Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

Union Cabinet Approves Scheme to Help Rural India in Achieving UN SDGs

The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, is a set of 17 targets that require "urgent action by all member countries." The first goal is to eradicate all forms of poverty by 2030. The Union Cabinet approved an extension of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), a centrally-sponsored scheme to assist rural India in meeting key targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, on Wednesday. The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, is a set of 17 targets that require "urgent action by all member countries." The first goal is to eradicate all forms of poverty by 2030. The scheme, worth 5,911 crores, aims to empower 2,78,000 Panchayati Raj institutions, or elected rural local governments, to implement a set of social goals deemed necessary for sustainable development by the United Nations. The Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the redesigned RGSA, which will be implemented from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2026. It will concentrate on improving the "governance capabilities" of Panchayati Raj institutions. According to the Centre for Science and Environment's "State of India's Environment Report, 2022," released last month, India dropped three spots from last year's 117 to 120 on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by 192 United Nations member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda.

Cabinet approves scheme to help rural India achieve UN SDGs

The scheme worth ₹5,911 crore is aimed at empowering 2,78,000 Panchayati Raj institutions, or elected rural local governments, to implement a set of social goals which the UN has deemed necessary for sustainable development. The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an extension to the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), a centrally-sponsored scheme to help rural India achieve key targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, are a set of 17 targets which require “urgent call for action by all member countries”. The first goal is to end poverty in all its forms by 2030. The scheme worth ₹5,911 crore is aimed at empowering 2,78,000 Panchayati Raj institutions, or elected rural local governments, to implement a set of social goals which the UN has deemed necessary for sustainable development. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the revamped RGSA to be executed from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2026. It will focus on developing “governance capabilities” of Panchayati Raj institutions. According to the Centre for Science and Environment’s “State of India’s Environment Report, 2022” released last month, India slipped three spots from last year’s 117 to rank 120 on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted as a part of the 2030 agenda by 192 United Nations member states in 2015. The revamped scheme cleared by the Cabinet focuses on SDGs in nine areas. These are poverty free and enhanced livelihood in villages; healthy village, child-friendly village; water-sufficient village; clean and green village; self-sufficient infrastructure in village; socially secured village; village with good governance and engendered development in village. Of the total financial outlay of ₹5911 crore, the central share is ₹3700 crore, while the share of states is ₹2211 crore. “Implementation and monitoring of the activities of the scheme will broadly be aligned for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Panchayats are the focal points for all the developmental activities and implementation of schemes of various Ministries/ Departments and State Government to achieve SDGs,” a Cabinet statement said. According to the scheme’s goal plan, as panchayats have representation of “Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and women”, and are “institutions closest to the grassroots”, strengthening panchayats will promote equity and inclusiveness, along with social justice and economic development of the community”.

Is it possible for EVs to be truly sustainable in India?

