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• Project to conserve Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve this year

  Tuticorin: The Department of Forests will carry out a Centre-sponsored project for conservation and management of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve on an estimated outlay of Rs.50 lakh during this financial year. Speaking to The Hindu, L. Nadhan, District Forest Officer, said that the project was aimed at augmenting the infrastructure and income generation activities along the coastal villages of the district thereby reduce the dependency of fishermen on the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere for their livelihood.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Hindu (New Delhi)
  • • Marine Ecosystems
    • Endangered Species
    • Wildlife Act 1972
    • Gulf Of Mannar Marine NP
    • Biosphere Reserves

• Summit-Nat Semi Plans Big Push Into Solar Energy

  Microchip maker National Semiconductor Corp, best known for making parts for the iPhone and other wireless devices, plans to jump into solar by unveiling chips that will boost solar panel efficiency. Alternative energy such as solar power is hot in Silicon Valley, where funding for new ideas is available and technology companies are finding their products adaptable to the new market.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Planet Ark (Australia)
  • • Solar Energy

• US Senator Promotes Bill To Freeze Ethanol Mandate

  US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison on Monday proposed freezing the federal mandate for corn-based ethanol at this year's level, contending that using so much grain for fuel was pressuring the food supply. Hutchison introduced legislation that would freeze the federal mandate for corn-based ethanol at 9 billion gallons. The Texas Republican said this would allow for transition to a sustainable renewable fuel source that does not use food.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Planet Ark (Australia)
  • • Food Supply
    • Ethanol
    • Biofuel

• Milk producers threaten stir

  Milk producers attached to cooperative societies supplying milk to Jaipur Dairy have threatened to stop their deliveries unless the public sector dairy reverses its decision to drastically reduce the payments by "arbitrarily' changing the solid non-fat (SNF) norms. The Rajasthan Dugdha Utpadak Sangh said here that Jaipur Dairy was paying an abysmal Rs.2 to 8 per litre to the cattle breeders for milk supplied by them, but had raised the milk prices for consumers thrice during the past two months. This has led to a loss of Rs.1.50 crore a month to the milk producers.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Hindu (New Delhi)
  • • Dairy Development
    • Milk
    • Rajasthan
    • Jaipur (D)

• "Herculean Task" To Safeguard Biodiversity-Germany

  The world faces a Herculean task to safeguard animal and plant life from climate change and pollution, German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said at the opening of a UN biodiversity conference on Monday. UN experts say human activities including greenhouse gas emissions mean the planet is facing the most serious spate of extinctions since the dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago. One species disappears roughly every 20 minutes, they say.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Planet Ark (Australia)
  • • Pollution
    • Climate Change
    • Biodiversity
    • Germany

• ILO praises rural job scheme

  India got a pat from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for its pathbreaking efforts in providing social-security coverage through the flagship National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) and Unorganised Sector Workers Social Security Bill.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Asian Age (New Delhi)
  • • Anti-Poverty Programmes
    • Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)

• J&K nomads may lose Bakarwal dogs to violence

  Jammu and Kash mir is a confluence of diverse cultures, religious and ethnic groups; a place where rich and rare tapestry of civilisations have been woven over centuries. One of its distinct communities is of semi-nomadic Gujjars and Bakarwals who always clung to their tradition that distinguishes them from rest of the population giving them the title - simple children of nature. The Gujjars and the Bakarwals move from lowland to upland pastures with their herds of cattle, sheep and goats with the changing season.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Asian Age (New Delhi)
  • • Animal Care
    • Endangered Species
    • Nomads
    • Jammu & Kashmir

• Iberdrola to invest in US green energy

  Spanish power company Iberdrola said it plans to invest $8 billion (5.1 billion euros) in the US between 2008 and 2010. The Bilbao-based firm is aiming to have a 15 per cent share of the wind power market in the US by 2010, it added. It had a wind power production capacity of 2,400 megawatts in the US at the end of March and it expects to reach 3,600 megawatts by the end of the year, the statement added. Iberdrola chairman Mr Ignacio Sanchez Galan has said he considers the US as the company's most exciting growth market.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Asian Age (New Delhi)
  • • Renewable Energy
    • Wind Energy

• India is 2nd largest carbon credit seller

  India has emerged as the second largest seller of carbon credits in the global market with six per cent share in 2007, while China tops the list with a huge 73 per cent, a World Bank report said. "India and Brazil, at 6 per cent market share each, transacted the highest volumes after China in 2007," said the report State and Trends of the Carbon Market 2008.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Asian Age (New Delhi)
  • • Climate Change
    • Climate Mitigation
    • Emissions Trading
    • Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
    • Certified Emission Reduction
    • China
    • India

• Centre okays Maharashtra SEZ Act, labour laws intact

  In what may be a sign of the changing political environment ahead of general elections, the Centre has turned down the Maharashtra government's proposal to provide labour law flexibility in special economic zones. The Centre communicated its opinion on the Maharashtra Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and Designated Areas Bill after a two-year wait. The move is expected to impact investor sentiment in Maharashtra, which tops the state-wise charts for the maximum number of duty-free enclaves (see table).

