Page 644 - Environment
MP implements 26 MWp rooftop solar programme via RESCOs
Madhya Pradesh is implementing 26MWp rooftop solar programme via Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) mode. The projects are being implemented largely in the government buildings using the subsidy of Central and state governments, Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (MPUVNL) said in a statement. Under the RESCO model, the project developer invests, builds and operates the rooftop solar project using its own funds and/0r taking debt to generate electricity and sell it to the beneficiary. This programme is in line with India's ambitious target to achieve 40 GW of solar rooftop installation by 2022. MPUVNL said the second pre-bid meeting for this tender will be held in New Delhi on June 22. RESCOs from across the country are expected to participate in this meeting. Bids for the tender are to be submitted by July 9, 2018. Under the provisions of the tender, the rooftop projects are targeted for commissioning within 9 months from the date of execution of power purchase agreement (PPA)
HC raps BMC over blanket nod to agencies to trim trees
The Bombay High Court today directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to "reconsider" the blanket permission granted by it to some private and public agencies to trim trees on their premises. A bench of Justices A S Oka and R I Chagla asked on what basis had the civic body granted such blanket permissions, without any condition for determining whether these agencies were adhering to provisions of the Trees Act and the BMC's own rules. The bench was hearing an application filed by city-based activist Zoru Bhatena, challenging BMC's decision to allow some public and private agencies like Tata Power, Reliance Energy, the Railways, and the Airport Authority of India, to trim trees on their premises for the next three years. The corporation told the bench that it had been well within its powers in granting such permission since it was not for felling of any trees, but for trimming and pruning, that was essential for the maintenance of trees. BMC's counsel, advocate Anil ...
Ancient city found in China
Archaeologists have discovered a city dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1384-1644) in China's Jiangxi province.
Current targets to protect environment not enough
According to a recent study, the current targets set to protect the environment are really not enough.An environmental science Professor Martine Maron said that humanity demands a lot from the natural world which is why it needs to be protected at any cost."We need it to purify our water and air, to maintain our soils and to regulate our climate," Marion said.She said the current target of protecting 17 per cent of terrestrial systems isn't enough to protect all species as well as provide the benefits humanity requires."We keep increasing the extent of protected areas - and we need to - but that hasn't stopped the ongoing loss of natural systems," said Marion."We need to retain enough of the Earth's natural systems in the right places to preserve healthy watersheds, to store carbon, to protect the last wilderness areas and to maintain human-nature interactions, but at the moment we don't have specific, area-based targets for all these goals," she said.Another Professor, Jeremy ...
UP village turns tables through this water conservation technique
A village in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district has adopted indigenous techniques to conserve water.Inhabitants of Jakhni village have tweaked the drainage system to prevent wastage of even the used water. Pipes and drains that are connected to every household in the village for domestic use are being used in farming.The villagers have also managed to replenish dried up ponds and lakes in the area using the help of furrows and shrubs. Also, residents have managed to divert rainwater into the groundwater table or nearby lakes and ponds."We faced many problems in the village in the past sue to water shortage. By adopting water saving techniques, we are now growing lots of fruits, vegetables, rice, etc. This is being done so that we don't have water problems in the future," a farmer told ANI.Farmers are enjoying a bumper farm produce. This year, the village has produced around 11000 metric tons of agricultural produce, including fruits vegetables and rice. This has attracted the attention of
3 girls die after being washed away by swirling river water in Jammu
Three girls died after being washed away by the swirling waters of a river in the outskirts of Jammu city, police said today. Six girls, in an age group of eight to 14 years, were bathing in a the river at Jajjar Kotli belt last evening, when suddenly the water level rose and they were washed away by the strong currents, a police officer said. Three girls were rescued in an injured state and were hospitalised. The bodies of the other three -- Nimita, Niharika and Joyti -- were recovered in a rescue operation launched by the locals and police, he said.
China to set up varsity for nuclear power research
China is planning to build a university dedicated to nuclear power research to meet the severe shortage of qualified people at its rapidly-expanding atomic energy facilities at home and abroad. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), the country's leading nuclear power developer and nuclear power plant operator, has signed a contract with the government of Tianjin municipality to invest in a nuclear technology university in the northeastern city, the official newspaper of the country's science and technology ministry reported today. The university would be built as a national-level institution and would function as a base for skill-training, master's, PhD programs, and core-technology research and development (R&D), the Science and Technology Daily reported. China has a comparatively an integral nuclear industrial system. However, few nuclear related fields such as nuclear fusion, uranium enrichment and post-processing "differ widely from each other, and the existing nuclear ...
