Page 648 - Environment
Kanoria Chemicals & Industries setting up Formaldehyde plant in Andhra Pradesh
With capacity of 1 lakh TPA
Chimps, other primates on verge of mass extinction
Turns out, chimps, orangutans, lemurs, and other cuddle primates are in a serious peril.According to a joint study conducted by the German Primate Center and Deutsches Primatenzentrum (DPZ), many of our closest relatives are under serious threat, as the human population spread to all corners of the earth.Primates are fascinating. They are intelligent, live in complex societies and are a vital part of the ecosystem. Lemurs, lorises, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys and apes are our closest biological relatives and just like them, humans are also primates.An international team of leading primate researchers, including Christian Roos, has analysed and evaluated the situation of many endangered non-human primate species in Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.In their study, the researchers investigated the influence of human activities on wild primate populations. The destruction of natural forests and their conversion into agricultural land, threatens many ...
U.N. aviation agency may include fossil fuels in emissions deal: sources
MONTREAL/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The U.N. aviation agency is expected to include fossil fuels in a landmark global agreement to limit aircraft emissions, a move that could encourage airlines to purchase crude over more costly biojet fuels, sources familiar with the matter said.
HC seeks Delhi's response on plea for eco-friendly ways
The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the state government and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on a plea seeking directions to use more environment-friendly ways to deal with air pollution.
Leopard attacks girl, drags her into forest near Rajaji National Park
A five-year-old girl was allegedly attacked by a leopard in a village adjoining Motichur range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve here and she was dragged into the forest, an official said. This was the 20th victim of the leopard in three years, he said. According to Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) Director Sanatan, the leopard attacked the girl in the courtyard of her house in Thakurpur village last evening and dragged her into the forest. Her mother was in the kitchen at the time of the incident, he said, adding the leopard has become a terror for the residents of the area. The girl's body has not been found yet and a search operation is on, the official said.
'Emergency-like' pollution in Delhi: HC seeks answers from Delhi govt
The Delhi High Court today gave an urgent hearing on a plea which dubbed the air pollution in the national capital as "emergency-like situation" and sought answers from the Delhi government and state pollution control committee on the measures taken to curb it. The high court said that the matter brought before it was a "very larger issue" which has to be deliberated upon in detail and no interim relief could be granted on the petition by a vacation bench. "What is the urgency? It is a PIL. What is so threatening in the evening? This is a very larger issue. How can we take it up in the vacation," asked a vacation bench comprising justices Sangeeta Dhingra Sehgal and C Hari Shankar which heard the petition late in the evening. The bench had assembled at 8.14 PM to began hearing the matter at 8.17 PM which was concluded at 8.25 PM. During the hearing, the bench observed that since the petitioners have not filed any application seeking interim relief, it cannot "do anything more except ..
Modern alchemists find environment friendly ways for drug production
Modern alchemists have been transforming environment friendly reactions for precious metals, which leads to a less negative impact on environment.These transformations are cheaper and greener alternatives to replace platinum, rhodium and other precious metals in drug production and other reactions.Researchers at Princeton University found a revolutionary approach that uses cobalt and methanol to produce epilepsy (neurological disorder) drug that previously required toxic solvents. The new reaction worked faster and more cheaply with less small environmental impact."Pharmaceutical discovery and process involve all sorts of exotic elements. Metals like rhodium and platinum are really expensive, but as the work has evolved, we realized that there's a lot more to it than simply pricing. There are huge environmental concerns if you think about digging up platinum out of the ground. Typically, you have to go about a mile deep and move 10 tons of earth. That has a massive carbon dioxide ...
Delhi HC hears plea on emergency like pollution situation in national capital
The Delhi High Court today gave an urgent hearing to plea on the "emergency-like air pollution situation" in the national capital and areas surrounding it and sought the response of the Delhi government and state pollution control committee on the measures taken to overcome it. A vacation bench comprising justices Sangeeta Dhingra Sehgal and C Hari Shankar, which heard the matter late in the evening, issued notices to the Delhi government and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) seeking their responses by July 25, the next date of hearing. The bench observed that since the petitioner has not filed any application seeking interim relief, it cannot "do anything except issuing a notice". The plea, which has been filed in wake of severe air pollution that has engulfed the national capital for the last couple of days, has also sought implementation of the odd-even scheme of using the vehicles. The petition filed by two students Mihir Garg and Rashi Jain has sought several ...
