Pollution Penalties to Fund New Environment Protection Fund: MoS
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The fines imposed under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981; the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, on any person for contravening the provisions of the respective Acts, shall be credited into the Environment Protection Fund, Union environment ministry has informed the Lok Sabha, reported HT.
“The Environment Protection Fund, 2026 provides the purposes for which it may be utilized includes the assessment and remediation of environmental damages and remediation of contaminated sites. Administrative expenses, not exceeding 5% of the amount available in the fund in a financial year may be used for payment of salaries and other emoluments of staff deployed in the project management unit ; necessary office equipment and furniture for the project management unit; and payment of auditors and legal or other professional services,” said Kirti Vardhan Singh, minister of state for environment in response to questions by Opposition.
The government was asked if it had assessed the potential conflict of interest arising from the Environmental (Protection) Fund Rules, 2026, under which penalties collected under the Air Act, Water Act and Environment (Protection) Act now finance regulatory and administrative functions. Also, whether the government has prescribed any mandatory mechanism under the Environmental (Protection) Fund Rules, 2026 to ensure that penalties collected from environmental violations are utilised for site-specific remediation and measurable ecological restoration, the newspaper continued.
NGT probes Fairmine over Sadabah River pollution in Palamu
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is investigating Fairminea Carbon for polluting the Sadabah River in Palamu, Jharkhand, by discharging untreated wastewater from a coal mine. The probe focuses on violations of environmental norms, specifically allegations that the firm encroached on a required 15-meter safety barrier along the riverbank for mining activities, Frontline Magazine reported adding that the case highlights the conflict between industrial development and environmental protection.
The firm is accused of releasing industrial effluents into the Sadabah River, causing significant environmental damage. Concerns were raised regarding illegal mining practices and failure to maintain the mandated safety barriers near the water body. Fairmine Carbons Pvt. Ltd. won the contract for the Rajhara North coal mine, faces scrutiny over compliance. The mining activities have reportedly threatened the local ecosystem, impacting water quality in the region.
‘Difficult to believe’: NGT questions HP govt’s claim of 100% treatment of municipal waste
The National Green Tribunal raised doubts over Himachal Pradesh’s claim of achieving 100% municipal waste treatment across 16 urban local bodies, calling such uniform efficiency “difficult to believe.” During a recent hearing on compliance with the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the tribunal flagged discrepancies in the state’s six-monthly report, including unclear annexures and the absence of filing under the Chief Secretary’s affidavit as previously directed. It also questioned the assertion of a “zero gap” between waste generation and processing.
The tribunal has now asked for a revised, verifiable report. While the state maintains that 375 of 381 tonnes per day of waste is processed, with only a minor gap in three towns, concerns remain over data reliability. The matter also ties into broader issues of sewage treatment gaps, infrastructure utilisation, and environmental monitoring, and will be heard again on May 20.
5m tonnes of CO2 emitted in just 14 days of US war on Iran, analysis finds
War in west Asia is draining the global carbon budget faster than 84 countries combined. The first 15 days of the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran in March 2026 generated over 5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalentaccording to analysis by the Climate and Community Institute (CCI). This surge in emissions resulted primarily from destroyed infrastructure and fuel combustion, the Guardian reported citing the analysis.
The study estimated that the initial 14 days of bombardment produced over 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), exceeding Iceland's annual emissions of around 4.28 million tonnes. The figures are also comparable to putting 1.1 million petrol cars on the road for a year and amount to more than $1.3 billion in climate damage, the report said.
The outlet added that the study attributed the bulk of emissions to the destruction of civilian infrastructure and fuel. Destroyed homes and buildings accounted for roughly 2.4 million tonnes of CO2e, followed by burning or destroyed fuel at about 1.88 million tonnes. Fuel consumed in combat operations contributed around 529,000 tonnes, while emissions embedded in military equipment, missiles and drones made up the remainder
Himachal residents protest against pharma factory over pollution claims
Around 1,000 people protest in Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh, over alleged pollution by pharmaceutical firm Kinvan Pvt Ltd. Villagers said the factory was depleting groundwater and polluted air and noise from the plant was affecting daily life, DTE reported.
The villagers said the facility had been permitted to use around 6.71 kilolitres of water per day, but questioned whether this limit was being exceeded given the scale of operations.
The report pointed out that the factory is located close to a local river system, which supports at least 16 government drinking water and irrigation schemes serving Nalagarh town and surrounding villages, including Radiali, Rakh Ram Singh, New Nalagarh, Kirpalpur, Nikkuwal and Rajpura.
Residents warned that excessive water extraction could lead to shortages in the near future. They also alleged that groundwater levels had fallen since the plant began operating, with handpumps and wells in some areas nearing depletion.
Supreme Court declines to intervene in plea over mercury leakage risks from Bhopal waste, directs petitioner to High Court
The Supreme Court declined to intervene in a plea about land and groundwater contamination due to mercury leakage from incinerated waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy. The case relates to the disposal of hazardous waste and residual ash generated after incinerating toxic material from the Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL) site in Bhopal, DTE reported.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has been monitoring the matter through a public interest litigation for over two decades, issuing directions to prevent soil and groundwater contamination in and around the site. The residual ash has been disposed of at a treatment, storage and disposal facility in Pithampur, in Dhar district.
The petitioner, citing a report by Asif Qureshi of IIT Hyderabad, raised concerns that the ash from Bhopal gas tragedy site contains significant quantities of mercury, which could potentially leak and contaminate groundwater and the surrounding environment. The court advised the petitioner to approach the High Court with supporting material if concerns about future leakage persist. It also directed the High Court to consider such applications on their merits in the larger public interest.