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CSE report on India paints grim picture; Arunachal a climate hotspot

Twenty-five glacial lakes and water bodies in India, China and Nepal have recorded over 40 percent rise in their water spread areas since 2009, posing a grave threat to five Indian states and two union territories, a new report stated. According to the report by the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE), the seven states and union territories which are under threat are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. The report said that 45 to 64 percent of India’s forest cover is likely to become climate hotspots by 2030. By 2050, almost the entire forest cover of the country is likely to become a climate hotspot.

India's SDG preparedness ranking continues to decline: Report – Down To Earth Magazine

Country faces major challenges in achieving 11 of 17 Sustainable Development Goals India is not placed well to achieve the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and its preparedness has worsened over the years in comparison with other countries, a new report showed. India’s rank in the global Sustainable Development Report, 2022 has slipped for the third consecutive year. The country continues to face major challenges in achieving 11 of the 17 SDGs, which has pushed down its global ranking on SDG preparedness. The progress in around 10 of these goals is similar to those in 2021. These include SDG 2 on ending hunger, SDG 3 on good health and well being and SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation. But ensuring decent work (SDG 8) has become more challenging, the report showed. Progress on sustainable development goals Source: Sustainable development report, 2022 by SDSN In the 2022 Global Index of SDGs, the country ranked 121 out of the 163 countries. It had ranked 117 in 2020 and 120 in 2021. With eight years left to meet the global goals on sustainable development, the country is off-track, the trends indicated. Since 2015, the report has been tracking and ranking the performance of 163 UN member states on SDGs. It is published by a group of independent experts at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). SDGs are not mentioned in the latest central or federal budget documents of India, pointed out the report based on a survey conducted in February 2022. India is on track to achieving SDG 13 on climate action, the report mentioned. But another report presented a grim picture. Preparedness to deal with climate impacts is essential to deal with climate crisis, but the country has been facing major challenges in this area, flagged The State of India’s Environment in Figures, 2022 released June 2, 2022. The report was based of the trends revealed in NITI Aayog’s index on SDGs. The seventh edition of CSE and DTE publication was released online by Sunita Narain, director-general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and editor of Down to Earth. India’s performance on climate action — (SDG) 13 — has slipped from 2019-2020. In 2020, the country’s overall national score on SDG 13 was 54 (out of 100) — a significant dip from 60 in 2019. This decline in India’s overall performance is primarily due to eight states — Bihar, Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Jharkhand — whose scores have dipped under SDG 13 in the two years. Overall SDG rank in 2020 SDG 13 Score (out of 100) in 2020 SDG 13 Score (out of 100) in 2019 Change in SDG 13 score Bihar 16 16 43 -27 Telangana 6 43 66 -23 Rajasthan 13 49 60 -11 Karnataka 3 62 71 -9 Uttar Pradesh 13 39 48 -9 Andhra Pradesh 3 63 70 -7 Punjab 7 51 57 -6 Jharkhand 15 25 27 -2 Telangana, the state which is among the top overall performers (rank six) in the country, has seen a dip in its score for climate action by 23 points. It is second after Bihar, whose SDG 13 performance worsened the most (by 27 points). Besides this, the performance of 27 states / Union territories remained off-track in SDG 13, according to the CSE report. Climate action failure is the most severe global risk in the short term and will also have the most severe impact over the next decade, the global risks report of the World Economic Forum alerted in January 2022. We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together. Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition. Down To Earth is a product of our commitment to make changes in the way we manage our environment, protect health and secure livelihoods and economic security for all. We believe strongly that we can and must do things differently. Our aim is to bring you news, perspectives and knowledge to prepare you to change the world. We believe information is a powerful driver for the new tomorrow. © Copyright Down To Earth 2022. All rights reserved.

69% of Jharkhand's land under degradation, reveals study

A report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) stated that nearly 69 percent of land in Jharkhand is under degradation The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conducted a study on land degradation which revealed that the productivity of land is declining fast in Jharkhand. Though the state is recognised for its scenic beauty, lush green landscape, torrential water falls, forest and immense potential for agriculture. VDO.AI But what raises concern is that Jharkhand is among the top three states where over 30 percent of land is under degradation. It has recorded a staggering figure of 69 percent land degradation. The waning productivity of land is not a good omen for the farmers and those who depend on agri-based industry or the agricultural sector. Notably, agriculture and farming are the backbone of Jharkhand and the state caters to the needs of many adjoining states. CAUSES FOR LAND DEGRADATION Former director soil conservation, Govt of Jharkhand, Rajiv Kumar, said that the undulating nature of land is the biggest factor for loss in productivity. Topography in the state is sloppy. Furthermore, around 1300 to 1400 mm of rain is registered in the state during the monsoon. High velocity of rain water causes soil erosion, leading to heavy loss of top fertile soil. When the surface losses the fertile soil at the top, its productivity is bound to decline. advertisement Retention terrace (RT) technique is one of the ways to save the land, said Rajiv kumar, adding that field bunding (FB) is another way to save and fight erosion. Slops are plotted under this method. Practice of bench terracing has been stopped since it involves a high cost. Vegetative cover and water shed management have also become an obsolete practice.

CSE की नई रिपोर्ट में खुलासा:भारत में 71% लोगों को स्वस्थ आहार नहीं, डाइट से जुड़ी बीमारियों से सालाना 17 लाख मौतें

