Closing the Gap between ‘Expert’ and ‘Lay’ Knowledge in the Governance of Wastewater: Lessons and Reflections from New Delhi

The wastewater crisis in megacities of the Global South is increasingly recognised. However, sector?driven approaches (of river pollution, sewerage, or city?wide drainage) have had limited success in tackling this multifaceted problem. This article seeks to dynamise debates by positioning the current crisis in relation to contests of knowledge. Focusing on wastewater governance in Delhi, the article explores the question which different knowledges about wastewater exist in scientific communities, governments, and amongst citizens. What is frequently understood as ‘expert’ knowledge of the Central Pollution Control Board, is juxtaposed with the ‘lay’ experiences of citizens residing in one unauthorised colony in East Delhi. Exploring both, the article provides insights on the mechanisms through which community experiences are excluded from policy deliberations, leading to major wastewater?related problems being overlooked. The article then calls for enhanced attention to knowledge integration, thus strengthening the participation of citizens in formulation and implementation of wastewater programmes

Are Urban-Rural Welfare Differences Growing in India?

Using data from the large scale consumption expenditure surveys collected by Indian National Sample Survey Organization, we examine the urban-rural welfare gap in India in 1983, 1993-94, 2004-05, and 2011-12 across the entire distribution. Our main measure of welfare is spatially adjusted per capita consumption expenditure. We find that the urban-rural gap increased considerably between 1993-94 and 2004-05, and increase is larger at the higher quantiles. Using the unconditional quantile regression decomposition, we find that majority of the gap is explained by the urban advantage in endowments in all four years. The contribution of the unexplained effect (differences in rewards) in urban advantage was negative in 1983 and 1993-94 across the entire distribution. We find that difference in educational distribution across urban and rural areas is the most important driver of the observed gap. We find similar patterns using income data for 2004-05 and 2011-12 from India Human Development Surveys

Internal migration and inclusive development: Insights from the field

Migration is a universal phenomenon. From time immemorial women and men have travelled in search of better living. There are two separate streams of migration. The first one is at the upper end of human capital hierarchy, to fill in existing surplus demand in the labour market of destination regions. Consequently, this process is highly selective in nature – in terms of skill & training, age, and gender. The second stream emerges due to ‘Push factors’ or distress conditions in the source regions (relative to the destination) – economic hardships in the form of low wages, high unemployment, heavy population pressure, etc. in the native places, and the lure of better earning opportunities in the economically vibrant destination region. This process is a coping mechanism of poor families and helps them come out of poverty. Thus migration can be both discriminatory and egalitarian. Another issue is the emerging pattern of identity and conflict between natives and migrants in several parts of the country. Social inclusion of migrants is sometimes at jeopardy and goes against the ethos and economics of one nation-one labour market principle. This issue needs to be examined also. Using field data, this paper seeks to understand the following issues:(a) Who migrates – what are the social, economic and institutional factors that determine migration decisions? (b) Are there any disparities between migrants/natives and various socio-religious groups regarding – Educational Attainment, Availability of employment, Nature of employment (casual/regular), Occupational distribution, and Earnings?; (c) What are the migration patterns of lagging socio-religious groups? Whether migration does form a route out of poverty for them, and whether specific policies for these groups exist or should be recommended; (d) Understand whether the process of migration is leading to better human capital standards for the subsequent generation or stifling it; and, (e) Examine the perception of natives in receiving regions about migrant workers and how migrants assimilate. The paper uses primary data from 3 districts of Bengal to explore the issues highlighted. It would also explore the impact on the migrants, the receiving regions and the sending regions through case studies to help us in understanding the issue of social inclusion of migrants. Several processes/local systems of migration have also been examined to highlight the vulnerability of the migrants. Inferences from the paper would help in devising a broadbased and inclusive migration policy

Comprehensive organic emission profiles, secondary organic aerosol production potential, and OH reactivity of domestic fuel combustion in Delhi, India

