रिटायर हो चुके किशन लाल मीणा कहते हैं कि हम तो पढ़ते थे, तब ग्रामदान शुरू हुआ। ग्रामदान मतलब खुद का प्रशासन, जितने अधिकार व बजट पंचायत को मिलते हैं, उतने ही एक ग्रामदानी गांव को भी मिलते थे। ग्रामदानी गांव घोषित होने के बाद सीड़ में चार-पांच ट्यूबवेल लगे, काफी काम हुआ। ट्रैक्टर भी दिए गए। लिफ्ट सिंचाई की योजना भी शुरू हुई, जिसने गांव वालों की खेती में बहुत मदद की।

Hardlook: How does Delhi plan to control landfill fires this season?

The Indian Express looks at what measures are in place and what is yet to be done on the ground to tackle the issue In the year since massive fires broke out at two of three garbage dumpsites in Delhi last summer, the landfills have starred in an election campaign, been the subject of two key National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders and featured in several promises on their removal. The dumpsites — one each at Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla — still stand, as imposing as ever. As the temperature rises and with it the possibility of fires at the dumpsites, The Indian Express looks at measures suggested by various departments to tackle this and if they are in place. Suggested measures In March 2022, a large fire had broken out at the Ghazipur dumpsite while there were fires at both Ghazipur and Bhalswa in April. Last year, high temperatures set in earlier than they did this year, with heat wave conditions even at the end of March. A report submitted by an NGT-constituted joint committee last July, after the Tribunal had taken cognizance of the long-drawn fire at the Ghazipur dumpsite, had offered some suggestions: installing spark arresters; laying pipelines at the dumpsite to release methane; increasing number of tankers to sprinkle water; ensuring adequate water storage capacity and pumps at the dumpsite to douse fires; CCTVs; methane detectors; temperature sensors and fire alarms; jetting machines to keep vulnerable areas damp; construction of roads around the dumpsite to allow movement of fire tenders and patrolling; and plantation in areas that are cleared. The committee, chaired by Justice SP Garg, former judge of the Delhi High Court, comprised representatives of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the erstwhile East MCD, Delhi Police, and Delhi Disaster Management Authority. It was required to consider fire and other disaster management plans for the Ghazipur dumpsite. The suggestions, including that of ensuring segregation of waste, were presented to the committee by officials from DPCC and MCD who visited the Gorai and Deonar dumpsites in Mumbai last year in the hope of learning from there. Going by their report, these dumpsites had pipelines placed for the release of methane. Last April, Environment Minister Gopal Rai had also said a “gas sucking system” to absorb methane emissions will be set up at the Ghazipur landfill to deal with fire incidents. A representative of the Delhi Fire Services had also said a water storage tank with a capacity of 5 lakh litres should be installed along with at least three pumps at the dumpsite. The NGT report had also said surface fires can be reduced by covering the landfill with a layer of non-combustible material like soil or construction material. Ground report The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has offered some responses on what has been done so far to prepare for a fire outbreak or mitigate the chances of one. In response to questions sent to the MCD, a senior official said the dumpsites have “adequate number of CCTVs for 24×7 monitoring; adequate illumination by providing electricity poles around the dumpsites; round-the-clock deployment of machines and supervision by officials; and joint drill and training with MCD staff and fire department”. The official also said the fire department has ensured “a dedicated fire tender at the nearest fire station” and that all vehicles coming into the dumpsite for garbage disposal are fitted with spark arresters. The official further said pipelines for methane collection were installed earlier at Ghazipur in association with GAIL (before these recommendations were made last year), but they were not found to be successful: “There wasn’t much gas generation in this case. What we have done now is that temporarily in the summer, perforated PVC pipes have been placed in areas where fresh waste is being dumped at Ghazipur and Bhalswa landfills. In case there is methane accumulation there, that will be released.” On temperature sensors, the MCD official said, “The temperature is being measured at Ghazipur, and a register is being maintained with records of the temperature time-to-time. But it may not be very effective.” Area has been earmarked along the periphery of these sites to carry out plantation as a bio-fence, he said, adding that water tankers have been stationed at the