Page 880 - Environment

India imports 50.8 lakh ton pulses for Rs 17,280cr in Apr-Dec

India has imported 50.8 lakh tonnes of pulses for Rs 17,280 crore during April-December period of this fiscal, the government today said. Pulses output increased sharply to an all-time high of 22.95 million tonnes in 2016-17 crop year (July-June) from 16.35 million tonnes in the previous year, as per the agriculture ministry data. "India imports pulses and edible oils to meet the gap between domestic production and demand. Pulses and edible oils in India are imported by private sector and not by the government," Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. He said the production of pulses has increased from 17.15 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to 22.95 million tonnes in 2016-17. As per data submitted by the minister, pulses import stood at 50.8 lakh tonnes valuing Rs 17,280 crore during April-December period of 2017-18 fiscal. During 2016-17 fiscal, 66.08 million tonnes worth Rs 28,523 crore pulses were imported, while imports ..

Nod to fencing in 'feasible' stretches along Pak, Bangladesh

The government has approved barbed wire fencing in all "feasible stretches" along the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Lok Sabha was informed today. In addition, a stretch of 10 km has also been approved for a barbed wire fence along the border with Myanmar, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said in response to a written question. "All feasible stretches along international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh have been approved for erection of barbed wire fence," he said. Rijiju said the area of responsibility of 382 BOPs (border outposts) along the Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Pakistan borders have been assessed as vulnerable. This has been done on the basis of incidents of crimes related to smuggling of cattle, phensedyl and FICN (fake Indian currency note) as well as illegal migration and attacks on BSF personnel by miscreants. The total sanctioned length of fence along the Indo- Bangladesh border is 3,326 km. Of this, 2,746.44 km has been completed

Dinosaurs' dominance led to their demise: study

Dinosaurs may have been too successful for their own good, say scientists who found that the dominance of the prehistoric giants led to their decline even before the killer asteroid wiped them off the planet 66 million years ago. From their roots in South America, the dinosaurs migrated "in a frenzy of movement to cover the planet". Hundreds of different dinosaurs appeared, from the ferocious T rex to the gigantic long-necked Diplodocus. However, by the time the asteroid struck, killing them off, they were starting to decline, as they had ran out of space on Earth. The research published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, reconstructs the paths taken by the dinosaurs as they moved out of South America. "They burst on to the scene and really quickly moved to all parts of the Earth," said Chris Venditti of the University of Reading in the UK. The dinosaurs were able to take advantage of a "blank canvas" left by the extinction known as the Great Dying, just before

Missing ship with Indians on board freed

A ship with 22 Indian nationals on board, that went missing on Saturday in Africa, has been released, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday.

Tel govt planning to develop forest blocks near Hyd's ORR

The Telangana government is planning to develop 'forest blocks' near the city's Outer Ring Road (ORR). State Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao, who held a meeting with Chief Secretary S K Joshi and other officials, asked them to prepare a plan of action for the initiative. Rao said there is 58,329 hectares of forest land in 194 blocks, according to a state government release. The forest blocks should be developed to provide a healthy environment to the people of the city, he said. The officials said tourism would be promoted in the developed forest blocks and that an action plan would be prepared for the initiative.

CM lays foundation stone of Rhodendron park in Tawang

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today laid the foundation stone of a Rhodendron Park in Tawang district according to an official release. Speaking on the occasion the chief minister requested the Army and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to sensitise their personnel in carrying out Rhodo conservation effort as the high altitude border areas are beyond the reach of forest officials, it said. Khandu expressed hope that the park would not only add to the scenic enhancement of the city, but would also offer an opportunity for conservation of rhodo species, which are under serious threat due to various ongoing road and land acquisition projects by the Army and BRO. The park would be built in a total area of 1.15 hectares and would be partly funded under border area development programme (BADP). More than 30 species of rhododendrons would be planted and conserved in the park where terrace cutting would also be done to raise the beauty and scenic component. The park

Dinosaurs' dominance led to their demise: Study

Dinosaurs were in decline as a species 50 millions years before the asteroid strike that finally wiped them out and the giants have their own success in dominating every terrestrial habitat to blame for the fall, says a study.