दुनियाभर में 42% आबादी स्वस्थ आहार नहीं ले पाती, जबकि भारत में 71% लोग हेल्दी डाइट लेने में असमर्थ हैं। इसका नतीजा यह है कि सालाना 17 लाख से भी ज्यादा लोगों की डाइट रिस्क से जुड़ी बीमारियों जैसे डायबिटीज, सांस रोग, कैंसर व हृदय रोग से मौत हो जाती है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की ‘स्टेट ऑफ द इंडियाज एनवायरनमेंट’ रिपोर्ट के अनुसार आहार में फल, सब्जियों व अनाज की कमी और प्रोसेस्ड मीट, रेड मीट और शुगर ड्रिंक्स की अधिकता से बीमारी बढ़ रही है। हेल्दी डाइट की कमी व्यक्ति के अंडरवेट या ओवरवेट होने की भी बड़ी वजह बन रही है। दूध के उत्पादन से ग्रीनहाउस गैसों का उत्सर्जन रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, फूड सिस्टम व प्रेक्टिसेज का पर्यावरण पर असर पड़ता है। ग्रीनहाउस गैसों के उत्सर्जन में सबसे बड़ा योगदान दूध उत्पादन का है। साथ ही अनाज पैदा करने में सबसे ज्यादा पानी, नाइट्रोजन व फास्फोरस का इस्तेमाल हो रहा है। 17 राज्यों में महंगाई शहरों से ज्यादा गांव में रिपोर्ट में आहार की कीमतों का भी विश्लेषण किया है। बीते साल कंज्यूमर फूड प्राइस इंडेक्स में 327% की बढ़ोतरी दर्ज हुई, जबकि कंज्यूमर प्राइस इंडेक्स में 84% का इजाफा हुआ। CSE से जुड़े पर्यावरणविद रिचर्ड महापात्र का कहना है कि कंज्यूमर प्राइस इंडेक्स बढ़ाने में सबसे बड़ा योगदान आहार का है। उन्होंने कहा कि बीते मार्च व अप्रैल के दौरान 17 राज्यों- पश्चिम बंगाल, हरियाणा, मध्य प्रदेश, महाराष्ट्र, तेलंगाना, छत्तीसगढ़, असम, उत्तर प्रदेश, ओडिशा, पंजाब, राजस्थान, जम्मू-कश्मीर, गुजरात, झारखंड, उत्तराखंड, तमिलनाडु, आंध्र प्रदेश में शहरों की तुलना में गांवों में आहार की कीमतों में ज्यादा इजाफा हुआ। जबकि बिहार, कर्नाटक, केरल, हिमाचल प्रदेश व दिल्ली में शहरों में महंगाई ज्यादा रही। उन्होंने कहा कि देश ने खाद्य क्षेत्र में प्रगति की है लेकिन आहार हेल्दी नहीं हो रहा है। देश में कुपोषण अस्वीकार्य स्तर पर है।

जलाशयों के जल प्रसार में वृद्धि से पांच राज्यों, दो केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों को गंभीर खतरा :सीएसई

नयी दिल्ली, पांच जून (भाषा) भारत, चीन और नेपाल में 25 हिमनद झीलों और जलाशयों के जल प्रसार क्षेत्रों में 2009 के बाद से 40 प्रतिशत से अधिक की वृद्धि दर्ज की गई है, जिससे पांच भारतीय राज्यों और दो केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों के लिए गंभीर खतरा पैदा हो गया है। एक नयी रिपोर्ट में इस बात की जानकारी दी गयी है। सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, जिन सात राज्यों और केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों को खतरा है, वे हैं- असम, अरुणाचल प्रदेश, सिक्किम, बिहार, हिमाचल प्रदेश तथा जम्मू-कश्मीर और लद्दाख। हालांकि, यह केवल जल प्रसार में वृद्धि का विषय नहीं है। 'स्टेट ऑफ इंडियाज एनवायरनमेंट 2022: इन फिगर्स' नामक रिपोर्ट में प्रकाशित आंकड़े चिंताजनक कहानी बयां करते हैं। इसमें कहा गया है कि 1990 और 2018 के बीच भारत के एक तिहाई से अधिक तटरेखा में कुछ हद तक कटाव देखा गया है। पश्चिम बंगाल सबसे बुरी तरह प्रभावित है, जिसकी 60 प्रतिशत से अधिक तटरेखा भूमि के कटाव होने से प्रभावित है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि चक्रवातों की आवृत्ति में वृद्धि और समुद्र के जलस्तर में वृद्धि तथा मानवजनित गतिविधियां, यथा- बंदरगाहों का निर्माण, समुद्र तट पर खनन और बांधों का निर्माण तटीय कटाव के कुछ कारण हैं। सरकारी आंकड़ों का हवाला देते हुए, रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि भारत में हर चार नदी-निगरानी केंद्रों में से तीन में भारी जहरीले धातुओं - सीसा, लोहा, निकेल, कैडमियम, आर्सेनिक, क्रोमियम और तांबे के खतरनाक स्तर दर्ज किए गए हैं। एक सौ सत्रह नदियों और सहायक नदियों में फैले एक-चौथाई निगरानी स्टेशन में, दो या अधिक जहरीले धातुओं के उच्च स्तर की सूचना मिली है। गंगा नदी के 33 निगरानी केंद्रों में से 10 में प्रदूषण का स्तर अधिक है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि भारत के वन क्षेत्र का 45 से 64 प्रतिशत 2030 तक जलवायु हॉटस्पॉट बनने की संभावना है। वर्ष 2050 तक, देश का लगभग पूरा वन क्षेत्र जलवायु हॉटस्पॉट बनने की संभावना है। सीएसई की रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है, ’’जलवायु परिवर्तन के कारण होने वाले नुकसान की गंभीरता 2085 में बढ़ने वाली है।’’ जलवायु हॉटस्पॉट एक ऐसे क्षेत्र को संदर्भित करता है जो जलवायु परिवर्तन के गंभीर प्रभावों का सामना कर सकता है। रिपोर्ट से पता चला है कि भारत ने 2019-20 में पैदा हुए 35 लाख टन प्लास्टिक कचरे में से 12 प्रतिशत का पुनर्चक्रण किया और 20 प्रतिशत को जला दिया। इसमें कहा गया है कि शेष 68 प्रतिशत प्लास्टिक कचरे के बारे में कोई जानकारी नहीं है, जो संभवतः डंपसाइट्स और लैंडफिल साइट में खप गया होगा।

Healthy Meal: 71% भारतीय नहीं उठा पाते पौष्टिक खाने का खर्चा, लाखों की हो जाती है मौत, जानिए कितना कम हेल्दी फूड खा रहे लोग

