Page 37 - Environment
Adani Green Energy jumps after arm bags hybrid projects
Adani Green Energy was up 3.15% to Rs 40.90 at 09.52 IST on the BSE after the company said it received letters of award for 600 MW hybrid projects.
Indian Navy Marine Commando rescues mother-daughter from Kashmir's Wular lake
The Indian Navy's MARCOS officials on Wednesday rescued mother-daughter duo after their boat loaded with domestic items capsized in the Wular lake in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district.According to officials, the boat was en route to Sopore. The rescued were identified as Rafiqa Begum and her daughter Laali.As soon as the incident was reported, the two MARCOS divers swung into action and rescued the mother and daughter safely.Locals have applauded marine commandos for taking immediate action.Begum also thanked and praised commandos for their brave attempt.MARCOS is the special forces unit of the Indian Navy, which was created to conduct special rescue operations in a maritime environment.
No drinking water will be available by 2030 if we don't conserve now: Report
New Delhi, [India], June 20 (ANI): The recent report of NITI Ayog on groundwater level says 21 Indian cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad - will run out of groundwater by 2020, affecting around 100 million people.It also says that 40 per cent of India's population will have no access to drinking water by 2030.The situation is alarming, given the fact that year 2020 is not very far. Three rivers, four water bodies, five wetlands and six forests have completely dried in Chennai despite having better water resources and rains than any other metro cities, the report said."The government is depending upon the desalination in Chennai which is very expensive also however they forget that the earth is a limited planet and oceans will dry. What will we leave for our children and grandchildren? We may have a lot of money but we cannot ask our children to drink money instead of water. Using ocean water and desalination is not the solution but water harvesting is" said former
AP Irrigation Min reviews Polavaram project progress, Jagan Reddy to visit site today
Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Minister P Anil Kumar on Wednesday visited the Polavaram project site and reviewed the progress of the project.Kumar was accompanied by deputy chief minister Alla Nani, Raptadu MLA Prakash Reddy, Polavaram MLA T Balaraju and others. There Kumar sought details about the project from concerned officials.YSRCP cadres made elaborate arrangements to welcome the Irrigation minister as this was his first visit to the project site.Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy will visit the Polavaram project on Thursday. It would be Reddy's first visit to the project site.YSRCP has been alleging corruption by earlier TDP government in the construction of Polavaram. The national project was started under N Chandrababu Naidu's rule. However, Reddy's government has yet to take a decision on how to continue the project.On June 4, Reddy had directed officials to complete the Polavaram project on priority.
Trump's UN envoy nominee defends climate record
President Donald Trump's nominee to be the next US envoy to the United Nations on Wednesday defended her record on climate change, saying it is a "real risk to our planet" that must be addressed. She also pledged to recuse Kelly Knight Craft told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that she believes human behaviour has contributed to climate change and she'll push countries deal with it. However, she also said the United States should not have to bear an "outsized burden" in mitigating its effects that harm American economic growth. "I acknowledge there is a vast amount of science regarding climate change and the tools and the role that humans have played in climate change," she said. "If confirmed, I will be an advocate for addressing climate change." Her comments came in response to questions from Democrats on the panel prompted by previous remarks she made doubting the causes and severity of climate change and suggesting that climate change skeptics have valid arguments. ...
Trump EPA rolls back Obama rule on coal-fired power plants
The Trump administration on Wednesday completed one of its biggest rollbacks of environmental rules, replacing a landmark Obama-era effort that sought to wean the nation's electrical grid off coal-fired power plants and their climate-damaging pollution. Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler, a former coal industry lobbyist, signed a replacement rule that gives states leeway in deciding whether to require efficiency upgrades at existing coal plants. Wheeler said coal-fired power plants remained essential to the power grid, something that opponents deny. "Americans want reliable energy that they can afford," he said at a news conference. There's no denying "the fact that fossil fuels will continue to be an important part of the mix," he said. Rep. David McKinley, a West Virginia Republican, was one of several coal country lawmakers on hand for the signing. He argued that power from the sun and wind was not yet reliable enough to depend on. "We're not ready for renewable ..
