Page 598 - Environment
NABARD to develop micro enterprises in 4 districts of Kerala
NABARD today launched measures for the development of micro enterprises on a pilot basis in the farm sector in four districts of Kerala - Alapuzha, Idukki, Thrissur and Waynad. The steps for the development were kick-started as part of the celebration of the 37th foundation day of NABARD. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Water Resources Mathew P Thomas sought the help of NABARD and other stakeholders for implementing its 'Haritha Kerala' programme for conserving water, increasing agricultural production and maintaining a clean environment through waste management. The Minister lauded the efforts of NABARD and Malayala Manorama, a media house, in joining hands for the water campaign programme. The identified micro enterprises are for vegetable cultivation, organic farming, poultry and value addition to spices and fruits, chief manager of NABARD R Srinivasan said. Earlier, Minister of Local Administration K T Jaleel, who inaugurated the State-level evaluation committee
Arunachal CM tells REC to work in tandem with state Power dept
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today told Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) to work in tandem with the Power department to provide electricity connection to all households in the state by December 31 this year. The CM in a meeting with Power department officials and REC told them that all household in the state should not only be equipped and wired but also be 'lighted up' for total success of the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana. scheme. REC is a central public sector undertaking. The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide free electricity connections to all households of Above Poverty Line (APL) and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in rural and urban areas. The chief minister said the state government will mobilise all resources available to achieve 100 per cent electrification of all households in the state by December 31 this year.
Odisha to experience rains as two LOPAR form in Bay of Bengal
Odisha is likely to experience moderate to heavy rainfall this week as two low pressure areas (LOPAR) are being formed in the Bay of Bengal, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said today. "A low pressure area is very likely to form over north Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood during next 24hours and another low pressure area is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood around July 16," IMD said its latest bulletin. IMD also warned that heavy rainfall likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Angul, Bauda, Kandhamal, Sonepur, Sambalpur and Ganjam. Director of the Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) at the SOA university, S C Sahu said that the LOPAR expected on Saturday will cause moderate rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at a few locations till July 18. "Formation of another low pressure was likely on July 19 over the northwest Bay of Bengal ..
Indonesia to take controlling stake in massive gold, copper mine
Indonesia will take a controlling stake in one of the world's biggest gold and copper mines for USD 3.85 billion, the government said today, as it moves to claw back control of the country's vast natural resources. State-owned mining firm Inalum will get a 51 per cent interest in the Grasberg mine, from just under 10 per cent now, Jakarta said. The agreement requires US-based Freeport-McMoRan to cede its ownership stake, but it will keep operating the huge complex in the jungles of Indonesia's Papua province, officials said. Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is also selling its interest in the mine as part of an agreement that the government said it hopes to finalise before the end of the year. Freeport and other foreign firms operating in Indonesia have been ordered to comply with new mining ownership rules designed to give the country more control of its plentiful resources. The announcement comes after more than a year of see-saw negotiations about the future of Freeport's ...
South Asia has not created enough jobs for youth: Lok Sabha Speaker
South Asia is one of the fastest growing sub-regions of the world but has not been able to create enough job opportunities for youth as 80 per cent workforce remains in the informal sector, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has said.
Incessant rain in surrounding areas keep Delhi's pollution level in check
Incessant rain in areas surrounding Delhi kept the pollution level in check as clean, moisture-laden winds replaced the polluted air, officials said today. The Air Quality Index of Delhi was reported to be at 110 which falls in the moderate level. An AQI between 0-50 is considered "Good", 51-100 "Satisfactory", 101-200 "Moderate", 201-300 "Poor", 301-400 "Very Poor", and 401-500 "Severe". The PM10 level (presence of particles with diameter less than 10mm) was beyond severe at 132 in Delhi-NCR and 126 in Delhi. The PM2.5 level (presence of particles with diameter less than 2.5 mm) was 43 in Delhi-NCR and 45 in Delhi today, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. Gufran Beig, a scientist at the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research institute (SAFAR), said incessant rain in surrounding areas of Delhi has led to the flow of clean moisture-laden winds into the city that is cleansing the air. Delhiites breathed clean air last month after nearly a ..
