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Weather Survey News: 2022 रहा देश का दूसरा सबसे बड़ा हीटवेव वर्ष, एक रिपोर्ट में आया सामने, जानें अन्य डिटेल

इस साल मार्च जहां 122 सालों का सबसे गर्म माह रहा वहीं देश ने 11 मार्च से 18 मई के बीच 280 दिन हीटवेव झेली। यह पिछले 10 वर्षों में सर्वाधिक है। 2012 में देश के अनुभव से 2022 का यह आंकड़ा लगभग दोगुना है। इसी तरह 2021 में चरम मौसम की घटनाओं से महाराष्ट्र, ओडिशा और मध्य प्रदेश में सबसे अधिक मौतें हुईं। सबसे अधिक संख्या में जिले मध्य प्रदेश, महाराष्ट्र और उत्तर प्रदेश में प्रभावित हुए। गत वर्ष चरम मौसमी घटनाओं के कारण मध्य प्रदेश में 191, ओडिशा में 223 और महाराष्ट्र में 350 लोगों की जान चली गई। इसी तरह मध्य प्रदेश के 40, उत्तर प्रदेश और महाराष्ट्र के 30-30 जिलों में इन घटनाओं का खासा प्रभाव देखा गया। 2021 अभी तक दर्ज किए गए सात सबसे गर्म वर्षों में से एक था। जलवायु परिवर्तन आपदाओं का सामना करने में चीन, फिलीपींस और बांग्लादेश के बाद भारत चौथा सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित देश है। यह जानकारी सामने आई है सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट (सीएसई) की स्टेट आफ एन्वायरमेंट रिपोर्ट 2022 इन फिगर्स रिपोर्ट से। विश्व पर्यावरण दिवस (पांच जून) के संदर्भ में बृहस्पतिववार को यह रिपोर्ट सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने वर्चुअली जारी की। इस रिपोर्ट में विभिन्न क्षेत्रों की स्थिति आंकड़ों की दृष्टि से बयां की गई है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि 2012-13 और 2018-19 के बीच भारत में खेती की लागत में लगभग 35 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि हुई जबकि एक कृषि परिवार में खेती से होने वाली आय का हिस्सा 2012 में 48 प्रतिशत से कम होकर 2018-19 में -13 से 37 प्रतिशत रह गया है। वहीं देश में 50 प्रतिशत कृषि परिवार कर्ज के बोझ तले दबे हैं। औसतन हर घर पर 74,000 रुपये से अधिक का कर्ज है और देश में प्रतिदिन लगभग 29 किसान और खेतिहर मजदूर आत्महत्या करते हैं। रिपोर्ट बताती है कि 2019-20 में भारत ने 35 लाख टन प्लास्टिक कचरा उत्पन्न किया। इसमें से केवल 12 प्रतिशत का ही पुनर्चक्रण किया गया था और 20 प्रतिशत जला दिया गया था। शेष 68 प्रतिशत का कोई हिसाब नहीं है, जिसका अर्थ है कि यह जमीन और पानी या डंपसाइट में है। 2019-20 और 2020-21 के बीच खतरनाक अपशिष्ट उत्पादन में 5 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि हुई, जबकि 2018-19 एवं 2019-20 के बीच हमारे ई-कचरे के उत्पादन में 32 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि दर्ज की गई। रिपोर्ट बताती है कि विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन के मानकों को पूरा करने के लिए वायु प्रदूषण को कम करने से वैश्विक जीवन प्रत्याशा में 2.2 वर्ष जुड़ जाएंगे। रिपोर्ट में पाया गया है कि भारत में जीवन प्रत्याशा 5.9 वर्ष बढ़ जाएगी यदि देश डब्ल्यूएचओ के पीएम 2.5 के स्तर को पूरा करता है। रिपोर्ट में यह भी बताया गया है कि भोजन और खाद्य प्रणालियों पर 1.7 मिलियन से अधिक भारतीय अस्वास्थ्यकर आहार के कारण होने वाली बीमारियों के कारण मर जाते हैं। एक भारतीय के आहार में औसतन फल, सब्जियां, फलियां, मेवा और साबुत अनाज की कमी होती है। सुनीता नारायण, (महानिदेशक, सीएसई) का कहना है कि यह रिपोर्ट पर्यावरण से जुड़े हर क्षेत्र में भारत की स्थिति बयां करती है। वह भी उन्हीं आंकड़ों की जुबानी जो सरकारी विभागों ने स्वयं से साझा किए हैं। वास्तविक स्थिति हमारे सामने आएगी, तभी हम उस क्षेत्र में सुधार के लिए कदम उठा पाएंगे।

आधे घंटे का रास्ता 45 मिनट में होता है पूरा, दिल्ली की सड़कों पर क्यों आम है जाम?

