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Bhopal: Around 40 years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, the entire 347 tons or the toxic waste of the defunct Union Carbide factory here has finally been incinerated. The process of incineration of the last batch of 307 tons of toxic waste which began at eight pm on May five this year at the Industrial Waste Management Plant at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district has been completed at 1.05 am on Monday, officials said on Monday. Thirty tons of toxic remains of the Bhopal gas tragedy were earlier disposed of at the same incineration facility at Pithampur in the three trial runs between February 27 to March 12 this year. "The entire lot of the toxic remains of Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984 have now been disposed of, safely", regional officer of Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) Srinivas Dwivedy told this newspaper. With this, the ghost of the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984 has finally been exorcised. Around 337 tons of toxic wastes were shifted from Bhopal's defunct Union Carbide factory to the incineration facility at Pithampur on January two this year for disposal. In August 2015, ten tons of toxic waste of the Union Carbide factory were disposed of at the Pithampur incineration facility on trial basis, which was found successful. However, the process of the waste disposal was then suspended following protests by the locals. The disposal of the toxic remains of Bhopal's defunct Union Carbide factory was done following a directive by the Jabalpur high court in Madhya Pradesh on February 28 this year. A press release issued by MPPCB said 19 tons of soil from the Union Carbide factory premises will be incinerated at the Pithampur facility by July three. The soil is suspected to be toxic. This apart, the packaging materials in which the toxic wastes were carried in the containers from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal to the Industrial Waste Management Plant at Pithampur will be detoxified and treated before being buried in the landfilling sites, the officer said. The process of burying the ash and residue, yielded from the incineration of the toxic waste, will be done at the landfilling sites scientifically by November-December this year, Mr. Dwivedy said. The leakage of deadly methyl isocyanate (MIC) in the Union Carbide factory in the intervening night of December two-three, 1984 here led to death of 5,479 persons, officially, and grave sickness to thousands of people. Unofficially, the death toll figure was around 15,000. According to the Madhya Pradesh government, the waste from the Union Carbide factory includes soil from the premises of the closed unit, reactor residue, Sevin (pesticide) residue, naphthol residue, and 'semi processed' residue. Scientific evidence shows that the effect of Sevin and naphthol chemicals in the waste has already become 'almost negligible'.
INDORE: The disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy must be undertaken after detailed discussions with scientists and experts as it has a bearing on the wellbeing of citizens, senior BJP leader and former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan said on Thursday. Highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas had leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal in the intervening night of December 2-3 in 1984, killing 5,479 persons and leaving thousands of others with serious, long-term health issues. It is widely acknowledged as the world's worst industrial disast ...Read More >
Bhimavaram: West Godavari district collector Chadalawada Nagarani said that in addition to planting trees to improve greenery, efforts are being made to control plastic pollution. On Thursday, to celebrate World Environment Day, a large-scale programme was taken up in the district to plant saplings and remove plastic waste from canals and drains under 'Vanam-Manam.' As part of this, collector Nagarani, District Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi, district Joint Collector T Rahul Kumar Reddy, DRO Mogili Venkateswarlu, and district officials from various departments enthusiastically pa ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 27 (UNI) The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has successfully capped a high-risk gas well blowout at its RDS 147A site in Sivasagar district, Assam, bringing an end to a 15-day-long emergency operation that triggered mass evacuation and widespread public anxiety. The gas well blowout, which began on June 12, involved an uncontrolled release of natural gas from one of ONGC's drilling sites -- a situation often considered one of the most hazardous in the oil and gas industry due to the risk of explosion and environmental damage. The blowout was finally brought under contr ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 1 (ANI): Assam has set a new record in paddy procurement by procuring nearly 7 lakh MT of paddy during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said, 'We are proud to announce the successful conclusion of Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25 with a record paddy procurement of 6.97 lakh MT -- the highest ever.' In Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2022-23, the state procured 5.92 lakh MT of paddy, and in 2023-24, the state procured 3.14 lakh MT of paddy. 'This remarkable achievement reflects our commitment to e ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday directed that one-third of the land reclaimed from Delhi's three major landfill sites should be used for public welfare projects such as hospitals, schools and sports complexes, while the remaining area be developed into advanced waste processing facilities. The directive was issued during a meeting held here to review the city's solid waste management progress, as the government aims to eliminate legacy waste dumps by 2026. The chief minister chaired the meeting along with Delhi Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh to review solid wast ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal, Justice Prakash Shrivastava, said that the plastic, in its myriad forms, has become an indispensable part of our lives, yet its convenience masks a devastating reality and from the single-use plastic bags that clog our drains and pollute our water bodies to the microplastics that infiltrate our food chain and even our own bodies, the hazards are undeniable. Citing the 2025 World Environment Day theme, "End Plastic Pollution," the NGT chief underscored the urgent need to acknowledge the inextri ...Read More >