As per the projections by the Centre for Science and Environment, India’s carbon dioxide emission is expected to touch 4.48 Gt by 2030. There is a mounting fear that global temperatures may cross 1.5°C by the early 2030s, with the Inter-Government Panel on Climate Change deeming the situation as Code Red. Gauging the pitfalls, the country is poised to diminish carbon emissions by a whopping 22% (1 Gt), compared to the projection. Presently, the transportation industry remains the nation’s third-highest contributor to the alarming situation with its level of CO2 emissions. Needless to say, this ambitious goal would require collective and collaborative efforts across sectors. This is one of the leading reasons for the demand for Electric Vehicles witnessing an uptick and the automobile manufacturers (suppliers) engaging in mass production of EVs to meet this growing demand. EVs have a myriad of benefits such as low maintenance, reduced pressure on fossil fuels, fuel-price escalation-agnostic, and serving as a sustainable mode of commuting, among others. In addition, EVs are akin to automatic vehicles and hence are easier to drive, gives a good range per charge, long battery lives, and the convenience of charging at the stations. The Government also recognized the role of EVs in sustainability and is providing a host of initiatives to encourage potential buyers, as well as auto manufacturers. Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles, (FAME II) Scheme has been launched to accelerate the rate of EV adoption in the country. With a focus on increasing the number of charging stations by Central as well as various State Governments, the sector is slowly, yet steadily opening up. EV industry beyond the subsidies But the real question is Will EV be able to sustain beyond the Subsidies? Let’s explore the sustainability quotient, without Government subsidies, broadly from three angles: Product 2-Wheeler Segment This is the most viable segment of EV for sustainability without government subsidies. This is owing to the fact that low-cost two-Wheelers are ideal for short-distance travel and Intra- city movements. Even if there is no charging infrastructure on highways or in cities, you can still use them by charging them to full capacity at home or at your office work station. As manufacturers adapt to new technology and market demand, the cost of two- and three-wheeler EVs is likely to drop further and become more sustainable. Furthermore, at a time when petrol costs are steadily rising, it is more prudent to assert that two-wheeler EVs can become the norm and exist without government support. 3-Wheeler Segment For the similar reasons as that of 2-wheeler segment, three wheelers also have higher viability in race of EV sustenance 4-Wheeler (Personal Cars) When it comes to four-wheeler cars and their long-term viability without government subsidies, it’s problematic because the vehicle itself is still very expensive, and its components are similarly outrageously expensive. Despite the fact that they will require charging infrastructure on highways and at stations, which is not present at a large scale, their sustainability is still questionable in the absence of government support because of exorbitant price. To improve the future of this segment government needs to focus on creating the charging infrastructure and increase the battery swapping stations. Commercial Vehicles Due to the dependency on state and central transportation authority this segment has higher quotient of sustainability. Since the vehicles halt at their particular stations, the charging infrastructure can easily be created at these halting stations. This will be a successful model for intra-city as well as intercity commute of the vehicle. Supporting Infrastructure Having understood the benefits, let us review the factors that can increase the volume of these vehicles on Indian roads. India needs to amplify its EV conducive infrastructure. The first step towards this is increasing the number of EV charging stations. These stations also need to have battery swapping facilities to boost the usage of EVs in India. Similarly, residential buildings, commercial spaces, and office parking spaces should also have charging facilities, if possible, mandated by the Government. This would require a collaborative approach from the Government as well as the Private corporates to set up the infrastructure that enables us to achieve the shared goal of sustaining EVs in India. The role of connectors A significant part of the cost of EVs could be attributed to the battery. Hence, relaxing taxation policies, providing incentives to auto-makers, and increasing domestic supply of battery and other components, would not only empower the local manufacturers but would also reduce the cost of importing. The saved cost could be passed on to end consumers and the availability of lower-cost vehicles would act as an incentive for consumers to make the switch. Making EV public transport would give impetus to these vehicles. Ride-sharing reduces carbon emissions to a great extent. If these ride-sharing options could be run on electricity, imagine the impact it would have on sustainability. Having said that, the supply won’t be increased if the demand doesn’t pick up. Hence, it is critical to shift consumer perceptions and debunk myths to increase its adoption. Investing in EV two-wheelers could be a good start to understanding the functioning of such vehicles. It would be worthwhile to see the gap between ICEs and EVs closing up in the future, with the latter paving the way for sustainability – the need of the hour!

Rice Exporter & IIT Grad Build Machine To Remove 100% Carbon From Industrial Emissions

“We can surely say that this has the potential to change the scenario of the Delhi NCR and other cities,” says Ravi, the IITian behind the innovation. IIT grad Ravi Saroj and Vijay Setia, former president of All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA), have developed a machine that is capable of reducing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) from industrial gas emissions. The machine is the brainchild of the two and following two years of rigorous research and testing, finally proved its efficacy in an industrial setting. A vision to curb air pollution The World Air Quality Report 2021 had named Delhi as the most polluted capital in the world, a position it had been claiming for the previous three years. This was cited as being harmful to the population in the national capital, as people were breathing the toxic air. When Ravi Saroj, from IIT Kharagpur, met Vijay Setia, now the Managing Director of Chaman Lal Setia Exports Ltd, the latter shared his knowledge of how air pollution is caused due to the burning of agricultural residues. He added how this affects the foetus in the womb. Ravi, who is from Delhi, was well aware of the harmful effects of air pollution in the national capital and was intrigued by Mr Setia’s insights. It fuelled in him a desire to do something about it. “I got a lot of exposure while working with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). It boosted my knowledge of the environment along with that of food processing. During my journey at the FICCI Research and Analysis Centre (FRAC), I polished these analytical skills of mine. The skillset I had developed prepared me for the role of Head of Research and Development, Chaman Lal Setia Exports Ltd,” says Ravi. Along with a few other members on the team from GNIT and IIT Delhi, Ravi and Mr Setia began working on various projects, one of which was the machine to absorb hazardous gases from industrial emissions. The working of the machine Various industrial processes lead to harmful emissions, which further cause the temperatures of the surroundings to rise. The device designed by Mr Setia and Ravi resolves two problems, one being the release of hazardous gases in the atmosphere and the second being an alternative to natural gas as a fuel in boilers. The machine operates on the principle of absorption. A filter is designed with natural absorbent properties of a special material within it. This low-cost system is then used at the outlet, wherein flue gases are released from industries. When the flue gas (containing SO2, NO2 and CO2) passes over the device, due to the absorbent properties of the filter, carbon, etc. are caught and prevented from entering the atmosphere and contributing to the greenhouse effect. Machine that absorbs toxic gases from emissions Machine that absorbs toxic gases from emissions (Picture credits: Ravi Saroj) “The filter traps CO2 entirely and eliminates NO2 and SO2, which then act as additives and are added to the boiler and aid the combustion process. This results in improved fuel efficiency, while also increasing the boiler efficiency. It also reduces temperature by 70 per cent in comparison to a normal operating stack. It is a zero-waste process.” The device has been tried and tested at the industrial level. Ravi says that the results of the testing with eight ton per hour boilers were amazing and encouraging. Speaking about how this technology is different from the other alternatives in the market that operate on the same principle, Ravi says that theirs is not a separate system that needs to be installed separately. “It acts as an inbuilt component which is a part of furnace assembly. It is specially modified and loaded with special adsorbent material to do the job. Secondly, there are no consumable costs in it. The device can be reused.”

