Weekly Environmental News Update for Week 12, 2022

Weekly environmental news update from across different media networks for Week 12 (March 21 to 27) 2022.

1. Delhi is world’s most polluted capital, 35 Indian cities in top 50: Report
   Delhi continued to be the world’s most polluted capital city for the fourth consecutive year, according to the World Air Quality Report.
2. Real-time pollution data from Aug 1
   Real-time data on the sources of pollution in Delhi will be available from August 1.
3. Delhi, Kolkata among world’s noisiest cities, UN report says UP’s Moradabad ranks second globally
   Five Indian cities including the national capital have been ranked among the world’s noisiest as per the United Nations Environment Programme’s latest report.
4. Delhi: Close to 30% of capital’s sewage flows untreated into Yamuna
   Of the total sewage generated in the city, around 29% flowed untreated into the Yamuna between April and December last year.
5. Allocation to DJB projects doubled
   Delhi government has doubled the budget for Delhi Jal Board projects this fiscal.
6. Yamuna clean-up, 24×7 water supply in focus as funds double for projects
   The Delhi government doubled its allocation to the water sector from 5% to over 10% of the ₹75,800 crore budget, giving a push to cleaning up the Yamuna river and providing 24×7 water supply to all residents.
7. Water-positive airport in Delhi: IGI will have 2 underground reservoirs
   Aiming to become a water-positive airport, the Delhi airport is coming up with two huge underground reservoirs for rainwater harvesting.
8. Delhi’s wetland authority orders agencies to test city water bodies
   Delhi’s State Wetland Authority has asked all land-owning agencies in the Capital to test samples from water bodies to assess how many fail to meet pollution standards in order to take corrective action.
9. Delhi govt budget: Rs 266 cr set aside for environment and forest sector
   The Delhi government set aside Rs 266 crore for the environment and forest sector in the Budget for the financial year 2022-23.
10. Scientists find microplastics in blood for first time
    Scientists have discovered microplastics in human blood for the first time, warning that the ubiquitous particles could also be making their way into organs.
11. India wants to phase out tube lights by 2030
    India has sought time till 2030 to phase out linear fluorescent lamps or tube lights to reduce adverse effects of mercury.
12. Noida to get decentralised solid waste management plants
    Noida will form clusters and establish common waste processing facilities in the form of decentralised solid waste management.
13. 48 pc samples from Delhi’s STPs didn’t meet wastewater standards in 2021-22: Outcome Budget
    Around half of the samples collected from STPs in Delhi in the financial year 2021-22 did not meet the prescribed standards for wastewater, according to the city government’s Outcome Budget.
14. Less than a quarter of target villages got solid, liquid waste infrastructure this year
    Swacch Bharat Mission comes up short of its second phase targets.
15. Ex post facto environmental clearance allowed in exceptional cases: SC
    Ex post facto green clearances can be granted in exceptional circumstances even after taking into account all environmental impacts, the Supreme Court has observed.
16. Delhi govt to train women in urban farming, to set up a vet college
    The Delhi government will conduct sessions across all municipal wards in the city to train women in urban farming and set up a veterinary college for the treatment of pets.
17. Economic survey: Delhi green cover up to 342 sq km from 324 sq km in 2019
    The push towards large-scale plantation of saplings across Delhi has taken the total green cover in the national capital to 342 sq km – 23.06% of the total geographical area – from 324 sq km in 2019.
18. Biodiversity count: 23,907 birds of 159 species seen in Delhi
    A total of 23,907 birds of 159 species belonging to 53 families were recorded at Delhi Development Authority’s seven biodiversity parks during a counting exercise.
19. Delhi govt to develop 3,000 acres of land into parks; CM seeks DPR within 15 days
    The Delhi government will transform the national capital into a city of world-class parks by developing about 3,000 acres of land into state-of-the-art facilities across 17 city forests under the Mukhyamantri Park Saundaryakaran Yojna.
20. India eyes river basin plantation to meet climate goal
    India intends to grow plantations over 4,68,222 sq km, by 2027 in 13 major river basins to meet its international commitment to sequester carbon emissions.
21. Indian banks found wanting on the climate change challenge and green transition
    The report, Unprepared: India’s big banks score poorly on climate challenge released earlier this month by think tank Climate Risk Horizons.
22. The world observes Earth hour to draw attention to climate change
    Various countries from around the world have observed Earth hour to draw attention to climate change.
23. Birds are laying eggs earlier as climate change shifts springs
    With climate change spurring earlier springs across much of North America, many birds are laying their eggs earlier in the year, according to a new study.
24. US based Sikh organisation plants 400 sacred forests as part of climate action
    A US-based Sikh organisation has announced that it has planted 400 forests in India and other parts of the world as part of its climate action.
25. UN commission reaffirms women leadership to address climate change
    The 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) closed its two-week long session, acknowledging the important role of women and girls as agents of change for sustainable development.