Page 247 - Environment
Himachal to increase forest cover by 35%
Himachal Pradesh aims to increase forest cover from 26 to 35 per cent, Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur said on Tuesday.
916,000 pigs culled to curb African swine fever
China has reined in the African swine fever epidemic with 916,000 pigs culled as of Jan. 14, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday."Outbreaks are sporadic and not at epidemic proportions," according to ministry spokesperson Guang Defu.Since August, 24 provincial-level regions have reported cases, with blockades now lifted in 77 infected areas of 21 regions, Guang said.The ministry has always followed the principles of being "timely, open and transparent" in reporting the cases, Guang said.African swine fever is believed to infect only pigs, and no humans or other species have thus far been infected.China reported its first case of the disease in August 2018 in the northeastern province of Liaoning.
SpaceX launches final batch of next-gen satellites
Following two years of launches, SpaceX completed a major upgrade to a key telecommunications satellite network on Friday.A Falcon 9 rocket built by Elon Musk's space venture managed to launch the final ten satellites of a 75-piece constellation for Iridium (IRDM), a satellite operator, just after 7.30am from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, reported CNN.Dubbed Iridium NEXT, the second-generation satellite network aims to offer improved satellite-based internet and phone services as well as marine and air traffic monitoring.Iridium later on confirmed that all 10 new satellites had "successfully communicated" with ground systems.However, the company is not quite over the finishing line yet, Iridium CEO Matt Desch said in a statement, "...there is still some work to do to put these satellites into operation," adding, "Once that's complete, our future will be in place. I'm just incredibly proud of our team right now."Iridium selected SpaceX in March 2010 to be the sole launch ...
'Kalia' to open new doors for farmers' development: Patnaik
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday said that his government's Rs 10,000 crore farmer welfare scheme 'Kalia' would open doors for development of agri sector workers. The Odisha government announced the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (Kalia) on December 31, 2018. "Kalia is an ideal scheme for farmers. Not only for Odisha, Kalia will open new doors of agrarian welfare," Patnaik said after inaugurating the state-level annual farmers convention Krushi Odisha 2019, at Biju Patnaik Ground in Baramunda here. Stating that he would be very happy if the farmers utilise the scheme for betterment of cultivation and doubling their income, Patnaik said 92 per cent of the state's cultivators will be benefited from the scheme. He said that beginning from small and marginal farmers, Kalia scheme has provision to benefit share croppers, landless farmers and agricultural labourers. "In 2014, I had promised to irrigate additional 10 lakh hectares ...
China plans another Moon mission in 2019, targets Mars in 2020: Report
Riding on its success of landing a rover on the far side of the Moon earlier in January, China's space agency is planning to launch another mission to the Moon by the end of 2019 and a mission to Mars as early as 2020, the media reported.
Delhi's air quality 'poor', high wind speed to keep pollution level in check
Delhi recorded 'poor' air quality on Monday with high wind speed expected to keep pollution level in check and have a "positive impact" in dispersion of pollutants. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was 237, which falls in the 'poor' category. An AQI between 100 and 200 comes under the 'moderate' category, 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', while that between 401 and 500 'severe'. The city's air quality was severe till Sunday but with improved wind speed of 20 km/hr, the air quality significantly improved and was recorded in 'poor' category, authorities said. As many as 26 areas recorded 'poor' air quality and five 'moderate', the CPCB said. In the National Capital Region (NCR), Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida recorded 'poor' air quality, it said. The overall PM2.5 level -- fine particulate matters in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers -- in Delhi was at 115, while .
NGT panel recommends Rs 171.34 crore fine on Volkswagen for causing air pollution in Delhi
A four-member committee formed by the National Green Tribunal has recommended Rs 171.34 crore fine on German auto major Volkswagen as "health damages" for causing air pollution in Delhi due to excess nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The expert committee in its report has estimated that Volkswagen cars released approximately 48.678 tonnes of NOx in 2016 in the national capital. "Estimated cost of heath damage due to additional NOx emissions from the Volkswagen group vehicles is approximately Rs 171.34 crore using a metro city i.e Delhi as a base. The value may be considered conservative due to lack of methodologies for calculating the overall impact of nitrogen oxide on environment in India and hence only health damages are valued. "Further the valuation is for Delhi city considering that the value of NOx is 435 tonnes is released in the city. This is assumed because lack of data on the geographical locations and plying regions of Volkwagen vehicles which have caused the damage and for .
