Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

In 1979, when I was in Class 12, I learnt about the Chipko movement: Environmentalist Sunita Narain

We are activists but not in the traditional sense or with any political motivation. Our weapons of activism are pen and paper,” says Sunita Narain, director-general of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), while talking about her four-decade-long journey as one of the country’s most credible and influential voices in matters related to the environment. From a battle against soft drink giants over reported use of pesticides, and the campaign for CNG in Delhi, to, more recently, an exposé on honey adulteration by big brands, the CSE has been at the forefront of creating awareness about a citizen’s right to good environment and produce. “Ever since Anil Agarwal, the founder of CSE, passed away in 2002, our biggest challenge has been to maintain the essence and objective of the centre, to blend the rigour of a policy research group and think tank with the right kind of activism,” she says. For Narain, this is not just a profession, but the natural progression of a passion inculcated since she was in school in Delhi. Growing up, there was hardly any public discourse around what she wanted to do, raise public consciousness about the environment. In 1979, when she was in class 12, she attended an environmental workshop organised by the Gandhi Peace Foundation in Delhi. There, she met a group of young people, equally enthusiastic about environment, and learnt about the Chipko movement, a forest conservation agitation led by Gandhian activist Sunderlal Bahuguna. The movement, which started in 1973 in Uttarakhand, became a rallying point for many future environmental movements across the world. That workshop was a significant moment in Narain’s life. Right out of school, she became part of the movement, choosing to do her graduation via correspondence. Meanwhile, she found out about the Vikram Sarabhai Centre for Development Interaction in Ahmedabad, set up by Kartikeya Sarabhai, one of the world’s leading environmental educators and went on to work with them. In 1981, she met Anil Agarwal at the house of a friend. Agarwal had already been working on a “state of India’s environment” report, an idea he had picked up while attending a seminar in Penang, where he read a report on the state of the Malaysian environment. “He wanted it to be a report card prepared by citizens for the government. So, we all joined the project with a passion,” she says. A year later, the report came out, laying the foundation for the incredible journey Narain has been on ever since.

बडेमन और बडेकदम से साफ होगी हमारी हवा और पानी

सरकारेंतो लगातार एक गनतरोध के िाद दसू रेगनतरोध सेजूझ रही हैं। उनके पास इन कामों के ललए समय ही नहीीं। (पयाावरणववद् सुनीता नारायण सेमुकेश के जरीवाल की बातचीत पर आधाररत) भूलेतो नहीीं हैंआप! मोर्र गाडियों की रेलम-पेल वाले इलाकों मेंभी र्चडियों की चूीं-चूीं सुनाई देरही थी। नददयों का पानी बिल्कुल साफ था, आसमान बिल्कुल नीला... पहाड़ दरू सेही ददखनेलगेथे... ककतनी अच्छी हो गई थी आिो-हवा। लेककन इसकी कीमत क्या देनी पड़ी? लॉकिाउन नेकरोड़ों लोगों की रोजी छीन ली, उन्हेंिेघर कर ददया। हम लोग गोल आसमान ननहार रहेथे, िहुत सेलोग गोल रोदर्यों को याद कर रहेथे। हमेंर्चडियों की चहचहाहर् सुनाई देरही थी, उन्हेंिच्चों का रोना। यानी, हमेंहवा-पानी साफ तो करनी है, लेककन यह साफ हैकक उपाय यह नहीीं हो सकता। यह भी साफ है कक ऐसा होगा भी ककसी िहुत िड़ेकदम सेही। वनाि छोर्े-मोर्ेकदमों सेहम अपनेआप को िहलातेरहेंगे। कभी कुछ साफ िसेंउतार दीीं, चींद सिक़ों पर साइककल लेन िना दी, एक-दो प्रदषूण वालेउद्योगों को िींद कर ददया.. इतनेसेकुछ नहीीं होगा। गाींवों मेंननवेश करना होगा लॉकिाउन की वजह सेदेश नेपहली िार आर्थिक मींदी देखी है, हमेंकफर सेतरक्की करनी है। ऐसा पहली िार हुआ था कक लोग शहरों सेगाींवों की लौर्े। दरूदृजष्र् हो तो यह हमारेललए एक अनोखा अवसर हो सकता था। गाींवों मेंही उन्हेंरोजगार और रोजी देसकतेहैं। लेककन इसके ललए हमेंबिल्कुल साहस भरा और िड़ा कदम उठाना होगा। ननवेश गाींवों मेंही करना होगा। आत्मननभिर गाींव और कस्िेिना सकतेहैं। लेककन सरकारेंतो लगातार एक गनतरोध के िाद दसू रेगनतरोध सेजूझ रही हैं। उनके पास इन कामों के ललए समय ही नहीीं। पैदावार को पौजष्र्क िनानी होगी खेती मेंहमारी प्राथलमकता अि पैदावार िढ़ाना नहीीं िजल्क यह हो कक उसेककतना पौजष्र्क और सेहतमींद िना सकतेहैं। इसी सेककसान की कमाई िढ़ेगी और पूरे देश के लोग जहरीलेरसायन सेभरा खाना खानेको मजिूर नहीीं रह जाएींगे। पहलेहमारेदेश मेंहर मेल का अनाज होता था। आज जहाीं जमीन मेंपानी नहीीं भी है वहाीं भी हमारी वजह सेककसान गेहूीं और चावल ही उगानेपर तुला हुआ है। पयािवरण का सवाल षवकास का सवाल है। ककसान आज सिक़ों पर क्यों हैं? जलवायु पररवतिन के कारण कभी सूखेमेंतो कभी िाढ़ मेंउनकी फसल ििािद हो जाती है। उस पर सेहमारा मध्य वगि मशीन की िनी चीज के ललए जेि खाली कर देगा, लेककन ककसानों की उगाई चीजों की कीमत थोड़ी भी िढ़ी तो आसमान सर पर उठा लेता है। जैसेही ककसी उपज की कीमत िढ़ती हैिरी सरकारेंआयात कर लेती हैंऔर ककसान िेचारा कफर वहीीं के वहीीं। क्या ककसानों को जेल मेंिालेंगे? शहरों मेंहमारेललए पानी सरकार हमारेघर तक पहुींचाती है, लेककन ककसान को अपना पानी खुद ननकालना होता है। पराली जलानेके ललए आप क्या पींजाि और हररयाणा के हजारों ककसानों को जेल में िालेंगे? उन्हेंसींसाधन देनेहोंगे, सशक्त करना होगा। कारखानेइतना प्रदषूण फै लातेहैं, कारों सेइतना प्रदषूण होता है, इन्हेंक्यों नहीीं िींद कर ददया जाता? नए साल मेंऐसा हो ग्रीन एजेंि नए साल मेंहमेंकोयलेजैसेअपनेईंधन को िदलना होगा। प्राइवेर् गाडियों की सींख्या कािूकरें। साविजननक यातायात को िढ़ावा देना होगा। सारेसींसाधन महानगरों मेंकें दद्रत नहीीं करें। षवकास और खेती को सस्र्ेनेिल या सींवहनीय िनाएीं। राष्रीय हररत प्रार्धकरण (एनजीर्ी) और राज्यों के प्रदषूण ननयींिण िोििजैसेसभी सींस्थानों को मजिूत करना होगा। पयािवरण का नुकसान तो हर ककसी को भुगतना होगा आप घर मेंपानी और हवा के प्यूरीफायर लगा कर ननजश्चींत नहीीं हो सकते। पयािवरण ििािद होगा तो भुगतना सभी को पड़ेगा। चाहेवह अमीर हो या गरीि।

