Page 348 - Environment
Documentary highlighting conservation of tiger habitats launched in Delhi
A documentary film highlighting critical linkage needed among tigers, forests, river systems and humans to advance ecological balance was launched here Wednesday, officials said. The film, 'Tiger Matters' portrays the intricate and interwoven actions required to secure the future of tiger habitats and local communities. "Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the conservation documentary film 'Tiger Matters' at the India Habitat Centre," WCT said in a statement. The project highlights critical linkage needed among tigers, forests, river systems and humans to advance ecological and economic security, it said. "The film details the intricate and interwoven actions required to secure the future of tiger habitats and local communities. It is also available on YouTube," the WCT said. The project is part of a joint program by WCT and USAID, executed in close cooperation with the forest departments of Maharashtra and ...
Panel suggests mechanism for facilitating payments to power cos
The high-level committee for revival of stressed power assets has suggested setting up a mechanism to allow public financial institutions (PFI) like REC and PFC to discount receivables from DISCOMs and make up front payments to generating companies. Besides, the panel headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha has also recommended that Ministry of Power may engage with the power regulators to ensure that LPS (late payment surcharge) is mandatorily paid in the event of delay in payment by DISCOMs. According to the Department of Financial Services report, as many as 34 coal-based thermal power projects, mostly private with a total capacity of 40,130 MW, were considered 'stressed' by the Ministry of Power on March 22,2017. The committee observed that the DISCOMs are unable to make timely payments to the generators because of their poor financial health, and at the same time, most of the generators lack liquidity to withstand the shortfall in cash-flow due to such delays. It recommended that .
American tourist killed by tribals in Andaman island
An American tourist who tried to reach out to the pre-neolithic and isolated Sentinelese tribe in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was killed by a single arrow shot by a tribal, authorities said.
Nepal starts construction on EU-funded power project
Nepal on Wednesday began construction of the 600 MW Chilime-Trishuli power transmission project that has been funded by the European Union. Energy Minister Barshaman Pun formally inaugurated the ground-breaking ceremony of the project. "Once complete the new Chilime-Trishuli Transmission link will allow thousands of people living in communities in the Trishuli River Basin and beyond to benefit from clean hydropower energy and a more reliable power supply," Pun said. "This crucial energy project is key for sustainable development in Nepal and demonstrates the close partnership between Nepal and European partners," he added. The impact of expanding access to electricity to rural communities and benefits from harnessing renewable energy were highlighted during the occasion. The new 27-km transmission line will be built through rough, mountainous terrain 50 kms west of Kathmandu by state-run Nepal Electricity Authority. The project is being financed by the European Investment Bank, the ...
American national killed by tribespeople in Andaman
An American national was killed by members of a protected and reclusive tribe in the Andamans, possibly with arrows, when he tried to enter the North Sentinel Island, police said Wednesday. John Allen Chau, 27 was killed by the Sentinelese Tribes on November 17, they said. "His body was most probably buried in the sands last week," SP (Headquarters) and PRO of Andaman and Nicobar Police, Jatin Narwal, told PTI. "His death was caused by traditional weapons but we cannot specifically say whether he was killed by arrows or spears. The details will come out in course of detail investigation," he said. When the US Embassy here was reached for a response, its spokesperson said, "We are aware of reports concerning a US citizen in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the US Department of State." "When a US citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts. Due to ...
American tourist allegedly killed by isolated tribe in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
An American national has been allegedly killed by people belonging to the protected Sentinelese Tribes in the North Sentinel Island, sources said Wednesday, even as the US consulate maintained he was "missing". A case of culpable homicide has been registered, and the fishermen who took John Allen Chau, 27, to the island have been arrested. "We are aware of reports concerning a US citizen in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The welfare and safety of US citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the US Department of State," a US Consulate spokesperson said. "When a US citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment," the spokesperson said. According to a report published in a newspaper in Port Blair, Chau had visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands five times earlier too. He had expressed a desire to meet the Sentinelese Tribe, which is known to resist all contact with ..
Tetra Pak, Veolia partner to get beverage carton components recycled
Tetra Pak has joined forces with global resource management company Veolia in a game-changing partnership that will enable all components of used beverage cartons collected within the European Union to be recycled by 2025.The average beverage carton comprises around 75% paperboard, 20% plastic, and 5% aluminum foil. But while the fibres recovered during recycling have a healthy market when converted into high-quality paper pulp for use in both industrial and consumer products, the same does not hold true for the recovered polymer and aluminum (PolyAl) mix.Within the scope of the new partnership, the extracted PolyAl will be processed at dedicated facilities and converted into raw materials for applications within the plastic industry. In this way, the overall value of used beverage cartons is expected to double, making the value chain for collection and recycling more efficient and viable.The Tetra Pak and Veolia partnership will start in the EU and expand to more markets around the ..
