Page 783 - Environment

23 pc shortfall in planting trees in Delhi during 2014-17: CAG

The Forest Department and other agencies in Delhi, responsible for providing green cover in the national capital, has planted 28.12 lakh trees during 2014-17 against their target of 36.57 lakh, a shortfall of 23 per cent, the CAG said in its report. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in the Delhi Assembly today, also highlighted that the reported tree plantation during 2014-17 "could not lead to commensurate increase in area under tree and forest cover putting a question mark on the efficacy and performance of Delhi government's tree plantation programme". The city government did not have its own Delhi Forest Policy, road map or perspective plan indicating strategy to improve forest cover, it said, adding the Greening Delhi Action Plan has "not been prepared after 2007-08. "Tree Authority constituted under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994 met only once during 2014-17 against mandated 12 meetings. In violation of permit conditions, lops and tops arising ...

Deadly olive tree disease detected in Corsica

A deadly bacterial disease with no known cure that ravaged olive groves in southern Italy three years ago has been detected in the French island of Corsica, industry officials said today. "The verdict is in," Corsica's olive growers federation SIDOC said in a statement. It said Xylella fastidiosa has been detected in the island's olive trees, adding that a lab in western France is working to identify the particular strain. A strain known as "multiplex" -- less virulent than the one that devastated olive groves in Italy in 2015 -- has previously been detected in southern France as well as Corsica, but not on olive trees. However, since wild olive trees cover more than 300,000 hectares (750,000 acres) of the Mediterranean island, the risk of contamination is "immeasurable", the statement said. Xylella fastidiosa, spread by tiny sap-sucking insects known as leafhoppers, has also been found on Corsica's holm oaks, which cover more than 100,000 hectares. "It's the first time that the olive

46% of land allotted to SAU not available for construction due to legal issues: CAG

Nearly 46 per cent of the land allotted for setting up the South Asian University (SAU) campus was not available for construction activities due to environment and legal issues, the CAG said and cited "lack of due diligence" by the MEA while accepting land from the DDA. In 2008, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had assured the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of 100 acres of encumbrance-free land for building the campus for SAU, envisaged as a world-class institute which would attract the brightest students from all South Asian countries. The MEA approved the proposal for purchase of 100 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs 75.45 crore. Of the 100 acres, the DDA handed over 85.32 acres of land in February 2010 and another 8.36 acres in August 2011, totalling 93.68 acres to the MEA. "The MEA, in turn, handed over the land to SAU in September 2011 without transfer of title of land," the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, which was tabled before the Lok Sabha today,

Meghalaya CM meet Singh; seeks 24x7 power supply to households

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Kongkal Sangma today called on Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh and discussed various matters such as uninterrupted electricity supply to the north-eastern state. At a meeting here, various issues pertaining to power sector in Meghalaya and measures to be taken to ensure round the clock supply for each household in the state were discussed, the power ministry said in a statement. Singh assured all possible support to Meghalaya, it said. He has also said that apart from the projects sanctioned for the state, if it requires any additional project for strengthening distribution system, the proposal may be sent and thus will be sanctioned by the Government of India, it added. The chief minister assured to electrify all the villages by the deadline. The state intended to launch the Saubhagya scheme on April 20, 2018. Sangma further said that "if freight subsidy was provided for the coal meant for power plants, it might help in ...

Proactive steps taken to control money power in Karnataka

The Income Tax department today said it is taking 'proactive' steps to ensure clean elections to the Karnataka assembly on May 12 by monitoring and controlling the role of money power. The Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Karnataka and Goa region, said the department has taken measures in accordance with the mandate given by the Election Commission of India. It has set up a 24x7 control room here for receiving information or complaints with regard to Karnataka assembly elections, the department said in a release. The Income Tax Department is specifically tasked with controlling the use of unaccounted funds to subvert the people's mandate, it said. It has asked people to share any credible and valid information they have on its telephone number/fax/mail ID. Thetoll free number is 18004252115. People can call on telephonenumber 08022861126 or fax on 08022866916, or provide information on mobile phone numbers 8277413614 and 8277422825. People can also mail ...

