• DTE - Web

Death Of 800 Olive Ridley Sea Turtles: Orissa High Court Constitutes Panel To Study The Cause Of Deaths, Give Suggestions For Their Protection

The formed a three-member Panel, inter alia, to hold consultations with stakeholders and to suggest what steps need to be immediately taken- in the short term, in the medium term and the long term- to ensure that the earlier directions issued by the Court are complied with and that the protection of the Olive Ridley turtles during the nesting season is ensured. The Bench of Chief Justice Dr. S. Muralidhar and Chief Justice B. P. Olive Ridley Turtles] which was registered toking into cognizance Down to Earth Magazine's report (dated 04 February) based on the death of around 800 Olive Ridley sea turtles. On 24thFebruary, the had issued notices to the Government of Odisha, among others, to apprise the Court of the steps taken to deal with the crisis on an urgent basis. State Government's submission An affidavit dated 25thFebruary, 2021 was filed by Divisional Forest Officer, Mangrove Forest Division (Wildlife), Rajnagar which enlisted the steps taken for protection and monitoring of turtles from November, 2020 till March, 2021. Some important points in the affidavit: As per the decision of the High-Level Committee for protection and conservation of Olive Ridley Sea turtles, chaired by the Chief Secretary to Government of Odisha, the DRDO authority at Wheeler Island and the Dhamra Port authority has been dimming the lights at their respective establishments near the nesting beach during the season; The missile testing is also being kept on hold during this period. 30 boats involved in illegal fishing in Gahirmatha (Marine) Wildlife Sanctuary have been seized and 167 persons have been arrested. 15 floating buoys are being installed along the boundary of the sanctuary to prevent the entry of fishing trawlers and the process of such installation will be completed by March, 2021 Because of the efforts of the stakeholders, the mortality of turtles has reduced significantly to less than 50% this year as compared to previous years. 3.

• Down To Earth

India: Environmental crime cases piles up, with snail-pace disposal – Report

Over 50,000 cases pending trial; clearing backlog requires tackling 137 cases per day * Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra states top the charts A joint report by India-based Down To Earth and Centre for Science and Environment, CSE, has revealed that environmental crime cases piling up, with courts disposing the cases at snail-pace in India. The “2021 State of India’s Environment (SoE) report”, which was released on Saturday at an online event, was attanded by over 60 environmental thinkers, activists, journalists and academics from across India, and a copy mailed to ASHENEWS. It observed that though with a drop in the number of wildlife crimes in India between 2019 and 2020, the country sees only two cases recorded every day. See the proceedings of the release event and other details: https://www.cseindia.org/state-of-india-s-environment-2021-10694 The report details that while 34,671 environment-related crimes were registered in 2019, over 7,000 were pending police investigation and almost 50,000 cases were pending trial in courts. Of these it added, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra states, accounted for 77 per cent of India’s wildlife crimes in 2019 and between 2018 and 2019, some states saw an increase in wildlife crimes, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and all the states of the northeast. “We have a long way to go, when it comes to dealing with environmental crimes,” says Down To Earth’s wildlife and forest reporter Ishan Kukreti. “At the rate at which we are going, courts will need to dispose of a humungous 137 cases a day to clear the existing backlog within a year.” The courts are, understandably, stretched. In 2019, the average number of cases (under all environment and pollution-related laws) they managed to dispose of every day stood at about 86. The SoE’s analysis shows that in all of 2019, only 0.13 cases under the EPA (Environment (Protection) Act) could be disposed of every day – at this rate, courts would take more than 20 years to clear the backlog of cases under this Act. Similarly, cases under the Wildlife Protection Act (a mere 0.66 were disposed off per day in 2019) would take over 13 years. Says Down To Earth managing editor Richard Mahapatra: “The maximum number of cases that courts are managing to dispose of currently come under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act and the Noise Pollution Act. We need to clear the backlog under the other laws as well. Environmental crimes – as the United Nations has pointed out – have the potential to threaten security and sustainable development of nations, and must be dealt with a heavy hand.”

• Director General Office

The Prime Minister of India, Hon. Shri Narendra Modi to Deliver Keynote Remarks at CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2021 and Receive the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environmental Leadership Award