नई दिल्ली: हमारे देश में बड़ी संख्या में लोगों को पौष्टिक भोजन (Healthy Meal) नहीं मिल पाता है। वे अच्छे खाने का खर्च वहन नहीं कर पाते। खराब खाने (Poor Diet) के चलते हुई बीमारियों के कारण देश में लाखों लोगों की हर साल मौत हो जाती है। हाल ही में एक सर्वे से यह जानकारी मिली है। रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, आमतौर पर एक औसत भारतीय के खाने में फल ( Fruits), सब्जियां (Vegetables), फलियां (Legumes) आदि पौष्टिक चीजों की कमी रहती है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया, 'पौष्टिक भोजन का खर्चा जब व्यक्ति की आय के 63 फीसदी से ऊपर चला जाए, तो वह व्यक्ति की पहुंच से बाहर हो जाता है।' 71% भारतीय नहीं उठा पाते पौष्टिक आहार का खर्च Amazon पर हेडफोन्‍स में 50% तक की बंपर छूट सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) और डाउन टू अर्थ मैगजीन द्वारा हाल ही में जारी एक रिपोर्ट में कहा गया, '71 फीसदी भारतीय पौष्टिक आहार का खर्च नहीं उठा सकते हैं। वैश्विक औसत 42 फीसदी है।' रिपोर्ट में कहा गया, 'एक औसत भारतीय के आहार में आमतौर पर फल, सब्जियां, फलियां, सूखे मेवे और साबुत अनाज की कमी होती है। मछली, डेयरी और लाल मांस की खपत भी टार्गेट से कम है।' पौष्टिक आहार ना लेने से होती हैं बीमारियां खराब खाने के कारण होने वाली बीमारियों का जिक्र करते हुए सर्वे में कहा कि इसमें सांस से जुड़ी बीमारियां, मधुमेह, कैंसर, स्ट्रोक और हृदय धमनी रोग आदि शामिल हैं। पौष्टिक खाने का खर्च क्यों नहीं उठा पाते लोग खाद्य एवं कृषि संगठन के अनुसार, एक पौष्टिक भोजन यदि किसी व्यक्ति की आय के 63% से अधिक हो, तो वह पहुंच से दूर हो जाता है। 20 वर्ष और उससे अधिक आयु के वयस्क प्रतिदिन केवल 35.8 ग्राम फलों का सेवन करते हैं, जबकि 200 ग्राम फलों का सेवन करना चाहिए। वहीं, ये लोग प्रतिदिन 168.7 ग्राम सब्जियां खाते हैं, जबकि उन्हें 300 ग्राम सब्जियां प्रतिदिन खानी चाहिए। इसी तरह इस आयु वर्ग के लोग प्रतिदिन केवल 24.9 ग्राम (टार्गेट का 25%) फलियां और 3.2 ग्राम (टार्गेट का 13%) नट्स का उपभोग करते हैं। GDP Growth Rate में कमी से क्या बढ़ेगी महंगाई और बेरोजगारी? जानिए क्या कह रहे हैं देश के मुख्य आर्थिक सलाहकार महंगाई एक बड़ा कारण पिछले एक साल में उपभोक्ता खाद्य मूल्य सूचकांक (CFPI) महंगाई में 327% की वृद्धि देखी गई है, जबकि उपभोक्ता मूल्य सूचकांक (CPI) जिसमें CFPI शामिल है, में 84% की वृद्धि देखी गई है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया, 'सीपीआई मुद्रास्फीति को बढ़ाने में फूड आइटम्स का बड़ी भूमिका प्रतीत होती है। खाद्य मुद्रास्फीति का वर्तमान उच्च स्तर उत्पादन की बढ़ती लागत, अंतरराष्ट्रीय फसल की कीमतों में वृद्धि और अत्यधिक मौसम संबंधी व्यवधानों के चलते है।' कुछ प्रोगेस तो हुई लेकिन नहीं मिल रहा फायदा रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है, 'इस मामले में कुछ प्रोग्रेस के बावजूद, लोगों का खाना पौष्टिक नहीं हो रहा है।' इसमें कहा गया, 'उच्च मानवीय, पर्यावरणीय और आर्थिक लागत इतनी महत्वपूर्ण है कि यदि हम कार्य करने में विफल रहते हैं, तो हम बहुत अधिक कीमत चुकाएंगे। वैश्विक खाद्य प्रणाली स्वास्थ्य और पर्यावरण दोनों वैश्विक लक्ष्यों को प्राप्त करने से बहुत पीछे है।'

हेल्थ ब्रीफ:बिना पिल्स और कंडोम के रोकें अनचाही प्रेग्नेंसी, आस्ट्रेलिया में जन्मी ऐसी बच्ची जो रोते हुए भी मुस्कुराती है