Slow glacial melt placing J&K on cusp of climatic, economic crises

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is on the cusp of an imminent climatic disaster and potential economic crisis. Last year, a study carried out by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealed that of the ten glaciers located in Jammu and Kashmir, most of them, if not all, are melting, but at a very slow pace. According to the CSE study, the region’s largest glacier – Kolahoi -- has lost only 23 percent of its original area since 1962. For those unaware, glaciers form due to accumulation of snow over thousands of years. The top layers of snow exert pressure on the lower layers transforming them into ice and this pressure plus the force of gravity moves glaciers at a snail’s pace. This melting and flowing of solid rivers of snow and ice are crucial to meeting the agricultural and drinking water needs of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the Indo-Gangetic plain. According to climate experts, the danger is two-fold – (1) Rising temperatures and increased global warming can make melting glacial ice flow at speeds so fast that they can uproot and destroy natural vegetation and silt, as well as change the region’s topography, and (2) When the glacial melting rate is not as fast, then it affects upstream to downstream water flows severely, and when the water is less, cultivation and irrigation of land located downstream gets hit hard. To get a better understanding of this natural phenomenon, Brighter Kashmir spoke to Professor Dr Ghulam Jeelani of the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Kashmir. “The Pahalgam region of the Kashmir region has two major glaciers – the Kolahoi Glacier and the Shafat Glacier. Both of these glaciers are disappearing at a rapid rate because of increased global warming, and this has the potential of converting the Kashmir Valley from being a water-rich area to an area that is under severe water stress,” warned Professor Jeelani. “Glacial melting is definitely affecting the agricultural sector and the horticulture of the region. The other danger that we see is thawing permafrost. When the earth remains frozen for at least two consecutive years, it is called permafrost. When permafrost melts, it can damage and destroy infrastructure like roads, houses and bridges,” he adds. Over the years, Professor Jeelani has consistently warned that glaciers of the Kashmir Valley are in danger of vanishing sooner than later. He and other climate experts have further cautioned that large and unstable lakes of melted water have the potential of bursting their banks without warning and damage both land and population located downstream. “Where Indian rivers are concerned, initially there could be a water flow increase, leading to widespread flooding, followed by severe water shortages as the glaciers that feed them disappear. This is having and will continue to have a huge impact on the Kashmir Valley’s water systems. The cost in terms of survival of humans too would be immense if the valley’s fertile fields and orchards also wither away due to a lack of water,” Professor Jeelani opined. The main source of water for the Kashmir Valley is the Jhelum River. It is formed by the West Lidder River upstream of Pahalgam and the East Lidder River near Amarnath. Both these water tributaries join to form the Jhelum River near Anantnag. Climate experts say the real danger is when the melting rate of glaciers surpasses the accumulation rate. Excessive melting strongly impacts stream flows and when melting rate is not as expected, the water table reduces. Currently, the snow melting process above the Kashmir Valley has not matched the early onset of summer in March and April, putting enormous pressure on natural water supply. This delay is making climate experts and other planners quite nervous and concerned. It has been postulated that “depleting stream flows in the Kashmir region can greatly affect the region’s water security and have a major impact on agriculture, horticulture, the farming community, hydropower generation and domestic water use…” A mapping of the 147 glaciers of the Kashmir Himalayan region between 1980 and 2018 by the journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment and Springer Nature found that glacial loss has been to the tune of 28.82 percent, and now. The glaciers situated at altitudes of 4200 and 4400 m have receded more than those situated at altitudes higher than 4800 m. South facing glaciers are showing higher recession in comparison to north-facing glaciers because they are more exposed to radiation from the sun. When negative glacier mass balance leads to decreased stream flows, urgent efforts and strategies are needed to cope with problems of both water scarcity and avoidable economic loss.

