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Automatic toll deduction: SDMC to start phase-2 of RFID toll plan from March; details here

Automatic toll deduction: SDMC to start phase-2 of RFID toll plan from March; details here As many as 13 major toll booths through which 80 per cent of vehicles pass through, were equipped with RFID technology in July 2019 to automatically deduct toll as well as Environment Compensation Charges from commercial vehicles. In a bid to ensure automatic toll deduction, as well as end congestion and confusion at toll booths, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), has planned to start phase II of the radio-frequency identification (RFID) system from the month of March. Phase II of the RFID system will start at 111 locations from where 20 per cent of vehicles enter the national capital, according to an IE report. As many as 13 major toll booths through which 80 per cent of vehicles pass through, were equipped with RFID technology in July 2019 to automatically deduct toll as well as Environment Compensation Charges from commercial vehicles. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation acts as the nodal agency for collecting taxes from vehicles entering New Delhi. According to the report, 10 of the 111 entry points are to be equipped with boom barriers as well as RFID infrastructure while handheld devices will be made available at the rest of the entry points as they are very small points. The 10 entry points are Chander Nagar, Loni Main, Kundli-2, New Kondli, Noida Major, Bajghera, New Seemapuri, Dhansa, Pul Prahladpur, and Jharoda. The South MCD has been asked by the newly formed Commission for Air Quality Management to complete phase II of the RFID system by January 31. According to a senior South MCD official, however, as the proposal is yet to be approved, it could be delayed. As it was observed that old polluting vehicles were trying to sneak into the national capital from non-RFID border points, speedy implementation of the project is very important, the official said. Narendra Chawla, Leader of house, South MCD was quoted in the report saying that the proposal has been sent back due to issues with the budget, which is Rs 36 crore. According to Chawla, they have limited money as their finances have been hit. Thus, the toll department has been asked by the South MCD to decrease the budget and introduce a fresh proposal. The new proposal is most likely to be passed in the next meeting. The expansion of the RFID system was a key project that needs to be expedited, according to the members of the erstwhile Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority Sunita Narain and Bhure Lal. If the project is implemented well, it will help reduce pollution in New Delhi, they said.

SDMC to begin phase II of RFID toll plan from March

SDMC to begin phase II of RFID toll plan from March Members of the erstwhile Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority Sunita Narain and Bhure Lal had said expansion of the RFID system was a key project that needs to be expedited. If implemented well, it will help reduce pollution in the capital. From March, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has planned to start phase II of the radio-frequency identification (RFID) system at 111 locations from where 20% of vehicles enter the capital. This is to ensure automatic toll deduction and end congestion and confusion at toll booths. In July 2019, 13 major toll booths — through which 80% vehicles pass through — were equipped with RFID technology to deduct toll and Environment Compensation Charges automatically from commercial vehicles. The South MCD is the nodal agency for collecting taxes from vehicles entering the capital. Of the 111 points, 10 are to be equipped with boom barriers and RFID infrastructure while handheld devices will be made available at the rest as they are very small points. The 10 entry points are Kundli-2, Loni Main, New Seemapuri, Chander Nagar, New Kondli, Noida Major, Pul Prahladpur, Bajghera, Dhansa and Jharoda. The newly formed Commission for Air Quality Management has asked the South MCD to complete the second phase by January 31. However, a senior South MCD official said it could be delayed as the proposal has been placed in the house but is yet to be approved. The official said speedy implementation of the project is very important as it was observed that old polluting vehicles were trying to sneak into the capital from non-RFID border points. Leader of house, South MCD, Narendra Chawla said the proposal has been sent back due to issues with the budget, which is Rs 36 crore. “We have limited money as our finances have been hit. So we have asked the toll department to decrease the budget and bring a fresh proposal, which we would most likely pass in the next meeting.” Members of the erstwhile Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority Sunita Narain and Bhure Lal had said expansion of the RFID system was a key project that needs to be expedited. If implemented well, it will help reduce pollution in the capital.

CSE to conduct training programme in reducing emissions from transport

CSE to conduct training programme in reducing emissions from transport CHENNAI: The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is conducting a training programme on "Strategies to reduce emissions from transport" online, from February 13 to 26. It’s a two-week online (self-paced) course with 24 hours study duration (12 hours per week), said a release from the CSE. "This programme represents our initiative to promote good regulatory practices, enhance understanding and build capacity on strategies to reduce transport sector emissions," it said. "This programme has become necessary within the framework of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) that mandates cities which do not meet clean air standards to reduce particulate air pollution by 20% 30% by 2024. All city clean air action plans, therefore, have included strategies to control emissions from the transport sector to meet the clean air target, as the transport sector’s contribution to overall pollution concentration, load and exposure is substantial," said the release. There is therefore a demand for deeper understanding of the multi-pronged strategies needed to control vehicular pollution. These encompass emissions standard roadmaps and on-road emissions management to control real world emissions; sustainable transport modes (public transport, walking and cycling), multimodal integration, parking policy and urban planning to reduce the vehicle miles travelled. "These interventions also align with the sector-specific strategies that state governments have initiated as part of other policies and programmes. This requires deep understanding of the way these strategies need to be designed and developed for scale and effective impact for time-bound air quality improvement. Several exciting changes are underway in cities, and it is important to build capacity and a new cadre of professionals," it said. This online course will be conducted on the Moodle and Zoom platform through a variety of tools such as recorded video lectures, classroom exercises, reading materials and resources, audio/visual methods including short films and interviews and interactions with key experts. Last date for receiving the application is February 5. Log on to https://www.cseindia.org/online-training-course-strategies-to-reduce-emissions-from-transport-10626 for more information.

