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CSE report flags poor state of organic fertilisers, biofertilizers sector in India

Key Highlights of the Report: India has become the second-highest producer and consumer of chemical fertilisers in the world. Per hectare chemical fertiliser consumption has been increasing over the years. The country’s soil health is also poor. There is widespread deficiency of organic carbon, macronutrients and micronutrients in Indian soils. Only a handful of the states were responsible for most of the country’s production. More than 90% of the country-wide production of carrier-based solid biofertilisers is limited to only five states. India produced 3.88 million tonnes of organic fertilisers in 2020-21, which is a dramatic decrease from the 338.72 million tonnes in 2017-18. Quality control infrastructure is poor. Many states do not have their own testing laboratories. Capacities of existing laboratories in the country are not utilised properly. Only 28% of the capacity of seven Regional Centre of Organic Farming laboratories was utilised in 2019-20. The number of biofertiliser samples tested decreased to 483 in 2019–20 from 654 in 2013–14. The percentage of samples failing the tests rose to 46 in 2019–20 from nine in 2013–14. [Ref: DTE] Barriers in the Growth of Biofertilizers and Organic Fertilizers: Total budgetary allocation to promote organic and natural farming is very low compared to the requirements. There is inadequate support for farm-level extension, training of farmers and local small manufactures. Local-level implementation of FCO and monitoring mechanisms lack credibility and trust. Farmers are not very aware of the benefits of non-chemical fertilizers. Dealers are also not very interested in buying and selling them. Corruption in securing licences for manufacturing, selling and quality testing of biofertilizers and organic fertilizers acts as a hindrance to their manufacture and sale. There is limited involvement of state agriculture universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras in the production of biofertilizers or organic fertilizers. There is a lack of awareness regarding optimum practices related to organic and natural farming, which involves usage of biofertilizers and organic fertilizers. Adequate quantities of quality biofertilizers and organic fertilizers are not available at the local level. Recommendations: A targeted, ambitious nationwide programme is needed to drive the change towards organic and natural farming. Quality of biofertilizers and organic fertilizers must be ensured by developing a robust enforcement mechanism through collaboration between the Centre and states. Production and availability of biofertilizers and organic fertilizers must be ensured. Their use must be promoted through a multi-pronged approach by the Centre and states.

2022 Is Hotter Than Most Years, But Here's Why Urban India Is Feeling Even Hotter

North-western India and central India have been reeling under scorching temperatures since March this year. While India recorded its warmest March in the last 122 years, by April, the hilly regions of the country were also engulfed by a severe heat wave. In Himachal Pradesh, there were 21 days of heat waves in March-April 2022, with temperatures rising up to an unprecedented 42.5 degree C in Una; in Drass (Ladakh, one of the coldest places in the country) the mercury had gone up to 22.6 degree C. Deatails at : https://swarajyamag.com/ideas/soaring-temperatures-how-india-is-countering-severe-heat-wave-this-summer

