Page 396 - Environment
Virus spread leading to death of lions at Gir fully under control: Govt to SC
The Centre Monday told the Supreme Court that spread of canine distemper virus, which led to the death of several lions in Gujarat's Gir sanctuary recently, was now "fully under control". A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta expressed concern over the deaths and questioned the "reluctance" in shifting lions from Gir to other places like Kuno wildlife sanctury in Madhya Pradesh. "Several lions have died in Gir incident. Every forest has its limit. I do not know why there is reluctance in shifting lions to Kuno?," Justice Gupta observed. The bench also observed that spread of such virus could led to wiping out of the entire breed if the lions would be placed at one place only. Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, told the court that area under the Gir sanctuary have been increased and lions have been kept in pockets now to avoid any such incident. During the hearing, the bench also took note of the recent incident ..
Air pollution kills 600,000 children each year: WHO
Exposure to toxic air both indoors and out kills some 600,000 children under the age of 15 each year, the World Health Organization warned Monday. Data from the UN health body shows that every day, 93 percent of children under the age of 15 - a full 1.8 billion youngsters, including 630 million under the age of five - breath dangerously polluted air. This has tragic consequences: In 2016 alone, some 600,000 children died from acute lower respiratory infections caused by polluted air, the WHO report found. "Polluted air is poisoning millions of children and ruining their lives," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. "This is inexcusable. Every child should be able to breathe clean air so they can grow and fulfil their full potential." According to WHO data, more than nine out of 10 people on the planet breath dangerously toxic air, causing some seven million premature deaths each year. Air pollution is especially dangerous for children, and accounts for nearly one ..
Special ward set up in Ahmedabad hospital for Zika patients
A special ward with 12 beds has been set up at the V S Hospital here to treat Zika virus-affected patients after the first case of the mosquito-borne disease this year in Gujarat was detected, an official said Monday. In 2017, three Zika cases were reported in Ahmedabad. "We have set up a special ward with 12 beds to treat the patients hit by the Zika virus infection. Patients from any part of the state will be treated here. "However, no patient has been admitted at present (in the ward)," said Bhavin Solanki, the Medical Officer of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), which runs the hospital. An outbreak of the Zika virus was reported in neighbouring Rajasthan earlier this month. On October 26, the authorities had said a woman admitted to a civil hospital here had tested positive for the mosquito-borne disease. While the woman, admitted to the hospital on October 22, has since recovered and has been discharged from the hospital, the local administration has swung into action to
EPCA agrees to CPCB recommendations made for first 10 days of November
The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) has agreed to the recommendations made by the CPCB for the first ten days of November when the air quality is likely to deteriorate further due to festival season and stubble burning in neighbouring states. The recommendations included closure of all construction activities that generate dust pollution between November 1 and 10. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)-led task force also recommended shutdown of coal and biomass based industries, excluding thermal and waste-to-energy plants, from November 4 to 10, intensification of efforts by Transport Department to check polluting vehicles and controlling traffic congestion in Delhi-NCR between November 1 and 10. The task force also recommended efforts to provide uninterrupted power supply in the NCR to avoid requirement of operating diesel generator (DG) sets. An EPCA member said they have agreed to the recommendations in view of the deteriorating air ...
Govt keen on using hybrid aeroboats for inland water transport
Hybrid aeroboats that can run on water, marshy land, snow or ice could soon be roped in for inland water transport at Agra, upcoming Kumbha fair at Allahabad and other places, official sources said Monday. The development comes amid some top Russian companies, under the not-for-profit Skolkovo Foundation, that manufactures these aluminium aeroboats, making presentations before Shipping, Water Resources, Ganga Rejuvenation, River Development and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari Monday. "India is keen on trying these soon for propelling the growth of its inland waterways as well as for the upcoming Kumbha (Allahabad)besides in Agra. The company that manufactures these at St Petersburg has been asked to demonstrate these at an early date, possibly along with the inauguration of a multi-modal terminal at Varanasi," an official source told PTI. The source said that though manufacturing of these boats is done largely in St Petersburg, there is no problem of spares etc as ..
93% children breathe toxic air globally: WHO
Every day, around 93 per cent of the children globally under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday. Tragically, many of them die.
GIL to pay Rs 50 lakh to KSPCB for pollution from its plant in Bengaluru
Graphite India Ltd (GIL) told the Supreme Court on Monday that it would pay Rs 50 lakh to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) under the 'polluter pays principle' for its Bengaluru plant, facing complaints of pollution and emission of black dust. The GIL's counsel told a bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur that KSPCB could utilise this amount for dealing with measures to curb pollution in Bengaluru's Whitefield area where the plant is situated. The apex court had on October 23 asked GIL's counsel to apprise it as to how much they were willing to pay on the basis of the 'polluter pays principle'. During the hearing, senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for GIL, told the bench that he has taken instructions from the company and it is willing to pay Rs 50 lakh to the KSPCB. Advocate Aparajita Singh, assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the air pollution matter, agreed with the GIL's proposal and said there was "fugitive emission" in the area and GIL was "putting .
