Page 175 - Environment
High wind speed keeps Delhi's pollution in check
High wind speed kept Delhi's pollution level in check, which was recorded in the "moderate" category on Thursday, according to authorities. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city was 170. An AQI between 100 and 200 comes under the "moderate" category, 201 and 300 is considered "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", while an AQI between 401 and 500 is considered "severe". In the National Capital Region, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Greater Noida also recorded "moderate" air quality, the CPCB said. The overall PM2.5 levels -- fine particulate matters in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers -- in Delhi was 70, while the PM10 level was 131, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said. The SAFAR said the overall air quality in Delhi was in the "moderate" category. "Sporadic rainfall could not help much is precipitating pollution but high wind speed could keep it in check and nullified ..
Hyderabad: Zoo installs sprinklers, foggers to beat the heat
A Hyderabad based Nehru Zoological Park has installed sprinklers, foggers and coolers to ensure that the animals are comfortable even as the mercury rises.N Kshitija, IFS, Curator, Nehru Zoological Park, told ANI, "As the temperature in the city is increasing and the summer season is ahead, we are taking all necessary measures like installing sprinklers, foggers, air coolers to beat the heat and keep the animals stress free."Elaborating further on how animals are being taken care of, she said: "Presently we are giving glucose, supplements and other solutions to the animals and we have added citrus fruits to the diet to all the animals."Furthermore, she also informed that the veterinarians are checking the animals daily to ensure that they are healthy.
AIIB to provide USD 455 mn for Andhra rural roads project
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will provide a loan of USD 455 million to finance the Andhra Pradesh Rural Roads Project, which will connect about 3,300 habitations with a population of more than 250, and benefit around two million people. An agreement in this regard was signed between the AIIB and the government, said a release of the finance ministry. "The project is likely to improve the life of a common man living in the remote and isolated areas in the state of Andhra Pradesh," it said. The objective of the project, it added, is to improve road transport connectivity in previously unserved communities by providing all-weather rural roads in all 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh. Under the project, there are plans to construct rural roads to provide first connectivity, construct cross drainage works and bridges to complete missing links and structures. It is the third project being signed by the AIIB in the state, the other two are in power and water sectors. "The ...
Patnaik on project launching spree ahead of state, national
Continuing his project launching spree ahead of the state assembly and Lok Sabha polls, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday laid foundation stone for a host of schemes worth Rs 793 crore in Ganjam and Gajapati districts. The chief minister laid foundation stones for 27 different projects of Rs 211 crore in Sheragada and Sanakhemundi in Ganjam district and several others worth Rs 582.40 crore in Gajapati district. Elections for Odisha legislative assembly and that of Parliament will coincide this year. In his whirlwind tour in both the southern districts, Patnaik sought to woo the farmers, saying his government has taken several initiatives for the economic development of the cultivators and assist in higher education of their children. The chief minister addressed meetings at Sheragada, Sanakhemundi in Ganjam and Garabandh in Gajapati district. Sheragada is under his own assembly constituency, Hinjili. Highlighting state governments newly launched KALIA scheme,
Kolkata to have 5 more automatic air quality monitoring stations by March
The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) will be adding five more automatic stations by March for monitoring air quality in the metropolis, an official said on Thursday.
India's solar capacity addition down 15.5 pc at 8.2 GW in 2018
Solar capacity addition in India last year came down by 15.5 per cent to 8,263 MW as compared to 2017 due to safeguard duty and issues related to GST and transmission, a report said. The year 2017 saw new solar installations of 9,782 MW. According to the report by Mercom India Research, the safeguard duty and issues related to land, transmission and GST took a toll on large-scale installations in 2018. However, it said the rooftop solar had an impressive year, growing 66 per cent year-on-year. Total power capacity additions in India stood at 16.3 GW in 2018 from all sources. Of this, renewable energy sources accounted for nearly 70 per cent, with solar representing 50.7 per cent and wind 14 per cent. Coal-based capacity accounted for 27.5 per cent of capacity additions in 2018. "To succeed in the Indian solar market, companies need to play the long game. For the first time in India's history, solar made up over 50 per cent of new power capacity in 2018. We will continue to see a ...