Irresponsible waste management practices lead to landfill fires in Delhi

The dumping of garbage in the landfills is being done in an indiscriminate and unscientific manner. Heatwaves increase the amount of explosive methane gas released from wet waste in landfills. Experts blame bad waste management practices, while the authorities point at rising temperatures as the cause for landfill fires. On 26 April, a massive fire broke out at the Bhalswa landfill in north Delhi, within a month of the Ghazipur dumpsite erupting in flames, twice. While usually landfill fires are put out between two and five days, the flames at the Bhalswa site continue, leading to the longest operation by the Delhi Fire Services. According to the prescribed protocols, there first has to be segregation of wet waste and dry waste, which is not taking place. After that, the recyclables such as plastics and metals have to be isolated from the waste, which is also not taking place. This results in waste being dumped indiscriminately in landfills, making conditions ripe for fires to break out when temperatures rise, with the wet waste producing combustible gases, leading to spontaneous breakout of fires, which further spread through plastics and textiles that could have been recycled instead of being dumped. Even the makeshift measures of covering the fresh garbage with a layer of construction waste, to prevent the spread of fires is not being carried out. In short, none of the scientific principles for maintaining landfills are being followed by the authorities, who find it convenient to blame rising temperatures every year. According to waste management guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board, landfills are the last option for waste disposal, and ideally should not be used at all. However, in most cities, including the NCR, landfills are the preferred and first option for the disposal of waste. It also recommends proper segregation of bio-degradable wastes before garbage is dumped into landfills, something that is not carried out in the NCR. Residents around the areas of the landfill fires complain of irritation in the eyes and respiratory system, with the smoke containing highly toxic substances such as hydrocarbons, methane, radon, volatile organic compounds, and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. The fires can have an adverse effect on the health of the residents in the entire NCR, as well as the flora and fauna. The problems faced by residents included sore throats, itchy eyes and respiratory difficulties. Additionally, there is evidence to support the role of the increase in particulate matter in the ambient air in enabling the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Scrap dealers continued to work in the hazardous environment around the 17-storey-high dumpsite, even as the fire raged on, putting their health at risks, but finding no other alternative as their lives depended on it. Even as firefighters struggled to douse the blaze, the authorities resorted to political pot shots and pointing at the thermometer, with no acknowledgement of the blatant mismanagement of the waste at landfills, that creates conditions where fires are inevitable. There is a science to how landfills are supposed to be operated, and mismanagement can lead to fires. The release of gases by wet waste increases during high temperatures, with the recent fire at Bhalswa breaking out in the middle of a heatwave. Experts are not surprised that the fire at Bhalswa landfill has been raging for over 10 days now. Richa Singh, Programme Officer, Municipal Solid Waste, Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi says, "Fires at landfills that are not designed and operated scientifically can be prevented up to an extent but once ignited, extremely difficult to control. For sustainable operations at the site, regular compaction of waste and daily soil cover (10 cm thick cover) as per the existing law has to be followed in Ghazipur and Bhalswa dumpsites as a preventive action and interim measure." The landfill fires point to a systemic failure of waste management in Delhi. Pushpendra Johari, Senior Vice-President of Sustainability at RMSI Pvt Ltd, a Noida based consultation firm says, "Due to large quantity of organic matter waste available at the landfill ground such as food materials, yard waste, paper, clothes, etc., substantial level of methane gas is emitted as a result of waste materials degradation process. Methane when mixes with oxygen becomes very inflammable. Organic matter degradation process get expedited under high temperature causing increased level of methane gas emission and slightest of spark causes a fire in the Landfill." There are some mitigating steps that can be taken to prevent fires in the landfills, where explosive combinations of gases can exist. Pushpendra Johari says, "Landfill fires can be prevented by covering the top so that methane gases are blocked from escaping to atmosphere where they mix with oxygen and become explosive. More severe heat waves provide more conducive environment, as described above, for ignition of methane and oxygen mixture and we should expect more severe landfill fires." Heatwaves are predicted to increase in intensity and frequency going forward, and while there are some stop-gap measures that can be taken, but ultimately, segregation and proper handling of wastes is essential to prevent landfill fires in the future. Richa Singh says, "The Installation of gas vents (methane collection and treatment mechanism) could be one of the interim measures for controlling methane gas accumulation. However, it is not that efficient and cost-efficient for dumpsites. As a long-term preventive measure, the indiscriminate dumping of fresh mixed municipal solid waste has to be stopped. It is important to note that the decomposition of the biodegradable fraction (wet waste) generates methane in an uncontrolled manner, especially at high temperatures. Legacy waste treatment for remediation of dumpsites including Okhla, Bhalswa, and Ghazipur (by biomining) needs to be done as soon as possible." Many of the practices mentioned above are not followed, and experts point to mismanagement of waste at the dumpsites as the cause for the landfill fires, even as the authorities blame the temperature surges. The handling of waste in the NCR has much to be desired, with the lack of segregation being a glaring negligence, which causes a number of problems later on, including landfill fires. According to Richa Singh, at least some of the waste being dumped into landfills can be put to good use, with a major shortcoming in waste management practices being "a lack of source segregation and efficient treatment of biodegradable (wet) waste. Nearly, 50 per cent (5500 TPD) of Delhi's waste is organic in nature that can be converted into compost or biogas, or bio-CNG - if segregated at the source and diverted appropriately to the treatment plant. Recyclables (plastics, paper, textile, glass, metals, etc.) can be diverted to the recycling plants and ideally only the rejects (inert fraction) should reach the scientifically designed landfills. None of this is happening in Delhi. Nearly 50 to 60 per cent of total waste generated is indiscriminately dumped in the dumpsites." The government has acknowledged in several reports and guideline documents over the years that the ideal situation is to not use landfills at all. At the present time, there is a lack of basic segregation of dry and wet waste, which is a critical step towards achieving zero landfill. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation in collaboration with the Waste to Wealth Mission has set up a model Waste to Wealth Technology Park in Jafrabad, to test out and demonstrate a number of technologies for urban solid waste management. The idea is to eventually convert open dumpsites into an integrated decentralised waste management system. There is the possibility of diverting around 3,600 tons of fresh waste away from landfills while simultaneously generating valuable resources from the waste, which is one of the goals of the project. While in theory, the steps necessary for scientific management of wastes are well known, there has been a glaring lack of action towards tackling the problem, including taking the most basic and essential steps.

