Green Files Vol. 30 Dated 15-07-2019
Volume- 30
Green Files
June 2019
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT AUDIT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT JAIPUR
Green Files Vol. 30 Dated 15-07-19
GREEN FILES
(Newsletter on Environment Audit and Sustainable Development issues)
EDITORIAL Green Files, a quarterly newsletter published by iCED features glimpses of recent environment news, events, publications, persons and environment projects in focus. Emerging trends, innovation, initiatives and efforts of different environment organizations to protect the environment find occasional reflection in this newsletter. Court judgements on environment issues and sustainable development are also included in this issue.
During the quarter April-June 2019, iCED organized three National Training Programmes (NTPs) subject such as “Audit of Health Care Delivery System in India with special reference to SDGs.”, “Auditing Higher Education with special reference to SDGs” and “Audit of Sustainable Agriculture and Surface Irrigation schemes”. As a part of its 10th Foundation Day celebration on 01 June, 2019, a workshop was organised on the theme “Use of GIS Techniques as tool in Environment Audits” at iCED, Jaipur. Shri Rajiv Mehrishi, Comptroller and Auditor General of India chaired the Brainstorming Session on the theme “iCED: Centre for Excellence and Road Ahead” held at iCED in June, 2019. 16 Delegates from the department as well as various organizations attended the session and shared their ideas and perspectives with a view to develop iCED, into a knowledge centre, think tank and centre of excellence to play greater and important role in research and analysis in the field of environment and Sustainable Development Goals. This newsletter features articles on “Use of GIS for planning audits” and “Plastic Ban in China and its implications for India” and review of UNEP’s The Global Environment Outlook -6 published in 2019. We at iCED, look forward to your suggestions to make Green Files more useful and appealing. Contributions in any form within the broad scope of the newsletter are encouraged. These may be mailed to [email protected] With regards,
Manish Kumar Director General, iCED
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TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL ...... 1 I. iCED News ...... 3 II. ASOSAI/ INTOSAI News ...... 4 III. State in Focus: Delhi ...... 7 IV. Environmental News ...... 11 V. COP meetings of Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions held in Geneva...... 15 VI. Case law - On utilization of waste water generated due to Reverse Osmosis (RO) process...... 16 VII. Amendment to the notification on utilization of Fly Ash ...... 19 VIII. Plastic Ban in China and its implications for India...... 21 IX. Review: Global Environment Outlook (GEO)-6 ...... 22 X. Use of GIS for planning Audits ...... 25
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iii. Audit of Sustainable Agriculture and I. ICED News Surface Irrigation schemes (24 June – 28 During the second quarter (April – June) for June, 2019) the year 2019 – 20, iCED organised National These NTPs were based on Training Needs Training Programmes (NTPs) on: Analysis (TNA), Annual Audit Plan 2019 -20 i. Audit of Health Care Delivery System in and audit assignments being undertaken by India with special reference to SDGs. (29 various offices during 2019-20. April – 03 May, 2019) A workshop on the theme “Use of GIS Techniques as tool in Environment Audits” was also organised on 01 June, 2019 to mark 10th Foundation Day of iCED.
Figure 1 First training programme for the year 2019-20 inaugurated by Ms. Atoorva Sinha, Pr. Director of Audit, North Western Railway, Jaipur ii. Auditing Higher Education with special reference to SDGs (20 May – 24 May, 2019)
Figure 3 Participants of 10th Foundation Day workshop with Shri Manish Kumar, Director General, iCED The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Manish Kumar, Director General, iCED.
Twelve IA&AS officers attended the
Figure 2 Participants of second training programme with workshop. Dr P. K. Joshi, Professor, School Ms. Archana Gurjar, Pr. Director, RTI, Jaipur. of Environmental Sciences and Concurrent Faculty, Special Centre for Disaster Research Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi made a presentation on “Use of GIS
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Techniques as tool in Environment Audits” Environment & Resource Economics Unit, and their linkages with the Sustainable Institute of Economic Growth, University of Development Goals in the Global Agenda Delhi), Dr Ajay Shah (Professor, National 2030. It was followed by a detailed Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New discussion on role of remote sensing for Delhi) and Ms Trinayani Sen (former intern policy planning and monitoring as well as at iCED from TISS Mumbai). From IA&AD, extent of usage in various sectors. Shri V. Ravindran (Dy. CAG), Shri Raj Ganesh Viswanathan (Principal Accountant General, A two day Brainstorming Session was G&SSA, Jaipur), Shri S. S. Dadhe (Director organised at iCED from 09 – 10 June, 2019 General, Audit of Central Expenditure, New on the theme “iCED: Centre for Excellence Delhi), Ms. Mausumi Ray Bhattacharyya and Road Ahead” with the objective of (Director General, Commercial Audit & Ex- obtaining fresh ideas for positioning iCED as officio Member Audit Board-II, Kolkata), Shri a knowledge centre, think tank and a centre Manish Kumar (Director General, iCED, of excellence. The scope for Brainstorming Jaipur), Shri S.K. Jha (Director General, Session was to discuss on what should be Scientific Deparment, New Delhi), Shri done and how it could be achieved. The Deepak Kapoor (Principal Director and Brainstorming Session was chaired by Shri Secretary to CAG), Shri Kulwant Singh Rajiv Mehrishi, Comptroller and Auditor (Principal Director IS & Training wing), Ms. General of India. A total 18 participants Vidhu Sood (Principal Director SMU wing), including senior officers from the Indian and Shri Pushkar Kumar (Director, Training Audit and Accounts Department and experts and Research) attended the session. from academic and professional organizations participated in this session. Ajit Singh Choudhary The experts included Dr. P K Joshi (Professor, JNU, New Delhi), Dr. T.V. II. ASOSAI/ INTOSAI News Ramachandra (Professor, IISc, Bengaluru), Comptroller and Auditor General of Prof. Vinod Tare, Professor (IIT, Kanpur), India elected as external auditor of World Health Organization1 Dr. K Senthil Kumar (Director, Madras Shri Rajiv Mehrishi, the Comptroller and Institute of Technology, Chennai), Dr Auditor General (C&AG) of India has been Purnamita Dasgupta (Chair Professor & Head
