Page 67 - Environment
Jaishankar, Muraleedharan plant saplings to mark World Environment Day
External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his deputy Vellamvelly Muraleedharan on Wednesday planted saplings at Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan, the ministry's headquarters, on the occasion of World Environment Day."Making the world a better place. One tree at a time. Joining the cause of participative environmental action, my colleague MoS @VMBJP and I planted saplings at JNB @MEAIndia on the occasion of #WorldEnvironmentDay," Jaishankar tweeted.Jaishankar succeeds Sushma Swaraj as the EAM, while Muraleedharan was preceded by former Army Chief VK Singh as the Minister of State.
Capt Amarinder writes to PM Modi, seeks farm loan waiver at national level
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking farm loan waiver at the national level and modification in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).Chief Minister Singh, who has shot off two letters to Modi, said the twin decisions - farm loan waiver and modifications in PMFBY - will act "as a onetime solution to help the aggrieved farmers."Underlining the need to safeguard the interests of Punjab's farmers, the Chief Minister has stressed that a one-time agriculture debt waiver for farmers at the national level was essential, while calling for PMFBY modifications to make the pro-farmer initiative more effective in transforming the rural economy."The relief provided by Punjab government's limited resources is not suffice and must be fulfilled by the Government of India...Farmer friendly initiatives will help reduce debt distress amongst this community," he said.Acknowledging the pressure on farmers resulting in their farmer ...
Say no to plastic, plant trees, urge B-Town celebs
On World Environment Day on Wednesday, Bollywood celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Dia Mirza, Anushka Sharma and Varun Dhawan, urged the people on social media to take care of the environment by avoiding plastic and planting more trees.
Himachal to buy back non-recyclable polythene
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday announced launch of a scheme to buy back non-recyclable polythene at a fixed price.
500 kg trash removed by Coast Guard from under water
The Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday carried out underwater clean up off the Kovalam beach to mark the World Environment Day and removed 500 kg of trash.
World Environment Day: Leaders pledge to save planet
On World Environment Day on Wednesday, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the leaders who expressed their commitment to ensure a cleaner planet.
Ganga will be cleaned in two years: Minister
Reacting to criticism over 'Namami Gange' project failing to show results, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said the capacity building programmes were underway and visible changes will be seen in the next two years.
It's sad nobody is talking about tribals on World Environment Day: NCST chairman
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) chairman Nand Kumar Sai Wednesday said tribal people, who live close to nature and worship it, are being driven out of forests and nobody is willing to talk about them on World Environment Day. He also suggested that MPs hold an intensive discussion on the issue of pollution on the first day of the Budget Session of Parliament that is scheduled to begin on June 17. "The condition is so bad. People are dying due to the oppressive heat. You are cutting down trees in the name of development and driving tribal people out of their home.These people live close to nature, worship and protect it. But sadly, no one is willing to talk about their plight on World Environment Day," Sai told PTI. On the issue of land ownership of tribals, he asked, "Who are you to question their right over forest land?" "They have been living in jungles for decades. These innocent people are unaware of the technicalities of laws," Sai said. The Supreme Court had on ..
Sabarmati river clean-up drive begins
A drive to clean the polluted Sabarmati river was launched here in Gujarat Wednesday to mark the World Environment Day. Sabarmati is counted among the most polluted rivers in the country, under the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB's) National Water Quality Programme. The 'Swachh Sabarmati Maha Abhiyan' (Sabarmati river clean-up campaign) was launched by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani from the banks of the river near historic Sabarmati ashhram. The drive will continue till June 9. Mahatma Gandhi had set up this Ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati river after his return from South Africa in 1915. On Wednesday, thousands of citizens took part in the drive to clean a stretch between Dufnala and Vasna barrage in Ahmedabad. Rupani also participated in cleaning a part of the riverbed, which has almost dried up across the riverfront. "On the World Environment Day, we have launched the Sabarmati clean-up campaign. Sabarmati is a historic river, and such a drive is being ...
Computer Baba takes charge of river trust
Namdev Das Tyagi alias Computer Baba has taken the charge of Narmada, Mandakini and Shipra river trust.
Prince's climate change passion wows Trump
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was wowed by Prince Charles's passion for fighting climate change and that he also wanted a world that is "good for future generations". Trump has rolled back environmental regulations and pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord since his surprise election in 2016. But the mercurial White House chief said he was impressed with Prince Charles's commitment to green causes when he had tea with the heir to the British throne at Buckingham Palace on his arrival for a three-day state visit Monday. Trump told ITV in an interview aired Wednesday that Queen Elizabeth II's son dominated the conversation with climate talk. "We were going to have a 15-minute chat. And it turned out to be an hour and a half. And he did most of the talking. He is really into climate change, and I think that's great, I mean I want that, I like that," Trump said. "He wants to have a world that is good for future generations and I want that to." But he also .