Karnataka BJP MPs discuss state's development over dinner
Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda organised a meeting of all BJP members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha from Karnataka to discuss the issues pertaining to the development of the state at his residence here on Wednesday evening.Speaking to the media after the meeting, Gowda said, "We discussed to have a united approach towards the development of Karnataka. Issues related to Karnataka should be dealt with above political lines. We discuss the matter in detail.""In future, we will take up the issues of Karnataka government to the Centre unitedly and unanimously and seek relief for the state," the minister added.He said that Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had no interest in the state or welfare of the people.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Minister of State for Railways Suresh Channabasappa Angadi were among the attendees.BJP backed Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh was also present at the meeting.
Vacuum tankers carrying faecal sludge must be registered in Delhi, should have GPS: Authorities
Vacuum tankers carrying faecal sludge will be registered in Delhi and they should be equipped with GPS device to track their location, authorities decided on Wednesday. Besides, all these tankers must be mapped to Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) where such vehicles can take their sludge for discharge. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Lt Governor Anil Baijal to review problems related to "Faecal material disposal in drains of Delhi and bad odour near drains and Violation of C&D material disposal rules in Delhi". The meeting was convened by Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) Chairman Bhure Lal at Raj Niwas here. In an official statement, the LG office said that it was informed in meeting that nearly 4 million litres of septage/faecal sludge is collected per day in the national capital. According to the statement, nearly 50 per cent of population in Delhi is dependent on-site sanitation systems like septic tanks especially in the periphery of
Guests for Gupta brothers' sons' weddings begin to arrive
The guests invited to attend wedding ceremonies of the South Africa-based NRIs Gupta brothers' sons began to arrive here Wednesday at the Auli ski resort. An estimated Rs 200 crore is likely to be spent on the high-profile weddings to be attended by VIPs, including spiritual gurus, political leaders and Bollywood celebrities, over the next few days. Ajay Gupta's son Suryakant's marriage is to be held on June 19-20 while that of Atul Gupta's son Shashank is slated for June 21-22. Security has been tightened from Joshimath to Auli in view of the VIP movements. With the Uttarakhand High Court expressing concern earlier over the damage that the gala event may cause to the fragile Himalayan ecology, the local administration officials and those of the Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board are keeping a tight vigil on the event. In order to address the environmental concerns raised by the court, the helicopters carrying the guests for the four-day extravaganza have been asked to land in ...
Solar industry needs to ensure efficient use of water: Bridge to India
The solar industry needs to act proactively to ensure efficient use of water for cleaning of solar panels and justify the 'environmentally-friendly' tag, consulting and research services provider Bridge To India said Wednesday. The statement has come against the background of an advisory issued by the New and Renewable Energy Ministry (MNRE) on optimal utilisation of water by the sector for cleaning of solar panels. "This is a belated acknowledgement of the increasing water risks faced by the solar sector...," Bridge To India said in a statement, and added that rightly, MNRE has refrained from mandating use of any specific technology. The firm further said that it is common industry belief that solar modules require two cleaning cycles per month to reduce soiling losses to a level of 1 per cent. However, actual water consumption varies widely depending on water availability, cost of water, location of power plant and level of environmental consciousness, amongst other factors. "Around
Solar power tariff remains low at Rs 2.5 per unit in SECI auction
State-owned power giant NTPC, Mahindra Susten, Hero Future Energies and Azure Power Maple on Wednesday emerged as the lowest bidders for 750-MW solar projects, in an auction by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). The four firms quoted a tariff of Rs 2.5 per unit each in a reverse auction conducted by the SECI on Wednesday for Rajasthan Tranche II (750 MW) projects, a source said. The source also said NTPC bid for 160 MW in Rajasthan Tranche-II 750-MW solar tender, while Mahindra Susten showed interest for 200 MW. Similarly, Hero Future Energies showed interest for 250 MW and Azure Power Maple wanted 100 MW out of this auction. With this auction, NTPC has won an aggregate solar capacity of 505 MW so far under tariff-based competitive bidding tenders of states, a source said. The tariffs had hit the lowest rate of Rs 2.44 per in May 2017 for Rajasthan's Bhadla projects. Later also, the tariffs had touched the low of 2.44 per MW at least twice. India has an ambitious target of .
