Page 347 - Environment

4,000-year-old termite mounds found in Brazil

Researchers have found a vast array of regularly spaced termite mounds in Brazil, which are about 4,000 years old and cover an area the size of Great Britain. The mounds, which are easily visible on Google Earth, are not nests, according to the study published in the journal Current Biology. They are the result of the insects' slow and steady excavation of a network of interconnected underground tunnels, researchers said. The termites' activities over thousands of years has resulted in huge quantities of soil deposited in about 200 million cone-shaped mounds, each about 2.5 metres tall and 9 metres across. "These mounds were formed by a single termite species that excavated a massive network of tunnels to allow them to access dead leaves to eat safely and directly from the forest floor," said Stephen Martin of the University of Salford in the UK. "The amount of soil excavated is over 10 cubic kilometers, equivalent to 4,000 great pyramids of Giza, and represents one of the biggest ...

MAHE wins International Green Apple Silver Award

Manipal Academy of Higher Education won silver in the International Green Apple Award for Environmental best practice 2018.The award was received by Derrick I. Joshua, Assistant Director, Environment Sustainability, MAHE at a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament, London on November 12, 2018.MAHE was selected for the award from 800 global nominations which competed to pick the greenest individuals, companies, councils and communities. The award-winning project, Green Manipal, also earned plaudits from the judges who commented;"This private university in India is setting itself up to be a world-class green campus. They have a broad approach encompassing renewable energy, greywater systems, stringent waste management procedures and a tree-planting program that firmly establish them as one of the most sustainable universities in Asia."As a result of the Green Apple Award success, MAHE has been invited to have the winning paper published in The Green Book, the leading international work of

NASA InSight spacecraft on course for Mars touchdown

NASA's Mars-bound InSight spacecraft is on track for a soft touchdown on the surface of the Red Planet on November 26, the US space agency said. Engineers will be keeping a close eye on the stream of data indicating InSight's health and trajectory, and monitoring Martian weather reports to figure out if the team needs to make any final adjustments in preparation for landing, NASA said in a statement. "Landing on Mars is hard. It takes skill, focus and years of preparation," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters here. "Keeping in mind our ambitious goal to eventually send humans to the surface of the Moon and then Mars, I know that our incredible science and engineering team will do everything they can to successfully land InSight on the Red Planet," Zurbuchen said. InSight, the first mission to study the deep interior of Mars, blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Central California on May 5. The spacecraft will

Air pollution: NGT orders inspection around Panipat refinery

The National Green Tribunal has taken note of a plea alleging air pollution by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited's Panipat Refinery in Haryana and formed a committee to look into the issue. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel constituted a joint team comprising representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and Deputy Commissioner, Panipat and asked them to visit the site and furnish an action taken report. "The team may monitor ambient air and start monitoring at various locations in the vicinity besides taking water samples in the area. The report may be furnished to this tribunal within one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this order by e-mail at ngt.filing@gmail.com. The nodal agency will be the Haryana State Pollution Control Board," the bench said. Proceedings in the matter were initiated on receipt of a letter by Satpal Singh, Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat Singhpura Sithna, Panipat alleging ...

Can we bank on seed banks? Priority should be to conserve natural habitats (Environment Feature)

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS/Mongabay) India, which has "great expertise" in the conservation of genetic resources of crop plants through seed banking, is now "rapidly" working to extend the safeguards to difficult-to-conserve (recalcitrant) seeds of wild species, threatened species, forestry and agroforestry trees.

Ex-UN Environment chief leaves behind lasting legacy (News Analysis)

Globe-trotting former UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim, who will be known for his contributions to moving agendas on marine, plastic and air pollution, as also climate change and ozone depletion, during his short 28-month stint, was a votary of India and China, the world's fastest-growing economies.

NASA's InSight lander on track for Mars touchdown on Nov 26

NASA's InSight spacecraft is on track for a soft touchdown on the surface of the Red Planet on November 26, scientists monitoring the health and trajectory of the lander have said.

Haze, 'poor' air envelope Delhi

Although air quality in the national capital improved to poor on Thursday, it was a hazy morning with the minimum temperature recorded at 11.4 degrees Celsius, season's average.

UN calls for cooperation to combat wildlife crimes

The UN has called for international cooperation to combat wildlife crimes and other forms of transnational crimes.

Mars landing comes down to final 6 minutes of 6-month trip

It all comes down to the final six minutes of a six-month journey to Mars. NASA's InSight spacecraft will enter the Martian atmosphere at supersonic speed, then hit the brakes to get to a soft, safe landing on the alien red plains. After micromanaging every step of the way, flight controllers will be powerless over what happens at the end of the road Monday, nearly 160 million kilometres away. The communication lag between Mars and Earth is eight minutes. "By the time we hear anything, the whole thing is already done," said project manager Tom Hoffman of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "Either it happened or it hasn't happened." Any small last-minute adjustments must be completed 1 hours before touchdown, said Rob Grover, lead engineer for the landing team. "All of our efforts to make sure we're successful all happen in the years before," he explained. A brief rundown of Insight's do-or-die entry, descent and landing: SIX MINUTES BEFORE TOUCHDOWN InSight will come in like a ...

