• Urban Lab

Pollution in Delhi: 100 मीटर के दायरे में महज 17 पर्सेंट प्रदूषण कम कर पाया स्मॉग टावर

प्रदूषण कम करने के लिए आनंद विहार में लगाए गए 82 फीट ऊंचे स्मॉग टावर से 100 मीटर के दायरे में पीएम 2.5 के स्तर में महज 17 प्रतिशत की कमी आई। सीपीसीबी (सेंट्रल पल्यूशन कंट्रोल बोर्ड) के अनुसार 2021-22 के दौरान सर्दियों में यह कमी दर्ज की गई। पर्यावरण एक्टिविस्ट अमित गुप्ता की आरटीआई पर सीपीसीबी ने जवाब दिया है। सीएसई (सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट) के सीनियर प्रोग्राम मैनेजर अविकल सोमवंशी के अनुसार स्मॉग टावर अधिक प्रभावी नहीं है। इतना बड़ा प्यूरिफायर 200 मीटर के दायरे में भी बहुत अधिक सुधार नहीं कर पा रहा है। सीपीसीबी के डेटा के अनुसार स्मॉग टावर की वजह से पिछले साल दिसंबर में इसके 100 मीटर दायरे में पीएम 10 का स्तर 13 प्रतिशत कम हुआ। इस साल मार्च में इसकी मात्रा 7 प्रतिशत कम रही। अप्रैल में यह स्तर 17 प्रतिशत तक कम हुआ। पीएम 2.5 के स्तर में नवंबर 2021, जनवरी और फरवरी 2022 में कितनी कमी आई, इसका डेटा उपलब्ध नहीं है। आरटीआई के अनुसार नवंबर 2021 में 50 मीटर के दायरे में पीएम 2.5 के स्तर में 39 प्रतिशत, दिसंबर में 24 प्रतिशत, जनवरी 2022 में 22 प्रतिशत, मार्च में 10 प्रतिशत और अप्रैल में 23 प्रतिशत की कमी आई। फरवरी और मई का डेटा उपलब्ध नहीं हैं। पिछले साल सितंबर में स्मॉग टावर लगाया गया था। 2019 में सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने केंद्र को आनंद विहार में स्मॉग टावर लगाने और दिल्ली सरकार को कनॉट प्लेस में स्मॉग टावर लगाने को कहा था। ट्रायल बेस पर लगे इन स्मॉग टावर के नतीजे पर यह तय होना है कि राजधानी में स्मॉग टावर से प्रदूषण कम किया जा सकता है या नहीं। आनंद विहार के स्मॉग टावर में 13.59 करोड़ रुपये की लागत आई है।

• Urban Lab

Smog tower in Anand Vihar brought pollution down by only 17%: Report

The smog tower at Anand Vihar, inaugurated in September 2021 by the Delhi government, to clear the air in a radius of 200 metres could only bring down the PM2.5 level by 17 per cent, that too in the 100-metre radius, a report by the Times of India (TOI) stated. The tower reduced PM2.5 pollutants by 13 per cent in December 2021, 7 per cent in March, and 17 per cent in April. The data for November, January and February for the 100-metre radius was not provided by the authorities, the report added. In the 50-metre radius, the tower was more effective. In November 2021, it reduced the pollutant level by 39 per cent, in December 2021 by 22-24 per cent, in January by 22 per cent, in March by 10 per cent and in April by 23 per cent. The tower was installed at a cost of Rs 13.6 crore with an additional cost of Rs 10.3 lakh per month. In 2022, the per-month cost is likely to go up to Rs 12.6 lakh per month. Experts stated that the funds spent were not worth the result. “It’s not good at all. If within 100 metres of the tower, just 17 per cent of the PM2.5 particles are reduced in March and 13 per cent in December, this shows underperformance,” Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager (Urban Lab), Centre for Science and Environment told TOI. The towers were constructed after the Supreme Court ordered the state government to do that in 2019. In the initial two years, the towers are to be monitored. If their efficiency is established, more such towers will be erected in the capital city. “Delhi government has collected green cess of approximately Rs 100 crore till now and it could be used to put up more such towers, especially at the pollution hotspots in the city,” Amit Gupta, the RTI activist who found out the data told TOI.

• Urban Lab

Smog tower in Anand Vihar lowered air pollution by solely 17%: Report

The tower at Anand Vihar was inaugurated in September 2021 by Delhi A Occasions of India (TOI) report stated that the federal government can convey down the extent of PM2.5 to 17 per cent solely to scrub the air inside a radius of 200 metres, that too inside 100 metres. The tower lowered PM2.5 pollution by 13 % in December 2021, 7 % in March and 17 % in April. The report stated the information for November, January and February for the 100-metre radius was not offered by the authorities. Inside a radius of fifty meters, the tower was more practical. It lowered pollutant ranges by 39 per cent in November 2021, 22-24 per cent in December 2021, 22 per cent in January, 10 per cent in March and 23 per cent in April. The tower was put in at a price of Rs 13.6 crore with a further value of Rs 10.3 lakh per thirty days. In 2022, the fee per thirty days is more likely to go as much as Rs 12.6 lakh per thirty days. Specialists stated that the cash spent was not definitely worth the consequence. “It’s not good in any respect. If inside 100 meters of the tower, solely 17 per cent of PM2.5 particles are lowered in March and 13 per cent in December, it exhibits poor efficiency,” says Avikal Somvanshi. , Senior Program Supervisor (City Lab), Science Middle and setting Instructed TOI. The towers have been constructed after Supreme court docket Ordered the state authorities to take action in 2019. The towers are to be monitored for the primary two years. If their effectivity is established, extra such towers shall be put in within the capital. ,Delhi The federal government has collected inexperienced cess of round Rs 100 crore thus far and it may be used to put in extra such towers, particularly in pollution-prone areas within the metropolis,” stated RTI activist Amit Gupta, who traced the information. , instructed TOI.