आप अपनी और अपने परिवार की सेहत का ध्यान बेहतर ढंग से रख सकें, इसके लिए हम ‘वीकली हेल्थ ब्रीफ’ लाए हैं। इसमें आपको मिलेंगे प्रमुख हेल्थ अपडेट्स, महत्वपूर्ण रिसर्च से जुड़े आंकड़े और डॉक्टरों की रेलेवेंट सलाह। इसे मात्र 2 मिनट में पढ़कर आपको सेहत से जुड़ी जरूरी जानकारियां मिलेंगी और आप परिवार का बेहतर ख्याल रख पाएंगी। 1. बच सकती थी सिंगर केके की जान, आप भी सीख लें जान बचाने वाली तकनीक बॉलीवुड के मशहूर सिंगर केके की कोलकाता में एक शो के दौरान कार्डियक अरेस्ट से मौत हो गई। बाद में पोस्टमार्टम रिपोर्ट में यह बात सामने आई कि अटैक के दौरान केके के हार्ट में ब्लॉकेज हो गया था। अगर समय रहते उन्हें सीपीआर दिया जाता तो उनकी जान बच सकती थी। सीपीआर देने के लिए बीमार को सीधे लिटाकर उसकी छाती पर दबाव दिया जाता है और मुंह से सांसें दी जाती हैं। हार्ट अटैक जैसे मामलों में सीपीआर जान बचाने में सफल रहता है। 2. बिना पिल्स और कंडोम के रिदम मेथड से ऐसे रोकें अनचाही प्रेग्नेंसी रिदम मेथड की मदद से आप बिना पिल्स और कंडोम के अनचाही प्रेग्नेंसी को रोक सकती हैं। यह पूरी तरह से नेचुरल है। इसमें बस आपको अपने मेन्सट्रूअल साइकिल का ध्यान रखना पड़ता है। डॉक्टर्स के मुताबिक पीरियड्स से 14 दिन पहले महिलाओं के एग फर्टाइल होने की स्थिति में होते हैं। उस दौरान सेक्स करने से प्रेग्नेंसी की संभावना सबसे अधिक होती है। अगर आप अपने मेन्सट्रूअल साइकिल के 14 दिन पहले वाले 3-4 दिन के पीरियड में सेक्स न करें तो अनचाही प्रेग्नेंसी का खतरा काफी कम हो जाता है। 3. परमानेंट स्माइल के साथ जन्मी बच्ची, रोते हुए भी मुस्कुराती है ऑस्ट्रेलिया में एक ऐसी बच्ची का जन्म हुआ जिसके चेहरे पर परमानेंट मुस्कान है। बच्ची सोते हुए भी मुस्कुराती दिखती है। हालांकि डॉक्टर इसे एक डिसऑर्डर बता रहे हैं। उनका कहना है कि ऐसा बाइलेटरल मैक्रोस्टोमिया सिंड्रोम के कारण हुआ है। यह एक रेयर सिंड्रोम है, जिससे पीड़ित बच्चे के गाल के दोनों तरफ एक लकीर-सी खींच जाती है। जिसके चलते वो हमेशा मुस्कुराते दिखाई देते हैं। 4. अधिक उम्र में शादी करने पर डाउन सिंड्रोम से पीड़ित हो सकते हैं बच्चे डाइन सिंड्रोम एक जन्मजात बीमारी है। इससे पीड़ित बच्चों का मानसिक विकास उनकी उम्र के साथ नहीं हो पाता है। डॉक्टर्स का मानना है कि बच्चों में डाउन सिंड्रोम का सीधा संबंध मां की उम्र से है। मां की उम्र जितनी ज्यादा होगी, बच्चे के डाउन सिंड्रोम से पीड़ित होने का खतरा उतना ज्यादा होगा। नेशनल डाउन सिंड्रोम सोसाइटी के अनुसार 45 साल से अधिक उम्र में मां बनने पर बच्चे में डाउन सिंड्रोम का खतरा काफी बढ़ जाता है। इस उम्र में हर 30 में से एक बच्चा डाउन सिंड्रोम के साथ पैदा होता है। 5, महिलाएं सुबह और पुरुष शाम को एक्सरसाइज करें तो होगा ज्यादा फायदा‘ फ्रंटियर्स इन फिजियोलॉजी’ की एक नई रिसर्च के मुताबिक महिलाओं के लिए सुबह और पुरुषों के लिए शाम को एक्सरसाइज करना ज्यादा फायदेमंद है। 56 महिलाओं और पुरुषों पर की गई इस रिसर्च में यह बात निकल कर सामने आई कि जो महिलाएं सुबह व्यायाम करती हैं, उनका स्वास्थ्य ज्यादा ठीक रहता है। वहीं शाम को व्यायाम करने वाले पुरुष ज्यादा फिट पाए गए। 6. कोविड और मंकीपॉक्स के बीच MP में चिकपॉक्स फैला, लाल दाने आएं तो डॉक्टर को दिखाएं कोविड और मंकीपॉक्स के खतरे के बीच चिकनपॉक्स भी मध्यप्रदेश में अपने पांव पसार रहा है। पिछले महीने भर में राज्य के 7 जिलों में 31 मरीज मिल चुके हैं। अकेले छिंदवाड़ा में ही 13 मरीजों की पुष्टि हो चुकी है। जिसके बाद स्वास्थ्य विभाग ने सभी जिलों के लिए एडवाइजरी जारी की है। इस संक्रामक बीमारी में छाती, पीठ व चेहरे पर लाल दाने दिखाई देने लगते हैं। चिकनपॉक्स मुख्य रूप से बच्चों, किशोर, वयस्क, गर्भवती महिलाओं को ज्यादा प्रभावित करता है। 7. ओवरवेट महिलाओं और स्लिम पुरुषों की हड्डी टूटने का खतरा ज्यादा ओवर वेट महिलाओं को बोन फ्रैक्टर का ज्यादा खतरा होता है। एक जैसी चोट लगने पर पतली या नॉर्मल वेट वाली महिला के मुकाबले ओवर वेट महिला की हड्डी टूटने की संभावना अधिक होती है। दूसरी ओर पुरुषों में बिलकुल इसका उल्टा होता है। यहां मोटे लोगों की हड्डी ज्यादा मजबूत होती है। कनाडा के CHUL रिसर्च सेंटर की एक रिपोर्ट में यह जानकारी सामने आई है। 8. प्रेग्नेंसी में खतरनाक हो सकता है ट्रैफिक पॉल्यूशन, मां और बच्चे दोनों को खतरा यूनिवर्सिटी ऑफ कैलिफोर्निया की एक नई रिसर्च में ट्रैफिक रिलेटेड पॉल्यूशन को प्रेग्नेंसी के दौरान होने वाली कई समस्याओं के लिए जिम्मेदार बताया गया है। रिसर्च में बताया गया है कि गाड़ियों से निकलने वाले पॉल्यूशन पार्टिकल्स के संपर्क में आने से गर्भ-नाल की कोशिका में बदलाव होता है। जिससे मां और होने वाले बच्चे की सेहत पर बुरा प्रभाव पड़ता है। 9. जन्म देने के वॉटर बर्थ और लोटस बर्थ जैसे तरीके हो सकते हैं खतरनाक पिछले कुछ सालों में दुनिया भर में नॉन ट्रेडिशनल डिलीवरी का चलन बढ़ा है। महिलाएं वाटर बर्थ (पानी में बच्चे को जन्म देना) और लोटस बर्थ (गर्भनाल के खुद से अलग होने का इंतजार करना) जैसे ऑल्टरनेट ऑप्शन को अपनाने लगी हैं। इन महिलाओं का ऐसा मानना है कि बच्चे को जन्म देने के ये नेचुरल तरीके ज्यादा फायदेमंद हैं। लेकिन कुछ रिसर्च के बाद डॉक्टर्स का कहना है कि नॉन ट्रेडिशनल डिलीवरी खतरनाक हो सकती है। इसमें इन्फेक्शन का खतरा काफी ज्यादा होता है। 10. भारत में 71% लोगों को नहीं मिलता ठीक से खाना, हर साल 17 लाख मरते हैं सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की ‘स्टेट ऑफ द इंडियाज एनवायरनमेंट’ की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार देश के 71 फीसदी लोगों को संतुलित आहार नहीं मिल पाता है। यानी देश के हर चार में से तीन लोग सही खाना नहीं खा पाते। जिसके चलते उन्हें कई तरह की बीमारियों होती हैं। रिपोर्ट में यह भी बताया गया है कि सही आहार न ले पाने के कारण देश में हर साल 17 लाख लोगों की असमय मृत्यु होती है।

71% Indians cannot afford a healthy meal, says report

Over 17 lakh citizens die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, according to the Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth magazine. A report released by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth magazine has shown that 71% Indians cannot afford a healthy meal and over 17 lakh (1.7 million) individuals die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet. Globally, 42% of the world’s population cannot afford a healthy diet, said the report titled “State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures”. Advertisement The report said that the diet of an average Indian does not contain enough fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. Poor dietary habits can result in respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease, it added. An Indian aged 20 and above consumes only 35.8 grams of fruit per day as against the recommended 200 grams every day, PTI reported. Adults eat just 168.7 grams of vegetables per day but the minimum recommended consumption is 300 grams per day. When the cost of a healthy meal exceeds 63% of a person’s income, it is considered to be unaffordable, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, PTI reported. The report by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth magazine said that consumer food price index inflation saw a 327% increase in the past year. The consumer price index – which includes the consumer food price index – witnessed an 84% jump in the same period. Advertisement India’s consumer price index or retail inflation hit an eight-year high of 7.79% in April. “Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation,” said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor of Down To Earth. “The current high levels of food inflation have been driven by the rising cost of production, surging international crop prices and extreme weather-related disruptions. In fact, our analysis of CRISIL data shows that food prices have increased at a higher rate in rural areas than in urban areas in March-April 2022.” The report noted that diets of citizens are not getting healthier and “unacceptable levels of malnutrition” persists in the country. “The high human, environmental and economic costs of continuing our current trajectory are so significant that we will pay a far higher price if we fail to act,” the report said. “The global food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment.”

