Environmental survey comes as a wake-up call for many
The World Environment Day has come as a wake-up call for many. TERI's (The Energy and Resources Institute) latest Environmental Survey 2014 of eight cities found that the environment was accorded the top priority by a majority of people, with almost 90 per cent believing that climate change is now a reality. Overall, people perceived air quality had worsened and the number of bird species in their cities had also declined. The survey also highlighted the fact that over 70 per cent of respondents were aware of water being subsidized, and over half of them felt that the price of water should be charged as per usage. Besides, almost 90 per cent felt that improper waste management imposed 'severe' to moderate health hazards.
To address the concerns of the common people, TERI has come up with a set of recommendations for the new government:
Green infrastructure: TERI calls upon all States to adopt GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) as a framework to achieve resource efficiency in the built environment.