The Congress on Friday (Jul 10) escalated its attack on the Union Government, demanding the resignation of Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav. The party has called for “political accountability”, saying that ministers should consider stepping down if their close aides are “sacked for corruption”. This comes after four key staff members from Yadav’s office were abruptly dismissed over allegations of corruption.Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticised the current administration’s stance on governance, citing the example of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.“Is the idea of moral responsibility alive in Indian politics? Lal Bahadur Shastri set the highest standards when he resigned as Railway Minister exactly 70 years ago following a train accident in Tamil Nadu. His example is often recalled and has always drawn great admiration but has been very rarely followed, if at all,” Ramesh wrote on X.“Ministers must feel the urge to take moral responsibility to quit when their closest of close aides are sacked for corruption—and four of them, that too,” he added.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jharkhand-unveils-rs-1-150-crore-ai-roadmap-to-transform-governance-over-next-five-years-1783652941257">Jharkhand unveils Rs 1,150 crore AI roadmap to transform governance over next five years</a>Ramesh added that if such ministers were aware of what was happening, then they are also culpable. He said, “If they claim ignorance, it is even worse and all the more reason for them to depart. It is time to fulfil their raj-dharma, as the then Prime Minister had famously reminded the then Chief Minister of Gujarat fourteen years back. This raj-dharma encompasses both moral responsibility and political accountability.”The political row erupted after official orders revealed a sudden purge within the Environment Ministry. The private secretary to the minister was removed on “administrative grounds,” while two additional private secretaries had their appointments terminated or prematurely repatriated to their parent cadres.Labelling the developments a “gigantic scandal,” the Congress alleged a total collapse of institutional governance under Yadav's leadership. Taking a final swipe at the ministry’s performance, Ramesh remarked that the Paryavaran Mantralay (Environment Ministry) had effectively degenerated into a Pravachan Mantralay (Ministry of Sermons), doing very little actual work to safeguard the country’s forests and ecological balance.Watch | PM Modi gets grand welcome in Melbourne: Australia to supply Uranium to India<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-gets-grand-welcome-in-melbourne-australia-to-supply-uranium-to-india-1783624320681/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-gets-grand-welcome-in-melbourne-australia-to-supply-uranium-to-india-1783624320681/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Congress demanded Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav’s resignation after four aides were sacked for corruption. Citing Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jairam Ramesh urged Yadav to accept moral responsibility.

The Congress on Friday (Jul 10) escalated its attack on the Union Government, demanding the resignation of Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav. The party has called for “political accountability”, saying that ministers should consider stepping down if their close aides are “sacked for corruption”. This comes after four key staff members from Yadav’s office were abruptly dismissed over allegations of corruption. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticised the current administration’s stance on governance, citing the example of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. “Is the idea of moral responsibility alive in Indian politics? Lal Bahadur Shastri set the highest standards when he resigned as Railway Minister exactly 70 years ago following a train accident in Tamil Nadu. His example is often recalled and has always drawn great admiration but has been very rarely followed, if at all,” Ramesh wrote on X. “Ministers must feel the urge to take moral responsibility to quit when their closest of close aides are sacked for corruption—and four of them, that too,” he added. Also read | Jharkhand unveils Rs 1,150 crore AI roadmap to transform governance over next five years Ramesh added that if such ministers were aware of what was happening, then they are also culpable. He said, “If they claim ignorance, it is even worse and all the more reason for them to depart. It is time to fulfil their raj-dharma, as the then Prime Minister had famously reminded the then Chief Minister of Gujarat fourteen years back. This raj-dharma encompasses both moral responsibility and political accountability.” The political row erupted after official orders revealed a sudden purge within the Environment Ministry. The private secretary to the minister was removed on “administrative grounds,” while two additional private secretaries had their appointments terminated or prematurely repatriated to their parent cadres. Labelling the developments a “gigantic scandal,” the Congress alleged a total collapse of institutional governance under Yadav's leadership. Taking a final swipe at the ministry’s performance, Ramesh remarked that the Paryavaran Mantralay (Environment Ministry) had effectively degenerated into a Pravachan Mantralay (Ministry of Sermons), doing very little actual work to safeguard the country’s forests and ecological balance. Watch | PM Modi gets grand welcome in Melbourne: Australia to supply Uranium to India https://www.wionews.com/videos/pm-modi-gets-grand-welcome-in-melbourne-australia-to-supply-uranium-to-india-1783624320681/embed

Congress demanded Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav’s resignation after four aides were sacked for corruption. Citing Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jairam Ramesh urged Yadav to accept moral responsibility.

