THE CONTEXT: The Environment Performance Index (EPI) 2022 placed India at the bottom among 180 countries, highlighting significant environmental challenges despite various government initiatives to improve living standards and environmental health. The government’s response criticized the EPI’s methodology, arguing it fails to reflect the Indian context accurately. This backdrop sets the stage for a deeper examination of India’s environmental policies and their effectiveness.
ISSUES:
- Faulty Methodology Claim: The Indian government has contested the EPI ranking, arguing that the methodology is flawed and does not objectively quantify the Indian scenario.
- Government Missions and EPI: The government’s development campaigns, such as the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), are intended to improve living standards, which should align with the EPI’s focus areas. However, an increase in vulnerability due to air and water pollution has been observed.
- Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Issues: Despite the SBM’s political success and aim to make sanitation a collective responsibility, it has been criticized for perpetuating caste-based sanitation practices. The Comptroller and Auditor General report highlighted issues with the quality of toilet construction, and studies have shown that access to sanitation remains a problem in slums and rural areas.
- Waste Management Failures: The government’s approach to waste management through capital-intensive technologies has not been successful. Waste-to-energy plants and biological methanation have few success stories, and the outsourcing of waste management to private contractors has continued caste discrimination.
- Privatization and Caste Discrimination: The privatization of sanitation services has led to the employment of marginalized communities, particularly Dalits, in waste management roles, perpetuating caste discrimination.
- Insufficient Sanitation Inspectors: In Himachal Pradesh, for example, there is a shortage of sanitation inspectors, with some municipalities having none. This shortage hampers the effective management of sanitation services.
- Sustainability of Development Models: The EPI’s mapping feature highlights the unsustainability of current development models in India, suggesting a need for change.
- Climate Change and Human Rights: The Supreme Court of India has observed links between climate change and fundamental human rights. Policies must be linked to human rights considerations to address the systemic and anthropogenic causes of environmental issues.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Inclusive Policy Design: Development models must be inclusive, considering the needs of all communities, mainly those historically marginalized, to prevent the perpetuation of discrimination and inequality.
- Quality Control and Monitoring: Strengthen government programs’ monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure quality control in constructing infrastructure like toilets and waste treatment facilities.
- Infrastructure for Waste Treatment: Link toilet construction with waste treatment solutions, especially in rural and peri-urban areas, to prevent environmental contamination.
- Empowerment and Dignity of Workers: Provide training and better working conditions for sanitation workers, recognizing their contribution to public health and the environment.
- Effective Use of Funds: Ensure that funds allocated for environmental and sanitation projects are used effectively and that city governments are held accountable for their expenditures.
- Strengthen Legal Frameworks: Enforce existing laws and regulations that protect environmental and human rights and develop new ones where necessary to address emerging challenges.
- Global Collaboration: Engage in international cooperation to learn from best practices and to seek technical and financial assistance for implementing sustainable development models.
THE CONCLUSION:
EPI’s comprehensive approach reveals the unsustainable nature of India’s development models. It emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift in policymaking to integrate human rights with environmental and public health strategies, echoing recent judicial observations linking climate change to fundamental human rights. This shift is crucial for addressing the systemic issues that underpin India’s environmental challenges.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTION:
Q.1 What impediments exist in disposing of the vast quantities of discarded solid wastes continuously generated? How do we safely remove the toxic wastes accumulating in our habitable environment? 2018
Q.2 What are the key features of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) initiated by the Government of India? 2020
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 Critically examine the impact of India’s development programs on its environmental performance in light of the recent ranking in the Environment Performance Index (EPI). Discuss the role of human rights in framing sustainable development policies.
SOURCE:
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-reality-of-the-swachh-bharat-mission/article68103497.ece
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