Page 445 - Environment
Bullet train project: JICA ready to meet farmers, says lawyer
A lawyer representing the farmers who are opposing land acquisition for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train claimed Wednesday that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has agreed to meet them. On September 18, 1,000 farmers from Gujarat had written to the JICA, the funding agency, and requested it to form a team to hear the project-affected farmers. They were staring at "involuntary displacement" due to land acquisition "which is against the JICA guidelines for funding of such projects," said advocate Anand Yagnik, farmers' lawyer. "The JICA today formally acknowledged in a written comunication that it has received the petition, and stated that soon it will arrange a meeting between JICA officials and farmers," he said. The farmers had earlier said they were considering approaching courts in Japan against JICA, Yagnik said. The farmers had also written to Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the issue. Meanwhile, as many as 47 farmers have filed fresh petitions in ..
Ebay alleges Amazon poached sellers from its platform
(Reuters) - Ebay Inc on Wednesday accused Amazon.com Inc of trying to poach sellers for its own platform through Ebay's internal messaging system.
Cabinet approves two Metro rail projects in poll-bound MP
The Union Cabinet approved on Wednesday two Metro rail projects in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh -- in Indore and Bhopal. The Indore project will run along the Ring Line (Bengali Square - Vijay Nagar - Bhawarsala - Airport - Patasia - Bengali Square). The total number of stations on the line are 30. "The project will provide continuous availability of affordable, reliable, safe, secure and seamless transport system in the urban agglomeration of the city, which will reduce the accidents, pollution, travel time, energy consumption, anti-social incidents as well as regulate urban expansion and land use for sustainable development," it said. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 7,500.80 crore and the project will be completed in four years. The tenders for first civil work package have been invited and work will start soon. The Bhopal project comprises two corridors of total length 27.87 Km -- Karond Circle to AIIMS (14.99 Km) and Bhadbhada Square to Ratnagiri Tiraha (12.88 Km). The ...
India's commitment to beat plastic pollution 'doable': UNEP chief
Calling India's commitment to beat plastic pollution "doable", UN Environment chief Erik Solheim said Wednesday there is enormous energy from its states to fulfil its promise to eliminate single-use plastic by 2022. He suggested a three-pronged approach to beat plastic pollution and said the first step is elimination of plastic products, such as plastic straw and cups, that do not serve any purpose. "Then there are plastic products that are very useful and those we need to recycle, and the third is innovation where we can use straws made from hay, from bamboo," he told PTI. Talking about India's commitment to beat plastic pollution, Solheim said it is a "doable" challenge to eliminate single use plastic by 2022. "I can see enormous energy in India from various states to beat plastic pollution who have made very very strong commitments (to beat plastic pollution). It is doable," he said. "There is a strong strong push by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to beat plastic pollution and ...
TN, Pondy to receive widespread rain in next 3 days
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is likely to receive widespread, moderate rain with some isolated incidents of heavy downpour in the next three days, Deputy Director General of Meteorology S Balachandran said Wednesday. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea between October 6 and 8 over the South Kerala coast, Lakshadweep area, Comorin area, Southeast Arabian sea and Central Arabian sea, he told reporters here. "Formation of a low pressure area over southeast Arabian sea on October 5 and its transformation into a cyclonic storm while moving towards northwestward direction on October 6 and 7 is also likely to happen," he said. "Till October 5, there would be widespread, moderate rainfall in TN and Pondicherry and heavy rainfall in some isolated places," he said. The official said those who are in deep sea have been advised to return to the coast by October 5. Forecasting a favourable northeast monsoon, the official had earlier said the state is likely receive ...
SoftBank proposes to offer free power to solar alliance
(Reuters) - Japan's SoftBank Group Corp has proposed to offer free electricity, after 25 years, to International Solar Alliance (IS) member-countries that sign power purchase agreements (PPA), Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said at a renewable energy conference in New Delhi on Wednesday.
HC may permit redevelopment in 6 Delhi colonies if approvals granted
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday appeared inclined to permit re-development of six south Delhi colonies, including Sarojini Nagar and Nauroji Nagar, if the project gets all the requisite approvals as per law. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said it will pass orders clarifying what the Centre and the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC), which is carrying out part of the work, would have to do. After the matter was over, Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Environment Ministry, said the project can go on once it receives all the approvals, including forest clearance, as required under the law. Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for residents of the areas in question who are opposing the project since it would lead to felling of several hundreds of trees, said since the central government has revised the project, therefore, it will need to get fresh forest and environment clearances for the six colonies. The ...
