Page 35 - Environment
The Ramco Cements bags 'Green Award 2018' for its Ramasamy Raja Nagar Unit
The company's Ramco Vidyalaya School situated at Ramasamy Raja Nagar Unit had been awarded "Green Award 2018" for Educational Institutions of Tamil Nadu. Green award is being conferred by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to educational institutions in Tamil Nadu in recognition of their excellent contribution towards protection of environment. Special focus is given to best practices adopted in Green belt development, rain water harvesting, water conservation measures, waste water management, energy conservation measures, solid waste management, environmental awareness programmes and use of renewable source of energy.
Punjab govt to plant 75 lakh saplings to mark birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev
As part of the year-long celebrations to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, the Punjab government will plant around 75 lakh is villages of the state. The government has targeted to plant 550 saplings in every village. Around 75 lakh saplings would be planted across the state, which had over 12,500 villages, Punjab Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot said Thursday. So far, 2,000 villages had been covered under the initiative, he said. The minister informed that the state government had distributed over two crore saplings of various type free of cost among people of the state in the past one year under the Tandarust Punjab Mission. The mission aims at taking care of the state's air and water quality besides ensuring safe food to ensure a good living environment for residents. Dharamsot said the state government was fully committed to provide a clean and pollution-free environment to the people of the state. "As part of this commitment, over 2 crore ...
Natural farming could help double farmers' income: Rawat
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Thursday said natural farming could be an effective tool to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of doubling farmers' income by 2022. After inaugurating a workshop on zero budget natural farming here, Rawat said agriculture continues to be the main source of livelihood in India, with 64 per cent of the country's population dependent on it. "We need to focus on reducing the cost of production and increasing the yield to achieve the prime minister's vision of doubling the income of farmers by 2022," the chief minister said. The Palekar model of zero budget natural farming could be an effective instrument to achieve the goal of doubling the income of farmers by 2022, he said, adding it could be especially effective in hilly areas where bio waste is more easily available for preparing compost. It will reduce the production cost burden on farmers and increase high quality yield. Zero budget natural farming model of Palekar is a ...
Airbus signs MoU with Pawan Hans to introduce 2 new categories of helicopters
Airbus Thursday said it has signed an MoU with Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) in Paris for collaboration in introducing two new categories of its helicopters - H145 and H225 - in the latter's fleet sometime in the future. The Airbus also said according to the MoU, signed on Wednesday evening, it would provide "predictive and scheduled maintenance" for the repair, maintenance and overhaul of PHL's existing fleet of AS365N Dauphin helicopters. Government-owned PHL is the largest customer in the world for Airbus Dauphin helicopters. It currently has 37 Dauphin units deployed for offshore oil and gas operations, VIP transportation and other utility duties. "The MoU stipulates that Airbus Helicopters will support PHL in growing its onshore, offshore and inland travel markets by introducing the best-in-class H145 and H225 rotorcrafts (helicopters) into their fleet," Airbus said Thursday. The H145 and H225 are multi-role helicopters, ideal for supporting PHL's wide range of missions across the ...
HPCL installs reactor at AP refinery under expansion project
Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) on Thursday said it has installed country's largest reactor at its Visakh refinery in Andhra Pradesh as part of the refinery modernisation project. As a part of the Visakh Refinery Modernization Project (VRMP), India's largest full conversion hydrocracker unit (FCHCU) with a capacity of 3.053 million tonnes per annum is being set up. The licensor for this unit is Universal Oil Products (UOP) and the Project Management Consultant is Engineers India Limited (EIL), the company said in a statement. HPCL is expanding the Visakh refinery capacity from present 8.33 million tonnes per annum to 15 million tonnes a year at a cost of Rs 20,928 crore by July 2020. "The first and second stage reactors are the heart of this unit. The First Stage Reactor which is heaviest in India, with an erection weight of 1,646 tones (1,858 tones including internals), has a wall thickness of 254.5 mm and stands 55.6 meters tall. The Second Stage Reactor weighs in at 454 tonnes,
Cong attacks BJP govt in Haryana over AIIMS Rewari project
Opposition Congress Thursday attacked the BJP government in Haryana over the setting up of AIIMS in Rewari district, after reports claimed that a central panel had turned down the project. The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Ministry had termed the proposed AIIMS site at Manethi village in Rewari "non-specific" as it is part of the Aravalli Plantation Area (APA) and any diversion will result in honeycombing of the only forest patch on the landscape. The Union Cabinet had in February approved the setting up of the new AIIMS at a cost of Rs 1,299 crore. "In 2015, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had promised that AIIMS would be set up in Manethi. In 2019, the Centre changed its idea," senior Congress leader and Kaithal MLA, Randeep Singh Surjewala said. "Without any planning, a false announcement was made people's sentiments have been hurt," he said in a tweet. With Haryana assembly polls due in October, Surjewala said, "People of ..