Anti-pollution measures: Civic bodies issue challans, halt construction activities
Over 170 challans were issued and 12 buildings sealed today in south Delhi by the area's civic body, a day after the Lt Governor ordered stoppage of all civil construction activities across the city till Sunday as part of emergency measures to curb dust pollution, the SDMC said. The civic body said it has intensified mechanical road sweeping of streets as part of the measures. "In all 177 challans were issued, 12 buildings sealed and at 326 sites ongoing construction activities stopped. Construction activities have been stopped by deploying enormous teams in the areas such as Fatah Nagar, Bali Nagar, Tagore Garden" a senior SDMC official said. Meanwhile, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) in a statement today claimed that it has issued challans from June 11-15 and imposed penalty worth "over Rs 20 lakh in that period" for various violations of the National Green Tribunal norms. "Maximum penalty was imposed today," a senior official said, however, he did not furnish break-up .
20,000 cusecs to be released from Kabini Dam; Kumaraswamy
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today said he had instructed officials to release 20,000 cusecs from Kabini dam as he expressed hope there would be smooth sharing of Cauvery river water with Tamil Nadu in view of prospects of a good monsoon. "I have instructed irrigation officials to release 20,000 cusecs from the Kabini dam. There is bright chance for good monsoon rains this year... If the monsoon continues like this, we can give Tamil Nadu's share of 10 TMC in June as per the cauvery water sharing authority's order", he said. The water to be released from Kabini would benefit both sides and farmers in both states would be happy, he said. "By the grace of God the monsoon has so far been good and has created a smooth atmosphere in sharing Cauvery water," he told reporters after offering worship at the Sri Meenakshi temple here. Kumaraswamy said there was good rain in the catchment areas of rivers in Karnataka and dams were receiving good inflows. Meanwhile, ...
Punjab Pollution Control Board issues advisory as air quality worsens
Dust storms originating from Rajasthan led to worsening of air quality in Punjab, with the state pollution control board issuing an advisory for restraining all construction activities, including carpeting of roads, till the situation improves. The Punjab Pollution Control Board said the deteriorating air quality is affecting human beings, animals and plants. The Air Quality Index in Ludhiana was 443, in Amritsar it was 454, in Mandi Gobindgarh its was 440, Khanna 389, Patiala 403, Ropar 417, all fall in severe category of air quality, it said. The advisory said all construction activities, including carpeting of roads be stopped for the time being while sand, soil must be carried duly covered in trolleys and trucks. It said that due to dust storms originating from Rajasthan and adjoining deserts the air quality in Punjab has worsened. The advisory further states that asthma patients or those facing issues related to heart, eyes and skin must preferably remain indoors, the advisory ...
Distant moons may be habitable
Not just planets, now distant moons may harbour life, finds a study.In a recent study, researchers at the University of Southern Queensland identified around 100 giant planets that potentially host moons capable of supporting life.Since the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Kepler telescope was launched in 2009, scientists have identified thousands of planets outside the solar system, called exoplanets.A primary goal of the Kepler mission is to identify planets that are in the habitable zones of their stars, meaning it's neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water and potentially life to exist.Associate professor of planetary astrophysics, Stephen Kame said, "There are currently 175 known moons orbiting the eight planets in our solar system. While most of these moons orbit Saturn and Jupiter, which are outside the Sun's habitable zone that may not be the case in other solar systems."Exomoons might provide a favorable environment for life, perhaps even better ...
Old villager trampled to death by elephants
An old villager was trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants in Bandhdih village in Ghatsila sub-division of East Singhbhum district this morning, forest official said. A large number of villagers, including an over 60-year-old Shyam Chandra Pal, had gone to the nearby bamboo jungle, where a herd of 12 wild pachyderm had sneaked in since last night in search of food, to drive the elephants back to the forest, said Divisional Forest Officer (Dalbhum), Saba Alam Ansari. The animals got infuriated as people came close to them in the process to drive them away, he said adding that the panicky villagers ran to safety when the herd rushed to attack them but, the old man, who could not escape. The pachyderm caught the man and trampled him to death. A team of forest officials rushed to the spot and handed over Rs 25,000 as interim relief and assured to provide all benefits as per government norms only after all the formalities are completed. Meanwhile, two teams of the ...