India-2050 bags Best-Director Award at the Asian Academy Creative Awards, Singapore

The Grand Final Winner for Best Direction (non-fiction) at the Asian Academy Creative Awards, Singapore, is ‘India-2050’. This gripping documentary about the impact of climate-change on India’s future has been produced by Delhi-based Wide Angle Films for Discovery Channel and is co-directed by Sujata Kulshreshtha and Abhimanyu Tewari. In October this year, INDIA-2050 was declared the National Winner in three coveted categories. Best documentary, Best Direction and Best Cinematography. This implied that it was the best in class from amongst all the entries from India and would go on to represent the nation at the Grand Awards that were closely contested between 16- countries from the Asia-Pac region. The AAA’s honour excellence in craft and technical disciplines across multiple platforms. The glittering red carpet ceremony for 2020 was hosted in their 3D Virtual Theatre. It celebrated works from Australia & New Zealand, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The documentary takes a hard-hitting look at the existential threat of climate change in India. In a first-of-its-kind approach, it uses dramatic visual effects to build on projected outcomes that reveal a very dystopian 2050. Woven into these sequences are compelling human stories that cry out that the future is already here! Says Sadhguru in the film, “The survival stage is over. Now a different level - survival of a generation is coming into a question.” The co-directors, Sujata and Abhimanyu told us that, “One of the key objectives that we set out with was to be able to create a film that can trigger a discussion, a debate or a conversation that brings climate change to the forefront. We deliberately chose to take an alarmist approach and focus the 2050 segments on urban centres - to say that being richer is not going to insulate us from climate change.” The documentary features eminent thought-leaders like Sunita Narain, Arunabha Ghosh, Chandra Bhushan and author Amitav Ghosh who calls it “…the best account of India’s climate risks”. David Spratt from the Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration, Melbourne also provides an alarming perspective. Discovery Channel’s Director, Original Content, Factual & Lifestyle Entertainment, Sai Abhishek said, “It is our constant effort to offer world-class documentaries to discerning Indian fans which not only entertains them but also encourages and inspires. I am proud to learn that India-2050 has been recognised globally with this win.” You can catch India 2050 on the Discovery Plus App.

वायु प्रदूषण ने भारत में ली 16 लाख लोगों की जान, ख़ुद को कैसे बचा सकते हैं आप?

