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Strategic Ally, End to End Support

Organic food company goes beyond marketing, sales strategies to support farmers moving away from chemical-free practices. Latest data available with the government for 2018 - 19 shows that only 2 % of the country՚s net sown area is under organic farming and 1.3 % of the farmers follow the practice. Strategic Ally Sresta Natural Bioproducts Limited was analyzed by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) to understand how private players can play their part to encourage farmers as well as influence consumers choices. Based in Hyderabad, Telangana, Sresta forayed into the organic food business in 2004. Organic food was just an exotic idea then, with most farmers relying on chemical inputs for improved crop yield; the government introduced schemes to support and promote organic farming only a decade later. On the ground, the company offers constant support to farmers to wean them off chemical inputs and shift to organic farming. To create an assured market, it also procures, processes, and markets the produce. Sresta invests the massive awareness programmes about organic farming and its benefits for human health and the environment, to create consumer demand for the products. Sresta advertises organic products through campaigns and through social media, shares recipes that use its products and spreads awareness on the benefits of such food. As per the “India: Organic Industry Market Report-2021” released by the US Department of Agriculture՚s Foreign Agricultural Service the company՚s brand name “24 Mantra” has the largest market share in organic food products. The company has grown from 40 farmers to 40,000 farmers, covering nearly 81,000 hectares (ha) in 15 states. From procuring wheat, mustard, gram, and barley initially, Sresta՚s list now includes nearly 200 prod‐ ucts from flour, grains, pulses, millets, dry fruits and spices to flours, cold-pressed oil, pickles, cookies, culinary pastes, jams, and ready-to-eat products. Farmers say they also save on cost of loading, unloading produce and mandi tax with Sresta. To assure the consumers about the quality of the produce, Sresta helps farmers obtain organic certi‐ fication under the National Programme for Organic Production, which allows for exports, and bears

Organic fertiliser: A must for the next green revolution

Source: DTE Directions: This Article has been taken from Down to Earth. It highlights the potential of India to become an organic fertiliser hub. Make short notes on organic farming/natural farming. Context: With the right policy interventions, India can become the hub of organic fertiliser production What are organic fertilisers? Organic fertilisers are derived from animal products and plant residues containing sufficient Organic fertiliser can be categorised into two segments, according to government rules: Bio-fertilisers are composed of living microorganisms attached to solid or liquid carriers and are useful for cultivable land, as these microorganisms help in increasing the productivity of soil and/or crops. Organic manure refers to partially decomposed organic matter like digestate from a biogas plant, compost and vermicompost, which provides nutrients to the soil/crops and improves yield. The penetration of organic fertilisers is low: The proportion of organic fertilisers of the overall fertiliser consumption was only 0.34 per cent for 2019-20. With the promotion of biogas production, the government can reap the benefits of its bi-product — fertiliser. Potentials of organic fertilisers in India: Utilisation of Solid waste: India produces more than 150,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW), (According to the National Solid Waste Association of India and the Central Pollution Control Board. ) Considering collection efficiency of 80 per cent and the organic part of MSW to be 50 per cent, the total organic waste generated per day in India comes to around 65,000 tonnes per day. Even if half of this is diverted to the biogas industry, the government can leverage this by the reduction in import of fossils and fertilisers. Using Biogas/gobar gas plants effluents: these plants not only produce biogas but also organic fertilisers are known as digestate. Digestate can help realise the vision to have a second green revolution. Increase Soil fertility: Digestate can provide organic carbon to the continuously depleting soil, apart from its standard nutrition value. In India at present, bio-fertiliser production is just over 110,000 tonnes and 34 million tonnes of organic manure, composed of farmyard manure, city compost and vermicompost, among others. Why India needs to promote production of organic fertlisers? Popularity:The popularity of organic farming has grown in the domestic market in recent years. Market size: The market size for Indian organic packaged food is expected to grow at a rate of 17 per cent and cross Rs 871 million by 2021. Growing awareness: The significant rise of this sector is linked to growing awareness about the harmful effects of synthetic fertiliser on soil, rising health concerns, expanding urban population base and an increased consumer expenditure on food goods. SATAT Scheme: Bio-compressed natural gas (bio-CNG) and solid organic manure or digestate can be produced in large quantities under the SATAT programme, under which more than 5,000 projects have been started across the country by the industry. Since organic manure can be improved with the use of bio fertilisers to meet nutrient requirements, both biofertilizers and organic manure have the potential to eliminate the usage of synthetic fertilisers completely. Insta Links

#TheConclave2022: Discussion on Effects of Industrialization on Climate

The panelists in the session were Dr Arup Kumar Sarma, Professor, IIT Guwahati, Dr Bhagawat Pran Duarah, Professor, Guwahati University, Richard Mahapatra, Managing Director, Down to Earth and Pradeep Purohit, Chairman, CII North Bengal. The third session of ‘The Conclave 2022’ organized by Pratidin Media Group was held on the topic “Development and Industrialization: Is it effecting the Climate of the region?”. The panelists in the session were Dr Arup Kumar Sarma, Professor, IIT Guwahati, Dr Bhagawat Pran Duarah, Professor, Gauhati University, Richard Mahapatra, Managing Director, Down to Earth and Pradeep Purohit, Chairman, CII North Bengal. Pradeep Purohit said the climate change is a phenomenon which is taking place since long and will keep on going. He said, “Although climate change is a natural phenomenon, however some industries have added to it.” “In order to reduce the climatic change from industries, we need to work on waste management and focus on recycle and reuse of item,” he said. Speaking on the plans of cement industry, Purohit said, “Technological advancement has helped to reduce carbon footprints. We are working on carbon negative policy.” Moreover, he alleged that biggest polluter to the environment is the brick kilns as they are still working on the same technology as five decades ago. Meanwhile, Arup Sarma has stressed on the carbon footprint and climate change affecting the state hugely. He said, “Sustainability has to be kept in mind and carbon footprint also should be kept in check.” Referring to a study of Brahmaputra he said, “Pre-monsoon, precipitation will go downas climate change will take over. There is no significant change on post-monsoon and as we talk about monsoon flow, it will go down along with winter precipitation.” Speaking about flash flood, he said that flood has become ‘unpredictable’. Also Read #TheConclave2022: Discussion on Boosting Tourism in Northeast On the other hand, Dr Bhagawat Pran Duarah said that as the humans are working against nature so the nature is retaliating. He said, “There is a disparity in distribution of rewards of exploitation as someone, for example, faces dislocation and problems due to construction of dams while others reaps rewards from it.” Richard Mahapatra said that if the Northeastern region of India is given enough resources and scope for development, then it could be the hub of providing ecosystem resources. He said, “The model of development is instead turning to be counterproductive.” He urged to help the communities that protect forests in order to slow down climate change.

