Page 2 - Environmental Pollution

After 8 yrs of preliminary inquiry, CBI books Hindalco for corruption

The CBI has booked the country's leading aluminium producer Hindalco of the Aditya Birla Group for alleged corruption in getting environmental clearances for coal mining between 2011 and 2013, officials said on Tuesday. The agency has also named T Chandini, the then director in the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, for favouring the company as member secretary of the Expert Appraisal Committee ((EAC) in allowing mining in the Talabira-I mine in the critically polluted area of Odisha's Jharsuguda in violation of ministry guidelines, they said. The central probe agency registered an FIR against Hindalco and Chandini under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act after a nearly eight-year-long preliminary inquiry. Reacting to the FIR, a Hindalco spokesperson said, "This is an old matter pertaining to 2014-15. These mines were de-allocated as part of the government's de-allocation process. This is a matter o

SC expresses concern over dumping of plastic waste in water bodies

The Bench was hearing a civil appeal regarding the removal of unauthorised structures adjacent to the river Ganga in and around the city of Patna

White category industries may skip pollution permits: Environment Ministry

The ministry has suggested eliminating 'consent to establish' (CTE) and 'consent to operate' (CTO) for industries classified under the non-polluting 'white category'

Delhi rain chaos: Environment min blames plastic waste, slams state govt

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav attributed the waterlogging in Delhi following torrential rains on Friday morning to drains being clogged with plastic waste and criticised the Delhi government for its inaction despite multiple reminders. The Safdarjung Observatory, the city's primary weather station, recorded 228.1 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Friday, more than three times the June rainfall average of 74.1 mm and the highest for the month in at least 16 years. The season's first heavy spell of rain brought back familiar scenes of waterlogged roads, underpasses, vehicles stuck in water, and long traffic snarls, with many residents expressing frustration over the city's drainage infrastructure. "We banned single-use plastic and also asked the Delhi government to take action. We have asked the Delhi government's industries department several times to close down these (single-use plastic manufacturing) units," Yadav said at the India Climate Summit ...

Nestle, Britannia, ITC: Winners, losers from plastic waste management norms

In the KIE consumer staples universe, Dabur reported the highest packaging cost at 12.5 per cent of its standalone revenues in FY23

As fix for global warming, US scientists try 'sun blocking' to cool Earth

The scientists tested a technique that involves reflecting sunlight back into space in order to cool the Earth

LIVE: Governance infrastructure has failed in Manipur, says Rahul Gandhi

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

US pushes environmental enforcement after more than a decade of budget cuts

The Environmental Protection Agency conducted more on-site inspections of polluting industrial sites this year than any time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency said on Monday as it seeks to reinvigorate its enforcement programme after more than a decade of budget cuts. EPA opened nearly 200 criminal investigations this year, a 70 per cent increase over 2022, the agency said in a report. It completed nearly 1,800 civil settlements, a 9 per cent increase over 2022. More than half the inspections and settlements involved poor and disadvantaged communities long scarred by pollution, the agency said, reflecting the Biden administration's emphasis on environmental justice issues. But some parts of EPA's enforcement efforts still lag. In 2023, for example, it charged 102 defendants criminally. The Trump administration charged more every year, although most years only marginally. Nearly 200 defendants were charged in the latter years of the Obama administration. There is,

40 CPCB teams inspected 16,000 units; issued closure notice to 899 in 2 yrs

In November, Delhi's pollution levels exhibited no signs of improvement compared to the same month in previous years

Despite rain, air quality in Delhi in 'Very Poor' category, AQI at 395

Hanumangarh in Rajasthan recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 416. Aizwal, the capital of Mizoram recorded the best air quality with a 'Good' rating and AQI index value of 12

Top 10 most polluted cities across India with worst AQI; details inside

The air quality across Indian cities has been deteriorating for the last fourteen days and has worsened following the celebration of Diwali which saw the widespread bursting of firecrackers

