Month: August 2025

Imagining a world without plastic bags is no longer a distant dream but a pressing global debate. The recent discussions in Geneva on a global plastics treaty brought back memories of the time when municipal authorities in Indian cities cracked down on the use of polythene bags. Street vendors, fruit sellers, and vegetable traders scrambled to hide their stash of pannis, while customers who forgot to carry cloth bags relied on these thin plastic bags that were secretly handed over. For a brief week, markets resembled inspection zones, with officials overturning baskets and seizing sacks of hidden plastic. Global Treaty Faces Sharp Divide The Geneva meet in mid-August collapsed after sharp divisions emerged. Nations dependent on petrochemical industries resisted restrictions, while de...

The Rajya Sabha has passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025, paving the way for greater availability of critical minerals while relaxing rules for their conservation and extraction. The bill, passed by voice vote on August 19, comes with an allocation of ₹32,000 crore for exploration abroad, reflecting India’s push to secure mineral assets beyond its borders. Strengthening Supply Chains Abroad The new legislation aims to boost access to critical and deep-seated minerals needed for strategic sectors. Union Minister of Mines G Kishan Reddy said the government will use the funds to strengthen supply chains under the National Critical Mineral Mission. India is already securing mineral assets in countries like Zambia, Argentina, and Australia. Publi...

As the government prepares the next phase of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), a coalition of 58 organisations and air quality experts has urged major reforms. Their white paper stresses that NCAP 2.0 must go beyond cities to cover rural and peri-urban regions, which continue to face severe pollution but remain largely unmonitored. Push for Accountability in Clean Air Mission Launched in 2019, the NCAP set a target of reducing air pollution in 131 cities by 40 percent by 2025-26, using 2019-20 levels as the baseline. Yet progress has been uneven, with 82 cities still failing to meet national air quality standards. Experts argue that rural India, where air pollution is equally damaging, remains “invisible” in the current system. “Most NCAP cities still fail to meet clean air...

Brazilian authorities have suspended the Amazon soy moratorium, a landmark environmental pact that for nearly two decades curbed deforestation linked to soybean farming. The decision could open up an area the size of Portugal to potential forest clearance, sparking alarm among conservationists and global food companies. The soy moratorium, first adopted in 2006, was a voluntary agreement between farmers, traders, environmental groups, and international food giants like Cargill and McDonald’s. It banned the purchase of soy grown on Amazon land deforested after 2008, regardless of whether the clearance was legal under Brazilian law. Since its adoption, the pact has been hailed as one of the world’s most successful conservation measures, preventing an estimated 17,000 sq km of Amazon defor...

Washington: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers against eating certain frozen shrimp products sold at Walmart after tests showed traces of Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope. According to officials, three lots of Great Value brand frozen shrimp were removed from shelves after the isotope was detected in shipping containers and in a sample of breaded shrimp imported from Indonesia. “If you recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart under this category, dispose of it immediately,” the FDA advised in a public statement. The Associated Press reported that Walmart has recalled the affected frozen shrimp in 13 US states. What is Cesium-137? Cesium-137, commonly referred to as Cs-137, is a radioactive byproduct of nuclear activities such as weapons tes...

Southern India witnesses a spectacular natural phenomenon twice every year: the migration of milkweed butterflies. These striking insects travel between the Eastern and Western Ghats, covering distances of 300–500 km, timed with the rhythms of the monsoon. Scientists say the unique topography of the Indian peninsula and the dual monsoon system are key drivers of this extraordinary movement. Of the ten milkweed butterfly species recorded in the region, six have been documented as seasonal migrants. As pre-monsoon showers arrive in April, the Western Ghats erupt in blooms. Triggered by the sudden burst of nectar sources, thousands of milkweed butterflies rise into the skies and head eastward, towards the Eastern Ghats and the Coromandel coast. Later in the year, when the northeast mons...

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has released 45,000 cusecs of water from the Bhakra Dam into the Sutlej River after heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab pushed the reservoir close to its maximum storage level. This marks the first time in two years that the dam’s floodgates have been opened. As of Tuesday, the water level at Bhakra stood at 1,665.37 feet just 15.45 feet below the danger mark of 1,680.82 feet, and nearly 35 feet higher than the same time last year. The discharge was carried out in phases, with 38,000 cusecs released through power-generating turbines and 7,000 cusecs via the spillway. Officials clarified that the step was taken as a precaution ahead of another forecast of heavy rainfall between August 23 and 25. Downstream Preparations and Warnings Aut...

Gujarat is reeling under a severe flood crisis as heavy rains lashed several coastal districts, forcing mass evacuations and disrupting daily life. Mendarda taluka in Junagadh was the worst hit, recording a staggering 331 mm of rain within just 12 hours, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Other regions, including Keshod taluka, Porbandar, Navsari, and Valsad, also witnessed intense downpours, raising the flood threat further. Forecast Warns of More Rain The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more showers in the coming days, sparking fears of worsening conditions. Rivers and reservoirs have already overflowed, inundating villages and cutting off road access in several parts. Rescue and Relief Measures Emergency services have swung into action with multiple tea...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, on Wednesday visited flood-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where relentless monsoon rains since mid-August have claimed at least 380 lives. According to the National Disaster Management Authority, the nationwide death toll has reached 750 since the last week of June. In just the past 24 hours, 43 more deaths were reported, underscoring the scale of the disaster and the urgency of relief measures. Relief Efforts Underway Districts such as Swat, Buner, and Shangla remain among the hardest hit, with communities facing washed-out roads, damaged infrastructure, and widespread displacement. The Prime Minister, accompanied by federal ministers, assured residents of immediate assistance, saying that no fam...

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has announced the creation of a joint committee involving senior officials from the Central Water Commission and the governments of Haryana and Delhi to take forward the long-standing goal of cleaning and rejuvenating the Yamuna river. The move draws inspiration from the successful restoration model of the Ganga. Joint Action for Cleaner Yamuna The committee will not only focus on removing waste but also address wider issues impacting the Yamuna’s health. The decision came during a meeting on inter-state water rejuvenation chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil. Saini highlighted the progress made under Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s leadership, noting fast-paced improvements in sewage treatment and ongoing garbage clearance. ...