Legislature's nod for expansion of MMRDA into Raigad, Palghar
Both houses of Maharashtra legislature Thursday approved a proposal to bring parts of Palghar and Raigad districts under the jurisdiction of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Minister of State for Urban Development Yogesh Sagar said. The state Cabinet had taken the decision to expand the MMRDA's jurisdiction by 2,000 sq km in February. "The proposal to expand the MMRDA's jurisdiction was moved and passed in the Assembly and the Council," Sagar told reporters. The entire Palghar tehsil and parts of Vasai in Palghar district and parts of Panvel, Pen, Khalapur and Alibaug tehsils of Raigad excluding the "scheduled areas" will be incorporated in the MMRDA, he told reporters. It will not infringe on the rights of local municipal corporations, municipal councils or gram panchayats, he said. "There has to be a balanced and speedy development of the projects in the region, such as trans-harbour link, Navi Mumbai International Airport. The MMRDA will be
NTCA objects to construction of road in Rajaji buffer zone
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has objected to the construction of the Chillarkhal-Laldhang motor road in the buffer zone of Rajaji Tiger Reserve by the Uttarakhand Forest Department, saying it was being built without mandatory no-objection certificates (NOCs). In a letter to Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh, the NTCA said the state Forest Department's decision to go ahead with the construction of the road was in violation of the Wildlife Act, 1972, and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The construction of the road in the buffer zone of the tiger reserve was ecologically unsustainable, the NTCA stated in the letter. A copy of the NTCA letter to the chief secretary, signed by its Inspector General (Forest) Amit Mallick, dated June 10 is in the possession of PTI. The letter clearly states that the construction of the road did not have the mandatory clearances from the Government of India and the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife. The ...
Monsoon finally arrives in Goa after delay of fortnight
After a delay of almost a fortnight, the south-west monsoon finally arrived in Goa on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The IMD had earlier predicted that the monsoon is likely to hit the state on Friday. However, in a statement issued Thursday afternoon, it said, "South-west monsoon has set in over Goa from today (June 20)." "Offshore trough at mean sea level is running from South Maharashtra to Kerala coast," it added. Several parts of the state witnessed heavy rains throughout the day on Thursday. The IMD predicted that strong winds with speed reaching up to 40-50 kms per hour are likely to prevail over south-west and adjoining west-central Arabian Sea on Thursday and Friday. While a detailed weather bulletin is awaited, IMD officials said that generally, the monsoon arrives in Goa in the first week of June, but got delayed by almost a fortnight this year. The state agriculture department said that with the onset of monsoon, farmers will now ...
Assam MP seeks Javadekar's help to stop transport of 4 jumbos
Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Thursday sought the intervention of the Ministry of Environment to stop the transportation of four elephants to Ahmedabad for the July 4 Rath Yatra procession. Transportation of the pachyderms in this sweltering heat could possibly pose a threat to their wellbeing, the Kaliabor MP said in a letter to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar, emphasising that many wildlife activists have also opposed the decision of the state government. "India is reeling under severe heatwave at the moment, and roughly half the country is enduring its worst drought in six decades. I am concerned over media reports that the Assam government is transporting four elephant for the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad," Gogoi said. Elephants may contract skin infection and suffer from dehydration during the process, he said. "It is also unclear if these elephants are wild or domesticated and whether the government rules allow transport of wild animals for ...
