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Economic Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- Economic Times
How Indians engage with environment and its protection is best typified by this bizarre example
Hold that pose, greenwashing just got a whitewash Leading up to World Environment Day today, the air has been thick with talk of everything environment and environmental. There are seminars, interviews, panel discussions, school drives, awareness walks and ubiquitous #GreenPledge selfies. It's all very commendable; at times, even inspiring. Until you zoom out and take a wider look. Because despite all the noise, genuine environmental awareness in India still feels like a bit of a can talk about climate change, air pollution and the need to save our rivers till you're blue in the face. But the truth is, vast sections of the population haven't even opened the metaphorical pamphlet. The crisis isn't just environmental - it's a communication breakdown, a disconnect between policy and practice, between slogans and understanding, between lip service and lived reality. 'Snow Yard' is one striking illustration of this 'conundrum'. Located just off Kishangarh, a town renowned for its exquisite miniature paintings and known as Asia's largest marble hub, 'Rajasthan's Switzerland' is no Jungfrau. It's a massive dumping ground for marble slurry - a thick, pasty byproduct created when marble is cut and polished. This slurry is a grim cocktail: fine marble dust, water, and often chemicals used during processing. Each year, the marble industry in this region produces nearly 30 mn tonnes of this waste. And much of it ends up right here, dumped in the 2008, Rajasthan allotted a large area to Kishangarh Marble Association (KMA) for slurry dumping. For the first few years, it remained a desolate, chalky wasteland. Craters and pits dotted the surface. During monsoon, these would fill with rainwater, giving the area a strange, otherworldly came the turning point. In 2014, a pre-wedding photoshoot took place on this surreal terrain - and it went viral. The pristine white backdrop, with its rounded contours and snow-like gleam, made for dreamy, cinematic images, for some. People were enchanted. And Snow Yard became an unexpected star. It transformed from an industrial dumping yard into a full-blown 'aesthetic destination', if bloggers are to be soon turned into a magnet for film shoots, music videos, TV serials, influencer reels and destination weddings. KMA started charging fees for access, and local entrepreneurs jumped in. Food stalls and play areas popped up. The dumping ground became an event if you carry a DSLR, you pay ₹500 for a day's visit. A pre-wedding shoot costs ₹5,100 a day. Commercial shoot prices get even higher - ₹21,000 a day is charged for music videos. Nora Fatehi shot 'Chhor Denge' here. Honey Singh and Nushrratt Bharuccha filmed the 'Saiyaan Ji' music video. Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor performed atop the slurry mounds for 'Dus Bahane 2.0' in Baaghi under the gloss lies something toxic. Numerous studies have pointed to the environmental fallout of improper slurry disposal. Water channels have been disrupted, groundwater contaminated, and the air, particularly on dry windy days, turns thick with fine particulate slurry, once airborne, becomes a serious health hazard. Locals - especially workers in the marble industry - are vulnerable. A Central University of Rajasthan study found that 84% of marble workers reported throat problems, and 70% suffered from breathing difficulties. Silicosis, a slow-killing, incurable lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica particles, is rampant. This is not just an eyesore - it's an ongoing public health have been made to reuse slurry waste. For every 10 trucks that arrive at the dumping yard, one reportedly leaves for Morbi in Gujarat with a load of waste. And, yet, Snow Yard continues to thrive. Families come for weekend outings, children play in areas set up just metres from toxic waste, and couples strike cinematic poses - the famous SRK arms-wide-open stance being a crowd favourite. Not a single face mask in sight. Not one official sign warning of health Yard isn't just environmental destruction. It's a celebration of ignorance. A disaster dressed up as social media backdrop. The site sits right under the nose of the administration - unbothered, expanding and silently hazardous - while Instagram reels and wedding blogs hail it as a 'hidden gem'. This charade must a way, Snow Yard perfectly captures the national approach to the environment: spectacle over science, zero accountability. This is where we are - grinning through the haze, camera-ready, as if the apocalypse were just another filter. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. 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Korea Herald
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Korea Herald
Record-high May morning temperatures reported in S. Korea today
Following unusual temperature fluctuations in winter, several regions across South Korea, including the greater Seoul area, experienced potentially record-breaking morning temperatures on Wednesday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. In Seoul, the lowest temperature of the day was recorded at 23 degrees Celsius at around 5:53 a.m. If this figure holds as the day's minimum, it would mark the highest daily low for May since temperature records began in October 1907. The current record stands at 21.8 degrees, set on May 16, 2018. Incheon's temperature for the day did not fall below 20.7 degrees Celsius as of 5:50 a.m., which could also set a new record for the highest daily low in May since daily observations began in August 1907. Cities and counties in Greater Seoul and Gangwon Province, such as Dongducheon (21.1 degrees), Paju (20.1 degrees) and Icheon (20.8 degrees) of Gyeonggi Province, and Wonju (21.8 degrees), Taebaek (19.9 degrees), Hongcheon (19.5 degrees) Cheolwon (19.3 degrees), Inje (18.9 degrees) of Gangwon Province set new records for their hottest May mornings. Southeastern regions of Uljin-gun (23.4 degrees), the island of Ulleungdo (23.3 degrees), and Yeongdeok-gun (22 degrees) in North Gyeongsang Province have also marked their hottest daily lows for May. As these figures represent morning lows, Wednesday's lowest daily temperatures could still drop below them if temperatures fall again at night. An analysis by the KMA announced last month showed that the overall temperature for the winter season was similar to the 10-year average, but the temperature in January fluctuated greatly while February was unusually cold.