साल 2019 मेंवायुप्रदषूण की वजह सेभारत में16.7 लाख लोगों की मौत हुई है. इतना ही नहीीं, वायुप्रदषूण के कारण देश को 260,000 करोड़ रुपयेसेज़्यादा का आर्थिक नुकसान हुआ ह यह जानकारी कें द्र सरकार की सींस्था आईसीएमआर की एक ररपोर्ि मेंसामनेआई है. लेककन क्या येआँकड़े आपके ललए कुछ मायनेरखतेहैं? ददल्ली सेलेकर उत्तर प्रदेश और बिहार समेत भारत का एक िड़ा दहस्सा एक लींिेसमय सेलगातार वायुप्रदषूण की चपेर् मेंहै. िाररश के महीनों को छोड़ ददया जाए तो हररयाणा, उत्तर प्रदेश, ददल्ली और बिहार जैसेराज्यों मेंरहनेवाले लोग लगभग पूरेसाल प्रदषूण की मार झेलतेहैं. येख़िर ललखेजातेसमय ददल्ली मेंिेहद िारीक प्रदषूक पीएम 2.5 का सूचकाींक 462 था जो कक 50 सेभी कम होना चादहए. बिर्ेन की राजधानी लींदन मेंइसी पीएम 2.5 का स्तर 17 है, न्यूयॉकि में38 है, िललिन में20 है, और िीजजींग में59 है. सरल शब्दों मेंकहेंतो ददल्ली सेलेकर लखनऊ (पीएम 2.5 - 440) मेंरहनेवालेलोग इस समय जजस हवा में साँस लेरहेहैंवो स्वस्थ लोगों को भी िीमार िना सकती हैऔर पहलेसेिीमार लोगों के ललए गींभीर ख़तरेपैदा कर सकती है. प्रदषूण सेहुई मौत...मतलि क्या है? इींडियन काउीं लसल फॉर मेडिकल ररसचिनेअपनी हाललया ररपोर्ि मेंिताया हैकक भारत मेंसाल 2019 में16.7 लाख लोगों की मौत के ललए वायुप्रदषूण को ज़िम्मेदार ठहराया जा सकता है. इस ररपोर्ि मेंयह भी िताया गया हैकक घरेलूवायु प्रदषूण की वजह सेहोनेवाली मौतों में1990 से2019 तक 64 फीसदी की कमी आई हैलेककन इसी िीच हवा मेंमौजूद प्रदषूण की वजह सेहोनेवाली मौतों में115 फीसदी का इ़िाफा हुआ है. शोधकतािओीं नेइस ररपोर्ि मेंलोगों की मत्ृयु, उनकी िीमाररयों और उनके प्रदषूषत वातावरण मेंरहनेकी अवर्ध का अध्ययन ककया है. अींग्रेजी अख़िार द दहदीं ूमेंप्रकालशत ख़िरके मुताबिक़, आईसीएमआर के महाननदेशक िलराम भागिव नेिताया हैकक इस अध्ययन के नतीजेितातेहैंकक वायुप्रदषूण फें फड़ों सेजुड़ी िीमाररयों के चालीस फीसदी मामलों के ललए ज़िम्मेदार है. वहीीं, इस्के लमक हार्ि डि़िीज, स्रोक, िायबिर्ी़ि और समय सेपहलेपैदा होनेवालेनवजात िच्चों की मौत के ललए वायुप्रदषूण 60 फीसदी तक ज़िम्मेदार है. यह पहला मौका नहीीं हैजि ककसी ररपोर्ि मेंयेिताया गया हो कक वायुप्रदषूण हाननकारक और जानलेवा है. लेककन यह पहली िार हैजि सरकार नेवायुप्रदषूण से होनेवाली मौतों और आर्थिक नुकसान के सर्ीक आँकड़े जनता के सामनेरखेहैं. ररपोर्ि यह भी िताती हैकक अगर कुछ न ककया गया तो वायुप्रदषूण सेहोनेवाली मौतें, िीमाररयाीं और आर्थिक नुकसान की वजह सेभारत का साल 2024 तक पाँच दरललयन िॉलर की अथिव्यवस्था िननेका सपना र्ूर् सकता है. ऐसेमेंसवाल उठता हैकक क्या येररपोर्ि एक जनआींदोलन को जन्म देगी या दसू री अन्य ररपोर्टिस की तरह भुला दी जाएगी? ककतनी असरदार साबित होगी येररपोर्ि? ददल्ली के सर गींगाराम अस्पताल मेंलींग कैं सर षवशेषज्ञ िॉक्र्र अरषव ींद कुमार मानतेहैंकक अि वो वक़्त आ गया हैजि लोगों को वायुप्रदषूण के ख़तरों के प्रनत अवश्य ही सचेत हो जाना चादहए. सेंर्र फॉर साइींस एींि एन्वायरनमेंर् सेजुड़ीीं पयािवरण षवशेषज्ञ अनुलमता रॉय चौधरी मानती हैंकक लोगों को जजतना जागरूक इस ख़तरेके प्रनत होना चादहए, उतना ही जागरुक इसके समाधान के ललए होना चादहए. वो कहती हैं, “लोगों मेंजागरुकता ख़तरेके साथ-साथ इसके समाधान को लेकर भी होनी चादहए. क्योंकक आगे चलकर हमेंजो कदम उठानेहैं, वो काफी सख़्त होंगे. अगर राजनीनतक और सामाजजक स्तर पर हम इन कड़े कदमों के प्रनत समथिन नहीीं जुर्ा पाएींगेतो इस समस्या का हल जानतेहुए भी उसेअमल मेंलाना िेहद मुजश्कल होगा.'' ''क्योंकक हम ददल्ली मेंप्रदषूण के िारेमेंिात करतेहैं और जि सरकार की ओर सेकहा गया कक वो ननजी गाडड़यों पर रोक लगाना चाहती हैऔर पजब्लक राींसपोर्ि को िढ़ाना चाहती हैतो मध्यम वगिसरकार के खख़लाफ चला गया.''

The Lead: A note on sanitation Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/national/the-lead-a-note-on-sanitation-930125.html

In this episode of The Lead from DH Radio, Programme Director-Water Programme Centre for Science and Environment Dr Suresh Kumar Rohilla shares insights about the sewage treatment of water. Ahmed Shariff: Hi and welcome to the Lead by DH Radio. Ever wondered what happens to the waste that you generate and how it affects the environment? It's a question to ponder over. Dr Suresh Kumar Rohilla: Hello. Ahmed: It's our great pleasure to have you on our show. My first question to you is: For a layman, can you explain how human waste contaminates and what are the harmful constituents?

Money Honey

Last week, we got some bitter news about something sweet. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reported that when they subjected 13 prominent brands selling honey to a sophisticated test in Germany for adulteration, except three, all other brands failed. The only three brands that passed were Saffola, Markfed Sohna and Nature’s Nectar. As fear of refined sugar has increased, so also adulteration of other sources of sweetness. Best example is jaggery. As jaggery gained popularity as an alternate to sugar, its adulteration started. Mandya jaggery was very popular until jaggery makers from Uttar Pradesh came calling and started adding chemicals to rapidly increase production capacity and visual appeal. In a report submitted to the Government by the Co-operation Department, it found chemicals like “calcium hydroxide, sodium hydrosulphite (hydrose), sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate (safolite), ortho-phosphoric acid, seashells, baking soda, oil (castor/coconut) and orange-red powder (artificial food colouring) in jaggery blocks”! We educated urbanites find it hard to even pronounce the names of these chemicals which makes us wonder if farmers are making jaggery or chemical engineers? This is a serious issue because India accounts for over 70% of world’s jaggery production and such practices will ruin our reputation and income. Already Mandya jaggery brand has taken a hit as the use of chemicals has significantly reduced its shelf-life which has forced many wholesalers to sell their product in distress. We in India don’t seem to take food adulteration seriously. Be it the Government, the producer or the consumer. It is common knowledge that fruit-sellers use calcium carbide because it reacts with the moisture emanated by the respiration of the fruit. And when it does, a gas called acetylene emanates which helps in ripening the fruit. This gas is carcinogenic! Yet, rarely do you see the Government personnel raiding these “ripening sheds.” Vegetables are not spared either. Bittergourd and lady’s finger are dipped in copper sulphate water to make them look greener. Brinjals are coated with old oil to give them a shine; carrots are dipped in red dye-water and watermelons injected with gulal to make them red from inside. Rarely do you see officials confronting, let alone arresting these colouring artists. Most of us turn a blind eye to this saying that we cook hot meals and all “these things die”… not really. But the fallout of this food adulteration should be the rebirth of kitchen gardens and organic farms. It’s time to move on from show gardens to kitchen gardens. Every year during Dasara the Government has a competition for the “Most beautiful home garden.” May be the same publicity must be given to “Best kitchen garden.” P.S.: Speaking of organic food, once a husband went to a store to shop for his wife who was very health-conscious and wanted organic, pesticide-free vegetables. The husband walked upto the section where he saw vegetables stacked and asked the sales man if the vegetables were organic. The sales boy didn’t understand. The irritated husband picked up some vegetables and said, “Listen, my wife is health-crazy. So I need to know have these vegetables been sprayed with any harmful pesticides?” The petrified sales man replied, “No, Sir. You’ll have to do that yourself!” Ramakrishna Ashram Swamijiand Coorg Honey Speaking of bees and honey, once upon a time Coorg was the top producer of honey. In the early 1940s, there used to be a Government-appointed “Bee Man” whose job was to go from house to house, from estate to estate, teaching planters about the importance of bees to the environment and also teach them how to maintain a Bee Box and extract honey. In fact, Scientific Bee farming in Kodagu was initiated by Sri Shambhavananda Swamiji, the man who founded the Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala in Mysuru. In 1928, when Swami Shambhavananda became the first President of Sri Ramakrishna Saradashrama in Ponnampet, Kodagu, he initiated a project for Bee-keeping. Since he was born in Kodagu as Chengappa into the Thelapanda family, he knew that Kodagu was very suitable for bee-keeping and could contribute to the local economy. Soon he prepared the first apiary and in 1936 set up the ‘Coorg Honey and Wax Producers Co-operative Society Ltd.’ This became the first honey producers co-operative in India. Shambhavananda Swamiji even developed a new method of bee-keeping now known as ‘Coorg Standard Hive.’ No wonder Coorg came to produce almost 50% of all honey produced in Karnataka. Now, if any one has space around their homes or in their farms there are many workshops that teach bee-keeping. In fact, there is an Apiculture Training Centre at Bhagamandala, Kodagu, where one can take a few weeks training in bee-keeping. It may be recalled that the Government in 2014, to increase production and marketing of Coorg Honey, ordered the setting up of a “Honey Park” at Bhagamandala, Kodagu. The park was to be managed by the Food Processing Division of the Agriculture Department. Later, Rs. 60 lakh was also released for the project. An old building was refurbished and not much else has been heard. Now, six years on neither is there a Park nor is there any Honey. Guess, like most Government projects it was all about the “Money Honey”?

What next for hygiene and immunity brands?

