General Awareness

ENVIRONMENT - January 2022

Jan 2022

Aug 23, 2024

India and Denmark Collaborate on Clean River Initiative

The Green Strategic Partnership between the Governments of India and Denmark fostered significant collaboration leading to the establishment of the Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers (SLCR) in Varanasi. The alliance is a unique tripartite initiative between Government of India (Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation), the Indian Institute of Technology - Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU), and Government of Denmark, to bring excellence in small river rejuvenation and management.
The SLCR aims to leverage the expertise of both nations to rejuvenate the river Varuna using sustainable approaches. Its objectives include creating a collaborative platform for government bodies, knowledge institutions and local communities to share insights and develop solutions for clean river water. The initiative features a hybrid lab model at the IIT-BHU and an on-field living lab at the Varuna River to test and scale solutions in real-world settings. The SLCR has a robust institutional and appraisal mechanism built into it to ensure the necessary due diligence, rigor in its functioning and for ensuring excellence in river management.

Bangladesh Blames India for Massive Flooding

As the massive floods in Bangladesh affected nearly 1.8 million people and resulted in five deaths, rumors began circulating, falsely blaming India's opening of the Dumbur Dam on the Gumti River in Tripura for the deluge.
India firmly dismissed these allegations from Bangladesh, backing its stance with hardcore evidence.
"Concerns have been raised in Bangladesh that the current flooding in districts along the eastern border may be due to the opening of the Dumbur Dam upstream on the Gumti River in Tripura. However, this claim is factually incorrect," said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The Gumti River flows through the north-eastern Indian state of Tripura before entering Bangladesh. The Dumbur Dam, located in Tripura, is situated more than 120 km upstream from the Bangladesh border, explained the MEA.
However, the flood that caused the havoc in Bangladesh was due to water from those large catchments downstream of the dam, it added.

Aug 22, 2024

Typhoon Lan Makes Landfall in Japan, Thousands Urged to Seek Safety

Nearly 900 flights in Japan were cancelled and 240,000 people were ordered to move to safety as a slow-moving typhoon crossed Japan's main island of Honshu not far from the ancient capital of Kyoto, cutting off power to tens of thousands of homes.
Typhoon Lan, approached from the Pacific Ocean, and made landfall at the southern tip of Wakayama prefecture, some 400 km (250 miles) southwest of Tokyo, bringing heavy rain and powerful winds across a wide swathe of central and western Japan as it moved north.
Authorities issued flood and landslide warnings as rivers rose to the top of their banks, with parts of some bridges washed away. Tornadoes formed in several areas but did not cause major damage.

Aug 21, 2024

Manyachiwadi Village Becomes First in Maharashtra to be Powered 100% by Solar Power

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched the Solar Village Scheme, an initiative aimed at providing 100 per cent solar-powered electricity to 100 villages, at a function held in Satara. Manyachiwadi, a village in Satara district, became the first village in the state to be electrified 100 per cent by solar power.
"The objective of the government is zero electricity bills for households as part of the PM Suryagarh Muft Bijali Yojana. The aim is to also provide farmers with free power," CM Shinde said in his speech.

Aug 20, 2024

China Approves $31 Billion for 11 New Nuclear Reactors across Five Sites

China approved the construction of 11 new nuclear reactors across five sites, with a total investment of approximately 220 billion yuan ($31 billion). This marks a record number of permits as the government intensifies its reliance on nuclear energy to reduce carbon emissions. The State Council's approval includes reactors in Jiangsu, Shandong, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Guangxi. The construction is expected to take about five years.
State-owned entities such as China General Nuclear Power Corp. (CGN), China National Nuclear Corp. (CNNC), and State Power Investment Corp. are the primary players in these new projects. CGN received approvals for six reactors across three sites, CNNC for three reactors, and State Power Investment Corp. for two units.

Aug 15, 2024

German Scientists Discover Plastic-Eating Fungi for Waste Reduction

Scientists in Germany identified plastic-eating fungi that could offer a glimmer of hope in tackling the problem of millions of tonnes of waste polluting the world's oceans every year.
But they warn that their work is likely to be only a small part of solving plastic pollution, and say there is still a need to reduce food packaging and other debris from entering the environment where it can take decades to degrade.
An analysis at Lake Stechlin in north-eastern Germany into how microfungi thrive on some plastics with no other carbon source to feed on has clearly demonstrated that some of them are capable of degrading synthetic polymers.

Three more Indian Wetlands get Ramsar Tag

Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary, Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu), and Madhya Pradesh's Tawa Reservoir were granted the Ramsar site tag, taking the tally of such wetlands of International Importance to 85 in India, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said.
Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary is an important place for wintering and breeding grounds for migratory birds. It hosts nearly 130 bird species apart from those of reptiles, fish, and plants. Tawa Reservoir was formed by the construction of the Tawa Dam. Kazhuveli is a stopover and breeding ground for about 40,000 migratory birds as well as home to over 200 species.

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