• Down To Earth

Record Breaking: Delhi Experiences Coldest Day in Almost a Decade, Leaving Homeless Dead

Although Delhi had its chilliest season in almost a decade ago, a penniless gentleman on the city 's alleys survived over the evening while carrying a rotting corpse next to him, until officials from an organization came to assist. Rajkumar, a low paid laborer, has been in Delhi for 5 years and is yet to find a place to dwell. A statistic campaigners estimate is likely to be less than a third of the true total for street campers in the metropolis in which Rajkumar is among the town's overall total of 46,724 homeless individuals. Although a trip around the metropolis reveals a growing amount of the state's rough sleepers, who mostly seek sanctuary beneath crossings, in playgrounds, and on sidewalks, the administration's approach to reducing fatalities among the destitute was restricted to the establishment of overnight facilities. Experts claim that all three seasons, namely, wintertime, summertime, and monsoon, inevitably endanger the lives of homeless persons in the region. In an interview with a homeless shelter organizer with the nonprofit Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan, Sanjay Kumar, he informed Independent - that almost all homeless folks work in the informal employment, in which they are compensated daily. While in an unpublished study by the Centre for Holistic Development (CHD), a charity comprised of peaceful helpers such as attorneys and political scholars that assisted Rajkumar, at least 176 living on the streets individuals perished in Delhi in January as a result of contact to severe weather. Often times, lifeless corpses are discarded on the pavements, while the authorities figure out about the fatalities after some time. Coldest Day in Delhi Results to More Deaths Owing to the inadequacy of government documents on homeless fatalities, finding a comparison to last year is challenging. However, 152 casualties were documented in India, owing to winter surges in 2020, as per the India Environment Portal (IEP). According to a reportnin Al Jazeera, CHD experts used material from community centers in India as well as municipal reports of fatalities on pavements, as well as their independent assessments, to calculate the death toll in January. According to campaigners, the overwhelming of the state's homeless community is made up of individuals who serve in informal economy as laborers and assistants, or who are forced to plead or trade things on the roads. Volunteers believe that an estimate of 1% of the town's inhabitants are socially isolated. Sanjay Kumar also believes that there is a climatic influence on all of these events, stressing that although one incident may not be wholly ascribed to global warming, the magnitude of these occurrences are. As per CHD, fatalities have been increasing in congested regions like as eastern and northern Delhi, wherein various micro enterprises are situated and where individuals come from neighboring countries in quest of jobs. Advocates have often expressed worry about an absence of statistics when it concerns to measuring the number of homeless people, which is also in movement since many employees relocate to communities just over a specific timeframe. According to Aarti Khosla, the head of Weather Forecasts, a climate information program, the extreme cold circumstances this year are partially due to La Nina, an oceanographic and meteorological phenomenon that is the harsher equivalent of El Nino and drags air temperature lower.

• Sustainable Food Systems

Crop yield, net returns and soil health – organic farming leads on all counts, finds CSE study

In its latest report, Centre for Science and Environment presents irrefutable evidence of the benefits of non-chemical farming, supported by its analysis on crop yield recorded during 2014-19. The yields were found to be the highest with organic farming, followed by integrated agriculture and finally, the inorganic approach. On February 1, while presenting the Union Budget 2022, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that chemical-free farming will be promoted across the country and the foundation for it would begin with fields within a five kilometre (km) wide corridor along the Ganges. A day later, on February 2, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based research and advocacy group, released its report titled Evidence (2004-20) on holistic benefits of organic and natural farming in India, which presents irrefutable evidence of the benefits of non-chemical agriculture. With respect to crop yield, the CSE report highlighted that out of the 504 times that yield results were recorded during 2014-19, the yields were found to be highest 41 per cent with organic approach, followed by 33 per cent with integrated, and 26 per cent with inorganic approach. “In the case of vegetables, oilseeds and cereals, yield with organic approach was highest more times than integrated and inorganic approach. In pulses and spices, it was highest more times with integrated approach than with organic and inorganic approach,” the report observed. Similarly, cropping systems with an organic approach have scored the highest in terms of all the parameters on soil health – organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The report’s findings on soil bulk density, soil bacteria, fungi, micronutrients etc also offered a similar verdict. Also Read: A village in Bihar goes organic, transforming the lives of its women “Despite the push given to it through periodic pronouncements from India’s leaders, the country’s efforts to upscale non-chemical farming practises have largely remained half-hearted at best,” said Sunita Narain, director general of CSE during the virtual event of the launch of the report. “CSE’s new report on the subject presents robust evidence which makes it clear that we can upscale organic and natural farming. It is time to invest adequately in a well-funded nation-wide programme for this,” she said. The CSE report compares results of three approaches – organic farming, integrated (which partly involves chemicals) agriculture, and inorganic (dependent on chemicals) farming. These results documented in the report are based on the evidence collected on various factors like crop yield, cost of cultivation, income, livelihood, soil health and environment, and food quality and nutrients. The report is based on two sets of sources – the results of the All-India Network Project on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF), 2004-19; and the CSE researchers combed through about 90 scientific studies on organic and natural farming published between 2010 and 2020 in India. The CSE report has brought forward some key points with regard to crop yield, income and livelihood and health of the soil. It presents a comparison between the three approaches of organic, integrated and inorganic farming. “Among three approaches, out of 63 cropping systems, cost of cultivation was highest in 63 per cent cropping systems with organic approach at 15 centres, 8 per cent with integrated approach at three centres, and 29 per cent with inorganic approach at eight centres. With organic approach, the cost of cultivation was lowest in five per cent cropping systems,” notes the new report. With organic approach, the mean cost of cultivation was lower than inorganic in 19 per cent cropping systems. The report goes on to say that the cost of cultivation is higher with organic approach than an integrated approach. “This high cost is explained by the fact that organic and bio-inputs used in the AI-NPOF are largely purchased from the market and not produced on-farm, as the project involves experimental farms. Whereas, organic inputs cost less if produced on-farm by farmers,” reads the report. The food quality and nutrition with organic approach were also found to be better than inorganic and slightly better than the integrated approach, the CSE report observed. Also Read: Non-pesticidal management in agriculture is a win-win for farmers and consumers While the report’s release came a day after the announcement made by FM for promotion of chemical-free natural farming, Amit Kumar, programme director, Sustainable Food Systems programme, CSE, and co-author of the CSE report, said that these are relatively small steps compared to the need of the hour. “Hopefully, our new report, which highlights that there is strong long-term evidence that organic and natural farming is not only profitable and sustainable but also productive, will propel the country to invest more adequately to upscale and encourage such a mass movement,” he added. Recommendations of the report CSE researchers have called for development of a roadmap to set the long-term agenda for adoption of agro-ecological approaches across different parts of the country in view of their benefits on multiple and cross- cutting aspects such as nutrition, livelihood of farmers, natural resource conservation, biodiversity, resource efficiency, soil- health, disease resilience and mitigation of climate crisis. In addition to that, the report has also demanded to shift the focus on supporting farmers during the transition to organic and natural farming through technical and financial support. Apart from this, it has called for a targeted, ambitious and well-funded nationwide programme developed to drive the change towards organic and natural farming and promotion of organic fertilisers and biofertilizers instead of chemical fertilisers. The report also recommended that states should step up their action in a concerted way to promote organic and natural farming. “This should be done through a series of measures such as those related to organic seeds, bio-inputs, capacity building of farmers and providing market linkages,” the report stated.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Pollutant in ‘scary’ Kolkata air exceeds 13 times the WHO limit

