Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

India braces for drought as El Niño looms

Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi, said this year’s strong El Nino is unfolding as climate change is already making India’s rainfall more volatile, with more rain falling in fewer days and extreme weather events becoming more frequent. “A super El Nino this year will test how climate change is reshaping India’s rainfall economy,” Narain told DW. India remains “far from monsoon-proof,” she added. A prolonged rainfall deficit during the “kharif,” as the summer monsoon crop season is called, could force farmers to rely more heavily on irrigation, raising cultivation costs and increasing pressure on already-stressed groundwater reserves. “We can manage a short dry spell,” Singh told DW. “The real worry is if the rains remain below normal through the season,” he added. India plans for a weaker monsoon With India facing the prospect of a weaker-than-normal monsoon and potential disruptions to the summer-sown crop season, India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has drawn up contingency plans for regions most vulnerable to rainfall deficits. It has identified 111 districts with irrigation coverage of 25% or less as high-priority areas requiring intervention should monsoon conditions deteriorate. “We are facing potential conditions for a weak monsoon due to El Nino, an impact that is already becoming visible, as the monsoon is currently significantly delayed,” said Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at a recent meeting. READ: ‘Super El Niño’ raises fears for Asia reeling from Middle East conflict “Overall, rainfall has been 43% below normal so far. Weather forecasts indicate that conditions are likely to remain weak” during July, he added. The Agriculture Ministry has also set up an El Nino Monitoring Cell and a Crop Weather Watch Group, while states have been asked to establish control centers and coordinate closely with the federal government as officials track rainfall, crop conditions and sowing progress. ‘Super El Nino’ could deepen water shortages The implications of a dry summer extend well beyond crop production. Nearly half of India’s farmland remains dependent on rainfall, making the monsoon crucial for agricultural output, rural incomes and food prices. The June-September rains also replenish reservoirs and groundwater supplies that millions depend on for drinking water. Weak rainfall and rising temperatures also harm livestock, fisheries and forests, threatening livelihoods across rural India. Some 260 million people in India work in farming, accounting for over 45% of the country’s workforce, according to government figures. India’s driest monsoon in a decade? Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi, said this year’s strong El Nino is unfolding as climate change is already making India’s rainfall more volatile, with more rain falling in fewer days and extreme weather events becoming more frequent. “A super El Nino this year will test how climate change is reshaping India’s rainfall economy,” Narain told DW. India remains “far from monsoon-proof,” she added. READ: Super El Niño, global shocks and PH’s rising rice import risk The India Meteorological Department is forecasting below-normal monsoon rainfall at 90% of the long-period average. Such an outcome would mark India’s driest monsoon season in over a decade. Rainfall so far has tracked below normal levels, adding to concerns about the season ahead. “A very strong El Nino event is becoming increasingly likely and is expected to adversely affect the Indian summer monsoon,” Akshay Deoras, a senior research scientist at the UK’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the University of Reading, told DW. Current climate model projections suggest seasonal rainfall across India could end up well below the long-term average, with some regions facing substantial deficits. “Such shortfalls could place significant stress on agriculture and water resources, particularly in rain-fed farming regions. Reservoir levels, groundwater recharge and hydropower generation could also come under pressure if rainfall deficits persist through the season,” said Deoras. El Nino and climate change While the historical connection between El Nino and weaker monsoon rainfall is robust, climate change is making the system more variable and complex. “We’re increasingly seeing longer dry spells interrupted by short periods of very heavy rainfall, a pattern that can be particularly damaging for agriculture,” added Deoras.

