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.
Shimla, Sep 28 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday congratulated the state's Forest Department and its Wildlife Wing after Spiti Valley was recognised as India's first Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's prestigious Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. The recognition was formally conferred during the 37th International Coordinating Council (MAB-ICC) meeting held from September 26 to 28, 2025, in Hangzhou, China. With this inclusion, India now has ...Read More >
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 28 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley, located in the Lahaul-Spiti district, has been recognised as India's first Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's prestigious Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. According to an official release, the recognition was formally conferred during the 37th International Coordinating Council (MAB-ICC) meeting, held in Hangzhou, China, from September 26 to 28. With this inclusion, India now has 13 Biosphere ...Read More >
Shimla, Sep 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley in Lahaul-Spiti district has been recognised as India's first Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's prestigious Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme. The recognition was formally conferred during the 37th International Coordinating Council (MAB-ICC) meeting held in Hangzhou, China, from September 26 to 28. With this inclusion, India now has 13 Biosphere Reserves in the MAB Network. This feat has been made possible due to t ...Read More >
CHANDIGARH: The Spiti Valley of Lahaul-Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh, perched high in the Trans-Himalayan region, has been recognised as India's first Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's prestigious Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. It is among the 26 new biosphere reserves designated across several countries. With this inclusion, India now has 13 biosphere reserves in the MAB Network. The recognition was formally conferred during the 37th International Coordinating Council ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: As we celebrate World Tourism Day, Saturday, with this year's theme 'Tourism and Sustainable Transformation', Odisha is trying to emerge as a frontrunner in promoting tourism that is environmentally responsible and economically inclusive. The state's efforts reflect a larger global shift: From revenue-oriented tourism models toward those that protect ecosystems, empower communities, and preserve cultural heritage. This year's theme urges all stakeholders -- governments, tourists, bu ...Read More >
This roundup of The Conversation's climate coverage was first published in our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter, Imagine. Around the world, rivers and lakes that sustained civilisations for millennia are vanishing before our eyes. The Caspian Sea - the world's largest inland body of water - has shrunk dramatically in just a few decades. The Ganges nourishes hundreds of millions of people across India and Bangladesh, yet is drying at a rate scientists say is unprecedented in the pa ...Read More >
Sambalpur: With rising inflow of floodwater into the Hirakud reservoir, authorities opened four more sluice gates Thursday, taking the total number of gates currently discharging excess water to 20. According to officials, 13 gates on the left dyke and seven on the right dyke have been opened. As of 9:30 p.m. Thursday, the water level at the reservoir dropped to 628.83 feet. The latest reports said the inflow was about 297,903 cusecs, while the outflow stood at 361,432 cusecs. Of this, 327,040 ...Read More >
CHENNAI: The International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) World Conservation Congress 2025 adopted a motion on Thursday recognising India's first dugong conservation reserve in Tamil Nadu's Palk Bay as a global model for marine biodiversity conservation. The motion, proposed by the Omcar Foundation, received overwhelming support during electronic voting. Nearly 98% of countries and government agencies and 94.8% of NGOs, research institutions and organisations voted in favour. "The a ...Read More >
Srinagar, Sept 25: As a part of nationwide Shramdaan "Ek Din Ek Gantha Ek Saath" with a pledge call to citizens for joining hands for the Nations cleanliness under Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 campaign, Krishi Vigyan Kendra -Srinagar, SKUAST-K organised the mega Swachhata Service drive (National Shramdaan) today on 25 Sept 2025 in collaboration with the higher Secondary education Institutions in vicinity of the Kendra at Aspire World School (AWS), Humhama Srinagar. According to a statement issued her ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a multi-day weather alert for Odisha, forecasting widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds across the state. The alert comes as an existing low-pressure system over the region is expected to be followed by a more significant weather system developing over the Bay of Bengal later this week. According to the midday bulletin from the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, a low-pressure area ...Read More >
