Weekly Environmental News Roundup for Week 15, 2025
Weekly environmental news roundup from across different media networks for Week 15 (7 to 13 April) 2025.
1. Delhi Has Highest PM 10 Levels Among 130 Cities Covered Under National Clean Air Programme: Report
A new analysis has revealed that in the financial year 2024-25, Delhi recorded the highest PM 10 (particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers) levels among the 130 cities which were covered under the Union Government’s National Clean Air Programme).
2. Delhi govt to mount 1,000 water sprinklers on streetlight poles to combat dust pollution: CM
In a novel step to combat air pollution year-round, the Delhi government will install 1,000 water sprinklers on streetlight poles to suppress dust, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced.
3. Delhi government sets up a dedicated unit to monitor key infra, environmental projects
The Delhi Government has constituted a dedicated Project Monitoring Unit to oversee major infrastructure and environmental schemes in the capital.
4. “You’ll get water twice a day”: Delhi CM inaugurates several development projects in Shalimar Bagh
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated several development projects in her constituency, Shalimar Bagh, on Tuesday.
5. 564 MLD wastewater plant in Okhla ready, to help clean Yamuna
The wastewater treatment facility at Okhla, with a capacity of 564 MLD and developed by Delhi Jal Board, is now fully functional.
6. Delhi’s old car no fuel policy to kick in soon, most fuel stations get cameras to scan vehicles
With 477 fuel refilling stations in Delhi equipped with a system to detect the age of vehicles, the government was just 23 installations away from rolling out the ‘no fuel for overage vehicles’ policy to curb air pollution.
7. Extraction of water through illegal borewells not less than sin: Delhi High Court
Extraction of water through illegal borewells is nothing less than a sin, the Delhi High Court has observed while calling for imposition of “some kind of deterrence” on offenders.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday expressed disappointment over the “neglect and decay” of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Combating Climate Change and blamed former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s ” obsession with greed and self-promotion” for it.
9. Delhi’s new EV policy aims to create 20,000 jobs; targets 95% electric vehicle registrations by 2027
The new EV policy may create 20,000 jobs by establishing a city-wide network of charging and swappable battery stations, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday.
10. North India is on the verge of an extreme heatwave, IMD issues yellow alert
It’s only April, but a heatwave is already sweeping across North India.
11. Environment Ministry notifies new rules to make builders pay for debris disposal
In a bid to mitigate construction dust, a byproduct of building activities and a major air pollutant, the Union environment ministry has notified the Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025.
12. Delhi Jal Board to install 11-km pipeline to fix ammonia woes in city
Delhi Jal Board will start a project to install an 11-kilometre pipeline, aiming to resolve intermittent water supply issues in Delhi caused by elevated ammonia concentration in the Yamuna.
13. Mayur Vihar Phase III residents complain of foul-smelling water
Several residents of Pocket B 7 in Mayur Vihar Phase III have been complaining of foul-smelling water being supplied to their homes for around a month now, with many alleging they are facing health issues.
14. Delhi Jal Board Launches Rs 3 Bn Project Under AMRUT Scheme
The Delhi Jal Board has initiated a Rs 3-billion infrastructure project under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation to address the recurring issue of interrupted water supply in the capital.
15. Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board seeks water, health check ups at shelter homes
The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board has approached multiple civic bodies and government departments, urging them to ramp up essential services at shelter homes across the capital.
16. Garbage ‘user fee’ triggers new war of words in MCD
The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday alleged that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, on directions of its commissioner, has “unilaterally” begun to levy a garbage user fee for solid waste management from the Capital’s residents.
17. Anger mounts in Bawana over new Waste-to-Energy plant
In the shadow of North West Delhi’s industrial expanse, where factories buzz and smokestacks loom, a storm of public anger is brewing.
18. ‘Mini forest vanished overnight’: Case lodged into Dwarka tree felling
On Tuesday, a resident of Himachal Apartments in Dwarka’s Sector 5 was alarmed when he saw several trees had been felled on a nearby plot.
19. Transplantation of 26 trees for SC expansion project gets Delhi HC approval
The High Court has authorised the transplantation of 26 trees to facilitate the Supreme Court’s expansion project, which aims to provide additional courtrooms, a dedicated constitutional court, and more chambers for judges, along with essential amenities for advocates and litigants.
20. 100 people killed in freak lightning storms across northern and eastern India
At least 100 people have been killed in the past 24 hours across three northern Indian states due to intense thunderstorms and lightning strikes, according to local authorities, as rainfall brings some relief to the searing heatwave.
21. Climate Change & The Silent Storm: India’s Growing Mental Health Crisis
For decades, climate change has been perceived primarily through the lenses of environmental degradation and economic disruption.
22. India Among 63 Nations Supporting First-Ever Global Carbon Tax on Shipping
In a groundbreaking move to tackle climate change, 63 countries, including India, have voted in favour of the world’s first global carbon tax for the shipping industry.
23. Dhaka seeks cooperation from New Delhi in renewing Ganges water treaty: Khalilur
Bangladesh interim government chief adviser’s high representative Khalilur Rahman sought optimum cooperation from India on Tuesday in renewing the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty as it will expire in 2026.
24. Climate change fund: $319mn available for Loss and Damage
A road map for the start-up phase of the fund for responding to Loss and Damage was put up for agreement by the Board of the Fund which includes representation from developed and developing country parties on Thursday at its 5th board meeting in Barbados, but experts say some of the provisions pose significant concerns over potential dilution of its purpose and effectiveness.
