OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open access peer-reviewed journal
Motivating Child Development and Eradication of Child Labor by Prompt Efforts by Us, Society and Government
Nikhil Tripathi a, Sachindra Sahu b, Gaurav Chawla c , Mohit Bansal d , Prashant Yadav e
a, b, c, d, e Department of Chemical Engineering, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, India.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 12-17, 2013.
Abstract: One of the menacing curses that our nation is facing today is child labor. Lack of economy and basic education has been monitored as a cause for majority of child labor activities. It is being generally realized that, child labor especially in hazardous occupation is one of the worst social evil and has to be eliminated at the earliest. Government has been taking various pro-active measures to tackle this problem. However, considering the magnitude and extent of the problem and that it is essentially a socio-economic problem inextricably linked to poverty and illiteracy, it requires concerted efforts from all sections of the society to make a dent in the problem. To eradicate child labor we have our plan which involves educating children, providing them financial support, spreading awareness among their parents, making them mandatory to go to school. Our plan aims to stop the activity of child labor completely.
Our plan of action includes the eradication of child labor by taking a target area and implementation of our idea. Our idea basically involves the participation of college and university students. Since the families which are involved are mainly those having income around 50-60 rupees per day, hence they have no other alternative other than forcing each member to work, in order to satisfy their basic needs. For this our plan includes collecting donations and financial support from college, university students and common people who are interested in the upliftment of these underprivileged families.
Our plan includes a policy, ‘adopt a child policy’. “According to our ‘adopt a child policy’ we collect financial assistance from volunteers who are willing to support our cause, we also include faculty members and other students to donate as per their will.” The money we assimilate, we distribute it amongst the children by helping them to buy books, daily needs, and also helping their parents by providing financial help to buy groceries and other daily need product.
Other than this we aim to spread awareness among the localities and families involved. This is also done by visiting government aided and private schools, via newspaper and media so that prohibition laws from the government are regulated.
In this regard we also aim to provide other facilities to the children and their parents. It has been observed that child labor owes its existence due to lack of education at primary level. Hence our idea includes setting up of schools for primary education having well equipped facilities within every 2-3 km range. The fund for the constructing of schools need to be provide by the state or central government. The NGOs and industrialists can make an active contribution in this regard. We aim to make these children skillful by imparting professional education such as computer education. This would enable them for certain alternative employment like data feeding in certain government offices, computer designing etc. Girls can be involved in activities like designing of handicrafts, pottery making arts paintings and other artistic talents that could provide them with an alternative source of income.
Hence, measures stated above if successfully implemented can play a vital role in eradication of child labor.
Keywords: menacing, child labor, government, illiteracy, eradication
Right To Pollute? ; An Understanding on the Implications of International Carbon Trading Market
Soumya Chaturvedi
School of Law, Christ University, Bangalore, India.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 18-23, 2013.
Abstract: The nature has laid down the very foundation of our being on this planet and we in this rat race to compete amongst ourselves have ignored the very existence of our natural life support. This era of industrialization has swept the green cover of our planet and turned into a land of concrete jungles producing the black fumes with the mere intention to meet the ever growing greed of the nations. In this blind folded race, citizenry of the world nations became oblivious that their greed had to be fulfilled at the cost of the very nature, which is the source of their own existence. People boorishly ignored the fact that proceeding further would be unfeasible without striking the required equilibrium between the development and the nature. The potential of a human mind to create is incontestable, the potential to destroy cannot be annulled either. The consistency in the callous annihilation by the human race seems to be the accepted norm in fulfilling the undesirable aspiration of becoming the super-powers.
It was only in the late 1980s that the concept of sustainable development was recognized by the intellectuals among the world citizenry. They realized that nature is not capable of replenishing by itself considering the exponential increase in the rate at which development is taking place. One amongst the many steps taken since then to mitigate this danger of compromising our environment and promoting sustainable development is the Kyoto Protocol. This concept gave a new dimension in the understanding of sustainable development. It disclosed a manner in which the nations could proceed with the procession on their conduit of development. However this procession had an impediment. This impediment was nothing but a very clever move by the policy makers of materializing the language well understood by the callous world citizenry, the language of money. The concept brought in a unique collaboration between the means and methods in producing and serving of a financial constraint on it. The idea behind this concept cannot be negated if one says it to be one of the most creative and unsurpassed ideas of all time to address the issue on sustainable development.
