Slow progress: Southern Ridge still encroached after three years of NGT oversight

Challenges persist: Limited headway in reclaiming Southern Ridge despite NGT oversight for three years

The Southern Ridge in Delhi, spanning approximately 6,200 hectares and serving as an extension of the Aravallis, is facing a prolonged challenge of encroachment, with only 21% of the identified encroached forest land cleared after nearly three years of efforts. In 2019, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) established an oversight committee to monitor and accelerate the removal of encroachments in the Ridge.

According to recent meeting minutes of the oversight committee, of the 398.61 hectares initially identified as encroached in south, southeast, and southwest Delhi, only 83.828 hectares have been cleared. This leaves 314.782 hectares still under encroachment. Expressing dissatisfaction with the slow progress, the committee's chairman, the Director General of Forests and Special Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, directed District Magistrates (DMs) and Deputy Conservators of Forests (DCFs) to intensify removal efforts and establish a schedule for the process.

The committee decided that DMs would appoint nodal officers to coordinate with DCFs on encroachment removal. Despite directions from the Minister of Environment and Forest, Government of NCT of Delhi, the chairman clarified that no separate procedure existed for encroachment removal from forest areas. Removal should strictly adhere to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and relevant rules on a case-by-case basis.

Notably, 103 JJ clusters were identified on forest land in the Ridge during a previous committee meeting. The recent minutes emphasized that encroachment removal should not be delayed for rehabilitation purposes, asserting that forest areas must be cleared in accordance with the law.

The NGT, when establishing the committee in January 2021, highlighted the historical and environmental significance of the Ridge, considering it part of the Aravalli hills. Urgent steps were deemed necessary to protect the Ridge, emphasizing the need to finalize notifications under section 20 of the Forest Act for reserved forest areas and implement measures for protection. The NGT reiterated that no non-forest activities were permissible in the Ridge area. The ongoing challenge underscores the importance of concerted efforts to preserve this ecologically significant region and maintain environmental balance. (The Indian Express)

NGT initiate probe into Ennore-Manali oil spill, forms committee for on-site inspection and report

The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has responded to concerns over an oil spill in the Ennore-Manali region, instructing a six-member committee to conduct an on-site inspection on December 11. This move comes in the wake of a suo motu case related to an oil spill in Ernavoor involving Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited.

The committee, comprised of the Environment and Climate Change Department Secretary, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) Chairman, the Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department (Chennai Division), the Director of the Fisheries Department, and the Collectors of Chennai and Tiruvallur, has been tasked with collecting oil film samples from residential areas and presenting a detailed report on the chemicals found by December 12.

The decision follows the discovery of oil traces in Buckingham Canal and the surroundings of CPCL after a video depicting dark oil in Ennore went viral on social media. The TNPCB, during the proceedings, indicated that there was no evidence of intentional oil waste release. However, the Bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, questioned this assertion, pointing to the widespread distribution of oil sludge over a 5 km stretch in the Manali industrial estate and residential areas.

Concerned about the lack of a government-led Expert Committee to investigate the situation, the Bench inquired about steps taken by the Collector and Revenue Department. Additionally, questions were raised about the oil companies' disaster prevention plans, especially considering that information about the spillage reached them only after a 5 km spread.

The matter has been adjourned to December 12. Meanwhile, Forests Minister M. Mathiventhan has expressed on social media that the oil waste from CPCL has entered the sea, causing severe damage to marine resources. He pledged to investigate those responsible for the "manmade calamity" and take appropriate action, particularly in light of the recent natural calamity, Cyclone Michaung. (The Hindu)

NITI Aayog expands water management index to district level data collection

The NITI Aayog has decided to collect data for certain key performance indicators (KPIs) at the district level for the compilation of a unified report on the Composite Water Management Index 6.0 (CWMI), as disclosed in Parliament on Monday. Minister of State for Planning Rao Inderjit Singh, responding in writing to a query in the Rajya Sabha, highlighted that NITI Aayog has been releasing the CWMI since 2018, with two previous editions in June 2018 and August 2019.

The subsequent edition of CWMI, originally scheduled for August 2022, was delayed due to the nationwide Covid-19 situation. Following consultations with relevant ministries and departments, the scope of CWMI was expanded to include district-level data collection for selected KPIs, aiming to enhance data granularity. The decision was made to release a combined report encompassing editions up to CWMI 6.0.

The minister explained that there is a broader initiative to explore additional channels for indexing, beyond relying solely on CWMI. The objective is to make data and its analysis more practically useful in planning, decision-making, policy formulation, or research for both public and private stakeholders involved in the water sector. Input from ministries and departments is being sought in this context.