Delhi urban heat island exposes planning neglect

Delhi’s urban heat island: Every summer, Delhi discovers that it is hot. Meteorologists are summoned to television studios. Climate change is invoked. The monsoon arrives, and the question fades: why do some residents face a much harsher city than others? This May, Delhi’s land surface temperature touched 54.61°C in some areas. That is not the air temperature reported by the India Meteorological Department. It is the heat stored in roads, roofs and walls, the heat that radiates at night, and the heat that makes sleep without a cooler a health risk. Centre for Science and Environment found the highest surface temperatures in Karala, Mundka, Begumpur, Bawana, Chhawla and Khera. Climate change is part of the story. El Nino and a warming planet are part of it too. Delhi’s more local failure is less convenient. The city has been built to retain heat. Three decades of housing neglect have produced a slow oven for poorer residents. Delhi urban heat island Concrete and asphalt store solar energy through the day and release it after sunset. Soil, water and tree cover cool a city through shade and evaporation. Remove enough of them, and the city loses its night-time recovery. The next day begins from a hotter base. CSE’s June 2026 report found that 75.78 per cent of Delhi’s area is persistently heat-stressed. Green cover fell from 25.36 per cent in 2014 to 14.14 per cent in 2024. Waterbody footprints fell from 1.25 per cent to 0.99 per cent. Delhi’s core cools 3.8°C less than its peri-urban edges, which leaves dense neighbourhoods carrying heat through the night.

How Mumbai’s Poor Waste Segregation Contributes To Methane Emission Spikes

“Biodegradable waste should not be dumped in landfills because the biodegradation process contributes significantly to methane and other GHG emissions. The average concentration of methane in a dumpsite ranges between 3 to 15 per cent by volume, which is much higher than the ambient concentration of methane (0.00017 per cent by volume),” a 2023 report by Delhi-based think-tank Centre for Science and Environment had noted. The civic engineer Kate said that BMC’s engineers are monitoring the stench in the area every night between midnight and 6 a.m.

Explainer: Changing weather impact on power infra

Punjab is not alone, extreme weather events are triggering cascading failures across India’s power infrastructure. The annual report on India’s environment by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) highlighted how frequently these climate-driven grid disruptions now compromise economic stability and public health nationwide. While neighbouring Himachal Pradesh faces infrastructure damage primarily from heavy snow or hailstorms, Punjab’s flat topography leaves its grid uniquely vulnerable to increasingly severe windstorms. Mountain& Ski Resorts

Beyond eco-anxiety: Climate wheel helps Chennaiites map emotions to drive awareness

Amid global crises like climate change, concepts such as solastalgia (distress produced by environmental change), eco-grief, and eco-anxiety are becoming familiar. Climate change’s impact on mental health has only recently cropped up in research, with studies finding connections between the climate and depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicidal thoughts. Around 50% of Indian youth aged 14 to 25 experienced increased stress due to worsening climate, according to a survey by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Other studies have found that repeated experiences with flooding, which occur particularly in eastern and southern India, appear to contribute to PTSD and eco-anxiety. Communities vulnerable to social hierarchies of gender and caste, or those working in climate-dependent occupations, such as agriculture and fishing, face intensified psychological distress. However, the dialogue on mental health has largely consisted of journalistic and academic articles looking for pre-determined emotions or conditions like stress and depression. The use of tools and hands-on interventions to help the general public reflect on their full emotional landscape has been limited. At Care Earth Trust, a biodiversity research organisation in Chennai, we used the ‘climate emotions wheel’ to help the public reflect on their emotional engagement with climate change beyond stress. We set it up during the Chennai screening of the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT-EFF) in December 2025. The day-long screening showcased seven films spanning several subjects, from wildlife conservation to the grief of species extinction.

Power To The Foot

According to Delhi Traffic Police figures and analyses by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), 649 pedestrians were killed in 2025 and more than 1,700 were injured. Pedestrians now account for nearly 43 percent of all road fatalities in the city.

India's PUCC Validity Extension for BS-VI Cars: A Reform — or a Confession That the System Can't Keep Up?