• Urban Lab

Smog tower in Anand Vihar brought pollution down by only 17%: Report

The smog tower at Anand Vihar, inaugurated in September 2021 by the Delhi government, to clear the air in a radius of 200 metres could only bring down the PM2.5 level by 17 per cent, that too in the 100-metre radius, a report by the Times of India (TOI) stated. The tower reduced PM2.5 pollutants by 13 per cent in December 2021, 7 per cent in March, and 17 per cent in April. The data for November, January and February for the 100-metre radius was not provided by the authorities, the report added. In the 50-metre radius, the tower was more effective. In November 2021, it reduced the pollutant level by 39 per cent, in December 2021 by 22-24 per cent, in January by 22 per cent, in March by 10 per cent and in April by 23 per cent. The tower was installed at a cost of Rs 13.6 crore with an additional cost of Rs 10.3 lakh per month. In 2022, the per-month cost is likely to go up to Rs 12.6 lakh per month. Experts stated that the funds spent were not worth the result. “It’s not good at all. If within 100 metres of the tower, just 17 per cent of the PM2.5 particles are reduced in March and 13 per cent in December, this shows underperformance,” Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager (Urban Lab), Centre for Science and Environment told TOI. The towers were constructed after the Supreme Court ordered the state government to do that in 2019. In the initial two years, the towers are to be monitored. If their efficiency is established, more such towers will be erected in the capital city. “Delhi government has collected green cess of approximately Rs 100 crore till now and it could be used to put up more such towers, especially at the pollution hotspots in the city,” Amit Gupta, the RTI activist who found out the data told TOI.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Rai launches Green War Room to monitor, combat air pollution 24X7

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday launched an advanced ‘Green War Room’ here to monitor air pollution and ensure effective implementation of the winter action plan to curb it. The war room will work from the seventh floor of the Delhi Secretariat where a 12-member team comprising environment scientists and other officials will be deployed, the minister said while addressing a press conference here. He said environment scientist Dr BMS Reddy will be in-charge of the war room while environment engineer NK Joshi has been appointed as assistant in-charge. “We have launched an advanced ‘Green War Room’ from today and it will work round the clock. “It will monitor air pollution levels 24X7 and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to curb pollution in accordance with the amended GRAP. The war room will also analyse pollution data of the city,” Rai said. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Friday announced a 15-point winter action plan to combat pollution in the city. Under the plan, the GRAP has been enforced in Delhi from October 1. Rai said the war room will also be linked with Green Delhi App through which residents can send their complaints regarding pollution, such as garbage burning, to the war room. Necessary instructions to concerned departments will then be issued to address the issue, he said. The minister said the app has received 54,156 complaints so far. “Out of 54,156 complaints, nearly 90 per cent have been addressed. Maximum 32,573 complaints were related to MCD followed by PWD which had 9,118 complaints and 3,333 complaints were related to DDA,” Rai said. The minister cited a report from Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and said despite the increase in population, Delhi government’s efforts to curb pollution have achieved success as in the past 10 years, PM10 levels fell by 40 per cent and PM2.5 by 31 per cent. “In 2012, the PM10 levels of Delhi were averaged out at 368. In 2021, through the succinct efforts of CM Arvind Kejriwal and his government, the PM10 levels have fallen to 221. PM2.5 was at 164 in 2012 while in 2021 it was 113. PM10 has fallen by 40 per cent in the last 10 years while PM2.5 has been reduced by 31 per cent in the last decade,” Rai said citing the CSE report. The minister said from October 6, an anti-dust campaign will be launched in Delhi to check dust pollution especially at construction sites. He urged people to report every single instance of dust pollution or garbage burning on the Green Delhi App. (PTI)

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Air We Breathe | Why does Delhi's AQI take a turn for the worse in October?