‘Is idea of moral responsibility alive?’ Congress slams Bhupender Yadav after staff members’ sacking

With Diwali and winter approaching, Delhi’s pollution levels are expected to soar in November. Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, has urged immediate action, including the use of cloud seeding, to address the city’s serious air pollution problem.

With Diwali and winter approaching, Delhi’s pollution levels are expected to soar in November. Delhi’s Environment Minister, Gopal Rai, has urged immediate action, including the use of cloud seeding, to address the city’s serious air pollution problem. Rai has appealed to the central government to convene an urgent meeting with key parties to expedite the approval process for cloud seeding, a technique aimed at curbing the anticipated rise in pollution levels during the winter. “We have already experienced a delay of approximately one month in the efforts for cloud seeding in Delhi and with air quality likely to deteriorate to ‘hazardous’ levels by early November, I once again request you to immediately convene meetings with all relevant stakeholders,” Rai wrote in his letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. This year, during the monsoon season, Delhi experienced 62% more rainfall than usual, with Safdarjung, the city’s primary weather station, recording 1029.9mm. While heavy rains typically help reduce pollution by washing away the topsoil, the average PM2.5 concentration in Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) was the highest seen during this period since 2021, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Also read: 200 kg cocaine worth $238mn seized in Delhi, days after $667mn drug bust Last year, the Delhi government considered cloud seeding as a method to address pollution, with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur advocating for its potential advantages. However, progress has been slowed by delays in obtaining necessary approvals from central authorities. Cloud seeding involves artificially generating rainfall to remove pollutants from the atmosphere and has been suggested as a temporary solution to the city’s persistent smog, the letter said. “We are prepared to take up cloud seeding to combat air pollution, but we need clearances from central departments to proceed,” Rai said, urging the Union Environment Minister to facilitate a meeting with all stakeholders to speed up the approval process. Experts suggest that pollution could be managed by inducing artificial rain through cloud seeding, a weather modification process that uses silver iodide (AgI) to assist the formation of ice crystals, enhancing the cloud’s ability to produce rain. IIT Kanpur has a specially modified aircraft equipped with cloud-seeding technology to carry out this operation. (With inputs from agencies)

Ahead of smog season, Delhi writes to Centre, pushes for ‘cloud seeding’ to combat air pollution

In the national statement at the ongoing 15th Conference of Parties (COP 15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Indian environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said that land restoration is one of the proven strategies for the path to green recovery.

"Land restoration can create jobs, uplift rural communities, and deliver significant co-benefits for human health, biodiversity, and adaptation to climate change."

“We will need to appropriately align our policies and institutions such that they contribute towards the restoration of landscapes and its productivity," the minister said at the COP 15 being held in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa.

He asserted that it was critical to ensure the flow of public finance into natural resource management to halt the deteriorating state of the environment.

"Our programs and initiatives will not see fruition without the means of implementation necessary to support them," he said.

After presiding over the COP for two years, India has now handed it over to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire.

The Indian minister stressed on the need to urgently reduce the profligate emissions driven by high consumption lifestyle of a global minority among countries, adding that it will be the key to the success of the three Rio conventions on climate change, biodiversity and desertification.

India stated that several global developments indicate renewed and stronger resolve that provide direct and indirect support to the objectives of UNCCD, such as the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) that aims at halting and reversing ecosystem degradation and loss.

"It is timely that at this COP, we call for action to ensure that land is sustainably managed and continues to benefit present and future generation," India said.

Emphasising that land plays a fundamental and cross-cutting role in achieving several of the Sustainable Development Goals, India's environment minister said that meeting SDG goals can help accelerate tree cover, soil conservation and transition towards sustainable agriculture production.

