‘Agra remains dirty because of wrong government priorities’
By Brij Khandelwal Agra, Feb 21 (IANS) Having lost the race to be included in the list of smart cities, this Taj city has now slipped to 47/73 in the ranking of clean cities in…
Environment
Sarus crane population largely stable in India (Wildlife Feature)
By Vishal Gulati New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) The population of the Sarus crane, the tallest flying bird in the world, is surprisingly stable in India and showing increases in some areas, says a researcher….
China issues new measure on energy saving supervision
Beijing, Feb 21 (IANS) China’s top economic planner issued a new regulation on Saturday to oversee energy saving work in corporations, allowing authorities to warn or impose penalties on violators. The fine ranges from $1,534…
Approved solar parks rise to 33 in 21 states
New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) The total number of approved solar parks has risen to 33 in 21 states with an aggregate capacity of 19,900 MW, an official statement said on Saturday. “As against 25…
China issues regulations for duty-free shops
Beijing, Feb 20 (IANS) China has notified interim management measures for duty-free shops at ports of entry, the media reported on Saturday. The notice was jointly published by the finance and commerce ministry; General Administration…
Death of a justice Antonin Scalia raises hope of climate justice
By Rajendra Shende Perhaps never before in the history of America have its citizens mourned so deeply the death of a Supreme Court justice and at the same time vibrantly rejoiced with prospects of finally…
Tibetan antelope sanctuary applies for world heritage status
Beijing, Feb 19 (IANS) China’s remote western Hol Xil nature reserve, home to 70,000 Tibetan antelope, has applied for Unesco world natural heritage status, its administration said on Friday. The reserve, covering 60,000 square km…
How India will protect nuclear liabilities of US firms
By Amit Bhandari A $48-billion (Rs 3.26 lakh crore) penalty claimed by the US government from Volkswagen for cheating on diesel car emissions is about 200 times as large as the $225 million (Rs 1,500…
Thailand sanctuary records rise in tiger population
Bangkok, Feb 19 (IANS) A sanctuary in Thailand has become the only site in Southeast Asia where tigers are confirmed to be increasing in population, says a study. The Government of Thailand, in collaboration with…
Humans damaged Madagascar’s forests 1,000 years ago
New York, Feb 19 (IANS) A widespread and permanent loss of forests in Madagascar that occurred 1,000 years ago was due not to climate change or any natural disaster, but to human settlers who set…
Kerala agri varsity develops hybrid seedless watermelon
Kochi, Feb 19 (IANS) Venturing into the modern agri-farming, state owned INKEL Limited has introduced a yellow seedless hybrid of watermelons for the first time in the Kerala market. The unique variety of the thirst…
Beijing, five other cities to jointly fight smog
(151225) — BEIJING, Dec. 25, 2015 (Xinhua) — A cyclist takes photos of the smog-shrouded Palace Museum turret in Beijing, Dec. 25, 2015. An orange alarm has been issued to alert smog and air pollution…
Asia’s largest desert reservoir to be expanded
Beijing, Feb 19 (IANS) The largest desert reservoir in Asia, Hongyashan, in China’s Gansu province, will expand its storage by 49 percent to ease desertification in region, authorities said on Friday. The storage capacity of…
PETA wants bikers to shed leather jackets, bike accessories
Panaji, Feb 18 (IANS) Bikes are cool, leather riding jackets are not. That’s the message PETA is trying to send across at the India Bike Week, which is scheduled to start in Goa on Friday….
Snake Eats Kangaroo in Australia
Sydney, Feb 17 (IANS) A 17-foot-long snake, believed to be an amethystine python, was seen at a caravan park in Australia devouring a kangaroo. The snake was seen unhinging its jaw to make room for…
38-Feet Dead Whale Washed Ashore on Odisha Coast
Bhubaneswar, Feb 16 (IANS) Another carcass of a whale – the fourth so far this month – was washed ashore in Odisha’s Puri district on Tuesday, a forest department official said. The decomposed carcass was…
Better Crop Water Management Could Reduce Hunger
London, Feb 16 (IANS) Improved agricultural water management could significantly boost agricultural production and reduce hunger while at the same time making up for population growth, say, researchers. Investing in crop water management could have…
Captured Leopard Escapes from Bengaluru Zoo
Bengaluru, Feb 15 (IANS) A hunt is on for a leopard that escaped on Monday from the zoo where it was caged after its capture on February 7 in a private school in the city,…
Goa Minister Says Peacock Cannot Be Called Vermin
Panaji, Feb 15 (IANS) Goa Forest and Environment Minister Rajendra Arlekar on Monday said there was no possibility of the peacock, India’s national bird, being relegated to the list of vermin. Arlekar was speaking to…
Drones Helping Scientists Collect High-Resolution Data
New York, Feb 13 (IANS) Earth and environmental scientists are relying on affordable advanced technological drones to conduct long-term high-resolution experiments at a much lower cost than using aircrafts or satellites. “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)…