全球空氣汙染最嚴重的城市：印度新德里 推行用真菌改善空氣

生活一片慘灰的新德里 對印度首都新德里（New Delhi）而言，時序進入春季，代表偶爾從天空降下的陣雨和溫暖的陽光能夠消解秋冬時期在城市上空繚繞不去的刺鼻霧霾，讓新德里的市民總算能好好地享受大口呼吸的片刻。 在市中心外的古爾岡（Gurugram）定居長達10年的居民珂卡（Shaheen Khokhar），見證了這個年復一年的景象。每當她驅車前往市中心，她的車窗外都會覆蓋上不自然的灰色，「1分鐘前還有陽光，沒多久馬上被黑暗的霧氣吞沒」，她說：「每天我們都會看到這般怵目驚心的畫面，提醒著我們正被迫生活在這樣的空氣汙染之中。」 出門不得不戴上口罩 每年10月到11月間，新德里周邊區域的學校就會因為空汙過於嚴重而被迫停課，有時候停課時間甚至會長達2周之久。珂卡無奈地說：「早在COVID-19疫情大流行之前的一段時間，我們的兒童就已經戴上了口罩。」 衛冕4次全球空氣最糟首都 根據瑞士組織空氣品質指標（Air Quality Index，AQI）的報告，截至2021年，新德里已連續4年拿下全球第一，成為全球首都中空氣汙染最嚴重的城市。 用來衡量空氣汙染中細懸浮微粒（particulate matter，PM）濃度的指標，被稱之為PM2.5，其在印度新德里的數值年年都超標，遠大於世界衛生組織（WHO）建議的空氣品質標準，大約10倍以上。 目前已知細懸浮微粒對人體健康有害，從皮膚到眼睛，緊接神經系統、心血管、呼吸系統疾病，都在它影響範圍內。此外，它還會導致人們罹患癌症以及增加死亡率。 古老農法也是空汙來源 從印度智庫觀察員研究基金會（Observer Research Foundation）的觀察數據顯示，工業汙染與車輛廢氣排放是占印度全年空氣汙染的最大宗，但在10月至11月期間，印度農民採用的傳統農法「刀耕火種」，更加劇了空氣汙染的程度。 雖然這類農法在2015年已被印度德里、拉賈斯坦邦（Rajasthan）、北部的旁遮普邦（Punjab）、哈里亞納邦（Haryana）等區域禁止，但法令卻難以阻斷印度農民燃燒稻桿的習慣。2019年，印度啟動國家空氣淨化計畫（National Clean Air Program），希望用5年的時間監測及改善國家的空氣品質，而印度農業研究委員會（Indian Agricultural Research Institute）的主任辛格（Ashok Kumar Singh）也同意，為了改善空氣汙染，調整印度農民的耕種方法勢在必行。 取而代之的利器 在2021年9月的某天下午，永續農業數位平台（nurture.farm）工程師兼營運長索尼（Dhruv Sawhney），在印度哈里亞納邦卡爾納爾縣（Karnal）中的一處農村空地中演講。索尼向村中200名男女介紹一種新的清除雜草方法，能幫助農民獲得更多收成，長遠來看也能為土地帶來更多好處。 索尼向農民拍胸保證，他開了玩笑：「如果沒用，我會自己動手焚燒你的田地。」 真菌分解者 索尼請農民嘗試的是印度農業研究委員會開發的有機微生物噴劑，名為普薩分解者（Pusa Decomposer），是由七種不同的真菌所組成。在經過多次實驗中，被證明能有效分解農業廢棄物種，可以在休耕的三周期間，將剩餘的農作物與土壤融合，形成下一季農作生長期所需的堆肥。 而普薩分解者也被認為較符合印度農民的需求，可能為改善印度空汙的計畫帶來一絲曙光。 焚燒的時空背景 印度農業以種植水稻和小麥為主，這些農作物需要大量的地下水灌溉，但在10年前因地下水枯竭，農民將水稻播種的季節往後挪移到6月，也讓11月收成之後再整地播種小麥的時間變得更加吃緊，使得農民多半求快，用焚燒的方式快速解決。 辛格表示，普薩分解者會以粉末的形式提供給農民，300公克的配方可以噴灑在大約半公頃的土地上，政府也會提供免費的器材，讓農民能更均勻的噴灑。辛格補充：「殘留的稻茬腐爛後會使土壤肥沃，也能減少農地對化肥的依賴約25％。」相較之下，過往用焚燒的方式反而殺死土壤中有益的微生物。 抵抗空汙的百百種 普薩分解者是印度因應空汙的許多辦法之一，此前也曾有各種發明，例如能同時種植和清除稻桿的快樂播種機（The Happy Seeder），但在農民試用後發現有種子分配不均和播種後無法發芽的問題，因此拒絕採用。 近年，印度也在德里耗資重金興建巨型的空氣清淨機——除霾塔（smog tower），原以為能淨化方圓1公里內的髒空氣，但根據印度科學與環境中心（Center for Science and Environment）的說法，目前運作的兩座除霾塔，連方圓80公尺的空氣都淨化不了。 從根本開始改起 雖然印度新德里因為地理位居內陸，加上糟糕的城市規劃、住商嚴重混雜、落後的建材以及不夠完善的公共交通系統，讓整個城市的空汙問題始終難以解決，但印度科學與環境中心的空氣汙染專家羅伊喬杜里（Anumita Roychowdhury）相信，一步步對症下藥，針對工業、家庭與公共交通著手，採取行動後，必能做出變革。

