Is India Winning the War Against Pollution? The fight for cleaner air and water intensifies as the nation grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change. From the devastating floods in Assam to the alarming rise in air pollution levels in Delhi, environmental challenges demand urgent action. This week saw crucial discussions on sustainable agriculture and renewable energy sources at the India Climate Change Conference, highlighting the government's commitment to tackling deforestation and promoting biodiversity conservation. But are these efforts enough? Experts warn of looming water scarcity and the need for stricter regulations on industrial emissions. The future of India's environment hangs in the balance, demanding collective responsibility and innovative solutions. Explore Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and the latest updates on environmental policies, climate activism, and the ongoing struggle for a sustainable India. Discover how you can contribute to a greener tomorrow.
Even with farm fires at a multi-year low, Delhi-NCR's winter air remains suffocating. For most of October and November, pollution levels hovered between 'very poor' and 'severe', fuelled by a rising "toxic cocktail" of PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) emitted mainly from vehicles and other local sources. At least 22 air-quality monitoring stations in Delhi recorded carbon monoxide (CO) levels above permissible limits on more than 30 of the 59 days assessed, with Dwarka Sect ...Read More >
New Delhi, Nov 20 (PTI) Parents and friends of a Class 10 student who ended his life over alleged mental harassment by some teachers staged a protest outside the St Columba's school on Thursday, demanding strict action against the accused teachers and accountability from the private school. There was no immediate reaction from the school administration to the allegations. The victim student's aunt claimed the family had been unaware of the extent of his suffering. "He was depressed for so lon ...Read More >
PNN New Delhi [India], November 20: Sustainable farming is no longer an option but a necessity for India's agricultural future. With climate change, soil depletion, and water scarcity threatening food security, farmers and policymakers are actively seeking eco-friendly methods to restore farmland health. Biochar is an emerging option: a carbon-rich substance similar to charcoal, produced from organic waste through a process called pyrolysis. Biorgano is a leading biochar manufacturer in India, ...Read More >
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], November 20 (ANI): A leopard that caused widespread panic on Thursday, in Jaipur's high-security Civil Lines area, was successfully tranquillised and captured following a nearly two-hour rescue operation by the Rajasthan Forest Department. A leopard straying into the VVIP enclave of Civil Lines triggered high alert and tense moments on Wednesday morning before being safely tranquillised and captured f The big cat was first spotted moving through the highly protected ...Read More >
New Delhi: As Delhi faces rising air pollution and a hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI), the Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) consider issuing an advisory to schools in the Delhi-National Capital Region to defer sports activities and competitions scheduled for November-December to later months, when the air quality in Delhi improves. Advocate Aparajita Singh raised the matter and informed the bench headed by CJI BR Gavai that several scho ...Read More >
New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider directing schools in Delhi-NCR to postpone open air sports competitions planned in November and December to "safer months" keeping in mind air pollution levels. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran said the issue of severe air pollution crisis in Delhi-National Capital Region needed a pro-active approach and the top court should hear the ca ...Read More >
Odisha's Forest Department has commenced the All India Tiger Estimation-2026 at Similipal Tiger Reserve. This initiative involves a detailed two-phase assessment starting with surveys and culminating in camera trapping. Phase-I focuses on sign and transect surveys, while Phase-II deploys camera traps to gather further data. In a significant move for wildlife conservation, Odisha's Forest Department inaugurated the All India Tiger Estimation-2026 at the Similipal Tiger Reserve. The initiative ai ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: First phase of the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE)-2026 started across 103 beats of Similipal Tiger Reserve on Saturday. As many as 103 survey groups are working to gather data regarding carnivore and ungulate density. Birds will also be counted in this phase that ends on Nov 22."As per the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocol, the estimation will be carried out in two phases at the tiger reserve level. In phase I, which will run for three days, carnivores and meg ...Read More >
India's Vantara Sets a Global Benchmark: CITES endorses Transparency, Ethics and Scientific Rigor in Private Conservation In a rare commendation from international regulators, India's Vantara initiative has earned high praise from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), marking a milestone in private-sector conservation. Following detailed inspections and document reviews, CITES concluded that Vantara's Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre and the Radh ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (Bernama-PTI): A layer of toxic haze blanketed India's capital on Monday morning, with the air quality remaining in the 'very poor' category, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported, citing the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). At 9 am (11.30 am Malaysia time), Delhi's overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 345, CPCB data showed. Visuals from across the city showed a thick layer of haze reducing visibility in several areas. According to the agency's SAMEER app, Bawana recorde ...Read More >
