Page 600 - Environment
Assam raises new force for protection of one-horned rhinos
In an attempt to help the Forest Department to protect the one-horned rhinoceros, the Assam government has raised the Special Rhino Protection Force (SRPF), consisting 90 youth living in areas on the fringe of the Kaziranga National Park.
Farmers protest near Modi rally venue in Pb
A group of farmers today protested near the venue of a mega rally addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here. Waiving black flags and raising slogans, the agitators gathered near village Chheri-- about 10 km from Modi's event-- accusing the Centre of failing to address farmers' plight. The protestors, owing allegiance to Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur), also demanded remunerative prices of crops. As the peasants tried to march towards Modi's rally venue, they were stopped by police on Malout-Gidderbaha road. Traffic too was diverted through alternate roads in the villages due to the agitation, police said. The SAD-BJP had organised a rally to mark the "unprecedented" hike in MSP of Kharif crops by the Centre. At the event, Modi addressed the farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Delhi to get 1,000 low-floor electric buses
The Delhi on Thursday approved the engagement of 1,000 low-floor environment-friendly electric buses.The cabinet presided by Chief Minister Arbind Kejriwal appointed Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) as a Project Consultant for this project.The cabinet approval to the Transport Department's proposal will help in modernizing Delhi's transport sector and substantially reducing air pollution.DIMTS has been asked to submit its report within three months.The Transport Department had sought cabinet's in-principle approval to engage 1,000 pure low floor air-conditioned electric buses, in the Gross Cost Model of contracting under the Cluster scheme so that further process of hiring Project Consultant for the technical detailing and Bid Process Management can be carried out.The Department will construct bus depots at six locations for these 1000 electric buses - East Vinod Nagar, Bawana Sector 5, Burari, Rohini Sector 37, Revla Khanpur and Narela. Electric power for charging .
EESL signs pacts with Discoms to install 10 lakh smart meters in Haryana
State-owned Energy Efficiency Services today signed agreements with Hayarna discoms to install 10 lakh smart meters in the state within 3 years in phased manner. EESL inked two Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with UHBVN (Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam) and DHBVN (Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam) to install 10 lakh smart meters in Haryana, a company statement said. According to the statement, the MoUs entail supply and installation of smart meters in Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar, Karnal, Panipat and Panchkula in three years. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has recently approved installation of 10 lakh smart power meters in five districts of the state. The MoUs with EESL was signed by S K Bansal, Director/ Operations from DHBVN and Naresh Sardana, Director/T1 from UHBVN. EESL was represented by Raj Kumar Luthra, General Manager, Smart Meters National Programme. As per the MoUs, the implementation of smart metering (AMI) solution will enable significant billing ...
Malaysian Defence Minister to visit Bangladesh
Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu will arrive in the Bangladeshi capital on an official visit on Thursday.
AIADMK MLAs protest installation of China-made electric meters
: Objecting to installation of China-made smart electricity meters in households and business establishments in Puducherry, opposition AIADMK MLAs brought some units to the assembly premises and broke them today. The four AIADMK legislators came in a procession to the assembly premises and raised slogans against the installation of the new type of meters. AIADMK Legislature wing leader A Anbalagan alleged the government had purchased the Chinese meters at a huge cost and said consumers were also shocked to see the rise in power bills. He also urged the government to replace the China-made meters with ordinary ones that were in use previously.
PepsiCo to help Maharashtra implement plastic ban
PepsiCo on Wednesday expressed its commitment to support the plastic ban enforced in Maharashtra, including the extended producer responsibility for PET plastic waste bottles, a top company official said.
