Page 536 - Environment

Assam has immense potential to become top fish producer and

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said Assam with abundant water resources has immense potential to become a top fish producing and exporting state in the country and also tap the South East Asian market. The Act East Policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened a window of opportunity for the state fish producers to gain access to South East Asian market and they must be prepared to compete with the best in the world, he said. The CM was speaking at a meeting here to distribute appointment letters to 32 Junior Engineers of Fisheries department. "Fishery sector has immense potential and we must vigorously engage in it for deriving maximum benefits. Assam is blessed with abundant water resources and we have the capacity to become biggest producer and exporter of fish in the country", Sonowal said. "For that we must adopt latest scientific technologies for augmenting our production," the Chief Minister said. The infinite potential of Brahmaputra and Barak rivers

Why won't NASA's Parker Solar Probe melt?

With NASA launching a historic Parker Solar Probe deeper into the solar atmosphere than any mission before it, a moot question arises: Why won't it melt?

Acquisition of 6 next generation offshore patrol vessels approved

The government on Monday approved the procurement of six indigenously-built next generation offshore patrol vessels at a cost of nearly Rs 5,000 crore for the Indian Navy to be used in military operations other than war, like anti-piracy and counter-infiltration missions.

Corals reefs could survive global warming

There may be hope for marine reefs to survive modern-day global warming, say scientists who have found that coral-algal partnerships have endured numerous climate change events since the age of dinosaurs. The relationship between corals and the mutualistic micro-algae that enable them to build reefs is considerably older and more diverse than previously assumed, according to a study published in the journal Current Biology. "Past estimates placed the initiation of these symbiotic relationships at 50 to 65 million years ago," said Todd LaJeunesse, an associate professor at Pennsylvania State University in the US. "Our research indicates that modern corals and their algal partners have been entwined with each other for much longer - since the time of the dinosaurs, approximately 160 million years ago," said LaJeunesse. "During their long existence, they have faced severe episodes of environmental change, but have managed to bounce back after each one," he said. The micro-algae, commonly

Pollution check: SC okays colour-coded stickers for vehicles

The Supreme Court on Monday accepted Centre's proposal to have hologram-based colour-coded stickers on vehicles that would help in identifying automobiles running on various kinds of fuels.

Two killed in torrential rains in HP

Two people were killed today as heavy rains pounded several parts of Himachal Pradesh, washing away a bridge in tribal Kinnaur district and prompting authorities to close schools in Shimla, Kangra and Solan, officials said. Several roads across Himachal Pradesh have been closed as heavy rains have triggered landslides in some areas. According to the reports received, one person was killed in Kangra sub-division and another in Fatehpur tehsil of Kangra district, they said. As many as 16 Public Works Department (PWD) roads have been damaged in Kangra's Jaisingpur tehsil alone and 39 houses and seven irrigation and public health (IPH) schemes were also damaged in the tehsil, they added. District officials said Rispa bridge in Kinnaur was washed away due to heavy rains. The district administration is trying to restore movement by setting up a span bridge. Four small canals (kulahs), used for irrigation, were also damaged. National Highway 5 and four link roads, including Tranda road, ...

Govt approves procurement of 6 patrol vessels for Navy

The defence ministry today approved a long-pending proposal to procure six indigenously manufactured next generation offshore patrol vessels (NGOPVs) for the Navy at a cost of Rs 4,941 crore, officials said. The go ahead for the project was given by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the ministry's highest decision making body on procurement. The meeting of the DAC was chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The DAC accorded approval for the procurement of six indigenously designed and manufactured offshore patrol vessels at an approximate cost of Rs 4,941 crore, the officials said. The NGOPVs will be built in Indian shipyards and will be fitted with state-of-the-art sensor suite with increased endurance, they said. These platforms will be used for multitude of operational roles which include protection of offshore assets, maritime interdiction operations and search and seizure operations, surveillance missions, mine warfare and counter infiltration operations, the defence

China designing spacecraft that will help extending lifespan of satellites: report

Chinese scientists are designing a new spacecraft that can move a de-orbitting satellite back into its intended orbit, thus extend its period of service, according to a media report here today. Engineers from the state-run China Academy of Space Technology are conducting research and development (R&D) on the proposed spacecraft, which would help bring satellites that have ran short on fuel or experienced some technical problems back to their designed trajectories, the state-run China Daily reported. The new spacecraft will be engineered to connect to a target satellite through its robotic arms and then provide attitude control assistance and push the satellite back into its proper orbit. Once it finishes the life-extension task with a satellite, the service spacecraft will undock itself with the target and autonomously fly toward the next satellite that requires its assistance, the report said, adding that the R&D of the spacecraft will take about two years to complete. Once ..

