Page 180 - Environment
Sonowal inaugurates 9 MW Myntriang Small Hydro Electric
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has dedicated the 9 MW Myntriang Small Hydro Electric Project, Stage 1, to the people at Boithalangsu in West Karbi Anglong district, officials said. The state government is exploring ways and means to build small hydroelectric power projects in the state, Sonowal said while speaking on the occasion on Sunday. The Rs 145.95 crore Myntriang Small Hydro Electric project was financed by the Assam government, NABARD, Assam Infrastructure Financing Authority (IAIFA) and Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd (APGCL), he said. He also said that his government is committed to reach the target of generating 6000 MW electricity in the state by 2030 and make the state a power surplus state. The state government is working hard to provide electricity connection to each of the 68 lakh families in the state, Sonowal said, adding, guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Sabka Sath Sabka Bikash his government is giving equal opportunity to all ..
Nor'wester hits Kolkata, nearby areas; several trees uprooted
A nor'wester accompanied with sharp showers lashed the city early Monday, uprooting trees and snapping cables. According to the Met department, a 44-km-per-hour gale hit Kolkata and its nearby areas at 3.55 am, followed by another gust, with a speed of 56 km per hour at 4.25 am. During this period, the city received 15.6mm rainfall. The minimum temperature recorded was 16.8 degrees Celsius, three notches below average, the department said. Normal life was partially thrown out of gear on the first working day of the week, as trees fell on the roads, disrupting traffic movement. School children and office-goers had a tough time commuting on the thoroughfares, an official said. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the Disaster Management Group, along with the city police, worked on a "war-footing" to clear the trees and the cables, he said. "Trees had fallen at 14 places in the city, partly blocking some thoroughfares, including Rashbehari Avenue Connector, Casurina ...
Jammu-Srinagar NH closed due to fresh landslides
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed for traffic Monday due to fresh landslides in Ramban district, leaving many vehicles stranded. Police officials said the highway has been closed due to fresh landslide at Marog area in Ramban district. Authorities Sunday allowed Kashmir-bound vehicles to ply on the highway, which was reopened for one-way traffic after remaining closed for three consecutive days owing to fresh snowfall and multiples landslides. Traffic was allowed from Jammu to Srinagar for the second day Sunday to facilitate stranded passengers to reach their destination and also to ensure supply of essential commodities to the valley. The 270-KM highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, was blocked by a major landslide at Maroog on Friday, hours after authorities allowed traffic from Jammu to Srinagar. The traffic on the highway is plying alternatively from twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu over the past six months to avoid jamming in
Scientists turn waste glass into everyday products
Scientists have developed a way to turn waste glass into every day products, such fertilisers, detergents and toothpastes, a process that could save tens of millions of tonnes of glass from going to landfill every year. Researchers from University of Queensland in Australia have developed a method to extract liquid silicate from waste glass. It can be used to make thousands of products, from concrete sealers and fertilisers to detergents and toothpaste, researchers said. "We estimate the process is more than 50 per cent cheaper than conventional ways of producing silicate," said Rhys Pirie, a PhD student at University of Queensland. "It requires less energy, raw materials and capital, and that's before you consider the reduced social and economic costs compared to landfilling material," Pirie said. The method also leaves behind little waste, with nearly all of the glass being turned into saleable products, researchers said. "My PhD has highlighted how we need to make use of both the ..
PM launches PM-KISAN scheme from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh
PM unveils development projects for Gorakhpur and Eastern Uttar Pradesh
Dinosaur-killing asteroid reignited volcanic eruptions in India
The asteroid impact that wiped off dinosaurs from the face of Earth 66 million years ago may have also reignited massive volcanic eruptions in India, half a world away from the impact site, a study has found. The research, published in the journal Science, obtained more precise dates for the Deccan Traps volcanic lava flows, linking peak activity more closely to the asteroid or comet impact 66 million years ago and the coincident mass extinction. However, it leaves unclear to what degree the two catastrophes contributed to the near-simultaneous mass extinction that killed off the dinosaurs and many other forms of life. The research sheds light on huge lava flows that have erupted periodically over Earth's history, and how they have affected the atmosphere and altered the course of life on the planet. Scientists from the University of California (UC) Berkeley in the US showed that the most precise and accurate dates yet for the intense volcanic eruptions in India that coincided with ...
Forest fire still raging in Bandipur tiger reserve: Officials
Thousands of acres of land in the Bandipur tiger reserve were gutted in a fire over the last four days, creating fear about the safety of wild animals, forest officials said Sunday. Foresters, along with hundreds of volunteers, made a vain bid to douse the fire that had spread to dangerous proportions, the officials said. "The grassland around Mangala have burned a lot and the flames have been seen spreading towards Gopalaswamy Hill in the last two or three days," they said. The problem is that there has been no fire in the area over the last four-five years and the grass had grown to a height of four-five feet, principal chief conservator of forest Punati Sridhar told reporters. A stretch of eight kilometres of forest from Varekatte to Gopalaswamy Hill has been reduced to ashes while reports said the fire has spread to Chartalakore Hill, Dummana Hill and Gouri Kallu Hill. Meanwhile Karnataka Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy tweeted: "We are closely monitoring the forest ..
Kumaraswamy directs officials to take precautionary measures to keep forest fire under check
Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday directed the state's Forest Department officials to take preventive measures to keep the forest fires under check. His instructions come in the wake of the fire tragedy which took place in Bandipur Tiger Reserve and National Park in Chamarajanagar district on February 23."We are closely monitoring the forest fire. The Forest Department is overseeing the preventive action," Chief Minister Kumaraswamy told ANI.He further said that forest officials and the fire service personnel are trying to control the fire.
