Environment

NEW DELHI: About 33 prototypes shortlisted under the Delhi government’s ‘innovation challenge’ to find solutions for the air pollution issue are set to enter the second phase for trials, according to officials familiar with the matter.These include solar-powered pole-mounted dust traps, filterless smoke and dust carbon-capturing devices, electrostatic mist sprayers, models for smart dust-suppression and…

A wayward humpback whale has finally wriggled its way out of trouble in the Baltic Sea, ending a days-long saga that had onlookers glued to the shoreline. The 12–15 metre giant, which had been stranded in shallow waters near Wismar, managed to swim free last week, giving both officials and spectators a reason to cheer.The…

Guwahati: A rare butterfly species has been discovered in the semi-evergreen forests of the Basar region in central Arunachal Pradesh’s Lepa Rada district and named after Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg by its discoverers.The butterfly, scientifically christened Euthalia (Limbusa) zubeengargi and given the common name ‘Basar Duke’, is distinguished by olive-brown wings with white markings…

CAQM signs MoU to reduce dust pollution via urban road redevelopment NEW DELHI: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas on Wednesday issued rules for road-owning and maintenance agencies for deployment and utilisation of mechanized road sweeping machines to reduce air pollution caused by road dust, officials said.The commission noted…

Faridabad: Parts of nearly 25 acres of sandy Aravali foothills in Faridabad’s Kot village have been freshly levelled, with portions of a natural water channel buried under soil and trees cut.Work is taking place on ‘shamlat deh’, or village common land, where any occupation, alteration or change of land use is prohibited. Such land, according…

MUMBAI: Mumbai on Friday recorded its fifth highest Air Quality Index (AQI) of February at 130, categorised as ‘moderate’ by the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app.This was recorded in the evening based on data collected from various monitoring stations across the city, the CPCB-run official AQI monitoring application showed.Earlier this month, AQI had touched…

GOSABA (SUNDARBANS): Even in knee-deep murky waters, Rina Sarkar is nimble on her feet as she navigates the slippery mudbanks of Chargheri village on Satjalia island in the Sunderbans. She is one of the 150 local women who have come to the embankment, walking through a dense forest, to plant 2,000 mangrove saplings as part…

The US imposed travel restrictions and widespread cancellations on Sunday as a powerful winter storm advanced across the Northeast, triggering blizzard warnings from Maryland to Massachusetts. New York City and New Jersey announced travel bans, airlines grounded thousands of flights, and Broadway shows were called off as heavy snow and strong winds reduced visibility and…

New Delhi: Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has made six new Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) operational, but they are yet to be integrated with Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) network. As a result, the city’s air quality index (AQI) is currently being assessed using data from only 40 stations. After the new…

BENGALURU: Bengaluru: At a time when climate change is increasingly reshaping public health risks across the globe, Indian media has quietly carved out a leadership role in linking the two. A new study published in The Lancet Planetary Health has found that Indian news outlets are emerging as global frontrunners in climate-health journalism, surpassing coverage…