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Green Files Vol. 31 Volume- 31 Green Files September 2019 INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT AUDIT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT JAIPUR Green Files Vol. 31 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 organizations to protect the environment also find reflection in this newsletter. During the quarter July-September 2019, iCED organized five National Training Programmes (NTPs) on subject such as “Audit of Forestry and Biodiversity issues”, “Audit of Air Pollution and Environmental issues associated with Transport and Energy sectors”, “Audit of Waste Management”, “Audit of Water Pollution and Conservation of Lakes, Rivers and other Wetlands” and “Audit of Mining and Other Extractive Industries”. A six day Training Programme on Environment Audit for IA&AS Officer Trainees (OTs) of 2018 Batch was also held from 08 – 13 July, 2019 at iCED, Jaipur. Apart from world environment news and brief about the High Level Political Forum meeting held in 2019, this newsletter also features three articles on Meeting India’s Bonn Pledge, Green Initiatives undertaken by Tarun Bharat Sangh and Making Water and Sanitation a part of the Nation’s economic development. 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 1 Green Files Vol. 31 CONTENTS EDITORIAL .........................................................................................................................................................1 I. iCED News........................................................................................................................................................3 II. ASOSAI/ INTOSAI News ...............................................................................................................................3 III. State in Focus: Andaman & Nicobar Islands ..................................................................................................4 IV. Environmental News ......................................................................................................................................5 V. International Event: High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2019) ........................9 VI. Critical discussion of Rules/Laws: Coastal Regulation Zone Notification ..................................................10 VII. National Audit Report: Performance Audit of Pollution by Industries, West Bengal (Report No. 5 of the year 2018) ...........................................................................................................................................................11 VIII. National Audit Report: Performance Audit of Preparedness for the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals [Union government (Civil), Report no. 8 of 2019] .............................................................14 IX. International Audit Report: Combating desertification in the EU: A growing threat in need of more action ............................................................................................................................................................................17 X. Article: Meeting India’s Bonn Pledge ...........................................................................................................18 XI. Article: Green Initiatives undertaken by Tarun Bharat Sangh .....................................................................19 XII. Article: Making Water and Sanitation a part of the Nation’s economic development ...............................19 2 Green Files Vol. 31 increasing vegetation and conservation of I. iCED News biodiversity in the hot arid regions of Rajasthan. Five National Training Programmes (NTPs) were Participants interacted with volunteers of Jheel conducted during July-September 2019 on Sanrakshan Samiti, an NGO actively working for following topics: conservation and cleaning of lakes of Udaipur to Programme Duration understand the role of civil society organizations i. Audit of Forestry and Biodiversity 22 – 26 July, in conservation of lakes. issues 2019 ii. Audit of Air Pollution and 05 – 09 Two training programmes for teams assigned with Environmental issues associated August, 2019 with Transport and Energy Sectors audits of UNPKO, UNICEF and UNOPS iii. Audit of Waste Management 19 – 23 including remote access support to the teams August, 2019 conducting remote audit were also organised. iv. Audit of Water Pollution and 26 – 30 Conservation of Lakes, Rivers and August, 2019 Ajit Singh Choudhary other Wetlands v. Audit of Mining and Other 16 – 20 Extractive Industries September, II. ASOSAI/ INTOSAI News 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between Six day Training Programme on Environment INTOSAI and UNODC1 Audit for 25 IA&AS Officer Trainees (OTs) of INTOSAI Chair and the Executive Director, 2018 Batch (including 2 officers from Royal United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Audit Authority, Bhutan) was also conducted (UNODC) signed a Memorandum of from 08 – 13 July, 2019. Understanding (MoU) on 30 July 2019 in Vienna recognising INTOSAI as a fundamental partner to the UNODC to oversee the United Nations Convention against Corruption. INTOSAI has a significant track record in respect of anti-corruption. The MoU provides INTOSAI a greater opportunity for its expertise to be utilized IA&AS OTs with Director General, iCED to contribute to the effective improvement in anti- As part of this training, a study tour to Arid Forest corruption practices. The MoU would also Research Institute (AFRI), Jodhpur was organised provide an opportunity to open the dialogue with to provide exposure to the participants to scientific the anti-corruption authorities and the UNODC. research activities undertaken by the institute for 1 https://www.intosai.org/news/mou-odc Green Files Vol. 31 INTOSAI WGEA Assembly Meeting of these islands (about 550) are in the Andaman Group, 28 of which are inhabited. The 19th INTOSAI WGEA Assembly Meeting, was held from 6-9 August, 2019 at Bangkok, The smaller Nicobars comprise some 22 main Thailand. One-day training on Greening the SAIs islands (10 inhabited). A&N island are separated was also organized by the European Court of by the Ten Degree Channel which is 150 Km Auditors and the National Audit Office of Estonia wide2. prior to the meeting. Population (2011 Census) Population Male Female Total Panel discussion and WGEA Project presentations on the themes “Sustainable Andaman & 202871 177710 380581 Development Goals” and “Role of IT to accelerate Nicobar Islands the SDGs” was held on 7th August 2019. A presentation on 2017 - 2019 project “Output of Forests3 Training tool in Environmental Data” was made A&N islands have a geographical area of 8249 sq. by SAI India. SAI India also made presentation km, out of which an area of 7171 sq km (87%) is about iCED, Global Training Facility at Jaipur, notified as forest. Out of the total forest area, 70% Rajasthan. Output of INTOSAI WGEA Work is totally protected area. A net decrease of 9 sq km Plan 2017-2019 and the 2020-2022 Work Plan in forest cover in 2017 as compared to 2015 is was also discussed during the meeting. mainly due to developmental activities4. Manoj Kumar Flora5 The South Andaman forests have a profuse III. State in Focus: Andaman & Nicobar growth of epiphytic vegetation, mostly ferns and Islands orchids. The Middle Andamans harbours mostly Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands, located moist deciduous forests. North Andamans is in the east of the Indian mainland, float in characterised by the wet evergreen type, with splendid isolation in the Bay of Bengal. Once a plenty of woody climbers. hill range extending from Myanmar to The north Nicobar Islands (including Car Nicobar Indonesia, these picturesque undulating islands and Battimalv) are marked by the complete & islets numbering around 572, are covered with absence of evergreen forests, while such forests dense rain-fed, damp and evergreen forests and form the dominant vegetation in the central and endless varieties of exotic flora and fauna. Most southern islands of the Nicobar group. Grasslands occur only in the Nicobars. While deciduous 2https://www.andamantourism.gov.in/html/andamans.html 4 http://fsi.nic.in/isfr2017/andaman-nocobar-island-isfr-2017.pdf 3 http://ls1.and.nic.in/doef/WebPages/History.html 5 http://www.and.nic.in/andaman/#floral 4 Green Files Vol. 31 forests are common in the Andamans, they are There are 96 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 9 National almost absent in the Nicobars. Andaman forest is Parks and one Biosphere Reserve. abound in timber species numbering 200 or more. Environmental Concerns: Wildlife6 Sustainable Tourism Nature has endowed these islands with a unique A&N islands are famous for being one of the most and varied animal life both on land as well as in visited tourist destinations. Swaraj Dweep, or sea. Large mammals are absent in A&N islands. Havelock Island, is perhaps the most visited part Geographic isolation of these islands has resulted of this archipelago. in high degree of endemism. The island is struggling with the growing burden Mammals: Out of 55 terrestrial and 7 marine of managing waste7.