Page 949 - Environment
Several injured, vehicles burnt in Bengal clashes
Several people were injured and vehicles set ablaze as clashes broke out between a group of protesters agitating against a power grid project and West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress activists in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday.
Workshop on climate change held in Kohima
A three-day workshop on climate change in the Himalayas was held in Nagaland's capital Kohima.The workshop for the media fraternity sets up a common platform for stakeholders, scientists, experts and Nagaland-based journalists for a cause.Jointly curated by the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, Delhi- based Centre for Media Studies and Nagaland State Climate Change Cell, the programme aimed to encourage an accurate reporting of climate change science and adaptation measures in the Indian Himalayas.Addressing the gathering, Annu Anand, Head of Advocacy, New Delhi said, "There are different kinds of the impact of climate change especially on agriculture and livelihood which we discussed. So, our main objective is with this issue, if the civil societies, media persons and the experts come together and bring about some change to reach to the concerned person."The ...
Sitharaman visits project Seabird at Karwar Naval Base
Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday visited project Seabird at Karwar Naval Base, Karnataka, accompanied by the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba.Sitharaman was apprised of the existing facilities developed under Phase 1.She also reviewed the status of ongoing planned works under Phase 2A.Early augmentation of the base was directed by the Defence Minister and a meeting was also held on enhanced land compensation issues with all stakeholders present to assess the status of the release of payment of land compensation to ex-land owners.Sitharaman directed that the pending cases are to be processed on fast track to bring relief to ex-land owners.
India signs $40 mn World Bank loan for UP tourism
India on Thursday signed a loan agreement worth $40 million with the World Bank for "UP Pro-Poor Tourism Development Project" aimed at increasing tourism-related benefits for local communities in Uttar Pradesh.
Telangana farmers to get free 24-hour power from January
In a New Year gift to farmers in Telangana, the state government on Thursday announced free 24-hour electricity supply to them from January 1.
Govt taking steps to reduce air pollution in Delhi-NCR:Vardhan
Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said today that the Centre was taking steps to reduce vehicle emissions and promote green mobility, and attacked the Delhi government for not taking steps to deal with the rising air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR). Vardhan said the Union government was doing its best to reduce pollution levels but there was a need to create a mass movement involving people from all walks of life, including the youth. "Government of India is doing its best what can be done regarding the matter. The work done in last three years is more than what has been done earlier," he said, replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the air pollution situation. The pollution levels did not touch the severe category on 214 days this year, compared to 181 days in 2016, due to the proactive steps taken by the central government, he said. He said while the Centre was working to tackle the problem, the Delhi government has lacked in taking proactive .
Project to stop stubble burning launched
To incentivise farmers against stubble burning in Delhi's neighbouring states, a major cause of the toxic air pollution in the NCR, the Union Environment Ministry on Thursday approved a regional project under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC).
Sitharaman visits Karwar naval base
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today visited the newly-developed Karwar naval base near Karnataka, and issued instructions to expedite its ongoing infrastructure development. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba accompanied Sitharaman during the visit. "The defence minister was apprised of the existing facilities developed under Phase I. She also reviewed the status of ongoing/planned works under Phase 2A," the defence ministry said in a statement here. It said Sitharaman directed the Navy for early augmentation of the base. Once the base is fully developed, it will be one of the largest naval bases in Asia. A meeting was also held to assess the status of release of payment of land compensation to land owners, the ministry said, adding Sitharaman directed that the pending cases relating to land acquisition be processed on fast-track basis. Sitharaman also visited the proposed site for the Indian Coast Guard Training Centre at Baikampady in Mangalore. The ...
China to build Mars village
China is planning to build a village in northwest Qinghai province simulating the environmental conditions on Mars. The project, as part of China's Mars exploration preparation, was approved by experts today, Xinhua news agency reported. The village will be constructed in the red rock area of the Qaidam basin in western Qinghai, which has been dubbed "the most Martian place on Earth." Covering 702 hectares, the "Mars Village" will consist of a tourism center, a mars community, a simulation base and other facilities. Total investment is estimated at 850 million yuan (about USD 130 million).
Took new measures against Delhi air pollution: Minister
Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday said dust coming in from the Gulf and stubble burning were the major reasons behind an air pollution crisis here in November, adding that his Ministry took a slew of precautionary measures that have never been taken before.
Thermal plants told to implement flue gas de-sulphurisation
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued directions to thermal power plants to ensure compliance with its revised implementation plan for installation of flue gas de-sulphurisation (FGD) and other emission control equipment, Parliament was informed on Thursday.
