Page 207 - Environment
Russia plans to invest USD 14 bn in Pakistan's energy sector
Cash-strapped Pakistan is set to receive an integrated Russian investment package of USD 14 billion for the country's energy sector, including offshore gas pipeline and underground storage projects, a media report said Thursday. A Russian delegation headed by Gazprom Management Committee Deputy Chairman Vitaly A Markelov pledged to make the investment during a recent visit to Pakistan, the Express Tribune reported. The Russian companies would build a gas pipeline from Karachi to Lahore to transport imported gas for meeting the needs of the Punjab province. Out of the USD14 billion, Russians would invest around USD 10 billion in an offshore gas pipeline project, USD 2.5 billion in the North-South pipeline project and the remaining on building underground storages in Pakistan, the report said. Pakistan and Russian state-run entities on Wednesday signed inter corporate agreement to conduct a feasibility study of the USD10-billion offshore pipeline project. The planned massive Russian ...
Rs 247.60 cr pegged for building cow shelters in rural areas
As part of its commitment for the conservation of cattle, the Uttar Pradesh government said Thursday it was seeking support from the other departments in this regard. "A special cess has been imposed on liquor sales in the state. Out of the cess, an estimated revenue of Rs 165 crore will be utilised for maintenance of stray cattle of the state. "Rs 247.60 crore has been proposed for maintenance and construction of 'gaushalas' (cow shelters) in the rural areas," state Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal said while presenting the state budget. An arrangement of Rs 200 crore for 'kanha gaushala' and destitute cattle shelter scheme in urban areas have been made. For implementation of the Deendayal Upadhyaya Small Dairy Scheme, a provision of Rs 64 crore has been made to set up 10,000 units. A budgetary provision of Rs 56 crore has been made for the establishment of a new dairy in Mathura and Rs 5 crore has been allocated for financial year 2019-20 for various programmes under the Uttar ...
New AI system can identify microscopic marine organisms
An artificial intelligence (AI) programme that can automatically provide species-level identification of microscopic marine organisms has been developed by researchers, including one from India. The next step is to incorporate the AI into a robotic system that will help advance our understanding of the world's oceans, both now and in our prehistoric past, said researchers, including Ritayan Mitra, a former postdoctoral researcher at North Carolina State University in the US, who is now at IIT Bombay. Specifically, the AI programme has proven capable of identifying six species of foraminifera, or forams -- organisms that have been prevalent in Earth's oceans for over 100 million years, according to the study published in the journal Marine Micropaleontology. Forams are protists, neither plant nor animal. When they die, they leave behind their tiny shells, most less than a millimetre wide. These shells give scientists insights into the characteristics of the oceans as they existed when .
AI identifies microscopic marine organisms: Study
Researchers have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) programme that can automatically identify microscopic marine organisms, according to a new study.
Rains fail to wash away pollutants, Delhi records 'very poor' air quality
Rain and a strong surface wind blew in Delhi and surrounding regions but the air quality remained in the "very poor" category in the national capital on Thursday, which was a slight improvement from yesterday."Overall air quality over Delhi is 'very poor'. Air quality has not improved significantly as rainfall was not sufficient enough and wind speed was also moderate," System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research said.In the coming three days too SAFAR has predicted no improvement in air quality, which is likely to oscillate between the "poor" and "very poor" category.However, major pollutants in the air have dipped significantly with PM (particulate matter) 10 recorded at 119 and touching 'moderate' as compared to 'poor' on Wednesday. The PM (particulate matter) 2.5 has reached 'satisfactory' level with 60.Another spell of light rain and hailstorm accompanied with gusty wind is expected in the isolated areas of the national capital and neighbouring region, the weather
Guterres underlines climate action urgency, as UN weather agency confirms record global warming
The UN Secretary-General Antnio Guterres has called for urgent climate action and increased ambition ahead of his climate summit in September, after the United Nations World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) released data showing the past four years were officially the four warmest on record', His reaction on Wednesday came after WMO issued a report confirming that 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 were the four warmest years recorded to date. The analysis, based on the monitoring performed by five leading international organisations, also shows that the global average surface temperature in 2018 was approximately 1 Celsius above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) baseline. The long-term temperature trend is far more important than the ranking of individual years, and that trend is an upward one, said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. The 20 warmest years on record have been in the past 22 years. The degree of warming during the past four years has been exceptional, both on land and in the ...