Summer farm fires provide a preview to winter mess

Stubble burning in the neighbouring states is on rise after the harvest of the rabi crop. The NASA NRT VIIRS satellite data analysed by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) shows that Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have recorded over 13,200, 4200 and 18,900 fire counts, respectively, between March 1 and May 5. The number of fires in Punjab is more than the 8,500 recorded in the same period last year. The farm fires currently have a negligible impact on Delhi’s air quality because the wind is not conducive for the transport of smoke, but experts advised that proactive measures should be taken now to control the burning of rice harvest remnants in the winter season. Wheat forms most of the rabi crop, while the kharif season mostly sees rice being grown. L S Kurinji, programme associate, CEEW, said, “Usually, there are fewer rabi harvest fires than in the post-kharif harvest period because wheat residue is widely used as animal fodder while paddy residue is not. For instance, last year, the post-rabi harvest season in Punjab saw nearly 13,800 fires, whereas the post-kharif season saw the fire count go over 75,000.” Kurinji added, “While rabi stubble burning pales in comparison with the kharif fires, it is still a stark reminder that we have to act fast for the bigger winter problem. In the coming weeks, the farmers will start sowing and transplanting paddy. As an immediate step, authorities must focus on measures that limit residue generation and lengthen the cropping window such as phasing out PUSA 44 — a rice variety that ripens late and leaves behind more stubble at harvest — promoting early maturing varieties and switching to direct-seeded rice.” Chandra Bhushan, CEO, International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iForest), said that apart from affecting the region’s air quality, farm fires are bad for the soil. “Wheat straw is a valuable fodder, so farmers don’t burn the straw, only a few inches of stubble near the roots,” he said. “But burning of wheat stubble is increasing and must be stopped. If there are so many fires in the rabi season, we can only imagine what will happen in the paddy season.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said rabi farm fires did influence the overall air quality of the region, but its build-up wasn’t not as intense as in winter when inversion and cold, calm wind trapped pollution. “It is a matter of concern that the high number of farm fires this summer shows there still are big gaps in the implementation of in-situ and ex-situ solutions for stubble removal. Unless addressed with speed and scale now, we might be heading towards bad smog episodes this winter.”