भारत के शीर्ष विचारकों ने एसटीपी के मसौदे पर अपना विजन और विचार रखा

विज्ञान एवं प्रौद्योगिकी मंत्रालय भारत के शीर्ष विचारकों ने एसटीपी के मसौदे पर अपना विजन और विचार रखा इस नीतिगत दस्तावेज का उद्देश्य देश के भविष्य को आकार देने के लिए प्रत्येक चीज पर ध्यान रखना है: भारत सरकार के प्रधान वैज्ञानिक सलाहकार प्रोफेसर के विजयराघवन "हम सृजित ज्ञान पर फोकस करते हैं, लेकिन हमें नवोन्मेषण लाने के लिए उन्हें समुचित रूप से काम में लाना-नवोन्मेषण को ज्ञान से जोड़ना आवश्यक है’’: डीएसटी के सचिव प्रोफेसर आशुतोष शर्मा 5वीं राष्ट्रीय विज्ञान प्रौद्योगिकी एवं नवोन्मेषण नीति के मसौदे को सुदृढ़ करने के द्वारा विचारों को समृद्ध बनाने के लिए एक प्रारूप-पश्चात परामर्श प्रक्रिया आरंभ हुई जिसमें कुछ शीर्ष विशेषज्ञों तथा विभिन्न विषयों के विचारकों ने भाग लिया। भारत सरकार के प्रधान वैज्ञानिक सलाहकार प्रोफेसर के. विजयराघवन ने 23 जनवरी, 2021 वेबिनार के माध्यम से आयोजित परामर्श में कहा “पिछले कुछ वर्षों में प्रौद्योगिकी में बेशुमार बदलाव के साथ डिजिटल क्रांति हुई है। इस परिवर्तन का कारण बताते हुए, हमें संस्कृति की मजबूत जड़ों से जुड़े रहने की आवश्यकता है। इस दिशा में एक कदम भाषा प्रयोगशालाओं का सुदृढ़ीकरण है। इसके अतिरिक्त, बड़े स्तर पर अध्ययन के लिए एसटीआई हेतु व्यावहारिक कार्यान्वयन महत्वपूर्ण है। इस नीतिगत दस्तावेज का उद्देश्य देश के भविष्य को आकार देने के लिए प्रत्येक चीज पर ध्यान रखना है। उन्होंने अंतिम दस्तावेज़ में नीति प्रक्रिया संरचना दस्तावेज़ और कार्यान्वयन रणनीति सन्निहित करने की आवश्यकता पर बल दिया। डीएसटी के सचिव प्रोफेसर आशुतोष शर्मा ने कहा, ‘भविष्य के लिए तैयार होने के लिए राज्यों को केन्द्र के साथ जुड़ने तथा विज्ञान, प्रौद्योगिकी तथा नवोन्मेषण का उपयोग करने की आवश्यकता है। इसी के साथ-साथ अंतरराष्ट्रीय जुड़ाव तथा वैज्ञानिक कूटनीति पर भी समान रूप से ध्यान दिए जाने की आवश्यकता है।‘ उन्होंने कहा कि भारत में "हम सृजित ज्ञान पर फोकस करते हैं, लेकिन हमें नवोन्मेषण लाने के लिए उन्हें समुचित रूप से काम में लाना-नवोन्मेषण को ज्ञान से जोड़ना आवश्यक है।’’ डीएसटी के सलाहकार तथा एसटीआईपी सचिवालय के प्रमुख डॉ. अखिलेश गुप्ता ने कहा कि “परामर्श के 300 दौर हो चुके हैं। पहली बार, हमने राज्यों, संबंधित मंत्रालयों और भारतीय प्रवासियों से परामर्श किया है। इस प्रकार के परामर्श दस्तावेज को और अधिक समावेशी बनाएंगे।‘’ राष्ट्रीय आपदा प्रबंधन प्राधिकरण के पूर्व सदस्य, महासागर विकास विभाग के सचिव और दुनिया के विख्यात भूकंप विज्ञानी डॉ. हर्ष गुप्ता ने विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी में निवेश बढ़ाने हेतु श्रमबल और वित्तीय योजना के लिए समयबद्धता के साथ एक रूपरेखा और कार्यान्वयन तंत्र की आवश्यकता पर बल दिया। अमेरिका में हार्वर्ड केनेडी स्कूल में विज्ञान और प्रौद्योगिकी अध्ययन विशेषज्ञ प्रो शीला जैसनॉफ ने कहा कि किसी भी देश में सामाजिक विज्ञान, मानविकी तथा नीति शास्त्र की भूमिका समान रूप से महत्वपूर्ण है और नीति को इसे परिलक्षित करना चाहिए। राज्यसभा के पूर्व महासचिव और उत्तर प्रदेश के मुख्य सचिव श्री योगेंद्र नारायण ने पर्यवेक्षकों के प्रशिक्षण और संस्थागत सहयोग को सुदृढ़ बनाने की आवश्यकता को भी रेखांकित किया। भारतीय विज्ञान संस्थान के मानद प्रोफेसर अजय सूद ने देश में अकादमियों की भूमिका और विशेष रूप से, विज्ञान कूटनीति में उन्हें और अधिक प्रतिभागी तरीके से जोड़ने ताकि वे सक्रिय हो जाएं और अधिक सार्थक रूप से योगदान दें, पर विचार करने की आवश्यकता पर जोर दिया। अहमदाबाद के भारतीय प्रबंधन संस्थान के पूर्व प्रोफेसर तथा जमीनी स्तर के नवोन्मेषणों में दुनिया के विख्यात विशेषज्ञ प्रोफेसर अनिल गुप्ता ने कला को विज्ञान के समीप लाने के महत्व को रेखांकित किया और संस्थानों में संस्कृति की भूमिका पर जोर दिया। उन्होंने प्रत्येक ज्ञान प्रदाता को सम्मानित करने और दैनिक आधार पर कृषि विज्ञान केंद्र, भारतीय रेलवे और डाकघरों जैसे मौजूदा नेटवर्कों के माध्यम से आम लोगों तक पहुंचने पर जोर दिया। विख्यात पर्यावरणविद् तथा विज्ञान और पर्यावरण केंद्र की महानिदेशक डॉ. सुनीता नारायण ने समाजगत विज्ञान की ओर बढ़ने की आवश्यकता को रेखांकित किया और कहा कि लोगों के साथ भारतीय विज्ञान की भागीदारी को और अधिक बढ़ाने की आवश्यकता है जैसा कि बाढ़ के पूर्वानुमान और चक्रवात पूर्वानुमान के मामले में हुआ है।"