Spinning heat shield for spacecraft could aid future Mars mission

Scientists have developed a flexible, spinning heat shield for spacecraft that could reduce the cost of space travel and aid future space missions to Mars. Heat shields are essentially used as the brakes to stop spacecraft burning up and crashing on entry and re-entry into a planet's atmosphere. The design is the first in the world to utilise centrifugal forces that stiffen lightweight materials to prevent burnup. Current spacecraft heat shield methods include huge inflatables and mechanically deployed structures that are often heavy and complicated to use. Rui Wu, from the University of Manchester in the UK, said as well as being lightweight in design is prototype is also "self-regulating". This means there is no need for any additional machinery, reducing the weight of spacecraft even further and allowing for low-cost scientific research and recovery of rocket parts. "Spacecraft for future missions must be larger and heavier than ever before, meaning that heat shields will become ...

Town planning bill clears way for change of land use in Goa

Owners of 7,630 hectares of land in Goa are expected to benefit from an amendment to a town planning law that paves the way for individual change of land use in the coastal state. The Town and Country Planning Amendment Bill, 2018 was passed in the just concluded monsoon session of the Goa assembly. The bill restores the system of approving individual change of land use that was the norm in Goa from 1996 to 2005. The bill is expected to help a large number of land owners seek re-classification of their lands for settlement use (allowing construction on them) from state authorities, Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai said. Such lands were in 2011 classified as orchards or agricultural fields under the Regional Plan (RP) 2021, barring any construction on them. "The RP 2021, finalised by the Congress government in November 2011, had adopted a policy of rationalisation that led to 7,630hectares of settlement land under the previous RP 2021 getting classified .

'Indians may live 4 yrs longer if country achieves WHO air quality standards'

Indians would live for about four years longer on an average if the country meets the WHO's air quality standards, according to a new study. Noting that ambient air pollution alone may cost India more than USD 0.5 trillion per year, it said it is causing hundreds of millions of people in the country to lead shorter and sicker lives. A group of researchers have proposed a slew of measures to overcome the issue that includes applying monetary charges for excess emissions. Indians would be able to live for about four years longer on an average if the country meets the WHO's air quality standards, the study said. Under the World Health Organisation quality standards, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) should be 10 g/m3 annual mean and 25 g/m3 24-hour mean while the coarse particulate matter (PM10) 20 g/m3 annual mean and 50 g/m3 24-hour mean. To help improve India's air quality, researchers from the University of Chicago and Harvard Kennedy School have laid out five key evidence-based policy

Blocking sunlight won't reduce crop damage from warming: Study

Injecting particles into the atmosphere to cool the planet and counter the warming effects of climate change would do nothing to offset the crop damage from rising global temperatures, according to a study. Researchers at the University of California(UC), Berkeley in the US analysed the past effects of Earth-cooling volcanic eruptions, and the response of crops to changes in sunlight. The study, published in the journal Nature, concluded that any improvements in yield from cooler temperatures would be negated by lower productivity due to reduced sunlight. "Shading the planet keeps things cooler, which helps crops grow better. But plants also need sunlight to grow, so blocking sunlight can affect growth. "For agriculture, the unintended impacts of solar geoengineering are equal in magnitude to the benefits," said Jonathan Proctor from UC Berkeley. "It is a bit like performing an experimental surgery; the side-effects of treatment appear to be as bad as the illness," Proctor said. Some .