Sprinkling water on roads, the experts pointed out, will not achieve much The average level of PM (particulate matter) 2.5 in Kolkata’s air last year was more than 1.5 times the national standard and more than 13 times the standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO), shows an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). PM 2.5 is considered the most toxic of all air pollutants. They can enter deep into the lungs and trigger a range of critical diseases, including cancer. Experts from the Delhi-based CSE who were associated with the study pointed out that the city needed to address “big items like pollution from vehicles” to minimise air pollution. Sprinkling water on roads, the experts pointed out, will not achieve much. Mayor Firhad Hakim, who is also Bengal’s transport minister, admitted that the city’s pollution scene is “scary”. “We have to address the problem. Addressing air pollution is one of the priority areas during my current tenure (as mayor),” he said. In 2021, Kolkata was the only metropolis city after Delhi where the level of PM 2.5 — 66 micrograms per cubic metre of air - remained significantly higher than the national permissible limit. The national limit is 40 micrograms and WHO standard is 5 micrograms. Delhi’s average PM 2.5 level last year was 109 micrograms. The cities that fared better than Kolkata included Bangalore (33 micrograms), Chennai (25 micrograms), Hyderabad (41 micrograms) and Mumbai (34 micrograms). A study carried out by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, at the behest of the state pollution control board, shows household emission accounts for the maximum share of PM 2.5 in the city — 28 per cent share. Then comes road dust (25 per cent) and emission from vehicles (24 per cent). “Vehicles are the major problem in Kolkata. All apportionment studies are showing that, but you are constantly focusing on sprinkling of water. The big-ticket problems like the vehicle count or automobile pollution are being ignored,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury of CSE, who led the analysis.

• Industrial Pollution

Union Budget 2022: Single window environmental clearance, will this usher sustainability in economy?

During the Union Budget 2022 speech, the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said: “A single-window portal, PARIVESH, for all green clearances was launched in 2018. It has been instrumental in reducing the time required for approvals significantly”. PARIVESH has been developed as one-stop workflow application where online submissions and monitoring of green projects can be submitted for clearances related to the environment, forest, wildlife and coastal regulation zone (CRZ), from central, state and even district-level authorities. An Environmental clearance refers to an approval that is required before an organization can proceed with building an infrastructure, undertaking mining, processing or manufacturing that can potentially be detrimental to the environment. Depending on its nature, the State or Centre may issue a clearance. This has been done in order to promote fast, efficient and red-tapism free decision for any project needed. But if we are to believe various studies including the one published by Pulitzer Center, most of the projects appearing for environmental clearance, are ‘rarely rejected’ by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC). For instance, in between 2014-2020, nearly 2053 projects out of a total of 2,115 projects were granted Environment Clearances (ECs) by MOEFCC. Out of these, 278 are within and immediately around the country’s sensitive Protected Areas (PA). The word of mouth is that the projects lacking the clearances above, might have been asked to return with more information or more clarification. An ecological clearance requires various stakeholders (including the PAP, Project Affected Person) to put forward their perspectives, analysis and discuss for the benefit of all: ecosystem, land-utilization, society at large.\ This fast paced approval will leave this process in doldrums, with no proper investigation, biased approval and industry centric, as India still seeks to improve its ranking on Ease of doing business, that has been earlier published by the World Bank but now stands stalled amidst controversies. Are environmental concerns serving as the impediments to economic growth? The projects at times are stalled with no pretext related to the environmental health. The top five infrastructure projects: Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Pollavaram irrigation project, Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, Navi Mumbai International Airport and Nariyara Coal Power Plant, have all been delayed because of reasons other environmental clearances. These clearances have long been a safeguard for Nature and sustainability in depth, it is the bureaucratic process that derails it all. In actuality, mindless and irresponsible development with benefits in short run have long bypassed country’s environmental interests. Is it always easy to choose sides for a human? When all this appears to be favoring human-made business and industry rather than compassion and respect for the environment that we yield for, can there be no benefit so important that we need to bring in single-window clearance for environment too? One needs to note that India being the country seeking growth, harbors huge volume of “building” projects and naturally, most of them dealing with the scarce natural resource fulfilling the insatiable need of the country and World, have to undergo clearance. However, with even such drastic progress in volumes, the system was never upgraded and quality of scrutiny never improved. Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has advocated a single window clearance system since 2014 in its report Strengthen Institutions, reform laws and streamline processes: Agenda for Improving Environmental Governance in India. The report accentuated the need for a better environmental governance in India through a single point of clearance and better, digitally. Through Parivesh, all the regulating authorities will have relevant information existing for a project at one location. Even the independent researchers will gain a 360-degree view along with the probable impacts probed, analysis provided that too multilaterally. Experts have claimed that such a digital provision will render transparency to a complex system of environmental disclosures. Once expanded, MOEFCC has aimed to provide all four approvals, i.e. Environment, Forest, Wildlife and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zones) Clearances, embedded in a single form (several experts have advocated that wildlife clearance to be separate from the others). This allows an automated, easy and clear tracking of the processes involved to ascertain the status of the intended project along with quick editing and updation as needed, reducing the greater work in the silos with heavy procrastination. But India being a country of options and illegible solutions, any betterment in the system can lead to uncertainties in outcomes. Will single window environmental clearance do ay better for business and environment remains to be seen? As indicated by our FM complying with the image India has portrayed as a leader in climate diplomacy, climate action shall dictate the growth of this country. That can be done if we begin to include sustainability at any cost in every sector possible. We need to avert the climate crisis, that is only possible if we prosper but not at the cost of our environment.

• Director General Office

अमरजीत सिंह कोहली : कल्पना चावला को पद्म पुरस्कार क्यों नहीं?