From recording one of its cleanest spells of the year in September, Delhi’s air quality takes a turn for the worse in October, with the air quality index (AQI) quickly touching the ‘very poor’ or even the ‘severe’ category by the end of the month. While several external factors come into play as soon as the calendar switches over to October 1, a majority of these commence when the monsoon starts to withdraw from the region, putting in place conditions that are favourable for stubble burning. At the same time, north-westerly winds that transport these emissions generated from stubble burning to Delhi and a transition period where wind speeds drop considerably, along with a steady dip in temperature are factors working in tandem, gradually pushing Delhi’s AQI to the ‘poor’ category and beyond. If the average AQI between any two consecutive months was compared, the sharpest swing in average AQI occurs between September and October each year. This year too, Delhi is already beginning to see the same, with the impact of the withdrawal of the monsoon already pushing Delhi’s AQI to the higher end of the ‘moderate’ category, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shows. The withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir was officially declared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on September 29, with the moisture-laden winds quickly switching to dry north-westerly winds, of which dust and PM 10 is a key component. Delhi recorded its cleanest spell of the year between September 23 and 25, recording an average 24-hour AQI of 57 (satisfactory) on September 23, an AQI of 54 (satisfactory) on September 24 and this year’s lowest AQI of 52 (satisfactory) on September 25. However, the AQI is currently over three times that number, with it hovering around 190 (moderate), which is on the edge of the ‘poor’ category. Monsoon withdrawal puts in place a ‘transition’ phase While background emissions largely remain the same in September and the start of October, a key factor which changes is the transition of easterly winds that bring moisture — to dry north-westerly winds. However, this transition does not happen automatically, with a week-long or even a 10-day period, where a change in wind direction is simultaneously met with a period where local winds become extremely calm. This means pollutants being generated in the city are not able to disperse easily, creating a chamber for local emissions to gradually start to accumulate. “Easterly winds are largely responsible for bringing rain, while north-westerly winds are dry, and the transition signifies the start of the winter season. Since these winds blow from northwest India, the impact of snowfall in the higher reaches is reflected through it and the plains start to see a drop in temperature too. During the withdrawal period, the transition phase, which the NCR region is currently seeing, sees local pollutants start to accumulate as wind speed is calm,” explains RK Jenamani, a scientist at IMD. It is only towards the second half of October that wind speeds start to pick up pace, with the monsoon withdrawal process coming to an end. While this is good to disperse local pollutants and the emissions accumulating over Delhi, it also means long-range transport of emissions, most notably stubble-related emissions, starts reaching the capital. Stubble emissions can be as high as half of all local emissions While farmers in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh can start burning paddy stubble from September 15 onwards, a majority commence it at the start of October, with it gathering pace from October 15 onwards. This leads to an intense one-month period between October 15 and November 15, where the daily fire count can reach upwards of 5,000 fires. As per data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), stubble emissions on average contributed to 14.6% of Delhi’s overall PM 2.5 concentration last winter, with the daily contribution peaking at 48% on November 7. The highest contribution of stubble burning to PM2.5 in Delhi for a single day was 46% in the year 2020, 43% in 2019 and as high as 58% in 2018, Safar data shows. Gufran Beig, founder, project-director at Safar says while the impact of stubble burning on Delhi at present is negligible, owing to the ‘transition’ phase, however, wind speeds will pick up pace, with stubble burning expected to contribute in some form to Delhi’s AQI from mid-October. “Long-range transport of stubble emissions may start from October 10 onwards and the fire count is now starting to gather pace. When the fire count is fairly high and the intensity of fires is strong, these emissions can travel a fairly long distance and end up reaching Delhi, as long as the upper-level winds are strong. Even winds of 10-15 km/hr can bring the impact of paddy burning to Delhi,” says Beig. Satellite data shows stubble emissions can travel all the way across the Indo-Gangetic Plains. However, the pollutants start to disperse after a few hundred kilometres and generally lose their potency after crossing Delhi-NCR. The longer the distance they travel, the lesser the impact and emissions. With Delhi-NCR's vicinity to Punjab and Haryana, it is often impacted the most by these emissions. Mercury begins to drop with meteorological conditions becoming adverse Delhi’s pleasant weather is quick to give way to a chilly period, where nights become cool, and the daytime temperature also drops to around 32 degrees. By end of October, the night-time temperatures dip below the 20-degree mark. The lower the temperature, the ‘mixing height’ — an invisible boundary layer which traps pollutants — comes closer to the surface. The lower the mixing height, the less space there is for pollutants to disperse freely, which also gives Delhi a ‘haze’ during this period. Low temperatures also slow down the dispersion process and can give periods where wind speed is almost ‘calm’, without any movement of local pollutants taking place. Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, says October stubble emissions can start reaching Delhi in October, with local conditions, particularly calm winds and low temperature not only trapping local pollutants over the capital, but they also allow for stubble emissions to accumulate. “October is the period when we first start to see haze appear. This peaks in early October and Diwali and its date is also a key factor around it. As meteorological conditions become adverse and there are no strong winds to disperse pollutants, any form of emissions — be it local or through stubble burning, gets trapped in Delhi’s air,” he says. An early Diwali may lead to a highly polluted October-end This year, Diwali will be celebrated on October 24, a good 10 days earlier than last year’s November 4, and 20 days earlier than 2020's date of November 14. Despite a ban on firecrackers, Delhi flouts it on a large scale, with firecracker emissions getting trapped in Delhi’s air for a day or two. Last year, Delhi’s AQI on Diwali day was 382 (very poor), with it touching 462 (severe) the day after, on November 5 — Delhi's worst for the day-after Diwali, since 2016, when it was 445. The last time Diwali was celebrated in October was in 2019. However, even then, the AQI was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category. Delhi’s AQI rose from a reading of 337 (very poor) on Diwali day, which was October 27, to a reading of 368 (very poor) the next day. Similarly, in 2017, when Diwali was celebrated on October 19, the AQI rose from 319 (very poor) on Diwali day to 403 (severe) the day after. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) says while meteorological conditions are relatively better in October, as compared to November, firecracker emissions can still lead to the AQI rising by over 100 points. “This year, we will have to see how effective the ban on firecrackers is and the role an early Diwali plays in the overall pollution contribution for the winter period. The Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) is being implemented two weeks earlier than normal this year and is also being based on a forecasting system as compared to previous years, where action was taken after the AQI touched a particular level. This may also prove to be beneficial and if it appears that the AQI is expected to deteriorate considerably around Diwali, then preventive measures under Grap can be implemented in advance,” she says.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

दिल्ली में हवा की गुणवत्ता बिगड़ी, लेकिन अगले कुछ दिनों में बारिश से राहत मिलने की संभावना

