A female African baboon has died at the Delhi Zoo, the third animal fatality at the facility in as many weeks, officials said on Thursday. The National Zoological Park, commonly known as Delhi Zoo, reported that the baboon named "Chintu", which appeared lethargic earlier in the day, was shifted to the veterinary hospital after it started shivering. An official said the animal died later in the day. "The cause of death is not yet confirmed. We are awaiting the report from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly," said zoo director Sanjeet Kumar. Recently, a white tiger cub and a one-horned rhinoceros at the zoo have died. A senior zoo official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the cold weather may have been a factor for the deaths. "The baboon's activity level had dropped and shivering indicated that it was unwell," the official said. The zoo had four baboons. With the death of "Chintu" only three are left now. On January 2, the zoo lost a male one-horned rhinoceros named "Dharmendra" to "acute haemorrhagic enteritis," a life-threatening intestinal condition caused by parasites, toxins, or bacterial infections. The aminal arrived at the zoo in September 2024 as part of a breeding programme. The zoo now has only one female rhinoceros. Four days earlier, a nine-month-old white tiger cNub died. Post-mortem revealed "traumatic shock and acute pneumonia" as the causes of the death. The Delhi Zoo, established in 1959, is considered a 'model' zoo for the country, housing over 96 species of animals and birds. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
17 January,2025 10:22 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIA census exercise of aquatic birds conducted at Jodhpur Jhal, a wetland on the Mathura-Agra border here, recorded 1,335 birds from 62 species, including nine endangered species, officials said."This census was conducted under 'Waterbird Census 2025' by Wetlands International in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, the Forest Department and the Biodiversity Research and Development Society (BRDS)," said District Forest Officer (DFO) Rajnikant Mittal.The effort was supervised by Wetlands International's Uttar Pradesh coordinator Neeraj Srivastava and led by BRDS bird expert K P Singh with contributions from a team of 13 members, he added."The census identified 29 migratory and 33 resident bird species. Among these, nine species from the IUCN's endangered list were recorded, including the Sarus crane, black-necked stork, painted stork, oriental darter, common pochard, woolly-necked stork, black-tailed godwit, greater spotted eagle and black-headed ibis," Mittal said."The census recorded 370 bar-headed geese, 224 northern pintails and 220 common teals. Other species observed included gadwall, Eurasian wigeon, northern shoveler, pied avocet, little stint, temminck's stint, sandpiper, wagtail, black-winged stilt, purple swamphen and common snipe," he added.Singh said the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad has expanded the wetland area by creating new aquatic habitats."This effort has increased the diversity and abundance of wetland-dependent bird species," he added.Elaborating on the methodology, Singh said, "The bird census was conducted by two groups, each consisting of eight expert members. Over three hours, they covered approximately 80 hectares of the wetland."Mittal credited the increase in arrival of birds to the continuous monitoring and protection efforts of the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad and the Forest Department.
