Page 549 - Environment
Segregate waste at household level, penalise offenders: SC
Suggesting segregation of solid waste at the household level, the Supreme court on Monday said there should be a penal provision for dealing with those refusing to do so.
6-foot long crocodile rescued from village pond in Odisha
A 6-foot long crocodile was rescued from a pond in Odisha's Malkangiri district today, Forest officials said. The crocodile was caught by people of MV-78 village with the help of a net, Kalimela forest Range Officer Ramachandra Madkami said. The crocodile had been spotted in the village pond a few months ago, triggering panic among local residents who managed to catch it today. After rescuing the crocodile, the villagers informed the forest officials and handed over the reptile to them. The crocodile was later released into the Balimela reservoir in Chitrakonda area around 100 km away, Madkami said. The reptile was suspected to have sneaked in from the nearby Sitaguda dam, forest officials said while the villagers said the reptile was suspected to have been swept into the pond with flood waters two years ago. A 12-foot long crocodile, weighing around 500 kg had been found inside a house at Munsa village in Malkangiri block in November last year.
Gadkary says waste recycling offers Rs 5L cr opportunity; asks Niti to form policy
Urging Niti Aayog to formulate a policy for waste recycling, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said converting waste into wealth offers a more than Rs 5 lakh crore opportunity in the country. Gadkari said the policy can create huge employment potential and can bolster the country's economic growth. "Economy of this waste recycling is of more than Rs 5 lakh crore. It has huge potential...NITI Aayog can formulate a waste recycling policy. This policy will see economic transformation of the country and create huge employment potential," Gadkari said addressing an international conference on 'Sustainable Growth through Material Recycling' at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra here. The Road Transport, Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister said efforts should be made to convert waste into wealth. He said there are 12 thermal power plants along the sides of the Ganga river and the power ministry has issued an order making it mandatory for plants within
Waste management: Delhi facing "emergency situation", says SC
The Supreme Court today said that Delhi was facing an "emergency situation" due to mountains of garbage as it expressed dissatisfaction over the response of authorities on waste management. "Will there be any person alive in Delhi in such a situation?" an irked apex court said and sought details of how plans on management of solid waste could be implemented, especially on segregation of household waste. The bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also sought details from authorities on pilot project for segregation of household waste launched in some areas like Defence Colony, Green Park and Maharani Bagh here and also about the problems being faced by the agencies in its implementation. The court fumed at Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand's submission on residents of Sonia Vihar objecting to a landfill site, saying the people had every right to question the decision and and even went on to say that the civic body should dump the "waste on the Raj Niwas ..
Kharif Acreage Down 1.7%, Good Gains In Area Under Oilseeds
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Heavy to very heavy rainfall in Odisha in next 24-hours: IMD
The Met department today forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in different parts of Odisha in the next 24-hours following formation of a low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood. The system is likely to become more marked during next 24-hours, which may cause heavy rainfall across the state, a Met department bulletin said. It said isolated heavy to very rainfall is likely to occur over Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Sundergarh, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts. "Isolated heavy rainfall likely to occur at Puri, Khurda, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Deogarh and Dhenkanal districts of Odisha," the latest Met bulletin said. Similarly, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur over Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Bargarh district tomorrow, the bulletin said. This apart, isolated heavy rainfall likely to occur at Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Sonepur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal and ...
Draft policy proposes launch of mission to manage community forest resources: Sharma
To protect the interests of tribals, the draft National Forest Policy of 2018 proposes to launch community forest management mission (CFMM) to manage forest resources though a participatory forest management approach, the government said today. Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha said his ministry had put the Draft National Forest Policy, 2018 in public domain seeking comments. "The basic thrust of the draft National Forest Policy of 2018 is for conservation, protection and management of forests along with addressing other issues associated with forest and forest management. "To protect the interest of tribals, the Draft Policy of 2018 proposes to launch Community Forest Management Mission for management of community forest resources though a participatory forest management approach," he said. He noted that specific provisions have been made in the draft policy to ensure that the interests of local communities are protected and
BMW group says cause of car fires 'not Korea specific'
The BMW Group on Monday officially apologized for the fires that consumed some of its vehicles and stressed that the hardware issue cited for the problem is not specific to South Korea.
