Page 31 - Environment
Union minister launches activities for water conservation in Jodhpur
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday kicked off the 'Shramdaan'--activities involving measures to conserve water-- in Rajasthan's Jodhpur, a statement said. The minister also launched the Swachh Bharat Summer Internship (SBSI)-2019 in the state. To promote water conservation across the country ahead of the monsoon season, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written to village sarpanches, urging them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation activities. Gram sabhas were convened across the country on Saturday and the prime minister's letter was read out publicly to villagers. The sitting of the gram sabhas was followed by the Shramdaan. Activities included building and cleaning of small ponds for storing rainwater, tree plantation drives, constructing, installing storage tanks for rainwater harvesting and afforestation. The Ministry of Jal Shakti, in association with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the National Cadet Corps (NCC) had ...
Nepal, Bangladesh agree for joint investment in hydropower projects
Nepal and Bangladesh have agreed to make joint investments in hydropower projects.The decision was taken at the Energy Secretary level meeting between the two nations on Friday which included the projects covered by the whitepaper issued by the previous meeting a year back."The Energy Ministry had included the projects ensuring at least one in each State. Energy Secretary, Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, informed that the recent meeting agreed for the joint investment on hydropower, collaboration, and cooperation on alternative energy and electricity export to Bangladesh," report from Nepal's state news agency -- Rashtriya Samachar Samiti -- said.The whitepaper issued by Nepal's Finance Ministry a year back had included 962 MW capacity holding Tamor reservoir, 800 MW Dudhkoshi project which has a reservoir, 725 MW Upper Arun, 450 MW Kimathanka Arun, 679 MW Lower Arun.Likewise, Sunkoshi-II 1,110 MW, Sunkoshi-III 536 MW, Tamakoshi-V 101 MW, Khimti Shiwalaya 500 MW and Kokhajor Reservoir 111 MW ...
Rain water harvesting only solution to hard water problem: UP minister
Rain water harvesting is the only solution to the hard water problem afflicting villages in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh Minister Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh said and sought people's cooperation to solve the problem. Use of submersible pumps should be minimised and rain water harvesting should be made a people's movement, said the Uttar Pradesh Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Panchayati Raj and PWD. At the inauguration of a rain water harvesting project in Junsuti village, Singh administered a pledge to the villagers to make the programme a grand success in letter and spirit.
Deaths due to open defecation down by two-third: Union minister
Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat here Saturday said deaths due vector-borne diseases caused by open defecation in the country had come down by two-third after the introduction of the Swachh Bharat Mission. He said five years ago, the figure stood at three lakh deaths annually, which come down to one lakh per year now. The Jal Shakti minister was on a day's visit to his constituency, Jodhpur. Inaugurating a model toilet at Narwan Khinchiyan village here, the minister said per household expenditure on the treatment of vector-borne diseases was Rs 50,000 annually. "Now, around 32 crore families with toilets have got rid of this expenditure," Shekhawat said. The minister said efforts were being made to cover left-out families. "Around nine crore toilets have been built in the country in the past five years under the Swachh Bharat Mission and this has led to a huge behavioural change," the minister claimed. Shekhawat also stressed the need for rainwater conservation. "India has 17 ..
T'gana govt seeks national status for Kaleswaram project
The Telangana government has sought national status and full funding from the Centre to its Rs 80,000 crore Kaleswaram Lift Irrigation Project. The demand was raised by the state government at the pre-budget meeting held by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi Friday, official sources said. State Principal Finance Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, who represented the state at the meeting, read out the speech of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who could not participate due to the inauguration of the mega project Friday. "The cost of the project has been mostly met from borrowings by the Kaleswaram Corporation. As the debt servicing burden is huge, we have requested the Government of India to declare it as a national project and fund the entire cost of the project," the state government said. It also said the request may be considered and adequate provision be made in the Union Budget 2019-20. The state said the project, which seeks to provide irrigation ...