'Warning', a must on unhealthy packaged foods: NAPi

Twenty-two Indian public health and consumer organisations came together to oppose FSSAI’s plan to label ultra-processed foods with ‘Health Star Rating’, which is designed to mislead and confuse consumers. In view of the growing crisis of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, the statement points towards governments’ responsibility to warn consumers about these unsafe food products. New Delhi: A position statement on ‘Front-of-Pack Labelling (<a href="https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/fopl">FOPL</a>) on <a href="https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/unhealthy+food+and+drink+products">Unhealthy Food and Drink Products</a>’ was released today by the Nutrition Advocacy in the Public Interest (<a href="https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/napi">NAPi</a>) through a press conference held at the Indian Women's Press Corps.<br><br>"NAPi believes that FSSAI has gone wrong both in its approach and the decision to include a ‘Health Star Rating’ on unhealthy food and drink products. We are pleased to share that prominent public health and consumer bodies from across the country have come together against this irresponsible move," said Dr Arun Gupta, convener, Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi), while presenting the position statement.<br><br>Endorsed by 22 Indian organisations protecting public health, the statement strongly opposes recently announced plans by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to adopt a ‘Health Star Rating’ (HSR) instead of a ‘Warning Label’, as a front-of-pack label for packaged foods high in salt, sugar, or fat.<br> "Packaged food products, which are high in unhealthy fats, salt or sugar and several of which are ultra-processed, damage health in many ways – from reducing immunity to increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and certain cancers, "said Prof K Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). <br><br>"Star ratings can be misleading, as they do not clearly inform the consumer whether the rating is for specific constituents, taste, or shelf life. The consumer’s right to judge the health risks posed by any packaged food product is not served by the star ratings, "added Prof Reddy.<br><br>Developed by the NAPi in consultation with endorsing organisations, this joint statement adds to the growing criticism of FSSAI’s announcement to go ahead with ‘Health Star Rating’, which can mislead the consumer.<br><br>"Individual components like fibre, fruit, vegetables or nuts added to a fundamentally unhealthy food product in the name of positive nutrients, may give a false impression of the food's being healthy, which can lead to overconsumption of such food products", said Dr Vandana Prasad, community paediatrician, <a href="https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/public+health+resource+network">Public Health Resource Network</a>, while adding to the misleading nature of Health Star Ratings. Health Star Rating (HSR) <a href="https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/labels">Labels</a> can’t be a solution for Indian consumers, says George Cheriyan, "We should learn from the experiences of Australia and New Zealand and be cautioned against the adoption of HSR. It is important that Indian regulators choose a simple and interpretive label that aids consumers in rejecting unhealthy products. " <br><br>Experts from across the country are in favour of nutrient-specific ‘Warning Labels' which are known to be effective in reducing consumption of junk foods. <br><br>"Since there is stronger evidence that warning labels are able to impact consumer behaviour towards more healthy diets, it appears that the food industry is able to influence decision-making through the stakeholder consultations where it occupies a majority status," added Dr Prasad while commenting on the policy-making process.<br><br>Dr Remesh Kumar, President, IAP, said, "IAP endorses warning labels on packaged foods and NOT the health star rating (HSR) system. The food industry might like the stars on unhealthy food products, but we believe warning labels should be used, as this is what scientific evidence tells us. FSSAI may reconsider its decision on HSR."<br><br>"Considering obesity to be a major driver of morbidity and mortality, people should be able to identify foods with high calorie counts and harmful ingredients. Warning labels are a reliable way to identify harmful foods. It is the need of the hour," said Dr B G Dharmanand, President, IRA. <br><br>Supporting the point on warning labels, Dr Vitull K. Gupta, said, "Junk foods, ultra-processed foods, nutritionally inappropriate foods and caffeinated, colored, carbonated or sugar-sweetened beverages necessitate creating a healthy food environment supplemented by warnings on the front of pack label (FOPL)." <br><br>Referring to the importance of providing simple and effective information to consumers, Vasundhara Raghavan of the Kidney Warriors Foundation from Mumbai "It is well established that for consumers to make an informed decision at the point of purchase, the labels should be interpretive and provide judgments about the unhealthy nature of the product to enable them to make an informed choice."<br><br>The statement points towards substantial scientific evidence showing that increased consumption of ultra-processed unhealthy food and drink products is associated with high risks of NCDs and all-cause mortality. It also presents evidence to show that warning labels are the most effective way to reduce consumption of unhealthy food products, and health star ratings fail to do so.<br><br>"The food industry is not interested in providing such information to consumers as it may hit the bottom line and is happy with HSR, which is confusing and can be manipulated. It is imperative, therefore, that FOPL should be mandatory and not left to the industry as voluntary, "added Professor HPS Sachdev, member of NAPi, while emphasising the need for a mandatory regulation.<br><br>The statement also calls for a timely law for warning labels; the adoption of thresholds based on the nutrient profile model of the <a href="https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/world+health+organization">World Health Organization</a> developed for the South East Asia Region; immediately stopping the marketing of unhealthy foods targeted at children; and the absence of conflict of interest while making decisions related to public health. It outlines the concern that about 60 per cent of annual deaths in India are due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and more than half of 5-to-19-year-old Indian children have elevated biomarkers of NCDs.<br><br>"India can’t afford the epidemic of obesity and non-communicable diseases. The Health Star Rating will help the junk food industry legally sell its bad food as good food. FSSAI can’t allow this. It must come forward and show that it cares for the health of the Indian consumer. It will have to act strongly to counter the industry's pressure and fulfil the mandate given, "said, Sunita Narain." Director General, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

Stars are not good: Experts hit out at the proposed method to rate unhealthy food

