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.
Srinagar, Jul 18: In a significant step towards enhancing disaster resilience and preparedness, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir conducted a high-level workshop on the Incident Response System (IRS) today. The workshop was attended by Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Principal Secretary Home and DMRR&R, Chandraker Bharti, senior Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners, Heads of Departments and National Disaster Management experts, including Brigadier Kuldip Singh (Retd), Former Senior Consultant, Ministry of Home Affairs. In his opening remarks, the Chief Secretary underlined the critical importance of building a culture of disaster preparedness among the citizens and institutions. "Disasters often arrive without warning and in every such instance, citizens are the first responders," he said. "Each capable individual has a moral responsibility to contribute to disaster resilience by being aware, prepared and proactive." Highlighting Jammu and Kashmir's unique geopolitical and environmental vulnerabilities, the Chief Secretary emphasised the UT's susceptibility to earthquakes, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, cross-border tensions and climate-induced challenges. "Given our exposure to multiple hazards, our preparedness must be all-encompassing, institutionally sound and technologically enabled," he stated. Dulloo stressed that disaster readiness is not measured by paperwork but by the number of lives saved and the responsiveness of the system during a crisis. He noted that increasing urbanisation and climate change have escalated the intensity and frequency of disasters, placing greater responsibility on governments, institutions and citizens to act decisively. He advocated for clear institutional frameworks with defined roles and responsibilities. He emphasised the need to optimise use of advanced technologies such as GIS mapping, real-time weather forecasting and drone-based surveillance, besides active community engagement, capacity building of NGOs, civil society and local volunteers. He also asked for the integration of mid-career training for the officers and regular mock drills to ensure readiness. The Chief Secretary called for the customisation of IRS protocols based on local risk profiles at the district and block level. He proposed the development of a Disaster Dashboard to map available resources, machinery, manpower and vulnerable zones across the UT. In his inaugural address, Principal Secretary, Home and DMRR&R, Chandraker Bharti, described the IRS as a newly notified system in J&K aimed at establishing a well-coordinated command structure during disasters. He explained that the IRS, modelled on international best practices and customized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), defines precise roles for each officer to eliminate confusion during emergencies. Bharti highlighted the ongoing initiatives under the Disaster Management Department, including the Mitigation plans for GLOFs and landslides, Integration of the India Disaster Resource Network (IDRN), Deployment of Decision Support Systems and Establishment of Emergency Operation Centre (EOC). He expressed optimism about significantly strengthening the disaster management mechanisms through these efforts and urged the officials to institutionalise the disaster response protocols across all levels. Delivering a detailed presentation, Brigadier Kuldip Singh (Retd), a distinguished disaster management expert, shared his insights on disaster typologies, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the defined responsibilities of various stakeholders during emergencies. Drawing from real-life disaster incidents across India, he emphasised that "no region is immune to disasters", and increased development must go hand-in-hand with increased vigilance and responsibility. Brigadier Singh stressed the critical roles of central and UT governments, NDMA, SDMAs, DDMAs and block-level institutions in developing a seamless and scalable disaster response framework. He reiterated the need for integrated planning, resource allocation, and community-based preparedness to make India one of the most disaster-resilient nations in the world.
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 >
Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is the first person to register his marriage on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) portal in Uttarakhand. It is mandatory under UCC provision to register the marriage solemnized after march 2010. CM Dhami, who married Geeta Dhami on February 5, 2011, received the certificate of registration from Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Ratudi. This moment marked the launch of the UCC, making Uttarakhand the first state in India to implement such a law. All marriages solemnized after March 2010 must be registered The UCC mandates that all marriages ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) The Population Fund of India on Thursday welcomed the 16th Census and called for "strong safeguards" to ensure that the count is "inclusive, accurate, and equity-focused." The Population Census-2027 with caste enumeration will be carried out in 2027 with the reference date of October 1, 2026, in snow-bound areas like Ladakh and on March 1, 2027, in the rest of the country. It has been decided to conduct the census in two phases, along with the enumeration of castes, the Union Home Ministry announced on Wednesday. "The Population Foundation of India welcomes the announc ...Read More >
Mumbai: The birth of three penguin chicks at Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo has sparked an unexpected row not over their care, but their names. BJP functionary Nitin Bankar from the Byculla Assembly constituency has objected to the chicks being given English names, insisting they be named in Marathi instead. The BMC is expected to respond by June 10, after which Bankar will decide his next move. Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Bankar said, "When penguins were brought from abroad, we accepted that their names would be in English. But these chicks were born on the soil of M ...Read More >
Srinagar: The Centre on Tuesday announced new reservation and domicile policies for Ladakh, reserving 85% jobs for locals and one-third of the total number of seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for women. Both Kargil Democratic Alliance (KBL) and Apex Body Leh (ABL), which are fighting for implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the Union Territory (UT), statehood, a separate public service commission and two Lok Sabha seats for Ladakh, welcomed the noti ...Read More >