India’s Top Thought Leaders provide their vision and ideas on draft STIP

New Delhi: A post-draft consultation process that saw the participation of some of the top experts and thought leaders from a range of disciplines brought in enriching ideas to strengthen the draft of the 5th National Science Technology and Innovation Policy. “There has been a digital revolution with immense changes in technology in last few years. While accounting for this change, we need to have rootedness in the culture. One step in that direction is strengthening of language labs. Besides, practical implementation is important for STI for large scale learning. This policy document aims at taking everything into consideration to shape the future of the country,” said Professor K VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, at the consultation organized through webinar on January 23, 2021. He stressed the need to incorporate the Policy Process Framework Document and the implementation strategy in the final document. Secretary, DST Prof Ashutosh Sharma, said “To be ready for the future, states need to connect with the centre and use science, technology, and innovation to solve their problems. At the same time, international connect, and science diplomacy needs equal attention”. He added that in India, “we focus on generated knowledge, but we need to consume them properly to bring innovation- connecting innovation to knowledge” “There have been 300 rounds of consultations. For the first time, we have consulted States, line ministries, and Indian diaspora. These kinds of consultations would make the document more inclusive,” said Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Advisor, DST, and Head STIP Secretariat. Former Member of National Disaster Management Authority, Secretary of Department of Ocean Development and world’s renowned seismologist Dr. Harsh Gupta stressed on the need for a roadmap and implementation mechanism coupled with timeline for manpower and financial plan for increasing investment in science and technology. Prof Sheila Jasanoff, Science and Technology Studies expert at Harvard Kennedy School in USA, said that the role of social sciences, humanities as well as ethics is equally important in any country, and the policy should reflect it. Former Secretary General of Rajya Sabha and Chief Secretary of UP, Shri Yogendra Narain, highlighted the need for training of supervisors who would supervise research and also about the necessity of strengthening of institutional collaboration. Honorary Professor at the Indian Institute of Science Professor Ajay Sood emphasized the necessity to consider the role of academies in the country and the academies, especially in science diplomacy, involving them in more engaging ways so that they become active and contribute in more meaningfully. Former Professor of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and world’s renowned expert in grassroot innovations, Professor Anil Gupta underlined the importance of bringing art closer to science and emphasized the role of culture in institutions. He also stressed on acknowledging every knowledge provider and on reaching out to the masses through existing networks like Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Indian Railways and post offices on a daily basis. Noted environmentalist and Director General of Centre for Science and Environment Dr. Sunita Narain underscored the need to move to societal science and said that science needs to be more engaging. “Engagement of Indian science with people need to increase like it has happened in case of flood forecasting and cyclone forecasting,” she added. Makarand R Paranjape, Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, spoke about including the integration of disciplines in the policy and the need for fostering a culture of excellence throughout the country.” Shobita Parthasarathy, Professor of Public Policy, Director, Science, Technology, and Public Policy program; at the University of Michigan, advocated for balance between society, environment, and economy. “Grassroots innovation and traditional knowledge is the strength of India and often offer solutions to problems. Women play key role in majority of grassroot innovations, and their role should be acknowledged,” she pointed out. Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, founder of Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO), said that in a country like India, where the larger population lives in rural areas, and a policy must reflect their needs and aspirations. “There is a need for scientific validity of traditional knowledge,” he added. Dr. Rajeshwari Rajagopalan, Distinguished Fellow and Head of the Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), pointed out that there should be provision for periodic audit of investment and benefits, and the policy should focus on reversal of brain drain and how to retain best brains and bring back the best minds to the country. The draft STIP was put together by STIP Secretariat led by Dr. Akhilesh Gupta with guidance from the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India (GoI) and the Department of Science & Technology (DST), GoI. The draft STIP was released for public consultation on 31st December 2020. Since then, a number of post-draft consultations have already been initiated to invite suggestions and recommendations. A series of consultations have been planned during next 2 weeks. The last date for receiving the comments has been extended to 31st January,2021.

