Page 651 - Environment
Animal hostels in smart cities: AWBI takes up issue with HUA Ministry
The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has come up with the idea of animal hostels in smart cities and taken up the issue with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA), its chairperson S P Gupta said. There were reports that animals were being removed from such cities, so the AWBI has taken the initiative, he said. "Smart cities lack provision for animals. We have raised the issue with the ministry, states and union territories to make provision for animal hostels and shelters," Gupta said. The board has suggested setting up of animal hostels and shelters preferably on 'gochar(grazing) land' or vacant, uncultivated plots to avoid animals being "thrown out of" smart and metro cities. "Such animals are often slaughtered," Gupta said. The ministry has to play a "vital role" by making model bye-laws having the provision of animal shelters in smart city and other metro city development plans. A meeting with the Housing and Urban Affairs Minister on the matter is due this week, he .
Essel Infraprojects wins 3 waste to energy projects in AP
Essel Infraprojects Ltd (EIL) today said it has won three waste-to-energy projects in Andhra Pradesh. The three waste-to-energy plants will come up in Kadapa, Anantpur and TP Gudem, and each plant comprises one waste combustor and flue gas treatment systems with a processing capacity of 330 tonnes per day and a power output of approximately 6000 kW, the company said in a statement. EIL has awarded the contract to Hitachi Zosen India Private Limited for delivery of the projects, it said. EIL and Hitachi Zosen India had earlier worked together in delivering the waste to energy plant in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, according to the statement. "It is expected that total capacity of four WTE plants will reach 0.57 million tons per year by 2019," EIL, which a part of Essel Group, said.
India rice rates nudge up, Vietnam prices ease from multi-year highs
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export prices rose this week in India on hopes for increased buying from China, while rates in Vietnam eased from a multi-year peak with the outlook for higher domestic supply.
'World's first street-level clean air zone' installed at Delhi gurdwara
An energy and environment company today said it has installed the "world's first street-level clean air zone" at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib here to demonstrate technology for cleaning polluted air as part of a pilot project. The company, Evergen India, said that the gurdwara authorities provided them the space within the gurdwara premises for the pilot project. "Evergen India and Airlabs have installed the world's first street-level 'clean air zone' called AirHavn to demonstrate this technology and how it can be deployed to clean air pollution," the company said in a statement. Evergen and Airlabs have made the investment and their scientists, technical engineers and other managers have been in India for two weeks for the planning and implementation of the pilot project, it added. The Airlabs patented technology was developed by Mathew Johnson, professor of Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. "The technology utilises a combination of atmospheric chemistry and airflow
PM Modi dedicates upgraded Bhilai plant to nation, SAIL capacity rises to 21mtpa
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated to the nation the modernised and expanded Bhilai steel plant of state-owned SAIL. With this, the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) has completed its around Rs 72,000 crore modernisation and expansion programme, taking its production capacity to 21 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) from 13 MTPA earlier. Addressing a rally here, the prime minister said the Bhilai steel plant will make the foundation of 'New India' stronger than steel. "Before coming here, I went to Bhilai steel plant. After spending more than Rs 18,000 crore, this plant (Bhilai Steel Plant) has been modernised and expanded with latest technology," Modi said. "I am fortunate to have been given an opportunity to dedicate this modernised and expanded the plant to the nation," he added. Bhilai, he said, has not only made steel but has also improved the lives of the people. Since Independence, from Kutch to Cuttack and Kargil to Kanyakumari, it is Bhilai plant that has provided tracks
Satellites used to track vanishing Antarctic ice
Monitoring Antarctica from space has revealed how its ice is being lost to the oceans, providing crucial insight into the continent's response to a warming climate, scientists say. The researchers, including those from the University of Leeds in the UK, reviewed decades of satellite measurements to reveal how and why Antarctica's glaciers, ice shelves, and sea ice are changing. The study, published in the journal Nature, found that ice shelf thinning and collapse have triggered an increase in the continent's sea level contribution. It also found that although the total area of sea ice surrounding Antarctica has shown little overall change during the satellite era, there are signs of a longer-term decline when mid-twentieth century ship-based observations are considered. "Antarctica is way too big to survey from the ground, and we can only truly understand the trends in its ice cover by looking at the continent from space," said Andrew Shepherd, a professor at Leeds. In West ...
