Awaaz Foundation (meaning "the organisation against sound" – "Awaaz" means "sound" in

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

charitable trust and non-governmental organisation in

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

, India which builds awareness, carries out advocacy, and is involved in educational projects to protect the environment and prevent

environmental pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

. It has impacted many important decisions by the government and influenced policy making in important environmental matters in India. The beneficiaries of the Foundation are the citizens of India at large. Awaaz Foundation was founded on 21 February 2006 by

Sumaira Abdulali Sumaira Abdulali, born 22 May 1961 is an environmentalist from Mumbai, India, founder of the non-governmental organization, NGO Awaaz Foundation and convenor of the Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Revenge against Activists (MITRA). She ...

, a well-known environmentalist, who has exposed many scandals of environmental villainy in India at personal risk. The Foundation has filed several

public interest litigation The chief instrument through which judicial activism has flourished in India is public interest litigation (PIL) or social action litigation (SAL). ''Public interest litigation'' (PIL) refers to litigation undertaken to secure public interest and de ...

s, including demands for strict implementation of

noise pollution Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them are harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is main ...

laws, better functioning of Mumbai's Tree Authority, reducing noise pollution, banning sale of tobacco to minors, efforts to counter the politically sponsored

sand mining Sand mining is the extraction of sand, mainly through an open pit (or sand pit) but sometimes mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds. Sand is often used in manufacturing, for example as an abrasive or in concret ...

mafia and recognition of the biodiverse Sawantwadi-Dodamarg

wildlife corridor A wildlife corridor, habitat corridor, or green corridor is an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures (such as roads, development, or logging). This allows an exchange of individuals between ...

as an ecologically sensitive area.

Noise pollution

Faiz Abdulali recording noise from Traffic in Mumbai

Noise pollution Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them are harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is main ...

is a serious health hazard and can cause

annoyance Annoyance is an unpleasant mental state that is characterized by irritation and distraction from one's conscious thinking. It can lead to emotions such as frustration and anger. The property of being easily annoyed is called irritability. Ps ...

and

aggression Aggression is overt or covert, often harmful, social interaction with the intention of inflicting damage or other harm upon another individual; although it can be channeled into creative and practical outlets for some. It may occur either reacti ...

hypertension Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...

, high stress levels,

tinnitus Tinnitus is the perception of sound when no corresponding external sound is present. Nearly everyone experiences a faint "normal tinnitus" in a completely quiet room; but it is of concern only if it is bothersome, interferes with normal hearin ...

, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, heart disease, mental illness and other serious effects on health. Like smoking, noise pollution affects active and passive recipients when noise levels cross certain safe boundaries. Anti-Social behaviour such as public use of firecrackers and

Loudspeakers A loudspeaker (commonly referred to as a speaker or speaker driver) is an Acoustical engineering#Electroacoustics, electroacoustic transducer that converts an electrical audio signal into a corresponding sound. A ''speaker system'', also often ...

is a highly sensitive social issue in India. Among the major forms of pollution in India is noise pollution. There is no parallel in the world to the noise pollution generated during festivals and religious celebrations in India. For Indians, making noise is a sign of happiness. For politicians the ability to make a big noise, by using huge loudspeakers at any opportunity, is a sign of strength. Festivals in India have become political battlegrounds as politicians try to score brownie points over one another by attempting to host the noisiest festival. The use of loudspeakers, permitted by the courts on certain occasions, often exceeds the permissible decibel limit, causing a great deal of stress and anxiety to the neighbourhoods. Awaaz Foundation has advocated against noise pollution from various sources and has conducted campaigns to create awareness of adverse health effects from noise in a methodical and scientific manner. The various noise pollution campaigns of the Foundation have received widespread public support and turned into a public movement in Mumbai followed by the rest of the country. Increased awareness and vigilance of citizens has resulted in policy change, better systems and better implementation of Noise Rules. Awaaz Foundation measuring noise level Ganpati 2013

