India's fishery sector loses USD 2.2 billion annually due to wastewater contamination: Study
New Delhi (PTI): India's fishery sector loses over USD 2 billion due to untreated wastewater contaminating waterways, according to a study published on Wednesday.
It also said the country suffers an annual economic loss of USD 246 million from diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water due to poor wastewater management.
Launched at the World Ocean Summit in Japan by ocean health initiative Back to Blue and the Ocean Sewage Alliance, the study highlights the high cost of inaction in wastewater management in Brazil, India, Kenya, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.
Untreated or poorly treated wastewater is a major source of pollution and disease. When it enters rivers, oceans and drinking water supplies, the consequences are severe.
Among the five countries, India's fishery sector suffers the most, losing 5.4 per cent (USD 2.2 billion) of its economic value annually, followed by Kenya (5.1 per cent).
Since India is a major seafood supplier, this threatens both domestic food security and export markets.
Also, among the countries studied, India incurs the highest healthcare costs from diarrhoea linked to contaminated drinking water. With a wastewater treatment rate of just 21 per cent, nearly three times as many people are affected, resulting in annual costs of USD 246 million.
Brazil faces severe agricultural impacts as crops like soybeans are highly sensitive to soil salinity, worsened by irrigation with untreated wastewater.
India experiences lower proportional losses due to lower soil salinity but still suffers the highest absolute revenue loss (USD 1.2 billion), the study says.
Around 10 per cent of agricultural land in developing countries is irrigated with raw or partially treated wastewater, which often contains toxic heavy metals like zinc, chromium, manganese and iron. While wastewater nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus can initially boost crop yields, long-term use leads to soil salinisation and reduced yields.
Amelia Wenger, Conservation Scientist and Water Pollution Programme Lead at the Wildlife Conservation Society, said the cost of inaction is evident in India and beyond. "Investing in adequate sewage and wastewater infrastructure is the only viable solution," she said.
Where large-scale infrastructure is lacking, decentralised wastewater systems can offer practical alternatives and new high-tech innovations are emerging, she added.
Policymakers who look beyond infrastructure investment and focus on circularity can ensure wastewater is repurposed as organic fertiliser, biogas or even a source of renewable energy, Wenger added.
Like much of the developing world, India views wastewater pollution partly through the lens of water scarcity.
Asserting that expanding treatment capacity is key, Nitin Bassi, senior programme lead for sustainable water at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) said, "We need to improve both water quality and the usable quantity of water. If more wastewater can be captured, treated, and reused, it will reduce the pressure on our freshwater resources."
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