Government unveils 14-point plan for cleaner Delhi

NEW DELHI: Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai unveiled a 14-point summer action plan on Monday to combat pollution and promote greenery in the city. He also initiated a campaign against open burning and assured that experts from IIT Delhi and Delhi Pollution Control Committee had been requested to find a temporary and emergency solution to control fires at the landfills during summers. The summer plan was discussed at a meeting on Monday attended by officials of the environment, revenue and irrigation and flood control departments, DPCC, civic bodies, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Jal Board and other agencies concerned. Rai said that of the 14 to-dos under the summer action plan, two immediate plans were ready and the remaining 12 would be released as long-term plans. “The two immediate measures the government is launching are anti-open burning and anti-road dust campaigns from April 12 and April 15, respectively,” the minister announced. Under the road dust initiative, 78 mechanical road sweeping machines and 587 water sprinkling machines would be used to dampen and settle the dust on roads in the city. Rai said that over 500 teams of officials from 10 departments had been constituted to check and discourage open burning over the next one month. “The teams’ reports will be sent to the environment department on a regular basis. The municipal corporations have also been instructed to control fires at landfills,” Rai said. “On April 21, a high-level meeting with all experts from the relevant departments, including DPCC, civic bodies, IIT-D, The Energy Research Institute, Delhi Technological University and Centre for Science and Environment, will be convened at the Delhi Secretariat to resolve the issue of landfill fires.” Apart from the anti-open-burning campaign and anti-road dust campaign, the 14-point action plan suggests a slew of measures such as plantations, urban farming, roadside green cover enhancement, development of parks, checking of industrial pollution, development of Delhi's lakes and development of the city forests to combat pollution. The plans also include awareness campaigns through eco club activities, real-time pollution source apportionment studies, development of e-waste eco-park, monitoring of tree transplantation and prohibiting single-use plastic. The minister also said that DPCC would also keep a check on industries that were not running on clean fuel. “All registered industrial units in the capital, a total of 1607 of them, have converted to piped natural gas,” said Rai. “From April 20 onwards, DPCC will conduct a special drive to check if environmental standards are being violated and will take action if they are. Orders have been issued to collect data in this regard.”

Delhi to develop 4 world-class city forests to fight pollution: Environment min

In a bid to fight pollution in the national capital, the Delhi government will develop four world-class city forests under the summer action plan, said environment minister Gopal Rai. The government has decided to take several measures to create a healthier environment in Delhi. Elaborating on the same, minister Rai pointed out, a special drive will be conducted from April 20 to monitor if industries in Delhi are using cleaner fuels Also PWD will set up a special taskforce to develop green belt on roadsides in Delhi and a month-long anti-open burning campaign will be launched from Tuesday Last week, Rai wrote to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav urging him to immediately call a meeting of the environment ministers of NCR states and experts to form a joint plan to fight air pollution. Rai pointed out that the number of good and moderate air quality days in the city has increased and poor air quality days reduced in the last four years on account of the anti-air pollution steps taken by the Arvind Kejriwal government. Citing a report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), he said 31 per cent of the air pollution in Delhi comes from local sources and the rest is from outside. "It is clear that all NCR states will have to work together to reduce air pollution in Delhi," Rai said. "I had on November 7, November 11 and December 3 urged you to call a meeting of NCR states. Once again, I request you to immediately convene a meeting of environment ministers of NCR states and experts to form a joint plan to reduce air pollution," he said.

Flyovers galore in Chennai but do we really need so many?

It was just in January that a Government Order was issued for the construction of three new flyovers for the city at a cost of Rs. 335 crores. Now, Chennai’s new mayor Ms. Priya Rajan has signalled the administration’s intent to focus on a new batch of flyover projects as part of a roster of key civic solutions. Flyovers are touted to be essential infrastructure to decongest traffic snarls, but whether the benefits are commensurate with the steep price tags is a matter of some debate. Flyovers did not add much extra capacity A 2016 piece in The Hindu states that Chennai has spent around Rs. 1,144 crores in erecting new flyovers. The sweeping project of the late 1990s saw the installation of nine new flyovers, resulting in the addition of an underwhelming 12.4 km of extra road capacity over the last decade – a period in which Chennai saw 60 lakh new vehicles descend upon its roads. Curiously, the statistics may not be mere happenstance; senior retired officials have been reported to point out that the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers had a significant part to play in formulating the Traffic Action Plan of the 1990s. The city roads are choked with traffic snarls that grow more severe every passing year. It is not unreasonable to wonder about the virtue of expensive flyovers that bring short-term benefits, ultimately enjoyed only by a small percentage of road users. True cost of flyovers In a quote to the media, Madhav Pai, the director of an organisation that works on sustainable transport solutions had this to say about the structures – “Elevated roads don’t work. Mumbai alone has spent close to Rs. 5,000 crore and there is still traffic. We’ve created an industry out of building flyovers. Cities have less and less money to spend on health and education because they’ve got locked into this high-cost investment pattern. This is not sustainable.” The city doesn’t just bear an economic cost when it comes to flyovers, there are environmental and civic costs as well. Flyovers seem to set in motion a vicious cycle of congestion – by making it easier for vehicles to move through the roads, they arguably encourage new ownership, paving the way for a boom in new vehicles. This is terrible for Chennai’s air pollution index, which, according to the Centre for Science and Environment, is reported to have the dubious record of being the second-worst vehicle polluter in the country after Delhi. Apart from having an impact on emission levels, new flyovers tend to rip the city as they come up, dislodging homes and public recreational centres. Adding to traffic woes Sometimes, they even make the traffic problem worse. K.P. Subramanian, former professor, Anna University is quoted in a news report thus – “In most cases, only particular intersections are upgraded, while the preceding ones or the ones that follow are not. Consequently, acute congestion is caused at landing points of ramps resulting in serpentine queues. The flyover near IIT is a classic example.” Such infrastructure projects don’t always meet the approval of the public, either. A few years back, residents turned down a proposal by the Corporation to build a flyover at Mandaveli junction, feeling that the area would be served better by tackling encroachments and illegal parking. Need to explore alternatives It is rather baffling that flyovers are being prioritised at a time when growing environmental and climate concerns have made it clear that public transport must take precedence over private ones. A traffic management solution cannot exist in a silo that pays little heed to the city’s myriad eco-friendly initiatives such as electric buses, encouragement of Metro patronage and improvement of green cover. Chennai needs a long-term fix that serves more than just the relatively small proportion of road users that are private vehicle owners. In fact, according to a piece authored by Kashmira Dubash of the ITDP (Institute for Transportation and Development Policy), the city of Ranchi put a stop to the construction of two flyovers in 2016, opting instead to make it easier for its citizens to cycle, walk and use public transport. The article goes on to say that according to international standards, cities like Chennai require over 300km of mass rapid transit. Whether that is actualized through bus systems or the metro, it certainly seems to be a goal more deserving of the exchequer’s money than flyovers. One hopes that the administration will subject such proposals to a fair evaluation by today’s standards, taking into account cost, impact and alternative solutions.

