Page 91 - Environment
'One-Way Scheme' for smooth vehicular movement in Karol Bagh from Monday: Police
Delhi Traffic Police will implement its one-way traffic circulation plan on trial basis on Padam Singh Road and Tank Road in central Delhi's Karol Bagh from Monday, officials said. To ensure smooth vehicular movement, the scheme would be implemented gradually on four other roads of the area, Pyare Lal Road, Hardhyan Singh Road, Gurudwara Road, and Saraswati Marg, a senior traffic police official said. The move comes in for providing seamless and smooth traffic movement and is being used to create a one-way loop system for comfortable movement of all modes of transport, the officer said. Karol Bagh - - a hub of commercial establishments having garments, jewellary, electronic items and car dealers - - registers heavy footfall and vehicular movement throughout the day thereby leading to street parking of the vehicles on all the major roads of the area. One way circulation plan of Karol Bagh area was approved by the Unified Traffic Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) .
TAPI meeting to take place in Turkmenistan today
A delegation led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum, Nadeem Babar, left for Turkmenistan to attend a meeting on Sunday evening on the development of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, also known as Trans-Afghanistan pipeline.Groundbreaking of the TAPI gas pipeline will be held in Pakistan in October this year, sources told Geo News. The Pakistani delegation is travelling to Turkmenistan to finalise the plans for the groundbreaking of the project, sources said.The TAPI gas pipeline project is expected to be completed by 2022 in Pakistan.The TAPI project, supported by the United States and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has been supported by Turkmenistan since the 1990s. But the initiation of the project was delayed due to issues related to the instability in the region, especially in Afghanistan.The ADB is acting as the facilitator and coordinator for the project. It is proposed to lay a 56-inch diameter and 1,680-kilometre pipeline ...
Humans cooked plant roots, tubers 120,000 years ago: Study
Modern humans began to cook plant starches, such as those from roots and tubers, as far back as 120,000 years ago, scientists say. The researchers discovered charred food remains from hearths found at the Klasies River Cave in South Africa's southern Cape. They findings provide the first archaeological evidence that anatomically modern humans were roasting and eating plant starches as early as 120,000 years ago. The study, published in the Journal of Human Evolution, supports the hypothesis that the duplication of the starch digestion genes is an adaptive response to an increased starch diet. "The genetic and biological evidence previously suggested that early humans would have been eating starches, but this research had not been done before," said Cynthia Larbey at the University of Cambridge in the UK. The work is part of a research into the role that plants and fire played in the lives of Middle Stone Age communities. The team searched for and analysed undisturbed hearths at the ...
New study reveals teleconnection between Indian monsoon and Atlantic Nino
There is a growing teleconnection between Indian summer monsoon rainfall and Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies, said a new study which is likely to brighten the prospect of a more accurate monsoon prediction in India. The unusual warming or cooling of the Atlantic ocean, known as the Atlantic Zonal Mode (AZM) or the Atlantic Nino, is known to influence the weather in Africa. According to the study led by Abu Dhabi-based Indian climate scientist Ajaya Ravindran, there is a growing teleconnection in a warming world between the Indian summer monsoon rainfall, which affects millions of people in India, and the AZM. The study, conducted by the Centre for Prototype Climate Modelling of the New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), found a robust increase in the inter-annual variability of the sea surface temperature over the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean as a result of global warming. This increase in variability implies an increase in the number of AZM events, inducing strong ...
Water crisis hits Gujarat village; people forced to drink polluted water
People in the Navsari village in Gujarat are forced to drink the polluted water as the village is facing a water crisis.Anant Patel, MLA from Bansda said, "There is too much problem of drinking water for the tribals and other villagers who live in this area. The government has not done anything to help us even when I repeatedly raised this problem in the assembly. Villagers have resorted to digging wells by themselves and using polluted water as a last resort."Devjibhai Deshmukh, the sarpanch of the village too expressed displeasure at the state of affairs and spoke about the problems being faced by the villagers."We have more than 12 settlements in our village and there is water crisis for every person who lives here. We have to get clean water from more than 200 kilometres away, the villagers, therefore, rely on the wells they dig up themselves to get water for themselves and cattle," Deshmukh told reporters.Latur in Maharashtra and some regions in Chhattisgarh have also reported ...