India too missing mark to achieve Paris climate goals: Experts
A vast majority of nations, including disaster-facing India, are missing the mark in achieving the goal set at the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The leaked United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) draft report is a warning on climate's adverse impacts, experts warned on Friday.
Stork with beak shut by plastic ring set free
An Australian black-necked stork, which had got its beak trapped in a plastic ring, was set free today by Haryana's Forest Minister Rao Narbir Singh at the Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon. The plastic ring had shut the migratory bird's beak and it was unable to eat for a week. The bird was spotted in Gurgaon a week ago by some bird photographers. A team of the wildlife department rushed to the village where it had been spotted, rescued and treated the bird, an official spokesman said. "A bird watcher posted the photo of the injured bird on his Facebook page and the wildlife team did a commendable work in saving its life. The whole process to save the bird took over five days," Singh said. "Now that the ring has been removed, and treatment given to the bird, it is quite normal and has been set free," the minister added.
Tourist season at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve comes to end, to resume from Nov 15
Tourist season at the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) here was closed today and would resume from November 15, officials said. The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, which comprises Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary is closed for five months every year in view of the monsoon season when the jungle gets flooded. "This season, tourists in large numbers visited the park and enjoyed frequent sighting of tigers, which added to their excitement and pleasure of Dudhwa safari," Field Director of DTR Ramesh Pandey told PTI. In total, 24,428 tourists, including 94 foreigners, visited the tiger reserve this seasons, he said. From the next season, more efforts would be made to boost Dudhwa ecotourism and to ensure branding of tiger territories, Pandey said. Also, Operation Monsoon to protect wild animals from floods and poachers would be launched, under which long-route patrolling would be introduced for the first time, the official said. Established as a ...
All rules followed in metro car shed project,says Maha govt; HC reserves order
Amidst protests from activists and residents over its proposal to build a metro car shed in Aarey, the Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court today that the construction work had been approved in consonance with all statutory and environmental rules. The proposed car shed at Aarey, a green belt in suburban Goregaon, is part of the Mumbai Metro rail project. Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni told a bench of justices S C Dharmadhikari and P D Naik that contrary to the allegations, the site of the proposed car shed was not part of any reserved forest area or Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ). The state government's top law officer also told the bench that the car shed project had been vetted by the state assembly and that it "wasn't any ordinary bus stop", whose location could be shifted or changed whenever required. "The car shed needs to be aligned with the metro rail tracks and the location was fixed after much thought and research," he said. The construction
Dust situation in Delhi may improve from Saturday onwards
Persistently suffering "severe" air quality for third day in row, the National Capital Region's (NCR) dusty situation is likely to improve from Saturday onwards, Met official said on Friday.
Need to make concerted efforts to protect environment: Sidhu
To avoid leaving behind a dilapidated ecological system for the next generation, concerted efforts are needed to protect the enviornment, Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said here today. The next generation is sure to be impacted by environmental issues of today and to avoid the perils of leaving behind a dilapidated ecological system, making concerted efforts to protect the environment from now onwards is the need of the hour, he said at a function here. The local bodies, cultural affairs and tourism minister emphasised on the need to protect the environment from disaster. Sidhu said awareness needs to be spread in every nook and corner of the globe and a mass movement with active participation of people was needed. The minister further asked everyone to make efforts at their own level by planting trees and ensuring that the ecological balance is kept intact. He said the next battle in the world would be over water and other aspects related to environment. Sidhu said the ..
Minister Rama Rao invited to Germany for a study visit
: The 'Indo-German Cooperation on Seed Sector Development Project' team has invited Telangana Minister for IT and Industries, K T Rama Rao, for a study visit to Germany from June 25 to 27. The Minister is also expected to participate at the 'World Food Convention, 2018' in Berlin on June 26, an official release here said. "The German project implementation agency invited minister Rama Rao for a study visit on seed sector development to Germany, which will help in setting up a Seed Park, it added.
