Weekly Environmental News Update for Week 49, 2021

Weekly environmental news update from across different media networks for Week 49 (Dec 06 to 12) 2021.

1. Delhi air quality improves marginally to ‘poor’ category, AQI at 256
   The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research portal of the Ministry of Earth Sciences reported an air quality index of 256.
2. Schools stay shut, but pollution panel may rethink building ban
   Schools and educational institutions in Delhi-NCR continue to remain shut as the CAQM is still to review its closure order issued earlier this month.
3. Supreme Court directs Air Quality Commission to decide on relaxing curbs in Delhi
   Bench issues order as air quality improves in national capital.
4. After SC rap, efforts stepped up to control air pollution in Delhi
   Daily inspections by Transport Dept. to check polluting vehicles jump by 248.1%.
5. Instances of burning stubble haven’t noticeably come down from last year
   Punjab accounted for a high number of fires and there was a sharp increase in Haryana.
6. Delhi pollution: Shut industries not running on PNG, orders CAQM
   In a set of directions issued on November 16, CAQM ordered all industries in the NCR having access to gas infrastructure to not run on any other fuel, failing which they will be shut down.
7. 477 industries in NCR to remain shut till December 12 for not using cleaner fuel
   According to industry owners, shutting industries even for four days takes a toll on both businesses and production.
8. Delhi needs strict regional, local action to tackle air pollution, study finds
   With the national capital region gasping for breath yet again, a new study presents pathways to reduce PM2.5 concentrations and models different future scenarios.
9. Action against 30 Delhi Jal Board employees for erroneous meter readings
   Delhi Jal Board has suspended 10 employees and sacked 20 outsourced employees due to erroneous water meter readings.
10. Delhi Jal Board revises its billing system
    The water consumption bills issued to city residents should not exceed more than one-and-a-half times the amount of the bill in the previous month.
11. Water quality in lower stretches of Ganga alarming: Study
    Amid threats of increasing floods in Ganga, scientists have found water quality in the lower stretches of the river to be alarming.
12. DCCDL gets US LEED zero water certification for DLF Cybercity, Gurugram
    Realty major DLF  said its rental arm DCCDL has received US Green Building Council’s LEED zero water certification for water conservation in its commercial buildings at Gurugram.
13. Gurugram: 26 detained for protesting against WTE plant in Bandhwari landfill
    Police detained 26 people from Gurugram Sector 14  for protesting against the foundation stone laying ceremony of the waste to energy plant in Bandhwari landfill.
14. Haiderpur wetland in Uttar Pradesh is new Ramsar site
    India has designated the Haiderpur wetland as the country’s 47th Ramsar site.
15. NGT orders Auroville Foundation to stop tree-felling
    The National Green Tribunal has ordered Auroville Foundation and Town Development Council to stall tree-felling until the next hearing.
16. Tiger spotted in north Bengal’s Buxa Tiger Reserve after two decades
    A tiger was spotted at the Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal after almost two decades, forest officials in West Bengal said.
17. ‘Disastrous’ plastic use in farming threatens food safety – UN
    Food and Agriculture Organization says most plastics are burned, buried or lost after use.
18. Indian woman researcher discovers over 50 species of frogs
    Sonali Garg, a researcher at Delhi University, has described 50 new species of frogs from India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
19. Hyundai to launch six EVs in India by 2028
    The Korean auto major will invest Rs 4,000 crore to develop dedicated EV- as well as ICE-derived platforms in India.