Page 942 - Environment

Cookstoves in India more polluting than thought: study

Traditional cookstoves, widely used in the rural parts of India, may be producing much higher levels of particulate emissions than previously estimated, causing a detrimental impact on the country's environment and health of residents, a study has found. The research, published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, was the culmination of field studies conducted in India. In December 2015, the researchers spent 20 days running a series of tests in Raipur, a city in central India where more than three-quarters of the families use cookstoves to prepare their meals. Scientists, including those from Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University in Raipur and the Indian Institute of Tropical Metrology in Pune, burned a wide variety of biofuels acquired from different parts of India, cooked different meals in a number of varying ventilation situations. They recorded the resulting emission levels using high- tech particle measurement devices. "Our project findings ...

Cattle slaughter ban, GM & pollution issues kept environment

The Union environment ministry grappled with controversies triggered by its notification banning sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter and a recommendation for commercial use of GM mustard besides high air pollution levels during 2017. The ministry, which saw Harsh Vardhan taking over its charge in May from Anil Dave who died in office, also steered itself through the controversy that erupted when Tamil Nadu insisted on holding the jallikattu (bull-taming) event against opposition by animal rights activists. Tamil Nadu was brought to a standstill for almost a week in January due to protest by students, youths and other sections demanding immediate staging of jallikattu in Alanganallur, epicentre of the sport, and other places. Decks were finally cleared for an ordinance on jallikattu and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017 finally received presidential assent on January 31. In May, and the ministry was again hit by .

Chocolate will disappear by 2040, say experts

According to experts, the cacao trees, which need heavy rainfall for growth, are struggling to grow due to warmer climates.A report in metro.co.uk quoted US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as saying that A temperature rise of just 2.1C over the next 30 years could spell doom for chocolate industry on the planet and no amount of rain could compensate for the rise in mercury.African countries such as Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, which produce more than 50% of the world's chocolate, are testimony to this problem."Unlike other tree crops that have benefited from the development of modern, high yielding cultivars and crop management techniques to realise their genetic potential, more than 90 per cent of the global cocoa crop is produced by smallholders on subsistence farms with unimproved planting material," Doug Hawkins, from London-based research firm Hardman Agribusiness told MailOnline."All the indicators are that we could be looking at a chocolate deficit of 100,000 tonnes

Chocolate likely to get extinct by 2050

The problem is most cocoa is produced by poor families who cannot afford fertilisers and pesticides

Tata Power Renewable commissions 50 mw DCR solar plant

Tata Power arm Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL) today commissioned its 50 mw DCR solar plant at Pavagada Solar Park in Karnataka. The project was bagged by the company on April 4, 2016 under the National Solar Mission Phase-II Batch-II Tranche-I State Specific Bundling Scheme. With this development, The TPREL's total installed operating capacity now stands at 1664 MW, the company said in a statement. The 50 MW solar plants have been built over 253 acres. Sale of power from solar plant has been tied up under a 25- year Power Purchase Agreement with NTPC Ltd at a tariff of Rs. 4.84 per unit. Rahul Shah, CEO, Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd, said, "We prefer development opportunities in solar parks as land and evacuation are provided, and we can focus on the project. We are extremely proud of this development and we continue to seek potential areas across India and in select International markets through organic and inorganic opportunities." The TPREL recently ...

Power Min not in favour of retrofitting old power plants

The power ministry is mulling using supercritical power plants to meet new emission norms instead of retrofitting the old polluting units, which could increase their tariff by up to 93 paise per unit. The government has estimated a capital expenditure of Rs 88 lakh to Rs 1.28 crore per megawatt for retrofitting the old plant to meet new emission norms. "The ministry is not in favour of retrofitting the old plants and wants to use supercritical technology. The ministry has a policy for not going for retrofitting over 25-year old plants," an official said. The official further said, "The government does not want to continue with old technology... Besides environmental cost, they are less energy efficient." The installation of various equipment like Flue-gas desulfurization for SOx control and conversion of open cycle to close cycle and increased cost of operation and maintenance could result in increase in tariff by 62 to 93 paise per unit in first year of the plant's ...