New Delhi: July 3 is International Plastic Bag Free Day. However, across Delhi, single-use plastic (SUP) bags, including those prohibited since 2018, are being used by shopkeepers and customers. Disposable cutlery and drinking straws made of plastic have also resurfaced in the marketplace.Despite restrictions imposed three years ago in July on single-use plastic, plastic items, particularly low-quality polythene bags below 50-micron thickness banned in 2018, continue to be extensively used without consequences. While several initiatives were undertaken to encourage the use of alternative mater ...Read More >
The overall development of the country is not possible without the development of agriculture and farmers. The nation's economy can be strengthened by the development of agriculture, fishery production, and livestock, President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday. Gracing the convocation ceremony of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology at Bhubaneswar, she said agriculture is facing new challenges such as natural disasters, adverse effects of climate change, decreasing per capita farm ...Read More >
Ludhiana: The municipal corporation, which has prepared a roadmap for establishment of the "waste to energy" plant for proper management of fresh waste generated in the city, invited three major firms with expertise in the field on Friday. MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal said that they wanted to get suggestions and inputs from the firms so that proper planning could be done for establishment of the plant. Firms invited on Friday include SFC Environmental Technologies Ltd, Re Sustainability Limited (formerly known as Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd), and JITF Urban Infrastructure Limited (part of ...Read More >
Majuli (Assam) [India], June 28 (ANI): Majuli, the river island district in Assam, has marked a significant milestone as its indigenous organic red bao paddy makes its debut in the global market. In a historic development, the first consignment of this unique variety of rice has been formally exported to countries in Central Asia and Europe, bringing smiles to the faces of Majuli's farming community. Also Read | Long-Awaited Relief for Retired Government Employees? 8th Pay Commission May Reduce Commuted Pension Restoration Period from 15 to 12 Years. The export initiative has been spearhead ...Read More >
Mumbai: Two months since the BMC started a dedicated drive to collect domestic hazardous waste, nearly 2,000 housing societies, women's hostels, beauty parlours, and educational institutions registered for the initiative.Currently, an average of 1.7 tonnes of such waste is collected daily and transported to six plasma incineration facilities within BMC's jurisdiction for safe and scientific disposal. This includes adult diapers, sanitary pads, pet waste, discarded medicines, and used waxing sheets, PPE kits, and facial masks.Mumbai generates an estimated 80 to 100 tonnes of domestic hazardous ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) Two people died and four others were injured after a fire broke out at a house in east Delhi's Old Govindpura area on Tuesday evening, an official said. Police have identified the deceased as Tanveer (28) and Nusrat. A call was received at Jagatpuri police station at 8.46 pm regarding a fire incident at Band Gali, Old Govindpura, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said. When a police team reached the spot, it found that 10 people were trapped inside a residential building that caught fire, the DCP said. With the help of police personnel and fir ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi continued to show lacklustre results in the Swachhta Survekshan. In the assessment of cities with populations exceeding 10 lakh (or million-plus cities) for 2024-25, it placed 31st out of 44. This follows the 2023-24 performance in which Delhi ranked 90th among 446 cities in the category of urban areas with populations above one lakh. MCD had aspired to rank in the top 10 in this category in 2024-25, but fell far short.Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh argued that until last year, the Aam Aadmi Party was at the helm in MCD and no progress was reported in vari ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah has pitched for expanding the footprints of natural farming in the country, saying it is not only good for human health but also for the health of 'Mother Earth'."Eating food produced without use of fertilisers and chemicals will keep you away from doctors and medicines. Apart from this, production increases with natural farming," Shah said during an interaction with women associated with cooperative sectors of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The programme was held in Ahmedabad on July 5 to mark the International Cooperatives Day ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): Sneha Debnath, a 19-year-old girl from Sabroom in South Tripura district, reportedly went missing in the national capital. Following this, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha gave necessary instructions to the police to take immediate and appropriate action on the matter. Also Read | Trump Announces 30% Tariffs on EU Goods as Trade Talks Stall. In a statement posted on its official social media account, the Tripura Chief Minister's Office stated, "The report of Miss Sneha Debnath, a resident of Sabroom, who has reportedly gone missing in New Delhi, has come t ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava on Thursday outlined an urgent need to curb plastic pollution as it negatively impacted marine life, suffocated terrestrial ecosystems, leached harmful chemicals into soil and water. In addition, it contributed significantly to air pollution when burnt, he said. The statement came on the occasion of World Environment Day and was uploaded on the NGTs website. Shrivastava said that plastic had become an indispensable part of our lives, yet its convenience masked a devastating reality. "This nonbiodegradabl ...Read More >
Bhopal: After decades of lingering uncertainty, the disposal of 307 tonnes of toxic waste (earlier 347 tonnes) from the infamous Union Carbide factory responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy, has now been disposed. The Madhya Pradesh High Court had issued directives in this regard earlier to dispose it in maximum 72 days. "The process, which began from the evening of May 5 was completed on June 29 evening," a senior officer in the MP Pollution Control Board told IANS. It was burnt at a private facility in Pithampur in Dhar district near Indore, amid protests by locals. "The incineration proc ...Read More >