Imphal/New Delhi, Jan 17 (VOICE) Leaders of the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex socio-political body of the Kuki-Zo tribal communities in Manipur, held a meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on Friday and discussed their demands and prevailing situation in the northeastern state, KZC sources said. The four-member delegation of the KZC, led by its Chairman Henlianthang Thanglet, met the Adviser to MHA A. K. Mishra and Joint Director, MHA, Rajesh Kamble. Though the KZC leaders said that they would disclose the details of the discussion at Friday's mee ...Read More >
Rajouri: State Health Department teams are continuing door-to-door surveillance in Badhal village as the mystery illness in Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir continues to claim lives. This after an 'unidentified' disease has claimed 16 reported fatalities and 38 affected individuals According to reports, NCDC (National Centre for Disease Control), ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) teams have been deployed for investigation as 16 deaths have been reported in Budhal village since December 2024 due to a 'mysterious illness.' Dilmir Choudhary, ADC Kotranka said, "Since December, we h ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that French President Emmanuel Macron has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, and India has accepted the invite. While speaking at a press briefing, Jaiswal said that India is also developing its own AI program. "French President has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Artificial Intelligence Action Summit and we have accepted their invite. We will update you about further details," he said. On February ...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 >
Pakyong (Sikkim) [India], June 6 (ANI): As part of the ongoing evacuation efforts in response to the recent disaster in North Sikkim, the first helicopter sortie of the day took off early this morning from Pakyong Greenfield Airport towards Chaten to rescue stranded tourists, according to an official statement. The Mi-17 helicopters are carrying essential supplies for Army personnel stationed in and around the Chaten area. Also Read | Kolkata Fatafat Result Today: Kolkata FF Result for June 06, 2025 Declared, Check Winning Numbers and Result Chart of Satta Matka-Type Lottery Game. The opera ...Read More >
Gangtok, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) At least 80 tourists stranded in the northern part of Sikkim due to inclement weather and landslides have been safely evacuated, an official said on Friday. A total of four helicopter sorties were conducted from Pakyong Greenfield Airport to Chaten using MI-02, MI-49, and MI-39 helicopters, resulting in the evacuation of 80 individuals. Among those evacuated, 63 persons were tourists, while 17 were locals. To ensure their further travel to Gangtok, the state government arranged state transport buses at the airport for the convenience of the evacuees. In orde ...Read More >
Patna (Bihar) [India] June 6 (ANI): Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attended the 'Samvidhan Sabha' in Rajgir, Nalanda, on Friday. Addressing the gathering, Gandhi emphasised the need for a caste census and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance on the issue. He questioned PM Modi's claim of being an OBC while asserting that the BJP denies the existence of caste in India, emphasising the need for a genuine caste census. 'Narendra Modi used to say in every speech, I am OBC. Then, on the caste census, they say that there is no caste in India. If there is ...Read More >
The churning waters of the 21 Century maritime domain are no longer defined solely by steel-hulled might and firepower. Today, the true battleground lies in the unseen realms of algorithms, data streams and quantum states. The Indian Navy, a sentinel of the vast Indian Ocean Region (IOR), stands at the cusp of this technological revolution, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to secure its maritime sovereignty and amplify its geopolitical influence. India's journey into this brave new world is both a strategic necessity and an audacious leap. With China's growing nav ...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, June 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for a major Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise scheduled to take place near the southern sector of the India-Pakistan International Border in Rajasthan from Saturday, June 7, to Sunday, June 8. The exercise is part of the IAF's regular operational preparedness and will be conducted in airspace near the border. According to the NOTAM, the aerial drill will commence at 3:30 p.m. on June 7 and conclude at 9:30 p.m. the following day. During this period, airspace over the designated region will be restricted to ensure t ...Read More >
Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi stated that the army has shifted Jammu and Kashmir's focus from "terrorism to tourism" while working towards 'Viksit Bharat 2047.' He emphasized the army's contribution to national security, development, and disaster relief, highlighting its role in achieving a "Progressive" and "Peaceful" India.Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi said that while moving towards the goal of 'Viksit Bharat 2047,' the army has been able to transform the idea of Jammu and Kashmir from "terrorism to tourism." While addressing an event at Savitribai Phule Pu ...Read More >