14 January,2025 12:09 PM IST | Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) | PTIThe year 2024 is confirmed to be the warmest year globally since record began in 1850, underlining the urgency for decisive global action against climate change, the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said Friday. 2024 also marks the first calendar year in which the average global temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial level, a critical threshold set by the Paris Agreement, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the European climate body's press release. In 2024, the global average temperature was 15.1 degrees Celsius, 0.12 degrees Celsius above 2023, the previous warmest year on record. This is equivalent to 1.6 degrees Celsius above an estimate of the pre-industrial level, Copernicus said. The statement added that the two-year average for 2023 and 2024 also exceeded the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold above its pre-industrial level. The Paris Agreement seeks to limit global warming to well below two degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level, with an aspiration to cap it at 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. "While this does not mean we have breached the limit set by the Paris Agreement -- this refers to temperature anomalies averaged over at least 20 years -- it underscores that global temperatures are rising beyond what modern humans have ever experienced," the statement noted. Data from the climate change service indicates that the total amount of water vapour in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2024, at about 5 per cent above the 1991-2020 average, and significantly higher than in 2023. "These high global temperatures, coupled with record global atmospheric water vapour levels in 2024, meant unprecedented heatwaves and heavy rainfall events, causing misery for millions of people," said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, C3S climate scientist Julien Nicolas attributed the extreme temperatures primarily to human-induced climate change, adding that other factors, such as the El Nino Southern Oscillation -- a natural climate pattern that warms ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific -- also contributed to the high temperatures observed during the year. Recognising the urgency of the situation, C3S Director Carlo Buontempo emphasised, "the future is in our hands -- swift and decisive action can still alter the trajectory of our future climate." Also Read: Warm January likely in most parts of India: IMD This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2025 01:59 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSCowpea seedlings onboard PSLV-C60 POEM-4 module sprout their first leaves in space, signifying a milestone in space-based plant research, ISRO said on Monday. According to India's national space agency, the Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies (CROPS), developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), is an automated platform designed to cultivate and sustain plant life in the microgravity environment of space. One of its recent experiments involved growing cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds within a controlled, closed environment equipped with active thermal management, said ISRO. Leaves have emerged! 🌱 VSSC's CROPS (Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies) aboard PSLV-C60 POEM-4 achieves a milestone as cowpea sprouts unveil their first leaves in space. 🚀 #ISRO #BiologyInSpace #POEM4 pic.twitter.com/xKWmGHoPfl — ISRO (@isro) January 6, 2025 The system monitored various parameters, including oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, relative humidity, temperature, and soil moisture, while capturing images to track plant growth, added ISRO. According to the space agency, this setup successfully supported the germination and development of cowpea plants up to the two-leaf stage in space. "This accomplishment not only demonstrates ISRO's capability to grow plants in space, but also provides valuable insights for future long-duration missions," ISRO said in a post on the social media platform X. Understanding on how plants adapt to microgravity is crucial for developing life support systems that can produce food and regenerate air and water for astronauts, ISRO added. "The success of the CROPS experiment marks a promising step towards sustainable human presence in space," the space agency said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 January,2025 07:18 PM IST | Mumbai | PTITwo red pandas reached the Darjeeling Zoo from Rotterdam in the Netherlands on Christmas, bringing joy and excitement among the zoo personnel and the forest fraternity in West Bengal. No red pandas were brought from any foreign country in the past 10 years, the member secretary of the West Bengal Zoo Authority, Saurabh Chaudhury, told PTI on Thursday. "The animals have been brought to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PMZP), also known as Darjeeling Zoo, for conservation breeding purposes," he said. Both red pandas are two-and-a-half years old. They have been brought to add genetic diversity to the zoo, which has a climate typical to their earlier habitat at Rotterdam Zoo, Chaudhury said. "This is a happy and proud moment for us," he said. "After years of efforts, official process, and getting clearance from the Centre and the state government, finally these two cute unique animals are here. After 10 years, we have red pandas from a foreign country, though the zoo already has red pandas," he said. "The new members will add to the genetic diversity. We have more such plans," he said. The two red pandas arrived at Kolkata airport in the early hours of Wednesday after a 27-hour flight. They had to change aircraft in Doha and were examined by vets. From Kolkata airport, they boarded a customized AC vehicle for Darjeeling and reached the Topkeydara Breeding Centre of Darjeeling Zoo on Wednesday evening (Christmas) amid loud cheers from the zoo keepers, officials, and other staff. Both the animals are