खराब हवा की खबर: दिल्ली में शायद नवंबर मीठा न हो

उपग्रहों के आंकड़े पिछले दो वर्षों में इसी अवधि की तुलना में कम फसल पराली की आग दिखाते हैं। हालाँकि, उस खबर को विशेषज्ञों के दृष्टिकोण से बदलना होगा कि हाल की बारिश ने चावल की कटाई में देरी की और किसानों को अगली फसल बोने के लिए एक छोटी खिड़की के साथ छोड़ दिया। इसके परिणामस्वरूप पराली के अत्यधिक जलने और नवंबर में अधिक प्रदूषण होने की संभावना है। भारतीय कृषि अनुसंधान संस्थान (आईएआरआई) के अनुसार, जो वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग द्वारा अधिसूचित मानक प्रोटोकॉल 2021 का पालन करता है, पंजाब में इस साल 15 सितंबर से 14 अक्टूबर के बीच 1,069 धान अवशेष जलाने की घटनाएं दर्ज की गईं, जबकि 2021 में इसी अवधि में 1,286 थी। और 2020 में 4,216। 15 सितंबर से 14 अक्टूबर के बीच, हरियाणा में 2022 में 132, 2021 में 487 और 2020 में 596 पराली जलाने की घटनाएं दर्ज की गईं। उत्तर प्रदेश ने इसी अवधि में 2022 में 91, 2021 में 311 और 2020 में 305 खेत में आग लगने की सूचना दी। वायु गुणवत्ता और मौसम पूर्वानुमान और अनुसंधान प्रणाली (सफर), केंद्रीय पृथ्वी विज्ञान मंत्रालय का पूर्वानुमान निकाय, जो दिल्ली की हवा को प्रभावित करने की क्षमता वाले चार राज्यों की प्रभावी आग की संख्या पर डेटा रखता है, ने पुष्टि की कि आग की संख्या कम थी। इस साल। सफर ने कहा कि इस साल 1 से 13 अक्टूबर के बीच 1,495 आग की घटनाओं का पता चला, जबकि 2021 में 2,425 और इसी अवधि में 2020 में 4,324 आग की घटनाओं का पता चला था। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट के कार्यकारी निदेशक (अनुसंधान और वकालत) अनुमिता रॉय चौधरी ने कहा, "हमने पिछले साल अक्टूबर में विस्तारित बारिश देखी, जिससे नवंबर की शुरुआत में केंद्रित पराली जल गई। इस महीने हुई तेज बारिश से भी ऐसी ही स्थिति पैदा हो सकती है। अगर किसानों को अपने खेत में आग लगाने से नहीं रोका गया तो दिल्ली की हवा पर केंद्रित जलने का प्रभाव काफी हो सकता है।" SAFAR के संस्थापक परियोजना निदेशक गुफरान बेग ने कहा, "कम आग की संख्या का एक कारण उपग्रहों की बादलों की स्थिति में आग का पता लगाने में असमर्थता हो सकती है यदि शमन उपायों ने काम नहीं किया है। हालांकि, अगर मौसम की कटाई का भार पिछले साल के समान रहता है और बुवाई का समय कड़ा हो जाता है, तो हर दिन जलने की मात्रा बढ़ जाएगी। उस स्थिति में, नवंबर में और खराब हवा वाले दिन देखने को मिल सकते हैं। केवल अगर हम 23-26 अक्टूबर को बड़े पैमाने पर जलने से बचते हैं तो हम 'गंभीर' वायु दिनों से बच सकते हैं।" IARI में स्पेस लेबोरेटरी से कंसोर्टियम फॉर रिसर्च ऑन एग्रोइकोसिस्टम मॉनिटरिंग एंड मॉडलिंग के प्रभारी प्रमुख वैज्ञानिक प्रोफेसर विनय सहगल ने कहा, "बारिश के कारण कटाई में देरी हुई है। आग की कम गिनती के पीछे वह बारिश कारण हो सकती है। लेकिन राज्य सरकार को खेत में लगी आग को रोकने के लिए सतर्क रहना चाहिए। उन्होंने कहा कि पीक बर्निंग 26 अक्टूबर से 5 नवंबर तक होती है। दिल्ली का समग्र एक्यूआई शुक्रवार को 154 पर सूचकांक के साथ 'मध्यम' श्रेणी में रहा। दिल्ली के लिए पूर्व चेतावनी प्रणाली के अनुसार, शनिवार को हवा की गुणवत्ता 'मध्यम' से 'खराब' श्रेणी में रहने की संभावना है। रविवार को 'गरीब' श्रेणी।

Can the world expect real action on climate change from November’s COP27 talks in Egypt?

It is an opportunity for renewed commitment on mitigation and finance, and deciding on next steps for realising commitments on emissions targets. In a crucial meeting for tackling the climate crisis, almost 200 countries will come together in Egypt at the start of November for a “Conference of the Parties”, or COP27. You may remember hearing about COP26 in Glasgow about this time last year. It was often hailed as our “last best chance” to keep global warming under 1.5℃ this century. Advertisement Since then, emissions have reached record levels after the pandemic downturn. And this year alone, we’ve seen dozens of catastrophic disasters ranging from drought in the Horn of Africa to floods in Pakistan, South Africa and Australia, and wildfires and heatwaves in Europe, the United States, Mongolia and South America, among others. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said this week: “On every climate front, the only solution is decisive action in solidarity. COP27 is the place for all countries […] to show they are in this fight and in it together.” So, as disasters intensify and war rages in Ukraine, what can we expect from this important summit? What happens at COP meetings? Conferences of the Parties are held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and this year marks its 30th anniversary since it was established at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. COP27 will be held in Egypt’s resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. COPs allow the international community to decide on a fair allocation of responsibility for addressing climate change. That is, who should lead in emissions reduction, who should pay for transitioning to new forms of energy production and who should compensate those already feeling the effects of climate change. They also allow countries to agree on rules for meeting commitments, or processes to transfer funds and resources from wealthy countries to poorer ones. And they provide opportunities for sharing the latest climate change research. Just as importantly, COP meetings focus international attention on the climate crisis and responses to it. This creates pressure for countries to make new commitments or, at least, to play a constructive role in negotiations. Is COP27 less important than COP26? Sunita Narain @sunitanar Tragic. And we dare to talk about fixing food systems for climate change Irony just died. #CocaCola to sponsor #cop27 downtoearth.org.in Irony just died: Coca-Cola, among biggest global polluters, to sponsor CoP27 Activists and commentators have called Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of the world’s biggest climate summit a ‘greenwashing exercise’ The agreement allowed countries to make their own commitments, with the expectation these would be ratcheted up every five years. Glasgow was essentially a big test of whether the deal actually worked to increase commitments addressing climate change. Glasgow was also significant because it was the first COP since the US returned to the fold after the Trump administration’s withdrawal. By contrast, Sharm el-Sheikh is less a test of the agreement itself. It is more an opportunity for renewed commitment on mitigation and finance, and deciding on next steps for realising these commitments. But there is still plenty at stake, and a few crucial points of debate loom. Will more countries make new commitments? The first big test for COP27 will be whether countries make new emissions reduction commitments. At Glasgow, more than 100 nations committed to new emissions reduction targets. But these commitments still fell well short of what’s needed to reach the goals agreed at Paris. Instead of providing a pathway to limit global warming to 1.5℃ or 2℃, Glasgow commitments were shown to put the world on track for a 2.4℃ increase by the end of the century. This would endanger people and ecosystems throughout the world. And that’s assuming those countries even meet the targets. Despite this, in the lead up to COP27 fewer than 20 countries have provided updates, and only a handful of these have outlined new emissions reduction targets or net-zero commitments. Of these, only India and Australia are among emitters producing more than 1% of global carbon dioxide emissions. In some ways, COP27 is less significant than COP26. That meeting, the first for two years after a Covid-19 delay, was the deadline for countries to commit new emissions reduction targets under the rules of the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Centre announces rules for grant to establish paddy pellets plant

