Page 40 - Environment
Cyprus expects 'stronger' EU stand on Turkey's drilling
Cyprus said Tuesday it expects the European Union to adopt a firmer stance over Turkey's bid to drill for oil and gas inside the island's exclusive economic zone. President Nicos Anastasiades said he was not optimistic about Turkey changing its tact, but he does expect Brussels to bare its teeth when dealing with the issue. "I'm optimistic that the EU will at least show decisiveness in sending a stronger message than it has done up until today. This is our objective," he told reporters. "And I believe after the summit of the seven southern EU member states that there will be a stronger EU stance," he added. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said Ankara would not back down from its gas exploration. "We continue and will continue to search in those areas that are ours," Erdogan said during a televised speech in Istanbul. Cyprus has issued arrest warrants for crew members of Turkey's drilling ship, Fatih. After a summit of southern EU countries in Valletta, the seven ...
Forest fire a serious issue, pray for rain: SC
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on June 24 a plea seeking urgent steps to protect forests, wildlife and birds from wildfires in Uttarakhand, saying "it is an serious issue and in the meantime, pray for rain". A vacation bench of justices Deepak Gupta and Surya Kant listed the matter for June 24 after the petitioner, advocate Rituparn Uniyal, sought urgent listing of the matter. "We are listing the petition for Monday (June 24). It's a serious issue and in the meantime, you pray for rain," the bench observed. Uniyal moved the apex court last Friday to seek urgent steps to protect forests, wildlife and birds from wildfires in Uttarakhand, saying forest blazes have increased over the years and cause huge loss to the environment. The petition sought directions to the Centre, the Uttarakhand government and the principal chief conservator of forests in the state to make pre-fire arrangements and frame a policy to prevent forest fires. It also sought an investigation into the ...
Wabag secures one-city, one-operator contracts in Uttar Pradesh worth Rs 1,477 crore
Va Tech Wabag, a water technology Indian multinational company, said on Tuesday it has secured Rs 1,477 crore worth order from State Mission for Clean Ganga in Uttar Pradesh towards operation, maintenance and management of sewage treatment and network infrastructure in Agra and Ghaziabad for 10 years.The order is expandable for five more years. Wabag will manage, operate and maintain 22 sewage treatment plants, 22 pumping stations and underground network of over 3,000 km with the objective of providing round-the-clock uninterrupted operations.The contract will ensure treatment of over 650 million litres of water per day in both cities of Agra and Ghaziabad put together, adhering to national treatment standards thus providing cleaner and healthier ecosystem to three million people.The company will also improve, rehabilitate and upgrade facilities related to systems, structures and equipment associated with the sewage treatment plants and underground collection systems."With our ...
Karnataka: CM Kumaraswamy meets family members of farmer who committed suicide
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy paid a visit to late farmer Suresh's family in Krishnarajapet, Karnataka here on Tuesday.Suresh, a farmer from the southern state of India committed suicide after sending a video message to the chief minister on the acute water scarcity in his region. Kumaraswamy in response said, "I am pained by the death of the farmer Suresh who had demanded to fill the lakes in the areas. I urge the farmers not to take such extreme steps."The minister informed the public present at the location and said, "We are trying to fill all lakes and wells as soon as possible and have allocated Rs 253 crores to do so. This will also help raise the groundwater level simultaneously, not only in Mandya but in all the districts of the state."The minister also has announced a sum of five lakh for the family as compensation, stating that officials are to stay at villages and talk to villagers to resolve the problems from next week on.The minister acknowledged the crisis and .
IIT-M studying methods to extract methane from 'gas hydrates'
The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras Tuesday is working on techniques to extract methane from 'gas hydrates' stashed within the country. The move is aimed at making natural gas locally available and reducing its imports. It is believed that energy content of methane occurring in hydrate form is immense, possibly exceeding the combined energy content of all other known fossil fuels, a statement from the institute said. Gas hydrates, crystalline water-based solids, are promising methane sources present in shallow sediments along the country's continental coastlines. There is nearly 1,900 trillion cubic meters of methane gas lying untapped in these hydrates within the waters of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, it said. "Controlled extraction of methane from gas hydrates can not only meet the enormous demand for energy all over the world, but can also reduce detrimental geological release of greenhouse gas into the environment from these sources," professor of ...
