Page 196 - Environment
UAE's Tabreed to build India's first district cooling system in Amaravati
A UAE-based international cooling provider has entered into a 30-year concession with Andhra Pradesh government to build, own, operate and transfer India's first district cooling system in the state's new capital Amaravati. The agreement between the National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) and Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) is for a contracted cooling capacity of 20,000 refrigeration tonnes and this will be the company's first plant outside its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) market, a statement released by the firm said. Tabreed's district cooling system is part of Andhra Pradesh government's vision for Amaravati to create jobs and homes along with a world-class infrastructure, a green city, and efficient resource management. In addition and in line with the ambitious plans for this greenfield capital city of Andhra Pradesh to be among the most sustainable cities in the world, Tabreed's system will meet cooling requirements for the the State's Assembly,
Scientists upcycle plastic bags to create battery parts
Scientists have created a way to convert plastic bags into carbon chips that could be used in batteries powering our smartphones and other devices. Plastic bag pollution has become a huge environmental problem, prompting some cities and countries to heavily tax or ban the sacks. Many plastic bags are used only once and then disposed, ending up in landfills, oceans and elsewhere in the environment, where they can take hundreds of years to decompose. According to researchers from Purdue University in the US, polyethylene in plastic bags could be an inexpensive source of energy-storing carbon. However, previous methods to upcycle polyethylene into pure carbon have been inefficient or required expensive, complex processes. The team wanted to develop a simpler yet efficient approach to convert plastic waste into useful carbon-containing materials. The researchers immersed polyethylene plastic bags in sulphuric acid and sealed them inside a solvothermal reactor, which heated the sample to ..
Centre won't procure Chhattisgarh's entire rice produce due to its higher MSP
The Congress party's electoral promise to raise the procurement rate of paddy at Rs 2,500 per quintal in Chhattisgarh is set to put an additional burden on the state treasury. This is because the Centre has refused to procure the entire produce from the state citing violation of the prescribed norms as the state has set a higher procurement price.
NGT fines Rustomjee Developers Rs 1 cr for environment norms violation
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed an interim fine of Rs one crore on a private developer here for violation of environment norms in construction of a residential project in Bandra area. In an order passed on February 11, the principal bench of NGT at New Delhi held that Rustomjee Developers violated four major environment norms at its residential project Rustomjee Oriana, located at MIG Colony in Bandra-East. It imposed Rs 1 crore fine on the developer as an "interim cost for damaging environment". The tribunal held that the builder had commenced the construction work without environmental clearance. It noted that the developer had added 16 additional flats and two floors to the building, for which the amended environment clearance was given in complete violation of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2006. The EIA notification mandates that if an application is made for expansion of a project, then the proposal must first go to the state environment ...
MEIL's Innovation in Irrigation
/ -- The Engineering major Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd. (MEIL) has taken up a unique innovative irrigation system in Telangana as part of the gigantic irrigation project, Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP). Explaining about this innovative project, Mr Bonthu Srinivas Reddy said, "It involves piped water supply to the end user to avoid water from not to be evaporated or sinks into the soil. It does not require even the land acquisition to this new piped irrigation water supply." He further said, "This innovative piped irrigation system is already successful in many countries. Some states include Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat states are implementing this piped irrigation on a small scale. Telangana government initiated this irrigation system in large scale to supply water for 80,000 hectares." The Telangana Government taking all appropriate steps to accomplish its objective to supply irrigation water to one crore acres of farmland. Israel's Outlet ...
NASA's Opportunity rover mission on Mars 'bites the dust'
The record-breaking 15-year-long Mars mission of NASA's Opportunity rover was declared over after the US space agency failed to contact the robotic explorer for over eight months. The Opportunity rover stopped communicating with Earth when a severe Mars-wide dust storm blanketed its location in June last year. After more than a thousand commands to restore contact, engineers in the Space Flight Operations Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) made their last attempt to revive Opportunity Tuesday, to no avail. The solar-powered rover's final communication was received June 10. Designed to last just 90 Martian days and travel 1,000 metres, Opportunity vastly surpassed all expectations in its endurance, scientific value and longevity. In addition to exceeding its life expectancy by 60 times, the rover travelled more than 45 kilometres by the time it reached its most appropriate final resting spot on Mars -- Perseverance Valley. "For more than a decade, Opportunity has been ..
