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NO. 1 Bi - Weekly for vacancies abroad.
Published every Wednesday & Saturday
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India at 123rd position in ’10 EPI ranking

AAT News Service

India is ranked at 123rd position in the 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) brought out by a team from Yale and Columbia Universities. The study was released on January 28, 2010. A total of 163 countries have been ranked as per EPI.

It has been said that serious data gaps have limited the ability to measure performance on a number of important issues. Notwithstanding the above fact, the relatively lower rank of India appears to be due to its huge population, which exerts immense pressure on the environment. Moreover, the analysis of the policy drivers underlying the 2010 ranking suggests that income is a major determinant of environmental success.

It is not correct to say that the newly industrialised nations are in much higher position as per the EPI. Though some countries like Brazil and Russia are ranked 62 and 69, countries like South Africa, China and Indonesia are ranked 115, 121 and 134, respectively.

The factors responsible for pollution in India are the increase in vehicular traffic, high rate of industrial and infrastructural growth, increasing urbanisation besides the pressure of population. The Central government has taken va­rious steps to control pollution. This including notification of ge­neral and source specific emission and effluent standards, implementation of Auto Fuel Policy including usage of cleaner fuel, introduction of Environmental Impact Assessment Process for industrial and infrastructure projects, implementation of Charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection in respect of 17 categories of industries, regular monitoring for compliance of environmental standards and preparation and implementation of city specific action plans for improvement of air quality.

Meanwhile, noise pollution levels in most cities in the country have crossed the permissible levels. Sporadic noise monitoring in urban areas, mainly during festivals such as Deepawali by the Central Pollution Control Board and the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/ Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) reveals this fact. A few SPCBs and PCCs have initiated regular noise monitoring since 2008-09. As per available data, the laid down noise norms for respective zones (industrial, commercial, residential or silence) are exceeded at many locations. However, a definite trend cannot be ascertained since data is available only for a limited period.

The SC, in one of its judgment directed to put complete ban on bursting of sound emitting fire crackers during night time (between 10 pm and 6 am). Besides this, ban on use of sound emitting instrument or any sound amplifier at night time except in public emergency and use of horn at night time except in exceptional circumstance have been ordered. The SC also suggested to organise public awareness campaigns during festival seasons.

State government have been advised to make provision for seizure and confiscation of loud speakers, amplifier and other equipments, which are found to create noise level beyond permissible limits. The Central government has undertaken the task to create a national ambient noise monitoring network for urban areas and reporting the data therein, in accordance with the National Environment Policy-2006.

The various steps undertaken by the government to control noise pollution include the following: implementation of the provisions of The Factory Act, 1948, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000;
implementation of noise standards at the manufacturing stage for generator sets, motor vehicles, select domestic appliances and firecrackers.

 

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