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.
KOLKATA: The city witnessed 87.5mm rainfall between 8.30pm Monday and 8.30pm Tuesday, the highest 24-hour count of the season. Tuesday was also the wettest July day in four years. The rain dragged the maximum temperature down to 27.1°C, this summer's lowest.Alipore Met office has predicted more rain on Wednesday, but with reduced intensity. Prior to Tuesday, 40.3mm rain on June 27 was this monsoon's single-day highest.Three factors -- a low-pressure area, a cyclonic circulation and a strong monsoon flow -- combined on Tuesday to trigger the night-long showers. While Monday saw pockets of south Kolkata get more rain than neighbourhoods in the north, the incessant rain that started around 2am on Tuesday was more uniform. Most of the day's rainfall was recorded between 2am and 8am.The single-day rain count for Dum Dum was higher than Kolkata at 99.3mm while Salt Lake recorded 90mm. "The low pressure over Gangetic Bengal is moving very slowly, causing uniform rain. This system will gradually move away towards Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in the next two days and weaken. Hence, we expect the intensity of rain to decrease in Kolkata by Wednesday. But some western districts will continue to receive heavy spells of rain," said meteorologist HR Biswas, head of the weather forecast section at Regional Meteorological Centre Kolkata.According to an IMD special bulletin, the low-pressure area with an associated cyclonic circulation and a strong monsoon flow will continue to trigger rain in many parts of south Bengal, including Kolkata, for at least another four days.According to the city's Met calendar, July is the rainiest month of the year.With June's total monthly rain count at 241.5 mm, which is normal for the month, Met officials expect July rain to be normal as well.Continuous rain pushed the maximum temperature to 27.1°C, the lowest this summer and 5.4°C below normal. The minimum temperature also dipped to 25°C, which was 1.8°C below normal. The mercury is likely to climb slightly on Wednesday but is still expected to stay below normal.
Tamil Nadu Weather Update: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall starting Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said in its latest bulletin. According to the IMD bulletin on Dec. 12, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are very likely to witness isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall on Dec. 12, 13, 16 and 17 due to the northeast monsoon spell that is entering its next phase. "Thunderstorm with intermittent spells of heavy rain is likely to occur in some areas," the Chennai Met Office said in a bulletin at 11:30 am on Thur ...Read More >
Chennai Rain: A low-pressure area over the Southeast Bay of Bengal has developed into a deep depression, according to latest report from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This weather system is moving west-northwest and is expected to approach the Sri Lanka-Tamil Nadu coast within the next 24 hours. The IMD has indicated that the low-pressure system is currently crossing Sri Lanka, particularly near Rameswaram and Thoothukudi in the Gulf of Mannar. Consequently, Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rainfall overnight on December 11. As the system continues its journey into the Arabian Sea, i ...Read More >
Khordha (Odisha): A severe cold wave gripped northern Odisha on Sunday, with the Mayurbhanj in the northern part of the State bearing the brunt of the intense chill with Ramatirtha area in the district recording as low as -10 degrees Celsius. According to the Forest Department, temperatures while other areas such as Gurguria and Barehipani recorded 6 degrees Celsius, Chahala 4 degrees Celsius, Nawana -5 degrees Celsius, and Upper Baraha Kamuda (UBK) -3 degrees Celsius. Statement Of IMD Scientist Dr Soma Sen Roy On Saturday, IMD scientist Dr Soma Sen Roy said that the cold wave will last for ...Read More >
Khordha (Odisha) [India], December 15 (ANI): A severe cold wave gripped northern Odisha on Sunday, with the Mayurbhanj in the northern part of the State bearing the brunt of the intense chill with Ramatirtha area in the district recording as low as -10 degrees Celsius. According to the Forest Department, temperatures while other areas such as Gurguria and Barehipani recorded 6 degrees Celsius, Chahala 4 degrees Celsius, Nawana -5 degrees Celsius, and Upper Baraha Kamuda (UBK) -3 degrees Celsius. Also Read | CAT 2024 Results: IIM Calcutta Likely To Release CAT 2024 Results Today at iimcat.ac. ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 13 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 'Mission Mausam' on Tuesday to gaming to make India a 'weather-ready and climate-smart' nation. As per a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, Modi will also participate in the 150th Foundation Day celebrations of India Meteorological Department (IMD) at Bharat Mandapam here. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. "The Mission aims to achieve its aim by developing cutting-edge weather surveillance technologies and systems, implementing high-resolution atmospheric observations, next-generation radars and satel ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: A low-pressure area has developed over the Northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The system, which formed at 8:30 am today, is likely to move slowly northwards and intensify into a more marked low-pressure system over the next 48 hours. According to the latest weather update, the associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 7.6 km above mean sea level, tilting southwards with height. This weather system may bring light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall to the coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha. ...Read More >
