Page 884 - Environment
NIT Patna to soon have its own campus, CM
The National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Patna will soon have its own campus, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said today. The Centre has allotted Rs 500 crore for the purpose and the chief minister said he would ask the government to increase the allotment of funds. The new campus is being developed on 125 acres of land at Bihta in Patna district. "The college, formerly known as Bihar College of Engineering, has been allotted 125 acres of land at its new site. The institute will be built on the allotted land in three phases. The new campus will be developed at the earliest," Kumar said. IIT Patna has already been shifted at its sprawling campus at Bihta few years ago. Kumar was addressing the annual alumni meet of Bihar College of Engineering, which was upgraded to NIT status in 2004. Expressing happiness to be with the old students of the institute, the CM said that Bihar College of Engineering was established in 1924. Stating that Bihar faces floods every year, .
CPEC coal-based power plants will harm environment
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said that coal-based power plants under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will damage the environment.The Dawn quoted an evaluation report of the power sector of Pakistan released by ADB as saying that the upcoming 10 gigawatts generation capacity from the power plants will increase greenhouse gas emissions substantially that will worsen the climate change concerns.The report further stated that ash handling and disposal problems will add to the negative impacts.In January, a report published by Germany's Deutsche Welle broadcasting website said local activists fear these projects would not only trigger an ecological disaster, a demographic shift and encourage land grabbing, but also threaten their unique culture.China came up with its One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative in 2013.The project comprises a network of railways, roads, and pipelines that would connect Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the province of Balochistan, with the ...
Three leopard cubs found charred to death in sugarcane field
Three leopard cubs were found charred to death in a sugarcane field in a village in Junnar tehsil, 90 km from here. According to Forest department officials, the incident occurred in a farm owned by one Rajendra Jagdale in Ozar village on Saturday. Forest officials said it was suspected that the sugarcane caught fire after an overhead electricity cable fell on it due to a short circuit. "The farm owner, who had come to clear the burnt sugarcane, found two half burnt carcasses of the cubs on Saturday morning. Later in the day he found a third carcass," informed a forest official.
Girders for FOBs launched at Parel, Currey Road by Rlys, Army
Central Railway today announced that it had concluded an eight hour traffic and power block between CSMT and Dadar that was set in place to launch girders for new foot overbridges at Parel and Currey Road stations. "The traffic and power block that was taken on down slow line, up slow line, down fast line to launch girders at Parel and Currey Road station is over. Girders launched. Traffic resumed. Thanks for the cooperation of all," Chief PRO of CR, Sunil Udasi, said in a statement. "With girders being successfully launched, the opening of the bridges at the earliest, in a matter of weeks that is, is now a possibility," a CR official privy to the development said. The Army was roped in to build three FOBs on CR after a stampede on a bridge connecting CR's Parel station and Western Railway's Elphinstone station killed 23 commuters on September 29.
Project to control pollution in Goa's Sal river sanctioned
The Centre today sanctioned a new project to control pollution in Sal river at Navelim town in Goa. The project was sanctioned by the Environment Ministry under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), according to an official statement. The Centre would provide 60 per cent of the project's Rs 61.74 crore budget and the rest would be provided by the state, an official statement said. Under the project, around 32 km of sewers would be laid and a sewage treatment plant of three million litres per day capacity will be constructed. The Ministry said that the project is scheduled for completion by January 2021. "The project will help in reduction of pollution load in the river and improvement in its water quality, besides improving the environment and sanitation in the town," the statement said. The ministry had recently said that a new strategy will be brought for conservation and rejuvenation of major rivers in which water and environment management will be taken up ...
Foundation stone laid for Chhayapuri satellite railway station
BJP MP Ranjanben Bhatt today laid the foundation stone for a satellite station at Chhayapuri near here. The MP said the station would be operational by the end of the year. Vadodara Divisional Railway Manager Amit Kumar Singh said Rs 40 crore will be spent for development of Chhayapuri satellite station. "After this station becomes operational, it will ease out rail traffic congestion at Vadodara railway station," the official added.
Getting environment clearance in Assam challenging: Oil cos
Oil industry players today asked Assam government to do more in getting environmental clearances faster as it is a challenge in implementing projects in the state. "Getting forest permission is the most formidable area in Assam. The Ministry of Environment and Forest is on the same page as Petroleum Ministry on this. The state government has to deal at its own level," Director General of Hydrocarbons Atanu Chakraborty said. Speaking at a session at 'Advantage Assam - Global Investment Summit 2018' here, he pointed out to the public perception that the oil industry is a pollution-causing one and said there are many environmentalists and activists, who talk about the damage to environment by exploration and production activities. "This is a point not to put across to the people for creating a negative image. The state government's help is needed in creating the correct awareness among the people," Chakraborty said. The problems of logistics and short working season were .
Delhi gurdwaras to go green with solar energy
Gurdwaras in the city will be solar powered for their day-to-day functioning in a bid to conserve energy and take care of Delhi's environment, President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Manjit Singh said on Sunday.
8 killed after clash over land dispute in Pak's Balochistan
Eight people were killed today after two groups opened fire on each other following a clash over a land dispute in Chagai district in Pakistan's Balochistan. Two of the dead were part of the Sumalani tribe while six belonged to Norzai tribe, the Express Tribune reported. The clash took place because of a land dispute, it said. Frontier Corps and levies personnel reached the incident site and cordoned off the area, the paper said, adding that the bodies have been shifted to Quetta Civil Hospital. Last month, three people were killed and two were critically injured in a clash between two groups in Larkana district following a dispute over a piece of land.
Green activists protest in Agra
Green activists staged a sit-in in Agra on Sunday against the government's proposed move to shift a police battalion headquarters to a protected forest site that will create havoc in the ecologically sensitive area.
