Page 4 - Environment Ministry

Opposition parties slam govt on Adani group role in ministry panel

Opposition parties on Tuesday attacked the Modi government for "appointing" Janardhan Chaudhary as a member of the Centre's Expert Appraisal Committees (EAC) under the Environment Ministry, alleging he is an employee of the Adani group. Chaudhary was appointed in September to the all-important panel, which has to clear several power projects, including some of the Adani Group, according to media reports. "Adani Pradhan Sevak appointed Adani employee Janardhan Choudhury as a member of EAC under Environment Ministry. This committee has to approve 6 Adani projects (10,300 MW)," the Kerala Congress claimed on its official X account. It also said that recently Adani's 1500 MW Satara plant was approved by him. "Eej of doing bujiness," the party said. Reports claimed that a key advisor to Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL)Chaudhary, is now a member of one of the Centre's Expert Appraisal Committees (EAC) before which the company's hydro project proposals come up for clearance. The EAC

An era of green changes: CEC will now report to environment ministry

The ministry will now nominate the members of the committee, established under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and have the final say on the merits of its recommendations

PM10, PM2.5 levels in Delhi down 45% since 2014: Environment Minister

In a "big relief" for Delhi residents, the PM10 and PM2.5 levels have declined by an average of 45 per cent in the last 9 years, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters here after a meeting with officials of the environment department, Rai said that work on a 'winter action plan' to tackle any rise in air pollution levels has begun. The levels of particulate matter (PM) 10 and 2.5 usually start increasing from the last week of October and attain a peak in November when temperature plummets, requiring measures to check the poor quality of air, he added. "There is news of big relief for Delhi's people. The PM 10 and PM 2.5, which are two important parameters of air quality and determine the level of air pollution in Delhi, have registered a downward trend since 2014 due to efforts of Delhi's people and the government," the minister said. However, the Delhi government under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is determined to bring it .

India could lose groundwater by 3 times the current rate by 2080: Study

The rate of groundwater depletion could triple by 2080, if Indian farmers continued to draw groundwater at the current rate, which could threaten the country's food and water security, according to a new study. Warming climate has compelled farmers in India to adapt by intensifying the withdrawal of groundwater used for irrigation, the study led by the University of Michigan, US, found. As a result, the reduced water availability could endanger the livelihoods of more than one-third of the country's 1.4 billion residents and thus, could have global implications, the study published in the journal Science Advances said. "This is of concern, given that India is the world's largest consumer of groundwater and is a critical resource for the regional and global food supply," said senior author Meha Jain, assistant professor at the university's School for Environment and Sustainability. The study analysed recent changes in withdrawal rates due to warming by looking at historical data on

MoEFCC asked to ensure framework on industrial residue is implemented

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to "clarify and take immediate measures" to identify material generated from industrial processes or production residue as either waste or as a by-product. The tribunal was hearing a matter regarding the non-implementation of the 'Framework on Identification of Materials Generated from Industrial Processes as Wastes or By-Products' issued by the Central Pollution Control Board. The framework was issued in September 2019 after an NGT order. Its purpose was to ensure that no hazardous waste was categorised as a by-product of production and escape the strict scrutiny of the Hazardous and Other Waste Management (HOWM) Rules, 2016. According to the plea, the framework did not establish when a material generated from any production process should be considered a "by-product" and when it should be considered "waste." Thus, the purpose for issuing it stood defeated, it said. In a

Over 300,000 hectares of forest land diverted under FCA in 15 years: Govt

Over three lakh hectares of forest land has been diverted for non-forestry use in India over the last 15 years under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav told Lok Sabha on Monday. Government data presented in the House showed 61,318 hectares of forest land in Punjab, the maximum among all states and union territories, has been diverted for non-forestry purposes since 2008-09. At present, Punjab has a total forest area of 1,84,700 hectares. Madhya Pradesh saw 40,627 hectares of forest land being diverted for non-forestry purposes, followed by Odisha at 28,320 hectares, Telangana at 19,419 hectares and Gujarat at 16,070 hectares. Jharkhand (15,691 hectares), Chhattisgarh (15,082 hectares), Uttarakhand (14,141 hectares), Maharashtra (13,297 hectares), Rajasthan (12,877 hectares), Arunachal Pradesh (12,778 hectares) and Andhra Pradesh (11,093 hectares) also witnessed significant forest area diversion. The data showed that the major purposes fo

India has devised unique biodiversity conservation model: Bhupender Yadav

The Minister stressed the need for ecological conservation of critical ecosystems through conserving the food chain of the ecosystem and ensuring the well-being of the topmost predator

Goa govt to rope in satellite imagery firm to map out CRZ violations

The Goa government will engage a company with expertise in satellite imagery to map structures that existed on the state's shoreline before 1991 to understand the extent of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations, a senior official said on Monday. During a public redressal meeting in North Goa on Monday, State Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral said the state government will file an affidavit before the Bombay High Court listing out the structures that existed before 1991, a cut-off date as per the CRZ regulations. The Goa State Coastal Zone Management Authority (GSCZMA) had issued show cause notices to 275 structures, giving them time to respond with documentation to prove that they existed before 1991. The notices were issued after the October 2022 order of the High Court against the gross violations in CRZ areas, the senior GSCZMA official said. Speaking at the meeting, Cabral said the state government will engage a company with expertise in satellite imaginary to map the a

