Page 237 - Environment

ISMA reduced sugar output estimate to 307 lakh tonnes for sugar season 2018-19

Sugar production rises 8.3% to 146.86 lakh tonnes till 15 January in sugar season Oct 2018-Sept 2019

China plans major cut in number of Everest climbers

China will cut the number of climbers attempting to scale Mount Everest from the north by one-third this year as part of plans for a major cleanup on the world's highest peak, state media reported Monday. The total number of climbers seeking to summit the world's highest peak at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) from the north will be limited to less than 300 and the climbing season restricted to spring, the reports said. The cleanup efforts will include the recovery of the bodies of climbers who died at more than 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) up the mountain, they said. Parts of Everest are in China and Nepal. Each year, about 60,000 climbers and guides visit the Chinese north side of the mountain, which China refers to by its Tibetan name, Mount Qomolangma. China has set up stations to sort, recycle and break down garbage from the mountain, which includes cans, plastic bags, stove equipment, tents and oxygen tanks. On the Nepalese side, mountaineering expedition organizers have begun sending .

Tiger kills, eats tigress in MP

In a rare case of cannibalism, a tiger is suspected to have killed and eaten a tigress in the famous Kanha Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh, a forest official said Monday. Some ground duty officials found a feline's skull and four limbs, one of which was partially eaten, at Mundi-Dadar in the reserve's core area in Mandla district during patrolling on Saturday, Kanha Tiger Reserve's field director K Krishnamurthy told PTI. "A tiger was noticed in the area, suggesting that it may have killed the big cat, which appears to be female. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the tiger, during a territorial fight, dragged the tigress for about 700 metres," he said. Asked about the possibility of the tiger seen around the carcass having eaten it, Krishnamurthy said cannibalism was "not uncommon" among tigers. He, however, said scavengers also might have eaten the feline after it was killed. The official ruled out the possibility of poaching of the striped animal in the reserve's .

Delhi: Air quality deteriorates, likely to worsen this week

Air quality in the national capital nosedived to 'Severe' on Monday morning and is likely worsen in the next couple of days.According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) data, the air quality of Delhi showed levels of prominent pollutants PM (particulate matter) 10 at 396, which is considered as 'very poor'.An AQI between the range of 51 to 100 is considered as satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 falls under the poor category, whereas 401-500 range is severe.The organisation has advised the people residing in Delhi to avoid all physical activities outdoors and warned asthmatics to keep relief medicines handy. "Stop any activity level if you experience any usual coughing, chest discomfort, wheezing, breathing difficulty, or fatigue," it added.Delhi woke up to a blanket of fog this morning, causing a significant reduction in visibility.The Northern Railways said as many as 12 trains will be running late due to inclement weather conditions.In ...

Kabul chokes on dirty air as temperatures plunge

Kabul residents have long run the gauntlet of suicide attacks and bombs. This winter, however, they face another deadly threat: air pollution. For weeks a thick layer of toxic smog has blanketed the sprawling city as cold air traps pollution caused by people burning coal, wood, car tyres and even garbage to stay warm. The choking contamination peaks in evenings and early mornings when temperatures plunge below zero. Dangerous particulate matter, including toxins like sulphate and black carbon, hang in the air like a thick curtain, reducing visibility and making breathing difficult. Residents complain the air is getting worse -- a view supported by doctors who report a sharp rise in respiratory illnesses. "In previous years 30 to 40 percent of our patients were suffering from acute respiratory infections, but this year it has jumped to 70 or 80 percent," said Akbar Iqbal, a doctor in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Indira Gandhi children's hospital in Kabul. "I believe the cold ..

China December aluminium production surges to record monthly high

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's primary aluminium output defied low prices to rise for a second straight month to a record high in December as falling alumina costs boosted margins, while 2018 annual output was also a record, official data showed on Monday.

Hundreds of commuters caught in long traffic jam in south Delhi (Lead, correcting headline)

Hundreds of commuters were caught in a 5-km-long traffic jam for nearly three hours in the wake of traffic restrains caused by movement of Denmark Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and other foreign dignitary in south Delhi, an traffic officer said on Sunday.