This measure introduced the concept of ‘carbon credit’ which intended to serve on the issue of ever rising carbon emissions by the industries. This enormous rise in carbon concentration acted heavily on the environment. The environmentalist feared that this rise would in turn increase the temperature of the globe that shall lead to numerous undesirable consequences. This system in Kyoto Protocol binds the member countries to a ‘cap’ for the emission of carbon. It also provides for a provision of trading these caps. This technique contributed in multiple ways in dealing with the reduction agenda of carbon by the big money houses, but it did bifurcate the world nation controversially on the basis of development. How-so-ever pioneering this brain-child proved to be, the scantiness weren’t far behind. In due course of time the money-makers penetrated these loopholes in their best interest. However, these loopholes as they say are not beyond the scope of rectification. This article discusses the complex working of the concepts in the Kyoto Protocol. It also discusses the implications of the same and probable solutions to the blemishes concerning it in an international echelon.
Keywords: carbon credit, emission, Kyoto Protocol, loopholes, sustainable development
GM Crops In India: Agricultural Sustainability at Stake
Amanpreet Kaur
Department of Environment Education, Post Graduate Government College, Chandigarh, India
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 24-34, 2013.
Abstract: Introduction of genetically modified crops (GM Crops) has been entranced in severe controversies in India. Following Bt-Cotton, Bt-Brinjal the first genetically modified food crop, has caused a conflict of beliefs and generated heated debates regarding its safety throughout the length and breadth of the country. The Government of India is caught between strong proponents dominated by business houses and small farming community and general public as strong opponents to the proposal. Because of the long term ecological and health issues involved, even scientific community is divided on it.
Concerns regarding the release of GM Crops in environment are many. Effect on non-target species, flow into the host DNA, increased invasiveness, biosafety etc, all have affected its acceptance, research and development. On a bigger canvas, countries and continents stand divided. These divisions on contesting lines are getting stronger and stronger as the time passes by. The issue gets more polemic and complex in India as agriculture is the backbone of our economy.
Government of India is ceased of compulsions and limitations, as also the potential dangers of GM crops. For such reasons, policy framework of the Ministry of Science and Technology (Department of Biotechnology) and Ministry of Environment and Forests, has enforced certain guidelines like: (a) Rules for the Manufacture, Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro Organisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989. (b) Revised Recombinant DNA Safety Guidelines, 1994. (c) Guidelines for Research in Transgenic Plants & Guidelines for Toxicity and Allergenicity Evaluation of Transgenic Seeds, Plants and Plant Parts, 1998.
The most important enforcing agency, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is responsible for testing the environmental and food safety of GM crops before clearing it for commercial release in the country. Further, in an effort to bring the multi-departmental and multi-ministerial control of GM crops under one roof, Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill 2010 has been proposed in the Indian Parliament. But it has been slammed by many NGOs and concerned citizens for being highly partial and inequitable.
The development of GM crops has raised a variety of novel legal questions, which our regulatory system fails to answer. Instead, the current regulations burden in form of time and cost, abandonment of research, as well as exploitation of farmers. It is imperative that the regulatory attitudes must change. There is an urgent need to change the fundamental underlying statute to suit the needs of current innovations/ technologies and their repercussions on the society.
The inherent power of GM Crops and genetic engineering cannot be doubted. However their sustainability in the current agricultural and legal set-up of the country is highly questionable. The current synthesis is an attempt to dissect the nuances of implications of GM Crop cultivation on the agricultural set up of the country in the wake of weak policy framework. The primary aim of the synthesis is to trigger thought process and underpinning research in this field.
Keywords: Agriculture, Bt-cotton, Biosafety, Genetically Modified Crops, Indian Policy
Proposal for Empowering Panchayats and Municipalities to Better Realize Sustainable Development within the Indian Mining Sector
Rosmy Joan
National Law University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 34-52, 2013.
Abstract: This paper is about how to realize sustainable development within the Indian mining sector. The debate over sustainable development is an ongoing one and it has wide connotations with respect to the present environmental problems particularly in the context of mining. The latest issues associated with mining in India namely the illegal mining by the legally bound ones to prevent illegal mining calls for the need to have an appropriate controlling mechanism to better achieve sustainable development. The failure in counting the sanctity of environment as part of a developmental model for economic growth in extreme conditions of poverty in developing states as well as the thought of profit over sanctity in developed states pertain to the significance of sustainable development.
This paper, in four sections, analyzes the need to have a strong local governance to realize sustainable development in the mining sector. All scholars are unanimous in their opinion regarding the significance of sustainable development but they differ in what all things are to be considered to better understand the concept of sustainable development. Therefore the first part of the paper analyzes various definitions on sustainable development in order to arrive at an appropriate definition covering all necessary aspects for the better realization of sustainable development with less expense of time.
