Page 924 - Environment
Karnataka building canal on Mahadeyi tributary against SC
The Goa government today accused Karnataka of resuming construction of a canal on a tributary of the Mahadeyi river in "total disregard" for the Supreme Court directives. The Goa government said that it has photographs to prove its claim that the neighbouring state has violated the court orders. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar directed state Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma to write a letter to the Karnataka government, asking it to stop the construction work. "As directed by the chief minister, Goa chief secretary is writing a letter to the chief secretary of Karnataka to immediately stop the work of bund (canal) at Kalsa tributary). The copy of which would be given to the media tomorrow," the communication from Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. State Water Resources Department Minister Vinod Palyekar said the inspection conducted by the team of officials from his department confirmed that Karnataka has resumed the work on constructing the canal on a Mahadeyi ...
Air quality improves to 'poor' in NCR
The National Capital and surrounding regions saw respite from air pollution on Friday with air quality improving from "very poor" to "poor".
Mhadei dispute: Karnataka violating SC directives, says Goa Minister
Violating directives of the Mhadei Inter-State Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court, the Karnataka government has re-started work on the Kalsa canal on the river, Goa's Water Resources Minister Vinod Palienkar claimed on Friday.
Agriculture minister seeks cooperation from ASEAN countries
Indian Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Friday said India and ASEAN countries faced similar agrarian challenges and sought their close cooperation to tackle them as a important part of the collaborative agenda.
Delhi to ban entry, exit of horses, mules, donkeys due to disease
The Delhi government has decided to ban entry and exit of horses, mules, and donkeys in the city due to the spread of Glanders disease, Rural Development Minister Gopal Rai said here on Friday.
BSF recover two Tokay Gecko lizards, apprehends one
Border Security Force troopers have recovered two endangered species of lizards 'Tokay Gecko' and arrested one person in Farakka of West Bengal's Malda sector for trying to smuggle the reptiles to Bangladesh, an official release said on Friday.
IRC accredits 'Geopolymer Concrete' road by NETRA-NTPC and
State-run power giant NTPC today said that Indian Road Congress (IRC) has accredited the construction of road by "Geopolymer Concrete" developed jointly by NETRA-NTPC Ltd and CSIR-CBRI Roorkee recently. NTPC NETRA and CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee have jointly developed high strength fly ash based geo-polymer concrete for road construction, a statement said. According to the statement, the project can now be replicated across the country and will help in addressing the environmental issues associated with huge quantities of fly ash being generated by coal-based power plants all over India. The IRC accreditation was based on construction of geo- polymer concrete road stretch of 50m long and 3m wide single lane at CBRI Roorkee and 100m long and 6.5 m wide double lane at NTPC Dadri as per IRC specifications using NTPC Dadri fly ash. Fly ash will be used as a binder in place of conventional cement and does not require water curing. Unlike in ...
Python creates panic in Agra village
A 12 foot long Rock python weighing 27 kg created panic in Nahchani village in Uttar Pradesh's Agra district.
Champagne box-sized satellite launched to probe distant planet
France launched a champagne box-sized mini satellite into Earth orbit today to study a mysterious, juvenile planet system in our Milky Way galaxy, mission controllers said. Weighing in at 3.5 kilogrammes, the PicSat satellite was hoisted into space by an Indian PSLV rocket, and placed into orbit at an altitude of 505 kilometres, according to the Paris Observatory, involved in the project. PicSat's target is the massive star Beta Pictoris, some 60 light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Pictor (The Painter's Easel), and its planet Beta Pictoris b -- a gassy giant. From Earth orbit, it will seek to learn more about the faraway planet by observing the next time it transits its host star, appearing as a dot on the bright surface as seen from our perspective. This once-in-18-year transit is expected some time in 2018. By measuring how much light a planet blocks out as it transits its star, astronomers can glean details about its size and the composition of ...
REC inks pact to provide loan for TANGEDCO power plant
State-run Rural Electrification Crop (REC) today said it has inked a pact with Tamil Nadu's power utiltiy TANGEDCO to provide a loan of Rs 10,453 crore for setting up 1,320 MW Udangudi Stage-I power project. "The REC signed a loan agreement of Rs 10,453 crore with TANGEDCO for setting up of TANGEDCO's Udangudi Stage-I, 2x660 MW Coal based Supercritical Thermal Power Project in Tuticorin District of Tamil Nadu," an REC statement said. The loan assistance from the REC will not only improve the power infrastructure of the state utilities but will also improve their financial and operational performance. The loan agreement was signed in the presence of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister of Tamil Nadu, P Thangamani and REC chairman and managing director P V Ramesh.