Evidence of water found on Ultima Thule: NASA
NASA has found evidence for a unique mixture of methanol, water ice, and organic molecules on Ultima Thule's surface -- the farthest world ever explored by mankind. The US space agency has published the first profile of Ultima Thule -- an ancient relic from the era of planet formation -- revealing details about the complex space object. Analysing just the first sets of data gathered during the New Horizons spacecraft's New Year's 2019 flyby of the Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69 -- nicknamed Ultima Thule -- unveil much about the object's development, geology and composition. Researchers are also investigating a range of surface features on Ultima Thule, such as bright spots and patches, hills and troughs, and craters and pits on Ultima Thule. The largest depression is a 8-kilometer-wide feature the team has nicknamed Maryland crater -- which likely formed from an impact. Some smaller pits on the Kuiper Belt object, however, may have been created by material falling into underground ...
Most distant space object looks like man in meditation
NASAs New Horizons mission team has published the first image of the farthest world ever explored -- a planetary building block and Kuiper Belt object clicked during New Years 2019 flyby of Ultima Thule which looks like a human being in deep meditation.
Rao moots changes in policy of allocating coal for power
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Saturday has demanded that the Centre reduce cost of power production by bringing in changes in the way coal allocations are made for production of power. He said he would take up the issue with the government to be formed at the Centre soon (post Lok Sabha elections), a release from his office said late Saturday night. Rao, who visited the power plant being built by NTPC at Ramagundam in the state, held a meeting with officials. He requested that 2,000 MW be supplied from NTPC to Telangana in view of the growing power demand in the state. "The policy being followed by the Centre with regard to allocation of coal to power plants is not proper. Coal for Ramagundam NTPC plant is being used by bringing it from Mandakini in Odisha, 950 km away, instead of taking coal from nearby Singareni (state-run miner Singareni Collieries). This leads to increase in cost of production," Rao said. The release also said production at the ...
Bhalswa Lake: Victim of urbanisation (Delhi Water Bodies)
Once known for its clean and clear water, the Bhalswa Lake of Delhi is narrating its own story of how modernisation and urbanisation is taking a toll on such water bodies.
Gujarat: Leopard enters residential area, captured
A leopard strayed into the police lines here on Saturday triggering panic among the residents before he was captured by the forest department after a seven-hour struggle.The leopard was later taken away by the forest authorities in a cage.Cases of leopards from nearby forests entering residential areas in search of water and food have become common. Experts cite deforestation as a possible reason for wild animals straying into cities and villages.
Billboard in New York's Times Square catches fire
One of the large digital billboards dotting New York's iconic Times Square briefly caught fire Saturday, before the blaze was extinguished with no reported injuries, officials said. Flames started bursting out of the billboard around 12:30 am IST. Social media users posted images and video showing the blaze burning on one side of the sign as it displayed an ad for SKYY vodka as sponsor of New York's WorldPride celebrations next month, marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall gay rights uprising. The ad featured drag queen Trixie Mattel. Other ads were also displayed on the billboard until firefighters turned it off. Mattel tweeted: "1) I'm happy to be in Times Square with @SKYYVodka 2) OMG HELP THEM. "My Times Square billboard is on fire so some of us have real problems. Omg @SKYYVodka our message of love!" Mattel added. A New York Fire Department spokesman said there were no injuries and no damage to the building to which the billboard is attached. The fire was under control at .