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Climate
- Korea Herald
Summer conditions to arrive after rainfall on Tuesday
Followed by Monday's rainfall forecast to extend into Tuesday morning, the Korea Meteorological Administration stated Monday that South Korea will see temperatures hovering close to 30 degrees Celsius from Tuesday afternoon. From late afternoon Monday, rainfall ranging between 10 and 20 millimeters was projected to fall in the Greater Seoul region, which includes Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, and inland parts of Gangwon Province, with rain clouds projected to expand toward the northern parts of North and South Chungcheong provinces and northern sections of North Gyeongsang Province by Monday evening. From Tuesday, temperatures are expected to increase to be similar to summer conditions, due to the influence of warm, southwesterly winds blowing into the peninsula. Most parts of the country will see daytime temperatures reach above 25 C on Tuesday. Southern parts of the country, including cities such as Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province, Jeonju in North Jeolla Province and Daegu, will see hotter temperatures, forecast to reach as high as 32 C. Early morning and nighttime temperatures in the southern region on Tuesday will also be relatively high, with temperatures forecast to range between 14 C and 19 C. According to the KMA, the increase in temperatures is because warm, southwesterly winds will begin to blow into the Korean Peninsula from the south, pushing away cold, northwesterly winds that lingered over the weekend. Warm, summerlike temperatures are to continue throughout the week, as daytime temperatures reaching as high as 29 C are also expected Wednesday. On Wednesday, the Korean Peninsula will be under the influence of a high-pressure system, resulting in mostly clear skies. In southern parts of the country, including Jeju Island, however, small amounts of rain may fall in the morning. On Thursday and Friday and into the weekend, mostly cloudy or sunny skies can be expected, with low temperatures expected to range between 12 C and 19 C in the morning and high temperatures expected to range between 19 C and 27 C.
Korea Herald
13-05-2025
- Climate
- Korea Herald
Summer to be hotter, wetter than last year
Following a spring of extremes — from snow and hail to temperatures about 30 degrees Celsius — summer is expected to be hotter and rainier than usual. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's 3-month outlook, average nationwide temperatures will be higher than in previous years from May to July. The forecast predicts a 50 percent chance that May and July temperatures will be higher than in previous years, with a 40 percent prediction for June. The KMA cited 'elevated sea surface temperatures' as the reason for the high temperatures. As May goes on into June, high sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean will create an anticyclone near the Korean Peninsula, meaning a high pressure system forming, leading to a rise in temperatures. In July, as sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean continue to increase, it will strengthen the high-pressure system above Korea, increasing the likelihood of higher temperatures. 'May is still considered spring, but as the days pass, it is possible for the month to see more summer-like temperatures,' said KMA official Lee Ji-hye. 'From June until August, summer will be just as hot or even hotter than summer last year.' During the summer monsoon season, which began around the end of June and ended around the end of July in 2024, the KMA also anticipates heavier rainfall. 'Since nationwide temperatures continue to rise overall, hot air as well as moisture will continuously linger in the air, which increases the chances of heavy rainfall,' Lee continued. Like summer last year, which featured prolonged tropical nights, record-breaking heat waves and heavy rainfall, the possibility of Korea seeing a combination of extreme summer weather events at the same time is quite high, according to the KMA's estimations. 'Though weather is always subject to change, it is evident that we see unexpected climate changes and weather events every year,' said professor Son Seok-woo from Seoul National University's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences during a weather seminar hosted for the press by the KMA on May 7. 'Even if something completely unexpected happens this year in terms of climate-related disasters, it will not be surprising.'
Korea Herald
08-05-2025
- Climate
- Korea Herald
Heavy rain to pour until Saturday
The Korea Meteorological Administration forecast heavy rain to fall in South Korea from Friday, with precipitation especially heavy on Jeju Island and in areas along the southern coast. According to the KMA, as cold air from the northwest clashes with warm air from the south, heavy rain will begin to fall from the early hours of Friday, focused on the southern region, including North and South Jeolla provinces, South Chungcheong Province, South Gyeongsang Province and Jeju Island. Later Friday morning, rain clouds will expand into the rest of Korea. Due to warm and humid southerly winds, which will directly impact the southern parts of Korea, including Jeju Island, heavy and intense rainfall will be focused on that part of the country. Jeju Island can expect hourly rainfall between 30 and 50 millimeters, while other parts of the southern region can expect hourly rainfall of up to 20 mm. The rain will stop in the southern region late Friday night. Accumulated rainfall on Friday is expected to range from 50 to 100 mm on Jeju Island, while other parts of the southern region may see totals ranging from 10 to 40 mm. Although the rain is expected to stop in the southern region on Friday, the KMA said clouds will linger in the Greater Seoul region, Gangwon Province and North Chungcheong Province on Saturday, bringing intermittent rain showers. Inland parts of North Jeolla Province and some regions in South Chungcheong Province may also see occasional rain on Saturday. Rain is expected to continue in these three regions but not in the southern region on Saturday due to northwesterly cold winds that are expected to intensify a low-pressure system hovering above the area, according to the state weather agency. Between Friday and Saturday, accumulated rainfall is expected to range between 10 and 40 mm in the Greater Seoul region, while Gangwon Province can expect to see a total of between 10 and 50 mm. In addition to heavy rainfall, the KMA forecast strong winds from Friday morning until early Saturday. Eastern parts of Gangwon may see strong winds until Saturday night. A strong wind advisory is expected to be issued for Jeju Island and eastern parts of Gangwon Province from Friday morning until Saturday. Due to the rain and strong winds, the KMA added that average nationwide temperatures will also drop below the historical average from Friday until Sunday. In Seoul, the low temperatures on Friday and Saturday are expected to reach 15 degrees Celsius and 12 C, respectively, while the highs are expected to reach 16 C and 15 C. Higher temperatures are expected Sunday, with an average for the day of 20 C. Warmer-than-average temperatures can be expected from Monday.