12 TPPs in NCR told to meet emission limits by Dec 31, 2019: Sharma
Around 12 thermal power plants in the National Capital Region (NCR) have been directed to meet emission limits latest by December 31, 2019, the Raya Sabha was told today. Union Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma in a written reply in the House said these plants have been given direction under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. "There are 12 thermal power plants located in the NCR and its surrounding area, within a radius of 300 km of Delhi. "These plants have been given direction under Section 5 of the EPA Act, 1986, to meet emission limits latest by December 31, 2019, except the Badarpur Thermal Power Station which is allowed to operate till October 15, 2018," he said. Sharma pointed out that in order to meet new emission limits of Particulate Matter (PM), SO2 and NOx, all the thermal power plants need to install high efficiency Electrostatic Precipitators to control PM, flue gas desulphurisation system to control SO2 emissions and low NOX burners ...
Task force set up to develop early warning system for air pollution in Del-NCR: Sharma
A task force has been set up to devise a strategy to develop an early warning system for air pollution in Delhi-NCR region, the government said today. Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma said the task force, which met in July, has representatives from expert institutions. "A task force under the chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Earth Science with representatives of expert institutions has been set up to build a strategy for developing an early warning system on air quality as well as the dissemination of warning to public," Sharma said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. The minister said a meeting of the task force was convened on July 28 this year and accordingly, "MoES is coordinating the development of an early warning system for air quality over Delhi and NCR region." He said the development of an early warning system for air pollution is aimed at further strengthening the air quality forecast. "Establishing early warning system and dissemination protocol to
Lack of manpower to regulate factories not complying with plastic waste management rules: Govt
State pollution control boards, urban local bodies and gram panchayats do not have adequate manpower and funds to regulate plastic carry bag manufacturing units that are not complying with plastic waste management (PWM) rules, a report by a government body has said. Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha said that there are 21 states and union territories which have notified stringent norms and imposed ban on plastic carry bags and other such items. He said some states such as Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim have been successful in implementing the regulations. "The plastic carry bags or products are majorly manufactured by unorganised sector. The annual report submitted by CPCB on implementation of PWM Rules, 2016 mentions that the SPCBs, PCCs and ULBs and Gram Panchayats do not have adequate manpower, infrastructure, funds etc. to regulate factories involved in manufacturing of carry bags not complying with the Rules," he said. He ..
Pollution level in Delhi has improved in last 2 years: Govt
The number of 'good days' have gone up in Delhi and the 'bad days' declined, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said today while referring to the pollution levels in the national capital. Replying to queries in the Rajya Sabha, he said "as far as pollution in Delhi is concerned, over the last two years continuously, the number of 'good days' for Delhi have improved and the number of bad days have decreased". Quoting findings from an ICMR study, he said in the last 20 years from 1990-2016, there has been a reduction of 23.4 per cent in the illnesses caused due to pollution. Asked whether the government has carried out a study to assess the number of advisories issued by foreign countries against travel to India due to pollution and their impact on tourism, he said an environmental health profile study was being conducted in 20 cities. "We have a very ambitious programme which involves multiple stakeholders and in the last two years itself, we have increased the forest cover in .
Cooking gas agency burgled in Phagwara
A local cooking gas agency was burgled of cash and valuables worth over Rs 4 lakh, police said today. Rajinder Kumar Sudhir, owner of the Sudhir Gas Agency, told police that the three robbers, as per the CCTV footage, entered into the premises of the gas agency in local SBS Nagar last night, by pulling out its tinned roof. He said that Rs 3 lakh cash, 1 LCD TV, 2 laptops and 5 mobiles were burgled. City Station House Officer Inspector Jatinderjit Singh reached the spot and initiated a probe. He said that CCTV footage was being viewed for getting clue to trace the burglars.
