:: Delhi Greens ::

Akanksha Gulia (second from right) as part of the Delhi Greens' DYSoC Team at NMML

Youth today are the agents of change and I am fortunate and excited to belong to same enthusiastic age group! Life is a precious gift, so everyone can and should contribute their part to make this world a better place to live in, in every way that one can. This is our world and our people so lets join hands and work for a better tomorrow. That’s my vision and I want to be part of facilitating this transformation. And that is what led me to apply for, pursue and become the International Climate Champion 2010, as part of a British Council Programme.

First of all, I would like to thank the entire Delhi Greens team and specially Govind Sir for his continuous support and guidance. My association with Delhi Greens was my first countable step towards environment which brought me closer to environment and helped me understand its intricacies in a better way. Working as a writer with the organization and reporting on various aspects of environment was quite a close call, experiencing the ignored environment and its implications on people.

To share more about my role as the International Climate Champion, my project is about spreading awareness in Government aided schools through plays, nature walks, films, games and workshops conducted to bridge the gap between school students and Mother Nature. The second phase includes installation of paper recycling plants in these schools which will be operated by students themselves, under the supervision of their teachers. The outcome of the project on paper recycling and its ultimate success will be in saving large number of trees and reducing the carbon footprint at the school level. The participating students will indeed emerge as better and more aware citizens of tomorrow. “Every small effort counts”.

The exigency of the current scenario calls for immediate action. We need to bring collective wisdom and ideas to imagine a new future. As Albert Einstein once said, “The world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same level of thinking that created the situation.” The unprecedented and unmatched growth and development that we are experiencing today demands an equally radical and proactive response for biodiversity and environment. We need to draft a wide range of visionary plans, policies and practices around a new social paradigm to work ahead and save our biodiversity and valuable resources.

Editor’s Note: Set to start on July 13, 2010 the International Climate Champions training programme by the British Council in India will be a week long affair and will bring together young enthusiastic climate champions from across the country and will empower them to work against the adverse impacts of climate change. Shortlisted through a nation wide selection procedure, these committed young fighters are very serious about bringing a green change. Delhi Greens congratulates one of our own, Akanksha Gulia and all the other Climate Champions for coming forward to be the change and make the difference. We wish you all the best!

Also Read:

• 48°C – My Close Call With People
• Applications Invited for British Council International Climate Champion

India was voted as the most environmental friendly and green country in the world by none other than National Geographic. Five seconds later, I smell leaves burning down my lane.

Since 2008, National Geographic has been carrying out annual surveys to measure Greendex: sustainable consumer behavior across the world. This year, the online survey was carried out in collaboration with Globescan-Global Public Opinion and Stake holder research, where 1000 people in each of the 17 countries were surveyed and asked about their consumption pattern in the following 4 areas:

The end result:

• India was ranked 1^st overall for the 2^nd time in environmental friendly behaviour.
• It was found that 42% of Indians were less likely to have home heating and hot running water. The less energy you waste in heating your house and water, the more environmental friendly you are.
• 49% of the Indians that gave the survey neither rent, own nor lease cars or trucks while 67% proffered motorcycles or scooters and at least 81 % use public transportation once a month. The smaller and the lesser the number of vehicles on the road, the less CO2 you produce.
• When it comes to goods like televisions, refrigerators etc, India ranks at top as Indian consumers prefer to buy used rather than new (42%) and to repair rather than to replace (68%). They also increasingly buy products that are environmentally friendly  (60%).
• 35% of the Indians eat self grown food several times a week if not daily. The less food you import, the less fuel you waste in importing it and hence the more environmental friendly you are. Also, consumers in India rarely consume meat, including chicken (24%), fish & seafood (21%) and beef (13%). The longer the food chain, the more sustainable it is.
• Indians are also becoming increasingly concerned about environmental problems in general (76%). More Indians feel guilty about their impact on the environment (58%). In particular, they are more likely than most to worry about climate change or global warming (83%), fresh water shortage (85%), and loss of species and habitat (70%).

Knock Knock!! Are we helping the protection of the environment by chance or by choice?

Do you forget the fact that we face the sun’s torturous rays almost throughout the year? When we say that we Indians are less likely to install a home water heating system we forget to mention the fact that we hardly need it!

