Page 571 - Environment
NMIA: MoEF okays forest land diversion for Pushpak Nagar
In what may be considered as a major step in the development of townships around the Navi Mumbai international airport, the Ministry of Environment and Forest has accorded approval for diversion of 22.55 hectares of forest land required for developing Pushpak Nagar. "The approval from the ministry of environment and forest was necessary for the development of Pushpak Nagar," Navi Mumbai town planning authority Cidco said in a statement issued here today. Pushpak Nagar township has been planned with state-of-the-art engineering and social infrastructure across 221 hectares, and the development is happening at a rapid pace. As per the township plan, a part of the area is planned for essential engineering utilities like drinking water, storm water drainage, road connectivity and essential social infrastructure like schools, community centres, parks and playgrounds, which will come up on this 22.55 hectare of forest land. "Considering the fact that the development would be
Raj pollution board order to hit industrial units in Pali district
The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) has directed a treatment plant along the Bandi river in Pali district to stop accepting effluents from industrial units, a move that is likely to hit operations of 215 factories. The board's direction came after it found that facilities at the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP)-4, one of the six CETPs along the river, were inadequate to handle sludge from these units in the Punayata Industrial Area. Of the six plants, one is not operational and one is under construction. CETP-4 has been shut and CETP-2, 3 and 6 are operational, officials said. The directions were issued, following RSPCB chairperson Aparna Arora and member secretary K C A Arun Prasad's visit to the treatment plants, industrial areas and the stretch of the Bandi river in the district on July 23. Noting various deficiencies and non-compliance of norms, the pollution board, in its July 24 report directed the Water Pollution Control Treatment and Research Foundation .
14 peacocks found dead in agricultural field
As many as 14 peacocks were found dead in an agricultural field in Nagarkurnool district, forest department sources said today. The peacocks were found dead in a field at Gaggallapally village in Nagarkurnool district yesterday, the sources said. They might have died due to some infection, the sources said, adding that the cause of death can be known only after post-mortem. A week ago ten peafowls and one peacock were found dead in Gadwal district. It is suspected that they might have consumed some poisonous insecticides used by farmers in their fields to save their crops, the sources said.
Instructions to states, UTs to conduct third party survey of urban homeless: Puri
The Centre has issued instructions to all states and union territories to conduct third party "systematic survey" of urban homeless, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told the Rajya Sabha today. In a written reply, Puri said states and UTs have recently been allowed to take buildings on rent for establishing shelters on an interim arrangement till 2022 until permanent shelters are set up. He said there are 201 shelters in Delhi and 13 shelters in Mumbai operational under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). "Instructions have been issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to all states/UTs to conduct a third party systematic survey of urban homeless," Puri said. In reply to another question, the minister said the Committee on Urban Homeless, constituted as per the Supreme Court order dated November 11, 2016, has pointed out that a huge gap exists between number of urban homeless and capacity of the shelters
Stay on felling of trees to continue: Delhi HC
The Delhi Court on Thursday continued the stay on felling of trees in South Delhi as a part of a redevelopment plan until further order.The court also sought a complete record from the Centre to get environment clearance in the connection.The Court said the redevelopment project will lead to rise in traffic problem and increase pollution in the national capital.The Court added that the project was cleared without thinking.Meanwhile, the public sector construction firm National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) apprised the court that the residential project was a decision of the central government which was sanctioned in accordance with the master plan.Retorting to that, the court said, "There must be a green master plan."Earlier on Tuesday, Minister of State (MoS) for Environment Mahesh Sharma wrote to Rajya Sabha that environmental clearance for the redevelopment of the South Delhi colonies depends on the various environmental regulations.The court will hear the matter ...
GM-processed foods being widely sold in India illegally: CSE
A study by a Delhi-based think tank alleged today that genetically-modified processed foods, including infant foods, were being widely sold in the country illegally. The study conducted by the non-for-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that 32 per cent of the total of 65 randomly-selected samples -- both imported and domestic companies -- tested positive under the genetically-modified category. "Every second-imported product we tested was genetically-modified positive that were mostly from developed countries. Nine out of 10 products were from the US," said Chandra Bhushan, the deputy director general of CSE. "While most of the genetically-modified (GM) foods that were tested did not disclose GM on their labels, few also made false claims of being GM-free," Bhushan said. The study by the public interest research and advocacy organisation said about 56 per cent of the samples were of oils, 10 samples of packaged foods and two samples of infant foods. The CSE ...
