The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that ash clouds from volcanic activity in Ethiopia, which impacted flight operations in India, are drifting towards China and will move away from India by 7.30 pm on Tuesday.
The Central Pollution Control Board has declared Gujarat as the most polluted state in India.
Incineration of entire 358 tonnes of toxic waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory finally concluded as contaminated soil and packaging material were burnt at a disposal plant in Madhya Pradesh's Pithampur on Thursday, over six months after the consignment was brought to the unit.
A central team on Monday began a probe into allegations that a radioactive contaminated United States ship has been anchored at the Alang coast in Gujarat, even as non-governmental organisations demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the matter.The three-member team comprising an official each from the Central Pollution Control Board, the Steel Ministry and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board will submit its report by the end of the week.
A new report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submitted to the National Green Tribunal has said that the water quality during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj was fit for bathing, despite earlier reports indicating otherwise. The report, based on statistical analysis of water samples collected during the Kumbh, found that the median values for key parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and fecal coliform count were within permissible limits. However, the report acknowledges significant variability in data due to factors like upstream activities and sampling conditions. The matter is set for hearing on April 7.
Delhi experiences a biting chill with 'cold day' conditions and dense fog, coupled with 'very poor' air quality. The IMD forecasts continued cold weather and potential light rain.
Water is drawn for agriculture, industry and cities, but only waste is returned to the river.
This deterioration in air quality led to prompting enforcement of Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the national capital.
'The US was well aware of the nationality of the seafarers on board the vessels. It was not hidden. The nationality of those aboard a merchant ship is known to all the ports.' 'So, why did US shoot a missile that resulted in the deaths of the Indian mariners?'
The Central Pollution Control Board on Monday reviewed the air quality in Delhi-NCR observing that the contribution of stubble burning may rise in the next five days with the AQI fluctuating between 'very poor' and 'severe' categories.
The trial incineration of 10 tonnes of waste from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, responsible for the 1984 gas tragedy, began on Friday afternoon in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. The process, ordered by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, is expected to take 72 hours to complete. The waste includes soil, reactor residues, pesticide residues, and other materials. The State Pollution Control Board says the chemicals in the waste have become "almost negligible" and there is no presence of methyl isocyanate gas. The incineration process is being monitored by the Pollution Control Board and broadcast live.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday rapped the Haryana and Punjab governments over non-prosecution of violators found guilty of stubble burning and summoned the state chief secretaries to appear before it on October 23 and submit. an explanation.
This has been our history of good governance: Things that were difficult to do and required planning and implementation were first taken up and then abandoned, notes Aaakr Patel.
The Central Pollution Control Board has asked Tata Steel to submit the closure schedule of the battery at the earliest, minister of state for Steel A Sai Prathap said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. Coke oven battery is a plant where coking coal is converted into coke.
Forty years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, 377 tons of hazardous waste has been shifted from the defunct Union Carbide factory for its disposal, an official said.
The Maharashtra government has officially declared the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav as the 'State Festival of Maharashtra', emphasizing its commitment to preserving and promoting the festival's cultural legacy. The government has also addressed issues related to POP idols and pledged financial support for celebrations.
PM2.5 pollution in the national capital has reduced by over 7 per cent in four years, from 108 micrograms per cubic metre in 2019 to 99.71 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022, the report by NCAP Tracker said.
In December 2016, the Supreme Court directed the central government to have a graded action plan to tackle the menace of air pollution. There are two plans - Comprehensive Action Plan and Graded Response Action Plan.
A severe cold wave has intensified across North India, with Delhi recording its lowest temperature of the season. Rajasthan experienced sub-zero temperatures, and several states have issued alerts and closed schools due to the extreme conditions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that very dense fog began forming around 5.30 am, resulting in a thick haze over different parts of the national capital.
'If a common man wants to buy an air purifier for Rs 10,000, then he will have to shell out Rs 11,800 with 18 percent GST.' 'If he is charged GST at 5 percent the same air purifier will cost Rs 10,500.' 'This saves a one time amount of Rs 1,300 -- and that too just to breathe clean air.'
The Ministry of Environment and Forests is setting up a network for national-level monitoring and reporting of noise pollution. Based on the pattern of existing air and water networks, the setting up of the National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network and development of infrastructure for noise mapping in the country are expected to be in place within five years.
A thick layer of fog was seen in several parts of the city, weather officials said.
Delhi's air quality improved for the second consecutive day on Thursday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded in the "moderate" category at 165. This marks a significant improvement from the "poor" category recorded on Tuesday. Several restrictions imposed under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were lifted, but some restrictions under Stage 2 remain in place. The Decision Support System (DSS) has not been updated since Friday, with technical difficulties hindering the update of data for the last six days.
'If you want to force the press into blacking out the Opposition's views or colour the news to your own liking, we will not do so.' 'We stand by freedom of expression. It is our Constitutional right. We stand by our Constitutional right.'
The Supreme Court has permitted the sale and bursting of green crackers in Delhi-NCR for Diwali, relaxing the ban on green firecrackers as a temporary measure from October 18 to 21. The court has asked pollution control boards to monitor pollution levels and file reports. The order also includes measures to prevent the sale of non-compliant crackers.
The AQI recorded in Mumbai at 8 am was 131, categorised as 'moderate', as per the Central Pollution Control Board.
The companies will have to secure a minimum of 400 points out of 1,000 to be able to participate in the rating system.
The national capital stood sixth in terms of air pollution in January, with cities like Muzzaffarpur in Bihar and Varanasi showing worse air qualities.
The government asserted that the Central Pollution Control Board will inspect the ship
The first round of trial incineration of 10 tonnes of waste connected to the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy has begun in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, amid tight security. The Supreme Court refused to intervene in the MP High Court's order directing the transfer and disposal of waste at a private company-operated plant in Pithampur. The trial incineration is being conducted in the presence of scientists from the central and state pollution control boards. Protesters have expressed apprehensions about harm to the human population and environment due to the disposal of this waste, but the state government has rejected these concerns, saying that solid arrangements are in place for safe disposal.
Heavy rains lashed Delhi, leading to a red alert, traffic snarls, and waterlogging. The IMD predicts continued rainfall.
Temperatures are likely to remain in a similar range until Thursday, with a gradual fall expected from June 13.
As many as 12 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport between 3 pm and 4 pm due to adverse weather conditions, an official said.
Delhi recorded its coldest January morning in three years with the minimum temperature dropping to 3 degrees Celsius. Cold wave conditions are expected to persist, and air quality has deteriorated to the 'very poor' category.
Among heavy criticism of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks on Prayagraj's Mahakumbh, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj on Wednesday supported the CM, saying that the religious event has been mismanaged.
The CPCB said reduction in PM10 and PM2.5 levels primarily indicate depletion in combustion and industrial sources of pollution which are common to both fractions of particulate matter.
Air pollution may lead to a faster spread of Covid-19 infection as it causes coughing and sneezing, government officials told a parliamentary panel on Friday, according to sources.
Authorities have suspended civil construction works in Delhi and Haryana as part of emergency measures to improve air quality.
