Page 162 - Environment
India, Japan hold space dialogue
India and Japan held their first Space Dialogue here on Friday with discussions centering on cooperation between their space agencies as also on global navigation satellite system, space situational awareness (SSA), space security and space-related norms.
9 Takshaks rescued, 2 arrested
At least nine golden gecko, popularly known as Takshak, were Friday rescued and two persons who had the reptiles in their possession were arrested in North 24 Parganas district, police said. The state CID along with forest department officials conducted a raid in Guma Arbelia at Habra in North 24 Parganas district and recovered nine Golden Gecko, police said. "These Taksaks are the rarest species of the gecko. The average weight of these Taksaks ranged from 250 gm to 400 gm with a market price of Rs 2 lakh each," a police officer said. Two persons - nAbbas Sahaji and Sourav Hazra - were arrested and the case has been handed over to the Range Officer of Barasat, he added.
Japan keen to extend more help to Tripura, Mizoram
Japan is keen to extend all possible financial and technical help for the development of Tripura and Mizoram, particularly in the fields of infrastructure, bamboo development, agriculture, disaster management and human resource development, Kenji Hiramatsu, Japanese Ambassador to India said on Friday.
No ban on use of diesel agriculture pumps in NCR: Govt
The Ministry of Environment Friday assured the NCR farmers that use of diesel agriculture pumps has not been banned by the National Green Tribunal. The ban relates to only diesel vehicles (heavy or light) which are more than 10 years old, the ministry said in an official statement. "It has come to notice that some unscrupulous elements have been spreading the message among farmers in the NCR that use of diesel agriculture pumps have been banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT)," the statement said They are apparently harassing the farmers and forcing them to buy new pumps. There has been no such order so far by NGT and it is clarified that NGT vide its order dated April 7, 2015... had directed that all diesel vehicles (heavy or light) which are more than 10 years old, will not be permitted on the roads of National Capital Region (NCR), Delhi, the ministry said. "Therefore, it is made abundantly clear that aforesaid order relates to diesel vehicles and not to agriculture pumps ...
Japan keen to help India in improving connectivity with South
Japanese ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu Friday said connectivity improvement of Indias North East with South Asian countries is a focus area of the Japan government. "Connectivity improvement of Indias North East with the South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar is one of the priority areas of the Japan government. We are attaching importance to this project and the Japan government would support it, he told reporters here. This is the first-ever visit of the Ambassador in Tripura. Hiramatsu said after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Japan last year, the two countries have decided to cooperate in different development sectors including connectivity, forest management and supporting local communities in making bamboo-based handicrafts. "We are happy to support bamboo industries in Tripura and we have sent experts to the bamboo and cane development institute in Tripura," he said. The Ambassador said that Japan would like to ...
PM to inaugurate Metro's Blue Line extension in Noida on Saturday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the 6.6-km Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section, an extension of the Delhi Metro's Blue Line on March 9, officials said Friday. The completely elevated section with six stations -- Sector 34, Sector 52, Sector 61, Sector 59, Sector 62 and Noida Electronic City -- will benefit the people of Noida and connect the satellite city with the national capital. "The prime minster is slated to inaugurate the Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section tomorrow from a rally in Greater Noida. Services will begin the same day at 4 pm," a senior DMRC official said. Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety S K Pathak had recently accorded the mandatory approval for the commencement of passenger operations on the 6.675-km Noida City Centre - Noida Electronic City section of the Blue Line, which was inspected on Monday, the official said. In a statement issued on Friday, the Prime Minister's Office said Modi will visit Greater Noida in ...
NGT cautions farmers about 'fake message' regarding ban on usage of diesel-based agriculture pumps
The National Green Tribunal on Friday cautioned farmers about the fake message stating that diesel agriculture pumps have been banned in National Capital Region."It has come to notice that some unscrupulous elements have been spreading the message among farmers in the NCR that use of diesel agriculture pumps have been banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). They are apparently harassing the farmers and forcing them to buy new pumps. There has been no such order so far by the NGT," an official statement read. Stating that the previous order given by the NGT is related to diesel vehicles and not to agriculture pumps using diesel, the statement further read: "It is clarified that NGT vide its order dated April 07, 2015 had directed that all diesel vehicles (heavy or light) which are more than 10 years old, will not be permitted on the roads of NCR, Delhi."The NGT also directed all state governments and the enforcement agencies to make sure that such misinformation campaigns should .
'No other country is working on environmental issues with such depth, conviction as India'
"No other country in the world is working on environmental issues with such depth, conviction, and honesty" as India, opined Union Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday.Speaking at the release of the National Cooling Action Plan (NCAP), Dr Vardhan said, "The way India is working on the environmental issues, I can say with full trust that no country in the world is doing so with such depth, conviction, and honesty."India is the first country in the world to develop a National Cooling Plan. The Programme aims to meet India's increasing cooling demands by developing sustainable and smart cooling strategies.Vardhan told media here that the plan has been developed after thorough discussions with stakeholders involved in the initiative."The plan has been developed after thorough discussions with the stakeholders. The benefits of the plan are already visible, considering that the mindset of the industries is already changing," said Dr Vardhan.Speaking on the National Clean Air ...
Pakistan's airspace to remain partially closed till Saturday
Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Friday said that the country's airspace will remain partially closed for transit flights till Saturday.
India, Japan hold inaugural space dialogue
The inaugural India-Japan Space Dialogue was held here on Friday, with both the countries exploring ways to step up cooperation between their space agencies. The Indian delegation was led by Indra Mani Pandey, Additional Secretary for Disarmament and International Security Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, while the Japanese delegation was co-led by Kansuke Nagaoka, Deputy Assistant Minister, Foreign Policy Bureau, and Shuzo Takada, Director General, National Space Policy Secretariat. The dialogue brought together ministries and agencies related to outer space in the two countries and provided an opportunity for information exchange on the respective space policies, the MEA said in a statement. Discussions were also held on bilateral cooperation between JAXA-ISRO, their space industries, global navigation satellite system, space situational awareness (SSA), space security and space-related norms, it said.