China launches dumping probe into U.S. sorghum imports amid rising trade tension
BEIJING (Reuters) - China has launched an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into imports of sorghum from the United States, the Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday, less than a fortnight after U.S. President Donald Trump slapped steep tariffs on imports of solar panels and washing machines.
Petroleum Minister flags off Saksham Cyclothon in Odisha
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off the 'Saksham Cyclothon' at the Kalinga Stadium here on Sunday.
Karnataka CM seeks Modi's intervention in Mahadayi river dispute
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help in resolving the Mahadayi water dispute between the state and BJP-ruled neighbouring Goa.
Dubai's Al Khaleej in $1 billion Egypt beet sugar mill deal
DUBAI (Reuters) - Dubai's Al Khaleej Sugar Refinery has agreed to build a major agro-industrial complex to produce beet sugar under a deal signed with the Egyptian government, the world's largest port-based sugar refinery said on Sunday.
Tesla, Australia to turn 50,000 homes into power generators
Some 50,000 homes in South Australia will receive solar panels and Tesla batteries, the state government announced today, in a landmark plan to turn houses into a giant, interconnected power plant. South Australia is already home to world's biggest battery in an Elon Musk-driven project to provide electricity for more than 30,000 homes. The state government has since been looking for more ways -- particularly through renewables -- to address its energy woes after an "unprecedented" storm caused a state-wide blackout in 2016. Under a new plan unveiled on Sunday, a network of solar panels linked to rechargeable batteries will be provided free to households and financed by the sale of excess electricity generated by the network, the government said. "My government has already delivered the world's biggest battery, now we will deliver the world's largest virtual power plant," state Premier Jay Weatherill said in a statement. "We will use people's homes as a way to generate ...
Area under plantation in North Goa shows decline: NABARD
Though the Goa government has ambitious plans to improve the contribution of agriculture to six per cent of the state GDP, the existing figures of the farming sector are not encouraging. The data provided by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has indicated that the area under production in North Goa is sliding rapidly whereas in South Goa it has remained stable, with a little growth. The area under various plantations and horticulture crops in North Goa has seen a decline in the last three years, which can be a cause of concern for the government's plan to trigger growth in this sector. As per a report released by the NABARD recently, the total 63,130 hectares of area was under various plantations and horticulture crop in the year 2014, which increased to 63,478 hectares in 2015 but reduced to 54,946 hectares in the year 2016. The figures of the year 2017 are yet to be compiled by the state agriculture department. In South Goa district, the .
Budget not populist, special scheme without substance: Green
The Union Budget 2018-19 has left the environment sector in the lurch as it is "neither populist nor helping 'Ease of Doing' business", with the government's special scheme to combat air pollution being "without any substance", says SANDRAP, a network working on issues related with water sector. The South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) said the budget had a "lacklustre" approach towards the crucial sector. The budgetary allocation for the environment ministry for 2018-19 stood at Rs 2,675.42 crore, identical to last budget's allocation. The ministry had got an increase of nearly 19 per cent during the 2017-18 budget. Presenting his fifth straight budget in the Lok Sabha, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region was a "cause of concern". He said a special scheme would be implemented to support the efforts of the governments of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and the NCT of Delhi to address air pollution and ...
Siddaramaiah asks PM to resolve Mahadayi row
Ahead of Prime MinisterNarendra Modi's public rally here, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today asked him to "find time" to resolve the inter-state Mahadayi River water row with neighbouring Goa. Claiming that Karnataka is the number one state in investment andinnovation, and highlighting Bengaluru as a start up andinnovation hub, Siddaramaiah boasted about having scriptedseveral national firsts across key sectors through a uniquemodel of development. "I welcome PM @narendramodi to Namma Karnataka - theno.1 state in investments, innovation & progressive policies.. Through a unique model of development, we have scripted several national firsts across key sectors," Siddaramaiah said in a tweet. "I am confidentthat Karnataka's success makes India proud," he said. "@narendramodi, I am glad you are making time to visit the country's start up & innovation hub, Namma Bengaluru today..On behalf of my people, I urge you to find the time for Karnataka's drinking ...
Penguin Random House India to use eco-friendly paper for books
Penguin Random House India will print its books on certified environment-friendly paper, the publishing house has announced. The initiative to move to printing books on environment- friendly paper that is certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is part of a commitment to be environmentally responsible in its products and operations, it said. The FSC is an organisation that works to promote the practise of sustainable forestry worldwide by setting standards for forest products like wood and paper and certifying that these standards have been met. An FSC certification lets consumers know that the paper they are using has been sourced in an environment-friendly and socially responsible manner. Penguin Random House India said it will move to using FSC-certified paper for a significant part of its printed books and will gradually move to printing all single-colour books on FSC-certified paper. It said it will become the first trade publisher in the
4 Delhi gurudwaras to go green, harness solar energy for power
Four famous Sikh shrines in Delhi including Rakab Ganj and Bangla Sahib Gurudwaras will go green by employing solar energy to meet their daily power needs from April. These four gurudwaras -- Bangla Sahib, Gurudwara Rakab Ganj, Nanak Piao and Majnu Tk Tila -- will be provided with rooftop solar panels having a total capacity of 1 Mega Watt (MW), said Manjit Singh GK, the president of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC). "The commissioning of solar plants will be completed by March-end," he said, adding a ceremony will be held next week to start work on the project. A company enlisted with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has been selected through competitive bidding, for executing the project, Singh said, adding a power purchase agreement has also been signed and the DSGMC is likely to save around Rs 60 lakh per year as power bill. The solar project is a tribute to the 7th Sikh Guru Har Rai whose love for the nature and teaching for its ...
