Major Environmental Concerns : State of our environment

Transcription

1 Major Environmenta Concerns : State of our environment 8. A country s environmenta probems vary with its stage of deveopment, structure of its economy, production technoogies in use and its environmenta poicies. Whie some probems may be associated with the ack of economic deveopment (e.g. inadequate sanitation and cean drinking water), others are exacerbated by the growth of economic activity (e.g. air and water poution). Poverty presents specia probems for a densey popuated country with imited resources. Land/Soi Degradation 9. Most of the and area in the country show evidence of degradation, thus affecting the productive resource base of the economy. Out of the tota geographica areas of 329 miion hectares, 175 miion hectares are considered degraded (Tabe 11.1). 10. Erosion by water and wind is the most significant contributor to soi erosion with other factors ike water ogging, saination etc. adding to the in situ degradation. Whie soi erosion by rain and river in hi areas causes andsides and foods, deforestation, overgrazing, traditiona agricutura practices, mining and incorrect siting of deveopment projects in forest areas have resuted in opening up of these areas to heavy soi erosion. In the arid west, wind erosion TABLE 11.1 Soi Erosion and Land Degradation (Miion Hectares) 1. Tota Geographica Area Area Subject to Water and Wind Erosion Area Degraded through Specia Probems 3. Water Logged Area Akai Soi Acid Soi Saine Soi incuding Coasta Sandy areas Ravines & Guies Area subject to Shifting Cutivation Riverine & Torrents 2.7 Tota 3 to Source : State of Environment, 1995 MOEF causes expansion of desert, dust storms, whirwinds and destruction of crops; whie moving sand covers the and and make it sterie. In the pains, riverine erosion due to foods and eutrophication due to agricutura run off are noticed. Increased dependence on intensive agricuture and irrigation aso resuts in saination, akaization and water ogging in irrigated areas of the country. 11. Controing such and/soi degradation is a sine qua non to achieving and maintaining food security, sustainabe forestry, agricutura and rura deveopments. The Government strategy towards preventing and degradation incude treatment of catchment areas, comprehensive watershed deveopment, emphasis on ow cost vegetative measures, survey and investigation of probem areas through remote sensing techniques, bio-mass production in recaimed and, micro eve panning and transfer of technoogy. Deforestation 12. Forests are a renewabe resource and contribute substantiay to the economic deveopment by providing goods and services to forest dweers, peope at arge and forest based industries, besides generating substantia voume of empoyment. Forests aso pay a vita roe in enhancing the quaity of environment by infuencing the ecoogica baance and ife support system (checking soi erosion, maintaining soi fertiity, conserving water, reguating water cyce and foods, baancing carbon dioxide and oxygen content in atmosphere etc.). 13. The country has a very diverse forest vegetation ranging from the moist evergreen forests in the North-East, aong the West Coast and the Andaman & Nicobar Isands to the temperate and apine vegetation in the Himaayas. However, this forest weath is dwinding due to overgrazing, over expoitation, encroachments, unsustainabe practices, forest fire and indiscriminate siting of deveopment projects in the forest areas. Withdrawa of forest products, incuding fue wood, timber etc. are much beyond the carrying capacity of our forests. The current annua withdrawa of fue wood is estimated at 235 miion cubic meters against a sustainabe capacity of about 48 miion cubic meters. The annua demand for industria wood is about 28 miion cubic meters against the production capacity of 12 miion cubic meters.