Cloudy skies may play dampener on rare celestial event
As the scientists across the country gear up to witness the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century - which will coincide with the closest approach of Mars to our planet - experts say that cloudy skies are likely to mar the event for amateur space enthusiasts in India. The Astronomical Society of India cautioned against creating a hype around this event in a statement. "For serious astronomers, this event does offer an extraordinary opportunity to study Mars through their telescopes. However, the layperson who might expect to see dramatic details of the surface of Mars would probably be disappointed," the statement said. "Since we are in the middle of the monsoon here in India, the sky is likely to be cloudy," it said. "People in Jammu & Kashmir, and Tamil Nadu are most likely to be able to witness the event clearly," Aniket Sule, Chair of the Public Outreach and Education Committee (POEC) of Astronomical Society of India, told PTI. On the night of July 27, the total ...
Punjab approves renewable projects of Rs 100 crore
The Punjab government has approved renewable energy projects worth Rs 100 crore, state Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy Sources Gurpreet Singh Kangar said on Thursday.
Give details of deliberations prior to grant of clearance for south Delhi housing projects: HC to Centre
The Delhi High Court today asked the Centre to give details of its deliberations before grant of environment clearance (EC) for the redevelopment of seven south Delhi colonies at the cost of over 16,500 trees. Calling for the records related to grant of EC, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar directed authorities executing the project to ensure that there is no change in traffic and unit density of the areas in question till further orders. The court asked for the "considerations and deliberations" carried out by the Environment Ministry before grant of EC, after an expert on development and environment said the clearance for the project area of over 600 acres was given in one sitting, which was not possible if there was application of mind. The court had on the last date asked for the opinion of the expert, Gautam Mann, with regard to the project and its impact on the environment. He told the court today that the entire clearance needed a re-look on
Taking steps for a sustainable livelihood at Sundarbans: Mamata
The West Bengal Government wants sustainable livelihood of the people in the Sundarbans, and is taking steps for protecting the mangrove forest and its faunal treasures, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday.
Damage to environment cannot be undone: HC
Observing that damage to environment cannot be undone, the Delhi High Court on Thursday extended till further orders the ban on axing of 16,500 trees for the construction of high-rise residential quarters for central government employees in the national capital. It directed the Centre to submit all the files pertaining to grant of environment clearance for the project.
CIAL chosen for UN environmental honour
The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has been selected for the Champion of Earth Prize-2018, the highest environmental honour instituted by the United Nations. CIAL said in a statement that it was honoured for its successful execution of one of the revolutionary ideas of using solar energy which made CochinAirport a first in the world fully powered by it. "This is the United Nation's highest environmental accolade and reflects your leadership in the use of sustainable energy," said a communiqu signed by Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "As the world's first fully solar powered airport, you set an ambitious example that we hope many others will follow," the communique addressed to the CIAL Managing Director V J Kurian said. The award, instituted in 2005 to recognise outstanding environmental leaders, will be presented at a gala ceremony on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September ...
Construction manager of Ethiopia's Nile River dam found dead
Ethiopia's state media says the construction manager of the controversial dam being built on the Nile River was found dead today morning in the center of the capital. ETV reported that Engineer Semegnew Bekele was discovered dead inside his car at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa. It said the body was taken to a hospital to determine the cause of death. An AP reporter saw a Toyota Landcruiser surrounded by police officers who were trying to disperse a crowd from the scene. Semegnew is credited for managing the construction of hydroelectric dams in Ethiopia. The Nile River dam is now more than 63 per cent complete. Once finished, it will generate about 6,400 megawatts, more than doubling Ethiopia's current production of 4,000 megawatts.
