Page 254 - Environment
Delhi govt looking for viable solution to counter waste management: Jain
Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain Thursday said the AAP government is willing to provide funds to counter waste management problem in the city if it finds a viable solution, an official statement stated. "Managing waste is not a difficult task as several technologies are available for the same that do not cost much, but even if there is a need for funds the Delhi government will provide the same," the statement quoted Jain as saying at an ASSOCHAM National Conference on 'Managing Urban Waste'. It stated the Urban Development minister also said while there are companies that are willing to provide end-to-end solution for waste management, but the municipal corporations do not let them take action in this regard. "For corporations transporting trash is a business worth Rs 1,000 crore, so they do not let it to be managed locally," the statement said.
Green bodies, experts welcome govt national plan to reduce air pollution
Green bodies and experts Thursday welcomed the government's National Clean Air Plan to tackle pollution, calling for its "serious" implementation. Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan Thursday launched the NCAP to improve air quality in 102 cities by 20 to 30 per cent in the next five years with 2017 as the base year. These cities did not meet the annual PM 2.5 and PM 10 national standard from 2011 to 2015. "It is good to see the final version of the NCAP out after a long wait with the vision of reducing air pollution levels across the country. The silver lining in the plan is the potential reduction of 20 - 30 per cent by 2024," Senior Campaigner, Greenpeace India, Sunil Dahiya, said. He also mentioned that there should be strong legal backing to take action against non-implementation of the plan. "We hoped it would be much stronger in providing sector-wise targets, targets for cities.We hope the ministry shows more seriousness in implementing the plan and strengthening it here .
Odisha takes up projects worth over Rs 6,438 crore under DMF
Odisha government has taken up 11,434 projects worth over Rs 6,438.23 crore under District Mineral Foundation (DMF) in various districts of the state by December, 2018, an official said. Of the 11,434 projects, 9,044 projects have been categories as high-priority sectors like drinking water, education, environment preservation, pollution control, health and sanitation, skill development and livelihood activities. The balance 2,378 projects are in other priority sectors like development of physical infrastructure, irrigation, watershed, energy and afforestation, the official said. The issue was discussed at a high-level review committee chaired by chief secretary AP Padhi here. Padhi directed the departments to keep a tab on the projects under DMF and tune them with the departmental projects so as to avoid any duplication and augment the outcomes for the people. A district-wise review of the programmes revealed that Angul, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, ...
Govt cuts timeline for completing solar projects by 6 months
The power ministry has compressed timelines for executing solar power projects by six months to 15 months for those in solar parks and to 18 months for the plants elsewhere, to expedite capacity installations of the clean energy source in the country. India has set an ambitious target of having 100 GW of solar energy by 2022. The country has about 26 GW of solar energy capacities, including rooftop solar. The government has set a target of bidding out 34 GW capacities the current financial year and 30 GW in 2019-20. The projects that are being set up in solar park shall be commissioned within 15 months from the date of execution of the power purchase agreement (PPA), while for the projects being installed elsewhere, the timeline is within 18 months, according to the latest amendments in solar projects bidding guidelines. Earlier, the deadline for execution of solar power projects outside a solar park with a capacity of 250 MW and above was 24 months. This project-completion timeline ..
Guj Govt eyes 2.20 lakh crore investment in renewable energy
The Gujarat government is eyeing cumulative investment of Rs 2,20,000 crore during the next 10 years in the renewable energy sector, said state Energy Minister Saurabh Patel here Thursday. While an investment of Rs 1,00,000 crore is expected in the next three years in solar and wind power generation projects, another Rs 1,20,000 crore would be invested by private players in 'hybrid parks', wherein both wind and solar projects can come up at the same location, said Patel. Under their three-year plan for the renewable energy sector, the state government intends to generate 10,000 mega watt(mw) through solar energy and 5,000 mw through wind energy, Patel told reporters. Some of the major projects envisaged for the next three years include a 5,000 mw solar park at Dholera and 1,000 mw wind energy project near Pipavav port, where windmills will be installed in the sea near the port. "We have planned to attract an investment of Rs 1,00,000 crore in the next three years in ...
