Page 157 - Environment
Fiat Chrysler to recall 863,000 autos over emissions
Fiat Chrysler will recall nearly 863,000 SUVs and sedans that failed to meet federal emissions standards, US regulators announced Wednesday. The voluntary recall involves models of the Dodge Journey, Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger and Dodge Caliber sedans as well as the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot SUVs produced for model years 2011 and 2016, according to a statement from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The scale of the recall means it will be carried out in phases this year, beginning with the oldest vehicles, and owners may continue to drive their vehicles in the meantime, the agency said in a statement. FCA will replace the catalytic converters on the affected vehicles. The recall comes two months after the auto giant agreed to pay US and local authorities for USD 515 million to resolve charges it had installed "defeat devices" on different cars to cheat on emissions tests -- something the company claimed at the time was unintentional.
Fiat Chrysler to recall 863,000 autos over emissions
Fiat Chrysler will recall nearly 863,000 SUVs and sedans that failed to meet federal emissions standards, US regulators announced Wednesday. The voluntary recall involves models of the Dodge Journey, Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger and Dodge Caliber sedans as well as the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot SUVs produced for model years 2011 and 2016, according to a statement from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The scale of the recall means it will be carried out in phases this year, beginning with the oldest vehicles, and owners may continue to drive their vehicles in the meantime, the agency said in a statement. FCA will replace the catalytic converters on the affected vehicles. The recall comes two months after the auto giant agreed to pay US and local authorities for USD 515 million to resolve charges it had installed "defeat devices" on different cars to cheat on emissions tests -- something the company claimed at the time was unintentional.
Malaysia shuts 34 schools as toxic waste sickens students
Malaysia's government has ordered 34 schools in southern Johor state to close after toxic waste illegally dumped into a river sickened scores of students and teachers. Education Minister Maszlee Malek said in a statement Wednesday that the shutdown was necessary because the situation had turned critical. More than 500 people have reportedly fell ill with symptoms such as breathing difficulties, nausea and vomiting, and treated for chemical poisoning after breathing in toxic fumes from the waste. Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin was quoted by the country's Bernama news agency as saying that rain could have caused the contamination to spread despite efforts to contain it. Three people have been detained during an investigation. Two are factory owners.
Jamia Millia Islamia to host international conference on smart cities from March 14
Jamia Millia Islamia will host an international conference on the theme smart cities and will analyse the challenges being faced in their development. The conference, being organised by the Department of Civil Engineering, will commence from March 14 and end on March 16. The department has received close to 300 papers on themes such as urban planning and smart city, pollution control measures and waste management, smart transportation systems. Around 50 papers were received from foreign researchers while 250 are from India, an official said, adding most of the research papers are on pollution control measures and usage of smart construction materials.
Require out-of-the-box ideas to tackle climate change:
: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu Wednesday said climate change, growing levels of pollution and eradicating poverty were some of the major challenges faced by the modern world and out-of-the-box ideas were required to tackle them. Participating in a function, here, he said, the challenges faced by the modern world were multi-dimensional and there was increasing urbanisation and industrialisation on the one hand and agrarian distress on the other. "Climate change, growing levels of pollution, increasing demand for energy, eradicating poverty are major challenges that require innovative and out-of-the-box ideas.", he said. The government and the private sector need to step up the funds for taking up research and development, he said. "Similarly, the linkages between the academia and the industry have to grow organically", he added. Naidu was here to inaugurate the Centre of Excellence for Manufacturing of National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovation at Vel
4NEW Teams up With Evolution Global for 4,400 Peta Hash of Bitcoin Mining
/ -- 4NEW Ltd has signed a contract with Evolution Global AS, a provider of a new innovative Bitcoin mining solution, to site their mining rigs at low cost energy production sites globally. The Evolution Global mining rigs are expected to have a 75% energy saving compared to other mining rig providers, which will lead to a much lower cost of Bitcoin production. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/834918/4NEW_Logo.jpg ) On signing the deal Varun Datta, founder and director of 4NEW Ltd, stated, "We are extremely happy to have managed to close this deal which represents and upholds the values of 4NEW and integrates extremely well in his vision of a lower cost of energy to produce Bitcoin. The deal will allow 4NEW to position itself as a truly eco-friendly producer of bitcoin." Evolution Global's new chip represents a new leap in both energy consumption and speed. The current set-up has been designed with leading chip designers from USA and the ASICs are expected to be in production .
NGT directs Rajasthan govt to conduct medical test of villagers in Nagaur district
The National Green Tribunal Wednesday directed the Rajasthan government to conduct a complete medical test of villagers in Nagaur district who have been affected due to air pollution caused by stone crushers. A bench of Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore directed the director of medical health, Government of Rajasthan to constitute a team of at least three doctors from Jaipur, in consultation with the principal of Sawai Man Singh medical college and hospital, relating to pulmonary disease. "The team so constituted shall immediately visit the villages namely Koliya, Naka ke Dhani, Nozalo ke Dhani and Bandolai ke Dhani, in Tehsil Didwana, District Nagaur and conduct a complete medical examination and prepare a report of all the persons affected," the bench said. "The said team should inform in advance the Tehsildar, Tehsil Didwana, about the date of their visit. The report of the joint committee of medical experts should be submitted through the Director Medical Health within three weeks," ..