नीदरलैंड्स की कंपनी TomTom के मुताबिक, सबसे ज्यादा ट्रैफिक कंजेशन में दिल्ली दुनिया का 11वां शहर है. यहां ट्रैफिक कंजेशन लेवल 48% है, यानी आधे घंटे का सफर पूरा होने में 48% समय ज्यादा लगता है. राजधानी दिल्ली में सोमवार को अचानक मौसम बदला तो तेज आंधी और बारिश ने जगह-जगह पेड़ और बिजली के खंभे उखाड़ दिए. इस बदले मौसम ने दिल्लीवालों की रोज की ट्रैफिक जाम की मुश्किलों को मुसीबत में बदल दिया. महेश कुमार ऑटो चलाते हैं. उन्हें हाईकोर्ट से जय सिंह मार्ग तक पहुंचने में डेढ़ घंटे लग गए. महेश कुमार जैसे लोग हजारों की संख्या में थे जो जगह-जगह जाम में फंसे रहे. बारिश के मौसम में ट्रैफिक जाम आम है, लेकिन दिल्ली वालों के लिए ये महज समस्या नहीं बल्कि मुसीबत है और कुछ हद तक जानलेवा मुसीबत भी. वजह है राजधानी में सड़कों की तुलना में बेतहाशा बढ़ती वाहनों की संख्या.</p> पहले जानिए देश में कितने लोगों के पास है वाहन <p class="text-align-justify">पर्यावरण पर लिखने वालीं सुनीता नारायण अपनी किताब 'कॉन्फ्लिक्ट ऑफ इंट्रेस्ट' में दिल्ली के बारे में दिलचस्प आंकड़ा देती&nbsp;हैं. वो बताती हैं कि दिल्ली के 21% क्षेत्रफल पर पहले ही सड़क बन चुकी है. इसके साथ ही वो ये भी बताती हैं कि दिल्ली के कुल रोड ट्रैफिक के सिर्फ 15% लोग कार से सफर करते हैं, लेकिन कुल रोड स्पेस का 90% क्षेत्रफल पर इन कारों का कब्जा है.&nbsp;</p> <p class="text-align-justify">इसका नतीजा ये होता है कि बस, मोटर साइकल, रिक्शा, साइकल और पैदल चलने वालों के लिए सड़क पर बेहद कम जगह बचती है. इसके लिए साल दर साल सड़कें और हाईवे लेन बनती जा रहीं हैं, लेकिन कारों की संख्या इनसे काफी तेजी से बढ़ रही है. लिहाजा ट्रैफिक समस्या कम होने की बजाय बढ़ती जा रही है. दिल्ली सरकार के 2021-22 के आर्थिक सर्वे के मुताबिक, राजधानी की सड़कों पर 2019-20 तक 1.18 करोड़ से ज्यादा गाड़ियां थीं. ये संख्या 2018-19 की तुलना में साढ़े 4 फीसदी ज्यादा है. 2018-19 तक दिल्ली की सड़कों पर 1.13 करोड़ गाड़ियां थीं.&nbsp;</p> <p class="text-align-justify">राजधानी दिल्ली हर एक हजार लोगों पर भी गाड़ियों की संख्या तेजी से बढ़ रही है. दिल्ली में 2016-17 में हर एक हजार आबादी पर 556 गाड़ियां थीं. 2019-20 में ये आंकड़ा बढ़कर 643 गाड़ियों का हो गया. यानी चार साल में ही एक हजार आबादी पर 87 गाड़ियां बढ़ गईं नेशनल फैमिली हेल्थ सर्वे-5 (NFHS-5) के आंकड़े बताते हैं कि देश के 7.5% परिवारों के पास अपनी कार है. 2018 में ये आंकड़ा 6% का था. ऐसे ही 49.7% परिवारों के पास दोपहिया वाहन हैं. 2018 में ये 37.7% था. वहीं 50.4% परिवारों के पास साइकिल है, जबकि 2018 में ये आंकड़ा 52.1% का था. ये आंकड़े बताते हैं कि सड़क पर कार और बाइक वालों की संख्या बढ़ रही है, जबकि साइकल वालों की संख्या घट रही है.

Climate Change Impact: बिगड़ रहे हालात! क्लाइमेट चेंज से सबसे अधिक प्रभावित देशों में जानिए भारत का स्थान