Vijayawada, Spt 16 (UNI) The Government of Andhra Pradesh has embarked on an ambitious plan to tackle legacy waste by clearing 85.90 lakh metric tonnes of old dumps by October 2, 2025. Furthermore, the Government has also targeted to clear an additional 30 lakh metric tonnes of garbage by December 2025. The reclaimed land will be reused productively, with recovered soil processed into compost and Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) supplied to cement factories. The second day of the District Collectors' ...Read More >
Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai police has recorded the statement of Shilpa Shetty's husband Raj Kundra in a Rs. 60 crore alleged fraud case. Mumbai Police shared an update in the case and stated: "Investigations are going on against actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra in an alleged fraud case of Rs. 60 crore. A summon was issued by the Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai Police to Raj Kundra. He was asked to appear before police for the investigation." They further stat ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Monday appealed to the citizens to adopt electric vehicles (EVs), especially in the state's rapidly growing cities, emphasizing their role in reducing pollution and dependence on fossil fuels. Addressing the 42nd Foundation Day of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) in Bhubaneswar, Kambhampati highlighted the need for collective action to safeguard the environment and ensure a healthier future for citizens. He noted that the Ra ...Read More >
Dehradun: Overnight heavy rainfall in Dehradun caused extensive damage on Tuesday, washing away parts of the infrastructure and flooding prominent landmarks. The bridge near Fun Valley and Uttarakhand Dental College on the Dehradun-Haridwar National Highway was badly damaged, disrupting movement on the busy route. In Sahastradhara, several shops and hotels were inundated as floodwaters gushed through the tourist hotspot. The rising waters of the Tamsa River also swamped the Tapkeshwar Mahadev ...Read More >
Bihar Gets Four Trains Today: Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat Express To Boost Connectivity- Check Routes, Other Details Himachal Pradesh's Mandi saw heavy rains during the night, which caused major destruction in Dharampur town. Many vehicles were also reportedly swept away. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall lashed Dehradun district of Uttarakhand on Monday night, causing the Tamsa river to swell and inundate the Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple. Water entered the temple courtyard and rose to the statue of lord ...Read More >
Kolkata, Sep 16 (PTI) Economist and former CPI(M) leader Prasenjit Bose joined the Congress during a programme in the metropolis, and asserted that he would support the party in its fight to "save the Constitution". Bose (51) became a part of the Congress at a formal joining ceremony here on Monday in the presence of party leaders Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Syed Naseer Hussain and Kanhaiya Kumar, besides state unit president Subhankar Sarkar. "We have to protect the Constitution, establish a government ...Read More >
New Delhi: The iconic Red Fort is facing gradual and accelerating damage due to Delhi's deteriorating air quality, a recent study has found. Black crusts of pollutants are steadily forming on the red sandstone walls of the 17th-century monument, threatening its structural and aesthetic integrity, according to a new Indo-Italian study. The study, titled "Characterisation of red sandstone and black crust to analyse air pollution impacts on a cultural heritage building: Red Fort, Delhi, India", i ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, Sep 15: The famous Meghalayan Age Caves or Krem Mawmluh in Sohra, rich in speleological features and home to living ecosystems, are among the seven new natural sites included in India's tentative list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Meghalayan Age Caves are geological sites that provided the Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point for the current geological age, the Meghalayan Age. This age, beginning around 4,200 years ago, was defined by the evidence of a major, worldwide me ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 15 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday noted that a special investigation team (SIT) it appointed to look into the affairs of Vantara had given a clean chit to the zoological rescue and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar. A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and P B Varale took the SIT's report on record and observed the probe team's satisfaction on the compliance and regulatory measures in Vantara. The top court on August 25 constituted a four-member SIT headed by a former ...Read More >
From Varkala Cliffs to Meghalayan Caves: 7 New Indian Sites Join UNESCO Tentative List India's heritage map just got richer. Seven new sites from across the country have been added to UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, taking India's total to 69 properties under consideration. The new inclusions highlight India's extraordinary geological and natural diversity, ranging from ancient rock formations to unique coastal landscapes. India's Growing UNESCO Heritage Presence The Permanen ...Read More >