'Earth's dust cloud satellites confirmed'
Scientists may have confirmed two elusive clouds of dust first reported in 1961, located just 400,000 kilometres away from the Earth. The clouds, named after Polish astronomer Kazimierz Kordylewski, are exceptionally faint, so their existence is controversial, said researchers from Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary. The Earth-Moon system has five points of stability where gravitational forces maintain the relative position of objects located there, according to the study published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Two of these so-called Lagrange points, L4 and L5, form an equal-sided triangle with the Earth and Moon, and move around the Earth as the Moon moves along its orbit. L4 and L5 are not completely stable, as they are disturbed by the gravitational pull of the Sun. They are thought to be locations where interplanetary dust might collect, at least temporarily. Kordylewski observed two nearby clusters of dust at L5 in 1961, with various reports ..
Indian makes pitch to export rice to China; urges it to open up its USD 2 bn rice market
India, the world's biggest exporter of rice, on Monday made a big pitch to export its rice varieties to China and urged it to open up its USD 2 billion rice import market based on an agreement signed between the two nations during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China in June. A protocol on the exports of non-Basmati Rice from India to China was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting at Qingdao in June on the sideline of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Subsequently, the Chinese authorities visited India to inspect the rice mills and last week approved 24 Indian rice mills for exports of rice to China, the Indian Embassy here said in a statement. Out of the 24 approved mills, six attended a seminar and business to business meeting. In which 44 Chinese importers including China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO) took part. The China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and ...
Heavy rainfall alert in coastal Odisha
Heavy rainfall is likely to lash parts of coastal Odisha in the next 48 hours with a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal all set to form a low pressure area soon, the weatherman said Monday. The cyclonic circulation over the west-central Bay of Bengal and the neighbourhood persists and now lies embedded in the above trough and extends up to 2.1 km above mean sea level, the meteorological centre here said. Under its influence a low pressure area is likely to form over the west-central and the adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal shortly, it said. While many areas in the coastal region are likely to experience rain and thundershower, heavy rainfall may occur at some places over Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore districts in the next 24 hours, it said. Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at some places over Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore districts of Odisha till Wednesday, the MeT centre said. As sea condition will remain squally, fishermen were advised .
Jharkhand woos investors from West Bengal in agro sector
The Jharkhand government is hoping to attract investments in agriculture and food processing sectors from companies based in West Bengal, officials said. "We are confident in getting investment from this state (West Bengal). ITC already has atta making facility and wants to expand. Keventor Agro also expressed keenness to invest," Jharkhand department of industries secretary Vinay K Choubey said on the sidelines of a roadshow on Monday. Jharkhand is organising a two-day Global Agriculture & Food Summit 2018 on November 29-30 in Ranchi. "We are holding one-on-one meeting with 32 companies of this state," he said. Jharkhand is aiming to become a major food processing hub in India and has opened doors to investors from West Bengal and other parts of the country, Jharkhand agriculture secretary Pooja Singhal said. She said currently, agriculture contribute 12-13 per cent of state GDP and the government and is keen on increasing farmers' income. Officials said the state ..
WHO says 98 pc under-5 children from countries like India exposed to toxic air
About 98 per cent of children under the age of five years in low- and middle-income countries, which include nations like India, were exposed to air pollution caused by finer particulate matters in 2016, according to a World Health Organisation study released Monday. In the report, titled 'Air Pollution and Child Health: Prescribing Clean Air', deaths of about 600,000 children under 15 years of age in 2016 were attributed to the joint effects of ambient and household air pollution. The report said household air pollution from cooking and ambient air pollution caused more than 50 per cent of acute lower respiratory infections in children under 5 years of age in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO report examines the heavy toll of both ambient (outside) and household air pollution on the health of the children across world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, like India. "In low- and middle-income countries around the world, 98% of all children under 5 are exposed to
S Africa coal belt among world's pollution hotspots: Greenpeace
South Africa's eastern Mpumalanga province has the most polluting cluster of coal-fired power stations in the world producing record levels of nitrogen dioxide, a report by environmental campaign group Greenpeace said Monday. Mpumalanga, which borders Mozambique, is the hub of South Africa's coal industry and boasts 12 coal-fired plants that supply the grid with 32 gigawatts. Satellite data produced by a European Space Agency satellite and analysed by Greenpeace between June 1 and August 31 showed Mpumalanga's nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions to be the highest in the world. "The most up to date satellite imagery from June to August this year clearly shows that when you look at just one pollutant, which is nitrogen dioxide, Mpumalanga is the worst hotspot in the world," Melita Steele, senior climate and energy campaign manager for Greenpeace Africa, said in a statement. The goverment did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Coal burning and transport emissions are the ...