A health star rating system has been proposed by the FSSAI, under which the healthier options receive a higher star rating. This is ostensibly to discourage consumers from buying unhealthy packaged foods loaded with sugar, salt and fats. Could a safety measure actually end up misleading people on the safety of the foods they consume? This is the contention of a range of health experts and civil society groups, who think a new safety system that is to be rolled out by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has got it wrong. FSSAI had announced earlier that would soon roll out its Front of Package Labelling System (FoPL), which would require the makers of processed food items to indicate the healthiness of their products using a star system - the minimum half a star would indicate a not-so-healthy food and five stars would indicate a healthy one. FSSAI has been on the trail of an FoPL system since 2014, when the Delhi High Court ordered it to come up with a suitable system. The court's order to the regulator came in response to a PIL which sought a ban on the sale of junk food close to schools. However, the star system has drawn sharp criticism from experts, who say it can be misleading on multiple counts. They say stars could inherently be misunderstood as endorsements. Over and above that, they point out that it would be difficult to accurately label food that may lose stars because of high salt, sugar or fat, but would artificially gain a star because of the addition of fibre, proteins, fruits or vegetables. They say the addition of 'positive' ingredients would do little to offset the effects of 'negative' ingredients like sugar or fat. Related News Belly fat 5 best carbs that can melt abdominal flab Belly fat: 5 best carbs that can melt abdominal flab Skipping breakfast Research lists the top 5 side effects of doing so Skipping breakfast? Research lists the top 5 side effects of doing so A position statement on the matter was released this week, hitting out against the star system. The document has been endorsed by 21 organisations including the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Centre for Science and Environment, Consumer Voice, Cuts International and the Indian Academy of Paediatrics. The statement instead pushes for other systems to be picked instead of the star system. The suggestions have been a system that would mandate the labelling of food items that are high in any of the 'negative' ingredients. Another possible system proposed was a black-or-white stop sign to indicate food that could be unhealthy. Experts commenting on the matter have also raised concerns over the survey conducted by the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) based on the responses of more than 20,000 consumers. They say the study, which was the basis of the FSSAI's choice of the star system, is flawed in its methodology. The other two systems suggested by the experts came in second and third in the survey. Related News Struggling with low energy levels Study names the one fruit that could give you an instant booster Struggling with low energy levels? Study names the one fruit that could give you an instant booster What is a smoothie bowl and is it healthy What is a smoothie bowl and is it healthy? FSSAI has indicated that it plans to ahead and release the draft guidelines of the star system. It has said it would then take into account public feedback to the annoncemet. Non-communicable diseases now account for about 60 percent of deaths in India. A national nutrition survey in 2106 found that over 50 percent of children show biomarkers of at least one non-communicable disease. Highly processed foods, because of their high content of 'negative' ingredients, can push consumers towards diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, strokes and kidney ailments.

Ink@Wash 3.0: Transformational solutions for `Water, Sanitation, Hygiene' issues dominate summit on day-1

The Summit on `Innovation and New Knowledge in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)' is one of the offerings of Wash Innovation Hub (WIH), an initiative of the MAUD in partnership with Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) to identify, nurture, and scale transformational solutions for better WASH outcomes in cities. INK@WASH is a unique initiative to promote collaboration and partnerships between the start-ups/innovators and the cities, funders, CSR units of corporate, and other likeminded stakeholders for achieving transformative change in the sector. Bigger and better, INKWASH 3.0, held on May 5 and 6, 2022, showcases 100+ water sanitation and hygiene innovations. At the inaugural event, the keynote address was given by the Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar. Nirmalya Bagchya, Director of ASCI, Dr. Malini Reddy, Prof. ASCI, D Thara, Joint Secretary, AMRUT, M Dana Kishore, Managing Director of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Sunita Narain, Director of Centre for Science and Environment. The exhibition of the WASH innovations was also launched by GHMC Mayor Vijaya Lakshmi R Gadwal. On the first day of the two-day event, 25 innovators presented their various solutions to issues related to water management, fecal sludge and septage management (FSSM), plastics management, and municipal and solid waste management (MSWM), hygiene sectors. The innovations showcased during this event are expected to support local governments in implementing SBM 2.0, AMRUT 2.0, and Jal Jeevan Mission (Grameen). These solutions will help urban areas to plan and implement citywide inclusive water and sanitation approaches.