1 https://cag.gov.in/sites/default/files/press_release/CAG_Elected_ External_Auditor_WHO.pdf
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elected External Auditor of the World Health The discussions in the 6th GALF meeting Organization (WHO) for a four-year term focused on “Big Data and Auditing” and from 2020 to 2023. The election was held in “Improving Public Accountability through the Seventy-second World Health Assembly Environmental Auditing”. in Geneva on 23 May 2019, where CAG of Delegates from 15 countries including India India was elected with a majority (90 out of participated in the meeting. They agreed to 162 votes) in the first round of voting itself. strengthen bilateral and multilateral Apart from India, others competing for the exchanges in the field of audit using big data position were the Auditors General of Congo, and leveraging the work of INTOSAI Working France, Ghana, Tunisia and United Kingdom Group on Big Data to share best practices of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. and step up the training, knowledge and Shri Rajiv Mehrishi will take over from the talent base. On Environmental Auditing, the incumbent External Auditor of WHO, the SAIs felt the need for collaborative audits in Supreme Audit Institution of Philippines. This areas such as climate change, disaster is the second major international audit preparedness and management, water assignment for the CAG this year following management including allocation and quality his selection for the post of External Auditor of water, air quality, etc. The next meeting of Food and Agriculture Organization in of GALF will be hosted by CAG of India in Rome in March 2019. The CAG of India is 2020. currently also on the Board of Auditors of the 3rd Meeting of INTOSAI Working Group United Nations and Vice Chair of the UN on Big Data (WGBD) 3 Panel of External Auditors. The third meeting of INTOSAI Working
Global Audit Leadership Forum (GALF)2 Group on Big Data (WGBD) was held from 25-26 April in Copenhagen, Denmark with The 6th Global Audit Leadership Forum the objective to discuss the opportunities (GALF) was held in Shanghai on 8-9 April, and challenges of using big data in auditing. 2019. GALF is a select group of 24 major A total 25 members and 2 observers SAIs who meet annually to discuss current attended the meeting. The meeting also and emerging issues of concern and explore served as a platform to share experiences in opportunities to share information and work. application of data analytics and use of tools
2 https://cag.gov.in/sites/default/files/press_release/CAG_Elected_ 3 http://www.bhutanaudit.gov.bt/?p=3596 External_Auditor_WHO.pdf
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and techniques in different SAIs. Currently, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait and Slovakia, as the group has 28 members and 2 observers. well as from the German Society for International Cooperation and AFROSAI-E6 12th Meeting of INTOSAI Working Group on Key National Indicators also gave presentations to share their 4 (WGKNI) Held in Bratislava national practices for using key national th The 12 meeting of the INTOSAI Working indicators and auditing how successfully the Group on Key National Indicators (WGKNI), UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) was held in Bratislava, the capital of the are being achieved. The attendees also Slovak Republic, on April 2-3. The working discussed the instruments on the WGKNI group was established in 2007 following to current agenda, such as the Guidance on th 5 the resolution of the 19 INCOSAI , which Audit of the Use and Development of Key took place in Mexico. It meets annually and National Indicators and the Guidance on is chaired by the Accounts Chamber of Audit of Reliability of Macroeconomic Russia. The WGKNI (Working Group on Key Forecasts. National Indicators) regular meeting was INTOSAI Steering Committee on attended by delegates from supreme audit Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge institutions (SAIs) of 18 countries. It Services (KSC)7 comprises SAIs of 27 countries, including The 11th Meeting of the Steering Committee three new member SAIs, such as SAIs of of INTOSAI Committee on Knowledge Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kuwait, which were Sharing and Knowledge Services was held in also represented at the meeting. At the Pampanga, Philippines from 12-14 June meeting, auditor of the Accounts Chamber 2019. Various topics like collaborations with presented a progress report of WGKNI Goal chairs and IDI, development and activities over the last 12-month period, revision of INTOSAI Products were discussed including some proposals with respect to during the meeting. Various SAIs under the focus areas of its future work. topic “Working Groups contribution to the implementation of the strategic objectives Representatives from SAIs of Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Indonesia,
4 http://incosai2019.ru/en/news/47 7 http://www.intosaicommunity.net/document/11thKSC/AI03A- 5 International Congress of the International Organization of the %20Adoption%20of%20Agenda/Final%20Agenda%2011th%20K Supreme Audit Institutions (INCOSAI) SC%20SC%20meeting.pdf 6 African Organisation of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions
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and crosscutting priorities” discussed their second largest metropolis in terms of part during the meeting. population in the country. 1. Population: As per 2011 census, Delhi 13th Meeting of INTOSAI Working Group on the Fight Against corruption has total population of 1.67 crore. 8 and Money Laundering (WGFACML) Table 1 Population of Delhi