In the second part, this paper analyzes the various issues associated with mining sectors across the world including South Africa, Canada, India and Indonesia and suggest that the issues associated with sustainable development are not only developmental issues but also it has some socio-economic and political facets. In order to find equilibrium where the concept of sustainable development is safe there should felt a need to have a proper governing mechanism, which is capable of addressing social, economic, political and developmental issues simultaneously. This paper suggests the grass root level of governance by panchayats and municipalities as an effective solution to the problems associated with mining. Local governments are close to problems and actors and they hold responsibilities in relation to various sectors namely energy, water and waste infrastructure, spatial development and educational policies, which are important for creating change.
The third section examines the successful examples of local governance from Indonesia, Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway. The comparative study of Sweden’s Climate Strategy for Sustainable Development; Minewater Project, Heerlen, Netherlands and Norway’s Environmental Policy for Sustainable Development substantiates the importance or primacy that should give to local governance. The author selected the particular example of Sweden’s climate strategy because Sweden’s local governments proved to be efficient beyond doubt in climate policy implementation for sustainable development. The Mine Water Project, Heerlen is became very crucial for the present study because the project proved the efficiency of municipalities in making local resources for the long-term sustainability and exists to be a good model to states for achieving sustainable development with respect to mining. A study on Norway’s sustainable development policy is very crucial to this paper, since Norway ranked first for Human Development Index worldwide. The importance given to local governments helps Norway to achieve the first position with respect to Human Development Index.
The fourth section explores India’s current approach towards sustainable development in mining sector. The paper concludes that municipalities and panchayats should be given greater power to realize sustainable development in mining sector.
Keywords: Local Governance, Mining, Municipalities, Panchayats, Sustainable Development.
Evaluation of Fly Ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag on Consistency Limits of Black Cotton Soil
A. Maneli a, O.S . Abiola b, W.K. Kupolati c , J.M. Ndambuki d
a, b, c, d Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment
Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 50-56, 2013.
Abstract: Black cotton soil (BCS) is a class of expansive soil which is unsuitable as pavement material due to its swelling and shrinkage characteristics. The sample site location is on the north west of South Africa. The approach that is adopted when such material are encountered is to remove the soil and replaced with quality materials. Cost of replacement is very high and stabilization of the soil is another alternative method of construction. Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) is a by-product in the manufacturing of steel while fly ash (FA), a residue generated in combustion of coal is industrial waste that is readily available in the country. To sustain the environment by reducing the material to land fill sites, this paper examines the effect of FA and GGBFS respectively on consistency limits of BCS. Consistency limit is an indicator of clay behaviour and its evaluation provides basic mechanical data about the soil. Samples of the soil were obtained at a depth of 0.5m below the subgrade level. Sampling and tests of the soil was done according to South Africa standards to characterize BCS, FA and GGBFS. The percentages of FA and GGBFS were varied from 1 – 14% and 1 – 9% in steps of 1% respectively. Particle size distribution, Atterberg limit, standard proctor and California bearing ratio tests were conducted on the stabilized soil. The particle size distribution of BCS showed that 77% is clayey and silt; according to American Association of State Highway and Transportation official classify the soil as A-7-6(15) while the material falls outside G7-G8 envelope according to standard methods of testing road construction materials (TMH 1), making it unsuitable as subgrade material. Liquid limit (LL) and plastic index (PI) values of the virgin soil are 58% and 30% respectively. It was observed that PI decreases while LL increases as the percentage of the stabilizers increases; this could be attributed to cation exchange reaction that resulted in an increase inter-particle distribution. There was about 43%, 40% reduction in the value of PI for FA and GGBFS at 12% and 8% respectively when compared with the control. The maximum dry density (MDD) and optimum moisture density (OMC) of the virgin material are 1704 kg/m3 and 15.3% respectively. MDD and OMC for FA & GGBFS modified BCS increases as the percentages of the stabilizers increases. Both the maximum dry density and optimum moisture content increases for FA, GGBFS from 1 – 12% and 1 – 6% respectively and then decreased. Increase in OMC is necessary for dissociation of admixtures with Ca2+ and OH– ions to supply more Ca2+ for the cation exchange reaction. The stabilizers have significantly improved the index properties of the soil.
Keywords: black cotton soil; consistency limits; fly ash; ground granulated blast furnace slag; stabilization
Access to Justice in Environmental Matters
Pulugurtha Sravya Sindhuri a , Narmdeshwar Singh b
a, b Damodaram Sanjivyya National Law University, Vizag, Andra Pradesh, India.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 56-65, 2013.