New Magazine Launched: भारत के पर्यावरण को लेकर इसमें चौंका देने वाले आंकड़े सामने आए हैं. उन आंकड़ों को जारी किया है सेन्टर फॉर साइंस एंड New Magazine Launched: आज सेन्टर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) और डाउन टू अर्थ (DTE) की मैगजीन The State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures को लॉन्च किया गया. भारत के पर्यावरण को लेकर इसमें चौंका देने वाले आंकड़े सामने आए हैं. इस मैगजीन में भारत में विभिन्न सेक्टरों पर पड़ रहे प्रभावों को आकड़ों की मदद से दिखाने की कोशिश की गई है. क्लाइमेट चेंज को लेकर बड़ा आंकड़ा रिपोर्ट में क्लाइमेट चेंज को लेकर एक बड़ा आंकड़ा जारी किया गया है. रिपोर्ट में जारी आकड़ों के अनुसार, क्लाइमेट चेंज को लेकर सबसे खराब हालातों वाले देश में भारत चौथे स्थान पर है. भारत से पहले चीन, फिलीपींस और बांग्लादेश हैं. सॉलिड वेस्ट भारत के लिए एक बड़ी चुनौती बनकर उभर रही है. रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, साल 2019-20 में भारत मे कुल 3.5 मिलियन टन प्लास्टिक कचरा उत्पन्न हुआ. जिसमें से केवल 12% कचरे को रिसायकल किया गया. वहीं 20% को जला दिया गया. बाकी बचे 68% कचरे का कोई प्रबंधन नही किया गया. यानी कि बचा हुआ प्लास्टिक का कचरा अभी भी पर्यावरण में मौजूद है. वहीं Hazardous Waste में साल 2019-20 से साल 2020-21 में 5% की बढ़ोतरी हुई है. तेजी से उत्पन्न हो रहा E-Waste भारत मे E-Waste भी बहुत तेजी से उत्पन्न किया जा रहा है. साल 2018-19 से 2019-20 में 32% की वृद्धि देखने को मिली. रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, अगर भारत विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन के वायु प्रदूषण को लेकर तय मानकों पर पहुंच जाता है तो भारत मे Life Expectancy 5.9 साल तक बढ़ जाएगी. इस साल मार्च का महीना भारत के लिए सबसे गर्म रहा था. रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, इस साल 11 मार्च से लेकर 18 मई हीट वेव ने पिछले 10 सालों का रिकॉर्ड तोड़ दिया है. इस तरह के कई आंकड़े इस मैगज़ीन में दिए हुए है जिनकी मदद से भारत मे पर्यावरण को लेकर मौजूदा स्थिति को समझा जा सकता है. सरकारी आंकड़ों के आधार पर है मैगजीन रिचर्ड महापात्रा, मैनेजिंग एडिटर डाउन टू अर्थ के मुताबिक इस मैगजीन में इस्तेमाल अधिकतर आंकड़े भारत सरकार के द्वारा जारी किए गए हैं और ये पब्लिक डोमेन में मौजूद भी है. हमने इन आकड़ों को सिर्फ Analyse किया है और उसे एक जॉर्नलिस्टिक इनसाइट के साथ पेश किया है.

Heat, Erosion, Climate Action Failure: Figures Tell Worrying Tales of State of India's Environment

From coastal erosion to farmers’ struggles, to heavy metals in our rivers and many of our climate actions being off-target, there’s much to worry about when it comes to the state of India’s environment, a CSE report finds. Numbers tell several worrying tales in ‘State of India’s Environment: In Figures’, a report published by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth magazine on June 2. Two-thirds of India’s rivers are contaminated with heavy metals. Climate change is increasing internal migration in the country, even increasing human trafficking. For all its proclamations of climate promises and pledges, India is off-target in 15 of the 17 government initiatives (such as achieving 175 gigawatts of renewable energy) that have a deadline this year. These are some of the 39 factsheets that the report provides on various facets of the country’s environment. Researchers at CSE collated data from government departments, surveys, reports and databases, as well as other international reports. The team also supplemented this data with some of their own. Key takeaways The Wire shortlisted some of the main takeaways from the report: 1. Our coasts are eroding. More than a third of India’s coastline (~6,907 km) has witnessed some degree of coastal erosion or the other, between 1990 and 2018. West Bengal is the worst hit, with over 60% of its coasts facing erosion. Photo: ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ published by Centre for Science and Environment. 2. The heat’s getting worse. This year witnessed the hottest March in 120 years. Heat waves are increasing in frequency, and we’re seeing more days of heatwaves this year. Photo: ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ published by Centre for Science and Environment. 3. Heavy metal contamination: Based on data from the Central Water Commission (from 764 river quality monitoring stations across 28 states) between 2018 and 2020, the report found that three out of every four river monitoring stations in India have alarming levels of heavy toxic metals. These include lead, iron, nickel, cadmium, arsenic, chromium and copper. In one-fourth of the monitoring stations (spread across 117 rivers and tributaries), high levels of two or more toxic metals were reported. The Ganga isn’t free of heavy metals either. Of the 33 monitoring stations along the Ganga, 10 had high levels of contaminants (showing high levels of lead, iron, nickel, cadmium and arsenic in the river). Photo: ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ published by Centre for Science and Environment. 4. Climate change and disasters: Climate change is a bigger displacer of people than conflicts and violence, the report found. Climate disasters triggered around 76% of the internal displacements that the world saw in 2020. India is the fourth worst hit by such disasters, after China, Philippines and Bangladesh. The impacts of climate change also increase instances of displacement and migration, making people more vulnerable to trafficking (since traffickers target vulnerable sections such as women and children), the report also found. Photo: ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ published by Centre for Science and Environment. 5. Food inflation: The diet of an average Indian is already low on fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, the report also found. To make things worse, India’s consumer price index-based inflation in April 2022 rose to an eight-year high of 7.79% due to an increase in edible oil and fuel prices. Photo: ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ published by Centre for Science and Environment. 6. Our climate action is off-target. India will not be able to accomplish 15 of the 17 government initiatives (such as 100% source segregation at households, achieving 175 gigawatts of renewable energy and doubling farmers’ income) that have a deadline this year. Photo: ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ published by Centre for Science and Environment. 7. Failure in implementing climate action will spell further doom. Over the next 5-10 years, climate action failure will be the single biggest global risk. This is based on a survey of over 12,000 global leaders in business, non-profits, governments, academicians and others, conducted by the World Economic Forum Global Risks Perception Survey in 2021-2022. Photo: ‘State of India’s Environment 2022: In Figures’ published by Centre for Science and Environment. The report also highlights how some of India’s forests have gone missing in survey data and how only 12% of our plastic waste was recycled in 2019-20. It also said that it’s no longer viable to be a farmer. The cost of cultivation has increased in India, it found, by almost 35% between 2012-13 and 2018-19. Yet the share of income from cultivation in an agricultural household has gone down. At the same time, 50% of agricultural households in the country are reeling under debt, and about 29 farmers and farm labourers die by suicide in the country daily. “Data is about measurement and the better we measure, the better we will get at management – this is what we know and this is why we put together this dataset each year,” said Down To Earth editor Sunita Narain in a press release. “It helps us make sense of the changes we see in our world; it helps us understand what needs to be done.” The report shows that we definitely need to do more, and do them differently, to bring ourselves back on track, added Narain at the online release of the book. “Business as usual will not work anymore.”

