Weekly Environmental News Roundup for Week 4, 2025
Weekly environmental news roundup from across different media networks for Week 4 (20 to 26 Jan) 2025.
1. Forest dept, MCD bicker in NGT over tree pruning in Paschim Vihar
Delhi’s forest and wildlife department has informed the National Green Tribunal that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi carried out “excessive” pruning of trees in parts of Paschim Vihar.
2. MCD to plant 1k trees in W Delhi
The Delhi Forest Department has informed NGT that the tree officer has directed the MCD to plant 1,000 trees in Paschim Vihar during the upcoming plantation season (Feb to July 2025) after the civic agency excessively pruned the trees in the area.
3. Delhi HC Issues notice on plea for tree transplantation
The Delhi High Court has addressed an Intervention Application seeking an approval for the transplantation of 26 trees located within the Supreme Court premises.
4. SC says need to see gravity of contempt on tree felling in Delhi Ridge, reserves verdict
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it needed to see the gravity of contempt after a plea alleged tree felling in Delhi Ridge area for widening of a road in violation of its orders.
5. Delhi HC issues notice on plea for tree transplantation in SC expansion project
The Delhi High Court has issued a notice in response to an Intervention Application seeking permission for the transplantation of 26 trees within the Supreme Court premises.
6. 168 bird species recorded this year for Delhi Bird Atlas survey
Over 168 bird species have been recorded in the Capital between January 1 and 20, featuring on 361 checklists gathered by birders as part of the Delhi Bird Atlas—a detailed guide with bird species in Delhi, their geographical distribution and habitat that is being collated this year.
7. Delhi Jal Board to set up STP at Vasant Kunj
The Delhi Jal Board has informed the National Green Tribunal that it has acquired land near Vasant Kunj blocks E-1 and E-2 for the construction of a new sewage treatment plant in the area.
8. Waste from Delhi’s Bhalswa landfill site ‘falls’ on nearby houses, police say teams checking claim
A small portion of waste from the Bhalswa landfill fell onto adjacent houses near the Sharadhanand Colony in Delhi’s outer north district on Sunday, locals claimed but police said teams were checking “if any such incident took place”.
9. HC to examine who’s in charge of Aerocity’s waste management
Whose writ runs in Aerocity, the hub of hotel chains, when it comes to waste management?
10. Unable to relocate dhalao near AIIMS: Civic body to NGT
Municipal Corporation of Delhi has submitted a report to National Green Tribunal asserting that it is unable to relocate the garbage collection point, or dhalao, near AIIMS which was causing pollution in the area.
11. Environmental norms flouted during construction in Noida’s green belt
Violations of environmental norms during a construction project in Noida’s Sector 107 green belt have prompted the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to recommend a penalty of ₹50,000 against the Noida authority’s contracted agency.
12. 686 trees guarded by PLPA cover to face axe for roads, govt nod a violation: Plea in NGT
A recent application filed with the National Green Tribunal has challenged the legality of forest department permits authorising the felling of 686 trees for the construction of roads in the city, highlighting potential violations of the Punjab Land Preservation Act.
13. Gautam Budh Nagar: Bar association urged to form ‘Environmental Law Advisory Centre’
To ensure free legal consultation and assistance for residents grappling with environmental issues, such as pollution, water quality, and deteriorating conditions of the Hindon and Yamuna rivers, the bar association of the district court has been urged to set up a “District Environmental Law Advisory Center” in Gautam Budh Nagar, the association’s representatives said on Monday.
14. NGT seeks answers from UP Govt on delay in notification of Dhanauri Wetland near Jewar airport
The principal bench of the National Green Tribunal on Wednesday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to place on record in four weeks the status of notifying the Dhanauri water body near Jewar airport as a wetland.
An affidavit submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board, the country’s top pollution control watchdog, to the National Green Tribunal on Friday reflected on the tardy progress in filling up vacancies across pollution control boards in the country in compliance with a NGT order.
Over a year after a glacial lake outburst flood ravaged parts of Sikkim and washed away a 60-metre-high rockfill concrete dam of the 1200-MW Teesta-III hydel project, an environment ministry panel has cleared a proposal to build a new 118.64-m-high concrete gravity dam in its place.