CERAWeek by IHS Markit—the world’s preeminent energy conference—to be held virtually March 1-5, 2021. Learn more at www.ceraweek.com. Prime Minister Modi will participate in a special plenary with Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of IHS Markit and conference chair on Friday, March 5. He will also receive the prestigious CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award in recognition of his commitment to sustainability in energy and the environment. CERAWeek by IHS Markit is the premier annual international gathering of energy industry leaders, experts, government officials and policymakers, leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities – and energy technology innovators. “We are pleased to warmly welcome the Honorable Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, to CERAWeek by IHS Markit 2021,” Yergin said. “In charting its path towards economic growth, poverty reduction and a new energy future, India has emerged at the center of global energy and the environment, and its leadership is crucial to meet climate objectives for a sustainable future while ensuring universal energy access. We look forward to Prime Minister Modi’s perspectives on the role of the world’s largest democracy and are pleased to honor him with the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award for his commitment to expanding India’s leadership in sustainable development to meet the country’s, and the world’s, future energy needs.” CERAWeek 2021: The New Map: Energy, Climate and Charting the Future will examine a new global map being shaped by dramatic shifts in energy and geopolitics—a map defined by changing policies, technology, alliances, geopolitics, and possibly collisions in global commerce and politics. Inspired by the new book, The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations by IHS Markit Vice Chairman and CERAWeek Chairman Daniel Yergin, the conference program will focus on key themes related to Energy Transition; Geopolitics, Economics and Markets; Investment and Financing; Technology and Innovation; Mobility and the Future Workforce. 2021 marks the 39th edition of the conference and is the first time that it will be an all-virtual event. The conference is produced by IHS Markit (NYSE:INFO), a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions. CERAWeek 2021 and the related Innovation Agora will feature more than 245 speakers from 29 countries. Speakers will include (partial list): John F. Kerry – special presidential envoy for climate, United States Bill Gates – co-chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and founder, Breakthrough Energy Amin Nasser – president and CEO, Saudi Aramco Bernard Looney – group chief executive, BP Ben van Beurden – CEO, Royal Dutch Shell Patrick Pouyanné – chairman and CEO, TOTAL SE Ryan Lance – chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips Vicki Hollub – president and CEO, Occidental Petroleum Mike Wirth – chairman of the board and CEO, Chevron H.E. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo – secretary general, OPEC Gina McCarthy – national climate advisor, The White House Hon. Joe Manchin – chairman, U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator, State of West Virginia Hon. Daniel Sullivan – U.S. Senator, State of Alaska Lynn J. Good – chairman, president and CEO, Duke Energy Hon. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan – minister of petroleum and natural gas and minister of steel, Government of India Noubar Afeyan – co-founder and chairman, Moderna Pratima Rangarajan – CEO, OGCI Climate Investments Hon. Tina Bru, minister of petroleum and energy, Norway Hon. Sylvester Turner – mayor, City of Houston S.M. Vaidya – chairman, Indian Oil Corporation Susan Hockfield – president emerita and professor of neuroscience, MIT Walter Isaacson – author and professor of history, Tulane University Allison Herren Lee – acting chair, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Sunita Narain – director general, Centre for Science and Environment Ben Fowke – chairman of the board, president and CEO, Xcel Energy Nick Akins – chairman, president and CEO, AEP Ignacio S. Galán – chairman and CEO, Iberdrola S.A. Daren Woods – chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corporation Hon. Kathy Castor – U.S. Representative, 14 Congressional District, State of Florida

• Down To Earth

देश अब एक ‘महामारी जनरेशन’ में प्रवेश करने के लिए तैयार, बच्चों में दिखेगा कोरोना का कुप्रभाव

संजीव गुप्ता, नई दिल्ली। कोविड-19 संक्रमण भले ही कम हो गया हो और इसकी वैक्सीन भी आ गई हो, लेकिन इस महामारी का कुप्रभाव अभी वर्षो तक देखने को मिलेगा। खासकर बच्चों का शारीरिक विकास इससे सर्वाधिक प्रभावित होगा। बच्चों की मृत्युदर में भी इजाफा हो सकता है और उनकी पढ़ाई-लिखाई भी बीच में ही छूट सकती है। यह दावा किया गया है सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट (सीएसई) की वार्षिक रिपोर्ट स्टेट आफ इंडियाज एन्वायरमेंट 2021 में। सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण सहित देश भर के 60 से अधिक पर्यावरणविदें ने एक साथ यह रिपोर्ट बृहस्पतिवार शाम वर्चुअली जारी की। इस रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक भारत अब एक ‘महामारी जनरेशन’ में प्रवेश करने के लिए तैयार है। 37.5 करोड़ बच्चे (नवजात शिशु से लेकर 14 साल के बच्चों तक) लंबे समय तक चलने वाले कोरोना के कुप्रभावों की चपेट में आ सकते हैं। उनकी रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता प्रभावित होने से यह कुप्रभाव कम वजन, कम लंबाई और मृत्यु दर में वृद्धि से लेकर शिक्षा के नुकसान के रूप में भी सामने आ सकता है। अब इस मार्ग पर यातायात सुगम होने की उम्मीद बढ़ गई है। विश्व भर में पचास करोड़ से ज्यादा बच्चे स्कूल से बाहर हो गए हैं। इसमें आधे से ज्यादा बच्चे भारत में हैं। रिपोर्ट में यह भी बताया गया है कि पूर्ण लाकडाउन के बावजूद भारत संक्रमण मुक्त नहीं रहा। यहां आबादी का एक बड़ा हिस्सा स्लम, झुग्गी-झोपड़ियों और घनी आबादी वाले क्षेत्रों में रहता है। वहां न तो पीने का साफ पानी उपलब्ध है और न सफाई ठीक से होती है। ऐसे में संक्रमण फैलने की गुंजाइश रहती है। कान्क्लेव की अध्यक्षता पीएचडी चेंबर आफ कामर्स एंड इंडस्ट्रीज के हरियाणा चेप्टर के अध्यक्ष प्रणब गुप्ता ने की। बाघों की संख्या बढ़ी, मगर घट गया वन क्षेत्र देश में वनस्पति और वन्य जीव खतरे में हैं। पर्यावरण संबंधी अपराध के मामले बढ़ रहे हैं, पर उनका निपटान धीमा है। वर्ष 2019 में 34,671 अपराध दर्ज किए गए, जबकि 49,877 मामले लंबित हैं। सरकारी दावा है कि वर्ष 2017 के बाद से भारत का वन क्षेत्र 5,188 वर्ग किमी हो गया है। हालांकि सीएसई इससे इत्तेफाक नहीं रखता। बाघों को लेकर भी आंकड़ा भ्रमित करता है। सरकारी दावा है कि भारत में 714 बाघों को जोड़ा है, पर बाघों के कब्जे वाला क्षेत्र 17,000 वर्ग किमी (पिछले चार सालों में) पहले से सिकुड़ गया है। राजीव चौक के बाद ये दूसरा सबसे गहरा मेट्रो स्टेशन बन गया है। Delhi Metro News: जानिए दिल्ली मेट्रो नेटवर्क में किस लाइन पर और कहां है सबसे गहरा मेट्रो स्टेशन यह भी पढ़ें सतत विकास में भारत 192 में से 117वें नंबर पर सतत विकास के मामले में भारत 192 देशों में से 117वें स्थान पर है। हैरत की बात यह कि अब भारत पाकिस्तान को छोड़ सभी दक्षिण एशियाई देशों से भी पीछे हो गया है। सतत विकास के लक्ष्यों को पूरा करने के मामले में देश में सबसे अच्छा प्रदर्शन वाले पांच राज्य केरल, हिमाचल प्रदेश, आंध्र प्रदेश, तमिलनाडु और तेलंगाना हैं, जबकि सबसे खराब प्रदर्शन करने वाले पांच राज्य बिहार, झारखंड, अरुणाचल प्रदेश, मेघालय और उत्तर प्रदेश हैं। चार्टर्ड विमानों के लिए शुरू किए गए जनरल एविएशन टर्मिनल से हवाई यात्रियों का समय बच रहा है। अब यह जांच करने का समय आ गया है कि कोरोना महामारी हमारे लिए दीर्घावधि में क्या छोड़ने वाली है। एक खोई हुई पीढ़ी, जो अस्वस्थता, कुपोषण, गरीबी और शैक्षणिक उपलब्धियों में दुर्बलता से घिरी हुई है। चुनौती यह भी है कि पर्यावरण का उपयोग सतत विकास के लिए किया जाए, ताकि जलवायु-जोखिम वाले समय में हम आजीविका, पोषण सुरक्षा में सुधार कर सकें। (-सुनीता नारायण, महानिदेशक, सीएसई)

