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The Delhi government has received 84,765 complaints related to pollution through its Green Delhi App so far this year. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Public Works Department (PWD), and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) are the civic agencies handling the bulk of the grievances. The MCD accounted for the highest number of complaints at 54,878, of which 46,279 (84.33 per cent) have been resolved, while 8,599 remain pending. The PWD received 12,327 complaints, resolving 10,803 (87.64 per cent) and leaving 1,524 unresolved. The DDA registered 4,795 complaints, addressing 4,424 (92.26 per cent) with 371 still pending. The data is based on the department-wise complaint report available on the Green Delhi App, maintained by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) under the Department of Environment, Government of Delhi. The Green Delhi App, launched by the Delhi government in 2020, enables residents to report pollution issues by uploading pictures or videos, taggi

Environment

TREND | 24 Dec 2024

Delhi Pollution: Stringent Curbs Under GRAP Stage 4 Revoked

NDTV Profit

Delhi's air pollution levels showed a declining trend on Tuesday and the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 369 at 4:00 p.m.

Environment

TREND | 23 Dec 2024

Residential sector key source of PM2.5 pollution in north India: Study

Business Standard

Pollution in east, north and central Indian cities primarily comes from residential and transportation sectors, while in western India, industry and energy are the main contributors to local PM2.5 pollution, a study has found. Published in the journal Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, the study also found that PM2.5 pollution in cities in south India majorly comes from the industry and residential sectors. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Maharashtra, and the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, analysed pollution levels in 53 cities, having more than a million population during the winter of 2015-2016. Residential emissions -- from burning biomass for cooking and heating -- were found to be the leading contributor to local PM2.5 pollution in Srinagar (68 per cent), Varanasi (37 per cent), Allahabad (34 per cent) and Kanpur (33 per cent). The transportation sector's contribution to local PM2.5 pollution was found to be higher in north Indian .

Environment

TREND | 22 Dec 2024

Meghalaya sees 84 sq km decrease in forest cover between 2021-2023: ISFR

Business Standard

Meghalaya lost over 84 sq km forest cover between 2021 and 2023, according to the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR). Except for Sikkim, which reported an increase of 2 sq km forest cover, all other states in the northeast region witnessed a reduction of the area under forests, it said. The region, with 7.98 per cent of land area, collectively contributes 21.08 per cent of India's forest and tree cover, the ISFR, 2023, said. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav, had launched the report at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun on Saturday. It showed a nationwide increase of 1,445 sq km in total forest and tree cover recorded since 2021. While the study did not specify what caused the loss of forest cover in Meghalaya, forest officials in the state said human activities, including agricultural expansion, increased settlement and infrastructure development are suspected to be the reasons. The report also made mention about jhum...

Environment

TREND | 21 Dec 2024, 10:00PM

Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh record sharp rise in forest fires: ISFR

Business Standard

Uttarakhand reported the highest number of forest fires this season, with incidents rising fourfold, according to government data. Himachal Pradesh witnessed a 14-fold increase in forest fires compared to the previous season. The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) - 2023, released on Saturday, showed that Uttarakhand recorded 5,351 forest fires in the last season (November 2022 to June 2023), ranking 13th among all states. This season, the number surged to 21,033, making it the state with the most forest fires. Himachal Pradesh, which recorded only 704 forest fires last season, saw the number rise sharply to 10,136 this season. Odisha, which recorded 20,973 incidents this season against 33,461 last season, ranked second, followed by Chhattisgarh (18,950), Andhra Pradesh (18,174), Maharashtra (16,008), Madhya Pradesh (15,878) and Telangana (13,479). Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who released the report, said forest fires were the biggest problem confronting his...

UP registers second-highest green cover increase in country as per ISFR

Business Standard | 21 Dec 2024, 08:09PM

Environment

TREND | 19 Dec 2024

Delhi govt imposes perpetual ban on manufacture, use, sale of firecrackers

Business Standard

The Delhi government on Thursday imposed a "perpetual ban" on the manufacture, use and sale of firecrackers, including through online platforms, in the national capital, according to an official order. Principal Secretary (environment) of the Delhi government A K Singh invoked the "perpetual ban" on firecrackers under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The ban covers the manufacturing, storage, and selling, including delivery through online marketing platforms, of all kinds of firecrackers and their bursting in Delhi, said the order. The move comes amid Delhi facing hazardous air pollution levels leading to a range of restrictions including a ban on construction activities and entry of trucks in the city.

Environment

TREND | 18 Dec 2024

Fog covers Delhi-NCR amid cold wave, temperature drops to 5 degrees Celsius

Business Standard

India cold wave: The air quality in Delhi remained in the 'severe' category, as the overall AQI was 442 at 8 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

Delhi's air quality 'severe' at 442, temperature drops to 5 degrees Celsius

Business Line | 18 Dec 2024

Environment

TREND | 17 Dec 2024

Delhi AQI Turns 'Severe', City Under Strictest Air Pollution Curbs

NDTV Profit

The GRAP Stage 4 curbs were imposed only hours after GRAP Stage 3 restrictions were put in place in Delhi as AQI worsened during the day.

Delhi Pollution: GRAP III Measures Invoked As Air Quality Worsens

NDTV Profit | 16 Dec 2024