Noida: The city's air quality improved slightly on Wednesday but remained in the 'poor' category with an air quality index (AQI) of 208, compared to the previous day's 223. The AQI of Greater Noida (231) and Ghaziabad (216) improved marginally but also stayed 'poor'. It was 234 in Greater Noida and 238 in Ghaziabad on Tuesday. In Noida, Sector 62 was the worst hit and recorded an AQI of 271 (poor), followed by Sector 116 (230) -- also 'poor'. The Sector 1 monitoring station recorded a 'moderate' AQI at 121. The Sector 125 station did not record this data. In Greater Noida, the AQI at Knowled ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) The national capital on Wednesday recorded the lowest minimum temperature of this winter season so far with the mercury dropping sharply to 4.9 degrees Celsius compared to 8 degrees Celsius the previous day. "The minimum temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius reported over Safdarjung is the lowest minimum of this winter season. The same minimum temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius was reported last year also, on 15th December," the India Meteorological Department said. ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, May 27: Monsoon rains accompanied by gusty winds continue to lash Kerala, causing widespread damage across the state. Several incidents of trees being uprooted, house wall collapses, and electrical short circuits have been reported from different parts of the state. Since the onset of the monsoon last week on May 24, three casualties have been reported, prompting the state government to open a dozen relief camps in affected districts of the state. The most major disruption on Tuesday has been the delay in train services across Kerala after fallen trees blocked railway trac ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a gradual rise in the maximum temperature by five to seven degrees Celsius over the next five days in Delhi. Despite the warming trend, no heatwave conditions are expected during this period, according to a report prepared by the weather office. According to the IMD, the minimum temperature was appreciably below normal, by three to six degrees Celsius, and the maximum was markedly below normal -- by five to seven notches -- over the last few days. South-westerly winds with speeds up to 19 kmph were witnessed across ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 38.2 degrees Celsius on Friday, 1.8 notches below the seasonal average, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The minimum temperature settled at 25.6 degrees Celsius on Friday, two notches below the season's average, the IMD said. The humidity level stood at 47 per cent at 5:30 pm. The weather department has forecast partly cloudy sky for Saturday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 40 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in ...Read More >
Itanagar, Jun 7 (PTI) The flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh improved on Saturday with water levels of most rivers receding, even as 33,000 people in 24 districts remained affected, officials said. Twelve people lost their lives and one person went missing in rain-related incidents, including landslides, after the monsoon set in, they said. In its daily report, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said 33,200 people in 215 villages remained affected due to floods and landslides in the state. The water levels of most major rivers and their tributaries were showing a receding trend o ...Read More >
For the second consecutive day on Monday (December 2, 2024), Delhi's air quality showed a slight improvement although it remained in the 'poor' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 273 in the morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's 24-hour average AQI on Sunday stood at 285, an improvement to the 'poor' category and a welcome relief following 32 consecutive days of 'very poor' and 'severe' air quality (AQI over 400). The city's air quality was last recorded in the 'poor' category on October 29 with an AQI of 268, according to the CPCB. Farm fires ris ...Read More >
Delhi residents breathed easier Thursday as air quality improved to 'moderate' after a month of severe pollution. The AQI dropped to 161, though some areas still experienced 'poor' air quality. Cooler temperatures and mist accompanied the improved air, with the minimum temperature reaching 9 degrees Celsius. The Supreme Court maintained GRAP-IV restrictions, demanding compensation for construction workers from NCR states.Residents in Delhi took a sigh of relief on Thursday as the air quality inde ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded its lowest minimum temperature of the winter season on Wednesday, with the mercury plunging to 4.9 degrees Celsius, a sharp drop from 8 degrees Celsius the previous day. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated, "The minimum temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius reported over Safdarjung is the lowest minimum of this winter season. The same minimum temperature of 4.9 degrees Celsius was reported last year also on 15th December." The coldest minimum temperature ever recorded at the Safdarjung station was 0.0 degrees Celsius on December 27, 1930, according to the ...Read More >
New Delhi: The air quality in the national capital remained in the 'very poor' category on Thursday, with a thin layer of fog blanketing parts of the city and affecting visibility. An AQI reading of 340 was recorded at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) data. Of the 38 monitoring stations that recorded air quality data in the national capital, 32 reported the AQI in the "very poor" category, according to the CPCB. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a thunderstorm accompanied by rain on Friday and Saturday, and issued a "yellow alert", predictin ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The national capital wrapped up a rather warm January with Friday's maximum temperature reaching 27 degrees Celsius, making it the city's warmest day in the month since 2019. The month's average maximum temperature was 21.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above the long-period average of 20.1 degrees Celsius, marking it as Delhi's warmest January since 2019. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, nighttime temperatures were also higher than usual. The average minimum temperature for the month settled at 8.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above the LPA of 7.5 deg ...Read More >
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 18 teams across Maharashtra for rapid rescue and relief operations, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted above-normal monsoon rainfall this year, with urban areas like Mumbai already showing signs of strain, Mid-day reported. Between May 25 and 26, NDRF teams responded to emergencies in Pune, Solapur, and Satara. While local agencies managed to rescue nine people in Baramati and Indapur, NDRF teams were redirected to Phaltan in Satara and Kurubavi in Solapur. In Solapur, a team carried out a midnight rescue operati ...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 >
