Weekly Green News Update for Week 51 (Dec 14 to 20), 2015

weekly-media-roundup

Weekly green news update from across different media networks for week 51 (between Dec 14 to 20) 2015.

1. Delhi govt turns to aam aadmi to fight war on pollution

The next time you see a vehicle belching out toxic smoke in the city, you may be able to get it challaned.

2. NGT junks scientist’s plea for closure of Delhi Secretariat

The National Green Tribunal today refused to entertain a plea by a scientist seeking a direction to close down the Delhi Secretariat building on the ground that it violates mandatory pollution norms.

3. NGT orders inspection of waste-to-energy & thermal plants in Delhi

With landfill sites bursting at their seems, the National Green Tribunal on Thursday constituted a “high-powered team” to inspect the Bawana and Ghazipur plants and also the operation of thermal power plants at Rajghat and Badarpur besides also assessing the ambient air quality at the said sites

4. Used car dealers in Delhi oppose NGT restrictions on diesel cars

Recently proposed restrictions by National Green Tribunal on registration of diesel cars in Delhi next year onwards has not gone down well with used car dealers in the city, apart from those who have a fetish for diesel cars.

5. After a cleaner phase, pollutants in Delhi’s air on rise again

Pollutants in the city’s air is on the rise again, dragging down its quality to ‘very poor’ category, which comes after a relatively cleaner phase when a steady fall was observed in the levels of suspended particulate matters PM 2.5 and PM 10.

6. Seven key decisions by Supreme Court to check Delhi’s pollution

In a major fillip to Delhi’s efforts in stemming pollution, the Supreme Court has banned the registration of diesel SUVs and cars above 2000cc in the national capital till March 31. Apart from that, the top court raised by 100 per cent the green cess being levied on commercial vehicles entering Delhi.

7. Delhi: Notice to 8 construction site for flouting dust pollution

Delhi government today served notices to eight major construction projects, including one of the Airport Authority of India, for flouting dust pollution norms on a day it officially discussed the IIT-Kanpur report for the first time.

8. 18 Delhi Drains Contribute Most In Polluting Yamuna, Says Union Minister Uma Bharti

A total of 18 drains of Delhi, whose water flows into the Yamuna, create 80 per cent pollution in the river, Water Resources and River Development Minister Uma Bharti said today as she announced that an ambitious project to clear Yamuna will begin in April 2016.

9. Urban flood management in Delhi’s changing climate

At the COP21 talks in Paris, Chennai had been brought up as an unfortunate exhibit of the perfect storm triggered by climate change and indiscriminate urban planning.

10. Delhi’s not alone on poor air quality: UP is also gasping for breath

The furore over high levels of pollution has been largely restricted to Delhi. However, the Central Pollution Control Board’s list of critically polluted cities includes Varanasi and Kanpur while Lucknow shows highly polluted air quality. according to National Air Quality Index.

11. Northeast faces rise in temperature

The northeastern region has been projected to face a rise in temperature of 1.8 to 2.1 degrees Celsius, DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

12. US ready to offer expertise to clean Ganga

The US ambassador to India, Richard Rahul Verma on Thursday said that the US is ready to offer its tech experience and expertise to clean the river Ganga- PM Narendra Modi’s pet project aimed at making the river free from pollution.

13. Vehicular emissions may rise 19 times by 2020

An eight-year study, from 2008-2015, conducted by IIT-Roorkee, University of Minnesota, US, and University of Surrey, UK, has shown that emissions from vehicles in Delhi have increased up to three times between 1991 and 2011; these could rise by up to 19 times by 2020.

14. Beijing issues 2nd smog red alert of the month

China’s capital Beijing issued its second smog red alert of the month, triggering vehicle restrictions and forcing schools to close.

Shilpi Chakravarty

Shilpi Chakravarty is an environmental professional with a master's degree in environmental studies from the University of Delhi. She works to use her professional skills for making the planet a better place to live on.

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