Page 597 - Environment
Himachal again heading for a lean apple harvest
The crunchy and luscious apples of Himachal Pradesh are once again literally in the eye of the storm, with government estimates saying their overall production is expected to decline with the weather playing havoc.
Apple launches $300 mn 'green' fund for China suppliers
Apple said today it has established a fund to invest nearly $300 million over the next four years to connect its Chinese suppliers to renewable energy as Beijing pushes an anti-pollution drive. The US giant said it and 10 initial suppliers would jointly provide the money for the China Clean Energy Fund, aimed at helping the companies make the transition to clean energy. Apple said the project would produce an initial one gigawatt of clean energy, equivalent to powering nearly a million homes. Most of Apple's products worldwide are assembled in vast production networks in China that employ hundreds of thousands of workers, and the company has taken various steps to reduce resulting carbon emissions. It said in April that its headquarters in Cupertino, California, had gone 100 percent renewable and announced initiatives to achieve the same in other Apple facilities worldwide. China's four-decade transition into an industrial behemoth has brought the side effects of severe air, soil and .
Apple launches $300 million green energy fund in China
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Apple Inc will launch a $300 million clean energy fund in China, the firm said in a statement on Friday, working with its suppliers to invest in renewable energy projects that could power close to 1 million homes in the country.
Signature bridge:Delhi govt approves revised estimate Rs 1518.37 Cr
Delhi government today approved the final revised estimate of Rs 1518.37 crore for the construction of Signature Bridge on Yamuna river at Wazirabad. The approval was given in a meeting of the Delhi cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said a government statement. The revised estimate was recommended by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC). It includes the Signature Bridge and its approach road. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters that the Signature Bridge is expected to be completed by October 31 this year. After completion, the bridge will connect the Outer Ring Road on the western bank of Yamuna with the Wazirabad Road on the eastern side of the river benefitting thousands of commuters. Earlier, Kejriwal and Sisodia had inspected the construction of a final pylon of the bridge in May. Then Kejriwal had said that the bridge will be completed by October. On August 27, 2004, a MoU was signed between Delhi government's PWD and Delhi Tourism and ...
NITI Aayog: CMs ask to maintain 'asset creation' spirit of MGNREGA
The first meeting of the Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on coordination between the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Agriculture was held at NITI Aayog on Thursday.The meeting reiterated that the asset creation of MGNREGA scheme should be maintained.The Convener of the Sub-Group Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the meeting in person while Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani joined in the deliberations through video conferencing.Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandra Babu Naidu, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent their suggestions in writing to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister.At the outset, all the Chief Ministers welcomed the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 4th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog on June 17.The Minister earlier asked to constitute the Sub-Group for ..
Environmental nod for Chennai-Salem highway project under
The Madras High Court was today informed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) that the environmental clearance for the Chennai-Salem eight-lane project was under process. In a counter filed in response to a PIL, the NHAI, project implementation unit of Kancheepuram, said in order to get environmental clearance it had submitted an application to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Expert Appraisal Committee, under the ministry, during its 189th meeting held on May 7 had recommended grant of terms of reference (TOR) with certain specific conditions in addition to the Standard TOR. TORs address sector specific issues relating to environmental impact assessment studies. Besides, the principal chief conservator of forests had on June 8 granted permission for collection of necessary data and for conducting surveys in forest areas, as the alignment passed through the reserve forest for a length of 9.955 km. The field survey was in progress and the ...
'Farmer producer organisations key to push agri development agenda'
Sustainability of farmer producer organisations (FPOs) is the key to push the development agenda of agriculture in India especially for small and marginal farmers, eminent agricultural economist V S Vyas said today. Due to fragmentation and disorganisation, it is not economically viable for small and marginal farmers to adopt latest technology and use of high yielding varieties of inputs such as seeds and fertilisers, etc, he said, addressing a seminar on agricultre marketing and role of FPOs. He said farmers are also unable to realise good value from their marketable surplus by individually selling their produce. Therefore, collectivising farmers into Farmers' Producer Organizations (FPOs) has been considered as one of the ways to procure inputs at a lower price and gain more selling power for their produce/ product. Chief general manager of NABARD, R.K Thanvi, said that FPOs assume critical importance in the context of Prime Minister's vision of doubling of farmers' income by ...
