Page 71 - Environment
Missing AN-32 brings back memories of 2009 crash
The AN-32 of the Indian Air Force that went missing on Monday from a remote location in India-China border reminded the people of the hill state about a similar tragedy about a decade back.
People involvement needed to raise Maha green cover: Minister
Affirming the resolve of Maharashtra government to plant 33 crore tree saplings across the state in 2019, Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar Monday said people's participation is needed to protect the environment. He appealed to citizens, civil society members and NGOs to join hands with the state government to increase the green cover in the state. Mungantiwar was addressing a press conference here on the sidelines of a meeting of officials to chalk out the mega tree plantation drive. Officials from the Pune administrative division, guardian ministers of Pune, Satara, Solapur and MLAs from Pune city and the district attended the meeting. "In Maharashtra, the forest land is 10.78 per cent. As far as Pune is concerned, the tree plantation movement started from July 1, 2016, and that time a target of planting 2 crore trees was set. "However, the district surpassed the target and 2.83 crore trees were planted," said Mungantiwar. The minister said this happened because of ...
Coastal road to ease traffic flow; payout for project-hit fishermen: MCGM tells court
The Mumbai civic body Monday told the Bombay High Court that its coastal road project is in larger public interest and compensation will be given to fishermen affected by the ambitious venture. The 29.2-km-long South Coastal Road project proposes to connect South Mumbai with north western suburbs of the metropolis. It is facing opposition from fishermen who claim the project will adversely affect their livelihood. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) Monday filed affidavits in response to five petitions submitted by activists, residents and fisherfolk community from the city challenging various aspects of the project. In April, the high court had prohibited the MCGM from carrying out any further work on the project, prompting the civic body to move the Supreme Court. In May, the apex court had permitted the corporation to carry out existing work, but barred it from taking up any any new task related to the project. The apex court had directed the high court to
Skymet predicts late monsoon in southern, central states
In a latest advisory issued on Monday, private weather forecaster Skymet has said that this year the country's southern and central states might witness late and weak monsoon.
SC declines to stay Madras HC order on Chennai-Salem corridor
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the Madras High Court order quashing of the land acquisition process for the Chennai-Salem eight-lane expressway project.
Mahindra Susten, Mitsui to jointly develop solar power projects in India
Mahindra Susten on Monday announced entering into a partnership with Japan-based Mitsui & Co to jointly develop and operate solar power generation projects in India. A player in the Indian solar energy sector, the Mahindra Group firm will continue to hold 51 per cent stake in Marvel Solren Private Ltd, with Mitsui holding the balance equity, said a statement. Marvel currently operates four distributed solar projects in India with a combined capacity of 16MW that help private clients reduce their carbon footprint, it added. Commenting on the development, Mahindra Susten CEO Basant Jain said: "This collaboration between two leading groups will help us target opportunities in the commercial and industrial sectors, which are going to play a key role in meeting India's ambitious renewable energy targets." Mitsui's Infrastructure Projects Business Chief Operating Officer Kazumasa Nakai said: "We are delighted to partner with Mahindra Susten and contribute to India's shift to a ...
Captain Amarinder promises 8-hour power supply to Punjab farmers
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday assured farmers of eight hours of power supply every day for the ensuing paddy season, beginning June 13, while promising 24-hour supply of power to all other categories of consumers.At a meeting to review the preparations of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) for the supply of power during summer and paddy season, he said that his government was committed to supplying quality power.According to an official statement, the power companies briefed the Chief Minister about the arrangements made for meeting the demand of 14,000 MW, even though the demand anticipated by the PSPCL was likely to be around 13,500 MW.The Chief Minister directed PSPCL and PSTCL to ensure round-the-clock supply during summer and paddy season to all areas of the state.The officials of the power companies informed the meeting that good level of water in dams would help in good hydro ...
