Page 731 - Environment

India, Guatemala agree to promote trade, economic relations

India and Guatemala have agreed to promote trade and economic relations and called upon the private sectors to explore and take advantage of the pro-business climate existing in both countries. The economic relations between the two nations were discussed as Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu met his Guatemalan counterpart Jafeth Cabrera here yesterday. This the first ever visit of an Indian Vice President to the Republic of Guatemala. During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the main issues of the bilateral relations and agreed to explore and strengthen their cooperation linkages in different areas such as agriculture, culture, education, renewable energy, environment conservation, trade and investment. The two sides agreed to promote trade and economic relations and called upon the private sectors to explore and take advantage of the pro-business climate existing in both countries, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. The two countries ..

Farm activist urges Centre to ban toxic pesticides

The special task force constituted to tackle the agrarian crisis in Maharashtra has urged the Centre to accept the state government's proposal to ban some toxic insecticides. The demand comes in the wake of several cases of farmers' deaths in Vidarbha region due to pesticide poisoning last year. Farm activist and chief of the Maharashtra government's task force, Kishor Tiwari, in a statement issued today, said the state has sent a proposal to the Centre to ban the poisonous pesticides. He claimed that last year more than 60 farmers died in the state due to inhalation of poisonous pesticides while spraying the chemicals. The Union government should immediately accept the state's proposal to ban such pesticides, said Tiwari, the chairman of the Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Mission. Most of these pesticides have been banned in other countries because of their impact on people's health and ecology, he said. The Supreme Court had earlier sought the Centre's response on a

Ocean zone home to over 100 new species discovered

Oxford scientists have discovered an ocean zone off the coast of Bermuda teeming with over 100 species new to science. The Rariphotic Zone (rare light zone) extends from 130 metres to 300 metres and joins five other areas which have distinct biological communities living and growing within them. The section was discovered during a research mission to the British island territory of Bermuda organised by ocean exploration charity Nekton, and led by scientists from Oxford University in the UK. The team spent hundreds of hours underwater to discover over 100 new species, including tanaids - minute crustaceans - dozens of new algae species and black wire coral that stand up to two metres high. "Considering the Bermudian waters have been comparatively well studied for many decades, we certainly were not expecting such a large number and diversity of new species," said Alex Rogers, professor at Oxford University and scientific director of Nekton. The discovery of a whole new ocean zone, ...

Doctors raise alarm over ancient virus in Australia

Doctors have called for greater efforts to stop the spread of an ancient virus infecting residents across Australia's Northern Territory, the media reported on Tuesday.

Locals in Chhattisgarh village walk extra mile to fetch water everyday

Reeling under water crisis, residents of Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon village walk five to six kilometers everyday to fetch water.The locals are disappointed as no action has been taken in the regard by the higher officials.Speaking to ANI, a local said, "We do have one or two bore wells but there is no water in them. We have to walk for many kilometers to fetch water from the river. There is no option".Many districts in Chhattisgarh are facing water crisis including Gariyaband, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Durg, Korba, Raigarh, Surguja, Balrampur.

Farm mechanisation is need of hour: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said today that farm mechanisation was the need of the hour to ensure prosperity of the farming community. Inaugurating a two-day national workshop on challenges and opportunities in crop diversification' organised by the Agriculture Department here, he said, "Despite limited financial resources, the state government has proposed several new schemes for all-round and equitable development of the state and its farming community. He said that a large number of new schemes had been launched for irrigation, agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors to "ensure prosperity of the farming community". "Farm mechanisation is the need of the hour, but many farmers are not able to purchase implements such as tractors, power weeders and power tillers etc. The government proposes to establish custom hiring centres in the state from where farmers can get these implements on rent," the chief minister said. Thakur said that there was vast potential for

Review meet with states on proposed 'Plastic Parks' soon:

: Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals will soon hold a review meeting with various states on the proposed "Plastic Parks", a top official of the department said here today. "There are requests from seven of eight states for setting up plastic parks in their respective states. We will soon have a review meet with them state-wise. The policy says Rs 40 crore for each park," Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Secretary, P Raghavendra Rao said. Replying to a query on Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) project, he said there were some issues with regard to those proposed in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. There are four PCPIR projects and Odisha project is in advanced stage, he said adding there were some issues with regard to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. "The problem is that we need an anchor units in the PCPIR for supplying feed stock. We are working on that. We will discuss with the Andhra Pradesh government," he added. Rao, ...

