Page 546 - Environment

NASA's planet hunting TESS satellite captures image of comet

NASA's latest planet hunter Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has captured a stunning sequence of images showing the motion of a comet that is 48 million km from Earth.

PM reviews performance of key infrastructure sectors of Energy and Mining

In course of the presentation made by CEO NITI Aayog, Shri Amitabh Kant, it was noted that the installed power generation capacity in India has risen to 344 GigaWatts. India's energy deficit, which stood at over 4 per cent in 2014, has shrunk to less than 1 per cent in 2018. Significant capacity additions have been made in transmission lines, transformer capacity, and inter-regional transmission. India now ranks 26th in the World Bank's "Ease of Getting Electricity" Index, up from 99th in 2014. Progress in household electrification under the SAUBHAGYA initiative, was reviewed. Discussions also focused on last mile connectivity and distribution, in both urban and rural areas. In the new and renewable energy sector, cumulative installed capacity has nearly doubled, from 35.5 GigaWatts in 2013-14, to about 70 GigaWatts in 2017-18. In solar energy, installed capacity has increased from 2.6 GigaWatts to 22 GigaWatts in the same period. Officials expressed confidence that India is on track

Forests key to achieving climate goals: Study

Trying to tackle climate change by replacing forests with crops for bioenergy power stations that capture carbon dioxide could instead increase the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, scientists say. Biomass Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) power stations are designed to produce energy and store the resulting carbon dioxide (CO2) in bedrock deep underground. However, a study led by the University of Exeter in the UK suggests that converting large land areas to growing crops as biomass for BECCS would release so much CO2 that protecting and regenerating forests is a better option in many places. "The vast majority of current IPCC scenarios for how we can limit global warming to less than two degrees Celsius include BECCS," said Anna Harper from the University of Exeter. "But the land required to grow biomass in these scenarios would be twice the size of India," said Harper, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications. This motivated the ...

PM reviews household electrification scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reviewed the progress of household electrification under the 'Saubhagya' scheme, focusing on last mile connectivity and distribution of power in urban and rural areas, a PMO statement said. The prime minister had yesterday reviewed the progress in the key infrastructure sectors of power, renewable energy, petroleum and natural gas, coal and mining. The review meeting, which lasted for over two hours, was attended by top officials from infrastructure-related ministries, NITI Aayog and the Prime Minister's Office. Progress in household electrification under the 'Saubhagya' initiative was reviewed. The discussions focused on last mile connectivity and distribution in both urban and rural areas, the PMO statement said. In September 2017, the PM had launched the 'Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana Saubhagya' to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas. Under the scheme, states and Union ...

Dinosaurs too liked perfumes that we enjoy: Study

The flower-based compounds behind the perfumes and colognes you enjoy have been eliciting olfactory excitement since dinosaurs walked the Earth, a study has found. Researchers at Oregon State University in the US found evidence that floral scents originated in primitive flowers as far back as 100 million years ago as pollinator attractants. They still play the role even though today's flowers also have colourful petals for luring pollinators, according to the study published in the journal Historical Biology. "I bet some of the dinosaurs could have detected the scents of these early flowers," said George Poinar, an entomologist at Oregon State University. "In fact, floral essences from these early flowers could even have attracted these giant reptiles," said Poinar. The researchers examined amber flowers from Myanmar, including the now extinct glandular laurel flower (Cascolaurus burmensis) and veined star flower (Tropidogyne pentaptera). The research revealed that the flower-based ...

3 cattle-smuggling bids foiled in J&K

Police have thwarted three alleged cattle-smuggling bids in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district and rescued 19 bovines, an officer said today. Acting on a tip-off about smuggling of cattle to Kashmir, a team rushed to Digani area of Chingus last night and rescued ten bovines, but the accused fled from the spot, a police officer said. In another incident, four bovines were rescued from a village last night, the officer said. In Beripatan, five bovines were rescued from a vehicle early this morning, he said, adding that the smugglers managed to escape. A search has been launched to nab the accused in the cases, he added.

Auctions and interest rates in the times of renewable energy (Column: Behind Infra Lines)

News about the cancellation of renewable energy auctions demands urgent attention. Renewable energy generation and toll roads have primarily driven India's infrastructure push in the recent past, especially to attract private investors. It is essential to tackle the current issues on an urgent basis to ensure that these two sectors continue to be a template for others to emulate.

Insight: Inside Tesla's troubled New York solar factory

SAN FRANCISCO/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Tesla Inc's production of solar roof tiles has been delayed by assembly-line problems at its new publicly subsidized factory and difficulties producing a product that satisfies the aesthetic demands of CEO Elon Musk, eight former and current employees of both companies told Reuters.

China July coal imports rise to highest since January 2014 amid heatwave

BEIJING (Reuters) - China increased its coal imports in July by 14 percent to their highest in 4-1/2 years, official data showed on Wednesday as rising temperatures boosted demand for coal-fired power to run air conditioners in the world's top buyer of the fuel.

China's July soybean imports fall as panic buying due to trade war ebbs

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's soybean imports in July fell from a month ago, customs data showed on Wednesday, as processors slowed purchases after building up a record inventory of the oilseed in preparation for hefty import tariffs on U.S. shipments introduced last month.