The minister said that during India's presidency, seven high-level meetings were convened successfully and they witnessed vibrant discussions, leading to decisions on-Leveraging multilateral platforms on the road to Rio+ 30; scheduling of the COP 15 at Cote d’Ivoire; and deliberations in the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on Drought.

India said that during this period (2019-2021), G-20 leaders have recognised the importance of combating land degradation and creating new carbon sinks with an aspirational goal to collectively plant 1 trillion trees, urging other countries to join forces with G20 to reach this global goal by 2030. &nbsp;

A high-level dialogue of United Nations General Assembly was held on 14th June 2021 on Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the success stories and initiatives taken by India to combat land degradation, the environment minister said.

The minister expressed that for the first time, an Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on effective policy and implementation measures for addressing drought under UNCCD was established and a draft report has been prepared which will be discussed during COP-15.

Yadav concluded by remarking that India held the 14th COP in Delhi in 2019 as a part of its commitment to the global community and its commitment to the fundamental objectives of this Convention.

Subsequently, it also held the presidency during the difficult Covid 19 pandemic times, he said.

"The world has now chosen Abidjan as the site to begin the next step of our journey, to carry forward this important task. We pass on this responsibility to our hosts, the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, knowing that you will undertake the task at hand with deft and zeal. We repose our faith in you to guide the global community to tread on the path of sustainability with care and respect for Mother Earth," Bhupender Yadav said.

In the national statement at the ongoing 15th Conference of Parties (COP 15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Indian environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said that land restoration is one of the proven strategies for the path to green recovery.

In the national statement at the ongoing 15th Conference of Parties (COP 15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Indian environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said that land restoration is one of the proven strategies for the path to green recovery. "Land restoration can create jobs, uplift rural communities, and deliver significant co-benefits for human health, biodiversity, and adaptation to climate change." “We will need to appropriately align our policies and institutions such that they contribute towards the restoration of landscapes and its productivity," the minister said at the COP 15 being held in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa. He asserted that it was critical to ensure the flow of public finance into natural resource management to halt the deteriorating state of the environment. "Our programs and initiatives will not see fruition without the means of implementation necessary to support them," he said. After presiding over the COP for two years, India has now handed it over to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire. The Indian minister stressed on the need to urgently reduce the profligate emissions driven by high consumption lifestyle of a global minority among countries, adding that it will be the key to the success of the three Rio conventions on climate change, biodiversity and desertification. India stated that several global developments indicate renewed and stronger resolve that provide direct and indirect support to the objectives of UNCCD, such as the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) that aims at halting and reversing ecosystem degradation and loss. "It is timely that at this COP, we call for action to ensure that land is sustainably managed and continues to benefit present and future generation," India said. Emphasising that land plays a fundamental and cross-cutting role in achieving several of the Sustainable Development Goals, India's environment minister said that meeting SDG goals can help accelerate tree cover, soil conservation and transition towards sustainable agriculture production. The minister said that during India's presidency, seven high-level meetings were convened successfully and they witnessed vibrant discussions, leading to decisions on-Leveraging multilateral platforms on the road to Rio+ 30; scheduling of the COP 15 at Cote d’Ivoire; and deliberations in the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on Drought. India said that during this period (2019-2021), G-20 leaders have recognised the importance of combating land degradation and creating new carbon sinks with an aspirational goal to collectively plant 1 trillion trees, urging other countries to join forces with G20 to reach this global goal by 2030. A high-level dialogue of United Nations General Assembly was held on 14th June 2021 on Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the success stories and initiatives taken by India to combat land degradation, the environment minister said. The minister expressed that for the first time, an Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on effective policy and implementation measures for addressing drought under UNCCD was established and a draft report has been prepared which will be discussed during COP-15. Yadav concluded by remarking that India held the 14th COP in Delhi in 2019 as a part of its commitment to the global community and its commitment to the fundamental objectives of this Convention. Subsequently, it also held the presidency during the difficult Covid 19 pandemic times, he said. "The world has now chosen Abidjan as the site to begin the next step of our journey, to carry forward this important task. We pass on this responsibility to our hosts, the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, knowing that you will undertake the task at hand with deft and zeal. We repose our faith in you to guide the global community to tread on the path of sustainability with care and respect for Mother Earth," Bhupender Yadav said.