Water, not temperature, limits global forest growth as climate warms

Lack of water is playing a major role in limiting global forest growth as the climate warms, a recent study has suggested.According to the research published in the Journal of Science Advances, the effect is most evident in northern climates and at high altitudes where the primary limitation on tree growth had been cold temperatures, reports the team this week in the online journal Science Advances."Our study shows that across the vast majority of the land surface, trees are becoming more limited by water," said first author Flurin Babst."This is the first time that anybody has projected the tree growth responses to climate at a near-global scale," said Flurin Babst, first author of the study.As part of the study, the researchers compared the annual growth rings of trees during two time periods, 1930-1960 and 1960-1990.The growth rings are wider when conditions are better, narrower when conditions are worse. The ring-width measurements were taken from trees at about 2,700 sites ...

Lack of awareness a barrier to plastic-free periods

In order to cope up with the issue of environmental degradation, more efforts need to be made to raise awareness regarding the amount of plastic content in commonly-used menstrual products, a recent study has suggested.As part of the study, the researchers examined levels of awareness and people's attitudes towards the environmental impact of these products.The study, which used face-to-face focus groups and an online survey of 300 people, found that many participants were shocked at the amount of plastic in commonly-used disposable menstrual products.Almost a third of those surveyed were not aware that tampons contained plastic and 20 per cent of the people believed that it is okay to flush tampons. The findings were published in the 'Journal of Sustainability.'Tampons are the most commonly used menstrual product in Western Europe and the US, with women using an average of 11,000 during their lifetime. Many disposable products are flushed after use, which can lead to plastics ...

Hundreds of commuters caught in long traffic jam in soth Delhi

Hundreds of commuters were caught in a 5-km-long traffic jam for nearly three hours in the wake of traffic restrains caused by movement of Denmark Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and other foreign dignitary in south Delhi, an traffic officer said on Sunday.

GoM report on granting ST status to 6 communities by Feb 15

The Group of Ministers (GoM) on granting ST status to six communities of Assam held its first meeting on Sunday and said it is aiming to submit its report by February 15 this year. The six communities -- Moran, Muttock, Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi, Sootea and Tea-Tribes -- have been demanding Scheduled Tribe status for many years and has carried out series of agitation. Addressing reporters after the meeting, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is heading the GoM, said that the committee will hold a series of meetings with various stakeholders and tribal groups to get their feedback. "In today's meeting, we decided to collect the population figures of the six communities from the Tribal Research Institute. We are moving ahead with an aim to submit the report by February 15," he added. The GoM will meet Tribal Saangha on January 28, followed by Bodoland Territorial Council the next day, he added. The remaining six development councils of the Rabha, Tiwa, ...

4 new avian species spotted in Dudhwa forest in UP: Official

The winter bird count in Dudhwa forest in Uttar Pradesh concluded Sunday, with claims of at least four new avian species being found there. Field director of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) Ramesh Kumar Pandey told PTI that "the counting teams sighted for the first time in Dudhwa Maroon Oriole, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and two other new birds." He added that "as per suggestions from the experts, next counting of birds would be conducted in summer so as to make a comprehensive scientific study of birds, their nature and behaviour and Dudhwa ecology." Counting of birds in Dudhwa was started on Friday and experts from Katarniaghat Foundattion and Rohilkhand Nature Club assisted by Dudhwa field staff were engaged to carry out the counting work and make a report. The experts, including Kajal Dasgupta, Suresh Chaudhary, Jaswinder Singh, Fazlurrahman and Asani Bhaduri, visited various locations and collected data. The experts were surprised to find some summer season migratory birds such as Black

Jalna to host national fair of animals in February

Yuvraj and Sultan, the two most-sought-after bulls from Haryana, will be the major attraction at the national fair of animals to be held in Jalna in Maharashtra next month, a state minister said Sunday. Minister of State for Dairy Development Arjun Khotkar told reporters that the exchange of cattle will boost breeding potential of milch animals. Animals like horses, goats, donkeys, camels, elephants, cows, bulls, buffaloes and various species of birds would be exhibited and sold by traders at the fair, to be held on 100-acre land in New Modha area, during February 2-4. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will attend the inaugural event, apart from state ministers. Khotkar said the state government has allotted Rs 5 crore towards preparation of the gathering. Yuvraj and Sultan have been the major attractions at various animal fairs in the country. Owners of the two bulls claim that they produce high quality ...

VP Naidu for united efforts to fight terrorism and corruption

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Sunday urged the world community to come together to address the "pressing issues" of terrorism, climate change and corruption. Speaking at the valedictory ceremony of the ninth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit here, VP Naidu said these issues need to be addressed for ensuring peace, prosperity and the partnership of individuals in the inclusive growth story. "The entire world must be peaceful. Peace is the prerequisite for progress. I would like to tell the entire world community from this forum of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit that three important challenges are there before the humanity, before the world...One of them is terror. Terror has no religion. It is the enemy of humanity. It has to be rooted out totally by all countries coming together. That is the need of the hour," he said. The vice president also urged the world community to work together to ensure that the effect of climate change is minimised. "We must all come .