The union environment ministry on Thursday released guidelines for grant of one-time financial support for establishment of pelletisation and torrefaction plants to promote utilisation of paddy stubble in thermal power plants and industries. The ministry has earmarked ₹50 crores for the scheme which is generated from the environment protection charge being collected by the Central Pollution Control Board following a 2016 SC order which directed that a charge of 1% of ex-showroom price be imposed on every diesel car with 2000 cc and above capacity in Delhi NCR. The 2016 SC order in MC Mehta Vs Union of India case said the tax will be deposited with CPCB as an ‘environment protection charge’ for causing air pollution. Now the money from EPC (around ₹3 crore deposited annually with CPCB) will be utilised for a one-time financial support to rice stubble pellet plants that can be utilised by thermal power plants in Delhi NCR for power generation. The one-time support is meant to cover 40% of capital costs of such plants, under which ₹14 lakh can be provided for non-torrefied plants and ₹28 lakh for torrefied plants. The maximum support that CPCB will provide for such units under the scheme is ₹70 lakh for non-torrefied and ₹1.4 crore. Around 1.1 million MT paddy straw pellets can be produced per annum, if corpus completely utilised according to CPCB’s estimates. State governments can also provide financial support to these plants if they are willing to. The plants should be set up within 3 to 6 months of transfer of financial support under the scheme as per the guidelines. Around 19.9 MT of paddy straw is generated in Punjab; 7 MT in Haryana and 0.67 MT in UP and NCR. Even if all in-situ stubble management measures are followed, 6.4 MT paddy straw is expected to remain unmanaged as per CPCB’s analysis. “Its perhaps partly our action and god’s blessing that Delhi’s air quality is still in acceptable category this season. Now we are trying to see how can waste be converted to wealth. I have held a number of meetings on air pollution control in winter. All neighbouring state governments have been very cooperative so far,” said Bhupender Yadav, union environment minister. “Every winter, paddy stubble burning is posing a serious concern to air quality and naturally to health of citizens in areas where stubble is set on fire and even in Delhi. In Punjab, Haryana, NCR paddy area is around 46 lakh ha out of which 13.5 lakh ha is Basmati paddy and that it not a cause for concern since it can be used as fodder. Around 21 million tonnes of paddy stubble is generated from the rest of the area which causes air quality concerns for 35 to 40 days if set on fire,” said MM Kutty, Chairman of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). “Around 11 MT of the 21 MT is being managed through in-situ methods. The rest should be managed through a variety of ex-situ provisions. For example, the pellets from the stubble can be easily be cofired in thermal power plants,” he added. Naresh Pal Gangwar, additional secretary, MoEFCC said “the problem of stubble fires may be solved if farmers start seeing the economic and business opportunity in stubble. Gurdeep Singh, CEO, NTPC who was also present at the launch of the guidelines said orders have already been placed by NTPC to procure 110 MT of stubble pellets to torrefied pellets. “In a few years we are looking at conversion of one or two thermal power plants to 100% biomass driver power plants,” he said. Officials said there is a demand for stubble pellets but not adequate supply. Considering 10% replacement of coal with paddy straw in coal based thermal power plants in Delhi NCR, the annual requirement of paddy straw is estimated to be 75.5 lakh MT. The pelletisation process involves shredding, drying, grinding and pellet making. The major difference between pelletisation and torrefaction (thermal degradation of organic biomass) unit is the presence of a torrefaction reactor. Stubble fires contribute to 10-13% of PM2.5 pollution in Delhi during winters, with peak contribution going up to 48% according to CAQM. Over 2 lakh crop residue management machineries have been delivered and over 39,000 Custom Hiring Centres established under central sector scheme. Under ex-situ management, efforts are being made to utilise stubble for compressed bio-gas plants, using biomass as raw material, being set up under SATAT scheme (Sustainable Alternative towards Affordable Transportation), 2G ethanol plant using paddy straw as feedstock. Under in-situ, the PUSA decomposer is also being used for accelerating process of paddy straw decomposition. Pusa decomposer, a consortium of seven fungi, has been developed on the basis of their lingo cellulolytic enzyme production potential. This composting technology has been recognized as the most suitable means to convert and decompose agro-wastes according to Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). "This is a good step forward and is consistent with the new clean air policy of NCR. This value addition to make fuel from crop residues to replace coal and other dirty industrial fuels can help to reduce pollution. This will also add economic value to the waste straw and create incentive for the farmers to not to burn it," said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment.

Pekerja Miskin Menanggung Beban Berat Akibat Gelombang Panas di India

Bagi pekerja konstruksi Yogendra Tundre, kehidupan di lokasi pembangunan di pinggiran ibu kota New Delhi cukup berat. Tahun ini, rekor suhu tinggi membuatnya tak tertahankan. Saat India bergulat dengan gelombang panas yang belum pernah terjadi sebelumnya, sebagian besar pekerja miskin di negara itu, yang umumnya bekerja di luar ruangan, rentan terhadap suhu yang menyengat. Baca Juga: 2022 Bukan Tahun Terbaik Marc Marquez Dalam Ajang MotoGP "Terlalu banyak panas dan jika kami tidak bekerja, apa yang akan kami makan? Selama beberapa hari, kami bekerja dan kemudian kami duduk diam selama beberapa hari karena kelelahan dan panas," kata Tundre. Suhu di daerah New Delhi telah menyentuh 45 derajat C tahun ini, sering menyebabkan Tundre dan istrinya Lata, yang bekerja di lokasi konstruksi yang sama, jatuh sakit. Itu, pada gilirannya, berarti mereka kehilangan pendapatan. "Karena panas, kadang saya tidak masuk kerja. Saya cuti.. berkali-kali jatuh sakit karena dehidrasi dan kemudian membutuhkan botol glukosa (cairan infus)," kata Bu Lata sambil berdiri di luar rumah mereka, sementara gubuk dengan atap seng. Para ilmuwan telah menghubungkan awal musim panas yang intens dengan perubahan iklim, dan mengatakan lebih dari satu miliar orang di India dan negara tetangga Pakistan dalam beberapa hal berisiko terkena panas ekstrem. India mengalami bulan Maret terpanas dalam lebih dari 100 tahun dan beberapa bagian negara itu mengalami suhu tertinggi yang pernah tercatat pada bulan April. Banyak tempat, termasuk New Delhi, melihat pengukur suhu mencapai 40 derajat C. Lebih dari dua lusin orang telah meninggal karena serangan panas yang diduga sejak akhir Maret, dan permintaan listrik telah mencapai level tertinggi dalam beberapa tahun. Perdana Menteri Narendra Modi telah meminta pemerintah negara bagian untuk menyusun langkah-langkah untuk mengurangi dampak panas yang ekstrem. Tundre dan Lata tinggal bersama dua anak mereka yang masih kecil di daerah kumuh dekat lokasi konstruksi di Noida, kota satelit New Delhi. Mereka pindah dari negara bagian Chhattisgarh di India tengah untuk mencari pekerjaan dan upah yang lebih tinggi di sekitar ibu kota. Di lokasi konstruksi, para pekerja memanjat tembok, memasang beton dan membawa beban berat, menggunakan syal compang-camping di sekitar kepala mereka sebagai pelindung dari sinar matahari. Tetapi bahkan ketika pasangan itu menyelesaikan pekerjaan sehari-hari mereka, mereka memiliki sedikit istirahat karena rumah mereka panas, menyerap panasnya matahari sepanjang hari. Mr Avikal Somvanshi, seorang peneliti lingkungan perkotaan dari Pusat Sains dan Lingkungan India, mengatakan data pemerintah federal menunjukkan bahwa stres panas adalah penyebab paling umum kematian, setelah petir, dari kekuatan alam dalam dua puluh tahun terakhir. "Sebagian besar kematian ini terjadi pada pria berusia 30 hingga 45 tahun. Ini adalah kelas pekerja, pria kerah biru yang tidak punya pilihan selain bekerja di bawah terik matahari," kata Somvanshi. Tidak ada undang-undang di India yang mencegah aktivitas di luar ruangan ketika suhu mencapai tingkat tertentu, tidak seperti di beberapa negara Timur Tengah, kata Somvanshi.

