Media workshop on 'Understanding Air Quality Data'

The workshop began with the President of Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ), Brijmohan Patil welcoming the speakers and the audience. He noted that the first workshop with the journalists on air quality had happened in the year 2022, and such workshops helped to strengthen the understanding of the reporters on technical issues like air quality. A context setting was done by Ranjit Gadgil who highlighted the importance of conducting this media workshop, noting that well-informed reporting helps connect technical data to citizens’ everyday experiences, ultimately improving public accountability.

Dr. Ritu Parchure, Fellow, Prayas Health Group, spoke about the health impacts of air pollution. She reiterated that it is a critical matter requiring urgent attention as it affects almost everyone in varying degrees. She discussed how the pollutants enter the bloodstream through the lungs and cause a host of disorders like heart disease, kidney failure, stroke, affects the reproductive and neurological system, and even affects the fetus and newborn babies, apart from respiratory issues like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), asthma, etc. She explained how the Air Quality Index (AQI) is generated and emphasized that health risks start even when the Air Quality Index (AQI) moves from “Good” to “Satisfactory”.

Unified DCPR is outrageous: It will destroy liveability of Pune City

India is on path toward rapid urban population growth leading to unmanaged metropolitan cities and other urban areas. Urban local bodies are unable to cope up with the pressure of urbanisation and unplanned urban growth problems continue to remain in all cities. If we have to define Indian urban landscape, it is a “bizarre ad-hoc juxtaposition of suburbs, gaothans, hills, slums and shanty areas, clutters of guthewari structures, streets with all activities, congested streets full of two wheelers and cars - which have turned into densely populated squalid habitats – in between surrounded by glittering buildings and gated communities.”

Floor Space Index (FSI): A Detrimental Provision in the UDCPR

The Government of Maharashtra recently notified the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) which are going to have a very big impact on cities. The UDCPR is being implemented in cities like Pune without assessing its impact. The current trajectory of urban development, with the focus on real estate development, is the major reason for non-defined urban form and bad urban design followed in Indian cities. 

Plastic Free July and its relevance throughout the year

Landfills are representative of our misplaced development priorities.
Photographer: Jonathan Torgovnik/AJWS | Organisation: SWaCH Pune Seva Sahakari Sanstha.

“Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution”. The movement was started in 2011 by “Rebecca Prince-Ruiz (the founder of the Plastic Free Foundation) and a small team in local government in Western Australia, and is now one of the most influential environmental campaigns in the world.” This excerpt from the Plastic Free July website shows that globally, people acknowledge the plastic crisis as well as want to be part of the solution. And why not, as the age we live in is being called the plasticene¹ and plastic pollution has become all pervasive. Plastic is found on top of the highest mountains², deepest of trenches in the ocean³, while plastic (microplastic and nano plastic) has been found even inside human placenta⁴, blood⁵, lungs⁶ and testicles⁷. Scientists have discovered that micro- and nanoplastics exist in every environmental compartment — from freshwater to soil and air — and in thousands of species, including humans⁸. A 2019 WWF report suggests that we consume an average of 5g or a debit card size of plastic a week. Toxics Link in 2024, found microplastic in all 10 samples of salt and 5 samples of sugar they studied in the Indian market. Similar studies in the past have shown tap water, bottled water and other food and beverages to contain microplastic. Microplastic has become part of our daily food and drinks.

Parisar felicitated as the best NGO in the field of Road Safety in Maharashtra

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) celebrated Road Safety week from 11 to 17 January 2023 across India.

Parisar was felicitated as a best NGO working in the field of road safety in Maharashtra. This award ceremony was held in Mumbai on 11th January 2023.

The event was organised by the Transport Department, Maharashtra State and Mr. Sandeep Gaikwad (Senior Program Associate) represented Parisar to receive the award.

वाहतूक कोंडी एक गंभीर समस्या!

The following article in Marathi highlights the issue of traffic congestions in the cities across India. It talks about the reasons, impacts, issues of traffic congestion and solutions to resolve it. 

The shortened version of this article was published in Sakal media on 10th October 2022.

वाहतूक कोंडी एक गंभीर समस्या!

भारतातील सर्वच शहरे विशेषत पुणे, मुंबई, दिल्ली, चेन्नई, बंगळूर वाहतूक कोंडीने त्रस्त आहेत. वाहतूक कोंडी ही समस्या दिवसेंदिवस वाढत उग्र रूप धारण करीत आहे. सण-समारंभ, मंत्री महोदयांचे मोर्चे-दौरे, यात अधिक भर घालतात. काही दिवसांपूर्वी पुणे शहरात खुद्द आमदारांना आपल्या शासकीय वाहनातून उतरून वाहतूक सुरळीत करून वाहतूक कोंडीतून स्वतःची सुटका करून घ्यावी लागली. कोणत्याही शहरात पोलिस प्रमुखाची नव्याने नेमणूक झाल्यास नागरिक, संघटना, पत्रकार पोलिस प्रमुखास पहिला प्रश्न विचारतात तो म्हणजे वाहतूक समस्या सोडवण्यास काय उपाययोजना कराल?