Environmental Indicators: Measuring Urban Development in Mountains of India. Presented by Kashinath Vajpai at the "Perth II: Global Change and the World's Mountains" conference in Perth, Scotland in September 2010.
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Environmental Indicators: Measuring Urban Development in Mountains of India [Kashinath Vajpai]
1. Environmental Indicators: Measuring
Urban Development in Mountains of India
Kashinath Vajpai
Climate Himalaya Initiative, India
info@climatehimalaya.net
www.climatehimalaya.net
http://chimalaya.org
2. Developing Urban Settlements
Cities in Mountains of India are in the process of expansion
Increase in population due to high migration from highland to lowland areas
Rapid infrastructure development
Two important characteristics: 1. Massive growth in absolute numbers 2.
Increasing concentration
Rapid population growth, high densities, poverty and high differentials in
access to housing, public services and infrastructure led to an increase in
vulnerability over last few decades (Aromar R., 2008)
India is one of the more vulnerable and risk-prone countries in the world
(IFRC 2005)
3. Urban Development Vs. Environmental
Issues
High pollution, water scarcity, deteriorating soil, loss of biodiversity and poor
agriculture productivity
Various disasters, health hazards, deteriorating environmental quality, economic
losses
Climate change variability increased the frequency and intensity of hazards and
the probability of extreme events
Degrade the resilience of poor and vulnerable communities
Further degrading resilience of in one half of the poor, vulnerable communities
(Nicholls, et al 2006).
Inadequate provisions of comprehensive and environmental sensitive planning.
4. The Extent of Problem-Example
One of the studies done in India states that ‘the amount of
waste generated per capita is estimated to increase at a rate
1-1.33 percent annually and estimated quantity of waste
generated by year 2047 would be approx 260 million tons
per year, which if not disposed off systematically would
require more than 1400 sq.km of land’
5. Study Objectives
To discuss the major environmental concerns in the urban
areas of Indian mountains
To review and analyze relevant policies and guidelines in
urban development and environmental context
To develop a set of indicators on various environmental
parameters in urban context
To analyze city development plans in concurrence with
environmental considerations.
6. Information Areas in the Study
Present urban developmental scenario
Various environmental threats
Increasing climatic variability
Policies and programs on environment and urban development
Categorization of various pro-environmental measures in areas
like water, waste, sanitation, pollution, etc.
7. Plan: Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem
Mission
Management and safeguarding Himalayan glaciers and
ecosystem
Exchange of information
Develop monitoring network
Community based management of ecosystem
Maintain 2/3rd area under forest
8. Policies and Plans in Place
Reform led urban development program National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM)
About 60 cities across India and selected one in mountains
Missions; the Urban infrastructure and governance, and Basic services to the urban poor
The Environment (Protection) Act
National Urban Transport Policy
National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy
Accelerated Urban Water Supply Program
Coal Bed Methane Policy
Solar Energy Mission
Wind Energy
Electronic Waste (e-waste)
India’s Initiatives towards Energy Security
Scheme for BEE Star Rating for office Buildings
The National Environment Policy
National River Conservation Policy
National Lake Conservation Policy
9. What Policies and Plans Entail
National River Conservation Plan (NRCP): Capacity building of ULBs
The National Lake Conservation Plan: Restore and conserve the urban and semi urban
lakes
The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling Rules): Role of ULBs in
decentralized waste collection and management
The Plastics (manufacture, usage and waste management) rules : Emphasizes in to
specific thickness of plastics and procedural recycling.
The National Urban Sanitation Policy: Specific sanitation strategy for the cities
The National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC): Reduce climatic impacts and
emphasizes on inter connected issues towards adaptation and mitigation- focus on poor
and vulnerable.
10. Various Environmental Indicators
1. Water Resources
2. Waste Water
3. Solid Waste
4. Energy Measures
5. Sanitation
6. Air Pollution
Photo: Joydeep Mukherjee/Sanctuary Photolibrary
11. Water Resources
Water Use Regulatory mechanism Recycle and Re-use
Judicious use of and Pricing • At house hold level
water and • Proper water pricing at • Community places
House hold and (schools, hospitals,
discouraging excess Commercial level hotels, malls/ markets,
water use for • Correct metering etc.)
