Page 32 - Environment
Squids could survive under climate change: Study
While climate change and increasing pollution continues to haunt human beings, squids have nothing to worry about.According to a recent study, squids will survive and may even flourish under even the worst-case ocean acidification scenarios.According to the research team, squids live on the edge of their environmental oxygen limitations due to their energy-taxing swimming technique."Their blood is highly sensitive to changes in acidity, so we expected that future ocean acidification would negatively affect their aerobic performance," said Blake Spady, lead researcher of the study published in the Journal of Conservation Physiology.Researchers suggested that atmospheric CO2 concentrations have increased from 280 parts per million (ppm) before the industrial revolution to more than 400 ppm today. Scientists project atmospheric CO2--and by extension CO2in the oceans--may exceed 900 ppm by the end of this century unless current CO2 emissions are curtailed.But when the team tested ...
Heavy rain after cloudburst in North Sikkim
Several areas of North Sikkim experienced heavy rain on Monday following a cloudburst in the upper reaches of Teesta river, an official said. The Teesta III hydro power project authorities have released 600 cusecs of water from the Chungathang dam following inundation of the area, North Sikkim District Collector Raj Yadav said. The people of Lachen and Chungthang are alerted about the situation, he said. A heavy inflow of muddy water and logs was reported to be coming towards Dickchu Teesta V dam from 2.30 pm onwards due to the cloudburst, the district collector said. Residents of Singtam and Rangpo have been alerted about the sudden spate in Teesta river through its downstream which flows downwards through East Sikkim.
UN human rights rapporteur for N Korea to visit Seoul
Tomás Ojea Quintana, UN special rapporteur on the human rights in North Korea, on Monday began his sixth South Korea visit, aimed at meeting government representatives, defectors and activists.
Rescued bear cub goes missing in southwest France
A malnourished bear cub found wandering alone through a French village last week has escaped from the home of its appointed carer, triggering a major search, local authorities said Monday. The cub, believed to be about five months old, has very little chance of survival unless found in the coming hours, according to authorities in Tarn, a southwestern region in the French Pyrenees. Weighing a mere eight kilogrammes (18 pounds), it presents "no danger to humans," officials said in a statement. The little bear, which was separated from its mother before being weaned, was very weak when found in Couflens, a village on the French-Spanish border. After being caught by agents from France's national hunting and wildlife agency ONCFS, it was taken in by a person licensed to keep wild animals in Saint-Pierre-de-Trivisy, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Toulouse. No details about how the cub escaped were immediately available. A team of 12, including three ONCFS wildlife experts, were ...
Prohibitory orders in Bihar's Gaya due to heat wave
In an unprecedented move, authorities in Bihar's Gaya district on Monday imposed prohibitory orders as a preventive measure in view of the severe heat wave that claimed 31 lives so far, officials said.
Rajasthan chief secretary reviews progress in implementation of PM-KISAN
About 38.10 lakh farmers eligible for the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in Rajasthan have submitted applications online and the remaining 17 lakh applications will be uploaded by the end of this month, a senior official said Monday. Under the PM-KISAN scheme, farmers will get annual assistance of Rs 6,000 in three equal instalments. Rajasthan Chief Secretary D B Gupta reviewed the progress in implementation of the scheme and asked district collectors to dispose the pending cases within a week. He said that according to revised guidelines, applications of all the farmers coming under the purview of the scheme should be uploaded on the centralised portal by June 30. Gupta said that the initially small and marginal farmers were eligible under this scheme but revised guidelines issued by the Centre has included large farmers as well. He said that about 55 lakh farmers of the state are eligible for benefits under the scheme, out of which applications from 38.10 lakh farmers have
Govt committed to saving land from getting degraded: Javadekar
Acknowledging that 29.3 per cent of land in India was affected by degradation, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar Monday said his ministry was committed to saving it with all necessary contributions in the matter and shall lead by example in combating the crisis. He also announced that India will host the 14th session of the Conference of the Parties or COP 14 to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in September to address the issues of land degradation and desertification. At an event held to mark 'World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought', Javadekar said, "There is crisis in the world that the land, once fertile, is not fertile anymore. Where there used to be forest, now it is not. We are discussing degradation of land. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have direction, hope and promise to save the land from degradation." "India will lead by example and cooperate with the world. We will make all necessary contributions in the ...