Delhi is facing worsening pollution and erratic weather patterns, with the air quality regularly reaching dangerous levels. This is partly due to climate change, with temperature rises and unpredictable rainfall patterns caused by global warming. The industrial revolution has played a significant role, contributing to the rise in global temperatures. The effects are already being felt, with 2024 witnessing record-breaking heat in India. Despite this, there is little action from society or leadership, with courts repeatedly stepping in to address issues like pollution and farm fires. The need f ...Read More >
Heavy rains across Tamil Nadu have led to school closures in several districts, including Chennai, on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert, predicting moderate rains and light thunderstorms in parts of the state. Rainfall figures show significant precipitation in multiple areas. Meanwhile, Northern India braces for a cold wave beginning December 9, with the IMD forecasting plunging temperatures in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.Schools acros ...Read More >
KOLKATA: With the mercury dipping below 14 degrees before Dec 15, winter has set in early this year. In the past 11 years, the mercury dipped below 14 degrees before Dec 15 only once - in 2014. Even as the city started yearning for the chill, the Met office predicted a slight rise in mercury from Monday due to twin weather systems - one over the Bay of Bengal and another over north India. The minimum temperature plunged to 13.8 degrees on Thursday. The only time it dipped this low before the Dec fortnight was a decade ago. In the past two days, there has been a slight rise, with it standing a ...Read More >
Kolkata: The number of Bangladeshi released prisoners languishing in correctional homes across the state has come down to 179 -- as of Jan 1, 2024 -- compared to 495 in 2011. According to the West Bengal Correctional Services data, there were 212 released foreign nationals or 'jankhalash' -- 136 men and 76 women -- in correctional homes in the state as of Jan 1, 2024, out of which 179 were from Bangladesh. Most of these foreigners were lodged in Dum Dum Central Correctional Home (171), while the rest were in Berhampore CCH (24), Jalpaiguri CCH (16), and Presidency CCH (1). On Jan 30, the Sup ...Read More >
After an exceptionally early onset this year -- the earliest in 16 years -- the southwest monsoon has temporarily paused its journey across India, weather officials said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that while the monsoon arrived over Kerala on May 24 and made swift progress through the southern peninsula, northeast India, and parts of the west, its advance has stalled. According to IMD officials, the rainfall will remain subdued across most parts of the country for the next few days. However, reports suggest that the monsoon is expected to gather strength between June ...Read More >
Delhi Weather Today: After almost 5 days of cool and calm, the Delhi weather is turning up the heat... quite literally! According to the weather department, people in Delhi may have to bear the brunt of the rising temperature for the next week as the heat is only going to increase. The skies are likely to remain clear throughout the day, making way for the sun. According to the IMD, the maximum temperature is likely to cross 44 degrees in the next three days. On Saturday, June 7, the maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to cross 40 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Delhi is like ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The city is in for a spell of hot and dry days, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by up to 6 degree Celsius over the next five days. While the mercury is expected to cross 40 degree Celsius, no heatwave conditions are likely, officials said on Friday. According to the weather office, the maximum temperature at Safdarjung on Thursday was 38.2 degree Celsius, about 2 degree below the seasonal average. Minimum temperature stood at 25.6 degree Celsius, also slightly lower than the normal. Similar trends were observed acro ...Read More >
Chennai ( Tamil Nadu) [India], November 27 (ANI): As a deep depression in the southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclone and move towards Tamil Nadu, the Indian Coast Guard has started coordinating with the state agencies to ensure seafarers' safety. The ICG said that its ships, aircraft and radar stations issued advisories for fishing boats to return to the harbour. "Deep Depression in the #BayofBengal likely to intensify into a cyclone and move towards #Tamilnadu, as per #IMD. @IndiaCoastGuard Region HQs (East) is coordinating with state agencies to ensure seafarers' saf ...Read More >
Srinagar: The minimum temperature has plummeted and settled below freezing point across Kashmir with many of the stations including Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recording the season's coldest night. According to the news agency -- Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the night temperature in Srinagar settled at minus 2.1 degree Celsius. Shopian was the coldest in Kashmir as the mercury plummeted and settled at minus 5.5 degree Celsius. Pahalgam, a famous tourist destination, recorded minus 5.0 degree Celsius while Gulmarg, a famous ski-resort recorded a low of minus 2.5 degree ...Read More >
Heavy rains lashed Thoothukudi and surrounding areas in Tamil Nadu on Sunday, causing severe waterlogging in several localities. The IMD predicts the formation of a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, which is expected to intensify and move towards the Tamil Nadu coast, bringing further rainfall across the state in the coming days.Several parts of Thoothukudi and adjoining areas witnessed severe waterlogging on Sunday as heavy rains continued to lash parts of Tamil Nadu. Visuals showed water ...Read More >
A severe cold wave, comparable to the intensity of summer heat, is expected to sweep across West Bengal. How long will these frigid conditions persist? A severe winter is approaching, with temperatures expected to drop sharply across West Bengal. The Meteorological Department has forecast a cold wave from December 13 to 15, marking the onset of intense winter conditions. Dry weather is likely to persist until December 18, accompanied by northerly winds sweeping across the state. Light fog is ex ...Read More >