multiple purposes system in place
Correcting / • Illegal connection and
suction pumps. Rainwater Harvesting
Repairing the leakage • Regular monitoring • Roof top rainwater
system in existing harvesting
water supply system Pumping of Water • Mandatory provisions
Operation and • Replace from central for RWH in buildings
Maintenance place to the flood plain • Construction of soak
areas having proven pits
Construction of new capacity of water
water lines • Controlled extraction • Incentives and
disincentives for RWH
12. Water Resource
Dual Water System Water saving closets Protection/Preservati
• Taps on of water bodies
Drinking
• Flush system • Lake conservations
Other purposes
• Urinals • Lake protection
• EcoSan toilets • Beautification of
Drinking water ponds, lakes
availability • River bank protection
Household level safe • Developing the data
water supply bases
• Monitoring of river
Provisions of water in
schools and hospitals • Coordination with
agencies on water
Discouraging bottled bodies monitoring
water in common
meetings and at
personal level
13. Waste Water
Agriculture and Industrial Municipal waste water Drainage system
effluents • Proper sewerage • Developing improved
Organic pollutants drainage system with
disposal and storm water drains
Waste water disposal decentralized
system • Kuccha to pucca drains
treatment • Maintenance of drains
Following the norms for
discharge of waste water • Planned drainage • Managing the outlet of
system surface drains away from
Water quality surveillance water bodies
• Integrated sewerage
and mitigation
system Capacity Building and
Surveillance system in place Awareness generation
Cost effective solution for • Use of re-modeling
• Water use
Arsenic, Fluoride, Iron, and and re-construction
Biological contamination • Wise water management
technologies
Dilution of pollutant • Decentralized treatment
concentration through ground
water recharge Provision of STP and CETP • Re-charge and re-use
• Different types of
Determine type and migration
of pollution
• The provision in filtration systems
Possible measures for control major sewerage
production areas.
14. Solid Waste Management
Comprehensive solid waste
management (SWM) plan
Policies and Legislations
Municipal Solid waste
• Enforcement of policies
Industrial solid waste
• Basel Convention on minimized use
E-waste
Toxic waste
Waste segregation system
Awareness generation and
Sanitary land fill Capacity building
Organized solid waste management system
Bio-medical waste • Household level
• Institutional level
Composting • Commercial sector
Bio composting • Industrial sector
Sorting of waste
Landfills and methane production
15. Energy Measures
Alternate Energy Renewable energy Energy Efficient
measures measures Appliances s
Bio Mass based • Solar panel • Light Emitting Diode
• Solar Lantern • Replacing incandescent
Waste based or Bio- bulbs
• Solar cooker
methanation • Photo voltaic • LED outdoor lightning
Use of coal bed • Wind energy
methane • CDM and Carbon
Bio gas cooking Credits as incentives Standard & labeling
program
Bio based power
generation Improved Supply • Certification of
• Conversion industries
Traffic light and solar
power • Transmission • Certification of
• Distribution Buildings
Solar roof top- • End use efficiency • Energy efficient building
photovoltaic • Research & code
applications Development
16. Urban Sanitation
Toilet /Latrine Awareness generation, Encourage ILCS and
construction Training and Capacity
building • Discourage
Improved /adequate
• Awareness generation on • Open Defecation
household sanitation Sanitation and hygiene
system for all • ILCS
practices, low cost
Community toilets / technical designs • Open defecation (OD)
sanitation system and Dry latrine
conversion
Public toilets
17. Air Pollution
Clean Fuel Pollution Control Data base on Indoor
CNG, LPG, Measures and Air pollution
Encouraging Public • In Slum/EWS area
battery/electricity
• Major pollution sources
operated vehicles, Bio Transport System
• Burning of solid waste
diesel • Private vehicles • Emissions of CO2, SO2,
• Public transport system NOx
Inventorying key • Consumption of Ozone
• Polluting Industries depleting substances
Polluting industries • Non motorized
In and around the city Transport – cycles Awareness generation
• Facilities for pedestrians and Capacity building
All those included in RED
category • Household level
• Commercial establishments
• Industries
18. Selected Examples
Bio-mass based gasifires are being used in states like Bihar, Karnataka, etc.
The Kolkata and Mumbai Municipality are under trial for LED and the Mumbai
Municipal Corporation has implemented SSP (Slum Sanitation Project)
The Delhi Government has made it mandatory to construct Rain Water
Harvesting system
Solar based common lights, traffic lights, water heaters, energy audits, energy
efficient building, CNG buses/Autos, etc. in Delhi
In Mizoram –Aizawl, there are more than 10,000 rainwater harvesting (RWH)
tanks in individual houses, those were constructed by the residents at their own
expense and with the technical support of state government.
19. Way Forward
Need to consider different environmental factors through an
inclusive city development planning process
Develop the capacities and know how among the authorities,
planners and elected representatives on various environmental
measures
A thorough analysis of environmental concerns in the urban areas
Developing a set of practical localized environmental indicators
those could be included during city development planning.
20. Way Forward
Comprehensive process of planning by the Urban Local
Bodies and Parastatal agencies
Smooth delivery of civic amenities, universal access to
services, and adequate provisions of basic services to the
vulnerable and poor