Second fire at Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill in two weeks

There was an inferno at the capital’s biggest landfill on March 28 as well, which smouldered for three days, bellowing thick smoke over a large area that included Ghazipur, Kondli, Patparganj, IP Extension, Kaushambi and Khoda in Delhi and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh In the second such incident in recent weeks, there was a big fire at the Ghazipur landfill late on Saturday night that took three hours to douse. The authorities blamed the fire partly on the high temperatures prevailing in the region. The fire was reported at around 10.30pm on Saturday, an East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) spokesperson said. “It was brought under the control during the night by deploying six bulldozers and seeking help of the fire department,” the spokesperson said. There was an inferno at the capital’s biggest landfill on March 28 as well, which smouldered for three days, bellowing thick smoke over a large area that included Ghazipur, Kondli, Patparganj, IP Extension, Kaushambi and Khoda in Delhi and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. EDMC is looking for a new site to dump over 2,000 tonnes of garbage that is overloading the Ghazipur landfill that is estimated to hold 14 million tonnes of legacy waste accumulated over the past 38 years. The fire at landfills is caused due to methane emanating from decomposing waste, and it is a natural phenomenon observed all across the world, said Shyam Sunder Aggarwal, mayor of EDMC. “Delhi is facing record temperatures, due to which such incidents are happening again and again,” he said. “It is a natural phenomenon which cannot be stopped, but we have made adequate arrangements for controlling fires by placing bulldozers and water tankers on standby.” Durgesh Pathak of the Aam Aadmi party, who co-ordinates with Delhi’s municipal corporations on behalf of the Delhi government, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of not doing enough to manage the landfills. The EDMC is controlled by the BJP. Although EDMC is dumping 2,000 tonnes of fresh garbage everyday at Ghazipur, down from 2,800 tonnes daily earlier, the municipality still needs to stop using the overloaded landfill, Aggarwal said. “A 12 acre site has been sought for fresh waste near Ghazipur paper market. We will create 12 feet high walls and a green belt to ensure that no stench in felt in neighbouring area,” he said. “It is Delhi’s waste and it needs to disposed somewhere.” Cities Fresh dumping was temporarily halted in September 2017 when a section of the landfill collapsed, claiming the lives of two people. EDMC’s efforts to divert waste to Rani Khera , Sonia Vihar and Ghonda Gujran have faced resistance from local residents and invited adverse comments from the National Green Tribunal. The BJP has repeatedly made false promises concerning these three landfill sites, alleged Pathak. “In 2017, state BJP chief Manoj Tiwari had promised that if voted to power in the MCD, their party will get rid of all three of these landfills within a year,” he said. “It is unfortunate that instead of working on the disposal of the existing landfill sites, the BJP has asked the central government for another stretch of land in Delhi for a new landfill site.” The BJP said Pathak’s allegations lack logic. “Durgesh Pathak has said we will not let any landfill site to come up in Delhi. Will he tell the people if he won’t allow any landfill site, where would the disposal of garbage take place in Delhi? Major cities in the world have at least one or more landfill sites,” said Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor. The management of garbage disposal has been hampered due to lack of funds at the municipalities and the work needs to be speeded up, Kapoor admitted. The people of Delhi are suffering due to fires at the landfill and the BJP-led corporations do not have solution for Ghazipur’s mountain of garbage, AAP MLA Atishi said. “Now the Centre will directly manage the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), so will the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) find a solution to this issue?” she asked. Parliament enacted a law on April 5 to merge all three municipal corporations of Delhi. There are no quick fixes for the garbage disposal problem, according to Atin Biswas, a waste management expert and program director of municipal solid waste sector at the Centre for Science and Environment, an advocacy group. “Our immediate concern should be the dumping of fresh waste, which decomposes much faster and leads to generation of combustible greenhouse gases. The sites are 30-40 years old, but the problematic fraction of waste is a much recent addition,” Biswas said. The landfill management teams should ensure that compaction of fresh waste is carried out to remove any air pockets so that methane cannot come in contact with oxygen, which leads to combustion, he said. Additionally, an inert soil layer should be developed, Biswas said. Landfill fires occur in dump sites all across the country, but Delhi’s scale is much larger as the city produces such a huge volume of garbage. The national capital generates more than 11,119 tonnes of garbage everyday, out of which 6,473 tonnes is dumped at landfills, 4,550 tonnes is sent to three waste to energy plants, and the rest is composted.