landfills, on stand-by, and that fresh waste is being covered from time-to-time with non-combustible material. “It may not be possible to avoid these fires altogether. The key is to control them quickly, and for that, monitoring is important. The concessionaires who are carrying out biomining at these sites have also been sensitised since their staff is on ground. We are considering a hooter or siren for an alert if the staff on ground spots a fire,” the official said. Data with the DPCC shows that four water sprinklers or tankers are stationed at each of the three landfills, and 10 perforated pipes have been placed at Ghazipur for methane. While Ghazipur has around 22 CCTV cameras, the Okhla landfill is the most watched with 35 cameras, followed by Bhalswa with 31. According to experts, fresh waste being dumped at the sites can also spark fires. Richa Singh, who is part of the municipal solid waste programme at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “When fresh, biodegradable waste begins to decompose in anaerobic conditions (absence of oxygen), releasing methane, and temperatures are high, there are chances of fire outbreaks again, as methane is flammable… Dumping of fresh waste is the problem. Waste that’s already lying there can be dealt with by preventive mechanisms like covering it with soil or inert material.” Atin Biswas, who is also part of the municipal solid waste programme at CSE, pointed out that installing pipes to collect methane may not help with Delhi’s dumpsites considering that they are not scientifically designed. To clear landfills, legacy waste or old waste that has been lying at these sites for decades is being processed by biomining, where it is excavated and passed through screening machines or trommels that can separate materials. Fires can also break out during this process, Singh explained: “Even in legacy waste, there can be pockets where methane has accumulated… During biomining, provisions for fire control and emergency planning need to be made, as heavy equipment and excavators are used, and these dumpsites are very prone to fires.” Meeting targets What sort of progress has been made on solid waste management in a year? Data submitted by DPCC to the Ministry of Jal Shakti in March, as a progress report for February, shows that the city generates 11,328 TPD (tonnes per day) of waste, and existing processing capacity of waste, including material recovery facilities for recyclables, is 8,228 TPD — around 72.64% of waste generated. The municipal solid waste that is being processed is around 7,802 TPD, which is 68.88% of the waste generated, and 3,525 TPD fresh waste is being dumped at the landfill sites every day, the DPCC report shows. On segregation of waste, the DPCC report claims areas under New Delhi Municipal Council segregate 100% of waste, while segregation is at 100% in only 12 wards of MCD, 10%-20% in 29 wards, 20%-40% in 46 wards, and 40%-60% in 81 wards. It is around 80%-100% in 70 wards, as per the report. These figures are a little different from a presentation on solid waste management made by the MCD to the CM earlier this month. While the presentation states that the city generates 11,000 TPD, it said processing capacity is 8,166 TPD, and 2,834 TPD is being dumped at the dumpsites. As per the presentation, 17.72 lakh tonnes of legacy waste at Ghazipur has been processed till April 4, ever since biomining began in 2019. This is around 12.6% of the total quantity of 140 lakh tonnes of legacy waste that was lying at the site in 2019. The process has fared better at Okhla and Bhalswa. At Okhla, smallest of the three dumpsites, 26.95 lakh tonnes of legacy waste has been processed till April 4, out of an estimated 60 lakh tonnes in 2019, which is around 44% of the legacy waste. At Bhalswa, 31.69 lakh tonnes has been processed, out of 80 lakh tonnes of legacy waste (around 39% of the legacy waste has been processed so far). The target to complete remediation of the landfills is May 2024. CM Arvind Kejriwal had said last month that Okhla landfill is likely to be cleared by December, and Delhi will be free of these dumpsites in 2024. Can Delhi meet its target to clear the landfills? The presentation shows that on April 5, 8,379 tonnes of waste was biomined at Bhalswa, 5,871 tonnes at Okhla, and 1,931 tonnes at Ghazipur. The target is to process 10,000 TPD at Bhalswa and Okhla daily, and 6,500 TPD at Ghazipur. Singh said, “At Okhla, it may still be possible to clear the dumpsite by next year, clearing around 30 lakh tonnes in around 14 months. It may not be possible to process the waste during the monsoon months. If we need to clear the sites by 2024, how much we can treat in a day and the machines installed at the sites are important. If they are dumping fresh waste at these sites, they will have to deal with that quantity too.”

