Page 959 - Environment
Arab ministers discuss urban development in Morocco
Rabat, Dec 21 (IANS/MAP) The second Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Urban Development opened here on Thursday to discuss implementation of new urban development plan in the Arab world.
'Replacing coal plants with renewables will help save Rs 54000
The country can save up to Rs 54,000 crore in power costs and reduce air pollution by replacing expensive coal plants with renewables, according to a new analysis by Greenpeace India. The analysis compared 2015-2016 tariff data published by the Central Electricity Authority with an "assumed" renewable energy tariff of Rs 3/kWh, it claimed in a statement. New tariff bids for solar energy and onshore wind have dropped well below Rs 3/kWh, with solar power reaching a record low of 2.44 and wind reaching a record low of 2.64, it said. "Analysis of India's coal power tariff data shows that replacing the most expensive coal power plants with electricity generated by solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind can save discoms and consumers up to Rs 54,000 crore annually," it claimed in the statement. Greenpeace campaigner Ashish Fernandes said that it is now widely accepted that new coal power plants are not financially competitive with new renewables in India. Fernandes said that the ..
Seal hotels, industries, ashrams that are polluting Ganga: HC
The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the state government and district magistrates of all 13 districts to "identify" and "seal" the industries, hotels, ashrams etc, that are polluting rivers in the state including the Ganga and its tributaries by releasing untreated sewage. A bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Alok Singh ordered that pollution in the Ganges will not be tolerated and any industry, hotel or guesthouse without sewage treatment plants must be sealed within three weeks if they are draining their waste into the holy river. Earlier, after the order of the high court, 150 establishments polluting the Ganga had been shut down. Keeping in view the biodiversity of the state, the court also ordered that National Parks including Tiger Reserve, Elephant Reserve, Jim Corbett and Rajaji National Park be declared plastic free zones. No visitor shall be permitted to carry plastic bags into these parks except two water bottles each. Empty water bottles shall be handed over
3D planetarium to be ready by January end: Seetharam
The 3D Planetarium with latest world-class technical specifications, currently under construction at Pilikula near here, is expected to be thrown open to public by January end or February first week, State Minister for Science and Technology M R Seetharam said today. Addressing reporters after reviewing the progress ofthe work, he said the planetarium would be named after Swami Vivekananda. The planetarium, to be run after by the Pilikula Development Authority, has a capacity to seat 200people, he said. The 3D hybrid planetarium, built at a cost of Rs 35.60 crore, was unique in terms of its latest specifications and would be unidirectional with a dome diameter of 18 metres to present modern inventions coupled with 3D technology to students and science enthusiasts. The project started with an estimated budget of Rs24.50 crore and later extended to Rs 35.60 crore. The new planetarium will have Megastar IIA optical projector fromOhira Tech Japan integrated with digistar and
Govt imposes 30% import tax on chana, masoor
The government today imposed a hefty 30 per cent import duty on chana and masoor dal to curb cheaper shipments and boost local prices that have fallen in view of record domestic production. "To protect interest of farmers, the government has decided to impose 30 per cent import duty on chana and masoor with immediate effect," the finance ministry said. The production of chana and masoor is expected to be high during this rabi season. "... cheap imports, if allowed unabated are likely to adversely affect the farmers," the ministry said, while giving reason to raise import duty. At present, tur dal attracts 10 per cent import duty. Further, the government has recently imposed 50 per import duty on yellow peas. Other pulses, however, attract zero duty. "There has been a record production of pulses in the current year. However, despite sufficient domestic availability, import of pulses continue to take place on account of low prevailing international prices. Such imports ...
Air quality in Delhi goes bad again, respite soon
The air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) has once again deteriorated since yesterday.Since yesterday, pollution levels in Delhi NCR started increasing in the early morning hours has worsened since last afternoon.According to Skymet Weather, the reason for this sudden increase in the pollution levels can be attributed to the approach of the fresh western disturbance.Dry and moderate northwesterly winds have changed their direction and are blowing from south and southwest directions.Due to the change in the wind direction, the humidity levels have also increased. Moreover, the temperatures are also on the lower side.However, the western disturbance would be replaced by the dry northwesterly winds in the next 24-48 hours. The speed of winds will also increase leading to a decrease in smog.Recently, the national capital, at times, has been reeling under severe smoggy conditions since November this year.