Environmentalists warn: Balloons provide no joy for wildlife
Environmental advocates are raising awareness about the dangers of balloons for wildlife in the Great Lakes and elsewhere. Volunteers for the Alliance for the Great Lakes picked up more than 18,000 balloons, balloon pieces or balloon strings along Great Lakes shorelines from 2016 to 2018, the Detroit Free Press reported . Lara O'Brien, who studies at the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability, said that an Australian study published in March found balloons are the highest-risk plastic debris for seabirds. "I've seen a lot of people come together, gather and celebrate graduations, weddings, other celebrations, and they release balloons and don't really consider the consequences when the balloons come down," she said. During an annual cleanup program, the Alliance for the Great Lakes found between 4,400 and 7,200 balloons or pieces of balloon debris on Great Lakes beaches each of the last three years. The variation in the numbers can most likely be ...
Doll marriage brings villagers together in face of drought, financial crisis in Maharashtra
A doll marriage brought the people of Shivanfal together to pray for rain when drought and the acute financial crisis have hit the village.Not a single marriage has taken place in the village this year, while festivities have been put on hold. So, the villagers decided to contribute money and marry two dolls instead. It was a huge celebration, with music, revelries and a feast."The entire village is struggling with an acute financial crisis but the doll marriage brought us together. We resolved that we will contribute money and marry our kids if the same situation ever reoccurs," said Babban Khonde, a villager.Several parts of Maharashtra are in the grip of drought due to delayed monsoon rains. While the state government has promised support, many are yet to benefit from the schemes."22 people were supposed to marry this year but due to drought, nobody has any money. We are struggling here. This marriage comes as an opportunity and a lesson. We will help each other in the same manner .
Paid record sugarcane dues after assuming office: Yogi Adityanath
Accusing previous SP and BSP governments of having an "apathetic" attitude towards farmers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his government had accorded top priority to them, giving record sugarcane dues after assuming office. "During the SP, BSP regimes, the attitude of the government was apathetic and farmers could barely get Rs 900 per quintal for wheat but our government is giving Rs 1,860 per quintal, an official release quoting him said. "For the first time after the Independence, over Rs 70,000 crore outstanding payment was made to sugarcane farmers," he claimed. The chief minister alleged that the previous SP government had "ruined" the milk production while his government had been making efforts to promote the dairy industry and its products. "Over 14 dairies will be started soon in the state. Arrangements are being made to purchase milk from farmers so that more of them could get into the dairy industry," he said at an innovative farmers' meet, organised .
BJP MP critisises K'taka Govt's proposal of providing water to Bengaluru from Linganamakki reservoir
BJP MP from Shivamogga, BY Raghavendra on Saturday criticised the proposed project by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, through which the state government aims to provide drinking water to the citizens of Bengaluru from Linganamakki reservoir.Speaking to ANI, Raghavendra said, "Instead of developing only Bengaluru, the state government should focus on the development of the entire state. Lots of lakes and traditional water bodies have disappeared from Bengaluru due to encroachments. Instead of filling Bengaluru's traditional water bodies, the government is eying on this region ( Shivamogga).""This project will be a failure as lifting water and pumping it 430 km away from the reservoir is unscientific. I am extending support to the people of Shivamogga to save our rivers for use in our region," he added.Earlier on June 20, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister had directed officials to prepare a DPR (detailed project report) on bringing water from Linganamakki reservoir.
Constructed wetlands to help filter sewage waste flowing into Ganga
Located a few miles away from the Kanpur city, Bithoor is a historical town situated on the bank of holy river Ganga.It is the centre of Hindu pilgrimage as it is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram's sons "Luv" and "Kush".The town's population is estimated a few thousands, but it witnesses a huge rush of pilgrims during festivals.The National Mission for Clean Ganga under Namami Gange program has initiated several projects to keep the holy river clean at this historical town.To stop the discharge of sewage into the river, a project to treat 0.2 million litres per day through constructed wetland technology has been initiated.There are total 7 sewage lines flowing into the river and the work is in full swing on 5 drains to treat them through Constructed Wetland technology.Krishan Kant Khare, an engineer at Ganga Pollution Control Unit of Jal Nigam in Kanpur said, "Constructed wetland is suitable for places where sewage discharge is less. Here the discharge is only 600 KLD. At ...