Govt committed to ensuring clean Ganga: Kovind
The central government is fully committed to ensuring the uninterrupted flow of river Ganga and making it pollution-free, said President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday."Under the 'Namami Gange' scheme, my government will further accelerate the campaign for the closure of drains releasing effluents in the river Ganga. On the lines of river Ganga, the government will also endeavour to clean up other rivers such as Kaveri, Periyar, Narmada, Yamuna, Mahanadi and Godavari," he said in his address to the joint sitting of Parliament.The President said that cleanliness of Ganga and amenities provided to the people during this year's Ardh Kumbh Mela made news throughout the world."My government has enhanced the dignity and self-esteem of every person who contributed towards the successful organisation of Ardh Kumbh by honouring them," Kovind said.The Namami Gange programme is an integrated mission for Ganga rejuvenation. It has a comprehensive multi-sectoral intervention with multi-stakeholder ...
Karnataka: BBMP issues advisory to marriage halls, directs to use environment friendly utensils
Bengaluru administration has directed the marriage hall owners in the city to use environment-friendly utensils while assuring stricter implementation of the same."We have issued an advisory to marriage halls to ensure use of environment-friendly utensils. Plastic is banned here in Bengaluru. We asked them to not use plastic water bottles, glasses," Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner Manjunath Prasad told ANI."We had a meeting with the chairmanship of National Green Tribunal (NGT). More enforcement will be done in the coming days," Prasad added.Plastic has been banned in the Bengaluru since 2016 when the state government imposed a blanket ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution and use of plastic."This is a very constructive decision by the administration. This is what we kept asking for. Earlier we used banana leaves and other environment-friendly things. That was good for the environment and pocket-friendly. We want to see how well this is implemented," ...
Made 'new law to shoot tribals' remark in 'free flow of speech': Rahul tells NCST
Responding to a notice over his "new law to shoot tribals" remark, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has told the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) that he made the comments in "free flow of a political speech", according to officials. Addressing an election rally in Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh on April 23, Gandhi had alleged, "The Narendra Modi government has made a new law in which there is a line that says tribals can be shot at...They snatch your land, take away your jungle and water and then say that tribals can be shot at." Taking cognisance of media reports, the NCST had issued a notice to Gandhi on May 3. Gandhi's counsel, in a reply to the commission, said the Congress chief made the remarks in the "free flow of a political speech", an NCST official said. "In the free flow of a political speech, my client essentially summarised the finalised amendment to Section 66 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. As per the amendment, statutory empowerment is being provided for use .
Two cr houses to be built in villages under PMAY in three years: President
Nearly two crore houses will be built in the villages under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the next three years, President Ram Nath Kovind said Thursday. Addressing the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, the President said women are being given priority in the registration of houses being built under the PMAY in the rural areas. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has two parts -- PMAY (Gramin) and PMAY (Urban). Under the mission, the government aims to ensure 'Housing for All'. "Under this scheme, nearly two crore new houses will be built in the villages during the next three years," Kovind said. In his speech, he also stressed on the urban transport infrastructure to cater to present and future requirements. While developing infrastructure, attention is also being given to address the challenges posed by pollution, he said. On the issue of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), the President said, "The facility of 'One Nation, One Card' has been launched to realise the ...
Amarinder govt ignoring state's water management: AAP
The AAP Thursday accused the Amarinder government of ignoring the issue of water management despite a looming water crisis in the state. Ruing that despite being an agrarian state, Punjab is yet to have a state water policy, senior AAP leader and MLA Aman Arora said the present Congress government is sleeping over the issue like the previous SAD-BJP government did. The Amarinder Singh government is directionless on the issue of ground water management in the state," said the AAP's Sunam MLA. "Despite being an agrarian state, Punjab is yet to have a state water policy to end the looming water crisis here," he added. He said the state was facing acute water scarcity due to the the laidback stance of the previous SAD-BJP regime and now the present Congress government. He emphasised that a 'state water policy' is the need of the hour to check the fast depleting ground water table in the state. The excessive use of ground water would render the state's prime land barren, he warned. In ...