Horticulture crop production witnesses record-high of 300.6 million tonnes in 2016-17

The production of horticulture crops was reported to be a record-high of 300.6 million tonnes in 2016-17, which is five per cent higher than the previous year, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation, and Farmers Welfare reported on Tuesday.Further, productivity for horticulture sector increased by about 3.45 per cent in 2016-17 (Final Estimates), as compared to 2015-16, the data released noted.In fruits, the department revealed that the productivity increased from 14.3 Tonnes/Ha in 2015-16 to 14.6 Tonnes/Ha in 2016-17(Final), while in vegetables, it increased from 16.7 Tonnes/Ha in 2015-16 to 17.4 tonnes/ha. The production of fruits, the department noted, is estimated to be 93 million tonnes, which is three percent higher than the previous year.A record production of 178 million tonnes of vegetables was reported, which is about 5 per cent higher than the previous year.Meanwhile, the total horticulture production of the country is estimated to be 305.4 million tonnes during ...

Violence back in Bengal's Bhangar, villagers attacked

Violence returned to West Bengal's Bhangar on Tuesday, only three days after a peace rally was organised by the Trinamool Congress, as the leaders of the anti-power grid movement in the area accused the ruling party of attacking and terrorising villagers.

A lake revived after 40 years

The Jodhpur Jhaal, a colonial reservoir that till half a century ago sustained an extensive irrigation network between Mathura and Agra, came to life on Tuesday as water from the Agra canal flooded the 155-acre dry wasteland.

Odisha paddy procurement to cross 70 lakh metric tonne: Patro

Odisha Food Supplies Minister S N Patra today hoped that the total paddy procurement in the state would cross the 70 lakh metric tonne. Patro said about 30 per cent excess paddy has been procured so far been procured in the state. Stating that already nearly 14.32 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have been procured from 2,32,075 registered farmers, Patro said: "We hope that the total paddy procurement will cross 70 lakh metric tonne in the Kharif season as against the target of 56 lakh metric tonne that was fixed earlier". The Minister has also urged millers to speed up the milling process and complete necessary groundwork within the next two months. Besides, the minister said, no paddy will be supplied to 81 millers out of total 750 millers in the state who are yet to return rice against the stock allotted to them in the past.

No plan at present to have all electric car fleet by 2030:Govt

There is no plan under consideration at present to have all vehicles electric powered in the country by 2030, Parliament was informed today. "There are, at present, no plans under consideration of the Department of Heavy Industry to make all vehicles in the country powered by electricity by 2030," Minister of State for Heavy Industries Babul Supriyo said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. His reply was in response to a question on whether the Government plans to make all vehicles in the country powered by electricity by 2030. Union Minister Piyush Goyal had earlier said the world is moving towards electric vehicles and the government is working on a road map to ensure all-electric car fleet in the country. "Only electric car by 2030...existing cars may take a little longer to replace. But the government is working on a framework to see what we can do on promoting electric vehicle. Niti Aayog is currently tasked with preparing futuristic vision for electric vehicles," ..

Five lakh people to get houses in Bengal: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced a slew of projects, including a housing scheme for five lakh people and a mega Rs 3,000- crore road, for the development of rural Bengal. Five lakh people of the state would get houses under the the state government's "Bangla Gramin Abas Yojna" on January 29, she said, adding that another three lakh had received assistance for building houses under the "Geetanjali" scheme. The chief minister said this after inaugurating the "Mati Utsav" (soil festival) here to promote the farm sector. The panchayat polls are scheduled to be held in the state around mid-year. Banerjee also announced a Rs 3,000-crore north-south corridor project which will pass through Bardhaman district, and a Rs 2,768-crore project to extend the reach of the irrigation facilities to the western districts of the state. "The farmers are our assets. We have paid a compensation of Rs 1,200 crore to those farmers affected by floods. Around 79 lakh ...

Govt asks states to give milk via schemes like Midday Meal

Aiming to double farmers income by 2022, the government today said it has directed cooperatives to increase their share of milk procurement from farmers and asked states to boost consumption by distributing it under various schemes like Midday Meal. The food ministry has also been requested to consider inclusion of milk under the Public Distribution System (PDS), an official statement said. "This will increase the consumption of milk and subsequently better returns to dairy farmers even in flush season as well," the agriculture ministry said in a statement. The milk cooperatives have also been advised to set a target of 2 per cent share in the World Trade by 2020. National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been asked to prepare an action plan in coordination with the states to achieve the export target, it added. The government has set a target of 255 million tonnes of milk production by 2022 so as to double the farmers' income. "The total share of milk procurement by ...

