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The Hindu
5 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Rajasthan CM calls for public participation in water conservation initiatives
A fortnight-long water conservation campaign was launched in Rajasthan on Thursday with an emphasis on restoration of traditional water sources, construction of water harvesting structures, ground water recharge, and repair of dams and canals. The campaign's inauguration coincided with World Environment Day. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma inaugurated the campaign at the Rajasthan International Centre here while calling for greater public participation in water conservation initiatives. 'The traditions of water conservation have been an integral part of our cultural heritage. It is our moral responsibility to prevent the adverse impact of climate change,' Mr. Sharma said. Mr. Sharma said people in Rajasthan had adopted unique methods to conserve water in the past. 'Structures like stepwells, johads, ponds, and wells are living examples of the water conservation traditions of our State,' he said, while pointing out that his government was constructing at least 125 water conservation structures in each district. Conservation projects Foundation stones for projects worth ₹345 crore will be laid during the campaign until June 20, while water sources will be cleaned and shramdaan (voluntary labour) camps will be organised, besides tree plantation activities, and people will take a pledge to reduce plastic use. The Chief Minister appealed to people to adopt an 'eco-friendly lifestyle' and plant at least one tree in their vicinity in the upcoming monsoon season and take regular care of it. 'We will be able to gift clean air, water, and earth to the coming generations with this initiative and help make a green Rajasthan,' he said. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the State Pollution Control Board and the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, to prepare the Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2030. MoUs were also signed for an emission trading scheme and an early warning system for Alwar and Bhiwadi. Mr. Sharma also addressed a shramdaan programme at the historic Ramgarh dam, near Jaipur, aimed at its restoration, and later visited the banks of the Chambal river at Keshoraipatan in Bundi district to perform rituals and inaugurate development projects related to water conservation.
India Today
18 hours ago
- Science
- India Today
Global warming: Why India's slower heating rate could be a ticking climate bomb
When we talk about global warming and the resulting changes in weather patterns, could a slower rise in the Earth's temperature actually be a cause for concern? Surprisingly, while many parts of the world are experiencing unpredictable increases in surface temperature, the South Asian landmass, particularly the Indian subcontinent, is warming at a slower rate. At first glance, this might seem like good news for the residents of this region. However, the reasons behind this slower warming are in fact more worrying for our part of the India has warmed less compared to other regions?advertisementData shows that South Asia's rate of warming over the past few decades is slower than the global average. The region's temperature has risen by approximately 0.09C per decade over the last 40 years, which is significantly lower than the global average of 0.30C per decade, and below the 0.23C recorded for regions at similar latitudes. Considering this area has one of the highest population densities globally and has seen significant reductions in green cover, which normally buffers warming, the slower rise in temperature seems unusual. Therefore, understanding the causes behind this phenomenon in India and neighbouring areas is causing slower warming in South Asia, including IndiaIt is beyond doubt that India, especially the Indo-Gangetic Plain, stretching from Punjab and Haryana to Bangladesh, is among the most polluted regions globally. advertisementWhen discussing global warming, greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide come to mind, with atmospheric lifetimes ranging from centuries to millennia. Global efforts have led to significant reductions in GHG emissions. Anumita Roychoudhury, Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), explains, 'The sources of aerosols and greenhouse gases are the same. While Western countries and others have aggressively reduced both, aerosol levels have not fallen similarly in South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Here, pollution from coal-fired power generation and industry remains high.'How aerosols like sulfates mask warming in India?South Asia's temperature trends, as well as the 2024 Berkeley Earth heat map showing global temperature anomalies, highlight the role of cooling aerosols such as sulfates in masking warming. Aerosol pollutants include particulate matter like PM10 and PM2.5, which pose health risks and are subject to various government reduction policies. Beyond particulates, aerosols comprise sulfates, nitrates, fluorinated gases, and methane in the atmosphere. Sulfates, a major aerosol component, have a reflective power akin to a mirror—they scatter sunlight in the upper atmosphere, thereby reducing warming at the Earth's surface. This 'masking effect' means sulfates reflect sunlight and increase cloud reflectivity, effectively hiding the full extent of greenhouse gas-induced temperature and other aerosols' masking effectThe 2024 heat map shows South Asia's temperature anomaly at 1-2C above the 1951-1980 baseline, less severe than anomalies of 4-6C in the Arctic or 2-4C in northern not only scatter incoming solar radiation back into space, reducing sunlight reaching the surface, but also serve as condensation nuclei, increasing