Page 342 - Environment
UN selects Noida to participate in Global Sustainable Cities 2025 plan
The United Nations Sunday selected Uttar Pradesh's Noida and Greater Noida to participate in its Global Sustainable Cities 2025 initiative, officials said. The twin-cities in Gautam Buddh Nagar district, adjoining the national capital, have been selected in the "University City" category ahead of Mumbai and Bengaluru as the only invitee from India, a senior UN official said. Overall 25 cities across the world have been selected in five categories by the UN Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) cities initiative, Senior UN Advisor and CEO UN Global Sustainability Index Institute Roland Schatz told reporters here. Schatz formally extended the invitation Sunday to Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh in the presence of Shubhro Sen, the principal advisor, India, SDG Initiative. The SDGs, otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. "This is a proud ..
SSB, other agencies to jointly patrol Dudhwa tiger reserve
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) and Sashastra Sima Bal (SSB) have joined hands to provide full proof security to Dudhwa forests and its rich wildlife. "A consensus was reached among all security agencies including SSB on the border and the Dudhwa field staff to strengthen the patrolling in and around Dudhwa to check forest and wildlife crimes," DTF Field Director Ramesh Kumar Pandey told PTI. Pandey along with Deputy Director Mahavir Kaujlagi on Saturday held a meeting with Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), central and local intelligence officers, customs and excise officials, special tiger protection force (STPF) and Dudhwa field staff to discuss the issues involving safety of Dudhwa forests and its wildlife. "It was agreed at the meeting that joint long route patrolling (LRP) comprising SSB, STPF and DTR field staff would be held at regular intervals," he said adding that first such LRP is proposed to be launched on Dec 22. Pandey said apart from this, stress was laid on intelligence and ...
216 railway projects report cost overrun of Rs 2.46 lakh cr
Railway projects account for over 60 per cent of the 358 central sector projects that are facing cost overrun for various reasons, with their cost escalating by Rs 2.46 lakh crore. A total 216 projects of railways are facing total cost overrun of Rs 2.46 lakh crore, as per the flash report of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation for July 2018. The statistics ministry monitors central sector projects envisaging an expenditure of Rs 150 crore and above each on regular basis. According to the report, the total original cost of these 216 projects was Rs 1,65,343.22 crore. The total anticipated cost of these projects is estimated at Rs 4,12,160.04 crore, which indicates overall cost escalation by 149.28 per cent. The ministry monitored 350 projects of Indian Railways in July this year. The study stated that as many as 65 projects of railways out of the monitored 350 projects reported time overrun or delay of 3 months to 374 months. After railways, power sector reported ..
State, Centre apathetic to rebuilding flood-hit Kerala: Congress
The CPI (M)-led Kerala government lacks a blueprint, while the Centre has been meting out a step-motherly treatment to the the flood-hit state, hampering rebuilding efforts, a senior Congress leader said on Sunday.
Maha to extend CM's agri solar scheme across the state
After the success of a pilot project, the Maharashtra government plans to extend the chief minister's agricultural solar feeder scheme in the rest of the state. The pilot project of the scheme was introduced last year in two places in Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar and Kolambi in Yawatmal. "The scheme is a total success and will be extended to the entire state. This is a game changer and solar units will be set up in the government land where there is evacuation facility," Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company (Mahatransco) director Vishwas Pathak said. Under this programme, the farmers are supplied power during the day with the help of solar generation. When asked about the privatisation process of power distribution for Malegaon and Kalwa-Mumbra sections, he said the project is on fast track and the tendering process is underway now. "The entire process is likely to be completed soon," he added. Pathak further said the privatisation of Bhiwandi is ...
ESA probe beams unveils Mars landscape shaped by water, wind and ice
European Space Agency's space probe Mars Express has beamed back an image of an intriguing part of the Red Planet's surface -- a rocky, fragmented, furrowed stretch that was shaped by flowing wind, water and ice. Lying at the boundary of the northern and southern hemisphere, the region is an example of past activity on the planet. Mars is a planet of two halves. In places, the northern hemisphere of the planet sits a full few kilometres lower than the southern; this clear topographic split is known as the martian dichotomy, and is an especially distinctive feature on the Red Planet's surface. Northern Mars also displays large areas of smooth land, whereas the planet's southern regions are heavily pockmarked and scattered with craters. This is thought to be the result of past volcanic activity, which has resurfaced parts of Mars to create smooth plains in the north and left other regions ancient and untouched. The furrowed, rock-filled escarpment known as Nili Fossae, sits at the ...
