Page 2 - Environment Minister

India opted holistic approach to environment conservation: Bhupendra Yadav

Yadav said, "The mangrove ecosystem in India offers a unique example of existing in harmony with nature. The Sunderbans, lying along eastern India, offers the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the

Strict action against construction cos violating anti-dust norms: Gopal Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday directed officials to take strict action against construction agencies found violating anti-dust norms at Sarai Kale Khan here. As part of the Delhi government's anti-dust campaign, Rai inspected several construction sites in the area and found they did not have a working anti-smog gun, water sprinklers and tin sheds to prevent dust pollution. The minister directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to issue notice to the project proponents concerned. He said a penalty will be imposed on the violators if they fail to submit a satisfactory reply within 24 hours. Rai Saturday launched a month-long drive to prevent dust pollution in the capital and said strict action will be taken against anyone found violating relevant norms. The Centre's air quality panel on Friday directed authorities in the National Capital Region to enforce a ban on coal usage in hotels and restaurants, and to take punitive measures against polluting industries an

No plan for cheetah relocation, want it to be success: Bhupender Yadav

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday said there was no plan to relocate cheetahs from Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur, his statement coming amid the death of nine felines since March this year. The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change said the government accepted the sensitivity of the ambitious project and wants it to be a complete success. "There is no plan going on for this (relocation)...Naturally the infection caused by insects due to monsoon has also come to our notice. We have lost two cheetahs due to the infection. We have also shared information with experts from South Africa, Namibia and we are moving forward on its management, Yadav told reporters. Asserting that all forest officials and veterinarians were working very hard at KNP, Yadav said this was the first year since the cheetahs were translocated (from Namibia and South Africa in September last year and February this year respectively) and added that continuous work was goin

Cheetahs to remain in Kuno, won't be relocated, says Bhupender Yadav

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday said the cheetahs will continue to remain in the Kuno national park in Madhya Pradesh and asserted that the project will be successful. We are in touch with experts, including international experts. Our team will visit there. The cheetahs will not be relocated and will remain in Kuno only, the minister said. Yadav's comments came amid concern expressed by some experts on the cheetah project and that some recent deaths could possibly be due to infection caused by radio collars though that is highly unusual and collars have been used in wildlife conservation in India for over two decades. Other experts, however, said only the post-mortem report will determine the exact cause. Rajesh Gopal, the head of the cheetah monitoring committee set up by the NTCA, said the reason for the cheetahs' death could be septicemia from radio collar. It is highly unusual. I have also seen it for the first time. It's .

Officials to use anti-smog guns amid spike in AQI: Environment Minister

Owing to the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai Thursday directed officials to run anti-smog guns throughout the day and sprinkle water at construction and demolition (C&D) sites. The recent bump in the air quality index (AQI) of the national capital was due to strong dust-laden westerly winds from the Thar desert and Pakistan, Rai said at a review meeting with officials of his department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) at the Delhi Secretariat. "The Kejriwal government has always taken tough steps to curb increasing pollution in Delhi," an official statement quoted Rai as saying. The minister added, "On May 16 and 17, a significant portion of Delhi and NCR was engulfed by dust, causing reduced visibility." The contribution of dust pollution to PM10 levels rose from 11 per cent during May 1-15 to 65.77 per cent from May 16-17, Rai added. On Tuesday, the DPCC data showed PM10 levels soaring to 3,826 micrograms ..

Social harmony achieved by embracing all with open heart: Bhupender Yadav

Social harmony is not achieved through speeches but by embracing everyone with an open heart, Union minister Bhupender Yadav said on Tuesday. His remarks came during the launch of the book "Our Life, Our Memories", a collection of stories of four personalities associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and marginalised sections of society. The book captures the challenging circumstances of Asha Lakda, late Aniket, Kaliram, and Dhanraj, and their relentless struggle to move forward. It highlights how they inspired the people around them despite their ordinary circumstances. Sunil Ambekar, all-India prachar pramukh of the RSS, said, "The ideology of the ABVP or the Sangh broadens people's thinking. It fills individuals with love for the country rather than hatred. It does not confine them to their own organisation, but provides them with an opportunity to serve the nation and excel in their personal lives." Harsh Chauhan, chairman, National Commission for Schedule