Vardhan releases India Cooling Action Plan for providing thermal comfort to citizens
Union Minister Harsh Vardhan Friday released the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) aimed at reducing emissions and providing thermal comfort to citizens. The Union environment minister launched here the ICAP along with five other publications, including a report on the ministry's five years of achievements and faunal biodiversity in protected areas. "The overarching goal of ICAP is to provide sustainable cooling and thermal comfort for all while securing environmental and socio-economic benefits. This will also help in reducing both direct and indirect emissions," Vardhan said. He said the plan provides an integrated vision towards cooling across sectors encompassing inter alia reduction of cooling demand, refrigerant transition, enhancing energy efficiency and better technology options with a 20 year time horizon. Besides Vardhan, the event was addressed by ministry officials -- Joint Secretary A K Jain and DG Forests Siddhanta Das. Jain said, "With rise in adverse impact of climate .
Pakistan registers FIR against Indian pilots for 'bombing trees'
Pakistan on Friday lodged an FIR against the pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for bombing and destroying trees in Balakot area of the country's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the media reported.
331-metre long Bein bridge inaugurated in J&K
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Friday inaugurated a 331-metre long bridge in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district.
Centre approves strategy to create carbon sink of 3 billion tonnes from forests by 2030
To fight climate change, the Centre Friday approved a strategy for creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. Carbon sinks are natural or artificial reservoirs that absorb and store the atmosphere's carbon dioxide through physical and biological mechanisms. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan released a report on Friday which detailed the recommendations made by an expert committee formed in 2017 to frame the strategy on increasing carbon sink in the country for combating climate change. The commitment to increase carbon sink was made by India in the Paris Agreement in 2015. Following this, an expert panel under the chairmanship of Devendra Pandey, a former DG, Forest Survey of India, was set up in 2017 to frame a strategy for fulfilling the commitment. The report stated, "In order to create carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030
Auto-rickshaw fares in Delhi hiked by over 18%
The Delhi Cabinet Friday approved recommendations of a fare revision committee to hike auto-rickshaw tariffs by Rs 1.50 per kilometre. The meter-down charge of Rs 25 per two kilometre has also been revised by the committee to Rs 25 for 1.5 kilometre, said Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot. The revised charges will be implemented after the Transport Department's notification, Gahlot said. In reply to a question, the transport minister said fare revision is not a reserved subject and there is no need for the approval of the Lieutenant Governor. The existing auto-rickshaw fare in the city is Rs 8 per kilometre which has been raised to Rs 9.50, an increase of 18.75 per cent. The auto-rickshaw meters will be re-calibrated to charge the revised fare, the minister said.
Scientists measure weight of Milky Way galaxy
Using data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the European Space Agency's Gaia satellite, astronomers have come up with one of the most accurate measurements of mass of the Milky Way galaxy.
Shahpurkandi dam project to reduce flow of river water to Pakistan: Amarinder
The Shahpurkandi dam project will reduce the outflow of the Ravi river water to Pakistan once it is completed, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday said. The Rs 2,700 crore Shahpurkandi dam project, being set up on the Ravi river, will generate 206 MW of power, besides having the potential to irrigate 5,000 hectares of land in Punjab and 31,000 hectares of land in Jammu and Kashmir's Sambha and Kathua districts. "This water, which was supposed to irrigate fields in Punjab and J-K, was going towards Pakistan. This project will reduce the water flowing into Pakistan drastically and will help save the critical water resources of the state," Singh said while addressing the gathering here. The chief minister, who was here for rededicating the project to people of Punjab, said it will be completed in three years. Of the estimated cost, which is in addition to Rs 640 crore already spent till 2014, Rs 1,408 crore would be spent on the power component, with 100 per cent share of the
Pak registers FIR against "unidentified" IAF pilots for bombing 19 trees in Balakot: Report
Pakistan on Friday registered a First Information Report against "unidentified pilots" of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for bombing and destroying 19 trees in the Balakot area, according to a media report, days after India's preemptive strike against the Jaish-e-Mohammed's largest terrorist training camp in the country. The FIR was filed by the forestry department on Friday against pilots of the IAF for bombing and destroying trees in the Balakot area, the Express News reported. The FIR, registered against "unidentified IAF pilots", also details the damage suffered by 19 trees after the Indian fighter jets "hastily dropped their payload", it says. On March 26, India said IAF jets, in the face of imminent danger, launched a preemptive strike on Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. "In an intelligence led operation in the early hours of today, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior ..
Amarinder revives dam project to curb water flow to Pakistan
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday revived the vital Shahpur Kandi Dam project that has the potential to curb the water flow of rivers to Pakistan.
You will be in trouble if anything is done to Aravalli, SC warns Haryana govt
The Supreme Court warned the Haryana government Friday that it will be in "trouble" if it has done "anything" with Aravalli hills or forest area by passing amendments to an Act to allow construction there. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta observed this after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for Haryana, said he will satisfy the court that amendments in the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900 were not done to "help somebody". "We are concerned with Aravalli. If you are doing anything with Aravalli or Kant Enclave (where the top court had ordered demolition of buildings due to illegal constructions in forest area) you will be in trouble. If you are doing anything with forest, you will be in trouble. We are telling you," the bench told Mehta. On March 1, the bench had come down heavily on the Haryana government for passing amendments to the law and said the state would not act on it without the court's permission. On February 27, the Haryana ...