Delhi air to oscillate between 'poor', 'very poor'
The air quality around the national capital and surrounding areas will be oscillating between "poor" and "very poor" for till Wednesday, SAFAR said.
'Absence of sewer networks in 1,500 unauthorised colonies major reason of pollution in Yamuna'
Absence of sewer networks in over 1,500 unauthorised colonies and slums in Delhi is one of the major reasons of pollution in the Yamuna, according to the monitoring committee overseeing the cleaning of the river. The committee has directed authorities to come up with a plan for preventing pollution from these sources and for proper disposal of faecal sludge and other wastes, according to an action plan for rejuvenation of the Yamuna river, prepared by the body. The National Green Tribunal had in July formed the monitoring committee and directed it to submit by December 31 an action plan on cleaning of the river. NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel appointed the retired expert member B S Sajwan and former Delhi chief secretary Shailaja Chandra as members of the committee, while directing them to the submit the action plan and detailed report. The monitoring committee in its action plan, accessed by the PTI, has expressed concern over the absence of sewer networks in over 1,500 ...
4 lakh tourists visit Andamans every year; 15,000 of them foreigners
The Andamans, under global spotlight after the killing of an American national by members of a highly protected tribe there, has emerged as one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the country receiving on an average four lakh tourists, including several thousand foreigners, annually. According to data available with the Union Home Ministry, more than 16 lakh tourists have visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands since 2015 till October to see the natural beauty, beaches, flora and fauna and historically-significant landmarks in around 38 inhabited islands out of the 572 islets. The archipelago has received 4,02,393 tourists, including 11,818 foreigners, this year till October while it received 4,87,229 tourists, including 15,310 foreigners in 2017. In 2016, as many as 4,00,019 tourists, including 15,467 foreigners, had visited the Andamans and in 2015, a total of 3,11,358 tourists, including 14,674 foreigners, had gone to the union territory, the data said. Andaman and ...
KoPT's non-port land usage plan in five-six months
The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) will be able to get "a clear picture" on how to put its excess land assets to commercial use, following a consultant's report in this regard in the next five-six months. KoPT Chairman Vinit Kumar said a consultant is expected to be finalised in a week's time, and it will give a report on how to monetise the excess land assets, which will not be used for port activities. "We will get a clear picture in five-six months for use of KoPT land for commercial and urbanisation purposes," he said on the sidelines of the CII-organised Logistics Colloquium here. In Kolkata, KoPT has land of about 400 acres that can be commercially used. The West Bengal government has also urged KoPT to participate in river front development and commercial projects to boost logistics and maritime sectors in the state. State Finance Minister Amit Mitra has asked KoPT to think on the lines of the Mumbai Port Trust to have a land-use policy for the excess assets.
Climate change could cost US hundreds of billions of dollars annually
A new US government report has delivered a dire warning about climate change and its devastating impact, saying that the economy could lose hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century.
Kolkata Port Trust to hire consultant for advice on its land resource
In a bid to optimally utilise its land parcels for commercial and urbanisation purposes, the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is in the process of appointing a consultant to get a complete perspective on its land resources.
Cong, BJP demand probe into felling of trees for brewery
The Opposition Congress and the BJP on Saturday demanded the Odisha government to order an impartial probe into the "illegal" tree felling exercise to facilitate the setting up of a brewery in Dhenkanal district. The issue was discussed through an adjournment motion in the House where members, cutting across party lines, expressed concern over the felling of a large number of Sal trees for construction of a beer bottling plant near Balrampur village in Dhenkanal district. Terming the exercise as "illegal", the Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress said the state government cannot lease out land with Sal trees to IDCO (Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation) and the government agency in turn cannot lease it out to the company. "It is a clear case of illegality committed by the state government," Mishra said adding that the villagers' protest against tree felling was also ignored by the government officials and police. He said a case has already ...
ESA's Mars Express sends new images of Martian landscape
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express has imaged a part of the Martian landscape, a region at the boundary of the northern and southern hemisphere which is rocky and fragmented, that once formed the Red Planet's flood plains.