• Down To Earth

चिंताजनक : महामारी से 37.5 करोड़ बच्चों की सेहत प्रभावित, 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूल छूटा

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एन्वॉयरनमेंट (सीएसई) की स्टेट ऑफ इंडिया इन्वॉयरमेंट रिपोर्ट के 2021 अनुसार, कोरोना महामारी के कारण देश भर में 37.5 करोड़ बच्चों के स्वास्थ्य और आर्थिक हालात पर स्थायी असर पड़ा है। सीएसई की महानिदेशक डॉ. सुनीता नारायण ने रिपोर्ट जारी करते हुए बताया, नवजात से लेकर 14 वर्ष तक के बच्चों को स्वास्थ्य संबंधी तकलीफें ज्यादा होंगी। इसमें बच्चों का कम वजन, उम्र के अनुसार, शारीरिक विकास न होना और मृत्यु दर में बढ़ोतरी की आशंका है। बच्चों की खराब सेहत के कारण शिक्षा और कार्य क्षेत्र में भी दुष्प्रभाव देखने को मिल सकता है। ऑनलाइन जारी की गई इस रिपोर्ट को दुनियाभर के साथ पर्यावरण और अन्य विशेषज्ञों ने मिलकर तैयार किया है। बढ़ता प्रदूषण सेहत के लिए और घातक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, बीमारी, कुपोषण, अत्यंत गरीबी जैसी समस्याओं से मुश्किल होगी। हवा और पानी में प्रदूषण स्तर बढ़ने का सीधा असर स्वास्थ्य पर पड़ रहा है। लॉकडाउन में भी नदियों के प्रदूषण में कोई कमी नहीं आई है। सांस लेने के लिए हवा और पीने के लिए साफ पानी के लिए बहुत बड़े स्तर पर काम करना होगा। महाराष्ट्र का तारापुर प्रदूषित क्लस्टर केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड के अनुसार, देश के 88 प्रमुख औद्योगिक कलस्टर में से 35 में समग्र रूप से पर्यावरण में गिरावट आई है। 33 स्थानों पर हवा की गुणवत्ता खराब, 45 स्थानों पर साल भर दूषित पानी जबकि 17 स्थानों पर भूमि प्रदूषण अधिक था। महाराष्ट्र का तारापुर सबसे प्रदूषित क्लस्टर था। महामारी से 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूल छूटा महामारी के कारण दुनिया भर में 50 करोड़ बच्चों का स्कूल छूट गया। इसमें से 50 फीसदी से ज्यादा बच्चे भारत में है। सुनीता नारायण ने कहा, महामारी के कारण अतिरिक्त 115 करोड़ लोग अत्यंत गरीबी के दायरे में आ चुके हैं। इसमें से अधिकतर दक्षिण एशिया में रहते हैं। 192 देशों में भारत 117वें स्थान पर सतत विकास लक्ष्य हासिल करने में भारत दुनिया भर के 192 देशों की सूची में 117वें स्थान पर है। पाकिस्तान को छोड़कर सभी दक्षिण एशियाई देशों से पीछे हैं। सतत विकास लक्ष्यों को पाने में 5 राज्य केरल, हिमाचल प्रदेश, आंध्र प्रदेश, तमिलनाडु और तेलंगाना बेहतर है। बिहार, अरुणाचल प्रदेश, मेघालय और यूपी सबसे पीछे हैं। 2025 तक स्क्रैपेज नीति की जरूरत रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, भारत को वर्ष 2025 तक वाहनों के स्क्रैपेज के लिए नीति की जरूरत होगी। देश में दो करोड़ वाहन ऐसे हैं जिनका जीवन अंत की ओर है। अगर सही समय पर इनका निस्तारण नहीं किया गया तो आने वाले समय में यह पर्यावरण के लिए सबसे बड़ी चुनौती बनेंगे। भारत में वर्ष 2019 में 16.70 लाख लोगों की मौत वायु प्रदूषण के कारण हुई हैं। 889 जीवों पर मंडरा रहा खतरा भारत में 430 पौधे जिसमें 95 फीसदी फूल और खाद्य पदार्थ वाले हैं। वे खात्मे की कगार पर हैं। रीढ़ और रीढ़ विहीन 889 जीवों पर भी खतरा मंडरा रहा है। पर्यावरण से जुड़े आपराधिक मामले बढ़े हैं। 2019 में 24,671 केस दर्ज हुए थे जबकि 49,877 मामले लंबित हैं।