Earth Day 2023: Why summer air pollution is the new normal in India

Summer is upon us. Temperatures are crossing 40°C in several parts of the country. The IMD has already had to issue heatwave warnings for multiple states. But it's not just the scorching heat and high levels of humidity that people have to watch out for in these months. Sweltering summer days - the kind that bake pavements and roads - also causes air quality across Indian cities to plummet. Mumbai, for instance, had “poor” air quality while experiencing its hottest February in two decades and above normal temperatures in March. Similarly, residents of Patna and Indore struggled for fresh air this month as temperatures nearly touched 40°C. And just last week, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai directed departments to prepare action plans to curb air pollution in time for the scorching summer. But why is the air so polluted in the summer lately, and how does it affect us? Let’s find out. Feeling hot In India, air pollution is common in the winter months when inversion, induced by cold and calm weather, traps pollution close to the ground. These meteorological conditions, however, are absent in the summer. Warm air typically rises and carries pollutants away. At times, however, hot, still, and dry air leads to a build-up of pollutants, particularly dust, particulate matter and ozone. When this mass stays over the same area for several days, the phenomenon is known as stagnation. At such times, light winds cannot blow away the pollutants. You May Like Amazon CFD: Your Route to a Second IncomeCPX by Taboola Sponsored Links Related stories 3-day hunger strike demanding statehood for Ladakh begins in Kargil 3-day hunger strike demanding statehood for Ladakh begins in Kargil 6 Indian cities that could face a water shortage in the near future 6 Indian cities that could face a water shortage in the near future Pollution nightmare: Does your city rank among the most polluted? Pollution nightmare: Does your city rank among the most polluted? Climate change exacerbates this problem. Our country has been experiencing some of the hottest summers on record in recent years. The seasonal average air temperature last year, for example, was 1.24°C warmer than the baseline trends, as per the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). More summer heat brings in more stagnation days. In 2022, for instance, a study conducted by the CSE found high PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter) levels across multiple cities and regions of India from March to May. North India fared the worst with a 23 percent increase in average summer pollution, while central India followed at 15.6 percent. Its effects are further compounded in heat islands - urban areas with highly concentrated structures and limited greenery. These places typically record higher temperatures than the outer regions. They also demand more electricity for cooling during the summer months. It means turning to coal-fuelled power plants, as they play a major role in power generation and produce about 70 percent of the country’s electricity needs. That, in turn, leads to an increase in air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. These pollutants also contribute to the formation of smog, fine particulate matter, and acid rain. Last year, for instance, the densely populated Delhi-NCR area had the worst regional air from March to May. It also had 12 of the cities in the top 20 with highest summer pollution levels, including Delhi, Ghaziabad, Manesar, Noida, Faridabad and Gurugram. Summers also mean heatwaves, especially in north and central India. Under the effect of climate change, they are now occurring more often, getting longer in duration and more intense with each passing year. In 2022 alone, India recorded 203 heatwave days, the highest in the recent past, as per data shared by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in the Lok Sabha. The maximum number of such episodes were reported from Uttarakhand (28), followed by Rajasthan (26), Punjab and Haryana (24 each), Jharkhand (18) and Delhi (17). Heatwaves make air pollution deadlier. Ground-level ozone, a kind of pollution, is made more efficiently on hot, sunny days. When there is extreme heat, it can reach dangerous levels in cities and the areas around them. It’s also often ignored. “Even before we could control the problem of particulate pollution, the toxic threat of ground-level ozone is catching up with us. Despite the warning signs, this problem has not attracted adequate policy or public attention for mitigation and prevention. If not addressed early, it can blow up as a serious health crisis in the coming years,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy, CSE, while talking about summer pollution. Health check Air pollution adversely affects human health. It causes eye irritation and cardiovascular disease, makes breathing difficult, and leads to inflammation, oxidative stress and even death. That’s why it is recommended that one avoid strenuous outdoor activities at times when pollutant concentrations are high in the air. This is especially true for people with allergies and asthma, though women who are pregnant and the elderly too need to be cautious. “It’s smart to track the air quality index of your city, and if possible, of your area, since it can vary. Avoid activity during traffic hours, and around major sources of emissions such as industrial facilities, major roads and airports. Be aware that exposure to air pollution increases during exercise since we breathe more heavily, so defer strenuous physical activity when the air quality is bad,” says Dr Tanay Jha, consulting pulmonologist based in Lucknow. While these steps work at an individual level to reduce exposure, they do not help in avoiding poor air altogether. That will only be possible when policy makers integrate public health into environmental and climate change policy, and urban planning.