cloud droplet numbers and making clouds brighter and more reflective. The South Asian region, including northern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, is a global hotspot for air pollution, with sulfate levels often exceeding 20 g/m annually in cities such as Delhi. Sulfates are not the sole aerosols masking temperatures: organic carbon (OC) from biomass burning (e.g., wildfires, agricultural fires) and fossil fuel combustion, often called brown carbon, also scatters sunlight and cools the atmosphere. Similarly, oxides of nitrogen, sea salts, and mineral salts contribute to sunlight scattering, helping keep the Earth India face delayed global warming and more extreme events?Following global policies, South Asia is also reducing sulfate emissions through initiatives like India's clean air programmes. However, as the masking effect weakens over coming decades, the full impact of long-lived GHGs will become apparent. advertisementRecent projections suggest that by 2050, under a moderate emissions scenario (SSP2-4.5), South Asia could experience warming of 1.5-2C above pre-industrial levels, primarily driven by CO and oxides of nitrogen. While methane reductions (e.g., via improved waste management) may slow near-term warming, the long atmospheric lifetime of carbon dioxide means its effects will persist for centuries, heightening risks such as heat stress, with wet-bulb temperatures nearing 35C, and flooding, as seen recently in several Indian InMust Watch
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
At 156.87%, groundwater extraction highest in Punjab: Report
Bathinda: Punjab is grappling with an alarming groundwater crisis, according to the latest State of India's Environment 2025 report by an environmental NGO. The report, released ahead of World Environment Day on June 5 by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth, highlights that over 75% of Punjab's blocks are classified as overexploited, with groundwater extraction soaring to 156.87%—the highest in the country. Punjab also faces widespread contamination of its groundwater with toxic elements such as uranium, arsenic, and nitrate, affecting nearly all its districts, according to the report. The number of districts with groundwater levels deeper than 40 metres rose from three in 2014 to 11 in 2024 in Punjab, while those with shallower water tables have declined. Punjab also suffers from severe contamination issues. Nine of its 23 districts show abnormal salinity levels; 17 report fluoride anomalies; uranium contamination affects 20 districts; nitrate and iron pollutants appear in 20 and 18 districts, respectively; and arsenic contamination is present in 12 districts, according to the report. The report further said that Punjab, alongside Ladakh, ranks lowest in the country for tree and forest cover. At the national level, India, according to the report, has witnessed a decline in agricultural land from 62.33% in 1952-53 to 58.69% in 2022-23, driven by population growth, rapid urbanisation, and industrialisation. Irrigation has increasingly shifted towards tubewell dependence, rising from 0.55% in 1960-61 to 43.34% in 2022-23, with Punjab among 10 states relying almost entirely on tubewells for irrigating farmland. MSID:: 121621808 413 |
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Mixed report card for Bengal environment
Kolkata: Bengal received mixed results in a nationwide assessment of states' performance on environment, sustainability, agriculture, public health, and infrastructure, according to State of India's Environment in Figures 2025, released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on the eve of World Environment Day. When it comes to agriculture and land use, Bengal fared better, ranking 6th with a score of 60.5, thanks to improved agricultural input usage and land sustainability. However, it lagged in terms of farmer welfare indicators, like indebtedness and insurance coverage. The report placed Bengal 23rd among 28 states in overall environmental performance, with a score of 50.1 out of 100. It fell behind on key indicators, like solid waste management, sewage treatment, and polluted river stretches, although it had moderate scores in climate-related parameters and forest cover. In terms of public health, Bengal fared poorly, ranking 23rd with a score of 39.4. The state continued to grapple with high rates of undernutrition among children, poor health infrastructure, and low percentages of medically certified deaths. Its performance across health outcomes, such as infant and maternal mortality, life expectancy, and insurance coverage, was also weak. In public infrastructure and human development, Bengal ranked 22nd, with a score of 43 out of 100. The state struggled with issues such as low female workforce participation, high graduate unemployment, and inadequate per capita power availability. CSE director general Sunita Narain emphasised that the data, sourced entirely from official govt statistics, offers a sobering picture. "India's most populous states — Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh — home to 49% of the country's population, rank low on nearly every theme. This shows that large segments of the population remain vulnerable and exposed to multiple threats," she said. Narain added: "Numbers usually give us the truth, and what we are unveiling clearly indicates that this is not the time for complacency, nor chest-thumping." No state emerged as a comprehensive leader, with even top-ranking states struggling in key areas. Andhra Pradesh, while leading in forest and biodiversity conservation, struggled with sewage and river pollution; Sikkim excelled in sustainable land use but lagged in farmer welfare; Goa, despite being the best in health and human development, faced bed shortages and low female labour participation.
