Page 144 - Environment
Siemens Gamesa commissions 10 MW solar project for Lakshmi Machine Works
Clean energy solutions provider Siemens Gamesa Thursday said it has commissioned 10 MW solar power project for Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW) in Tamil Nadu. As part of the contract, Siemens Gamesa provided an EPC (engineering procurement and construction) solution that included engineering and design of the solar farm, procurement, erection and commissioning of the 10 MW photovoltaic (PV) solar farm near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, a company statement said. Founded in 1962, LMW is a leading textile machinery manufacturer that produces the entire range of textile spinning machinery. It also makes machine tools, high precision environment-friendly castings and aerospace products. "It is quite encouraging for us to see original equipment manufacturers like LMW taking confidence in renewable energy and reinvesting in this technology to power their industries. "The growing interests towards renewable energy from various industries will certainly pace up the momentum in achieving India's ...
Standalone metro systems not effective, need shared mobility and electric vehicles: Naidu
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Thursday stressed on the need of adopting shared mobility and electric vehicles to meet increasing demands of transportation and said standalone metro systems are not effective as they require a holistic approach. Delivering a keynote address at the launch of 'Electric Mobility Forum' of research organisation WRI India, Naidu also suggested for a comprehensive mobility plan to meet the need of cities for a period of 30-40 years. "Standalone metro systems are not effective and need a holistic approach. Globally, the mobility sector is acquiring new paradigms. Shared mobility, electric vehicles, bicycles, connected vehicles are taking the centre stage and India must also follow the same," he said. The forum, launched by the vice president, is aimed at revolutionising electric mobility in the country and accelerate the transition towards clean electric vehicles. Naidu, citing figures, said it took 70 years to build 60,000 petrol pumps in the country and ...
Sri Lanka seeks divine help to end power crisis
Sri Lanka's state energy provider sought divine intervention Thursday to break a crippling power shortage, dispatching envoys to the country's north to offer holy water to a tree sacred to Buddhists. The island nation has endured widespread energy shortages all week as a severe drought bites into hydro-electricity production, resulting in unpredictable blackouts and emergency measures to slash usage. Some businesses were hoarding fuel for generators, fearing the situation would not improve, as hours-long rolling outages forced Sri Lankans to sleep outdoors to escape the heat. In the hope of provoking much-needed rain, the Ceylon Electricity Board said it would offer alms to the Sri Maha Bodi, a tree in Anuradhapura revered by the island's Buddhists. Pots of water blessed by monks were sent by motorcade to the Bodi, believed to have grown from a sapling of an older tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment more than 2,500 years ago. "There will be several offerings at the bodi
Second unit of NTPC's Solapur project to be commercially operational from midnight Friday
State-run power giant NTPC on Thursday said Unit-2 of 660 MW of Solapur Super Thermal Power Project in Maharashtra will begin commercial operation from midnight Friday. Unit-1 of 660 MW of Solarpur project has already been commissioned. The project has two units of 660 MW each. "Unit-2 of 660 MW of Solapur Super Thermal Power Station (2 X 660 MW) will be declared on commercial operation from 00:00 hrs of March 30 2019," according to a BSE filing. According to the statement, with this, the commercial capacities of Solapur Super Thermal Power Station, NTPC and NTPC group would become 1,320 MW, 45,725 MW and 52,866 MW, respectively.
TN govt opposes Sterlite plea to carry out maintenance work at Tuticorin plant
Sterlite was a chronic defaulter, having caused wanton water and air pollution over the years and there was no need for allowing it to carry out maintenance work at its closed copper plant in Tuticorin, the Tamil Nadu government has contended in the Madras High Court. In its counter to a petition challenging the order to close the unit permanently and the interim plea, the government also claimed there had been improvement in the environment and quality of ground water in and around the copper plant after the unit was shut down last year. When the matter came up for hearing Wednesday, a division bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and Nirmal Kumar took note of the submissions in the counter and after hearing the arguments, directed the state government to test the quality of air in the area. The petition was posted to April 23 for further hearing. The counter was filed by the state Environment and Forest Department and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNCB). Sterlite, which has .