Heat waves top extreme events list in 2022, Indian crops hit hard by climate change: Report

Heatwaves topped the list of extreme weather events in 2022, even as the global mean temperature was 1.15 (1.02-1.28) degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 average, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) State of Global Climate 2022 report released on Friday. There were as many as 117 heatwave events witnessed across the globe, far more than other extreme events such as drought, rain/wet spell, cold wave, or even cyclone. The report rightly points out that the years 2015 to 2022 were the eight warmest in the 173-year instrumental record. Despite ongoing La Nina conditions, 2022 was the fifth or sixth warmest year on record. “While greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, and the climate continues to change, populations worldwide continue to be gravely impacted by extreme weather and climate events,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. Referring to the heatwaves in the 2022 pre-monsoon season in India and Pakistan that caused a decline in crop yields, the report pointed out that the combination of the heatwaves and the banning of wheat exports and restrictions on rice exports in India after the start of the conflict in Ukraine “threatened the availability, access, and stability of staple foods within international food markets and posed high risks to countries already affected by shortages of staple foods.” “As of 2021, 2.3 billion people faced food insecurity, of which 924 million people faced severe food insecurity. Projections estimated 767.9 million people facing undernourishment in 2021, 9.8% of the global population. Half of these are in Asia and one third in Africa,” it said about food insecurity. The WMO also pointed out how record-breaking heatwaves affected Europe during the summer. “In some areas, extreme heat was coupled with exceptionally dry conditions. Excess deaths associated with the heat in Europe exceeded 15,000 in total across Spain, Germany, the UK, France, and Portugal,” it said, adding, “China had its most extensive and long-lasting heatwave since national records began, extending from mid-June to the end of August and resulting in the hottest summer on record by a margin of more than 0.5 °C. It was also the second-driest summer on record.” Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, told News9 Plus, “It is no surprise. If the temperature rises, the frequency of heatwaves will increase.” However, “heatwave conditions are not uniform across the globe,” explained Mohapatra. The geography, local weather, and definition applied by respective countries make for a heatwave. “For instance, in the United States of America, the threshold temperature is different, and they declare it after that temperature continues for five consecutive days. And in India, we do it only after two consecutive days,” Mohapatra added. In 2022, India witnessed the hottest March and April since the record-keeping started systematically. Heatwave-like conditions prevailed in 16 states of India from March 11 to April 24, 2022. There were 280 heatwave days from March 11 to May 18 in 2022, the highest in 12 years, as per the State of India’s Environment in Figures 2022 brought out by the environment think tank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Other findings of the WMO report – Concentrations of the three main greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – reached record highs in 2021, the latest year for which consolidated global values are available (1984-2021). The annual increase in methane concentration from 2020 to 2021 was the highest on record. – Global mean sea level continued to rise in 2022, reaching a record high for the satellite altimeter record (1993-2022). The rate of global mean sea level rise has doubled between the first decade of the satellite record (1993-2022), 2.27 mm per year) and the last (2013-2022, 4.62 mm per year). – In the hydrological year 2021/2022, a set of reference glaciers with long term observations experienced loss much larger than the average over the last decade. Six of the ten most negative mass balance years on record (1950-2022) occurred since 2015. – Antarctic sea ice fell to lowest extent on record.

