All that was discussed in the House through the day
The Centre “will do everything” to prevent the misuse of the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill in the hands of law-enforcing agencies, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told Lok Sabha April 4, 2022. The lower house passed the bill the same day even as the Opposition united to condemn the bill as draconian.
Once enacted, the law will enable agencies to collect biometric information of prisoners. India does not have any law to prevent misuse of such data.
Dip in emission intensity
The emission intensity of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) reduced 24 per cent between 2005 and 2016, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union minister of state for environment, forest and climate change, told the Lok Sabha April 4, 2022.
India is party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as well as its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement. India periodically submits its national communications and biennial update reports (BUR) to the UNFCCC, which includes national Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory.
India’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2014, including land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), were 2,306.3 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, according to India’s second BUR. India’s net GHG emissions in 2016 were 2,531.07 million tonne CO2e, according to its third BUR.
No ban on asbestos use
There is no proposal under the consideration of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to prohibit the use of asbestos in the country, said Choubey.
The usage of asbestos in industries is subject to stipulation of environmental safeguards, which includes use of personal protective equipment approved for asbestos workers involved in bag-cutting and mixing areas, employing wet processing method at shop floor level to reduce fibre exposure and regular health check-up of employees, he added.
Funds for forest fire management
The Centre released around Rs 125 crore to the states in last three years (2018-19 to 2020-21) under the centrally sponsored forest fire prevention and management scheme, said Choubey.
Survey on Blackbucks
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change does not collate the details of population of blackbucks in the country, Bhupender Yadav, Union minister For Environment, Forest And Climate Change told the Lok Sabha.
The reports received in the Ministry from the States do not indicate that blackbucks have been causing huge damage to the crops across the country, Yadav said.
Over 100 CNG station in AP
As many as 111 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations have been set up in Andhra Pradesh as on January 31, 2022, Rameswar Teli, Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, told the Rajya Sabha.
Establishment of CNG stations is a part of development of the city gas distribution network and the same is carried out by the entities authorised by the petroleum and natural gas regulatory board.
Ethanol blending target advanced
The Centre has advanced the target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol from 2030 to 2025-26, Teli said.
The government is promoting Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme with broader objectives of providing boost to domestic agriculture sector, environment
benefits, reducing import dependency and savings in foreign exchange.
It has also notified the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 that had laid out an indicative target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol and 5 per cent blending of biodiesel in diesel by 2030 in the country.
Polavaram project: Farmers demand higher compensation
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has informed that farmers in the state, whose lands have been acquired for the Polvaram irrigation project, are seeking enhancement of compensation to Rs 5 lakh per acre, Bishweswar Tudu, Union minister of state for Jal Shakti (water resources) told the Rajya Sabha.
However, no such decision or disbursement has been undertaken by the state government, he added.
The project was targeted for completion by April 2022. However, due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and other hurdles, the completion may be delayed, the minister said.
In this regard, a committee has been constituted by the Polavaram Project Authority in November, 2021 to review and finalise revised construction schedule. Two meetings of the committee have been held so far, Tudu added.
Over a 1,000 mines operational
A total of 1,037 mines were operational and 189 mines had lapsed / shut down as on April 1, 2021, Pralhad Joshi, Union minister of parliamentary affairs, coal and mines, told the Rajya Sabha.
The central government has formulated Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY), which is implemented through the district mineral foundations established in mining-affected districts.
The projects implemented under PMKKKY aim for the welfare of the people and area affected by mining and help to improve the living standard of the mining-affected persons in the area, Joshi added.
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