Goa ready to give Mahadayi river water for Karna's drinking
Following a meeting with Karnataka BJP leaders, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today said that Goa was ready to give "reasonable and justified" amount of the Mahadayi river water to the neighbouring state for its drinking needs. Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa and other leaders met Parrikar in the presence of party president Amit Shah in Delhi over the Mahadayi river water sharing issue yesterday. In a letter written to Yeddyurappa today, Parrikar said Goa will not oppose giving water to Karnataka for its drinking needs. "However, the same needs to be discussed bilaterally as suggested by the Honourable Tribunal (Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal)," Parrikar said in the letter, copies of which were distributed at his press conference here. Goa and Karnataka are locked in a two-decade-old dispute over the river as Karnataka is planning to build a dam on it. The river originates in Karnataka before flowing into Goa where it is called Mandovi. Yeddyurappa, the former ...
'Elephant attacks kill 199 people in 5 years in Chhattisgarh'
Chhattisgarh Forest Minister Mahesh Gagda today told the state Assembly that 199 people had died in elephant attacks in the state in the past five years. The minister was replying to a question raised during Question Hour by Congress MLA Arun Vora. Vora also sought the details of the damage caused to houses and crops by elephants as well as compensation paid to the victims. In his reply, forest minister Gagda said, "Seventeen districts are affected by the menace of wild elephants. In these districts, 199 people were killed in elephant attacks and 7000 houses and crops spread over 32952.891 hectares was damaged in the last five years." He added that that the state government had disbursed a total compensation of Rs 39,49,85,650 to the victims in this connection. He said that several measures were being undertaken to curb the menace. "In villages facing the problem of human-elephant conflict, awareness campaigns comprising street plays, rallies, workshops etc are being ...
Arunachal Pradesh guv meets NSA Ajit Doval
Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra met Union Home Secretary Rajeev Gauba and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in New Delhi and discussed border development programmes and safety issues, an official release said today. The governor, during separate meetings, apprised them of the security environment in the border state, it said. Infrastructure development in the border villages was discussed and the officers were directed to prepare a plan for each village in a time-bound manner. The border villages, which are located close to the Army or ITBP posts, would also be integrated in the plan. Mishra stressed on developing these villages in the next two years. During his meeting with Home Secretary, the possibility of growing walnuts and Chilgoza (pine nut) was explored and soil testing of border villages, recommended for development, would be taken up for assessment, it said. During the discussion, it came out that a few European countries have ...
Govt plans Rs 6,000 cr water conservation scheme
The water resources ministry is working on a Rs 6,000 crore worth 'Atal Bhoojal Yojana' for water conservation. The scheme would seek to bring in innovative and successful practices to revive water bodies, improve ground water levels as well as conserve water, Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari said in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour. He said the ministry was working on the Rs 6,000 crore 'Atal Bhoojal Yojana', for which approval has been sought from the Finance Ministry. The government would also consider getting funds from the World Bank for the project, he added.
CPCB for cigarette-like warning signs on firecracker packs
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has written to the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), seeking the necessary steps to display health and pollution-related warning on firecracker boxes, like the ones on cigarette and tobacco packets.
May seal industrial units illegally operating in residential
A Supreme Court-appointed green panel today rapped the municipal corporations and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) over industrial units "illegally" operating in residential areas of Delhi. Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority chairman Bhure Lal raised the matter during a meeting here and demanded to know the number of such units. However, officials of the DPCC, the civic bodies and the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (DSIIDC), who were present at the meeting, failed to come up with convincing answers. This invited the ire of the EPCA chief, who sought a list of such illegal units and warned that, if required, the SC- mandated panel will not hesitate to "seal" them. He said there are hundreds of illegal units manufacturing rubber products at west Delhi's Shadipur. Earlier, during a meeting with Lt Governor Anil Baijal on December 7, Lal had raised the issue of air pollution caused by industries running
Air quality back to 'severe plus or emergency' across NCR
Air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR), including Delhi, deteriorated to 'severe plus or emergency' category on Thursday after a hiatus of 36 days.
Maha Assembly: Oppn fears diversion of water to Gujarat
The Congress and the NCP today expressed an apprehension in the Maharashtra Assembly that the BJP-led state government may divert more water to neighbouring Gujarat from the proposed Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada projects. However, State Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan denied the charge. Stating that the BJP could form government in Maharashtra in 2014 due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NCP MLA Ajit Pawar said, "We do not want to see Modi influencing the project and taking more water to Gujarat from Maharashtra. The National Water Development Authority is preparing a detailed plan of the project". The Damanganga-Pinjal project proposes to divert the surplus water of the Bhugad and Khargihill reservoirs in the Damanganga basin to Mumbai, via the Pinjal dam on the Pinjal river in the Vaitarna basin. Bhugad village is located in Nasik district of Maharashtra near the border of Valsad district of Gujarat. The project is expected to provide 909 million ...