In UN talks for plastic treaty, delegates to face off over production limit

"We are at a pivotal moment in this process," said Andres Del Castillo, a senior attorney of the Center for International Environmental Law who is an observer to the negotiations

Okaya to partner with IOC to install over 2,500 EV chargers across India

Okaya EV Chargers plans to set up 2,550 electric vehicle chargers across India in collaboration with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at an investment of Rs 125 crore, the company said on Tuesday. As many as 362 such chargers have already been installed in over 20 states in a step towards bolstering the electric vehicle infrastructure in the country, according to Okaya EV Chargers. The chargers being set up comprise a diverse range of high-and low-voltage options, including 3.3-kw and 7.4-kw chargers, 30-kw wall-mounted CCS (combined charging system) 2 DC fast chargers, as well as 60-kw CCS2 DC fast chargers, the company said. "This partnership aligns with our vision of creating a sustainable ecosystem for electric vehicles in India. Our advanced charging solutions will empower EV users with convenient and efficient charging options, said Anshul Gupta, Managing Director at Okaya EV Chargers. The total investment for this initiative is pegged at Rs 125 crore, reflecting the substantial

Delhi's air quality continues to be 'very poor' with the AQI at 336

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which reported air quality until 4 PM on October 31, the air quality index for Delhi stood at 359 which falls under the "Very Poor" category

Limit number of vehicles per family to curb air pollution, say experts

Rise in air pollution is linked to growing respiratory ailments in India, experts have said and urged the government to bring a policy limiting the number of cars per family and restricting the number of vehicles plying on roads at a time. On the sidelines of the 25th National Conference on Pulmonary Diseases (NAPCON-2023), organised by the Indian Chest Society here, Dr Rakesh K Chawla, the chairman of Pulmonology and Critical Care at Jaipur Golden Hospital, said air pollution has short-term as well as long-term effects on health. "The immediate effects are in the form of irritation in the eyes and throat. Also, there is an increase in the severity of asthma attacks," said Dr Chawla, who is also the organising chairman of NAPCON-2023. The conference was organised to discuss air pollution and diseases caused by it as well as the advancements in the field of pulmonology. Dr Chawla said the long-term effects of air pollution include respiratory diseases and lung cancer, and the worst

TRANSITIONING TO CIRCULARITY - A PUSH BY INDUSTRIES FOR A SUSTAINABLE PLANET

.

Medical device's environmental impact can challenge innovation: Report

The report by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, shows that the industry finds itself at a crucial juncture, balancing technological advancements with sustainable practices

India eighth most polluted country in the world; Lahore most polluted city

Bhiwadi, located on the outskirts of Delhi, was ranked among the two most polluted cities in the world. Delhi followed it closely behind

NGT passes orders on slew of environmental issues, penalises states in 2022

The National Green Tribunal dealt with a range of environmental issues in 2022 and passed several directions, including imposing hefty penalties on multiple states for causing damage to the environment and seeking restitution. The green tribunal cracked down on several states and union territories for non-compliance with Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSW) Rules, 2016 and other environmental issues. For lack of proper management of solid and liquid waste, the tribunal ordered the Maharashtra government to pay an environmental compensation of a staggering Rs 12,000 crore and Rs 3,800 crore on the Telangana government. Also at the receiving end of its stiff penalties to tackle environmental damage were West Bengal, which was asked to cough up Rs 3,500 crore, Rajasthan Rs 3,000 crore, Karnataka Rs 2,900 crore, Punjab Rs 2,180 crore and Uttar Pradesh Rs 100 crore. It also slapped fines of Rs 200 crore on the Nagaland government, Rs 50 crore on the Mizoram government and Rs 32 crore

Pollution levels remain high in northern India due to rain deficit: Experts

Bad air quality days continue to haunt the Indo-Gangetic Plains with the air quality Index (AQI) oscillating between 'poor' and 'severe' categories