'Govt trying to start 5 river inter-linking projects in FY19'
The government is trying to start work on five river inter-linking projects in the current fiscal and secure financial assistance from the World Bank and the ADB for the Rs 2 lakh crore project, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today. "We are making efforts that work on all these five projects starts by March in the current financial year itself," the Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation said during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha. Gadkari further said a cabinet note has been moved seeking to accord recognition to it as a National Project. Minister of State for Water Resources Arjum Ram Meghwal said the delay in implementing the river inter-linking projects was due to projects like the Manas-Sankosh-Teesta- Ganga being connected to Bhutan, Kosi-Mechi and Kosi-Ghaghara to Nepal. He said that the government can move forward only when the issue of storage is resolved. Under the Himalayan Component of the National Perspective Plan for ...
Report confirms 2017 was third warmest year
It's official! 2017 was the third-warmest year on record for the planet, just after 2016 and 2015, scientists have confirmed. According to the 28th annual State of the Climate report, the planet also experienced record-high greenhouse gas concentrations as well as rises in sea level. The report, published by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, is based on contributions from more than 500 scientists in 65 countries and offers insight on global climate indicators, extreme weather events and other valuable environmental data. Led by scientists from US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the report found that levels of greenhouse gases in 2017 were the highest on record. Major greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere - including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide reached new record highs. The 2017 average global CO2 concentration was 405 parts per million, the highest measured in the modern 38-year global climate record and records
Nawazuddin Siddiqui to buy plot in Kasara for farming
Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui will buy a plot in Kasara for farming, says his brother Shamas Siddiqui.
NGT forms committee on Ganga cleaning, says meticulous monitoring required
Meticulous monitoring and systematic approach was required for cleaning Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao, the National Green Tribunal today said as it formed a committee headed by a former high court judge to oversee the river rejuvenation work. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that Ganga rejuvenation was a "huge task" and people of eminence who devote full time were needed to achieve the desired result. "Though some progress has been made but it cannot be said that the progress made meets the complete expectation," the bench, also comprising justices Jawad Rahim and S P Wangdi, said. The green panel formed a committee comprising former judge of Allahabad High Court, to be nominated by chief justice of the high court, nominees from the Central Pollution Control Board and the Indian Institute of Technology and directed it to submit a quarterly report on the work done. The NGT asked the committee to assume charge within one month from today and said it might .
Power Mech bags 2 orders worth Rs 1.3K cr from Andhra Pradesh
Power Mech Projects said today that it has bagged two orders worth Rs 1,385.49 crore from the Andhra Pradesh government. The company said in a BSE filing that it got an order to provide infrastructure including additional class rooms and electrical facilities in all government Schools, KGBVs and Bhavitha buildings in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram & Visakhapatnam districts, on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). The project cost is Rs 872.71 crore, under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan. The project would be completed within 24 months. The operations period is for five years from the date of completion of the construction. The company said that it has received a similar order for Krishna and Guntur districts at project cost of Rs 512.78 crore.
Around Rs 6 cr allocated in 2 yrs to collate archaeological research in Indian Ocean region
An amount of around Rs 6 crore has been approved and allocated for Project Mausam, which aims to collate archaeological and historical research to document the diversity of cultural, commercial and religious interactions in the Indian Ocean region, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma informed Parliament today. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Sharma said while Rs 2.80 crore were allocated for the project for 2018-19, Rs 3.19 crore were allocated for 2019-20. The expenditure for the project in 2017-18 and in the first three months of 2018-19 was Rs 16.75 lakh. Project Mausam, an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, is to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support from the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the National Museum as associate bodies. The project aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean "world" -- collate archaeological and historical research in order to document the ...
Incessant rain throws life out of gear in U'khand
Incessant rain for the third consecutive day threw normal life out of gear in Uttarakhand, today. Rivers, including Ganga in Haridwar, Song and Suswa rivers in Dehradun district and Kali river in Pithoragarh district, were flowing close to the danger mark. Fifteen families living along the bank of Song river in Gauri Mafi village had to be evacuated as overlapping waters moved towards residential areas, said the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) here, adding that efforts have been initiated to change the direction of Song and Suswa rivers. With the meteorological department predicting more rain in the next 24 hours, all schools in the state were closed for the day. A total of 117 rural and motor roads were blocked by rubble from landslides in 10 districts, the emergency centre said. The Rishikesh-Yamunotri highway has been blocked for the last several days in Ojri-Dabarkot area with boulders and rocks. Efforts are underway to clear the roads with earth movers and hydraulic ...