A dream of clean water and clean India for all
Our existence is connected with water and is vital to our cleanliness.Safe drinking water and sanitation are issues related to human rights, but the pictures of Parra village in Palera block of Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh show a serious picture of severe water crisis and cleanliness in our country.Nearly 600 families of this village, battling unprecedented water scarcity, are using the septic tank of toilets built under Swachh Bharat Mission to store drinking water.In the village of Ramnagar, Majhgawah tehsil, of Satna district, the only water source is five kilometers away from the village on which the people are dependent for all their water needs.According to the DB Post newspaper, women have to walk thirty kilometers, in which fifteen kilometers journey is with the burden of water. This has a very adverse effect on pregnant women.Most of the women of the village either have an abortion or have lost their child. Similarly, in Damoh districts village Tendukheda, people ...
Two cops injured in encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh
Two District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel were injured in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, the police said today. The face-off took place last night in a forest near Tamora village when a team of DRG was conducting a search operation along the border of Kanker and Narayanpur districts, a senior police official told PTI. The DRG squad had received a tip-off following which it launched the operation in the forest last evening, he said. When the patrolling team was cordoning off the forest area near Tamora, a gun-battle took place between the security personnel and ultras, the official said. After a prolonged exchange of fire, the rebels fled into the core forest area, he said. "Sub-Inspector Sukku Ram Nureti and head constable Pareshwar Gawde of the DRG sustained injuries in the gunfight," the official said. Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured personnel were airlifted to Raipur for treatment, he said. The official said that as per
Fly ash used to develop eco-friendly concrete
Scientists have developed a material using fly ash - a byproduct of coal-fired power plants - that can replace cement in concrete, paving the way for greener buildings and structures in the future. Fly ash binder does not require the high-temperature processing of cement, yet tests showed it has the same compressive strength after seven days of curing. It also requires only a small fraction of the sodium-based activation chemicals used to harden cement. The material is cementless and environment friendly, said Rouzbeh Shahsavari, an assistant professor at the Rice University in the US. Over 20 billion tonnes of concrete are produced around the world every year in a manufacturing process that contributes 5 to 10 per cent of carbon dioxide to global emissions, surpassed only by transportation and energy as the largest producers of the greenhouse gas. Manufacturers often use a small amount of silicon- and aluminum-rich fly ash as a supplement to Portland cement in concrete. "The industry
Nepal PM leaves for China today
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli embarked on a six-day official visit to China on Tuesday.On Wednesday, PM Oli is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People and his counterpart Li Keqiang on Thursday.According to officials, after the visit, China is likely to announce a significant aid or project for Nepal to showcase its deep attachment to Nepal.Apart from discussing the Protocol to the Transit and Transport Agreement, other pacts and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) on connectivity (through China's Belt and Road Initiative), linking China and Kathmandu via rail, energy, tourism, post-earthquake reconstruction, border entry points and construction of petroleum storage facilities are expected to be signed, Kathmandu Post reported.PM Oli informed that Nepal will seek Chinese assistance in three areas-direct aid, cooperation and joint investments.During his previous visit to China in 2016, Oli had signed 10-point agreement, including a deal on ...
Development projects worth Rs 4,378 cr cleared in five months: Himachal CM
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said that his government with Centre's assistance has cleared development projects worth Rs. 4,378 crores in a record time of five months.Thakur added that projects nearly Rs. 4,751 crores on rainwater harvesting schemes and water scheme projects over Rs. 700 crores are being finalised and would be cleared soon.Addressing media, he said that the three projects - tourism, irrigation and public health and horticulture fields projects were cleared timely.The Chief Minister also thanked Centre for approving a development project on tourism infrastructure worth Rs. 1,892 crores.Thakur further said that a project on supplying of drinking water worth Rs. 798 crores has also been cleared and the same will be implemented in rural areas across the state.He alleged that the previous Congress government was not able to clear even a single project in tourism and others in the last five years.In response to Virbhadra's remark calling him ...