Govt may raise import duty on wheat
The government is considering raising import duty on wheat from the current 20 per cent to boost sowing in the ongoing Rabi season and support domestic prices, sources said. Last month, the government had doubled the import duty on wheat to 20 per cent to curb cheap shipments and give positive price signal to farmers in the Rabi season. It was raised as private traders imported about 1 million tonnes of wheat since April at 10 per cent duty. According to sources, the government is looking to raise import duty further to boost sowing operations and support local prices. As per the latest data from the agriculture ministry, wheat acreage declined to 245.50 lakh hectares as on December 15 in the ongoing Rabi season from 250.48 lakh hectares during the corresponding period of the previous year. Wheat sowing would pick up with northern states receiving good rains recently, Agriculture Secretary S K Pattanayak had said last week. India's wheat production stood at record 98.38 ..
Tata Steel distributes artificial nests among employees
The Ore Mines and Quarries (OMQ) division of Tata Steel has distributed artificial nests among its employees as part of its sparrow conservation drive. The nests were given to 25 volunteers, who showed interest in the drive, at Noamundi in West Singhbhum district, a company release said today. The nests have a scientific design and can be used as a breeding ground for the house sparrows, it said. Speaking on the occasion, Sanjiv Paul, Vice President (Safety, Health & Sustainability) of Tata Steel, said, "I am sure that programmes like these will encourage more people to come forward for this sparrow conservation drive," he said.
JIPMER to set up roof top solar grid worth Rs 7.63 cr
JIPMER has drawn up an elaborate plan to collaborate with the Renewable Energy Agency of Puducherry to commission during the first quarter of 2018, a roof top solar grid at a cost of Rs 7.63 crores. A release from theDirector of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, S C Parija today said the premier medical college has evolved a plan to collaborate with the territorial government to commission during the first quarter of 2018 a roof top solar grid at a cost of Rs 7.63 crores. The 1500 KW roof top solar grip being set up on the institute's premises would help save Rs 1.5 crores in power tariffevery year, it said. The roof tops of all the buildings in the institute would be covered with solar panels. The Standing Finance Committee and the REAP have finalised the project which would go on stream during the first quarter of 2018, it added. JIPMER requires as much as 5 MW power and it is one of the largest energy consumers in the Union ...
Pak to release 291 Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds
Pakistan today said it will release 291 Indian fishermen on humanitarian grounds in two phases starting from next week. "Pakistan has decided to release and repatriate 291 Indian fishermen in two phases on December 29, 2017 and January 08, 2018 via Wagah Border as a goodwill gesture on humanitarian grounds," Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said. Pakistan had released 68 Indian fishermen in October. Faisal said Pakistan has always maintained that humanitarian issues should be facilitated and not politicized. A spokesman for Pakistan's Maritime Security Force (PMSF) last week said that the authorities have arrested 400 Indian fishermen this year. Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each other's territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away.
Two-day workshop to discuss ways to double farm income by 2022
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management will be organising a two-day workshop here in connection with the plan to double farmers' income by 2022. The workshop will start tomorrow with an ICAR-NAARM release stating that the aim was to obtain farmers' views and experiences on the subject. "Around 200 farmers from 24 states, Assistant Director Generals from ICAR headquarters and directors of over a dozen ICAR institutes will attend the workshop," it said. The recommendations from the technical sessions would be discussed in the plenary session on Saturday which would be chaired by Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the release stated. The workshop is being conducted as a part of an ICAR project titled 'Farmers FIRST' which stands for Farmers' Farm, Innovations, Resources, Science and Technology, the release said.
UP to seek heritage status for Salkhan Fossil Park
The Uttar Pradesh government today said that it is working to get international heritage status for the fossil park in a village in Sonbhadra district. The fossil park is believed to be more than 1,400 million-year-old and the state government website claims it is larger than the Yellowstone Naional park in the USA. "The state government has already taken an initiative to get international heritage status for the fossil park in Salkhan village in Sonbhadra district," Tourism minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said in the Legislative Council during Question Hour. Joshi said a recent booklet published by the state tourism department has mentioned the fossil park. "We want that it should be declared as an international heritage," she said. "Since the park comes under the forest department, the tourism department cannot interfere. But, now the tourism department and the forest department of the state have entered into an agreement and both will work to boost eco-tourism. This ...