After all, we are a young nation robbed by the Britishers. Sixty years after independence, 42% of India falls below the international poverty line (World Bank, 2005). If  49% of us Indians do not own, rent or lease cars and trucks then it is not because we love the environment so much, but because we simply cannot afford these expenses. Don’t we prefer to repair our damaged television or buy a second hand fridge instead of a new one so that we can save money? Environment conservation. Really? India has always been an agrarian country not to mention a religious one too. I don’t think a typical Indian family would consume less beef to save the environment. Hindus don’t eat beef! The gates of heaven shut down for you if you do!

I do not intend to show how stingy we Indians are. It is true that we Indians do our best in every possible way to cause as less damage to the environment as possible. What I am trying to say is that the questions involved in this survey cannot determine the level of concern we have for our environment. India earn its position not because it is environmental friendly but because of the fact that being eco-friendly has been a way of life for us ever since the beginning of our civilization. So the big question is

Do you think the questions asked in this survey are appropriate for a country like India? or Should we just celebrate that we came first in a survey?…(without even working hard for it)

It seems that the fruits of cost cutting by millions in India has been rewarded after all, even if it does nothing to lower down the prices of  the goods we most commonly use.

This post has been submitted by our SOIP candidate Saloni Tandon.

“Solar energy is the energy source which is there forever and at no cost. I don’t understand why we look for anything else for energizing the world”, proclaimed Mr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, CEO of TRA International Ltd. while announcing the upcoming Solar Training program to be held in Delhi for two days. TRA International Ltd. works to advocate the idea that ‘investment in training for the right audience with the right content and delivery mechanism can be one of the single most significant factor in the success of Solar Technology adoption’.

Supporting the initiative, Delhi Greens organisation has come on board as the event outreach partner. Talking about the collaboration, Govind Singh, Founder-Director of Delhi Greens said, ”An energy policy based on decentralization is the only efficient way forward for ensuring rural electirification in the country.  With careful planning and incentivzation, it can also help remove our major industries off the grid through the setting up of local solar plants”

The training is the third in a series of workshops the organisation has conducted this year. The first two similar workshops were conducted in February and March consecutively. Starting on July 15, 2010 at India Habitat Centre, Day 1 of the workshop will highlight important lessons like Fundamentals of PV, Thermal, designing of PV systems (standalone and Grid Interactive), guidelines (using Sol metric SunEye and related s/w), how to run a Solar Business Successfully, solar Shade Analysis and Selection. The second day will cover topics like components of a Techno Commercial Proposal for SPV plant, components of DPR for Solar Thermal Power Generation Project, introduction to RET Screen S/w and many more.

TRA International is a solar energy consulting firm that provides consultancy services, training and product services. In today’s fast growing renewable energy sector, the organisation has been recognised as one of the best group that has been successfully providing cutting-edge solar intelligence and analysis to some of the most highly regarded companies in India.

Details of the workshop:

Max intake: 20 persons
Location: India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
Date: July 15-16, 2010
Course Fee: For 1st Day – Rs. 7,500/-; For 2nd Day – Rs. 8,500/-; For Both Days – Rs. 14,750/- per person (plus 10.3% service tax)

Trainers:

1. Pankaj Chaturvedi, CEO TRA International Ltd
2. Dr. Janardan Prasad Kesari, Dy Director & Associate Professor of Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Combating Climate Change

To apply: Send email to impuri@delhigreens.org (or call 9540491079) and avail 5% discount on the Training fee.

For further information, contact:

Impuri Shimrary
impuri@delhigreens.org
Mob: 9540491079

The recent announcement at the inaugural Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2010 in Singapore crowning New Delhi among the top four global cities on the one hand and the burns of the construction work as well as ad hoc planning for the Commonwealth Games that the city is grilling under on the other makes a perfect base to study and understand the city’s relation to its physical, biological and social environment. And with the monsoon around the corner, what better way to do explore the urban ecology than through the Monsoon bioscope.

And why not! After all, the Monsoon provides critical ecosystem services to Delhi city each year. The Govt. may have spent crores of rupees on the cleaning of Yamuna River in Delhi, all of which went, for lack of a better phrase, down the drain. But the Monsoon comes once a year and cleans the entire stretch of Yamuna River in the city. Though we concertize the city with cement and unplanned activities, the monsoon ensures a ground water recharge of some degree. Delhi has a recorded history of dust problem and the RSPM and SPM is almost always above normal. Rains in the monsoon help settle the dust and the Govt. can give the controversial air sucker some time to ‘breathe’.