Andaman tribe kill American tourist, activists blame government
An American tourist has been killed by the pre-neolithic and isolated Sentinelese tribe in Andaman and Nicobar Islands while trying to reach out to them, Andaman Police sources said.
Jalyukt Shivar a failure, more tankers in use: Congress
Number of tankers being used in drought-hit areas in Maharashtra has risen which is indicative of the "failure" of the state government's flagship 'Jalyukt Shivar' scheme, the Congress alleged Wednesday. The Maharashtra government on October 31 declared drought in 151 talukas across 26 of total 36 districts in the state. The opposition party said 17,715 tankers were supplying drinking water till November this year. The opposition party attributed the figure of tankers to the state Water Supply department. "Maharashtra received 74.3 per cent rainfall and according to water supply department, 17,715 tankers were supplying drinking water till November this year," party spokesman Sachin Sawant said in a statement. "Maharashtra had received 70.2 per cent rainfall in 2014. Only 71 tankers were in service till November 17 that year. In 2015, the state had received only 59.4 per cent rainfall and 693 tankers were supplying drinking water," he said. Sawant further said Rs 7789 ...
Delhi's air quality remains very poor; CPCB asks agencies to join social media
Delhi's air quality remained in the "very poor" category Wednesday, with four areas recording "severe" pollution levels even as the Cental Pollution Control Board (CPCB) directed agencies to join social media to help citizens lodge complaints directly. Pollution watchdog CPCB also noted that actions of the public and enforcement bodies have been "inadequate" in curbing pollution. With no clarity on undertaking of cloud seeding to induce artificial rain in the national capital, scientists at IIT Kanpur said they had made all preparations, including procurement of aircraft from the ISRO, to conduct the same. According to CPCB data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was recorded at 373, which falls in the "very poor" category. Anand Vihar, Nehru Nagar, Mundka and Wazirpur recorded "severe" air quality, while 30 areas recorded "very poor" air quality, it said. At 392, the overall air quality of Greater Noida was the worst in the National Capital Region (NCR), just points ...
Dead sperm whale stranded on beach ingests plastic
A dead sperm whale was aground on a shore in central Indonesia had digested over 1,000 pieces of plastics or nearly six kg, Wakatobi district national park chief Heri Santoso said on Wednesday.
WCCB gets Asia Environment Enforcement Awards
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has been selected among the winners of the Asia Environment Enforcement Awards for its work in combating trans-boundary environmental crime, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said Wednesday. The minister said this is the second time in a row that the awards are being given by UN Environment to India. "The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, @moefcc has been selected among the winners of the Asia Environmental Enforcement Awards, recognising its excellent work in combating trans boundary environmental crime.The award was decided upon by a selection panel set up by the @UNEnvironment. "The #AsiaEnvironmentalEnforcementAwards recognize and celebrate excellence in enforcement by Government officials and institutions /teams combating trans boundary environmental crime in Asia. This is the 2nd time in a row the awards are being given by @UNEnvironment to India," he tweeted. WCCB is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the government ..
JK Civil Secretariat to be made plastic free soon
The Civil Secretariat, the seat of power in Jammu and Kashmir, will be made free of plastic soon, an official said Wednesday. The government will also issue a notification in this regard, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam said during an event here to mark World Toilet Day. The day is celebrated on November 19. The estates and hospitality departments and the JKTDC, which organise functions for the government, will also be directed not use plastic bottles or cups during events at the secretariat, he said. During the event, Rural Development Department, Secretary, Sheetal Nanda distributed glass water bottles among advisors to the governor, the chief secretary and other officers at the Secretariat. Officials said an adequate number of water dispensers will be installed to ensure employees do not have to carry plastic water bottles from home. Nanda appealed to all government departments to shun use of plastic during meetings. Single-use plastic likes plastic bottled water, plastic straws .
Waiting for favourable meteorological conditions to seed clouds: IIT scientists
The scientists at IIT Kanpur have made all the preparations including procurement of the aircraft from ISRO to induce artificial rain in the national capital to mitigate the hazardous health situation due to the pollution crisis. However, they are not certain about when it can be done as they are waiting for meteorological conditions to fall into place for the cloud seeding. "We have made all the preparations and have also got the aircraft from ISRO which will be needed to induce the artificial rain. The technique has been tested before in Maharashtra as well as parts of Lucknow. However, this is the first time in India that artificial rain would be created over a big land mass to counter the damage done by air pollutants," said Manindra Agarwal, Deputy Director IIT Kanpur. Delhi's air quality has deteriorated to alarming levels in the past three weeks while the overall air quality in the national capital was in the 'very poor' category on Tuesday, with some areas in the city ...
