The work to remove 377 metric tonnes of hazardous waste from the now-defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal has begun. The waste will be transported to an incineration site in Pithampur near Indore, around 250 km from Bhopal. The move comes after the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the authorities to clear the site, 40 years after the deadly gas leak that killed thousands and left hundreds of thousands with health problems.
The RSS chief also noted that those who eat non-vegetarian food in India follow rules and desist from eating it during the Hindu month of Shravan and on Thursdays.
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 chief minister said certain steps by the government, including the introduction of an electric vehicle policy in 2020 and 24-hour electricity supply, had led to an 18.6 per cent decline in air pollution levels in the last four years.
The Supreme Court of India has overturned an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that halted construction activities at Auroville in Chennai. The court emphasized the need for a "golden balance" between the right to development and the right to a clean environment, upholding the principle of sustainable development. The decision comes as a victory for the Auroville Foundation, which had challenged the NGT order, and highlights the ongoing debate about balancing environmental concerns with economic growth in India.
According to the report by Swiss firm IQAir released on Tuesday, India's annual average PM2.5 level in 2022 was 53.3 g/m3, slightly lower than the 2021 average of 58.1.
The Uttar Pradesh government, citing a scientist, has asserted that Ganga water at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is as pure as "alkaline water", debunking concerns raised by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) about water quality. The government claims that a scientist found no bacterial growth or decline in the water's pH level, despite millions of devotees bathing in the river. However, experts caution that the quality of the Ganga water is not static and can vary greatly depending on various factors.
Exposure to higher air pollution levels for several hours a day can increase insulin resistance in the body and further affect those with diabetes, says diabetologist Dr Manoj Chawla.
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.
'I am not a greedy film person, even as an actor.' 'While my contemporaries Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor acted in nearly 300 films each, I've done hardly 35 films in my entire career.'
A group of people in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, performed 'Shavasana' (corpse pose) to protest against the proposed disposal of Union Carbide waste, connected to the Bhopal gas tragedy, in the district. They claim the disposal would harm the health of locals and the environment. The waste has been brought from Bhopal for incineration in Pithampur. Protests have been ongoing since the arrival of the waste last month, and local authorities are conducting an awareness campaign to address concerns.
For the past 50 years, the Hindu family of Gulab Yadav has been ensuring that Muslims in the village wake up on time for 'Sehri', the pre-dawn meal consumed before fasting during Ramzan.
The city's 24-hour Air Quality Index, recorded at 4 pm every day, stood at 418, up from 334 the previous day, and it may trigger stringent restrictions under the third stage of the graded response action plan to mitigate hazardous conditions.
Here is a snapshot of what worked for the BJP and what worked against the AAP in the Delhi assembly elections.
Sivakasi is fighting for survival, thanks to the ban on firecrackers in Delhi, regulations in several other cities, pandemic-imposed sales dips, the ban on the use of barium nitrate...
The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on producer Ekta Kapoor over 'objectionable content' in her web series 'XXX', saying she was polluting the minds of the young generation of this country.
Delhiites continued to breathe toxic air on Tuesday as the air quality edged closer to the severe zone in some areas.
Some residents have already taken this step to relocate, either temporarily or permanently, some to their native places and others to clean-air destinations like Goa and Himachal Pradesh.
Debutant legislator Rekha Gupta was sworn in as Delhi chief minister along with six ministers on Thursday in a grand show of strength full of colour and spectacle to mark the Bharatiya Janata Party's return to power in the city after more than 26 years.
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 Indian government has stated that the water in the Ganga river at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj was fit for bathing during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh, citing a new report from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The report, however, contradicts an earlier CPCB report that found high faecal coliform levels at several locations in Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh. The government also highlighted measures taken to ensure water quality during the event, including the installation of sewage treatment plants and the use of advanced oxidation techniques to treat wastewater.
Curbs under Stage III include a ban on non-essential construction and demolition, closure of stone crushers and mining activities in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party chief Virendra Sachdeva was admitted to the RML Nursing Home on Saturday with complaints of itching and breathing difficulties, two days after he took a dip in the heavily-polluted Yamuna to highlight the alleged failure of the Aam Aadmi Party government to clean the river.