China industry ministry to ban new steel project expansions: Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) - China will "strictly prohibit" the expansion of new iron and steel projects in 2019, the country's industry minister told the official Xinhua agency in an interview on Thursday.
Govt unveils National Clean Air Programme
Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan Thursday launched the much-awaited National Clean Air Programme to improve air quality by 20 to 30 per cent in next five years with 2017 as the base year. He said besides reducing air pollution concentration, pollution monitoring networks will be enhanced and activities will be put in place to improve awareness. "Collaborative and participatory approach involving relevant central ministries, state governments, local bodies and other stakeholders with focus on all sources of pollution forms the crux of the programme. Though the plan will be collaborative and participatory in nature, it will not be legally binding on states. "We will also utilise the Smart Cities Mission to launch the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 43 of the 102 non-attainment cities which did not meet the annual PM 2.5 and PM 10 national standard from 2011 to 2015," Vardhan said at the launch. "An amount of Rs 300 crore has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Finance for .
2 day high-level workshop on crop colonies from February 5
: A two day high-level workshop to be attended by agriculture and other officials would be held here from February 5 to finalise a road map on crop colonies proposed by the Telangana government. The Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) Vice-Chancellor V Praveen Rao held a meeting Thursday on the proposed crop colonies. S K Singh, Director, National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur, and other officials attended the meeting, according to a PJTSAU release. "In this meeting, they decided to conduct a high-level work shop with agriculture and industries officers on crop colonies on February 5 and 6 to finalise a report and road map on crop colonies," the release said. The crop colonies envisage growing crops as per the suitability of soil for particular crops and demand for the produce.
Ford does not rule out plant closures in Europe as part of overhaul
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Ford cannot rule out plant closures as part of its efforts to return its European operations to profitability, Steven Armstrong, group vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said on Thursday.
Construction starts on cable-stayed bridge with world's longest span
Construction has started on a cable-stayed bridge with the world's longest span (1,176 meters) in China's Jiangsu Province, authorities said.
Leopard cub dies after being dragged, thrashed by villagers
In a shocking incident, a six-month-old leopard cub, which was dragged and injured by locals in Maharashtra, has succumbed to the assault. A video of the incident, at Koylari village near the Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve in Gondia forest division of Vidarbha region, has gone viral on social media platforms. Forest officials said three persons have been held in connection with what appears to be a barbaric torture of the wild cat. The weakened cub, which was rescued on January 6, died the next day during treatment at Kohmara village, an official said. Some local villagers abused the cub by dragging its tail and dumping it on ground in an open area in the forest, the official said. They clicked pictures and took 'selfies' while the dehydrated cub lay on the ground, he added. The viral video shows villagers assaulting the hapless cub and a villager dragging it across the open field and flinging it around. Gondia deputy conservator of forest Yuvraj S told PTI that on ...
India on cusp of waterways revolution; 4% cut in logistics cost to lift exports by 30%: Gadkari
Waterways transport in India is all set for a revolution and has potential to bring down logistics cost by 4 per cent that will propel exports by 30 per cent, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said Thursday kicking off PSU Concor's maiden containers voyage through coastal shipping. The shipping and road transport minister said many firsts in the country were lined up as massive works were underway on projects for turning 11 rivers into waterways besides pilot run of aeroboats on Ganga on January 26. Launching Container Corporation of India's (Concor) first-ever container transport through coastal shipping from Kandla to Tuticorin port via Mangalore and Cochin through video conferencing here, Gadkari recalled how people used to laugh at his dream of developing waterways and running cargo ships on the river Ganga. "Now we have paved the way for exports to Bangladesh and Myanmar through Varanasi...If we reduce our logistics cost by just 4 per cent then our exports will boost by 25-30 per ...