The Centre is considering extending PUCC (Pollution Under Control Certificate) validity from one year to three years for BS-VI-compliant private vehicles. While framed as a convenience measure recognising cleaner emission norms, the move also reflects the reality that India's pollution-check infrastructure — understaffed, under-digitised, and under-monitored — struggles to meaningfully serve the vehicles already on its rolls.India travel guides Here's a question worth asking before you celebrate not having to visit that dingy roadside emission-testing booth for two extra years: if the pollution check was genuinely important, why is the government so comfortable letting you skip it? The Centre's reported plan to extend PUCC validity for BS-VI private vehicles from one to three years is being positioned as a sensible reform — a recognition that cars meeting Bharat Stage VI norms, among the most stringent globally, simply don't need annual hand-holding. And that argument has real merit. But look a little closer, and the policy reveals something the government would rather not say out loud: India's pollution-check ecosystem was never robust enough to matter, and tripling the validity period is partly a way to stop pretending otherwise. The BS-VI Argument: Genuinely Cleaner Let's give credit where it's due. BS-VI norms, which india leapfrogged to in april 2020 — skipping BS-V entirely — slashed permissible nitrogen oxide emissions by roughly 70% for diesel vehicles and introduced real-time onboard diagnostics (OBD) that continuously monitor emission performance, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. A BS-VI car's own sensors are, in many ways, a better pollution check than the external probe at a PUCC centre. industry bodies have long argued that subjecting these vehicles to the same annual check cycle as older, dirtier cars is both redundant and wasteful. The Society of indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has publicly advocated for differentiated compliance timelines based on emission tier, contending that annual checks for BS-VI vehicles add cost and inconvenience without proportional environmental benefit. The Infrastructure Nobody Wants to Talk About But here's where the comfortable narrative frays. India's PUCC testing infrastructure — roughly 40,000-odd centres across the country, per MoRTH data — has been plagued by systemic problems that successive parliamentary committees and CAG audits have flagged. Equipment calibration is irregular. Staff training is minimal. A significant number of centres have been found issuing certificates without conducting actual tests, according to reports from multiple state transport departments.India travel guides The Central Motor vehicles Rules mandate that PUCC centres use specific gas analysers and smoke meters, but enforcement is patchy at best. A 2023 study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that a large proportion of emission-testing centres in major cities did not meet the prescribed equipment standards. The implication is stark: the annual check, for millions of vehicle owners, was already a formality — a ₹100 sticker that proved nothing except that you'd stopped at a booth. Extending the validity to three years for BS-VI vehicles doesn't just reflect confidence in cleaner engines. It quietly removes a regulatory obligation that the state was never properly fulfilling anyway. Who Actually Benefits — and Who Pays The immediate winners are BS-VI vehicle owners, who save time and a modest annual fee. The automotive industry benefits too: the move reinforces the market narrative that newer vehicles are hassle-free, nudging fence-sitters toward purchase.

स्मार्ट सिटी या स्विमिंग पूल? पहली ही बारिश में पानी-पानी क्यों हो जाते हैं भारत के शहर?

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की एक रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, पिछले कुछ दशकों में भारतीय शहरों में कंक्रीट का निर्माण 500 गुना से भी ज्यादा बढ़ गया है. जब हर तरफ कंक्रीट की सड़कें, फुटपाथ और गगनचुंबी इमारतें खड़ी हो जाएंगी, तो जमीन पानी सोखेगी कैसे? मिट्टी को हमने सीमेंट की चादर से ढक दिया है. यही वजह है कि जो पानी जमीन के अंदर जाना चाहिए था, वो सड़कों पर बहने लगता है और कुछ ही घंटों में पूरा शहर ठप हो जाता है. भारतीय मौसम विभाग (IMD) ने अलर्ट जारी कर दिया है. दक्षिण-पश्चिम मॉनसून तेजी से आगे बढ़ रहा है. इसने गुजरात और मध्य प्रदेश के कई नए हिस्सों को घेर लिया है. महाराष्ट्र के कोंकण, गोवा और तटीय कर्नाटक में भारी से बहुत भारी बारिश की चेतावनी है. यूपी, बिहार और दिल्ली-एनसीआर में धूलभरी आंधी के साथ हल्की बारिश की संभावना जताई गई है. अगर ये सब पढ़कर आप सोच रहे हैं कि ये खबर है तो जरा रुकिये. असली कहानी तो इस चेतावनी के बाद शुरू होती है. आज के तारीख में महानगरों की कड़वी हकीकत ये है कि जैसे ही आसमान में बादल घिरते हैं, वैसे ही देश के बड़े और तथाकथित 'स्मार्ट' शहरों के माथे पर चिंता की लकीरें खिंच जाती हैं. पहली ही तेज बारिश में चमचमाती सड़कें समंदर बन जाती हैं और अंडरपास कंक्रीट के स्विमिंग पूल में तब्दील हो जाते हैं. ये अर्बन फ्लडिंग (शहरी बाढ़) का वो चक्रव्यूह है, जिससे बाहर निकलने का रास्ता हमारे नीति-निर्माताओं को नहीं मिल रहा है. 50 साल पुराना सिस्टम और 500 गुना कंक्रीट दिक्कत ये नहीं है कि बारिश ज्यादा हो रही है. दिक्कत ये है कि शहरों का ड्रेनेज सिस्टम यानी पानी निकासी का ढांचा बेहद पुराना हो चुका है. मुंबई, दिल्ली और बेंगलुरु जैसे महानगरों का नालियों और नालों का नेटवर्क करीब 50 से 70 साल पुराना है. वो उस जमाने की आबादी और बसावट के हिसाब से डिजाइन किया गया था. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की एक रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, पिछले कुछ दशकों में भारतीय शहरों में कंक्रीट का निर्माण 500 गुना से भी ज्यादा बढ़ गया है. जब हर तरफ कंक्रीट की सड़कें, फुटपाथ और गगनचुंबी इमारतें खड़ी हो जाएंगी, तो जमीन पानी सोखेगी कैसे? मिट्टी को हमने सीमेंट की चादर से ढक दिया है. यही वजह है कि जो पानी जमीन के अंदर जाना चाहिए था, वो सड़कों पर बहने लगता है और कुछ ही घंटों में पूरा शहर ठप हो जाता है.

