A recent study of the risk
consultancy firm Versik Maplecroft says that “Out of the 100 cities that are at
the greatest risk to environmental issues such as Air Pollution and natural disasters,
99 are in Asia and 43 in India”. The study covered 576 Cities on indices like
Air and water quality, Water scarcity, heat stress, vulnerability to Natural
disasters, and Climate change. Worryingly, our National Capital New Delhi comes
second after the city of Jakarta.
Other than the Empirical evidence
that we are seeing in terms of Cyclone, the poor quality of air, and the
Pandemic, this is yet another study that warns India of the perils of the “Business
as Usual” Approach. It is high time that we get serious about Climate Change
and shift our focus to Action.
Good Quality Air, Water, and Food
must be the priorities of India and not Mandir, Masjid, CAA, etc.
Our Environmental indices
continue to be poor. Air Quality in Major cities in India is at Warning levels.
Water is less conspicuous than air but the quality of Piped water supply in
Urban India is much below acceptable standards. Many reports and studies have
confirmed this.
In post-Pandemic India, the focus
of the government will be economic recovery and massive Economic Growth. It is desirable
since millions have now been pushed into poverty.
However, This Economic progress
may come at the cost of the environment. This is exactly what we have to avoid.
Famous Broadcaster David Attenborough has warned that if we fail to act now, we
will see “Irreversible damage to the natural world and collapse of societies”.
He has also mentioned that we are running out of time and the only time to act
is “NOW”.
So, what options do we have in
India? We want a healthy, progressive nation to be breathing clean air, drinking
pure water from the tap, and not be running cancer or oxygen express trains.
We have to adopt a multi-pronged
approach if we have to reach our Lofty goals. Few on the policy front and few
at the Action Front.
First, the country must change
its energy policy. The regulatory authorities must not be at the hands of
retired bureaucrats who run it like government offices delaying Important policies.
Technology is fast-changing and if governments don’t adapt to it, the country
will lose. Take for example the rooftop solar program in India. The policy goes
for revision every financial year-end and it takes 2 to 3 months for the new
policy. Till the time no new projects are taken. Solar Energy is now much
cheaper than the Grid. So, the Electricity distribution companies (DISCOMS) are
incurring losses due to large offtake of rooftop solar projects. Now the
DISCOMS are using regulatory authorities and Governments to delay policies,
impose irrational duties on imports of solar components, put a cap on solar
generation, and so on; so that their financial condition does not worsen. This
is hurting both the economy as well as environment. Government must immediately
restructure DISCOMS and Regulatory authorities so that both work with the
industry and not against each other.
Second, we must bring
accountability to the Water distribution system in major cities. Many studies
have pointed out that the piped water quality in the city of Bangalore is below
acceptable standards. Yet the Government-owned water distribution company is
not accountable for it. This indirectly means pollution is unaccounted for. We
must bring in strong laws to punish the government-owned bodies and boards when
their service is counter to their policies and standards.
Third, Government must stop this
subsidy business in promoting solar or bio-mass or any other renewable energy
technologies. Technology is galloping. These technologies are affordable and
scalable and do not need subsidies. The government is just hindering the
offtake of these technologies by introducing subsidies thereby encouraging
sub-standards products and technologies (To match their price). Bureaucrats are
having merry in the name of subsidies. Subsidies have never done any good for
the environment. In fact, Subsidies have harmed the environment. We have the
classic example of subsidies on synthetic fertilizers which have ruined the
soil and polluted the water.
Fourth, Forests and trees must be
regarded as infrastructure. Indiscriminate cutting of trees and forests must be
stopped immediately in the name of infrastructure development. Clearing of
forests; if required, must be accompanied by a court-monitored action of making
a bigger forest in a time-bound manner.
Fifth, Government must use its
financial resources and CSR funds for growing forests. Exactly like how major
works like highways are awarded, we have to award “Building forests” to private
bodies. This will also boost the local Agro-economy and soil health. Growing
forest must be regarded as infrastructure development.
Sixth, Cities must be made to pay
for catchment management and maintenance. For example, In Bangalore, the water
supply board (Or the citizens) does not contribute anything to the catchment
development of its two major river basins Cauvery and Kabini. Protecting the pristine
catchment of these two rivers is of primordial importance for the city. City
water supply companies must take care of and be responsible for the catchment
of its source.
Seventh, Waste is a major problem
in cities. The Municipal authorities are not able to handle it and rightly so.
The magnitude is too large. Wet waste must be handled as locally as possible. Citizens
must be encouraged to compost the wet waste in-house. Or the municipal
authorities must make sure that the wet waste does not leave the ward. Centralized
management will add a lot of methane to the city air.
Eighth, most cities receive
annual rainfall to meet their water requirement and yet we spend plenty of
energy and money in conveying water. The country has enough engineering
capabilities to manage the city water needs within the city. Large amounts of
money and energy can be saved by arresting the runoff from the city to meet its
own needs. Many water bodies can be constructed which will cool the city and
add to its bio-diversity.
Ninth, City planners must move
ahead of setbacks, FAR, etc, and make it mandatory for every house/ society/
factory, etc to have a provision for at the least one tree. Bad Building
by-laws coupled with rampant corruption have almost taken out the concept of
gardening in the house. Many buildings have come up in the cities with ugly-looking stilt parking and multiple floors with no earth space for either a tree
or the rainwater to percolate.
Tenth, At the individual level, we
have to work on and quickly adopt local forestry, Rainwater harvesting, Rooftop
solar, organic terrace farming, cycling etc. Environment and climate change studies
must start with primary school and be continued to every branch of education
till graduation.
At a larger level, governments
must take all possible actions to reduce or ban plastics. Electric vehicles
must be given a strong push. The scourge of corruption must be reduced if not eliminated.
Jargons must give way to actions.
Conferences, Seminars, signing of agreements, Meetings, etc are of no avail
anymore. What is required is action and action now. We have always regarded
nature as God. The God-form of Nature is limited to only talks and
self-boasting. In reality, we have abused nature and will soon see her wrath.
If we don’t change now, perhaps we can never again.
