Latest news with #MoEF&CC
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
Key focus on human-elephant conflict mitigation MoEF&CC's World Elephant Day celebration in Coimbatore on August 12
Mitigation of human-elephant conflict will be the focus of World Elephant Day celebrations to be held in Coimbatore on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). Minister for MoEF&CC Bhupender Yadav will preside over the celebrations, which is organised in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. A press release said 33 elephant reserves and 150 elephant corridors reflected the strong protection framework for elephants in India, which was home to nearly 60% of the world's wild elephant population. 'With robust legal protection, strong institutional frameworks, and widespread public support, the country is recognised worldwide as a leader in reconciling human welfare with wildlife conservation. Elephants are accorded the status of National Heritage Animal and are deeply embedded in the country's traditions and culture' it said. The annual event reaffirms the global commitment to conserve one of the planet's most iconic species and to strengthen measures to ensure their long-term survival, it stated. According to the Ministry, Tamil Nadu, known for its biological and cultural richness, has a significant population of elephants and plays a vital role in mitigating human-elephant conflict. Tuesday's event will serve as a platform for foresters, policymakers, civil society representatives and wildlife experts to exchange ideas on conservation strategies and conflict resolution, it stated. Mr. Yadav will inaugurate the event in the presence of Kirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and R.S. Rajakannappan, Minister for Forests and Khadi, Tamil Nadu. Senior officials from MoEF&CC, Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Ministry of Railways and officials from other States. A workshop on human-elephant conflict at the event will provide a platform for elephant range States to share their challenges related to human-elephant coexistence and discuss the mitigation measures being implemented in their respective regions. 'This initiative aligns with ongoing efforts under Project Elephant, which emphasises community participation and scientific approaches to address conflicts between humans and elephants, a critical concern for conservation and local safety' the release said. Around 12 lakh students from 5,000 schools will participate in the elephant day celebrations in Tamil Nadu.
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
World Elephant Day: Conservation plans to be discussed in Coimbatore tomorrow
Foresters, policymakers, civil society and wildlife experts will exchange ideas on elephant conservation strategies and conflict resolution as part of the World Elephant Day celebrations in Coimbatore on Tuesday, an official said. The event is being organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, to reaffirm the global commitment to conserve elephants, the official said. The annual event reaffirms the global commitment to conserve one of the planet's most iconic species - the elephant - and to strengthen measures to ensure their long-term survival. India is home to nearly 60 per cent of the world's wild elephant population, with 33 Elephant Reserves and 150 identified Elephant Corridors as per the 2023 Report on Elephant Corridors in India, said a statement. With robust legal protection, strong institutional frameworks, and widespread public support, the country is recognised worldwide as a leader in reconciling human welfare with wildlife conservation, it said. Elephants are accorded the status of National Heritage Animal and are deeply embedded in the country's traditions and culture. Tamil Nadu, known for its biological and cultural richness, sustains a significant population of elephants and plays a vital role in mitigating human-elephant conflict. The Coimbatore event will serve as a platform for foresters, policymakers, civil society representatives, and wildlife experts to exchange ideas on conservation strategies and conflict resolution. The event will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav in the presence of Union Minister of State Kriti Vardhan Singh and R. S. Rajakannappan, Minister for Forests and Khadi, Government of Tamil Nadu. Senior officials from MoEF&CC, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, the Ministry of Railways, and other states will also participate. A focused workshop on Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) will also be organised in Coimbatore to provide a platform for elephant range states to share their challenges related to human-elephant coexistence and discuss the mitigation measures being implemented in their respective regions, said an official statement. This initiative aligns with ongoing efforts under Project Elephant, which emphasises community participation and scientific approaches to address conflicts between humans and elephants, a critical concern for conservation and local safety. The workshop comes at a time when incidents of elephants straying into human settlements in search of food and water have risen, necessitating innovative solutions and cooperation among states. Experts, policymakers, conservationists, and forest officials will deliberate on best practices, ranging from habitat management and corridor maintenance to awareness generation and capacity building in high-conflict areas. This collaborative approach seeks to balance wildlife conservation with human welfare, fostering long-term coexistence between communities and elephants. A nationwide awareness programme will be initiated, engaging approximately 12 lakh school children from about 5,000 schools, underscoring the extensive public outreach and commitment to elephant conservation, said the statement.