Farmers should diversify to increase income: MoS Agri
Farmers should not depend only on agriculture but also look at other options like dairying or animal husbandry in order to increase their income, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said today. The income of the farmer would never double if he depends upon agriculture, since the production is more than demand, Shekhavat said. He was addressing farmers on the occasion of the 39th foundation day of ICAR- Central Institute of Research on Goats, Makhdoom (Mathura). He said the institute has tried to uplift farmers through various innovations in goat farming. Considering the heavy demand of fish and honey, farmers can also consider going for 'blue revolution' (fisheries) or 'gold revolution' (honey bee keeping), he added. Highlighting various initiatives of the Narendra Modi government, he said soil testing was introduced for improving soil health. Dairy development fund to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore has been set up for helping farmers opt for scientific way .
Nepal gifts rhinos to China
The Nepal government today gifted a couple of one-horned Asiatic rhinos to China to consolidate ties between the two countries. Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli handed over the rhino couple to Chinese Ambassador Yu Hong at a function here. Nepal gifted the rhinos named, Bhadra (male) and Rupasi (female), as per government's decision made a couple of years ago. Another couple of rhinos will be gifted to China next month. Speaking on the occasion, Oli said the presentation of rhinos to China would help further consolidate historic ties between the two neighbouring countries. He also expressed hope that the rhinos would be reared in a good environment as he underlined the need for further expanding bilateral relations between Nepal and China. Aged between 1-2 years, Bhadra weighs around 900 kgs while Rupasi weighs about 1,200 kgs, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. The rhinos will be dispatched to China by a special cargo plane. The endangered ...
Nepal's last known dancing bear finds home in Indian sanctuary
Nepal's last known dancing bear has finally found a home in neighbouring India, to the relief of animal activists who feared for his safety after the death of his buddy. Rangila, a 19-year-old bear rescued from captivity, made the 30-hour journey from Nepal to a sanctuary in Agra, officials from Indian animal charity Wildlife SOS said. "He reached us late yesterday and we are caring for him and feeding him. He loves honey," Kartick Satyanarayan from Wildlife SOS, which runs the Agra Bear Rescue Facility in northern India, said yesterday. "After a quarantine period we will begin his socialisation and rehabilitation process." Rangila was one of two sloth bears rescued in southern Nepal in December from a pair of itinerant street performers who used the animals for entertainment. The pair were transferred to a zoo but the female died just weeks later from what animal activists described as "negligence". Last month, Nepal's government allowed the surviving bear to be transferred after ...
TL Min directs officials to ensure well being of zoo animals
Telangana Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna today held a review meeting with officials on the recent death of three animals, including a lion in the Nehru Zoological Park here and instructed them to take concrete measures to ensure the well being of animals. The officials told the minister that three animals, including an elephant and a lion, have died due to old age, serious health problems, an official release said. The minister asked the officials to undertake concrete steps, including providing better healthcare, to ensure that the animals were in good health, it said.
Poverty drives K'taka farmer to work as cattle
A poor farmer and his wife have been working as cattle on the field in Nandhikoor village of Kalaburagi, Karnataka.Gundu Shapur, the farmer along with his wife, has been working as cattle as they cannot afford one.They sow the field themselves as cattle would cost them Rs 1000 per day and sowing takes four days."The whole money for the seeds would go if I spend money on the cattle. The cattle would cost us Rs 4000 for four days, we can't afford it. We don't have any help from the government," he said.Gundu does not own a field, the one they have is on a lease. For the past three years, farmers are facing problems due to lack of rainfall.Owing to the problems, Gundu works as an auto driver after working on the field. His children too, help him after school and in their free time."I work in the field in the morning, and ride an auto in the evening to sustain the family. My children also help me in this.
Naveen seeks PM's intervention on Polvaram project
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop the construction of the Polavaram Project until all the pending issues were settled in the Supreme Court.