Maharani Bagh battles pothole-riddled roads, heavy vehicles rush

The ongoing construction work on extension of the Ashram flyover up to DND Flyway only compounds the tonnes of problems, leading to a traffic chock-a-block specially during the morning and evening rush hours. Persistent rush of vehicles, road riddled with potholes and clouds of suspended dust make the Maharani Bagh stretch of the Ring Road between the Ashram intersection and DND Flyway a nightmare for the commuters. The ongoing construction work on extension of the Ashram flyover up to DND Flyway only compounds the tonnes of problems, leading to a traffic chock-a-block specially during the morning and evening rush hours. For the local residents, going out and returning to their homes has regular headache, with many of them attributing the issue to poor quality of roads. Commander (retd) Bhupesh Kumar Rakhra, president of the Siddharth Enclave RWA said damaged roads is one of the principal problems that lead to perennial traffic jams around the area. “The whole stretch is badly damaged and re-carpeting is required. People moving on two-wheelers are at even greater risk of facing an accident, and the same waterlogged potholes have turned into mosquito breeding sites. It is a nightmare,” he said. Amit Bhagchandka, a member of Maharani Bagh RWA, said the ongoing development will help smoother movement of traffic around the area, but added that pothole riddled roads and poor site management has made it a living hell for the locals. S Khan, general secretary of the Pocket A Sukhdev Vihar Residents Welfare Association, said while the internal colony roads in area are in better shape, the corridors leading from Don Bosco School towards Sarai Julena on one side and Maharani Bagh-Kilokari on the other are full of potholes. “This leads to avoidable delays. We have informed the local officials to repair the roads on several occasions but nothing has been done. The government should run a dedicated drive to clear potholes, specially now that the rains are over,” he said. Besides issuing the traffic advisories related to waterlogging during the recent incessant rain, the Delhi Traffic Police has also started an alert for potholes and damaged roads. The roads earmarked with potholes include Roshanara Road, Ashoka Road, Talkatora Road, INA, Maharani Bagh-Kilokari, Mathura Road, Rohtak Road and others. Rakesh Bedi, a commuter headed towards Noida, on Wednesday said that the three days of incessant rain has led to further damage on the road near Kilokari-Maharani Bagh. “It needs immediate repair since besides causing traffic jams, it is an accident risk. The road witnesses very heavy volume of traffic and it should be repaired on priority,” Bedi said. A senior Public Works Department (PWD) official said field maintenance teams have been deployed to repair damaged roads across the city. “Several portions of Ring Road at Bhikaji Cama Place, Lajpat Nagar, etc are currently under repair. A team with bulldozer and road roller is also working at the Ashram extension site to repair potholes,” the official added. Anumita Roychowdhary, executive director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the issue of damaged roads requires a mandate for robust and diligent road audits by all agencies. “Road audits need to address the entire right of way, including the carriageway, footpaths, and road shoulders. Road construction and design have to follow quality benchmark so that roads are more resilient,” she said.