Patnaik-led Odisha govt cheating tribals: Maoists
Maoists have claimed that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's government is cheating tribals in the state.The Maoists, who held a meeting here on the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) on Tuesday, said the Gurupriya Bridge, which Patnaik claimed will bring development to the region, has caused large-scale losses to tribals."The Odisha government has constructed the bridge to loot the minerals in the region. To generate surplus electricity from the Balimela reservoir, the Odisha government has been storing more water in the dam. As a result, huge tracks of land under seven panchayats in the area have been inundated and thousands of farmers have suffered crop losses," the Maoists said.According to reports, more than 2,000 people attended the meeting which was held on the border abutting Sileru area in Vizag.Addressing the tribals, the Maoists also said that if the Odisha government fails to decrease the water level in the Balimela reservoir, they will support the people's agitation.
Kerala asks fishermen not to venture into sea amid cyclone fears
The Kerala government has told fishermen not to venture into the sea after October 5 following warning of a cyclone by India Meterological Department, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday.
Flood: Ker Ministers to visit foreign countries seeking aid
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues will visit various foreign countries from October 17 to mobilise funds from the expatriate community to rebuild the flood-battered state. Each minister would visit different countries from October 17 to 21, Vijayan told reporters here. The objective was to consolidate and collect aid from non-resident Keralites (NRKs) there, Vijayan told reporters here. "The major agenda before the government is to rebuild the state with the support of people from all walks of life. Mobilisation of funds is a major challenge to achieve the target...that's why the ministers have decided to visit foreign countries to mobilise funds from NRKs. The expatriates have already contributed to the Chief Minister's relief fund in a remarkable way," he said. He also expressed hope that expatriates could play a vital role in rebuilding the state, which had suffered huge damage in the torrential rains that lashed the state over a month ..
Power tariff stays at decade high of Rs 18.20/unit in spot market
Power tariff touched a fresh decade-high of Rs 18.20 per unit at the spot market on Wednesday as electricity demand mainly for evening hours continues to outstrip supply amid low wind and hydro energy production. Coal shortage at independent thermal power plants and captive power plants has also affected supplies to the grid, forcing big power consumers to make a beeline at the exchange, according to sources. A total of 268 MU (million units) were sold for supply on Thursday, the IEX data showed. In the DAM trading session concluded Wednesday at IEX, there were buy bids for 332 MU against sell bids for 288 MU. "Spot power price for supply on Thursday touched 10-year high of Rs 18.20 per unit in spot trading on Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) on Wednesday. The average spot power price was also high at Rs 7.50 per unit at IEX on Wednesday," a source said. The power price have seen an upward trend in the day ahead market (DAM) at IEX since September 23 when it touched to a high of Rs 14.09 .
HC allows NBCC to seek fresh clearances for redevelopment project
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) to proceed with seeking fresh clearances for redevelopment of residential project in six colonies of the national capital.
Lab glass bottles to be used in construction work after
Refuse glass bottles of laboratories can now be used in construction works under a recycling process designed by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) here as part of its Swachhata initiative. Under the new waste management initiative, the CMFRI has set up a glass crushing unit that will pulverise them into sand-like shreds which could be used for construction works, the institute said in a release Wednesday. The unit, designed by Anoop Agustin of the Maintenance and Estate Cell of the CMFRI, was part of the Swachhata programme of the institute, it said. A one litre glass bottle could be crushed into granules within two seconds at the unit. Besides laboratory glass bottles, all refuse glass materials, including tube lights, could be recycled using the facility. CMFRI Director A Gopalakrishnan, who inaugurated the the glass crushing unit, said laboratories could be kept environment-friendly through the proper management of recycling the glass bottles ...
Tech developed by scientists to tackle pollution to be showcased in global meets: Vardhan
Innovative technologies developed by Indian scientists to tackle pollution will be showcased at the Asia Ministerial meet in Singapore and the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Wednesday. The minister held a meeting with Head of UN Environment Erik Solheim here and appraised him of development of technologies by Indian scientists to address environmental degradation, including bio-diesel from plastic waste among others. On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented the UN's Champions of the Earth Award by United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the minister said that as Gujarat Chief Minister, Modi had brought global warming and climate change to the centre stage of national politics and he deserved the award. "India would showcase innovative technologies developed by our scientists to address pollution at Asia Ministerial in Singapore in Jan & 4th #EnvironmentAssembly in Nairobi in March2019. @ErikSolheim ...