EU leaders to debate push for zero emissions by 2050
EU leaders will this week discuss setting a target of zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, European officials said Monday, following elections that highlighted climate fears. European Union leaders meeting Thursday and Friday in Brussels will debate the 2050 target of "climate neutrality" that the environmental group WWF says now has the support of 16 of the EU's 28 countries. "As the effects of climate change become more visible and pervasive, we urgently need to step up our action to manage this existential threat," a draft of the EU's strategic agenda for the next six years says. "The EU can and must lead the way, by engaging in an in-depth transformation of its own economy and society to achieve climate neutrality," according to the draft, which was obtained by AFP. The draft contained a footnote saying the wording may be adjusted to reflect the results of the summit debate, which an EU source said would focus on the 2050 target. The source told AFP on condition of anonymity
HC raps AAP govt for recalcitrance in ensuring plantation of 1.4 L saplings in central ridge
The Delhi High Court pulled up the AAP government's forest department Monday for its "recalcitrance" in complying with directions to ensure 1.4 lakh saplings are planted in the central ridge area here. After the government informed the court till date only 3,500 saplings have been planted and another 2,500 would be planted by the end of this week, Justice Najmi Waziri said, "I see a lot of recalcitrance at your (forest department) end." This would bring the total to 6,000 as against the 30,000 saplings which were to be planted in the first phase by June 15 according to the court's May 30 order. "You (forest department) are sitting pretty on it (the direction) as if lives of Delhi's citizens do not matter. Look how hot it is in the city. Quit stalling and do it," the court said after noting the government's stand. The forest department, in its defense, told the court that after the May 30 order it had surveyed the central ridge area for additional sites to plant the saplings and could .
India to lead fight against desertification: Javadekar
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday said that India will lead by example the fight against increasing land desertification.
Transmission issues, not shortage, causing Goa power cuts:
Goa Power Minister Nilesh Cabral Monday said the state did not face any shortage of electricity supply and outages were due to transmission issues. The state government has been criticised recently for frequent disruption of electricity supply in different parts of the state ahead of the monsoon. "Goa does not have any power generation of its own and is dependent totally on central generating stations (CGSs). Presently, we get 392 megawatt from the western region and 100 MW from the southern region. The power requirement is between 572-610 MW," he said. The state is procuring the balance requirement from the open IEX (Indian Energy Exchange), he said. "There is no shortage of power. Difficulties are in transmitting the power to Goa and receiving the same at extra high voltage (EHV) stations here," he said. "All EHV substations are heavily loaded and cannot transmit or distribute the required power at many places," he said, and called for creation of additional ...
YSRCP attacks previous TDP regime on first day of Assembly session
The state Assembly on Monday held a discussion on Governor ESL Narasimhan's address to the House. The ruling YSRCP MLAs lashed out at the previous TDP government for indulging in corruption, mismanagement, and inefficiency in performing their duties during their rule.Irrigation Minister P Anil Kumar Yadav slammed opposition TDP. "TDP government looted Rs 18,000 crore under scheme -- Neeru Chettu -- without even getting a single drop of water or a single tree," he said.He alleged the TDP had called Polavaram project as the lifeline of AP but increased its estimate from Rs 16,000 crore to Rs 56,000 crore. Yadav also accused the TDP of making Rs 500 crore in the name of 'Dharma Porata Deeksha.'Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath said that the CAG report exposed Rs 400 crore corruption in Pattiseema project. He said that Polavaram project was sidelined and Pattiseema temporary project was built.The Finance Minister said that had the Centre opted for the project construction, Polavaram ..
Pune firm develops solar-powered irrigation system
To solve water crisis for farmers throughout the varied climate conditions in India, Pune-based company Khethworks has developed solar-powered irrigation system.
First pilot floating solar plant to be completed in next 2-3 months: Vedanta
Vedanta Monday said its first pilot floating solar plant will be completed in the next two to three months. In an investor brief, the company said it is focussing on renewable energy and its group firm Hindustan Zinc plans its "first pilot floating solar to be completed in next 2-3 months". Vikram Solar, module manufacturer and rooftop solar and EPC solutions provider, had earlier in the year announced that it bagged the project order for a 1-MW floating solar plant for Hindustan Zinc Ltd, a Vedanta Group firm. The plant will be located at Ghosunda Dam, near Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, it said. The floating plant, Vikram Solar said, will contribute to saving water evaporation loss, thus resulting in conservation of water, reduce the development of algae, maintaining cleanliness of the water and will obviously save land space. The solar plant is expected to have an energy yield of 1,993 MWh a year and will be able to power 1,400 houses a year. Vedanta Ltd in the investor brief said ...