Centre working to tackle stubble burning problem, says Modi as he lists pro-farmer measures
Expressing concern over the problem of stubble burning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today the central government was working seriously to ensure farmers were not compelled to burn agricultural residue. "I want to talk about the important issue of stubble burning from this platform. The central government is working seriously on this issue so that farmers are not compelled to burn agricultural residue after harvesting," Modi told a farmers' rally here in the Malwa belt of Punjab. The government has allocated over Rs 50 crore for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi under a scheme to tackle the problem of stubble burning, the prime minister said. "Out of the total allocation, more than half is focussed on Punjab," he said. The government is giving an assistance of 50 per cent to farmers for purchase of machines required to handle crop residue, he said. Urging farmers to avail benefits of this scheme, Modi said it would not only improve land fertility, but also provide respite
Japan offers to help India with management
At a time when Maharashtra has banned use of plastic, Japan today offered India to assist in effective waste management. Last month, Maharashtra government had imposed a ban on manufacturing and sale of plastic materials, including PET and PETE bottles. Japan's consul general based in Mumbai, Ryoji Noda, today said Japan is "very much ready" to share its experience with India to handle air, water and sea pollution. "If Mumbai creates 7,000 tonnes of urban waste every day, around 210,000 tonne of waste is produced every month. Japan, which has recycled 85 per cent of PET bottles, can help India in better handling the same," Noda said at a CII event here today. Having received Rs 22,000 crore of assistance under Japans Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), India is the largest beneficiary, and Mumbai has been one of the focus areas of its assistance, he said. Noda said the ambitious trans-harbour link project, connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai would be completed in ...
Two minor girls feared drown in UP
Two minor girls were feared drowned in the flooded Sharda river here after they accidently slipped into the river, police said. Radha (7) and her cousin Gauravi (11), both residents of Shahpur Dhakia Khurd village in Bhira area, had yesterday gone to the river to play, they said. While playing, Radha and Gauravi accidently slipped into the river, police said. The bodies of both the girls could not be traced yet, they said.
-Mumbai Trans Harbour Link to be ready by 2022: Japanese diplomat
The ambitious Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) work on which started in April, will be completed by 2022, said Japanese Consul-General in Mumbai Ryoji Noda on Wednesday.
PepsiCo to develop infra to collect, recycle plastic in Maha
PepsiCo India today said it will work towards collection and recycling of the PET plastic waste generated in the state, supporting the extended producer responsibility initiative of the government. In a meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur today, PepsiCo India's president and chief executive officer Ahmed ElSheikh said the company is committed to the government's vision and focus on addressing the issue of plastic waste in a sustainable manner, according to a release. "We recognise the need and value of the extended producer responsibility initiative of the government, and we are happy to support efforts in this direction," he said. The company today also announced its partnership with Gem Enviro to set up infrastructure for collection and recycling of PET plastic bottles in the state in line with the state's plastic waste management rules. As part of this partnership, Gem will set up reverse vending machines, collection points and collection centres ...
ICAR-CIRG to organise fair for goat farmers
New technologies for goat farming will be showcased at a 'farmers mela' here tomorrow, being organised by ICAR- Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom. The event is being held to mark the 39th establishment anniversary of the institute, its Director M S Chauhan said. Farmer friendly, commercially viable technologies for goat rearing, developed by the institute, would be showcased to farmers, he added. Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will address over six hundred farmers at the event. So far, 21 patents have been filed and 11 commercially viable technologies have been transferred to different industries/stakeholders for large scale production, he said. Chauhan said 11 goat farmers will be felicitated at the event to encourage other farmers to adopt their techniques and help realise the Prime Minister's vision of doubling farm income by 2022. He said scientists of the institute have successfully produced kids from embryo transfer and through ..
Widespread rainfall in Konkan, light showers in Delhi: IMD
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday has forecasted widespread rainfall in Konkan and Goa in the next 3-4 days. It has also predicted light to moderate rainfall in Delhi and adjoining states in the coming days."In the next 3-4 days, Konkan and Goa will experience widespread rainfall. Delhi and adjoining states will experience light to moderate rainfall in coming 3-4 days. Few areas in Delhi may experience heavy rainfall," said Meteorological Department official, Charan Singh.Singh further said that by July 13, a low-pressure area in the North-West will increase the intensity in Mumbai and Konkan regions."A low-pressure area in the North-West will strengthen the wind in the Central belt, Mumbai, and Konkan regions and will increase the intensity, but not extremely heavy," said Singh.Meanwhile, heavy rainfall caused landslide in Dehradun and has killed seven people. The District Magistrate of Nainital has ordered all the schools to shutdown tomorrow due to heavy rain ...
