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HighlightsoftheAchievementsoftheMinistryofEnvironment,ForestandClimateChange

PressInformationBureau
GovernmentofIndia
MinistryofEnvironmentandForests
29December201513:01IST

HighlightsoftheAchievementsoftheMinistryofEnvironment,ForestandClimateChange
YearEnder2015

Following are the highlights of the initiatives and achievements of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
during2015:

COP21ATPARIS:WorkingTowardsClimateJustice:

IndiawasabletosecureitsinterestandthatofdevelopingcountriesintheParisAgreement.

TheParisAgreementhasunequivocallyacknowledgedtheimperativeofclimatejusticeandhasbaseditselfonthe
principlesofequityandCommonButDifferentiatedResponsibilities.

TheAgreementacknowledgesthedevelopmentimperativesofIndiaandotherdevelopingcountries.

IndiaPavilionsetupbytheGovernmenthighlightedtheinitiativestakenbyvariousMinistries,StateGovernments,
Missions under NationalAction Plan on Climate Change, Industries, Civil Societies, NGOs etc. The Prime Minister
inauguratedtheIndianPavilionandreleasedPARAMPARA,abookonIndiascultureandclimatefriendlysustainable
practices.

Comprehensive and balanced INDC submitted, which includes Adaptation, Mitigation, requirement of Finance,
Technologytransfer,CapacityBuilding.

To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of
conservationandmoderation.

To adopt a climatefriendly and a cleaner path than the one followed hitherto by others at corresponding level of
economicdevelopment.

ToreducetheemissionsintensityofitsGDPby33to35percentby2030from2005level.

Toachieveabout40percentcumulativeelectricpowerinstalledcapacityfromnonfossilfuelbasedenergyresourcesby
2030 with the help of transfer of technology and lowcost international finance including from Green Climate Fund
(GCF).

Tocreateanadditionalcarbonsinkof2.5to3billiontonnesofCO2equivalentthroughadditionalforestandtreecover
by2030.

Tobetteradapttoclimatechangebyenhancinginvestmentsindevelopmentprogrammesinsectorsvulnerabletoclimate
change,particularlyagriculture,waterresources,Himalayanregion,coastalregions,healthanddisastermanagement.

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HighlightsoftheAchievementsoftheMinistryofEnvironment,ForestandClimateChange

Tomobilisedomesticandnew&additionalfundsfromdevelopedcountriestoimplementtheabovemitigationand
adaptationactionsinviewoftheresourcerequiredandtheresourcegap.

Tobuildcapacities,createdomesticframeworkandinternationalarchitectureforquickdiffusionofcuttingedgeclimate
technologyinIndiaandforjointcollaborativeR&Dforsuchfuturetechnologies.

ScienceExpressClimateActionSpecial(SECAS)flaggedofftocontributetowardsincreasingtheunderstandingofthe
scienceofClimateChangethetrainwillhaltat64locationsinabout20statesacrossthecountry.

INITIATIVESTOREDUCEPOLLUTION:

NationalAirQualityIndexwaslaunchedbythePrimeMinisterinApril,2015startingwith14citiestodisseminate
airqualityinformation.TheAQIhassixcategoriesofairquality,vizGood,Satisfactory,ModeratelyPolluted,Poor,Very
Poor and Severe with distinct colour scheme. Each of these categories is associated with likely health impacts. AQI
considerseightpollutants(PM10,PM2.5,NO2,SO2,CO,O3,NH3andPb)forwhich(upto24hourlyaveragingperiod)
NationalAmbientAirQualityStandardsareprescribed.

NationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS)comprise12pollutants,outofwhich,threepollutantsnamely
PM10, SO2 and NO2 are monitored at 612 locations in 254 cities /towns by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in
associationwithvariousStatePollutionControlBoards(SPCBs)andPollutionControlCommittees(PCCs)forUTs.

ImplementationofBharatStageIVnormsinthe63selectedcitiesanduniversalizationofBSIVby2017.

MinistryofRoadTransportandHighways(MoRTH)on27.11.2015issuedtwoDraftNotificationsforadvancingthe
implementationtimelinesto2019forBSVand2021forBSVIforcommentsofstakeholders.

TheGovernmenthasheldfourmeetingswithMinistersofEnvironmentofNationalCapitalRegionandPunjabon
waysandmeanstoreduceairpollution.

CPCBhasworkedoutatransparentcriteriatoclassifyindustriesas'Red''Orange''Green'andWhiteCategoryto
linkwitheaseofdoingbusinessandgrantingofconsentincludingitssiting.Thecriteriaevolvedarebasedonpollution
potentialandresourceconsumptionratherthancapitalcost.

TheComprehensiveEnvironmentalPollutionIndex(CEPI)isbeingrevisedbyCPCB,whichwillbebasedon
weightageofair,waterandlandpollution.

Realtimeonlinemonitoringofover2100industrialunitsin17highlypollutingcategoryincludingthoseconnected
to C.E.T.P have been mandated, leaving those units which have been exempted otherwise, or are not operational. These
industries have been directed to monitor 24x7 effluent discharge quality and air emission quality. So far, around 1800
industriesarereportedtohaveinstalled24x7devices.

CPCBhasfinalizedstandardsforsewagetreatmentplants(STPs)whichstipulatethattreatedeffluentsfromSTP
shallbeutilizedfornonpotableuseandif,sucheffluentsaretobedisposedoffintosurfacewaterbodyoftheground,in
suchcases,STPswillhavetomeetstricterstandards.

RealtimemonitoringofwaterqualityofGangainitiatedateightstationsonthemaincourseandtwostationson
Yamuna.