BEE in pact with CPWD for cooperation in building energy efficiency
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) signed an agreement Thursday, kick starting cooperation in building energy efficiency. The memorandum was signed by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) Director General Abhay Bakre and CPWD Director General Prabhakar Singh. A statement said BEE and CPWD will cooperate on promoting designs and construction of Energy Conservation Building Code compliant new buildings, star rating of CPWD-managed-buildings with no registration or renewal fee, awareness on energy efficiency in building sector and support for capacity building of CPWD officials in ECBC. The MoU will remain in force for five years unless rescinded by either party. "The areas of cooperation include focus on promoting Energy Efficiency in CPWD managed buildings as well as support for capacity building of CPWD officials, Construction of ECBC compliant new buildings and other topics on building energy efficiency," the statement quoted Bakre as saying.
Odisha takes up projects worth over Rs 6438 crore under DMF
The Odisha government has taken up 11,434 projects worth over Rs 6,438 crore under District Mineral Foundation (DMF) in various districts by December-end last year, said an official on Thursday.
Police arrest 3 smugglers in J-K's Ramban, rescue 35 cattle
Three men were arrested for illegally transporting cattle in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district Thursday and 35 animals were rescued, police said. The arrests and recoveries were made in three separate incidents, they said. During a routine check, police intercepted two vehicles near Shan Palace and found 20 and nine cattle in them, they said. Six more bovines were rescued after inspection of a vehicle at Chanderkote in Ramban district, police said. Officials said 35 animals were rescued in total and the vehicles used for their transportation have been seized. The three arrested, identified as Anwar Hussain, Mohd Yousuf and Mohd Irfan, revealed during interrogation that they were transporting the animals to Kashmir region, officials said. Separate cases have been registered at Ramban and Chanderkote police station, police said. Investigations are on to ascertain the sources of these animal and identify others involved in smuggling, officials said.
Asia Rice: India rates rise on higher local prices; Thai-Vietnam output seen surging
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export prices in India rose this week due to a rally in local rates, while Thai and Vietnam prices are expected to drop in the coming weeks with fresh supplies hitting the market.
Fiat Chrysler to pay USD 650 mn over software misuse: report
Fiat Chrysler has agreed to pay nearly USD 650 million to resolve litigation over its use of illegal engine-control software on diesel vehicles that produced false results in emissions tests, The New York Times reported Wednesday. The automaker will pay USD 305 million in penalties to the federal government and California, which also brought suit, the NYT said, citing two unidentified sources who were briefed on the issue. It said the agreement is expected to be announced on Thursday. Fiat Chrysler will also pay an average of USD 2,500 to owners of 104,000 diesel-powered Ram 1500 trucks and Jeep Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicles from the 2014, 2015 and 2016 model years. The NYT said these payments could total more than USD 260 million. Fiat Chrysler will also pay about USD 72 million in civil penalties to settle litigation brought by various states, and USD 6 million to settle other claims, the newspaper said. US authorities including the Environmental Protection Agency sued the ..
Bureau of Energy Efficiency and CPWD sign MoU on promoting energy efficiency in buildings
Focus on promoting energy efficient designs and construction of new buildings and star rating of CPWD managed buildings across the country
BEE, CPWD ink pact for energy efficient buildings
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Central Public Works Department (CPWD) Thursday inked a pact to make 150 buildings energy efficient, which would save 50 million units per annum. "In the first stage, approximately 150 buildings will be taken under star rating scheme and to promote energy efficiency in the CPWD managed buildings. It is anticipated that this initiative will result in energy saving of more than 50 million units in the first stage," a power ministry statement said. The star rating scheme for buildings is based on the actual performance of a building in terms of its specific energy usage in kwh/sqm/year. The scheme rates office buildings on a scale of 1-5, with 5-star labelled buildings being the most efficient. According to the MoU, BEE and CPWD will cooperate on promoting designs and construction of Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) compliant new buildings, star rating of the CPWD-managed buildings with no registration or renewal fee, awareness on energy ...
H.G. Infra Engineering bags NHAI road project in State of Haryana
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