Ozone pollution higher in Delhi due to heat wave; poses serious health risk: Study
Ozone level has increased manifold in the national capital due to severe heat wave this season posing a serious health risk, a recent study has revealed and suggested aggressive control of industrial and vehicular emissions. According to the air quality index (AQI), released everyday by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), ozone is emerging as a dominant pollutant along with particulate matter (PM), especially in Delhi and NCR areas, said environment think tank CSE. "It is shocking to note that according to the AQI which the CPCB releases every day, ozone, along with particulate matter, has been the dominant pollutant of the day on 28 days between April 1 and June 5, 2019. "During the same period in 2018, ozone was the dominant pollutant along with particulate matter on only 17 days," the study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. After tracking the daily ozone data, the CSE has found that this summer, when the capital witnessed searing heat wave, average ozone levels .
Tamil Nadu: Heat wave results in dead fishes in Chinthamani Lake
Fishes were found dead on the periphery of the dried up Selva Chinthamani lake caused by the severe heat wave, here on Wednesday.The constant spell of scorching heat in Tamil Nadu has caused acute water shortage and deficient rain has not made the current scenario in the state any better.The extreme weather conditions in the southern state of India has resulted in protests breaking outside the Coimbatore City Corporation Office by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) too, sending a message to the state about its worsening water condition.The water crisis has affected Tamil Naidu's neighbouring state Karnataka as well. The extreme water scarcity has led to a long unbroken chain of drought for the past two years.
ArcelorMittal confirms Italian arm raises concern with govt for legal safeguard
Global steel giant ArcelorMittal confirmed Wednesday that its Italian arm AMI has raised concerns with the government about the Crescita law decree which removes the existing legal safeguards to operate the facility. The law decree is expected to be ratified into law by June 29. "ArcelorMittal Italia (AMI) has highlighted to the Italian government its concerns about the current text of the Crescita law decree. If ratified as currently drafted, the provision concerning the Taranto plant would impair any operator's ability to operate the plant while implementing the environmental plan approved by the Italian Government in September 2017, including for ArcelorMittal," the company said in a statement. The Taranto plant has been under seizure since 2012 and cannot be operated without legal protection until the environmental plan is implemented, the world's largest steelmaker said. The company said the 2017 environmental plan is designed to address the Taranto plant's long-standing issues ..
"Don't politicise water crisis, govt tackling nature's fury"
Flaying those 'politicising' the severe water crisis in Tamil Nadu, state fisheries Minister D Jayakumar Wednesday said the government has been making up for the deficit created by successive failed monsoons. He maintained that the government would be able to manage the crisis until the northeast monsoon, which brings rains to the state between October and December. "Despite failed monsoons, one should see how the government is handling the issue. Politicising it is not at all acceptable," Jayakumar told reporters here. Listing out various efforts taken by the government, he said around 400 water tankers were making 9,000 trips distributing water across the city. "At a time when even nature is not offering a helping hand, we are pumping one tmc of water from Mettur to Veeranam lake, from where the water is channelised into the city," he said. The minister said that the government would be able to meet the needs of the people till november and expressed confidence that ...