Thousands join climate protests in western Germany
Thousands have joined climate protests in the western German village of Hochneukirch near one of the country's biggest lignite coal mines. Saturday's rally comes two days after European Union leaders failed to agree upon a plan to make the bloc's economy carbon neutral by 2050. German police have mobilised hundreds of officers to prevent the vast, open-cast mine and adjacent power plants from being blocked by protesters. Protester Selma Schubert said, "It's important to increase the pressure on the government." Following months of protests by students and a sharp rise in the polls for Germany's Green party, Chancellor Angela Merkel recently threw her weight behind the idea of making the entire German economy climate neutral by 2050 meaning no more man-made greenhouse gases would be added to the atmosphere.
Navy personnel don role of eco warriors to clean channel
Naval personnel here Saturday turned eco warriors by cleaning up the 2.5-km-long 'Backbay' channel to rid it of plastic and other nonbiodegradable waste. A team of 300-400 naval personnel of the INS Venduruthy Base under Southern Naval Command (SNC) led by Vice-Admiral A K Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-inC), launched the drive at the channel, also known as 'Venduruthy' channel. A considerable amount of plastic waste had accumulated in the channel over the years thereby depleting mangroves and affecting the local flora and fauna, a Defence release said. The channel connects the Kollam-Kottapuram channel, and runs along the western side of the naval residential enclave of Katari Bagh. Local councillor Shakritha Suresh Babu was also present at the clean-up programme during which four truckloads of non-biodegradable waste were removed from the channel, it said. The anti-plastic endeavour coincides with the platinum jubilee year of INS Venduruthy, which is also
Bengaluru: Car crushed under a tree at Cubbon Park
A parked car was found damaged after a tree fell on it in Cubbon park here on Saturday.After the incident, part of the tree trunk whose weighed down on the Karnataka registered royal blue SUV, was sawed off. The windshield, roof and the hood of the vehicle were found to be damaged.The over 100-year-old historical Cubbon Park acts as the lung of the urban city of Bangalore and a popular visiting spot by the city's residents for its fresh ambience and varied horticulture.The southwest monsoon advanced in parts of Karnataka on Thursday and is expected to bring rains across the state including in Bengaluru this weekend according to the weather department.
Woman killed by wild elephant in C'garh
A woman was killed by a wild elephant in Raigarh district of Chhattisrgah, a forest official said Saturday. This is the fifth such death reported from the area in a month, the official said. The incident occurred Friday night in Kauhajoba village when the woman, Mangli Bai Manjhwar (55), was sleeping outside her house, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Dharamjaigarh Division, Pranay Mishra, said. "The jumbo caught hold of the woman, lifted her with its trunk and slammed her on the ground, killing her on the spot," he said. After being alerted about the incident, the forest and police personnel rushed to the spot and sent the body for post-mortem, he said. The family of the deceased was given immediate relief of Rs 25,000, while the remaining compensation will be given on the completion of all formalities, he said. With this, total five persons have lost their lives in separate elephant attacks in Raigarh district in last one month, he added. The forest personnel have ...
Man on a mission to turn Udhana railway station into India's first Green Railway Station
To propagate Mahatma Gandhi's mantra 'Cleanliness is Godliness' and achieve the objective of a 'Clean India-Green India', a young entrepreneur from Surat has launched a mission to turn railway station in Udhana town of Gujarat's Surat district into India's first green railway station.Viral Sudhirbhai Desai is attempting to turn Udahana Railway Station into a green and pollution free one like Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.For this noble initiative, Desai has received support and assistance from various organisations such as - Chhadyo and Archroma organisations as well as from the Station Director CR Garuda.Desai has installed oxygen bomber and over 1700 air purifying plants at the rail stations to make Udhana Railway Station clean and green. Along with it, to promote the message of nurturing and protecting the environment, the walls of the station has been painted with a special type of "environment protection graffiti."Moreover, a memorial has been erected at the station to ...
