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Government flags environmental impact of AI infrastructure, including energy and water use
E20 fuel cuts emissions and boosts farmer payments under ethanol blending programme
Namami Gange sees 524 projects sanctioned, over 350 completed
705 mitigation measures proposed to reduce elephant–train collisions
Stubble burning identified as key seasonal driver of North India pollution
150 elephant corridors identified across 15 states for conservation
Over 600 polluting industries found non-compliant with environmental norms
The government is aware of the environmental impacts of artificial intelligence infrastructure, including energy consumption, water use and electronic waste, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha.
While data centres and AI facilities are not directly covered under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006, large construction projects housing such facilities (above 20,000 square metres) require prior environmental clearance, the minister said. These clearances are granted based on detailed appraisal by expert committees, keeping environmental safeguards in view.
E20 fuel improves acceleration and ride quality while reducing carbon emissions by about 30% per cent compared to E10, according to a joint statement by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi told the Lok Sabha.
Ethanol’s higher octane supports modern high-compression engines, while its higher heat of vaporisation improves efficiency by cooling intake air and enhancing combustion, Gopi stated.
The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme has led to payments of over Rs 1,50,925 crore to farmers from the Ethanol Supply Year 2014-15 up to February 2026. It has also resulted in foreign exchange savings of more than Rs 1,70,560 crore, a net carbon dioxide reduction of around 86.9 million tonnes and the substitution of over 28.9 million tonnes of crude oil.
The Government of India launched the Namami Gange Programme in 2014-15 to rejuvenate the river Ganga and its tributaries, and the programme has now been extended to March 2026, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary told the Lok Sabha.
The programme includes a range of interventions such as wastewater treatment, riverfront development, ensuring environmental flows, rural sanitation, afforestation, biodiversity conservation and public participation. As of February 2026, a total of 524 projects have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 43,030 crore, of which 355 have been completed.
A comprehensive report has been prepared to mitigate elephant and other wildlife train collisions on vulnerable railway stretches, Singh told the Rajya Sabha.
The report recommends 705 mitigation structures across 77 priority railway stretches. It has been shared with the Ministry of Railways and state governments for implementation. A monitoring portal has also been developed under Project Elephant, in coordination with the Ministry of Railways and the Wildlife Institute of India, to track progress.
Stubble burning during the winter season has been identified as an episodic contributor to air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region region, Singh told the Rajya Sabha.
Meteorological factors such as low temperatures, inversion conditions and stagnant winds further trap pollutants, worsening air quality. The government has adopted a “whole-of-government” approach, with states preparing both short-term and long-term action plans. Punjab and Haryana together recorded about a 90 per cent reduction in fire incidents during the 2025 paddy harvesting season compared to 2022.
There are 4,498 grossly polluting industries in India, of which 3,637 are operational, Singh told the Rajya Sabha. Among the operational units, 601 were found to be non-compliant with environmental standards. Action has been taken by pollution control authorities, including 29 closure directions, 571 show-cause notices and one directive under environmental laws.
A total of 150 elephant corridors have been identified and validated across 15 elephant-range states in India, Singh told the Rajya Sabha.
Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal have been advised to take necessary steps to protect and conserve these corridors.