The Accountability State Authority of Egypt Urban Population 97.50 % Rural Population 2.50 % (ASA), chaired the 13th meeting of the Population 11297 persons per sq. km., the highest INTOSAI Working Group on the Fight Density in the country. Against corruption and Money Laundering Projected 2.4 Crore the year 2020 as projected by Population the Office of RGI. (WGFACML) hosted by the CNAO of China in Nanjing city 25-27 April 2019. ASA Vice 2. Livestock Population: As per Livestock President Mrs. Mona Tawheed on behalf of Census 2012, Delhi has livestock population H.E. Mr Hesham Badawy and Mr. Hao of 3.60 lakh. Shuchen CNAO deputy Auditor General 3. Climate: The climate of Delhi is hot and opened the event by addressing the humid for most of the seasons, which delegates from 18 member SAIs. The becomes very hot during the month of June meeting previewed the Working Group’s followed by monsoon. The annual past progress, current and future activities. temperature varies from 3 to 45 degree Also, many member SAIs shared their best Celsius and the rainfall between 400 mm. to practices and experiences in the field of 600 mm. fighting corruption and money laundering. It Environmental Concerns was decided that the upcoming meeting will 4. Forest: National Forest Policy, 1988 be hosted by Egypt. provides that a minimum of 1/3rd of the total
Manoj Kumar land area of the country should be under
forest or tree cover. The total recorded forest area in Delhi is 85 III. State in Focus: DELHI sq. km. i.e. 5.73% of the geographic area of
which the Reserved and Protected Forests With geographical area of 1,483 sq. km, constitute 91.76% and 8.24% of the total Delhi is the largest metropolis by area and forest area respectively.9 During the period
8 http://wgfacml.asa.gov.eg/ 9 India State of Forest Report 2011
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1993 to 2017, forest coverage as a Ridge Forest fall in the forest type as per percentage of geographic area increased classification 12 in the category of 'Tropical from 1.48 to 20.59 per cent as shown in Thorn Forest' and more especially as 'Semi- table below10. Arid Open Scrub'. Table 2 Forest Cover 6. Wildlife Sanctuaries: are the areas S.No State of Forest/ Tree Percentage Forest Cover (in sq. of which are set for the proliferation for animals Report km.) Geographic Area and plants living therein by ensuring that the 1 1993 22 1.48 2 1995 26 1.75 habitat is not damaged. 3 1997 26 1.75 13 4 1999 88 5.93 ASOLA BHATTI WILD LIFE SANCTUARY 5 2001 151 10.2 This sanctuary is located on Southern Ridge, 6 2003 268 18.07 the northern terminal of Aravalli Hills, one of 7 2005 283 19.09 8 2009 299.58 20.20 the oldest mountain system of the world. 9 2011 296.20 19.97 10 2013 297.81 20.08 Biodiversity significance of Ridge lies in its 11 2015 299.77 20.22 merger with Indo-Gangetic plains. Legal 12 2017 305.41 20.59 Growth of forests and tree cover has Status of southern ridge was uncertain till particularly been monumental post 1999. Of 1986 when the Delhi Administration, vide the total 305.41 sq km of forest area in Delhi, notification14 had declared land as Wildlife nearly 279 sq. km has been added during the Sanctuary under Section 18 of the Wildlife period 1997 to 2017. (Protection) Act, 1972, considering that the 5. Type of forests and major species: said area is of adequate ecological, faunal, Vegetation of Delhi is typical Northern flora, geomorphological, natural or Tropical Thorn Forest Type11. Among trees zoological significance for the purpose of Accacias such as A. nilotica, A. leucophloea, protecting, propagating or developing of A. catechu, A. modesta, Butea monosperma wildlife or its environment. However, in (Dhak), Cassia fistula, Salvadora persica. continuation of the above notification, the Anogeissus latifolia with abundance of Delhi Administration, vide notification15, had Prosopis juliflora. The vegetation of Delhi declared area ad-measuring 2166.2 Acres in include thorny scrub which are found in arid village Bhatti as Wildlife Sanctuary on similar and semi-arid Zone. The main forest i.e., grounds.
10 Economic Survey Delhi 2018-19 13 http://forest.delhigovt.nic.in/wps/wcm/connect/doit_forest/Forest 11 Champion and Seth (1968) 12 /Home/Wildlife+Management/Sanctuaries Champion and Seth (1968) 14 N. F.31(116)/CWLW/84/897-906 dated 09.10.1986 15 No. F.22(19)/DCF(90-91)/1383-91 dated 15.04.1991
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Benefits from these Sanctuaries: the welfare of the people of Delhi and the Biogeographically represents Aravalli city as a whole is pollution of various types: Mountain Range among Protected Area in 8. Pollution and waste management in India. Delhi: An Overview17 Green lung & carbon sink for country's (a) Air Pollution18 capital. Delhi had PM 2.5 pollution levels19, Opportunity for establishing in long term which is the highest in the world, strategies for restoration of habitat for followed by Beijing20 it is supposed to wildlife and flora native to ridge forests. be a very serious matter and can lead Potential for improvement ground water to respiratory diseases and other recharge for improving the ground water health problems like lung cancer.
Regine. There has been too much Potential shelterbelt for arresting the dependence on fossil fuels like coal- shifting of sand dunes & protection of desert fired power plants, improper use of storms. energy in buildings and the excessive 7. Pollution in Delhi: use of biomass for cooking and Growing population highly haphazard and heating, etc. unplanned development of industries and Vehicular Pollution with ever- factories, about 20% of the industrial units increasing number of diesel vehicles. are set up in the approved industrial areas16. Air quality index (AQI)21 is 121, which According to the global Environment is described as “poor.” According to Performance Index (EPI) 2018, India is the WHO, air pollution is the fifth ranked at 177 with an EPI of 30.57 Delhi, the largest killer in India. national capital of the country, is being Carbon monoxide (CO), a dangerous tagged as one of the most heavily polluted gas emission, is around 6,000 capital cities in the world particularly in terms microgram per cubic meter in Delhi, of air pollution. One of the biggest threats to which is much above the safe level of 2,000 microgram per cubic meter22.