FSSAI’s star ratings for food products may mislead consumers: experts

Experts say IIM-Ahmedabad study is flawed in ‘design and interpretation’ The nutrition labelling system for food packets recommended by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will not only fail to enable consumers to make healthy choices but also mislead them about their nutritional value, warned experts who have called for the need to “insulate” policy making from the influence of the food industry. In a meeting in February, the FSSAI decided that when it prepares its draft regulations for a Front of Package Labelling (FoPL) system, it will propose the health star rating system, which rates the overall nutritional profile of packaged food and assigns it a rating from half a star to five stars. The decision was based on an Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Ahmedabad study commissioned by the FSSAI. The move has upset public health experts who favour the warning label system such as a black-and-white stop symbol used in Chile or the red warning symbol in Israel for each of the three ingredients — salt, sugar and fat. “Warning signs educate consumers about harmful ingredients present in a food product and help them make healthy choices. They also give a repetitive educational message so that even for domestic cooking or buying street food that warning bell goes off. This educational component of a properly constructed warning system is missing in the health star[s] system, which are like a movie rating system and are of no use,” said K. Srinath Reddy, president, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), at a press conference. Professor Reddy urged that the FSSAI must “reconsider” its decision. He also said that the system being proposed by the food regulator was “devious” as it misleads consumers about a product’s nutrition profile. Under the health star rating system, an algorithm assigns a product a certain number of stars based on “positive” components (fibre, protein, and fruit, vegetable, nut and legume content) balanced against other components (energy, sugars, sodium, and saturated fat). Experts argue that this is divorced from science as the presence of high quantities of sugar can’t be offset by the so-called positive ingredients. Dr. Reddy was launching a position statement endorsed by 21 organisations, including the Centre for Science and Environment, Consumer Voice, Cuts International, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, and the PHFI, among others. In the statement, the 21 organisations have demanded that warning labels should be made mandatory when the draft regulation is made public for stakeholder consultations; that “decisions on public health issues should be made without any conflicts of interest even at a consultative level”; and that while interactions with the food industry may happen on different platforms, they should not be part of meetings held to take policy decisions. In the February meeting, out of the total 26 external participants, there were 17 representatives from the industry, including from Dabur, Nestle, Hindustan Unilever Limited and PepsiCo. Dr. Reddy also said that the IIM-Ahmedabad based study on which FSSAI had based its decision was flawed in “design and interpretation” and should not form the basis of policy making Ashim Sanyal of Consumer Voice said that the health star rating system will defeat the seven-year-long fight for safeguarding consumer interests and helping them make informed decisions to exercise their right to healthy choices. The FoPL issue is being discussed by the regulator since 2014, when it first set up an expert committee to prescribe a suitable format following a Delhi High Court order which was hearing a public interest petition seeking a ban on the sale of junk food in and around schools.

"Wenn wir nicht kühlen, sterben die Leute"

Die extreme Hitzewelle in Indien schärft den Blick für die Energiekrise und die Ungerechtigkeiten in der internationalen Klimapolitik. Ein Gespräch mit der Umweltschützerin Sunita Narain More at https://www.zeit.de/2022/19/sunita-narrain-hitzewelle-indien-klimawandel?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

चेतावनी के लेबल, सितारे नहीं, डिब्बाबंद खाद्य पदार्थों के खाने के पैटर्न को बदल सकते हैं: विशेषज्ञ

भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा और मानक प्राधिकरण उपभोक्ताओं को चीनी, नमक और वसा में उच्च पैकेज वाले खाद्य पदार्थों को खरीदने से हतोत्साहित करने के लिए फ्रंट-ऑफ-पैक लेबलिंग को लागू करने के लिए तैयार है, सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य विशेषज्ञ असहमत हैं। ऐसा करने की विधि। FSSAI ने एक स्वास्थ्य स्टार रेटिंग प्रणाली को लागू करने का प्रस्ताव दिया है जहां स्वस्थ विकल्पों को उनकी ऊर्जा दक्षता के आधार पर इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स की स्टार रेटिंग के समान उच्च स्टार रेटिंग प्राप्त होती है। प्रणाली को एफएसएसएआई द्वारा शुरू किए गए सर्वेक्षण के आधार पर पांच तरीकों से चुना गया था और अहमदाबाद में भारतीय प्रबंधन संस्थान द्वारा 20,500 उपभोक्ताओं के बीच आयोजित किया गया था। हालांकि, स्वास्थ्य विशेषज्ञों ने कहा कि आईआईएम सर्वेक्षण के अनुसार नमक, चीनी, वसा और विभिन्न परिरक्षकों में उच्च खाद्य पैकेजों के सामने एक प्रतीक दिखाने वाला एक चेतावनी लेबल दूसरे स्थान पर आया। विशेषज्ञों ने स्टार रेटिंग सिस्टम को सर्वश्रेष्ठ के रूप में रैंकिंग के लिए किए गए सर्वेक्षण पर भी सवाल उठाया है। पब्लिक हेल्थ फाउंडेशन ऑफ इंडिया, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट और इंडियन एकेडमी ऑफ पीडियाट्रिक्स जैसे संगठनों के एक पोजीशन पेपर में कहा गया है कि कई लैटिन अमेरिकी देशों में खपत के पैटर्न में बदलाव आया है, जिन्होंने इस तरह के चेतावनी लेबल लागू किए हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि पिछले साल प्रकाशित 100 अध्ययनों के एक मेटा-विश्लेषण ने संकेत दिया कि पोषक तत्व चेतावनी लेबल अधिक प्रभावी हैं। यह गैर-संचारी रोगों के संदर्भ में होता है जो देश में सभी मौतों का 60% प्रतिनिधित्व करते हैं। पीएचएफआई के अध्यक्ष डॉ के श्रीनाथ रेड्डी ने कहा, “इस समय विभिन्न विशेषज्ञों द्वारा सर्वेक्षण (आईआईएम-ए) की रिव्यु की जा रही है, लेकिन अध्ययन विश्वसनीय नहीं है …”। एफएसएसएआई के कार्यकारी निदेशक अरुण सिंघल ने कहा: “… मसौदा दिशानिर्देश, तैयार होने के बाद, जनता के लिए उपलब्ध कराए जाएंगे और हर कोई अपनी टिप्पणी जमा कर सकता है, जिस पर विचार किया जाएगा …”