Arms recovered near rhino sanctuary in Assam
Arms and ammunition have been recovered from the vicinity of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary at Morigaon district of Assam, a police officer said. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of police officers and Forest Protection Force personnel launched an operation in and around the rhino habitat Sunday and recovered two rifles, one DBBL gun and several rounds of ammunition, he said. While a 3.3 rifle and 10 bullets, along with horns of wild deer, were recovered from the houses of two "dreaded" poachers at Chidaguri village in the district, another rifle and one DBBL gun were retrieved from Nekerahabi area near the sanctuary, the officer said. None of the poachers were, however, arrested as they fled the area during the operation. The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, 30 km east of Guwahati, has the highest concentration of one-horned rhino population in the world.
IIT-Hyderabad improves 3rd generation solar cell performance
: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Hyderabad Monday said its researchers have developed a process to improve the performance of third-generation solar cells. Working with dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSC), the researchers have shown that the incorporation of magnetic nanoparticles in the anode can enhance light-to-power conversion efficiencies, a press release from the institute said. This work has been published in the journal Solar Energy. There is much potential for dye sensitised solar cells because of cost and environmental benefits and it is expected that with improvements in performance, DSSCs could outdo mature silicon-based solar cells, the release said. Such research can contribute towards global efforts to bring DSSCs into real-life applications, it said. The research is being headed by J Suryanarayana, associate professor, Magnetic Materials and Device Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, IIT-Hyderabad. Speaking about his research, Suryanarayana ...
Experts hold climate talks in Bonn as pressure to act grows
Experts are meeting in Germany for UN-hosted talks on climate change amid growing pressure for governments to act faster against global warming. Diplomats meeting in the western city of Bonn starting Monday will focus on resolving issues that couldn't be agreed upon at last December's climate summit in Poland. This includes the rules governing the international trade in carbon certificates, which allow rich countries to offset emissions by paying for projects in poor nations. Public concern about global warming has heightened over the past year amid a series of extreme weather events. Students in Europe and beyond have staged regular street protests demanding action to curb climate change. The meeting, which runs until June 27, precedes a September gathering of world leaders in New York to discuss climate change.
Tadoba reserve's core zone to shut for visitors during rains
The core zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra will be closed for visitors during the monsoon season, an official said Monday. However, the reserve's buffer zone will remain open for tourists during rains, he said. "Dirt roads in the reserve pose a problem during rains. Hence, following directives of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the TATR management has decided to shut tourism activities in its core zone during the monsoon time, with effect from July 1," a senior forest official said. But, tourists will be able to enjoy the safari in TATR's buffer zone, which is also inhabited by tigers and other wild animals, he said. Visitors will be allowed entry from seven different gates in the buffer zone during the rainy season, he said. In 2018-19, nearly 1.79 lakh tourists visited TATR, located in Chandrapur district, as per official figures. Maharashtra has nearly half-a-dozen tiger reserves, the prominent among being Pench, Melghat, TATR .
After a decade, black tiger shrimps stage comeback
Ending a decades slide in the production of black tiger shrimps, Kerala is experiencing a comeback of the top healthy seafood, thanks to a much-needed initiative of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) launched earlier this year. The MPEDAs efforts to revive the production of black tiger shrimps on a mass sale of its seeds have been receiving encouraging feedback, according to authorities with the statutory body that functions under the Union Governments Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The mass sale of seeds since the past 100 days shows a rapidly growing interest among the farmers to raise the disease-free variety, the authorities said. The Kochi-headquartered MPEDA had on February 18 begun supplying black tiger shrimp seeds from its new multi-species aquaculture complex (MAC) at Vallarpadam. The inaugural sale was done by MPEDA chairman K S Srinivas by handing over one lakh seeds to former Kerala Director-General of Police Hormis Tharakan, a ...
Japan protests Chinese activity near disputed islands
Japan is protesting what it says was an unauthorised Chinese maritime survey within its economic waters near disputed East China Sea islands. Japan's Foreign Ministry says it lodged a protest with Beijing after a Chinese maritime research ship was seen dropping a wire-like object into the water off the northwestern coast of Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands on Sunday. China also claims the islands, which it calls Diaoyu. The ministry said Monday it urged China to immediately stop the survey. Also Monday, Japan's coast guard says four Chinese patrol ships violated Japanese territorial waters off the Senkaku. Japan's Defense Ministry says a Chinese frigate was spotted Sunday near the Miyako Strait, and a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft was flying above the East China Sea. The latter prompted Japan to scramble a fighter jet.