Page 424 - Environment
Minister denies slack in Keezhadi excavation
: Tamil Nadu minister for Tamil language and culture Ma Foi K Pandiarajan Saturday denied any slack in the Keezhadi excavation work and said the state government would not allow the Centre to prevent the work. Talking to newsmen here after inspecting the excavated sites, he saidhe had held discussions with the state archaeological department on the next phase of excavation, and where the fifth phase should begin. The minister said seven gold items were unearthed during the fourth phase and the archaeological survey of India should submit a report on the third phase. He said carbon dating of the articles found during the excavation was being done, and this could be the reason for the delay in the submsission of report. The minister hoped the report of Athichanallur excavation done 17 years ago would be made available next month. So far, 7,000 artefacts had been unearthed during the excavation, he added.
Temperatures likely to be slightly above normal this winter: IMD scientist
Temperatures this winter are likely to be slightly above normal owing to El-Nino, an India Meteorological Department official said Saturday. "There is a possibility of a weak El-Nino," S Pai, IMD's senior scientist based in Pune, said. He said the IMD will come out with a winter forecast for December, January and February, the peak winter seasons, next month. "The temperatures in the winter will be slightly above normal," Pai told PTI. The El-Nino phenomenon, which is associated with the warming of Pacific waters with a far reaching impact on climate of Indian subcontinent and several parts on Asia, is developing, he said. The winters in India have been particularly warmer over the last 2-3 years. Last year, was the warmest year recorded in India and across the globe. Scientists have cited the global warming phenomenon behind it. The monsoon this year was below normal, while the IMD had predicted above normal temperatures in the summer.
Zika virus cases in Rajasthan rise to 55
More cases of Zika virus were detected in Jaipur Saturday taking the total number of infected people to 55, a Rajasthan health department official said. The figure was issued by the department after a review meeting chaired by the additional chief secretary (medical and health) Veenu Gupta. The official said of the total patients, 38 are doing fine after treatment. Union Health Ministry officials said fresh mosquito samples have been collected from various parts of Jaipur by a team from the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR). On Friday, the authorities had reported 50 cases of the virus till then. The Zika virus was found in some mosquitoes taken as samples from Sindhi Camp and few mosquitoes collected from the densely populated Shastri Nagar had already been found to be carriers of the virus leading to suspicion they are behind the spread of the infection. Of the total patients, at least 11 are pregnant women, the ministry officials said. The first case had surfaced on ...
Indian flapshell turtle rescued in Delhi
An Indian flapshell turtle was rescued from Chirag Enclave in the national capital, a wildlife body said Saturday. The Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys Punctata) is a freshwater species found in South Asia. It is listed under Schedule (I) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and thereby, is granted the same level of protection as the tiger. Poaching or possession of any protected wildlife species and the illegal trade of their body parts is a criminal offence leading to imprisonment of between three to seven years. Elaborating about the rescue, Wildlife SoS said while out for a walk, a concerned animal lover chanced upon a suspicious looking man who was clutching onto what appeared to be a small animal in his hands. The organisation said as he approached the man to take a closer look, he discovered that it was a flapshell turtle. On being interrogated the individual fled the scene, leaving the turtle behind. Wildlife SOS was immediately alerted and the reptile is currently under the
Delhi's air quality deteriorates, may worsen by Sunday: Authorities
The air quality in Delhi deteriorated on Saturday with drop in wind speed, and the authorities predicted further fall in the air quality index of the national capital in the coming days. The overall air quality index (AQI) recorded at 4 pm Saturday stood at 300 which falls in the poor category and is just one point from being 'very poor', according to Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). On Friday the AQI of the national capital stood at 154. An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'. Adjoining Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Noida also recorded 'very poor' air quality levels, the data by the Central Pollution Control Board showed. The PM10 level (presence of particles with diameter less than 10 micrometres) in Delhi stood at 243 and the PM2.5 level was recorded at 122, according to the data. Authorities have predicted further deterioration ..
