Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) In the News

Year 2002, a good year for environment more pro-active policies by government:
Contrary to its image as a 'spoilsport ' of development, the Environment and Forests ministry had adopted a pro-active policy clearing a number of projects involving thousands of crores of rupees during the year that is coming to a close while at the same time seeking to protect the forests in the 'interest' of generations ahead. Says Sunita Narayan, leading environment activist and a Director of the Delhi based NGO Centre for Science and Environment, 'While the forest management has generally been good, mush is still to be done with regard to increasing the forest cover with community participation since forests are very crucial to meet the growing demand for water besides being an important resource base or development.

The Free Press Journal - Mumbai - December 30, 2002

Conserving every drop:
Indians were the world's greatest water harvesters, says a fascinating booklet called Remory of Water brought by the Centre for Science and Environment. It tells us why water has now become everybody's business. And if we leave it to the politicians, there will be neither water left for them nor for us! Remory of water tells us."All water comes from rain. Rain is decentralised. So is the demand for water. Why can't we decentralise supply? Catch water where it falls! Be wise." Now one more industry in Bangalore has decided to do just that! It is Denso-Kirloskar, says S Vishwanath of hte rainwater club!

Deccan Herald, Banglaore, December 29, 2002

Dams, water resources and traditional water harvesting systems:
Expect water emergency in 2003
Four major states -- Rajasthan, Punjab, Orissa, Maharashtra -- face a gruelling search for water next year. For a nation still recovering from drought which sapped the economy in 2002, clearly there is worse to come. Issuing a dire prediction on the state of the country's water resources, noted agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan warned that 2003 may well be a `water emergency year' for many parts of the country.Swaminathan favoured decentralisation and the use of water as a community resource. He emphasised the need for equity in water sharing and found much merit in the "rain centres" conceptualised by the late environmentalist Anil Agarwal.

The Times of India, New Delhi, December 11, 2002

When science hides the facts:
By Sunita Narain
Four oil companies Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Reliance Industries have signed a memorandum with industry and scientific institutions for a study to find "appropriate solutions" to air pollution. The oil companies will jointly pay for this study, which they say is necessary because current approaches to air pollution control lack the "wisdom of the famous adage: think global and act local".

Business Standard, New Delhi, December 10, 2002

Dangerously toxic vegetables:
By Shamya Dasgupta
A pilot study conducted last year by the pollution board in Kolkata revealed that vegetables grown on land irrigated with water that carries untreated sewage in the Dhapa-Bantala area of Kolkata were contaminated with lead, cadmium and nickel. Despite years of supposed focus, no solutions have been arrived at year. Rajat Banerjee formerly a researcher with the Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment, says, "While sewage is organically enriched, it also carried several pathogens that need to be removed before such use. There is ample evidence to show that vegetables, especially leafy ones, grown using the untreated sewage around Kolkata are harmful to the consumer".

Newstime, Hyderabad, December 09, 2002

Killer mystery:
By Samrat Choudhury and Sanchita Sharma
Everybody gets viral fevers. They're probably the commonest of ailments - and the favourite excuse for skipping work - in the country.Familiarity has bred contempt; most people don't even bother to go to doctors when they have anything that looks like 'viral fever'.But the scary thing, as saharanpur's epidemic has reminded us, is that 'viral fevers' do kill. It's a horrible death. "The images are ghastly", says the Centre for Science and Environment' Pranay Lal, who visited the area to study the cases.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, December 08, 2002

CSE unveils Agarwal Clean Air Model for Delhi:
The former Chief Justice of India, Justice B. N. Kirpal, unveiled the Clean Air Model, originally conceived by Mr Anil Agarwal, in a public meeting organised by the Centre for Science and Environment(CSE) recently. The Anil Agarwal Clean Air Model developed by the CSE as a policy tool had laid bare how daunting the task had been to stabilise pollution levels in the Capital in view of the growing number of vehicles.

