Page 163 - Environment
PDM University installs 1.1 MW rooftop Solar powered system to light up its campus
India's premier educational institution, PDM University is going to be powered by solar energy, courtesy of an 1100 kW rooftop solar project.With this project, the university has become one of the front runners in utilizing renewable energy in the state of Haryana as well as the National Capital Region. The university has installed more than 3400 Solar Panel on the rooftop of its 13 buildings across the campus.The system will supply around 70% of the peak energy demand on campus during the day, enough to power more than 700 households. All the energy needs of hi-tech classrooms, laboratories, hostels, mess, gymnasium, offices & administrative buildings of the university will be taken care by this Solar Plant. The solar panel systems will be linked to a centralized electrical sub-station situated inside the campus for collective solar coverage."Educational institutions play a vital role in the socio-economic transformation of the country, hence in support of this social cause and
CM approves Rs 1722 cr budget for Pune metropolitan region
The Maharashtra government Friday approved a Rs 1,722 crore budget for Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), more than half of which will be spent on metro rail and a ring road. The decision was taken after the chief minister chaired a PMRDA meeting along with ministers Girish Bapat and Prakash Mehta. An official statement said, out of Rs 1,722 crore, 23 per cent will be spent on metro and 33 per cent on ring road. It added that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), houses will be constructed through a joint venture with "MahaHousing". Fadnavis also approved a proposal for reserving 14 locations measuring 13.3 hectares for this scheme. He also approved land acquisition based on Detailed Project Planning (DPR) for Hinjewadi-Shivaji Nagar Metro. The statement said a demonstrative centre will be set up to prepare a concept plan for the PMRDA region. It said the CM also approved the appointment of a consultant to prepare a comprehensive and integrated
Fisheries institute to run adminstration of KVK in Lakshadweep
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has taken over administrative control of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at Kavarathi, Lakshadweep Islands. The CMFRI, coming under the Indian Council of Agriculture Research Institute (ICAR), has drawn up an actionplan for activation of the KVK which is aimed at facilitating the islanders efficiently tap its agricultural resources on land and sea for quality life, an official press release said here Friday. The KVK would focus on enhancing agricultural roductivity, farmers income, employment opportunities to locals, especially women, value-added products by micro-enterprises and market access, the release said. An agricultural extension centre under the ICAR for linking the agricultural research institutions and the farmer, the KVK would involve in various eco-labelling efforts for unique commodities of the islands, it said. This includes green certification of Lakshadweep coconut and MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) ...
Pak registers FIR against IAF pilots for bombing trees: Report
Pakistan on Friday lodged a FIR 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 New Delhi launched a preemptive strike against the Jaish-e-Mohammed's largest training camp in the country. The First Information Report was filed by the forestry department on Friday against pilots of the Indian Air Force (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, .
Philippines survey shows 'shocking' plastic waste
An audit in the Philippines has shown the country uses a "shocking" amount of single-use plastic, including nearly 60 billion sachets a year, a new report said Friday. The report, produced by the NGO GAIA, is part of an effort to collect data on plastic consumption as environmentalists push for government action to reduce plastic waste. It contains eye-popping figures: every day, almost 57 million shopping bags are used throughout the Philippines, adding up to more than 20 billion a year. And that figure does not include the smaller, thinner and often transparent plastic bags known as "labo" bags -- around 16.5 billion of those are used per year across the country, the report says. The figures are based on 21 waste assessments conducted in six cities and seven municipalities across the Philippines, with the national figures produced by extrapolating from local results. More than half of non-recyclable plastic analysed in the survey came from sachets -- small plastic packets often ...
SpaceX Crew Dragon leaves space station for Earth
The Elon Musk-owned SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday for its return to Earth which will end the first unmanned flight test of the vehicle built to carry humans.
