Page 727 - Environment

J-K: 45 vehicles seized for violation of traffic rules

Police has seized 45 vehicles and fined 300 vehicles for violation of traffic rules in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, a police officer said. The traffic police yesterday carried out surprise checking of vehicles at various locations in Rajouri and seized 45 vehicles including two wheelers, cars and goods transport vehicles for violations of traffic rules, the officer said. They also fined 300 vehicles for violation of various traffic rules, which included use of pressure horns, driving vehicles without requisite documents and not wearing helmets, he added.

CM Pema Khandu inaugurates Arunachal's biggest solar plant

Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu today inaugurated the state's biggest solar power plant at Energy Awareness Park here in the presence of Power Minister Tamiyo Taga. The plant, with a capacity of 1 MW, was commissioned on April 1 at an estimated investment of Rs 8.50 crore, a statement issued by the government said here today. The officials of Arunachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency (APEDA), who successfully implemented the project, received accolades from Khandu on this occasion. The CM urged them to venture into more such environment-friendly initiatives in the future. "Our activities should not disturb the environment. A solar power plant is more environment-friendly in comparison to a gas-based project," Khandu said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been initiating several measures to minimize the effect of global warming. The state government has stepped up efforts to fulfill the rural electrification target, set by the Centre, by the end of this

FOKIA urges Guj govt to include suggestions in drainage policy

The Federation of Kutch Industries Association (FOKIA)wrote a letter to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today, urging him to incorporate its suggestions in the drainage recycling policy to be announced soon. Rupani had recently announced that the Gujarat government will announce the drainage recycling policy next month to supply water to industrial units in the state. FOKIA managing director Nimish Phadke, in a letter addressed to Rupani said, "The government should ensure that the agreement between respective municipal corporations, municipal councils, gram panchayats and industries takes place and agreed quantity of sewerage water is supplied by the respective governing bodies to the STPs (sewage treatment plant)." "The government should provide capital and interest subsidy to the industries investing in STPs. Since electricity is necessary to treat the sewage, it is important to consider the waiver of electricity duty on the power consumed for the treatment," he

Astronomers find first carbon-rich asteroid in Kuiper Belt

Astronomers have discovered an unusual carbon-rich asteroid in the Kuiper Belt -- the first of its kind to be confirmed in the cold outer reaches of the solar system.

SC asks Centre to decide by June 30 banning pet coke import

The Supreme Court today directed the Centre to take a decision by June 30 this year on the issue of banning import of pet coke in the country. The apex court also asked the government to consider implementing the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) first in Delhi as the people were "struggling" due to pollution in the national capital. NCAP is aimed at tackling air pollution problem in 100 cities across the country. You have lots of programmes but you can't implement it. You can't implement the programmes in Delhi and you are talking about pan-India. You at least implement it (NCAP)in Delhi first," a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta told Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, who was appearing for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. "We are struggling in Delhi for years due to pollution. You implement the NCAP here at least," the bench said. The court was hearing a matter related to a PIL filed in 1985 by environmentalist M C Mehta who

Tiger found dead near Rajaji reserve

A tiger was found dead near the Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) today, officials said, adding that they suspected it may have been killed by poachers. The tiger's body was found on a river bank in Shyampur range of Haridwar forest division adjoining RTR's Chilla range, Chief Wildlife Warden DVS Kati said. "We suspect the tiger was killed by poachers as it appears to have bled to death", Khati said. The actual cause of death will only be known after the post-mortem, he added.

Tiny fossil shells unveil details about ancient Earth's climate

Scientists have discovered tiny fossil shells that unveil details about the Earth's climate over half a billion years ago. The research, published in the journal Science Advances, suggests that early animals diversified within a climate similar to that in which the dinosaurs lived. An international collaboration of scientists, led by the University of Leicester in the UK, has investigated by combining climate models and chemical analyses of fossil shells about 1mm long. This interval in time is known for the 'Cambrian explosion', the time during which representatives of most of the major animal groups first appear in the fossil record. These include the first animals to produce shells, and it is these shelly fossils that the scientists used. Scientists have long thought that the early Cambrian Period was probably a greenhouse interval in Earth's climate history, a time when there were no permanent polar ice sheets. Until now, however, scientists have only had a sense of what the ...

Moon mission a step forward to reach Mars: NASA chief

NASA's new head, Jim Bridenstine, has defended the new agency directive to return astronauts to the Moon, saying that the mission will not derail the US goal of becoming the first country to put humans on Mars.