Delhi registered 101 'good to moderate' air quality days in Jan-June 2023

Delhi registered the highest number of 'good to moderate' air quality days this year since 2016, barring COVID-19 affected 2020, the environment ministry said on Friday. "The number of 'Good to Moderate' Air Quality Days for the first half-year period (January to June) was 30 in the year 2016; 57 in 2017; 65 in 2018; 78 in 2019; 126 in 2020; 84 in 2021; 54 in 2022; and 101 in the current year 2023," the ministry said in a statement. During this period, the city also experienced the least number of days with 'poor to severe' air quality in 2023, as compared to the corresponding period of last seven years since 2016 (barring 2020 the year of lockdown due to coronavirus). "The number of 'Poor to Severe' Air Quality Days for the first half-year period (January to June) have also been progressively reducing from 147 in 2016 to 80 in 2023," it said. The ministry said favourable meteorological conditions and continual efforts at the ground level to prevent, control and abate air pollutio

Telecom operators in a huddle to hang up on green ministry's e-waste rules

According to COAI, only the DoT has the expertise to determine the 'end of life cycle' of telecom equipment

Power ministry to develop carbon credit trading scheme for decarbonisation

Union ministries of power and environment, forests & climate change will develop a carbon credit trading scheme for decarbonisation. The government plans to develop the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) where a national framework will be established with an objective to decarbonise the Indian economy by pricing the Green House Gas (GHG) emission through trading of the carbon credit certificates, a power ministry statement said. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the Ministry of Power along with Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change are developing the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme. A one-day 'Stakeholder Consultation on Accredited Carbon Verifiers under ICM' was organised in the national capital on Thursday. Currently, India has an energy savings-based market mechanism and the new avatar scheme will enhance the energy transition efforts with an increased scope that will cover the potential energy sectors. For these sectors, the GHG emissions intensity benchmark and ...

NGT asks Environment ministry to report on illegal trees felling in Corbett

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to file an action-taken report on the alleged illegal felling of 6,000 trees in the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttrakhand's Kalagarh Tiger Reserve Division. The green panel was hearing a matter in which it had initiated suo motu (on its own) proceedings based on a media report on the illegal felling of trees. The Forest Survey of India was asked to assess the status of illegally felled trees, the report had claimed. A bench of Chairperson Justice A K Goel said that according to the report of an earlier constituted panel, the cutting of trees was illegal and the process of restoration required constructions made without the approval of the Centre to be removed. But the state government's principal secretary submitted that the construction does not require the Union government's approval. The bench, also comprising Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel,

Centre releases guidelines for human-wildlife conflict mitigation

The 10 species-specific guidelines include, guidelines for mitigating human-elephant, -gaur, -leopard, -snake, -crocodile, -rhesus macaque, -wild pig, -bear, -blue bull and -blackbuck conflict

Parl panel recommends Environment Ministry revisit its monitoring framework

In its report, the parliamentary panel noted that the data provided by the Ministry seems very counter intuitive from what the public experiences at large

India climate policy aims at sustainable development: Environment minister

Bhupender Yadav on Sunday said that India's climate policy is directed towards sustainable development and poverty eradication, while striving continuously to decouple emissions

Fight against climate change would unite world as one: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said the fight against climate change would unite the world as one family. Welcoming Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik Andr Henrik Christian and Crown Princess Mary, who had called on the president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, Murmu said climate change is an area on which India and Denmark have a convergence of views and interests. "India has set itself on a path of climate responsive development. We have launched a new mission called 'LiFE - Lifestyles For Sustainable Environment' for sustainable lifestyle and for respecting nature. "She expressed confidence that the fight against climate change would unite the world as one family," a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. Murmu said India-Denmark relations have grown in both depth and breadth in the last few years. She expressed confidence that the two countries would see an upward trajectory in bilateral trade and investment.

Railways need not to seek permission to develop infra on its forest land

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has clarified that the railways does not need to seek permission to develop infrastructure on its land in forest areas, after its contradictory orders on the issue created confusion in many states. Quoting an order dated March 10 last year, the ministry has stated that the Forest (Conservation) Act will not be applicable on railway owned land for execution or maintaining of railway works. This paves the way for the national transporter to execute infrastructure projects even in sensitive forest areas without seeking permission from the Centre. "It has been brought to the notice of the ministry that in some states/UTs there is ambiguity regarding interpretation of the term "RoW", mentioned in the guidelines dated 10.03.2022. Several states have asked the railway to explain the term "RoW". "The matter was examined in the ministry and it is clarified that RoW mentioned in the guidelines...may be understood as the area falling with

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

12 cheetahs to be flown in from South Africa on Feb 18: Bhupender Yadav

Twelve cheetahs will be flown in from South Africa on February 18, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Thursday. Under the ambitious Cheetah reintroduction programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released the first batch of eight spotted felines -- five females and three males -- from Namibia into a quarantine enclosure at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on his 72nd birthday on September 17 last year. Presently, the eight cheetahs at Kuno are killing a prey every three-four days and are in good health, officials said. One of the cheetahs was unwell as her creatinine levels had shot up. She has recovered after treatment, they said. "A C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) left the country Thursday morning to bring 12 cheetahs from South Africa. Ten quarantine enclosures have been created at the Kuno National Park for these felines," the minister said at a press conference here. India and South Africa had in January signed an MoU to transport cheeta