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Todos os conteúdos do PÚBLICO são protegidos por Direitos de Autor ao abrigo da legislação portuguesa, conforme os Termos e Condições.Os assinantes do jornal PÚBLICO têm direito a oferecer até 6 artigos exclusivos por mês a amigos ou familiares, usando a opção “Oferecer artigo” no topo da página. Apoie o jornalismo de qualidade do PÚBLICO. https://www.publico.pt/2022/10/13/azul/noticia/premio-gulbenkian-humanidade-distingue-duas-organizacoes-ipcc-ipbes-2023890 Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade distingue duas organizações: IPCC e IPBES Esta é a terceira vez que o Prémio Gulbenkian galardoa pessoas ou organizações ligadas ao combate à crise climática. Angela Merkel, presidente do júri, disse em Lisboa que os sinais ligados às alterações climáticas “se têm tornado cada vez mais dramáticos”. Use as ferramentas de partilha que encontra na página de artigo. Todos os conteúdos do PÚBLICO são protegidos por Direitos de Autor ao abrigo da legislação portuguesa, conforme os Termos e Condições.Os assinantes do jornal PÚBLICO têm direito a oferecer até 6 artigos exclusivos por mês a amigos ou familiares, usando a opção “Oferecer artigo” no topo da página. Apoie o jornalismo de qualidade do PÚBLICO. https://www.publico.pt/2022/10/13/azul/noticia/premio-gulbenkian-humanidade-distingue-duas-organizacoes-ipcc-ipbes-2023890 O Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade de 2022 foi atribuído a duas organizações ligadas ao combate à crise climática e ecológica: o Painel Intergovernamental para as Alterações Climáticas, mais conhecido pela sigla IPCC, e a Plataforma Intergovernamental de Política de Ciência sobre Biodiversidade e Serviços do Ecossistema (IPBES, na sigla em inglês). O anúncio dos premiados ex aequo foi feito na manhã desta quinta-feira na Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, em Lisboa. O prémio de um milhão de euros foi entregue às 18h. Use as ferramentas de partilha que encontra na página de artigo. Todos os conteúdos do PÚBLICO são protegidos por Direitos de Autor ao abrigo da legislação portuguesa, conforme os Termos e Condições.Os assinantes do jornal PÚBLICO têm direito a oferecer até 6 artigos exclusivos por mês a amigos ou familiares, usando a opção “Oferecer artigo” no topo da página. Apoie o jornalismo de qualidade do PÚBLICO. https://www.publico.pt/2022/10/13/azul/noticia/premio-gulbenkian-humanidade-distingue-duas-organizacoes-ipcc-ipbes-2023890 A antiga chanceler alemã, Angela Merkel, foi a presidente do júri deste prémio e afirmou na conferência de imprensa em Lisboa que os sinais ligados às alterações climáticas “se têm tornado cada vez mais dramáticos”. “Precisamos de decisões para assegurar a sobrevivência da humanidade”, disse Angela Merkel, esperando que o apoio concedido a estas duas organizações contribua para o combate à crise climática e da conservação da biodiversidade. Estas duas organizações foram escolhidas porque se têm “destacado na promoção da relação entre ciência, clima, biodiversidade e sociedade, representando o melhor que se faz nesta área, em todo mundo”, justificou o júri por escrito, numa nota divulgada pela Fundação Gulbenkian. Ao reconhecer estas duas associações, o júri pretende que se realce a “necessidade de olhar para a crise climática e da biodiversidade em conjunto, de forma concertada, e recorrendo a soluções baseadas na natureza”. As duas organizações premiadas foram seleccionadas entre 116 candidatos de 41 nacionalidades. O júri considerou ainda que este prémio vem reconhecer “o papel da ciência na linha da frente do combate às alterações climáticas e à perda de biodiversidade”, segundo se lê no comunicado da Gulbenkian. A ciência “tem sido fundamental não só para o avanço de muitas acções políticas e públicas, mas também para a necessidade de colocar um carácter de urgência na forma como, em termos de agenda política, é abordada a questão do combate à crise climática”. Foto A presidente do júri Angela Merkel na Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, em Lisboa, na manhã desta quinta-feira Andre Kosters/LUSA A secretária-geral do IPBES, Anne Larigauderie, alertou que nos encontramos perante duas crises: a das alterações climáticas e a da perda de biodiversidade, “que vêm de mãos dadas”. Há cerca de um milhão de espécies em risco de extinção e estas crises afectam também a capacidade de os ecossistemas funcionarem, disse, em Lisboa, depois do anúncio do prémio. E deu uma garantia: “Ainda é preciso fazer muito mais.” O IPBES é uma organização independente criada em 2012 com o intuito de facilitar a ligação entre o conhecimento científico e os decisores políticos, sobretudo em questões de biodiversidade, protecção de ecossistemas e sustentabilidade. Os relatórios feitos por este órgão têm mostrado a importância da conservação da natureza e a forma como se tem vindo a deteriorar a nível global. Esta plataforma criada na Cidade do Panamá também tem referido que o uso sustentável dos recursos e da natureza não será possível com as medidas actuais e que são precisas mudanças profundas a nível económico e político. Há 139 Estados que fazem parte desta organização, juntamente com organizações não-governamentais, cientistas e outros movimentos sociais. Os impactos e riscos das alterações climáticas estão a tornar-se altamente complexos e difíceis de controlar Hoesung Lee Já o IPCC foi criado em 1988 pela Organização Meteorológica Mundial e pelo Programa das Nações Unidas para o Ambiente (PNUA) com o objectivo de recolher informação científica sobre alterações climáticas para auxiliar os decisores políticos. É conhecido pelos seus relatórios em que faz um “diagnóstico” do estado em que está o planeta, do impacto que a acção humana está a ter na concentração de gases com efeito de estufa na atmosfera e na forma como isso se traduz em alterações a nível planetário. Estes relatórios são também acompanhados de ideias sobre o que é preciso fazer para travar as emissões de gases poluentes. Os relatórios são feitos por cientistas de todo o mundo, que se dividem por grupos de trabalho e trabalham de forma voluntária. Este painel ajuda sobretudo a fazer-se um acompanhamento das metas que ficaram definidas no Acordo de Paris de 2015. Em 2007, o IPCC foi também premiado com o Nobel da Paz, juntamente com Al Gore. Foto A conferência de imprensa desta quinta-feira Pedro Nunes/REUTERS O presidente do IPCC, Hoesung Lee, esteve também na conferência de imprensa em Lisboa e admitiu que este prémio é uma forma de reconhecer “o trabalho de milhares de cientistas por todo o mundo que voluntariam o seu conhecimento e o seu tempo”. Este prémio chega num momento crítico, disse: “Os relatórios do IPCC são claros e inequívocos” quando afirmam que as alterações climáticas são uma realidade causada pela acção humana e que estão a intensificar-se. “Os impactos e riscos das alterações climáticas estão a tornar-se altamente complexos e difíceis de controlar”, afirmou, reconhecendo que a janela de oportunidade para agir se está a fechar. E disse ainda que estas mudanças estão a ameaçar a saúde do planeta e a sobrevivência dos humanos e de todas as espécies que neste mundo vivem. Os premiados anteriores Em três anos de edição deste galardão que pretende dar ênfase a “novas ideias que contribuam para melhorar o futuro do planeta” e para distinguir “pessoas ou organizações cujo trabalho tenha contribuído para mitigar o impacto das alterações climáticas”, todos os prémios foram atribuídos a pessoas ou organizações de alguma forma ligadas à crise climática. O presidente da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, António Feijó, explicou no início da conferência de imprensa desta quinta-feira que este ciclo inicial do prémio é dedicado às alterações climáticas, já que são “uma condição existencial para a humanidade neste momento”. Na primeira edição, em 2020, o prémio foi entregue à jovem activista sueca Greta Thunberg, que doou o dinheiro a diferentes organizações e projectos de combate à crise climática, através da fundação com o seu nome. No ano passado, o prémio foi atribuído ao Pacto Global de Autarcas para o Clima e Energia (Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy). Foto Angela Merkel e António Feijó Andre Kosters/LUSA “Entre as potenciais áreas de reconhecimento do prémio estão as que possam contribuir para reduzir ou absorver emissões de gases de efeito de estufa, as acções para aumentar a resiliência das pessoas e do ambiente aos impactos das alterações climáticas e ainda a mobilização de recursos financeiros, públicos ou privados, para acelerar a descarbonização da economia”, explica a fundação no comunicado. O júri deste prémio era presidido pelo antigo Presidente Jorge Sampaio, até à data da sua morte, a 10 de Setembro de 2021. Em Junho, foi anunciado que a antiga chanceler alemã Angela Merkel seria a nova presidente do Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade. Foi o primeiro cargo que aceitou depois da sua saída como líder política da Alemanha, em Dezembro. A presidente do júri explicou que os premiados foram escolhidos quando ainda não fazia parte do grupo. Além de Angela Merkel, o júri tem como vice-presidente o investigador Miguel Bastos Araújo (que também venceu o Prémio Pessoa 2018) e inclui outras figuras como Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Johan Rockstrom, Miguel Arias Cañete, Rik Leemans, Runa Khan, Sandra Diaz e Sunita Narain.

Delhi environment minister calls for forming panel to control pollution in NCR states

Citing a report, Gopal Rai said that over two-thirds of Delhi’s pollution emanates from sources outside the city. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday called for forming a regional implementation committee to control pollution in National Capital Region states, PTI reported. He made the statement at a virtual meeting of environment ministers of states from the region. The meeting, chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, was aimed at reviewing air quality management and measures to reduce air pollution in the region. The National Capital Region encompasses the city of Delhi, as well as several districts surrounding it in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. At the meeting, Rai said, citing a report, that over two-thirds of Delhi’s pollution emanates from sources outside the city. “According to a [Centre for Science and Environment] report last year, only 31% of Delhi’s pollution is due to internal sources, while external sources contribute 69%,” he said. “The NCR states will have to take all necessary steps to reduce air pollution.” The minister also called for imposing a complete ban on firecrackers in National Capital Region states, as done by Delhi, according to PTI. In September, Delhi had banned banned production, sale and use of firecrackers till January 1, 2023. “We have to understand that the problem of pollution is not related to any particular state,” he said. “The states have their own limits but there is no limit to pollution, so a regional implementation committee should be formed for the NCR states, which can continuously monitor pollution.” Advertisement Air pollution in Delhi generally worsens with the onset of winter due to colder temperatures, construction dust, traffic, industrial emissions and stubble burning in nearby regions, among other factors. In September last year, Rai had sought creating a joint action plan that could be enforced in Delhi and neighbouring states to control air pollution in winter, according to India Today.

