Page 593 - Environment
'Paudhagiri' campaign launched in Haryana
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today launched the 'Paudhagiri' campaign, aimed at increasing the green cover in the state. Under this campaign, 22 lakh students from class 6 to 12 of all government and private schools in Haryana will plant a sapling each during three months of monsoon -- July, August and September, said the chief minister. Khattar launched the 'Paudhagiri' campaign by planting a 'maulsari' sapling in the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex premises of Gurgaon, according to an official release. He talked about the positive effects of plantation on the environment and said that every student will get a sapling from the Forest department and they can plant it either in the courtyard of their house, field or park or school or at any open space available in their proximity. They can name the plant according to their likes, maybe after the name of great personalities of the country, freedom fighters or after the name of any of their family members or their ...
TRCF demands law to preserve grazing land in J-K
An organisation of the Gujjar and Bakerwal tribes today voiced concern over fast shrinking of grazing land in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded a law to preserve it in the state. The Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF), headed by noted Gujjar researcher Javaid Rahi, also demanded a probe into the transfer of land to influential people under the Roshi Act in the state. The Roshni Act was enacted in 2001 to generate Rs 25,000 crore by vesting the ownership rights over state land, also called 'nazool' land, to its occupants to use the money in power sector. According to official figures, the scheme earned the government Rs 78.74 crore - Rs 54 crore in Kashmir and Rs 24 crore in Jammu. The TRCF said conversion of grazing areas and pastoral lands are adversely affecting tribal livelihood and is harmful for migratory culture and nomadic way oflife of Gujjars and Bakerwals. Gujjars and Bakerwals, the main animal-raring communities, demand that the grazing areas and pastoral lands ...
Haryana launches plantation drive in Gurugram
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday launched a 'Paudhagiri campaign' (plantation drive) to increase the green cover in the state under which over 22 lakh plants will be planted during the monsoon season.
Modi accuses rivals of shedding 'crocodile tears' for farmers, says they neglected projects when in power
Accusing the Congress and other parties of shedding "crocodile tears" for farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked why development and irrigation projects across the country were neglected during their rule. Addressing a public meeting here after inaugurating the Bansagar canal project and laying the foundation stone of the Mirzapur medical college, he said those doing politics in the name of farmers, did not have the time to think about an effective hike in minimum support prices (MSPs). The prime minister asserted the day is not far when farmers' income would double due to his government's efforts. Those shedding "crocodile tears" for farmers today should be asked why they did not complete irrigation projects across the nation during their tenure, Modi said. "This is not the matter of Bansagar alone. Such 'atke, latke and bhatke' (stuck up, pending and derailed) projects pertaining to farmers' welfare can be found in different states. They never had any concern. Why were ..
84 Amur leopard remain in the wild: Study
Scientists estimate that only 84 Amur leopards, a highly endangered specie, are left in the wild across its current range in Russia and China.
Youth crushed to death by a falling tree in TN
An 18-year-old youth was killed when a huge tree fell on him near Fingerost in nearby Nilgiris district today, police said. The deceased Iman Augustine, along with his family members, was proceeding to the Church, when a large roadside tree fell on him, they said. He along with a few others, who sustained minor injuries, were taken to the government hospital, they added. However, Iman succumbed before reaching there. Meanwhile, large trees were uprooted at 17 places on Udhagamandalam-Gudalur highway, including Pykara, Naduvattam, Fingerpost, resulting in disruption of vehicular traffic. Fire and Rescue Services personnel with the help of police and PWD department officials are on the job to clear the trees and traffic, police said.
Eco-friendly technology to safeguard environment around Vaishno Devi shrine in JK
With lakhs of pilgrims thronging the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir annually, its management has turned to the latest eco-friendly technology to protect the environment around the cave shrine. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVSB), which manages the affairs of the shrine in Reasi district, said preservation and conservation of the environment is being given due regard while creating new infrastructure and upgrading logistics for meeting the emerging requirements of the progressively increasing pilgrimage. Over 81.78 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine in Trikuta hills last year, registering an increase of about 4.54 lakh pilgrims over 2016. For the first time, bio-sanitation products based on a consortium of different microbes and plant extracts have been introduced, replacing chemical-based reagents for cleaning of toilets, a SMVSB spokesperson said. A new four-storey earthquake-resistant toilet block with modern facilities is under construction in Adhkuwari. ...
