Page 491 - Environment
ABB CEO meets with Prime Minister to discuss e-mobility, renewables and energy efficiency
Spiesshofer's meeting with the Prime Minister comes at a time when India has set an ambitious target of producing 227 GW of renewable energy by 2022, and has launched an initiative to electrically power majority of its public transport vehicles. India is also investing to make its power grid more resilient in the face of growing demand.
S. Korea reports first MERS case in three years
South Korea reported its first case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in three years, health officials said on Saturday. A 61-year-old businessman was diagnosed with the highly contagious viral respiratory illness, according to officials at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). He returned to South Korea Friday from a business trip in Kuwait where he stayed for three weeks, the KCDC said a statement. "Authorities have traced and separated 20 people who have come in close contact with the infected person," KCDC head Chung Eun-gyeong told journalists. They include medical staff, flight attendants and passengers of the plane the man flew back to South Korea on, she said. He was hospitalised with fever and phlegm and has been quarantined at a university hospital, she added. It is the first case of MERS diagnosed in South Korea since 2015, when an outbreak killed 38 people and triggered widespread panic.
Illegal sand mining: Tractor driver held for killing MP forest officer
A 35-year-old man was arrested early Saturday for allegedly running over and killing a Forest Department officer with a sand-laden tractor-trolley here, police said. Police managed to zero in on accused Devendra Gurjar after scouring the CCTV footage of the area, officials said. Gurjar even opened fired at the police in an attempt to escape when they reached Dhanala village near here to nab him. He was eventually chased down and overpowered, Morena Superintendent of Police Amit Sanghi said. Subedar Singh Kushwaha (50), a deputy forest ranger, stationed at a check post on National Highway 3 here to curb illegal excavation of sand from the Chambal riverbed, was killed at around 8 am Friday while inspecting vehicles coming from the riverside. Kushwaha was trying to intercept a tractor-trolley laden with illegally mined sand when another one intentionally mowed him down from behind, police had said Friday, adding that both vehicles fled the scene. Speaking to PTI on Saturday, Sanghi said,
US accused of blocking UN climate talks amid protests
The United States, despite withdrawing from a landmark accord aimed at curbing climate change, is stonewalling vital UN talks over how to fund poorer nations as they battle against global warming, sources said Saturday. US President Donald Trump caused global outrage by withdrawing from the Paris Accord last year but his country is still committed to the deal's roadmap, giving Washington leverage over the Bangkok conference. The issue of how funds are made available to developing nations has emerged as a key sticking point at the talks, which have made little headway since they opened on Tuesday. The Paris deal -- hailed as a game-changer when struck in 2015 -- promised USD 100 billion annually from 2020 to poor nations already coping with floods, heatwaves and rising sea levels exacerbated by climate change. But it left room for debate over how that money should be provided, as well as how donor nations would source and report their contributions. Washington has tabled a proposal ...
Kejriwal launches mass plantation drive across capital
To increase the green cover and to fight the air pollution faced by the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday launched a mass plantation drive across the city to plant around five lakh saplings.
Google's new tool can help you make our planet healthy
Google has teamed up with the California Academy of Sciences to launch an interactive new tool that will help reduce environmental footprint by informing the amount of water your shower uses, or the impact of throwing away food or turning down the water heater by a few degrees.
Kejriwal launches mega drive to plant 5 lakh saplings in a day
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday launched a mega tree plantation drive by planting a sapling at the Yamuna floodplain in Usmanpur village, with thousands others joining him in the initiative. The government wants to plant 5 lakh trees and shrubs in the city in a day as part of the drive. Officials said around one lakh students and residents are participating in the campaign at 600 locations across the city to fight air pollution. Kejriwal said studies have shown 70 per cent of pollution in Delhi originated beyond its borders, but "this could not be an excuse to avoid tackling the situation". "Apart from massive plantation, we also need to reduce pollution," he said. A large number of school children attended the tree plantation event held at Yamuna flood plains at Garhi Mandu in Usmanpur. The chief minister encouraged the students to also plant saplings near their house and take care of it. Around 32,000 saplings were planted at the venue of the event, a government ...
China grants Nepal access to its ports
Officials from Nepal and China finalised a transit protocol that would give Kathmandu access to Chinese ports.The Nepal-China Transit and Transportation Agreement, which was finalised on Friday, will allow Nepal to use the Chinese ports of Tianjin, Shenzhen, Lianyungang, and Zhanjiang, said a statement from Nepal's industry and commerce ministry.As per the agreement made over the trade and transit treaty between the Nepali and Chinese governments in 2016, the third consolatory meeting of the agreement protocol was held from August 4 to 6 in Kathmandu.In the meeting, the Nepali delegation was headed by Rabi Shankar Sainju, the Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Chinese delegation was led by Wang Supling, the Director General from the Transport Service Office, Ministry of Transport.Discussions were held on the provisions of customs, means of transport, shipping process and other issues pertaining to the transit in a cordial environment before ...
Global protests as key UN climate talks stumble
Thai fishermen and labourers whose livelihoods are threatened by rising sea levels kicked off an international day of protests in Bangkok Saturday, where key UN talks are attempting to breathe life into the Paris Agreement on climate change. As global warming races ahead of efforts to contain it, the discussions are deadlocked over a number of contentious issues, with activists demanding immediate action to prevent irreparable damage to the planet. The "Rise for Climate" protest movement -- which has organised events in dozens of countries on Saturday -- wants governments to end their reliance on fossil fuels and transition fully into renewable energy. Beginning in Australia, a tall ship moved through Sydney Harbour in front of the Opera House as activists on board held up protest signs. Its billowing sails featured banners that read "Rise for Climate; Action with 350" -- referring to environment advocacy group 350 which spearheaded the global protest. Blair Palese, CEO of 350 ...