जलवायु परिवर्तन पर दीया मिर्ज़ा और एक्सपर्ट पैनल के साथ चर्चा - अभी रजिस्टर करें

हम एनालिसिस, शॉर्ट डॉक्यूमेंट्रीज, ग्राउंड जीरो से स्टोरी और हमारे क्लाइमेट एक्सप्लेनर 'The Cilmate Change Dictionary' के जरिये आपके लिए जलवायु परिवर्तन से संबंधित मुद्दों पर स्टोरीज लाने के लिए कड़ी मेहनत कर रहे हैं. इस चर्चा को आगे बढ़ाने के लिए, हम दीया मिर्ज़ा और हमारे एक्सपर्ट पैनल के साथ एक लाइव ऑनलाइन इवेंट 'Living With Climate Change: Seeking Sustainable Solutions' का आयोजन कर रहे हैं, जिसमें हम जलवायु परिवर्तन पर हमारी कुछ स्टोरीज को भी प्रीव्यू करेंगे. ये इवेंट सिर्फ मेंबर्स के लिए है. इस इवेंट का हिस्सा बनने के लिए कृपया Q-इनसाइडर बनें. Q-इनसाइडर बनने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें. इस लाइव इवेंट में जलवायु परिवर्तन पर हमारी ये डॉक्यूमेंट्री प्रीव्यू होंगी: Rising Waters and Sinking City: Mumbai Against the Tides — मुंबई के लोगों पर जलवायु परिवर्तन और बढ़ते जलस्तर का प्रभाव. इंटरैक्टिव यहां देखिए. Flooded But Parched in Chennai — चेन्नई में हर साल बाढ़ और सूखे की स्थिति क्यों पैदा होती है? हम दो पार्ट की इस सीरीज में जवाब तलाशने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं. ट्रेलर देखिए. Climate Change on Your Plate — क्या जलवायु परिवर्तन आपके खाने में भी बदलाव कर रहा है? ये जानने के लिए हमने सेब का हिमाचल प्रदेश से लेकर सुपरमार्केट तक सफर देखा. ट्रेलर देखिए. हमारा पैनल: दीया मिर्ज़ा, एनवायरनमेंट गुडविल एंबैस्डर और सस्टेनेबल डेवलपमेंट के लिए यूनाइटेड नेशन्स सेक्रेटरी जनरल की एडवोकेट हरजीत सिंह, हेड-ग्लोबल पॉलिटिकल स्ट्रैटेजी, क्लाइमेट एक्शन नेटवर्क इंटरनेशनल एंड ग्लोबल एंगेजमेंट डायरेक्टर, फॉसिल फ्यूल नॉन-प्रॉफिलट्रेशन ट्रीटी लियो सलधाना, फाउंडिंग ट्रस्टी कोऑर्डिनेटर, एनवायरनमेंट सपोर्ट ग्रुप (ESG) दीपिंदर कपूर, सीनियर डेवलपमेंट एंड WASH एक्सपर्ट, नई दिल्ली के नेशनल इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ अर्बन अफेयर्स में सैनिटेशन कैपेसिटी बिल्डिंग प्लेटफॉर्म का नेतृत्व, और सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरवमेंट (CSE) में वॉटर प्रोग्राम के डायरेक्टर अश्विन महेश, NASA के साथ पूर्व क्लाइमेट साइंटिस्ट. अर्बनिस्ट, जर्नलिस्ट, नेता और सोशल टेक्नोलॉजिस्ट द्वारकादास सुरेश, सोलर सुरेश के नाम से जाने जाने वाले, जलवायु परिवर्तन से निपटने के लिए स्थानीय समाधानों पर काम करने वाले एक नागरिक Q-इनसाइडर बनने के लिए तुरंत यहां क्लिक करें.

Delhi sees its cleanest air day since August 2020

Delhi on Monday saw its cleanest day in terms of air quality in more than two years, recording an air quality index (AQI) of 44 -- the second consecutive day that the Capital’s average AQI was in the ‘good’ category. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies an AQI of 50 or lower as ‘good’, between 51 and 100 as ‘satisfactory’, between 101 and 200 as ‘moderate’, between 201 and 300 as ‘poor’, between 301 and 400 as ‘very poor’ and over 400 as ‘severe’. Monday’s AQI reading was an improvement on Sunday’s reading of 48, and was only surpassed by the reading on August 31, 2020, when the AQI was 41. It was also only the 13th day since 2015 -- when the CPCB started keeping records of the Capital’s AQI -- that Delhi recorded a ‘good’ air day. In 2021, Delhi recorded only one ‘good’ air day -- October 16, when the AQI was 46 -- while 2019 and 2017 recorded only days when the AQI reading dipped below 50. (HT Illustration) Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said this spell of good air is largely down to favourable meteorological conditions, noting that the city has received rain over the last four days. “Once the rains go away, AQI will once again start rising and with an early Diwali this year, air pollution will depend on a lot on adherence of the firecracker ban and the behaviour of farmers in terms of stubble burning,” she said. The Capital received 21.8mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period from 8:30 am on Sunday, with another 0.2mm of rainfall added over the next nine hours. This light rain activity was accompanied with winds of 15-20 km/hr in parts, further facilitating dispersal of local emissions and pollutants. However, the rain activity will not last long and is likely to reduce this week. “Rain activity will reduce considerably in the next 48 hours and only isolated very light rainfall will occur in some parts. Cloudy skies will continue to prevail till Wednesday and from Thursday onwards, no rain is expected,” said a met official. In terms of good air quality, 2022 has now emerged as the second most productive year with three good air days, behind only five days in 2020, a year which saw cleaner air largely due to the pandemic-induced restrictions. In 2021, Delhi recorded only one ‘good’ air day -- October 16, when the AQI was 46 -- while 2019 and 2017 recorded only days when the AQI reading dipped below 50. No such days were recorded in 2018, 2016 and 2015.

Pollution woes Guwahati

Pollution woes Guwahati, the capital city of Assam, is one of the fastest growing and developing cities in the country. Being the major port on the banks of Brahmaputra, Guwahati is the urban hub of the North-East India. But today, the city is one of the most polluted cities in the North-East. In fact, Guwahati has one of the highest black carbon pollution levels in the world. Last year a report was released by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), where Tripura and Guwahati have been listed at the top of air pollution index among Northeastern cities. As the air quality is worsening in the city day by day, the coming post-Diwali situation can be almost as bad as Delhi and the NCR. Recently, the Kolkata Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) even issued notices to Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Central Pollution Control Board and Government of Assam and asked them to respond within four weeks. The situation is indeed a worrisome.