Among world's worst polluters, ASEAN vows to tackle ocean waste
With Southeast Asia awash in rubbish, from plastic-choked whales to trash-clogged canals, leaders are planning to push through a deal to fight maritime debris at a regional meeting this weekend. Just five Asian countries -- China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand -- dump more than half of the eight million tonnes of plastic waste that end up in oceans every year, according to a 2017 Ocean Conservancy report. The region has come under fire for not doing enough to tackle its mounting trash troubles, with single-use plastic and sub-par waste management adding to the problem. Leaders at a weekend meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to sign a "Bangkok Declaration" on fighting maritime waste -- a first of its kind -- which promises to "prevent and significantly reduce marine debris", according to a draft seen by AFP. But activists are worried the agreement doesn't go far enough. "If we are not reducing single-use plastic at the ...
Mishri, Makhmaly among cherry varieties harvested this season in Kashmir, growers enthused
Orchid owners and growers in Jammu and Kashmir are enthused with the blooming cherry crop this season in the state, famed for its horticulture."Despite rainfall and hailstorm, the production of cherry is good this year. I am expecting a good price from the market. This time we have grown 10-12 varieties of cherries such as mishri, double, gold cherry and makhmaly. After cherries, the season of apricots and apples will come. We have work for next 4 to 5 months," said Abdul Qayoom, labour.The Valley of Kashmir located at the higher latitudes and altitudes mainly grows temperate fruits. It grows not only several varieties of cherries but also apples, apricots, almonds, peaches, walnuts and grapes. These fruits are harvested in Harwan, Dara, Nishat and Tangamarg region.Ghulam Mohamad Sofi, a farmer told ANI that the tourists who visit the Valley in this season pay them well for the fruit produce. "This year we have grown peaches, cherries, apples and apricots."He also said that many ...
As MP reels under power cuts, officials blame bats for woes
As Madhya Pradesh continues to reel under frequent and unscheduled power cuts, officials of the state electricity company are holding bats responsible for the woes, claiming that these flying mammals are causing faults in the supply lines, especially in the state capital. They say bats hanging on the power supply lines sometimes cause short circuits, which ultimately lead to outages. This claim has triggered a fresh round of blame game between the Kamal Nath-led Congress government and the opposition BJP. The saffron party said instead of giving these kind of excuses, the power utility and the state government should work in a responsible manner, while the ruling Congress said there was no crisis as MP is a power surplus state. State Energy Minister Priyavrat Singh, however, contended that overloaded power transformers and not bats could be the main reason behind the problem. Talking to PTI, the minister said, "In a review meeting of Bhopal district (held on June 14), an
Telangana: KCR inaugurates world's largest irrigation project
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Friday inaugurated the world's largest lift irrigation scheme, Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project, here in Bhupalpally district.Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, Devendra Fadnavis and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, respectively, were also present at the occasion.On Thursday, Director of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), B Srinivas Reddy, told ANI that MEIL has successfully engineered the world's biggest pumping scheme in India. "To achieve that, we used world-class technology involving the best agencies that have delivered quality," he said."The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation (KLIP) Project would cater irrigation water to 37.08 lakh acres of land; another 18.82 lakh acres of command area will be stabilized with it. The project requires 7152 MW of electricity to pump 3 TMCs of water daily," he added.With an estimated cost of Rs 80,500 crore, the KLIP is the costliest irrigation project taken up by a state. It will
Pres Kovind extends best wishes to ISRO chief for space mission 'Chandrayaan-2'
President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday extended his best wishes for space mission 'Chandrayaan-2' which is scheduled to be launched next month.The Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Space Commission, Dr K Sivan, had called on the President on Friday and briefed him about the new space mission."Dr K Sivan, Chairman, ISRO and Space Commission, called on President Kovind and briefed him about space mission 'Chandrayaan-2', scheduled to be launched next month. The President wished him all success for the mission," read a tweet posted on the official Twitter account of the President.On June 23, Sivan had said that India is planning to set up its own space station.The ambitious project will be an extension of the Gaganyaan mission.Chandrayaan-2 will explore a region of moon where no mission has ever set foot.Chandrayaan-2 consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, together referred to as "composite body".The total mass of Chandrayaan-2 system is 3.8 ton; out of 3.8 ...