Proposal to offer help to farmers who have more than 2 ha
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Sunday that the state government was considering a proposal to help the farmers who have more than two hectares of land. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, rolled out earlier in the day, offers Rs 6,000 annually to farmers who have upto two hectares of land. Asked by reporters whether the BJP-led state government would increase the amount under the scheme, Fadnavis said, "(Many) farmers in Maharashtra's arid regions have higher (than two hectares) land holding but their plight is the same as that of small farmers. A proposal to extend some help to such farmers is under consideration." The Central scheme will benefit one crore farmers in the state, and 14.5 lakh farmers received funds Sunday itself, he said. The Centre disbursed Rs 2,000 per beneficiary across the country as part of the first phase of the PM-Kisan scheme Sunday.
Target set to double area under horticulture: Khattar
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Sunday said that a target has been set to double the area under horticulture and to increase the horticulture products by three times by year 2030. In this direction, 340 villages would be developed as ''Horticulture Villages'' through 140 crop clusters being established in the state. He said that under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, about 10 lakh farmers of Haryana have been provided Rs 200 crore in their bank accounts today. The chief minister thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of the farmers of Haryana. He said that in the last four years, the horticulture area has increased from 4.39 lakh hectare to 5.28 lakh hectare in Haryana. At present, the area of horticulture in Haryana is 8.17 per cent of the total agriculture sector and the target is to increase this area up to 15 per cent. The chief minister said that under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Rs 1,140.98 crore has been given as compensation to 98,000 farmers of ...
Forest officials, tribals contain forest fire, elephants saved
A major tragedy involving the lives of 30 elephants was averted by the forest officials and the tribals Sunday as they prevented a forest fire from spreading to the elephant camp at Theppakkadu in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR). The fire broke out in the forest area on the Theppakkadu-Masinagudi Road coming under the reserve and spread to nearly 100 acres of the area, sources in the forest department said. About 30 forest officials, along with over 100 tribals, including women and children, joined in the efforts to put the fire out, which spread to a spot just 100 metres from the elephant camp, the sources said. Meanwhile, the forest fire in Bandipura in Karnataka bordering Tamil Nadu that has been raging since Saturday evening has been brought under control, they said.
Puducherry Agri dept already in sync with PM Kisan scheme:
A group of farmers from the Union territory Sunday witnessed the inauguration of Prime minister Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-Kisan), which was telecast live through web, here. Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi made necessary arrangements for the farmers to watch the inauguration of the scheme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh. In a twitter message, the former IPS officer said, "In Puducherry, farmers/Kisans assembled to listen to PM-KISAN Scheme. Puducherry Agriculture Department is already in sync with the scheme. And our farmers benefitting as announced." Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, farmers cultivating upto two hectares would get a direct cash support of Rs 6000 annually, payable in three instalments of Rs 2,000 each.
PM-KISAN scheme will protect farmers' honour: Bihar Guv
Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon on Sunday welcomed the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme and said it is an initiative to safeguard the honour of farmers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earlier on Sunday, launched the ambitious scheme under which Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares. "Both the central and state governments are committed to improve the condition of farmers. The PM-KISAN scheme is meant to protect the interest and honour of farmers...," Tandon said. The Governor was addressing a function to inaugurate the PM-KISAN scheme at Bihar Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (BAMETI) here. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Bihar Agriculture Minister Prem Kumar along with other senior officials were also present on the occasion. Stating that loan waiver is not the actual solution of the farmers' problems, he said that "we should try
Gadkari launches Rs 4,459 crore highway projects in Himachal
Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Sunday laid foundation stones for Rs 4,459.24 crore highway projects at Gaggal town on Sunday.
PM-KISAN to benefit over 8 lakh Himachal farmers
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said here on Sunday 842,600 farmers in the state with less than two hectares of land would be provided Rs 6,000 annually under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna (PM-KISAN).
Amarinder wants Centre to include potato production in 'Operation Greens'
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has written to the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal to press for inclusion of the state in "The Operation Greens" (TOP) scheme for promotion of potato production cluster.
Chhattisgarh may seek review of SC's tribal eviction order
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said his government, if needed, would file a review petition to defend the tribals after their claim as forest dwellers were rejected under the Forest Rights Act of 2006 by the Supreme Court.
AIIMS, UCL in pact for joint research
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and University College London (UCL) on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding to explore potential areas of collaboration, including research-oriented activities, staff and student exchange programmes, research fellowship programmes, workshops and other events related to medical science.
C'garh forest dept to build cactus garden in Jagdalpur park
In a bid to promote tourism in Naxal-affected Bastar district, the Chhattisgarh Forest department is developing a "cactus garden" in Jagdalpur town, over 280 kilometres from here, an official said Sunday. The garden, which will have several varieties of cacti, will also serve as a study centre for students, he added. "This first-of-its-kind cactus garden is being developed over an area of 540 square metres in Lamni Park in Jagdalpur at a cost of Rs 40 lakh and will have around 200-250 varieties of cacti," Jagdalpur Sub Divisional Forest Officer DKS Maurya told PTI Sunday. A specially-designed dome to house the cacti is in place and saplings would start coming in by next month, Maurya said, adding that experts from Pune and Nashik in neighbouring Maharashtra were being sounded out for technical help. He said the move was initiated to increase footfalls in the 200-hectare Lamni Park and also help students study these leafless plants. He added that a bird aviary is also ...
Smoke envelopes Kochi areas for second day, residents face breathing problems
Several parts of Kochi continued to be covered under a blanket of smoke for the second day, following a major fire that broke out at the Brahmapuram waste plant here on Friday, causing breathing problems among the residents of nearby areas.