Burning need to safeguard the planet

Climate change is the result of an ever-increasing demand for energy, states Sunita Narain, director-general of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. BEIJING – South Asia’s heat waves show action on climate can’t be put off, experts say The suffering caused by South Asia’s record-breaking heat waves brings home the urgency for climate justice to be addressed without delay, environmental experts say. Every time a climate change-induced event strikes the Indian subcontinent, it “gives us an edge to understand that climate justice has not been given to us”, said Anjal Prakash, research director at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy of the Indian School of Business and a lead author with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. While climate change is often blamed on developing countries, it is not their doing, the scientist said. “It is the West, the industrial Global North, (who) have created today’s climate change with pollution, and (in the) Global South we are at the receiving end of the problem,” he told China Daily. The expert believes that the pledges made by industrialized countries for adaptation finance must be honored by those nations that have been reluctant to pay up. The scorching heat waves that have gripped northwestern India and southeastern Pakistan, among other regions, are viewed by scientists across the world as clear-cut, climate change-induced events. In India, heat waves are not uncommon in May and June. This year’s summer started early, however, with high temperatures and heat waves since March. In April, many weather stations in India recorded temperatures exceeding 45 C. March saw an average maximum temperature of 33.1 C, the highest recorded in India in 122 years, according to the World Meteorological Organization. And Pakistan experienced its warmest March in 61 years. “In India and Pakistan, the high temperature is unmatched in recent human history … it’s been really, really unprecedented,” said Prakash. “Heat stress is the climate-induced disaster, which is the slow onset of climate change, impacting people’s lives, health, and the infrastructure that we have here.” London-based expert Bob Ward said: “The exceptional period of heat-wave conditions in India and Pakistan is an indication of the way in which climate change is increasing severe risks to human health.” Ward is the policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy of the London School of Economics and Political Science. This year’s heat waves “also triggered an extreme glacial lake outburst flood in northern Pakistan and forest fires in India, as well as damage to yields of vital wheat crops”, Ward noted. More common Studies show that these high temperatures are set to become more common. Ward cited a recent report from the United Kingdom’s Meteorological Office that concluded that the record-breaking heat waves in India and Pakistan had been made more than 100 times more likely because of climate change. World Weather Attribution, a network that analyzes climate change effects, published a report on May 23 saying that climate change makes a heat wave as much as 30 times more likely. According to the WWA, India’s heat wave slashed the country’s wheat crop yields, leading the government to limit grain exports. Climate change is the result of an ever-increasing demand for energy, said Sunita Narain, director-general of the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. “Emissions from the burning of fossil fuels－coal, oil and natural gas－are the reason why the world is today on the edge of a precipice. The 2022 report of the IPCC reiterates that the impacts of a warming planet will be catastrophic,” she said. Prakash, who was in a working group that contributed to the IPCC’s report, said these events come as “no surprise”. But in South Asia, daily wage earners, “are feeling the brunt of it”, he said. Suvo Roy, who teaches anthropology at India’s Calcutta University, said: “Unless emissions are curbed or cut significantly, we are in for worse days.”

71 pc Indians cannot afford healthy diet: CSE report

Seventy-one per cent Indians cannot afford a healthy diet and 1.7 million die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, according to a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine. 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. The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks. “Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent,” it said citing the Global Nutrition Report, 2021. 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. A healthy diet is considered unaffordable when its cost exceeds 63 percent of a person’s income, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation. 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. They consume just 24.9g per day (25 percent of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13 percent of target) of nuts per day. “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. “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 food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment,” it said. The report also presents an analysis of food prices. It says that the consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327 per cent increase in the past year, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI — has seen an 84 per cent jump. “Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. 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,” said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth. PTI GVS TDS TDS

71% Indians can't afford a healthy meal, millions die every year due to poor diet: Report

