Page 168 - Environment

PM to unveil development projects in Karnataka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Wednesday unveil development projects across energy, health and education sectors in Karnataka's northern Kalaburagi district, an official statement said on Tuesday.

World Bank-India ink $250-mn pact to boost rural income

The World Bank and the Government of India on Tuesday signed a $250-million agreement for the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP) focused on promoting "women-owned and women-led" farm and non-farm enterprises.

SC sets aside NGT's order on lakes and water bodies in Bengaluru

The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the National Green Tribunal's order enlarging the buffer zone limits around lakes and water bodies in Bengaluru. An apex court bench allowed the appeals filed by the Karnataka government and others seeking direction for maintaining a buffer zone and green belt of 75 metre in case of lakes, 50 metre for primary, 35 metre for secondary and 25 metre for tertiary 'Rajkulewas'. The state government was aggrieved with the directions of the NGT, saying these were against the revised master plan of Bengaluru 2015, which had got a statutory character. The state had said the directions were against the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Act, Planning Act, Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, adding that the buffer zone was already fixed as 30 metre. However, the apex court said that "a central legislation enacted under Entry 13 of List I Schedule VII of the Constitution will have the overriding effect over state legislations. "The corollary is ...

Modi to visit Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, launch several projects

Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Wednesday visit Kalaburagi in Karnataka and Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu to launch various development projects.

Gujarat: Two lion cubs found dead in Gir forest

Two lion cubs were Tuesday found dead in Visavadar range of Gujarat's Gir forest, a senior official said. Preliminary probe has revealed the two cubs, around five months old, may have been killed by a male lion in a territorial fight to establish dominance, said D T Vasavada, Chief Conservator of Forests, Junagadh Wildlife Circle. Earlier last month, two lions, a lioness and a cub were found dead in and around the Gir forest, the only abode of Asiatic lions. As per the last census conducted in 2015, it is home to 523 lions, though a recent government announcement put the number at 600. During the Gujarat Assembly session held last month, the state government had said 204 lions, comprising 110 adults and 94 cubs, had died in and around Gir forest in the last two years as on December, 2018. Of these, 21 lions and six cubs died of unnatural causes like falling into open wells or being hit by trains, the House was informed.

Rise in land use to put 1,700 species at extinction risk by 2070

Nearly 1,700 species of amphibians, birds and mammals are likely to lose their natural habitats and face greater extinction risk by 2070 due to increased human land use, researchers have warned.

Cong delegation urges Hry Guv not to give assent to PLPA Bill

A delegation of Congress MLAs Tuesday met Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya and urged him not to give assent to the Punjab Land Preservation (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2019. The delegation was led by former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and it included senior Congress leaders Karan Singh Dalal, Geeta Bhukkal, Phool Chand Mullana, among others. "We urged the governor to return the bill and not give his assent. Seeking his immediate intervention, we also urged him to order a high-level probe so that those who stand to gain due to the amendment to the act are exposed," Hooda told reporters here. "We apprised the governor that even the top environmentalists have expressed fear that if Aravalis forest cover is tinkered with, it can play havoc with the environment of Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad. These cities are already facing pollution problem and can become gas chambers," he said. On February 27, the Haryana Assembly had passed amendments to the Punjab Land ...

Sri Lanka aims to produce fuel from discarded plastic, polythene

The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday said that plans to implement a new project in the island country to produce fuel from plastic, polythene and discarded fishing nets is underway.

CM lays foundation stone of water treatment plant at Tura

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma Tuesday laid the foundation of a water treatment plant here in West Garo Hills district. Speaking on the occasion, he said the scheme is funded by the Ministry of Development of North East Region (DONER) under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS). Referring to the water scarcity problem faced by the people during lean season, he said the project when completed will solve the water crisis problem of the people of Tura town to a large extent. The chief minister said the paper work and DPR for the said project took about a year and finally it has been sanctioned with an amount of Rs 35 crore and it would be completed in one years time. He directed the district deputy commissioner, chief engineer and the officials of the concerned department to monitor the project regularly so as to ensure that the implementation of the said project is completed within the stipulated time frame and added that he would also ...

Thousands of tiny 'quakes' shake Antarctic ice at night

Scientists say they have recorded thousands of tiny 'ice quakes' in Antarctica at night, a phenomenon that may help track glacier melting and explain the breaking of large ice shelves. Scientists at the University of Chicago in the US placed seismometers on the McMurdo Ice Shelf and recorded the 'ice quakes' that appear to be caused by pools of partially melted ice expanding and freezing at night. "In these areas we would record tens, hundreds, up to thousands of these per night," said Douglas MacAyeal, a professor at the University of Chicago. "It's possible that seismometers may be a practical way for us to remotely monitor glacier melting," MacAyeal said in a statement. Climate change is causing the Antarctic to melt, but glaciologists are still mapping how, where and why. There is much we still do not understand about the process -- as evidenced by the massive Larsen B ice shelf collapse in 2002, which took glaciologists by surprise -- and understanding these mechanisms is key to .

Improved formulation for manufacturing green crackers finalised, PESO tells SC

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it has finalised "improved formulations" for making green firecrackers and product approvals will be given to manufacturers by March 21. The apex court was informed that joint work was undertaken by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), and other fireworks manufacturers related to formulation and production of green firecrackers. Trial of some samples was also conducted, PESO said, adding that the development would reduce the emission of pollutants PM 2.5 at least by 25-30 per cent. As per the CSIR-NEERI minutes of meeting placed before a bench of Justices A K Sikri and S Abdul Nazeer, the authority would submit product approval documents by makers of fireworks by March 7. "It is envisaged that product approval for improved formulation by PESO shall be given by March 21, 2019," it said, adding, "It is envisaged that ..

