Concerned over the unprecedented situation triggered by increasing air pollution in Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlining the need for evolving consensus on tackling the issue, rising above political affiliations and regional considerations. Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/evolve-consensus-on-tackling-air-pollution/article29867884.ece
Read More »Mountain gorillas in Africa rebound thanks to careful interventions
Change could not have happened without an exercise some biologists call “extreme conservation”, which has entailed monitoring every single ape in the rainforest Deep in the rainforest of Volcanoes National Park, a 23-year-old female gorilla named Kurudi feeds on a strand of wild celery. She bends the green stalks and, …
Read More »City’s air quality dips with spike in stubble burning
Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further on Tuesday and remained one notch short of the ‘severe’ category (AQI 401), the worst for this season so far. The Air Quality Index on Tuesday was recorded at 400, ‘very poor’ category, at 4 p.m., which is the average of the past 24 hours, …
Read More »NGT pulls up State over lack of progress in lake rejuvenation
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) pointed to ‘patent non-compliance in critical areas’ by the State and its authorities in matters relating to the highly polluted Bellandur, Agara and Varthur lakes in the city. During a recent hearing, the NGT’s Principal Bench, referring to the report submitted by the NGT-appointed committee …
Read More »Northernmost settlement hit by ‘heat wave’
Less than 965 km from the North Pole, mercury rose to 21 degrees Celsius in Alert Temperatures hit a record 21 degree Celsius in Alert, the northernmost permanently inhabited spot on the planet less than 965 km from the North Pole, the Canadian meteorology service said on Tuesday. “It’s quite …
Read More »80% of wells in State see decline in groundwater
This is far above the national average of 61% Karnataka’s decline in groundwater levels is the worst among comparable States this year with over 80% of monitored wells in the State showing a drop in groundwater levels, says data from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). The board monitors 1,098 …
Read More »India is home to 1,256 species of orchid, says first comprehensive survey
Orchids of India: A Pictorial Guide, which was published recently, puts the total number of species endemic to India at 388 The Botanical Survey of India has come up with the first comprehensive census of orchids of India putting the total number of orchid species or taxa to 1,256. Orchids …
Read More »Plant trees for juvenile offence, SC tells doctor
Punishment for murder attempt A 32-year-old doctor has been ordered by the Supreme Court to plant 100 trees in the next one year as punishment for attempting to commit murder at the age of 16. Solemen S.K., a doctor practising at Murshidabad in West Bengal, was sentenced to three years’ …
Read More »Speed restrictions and sound alerts mooted for protection of dolphins
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had raised the issue in Parliament on July 11 Restricting the speeds of vessels and blowing sirens and horns is how the Ministry of Shipping plans to safeguard the population of the Ganges River Dolphin, in the country’s one dolphin reserve through which National Waterway-1 connecting …
Read More »Polluted water, overflowing sewage torment Bhopal gas tragedy survivors
Funds set aside under a 2010 action plan for resolving sanitation and drinking water issues were allegedly misappropriated by the State’s rehabilitation wing It’s 2 a.m., and the stench of sewage wafts in through the only window of Aziza Jawahar’s crumbling house. Taking the cue that she is now long …
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