Page 428 - Environment
JSW Energy eyes stressed hydro assets;to revive Kutehr project
Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Energy is looking to acquire stressed hydro projects to increase its renewable energy portfolio, along with reviving its 240-megawatt (MW) Kutehr hydro power project in the state. The company at present has two operating hydro power projects with a total capacity of 1,300 MW in the state, which it had acquired from Jaiprakash Power Ventures for Rs 9,700 crore in FY16. "We want to increase our hydro power portfolio and we are definitely looking at various opportunities including stressed hydro projects at present. "We are evaluating a few of them in addition to reviving our own 240-MW Kutehr project," the company's chief operating officer (energy business), Sharad Mahendra, told reporters here. The work on the Kutehr project was stalled eight years ago mainly due to lack of a favourable hydro policy and clarity on long-term power purchase agreement for the capacity. "Himachal Pradesh has come out with a hydro policy, which is enabling us to revive ..
North Goa fishermen seek ban on purse seine net fishing
Traditional fishermen from North Goa Thursday requested the state government to ban purse seine net fishing in inland waters, which they say was depleting the fish stock and affecting their livelihood. A group of fishermen, who belong to the areas between Dona Paula and Agassaim along the Zuari river, met Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar and drew his attention to the "rising intrusion" of canoes fitted with purse seine nets fishing in inland waters. The group of fishermen, led by local Catholic priest Fr Valerin Vaz and Congress legislator Francis Silveira, said although these nets were supposed to be used for fishing at least five kms offshore, they were being used in inland waters. "The purse seine nets are supposed to be used for trawling in the areas that are over five kms away from the coast. They are not supposed to intrude in the territories, where traditional fishermen have been predominantly operating," Vaz said. During the meeting, they told the minister how .
Centre to study Karnataka's agri-dash board model
The Centre has decided to study Karnataka's latest agri-dashboard model that indicates if mandi prices of crops are ruling below the minimum support price (MSP), so that the government can make timely intervention to protect interest of farmers, a senior state government official said Thursday. The agri-price analysis dashboard, which the Karnataka government launched in July known as KRIPA, provides analysis of whether spot prices are ruling below MSP and also forecasts rates for next three months. "In a meeting with the Union Agriculture Ministry officials Wednesday, our dashboard was discussed in detail. The centre has in-principally agreed to study it and see if it can pursue with other states to implement," agri-price advisory body Karnataka Agricultural Prices Commission Chairman T N Prakash Kammardi told reporters here. The dashboard provides prices prevailing in 176 Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis in Karnataka, the arrival and sale of crops as per varieties
Tough CO2 targets 'could cost 100,000 jobs': VW chief
Setting European Union targets for reducing cars' greenhouse gas output that are too ambitious could backfire with the loss of 100,000 jobs, Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess said Thursday. If ministers aimed to slash carbon dioxide (CO2) output by 40 per cent between 2020 and 2030, "around a quarter of the jobs in our factories would have to go in the space of 10 years -- a total of 100,000 posts," Diess told daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. EU governments agreed Tuesday to aim for a 35-per cent reduction in CO2 output by 2030 rather than the 30 per cent hoped for by manufacturers, Berlin and eastern European governments. While Chancellor Angela Merkel called the compromise "acceptable", the head of the VDA German carmakers' federation Bernhard Mattes labelled it "overambitious" and "gambling with jobs". Diess went into more detail, saying that a more gradual reduction in CO2 emissions would make for a slower ramping-up of electric cars -- which take many fewer man-hours to build ..
Leopard cub dies after hit by two-wheeler in Pench buffer zone
A leopard cub died Thursday in the buffer area of the Pench Tiger Reserve near Pipariya village in Maharashtra, apparently after it was run over by a two-wheeler while crossing road, a Forest official said. The spot of the incident--Paoni Sillari road--is located in the buffer area of the forest. Pench Tiger Reserve field director Ravikiran said the Forest department had opposed a proposal of the state PW (Public Works) department for widening the road, fearing such accidents. "The Public Works Department (PWD) had submitted a proposal to widen Paoni-Sillari road. However, the forest department had opposed granting the No Objection Certificate (NOC) fearing such accidents," the officer said. He said the spot of the incident was located around 50 metres away from a sign post on speed limit for vehicles crossing the area.