Release agri power connections in phases: Raj CM to officials

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has directed state officials to release agriculture power connections in phases to one lakh farmers by June. He also asked them to expedite works to provide electricity through solar in far-flung areas of the state. At a meeting with senior officials of the energy department on Saturday night, the chief minister gave directions to the officials to ensure there was no power cut for the consumers of domestic use from 7.00 am to 11.00 am and from 6.00 pm to 10.00 pm. Energy Minister B D kalla and senior officials discussed with Gehlot the issues of energy sector in the state. In another meeting, the chief minister asked the officials of public health and engineering to prepare advance plans for water supply during summer months. Chief Secretary D B Gupta and other officers were present in the meeting, according to a release issued on Sunday.

Irrawaddy dolphin census concludes in Bhitarkanika, Gahirmatha

The annual headcount exercise of Irrawaddy dolphins inhabiting in the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary has come to an end, officials said Saturday. Last year the census teams had sighted 250 dolphins in the sea and deltaic zones. The census data for this year will be shortly released after conclusion of the compilation process, said Bimal Prasanna Acharya, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Forest Division. The enumerators covered the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, Dhamara coast, estuaries in Bhitarkanika, Hukitola, Paradip and Kujang coast. A status survey of these marine animals is vital for the study of growth pattern of species living within the brackish water bodies and shallow sea waters of this Ramsar international wetland site, said forest officials.

Counting of bird species begin at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

After a gap of almost six years, counting of bird species began at the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) from Sunday, with avid bird watchers from Delhi, Bareilly and Lucknow arriving here. Ramesh Kumar Pandey, field director of the DTR, told PTI that in 2013, the bird counting had been conducted which had established Dudhwa as an excellent home to various species of birds. Bird watchers under the aegis of Katarniaghat Foundation (KGF) and Rohilkhand Nature Club (RNC) would visit various locations at the DTR and gather visuals of bird species for further analysis and listing, Pandey said.

Earth hit by more asteroids since time of dinosaurs, say scientists

According to a new study, the number of asteroids colliding with the Earth and Moon has increased by up to three times over the past 290 million years.The study, published in Science, is based on a major study involving the University of Southampton.Scientists have, for decades, tried to understand the rate that asteroids hit the Earth. They have usually done so by studying the craters and dating the rocks around them. However, the problem with doing this is that many experts assumed that the earliest craters have worn away due to erosion and other geological processes.However, the new study found that we can learn a lot about the impact history on Earth by studying the Moon.Researchers believe both bodies are hit in the same proportion over time. Furthermore, according to scientists, the Moon is immune to processes like plate tectonics that gradually destroy the Earth's craters.Speaking about it, William Bottke, an asteroid expert at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, ...

Novel system can produce electricity, fuel from CO2

Scientists have developed a system that can produce electricity and hydrogen fuel from carbon dioxide -- the main contributor of global warming. The Hybrid Na-CO2 system can continuously produce electrical energy and hydrogen through efficient carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion with stable operation for over 1,000 hours, researchers said. "Carbon capture, utilisation, and sequestration (CCUS) technologies have recently received a great deal of attention for providing a pathway in dealing with global climate change," said Guntae Kim, from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea. "The key to that technology is the easy conversion of chemically stable CO2 molecules to other materials. Our new system has solved this problem with CO2 dissolution mechanism," said Kim. Much of human CO2 emissions are absorbed by the ocean and turned into acidity. The researchers focused on this phenomenon and came up with the idea of melting CO2 into water to induce an ...

Now, scientists turn carbon emissions into usable energy

Eliminating carbon dioxide, which is the main contributor to global warming has become a priority with scientists across the world. A recent study, affiliated with UNIST has now developed a system that produces electricity and hydrogen while eliminating carbon dioxide.The study has been led by Professor Guntae Kim in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST in collaboration with Professor Jaephil Cho in the Department of Energy Engineering and Professor Meilin Liu in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology.The study saw research team present Hybrid Na-CO2 system that can continuously produce electrical energy and hydrogen through efficient CO2 conversion with stable operation for over 1,000 hours from spontaneous carbon dioxide dissolution in aqueous solution.Speaking about the study, Professor Kim says, that carbon capture, utilisation, and sequestration technologies have recently received a great deal of attention for ...