16 Life beyond a village book by P.Raj Saini 20 This result was based on the monitoring of PM measurement of 17 https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/cities/delhi-tops-in- outdoor air pollution from almost 1,600 cities in 91 countries. pollution-how-can-it-be-controlled 21 Ministry of Earth Sciences, GoI, Delhi. The AQI is an index for 18 https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/cities/delhi-tops-in- reporting daily air quality, about how clean or polluted the air is. pollution-how-can-it-be-controlled 22 National Ambient Air Quality Standards 19 Ambient Air Pollution (AAP) report for the year 2014
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The level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) generated in Delhi. Plus we also have the has also been increasing. industrial hazardous and non-hazardous (b) Water Pollution23 waste. On an average, every day, the River Yamuna passes through Uttarakhand, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the New Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. It is the Delhi Municipal Council manage to clear most polluted river of the country. Though about 5,000-5,500 m tonnes of garbage. the river starts getting polluted by pesticides This results in the accumulation of more and and fertilisers as it enters Haryana, most of more garbage in the city. There has been no the pollution occurs in Delhi. Nineteen drains proper technology or methods to treat solid, from Delhi open into the Yamuna. The river liquid, waste water, industrial and hospital is choked by water hyacinth—a weed. This is wastes in the city. an example of eutrophication. Dead fish are A recent affidavit filed by the Lieutenant also found in the river as soon as the Governor in response to query raised monsoon begins. This is due to the sudden by Hon’ble Supreme Court in August 2018 increase in pesticide and other pollutant regarding segregation of the waste shows levels. Industrial wastes also find their way that lack of land to establish new landfill sites into the river from large industrial units (22 have choked the Capital, which produces in Haryana, 42 in Delhi and 17 in Uttar 10,200 tonnes per day (TPD) of municipal Pradesh)24 and many small industrial units. solid waste. Surprisingly, though Delhi constitutes only Government’s steps to control pollution in 2% of the catchment area, it is responsible Delhi26 for 80% of the pollution of the river. Mobile enforcement teams deployed (c) Municipal Solid Waste at various locations for monitoring Management25 polluting vehicles. Ban on the plying It has been reported by the National of more than 15 years old Environmental Engineering Research commercial/transport vehicles, taxis Institute (NEERI) that everyday almost and autos that run on conventional 8,000 m tonnes of solid waste is being fuels, including diesel driven city
23 http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/rivers/the-yamuna-river- 25 https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/waste- case-study-of-a-polluted-river-in-india/31894 management-supreme-court-slams-delhi- 24 International Journal of Research and Analysis Volume 5 issue householders/article24616677.ece 26 4 2019 issn 2347-3185: Endangered Environment Threatens the https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/cities/delhi-tops-in- human security by Kiran Chauhan and Vaibhav Garg Pg 60 pollution-how-can-it-be-controlled
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buses. There has also been tightening of mass emission standards for new IV. ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS vehicles. Government has banned the India CEO forum organized to share manufacturing of BSLV III engines, best practices and facilitate cross- and implemented policy to ensure learning on climate change issues.27 manufacturing of eco-friendly BSLV India CEO Forum on Climate Change was IV engines. organized by Ministry of Environment, Forest A non-polluting, useful and affordable and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 8 May rail-based Mass Rapid Transport 2019 at New Delhi, as the pioneering System (MRTS) is being constructed. initiative of the government, inviting industry Ban on selling of leaded petrol, representatives, exchanged views on climate introduction of low sulphur diesel, change issues and fulfilling India’s climate reduction of sulphur and benzene change commitments. content in petrol. The Forum consisted of high-level Improvements in collection and discussions across several sessions covering disposal mechanism of garbage. topics from India’s Nationally Determined Steps for transforming garbage into Contributions to discussions on the 2019 compost, new sanitary land-fill sites. United Nations Secretary General’s Climate The Delhi Government has Summit, to be held on 23 September, 2019 constituted a committee to implement in New York, in which India along with the Bio-Medical Waste (management Sweden will be leading the discussions on and handling) Rules, 1998. Industry Transition. Banning of manufacture and use of The forum clearly communicated plastic bags, etc. government’s vision on climate change to Virendra Jakhar the industry leadership and, seeking the
views of the industries and examples of the climate initiatives being undertaken by the private and public sector. MoEFCC resolved to organize more such meetings and
27 http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1571746
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encouraged industry to also take the lead in Delhi. About 30% of country’s total furthering discussions on climate change. geographical area being affected by land degradation; India has high stakes and School Nursery initiative proposed to stands strongly committed to the be launched soon28 Convention. Various schemes have been Union Minister for Environment, Forest and launched by the Government of India such Climate Change and for the Ministry of as: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana Information and Broadcasting Shri Prakash (PMFBY), Soil Health Card Scheme, Soil Javadekar on the World Environment Day Health Management Scheme, Pradhan said that the ministry will soon launch an Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PKSY), Per initiative called School Nursery across the Drop More Crop, etc. to reduce land country in which school kids will plant a degradation. seed, nurture the sapling and on his/her A flagship project has been launched on annual result would take the plant to be a enhancing capacity on Forest Landscape trophy. In this initiative, the local forest Restoration (FLR) and Bonn Challenge in department will provide the necessary India, through a pilot phase of 3.5 years support, and through this initiative we want implemented in the States of Haryana, to nurture a perpetual bond between school Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland kids and plants. and Karnataka. The Bonn Challenge is a th World Environment Day is celebrated on 5 global effort to bring 150 million hectares of June every year. It urges governments, the world’s deforested and degraded land industries, communities and individuals to into restoration by 2020, and 350 million come together to explore renewable energy, hectares by 2030. India joined the voluntary green technologies and improve air quality in Bonn Challenge pledge At the UNFCC cities and regions across the world. Conference of the Parties (COP) 2015 in India to lead by example in combating Paris to bring into restoration 13 million desertification29 hectares of degraded and deforested land by the year 2020, and additional 8 million India will be hosting the fourteenth session hectares by 2030. India’s pledge is one of of Conference of Parties (COP - 14) from the largest in Asia. 29th August – 14th September 2019 at New
28 http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1573490 29 http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1574780
