Page 904 - Environment
Centre concerned over women being vulnerable to crimes due to
Expressing concern over crimes against women and girls who have to go for open defecation due to absence of toilets, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is looking to work with the state governments to address the issue. "We are following it up with the state governments. Though these are isolated cases, we are in touch with the state governments, where ever it is happening. These cases will be addressed," Parmeswaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, told reporters. He was asked about recent cases of women being raped in rural areas when they had gone out in the open to answer the call of nature. Iyer today announced that the ministry will be launching a mass media campaign to promote the twin-pit toilet soon. "A twin-pit toilet is economical, safe, easy to clean, eco-friendly, and is effectively a self-contained waste treatment plant that does not harm the ground water beneath the toilet." he said. Speaking on the issue of solid and .
Upgrade urban space, offer better facilities: Jitendra Singh
Union Minister of State for Development of the Northeastern Region Jitendra Singh has stressed on upgradation of urban space and better facilities to people in view of several cities in the world being classified as "fragile" due to pollution, conflict, terrorism and unemployment.
Don't allow new power plants if they violate MoEF norms: NGT
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) not to grant clearance to any new thermal power plant till they comply with the standards set by it, after a plea alleged that many of them were flouting norms and causing pollution. A bench headed by acting Chairperson Justice U D Salvi said the failure of the thermal power plants to adopt techniques to reduce emissions would affect the environmental scenario. "We direct Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities not to grant any environmental clearance to any new thermal power plant unless they show that every mechanism/ technique to achieve the standards set out in the notification dated December 7, 2015 is in place/adopted," the bench said. Advocate Divya Prakash Pandey, appearing for the MoEF , told the bench that the ministry was aware of the situation and a plea seeking extension of time for implementing the ...
Maharashtra cuts cotton forecast on worm infestation: source
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Maharashtra, India's second-biggest cotton producing state, has cut its forecast for output of the fibre by 37 percent from its September outlook as a pest infestation has reduced yields, a senior government official told Reuters.
HC restrains Thane Tree Authority from ordering tree cutting
The Bombay High Court today restrained the Thane Municipal Corporation's Tree Authority from passing any order permitting cutting of trees, observing that there appears to be a non-application of mind before constituting the panel. The authority can process applications but cannot pass any order or take decisions of uprooting, transplanting or felling trees, a division bench of Justices A S Oka and P N Deshmukh said. "We cannot allow this to be done till we are satisfied that the authority has been constituted in accordance with law," the bench said. The court said, however, in case of emergencies which involve the safety of people or property, the Thane municipal commissioner can take a decision to cut a tree. "We want to save the trees. There appears to be gross non-application of mind before constituting this authority. We hope the Thane civic body takes this matter seriously," Justice Oka said. The court passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation ...
High level committee submits report in stubble burning case
In connection with a stubble burning plea, the central government's high-level committee submitted its report in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.The top court last year directed the Centre to include certain experts in the task force from agriculture and health department so that they could give suggestions and remedies on stubble burning.The direction has come so that a comprehensive remedy could be taken up, including the suggestions given by the petitioner in the case, SC lawyer R.K. Kapoor.On November 13, the lawyer brought the air pollution issue before a bench helmed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, seeking direction to tackle the annual air pollution crisis in the national capital.Kapoor had sought immediate action against stubble burning and construction dust.
Ind-Ra: Safeguard Duty on Solar Panels to Increase Equity Requirement; Impacts Ongoing Projects
India imports about 90% of its cells and modules requirement at an average price of INR30 million/megawatt peak (MWp)-32 million/MWp compared with the domestic procurement cost of INR40 million/MWp-42 million/MWp. With the proposed duty, this cost arbitrage gap will shrink, resulting in domestic cell and module manufacturers to become more cost competitive, provided they develop the capability to manufacture cells and modules by importing polysilicon and wafers, which almost have non-existent production capacity in India. At present, there are 55 domestic solar panel manufacturing plants, of which 15 are non-operational. Capacity utilisation of the domestic manufacturers stands low at around 53% (FY18 annualised installed capacity: 1,653MWp as per Directorate General of Safeguards report), due to intense competition from imported cells and modules.
Tiny crystals could predict volcanic eruptions
Turns out, tiny crystals, as small as a grain of salt, can be used to predict volcanic eruptions.A new study by the University of Queensland stated that the new information gathered during the research could lead to more effective evacuations and forewarning.University of Queensland's Volcanologist Dr. Teresa Ubide said "This could signal good news; for almost one in 10 people around the world who live within 100 km of an active volcano".She added, "We haven't yet reached the 'holy grail' of being able to predict volcanic eruptions, but our research is a significant step forward in understanding the processes that lead to eruption".Dr. Ubide from the University's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences department used a new laser technique to examine the composition of tiny crystals forming deep in volcanoes.The crystals being studied were created when molten rock, known as magma, from up to 30 km beneath a volcano starts to move upwards towards the Earth's surface.She further ...