1 फरवरी 2022, अंतरिक्ष यात्री कल्पना चावला की 19वीं पुण्यतिथि थी, जिनकी 1 फरवरी 2003 को अंतरिक्ष शटल कोलंबिया के दुर्घटना में मृत्यु हो गई थी। यह तस्वीर 2010 में दिल्ली में उनकी 7वीं पुण्यतिथि पर उन्हें श्रद्धांजलि देते हुए दिखाई दी थी। साथ ही पुलिस अधिकारी किरण बेदी (पहली महिला आईपीएस अधिकारी और मैगसेसे पुरस्कार विजेता) कल्पना चावला के पिता श्री बनारसी लाल चावला उत्कृष्टता पुरस्कार प्राप्त कर रहे हैं, जबकि मैं बीच में खड़ा हूं। ये पुरस्कार 2006 में स्थापित किए गए थे और हर साल 1 फरवरी को दिए जाते हैं। 1967 में दिल्ली में स्थापित पंजाब इंजीनियरिंग कॉलेज चंडीगढ़ ओल्ड बॉयज एसोसिएशन (PECOBA) के संस्थापक जनरल सेकेरी के रूप में मेरे द्वारा समारोह का आयोजन किया गया था। PEC के 1962 बैच के एक अरुणकुमार संस्थापक अध्यक्ष थे। जब मैंने 1964 में PEC, चंडीगढ़ से Mech Engg की डिग्री पूरी की, कल्पना चावला ने PEC से 1982 में वैमानिकी इंजीनियरिंग में अपनी डिग्री पूरी की। एक अन्य अमेरिकी अंतरिक्ष यात्री सुनीता विलियम्स, जिन्होंने पहली बार दिसंबर 2006 में स्पेस शटल डिस्कवरी में उड़ान भरी थी, को 2008 में पद्म भूषण से सम्मानित किया गया था, लेकिन कल्पना चावला को नहीं, जिन्होंने सुनीता विलियम्स से पूरे 9 साल पहले 1997 में पहली बार अमेरिकी अंतरिक्ष यान कोलंबिया में उड़ान भरी थी। कल्पना चावला ने 2003 में एयरक्रैश में अपनी जान भी गंवा दी। इसके अलावा, कल्पना चावला का जन्म भारत के करनाल में हुआ था जबकि सुनीता विलियम्स का जन्म और पालन-पोषण यूएसए में हुआ था। मुझे यह जोड़ना होगा कि PECOBA द्वारा स्थापित कल्पना चावला उत्कृष्टता पुरस्कार पद्म विभूषण पुरस्कार विजेता दिवंगत कैप्टन लक्ष्मी सहगल द्वारा स्वीकार किए गए थे, जो नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस की INA की रानी झांसी रेजिमेंट के कमांडर थे। वह 2010 में कानपुर में रहने वाली 96 साल की थीं। जब मैंने उससे बात की तो वह इसे स्वीकार करने में बहुत खुश हुई और उसने अपनी बेटी अनीसा पुरी को पुरस्कार लेने के लिए भेजा क्योंकि वह बहुत कमजोर थी और दिल्ली जाने की स्थिति में नहीं थी। अन्य पुरस्कार प्राप्त करने वालों में व्यक्तिगत रूप से पद्म भूषण उमा शर्मा (कथक नर्तक), पद्मश्री नफीसा अली सोढ़ी (अभिनेत्री, राष्ट्रीय तैराकी चैंपियन), पद्मश्री सुनीता नारायण (पर्यावरण सूची), अलवर की पद्मश्री भुवनेश्वरी कुमारी (16 बार राष्ट्रीय स्क्वैश चैंपियन), पद्मश्री शामिल हैं। शांति हीरानंद (अनुभवी गायक), पद्मश्री अजीत कौर (पंजाबी साहित्यकार)। जब मैं इस पुरस्कार समारोह की तुलना कर रहा था, मैं हर समय सोचता रहता था कि क्या विडंबना है कि अगर ये सभी पद्म पुरस्कार विजेता कल्पना चावला के नाम पर एक पुरस्कार स्वीकार कर रहे हैं, फिर भी कल्पना चावला को अभी तक कोई पद्म पुरस्कार नहीं दिया गया है, यहां तक ​​कि पद्मश्री भी नहीं। हालांकि वह भारत रत्न की हकदार हैं। कल्पना चावला उत्कृष्टता पुरस्कार कल्पना चावला के पिता श्री बीएल चावला द्वारा 2016 तक पूरे 11 वर्षों के लिए कैबिनेट मंत्रियों की उपस्थिति में प्रदान किए गए हैं और बहुत बड़ी संख्या में पद्म पुरस्कार विजेताओं और प्रसिद्ध हस्तियों (जैसे किरण मजूमदार शाह, सीएमडी, बायोकॉन) ने स्वीकार किया है।

• Sustainable Food Systems

Crop yield, net returns and soil health – organic farming leads on all counts, finds CSE study