The Monsoon also rises our spirits and gives much respite from the summer heat, which gets killer in Delhi. The Ridge comes alive as do the various parks and gardens in the city and the wetlands in the entire NCT are replenished. However, we plan our cities while living an urban ‘carefree’ life and the planning is such that we forget to include natural resources such as the trees, and the 8-10 days long monsoonal rains every year. The result is, what is happening in Mumbai today, and what many fear is what the monsoon will do to Delhi this year. Floods, the city going under water, traffic jams, and a choked sewerage system.

Hence Delhi Greens, a not-for-profit organisation that advocates sustainable development and has always supported citizen’s voice for fair share in the decision making process, plans to conduct a season-wide study entitled “Delhi Monsoon 2010”, on how the city interacts with the Monsoon, relates to its environmental needs and how a balanced development is critical for the welfare of the citizens as well as for winning the battle against the hazards of large scale environmental degradation. We will study what the changes observed in the city from the moment the first drop hits the Delhi soil!

“Delhi Monsoon 2010″ will also act as a platform for the public to share their views and raise their concerns.  Delhi Greens will invite and engage the citizens through various competitions like ‘Monsoon in pictures’, ‘The best Monsoon spot in Delhi’, ‘Chai aur pakora talk’, ‘Monsoon debate’, etc. Experts on different topics will share their seasoned thoughts and tips and we promise to make this monsoon memorable and enlightening like never before. Delhi Monsoon 2010 will begin the moment Delhi is taken over by the South-west thundershowers!

For any query and to join us in our efforts, write to monsoon2010@delhigreens.org

With inputs from Govind Singh

Darvesh Fire and Safety Industries, a division of Darvesh Group has launched its ultra portable flame inhibitor – ‘FireKiller’ in the Indian market. The newly launched ‘FireKiller’ is a revolutionary aerosol dispenser that is of tremendous value while subduing and extinguishing fires. What’s unique about the product–as against the conventional mobile fire extinguishers–is that once bought, it requires absolutely no maintenance, and hence has no hidden or additional costs.

‘FireKiller’ is light, compact, handy and that’s not all. As an internationally patented product of Space Age Technology, the ‘FireKiller’ is a non toxic,  non-pressurized, leaves no “organic accumulation” and is thus being marketed as a completely green product that comes with a life time guarantee. Explaining this, Mr. Ahsan Hassan Darvesh, Managing Director, Darvesh Group introduced the FireKiller as a practical and portable flame suppressant which is also extremely environmentally safe.

On further review, we found that compared to the other mobile fire extinguishers, the FireKiller is indeed sleek and compact. It is said to have a lifetime shelf life and must obviously be resistant to corrosion and is a much needed durable product. Like most other extinguishers, it is non-toxic and does not leave any residue. The fire extinguishing agent, indeed the key component that would determine how green fire extinguishing product really is, is said to be Potassium aerosol. Through available information, it is unclear whether this is potassium bicarbonate or some other phosphorus containing compound. No information is also given on how this product uses an extinguishing agent which is different from others and/or revolutionary.

The most effective and common agent that was used for fire extinguishing has been bromochlorodifluoromethane (CF₂ClBr), referred to as halon 1211. However, by international agreement, production of all types of halons ceased in 1994 because the bromine and chlorine atoms in the chemical were found to migrate over time to the stratosphere, where they react to deplete ozone in a very efficient catalytic cycle.

With some inputs from ScientificAmerican.com

The Youth Collective, a collective focusing on promoting involvement of youth in social change, is looking for young people to carry forward and be part of the ’Commutiny‘. Commutiny is a year-long fellowship programme to support young people strengthen their passion for creating a better world, ignite change within their own selves and lead social change on their own terms.

As a participant, you will be supported to strengthen your passion for creating a better world, undergo personal transformation and lead social change through community engagement. You will gain opportunities to work closely with other young change-leaders and be navigated by experienced professionals in the social sector and other fields. You will have open spaces for learning interactions among participants and play a part in co creating collective spaces that make the journey more meaningful, relevant and sustainable. You will also receive year-long financial support (between September 2010 and August 2011).