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Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Environmental Impact study by Change (MoEFCC) in partnership with The UNICEF: Under the "Environmental impact International Union for Conservation of of the Swachh Bharat Mission on Water, Soil, Nature (IUCN), through this flagship project and Food" by UNICEF, groundwater samples aims to develop and adapt best practices and were collected and studied from ODF and monitoring protocols for the Indian states non-ODF villages of Odisha, Bihar and West and build capacity within the five pilot states Bengal. The study found that, in terms of on FLR and Bonn Challenge. This will be faecal contamination, non-ODF villages eventually scaled up across the country were, on average: through subsequent phases of the project. 11.25 times more likely to have their Swachh Bharat has led to reduced groundwater sources contaminated ground water contamination: study by (12.7 times more from contaminants UNICEF30 traceable to humans alone) 1.13 times more likely to have their As per the WHO 2018 study, the Swachh soil contaminated Bharat Mission will save over 3 lakh lives by the time India is Open Defacation Free Ministry of Drinking Water and (ODF). Two independent third-party studies Sanitation (MDWS) spent ~INR 800 crores (~20%); conducted on the Swachh Bharat Mission State Sanitation Departments spent (Grameen), by UNICEF and the Bill and ~INR 1,250 crores (~35%); Melinda Gates, aimed at assessing the Other government ministries spent environmental impact and communication ~INR 1,000 crores (~25%); and footprint of the Swachh Bharat Mission Remaining ~20% by private sector (CSR and business expenditures) and (Grameen) respectively were released the development sector collectively. recently. The full reports as well as the summary reports of both the studies can be downloaded from mdws.gov.in and sbm.gov.in. 1.48 times more likely to have food contaminated and 2.68 times more Summary of the study findings:
30 http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=190284
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likely to have household drinking An average person living in rural India was water contaminated. exposed to between 2,500 – 3,300 SBM related messages over the last five years. The study findings indicated that these substantial reductions may potentially be Cooperation Agreement between India attributed to the improvement in sanitation and Denmark in the field of Renewable and hygiene practices, as well as supportive Energy with focus on Offshore Wind systems such as regular monitoring and Energy32 behaviour change messaging, which have all Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of been critical aspects of the Swachh Bharat India and Ministry for Energy, Utilities and Mission (Grameen). Climate of the Kingdom of Denmark signed a Cooperation Agreement for cooperation in IEC footprint study by Gates the field of Renewable Energy with a focus Foundation on Offshore Wind Energy and a Letter of The “Assessment of the reach and value of Intent to establish an Indo-Danish Centre of IEC31 activities under Swachh Bharat Mission Excellence for renewable energy in India. (Grameen)”, estimated the scale of IEC The areas of cooperation would include activities within the Mission and assessed technical capacity building for management associated monetary and in-kind costs, and of offshore wind projects, measures to outputs such as reach. The study found that develop and sustain a highly efficient wind SBM mobilized a spend equivalent worth INR industry, onshore as well as offshore; 22,000 to 26,000 crores in monetary and measures to 'ensure high quality of wind non-monetary IEC activities including turbines, components, and certification estimated cash expenditure of INR 3,500 – requirements; forecasting and scheduling of 4,000 crores on IEC activities spent by the off-shore wind. Government, private sector, and the The Indo-Danish Centre of Excellence in development community. Integrated Renewable Power would work on Renewable energy resource assessments with focus on onshore and offshore wind;
31 The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is not about constructing activity as a 'component' of SBM-G, but the SBM-G is largely toilets but aims at behaviour change of the masses to adopt about effective IEC to nudge communities into adopting safe and better sanitation practices. Therefore, information, education sustainable sanitation practices. and communication (IEC) strategies, planning and their effective implementationis the key to the success of Swachh 32 http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1574780 Bharat. Thus, IEC activities are not to be treated as 'stand-alone'
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hybridisation of wind, solar, hydro and relevance to at least two conventions. storage technologies; integration of renewable energy inch high level of wind energy, Testing and R&D; and skill development / capacity building.
Vijendra Singh Tanwar
V. COP meetings of Basel, Figure 4 Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Rotterdam and Stockholm 2019 - Summary conventions held in Geneva. The meetings, attended by about 1,400
The joint meeting of three conventions on participants, from 180 countries, adopted 73 chemicals and waste i.e. the fourteenth 33 decisions, including seven identical decisions meeting of the Conference of the Parties for the three meetings on: international to Basel Convention (BC COP-14) on the cooperation and coordination, cooperation Control of Transboundary Movement of between the joint Secretariat of the Basel, Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and held along with the ninth meeting of the COP the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention, to Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-9) on the the clearing-house mechanism for Prior Informed Consent Procedure for information exchange, synergies in Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides preventing and combating illegal traffic and in International Trade and the ninth meeting trade in hazardous chemicals and wastes, of the COP to Stockholm Convention (SC “from science to action”. COP-9) on Persistent Organic Pollutants India sets the tone at this Meeting34 in from 29 April to 10 May 2019, in Geneva. Geneva
Theme of the meetings was "Clean Planet, An Indian delegation of Ministry of Healthy People: Sound Management of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chemicals and Waste". The meetings and comprising other ministries participated included joint sessions covering matters of in the meeting.
33http://www.brsmeas.org/2019COPs/Overview/tabid/7523/langu 34 http://pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1572102 age/en-US/Default.aspx
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In Basel Convention, two important issues amend the convention to include unsorted, were discussed and decided, i.e. technical mixed and contaminated plastic waste under guidelines on e-waste and inclusion of plastic PIC (Prior Informed Consent) procedure and waste in the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) improve the regulation of its transboundary procedure. The draft technical guidelines movement. stipulated the conditions when used Ajit Singh Choudhary electrical and electronic equipment destined for direct reuse, repair, refurbishment or VI. Case law - On utilization of failure analysis should be considered as non- waste water generated due to waste. India had major reservations Reverse Osmosis (RO) process. regarding these provisions as in the name of A plea, related to utilization of waste water re-use, repair, refurbishment and failure generated during Reverse Osmosis (RO) analysis there was a possibility of dumping process was filed on 24.04.2015 by “Friends from the developed RO Technology: A membrane separates two through its General world to the solutions containing different amounts of Secretary” (the dissolved chemicals. The membrane allows some developing countries compounds in the water to pass through it, but applicant) before the including India in does not allow larger compounds to do so i.e. a semipermeable membrane. Pressure difference National Green Tribunal view of the growing causes pure water to pass through the membrane under original from the dilute to the more concentrated solution. consumption of The pressure is called osmotic pressure and this application number electronic equipment process is osmosis. The natural tendency for water is to move through the membrane from the 134/2015. The and waste across the dilute to the concentrated solution until chemicals reach equal concentrations on both sides of the application was mainly world. Indian membrane. This means that a system with 100 based on newspaper gallons/day of untreated water fed to it with a delegation strongly 20% recovery rate would yield 20 gallons/day of articles dated objected to the treated water and dispose of 80 gallons/day in the waste stream. 15.11.2013 and proposed decision on 14.07.2013 in The these guidelines. A modified decision was Hindu. adopted in which all the concerns raised by As per the plea, only 20% of the water fed India against the potential dumping of e- to RO system is purified and 80% is left waste by developed countries were unpurified and is wasted. Water being a incorporated. scarce commodity, such huge wastage is not Under the Basel Convention, another major affordable and has the adverse impact on achievement of COP 14 was the decision to the ecology. More and more RO systems are