NBCC bags new projects worth over Rs 1,000 crore
Public sector construction major NBCC India Ltd has secured new works for various infrastructure projects with total estimated cost of Rs 1,003 crore.For the Indian Institute of Management in Visakhapatnam, it will provide project management consultancy services for development of a campus at a cost of Rs 463 crore.NBCC will provide similar services for development of a medical college and a hospital at Chamba in Himachal Pradesh at a cost of Rs 200 crore.In Bihar, the company has secured various works for ghat rehabilitation and development under the Namami Gange Programme at a cost of Rs 100 crore. The Union Ministry of Water Resources also has entrusted NBCC to take up entry-level activities pertaining to river Ganga rejuvenation in various towns of Bihar.The construction major will undertake additional work at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar at a cost of Rs 130 crores.In Puducherry, it will redevelop the main railway station at a cost of Rs 110 crore, according to
US expresses concern about space debris from India's A-SAT test
The US has expressed concern about space debris created by the anti-satellite (A-SAT) test carried out by India and said it expected that it does not endanger others' equipment.
River water persisted on Mars much later than thought
Water from rivers on Mars persisted on at hundreds of locations on Red Planet much later into its history than previously thought, a study has found. Riverbeds were carved deep into the Martian surface long ago, but the understanding of the climate billions of years ago remains incomplete. Scientists in University of Chicago in the US catalogued these rivers to conclude that significant river runoff persisted on Mars later into its history than previously thought. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, showed that the runoff was intense -- rivers on Mars were wider than those on Earth today -- and occurred at hundreds of locations on the Red Planet. This complicates the picture for scientists trying to model the ancient Martian climate, said Edwin Kite, assistant professor at University of Chicago. "It's already hard to explain rivers or lakes based on the information we have. This makes a difficult problem even more difficult," Kite said. The constraints could be ...
Tesla builds its 'largest energy storage system in Asia'
In a bid to reduce energy demand and provide emergency backup power to trains in Japan, Tesla has claimed to develop its largest power storage system in Asia.
EU parliament approves ban on single use plastics
European lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Wednesday for an EU-wide ban on single-use plastic products such as the straws, cutlery and cotton buds that are clogging the world's oceans. The text had already been approved in negotiations with member states and EU officials and it will now be rapidly approved into law. The ban comes into effect from 2021. EU Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said Europe was not the worst source of plastic pollution, but that the pioneering measure could serve as an example to the world. "Asian countries are very much interested in what we're doing. Latin American countries too," he said. "Even though our share of the pollution is relatively limited, our change of the economic model has a global impact." The law passed by 560 votes to 35 in the Strasbourg assembly. Aside from the ban on a dozen kinds of disposable products for which alternatives exist, the EU will encourage member states to reduce the use of plastic packaging and introduce stricter .
Telangana CM dials farmer after his complaint on FB
A young farmer from a remote village in Telangana on Wednesday received a phone call from no less than Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, who reacted after the farmer's Facebook post about his land problem went viral.
US, USSR pioneers of ASAT technology
In the backdrop of the Cold War and perceived threat of strikes from space, both United States and the erstwhile USSR worked on the Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT) programme, but it was the former who tested it first in 1959. On Wednesday, India shot down one of its satellites in space on Wednesday with an anti-satellite missile to demonstrate this complex capability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, making it only the fourth country to have used such a weapon, after the US, the USSR and China. However, there was a gap of nearly 60 years between the first country--the US-- that tested the ASATs and India, which is the last one in the club to demonstrate the capability. In September 1959, a High Virgo missile was launched by the US from B-58 aircraft targeting an Explorer satellite. However, it was unsuccessful, according to a paper presented by Anatoly Zak at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. A month later, a Bold Orion missile launched from a B-47 aircraft ..