In its latest report, Centre for Science and Environment presents irrefutable evidence of the benefits of non-chemical farming, supported by its analysis on crop yield recorded during 2014-19. The yields were found to be the highest with organic farming, followed by integrated agriculture and finally, the inorganic approach. On February 1, while presenting the Union Budget 2022, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that chemical-free farming will be promoted across the country and the foundation for it would begin with fields within a five kilometre (km) wide corridor along the Ganges. A day later, on February 2, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based research and advocacy group, released its report titled Evidence (2004-20) on holistic benefits of organic and natural farming in India, which presents irrefutable evidence of the benefits of non-chemical agriculture. With respect to crop yield, the CSE report highlighted that out of the 504 times that yield results were recorded during 2014-19, the yields were found to be highest 41 per cent with organic approach, followed by 33 per cent with integrated, and 26 per cent with inorganic approach. Similarly, cropping systems with an organic approach have scored the highest in terms of all the parameters on soil health – organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. “In the case of vegetables, oilseeds and cereals, yield with organic approach was highest more times than integrated and inorganic approach. In pulses and spices, it was highest more times with integrated approach than with organic and inorganic approach,” the report observed. Similarly, cropping systems with an organic approach have scored the highest in terms of all the parameters on soil health – organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The report’s findings on soil bulk density, soil bacteria, fungi, micronutrients etc also offered a similar verdict. Also Read: A village in Bihar goes organic, transforming the lives of its women “Despite the push given to it through periodic pronouncements from India’s leaders, the country’s efforts to upscale non-chemical farming practises have largely remained half-hearted at best,” said Sunita Narain, director general of CSE during the virtual event of the launch of the report. “CSE’s new report on the subject presents robust evidence which makes it clear that we can upscale organic and natural farming. It is time to invest adequately in a well-funded nation-wide programme for this,” she said. The CSE report compares results of three approaches – organic farming, integrated (which partly involves chemicals) agriculture, and inorganic (dependent on chemicals) farming. These results documented in the report are based on the evidence collected on various factors like crop yield, cost of cultivation, income, livelihood, soil health and environment, and food quality and nutrients. The report is based on two sets of sources – the results of the All-India Network Project on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF), 2004-19; and the CSE researchers combed through about 90 scientific studies on organic and natural farming published between 2010 and 2020 in India. Key findings of the report The CSE report has brought forward some key points with regard to crop yield, income and livelihood and health of the soil. It presents a comparison between the three approaches of organic, integrated and inorganic farming. “Among three approaches, out of 63 cropping systems, cost of cultivation was highest in 63 per cent cropping systems with organic approach at 15 centres, 8 per cent with integrated approach at three centres, and 29 per cent with inorganic approach at eight centres. With organic approach, the cost of cultivation was lowest in five per cent cropping systems,” notes the new report. The CSE report has brought forward some key points with regard to crop yield, income and livelihood and health of the soil. With organic approach, the mean cost of cultivation was lower than inorganic in 19 per cent cropping systems. The report goes on to say that the cost of cultivation is higher with organic approach than an integrated approach. “This high cost is explained by the fact that organic and bio-inputs used in the AI-NPOF are largely purchased from the market and not produced on-farm, as the project involves experimental farms. Whereas, organic inputs cost less if produced on-farm by farmers,” reads the report. The food quality and nutrition with organic approach were also found to be better than inorganic and slightly better than the integrated approach, the CSE report observed. Also Read: Non-pesticidal management in agriculture is a win-win for farmers and consumers While the report’s release came a day after the announcement made by FM for promotion of chemical-free natural farming, Amit Kumar, programme director, Sustainable Food Systems programme, CSE, and co-author of the CSE report, said that these are relatively small steps compared to the need of the hour. “Hopefully, our new report, which highlights that there is strong long-term evidence that organic and natural farming is not only profitable and sustainable but also productive, will propel the country to invest more adequately to upscale and encourage such a mass movement,” he added. The food quality and nutrition with organic approach were also found to be better than inorganic and slightly better than the integrated approach, the CSE report observed. Also Read: Using indigenous seeds to sustain livelihoods, fight climate change and pay off loans Recommendations of the report CSE researchers have called for development of a roadmap to set the long-term agenda for adoption of agro-ecological approaches across different parts of the country in view of their benefits on multiple and cross- cutting aspects such as nutrition, livelihood of farmers, natural resource conservation, biodiversity, resource efficiency, soil- health, disease resilience and mitigation of climate crisis. In addition to that, the report has also demanded to shift the focus on supporting farmers during the transition to organic and natural farming through technical and financial support. Apart from this, it has called for a targeted, ambitious and well-funded nationwide programme developed to drive the change towards organic and natural farming and promotion of organic fertilisers and biofertilizers instead of chemical fertilisers. Also Read: Madhya Pradesh farmers say organic farming is profitable, and at the same time saves on medical bills The report also recommended that states should step up their action in a concerted way to promote organic and natural farming. “This should be done through a series of measures such as those related to organic seeds, bio-inputs, capacity building of farmers and providing market linkages,” the report stated.

• Sustainable Food Systems

Holistic benefits of organic farming

A new scientific report on the benefits of organic farming released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has much to cheer for farmers and entrepreneurs engaged in the production, processing and marketing of organic farm produce in India's northeast region. The potential of the region has remained untapped as the implementation of various flagship schemes and programmes promoting organic and natural farming have failed to gain the desired momentum. The CSE report titled "Evidence (2004-20) on holistic benefits of organic and natural farming in India" states long-term trends of crop yield revealed that the organic approach is better than inorganic and is at par with integrated. Besides scientific studies found that crop yields can be higher with organic and natural farming approaches in comparison to other approaches with chemicals, it adds. The report presents CSE's findings on the benefits of organic and natural farming on crop yield, income and livelihood, soil health and environment, and food quality by analysing the results of the government's long-term research project from 2004 and other scientific studies over the last decade. The two sources from which results were collected, collated and analysed for compiling the report are- All India Network Project on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF), a pan India research project of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research during 2014–19 and scientific studies conducted across the country. A key finding is that of the 504 times that yield results were recorded, 41 per cent of the times yields were the highest with an organic approach, followed by 33 per cent with integrated and 26 per cent with the inorganic approach. In the case of vegetables, oilseeds and cereals, yield with organic approach was the highest more times than integrated and inorganic approach. In pulses and spices, however, the yield was the highest more times with an integrated approach than with an organic and inorganic approach. "When five-year mean yields are compared, in 27 out of 31 crops (87per cent) yields were higher with organic approach than with inorganic approach as part of one or more cropping systems. Out of this, in 14 crops (52 per cent), the mean yield was significantly higher (>20 per cent)" state the reports and adds that these crops are tomato, potato, French bean, ladyfinger, linseed, black gram, pigeon pea, chickpea, ginger, coriander, black pepper, basmati rice, rice and maize.These 14 crops were grown at 12 centres including Umiam in Meghalaya and Gangtok in Sikkim. These studies also highlighted the importance of bio-inputs and organic inputs like farmyard manure, vermicompost, poultry manure, foliar spray of banana pseudostem, green manure and liquid bio-fertilizer. The study found that the cost of cultivation is higher with the organic approach than the integrated approach which is explained by the fact that organic, and bio-inputs used in the experimental farms under the AI-NPOF are largely purchased from the market and not produced on-farm, but organic inputs cost less if produced on-farm by farmers. However, net returns are much better with the organic approach than with integrated or inorganic approaches and despite the high cost of cultivation with the organic approach, net returns are more favourable than the integrated approach. Another key finding highlighted is that the food quality and nutrition with the organic approach are found to be better than inorganic, and also slightly better than the integrated approach. The Northeast region is a hub of organic cultivation by default these studies will bolster initiatives of promoting organic farming. The chemicals-driven green revolution in the country bypassing the northeast region is a blessing in disguise as these scientific studies will help demonstrate the traditional knowledge base of farmers in organic cultivation to draw global attention towards the region as India's natural organic food basket. Only 2.7 per cent of the net sown area of the country has been covered under various schemes and programmes for the promotion of organic and natural farming. The report also lists a set of recommendations for policy planning and implementation. These include improving the organic certification process to make it farmer-friendly and low-cost states playing an instrumental role in helping farmers sell their organic and natural products by developing organic value chains, procuring organic produce and helping farmers get remunerative prices, mainstreaming organic and natural farming in agriculture education and research systems and prioritizing adequate production and availability of quality organic fertilizers bio-fertilizers at low cost. It also harps on the importance of enabling the farmers to choose between chemical and organic fertilizers through the transfer of the huge ongoing subsidies allocated for chemical fertilizers to chemical-free farming. The report presents strong scientific evidence for the States in the region to prioritize organic and natural farming to capitalize on various Central government-funded schemes and policies to unlock the huge potential of the region. For the growers and entrepreneurs in agriculture and horticulture in the northeast region, the CSE's report will reinforce confidence in the traditional knowledge base of communities in organic farming.