Industries, vehicles cause pollution, not stubble burning: Farmers
Farmers in Punjab on Saturday claimed that industries and vehicles majorly contribute to air pollution and not stubble burning.For the last few days, Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) have been experiencing pollution due to the burning of stubble in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.However, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee district secretary Jarmanjeet Singh told ANI, "The farmers have no other option than to burn stubble. We will not let the government impose fines on farmers for stubble burning. Industries and vehicles majorly contribute to pollution, not farmers".Demanding a subsidy for farmers as per the directives of the National Green Tribunal, he said: "The Green Tribunal also said that farmers with two acres of land must be given tools free of cost. The owners of five acres of land would be given Rs 5000 subsidy while the farmers having land more than five acres will get an amount of Rs 15000. But the government is doing nothing in this regard."Speaking on .
PM Khan vows to make Pakistan 'cleaner than Europe'
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday vowed to make Pakistan "cleaner than Europe" as he formally launched a campaign aimed at improving sanitary conditions in the country. Khan planted a sapling and participated in the 'Clean and Green Pakistan' drive at the Model College for Girls in Islamabad, according to Radio Pakistan. Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister urged the students and youth to lead the campaign as it is connected with the future of the country. Khan vowed to make the country "cleaner than Europe" in five years. "For this to happen, we will also have to bring a change in our mindset," he said. He pointed out that "plantation is imperative to protect the environment and check global warming". He said Pakistan is the seventh most vulnerable country to global warming. He mentioned that Lahore is among the cities where the pollution level is very high. Khan claimed his party's government had planted a billion trees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. He said his ...
Punjab farmers demand viable solution for stubble burning
Scores of farmers Saturday held a demonstration at Punjab's Barnala district, asking the government to come out with a viable solution for stubble burning. Under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), farmers including women gathered at Barnala's grain market, protesting against the state and central government for allegedly harassing paddy growers in Punjab. They demanded the government give farmers Rs 200 per quintal as bonus for the management of crop residue if it failed to propose a viable solution for stubble burning problem. "The government should come out with a proper solution for stubble burning problem or else give us Rs 200 per quintal as bonus for the management of crop residue," said BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Khokrikalan. They sad by using farm machinery, only 9 per cent of the stubble which comes around 20 lakh tonne out of 220 lakh tonne can be managed, said Khokrikalan. He said farmers were being unnecessarily defamed over stubble burning issue.
Bachendri Pal undertakes month-long 'Mission Gange' expedition
Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to scale Mount Everest, along with a 40-member team, is on a month-long rafting expedition 'Mission Gange' to clean River Ganga and spread awareness about waste management.The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has been making several efforts to rejuvenate and conserve Ganga, as the River serves as a lifeline to millions of people who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs.'Mission Gange' is, therefore, being organised to spread awareness about keeping the sanctity of River Ganga intact. It is being organised by the NMCG along with Tata Steels, as part of which the expedition team will be rafting through the Ganges-waters across seven major cities of India during the month-long journey.Speaking on the expedition, Bachendri Pal said "We will raft for 1,500 km and will have halts of three days each in bigger cities. We will clean and spread awareness amongst all especially, the youth and school students".A member of the ...
Arjun backs Jacqueline's initiative to rebuild Kerala
Actor Arjun Kapoor extended his support to Jacqueline Fernandez's initiative to rebuild Kerala after the unfortunate floods hit the state.Jacqueline has been an active voice when it comes to social issues. The actress has backed many causes like marine conservation and animal welfare and is currently striving to rebuild Kerela.In the backdrop of this initiative, Arjun took to social media to give a shout out to Jacqueline and requested netizens to support her cause.Arjun shared, "Let's not forget the devastation the floods have left behind. Let's support #JacquelineBuilds & #HabitatForHumanityIndia in our capacity and help them rebuild Kerala... one step at a time: https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/HFHIKeralaDisasterRelief @Asli_Jacqueline @habitatindia".Through the initiative, Jacqueline is collecting funds to rebuild Kerala which was severely affected by the disastrous floods earlier this year.The 'Dishoom' star recently represented animal welfare at the United Nations (UN) on ...
Need to step up efforts to manage electronic waste: Environment Minister
Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Saturday the government was trying to ensure better management of electronic waste but the implementation was tardy.
Authorities ban firecrackers in UP's Shamli district
The district authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli have put a ban on the sale of firecrackers, officials said on Saturday. The decision was taken on Friday as the district comes under the National Capital Region (NCR), District Magistrate Inder Vikram Singh said. All Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDM) have been directed to ensure that the ban is implemented strictly, officials said.