AWBI to inspect slaughter houses, requests states to tackle problem of stray animals
The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has formed a committee for inspection of slaughter houses in the country and directed the states to ensure that stray animals are taken out of roads and properly rehabilitated. "There are complaints of young animals, and sometimes cows, being butchered at slaughter houses. The committee will inspect the slaughter houses to ensure no cruelty is committed against animals," AWBI chairman S P Gupta said. The problem of stray animals especially cows, dogs and monkeys roaming on roads has become "rampant" in all parts of the country. The board has issued an advisory to all states and union territories for the revival of cattle pounds and 'Kanji Houses' for proper rehabilitation of stray animals. "It is cruelty against animals if they are found on the roads. The states have been given one-month time after which the board will take action against officials concerned if complaints are received," Gupta said. The AWBI has also formed an eight-member ...
Exclusive: Warming set to exceed 1.5°C, slow economic growth - U.N. draft
OSLO (Reuters) - Global warming is set to exceed the most stringent goal set in the Paris agreement 'by around 2040' on current trends, threatening economic growth, according to a draft U.N. report that is the starkest warning yet of the risks of climate change.
40 feet long whale washes ashore near Mumbai
The decomposed body of a 40 feet long whale has washed ashore on the Arabian Sea coast in nearby Raigad district, an official said. The whale washed ashore at Khardanda near Uran last evening, the official said, adding that some visitors to the sea shore first spotted it. "It is likely that this is a blue whale," N Vasudevan, additional principal chief conservator of forest, said. "We will bury the carcass at the site itself," Vasudevan said. This is the eighth recorded case of a whale carcass washing ashore in Maharashtra in the last three years, the official said. A 48 feet long whale had washed ashore on the Uran coast in 1978.
Proposal for setting up of national level Tribal Research Institute (TRI) along with a National Tribal Museum:Oram
The ministry of tribal affairs has proposed setting up of a national level Tribal Research Institute (TRI) along with a National Tribal Museum in the national capital, Union Minister Jual Oram said here today. The national level TRI will be responsible for coordinating the activities of state TRIs along with taking up national level studies. The National Tribal Museum, which will be a part of the set up, will showcase the rich tribal culture and heritage using state-of-the art technologies. Listing out the four year achievements of his ministry, the Tribal Affairs Minister said allocations under Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) has seen an increase of 94 per cent in the last four years, from Rs 19, 437 crores in 2014-15 to Rs 37,803 crores in 2018-19. The increase is due to allocations under STC to eight more ministries and departments, Oram said. The new ministries which have been added are: Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, .
High Pollution Levels in Delhi Mainly Due to Dust Storms from Rajasthan: Environment Ministry
The wind direction in Delhi since June 10 has changed to West and North West and then since June 12 to West and South West, due to which hot air, along with dust from Rajasthan has started moving into Delhi. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the current surface winds in Delhi are in the range of 5-6 m/sec and wind direction is West to South West, which is likely to continue over the next three days. Therefore, it is expected that dusty conditions will prevail in Delhi over the next three days.
31.91 lakh tonnes of pulses, oilseeds procured
National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (Nafed) has procured 31.91 lakh tonnes of pulses and oilseeds in 2017-18, benefitting over 20 lakh farmers, an official statement said on Thursday.
Samsung joins global pledge to increase renewable energy use
Samsung Electronics Co., the world's biggest smartphone maker, joined today a growing list of companies that are promising to increase their use of solar and other renewable energy to help curb global warming. Samsung, part of South Korea's biggest corporate group, is the first Asian electronics manufacturer to join a movement spearheaded by Apple Inc. and other Silicon Valley companies. The South Korean tech giant said it would use more renewable energy at factories and other operations in the United States, Europe and China but still would rely on local power grids that use fossil fuels and, to compensate for that, would buy credits from outside renewable energy suppliers. The company said it had not determined which providers it might use. Other companies that have joined the renewable energy pledge, dubbed RE 100, include automakers General Motors Co. and BMW AG and a handful of other manufacturers. Most are in less energy-intensive technology and service industries. The maker of .
