Page 757 - Environment
Indian experts help Nepal town get rid of monkey menace
Authorities in eastern Nepal's Dhankuta town have sought Indian wildlife specialists' help to captures monkeys, who have damaged crops in the region and become a menace for the people, officials said today. Several people from Dhankuta municipality and adjoining villages fled the area after hundreds of monkeys damaged their crops and even physically attacked some of them, the official said. "We have brought eight monkey trackers from Utter Pradesh, India, who are paid Rs 1,500 per monkey for catching the simians," said Naresh Shrestha, chairman, ward no 6 of the municipality. During the local elections last year, the voters had sought commitment from the candidates on controlling the wildlife in the area. He said the municipality had allocated Rs 500,000 to fight the monkeys and an additional Rs 500,000 were also provided for it, but the situation only worsened. So far, 205 monkeys have been taken under control with the help of the Indian monkey trackers, who aim to catch some 600 ...
SJVN signs MoU with Ministry of Power; will strive to achieve 9200 Million Units in FY 2018-19
The MoU was signed by Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Secretary (Power) and Shri Nand Lal Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, SJVN. As per the targets set in the MOU, SJVN shall strive to achieve 9200 Million Units generation during the year under 'Excellent' category. Further, SJVN will have Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) target of Rs. 900 crore and Turnover target of Rs. 2175 crore under Excellent category along with other targets related to operational efficiency and Project monitoring.
SJVN signs MoU to target 9,200 mn units generation this fiscal
Public sector power generator Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Ltd has signed an MoU with the Union Power Ministry setting a target of generating 9,200 million units of electricity, according to an official announcement on Friday.
Major electrification scheme launched in Nagaland
Nagaland today launched major energy programme which targets to electrify over 90,000 household in 738 villages throughout the state by March 31 next year. The "Saubhagya, Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana" which aims to cover 66,766 rural households and 24,566 urban households throughout the State was formally launched by Advisor for Power Department, MLA H Tovihoto Ayemi here. In his brief address, Ayemi said that the main aim of the scheme is to provide electricity to all the un-electrified households in both urban and rural areas. He said the entire project will be monitored by Rural Electrification Corporation (REC). Ayemi also highlighted that in remote areas where electricity connection is not possible, the department would make efforts to provide electricity through Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) system. Delivering the keynote address, Commissioner & Secretary (Power), K D Vizo said Nagaland has 2,81,811 rural households out of which 1,93,502 are already electrified. He ..
Aamir Khan appeals to youth to work towards drought-free Maharashtra
Superstar Aamir Khan today requested students and citizens of urban areas of Maharashtra to contribute in making the state drought-free. The 53-year-old actor, who is the founder of Paani Foundation, interacted with the students of Symbiosis University, Pune and appealed to them to become Jalmitras' and join the initiative to tackle drought. By signing up on the link jalmitra.paanifoundation.in, people from the cities can register to work in villages with villagers on May 1, which is Maharashtra Day. "I would like to appeal to all the young of Maharashtra to join us in the noble cause to make Maharashtra drought-free. On the occasion of Maharashtra Day, let's celebrate it with Mahashramdan and bridge the rural-urban divide," Aamir said. "Till now we have 1 lakh registration on Jalmitra app and we are expecting more support from all over Maharashtra. I would request each and every person to do Shramadan, and aggressively participate in this people's movement to make the state drought ..
Unseasonal snowfall in hills of Chenab Valley
Incessant rainfall, hailstorm and unseasonal fresh snowfall in the hills of Chenab Valley today triggered extreme cold wave conditions. After repeated spells of rain coupled with strong winds and hailstorm since last one week at several places, most of the high altitude areas of Chenab Valley experienced unseasonal fresh snowfall today, officials said. The snowfall in the hills and continuous spells of rain coupled with hailstorms has marred the prospects of a good yield in the region. Kailash Mountain Range, Asha Pati Glacier, Padri Gali, Bhaal Padri, Chatargala, surrounding Bhadarwah while Braid Baal in Doda and Nehyed Chilly, Laloopani, Patyala,Talai, Mohaant and Nargadi of Bhallessa experienced fresh snowfall since early morning, they said. Meanwhile, Jaie, Guldanda, Bhadarwah town, Kota Khadangal, Ladu Kansar, Dhadkai, Kilru, Kandoloo and Gill-Kanan was lashed with moderate to heavy hailstorms and rains, they said. The incessant rainfall, hailstorm and fresh snowfall in hills has
HSBC to stop financing most new coal plants, oil sands, arctic drilling
LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's largest bank HSBC said on Friday it would mostly stop funding new coal power plants, oil sands and arctic drilling, becoming the latest in a long line of investors to shun the fossil fuels.
Agra airport gets a strange guest
Agra's Kheria airport had a strange guest who could not be welcomed by the terminal staff for want of expertise -- an Asian Palm Civet.
Nine states/UTs warned of rough seas in next two days
Nine coastal states and islands have been warned about rough seas over the next two days, a senior Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)official said on Friday.
Pooram: Centre asks Kerala to ensure protection of elephants
As Kerala gears up for yet another 'Thrissur Pooram' next week, the Centre has asked the state government to enforce the Wildlife Protection Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act during the festival, in which large numbers of elephants are paraded. The letter, addressed to the state Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Chief Wildlife Warden, also directed to submit and action-taken-report in this regard. The Centre's directive was based on a report by the animal rights campaigner 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (PETA) on the alleged cruelty meted out to captive elephants at the Thrissur Pooram last year. PETA India, in a release, said this is a "positive step" but only an end to the elephant use can eliminate abuse altogether. The outfit also released to the media a copy of the April 11 letter sent by Muthamizh Selvan, scientist, Project Elephant,Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Chnage. "It is requested to take necessary action ..