Delhi air quality deterioates, haze envelopes Mumbai
Delhi-National Capital Region has been reeling from bouts of pollution for last few days due to stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi on Saturday morning 699, which is considered way above hazardous.The AQI between the range of 51 to 100 is considered as satisfactory, 101-200 is moderate, 201-300 comes under the poor category, whereas 401-500 range is severe.Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain had earlier stated that the poor farmers are burning stubble as they have not been incentivised adequately.Toxic air has affected not just north India. Mumbai's pollution plight has also got worse with the climate change as haze continued to cover the millennium city's skyline for the second day on Saturday. Though not as severe as in Delhi, yet the AQI is 175, which is quite high by Mumbai's standards. It is likely to go up in the coming ...
India needs more action to achieve global goals: Experts
India needs more action to achieve Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) to bring better and more sustainable future for all, according to experts. SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly to address the global challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. "India's public and private sectors need to talk about the SDGs," Vimal Mahendru, ambassador at the Geneva-based International Electrotechnical Commission, said. "Indian corporate sector is very fast maturing and sees its place in the global scheme of things...What is missing is a clear communication about the SDGs," he said here at the two-day Responsible Business Forum, which concluded on Friday. "There is a lot of awareness about SDG at international levels. However, in India, the SDG debate has not yet started," Mahendru, who is also the president of the Legrand Group, India, said. Yasir Ahmad, ...
Caribbean to test greenhouse-gas linked ocean acidity
Tourism and fishery-dependent Caribbean nations plan to test the acidity of the Caribbean Sea as a result of increased absorption of greenhouse gases, a senior regional official said Friday. The International Atomic Energy Agency "will assist" with the project, said Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism. "I am very positive that we will have things going by next year," he told AFP in Barbados where Caribbean agriculture ministers are holding their annual meeting. Haughton said the Caribbean would also be establishing laboratories and training personnel to conduct future testing. Scientists already believe that the increased acidity is caused by the sea's absorption of carbon emissions. "In more recent times scientists have realized that the absorption of carbon dioxide in the ocean is actually causing serious, serious problems in the ocean itself. Basically, the seawater is becoming more and more acidic and that is not good for the living ...
Rajasthan: 276 teams deployed in Zika virus-affected wards
At least 276 teams have been deployed in Zika virus-affected wards of Jaipur's Shastri Nagar.The teams have surveyed 11,313 houses, of which 2,282 are positive for mosquito breeding. Apart from this, around 39,246 containers have been checked, of which 3,567 are positive for larvae.As a preventing measure, 133 blood and urine samples including 58 pregnant females and 75 fever patients have been collected and sent to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College for further investigations.Fogging has also been done in the affected area to prevent the spread of virus.Earlier this week, Rajasthan Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Veenu Gupta had confirmed a total of 29 positive cases of Zika virus, including three pregnant women.Meanwhile, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda had also assured that everything is under control and that there is no need to panic.Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite during the day. Symptoms .
Delhi Environment Minister expresses concern over stubble burring
Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain on Friday expressed concern over the unabated stubble burning noticed in the neighbouring states.Taking to his official Twitter handle, Hussain shared some pictures of burning crop residue in the state surrounding the National Capital Region (NCR), despite the prohibition on the same."It is a matter of deep concern that when such instances are visible even on the National Highway, what might be the situation in other areas of these states?" he tweeted.The state environment minister further said that situation along the National Highway clearly indicates, that the stubble burning may be widespread in of neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.He said that the situation is also leading to a reasonable apprehension that Delhi might witness and experience another episode of worsening ambient air quality conditions in the coming weeks and months.Hussain further accused the central government and governments of the ...
Connectivity biggest challenge for Arunachal: Khandu
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday said the biggest challenge for Arunachal is connectivity.
Dwarka, Veraval and Gopnath to be developed as lighthouse tourism spots
The Union shipping ministry has decided to develop Gujarat's Dwarka, Veraval and Gopnath coastal towns as lighthouse tourism spots.
Analysis: Trump's ethanol plan: Hype now, legal fights later
WASHNGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's hyping of a plan to boost ethanol demand drew cheers at an Iowa rally on Tuesday, but the oil refining industry has promised a lawsuit to block the move, so victory for Midwest farmers is far from certain.