IndianOil to start production of biomass-based ethanol
Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil) would initiate production of second generation ethanol by utilising crop residues and other biomass as feedstock at village Baoli in Panipat district of Haryana. The capacity of proposed plant would be 100 kilo litre of ethanol per day, this was informed during a meeting of Haryana Enterprise Promotion Board (HEPB), which was held here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, an official release said. According to the release, it was informed that IndianOil has proposed to procure over two lakh tonne of rice straw, that is total production of four districts of Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat and Kurukshetra. "This will help in curbing the pollution emission to a significant extent, by utilising the straw as raw material, which currently is being burnt by the farmers resulting in pollution menace every year, especially during winter season," the release said. It was further informed that this project would also help .
Mega action plan to clean Delhi's air nearly finalised
In a week's time, Delhiites will have a fair idea on whether the city will have at least 10,000 buses, up from the existing fleet of nearly 5,000, by December 2018. Some clarity may emerge as the environment ministry today gave about seven days to various agencies to respond whether deadlines listed in a mega plan to clean Delhi's air by a Supreme Court-monitored panel suit them or not. The EPCA has set the deadline concerning the bus fleet among several other recommendations in the 'Comprehensive Action Plan for Air Pollution', which was submitted in the apex court last month. "The plan is final. It will not be reopened. The meeting was fruitful and we are hoping the ministry notifies it soon," EPCA (Environment Pollution - Prevention and Control Authority) member Sunita Narain said. Another official, who was present in the meeting in the ministry, said on condition of anonymity that the environment secretary told the agencies to suggest minor changes in deadlines if ..
Telangana farmers to get 24-hour free electricity from Dec 31
Farmers in Telangana will get 24-hour free power supply from the midnight of December 31, the state government said today. "Telangana is going to create history by becoming the first state in the country offering free power to farmers 24 hours a day," a release from the government said. As many as 23 lakh agricultural pump sets will be provided free power boosting the overall power demand to 11,000 MW by March next year, it added. The release informed that state power utilities had spent Rs 12610 crore in setting up new power lines, transformers and sub-stations as part of the elaborate arrangements to supply power.
China to build 'Mars village' in Qinghai province
China is building a village in its northwest Qinghai province simulating the environmental conditions on Mars.
Cow vigilantism: Don't ferry cattle at night to avoid
Concerned over attacks on people transporting cattle in Alwar, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has asked dairy farmers and cattle owners to not ferry bovines in the night hours to avoid any trouble. The Jamiat leaders, who gathered in Alwar district on Tuesday to discuss the issue, said many dairy farmers and cattle owners from the Mev community transport cattle for dairy farming purpose but get targeted by cow vigilantes or mobs under the impression that the animals were being transported for slaughtering. "We have advised the dairy farmers and owners of the cattle to prefer transportation of the cattle in day time and not in the night because the chances of attack on them are high due to misunderstanding. It creates trouble and disturbs peace and harmony," Maulana Hakimuddin Qasmi, secretary of the organisation, told PTI over the phone today. He said that close to 50 leaders of Jamiat and the Mev community were present in the meeting held in Alwar on Tuesday. "Several ...
RS members asks Govt to take steps to deal with pollution
Cutting across the party lines, Rajya Sabha members today sought concerted efforts by the government to deal with rising pollution levels in Delhi and its adjoining areas. The members also asked the government to refrain from putting the blame on farmers for causing pollution by burning stubble or husk after harvest and suggested steps to help the farmers for proper disposals of this agriculture residue. Initiating a short duration discussion on the issue, SP leader Naresh Agarwal said, "farmers are blamed for causing pollution by burning stubble/husk. The government should take steps to deal with the situation rather than blaming farmers because vehicle/industrial emissions and others area also the reasons for it." Referring to the 12-point charter unveiled by the government to deal with the issue, Agarwal said that pollution will not come down just because the government would give directions to states or departments. He expressed unhappiness over non-spending of Rs ...
Gadkari to flag off cargo shipment through National Waterway-2
Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari will flag off the first movement of cement cargo through National Waterway (NW)-2 on the Brahmaputra river in Assam on Friday under the government's flagship Sagarmala programme.
UDAY participating States achievean improvement of 1.00% in AT&C losses and Rs.0.17/unit in ACS-ARR gap in FY2017
As per the data submitted by States, the participating States have achieved an improvement of 1.00% in Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses and Rs.0.17 a Unit in the gap between Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Revenue Realized (ARR) in FY 2017.
Symbolic power cut at civic office for polluting river
Electric supply to the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation building was today disconnected for one hour as a symbolic action against the civic body by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. Officials said action was taken against the KMC as it was releasing untreated sewage into the Panchganga river due to a pipeline burst in September. They added that such an act, under section 33A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, was done earlier in the year 2003.