Humidity Plays Major Role In Delhi’s Heat Wave Conditions

New Delhi: Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. Avikal Somvanshi, Program Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Center for Science & Environment, explained: “March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year’s data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent. ”

Low Humidity Resulting from Lack of Western Disturbances & Winds Responsible for Delhi's Prolonged Heatwave Conditions

Since mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two instances of heatwave conditions, and experts seem to believe that the humidity factor is primarily responsible for this. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9°C against its normal value of 29.6°C, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station, recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70% in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30%. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47%. This year's data shows it was drier than average March at about 40%." The reasons for very low humidity in March are mainly two. "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that, there was no Western Disturbance, and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March. "Usually, the anti-cyclonic development over north India happens in mid-April, because of which temperature increases and humidity decreases. So, the entire north India is dry. But this year, it happened in mid-March itself, so March had unusually low humidity compared to previous Marches," he added. In March, the month starts with generally 60-70% humidity, which decreases to about 40-odd per cent by March-end. This year, instead of March-end, this 40-point level was reached by mid-March itself. And April already has low humidity, he said. Humidity has been increasing in north India over the last few years, and the combination of high temperature and high humidity increases the heat index; what we call in popular parlance, 'feels like' temperature - '25 but feels like 35'. This phenomenon generally happens in the pre-monsoon period, Somvanshi explained. Agreeing that for Delhi, March is a transition month, IMD's former director-general (meteorology) Ranjan Kelkar said: "February is a winter month, and March is supposed to be a summer month. The transition — which usually occurs around the festival of Holi — sometimes is very smooth and sometimes, it is very abrupt. This transition can be either way — cold weather may extend into March, or warm weather may fit in early." Kelkar also pointed toward the role of Western Disturbances and the winds. "In winters, if there is going to be WDs, they come, as the name says, from the west side of India — from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They bring in moisture, so WD in winters will bring rains in north Indian plains and snow in the upper regions of the Himalayas. "Another factor is wind. Variations in rainfall are highly localised as it is dependent on local terrain and topography. But when the 'wind' is involved, a large area is influenced by the wind. Dry wind is blowing, then a large part of the country will be dry," he said. "The winds are dry (now) as they are not bringing in any moisture. These are southerly winds. In Delhi, April and May are always dry months. Dust storms are common in April and May because there is no moisture," Kelkar said. "In June, as the monsoon approaches, the atmosphere becomes laden with moisture, and that is worse because that makes Delhi's atmosphere very stuffy. This is the time when Delhi gets thunderstorms with rains."

Urban Waste Management in India: All You Need to Know About the Challenges, Solutions