2 The area affected by forest fire range from 33 percent in West Benga to 99 percent in Manipur. 14. Presenty, the recorded forest area is miion hectare which works out to 23.3 per cent of the tota geographica area and actua forest cover is 63.3 miion hectare, which constitutes ony 19.3 per cent of the tota and area, as against the Nationa Forest Poicy 1988 stipuation of a target of 33 per cent. Even within this recorded area, ony 36.7 miion hectare, or ony 11.2 per cent of country s tota and area, comprises dense forest with a crown density of more than 40 per cent, thus refecting a quaitative decine of forests in the country (Tabe 11.2). 15. The tota forest area diverted for nonforestry purposes between 1950 and 1980 was 4.5 miion hectare i.e. at an annua rate of 0.15 miion hectare. To reguate unabated diversion of forest and for non forestry purposes, Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 was enacted. It has resuted in reduction of diversion of forest area for non forestry purposes consideraby and the present rate of diversion is 16,000 hectare annuay. The forest area in the recent past has not changed much because its diversion for non forestry purposes has been more or ess compensated by afforestation and natura regeneration programmes of the Government. TABLE 11.2 Forest Cover Estimates % of area under Period Tota Forest % of Dense Open Cover geographic Forest Forest (Miion hectare) area Forest cover is the sum of dense forest pus open forest, pus mangroves forest (not shown) Source : State of Forest Reports, FSI, MOEF. Bio-diversity 16. The Country s unique phytogeographica and agro-ecoogica diversity endows it with a wide variety of agro cimatic zones that harbor a rich repository of bioogica resources. With ony 2.4 per cent of the tota and area of the word, the known bio-diversity of India contributes 8 per cent of the known goba bioogica diversity. It is one of the tweve mega bio-diversity centers in the word. Currenty avaiabe data pace India in the tenth position in the word and fourth in the Asia in pant diversity. In terms of number of mammaian species, the country ranks tenth in the word and in terms of the endemic species of higher vertebrates, it ranks eeventh. It stands seventh in the word for the number of species contributed to agricuture and anima husbandry. 17. From about 70 percent of the geographica area surveyed so far, 46,000 pant species and 81,000 anima species have been recorded by the Botanica Survey of India (BSI) and the Zooogica Survey of India (ZSI), respectivey. These ife forms, besides their ecoogica and intrinsic vaue, represent a considerabe socioeconomic and monetary asset vaue as these are actuay and potentiay important for deveopments in the fieds of food, medicine, texties, energy, recreation and tourism. The areas yet to be surveyed incude the inaccessibe Himaayan areas, Andaman & Nicobar Isands and Excusive Economic Zone, which are expected to be rich repositories of endemic and other species. 18. The biodiversity in forests, grassands, wetands and mountains, deserts and marine ecosystems is subject to many pressures. One of the major causes of the oss of bioogica diversity has been the depetion of vegetative cover in order to expand agricuture. Since most of the biodiversity rich forests aso contain the maximum minera weath, and aso the best sites for water impoundment, mining and deveopment projects in such areas have often ed to destruction of habitats. Poaching and iega trade of widife products too, have adversey affected biodiversity. 19. Such over-expoitation and oss of habitat is eading to the extinction of various pants, animas and microbia species. According to estimates, over 1500 pant species are endangered and about 79 mammas, 44 birds, 15 repties, 3 amphibians and severa insects are isted as endangered. Such a bioogica impoverishment of the country is a serious threat to sustainabe advances in bioogica productivity as gene erosion aso erodes the prospects for deriving fu economic and ecoogica benefits from recent advances in moecuar bioogy and genetic engineering.