Pune Metro: Pillars in River Heighten Flood Risk, Will They Be Reconsidered?

Prominent citizens of Pune had raised the red flag when this alignment of the metro project was first announced, arguing that the pillars would obstruct the flow of the river and cause flooding. The floods of August and September 2019 claimed 22 lives in Pune city. There is a cause for worry that the now-completed construction of about 60 pillars of the Maha Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), Pune, on the East bank of the Mutha (which is part of the Krishna River basin and flows through the heart of Pune), along 1.45 km, will cause more frequent flooding in the core city area, the most thickly populated part of Pune. The pillars have been constructed within the ‘blue line’ area, which marks the area of possible submergence if 60,000 cubic feet per second water is discharged from the Khadakwasla dam. On January 11, 2021, Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) Pune submitted a report after conducting simulation studies for water afflux from the dam, with and without the metro pillars. A 15-km stretch of the river, from Khadakwasla Dam to its confluence with the Mula river was studied for this purpose. Pune city spreads across both banks of the Mutha, and there are 16 bridges in the area that this report studied. The report estimated the spread of the afflux at each bridge, for two river discharges of 60,000 cubic feet per second and 100,000 cubic feet per second. Pune Metro Map Computational resource developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers at the Army’s Hydrologic Engineering Centre, which is used across the world for such purposes, was used to estimate water spread. Initial simulation was for water surface elevation without the metro piers; existing bridges were incorporated in the model. Later, the metro piers and related infrastructure were introduced into the model. For discharge of 100,000 cubic feet per second, it was found that maximum afflux of 380 mm would be observed at pier number P152. An aerial survey using drones was conducted by MMRCL, given there was some discussion over the availability of only restricted cross sections of the river in the models that were used. Data from the drone survey too was used in the report. Water spread beyond the riverbed, on account of the pillars, would reach up to 140.40 metres at the Z Bridge if 100,000 cusecs of water is released from the dam, the report states. Prominent citizens of Pune had raised the red flag when this alignment of the metro project was first announced, arguing that the pillars would obstruct the flow of the river and cause flooding. In 2016, journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, who passed away in November that year, businesswoman Anu Aga, artist Arti Kirloskar and environmentalist Sarang Yadwadkar filed a case before the National Green Tribunal questioning this alignment. NGT granted permission for the construction of the pillars in 2018, on the basis of a report by an expert committee assessing the impact of the pillars on flooding. The petitioners then approached the Supreme Court, where in February 2019 they proved that the expert committee had calculated the possible flooding on the basis of the wrong width of the riverbed – the committee’s assessment of the riverbed was 25% in excess of its actual size. Also read: Chhattisgarh: Tribal Protests Intensify in Hasdeo Aranya Forest over Allocation of Land for Mining The expert committee acknowledged the error by February 2020, blaming the MMRCL for providing it wrong data. A fresh study was then undertaken by CWPRS, and the results of this report, made available days ago, show the urgent need to realign this stretch of the metro to prevent flooding and loss of life in the city. In a statement released to the press, Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan and environmentalist Sarang Yadwadkar ask why MMRCL did not consult CWPRS earlier; why was wrong data earlier provided to the expert committee that made the assessment of the impact of the pillars; why did the expert committee not verify river width data that it had received; and why did construction of the pillars continue despite all the warnings from citizens. Anu Aga warns that even though much money has already been spent on the pillars, the government must realign this stretch to prevent future flooding and loss of life. The first phase of the Pune Metro project covers about 31 km, and is estimated to cost over Rs 11,000 crore. Over Rs 6000 crore of this is from a loan from the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The problem of flooding in cities has been happening with increasing frequency in recent years. Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, says, “The urban water sector is huge, but operates in a policy vacuum. The increasing destruction of water bodies, floodplains, mangroves, rivers and streams has happened alongside increasing paved surfaces, depleting groundwater levels and increasing pollution of rivers. Lip service is paid to rainwater harvesting, while supply is from dam-based water from long distances away. The urban construction boom also has a huge impact, with the mining of sand from the rivers. The cumulative impact of these developments coupled with the changing rainfall pattern lead to increased frequency and intensity of urban floods.” In September 2014, Srinagar was flooded and over 250 lives were lost. Centre for Science and Environment noted that in one century, half the lakes, ponds and wetlands of Srinagar had been encroached upon. The banks of the Jhelum too had been taken over for construction, restricting the space available for natural drainage. About a decade prior to that, on July 26, 2005, Mumbai saw 994 mm of rain in one day, and was brought to a standstill. About 1,000 lives were lost and thousands of houses were ruined. The need for the conservation of wetlands and mangroves, that may have reduced the impact of the flooding by serving as a buffer, was remarked about after that. Even so, between 1991 and 2001, about 9,000 acres of mangroves were lost. The construction of the country’s first bullet train, the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the coastal road project were all eating into mangroves. In the winter of 2015, Chennai witnessed heavy rain in a short spell of time and was flooded. The Comptroller and Auditor General would describe the event as a “manmade disaster” – caused by the indiscriminate discharge of water into the Adyar river. Kerala witnessed floods in 2018 and 2019, which claimed about 500 lives. Despite the common knowledge that construction close to river banks could exacerbate flooding, such projects continue. The Central Vistal project in New Delhi will see the construction of what is called an "iconic structure" on the west bank of the Yamuna. “It is noteworthy that there is no requirement for an independent assessment of the impact of bridges, flyovers, metro projects and roads encroaching floodplains and rivers. The cumulative impact of such interventions is huge,” Thakker points out. Increasing the bridges on a river changes the flow of the river by altering sedimentation process and the flood water spread – this could be disastrous, points out former Indian Forest Service officer Manoj Mishra, convener of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.