Tobacco area, output shrink as farmers shift to other crops

Tobacco acreage and production in the country have started declining as the government is encouraging farmers in ten states like Andhra Pradesh to shift to alternative crops in a big way, a senior government official said today. Alternative crops like foodgrains, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, sugarcane, oil palm, and even dairy and poultry activities have been identified for tobacco growing areas in different states, he said. "Both area and production of tabacco are declining every year because the government is supporting with funds to encourage the tobacco growers to shift to alternative crops," the official said. About Rs 9.5 crore was released to the tobacco growing states in the 2017-18 fiscal to shift to alternative farming. Funds are being provided under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), he said. As per the latest data, the tobacco area has declined by 14.56 per cent to 3.99 lakh hectares in 2016-17 from 4.67 lakh hectares in 2014-15. Even tobacco output has ...

Excessive air pollution affects 660 m Indians: Researchers

More than 660 million Indians are exposed to high air pollution as they live in areas where the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exceeds the permissible limit, researchers said on Monday.

Amazon droughts reducing forest's CO2 absorption: NASA

A single season of drought in the Amazon rainforest can reduce its capacity to absorb carbon dioxide for years after the rains return, a NASA study has found. The study, published in the journal Nature, is the first to quantify the long-term legacy of drought in Amazon, the largest tropical forest on Earth. Researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the US, and other institutions used satellite data to map tree damage and mortality caused by a severe drought in 2005. In years of normal weather, the undisturbed forest can be a natural carbon "sink," absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it puts back into it. However, starting with the drought year of 2005 and running through 2008 - the last year of available data - the Amazon basin lost an average of 270 million metric tonnes per year of carbon, with no sign of regaining its function as a carbon sink. At about 2.3 million square miles, the Amazon is the largest tropical forest on Earth. Scientists ...

Two smugglers arrested, 38 animals rescued

Two smugglers were arrested and 38 animals rescued in four separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, police said today. A police team rescued seven animals during a routine patrolling in the Rajouri district last evening, they said, adding the smuggler was arrested on the spot. An hour later, a police team intercepted a vehicle at Chatyari area of the district and rescued five animals. The smuggler was nabbed, they said. In a similar incident, police intercepted a truck at Narwal area of the Jammu city and rescued 10 head of cattle last night, they said, adding the smuggler managed to escape. In the Kathua district, 16 head of cattle were rescued while the smuggler managed to escape, they said. Cases have been registered in all the smuggling attempts, they said.

Want people to recognize connection between man, nature: Dia Mirza

Actress and the brand ambassador of Wildlife Trust of India Dia Mirza, who has been associated with conservation of elephants and is part of the ongoing Gaj Mahotsav, says the only way one can bring about change in the society against animal abuse is by helping people recognize the deep connection between man and nature.

Water being released from Pandoh Dam, warning issued to tourists

A warning has been issued for tourists and people residing in low-lying areas not to go near the Beas River as water is being released from the Pandoh Dam in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district today, an official said. Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities have been releasing the water from Pandoh Dam since 9 am in view of the alarming situation of the silt in the reservoir as heavy rain has caused huge inflow in Beas River, the official said. BBMB authorities have informed the district administration that the outflow would increase gradually and the release of water from the dam would continue till 3 pm tomorrow, he said adding tourists and the people residing in low-lying areas have been warned not to go near the river. The district administration is keeping a close watch on the situation, he added. Kangra Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar said residents can call 1077 in case of an emergency.

Aamir congratulates Maharashtra village for winning 'Water Cup'

Superstar Aamir Khan has wished Takewadi Andhali, a village in Maharashtra for winning the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup 2018. He also wished all the participating villages across Maharashtra and said that everybody wins against drought.

Speedy compensation to kin of elephant attack victims: PCCF

Concrete steps would be taken for speedy disbursement of compensation to the families of those killed in elephant attacks in Odisha, a senior forest official has said. Quick disbursement of compensation would also be made for crop loss due to marauding elephants, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Debabrata Swain, said. Swain was speaking at the state-level celebration of World Elephant Day organised by the forest and environment department here yesterday. Unplanned mining operations, industrialization, construction of railway tracks in forest areas and constructions and encroachment along the elephant corridors were posing a threat to the survival of elephants, Swain said To reduce man-elephant conflict, Swain stressed the need for awareness programmes in schools, colleges and villages. The Supreme Court has prohibited the use of fire ball and iron nail to disperse elephant herds, he said adding crowd management is important while driving away ...