स्मार्ट सिटी या स्विमिंग पूल? पहली ही बारिश में पानी-पानी क्यों हो जाते हैं भारत के शहर?

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की एक रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, पिछले कुछ दशकों में भारतीय शहरों में कंक्रीट का निर्माण 500 गुना से भी ज्यादा बढ़ गया है. जब हर तरफ कंक्रीट की सड़कें, फुटपाथ और गगनचुंबी इमारतें खड़ी हो जाएंगी, तो जमीन पानी सोखेगी कैसे? मिट्टी को हमने सीमेंट की चादर से ढक दिया है. यही वजह है कि जो पानी जमीन के अंदर जाना चाहिए था, वो सड़कों पर बहने लगता है और कुछ ही घंटों में पूरा शहर ठप हो जाता है.

Delhi’s nights have changed. Its poor can’t sleep

After enduring the blazing heat all day, people return home hoping for some relief at night. But for thousands of families living in Delhi’s JJ clusters and informal settlements, the nights are just as unbearable. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) shows that Delhi has entered a phase where the duration of hot weather is steadily increasing. Both average maximum and minimum temperatures have risen significantly, meaning the heat absorbed by the city during the day is no longer dissipating as quickly after sunset. The city’s nighttime cooling capacity has declined by nearly 9 percent. The problem is even more severe in JJ clusters and slum settlements. Small, cramped rooms, thin walls, tin or temporary roofs, and narrow lanes trap heat long after sunset. In a one-room home in New Seemapuri, we recorded wall temperatures of 37–38°C, while indoor humidity levels ranged between 58 and 60 percent. In such conditions, getting a good night’s sleep becomes nearly impossible. “It’s extremely hot. Even the cooler doesn’t work properly. When I switch on the fan, it blows hot air. The walls heat up too. The heat remains until 3 or 4 in the morning. Only then does the air begin to feel slightly cooler,” says Sanwar, a resident of New Seemapuri. Tasli Bibi, another resident, says, “When the heat becomes unbearable, I soak my dupatta in water and place it over my body before going to sleep.” Experts say that if heatwaves are officially notified as a disaster by the government, it could make it easier to access dedicated funds and relief measures. However, Delhi has not yet classified heatwaves as a disaster

ਫਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ: ਸੀਵੇਜ ਦੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਨਾਲ 1,000 ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਦਰੱਖਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੌਤ, ਪਿੰਡਾਂ 'ਚ ਗੰਭੀਰ ਖ਼ਤਰੇ ਦਾ ਅਲਰਟ

ਫਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ 'ਚ ਵਾਤਾਵਰਣ ਪ੍ਰੇਮੀ (Environmentalists) ਪ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਾਨ ਹਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇੱਕ ਸਮਾਰਟ ਸਿਟੀ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ (Smart City Project) ਦੇ ਇਲਾਜ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ ਸੀਵੇਜ ਦੇ ਪਾਣੀ (Treated Sewage Water) ਨੇ ਬਡਖਲ ਝੀਲ (Badkhal Lake) ਨੇੜੇ ਲਗਭਗ **1,000** ਦਰੱਖਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਨਾਲ ਨਾਲ ਲੱਗਦੇ ਪਿੰਡਾਂ ਦੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਪ੍ਰਦੂਸ਼ਣ (Water Contamination) ਦਾ ਵੀ ਖ਼ਤਰਾ ਵਧ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਕਾਰਨ ਪਿੰਡ ਵਾਸੀ ਕਾਲੇ ਅਤੇ ਬਦਬੂਦਾਰ ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਿਕਾਇਤ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਹਾਲਾਂਕਿ, ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ ਕਹਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ ਕਿ ਇਲਾਜ ਕੀਤਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਮਾਪਦੰਡਾਂ (Standards) 'ਤੇ ਖਰਾ ਉਤਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਦੇ ਪੌਦੇ (Water Hyacinth) ਤੇ ਕੂੜਾ ਸੁੱਟਣਾ ਇਸ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਨ ਹੋ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ। ਫਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ ਝੀਲ ਬਣੀ ਵਾਤਾਵਰਨ ਸੰਕਟ ਦਾ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਫਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਾਤਾਵਰਣ ਪ੍ਰੇਮੀ ਬਡਖਲ ਝੀਲ ਦੀ ਹਾਲਤ 'ਤੇ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਦੋਸ਼ ਲਾਇਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਨਵੇਂ ਸਮਾਰਟ ਸਿਟੀ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ ਤੋਂ ਛੱਡੇ ਗਏ ਇਲਾਜ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ ਸੀਵੇਜ ਦੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਕਾਰਨ ਪਰਸਨ ਮੰਦਰ ਦੇ ਜੰਗਲ ਖੇਤਰ ਅਤੇ ਆਸ-ਪਾਸ ਦੇ ਮੰਦਰ ਕੰਪਲੈਕਸਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਲਗਭਗ 1,000 ਦਰੱਖਤ ਮਰ ਗਏ ਹਨ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਰੱਖਤਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਰੀਰ, ਬੋਹੜ, ਅੰਬ ਅਤੇ ਅਮਰੂਦ ਵਰਗੀਆਂ ਜੜੀ-ਬੂਟੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਫਲਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਕਿਸਮਾਂ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹਨ। ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਗੁਣਵੱਤਾ 'ਤੇ ਵਿਵਾਦ ਸਥਾਨਕ ਕਾਰਕੁਨਾਂ ਦਾ ਦਾਅਵਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਝੀਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਛੱਡਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਪਾਣੀ ਕਾਲਾ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਦਬੂ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਸਦੀ ਐਸੀਡਿਟੀ (Acidity) ਅਤੇ pH ਲੈਵਲ ਬਹੁਤ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾ ਹੈ, ਜੋ ਕਿ ਬਨਸਪਤੀ ਲਈ ਜ਼ਹਿਰੀਲਾ ਹੈ। ਸੇਵ ਅਰਾਵਲੀ (Save Aravalli) ਦੇ ਟਰੱਸਟੀ ਕੈਲਾਸ਼ ਬਿਧੂੜੀ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਗੁਣਵੱਤਾ ਬਾਰੇ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ ਗਈਆਂ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਸ਼ਿਕਾਇਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਜ਼ਰਅੰਦਾਜ਼ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਕਹਿਣਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਦਰੱਖਤ, ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਕੁਝ ਵਿਲੱਖਣ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਲਿਆਂਦੇ ਗਏ ਸਨ, ਇਸ ਪਾਣੀ ਦੇ ਸੰਪਰਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਉਣ ਕਾਰਨ ਮਰ ਗਏ ਹਨ। ਗਰਾਊਂਡ ਵਾਟਰ ਪ੍ਰਦੂਸ਼ਣ ਦਾ ਡਰ ਨਾਲ ਲੱਗਦੇ ਬਡਖਲ ਪਿੰਡ ਦੇ ਵਸਨੀਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਗਰਾਊਂਡ ਵਾਟਰ (Groundwater) ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਦੂਸ਼ਿਤ ਹੋਣ ਦੀ ਸੰਭਾਵਨਾ ਬਾਰੇ ਗੰਭੀਰ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾਈ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਸ਼ੱਕੀ ਪ੍ਰਦੂਸ਼ਣ ਕਾਰਨ ਪੀਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਵਜੋਂ ਗਰਾਊਂਡ ਵਾਟਰ ਦੀ ਵਰਤੋਂ ਬੰਦ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਮੰਨਣਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਪ੍ਰਦੂਸ਼ਣ ਝੀਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਲਾਜ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ ਸੀਵੇਜ ਦੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਭਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਹੋਇਆ। ਵਾਤਾਵਰਣ ਪੱਤਰਕਾਰ ਚੰਦਰਕਾਂਤ ਯਾਦਵ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਨੂੰ ਹਰਿਆਣਾ ਦੇ ਜੰਗਲ ਅਤੇ ਵਾਤਾਵਰਣ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਰਾਓ ਨਰਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਤੱਕ ਪਹੁੰਚਾਇਆ ਹੈ, ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਜਾਂਚ ਦਾ ਭਰੋਸਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ। ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਜਵਾਬ ਅਤੇ ਮਾਹਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਰਾਇ ਫਰੀਦਾਬਾਦ ਸਮਾਰਟ ਸਿਟੀ ਲਿਮਟਿਡ ਦੇ ਕਾਰਜਕਾਰੀ ਇੰਜੀਨੀਅਰ ਸੰਜੀਵ ਨੇ ਪ੍ਰੋਜੈਕਟ ਦਾ ਬਚਾਅ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਛੱਡਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਪਾਣੀ ਸਾਰੇ ਨਿਰਧਾਰਤ ਮਾਪਦੰਡਾਂ (Prescribed Norms) ਦੀ ਪਾਲਣਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਸਦੀ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ ਨਿਗਰਾਨੀ (Continuous Monitoring) ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਸੁਝਾਅ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਕਿ ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਦਿੱਖ ਪਾਣੀ ਦੇ ਹਾਈਸਿੰਥ (Water Hyacinth) ਕਾਰਨ ਹੋ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਝੀਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੂੜਾ ਸੁੱਟਣ ਅਤੇ ਨਹਾਉਣ ਨਾਲ ਵੀ ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀ ਗੁਣਵੱਤਾ ਖਰਾਬ ਹੋ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ। ਹਾਲਾਂਕਿ, ਵਾਤਾਵਰਣ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਗਿਆਨ ਕੇਂਦਰ (Centre for Science and Environment) ਦੀ ਸੁਸ਼ਮਿਤਾ ਸੇਨਗੁਪਤਾ ਸਮੇਤ ਪਾਣੀ ਮਾਹਰਾਂ (Water Experts) ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਪਾਣੀ ਦਾ ਰੰਗ ਅਤੇ ਝੱਗ (Foam) ਅਪੂਰਨ ਇਲਾਜ (Inadequate Treatment) ਦਾ ਸੰਕੇਤ ਦਿੰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਸੁਤੰਤਰ ਮੁਲਾਂਕਣ (Independent Assessment) ਦੀ ਲੋੜ 'ਤੇ ਜ਼ੋਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਵੀ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਉੱਚ ਕੁੱਲ ਘੋਲਨਸ਼ੀਲ ਠੋਸ ਪਦਾਰਥ (High Total Dissolved Solids) ਅਤੇ ਸੰਭਾਵੀ ਉਦਯੋਗਿਕ ਰਸਾਇਣਕ ਪ੍ਰਦੂਸ਼ਕਾਂ (Industrial Chemical Contaminants) ਦੇ ਸਬੰਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਖਤ ਨਿਗਰਾਨੀ ਅਤੇ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਉਪਾਵਾਂ (Safeguards) ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾਂ, ਇਲਾਜ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ ਸੀਵੇਜ ਵਾਟਰ (Treated Wastewater) ਦੀ ਵਰਤੋਂ ਰੀਚਾਰਜ (Recharge) ਲਈ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਜੋਖਮ ਹਨ।