Delhi records worst January AQI in 3 years

Delhi records worst January AQI in 3 years NEW DELHI: This January, Delhi has already recorded six “severe” air days, three times more than last January and close to the 2019 count of seven, the data of Central Pollution Control Board shows. The city has also seen a higher spike in pollution readings this January than in the last two. Track the pollution level in your city Experts are saying that while a spell of rain at the start of the month brought down pollution, it was the only western disturbance recorded in January so far. In comparison, last January had six western disturbance spells, which had not only brought rain but also led to an increase in wind speed. “Since January 14, the air quality in Delhi dipped to ‘severe’ and ‘very poor’ levels on account of the calm atmospheric conditions. In addition, prevailing cold weather conditions will demand more space heating, leading to additional loads of emissions in the atmosphere,” said L S Kurinji, research analyst at Council on Energy, Environment and Water that has analysed data for this January, comparing it with the same month in 2020 and 2019. “With lower mixing height, pollutants remain trapped closer to the surface and deteriorate the air quality.” Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at India Meteorological Department and head of Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, said a mix of temperature and low wind speed had played a key role this year. “There has been adequate moisture, which has led to a number of dense and very dense fog days. Only one western disturbance has been recorded this month. With each western disturbance, there is an increase in wind speed and rain also brings down pollutants,” said Srivastava. The worst air quality index in these three January has been 460, recorded on the 15th of this year. In comparison, it was 437 on January 1, 2020, and 444 in 2019. Experts say more “severe” air days could be on the way by the end of the month, with the mercury set to fall once again after January 24. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment, said related data needed to be analysed over a longer duration. “A smog episode can take place any time, based on meteorological factors, and this can stay for a few days, impacting data for the month,” she said. Severe cold conditions and factors such as low wind speed are impacting Delhi now, Roy Chowdhury pointed out. “The key is also to have strict enforcement on the ground.”

