Connecting more and more people with solar energy has become an election plank for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Ram Mandir was consecrated in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, 10 million poor and middle-class households in India are supposed to get residential rooftop solar. 

In this series, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya investigates what a scheme like this means to the people. In May 2024, she travelled to some energy-poor areas of north India.

Where do the poor and the middle people fit into this policy framework? In this episode, Sneha tries to find out whether the scheme is accessible to the people it is intended to benefit.

This is the first episode in Suno India’s ‘Indian Solar Dream’ series. Reporting for this series was supported by Earth Journalism Network. 

Connecting more and more people with solar energy has become an election plank for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Under the <a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2010130" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID%3D2010130&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1716970628748000&amp;usg=AOvVaw37eOyIYonHQGtD28SKTwtW">PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana</a>, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Ram Mandir was consecrated in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, 10 million poor and middle-class households in India are supposed to get residential rooftop solar. 
In this series, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya investigates what a scheme like this means to the people. In May 2024, she travelled to some energy-poor areas of north India.
Where do the poor and the middle people fit into this policy framework? In this episode, Sneha tries to find out whether the scheme is accessible to the people it is intended to benefit.
This is the first episode in Suno India’s ‘Indian Solar Dream’ series. Reporting for this series was supported by Earth Journalism Network.

In India, every year, the summers are getting longer, the winters harsher and the downpours intense. Floods in Assam, droughts in Tamil Nadu and growing problem of water scarcity in many states are no longer an abnormality but the new reality!There is an urgency to solve the problems caused by human induced climate change and to understand and find solutions before it is late. This is Climate Emergency and we will bring to fore and discuss the growing impact of climate change. We will also highlight and celebrate climate champions- individuals and communities who are undoing the damage done so far

Climate Emergency

In India, every year, the summers are getting longer, the winters harsher and the downpours intense. Floods in Assam, droughts in Tamil Nadu and growing problem of water scarcity in many states are no longer an abnormality but the new reality!There is an urgency to solve the problems caused by human induced climate change and to understand and find solutions before it is late. This is Climate Emergency and we will bring to fore and discuss the growing impact of climate change. We will also highlight and celebrate climate champions- individuals and communities who are undoing the damage done so far

Indian Solar Dream - Few takers for govt residential solar scheme

There is a strong belief that recycled plastic is always good for the environment, and is safe to use. But increasing, increasing evidence shows that recycled plastic should be used with caution. Toxics Link, a Delhi based  environmental research and advocacy organisation conducted a research to assess the toxic contaminants in recycled plastic products that were recycled in Delhi.  As part of this study, 15 samples of recycled plastic products, including food contact materials and toys were tested. 

In this episode, Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya spoke to Priti Mahesh who has authored this study. She talks about several issues related to recycling of plastic. Some of these are:
The recycling of plastic waste in India is mostly done by the informal sector which uses unsound, improper recycling methods.
All recycled plastic products are not necessarily safe to use. There are harmful contaminants in recycled plastic that could pose health risks. This is an understudied subject
The laws and policy regarding plastic recycling in the country
There is a need for enforcement and standardisation of plastic recycling in India 

There is a strong belief that recycled plastic is always good for the environment, and is safe to use. But increasing, increasing evidence shows that recycled plastic should be used with caution. <a href="https://toxicslink.org/">Toxics Link</a>, a Delhi based  environmental research and advocacy organisation conducted a <a href="https://toxicslink.org/publications/reports/is-plastic-recycling-safe#:~:text=The%20study%20shows%20that%20these,option%20for%20plastic%20waste%20treatment.">research</a> to assess the toxic contaminants in recycled plastic products that were recycled in Delhi.  As part of this study, 15 samples of recycled plastic products, including food contact materials and toys were tested. 
In this episode, Suno India’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/__sneha.richhariya/">Sneha Richhariya</a> spoke to <a href="https://toxicslink.org/uncategorized/priti">Priti Mahesh</a> who has authored this study. She talks about several issues related to recycling of plastic. Some of these are:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The recycling of plastic waste in India is mostly done by the informal sector which uses unsound, improper recycling methods.</li>
<li aria-level="1">All recycled plastic products are not necessarily safe to use. There are harmful contaminants in recycled plastic that could pose health risks. This is an understudied subject</li>
<li aria-level="1">The laws and policy regarding plastic recycling in the country</li>
<li aria-level="1">There is a need for enforcement and standardisation of plastic recycling in India </li>
</ul>

How recycled plastic could be harmful?

Marker 02

As part of an aggressive push on solar, there is a strong emphasis on establishing “solar cities” in Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya is being developed as a model solar city under the Solar City program in Uttar Pradesh.

How far is Ayodhya from becoming a Solar city? How will the Solar City initiative change Ayodhya and the lives of its people? Where do people stand in Ayodhya’s Solar city dreams?  Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya travelled to energy poor areas of Uttar Pradesh to find out what the solar schemes like PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojna and other policies on solar mean to the people. In this episode, the focus is on Ayodhya as it is being planned as a “solar city”

As part of an aggressive push on solar, there is a strong emphasis on establishing “<a href="https://solarcitiesportal.upneda.org.in/index.aspx" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://solarcitiesportal.upneda.org.in/index.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1717490299711000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3Vxd-W9UOW50zIcR5Plou0">solar cities</a>” in Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya is being developed as a model solar city under the Solar City program in Uttar Pradesh.
How far is Ayodhya from becoming a Solar city? How will the Solar City initiative change Ayodhya and the lives of its people? Where do people stand in Ayodhya’s Solar city dreams?  Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya travelled to energy poor areas of Uttar Pradesh to find out what the solar schemes like PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojna and other policies on solar mean to the people. In this episode, the focus is on Ayodhya as it is being planned as a “solar city”

Indian Solar Dream - How far is Ayodhya from becoming a solar city?

On April 6, 2024, the Supreme Court gave a landmark judgement bringing the right to be free from adverse effects of climate change within the ambit of fundamental rights.  Indian jurisprudence had earlier held that people had a right to clean air and a clean environment. The right to be free from adverse effects of climate change is a new addition. This flows naturally from the right to life, and the right to equality guaranteed in the Constitution under Article 21 and 14 respectively. 

But what are the implications of this ruling for climate litigation in India? How will this help in India’s fight against climate change? Suno India’s Sneha Richhariya explains in this episode of Climate Emergency.

On April 6, 2024, the Supreme Court gave a landmark <a href="https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2019/20754/20754_2019_1_25_51677_Judgement_21-Mar-2024.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2019/20754/20754_2019_1_25_51677_Judgement_21-Mar-2024.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1713989549750000&amp;usg=AOvVaw124h1Ksux6eZ5ARBii1sNd">judgement</a> bringing the right to be free from adverse effects of climate change within the ambit of fundamental rights.  Indian jurisprudence had earlier held that people had a right to clean air and a clean environment. The right to be free from adverse effects of climate change is a new addition. This flows naturally from the right to life, and the right to equality guaranteed in the Constitution under Article 21 and 14 respectively. 
But what are the implications of this ruling for climate litigation in India? How will this help in India’s fight against climate change? Suno India’s <a href="https://twitter.com/richhariyasneha?lang=en" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/richhariyasneha?lang%3Den&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1713989549750000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3C09Pym0xOxjjOO-iB6qDP">Sneha Richhariya</a> explains in this episode of Climate Emergency.

Indian Solar Dream - Few takers for govt residential solar scheme

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