14 minute read
City Image
CITy IMAGe Sailing in SuStainability: World’S largeSt electric cruiSe Ship
YANGTZE RIVER THREE Gorges 1, the world’s largest electric cruise ship developed in China, sets sail for the first time in Yichang, Hubei province. The ship is 100 metres long, 16.3 metres wide, and can accommodate 1300 passengers. It is completely powered by electricity, provided by 7500 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity, which is equivalent to the battery capacity of more than 100 electric cars. It can travel 100 kilometres in a single charge and will account for reduction of 1660 tons of emissions, every year. With an investment of 150 million yuan ($23.5 million), the ship is developed by China Yangtze Power, and sponsored by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Government of China.
Advertisement
Moradabad amongst noisiest cities
NEW DELHI: As per the Annual Frontier’s Report published by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) titled ‘Noise, Blazes and Mismatches’, Moradabad is the second noisiest city in the world, after Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 61 cities have been listed in the report, out of which, five are in India. Moradabad’s noise pollution level was recorded at 114 decibels (db) while Dhaka stood at a worrying 119 db. This is alarmingly higher than the permissible limit of 55 db for residential areas and 70 db for commercial areas.
The Annual Frontier Report talks about emerging threats to the environment, every year. This year’s reports look at three issues it considers to be threatening to the environment- Noise Pollution, Wildfires and Phenological shifts. Along with enumerating the issues, the report also mentions possible methods to mitigate these issues. The report urged that traffic, construction, and security alarms constitute ‘urban soundscapes’ and can cause lasting damage to physical and mental health. The solution to the problem lies with nature. Trees and vegetation absorb noise and create balance in the environment by producing calm and soothing sounds like rustling of leaves. Cities need to increase green cover in the form of public parks and planting more trees.
Telangana to schedule desludging in ULBs
HYDERABAD: In a bid to work towards safeguarding environmental quality, public health, compliance with Swachh Survekshan protocols and in order to achieve Parisubramina Pattanalu of ‘Pattana Pragathi Programme’, the Government of Telangana has announced scheduled desludging across its 142 urban local bodies (ULBs). Telangana has become the first state in the country to notify scheduled desludging of onsite toilets in all its ULBs. Telangana is one of the first states in India to implement Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM) policy. The state government has committed to establish Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants in all ULBs, in accordance with the guidelines of National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (NFSSM) policy launched by the Ministry of Urban Development. The scheduled desludging will include geo-tagging of all the septic tanks of residential and institutional areas, and that of public and community toilets in cities. While ULBs are responsible for paying private desludging operators, the cost is to be borne by households, institutions, and commercial establishments. However, to reduce the financial stress on economically marginalised population, a differential pricing structure with pro-poor tariffs has been listed.
The Administrative Staff College of India is collaborating with the Government of Telangana as a knowledge partner.
Slums in Ahmedabad vulnerable to water-borne diseases: Study
A team of community health professionals including the Health Department of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation conducted disease mapping of water-borne infections in the city. The number of cases recorded from water-borne infections over the span of last 7 years was analysed. The analysis indicated that areas with the highest cluster of population under the age of 6 and slum settlements were most vulnerable. It notes that one of the reasons for higher incidence rate was that eastern and southern zones have higher number of mills and factories that has led to higher informal settlements of slums.
Air pollution, a widespread national problem: CSE
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conducted an analysis of air quality across India during the winter of 202122 (October 15 to February 28). The study found Ghaziabad as the most polluted city and Shillong and Aizawl as the least polluted. Delhi has been reported as the second most polluted city followed by Noida, Faridabad, Greater Noida, and Gurugram. The analysis has been done for the 2021-22 winter air quality tracker initiative of CSE’s Urban Data Analytics Lab. Cities of National Capital Region dominated the list of most polluted cities in India.
Top city initiatives awarded in 7th Smart Cities India Expo
NEW DELHI: The 7th Smart Cities India Expo recently concluded at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. It was held during 23-25 March, 2022. The threeday event saw convergence of multiple stakeholders in urban development and governance. Key themes for this year’s expo were Smart Cities, Smart Transport, Smart Buildings, Smart Water, Smart Energy, Cleantech, and Urban infrastructure.
The award ceremony was held on last day of the event, to recognize the efforts of city leaders in betterment of urban infrastructure using technology and innovation. The awards were given in the categories of Smart Cities India Awards and Fintech India Innovation Awards.
The recipients for some of the Smart Cities Awards 2022 were:
Best Startup Initiatives - Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited for B-Nest (Bhopal Incubation Center)
City Innovation - Ujjain Smart City Limited for Digital Center
Digital City - Kolkata Smart City Limited for Digital Services in New Town Kolkata
Safe City - Dehradun Smart City Limited for DICCC (Dehradun Integrated Command Control Centre)
City of the Year - Ujjain Smart City Limited for MRIDA (Mahakaal Rudrasagar Integrated Development Approach)
Best Fintech Company of the Year - Paytm
Fintech Product of the Year- Airtel Payments Bank
Best Healthcare Initiative - Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation for COVID-19 management
Best Water Management - Solinas Integrity Pvt Ltd for Pipeline Management Project for 24x7 water supply
Governance and Economy - Pimpri Chinchwad Smart City Ltd for Smart Sarathi
Public Private Partnership Initiative - Indore Smart City Development Ltd for She Kunj
Excellence in Pandemic Response - Vodafone Idea Limited.