Gained people's support through development work: Shivraj
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday said his government has received people's support through phased development of the state.
Had to intervene as Goans stopped eating fish: Parrikar
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said he had to intervene in the ongoing controversy over the use of formalin in preserving fish, because people in the coastal state have stopped eating fish.
Dell partners with Chakr Innovation to curb air pollution
With the aim of creating awareness about rising air pollution levels, technology major Dell on Sunday organised an experimental event in collaboration with tech start-up Chakr Innovation which converts diesel soot into ink (POINK) through their retro-fit emission control device for diesel generators.
Centre removes JNU professor accused of sexual harassment from EPCA
The Centre has removed a JNU professor, accused of sexual harassment, from the Supreme Court-empowered Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), tasked with taking various measures to tackle air pollution. The Environment Ministry, in an order issued on July 4, announced the removal of Atul Kumar Johri, a professor at the School of Life Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Johri was arrested in March for allegedly sexually harassing several women students. The Delhi High Court had recently given JNU's internal complaints committee two more weeks to complete its investigation into the alleged misconduct of Johri. Despite repeated attempts, Johri did not respond to queries from PTI regarding his removal from the EPCA. Students, professors and women rights organisations had demanded Johri's arrest, following allegations by some students of sexual harassment by him. The Environment Ministry in its notification also said that it had removed another member, .
PM criticises Opposition for delaying mega projects in UP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on a two-day tour to the eastern Uttar Pradesh, today visited Mirzapur and inaugurated the Bansagar irrigation project aimed at easing the life of farmers.Notably, this is a joint venture between Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh governments.While addressing the crowd, Prime Minster Modi said, "The last time that I came to Mirzapur for launching solar irrigation project, French President Emmanuel Macron was with me. He was very impressed with the country's rich tradition and culture."The Prime Minister also lauded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for undertaking several mega projects for the development of Uttar Pradesh. He also criticised the rivals Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) for failing to develop the region during their tenures."Since the time BJP-NDA govt has come to power the development work in Purvanchal has accelerated and its results can be seen by everyone today. The previous governments did not care about ..
Geo-spatial technology for development of smart villages
Use of geo-spatial techniques like remote sensing can be of immense help in identifying villages lacking in basic infrastructure and ensuring their all round development at micro-level, according to a senior scientist. "Generation of maps on fine scale could be useful for planning developmental activities. Such type of micro-level mapping could be carried out using geo-spatial techniques like remote sensing with the high resolution satellite data, GIS and GPS technology," said A L Haldar, acting director of the state-run Remote Sensing Applications Centre (RSAC) here. "Mapping involves focussing on different utilities like road construction, drinking water facilities, education facilities, electricity line distribution, public toilets, construction of residential complexes, telecommunications, drainage and sewerage facility," he told PTI. Haldar said smart villages are the need of the hour, as rural development is one of the important missions for transforming Uttar Pradesh into a ...
NASA Juno spots volcano on Jupiter moon Io
Scientists have discovered a volcano close to the south pole of Jupiter's moon Io, using data collected by NASA's Juno spacecraft. The infrared data were collected in December last year, when Juno was about 470,000 kilometres away from the moon, using its Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument "The new Io hotspot JIRAM picked up is about 200 miles (300 kilometers) from the nearest previously mapped hotspot," said Alessandro Mura, from the National Institute for Astrophysics in Italy. "We are not ruling out movement or modification of a previously discovered hot spot, but it is difficult to imagine one could travel such a distance and still be considered the same feature," said Mura. The team will continue to evaluate data collected on the December 16 flyby, as well as JIRAM data that will be collected during future flybys of Io. Past NASA missions of exploration that have visited the Jovian system (Voyagers 1 and 2, Galileo, Cassini and New Horizons), along with ...