The majority of Indians cannot afford a healthy meal and millions die every year due to diseases that are directly linked to poor diet, a recent survey showed. Noting that the diet of an average Indian typically lacks essential nutritional food articles like fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc., the report said, “a healthy meal becomes unaffordable if it exceeds 63% of a person's income." A recent report released by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine said, “Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent." The diet of an average Indian typically lacks fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, the report also said the Global Nutrition Report, 2021. Referring to the diseases that are attributable to poor diet, the survey mentioned respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease. Why majority of Indians can't afford a healthy meal? As per the Food and Agriculture Organisation, a healthy meal becomes unaffordable if it exceeds 63% of a person's income. Adults above the aged 20 and above consume only 35.8g of fruit per day as against the recommended 200g and 168.7g of vegetables every day as against the minimum 300g that is advised. Similarly, they consume just 24.9g per day (25% of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13% of target) of nuts per day. "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. SIMILAR STORIES A warning on India's high percentage of heart diseases in wak... A warning on India's high percentage of heart diseases in wak... Only 2% of Australian wines to get lower duty access to India Only 2% of Australian wines to get lower duty access to India Tomatoes are the next big risk to PM Modi’s fight against inf... Tomatoes are the next big risk to PM Modi’s fight against inf... Global food shortages demand an international-level solution Global food shortages demand an international-level solution India cuts base import price of palm oil; raises soyoil price India cuts base import price of palm oil; raises soyoil price Good monsoon outlook in India tempers fears of rice export curbs Good monsoon outlook in India tempers fears of rice export curbs Mizoram to declare swine fever outbreak as state disaster; di... Mizoram to declare swine fever outbreak as state disaster; di... Facing inflation-weary shoppers, grocers fight price increasesPremium Facing inflation-weary shoppers, grocers fight price increases "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 food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment," it said. How inflation is affecting food prices? In the past year, the consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327% increase, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI -- has seen an 84% jump. “Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. 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," said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth.

