Page 447 - Environment
Odisha panel to aid seismic mapping of Bhubaneswar
The Odisha government has set up a committee to facilitate a team from the Ministry of Earth Sciences conducting a seismic micro-zonation mapping for the entire Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area (BDPA), an official said. The team of experts from the ministry has started the initial survey for the purpose. Bhubaneswar is a leading city in the country to be taken up for such a survey by the ministry, the official said. In its bid to facilitate the survey, the state government has formed a committee under the chairmanship of Vice-Chairman BDA (Bhubaneswar Development Authority). This may help in earthquake mapping of the entire plan area under BDA's jurisdiction, the official said. The high-level team also comprises Additional District Magistrate, Bhubaneswar, a member from IIT Bhubaneswar, City Engineer, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and a senior official from the Science and Technology Department. The survey is required as the BDPA falls under Seismic Zone-III. ...
Climate directly linked to culture, says Modi after getting UNEP award
Climate and culture are directly linked as without this calamity cannot be avoided, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after he was conferred the 'Champions of Earth' award of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) here on Wednesday.
Bihar gets its first solid waste processing site
Bihar's first solid waste processing site, which will convert organic waste into compost fertiliser, was inaugurated in Muzaffarpur district, officials said on Wednesday.
Climate, calamity linked to culture: Modi
A clean and green environment is at the root of his government's policies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here Wednesday as he was presented the UN's Champions of the Earth Award by United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron were jointly awarded the UN's highest environmental honour for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance and promoting new areas of cooperation on environmental action. In his address, Modi said climate and calamity are linked to culture, and it will be difficult to avoid calamity as long as concerns for the climate do not become a part of culture. From agriculture and industrial policies to building houses and construction of toilets, the need for a clean environment has been driving his government's programmes, Modi said. India's commitment to environment has only increased, he said, adding that his government is working to bring down "emission intensity" by 20-25 per cent in the ..
Berhampur Municipal Corporation areas ODF: Ganjam Collector
The Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) areas have become Open Defecation Free (ODF). The corporation, one of the oldest civic bodies in the state, was declared ODF by Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange at a function held here on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on Tuesday with a call to make the town plastic free. In order to maintain the status of ODF, all are needed to have access to toilets, the collector said. At the same time he appealed to the people to shun plastic and use cotton bags to keep the environment clean. "The results of plastic-free and ODF will be known after one and two years, when we make the city pollution free," Asian Games silver medallist Dutee Chand, who was present in the function and participated in a mini-marathon, said while addressing the meeting. "We have made the silk city ODF. Now our endeavour is to make the city plastic-free," said BeMC Commissioner Chakravarti Singh Rathore. Berhamapur has about one lakh households. He said ...
Softbank proposes to offer free power to solar alliance countries
(Reuters) - Japan's Softbank Group Corp has proposed to offer free electricity, after 25 years, to International Solar Alliance member-countries that sign power purchase agreements, Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said at a renewable energy conference in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Thai bay made famous in 'The Beach' shut indefinitely
The glittering Thai bay immortalised in the movie "The Beach" will be closed indefinitely to allow it to recover from the impact of hordes of tourists, an official said Wednesday, as a temporary ban on visitors expired. Maya Bay, ringed by cliffs on Ko Phi Phi Ley island, was made famous when it featured in the 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. It was initially shut for four months in June due to beach erosion and pollution as the white-sand paradise sagged under pressure from thousands of day-trippers arriving by boat. But a survey of the problem during the temporary ban made clear that the short-term fix was not going to work and that the damage was worse than originally thought. "We have evaluated each month and found out that the ecological system was seriously destroyed from tourism of up to 5,000 people daily," Songtam Suksawang, director of the National Parks office, told AFP. "It's very difficult to remedy and rehabilitate because its beach was completely destroyed as well
Looming large: Shell's LNG Canada seen as tip of megaproject iceberg
LONDON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The launch of a massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in Canada could fire the starting gun on a wave of other approvals around the world, potentially curbing a supply crunch expected after 2020.
India's first dolphin research centre to come up soon in Patna
With the population of the endangered Gangetic river dolphin decreasing and its habitat changing, there is finally good news that the much-awaited National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC), India's and Asia's first, would be a reality here soon -- with October 5 being hinted at as the date for the groundbreaking ceremony.
NASA probe to asteroid Bennu slows down as it nears target
NASA's first mission to visit a near-Earth asteroid, the OSIRIS-REx, has executed the first of a series of exercises to slow down the spacecraft's speed to put it on course for its scheduled arrival at the asteroid Bennu in December.