No of flats for govt employees to come down with redesigning of plans: CPWD
With a change in its plans to execute the redevelopment of south Delhi colonies, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) today said the number of proposed flats for central government employees was likely to come down. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had last month announced that no trees would be cut for the redevelopment of seven south Delhi colonies. He had also directed the CPWD and NBCC to rework the plan to avoid cutting of trees. Talking to reporters here on the occasion of 164th CPWD Annual Day, its Director General Prabhakar Singh said the number of proposed flats would come down due to the redesigning of plans. Singh said for instance, if 1,000 flats were proposed to be constructed in an initial plan, the numbers would come down to about 900 flats owing to the redesigning of the plan. The National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) is redeveloping Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, while the CPWD is managing the rest of the four ...
300 kg sea cucumber worth Rs 6 lakh seized in TN
Nearly 300 kg of seacucumber valued at Rs 6 lakh, meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka was seized at Serankottai coast near here today and one person arrested in this connection, marine police said. Acting on a tip-off, a team of marine police went to the spot and seized the sea cucumber, which was being loaded onto a boat, they said. Sea cucumbers are classified as endangered species and their harvest is banned under the Wildlife Protection Act. These are in great demand in South-East Asian countries.
Africa's iconic baobab trees dying off at alarming rate
Africa's ancient baobab, with its distinctive swollen trunk and known as the "tree of life", is under a new and mysterious threat, with some of the largest and oldest dying abruptly in recent years. Nine of the 13 oldest baobabs, aged between 1,000 and 2,500 years, have died over the past dozen years, according to a study published in the scientific journal Nature Plants. The sudden collapse is "an event of unprecedented magnitude", the study says. Climate change, with its rising temperatures and increasing drought conditions, is a suspected factor but no definite cause is known. The deaths occurred in the southern African countries of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. "The trees that are falling over are at the southern range of the distribution of baobabs," said Stephan Woodborne with South Africa's National Research Foundation, an author of the study. "What we believe is happening is that the climate envelope in which they exist is shifting, and so we are not ...
Bangladesh, Malaysia to sign MoU on defence training
Bangladesh and Malaysia are preparing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence training and technical cooperation.
GE commissions first leg of grid-stabilisation system for PowerGrid
GE Grid Solutions today said it has commissioned the first leg of mega grid-stabilisation project of Power Grid Corporation for the northern grid. After completion, the project would be the world's largest Wide Area Monitoring System (WAMS) solution that entails monitoring and controlling of electricity supply across the country which will positively impact India's total population, a company statement said. The project is part of the Unified Real Time Dynamic State Measurement (URTDSM) initiative. The project has been executed by GE T&D India Ltd, listed entity of GE Power's Grid Solution business in India. This first stage will enable PGCIL to monitor power flow across 110 substations in the Northern Grid (NR) and respond to fluctuations within a fraction of a second. This will be critical in addressing power demand-supply imbalances and ensuring grid stability benefitting from the integration of renewable energy with the grid, it said. When fully commissioned, this new WAMS ...
UP directs immediate ban plastic bags below 50 microns
The Uttar Pradesh government has directed a ban on the use of plastic bags below 50 microns with immediate effect from July 15.District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma held a meeting with various bodies including the Pollution Control Board, Lucknow Development Authority, the Excise Department, and market committee.Gutkha sold in plastic pouches will be banned as well.In order to create tobacco-free Lucknow, a campaign will be started to ban public smoking, open sale of cigarettes, gutkha, tobacco and others. The offenders will be fined Rs 100 to Rs 500.In addition to that, there will be a ban on the selling of tobacco within 100 meters of schools and hospitals.Also from August 14, the shopkeepers, keeping plastic bags above 50 microns, will have to pay Rs 4000 to the municipal corporation for using them. The magistrate has ordered to prohibit the use of thermocol after August 15.The Department of Commerce will have a meeting with trade unions, where it will be made clear that their ...