News18
a day ago
- Business
- News18
Flue gas desulphurization systems installed at 57 thermal power units so far
New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) As many as 57 thermal power units have installed flue gas desulphurization (FGD) systems while others are in process to set up the technology, Parliament was informed on Monday. FGD systems are installed at coal-fired plants to reduce sulphur sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from them, in line with environmental regulations. In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik said Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) notified emission standards, including SO2 for coal/lignite based thermal power plants vide its notification dated December 7, 2015. The MoEF&CC vide a notification dated September 5, 2022 has categorized thermal power plants (TPPs) as Category-A, B and C for compliance of SO2 emission norms along with timelines for each category, Naik said. 'To meet the SO2 emission norms, FGD system is being installed in coal/lignite based TPPs. So far, a total of 57 FGD (i.e. 17 units in category-A, 4 Units in category B and 36 units in category C have been installed," the minister said. On exemptions for installing FGD systems, Naik said MoEF&CC issued a notification on July 11, 2025 regarding applicability of SO2 emission standards for TPPs along with timelines post review of its 2015 notification by the central government. The Centre had received various representations regarding exemption or relaxation in timelines of these standards due to limited availability of technology providers, its techno-economic feasibility, impact of COVID-19 pandemic on supply chain, price escalation due to high demand and low supplies, low SO2 concentration in ambient air and heavy burden on consumers due to increase in electricity price etc. Besides, the scientific studies conducted by independent research institutions regarding effectiveness and rationale behind these standards and its role in overall ambient air pollution of the region were also considered to evaluate the need of universal applicability and enforcement of these standards. In view of above, MoEF&CC issued a notification on July 11, 2025 regarding applicability of SO2 emission standards for TPPs along with timelines. TPPs declared to retire before December 31, 2030 shall not be required to meet specified standards for SO2 emissions in case such plants submit an undertaking to Central Pollution Control Board and Central Electricity Authority for exemption on ground of retirement of such plant. The existing and under commissioning Category A thermal power plants shall comply with SO2 emission standards by December 31, 2027. Other Category A plants to be commissioned after December 2027 will operate only after ensuring compliance of these standards. For all category B plants or units, whether existing or upcoming, the applicability of SO2 emission standards, shall be decided by the Central Government based upon recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee in charge of thermal Power Projects as per the procedure laid in the notification dated July 11, 2025. The SO2 emission standards shall not be applicable to all Category-C thermal power plants subject to compliance of stack height criteria notified by MoEF&CC on August 30, 1990 and timeline for compliance of stack height criteria is December 31, 2029. As per official data, there are 191 TPPs having 600 units with 2,11,519.5 MW capacity under the three categories. In a separate reply, the Minister said till date, a total of 3.78 crore smart meters have been installed under various schemes including the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). One of the primary advantages of smart meters is their ability to provide accurate billing information. Smart meters eliminate inaccuracies due to manual reading by automatically recording and communicating the consumption data to the billing system of distribution utility, he said. PTI ABI ANU (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 11, 2025, 17:45 IST News agency-feeds Flue gas desulphurization systems installed at 57 thermal power units so far Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
SC upholds SEIAA and SEAC's authority for project-level environmental clearances
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court (SC) has clarified that the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) will remain the competent authorities for granting environmental clearances at the project level. The apex court's ruling resolves a prolonged regulatory deadlock that had stalled over 493 real estate projects in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune , impacting more than 70,000 housing units, particularly within the affordable and mid-income segments. The court's intervention is expected to bring much-needed clarity to the process of obtaining environment clearances and is anticipated to restore momentum to housing construction in the region. The petitioners challenged the constitutional validity of a 29 January 2025 notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC). This notification provided two main things in relation to Item 8(a) [Building and Construction Projects] and 8(b) [Township Area & Development Project] of the Schedule to the Environment Impact Assessment dated 14 September 2006 ('EIA 2006 Notification'): (a) exemption of industrial sheds, schools, and educational institutions from Environmental Clearance (EC) requirements, and (b) clarification that the General Condition under the EIA 2006 Notification would not apply to such projects. Under the EIA 2006 notification, projects such as Building & Construction and Township & Area Development with more than 20,000 sq meters. Built-up area (BUA) are required to procure an EC before construction can begin. The Schedule of the EIA 2006 notification includes a General Condition (GC) mandating that if a project is within 5km of a protected area, eco-sensitive zone, or inter-state/international boundary, it becomes a category A project, subject to appraisal by the Central Expert Appraisal Committee. The court upheld the constitutional validity of the 2025 notification but struck down Note 1 to Item 8(a) of the EIA 2006 Schedule, which had exempted industrial sheds, schools, and educational institutions from obtaining mandatory environmental clearances. The Court found these exemptions to be unconstitutional and ultra vires the parent notification. The SC also quashed Clause 14(a) and Appendix 16 of the 2014 and 2016 notifications that had proposed establishing an Environmental Cell under local authorities. The Court held that such provisions would cause jurisdictional overlaps and confusion, undermining the integrity of environmental appraisal