Revenue Minister visits rain-hit areas in city
The state government was considering enhancement of compensation amount to the people affected during the recent heavy rains in the city, Karnataka Revenue Minister R V Deshpande said today. Addressing reporters during his visit to the affected areas, the minister said the compensation of Rs one lakh paid toeach affected household was not sufficient and it would be increased. Deshpande said the state government had released Rs three crore each to Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts which facedcalamities in the torrential rains. He said landslides and fallen trees on the Charmadi Ghat, linking Mangaluru and the capital Bengaluru, were being cleared and would be opened for traffic soon. The minister visited the houses of two families affected by the heavy rains on May 29 last and presented cheques of Rs one lakh each to them. After visiting the Ullal area, Deshpande held a meeting of officials at the office of Deputy Commissioner to review relief measures. He said ...
Stay indoors, wear masks in dusty Delhi: Doctors
Doctors on Thursday strongly recommended wearing masks and staying indoors as the air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) suddenly deteriorated to severe levels due to a dust storm that began on Wednesday and is likely to persist till Friday.
Environmental emergency in Bellandur lake, not even 1 ml of clean water available, NGT informed
Indiscriminate discharge of untreated sewage into Bengaluru's Bellandur lake has resulted in an "environmental emergency", a committee has told the National Green Tribunal, adding that there is not even one millilitre of clean water in the lake. The NGT-mandated committee said the biggest lake of the beautiful city of Bengaluru had become the largest septic tank of the city due to "sheer callousness and indifference" of the authorities. "According to the material collected, the water holding capacity of Bellandur lake has rapidly shrunk due to indiscriminate dumping of construction and demolition waste, municipal solid waste and due to vast spread of hydrophyte and microphytes in the lake water. Hydrophytes are aquatic plants that grow in or near water and provides cover for fish and other aquatic organisms. "The commission during the inspection was shocked to notice a road that has been constructed on the Varthur lake by dumping construction and demolition waste under the garb of ...
NASA loses contact with Opportunity rover in Martian dust storm
NASA engineers have not heard back from Opportunity rover that is caught in an unprecedented sandstorm on Mars, leading to speculation that it might be dead, the US space agency has said.
Rainfall forecast for next 24 hrs
Rainfall forecast for the next 24 hours at: East : Most places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam & Meghalaya, Nagaland-Manipur-Mizoram-Tripura+, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim, a few places in Bihar, isolated places in Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand. North : Many places in Uttarakhand, isolated places in east Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh. dry weather in west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan. Central : A few places in Chhattisgarh, isolated places in Madhya Pradesh. dry weather in Vidarbha. Peninsula : Most places in coastal Karnataka, Kerala, many places in south interior Karnataka, a few places in Konkan & Goa, isolated places in Gujarat State, Madhya Maharashtra, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, north interior Karnataka. dry weather in Marathwada, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana. Islands : Most places in Lakshadweep, many places in Andaman & Nicobar. Temperatures recorded in four metropolitan centres were: Kolkata Max 36.5 (2.1) dc
Punjab govt to distribute saplings to increase green cover
The Punjab Forest Department will distribute free saplings throughout the state to increase green cover, minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot said here today. In pursuance to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's 'Tandarust Punjab Mission', the Forest Department has chalked out a special campaign called 'Ghar Ghar Hariyali', he said. According to the minister, the objective of the campaign is to provide clean and fresh air as well as a green and clean environment to the people of the state. Under the campaign, every citizen of the state would get three and every household 10-15 saplings of varied types free of cost, he said, adding the people would get 20-25 lakh saplings absolutely free with 4-5 lakh households being covered during 2018-2019. Dharamsot said that during the special campaign under 'Mission Tandarust Punjab', various types of saplings having medicinal properties as well as fruit bearing capacity such as Sheesham, Neem, Arjun, Harad, Behra, Anwla and Jamun would be supplied to the
Buffalo research centre to start soon in Tarn Taran
A buffalo research centre of national acclaim would soon start operation at village Booh in district Tarn Taran of Punjab, a minister said here today. The motive behind setting up the research centre was to encourage farmers to opt for animal husbandry and dairy professions, Balbir Singh Sidhu, minister for animal husbandry, dairy development and fisheries said. He was presiding over a meeting held to review the progress on the setting up of the centre. Sidhu said the Punjab government, in its maiden budget, had earmarked Rs 20 crore for the establishment of a buffalo research centre at Patti, district Tarn Taran. However, during a meeting, it was decided that the centre would start its operation from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at village Booh, he said. The centre would be affiliated with Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, he said. Farmers would be imparted training on the animal husbandry and dairy farming with latest available technology at the centre, he ...