Basmati growers body opposes GI tag to MP for aromatic rice
The Centre should protect the global reputation of basmati rice and not give Geographical Indication (GI) tag to other states, including Madhya Pradesh, for the premium grain as it would negatively impact the industry and millions of farmers, a basmati rice growers and exporters' body demanded today. The Basmati Rice Farmers & Exporters Development Forum (BRFEDF) said that the government should protect basmati the way France has done for Champagne. "Madhya Pradesh is attempting to piggy back on the reputation built. The inclusion of Madhya Pradesh as growing area will lead basmati to become generic. The loss of protection is not only for traditional growing area but also to Madhya Pradesh. The result is national loss," Priyanka Mittal, a member of the BRFEDF, said in a statement. Although Madhya Pradesh has lost its claim to sell premium quality of rice under the basmati brand, the state is trying again to get the GI tag. Currently, the GI tag was given to basmati rice of seven ...
Aamir Khan envisions Maharashtra to be drought-free in 5 years
Bollywood star Aamir Khan, who leads NGO Paani Foundation, hopes Maharashtra is drought-free and doesn't need such a platform after the next five years.
Set up Indian standards for good agri practices: IMMA
To make agriculture environmentally sustainable, the government needs to come up with Indian standards for good agricultural practices in line with global standards, the Indian Micro-Fertilizers Manufacturers Association (IMMA) said today. There should be standards for balanced use of micro-nutrients as well, it said. Besides, it called for designing a national level campaign to create awareness about the importance of balanced nutrition for crops. These recommendations were made at at the National Crop Nutrition Summit 2018 held here today. IMMA said in a statement that it recommended setting up of Indian Good Agricultural Practices (IND-GAP) on lines of Euro-GAP and Global-GAP standards, practised in developed nations, for making agriculture agronomically robust and economically viable. "The most alarming trend in crop production is the excessive use of pesticides in India. These poisons for pest control are, in many cases, the highest cost to the farmers. Reducing this cost will ...
TDP will return to power in 2019, says Rajahmundry MP
Actor-turned-politician M Murali Mohan, TDP MP, today claimed the Telugu Desam Party would return to power in the 2019 assembly polls also. Speaking at the 'Meet-the-Press' programme here, he said, "Whether I am in power or not, I will work for the people. The post is not important.. I want to work for the people." He said Rs 17 crore has been spent out of the Rs 20 crore from the MP local area development fund during the last four years. Listing the development projects undertaken in his Rajahmundry constituency, he said a rail-cum-road bridge was built at a cost of Rs 8 crore.
Plea in HC seeking enhanced relief for fishermen during ban
A petition has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Central and state governments to pay an amount of Rs 500 per day to fishermen during the fishing ban period. When the plea came up before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose today, it issued notices to the Centre and state returnable by April 28. The petitioner, Fisherman Care, while referring to a policy note of the state government, submitted that for the year 2017-'18 the ban period has been increased from 45 days to 61 days and the existing fishing ban relief assistance of Rs 2,000 had been enhanced to Rs 5,000. Stating that fisheries is an important sector in India and provides employment to millions of people and contributes to food security of the country with a 8,118 km coastline and 2.02 million EEZ, the petitioner submitted the fishing ban period now increased to 61 days a year would cause a national loss and loss of foreign exchange. The ...
Siddaramaiah visits Chamundeshwari temple before filing nomination
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday visited Chamundeshwari temple on Friday ahead of filing nomination for Karnataka Elections.Siddaramaiah, who is contesting the upcoming polls from Chamundeshwari constituency, will file the nomination today.Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 224-member assembly.The results will be declared on May 15.
Interview: Panama Canal to carry 30 million T of LNG by 2020 as global demand grows
TOKYO (Reuters) - The Panama Canal may carry five times as much liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2020 as it did last year as production of the fuel expands in the United States and Asian import demand rises, the head of the canal's governing agency told Reuters.
Cow may be biggest mammal if humans keep up extinctions: study
The domestic cow may be the largest land mammal on Earth in 200 years, if the loss of large-bodied and currently threatened animals continues in the future, according to a study. Researchers led by The University of New Mexico in the US demonstrated that mammal biodiversity loss, a major conservation concern today, is part of a long-term trend lasting at least 125,000 years. As archaic humans, Neanderthals and other hominin species migrated out of Africa, what followed was a wave of size-biased extinction in mammals on all continents that intensified over time, they said. The study, published in the journal Science, is the first to quantitatively show that human effects on mammal body size predates their migration out of Africa and that size selective extinction is a hallmark of human activities and not the norm in mammal evolution. The researchers showed that body-size downgrading - the loss of the largest species on each continent over time - is a hallmark of human activity, both in
Humble cow to be largest remaining mammal in 200 years: Study
The pace at which humans have been hunting down large mammals into extinction since the early ages, the largest remaining mammal in 200 years would be the domestic cow, warn researchers.
India is paying a price for losing its grasslands (Environment Feature)
Wiry shrubs and clumps of brown-green fill the semi-arid landscape of Kutch in western India. Many of these patches have, over the years, made way for "more productive" agricultural land. This greening of "wasteland" is, however, degrading a precious and largely ignored ecosystem -- the grasslands. And, as a result, some species of animals that depend on grasslands are being pushed to the brink of extinction.
