Page 929 - Environment

US could "go back in" Paris Agreement: Trump

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Washington could "conceivably" re-enter into the global Paris climate agreement, from which he announced the withdrawal last year.

Bulgaria's smoggy capital cleans up to host EU presidency

Bulgaria's capital Sofia was all done-up to host incoming European Union officials for the opening of its EU Council presidency tomorrow but it remained blanketed by smog. The bloc's poorest but most euro-optimistic member state completed a costly refurbishment of its National Palace of Culture, built in 1981 during the country's communist era, to host meetings of the six-month revolving presidency. The capital's airport was also made easier to access by the hasty completion this week of a new fast road linking it to the boulevard leading downtown. Electric cars were hired to drive the EU delegates around, in a move to show Bulgaria's commitment to preserving the environment. But Sofia remains one of Europe's most polluted capitals due to its extremely poor air quality -- a problem that unlike pot-holed roads is impossible to hide. As is does every winter, thick smog blanketed the capital, with wood and coal burnt for heating and the use of outdated vehicles ...

Conservation architect Aishwarya Tipnis chosen for top French

Delhi-based conservation architect Aishwarya Tipnis has been chosen for France's top cultural award for her "outstanding commitment" to the preservation of French heritage in India. The 37-year-old architect is slated to be conferred the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres by French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler at a function to be held in Kolkata tomorrow. "I have the great pleasure of informing you that you have been appointed Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres (Knight in the National Order Arts and Letters) by the Ministry of Culture," reads a communique issued by the French Embassy here. "I warmly congratulate you for your distinction, which comes especially in recognition of your outstanding commitment to the preservation of French heritage in India," it read. This prestigious award honours people who have distinguished themselves in the field of art. Ebrahim Alkazi, the grand old man of Indian theatre, was conferred the distinction in 2012. In ...

WB govt launching water ATMs in city, districts

West Bengal Panchayat and Rural Development and Public Health Engineering minister Subrata Mukherjee today said the state government has launched a water ATM project to provide bacteria-free drinking water in schools. The government is setting up water ATMs in the city and suburbs and the machines are made in Germany, he told reporters on the sidelines of an award programme here. "If someone can prove the presence of harmful bacteria in any such water ATM, he will be given Rs 2 lakh. We will be setting up 50 such water ATMs in Kolkata. Our main focus will be schools as well as hospitals in suburbs," Mukherjee said. He said this was a novel project and the pilot has already begun in some areas of Kolkata. "Arsenic contamination was most alarming in 90 blocks of seven districts but we have been able to contain it by 61 per cent and we are working to contain it fully," he said. "This has been possible with the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Asian ...

UN Environment, WHO to jointly curb environmental health risks

UN Environment and WHO today agreed to a new collaboration to accelerate action to curb environmental health risks that cause an estimated 12 million deaths a year, mostly in developing nations in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The agreement will step up joint actions to combat air pollution, climate change and anti-microbial resistance, as well as improve coordination on waste and chemicals management, water quality, and food and nutrition issues. Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment, and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of WHO, signed the agreement in Nairobi, according to a WHO statement released in New Delhi. The collaboration also includes joint management of the 'BreatheLife' advocacy campaign to reduce air pollution for multiple climate, environment and health benefits. "There is an urgent need for our two agencies to work more closely together to address the critical threats to environmental sustainability and climate which are the foundations for ..

Delhi pollution down, claims Sisodia

Based on a pollution report that does not includes the top polluting areas of the city, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on WEdnesday said the pollution levels in 2017 were lowest in past five years.

Odisha seeks report on Andhra's distribution of freebies in border villages

The Odisha government on Wednesday sought a report from Koraput district administration after Andhra Pradesh government officials distributed freebies and money to the tribals in the area.