Patnaik demands cancellation of MOEF order on Polavaram
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today demanded cancellation of Tuesday's order of the Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change that allowed construction of the controversial Polavaram project. "I would earnestly request you to kindly intervene in the matter and give directions to cancel the order dated 10.07.2018 of MoEF & CC and to stop the construction of the Polavaram project until all the pending issues are finally settled in the Hon'ble Supreme Court," Patnaik wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The July 10 order of the MoEF & CC kept the stop work order in abeyance till 2019. The chief minister said the Polavaram project can be "reformulated" as per the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal (GWDT) award without causing large scale submergence in Odisha, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. "If the project is allowed to be completed before the resolution of the pending issues, it will cause permanent injury to the interest of the state of Odisha and
Farm labourers' wages should be as per MNREGA norms: Guj CM
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today suggested that farm labourers should be given wages as per the provisions of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act(MNREGA). He made the suggestion while participating, through video conferencing, in the first meeting of a sub-group of chief ministers formed to bring about a convergence between MNREGA and the agriculture sector. The sub-group, headed by Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was created by NITI Aayog, in order to increase farmers' income, the release said. During the meet, Rupani suggested that on-field agricultural activities should be brought under the ambit of MNREGA. He added that farm labourers should be given wages as mandated by the MNREG Act and to do so, Rupani suggested a change to the guidelines of MNREGA, the release said. The Gujarat CM exuded confidence that an integrated approach for the agriculture sector would double farmers' income, it added. Other agricultural activities ..
MGNREGA funds can be used to rehabilitate agri land: CMs' panel
A chief ministers' panel and NITI Aayog today deliberated on using MGNREGA funds for rehabilitation of agricultural land impacted by natural calamities as well as supplementing farm labour costs. The first meeting of the Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on coordination between the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and agriculture also discussed reducing the cost of cultivation and enhancing production through efficient use of water. The meeting, held at the NITI Aayog, was chaired by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. According to an official statement, five critical areas in which MGNREGA could positively help came to the fore in the meeting. "These include those related to reducing the cost of cultivation, enhancing the production through efficient use of water or other inputs, providing remunerative price to farmers by incentivising aggregation and market infrastructure, rehabilitation of agricultural land and assets after natural ...
Two wheelers with modified silencers to be impounded: Pb min
Two wheelers with modified silencers that cause noise pollution will be impounded, Punjab Environment Minister Om Parkash Soni said today. "Impound bikes creating thumping sound due to modification of silencers," Soni told officials in a high-level meeting of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and Environment Department officers. Modified silencers of different shapes and sizes installed on motorcycles especially Royal Enfield bikes have become a nuisance in the state. Mostly youngsters opt for these after market silencers for a deeper bass or a loud thump. The minister further said that the work for online services of pollution checking centres was on fast-track and details of every vehicle would soon be available on the internet. Besides, vehicle owners will get an SMS reminder a week before the expiration of their vehicle's pollution certificate, he said. Soni also directed the officers to make efforts to enhance air quality in urban areas and noted that releasing industrial
Authorities in Delhi do not have "will" to clear garbage: SC
The authorities in Delhi lack the "will" to clear the garbage and solid waste in the national capital, the Supreme Court said today, observing that steps to deal with the issue were perhaps impossible to implement. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said that despite the measures taken and proposed by the authorities, nothing has happened on the ground and Delhi was facing a grave situation of "mountains of garbage". Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand, who appeared for the LG office and Delhi government, said that IIT Delhi has conducted a study on the Ghazipur landfill site and a report has also been prepared. When the bench referred to the death of a man when the garbage mound had caved in at Ghazipur landfill site, the ASG said "that is why there is an emergency situation. We are all concerned. It has to be done in some manner. It will not happen overnight, but things are happening. Waste to energy plants will also be set up". The bench asked the ASG by .
Nepal gifts rhino couple to China
Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on Thursday handed over a pair of one-horned rhino to Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong at a programme in the capital.
Another OTS for defaulting rice millers in Punjab
The Punjab government will soon come out with another 'one-time settlement' (OTS) scheme for defaulting rice millers to recover about Rs 2,000 crore on account of undelivered rice, a minister said. The department had been able to recover a minuscule amount of Rs 22 crore in the earlier OTS which was rolled out last year. "We will soon come out with a new OTS scheme for defaulting rice millers," Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said here today. "I have asked officials concerned to make their suggestions for the new OTS," he further said. He warned if defaulting rice millers fail to take advantage of the new OTS, then action as per law will be taken against them. In the last OTS, the defaulters had the option to pay the entire outstanding principal amount in one go, within a period of 45 days, without having to pay any interest, or to pay in three installments with 10 per cent interest. It was also decided that where interest was paid, it should not be higher .