Tiger census begins in Madhya Pradesh

Authorities have started the official count of tigers in Madhya Pradesh, which lost 26 wild cats last year, as part of a nationwide exercise. The first phase of All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) began yesterday in all the tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh, a Public Relations Department official said today. Besides tiger, the population of leopards and other wild and herbivorous animals will also be counted for the next seven days in the first phase, he said. Apart from counting the pugmarks of tigers and other wild animals, a study of their habitat, food availability and plants, among others, would also be conducted. Volunteers from various states along with Forest Department officers and employees are taking part in the counting. The entire exercise would be held in four phases - from February 5 to March 26, the official said. Trained volunteers and subject experts of various states, including Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, are taking part in the national tiger ...

Thai construction magnate arrested for hunting in sanctuary

Officials say the head of one of Thailand's largest construction companies has been arrested for hunting protected animals in a wildlife sanctuary and was found with the skin of a black panther and other animals. Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation announced that Premchai Karnasuta was arrested Sunday with three others after park officials were informed they had set up camp in a restricted wildlife sanctuary on Thailand's western border. Premchai is president of Italian-Thai Development. Today's statement said national park rangers found guns and the carcasses of a black panther, a Kalij pheasant and a barking deer in their possession. The rangers filed charges of hunting protected animals and violating gun laws. Police said Premchai has denied the charges.

10 projects approved under TIES: Chaudhary

As many as ten projects have been approved so far under the Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES), Parliament has been informed. The projects approved are in Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. The scheme seeks to bridge the infrastructure gap and provide forward and backward linkages to units engaged in trade activities. The projects include modernisation of infrastructure facility for marine exports in Karnataka, construction of standard design factory in Cochin, common scientific facilities in Andhra Pradesh Medi-Tech zone and expansion of Chennai Trade Centre. "Under TIES, so far, 10 projects have been approved," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. Unlike Assistance to States for Development of Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE) Scheme, which was funded by the Centre, the cost of projects under TIES would be equally shared between the Centre and the .

No hot-mix plants in Delhi-NCR: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has reiterated that no ready-mix plants will be permitted to operate at construction sites in Noida which are being operated without proper environmental protection. A bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson Justice U D Salvi asked the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) to strictly ensure that there is no dust emission due to the operation of such equipment. Ready-mix is concrete that is manufactured by combining a precise amount of rock, sand, water and cement at construction sites. "We make it clear that the order of the prohibition issued earlier against operation of the hot mix plant shall continue to be operative," the bench said. The tribunal directed the state pollution control board, Noida Authority and the Central Pollution Control Board to conduct a joint inspection of a hot-mix plant at Noida to ascertain as to whether it was compliant of pollution norms. The green panel had earlier slammed the officials concerned for not .

Sensor barriers in Kaziranga: NGT rejects Assam's proposal to

The National Green Tribunal has rejected the Assam government's proposal to engage manpower in place of installation of sensor-operated automated traffic barriers to control the death of animals in road accidents near the Kaziranga National Park. The green panel rapped the state government over its proposal and said except revealing the budgetary constraints there was no reason to go for the alternative proposal. The state government had proposed to engage additional manpower to monitor the animal corridor stretch of the NH-37 which passes from Jakhalabandha to Bokakhat along the reserve. It had said that additional home guards or casual labourers, if engaged, would be an efficient means to control the speed of vehicles on the national highway. The additional manpower in the highway can also be used for anti-poaching duty in the national park, Assam had said in its affidavit. "There is no material before us to suggest greater efficacy of the alternative in comparison with

China's Longi Solar Tech to invest $309 mn in India to avoid trade controls

An Indian regulator says it is considering a 'safeguard tariff' of 70 per cent on solar panels from China and Malaysia

Ozone layer still depleting: Study

Contrary to expectations, the ozone layer which protects life on Earth from high-energy radiation is actually thinning out in the lower stratosphere, new research has found.