Controlling Marine Litter is a big Challenge, say Experts

Global research estimates that about 80% of marine litter comes from land-based mismanagement of solid waste that reaches the ocean bed through various land-to-sea pathways. Experts say that controlling the increasing marine litter is a big challenge in the coastal belt in India and South Asia. Global research estimates that about 80% of marine litter comes from land-based mismanagement of solid waste that reaches the ocean bed through various land-to-sea pathways. The remaining 20% is the contribution of coastal settlements. About 90% of all the waste in the marine ecosystem is plastics. "Marine litter is a serious transboundary issue. Eight million tonnes of plastic waste from 192 countries that have a coastline go into our oceans every year. With a 7,000-plus km coastline, India has a role to play in controlling this menace," said Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), at a national consultation workshop at Nimli in Alwar, Rajasthan. Narain said out of 460 million tonnes (MT) of global plastic production, close to 353 MT comes back as plastic waste – 8 MT (2.26%) of which is leaked into the marine ecosystem. To deal with this problem, a National Coalition of Coastal Cities, which will focus on combatting the scourge of marine litter across the country, was launched at the workshop organised and spearheaded by CSE. Another expert Atin Biswas, programme director of the solid waste management unit, CSE, said the extent of the litter in South Asian seas is a matter of particular concern. Estimates indicate that about 15,434 tonnes of plastic waste are leaked into South Asian seas daily, accounting for a colossal 5.6 MT of plastic waste yearly. According to CSE's release, tourist and beach litter are one of the most common sources of marine litter. Most of these wastes comprise multi-layered and low-value plastics, polystyrene, plastic products like cutlery and carry bags, cigarette butts, etc. These wastes are either not collected or are mismanaged and eventually leak into the oceans through the stormwater drainage system, canals and small and big rivers. A large amount of footwear waste comprising of soles, synthetic bases and cloth bases is also found in India's marine litter. The other contributors to marine litter include fishing communities (mostly fishing gear), flood waters, discharge of untreated municipal sewage, automobile and industrial waste generated at the coasts and waste from shipbreaking yards. CSE researchers point out that in India, the estimated extent of marine litter is about 0.98 metric tonnes of trash/km stretch of the coastline, with a concentration of 0.012 kg/square metre, said Siddharth G Singh, programme manager of solid waste management unit, CSE. "Tributaries of major Indian rivers are the pathways that carry around 15-20% of plastic waste into the marine environment." India's 7,517 km coastline across nine states and 66 coastal districts is home to about 250 million people. The coastline has 486 census towns and 36 class I towns. It also hosts 12 major and 185 minor ports. India is the world's second-largest fish-producing nation, with about 2,50,000 fishing boats, 40,00,000 fisherfolk and 3,600 fishing villages. India's coastline also has a rich biodiversity, protected by about 4,120 km of mangroves. The CSE's researchers said one of the key challenges worldwide is Abandoned, Lost or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG). A large part of ALDFG is lost in deep seas, making it difficult to recover. India has 174,000 units of fishing gear in operation, of which 154,008 are gillnets/driftnets, 7,285 are traps, and the rest are fishing lines. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), India loses 15,276 tonnes of gillnets annually. "In 2021, 58,000 kg of ghost net was recovered from the beaches and the ocean bed. The scale of the threat can be gauged from the fact that out of 1,000 eggs laid by a female turtle, only 10 can convert into adult turtles because of marine litter and ghost nets," Biswas said. Biswas said considering the complexity and scale of the problem, CSE felt the need to focus on marine litter as a matter of planning priority for local governments. Among the key problems that this national workshop has identified is an absence of adequate research-driven data; the lack of synergy in policy and practice among institutions connected to the causes of marine litter; and a need – as yet unmet -- for investment in communication strategy to engage with citizens, fishing communities and industrial establishments. "Since the problem has strong connections with the management of plastic waste on land, policies like the single-use plastic ban and EPR (extended producer responsibility) need to be enforced stringently," Singh said.

Delhi govt mulls e-challans for violators of pollution certificate norms

New Delhi The Delhi transport department is planning to penalise vehicle owners who have not renewed their pollution under control (PUC) certificates by checking their PUC status at fuel stations through cameras which are linked with the mParivahan software, officials aware of the proposal said on Wednesday. Violators will receive e-challans, on the lines of challans which are sent for speeding, the officials said. Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act makes it mandatory for vehicles to have PUC certificates. The owner of a vehicle plying without a valid PUC certificate is liable to be prosecuted and may be imprisoned for up to three months or fined up to ₹10,000, or both. Delhi has 966 PUC checking centres, where the tailpipe emission standards of the vehicles can be checked by paying a nominal fee. According to transport department data, around 1,700,000 active vehicles in the Capital do not have a valid PUC. Last week, transport officials held a meeting with prospective technology providers to explore the feasibility of e-challans for non-compliance of pollution norms. “The department has been exploring ways to penalise non-PUC compliant vehicles so that vehicular pollution can be checked. Vehicular pollution is one of the major contributors to air pollution in the Capital. The current mechanism to check PUC of vehicles is manpower intensive and transport enforcement officials besides traffic police personnel issue challans against such vehicles during manual checks. The manual checks come with limitations,” said an official, declining to be named. Officials said the idea behind using the fuel stations for the enforcement is to ensure a check on a maximum number of vehicles — all vehicles must visit fuel stations for refilling. Another official said the mechanism at the fuel stations will be based on automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) technology. “The ANPR based mechanism can operate using CCTV cameras. Fuel stations already have CCTV cameras installed, which can be connected with ANPR technology and can work using the mParivahan database. Challans can be issued in seconds,” the official said. “With some technology interventions, these cameras can be linked with ANPR mechanism,” the official said. Officials said a detailed project report will be prepared, before it is put before the government for consideration and approval. Ajay Bansal, president of All India Petroleum Dealers Association, said, “It is a welcome move by the government, and the petroleum dealers will support the move. It will create awareness among people about vehicular pollution and encourage them to keep a valid PUC.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said smart monitoring is needed for stringent enforcement to improve compliance with the PUC programme and ensure all vehicles undergo tests. “But at the same time we need very strong monitoring of the PUC testing centres themselves to ensure credible tests are being conducted. Simultaneously, upgrade the emissions monitoring system with remote sensing etc for effective monitoring of real driving emissions on the road and to catch the worst polluters,” Roychowdhury said.