Tata Power wins 250 MW solar project at Karnataka's Tumkur
Tata Power on Wednesday announced it had been awarded the state-run Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL) project to develop five solar projects totalling 250 MW in the state's Tumkur district.
90 appointed in Assam rhino protection force
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today gave away appointment letters to 90 constables who will form the crux of Special Rhino Protection Force raised by the state government. The newly recruited constables would maintain liaison with the higher ups of the security mechanism of the Kaziranga National Park to form a team to protect the wild lives from poachers. "Protecting rhinos along with other wild lives are our commitment and raising the special force is a step towards protecting our rhinos from poaching," Sonowal said addressing the new appointees. Recruitment of the 90 constables through rigorous recruitment process will help in adding teeth to the rhino protection efforts, he said. The government of Assam has raised the Special Rhino Protection Force from people living in the fringe areas of the Kaziranga National Park. "Strengthening the forest protection mechanism by regular appointments and imparting technical training to employees are essential for ...
City witnesses celestial phenomenon
The city and its surroundings in the North and South 24 Parganas district witnessed a celestial phenomenon of a perfect ring with the sun at the centre this morning. Hundreds of curious sky gazers saw a dazzling halo of the sun starting at around 10:45 AM and continuing for nearly over an hour and 15 minutes till around noon. This is known as '22 degree halo of the sun', because the angular distance of the light ring is exactly 22 degrees from the Sun at the centre, Director, Research and Academic, M P Birla Institute of Fundamental Research, M P Birla Planetarium Dr Debiprosad Duari told PTI today. It occured because of interaction of sunlight with the ice crystals suspended in the air in a particular type of cloud, he said. "The ice crystals are responsible for halos which are typically suspended in cirrus or cirrostratus clouds in the upper troposphere, which are present typically at a height of 5-8 km from the earth's surface," he said. According to Duari, the shape .
Will constitute commission for protection of cows: Thakur
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has said a commission would soon be constituted for the protection of cows as he laid the foundation stone of the state's biggest cow sanctuary in Simarpur district. He the sanctuary would be constructed at a cost of Rs 1.52 crore on 109 bighas of land in Kotla Barog village of Pachhad tehsil. It will be the biggest in this hilly state and will have the capacity to provide shelter to about 500 cows, he said, adding that the sanctuary would be run and managed by the Animal Husbandry Department. Thakur said Rs 1 cess had been imposed on the sale of every bottle of liquor in the state for construction and maintenance of 'gau sadans' (cow shelter homes).
Costly land pushes solar tariff to Rs 3.48/unit for 1 GW auction in UP
Higher land prices has pushed the solar power tariff to Rs 3.48 per unit in the 1 GW capacities auction conducted by Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA). The Rs 3.48 per unit tariff is higher than Rs 2.70 per unit quoted in an auction conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for 750 MW Solar PV earlier this month. Solar tariff had touched all time low of Rs 2.44 per unit last year in May. A source said that the UPNEDA conducted the auction for 1 GW capacities, allowing bidders to quote multiple bids for different packages and the tariff remained higher at Rs 3.48 per unit than the recent bid of Rs 2.7 per unit due to expensive land prices in Uttar Pradesh. The developers will install this solar capacities across the state. The UPNEDA concluded the auction late in the evening yesterday. According to the source, Mahoba Solar (UP) quoted lowest tariff of Rs 3.48 per unit to develop 250 MW of projects. The company quoted Rs 3.48 per unit tariff .
Delhi to get 1,000 e-buses
In a major move to fight air pollution in Delhi and address commuters' woes, the state government on Wednesday gave in-principle approval for the hiring of a consultant to run 1,000 electric buses, estimated to cost Rs 2,500 crore, in the national capital as promised in its 2018-19 Budget.