Free parking is not your right

Why we need to encourage paid car and bike slots in our cities It’s a given that our streets now have more vehicles than people. And parking these cars, bikes and even trucks anywhere — main roads, residential areas and sidewalks — is considered a right by most Indians. A right assumed like every other: throwing trash anywhere, defecating in public, encroaching footpaths… the list can go on. While a few Indian cities are inching towards formulating parking management policies, many are yet to take the matter seriously. Many argue that paid parking is unnecessary when, in fact, there are several reasons why free parking is detrimental for all — the city, pedestrians and even motorists. Donald Shoup, a professor in the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA in the U.S., has extensively researched parking, transportation, public finance, and land economics. The author of The High Cost of Free Parking, Shoup recommends that cities should charge fair market prices for on-street parking, spend the revenue to benefit the metered areas, and remove off-street parking requirements (shoupdogg.com). In a 2014 piece in Vox, Shoup argues, among other things, that ‘a parking spot, unlike things we normally consider to be public goods, is finite’. We pay for everything else about our cars — the car itself, the gas, the tires, the insurance. Why should parking be different, he asks. I agree. In a country that encourages buying private vehicles and does not do enough for public transport, people who invest in private vehicles must be ready to pay for its use. In countries like Singapore, for instance, the process and cost of purchasing a personal vehicle are designed to discourage car buying. A great way to push traffic towards public transport and keep the city greener. The Centre for Science and Environment’s recent analysis of pre-lockdown, lockdown and post-lockdown mobility trends in New Delhi reveals that the city isn’t ready for the post-lockdown traffic rebound. Also, it is not prepared for the right actions that need to be taken to cut down the volume of traffic or even implement parking management rules. This is bound to be the case across cities. In Chennai, while the plaza at Pondy Bazaar has been effective in encouraging cyclists and pedestrians, the promised robotic multi-level car park is yet to be launched. So, much to the annoyance of residents, haphazard parking on adjoining roads and footpaths continues to be the norm. However, in other prime areas such as Besant Nagar, Nungambakkam Purasawalkam and Anna Nagar, the Corporation is looking at increasing the number of smart parking slots to 12,000. Premium smart parking spaces on Khader Nawaz Khan Road with a fee of ₹40 an hour and along certain stretches in Anna Nagar for ₹20 an hour are being planned. Their launch and implementation, however, is something we need to check out. On a recent trip to Bengaluru, it was refreshing to see parking meters installed — and working — in several localities. People who park in ‘no parking’ zones have their cars and bikes towed away in minutes. As per reports, smart parking systems are planned for the entire city. These systems, if implemented well, have a series of benefits. A structured parking plan saves motorists time and fuel spent in cruising for a slot — a common sight at Chennai’s beaches and shopping districts that adds to vehicular congestion. As stated in the Vox article, “In many urban areas with high parking demand, when we subsidise cost and freeze its apparent price at zero, there are many more people who want it than spots available. Without meters to stimulate turnover, people tend to take spots and hold on to them all day. As a result, we waste our time cruising, looking for scarce open space.” Other than these measures, what we need is a drive that discourages the use of cars. This can be done only after a safe, people-friendly and gender- neutral public transport system is created. Simply making cars expensive or increasing fuel costs doesn’t work without giving people a convenient alternative. The recently announced train from Bengaluru airport to the city has been welcomed by all, but issues about timings and intermodal transport remain. Other questions remain unanswered — how safe will the option be for women and the elderly during non-peak hours? Are the platforms wheelchair-friendly? As we limp back to a post-Covid world in 2021, here’s hoping for roads that have more people than cars and cities that welcome humans rather than concrete monsters. A fortnightly column on environmental sustainability and urban issues Hindu| Delhi | January 23, 2021

Dr Sunita Narain to speak on 'Gandhi and Cities’ in IIT Madras webinar on Republic Day

Recently, Narain has been appointed as a member of One Health Global Leaders Group on Anti-microbial Resistance which reports to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Padma Shri Recipient Dr Sunita Narain, Director-General, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, will address a Webinar hosted by IIT Madras on Republic Day (26th January 2021). Dr Sunita Narain will deliver an address on the topic of ‘Gandhi and Cities: Challenges of Affordable and Sustainable Growth.’ Dr Sunita Narain has also served as a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change. Recently, she has been appointed as a member of One Health Global Leaders Group on Anti-microbial Resistance which reports to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. This webinar is part of the SIDDHI Webinar Series which has a Gandhian theme. Further information about the event is available at siddhi.iitm.ac.in. The webinar, scheduled for 11 am, 26th January 2021, is open to the public. Those interested can register using the following link - https://tinyurl.com/siddhi-26jan READ ALSO: For the first time in decades, no school children at Karnataka's Republic Day celebration at Manekshaw Parade Ground Speaking about the webinar,Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean (Global Engagement), IIT Madras said, “The SIDDHI webinar series, hosted by IITM, is proud to feature such an eminent speaker on the theme of sustainable, affordable, and inclusive growth of cities. This is of relevance to all of us, particularly given the massive urbanization that is occurring in India. We hope that the attendees gain an authentic and unique perspective on this topic by participating in this webinar.” Sudhir Chella Rajan, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Indo-German Centre for Sustainability, IIT Madras, will moderate the webinar. Students, teachers, Policymakers, Think tanks, government officials, civil society, researchers, the general public, and research groups are expected to benefit from this lecture. SIDDHI is a collaborative endeavour with faculty, researchers and students involved in projects sponsored by Government of India under SPARC, VAJRA and socially relevant projects approved by the Government of India such as Unnat Bharat Abhiyan and New India Internship. Edexlive | January 23, 2021 IIT Madras to host webinar on Republic Day The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras will host a webinar to mark Republic Day celebrations. One of the key speakers at the Siddhi webinar series is Sunita Narain, director-general of the Centre for Science and Environment. She will speak on ‘Gandhi and cities: challenges of affordable and sustainable growth’. Ms. Sunita, who has also served as a member in the Prime Minister’s Council on climate change, was recently appointed as a member of One Health Global Leaders group on anti-microbial resistance. The group reports to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. More information about the event, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. on January 26, is available at siddhi.iitm.ac.in. Registration may be done at https://tinyurl.com/siddhi-26jan.