PM reviews performance of key infrastructure sectors of Energy, Mining

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reviewed the progress of key infrastructure sectors of power, renewable energy, petroleum and natural gas, coal, and mining.The two-hour-long review meeting was attended by top officials from infrastructure-related Ministries, NITI Aayog, and Prime Minister's Office (PMO), read a statement.In a presentation made by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, it was noted that the installed power generation capacity in India has risen to 344 GigaWatts. India's energy deficit, which stood at over four percent in 2014, has shrunk to less than one per cent in 2018. Significant capacity additions have been made in transmission lines, transformer capacity, and inter-regional transmission.Prime Minister Modi urged the officials to work towards ensuring that the benefits from an increase in solar energy capacity reach the farmers through appropriate interventions such as solar pumps and user-friendly solar cooking solutions.Comparing to its earlier rank of 99 in 2014,

Deficient rains cause of worry for Gujarat

Even as the monsoons are half way through the season, the Gujarat government on Tuesday expressed its worries about the deficient rains which have left the state water-starved and feared that if the situation persisted, it will be difficult, especially for agriculture.

3-day water expo in Delhi from August 23

A three-day expo, showcasing India's latest technologies in the water and waste water management sector, will be held here from August 23.

Karnataka-TN border districts on high alert

Karnataka districts bordering Tamil Nadu have been put on high alert following the death of DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi, police said on Tuesday.

Deficient rainfall in Guj, situation worrisome: government

The Gujarat government today said the water situation in the state was "worrisome" as 44 tehsils in the state have received very little rain this monsoon so far. A monsoon review meeting was held at Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's official residence in Gandhinagar today. Due to scanty rains in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, Sardar Sarovar Dam on the river Narmada, Gujarat's lifeline, has only two per cent water stock against its capacity of 5,760 million cubic meters (mcm), a government release said. It also announced relief measures such as additional two hours' electricity supply for farms to save the crops, supply of fodder at Rs 2 per kg in dry areas and immediate filling of a dam in Kutch to continue supply of drinking water. Several ministers and senior bureaucrats attended the meeting. Speaking to reporters later, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel conceded that the situation was "indeed worrisome" as most of the dams, including Sardar Sarovar Dam, have not received ..

TN border districts on Karunanidhi's death

Karnataka districts bordering Tamil Nadu have been put on high alert following the death of DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi, police said on Tuesday.

NGT asks Ghaziabad authorities to clean Vasundhara drains

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam to clean the storm water drains in Vasundhara township within four weeks. A bench of Justice Raghuvendra S Rathore and expert member S S Garbyal asked Municipal Commissioner of the civic body to ensure garbage was removed from the drains and sought a compliance report by September 10. The green panel also took into account the report submitted by advocate Kush Sharma-- appointed court commissioner in the case-- who had suggested that a planned mechanism was needed to ensure that waste was not thrown into the drains during monsoon. "In view of the grievance raised by the applicant and the report submitted by the court commissioner, we are of the considered opinion that respondent shall comply with the suggestions given by the commissioner in its later and spirit," the bench said. "For that purpose we grant four weeks time to the respondents if any work is required to be done and to restore the rain water drain to .

WB, J'khand officials to meet tomorrow over Massanjore dam

Officials of West Bengal and Jharkhand will meet tomorrow in a bid to end the impasse over the painting of a part of the Massanjore Dam in the shades of white and blue. The two states have been at loggerheads since Friday when West Bengal's TMC government painted the walls of the dam situated in Dumka district in Jharkhand where the BJP was in power. In retaliation, the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), BJP's youth wing protest, erased "Bengal" and painted "Jharkhand" on a dam gate. They also covered the Biswa Bangla logo with a Jharkhand one, media reports said. West Bengal Irrigation minister Soumen Mahapatra told PTI in Kolkata today that a meeting was likely to take place tomorrow. A senior official of the irrigation department and district magistrates of Birbhum and Dumka would sit for a meeting to find out a solution to the issue, Mahapatra said. "At the moment there is no problem here. There will be a meeting tomorrow regarding the issue and hopefully it will be resolved," ...

17.05 lakh cases of acute respiratory infection in Delhi from 2013-17: Par panel

Over 17 lakh cases of acute respiratory infection were reported in Delhi from 2013 to 2017, a parliamentary committee said today, calling for immediate solution to air pollution in the national capital. The parliamentary committee also said it was surprised to note that the Union Health Ministry was not taken on board in the high-level task force on air pollution. "No taking Health Ministry on board is, in a way, indicative of the ignorance as well as denial about the negative impact of air pollution on human health. "The committee recommends that considering the severe health hazards of air pollution, the Environment Ministry should take immediate corrective and preventive strategic steps in consultation with the Health Ministry to mitigate air pollution," it said in a report. A total of 981 people died of acute respiratory infection and 17.05 lakh cases of it were reported from 2013-2017, the committee said. Calling polluted air in Delhi a significant risk factor for a number of ...

Exide to invest Rs 550 cr for two projects in Bengal

Exide Industries, which is aspiring to supply batteries for bullet trains, will invest over Rs 550 crore for setting up a battery recycling plant and expand its existing facility here to manufacture Nickel-Cadmium batteries, an official said on Tuesday.