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.
ITANAGAR, 30 Jun: Interns from the Youth Mission for Clean River (YMCR) conducted a door-to-door information, education and communication (IEC) campaign on source segregation of waste, reaching a total of 150 residents across various township areas in the capital region, including Chandranagar, Abo Tani Colony, F and G Sectors, Niti Vihar, Kime Pakka Colony, and IG Park area. The initiative, supervised by YMCR vice chairman Keyom Doni, was organized in collaboration with the Abralow Memorial Multipurpose Society and supported by the Itanagar Smart City Development Corporation Limited. The campaign involved students from two colleges: five fourth-semester political science students from Binni Yanga Government Women's College, Lekhi- Dari Yaniam, Tadar Anjila, Tadar Omo, Tadar Nini, and Engam Riram - and two fourth-semester education students from Government College Doimukh - Kabak Tayye and Kabak Tach. The interns visited households and commercial establishments, educating residents on the importance of segregating waste at the source. During their outreach, the students distributed pamphlets detailing types of waste, proper segregation methods, and disposal techniques. They emphasized the environmental consequences of unsegregated waste and highlighted the distinctions between dry, wet, and domestic hazardous waste. Residents were encouraged to dispose of non-recyclable dry waste through the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) garbage trucks, manage wet waste, such as food scraps and organic materials, at home through composting, and give away recyclable waste, such as paper, plastic, and metal, to local scrap dealers for proper recycling. The interns also addressed the issue of improper waste disposal, urging residents not to dump household waste into nearby rivers. They explained the causes and impacts of pollution, advocating responsible waste management to protect the environment.
MUMBAI: Adani Electricity announced today significant achievements in environmental conservation, specifically in reducing and eliminating Single-use plastics (SUP) across its operations. The organisation has successfully recycled over 3.8 metric tonnes of non-biodegradable plastic waste during the past three financial years."As the world observes World Environment Day - this year's theme of #BeatPlasticPollution, we at Adani Electricity reaffirm our unwavering dedication to environmental responsibility," said an Adani Electricity spokesperson. "Sustainability isn't just a buzzword; it's a cor ...Read More >
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that concerted efforts would be made to increase green cover in the state from current 30.05 per cent to 50 per cent by 2047 when India would celebrate its centenary year of Independence. Addressing the Vana Mahotsavam event on the World Environment Day at Ananthavaram village in Thullur mandal near here, the Chief Minister said: "Currently, Andhra Pradesh has 37,421 sq km of forest area, accounting for 23 per cent of the total area in the State. When we add greenery outside forests, the state's green cover stands at 30.05 per ce ...Read More >
Ludhiana: As International Plastic Bag Free Day is observed on July 3, rising use of plastics, including plastic bags, are posing an unprecedented threat to bird population. Ornithologists and conservationists are sounding urgent alarms about the growing menace of plastic pollution -- that is choking habitats, contaminating food chains, and pushing several bird species to the brink of collapse.Plastic has turned into a long-lasting hazard in natural ecosystems. Each year, over 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally, and a staggering amount finds its way into the open environment. ...Read More >
Gandhinagar: Stating that it was time to decide whether the next generation will "have a plastic-free or plastic-laden environment," chief minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday said that the campaign against single-use plastic should become a mass movement in Gujarat. Presiding over the state-level programme in Gandhinagar to mark World Environment Day, the chief minister also unveiled several projects aimed at environment protection. "The Prime Minister has envisioned environment-friendly development, and Gujarat will adhere to the principle of ensuring development in a sustainable and environ ...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 >
Jammu, July 1 (UNI) On the eve of Amarnath Yatra, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today attended the 'Tawi Aarti' at Tawi Riverfront, Jammu. The Lieutenant Governor sought the blessings of Suryaputri River Tawi and Baba Barfani and prayed for a peaceful, blessed and memorable pilgrimage for all the devotees. "Entire J&K is experiencing spiritual bliss on the eve of holy pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath. People of J&K are ready to welcome devotees of Baba Barfani coming from across the country. May Lord Shiva bless everyone with health, happiness and harmony," the Lieutenant Gove ...Read More >
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday said the state govt was consistently working to provide better resources to the doctors and quality healthcare services to the citizens.He mentioned that medical colleges were being established in every district.While there were only six medical colleges in 2014, the number has now increased to 15, and nine new colleges are under construction. As a result, MBBS seats in the state increased from 700 in 2014 to 2,185, at present. The state govt aims to increase the MBBS seats to over 3,400 by 2029, said Saini.The CM was addressing a ...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 >
India readies a sea change for domestic shipping as well as global shipping through key bills The centre will move the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024 and Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024 for consideration and passing during the winter session of parliament. These key legislations are aimed at holistic growth of Coastal Shipping and reducing the compliance burden for ships under the Indian flag. "The Merchant Shipping Bill deals with implementation of India's obligations under various International Conventions and technical aspects maritime and shipping sector's regulations. Coastal Shipping Bill wi ...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 >
Haridwar: A woman politician has been arrested for allegedly letting her boyfriend and others repeatedly rape her 13-year-old daughter in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The horrifying crime, which occurred between January and March, was exposed when the minor bravely confided in her father, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The accused was arrested with her boyfriend and one more. According to police reports, the minor was gang-raped multiple times, often in the presence of her mother. The minor, who had been living with her father following her parents' separat ...Read More >