China to launch two satellites for Pakistan in June

China will launch two remote sensing satellites for Pakistan in June, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALVT) said today. It will be the first international commercial launch for a Long March-2C rocket after it carried Motorola's Iridium satellites into orbit in 1999. The rocket will also carry the China-France Oceanography Satellite into space in September this year, state-run Xinhua news agency reported quoting CALVT. The satellite will monitor ocean wind and waves. Long March-2C rockets are mainly used to send satellites into low Earth or Sun-synchronous orbits. China had launched Pakistan's communication Satellite PAKSAT-1R in 2011. In 2016, Pakistan and China had signed an agreement for the launch of a special remote sensing satellite this year to monitor the development of the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

Britain to ban ivory sales

Britain will ban sales of ivory in a bid to help preserve the world's dwindling elephant population, the government announced today. The ban covers ivory items of all ages, with an unlimited fine or five years in jail the maximum penalty for breaching the ban. The decision, which must be approved by parliament, comes after a consultation in which 88 percent of the 70,000 respondents were in favour of such a ban. "Ivory should never be seen as a commodity for financial gain or a status symbol, so we will introduce one of the world's toughest bans on ivory sales to protect elephants for future generations," Environment Secretary Michael Gove said. "The ban on ivory sales we will bring into law will reaffirm the UK's global leadership on this critical issue, demonstrating our belief that the abhorrent ivory trade should become a thing of the past." Britain said the international illegal wildlife trade was estimated to be worth up to 17 billion ($24 billion, 19.5 billion euros). The ...

Britain to introduce 'one of world's toughest' ivory bans

Britain is set to introduce "one of the world's toughest" bans on ivory sales in a bid to protect elephants for future generations, Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced on Tuesday.

EU carbon market emissions rise for first time in seven years in 2017

LONDON (Reuters) - Emissions regulated under Europe's carbon market rose for the first time in seven years in 2017 due to stronger industrial output, data published on Tuesday by the European Commission and examined by carbon analysts at Thomson Reuters showed.

BSES Delhi discoms procure 200 MW wind power at low rate

Delhi electricity distribution company (discom) BSES on Tuesday announced it has signed a power sale agreement (PSA) with the Solar Energy Corp of India (SECI) to procure 200 MW at competitive rates.

BSES, SECI sign power sale agreements; likely to help Delhi's peak energy demand

Power sale agreements have been signed by the BSES discoms with the SECI to procure 200 MW of wind energy, a move which would be helpful in effectively meeting Delhi's peak power demand, a spokesperson of the BSES said. The BSES Rajdhani Power Limited will procure 150 MW and BSES Yamuna Power Limited will procure the remaining 50 MW of wind power, he said. "The power is expected to be available to the BSES discoms in about 18 months- from the third week of November, 2019, for a period of 25 years and will be available at a very competitive tariff of Rs 2.52 per unit," he said. A mix of wind and solar power in the discom's power portfolio will be helpful in effectively meeting Delhi's peak power demand. Delhi experiences peak power demand twice in a 24-hour period and this wind power being sourced from the coastal area of Gujarat is expected to support the night peak demand, the spokesperson added. Power sale agreements have been signed by the BSES discoms with Solar Energy ...

Sanjay Setu pillar sinks partially, traffic movement obstructed

A pillar on Sanjay Setu sunk partially disrupting the traffic movement going from Bahraich towards Lucknow on Tuesday.The traffic movement came to a standstill after the pillar number five of Sanjay Setu sunk by 6 inches.The bridge situated on the Bahraich-Lucknow road, built over River Ghagra, connects Gonda, Balrampur to the state capital.A team of highly experienced engineers is present at the spot conducting an investigation.A bridge built over Assi Ganga river on Gangotri highway in Uttarakhand collapsed on April 1 this year.

Tiger shifted to Rajasthan's Mukundara Hills National Park

The Forest Department today shifted a tiger to a 28 hectares enclosure built in Mukundara Hills National Park in Rajasthan's Darra range, officials said. Tiger RT-91 was translocated to the park after taking various factors into account, Chief Wild Life Warden (CWLW) GV Reddy told PTI. "We are also working on translocating his partner in another 15 days," Reddy said. The tiger had left the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and was living in the peripheral forests near Bundi and frequenting populated areas. During monitoring and surveillance of the tiger, evidence of poachers roaming in the area came to light and they were apprehended. "There was a sense of trepidation among locals and a chance of the tiger falling prey to poachers," said Reddy. "Keeping these factors in mind and following detailed deliberations, the decision to translocate RT-91 was taken," he said. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje congratulated the people of the Hadoti region on the successful shifting of the tiger. "This day .