Over the last nine months, FMCG and packaged food brands feverishly rode a wave of mass consumer anxiety and launched a slew of ‘pandemic products’, in the hygiene and immunity segments. But as pandemic fatigue takes over and behaviour patterns stabilise and swing from cautious to careless, how will these brands stick around on the consumer’s shopping list? In a bid for longevity, should specialised products be repurposed to solve non-virus related needs? The initial sampling phase is fizzling out; which hygiene and immunity products will continue to find scale in 2021 – and which brands will struggle? Were nine months enough to crystallise behaviour patterns into lasting habits and long term rituals? At a recently held seminar (CMO Week, organised by afaqs!), I spoke to a group of marketers in the hygiene and immunity space about this. Anuja Mishra, head of marketing - personal care and hygiene, Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL), said, “This year we saw a heightened trend of consumers adopting new behaviours – initially, we saw insecurity-led paranoid behaviour patterns, which were short term. But there are some behaviours like frequent hand washing, for instance, that have been incorporated into everyday rituals and have now penetrated lifestyles,” insisting that brands will, hereon, do well to pick their battles basis this classification. Sensible marketers will know which products have a short life and can thus be "let go of", according to Mishra. This year, GCPL launched products across 12 categories, including hand sanitisers, fabric sanitisers, air disinfectant sprays, fruit/vegetable washes, wipes, body washes and dish wash solutions, among others. “As the situation changed, we tried to adapt to the changing needs of our customers,” said Jayen Mehta, senior general manager - planning and marketing, Amul, referencing the 60 new products Amul has launched since March, including packaged panchamrit, a chocolate with ingredients like haldi, tulsi and ginger, camel milk powder, and other milk based beverages/ice creams with ashwagandha, saffron, star anise and the like. “These are long term trends; we look forward to meeting the changing requirements of our customers in the years to come,” he said. Later on in the discussion, Amul’s Mehta also spoke about an overall shift in consumer markets from loose (say, 'khulla' dahi, paneer, chaas, mithai, etc.) to packaged goods, unorganised products/commodities to organised brands, and within brands, from local/regional players to reputed companies. “This is the low hanging fruit,” he said. Nikhil Gupta, head, marketing and integrated communications and commercial operations, South Asia, Signify Innovations (formerly Philips Lighting), spoke about the company’s ultraviolet disinfectant box, essentially a scaled down, household version of what is popularly used as factory level equipment and as part of the anatomy of appliances like water purifers. Sold under the Philips brand and priced at Rs. 8,000+, it rivals brands like Godrej and Borosil that also market UV led hygiene solutions. “It’s a niche product that targets the top 10 per cent of the consumer pyramid,” Gupta said, which puts it in a league far removed from the more affordable germ-killing sprays (CavinKare’s Bacto-V gadget cleanser and ITC's Savlon Hexa, for instance) that, effectively, promise to solve the same problem. The UV box is also positioned as a chemical free alternative to fruit/vegetable cleansers like the kind Marico (Veggie Clean), CavinKare (SaFoo) and ITC (Nimwash) have launched this year, despite the huge difference in price between the UV box and these cleansers. Prashant Agarwal, head of marketing - health supplements, Dabur, (who handles Dabur’s chyawanprash, honey, glucose, immunity kit, hand sanitiser and skin care businesses), said, “The need for immunity and hygiene (products) was always there; it was heightened in the last nine months and will settle at a much higher level than it used to be pre-covid, because people are more aware now. These categories are gradually becoming part of people’s lifestyle and health needs.” He added, “The pandemic situation has broken a lot of myths around chyawanprash,” referring to the popular belief that it’s a product that’s meant to be consumed only during the winter or monsoon season. “But this year, during peak summer months – May, June – we broke that myth.” Other myths include those around age (that it’s meant only for the elderly or kids) and taste (that it’s the proverbial bitter pill that tastes awful but is good for health). “It’s an all-year-round, family product. All these barriers were broken this year,” Dabur’s Agarwal clarified. Moving on to the subject of Dabur Honey, Agarwal said the team repurposed the product proposition of honey from weight management to immunity building, starting March. We also discussed whether, in 2021, purity would emerge as the third obsession among consumers, after immunity and hygiene. The context for the question is the CSE’s (Centre for Science and Environment) recent study that declared several honey makers, like Dabur, Patanjali and Emami, impure.Agarwal reminded us that the very reason food products like honey or milk were packaged in the first place was purity, that is, consumers’ discomfort with the loosely sold version of the product. “That was the reason Dabur Honey was launched 35 years back,” he said, adding, “So I wouldn’t call purity the third pillar; for food categories; purity is the most important pillar… as long as brands comply with the parameters and control mechanisms laid down by the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), consumers should be confident about the purity of the product.” Well, whether the halo of suspicion around purity will extend to categories like packaged milk, salt, tea-like segments in 2021 remains to be seen. About the future of the immunity category, Suman Varma, chief marketing officer, Hamdard, said, “Google searches around health, immunity, vitamin C as well as single-ingredient products and herbal ingredients like giloy, ashwagandha, tulsi are high – and are here to stay. We’ve all grown up knowing these jadi bootis, so easy solutions like kadha are here to stay.” The Hamdard portfolio comprises around 600 products, among which brands like Kulzam, Joshanda, Infuza, Cinkara, Safi and Joshina were among the ones that kept the team busy this year. The panel also fielded questions about the hazards of reckless advertising during these insecurity-ridden times. In conclusion, broad trends for the immunity and hygiene categories, that may pan out next year, include – new launches, product diversification, category consolidation, focus on deeper market penetration, and an absence of premiumisation.