'Turkey's first nuclear power plant set for investor shake-up'

The Turkish consortium that was to build Turkey's first nuclear power plant in a joint venture with the Russian atomic energy agency has pulled out of the ambitious project, reports said today. The Cengiz-Kolin-Kalyon (CKK) consortium -- made out of three major privately-owned Turkish industrial conglomerates -- has left the project due to a failure to agree commercial terms, the state run Anadolu news agency said. Contacted by AFP, Cengiz Holding, one of the companies in the consortium, declined to comment. A Russian newspaper carried a similar report, saying that the private companies would be replaced by a state-run Turkish energy firm. Russia's state atomic energy cooperation Rosatom is to build the plant at Akkuyu in the southern Turkish Mediterranean province of Mersin. Rosatom holds the majority 51 per cent stake in the project, with the Turkish consortium 49 per cent. The atomic power station is the first of three already being planned by energy resource-poor ...

US$ 1.08 million saved during April-December 2017 due to decline in Urea Imports: Shri Rao Inderjit Singh

Shri Singh gave details of the production of urea and other fertilizers during the last three years and current year (up to Dec, 17) are as below:

Rhino poacher shot dead in Assam

Forest guards have shot dead a rhino poacher in an encounter inside the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district, a forest official said today. The poacher had entered the sanctuary last night near a forest camp where he faced forest guards and fired at them in a bid to escape. The forest guards retaliated and in the ensuing encounter, the poacher was killed, the official said. A rifle and 14 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the spot. The body of the poacher has been sent for postmortem examination, the official added.

Urea imports dip to 49.83 lakh tonnes in Apr-Dec

The country's urea imports declined marginally to 49.83 lakh tonnes during April-December period of the current fiscal, Parliament was informed today. The country had imported 49.88 lakh tonnes in the same period last year. "Thus there is a decline of 0.05 lakh tonnes in import of urea during April-December of 2017-18 from over previous year," Minister of State for Fertilisers Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. The decline in urea import has resulted in the saving of about USD 1.08 million in the said period considering the weighted average price of urea at USD 216.86 tonne, he said. Urea is imported on government account to bridge the gap between indigenous production and demand. The minister said the domestic urea production was 177.84 lakh tonnes during the April-December period of this fiscal. The country's 30 urea manufacturing units have a total installed capacity of 207.54 lakh tonnes, against which domestic output stood at 242.01 lakh ...

Govt initiates anti-dumping probe into imports of solar glass

The government has initiated an anti-dumping probe into imports of a particular kind of solar glass following a complaint from Gujarat Borosil Ltd. The company had filed an application before the Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) for initiation of an investigation into import of 'Textured Tempered Glass whether Coated or Uncoated' from Malaysia. In a notification, the DGAD said that there is "sufficient prima facie evidence" that the goods are being dumped into the Indian market by the exporters from this country. The anti-dumping duty, if imposed, would help guard domestic players in the sector against cheap imports of the product. "The authority hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged dumping, and consequent injury to the domestic industry," the notification said. In the probe, it would determine the existence and effect of the alleged dumping and recommend the amount of anti- dumping duty, which if levied, would be adequate to ...

Chilean delegation meets President

A parliamentary delegation from Chile called on President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today. The delegation was led by Fidel Espinoza, the President of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile. Welcoming the delegation, Kovind said India appreciates Chile's support and solidarity in the fight against terrorism. "India and Chile are vibrant democracies. We have been having regular interactions between our parliamentarians. These have played an important role in strengthening our bilateral ties," the President said. "The President was happy to note that Chile has signed the agreement to join the International Solar Alliance. He stated that over the past decade or so, Chile has taken the lead to push for the global sustainability agenda. Joining of the alliance by Chile will strengthen our collective effort towards addressing climate change," according to a statement from the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President said that economic ties between India and Chile are doing ..