Berhampur: Forest officials in Odisha's Ganjam district have rescued a two-month-old barking deer (Indian muntjac) from a house at Gunakhala village under Badagada forest range. The operation, carried out in the Ghumusar South forest division, also led to the seizure of two country-made guns, a knife, and explosives from the premises. After being rescued, the fawn was immediately shifted to the veterinary hospital at Sorada for treatment and will be released into the wild once declared fit, Di ...Read More >
Ludhiana: The residents living in areas like Ram Nagar, Dharampura, Hargobind Nagar, and New Shivaji Nagar received a shock on Saturday evening when sewer water started accumulating in their streets and in some of the houses. The main sewer line running along the seasonal drain in Dharampura choked at some points, causing the sewer water to accumulate in the colonies. The water emerged from the manholes, and in no time, the streets were full of dirty water.However, the MC officials maintained th ...Read More >
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday opposed the exemption of atomic mineral mining from public consultation and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the office memorandum issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Tamil Nadu's coastal districts are endowed with deposits of Rare Earth Elements embedded in beach sand systems, and these coasts are ecologically fragile and highly vulnerable, he said. "Policy changes of such significance must be de ...Read More >
Navi Mumbai: Fresh studies indicate that there is no threat from water birds to aircraft at the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). However, environmentalists have called for the prompt notification of wetlands to facilitate the conservation of biodiversity in the city. The water birds moving across the wetlands tend to fly at lower heights than the flight path of the aircraft, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) reported after studying avian species' behavioural patterns at ...Read More >
Mumbai: Activists, in their objections to the BMC, said the draft Zonal Master Plan (ZMP) for the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) lacks scientifically defined buffer zones crucial for managing transitions between protected areas and human activity. They stressed the need for expert input from ecologists, wildlife biologists, and hydrologists to map corridors, setbacks, boundaries, and assess cumulative impacts. BMC Invites Public Suggestions The BMC's civic deve ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Hinting at relaxing its April 3 order banning firecrackers in Delhi and NCR prior to Diwali, Supreme Court sought on Friday a report on the feasibility of permitting green crackers from Commission for Air Quality Management and NEERI by Sept 22 and restrained authorities from cancelling licences of cracker manufacturers. Disagreeing with the order of a bench led by Justice A S Oka imposing a round-the-year total ban on firecrackers in Delhi and NCR, a bench of CJI B R Gavai and Justic ...Read More >
Lucknow, September 12: The Seva Parv will be observed nationwide from September 17 to October 2, with a target of planting 1.25 crore saplings. In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi government has set a goal of 15 lakh plantations. On the opening day, each of the state's 34 Nagar Vans will plant at least 100 saplings. Alongside plantation drives, campaigns on environmental awareness, rainwater harvesting, and conservation will also be conducted. Divisional Forest Officers in every district have been desig ...Read More >
Chennai, Sep 12 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday urged the Centre to immediately withdraw the September 8 Office Memorandum exempting the requirement of public consultation for all mining projects of atomic minerals. Also, he reiterated Tamil Nadu's commitment to contributing to the nation's strategic and defence requirements, as has always been done in the past. The Office Memorandum (internal communication) was issued by the Environment Impact Assessment Division of the M ...Read More >
Lucknow, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gears up to celebrate 15-day long 'Sewa Pakhwada' across the country to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to observe 'Seva Parv' from September 17 to October 2, with a target of planting 15 lakh saplings across the state. On the opening day, each of the state's 34 Nagar Vans will plant at least 100 saplings. Alongside plantation drives, campaigns on environmental aware ...Read More >
Mussoorie/Haldwani: Heavy rains continued to lash Uttarakhand, triggering landslides and boulder falls that blocked over 373 roads, including key stretches of the Char Dham yatra highways, while major rivers in some areas swelled above warning and danger marks in several districts. Amid the downpour, panic gripped Tok Basotiya village in Okhalkanda block of Nainital district after a woman went missing and is feared to have been swept away in the swollen Basotia river. Officials said Tulsi Devi ...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.