Delhi's peak power demand clocks summer's highest at 6,612 MW
The sizzling heat on Monday pushed the peak power demand in the national capital to 6,612 MW, the highest so far this summer, as the maximum temperature settled at 40.6 degrees Celsius, leading to a surge in the use of air conditioners and coolers. Delhi's peak power demand reached 6,612 MW at 3.23 pm which is the highest so far this year , said a spokesperson of BSES discoms BYPL and BRPL. "The air conditioning load is the main reason for the increase in the power demand during summer months. Almost around 50 per cent of Delhi's power demand during the summer months is because of the cooling load of air conditioners, desert coolers and fans," he said. Delhi's peak power demand during the summers of 2019 may clock 7,400 MW. Last year, it breached 7,000 MW for the first time - peaking at 7,016 MW. Peak power demand in the BRPL's area of south and west Delhi, which had reached 3,081 MW during the summers of 2018, is expected to touch around 3,200 MW this year. In the BYPL's area of east
Rare albino fawn found, rescued by trucker in California
A rare, all-white fawn has been found and rescued in Northern California by a truck driver who delivered the animal to a rescue center. The Sacramento Bee reported Sunday that the small albino deer with a pink nose and large pinkish ears was discovered sitting in the middle of a road in Woodland, near Sacramento. Diane Nicholas at Kindred Spirits Fawn Rescue says the 3-week-old fawn's mother was not found. She's not sure how the fawn happened to be in the road but says that female deer looking for food often leave fawns on their own. Nicholas says this is the first time she has treated an albino deer during 13 years operating the rescue and rehabilitation center where volunteers treat 50 to 80 fawns per year.
Harsh Vardhan cycles to Nirman Bhawan to take charge as health minister
Under the scorching sun, Dr Harsh Vardhan cycled to Nirman Bhawan here to take charge as the Union health minister to mark World Bicycle Day. Vardhan took charge as the health minister almost five years after he was divested of it. He appealed to people adopt cycling and other healthy practices, and said that he would try to commute on cycle regularly. Vardhan, who also holds the Science and Technology and Earth Sciences portfolio, shared pictures on Twitter of him cycling and asserted that bicycle is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally sustainable means of transport. "Cycling is a simple,affordable, reliable,clean & environmentally sustainable means of transport. #UNGA has declared June 3 as #WorldBicycleDay to underline contribution of cycling to sustainable development goals. It's my fav sport too 2 #BeatAirPollution @UN (sic)," he tweeted. Vardhan urged people to adopt "green good deeds" to protect the environment and health of people. He also said, ""I ..
Striking French workers block world's biggest Nutella plant
A plant in northern France that makes a quarter of the world's Nutella has been blockaded for a week by workers striking for more pay, unions said Monday, in troubling news for consumers of the cocoa and hazelnut spread. The stoppage has hit the Villers-Ecalles factory of privately-owned Italian confectionery giant Ferrero, which normally churns out 600,000 jars per day, making it the biggest Nutella producer in the world. Some 160 employees have been on strike since Monday last week, said Fabrice Canchel of the Force Ouvriere (FO) union. "No lorry has gone in or out of the site since then," he said. Kinder Bueno production had also ceased for almost a week, Canchel said, while of the four Nutella production lines, just one was working and that only at 20 percent capacity. "The raw materials are starting to run short," he said. Workers want a 4.5 per cent pay rise as well as a 900 euro (USD 1,000) bonus. Management has offered only a 0.4 per cent rise. Ferrero, a family firm known for
Delhi's peak power demand reaches 6,612 MW; up by 3,000 MW from 2006
Amid the rising mercury levels in the national capital, the peak power demand on Monday touched 6,612 megawatt (MW), highest for the season and up by about 3,000 MW from the peak power demand recorded in the city in 2006.
Indo-Israeli team explores beekeeping collaboration
An Indo-Israeli team visited the Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry here in Himachal Pradesh to explore the possibility of collaboration in bumblebee rearing, the university said on Monday.
