Enter the fireworks city of Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu and you can smell a familiar mix of sulphur, potassium nitrate, aluminium and carbon - familiar because if you've ever burst crackers, say on Diwali or Onam, chances are they were made here. Almost every household used to contribute to India's festive joy by contributing almost 90 per cent of the fireworks made in the country. Before the pandemic, around 300,000 people worked in the industry directly and another 500,000 indirectly. Located 540 kilometres from Chennai, Sivakasi is famous for its fireworks and crackers, along with printing and matches, but is almost a ghost town these days.
Volkswagen has admitted that 11 million diesel engine cars worldwide were fitted with the software that helped in manipulating emission tests.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday allowed Chhath Puja celebrations at designated sites in the city except the banks of Yamuna river.
When it closed close down the copper plant at Thoothukudi in 2013. Its orders were held illegal by the NGT on procedural grounds
The National Green Tribunal on issued notices to Madhya Pradesh government and organiser of three-day event 'Vaicharik Mahakumbh', to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, for alleged violation of environment laws.
Mark Scialla had interviewed several people on December 28 and 29 on alleged health issues faced by them due to the now closed Sterlite copper plant. Rambha said the visa clearly stated that the American national should not embark on any work except tourist activities.
Of 817 grossly polluting factories, 62 have not installed anti-pollution devices and in 84 units, the installed devices are non-functional.
'The size or economic potential of no event can be a valid excuse to break the law of the land.'
There cannot be a complete ban on firecrackers and the mechanism to stop their misuse has to be strengthened, the Supreme Court said on Monday setting aside the Calcutta High Court order banning firecrackers during Kali Puja, Diwali and other festivals this year to check air pollution amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
'If the BJP comes back to power, Sterlite will open in one week.' 'If the Congress comes to power, it will open in one month.'
The court asked NBCC to "stay its hands" till July 2 .
The expert panel has suggested that there would be two components of rehabilitation plan -- physical and biological, and they would cost Rs 28.73 crore and Rs l3.29 crore respectively, besides additional ancillary expenses.
Other Graded Response Action Plan measures like ban on diesel generators, hot mix plants, stone crushers and brick kilns, however, continue to remain in place.
Shipping ministry to launch 16-km, 45-minute boat service on Yamuna
Cracking the whip on those polluting Yamuna, the National Green Tribunal on Tuesday passed a slew of directions including a fine of Rs 5,000 on individuals spotted throwing waste or religious items in the river as it unveiled a plan for its restoration.
There is a total of 590,000 private and commercial diesel vehicles registered with Delhi Transport Department and out of them, there are 121,000 commercial vehicles and 161,000 private vehicles including cars, jeep, tractors, which are more than 10 years old
Terming the incident as 'horrific', the Aam Aadmi Party hit out at the Centre by drawing a comparison with the Jallianwallah Bagh massacre, whose centenary is being observed on Saturday.
Demanding a fresh probe by an "unbiased" panel, AOL lawyer Kedar Desai and environment expert Prabhakar Rao told a press conference in Noida that "no damage" was caused to the environment due to the event held in March.
The guru described the Central government and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi as "intelligent" for supporting the event.
The stage is now set for the controversial three-day cultural event opening on Friday on the Yamuna flood plains even as Art of Living guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar struck a defiant note that he will not pay Rs 5 crore fine imposed by Green Tribunal and would rather go to jail.
At least 15 miners were trapped in the 370 foot-deep illegal coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills district since December 13 and all efforts to pump the water out of flooded mine have been in vain.
The Sterlite Copper Smelter unit in Tuticorin, which was shut down over two months ago, has resumed operations after the National Green Tribunal's expert panel gave a green signal.
The apex court directed the Centre to frame guidelines on the matter.
The Supreme Court has expressed its anguish at the "bureaucratic attitude" that has left the functioning of several tribunals including the National Green Tribunal and Law Commission in a "pathetic" state of affairs.
The Art of Living Foundation chose to hold the World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplains in spite of being aware of the environmental, legal consequences, letters exchanged between it and the Delhi Development Authority show.
Under interim measures, there will be no renewal of registration of diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old.
A preliminary probe revealed that the two miners had died after boulders hit them while extracting coal, the SP said, adding that the police were trying to trace the owner of the mine.
The green tribunal noted that the Art of Living would have to pay a Rs 5 crore penalty and develop the entire area into a biodiversity zone.
Almost an year ago the National Green Tribunal had ordered the closure of these two slaughterhouses, an official said.
Dealers say there's been a 20-25 per cent drop in demand.
The Supreme Court Monday said the Centre was testing its "patience" and "emasculating" tribunals by not appointing officials to the quasi-judicial bodies which are facing severe crunch of presiding officers as well as judicial and technical members and sought action on the matter by September 13.
Experts consider Sebi's takeover code in its present form to be on a par with any foreign code governing public mergers and acquisitions.
Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whose on Saturday once again sounded defiant, saying he will not pay any fine or penalty.
The air quality had turned 'severe' on Saturday evening with stubble burning accounting for 32 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution, but firecracker emissions and calm winds made the situation even worse.
The debate on the constitutionality of tribunals has not been set to rest as yet, says Gopal Krishna.
'It is also being done in violation of our Forest Tribal Act because it will involve the eviction of the tribals living in these forests.'
The National Green Tribunal on Monday directed the Delhi government and city police to demolish illegal constructions at controversial self-styled godman Asaram's ashram in Karol Bagh locality.
A plea seeking ban on 2018 Indian Premier League cricket matches on the ground that it leads to wastage of lakhs of litres of water, on Wednesday, prompted the National Green Tribunal to seek responses from the Centre, Board of Control for Cricket in India and others.
Seen as one-of-its-kind event, the festival offers a platform for spiritual and religious leaders, politicians, business leaders, peacemakers and artists to spread the message of global peace and harmony in diversity.
The government is considering giving financial incentives of up to Rs 1.5 lakh on surrender of over-ten-year-old vehicles to check pollution.
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