Page 262 - Environment
Novel planters for astronauts grow beans in space
Scientists have created high-tech planters that could allow astronauts to grow beans in space, and may also be used to produce more food on the Earth in a sustainable way. Fresh food is so attractive to astronauts that they toasted with salad when they were able to cultivate a few lettuce heads on the International Space Station (ISS) three years ago, researchers said. "Astronauts like gardening and everything that reminds them of life on earth. They enjoy tending and watering the vegetables, and getting them to germinate," said Silje Wolff, a plant physiologist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The longest stays at the ISS have been six months. People travelling to Mars will need to be prepared to stay in space for at least a year. The European Space Agency plans to build a lunar base in 2030 as a stopover on the way to Mars. NASA plans to fly directly to the planet with a target landing date of 2030. "The way space travel works today, it's almost ...
5,950 MW hydro projects stalled, policy for revival on the cards
As many as 16 hydro power projects of 5,950 MW capacity are stalled due to financial constraints and other reasons, which may prompt the government to bring in a hydro policy at the earliest. "A total of 37 hydro power projects of 12GW generation capacities are under construction in the country. Out of these, 16 projects with total generation capacity of 5,950 MW are either stalled or held up due to financial constraints and other reasons," a senior official said. The official said out of the 16 projects, 10 are stalled due to financial stress. According to the Central Electricity Authority estimates, the annual loss of energy generation from these stalled hydro projects is about 18,761 Million Units. The official said the government is working on a hydro policy that would provide for longer loan repayment period, lower interest rate and other incentives which would help bring down the tariff of these projects. The power ministry has informed about formulating a hydro policy to ...
Water birds' census kicks off in Rajasthan's Bundi district
The water birds' census week kicked off on Saturday at Bardha Dam in Rajasthan's Bundi district with groups of birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts sailing in boats to the colonies of migratory and domestic water birds on the farthest banks and contributing in counting the winged visitors. Nine water bodies, where the water birds flock in considerably large numbers, have been earmarked for the census, divsional forest officer (DFO), Bundi, Phralad Rai Badgurjar said. The six-day exercise would give birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts an opportunity to observe and enjoy the water birds' activities and contribute in counting, he said. The DFO also stressed on exploring possibilities to promote bird watching tourism. Large variety of migratory birds including Pelican, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Common Teel, Common Pochard, Surkhab, Bar-Headed Goose, Sand Piper and domestic water birds were sighted on the first day of the exercise. The birdwatchers observed the activities of .
Gadkari inaugurates, lays foundation stones for road projects worth Rs 6,000 cr in Jodhpur
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Saturday laid foundation stone for and inaugurated six road projects worth Rs 6,000 crore in border areas in Jodhpur and claimed none of them will have any pothole for next 150-200 years. "My focus has been on developing road using concrete here and these roads will not have any pothole for next 150-200 years. You, then your sons and then their sons will keep using them," the Road Transport and Highways Minister told the audience. "We also have made sure that even planes could land on and take off from these roads," Gadkari said, adding that his emphasis has always been on quality in work, reduction of cost, timely completion of projects and bringing new technology in road and bridge construction. Gadkari dedicated works worth Rs 2,000 crore to the nation after their completion and laid foundation for some projects worth Rs 4,000 crore. Addressing the contractors present on the dais, Gadkari said works worth Rs 10 lakh crores have been awarded from his ...
Japan's whaling decision could affect Alaska Native whalers
Japan's decision to leave the International Whaling Commission could have consequences on subsistence whaling by Alaska Natives. Japan announced last month that it's leaving the commission to resume commercial whaling for the first time in 30 years, Alaska's Energy Desk reported Friday. The international commission banned commercial whaling in the 1980s as the whale population dwindled. "It would be in our best interest to have Japan remain with the IWC," said John Hopson Jr, chairman of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission. "They were a strong ally of ours in obtaining our quota." The international commission sets the quota for subsistence whaling in Alaska. Support for Alaska Native whalers could diminish if other countries follow Japan's example and leave the international commission, said Jessica Lefevre, a lawyer for the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission. The commission approved a rule change last year that made the renewal of aboriginal subsistence whaling automatic under certain
Unfavourable meteorological conditions turn Delhi's air 'severe' again
After showing slight improvement on Friday, Delhi's air quality deteriorated again to the 'severe' category on Saturday due to unfavourable meteorological conditions.