VA Tech WABAG bags Rs 575-crore project under Ganga Scheme
: Water treatment company VA Tech WABAG has bagged a project worth Rs 575 crore, under the National Mission for Clean Ganga Scheme in West Bengal. The scope of the project includes design, build, rehabilitate and operate sewage treatment facilities and associated infrastructure in Kolkata, West Bengal, city-based company said in a filing Friday. The design, build, rehabilitate and operate contract from Kolkata Municipal Development Authority, funded by National Mission for Clean Ganga, includes engineering, supply and construction of sewage treatment plants, renovation and up-gradation of the existing sewage treatment plants. The project under which WABAG would build sewage treatment plant over a period of 24 months would be executed on a public-private partnership basis. "We are delighted and proud to have secured our breakthrough HAM (Hybrid Annuity Model) order under the prestigious Namami Ganga Programme and this win reinstates our commitment to ensure nil water ...
Electric cars dominate Geneva Motor Show
The 89th Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) was officially opened to the public, with many automakers rooting for electric cars for the industry's future development.
Star Wars, Asterix characters among 103 beetle species discovered
Scientists have discovered 103 beetle species in Indonesia which are new to science, and named one of them after the Star Wars character Yoda while three others after characters from French comics series The Adventures of Asterix. The Indonesian island of Sulawesi has been long known for its enigmatic fauna, including the deer-pig and the midget buffalo, said researchers from the Natural History Museum in Germany and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). However, small insects inhabiting the tropical forests have remained largely unexplored, they said in a statement. Only a single species of the tiny weevils of the genus Trigonopterus had been known from the island since 1885. In the study published in the journal ZooKeys, the researchers discovered a total of 103 new species, all identified as Trigonopterus. "Our survey is not yet complete and possibly we have just scratched the surface," said Raden Pramesa Narakusumo, curator of beetles at the Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense ...
State-run Goa abattoir to be outsourced to private firm
The state-run Goa Meat Complex Limited will outsource its abattoir operations to a private player for a period of five years starting June 1 this year, its managing director Rajendra Prabhugaonkar said Friday. He said the GMCL, set up in 1971 in North Goa's Usgao village to cater to the beef requirement in the coastal state, was shut since October, 2014 due to technical issues and lack of animals for slaughter. Prabhugaonkar said a minimum of 30 animals are required for slaughter every day for the abattoir to function optimally. "As per the tender, the private player will run the abattoir, provide meat for local consumption, and share revenue with the state government," he said. He said the abattoir has all requisite permissions including those from the Factories and Boilers department, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB). Presently, Goa procures 25 tonnes of beef daily from Belgaum in neighbouring ...
Va Tech Wabag bags order worth Rs 575 cr under National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) Scheme
The project will be executed on Public Private Partnership basis under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM). WABAG will build the sewage treatment plants over a period of 24 months and further Operate & Maintain them over a period of 15 years.
2.18 cr farmers receive Rs 2,000 under PM-KISAN scheme
As many as 2.18 crore farmers have so far received their first instalment of Rs 2,000 under the PM-KISAN scheme, an official statement said on Thursday.
Parrikar unveils plaque for two infra projects in Goa
Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Thursday unveiled a plaque for two major infrastructure projects in the state. Parrikar, who has been suffering from a pancreatic ailment, unveiled the plaque at a ceremony held at his private residence near here. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the projects include a sewerage scheme for Taleigao and surrounding areas of Panaji city in North Goa. The other project is laying of a water pipeline from Selaulim Water Treatment Plant to Borim and Shiroda villages in South Goa. State Public Works Department Minister Sudin Dhavalikar was present at the unveiling ceremony. Parrikar has been undergoing treatment for his ailment since the last one year. He was earlier admitted to hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and the USA.
Five cities in North East to have command centres
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stones for Integrated Command and Control Centres in five north-eastern smart cities through video conference from New Delhi.
Env min's expert panel recommends CRZ clearance for eco-tourism projects in A&N
An expert appraisal committee under the Environment Ministry has recommended Coastal Regulation of Zone clearance, subject to certain conditions, to proposed eco-tourism projects at two islands of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, officials said Thursday. In a statement the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Limited (ANIIDCO) said holistic development of the islands will develop the local economy, provide employment and infrastructure service to the local population for New Andamans. "The expert appraisal committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change while considering proposals for development of eco-tourism projects at Long Island and Smith Island, has recommended clearance from the angle of Coastal Regulation of Zone (CRZ) in its meeting held on February 18 in New Delhi, subject to certain conditions, to be compiled by the developer/stakeholder." the statement said. The committee has also given positive observations for the CRZ ...