Papua New Guinea PM denies 'chasing" investors away
Papua New Guinea's new Prime Minister toned down fiery rhetoric against foreign resource companies during a first address to the nation Wednesday, saying he was not trying to chase investors away. "Our government is investor friendly our government is business friendly," James Marape said in a recorded message to the largely rural country. The former finance minister had earlier threatened foreign logging companies and vowed to "tweak" resource laws that underpin a recently inked $13 billion gas deal with Total and ExxonMobil. But on Wednesday he insisted "I'm not speaking about chasing our investors, I'm speaking about doing better for our country". Addressing business leaders directly he said: "I will be ensuring that the environment in which you are doing your business is safe, secure and sound, so you can grow." "We are the business of reconstructing the country for the better." Hours after being elected last month, Marape had told parliamentarians the country's resource laws were
Consider agri loan waiver at national level: Punjab CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider agriculture loan waiver at the national level on priority as a one-time solution to help the distressed farmers.
Kiren Rijiju promises greener stadiums, academies
New Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju Wednesday announced that all SAI Stadiums and academies will be environment friendly. The minister, who took charge a few days ago, also pledged his support for a greener earth as he planted saplings of Ashoka tree on the occasion of World Environment Day. "This is just the beginning of a long term initiative. Going forward, we will plant many more trees in all our SAI stadiums and academies. All our institutes will be environment friendly," Rijiju said. The minister also met athletes at the event and enquired about their training and sought feedback on the facilities available at Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium.
1 lakh kids under 5 yrs of age die due to air pollution each year: Study
Air pollution has become a national emergency as it is killing one lakh children under the age of five in India every year and is responsible for 12.5 per cent of all deaths in the country, according to a study released on the World Environment Day. Environment think tank CSE's State of India's Environment (SoE) report said that on an average, 8.5 out of every 10,000 children in India die before they turn five, while the risk was higher for girls as 9.6 out of 10,000 girls die before five years of age due to bad air. "Air pollution is responsible for 12.5 per cent of all deaths in India. Its impact on children is equally worrying. Over 1,00,000 children below the age of five die due to bad air in the country," the CSE report said. The think tank said that the government's schemes to fight air pollution have not been successful yet, a fact also accepted and acknowledged by the environment ministry. Recently, a senior official at the ministry had accepted that the situation was not a ...
Most consumers will pay more for sustainable products
More than half of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products designed to be reused or recycled, according to a new survey from Accenture.
G Kishan Reddy plants sapling at BSF headquartes on World Environment Day
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday planted a sapling at the Border Security Force (BSF) Headquarters in New Delhi on the occasion of World Environment Day and said the country will need to come together for the cause."We will all have to work for preserving the environment for our sake, for the sake of the country and for the sake of the world. The World Environment Day is celebrated today but the work in this regard goes on around the year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed the Paris Agreement and has also taken several steps to preserve it," Reddy said at the event organised in BSF headquarters.Reddy added that the security personnel of the BSF and other forces face the severity of the climate change every day and expressed concern over the receding groundwater levels in the country."Our security forces working in extreme situations on the borders know how hard climate change has hit us. It is because of our neglect that the situation has turned ..
Environmental protection is must: Himachal CM
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Wednesday greeted people on World Environment Day and said environmental protection is necessary to lead a healthy life.
CM pledges to make Punjab healthiest in India
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday pledged to make the state's healthiest in India by providing pollution free air and water.
Rourkela Steel Plant: Making Steel in harmony with nature
Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) Wednesday said it has adopted a three pronged strategy to protect and preserve the environment and produce steel in harmony with nature. The strategy includes: Progressive adoption of environment friendly new technologies, environmental monitoring and spreading environmental awareness, RSP said in a statement on the World Environment Day. RSP, the first Indian Steel Plant to adopt environment friendly and energy efficient LD technology in early 60's, is giving top most priority towards adopting the latest technology available for making of green steel, it said. The plant has installed many environment-friendly systems during the recent phase of modernisation and expansion in spite of the high cost involved. Latest techniques are adopted to check all types of pollution - air, water or land. Electro static precipitators, bag houses, multi cyclones, dust suppression systems, and wet scrubbers have been installed to check air pollution, it ...