Delhi lost 4,383 hectares of forest cover, reveals study
New Delhi: Delhi witnessed a deterioration in its performance on 13 indicators spread across eight Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) over 2019. There has also been a decrease in the forest cover of the city by 4,383 hectares and 61.73 per cent of the land is under degradation. These developments have been revealed in the 'State of Environment' report published by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down to Earth magazine.
Delhi has been ranked second as per its performance and its overall score has also increased compared from the last one. The Capital has set up nine working groups, a steering committee for reviewing and monitoring of SDGs and has also aligned its budget with SDGs. Still, it remains off track in six of the 15 SDGs.
Dropout rate at secondary education, crimes against women, sex ratio, and share of industries complying with waste water treatment norms are some of the indicators in which the city has performed negatively. The share of renewables in the total energy mix has also decreased while the amount of hazardous waste generated per 1,000 population has increased. Only 20.07 per cent of the city's solid municipal waste is being segregated at source making it one of the most poor performers in this category.
Overall the SDG's in which deterioration has been marked are Zero Hunger, Gender equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, Responsible consumption and production, Climate action and peace, Justice and stronger institutions. On the contrary the SDG's in which the performance has been on track are No poverty, Good health and well being, Quality education, Affordable and clean
energy, Decent work and economic growth, Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Reduced inequalities, Sustainable cities and communities and Life on Land.
The report also reveals that in 2022 India recorded its hottest March triggering early episodes of heatwaves. As per the report, "The country reported 280 heatwave days between March 11 and May 18, the highest in the past 10 years. This is almost double of what the country experienced in 2012, the second highest heatwave year in the past decade." The report also illustrates that 74 per cent of river monitoring stations in India have alarming levels of heavy toxic metals. 40 per cent of the stations have high levels of total coliform, and 15 per cent have biochemical oxygen demand beyond permissible limits, which indicate poor wastewater treatment from industry, agriculture and domestic households.