India unveils five-year plan to reduce air pollution
The Indian government released a five-year plan to reduce the air pollution in the 102 worst-affected cities in the country by 20-30 percent by 2024.The air pollution level in the Indian capital of New Delhi became severe, officials said on Sunday. The overall air quality index remained in severe category at 414, according to the Indian Central Pollution Control Board."We hope this will be a guiding document, a guiding force for all those who join the activities," the Indian Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan told local media."These are tough targets, but we believe they are achievable if we do this well," Environment Secretary Chandra Kishore Mishra said.The plan outlines multiple actions and their timelines for central ministries, states and city-level agencies seeking to curb vehicular, industrial and thermal power emissions and reduce the air pollution from the burning of crop residue and firewood, brick production, construction and other activities. Some actions are either ...
Motihari-Amlekhgunj petroleum project ops to start from mid-April
The Motihari-Amlkehgunj Petroleum Pipeline project is certain to start operation from coming mid- April onwards.The project remains as the first cross-border project in the entire South-Asia. Under this project, petroleum products will be imported to Nepal from India via the 70 kilometers pipeline.Of the total length of the pipeline, as much as 32.25 kilometers is in the Indian Territory (from Raxaul to Motihari) and the other 37.25 kilometers from the India-bordering market Raxaul to Amlekhgunj of Bara in Nepal.According to the project office, Simara, work related to the installation of pipeline is in full-swing. Towards Nepal side, work on a total 10-kilometer area (one kilometer from Gandak to Parwanipur and nine kilometers in Parsa National Park area) remains to be done.As told by Office Chief Sharad Prasad Poudel, installation work on around four kilometers of area is awaited.The project costs over 2 billion Indian rupees of the Indian Oil Corporation and remains in the priority
Iran satellite in US row fails to reach orbit: state media
Iran launched a satellite criticised by the United States on Tuesday but it failed to reach orbit, state television quoted the telecommunications minister as saying. "The Payam satellite was successfully launched this morning with the Basir satellite carrier. But the satellite unfortunately failed to be placed in orbit in the final stage," Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said. Payam and its carrier had gone through successful testing of its first and second stages, the minister said. But in the actual launch, the satellite failed to reach the required speed on detachment from the rocket in the third stage. Both Payam and its carrier were designed and produced at Tehran's Amirkabir University of Technology. Iran still plans to launch another low Earth orbit satellite, Doosti (Friendship in Persian), Jahromi said. He did not give a date for the launch but said the satellite was planned to orbit the earth at an altitude of 250 kilometres (156 miles). "We will do our best to place it in the .
Cottoning on: Chinese seed sprouts on moon
A small green shoot is growing on the moon in an out-of-this-world first after a cotton seed germinated on board a Chinese lunar lander, scientists said Tuesday. The sprout has emerged from a lattice-like structure inside a canister since the Chang'e-4 lander set down earlier this month, according to a series of photos released by the Advanced Technology Research Institute at Chongqing University. "This is the first time humans have done biological growth experiments on the lunar surface," said Xie Gengxin, who led the design of the experiment. The Chang'e-4 probe -- named after a Chinese moon goddess -- made the world's first soft landing on the moon's "dark side" on January 3, a major step in China's ambitions to become a space superpower. Scientists from Chongqing University -- who designed the "mini lunar biosphere" experiment -- sent an 18-centimetre (seven-inch) bucket-like container holding air, water and soil. Inside are cotton, potato, and arabidopsis seeds -- a plant of the
AP CM directs discoms to increase power supply to agri sector
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the power utilities to work out modalities to enhance the power supply duration to agriculture sector from the present seven to nine hours a day, soon. An official release issued by the Media Advisor (Energy and Infrastructure Department) A Chandrasekhara Reddy said the Chief Minister directed the power utilities to "work out modalities and make arrangements" to increase the present 7-hour free power supply to nine hours. The officials, he said, briefed the Chief Minister that an additional 2,800 million units of power would be required, at an extra cost of Rs 1,200 crore, to increase the supply duration. The state is now supplying 10,831 million units of power free-of-cost to the farm sector at a cost of Rs 6,030.17 crore. "No state in India bears such a huge amount as subsidy for giving free power to agriculture. Our government is empowering the farmers by supplying free power and implementing several ...