Raje launches 4th phase of MJSA, will cover 4,000 villages
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Wednesday launched the fourth phase of the Mukhyamantri Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan (MJSA), the campaign for water harvesting and conservation in rural areas of the state. The phase will cover 4,000 villages of Rajasthan. Raje said the state has become an example of water conservation as ground water level has increased after the introduction of the MJSA. "The campaign will change the picture of the state in future," she said. The chief minister informed that the National Green Tribunal has recommended the implementation of the scheme in other states as well. "The NITI Ayog has made a special reference to the scheme in national water index report," she said, adding that the Union Agriculture Ministry has invited the state to give a presentation on the MJSA so that other states can also implement it. An average of 4.66 feet ground water level has increased in the state. 63 per cent hand pumps and 20 per cent tube wells have been revived in villages .
Construction of drain: NGT warns of summoning Delhi Finance secretary
The National Green Tribunal Wednesday warned of summoning the Delhi Finance secretary if the AAP government fails to give authorisation to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) for spending money to construct a drain here before October 8. A bench of Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore and expert member S S Garbyal said in case the authorisation for spending the remaining amount is not given in writing to the EDMC, the Finance secretary of the Delhi government shall remain present before it. The green panel took exception that despite its specific order to give authorisation to the EDMC, the matter was being delayed by shuttling it from one department to other. "No doubt the manner in which this case is being taken up, on behalf of Government of NCT Delhi, is quite interesting. We are witnessing a true picture as to how one department shifts the responsibility to the other, even when all of them re within the Govt. of NCT Delhi. As already said, we had intimated the chief secretary, ..
Govt agrees to farmers' demand of keeping tractors out of NGT list
Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday announced that the government has agreed to farmers' demand to keep tractors out of the list of banned vehicles by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).The minister further clarified that tractors will be kept out of the list since these are equipment of agriculture. "NGT's order is that diesel vehicles more than 10 yrs old can't enter Delhi NCR. Farmers' demanded that their tractors are equipment of agriculture and should be kept out of vehicles' list. Government agreed. Centre will make efforts with the government (Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana) of the region," Shekhawat told ANI.His statement comes after the Kisan Kranti Padyatra was called off on Wednesday morning. The padyatra started on September 23 by the Bharatiya Kisan Union in the national capital. The protesting farmers had even reached Kisan Ghat, the memorial of renowned farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh on late Tuesday night.The ..
Abhay Chautala writes to Khattar, demands compensation to farmers for crop loss
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Abhay Singh Chautala has written to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to conduct a revenue survey to assess loss to the crops due to recent heavy rains in the state and demanded suitable compensation to the affected farmers. In his letter dated October 2, the leader has asked for a special 'girdwari' (revenue survey to assess loss) and payment of compensation to the farmers at the rate of Rs 25,000 per acre, waiving of interest for next one year on loans taken by the farmers and making adequate arrangement for pumping out water from the water logged fields. "It surprises me that a special 'girdwari' to assess the damage caused to the crops has neither been announced nor has it begun," he said. Heavy rains lashed the state between September 22 and 24. Chautala hasgiven a deadline of October 9 to the government to fulfil these demands and warned that workers of Indian National Lok Daland its allyBSPwill launch a stir and gherao the revenue officials of ..
Install vapour recovery devices at fuel stations by Oct 31: NGT to oil cos
In a bid to tackle the menace of toxic emissions at petrol pumps, the National Green Tribunal has directed public sector oil companies to install vapour recovery devices at all fuel stations by October 31. Vapour recovery device is an instrument to capture displaced vapours that emerge from inside a vehicle's fuel tank when petrol or diesel is dispensed into it. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said installation of machines was necessary in view of the adverse effects of chemicals like benzene, toluene and ethylbenzene on human health and environment. "There is no dispute about the need for installing Stage-I and Stage-II vapour recovery devices at all fuel stations, distribution centres, terminals, railway loading/unloading facilities and airports in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. "The only issue is the implementation. The matter is pending for over two years. The timelines prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have expired. ...
'Viral and protozoal infection behind death of 11 Gir lions'
A deadly combination of Canine Distemper Virus and Protozoal infection is responsible for death of at least 11 of 23 lions in Gujarat's Gir forest since September 12, the state government said Wednesday. The condition of three of over 36 lions currently under observation of Forest department is critical, officials said. Interestingly, Forest department has been maintaining that injuries caused by infighting is the cause behind the deaths of big cats in their only abode in Asia. As a precautionary measure, 300 shots of vaccine are imported from the US to protect the lions of Gir, they said. State Forest and Environment Minister Ganpat Vasava told reporters that Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) was found in the samples of four of the eleven dead lions by Pune-based National Institute of Virology, and Protozoa in the rest seven. Canine distemper is a contagious viral disease that affects a wide variety of animal species, including dogs, coyotes, foxes, pandas and wolves. It attacks the ...
