Weekly Environmental News Update for Week 14, 2021

Weekly environmental news update from across different media networks for Week 14 (April 05 to April 11) 2021.

1. Smoke from fires in Uttarakhand worsens Delhi’s air quality
   At 279, Delhi’s air quality was in the “poor” category overall on Tuesday, which according to the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app means “breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure.”
2. NW Delhi village becoming new hub of illegal units; DPCC notice to 80
   With over 80 factories being served show-cause notices by Delhi Pollution Control Committee for causing air and water pollution, Libaspur village in northwest Delhi has become a hub of illegal industrial units.
3. Delhi trying to conceal its water mismanagement, Haryana tells SC
   Says Delhi responsible for increased Ammonia levels in drinking water supplied to its residents.
4. AAP Govt Goes Against Delhi HC Decision on Construction on Water Bodies
   In Delhi’s Budella, the Kejriwal government is building Sahitya Kala Parishad on a dried-up water body. The villagers The Wire spoke with said they want the water body to be revived.
5. ‘Expedite all water projects’: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal directs officials
   A week after expressing unhappiness over slow progress on the Clean Yamuna project, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday asked top officials to expedite projects regarding clean drinking water to every household in the city.
6. Clean Yamuna project: 13 effluent treatment plants slapped with fine of ₹12 crore
   Environment minister Gopal Rai said the DPCC has issued show cause notices to 13 common effluent treatment plants, which are entrusted with the treatment of wastewater in the city, and imposed environment compensation charge of over ₹12 crore for violating protocols under the Clean Yamuna project.
7. Delhi: RWAs approach LG over sealing of borewells in parks
   Borewells in most of the parks have either been sealed, or are going to be sealed soon by municipality on the instructions of National Green Tribunal.
8. NGT sets up committee on waste collection management in Delhi
   The joint committee will also have members from the Central Pollution Control Board, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the municipal corporations. It has been asked to hold a meeting on the issue within 1 month.
9. 251 plastic units asked for action plan on waste
   Delhi Pollution Control Committee has sought an extended producers responsibility action plan under the Pastic Waste Management (Amendment) Act from 251 industrial units that manufacture plastic bags.
10. After Delhi, Gurugram to get ‘Waste to Wonder’ park with 30 sculptures
    Gurugram will soon be getting its own ‘Waste to Wonder’ Park. The project, which was first executed in Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan, became a popular destination for tourists.
11. 32L saplings planted, 210% higher than target: Rai
    Environment minister Gopal Rai  said Delhi government had planted 32 lakh saplings in 2020-21 – 210% more than the target of 15.2 lakh – that has contributed in curbing air pollution and affected the environmental conditions in  positively.
12. NGT raps Gurugram, Faridabad local bodies on environmental rights
    Rs 148.46 cr damage from Bandhwari site, says CPCB report.
13. Cabinet nod to reimplement law on fighting NCR’s bad air
    The Union cabinet approved the re-promulgation of ordinance on air quality management in NCR and adjoining areas.
14. Akshay Kumar, Leonardo DiCaprio honoured for environmental preservation
    Akshay Kumar, Leonardo DiCaprio honoured by the Golden Globe Honours Foundation for environmental conservation.
15. India on track to meet Paris pact commitments: PM Modi at Kerry meet
    “PM noted that India is committed to meeting its nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement and that it was among the few countries on track to meet these commitments,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
16. Nearly 300 biodiversity ‘hotspots’ at risk of extinction due to global warming: Study
    The effects of climate change and global warming were threatening the Earth’s most valuable and richest habitats, home to innumerable animal and plant life.

With inputs from Kavita