Commit in writing to stop coal handling expansion at Goa port: Congress
The Congress's Goa unit on Friday demanded that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari give a written assurance to the state that in line with popular sentiments the expansion of coal handling facilities at Mormugao Port Trust will not be allowed.
Prohibitory orders to prevent farmers from burning stubble
The West Khasi Hills district administration has imposed prohibitory orders in the district to prevent farmers from burning stubble and grasslands, officials said today. Acting on reports about unscrupulous burning of stubble and grasslands in the district during the dry winter season, deputy commissioner Arunkumar Kembhavi said, the prohibitory order was issued in order to protect the environment and to protect the health and hygiene of humans and animals alike. He said, "Reports have been received that farmers are burning the agricultural fields and grazing land in winter times... causing severe pollution of the air and smog as was witnessed in the national capital." Unscrupulously done, he said, it also destroys the normal forests besides affecting soil organic matter, macro and micro-nutrients, physical properties of soil like texture, colour, pH, bulk density as well as soil biota rendering the soil useless in the long run. Farmers in Meghalaya burn grasslands ...
Tata Steel announces production and sales figures (final) for Q3 FY18
India Production - 3.26 million tonnes (3.16 million tonnes Q3 FY17) India Sales - 3.30 million tonnes (2.99 million tonnes Q3 FY17)
Bhel commissions 250 MW thermal power unit in Bihar
For Bihar State Power Generation Company
Centre, Delhi join hands against air pollution: Harsh Vardhan
Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday said that the central government will, along with the Delhi government, launch a two week long joint campaign for clean air in the national capital next month.
Environment ministry, Delhi govt to launch clean air campaign
With Delhi-NCR facing air pollution crisis, the environment ministry along with Delhi government and some agencies have decided to launch a clean air campaign in the national capital next month. Chairing a meeting on mitigating the problem of air pollution, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan today said the joint campaign will result in taking effective steps for alleviating pollution crisis and hoped that this will become a template which can be emulated throughout the year. The two-week long clean air campaign to be conducted jointly by the ministry along with the Delhi Government, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other municipal agencies, will start from February 10. "The campaign seeks to sensitise ground-level functionaries and public to enforce the habit of environmental protection," Harsh Vardhan said. He said there will be a team of 70 officers, led jointly by one officer each from the Environment Ministry and ...
Tigress, cubs venture out of Kanha reserve, enter MP town
A tigress and two cubs have strayed out of the Kanha Tiger Reserve and entered Mawai town here. The town, inhabited predominantly by the Gaud and Baiga tribals, is about 25 kilometres from the boundaries of Kanha Tiger Reserve, forest officials pointed out. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Omkar Kalesh confirmed that the tigress and two cubs were seen near Mawai Police Station yesterday evening. Mandla Forest Range Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) PP Titari said a team comprising forest and police personnel have been keeping a watch on the tigress and her cubs. Titari said that the tigress probably ventured out of the reserve in a bid to save her cubs from a tiger.
Delhi to ban entry, exit of horses
The Delhi goverment has decided to ban movement of horses, mules, and donkeys in and out of the city border due to the spread of Glanders disease, Rural Development Minister Gopal Rai said here on Friday.
Kamdhenu to launch high quality VOC-free paints
With an aim to capture a bigger pie in the domestic paints market, housing material maker Kamdhenu today said it has joined hands with Spanish firm Graphenstone to launch high quality, eco-friendly volatile organic compound (VOC) free paints in India. "I see a market for this kind of product in India. These paints are free of VOC emission and are eco-friendly and absorbs carbon dioxide from air due to its lime and graphene- based properties," Kamdhenu CMD Satish Agarwal told PTI. Graphenstone is a leading global paint manufacturer. Under this tie-up, these products will be exclusively imported and marketed by Kamdhenu Ltd in India, he said. The Indian paint market is of over Rs 60,000 crore and will grow to Rs 70,000 crore in 2019-20, so Kamdhenu wants to grab this opportunity and put with itself a larger slice of it, he said. He further said that "these products are 'cradle-to- cradle' certified under gold level which is the highest certification from any agency in the .
100th satellite launch a landmark: Rajnath
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the successful launch of its 100th satellite, and said the step is a "big landmark in India's journey into the space".