Japan space probe launches new robot onto asteroid
A Japanese probe launched a new observation robot towards an asteroid on Wednesday as it pursues a mission to shed light on the origins of the solar system. The Hayabusa2 probe launched the French-German Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout, or MASCOT, towards the Ryugu asteroid's surface, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said. "We can confirm that the MASCOT separated from the spacecraft as planned," the agency said in a tweet on its official account. It was not clear how long it would take for confirmation of the robot's safe landing on the asteroid, where it is expected to collect a wide range of data. "It is hugely significant to take data from the surface of an asteroid, we have high expectations for the scientific data," Hayabusa2 mission manager Makoto Yoshikawa said at a briefing before the landing. The 10-kilogramme (22-pound) box-shaped MASCOT is loaded with sensors. It can take images at multiple wavelengths, investigate minerals with a microscope, gauge surface ...
How Maharashtra farmers use smart phones to boost cotton yields
Forty-year-old cotton farmer Nivrutti Ghule feels more in control of his crops today. If he has to leave his village on urgent work, he doesnt have his earlier misgivings on whether the plants will be tended to properly in his absence. Now with a simple click of his android phone, he can feed in the time and duration he wants the cotton saplings to be watered, automatically activating his water pump.
UN urges Africa to re-strategise programmes against deforestation
The UN has called on African governments to re-strategise their programmes against deforestation and environmental degradation.
India, Bangladesh should jointly pressurise Myanmar: UN Gen-Secy on Rohingya issue
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday opined that India needs to support Bangladesh much more and put pressure on Myanmar to ease the Rohingya crisis.The UNSG, while delivering a public lecture on Global Solutions, Global Challenges in the national capital, while responding to a question on Rohingya refugees, said: "I have not seen any community as discriminated as the Rohingya. Deep-rooted racism in Buddhist Myanmar society. The way Rohingya is treated by extremism and armed forces was brutal and it is not acceptable. India needs to support Bangladesh much more and put pressure on Myanmar to ease the worst humanitarian crisis I have ever seen."On being asked about the definition of terrorism, Guterres, who is on his maiden visit to India, accepted that the United Nations has not been able to define terrorism."There is no agreement on the definition of terrorism. It's not so dramatic because there are a number of tools and instruments working on that. But the ...
'India aims to generate 40% power from non-fossil fuel by 2030'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that by 2030, India aims to generate 40 per cent of its power requirement through non-fossil fuel-based resources."In India, we are seeing the effects of the greater use of Renewable Energy. To fulfill the targets of the Paris Agreement, We have started working on the action plan for the deployment of Renewable Energy. We have decided that by 2030, 40 per cent of our power capacity will be generated through non-fossil fuel-based resources," he said while addressing the first assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).Emphasising on the growing significance of renewable energy resources being the need of the hour, Prime Minister Modi said "Since last 15-200 years, human civilisation has been more dependent on the underground resources for its energy need. We are all seeing as to how our nature protested against it and is still protesting. Nature has been regularly trying to convey to us that energy present above the earth, be it in ..
Indian solar industry can attract $70-80 bn investment: Modi
India wants to create a robust ecosystem for the manufacture of solar panels in the country to give a filip to the sector which can provide opportunities for investments worth $70-80 billion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.
CBI registers PE in probe into tiger poaching incidents in Uttarakhand
The CBI has registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) in its probe into alleged collusion of the forest department officials in all cases of tiger deaths and poaching reported from protected areas in Uttarakhand, said agency sources.
Raje inaugurates Dravyavati rejuvenation project
Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated Dravyavati River Rejuvenation Project in Jaipur on Tuesday night. The project aims to reduce pollution, create green spaces and treat 170 million litres of sewerage water everyday. The project, which has been executed by Tata Projects Limited, is spread across a 47.5-km-long rain fed riverfront. Raje visited the experience centre at Shipra Path where she unveiled the project. On the occasion, the CM said, "A dream project has come true for a new Jaipur." Dravyavati river was a source of water in the city in the past but with time, it turned into a sewage nallah. Tata Projects Limited officials said the river front project has jogging tracks along its banks. Further, the riverfront will reduce the threat of floods and create employment. The encroachments were removed from the Nallah which helped restore the river, said Vinayak Deshpande, Managing Director, Tata Projects Limited. He said 16-km of the riverfront has been completed and .
Raje opens much-awaited Dravyavati river project
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday inaugurated the city's 'Dravyavati River Rejuvenation Project' executed by Tata Projects Ltd. spread over 47.5 km rain-fed riverfront.
Power tariff soars to a decade high of Rs 18/unit in spot market
Power tariff touched a decade high of Rs 18 per unit in the spot market on Tuesday due to low hydro and wind energy production and coal shortage at thermal plants. "Spot power price for supply on Wednesday touched 10-year high of Rs 18 per unit in spot trading on Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) on Tuesday. The average spot power price was also high at Rs 7.12 per unit at IEX on Tuesday," 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 per unit. The prices soared further to hit a nine-year high of Rs 16.49 per unit in the day ahead market on September 28. The spot power rate touched another high of Rs 17.61 per unit in trading at IEX on Sunday for supply on Monday. According to the IEX data, the previous high was recorded at Rs 17 per unit in August 2009. A total of 274 MU (million units) were sold for supply on Wednesday. In the DAM trading session concluded Tuesday at IEX, there were .