The Tribune, New Delhi, December 08, 2002

The Times of India, New Delhi, December 11, 2002

Business Standard, New Delhi, December 10, 2002

Newstime, Hyderabad, December 09, 2002

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, December 08, 2002

The Tribune, New Delhi, December 08, 2002

Model for a clear sky:
By Sanjay Bhattacharya
Recently, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) developed the Anil Agarwal Clean Air Model, a policy tool which lays bare how daunting a task it had been to stabilise pollution levels in the city, given the growing number of vehicles.The model is based on a simple principle.Says CSE director Sunita Narain, "Our model exposes that if the city is left at the mercy of the official road map - the Auto Fuel Policy -formulated by the committee headed by the director-general, council of Scientific and Industrial research, R A Mashelkar, it will not make any difference to the city's air."

The Pioneer, New Delhi, December 05, 2002

CSE's solution to pollution: use public mode of transport:
A major shift from use of private vehicles to clean and subsidised public transport in the Capital is one of the special features of the people's manifesto prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment(CSE) charting out a long-term strategy for clean air in Delhi.Unveiling the manifesto christened as Anil Agarwal Clean Air model, Justice B N Kirpal said,"The model takes stock of the current measures in the right earnest to combat air pollution and the problem of vehicular pollution in Delhi and other parts of the country, the problem he said could only be tackled through hard decisions, something which the recently released auto-fuel policy outlined by the Mashelkar Committee lacked."

The Financial Express, New Delhi, December 05, 2002

A breath of fresh air for Delhiites:
By Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar
Presentation of a "cartoon" by an asthmatic boy to Justice B.N. Kirpal, former Chief Justice of India, as an acknowledgement of the Supreme Court's role in ensuring that Delhiites are at least able to breather provided a solemn setting for the launch of the Anil Agarwal Clean Air Model here today.The model, originally conceived by the celebrated founder-director of the Centre for Science and Environment, Anil Agarwal, takes stock of current measures to combat vehicular pollution and charts an alternative course to show that vehicular pollution can be tackled only through hard decisions.

The Hindu, New Delhi, December 04, 2002

Leapfrog to CNG or get stuck in smog:
Says CSE
The Centre for Science and Environment said today that pollutants in Delhi would come down by more than 70 per cent till 2015 if government follows what it is pushing it to do. CSE, which today released its second People's Manifesto for Clean Air, has used a model, which calculates how much vehicles in Delhi will contribute to pollution.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, December 04, 2002

Celebrating what? Victory or failure 4 years after?
By Arun Anand
As Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and her Cabinet colleagues today celebrated the completion of their four-years rule, waxing eloquent abou their achievements, ground realities present a picture that has in it little to rejoice over.Another important sector where the government failed miserably is that of transport. The Delhi transport minister, Mr Ajay Maken, in fact, today accepted at a meeting organised by the Centre for Science and Environment that CNG as a non-polluting fuel has been a success in Delhi because of the stands taken by the courts.At least he was honest enough to add, "Being a politician, I take credit for this."

The Statesman, New Delhi, December 04, 2002

River grid, the preferred solution?
by Aniket Alam
Endorsed by the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the Prime Minister, A. B. Vajpayee, the Leader of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi, the judges of the Supreme Court and the ruling BJP, the national water grid or river linking plan now seems to be the preferred solution for combating recurring droughts in the country.The late Anil Agarwal of the Centre for Science and Environment had shown, on the basis of data that 10 small dams with a one hectare catchment would store more water than one dam of 10 hectares.

The Hindu, New Delhi, December 02, 2002

Finally, it's bye bye diesel buses:
By Shubhajit Roy
It's the end of the road for diesel buses in Delhi. From SUnday, the city will have only CNG buses plying on ita roads.The last batch of about 600 diesel buses will be phased out on Saturday.There are about 7,400 CNG buses plying on Delhi roads.The impact of the changeover from diesel to CNG has been complex. City NGO, Centre for Science and Environment's director Sunita Narain said: "The growth of air pollution has been arrested, if one looks at the suspended particulate matter in the city."Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) is recorded at somewhere between 200 and 300 micrograms per cubic metre in December."Earlier, in the diesel bus era, it hovered at about 400 micrograms," Narain said.

