India Not Likely To Meet Its UN Millennium Development Goals

• Monsoon Takes A Rain Check. Even though it has rained for the last three consecutive days, the weather bureau has described the showers as “pre-monsoon” ones, and said that the monsoon is unlikely to reach Mumbai for at the least the next 48 hours. Although last year, the rains arrived five days earlier than the expected date of June 10, this year they have been delayed by five days as they reached Kerala on June 5 instead of June 1. [DNA]

• The City and the Sea. An ongoing study by the Mumbai Transformation Support Unit (MTSU) shows that during 250 years of colonial rule, around 35 square kilometres of reclamation was carried out in the city by the British government. The study also found that from Independence, after the eastern and western suburbs became part of Greater Mumbai, the amount of land reclaimed was 102 square kilometres, a three-fold increase over 65 years. Since 1972, mudflats or the muddy land visible during low tides have decreased by 63 per cent while natural vegetation such as mangroves and water bodies such as lakes and ponds have shrunk by 53 per cent over the same period, according to the study. [The Indian Express]

• Missed Goals. A Planning Commission report submitted to the Union cabinet has revealed that India is not close to achieving any of the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the target year of 2015. While the country is likely to be “close” to its poverty reduction target, it is “going slow” in the reduction of hunger and malnourishment, according to the report. Though primary education targets are likely to be met, the government’s annual education report of 2011 showed that most Class 5 pupils were unable to read Class 2 textbooks. [Hindustan Times]