Is India’s national clean air plan on track?
After sustained pressure from both civil society and courts over the past few years, the Indian government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in January 2019. Now, one year…
Dust storms could spread microbes, finds study
In early April 2015, as wind-borne dust particles, remnants from a major dust storm in the Gulf region, made their way towards the Indian peninsula, a group of citizen scientists…
‘E’ for elections. ‘E’ for environment: Our top stories exploring where environment featured in the 2019 elections
2019 was the year of elections. Starting with the biggest festival of democracy - the elections to the parliament - India witnessed elections every few months at various levels of…
Can Kolkata clean its air by 2030? Step up on advanced technology, clean fuels, study suggests
What’s the future of air quality in Kolkata? There’s unlikely to be an improvement if policies maintain status quo. Current policies and measures are not sufficient to substantially cut down…
Delhi’s air pollution paves the exit route for urban families
“It felt like apocalypse.” The year was 2016 and it was a day after Diwali, one of India’s biggest festivals. Mukuta Das, a young woman who lived in Gurgaon in…
Ludhiana attempts to come clean, again
In August this year, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) filed a criminal case against the mayor, commissioner and four other officials of the Municipal Corporation of Ludhiana, a large…
[Commentary] The Paddy Paradox: A cauldron of flawed practices and faulty measures
Winters in north India paint a dystopian picture. Hazardous smog and poor visibility bring life to a standstill. The Hollywood movies prophesising an imminent apocalypse resurface from the corners of…
31st birthday gift: a world with net-zero emissions?
Do you have family or friends celebrating the arrival of their newborn? Wondering what to gift the baby? How about a pollution-free environment? Young people around the globe are striking…
Develop time-bound action plans for critically polluted areas: MoEFCC tells state governments
With about 100 industrial clusters polluting air and water across the country, India’s environment ministry has called for proper environmental management of these clusters. To restore the environment quality of…
Natural, man-made air pollutants tinkering with Guwahati’s rainwater
As rapidly-expanding Guwahati, northeast India’s largest metropolis, gears up to clean its air under the National Clean Air Policy (NCAP), a study suggests a cocktail of natural and man-made pollutants…