3 20. The oss of biodiversity is being addressed, besides their appropriate mapping and surveys, through a network of protected areas consisting of 85 Nationa Parks, 448 widife sanctuaries, 10 Biosphere reserves and specific programmes for management and conservation of fragie ecosystems. Approximatey, 4.2 percent of the tota geographica area of the country has been so earmarked for extensive in situ conservation of habitats and ecosystems. Besides, ex situ conservation is aso being undertaken through a network of 70 botanic gardens and 275 centres of widife preservation in the form of zoos, deer parks, safari parks, aquaria etc. Atmospheric Poution 21. Air poution is widespread in the country and reguar monitoring is being carried out under the Nationa Ambient Air Quaity monitoring System. A high eve of Suspended Particuate Matter (SPM) is the most prevaent form of air poution (Tabe 11.3). High concentration of Suphur Dioxide (SO 2 ) and SPM occur in about 20 percent of the cities so monitored. High domestic use of coa or bio-mass fue is sti a serious probem in high human exposure to SO 2, SPM and carcinogenic agents. 22. The main factors contributing to urban air quaity deterioration are growing industriaization and increasing vehicuar poution. It has been aggravated by deveopments that typicay occur as countries industriaize: growing cities, increasing traffic, rapid economic deveopment and industria growth, a of which are cosey associated with higher energy consumption. Industria poution is concentrated in industries ike petroeum refineries, texties, pup and paper, industria chemicas, iron and stee and non metaic minera products. Sma scae industries especiay foundries, chemica manufacturing and brick making are aso significant pouters. In the power sector, therma power which constitutes buk of the instaed capacity for eectricity generation, is an important source of air poution. Various environmenta poution contro measures adopted by the Government are isted in Box Vehicuar traffic is the most important source of poution in a the mega cities. The number of vehices in these cities has increased manifod. This increase has been characterized by a boom in private transport. Other reasons for high vehicuar poution are two stroke engines, aged vehices, congested traffic, poor roads and outdated automotive technoogies and traffic management system. It is estimated that two/ three wheeers constitute about 75 percent of the tota vehices and cause more than 50 percent of the tota vehicuar poution oad. 24. Studies by Centra Poution Contro Board (CPCB), on the ambient noise eves show that noise eves in most of the big cities exceed the prescribed standards (Tabe 11.4). The major sources of noise are vehices, diese generator sets, oud speakers, construction activities and bursting of fire crackers. An attempt is being made to contro the noise poution by notifying the standards and monitor their compiance through oca authorities. 25. The toxic nature of air poutants and their high concentrations in many industriaized regions are posing serious concerns both in terms of human heath and damage to man TABLE 11.3 Leve of Air Poution in the Metro Cities Name of the Leves of Air Poution (micrograms/m 3 ) Metro city SO 2 No x SPM 1. Ahmedabad Bhopa Cacutta Chennai Coimbatore Dehi Hyderabad Indore Jaipur Kanpur Kochi Lucknow Mumbai Nagpur Patna Pune Surat Varanasi Visakhapatnam NAAQ/Standards NAAQ : Nationa Ambient Air Quaity standards. Source : Centra Poution Contro Board

4 BOX 11.1 Major Environmenta Poution Contro Activities Poicy initiatives to improve environment ike the Nationa Conservation Strategy and Poicy Statement for Environment & Deveopment, 1992, Poicy Statement for Abatement of Poution, 1992 and Nationa Forest Poicy, Notification and impementation of emission and effuent standards for air, water and noise eves. Standards are formuated by a mutidiscipinary group keeping in view the internationa standards, existing technoogies and impact on heath and environment. Identification and Action Pans for 17 categories of major pouting industries. Identification of 24 criticay pouted areas for poution abatement and improving environment. Use of beneficiated coa with an ash content not exceeding 34% irrespective of their distance from pit head. Action Pans for 141 pouted river stretches to improve quaity of river water. For controing vehicuar poution, progressive emission norms at the manufacturing stage have been notified, ceaner fues ike uneaded petro, ow suphur diese and compressed natura gas (CNG) introduced. Identification of cean technoogies for arge industries and cean technoogies/processes for sma scae industries. Setting up of Common Effuent Treatment Pants (CETPs) for custers of SSI units. Impementation of an Eco-mark scheme to encourage production/consumption of environment - friendy products. Preparation of a Zoning Atas, indicating status of the environment at district eves to guide environmentay sound ocation/siting of industries. Mandatory submission of annua Environmenta Statement which coud be extended into environmenta audit. Initiation of environmenta epidemioogica studies in seven criticay pouted areas to study the impact of environment on heath. Setting up of authorities ike the Environment Poution (Prevention & Contro) Authority for the Nationa Capita Region for protecting and improving the quaity of environment and preventing, controing and abating environmenta poution. Provision of fisca incentives for instaation of Poution contro equipment and aso for shifting of industries from congested areas.