How realistic are India’s 2030 fleet electrification targets?

Gadkari’s ambitious EV mandate can only be achieved if the government issues fleet electrification targets to the supply side of the Indian EV industry. Representative photo: iStock. By 2030, the government intends to have an electric vehicle (EV) sales penetration of 30 per cent for private cars, 70 per cent for commercial vehicles and 80 per cent for two and three-wheelers, Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), stated in 2021. Improvements in vehicle finance and mobilisation of public and private capital could have at least 50 million EVs plying on India’s roads by 2030, according to Rocky Mountain Institute, an organisation that collaborated with government think tank Niti Aayog in releasing Mobilising Electric Vehicle Financing in India report in 2021. However, an independent analysis by the clean air and sustainable mobility team at the Centre for Science and Environment, a Delhi-based non-profit, revealed that there will be annual EV sales of 2.05 million in 2030. This analysis is based on the total vehicle and EV sales trends observed since 2012. The International Energy Agency also estimates annual EV sales of 1.9 million in India by 2030. The Centre’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME) is a scheme based on demand-side subsidy. With this, the government can only support and influence a buyer’s purchase decision. It is difficult to connect the dots between the government’s target for 30 per cent private fleet electrification by 2030 and a solitary buyer’s decision, mostly driven by cost and convenience. Gadkari’s ambitious mandate can only be achieved if the government issues fleet electrification targets to the supply side of the Indian EV industry, i.e. original equipment manufacturers. The total vehicle sales in the country saw a dip in 2020, which continued into the next financial year, 2021, according to data from MoRTH’s VAHAN portal. Although this decline could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is noteworthy that the annual vehicle sales have not yet caught up to the pre-pandemic levels. This means that there has been a dent in the overall economic setup. First, sales of EVs depend on the disposable income of the buyers. So, the fall in positive purchase decisions could be attributed to reduced income due to unemployment and an overall decline in market sentiments. Second, a marked increase in vehicle purchases can be observed only with more parking and driving space in the existing cities or with newer cities coming up by 2030 with thriving road infrastructure. Considering India’s rising oil bills, the transition to clean energy also offers a huge economic opportunity for the country. But, it is imperative to note that the government’s macro-economic decisions should not ignore the micro-economic identity of the country. It must be remembered that the larger goal is 100 per cent fleet electrification and not just increased EV sales. That is, the focus should be on converting the existing fleet to EVs and not just adding more EVs to the roads, which will only lead to more vehicular congestion in the cities and break the back of the common man in non-utilitarian spending on new vehicle purchases.

Govt to hold round table meet for reduction in Delhi pollution in May

The Delhi government will hold a crucial roundtable conference next month where the findings of a real-time source apportionment study will be shared with all stakeholders and a strategy will be developed to further reduce pollution in Delhi-NCR. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday that the conference will be held at the Delhi Secretariat on May 15. Rai said that representatives from the Commission for Air Quality Management, Central Pollution Control Board, SAFAR, United Nations Environment Programme, India Meteorological Department, World Bank, Centre for Science and Environment, TERI and NCR (National Capital Region) states will be invited for this conference.. “We will share the report of the source-apportionment study with the participants, seek their suggestions and prepare a strategy to further reduce pollution in Delhi-NCR,” Rai said. This comes after a review meeting held by Delhi government environment minister held a review meeting with the teams of DPCC, the Environment Department and IIT Kanpur at the Delhi Secretariat. During the meeting, it was decided that in order to thoroughly review the Real Time Source Appropriation study’s report ‘Save Environment’ Round Table Conference would be held at the Delhi Secretariat on May 15. “Representatives from the CAQM, CPCB, Safar, UNEP, IMD, World Bank, CSE, TERI, and states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana will be invited for this conference. All of the representatives will be taken to the supersite after the round table conference, and a joint action plan will be formed based on recommendations from all institutions, states, and study results.”