New Delhi, November 7: The National Zoological Park (NZP) would reopen for visitors on Saturday ending a two-month break forced by the outbreak of influenza in an enclosure, an official said on Friday. The Delhi Zoo official informed that usual safety and preventive measures shall be followed after its re-opening for visitors. The NZP was closed for visitors on August 30, 2025, after the report of positive case of avian influenza virus in water bird aviary on August 28, said the official in a s ...Read More >
New Delhi, Nov 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The National Zoological Park (NZP) would reopen for visitors on Saturday ending a two-month break forced by the outbreak of influenza in an enclosure, an official said on Friday. The Delhi Zoo official informed that usual safety and preventive measures shall be followed after its re-opening for visitors. The NZP was closed for visitors on August 30, 2025, after the report of positive case of avian influenza virus in water bird aviary on August 28, said the off ...Read More >
New Delhi: South Central Railway (SCR) has initiated a sustainable waste management system at its stations through scientific waste management after noticing that the state government agencies were only collecting and managing waste from their lands. Highlighting the need to take this initiative, a senior railway official (on condition of anonymity) told ETV Bharat, "The railways noticed that the state government agencies were not maintaining the waste management in railway lands, including sta ...Read More >
Over the past four years, Himachal Pradesh has faced staggering losses of ₹46,000 crore attributed to the escalating impacts of climate change and a series of natural disasters. The recent monsoon season tragically claimed 1,700 lives, while vital water sources continue to dwindle and forest fires have reached alarming frequencies. Himachal Pradesh suffered losses to the tune of Rs 46,000 crore over the past four years due to natural disasters and the impact of climate change, according to a s ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], October 30: Casio India Co. Private Ltd. today announced the successful conclusion of Phase 1 of the second edition of its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the Recycle Responsibly campaign. In collaboration with SHEOWS and implemented by Allied Waste Solutions (AWS), the campaign has made significant strides in e-waste awareness and recycling across the Delhi-NCR region, reaching an audience of over two million citizens. Also Read | Box Office Fact C ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) For years, the ground beneath southwest Delhi quietly sank as its aquifers ran dry. Now, satellites show a rare reversal; the land in Dwarka is lifting again, a sign that the city's long-depleted groundwater is slowly bouncing back, a study claimed. The research paper, titled 'InSAR Reveals Recovery of Stressed Aquifer Systems in Parts of Delhi, India', published in the Water Resources Research journal, examined satellite data from October 2014 to October 2023. Land sub ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 28 (PTI) The Paris Agreement "offers principles", but the International Solar Alliance "offers action", concrete action on the ground directed to communities, France's Special Climate Envoy Benoit Faraco said on Tuesday. Faraco attended the 8th Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly here and also interacted with reporters. The ISA was launched in 2015 and its founding conference was held in 2018 in New Delhi. Asked what role does France see for itself in the ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 28: Delhi Forest and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that two attempts to induce artificial rain were made in the Capital on Tuesday with the help of IIT-Kanpur and similar efforts shall continue in the coming days. "Today, one attempt was made in the morning and another in the evening. The results are still to be collated," Sirsa told IANS, highlighting the government's efforts to use scientific measures to counter polluted air in Delhi. The experiment for induci ...Read More >
New Delhi: As Delhi suffers from its annual toxic smog blanket, the skies above the capital played host to an ambitious experiment, one that aimed to bring rain from the clouds. On Tuesday, a cloud seeding trial took place over portions of Delhi in a last-ditch attempt to clear the capital's polluted air. The plane involved in the mission has now returned to its base in Kanpur, officials confirmed. But early hopes appear to have been dashed by existing atmospheric conditions. Meteorological dat ...Read More >
Noida, October 28: Delhi is gearing up for an artificial rain experiment through cloud seeding to bring temporary relief from its hazardous air pollution. The operation is being led by IIT Kanpur and aims to trigger rainfall between October 28 and 30 to help wash away harmful pollutants choking the capital's skies. The aircraft for cloud seeding in Delhi has taken off from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, ANI reported. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta confirmed that all preparations for the cloud seedin ...Read More >