Endangered pygmy elephant shot dead on Borneo
A pygmy elephant was shot dead on Borneo island after it destroyed villagers' crops, a Malaysian wildlife official said today, the latest of the endangered creatures to be killed. The male elephant, believed to be about four years old, was found Monday by the side of a road in the state of Sabah, on the Malaysian part of Borneo, local wildlife department director Augustine Tuuga told AFP. He said the "merciless" killing was carried out near a remote settlement, and authorities were investigating who was responsible. "(The elephant) was killed out of revenge for destroying crops," he said, adding the crops included palm oil trees. He said the creature's tusks remained intact, indicating the elephant was not killed by poachers seeking to sell its ivory on the black market. It was the latest case in Malaysia of human-animal conflict, which happens when human settlements or agricultural plantations expand into a species's natural habitat. Malaysia is home to vast tracts of rainforest and .
Odisha CM dedicates Gurupriya bridge to people
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday dedicated the much-awaited Gurupriya bridge -- which connects 151 villages across the Balimela reservoir with the rest of Malkangiri district -- to the people.
NGT forms monitoring committee on Yamuna cleaning
The National Green Tribunal today formed a monitoring committee on the cleaning of the Yamuna and directed it to submit an action plan on the issue. A bench headed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson A K Goel appointed retired expert member B S Sajwan and former Delhi chief secretary Shailaja Chandra as members of the committee while directing them to submit action plan by September and a detailed report in the matter by December 31. The green panel asked the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments to assist the committee on Yamna rejuvenation. The Tribunal directed the authorities to take strict action against encroachments on the Yamuna floodplains. It also directed the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi Jal Board to hold a meeting on July 30 for identifying land for setting up of a sewage treatment plant on a drain which falls under phase-II of the Yamuna cleaning programme. The NGT had earlier rapped the Delhi Jal Board over cleaning of the Yamuna and had said there .
Ninety Nine Irrigation Projects Prioritized For Completion In Phases Up To December 2019
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Panasonic provides electricity to rural areas of Myanmar
An estimated 1.1 billion of the people in the world lives without electricity.Providing electricity to them means a requirement of more power generation.Panasonic Corporation recently announced the launch of Off-grid Solutions Project in Myanmar, at a ceremony held in Yangon to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary.Through the provision of the company's related products such as solar generation and storage systems and educational activities, Panasonic aims to promote understanding of electricity for people living in off-grid areas.The project is also part of Panasonic's corporate social responsibility initiatives which is launched to celebrate the centennial of its founding this year.Rika Fukuda, a Panasonic official said, "As an electric company, we wanted to solve the problems that led to poverty due to lack of electricity. We are solving such problems by using solar panels and battery technology to deliver electricity and light. We deliver our products such as power supply and .
Exhibition to raise awareness about conservation of elephants
To raise awareness about the preservation and conservation of elephants, a two-month long exhibition will be held at the Mandi House metro station here. As part of India Habitat Centre's year-long multi-media festival on sustainable development, "Habitat Photosphere", the exhibition "Gaj Yatra" will feature illustrations on elephant -- India's national heritage animal. Organised in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India, the show curated by art consultant and cultural theorist Alka Pande, will begin on August 1. The illustrations by cartoonist Rohan Chakravarty were created for his comic-cum-colouring book, 'Where's Gaju's Herd?' that exposes the threats faced by elephants. The artworks capture the life of a herd of elephants through the eyes of Gaju, a baby elephant who loses track of his family. "Elephants provide indispensable services to the ecosystems they inhabit such as dispersing seeds and rejuvenating rainforests. "If you've observed a herd of elephants even for a few
Traffic chaos in Delhi due to heavy rains
Traffic was severely affected due to heavy rains in the national capital today with waterlogging contributing to chaos at various intersections. According to traffic police officials, vehicular movement was affected at the Vivek Vihar underpass, the Seema Puri underpass and under the Ghazipur flyover. "Traffic is also affected from Narayana T Point to Loha Mandi due to water logging on the Girdhari Lal Goswami Marg in west Delhi. Commuters should avoid the stretch," an official said. Traffic was reported to be affected from Apsara border to Shahdara, Seema Puri to Apsara border and Khaira Mor to Bahardurgarh bus stand in Najafgarh. There was obstruction in traffic from Lal Kuan in south Delhi to Badarpur due to water logging. The traffic police also issued advisories with alternate routes on its Twitter handle for motorists. Heavy rains lashed the city overnight and continued till the morning. The weatherman has predicted more rainfall during the day.
