Page 497 - Environment
Telangana govt offers sops for revival of BILT unit
The Telangana government Wednesday announced several measures, including subsidies and waiver of commercial taxes dues, aimed at revival of a pulp unit of Ballarpur Industries Limited (BILT) in the state, shut since 2014. BILTs pulp business operates a facility in Jayashankar Bhupalpally that producesrayon grade pulp for manufacture of viscose staple fibre (VSF) and viscose staple yarn (VSY). A government order announcing the incentives said the closure of the unit for the past four years has affected livelihood of its 750 workers and their families and hundreds of others indirectly dependent on it. The government offered a consolidated subsidy of Rs.21 crore per year for 7 years through Telangana Forest Development Corporation towards supply of pulp wood. A maximum subsidy of Rs.9 crore per annum for 7 years will be released to the Telangana Power utilities for supply of electricity to the unit. Among other incentives, the order said commercial tax dues of the company ..
Norway builds world's tallest timber tower
Norway has completed the frame of the world's tallest timber building, which is being lauded for being environmentally friendly and fire resistant. The Mjos Tower, which is situated near and named after a lake located about 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Oslo, saw its last beam hoisted by a crane this week. At 85.4 metres (just over 280 feet), it has 18 floors. Promoters say that using wood, a renewable material, makes it possible to reduce CO2 emissions compared to concrete, which is the primary material of residential buildings in cities. "Building with wood is helping us breathe in a better world," said businessman Arthur Buchardt, who added he began the project after being inspired by the Paris agreement on climate change. Constructors say the building is fire resistant as it uses glue laminated timber that will only burn when continuously exposed to flames. When it opens in March 2019, the tower will surpass its 49-metre counterpart Treet (tree in Norwegian), which previously
'Satellites more at risk from solar wind than space storm'
Satellites are more likely to be at risk from high-speed solar wind than a major geomagnetic storm, according to a study. Researchers, including those from British Antarctic Survey, investigated the space weather risks to orbiting satellites and calculated electron radiation levels within the Van Allen radiation belts. This ring-doughnut-shaped zone wraps around the Earth, trapping charged particles. Geostationary orbit lies inside the Van Allen radiation belts, according to the study published in the Journal Space Weather. The study, which analysed years of satellite data, found that electron radiation levels at geostationary orbit could remain exceptionally high for five days or more, even after the solar wind speed had died down. As a result, electronic components on satellites could charge up to dangerously high levels and become damaged. "Until now we thought that the biggest risk to orbiting satellites was geomagnetic storms, said Professor Richard Horne, lead author of the ...
Nauru slams 'insolent' China envoy at stormy Pacific summit
Nauru's president has labelled China's top diplomat at the Pacific Islands Forum "insolent" and accused him of trying to use Beijing's might to bully the tiny island nation. President Baron Waqa's outburst followed a tense exchange at the summit he is hosting on Tuesday when China's Du Qiwen attempted to address a meeting about climate change but Waqa refused to let him speak. Du and the Chinese delegation then stormed out, with Du reportedly striding around the room to emphasise his displeasure before leaving. Waqa, whose country backs Taiwan over arch-rival China in the battle for diplomatic recognition, had already angered Beijing before the summit began in a row over visas. Nauru refused to stamp entry visas into Chinese diplomatic passports, instead saying it would only process their personal passports. While seemingly a minor detail, it provoked threats of a boycott from other PIF members, many of whom receive development aid and concessional loans from Beijing. Waqa, whose ...
Notification for identification of wetlands issued: MoEF tells NGT
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has informed the National Green Tribunal that it has issued a notification for identification and protection of wetlands which prohibit encroachments of any kind, waste dumping and discharge of effluents. A bench of Justice R S Rathore and expert member S S Garbyal was told by the Environment Ministry that state governments have been directed to proceed in the matter as per the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 which was issued on September 26 last year. The tribunal was also apprised that the Supreme Court has already identified certain numbers of wetlands and ordered that they should be protected. "In our considered view that if any other wetland is not including in the order of Supreme Court, then the applicant should proceed before the Court and request for inclusion of such wetlands, which according to him has not so included in the earlier order. He may seek protection for those subsequently included wetlands. "Above .