Awaaz Foundation measuring noise level Ganpati 2013

Awaaz Foundation systematically collected noise pollution data for the first time in India, collated and presented it to the State and Union Governments, Courts, police and citizens. Data was generated of noise levels at major events since 2003, from sources including firecrackers, traffic, loudspeakers, industrial equipment and construction. In 2010 Awaaz Foundation tested noise levels of helicopters after several leading Industrialists applied for permission to build private helipads atop their residential buildings in densely populated areas of Mumbai. After the data was presented in court. permission to use private helipads in all urban areas of India were banned by the MoEF. Also based on data presented to MoEF during the pendency of the public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court, Government of India's

Ministry of Environment and Forests The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is an Indian government ministry. This ministry is headed by Secretary Rank senior most IAS officer. The ministry portfolio is currently held by Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of ...

accepted all recommendations by Awaaz Foundation on 11 January 2010 for stricter noise laws in the country and issued a new notification to ban use of loudspeakers, musical instruments and honking in the areas demarcated as silence zones, including areas around religious places throughout India. The MoEF denied permission to the State Government of Maharashtra to permit private helipads for personal use of individuals atop residential buildings and included other sources of noise such as traffic and construction noise within the ambit of the Rules for the first time. Awaaz foundation filed a

Public Interest Litigation The chief instrument through which judicial activism has flourished in India is public interest litigation (PIL) or social action litigation (SAL). ''Public interest litigation'' (PIL) refers to litigation undertaken to secure public interest and de ...

on 12 November 2007 in Mumbai High Court seeking implementation of Noise Pollution Rules, 2000, which contemplate creation of silence zones around educational places, courts, hospitals and religious places also. In 2009 the

Bombay High Court The High Court of Bombay is the high court of the states of Maharashtra and Goa in India, and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. It is seated primarily at Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), and is one of the ol ...

accepted the need for implementation of stricter noise laws and ordered the State Government to implement Noise Pollution regulation rules notified by 'Central Pollution board', (one of the Subordinate and statutory bodies) of Government of India's

. Consequent to the Bombay High Court Order, the State Government of Maharashtra initially notified and asked municipal bodies in the state to demarcate an area of around educational institutions, hospitals and courts as silence zones but left out the areas surrounding religious places as silence zones. Awaaz Foundation once again petitioned the Court to have these places notified as silence zones. On 6 August 2009, the principal secretary of the Home Department,

Government of Maharashtra The Government of Maharashtra is the state governing authority for the state of Maharashtra, India. It is a democratically elected government with 288 MLAs elected to the Vidhan Sabha for a five-year term. Maharashtra has a Maharashtra Legisla ...

in an affidavit told the court that about 1,313 religious places had been identified in the city of Mumbai and the BMC would put up Silence zone boards within three months. Sumaira Abdulali recording noise under a Silence Zone board at a religious place

Sumaira Abdulali recording noise under a Silence Zone board at a religious place

Finally on 20 Aug 2009 principal secretary (appeals and security) Government of Maharashtra Mr. Anna Dani filed an affidavit stating that a supplementary notification has been issued to include all religious places in silence zone, and has been circulated to all civic bodies in the state. Awaaz Foundation's advocacy against noise pollution in India motivated the Government of India to make rules and implement them. Awaaz Foundation has successfully petitioned both local and state governments in India to impose stricter noise pollution laws. Under the Environment Protection Act, in which the new Noise Pollution Rules are framed, violation of the rules is punishable with a Jail term of up to five years and fine of . Firecrackers, initially used mainly during the

Diwali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...

