Page 280 - Environment
J-K admin notifies new Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules
The governor's administration has approved the new Jammu and Kashmir Compensatory Afforestation Fund Rules, 2018 for the state, officials said Tuesday. The new rules will further streamline working of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) and institutionalise concurrent monitoring of works executed under the CAMPA funds, the officials said. Commissioner Secretary Forest, Ecology and Environment, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi said the transfer of forest land for non-forestry purposes is governed by the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Conservation Act, 1997. "User agencies are required to pay compensation for trees and cost of compensatory afforestation in lieu of the forest land diverted for non-forestry purposes. Besides, the value of ecosystem goods and services of forests, termed 'Net Present Value' (NPV) is charged from user agencies," he said. Dwivedi said the Supreme Court in its order directed that a Compensatory Afforestation Fund be created in which all .
Traffic police chief reviews JK highway clearance preparedness ahead of snowfall
Ahead of the heavy snowfall season in the state often acutely disrupting the movement on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, Traffic Police IGP Alok Kumar Tuesday took stock of the road conditions and ordered for various measures to ensure smooth traffic on the specially vulnerable Nashri-Banihal stretch of the highway. Inspector General Kumar issued directions in meeting of senior officers of the police and civil administration, besides those of other agencies engaged in road building or widening in the state. Kumar directed agencies to place adequate machinery, crash barriers and iron mesh-cum-boulder guards on the identified vulnerable spots of the road to avert possible mishaps during bad weather. Reviewing the issue of narrowing down of roads due to the on-going four-laning of the highway, Kumar directed various agencies to take all necessary measures in anticipation of the bad weather, especially along the most vulnerable points like Panthial, Mehad Mompassi, Marog, Nashri, ...
Will implement odd-even scheme whenever required: Kejriwal
Amid 'severe' air pollution quality in Delhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the city government will implement the odd-even scheme "whenever required".
UP's Gorakhpur Zoological Park likely to be operational by June 2019
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that his government is taking measures to make Gorakhpur Zoological Park operational by June next year.Chief Minister Adityanath, who paid a visit to his hometown to inspect the progress of the zoo project, expressed satisfaction that the construction works were progressing as per the schedule."It is a priority project for us. The zoological park will have 35 different species of animals. Nearly 200 types of birds and animals will be in the zoological park," Chief Minister Adityanath told reporters after inspecting the zoo.Spread in an area of over 212 acre, the Gorakhpur Zoological Park, when operational, will be the largest zoological park in the state. The project was approved in 2010 by the Central Zoo Authority and the Supreme Court during the tenure of then Chief Minister Mayawati.The Chief Minister said that the state government would focus on running an awareness campaign to sensitise the people about maintaining a ..
Delhi's air quality remains 'severe' for 4th day: authorities
Delhi continued to battle severe pollution for the fourth consecutive day even as authorities said that increased wind speed may bring respite and improve the air quality. While the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall air quality index (AQI) at 'severe' level of 408, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) showed an AQI of 385 which falls in the very poor category. Twenty-three areas recorded severe pollution level, while 12 areas witnessed very poor air quality, the CPCB data showed. In NCR, Ghaziabad recorded severe air quality while Faridabad, Gurgaon and Noida recorded very poor air quality. The overall PM2.5 level -- fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometer -- was recorded at 263 and the PM10 level at 400 here, the CPCB said. Delhi's air quality turned 'severe' on Saturday. The national capital recorded its second highest pollution level of the year on Sunday with an AQI of ...
Deve Gowda disappointed at being left out of Bogibeel bridge
Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda Tuesday expressed disappointment at not being invited for the inauguration of the country's longest rail road bridge in Assam though he had laid the foundation stone of it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday inaugurated the 4.9 km long bridge at Bogibeel across Brahmaputra river, built at a cost of Rs 5,900 crore. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Gowda when he was the prime minister in 1997. "Railway line to Kashmir, Delhi Metro and Bogibeel rail road bridge were among the projects I had sanctioned (as prime minister). I had sanctioned the budget of Rs 100 crore for each of these projects and laid their foundation stones. People have forgotten today," Gowda said. Replying to a question from reporters on the sidelines of a function here as to how he felt about the inauguration of the project started by him, the former prime minister said he had given the nod for many projects. To a question whether ..
