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.
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", is the first comprehensive scientific investigation into how urban air pollution is impacting the historic monument built by Emperor Shahjahan between 1639 and 1648. Developed as part of a collaboration between India's Department of Science and Technology and Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI), the research was conducted by scientists from IIT Roorkee, IIT Kanpur, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) this year. The team analysed samples of sandstone and black crust collected from different areas of the Red Fort complex, including Zafar Mahal. The findings revealed that black crusts varied from thin deposits of approximately 0.05 millimetres in sheltered areas to thick layers of up to 0.5 millimetres on walls facing high-traffic zones. These thick layers are strongly bonded to the stone surface, posing a risk of surface flaking and loss of intricate carvings. According to the researchers, the black crusts primarily consist of gypsum, bassanite, weddellite, and trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead, zinc, chromium, and copper. These pollutants are not inherent to the sandstone but are deposited from external sources, including vehicular emissions, cement factories, and construction activities in the city. The study highlighted how chemical reactions between pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides lead to the formation of gypsum layers, which eventually erode during rainfall. Moreover, nitrates and oxalates were found to infiltrate the sandstone, causing internal stress, cracks, and biological growth. The team also observed blistering, salt crystallisation, and dampness-related crumbling near entrances, while interior Makrana marble decorations showed comparatively less damage due to their stronger grain structure. Accessing air quality data from the Central Pollution Control Board for the years 2021 to 2023, the researchers confirmed that fine particulate matter concentrations remained more than two and a half times above national limits, with coarser particles exceeding the threshold by over three times.
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The national capital on Sunday recorded a minimum temperature of 26.8 degrees Celsius, 1.1 notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The relative humidity at 8.30 am stood at 75 per cent. Parts of Delhi received rain on Saturday, giving the impression that the monsoon is around the corner. However, the IMD has not yet officially declared the arrival of the monsoon in the city. Areas in east, west, south, and southeast Delhi recorded rainfall, while northern and central parts of the city remained dry. A yellow alert has ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) Overcast conditions and drizzle covered Delhi on Friday, with the city under an orange alert amid forecasts of light to moderate rain, thunderstorms, or lightning, the IMD said. The city is under an orange alert, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), with a warning of light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms or lightning. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi's Photo on Sanitary Pads: JDU Slams Congress for 'Ideological Bankruptcy' As Party's Unique Women-Centric Initiative Sparks Controversy. A yellow alert was issued for southwest Delhi for the same ...Read More >
GURGAON: The investigation into the murder of a 25-year-old former international tennis player, allegedly by her father, has revealed a sudden deterioration in their relationship. The apparent reason was a disagreement over the academy she ran near their house, but the roots clearly run deeper. The father, who claims to have spent Rs 2 crore on his daughter's tennis career, told interrogators he was troubled by questions about her "character" that some of his associates had raised.Deepak Yadav, who shot Radhika at their house Thursday morning, had allegedly been insisting for two weeks on her ...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 >
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 >
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): The Delhi government has requested Rs 1,000 crore in funding from the Central government to deploy new technology and implement measures aimed at reducing the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital, Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Sunday during an inspection of Nehru Park. Minister Singh visited Nehru Park along with Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, as part of the government's initiative to install air purifiers in the area. Also Read | US: 24-Year-Old Indian Woman Simran Simran Goes Missing Days After Arriving for Arranged Mar ...Read More >
Delhi's Artificial Rain Through Cloud Seeding: To combat air pollution, Delhi is set to witness the first trial of artificial rain, with cloud seeding operations between July 4 and 11. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the flight plan has been submitted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Pune. He said the current weather conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding until July 3, but a tentative flight window has been proposed between July 4 and 11. He added that a proposal has also been sent to the Directorat ...Read More >
New Delhi: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given the final nod to Delhi govt for cloud seeding in the city. However, the govt said that, based on suggestions from meteorologists, trials would now take place between Aug 30 and Sept 10, instead of the previously declared July 4 to 11.Delhi govt has also finalised a tentative flight plan with a map of the area over which the cloud seeding experiment will be conducted. The sorties have been planned over Alipur, Bawana, Rohini, Burari, Pavi Sadakpur and parts of Eastern Peripheral Expressway. A fully equipped aircraft, VT-IIT (Cess ...Read More >
Guwahati: In a major scientific achievement on public health front, research scholars at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have developed an innovative, low-cost method to detect SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus responsible for COVID-19 -- using nothing more than a type of clay and saltwater. This innovative mechanism, which uses sedimentation to determine the presence and quantity of the virus, offers a simpler and more affordable alternative to current diagnostic methods such as PCR and antigen testing. The study, recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Applied Clay Science, could ...Read More >
Fresh spells of rain lashed parts of the national capital on Saturday, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue an 'orange' alert, warning of more showers, thunderstorms, and gusty winds throughout the day. Light to moderate rainfall was reported across east, west, south, and southeast Delhi, with the IMD forecasting wind speeds between 30 to 50 km/h in the coming hours. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 28.7 degree Celsius, 0.8 degrees above the seasonal average, whil ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday attacked the Centre and Rajasthan governments over the reported plan to redraw the boundaries of the Sariska Tiger Reserve for the reactivation of over 50 mining operations, saying the move would be "ecologically devastating". The opposition party also said that with the Rajasthan and Union environment ministers both being from Alwar, this "double engine" cannot be supporting such a move. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report which claimed that a plan to redraw the boundaries of Rajasthan's ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 2: Dosti Realty, a leading brand in the real estate sector recognised for delivering exceptional residential experiences and premium lifestyle projects across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region has announced the "Good Buy 2024" campaign for aspiring homeowners. An ideal way to bid farewell to the year, the Dosti Realty campaign is designed to resonate with the spirit of the year-end, inspiring homebuyers to make meaningful investments that shape their future. Also Read | Farmers Protest: Massive Congestion at Delhi-Noida Border as Police Set Up Barricades Ah ...Read More >
