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Some 56,747 women scientists out of 0.34 million research and development (R&D) personnel are directly engaged in R&D activities at various such establishments.
The percentage of women in R&D is 16.6 per cent among the total number of scientists working at these organisations, Jitendra Singh, minister of state (Independent Charge) in the Union Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences told the Rajya Sabha April 7, 2022.
The figures are according to the latest report, Research and development statistics at a glance prepared by the Department of Science and Technology, the minister added.
Indian tent turtle
There are no reports to indicate that the Indian tent turtle is on the verge of extinction due to illegal mining in the Narmada river, Ashwini Kr Choubey, minister of state in the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) told the Rajya Sabha.
The Zoological Survey of India has not conducted any survey in the Narmada river to gauge the impact of illegal mining on the Indian tent turtle and its effect on the river ecosystem, Choubey added.
Union Carbide plant
Ten of the 347 tonnes of hazardous waste lying on the premises of the erstwhile Union Carbide India Ltd in Bhopal have been incinerated during a trial run at the Common Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility, Pithampur, Indore, under the supervision of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
All monitored parameters of the incinerated waste were in compliance with prescribed parameters of common hazardous waste incinerators under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Choubey said.
Bio-medical waste
Some 50,849 tonnes of biomedical waste have been generated in India during the last eighteen months — from September 2020 to February 2022, Choubey said.
The figure is according to the application named ‘COVID19BWM’ created by the Central Pollution Control Board to track waste generation and its treatment, he added.
Problem wild animals
The Government of India is aware of the problems caused by monkeys in India, including in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Choubey told the Rajya Sabha.
The MoEF&CC has approved a pilot project on immuno-contraception for population management of wild animals. It also increased ex-gratia relief under centrally sponsored schemes in case of depredation by wild animals in 2018, Choubey added.
Electrocution deaths
Sixteen wild animals died due to electrocution in 2021 according to information available with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Choubey told the Rajya Sabha.
National Clean Air Programme
Particulate matter (PM)10 concentration has decreased in 107 Indian cities in 2020-2021 as compared to 2018-2019, according to an analysis of ambient air quality data of Particulate Matter of 132 Non-Attainment Cities.
Twenty-two cities showed an increase in PM10 concentration and one city showed no change in concentration. The ambient air quality data for Vasai, Virar and Faridabad was not available, Choubey said.
Stubble burning
Farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital territory of Delhi have used a bio-decomposer named ‘Pusa Decomposer’ on 978,713 acres (3,91,485 ha) of land, Choubey told the Rajya Sabha.
This is equivalent to about 2.4 million tonnes of straw management in this year, Choubey added. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has developed the machine.
Punjab industrial effluents
The CPCB carried out an inspection of 14 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in the catchment of the Satluj river in Punjab from June 23-25, 2021. Twelve STPs were found to be non-compliant.
Five of the 12 STPs (Balloke–II, Ludhiana, Bhattian-I, Bhattian-II, Muktsar Sahib-I and Muktsar Sahib-II) were non-compliant in respect of biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids and faecal coliform.
The remaining nine STPs were non-compliant in respect of faecal coliform, Choubey said.