'Covid patients have infected lungs and the pollutants will further damage it.'
The unloading of 337 tonnes of hazardous waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal began at an incineration unit in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. The exercise, which commenced amid protests from locals concerned about its impact on health and environment, is being carried out following safety regulations. The waste, comprising soil, reactor residues, pesticide remnants, and other materials, has been transported from Bhopal to Pithampur for disposal. The Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board has asserted that the chemical effects of certain substances in the waste have diminished. The local administration has launched an awareness campaign to address concerns regarding the disposal process.
While Hindware is expecting sale of its air purifiers to double this year, brands like Xiaomi, Blue Star and Daikin, too, are expecting significant rise in sales.
Among the cities that have fully implemented their projects are Agra, Varanasi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Udaipur, Pune, Surat, and Vadodara
The Election Commission of India has announced that the Delhi Assembly elections will be held on February 5, 2023, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8. The last date to file nominations is January 17, and the scrutiny of nominations will be done by January 18. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until January 20.
Terming the rise in air pollution in Delhi-NCR an "emergency" situation, the Supreme Court asked the Centre and the Delhi government on Saturday to take immediate measures to improve the air quality and suggested steps such as stopping vehicles and clamping a lockdown in the national capital.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath slammed the opposition Samajwadi Party over the 2013 Kumbh Mela arrangements, accusing the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of appointing a "non-Sanatani " as the in-charge of the religious congregation in Prayagraj. Adityanath highlighted the presence of dignitaries, including the President, Prime Minister, and heads of state from 74 countries, at the recent Maha Kumbh, contrasting it with the "chaos, corruption, and pollution " of the 2013 event. He also criticized the opposition's criticisms of the Maha Kumbh arrangements, arguing that everyone found something in accordance with their nature and character. Adityanath refuted allegations of discrimination against any community at the Maha Kumbh, emphasizing the unity and inclusivity of the event.
The EC asked him to provide factual evidence with specific and pointed response to type, quantity, nature and manner of poisoning of Yamuna.
The Uttar Pradesh government is taking comprehensive measures to ensure the Ganga River is "dip-safe" during the Maha Kumbh, a massive religious gathering. This includes daily water testing, a 200-km temporary drainage system for greywater, and state-of-the-art technology to manage human waste. Authorities are also emphasizing the importance of keeping the river clean by removing pooja waste and encouraging the use of reusable items.
While Solicitor General Tushar Mehta during the hearing claimed that the stubble burning only contribute 10 per cent of the air pollution, senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the petitioners seeking action to curb air pollution, pointed out that the Centre's Sunday meeting had recorded a finding that stubble burning is responsible for 35-40 per cent in Delhi air pollution.
Gaps in enforcement, limited monitoring, and easy access to firecrackers from the NCR region where restrictions were slack were largely responsible for the widespread flouting of the cracker ban in Delhi on Diwali, experts have opined.
Iconic landmarks shrouded in smog, casting a hazy veil over their majestic appearances.
In the run-up to the Delhi assembly elections, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) went all out to persuade voters to elect an effective and accountable government for the progress of the national capital, contributing to the BJP's thumping victory in the polls, according to sources.
Four tourists from Assam fell into the frozen Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh while attempting to walk on its icy surface. Despite clear risks, they ventured onto the lake's frozen surface but were quickly pulled to safety by their companions. Local authorities had previously issued warnings against such activities, emphasizing the cultural and spiritual significance of the lake. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also cautioned tourists about the dangers of walking on frozen lakes and advised them to exercise caution when traveling in the mountains.
The Ganga water at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, where lakhs of people are taking a holy dip every day during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, is currently unsafe for bathing as it exceeds the prescribed limit for biological oxygen demand (BOD), a key parameter to determine water quality, according to government data.
A special bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana, in an interim order uploaded Wednesday night, also directed the Commission for Air Quality Management in the NCR and Adjoining Areas to 'commission a scientific study of air quality based on available data of previous years bearing upon recorded levels of air pollution'.
