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Delhi has stepped up its industrial pollution control measures ahead of the 2026-27 winter season, targeting 2,354 industries with stricter emission standards.continuous online monitoring and tighter enforcement. Under the Winter Action Plan industries identified as major pollution sources are required to install and connect Online Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (OCEMS). Of the targeted units, 2,197 have reportedly installed the monitoring systems, while 57 industries that failed to comply have been closed. The government is also enforcing a tighter particulate matter emission limit. From October 1, the applicable standard for the targeted industries will be reduced from 80 to 50 milligrams per normal cubic metre. Industries unable to meet the new limit will have to instal...

  New Delhi, September 30: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has revised the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi NCR ahead of the winter pollution season, strengthening measures related to construction, dust control and vehicle restrictions. The revised plan issued on September 28, includes changes to several existing provisions and expands the citizen’s charter with additional measures aimed at controlling pollution during the winter months. Under the updated schedule restrictions concerning diesel generator sets and inter city buses operating in Delhi have been moved from Stage II to Stage I, allowing these measures to be introduced at an earlier stage of worsening air quality. Restrictions on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles under Stage II...

Srinagar: Asia’s oldest Chinar tree believed to be nearly 650 years old continues to stand tall and green in Chattergam area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district despite centuries of changing seasons. The heritage tree has lost some of its older and dried branches, but much of its remaining structure is still green. The government has initiated measures to protect and preserve the tree, including installing iron fencing around its critical root zone to prevent soil compaction and protect the roots. Residents of Chattergam have called for better maintenance of the site and urged authorities to develop it as a heritage tourism destination. Locally known as “Boueen”, the Chinar is a distinctive part of Kashmir’s landscape. The tree, believed to have been introduced to Kashmir from ...

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted its first declaration specifically addressing the growing threat of sea level rise, affirming that island countries do not automatically lose their statehood even if rising seas submerge parts of their territory. The four page declaration, adopted on September 24, 2026, also supports maintaining established maritime zones despite changes to coastlines caused by rising seas. The move is particularly significant for small island nations such as Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands, which face increasing risks from coastal flooding and land loss. The declaration calls for stronger climate adaptation measures including early warning systems, coastal protection and greater financial and technical support for vulnerable developing countries. Ac...

Chinese scientists have created the first systematic “acoustic profile” of the spectacular Qiantang River tidal bore in Zhejiang Province, recording the powerful natural phenomenon in high-fidelity sound. Researchers collected more than 10 audio samples of typical one-line tidal bores during the 2025-26 high tide season at a monitoring station in Haining Jiaxing. The loudest bore recorded reached 78.04 decibels, roughly comparable to the noise level of a busy urban road. The study aims to improve understanding of the tidal bore’s dynamics while supporting tidal safety, ecological conservation, cultural tourism and public education. Scientists also identified a new visual formation at the Jianshan section where three streams of tidal water reportedly crossed to form a triangular pa...

  Alaska, September 29: Rivers and streams in Alaska’s remote Brooks Range are turning orange as thawing permafrost alters how water moves through the landscape and exposes mineral rich rocks to increased weathering, according to a new study published in AGU Advances. Scientists first drew attention to the unusual orange colour in 2018, when previously clear waterways began developing rust coloured sections. The colour is produced when iron released from rocks oxidises and forms orange deposits. Researchers say, however that the visible change is only one part of a larger shift in water chemistry. The study examined six watersheds between 2022 and 2024, collecting samples from rivers, tributaries and hillside seeps. Some of the acidic seeps had a median pH of 3.2, compared wi...

New Delhi, September 29: The Delhi government has said it has achieved its target of planting 70 lakh saplings under its ‘Mission Green Delhi campaign which was launched on July 7. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the campaign brought together government departments, local bodies, educational institutions, resident welfare associations, NGOs and citizens as part of efforts to expand the capital green cover and strengthen its ecosystem. Special plantation drives were conducted across the Central Ridge, DDA Ridge and South Ridge where 24,94,505 saplings were planted according to the Chief Minister’s Office. Public participation was also facilitated through a slot booking system. The initiative received 1,89,116 bookings, with 1,47,095 citizens taking part and planting 3,56,986 saplin...

Chennai, September 29: The Water Resources Department (WRD) has accelerated monsoon preparedness works across Chennai and neighbouring districts, with nearly half of the ₹42 crore programme completed. However, extensive growth of water hyacinth and continued sewage inflow into waterways remain major concerns for residents ahead of the Northeast monsoon. The annual exercise covers the removal of floating waste, debris, sandbars and aquatic weeds from major and minor waterways and water bodies across Chennai, surrounding districts and Cuddalore. Of the 528.44 km of waterways covered by the programme about 104.74 km falls within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits. Around 400 machines, including amphibious floating excavators, have been deployed to clear waterways such as the Adyar, ...

  A potentially powerful El Niño event could contribute to more than 451,000 additional heat related deaths worldwide over the next six months according to estimates from scientists at the University of Chicago Climate Impact Lab. The study reported by Inside Climate News and published on PreventionWeb on September 25, 2026 estimates that the warming associated with the current El Niño could push land temperatures about 1.2 degrees Celsius higher in some of the most affected countries between June 2026 and February 2027. El Niño is the warm phase of a recurring Pacific Ocean climate cycle. It occurs when unusually warm ocean conditions in the central and eastern tropical Pacific influence atmospheric circulation, affecting temperatures, rainfall, storms and other weather patt...

Ontario: A more than five decade experiment on a small Canadian lake has revealed how freshwater ecosystems can adapt when one nutrient is removed but another remains available. Scientists found that stopping nitrogen additions did not end recurring algal blooms in Lake 227 because phosphorus continued to fuel biological production. Lake 227, located in northwestern Ontario’s Experimental Lakes Area, has been used since 1969 for one of the longest running whole lake experiments in the world. Researchers deliberately added measured quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus to study how nutrients influence algae and the wider aquatic ecosystem. The lake covers about five hectares has an average depth of 4.4 metres and reaches a maximum depth of about 10 metres. Unlike laboratory experiment...