Delhi Weather Update: Delhi experienced dense fog on Thursday morning, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reporting a minimum temperature of 7°C. The fog led to the implementation of low-visibility procedures at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), although flights continued to operate as scheduled. The weather forecast for the coming days indicates that dense fog will persist in the early morning and late-night hours on December 26 and 28. The IMD also predicts partly cloudy skies, with the possibility of very light rain or drizzle during the evening or night. As of Thursd ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a first for the national capital, Delhi is set to witness artificial rain aimed at reducing air pollution, with cloud seeding scheduled between July 4 and 11, subject to weather conditions, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday. The flight plan for the seeding operation has been submitted by IIT Kanpur to IMD Pune for technical coordination, Sirsa told PTI. "Conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding until July 3, but a flight window has been proposed between July 4 and 11," Sirsa said. He added that a proposal has also been sent to the Directorate ...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 >
Bengaluru: A delegation led by chief minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar and some cabinet colleagues met Union defence minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday and sought central support for a wide range of proposals -- from setting up two defence industrial corridors and securing defence land for major infrastructure work in Bengaluru, to hosting an Indian Air Force (IAF) air show during this year's Mysuru Dasara celebrations.In a letter to Singh, Siddaramaiah urged the Centre to establish a defence industrial corridor each in North and South Karnataka, like those announced in Uttar Prade ...Read More >
Gurgaon: A chemist and a lab operator have been arrested for allegedly selling medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) kits illegally. Two separate FIRs were lodged against the accused at Sector 10 and Sector 9A police stations, police said on Friday.The pharmacy was sealed and medical officials have initiated proceedings to cancel its licence. District drugs control officer Suresh Verma said the department received information about illegal sales of MTP kits - also called abortion kits - from Juneja Chemist, located near Civil Hospital. A pregnant woman, who was deployed as a decoy customer, v ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
Delhi's air quality continues to deteriorate with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 304, falling under the "very poor" category. Several areas, including Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, and Mundka, reported severe pollution levels, significantly impacting visibility and health. The National Capital Region (NCR) also saw poor air quality, with areas like Noida and Ghaziabad in the "poor" range. The Supreme Court upheld restrictions under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb pollution. Authorities urge residents to limit outdoor activities and take health precautions as smo ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a first-of-its-kind move for the national capital, Delhi is preparing to witness artificial rain in an ambitious attempt to reduce air pollution in the city. The flight plan for the cloud seeding operation, prepared by IIT Kanpur, has been submitted to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Pune for technical coordination, with the trial set to take place between July 4 and 11, according to the reports. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Saturday that "conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding until July 3, but a flight window has been propos ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi woke up to the coldest December morning on Wednesday as the minimum temperature dropped to 4.9 degree Celsius. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature was recorded 4.9 degree Celsius in Safdarjung area while it was 6.2 degree Celsius in Palam. A thin layer of fog covered several parts of the city today as the morning chill remained till around 9 am. Smog and mist conditions with predominant surface winds from the northwest direction with a speed of eight to ten km per hour are prevailing in the city resulting in the temperature drop, as p ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 26.3 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD has forecast a clear sky with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 40 degrees Celsius. Strong surface winds are expected on Sunday, the weather office said. Also Read | Bihar Police Constable Recruitment 2025: CSBC Rejects 33,042 Applications for Post of Police Constable, Know Reasons Here. Relative humidity was recorded at 60 per cent at 8:30 am. The air quality was rec ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 8 (PTI) Dust-laden winds are expected to continue in the national capital on Monday with generally clear sky, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday. The maximum temperature in Delhi rose to 42.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 2.1 degrees above the seasonal average, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 27.7 degrees Celsius, it said. According to the IMD, strong surface winds are likely in the city on Monday with the maximum temperature expected to hover around 43 degrees Celsius and the minimum around 28 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, the maximum temperat ...Read More >
From Lucknow To Stars: 5 Lesser-Known Facts About Shubhanshu Shukla - 1st Indian On International Space Station CBSE Supplementary Exam Schedule 2025: The Central Board of Education (CBSE) has officially released the timetable of the Class 10th and Class 12th Supplementary Exams. Students who could not clear the class 10th or 12th exams (not more than two) or want to improve their scores can check their exam schedule through the official website, i.e. cbse.gov.in. The exams will start from 15th July, 2025 so students are advised to prepare accordingly. The exam will start at 10:30 AM and wil ...Read More >
Delhi is gearing up for its first artificial rain initiative between July 4 and 11, aiming to combat air pollution. The Environment Department, under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is pioneering this effort, with IIT Kanpur providing the cloud-seeding technology. Despite past criticisms, the government emphasizes its commitment to clean air, finalizing plans for the trial after securing necessary approvals.In a first for the national capital, Delhi is set to witness artificial rain aimed at reducing ...Read More >
Jaipur: In a decisive move, the state govt informed the Rajasthan High Court Tuesday it would not cancel the controversial 2021 sub-inspector recruitment examination, despite allegations of paper leaks and use of dummy candidates. After months of protests for and against the demand to cancel the exam as well as the court's directives for administrative clarity in the matter, the state govt finally made its stand clear during the hearing before the single bench of Justice Sameer Jain.Advocate general Rajendra Prasad, representing the state govt, said, "The decision to continue with the recruitm ...Read More >