Punjab seeks Centre's help in foodgrain storage
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention for permission to construct covered godowns for scientific storage of foodgrains to address the acute shortage of covered storage space in the state.
Karnataka's Irrigation minister meets Nirmala Sitharaman, seeks co-operation in key projects
DK Shivakumar, Karnataka's Water Resources Minister, met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Tuesday to seek cooperation in Krishna Water Disputes issue and other projects, including Mekedatu balancing reservoir.The Mekedatu balancing reservoir-cum drinking water project, to be constructed across the Cauvery river basin, has been at the centre of controversy between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.Last year, Karnataka government got approval from Central Water Commission (CWC) for preparing a detailed project report for the proposed multipurpose project at Mekedatu on which Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a resolution, urging the CWC to withdraw the permission given to Karnataka.
Ireland to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030
Ireland has announced it will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 as part of its new climate change plan. The government hopes to have 950,000 electric vehicles on Irish roads by then, supported by a network of charging stations. The measure is one of 180 proposals covering business, construction, transport, agriculture and waste management intended to put Ireland on a path to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. "Our approach will be to nudge people and businesses to change behaviour and adapt new technologies through incentives, disincentives, regulations and information," said Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. "Our objective... is to transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient society. Our call to action in the fight to save our planet," he added. Dublin hopes to increase its level of electricity generated from renewable energy from 30 percent of the total mix to 70 percent by 2030. The "Climate Action Plan" also includes the elimination of non-recyclable ..
World's first 'Green concrete' trial begins in Sydney
In a world's first, 'green' concrete" which is made using industrial waste from coal-fired power stations and steel manufacturing is being used in a road trial in Sydney.
Goa Dy CM warns firm engaged in garbage tussle with civic body
Goa Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai Tuesday threatened to dump garbage at the doorstep of a private firm which has been overseeing waste management at a dumping yard in Margao near here. Private firm Fomento Green, which has a contract to handle garbage in Sonsodo waste dumping yard, has been embroiled in a dispute with the Margao Municipal Council, following which the former refused to accept garbage at the yard. Speaking at a function in south Goa, Sardesai said, "I am the people's representative here. The company must accept garbage from the civic body or else we will dump it at the company's doorstep," he claimed.
Camera traps to study snow leopards in Himachal's national park
In a first scientific study of its kind, the state Wildlife Department, in partnership with the Nature Conservation Foundation, is laying camera traps to study the elusive and highly endangered snow leopard in the alpine and high-altitude regions of the Great Himalayan National Park -- a Unesco World Heritage site.
Crocodile strays into farm in Gujarat; rescued
A huge crocodile strayed into an agricultural field at a town in Gujarat's Vadodara district, triggering panic, an official said Tuesday. Farmer Sanjay Patel heard a dog barking near his farm in Itola village here around Monday midnight and when he went there, he was shocked to see an around 4.6 feet-long crocodile near some papaya trees in the field. Patel immediately contacted a wildlife rescue team which rushed to the spot and caught the reptile within half- an-hour. "The animal might have ventured into the farm from the nearby Dhadhar river which has a large number of crocodiles," a member of the rescue team said. The rescuers later handed over the crocodile to the forest department. The reptile was released in the Vishwamitri river here on Tuesday morning, range forest officer A A Makrani said.