Create A Customer Responsive Culture To Protect Brand Reputation: Gaurav Sood

Gaurav Sood, author of Troll Proof Branding in the Age of Doppelgänger, describes the harm that the social media attacks by dissatisfied customers can cause to brands, suggests strategies to rebound In the age of social media, consumers are no more passive recipients of products and services; they actively spread word about quality, durability, and health, social and environment impact. In this milieu, brands need to be on their guard and intervene in the nick of time to avert harm. Gaurav Sood, professor of marketing at Amity Business School, Amity University, Noida, has done an exhaustive study of history of brand-building, attacks on brands, and modern forms of culture-jamming, in his new book, rich with examples. He uses the German term Doppelgänger — alter ego — to show how these attacks create the opposite effect of the image a brand wants for itself. In an interview with Businessworld, he delves into the issue at length. Excerpts: Doppelgänger imagery in the 21st Century, with the vast reach of social media, has the potential to ruin a company's reputation instantaneously, as highlighted through several examples in your book. What approach would you suggest to companies in terms of dealing with the harm arising out of this imagery?   Well, the web is a dangerous place with people trying to sabotage the brand equity through culture jamming, trolling, fake news, digital activism, and opposing the brand’s emotional branding stories, creating a brand doppelganger, a family of critical and uncomplimentary stories circulated in the popular culture by anti-brand activist, social media users, and opinion leaders. These disparaging images if ignored can lead to the creation of brand doppelganger and can damage the brand’s reputation. From memes to parodies, Adbusters and subvertising, a brand doppelganger can originate from anywhere and in any form. It can be created by consumers, anti-brand activists, competitors, opinion leaders, media, and the public at large who help in amplifying the brand doppelganger image by circulating it through their social media platforms. Marketers need to develop a strategy to combat the brand doppelganger imagery and they have to research the following:  What form the brand doppelganger has adopted to destroy the brand's reputation? Is the brand culture jammed through memes, anti-brand websites, blogs, satire, parody, fake news, trolls, digital hacking, etc.?  Is the brand doppelganger positive and favours your brand as in the case of the Indian Premier League (IPL) or is it damaging or is it accidentally created by company’s mistake or market socio, political, economic, or cultural environmental changes?  How will the brand doppelganger damage the brand? Will it result in reputation loss, financial loss, brand avoidance, etc.?  What are the options available to combat the monstrous imagery? Each brand has its unique challenges when it comes to managing its doppelganger. There are many strategies mentioned by me in the book. These have to be different for different brands depending on who and how this imagery is created and what is the magnitude of damage. Do you see a need for new expertise area, and dedicated human resources to protect brand image, considering that conversations on social media and public feedback regarding products and services are here to stay ?   Most big companies are already aligning their human resources with the help of technology to address the challenge of brand doppelganger. Those who still are ignoring it will be at loss. Brand communication is a two way communication where the stakeholders hold more power to challenge the authenticity of the brand communication. It is no more B2C or B2B but C2C which holds the key. Well does this means a dedicated human resource to manage the brand doppelganger? I disagree. Managing brand doppelganger in an organisation is to create a customer responsive culture and each and every employee belonging to various functional roles like marketing, sales, customer service, HR, finance, operations or even the leadership team needs to be trained to develop a response mechanism to handle the brand doppelganger. So, the brand should be concerned as to what part or aspect of its branding story is under attack for example is its customer service, product features, benefits, price, distribution channel, etc. and assign responsibility to the concerned function to come forward and contribute in countering the monstrous imagery. While in your book you recommend deploying scientific methods and tools like sentiment analysis and brand concept mapping to bring out consumers' deeper feelings, to what extent can these strategies be in averting negative publicity crises?  See, a brand is a network of associations in the mind of the consumer and they comprise positive as well as negative brand associations. The paramount objective of the brand is to create and reinforce positive brand associations through brand elements (logo, symbol, jingle, color, etc.), packaging, marketing mix (product, price, distribution channel, and promotion). A brand doppelganger image can put a spanner in the smooth rolling of the brand communication and can challenge the brand authenticity. For example, Coca-Cola brand has faced consumer backlash through fake news like ‘Coca Cola as a toilet cleaner’ or trolled for ‘peddling sugar’, damaging the brand’s reputation and value. So can brands like Coca-Cola ignore the creation of their doppelganger imagery or identify and measure its impact to develop a sound brand strategy. Even strong brands need to be careful in managing the performance of their brand by continuously reviewing the performance of the brand, the marketing managers cannot accept even a slight slide in the brand value or overlook a single negative review about the brand. A brand's performance needs to be measured through monitoring certain key performance metrics to gain timely, accurate, and actionable insights into brand health so that tactical and strategic decisions can be taken in the short and long term. You have discussed at length anti-brand activists creating a "monstrous image of the brand". However, many of the concerns that they raise are genuine. These could be environmental, health issues, disregard for labour laws or loss of local livelihoods. Unless the core issue is resolved by actually taking action, how can trust be restored?  So resolve it! That’s what I am trying to communicate through my book. Why should a company give room to or indulge in actions that could create this brand doppelganger through an angry customer or a anti-brand activist. So if we see certain examples like “Nike Sweat-Shops”, “IPL-Match Fixing”, “United Airline Customer Service failure” and many more such cases obviously need to address their failures and take corrective measures to resolve the core brand issues. Brands have been doing this in the past and I am sure will continue to do it in the future. For example Coca-Cola is working towards sustainably sourcing all key ingredients by 2020 and reducing its carbon footprint by 25 per cent by 2025. Disney, at all of its parks, uses zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions and has a zero-waste policy so that nothing ends up in landfills. Switching to energy-efficient appliances at its restaurants, McDonald’s cut energy waste by 25 per cent; it also plans to source all of its packaging from recycled materials by 2025. Facing the “Sweat-Shop” controversy, Nike raised the minimum age of workers, significantly increased monitoring; and adapted U.S. OSHA clean air standards in all factories. You have cited examples of CEOs scoring self-goal by posting politically incorrect tweets, employees of a restaurant contaminating the food and posting a video, and brand ambassadors causing harm through their actions. Do these instances create a ground for stringent policies regarding social media posts by employees?  Oh sure, every company should have guidelines for their employees (most of them do) to manage customer queries, social media post, employee behaviour etc. Now this is the combined role of leadership, HR and corporate communication as to how to train their employees and monitor their activities from time to time in managing their roles, responsibilities and behaviour when they interact with the stakeholders and public at large on social media platforms etc. Still some incidents may come up, so face it and resolve it in the best interest of the stakeholders both internal and external. For example, Adidas group social media guidelines states, “At the Adidas Group we believe in open communication and you are encouraged to tell the world about your work and share your passion. Whether you do so by participating in a blog, wiki, online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion is completely up to you.” Further it also mentions that the employee has to identify himself in each such social media post and is personally responsible for the content they published. Also some don’ts by Adidas guidelines state that the employees should not comment on work related to legal matters and confidential agreement. The policy also includes respecting copyright and referencing content. Much of what is circulated on social media is also vitriol, and celebrities are often target of that. How can celebrities shut out the noise while retaining the fan base?   Every celebrity has different strategies to manage the trolls. Recently, a netizen commented on Amitabh Bachchan’s post, calling him 'buddhey' (Old man). Giving a befitting reply, Big B wrote, "I pray to god that nobody insults you when you grow old." So some celebrity use humour, some ignore, some confront, some preach and some sympathise. Alia Bhatt, who has won so many awards for her acting skills became the butt of joke after her rapid fire round of ‘Koffee with Karan’ on her ignorance about the President's name. Alia took this on her stride and said, “I look at it in two ways — I'm either relevant or irrelevant. If you're making a joke about me, I'm relevant. So why should I be upset?”. The actress bounced back with 'Genius of the year' video on social media channels. The video garnered 1.6 million views in a day and the whole film fraternity and even her critics appreciated her sense of humour and the ability to laugh at herself. Which is that one company/ product/ personality that has reinvented itself after bad publicity, and come out much stronger?   Though there are many brands who have bounced back, but there are two which I can mentioned here: In 2019, Nike failed to keep its brand promise of enhancing performance of the athlete in the case of Zion Williamson, an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). What happened during a highly anticipated matchup between Duke and North Carolina was unbelievable as the Nike shoe he was wearing split in half while making a cut and made him sit on the bench with a knee injury. People took to social media and blamed Nike for this debacle and culture jammed Nike core positioning of 'Just do it'. Not only people but even competition joined the party and used this opportunity to malign Nike image and project their shoe as a better option. The consumer backlash was so powerful that the Nike shares plunged down by 1.8 per cent. It was a huge embarrassment for Nike and could have been a big product liability case if Zion would have been seriously injured. Nike crises management team soon came to action and assured that they are working on to identify the issue and take corrective measures. After a month Zion was back playing and wore a Nike custom-made shoes and stated that they were incredible shoes. Similarly, a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found rampant adulteration in honey sold by major Indian brands, with 77 per cent of samples failing purity tests for sugar syrup adulteration. Dabur was one of them. Following the controversy, Dabur India partnered with Amazon India and launched its organic honey. Dabur Organic Honey claims to come with the ‘promise of being completely unprocessed and unpasteurised.’ Also Dabur launched three minute video showing honey collectors on a honey trail in the Sunderban; it highlights the 'beehive to breakfast table' journey of honey.