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being used for the domestic purposes, by the Bureau of Indian Standards. Best offices, canteens, hotels, industrial units etc. available technology to purify drinking water on account of awareness for consumption of Other methods for disinfection: Chlorine purified water. (gas), Sodium hypochlorite, Calcium hypochlorite, Chloramines, Ozonation, Ultraviolet Light and Water Quality India Association (WQIA), Chlorine Dioxide. representing water treatment industries, Methods for filtration: Slow Sand Filtration, Diatomaceous Earth Filtration, Direct Filtration. explained the science of RO system and Process of membrane filtration: Nano highlighted its benefits. The WQIA stated filtration, Ultra filtration, Micro filtration, Bag that RO system ensures availability of pure filtration and Cartridge filtration. ION Exchange and Demineralization involve water. ION Exchange, Reverse Osmosis and Activated Alumina. It was further stated that 98 Districts in 13 Technology suitable for organic removal: States in India are affected by high Arsenic Granular Activated Carbon and Aeration. contamination in groundwater. High Total to achieve the said standard is the RO Dissolved Solids (TDS) are common which system. can adversely affect the health. Thus, RO system is helpful in the situation. The residue WQIA further stated that Ministry of of purified water is not water wasted but Railways, Work Directorate, Research water consumed in the same way as the Design and Standards Organization, water is leftover after washing clothes or Lucknow vide report no. RDSO/WKS/2015/2, after bathing. in January, 2015, has issued guidelines on water purification by RO. The applicant referred to remarks of Mr. B. Sengupta, former Member Secretary, CPCB The tribunal directed for constitution of an and submitted that polluted water rejected Expert Committee consisting of by the RO system mixes with the ground representative of MoEF&CC, representative water and creates further complexity. of CPCB, representative of Bureau of Indian
Ultimately, RO system instead of helping to “RO technology removes the total dissolved solids the ecology, causes further damage. in the water. All these pollutants are absent in the water when it’s ready for drinking. But the problem is that the waste water, which is laden In a further affidavit filed by WQIA, it was with the same pollutants, is then thrown away. stated that the Indian Standard (IS The same pollutants mix with ground water and reenter our system.” 10500:2012-Second Revision) was adopted Mr. B. Sengupta, former Member Secretary, CPCB
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Standard, representative of IIT, Delhi, Bodies/Municipal. Display water quality at representative of NEERI, Delhi to examine regular intervals, particularly TDS various issue such as wastage of water, concentration component by an appropriate water contamination, appropriate mechanism. technology for water purification, secondary (iii) Regulating consumption and use of low use of the rejected water etc. and furnish a TDS water by requiring manufacturers to report preferably within a period of four maintain minimum TDS concentration to 150 months. The Expert Committee was also mg/l or the minimum levels of calcium and directed to review the prescription of magnesium. standards for drinking water and furnish the report. (iv) Issuing directions for enforcement of “Extended Producers Responsibility” by the A report was filed vide e-mail dated manufacturers for disposal of cartridges and 30.04.2019 from the CPCB on behalf of the membranes and requiring the manufacturers Committee. Based on the recommendations to provide proper labeling on the purifier given by the expert committee, the tribunal specifying that the unit should be used if TDS has given the following directions - is more than 500 mg/l. (i) The MoEF&CC may issue appropriate (v) MoEF&CC may file an affidavit of notification prohibiting use of RO where TDS compliance by e-mail at [email protected] in water is less than 500 mg/l and wherever within one month. RO is permitted, a requirement is laid down for recovery of water be more than 60%. (vi) The Expert Committee constituted by Further provision be laid down for recovery this Tribunal vide order dated 20.12.2018 of water up to 75% and use of such RO along with Central Ground Water Authority reject water for purposes such as utensil may collect and provide data with regard to washing, flushing, gardening, cleaning of availability of ground water and its usage in vehicles and floor mopping. 21 cities mentioned in the report of NITI Aayog and furnish a report. (ii) The Notification/Policy to be notified may Manoj Kumar also provide for a mechanism for public awareness about ill effects of demineralized water on public health and for effective enforcement requiring the concerned Local
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gazette notification in the year 1999 VII. Amendment to the notification specifying use of fly ash and mandating a on utilization of Fly Ash target date for all thermal power plants to Fly ash or flue ash, also known as pulverised comply by ensuring 100% fuel ash, is a coal combustion product that is utilization. Subsequent amendments to the composed of the particulates (fine particles notification in 2003 and 2009 had fixed the of burned fuel) that are driven out of coal- deadline to be 2014 which as per figures fired boilers together with the flue gases. Its reported in was missed by almost 40%. This Composition includes substantial amounts of has resulted in the notification in 2015 which oxides of silica, aluminium and calcium and had set 31 December 2017 as the revised elements like Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, deadline to achieve 100% utilization. lead etc. Out of the approximately 55.7% fly In the past, fly ash was generally released ash utilized, bulk of it (42.3%) went into the atmosphere, but air pollution control into cement production whereas standards now require that it be captured only about 0.74% is used as an prior to release by fitting pollution control additive in concrete. equipment. Researchers in India are actively In United States, fly ash is generally stored addressing this challenge by working at coal power plants or placed in landfills. on fly ash as an admixture for About 43% is recycled, often used as a concrete and activated pozzolanic pozzolan to produce hydraulic cement or cement such as geopolymer to help hydraulic plaster and a replacement or achieve the target of 100% partial replacement for Portland cement in utilization. concrete production. Pozzolans ensure the setting of concrete and plaster and provide The biggest scope clearly lies in the concrete with more protection from wet area of increasing the quantity of fly conditions and chemical attack. ash being incorporated in concrete.
Management of Fly ash or flue ash in India produced 280 Million Tons of India Cement in 2016. With housing sector consuming 67% of the cement, there The Ministry of Environment and Forest of is a huge scope for incorporating fly Government of India first published a
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ash in both the increasing share of Advantages of Fly Ash Utilization Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) and Prevents contamination of Water. low to moderate strength concrete.
Prevents Soil Erosion. There is a misconception that the Indian codes IS 456:2000 for Used in variety of construction works. Concrete and Reinforced Concrete Used in agriculture as soil conditioner. and IS 3812.1:2013 for Fly Ash Environmentally beneficial as it restrict the use of Fly Ash to less than reduces the portland cement (a major 35%. contributor of CO2) used in concrete. Similar misconceptions exists in Disadvantages of Fly Ash countries like USA but evidence to the Slower Strength Gain – It continues to contrary is the use of High Volumes of gain strength for weeks after its initial Fly Ash (HVFA) in many large projects setting period and delay in construction. where design mixes have been used under strict quality control. Longer Setting Times – Fly ash admixtures can lengthen the time it As per latest government notification, takes for concrete to set. (February 2019): Air Content Control – Concrete is The existing red clay brick kilns susceptible to damage from freeze/thaw located within 300 km shall be cycles if it does not contain air. converted into fly ash-based bricks or blocks or tiles manufacturing unit Seasonal Limitations – concrete within one year from the date of pouring, and mixtures high in fly ash are publication of this notification. more susceptible to low temperatures and winter season. Thermal Power Station (TPS) should provide fly ash at the rate of Re 1 per Colour Variability – It is more difficult to tonne and bear the full transportation control the color of concrete containing cost up to 300 km to such units to fly ash than mixtures with Portland encourage the conversion cement only.