2018 fourth warmest year on record: NASA, NOAA
Earth's global surface temperatures in 2018 were the fourth warmest since 1880, an independent analyses by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has found. According to scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) here, global temperatures in 2018 were 0.83 degrees Celsius warmer than the 1951 to 1980 mean. Globally, 2018's temperatures rank behind those of 2016, 2017 and 2015. The past five years are, collectively, the warmest years in the modern record, NASA said in a statement. NOAA's analysis found 2018 global temperatures were 0.79 degrees Celsius above the 20th century average. "2018 is yet again an extremely warm year on top of a long-term global warming trend, said GISS Director Gavin Schmidt. Since the 1880s, the average global surface temperature has risen about one degree Celsius. This warming has been driven in large part by increased emissions into the atmosphere of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases caused by human .
West Bengal announces new project to help banana growers
To prevent banana produce of farmers from rotting and to help them market their produce and get better price, the West Bengal government has announced a new project. Agriculture, Food Processing and Horticulture, secretary Nandini Chakraborty told a press meet on Wednesday that there are approximately 3.7 lakh banana farmers in the state and the new project would help them. Tissue culture banana will be cultivated over an approximate area of 700 hectares in Murshidabad and Nadia districts as part of the new project at a cost of Rs 2322.869 lakh, she said. The state government will have share of Rs 930.386 lakh in the project, the participating farmers Rs 933.583 lakh and the Keventer Agro group Rs 458.90 lakh. Chakraborty said the two districts were chosen in the first phase of the project as Nadia and Murshidabad had reported bumper and quality banana production in recent years. "The project will help keep consistent quality standard of banana which is perishable after .
Firmenich Reinforces Global Environmental Leadership With Fourth CDP Top Score This Year
/ -- Recognized as a global environmental leader with a CDP triple 'A' score, Firmenich further reinforced its impact with its top ranking on the CDP Supplier Engagement Leaderboard. This global supply chain recognition is testament to Firmenich's excellence in working with its suppliers to reduce carbon emissions and environmental risks across its value chain. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/798187/Firmenich_Logo.jpg ) "It is a great honor to be one of only two companies in the world to reach, the CDP Supplier Engagement Leaderboard, as well as triple "A" status for climate change, water security, and forests," said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich. "These world-class recognitions illustrate how Firmenich's sustainability leadership is well entrenched beyond our business and positively impacting our supply chain." "Congratulations to Firmenich for setting the pace in environmental management with its recognition on the CDP Supplier Engagement Leaderboard, working to reduce ..
RE Industry Stalwarts Mark Their Presence at UBM India's 2nd Edition of Renewable Energy Growth Forum in Colombo
/ -- From the organisers of Renewable Energy India Expo UBM India, the leading B2B exhibition organizer held the 2nd edition of Renewable Energy Growth Forum (6th - 7th February 2019) supported by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Industries at the Taj Samudra, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The forum discussed the potential of the Renewable Energy (RE) industry, policies and trends, global market overview, renewable energy opportunities in Sri Lanka, project financing and beyond. The Renewable Energy Growth Forum is one of the most comprehensive and reputed platforms backed by the excellence UBM has in the fraternity with the Renewable Energy India Expo - Asia's largest and most influential exhibition and other events across Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Vietnam and Thailand, amongst others. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/675607/UBM_Logo.jpg ) (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/818538/UBM_Sri_Lanka_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/818537/UBM_Forum.jpg ) The event was ..
Abu Simbel salvage celebrated as success; challenges persist
Egyptologists and other experts gathered in Italy to celebrate a successful campaign to save ancient Egyptian temples from being submerged by a dam project 50 years ago and to warn of new threats. The international campaign that saved the temples of Abu Simbel when Aswan High Dam was remembered in Turin as an unprecedented engineering achievement and a turning point in the preservation of cultural heritage sites. But experts at the Monday event say that with major dam projects underway in Sudan and Ethiopia, the job of protecting Nubian culture is not finished. The director of Turin's Egyptian Museum, Christian Greco, noted that salvaging Abu Simbel settlements and domestic artifacts didn't receive as much emphasis as the temples. She says their loss to the dam provides lessons for the future.