Delhi’s three garbage mountains and the environmental, waste management challenges that they pose

Landfills catch fire due to the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste that generates heat and combustible methane gas. The National Tribunal in 2019 mandated the biomining of the legacy waste and the three landfills in the national capital, Delhi i.e. Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla landfills. But it will take not less than a decade to flatten the largest dumpsite of Delhi in Ghazipur as assessed in 2019. Between 2019 and 2020, 3 lakh tonnes of legacy waste of the 140 tonnes assessed in 2019 were bio-mined. In the succeeding year, 4.81 lakh tonnes were processed. If approximately 4 lakh tonnes of waste are bio-mined every year, it would take 33 years to process the entire waste mountain, if not considering the fresh waste that it receives every day. In 2021 fresh waste dumped at the east Delhi landfill was more than the legacy waste possessed that year. Richa Singh, Programme Officer, Waste Management Programme, Centre for Science and Environment informed the Indian express that the total capacity of processing municipal waste in Delhi is 5.550 tonnes per day (49.9% of the 11,119 TPD generated) and the capacity has remained the same since 2016. Suneel Pandey, Director of the Environment and Waste Management Division at The Energy and Resources Institute called for the strengthening of waste processing infrastructure so that organic waste does not reach landfills. But in Delhi daily waste is accommodated in the same city as legacy waste. Hence Delhi Government needs to allocate space for fresh waste so that the remediation of landfills can be done in mission mode, he suggested. Why landfills catch fire Landfills catch fire due to the anaerobic decomposition of organic waste that generates heat and combustible methane gas. There were four episodes of fires at landfills this summer with soaring temperature– three at Ghazipur and one at Bhalswa that raged for many days and have been difficult to douse. The subsurface firs are difficult to douse as pockets of methane are formed inside the garbage dumps that are hard to reach in unscientifically planned landfills without access roads and a gas collection systems. NGT taking cognizance of the fires and has asked the authorities to follow the statutory timeline strictly. Moreover, the green tribunal called them dumpsites as timebomb that is constantly emitting harmful gases with a constant threat of explosion. Besides, the landfills also flout the Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016, which state that only non-usable, non-combustible, non-biodegradable, non-recyclable, and non-reactive inert waste should go to a ‘sanitary’ landfill and leachate would be treated but in Bhalswa, pools of dark-coloured leachate lie around the landfill. Singh further flagged how Waste to Energy plants are putting mixed waste comprising organic waste, into these plants. Source segregation should be non-negotiable, organic waste should go to compost centres and waste generators should share responsibility, she added. Segregation of waste only on papers According to the Economic Survey of Delhi 2020-21, segregation of waste at source, notified by Solid Waste Management Bylaws for Delhi, is being implemented in just 32% or 94 out of 294 wards mostly in New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantt areas. Former South MCD Mayor Narender Chawla, however, wants maximum public participation to ensure minimum waste reaches landfills. According to a senior official, political wings do not let them implement the penalty provision for failure to segregate waste. But, North and East MCDs finished in the bottom 10 among cities with a population of over 10 lakh ineffective waste management survey by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs A new ‘engineered’ landfill and Waste to Energy plant is coming up at Tehkhand, another WTE plant at Rani Khera, increasing the bio-mining of legacy waste to speed up the landfill flattening project. Issues with biomining Biomining cannot be carried while it rains. Moreover, there are only a few takers of the material produced from waste going through the trommels. The perception is the bricks produced are of inferior quality. Three MCDs, however, are in talks with the NHAI for taking it. Environmental damage caused by landfills Landfills generate methane which is a greenhouse gas. They also produce hazardous levels of carbon dioxide, nitrogen etc. The leachate generated contaminates groundwater, Landfill fires pollute the air. Moreover, Water in borewells near Bhalswa and Ghazipur was found to contain chlorides, copper, cadmium and total dissolved solids in excess of permissible limits in 2019, according to a report submitted to the NGT.