UP to organise camps to train street vendors in digital transactions
The Department of Urban Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh has decided to organize special camps for street vendors where they will be trained in digital transactions. The department plans to rope in players like Swiggy and Zomato for delivery of food items prepared by the vendors. The aim of the initiative is to introduce cashless mode and payment in the market and to increase the income opportunities for the street vendors. These camps are also set to disburse loan of `20,000 to street vendors under the Pradhanmantri Swanidhi Yojana. The State Urban Development Agency will be responsible for its implementation.
Meghalaya budget gives boost to SDGs
Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma, who is also the Minister of Finance in the Government of Meghalaya, presented the state’s budget for the fiscal year 2022-23. The budget proposed a separate section on funding for sustainable development goals. Out of a total `18,881 crore, the budget has assigned `9,182 crore for work on various SDG indicators. Two major eco-tourism projects at a cost of `1450 crore are already underway. The government is also planning to introduce electric buses and e-buggies at major tourist attractions to enhance the ease of movement and promote low-impact tourism.
Centre releases arctic policy for Centre releases arctic policy for sustainable development sustainable development
NEW DELHI: India is among 13 nations holding Observer status in the Arctic Council, a high-level intergovernmental forum that addresses issues faced by the Arctic government and indigenous people of the region. The Government of India released its Arctic policy titled ‘India and the Arctic: Building a Partnership for Sustainable Development’. The document discusses six pillars: Scaling up India’s scientific research and development, protecting environment and climate, developing economic and human resources, transportation and connectivity, governance and cooperating with international institutions, and capacity building on a national level in the arctic region.
India’s Arctic Policy has gone beyond purely scientific approach. While the primary focus is still scientific, the six pillars address all the aspects of Arctic which are relevant to India. This is expected to make India’s engagement with the Arctic more broad-based with a holistic approach. The implementation of policy will be based on the allocation of requisite resources. The missions under the policy will be realised via an action plan and a governance and review mechanism, which consists of an inter-ministerial Empowered Arctic Policy Group. It states that the implementation will be based on the timelines and prioritisation of activities involving the stakeholders. The policy aims to expand the capacity and awareness of arctic related scientific research in the country by widening the pool of experts in various sectors such as mineral, oil and gas explorations, blue-bio economy and tourism relevant to the area.
The policy focuses on promotion of the following agendas: 1. Building relevant national capacities and competent authorities for science and exploration, climate and environmental protection, and maritime and economic cooperation with the arctic region. 2. Inter-ministerial cooperation and coordination in pursuing Arctic interests of India. 3. Increase the emphasis on information distribution to the public regarding the impact of climate change in Arctic region on climate, economy and energy security of India to enhance public awareness. 4. Providing better analysis, prediction and coordinated policymaking on the direct implications of ice melting in
Arctic on India’s economy, military and strategic interests related to energy security, global shipping routes, and exploitation of mineral wealth. 5. Analysing any linkages between the Himalayas and polar regions. 6. Deepening cooperation between countries of Arctic region and India through various Arctic forums. 7. Increase India’s participation in the Arctic Council and improve understanding of the complex governance structures in the
Arctic, relevant international laws, and geopolitics of the region. The policy document is available on the website of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
A release by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India said that ‘Implementing India’s Arctic Policy’ will help in defining timelines, prioritising activities and allocating requisite resources to relevant authorities. The nodal institution for India’s Polar research is National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa, an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The Arctic Policy is the first step towards developing a whole-ofgovernment approach on India’s engagement in the region. The economic agenda of the policy is to help Indian industries in establishing a foothold in the region, and have access to clean and sustainable technologies. The development of indigenous capacities in the region will help in greater and multi-faceted cooperation.
NeWSCAN Mumbai becomes first Indian city to unveil Climate Action Plan
MUMBAI: In an effort to help India reach its goal of ‘Net Zero’, Mumbai has become the first city in India to release its Climate Action Plan (CAP). The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) released the first-ever CAP, which aims to build a climate-resilient city and achieve the mission of netzero by 2050. The plan is drafted by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, with support from World Resource Institute (WRI), India engaged as the knowledge partner.
Highlights
The 240-page MCAP document is the first plan to set short, medium, and long term climate goals. It aims to achieve the net zero emission by 2050, which is two decades ahead of the Government of India’s deadline of 2070. The plan is based on three baseline assessments namely, “The Climate and Air Pollution Risks and Vulnerability Assessment”, The Green House Gas inventory to identify major sources of emissions, and an inventory of natural green cover in the city.
