56 hours on, ill-equipped workers struggle to contain Chennai oil spill [http://cmsenvis.cmsindia.org/resources/newspaper/details.asp?id=88614]Correspondent : Abdullah NurullahCHENNAI: More than 56 hours after two vessels collided off Ennore port, ill-equipped pollution response teams of the Indian Coast Guard were on Monday grappling with the oil spill that spread southward beyond Marina beach, about 25km from the accident spot. Coast Guard workers used 25 litre buckets to scoop out the oil sludge formed due to the spill from MT Dawn Kanchipuram.

Okhla waste-to-energy plant to remain operational: NGT [http://cmsenvis.cmsindia.org/resources/newspaper/details.asp?id=88675]Okhla waste-to-energy plant here was on Thursday allowed to function by the National Green Tribunal which said it need not be shut down or shifted as it is non-polluting now but directed it to pay an environmental compensation of Rs 25 lakh for its deficient operation earlier. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar while passing a slew of directions in the “interest of public health and environment”, said environmental compensation (EC) be paid to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in equal shares for utilising for prevention and control of air pollution in the area.

 NGT slaps Rs. 25 lakh fine on Okhla energy plant [http://cmsenvis.cmsindia.org/resources/newspaper/details.asp?id=88689]The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has allowed the Okhla waste-to-energy plant to function while imposing an environmental compensation of Rs. 25 lakh on it for causing pollution.


A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar, while passing a slew of directions in the “interest of public health and environment”, said the fine would be paid to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in equal shares for controlling air pollution in the area.

Government to raise awareness on wetland conservation [http://cmsenvis.cmsindia.org/resources/newspaper/details.asp?id=88671]The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) under the Environment Ministry has decided to organise two events to spread public awareness about conservation of wetlands which includes a radio-outreach and awareness generation campaign. The World Wetland day 2017 on Thursday, with the theme ‘Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction’ is being celebrated in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh government at Bhoj Wetlands Bhopal, which is one of the 26 Ramsar sites that India has designated under the Ramsar Convention.

Guards in Sariska tiger reserve may get firearms [http://cmsenvis.cmsindia.org/resources/newspaper/details.asp?id=88679]AJMER: Environment minister Rajendra Singh Khimsar said the government is mulling over the idea of equipping the forest guards in Sariska Tiger Reserve with firearms after incidents of poaching reported form the area. Khimsar, who is also the minister in charge of the district, was talking to the media in Ajmer on Thursday.

Bombay Natural History Society proposes Thane Creek as a Ramsar site [http://cmsenvis.cmsindia.org/resources/newspaper/details.asp?id=88684]Thane Creek features as one of the two sites that the Bombay Natural History Society has recommended to the state government as potential Ramsar sites on February 1, a day before World Wetland Day.