The Times of India, New Delhi, November 29, 2002

Of green issues & luncheons:
'Why should business care' was the theme deliberated over lunch at the World Economic Forum's session on environment, hosted by Coca-Cola. And as the session concluded, one could not help wondering does business care at all?With the clatter of cutlery drowning out the panelists, it seemed environment was the last thing on anyone's mind. Coca-Cola's group President, East and South Asia, Mr Patrick T. Siewert was the moderator for the session whose participants included the cola major's India chief, Mr Alex Von Behr, besides Nestle India's chief, Mr Carlo M. Donati. But despite the presence of pro-greens like Ms Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment, all that the session coulc come up with was the need for greater transparency in the system.

Business Line, New Delhi, November 27, 2002

Thinking green is good business:
Should business bother about environment? The question, it seems is more rhetorical than anything else, is the conclusion representatives from business, government and civil society reached as they discussed the issue at India Economic Summit 2002.CII's K P Nyati said industry has realised environmental and social responsibility leads to shareholder growth.But, according to Ms Sunita Narain, director of Centre for Science and Environment, of the 30 pulp and paper companies that she analysed, 28 had environmental violation cases against them.Environmental audits in India are not transparent, says Ms Narain.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, November 26, 2002

Time for a policy review:
By Pragya Singh
Over the last few years, conflicts erupted in many of India's "protected areas," between officials and NGOs involved in wildlife conservation on the one hand and local communities and social activists on the other. The city based Centre for Science and Environment, propound a "new-fangled" theory - that residents of virgin forests and wild life, both suffer from government interference. "The government will never be able to sort out the animal-man dispute," says Nitin Sethi of Down To Earth, the CSE's enviornmental journal.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, November 24, 2002

Nurture & Nature:
By Chandrima Pal
Catch them young. That's the mantra for Col S.R. Banerjee, state director of World Wildlife Fund (WWF).In Bengal, WWF has been working actively to raise environmental awareness among children in the classrooms.When the late Anil Agarwal launched CSE (Centre for Science and Environment), he met with resistance and scepticism. Agarwal's unwavering commitment saw the flowering of CSE into an impressive network of acivists, scientists and volunteers who campaign for environmental issues.The CSE today runs the niche magazines Down to Earth and Gobar Times, which serve as a platform for raising pertinent questions about and investigating environmental hazards.The CSE is actively involved with such campaigns as rain water harvesting, air pollution control, urban waste water management and global climate monitoring to name a few.

The Telegraph, Calcutta, November 23, 2002

Centre requested to relax ban on new tubewells:
By Saurabh Sinha
The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has asked the Centre to relax the ban on installing new small tubewells for drinking purposes in the notified area.Experts, too, differ on the usefulness of the move. Sumita Dasgupta of the Centre for Science and Environment said:"As it is the ground water levels are plummeting, any further exploitation would be disastrous.Moreover, the quality of water is highly questionable and allowing people to drink that would expose them to great health risks."

The Times of India, New delhi, November 18, 2002

110-year-old Mahabodhi tree faces wipeout:
By Kountiya Sinha
The 110-year-old Mahabodhi tree, under which Buddha attained enlightenment 2,600 years ago, is being attacked by "a debilitating disease" every monsoon, giving the Mahabodhi society and Unesco, who declared the Mahabodhi Temple a world heritage site on June 27 this year, sleepless nights. The tree, which is the fourth descendant of the original tree, having grown from the branch of the original tree, is one of the chief attractions for millions of pilgrims who take a symbolic walk around it as a part of their prayer. Not wanting to take any chances, Unesco has written to the Centre for Science and Environment, the Bihar tourism department, the Mahabodhi Society and Indian Tourism Development Corporation to find a permanent solution to this problem, which threatens to wipe away the tree for good.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, November 07, 2002

Coming to grips with TRIPS, by Sunita Narain
What has US President George Bush's international strategy paper, released this fortnight, have to do with the British governemtn sponsored commission on intellectual property rights? The report says that developing countries must not provide the patent protection for plants and animals, as it is allowed under TRIPS. Instead, it should consider different forms of patent protection, in other words, a sui generis system. The Bush doctrine is about power of the rich. We should all learn this-fact.