Here's how fungi influence global plant colonisation
It turns out that the symbiosis of plants and fungi has a great influence on the worldwide spread of plant species. In some cases, it even acts like a filter.This has been discovered by an international team of researchers with participation from the University of Göttingen. The results appeared in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.According to researchers, in the colonisation of islands by plant species, it isn't just factors like island size, isolation and geological development that play an important role, but also the interactions between species.The scientists found that the symbiosis of plant and fungus - the mycorrhiza - is of particular importance. The two organisms exchange nutrients via the plant's fine root system: the fungus receives carbohydrates from the plant; the plant receives nutrients that the fungus has absorbed from the soil.Speaking about it, study author Dr Patrick Weigelt said, "For the first time, new data on the worldwide distribution of plant ...
Foodgrain Production Estimated Up 1.4%, Rice Production Seen Hitting Record
As per Second Advance Estimates for 2018-19, total Foodgrain production in the country is estimated at 281.37 million tonnes which is higher by 3.89 million tonnes or 1.40%. than the production of foodgrain of 277.49 million tonnes in 2nd Advance Estimates of 2017-18. Further, the production during 2018-19 is higher by 15.63 million tonnes than the previous five years' (2013-14 to 2017-18) average production of foodgrain.
Olive Ridley turtles arrive at Odisha's Gahirmatha beach
Navigating thousands of miles in the ocean, Olive Ridley turtles have started arriving at Odisha's Gahirmatha beach here in large numbers, marking the beginning of their annual breeding season, a forest official said. The beach, close to the missile test range centre at Wheeler's Island, is one of the largest rookeries of the endangered sea creature, he said. "The mass nesting, a phenomenon known as arribada (a Spanish term), began Tuesday night. An estimated 92,053 female turtles were spotted digging pits with flippers to lay eggs," said Bimal Prasanna Acharya, the divisional forest officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Division. A 600-metre net barricade has been set up on the beach to ensure safety of the turtles. "The forest officials are keeping a close watch on the beach to prevent dogs and jackals from venturing into the nesting ground. As the site is close to the missile test range, visitors are also barred from entering the area," the official said. The mass ...
Foodgrain production increases to 281 million tonnes in 2018-19
Total food grain production India is estimated at 281.37 million tonnes during 2018-19 as compared to 277.49 million tonnes in the previous fiscal, the government said on Thursday.This is higher by 15.63 million tonnes than the previous five years' (2013-14 to 2017-18) average production of food grains, according to second advance estimates released by the Department of Agriculture.Most major crop producing states witnessed normal monsoon rainfall, hence the production of most crops is higher, the estimates said.Rice production is estimated at 115.6 million tonnes, 4.59 million tonnes higher than production of 111.01 million tonnes in 2017-18. The production of wheat in 2018-19 is estimated at 99.12 million tonnes compared to 97.11 million tonnes in the previous year.However, production of nutri/coarse cereals is estimated lower at 42.64 million tonnes compared to 45.42 million tonnes in 2017-18. Total pulses production during 2018-19 is estimated marginally higher at 24.02 million ...
Foodgrains production may fall 1pc to 281.37 MT: Agri Min
India's foodgrains production is estimated to decline by one per cent to 281.37 million tonne in 2018-19 despite record rice output, as the country is likely to harvest lower coarse cereals and pulses crops, the government said on Thursday. The country had produced 284.83 million tonne (MT) in the 2017-18 crop year (July-June). "Total foodgrains production in the country is estimated at 281.37 MT," the union agriculture ministry said in a statement while releasing the second advance estimates for 2018-19. The production figures are subject to revision on account of more precise information flowing over time, it added. The cumulative rainfall in the country during the monsoon season (June to September 2018) was 9 per cent lower than long period average (LPA). As per the data, rice production is estimated to touch record 115.60 MT in 2018-19 from 112.91 MT in the previous year. Wheat output is pegged slightly lower at 99.12 MT from 99.70 MT in the previous year. The production of coarse
Rainfall occurred at isolated places
Rainfall occurred at isolated places over Tamilnadu, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema Telangana and south interior Karnataka. Dry weather prevailed over Kerala, Lakshadweep, coastal and north interior Karnataka. The chief amounts of rainfall recorded in centimeters are : Tamil Nadu: Pechiparai (Kanyakumari Dist)1. Andhra Pradesh: Vijayawada A.p. (dist Krishna) 3, Kaikalur (dist Krishna) 2, Venkatagiri (dist Nellore) 2,Tada (dist Nellore) 1, Gudivada (dist Krishna) 1. Rayalaseema: Thottambedu (dist Chittoor) 1, Srikalahasti (dist Chittoor) 1. Telangana: Gudurwrgl (dist Mahabubabad) 2, Narsampet (dist Warangal_rural) 1, Parkal (dist Warangal_rural) 1, Choutuppal(arg) (dist Y. Bhuvanagiri) 1, Dharmasagar (dist Warangal_urban) 1. DESCRIPTION OF TEMPERATURE LOWEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN THE PLAINS OF THE REGION: Belagavi Airport : 13 0C TEMPERATURE WARNING: DAY 1 (28-02-2019): Maximum temperatures are likely to be 3 to 40 Celsius above normal at many places over ...