Festival, are now used to celebrate almost any occasion including weddings, cricket matches, and festivals of every community. Awaaz Foundation tested the noise levels of firecrackers along with the

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board ( mr, महाराष्ट्र प्रदूषण नियंत्रण मंडळ) (established 7 September 1970) implements a range of environmental legislation in the state of Maharashtra, ...

in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013. The noise level of almost all crackers exceeded 100 dB and some varieties consistently exceeded 125 dB. Firecracker packaging did not disclose details of noise levels or chemical content or even the year of manufacture; the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) who is the Authority to check firecrackers at the stage of manufacture and the Arms and Explosives Department of the Mumbai Police who license firecracker vendors did not take action for many years following complaints of violations. In 2012, Awaaz Foundation, under Right to Information, obtained an Order to disclose details of all firecrackers tested by PESO on their website. Diwali 2012 was the quietest Diwali in recent years In 2013. the

Mumbai Police The Mumbai Police (Marathi: मुंबई पोलीस, IAST: ''Mumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay Police'') is the police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a part of Maharashtra Police and has the primary responsibiliti ...

undertook an awareness and enforcement campaign for the 10pm deadline on bursting crackers during the Diwali Festival. The Firecracker Distributors' Association of Mumbai and Thane also cooperated in this effort. Diwali 2013 was the quietest in a decade. Awaaz Foundation also has organised volunteers groups, offered them support and education to all those who faced noise related problems, independently monitored

Ambient noise level In atmospheric sounding and noise pollution, ambient noise level (sometimes called background noise level, reference sound level, or room noise level) is the background sound pressure level at a given location, normally specified as a reference l ...

using

sound level meter A sound level meter (also called sound pressure level meter (SPL)) is used for acoustic measurements. It is commonly a hand-held instrument with a microphone. The best type of microphone for sound level meters is the condenser microphone, whic ...

. and interacted with the authorities to ensure their support and co operation. Excessive noise from loudspeakers, construction, traffic and firecrackers have been separately taken up by Foundation at various times and with various authorities; educational programs and publications for schools, colleges, citizens groups and the authorities empowered to implement the laws have been supported and implemented. Awaaz Foundation encouraged citizen participation to implement noise rules by creating awareness about a free downloadable application onto phones to measure decibel levels. Awaaz requested citizens to complain to the Mumbai Police website with a copy to them for followup and received numerous complaints in the festival season 2012. In 2013, Awaaz Foundation used newly available technology called Noise Watch, a free App to use smartphones or iPhones as decibel meters to build a participatory citizens campaign to map noise levels across Mumbai. A Facebook pag
Citizens' Noise Map
supports the initiative and the readings taken by citizens are upload able directly onto a GIS map. The initiative caught on quickly during Ganpati 2013 and spread to other Indian cities such as Pune almost immediately. The citizens' noise map was sent to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and spurred a decision of the Government to conduct a formal noise map of Mumbai. Awaaz Foundation has conducted numerous awareness campaigns including #GetWellSoonMumbai, a social media campaign on

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...

, #TellTheDriver not to honk in partnership with the Thane, Navi Mumbai and

Mumbai Traffic Police Mumbai traffic police is the organisation entrusted with the task of managing vehicular traffic in Mumbai, India. See also * Public transport in Mumbai Public transport in Mumbai involves the transport of millions of its citizens by trai ...

, #HornFllu in partnership with the

Indian Medical Association The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is a national voluntary organisation of physicians in India. It was established in 1928 as the All India Medical Association, and was renamed the Indian Medical Association in 1930. It is a society registered ...

, Noise Annoys in partnership with the

Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English language, English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, t ...

#YourAwaazAgainstNoise, #GodsAgainstNoise. In 2015, community leaders carried out awareness drives to reduce noise from Mahim Fair and Eid e Milan through public Statements and grass root level campaigns Awaaz Foundation measured noise at the

Shiv Sena Shiv Sena ( IAST: ''Śiva Sēnā'') () was a right-wing to far-right Marathi regionalist and Hindu ultranationalist political party in India founded in 1966 by cartoonist Bal Thackeray. Originally emerging from nativist movements in Bom ...

