India ranked 12th in mismanaging plastic waste

8 million tonnes of plastic waste dumped into world's oceans in 2010: Study

A study published in the journal 'Science' has revealed that nearly eight million tonnes of plastic waste was dumped into the world's oceans in 2010. Plastic littering and mismanaged plastic waste systems are prime causes for this. India ranks 12th in mismanaging 0.60 million tonnes of plastic waste per year. As estimated, the cumulative amount of plastic waste will more than double in the next decade due to the absence of any improvement to waste management systems in the 192 coastal countries. However, 50% improvement in waste disposal in the 20 top-ranked countries will lead to a reduction in mismanaged waste by 41% by 2025.

Yamuna polluted beyond repair: CWC

As per the Central Water Commission (CWC), the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of water when it flows through Agra is 55 milligram per litre (mg/L) as against the permissible limit of 2 mg/L making the contamination level in the river irreversible and the water unfit for both irrigation and drinking purposes. The pollution in the river is also affecting the groundwater in the city as the total dissolved salts (TDS) has reached almost 1500 mg/L, which is three times the permissible limit. Moreover, the treated water supplied to residents in the city contains harmful elements which may cause cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, skin or mental illness.

Steel Minister tells POSCO to bid for Odisha's iron ore reserves

The Union Steel Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has declared that the South Korean steel giant POSCO will have to bid for the state’s iron ore reserves for their proposed steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district. Though the announcement has come as a setback for POSCO, the anti-land acquisition residents are relieved as they have received a fresh lease of life. However, the Odisha Government that had signed an MoU with POSCO 10 years ago to build a mega steel plant, is unhappy with the Centre's decision and alleges that Centre was trying to impede POSCO's development.

Flamingos abandon thousands of eggs in Little Rann of Kutch

Thousands of unhatched eggs have been abandoned by flamingos in one of the six breeding colonies in the Little Rann of Kutch, one of the largest and most popular breeding grounds for the Lesser Flamingos in the world. The reason attributed for this unusual phenomenon is the drying up of water at the site. As per wildlife photographers, the number of deserted eggs could be between 15,000 and 18,000 but officials claim that the number are between 1,300 to 1,500 eggs.

Delhi in danger as Lakhwar-Vyasi dam gets cleared

Environmentalists fear that the execution of the Lakhwar-Vyasi hydroelectric project in the Yamuna valley will have catastrophic consequences on Delhi. Nearly 50 environmentalists and environmental groups have written a letter to the Prime Minister on September 14, 2014, seeking abandonment of the proposed Lakhwar-Vyasi project as it will be executed on a highly seismically-active zone that is prone to landslides. The proposed Lakhwar-Vyasi project involves the submergence of 1385.2 ha of land, including 868.08 ha of forest land, which is likely to affect 50 villages. 

This is a roundup of important news from February 9 - 16, 2015. Also read last week's policy updates.