Shipping firm says will pay for Dutch island clean-up
The owner of a ship that lost some 270 containers in the North Sea this week, pledged Saturday to pay "the full costs" for cleaning up debris littering the northern Dutch and German coastlines. The Panama-registered MSC Zoe, one of the world's largest container ships, lost hundreds of containers late Tuesday while battling a storm near the Frisian Islands, an archipelago off the northern Dutch coast also known as the Wadden Islands. Containers and debris, including plastic toys, polystyrene, shoes, and at least one bag with a dangerous powder identified by authorities as "organic peroxide" washed ashore, prompting Dutch authorities to call in the army to help with clean-up operations. "The MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company would like to assure authorities and members of the public in the Netherlands and Germany that the company will pay the full costs of the clean-up, the Geneva-based MSC said. The company added in a statement it was "committed to continue searching for the ...
Bird flu fear looms in Bihar amid culling of poultry birds
Culling of poultry birds is under way in parts of Bihar two days after reports of large-scale death of hens, crows and other birds led to panic among people about bird flu, triggering a drastic decline in chicken consumption, officials said on Saturday.
Delhi's air quality turns 'very poor' from 'severe'
Delhi's air quality saw a marginal improvement on Saturday with the pollution level coming down to the 'very poor' category briefly after being 'severe' due to unfavourable meteorological conditions. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was 397 but for a brief time it had reached 417. An AQI between 100 and 200 comes under 'moderate' category, 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', while that between 401 and 500 is 'severe'. Twenty-four areas in Delhi recorded 'severe' air quality, while it was 'very poor' in eight areas, the CPCB said. In the National Capital Region (NCR), Ghaziabad and Noida recorded 'severe' air quality while Gurgaon recorded 'very poor' air quality, it said. Delhi's air quality improved slightly on Friday with improved wind speed but due to unfavourable meteorological conditions, it turned 'severe'. But as winds picked up, the air quality was recorded in 'very poor' ...
German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg sues VW for damages: FAZ
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The German Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg is seeking damages from Volkswagen after local authorities purchased VW diesel vehicles which now face bans in cities like Stuttgart, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said on Saturday.
Vibrant Gujarat summit: MoUs for Rs 50,000-cr renewable power projects likely
The upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019 (VGGS) expects to see commitment of investments worth a whopping Rs 50,000 crore in the renewable energy sector in the state, according to officials.
Farmers distressed under BJP's rule: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday over clashes in a Gujarat village between the police and farmers, saying farmers were "distressed" under the BJP's rule. Gandhi's remarks came after clashes broke out on Wednesday between the police and farmers protesting against limestone mining by a private firm near a village in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district, leaving several policemen and agitators injured. "Modiji is beating his chest over the Congress's loan waiver. He has said for the Congress, farmers are a vote bank. Now see the condition of the farmers in Gujarat. Under the BJP's rule, farmers are in distress," the Congress chief said in a Facebook post in Hindi. The farmers of Bhavnagar were protesting against mining due to the adverse effects on irrigation and agriculture, so the Gujarat police did this to them, he added. From Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh to Bhavnagar in Gujarat, the "anti-farmer character" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ..
24 industrial units in Ghaziabad to remain closed during Kumbh
Authorities have ordered the closure of 24 big industrial units in Ghaziabad during the Kumbh Mela to keep the Ganga clean and prevent release of untreated effluent and waste water in the river. These industrial units, including slaughter houses, paper mills, textile industries and distilleries, which do not have effluent treatment plants, will be closed, Ghaziabad District Magistrate M Ritu Maheshwari said. Closure orders will be enforced from Sunday and will remain in force by the end of Kumbh Mela i.e. March 4, she said. These units drain untreated effluent and waste water in Kadrabad drain, which is connected with the Ganga, the DM said. The pollution control board and other concerned departments have been asked to implement the government's orders, Maheshwari said.
