REGIONAL leaders have agreed to cut tariffs on solar panels, wind turbine blades, solar hot water systems and other ''environmental goods'' in what has been hailed as a shift against protectionist

With the Goa government putting a blanket ban on mining, Vedanta group firm Sesa Goa on Tuesday said it has stopped extraction of iron ore from all its mines in the state, leading to 6 per cent fall in its stock price.

Following the suspension of works, all the mining operations of Sesa Goa, the largest private sector iron ore producer of the country, have come to a standstill. Sesa Goa’s operations in Karnataka have been closed for more than a year due to a Supreme Court imposed mining ban in the southern state. In December, 2010, it had discontinued operations in Odisha.

“There is no dearth of rules, regulations or laws in India to protect the health of consumers or to ensure fair practices in the food trade. But, laxity or some sort of `misfiring’ at the implementation level has been identified as the key problem facing the State in terms of food safety,’’ says Dr N. Anandavally, Food Safety Consultant of the World Health Organisation.

Talking to The Hindu, Dr Anandavally who is also a member of many expert committees of the WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), said the reported move to emulate Dubai-model food safety in Kerala was nothing short of a ‘ridiculous’ idea.

The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Meeting this weekend in the Far Eastern Russian city of Vladivostok has put drawing up a list of environmentally friendly goods on its agenda.

China observers in Europe said that the opening of an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese solar panel exports by Brussels is "unfortunate, destructive and not smart" while urging Beijing to rea

The European Union (EU) has announced that it will link its emissions trading system with Australia's emissions trading scheme, allowing businesses to use carbon units and comply under either syste

Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) has warned traders to refrain from using plastic bags, failing which they could attract a fine of upto Rs 5,000.

It may be recalled Chief Officer Pradip Naik had issued orders banning plastic bags in Ponda municipality from August 16. However, the ban was postponed for a few days after PMC councillors felt that traders should be given sufficient time before implementing the ban. Since August 20, PMC started conducting surprise checks and traders found using plastic carry bags were fined Rs 100. So far, over Rs 3,000 has been collected through fines.

Perturbed over illegal transportation of minerals through forest and other routes, Odisha and Jharkhand are planning to impose restriction on plying of heavy vehicles in border areas and mapping of such routes indicating places where low height barricades need to be erected or trenches dug.

Efforts to curb illegal mining would be discussed at the second inter-state coordination committee meeting later to be held on August 21 at Keonjhar. Senior officials of Odisha and Jharkhand would attend the meeting, a senior official said adding first such meeting was held on February 2.

TAMLUK: The economy of East Midnapore district could be in trouble, since it is heavily dependent upon the cultivation of Bagda prawns, a product for which there is dwindling demand.