• Down To Earth

India’s pandemic generation | 375 million children will suffer poor health, educational losses, says Centre for Science and Environment study

The pandemic also has its hidden victims — over 500 million children forced out of school globally and India accounted for more than half of them. The country is all set to usher in a ‘pandemic generation’, with 375 million children (from newborns to 14-year-olds) likely to suffer long-lasting impacts, ranging from being underweight, stunting and increased child mortality, to losses in education and work productivity, according to the State of Environment Report, 2021, by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released on Thursday. The pandemic also has its hidden victims — over 500 million children forced out of school globally and India accounted for more than half of them. “Covid-19 has made the world’s poor poorer,” Sunita Narain, Director General, CSE, said in a statement. “115 million additional people might get pushed into extreme poverty by the pandemic – and most of them live in South Asia.” India ranked 117 among 192 nations in terms of sustainable development and was now behind all South Asian nations except Pakistan. India’s air, water and land have become more polluted between 2009 and 2018. Of 88 major industrial clusters in the country, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, 35 showed overall environmental degradation, 33 pointed to worsening air quality, 45 had more polluted water and in 17, land pollution became worse. Tarapur in Maharashtra emerged as the most polluted cluster. ‘Lack of action’ CSE experts pointed out that this data clearly indicated a lack of action over the years to control and reduce pollution even in areas that were already identified as ‘critically’ or ‘severely’ polluted. When ranked on the basis of achieving Sustainable Development Goals, the best performing States were Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. The worst performers were Bihar, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh. Forestland diversion continued unabated in the country. Over11,000 hectares were diverted in 22 States in 2019. Eight coal projects granted clearance in ‘No-Go’ areas would divert 19,614 hectares of forestland, fell over 1 million trees, and evict over 10,000 families. Sixty-seven million Indians died due to air pollution in 2019. The economic cost was over $36,000 million, equivalent to 1.36 per cent of the country’s GDP.

• Down To Earth

AP a top performer in meeting SDGs in Covid yr: Report

Visakhapatnam: The Covid-19 pandemic has not only created a global health crisis, but has exposed vulnerability to the vagaries of the disease – be it malnourishment, underemployment, school dropouts, exodus of migrants. The State of India’s Environment (2021) report by the Centre for Science and Environment, released on Thursday, has substantiated the fallout of this disastrous pandemic outbreak. Amid the pandemic, India ranked a poor 117th among 192 nations in terms of sustainable development, but the saving grace is that the two Telugu states – Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – have found a place among the top five performing states in India in meeting the sustainable development goals. Despite the two Telugu states suffering the worst outbreaks of Covid-19, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana could successfully contain the disease by the third quarter of 2020 by sticking to the scientific evidence in pandemic preparedness, response and management. Andhra Pradesh has also tied up with a private research university of the USA to seek science-based advocacy on the disease. From the initial panicky days with no definitive treatment, inadequate health infra and no testing facilities in February-March, the two Telugu states have constantly tweaked their strategies for the changing transmission dynamics. The states have seen it all before witnessing a drastic decline in the case numbers in the fourth quarter of 2020. Sunita Narain, director General, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said that the Covid-19 has made the world’s poor poorer. “About 115 million additional people might get pushed into extreme poverty by the pandemic and most of them live in South Asia. The defining event of the year that has gone by has been the Covid-19 pandemic, something which the world is still struggling to come to terms with. The time has now come to investigate what the pandemic is going to leave behind for us in the long term – a lost generation, scarred by ill-health, malnourishment, acute poverty and a debilitating break in educational accomplishments,” said Narain. According to the study, India is all set to usher in a ‘pandemic generation’. About 375 million children (from new-born to 14-year-olds) may suffer long-lasting impacts, ranging from being underweight, stunting and increased child mortality, to losses in education and work productivity. The pandemic also has its hidden victims as over 500 million children forced out of school globally, while India alone accounts for more than 50 percent of them.

• Down To Earth

Coal ban: Delhi pays for neighbours’ laxity

New Delhi: Delhi may have cleaned up its act by banning coal, but it is allowed in the rest of National Capital Region (NCR). Coal-based industries are still considered a major source of pollution in the region, highlights State of India’s Environment 2021, a report released by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday. The report states the share of industries using coal especially in Ghaziabad and Panipat, was found to be 86% and 56.2%, respectively, which could be a lead factor behind the high PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the region. The assessment, carried out in the seven major industrial centres in NCR —Ghaziabad, Panipat, Sonipat, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Alwar and Bhiwadi — was carried out in 2020 to identify industrial pollution hotspots and the major air polluting industrial sectors. The study found that coal was the most consumed fuel in all seven districts, with around 1.4 million tonnes of coal being used annually in the industries. The second most consumed fuel was agro-waste. “We are still way behind in bringing in fuel switch in the whole of Delhi-NCR and coal is still the king of fuels for industries,” the report states. It also calculated the chimney-based industrial pollution load of different districts to find the industrial hotspots and their share in industrial air pollution in a district. “The findings clearly highlight the industrial areas and sectors that the authorities need to focus on to bring down pollution levels in these major industrial districts,” it says. A 2018 source apportionment study conducted by Automotive Research Association of India, a research and development organisation set up by the automotive industry with the central government and TERI, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation, had shown that the share of industrial pollution in NCR was much higher compared to Delhi. The share of industrial sector in terms of PM10 was 2% in Delhi, while it was 28% in the rest of the NCR. The PM2.5 count for the same category was 3% and 24%, respectively. Citing CPCB data, the current report states that out of 88 major industrial clusters in the country, 35 showed an overall “environmental degradation”, 33 worsening air quality, 45 an increase in water pollution, and at 17, land pollution has become worse. “Better usage of Continuous Emission Monitoring System, data for deterrence, engagement of concessionaires for the management of industrial waste, identification of illegal industries, introducing concept of common boilers (wherever possible) and developing strategy to curb fugitive emissions from industries are some of the steps that the government can take,” it points out. “But the game-changing move would be bringing in fuel change in all air polluting industries in Delhi-NCR.”