71 pc Indians cannot afford healthy diet: CSE report

Seventy-one per cent Indians cannot afford a <a href="https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/healthy+diet">healthy diet</a> and 1.7 million die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, according to a report released by the <a href="https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/centre+for+science+and+environment">Centre for Science and Environment</a> (<a href="https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/cse">CSE</a>) and Down to Earth magazine.<br><br>The diseases attributable to dietary risk factors include respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease, the report 'State of India's Environment 2022: In Figures' said.<br><br>The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks.<br><br><div data-bucket-limit="1" data-bucket-id="2" data-bucket-design="3" data-bucket-position="in_page" class="in-page-promotions-buckets-featured featured_section_disabled bucket-position-in_page inpromorendered item-inviewport" data-type="in-page-promotions" id="in-page-promotions_in_page_1_91999034" data-ftd-params="design=3&amp;limit=1&amp;entity_type=all&amp;position=in_page&amp;bucket_id=2&amp;rendered_items=0&amp;rendered_items=0" data-ftd-type="in-page-promotions" data-ftd-callback="inPagePromoCallback" data-gtm-vis-recent-on-screen-48467051_68="214324" data-gtm-vis-first-on-screen-48467051_68="214324" data-gtm-vis-total-visible-time-48467051_68="100" data-gtm-vis-has-fired-48467051_68="1"><div class="in-page-promotions-buckets"><div class="add-section">Advertisement</div><div class="featured-promo-section feature-promo-big-authors undefined promo-section combined-promo promo-design-3 promo-after-article"><div class="row"><div class="featured-promo-item featured-promo-element col-md-12 col-sm-12 "><div class="clearfix no-gutter undefined"><div class="row "><div class="col-md-12 col-xs-12"><div class="featured-promo-box"><div class="promo-lead "><a data-ga="in_page_promotions,in-page-promotions_in_page_1_91999034,masterclass-783" href="https://masterclass.economictimes.indiatimes.com/executive-workshops/advanced-strategic-management-for-corporate-leaders/783?ag=InPagePromo_brandequity&amp;utm_source=b2bInPagePromotions&amp;utm_medium=in_page" target="_blank">Online Masterclass</a></div><h2 class="promo-head"><a data-ga="in_page_promotions,in-page-promotions_in_page_1_91999034,masterclass-783" href="https://masterclass.economictimes.indiatimes.com/executive-workshops/advanced-strategic-management-for-corporate-leaders/783?ag=InPagePromo_brandequity&amp;utm_source=b2bInPagePromotions&amp;utm_medium=in_page" target="_blank">Advanced Strategic Management Masterclass for Corporate Leaders</a></h2><div class="metaTx "><span>17 June 2022<span class="separator separator-atrate"> @ </span>10:00 AM</span> </div></div><p class="promo-desc ">Enhance Your Skills to Effectively Strategize Every Business Move</p><div class="slide-container "><ul class="feature-promo-big-authors lst-box2 news-listing clearfix margtop15 marglf10"><li class="clearfix"><article><figure class="avtar"><img class="" alt="" src="https://img.etb2bimg.com/imgv2/width-200,height-200,resize_mode-1/retail_files/data_file_1648118242_74944.jpg" data-src="https://img.etb2bimg.com/imgv2/width-200,height-200,resize_mode-1/retail_files/data_file_1648118242_74944.jpg" data-init-src="https://img.etb2bimg.com/files/../Themes/Release/images/responsive/default-face-min.png"></figure><div class="descBx"><div class="author-name"><h4>Nigel Penny</h4> <span class="author-desc">Global Strategy Advisor, NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd.</span></div></div></article></li></ul></div><div class="controls "><a data-ga="in_page_promotions,in-page-promotions_in_page_1_91999034,masterclass-783" href="https://masterclass.economictimes.indiatimes.com/executive-workshops/advanced-strategic-management-for-corporate-leaders/783?rgstr=1&amp;ag=InPagePromo_brandequity&amp;utm_source=b2bInPagePromotions&amp;utm_medium=in_page" target="_blank" class="btn-promo">Register Now <i class="fa fa-angle-right"></i></a><span class="discnt-txt ">Certification of participation will be awarded upon successful completion of the masterclass</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>"Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent," it said citing the Global Nutrition Report, 2021.<br><br>The diet of an average Indian lacks in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, it said.<br><br>A healthy diet is considered unaffordable when its cost exceeds 63 percent of a person's income, according to the <a href="https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/food+and+agriculture+organisation">Food and Agriculture Organisation</a>.<br><br>In India, adults aged 20 and above have only 35.8g of fruit per day as against the recommended 200g per day and just 168.7g of vegetables per day as against the minimum 300g per day.<br><br>They consume just 24.9g per day (25 percent of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13 percent of target) of nuts per day.<br><br>"Despite some progress, diets are not getting healthier. Additionally, they are making increasing demands on the environment, even as unacceptable levels of malnutrition persist in the country," the report said.<br><br>"The high human, environmental and economic costs of continuing our current trajectory are so significant that we will pay a far higher price if we fail to act. The global <a href="https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/food">food</a> system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment," it said.<br>

World Environment Day: Maharashtra witness highest deaths due to extreme weather, says CSE