शहर में हवा की गुणवत्ता बुधवार को बिगड़ गई और 211 के समग्र वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (एक्यूआई) के साथ 'खराब' श्रेणी में थी। 102 दिनों में यह पहली बार था कि प्रदूषण इस स्तर तक गिर गया। विशेषज्ञों ने कहा कि सुबह की शांत हवाओं के कारण प्रदूषकों का जमाव हुआ। हालांकि, चूंकि गुरुवार से दिल्ली और आसपास के इलाकों में नियमित बारिश की गतिविधि की उम्मीद है, इसलिए हवा की गुणवत्ता में 'मध्यम' श्रेणी में सुधार होने की संभावना है। पिछली बार दिल्ली में 230 के एक्यूआई के साथ 25 जून को 'खराब' वायु दिवस दर्ज किया गया था। मंगलवार को एक्यूआई 'मध्यम' श्रेणी में 150 था। बुधवार को, आनंद विहार शाम 6 बजे 365 की रीडिंग के साथ 'बहुत खराब' श्रेणी में भी गिर गया। भारत मौसम विज्ञान विभाग के पर्यावरण और अनुसंधान केंद्र के प्रमुख वीके सोनी ने कहा, "बुधवार सुबह 10 बजे के आसपास हवाएं शांत होने के कारण प्रदूषकों का फैलाव प्रभावित हुआ। हालांकि, पूर्वानुमान मॉडल से पता चलता है कि AQI के 'खराब' श्रेणी में रहने की संभावना नहीं है। हालांकि दिल्ली के कुछ इलाकों में बुधवार को बारिश हुई, लेकिन गुरुवार से बारिश की गतिविधियां तेज होने का अनुमान है और इससे हवा को साफ करने में मदद मिलेगी। केंद्रीय पृथ्वी विज्ञान मंत्रालय के पूर्वानुमान मॉडल दिल्ली के लिए वायु गुणवत्ता प्रारंभिक चेतावनी प्रणाली के अनुसार, गुरुवार को दिल्ली में समग्र वायु गुणवत्ता 'मध्यम' से 'खराब' श्रेणी में रहने की संभावना है। हवा की गुणवत्ता में सुधार होने की संभावना है लेकिन शुक्रवार और शनिवार को यह 'मध्यम' श्रेणी में रहेगी। हालांकि पराली जलाने की घटनाएं धीरे-धीरे बढ़ रही हैं, लेकिन विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि दिल्ली के वायु प्रदूषण में उनकी हिस्सेदारी फिलहाल नगण्य है। भारतीय कृषि अनुसंधान संस्थान, पूसा के आंकड़े, जो वायु गुणवत्ता प्रबंधन आयोग द्वारा अधिसूचित मानक प्रोटोकॉल का पालन करते हैं, ने दिखाया कि बुधवार को पंजाब में 130, हरियाणा में 24, उत्तर प्रदेश में कोई भी नहीं और दिल्ली में दो में धान के अवशेष जलने की घटनाएं दर्ज की गईं। 15 सितंबर से 5 अक्टूबर तक संचयी पराली जलाने की संख्या पंजाब में 545, हरियाणा में 48, यूपी में 80 और दिल्ली में दो है। सिस्टम ऑफ एयर क्वालिटी एंड वेदर फोरकास्टिंग एंड रिसर्च (SAFAR) के संस्थापक परियोजना निदेशक गुफरान बेग ने कहा, "दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता मौसम संबंधी कारकों के कारण बिगड़ी है, जो ठहराव का कारण बनी और प्रदूषकों के फैलाव की प्रक्रिया में बाधा उत्पन्न हुई। हालांकि पराली जलाने का दिल्ली की हवा पर फिलहाल कोई असर नहीं पड़ा है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट की कार्यकारी निदेशक (अनुसंधान और वकालत) अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी ने कहा, "दिल्ली में 24 घंटे के औसत PM2.5 का स्तर बढ़ना शुरू हो गया है। यह सर्दी की शुरुआत का संकेत है। हम अब उच्च प्रदूषण के दिन देखेंगे क्योंकि सर्दियों के दौरान मौसम विज्ञान बदलना शुरू हो जाएगा। यह पूर्व-खाली कार्रवाई करने का समय है।"

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi: Air quality deteriorates, but rain over next few days likely to bring respite

The air quality in the city deteriorated on Wednesday and was in the ‘poor’ category with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 211. It was for the first time in 102 days that the pollution fell to this level. Experts said the calm winds in the morning caused accumulation of pollutants. However, since regular rain activity is expected in Delhi and adjoining areas from Thursday, the air quality is likely to improve to the ‘moderate’ category. gfx The last time Delhi recorded a ‘poor’ air day was June 25 with an AQI of 230. The AQI on Tuesday was 150 in the ‘moderate’ category. On Wednesday, Anand Vihar even deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category with a reading of 365 at 6pm. VK Soni, head, environment and research centre, India Meteorological Department, said, “As the winds were calm around 10am on Wednesday, the dispersion of pollutants was affected. However, the forecasting model shows that AQI is unlikely to remain in the ‘poor’ category. Though some areas of Delhi received rain on Wednesday, rain activity is predicted to intensify from Thursday and this will help clean the air.” According to Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the forecasting model of the Union ministry of earth sciences, the overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain in the ‘moderate’ to the lower end of ‘poor’ category on Thursday. Air quality is likely to improve but remain in the ‘moderate’ category on Friday and Saturday. Though stubble burning incidents are gradually rising, experts said their share in Delhi’s air pollution is currently negligible. Data at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, which follows the standard protocol notified by the Commission for Air Quality Management, showed that 130 paddy remnant burning events were recorded on Wednesday in Punjab, 24 in Haryana, none in Uttar Pradesh and two in Delhi. The cumulative stubble burning counts from September 15 to October 5 are 545 in Punjab, 48 in Haryana, 80 in UP and two in Delhi. Gufran Beig, founder project director, System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), said, “Delhi’s air quality deteriorated due to meteorological factors that caused stagnation and hampered the process of dispersion of pollutants. However, there is presently no impact of stubble burning on Delhi’s air.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment, added, “The 24-hour average PM2.5 levels have started to rise in Delhi. It is indicative of the start of the winter trend. We will see high pollution days now as the meteorology begins to change during winter. It is time to take pre-emptive action.”

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Halve farm fire count and Delhi will see no severe air day this Oct, Nov: Safar

Gufran Beig, founder director at Safar, said in the first ”business as usual” scenario -- if the number of fire incidents is similar to last year‘s count of 80,000 with the events peaking towards mid-November -- then Delhi is expected to see around five to six ”severe” air days. The national capital would not see a single ”severe” air day -- when the air quality index (AQI) reading climbs above 400 -- in October or November this year, provided the stubble fire incidents are halved to what they were last year, when around 80,000 fire incidents were reported, forecasts by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (Safar) said.

