This article throws light upon the eight major urban environmental challenges faced in India.
1. Providing basic environmental services in a way that most effectively protects health:
(a) Access to safe potable water, sanitation and drainage facilities.
(b) Proper management of solid waste collection and disposal.
(c) Reduction of pollution within the households by providing cleaner fuel for cooking and improved household ventilation.
2. Identification and implementing integrated approaches to urban environment so as to prevent and abate the impacts of pollution and degradation:
(a) Ambient air pollution.
(b) Surface water pollution.
(c) Ground water pollution and depletion.
(d) Land use and ecosystem degradation.
3. Proper dealing with accidents and environmental disasters deriving from both natural and man-made efforts. Some of the worst sites of ecological disaster are found in and around cities.
4. Urban poverty and environmental conditions are interrelated. This poverty is exacerbated by environmental threats that account for a large share of ill health, early death and hardships to human beings.
5. Urban environmental factors are affecting human health, particularly in the field of fertility. In some countries, sperm counts have drastically reduced.
6. Understanding the influence of urbanisation on food system i.e., food supply, marketing and distribution because of adulterated food supply in urban areas.
7. Management of urban sprawl. The population is increasing in urban areas, leading to the decline in the amount of open space available and urban poor will take up illegal residence on the periphery of the city. These settlements become slums of the most appalling nature and adversely affect the environment.
8. Urban consumption and production patterns are the root cause or main culprit of environ mental deterioration. With this backdrop of urban environmental issues and challenges, globalisation generates new challenges in preparing strategies for urban development. The effects of globalisation will profoundly affect the future development of the urban centers and cities.