Adding fuel to fire?

Over half of the electricity demand during heatwave months can be attributed to need for space cooling at offices, shops and homes Delhi is burning an unprecedented volume of fossil fuel to keep cool. The average daily demand for electricity in the capital city for the month of April has shot up to 4,336 megawatts. This is the highest since real-time tracking of electricity demand started in 2018. It is also almost twice the demand recorded for April 2020. Most of the city's electricity demand is met through thermal power and, so, this greed for coolth is only adding fuel to fire. During heatwave months, over half the electricity demand can be attributed to the need for space-cooling at offices, shops and homes, an earlier assessment of the relationship between ambient heat and Delhi's demand for electricity by the Centre for Science and Environment, a Delhi-based non-profit showed. Not a standard heatwave The daily maximum temperature in Delhi has been regularly above 40 degrees Celsius for most of April. But the night-time or the daily minimum temperatures have remained in the low and mid-20s. This meant that electricity demand at night has remained relatively low as people didn't need ACs throughout the night to help them sleep. Also, given the cooler outdoors at night, ACs don't need to consume as much electricity to keep the house cool. Often ignored in popular discourse, the daily minimum temperature has a significant impact on people's comfort level and city's energy security. Regular heatwaves in previous years generally registered not only abnormal daytime temperature but also uncomfortably high night-time temperatures. This happens due to the inability of the city to cool down after sunset as it gets flooded with heat exhaust from millions of ACs running in the city. Those nights when the daily minimum temperature doesn't dip below 30 degrees Celsius, it becomes highly difficult to get sleep to recover the body from the beatdown it received during the day. And these are the days when Delhi's demand for electricity breaks records. This gobbling of resources by the rich of Delhi means the rest suffers the brunt of the sun. Delhi hardly recorded any death due to heat-stroke in the past few years as people have access to cooled spaces, something made possible by 24x7 electricity supply in the city. Most deaths due to heat stroke are reported from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, UP, Bihar and Maharashtra, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Not just the electricity demand but also deaths due to heat-strokes are directly related to severity of heat-stress in the cities and region. Heat-strokes have become the second leading cause of death from a natural force in India, data from the Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India (annual publication by NCRB) showed. The condition has killed over 20,000 people in the first 20 years of this century, only exceeded by lightning that has killed almost 50,000 people. Blue-collar workers worst-hit Most heat deaths are reported among men of 30-60 years, which is a strange statistic given it is generally the most physically fit sub-group of the demography. NCRB doesn't provide socio-economic background of the dead, but a quick scan of media reports reveals that these are blue-collar workers engaged in outdoor activities during the summer. Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India 2019 attributed 1,274 deaths to heat stroke. The number of deaths came down to 530 in 2020. There have been fewer heatwave days in 2020 but this drastic fall in deaths is most possibly due to the hard pandemic lockdowns during the summer of 2020 that almost eliminated outdoor activities in April and May. Heat wave management an equity issue IMD has started issuing heat-wave alerts and their forecast models have improved over years. But there is no policy action that follows after these heatwave warnings by IMD. The National Disaster Management Authority in 2019 published the 'National Guidelines for Preparation of Action Plan — Prevention and Management of Heat Wave', which is a decent document on improving government response to heatwaves. But no information is available on how many action plans were made. In fact, Delhi doesn't have one. Ahmedabad and a few more cities of Gujarat have a heat action plan but these are limited to enhancing medical response and drinking water supply during emergencies. Simple things such as stopping outdoor activities like construction and goods delivery during peak heat hours are not incorporated in these plans. There is a need to develop a multisector heat reduction and management plan, and not just focus on surviving the heatwaves. To effectively shield our population from the scorching sun, efforts need to be made to reduce heat generation within the city. Cities today are abuzz with heat exhaust like ACs, vehicles, power plants and open fires. We also have poorly designed buildings and infrastructure that trap this heat. Just like air pollution plans, there is a need to focus on reducing pollution sources within cities and regions so that when the weather becomes hostile, our cities and buildings don't automatically turn into ovens. DTE