Harvesting in a trade war: U.S. crops rot as storage costs soar
(Reuters) - U.S. farmers finishing their harvests are facing a big problem - where to put the mountain of grain they cannot sell to Chinese buyers.
Data protection a big concern for all countries: EU Ambassador to India
European Union's (EU) Ambassador to India Tomasz Kozlowski on Wednesday said that data protection - a sensitive issue -- is of great concern to the world including the European Union.Speaking to ANI, Kozlowski said that India is working on its new data protection law in which the EU has also contributed and shared its considerations, adding that with the approval of the new law, privacy would be much more secured for Indian citizens.With reference to the Iran nuclear deal, Kozlowski said the EU is in full support of the implementation of the agreement. "We think that it (nuclear deal) has given the international community and West Asia to deal with other issues without having an agenda of building a nuclear armament in Iran. That is why despite the fact that some countries decided to withdraw from the agreement, we are fully committed to the implementation of the agreement and we regret the decision of the United States (to withdraw from the deal)."Acknowledging the threat posed by ...
Ecogreen Energy top brass quit, Global CEO Charles Zhang to see India operation
Singapore-listed CJE group arm Ecogreen Energy said Wednesday its managing director Rakesh Agarwal and CEO Ankit Agarwal have resigned from their posts and group's Global CEO Charles Zhang will take charge of India operations. The board in its meeting Wednesday has decided to change its top management in India, a company statement said. The company runs three three large integrated solid waste management projects in India, covering entire cities of Gurugram, Faridabad, Lucknow and Gwalior. The decision to change management has come amid various complaints related to day to day operations of the company, especially waste collection. The company said its Managing Director Rakesh Agarwal and CEO Ankit Agarwal have resigned from their positions giving way to the new management to take over. The board has recommended Charles Zhang, Global CEO to take up additional charge as Managing Director of India operations. Ecogreen provides door-to-door waste collection service from over 2 million ...
10 projects worth Rs 1,573 crore approved for cleaning of Ganga
The executive committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved 10 projects worth Rs 1,573.28 crore, of which more than half the amount has been earmarked for Agra, the city of the iconic Taj Mahal, according to an official statement released on Wednesday. Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal are the other states where works to prevent polluted waters from reaching the Ganga, its tributaries and sub-tributaries, have been sanctioned. In a meeting held on Wednesday, it was decided that a comprehensive solution needed to be worked out to address the Yamuna river's pollution issues in Agra, an official said. The project for rehabilitation/renovation of Agra Sewerage Scheme (Interception and Diversion Works) has been conceived at a total cost of Rs 857.26 crore. The major components of the project include tapping of 61 nalas/drains, construction of three sewerage treatment plants (STPs) of a total capacity of 166 MLD, construction of 10 decentralised STPs of 9.38 ...
Delhi's air quality 'very poor', four areas record 'severe' pollution: Authorities
Delhi's overall air quality was in the 'very poor' category on Wednesday with four areas in the city recording 'severe' pollution due to low wind speed, authorities said. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was recorded at 373, which falls in the 'very poor' category. Anand Vihar, Nehru Nagar, Mundka and Wazirpur, all recorded 'severe' air quality, while 30 areas recorded 'very poor' air quality, it said. At 392, the overall air quality of Greater Noida was the worst in the National Capital Region (NCR), just points below 'severe' category. Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad too recorded 'very poor' overall air quality. On Wednesday, the PM2.5 particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre level was recorded at 240, while the PM10 level was recorded at 389, CPCB data said. According to the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR), air quality in the national capital is .
Join social media to facilitate citizens on lodging complaints on pollution: CPCB to authorities
The Central Pollution Control Board has directed public and enforcement agencies to immediately join social media platforms on which citizens can lodge their complaints on pollution directly, noting that actions of these bodies have been "inadequate". The directions have been made to NDMC, SDMC, EDMC, DMRC, CPWD, DDA and state pollution control boards of Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, among other public bodies. In a meeting with public agencies and state pollution control boards, CPCB Member Secretary Prashant Gargava asked the agencies to join social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to facilitate citizens on lodging complaints on air polluting activities. "It has been observed that most of the agencies are yet to join social media platforms and take action in respect of complaints concerning them," the CPCB was quoted as saying by the minutes of the meeting that took place last week. The CPCB said that the reported complaints are forwarded to the ...