• Books

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

In March 2020, the WHO declared coronavirus as a pandemic. To date, the pandemic has resulted in 3.5 million people falling sick and 247,744 deaths across the globe. One of the key recommendations to contain the disease is to wash hands frequently with soap and water. According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), every person needs to clean his/ her hands at least 10 times a day, instead of the usual average of five times a day, in this situation. This has led to an increased in water consumption. Fresh water is required to cater to the demand and supply of water. Thus, rise in demand for fresh water is anticipated to propel the demand for stormwater management, as stormwater management helps improve the quality of water by reducing and channeling rainwater runoff or melted snow from lawns or streets. Buy Now :https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=82962&ltype=S Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/stormwater-management-market-poised-to-expand-at-a-robust-pace-over-2021-2031#ixzz7JtAeIIvE

• Sustainable Food Systems

Holistic benefits of organic farming

A new scientific report on the benefits of organic farming released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has much to cheer for farmers and entrepreneurs engaged in the production A new scientific report on the benefits of organic farming released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has much to cheer for farmers and entrepreneurs engaged in the production, processing and marketing of organic farm produce in India's northeast region. The potential of the region has remained untapped as the implementation of various flagship schemes and programmes promoting organic and natural farming have failed to gain the desired momentum. The CSE report titled "Evidence (2004-20) on holistic benefits of organic and natural farming in India" states long-term trends of crop yield revealed that the organic approach is better than inorganic and is at par with integrated. Besides scientific studies found that crop yields can be higher with organic and natural farming approaches in comparison to other approaches with chemicals, it adds. The report presents CSE's findings on the benefits of organic and natural farming on crop yield, income and livelihood, soil health and environment, and food quality by analysing the results of the government's long-term research project from 2004 and other scientific studies over the last decade. The two sources from which results were collected, collated and analysed for compiling the report are- All India Network Project on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF), a pan India research project of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research during 2014–19 and scientific studies conducted across the country. A key finding is that of the 504 times that yield results were recorded, 41 per cent of the times yields were the highest with an organic approach, followed by 33 per cent with integrated and 26 per cent with the inorganic approach. In the case of vegetables, oilseeds and cereals, yield with organic approach was the highest more times than integrated and inorganic approach. In pulses and spices, however, the yield was the highest more times with an integrated approach than with an organic and inorganic approach. "When five-year mean yields are compared, in 27 out of 31 crops (87per cent) yields were higher with organic approach than with inorganic approach as part of one or more cropping systems. Out of this, in 14 crops (52 per cent), the mean yield was significantly higher (>20 per cent)" state the reports and adds that these crops are tomato, potato, French bean, ladyfinger, linseed, black gram, pigeon pea, chickpea, ginger, coriander, black pepper, basmati rice, rice and maize.These 14 crops were grown at 12 centres including Umiam in Meghalaya and Gangtok in Sikkim. These studies also highlighted the importance of bio-inputs and organic inputs like farmyard manure, vermicompost, poultry manure, foliar spray of banana pseudostem, green manure and liquid bio-fertilizer. The study found that the cost of cultivation is higher with the organic approach than the integrated approach which is explained by the fact that organic, and bio-inputs used in the experimental farms under the AI-NPOF are largely purchased from the market and not produced on-farm, but organic inputs cost less if produced on-farm by farmers. However, net returns are much better with the organic approach than with integrated or inorganic approaches and despite the high cost of cultivation with the organic approach, net returns are more favourable than the integrated approach. Another key finding highlighted is that the food quality and nutrition with the organic approach are found to be better than inorganic, and also slightly better than the integrated approach. The Northeast region is a hub of organic cultivation by default these studies will bolster initiatives of promoting organic farming. The chemicals-driven green revolution in the country bypassing the northeast region is a blessing in disguise as these scientific studies will help demonstrate the traditional knowledge base of farmers in organic cultivation to draw global attention towards the region as India's natural organic food basket. Only 2.7 per cent of the net sown area of the country has been covered under various schemes and programmes for the promotion of organic and natural farming. The report also lists a set of recommendations for policy planning and implementation. These include improving the organic certification process to make it farmer-friendly and low-cost states playing an instrumental role in helping farmers sell their organic and natural products by developing organic value chains, procuring organic produce and helping farmers get remunerative prices, mainstreaming organic and natural farming in agriculture education and research systems and prioritizing adequate production and availability of quality organic fertilizers bio-fertilizers at low cost. It also harps on the importance of enabling the farmers to choose between chemical and organic fertilizers through the transfer of the huge ongoing subsidies allocated for chemical fertilizers to chemical-free farming. The report presents strong scientific evidence for the States in the region to prioritize organic and natural farming to capitalize on various Central government-funded schemes and policies to unlock the huge potential of the region. For the growers and entrepreneurs in agriculture and horticulture in the northeast region, the CSE's report will reinforce confidence in the traditional knowledge base of communities in organic farming.

• Industrial Pollution

What Centre’s push to power plant biomass co-firing means to farmers, air quality