Party's annual Dasara Rally in 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014 and 2015 and presented their findings to the Police and Bombay High Court. Based on these readings the police filed cases against Rally organizers. Following final hearings of Awaaz Foundation's PIL, clubbed with nine other PILs by the Bombay High Court in August 2016, a comprehensive final Order was passed. For the first time, noise levels during the Ganpati festival declined in 2016 Noise levels declined again during Diwali 2016. Mumbai, which in January 2016 was named the noisiest city in India by the Central Pollution Control Board was the only city to see decline in noise levels during the Diwali Festival. The Mumbai Police issued a Statement thanking citizens of Mumbai for making noise pollution reduction a citizens' movement.

Sand Mining

Awaaz Foundation has also worked to conserve the

coastal ecosystems A marine coastal ecosystem is a marine ecosystem which occurs where the land meets the ocean. Marine coastal ecosystems include many different types of marine habitats, such as estuaries and lagoons, salt marshes and mangrove forests, seagrass m ...

and

aquatic ecosystem An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem formed by surrounding a body of water, in contrast to land-based terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems contain communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment. The tw ...

habitats, and has engaged in

marine conservation activism Marine conservation activism is the efforts of non-governmental organizations and individuals to bring about social and political change in the area of marine conservation. Marine conservation is properly conceived as a set of management strategie ...

against nonessential

seabed mining Seabed mining, also known as Seafloor mining is the recovery of minerals from the seabed by techniques of underwater mining. The concept includes mining at shallow depths on the continental shelf and deep-sea mining at greater depths associated w ...

. Sand mining is a practice that is becoming an

environmental issue Environmental issues are effects of human activity on the biophysical environment, most often of which are harmful effects that cause environmental degradation. Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment on th ...

in many countries. Awaaz Foundation has raised public awareness of illegal sand mining in Maharashtra and Goa States of India. Illegal sand mining is a major unacknowledged threat to coastal and riverine

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

in India. The suspension of

Indian Administrative Service The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the administrative arm of the All India Services of Government of India. Considered the premier civil service of India, the IAS is one of the three arms of the All India Services along with the Indian ...

officer Durga Shakti Nagpal for allegedly acting against illegal sand mining in Noida UP has brought the issue, which is rampant all across the country, into sharp focus. Sand mining is a little known threat to

water security Water security is the focused goal of water policy and water management. A society with a high level of water security makes the most of water's benefits for humans and ecosystems and limits the risk of destructive impacts associated with water. T ...

and prime coastal or riverside land all over the world and is capable of causing land erosion, contaminating sweet water along coastlines and rivers, and destroying entire

habitats In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

in a very short space of time. While there are numerous scientific studies on habitat degradation for various other reasons, and specific studies on loss of various species of

flora and fauna In biology, an organism () is any living system that functions as an individual entity. All organisms are composed of cells (cell theory). Organisms are classified by taxonomy into groups such as multicellular animals, plants, and fungi; ...

, there is no official information available on the effect on entire

ecosystems An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

due to large scale illegal sand mining, particularly coastal sand mining. The issue was brought to attention at any national or international forum for the first time through a side even
The effect of coastal sand mining on biodiversity
at the

Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); the sustainable use of its ...

Conference of Parties 11 by Awaaz Foundation and

Bombay Natural History Society The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organisations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants and publi ...

(BNHS) in October 2012. In August 2013, the National Green Tribunal banned sand mining in rivers across India. However, illegal sand mining on the coast around Mumbai continued even after the Order. The term sand mafia has been referred to by the Indian media while referring to those supporting or engaged in illegal sand mining (mainly politicians) who threaten, attack and kill Government and Police officers, activists or any other person who attempts to stop the illegal activity. MITRA (

Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Revenge against Activists Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Revenge against Activists (MITRA) is a network of NGOs and activists based in Mumbai to protect people taking up public interest causes through Right to Information, grass root activism, or public-interest ...