SC prohibits plying of 15-yr old petrol, 10-yr old diesel vehicles in NCR
The Supreme Court Monday prohibited the plying of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the national capital region (NCR) and directed the transport department to announce that such vehicles would be impounded if found plying. Terming as "very critical" the prevailing situation of pollution in Delhi-NCR region, the apex court directed that a list of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles be published on the web site of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and transport department. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta said that advertisement on this should also be published in the newspapers. The bench directed the CPCB to immediately create a social media account on which citizens could lodge their complaints directly about pollution on which appropriate action could be taken by the authorities concerned. It permitted the court-mandated Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to take pre-emptive steps under the Graded
'This material can cool itself under extreme temperatures'
Scientists have designed a cutting-edge material, inspired by nature, that can regulate its own temperature, and could equally be used to treat burns and help space capsules withstand atmospheric forces. A major challenge in material science is to work out how to regulate man-made material temperature as the human body can do in relationship to its environment, said Mark Alston, Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham in the UK. The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, used a network of multiple microchannels with active flowing fluids (fluidics) as a method and proof of concept to develop a thermally-functional material made of a synthetic polymer. The material is enhanced with precise control measures that can switch conductive states to manage its own temperature in relationship to its environment, researchers said. "This bio-inspired engineering approach advances the structural assembly of polymers for use in advanced materials," said Alston. "Nature .
Mediterranean Basin facing bigger climate change impact: Study
The Mediterranean Basin is experiencing the impact of climate change more than ever owing to multiple environmental changes and risks that are affecting the livelihoods of people in the entire region, warn researchers.
TN govt moves SC seeking extension of cracker bursting time
The Tamil Nadu government on Monday approached the Supreme Court seeking reconsideration of its order that had put restrictions on burning of firecrackers.The Edappadi K. Palaniswami-led government sought the extension of cracker bursting time on Diwali.On October 23, the apex court refused to impose a blanket ban on the bursting of firecrackers but with certain conditions.The court had stated that people would be allowed to burst firecrackers only between 8 pm and 10 pm on the Diwali day which falls on November 7 this year.The top court had allowed use of only green firecrackers with reduced emission and decibel levels during all religious festivals.Last year, the top court had banned sale of firecrackers in the capital city.
Police seize 77 tortoises, arrest 4 smugglers in Bihar
Police have seized 77 tortoises of rare species from Bihar's Purnea district and arrested four smugglers in connection with the seizure. During a search operation near Barsoni toll plaza under Dagarua police station on Sunday, sacks containing the tortoises were recovered from a jeep, Superintendent of Police (SP) Vishal Sharma said on Monday. Among the four held, one is a woman, Sharma said, adding, they were going to UP from West Bengal to sell the tortoises. Forest department officials said the seized tortoises belong to the rare terrapin species, and are in demand for medicinal purposes.
Delhi air quality remains 'very poor'
Delhi, on Monday, continued to choke on 'very poor' air quality as the city woke up to a thick, pale haze. According to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) in the national capital was recorded at an alarming 348.The AQI between 0 to 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 fall under the category of 'satisfactory', 101-200 is marked as 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 500 and beyond is considered as 'severe'.Health experts say the 'very poor' air quality can lead to respiratory illness, especially among children and elderly people, on prolonged exposure. Weather conditions over the next few days, to an extent, are expected to play an important role in deciding which way the city's pollution will go. Indian Meteorological Department and Ministry of Earth Science have predicted that Delhi-Safdarjung area will record a minimum temperature of 15 degree Celsius and maximum temperature of 32 degree Celsius with a misty ...
Sugar output may dip 3% this yr to 31.5mn ton on untimely rains, pest attack & ethanol: ISMA
India's sugar output may decline by 3 per cent to 31.5 million tonnes (MT) in the current marketing year on untimely rains and pest attacks that affected the cane crop, as well as diversion of cane juice for ethanol, industry body ISMA said Monday. The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) in July had projected a production of 35 MT in the 2018-19 season that started this month, taking into account higher cane acreage and forecast of normal monsoon. Sugar production reached at an all-time high of 32.5 million tonnes in the 2017-18 marketing year (October-September). In its forecast issued Monday, the ISMA reduced the sugar production estimate for the 2018-19 marketing year as the sugarcane crop in the three main growing states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, which contribute around 80 per cent to the total sugar output, have been impacted adversely. "Sugar production in 2018-19 would be around 32 MT. However, this figure may be lower if we consider the expected diversion .