Advisory on asbestos roofing sheets in schools

The Department of School Education and Literacy, under the Union Ministry of Education, has issued an advisory to all states and Union Territories to ensure compliance with existing rules and safety norms on cement-asbestos roofing sheets in schools.

This was stated in an action taken report filed by the department before the National Green Tribunal on September 7, 2026. The report was filed in compliance with the tribunal’s judgment dated October 30, 2025 and subsequent order dated July 24, 2026.

The department issued the advisory on February 13, 2026 to education secretaries of all states and Union Territories. It requested them to ensure that schools under their administrative control follow existing rules and safety norms relating to cement-asbestos roofing sheets.

States and Union Territories were asked to ensure that existing cement-asbestos roofing sheets are maintained in good condition and that a protective coating of paint or lime is applied on both sides as a precautionary measure.

They were also asked to ensure that relevant guidelines, including IS:11769 (Part 1), are followed during the installation and handling of cement-asbestos roofing sheets. Waste cement-asbestos sheets, when discarded or damaged, must be disposed of at authorised sites in accordance with applicable rules.

The states and Union Territories were requested to prepare a road map and submit an action taken report to the Department of School Education and Literacy.

The department also informed the tribunal that it has pursued the matter with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for the preparation and sharing of a standard operating procedure, action plan and guidelines. These will be circulated to all states and Union Territories for compliance once issued.

Solani river floodplain demarcation

The Irrigation and Water Resources Department, Uttar Pradesh submitted a report to the National Green Tribunal on September 7, 2026 on the demarcation of the floodplain zone of the Solani river.

The report was filed in compliance with the tribunal’s July 8, 2026 order.

The Solani river originates in the Himalayan foothills near Dehradun in Uttarakhand, flows through Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar districts in Uttar Pradesh, and joins the Banganga river upstream of Shukratal.

The NGT had noted that a one-metre contour interval, used for floodplain demarcation along the Ganga and its tributaries, had not been considered earlier. On examining the maps, the tribunal observed that one-metre contour intervals were not shown.

In compliance with the tribunal’s direction to demarcate the floodplain zone on the basis of a one-in-100-year return period using a one-metre contour interval, a physical survey was conducted across the entire reach of the Solani river by the Hydrology Division, Bahadrabad, Haridwar.

A one-metre hybrid digital elevation model, with one-metre accuracy, was developed and used to model the floodplain and generate contour maps across the entire river reach passing through the districts.

The report said the Solani river does not flow through Bijnor district. Since no reach of the river exists within the district, no hydrological survey, one-metre digital elevation modelling or contour mapping was required or conducted there.

Based on the one-metre DEM survey and the 100-year return period, in accordance with the Ganga Rejuvenation Order, 2016, the Uttar Pradesh government notified the floodplain zone of the Solani river for Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar districts through Gazette notifications dated December 24 and December 27, 2024.

The physical installation of boundary demarcation pillars for the 100-year return period along both riverbanks was completed on February 7, 2025 by the Irrigation Construction Division, Saharanpur.

Illegal borewells in Delhi’s Civil Lines

The National Green Tribunal on September 3, 2026 directed the Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Civil Lines, to submit their responses in a matter concerning alleged illegal borewells in Civil Lines, Delhi.

Counsel for the applicant informed the tribunal that the authorities had not complied with the NGT’s January 27, 2026 order to dismantle or seal borewells allegedly operating illegally in the area.

On January 27, 2026, the tribunal had directed the Delhi Jal Board and the SDM, Civil Lines, to conduct ground verification of the complaint. If the allegations were found to be correct, the authorities were directed to seal or dismantle the borewells.

The Delhi Jal Board and SDM, Civil Lines, were also directed to forward a report on the illegal borewells to the member secretary of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. The committee was to determine environmental compensation for the illegal withdrawal of groundwater and take appropriate steps to recover it.

The matter will be heard next on November 27, 2026.

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