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TERI survey reveals people’s ignorance of ecological issues
limate change is no longer a
contested phenomenon — rising temperatures, errant rainfall, dirtier rivers and
streets and ever-growing mountains of garbage are all obvious manifestations
and causes of this phenomenon. But having acknowledged that our actions in the
name of development are irreversibly damaging the planet, how far are we
willing and able to actually do something to contain the situation?
On the occasion of World
Environment Day, The Energy and Resources Institute TERI) unveiled their first
environmental survey this week. Conducted on a sample of 4039 respondents
across six cities — Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai —
this revealing survey covered air and water quality, waste management, climate
change and green cover. It aimed at gauging people's behaviour, perception and
public opinion about environmental changes over the past five years.
The findings are quite stark.
For instance, 70-80% of the respondents are unaware of government policies on
air and water pollution, water availability, waste management, forest
conservation and climate change. A majority of the respondents in Delhi felt
that availability of water is suffering due to overconsumption. In all cities
apart from Kolkata, the survey revealed an unwillingness to segregate waste at
source.
In Chennai, a significant 38% of
the respondents felt that there was no change in climate. In Delhi, 90% said
that they'd never participated in the management of parks and that a large
number of them had never even planted a tree. But as Ravi Agarwal,
founder-director of Toxics Link, pointed out at the release of the survey, a
lot of this apparent indifference to climate change has roots in institutional
support — or the lack of it.
"I know for a fact that
people had started segregating waste at their homes in Delhi, but they stopped
because when the MCD trucks came around to collect it, they dumped it all in
the same place. When you're talking of planting trees, there has to be some
space demarcated for the purpose. What incentive is the government creating
when they cut down thousands of trees for things like the Commonwealth Games or
new malls all the time?" observed Agarwal during the panel discussion at
the launch.
Yet, not all is as dismal as it
may seem — the survey did point out some heartening statistics. A majority of
the respondents in Delhi (59%) felt that environment concerns and development
have to go hand-in-hand. 61% of the respondents in Kolkata noted that the water
quality available to them had improved. About a fourth of the sample in all
cities suggested improved public transport infrastructure as the best way to
reduce air pollution.
"We underestimate the
public as far as their understanding of environment-related issues is
concerned. They do get what climate change is all about and also consider it to
affect them personally. What we need to do is to trash the technocratic
attitude and undertake ecosystem approaches," noted Ligia Noronha, executive
director, TERI.
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