IFAD launches rural workers podcast for radio
Rome, Sep 5 (IANS/AKI) The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has launched a monthly podcast for radio stations around the world to let rural communities share the experiences of workers benefitting from its projects in different continents and boost "sustainable and inclusive development".
Farmers' rally affects traffic in Delhi
Traffic was affected in Lutyens' Delhi on Wednesday due to a farmers' rally, police said. Organised by Left-wing farmers' and workers' outfits, the 'Mazdoor Kishan Sangharsh Rally', began from the Ramlila Maidan and culminated at the Parliament Street. Sansad Marg, Janpath and KG Marg were closed for the traffic movement which led to congestion on the alternate routes taken by the motorists, the Delhi Traffic Police twitter handle said. Traffic was affected at Ashoka Road and Baba Kharag Singh Marg as the motorists opted for these roads, it said.
Odisha presents Rs 12,790 crore supplementary budget
Odisha Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera on Wednesday presented in the state assembly a supplementary budget of Rs 12,790 crore for 2018-19.
Chinese private space firm launches suborbital rocket
A Chinese private company launched a suborbital rocket carrying three miniature satellites, for two Chinese commercial companies, into space on Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre
PM to launch 2nd phase of FAME India scheme on Sep 7: Geete
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the second phase of the FAME India scheme here on September 7 at India's First Global Mobility Summit 'MOVE', Union Minister Anant Geete said Wednesday. Last week, PTI had reported citing official sources that the prime minister would launch FAME II offering incentives for mass adoption of electric vehicles with an outlay of Rs 5,500 crore on September 7. "Fame I will come to an end by September 30 and the Prime Minister will announce FAME II on September 7," Geete said. Addressing the inaugural session of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association here, Geete said the Heavy Industry Ministry was framing a comprehensive auto policy after consultation with all the stakeholders. "The department of heavy industries has always supported the automotive industry. We will definitely look into suggestions of having a clear, well defined short, mid and long term policy. "It is the duty of the government to make policy which is executed by the ...
Bill suggests armed force for protection of Ganga, punitive measures for polluters
The draft Bill for protection of the Ganga has suggested provisions like having an armed force with the power to arrest those who pollute the river, and imprisonment and fine for offences varying from commercial fishing to construction of illegal structures in active flood plains, officials said. The draft bill, which has been circulated to different ministries for consultation, envisages constitution of National Ganga Council and a National Ganga Rejuvenation Authority to enforce the law, another official said. The Bill also lays down provisions of imprisonment of 2-5 years for offences like commercial fishing, polluting the river and construction of illegal structures in active flood plains, the official said. The official added the Armed Ganga Protection Corps (GPC) personnel will have power to arrest those who pollute the river covering offences like obstructing the flow of the river to commercial fishing. According to the draft bill, the official said, the GPC personnel will be .
How Nemo got his stripes decoded
Scientists have decoded the evolution of the distinctive orange and white patterned clownfish -- the coral reef fish species that was featured in the popular animated movie 'Finding Nemo'. Coral reef fishes, including clownfish, display a wide variety of colours but it remains unclear how these colours evolved or how they develop throughout a fish's life. Research published in the journal BMC Biology sheds new light on the evolution of different stripe patterns in clownfish and on how these patterns change as individuals from different species grow from larvae into adults. "We show that the ancestor of today's clownfish possessed three white stripes," said Vincent Laudet, from the Sorbonne University in France. "Then, as some species evolved they lost stripes and we reveal a surprising similarity between this loss of stripes during species evolution and the development of different stripe patterns in individuals from different species today," said Laudet. Studying two species of ...
Emergency meet in Bangkok to head off swine fever spread
An emergency meeting to head off an outbreak of African swine fever across Asia opened in Bangkok on Wednesday, after a mass pig cull in China sparked fears of a potential pandemic. The three-day meeting led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) brings together specialists in animal diseases as well as agricultural policy from nine countries neighbouring China. China, the world's largest pork producer and consumer, reported its first case in August in northeastern Liaoning province. The disease has since spread south prompting a cull of 38,000 pigs. African swine fever does not affect humans but causes haemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is nearly always fatal. There is no antidote or vaccine, and the only known preventive measure is a mass cull of infected livestock. "It's critical that this region be ready for the very real possibility that ASF could jump the border into other countries," the FAO's Wantanee Kalpravidh said in a ...