Seoul passes emergency bills to fight air pollution
South Korea's parliament passed emergency measures on Wednesday to tackle the "social disaster" of air pollution, after the country saw record levels of pollution earlier this month. The measures include the mandatory introduction of air purifiers in schools and day care centres, and access to an emergency fund to help tackle the issue. The country's poor air quality has become a serious political problem for Seoul amid growing public discontent that the government is not doing enough, with many South Koreans blaming Asian neighbour China for the poor air quality. The eight new bills designate air pollution as a "social disaster", meaning the government can use state funds and conduct extraordinary countermeasures to tackle it. They also encourage the purchase of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cars, which emit less air pollutants than diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles and were previously only available for taxis, rental cars and disabled drivers. China is the world's biggest ...
Publicise water quality of Ganga at all strategic locations on monthly basis: NGT
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttarakhand and the UP pollution control boards to publicise the water quality of the Ganga river at all strategic locations on a monthly basis and indicate if it is fit for bathing and drinking. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel warned that the failure to do so may result in coercive action against the pollution control board of both states. The tribunal also rapped the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) over its affidavit which alleged that Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have not provided relevant information for the stretch from Kanpur to Buxar (Phase-II) and Buxar to Ganga Sagar (Phase-III). It said that the affidavit filed by the NMCG presents a dismal picture. "It has indicated that the states have not provided the information and, therefore, action plans could not be formulated within the stipulated time frame. The lackadaisical approach of the NMCG can hardly be appreciated as it has ..
Climate change will intensify extreme heat waves: Study
Climate change will not only increase the world's average temperature but also intensify extreme heat waves that are harming people and wildlife even now, scientists warn. Climate change is often talked about in terms of averages -- like the goal set by the Paris Agreement to limit the Earth's temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius, according to the review of over 140 scientific studies published in the journal Physiology. Summertime is quickly becoming a deadly season for life on Earth," said Professor Jonathon Stillman from San Francisco State University in the US. Heat waves have already produced striking images of mass mortality in animals, from the bleached skeletons of corals across swaths of the Great Barrier Reef to the deaths of horses during Australian summers, researchers said. Heat stroke from such extreme events is also a present danger for people, especially the elderly, albeit in a less obvious form. "Human mortality is different in that a lot of it is not visible in
Environment damage behind 1 in 4 global deaths, disease: UN
A quarter of all premature deaths and diseases worldwide are due to manmade pollution and environmental damage, the United Nations said Wednesday in a landmark report on the planet's parlous state. Deadly smog-inducing emissions, chemicals polluting drinking water, and the accelerating destruction of ecosystems crucial to the livelihoods of billions of people are driving a worldwide epidemic that hampers the global economy, it warned. The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) -- a report six years in the making compiled by 250 scientists from 70 nations -- depicts a growing chasm between rich and poor countries as rampant overconsumption, pollution and food waste in the developed world leads to hunger, poverty and disease elsewhere. As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise amid a preponderance of droughts, floods and superstorms made worse by climbing sea levels, there is a growing political consensus that climate change poses a future risk to billions. World leaders in 2015 came up ...
'River of plastic' video: NGT seeks action taken report on Ashwani Khud in HP
The National Green Tribunal has sought an action taken report (ATR) from the Himachal Pradesh government on steps taken to clean Ashwani Khud river, which had heaps of plastic waste flowing into it as per a video that went viral last year. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the state government to submit the ATR by April 30. Taking cognisance of the video, NGT had directed the state pollution control board to verify the facts and submit a detailed report. The board had issued notices to the Shimla Municipal Corporation and Solan Municipal Council for violation of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. During the hearing, the tribunal was informed that Solan Municipal Council is in the process of preparing drainwise estimate for installing plastic trap, nets and check dams. Shimla Municipal Corporation told the bench that it has taken ...
Experts from India and University of Birmingham collaborate to tackle air pollution
Experts from the University of Birmingham and policy makers and researchers from India announced a collaboration Wednesday to jointly develop strategies to resolve health, social and economic issues linked to air pollution in Delhi. Delegates at a two-day workshop, convened by experts of the University of Birmingham and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, called for air quality metrics to be incorporated into several of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, most notably SDG3 Good Health and Well-being. The experts recommended that air pollution be treated as a disaster, in the same way as natural events such as earthquakes and forest fires. It also called for access to clean air to be considered as a "basic human right". Francis Pope from the University of Birmingham said that air pollution kills millions and costs the world economy billions and tackling the problem is not just a technological issue, but a social-economic and social-political challenge that requires a
NASA to study untouched Moon samples from Apollo missions for first time
NASA has awarded USD eight million to nine science teams to study the untouched samples collected from the Moon by Apollo missions in the 1970s and carefully stored for nearly 50 years, the US space agency said. "By studying these precious lunar samples for the first time, a new generation of scientists will help advance our understanding of our lunar neighbour and prepare for the next era of exploration of the Moon and beyond," said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate here. "This exploration will bring with it new and unique samples into the best labs right here on Earth," Zurbuchen said in a statement. Six of the nine teams will look at one of the three remaining lunar samples, from Apollo missions 15, 16, and 17, which have never been exposed to Earth's atmosphere, NASA said. The particular sample these teams will study came to Earth vacuum-sealed on the Moon by the Apollo 17 astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Gene Cernan in 1972. The ...