Business Standard, New Delhi, October 1, 2002

India ill-prepared for summit negotiations by Chandrika Mago:
The UN on Tuesday officially said it was "pleased" with the status of negotiations at thw World Summit on Sustainable Development and indications that the G-77 group of developing countries continues to be split and may end up accepting a good-governance conditionality to aid.The Indians are on a sticky wicket on many other things. For one, the official delegation which has flown into Johannesburg, or will be doing so over the next few days, number less than 20. Just about a dozen of these are the real negotiators. There are four in the MP category and two in the NGO category - the latter two being Sunita Narain of the Centre for Science and Environment and K Sarabhai of the Centre for Environment Education.

The Times of India, New Delhi, August 28, 2002

India to work for adherence to Rio commitments:
As the world awaits the Johannesburg Earth Summit that begins Monday, India will be joining like minded G-77 countries to ensure that there is no stepping back from the commitments made at Rio 10 years ago."Our attempts is to make sure there is no stepping back from Rio, and that developed countries do not renege from their earlier commitments of common but differentiated responsibility," said Sunita Narain, director of Centre for Science and Environment.

Central Chronicle, Bhopal, August 26, 2002

World solidarity fund on anvil:
A 10-day World Summit on sustainable development begins in Johannesburg on Monday to discuss contentious issues of growing disparities between developed and poor nations in a globalising world and the need to eliminate trade distorting subsidies that inhibit sustainable consumption and production patterns in developed countries.A high-level Indian delegation, which will be headed by environment minister T R Baalu for the first six days and external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha in the second part, will attend the conference. Congress MP Laxman Singh and BJP MP Brikam Keshari Dev, former environment minister Digvijay Singh, who had attended the world summits in Stockholm and in Rio De Janeiro in 1972 and 1992, and environmentalists Mohan Dharia, Sunita Narain and KV Sarabhai will also be part of the Indian delegation.

Newstime, Hyderabad, August 26, 2002

Jamboree, or justified?
What has happened since Rio, asks Sunita Narain, director of the Centre for Science and Environment. "In the last 10 years, global environmental negotiations have turned into business transactions rather than a means of ensuring good global governance. No political leader wants the emerging global market to be managed in the best interest of the maximum number of people; not do leaders develop global ecological policy on the basic principles of 'good governance' - equality, justice and democracy."Instead, when national leaders meet to set rules and regulations for ecological globalisation, they invariably take positions to ensure the least possible costs to their individual national economies. What we see emerging in the name of global environmental negotiations is in fact an extremely lopsided governance of the world's resources, controlled and manipulated by Northern countries," says Narain.

The Statesman, New Delhi, August 18, 2002

Environment is no luxury but survival:
Director of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Ms Sunita Narain today said environmental is not a luxury but a matter of survival in India. Presenting her key note address in a function organized by People's Empowerment Mission in collaboration with UNESCO and CSE in Srinagar to mark the World Environment Day, Ms. Narain said environment sustainability is a key to the economic growth of the country.

The Kashmir Times, Jammu, 07^th June, 2002

Growing scope in environment sciences By Pallavi Majumdar:
As emphasis on clean air, water and environment is increasing, voluntary groups have jumped into the fray conducting studies and creating mass awareness. Academicians and scientists feel the increasing awareness about perishable resources and importance of sustainable development has opened up the field of environment and its studies.Centre for Science and Environment director Sunita Narain said environmental issues have grown tremendously over the years.

The Times of India, New Delhi, 09th May, 2002

India's forests: a 'non'-issue by Sunita Narain:
We need to give the devil his due. Finance minister Yashwant Sinha has drawn flak from almost all sides for his budget 2002. But there is one redeeming feature - the fact that the budget would provide duduction for afforestation projects on degraded non-forest land.