Blending eco-friendly biomass pellets with coal in electricity generation will reduce CO2 emissions and reduce fly ash – a highly toxic blend of harmful chemicals Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget speech declaring a scheme to push for use of biomass in coal-fired thermal power plants is just one step towards addressing the ever-evolving challenge of environmental hazards posed by coal-based power generation plants. Termed SAMARTH (Sustainable Agrarian Mission on use of Agro Residue in Thermal Power Plants), the scheme entails blending 5 per cent biomass pellets with coal while gradually increasing the blend to 7 per cent within two years. Also called thermal power plants, the coal-based units are known to be world’s most resource-intensive and polluting industries. Nevertheless, they remain the mainstay of India’s energy sources with roughly 75% of electricity coming from thermal power plants. The FM said in her speech that about 5-7% biomass pellets will be used in thermal power plants, which will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 38 million tonnes annually. “This will also provide extra income to farmers, give job opportunities to locals and help avoid stubble burning in agricultural fields,” the minister added. Advertisement What is biomass co-firing? Blending agriculture residue or urban waste (in the form of pellets) with coal in older power stations is called biomass co-firing. It is a practice followed by several old power plants across the globe and also in India of late. Till December 2021, about 59,000 metric tonnes of biomass has been co-fired in thermal power plants in India, while tenders for 12 million metric tonnes are in the pipeline. Need for biomass in power plants Emissions from thermal power plants don’t just give out CO2, but also release heavy amounts of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, mercury among other pollutants in the form of coal ash also called fly ash. Areas around power plants report piling ash in the form of slurry in ash ponds and in the dry form in open fields. Several studies have confirmed contamination of drinking water in areas around Koradi and Khaparkheda power plants in Nagpur (Maharashtra). Delhi has for long paid the price for fly ash disposed of unscientifically by power plants located in close vicinity to the national capital. Scientists say that long-term exposure to fly ash in the air can lead to serious pulmonary illnesses and even cancer. Despite several legislations and litigations in the past, the utilisation of fly ash has not gained momentum mainly because power plants have been lax in disposing off such toxic waste in an environment-friendly way. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to ensure all thermal power plants in India make 100% ash utilisation. Yet, 21 years after the first notification was issued, almost 50% power plants are yet to comply with the 100% ash utilisation order. Many plants do not even have a 50% annual ash utilisation rate. Meanwhile, despite strong commitments at the Paris Climate Change summit in 2015 and at COP-26 in Glasgow last year, India’s reliance on coal energy has only increased. As per ‘State of India’s Environment Report 2021’, about 64 per cent (132 GW) coal power capacity has been added in the last decade. Annual fly ash generation rose from 123 million tonnes to 217 million tonnes during the same period, the report adds. What is equally concerning is the amount of residual or legacy ash that has accumulated over the years due to low utilisation of existing ash. A recent report from Centre for Science and Environment found that the unused ash stock from coal power plants of India in the last 10 years is 627 million tonnes. This is three times the current annual ash generation of 200 million tonnes. It is unfortunate that despite a well-defined policy and regulatory framework for 100 per cent utilisation of fly ash, thermal power plants have failed to achieve the targets for one reason or the other. Hence, the blending of biomass (made from crop residue and organic waste) with coal will go a long way in minimising the harmful effects of coal-based energy. Centre’s efforts so far The National Mission on Use of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants has been promoting use of biomass in power plants by way of ad campaigns, awareness missions and extensive training programmes. Aggressive promotion in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh is showing results. Power plants in the NCR region (around Delhi) have used 21,000 tonnes of biomass so far and have issued tenders for procuring 5.5 million tonnes more. State-owned power generator NTPC has alone co-fired 58,000 tonnes of biomass, while issuing tenders for 10.7 million tonnes recently. Benefit to farmers Stubble burning by farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and the consequent air pollution in the entire north India hits the headlines every winter. A resident of Daryaganj in Delhi may whine about the “bad agriculture practices” of farmers which causes health hazards to his family, but farmers over the years have been constrained by labour shortage and excess production (rice and wheat) aided by mechanisation, which has only added to stubble load. They are left with no viable option but to burn the agriculture waste, which increases air pollution. Also read: Better use of waste biomass critical to meet 20% ethanol blending target This farm residue can be converted into biomass pellets, which can then be supplied to power plants for biomass co-firing, which reduces CO2 emissions significantly while offering an alternative to stubble burning and mitigating harmful effects of coal burning like fly ash generation. Soundaram Ramanatham of Centre for Science and Environment quotes power ministry data to say that about 0.25 million tonnes of biomass pellets are needed to produce one gigawatt capacity at the rate of seven per cent co-firing. Thus, for 100 GW capacity, nearly 25-30 million tonnes of biomass pellets will be required. This is a huge opportunity for farmers to increase their income while cutting down on air pollution. Biomass use – an answer to coal shortage An unprecedented coal shortage in September-October last year resulted in power cuts across the country and intense competition among state power utilities to secure enough energy from the grid to keep its industry and cities working. Blending biomass pellets (5-7 per cent) with coal can cut the need for coal and aid India’s gradual transition towards clean and renewable energy sources like solar and wind. There are ample examples of successful biomass co-firing reducing carbon footprint of coal power plants in Europe and the US. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has documented evidence to prove that biomass pellets made from agricultural residue have calorific value equal to that of coal. So, increasing use of biomass in coal-based power plants will not only help the country reduce its carbon emissions, but also meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for net zero emissions target in 2070. Thus, increasing use of biomass in electricity generation is a win-win for farmers, coal-based power plants and citizens who have the right to clean and ambient air.

• Sustainable Food Systems

CSE Bats For Organic And Natural Farming, Releases Irrefutable Evidence Of Non-chemical Agriculture Benefits

“Despite the push given to it through periodic pronouncements from India’s leaders, the country’s efforts to upscale non-chemical farming practices have largely remained half-hearted at best. Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) new report on the subject presents robust evidence which makes it clear that we can upscale organic and natural farming. It is time to invest adequately in a well-funded nation-wide programme for this”: said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE here today. She was releasing CSE’s report -- Evidence (2004-20) on holistic benefits of organic and natural farming in India – at an online event here today. The report had a ‘community’ release -- representatives of the community which has been practicing or promoting organic and natural farming across the country joined in to release it along with Narain. The coming of the report immediately after the Budget is especially opportune. The Finance Minister has made a pitch for promoting chemical-free natural farming, and has encouraged states to revise the syllabi in their agricultural universities keeping in line with this new push. “But,” says Amit Khurana, programme director, Sustainable Food Systems programme, CSE and co-author of the CSE report, "these are relatively small steps compared to the need of the hour, and especially after the prime minister's appeal in December to make natural farming a mass movement.” Khurana adds: “Hopefully, our new report, which highlights that there is strong long-term evidence that organic and natural farming is not only profitable and sustainable but also productive, will propel the country to invest more adequately to upscale and encourage such a mass movement." What the report presents The report presents evidence collected and collated on aspects such as crop yield; cost of cultivation, income and livelihood, soil health and environment, and food quality and nutrients. It is based on two sets of sources: Results of the All-India Network Project on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF), 2004-19 -- The project is currently being implemented across 20 centres in 16 states. The report compares results of three approaches -- organic, integrated (which partly involves chemicals) and inorganic (dependent on chemicals). About 90 scientific studies on organic and natural farming published during 2010-20 in India – these collectively add to and complement the overall evidence. The report makes a clear case to consider the holistic benefits of organic and natural farming, such as those related to livelihoods, soil health and environment (instead of only yield) in future policies and programmes. Specifically, through the AI-NPOF results, it presents long-term evidence on how benefits of organic approach outweigh that of inorganic approach (and also integrated approach to a large extent), with respect to profitability parameters such as net returns and soil health parameters like organic carbon, macronutrients, micronutrients, bulk density and rhizosphere microbial population. The evidence collected by the report bring out some interesting details: Evidence on crop yield: Out of the 504 times that yield results were recorded during 2014-19, the yields were found to be highest 41 per cent of the times with organic approach, followed by 33 per cent with integrated, and 26 per cent with inorganic approach. Evidence on income and livelihoods: Out of 61 cropping systems, net returns have been seen to be the highest in 64 per cent with organic approach at 12 centres, 11 per cent with integrated approach at four centres, and 25 per cent with inorganic approach at five centres. The five-year mean net returns with organic approach are higher than inorganic in 67 per cent cropping systems. Evidence on soil health: Cropping systems with organic approach have scored the highest in terms of all the parametres on soil health – organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The report’s findings on soil bulk density, soil bacteria, fungi, micronutrients etc also offer a similar verdict. “It is surprising how the results of the government’s own All India Network Project on organic farming, which has been present in the public domain for the last several years, did not get the required attention. It is also a concern how the entire issue so far has focused on yields and not on livelihoods and soil health benefits,” says Khurana. “It is evident that organic approach has fared better than integrated on profitability and sustainability and is almost at par with it in the case of productivity,” points out Abhay Kumar Singh, programme manager, Sustainable Food Systems Programme in CSE and a co-author of the report. Adds his co-author and the Programme’s deputy manager, Abdul Halim: “There is proof that natural farming involves low costs and helps in introducing resilient crops, energy and water efficiency, plant and animal biodiversity, carbon sequestration and climate mitigation.” The report recommends actions needed to upscale organic and natural farming – building a well-funded ambitious programme; training and supporting farmers during transition; making available quality organic fertilisers and biofertilisers; enabling agriculture extension systems; farmer-friendly certification; enabling market access; and action at the state level. Concluding the discussions at the release of the report, Narain said: “We now know that there are enough reasons to upscale organic and natural farming. We hope that the larger scientific community and policymakers recognise the strong case that we now have to transform the non-chemical farming initiatives in our country into a mass movement.”