IIT Madras to conduct ‘Gandhi and Cities’ webinar on Republic Day

Dr. Sunita Narain, Padma Awardee, will be speaking on ‘Gandhi and Cities’ in IIT Madras Webinar on Republic Day. Padma Recipient Dr. Sunita Narain, Director-General, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, will address a webinar hosted by IIT Madras on Republic Day January 26, 2021. Dr. Sunita Narain will deliver an address on the topic of ‘Gandhi and Cities: Challenges of Affordable and Sustainable Growth.’ Dr. Sunita Narain has also served as a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change. Recently, she has been appointed as a member of One Health Global Leaders Group on Anti-microbial Resistance which reports to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. IIT Madras SIDDHI webinar series This webinar is part of the SIDDHI webinar series which has a Gandhian theme. Further information about the event is available at siddhi.iitm.ac.in. The webinar, scheduled for 11 am, January 26, 2021, is open to the public. Those interested can register using the following link - https://tinyurl.com/siddhi-26jan Speaking about the webinar, Prof. Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean (Global Engagement), IIT Madras said, “The SIDDHI webinar series, hosted by IITM, is proud to feature such an eminent speaker on the theme of sustainable, affordable, and inclusive growth of cities. This is of relevance to all of us, particularly given the massive urbanization that is occurring in India. We hope that the attendees gain an authentic and unique perspective on this topic by participating in this webinar.” Prof. Sudhir Chella Rajan, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and Indo-German Centre for Sustainability, IIT Madras, will moderate the webinar. Students, teachers, Policymakers, Think tanks, government officials, civil society, researchers, the general public, and research groups are expected to benefit from this lecture. SIDDHI is a collaborative endeavour with faculty, researchers, and students involved in projects sponsored by the Government of India under SPARC, VAJRA, and socially relevant projects approved by the Government of India such as Unnat Bharat Abhiyan and New India Internship. The ‘SIDDHI’ (Self-reliant India: Discussions and Dialogues for Humane Innovations) webinar series focuses on the following themes: Socially relevant technologies Technology for self-reliance (‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’) Technology and rural development

Budget 2021: Nirmala Sitharaman urged to announce clean fuel pricing reforms to control pollution

Budget 2021: Nirmala Sitharaman urged to announce clean fuel pricing reforms to control pollution The Centre for Science and Environment has urged Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to include provisions in the Budget 2021 to incentivise clean fuels like electricity and natural gas to make them more competitive compared to coal. The ‘second clean fuel revolution’ is possible only with taxation and pricing reforms in favour of cleaner fuels, the CSE has stated in a letter the finance minister. “Then, the displacement fuel was diesel for the transport sector. Now, the displacement fuel is coal. Its price is so low that natural gas, with its high tax burden, is unable to compete,” the letter said “Natural gas has a high tax burden currently. It is taxed both at the point of sale and purchase, and this means that tax as a component of the final prices can be as high as 18% or more,” CSE director general Sunita Narain wrote in her letter to Sitharaman. Even though the proactive steps taken by the Union and state governments over the past few years have led to a distinct improvement in air quality in Delhi-NCR, a lot remains to be done to meet the clean air benchmark.

‘Lockdown lessons can help govt’

“Right after we came out of the lockdown, we saw both pollution levels as well as {vehicular} traffic increasing, and quite dramatically so. This was, however, expected because it was a forced change and not because of systemic changes made,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment. Delhi Lessons learnt from the Covid-19 lockdown on the city’s air quality and what contributes to atmospheric pollution need to be put to use by government agencies and policymakers to make sustainable and long-term gains in the battle against dirty air, environmental experts said on Thursday. The lockdown enforced on March 25 led to a drastic fall in the overall emission levels, but the decline in pollution was short-lived and air quality deteriorated when the restrictions were lifted, said Kalpana Balakrishnan, director of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s Centre for Advanced Research on Air Quality, Climate and Health, and Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy), Centre for Science and Environment. “Right after we came out of the lockdown, we saw both pollution levels as well as {vehicular} traffic increasing, and quite dramatically so. This was, however, expected because it was a forced change and not because of systemic changes made,” said Roychowdhury. Balakrishnan said that the while the coronavirus disease pandemic caught the world unawares, low-grade epidemics have been hitting different parts of India for a long time; air pollution may not kill people immediately, but it makes people more vulnerable to health hazards through prolonged exposure. “Acting to control air pollution is extremely important mainly because of its health impact. The Covid-19 pandemic showed us that it is possible to achieve public transport efficiency by reducing the number of commuters, who don’t need to come to work to earn their livelihood,” said Balakrishnan.

Extreme weather events may surge in near future’

India needs to be ready and come up with specific projection models on how these changes will affect agriculture, health, water resources, energy and other sectors to cope with their impact, M Rajeevan Nair, secretary to the ministry of earth sciences said at a session on Climate Change and the Green Economy. Frequency and duration of heatwaves and droughts; the area under dry spells, flash floods, urban floods, and short, intense rainfall events; and the probability of cyclones turning into severe storms will all increase in the coming years because of climate change, M Rajeevan Nair, secretary to the ministry of earth sciences, said at the Hindustan Times Environment Conclave on Thursday. India needs to be ready and come up with specific projection models on how these changes will affect agriculture, health, water resources, energy and other sectors to cope with their impact, Nair said at a session on Climate Change and the Green Economy. Agreeing with him, Sunita Narain, director general of the New Delhi-based advocacy group, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the ministry’s study shows that the impact of climate change was intensifying and India needs to emphasise its vulnerability at international negotiations that are expected to gather steam with the US on Monday deciding to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. On India’s vulnerability, Nair said, based on the climate change projections and past data, the Indian monsoon is robust, rainy days were declining and dry spells were increasing. India is warming at a pace equal to global warming elsewhere and cold waves were reducing. “This will have a serious impact on agriculture and farmers as areas under drought are likely to increase from the present 15-20% to 25-30% in future. We need to devise ways to cope with these changes.”