Kerala pilgrim tourism: Centre gives nod to projects worth
In a major fillip to pilgrim tourism, Kerala has received the Centre's approval for projects worth around Rs 90 crore to improve tourist amenities in 147 centres of different faiths across the state. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has endorsed the proposal submitted by the state government, as part of the Tourism Infrastructure Development plan. Noting that pilgrim tourism was a priority area for the state, Tourism and Devaswom minister, Kadkampally Surendran said a detailed project report on the scheme would be submitted to the Centre soon. "As the next step, a detailed project plan will be prepared at the earliest and submitted to the Centre. The government will be giving priority to the development of pilgrim tourism, considering the growing importance of this segment," a press release quoting Surendran added. The project would be implemented as part of the Pilgrim Tourism Third Circuit Development Plan, under which basic infrastructures in major Hindu, .
Poor air quality damages image of country in international arena: Harsh Vardhan
With the commencement of harvesting season, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said that if stubble is burnt then the air quality of Delhi and neighbouring states will be affected, adding that it also damages the image of the country in international arena.Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister said, "It is very loud and clear that if stubble is burnt then it is not only that Delhi is going to suffer, their own states' air quality will also deteriorate. Pollution in Delhi also damages our image in the international arena."Vardhan added that the Centre has provided funds to Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana for farm implements."We have done regular meetings with the ministers and officials of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. The Government of India has also given funds to these state governments for farm implements. We have asked state governments to handover farmers these implements by October 15," he said.The government has banned stubble ...
Metro: Give fair hearing to people objecting tree cutting, HC tells BMC
The Bombay High Court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Thursday to grant a fair hearing to the city residents who are objecting to the proposal to cut trees for the metro car-shed project. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice G S Kulkarni also directed the BMC's tree authority to publish on its website details of the permission granted for cutting trees for the car shed and the map coordinates of such trees. The directions came while the bench was disposing of a writ petition objecting to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation's (MMRC) proposal to cut 2,700 trees to clear a 33-hectare plot at the Aarey Milk Colony here to make way for the proposed car shed for the Mumbai Metro-3 project. The BMC objected to the plea, arguing it was premature since its tree authority was yet to grant final permission for cutting trees for the car shed. The civic body said it had already invited objections from the public and was in the process of granting a hearing .
Splash partners with Natur-Tec to pioneer new sustainable garment packaging solution
Splash, a prominent fashion retailer in India and Middle East, and a brand owned by the Landmark Group, has partnered with Natur-Tec, a business unit of Northern Technologies International Corporation ("NTIC") (NasdaqThe brand's 80 million polybags a year have been replaced with "bioplastics" - a biobased and compostable plastic alternative to conventional plastics. The biobased carbon is helping reduce 298 Tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year. At the end of useful life, these eco-friendly bags are safely and completely digested (biodegraded) by macro- and micro-organisms in natural composting and soil disposal.This approach reduces the carbon footprint of the company's packaging and provides for an environmentally responsible end-of-life through composting. The company's new approach is in line with the Circular Economy model and eliminates leakage into the ocean environment and landfills.Use of conventional plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene are facing harsh societal
First launch of Russia's spacecraft may be put off from 2022 to 2023
The first test launch of the unmanned version of Russia's new Federation spacecraft atop the new Soyuz-5 rocket has been suggested to be rescheduled from 2022 to 2023 after two test launches of the rocket with other spacecraft are held, a source in the aerospace industry told Sputnik on Thursday.The unmanned version of Federation was initially set to be launched from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome atop Soyuz-5 in 2022, with the second test flight planned for 2023, when the spacecraft was set to dock to the International Space Station (ISS). The manned flight was expected to be held in 2024. However, in July, the Russian Space Corporation (Roscosmos) said that during its first launch in 2022, the Soyuz-5 rocket will not bring Federation to the orbit, as it had initially been planned, but will have another spacecraft atop of it."According to the new schedule of the Soyuz-5 launches, which is being formed now, five launches of the new carrier rocket are planned to be held before 2025. The .
