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3. HEALTH AND
ENVIRONMENT
3.1 General
protection of the environment
India is a party to the UN Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) held in 1992. In the same year, a national conservation strategy and
a policy statement on environment were formulated. The policy addresses
issues related to sustainable development including health. A very
far-reaching notification by the Ministry of Environment and Forests gazetted
in 1994 makes it obligatory for
almost all development projects to conduct an environmental impact assessment
study and get clearance.
Premature death and illness due to major environmental health risks
account for nearly 20 percent of the total burden of disease in India (World
Bank, 2001). India
has environmental health risks of both categories: traditional hazards
related to poverty and lack of development, such as lack of safe water,
inadequate sanitation and waste disposal, indoor air pollution and vector
borne diseases; and modern hazards caused by development that lacks
environmental safeguards, such as urban air pollution and exposure to
agro-industrial chemicals and waste.
A Government-constituted group at the highest level has identified six
priority programme areas, namely urban low cost sanitation, urban waste water
management, urban solid waste management including hospital waste management,
rural environmental sanitation, industrial waste management and air pollution
control, and strengthening of health surveillance and support services. There
are many constitutional provisions and laws pertaining to the environment and
its protection and improvement. However, the level of enforcement has been
extremely poor. Besides, there is no comprehensive legislation on environment
and health.
Environment has deteriorated significantly due to unplanned
urbanization, industrialization and indiscriminate
use of pesticides in agriculture. The solid waste generation in cities has
increased from 6 million tonnes (mts) in 1947 to 48
mts in 1997 and
is expected to increase to 300 mts by 2047. The
average waste collection in Indian cities is, however, 72 percent. Till
recently medical wastes were also deposited and mixed with municipal waste
collection. Monitoring of the urban environment in selected cities in recent
years by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 24
critically polluted areas in the country (10th Five Year Plan).
The forest cover in 1999 was 19.39
percent of the total geographical area as against prescribed standard of 33
percent. Most of the country's water resources are polluted due to discharge
of untreated / partially treated wastes from industry, domestic sewage and
fertiliser / pesticide run off from agricultural fields. Agricultural
activities including widespread use of fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides killers also alter the environment and create
health hazards. Water stagnation and the consequent multiplication of vectors
have increased the risk of vector-borne diseases. The high level of air
pollution is resulting in increased respiratory diseases in cities. Suspended
Particulate Matter (SPM) is higher than the prescribed limit in 69 locations out of 170 (Annual Report 2002, CPCB).
Related Links
 Annual Report 2002, CPCB
Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare
Center
pollution board control, India
Environment
- WHO/SEARO
National
Environment and Health Action plans – WHO/SEARO
WHO/HQ
3.2 Water supply and sanitation
The proportion of population covered with access to safe water source
was 85 percent in 2001.The proportion of population covered with access to
improved sanitation was 52 percent in 2001 (MDG 2005).
The main constraints with regard to water supply are inadequate
maintenance of water systems, lack of finances and poor community
involvement. Most Municipalities/Panchayats do not
have any system for monitoring the quality of water, while water
contamination causes water-borne diseases even in metro cities like Delhi and Kolkata. Most of the people in rural areas are not aware
of the health and environmental benefits of improved sanitation. Various
measures initiated by Central and State Governments include phasing of the
rural water supply programme, more financial support by the State Finance
Commissions, more responsibilities to local bodies, autonomy in declaring
tariffs to water supply and sanitation agencies, improving manpower and
equipment support to municipal authorities, and creating public awareness
regarding safe water and sanitation.
Related Links
Department of
Drinking Water
Water and
sanitation – WHO/SEARO
Water and sanitation –
WHO/HQ
Water - WHO/SEARO
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