The lion's share of the amount -- Rs 1,003 crore (till November 10) -- comes from an Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) imposed by the Supreme Court in 2015 on trucks entering Delhi while the rest is made up of cess on every litre of diesel sold, in effect since 2008.
India lost around 38.5 thousand hectares of tropical forest in the last decade. Nearly 14 per cent of the country's tree cover! It is one thing for Modi to announce that India will reach a net-zero level of emissions in 2070. But if it is serious, it needs to start today, points out Ramesh Menon.
Do you agree with our lawmakers that consuming cola is nothing short of slow poisoning?
The JPC on soft drinks has upheld findings of CSE that 12 branded products of Pepsi and Coca-Cola it examined did contain pesticide residues and asked the government to formulate stringent quality norms for carbonated drinks.
However, he will continue to be in hospital till infection is controlled.
The study also found that most GM foods did not disclose the fact on the label. "A few also made false claims of being GM-free," the study by CSE said.
The director of the Centre for Science and Environment, Sunita Narayan on Friday told the joint parliamentary committee probing the cola row that pesticide level in water for soft drinks in India was high
The Centre for Science and Environment which alleged that soft drinks brands in India contain high levels of pesticides, is scheduled to make a detailed presentation before the Joint Parliamentary Committee which may meet on October 9 and 10.
Accusing Pepsi and Coke of trying to escape from their responsibilities, a leading consumer organisation, the Consumer Unity and Trust Society, said it would move the apex consumer court, seeking the withdrawal of soft-drinks and a ban on their sale.
Centre for Science and Environment on Wednesday said PepsiCo's 'Mountain Dew' contained caffeine despite being a non-cola drink
The government has decided not to serve the members of Parliamnet any of these drinks.
Softdrink major Pepsi Co on Tuesday withdrew from the Delhi high court the petition filed by it challenging the controversial report of Centre for Science and Environment
Free speech is the soul of a great university. By compromising on it, the founders have bartered away its soul, said Rajan.
The Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, and Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata, were on Monday asked by JPC to explain why their sample test results on pesticide residues in soft drinks were at variance
Uttam Khobragade, commissioner, Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration, said MSFDA found the presence of a particular pesticide in four of PepsiCo's products, in a recent test.
The government on Thursday gave a clean chit to 12 soft drink brands, saying that their samples tested were 'well within the safety limits' prescribed for packaged drinking water at present.
The pollution board said that the situation will improve further by Sunday if favourable conditions prevail.
Stung by the "pesticides report" on colas by CSE, Pepsi on Friday filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain the NGO from publishing the report, while asking for an independent evaluation of the "damaging" report.
Close on the heels of a major health scare on finding pesticides in bottled drinking water, CSE claimed that the bottled soft drinks owned by PepsiCo and Coke also failed the same health standards testing positive for pesticides.
'Wherever in the world there is political instability, those countries are beset with severe crises today. But India is in a much better position than the rest of the world due to the decisions taken by my government in the national interest,' President Droupadi Murmu said in her address to both Houses of Parliament.
'Unless some serious steps like complete closedown are taken, it will have disastrous consequences.'
Coca-Cola India said on Monday it complies with all "relevant EU norms" while manufacturing its bottled water brand Kinley.\n\n\n\n
Protests at this time when efforts are underway to strengthen the PLA and keep morale high would be worrying for the military leadership, observes Jayadeva Ranade, the retired senior RA&W officer and distinguished China expert.
'We have often heard the mythical argument that patents block access to life-saving drugs, but only 5% of medicines from multinational companies are under patent protection in India.' 'Where these patented products are beyond the reach of Indian patients, the companies have programmes to facilitate access to their drugs, for free or for a fraction of the price,' points out Ranjana Smetacek, former director general, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India.
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