Report card on environment soon

BANGALORE: Aiming at sensitising the public and the authorities in Bangalore, about environmental hazards looming around them, Centre for Sustainable Development (CSD), an NGO working for the cause of environment, is all set to prepare an environment report card (ERC).The study, carried on in collaboration with IBM, will showcase citizens’ perceptions of environmental issues and a picture of the city’s environmental condition.“We have begun with the survey.The report will be compiled and released on November and will be presented to the government,” said R Srinivas, Executive Director, CSD.Speaking to The New Indian Express about the study procedure, he said, “The primary survey will be carried out in a systematic and structured manner across eight zones of Bangalore - covering 198 wards.A sample of 500 house holds from each zone will be selected randomly for the household survey and a total of 500 establishments/ industries at city level will be selected for survey.” “Secondary data will be collected from service providers like BBMP, Transport Department, BESCOM, BWSSB, KSPCB, academic institutions and NGO’s.During the study, environmental indicators and parameters like water, sanitation, air quality, traffic, transport, open space and tree cover, health impacts, climate change, infrastructure and energy conservation will be taken into consideration,” he added.“Taking up people’s perception would help authorities tackle environmental problems in a much better manner.This has been the first of its kind initiative taken up by CSD.Earlier in 2005, we had conducted similar survey, but in a much smaller scale.After this study, citizens perceptions between 2005 and 2010, as well as the city’s environment, will be compared during the analysis,” Srinivas said.He added that based on the findings, necessary recommendations will be made, which in turn will help authorities in improving city’s environmental condition.