Domestic solid fuel combustion is a major source of organic compounds to the atmosphere in gas and aerosol phases; however, large uncertainties exist in the current understanding of the gas-to-particle partitioning and the drivers of the reactivity of these emissions. This study developed comprehensive, model-ready organic emission profiles for domestic solid fuel combustion sources collected from Delhi, India. It also examined the organic species responsible for secondary organic aerosol (SOA) production potential and hydroxyl radical (OH) reactivity of these emissions. The profiles spanned the entire volatility range, including non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs, effective saturation concentration, C* = 3 × 106 to 1011 μg m−3), intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs, C* = 300 to 3 × 106 μg m−3), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs, C* = 0.3–300 μg m−3) as well as low- and extremely low-volatility organic compounds (L/ELVOCs, where LVOC C* ≤ 0.3 μg m−3). The profiles predicted that IVOCs would contribute significantly to SOA production and that the combustion of fuel wood and charcoal released some of the smallest proportions of SVOCs. A model was developed to examine SOA production from burning emissions which estimated that phenolics would contribute 10–70% of the SOA. Furanics were the most important reactive species, contributing 9–48% of the OH reactivity and 9–58% of the SOA. Different combustion sources were also compared, with emissions from fuel wood, crop residue, cow dung cake and municipal solid waste (MSW) burning shown to be 30, 90, 120 and 230 times more reactive with the OH radical than emissions from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel. This study also estimated 3–4 times more SOA from cow dung cake combustion and 6–7 more from MSW combustion than fuel wood under comparable combustion conditions. The results of this study suggest that emissions from the combustion of domestic solid fuel sources in Delhi have the potential to significantly degrade local and regional air quality. As a result, more effective mitigation strategies are required to limit the impacts of solid fuel combustion on human health in countries like India

Biomass fuel use, burning technique and reasons for the denial of improved cooking stoves by Forest User Groups of Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Bangladesh

This is an electronic version of an article published in International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 1745-2627, 18(1) 2011, 88-97. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a933218896~frm=titlelinkUse of biomass fuel in traditional cooking stoves (TCS) is a long-established practice that has incomplete combustion and generates substances with global warming potential (GWP). Improved cooking stoves (ICS) have been developed worldwide as an alternative household fuel burning device, as well as a climate change mitigation. A study was conducted among female Forest User Groups (FUGs) of Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Bangladesh, to assess the status of ICS disseminated by the Forest Department (FD) under the Nishorgo (2009) Support Project, along with the community's biomass fuel consumption pattern. Wood consumption was highest (345kg month-1 household-1) followed by agricultural residues (60kg month-1 household-1), tree leaves (51kg month-1 household-1) and cow dung (25kg month-1 household-1). Neighbouring forests of the sanctuary was the core source for wood fuel, with little or no reduction in the extraction even after joining the FUG. Twenty-two species, both indigenous and introduced, were preferred as wood fuel. None of the respondents were found willing to use ICS although 43% owned one; either as a status symbol or to meet the conditions of the FD for membership in FUG. Seven negative features of the disseminated ICS were identified by households, which made them unwilling to use them further. Manufacturing faults may be responsible for some ICS demerits, while the FD failed to convince the community of the benefits. A proper examination of the disseminated ICS efficacy is crucial, with active involvement of community members. The Sustainable Energy Triangle Strategy (SETS) could be implemented for this purpose. Findings of the study are of immense importance in designing a strategy for the introduction of ICS into Bangladesh.ArticleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND WORLD ECOLOGY. 18(1):88-97 (2011)journal articl

Financial inclusion: Policies and practices

As a key enabler for development, financial inclusion is firmly placed on the agenda of most governments as a key policy priority. Against this background, this round table provides a global and regional perspective on the policies and practices of financial inclusion. Using macro data, the collection reveals the diversity in the efforts towards achieving financial inclusion and the need for a progressive approach in financial inclusion. Further to this, the round table provides the regional perspectives on the policies and practices of financial inclusion in India, South Africa, and Australia

Longitudinal study of adolescent tobacco use and tobacco control policies in India

Abstract Background This project will use a multilevel longitudinal cohort study design to assess whether changes in Community Tobacco Environmental (CTE) factors, measured as community compliance with tobacco control policies and community density of tobacco vendors and tobacco advertisements, are associated with adolescent tobacco use in urban India. India’s tobacco control policies regulate secondhand smoke exposure, access to tobacco products and exposure to tobacco marketing. Research data about the association between community level compliance with tobacco control policies and youth tobacco use are largely unavailable, and are needed to inform policy enforcement, implementation and development. Methods The geographic scope will include Mumbai and Kolkata, India. The study protocol calls for an annual comprehensive longitudinal population-based tobacco use risk and protective factors survey in a cohort of 1820 adolescents ages 12–14 years (and their parent) from baseline (Wave 1) to 36-month follow-up (Wave 4). Geographic Information Systems data collection will be used to map tobacco vendors, tobacco advertisements, availability of e-cigarettes, COTPA defined public places, and compliance with tobacco sale, point-of-sale and smoke-free laws. Finally, we will estimate the longitudinal associations between CTE factors and adolescent tobacco use, and assess whether the associations are moderated by family level factors, and mediated by individual level factors. Discussion India experiences a high burden of disease and mortality from tobacco use. To address this burden, significant long-term prevention and control activities need to include the joint impact of policy, community and family factors on adolescent tobacco use onset. The findings from this study can be used to guide the development and implementation of future tobacco control policy designed to minimize adolescent tobacco use.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144539/1/12889_2018_Article_5727.pd