'Swachh Garhwal' drive to be launched on World Environment Day
Uttarkhand's Tourism Department will launch a cleanliness drive on the World Environment Day on June 5 to spread a message among people about building a clean environment. The drive, "Swachh Bharat Swachh Garhwal", will be launched simultaneously in all the seven districts of Garhwal region on the World Environment Day, Uttarkhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj told reporters here. Students, tourists and devotees will be involved in the drive, he said. The three best performing districts on the cleanliness parameter will also be awarded by the chief minister on the state's foundation day. The event has been planned during the ongoing Char Dham yatra season to also send the message to visitors from outside the state to devote at least 100 hours of their lives each year to keep the environment clean, Maharaj said. "The campaign will inspire people to plant trees, build toilets and create a garbage-free environment in Garhwal," the minister said. Photographs and videos of the drive ...
Punjab assures 8-hour power supply to paddy growers
The Punjab government Monday assured eight hours of power supply on a daily basis to paddy growers in the state during the sowing season starting June 13. The state government also promised uninterrupted power supply to other categories of consumers. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday held a meeting with representatives of state-owned power utilities, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation (PSTCL), according to an official release. He directed PSPCL and PSTCL to ensure round-the-clock supply during summer and paddy season to all areas of the state. The power companies briefed Amarinder about the arrangements made for meeting demand of 14,000 MW, even though the demand was likely to be 13,500 MW, it said. The officials of the power companies informed that good level of water in dams would also help in more hydro generation from PSPCL's own hydel plants as well as that from Bhakra Beas Management Board.
Foodgrains output dips to 283.37 mn tonne in 2018-19 crop year
India's foodgrains production is estimated to fall marginally to 283.37 million tonne (MT) in the 2018-19 crop year due to fall in pulses and coarse cereals output even as the country harvested record rice and wheat crops, according to government data. The production of foodgrains (rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses) stood at 285.01 MT in the 2017-18 crop year (July-June). Releasing the third advance estimates of production of major crops for 2018-19, the agriculture ministry said the rice production is estimated at an all-time-high of 115.63 MT during 2018-19, beating the previous record of 112.76 MT achieved in 2017-18 crop year. Wheat output is also seen at record 101.20 MT, surpassing 99.87 MT in the previous year. However, production of coarse cereals is estimated to be declined at 43.33 MT from record 46.97 MT in 2017-18 crop year. Pulses output, too, is pegged lower at 23.22 MT from record 25.42 MT. In non-foodgrains category, oilseeds output is estimated to be flat at ...
Mahindra Susten and Mitsui to co-invest in distributed solar power projects in India
Marvel currently operates four distributed solar projects in India with a combined capacity of 16MW that help private clients reduce their carbon footprint by providing renewable energy through long-term power purchase agreements of 10-25 years.
Punjab to clean village ponds
Punjab on Monday decide to desilt and clean ponds in all villages within a fortnight.
Heat-hit python slips into water hole, villagers panic
Oppressed by intense heat, an eight-foot long Indian rock python slithered to a water tank near a tube well in a village in Mathura district in Uttar Pradesh, alarming villagers.
Mahindra Susten, Mitsui to co-invest in distributed solar power projects
Mahindra Susten on Monday announced entering into a partnership with Mitsui & Co of Japan to jointly develop and operate distributed solar power generation projects in India.Mahindra Susten will continue to hold 51 per cent stake in Marvel Solren Pvt Ltd with Mitsui holding the balance equity. Marvel will be engaged in the development of multiple grids connected and distributed projects.It currently operates four distributed solar projects in India with a combined capacity of 16 megawatts that help private clients reduce their carbon footprint by providing renewable energy through long-term power purchase agreements of 10 to 25 years.Compared to power generated through an average Indian coal-fired power plant, the four projects can collectively reduce carbon emissions by about 20,000 tonnes per year and will contribute to the government's renewable energy targets."This collaboration between two leading groups will help us target opportunities in the commercial and industrial ...