Clean Rivers: 77%

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• 77% of urban Indians consider environmental pollution the most serious problem of urban life, second only to inflation 82%.
• Air pollution is considered the biggest problem 34% followed by lack of green cover 21%, water pollution 17%, noise pollution 14% and garbagedisposal 11%.
• 77% want the government to tackle river pollution but there is widespread unawareness of what causes the problem. Only 5% of people are aware that household sewage flows into the river.
• While 94% of people favour a law banning the use of polythene bags, 17% still use them for shopping.
• 10% of people dispose of their garbage in the nearest ditch or on the road,only 13% regularly separate recyclable waste from garbage
• 86% favour a law banning use of diesel engines in private vehicles
• Among upper income groups, 30% had solar heaters, 42% had power-saving devices and 30% had set up means of rainwater harvesting. In contrast, only 11% of people in lower-income groups had solar heaters and 14% had power-saving devices or set up rainwater harvesting devices.
• Most people believe that pollution will increase over the next five years, with 77% believing that air pollution will increase, 71% that noise pollution will rise, and 55% that water pollution will increase.
• There is widespread pessimism about the state of India’s environment as a whole. 44% feel it will get worse while 27% feel it will stay the same.
• 94% feel environmental studies should be made a compulsory subject in schools.
• Calcutta citizens have the highest awareness level on environmental issues 53%, followed closely by Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore. Chennai citizens rank the lowest by far, with only 16% having a high level of awareness.

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In Calcutta, the majority 52% are willing to pay extra taxes to clean up the environment. Paradoxically, a majority 52% also blame the government for environmental degradation caused by extinction of lakes and water bodies.

In Mumbai, the overwhelming majority of both middle and lower income (74% and 80% respectively) groups believe land reclaimed from the sea should be planted with mangroves, but 49% of upper income groups prefer to build houses there. 77% support cleaning the Mithi river.

In Chennai, water shortage is a major concern, and though 85% are aware of the desalination plant set up by the government, only 12% believe it will work. 88% support the government’s policy of installing rainwater harvesting systems in every household.

In Hyderabad, 73% say the Hussain Sagar Lake is under threat from commercial activity nearby, which should be immediately banned.

In Delhi, 64% feel expanding the Metro is the best way to solve the city’s transport problems. Opinion on the brt is divided though, with 42% of upper income groups wishing to scrap it, as opposed to only 12% of people from lower income groups. Concern about the state of the Yamuna is immense across the board, at 93%

In Bangalore, 57% of the people feel that protecting trees is much better than cutting them to widen roads. Only 14% feel that cutting trees is necessary. 47% of the people are aware that the city’s lakes are being leased out to private companies, but opinion is evenly divided on whether private or government action would protect the lakes. 20% feel neither will make a difference.