• Director General Office

Ripe for a green economy

Forests are home, say women of Kodalpali, Sinduria and neighbouring villages in Odisha’s Nayagarh; they can build the economy of the future Why do you patrol the forest near your village every day for the past 30 years? Why does it matter so much? - I ask a group of women, who look at me with amazement for posing the question. I am in Kodalpali, a village in Nayagarh district of Odisha, and can see dense, verdant forests for miles. The village is remote and would be classified as poor on economic criteria. It has rudimentary toilets, no piped water supply and the only school has been closed because of a bizarre policy of "rationisation", which means that its less than 25 students now have to trek over 3 kilometres to the next village for education. But in this village, and the neighbouring ones, women have been zealously protecting their forests for the past three decades. Every day, without fail, a group of four women takes the responsibility to walk and to ensure that nobody fells trees. They fight with intruders; they confiscate their axes and bicycles. They tell me, without batting an eyelid, that they demand a fine before returning the confiscated goods. The wealth of the forests, as far as the eye can see, tells you that their protection is indeed working. In this tribal district, there are as many as 217 villages protecting an almost contiguous forest block of 60,000 ha. In 60 of these villages, it is primarily women who form the forest protection committees and take turns to patrol. Over the years, with the help of Vasundhara — an amazing and committed non-profit working on tribal rights — they have formed a federation of village protection committees at the block and district levels. Here the executives — mostly women — meet every month to sort out inter-village conflicts and other issues. The octogenarian Shashi Pradhan, or Shashi mausi, as she is known, is the original tree-patrolling party. She tells me that the forests are key to their survival, plain and simple. They provide for all their needs — from firewood to building material to tubers and medicinal plants. Her younger colleague, Kuntala Nayak, jumps in to say that even during the two horrendous years of COVID-19, they did not need any outside help, and nobody in the village fell ill. "It is our source of life and so we protect it," they say. Their forest usage rules apply to all — fuelwood is to be collected only on Sundays; green trees are not to be felled; no grazing during the monsoon; and collection of minor forest produce, like bamboo, kendu (or tendu leaves used in beedi manufacture), is to be done only by the village households, not by outsiders. This grand experiment has now entered a new phase. In November 2021, after years of struggle, 24 villages were granted community forest rights. This is a provision of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, under which villages can get the right to patches of government forests that they were traditionally using, for exclusive use of resources and protection. As per the data of the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, community rights have been granted over some 4.5 million ha of forestland, which would be an impressive 8 per cent of land under the forest cover in government control, except for one crucial catch. The ministry counts in this all community rights, including rights granted to use of waterbodies or minor forest produce and not only forestland rights. In the current case, the title is for management of forestland, and has been granted jointly to two villages — Kodalpali and Sinduria. The title letter demarcates roughly 300 hectares for management. The villages now have the right to collect, process, use and sell minor forest produce. This also includes the right to value addition, storage and transportation of products within and outside village boundaries. This is a clear game changer. It would mean that these villages can now move to the next stage of protection, where the green wealth could form the basis of green jobs and a green economy. The villages now need a plan for the management of this tree-diverse area so that they can profit not just from timber, but also from all the other richness that the forest wealth provides. Experience shows that trees survive when village communities are involved — or given control, as in Kodalpali's case — in forest management. Only then can we move towards a wood-based economy. In our climate-risked times, this is where the real opportunity is. We know that the world has to increase green cover, which will add to the sequestration of carbon dioxide. Nature-based solutions are the new buzzword. But as the women of Kodalpali, Sinduria and the neighbouring villages say, the forests are their home and they can build the economy of the future — not just for themselves but for the world. DTE

• Director General Office

15th Edition of Mindmine Summit 2022 – “Post Pandemic: Repurposing India” Envisions India’s Era of Growth in Post Pandemic World Order

The Mindmine Summit 2022 was a huge success with lots of insightful conversations by opinion makers and key stakeholders. Mindmine Summit, a signature annual flagship event of the Hero Enterprise which fosters intellectual debates, encourages innovative ideas and builds thought leadership on issues that are crucial to the Indian economy and Indians as a whole is back in the physical mode after the COVID-19 pandemic and was held on September 13 and 14, 2022 at Hyatt Regency in New Delhi. With the theme of 2022 "Post Pandemic: Repurposing India”, this two-day think fest witnessed national and international minds converge and brought together a diverse panel of policymakers, business leaders, thinkers, economists, analysts and other stakeholders to consider the future of the remarkable growth story of India. Among the speakers present were Nirmala Sitharaman, Nitin Gadkari, Anand Sharma, Dr Preetha Reddy, Ambassador Naor Gilon, Gopal Srinivasan, TV Narendran, Sunita Narain, Zahira Sughra, PK Jena, Shishir Priyadarshi, Amitabh Kant, Prof C Raja Mohan, Vivek Wadhwa, Sandip Patel, Vishal Bali, Gul Panag, Pranav Bhanage, High Commissioner Alex Ellis, Ambassador Dr Ahmad Abdulrahman AlBanna, Manish Sharma, Pradeep Mehta, Ranu Vohra, Jaspal Bindra, Ritesh Agarwal, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Kanwaljit Singh, Kamal Gianchandani, Kabir Bedi, Manoj Muntashir, Rumy Jafry, Komal Nahta, and Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri. Dr Pramath Raj Sinha, Shaheen Mistri, and Sudarshan Suchi. On the launch of the 15th edition of the Mindmine Summit, Hero Enterprises Chairman, Sunil Kant Munjal said, “a good deal of thought was given while selecting this year’s theme; we realised how much the ground beneath us had shifted over the last couple of years, and why we needed to remodel our perceptions and adjust our expectations as citizens, organisations and as a nation. This year’s summit is thus titled- Post Pandemic: Repurposing India!” Truly the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us to rethink our priorities and path in life. It is a time for introspection and redefining ourselves as individuals, families, organisations, and also nations. The event featured a plethora of meaningful conversations, interactive panel discussions, one-on-one exchanges and deliberations on issues across a wide spectrum of topics in line with the country’s current state of affairs. Also, there were discussions on what India might expect amidst the shifting sands of geopolitics, Black Swan events, climate change, new-age skills, cultural shifts, rural transformation and Aatmanirbhar manufacturing. The event also explored the impact of near-shoring and commodity shortages on the global supply chain and examined the innovation ecosystem being created by start-ups that could help India transition into a new era. MMS 2022 Theme Design Speaking at the Mindmine Summit, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserts that the government will do everything for the industries to come and invest in India. She even highlighted the fact that a lot of companies are eyeing to move their manufacturing operations from China to India as they find policies are more attractive in India. She also quoted that, there are a lot of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) inflows in India which is owing to the fact that countries and industries abroad consider India as the right place for investment. She further stated that India is emerging as a global digital superpower by leapfrogging into a digital age. There are digital transformations in almost every sector and the government is making every effort to further push it through various incentives and schemes. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India highlighted that the key drivers of India’s growth in the coming decade would be water, power, transport and communication. He further added that there should be a strong focus on agriculture, rural and tribal areas. He assured that the government is making efforts to foster infrastructure and reduce the logistics cost from 14% to 8% by 2024 by way of developing 27 green express highways which are in the pipeline. Talking about India’s defence, General Manoj Pandey, Chief of Army Staff, shares insights on the prime focus areas which are preparing the Indian army to be future ready, maintaining a high degree of operational preparedness, technology-driven transformations in the Indian army and ramping up efforts to bolster military capabilities, among others. The Mindmine Summit 2022 was a huge success with lots of insightful conversations by opinion makers and key stakeholders.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Delhi govt launches 24x7 Advanced Green War Room to monitor pollution