Sunita Narain – La Crisi Climatica E Il Suo Impatto Sulle Nostre Vite

E la crisi climatica ha evidenti conseguenze sulla vita delle persone. Significa che vengono devastate le case di chi è già molto povero, marginalizzato, di coloro che hanno risorse limitate da cui dipendere, costretti a vivere in quello che possiamo definire un terribile ciclo di povertà, in cui il dividendo di sviluppo, lo sforzo per costruire le loro vite, le scuole e i mezzi di sostentamento viene completamente spazzato via, non più da un disastro naturale ma da eventi causati dall’uomo. Viviamo uno sviluppo carente laddove i governi non hanno investito abbastanza per costruire l’infrastruttura sociale delle comunità povere per garantire che stiamo costruendo la sicurezza ecologica. A tutto questo si aggiungono eventi climatici estremi. Sunita Narain, ambientalista e attivista indiana, direttrice generale del Centro per la scienza e l’ambiente. Nel 2016 viene inserita nella lista delle 100 persone più influenti della Terra dalla rivista Time. Lo stesso anno, appare nel documentario Punto di non ritorno, dove Leonardo di Caprio discute con le più importanti personalità del pianeta sulla crisi climatica.

India may curb honey adulterant imports from China: Report

The Indian government is planning to curb, or possibly ban, import of high fructose syrup, which is used as an adulterant in some honey brands. Union MSME minister Nitin Gadkari raised the issue in a letter to Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal, The Times of India reported. "Large quantity of high fructose syrup is imported from China and is widely being sold in the market, used for adulteration with honey, as it is difficult to detect even with sophisticated testing," Gadkari said, as quoted by the paper. He added that this was a serious threat to the honey industry and impacted livelihood. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story. Earlier in December, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said many major Indian honey brands, such a Dabur and Patanjali, are adulterated with sugar syrup. An investigation by CSE found that only three out of 13 brands cleared the purity test - Marico's Saffola, Markfed Sohna and Nature's Nectar. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), a part of the MSME ministry, has separately approached Goyal. The agency said the high fructose syrup was largely unchecked with huge consignments also routed via Hong Kong, The Times of India reported. According to the report, KVIC chairman VK Saxena has told the Centre that 70 percent out of the 11,000 tonnes of the imported syrup comes from China.

मिलावटी शहद पर सरकार सख्त, चाइनीज शुगर सिरप के आयात पर रोक की तैयारी

पिछले दिनों मिलावटी शहद का मामला सामने आया था जिसके लपेटे में कई ब्रैंड आए थे। यह मामला उजागर होने के बाद CSE ने क्वॉलिटी टेस्ट किया था। इस टेस्ट में 13 में केवल 3 ब्रैंड- सफोला, मार्कफेडसोहना और नेचर नेक्टर एनएमआर टेस्ट में पास हुए थे। अब सरकार चीन से चाइनीज सिरप के आयात पर रोक लगाने पर विचार कर रही है। इस विवाद को लेकर MSME और ट्रांसपोर्ट मिनिस्टर नितिन गडकरी ने कहा कि मिलावटी शहद को ध्यान में रखते हुए चाइनीज शुगर के आयात पर रोक का फैसला लिया जा सकता है। इसके अलावा आयात पर शुल्क बढ़ाने पर भी विचार किया जा रहा है। गडकरी ने कहा कि बाजार में खुलेआम मिलावटी शहद बिक रहा है। ज्यादातर Fructose Syrup का आयात चीन से होता है। कई तरह की टेस्टिंग के बावजूद मिलावटी होने का पता चलना कठिन है। ऐसे में चीन से आयात रोकने के उपायों पर विचार किया जा रहा है। देश में सभी प्रमुख ब्रांड के शहद में जबरदस्त मिलावट, पूरी रिपोर्ट Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने यह खुलासा करते हुए बताया था कि भारतीय बाजारों में बिक रहे शहद के लगभग सभी ब्रांडों में जबरदस्त तरीके से शुगर सिरप (Sugar syrup) की मिलावट हो रही है। इसी संगठन ने वर्ष 2003 और 2006 के दौरान सॉफ्ट ड्रिंक में कीटनाशक की उपस्थिति का खुलासा किया था।मिलावटी शहद का मामला उजागर होने के बाद Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)ने क्वॉलिटी टेस्ट किया था। इस टेस्ट में 13 में केवल 3 ब्रैंड- सफोला, मार्कफेडसोहना और नेचर नेक्टर एनएमआर टेस्ट में पास हुए।

With 504 Km on a Single Charge, Bengaluru Startup’s Sedan May Replace All Our Cars