5 TABLE 11.4 Ambient Noise eves in Cities (A vaues expressed in decibes) Cities Residentia Commercia Sensitive Industria Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night 1. Bhopa Bangaore Cacutta Chennai Dehi Dehradun Hyderabad Jaipur Kanpur Kochi Lucknow Mumbai Varansi Vizag Prescribed Standards * * Ambient noise standards prescribed by CPCB. Source : Centra Poution Contro Board made structures and to country s ecoogy in genera. Heath effects associated with different types of air poution are given in Tabe Water Poution 26. According to an anaysis of water quaity over 12 years ( ) by CPCB, the Biochemica Oxygen Demand (BOD) vaues, in a sampe of 4500 observations, beow 3mg/ were above 60 percent during 1986 to 1991, the vaues graduay decined down to 54 percent in but rose to 58 percent in This indicates that the water quaity which had gone down during , improved during Simiary, there was a gradua increase in number of observations having BOD more than 6mg/ from 7 percent in 1989 to 16 percent in However, there is no significant change in the number of observations beonging to BOD range between 3 and 6 mg/. The water quaity monitoring resuts indicate that organic and bacteria poution continue to be pre-dominant source of poution in our aquatic resources. A arge part of municipa sewage is aowed to fow in untreated form to nearby receiving water bodies, thereby reducing dissoved oxygen required for supporting aquatic ife, increasing the poution oad in terms of BOD and Cause Lead TABLE 11.5 Heath effects associated with different types of air poution. Particuate Matter Carbon Monoxide Effects due to proonged exposure Affects circuatory, reproductive, nervous and rena systems; suspected of owering earning abiity in chidren; hazardous even after exposure ends. Fine partices may cause ung cancer; a strong correation exists between suspended particuate and infant mortaity in urban areas. Affects foeta growth in pregnant women and tissue deveopment of young chidren; impairs perception and thinking, sows refexes and causes drowsiness, can cause unconsciousness and death. Suphur Dioxide Exacerbates asthma, bronchitis and emphysema; causes coughing and impairs ung function. Toxic Substances Suspected of causing cancer, reproductive probems and birth defects; benzene is a known carcinogen Source : Asia-Pacific Environmenta Outook, UNEP, 1997

6 exponentia increase in number of coiform bacteria, an indicator of presence of disease causing organism in water. 27. The ranges of water quaity parameters with respect to organic and bacteria poution as observed in 1997 indicate that out of 4531 observations taken on BOD, about 65 percent were having BOD ess than 3mg/, 21 percent 3-6 mg/ and 14 percent more than 6 mg/. Among most of the observations taken on BOD having vaues ess than 3mg/, Keraa stands first and Maharashtra tops in BOD vaues exceeding 6mg/. The maximum number of feca coiform bacteria vaues were found in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tami Nadu and Assam. Gujarat tops in chemica poution foowed by Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tami Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. 28. The major sources of water poution are discharge of domestic sewage and industria effuents which contain organic poutants, chemicas and heavy metas and run-off from and based activities such as agricuture and mining. The major water pouting industries incude fertiizers, refineries, pup & paper, eather, meta pating and other chemica industries. Besides, non-point sources such as fertiizers and pesticides run-offs in rura areas are emerging as major cause of concern. 29. The rising industria and domestic wastes have resuted in heavy stress of poution of water bodies such as akes, rivers, coasta areas and underground sources. A 1994 survey of groundwater quaity at 138 samping ocations in 22 industriaized zones indicated that water was unfit for drinking due to high bacterioogica and heavy meta contamination. As per data generated by CPCB, mean B.O.D vaues have shown a margina increase in a the 28 major rivers between Minimum and maximum coiform vaues have shown many fod increase over the same period indicating severe poution. 