दिन में धूप, रात में तपिश कैसे डाल रही दिल्ली की बड़ी आबादी पर असर

दिनभर की गर्मी झेलने के बाद वो इस उम्मीद में घर लौटते हैं कि रात में कुछ राहत मिलेगी. लेकिन दिल्ली के जेजे क्लस्टरों और झुग्गी बस्तियों में रहने वाले हजारों परिवारों के लिए रातें भी तपती हुई गुजरती हैं. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट की एक रिसर्च बताती है कि दिल्ली ऐसे दौर में पहुंच चुकी है, जहां गर्म मौसम की अवधि लगातार बढ़ रही है. औसत अधिकतम और न्यूनतम तापमान दोनों में तेजी से वृद्धि हुई है यानी दिन में गर्म हुई धरती रात के समय उतनी तेजी से ठंडी नहीं हो पाती. शहर की रात में ठंडा होने की क्षमता करीब 9 प्रतिशत तक कम हो गई है. जेजे क्लस्टरों और झुग्गी बस्तियों में यह समस्या और गंभीर हो जाती है. छोटे कमरे, पतली दीवारें, टीन या अस्थायी छतें और संकरी गलियां गर्मी को अपने भीतर कैद कर लेती हैं. हमने नई सीमापुरी के एक कमरे में दीवारों का तापमान 37-38 डिग्री सेल्सियस दर्ज किया, जबकि कमरे के भीतर ह्यमिडिटी 58 से 60 प्रतिशत तक पहुंच रही थी. ऐसे हालात में लोगों के लिए सो पाना मुश्किल हो जाता है. नई सीमापुरी के निवासी सनवर कहते हैं, “बहुत गर्मी है. कूलर भी काम नहीं करता. पंखा चलाता हूं तो गर्म हवा आती है. दीवारें भी गर्म हो जाती हैं. सुबह 3-4 बजे तक गर्मी रहती है, तब जाकर लगता है कि हवा थोड़ी ठंडी हुई है.” वहीं तसली बीबी बताती हैं, “जब बहुत ज्यादा गर्मी हो जाती है, तो मैं दुपट्टा भिगोकर अपने शरीर पर रखकर सोती हूं.” विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि अगर राज्य द्वारा हीटवेव को आपदा के रूप में अधिसूचित किया जाए, तो उससे निपटने के लिए विशेष फंड और राहत उपायों तक पहुंच आसान हो सकती है. हालांकि, दिल्ली में अभी तक हीटवेव को आपदा घोषित नहीं किया गया है.

Cookstoves and Carbon Credits: Inside Bengaluru's Carbon Market Boom

In parts of Karnataka, "improved" cookstove projects were rolled out as climate interventions designed to reduce emissions and generate carbon credits. On paper, they promised cleaner cooking and measurable climate benefits. On the ground, the story was far less convincing. A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study found that households were often made to pay for the cookstoves themselves. Many were unaware that these projects were part of carbon credit schemes—and no financial returns reached them.

India braces for drought as El Nino threatens monsoon rains

Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, said that this year's strong El Nino is unfolding as climate change is already making India's rainfall more volatile, with more rain falling in fewer days and extreme weather events becoming more frequent. "A super El Nino this year will test how climate change is reshaping India's rainfall economy," Narain told DW. India remains "far from monsoon-proof," she added.