Abstract: Sustainable development, a notion of obligation to future generation which was first used in Brundtland Commission in 1987 which states that development which is taking place to meet the demands of present generation without compromising or affecting the needs of future generations. This very process of sustainable development is one of the most important concerns to globalised and developing nations like India which is still confronted with many social, economic and especially environmental challenges such as Global Warming, Health issue, Toxins release, Water Crisis and Pollution. This paper through a doctrinal research tries to analyze the above mentioned environmental concerns and tries to suggest the probable solution for various problem that stands as obstacle in the way of sustainable development and access to justice.
The Indian legislator has played a vital role in conserving environment and empowering the sustainable development and also enacted many laws and provisions such as Article 48A, Article 51-A (g) of the Indian constitution, and Acts like Easements Act 1882 which talks about the riparian owners right and unreasonable pollution of water, Fisheries Act, 1897 which penalized the killing of fish by water poisoning and by using explosives and other laws which follow the suits are The Factories Act, 1948, The River Boards Act, 1956 but most important of all these developments was the bringing into force of Environmental protection Act 1986, New Company Act, 2013 which deals with various aspects of social responsibility, development and moved forward for the preservation of environment. The Supreme Court of India in its effort devised two principles they are ‘Polluter Pays’ Principle which states that the polluter has to bear the cost of all remedial and clean up measures also the amount payable as compensation to pollution victims and ‘Precautionary Principle’ which requires the government authorities to anticipate, prevents, and attacks the causes of environmental pollution. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) 2010 was established with the view of speedy trials with respect to environmental matters and enforcement of legal rights relating to environment in this regard paper tries to analyze the process of functioning of NGT and tries to put forth a few suggestions to promote the better functioning of these tribunals by invoking the concept of public participation. However in spite of the constant efforts by Indian legislature and judiciary the existence of various environmental issues clearly indicates that there is a need for further effective implementation and enforcement of the existing laws and provisions which can only be attained through an active public participation in environmental decision making and resolving the environmental issues.
The concept of public participation is one of the most important pillars of ‘Aarhus convention’ which was signed on 25th July in the Danish city of Aarhus which grants the public rights regarding access to information, public participation and access to justice in governmental decision making processes contained in Article 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the convention which is related to matters concerning the local, national and trans-boundary environment. It abridges the gap between public and public authorities. Access to environmental information is the necessary starting point for any public involvement in decision making process. Public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process. It promotes sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision makers.
The aim of this paper is to accentuate certain aspects of access to justice. To some extent this paper also concerns the role of the court in relation to the environmental area. It also compares the procedural aspects of the NGT with that of environmental court of Sweden. Further the paper intents to deal with the principle 17 of Rio declaration which states Environmental Impact Assessment. The objective of the paper is to seek right of the public both in present and future generation to know and to live in the healthy environment.
Keywords: Aarhus Convention, Access to justice, Decision Making and Public Participation.
The Indispensability of Women Social Freedom for Sustainable Development
Navneet Kaur
Department of Community Education and Disability Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 64-67, 2013.
Abstract: Sustainable development being the buzz word nowadays has found its extension in almost every field. Its increasing inevitability can be extended to something as basic as the concept of freedom. The work in this article is essentially inspired by Isaiah Berlin’s ‘Two Concepts of Liberty’. This paper aims at defining social freedom and presents the current status of women in the society within that framework. This paper not only dismisses the idea of Positive and Negative freedom as incompatible but establishes the necessity of both to attain the desired social freedom by women. The objective of the paper is to establish the need and importance of women social freedom for sustainable development of the society.
Keywords: Negative Liberty; Positive Liberty; Social freedom; Sustainable Development; Women.
Environmental Induced Internal Displacement: A New Challenge for Human Security Vis-A-Vis Internal Security-A Literature Based Appraisal
Mithilesh Narayan Bhatt
Faculty of Law, Raksha Shakti University, Ahmedabad- 380016, Gujarat, India.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 68-89, 2013.
Abstract: The relationship between human security and a safe and habitable environment is fundamental and for which Sustainable development is inevitable. From last few decades Humans have been over exploiting the environment and their byproducts. For Every such greedy act, nature takes price for it and that result in Natural and Human-induced environmental disasters, Slow-onset degradation, Higher temperatures, More extreme weather, Rising sea levels, Increasing cyclonic activity, Earthquake, Floods and Draughts. Due to revenge by environment the lives and livelihoods of those reliant on the natural environment are either jeopardized or even destroyed. Environmental insecurity is forcing masses of people to flee environments that no longer sustain life. Such movement can be within or between countries.