DevelopedAction Plan for Ganga mainstream States to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) and water
conservation for tanneries, distilleries, textiles, sugar and pulp and paper and achieving improved effluent standards for
irrigationinrespectofpulpandpaperandsugarindustries.

EnvironmentalstandardsforThermalPowerPlants,ContinuousEffluentTreatmentPlants(CETPs)andsugar
industryhavebeenfinalized.

AnonlinesystemforsubmissionandmonitoringofEnvironmentalandForestapprovalsundertheprovisionsof
Environment(Protection)Act,1986andtheForest(Conservation)Act,1980.Itautomatestheentiretrackingofproposals,
including online submission of a new proposal, editing/updating the details of proposals and displays the status of the
proposalsateachstageoftheworkflow.

AjointactionhasbeeninitiatedwithWaterResourcesMinistrytorunsewagetreatmentplantsandwithUrban
DevelopmentMinistryfororganisedSolidWasteManagement.Thesameformulawillbeextendedtoalltheotherrivers.

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MinistryhasundertakenrevampingWasteManagementRules,namely(i)BioMedicalWaste(Management&
Handling) Rules, (ii) SolidWaste Management Rules, (iii) PlasticWaste Management Rules, (iv) Ewaste (Management)
Rules,(v)DraftHazardousandOtherWastes(ManagementandTransboundaryMovement)Rulesanditsimplementation
willleadtosignificantimprovementinwastemanagement.Thisisatanadvancedstageoffinalization.

The Ministry organised a Global Environment Facility (GEF) National Workshop in association with GEF
Secretariat,WashingtononMay1213,2015.

AnIndiaResourcePanelhasbeenestablishedtopromoteresourceefficiencyanduseofsecondaryrawmaterial.

INITIATIVESTOENHANCEGREENCOVER:

TwoSchemesnamelyNagarVanaUdyanYojanaandSchoolNurseryYojanahavebeenlaunched.NagarVana
UdyanYojanaaimstocreateatleastonecityforestineachcitywithaminimumareaof25ha.Theschemeaimsatcreation
of a City Forest in forest areas within their jurisdiction up to a maximum of 100 ha and minimum area of 20 ha. The
objectiveoftheYojanaistocreate200CityForestsinthecountry.TheSchoolNurseryYojanaaimstobuildalastingbond
ofstudentswithnature.

Under Green India Mission (GIM), perspective plans and annual plans of operations of six States have been
approved in the first sitting of the National Executive Council held in May 2015. The Green India Mission aims at
increasingtheforest/treecoverby5millionhectareaswellas,increasingthequalityoftheexistingforestcoverinanother
5millionhectare.AnamountofRs.50.77crorehasbeenreleasedtofourStatesoutofthefundallocationofRs.64crore.
At the second sitting of the National Executive Council held in November 2015, Perspective Plan and Annual Plan of
OperationsofanotherfourStateshavebeenapproved.

CompensatoryAfforestationFundManagementandPlanningAuthority(CAMPA):Toensureexpeditiousutilisationin
transparent and efficient manner, and safety and security of the accumulated amounts and fresh accruals, the
CompensatoryAfforestationFundBill2015hasbeenintroducedintheParliament.EnactmentoftheBillwillpaveway
for utilisation of the huge accumulated amount significantly contributing towards conservation and development of
forestandwildlife.UnspentbalanceavailablewiththesaidadhocbodyhasincreasedtoaboutRs.38,000crore.

OTHERINITIATIVES:

TheInternationalDayforBiodiversitycelebratedacrossthenationonMay22,2015.Thisyearsthemewas
Biodiversity for Sustainable Development. At the main event held in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, a project on
BiodiversityFinanceInitiative(BIOFIN)waslaunched.

OntheoccasionofWorldEnvironmentDayonJune5,thePrimeMinister,ShriNarendraModi,plantedaKadamb
saplingat7,RaceCourseRoad.

AMemorandumofUnderstanding(MoU)wassignedbetweentheMinistryofEnvironment,ForestandClimate
ChangeandNOIDAforthedevelopmentofBotanicGardenofIndianRepublic(BGIR)inNOIDAonJune5,2015onthe
occasionofWorldEnvironmentDay.TheBotanicalGardenwouldalsoactasacentreforbotanicalresearchscholarsto
carry out studies on rare species of plants. 249 ecosensitive proposals have been approved, which include 28 final
notificationsand92draftnotifications.

The final notification declaring Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Okhla bird sanctuary has been issued by
GovernmentofIndiaintheGazetteofIndiavideS/o2262(E)dated19thAugust2015,providingrelieftolakhsofhouse
ownersinNOIDAandGreaterNOIDAarea.

TheMinistryhaslaunchedtheEconomicsofEcosystemsandBiodiversityTEEBIndiaInitiative(TII)tohighlight
theeconomicconsequencesofthelossofbiologicaldiversityandtheassociateddeclineinecosystemservices.

AcommemorativestampreleasedtomarkthecentenaryyearofZoologicalSurveyofIndia.

TheMinistrycommemoratedWorldDaytocombatDesertificationonJune17,2015.

TheMinistryofEnvironment,ForestandClimateChange(MoEFCC),inassociationwithUNESCO,hasestablished
aCentreforWorldNaturalHeritageManagementandTrainingfortheAsiaandPacificRegionasaUNESCOCategory2
CentreattheWildlifeInstituteofIndia(WII),Dehradun.

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ChintanShivirorganisedinBangalore,BhopalandGuwahatiforyoungofficerstoenabletheofficersfromthe
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and officers from forest, pollution boards and scientists from the
concerneddepartmentstointrospectanddiscussvariousaspectsrelatedtotheMinistry.

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HK

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