• Down To Earth

'375 mn Indian children may suffer due to Covid-19 pandemic': CSE report

CSE’s director general Sunita Narian said Covid-19 had made the world’s poor poorer. Around 375 million children (aged between 0-14 years) in India may suffer from the long-lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, including malnutrition to loss of education and work productivity, said the Centre for Science and Environment in its annual State of Environment report released on Thursday. The report has derived this number based on different studies done on the impact of children due to Covid-19 across the world and India by organisations such as the World Bank, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Global Health Science. The UNICEF said that most of the children missed the subsidised food offered in government schools during the lockdown. The CSE estimated that about 90.4 million children missed the meals. The report said that half of 500 million children that were forced out of schools across the world were in India. “The target to reduce the stunting target to 2.5 per cent of the children in the age group of 0-5 by 2030 from 34.7 per cent in 2018 could be impacted because of Covid-19,” the report said.

• Down To Earth

Kerala among states working best to achieve sustainable development goals; UP among worst

This was revealed in the latest report on the State of India’s Environment The pandemic will leave behind a generation scarred by ill health, malnourishment, acute poverty, and facing setbacks in education as per the latest report on the State of India’s Environment. The generation, which will bear the biggest burden of the pandemic, labelled ‘the lost generation’ by the report, has 375 million children (newborn to 14 year olds). They will be underweight, stunted in experience, exhibit increased mortality and face losses in education and work productivity. The hidden victims of the pandemic will be the over 500 million children who will be forced out of school. Half of these children will be in India. Almost 115 million people, mostly in South Asia, will be pushed into poverty. Releasing the report authored by the Centre for Science and Environment, its director general Sunita Narain said, “The pandemic is a shock response to our dystopian relationship with nature. It has amplified the inequity and deep divisions in our world. The places where the disease is most likely to breed is where there are no urban services, where settlements are overcrowded, where water supply and sanitation is inadequate, and where people have no way to stay safe.” India’s air, water and land have become more polluted between 2009 and 2018. Of 88 major industrial clusters in the country, Central Pollution Control Board' (CPCB) own evaluation indicates that 35 have overall environmental degradation, 33 have worsening air quality, 45 clusters have water that is more polluted, and 17 have more polluted land. Tarapur in Maharashtra has emerged as the most polluted cluster. In terms of Sustainable Development, India ranks 117 among 192 nations. It is now behind all South Asian nations, except Pakistan. The five best performing states in working towards meeting the goals are Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. The worst are Bihar, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh. Air pollution has killed 1.67 million Indians. The economic cost of this is over $36,000 million, equivalent to 1.36 per cent of India’s GDP. This makes a vehicle scrappage policy even more urgent as the 20 million vehicles nearing the end of their lives add to pollution and environmental damage. On making available drinking water to all households of rural India , 11 deadlines have been missed. The Jal Jeevan Mission’s target to provide drinking water to all rural households by 2024 will need focus on making the water source sustainable; recharge of groundwater and rainwater harvesting. The good news on the waterfront is that since 2014-15, an average 34 per cent of MGNREGA funds have been spent on water-related works, leading to creation of almost 11 million assets in half a million villages. Even during the lockdown, India’s rivers did not see any significant improvement. Of India’s 19 major rivers, five – including Ganga – ran dirtier in the COVID-19 period. India’s flora and fauna is under threat. As many as 438 plant species (of which 95 per cent are flowering plants, including food crops) and 889 vertebrates and invertebrates are threatened. Environmental crime cases are piling up, and disposal is slow. As many as 34,671 crimes were registered in 2019, and 49,877 cases are pending trial. To clear the backlog in a year, courts need to dispose of 137 cases a day. On India’s forest cover, the report questions whether it has grown by 5,188sqkm since 2017. The report notes that the Forest Survey of India mistakes “trees for forests”—it counts orchards, plantations and even trees along highways as parts of forest and tree cover. There remains data confusion on tigers as well. India has added 714 more tigers, but the area occupied by tigers has shrunk by over 17,000 sqkm (in the last four years). Forestland diversion continues unabated. Over 11,000 hectares were diverted in 22 states in 2019. Eight coal projects granted clearance in ‘No-Go’ areas will divert 19,614 ha of forestland, fell over 1 million trees, and evict over 10,000 families.

• Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy

Plastic Credit Certificates Enabling Transformation of Urban Landscape

The Central Pollution Control Board states that India generates around 26,000 tonnes of plastics every day from urban areas. It also reports that plastic waste on average accounts for 6.92% of municipal solid waste. About 40% of this plastic waste remains uncollected. The problem that we have at hand Today, plastic waste is standing as one of the most formidable challenges for India and the world. According to a recent background paper on plastic waste and its management by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), 79% of the plastic made in the world enters India’s land, water, and the environment as waste. This dumping is creating a massive issue for the urban centers in the country. The Central Pollution Control Board states that India generates around 26,000 tonnes of plastics every day from urban areas. It also reports that plastic waste on average accounts for 6.92% of municipal solid waste. About 40% of this plastic waste remains uncollected. The report states that nearly one-sixth of the total plastic waste is generated by 60 major cities. Cities including Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bengaluru together generate more than 50% of the total plastic waste. The average plastic waste generation is around 6.92% of the total municipal solid waste in the country. It varies from 3.1% in Chandigarh to 12.4% in Surat. Plastic waste is over 10% of total municipal solid waste in Delhi, over 9% in Chennai and over 6% in Mumbai. In India, the informal sector plays an important role in the management of plastic waste. Most of the plastic recycling takes place in this informal sector, providing livelihood to many. The informal sector is often seen to have little regard for worker safety and environmental protection. This happens with very minimal regulation and monitoring practices. According to the World Economic Forum, it is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. In India, unmanaged plastic waste is causing detrimental impacts on the Indian metropolis. The majority of plastic waste, about 6,100 tonnes in India[1], is dumped into landfills. Plastic toxins from the litter waste seep into the groundwater and the chemical released affects soil fertility and water bodies. The toxic emissions and foul gases from landfills pollute the environment and lead to adverse effects on human health. In addition to this, the open burning of plastic seeps into the toxic chemicals, which get deposited on soil, surface water and plants. With plastics being concentrated in the marine ecosystem, the toxins in microplastics affect health and also cause problems like asthma, cancer, congenital disabilities, genetic changes, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, skin diseases and liver dysfunction. The menace of this uncollected 40% plastic waste is attributed to the gaps in plastic waste management infrastructure. This is despite the fact that around 94% of total plastic waste is thermoplastic which is recyclable like Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Policy Intervention At the UN World Environment Day 2018, Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi spoke on the theme of ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ and said that the choices that we make today will define our collective future. Being the host nation at the event and by announcing plans to eradicate single-use plastics from the country by 2022, India is already in its way contributing to the global movement against plastic use. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, mandated the generators of waste to take steps to minimize generation of plastic waste, not litter it, ensure segregated storage of waste at source and handover segregated waste to local bodies or agencies authorized by the local bodies. It also made it the primary responsibility of producers, importers and brand owners (PIBOs) to collect used a multi-layered plastic sheet, pouches, and packaging material introduced by them into the market under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The concept of EPR is based on the premise of making the PIBOs accountable albeit voluntarily. The rules define not just the responsibility but the EPR of the producer, as the environmentally sound management of the product until the end of its life. However, by March 14, 2019, only 49 brand owners and two producers of plastic had registered under EPR and submitted an EPR plan with CPCB and only 14 of 35 regional pollution boards (SPCBs) had filed information on plastic waste management for 2017-18. Following this, a new mechanism to meet EPR compliance was issued in June 2020 allowing PIBOs to buy credits from a system that would be established to offset the plastic waste they generate. The plastic credit model A plastic recycling model that ensures effective compliance with the EPR mandate is the plastic credit model. This model is envisaged where a producer is not required to recycle their own packaging, but to ensure that an equivalent amount of packaging waste has been recovered and recycled to meet their obligation. However, producers are mandated to acquire evidence of recycling or recovery from properly accredited processors like recyclers, W2E plant operators, cement co-processors, users utilizing plastic in the road, or exporters. The producers can exchange credits from processors that have been specifically accredited for this purpose and through registration at the EPR portal. The credits are offered in the form of a plastic credit certificate based on the amount of plastic waste recycled, to acknowledge their contribution to waste management. An obligated producer, importer or brand owner, can acquire a plastic credit certificate for the desired quantity of recycled plastic waste directly from a network of verified sellers to offset their EPR obligations set under the PWMR. This certificate ensures that the plastic waste is ethically collected, transported and put to end of life while also ensuring that the monetary benefit is realized by the unprivileged recycling sector. The model also aims to formalize the recycling sector by offering higher monetary benefits to waste management agencies and recyclers that have adapted the plastic credit model. This model carries the potential to transform urban landscapes in India by providing stability and scalability to waste management agencies, which will accelerate recycling activities. Moreover, the PWMR mandated plastic producers to offset their obligation by getting a recycler within the geography where their product is sold within the same month. This will benefit the local biodiversity as well as the people involved in the recycling chain. We have an opportunity to make a difference It is an opportunity for both PIBOs and recyclers to optimize the credit system in which producers are not required to manage their plastic waste but get the equivalent amount of plastic recovered and recycled through an accredited waste management agency. With an increased awareness level at both the consumer and manufacturer front, the model can surely be a successful approach. As per a Statista report, plastic waste generation is expected to increase to 31.4 million tonnes by 2031 and further to 55 million tonnes by 2041, thus pressing on the urgent need to address the concerns from the growing plastic waste in India. The plastic credit has the potential to solve the larger systemic issue at play, a linear economy that has created an unchecked system of production and consumption. It will not only support cities to manage waste efficiently but will also uplift their social and economic fabric. This in turn will formalize, refine and strengthen the plastic recycling infrastructure in India.