Tourism nearly a tenth of global CO2 emissions

Domestic and international tourism account for eight per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, four times more than previously estimated, according to a study published today. The multi-trillion dollar industry's carbon footprint is expanding rapidly, driven in large part by demand for energy-intensive air travel, researchers reported in the journal Nature Climate Change. "Tourism is set to grow faster than many other economic sectors," with revenue projected to swell by four per cent annually through 2025, noted lead-author Arunima Malik, a researcher at The University of Sydney's business school. Holding the sector's carbon pollution in check will likely require carbon taxes or CO2 trading schemes for aviation, the researchers concluded. As in decades past, the United States is the single largest emitter of tourism-related carbon emissions, with other wealthy nations -- Germany, Canada and Britain -- also in the top ten. But emerging economies with burgeoning middle classes have moved ..

Science, research departments became synergetic under BJP: Harsh Vardhan

The Narendra Modi government has been successful in creating a good synergy among the science and research departments all over the country, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday.

Telangana invites bids for designing Musi riverfront

The Telangana government has invited proposals from reputed firms for designing and landscaping the Musi riverfront here. The riverfront is proposed to be designed to world-class standards, a state government release said today. The government has invited select firms of national and international repute experienced in urban landscaping and riverfront development to participate in the design competition, it said. The firms selected for participating in the competition have been requested to register before May 9 and the deadline for submission of designs is June 11, it said, adding 10 reputed firms have registered so far. The riverfront will be developed in a stretch of three kilometres from Puranapool to Chaderghat, it said. The project is proposed to be launched in December 2018, the release added.

Cabinet sub-committee submits report on sand mining in Punjab

A Cabinet sub-committee constituted for the purpose of formulating a comprehensive policy on sand mining in the state today submitted its report to the chief minister here, Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said. The committee was formed by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and is headed by Sidhu. In the meetings of the committee and after field visits, it was found that Punjab has sand for over 90 years and gravel for 170 years, Sidhu said after submitting the report. The committee has recommended fixation of prices of sand at Rs 1,000 per 100 cubic feet. The minister said the cabinet sub-committee had found that there was no price fixation for sand and there was a shortage of supply. Resultant, people were buying sand at exorbitant prices, Sidhu said. He also said the sub-committee keeping in view the existing deposits of sand and gravel had recommended lowering of sand prices and going in for their fixation at a certain level. There would be no dearth of supply with people ...

Puri to inaugurate first conference of Smart Cities CEOs tomorrow

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri will inaugurate the first of its kind conference of the CEOs of the 'Smart Cities' tomorrow which aims for cross-sharing of knowledge among the cities, the housing and urban affairs ministry said today. The two-day conference First Apex Conference for the CEOs of Smart Cities' will be held in Bhopal. This is the first such conference after the launch of Smart Cities Mission on June 25, 2015. The conference is being organised with an objective to provide momentum to the cities and a platform for cross-learning, sharing and disseminating the experience gained over the past two and a half years. The exhibition and presentations by the CEOs will provide useful insights for accelerating project implementation and enable cross learning among Smart Cities, the housing and urban affairs ministry said in a release. As many as 99 cities have been announced as smart cities so far under the mission. Each city would get Rs 500 crore as central assistance for ...

Trivendra asks officials to electrify every household by December

Directing officials to ensure electrification of each and every household by December this year, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today asked them to set weekly and monthly targets so that power supply reaches even the remotest parts of the hill state. The chief minister, who reviewed the progress ofthe central government's priority programmes being run by the department of power at the secretariat asked officials to prepare a plan at the micro level with a given time-frame. Asking them to bring down incidents of power theft and cut down power generation losses, Rawat said block and district wise lists should be prepared to assess the scenario and effective action should be taken in this regard. There is no pressure on the vigilance team of the power department and they should carry out their work effectively, he said. Expressing concern over mishaps caused by hanging overhead electricity wires, he said accident-prone spots should be identified and corrective action be