HT Environment Conclave: Prepare for more heatwaves and floods, says Rajeevan Nair

HT Environment Conclave: Prepare for more heatwaves and floods, says Rajeevan Nair Nair said India needs to come up with specific projection models for how these changes are going to affect agriculture, health, water resources, energy and other sectors Based on the climate change projections and past data, it has become evident that though Indian monsoon is robust, rainy days are coming down, dry spells are increasing, India is warming equal to global warming elsewhere in the world and cold waves are reducing. (HT archive) india news HT Environment Conclave: Prepare for more heatwaves and floods, says Rajeevan Nair Nair said India needs to come up with specific projection models for how these changes are going to affect agriculture, health, water resources, energy and other sectors Frequency and duration of heatwaves, droughts, flash floods, urban floods, short intense rainfall events, probability of cyclones to become severe storms will increase in the coming years due to climate change, said M Rajeevan Nair, secretary ministry of earth sciences at Hindustan Times Environment Conclave. At a session on Climate Change and Green Economy, he said India needs to be ready and come up with specific projection models for how these changes are going to affect agriculture, health, water resources, energy and other sectors to cope with impact. Agreeing with him, Sunita Narain, director general of Delhi-based advocacy group, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the ministry’s study shows that the impact of climate change was intensifying and India needs to amplify its vulnerability at the international global negotiations, which are expected to get steam with the United States deciding to re-join the Paris Climate Agreement.

Budget 2021: Nirmala Sitharaman urged to announce clean fuel pricing reforms to control pollution

Budget 2021: Nirmala Sitharaman urged to announce clean fuel pricing reforms to control pollution CHENNAI: The Centre for Science and Environment has urged Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to include provisions in the Budget 2021 to incentivise clean fuels like electricity and natural gas to make them more competitive compared to coal. The ‘second clean fuel revolution’ is possible only with taxation and pricing reforms in favour of cleaner fuels, the CSE has stated in a letter the finance minister. “Then, the displacement fuel was diesel for the transport sector. Now, the displacement fuel is coal. Its price is so low that natural gas, with its high tax burden, is unable to compete,” the letter said "Natural gas has a high tax burden currently. It is taxed both at the point of sale and purchase, and this means that tax as a component of the final prices can be as high as 18% or more," CSE director general Sunita Narain wrote in her letter to Sitharaman. Even though the proactive steps taken by the Union and state governments over the past few years have led to a distinct improvement in air quality in Delhi-NCR, a lot remains to be done to meet the clean air benchmark. “The next generation transition to meet clean air standards is not possible if access to affordable clean fuels is not scaled up across the region,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy, while speaking at a webinar by CSE on Friday. "Since the early 2000s, Delhi’s primary air pollution mitigation focus has been to substitute diesel with compressed natural gas (CNG) in the transport sector, and replace coal, furnace oil and petcoke with natural gas in industrial areas and power plants. This has been primarily responsible for bending the pollution curve in Delhi," she said. "This is an important learning for the rest of the country as 122 cities are currently implementing clean air action plans to reduce particulate pollution by 20-30% by 2024 under the National Clean Air Programme," said Roychowdhury. "Such a clean fuel strategy is also consistent with the global trend. Some of the most polluted regions of the world like Beijing have had to replace coal with clean fuels to achieve good air days." To make this critical and necessary transition to cleaner industrial fuels, it is necessary to address the roadblock from cheap coal that undercuts the market for natural gas in India. This has been highlighted in a new CSE study Analysing Industrial Fuel Policy in Delhi and NCR States, which was released in the webinar. The study is based on on-ground surveys of industry clusters in Delhi-NCR. It has uncovered widespread use of coal in industry. In fact, Delhi, even after notifying the approved fuel list that bans use of dirty fuels across all sectors, is finding it difficult to enforce this in dispersed small and medium scale units. “Gas, unlike coal, is not included in GST. The state tax share of natural gas relative to the total petroleum product revenue was roughly 20% for Gujarat and 7% for Maharashtra in the past year. Replacing this for such large industrial states should not be an obstacle," it said. “Our understanding is that with 5% GST (instead of 18% state VAT and other taxes), the price for the industry consumer will reduce by 17%. As gas has a higher calorific value and lower management costs, it will become attractive for industries to switch from coal to this cleaner fuel.” This can help the country fight air pollution not only in Delhi and the National Capital Region, but across India, it said.