• Clean Air & Sustainable Mobility

Eight non-attainment cities submit action plans to control air pollution

APPCB willing to extend them all support and guidance: official Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) member-secretary and Secretary to Government (Environment, Forest, Science & Technology) G. Srkr Vijay Kumar has said that the board and its partners will extend support and guidance to the non-attainment cities in implementing the action plans aimed at controlling air pollution. Mr. Vijay Kumar, along with APPCB Chairman A.K. Parida and Centre for Science and Environment Executive Director (Research and Advocacy) Anumita Roychowdhury, took part in the 5th Air Quality Monitoring Committee (AQMC) meeting here on Thursday. Representatives of the eight non-attainment cities, which were identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), submitted their action plans at the meeting, and all of them were approved and recommended to the CPCB for its approval. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vijay Kumar said that earlier there were only five non-attainment cities in the state – Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Nellore and Kurnool. Now, their number increased by eight with the inclusion of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru, Chittoor, Ongole, Kadapa and Anantapur. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was keen on working towards achieving the sustainable goals, he said. Mr. Parida said that the non-attainment cities should seriously think about how to reduce air pollution level by 20-25% in the next two to three years. He highlighted the data gap among various departments, and suggested that Municipal Commissioners and PCB Regional Officers should work in tandem. Ms. Anumitha gave a presentation of the draft revised action plans of the eight non-attainment cities before the AQMC. Later, representatives from the local bodies of the eight cites submitted their revised action plans. E-Mobility New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) Vice-Chairman and Managing Director S. Ramana Reddy said that to decrease air pollution they were concentrating on E-Mobility. “Soon, we will provide e-vehicles to one-lakh government officials. If charging points are increased, people will automatically buy e-vehicles,” he said.

• Down To Earth

State Of India Environment 2021: उद्योगों के रास्ते शहरों में तेजी से फैल रहा प्रदूषण

संजीव गुप्ता, नई दिल्ली। State Of India Environment 2021 उद्योगों के रास्ते भी शहरों में तेजी से प्रदूषण फैल रहा है। न केवल हवा और पानी दूषित हो रहे है, बल्कि भूमि की उर्वरता भी प्रभावित हो रही है। आलम यह है कि देश की राजधानी ही इस दृष्टि से सर्वाधिक प्रदूषित है। मथुरा, कानपुर, बुलंदशहर और तारापुर में भी तेजी से प्रदूषण बढ़ रहा है। 2009 से 2018 के मध्य तो यह स्थिति बहुत तेजी से बिगड़ी है। ये तथ्य सामने आए हैं सेंटर फार साइंस एंड एन्वायरमेंट (सीएसई) की ‘स्टेट आफ इंडियाज एन्वायरमेंट- 2021’ रिपोर्ट से। औपचारिक रूप से यह रिपोर्ट गुरुवार शाम देश के 65 स्थानों पर एक साथ जारी की जाएगी। 88 औद्योगिक कलस्टर की स्थिति खराब यह रिपोर्ट बताती है कि देश भर में 88 औद्योगिक कलस्टर हैं। प्रदूषण के लिहाज से इनकी स्थिति साल दर साल बिगड़ती जा रही है। खासकर 2009 से 2018 तक एक दशक में इन सभी कलस्टरों में वायु, जल एवं भूमि तीनों ही तरह के प्रदूषण में बड़े पैमाने पर इजाफा हुआ है। 88 में से 35 कलस्टर तो ऐसे हैं, जहां ओवरआल गिरावट आई है। दिल्ली का नजफगढ़ ड्रेन बेसिन हर दृष्टि से प्रदूषित हो रहा है। इन सभी के सीईपीआइ (काम्प्रीहेंसिव एन्वायरमेंट पल्यूशन इंडेक्स) स्कोर में बड़ी वृद्धि देखी गई है। एक लाख के इनामी पंजाबी गैंगस्टर लक्खा सिंह सिधाना की फाइल फोटो। एक लाख के इनामी लक्खा सिंह का दिल्ली पुलिस को खुला चैलेंज 'आ रहा हूं दिल्ली' यह भी पढ़ें 33 में वायु प्रदूषण और 45 में जल प्रदूषण बढ़ा इन औद्योगिक कलस्टरों का ब्रेकअप निकालें तो 33 कलस्टरों में वायु प्रदूषण बढ़ा है, जबकि 45 में जल प्रदूषण में इजाफा देखा गया। 17 कलस्टर वे हैं, जहां की भूमि उर्वरता में खासी कमी आई है। आबोहवा में यह गिरावट पंजाब, हरियाणा, उप, राजस्थान, झारखंड, उत्तराखंड, गुजरात, महाराष्ट्र, इत्यादि ज्यादातर राज्यों में देखने को मिली है। सीएसई की रिपोर्ट बताती है कि प्रदूषण में वृद्धि की एक प्रमुख वजह प्रशासनिक लापरवाही है।

• Down To Earth

Study: Tarapur India’s most polluted industrial cluster

: An evaluation of 88 clusters, identified by central and state pollution control boards as polluted industrial areas, has thrown up a “bleak picture of air, water and land contamination”in India, the Centre for Science and Environment’s State of India’s Environment report 2021 shows, reports Vishwa Mohan Referring to the CPCB’s evaluation of the clusters on various green parameters, the report says Tarapur, 120km northwest of Mumbai, had emerged as the most polluted industrial cluster between 2009 and 2018. It is followed by Mathura, Bulandshahr-Khurja, Moradabad (all in UP), Vadodara (Gujarat), Najafgarh drain basin (Delhi), Kanpur and Varanasi-Mirzapur (both UP) . ‘India lags all S Asian countries except Pak in sustainable devpt’ Referring to the CPCB’s Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) that factored in air, water and soil contamination to arrive at an index on a scale of 100, the report, which is published annually by the CSE’s Down to Earth, noted that 35 of 88 industrial clusters showed overall environmental degradation, 33 pointedtoworsening air quality, 45 had water that was polluted ,while17 had land pollution that had become worse in 2018 compared to 2009. “The overall assessment is thatourairandwaterquality is under stress. All trends show that pollution is increasing. Even during the lockdown, river pollution did not reduce. Clearly,we needtodo much more to improve the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink,” said Sunita Narain, director general of the CSE. On air quality parameters, the report found that the CEPI air quality score went up from 52 in 2009 to over 85 out of 100 in 2018 in Delhi’s Najafgarh drain basin whereas it went up from 48 in 2009 to 86 in 2018 in Mathura (UP). Similarly, Bulandshahr-Khurja area in UP nearly doubled its score and figured above 70 along with other clusters such as Gajraula (UP) and Siltara (Chhattisgarh). On the water quality front, Sanganer in Rajasthan and Gurugram in Haryanahadtheworstscorein 2018, whereas Manali turned out to be the worst on land contamination parameters. “The CEPI data clearly indicates that there has been no action over the years to control and reduce pollution even in areas which were already identified as ‘critically’ or ‘severely’ polluted,”saidNivitKumarYadav, programme director of the CSE’s industrial pollution unit.The reportalsoflaggedIndia’s dismal performance in sustainable development, noting how the country currently figures at117th position among 192 nations in terms of sustainable development where it is now behind all south Asian nations except Pakistan.