We are prepared to deal with challenge of dengue, chikungunya: Kejriwal
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that his government is prepared to deal with the challenge of dengue and chikungunya -- two water-borne diseases which hit the city-state every year during the monsoon.Asking the people to take preventive measures, Chief Minister Kejriwal said: "We are ready to face any challenges this year.""The monsoon is about to reach Delhi. There are heavy chances of diseases like chikungunya and dengue. We wish you and your family a healthy life," he said.Kejriwal on Thursday held a meeting with the officials of all departments concerned and reviewed the preparedness to deal with vector-borne diseases effectively.As many as 2,700 cases of dengue were reported last year as compared to 15,000 cases in 2015. "We will try our best this year to keep the number low," said Kejriwal in the tweet.
EU under pressure over 2050 net zero emissions target
European Union leaders will push Thursday "to advance work" towards setting a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to a draft resolution. The language in the draft summit conclusion appears to be an attempt to include reference to the 2050 target adopted by some members, without offending the others. The finely-nuanced text obtained by AFP reflects growing public and political pressure for the 28-nation EU to become "climate neutral" by at least mid-century, but also exposes the lack of unanimity. The leaders will urge the EU "to advance work on the conditions, the incentives and the enabling framework to be put in place, in order to determine how to ensure a transition to a climate-neutral EU by 2050." The aim must also "preserve European competitiveness, be just and socially balanced, take account of member states' national circumstances and respect their right to decide on their own energy mix." Countries in central and eastern Europe that depend heavily ..
Fearful of elephant attacks, some in Botswana cheer hunting's return
- An elephant carcass lies at the edge of a field in Legotlhwana village, northeast Botswana -- evidence of the desperation and anger felt by a farmer whose crops have been repeatedly destroyed. Ishmael Simasiku, 71, indignantly recounts how he was guarding his field as he does every night when an elephant broke through the perimeter fence and helped itself to his watermelons. Simasiku's attempts to repel the elephant using torchlights and gunshots fired into the air were futile. The animal only retreated briefly and returned. Fed up, he shot it dead on May 14. "The elephant came from the forest and was destroying my crops. The (sports hunting) ban made my life worse," said Simasiku, holding a watermelon half-eaten by an elephant. The retired policeman in this village near the border with Namibia has seen his corn harvest fall by about 90 percent over recent years as elephant numbers have boomed. Under the country's wildlife conservation policy, Botswana's elephant population has ...
Coral bleaching causing permanent change to fish: Study
Repeat coral bleaching caused due to rising sea temperatures has resulted in lasting changes to fish communities, according to a long-term study. In the Seychelles, large predator fish such as snappers and very small fish such as damselfish dramatically reduced in number and were largely replaced by seaweed-loving fish like rabbitfish, said researchers from Lancaster University in the UK. The study, published in the journal Global Change Biology, shows clear evidence that coral bleaching back in 1998 has led to changes in biodiversity and permanent shifts in the range of fish species coexisting on coral reefs, which still remain in place today. While some of the coral reefs surveyed bounced back and recovered following the bleaching event, other reefs shifted to fields of seaweeds. Changes in fish communities were most apparent on these seaweed dominated reefs, but the 'herbivore' fish that feed on seaweeds became a dominant part of the community on all the reefs in the ...
Govt making earnest efforts for conservation of forest, wildlife and environment: Kovind
President Ram Nath Kovind Thursday said the central government is making earnest efforts for conservation of forests, wildlife and the environment. Addressing a joint session of Parliament, Kovind said to reduce the adverse effects of climate change, the government's proactive efforts have led to the formation of International Solar Alliance (ISA) through which India is significantly contributing to advancement of solar energy in developing countries. "Solar energy plays an important role in reducing the adverse effects of climate change and global warming. Proactive efforts of India have resulted in the formation of the ISA. "Through this organization, India is contributing significantly to the development of solar energy in the developing countries of the world," he said. Kovind said that in recent years, forest and tree cover increased by more than one per cent. "The government is making earnest efforts for conservation of forests, wildlife and the environment. In recent years, ...