Pawan Meena
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importer of plastic scrap after China and VIII. Plastic Ban in China and its Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Germany, the implications for India US, Belgium, Malaysia, Canada, Austria and
Taiwan (see ‘Trash sources”). China had been the large importer of plastic waste for recycling it. However, it reported India imports plastic waste in four of the five the World Trade Organization (WTO) about categories banned by China from over 50 its inability to accept any solid waste from 31 nations (Source: Directorate General of
Figure 5 shows data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry December 2017. The Chinese government Commercial Intelligence and Statistics of the restricted the import of certain type of solid Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry). waste especially plastic waste. While China’s So can India become a destination for global ban on importing plastic waste had forced plastic waste? Experts did not rule it out. other countries to step up recycling efforts, “More than $900 million worth of scrap India had become one of the countries commodities were exported to India in 2016, whose plastic waste imports had increased and expect that trend to continue,” said “substantially”35. Adina Renee Adler, senior director at Washington-based International Scrap As per the UN Comtrade Database updated Recycling Institute (ISRI) to Down to Earth. till April 2017, India was the 10th largest36
35 https://thewire.in/environment/plastic-import-india-pet-bottles- 36https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/waste/with-china- ban-increase banning-import-of-plastic-waste-who-will-bear-the-burden-of- recycling-world-s-toxic-scrap--59861
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An organization called the Pandit Deendayal Countries devise policy instruments and take Upadhyay Smriti Manch (PDUSM) has initiatives for regulating activities affecting claimed India’s imports of plastic scraps from environment and ecology. Chinese ban on China, Japan, Italy and Malawi for recycling plastic is likely to push movement of waste and imports of PET bottle scrap and flakes towards India for disposal and reuse. Timely has quadrupled. It says that in the fiscal year initiatives by GOI by amending the relevant 2016-17, the imports were 12,000 tonne. Act is a credible deterrent against India This figure grew to 48,000 tonne in FY 2017- turning into a garbage bin. Simultaneous 18. The organization also claims that India efforts by other stakeholders in has already imported 25,000 million tonnes implementing the provisions of Act and Rules (MT) in the first three months of FY 2018- would strengthen frameworks to check
19 37 . A senior MoEFCC official told The impact of such waste into India. Hindu that while the Ministry couldn’t vouch Manikant Barik for whether such plastic imports had Intern at iCED quadrupled, it was true that the imports had “substantially increased” and action was IX. Review: Global Environment 38 being contemplated Outlook (GEO)-6 India has now prohibited imports of waste What is GEO 40 plastic a year after China, the world’s biggest Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is a importer of scrap plastic implemented a series of reports on the state of similar ban on western imports. “The country environment released by the United Nations has now completely prohibited the import of Environment Programme (UNEP). It is a solid plastic waste by amending the flagship report because it fulfils the core Hazardous Waste Rules39 on March 1, 2019. functions of the organization, which date The move is to reportedly close the gap back to the UN General Assembly resolution between waste generation and recycling that established the UN Environment capacity. India generates 26,000 tons of Programme in 1972. GEO was established plastic waste every day. as part of the follow up to the adoption of
37 https://thewire.in/environment/plastic-import- 39 http://moef.gov.in/wp- india-pet-bottles-ban-increase content/uploads/2017/08/OMPlasticImport.pdf 40 38 https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and- https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/global-environment- environment/environment-ministry-plugs-loophole-that-allowed- outlook-6 plastic-waste-import/article26449791.ece
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Agenda 21 in 1992. The first publication Audit Institutions (INTOSAI - Working was in 1997. Its approach and structure Group on Environmental Auditing, WGEA) have undergone several changes and to ensure that some 280 Multilateral improvements. Six GEO reports have been Environmental Agreements (MEAs) published to date: GEO-1 in 1997, GEO- dedicated to supporting the global 2000 in 1999, GEO-3 in 2002, GEO-4 in environment are properly implemented.
2007, GEO-5 in 2012 and GEO-6 in 2019. The GEO-6 includes six regional assessments, and outlines the current state of the environment, illustrates possible future environmental trends and analyses the effectiveness of policies41.