The plan will focus on six thematic action areas such as decentralised waste management, increased green cover of the city, urban flooding and water management, low carbon electricity and climate-resilient infrastructure, air quality, and zero-emission public transport. With an aim to increase contribution of renewable energy in the city’s energy supply to 50 per cent by 2030 and 90 per cent by 2050, the plan aims to ensure that the electricity used by BMC and other municipal agencies is from renewable sources.
Key Features
The MCAP is a data-based policy document which adopts the evidencebased planning approach to mobilise the resources and shift from planning to implementation of strategic projects. The plan is in line with the Mumbai Development Plan 2034, and leverages existing institutional capital to reinforce Mumbai’s climate goals. It focuses on investment towards an inclusive and transformative climate solutions, as well as transparent and coordinated governance for a targetbased approach.
The plan has been prepared with participation from various subject experts, research organisations, citizen forums, international development agencies and municipal service providers. It makes Mumbai the first city in India and South Asia to have a climate action plan, and set the deadline two decades prior to the country’s deadline to become net-zero, i.e. 2070. According to Mumbai CAP, rooftop solar installations in the city can produce up to 1724 Megawatt of power, which is enough to meet half of the city’s power demand. Currently, solar installations comprise just 0.70 per cent of the total power demand of Mumbai. The plan highlights that residential buildings have the highest potential for generation of rooftop solar power amounting to expected 1300 MW of capacity. The plan listed Andheri West and Borivali as the places with highest solar potential.
I S Chahal, Commissioner, BMC, said at the launch that currently the civic body is working on infrastructure projects worth `40,000 crores to make Mumbai climate resilient. He mentioned signal-free Mumbai Coastal Road, sewage treatment plants to recycle waste water, desalination plants, and the recently inaugurated Goregaon Mulund Link Road.
Aditya Thackeray, Minister of Environment, Tourism and Protocol, Government of Maharashtra said, “In order to plan a detailed climate action, we needed a directive principal, and Mumbai CAP enlists management in all sectors. It will likely be the most important document in the coming two decades.”
NeWSCAN 63 Indian cities in 100 most polluted places: Report
Bhiwadi, Rajasthan found the most polluted city on Earth, Delhi is the most polluted capital
NEW DELHI: New Delhi has once again been found to be the most polluted capital city in the world, for fourth time in a row, according to the World Air Quality Report by IQAir, a Swiss organisation. Delhi is followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh), N’Djamena (Chad), Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and Muscat (Oman). The report also found that Bhiwadi, Rajasthan is the most polluted city of the world. In the top 100 list of most polluted cities, 63 Indian cities are included.
The average air pollution, measured as the level of lethal and microscopic Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 pollutant, is found 58.1 micrograms per cubic meter in India, which is more than 10 times the air quality guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO). India was found to be the fifth most polluted country in the world along with Bangladesh, Chad, Pakistan and Tajikistan. The report said that India was home to 11 of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia in 2021. Delhi saw a 14.6 per cent increase in the levels of PM 2.5 in 2021 from 84 micrograms per cubic meter to 96 micrograms per cubic meter. It also added that 48 per cent of the Indian cities exceeded 50 micrograms per cubic meter level which is more than 10 times the WHO recommended level.
The report also makes a special mention about the smoke from crop burning after the rice harvest. It is responsible for almost 45 per cent of the pollution in Delhi, especially in the winter months. The cleanest air measured in India is in Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu, which is three times WHO’s safe levels. The report added that the average PM 2.5 levels has reached the pre pandemic level measured in 2019 “ending a three-year trend of improving air quality”. It also stated that major sources of pollution in India are vehicular emissions, power generation, industrial waste, biomass combustion for cooking, construction sector, etc. As per the report, China is doing better in terms of pollution as its air quality improved in 2021.
The report also found that just three per cent of cities and no single country has met the criteria as per the latest WHO air quality guidelines. It analysed the air quality in terms of PM 2.5 concentration from air monitoring stations of 6475 cities in 117 countries, regions and territories. PM 2.5 levels are considered and accepted as the most harmful and widely monitored air pollutant, which worsens diseases such as Asthma, and leads to millions of premature deaths every year, the report added.
Frank Hamnes, Chief Executive Officer, IQAir, said that it is a shocking fact that no major city or country is providing safe and healthy air to its citizens. “The report underscores how much work is needed to be done to ensure safe, clean and healthy air for everyone. The time for action is now,” he added.
Top 15 list of most polluted cities in World
Global Rank City Country PM 2.5 level
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Bhiwadi India 106.2 Ghaziabad India 102 Hotan China 101.5 Delhi India 96.4 Jaunpur India 95.3 Faisalabad Pakistan 94.2 Noida India 91.4 Bhawalpur Pakistan 91 Peshawar Pakistan 89.6 Bagpat India 89.1 Hisar India 89 Faridabad India 88.9 Greater Noida India 87.5 Rohtak India 86.9 Lahore Pakistan 86.5