Jammu, Jan 14 (VOICE) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the BJP government at the Centre treats Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir equally.Addressing the ninth Armed Forces Veterans' Day programme at Tanda Artillery Brigade in Akhnoor, the Defence Minister praised Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his effort to reduce the distance between the hearts of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi and asserted that the BJP government treats Delhi and Kashmir equally. "Kashmir was treated differently (by previous governments) in the past. As a result, our brothers and s ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Beijing: China has expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue with the United States following recent threats by former President Donald Trump to impose new tariffs on Chinese goods. The statement comes amid growing tensions between the two economic giants over trade practices, technology policies, and geopolitical issues. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said that China was open to "constructive dialogue" with the U.S., emphasizing the importance of cooperation to ensure global economic stability. "China believes that both countries should seek common ground and manag ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Dec 4 (VOICE) The earthquake that hit Telangana on Wednesday morning was the second earthquake of over 5 magnitude on the Richter Scale in the region in the last 55 years.According to the National Center for Seismology, an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude was felt at 7.27 a.m. on Wednesday with Medaram in Mulugu district of Telangana as the epicentre. The region experienced an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 on April 13, 1969, with Bhadrachalam as the epicentre. According to scientists, both earthquakes were linked to the Godavari rift valley, which is a fault zone. The tremors on ...Read More >
Kochi: The High Court has directed the Kerala state government to convince the central government that the state deserves more assistance for the Wayanad landslide disaster. The division bench also expressed its readiness to mediate between the central and state governments in this regard. According to the latest figures, the state disaster relief fund holds around Rs 700 crore, but only Rs 61 crore is available for expenditure, as reported by the amicus curiae. Kerala: Court orders inclusion of abetment charges against police officers in Dalit youth suicide case The Kerala state government ...Read More >
Census 2027: India's largest data exercise returns with digital tools and caste focus | Illustration: Binay Sinha After a nearly six-year delay, India's decennial census is finally back on the agenda. It would be conducted in two phases along with the enumeration of castes. India's population census is expected to be released on March 1, 2027. Here is everything known so far. What is the census and why it matters India's census is the largest population count in the world, conducted every 10 years by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, under the Ministry of Home Aff ...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 >
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr. P. K. Mishra, addressed the Ministerial Roundtable on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Financing at Geneva on 04th June 2025. He commended the UNDRR and its partners for convening this critical discussion. India also recognized the contributions of Brazil and South Africa in continuing the global dialogue through their G20 presidencies. Dr. Mishra underscored that DRR financing is not a peripheral issue but central to the effective functioning of national disaster management systems and the safeguarding of development gains in the face of rising cli ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) on Friday released vehicle retail data for May, which revealed a modest rise of 5 per cent as compared to the same month last year. Segment-wise, two-wheeler was the best category, which performed, registering a rise of 7.3 per cent on a year-on-year basis, followed by three-wheeler (rise of 6.2 per cent), and the tractor segment registered a gain of 2.7 per cent on yoy basis.On the flip side, the Passenger Vehicle segment, Construction Equipment, and Commercial Vehicle declined by 3.1 per cent, 6.3 per c ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Kashmir valley got connected with the rest of India with the inauguration of the much-awaited and world's highest railway arch bridge over the river Chenab by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his day-long visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. The architectural marvel Chenab Rail Bridge, situated 359 metres above the river, is the world's highest railway arch bridge. It is a 1,315-metre-long steel arch bridge engineered to withstand seismic and wind conditions. Also Read | Bengaluru Stampede Case: RCB Marketing Head, DNA Event Management Firm Staffers Sent ...Read More >
PUNE: Automobile dealers clocked a modest rise of 5 per cent year-on-year to 22.12 lakh units in the retail sale of total vehicles in May, buoyed by healthy two- and three-wheeler sales. However, passenger vehicle (PV) sales bucked the trend, slipping 3.1 per cent as rising inventory and cautious consumer behaviour signalled a pause in demand recovery, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations or FADA data showed on Friday. The PV registrations last month stood at 3,02,214 units, as compared to 3,11,908 units in May 2024. FADA said that customers delayed purchases in several states d ...Read More >
JAMMU, Nov 17: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting of senior civil, police officials and DCs, SSPs of Jammu Division to review the progress of development projects and security situation in the region. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo; DGP, Nalin Prabhat; Principal Secretary, Home, Chandraker Bharti; ADGP (Law & Order) Vijay Kumar; ADGP, Jammu, Anand Jain; ADGP, CID, Nitish Kumar; Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor, Shri Mandeep Bhandari; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar; DIGs ...Read More >
New Delhi, November 27, 2024: The Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD), SIST, Jamia Hamdard, organized a thought-provoking lecture on "Climate Change and Green Transition: Global Impact on Natural Disasters and their Management" on 25 November 2024. The event was part of CESD's ongoing initiatives to promote awareness and action on critical environmental issues. Professor (Dr.) M. Z. Abdin, Director of CESD, delivered the welcome address and introductory remarks, setting the stage for the session. He emphasized the urgency of transitioning to green energy and sustainable ...Read More >
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], December 3 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Tuesday that the implementation of the new criminal laws has proven to be a significant milestone in making the Indian justice system more "transparent, effective and in tune" with the needs of the present society. Talking about the laws in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Uttarakhand CM said, "These landmark criminal laws have proved to be a milestone in making the Indian justice system more transparent, effective and in tune with the needs of the present society. These changes mark th ...Read More >