Kanpur/New Delhi, October 28: With the air visibility improving by afternoon, a plane carrying scientists took off from Kanpur to attempt cloud seeding and inducing artificial rain in Delhi's Burari area on Tuesday, said an official of IIT-Kanpur. "The plane with two passengers took off at 12.20 p.m. and it will take about two-and-a-half hours to reach Delhi," said an official of IIT Kanpur Media Cell. Earlier in the day, Delhi Forest and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa told IANS tha ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], October 28 (ANI): In a move to curb rising air pollution in the national capital, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday announced that all commercial goods vehicles registered outside Delhi and not compliant with BS-VI emission standards will be prohibited from entering the city from November 1. The official notification issued by CAQM states, "The Commission with a view to abate air pollution caused by high volume of transport/commercial goods vehicles ...Read More >
Delhi AQI: On Monday, Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 301 at 4 pm, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shoed. Delhiites woke up to a hazy morning with cloudy skies on Tuesday, with the city's air quality remaining in the 'very poor' category at 305, data showed. On Monday, Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 301 at 4 pm, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data shoed. According to the Sameer app developed by the CPCB, 27 of the 38 monit ...Read More >
Delhi's air quality index (AQI) climbed to an average of 395 on October 21 after Diwali celebrations, placing it in the severe category; PM2.5 levels peaked at 675 µg/m³ on Diwali night. Thirty-six of the city's 38 monitoring stations reported "red zone" readings, marking one of the worst pollution spikes in recent years. By comparison, post-Diwali AQI levels were 328 in 2024, 218 in 2023, and 312 in 2022. The Delhi government is working in collaboration with IIT Kanpur's Department of Aerospac ...Read More >
Noida: The city's air quality showed marginal improvement on Monday but remained in the 'very poor' category at 331, against 327 the day before. Despite the slight relief, a visible layer of smog has settled over Noida and neighbouring cities, indicating persistent pollution. According to station-wise data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) portal, three of the four air quality monitoring stations in Noida recorded 'very poor' air quality index (AQI) on Monday with Sector 125 being ...Read More >
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu would share the nation's vision for solar power-led development and 'One World, One Sun, One Grid' in her address at the 8th Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly on Tuesday at Bharat Mandapam, a statement said on Monday. This would mark the first-ever address by the President of India to the ISA Assembly that underscores India's commitment to ISA's leadership in advancing global solar energy cooperation and its founding vision of "One Wo ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Delhi saw the month's fifth day of very poor air quality as the AQI rose to 321 on Sunday. A day earlier, it was 292 at 4 pm, which is in the poor category.Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Sunday did not release its daily 24-hour average AQI bulletin - it is released at 4 pm - till the filing of this report. CPCB's Sameer app showed that Delhi's AQI was last updated at 12 pm at 321. An official, who did not want to be named, said all stations were active and gathering data bu ...Read More >
Chandrapur: Barely a week after a farmer was killed by a tiger in Dhaba forest range, another fatal attack has deepened fears among villagers. A 45-year-old woman, identified as Alka Pendor of Ganesh Pipri village in Gondpipri taluka, was mauled to death by a tiger on Sunday evening while working in an agricultural field.According to forest department sources, the incident occurred when Pendor, a farm labourer, was tending crops in a field near the village. The tiger pounced on her, killing her ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi's air is now moving in tandem with farm fires in Punjab. When stubble-burning cases in Punjab shoot up, Delhi-NCR's air quality index (AQI) tends to jump into the "very poor" band within a day. When the burning slows, the air briefly improves. When the fires pick up again, the AQI climbs back. This pattern is clearly visible in daily data between October 16 and October 26. In this chart, each date shows two bars. One bar is the number of stubble-burning incidents Punjab report ...Read More >
Delhi Pollution: Air quality in the National Capital and nearby regions worsened again on Sunday morning, with Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) slipping into the 'very poor' category at 322 (as of 6 am), according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Noida and Ghaziabad also recorded 'very poor' air, with AQI levels at 353 and 310 respectively. Meanwhile, Gurugram reported 'poor' air quality at 247, while Faridabad fared comparatively better with a 'moderate' AQI of 198. According to d ...Read More >
From the alarming rise in Himalayan glacier melt impacting water security to the devastating cyclones battering coastal communities, India's environmental challenges demand urgent attention. Climate change, deforestation, and air pollution are no longer distant threats; they are daily realities shaping lives across the nation. We track crucial developments in environmental policy, highlighting government initiatives like the National Clean Air Programme and examining the impact of sustainable agriculture practices. Explore our coverage of biodiversity conservation efforts, the growing renewable energy sector, and the crucial role of citizen activism in environmental protection. Understand the intricate web connecting environmental degradation and socio-economic disparities, and discover how India is navigating the complexities of a changing climate. Stay informed, stay engaged, and become part of the solution. Explore the latest environmental news and analysis now.