Kerala government sticks with KPMG for rebuilding state
The Kerala government on Wednesday decided that despite the Congress-led opposition's opinion about KPMG, an international professional service company, selected as consultant partner for rebuilding the flood-ravaged state, it will stick with them, a minister said.
CBI probe ordered into death of tigers at Corbett Tiger Reserve
The Uttarakhand High Court has ordered a CBI probe into the death of tigers at the Corbett Tiger Reserve over the past five years and alleged involvement of forest department officials in the poaching of big cats. Adivision bench of the the high court comprisingActing Chief Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Lokpal Singh Tuesday ordered inquiry into the death of tigers in the park. The court also asked the CBI to find out the involvement of forestofficers in the poaching oftigers. The matter shall be inquired into and investigated by the CBI and the preliminary report shall be submitted to this court, in sealed cover, within three months, it said. The CBI is free to take the services of its Wildlife Wing for the probe. The direction came after the court was told that out of nine tiger deaths in the past only six were natural deaths. The court does not order for investigation by the CBI but the present case is the rarest of rare cases where the expertise of the CBI is solicited, the ...
Mass bleaching event on Great Barrier Reef damaged deeper corals
The mass bleaching event -- that wiped out 30 per cent of shallow-water corals on Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef in 2016 -- may have also caused damage in deeper waters, scientists say. Although deep reefs are often considered a refuge from thermal anomalies, the research, published in the journal Nature Communications, highlights limitations to this role and argues that both shallow and deep reefs are under threat of mass bleaching events. "During the bleaching event, cold-water upwelling initially provided cooler conditions on the deep reef," said Pim Bongaerts, from the California Academy of Sciences in the US. "However, when this upwelling stopped towards the end of summer, temperatures rose to record-high levels even at depth," said Bongaerts. The researchers found bleached coral colonies down to depths of 131 feet beneath the ocean's surface. "It was a shock to see that the impacts extended to these dimly lit reefs, as we were hoping their depth may have provided ...
Greener growth could add $26 trillion to world economy by 2030 - study
OSLO/LONDON (Reuters) - Strong action to combat climate change could cumulatively add at least $26 trillion to the world economy by 2030, according to a study on Wednesday which seeks to dispel fears that a shift from fossil fuels will undermine growth.
New Facebook project 'MPK 21' ready to promote team work
Facebook has completed a new sustainable building project called "MPK 21" that has a 3.6-acre rooftop garden featuring over 200 trees and a half-mile meandering pathway.
Jewar Airport: MLA says 225 more farmers agree for land acquisition
Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh Tuesday said 225 more villagers agreed for acquisition of their land for a proposed international airport in Jewar in Gautam Buddh Nagar. Around 225 farmers have consented for their 550 bigha (88 hectare) of land for the proposed Jewar airport, Singh said this in a statement after interacting with people at Dayanathpur and Rohi villages. 'So far about 1,965 farmers have consented for their 675 hectares of land which is to be acquired for the proposed airport," he said. He reminded the villagers of the 2008 controversy in Singur in Hooghly district of West Bengal after people resisted to give their land for Tata's ambitious Nano car project. "The Tata car manufacturing company wanted to set up its plant in Singur, West Bengal for manufacturing the Nano car. But the people there are now regretting that they lost that opportunity. Today that project is in Gujarat and the people of Gujarat are moving forward on the path of development due to it," the MLA said, ...
Emu near Red Fort draws curious onlookers
An emu was found roaming near the Red Fort on Tuesday, triggering a lot of curiosity among the locals, said a senior police officer. The officer said the bird belongs to a resident of the area. The owner of the emu said he had bought it from Ghazipur a few months ago, the officer said. The emu has been sent to a veterinary hospital for check-up, he added.