Need efforts from central, state to improve air quality: Bhupender Yadav

The Centre provided Rs 8,915 crore in the last four years to improve air quality in the 131 cities covered under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has said. Addressing a meeting of the National Apex Committee under NCAP on Wednesday, Yadav emphasised the need for coordinated action by central and state governments, Union territory administrations, urban local bodies and state pollution control boards to improve air quality. Yadav appreciated the performance of 95 cities which have improved air quality and 20 cities which met the national ambient air quality standards in the financial year 2021-22 under the programme, a statement said. He spoke on the significance of the airshed approach adopted in the Indo-Gangetic plains and stressed the need for regional cooperation to address the issue of air pollution. NCAP is a national-level strategy for a 20 per cent to 30 per cent reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentration by 2024, with 2017

Under G20 presidency, 'green growth' priority for India: Bhupender Yadav

India has already submitted its Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy document at COP 27

Over 5,000 PIBOs registered for EPR in one year: Environment Ministry

India saw over 5,000 producers, importers and brand owners (PIBOs) registering for extended producer responsibility (EPR) in the last one year, the Union Environment Ministry said on Friday. Extended producer responsibility is a mechanism where companies have to ensure that their products are collected and recycled at the end of their useful life, rather than being disposed of in a landfill or incinerated. The ministry also said 2.26 million tonnes of plastic packaging has been covered under EPR for the year 2022-23. India generated a total of around 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2019-20. "From around 310 registered producers, importers and brand owners (PIBOs) before the notification of the EPR guidelines on February 16, 2022, the number of PIBOs registered on the centralised EPR portal on plastic packaging has gone up to around 5,400," the ministry said in a statement.

Twelve cheetahs to be translocated from South Africa to India on Feb 18

Twelve cheetahs will be translocated from South Africa to India on February 18, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate change, Bhupender Yadav on Thursday

Bhupender Yadav meets German delegation, discusses sustainable development

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday held a meeting with a delegation of the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag), led by Ralph Brinkhaus

PM Modi's vision of ecological harmony is taking shape: Bhupender Yadav

Union minister Bhupender Yadav held a review meeting in Kuno National Park with a team of researchers, scientists, and forest officials on Sunday

Centre nods for Goa like beach shacks across coastal states to lift tourism

Shacks are crucial to tourism and local businesses in Goa and Maharashtra and currently, they have to be removed in the monsoon months (June to August)

Submitted long-term low emissions growth strategy: India at COP27

Reiterates its climate goals in its National Statement

COP27: Biofuels and green H2 to power India's low-carbon growth

Minister outlines plan for carbon reduction

What is the Mangrove Alliance for Climate, and what does it aim to achieve?

Spearheaded by the UAE in partnership with Indonesia, MAC was launched at the COP27 Summit in Egypt to scale up and accelerate the conservation and restoration of the mangrove forests

Delhi pollution: GRAP Stage IV kicks in amid severe air quality

The overall air quality over Delhi is likely to remain in 'Severe' category from till Sunday

Finance, tech transfer, capacity building on India's agenda for COP27

India will also seek clarity on loan availability, credit mechanisms and insurance requirements for adaptation finance

99% of air pollution related complaints on Green app resolved: Delhi EnvMin

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Tuesday said the city government has resolved 90 percent of the air pollution-related complaints it received through the Green Delhi mobile application since October 1. The minister also said the ban on firecrackers in Delhi resulted in the cleanest Diwali in seven years. Rai said 68,500 challans were issued to vehicle owners not having a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate in August and September.More than 20 lakh PUC certificates were issued during this period. The owners are required to get their vehicles tested to ascertain if they meet emission standards for pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and carbon dioxide. Under Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1993, vehicle owners not having a valid PUC can be fined up to Rs 10,000, or imprisoned for up to six months or both. "We have impounded around 6,500 old diesel and petrol vehicles that are not authorised to operate in Delhi," read a note he tweeted. Sin

Govt to offer aid to set up paddy straw pelletisation, torrefaction plants

With supplemental efforts by other stakeholders, the guidelines are expected to enhance paddy straw utilisation in power plants and industries