• Sustainable Food Systems

Invest in organic and natural farming

CSE calls for making organic and natural farming a mass movement Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) new report ‘Evidence (2004-20) on holistic benefits of organic and natural farming in India: Evidence (2004-20)’ presents irrefutable evidence of the benefits of non-chemical agriculture. The country successfully adopted the Green Revolution in the 1960s—an input and chemical-intensive agriculture model—to overcome food scarcity by use of high yield varieties, pesticides, fertilizers, and agriculture machinery and irrigation systems. However, over the years, this resulted in several negative impacts related to ecological, economic and existential aspects of agriculture. This includes declining soil fertility and food diversity, an increase in farmers’ debt, dependence on agrochemicals, and pest resistance. In addition, chemical-intensive agriculture adversely affects the health of humans and animals. “Despite the push given to it through periodic pronouncements from India’s leaders, the country’s efforts to upscale non-chemical farming practices have largely remained half-hearted at best. on the subject presents robust evidence which makes it clear that we can upscale organic and natural farming. It is time to invest adequately in a well-funded nationwide programme for this,” said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE releasing the report at an online event on February 2, 2022. The ‘community’ release of the report wherein representatives of the communities that have been practising or promoting organic and natural farming across the country joined in during the event. “The coming of the report immediately after the budget is especially opportune. The Finance Minister has made a pitch for promoting chemical-free natural farming, and has encouraged states to revise the syllabi in their agricultural universities keeping in line with this new push,” said Amit Khurana, programme director, Sustainable Food Systems programme, CSE and co-author of the CSE report. The negative impacts of chemical agriculture have been deliberated upon extensively in the last few decades and even more so in the last few years. As a result, the agro-ecological movement has started gaining momentum. This includes efforts by champion farmers and civil societies. While the government passed its first policy on organic farming in 2005, subsequent action was minimal. In 2015–16, it came up with a flagship programme, called Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), which apart from being limited in scale, continues to face implementation challenges. All this while, barring a few exceptions, action at the state level has been suboptimal. This explains why only 2.7 per cent (3.8 million ha) of net sown area (140.1 million ha) in India is covered under organic and natural farming as part of different policies. This includes 0.41 million ha of natural farming. In a recent shift, the government has started talking publicly in favour of organic and natural farming. The Prime Minister, highlighting the ill-effects of chemical-based farming, recently appealed to make natural farming a mass movement in the country. “But, the budget mention is a relatively small step compared to the need of the hour, and especially after the prime minister's appeal in December to make natural farming a mass movement. Though the budget promises to promote chemical-free natural farming, it is a half-hearted promise at best, as no separate allocation has been made in it,” adds Khurana. Over the last two decades, the government’s action to upscale agro-ecological practices has been half-hearted and severely limited. One main reason is the lack of conviction among policy makers, which has prevented them from taking ambitious action to mainstream organic and natural farming. This has largely been due to the limited consensus among the scientific community in favour of organic and natural farming and the singular view of yield to assess these non-chemical agricultural practices. This has been attributed to limited evidence, which was building up over the last two decades but failed to catch the attention of policymakers. “Hopefully, the new report, which highlights that there is strong long-term evidence that organic and natural farming is not only profitable and sustainable but also productive, will propel the country to invest more adequately to upscale and encourage such a mass movement," adds Khurana. “It is surprising how the results of the government’s own All India Network Project on organic farming, which has been present in the public domain for the last several years, did not get the required attention. It is also a concern how the entire issue so far has focused on yields and not on livelihoods and soil health benefits,” said Khurana. “It is evident that organic approach has fared better than integrated on profitability and sustainability and is almost at par with it in the case of productivity,” points out Abhay Kumar Singh, programme manager, Sustainable Food Systems Programme in CSE and a co-author of the report. The report recommends actions needed to upscale organic and natural farming – building a well-funded ambitious programme; training and supporting farmers during transition; making available quality organic fertilisers and biofertilisers; enabling agriculture extension systems; farmer-friendly certification; enabling market access; and action at the state level. “There is proof that natural farming involves low costs and helps in introducing resilient crops, energy and water efficiency, plant and animal biodiversity, carbon sequestration and climate mitigation,” adds Abdul Halim, a co-author of the report and the Programme’s deputy manager.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Guwahati Facing A 'Poor' Air Quality Index, Says Central Pollution Control Board

GUWAHATI: The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Guwahati has been deteriorating for the past few days. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the AQI of Guwahati on February 1, is 291 based on (particulate matter) PM2.5. <p>On Tuesday, Guwahati’s deteriorating air quality was labelled 'poor' by the CPCB. The weather apps on people's mobiles have labelled the city's AQI as 'unhealthy', advising people to stay indoors. However, there were some improvements in the air quality of the city on Wednesday, February 2, following the showers on Tuesday night. &nbsp;</p> <p>It needs to be mentioned that Guwahati has topped the list of the most polluted cities in the region in a study conducted by the Delhi-based not-for-profit public interest research and advocacy organisation, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).</p> <p>Guwahati’s annual average of PM2.5 level had constantly been much higher for the past three years compared to the national average. While the annual average level of India has been 40 microgrammes per cubic metre (ug/m3) for the past 3 years, the annual standard of PM2.5 level of Guwahati was 56 ug/m3 in 2019, 62 ug/m3 in 2020, and 60 ug/m3 in 2021.</p> <p>Notably, the weekly PM2.5 levels increase in the winter months.</p> <p>Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are tiny particles in the air that reduce visibility and causes the air to appear hazy when levels are elevated. PM2.5 is an air pollutant that is of concern for people's health when the levels in the air are high.&nbsp;</p> <p>A senior scientist of the Pollution Control Board of Assam told G Plus, "Earlier we measured only PM10, which is coarse particles. When such particles are inhaled, it remains in the lungs. But the finer PM2.5 particles get distributed in the bloodstream, which is even more unhealthy."</p>

• Sustainable Food Systems

CSE release new report presenting irrefutable evidence of the benefits of non-chemical agriculture