Who can apply – Young people between18-30 years:

• Who have a passion and ideas for impacting change in society
• Who have a desire to undertake a social change experiment
• Who have a basic understanding on chosen area of exploration and action
• Who have clear search questions about self and society

Please note:

• In case you wish to apply while already working with an organization, The Youth Collective encourage you to be transparent about the application process
• The Youth Collective welcomes your engagement through sabbaticals from your current organizations

All applicants must have:

• comfort in speaking and writing in Hindi or English
• minimum 6 months previous experience of active engagement with social issues
• entrepreneurial ability
• ability to ‘walk their talk’
• openness to learn and spirit of collaboration
• readiness to co-create and execute group processes for learning and development of all Commutineers
• appreciation of the principles of diversity and non-violence
• readiness to commit 1 year’s full time engagement with the proposed experiment

Last Date for Applying: 11th July, 2010

For further information and to apply, click here or contact:

Rama Rao/ Manak Matiyani
11/8, Nehru Enclave East,
Kalkajee, New Delhi, 110019
applications2010(at)commutiny.in

Previously on Delhi Greens:

• Commutiny: Chai, Charcha and Change Fellowship Programme

Concerned about the inadequacy of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 in reducing the ever increasing instances of wild life crimes across the country, the Ministry of Environment & Forests has put forth a draft Wild Life (Protection) Bill 2010. It has been noticed that the current penalties have failed to act as deterrents with few convictions having taken place since the Act first came into force. Several of these wild life crimes are carried out by international gang of criminals who have a sophisticated network across the country as well as state of the art equipments. At the same time, although illicit wildlife trade ranks only behind the illegal trade in arms and narcotics, there is no financial disincentive whatsoever that prevents poachers and smugglers from carrying out such heinous activities.

This Bill, which is the product of extensive consultations with a wide spectrum of stakeholders, is intended to greatly strengthen the existing provisions for penalties, traps, criminal procedure etc. The key changes suggested in the Bill include enhancing penalties and strengthening officials, greater harmony with the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora (CITES), complete ban on trade in peacock feathers, promoting wild life research and banning the sale, manufacture and use of Leg-hold traps. The Bill also lays greater emphasis on endangered and wild plant conservation and  in overall protection of India’s biodiversity.

Previously, the MoEF had released a draft Mission document for the ‘National Mission for a Green India’, one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The Mission will be finalized after a series of nation wide public consultation that have been taking place since 11th June. A Draft Regulatory Framework for Wetlands Conservation has also been put forth after having been prepared by a multi-disciplinary expert group on the subject. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Bill 2009, which envisages the setting up of a national tribunal, a judicial body exclusively to deal with environmental laws and to provide citizens a right to environment was also passed by the Parliament earlier this year. Discussion on the National Environmental Protection Authority are on and it may well be introduced in the forthcoming Parliament session.

While these and more are indeed some path-breaking steps taken by the MoEF to ensure the protection and upkeep of India’s much threatened biodiversity, what will be critical is to note how effectively are the laws being put in place implemented. It would be equally important to see how other Ministries and Departments react and respond to these “call for action” initiatives of the MoEF. That, and that alone has been, and would be the limiting factor in the success (or failure) of these much awaited legal frameworks.

MoEF invites comments on the Draft Wild Life (Protection) Bill 2010 (Click to Read). All comments may be mailed to wpa.amendmentbill@gmail.com by 7th July, 2010.

Image courtesy Dr. Dharmendra Khandal, Tiger Watch

In order to check the continued abstraction of ground water leading to severe depletion of ground water resource in the National Capital, the Lt. Governor of Delhi has issued an order, through the Dept. of Environment, GNCT, that no person, group, authority, association or institution shall draw ground water through bore-well or tube-well (both new as well as existing and drawing ground water without permission of the Central Ground Water Authority) for domestic, commercial, agricultural and/or industrial uses. Only after a prior permission from the “Competent Authority”, which could be the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) or the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is obtained, can the ground water be drawn for use.

The order, under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, also promoted ground water recharge by laying greater emphasis on rain water harvesting (RWH). Those seeking permission for drilling a bore hole for a building plot size greater than 200 sq. meters, the permission shall be granted subject to the condition that the occupier shall install a RWH structure in the building. Permission seeked for commercial or industrial uses shall also require, in addition to the  RWH, reuse of water in horticulture or cooling or toilet flushing or any other similar suggestion given by the concerned Advisory Committee.

Genuine agriculturists in the capital can obtain permission for setting up tube-wells from the Advisory Committee under concerned Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) based on the recommendations of Block Development Officer and Agriculture Department/ Irrigation & Flood Control Dept., GNCT. The Order is timely and required, at a stage of urban development when there is tremendous pressure on the ground water resource in Delhi. Any violation of the stated directions are punishable under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. However, implementation is both the key as well as the limiting factor when it comes to enforcing such laws where the utmost indirect significance is not properly understood by the masses. That would be the greatest challenge in this case as well.