NASA decodes how our Moon got 'sunburns'
The Moons 'sunburns' -- distinctive patterns of swirls -- are a result of interactions between the Sun's damaging radiation with pockets of lunar magnetic field, according to NASA data. Every object, planet or person travelling through space has to contend with the Sun's damaging radiation. Research using data from NASA's Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) mission suggests that lunar swirls could be the result of solar wind interactions with the Moon's isolated pockets of magnetic field. The Sun releases a continuous outflow of particles and radiation called the solar wind. The solar wind washes over the planets, moons and other bodies in our solar system, filling a bubble of space -- called the heliosphere -- that extends far past the orbit of Pluto. On Earth, we are largely protected from the damaging effects of the solar wind. Since the solar wind is magnetised, Earth's natural magnetic field deflects the ...
SC stays its Feb 13 order directing eviction of 11.8 lakh forest dwellers
The Supreme Court Thursday stayed its February 13 order directing 21 states to evict 11.8 lakh illegal forest dwellers whose claims over the land have been rejected by the authorities. A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Naveen Sinha directed the state governments to file affidavit giving details about process adopted in rejecting the claims. The apex court posted the matter for further hearing on July 10. The top court had on Wednesday agreed to hear the Centre's plea seeking withholding of its February 13 order asking 21 states to evict nearly 11.8 lakh forest dwellers whose claims were rejected. After briefly hearing the matter, the bench said: "We stay and hold our February 13 order." The bench also directed that the affidavit has to be filed by the chief secretaries of the states giving details of various steps covered for carrying out the eviction of the forest dwellers. The Centre had rushed to the top court for modification of the order saying the Scheduled Tribes and .
Scientists explore Sun's damaging radiation on Moon
With NASA planning to put astronauts back on the Moon, scientists have explored how Sun's damaging radiation left scars on the lunar surface.
Trump says he refused North Korean demand to lift sanctions
US President Donald Trump said his summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un ended with no agreement because he was not willing to lift all the sanctions on North Korea. "It was about the sanctions," he told reporters after the summit ended without a joint statement. "Basically, they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, and we couldn't do that.
Environment Minister launches anthem on 'plastic-free India' in seven languages
Union Minister Harsh Vardhan Thursday launched an anthem as a part of a campaign to make India plastic-free by 2022, and stressed on strengthening plastic waste management and recycling ecosystem in the country. The 'Plastic Waste-Free India' has been anthem, prepared and produced by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Smriti Manch (PDUSM), a non-profit organisation which claims to be working on various social and environmental issues. The anthem has been launched in seven languages -- Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Malyalam and Kannada. While launching the anthem at his residence here, the Union Environment Minister said to address the problem of plastic pollution, there was a need to educate the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. "This is an important time for humanity since the actions taken by this generation will decide the course of the future of our planet. We are working with the stakeholders to completely abolish the use of single-use plastics by 2022 and ...
Tata Communications deploys Genesis Gas Solution for Indraprastha Gas
Provides operational efficiency with pre-paid smart gas metering system
Maharashtra forms panel to examine man-animal conflicts
Finally waking up to the growing instances of man-animal conflict in Maharashtra, the state government has set up a Special Committee to enact a law to provide proper compensation to the victims, besides ensuring conservation and safety of animals in the wild, a top official said.
Fresh landslide shuts Jammu-Srinagar highway
A day after it opened to clear stranded traffic, the Jammu-Srinagar highway was again closed on Thursday due to fresh landslide in Ramsoo-Ramban sector.
