All that was discussed in the House through the day
The sea level along the Indian coast was rising at about 1.7 millimetres per year according to the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services.
Shoreline change including erosion and sea level rise were slow phenomena and manifesting globally, Ashwini Kr Choubey, minister of state in the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change told the Lok Sabha December 13, 2021.
Ambient air quality data
Ambient air quality data in 96 cities showed a decreasing trend of PM10 whereas 36 cities showed an increasing trend of PM10 concentration in 2020-2021, as compared to 2019-2020.
Eighteen cities were found to be within the prescribed National Ambient Air Quality Standard (PM10 less than 60 µg / m3) in 2019-20 which has increased to 27 in 2020-21.
In 2020, the number of ‘Good’, ‘Satisfactory’ and ‘Moderate’ days in Delhi increased to 227 against 108 in 2016, Choubey told the Lok Sabha.
Forest land diversion
A total of 82,893.61 hectares of forest land had been approved for non-forest use under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 from April 2016 to March 2021, Choubey told the Lok Sabha.
Some 206 proposals involving 4,118.109067 ha area within Protected Areas including national parks and sanctuaries had been recommended by the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife during the years 2020 and 2021, Choubey added.
Methane emissions
India was the fourth-largest methane emitter in the world and its methane emissions were nearly a third that of China. Methane emissions accounted for 409 million tonnes CO2e ie 14.43 per cent of India’s total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in 2016.
The agriculture sector in 2016 registered a decrease of 2.25 per cent in GHG emissions since 2014, Choubey told the Lok Sabha.
Renukaji dam
An agreement for the implementation of the Renukaji dam Project had been signed between basin states and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (water resources) January 11, 2019, Bishweswar Tudu, minister of state for Jal Shakti told the Rajya Sabha.
Three storage projects are proposed to be constructed on the river Yamuna and two of its tributaries — Tons and Giri — in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh of the upper Yamuna basin as part of the Renukaji Multipurpose Dam.
The additional water available due to the construction of the dam will be available to Delhi on priority to meet its drinking water needs as worked out by Upper Yamuna River Board.
The arrangement will be in place only until other storages such as Lakhwar and Kishau Multipurpose Projects in the Upper Yamuna catchment are created.
Water shall then be released from the Renukaji dam keeping in view the overall annual allocation of Yamuna water according to the Memorandum of Understanding dated May 12, 1994 between the states.
Ease of Living Index 2020
Indian cities overall have scored an average of 53.51 out of a total of 100 points according to the results of the Ease of Living Index 2020.
They have scored an aggregate of 51.38 on ‘Quality of Life’, 13.17 on ‘Economic Ability’ and 53.63 on ‘Sustainability’. Within ‘Quality of Life’, the categories of ‘Mobility’ and ‘Recreation’ have received low scores compared to other categories.
Under ‘Economic Ability’, performance of cities in ‘Economic Opportunities’ component needs focus. Finally, scores under ‘Sustainability’, ‘Green Spaces & Buildings’ reflect low performance of cities, Kaushal Kishore, minister of state in the Union Ministry of Housing And Urban Affairs told the Rajya Sabha.
Coal shortage
There is no shortage of coal in the country, Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal And Mines told the Rajya Sabha.
The coal stock at power plants depleted to 7.2 Million Tonnes (MT) (sufficient for four days) as on October 8, 2021.
Subsequently, with increased coal supplies, the coal stock started increasing and had now reached 18.5 MT (sufficient for 10 days) as on December 5, 2021, Joshi said.
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