30. Faciities to treat waste water are woefuy inadequate. In cass I cities, ony 5 percent of the tota wastewater is coected of which ony 25 percent is treated. More than haf of the cities have no sewage. Access to safe drinking water, thus remains an urgent need ; 85 per cent of the popuation in the urban areas and 79 percent in rura areas have access to safe drinking water (Tabe 11.6). The diseases commony caused due to contaminated water are diarrhoea, trachoma, intestina worms, hepatitis etc. Recent TABLE 11.6 Popuation Covered with Drinking Water and Sanitation Faciities Percentage Coverage Drinking Water Sanitation Faciities Urban Rura Tota Urban Rura Tota India Bangadesh China Pakistan Phiippines Indonesia Sri Lanka Nepa Source : Word Resources , p. 251, UNDP, UNEP and Word Bank. data show that about 21 per cent of a communicabe diseases in India (11.5 percent of a diseases) are water borne diseases. Soid Wastes 31. Unreguated growth of urban areas without necessary infra-structura services and proper coection, transportation, treatment and disposa of soid wastes have resuted in increased poution and heath hazard from these wastes. Urban Municipa Wastes (MSW) is a heterogeneous mixture of paper, pastic, coth, meta, gass, organic matter etc. generated from househods, commercia estabishments and markets. Based on surveys carried out, the urban MSW generated in 1997 is estimated at 48 miion tonnes. 32. Athough our current per capita waste generation is very ow as compared to advanced countries, the actua quantum of waste is arge owing to the enormous size of our popuation. Pastics wastes aone has increased tremendousy over the ast few years. The mode of waste disposa predominanty remains through and fiing, which is a conventiona but unhygienic method. Aternative modes ike composting and other scientific approaches are sparsey used. An inadequate coection/disposa of such wastes poutes and degrades and and water resources, besides being a heath hazard. 33. Fyash, phospho-gypsum and iron & stee sags are the main forms of industria soid wastes generated in India. It is estimated that miion tonnes of fyash is generated annuay by the therma power pants of which ony 2-3

7 percent is currenty being utiised. Besides, around 5 miion tonnes of hazardous wastes is generated annuay with very itte infrastructure for proper disposa of these wastes. Coasta and Marine Poution 34. The coasta areas of India, with a coast ine of over 7500 km. harbour a variety of speciaized marine ecosystems ike mangroves, cora reefs, sat akes and mud fats which mainy form the habitat for endangered marine species and commerciay important marine fora and fauna. These coasta areas are exposed to environmenta stress for severa reasons which incude the foowing : Land based sources of poution resuting from ship breaking, transport, tourism and industria activities incuding oi spis, the discharge of sewage and industria effuents and a heavy oad of sediments. Prawn cuture activities and aqua cuture farms aong the coasta and on the East Coast. Unpanned and improper deveopment activities without appropriate coasta zone management pans. Shipping and sea based activities incuding oi spis, sudge disposa and mining in coasta areas. Offshore petroeum and gas exporation. 35. A number of chemicas, petro chemica and other industries in the coasta areas have resuted in significant discharge of industria effuents into the coasta water bodies. Heavy meta such as ead and cadmium were found in Thane creek of Mumbai coast. The Cochin region of Keraa coast has been found affected by petroeum hydrocarbons. Cora reefs, which are very productive marine eco-system are adversey affected by their indiscriminate expoitation for production of ime, recreationa use and ornamenta trade. An area of 6700 sq. km. under mangroves is under biotic pressure due to fishing, and use changes in and-sea interface and poution of water. The country s unique wetands covering an area of 1.45 miion hectares are facing probems of weed infestation, sitation, pressure of agricuture & encroachment, chemica and organic poution, conversion to industria sites, urbanisation and habitation. Out of the 85 wetands of internationa importance in the country, 45 percent are subject to moderate or high threat. 36. An important impact of cimate change and goba warming may be the rise in sea eve. The primary effect of sea eve rise wi be increased coasta fooding, erosion, storm surges and wave activity. Primary studies on the impact of one meter sea eve rise on the Indian coastine indicate that 0.41 per cent of India s coasta area wi be inundated (Tabe 11.7). TABLE 11.7 Land Area and Popuation Affected in India by one Meter Sea Leve Rise State % of State % of the State area inundated popuation affected Goa Tami Nadu Orissa West Benga Andhra Pradesh Gujarat Maharashtra Andman & Nicobar Isands 0.72 NA Karnataka Tota Source : State of Environment, 1995, MOEF