Elusive snow leopard spotted in Himachal wildlife sanctuary
A snow leopard was spotted at a height of about 4,000 metres in Lippa-Asra wildlife sanctuary in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, a picture of which was captured by a camera-trap installed by the state wildlife department.The camera trap was installed in May this year, along with eight others at selected sites in the sanctuary after a preliminary survey.It was only last year that the snow leopard improved from 'endangered' to 'vulnerable' in terms of conservation status. The recent findings have ascertained that snow leopards are inhabiting new areas."We heard about the presence of the elusive big cat from the shepherds and villagers, but could scarcely believe what they saw as we were analysing the results of what showed up on the monitor (of the camera-trap)," said Divisional Forest Officer, Kunal Angrish.During the survey, two brown bears were snapped through another camera-trap placed inside the sanctuary at an altitude of about 3200m.Apart from these highly protected ...
NASA launches rocket to test parachute for Mars lander
NASA has launched a sounding rocket from the agency's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to test a supersonic parachute for landing its next rover on Mars.
Varanasi airport to provide fund for solid waste management
Lal Bahadur Shastri International (LBSI) Airport, Varanasi signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for granting Rs. 7.73 crore to Varanasi Municipal Corporation for solid waste management under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of Airport Authority of India (AAI).The MoA was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu, who applauded the initiative and expressed his desire to replicate such steps at other airports in near future.The minister also conducted a brief inspection of the airport and appreciated cleanliness in and around airport premises. He was also apprised of steps taken by LBSI Airport, Varanasi to create awareness among local people through regular cleanliness drives to keep airport surroundings clean.During the occasion, a cheque of Rs. 3 crore was also presented to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for plantation of the National Highway.LBSI Varanasi Airport also provided financial ...
Nations pledge to stamp out deadly Peste des petits ruminants disease
Brussels, Sep 8 (IANS/AKI) Over 45 countries on Friday vowed to globally eradicate by 2030 the highly contagious Peste des petits ruminants disease which kills of millions of sheep and goats each year in Africa and Asia, the UN, EU and World Organisation for Animal Health said in a joint statement.
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity snaps dusty selfie
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has snapped a dusty but cool selfie. NASA released the panorama this week. A thin layer of dust is visible on Curiosity , the result of a storm that enveloped Mars this summer. The darkish sky indicates dust still clogging the atmosphere in August, when the panorama was shot by Curiosity's mast camera. The rover had just drilled for a new rock sample. Curiosity is nuclear-powered and therefore unaffected by the lack of sunlight. NASA's older rover Opportunity, however, relies on solar power and has been silent since June. Flight controllers hope as the Martian sky continues to clear, Opportunity will get back in contact. But after almost 15 years exploring the red planet, Opportunity may not have the strength or ability for a comeback.
India summer crop sowing edges up; rice area expands 2.3 percent
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Indian farmers have planted summer-sown crops on 104.17 million hectares as of Sept. 7, up 0.2 percent from a year earlier, government data showed.
Euro 3.5mn aid for green transport in Kochi, Ahmedabad, Nagpur
The European Union (EU) has agreed to pay 3.5 million Euros to help evolve a low-carbon urban transport system between Kochi, Ahmedabad and Nagpur, and help India improve its sustainable transport policy, the government said on Friday.
Mahanadi Coalfields receives environmental notices
Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), has complied with one of the two notices it received for violating environmental norms from Pollution Control Board. Odisha, official sources said Friday. The notices were issued to MCL's two coal mines - Samaleswari and Lajkura open-cast mines in the western region of the state. The pollution regulator, during routine inspection, found that the sludge treatment plant in one of the mines was defunct while the water sprinkling systems were inadequate in another, the official said. Sourcs said the pollution control board has also received complaints about another mine at Lakhanpur but no notice in this regard has yet been sent. "Yes, we had issued notices to the two mines of MCL. So far, they have complied to the notice in one mines. We have sent our personnel from the regional office to verify the compliance done by the coal miner," a senior official told PTI. The official said that the authorities of the
Disproportionate rise in vehicles vis-a-vis highways: Gadkari
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said there is a disproportionate increase in private vehicles vis-a-vis highway expansion and emphasised the need to develop a robust public transportation system.
Rajasthan House adjourned amid protests
The last day of the Rajasthan Assembly's monsoon session on Friday saw relentless attacks by the opposition Congress on the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House twice before adjourning it sine die.
Gadkari urges automobile companies to diversify alternate fuel
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari on Friday called the urgent attention of automobile companies towards the need for an efficient public transport system in the country, run on electricity or alternate fuels.Addressing CEOs of Indian and global automobile companies as part of MOVE: Global Mobility Summit 2018 here today, Gadkari urged them to actively think about diversifying into the public transport sector, and focus their research and innovation efforts in this direction. "Private vehicles are proliferating rapidly on Indian roads," he said, and highways expansion cannot feasibly keep pace with this growth. "We, therefore, need to encourage people to shift to public transport, and for this we have to put in place systems that are efficient and convenient, comfortable and safe," he added.Gadkari further emphasised the need to bring down the huge cost of petroleum imports that the country .