UN report warns of millions of early deaths by 2050
A landmark UN report published on Wednesday warned the world to drastically scale up environmental protections, or cities and regions in Asia, the Middle East and Africa could see millions of premature deaths by mid-century.
NGT directs Inland Container Depot at Tughlakabad to phase out diesel vehicles in 6 months
Noting that Inland Container Depot at Tughlakabad (ICD/TK) here is causing air pollution, the National Green Tribunal has directed it to phase out diesel vehicles within six months and asked it submit an action plan on the issue within a month. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said the depot has to adopt a policy to ensure that diesel vehicles are stopped from plying and they shift to electric, hybrid and CNG modes. The green panel also rapped the depot for not furnishing an action taken report on phasing out of diesel vehicles. It noted that the depot handles about 3 lakh containers every year, leading to huge road congestion and air and noise pollution, especially when the fuel used is diesel, apart from creating parking problems. "The depot has not furnished the requisite action plan. Only contention put forward is that it is not the responsibility of the depot to control the diesel vehicles and the cargo trucks visiting the depot," the bench said. "We ...
Heat wave to get deadlier for wildlife, humans: Study
Heat wave because of climate change is slowly becoming a deadly force for humans and wildlife on Earth.According to the study published in the journal 'Physiology', summertime is quickly becoming a deadly season for life on Earth. The researchers gathered information from over 140 scientific studies on the topic to come to a proper conclusion.Climate change is often talked about in terms of averages - like the goal set by the Paris Agreement to limit the Earth's temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius. What such numbers fail to convey is that climate change will not only increase the world's average temperature, it will also intensify extreme heat waves that even now are harming people and wildlife.Heat waves have already produced striking images of mass mortality in animals, from the bleached skeletons of corals across swaths of the Great Barrier Reef to the deaths of horses during Australian summers, and in 2003 a heat wave in Europe killed more than 70,000 people across the ...
New species of 'Starry dwarf frog' found in Western Ghats
A 'secretive' new species of orange-bellied frog with a brown back, covered in tiny spots that resemble a starry sky, has been discovered in Western Ghats mountain range, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, scientists said. The thumbnail-sized species was named Astrobatrachus kurichiyana for its constellation-like markings and the indigenous people of Kurichiyarmala, the hill range where it was found, according to the study published in the journal PeerJ. However, A kurichiyana is not only a new species to science. It is the sole member of an ancient lineage, a long branch on the frog tree of life that researchers have classified as a new subfamily, Astrobatrachinae. "This is an oddball frog -- it has no close sister species for maybe tens of millions of years," said David Blackburn, the associate curator of herpetology at the Florida Museum of Natural History in the US. "With frogs, there are still ancient lineages out there awaiting discovery. This gives us one more puzzle ...
Maharashtra: 2 leopard cubs rescued by forest department, Wildlife SOS in Junnar
Two leopard cubs have been rescued from the sugarcane fields of Pune's Junnar area.Farmers of Vadgaon Anand village on Monday stumbled upon a lone leopard cub while harvesting their crops. On receiving an alert message, the Forest Department and the Wildlife SOS team swung into action and rescued the cub.The Wildlife SOS rescue team, led by senior veterinarian Dr Ajay Deshmukh, was already en-route to the location when he received a call about a similar situation in Golegaon, another village in Junnar.The team quickly split into two midway and went ahead to carry out both the rescue operations simultaneously.Bapu Yele, Range Forest Officer (Ottur), said, "The Wildlife SOS team is extremely cooperative and has always responded timely to each call of rescue. The Forest Department and the Wildlife SOS team have carried out many such rescue and reunion operations in the region."On medical examinations, both leopard cubs were found healthy and ready to be reunited with their mothers.Dr ...
Elephant carcasses found in Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary
Two elephant carcasses, in a highly decomposed state, were recovered from Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha's Balasore district, forest officials said Wednesday. The carcasses of two female elephants, aged between 25 and 30 years, were spotted by forest guards on patrol near Balichua in the reserve forest on Tuesday, Assistant Conservator of Forest, Kuldiha, Laxman Pradhan said. He said the pachyderms appeared to have died from some disease. However, the exact reason of their death would be known only after the post-mortem report is issued. A team of forest officials, along with vaterinary doctors, have visited the site.