Water is essential to people and the largest available source of fresh water lies underground. Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of lithologic formations. Increased demands for water for drinking as well as urbanization purpose have stimulated development of ground water resources. But it is difficult to understand the pressure on this resource as it exists away from our sight, down below. While non-functioning hand pumps and increasing depth of bore holes are instanced experienced by some of us living in Delhi, there is no real appreciation of this deepening water crisis.

There are reports now being filed on the depleting quantity as well as quality of Delhi’s ground water and concerned individuals working to prevent the South and South-west districts of Delhi from becoming a desert. This Order, if properly implemented, would indeed go a long way in ensuring a sustainable water availability for the NCT and an overall sense of environmental security for the capital.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has launched a “National Environmental Sciences Fellows Programme” for Indian scientists desirous of working at the forefront of environmental sciences, engineering and technology, with a focus on problem solving environmental research. According to Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Environment & Forests (IC), the programme will allow the country’s most promising young scientists to do cutting-edge research on critical issues related to the environment in collaboration with leading institutes and scientists in India and the world.

The fellowship is being launched in collaboration with selected, prestigious environmental schools/institutions in India who will sign a MOU with the MoEF. These include, among others, School of Environmental Sciences (JNU), School of Environmental Studies (DU), IIT-D, IIT-K, IISc, WII, North East Hill University (NEHU) etc. The Environmental Sciences Fellows will work for a period of one to two years at their chosen host institution to undertake research in the identified thrust areas identifi ed by the Management Committee while also strengthening connections across the participating environmental schools/institutions.

The programme is open to all scientists working in the field of environmental sciences, engineering and technology including those currently employed in Government of India/ State Government/ Public Institutions and those who are not currently associated with any public institution but are working in the area and eager to pursue a specific research that is beneficial to the Government of India. However, in the first such meeting held for the Fellowship, the Ministry has shown to be well aware of the fact that such programmes are rarely able to attract outstanding Fellows. In that, it is also working to address the real challenge of how to attract the best of our country’s talents for this Fellowship Programme. The upper age limit of the Fellowship programme has been kept at 35 years (relaxable upto 5 years).

For more information visit MoEF

It’s almost as though it is a legend. I’ve heard about it from many people by now and was reminded of it last by Mr. Shashi Pandit – a panel member at the recently concluded Delhi Youth Summit on Climate 2010. There is no real written or documented evidence of it so to say, at least none that I have ever come across. And the very structure that was both the culprit and the victim, and must surely be the witness to it all, was brought down about one-two years back. Luckily I did get to to see it twice before it was dismantled–without any prior notification to anyone–to know that it was for real.

The Nehru Vihar Waste to Energy Plant, that was set up in North Delhi after purchasing everything from abroad (no names, for lack of a more irrational government) and installed in full glory to convert Delhi’s waste into electricity DID NOT WORK FOR EVEN A SINGLE DAY. Reason, figured after making all the payments to the seller country: Delhi’s waste does not have the required calorific value to burn and produce electricity. Legend has it that the seller country then got away with (in addition to the Indian tax payer’s money) saying it was never asked whether such a cleantech will work for Indian cities or not.

In his speech at the PHD Chamber on the occasion of World Environment Day, an event we (perhaps) missed to cover in Delhi’s WED 2010 style, Mayor P. K. Sawhney announced at least two such waste to energy plants in the coming years. Last weekend, Delhi CM Shiela Dixit laid the foundation stone of the “first-of-its-kind” Rs. 200 crore plant at Okhla for not just “treating” 1950 metric tonnes of solid waste each day but also generating 16 MW power from it in an “environment-friendly” manner. As has been the trend lately, the project has already registered itself with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is on its way to earn some Carbon credits!

The Chief Minister was quoted saying that the Plant will not only generate “clean” power but will also help dispose off more than 25 percent of the 7,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste generated daily. Reports also suggest that the launch saw opposition from local residents who raised issues about the health impact of the gases released from the incinerator after burning the waste. Previously emails and comments from citizens have explicitly suggested that the waste segregation scheme of the Government has not been able to work as planned. Decentralized measures have rarely been tried and reduction at source has been targeted mainly for polythene.

Interestingly enough, no adequate measures have been taken for methane recovery from any of the landfills so far, even when this could mean both free energy and carbon credits. The Biogas holder at the Ghazipur landfill which was a site for the second Delhi Greens Urban Ecotour was not working in any of our trips later as well. Not only is this is a viable option but the technology for this already exists in the city. In any case, it remains to be seen how well such a plant(s) perform this time around. It will surely be a comparative study as well as an interesting project to follow. Thank you Mr./Ms. Taxpayer!