Record 9,829 km of national highways built in FY18: Gadkari

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that record 9,829 kilometres of national highways at a cost of Rs 1,16,324 crore were constructed in the country during 2017-18, 20 per cent higher than the last year.

Twenty per cent growth recorded in Construction of National Highways

The Minister announced adoption of international system of counting of Lane Kilometres from the coming Financial Year onwards. He said, the ministry has so far been calculating construction of National Highways in linear length, which did not truly reflected the amount of work completed.

PM to inaugurate Eastern Peripheral E-way this month: Gadkari

India's first smart and green highway, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE), which consumed 5 lakh tonne of cement and 1 lakh tonne of steel, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi this month, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said today. The Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the 135-km six-lane access-controlled expressway, built at a cost of nearly Rs 11,000 crore to decongest the national capital along with the first phase of Delhi-Meerut Expressway. The EPE is equipped with smart and intelligent highway traffic management system (HTMS) and video incident detection system (VIDS) besides a closed tolling system in which the collections will be made only on the distance travelled and not on the entire length and would be lit with solar lights. "The Eastern Peripheral Expressway will be inaugurated by Prime Minister this month and will set a benchmark in highway construction by being environment-friendly with world-class safety features and smart/interactive ...

EU carbon market emissions rise first time in seven years in 2017

LONDON (Reuters) - Emissions regulated under Europe's carbon market rose for the first time in seven years in 2017 due to stronger industrial output, data published on Tuesday by the European Commission and examined by carbon analysts at Thomson Reuters showed.

Rockefeller Foundation's 100 RC to help 4 Indian cities combat challenges

US-based Rockefeller Foundation-backed 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) has chosen four cities from India -- Japiur, Surat, Pune and Chennai -- to help them deal with social and economic challenges like waste management, availability of water, floods etc, facing them. Under the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) initiative, 100 cities have been selected from all over the world. The initiative is aimed at helping these cities become more resilient to the physical, social and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century, said Amit Prothi, Head of India National Strategy 100RC. The cities on the list include Kyoto of Japan, Barcelona of Spain, Belfast of the UK and so on. From India, there are Chennai, Pune, Surat and Jaipur, he said. Explaining the plan, Director of National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) Jagan Shah said, "Every city is facing or has already faced some or the other issue. Like Jaipur faces issue of high temperature. Chennai has seen .

Crop burning: NGT slaps Rs 2 lakh as costs on Delhi govt

The National Green Tribunal has slapped Rs 2 lakh as costs on the Delhi government for not filing action plan for providing incentives and infrastructural assistance to farmers to stop them from burning crop residue to prevent air pollution. A bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim took exception over the report filed by the AAP government which was signed by the joint director, Agriculture and refused to accept it. "As far as the NCT of Delhi is concerned, neither the action plan nor the affidavit is filed. Mr Khehar (lawyer for Delhi govt) submits that he has got the report under the signature of Joint Director, Agriculture and it should be accepted. We decline. "Our order expressly directed Chief Secretary must file an affidavit and produce the action plan. There can be no exception to the NCT Delhi and hence for non-compliance of this direction dated February 20, 2018, the NCT of Delhi is imposed with costs of Rs 2 lakh," the bench said. The green panel ...

Cabinet nod soon for Rs 50K cr KUSUM scheme on solar farming

The KUSUM scheme, with over Rs 50,000 crore government support to promote the use of solar power among farmers, is likely to get the Cabinet nod by this month end and will be rolled out in the first half this fiscal, a senior official said today. "The KUSUM (Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan) Scheme is likely to be placed before Union Cabinet for consideration and approval by this month end. We would be able to implement the scheme in first half of this fiscal," New and Renewable Energy Secretary Anand Kumar told reporters here at the launch of TERI year book. He said that under the revised draft of the scheme to be placed before the Cabinet, the amount of central government assistance has been enhanced from earlier proposal. Under the scheme, the government plans to incentivise farmers to run solar farm water pumps and use barren land for generating power for extra income -- up to Rs 60,000 per acre every year. At present, farmers earn about Rs 30,000 per acre annually ..