The Delhi government launched an Advanced Green War Room that will be operational 24x7. The purpose of the Advanced Green War Room is to implement the Winter Action Plan to monitor pollution. The Delhi government launched an ‘Advanced Green War Room’ for 24x7 monitoring and robust implementation of the Winter Action Plan. A 12-member team of scientists and engineers will look after the Green War Room. During the launch, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai claimed that in the last ten years, Particulate Matter (PM) 10 levels fell by 40%, and PM 2.5 by 31% despite an increasing population. Environmental Scientist Dr BMS Reddy has been appointed in charge of the war room, and Environmental Engineer NK Joshi as the Assistant In charge. Scientist Dr Nandita Moitra will handle the monitoring desk. The remaining nine members will assist them and work on the complaints received from the Green Delhi App and ensure implementation of the same in sync with other departments. The Green Delhi App registers complaints related to pollution from the residents of Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal had announced on September 30 the Winter Action Plan under which the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was to be enforced in Delhi from October 1. The environment department has been monitoring the air quality and stubble situation in and around Delhi. “Last year, at the peak of pollution, the Centre for Science and Environment analysed the sources of pollution in Delhi. As per the report, internal sources, those within Delhi, amounted to 31% of pollution,” said Gopal Rai. “External sources, those within surrounding states contributed 69% of it. This is the reason why the Advanced Green War Room has been asked to remain alert,” Gopal Rai added. In 2012, the PM 10 levels of Delhi were averaged out at 368. In 2021, the PM 10 levels have fallen to 221. PM 2.5 was at 164 in 2012. In 2021, 113. PM 10 has fallen by 40% in the last ten years. While PM 2.5 has been reduced by 31% in the last decade. He stated, “When pollution was rising in Delhi, we identified 13 hotspots. As per the report on those hotspots, tallied between 2018-2021, in Jahangirpuri PM 10 levels have fallen by 20%, in Narela 8%, Ashok Vihar 22%, Mundka 32%, Rohini 26%, Wazirpur 24%,

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Rai launches Green War Room to monitor, combat air pollution 24X7

Rai said the war room will also be linked with Green Delhi App through which residents can send their complaints regarding pollution, such as garbage burning, to the war room. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday launched an advanced 'Green War Room' here to monitor air pollution and ensure effective implementation of the winter action plan to curb it. Advertisement Ads by The war room will work from the seventh floor of the Delhi Secretariat where a 12-member team comprising environment scientists and other officials will be deployed, the minister said while addressing a press conference here. He said environment scientist Dr BMS Reddy will be in-charge of the war room while environment engineer NK Joshi has been appointed as assistant in-charge. We have launched an advanced 'Green War Room' from today and it will work round the clock. "It will monitor air pollution levels 24X7 and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to curb pollution in accordance with the amended GRAP. The war room will also analyse pollution data of the city," Rai said. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Friday announced a 15-point winter action plan to combat pollution in the city. Under the plan, the GRAP has been enforced in Delhi from October 1. Rai said the war room will also be linked with Green Delhi App through which residents can send their complaints regarding pollution, such as garbage burning, to the war room. Necessary instructions to concerned departments will then be issued to address the issue, he said. The minister said the app has received 54,156 complaints so far. "Out of 54,156 complaints, nearly 90 per cent have been addressed. Maximum 32,573 complaints were related to MCD followed by PWD which had 9,118 complaints and 3,333 complaints were related to DDA," Rai said. The minister cited a report from Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and said despite the increase in population, Delhi government's efforts to curb pollution have achieved success as in the past 10 years, PM10 levels fell by 40 per cent and PM2.5 by 31 per cent. "In 2012, the PM10 levels of Delhi were averaged out at 368.In 2021, through the succinct efforts of CM Arvind Kejriwal and his government, the PM10 levels have fallen to 221.PM2.5 was at 164 in 2012 while in 2021 it was 113.PM10 has fallen by 40 per cent in the last 10 years while PM2.5 has been reduced by 31 per cent in the last decade," Rai said citing the CSE report. The minister said from October 6, an anti-dust campaign will be launched in Delhi to check dust pollution especially at construction sites. He urged people to report every single instance of dust pollution or garbage burning on the Green Delhi App.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