North Korea exploring sanctions-proof energy technologies
Power-strapped North Korea is exploring two ambitious alternative energy sources tidal power and coal-based synthetic fuels that could greatly improve living standards and reduce its reliance on oil imports and vulnerability to sanctions. Finding a lasting energy source that isn't vulnerable to sanctions has long been a top priority for North Korean officials. Leader Kim Jong Un used his New Year's address last month to call on the country to "radically increase the production of electricity" and singled out the coal-mining industry as a "primary front in developing the self-supporting economy." For the longer-term, he stressed the importance of atomic, wind and tidal power. Since further development of atomic energy is unlikely anytime soon, the power-scarce country is developing technology to "gasify" coal into substitute motor fuels. It also is looking into using huge sea barriers with electricity-generating turbines to harness the power of the ocean's tides. Coal and hydropower .
NASA's Mars Opportunity rover 'declared dead'
The NASA has officially called time on its Opportunity Mars rover, after the six-wheeled robot landed on the Red Planet 15 years ago for searching life on it.The Opportunity rover stopped communicating with Earth when a severe Mars-wide dust storm blanketed its location in June 2018. After more than a thousand commands to restore contact, engineers in the Space Flight Operations Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) made their last attempt to revive Opportunity on Tuesday, but to no avail. The solar-powered rover's final communication was received on June 10 last year."It is because of trailblazing missions such as Opportunity that there will come a day when our brave astronauts walk on the surface of Mars," said NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine in a statement."And when that day arrives, some portion of that first footprint will be owned by the men and women of Opportunity, and a little rover that defied the odds and did so much in the name of exploration," he ...
Only stranded traffic allowed on Jammu-Srinagar highway
One-way traffic continued on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Thursday with authorities allowing only stranded vehicles to move from Jammu to Srinagar, an official said.
NASA declares end of Opportunity rover's mission on Mars
NASA has announced the end of its Opportunity rover's mission, 15 years after its arrival on Mars.
Govt approves Patna rail metro project: 2 corridors to be completed in 5 years
In a boost to public transport in the Bihar's capital city, the Centre Wednesday approved the Patna Metro Rail project comprising two corridors -- Danapur to Mithapur and Patna Railway Station to New ISBT. According to the government, the project will be executed in five years with an estimated cost of Rs 13,365.77 crore. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a statement, the government said that the Danapur Cantt-Mithapur corridor will pass through the heart of city and connect densely populated areas such as the Raza Bazar, the Secretariat, the High Court and the Law University Railway Station. The Patna Railway Station-ISBT corridor will connect the Gandhi Maidan, PMCH, Patna University, Rajendra Nagar, Mahatma Gandhi Setu, Transport Nagar and ISBT. "The length of Danapur to Mithapur corridor is 16.94 km, which is mostly underground (11.20 km) and partly elevated (5.48 km) and comprises 11 stations (3 elevated and 8-Underground)," ..
Cabinet clears metro rail project for Patna
To give a boost to public transport infrastructure in Patna, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a metro rail project for the city to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 13,365.77 crore.
Govt decides to add new communities in Chhattisgarh list of STs
The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved Amendments to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to include new communities in Chhattisgarh in the list of Scheduled Tribes. The amendments can now take place after the new Lok Sabha is formed this summer. After the Bill becomes an Act, member of the communities newly listed in the revised list of Scheduled Tribes of Chhattisgarh will also be able to derive benefits meant for Scheduled Tribes under the existing schemes of the government, a statement said.
HC gives nod to capture roaming wild elephant
The Madras High Court Wednesday gave its nod to capture and put in captivity a wild elephant which has been venturing into human habitats in Coimbatore and neighbouring districts in recent days. A bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad directed the Tamil Nadu principal chief conservator of forest to pass appropriate orders for capturing the 25-year-old elephant, nicknamed "Chinnathambi" and keep it in captivity. It gave the order on a PIL filed by animal welfare organisation People for Cattle in India (PFCI), which sought framing of suitable guidelines for translocation and rehabilitation of elephants and systematic study of man-elephant conflicts in forest fringes. "The averments, submissions and report of the expert Ajay Desai all warrant capture of the elephant Chinnathambi," it said. The bench made it clear that the physical discomfort to the elephant while capturing and transporting should be kept to the minimum and adequate measures should be made ...