Powered by a 96 kWh lithium ion battery pack, the Extinction MKI generates an output of 200 brake horsepower (bhp) with a top speed of 196 kmph. Earlier this month, Benagluru-based electric mobility start-up, Pravaig Dynamics, unveiled its Extinction MKI luxury electric coupe with some eyepopping specifications. The start-up claims that this two-door and four-seater electric car can run 504 km on a single charge (battery range). Powered by a 96 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the Extinction MKI generates an output of 200 brake horsepower (bhp) with a top speed of 196 kmph. It can also accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in just 5.4 seconds. But the standout specification is the battery range of 504 km. To put this figure into context, the Tesla Model Y Long Range has a battery range of a little over 508 km, while the Hyundai Kona claims 452 km per full charge. In India, the MG ZS EV (of MG Motor) claims 340 km, while the recently launched Mercedes-Benz EQC stands at 350 km. “Our battery pack is more than double the MG ZS EV (powered by a 44.5 kWh battery pack). During testing, we have seen this figure go above 600 km. We are certain of the 504 km range. Developing a battery management system for these specifications is a massive challenge, keeping consumer safety in mind. We have spent a lot of blood, sweat and tears to make it safe, long-lasting and at the lowest cost possible. The battery pack consists of 5,000 cells located on the floor of the car. Our batteries with an energy density of 155Wh/kg and backed by world-leading safety standards allows us to maintain a significant range,” says Siddhartha Bagri, co-founder of Pravaig Dynamics, speaking to The Better India. Manufacturers can actually make existing electric vehicles (EVs) travel longer distances on a single charge, but the problem is their batteries get overworked. What these batteries need are better cooling systems. The trick lies in the design and execution of the cooling system, notes Prajnay Rajulu Boddepalli, who oversees prototyping and development at Pravaig. “Technically, you can install a battery pack that allows you to reach these specifications, but what happens is you overwork the battery pack, which gets heated, and the subsequent fuse that cuts off energy supply. You need an efficient cooling system in design and execution to ensure your EV can hit those specifications. For now, we use an ‘active’ cooling system that enables heat exchange all along the length of the battery pack. We’re working on a couple of alternatives to this as well. But I am not at liberty to reveal more” says Prajnay. The Bengaluru startup claims the range of 504 km on a single charge is achievable in ideal conditions. “Moreover, we can charge the battery pack from 0 to 80% in just 30 minutes. The lifecycle of the battery is about 10 lakh km,” adds Siddhartha. Siddhartha claims that nearly 90% of the vehicle (by mass) is made in India. “Of course, there are certain smaller highvalue components we source from the best suppliers in the world, including those from Japan (not China). Having said that, Indian vendors need to catch up. There are two billion fossil fuel-driven cars that need to be replaced with EVs in the next 10-15 years. This offers massive head room for our vendors to enter the global supply chain in a major way and capture the market, with large swathes of the world transitioning to EVs. Unfortunately, there are certain components that we have to rely on foreign vendors. We need more ambitious vendors in India. We are currently educating vendors in the country and getting up to leading global metrics,” Siddhartha notes. Another unique facet of Pravaig’s work on the Extinction EV is the adoption of 3D Printing. “It’s a very expensive process on an industrial scale, but it saves up a lot of time in the innovation process. Usually, major global corporations adopt this expensive process on a commercial scale. It’s commendable that in the name of innovation, Pravaig has adopted 3D Printing. For any subsystem, companies often take four to five iterations before it is robust and sound enough for commercial use. 3D Printing saves that time because you don’t have to wait for your supplier to make those necessary adjustments,” says Prajnay. Having said that, 3D printing is increasingly being explored across different areas of automotive production. Besides its standard use for rapid prototyping, this technology is also being utilised to produce tooling and, in certain cases, end parts as well. But it’s the business model Pravaig Dynamics is proposing for the EV which could very well position the start-up for the future. According to this Evo India report, Pravaig will not sell the car to private individuals. “Instead the company will lease the cars — along with a driver — to fleet operators. The thinking behind it is that to recover the initial purchase price of EVs the cars need to be run continuously and thus take advantage of low running costs. The 500km range is intended to see the car tackle multiple runs to the airport, in a city like Bengaluru for instance, and only needing to be charged overnight. Pravaig will also be installing chargers at the offices of the companies who have leased the car and their leasing costs will cover the cost of electricity consumed by the car,” the report states. Containing all the important technical specifications of the MKI, the MKII will see a series of significant upgrades for the end commuter experience, claims Pravaig. So, why isn’t the Extinction MKII for sale to individual consumers? Today, our cities are rife with traffic congestion and intense vehicular pollution, a future that isn’t sustainable in the slightest. Making matters worse, according to a recent study by the Delhi-based environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), “a car runs only for 400 hours on an average in a year, and is parked the rest of the time (8,360 hours or 95%).”

Boycott Patanjali, Baba Ramdev trend as Tweeple share hilarious memes Netizens started to trend

#BoycottPatanjali after the news of honey sold by 13 major brands in India including Dabur and Patanjali failing NMR test went viral. After a report stating that honey sold by 13 major brands in India including Dabur and Patanjali has failed the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) test, it tickled Twitterati’s funny bone and #BoycottPatanjali started trending on the micro-blogging website. Users started bashing Baba Ramdev with memes and jokes which led to a funny banter on Twitter. The NMR test is used to check how much the honey is adulterated. Last week, the environment watchdog Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) claimed that honey sold by 13 major brands in India including Dabur and Patanjali has failed the test. The study also stated that 77 per cent brands in Indian markets are selling honey adulterated with sugar. Almost all the top brands (except Apis Himalaya) passed the tests of purity, while a few smaller brands failed the tests to detect C4 sugar - call it basic adulteration using cane sugar. Out of the 13 brands tested, only three passed the NMR test, which was conducted by a specialised laboratory in Germany.

