Environmental Problems and Sustainable Development: With Special Reference to India Issues and Challenges

Any country’s environmental problems are related to the level of its economic development, the availability of natural resources and the lifestyle of its population. In India, rapid growth of population, poverty, urbanization, industrialization and several related factors are responsible for the rapid degradation of the environment. Environmental problems have become serious in many parts of the country, and hence cannot be ignored. The main environmental problems in India relate to air and water pollution particularly in metropolitan cities and industrial zones, degradation of common property resources which affect the poor adversely as they depends on them for their livelihood, threat to biodiversity and inadequate system of solid waste disposal and sanitation with consequent adverse impact on health, infant mortality and birth rate. In India, efforts are being made on for the environmental management in a sustainable manner.. At all levels of education provisions have been made for the knowledge of environment and its conservation. In the country many centres are providing special training for environmental management. The programmes of environmental awareness have been launched through media. India is an active member of International Organizations concerning environment. Several programmes are going on under UNEP. The Government has recently started emphasizing the combined use of regulatory and economic instruments for improving environmental quality. There is a need for coordination between government agencies, NGOs and the public for the proper management of environment quality and to achieve sustainable development in the country.