| Solid Waste | Water | Air Pollution | Soil
Forests | Wetlands | Oceans
Urbanisation and Development | Wildlife Trade Solid Waste India generates 200 gm. to 500 gm. of solid waste per capita per day. This is alarming when you consider that it is a mere 25 per cent of the Indian population that resides in urban areas! Some of what you throw away might still be littering the earth 500 years from now. 62.4 per cent of the total waste generated in India is produced by the 23 metro cities alone. A little under 50 per cent is dumped without any treatment. 51 per cent is manually handled, while the rest is disposed using trucks. About 35 per cent of the waste is compostable. Only 5 per cent is actually composted. top Water The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) conducted a study on the problem of declining ground water levels across the country and reported that the overexploitation of ground water resources is widespread throughout the country. Water table levels are sinking at an alarming rate and nine Indian states are now running major water deficits. Surveys have found that water table levels are dropping at the rate of 0.6 to 0.7 metres per year in some parts of Haryana and half a metre per year across large areas of Punjab. India has a national average of 2,464 cubic metres of water per capita per year. A World Bank study warns that six of India's 20 major river basins have less than 1,000 cubic metres per year, with localised shortages endemic in all. 34 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East are classified as water stressed. By 2025, the number of people living in water-stressed countries is projected to climb from 470 million to 3 billion. The vast majority of water stressed populations will be in Africa and South Asia. top Air Pollution Since 1975, the Indian economy has grown 2.5 times while the vehicular pollution load has grown 7.5 times. The deteriorating air quality in India can be attributed to the increase in the number of vehicles and uncontrolled industrial and urban growth. Power plants and toxic fumes from garbage dumps also add to the pollution load. Emission standards that have come into practice as far back as 1992-93 in European countries are only just being adopted in India. Our national standard for suspended particulate matter in residential areas is 2.3 times the 60 micrograms per cubic metre guideline recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The main perpetrator of lead emissions into the air in our cities is leaded petrol. Diesel in India has 50-200 times more sulphur than diesel in Europe. top Soil Soil is an important non-renewable natural resource that is made of mineral and organic matter. It can take up to 10,000 years to build enough soil to create fertile farmland. Misguided agricultural practices such as the use of wrong fertilisers, over-exploitation of water resources and deforestation cause problems such as soil erosion, salinity, waterlogging and depletion of nutrients. Some other causes of soil degradation include flooding, urbanisation, rain and surface run-offs, wind action, fires, acid rain, mining, etc. Bad irrigation techniques could lead to salinisation of soil. Large areas in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka are affected by salinity. Deforestation, a major cause of soil degradation could result in laterisation (hard soil due to accumulation of minerals). It has been estimated that the economic loss due to soil degradation could be in the range of 89 to 232 billion rupees. This implies a loss of about 11 per cent to 26 per cent of our agricultural output. top Forests Forests have a great deal to offer in terms of resources that are imperative to our biologic and economic sustenance. However, these resources are not limitless and we must guard against wasting these. When the first forest policy was put into place in 1854, around 40 per cent of India was blanketed by thick forests. By 1980 we had just 12 per cent of thick forest cover. Since 1947 about 5.3 million hectares of forest area has been exploited for river valley projects, mining, industries, agriculture, townships, industries, roads and other such 'development' activities. Between 1991 and 1993, the northeast alone lost 783 sq. km. of its most unique forest habitats. And in the period between 1987 and 1989 Koraput in Orissa lost over 400 sq. km. of dense forests. The bridge between requirement for wood as fuel and the ability of forests to provide this on a sustainable basis was once as close as 106 million cubic metres and today, the difference is a glaring 207 million cubic metres. top Wetlands The Convention on Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar) defined wetlands as: "areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water whether natural or artificial, permanent, or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres." Natural or artificial marshes, stagnant lakes and ponds, mangroves, swamps, coral reefs and estuarine waters - all form wetlands. These are one of the most productive and naturally endowed systems on earth. These are also some of the most endangered ecosystems. 58.2 million hectares comprise wetlands in India. The mangroves in India have reduced by half in the last 10 years. Further, 70 to 80 per cent of fresh water marshes and lakes in the Gangetic plains have been lost in the last 50 years. Several human activities threaten wetlands - agriculture, provision of irrigation systems, reallocation of land for urban and forest use. Construction of transport systems and pollution from boats, sewage, pesticides, fertilisers and industrial effluents are some of the major problems. India has signed the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the Convention of Biological Diversity. Legislative measures are abundant, but conservation and management programs must now be implemented. top Oceans The sea covers around 70 per cent of the earth's surface. India with a 7,516 km tropical coastline has one of the world's most extravagant and productive ecosystems. Nearly half the country's population lives near the coasts. Reckless construction in major tourism centres like Goa, Mahabalipuram and Kovalam have accelerated coastal erosion. Other major problems that threaten the security of our oceans are industrial pollution, industrial-scale aquaculture, overfishing, reckless port construction, offshore oil drilling operations, sewage pollution from cities, coral bleaching due to global warming, deep water jetties, etc. The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification regulates activities in ecologically fragile coastal habitats. top Urbanisation and Development In the early 1900s one tenth of the world's population were urban dwellers. By 2006, it is estimated that half the world will be living in cities. Cities consume a major portion of the world's resources although they cover only two percent of the earth's surface. Within the period of 1990 and 1995, the population in cities of developing countries grew by 263 million. It has been estimated that some 52,000 people from 36 large Indian cities have been killed due to air pollution. In China, more than 200,000 hectares of arable land disappears every year in the name of development and creating more urban areas. If cities in developing countries continue to grow at present trends, the amount of water needed by households and industries will more than double. City dwellers in western, developed countries generate approximately 100 times more refuse per person than urban dwellers in developing countries. top Wildlife Trade The Indian cheetah and pink-headed duck are gone forever. At least 10 billion dollars worth of resources are exploited from India's natural wealth each year. The international wildlife trade has resulted in around 622 species being pushed towards extinction globally. Between 60 to 80 per cent of all live animals smuggled around the world die in transit. Till the ban on exports in 1990, India used to regularly send out large numbers of birds, the majority of which were parakeets and munias for the pet trade. Around 500 Indian bird species are captured for trade as pets, for food, medicine, sport, ornamental and even religious purposes. The illegal trade in birds extends to Hill Mynahs and parakeets, owls, munias and even crows and vultures. Globally, where approximately 3.5 to 5 million birds are traded annually, the mortality rate is appallingly high - two for every three birds caught; one dies during capture, one during transportation and only one ends up in the cage. Apart from live birds, a flourishing trade exists in feathers. Ironically, our national bird is the most coveted, its iridescent plumes being used in a dozen crafts. A Trade Restrictions on Flora and Fauna in Commerce (TRAFFIC-India) survey for northern India shows that thousands of birds are still regularly being caught, transported and traded both in India and abroad. In India, Uttar Pradesh is the centre of this nefarious trade. top
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