Page 662 - Environment
Activists urge oil executives to heed pope at Vatican energy conference
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Environmentalists and aid agencies urged executives of the world's top oil companies attending a Vatican conference on climate change on Friday to heed Pope Francis's warnings about global warming.
Sweltering heat pushes peak power demand in Delhi to all time high of 6,934 MW
Amid sweltering heat, the peak electricity demand in the national capital soared to an all time high of 6,934 MW today, Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain said. On June 1, the peak power demand had soared to 6,651 MW breaking the record of 6,526 MW on June 6, 2017. "Highest electricity load ever of 6934 MW At 15:28:33 Hrs today in Delhi. May cross 7000 MW this year (sic)," Delhi's Power Minister Satyendar Jain tweeted. This is the fourth time in the current month that last year's all-time high record of peak power demand of 6,526 MW has been broken, a spokesperson of power discom BSES said. It was 6,562 MW on June 5 and 6,568 MW on June 7, other than today's highest level of 6,934 MW and previous high of 6,651 MW on June 1, he said. According to Delhi State Load Despatch Centre figures, the maximum load today reached 6,934 MW at 3.28 pm. Yesterday, the peak electricity demand was 6,568 MW. The power department and distribution companies of the Delhi government had expected the peak ..
Eastman Auto and Power Ltd. to solarise 100 government primary schools in 2018-19
Raipur Government Primary School is the only school in Raipur village of Mewat.Being the only primary school in the village, it is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in literacy levels. Yet many basic amenities elude the school. Come summers and power outages become common. Students have to brave the scorching heat amidst the lessons and it becomes increasingly difficult to sit and study in the classrooms.Eastman Auto and Power Limited (EAPL), one of India's leading companies in energy storage and solar solutions, has found a noble way of redressing the power woes of the school by harnessing sunshine. The government primary school will be one of the schools among 100 others in India that will be solarised as soon as the part of the company's 'Yellow Umbrella Campaign'.This CSR initiative apart from taking the schools solar and providing them uninterrupted electricity also aims to sensitize students about the need for sustainable development and judicious use of green ...
Seers meet Uttar Pradesh CM on development of Ayodhya
A delegation of seers has met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and apprised him about various issues related to the city's development, including restoration of water bodies by removing encroachments. The delegation, which was led by local BJP MLA Ved Prakash Gupta, met the chief minister yesterday in state capital Lucknow. "There was no discussions on the disputed Ram Janambhoomi... As the case is pending before the Supreme Court, so verdict of the apex court is awaited," the legislator said. The chief minister was urged to look into the complete development of the city, he said. The issues discussed included re-discovering 'sarovars' and 'kunds' (water bodies) by removing encroachments and construction of ghats on the Saryu river, Gupta said. He said during the meeting, the delegation also mentioned the need for installation of water and sewage treatment plants along the river.
Sweltering heat pushes peak power demand in Delhi to all time high of 6934 MW
Amid sweltering heat, the peak power demand of the national capital soared to an all time high of 6,934 MW, showed Delhi State Load Despatch Centre figures. On June 1, the peak power demand soared to 6,651 MW breaking the record of 6,526 MW on June 6, 2017. "Highest electricity load ever of 6934 MW At 15:28:33 Hrs today in Delhi. May cross 7000 MW this year (sic)," Delhi's Power Minister Satyendar Jain tweeted. This is the fourth time in the current month that last year's all-time high record of peak power demand of 6,526 MW has been broken, a spokesperson of power discom BSES said. It was 6,562 MW on June 5 and 6568 MW on June 7, other than today's highest level of 6934 MW and previous high of 6651 MW on June 1, he said. The Power department and distribution companies of the Delhi government have expected the peak demand to breach 7,000 MW mark in June this year. Jain had earlier predicted 7,000 MW power demand saying enough electricity was available to meet the rising ...
ACME bags 75 MW solar project in UP at Rs 3.32/unit
ACME Group bagged another 75 MW Solar PV capacity for Parasan solar park in Uttar Pradesh under a tariff-based reverse auction conducted by state-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) today. ACME Group had won a 50 MW solar power project at Gujrai solar park in Uttar Pradesh in an auction conducted by the SECI yesterday. "The SECI had invited solar tenders with cumulative capacity of 275 MW to be executed at multiple solar parks in Uttar Pradesh. Today ACME bid for 75 MW at Parasan solar park in Jalaun District of Uttar Pradesh and won it at a tariff of Rs 3.32/unit. The second best tariff offered was 3.34/unit," a company statement said. ACME Solar is an independent power producer which constructs, owns and operates solar power plants in India. After bagging 125 MW solar capacity, the company's total portfolio in Uttar Pradesh stands at 155 MW while its total portfolio will increase to 2900 MWp, the company said.