Andhra Pradesh government launched a massive greening campaign on World Environment Day, initiating "Vana Mahotsav" and an "End Plastic Pollution" drive. The goal is to increase the state's green cover from 29 to 50 percent by planting one crore saplings statewide. The initiative includes advanced monitoring and aims to achieve 37 percent green cover by 2029.The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday launched a massive greening campaign to mark World Environment Day, aiming to increase the state's ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 5 (UNI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday urged the people to resolve to end plastic pollution and maintain a healthy, clean environment. "Today, let us pledge to eliminate plastic pollution and create a healthier, cleaner environment for our citizens," Majhi said while addressing the state-level World Environment Day event. He noted that plastic has become an integral part of our lives, especially single-use plastics. Stressing that plastic waste must be ad ...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 >
Mumbai: Recycling of packaging material into something useful and lasting for the community is an initiative that represents the kind of sustainable thinking Mumbai needs, said Jeetendra V Pardeshi, Superintendent of Gardens, BMC. "Such partnerships can bring sustainability into public spaces, and the public can actively participate in this transformation," Pardeshi said on Thursday, about a set of garden benches, made entirely from recycled Tetra Pak cartons, that were donated to Patwardhan Park in Bandra. The inauguration of the benches marked the start of a campaign to collect used bevera ...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 >
Agartala (Tripura) [India], June 5 (ANI): Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu on Thursday urged people to plant trees in their homes and avoid the use of plastic on the occasion of World Environment Day. Governor of Tripura Indrasena Reddy Nallu said, 'Today is World Environment Day. Tripura is a green land, a green state. We must always strive to maintain this greenery and take the state even further on the path of environmental progress. I would like to tell the people of the state to avoid the use of plastic. I urge everyone to plant trees in their own homes.' Tripura joined the global ...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, 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 >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...Read More >
BENGALURU, India -- An innovative portable shelter recently exhibited in one of India's largest cities shows how smart, cheap ways to help workers escape the heat are gaining traction in a country that's particularly vulnerable to climate change-driven extreme temperatures. The Neralu shelter, winner of a design contest in the southern city of Bengaluru, was displayed at the Sweat and Concrete 2025 event in late May alongside a theatrical performance about heat impacts on outdoor workers and exhibits on heat-related studies. Organizer Kanishk Kabiraj said the aim of the exhibition is to raise ...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 >
A crucial round of negotiations on a global plastic pollution treaty has begun in Busan, South Korea. Led by Norway and Rwanda, 66 countries and the EU are pushing for a legally binding agreement to control plastic production, consumption, and waste management. However, key points of contention include limits on plastic production and the ban of single-use plastics. With plastic production set to rise 70% by 2040, negotiators aim to protect human health and the environment while promoting recycling, reducing harmful chemicals, and supporting sustainable plastic practices. Industry leaders and ...Read More >
Panaji: Although the state is taking steps towards plastic waste management and recycling systems, the consumption has risen to such an extent that the only way to control the problem is to reduce the use of plastics, said experts at a panel discussion 'Plant vs Plastics: How to Win?' by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Goa, at its series Miramar Dialogues. Founder of Zero Posro, Jonah Fernandes, stressed on consumer accountability and asked consumers to question whether the convenience of single-use plastic is worth the ecological damage it causes. He said only a minuscule percentage of plasti ...Read More >
Agartala (Tripura) [India], June 5 (ANI): Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu on Thursday urged people to plant trees in their homes and avoid the use of plastic on the occasion of World Environment Day. Governor of Tripura Indrasena Reddy Nallu said, 'Today is World Environment Day. Tripura is a green land, a green state. We must always strive to maintain this greenery and take the state even further on the path of environmental progress. I would like to tell the people of the state to avoid the use of plastic. I urge everyone to plant trees in their own homes.' Tripura joined the global ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday announced an ambitious plan of planting 7.5 crore saplings across the state within a year. Speaking at the state-level celebration of World Environment Day at the OUAT Agriculture Education Hall in city, the CM emphasised the importance of public awareness and collective responsibility in protecting nature and ending plastic pollution. "A healthy environment is essential for a healthy society," he said.Addressing the rising threat of single-use plastic, the CM urged citizens to support a mass movement to eliminate plastic from daily li ...Read More >
BHUBANESWAR: Emphasising the importance of cleaner and greener environment for a healthy society, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday announced the government's plan of planting 7.5 crore trees across the state within the next one year. Addressing a state-level function held at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) to celebrate World Environment Day, the chief minister said the state has achieved a net increase of approximately 560 sq km in forest and tree cover, which is the fourth-highest among all states. The common people and institutions have planted nearly ...Read More >
Nagpur: Development without ecology is not development it is devastation in disguise, remarked, environmentalist and member of the State Board for Wildlife Shrikant Tekade while addressing a World Environment Day programme organised by RTO Nagpur in collaboration with the Institute of Environment, Ecology, Health & Management (IEEHM).Speaking on this year's theme 'Beat Plastic Pollution and Deforestation', Tekade painted a grim picture of plastic misuse and its growing impact on both urban and forest ecosystems. He pointed out that Nagpur generates over 1,100 tonnes of municipal waste daily, o ...Read More >