Madras High Court suggests laying high tension wires underground to neutralize cancer
The Madras High Court has suggested that the Tamil Nadu government consider laying underground cables for transmitting high-tension power so that possible effect of high voltage causing cancer be neutralised. Justices N Kirubakaran and S S Sundar in their interim order also issued notices to the Chief Manager of the Power Grid Corporation, Collectors of Karur, Tiruchi and Dindigul and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks. The judges said when the power was transmitted through over-head wires, there would be loss of Rs 42000 crore per year.The loss could be averted by laying underground cables which would make the farm lands safe also. The PIL litigant R Palanisamy sought to quash the prior approval given by the Central Electricity Authority for Pugalur HVDC Station-Thirvalam at Paramathy. The Judge said the petitioner had studied and done thorough research into the problem caused by overhead electric cables of high voltage. It was a model PIL case for others to follow, ...
KCR calls for changes in allocation of coal for power production
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Saturday demanded the Centre reduce cost of power production by bringing in changes in the way coal allocations are made. The chief minister said he would take up the issue with the newly formed government at the Centre soon, according to a release from his office Saturday night. After visiting the power plant being built by NTPC at Ramagundam in the state Saturday evening, Rao held a meeting with officials. He said additional 2,000 MW of power be supplied from NTPC to Telangana in view of growing demand. "The policy being followed by the Centre with regard to allocation of coal to power plants is not proper. "Coal for Ramagundam NTPC plant is being used by bringing it from Mandakini in Odisha which is at a distance of 950 km, instead of taking coal from Singareni (state-run miner Singareni Collieries) which is nearby. This leads to increase in cost of production," the release quoted Rao as saying. It also said Fertilisers Corporation at ...
Telangana seeks 2,000 MW power from NTPC
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday sought 2,000 MW electricity for his state to meet the growing power demand.
Post-cyclone situation grim in Puri, state govt announces additional relief
As the situation in Cyclone Fani-affected Puri district showed little signs of improvement even after a fortnight, the Odisha government Saturday announced an additional Rs 1,000 as gratuitous relief to each eligible family in the area. Chief Secretary A P Padhi said as all people in the district are yet to be provided with electricity, the state cabinet has decided to give Rs 1,000 to all eligible families. Padhi told reporters that this amount would be in addition to Rs 2,000 already given to the people. He said the government has also given 50 kg rice and Rs 500 for polythene sheets. Official sources said only 7 feeders out of the 56 in Puri have been made operational so far. Electricity has been partially restored in the district. In Nimapara block, only 5 of the 28 feeders have been operational. People in 13 other blocks have been without electricity since May 3, when the cyclone made landfall near the holy town, damaging completely the power infrastructure. The cyclone has ...
Rs 100 cr package for Fani-hit Odisha vendors, farmers
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced Rs 100 crore special package for street vendors, coconut growers and poultry farmers affected by Cyclone 'Fani'.
China's ban on scrap imports a boon to US recycling plants
The halt on China's imports of wastepaper and plastic that has disrupted US recycling programs has also spurred investment in American plants that process recyclables. US paper mills are expanding capacity to take advantage of a glut of cheap scrap. Some facilities that previously exported plastic or metal to China have retooled so they can process it themselves. And in a twist, the investors include Chinese companies that are still interested in having access to wastepaper or flattened bottles as raw material for manufacturing. "It's a very good moment for recycling in the United States," said Neil Seldman, co-founder of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a Washington-based organization that helps cities improve recycling programs. China, which had long been the world's largest destination for paper, plastic and other recyclables, phased in import restrictions in January 2018. Global scrap prices plummeted, prompting waste-hauling companies to pass the cost of sorting and baling .
Odisha to spend Rs 200 crore for revival of coastal green cover
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday directed to prepare a five-year action plan on revival of coastal shelter belt and afforestation programme.
Polls make bitter turn sweet: Mills forced to crush cane till polling
The sugarcane crushing season may be long over but the mills in eastern Uttar Pradesh are being pressurized to keep crushing, lest the farming community gets upset and impacts the arithmetic in the polling that takes place on Sunday.
Early humans began eating starch 120,000 years ago
Our ancestors were roasting and eating plant starches, such as those from tubers and rhizomes, as early as 120,000 years ago, new research has found.