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Wednesday, March 11, 2026
TopicMinistry of Environment

Topic: Ministry of Environment

Why govt and activists are clashing over Aravalli height

The Supreme Court has accepted a definition that counts Aravalli hills only if they are 100 metres or above. Citizen groups say this puts much of the range at risk.

‘Broad definition of forests & imprecise data’. Why govt forest cover report might be too optimistic

The latest State of Forests Report highlighted that India's total forest and tree cover accounted for 25.17% of the country’s total geographical area—an increase of 3.41% since 2021.

31 cities under Centre’s National Clean Air Programme saw air quality worsen in last 5 years

Environment ministry data in LS shows Vizag & Angul saw more than 50% spike in PM10 concentrations. Some cities made progress, Varanasi topping list & Delhi seeing marginal improvement.

Number of forest fires drop from 3.45 lakh in 2020 to 2.03 lakh in 2024, loss of wildlife not known

In response to a question in Parliament, govt says India saw lowest number of forest fires between November 2023 & June 2024 in 4 yrs. At 21,033, Uttarakhand recorded the highest number.

India’s green MPs—5 parliamentarians who fired the most environment questions in Lok Sabha

Meet the MPs who have been at the forefront of raising environmental and climate issues in Parliament over the last decade.

‘Death knell’ for India’s forests — experts submit objections to JPC on changes to forest law

Submissions to joint parliamentary committee reviewing proposed changes to Forest Conservation Act say these will 'open the floodgates' to unchecked mining and commercial activity.

Project Cheetah: Five more to be released into the wild at Kuno National Park before monsoon

Three females, two males will join three others which are out in KNP. Once monsoon ends in September, situation will be reassessed for release of another 10 in Kuno or Gandhisagar.

Over 12,000 environment clearances granted to projects in 2022, a 20 times increase since 2018

Data presented in Lok Sabha also showed that time taken for forest, wildlife, coastal & environmental clearances had also come down thanks to govt's digital clearance platform PARIVESH.

40 tigers have died since start of year, shows govt data. Age, fights, electrocution major causes

Junior forest minister Ashwini Choubey gave these details in Lok Sabha in response to queries of three MPs. NTCA official says it’s normal for mortality rates to vary from year to year.

Fresh trouble for Gujarat chemical plant over ‘unlicensed’ EIA. But residents want more action

No clearance to project till June as agency didn't have licence for conducting environmental assessment of soda ash units. Villagers want action on other agency involved in review.

On Camera

Can Pakistan stay neutral on Iran? Saudi Arabia holds the purse strings

Security of Saudi Arabia is something that Pakistani armed forces have committed themselves to for a long time, even before the September 2025 agreement.

Iran war pummels India’s already turbulent aviation sector. Your ticket fare will get hit next

More than 1,600 flights were canceled between 28 February and 3 March. Aviation consultants have now started weighing the cost of the conflict in the Middle East.

India-Bangladesh relations on track—After military intel chief’s visit, envoy goes to Army War College

In a first during his tenure as High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah addressed JOCAP consisting of tri-forces officers, as New Delhi & Dhaka step up normalisation efforts.

Trump brings the Age of Humiliation for friends. Modi needs stoicism abroad, humility at home

Trump has ushered in the age of humiliation. His method is to push around America’s friends rudely and publicly. He knows none of them can afford to fight back.