Yuck! UP Factory Busted For Making Fake Spices Using Acid, Donkey Dung & ‘Bhusa’; Cops Seize 300 kg of Spices

At the factory, many spices like red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder were found, however, all of these spices were being made with fake ingredients like donkey dung, artificial colours that are inedible. Needless to say, food adulteration is a major problem in India, something which endangers public health seriously. In one such major adulteration bust, police in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras have unearthed a a spice manufacturing unit which used to make spurious and counterfeit spices of local brands using donkey dung, hay and acid. Also Read - Fake Call Centre Duping US Nationals Busted in Gurugram, 2 Arrested The case came to light on Monday when Hathras police raided a factory after receiving a tip-off and found more than 300 kg of counterfeit spices. The factory owner named Anoop Varshney has been arrested and the factory itself has now been sealed, Times of India reported. At the factory, many spices like red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric were found, however, all of these spices were being made with fake ingredients like donkey dung, artificial colours that are inedible and even dangerous to health. As many as 27 samples from the factory have sent to the laboratories for testing and a case will be filed against the owner under the Food Safety and Standards Act if test results are confirmed. Joint magistrate Prem Prakash Meena said, “We have seized over 300 kg of fake spices being packed in names of some local brands.” Meena also said that Varshney was unable to provide a license for operating the spice factory at the location where it was being run. He also could not produce the license of the brands, which were being packed. Varshney has now been remanded to judicial custody under section 151 of the CrPC (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences). According to food department officials, the adulterants in the spices prove to be a health hazard if consumed over a long period of time. Recently, an investigation conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found rampant adulteration in honey sold by major Indian brands including Dabur, Patanjali, and Emami. The CSE investigation also said many of these companies in the honey business were importing synthetic sugar syrups from China to adulterate honey.

Pollution: Why every one per cent counts, writes Sunita Narain

Now that the stubble-burning period is over, but air is still polluted and toxic over vast parts of the country, we need to talk about what needs to be done. Three kinds of actions are essential — steps against episodic pollution events like stubble-burning; steps against local sources of pollution, which aggravate the problem; and more transformational action that will bring long-term benefits. All three levels of pollution management are critical. And all sources of pollution need to be addressed. I say this because all contributors to pollution say that they are only one per cent of the problem. So if steps are taken to control diesel from vehicles, car owners will say they are one per cent; when power plants are asked to clean up or shut down, they say they are one per cent. Or when industry is told that the coal that they burn is contributing to the toxic air in the region, they will cry foul and say, what about action against garbage-burning? So, the net result is to point fingers at some other source, away from the action that needs to be taken. This is also the favourite ploy of governments — Centre to state, agency to agency. Pass the buck and make the problem go away. But it won’t. Every winter, we will continue to choke and hurt. Every winter, when the weather turns adverse and pollutants settle close to the ground, even the steps taken in the past few years to reduce pollution will get negated. This is because the sources of pollution will continue to grow — the vehicles on the road will increase; they will get older with each passing year and so more polluting; the numbers of industries will increase. Let us deal with each source. The first is episodic stubble-burning, which starts around October 15, when winter is settling in and the wind turns to bring pollutants from fires to cities of the region, including Delhi. Steps are needed from now till next October to ensure that machines for stubble management are available in every village; that small and marginal farmers get free access to these and that farmers have evidence of the benefits to turn the crop residue back into the land and not to burn it. In addition, there are exciting efforts underway to use the stubble to make compressed natural gas or for power generation. These need to be tracked, prodded, pushed and implemented. What is needed is deliberate steps and careful monitoring — month after month. What is also clear is that post this stubble fire period, the quality of air in Delhi and the surrounding region remains foul. It ranges between very poor and severe, depending on what meteorologists call the ventilation index — which determines dispersion of pollutants — and wind speed. According to the National air quality index (AQI), exposure to “poor” levels of air is unhealthy and gets more severe as exposure is prolonged and air quality deteriorates into very unhealthy and hazardous. To fix this, in the short-term, each pollution hotspot needs to be managed. Currently, there are some 13 hotspots in the region — identified as those with the highest air pollution levels. The sources of pollution here include construction and road dust, garbage burning in vacant areas, and industries that spew pollutants from their stacks or congestion points for traffic. The source of pollution here is local. Action has to be taken through local agencies. And it has to be systemic. The reason is that garbage removed one day; or a road paved one day, is then filled again with waste or dug up again. This is where we need maximum governance for maximum gain. But all this will not be enough — it will be like putting out small fires in a blazing forest. We need action at speed and scale. The key is to tackle the problem of coalburning in the region — in power plants and in literally thousands of industrial units scattered across the legal and illegal parts of Delhi and the region. Delhi’s ban on the use of coal is good. But industries have then moved either to illegal and unauthorised areas in the city or to surrounding states. Here they continue to use coal, for it is the cheapest fuel, as against natural gas, which is doubly and triply taxed so it is unaffordable. We need a second gas revolution in the region — compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles brought us the firstgeneration change. We now need a fuelswitch in all sources for clean air. This includes using clean electricity for powering industry and vehicles. But remember, if the power plant is dirty, then electric vehicles will only mean that we shift the problem from us to them. The airshed is one, so the pollutants will come back to our lungs. This is why air pollution is a great equaliser, and we are all in it together. Every one per cent counts. Sunita Narain is director-general, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi The views expressed are personal