It is time we focused on strengthening the capacity of regulatory agencies It is time we recognised that the current ways of fixing the environment are not working. Rivers are more contaminated; air is more polluted and cities are filling up with garbage we cannot handle. The question is: where are we going wrong? What do we need to do?
THE EASIEST way to clear air pollution is to not know how bad it is. This is what India practices—in most parts of the country. There is virtually no equipment to monitor the air we breathe and no system that tells us what we should do when pollution levels are up and unhealthy.
In Goa mines are closed. In Bellary, iron ore mines, once closed, have been opened on the condition that they will now follow a plan for environmental restoration and will not indulge in unseemly and distasteful activities. But the institutions for checking the reformed miners are still in disarray. They cannot monitor and enforce the rules. So, believe it or not, little will actually change in the Bellary landscape.
Twenty-eight years after the lethal gas leak at Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, the 350 tonnes of toxic waste lying at the defunct factory is likely to be airlifted to Germany for safe disposal. The disposal process, however, will start only after India’s Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules of 2008, which forbid export and import of hazardous waste, are amended. Read more
New Delhi, May 7: Taking a serious view of the allegations that an ailing and contaminated US ship ‘Oriental Nicety’ has entered Indian shores to get its last rites done at Gujarat’s ship breaking grave yard, the Supreme Court has issued notices. Read More
Feb 6: India has unhealthiest air in the world amongst 132 countries ranked globally by scientists at Yale and Columbia Universities for the Environment Performance Index (EPI) 2012.
BANGALORE, December 4: Hospital waste or biomedical waste (BMW) is one of the most hazardous components of environmental pollution and about 40 tonnes are being generated every day in the city. It's a worrying issue given the increasing number of people visiting healthcare centres and hospitals every day. Read More
Lucknow, November 30: Around 20 per cent of overall distillery capacity in Uttar Pradesh has closed due to a crackdown by the government through regular raids from the state excise department. Read More
HYDERABAD, October 30: ONGC has requested the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board to organise a public hearing in the first week of November on exploration of its 24 blocks in the
NEW DELHI, October 25: The industry ministry is likely to seek union cabinet's nod on Tuesday for its manufacturing policy, having secured the consent of the environment and labour ministries that had stalled it the last time. Read More
Gurgaon , October 21: In order to check pollution during Diwali, the district pollution control board has embarked on a mission to make students pledge to celebrate the festival without crackers. Read More
Panaji, October 18: The Mormugao Port, caught in the eye of a storm after it was hit by allegations of allowing export of illegal ore both from Goa and Karnataka, has now decided to act and stop dubious ships from leaving port. Read More
PANAJI, October 13: The high court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday directed eleven village panchayats to file detailed affidavits stating what steps have been taken to ensure compliance with an earlier orders of the court on garbage disposal. Read More
Panaji, October 7: A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report that has unveiled a Rs. 3,500 crore illegal mining scam will not be tabled on Friday, the last day of the two-day monsoon session of the state assembly. The day's agenda does not list the report.
Mumbai, October 1:
Kochi, September 30: The State Pollution Control Board has pulled up the Kochi Corporation for not renewing the authorisation under the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules for collection, segregation, transportation and suitable disposal of municipal waste. Read More