Needed: Collective efforts to fight ozone depletion af 1 MAYARANI PRAHARAI Osegitengeinorant Jeronmettal concen he ork ces toa sthe depen ofthe ozone layer in thesia. there The concerns bec of {heft thatthe ozmelayer plays 2 protective rl, sercning the arth om harmful (UV) radiations, "Toereateawarenes forthe protection of oxone layer, the United" Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Preservation of the ‘Ozone Layer is celebrated on September 16 every year. This sxe cominemort te ate ofthe signing ofthe Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987, The protocol was devel oped under the Vienna Convention, which was adopt ed'in 1985 isan interna tional agreement designed to langout ie produrionct humerous substances that are responsiblefor destroying the none ayer. ‘The theme ofthe day for this year is, Ozone and Climate: Restored by a Work United. The theme comple mented by the tagline Working towards reducing global warming HECS under {he Montreal Protocol The dual role of ozone leads to two separate environ ‘mental issues There is con: ern about increases in ozone ‘nthe troposphere: Low ing Shon ky omg a Faeroe nthe ane {he world: Higher amounts of Surface-level ozone are increasing being obverved in ruslareas aswell Ava rest Gf concerted international efforts the ozone ayers el ing itself and is expected to reaver by the middle ofthis century. In addition, the ‘Montreai Protocol has signi icantly contebuted tothe mit igation of climate change by arti the emission of more ihan 185 billion tonnes of carbon doideegraentino the atmosphere by simply hasing ook ozone depleting ubstances “ms "The scientific evidence accumulated over more than fv decades of study by the international research, Com: munity, has shown that hhuman’prodced. chemicals ‘ueesponbe othe observed depletion ofthe ozone ye In {olays context there are nun berof questions Can we repair the damage already done? How can we prevent further destruction? Repair involves the interna nally agreed-upon Montreal Protocol snd its amendments and adjustments This agree ‘ment regulates the production of CFCs and oiler ozone Sepleting substances ‘Uncontrolled uses of resources, greenhouse elect, fone depletion, ete, have been caused by urbanisation nd industiasation. Cites bers of people and human activities thus, they import Increasing amounts of natur- al reourtes and export vast Guatites of emissions and fast. Chlorfluorocarbons [CRC and hydrochiorofiao- Iecrbons HUNG ae human atts. ‘The mat human sources of GHGs con tebuting to global warming de the dramatie rien ener ay se land-use changes and Emissions from industrial "To protect stratospheric ozone snd. avoid: negative Belt sndenvironmental on Sobstances That Deplete the Ozone. Layer (Montreal Protocol) wae signed in 1987 ‘The Montreal Brotocal, now sigtedby more than 180 coun tale was amended in 1990, 1982, and 1997, further tight. eningcontols and ultimately requtrng phase ot of ozone. depleting substances (ODS) oie Int'l Day for Preservation of Ozone Layer listed by the protocol However recovery of strats: pheric ozane remains uncer {ainand depends on contin international commitment 0 limit ODS emissions Tndia became party to the Vienna Convention fo the Protection ofthe Ozone ayer and the Monteeal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the ‘Ozone Layer and bat ratified all the amendments to. the Montreal Protocol. India has provided for peotection snd Improvement ofthe environ ment in its Constitution Article 51-(g) ofthe ‘Constitution says that iis the ddty of every citizen of India to. protect and improve the netral environment including forest lakes, ever and wilde and to have compassion for living creatures. The consti tional provisions are imple- rented Unough eavronment protection laws ofthe country Srone Depleting Substances {Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, have also been issued. by the Central Government. under. the Envitonment Protection Act, 1986, The Act provide a com prehersve set of regulations Eontrol and monitor produc tion and use of ozone deplet ing substances (ODS) in india ‘The Government of India has entrasted the work relat. ing to ozone layer protection and implementation of the Montreal Protocol t0 the Ministry of Environment snd Forests (MoE). The MoEF has set up an Ozone Cell sa national unit to look after and to render necessary ser ‘ices to implement the proto ‘olan is ODS phascout pro. {gramme in Ind “Taprtect the ozone layers there isan urgent need to sop the elease of oxone-depleting substances tothe atmosphere ‘The MoEP has also. estab lished an Empowered Steering Comite, which is support ed by. four Standing Committees, namely the Technology and. Finance Standing Corte, Standing Commie for Small Seal ‘Tiny and Unorganised indus trey, Standing Commitee on Implementation of ODS Pitseout projects and Monitoring and. Evaluation Committee The Empowered Steering Comite i respon stl forthe implementation of the Monte Protocol ro cy and Implementation ‘options, project approvals and project monitoring "The Executive Commitee of the Multilateral Fund (QML) ints 29th Meeting held tn November 1999 approved the Indigs CFC Production Sector gradual phase-out po ject. The World Bank is the lend implementing agency for the project UNEP ha Ben ingagency orechnklai tance component. In this pro ject, it wos aged to rece total CRC production in accor. dance with an agreed upon schedule This important to empha sise that we all havea role Play when itcomes to prot thon and preservation of the carts ozone ayer. There are many policies and. projects for the protection of ozone lige "Bi pices ae not our ait and everyday Implementation of paces something to protect the ‘none layer and save our en ronment, Ths requires col Isc efor Whenever por sible, we must alo replace them with safer alternatives. Besides thee ares numberof practical measures which ean Betaken a individual level to protect the earths ozone ayer (Dr Praharaj is facult) member Depart Architecture, College of Engineering and Technolog, Bhuboncewer)