Son of farmer who attempted suicide refuses govt assistance
The Maharashtra government has offered an assistance of Rs 15 lakh to an 84-year-old farmer, who is in a serious condition after allegedly trying to commit suicide here, but his son has refused to accept the succour. State energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule had announced the assistance to Dharma Patil, after he tried to end his life at the secretariat in Mumbai as he was upset over inadequate compensation granted for his land acquired for a thermal plant project. Dharma Patil, from Sindakhedraja town in Buldhana district, came to the Mantralaya (secretariat) on Monday to follow up on his request for higher remuneration from the state government for the acquisition of his land for a thermal plant project. He later allegedly consumed poison inside the secretariat premises, following which the police rushed him to St. George Hospital in south Mumbai. His son Narendra Patil today said: "I have been told that the state government has offered Rs 15 lakh as financial ...
Vehicles powered with renewables can save Rs 40,000 annually: Report
Electric vehicles powered with cent per cent renewable energy can help save close to Rs 40,000 in fuel cost annually -- four times more than what was estimated earlier, says a new report.
Potentially habitable planets identified in TRAPPIST-1 system
Scientists have identified two exoplanets in the nearby TRAPPIST-1 planetary system that are most likely to be habitable. The TRAPPIST-1 system has been of great interest to observers and planetary scientists because it seems to contain seven planets that are all roughly Earth-sized. "Because the TRAPPIST-1 star is very old and dim, the surfaces of the planets have relatively cool temperatures by planetary standards, ranging from 126 degrees Celsius, which is cooler than Venus, to minus 106 degrees Celsius, which is colder than Earth's poles," said Amy Barr, a scientist at Planetary Science Institute in the US. "The planets also orbit very close to the star, with orbital periods of a few days. Because their orbits are eccentric - not quite circular - these planets could experience tidal heating just like the moons of Jupiter and Saturn," said Barr. "Assuming the planets are composed of water ice, rock, and iron, we determine how much of each might be present, and how ...
Dilip Buildcon bags NHAI road project worth Rs 1,522 cr
Highway developer Dilip Buildcon (DBL) today said it has bagged a road project worth Rs 1,522 crore from NHAI in Odisha. "The company has been declared L-1 bidder by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for a new hybrid annuity project...in Odisha," Dilip Buildcon said in a BSE filing. The project is for rehabilitation and upgradation to six laning of Chandikhole-Bhadrak section of NH-5 (new NH-16) from km 62 to km 135.5 in Odisha, the company added. Shares of Dilip Buildcon were trading 1.69 per cent higher at Rs 958.90 apiece on BSE.
Japan seeks upgraded whaling ship in sign hunts will continue
Japan is considering upgrading its ageing lead whaling ship, a fisheries official confirmed today, in a sign that the country's controversial Antarctic hunts will continue despite international protests. The Fisheries Agency has requested 100 million yen ($910,000) in the national budget for a study into the future of commercial whaling, an agency official told AFP, including the fate of the 30-year-old Nisshin Maru, the lead vessel of Japan's whaling flotilla. "That study will include discussions on what to do with the Nisshin Maru -- if its life should be extended (by repairs), or should be replaced with a used ship or a new ship, among other ideas," according to the agency's Takato Maki. The 8,145-tonne vessel has been the "mothership" of Japan's whaling flotilla since 1987 but is now old, said Maki. He said Japan has no plans to change its policy of staging an annual "research" hunt to prepare for a eventual return to commercial whaling. Japan is a signatory to the ..
Bangladesh cancels Chinese road construction project on corruption charges
Bangladesh has cancelled a road construction project with a major Chinese company which was building the Dhaka Sylhet highway on charges of attempting to bribe Bangladeshi officials and has blacklisted the firm from participating in any future ventures, according to a Voice of America (VoA) report.'"China Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd. (CHEC) has been blacklisted by the government of Bangladesh for bribing government officials and will not be allowed to participate in any future construction projects in Bangladesh," the report quoted Bangladeshi Finance Minister AMA Muhith from an interview given to the Bangladeshi media The Daily Star.The company, in the past, has undertaken some well-known projects, including Pakistan's Gwadar Port and Sri Lanka's Hanbatota Port.The company, according to Muhit, was found bribing newly-appointed director of the Bangladesh Highway Transport and Bridges Department for the purpose of diverting project funds.The finance minister said about 5 million Taka ..
New population of 'walking fish' found in Tasmania
A group of scientists found a small population of fish that "walk" along the seabed off Australia's south coast in Tasmania, a report said on Wednesday.
JMC Projects (India) secures new orders worth Rs 751 crore
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Winners, losers of Trump's solar panel tariff
(Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law a steep tariff on imported solar panels on Tuesday, a move billed as a way to protect American jobs but which the solar industry said would lead to tens of thousands of layoffs.
Job creator, or job killer? Trump angers solar installers with panel tariff
WASHINGTON/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law a steep tariff on imported solar panels on Tuesday, a move billed as a way to protect American jobs but which the solar industry said would lead to thousands of layoffs and raise consumer prices.
Trump signs solar panel tariff, angering U.S. installers
WASHINGTON/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law a steep tariff on imported solar panels on Tuesday, a move billed as a way to protect American jobs but which the solar industry said would lead to thousands of layoffs and raise consumer prices.
