Newsletter

Environmental Governance Quarterly

Newsletter Volume 3
June 29, 2012
 
chandra_bhushanDear friends,
Last three months have been very exciting for us at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Many of our important work on industrial pollution and environmental governance were completed and released during this period. We completed a major study on Iron and Steel industries under our Green Rating Project (GRP). GRP is one of the most innovative public disclosure projectsin the world undertaken by CSE. The project rates the environmental and social performance of companies within an industrial sector based on life cycle analysis and discloses the information to public. Iron and steel sector is the fifth industrial sector to be rated by GRP. Before this we have rated Pulp and Paper Sector (1999 and 2004), Automobile Sector (2001), Chlor-Alkali Sector (2002) and Cement Sector (2005). All these sectoral ratings have led to significant improvements in the environmental performance of the companies and better policy formulation by the government.
The rating of the Iron and Steel Sector was released on 4th June by Minister of Environment and Forests, Smt. Jayanthi Natrajan at a public function in New Delhi. GRP rated India's top steel companies (all with production of more than 0.5 million tonnes of steel) on more than 150 parameters. Our final assessment is that the Indian steel sector is struggling to meet even the minimum national pollution standards and has tremendous scope for improvements in all areas: energy, water, pollution, health & safety etc. As a whole, the steel sector received a mere 19% marks and the One Leaf Award. Of the 21, only three companies scored over 35% marks and got the Three Leaves – which is an average performance. None of the companies got the prestigious Five Leaves Award.Our recommendation to the government and the industry is that the steel sector must be pushed to leapfrog towards global best practices; marginal improvements will not help as the sheer growth of the sector will lead to insurmountable social and environmental problems. We have covered the rating and it’s finding in detail in this newsletter.
In the newsletter we have also covered a study done by CSE on pollution from small scale steel factories in Jasodharpur Industrial Area (JIA), Kotdwar, Uttarakhand. The study has an interesting genesis. Since 2008 the local community living near the JIA has been protesting about the high levels of air pollution from these steel factories. In December 2011, the protests reached its zenith when the community blockaded the road leading to the industrial area, thereby bringing the production to a halt. The community had put forth many demands to remove the blockade and one of their demands was to get an independent environmental assessment done by CSE for JIA. The Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) accepted their demands and requested CSE to do the independent assessment. The CSE completed its assessment and the report was released recently in Kotdwar. The finding of the report is very interesting as it vividly captures the problems inflicting the environmental governance in the country.
There are many more interesting issues which we have covered in this newsletter including India’s pilot study on Emission Trading Scheme for particulate matters, a snapshot of environmental regulations and regulatory institutions in China and some interesting judgements of the National Green Tribunal. We hope that you find these articles useful.
As always, we would be most happy to receive your feedback. You can e-mail your feedback/opinion at nivit@cseindia.org.

 

- Chandra Bhushan
 
 
Top Story
   
 
 
 
Stained Steel
 
    The iron and steel sector is regarded as the core of Indian economy. Its players are big and powerful. It is extremely resource-intensive and polluting. On top of this, it is expanding at a phenomenal rate. This makes the sector a fit case for environmental scrutiny.
 
 
CSE's Environmental Assessment of Jasodharpur Industrial Area in Uttarakhand
 
    Jasodharpur Industrial Area (JIA) of the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand (SIDCUL) has about 20 factories producing steel using induction furnaces. Situated near Kotdwar town of Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand, JIA was set up in 1996-97.
 
 
ETS in pipeline for particulate emissions
 
  Taking a cue from the Acid Rain Programme of the United States, Ministry of Environment and Forests has initiated a pilot Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to abate air pollution and enhance environmental quality.
 
  Environmental Governance in China
 
  Industrialisation in China and India started almost at the same time. But the rate of industrialisation in China was and is much higher than India because of their former policy 'grow first, clean later.'
 
 
 
CSE News
   
 
 
MPPCB implements
E-Waste Rules
MOEF intervenes to enhance transparency
 
 
Regulator's Watch
   
 

Goa's iron ore miners undergo pollution board check

MoEF drags feet over law for safe disposal of CFLs

MoEF's clearance must for mining minor minerals, too: Supreme Court
 

Green nod to Jindal mine nixed

MoEF failed to protect environment: Public Accounts Committee
 
 
 
South Asia Watch
   
 
River restoration is not just an ecological act
CSE’s Outreach in South Asia
Bhutan
 
 
Court Watch
   
 
  POSCO judgment of National Green Tribunal
  On March 30, 2012, the National Green Tribunal held in Prafulla Samantra and Anr. vs Union of India and Ors. That the 31.1.2011 final order of the Environment Ministry – permitting the POSCO project to go ahead with certain conditions – should be suspended until a full review of the project can be undertaken.
 
 
 
Training Programme
   
 
  We are delighted to inform you that the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in collaboration with Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Central Pollution Control Board has started a training and capacity building programme for State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and State Pollution Control Committee (SPCC).
 
 
 
Training Archives
   
 
 

Environmental Management of Mines
Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement
Advance Wastewater Treatment and DEWAT
 
 
Pollution Monitoring Techniques and Instrumentation
Hazardous Waste Management and Remediation of Contaminated Sites
National Minimum Training Programme
 
 
Studies / Publication
   
 
  Into the Furnace: Environment Status of the Indian Steel Sector
  Excreta Matters: 7th State of India's Environment Report
  Guidelines for Implementation of E-Waste Rules 2011
  MoEF Annual Report: 2011-12
  Buildings Earthscrapers: Environment Impact Assessment of Buildings
   
   
 
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