'Atmospheric seasons could signal alien life'

The biological products in the atmospheres of potentially habitable planets outside our solar system may help detect alien life, scientists say. These atmospheric fingerprints of life, called biosignatures, will be detected using next-generation telescopes that measure the composition of gases surrounding planets that are light years away, according to the research published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. However, biosignatures based on single measurements of atmospheric gases could be misleading. Now, scientists at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) in the US are developing the first quantitative framework for dynamic biosignatures based on seasonal changes in the Earth's atmosphere. As Earth orbits the Sun, its tilted axis means different regions receive more rays at different times of the year. The most visible signs of this phenomenon are changes in the weather and length of the days, but atmospheric composition is also impacted. For example, in the Northern ...

NASA probe finds new magnetic process in turbulent space

Scientists working with a NASA probe that investigates how the Sun's and Earth's magnetic fields connect and disconnect have uncovered a new type of magnetic event in our near-Earth environment.

How the Leaning Tower of Pisa survived earthquakes decoded

The soft foundational soil beneath the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy has helped it stand through numerous strong earthquakes since 1280, say scientists who unveiled the mystery behind how the structure remained undamaged, despite leaning at a precarious five-degree angle. Given the vulnerability of the structure, which barely manages to stand vertically, it was expected to sustain serious damage or even collapse because of moderate seismic activity. However, this has not happened and until now in spite of at least four strong earthquakes that have hit the region since 1280. After studying available seismological, geotechnical and structural information, the research team a research group of 16 engineers including those from University of Bristol in the UK concluded that the survival of the Tower can be attributed to a phenomenon known as dynamic soil-structure interaction (DSSI). The considerable height and stiffness of the Tower combined with the softness of the foundation soil, ...

Huge Indian sugar supplies dull bullish sentiment from Brazil curbing output

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A giant sugar crop from India this year will more than compensate for the lowest output in a decade from central Brazil, millers and traders said this week, putting the market on course for two years of record global oversupply.

New hydropower policy: HPCC accuses CM of 'selling' interest of state

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu toady accused Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur of selling the interest of the state and raised questions over new hydropower policy approved by the Cabinet. "The BJP government has started selling the interests of the state in just four months and the new hydropower policy tantamount to playing with natural resources of the state, he said in a statement issued here today. Alleging that the government wants to "oblige its favourite power developers" by refunding the upfront money, he said it appears there was a move to handover the precious natural resources by charging meagre 12 per cent royalty. If new investors are not coming in the hydropower sector and old projects are not being implemented, it did not mean that the natural resources be sold for a song," he said, adding the government should explore other alternatives instead of scrapping upfront premium. The government must ensure preservation of water ...

African small famers get record $1.5mn payout for drought-linked crop losses

Rome, May 10 (IANS/AKI) Vulnerable smallholder famers will receive insurance payments totalling $1.5 million - the largest such payout to date - after poor rainfall triggered crop losses in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal and Zambia, the United Nations World Food Programme said on Wednesday.

Free WiFi available in 55 towns in Gujarat: CM

The Gujarat government today announced that free Internet through WiFi facility is now available at 253 public places in 55 towns of the state. Free Internet to the people of these 55 towns is being provided under the state government's 'Urban WiFi Project', being implemented in association with private service provider-GTPL, an official release said. Hailing officials of the Science and Technology department for the feat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani appealed to them to cover smaller towns also to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi Digital India initiative. Till now, public places such as government offices, hospitals, bus stands, courts, and libraries have been covered in these towns under this project, which saw registration of around 1.65 lakh users, as per the release.

Sushil Modi differs from WHO report on pollution of Patna

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today differed from the recent report of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that ranked Patna the fifth most polluted city in the world. The situation in Patna is not so bad as it has been mentioned in the WHO report, he said. "There is a difference between the data given by World Health Organisation and the data furnished by the State Pollution Control Board," Modi said. The WHO says it got data from the Central Pollution Control Board which sources its data from the State Pollution Control Board, Modi said. "The situation of air pollution in Patna is challenging but there is no need to panic," Modi said while addressing a workshop on air pollution organised by the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority here. Modi, who also holds the portfolio of Environment and Forest Department, did not elaborate on the data of the WHO and the State Pollution Control Board. Stating that air pollution has increased in cities situated ...

Ford halts F-series, Super Duty production after fire at supplier

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said on Wednesday it has halted production of some of its most profitable vehicles, the F-150 and Super Duty full-size pickup trucks, at two U.S. factories after a fire at a supplier plant that produces parts for the trucks.

Order issued for Rs 5.5 per quintal subsidy to cane farmers

The government on Wednesday issued orders to implement the subsidy of Rs 5.5 per quintal of cane crushed to clear the dues of sugarcane farmers so millers can clear arrears that have reached Rs 20,000 crore.

Leopard caught in Siliguri

A leopard was caught on the outskirts of this northern West Bengal town late on Tuesday night, a senior forest official said on Wednesday.

When it comes to corruption, BJP wins hands down in Karnataka: Rahul

Attacking BJP's previous government in Karnataka, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said when it came to corruption, it had "won hands down".