Farmer attempted suicide before Maharashtra minister
A farmer attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison in the presence of State Energy MoS, MM Yerawar's in Buldhana on Saturday.The man identified as Ishwar Kharate told ANI that he took the step as the government had failed to provide electricity connection for his household."My grandfather had applied for electricity connection in 1980 but we still do not have it despite our constant efforts we are not getting the connection," he said.He also said that he had notified the local administration about his intention to commit but they did not bother. "So I drank the poison before the minister."Responding to Bawankule's complaint, Deepak Devhate, Buldhana Electricity Department official, admitted that the farmers' family had applied for the connection in the 1980s but said that Kharate failed to pay for the demand note."Sriram Kharate who had applied for connection in 1980 died in 2006 we had sent a demand note to Ishwar Kharate but he failed to pay the amount for it, if he pays the .
IIT Madras developing new techniques for methane extraction
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) on Tuesday said its researcheers are developing new techniques for extracting methane from natural gas hydrates.
Heathrow publishes 'masterplan' for controversial third runway
London Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, on Tuesday issued plans for its controversial third runway, including the rerouting of rivers and roads, as it sought also to allay environmental concerns. Britain's government last year finally approved the third runway after decades of acrimonious debate. "Heathrow today unveils its preferred masterplan for expansion," said a statement from the airport, which is owned by a consortium led by Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial. The detailed plan includes "tough new measures" to reduce emissions, limit noise and curb night-time flights. The M25 motorway that rings London will be rerouted under the new runway, while river corridors will also be diverted. "We're working with those impacted residents, communities and local authorities to identify appropriate mitigation measures," the plan said. "New river corridors will be created to channel the existing rivers and wildlife away from construction sites and the new runway." Construction is ...
Va Tech Wabag secures order for Rs 1477 cr from State Mission for Clean Ganga - Uttar Pradesh
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Australia begins first-ever trial to create roads through industrial waste
Australia's most populous city Sydney is conducting the world's first-ever trial to construct roads using industrial waste from coal-fired power stations and steel manufacturing, an initiative that can lower the pollution and greenhouse gases emitted during the production of concrete for laying roads. Concrete contributes 7 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions and in 2018 the world produced about 4.1 billion tonnes of cement, which contributed about 3.5 billion tonnes of Carbon dioxide, according to researchers. "Geopolymer" made from fly ash and blast furnace slag, generates just 300 kilograms of CO2 per tonne of cement, compared with the 900 kilograms from the traditional cement production, they said. It also saves the equivalent of the electricity used by an average household every two weeks. Once the trials are successful, researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, and the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL) will use it to create .
Farmer gulps poison before minister for power connection
Upset over being denied an agricultural power connection in his fields since 1980, a farmer recently attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison in the presence of the Maharashtra Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
No more 'VIP stay' at Corbett Tiger Reserve
Corbett Tiger Reserve authorities have decided that it will not entertain references from VIPs requesting stay and safari facilities among others either for themselves or for their relatives and friends, instead these requests would be reported to their higher authorities. The move comes as the Corbett administration has been receiving a large number of communications, through explicit use/display of official position/state symbols, for arranging safari, stay, other private arrangements of various highly placed authorities, which is otherwise a purely personal activity and has nothing to do with discharge of any official duties of the authorities concerned. On many occasions, even cases of friends/other known ones have been referred to the authorities at Corbett and sometimes the matter has been tried to be pursued in coercive /intimidating manners, according to a recent official order. "This is nothing but brazen abuse of official position for seeking favour for personal ends. Such ..
How is unrecycled plastic affecting environment?
Recycling plastic waste can significantly help the environment. But how much of the plastic we use is being recycled and in the right way? How much of it is ending up in the environment or landfills and are causing newer problems that are difficult to fix?A new report finds that we are often drinking a credit-card size amount of plastic along with water every week.This new finding highlights that a number of plastic bottles that people drop on the streets of New York aren't always broken down or made into some new product. Thus, these end up lying around the globe around the beaches or even in someone's backyard, according to Live Science.The US is known to ship over one million tons of plastic waste overseas every year. Out of that one million, most of the plastic used to land in China for recycling, until it put a stop to the import of plastic waste in 2017.Moving away from China, much of the plastic waste is now redirected to some of the poorest nations including Bangladesh, ...