A green NGO today attacked the recent statements on the issue of environmental clearances to big ticket projects in the country and termed it as an "orchestrated campaign" to dismantle green regulatory controls.

In its statement, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) also said present system of granting clearances was not working while calling for better regulations and more effective monitoring of the projects.

The Centre for Science and Environment on Friday said all clearances - environment, forests, wildlife and coastal - should be consolidated to avoid delays in decision-making.

No Rules For Disposal Of Debris Or Standard For Reuse In Construction
New Delhi: Where do the debris (m a l b a) left after the renovation of your house go? Either it remains near your plot, or is dumped along roads, vacant plots and water bodies. In Delhi, for instance, tons of debris are dumped on the Yamuna floodplains, choking it gradually. If planners decide, the debris from construction can be put to better use, like making new roads, buildings, pavements and even flooring tiles, with some effort.

With a spurt in urbanisation, cities are facing serious environmental consequences due to construction and demolition waste which needs to be recycled and reused, experts said here Monday.

At a seminar "Waste to Resource", experts pointed out ways and means to reuse construction material to build buildings which are sustainable.

India belched over 626 million tones of construction and demolition (C&D) waste in 2013, which is 52 times more than the ministry of environment and forests’ estimate of construction and demolition waste.

The MoEF continues to quote the grossly underestimated figure of 10-12 million tones of waste being generated annually. This is a decade-old estimate given to the ministry in 2000 by the ministry of urban development.

The Delhi Master Plan 2021 should make it mandatory for each zone to have a designated area for waste disposal, said Sunita Narain, Director-General of the Centre for Science and Environment on Monday

Ms. Narain said: “The new Master Plan needs to have an environment service zone so that no zonal plan can be passed on disposal of liquid or solid waste without its approval.”

Does the Indian government's loud voice in international negotiations lead to results?

India has emerged as a "voice" in climate change and trade negotiations.

A month after she was hit by a car while cycling near AIIMS Flyover, environmentalist Sunita Narain is recuperating slowly but is confident of getting back in the saddle.

Adani Ports and SEZ has challenged the environment ministry’s decision to impose penalties on it for environmental violations, setting the stage for a faceoff between the government and the company