Page 9 - Environment

Govt set to declare India manual scavenging free by August: Official

As the government's deadline to declare India manual scavenging free nears, about 246 districts of the country are yet to declare themselves free from the inhuman practice, according to officials. The matter was discussed at the eighth meeting of the central monitoring committee chaired by Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar. According to data shared in the meeting, out of 766 districts, as many as 520 districts have declared themselves manual scavenging free, while 246 districts are yet to submit the report. "I would request the states concerned to submit a report to us as we are committed to our vision of declaring India manual scavenging free by August 2023," a senior official with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said. He said the defaulting states are required to either declare all their districts free from manual scavenging or upload existing insanitary latrines and manual scavengers, if any, associated with them so that requisite rehabilitation benefits can

Monday was the hottest day ever as global temperatures rise, shows data

The average worldwide temperature was 17C (63F), just above the previous record of 16.9C reached in August 2016, according to data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction

India mulls bilateral deals for green hydrogen-linked carbon credits

Indian companies such as Reliance Industries, Indian Oil and Adani Enterprises have big plans for green hydrogen, a fuel generated using renewable energy

After Joshimath, wide cracks in Uttarkashi's Mastari village cause panic

Wide cracks have appeared in the roads and walls of several homes in Mastari village here, nearly 300 km from Joshimath, which caught national attention earlier this year when thousands of people had to be evacuated to safer locations due to land subsidence. The quick response team of the disaster management authority rushed to the village to inspect the cracks and asked people there to be alert. While land subsidence is an old problem in the village, rains last Saturday led to the widening of cracks at people's homes, with water beginning to stream out of the crevices, causing panic among the villagers, Satyanarayan Semwal, the head of Mastari, said. "Landslides are happening continuously in the village but the authorities are not paying as much attention to Mastari as it deserves," Semwal said. The problem of land subsidence began in Mastari village after the earthquake of 1991, locals say. In 1997, geologists conducted a survey in the village and suggested that the villagers be

Centre's help needed for projects to check sea erosion: Karnataka minister

The Union government should provide assistance to the state in taking up permanent projects to check sea erosion at different places along the 320-km coastal line of Karnataka, state Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport Mankala S Vaidya has said. Talking to reporters after visiting the Kodi Kanyana fisheries port in Udupi district on Sunday, he said the state government is doing its best by taking temporary measures to prevent sea erosion. However, a permanent should be found by taking up projects in a phased manner with the support of the Union government, Vaidya said. He said the problems being faced by fishermen in Bengre, Kodi Kanyana and Hangarakatte will be solved jointly by the Fisheries and Port departments. The jetty project at Kodi Kanyana will be taken up soon. Former minister Jayaprakash Hegde and leaders of fishermen groups accompanied Vaidya during the visit.

El Nino's fierce heat carries new risk of resurgent deadly viruses

Mosquitoes that transmit such viruses flourish in the warmer weather that El Niño is set to bring to many parts of the world

No plans to shift cheetahs from Kuno National Park: Bhupender Yadav

"Indians are leading the world in environment conservation today," Yadav said

As temp soars in India, officials dispute claims of 100 heat-related deaths

The people most at risk from heat waves are the poor, the old and very young, and those in isolated rural areas

Infosys, association of tennis professionals launch 'Carbon Tracker'

Infosys solution to enable ATP players to track and mitigate their carbon emissions from travel on the tour

Climate change: Arctic may be ice free in summer by 2030s, warn scientists

Decreased ice cover has a significant and lasting impact on weather patterns, human populations, and ecosystems

Deaths, runaways, space crunch: Is 'Project Cheetah' on the right track?

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on June 1 reportedly said, "we take responsibility for whatever happened", but asserted that the translocation project will be a major success

Plastic pollution a global environmental crisis, says NGT Chairperson

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Justice A K Goel, the chairperson of the National Green Tribunal, said plastic pollution has become a global environmental crisis that threatens our planet. He said reliance on single-use plastic has resulted in immense harm to our oceans, land, and health, and to address this challenge collective efforts and individual responsibility are crucial. "We must raise awareness, reduce consumption of single-use plastic, promote recycling and responsible waste management, support innovation for sustainable alternatives, and implement strong policies and regulations," Justice Goel said. He said the NGT has played a significant role in enforcing plastic waste management rules, raising awareness, and emphasising extended producer responsibility. "However, more work is needed, and as individuals and communities, we must lead by example to create a positive change in society and protect our environment for future generations," he said. A tree plantati

'Solution to plastic pollution' on UN's agenda as planet chokes on plastic

On this World Environment Day (June 5), the UN focuses on solving the plastic pollution crisis as India plans to tackle plastic pollution as a key component of its global mass movement, Mission LiFE

India moving ahead with clear roadmap on environment, climate change: PM

India is moving ahead with a clear roadmap for environment protection and climate change, while maintaining a balance between present requirements and future vision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. Speaking on the occasion of the World Environment Day, he said if India has expanded its 4G and 5G telecom networks, it has also enhanced its forest cover on an equal footing. "The theme of this year's World Environment Day is to get rid of single-use plastic, an issue about which the world is talking today but India has been working on it consistently for the last four-five years. "In 2018 itself, India started working at two levels for getting rid of single-use plastic. On one hand, we banned single-use plastic and on the other hand we made the plastic waste processing mandatory," he said. He said India is focussing on environment in a big way just like any other area for its growth. "On the one hand, we have provided help to the poor and on the other hand we have also ta

High-density farming poses threat to environment: Agriculture expert

He said that there is also a need to preserve the ecology and biodiversity in states like Himachal with the method of organic agriculture

Plastic garbage becoming threat in Himalayan regions: Environment scientist

"The age of degradation of plastic is more than 400 years, the plastic bottle takes more than 1000 years to degrade, it remains in the system with the life cycle of humans"

Chhattisgarh govt plans to plant 30 million saplings during monsoon

The plantation will be conducted not just in forest regions but also on private and government lands

Experts to draft white paper on methane management for policy measures

A white paper on capturing methane, particularly coal bed methane, would soon be drafted and submitted to the government for it to take policy measures as potential of methane to warm environment is 84 times more than that of carbon dioxide. The white paper would also incorporate findings of the experts that investing in methane capture mining companies can increase revenues by 30 per cent. Methane is the second leading cause of climate change after carbon dioxide. The white paper shall be drafted on the basis of deliberation during day-long workshop Sustainable Mining & Methane Management' jointly organised last week by International Centre for Climate and Sustainability Action Foundation (ICSSA), Society for Clean Environment (SOCLEEN) and the Maharashtra government. It will be submitted to Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Maharashtra, and State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). During the workshop, climate scientists suggested to state ...

G20 concludes ECSWG meet, commits to deliver tangible outcomes for climate

Blue economy, arresting land degradation, and promoting circular economy among priorities for the third Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group meeting

Environment degradation impact becoming growingly apparent: Union minister

Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Patil on Monday said the impact of degrading biodiversity and environment are becoming increasingly apparent globally. Speaking at the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting in Mumbai, the minister said it is imperative for G20 countries to collectively address the interrelated matters of climate change and biodiversity loss through joint international efforts. On the importance of involving rural communities in protecting the environment, Patil said, To attain sustainable development, it is crucial that we focus not only on the urban centres but also on the well-being and progress of our rural communities. Environment Secretary Leena Nandan asked the G20 countries for their continued participation to ensure inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive outcomes as the Working Group moves closer towards the last leg of the proceedings under the India Presidency, an official release said. Talkin