), a network of NGOs to protect activists in Maharashtra was set up after an attack by the sand mafia on Awaaz Foundation Convenor Sumaira Abdulali in 2004. This was the first publicly reported attack by the sand mafia but over the years there have been numerous others including a second attack on Sumaira Abdulali and a team of journalists, the murder of a Police Officer in Madhya Pradesh, murder of activists in Tamil Nadu and UP, and the suspension of IAS Durga Shakti Nagpal. Awaaz Foundation wrote to the Prime Minister of India protesting Durga Nagpal's transfer and demanded an investigation into the links between the transfer, the murder of activist Pale Ram Chauhan in the same area a few days later, and the politically led sand mafia of the region. An investigation was conducted by the MoEF and the presence of the sand mafia was confirmed
Report of MoEF on sand mining
The State Government of Maharashtra first took serious note of illegal coastal sand mining in 2004 following an incident of assault at Kihim Beach on Sumaira Abdulali (Convenor of Awaaz Foundation) by the son and employees of a local

Member of the Legislative Assembly A member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to a legislative assembly. Most often, the term refers to a subnational assembly such as that of a state, province, or territory of a country. S ...

who are part of an extensive politically controlled sand mafia in Maharashtra. After that, Awaaz Foundation filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the

seeking a ban on mining activities along the

Konkan coast The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...

. Following the PIL, the court banned mining in the CRZ (coastal regulation zone) area and directed that a comprehensive report on alternatives to sand dredging prepared by

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay or IITB) is a public research university and technical institute in Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is considered as one of the best engineering universities in India and is top ranke ...

should be implemented by the State Government. The Report includes measures to compulsorily manufacture and use artificial sand from building debris, environmental cess on natural sand and more environmentally friendly techniques of sand dredging. Sumaira Abdulali was attacked a second time in March 2010 at Mahad while inspecting a site where illegal sand dredging is rampant. Thereafter, the Bombay High Court has completely banned all sand mining activity in the State of

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

and the Government has been forced to notify a completely new Policy on sand mining after considering the IIT Bombay Report. Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz foundation raised some specific queries under the

Right to Information Act The Right to Information (RTI) is an act of the Parliament of India which sets out the rules and procedures regarding citizens' right to information. It replaced the former Freedom of Information Act, 2002. Under the provisions of RTI Act, an ...

regarding number of licences issued to barges carrying sand from

Raigad district Raigad district (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, �aːjɡəɖ, previously Colaba fort, Colaba district, is a district in the Konkan division of Maharashtra, India. The district was renamed to Raigad fort, Raigad after the fort that ...

to Mumbai and

Navi Mumbai Navi Mumbai (), is a planned city situated on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, located in the Konkan division of Maharashtra state, on the mainland of India. Navi Mumbai is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The city is ...

along with the name of barges owners, conditions for operations as well as the number of inspections deployed to check if any contraband material was being smuggled into the

jetty A jetty is a structure that projects from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French word ', "thrown", signifying somet ...

. The MMB did not respond for several months, then foundation filed these queries with the Maharashtra State Information Commission. Thereafter, the concerned agencies responded that neither The

Maharashtra Maritime Board The Maharashtra Maritime Board is governmental organisation in the state of Maharashtra, India. The board is tasked with the administration of ports and harbours, conservancy, licensing of crafts, levying of fees, regulation and control of traff ...

(MMB) nor Directorate-General of Shipping (DGS) nor The

Indian Coast Guard The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency of India with jurisdiction over its territorial waters including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone. The Indian Coast Guard was formally esta ...

maintain any records of the number of barges that move in and out of the inland waters on a day -to -day basis. The new sand mining policy stipulates that the barges should be registered and the list should be updated with the local

Tehsildar In India and Pakistan, a Tehsildar or Mamlatdar is a tax officer accompanied by revenue inspectors. They are in charge of obtaining taxes from a tehsil with regard to land revenue. A tehsildar is also known as an executive magistrate of the relev ...