Greta Thunberg Book Includes Advice From 9 Climate Activists

In her latest book, Greta Thunberg cites ideas from 9 progressive thinkers from Bill McKibben to Thomas Piketty. Greta Thunberg has a new book called The Climate Book (no splashy PR inspired titles for Greta). In it, she includes advice from 9 climate activists on how to stop destroying the Earth. Distilled to their essence, those words of wisdom could be summarized as follows — “Stop Setting Things On Fire!” And so, without further ado, we present the ideas of those 9 people unexpurgated and unedited. You’re welcome! There is no one thing that would stop the planet’s warming – but what would make all kinds of other things possible is reining in the power of transnational capital over our governments. It is the power to financially reward (and punish) lawmakers, in various ways, that is the single biggest barrier to progress. We need to ban corporate campaign donations, direct and indirect, and we need to stop the revolving door between corporate lobbyists and lawmakers from spinning so a cushy job in the sector you are regulating isn’t an enticement to adopt pro-pollution policies. ‘Put out the sparks in cars and boats and buses’ Bill McKibben, environmentalist It’s now possible — and necessary — for human beings to end their 200,000 year old habit of combustion. Flames served us well in prehistoric times, and made some of us rich during the Industrial Revolution. But now we need to stop setting things on fire, and rely instead on the fact that the good Lord put a large ball of burning gas 93 million miles up in the sky, which we now have the wit to make full use of. Keep firing up joints and barbecues, but put out the sparks in kitchens, in furnaces, in powerplants, in the engines of cars and boats and buses. And do it fast. ‘Make healthcare green’ Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization The health sector deals with many of the consequences of climate change. At the same time, it is responsible for about 5% of carbon emissions, making it a significant contributor to climate change, while hundreds of millions of people are still served by hospitals and clinics without electricity. After Cop26 last year, 60 countries committed to making their health systems more climate resilient, and to lowering carbon emissions from healthcare. The WHO is calling on every country to make the same commitment, and to provide clean and reliable electricity to every health facility. ‘Shift to reusables’ Nina Schrank, senior campaigner, Greenpeace UK In our throwaway society, it feels as if we’re facing an avalanche of disposable plastic. One simple idea holds the key to turning this around: reuse. The practice was embedded for generations in so many cultures across the globe, yet the corporate world has made us forget those traditions and the value we place in objects that have taken natural resources and energy to produce. We need to shift to reusable packaging that stays in circulation – used, washed, reused and, crucially, out of the environment. The status quo simply isn’t working: we need to embrace the innovations that will allow reuse to flourish in the modern world. ‘Tax the wealthy properly’ Thomas Piketty (pictured) and Lucas Chancel, economists To combat climate change we must massively invest to decarbonize our transport, energy and production systems: we need billions of euros for that, representing 2% of global GDP every year. The wealthy should pay their fair share of taxes to finance such efforts. This is all the more legitimate when we know that the wealthy contribute a disproportionate share to climate change. At the global level, 10% of the population contributes to about half of all emissions and there are also large pollution inequalities within each country. ‘Empower poor nations’ Sunita Narain, environmentalist We can save the planet if we can save our common humanity. We have to move from being a divisive, deeply hateful and unequal society to one that truly understands the interdependence that our common future needs. We have for too long neutered the politics of inclusion and equality because we believed that environmentalism was about finding the next disruptive technology. This will not work. We need nimby – not in my back yard – not for the rich but for the very poor, so that they can say no to the next polluting project; so that communities and developing nations in the world can say no to the over-consumption that is driving our fossil fuel addiction. We need climate justice to be at the core of climate action.

Nightlife in Delhi: दिल्ली में नाइट लाइफ की राह आसान नहीं, क्या होंगे नाइट कल्चर के फायदे और नुकसान देखिए...

एलजी वी.के. सक्सेना ने दिल्ली की नाइटलाइफ को बढ़ावा देने की दिशा में एक बड़ी पहल करते हुए आवेदन करने वाले 300 से अधिक प्रतिष्ठानों को 24 घंटे अपना व्यवसाय चलाने की मंजूरी दी है। इनमें कुछ रेस्तरां, दवा की दुकानें और लॉजिस्टिक और ट्रांपोर्टेशन से जुड़े व्यवसाय शामिल हैं। पिछले साल जारी हुए राजधानी के ड्राफ्ट मास्टर प्लान-2041 में भी नाइटलाइफ का यह कॉन्सेप्ट पहली बार लाया गया था। माना जा रहा है कि उसी को लागू करवाने की दिशा में एलजी ने यह पहला कदम बढ़ाया है। हालांकि, एक्सपर्ट का मानना है कि दिल्ली में रात की अर्थव्यवस्था को बढ़ाने के लिए केवल इतने भर से काम नहीं चलेगा, बल्कि कुछ और मोर्चों पर भी काम करने की जरूरत पड़ेगी। खासकर रात में आने वाले कस्टमर्स और काम करने वाले कर्मचारियों की सुरक्षा, उनके लिए परिवहन के साधनों का इंतजाम और सड़कों पर पर्याप्त लाइटिंग की व्यवस्था भी करनी होगी। ड्राफ्ट मास्टर प्लान-2041 को लेकर डीडीए ने कहा है कि अगले साल अप्रैल तक यह फाइनल हो जाएगा। इसमें भी राजधानी में नाइट कल्चर को बढ़ावा देने के लिए कई कदम उठाए जा रहे हैं। ड्राफ्ट मास्टर प्लान-2041 में सांस्कृतिक परिसर, हैरिटेज एरिया, सेंट्रल बिजनेस डिस्ट्रिक्ट में नाइटलाइफ सर्किट बनाने की बात कही गई है। इसमें कहा गया है कि रेस्तरां व अन्य कमर्शल गतिविधियां राजधानी में 24 घंटे जारी रह सकेंगी और दिल्ली में भी लंदन, पैरिस, न्यूयॉर्क की तरफ सड़कों पर लोग नाइट लाइफ का लुत्फ उठा सकेंगे। एक्सपर्ट्स का कहना है कि पेंडिंग प्रस्तावों को एलजी के द्वारा मंजूरी देना और ड्राफ्ट मास्टर प्लान में नाइट लाइफ को शामिल करना अच्छा कदम है, लेकिन इसे लागू करने की एक खास प्लानिंग करनी होगी। मसलन, नाइटलाइफ को सफल बनाने के लिए अच्छा पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम सबसे अधिक जरूरी है। लंदन, न्यूयॉर्क जैसे शहरों में नाइटलाइफ इसी वजह से सफल है। यहां 24 घंटे पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट उपलब्ध रहता है। वहीं दिल्ली की बात करें, तो यहां ज्यादातर कॉरिडोर पर रात को 11 या 11.30 बजे के बाद मेट्रो सर्विस उपलब्ध नहीं हैं। बसें भी रात को आठ-नौ बजे के बाद काफी कम हो जाती हैं। ऑटो भी सीमित संख्या में चलते हैं। सीएसई (सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट) की एग्जिक्यूटिव डायरेक्टर अनुमिता राय चौधरी का कहना है कि दिल्ली में नाइट लाइफ को बढ़ावा देने के लिए पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट पर सबसे अधिक काम करने की जरूरत है। नाइटलाइफ के लिए अच्छा और भरोसेमंद पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सबसे अहम है। जब तक पब्लिक रात में खुद को सेफ महसूस नहीं करेगी, तब तक लोग बाहर नहीं निकलेंगे। अगर ऐसा नहीं हुआ, तो नाइट लाइफ का हिस्सा सिर्फ वही लोग बन पाएंगे, जिनके पास निजी गाड़ियां होंगी। इससे नाइट इकॉनमी बढ़ाने के सपने को साकार करने में भी रुकावट पैदा होगी। एक्सपर्ट्स के अनुसार, नाइटलाइफ में महिलाओं की भूमिका भी बेहद अहम है और महिलाएं तभी बाहर निकलेंगी, जब वे खुद को सुरक्षित महसूस करेंगी। इसके लिए सुरक्षा के बेहतर इंतजाम करने होंगे। साथ ही सड़कों पर पर्याप्त रोशनी और परिवहन के पर्याप्त और सुरक्षित साधनों की व्यवस्था भी करनी होगी। लास्ट माइल कनेक्टिविटी पर भी काफी काम करना पड़ेगा। इसके अलावा नाइट लाइफ में स्ट्रीट वेंडरों को भी शामिल किया जाना बेहद जरूरी है। दिल्ली की नाइट इकॉनमी में केवल महंगी गतिविधियां ही शामिल ना हों, बल्कि समाज का हर वर्ग उसका हिस्सा बन सके, इसको ध्यान में रखकर प्लानिंग करनी होगी। साथ ही यह भी सुनिश्चित करना होगा कि छोटे बड़े सभी तरह का व्यवसाय चलाने वालों को इसका लाभ मिल सके।