Andhra aid for tribals: Odisha seeks report from Koraput

Reacting to allegations of Andhra Pradesh offering assistance to tribals in Odisha, the Odisha government today sought a report from the district collector of Koraput and called a meeting to review the situation. "I have sought a report from the district magistrate- cum-Collector of Koraput district on the allegations. I have also called a meeting of senior officials over the matter," revenue and disaster management minister Maheswar Mohanty told reporters here. Mohanty said the state government has been keeping a watch on the situation where Andhra Pradesh government allegedly lured the resident of Kutia gram panchayats under Pottangi block in Koraput district yesterday. The Andhra Pradesh officials allegedly distributed assistance to the villagers under the Janmabhoomi scheme launched by the Chandra Babu Naidu's government. Koraput Collector Anupam Saha said that he had sent sub-collector Krutibas Rout to the spot after being informed about the incident who held ...

Cabinet approves closure of TSPL

The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved the closure of Tungabhadra Steel Products Limited (TSPL).

Tiger climbs ladder to freedom after falling in canal

A tiger fell into a canal while chasing prey today and was rescued by forest officials who lowered a ladder into the water, ending his around two-hour long ordeal. The three year-old male tiger, named T-5 by the forest officials but popularly called Jaichand, clambered atop the ladder and the net lowered into the canal and sprinted in the forest, an official said. He disappeared from the view in seconds, to the relief of onlookers who had gathered on the banks of the Gosekhurd canal in Bhandara district, where the drama unfolded. Jaichand is the offspring of the iconic 'Jai' tiger and tigress Chandi, a forest official said. When 250 kg Jai named after Amitabh Bachchans character from Sholay went missing in Vidarbha region last year, it led to a massive outcry with fears that the tiger, the largest in India, may have been poached. Dada Raut, Range Forest Officer of Umred Pauni Karandhala Wildlife Sanctuary, told PTI that Jaichand probably fell into the canal while ...

GST to boost plastic processing in eastern states including Bengal

Plastic processors on Wednesday said the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) is expected to boost plastic industry in the eastern region including West Bengal.

Karnataka asks Centre to buy Bengal gram at MSP under PSS

Concerned over crash in prices of Bengal gram, the Congress-ruled Karnataka government today demanded the central government to initiate procurement of the major rabi pulse crop at a minimum support price (MSP). State Agriculture Minister Byre Gowda met Union Agriculture Secretary S K Pattanayak and gave a represenation in this regard here. "Bengal gram is one of the major pulse crops in the state. Prices are ruling below the MSP at present. Therefore, we have urged the central government to start the procurement operation under the Price Support Scheme (PSS)," Gowda said after the meeting. The procurement of Bengal gram at MSP rate under the PSS should be done on a priority basis and cooperative Nafed may be directed to take necessary action, he added. In the representation, the state government has informed that Bengal gram prices are ruling in the range of Rs 3,303 to 3,649 per quintal in some parts, much lower than the MSP Rs 4,400 per quintal declared for the ...

NO2 level rises in Delhi despite fall in diesel consumption

The concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a toxic gaseous pollutant, substantially rose in Delhi in 2017, despite a fall in diesel consumption, according to official data. The Delhi government today attributed the fall in levels of particulate matter (airborne particulate matter) in the city to the fall in diesel consumption, but annual NO2 level breached the 50 microgram per cubic metre (ug/m3) last year for the first time since 2013. According to pollution data of the six National Air Quality Monitoring (NAMP) stations in Delhi, the annual concentration of NO2, primarly a product of diesel combustion, has been steadily rising since 2015. The stations are located in Pitampura, Siri Fort, Janakpuri, Nizamuddin, Shahzada Bagh and Shahdara. The data shows, the annual NO2 average in 2013 was 49.8 ug/m3, 46.3 ug/m3 in 2014, 48.3 ug/m3 in 2015, 49.8 in 2016 and 51.83 in 2017 as against the annual safe average standard of 40 ug/m3. But how can one explain the increase in ...

22-year-old mauled to death by Panther

A 22-year-old woman was killed in a panther attack in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan today, police said. The victim Shayri Bai along with two others had gone to collect firewood from the forest area near Jhadpa village under Kelwara police station area when she was attacked by a panther, they said. Those accompanying her warned her to not go deep inside the forest area and were at a distance from her, the police officials said. The body was handed over to family members after post- mortem, they added.