Sewage Water Contamination Kills 1,000 Trees Near Faridabad Lake

Environmentalists in Faridabad allege treated sewage water from a Smart City project has killed nearly 1,000 trees near Badkhal Lake. Concerns are also rising over potential groundwater contamination in nearby villages, with residents reporting foul-smelling, black water. Officials maintain the treated water meets standards, citing water hyacinth and dumping as potential causes. Faridabad Lake Becomes Environmental Concern Environmentalists in Faridabad are sounding the alarm over the state of Badkhal Lake, alleging that treated sewage water discharged from a new Smart City project has led to the death of approximately 1,000 trees. The affected trees, including medicinal and fruit varieties like tamarind, banyan, mango, and guava, are located in the Parson Temple forest area and surrounding temple complexes. Water Quality Dispute Local activists claim the water released into the lake is black, emits a foul odor, and possesses a high acidity and altered pH level, which is toxic to the vegetation. Kailash Bidhuri, a trustee of Save Aravalli, stated that repeated complaints about the water quality have been ignored. He asserted that these trees, some unique and brought from various parts of India and abroad, have perished due to exposure. Groundwater Contamination Fears Residents of the adjacent Badkhal village have expressed serious concerns about the potential for groundwater contamination. They report a halt in drinking groundwater due to suspected pollution, which they believe began after the lake was filled with treated sewage water. Environmental journalist Chandrakant Yadav has escalated the issue to Haryana's Forest and Environment Minister, Rao Narbir Singh, who has promised a thorough investigation. Official Response and Expert Opinion Sanjeev, an executive engineer with Faridabad Smart City Limited, defended the project, stating the discharged water adheres to all prescribed norms, with continuous monitoring in place. He suggested that the water's appearance might be due to water hyacinth and that waste dumping and bathing in the lake could also degrade water quality. However, water experts, including Sushmita Sengupta from the Centre for Science and Environment, noted that the water's color and foam suggest inadequate treatment. They emphasize the need for independent assessment and highlighted the risks associated with using treated wastewater for recharge without stringent monitoring and safeguards, particularly concerning high total dissolved solids and potential industrial chemical contaminants.

Coal Fuels More Than Half of Brick Kilns in Delhi-NCR Despite CAQM Ban: Report

A new report by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that over 70% of the brick-kilns remained open despite Centre for Air Quality Management’s ban on coal. The report titled “Rules Without Reach” surveyed 128 kilns in 2025 and 152 kilns in 2026 across Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Shamli, Jhajjar, Panipat, and Sonipat, and virtual communications with 60 kiln owners. It found that no credible enforcement mechanism, no monitoring system, and no transition support was provided from the regulatory authorities to the brick-making industry. Zig-Zag Technology Transition Remains Largely on Paper The CSE report found that none of the kilns were using coal as their only fuel, in fact, most used it in combination with loose biomass. The report said that even though most brick kilns complied with the mandated zig-zag technology, an energy-efficient and eco-friendly brick firing method where unfired green bricks are stacked diagonally to force hot air to travel in a winding, alternating path, from the conventional Fixed Chimney Bull's Trench Kiln (FCBTK) but conversion on paper did not mean conversion in practice. Around 70% of evaluated kilns had cracks, broken walls, or poor-quality plastering that reduced efficiency and increased fuel consumption, said the report. It also noted that some kiln operators had also widened trenches beyond approved dimensions to maximise production during the Supreme Court mandate four-month operating window. The report found that coal use remained particularly high in districts such as Baghpat, Ghaziabad, and Jhajjar where kilns had stored coal in concealed locations, including behind the kiln structures and under tarpaulin sheets. While biomass was present at nearly all surveyed units, kiln operators told researchers that replacing more than 20-30 per cent of coal with biomass remained difficult due to operational and quality concerns. Industry Lacks Support The report also found that the coal ban has been implemented without adequate planning or providing technical support for the industry. Many kiln owners reported that they did not receive formal communication from CAQM or state pollution control boards and learnt about the restriction through media reports, union meetings, or messaging groups. According to the report, nearly 78% of the brick kilns had no meaningful green cover in 2026, while only 40% had monitoring platforms considered safe for monitoring emissions. "The brick industry is among the most polluting and least regulated sectors in the country. The CAQM coal ban was a necessary step, but a direction without a transition strategy is unlikely to change behaviour on the ground. The sector needs technical guidance, financial support, and institutional hand-holding. None of that was provided, and the survey results reflect exactly that gap," says Subhrajit Goswami, Programme Officer, CSE. Recommendations The report recommended a more practical and supported transition pathway for the sector, including technical assistance, standardisation of biomass fuels, incentives for brick manufacturers using cleaner fuels and stricter monitoring of coal suppliers. The report also argued that brick kilns that have invested in cleaner technologies and environmental safeguards should be allowed to operate beyond the four-month mandated window, except during winters when pollution is at peak.