NCR air quality severe, will improve from Wednesday

As the national capital and the region around it continued to suffer from "severe" level air quality since the past two days, weather agencies predicted improvement from Wednesday onwards.

PWD minister Jain discusses road encroachment issues with MLAs

A day after Delhi witnessed unprecedented traffic jams, PWD minister Satyendar Jain today held discussions with several MLAs, who have been demanding that the Public Works Department be given power to remove encroachments from roads to ensure smooth vehicular movement. Jain, who also holds the Power portfolio, said he would meet the legislators on electricity-related issues in the second phase of his meetings with the them. He said 15 MLAs met him individually and discussed their issues pertaining to the PWD in their constituencies. "During the meeting, most of the MLAs demanded that the public works department should be given power to remove encroachment which causes traffic congestion. At present, municipal corporations have such power," Jain told reporters here. According to the department, around 1,260-km roads are owned by the PWD in the national capital. The PWD minister said the legislators also raised the issue of de-silting drains, construction of footover ...

Nabard, SBI sign pact to promote Joint Liability Groups

Rural development bank Nabard and State Bank of India today signed an MoU with five NGOs of the state for promoting 2,500 Joint Liability Groups (JLGs). These JLGs operate in Purulia, West Midnapore, East Midnapore, Burdwan and North 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal. JLGs are basically credit groups of small/marginal/tenant farmers who do not have proper title of their farmland. The MoU for promotion of 2,500 JLGs in the state will facilitate SBI to extend financial assistance to the financially excluded sections of the society, especially landless farmers. The project will be scaled up in a phased manner to cover the remaining districts of the state, a statement said. As each JLG have 4-10 members, around 12,500 tenant farmers can be extended institutional finance under the present arrangement, a Nabard official said.

Shipping lanes in Indian Ocean should remain secure: India

India said today that it would be in China's interest that the shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean remain secure and asserted that the Indian Navy was keeping an eye on its key maritime areas. In response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the Navy's deployments in the Indian Ocean have been "further structured" under the new mission based deployment (MBD) concept. He said China had operationalised its overseas base at Djibouti in August last year to provide operational turn around (OTR) facilities for ships on anti-piracy missions. "China largely depends on the oil imports transiting through the Indian Ocean. It would be in China's interest that shipping lanes and traffic in the Indian Ocean remain secure," he said. Bhamre said the Indian Navy maintains regular presence and surveillance in the maritime areas of its interest. The Navy had operationalised a new 'mission-ready' plan for aggressive deployment of warships in ...

Govt estimates 4.5% drop in onion output for 2017-18

The country's onion production is estimated to decline by 4.5 per cent to 21.4 million tonnes in the current 2017-18 crop year due to lower acreage, as per the agriculture ministry data released today. The country had harvested 22.4 million tonnes in the last 2016-17 crop year (July-June), the ministry said in a statement. As per the ministry's first advance estimate, area sown to onion remained lower at 1.19 million hectare in the current year as against 1.30 million hectare in the last year. To ensure sufficient domestic supplies and curb price rise, the government has imposed the minimum export price (MEP) of USD 850 per tonne, which would be applicable on shipments of the commodity till January 20. Among other key vegetables, production of tomato and potato are likely to be better than last year. As per the initial data, potato production is estimated at 49.3 million tonnes in 2017-18 compared to the actual output of 48.6 million tonnes in 2016-17. Similarly, tomato ..

Implement solar-based irrigation scheme in all districts: Haryana CM

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday directed that solar-based micro irrigation schemes be implemented in all districts.

Traditional folk art form festival 'Utsavam 2018' from Jan 6

'Utsavam 2018', conceived as an attempt to rejuvenate traditional folk art forms of Kerala, will be held across the state from January 6 to 12, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said here today. The festival, organised by the state tourism department, would be held in 28 venues in 14 districts with participation of more than 5000 artists, he told reporters here. An amount of Rs 2.32 crore has been earmarked to be spent for the festival this year, he said Surendran said Rs one crore has been added this year to the amount set aside last year. Ten noted traditional fold arts exponents would be honouredat the inaugural of Utsavam 2018 at Kannur. The Folklore Academy will bring on stage a programme titled 'Navadhwani', which strings together 264 artists who are experts in 20 different ritualistic folk art forms. Around 150 art forms, 350-plus folk arts shows and more than 5,000 artists will come together for Utsavam 2018, which will be a grand display of Kerala's ...