Kamal Nath promises help to farmers on urea shortage
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Tuesday assured restive farmers of finding a solution to the acute urea shortage in the state.
Number of patients with respiratory problems spikes when pollution level is high: AIIMS director
As many Indian cities battle air pollution, officials at the country's top medical institute AIIMS said poor air quality has increased the number of patients visiting hospitals with respiratory problems. All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria said there has been an increase in the number of patients visiting hospitals with complaints of respiratory problems and after suffering cardiac arrests during the months when pollution levels are high. Studies are being conducted to asses the impact of pollution on public health, he told reporters at the sidelines of an event at the AIIMS here. Delhi's air quality remained in the 'severe' category for the fourth consecutive day Tuesday as meteorological conditions continued to be unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants. The city is facing its worst pollution crisis since Diwali. While the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall air quality index (AQI) at 'severe' level of 416, the ...
New sustainable 'plastics' in the offing
Researchers have developed a new sustainable biopolymer technology to make bioplastic polymers which may one day free the world of its worst pollutant, finds a new study.
Will implement odd-even scheme whenever required: Kejriwal
With the national capital battling 'severe' air pollution, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday the Delhi government will implement odd-even scheme, to regulate plying of private vehicles in the city, whenever it is required. He said the Delhi government was taking several steps for reducing pollution levels in the national capital. In view of the city's 'severe' air quality, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) on Monday banned industrial activities in pollution hot spots and construction work across Delhi-NCR till Wednesday. "Whenever the odd-even (scheme) is required, we will definitely implement it," Kejriwal told reporters here. "We all have to be participants in reducing pollution. The Delhi government is taking several steps. We have carried out large-scale tree plantation drive. The government will procure 3000 buses soon. Also, we sanctioned a large phase of Metro... We are making all efforts on our part," he said. Asked about ..
Patna zoo closed after tests confirm strains of bird flu in
The zoo here was closed on Tuesday "until further orders" after strains of avian influenza virus were found in six dead peacocks, Forest officials said. Morning walkers and Christmas picnickers were in for a disappointment as they found the gates of the 'Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan' shut with notices affixed on the walls. According to D K Shukla, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Bihar, samples of the dead peacocks were sent to Kolkata and Bhopal for tests which confirmed the presence of H5N1 virus. "We are not sure how the peacocks contracted the virus. Birds from outside tend to fly inside the sprawling campus. That could be a possible reason but that is a matter of investigation," Shukla said. "Although not fatal, the virus spreads rapidly and the decision to temporarily shut down the zoo was taken to minimise the possibility of catching the infection. The zoo is being thoroughly sanitised and experts would examine the campus after five days. Only after it is
CORSIA: IATA to continue discussions on India joining initiative during voluntary stage
Airlines' grouping IATA will continue discussions with the Indian government on the country joining the global initiative to reduce emission in the aviation sector during the voluntary stage, according to an official. The Carbon Offsetting and Reporting Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) was agreed upon by various countries in 2016. The scheme -- which will be implemented in five phases from 2021 to 2035 -- seeks to reduce emission in the aviation sector by way of carbon offsetting mechanism. "We will continue our discussions with the Indian government and hopefully see India join the scheme in its early years on a voluntary basis," Michael Gill, Director of Aviation Environment at IATA, told PTI earlier this month. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents around 290 airlines across the world. From a climate change perspective, CORSIA framework will help the aviation industry to grow in a responsible and sustainable way, Gill said. The first part of the ...
Artist creates sand sculpture of Santa to send green message
In an attempt to create a world record, globally acclaimed artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on Tuesday built a huge sand sculpture of Santa Claus on Odisha's Puri beach. The master sculptor, with his 30-foot high and 100- foot-wide artwork, also tried to sensitize people about environment conservation. The sculpture, made of 800 tonne of sand and 10,000 plastic bottles, has the message 'Ready to Change, Beat Plastic Pollution' inscribed on it. "Forty students of Sudarsan Sand Art Institute have helped me set up the sand sculpture. It took us two days to erect the mammoth model of Santa Claus, seated among Christmas trees. The plastic bottles used in the installation will be recycled after the event," Pattnaik said. The creation also aims to generate awareness on ill effects of plastic use, he said. "We can bring about changes in our everyday life by reducing the burden of plastic pollution on nature, and wildlife," the Padma Shri recipient added. The giant Santa sculpture will ..