  • 20/05/2008

  • Business Standard (New Delhi)
  • • Land Acquisition
    • Special Economic Zones (SEZ)
    • Maharashtra

• Arjun writes to Pawar on meal scheme

  A conflict is brewing between the human resource development (HRD) ministry and the Food Corporation of India (FCI), with HRD Minister Arjun Singh writing to Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar complaining that adequate food grains are not being supplied to the states for the mid-day meal scheme.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Business Standard (New Delhi)
  • • Food Supply
    • Mid-Day Meal Programme
    • Ministry of Human Resource Development
    • Madhya Pradesh
    • Rajasthan
    • Uttar Pradesh
    • West Bengal

• China praises India's help

  China today appreciated India's support and assistance for relief efforts in its earthquake devastated areas as New Delhi sent another batch of supplies as part of its first ever major humanitarian help to its giant neighbour. Beijing's words of appreciation were conveyed to India's Ambassador Nirupama Rao by Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during her visit to the Foreign Office to write in the condolence book opened for foreign diplomats today as the country began a three-day national mourning in memory of the earthquake victims.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Business Standard (New Delhi)
  • • Natural Disasters
    • Earthquakes
    • Aid
    • China
    • India

• Tibetans reach out to China quake victims

  Tibetan refugees gathered in large numbers at the main Buddhist temple here on Monday to offer their deep sympathy and prayers to thousands killed in China's earthquake a week ago. In an address, Karma Chophel, speaker of the Tibetan-parliament-in-exile, said, "The Tibetan government along with other Tibetans convey their heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the devastating earthquake and stand in solidarity with the Chinese people in this hour of grief and sadness."

  • 20/05/2008

  • Business Standard (New Delhi)
  • • Natural Disasters
    • Earthquakes
    • Aid
    • China

• Canada regulator finds Ayurvedic products harmful

  Health Canada, a drug and health regulatory body, has once again said some Ayurvedic products may contain high levels of heavy metals, such as lead, mercury and arsenic. Saying these medicines may pose serious health risks, the Canadian regulator has asked people to exercise caution while purchasing them.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Business Standard (New Delhi)
  • • Lead
    • Arsenic
    • Canada
    • Ayurveda
    • Drugs
    • Mercury
    • India

• WOW! There is money in garbage now

  WOW ! That is what you would probably say when someone pays you for your garbage. It is also a new system

  • 20/05/2008

  • Times Of India (Ahmedabad)
  • • Garbage
    • Waste Conversion
    • Waste To Energy
    • Gujarat
    • Ahmedabad (T)

• Tripura seeks to stop poultry movement from B'desh

  The Tripura Government has asked the External Affairs Ministry to take up the issue of unchecked poultry movement from Bangladesh to bordering villages of Tripura, where incidents of bird flu were increasing. State Animal Resource Development Minister Aghor Debbarma here today said there were reports of poultry movement from across the border and since most of the area in Bangladesh had already been affected by the H5N1 virus, it increased the risk of flu spread.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Sentinel (Guwahati)
  • • Animal Diseases
    • Avian Flu
    • Poultry
    • Bangladesh
    • Tripura

• CCDD appeals to minister to stop dam work

  The Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) has expressed apprehension that the Thoubal dam, now 60 per cent complete, was not safe as a big crack could be seen near the spillway. It also appealed to Manipur Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD) Minister Nongthongbam Biren to look into the matter. The minister assured the organisation of looking into the matter and ensuring safe construction of the dam.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Sentinel (Guwahati)
  • • Dams
    • Dam Safety
    • Manipur

• Windmills to power Ramnad district

  RAMANATHAPURAM district will soon find its place among the districts in Tamil Nadu, which generate power through windmills. Experts from Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) have conducted a survey along the coast of Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi during the past two years. They have installed wind monitors in three locations to calculate the velocity of wind. Following the assessment of the velocity of the winds along the coastal areas, the TNEB has decided to erect some windmill towers between Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi for power generation.

  • 20/05/2008

  • New Indian Express (Chennai)
  • • Renewable Energy
    • Wind Energy
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Ramanathapuram (D)

• Peshwa era pipeline for drinking water needs

  Even as Pune is finding it difficult to meet increasing water demand of citizens and is spending crores of rupees in revamping its supply lines, a proposal to revive the Peshwa era supply line with a capacity of seven lakh gallons a day and last used in 1970, is gathering dust in the Pune Municipal Corporation. The said committee report was to preserve and use as per requirement the Peshwa era water supply line that once catered to the demand of the central part of the city. The said water supply was set-up in 1749-50 during the rule of Balaji Bajirao Peshwa.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Indian Express (Mumbai)
  • • Drinking Water
    • Urban Water Supply
    • Maharashtra
    • Pune (T)

• BMC says 60 pc drains cleaned, but look what's floating

  Corporators claim work will not be complete by May-end deadline, officials say desilting and dredging will continue during rains While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's officials have made repeated assurances that the major drains will be thoroughly desilted in time for the monsoon, the ground reality at various nullahs across the city presents a different view. Meanwhile, pre-monsoon showers have already hit Mumbai and the monsoon is set to arrive in a little over two weeks.

  • 20/05/2008

  • Indian Express (Mumbai)
  • • Sewers
    • Drainage
    • Monsoons
    • Flood Control
    • Maharashtra