Page 36 - Environment
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, ...
Turkey to send new ship to search for gas off Cyprus as tensions mount
Turkey is set to send a new ship on Thursday to search for oil and gas off Cyprus, in a move expected to escalate tensions after the EU called on Ankara to stop its "illegal drilling activities". The region near the divided island is believed have rich natural gas deposits, triggering a race between Turkey and the internationally recognised Cyprus, which also plans to ramp up its exploratory activities in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish officials said the new vessel is the 229-metre (750-feet) Yavuz, which has previously drilled in the waters off several countries including Kenya, Tanzania and Malaysia. The European Union on Tuesday lashed at Turkey over its plans to drill in the area, warning it was preparing "appropriate measures" in response. The appeal came after Turkey's first drilling vessel, Fatih, started searching for gas and oil in the waters considered part of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone. Cyprus has issued arrest warrants for Fatih's crew members and accused the ship
How crocodiles could reveal more about past climates
Some crocodiles have a sensitive side underneath their tough skin that could shine light on our ancient climate, scientists say. The idea of a clock inside a crocodile was imagined by JM Barrie in the story of Peter Pan. However, instead of telling the current time, ancient crocodilians could serve as climate "clocks" -- proxies to study past climates, in a similar way to the use of tree rings and ice cores. This is possible because scientists have discovered that some species of crocodilian were sensitive to changes in climate while others were more tolerant, according to the study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Mapping the distribution of these different species using fossil remains could reveal more precise details about what the global climate was like in different locations millions of years ago. "Our analysis suggests that crocodilians are even less of a homogenous group than previously thought and that some alligator-like reptiles were particularly good at
Modi govt's special focus to improve connectivity in NE: Prez
The Narendra Modi government is giving special focus on improving connectivity in the Northeast and make life easy for the people of the region, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Thursday. In his address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament, Kovind said tourism, agriculture and other allied sectors will also benefit from better connectivity in the Northeast. "Special emphasis is being accorded to improving connectivity in the North-East, hilly and tribal areas," he said in his customary address after the formation of the 17th Lok Sabha. Kovind said in addition to increasing the ease of living of citizens in the Northeast, tourism, agriculture and other allied sectors will also benefit from better connectivity. Effective steps are being taken to expand organic farming in the Northeast, he added.
Adani Green Energy arm bags 130-MW wind power project from SECI
Adani Green Energy said Thursday that its arm Adani Renewable Energy Park (Gujarat) has bagged a 130-megawatt (MW) wind power project in an auction by state-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). "Adani Renewable Energy Park (Gujarat) Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) had won a bid for setting up a 130 MW ISTS (inter-state transmission system)-connected wind power project in a tender issued by SECI," a BSE filing said. The company has received a letter of award from SECI for the project, it said. The fixed power purchase agreement tariff is Rs 2.83 per kilowatt hour for 25 years. The project is expected to be commissioned by the fourth quarter of 2020-21. With this, the AGEL's portfolio of renewable generation capacity in India stands at 5.29 gigawatt (GW), with 2.02 GW operational projects and the remaining 3.27 GW in development stage.
Forest guard among 2 trampled to death by elephant in C'garh
Two persons, including a forest guard, were trampled to death by a wild elephant in separate places in Chhattisgarhs Raigarh district, an official said Thursday. Forest guard Mukesh Pandey (32) came face-to-face with the pachyderm near Podi village on Wednesday when he was returning after informing locals about the movement of a tusker in the area and preventive measures to be taken to avoid human-elephant conflict, divisional forest officer Pranay Mishra said. The jumbo caught hold of Pandey, smashed him on the ground with its trunks before trampling him to death, he said. Later at the nearby Kotmar village, the same elephant attacked a group of five villagers who were returning home after attending a funeral, he said. While four of them managed to escape, the elephant caught hold of Bhujendra Rathiya (22) and stomped him to death, the official said. Later, forest and police personnel reached the two spots but it took them time to recover the bodies as the elephant ...
Protesters urge ASEAN leaders to ban trash imports
Protestors in Bangkok on Thursday dumped plastic waste in front of a government building and called on Southeast Asian leaders to ban imports of trash from developed countries. The protest comes ahead of a weekend meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with many countries struggling to deal with the flood of plastic waste unleashed by China's decision last year to stop importing recyclables from abroad. Countries in ASEAN now receive more than a quarter of global plastic waste, most of which comes from developed economies like Canada, the US, Australia, and Japan. A group of about 50 Thai activists, some holding placards reading "No Space for Waste", joined Greenpeace campaigners to call for an end to all trash imports to Southeast Asia. "The communities are here today to reclaim... the right to live in a sustainable environment in Thailand," said Tara Buakamsri of Greenpeace Thailand. They called for ASEAN countries to ban the export of waste "from ..
Notices to 15 websites fraudulently using Corbett tiger reserve's name
Authorities at Corbett tiger reserve have sent notices to 15 websites for fraudulently using its name to accept bookings from people for wildlife tourism and other facilities, officials said Thursday. "Notice has been sent to 15 such websites asking them to immediately consider removing claims in the name of Corbett failing which they may invite necessary legal action," said Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Director, Corbett tiger reserve. He said the notice was also sent to GoDaddy India Web Services Pvt Ltd asking it to immediately suspend or terminate four such fraudulent websites www.jimcorbettnationalpark.co.in, www.jimcorbettbooking.in, www.corbettnationalpark.com and www.corbettnationalpark.in -- hosted on its server. It is directed to immediately suspend/terminate the said websites with immediate effect, and to provide the registration details of both these websites including the name of the registering company, PAN card details, address, contact details, name of contact persons, etc., ...