Maharashtra suffered the most deaths due to extreme weather events in 2021, stated a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Of over 1,700 people who lost their lives to extreme weather events (lightning and thunderstorms, cyclones, floods, heavy rains and landslides) in India in 2021, 350 were from Maharashtra. Odisha followed with 223 casualties; and in Madhya Pradesh, 191 lives were lost. To mark the World Environment Day, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has released some startling figures over the impact of climate change which has drastically affected our environment. According to CSE, the year had many more warning signs of the calamity that is confronting the nation, says the report: Mercury rising: The past decade (2011-2020/2012-2021) was India’s warmest decade on record. Eleven out of the 15 warmest years were in the last 15 years (2007-21). India recorded its fifth warmest year in 2021 when the average temperature remained 0.44°C above normal (1981-2010 average). The country was 0.71°C warmer than normal in 2016, India’s warmest ever year. In 2021, the country also had its third hottest March ever, and in 2022, March temperatures beat all previous records. Just five states – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana – accounted for 54 per cent of the heatwave days in the country. Melting glaciers: There are 25 glacial lake and waterbodies across India, China and Nepal that have recorded more than 40 per cent increase in their water spread areas since 2009 pose a grave threat to seven Indian states and Union territories and need to be monitored closely, says the report. Dipping expenditures: There has been an almost 30 per cent reduction in India’s expenditure on natural calamities in 2021-22, compared to 2020-21. In six states and UTs, the cut-down has been over 50 per cent, while it has been over 70 per cent in another five.

Nod to environmentalist Sunita Narain at Queen’s Jubilee Party

London, Jun 5 (PTI) Delhi-based environmentalist Sunita Narain got a special mention by Britain’s Prince William in his tribute to Queen Elizabeth II during celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee in London marking 70 years of the 96-year-old monarch’s reign. In his speech during a grand Jubilee Party at the Palace on a 360-degree stage outside Buckingham Palace on Saturday night, William focussed his message on the environment as he spoke adoringly of his grandmother. He described the concert venue, which witnessed performances by leading artists such as the group Queen and Sir Elton John, as an IMAX screen. “As I watch those extraordinary images, it does make me think of all the monumental and pioneering work of so many visionary environmentalists that have gone before,” said William. “I think of Rachel Carson from America, Wangari Maathai from Kenya, Sunita Narain from India and so many others. While no one’s grandmother thanks them for talking about their age, my own grandmother has been alive for nearly a century. In that time, mankind has benefited from unimaginable technological developments and scientific breakthroughs,” he said. William’s address was followed by his father, Prince Charles, who paid tribute to his mother’s “lifetime of selfless service” and opened in his usual way of addressing her as “mummy”. “Your family now spans four generations. You are our Head of State. And you are also our mother,” said Charles, her son and heir to the throne. “Your Majesty, you have been with us in our difficult times. And you bring us together to celebrate moments of pride, joy and happiness. Maybe this year, it really is coming home. You have met us and talked with us. You laugh and cry with us and, most importantly, you have been there for us, for these 70 years. You pledged to serve your whole life – you continue to deliver,” he said. The Queen did not attend Saturday’s concert, but participated in a pre-recorded comic sketch with Paddington Bear to open the concert. In it, she is seen sharing a chaotic English cream tea at Buckingham Palace with the world-famous fictional bear gulping down tea straight from the teapot and accidentally spraying cream at the royal footman. The cartoon character then reveals that he always carries an emergency stash of his favourite treat, a marmalade sandwich, and offers it to the Queen. Smiling and laughing, the Queen opens her own handbag to show her own sandwich, saying: “I keep mine in here”. The star-studded concert saw 22,000 people fill The Mall leading up to the palace to enjoy performances from an array of music artists, as well as appearances from the stars of stage and screen, and the sporting world. There were songs from Sir Elton John, George Ezra, Craig David, Duran Duran, Alicia Keys and Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryder, while Sir Rod Stewart’s performance of ‘Sweet Caroline’ had all the royals swaying in their seats. There was also a run through of British and Commonwealth sporting achievements by actor and rapper Doc Brown and the show was closed by Diana Ross, with her first live performance in the UK in 15 years. The final day of the Jubilee celebrations on Sunday will end with a huge pageant near Buckingham Palace. The Platinum Jubilee Pageant – a carnival procession up The Mall featuring giant puppets and celebrities – will depict key moments from the Queen’s seven decades on the throne. It includes a Bollywood-themed Wedding Party segment, created by South Asian arts group Nutkhut. It will include a six-meter-high four-tiered cake inspired from the royal wedding of the Queen with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947, with each tier representing the Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilees of the monarch’s reign. The Wedding Party will be performed in an elaborate style by 250 performers of all ages, from London, Birmingham, Leicester, Manchester, Southampton and Newcastle. Nutkhut says the spirit of the Commonwealth will flow through its specially-designed Platinum Jubilee sari, a key feature of the performance and composed of sustainable organic fabric. Thousands of street parties are also being held across the UK in what is being called the Big Jubilee Lunch. PTI AK NSA

Environmentalist Sunita Narain gets special mention at Queen's Jubilee Party

Noted Indian environmentalist Sunita Narain got a special mention by Britain's Prince William in his tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. Noted Indian environmentalist Sunita Narain got a special mention by Britain's Prince William in his tribute to Queen Elizabeth II during celebrations of the Platinquum Jubilee in London, marking 70 years of the 96-year-old monarch's reign. In his speech during a grand Jubilee Party at the Buckingham Palace on Saturday night, William focussed his message on the environment as he spoke adoringly of his grandmother. He described the concert venue, which witnessed performances by leading artists such as the group Queen and Sir Elton John, as an IMAX screen. Also read: India witnesses 25% decrease in tiger mortality, compared to 2021 "As I watch those extraordinary images, it does make me think of all the monumental and pioneering work of so many visionary environmentalists that have gone before," said William. "I think of Rachel Carson from America, Wangari Maathai from Kenya, Sunita Narain from India, and so many others. While no one's grandmother thanks them for talking about their age, my own grandmother has been alive for nearly a century. In that time, mankind has benefited from unimaginable technological developments and scientific breakthroughs," he added. The Queen did not attend Saturday's concert, but participated in a pre-recorded comic sketch with Paddington Bear to open the concert. The star-studded concert saw 22,000 people fill The Mall leading up to the Palace to enjoy performances from an array of music artists, as well as appearances from the stars of stage and screen, and the sporting world. There were songs from Sir Elton John, George Ezra, Craig David, Duran Duran, Alicia Keys and Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryder, while Sir Rod Stewart's performance of 'Sweet Caroline' had all the royals swaying in their seats. There was also a run-through of British and Commonwealth sporting achievements by actor and rapper Doc Brown, and the show was closed by Diana Ross, with her first live performance in the UK in 15 years. Also read: Save Soil Movement: PM Modi lauds India's efforts to protect environment On Sunday, the final day of the Jubilee celebrations will end with a massive pageant near Buckingham Palace. The Platinum Jubilee Pageant will depict critical moments from the Queen's seven decades on the throne. It includes a Bollywood-themed Wedding Party segment created by South Asian arts group Nutkhut. It will consist of a six-meter-high four-tiered cake inspired by the royal wedding of the Queen with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947, with each tier representing the Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilees of the monarch's reign. The Wedding Party will be performed in an elaborate style by 250 performers of all ages from London, Birmingham, Leicester, Manchester, Southampton and Newcastle. Nutkhut says the spirit of the Commonwealth will flow through its specially-designed Platinum Jubilee sari, a key feature of the performance and composed of sustainable organic fabric. Thousands of street parties are also being held across the UK in what is being called the Big Jubilee Lunch.