Thousands of big energy reps at UN climate talks: monitor
Lobby groups representing some of the world's biggest polluters have sent thousands of delegates to negotiations aimed at limiting global warming since UN climate talks began, according to data obtained by AFP. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) brings together nations, environmental groups, scientists and policymakers to work on measures to stave off the worst social, economic and ecological threats posed by runaway temperatures. Trade associations that represent oil and gas majors are entitled under the convention's own rules to attend annual UNFCCC talks and inter-sessional meetings as observers. They frequently host networking side events or presentations and have the same status and access permits at negotiations as environmental charities. But there is currently no protection against potential conflicts of interest between nations which need emissions slashed rapidly in order to survive, and the biggest emitters whose business plans are still ...
Zero-tolerance policy for states that fail to allot land for Central institutes: HRD minister
The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry will adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards states that fail to allot land for centrally funded institutes, including the IITs and the IIITs, and will shift those to other cities if the campuses are not provided within a stipulated time, officials said Wednesday. HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' made this announcement at a recent review meeting of the IITs, IIMs, NITs and IIITs. The Indian Institute of Technology-Goa and the National Institute of Technology-Sikkim are functioning out of temporary campuses. IIT-Goa started functioning from July, 2016 and has been operating from Goa Engineering College, Farmadi. The Goa government had sanctioned land at Cotarli-Nagvem for the institute but had to go back on its promise following agitation. Construction of the other IITs, sanctioned by the Centre, in Jammu, Dharwad, Tirupati, Bhilai and Palakkad, which have been allotted land, is underway. The National Institute of Technology-Sikkim was
Anti-dumping duty imposed on jute sacking cloths from B'desh
India has imposed anti-dumping duty on the import of jute sacking cloths from Bangladesh which will have a positive impact on West Bengal's ailing jute sector. "Anti-dumping duty on sacking cloth from Bangladesh was our long standing demand to save the Indian jute sector. With active efforts of Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani, this has been achieved," jute industry veteran Sanjay Kajaria said in his reaction. "It will be applicable for 5 years effective from June 18, 2019," he said. This will help jute farmers and the jute mills of West Bengal which are ailing or running in a very low capacity, Kajaria said. The IJMA had filed an application for initiation of anti-circumvention investigation concerning import of the product exported from Bangladesh. It has requested for extension of the existing anti- dumping duties on the imports, alleging circumvention of the duty. Countries carry out anti-dumping probe to determine whether their domestic industries have been hurt
Greenpeace sounds alarm over plastic pollution in rivers
Greenpeace on Wednesday raised the alarm over microplastics in rivers after finding the pollutant in all the rivers it tested in Britain, calling it a "problem of enormous complexity". "We ignore this problem at our peril," warned David Santillo, senior scientist with the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at the University of Exeter. "Once microplastics are in the river, they become impossible to remove again, so we have to solve the problem at the source." Researchers from the NGO tested 13 rivers earlier this year, casting nets in 30 rural and urban areas. They found 1,271 pieces of 15 different types of plastic, nearly half of which were polyethylene, and included items from degraded straws to microbeads. Only two of the "relatively rural" 30 areas did not test positive, Greenpeace said in its report, published Wednesday. "We are witnessing just the tip of a plastics iceberg," it said. The nets were only able to collect samples that were no deeper than 10 centimetres (four ...
MP govt fixes Rs 5000 as minimum aid to calamity-hit farmers
The Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh Wednesday announced to provide Rs 5000 in minimum compensation to the small and marginal farmers in the event of crop loss due to natural calamities. Revenue and Transport Minister Govind Singh Rajput also said that the government has taken several administrative steps including filling up vacant posts of Patwaris (revenue officials) for speedy work. The Kamal Nath-led government recently completed six months in power. "The state government has decided that minimum compensation for the small and marginal farmers would be Rs 5000 in case of crop loss due to a natural calamity. We have made amendments to this effect in rules," Rajput told a press conference. The minister said the government had also taken measures like filling up vacant posts of Patwaris to fast track the redressal of matters pertaining to land. "As per a pilot project being launched in two districts of the state, Patwariswould be given laptops for expediting .