71 pc Indians cannot afford healthy diet: CSE report

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. New Delhi: Seventy-one per cent Indians cannot afford a healthy diet and 1.7 million die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, according to a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine. 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. The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks. MS Education Academy Also Read In Pics: World Bicyle Day “Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent,” it said citing the Global Nutrition Report, 2021. 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. A healthy diet is considered unaffordable when its cost exceeds 63 percent of a person’s income, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation. 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. They consume just 24.9g per day (25 percent of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13 percent of target) of nuts per day. “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. “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 food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment,” it said. The report also presents an analysis of food prices. It says that the consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327 per cent increase in the past year, while the consumer price index (CPI) which includes CFPI — has seen an 84 per cent jump. Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. 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,” said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth.

71 pc Indians cannot afford healthy diet: CSE report

The diseases attributable to dietary risk factors include respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes and coronary heart disease, the report State of Indias Environment 2022 In Figures said.The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks. Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet and 1.7 million die every year due to diseases attributable to poor diet, according to a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine. 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. The report refers to diets low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and diets high in processed meat, red meat, and sugary drinks. 'Seventy-one percent of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet. The global average is 42 percent,'' it said citing the Global Nutrition Report, 2021. The diet of an average Indian lacks fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. The consumption of fish, dairy and red meat is within target, it said. A healthy diet is considered unaffordable when its cost exceeds 63 percent of a person's income, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation. 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. They consume just 24.9g per day (25 percent of target) of legumes and 3.2g (13 percent of target) of nuts per day. ''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. ''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 food system falls far short of achieving global goals for both health and the environment,'' it said. The report also presents an analysis of food prices. It says that the consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has seen a 327 percent increase in the past year, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI -- has seen an 84 percent jump. "Food seems to be the biggest mover of CPI inflation. 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,'' said Richard Mahapatra, managing editor, Down To Earth.

Is affordability a reason why Indians cannot maintain a healthy diet?

Adults aged 20 and above in India consume just 35.8g of fruit per day, compared to the required 200g, and only 168.7g of vegetables per day, compared to the least 300g. They consume just 24.9g of legumes per day (25 percent of the objective) and 3.2g of nuts per day (13 percent of the target). At least 71% of Indians cannot afford a nutritious food, and 1.7 million people die each year as a result of illnesses caused by inadequate diet, according to a survey produced by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine. According to the study 'State of India's Environment 2022: In Figures,' disorders attributed to dietary risk factors include respiratory ailments, diabetes, cancer, strokes, and coronary heart disease. Diets low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and heavy in processed meat, red meat, and sugary beverages are mentioned in the study. "A nutritious diet is out of reach for 71% of Indians.," it said. According to the Global Nutrition Report 2021, the global average is 42 per cent. The average Indian's diet is deficient in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. It said that consumption of fish, dairy, and red meat is within aim. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, a nutritious diet is deemed expensive when the cost surpasses 63 percent of a person's income. Adults aged 20 and above in India consume just 35.8g of fruit per day, compared to the required 200g, and only 168.7g of vegetables per day, compared to the least 300g. They consume just 24.9g of legumes per day (25 percent of the objective) and 3.2g of nuts per day (13 percent of the target). "Despite some progress, diets are not improving. Furthermore, they place rising demands on the environment, even as unacceptable levels of starvation continue in the country," according to the research. "The enormous human, environmental, and economic consequences of continuing on our current path are so severe that we will pay a much larger price if we do not act." "The global food system falls well short of meeting global health and environmental goals," it stated. The study also includes a pricing analysis of food. According to the report, consumer food price index (CFPI) inflation has risen 327 percent in the last year, while the consumer price index (CPI) – which includes CFPI – has risen 84 percent.