Chhattisgarh: Farmers to get back land acquired for Tata Steel project
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has ordered officials to bring a proposal in the cabinet to return farmers' land acquired for a Tata Steel project in tribal-dominated Lohandiguda area of Bastar in 2008.According to an official statement, Baghel has issued directions to the concerned officials to bring the proposal in the next cabinet meeting.On the lines of the promise made in the election manifesto, Baghel has ordered officials to immediately initiate the process of returning land to farmers of 10 villages.The land was acquired by Tata Steel in February and December 2008.The villages where land was acquired were Chhindgaon, Kumhli, Beliyapal, Bandaji, Daabpal, Bade Paroda, Belar, Dhuragaon, Sirisguda and Takarguda.
Delhi's air quality remains 'severe' for 4th consecutive day
Delhi's air quality remained in the 'severe' category for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday as meteorological conditions continued to be unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants, authorities said. The city is facing its worst pollution crisis since Diwali. While the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall air quality index (AQI) at 'severe' level of 416, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) recorded an AQI of 423. Twenty-five areas recorded severe pollution levels, while nine recorded very poor air quality, the CPCB data showed. In the NCR, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida recorded severe pollution while Gurgaon recorded 'very poor' quality air. The overall PM2.5 level (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre) was recorded at 271 and the PM10 level at 422 here, the CPCB said. Delhi's air quality had turned 'severe' on Saturday. The national capital recorded its second highest pollution ...
Wintertime heat melting Greenland's ice sheet: Scientists
Greenland's ice sheet, the second largest in the world, is melting in winter due to heat from the ocean, recent research says.
Sea-weed eating microbes used to develop sustainable plastics
Scientists have developed biodegradable plastics derived from microorganisms that feed on seaweed which produces zero toxic waste and can be recycled into organic waste. According to the United Nations, plastic accounts for up to 90 per cent of all the pollutants in our oceans, yet there are few comparable, environmentally friendly alternatives to the material. "Plastics take hundreds of years to decay. So bottles, packaging and bags create plastic 'continents' in the oceans, endanger animals and pollute the environment," said Alexander Golberg from Tel Aviv University in Israel. "Plastic is also produced from petroleum products, which has an industrial process that releases chemical contaminants as a byproduct," said Golberg. "A partial solution to the plastic epidemic is bioplastics, which don't use petroleum and degrade quickly. But bioplastics also have an environmental price: To grow the plants or the bacteria to make the plastic requires fertile soil and fresh water, which many .
China launches telecommunication technology test satellite
China successfully launched the number 3 telecommunication technology test satellite on Tuesday.
UP govt asks NCR districts to ensure EPCA orders on pollution
The Uttar Pradesh government Monday asked districts in western part of the state adjoining Delhi to strictly adhere to a three-day ban on industrial and construction activities imposed by the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority. The order was issued to thedivisional commissioners of Meerut and Saharanpur divisions and district magistrates of Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida), Ghaziabad, Hapur, Meerut, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr and Shamli in a letter by Chief Secretary Anup Chandra Pandey. As the national capital's air quality remained in the 'severe' category for the third consecutive day Monday, the EPCA ordered that industries in pollution hotspots -- Wazirpur, Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Sahibabad and Faridabad -- and construction work across Delhi-NCR remain closed until Wednesday. The Ghaziabad administration said the ban has been relayed to industries and law enforcement agencies have been asked to take action against violators, while in Noida, all ...
India to be top two scientific nations in world by 2030: Harsh Vardhan
Union Minister for Science and Technology and Environment Harsh Vardhan on Monday said India is firmly on its course to become one of the top two scientifically advanced nations in the world by 2030.