An environmental survey of 1,010 Mumbaiites by non-profit organisation The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) have found among other things that 62% of total respondents feel that the environment and development were conflicting in nature.
The survey that was carried out in six major cities, namely Mumbai, Begaluru, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai aimed at gauging people’s perception, behaviour, awareness and opinions pertaining to environmental issues. While the Mumbai chapter of the survey was released on Tuesday, rest is likely to be released on May 31 in Delhi. Out of 4040 total respondents across the six cities, 1010 were from Mumbai.
Climate change was perceived to be happening by 78% of the respondents. The 45% respondents perceive some change in temperature, wind pattern (40%) and extreme events (31%). Around 41% of the respondents have perceived significant change in the rainfall pattern.
Dr. RK Pachauri, Director, TERI, said, “Mumbai’s environment challenges are unique owing to development pressures and confined spaces. An informed civil society would help protecting environment. We hope to make these studies an annual event.”
Among the key suggestions for improving the environment, 75% respondents suggested conversion of polluting industries to environment friendly units while 67% suggested imposition of congestion and other taxes to discourage private vehicles.
The survey has also thrown light on many worrying facts for Mumbai, such as groundwater availability. 42% of the respondents have felt that ground water availability has worsened over the last five years and 49% felt that despite the existence of policies dealing with water pollution, they are not being implemented by the government.