Business Standard, New Delhi, 02^nd April, 2002

Clippings on Anil Agarwal

Home decoration material too causes air pollution:
Every year over one million deaths are caused in India by air pollution. Of these two-third are due to indoor air pollution, according to the World Bank statistics.According to a study, IAQ problems cost American business nearly $ 60 billion annually, most of it due to the result of loss in productivity. However, in India, "there have been very few studies and nobody even talks about it," rues Pranay from the Centre for Science and Environment(CSE).

Newstime, Hyderabad 04^th March, 2002

Redefining the enviornment :
To Anil Agarwal, who died recently, the environment was not only about trees and tigers. It was about people and survival, this giving a completely different perspective to development policy.

The Hindu, New Delhi, 13^th January, 2002

Theme for a dream :
Anil Agarwal, the brain behind the anti-air pollution campaign in India, may be dead, but Sunita Narain is determined to continue the fight.

The Indian Express, New Delhi,13^th January, 2002

A man who was in a tearing hurry :
Even before all the toasts to the new year could be downed, green crusader Anil Agarwal bid adieu to the year and the world. As a media commentator wrote, "54 is no age to die." It really isn’t.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, 13^th January, 2002

Tributes paid to Anil Agarwal :
A meet was held in memory of noted environmentalist Anil Agarwal who passed away on January 2. Mourning the loss were former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha

Rao and former finance minister Manmohan Singh besides friends, well- wishers and employees of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 12^th January, 2002

Health is wealth :
Anil Aggarwal, noted enviornmentalist and editor of Down to Earth bravely battled cancer for years and finally passed away on January 2. There are innumerable people around us who are quitely fighting cancer and other diseases, both terminal and otherwise, day in and day out. And perhaps, it is only these people who seriously realise the import of an old adage: Health is Wealth.x

The Pioneer, New Delhi, 06^th January, 2002

A down-to-earth dreamer :
Darryl D' Monte noted enviornmentalist in an article in The Hindustan Times has payed homage to about Anil Aggarwal, who passed away on January 2 by saying that "If Delhi's air is cleaner, it's Anil Agarwal who is responsible; if saving environment is on the national agenda, we owe it to him. India is poorer without him.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 06^th January, 2002

A serious loss :
Anil Aggarwal, visionary founder and leader of the Centre for Science and Environment, a public interest research and advocacy organisation that promotes environmentally-sound and equitable development strategies, passed away on January 2, after a seven year battle against cancer. A far-sighted thinker and analyst, Anil was dedicated to improving the environment, but was equally a staunch supporter of the rights of the poor, and of social justice.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 05^th January, 2002

President, PM condole death of Anil Aggarwal :
Presiden KR Narayan and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee condoled the death of the noted environmentalist Anil Agarwal, remembering him for being a tireless and compassionate crusader who strove to fight against poverty which constituted the major problem behind environmental degradation.

Central Chronicle, Bhopal, 04^th January, 2002

Delhi bids a sad farewell to Anil Agarwal :
The mortal remains of Anil Agarwal, the green activist who was greatly responsible for the introduction of CNG-powered transport system in Delhi, was cremated on January 4. A brilliant civil engineer from IIT, Kanpur, Agarwal deeply involved himself with the movement for protection of environment and worked closely with the poor people at the grassroots level.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, 04^thJanuary, 2002

His vision will endure :
When a visionary dies, many dreams die with him. Because finally, it is individual genius and personal commitment that brings change in the way the world goes about its business, not conformism. Anil Agarwal had a passion about changing the environment of Delhi, the city about which very few really felt a sense of ownership at the time.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 04^thJanuary, 2002

The man who shook Indians out of complacency :
When Anil Agarwal covered the world famous Chipko movement as a young reporter in the 80s, he wrote how village folks in a small Garhwal village literally hugged the trees to prevent them from being felled by contractors.The episode left a deep impression on his mind that it is India's poor who most depend on their enviornment and will be worst affected by its degradation.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, 04^thJanuary, 2002

He made environment a national concern :
With the passing away of Anil Agarwal, India loses perhaps the one person whom the world recognised as the authentic voice of the informed and concerned environmental movement in this country. The Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) an organisation which he founded in 1980 soon became the most respected environmental action group in India, trusted worldwide an an authentic peoples' voice with governmental or political baggage.