World Bicycle Day 2022: दिल्ली के इन इलाकों में सबसे ज्यादा साइकिल चला रहे हैं लोग, विश्व साइकिल दिवस पर देखें ये दिलचस्प आंकड़े

World Bicycle Day 2022: साइकिल...जो किफायती भी है और इसे चलाने में किसी ईंधन की जरूरत भी नहीं होती है। साथ ही यह आपको हेल्दी भी रख सकती है... और हां पर्यावरण के लिहाज से भी यह काफी मुफीद है। दरअसल आज 'वर्ल्ड बाइसिकल डे' है और हम आपको बताएंगे राजधानी दिल्ली से जुड़े इसके दिलचस्प आंकड़े। ​दिल्ली में 27.2 फीसदी लोग चलाते हैं साइकिल World Bicycle Day 2022: नैशनल फैमिली हेल्थ सर्वे-5 (2019-20) की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, राजधानी में 27.2% लोग साइकिल चलाते हैं, जबकि 53.1% दोपहिया और महज 19.4% लोग कार चलाते हैं। एक्सपर्ट के अनुसार साइकिल और दोपहिया की अधिक संख्या के बावजूद शहर को कारों के हिसाब से डिजाइन किया जा रहा है। एक्सपर्ट की मानें तो इस समय फोकस नॉन मोटराइज्ड गाड़ियों पर होना चाहिए। सीएसई की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार राजधानी में करीब 25% जमीन का इस्तेमाल सड़कों के लिए हो रहा है। अगर प्लानिंग में साइकिल और छोटे साधनों को शामिल नहीं किया गया तो समस्या विकराल होंगी। ​सिंगापुर मॉडल हो सकता है समाधान World Bicycle Day 2022: सीएसई की डीजी सुनीता नारायण के अनुसार गाड़ियों को कम करने का सबसे सफल मॉडल सिंगापुर है। उन्होंने बताया कि सिंगापुर में अगर गाड़ी लेनी हो तो उसका ऑक्शन होता है। वहां पहले यह तय किया जाता है कि कितनी गाड़ियां और चल सकती हैं। इसके बाद उतनी गाड़ियों का ऑक्शन होता है। नीलामी में रेट काफी ऊंचे जाते हैं। दरअसल, सिंगापुर का पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट इतना अच्छा है कि लोगों को गाड़ियों की कमी नहीं खलती। ​दिल्ली में साइकिल और दोपहिया असुरक्षित क्यों? World Bicycle Day 2022: ग्रीनपीस के अविनाश चंचल के अनुसार, एक तरफ डीडीए कह रहा है कि क्षतिपूर्ति पेड़ लगाने के लिए जगह नहीं हैं। दूसरे राज्यों में इन्हें लगाने की मंजूरी दी जाए। वहीं दूसरी तरफ इस शहर की 25 प्रतिशत जगह सड़कें घेर चुकी हैं। अभी कई सड़कों को चौड़ा करने का काम चल रहा है। वहीं राहगीरी फाउंडेशन की को-फाउंडर सारिका पांडा भट्ट के अनुसार दिल्ली-एनसीआर में लोग सड़कों पर साइकिल और दोपहिए को सुरक्षित नहीं मानते हैं। इसलिए सरकार को साइकिल से चलने वालों और पैदल यात्रियों को अब प्राइम फोकस में रखना चाहिए। जिसके तहत वॉक-वे और साइकिल ट्रैक बनाए जाएं। ​राजधानी में कहां हैं साइकिल ट्रैक World Bicycle Day 2022: दिल्ली में तीन प्रमुख साइकिल ट्रैक बने हुए हैं। इनमें आजादपुर के मॉल रोड पर 7.1 किलोमीटर का साइकिल ट्रैक, महरौली से बदरपुर वाया साकेत पर 3.5 किलोमीटर और आंबेडकर नगर से लोदी रोड बीआरटी कॉरिडोर पर 12 किलोमीटर का डेडिकेटेड साइकिल ट्रैक है। द्वारका के पार्क आदि के पास भी साइकिल ट्रैक बनाए गए थे। ​कहां हो रही है ज्यादा साइक्लिंग धौला कुआं से ग्यारह मूर्ति, राष्ट्रपति भवन से इंडिया गेट, द्वारका से नजफगढ़ वेटलैंड, गुरुग्राम-फरीदाबाद रोड, संजय वन, डोमेस्टिक टर्मिनल से मानेसर, असोला भाटी लेक, अरावली देश में किसका कितना प्रतिशत (2019-20 के आधार पर) साइकिल चलाने वाले 50.4 % दोपहिया चलाने वाले 49.7 % कार चलाने वाले 7.5 % ​राजधानी के लोग क्यों एक सीमित समय में चलाते हैं साइकिल रैफिक शुरू होने के बाद साइकिल सुरक्षित नहीं रह जाती है साइकिल ट्रैक जहां बने हैं उनका इस्तेमाल पार्किंग और रेहड़ियों के लिए हो रहा है गाड़ी चलाने वाले सुरक्षा को देखते हुए नहीं मेंटेन करते उचित दूरी साइक्लिंग के फायदे (Cycling Benefits) दिल को फिट रखता है वजन का संतुलन बनाए रखता है डायबिटिज के खतरे को कम करता है मांसपेशियां मजबूत होती हैं गठिया की रोकथाम में मददगार