27 Indian cities are counted amongst the Top 50 World’s most polluted cities in 2019
The rate of urbanization in India is faster than the rest of the world. By 2018, 34% of the Indian population was crammed in the urban regions. This percentage is estimated to increase to 40.76% in the next 10 years.
Such rapid migration and urbanization give rise to social issues like poverty, unplanned urbanization and industrialization, and several related problems responsible for the rapid degradation of the environment.
It is estimated that by the year 2030, the waste generated annually in India would increase to 165 million tonnes, that’s more than 27 Great Pyramids of Giza!.
Plastic is like human mind, if we manage it, it’s a boon. If we don’t manage it well, it can become a disaster.
Saurabh Gupta
Key Environmental and Sustainability issues faced by India include:
Air Pollution :
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- Air pollution is responsible for 12.5% of all deaths in India.
- it also kills around 100,000 children less than five years old every year.
Water Pollution :
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- 86% of the water bodies in India are considered “critically polluted”, that is unsafe for drinking or any other domestic purposes.
- The Ganges river tops the list of the world’s most polluted rivers, with Yamuna river being the 10th.
- Groundwater is also exploited, as over 94.5% of all the farming, irrigation, and other activities are dependent on it.
Waste Management:
- Urban India produces 62 million tonnes of trash annually, that is more than 10 times the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza!
- Out of this, only 70% is collected, 20% is treated while half of the waste is dumped in the landfills
- India has also recorded a 56% increase in the number of hazardous-waste (like pesticides, toxic wastes, heavy metals, etc) generating industries in the last decade
Global Brands Linked to Massive Deforestation
The Coca-Cola Co has emerged as the No.1 global plastic polluter for the second consecutive year, according to a report on the top 10 plastic polluting companies in the world. The beverages brand was followed by Nestlé SA and PepsiCo In..
“It will be impossible for the world to reduce plastic pollution without these brands making major changes to how they deliver their products. The time of relying on single-use packaging is over,” stated the report.