2 sandalwood smugglers arrested in Bengaluru
A father and son were arrested for smuggling 6kg sandalwood in Bengaluru, police said on Saturday.
Take remedial measures to avoid delay in release of funds under NRCP: Par panel tells Env Min
A parliamentary panel has asked the Environment Ministry to take "immediate remedial measures" to ensure there is no delay in release of funds so that the schemes under the National River Conservation Programme (NRCP) do not suffer and targets set are achieved in a time-bound manner. The ministry in its action taken report has told the parliamentary panel the matter is being pursued with the respective state governments to ensure speedy implementation of NRCP works and achievement of targets. It said this in the 321st report on action taken by the ministry on the recommendations contained in the 313th report of the department-related parliamentary standing committee on science and technology, environment and forest on the demands for grants (2018-19) of the Environment Ministry. The committee, chaired by Congress leader Anand Sharma, in its recommendation had opined that the reasons cited by the ministry for non-completion of targets set are "not tenable". The ministry has fallen too .
4-year-old tiger found dead in MP's Kanha Reserve
A four-year-old tiger was Saturday found dead in Kisli area of Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) possibly due to a fight with other animals, an official said. He said no suspicious activities were noticed in the vicinity which could have led one to believe that the death was untoward. The MP government's Public Relations Department official added that the animal's neck bore nail marks, the carcass was partially eaten and drag marks were also found at the spot. He said the tiger was cremated after post mortem as per laid down rules.
Bharat Heavy Electricals commissions 800 MW thermal unit at Kothagudem Thermal Power Station
The 800 MW set has been commissioned at Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (KTPS) of Telangana State Power Generation Corporation (TSGENCO). BHEL has executed this project on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis, which includes design, engineering, manufacture, supply, civil works and erection & commissioning of Steam Turbines, Generators, Boiler and associated Auxiliaries and electricals, besides state-of-the-art controls & instrumentation (C&l), Electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) and Balance of Plant (BoP) packages.
India can become strong eco power with right policies: Gadkari
Union minister Nitin Gadkari Saturday said the country needs "good" leadership and appropriate policies to become a strong economic power but also made it clear that he was "not talking politically". Underlining that good governance and development is a continuous process, the senior BJP leader said more than 1400 archaic laws have been scrapped under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I believe that with appropriate policies we can convert India into a strong economic power. This is the time for appropriate policies and do away with bad governance. I am not talking politically, and in the interest of the democracy and in the interest of the country, we need good leadership," The Road Transport and Highways Minister was speaking at the IIT-Bombay Entrepreneurship Cell event here. "I believe our future is bright with innovation and technology. We have the potential to become the number one economic power in the world," Gadkari said. In conversation with ...
After lettuce, astronauts could grow beans in space in 2021
After cultivating lettuce in space three years ago, crew members aboard the International Space Station could be growing beans in 2021, new research suggests.
C'garh: Wild elephants kill two men
Two men were trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants at separate places in Chhattisgarh's Surajpur district, officials said Saturday. Both the incidents occurred near Surajpur town on Friday, Divisional Forest Officer (Surajpur division) BP Singh said. In the incident that took place near Shivprasad Nagar village Friday morning, 52-year-old Ramlal Jaiswalwas trampled upon by pachyderms when he had gone to relive himself in a nearby farm, he said. Subsequently, the herd went on rampage and damaged three houses and a motorcycle, the DFO added. Later, when forest personnel and villagers were trying to chase away the herd into forest in the evening, one Ram Lakhan Sahu, 70, came face to face with jumbos who killed him on the spot, Singh said. Kin of the deceased persons have been provided immediate relief of Rs 25,000 each while remaining compensation will be given upon completion of all formalities, the DFO added.