Prince Charles pays tribute to the Queen’s ‘lifetime of selfless service’

Prince of Wales praises his mother’s ability to ‘bring us together’ at Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge paid tribute to the Queen – and environmental activists across the world – in speeches at a concert at Buckingham Palace. Speaking on the third day of a four-day celebration to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee at the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace, Prince Charles began his address “Your Majesty, Mummy”. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge Third day of platinum jubilee celebrations as Queen misses Epsom Derby Read more Thanking the Queen for a “lifetime of selfless service”, he told her during the televised concert: “You continue to make history.” Referencing her absence from the celebrations, after she was said to have experienced “some discomfort” during trooping the colour on Thursday, he said: “We might have been celebrating that Derby winner this evening … next year perhaps?” “But,” he added addressing the audience, “I know what really gets my mother up in the morning is all of you – watching at home. Represented here tonight in this great audience.” The late Prince Philip, the Queen’s “strength and stay”, he said was “much missed this evening but I am sure he is here in spirit … My Papa would have enjoyed the show and joined us wholeheartedly in celebrating all you continue to do for your country and your people.” Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST “Your Majesty, you have been with us in our difficult times. And you bring us together to celebrate moments of pride, joy and happiness,” he added. “You have met us and talked with us. You laugh and cry with us and, most importantly, you have been there for us, for these 70 years. You pledged to serve your whole life – you continue to deliver. That is why we are here.” He spoke to a background of projections, understood to have been selected by Charles himself, of the Queen from historic moments – including Nelson Mandela’s state visit in 1996 and shaking hands with Martin McGuinness, the former deputy first minister of Northern Ireland in 2012. Earlier in the night, William called for urgent action to save the planet. Prince William calls for urgent action to save the planet at platinum jubilee concert – video Advertisement He paid tribute to his father and grandfather’s environmental work, broadcaster David Attenborough, environmentalists Rachel Carson, Wangari Maathai and Sunita Narain and “an amazing and united generation of young people across the world”. “Congratulations to all of them – they won’t accept the status quo, they won’t accept that change is too difficult to deliver. Never before have we had so much power to change the big things,” he said. His grandmother, he said, has been alive for close to a century. “In that time, mankind has benefited from unimaginable technological developments and scientific breakthroughs,” he added. Crowds line the Mall in London in front of Buckingham Palace during the concert. Crowds line the Mall in London in front of Buckingham Palace during the concert. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA “And although those breakthroughs have increased our awareness of the impact humans have on our world, our planet has become more fragile. Advertisement “Today, in 2022 – as the Queen celebrates her platinum jubilee – the pressing need to protect and restore our planet has never been more urgent.” But, like the Queen, he said, “I am an optimist.” “Tonight has been full of such optimism and joy – and there is hope. Together, if we harness the very best of humankind, and restore our planet, we will protect it for our children, for our grandchildren and for future generations to come.” His speech followed a performance by Hans Zimmer and an orchestra of a rearranged version of Planet Earth II suite, a performance by the Royal Ballet and a recording of the Queen speaking about the planet during her Christmas message in 1989 and at Cop26 last year. It was followed by a performance by Celeste with Zimmer of What a Wonderful World.

Climate change migration: ‘India fourth worst-hit’

Bathinda: Climate change-induced migration has made India fourth worst-hit country after China, the Philippines, and Bangladesh—this is what private advocacy group Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and its publication wing ‘Down to Earth’ claim in their annual ‘State of India’s Environment’ report released on the 50th anniversary of United Nations’ first meeting on human environment that was held in Stockholm. Down to Earth’s editor Sunita Narain said: “Data is about measurement and the better we measure, the better we get at management. It helps us make sense of the changes we see in our world and what needs to be done.” The e-publication comes out every June to mark World Environment Day that falls on June 5. It is a collection of data on environment and development—assessed, analysed and presented by CSE’s experts. Down To Earth’s managing editor Richard Mahapatra said: “Most of the data is from the government’s statistics in the public domain, which we simply analyse and present with a researcher’s rigour.” On agriculture, the report claims that while the Indian cost of cultivation has increased almost 35% between the years 2012-13 and 2018-19, the share of the income from farming in an agricultural household has declined from 48% in 2012-13 to 37% in 2018-19, while 50% of these families are in debt. It claims that their average debt exceeds Rs 74,000, while 29 farmers and farm labourers commit suicide in the country daily. On solid waste, the report claims that in 2019-20, India generated 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste, only 12% of which was recycled and 20% burnt. The remaining 68% is unaccounted for, so it’s in land, water, or dumpsites. The country’s hazardous waste generation went up by 5% between 2019-20 and 2020-21, while the e-waste generation climbed 32% between 2018-19 and 2019-20. On air pollution, the report claims that reducing air pollution to meet the World Health Organization’s standards will add 2.2 years to global life expectancy, while the Indian life expectancy will go up by 5.9 years if the country meets the WHO levels of PM2.5.