Government approves higher electricity allocation to Telangana, Jharkhand
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to allocate 85 per cent of electricity generated by NTPC's Telangana Super Thermal Power Project (TSTPP) to the state.
4 spotted deer among 9 animals found dead in rescue centre
Four spotted deer, as many black bucks and a four-horned antelope kept in the Wildlife Rescue Centre here were found dead on Wednesday morning, an official said. Although the cause of their death is yet to be ascertained, authorities suspect that they might have been killed by a leopard that possibly entered the rescue centre from the nearby forest area. "Four spotted deer, four black bucks and a four-horned antelope in the Wildlife Rescue Centre were found dead. The incident came to light on Wednesday morning," Divisional Manager Gorewada project Nandkishore Kale said in a press release. He said a leopard from the wild might have killed these animals and an investigation was on. The post-mortem of the carcasses was performed, following which they were cremated, sources said. The Wildlife Rescue Centre, which was opened in December 2016, is located in Gorewada International Zoo project, wherein wild animals injured in accidents are kept and given treatment.
Government to continue 'Exploration of Coal and Lignite' scheme
The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved a proposal to continue the "Exploration of Coal and Lignite" scheme for three years at an expected expenditure of Rs 1,875 crore.
Government approves setting up of 12,000 MW solar power projects
The government on Wednesday approved a proposal for setting up of 12,000 MW of solar power projects by state-run producers.
Cabinet approves establishment of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved a proposal seeking the establishment of 'Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog' to conserve, protect and develop India's cattle population.It will result in increased growth of the livestock sector which is more inclusive, benefitting women, and small and marginal farmers, read an official press note.The Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog will work in collaboration with veterinary, animal sciences or agriculture universities, departments or organisations of the central/state government engaged in the task of research in the field of breeding and rearing of cows, organic manure, and biogas.The creation of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog for the conservation, protection, and development of cows and their progeny will provide the policy framework and direction to the cow conservation and development programmes in the country and for ensuring proper implementation of laws with respect to the welfare of cows.The proposal was first made by ..
Russian researchers propose disposing trash by adding it to fuel
Russian scientists at the Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) have created an eco-friendly method of disposing of trash - by burning them as additives to composite liquid fuels.The research, the results of which are published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, is being hailed as an economically efficient way to get rid of trash, which is also referred to as Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), reports Sputnik.Disposal systems for MSWs are currently underdeveloped, with the idea of reusing, recycling and burning of MSWs as fuel to generate electricity being rare.Adding waste to a thermal power plant composite fuel may serve as the basis for reducing the total amount of buried MSW, encourage the development of related MSW treatment technology and cut thermal coal consumption for power generation, said Dmitry Glushkov, an associate professor at the TPU Research School of High-Energy Physics.Glushkov went on to say that the research team studied ignition and combustion dependencies, including ..
Amitabh Bachchan urges people to use toilets
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Wednesday unveiled the 'Darwaza Band -Part 2' campaign films, which focus on sustaining the open defecation free (ODF) status of villages across the country.
Centre approves higher power allocation from NTPC plants to Telangana, Jharkhand
The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved a proposal of the Power Ministry for higher allocation of electricity to the home state from under-construction projects of NTPC. The proposal seeks to allocate 85 per cent power to Telangana generated from Telangana Super Thermal Power Project (4000 MW) of NTPC and 85 per cent power from expansion project of Patratu Thermal Power Station (4000 MW) of Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (PVUNL) to Jharkhand. PVUNL is a subsidiary company of NTPC. Both the projects are being set up in two phases. Phase-I of both the projects are under construction. Telangana Super Thermal Power Project (TSTPP) will come up at Ramagundam in Peddapalli district while the Patratu Super Thermal Power Station will come at Patratu in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand. The first phase of TSTPP will comprise two units of 800 MW each and second phase for three units of 800 MW each. Patratu Thermal Power Station (PTPS) will comprise three units of 800 MW each in the first phase .
Cabinet approves establishment of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the proposal for establishment of Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog for conservation, protection and development of cows and their progeny.