Centre approves Rs 3,340 cr plan for cooperative project

The central government has on Friday approved in-principle Uttarakhand government's proposal seeking Rs 3,340 crorefor implementing the integrated co-operative development project in the state. The approval was given by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, when Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and state cooperative minister Dhan Singh Rawat met him in New Delhi, an official release here said. Rawat said the implementation of integrated co-operative development project will improve the economy of farmers in Uttarakhand and help prevent migrations from remote hill areas by promoting farming, horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries and related activities.

93 per cent households in rural India have access to toilets: Govt survey

Over 93 per cent households in rural India have access to toilets and of these households, 96.5 per cent uses them, a survey commissioned by the government has found. The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2018-19, conducted by an independent verification agency under the supervision of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, also re-confirmed the open defecation free (ODF) status of 90.7 per cent villages which were declared so by various districts and states. "The survey was conducted between November 2018 and February 2019 and covered 92,040 households in 6,136 villages across States and Union Territories of India," the drinking water and sanitation ministry said. It was found that 93.1 per cent of households have access to toilets during the survey period and 96.5 per cent of those who had access to toilets, used them, the ministry said. "90.7 per cent villages which were previously declared and verified as ODF were re-confirmed to be ODF. The remaining ...

India has seven of the world's 10 cities with worst air pollution

A new study now finds that India accounts for seven of the world's 10 cities with the worst air pollution. On the other hand, Chinese cities have seen a marked improvement.According to the study, Gurugram, a suburb of the Indian capital New Delhi, is the world's most polluted city. The study was conducted by Greenpeace and AirVisual, and found Gurugram had an average air quality index of 135.8 in 2018 -- almost three times the level which the US Environmental Protection Agency regards as healthy, reported CNN.According to the report, air pollution will cause around 7 million premature deaths globally next year and have a major economic impact.Speaking about it, Yeb Sano, executive director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia said, "Air pollution steals our livelihoods and our futures," adding, "In addition to human lives lost, there's an estimated global cost of 225 billion dollars in lost labour, and trillions in medical costs. This has enormous impacts, on our health and on our ...

India has 15 out of 20 most polluted cities in world: Study

Fifteen of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India, with Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Bhiwadi in the top six, according to a new study. India's national capital region (NCR) emerged as the most polluted region in the world in last year, data compiled in the new report states. The latest data compiled in the IQAir AirVisual 2018 World Air Quality Report and interactive world's most polluted cities ranking, prepared in collaboration with Greenpeace Southeast Asia, reveals the state of particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution last year. Out of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, 18 are in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the report said. India still has 15 out of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, with Gurgaon and Ghaziabad being the most polluted cities, followed by Faridabad, Bhiwadi and Noida being in the top six, with Delhi on the 11th spot, it said. China's capital Beijing, once among the most polluted cities in the world ranked 122nd in the list of

Rahul backs Dalit-tribal shutdown over forest rights, reservation

Congress President Rahul Gandhi extended support to Dalit and tribal groups observing a nationwide shutdown on Tuesday demanding the Modi government to promulgate an ordinances to provide forest rights to tribals and job security for ad-hoc teachers.

Larsen & Toubro construction arm bags multiple projects in TN, J'Khand, Odisha

Infrastructure giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Tuesday said the water and effluent treatment business of its construction arm has bagged "major" projects in Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Odisha. The engineering and construction company, however, did not provide the exact value of the contract; but as per its project classification, the value of the contracts was in "major" category which is in the range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 crore. The projects pertain to water recycle, lift irrigation schemes, rural water supply, underground sewerage system and others. "Water & Effluent Treatment Business of L&T Construction has secured orders from prestigious clients across varied states in India," L&T said. The company said in Tamil Nadu it has secured two orders from the Water Resources Department for the execution of the Athikadavu-Avinashi Scheme and construction of a new Regulator across the southern and northern arms of the Coleroon river. The Athikadavu-Avinashi scheme is ...

New theory may solve mystery of green icebergs

Scientists have explained why some Antarctic icebergs are emerald green in colour rather than the normal blue, potentially solving a decades-long scientific mystery. The researchers at the University of Washington in the US noted that pure ice is blue because ice absorbs more red light than blue light. Most icebergs appear white or blue when floating in seawater, but since the early 1900s explorers and sailors have reported seeing peculiar green icebergs around certain parts of Antarctica. The new study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, suggests that iron oxides in rock dust from Antarctica's mainland are turning some icebergs green. The team formulated the new theory after Australian researchers discovered large amounts of iron in East Antarctica's Amery Ice Shelf. Iron is a key nutrient for phytoplankton, microscopic plants that form the base of the marine food web. However, iron is scarce in many areas of the ocean. If experiments prove the new theory ...

Humans putting 1,700 animal species at greater extinction risk: Study

The study shows that under a middle-of-the-road scenario of moderate changes in human land-use about 1,700 species will likely experience marked increases in their extinction risk over the next 50 yrs

Mob kills leopard in Gujarat

A leopard was beaten to death by a mob in Gujarat's Surat district after it had attacked and injured a 30-year-old villager, a Forest officer said Tuesday. The incident occurred in Ghamroj village inMagrol tehsil along the MumbaiVadodara highway in the wee hours of Monday, when the big cat attacked Dinesh Vasava outside his house near his farm. "Hearing screams of Vasava, people gathered at the spot with lathis and chased the feline, which was finally cornered near the highway. They attacked the leopard and killed it," said J HRathod, Deputy Conservator of Forest. Vasava sustained injuries to his fingers and a leg in the attack, he said. A postmortem was conducted by Forest officials Monday. Rathod said appropriate action will be taken against those involved in killing the leopard.