#RealtyNewsRoundUp: India Among 5-Worst Nations In Curbing Air Pollution

India is among the bottom five countries on the Environmental Performance Index 2018, plummeting 36 points from 141 in 2016, according to a biennial report by Yale and Columbia universities prepared in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. While India is at the bottom of the list in the environmental health category, it ranks 178 out of 180 as far as air quality is concerned.

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The government awarded 325 routes to airlines as well as helicopter operators, enhancing air connectivity to 73 new airports and helipads in Tier-II and Tier-III cities under the Centre's regional connectivity scheme, also known as UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik). The second round of UDAN is expected to connect 43 airports and helipads in "priority sector", which includes the north-eastern and hill states.

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Development projects, including multi-level parking and underpasses, worth over Rs 500 crore were dedicated to the public in Ghaziabad and Noida, on the occasion of the Uttar Pradesh Diwas on January 24. The projects in Noida include a multi-level car parking and two underpasses. These projects would improve the connectivity in Noida where traffic congestion has emerged as a key area of concern.

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All three municipal corporations in Delhi were not able to utilise around Rs 2,000 crore collected as conversion and parking charges from city's markets between 2006 and 2017, according to the media reports. Most of this amount was "diverted" to employee-related expenditures, media reports said, citing details from a report submitted by the municipal bodies to a special committee of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

Source: Media reports