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Jabalpur High Court has sought expert opinion on the viability of using a plastic-coated landfill to dispose of chemical waste from the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) at Pithampur. On Monday, the bench comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Dinesh Kumar Paliwal directed that representatives from the National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) be present for the next hearing scheduled for July 31. T ...Read More >
New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) brought forward the deadlines for the complete biomining of legacy waste at three landfills -- Okhla, Bhalswa, and Ghazipur -- and the reclamation of land from Dec 2028 to Dec 2026. The information was shared by the civic body after a high-level review meeting on solid waste management in Delhi. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the CM Rekha Gupta, urban development minister Ashish Sood, mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh, MCD commissioner Ashwani Kumar and other officials.Singh said the discussions focused on 13 key agenda points, mainly ...Read More >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
The cities were evaluated based on 10 parameters and 54 indicators. Indore has retained its top position as the cleanest city in India for the eighth consecutive year. Surat and Pune were second and third. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Award on the city at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The cities were evaluated based on 10 parameters and 54 indicators. The Centre said that the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 adopted a smart and structured approach to assess urban clea ...Read More >
Jammu- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reviewed the ongoing restoration work of the historic Mubarak Mandi complex, which was the power centre of the Dogra kings in Jammu, and stressed on enhancing its heritage appeal. The Mubarak Mandi Complex is one of Jammu's most significant architectural heritage sites and is envisioned as a comprehensive cultural centre, housing museums, conference venues and heritage hospitality services. Accompanied by Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani and MLA Yudhvir Sethi during the visit, the chief minister was briefed in detail on the multi-phas ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) Aiming complete reclamation of the capital's three major landfill sites -- Ghazipur, Bhalswa, and Okhla -- the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has ramped up operations by adding two additional trommels at each dumpsite, an official said on Friday. As part of its ongoing biomining operations, the civic body of Delhi (MCD) noted that a massive extraction of legacy waste occurred over three years, from July 2022 to July 9, 2025. The civic body is targeting complete reclamation of the Bhalswa site by December 2026, the Ghazipur site by December 2027, and the Okhla si ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Business conglomerate Aditya Birla Group has acquired Cargill's speciality chemical manufacturing facility in Dalton, Georgia. In a statement on Thursday, the group announced the expansion of its US Advanced Materials business with the acquisition of Cargill Incorporated's 17-acre speciality chemical manufacturing facility in Dalton, Georgia. The acquisition continues Aditya Birla's expansion in the US' manufacturing sector, a key aspect of Aditya Birla's growth strategy, which now totals over USD 15 billion in investment. The acquisition was executed through Aditya B ...Read More >
Gurgaon: MCG additional commissioner Yash Jaluka directed bulk waste generators (BWG) across the city to ensure proper disposal of waste by private agencies who are assisting them. Giving these instructions in a meeting held on Friday, he said it is often observed that BWGs hand over their waste to private agencies, which only sort valuable items and dump the remaining waste on roads, drains, vacant land or public places. This, he said, not only affects cleanliness of the city but also poses a threat to public health."Under the Solid Waste Management Rules-2016, it is the legal and moral respo ...Read More >
BHOPAL: The 337 metric tonnes of hazardous waste, which was safely shifted out from the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy-hit, now defunct Union Carbide Plant, has been completely incinerated at the private Treatment-Storage-Disposal facility (TSDF) in Pithampur industrial town of Dhar district. The waste was shifted on the intervening night of January 1-2, 2025. According to official sources in Dhar district, the process of burning the waste, which began on May 5, in pursuance of a December 2024 order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, took 55 days to complete the incineration of 337 metric tonnes of ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: With the kharif season underway and farmers facing an acute shortage of urea, agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has written to the Centre, urging immediate intervention to ensure timely and sufficient supply of the critical fertiliser. In letters addressed to Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers JP Nadda, Tummala highlighted the alarming gap between the state's demand and actual supply. The minister said the Centre had allocated five lakh metric tonnes of urea to Telangana for the months of April, May, and June. However, only 3.06 lakh metric tonnes have been suppli ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh administration has strengthened security arrangements across several districts including Lucknow, Sambhal, and Moradabad to ensure peace and avoid any disruption, as Muharram processions and the Kanwar Yatra are being held at the same time.Large crowds gathered for Muharram processions across different regions, while preparations for the Kanwar Yatra are also underway. Police personnel have been deployed in all sensitive areas, and surveillance is being carried out using drones and CCTV cameras.In SambhalDistrict Magistrate Dr Rajender Pensiya while speaking to ANI ...Read More >