Weather-based crop insurance expected next year
A global flood risk modeller has said it is expanding its insurance pricing scheme to cover the impact of weather on crops in India, coinciding with the start of rabi season. JBA Risk Management Managing Director Iain Willis said the India Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) is expected next year. The WBCIS is a follow-up to the India Crop Model launched on November 13, which is based on 10,000-year probabilistic data. The Indian Crop Model facilitates risk management and (re)insurance pricing within the guidelines of the PMFBY, Willis said. He said 70 per cent of the crop performance is impacted by inclement weather. Willis said the new model launch coincided with the start of rabi (winter) crop growing season and amid increasing evidence that a period of El Nino weather patterns will likely prevail from late 2018 into 2019. "Crop simulations ran using historic climate data suggest that some major Indian rainfed crops, including soybean and groundnut, are particularly ...
Stamp-sized sensor can detect chemical warfare agents
Scientists have developed a stamp-sized sensor that can detect trace amounts of certain chemical warfare agents, such as sarin, within minutes. Sarin is a man-made nerve agent that can spread as a gas or liquid. According to the US Center for Disease control, exposure to large doses will over-stimulate glands and muscles, and can lead to loss of consciousness or respiratory failure. Even small doses can cause a long list of distressing and dangerous symptoms. "Low-level nerve agent exposure leads to ambiguous signs and symptoms that cannot be easily discriminated from other conditions, which may result in a delay in treatment and permanent damage," said Paul Braun, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the US. "If trace amounts can be detected quickly, you can prevent permanent damage to human health," said Braun. "There are sophisticated sensors available, but they are large and expensive, and thus some individuals may be exposed to sarin without knowing ...
Delhi's air quality nosedives to 'very poor' category
The air quality in the national capital slipped to 'very poor' category on Saturday morning, and is likely to get worse in the coming weeks. Pollutants called PM10, which are fine enough to cause respiratory diseases was recorded at 372, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).The Particulate Matter 2.5, which are finer and are capable of entering the bloodstream, through the lungs, docked at 183 at 8: 15 am in the morning."Air quality index is in the 'very poor' category and expected to increase further by tomorrow but will remain in very poor. Thereafter a slight improvement is predicted. At present, wind speed is slow and hence not good for air quality as it allows pollution to get accumulated. Humidity continued to be high and the temperature is likely to cool, both unfavourable. Stubble fire will have a marginal impact," the SAFAR added.At Dhirpur, the AQI was 335 at 8:15 am, while in Mathura Road area it dipped very poor at 363. ...
Global climate finance flows increased: UN Climate Change
The global climate finance flows have increased with a bulk of it continuing to go towards efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the UN Climate Change secretariat said.
USA: Climate report warns of dire economic consequences
A climate report released by the White House warned of grim consequences due to climate change.The climate change which is being felt across the 50 states might lead to a loss hundreds of billions of dollars or as much as 10% of GDP by the end of the century, reported CNN.The Fourth National Climate Assessment highlighted that extreme weather disasters have become more frequent, intense, widespread or of long duration.The report further disclosed that the disasters have cost the United States as much as 400 billion USD since 2015."Without more significant global greenhouse gas mitigation and regional adaptation efforts, climate change is expected to cause substantial losses to infrastructure and property and impede the rate of economic growth over this century," the report stated.Stating that humans are the reason behind the 90% of the rise in temperature, the report asserted that the US will be as much as will be 3-12 degrees hotter by the end of the century.
Government climate report warns of worsening US disasters
As California's catastrophic wildfires recede and people rebuild after two hurricanes, a massive new federal report warns that these types of extreme weather disasters are worsening in the United States. The White House report quietly issued Friday also frequently contradicts President Donald Trump. The National Climate Assessment was written long before the deadly fires in California this month and before Hurricanes Florence and Michael raked the East Coast and Florida. It says warming-charged extremes "have already become more frequent, intense, widespread or of long duration." The report notes the last few years have smashed U.S. records for damaging weather, costing nearly USD 400 billion since 2015. The recent Northern California wildfires can be attributed to climate change, but there was less of a connection to those in Southern California, said co-author William Hohenstein of the US Department of Agriculture. "A warm, dry climate has increased the areas burned over the last 20