The Hindu, New Delhi, 04^thJanuary, 2002

Relentless activist and generous guru :
Fifty four is no age to die. But if you said this to Anil, wracked by cancer for the past five years, he would say that this is what you must expect in an enviornment as filthy and abused as ours is. He traced his own disease to the pollution around him and wrote about it in 'My story today, yours tomorrow' in Down to Earth, the magazine that he founded and edited with rare insight and skill.

The Times of India, New Delhi, 04^thJanuary, 2002

'A friend in roots down in the earth' :
Environmentalists are trying to come to terms with the loss of Anil Agarwal. While saying Agarwal will be sorely missed, they are looking forward to carrying his fight for a cleaner environment.

The Times of India, New Delhi, 04^th January, 2002

Hundreds bid crusader for clean air a final good bye :
People from all walks of life converged at the Lodi Road crematorium to pay their last respects to Anil Agarwal, an eminent environmentalist who died in Dehra Dun on January 2.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 04^th January, 2002

Anil Agarwal (1947-2002) :
Anil Agarwal, who died on January 2 at the age of 54, burst on the Indian journalistic scene in late 1972, with a breathtaking series of interviews that he did for the Hindustan Times, with a range of scientific eminences. The questioning showed a mind that could range far and wide, yet probe in depth, and then communicate with great clarity-traits that he would be repeatedly manifested over the next three decades.

Business Standard, New Delhi, 04^th January, 2002

Anil Aggarwal cremated :
The noted environmentalist, Anil Aggarwal, who died of blood cancer at Dehra Dun on January 2, was cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium. A large number of people from all walks of life gathered to pay homage to this leading environmentalist.

The Hindu, New Delhi, 04^th January, 2002

'Anil will be missed, but there's momentum for us' :
The last battle which Anil Agarwal was engaged in before he died on Wednesday was fuel quality. After tremendous resistance on the CNG front, air pollution campaign had become almost an obsession with him. From his hospital in Dehra Dun, as a member of the Bhure Lal Committee, he relied on his team to provide loopholes in the system before the Supreme Court.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, 04^thJanuary, 2002

Environment campaigner Anil Agarwal dies at 54 :
Delhi's best known environment activist Anil Agarwal, passed away at Dehra Dun on Wednesday evening after a long battle with cancer. Agarwal, chairperson of the Centre for Science and Environment, an NGO he founded which took the lead in sensitising India to "green" issues, had been suffering from Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, 03^rd January, 2002

Anil Agarwal dead :
The chairperson of the Centre for Science and Envirionment, Dr Anil Agarwal, died in Dehradun. Dr. Agarwal had been conferred the Padma Bhushan and Padmashree for his work in the environmental field.

The Statesman, New Delhi, 03^rd January, 2002

Anil Agarwal passes away :
Leading environmentalist, Anil Agarwal, passed away at Dehradun on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. Agarwal was the chairperson of the Centre for Science and Environment and the editor of Down to Earth.

Business Standard, New Delhi, 03^rd January, 2002

Anil Aggarwal is dead :
Anil Aggarwal, chairperson of the Centre for Science and Environment and editor of the Down to Earth magazine, died on Wednesday. Aggarwal, a prominent environmental activist, was suffering from cancer.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 03^rd January, 2002

Anil Aggarwal dead :
The chairperson of Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Dr. Anil Aggarwal, died at Dehra Dun. He was 54. During his tenure as the director of the CSE, Dr. Aggarwal brought out his first-ever "State of the Environment" report by a non-Governmental organisation, a trend which has continued to the present day.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 03^rd January, 2002