'Tiger Matters' a documentary detailing conservation launched

In an effort to conserve tiger habitats, the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) on Wednesday launched a documentary detailing the key actions needed to secure the future of tigers and local communities.

Odisha CM requests PM to stop Polavaram project work

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop construction of Polavaram irrigation project until all the pending issues are resolved.

J&K approves 282 languishing projects

Languishing for years for want of financial support, the Jammu and Kashmir government has approved 282 projects, involving investment of Rs 548crore, officials said Wednesday. These projects were approved at the fourth meeting of the high-powered committee (HPC) constituted for approval of languishing projects for funding through Jammu and KashmirInfrastructure Development Financial Corporation (JKIDFC). Principal Secretary Finance Navin Choudhary said HPC in meeting Tuesday cleared 282 languishing projects, involving an investment of Rs 548 crore. In its fourth meetings held so far in the past, HPC has cleared 1,296 such projects in various key sectors, involving a cumulative investment of Rs 2,720.87 crore through JKIDFC. The HPC held detailed deliberations on each project vis-a-vis their present status, financial involvement and time-line for completion, the officials said. The projects cleared in HPC meeting included 24 of Housing & Urban Development Department costing Rs ...

Space crunch hampers drive to seize old vehicles banned by NGT

The issue of space crunch is hampering the Transport department's efforts to seize diesel vehicles of 10 years and above that have been banned from plying on the city roads by the green tribunal. The Transport department of the Delhi government has three pits for parking seized old vehicles that are currently overflowing and there is no room for more, a senior government official said. "The department has sought the court's order on what to do with seized vehicles since the policy for scrapping them is yet to be notified by the Delhi government," the official said. The Enforcement wing of the Transport department launched a drive last month to seize old diesel vehicles plying on the roads. "Around 200 vehicles have been seized so far. The drive is still going on but the problem of space is posing a serious challenge before us," he said. The scrapping policy of the Transport department has been readied but it is yet to be notified by the government, he said. "There are three pits in ...

Delhi's air quality remains 'very poor' for fourth straight day

Delhi's air quality remained 'very poor' for the fourth straight day on Wednesday, and is likely to remain in the same category for the next few days.

Two tiger cubs found dead in MP

Two tiger cubs were found dead in Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, an official said. The carcasses of the cubs that were just over two months old, were found by a patrolling party of the forest department in Mukki forest range, KTR's field director L Krishnamurthy said. "A forest patrol party got the information in the morning about the carcasses of two cubs in Mukki range, after which the team reached the spot," he said. The cause of their death will be known only after a forensic examination is conducted, he said. As per the 2014 census report, the Kanha reserve, located in Mandla district, housed around 100 tigers.

Woman Naxal carrying Rs 8 lakh reward gunned down in C'garh

A hardcore woman Naxal, who was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on her head, was gunned down by security forces in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, police said. The skirmish took place in the evening in a forest near Chitalnar and Dondipadar villages under Pushpal police station limits in which Military Platoon Commander Jyothi Muriyami was killed, state's Deputy Inspector General (anti-naxal operations) Sundarraj P told PTI. "A team of state's District Reserve Guard (DRG) that was out on an anti-Naxal operation, reached the forest of Chitalnar and Dondipadar, located around 500 km away from the capital Raipur, when it came under heavy fire from a group of ultras that led to a gun-battle," he said. After the exchange of fire ended, the body of the woman Naxal cadre was recovered from the spot, the DIG said. Muriyami was active as a commander of Peoples' Liberation Guerrilla Army platoon no. 31 of Maoists and was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on her head, he added. "She was

Nine-year-old girl killed by leopard in Gujarat

A nine-year-old girl was mauled to death by a leopard in Dumka forest area in Dahod district of Gujarat Wednesday, a forest department official said. Ashwanita, daughter of Gordhanbhai Pasaya of Kotli village, was attacked by the animal when she had gone to the forest to collect firewood with some women, Deputy Conservator of Forests J L Zala said. "Other women escaped as the leopard attacked her," Zala said. The mauled body of the victim was found 20-30 metres away from the spot where the girl was attacked, he said. Forest officials have set cages with bait in the area to trap the leopard, Zala added.

Patnaik appeals to PM Modi to stop construction of Andhra's Polavaram Project

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt the construction of the Polavaram irrigation project on the Godavari River, warning of severe environmental consequences in his state if the project is allowed to be completed.In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Patnaik stated that the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF & CC) has often temporarily suspended the 'Stop Work Order' without informing the Odisha government."If the project is completed before the resolution of all the pending issues, it will lead to a situation which will submerge a large amount of forest area and fertile lands along with the submergence of a number of villages resulting in the displacement of primitive tribal population in the Malkangiri district of Odisha," he argued.Patnaik said that the initial clearance for the project was given on October 25, 2005. However, due to a change in the scope of the project, the MoEF had in ...

Corrected: Google invests $700 million in Danish data centre, secures green energy

(Corrects paragraphs 1 and 2 to show that the new data centre will not be powered exclusively by renewable energy)