'CM's telephonic talk with farmer aimed at electoral benefit'
Congress in Telangana Wednesday alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's telephonic talk with a farmer to address his problem vis-a-vis land ownership was for publicity and electoral benefit. State Congress' election commission coordination committee convener G Niranjan said in a release that he has complained to election authorities about the issue "We welcome if a problem is solved. But when the the model code is in force, why this publicity by misusing power?" Niranjan said. Rao's intervention led to rederessal of the The intervention of Rao led to the redressal of the concerned farmer's complaint over error in records vis-a-vis ownership of his lands in Mancherial district.
RSS lauds scientists, Centre for success of 'Mission Shakti'
Stating that India has become a "space super power", the RSS Wednesday complimented the scientists and the Central government for the successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability. "On the significant occasion of India's becoming a space super power after the successful Mission Shakti : testing of Anti-Satellite weapon A-SAT, we salute and compliment our scientists as well as the central leadership on behalf of the people of India," the RSS tweeted from its official handle. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) handle quoted its Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, Arun Kumar, as saying: "This glorious achievement will be a source of inspiration for generations to come." Declaring India has established itself as a global space
Nominations of 49 candidates for 1st phase of polls rejected
Nominations of 49 candidates were rejected after scrutiny for the first phase of polling for 14 constituencies in Karnataka on April 18, poll officials said. They said the number of valid nominated candidates was 237. Prominent among those who filed nominations in the first phase include former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda (Tumkur), his grandson Prajwal Revanna and Nikhil Kumaraswamy from Hassan and Mandya respectively. Also in the fray are Union Minister Sadananda Gowda (Bangalore North), senior Congress leaders Verappa Moily (Chikkaballapura), B K Hariprasad (Bangalore South) and Karnataka Rural Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda (Bangalore North). Karnataka will go to the polls in two phases, 14 constituencies each, on April 18 and 23. The last date for withdrawal of nominations for the first phase is March 29. For the second phase polls on April 23, the notification will be issued on March 28. The last date for nomination is April 4. Scrutiny will take place on .
AAP leader to file fresh petition in NGT against construction of landfill
Aam Aadmi Party leader Dilip Pandey would be filing a fresh petition in the National Green Tribunal against construction of a landfill in north-east Delhi, claiming that it poses a severe health hazard to the residents. AAP's candidate for North East Lok Sabha seat, Pandey Wednesday condemned the BJP-led central government's alleged decision to allow the construction of a landfill site near a densely populated area in the Yamuna floodplains. Pandey, who is one of the petitioners in the ongoing case before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding the allocation of land near Sonia Vihar and Gonda Gujran in North East Delhi, said he will file a fresh application challenging the DDA and East MCD's move to set-up a new landfill site on 42 acres at Gonda Gujran. Pandey urged Delhi BJP President and North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari to make his stand clear on the issue, "which concerns the health and well being of lakhs of residents of the area". He was reacting to the latest reports that .
A-SAT technology gives India big edge in space warfare (IANS Special)
India on Wednesday made its way into an elite club of "space super powers" as its anti-satellite missile A-SAT successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit in just three minutes.
Pakistan condemns Indian test as militarization of space
Pakistan on Wednesday accused India of destroying a satellite to demonstrate its growing strategic military power.
Anti-satellite capability test to avoid future sanctions, says government
With the anti-satellite capability test on Wednesday, India has avoided possible future sanctions on such tests as China and Russia have been pushing for a treaty in this regard.Top government sources said that Wednesday's test will also help the country to be on the right side of the world order as China and Russia are attempting to block the entry of other nations in the elite club of countries with anti-satellite capability through the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS), which has been on the agenda of the conference on disarmament since 1982."If the tests had not been conducted and sanctions had come in place, we would have faced a similar situation like the one in 1968 when the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) which did not allow countries apart from the countries who had done tests by then," sources said.India had the capability to do nuclear tests from the 1950s under Homi Jahangir Bhaba but decided against it and had to be a non-nuclear State when the NPT .
Severe agrarian crisis in rural areas: US institute
Marked by deepening cycle of hunger and malnutrition, persistent poverty, limited economic opportunities and environmental degradation, rural areas continue to be in a state of crisis globally, a United States-based institute said on Wednesday.