. The

(MMB) will Provide No Objection Certificates to the sand barges that pass through the sea channel after the letters of approval from the district collector. Awaaz Foundation inspected numerous illegal sand mining sites in the coastal areas near Mumbai including Thane, Vaitarna, Bankot Creeks, Kihim and Awas beaches and sent their findings to the MoEF, Government of Maharashtra, police and local authorities. They were instrumental in bringing public awareness about illegal sand mining and political links to this activity. Awaaz Foundation published a Report ' The links between politicians and sand mining in and around Mumbai. To control illegal sand mining controlled by politicians, Awaaz Foundation has proposed a specially trained environmental police in India. To advocate policy change and raise awareness internationally, Awaaz Foundation participated and raised awareness for the first time in any national or International Convention through a side event in the Conference of Parties 11 held under the United Nations

in Hyderabad India in October 2012. Awaaz Foundation participated in the making of a documentary film on international coastal sand mining,

Sand Wars ''Sand Wars'' is a documentary by director Denis Delestrac and produced by Rappi Productions, La Compagnie des Taxi-Brousse, InfomAction, Arte France, with the support of The Santa Aguila Foundation. The film premiered at the Cinéma Publicis ...

, directed by

Denis Delestrac Denis Delestrac is a French director and producer who is best known for creating feature-length investigative documentaries. His films focus on the ecological, social, and political impacts of natural resources. His film Sand Wars received intern ...

. Sand Wars had record viewership when shown on the French channel Arte. Awaaz Foundation is advocating inclusion of coastal sand mining on the Agenda of the next Convention of Biodiversity Conference of Parties 12 in 2014 by writing to the Indian Government, who is its International custodian until October 2014. In 2016, Awaaz Foundation once again represented to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

that the ill effects of sand mining should form part of the global agenda of the

United Nations Environment Programme The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on th ...

during a meeting with Mr

Erik Solheim Erik Solheim (born 18 January 1955) is a Norwegian diplomat and former politician. He served in the Norwegian government from 2005 to 2012 as Minister of International Development and Minister of the Environment, and as Under-Secretary-General of ...

, chief of

UNEP The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on th ...

. They also pressed for mainstreaming of alternative methods of building and road construction using recycled debris and plastics, which have been successful in pilot and small projects. In August 2016 a number of people lost their lives when a bridge was swept away at Mahad. The bridge was located near a sand mining site where Sumaira Abdulali had been attacked in 2010 during a sand mining site inspection. Sand mining equipment was found abandoned in the creek. Awaaz Foundation demanded an enquiry into the link between the collapse and nearby illegal sand mining, but Home Minister to the

Deepak Kesarkar Deepak Vasant Kesarkar is a member of the 14th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. He is the Cabinet Minister for Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Ministry of Marathi Language. He represents the Sawantwadi As ...

, without carrying out any enquiry, stated that there was no link.

Mining in dense forests

Sawantwadi-Dodamarg Wildlife Corridor in the Western Ghats

In 2006, India applied to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

MAB A monoclonal antibody (mAb, more rarely called moAb) is an antibody produced from a cell Lineage made by cloning a unique white blood cell. All subsequent antibodies derived this way trace back to a unique parent cell. Monoclonal antibodies ca ...

for the Western Ghats to be listed as a protected

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

. The Western Ghats is very important Tropical Rainforest of India. During the monsoon season between June and September, the unbroken Western Ghats chain acts as a barrier to the moisture laden clouds. The range starts near the border of

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

and Maharashtra, south of the River Tapti, and runs approximately through the states of

, Goa,

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

, Tamil Nadu and

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

ending at Kanyakumari, at the southern tip of India, one of three

Biodiversity hotspot A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation. Norman Myers wrote about the concept in two articles in ''The Environmentalist'' in 1988 and 1990, after which the co ...

s in the country. The National Mineral Policy of India, 2008 rules that any abandoned mine "should be made richer than what it was before" through refilling the craters and reforestation, but most miners leave their mines in a state of utter decay and toxicity. According to the data available with the ministry's Indian Bureau of Mines, there are 297 abandoned mines across the country and most of them are yet to be "rehabilitated". To protect large-scale destruction of flora and

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

around Western Ghats. Awaaz Foundation is advocating a zero-mining policy. Tiger God worshipped by villagers at the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor

Tiger God worshipped by villagers at the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor

Awaaz Foundation successfully filed public interest litigation to declare the

Sawantwadi Sawantwadi an aesthetic land of artists, is an integral part of the Konkan region which is in the mid-western coast of India. The western coast of India since 1510 A.D. has assumed great importance in Indian history and history of internationa ...