Blackbuck carcass found in Odisha
The carcass of an adult female blackbuck was found today in Odisha's Ganjam district, the only habitat of this endangered animal in the state, a forest official said. "The animal is believed to have died due to old age last night," Aska forest ranger officer Harihar Mallick said adding the carcass was found near Bhetanai in Aska forest range. This is the second incident of blackbuck death in the area this week, a forest official said. A one-year old female blackbuck was killed in an attack by dogs in the same area on Monday. Forest officials said that with this at least five blackbucks have died in the district in the last three months. Last year around 25 animals had died due to various reasons. As many as 18 and 21 blackbucks had died in 2016-17 and 2015-16 respectively, forest officials added. The blackbuck is also known as the Indian antelope and hunting it is prohibited under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Blackbucks, a diurnal antelope, move out
India has to build 700-900 mn square metres of urban space each year: Puri
India has to build between 700 million and 900 million square metres of green urban space every year to meet the needs of a fast-rising rising urban population that will reach 600 million by 2030, according to Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri.
185 kg Black Marlin fish caught in the Bay of Bengal
In a rare occurrence, a 185 kg Black Marlin fish, usually found in the Pacific ocean, was caught near the shores of the Bay of Bengal.
NGT notice to Centre, others on Delhi University's plea against housing project
Delhi University today moved the National Green Tribunal against the proposed construction of a group housing project on its north campus here, prompting the green panel to seek replies from the Centre and the civic authorities. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) of Delhi, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Delhi Development Authority, Young Builders Private Limited, Central Pollution Control Board and others, seeking their replies before August 14. The varsity in its plea has sought stay and quashing of the environment clearance granted to Young Builders Private Limited for construction of the housing project, and constitution of a committee of independent experts to study the project's adverse impact on environment. The plea alleged that without making any environment impact assessment and taking cognizance of the concern of the University of Delhi, .
China does not need U.S. soybeans for state reserves - Sinograin official
BEIJING (Reuters) - China, the world's top soybean buyer, can fully meet the needs of its state soybean reserves without importing from the United States, an official with the state stockpiler told state TV on Thursday.
Odisha to examine fishes imported from other states
Odisha government today issued direction to Fisheries department to examine fishes being brought from neighbouring states, officials said. The direction was issued by Agriculture and Animal Resources Development minister Pradeep Maharathy. The state government's direction in this regard was issued after Assam government on July 10 had imposed 10-day ban on import of fishes from Andhra Pradesh and other states. The Assam government reportedly imposed ban on import of fishes after finding presence of formalin in fishes. "Though we have not received any such report so far. But after getting reports from the Assam government, the fish brought from Andhra Pradesh would be sent to the laboratory for a comprehensive test by a team of experts. The state government will take drastic action if any negative report is found," Maharathy told reporters here. Maharathy said the secretary of Fisheries department has been asked to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report. An
Sri Lanka to construct third international airport
The Sri Lankan government is planning to construct a third international airport in Trincomalee in a bid to make the district the 'Eastern Gateway into the Bay of Bengal', authorities said on Thursday.
TN Governor launches distribution of vermi-compost to schools
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit today launched the distribution of vermi-compost to schools in an effort to create awareness on solid waste management among students. The bags containing vermi-compost produced in the Raj Bhavan campus were given away to headmasters of 70 schools, a press release from the Governor's office here said. In his address at the event, Purohit touched upon the salient features of vermi-compost, it said. The Raj Bhavan campus has a large number of trees and therefore dry leaves and plant litter is abundant, the release said adding this waste and bio-degradable waste collected from the residential quarters and buildings are dumped in a micro-composting pit to generate manure and vermi-compost. "This is used as fertilizer in the gardens of Raj Bhavan and the excess manure and vermi-compost are packed and given to schools free of cost," the release added. Such organic manure and vermi-compost have several advantages over chemical fertilizers ..