Odisha hands over land titles to 2,000 slum dwellers

Odisha government today handed over land titles to around 2,000 slum dwellers of different urban local bodies in Ganjam and Puri districts. As part of the implementation of the Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Act 2017, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik distributed the land rights to the slum dwellers at a function held at Chhatrapur, the district headquarter town of Ganjam district. In addition to the land titles, the beneficiaries will be provided Rs 2 lakh each part-funding to build their homes, officials said. "Not only they get the land titles, but they will also live in a dignified manner with all facilities like road, light, drinking water and other essential provisions," Patnaik said, while handing over the titles and launching the Liveable Habitat Mission ('Mo Ghara'). Tata Trusts will provide technical support for the project, which is likely to benefit around 10 lakh slum dwellers of 2,500 pockets in 104 urban local bodies (ULB) across the state. "We are very .

Telangana govt invites bids for designing Musi river

The Telangana government has invited proposals from reputed firms for designing the Musi river revitalisation along its corridor here. The riverfront is proposed to be designed to world-class standards, a state government release said today. "To get the best design, an invitation is sent to the selective firms of national and international repute experienced in urban landscaping and riverfront development projects to participate in the design competition seeking ideas for Musi revitalisation along the river corridor," it said. The firms selected for participating in the design competition are requested to register beforeMay 9and the deadline for submission of designs isJune 11, it said. Ten reputed firms have registered till today, it said. Development with beautification, landscapes in the river stretch from Puranapool to Chaderghat, a length of three km should be up taken up with the selected design, it said. The project is proposed to be launched in December 2018, the .

Winds blow away rooftops, uproot trees in Chamoli

Two pilgrims were injured as heavy rains accompanied by high-speed winds lashed Chamoli district of Uttarakhand today blowing away rooftops and uprooting trees. Two pilgrims from Gujarat,who were eating at a roadside eatery, were injured when branches of atree fell over them under the impact of a squall near Chetrapal village, revenue department official S L Rangad said. They were rushed to a hospital nearby, he said. A tree fell on a residential building in the Kund colony in Gopeshwar and another on the road near Aapda Bhawan disrupting traffic, he said. High-speed winds also uprooted trees near PG college, Gopeshwar, he said adding that even traffic was blocked in some areas. However, all the roads in Gopeshwar and nearby areas were opened for traffic later, he said. Roofs of some houses in the Jal Nigam colony of Gopeshwar were blown away by the high speed winds, Rangad said adding an electric pole was also uprooted close to the GREF campnear Pipalkoti blocking the road for ...

Punjab CM asks Centre to stop flow of river water to Pakistan

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has urged the Centre to take the lead in ensuring optimum harnessing of the Ravi-Beas waters and suggested constitution of a panel of experts to work out ways to restrict the flow of water from the state into Pakistan. Responding to media queries here today, the chief minister said he had not yet received the letter purported to have been written by his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar on the issue, but made it clear that his government would take every possible step to secure more water for the state. Pointing out that melting of ice leads to a rise in the water levels of the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers, causing them to flow into Pakistan, Singh said he had written to Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari suggesting storage of the excess water in dams in Himachal Pradesh to check its flow into Pakistan. He stressed the need for the central government to take the initiative in the matter. Under the Indus Water Treaty, 1960, ...

Himachal giving impetus to farming: Thakur

Despite limited financial resources, Himachal Pradesh has proposed several new schemes to give impetus to farming, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Monday.

Naidu seeks PM's intervention on MSP,free power,crop insurance

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has sought the Prime Minister's intervention to 'quickly address' MSP, free power and crop insurance that have a 'deep and immediate bearing' on welfare of the farm sector, which if left unaddressed, would badly hit farmers. The Chief Minister opposed the Centre's reported move to do away with the free power supply scheme to the farm sector, saying it was 'completely unjustified'. In a five-page letter on May 2, a copy of which was made available to the media here today, Naidu opposed the 'unilaterally proposed amendment' to the Electricity Act,2003, coupled with the specific terms of reference to the 15th Finance Commission, saying it would be detrimental to farmers' interests and to the principles of cooperative federalism. "It is learnt that the Government of India is coming up with a proposal to amend the Electricity Act, 2003, which enables the Centre to double down on states not to offer free power to any segment of

Odisha launches major largest slum land title transfer project

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday launched, in the state's Ganjam district, the pilot project of one of the world's largest slum land title transfer projects, an official statement said.