Question : ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE



(a) whether the Government have worked out the estimated cost of environmental damage caused from air, vehicular pollution, water pollution, soil degradations and deforestation on account of various fires during each of the last three years; and

(b) if so, the details thereof?

Answer given by the minister




MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI T.R. BAALU)

(a) & (b) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 311 FOR REPLY ON 14TH AUGUST, 2000 REGARDING “ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE”.

(a) & (b): No, Sir. The Government have not worked out the estimated cost of environmental damage in the country. However, the cost of environmental degradation have been estimated by the World Bank and the Tata Energy Research Institute. According to the World Bank, the estimated cost of environmental degradation for the year 1991-92 adds up to 4.8% of GDP.

According to the Tata Energy Research Institute, the economic values of environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources in 1997 are as follows:-

Problem	Annual Economic Value (Rs.billion)
Poor quality of drinking 122 water and its effect on human health
Loss of crop productivity due 89-232 to soil degradation
Loss of wood due to forest 57 degradation
Air pollution and its impact 885-4250 on human health