Why the Centre’s claim of distributing 9.49 crore LPG connections is only half the story

LPG was not used consistently by most beneficiary households due to the high cost of a cylinder refill. Experts have also faulted the calculation method. The Bharatiya Janata Party, the largest party of India’s central coalition government, last week claimed that 9.49 crore LPG, or liquefied petroleum gas, connections had been distributed countrywide so far under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, launched in May 2016. “PM Ujjwala Yojana is providing freedom from smoke to poor women,” the BJP’s tweet read in Hindi. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to combat the adverse health impacts of cooking with traditional solid fuels like cow dung cakes, by helping poorer households transition to gas, which is a cleaner energy source for cooking, while increasing energy security for these households. Almost 9.5 crore gas connections have indeed been released under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana scheme as of September 1, data from the scheme’s official website shows. However, though gas cylinder adoption has surged since the scheme was launched, LPG was not being used consistently by a majority of beneficiary households due to the high cost of cylinder refills, studies have shown. Experts say a faultily structured LPG subsidy system, under which the full cylinder price must be paid upfront and the subsidy is transferred later, is to blame. They also questioned the government’s methodology of calculating LPG connection coverage, given the use of outdated Census data. The government’s own health surveys show that more than half of rural India continues to rely on polluting solid fuels. Even as adequate cylinder refills remained beyond the reach of most Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiary households, the central government’s fund allocation to and expenditure incurred on LPG subsidies has declined significantly, our analysis shows. High price of gas cylinders Of the 9.3 crore LPG connections provided under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana by the end of financial year 2021-’22, 5.4 crore customers (60%) had taken four or fewer cylinder refills in the entire year, according to FactChecker’s analysis of responses given in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Advertisement Around 1.08 crore (12%) took only one refill (including the installation refill provided by the government), and 0.92 crore (10%) did not take any refill at all, per a response by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on August 1. The average number of 14.2 kg cylinder refills a year for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana households was three in 2018-’19, and remained below four in 2021-’22. A typical household using only LPG for cooking, whether in urban or rural India, would need at least seven cylinders a year to meet all its cooking energy needs, a 2020 study by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water, a Delhi-based policy research non-profit, had found. Credit: FactChecker.in. In its August 1 response, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that “consumption of domestic LPG by households depends on several factors like food habits, household size, cooking habits, price, availability of alternate fuels etc”. But the high cost of gas cylinder refills is the biggest reason for low refills, experts told FactChecker. When the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched in May 2016, the price of a standard non-subsidised 14.2 kg LPG cylinder in Delhi was Rs 527.5. This had doubled to Rs 1,053 by July 2022. Advertisement “Direct benefit transfer [DBT] rules require people to first refill their cylinders before receiving a subsidy. It is difficult for poor families to get the cylinder refilled from their own pocket and to wait for the subsidy amount in the future,” said Binit Das, Deputy Programme Manager for renewable energy at the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based research and advocacy think tank. “It is better that the government spend the subsidy in advance than place the economic burden of clean fuel on the poor,” he added. Declining subsidy expense Even as the cost of cylinder refills remain beyond the reach of many Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries, there has been a significant reduction in the Union government’s LPG subsidy bill, beginning in the financial year 2020-’21. While the government spent an average Rs 28,281 crore a year on LPG subsidies from the financial years 2017-’18 to 2019-’20, it had spent Rs 11,896 crore in the financial year 2020-’21, a 58% reduction, according to the data provided by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Even the Rs 11,896 crore expenditure, however, was due to a limited provision of three free LPG cylinder refills to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries as part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana Covid-19 pandemic relief package, which cost the government Rs 8,162 crore. Advertisement The one-off nature of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana expenditure in the financial year 2020-’21 is highlighted in the government’s subsequent spending on overall LPG subsidy in the financial year 2021-’22, which decreased to Rs 242 crore, a 99% reduction compared to the average of the previous four years. Credit: FactChecker.in. No subsidy has been paid on cooking gas since June 2020, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Pankaj Jain reportedly said in June 2022. In the financial year 2023, the government will provide a targeted subsidy of Rs 200 per 14.2 kg cylinder for upto 12 refills a year, only to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in May 2022. A provision of Rs 800 crore has been made towards Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in the Union Budget 2022-’23, which is almost half the revised estimate of Rs 1,618 crore in the previous Budget 2021-22. Advertisement The full picture Official estimates claim domestic LPG coverage has reached almost 100%, but Das told FactChecker that the calculation misses out certain key aspects. “The estimate was calculated by dividing the total number of packaged LPG connections equally by the number of households in the country, but neither is the assumption that LPG connections are distributed equally among households accurate – because a large number of households use multiple LPG connections and many of them divert the gas to commercial use, and nor is the estimated number of households accurate,” said Das. The number of households was extrapolated from India’s Census 2011 data, which experts have in the past told FactChecker are outdated and ineffective for assessing benefits-targeting policies. The Census 2021, delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, is unlikely to be completed in 2022 either, IndiaSpend reported in June 2022. Rural households Almost three-fifths of India’s population – 58.6% – uses clean fuel including LPG/natural gas, biogas or electric sources for cooking, per data from the latest National Health and Family Survey-5, 2019–’21. This is a 15 percentage point increase from National Health and Family Survey-4 (2015–’16), but the disparity in clean fuel usage between urban and rural areas is stark. Nine out of every 10 urban households use clean fuel; but only four out of 10 rural households do so. Advertisement Thus, around 41% of all Indian households and 56% in rural areas still use some form of solid fuel such as wood, coal or dung cakes, for cooking. The central states of Jharkhand (67.8%) and Chhattisgarh (66.4%) have the most number of households still using solid fuel. Credit: FactChecker.in. While Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’s implementation has seen a surge in LPG adoption, consistent use of gas cylinders has been tepid, according to an 18-month study of 58 poorer rural households in South India by Boston College researchers, published in February 2022. None of the surveyed households used LPG for more than 55% of their cooking time, the study found. A two-year Presidency University, Bengaluru-led study of cooking fuels used by 479 poorer households in three tribal-dominated Odisha districts, highlighted that less than half (43%) used LPG and only 26% used it as a primary cooking fuel. An Indian household using only solid fuels for cooking has an average 24-hour concentration of fine particulate matter of 2.5 microns (PM2.5) – which cause cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and cancers – of 450 micrograms per cubic metre air (μg/m3) in the kitchen and 113 μg/m3 in the living areas, a multi-national study had estimated in 2013. To put these numbers into perspective, the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit for PM2.5 particulate exposure during a 24-hour period is 15 μg/m3. FactChecker asked Pankaj Jain, Secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Rasaal Dwivedi, Principal Secretary to the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas minister, via email and telephone for clarifications and comment on barriers, including cost, to consistent use of LPG cylinders by Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries in light of reduced subsidy allocations. Advertisement We also asked them about the contrast between government data claiming increased LPG connections and government surveys showing widespread use of solid fuel in rural India. At the time of publishing, we had not yet received a response from them. We will update the story when we receive a response.