2 million vehicles in Delhi don’t have pollution control certificate

Senior government officials, who are aware of the matter, said on Monday that 90 enforcement teams have been formed, and SMSes are being sent to the owners of the vehicles without valid PUCC to get their vehicles checked immediately. Nearly 2 million vehicles in the national capital do not have valid pollution under control certificate (PUCC), according to data shared by the Delhi government which has announced a citywide campaign against polluting vehicles head of the winter when air pollution peaks in the Capital. The state government had announced on Saturday that from October 25, vehicle owners will not be able to refuel at city fuel stations until they are carrying a valid Pollution Under Control certificate. A notification in this regard is yet to be issued. Senior government officials, who are aware of the matter, said on Monday that 90 enforcement teams have been formed, and SMSes are being sent to the owners of the vehicles without valid PUCC to get their vehicles checked immediately. According to Delhi government data, a total of 1,936,880 vehicles in Delhi do not have a valid PUCC as on September 25. “Presently, there is no mechanism for checking whether the vehicles whose PUCC have expired are plying or not. It can be checked at the time of re- fuelling of the vehicle or during the enforcement drives which are carried out by the transport department regularly, especially during the winter months,” said a transport department official who asked not to be named. An analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in November last year said that vehicles are one of the biggest contributors to local particulate matter (PM10) in Delhi. According to government data, Delhi has a total of 13.4 million registered vehicles. “Nearly 60% of these vehicles are active. Apart from the vehicles registered in Delhi, hundreds of thousands of vehicles registered in NCR states enter the national capital daily. Checking that the vehicles tailpipe emissions are within the permission limits is an important step in combating air pollution. We have formed 90 enforcement teams to check PUC compliance by all kinds of vehicles,” said Delhi transport commissioner Ashish Kundra. In 2021, the Delhi government launched a similar crackdown on polluting vehicles and those running without valid PUC certificate under which teams were deployed at busy streets, near petrol pumps, and at other locations to check vehicles. “Our teams issued 24,300 challans against vehicles which did not have valid PUCC between September 2021 and December 2021,” said transport department official. PUCC is a mandatory document certifying that the vehicle’s tailpipe emission falls within permissible limits.A vehicle plying without a valid PUC certificate is liable to be prosecuted under Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act and may lead to imprisonment of up to three months or fine of up to ₹10,000, or both. Delhi has around 966 PUCC centres spread over 10 zones. Random checks are also done by Pollution Level Test Inspectors to ensure that PUC centres are issuing accurate certificates. Kavish Kumar, who runs a PUC centre near Geeta Colony Ramlila Maidan in east Delhi, said the number of vehicles coming for checks has almost doubled since last week as the government has started sending notices and alerts to vehicle owners. “Till September last week, around 100 vehicles came for PUC certificates every day. The number has gone up to 200-250 in the last few days,” said Kumar. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has also flagged concerns over vehicular pollution on September 30. “We are making inspection of PUC certificates stricter. We have identified 203 heavy traffic roads and have prepared measures to decongest them,” Kejriwal said at a press conference. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) at Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said: “Vehicles are among the top contributors to Delhi’s air pollution. And therefore, in addition to meeting the mass emissions standards at the time of manufacturing of vehicles, stringent monitoring of emissions from vehicles on road is also necessary to ensure that vehicles are maintained well and do not deteriorate to emit more than they are designed to emit. It is important to go beyond the basic PUC tests that are not so suitable for modern technologies. We should look at introducing more advanced systems like remote sensing monitoring from roadside to capture the level of a range of pollutants from vehicles passing by for better profiling of emissions from different genre and age of vehicles and to effectively catch the highly polluting vehicles on road.”

• Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

कचरे का वैज्ञानिक तरीके से निस्तारण...

कचरे का वैज्ञानिक तरीके से निस्तारण..For details please see the attachment.

