Environmental News and Media Roundup for Week 5, 2013
Weekly environmental news roundup from across different media networks for week 5 (starting January 28, 2013) 2013.
1. We’ll have to make provision for solar trash
Travelling to several remote places in the last few months, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see several active solar panels. Although the reports about their efficacy are mixed, solar energy is something to be optimistic about. The national solar mission is ramping up its efforts, pushing for increased solar energy infrastructure.
2. Forests, rocky areas to make up for lost greens?
Future infrastructure projects — particularly the expansion of the Delhi Metro — may mean greater loss of green cover. Finding it difficult to part with non-forest land, the Delhi Development Authority has proposed compensatory plantation in already existing forests and even rocky terrains.
3. To replant trees, Metro to get land in East Delhi
Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna has told Delhi Development Authority to make available 32 hectares of land in Garhi Mandu in Trans-Yamuna area to the Delhi forest department so that felling clearance for phase III expansion of Delhi Metro can be obtained.
4. Catchers face extinction as simians run riot in city
If simians in your neighbourhood are making it impossible to keep windows and doors open for even a minute, blame it on the lack of monkey catchers in the city. The three municipal corporations have said monkey catching has become difficult with very few catchers coming forward to meet the growing number of complaints.
5. Designs for low-cost toilets in the offing
The Delhi Urban Art Commission’s mandate is to maintain the aesthetic quality of the Capital’s skyline but it has now also come up with suggestions on how to keep the city clean.
6. Watchdog hauls up Delhi, UP for Yamuna pollution
The National Green Tribunal has appointed five lawyers as local commissioners to ensure a speedy clean-up of the Yamuna riverbed.
7. ‘Development cannot come at cost of conservation’
The Western Ghats have seen a habitat loss of over 80% and cannot be compromised further for developmental activities, wildlife photographer and documentary filmmaker Sandesh Kadur said during the 7thKirloskarVasundhara International Film Festival on Monday.
Reports of ministries accusing each other for overlooking concerns of environmental degradation in the case of some development project or the other are commonplace these days. But while the ministries squabble among themselves over whose assessment is right, it is the environment and indigenous people whose lives are intertwined with nature that suffer the consequences.
9. Animals are more scared of us than we are of them, says Vidya Athreya
Citizens should be more sensitive to animals living in close proximity to human habitation and chasing or beating them will only force the animals to retaliate, urged wildlife biologist, Vidya Athreya on Wednesday.
10. ‘Soil deficiencies due to imbalanced fertilization’
The vegetable-growing soils of Varanasi are fast losing their fertility due to imbalanced fertilization.
11. Wildlife loss: Bear, nilgai found dead
A young bear and a blue bull were found dead in two separate incidents in Sadak-Arjuni tehsil on Thursday. The bear was killed in an accident while the nilgai died of some disease.
12. Saints to deliberate on the Ganga flow
Apart from the 13 akharas of Sanatan Dharma, several other seers will take part in the upcoming Dharma Sansad to be organized in KumbhMela area.
13. Every citizen’s duty to save Ganga: Seer
Head of Jai Ram Ashram, Haridwar, Brahmaswaroop Brahmachari inaugurated the camp of YashKrishiTaknikiEvamVigyan Kendra in Sector 1 of KumbhMela. Many saints, scholars and social activists were present at the inauguration.
14. Gurdwara’s green gospel: Go cycling
A cycle is not something you would expect to find near the Nishan Sahib in a garden of a gurdwara. But there it is, intriguing people who come to pray. Near the cycle is the message, “Cycle chalao, sehat banao, vatavaran bachao or cycle to save health and the environment.”
15. Hathnikund barrage embankment: Dept inquiry reveals irregularities in repair works
An inquiry by irrigation department has revealed financial irregularities in repair works of damaged embankment of Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar district of Haryana. Engineer-in-chief Harmel Singh told TOI that the department has recommended recovery of Rs 3.86 crore from the contractor concerned and that the proposal is under active consideration of the government.