–

Dodamarg Dodamarg taluka is a taluka in Sindhudurg district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Dodamarg Taluka is situated between latitudes 15° 37' N and 15° 60' north and longitudes 73° 19' E and 73° 40' east. It is bordered by the Goa state to ...

wildlife corridor as an eco sensitive area. The State Government of Maharashtra had sanctioned 49 mines in the area, even though its own record shows that the corridor, connecting national parks such as

Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary ( mr, राधानगरी वन्यजीव अभयारण्य) is a wildlife sanctuary and natural World Heritage Site of category ix and x since 2012, located in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra Sta ...

in Maharashtra with those in Goa and Karnataka, abounds in indigenous flora and fauna including tiger and elephant and has the highest green cover in Maharashtra (49%). Sawantwadi-Dodamarg, due to its many natural springs and high rainfall, is also a source area for rivers which feed water to Goa. 22 villages signed resolutions not to allow mines in their area. The ministry of environment and forests of Government of India appointed two high levels Committees to recommend the type of development which should take place in the Western Ghats. Initially, the MoEF appointed the Western Ghat Ecology Expert Panel headed by ecologist Dr.

Madhav Gadgil Madhav Dhananjaya Gadgil (born 24 May 1942) is an Indian ecologist, academic, writer, columnist and the founder of the ''Centre for Ecological Sciences'', a research forum under the aegis of the Indian Institute of Science. He is a former memb ...

but suppressed its Report which recommended that the entire Western Ghats were eco sensitive to varying degrees. Awaaz Foundation and other concerned citizens filed Right to Information applications which resulted in the Report being made public over 6 months after it was finalised. Amid growing demand for implementation of the Western Ghat Ecology Expert Panel, the Government appointed another Committee chaired by Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan to assess the recommendations of the Western Ghat Ecology Expert Panel Report. Dr. Kasturirangan Report too, was neither accepted nor declined for several months. Meanwhile, Awaaz Foundation's litigation for declaration of the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor as eco sensitive was heard by the

on 28 September 2013 and the Government ordered to notify it as eco sensitive before 31 December 2013. The Order was passed during the pendancy of both high level Committee Reports and forms a precedent for citizens/villagers to take up smaller bio diverse areas for protection.

Heavy Metal Pollution

Awaaz Foundation measured heavy metal content of firecrackers and Holi colours and found high levels of toxic heavy metals in both. Tests conducted by Volunteer Faiz Abdulali using a sensitive meter capable of detecting specific heavy metals instantly through surface contact was used. In 2013, metals which are banned under the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules 1989 and placed under Schedule 1 for their highly toxic nature through ingestion or through contact were detected such as Vanadium, Copper, Zirconium, Lead and other heavy metals. These were found specially in commonly used crackers such as sparklers which are often handled by children. Awaaz Foundation has demanded a full disclosure of all chemical content of firecrackers on their packaging. This would be in accordance with Supreme Court Orders.

References

External links

Noise Pollution Rules in IndiaAwaaz Foundation WebsiteCitizens' Noise MapNoise Mapping UK
* ttp://www.i-ince.org/ The International Institute for Noise controlbr>Side event on sand mining UN Convention on Biological DiversitySand Wars- documentary film by Denis DelestracReport of MoEF on sand miningCoastal Care WebsiteKiwis Against Seabed MiningThe link between politicians and sand mining in and around MumbaiUnesco World Heritage Site - Western Ghats of India
{{Sustainability 2006 establishments in Maharashtra Organisations based in Maharashtra Nature conservation organisations based in India Organizations established in 2006 Noise pollution