Land restoration can create jobs, uplift rural communities, says Indian environment minister at UNCCD

India has been at the forefront of climate action as many of our guests and dialogue partners have also pointed out it is the only G20 nation that is well on track to meet its climate goals. India is also among the top 10 countries in the climate change performance index. Our guest of honour this evening Bhupender Yadav, minister for environment.

WION Climate summit: 'Adaptation to climate change is a universal requirement,' says Bhupender Yadav

The BJP&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;hit out at the Goa and Daman archbishop for his claim that the Constitution was in danger, saying it was a "political appeal" by a religious head which marked a "new dangerous trend".

BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said the Delhi archbishop had earlier spoken out on similar lines and asserted that the two would set in motion a precedent that did not augur well for Indian democracy. 
 
Archbishop of Goa and Daman Father Filipe Neri Ferrao had in a letter said the Constitution was in danger and most of the people were living in insecurity. 
 
"As heads of religious institutions they must bless all. The distance between a religious institution & politics should be maintained," Yadav said in a series of tweets. 
 
In a swipe at the Goa archbishop, he referred to the proclamation of the Emergency in 1975 and said his office did not see any threat to the Constitution then when it was in danger. 
 
'They are now choosing to speak for political and not religious sections. Religious institutions controlling politics & political opinion happen in theocratic state which was rejected centuries ago," Yadav said. 
 
The BJP leader wondered what would happen if heads of other religious denominations followed the archbishop's example and started making similar appeals. 
 
He said both archbishops might have written their letters in general terms, but their message had not been lost. 
 
"After the political letter written by the Archbishop of Delhi, his counterpart in Goa has expressed a similar view. It's a political appeal by a religious head which marks a new dangerous trend in Indian politics. India isn't a theocratic state. It doesn't distinguish on basis of religion. India is world's largest democracy. It's governed by one of the most liberal constitutions of the world," he said.

The very fact that archbishops have expressed their criticism is the best evidence of free speech, he said.

Archbishop of Goa and Daman Father Filipe Neri Ferrao had in a letter said the Constitution was in danger and most of the people were living in insecurity

The BJP on Tuesday hit out at the Goa and Daman archbishop for his claim that the Constitution was in danger, saying it was a "political appeal" by a religious head which marked a "new dangerous trend". BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said the Delhi archbishop had earlier spoken out on similar lines and asserted that the two would set in motion a precedent that did not augur well for Indian democracy. Archbishop of Goa and Daman Father Filipe Neri Ferrao had in a letter said the Constitution was in danger and most of the people were living in insecurity. "As heads of religious institutions they must bless all. The distance between a religious institution & politics should be maintained," Yadav said in a series of tweets. In a swipe at the Goa archbishop, he referred to the proclamation of the Emergency in 1975 and said his office did not see any threat to the Constitution then when it was in danger. 'They are now choosing to speak for political and not religious sections. Religious institutions controlling politics & political opinion happen in theocratic state which was rejected centuries ago," Yadav said. The BJP leader wondered what would happen if heads of other religious denominations followed the archbishop's example and started making similar appeals. He said both archbishops might have written their letters in general terms, but their message had not been lost. "After the political letter written by the Archbishop of Delhi, his counterpart in Goa has expressed a similar view. It's a political appeal by a religious head which marks a new dangerous trend in Indian politics. India isn't a theocratic state. It doesn't distinguish on basis of religion. India is world's largest democracy. It's governed by one of the most liberal constitutions of the world," he said. The very fact that archbishops have expressed their criticism is the best evidence of free speech, he said.

Archbishop's letter marks dangerous trend: BJP

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‘Is idea of moral responsibility alive?’ Congress slams Bhupender Yadav after staff members’ sacking

Ahead of smog season, Delhi writes to Centre, pushes for ‘cloud seeding’ to combat air pollution

Land restoration can create jobs, uplift rural communities, says Indian environment minister at UNCCD

WION Climate summit: 'Adaptation to climate change is a universal requirement,' says Bhupender Yadav

Archbishop's letter marks dangerous trend: BJP