• Down To Earth

T among top in meeting SDGs in pandemic year: Report

Visakhapatnam: The Covid-19 pandemic has not only created a global health crisis, but has exposed the vulnerability to the vagaries of the disease – be it malnourishment, underemployment, school dropouts, exodus of migrants. The State of India’s Environment (2021) report by the Centre for Science and Environment, released on Thursday, has substantiated the fallout of the pandemic. Amid the pandemic, India ranked a poor 117th among 192 nations in terms of sustainable development, but the saving grace is that the two Telugu states – Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – have found a place among the top five performing states in India in meeting the sustainable development goals. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana could successfully contain the disease by the third quarter of 2020 by sticking to the scientific evidence in pandemic preparedness, response and management. From the initial days of panic with no definitive treatment, inadequate health infra and no testing facilities in February-March, the two Telugu states have tweaked their strategies for the changing transmission dynamics. The states witnessed a drastic decline in cases in fourth quarter of 2020. Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said Covid-19 has made world’s poor poorer. “About 115 million additional people might get pushed into extreme poverty by pandemic and most of them live in South Asia. The defining event of the year that has gone by has been Covid-19 pandemic, something which the world is struggling to come to terms with. The time has now come to investigate what the pandemic is going to leave behind for us in the long term – a lost generation, scarred by ill-health, malnourishment, acute poverty and a debilitating break in educational accomplishments,” said Narain.

• Down To Earth

India’s 88 industrial clusters present a bleak picture of air, water and land contamination, says CSE report

NEW DELHI: An evaluation of 88 clusters, identified by central and state pollution control boards (CPCB and SPCBs) as polluted industrial areas, has thrown up a "bleak picture of air, water and land contamination" in the country, said the Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) State of India’s Environment report 2021, released on Thursday. Referring to the CPCB’s evaluation of these clusters on different green parameters, the report said Tarapur in Maharashtra had emerged as the most polluted industrial cluster in the country followed by Mathura (UP), Bulandshahr-Khurja (UP), Moradabad (UP), Vadodara (Gujarat), Najafgarh drain basin (Delhi), Kanpur (UP) and Varanasi-Mirzapur (UP) between 2009 and 2018. Referring to the CPCB’s Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) that factored in air, water and soil contamination to arrive at an index at scale of 100, the report – annual publication of the CSE’s Down to Earth – noted that 35 of 88 industrial clusters showed overall environmental degradation, 33 pointed to worsening air quality, 45 had water that was more polluted while 17 had land pollution that has become worse in 2018 compared to 2009. image0. “The overall assessment is that our air and water quality is under stress. All trends show that pollution is increasing and this has massive impacts on our health. Even during the lockdown, data shows that river pollution did not reduce. Clearly, we need to do much more to improve the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink,” said Sunita Narain, director general of the CSE. On air quality parameters, the report found that the CEPI air quality score went up from 52 in 2009 to over 85 out of 100 in 2018 in Delhi’s Najafgarh drain basin whereas it went up from 48 in 2009 to 86 in 2018 in Mathura (UP). Similarly, Bulandshahr-Khurja area in UP nearly doubled its score and figured above 70 along with other clusters such as Gajraula (UP) and Siltara (Chhattisgarh). On the water quality front, Sanganer in Rajasthan and Gurugram in Haryana had the worst score in 2018 whereas Manali turned out to be the worst on land contamination parameters. “It is a telling verdict. The CEPI data clearly indicates that there has been no action over the years to control and reduce pollution even in areas which were already identified as ‘critically’ or ‘severely’ polluted,” said Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director of the CSE’s industrial pollution unit. The report, which used publicly available data, also flagged India’s dismal performance in terms of sustainable development, noting how the country is currently figured at 117th position among 192 nations in terms of sustainable development where it is now behind all South Asian nations except Pakistan. “With respect to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the five best performing states in India are Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Going by the same parameter, the five worst performing states have been Bihar, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh,” it said. Underlining impact of Covid-19, the report said the country was all set to usher in a ‘pandemic generation’ where 375 million children (from new-born to 14-year-olds) may suffer long-lasting impacts, ranging from being underweight, stunting and increased child mortality, to losses in education and work productivity. It noted that the pandemic also has its hidden victims -- over 500 million children forced out of school globally where India accounts for more than 50% of them. Looking at lessons which India has learnt over the years and more specifically during the pandemic, Narain said, “The good news is that we are learning to do things differently. We are adopting technologies that will be affordable to large numbers and so sustainable. This is where the answer will be – in differently done sewage treatment, to mobility systems that will move people and not cars."