Water retaining capacity of Hirakud dam to be increased: Water
The Centre has decided to raise the water retaining capacity of Hirakud dam in Odisha to 24 lakh cusecs from the existing 15 lakh cusecs, Union Water Resources Secretary U P Singh said on Wednesday. "It has been decided to increase the water retaining capacity of the Hirakud dam from the existing 15 lakh to 24 lakh cusecs," Singh said at the International Dam Safety Conference-2019 here. Efforts are also on for automatic functioning of Hirakud dam, which is one of the longest earthen dams in the world, he said adding that the dam over Mahanadi river is safe. Inaugurating the conference, Odisha's Water Resources Minister Niranjan Pujari said about 80 per cent of our large dams are over 25 years old. About 209 dams are over 100 years old and were built when design practices and safety norms were much below the current design and safety norms. Several of these dams are experiencing distress and need attention for ensuring their structural safety and operational efficiency,
Forest officials remove plastic waste from Gulf of Mannar
Forest personnel trained in scuba diving have started removing plastic waste from the sea bed in the Gulf of Mannar. The Gulf of Mannar is a marine ecosystem which includes coral reefs, salt marshes and mangroves According to officials, the coral reefs experienced degradation due to collection of plastic waste. Officials found that the plastic waste from the seashore got settled in the sea bed. The drive to remove the plastic waste started Tuesday,the officials said Wednesday. The state government had last June announced a ban on plastics, including that of non-biodegradable carry bags, from January 2019 to "gift a plastic-free" state to future generations. The ban came into force from January 1, with scores of commercial establishments largely switching over to eco-friendly cloth and paper bags.
India, Germany collaborate to combat air pollution at 3rd environment forum
The Centre on Wednesday collaborated with the German government to combat air pollution and exchanged a joint declaration for the implementation of India's National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). The declaration was exchanged between the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and German environment agency UBA at the Third Indo-German Environment Forum on "Clean Air, Greener Economy", held at the Hyatt Regency hotel here. Delivering the keynote address at the event, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan said the bilateral cooperation with Germany would focus on climate change adaptation, marine litter, forestry and sustainable development goals (SDG). "India and Germany have had a rich cooperation engagement for the last 60 years, which extends to sectors such as natural resource management, urban environment protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation and innovative green technologies. "Germany is amongst India's most important partners both ...
Traffic cops start digitalising challan system
The traffic police in Maharashtra have started digitalising the 'challan' (fine) system. A challan refers to the receipt for fine recovered for traffic rule violation. The first phase of the 'One State One e-challan' initiative is being rolled out in commissionerates of Mumbai, Nagpur, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, the traffic police said in a press note Wednesday. Other parts of the state would be covered in the next phase, it said. Under the scheme, a person who has been 'challanned' can pay the fine on 'mahatrafficechallan.gov.in', the note said. The traffic police is also going to launch new mobile apps. While its app MUMTRAFFICAPP for Mumbai is available on Android and IOS platforms, MAHATRAFFICAPP for the rest of the state would be rolled out soon.
SC grants 4 more weeks to UP govt to submit vision document on Taj Mahal
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a vision document for protection and preservation of the Taj Mahal in Agra within four weeks, saying it was difficult to proceed in the matter without it. A bench comprising justices S A Bobde and S K Kaul also asked the Centre to place before it in eight weeks time a report on declaring Agra a heritage city. The vision document is being prepared by the Delhi School of Planning and Architecture for the UP government. On September 25, 2018, the apex court had extended till November 15 the time for the Uttar Pradesh government to come out with the vision document on protecting the 17th century monument and had asked it to consider declaring a portion of the area surrounding it as 'heritage'. But as the state government did not file the vision document, the apex court on Wednesday said it was difficult to proceed in the matter and granted it four weeks to complete it. The apex court had earlier asked ...
Solar energy cost to fall to Rs 1.9 per unit by 2030 in India: TERI study
The cost of generating solar energy in India is set to fall to as low as Rs 1.9 per unit by 2030 with technological advancements increasing efficiency, a joint study by TERI and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) revealed on Wednesday.