Environmentally induced internal displacement is becoming one of the major policy as well internal security challenges of this century and India too is facing the same. All in all, large numbers of environmentally induced internal displaced people (EIDP) are supposed to threaten the human security as well as internal security of any state. Such people put stress upon resources of land where they reached and often indulge in Survival crimes. EIDP’s also prone towards crimes on them. Further these create complex environmental, humanitarian, and non traditional internal security challenges.
This paper proposes to discuss relationship between environment insecurity, internal displacement and how it threatens human security as well as internal security of a country especially in India. EIDP’s require special assistance, protection and development aid which are most of the time ill addressed by the governments concerned. The issue of EIDP’s have legal, humanitarian and human rights dimensions, and author will try to explore protection gap between all of these issues through the lens of earlier literatures.
Keywords: Human Security, Internal Security, internal displacement, Environmentally induced internal displaced people (EIDP), Environmental insecurity.
Sexual Harassment against Women in India
Varun Kapoor a, Kanika Dhingra b
a Amity Law School, Delhi, afilliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, India.
b Vivekananda Law School, Delhi, afilliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, India.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 86-93, 2013.
Abstract: Women across the world have tasted all flavors of life; from the glory and respect which she was ascribed in the Vedic period, to the denial and subordination in the post Vedic period and finally to the struggle for equality, recognition and survival in the contemporary world. But one thing that has been common throughout these phases is the disadvantaged status of the women. Women have been made to face all kinds of violence, physical abuse, denial of right to live, subordination and neglect. The acts of abuses like eve-teasing, molestation, sexual abuse and rape cover both physical and verbal abuses. However, they all are different parts of what is commonly known as sexual harassment or sexual misconduct. This paper covers a brief study of the various aspects of such offences which have led to the growing harassment of women.
The concept like eve-teasing gained nationwide attention in the 1960’s but today eve-teasing has evolved as a huge issue in many metropolitan cities of India. .A large numbers of Indian women have faced or are facing this menace. Another form of violence against women is that of molestation, or what is commonly known as ‘sexual abuse’ or ‘sexual assault’. It is the forcing of sexual behavior by a man over the women. Further, rape is one of the most extreme forms of sexual violence committed against women. It is an act of physical violence and assault which is expressed through sexual means.
The research methodology adopted for this paper is doctrinal and secondary sources of information like books, articles, newspapers, websites, case laws, etc. are relied upon. Various statute books like the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act have also been referred.
The Indian Law dealing with offences of sexual harassment has been given under the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The relevant provisions which have been included in this research paper are those relating to rape (Section 375 and 376) and outraging the modesty of a woman (Section 509, 294 and 354). Also, an analysis of the recent Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 has also been included in the study.
This study includes the various causes which lead to an increase in the number of sexual abuses and rape against women. They include: lack of awareness, illiteracy, upbringing of the abusers, their inability to appreciate the feminine glory of women, etc. An emphasis has also been laid on the possible emotional, psychological and mental impacts which may be suffered by the women.
Finally, the paper also includes certain recommendations with respect to the role of the state, government, media, NGOs, etc in sensitizing the issues relating to violation of the rights of women and also to promote education and awareness with respect to the same.
Keywords: Eve-Teasing, Harassment, Physical Abuse, Violence, Women
Making Existing Homes Green and Energy Efficient: Case Study of Studio Apartments in Delhi and NCR
Anju Kakkar a
a Lady Irwin College, Delhi University, Sikandra Road, New Delhi-110001, India.
Volume 06, Issue 10, Pg. 94-99, 2013.
Abstract: The study was conducted to explore Interior Products to make Existing homes Energy Efficient in 2012 and access the awareness level regarding energy efficient interior products amongst interior designer and occupants. It was also conducted to make people aware about the implementation of energy efficient interior products and framing guidelines that will help people in implementing and making their existing homes as energy efficient. 15 designer and 35 occupants of studio apartments were interviewed to gain insight into the awareness level regarding energy efficient features and products that can be implemented in an existing home.
The results showed that most of the occupants (73%) and almost all (93%) the designers were aware about the energy efficiency concept but they were not aware about the practices that can be done to conserve energy. Most of the designers believe that the concept of energy efficient features will be highly successful in Delhi if implemented properly as it is the need to conserve energy for present as well as for future.
Both the designers and occupants are ready to spend more on energy efficient features being implemented provided it saves their energy and money.
Keywords: Energy Efficiency, Green Building, Studio Apartments, Sustainability, Energy Conservation.