Minister expresses concern over PACS' mounting losses
Punjab's Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa today expressed concern over increase in losses suffered by primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) in the state. Presiding over a meeting with the secretaries/ representatives of PACS here, the minister expressed his concern over the increase in losses of PACS. He said that out of 3,548 PACS, 40 per cent were in loss as on March 31, 2018. He emphasised that there is a need to take constructive measures so that the PACS, which are a tool for the development of farmers in the state, may survive, an official release quoting him said. On the occasion, Managing Director, Punjab State Cooperative Bank S K Batish gave a presentation before the minister and suggested measures for the viability of PACS. Batish suggested the PACS should diversify their business and should set up Agriculture Service Centre, grocery shop, diesel pump and business of deposits, marketing of cattle feed and advance to Self Help Groups. Randhawa ...
TN CM unveils package for farmers as Mettur Dam misses water release date
Citing poor storage, the Tamil Nadu government today ruled out opening the sluice gates of Mettur Dam on June 12 for 'kuruvai' (short-term) paddy crop in the Cauvery delta, but announced a Rs 115 crore package to help farmers take up cultivation using available water resources. The dam, built across the Cauvery river which is the lifeline of farmers in delta districts in the state, is opened on June 12 annually for irrigating the short-term crop, but the traditional date had been missed on several occasions in the past too due to inadequate storage. Chief Minister K Palaniswami, in a statement in the Assembly, said the sluice gates of the dam in Salem district would not be opened on June 12 due to low storage and blamed Karnataka for not releasing Cauvery water last year, resulting in the lower realisation of water. He said against the dam's maximum level of 120 feet, the water level in the reservoir presently stood at 39.42 feet and it can be opened only if the water level reached 90
Bengal mulls underground mining route for coal block
The West Bengal government is exploring the option of underground mining for "world's second largest" coal block, Deocha Pachami, in the state as the conventional open cast would be a challenge, a state Minister said on Friday.
'Godfather of Australia's solar industry' wins prestigious award
UNSW professor Martin Green, one of the worlds foremost photovoltaic researchers who is also known as the Godfather of Australia's solar industry, has won a prestigious Global Energy Prize for his research, development and educational activities in the field of photovoltaics. He beat such big names as Tesla's Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, and shares the prize with Russian scientist Sergey Alekseenko, .
Despite new waste-management rules, Delhi's Ghazipur landfill grows 15 metres in a year
Even as the country's waste management rules call for effective recycling and have fixed a cap of 20 metres on landfill sites, Delhi's huge un-engineered dumping grounds have grown taller by two to 15 metres in the past 12 months, officials in the know have told IANS.
Agra students develop solar car to protect Taj from pollution
A four-seater solar car that can attain a top speed of 30 kmph has been developed by students of an engineering college here to protect the Taj Mahal which, as per some reports, is slowly turning brownish-yellow due to rising air pollution in the city. Priced at Rs 50,000, the car named 'Nexgen' has been created by students of ACE college of engineering and management, Agra using recycled and and scrap materials. However, the vehicle is sturdy enough to be used ion rural areas, Sanjay Garg, Chairman of the college told PTI. With petrol and diesel vehicles contributing overwhelmingly to the city's already polluted skyline, the zero-fumes solar car can help clean up the air, Garg said. "Our solar car can help a lot in bringing down pollution levels. It can be used in the night as well as a battery has been provided," said Sanyam Agarwal, project director. "India has enough sunlight round the year. It can be widely used even in rural areas," Agarwal added. The students said solar cars ...
IKEA to go green, eliminate single-use plastic
Leading Swedish home furnishings retailer IKEA has announced that it will outlaw single-use plastic products from its global stores and restaurants by the end of 2019.
Special task force formed to curb plastic use, Maha to Bombay HC
The Maharashtra government today told the Bombay High Court it has formed a special task force comprising plastic manufacturers' associations, experts and government officials to come up with a solution to put an end to plastic use in the state. On March 23 this year, the government had issued a notification, imposing a ban on the manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of all plastic materials like one-time-use bags, spoons, plates, PET and PETE bottles and also thermocol items. The notification gave a period of three months to manufacturers, distributors and retailers to dispose of existing stock of the banned items. Consumers and users were, however, given only a period of one month to dispose them. The notification was challenged in the HC by plastic, PET bottle and thermocol manufacturers and retailer associations on the ground that the ban was arbitrary, bad in law and violated their fundamental right to livelihood. In April, a division bench of Justices A S Oka and ...