North Delhi civic body lists 87 sites for dumping construction debris
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation Thursday said it has identified 87 new sites for dumping small amount of debris generated from construction activities. A senior official of the BJP-ruled NDMC said 70 earlier designated spots will no longer be available. "All residents in the jurisdiction of NDMC are requested to dump debris generated from any construction activity, at the nearest local designated dumping site. It is also clarified that these designated sites are meant for small amount of debris," the civic body said. "If debris is in bulk size then that should be directly taken to construction and demolition waste processing plant situated at Jahangirpuri," it said. The list of the new dumping sites is available on the NDMC website, officials said. The accumulation of debris on public places is prohibited under the Delhi Municipal Act and is a punishable offence. No debris are allowed to be dumped at any garbage collection sites or 'dhalaos' and any other public ...
N Korea rocket site appears 'operational' again: US experts
A North Korean long-range rocket launch site appears to have resumed "normal operation status" as work to rebuild the launch pad has proceeded rapidly, US experts said Thursday. "Given that construction, plus activity at other areas of the site, Sohae (Satellite Launching Station) appears to have returned to normal operational status," the specialized website 38 North said. The website and the Center for Strategic and International Studies tracked activity at the site -- which began before last week's aborted summit in Hanoi between US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un -- using commercial satellite imagery.
UP, AP & Gujarat ahead in taking benefit of PM-KISAN
Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat lead in taking benefit of the government's ambitious Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme as the three states account for around 60 per cent of farmers who received the first payment of Rs 2,000, according the official data. The government transferred the first installment of Rs 2,000 to each of 2.18 crore farmers in 23 states and one Union Territory under the PM-KISAN scheme. Of these, 1.32 crore farmers belong to the three states, the data showed. The laggard state was Karnataka where only three farmers received the funds as on March 7. "The scheme is being implemented efficiently and the first installment was released expeditiously," the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement. It is a continuous scheme and the aim of the ministry is to cover all eligible small and marginal farmer families, it added. According to the latest data, as many as 74.71 lakh farmers in Uttar Pradesh received the first installment, while 32.15 lakh .
Jungle safari service launched at Chandaka Wildlife sanctuary
Odisha's Forest and Environment minister Bijayshree Routray Thursday launched the state's first "jungle safari" service at Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary on the outskirts of the state capital here. Official sources said five eight seater open jungle safari vehicles have been procured and customised out of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding of MCL and Nalco for the jungle safari.. Bharatpur Forest in the southeastern part of the Chandaka-Damapara Wildlife Sanctuary cover an area of 20 Square kilometre and is rich in biodiversity. Asiatic elephant, spotted deer, wild pig, honey badger, porcupine, jungle cat, mongoose, civet, hare, python, cobra and variety of avifauna and flora are found in Bharatpur forest. This patch of forest acts as Carbon Sink and green lungs of the Bhubaneswar city, the official said.
Govt nod to Khurja power plant in UP big blow to public health and wealth: Greenpeace India
Greenpeace India Thursday termed the government's nod to a super thermal power plant in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district "a double blow" to the health and wealth of public. The environment NGO's reaction came hours after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved investment of Rs 11,089.42 crore for setting up the 1,320 MW Khurja Super Thermal Power Plant in Bulandshahr district. "After allocating a mere Rs 400 crore for implementation of National Clean Air Program (NCAP) which was supposed to move India towards clean air, the government approval for Rs 11,089.42 crore investment for a coal power plant in the most polluted National Capital Region (NCR) is a double blow to public money and public health," Pujarini Sen of Greenpeace India said. "The approval comes at a time when the coal power sector is reeling under multiple challenges, including low Plant Load Factor (PLF) due to high cost of coal power and inability of distribution companies to purchase power," the