Odisha to enforce CRZ provisions to save coastal ecosystem
In a move to maintain an encroachment-free coastal ecosystem, the Kendrapara district administration has decided to enforce the provisions of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Human interference, in the form of prawn 'gherries' (dykes), within the CRZ territory will be sternly dealt with, the Collector of Kendrapara, Reghu G, said. "The drive to raze the dykes was already under way in seaside pockets of the coastal district," the collector said yesterday. The occupied land in CRZ territory has been earmarked in a joint survey carried out by revenue, tehsil and forest personnel. The dykes are being dismantled in a phased manner, he said. The land occupied by the dykes, within 100 meters of the water bodies marked by inflow of tidal water, would be reclaimed for regeneration of mangrove and other coastal vegetation, the collector said. The high tide line (HTL) from the sea to about 500 meters towards the landward side is CRZ categorised. Similarly the zone extending from the .
ExxonMobil Papua New Guinea LNG export plant offers cargo for July - sources
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - ExxonMobil's Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant has offered a cargo for July delivery, two industry sources said on Tuesday.
Goa Carbon resolves issue with contract workers at Paradeep Unit
Further, the Company has decided to extend the plant shutdown for the regular maintenance work. The production at the said plant is expected to resume shortly.
Sulphuric acid leakage in Sterlite Copper being plugged
The process of plugging the lead in the sulphuric acid tank in Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi, detected on Sunday evening, has begun, said officials on Monday.
PAC pulls up officials of PWD & BAD over irregularities
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Meghalaya Assembly today pulled up officials of the public works department (PWD) and border area development (BAD) over "irregularities" in the implementation of projects and schemes in the past 10 years. Speaking to reporters after its sitting held here, PAC chairman Charles Pyngrope said the Committee has summoned officials of the two departments to seek explanation on the "irregularities" pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report tabled in the Assembly earlier this year. According to him, the replies given by the two departments to the CAG were also found "not satisfactory". Stating that four major issues were highlighted in the report, Pyngrope said that the first being the "failure" of the PWD to complete the construction of the bridge over Umiam river at Shella even after six years. "This (failure) has resulted in an unproductive expenditure to the tune of Rs 4.79 crore," he said ...
Encourage farmers to adopt crop diversification: Dhankar to officers
Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar today urged officials to encourage farmers to adopt crop diversification in view of the changing climate scenario and help them come out of the traditional wheat-paddy cycle to enhance their income. Chairing a review meeting here on the preparations for the Kharif season, Dhankar said besides agriculture and horticulture, dairying should also be adopted as business. He asked officers to work as a team and make policy decisions to encourage farmers to use technology and take to organic farming and marketing, an official release said. Dhankar also directed officers to make most of the geographical location of the state and its vicinity to the National Capital Region in terms of marketing, keeping in view the 340 horticulture villages being developed in the state. Officials were told to take the schemes for the dairy sector to the grassroots level.
Will make Bangalore plastic free, protect lakes
Civic problems plaguing the city for years could soon be a thing of the past with the Karnataka government today saying it would make the metropolis plastic free and take steps on a 'war footing' to protect lakes from pollution. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said the government would takeeffective and strict measures to make Bengaluru free fromplastic. Parameshwara, who is Minister in-charge forBengaluru city related subjects, also said work would be takenup on a "war footing" to protect city lakes from pollution andclear those that are already polluted. "Legislators suggested a plastic ban to makeBengaluru plastic free. Efforts are on for it. All effective and strict measures will be taken to makecity plastic free," he said. The Deputy Chief Minister today chaired an over six hour long meeting with MLAs and Parliamentarians ofBengaluru, along with officers, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, to discuss and take suggestions on city issues. He noted that most lakes in ...
Drought-hit Iraq suspends farming of key crops
An unusually bad drought has forced Iraq to suspend the cultivation of rice, corn and other cereals that demand large amounts of water, the agriculture ministry said today. "The agricultural plan for the summer" was modified "because the quantities of water needed for these cereals are not available", spokesman Hamid al-Nayef said. "The ministry does not take this decision light heartedly," he said, adding that cereal crops would no longer be grown without authorisation from the ministry of water resources. Rice is a staple of the Iraqi diet. Nicknamed the "land of the two rivers" due to the presence of the Tigris and Euphrates, Iraq has for years seen its water resources decrease. Beyond this year's dramatic lack of rain, experts say a central reason for Iraq's creeping drought is the regional sharing of its water resources. Neighbouring Turkey and Iran in recent years have both rerouted cross-border water sources they share with Iraq. The start in late June of Turkey's ...