GEO 6 The theme of GEO 6 is ‘Healthy Planet,
Healthy People’ emphasizes the Figure 6 Planet in Focus - Global Environment Outlook foundational importance of healthy GEO assessments are multidimensional in ecosystems and environment for human scope and incorporate environmental, health. Compared with previous GEOs, the social, economic, policy, geographic and sixth edition provides the first integrative temporal perspectives to form various baseline in light of global megatrends threads of evidence to answer the involving various dimensions. Also new in overarching questions. Why GEO Matters this edition is the integration and discussion GEO-5 (2012) assessed 90 of the most of economic aspects of sustainable critical internationally-agreed development and the dimension of social environmental goals and objectives and equity. GEO-6 reflects on the impact of found that significant progress had only economic prosperity and social justice on been made in four. environmental degradation. The GEO UNEP, signed a Memorandum of process laid the foundation for continued Understanding (MoU) in 2013 with the and intensified socio-economic- International Organization of Supreme environmental assessment across relevant scales, with a thematic as well as an
41 https://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/un-environments- sixth-global-environment-outlook-released-1552649801-1
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integrative focus, enabling and informing 17) through top-down and bottom-up societal transitions and the tracking of approach. The results are used to extract sustainable development goals and targets, guidance for policymakers and to support as well as previously internationally agreed the promising policy approaches addressed environmental goals. in the final section of the report. Structure of GEO 6 Part C: Outlooks and Pathways to a Healthy Planet with Healthy People GEO 6 also make greater efforts to deliver incorporates the most promising policy the environmental dimension of the approaches from Part B into the pathways of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The transformation. It combines global and analysis in GEO 6 is divided into four parts: scenario-based analysis (Chapters 20-22) Introduction: three chapters i.e.2 to 4 with local, participative analysis (Chapter 23) describe drivers of environmental change; to identify possible pathways towards state of our data and knowledge and all cross cutting issues respectively. The GEO -6 also considers key policy questions. These include: Each chapter in GEO 6 has an Executive What are the primary drivers of environmental change? Summary, highlighting its key findings. What is the current state of the environment and why? Part A: State of the Global Environment How successful have we been in achieving our internationally agreed environmental (Chapter 5-9) goals? Have there been successful environmental This part features five thematic chapters policies? providing the latest data and information on What are the policy lessons learned and possible solutions? the state and trends of air, biodiversity, Is the current policy response enough? What are the business as usual scenarios oceans, land, oceans and fresh water. and what does a sustainable future look like? What are the emerging issues and Part B: Policies, Goals, Objectives and megatrends including their possible Environmental Governance, an impacts? What are the possible pathways to achieving assessment of their effectiveness Agenda 2030 and other internationally evaluates the effectiveness of the current agreed environmental goals? policies within the existing environmental achieving the environmental dimension of governance structure at multiple scales, the SDGs and other MEAs (up to 2030), and based on the policy responses identified in assesses long‐term or mid‐century strategies the thematic chapters in Part A (Chapters 10-
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required for achieving long‐term implementation. For audio visual content sustainability (to 2050) (Chapter 24). This please refer below: section also emphasizes the economic and social costs and benefits of various options for action and non-action. Part D: Remaining Data and Knowledge Gaps (Chapter 25) provides an overview of the data/knowledge trends and issues and identifies the gaps. Outputs Anupam Srivastava
These outputs include: Six regional environmental X. Use of GIS for planning Audits assessments actionable either
regionally and/or nationally. A geographic information system (GIS) is a A global environmental assessment is framework for gathering, managing, and produced, which can look at broader analysing data. Rooted in the science of issues like world’s environment. geography, GIS integrates many types of Production of teaching and outreach data. It analyses spatial location and material to stimulate further capacity organizes layers of information into building. visualizations using maps and 3D scenes Outcomes which can be used for different purposes like The outcomes of the GEO process focus on to identify problems, communicate, perform increased awareness, knowledge of the analysis, manage and respond to events, possible policy solutions including the future share information etc. GIS also reveals implications of not acting and the future deeper insights into data, such as patterns, benefits. relationships, and situations—helping users The theory of change for GEO supports make smarter decisions. various actors, including national Example: The map below shows the governments, to make progress towards implementation of Swacch Bharat Mission in achieving the SDGs. This can be facilitated Telangana. by incorporating the findings of the GEO into the Agenda 2030 policy process and
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NPs is a large revenue earner for the state government.
GIS maps of NPs of Rajasthan along with cropping patterns in India, human activity map of India, road and rail network maps and maps of construction activity were downloaded from SEDAC (Columbia University repository) and the following
maps were created to map human Figure 7 Implementation of Swacch Bharat Mission, Telengana interference, if any. GIS is a powerful tool for audit too where it It shows the different kinds of protected can be used to for planning an audit, auditing implementation of programs like forestry, agriculture, monitor changes on the ground etc. The International Journal of government auditing has developed a guidance on using GIS to monitor public works.
Case Study –Planning Audit of National Parks
National Parks (NP) are protected areas which are supposed to be free from all Figure 8 Map 1 human interference and inviolate. They are areas/natural parks in India which has been the repositories of unique biodiversity and extracted from the UNEP website. It has ecosystems. The objective of audit was to been overlaid with the map of India and the check the effectiveness of laws protecting extent of human footprint (in green, darker NPs from human interference. As a first step, areas showing more human activity). This is a pilot, based on GIS data, was planned to to show the inviolate spaces kept aside for see if there was actually human interference conservation of plant and animal species inside the NPs of Rajasthan. Tourism from across India and in the different states
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across the 7 categories of national parks, as The % data has been expressed in 5 defined by IUCN. intervals, ranging from 2-18% to 47-64% A major takeaway from the map is the extent and the national parks have been color of human footprint (in green color) across coded accordingly into which interval they India. Only 2 spaces are not occupied by fall. For example, a national park colored humans, desert areas of Rajasthan and the yellow has 30-36% of human interference in coastal areas of Western Ghats. that park. This data has been overlaid with Map 2: Human interference in the the cropped area to give a sense of how national parks close the cropped areas are to the national National parks are supposed, by law to be parks. inviolate spaces which cannot have human Map 3: human interference in the parks influence. This map shows the influence of of Rajasthan humans, contrary to law, across all the parks This map depicts human interference in the in India. Human interference has been parks of Rajasthan. It shows the all the quantified as a percent from raster dataset of a map of human influence across the India. This has been calculated as a percentage for each park to show what % of the park is affected by human influence. The
Figure 10 Map 3
Figure 9 Map 2 % has been calculated using definition query, field statistics and raster calculator.
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natural parks along with their buffers, which length. For example, the park color coded is 5 kms, around the parks. . The map shows red has 0-50 kms of roads inside the park, the spatial location of roads/railways and the one coded yellow has between 450-575 construction activities across the state. It can roads in kms inside the park. This again be seen from the map that construction shows the extent of human interference in activities are taking place inside the the parks. This was derived from raster NPs/buffer areas and railways/roads are analysis, using field statistics. operating inside the parks. The blue lines depict the road/rail network and the red dots show construction activities with the yellow areas being the NPs. It can be seen that most NPs have red dots inside them, including the buffer areas. Also, the land beside many NPs are heavily cropped, indicating the presence of humans and cattle along with their settlements in very close proximity to the NPs. Hence these parks have no longer remained inviolate. This has destroyed the idea of objective of creation of national parks. Figure 11 Map 4 Use of this Data Map 4: Road density inside In planning which NPs to pick up for parks/buffer areas of the parks in detailed audit on the basis of which Rajasthan NPs faces the biggest risk One of the variables comprising human Auditing the permit process which influence, that is road density, was analyzed sanctioned construction activities and in detail to find out the actual extent of roads road/rail network inside the NPs. inside each park in Rajasthan. Establishing accountability Raster analysis/calculator was used to As an entry point into the audit derive the total kms of roads/railways inside Nameeta Prasad the boundaries of the park. The NPs were AG & Fulbright Scholar pursuing M.Sc, classified according to the length (in km) and Environment Science each park was color coded according to the
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