The Ministries of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) have, over the years, collaborated to develop policies and programmes to address these concerns. However, according to some experts, due to lack of clarity and understanding among stakeholders, as well as poor enforcement by regulators, a majority of these have failed to fulfil their goals. Despite the efforts of several organisations, experts say, the problems related to collecting, transporting and disposing of solid waste remain unresolved in metropolitan areas, where fast-growing populations generate increasing amounts of waste that urban local bodies (ULBs) are unable to efficiently manage. In urban India, solid waste management (SWM) has become one of the most significant development concerns owing to microbial decomposition, climate conditions, refuse properties, and land-filling activities. PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Prof. Sudha Goel, for example, advises regular monitoring and data collecting are crucial for developing an efficient SWM system in her study, ‘Municipal Solid Waste Management in India: A Critical Review’. Two other researchers, Rajkumar Joshi and Sirajuddin Ahmed, in their 2016 research paper, stated that Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) has failed due to a lack of awareness and technical competence, insufficient budget and ineffective execution of laws and policies. Another study outlined the various tools for overcoming urban waste management problems in India. It stated that urban waste management should be streamlined using technology, and the SWM system should be made techno-economically viable and sustainable. THE CLASSIFICATION Solid waste is classified into three types: • Biodegradable waste or organic waste (food and kitchen waste, green waste (vegetables, flowers, leaves, fruits, and paper, for example) • Inert and non-biodegradable waste (construction and demolition waste, dirt, debris, for example) • Recyclable waste (plastic, paper, bottles, glasses, etc.) On July 3, 2020, the MoHUA released the toolkit for the Swachh Survekshan 2021. As part of it, a new award category called ‘Pretak Daaur Samman’ was announced. The new award will classify cities based on six performance indicators, which are: • Segregation of waste into wet, dry and hazard categories • Processing capacity against wet waste generated • Construction and Demolition (C and D) waste processing. • Percentage of waste going to landfills. • Sanitation status of cities C AND D WASTE According to a report released on August 25, 2020, by the Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), India recycles only 1% of its C and D waste. As per the Building Material Promotion Council, the country generates an estimated 150 million tonnes of C and D waste each year. However, the official recycling capacity is only 6,500 tonnes per day or about 1%. Advertisement While releasing the report, Sunita Narain, CSE director general said: “Our study shows that as many as 53 cities were expected to set up recycling facilities to recover material from C and D waste by 2017 — but only 13 cities have done that by 2020. This is unacceptable when the demand for primary building material, including minerals, stone, sand, iron ore, aluminium and timber, is growing at an unprecedented rate.” “A significant proportion of construction waste can be recycled and reused and brought back to construction to substitute naturally sourced material. This demands a circular economy that can turn C and D waste into a resource. This can help reduce energy intensity and environmental footprints of buildings and infrastructure,” she added. Recently, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to collect and reuse C and D waste generated across the city on daily basis. Additionally, it was said that the process to hire a private operator for the purpose was completed in just two days, rather than the typical 30 to 45 days. The operator will have to introduce a helpline number on which citizens can call to get their C and D waste lifted. The operator will also have the right to recover charges from bulk waste generators like builders. Separately in Noida, on April 10, demolition experts are planning a test explosion of the Supertech twin towers. The test explosion is required to optimise and ensure that the exact amount of explosives to be utilised is known — as more explosives would cause debris to disperse all over. According to the plan, while the structures will be demolished in nine seconds, the debris will likely take at least three months to be removed. The debris could be disposed of in a low-lying region or processed at a C and D waste facility. Furthermore, it was reported that on a weekly basis, the area’s dust and noise levels are measured, the amount of waste generated is logged and daily water use is calculated. On-site dust separators have also been installed. But containing the dust cloud, which may be challenging, will be the most difficult aspect of the demolition. Spraying will be used to try to control the dust cloud, but there is no definitive way to do so. The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) in a 2012 circular instructed states to construct environmentally appropriate C and D recycling facilities in all cities with a population of above 10 lakh. Additionally, it was said earlier that the Bureau of Indian Standards and Indian Roads Congress shall be responsible for the preparation of a code of practises and standards for the use of recycled materials and products of construction and demolition waste in respect of construction activities, according to the C and D Waste Management Rules, 2016 Rule under the Duties of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Indian Roads Congress (IRC). According to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, in the case of the “sustainable model” on C and D waste management, the key components are: • Practical estimation of C and D waste generation • Identified sites and timely acquisition of land for development of integrated C and D processing facilities, with necessary approval from local administration / civic bodies • Specifications/standards for recycled C and D waste products for quality acceptance • List and mandate the use of recycled products from C and D wastes • Map water bodies in a city/region – encroachment of water bodies in cities for generating ‘land’ is a common practice observed in several cities • Research on economically viable C and D recycling options • Awareness campaign – tools for sensitisation of general public ​

Humidity plays major role in Delhi's heat wave conditions

New Delhi: Starting from mid-March, Delhi-NCR has experienced two heat wave conditions and experts believe that the humidity factor has played a major role. Maximum temperatures above normal over many parts of west-central and north-west India were prevalent for several days leading to the first heat wave from March 11 to 21. The second spell, which started on March 26 and is still underway, is one of the longest for the March-April heat waves. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the mean maximum temperature was 32.9 degrees Celsius against its normal value 29.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the climatological mean for the month. Against the 15.9 mm rainfall for the month, the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station,recorded zero rainfall in March. Relative humidity for the month hovered around 60-70 per cent in the initial days and lowered down to less than 30 per cent. Avikal Somvanshi, Programme Manager, Urban Analytical Lab at the Centre for Science & Environment, explained: "March has never been as dry as April, May, and June. March is a transition month. The average humidity in March is 47 per cent. This year's data shows, it was drier than average March at about 40 per cent." "March usually has some rainfall because of western disturbance (WD). This year, there has not been any WD. Secondly, there was some anti-cyclonic pressure developed over north India. Because of that there was no WD and as a result, there was unusually low humidity (and therefore, more heat) during March," Somvanshi said. "This is an ongoing impact of La Nina. Because of La Nina, we had January as one of the cold and wettest months. And now, this heat in March.