Pak, Russia finalise agreement on feasibility study of undersea gas pipeline,project
Pakistan and Russia have finalised an agreement for undertaking a feasibility study' of an undersea gas pipeline, a project that would eventually also involve India and Iran, according to a media report. Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said yesterday that the proposal for construction of undersea gas pipeline has been under consideration since 2017, Dawn News reported. The undersea gas pipeline project would eventually involve four countries Pakistan, Iran, Russia and India, the report said. It was, however, not clear why the Memorandum of Understanding for the study was finalised only between Pakistan and Russia if Iran and India were also part of the proposal. "The Ministries of Energy of Pakistan and the Russian Federation have finalised a MoU for conducting Feasibility Study' for implementation of undersea gas pipeline project," he said. "The purpose of the MoU is to assist in providing support for the realisation of the project. Based on the results of the ...
Dhanuka Agritech gets green nod to set up Rs 90 cr pesticide unit
Dhanuka Agritech has received environment clearance (EC) for setting up a pesticide unit in Bharuch district of Gujarat at a cost of Rs 90 crore. The proposed unit with a manufacturing capacity of 3,415 tonne per month technical grade pesticides will be established at the Dahej-III Industrial Estate in Bharuch. The Environment Ministry has given the EC to Dhanuka's proposal after taking into account the recommendations of an expert committee, a senior government official said. The clearance is however subject to certain conditions. The project is estimated to cost Rs 90 crore. There is no rehabilitation and resettlement involved, the official added. The Gurgaon-based company has three manufacturing units in Haryana, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir and has tie-ups with four American, five Japanese and two European companies. It manufactures a wide range of agro-chemicals like herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, miticides and plant growth regulators.
Land fill site turns into museum of trees in Vadodara
In a unique initiative, the Vadodara Municipal corporation (VMC)has converted a garbage dumping ground located at Vadsar on the outskirts of the city into a museum of trees. Till the launch of the project in October 2016, garbage used to be dumped at that site. But the VMC decided to stop dumping garbage there and planted saplings of nearly 100 varieties. "Under the project, 12,663 saplings were planted on area of 50,000 square meters. All the trees have survived. This place has been named as 'Urban forest- Museum of Trees'," municipal commissioner Dr Vinod Rao said. "Instead of earning a revenue of Rs 250 crore by selling the site, the VMC took up this unique project of planting trees," he added. The project will be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani tomorrow. In a bid to improve the city's green cover, the civic body would undertake a plantation drive soon. "One million saplings would be planted this year," he said. Vadodara city was once known as the .
TN CM says no water release from Mettur Dam on June 12, announces package for farmers
The Tamil Nadu government today expressed its inability to release water from the Mettur dam for the 'kuruvai' (short-term) paddy cultivation in the delta districts of the state, but announced a Rs 115 crore package to help farmers take up cultivation using available water resources. Chief Minister K Palaniswami's announcement in the state Assembly that the sluice gates of the dam would not be opened on June 12 according to schedule due to low storage, did not cut ice with the opposition parties. Leader of Opposition M K Stalin, who had earlier demanded that the government should release water on June 12, criticised the chief minister's statement on the inability to open the sluice gate of Mettur dam as per schedule and led a walkout of DMK members. The DMK's allies, Congress and IUML later walked out of the House on the same issue. The chief minister announced a number of measures including subsidies on seeds and on farm equipment, and other initiatives to enable farmers take ..
Rapid rise likely in water and levels of rivers in Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala
Due to this warning, there is likelihood of rise in water levels in various river basins such as West Flowing rivers Between Tapi and Tadri, Godavari and its tributaries near the west coast, Krishna and its tributaries near west coast, Cauvery and its tributaries near west coast as well as in West flowing rivers between Tadri and Kanyakumari.
'NASA rover finds building blocks of life on Mars'
NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered potential building blocks of life in an ancient martian lakebed, advancing the case for possible life, past or even present, on the red planet, the US space agency said. The new findings published in the journal Science describe "tough" organic molecules in three-billion-year-old sedimentary rocks near the surface, as well as seasonal variations in the levels of methane in the atmosphere. Organic molecules contain carbon and hydrogen, and also may include oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. While commonly associated with life, organic molecules also can be created by non-biological processes and are not necessarily indicators of life. These findings are a good sign for future missions exploring the planet's surface and subsurface, NASA said in a statement. "With these new findings, Mars is telling us to stay the course and keep searching for evidence of life," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at ..