India's vegetable oils import rises 11% in December 2018
Total stock at ports and in pipelines reported at 20.25 lakh tonnes as on 01 January 2019
China's new lunar rover may face challenges on Moon's far side
China's second lunar rover Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2), which is the first-ever rover to drive on the Moon's far side, will face considerable challenges brought by complicated terrain in its future exploration, Chinese space experts have said.
Growing Aus-India research collaborations to tackle global issues
Australia is increasingly engaging with India's educational and research institutions to address several global issues ranging from food security to climate change, according Australian officials and scientists. Last year, representatives from a number of top Australian universities travelled to India to sign numerous Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) for joint PhDs, exchange programmes, as well as research collaborations. According to Louise McSorley, Counsellor for Education and Research at the Australian High Commission here, the 'India Economic Strategy to 2035' report focused Australia's attention on India in a way that has never happened before. The report, commissioned by the former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, outlines steps to transform Australia's relationship with India, and take the economic partnership between the two countries to a new level. "The growth of the economy here has excited interest in Australia -- not just in education but across the board. ..
India very important player in the multilateral system: UNGA President Espinosa
Commending India for being a very important player in the multilateral system, UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa has said the country is a "leading force" in areas of climate action and poverty eradication. Espinosa underscored that given India's large population, its actions and success on issues such as climate change and poverty eradication is "extremely important." "India is a very important player in the multi-lateral system. It is a very strong reliable partner of the system. This should be acknowledged," Espinosa told PTI in an interview here. Lauding India for its "constructive" role in the multilateral sphere, she said the country is a very good ally to boost role of the UN and to strengthen the multi-lateral system. "I commend India for that. On the climate agenda, India is a leading actor, it has a strong commitment to renewable energies, push for solar power, poverty eradication agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). India is really a leading
India's plan to breathe easy is out, but targets are not legally binding
New Delhi, Jan 15 (IANS/Mongabay) The Indian government has unveiled its long-awaited National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) that aims at a 20-30 percent reduction of particulate matter (PM) concentration over the next five years, with an overall goal of mitigating air pollution and improving air quality in the country, which has some of the world's most polluted cities.
Committee recommends measures to deal with stray cattle menace in UP
A high power committee appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government has recommended a slew of steps, including establishment of fodder bank, to overcome stray cattle menace in the state, the committee chairman said. In order to reduce the price of products prepared from excreta of stray cattle and help increase their demand, the committee has also recommended the state government to grant subsidy at the beginning. Besides, it has suggested the state government to grant Rs 100 per animal per day to stray cattle sheds and seeks to make obligatory for lawmakers to provide support to the sheds from their funds. "If the recommendations of the committee are fully implemented, this would also be a model for other states facing stray cattle menace," Prof K M L Pathak, the chairman of the committee and vice chancellor of the Deen Dayal Veterinary University told reporters here. The committee had sent the recommendations to state Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Sudhir M Bobde on January 7, .
Here's what warmer oceans mean for the planet
A new study now finds that our oceans are much warmer than previously thought. Driven by climate changes caused by human, they are heating up faster than earlier believed.The study published this week in the journal Science showed that the world's oceans have got much warmer since the 1960s. According to study authors, 2018 would be the warmest year on record for oceans, CNN reported.Rising ocean temperatures have far bigger consequences upon life on Earth as well.Rising sea levels: The study says this effect alone could make sea levels rise 30cm (12 inches) by the end of the century. Speaking about it, Stephen Simpson, associate professor in marine biology and global change at the University of Exeter, in the UK, said that while it does not sound like much, but there are many large cities around the world, much built on reclaimed land, that are not more than 30cm above sea level. Rising sea levels could cause millions of people to be displaced.Furthermore, warming oceans are causing .
Karnataka celebrates Sankranti harvest festival
People across Karnataka on Tuesday celebrated the harvest festival of Sankranti with thousands of Hindus thronging temples.