India needs to revamp its public transport system: Gadkari

The country needs to revamp its public transport system and a good policy is needed for this task, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said today. "For long term, we need a good policy which is going to encourage public transport... We need to revamp public transport," the road transport and highways minister said. Gadkari was speaking after his ministry inked a pact with Transport for London (TfL) to revamp public transportation system in the country. The minister said the policy should aim at promoting public transport run on electricity or alternative fuels like ethanol or methanol which are less polluting. He said pollution has become a major concern and India is committed to checking it, including by curbing its huge crude oil imports. He said after the pact with TfL, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways would act as a facilitator for states that want to reform their public transportation systems. "To implement reforms in public transport systems in the country, we ..

Telangana's scheme for investment aid to farmers from monsoon

The Telangana government would implement its proposed scheme to provide investment assistance to farmers from the ensuing rainy season, Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy said today. Reddy, who chaired a meeting of the cabinet sub- committee on the issue here, said a financial assistance of Rs 4,000 per acre would be provided to all the farmers in the state, according to an official release. The committee deliberated on the mode of payment of the proposed financial assistance. The government has obtained views of 62,377 farmers and a majority of them favoured paying the money through cheques, the minister said. The farmers' views would be conveyed to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in a report, he said. The government's objective is to see that farmers do not become indebted by taking loans for making investment in farming, Reddy added.

Malaysia inks 'no-find, no-fee' $70m deal with US firm to find MH370

Malaysia on Wednesday inked a deal with an American firm to resume the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft MH370 within 90 days.The agreement was signed by the Malaysian government and Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Plunkett at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, reported CNN.According to a "no-find, no-fee" contract awarded to the seabed exploration firm, Ocean Infinity, the latter will receive up to 70 million dollars if successful.The new search zone is an area of approximately 25,000 square kilometers in the Indian Ocean, the report said.The amount the company will receive depends upon where the aircraft or the parts of the aircraft are found.According to the reports, Ocean Infinity will command a fee of 20 million dollars, if the debris field (scattered remains of the plane at the bottom of the ocean), cockpit voice recorder or flight recorder are discovered within the first 5,000 sq km.The fee will rise up to 70 million dollars if any of those items are found outside the ...

US firm to resume search for missing Malaysian plane

Malaysia said on Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with American firm Ocean Infinity to resume search for the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which mysteriously disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board.

Human waste from sky: NGT directs DGCA to issue circular

The National Green Tribunal today reiterated its earlier order directing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to issue a circular to all airlines operating at IGI airport here to ensure that they do not empty toilet tanks mid-air. A bench headed by acting Chairperson Justice U D Salvi said that as per its December 20, 2016 order, the aviation regulator should inform all airlines that they will have to pay Rs 50,000 as environmental compensation for any violation. The tribunal's direction came while disposing of a plea filed by Lt Gen (Retd) Satwant Singh Dahiya alleging that aircraft were dumping human waste from air before landing at the IGI Airport here. The ex-army officer's had told the NGT that his South Delhi house was allegedly splattered with faeces before Diwali this year and the previous year. "We dispose of this application with the reiteration of our December 20, 2016 order. The direction shall be complied without default," the bench said. The ...

Govt's focus on devp of NE will help us win Meghalaya, Tripura

The government's focus on all- round development of the northeastern region will help the BJP emerge victorious in the poll-bound states of Tripura and Meghalaya, Union minister Jitendra Singh said today. Singh, who holds the independent charge of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, said the region's journey has been from "neglect to high priority" under the BJP-led NDA government. He cited a number of measures taken by the Centre, including amendment to the Forest Act to exclude bamboo from the definition of trees, which will boost economy in states like Tripura. The amendment of the forest act has been welcomed by tribals especially in Tripura as it would improve their earnings. With this amendment now felling and transit of bamboo grown in non-forest areas will not be restricted, he told reporters. This could have been done a few decades ago, but no government has been as sensitive and concerned towards the Northeast as the Modi government is towards