NDTV
a day ago
- Health
- NDTV
Can Ambitious Green Wall Project Save The Aravallis? What Expert Said
New Delhi: The Aravalli range, made up of India's oldest fold mountains, is bleeding. Stretching 692 km from Delhi to Gujarat, this range stands as a vital shield, holding back the Thar Desert, guiding monsoon winds, and cradling over 300 plant and 120 bird species in its vibrant ecosystem. But relentless deforestation, illegal mining, and creeping desertification are ripping apart its ecological core, threatening rivers, biodiversity, and millions of livelihoods. Tomorrow, on World Environment Day 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will plant the first saplings of the Aravalli Green Wall Project in Delhi's Ridge, launching a 1,400 km-long green belt to heal this ancient guardian. NDTV spoke to Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of Research and Advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), to explore whether this ambitious vision can triumph over the Aravallis' mounting crises. The Aravallis' Wounds The range's green cloak is tattered. Forest cover fell 0.9% from 1999-2019, with the central range losing a staggering 32% since 1975 to urban sprawl and mining. Illegal mining has obliterated 25% of Rajasthan's Aravalli hills since 1967-68, despite Supreme Court bans in 2002 and 2009. Of 4,150 mining leases for copper, zinc, and marble, only 288 have environmental clearance. Desertification also looms: 8.2% of Haryana's land turned arid by 2018-19, and 8% of the Aravallis-5,772.7 sq km-was lost by 2019, with 22% more at risk by 2059. These assaults have dried rivers like the Sahibi and Luni, eroded soils, depleted groundwater, and slashed biodiversity, undermining the region's climate resilience. A Green Wall of Hope The Aravalli Green Wall Project, launching June 5, 2025, aims to weave a 1,400 km-long, 5 km-wide green belt, inspired by Africa's Great Green Wall. Starting with 24,990 hectares in Haryana's Gurgaon, Faridabad, Nuh, Rewari, and Mahendergarh, it will plant native species, revive 75 water bodies, and bolster soil conservation, targeting 1.1 million hectares by 2027. "The Aravalli Green Wall Project is a very critical step forward. Since our childhood, we have seen massive degradation of the Aravallis. This project will restore confidence that we can protect, conserve, and expand this essential resource." Aligned with India's UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification), CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), and UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) commitments, it promises to curb desertification, boost biodiversity, and create jobs while cooling the region and filtering dust that fuels Delhi-NCR's air pollution crisis," said Ms Roychowdhury. "The wall will act as a wind and dust barrier," Ms Roychowdhury explained, "consistent with global best practices for green walls, addressing the intersection of clean air challenges and climate change," she added. Eco-Tourism: Opportunity or Threat? The project's eco-tourism push-safaris, nature parks, and trekking routes-aims to fund restoration and engage local communities. But could increased human activity harm this fragile ecosystem? "The Aravallis are a fragile ecosystem," Ms Roychowdhury warned. "Tourism can't take over or disrupt the local ecological balance. We have to be respectful and sensitive to the communities and species that depend on this region." She stressed that unregulated tourism risks habitat disruption, pollution, and wildlife displacement. To counter this, CSE recommends robust safeguards: "We advocate for strict regulatory frameworks-limiting visitor numbers, enforcing waste management protocols, and ensuring low-impact, non-invasive infrastructure. Species introduced for reforestation must be native to avoid ecological imbalances," she said. On the risk of over-commercialisation, Ms Roychowdhury is clear: "The Aravallis are a buffer between Delhi, Haryana, and expanding urban areas. Unregulated development, like stone quarrying or encroachments, must stop for the green wall to succeed. Community involvement is essential, but it must prioritise ecological restoration over commercial interests." She emphasises enforcement and scale: "The clean air agenda cannot succeed on a small scale. We need speed of implementation, but it must integrate local needs without allowing tourism to dominate. Conservation must always come first," she said. As PM Modi plants saplings tomorrow, the Aravalli Green Wall signals a fierce resolve to heal this ancient range. But, as Ms Roychowdhury underscored, "The green wall will work only if we stop urban pressures. It's a matter of enforcement and implementation."