Centre launches coastal cities coalition to fight marine pollution

“The problem of marine litter is a serious trans-boundary issue – eight million tonnes of plastic waste, from 192 countries that have a coastline, go into our oceans every year. India, with a 7,000-plus km coastline, has a role to play in controlling this menace,” said Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), in her keynote address at a two-day national consultation workshop that ended in New Delhi on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. A National Coalition of Coastal Cities, which will focus on combatting the scourge of marine litter across the country, was launched at the workshop, which was organised and spearheaded by CSE. Global research estimates that about 80 per cent of marine litter comes from land-based mismanagement of solid waste that reaches the ocean bed through various land-to-sea pathways. The remaining 20 per cent is the contribution of coastal settlements. About 90 per cent of all the waste that ends up in the marine ecosystem is plastics. Out of 460 million tonnes (MT) of global plastic production, close to 353 MT comes back as plastic waste – 8 MT (2.26 per cent) of which is leaked into the marine ecosystem, as Narain pointed out. Says Atin Biswas, programme director, solid waste management unit, CSE: “The extent of the litter in South Asian seas is a matter of particular concern. Estimates indicates that about 15,434 tonne of plastic waste is leaked into South Asian seas every day, accounting for a colossal 5.6 MT of plastic waste a year.” CSE researchers point out that, in India, the estimated extent of marine litter is about 0.98 metric tonne of trash per km stretch of the coastline, with a concentration of 0.012 kg per square metre. Says Siddharth G Singh, programme manager, solid waste management unit, CSE: “Tributaries of major Indian rivers are the pathways that carry around 15-20 per cent of plastic waste into the marine environment.” India’s 7,517 km of coastline across nine states and 66 coastal districts, is home to about 250 million people. The coastline has 486 census towns and 36 class I towns. It also hosts 12 major and 185 minor ports. India is the world’s second largest fish producing nation, with about 2,50,000 fishing boats, 40,00,000 fisherfolk and 3,600 fishing villages. India’s coastline also has a rich biodiversity, protected by about 4,120 km of mangroves. One of the key challenges worldwide is from Abandoned, Lost or Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG). A large part of ALDFG is lost in deep seas, making it difficult to recover. India has 174,000 units of fishing gear in operation, of which 154,008 units are gillnets/driftnets, 7,285 units are traps, and the rest are fishing lines. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), India loses 15,276 tonnes of gillnets annually. Says Biswas: “In the year 2021, 58,000 kg of ghost net was recovered from the beaches and the ocean bed. The scale of the threat can be gauged from the fact that out of 1,000 eggs laid by a female turtle, only 10 are able to convert into adult turtles because of marine litter and ghost nets.” One of the most common sources of marine litter is tourist and beach litter. A majority of these wastes is made up of multi-layered and low-value plastics, polystyrene, plastic products like cutlery and carry bags, cigarette butts, etc. These wastes are either not collected or are mismanaged, and eventually leak into the oceans through the stormwater drainage system, canals and small and big rivers. A large amount of footwear waste comprising of soles, synthetic bases and cloth bases are also being found in marine litter in India. The other contributors to marine litter include fishing communities (mostly fishing gear), flood waters, discharge of untreated municipal sewage, automobile and industrial waste generated at the coasts and waste from shipbreaking yards. Says Biswas: “Considering the complexity and scale of the problem, CSE felt the need to focus on marine litter as a matter of planning priority for local governments. Among the key problems that this national workshop has identified is an absence of adequate research-driven data; the lack of synergy in policy and practice among institutions connected to the causes of marine litter; and a need – as yet unmet — for investment in a communication strategy to engage with citizens, fishing communities and industrial establishments. Adds Singh: “Since the problem has strong connections with the management of plastic waste on land, policies like the single-use plastic ban and EPR (extended producer responsibility) need to be enforced stringently.” The CSE workshop was attended by representatives from state and city administrations from coastal states, marine research institutes, multi-lateral institutes working in India and other countries, NGOs working in the domain of marine litter, industry and technology solution providers, academicians, start-ups and individual practitioners and experts. Says Biswas: “The outcome of these consultations will be used to form a coalition of coastal cities as a community and platform for further research, capacity building and advocacy in this subject.”