processes. In its interpretation of the General Condition (GC) under the EIA 2006 Notification—which elevates certain Category B projects to Category A status if located within ecologically sensitive areas, SC reaffirmed that GC does not apply to Items 8(a) and 8(b). This settles ambiguity raised after the Kerala High Court had earlier set aside the 2014 MoEF&CC clarification on this matter in One Earth One Life v. Union of India (March 2024). Impact on real estate development The judgement brings regulatory certainty and uniformity in how environmental clearances are to be administered, particularly for projects over 20,000 sq meters built-up area, which must secure clearance before commencing construction. This decision is expected to unblock stalled housing supply, especially in regions that had been hit by inconsistent interpretations of clearance norms. Domnic Romell, president, CREDAI-MCHI, said, "We initiated this petition to bring clarity to an increasingly complex and ambiguous environmental clearance process , and we are grateful that the Supreme Court has upheld the role of SEIAA and SEAC as competent authorities." Trilegal represented CREDAI National and Godrej Properties. Samit Shukla, partner (Dispute Resolution Practice), Trilegal said, "This judgement brings much-needed clarity on the scope of environmental regulation for real estate projects. The Supreme Court's recognition that General Conditions under the EIA 2006 Notification do not apply to projects under Items 8(a) and 8(b) ensures regulatory certainty and paves the way for timely development." Case No.: W.P.(C) No.-000166-000166 - 2025, Vanashakti vs Union of India.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Indian Express
Buddha Nullah woes: NGT raps dyeing industry for ‘years of negligence', directs MoEF&CC & PPCB to submit report on violations by CETPs
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), in its latest order, has criticised the dyeing industry in Ludhiana for 'years of unchecked pollution and institutional failure'. This stems from the NGT's concern over the long-standing issue of inadequate pollution control measures by the industry's common effluent treatment plants (CETPs). The NGT, in its order, has set a two-month deadline for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to complete its ongoing proceedings into the matter, and directed the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to submit a comprehensive report on violations by the CETPs, along with environmental compensation calculations and recovery. All parties are to file compliance affidavits at least a week before the next hearing, scheduled for October 7. Acting on multiple petitions filed by the Public Action Committee (PAC), the NGT documented 'extraordinary levels of non-compliance with environmental clearance conditions', most notably the illegal and continued discharge of effluents directly into the city's highly polluted stream, Buddha Nullah — earlier known as Buddha Dariya — in 'blatant violation of binding environmental safeguards'. It has also issued notices to the authorities concerned to fix this issue at the earliest. In the petitions, the dyeing industry in Ludhiana has been accused of polluting the Buddha Nullah — already carrying domestic and industrial waste — with its toxic discharge, as the nullah water further mixes into Sutlej River, whose water is used for drinking purposes. The industry's three CETPs with the capacity of 15 MLD, 40 MLD, and 50 MLD were found to be in gross and prolonged violation of their environmental clearance mandates — flouting the zero liquid discharge (ZLD) condition, absence of consent to operate, as well as unauthorised and direct discharge of wastewater into Buddha Nullah since their inception. In its compliance report, the MoEF&CC had also confirmed that the 15-MLD CETP, run by Bahadur Ke Textiles & Knitwears Association, is 'continuously discharging 15 MLD treated water to Buddha Nullah'. The 40-MLD and 50-MLD CETPs, run by Punjab Dyers Association, are 'continuously dispatching 40 MLD and 50 MLD treated waste water, respectively, to the Buddha Nullah'. According to the NGT order dated July 22, a copy of which was uploaded on Tuesday, it has been informed by the authorities concerned that the environmental compensation, totaling over Rs 10 crore, has already been imposed on the CETPs — Rs 4.5 crore on the 15-MLD unit, Rs 2.96 crore (40-MLD unit), and Rs 2.49 crore (50-MLD unit). 'Despite these penalties and other revoked permissions, the CETPs continue to operate and pollute,' the NGT noted. On the core violation of the ongoing discharge of treated effluent into Buddha Nullah, the NGT said it is in 'clear defiance' of specific conditions, under which these CETPs were granted environmental clearance. Asserting the CETPs have 'entirely failed' to implement zero liquid discharge (ZLD), it noted: 'There is no system to recycle effluent, no return pipeline to industries, and no destruction mechanism via reverse osmosis or evaporators — as was mandated.' The NGT, citing the MoEF&CC audit, further noted 'a pattern of total regulatory failure' including no online monitoring of effluent; no MoUs between CETPs and member industries regulating flow and quality; effluent transported without CETP tankers, manifest system or GPS tracking; hazardous waste generated but no authorisation obtained; no functional environmental management cells or green belt development; and no compliance reporting to MoEF&CC or Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB). It emphasised that 'the failures exist since the inception of CETPs', resulting in prosecution under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. While a high-level committee has been formed by the Punjab government, to address pollution in Buddha Nullah, the NGT flagged serious gaps, noting the PPCB and the state Environment Department were excluded — despite being legally accountable. It also objected to the unexplained inclusion of NGT in the committee's mandate, urging a 'clearer and more effective oversight framework'. The NGT action follows three 'original applications' and as many 'execution applications' filed by PAC Mattewara — a coalition of local residents and environmental advocates. The tribunal recognised the presence and grievances of affected citizens during hearings, and recorded their complaints against continued pollution. It further directed the MoEF&CC to consider hearing citizen representatives as part of its ongoing enforcement drive. 'This order marks a watershed moment in the long-running struggle for environmental justice in Ludhiana. It confirms years of administrative failure, industrial disregard for law, and the pivotal role of citizen-led action in bringing accountability,' PAC member Kapil Arora, also a petitioner, said.
