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Role of Citizen Science and ICTs in Environment Mitigation Measure for Development Projects in India

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  • Jahnavi Sharma
Jahnavi Sharma
Independent Researcher, P.O. Gadapani, Jalna, Lamghara, Almora – 263625, Uttarakhand
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29195/DSSS.06.01.83

Published 2024-06-12

Keywords

  • Citizen Science; Urban Development Project; Environment Impact Assessment; Environment Management Plan

How to Cite

Sharma, J. (2024). Role of Citizen Science and ICTs in Environment Mitigation Measure for Development Projects in India. DIALOGUE: Science, Scientists and Society. https://doi.org/10.29195/DSSS.06.01.83
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Abstract

There are numerous concerns raised to ensure accountability on the part of project proponents of development projects. One of them is to ensure the act of plantation instead of deforestation activity. The Public Interest Litigations (PILs) are filed by various citizen groups, and individual lawyers, at various dates, for various reasons in urban areas. To reply to a multitude of technical queries, the proponent organization entrusted might find it a hindrance to primary responsibility. The assistance of citizens and citizen science to facilitate the mitigation efforts could increase transparency and address the concerns of citizen groups. The involvement of citizen and citizen science could be achieved through participatory and citizen science efforts using technology. The various citizen science projects taken up till now include birds, fireflies, biodiversity, and science education in India. Globally, citizen science initiatives have been applied to various sectors of the environment. The citizen science project uses Information and Communication Technology (ICT) platforms that are created as data sharing platforms, for data collection, engaging citizens in activities, using apps for removing manual work, connecting it to the cloud to avoid confusion in data collection, and repetition of work while doing so. Such initiatives could be extended for citizen concerns for development-led projects wherein numerous PILs are filed to take cognizance of due diligence by the government authorities, required in Environment Management (EMP) efforts in response to Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for projects. In this study, the methodology comprises secondary literature, published studies and reports. The points of integration and recommendation of this paper lie in identifying places for tree plantation, uploading places of interest details such as picture, location, latitude, longitude, preferred species, volunteering details, and availability for urban development projects. This could assist in the democratization of information and activity about environment management activities.

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