Citizens' 'emotional connect' helps river get a new life
A citizens' initiative to clean a river in Maharashtra's Akola district has set an example of how an 'emotional connect' can help in the revival of water bodies reeling under pollution, . The result: Akola's Morna river, which was a filthy sight of weeds and other waste till sometime back, is now clean and brimming with water following monsoon rains, the district collector said. The 173-km-long Morna river, a major tributary of Purna river (tributary of Tapti), is the main water source for Akola district, located around 240 km from here. "Around eight km of Morna river passes through Akola city and it was covered with weeds, plastic and solid waste garbage. There are 32 nullahs (drains) through which the city's liquid waste is drained into the river," Akola's collector AstikKumar Pandey told PTI. The cleaning of the river was taken up every Saturday from January 13 this year for three months. Print and video advertisements of the campaign were put up on social media and
Army distributed 17000 solar lights in un-electrified hamlets in JK's Doda
The Army has distributed 17,000 solar lights among the residents of un-electrified and inaccessible hamlets in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative under 'Roshni' (light) project, the Army said, was launched after it was felt that electricity was the most critical requirement in the far-flung areas during interactions with the locals including the floating population of nomadic Gujjars and Bakherwal communities. "The initial aim was to lit up 5,000 homes and 'dhoks' (mud-houses)," it said. After approaching several NGOs and municipal corporations, a Mumbai-based NGO, 'Eco Solutions', headed by Yatendra Aggarwal agreed to be a part of the project in 2016, as their primary aim was to reach out to remote areas in the country and provide lights through solar-based LED lighting systems," Brigadier Rohit Nautiyal of the Rashtriya Rifles told PTI today. He said the execution of the project has genuinely uplifted the standard of living of the rural population in high-altitude ...
Newton's apple tree may soon take root' in India
Sir Isaac Newton's iconic apple tree, which is believed to have inspired the British physicist to propose the theory of gravity nearly 350 years ago and holds a special place in the annals of science, may soon have a descendant in India to inspire the next generation of scientists. The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune is on an ambitious mission to graft a Newton tree shoot on Indian apple trees growing in its courtyard, said its director Somak Raychaudhury. Clones and descendants of the tree have reached many countries of the world, with a genetically identical tree growing at Newton's alma mater, Trinity College, Cambridge. People have tried growing trees far and wide from the temperate, shady garden in Newton's home in Lincolnshire, England. One such effort was made in India in 1997 by Jayant V Narlikar, then IUCAA director. The visual incongruence of Newton beneath a banyan rather than an apple tree spurred Narlikar to act. "Between 1997 and ...
'DMRC to get green power from Rewa solar plant in two months'
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will start getting green power from the Madhya Pradesh-based Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ltd (RUMSL) in the next two months, the first project in the country to supply power to an inter-state open access customer. The 750MW project in Rewa district, spread over an area of 1,590 acres, is among the largest single-site solar power plants in the world. The DMRC had signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the RUMSL to get green power from the latter to run its trains in the national capital. Madhya Pradesh Renewable Energy Principal Secretary Manu Srivastava told PTI that the DMRC would get around 25 per cent of the total power generated by the RUMSL, which would meet around 90 per cent power demand of the DMRC. "The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will get green power from the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ltd (RUMS) within the next two months," Srivastava said. He said the RUMSL has started generating 10 MW power from July 6 this ...
Andhra CM motivates people for plantation
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has urged people to plants more trees and also suggested them to take selfies while planting trees and share it on the social media.The Chief Minister, who launched a plantation programme 'Vanam-Manam' (forest and we) in the campus of Indian Institute of Industrial Training (IIIT), at Nuzvid, in Krishna district, said, "Everybody should plant trees, take selfies with them, and post them on social media. It should become a moment. Everybody should plant a sapling on their birthday, and grow them."The programme, which was launched yesterday aimed to increase the forest cover in Andhra Pradesh. This program will continue for 127 days and will conclude on November 23. As many as 26 crore trees will be planted all over the state in this period through government departments and private organisations."Today as many as 1 crore saplings were planted across the state. The government gave a call to plant two saplings in the house and one ...
Houston varsity signs MoU with Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy
The University of Houston has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) here with the aim to build scientific and technical knowledge through joint research. The agreement was signed by IIPE founding director VSRK Prasad, IIPE administrative liaison Sudarsan Neogi, Elizabeth D Rockwell Dean of the Cullen College of Engineering at UH, Joseph W Tedesco and UH vice provost for global strategies and studies, Jaime Ortiz. The agreement covers key areas of possible collaboration - faculty exchanges, especially in subsea engineering, offshore and onshore petroleum engineering, process control systems and process safety in all chemical engineering fields and non-conventional energy areas. The MoU also covers possible student exchanges for short-term visits and learning, joint research projects, and joint academic events and activities, including short courses, seminars, workshops and/or conferences based on mutual interest and ...