BATHINDA: The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has stated that despite the push given to it, the country’s efforts to upscale non-chemical farming practices have largely remained half-hearted. Batting for natural farming, CSE released its new report; Evidence (2004-20) on holistic benefits of organic and natural farming in India, at an online event on Wednesday. There is robust evidence which makes it clear that we can upscale organic and natural farming. It is time to invest adequately in a well funded nation-wide programme for this”, said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE while releasing report with community members, who have been practicing or promoting organic and natural farming across the country. The finance minister has made a pitch for promoting chemical free natural farming and has encouraged states to revise the syllabi in their agricultural universities keeping in line with this new push. Says Amit Khurana, programme director, Sustainable Food Systems programme, CSE and co-author of the CSE report, "these are relatively small steps compared to the need of the hour, and especially after the prime minister's appeal in December to make natural farming a mass movement.” Khurana adds: “Hopefully, our new report, which highlights that there is strong long-term evidence that organic and natural farming is not only profitable and sustainable but also productive, will propel the country to invest more adequately to upscale and encourage such a mass movement." The report presents evidence collected and collated on aspects such as crop yield; cost of cultivation, income and livelihood, soil health and environment, and food quality and nutrients. It is based on two sets of sources; results of the All-India Network Project on Organic Farming (AI-NPOF), 2004-19 -- The project is currently being implemented across 20 centres in 16 states. The report compares results of three approaches -- organic, integrated (which partly involves chemicals) and inorganic (dependent on chemicals). About 90 scientific studies on organic and natural farming published during 2010-20 in India – these collectively add to and complement the overall evidence. The report makes a clear case to consider the holistic benefits of organic and natural farming, such as those related to livelihoods, soil health and environment (instead of only yield) in future policies and programmes. Specifically, through the AI-NPOF results, it presents long-term evidence on how benefits of organic approach outweigh that of inorganic approach (and also integrated approach to a large extent), with respect to profitability parameters such as net returns and soil health parameters like organic carbon, macronutrients, micronutrients, bulk density and rhizosphere microbial population. The evidence collected by the report bring out some interesting details: Evidence on crop yield: Out of the 504 times that yield results were recorded during 2014-19, the yields were found to be highest 41 per cent of the times with organic approach, followed by 33 per cent with integrated, and 26 per cent with inorganic approach. Evidence on income and livelihoods: Out of 61 cropping systems, net returns have been seen to be the highest in 64 per cent with organic approach at 12 centres, 11 per cent with integrated approach at four centres, and 25 per cent with inorganic approach at five centres. The five-year mean net returns with organic approach are higher than inorganic in 67 per cent cropping systems. Evidence on soil health: Cropping systems with organic approach have scored the highest in terms of all the parameters on soil health – organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The report’s findings on soil bulk density, soil bacteria, fungi, micronutrients etc also offer a similar verdict. “It is surprising how the results of the government’s own All India Network Project on organic farming, which has been present in the public domain for the last several years, did not get the required attention. It is also a concern how the entire issue so far has focused on yields and not on livelihoods and soil health benefits,” says Khurana. “It is evident that organic approach has fared better than integrated on profitability and sustainability and is almost at par with it in the case of productivity,” points out Abhay Kumar Singh, programme manager, Sustainable Food Systems Programme in CSE and a co-author of the report. Adds his co-author and the Programme’s deputy manager, Abdul Halim: “There is proof that natural farming involves low costs and helps in introducing resilient crops, energy and water efficiency, plant and animal biodiversity, carbon sequestration and climate mitigation.” The report recommends actions needed to upscale organic and natural farming – building a well-funded ambitious programme; training and supporting farmers during transition; making available quality organic fertilisers and bio fertilisers; enabling agriculture extension systems; farmer-friendly certification; enabling market access; and action at the state level. Narain said: “We now know that there are enough reasons to upscale organic and natural farming. We hope that the larger scientific community and policymakers recognise the strong case that we now have to transform the non-chemical farming initiatives in our country into a mass movement.”

• Sustainable Food Systems

New CSE report highlights benefits of organic farming

Bathinda: The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has stated that despite the push given to it, the country’s efforts to upscale non-chemical farming practices have largely remained half-hearted. Batting for natural farming, CSE released its new report; “Evidence” (2004-20) on holistic benefits of organic and natural farming in India, at an online event on Wednesday. “There is robust evidence which makes it clear that we can upscale organic and natural farming. It is time to invest adequately in a well funded nation-wide programme for this”, said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE while releasing report with community members, who have been practicing or promoting organic and natural farming across the country. The finance minister has made a pitch for promoting chemical free natural farming and has encouraged states to revise the syllabi in their agricultural universities keeping in line with this new push. Amit Khurana, co-author of the CSE report, said, “These are relatively small steps compared to the need of the hour, and especially after the Prime Minister’s appeal in December to make natural farming a mass movement.” Khurana adds: “Hopefully, our new report, which highlights that there is strong long-term evidence that organic and natural farming is not only profitable and sustainable but also productive, will propel the country to invest more adequately to upscale and encourage such a mass movement.” The report presents evidence collected and collated on aspects such as crop yield; cost of cultivation, income and livelihood, soil health and environment, and food quality and nutrients.

• Water Programme

Delhi govt inducts new batch of junior environmental engineers

New Delhi: The Delhi government has inducted a new batch of Environmental Engineers and Green Delhi Fellows who will assist the Environment Department and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). The 30 Junior Environmental Engineers and 22 Green Delhi Fellows will add strength to the government's environment enforcement and regulatory measures, the government said in a statement. The Green Fellows are part of the Fellowship Program started by the government for young professionals to contribute to Delhi's green initiatives while the Junior Environmental Engineers will act as a force multiplier for the DPCC. The initiative aims to motivate professionals to innovatively and creatively support Delhi's environmental governance, the state's environment Minister Gopal Rai said. "DPCC too has been further strengthened by hiring 30 Junior Environmental Engineers for the first time in almost 3 decades," he said. The fellows and engineers together will work under the close supervision of senior officials of the government on various issues from air pollution to preservation of forests and wetlands to Yamuna cleaning to solid waste management and other environmental issues. The Green Fellows will support the department in making strategies, in data analysis, field work, and empirical research. The new recruits will also strengthen the forest department and aid the government's forestry programs. "The exposure that the fellowship will provide to these young professionals is unparalleled. Along with the transformation of Delhi's environment which they will support over the next few years, this will also help them become environmental leaders for times to come," advisor to the Minister Reena Gupta said. The 52 new fellows were welcomed into the department through a three-day digital orientation by the Principal Secretary, of the Department of Environment and Forests, Sanjeev Khirwar, Member Secretary of DPCC, Dr KS Jayachandran, and Reena Gupta. The orientation program was designed to expose the young professionals to subject-specific topics on environmental governance, air pollution, solid waste management, Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) among others. Experts from the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) also addressed the professionals during the 3-day program.