Delhi rewind: How the National Museum of Natural History became a centre for environmental activism in Delhi

The National Museum of Natural History was established inside the FICCI building at Mandi House, where it stayed until it was destroyed in a massive fire in April 2016. In 1977, Asif Naqvi (68) was on a college trip to New Delhi when he first came across the National Museum of Natural History that was in the final stages of being completed. Naqvi was at that time a 24-year-old, studying museology at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) after having completed his Master’s in Zoology. “Whenever we think of museums, art and culture are the first things that come to our minds. But here I was pleasantly surprised to encounter conversations around nature, conservation, evolution, and the like,” said Naqvi. “The first thought that came to mind was that now we biologists can also dream of being museologists.” After a brief interaction with the founder-director of the museum, S M Nair, Naqvi sat on the lawns of the museum where the iconic dinosaur replica once stood and thought to himself how wonderful it would be to be working in a space such as this. “I already had a fascination for Mandi House, being a theatre enthusiast. Working at the natural history museum, I thought, would fulfill both my cultural as well as intellectual interests.” About a year later, and six months after the NMNH opened to the public, Naqvi’s dream came true as he got hired as a museum assistant. “I was the happiest person. I would work here during the day and do theatre in the evenings. It was also here that I found my passion for the environment,” said Naqvi, who retired as dean of the faculty of life sciences and chairman of the department of museology at AMU. The idea of a natural history museum had been conceived six years earlier, in 1972, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Indian Independence. The United Nations Conference for Human Development was held in Stockholm in Sweden that year and Indira Gandhi was one of the few country heads who had attended it. After returning to India, she proposed the building of a natural history museum in New Delhi. Best of Express Premium Anjum Chopra writes: In women’s cricket, let’s count the victoriesPremium Anjum Chopra writes: In women’s cricket, let’s count the victories Tavleen Singh writes: Another exodus in Kashmir?Premium Tavleen Singh writes: Another exodus in Kashmir? An Express Investigation – Part 2 | Class 5A Topic: MathematicsPremium An Express Investigation – Part 2 | Class 5A Topic: Mathematics Has the sun finally set on the British Empire? The Queen and the Commonwe...Premium Has the sun finally set on the British Empire? The Queen and the Commonwe... More Premium Stories >> The concept of natural history museums was already well established in the West by then. However, in Delhi, the museum was to have a whole new meaning. “Internationally, the basic function of natural history museums was to establish large collections of geological, botanical and zoological specimens (insects, fossils, plants, birds, bones, and the like) and their preservation,” explained Naqvi. “But the mandate of the NMNH was to spread awareness through its collections, exhibitions and activities about the need for environmental conservation.” It is with this objective that the NMNH opened to the public on June 5, 1978, on World Environment Day. It was established inside the FICCI building at Mandi House, where it stayed until it was destroyed in a massive fire in April 2016. Before the establishment of NMNH, Mandi House was known as the cultural centre of Delhi. But after NMNH, Mandi House also became a centre for environmental activism. Naqvi recalled how some of the biggest names among environmentalists in India like Sunita Narain, Ashish Kothari and Sharad Gaur would visit the museum for meetings and exhibitions. “In our canteen and halls, and in Triveni and Sri Ram Centre, we would sit and discuss issues affecting the environment,” Naqvi said.

Summer of 2022 saw increased ozone levels in India: CSE analysis

The summer of 2022 - one of the hottest in history - has witnessed widespread excessive ozone levels, making the air of Delhi-NCR more toxic, while other metros are not far behind, said a latest analysis released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Friday. Among the six big metros, Mumbai is second, followed by Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru - with the last two having longer durations of exceedance despite lower frequency compared to the other metros, as per the latest air quality analysis by CSE released in the run up to the World Environment Day on June 5. Ads by Geographical spread of ground-level ozone pollution in Delhi-NCR during March-April was highest in past four years. Ground-level ozone usually exceeds the safety standard on all days of summer in some location in Delhi-NCR every year. "But this year, the spatial spread (number of stations exceeding the standard across the city) has been much higher. On an average, 16 stations have exceeded the standard daily this March and April, which is 33 per cent increase from previous year March and April. During 2020, when lockdowns had reduced the precursor gases needed for formation of ground-level ozone, the number was down to 10 stations daily," the CSE analysis showed. There have been only six days this year so far that have registered no exceedance among any air quality monitoring stations of Delhi-NCR. There were 15 days of no exceedance last year during the same period (Jan-May). Similarly, 2020 and 2019 had 24 days each of no exceedance respectively. Foggy and cold conditions of January conventionally inhibit formation of ground-level ozone but ozone was found to be exceeding at multiple stations on 28 days this January. "It is up from 11 days and 19 days recorded in January of 2020 and 2021 respectively. Even, the months of monsoon records exceedance in some locations," it said. After Delhi-NCR that recorded ozone exceedance on almost all days of this summer, Mumbai with 75 days of exceedance was the second most impacted metro. Kolkata-Howrah and Hyderabad registered 43 days of exceedance each. Even though the number of exceedance days in Kolkata-Howrah has been lower than that of Mumbai, its citywide concentration is 30 per cent higher than in Mumbai for this summer season. The denser network of monitoring stations in Mumbai is able to catch instances of ozone exceedance better. Greater Mumbai has 26 monitoring stations while Greater Kolkata has only 10 stations. "Despite the warning signs, the problem of the toxic threat of ground-level ozone has not attracted adequate policy or public attention for mitigation and prevention," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE. To drive home the point about the danger posed by it to human health, the CSE analysis mentioned the 2020 'State of Global Air' report that stated that age-standardised rates of death attributable to ozone is among the highest in India. The criterion says it may exceed the limits on two per cent of the days in a year, but not on two consecutive days of monitoring. In other words, there should not be more than eight days in a year when the ozone standard is breached, and none of those allowed exceedances can be on two consecutive days. "The standard practice of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to average out the data of all stations in the city to determine daily AQI does not work for ground-level ozone as it is a short-lived and hyper-localised pollutant. A citywide average concentration level over an extended time frame does not indicate the severity of the problem and health implication from local build up and exposure for people living in hotspots," says Avikal Somvanshi, senior programme manager, urban lab, CSE. Ground-level ozone has become a year-long problem: Even though the ozone exceedance is seen to worsen during summer months, it remains a year-long problem as at least few locations continue to record exceedance throughout the year. This analysis tracks exceedances at each station in a city. Breach of the standard by even one station in the city is considered exceedance by the city. Days with multiple stations exceeding the standard indicates the severity of the spatial spread and number of people exposed. Given that the data is capped at 200 microgram per cubic metre by the CPCB, it is not possible to determine how high the concentration really goes. It was noted that the ozone data available on CPCB portal never exceeds 200 micrograms per cubic metre, while data for the corresponding time on Delhi Pollution Control Committee may show higher levels. Therefore, due to this capping of data it is not possible to understand the nature of peaking in the city. "This needs to be addressed as there are two sets of standards for ozone - eight-hourly standard of 100 Ig/m3 and one-hourly standard of 180 Ig/m3. Capping can make assessment of one-hourly standard challenging. This study has assessed trends only based on the eight-hourly standard," the CSE said. Ozone mitigation demands stringent control of gases from all combustion sources including vehicles, industry, power plants and open burning in the entire region. It is therefore necessary that while designing mitigation of particulate matter the key focus of action strategy today, is also calibrated for reduction of ozone precursor gases.