• Down To Earth

Graveyard of E-waste

Arif made his way in the labyrinthine alleys of Seelampur, while his smoking addiction stuck on. Maine kabhi computer chalaya nahi, par tode bohut hain’’ (I have never used any computer but have dismantled many), said Arif Khan, 25, who has been in the business of recycling e-waste since the tender age of 12 years. Arif made his way in the labyrinthine alleys of Seelampur, while his smoking addiction stuck on. Advertisement Ads by Arif and his family moved to Seelampur in 2009 from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, where he only finished fifth grade. After shifting to Seelampur, he had to quit his education to manage the poor economic condition of his family. Turning to another alley, Arif paused and quipped, “Yahan par sirf ek Arif nahi hai, hazaron Arif hain” (there’s not just one but a thousand Arifs employed in this business here). The Old Seelampur neighbourhood in North East Delhi is infamous for being an unorganised e-waste recycling hub, despite the fact that it addresses a significant issue with e-waste from both India and other international countries. When inquired about the location of the e-waste scrap market, the locals said that the “ganda nala” (dirty drain) is a well-known landmark for the market. E-waste is defined as electronic products which are unwanted, broken and/or nearing the end of their “useful life”. Electronic items that are used every day include computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines. The national capital generates 20 crore kg of electronic waste (2.2lakh ton) every year. However, in the absence of an organised system to deal with discarded electronics, around 90% of them reach landfills or informal recyclers, a official from Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) said. According to a research done in 2018 on the thriving informal e-waste sector in Delhi NCR in 2018, nearly 5,000 e-waste processing units, mostly in east Delhi, were functioning without proper guidelines, precautions or norms. Of them, Seelampur emerged as the biggest hotspot accounting for about 57 per cent of all the informal e-waste processing and handling units. Old Seelampur is home and bread earner for thousands of families, whose relatives are employed in the scrap of business. “There are more than 50,000 people who are employed in the business of e-waste recycling in this area alone,” said Khan. Khan identified himself as a small scrap trader and he deals with more than 500 kg of e-waste on a daily basis. He said that he will earn mere five thousand rupees for recycling e-waste. “I recycle waste computer screens, keyboards, mouses, printers, telephones and other electronic waste materials,” said Khan. He continued, “Recycling e-waste is an art. You have to hammer the monitor in a delicate way so that all remaining valuable parts of the monitor will not get damaged.” Screen, wires and rubber are some of the valuable parts that are extracted by the e-waste recyclers in Seelampur. Like Khan, thousands of other recyclers of electronic garbage worked with the waste without any safety equipment. Khan concurred that handling e-waste can be riskier for one’s health due to the increased likelihood that one will breathe in harmful fumes that are detrimental to health. “I always do my work with bare hands but thanks to Allah (God) that I never suffered from any type of ailments. Though, I received small wounds while dealing with glass material but such injury is common in this business.” Hazardous reality According to a 2018 study by Toxics Link – an NGO focused on environmental justice, “Open and manual dismantling, shredding, burning, leaching and uncontrolled dumping of electronic waste not only directly harm the exposed workers but also hurt the environment through contaminating soil, ground water, surface water and polluting air.” Printed circuit boards are high in lead; open crushing and burning of Cathode Ray Tube often generates toxic fumes; mercury is released through switches, old computers and flat screens during the dismantling or incineration process; and cadmium content from mobile phones has often reached landfill sites, contaminating the soil and groundwater there, researchers noted. Dr Gunjan Verma, Consultant, Dermatology department at Manipal Hospital said that people living near e-waste sites are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer and respiratory illnesses. “Burning e-waste releases fineparticles which can enter through skin pores and also can be inhaled which can trigger respiratory illnesses like asthma. The situation can also lead to developing associated skin conditions like allergic contact dermatitis and airborne contact dermatitis can also increase. Long exposure to the e-waste pollution can also increase the risk of skin cancer,” she explained. Besides, persistent exposure could involve multiple organs if the toxic elements make their way through the potable water. “Heavy metals from the e-waste eventually get dissolved into ponds, streams, rivers, and lakes. This water, when consumed by the general population, may cause serious health hazards. Infiltration by mercury and cadmium poses great risk to skin and digestive system,” the doctor said. Piled up computer monitors, heaps of opened inverters and entangled wires are common sight at the e-waste market at the Old Seelampur. Meahwhile, workers in cramped spaces continue to hammer at electronic peripherals, and subsequently fling unneeded elements to a corner. A resident said that there also exists a hierarchy in this business. According to him, the bigwig dealers brings in e-waste to markets like Old Seelampur from all over the world. “Then comes in the recyclers who source the reusable material, and at the end of the line the kabadiwalas (scrap dealers) who earn by selling the remaining plastic, among other things,” he said. E-waste comes to Seelampur from countries like UAE, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, etc, he said. “In Seelampur, almost every family is directly or indirectly connected with the recycling of e-waste. If a kid is not good in education, then their parents send them as labourers in these markets,” said the local. Formalising the sector Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group – a leading NGO that works in the sphere of environment and waste management – the three major issues related to e-waste, environment, hazard, health deterioration and child labour, can be addressed if the government pushes for formalising the sector. “In practicality, it is very difficult to sensitise them (collectors and recyclers) to put health and environment above their livelihood. What governments can do is provide them with alternative sites and incentivise them,” said Bharati Chaturvedi, director, Chintan. “These informal workers are very important to our economy. They are actually adding value to the e-waste that would have ended up at landfills through repairing, modifying and reselling them. They can be further trained with safe practices which will abolish child labour and with incentives, they could be inducted into a formal sector,” she said. Seventeen-year-old Shahbaz Qureshi, studying in class XII, recently began recycling scrap mobile phones along with his peers. “I have just learned how to extract valuable items from a scrap mobile phones. If I were trained earlier at this age then I can earn good money in future from this market,” said Qureshi. On why he opted for this profession only, he said, “If Seelampur were a computer hub then I would learn about computers. If we were a cricket academy then I would learn cricket. But since there is only e-waste recycling in Seelampur, I am learning it.” “Foreigners came to Old Seelmapur to see how we are managing the problem of e-waste. If we do not do this work then there will be a crisis of e-waste particles in the world,” Qureshi averred, while showing mobile phones components he had just recycled. Child labour In 2021, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also flagged the child labour involved in dismantling and segregating e-waste in Seelampur and other areas of the country in its fact-finding report. According to the body’s report, youngsters as young as eight and nine years old spent 12 hours each day at the Mustafabad trash market removing wires off televisions. Children here were observed separating lithium from batteries in a store while another was observed sorting copper, iron, gold, silver, tin, titanium, palladium and other materials from e-waste (tubelights, laptops, and mobile phones), according to the report. Though the Commission recommended penalising those who employed the minors in this business, nothing has been changed after one year. According to the latest State of India’s Environment Report 2022, an analysis by the Centre for Science of India last year found most state pollution control boards lacked information and transparency around e-waste. Delhi, along with Andaman and Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Rajasthan are among states that have provided no information with regard to e-waste.. However, the state government has taken a step in a direction to address the mammoth issue. The Delhi government has already finalised a 20-acre plot in Narela as the city’s first e-waste park where waste generators and certified recyclers can operate under one roof, while two more such sites are under deliberation for the set-up. A sector in dire need of attention In the pursuit of separating lithium from batteries, recyclers and collectors at Delhi’s e-waste markets find varying quantities of copper, iron, gold, silver, tin, titanium, palladium and other precious materials. An unorganised sector still, e-waste can be propelled into a full-fledged industry 2.2lakh ton electronic waste generated in national capital every year 90% e-waste reaches landfills, informal recyclers Informal recyclers/processing units exist for lack of organised system to deal with discarded electronics Source: Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) Seelampur hub 57% of Delhi’s informal e-waste processing and handling units are in Seelampur Informal units lack proper guidelines, precautions or norms 5,000 - total e-waste processing units in Delhi, as of 2018 Informal e-waste hubs: Mustafabad, Old Seelampur, and markets across Shahdara in North East Delhi Dangerous ‘line of work’ Youngsters as young as 8 and 9 years old are illegally engaged in segregation/dismantle of e-waste 12 hours – average time spent per day by a child NCPCR advocates penalising those employing minors in this business One year on, nothing has been changed on the ground Govt watchdogs in the dark According to the latest State of India’s Environment Report 2022, most state pollution control boards lacked information and transparency around e-waste Delhi, along with Andaman and Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Rajasthan: states that have provided no information with regard to e-waste (Source: Centre for Science of India, 2021) ‘One small step’ City’s first e-waste park: coming up in a 20-acre plot in Narela Delhi govt will install waste generators, employ certified recyclers in this facility Two more such facilities in the anvil Capital’s e-waste markets, centered in North East Delhi, are thriving hubs for dismantling and segregating of electronic peripherals. Amit Pandey and Ashish Srivastava throw light on the vices of this unorganised sector, and how government attention can aid safe practices and abolish child labour and poverty