Addressing another question, Singh pointed out that the average annual water availability in any region or country is significantly influenced by hydro-meteorological and geological factors. In the case of India, per capita water availability is declining primarily due to population growth. The average annual per capita water availability was reported as 1,545 cubic meters in 2011 and 1,486 cubic meters in 2021.

Previously, in 2018 and 2019, NITI Aayog had ranked all states based on the Composite Water Management Index, covering nine broad sectors and 28 different indicators that encompassed aspects such as groundwater, water body restoration, irrigation, farm practices, drinking water, policy, and governance. (The Week)

Bengaluru's climate action plan: A roadmap to sustainability amidst urban challenges

Once renowned as the 'Garden City of India,' Bengaluru has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past 2-3 decades due to rapid urbanization. Despite boasting modern infrastructure and being the hub of India's startup ecosystem, the city faces challenges such as heavy traffic, air pollution, surface flooding, groundwater shortages, and the urban heat island effect. A 2010 study revealed an alarming loss of nearly 80% of vegetative cover and water bodies, resulting in a temperature spike of 2-2.5°C.

As COP28 unfolds with global discussions on emissions reduction, Bengaluru has launched its Bengaluru Climate Action and Resilience Plan (BCAP) through the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the city's main civic administrative body. BCAP aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, addressing the environmental impact of the city's extensive growth. Bengaluru's built footprint nearly doubled between 1990 and 2015, contributing to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

The BCAP sets ambitious targets, intending to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 16% by 2030, 26% by 2040, and 56% by 2050 compared to 2019 levels. Seven key sectors, including Energy and Buildings, Transportation, Solid Waste, Air Quality, Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater, Urban Planning, Greening and Biodiversity, and Disaster Management, will be the focus of climate action.

Collaborating with organizations such as the World Resources Institute, the plan provides specific, research-backed goals. For example, Bengaluru aims for a 100% transition from solid fuels to clean cooking fuels by 2030, powering 90% of vehicles and 75% of buses with cleaner fuels by 2050, achieving 100% waste segregation by 2025, and reducing PM2.5 concentration by 30% by 2026. The BBMP has also launched the #BluGreenUru initiative, urging citizens and organizations to participate in conserving and restoring the city's green spaces and water networks.

While the scientific and goal-oriented approach is promising, there is concern about the 2050 net-zero target, seen by many climate experts as delayed. Accelerating progress in the coming years will be crucial to determining Bengaluru's livability in the next decade. (Business Insider)

Unveiling concerns: Evaluating the impact and challenges of India's Smart Cities Mission

The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) in India, launched in 2015, has raised questions about its overall impact on Indian cities, according to the India Infrastructure Report (IIR) 2023. The report, released by former Vice President and Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, highlights concerns about the SCM's ability to transform cities into "livable and efficient" entities. While acknowledging SCM as a crucial initiative, the report questions its success in making Indian cities smart and efficient.

The SCM, designed to enhance existing city infrastructure in areas such as water supply and mobility, has been pivotal in urban management reform, but its efficacy in achieving the goal of creating livable cities remains uncertain. Authors of the report, Tathagata Chatterji and Chetan Vaidya, note that while SCM aims to emulate advancements in global cities, it has primarily focused on improving existing infrastructure, undertaking projects like park development and cycle paths.

The SCM operates under a special purpose vehicle (SPV) model, forming a company jointly owned by the urban local body and state government. The SCM board, led by high-ranking IAS officers, oversees project selection, sidelining the elected mayoral council—a deviation from the spirit of the 74th Amendment recognizing urban local bodies as autonomous entities.

The report points out that worldwide smart city initiatives involve individual cities setting policy objectives and technical specifications. In contrast, SCM, driven by a union government scheme, results in significant variations in implementation across cities in India.

Critically, the report questions the SCM's lack of a comprehensive framework to measure qualitative changes and highlights issues like the failure of bicycle-sharing schemes due to inadequate planning, integration, and citizen engagement. The effectiveness of the SPV model is also scrutinized, with doubts raised about its ability to raise funds without increasing municipal revenue.

Another aspect discussed in the report is the urban indices introduced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for measuring city performance. Authors Debjani Ghosh and Anna Brittas note that while these indices, such as Swachh Survekshan, are useful, they overlap and could be improved for better comparability. They recommend professional agencies under the National Sample Survey Organisation to collect performance data, emphasizing the need to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.

The report concludes that learning from the SCM's implementation will be essential to address design and policy challenges, ensuring the mission's success in creating smarter and more livable cities in India. (Hindustan Times)