Work with sincerity, responsibility on issue of stubble burning: Centre to states
The Centre Thursday appealed to neighbouring states like Haryana and Punjab to work with full sincerity and responsibility in persuading farmers not to burn paddy stubble in order to check pollution. Union Environment and Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said that the Centre is monitoring the matter at all levels. "I am appealing and praying and hopeful that states will definitely work with more sincerity and responsibility as compared to earlier years (on the issue)," he told reporters here. Stubble burning has been a major concern in northern India during the harvesting season. It led to severe air pollution in National Capital Region and its neighbouring areas in the past few years, prompting the authorities to take measures to tackle the problem. The ministry, he said, has held meetings with ministers and officers of the states on the issue and asked them to distribute farm equipments to farmers by October 15. The Centre has already provided Rs 500-600 crore for the .
Pakistan, Afghanistan urged to sign treaty on Kabul river water
Experts have urged for an agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan on the apportionment of the Kabul river water and warned that construction of reservoirs on the river would disturb its entire ecology.
Major Ports Register Positive Growth of 5.12% In First Half Of FY2019
The major ports in India have recorded a growth of 5.12% and together handled 343.26 Million Tonnes of cargo during the period April to September, 2018 as against 326.54 Million Tonnes handled during the corresponding period of previous year. For the period from April '17- September 2018, Nine Ports (Kolkata (incl.Haldia), Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Kamarajar, Chennai, Cochin, New Mangalore, JNPT and Deendayal have registered positive growth in traffic.
Government Approves Special Package for Footwear And Leather Sector
The Central Government has approved a special package for employment generation in leather and footwear sector. The package involves implementation of Central Sector Scheme - Indian Footwear, Leather & Accessories Development Programme (IFLADP) with an approved expenditure of Rs. 2600 Crore for 2017-20.
Humans colonised Madagascar later than thought: Study
Modern humans may have colonised Madagascar thousands of years later than previously thought, according to a study. Madagascar's colonisation is key for tracing prehistoric human dispersal across the Indian Ocean, but exactly when human settlement began in the island remains unclear, said researchers from the Australian National University. Several pieces of evidence, including archaeological findings such as chert tools and charcoal, provide a direct indication of human occupation in Madagascar from about 1500 years before present (BP), where "present" is defined as AD 1950. However, recent studies have suggested that the island's early settlers made first landfall as early as 5000 years BP, based on indirect evidence from animal bones with damage (cutmarks) presumably resulting from human activity. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, revisited these bone collections and excavated three new sites in southwest Madagascar to collect a larger sample of animal bone ...
World's largest fusion facility to see 'light' by 2025, says its top official (IANS Interview)
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the worlds largest experimental fusion facility in which India is a scientific partners, will start generating "a new, clean, safe and unlimited light" by 2025, its Director General, Bernard Bigot has said.
Rain Carbon to resume shipments of petroleum coke to its Vizag calcining facility
Receives petroleum coke import exemption from Supreme Court of India
Record 'fast radio bursts' detected from deep space
Australian researchers on Thursday said they have detected a record number of radio waves from space, including the closest and fastest one that may help understand the matter between galaxies.
Humans may have colonized Madagascar later than previously believed
New archaeological evidence from southwest Madagascar revealed that modern humans colonized the island thousands of years later than previously thought.The study was conducted by the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, and colleagues.Madagascar's colonization is a key for tracing prehistoric human dispersal across the Indian Ocean, but exactly when human settlement began in the island remains unclear.Several pieces of evidence, including archaeological findings such as chert tools and charcoal, provide a direct indication of human occupation in Madagascar from about 1500 years before present (BP). However, recent studies have suggested that the island's early settlers made the first landfall as early as 5000 years BP, based on indirect evidence from animal bones with damage (cutmarks) presumably resulting from human activity.Atholl Anderson, the lead researcher, and colleagues revisited these bone collections and excavated three new sites in southwest Madagascar to ...
'BPCL refinery to make India less reliant on other countries for crude oil'
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday said that refinery plant under Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) will make the country less reliant on other for crude oil and will also fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of doubling farmers' income.Earlier on Wednesday, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal laid the foundation of the BPCL ethanol bio-fuel refinery plant in Bargarh."The refinery will be completed in upcoming two years. We are coming up with different strategies to fulfill the promise of Prime Minister Modi's for doubling the farmer's income," he said."Two things will happen because of the refinery plant is that nation's self-sufficiency will increase and secondly farmers' income will be doubled," he added.