doing fine and are to be kept in quarantine for a month before being paired with pandas of the opposite gender. They will then be put on display for visitors, Chaudhury explained. "We have named the two red pandas Vishal and Koshi, and you may call them a Christmas gift from Rotterdam," the top official said. "Currently, the zoo has 19 red pandas (seven males, 12 females, and two cubs)," he said. The PMZP boasts of the most successful breeding programme for red pandas in the country. "We are on a course of the long-term plan, centring the PMZP, which possesses a typical climatic condition conducive for animals like red pandas and other animals having their habitat in snowy regions," he elaborated. In 1990, the Darjeeling Zoo had one male and three female red pandas of wild origin. The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. Also Read: Odisha: Chandragiri reserve forest set to get elephant care centre This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 December,2024 02:47 PM IST | Darjeeling | PTIAn elephant care centre will soon come up in the Chandragiri reserve forest area in Odisha's Ganjam district, local MLA Pradyumna Nayak said on Friday. Around 21 hectares of land have been earmarked by the forest department for the facility near Beruabadi. The proposal of the Ghumusar north forest division is under active consideration and it is likely to be approved soon, Nayak, the MLA from Bhanjanagar, said. The legislator said he has already discussed the matter with Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia. The proposed facility will be the third elephant rescue-cum-care centre in the state after Chandaka in Khurda district and Kapilash in Dhenkanal, forest department sources said. It will care for elephants that are aged, injured or ailing. Besides the Ghumusar north division, the centre will also look after jumbos in Ghumusar South, Berhampur, Paralakhemundi, Nayagarh, Boudh, Baliguda and Phulbani forest divisions, the sources said. It will have a capacity to house at least eight elephants, said Himansu Sekhar Mohanty, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Ghumusar North. He said the centre will include a quarantine and treatment unit, transition zone, water facilities, solar lighting and fodder cultivation area. Besides treating injured and ailing elephants, the centre will provide an environment for quick recovery, enabling them to get back to their active herds again, the DFO said. The centre will entail an expenditure of around Rs 3 crore, the sources said. There are over 70 elephants in the Ghumusar north division, they added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
20 December,2024 04:40 PM IST | Behrampur (Odisha) | PTIAs the mercury dipped in Jharkhand, winged visitors started flocking to water bodies of the state, turning them into major attractions for bird watchers and tourists. Jharkhand has been witnessing a large influx of migratory birds this year due to early arrival of winter, according to bird watchers. They come to places like Jharkhand to protect themselves from extreme cold in Central Asia, Himalayan Region, Mongolia and Tibetan plateau. "Due to extreme cold in their original places, migratory birds face shortage of food and they also face challenges for breeding. So, they migrate places like Jharkhand to serve their two major purposes - food and breeding," state Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) S R Natesh told PTI. Migratory birds are being seen in Patratu dam (Ramgarh), Tenughat dam (Bokaro), Topchanchi Lake, Tilliya and Maithan dams (all in Dhanbad), Kanke and Rukka dams (Ranchi), Dimna Lake (Jamshedpur), Baska dam (Chatra) Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary (Sahibganj) and other water bodies of the state, forest officials said. "All divisional forest officers in the state have been directed to provide safety to the winged guests. The DFOs are making all efforts to provide safety to birds from poachers. They are also spreading awareness regarding the migratory birds among local people," Natesh said. He said that they carry out censuses of birds in sanctuaries such as Udhwa, Hazaribag and Dalma at regular intervals to understand their presence. Bird watchers are flocking to dams and lakes where species such as red-headed pochard, tufted duck, white-browed bulbul, bar-headed goose, wagtail and others have reached. Around 25,000 to 30,000 migratory birds visit the water bodies of the state every year and stay between November and March, experts said. Founder of Birdsbuddy, a group of bird lovers, Shiv Shankar Goswami, said that the birds find the weather conditions suitable for their survival in Jharkhand, as the temperature is conducive for them. Presently, Jharkhand's minimum temperature is hovering between 4 degree Celsius and 10 degrees C, while the maximum is between 23 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius, according to Ranchi Meteorological Centre. Goswami said that there is ample food for birds in water bodies due to adequate rainfall during monsoon season. He, however, raised concern over rising human interference in water bodies, which might disturb the birds' habitats. "Rising boating activity and installation of solar panels in water bodies are impacting the habitat of migratory birds. The government should look into the problem. Otherwise, birds may leave to other suitable destinations," he told PTI. Also Read: Not Madhav National Park, but Ratapani forest notified as eighth tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 December,2024 02:15 PM IST | Jharkhand | PTIThe Madhya Pradesh government has notified Ratapani forest in Raisen district as a tiger reserve in the state, officials said on Tuesday. It is the eighth tiger reserve in the state after Kanha, Satpura, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, Panna and Veerangana Durgavati. The state government issued the notification for Ratapani reserve on Monday. With the formation of the tiger reserve, wildlife can be managed in a better way by receiving a budget from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), an official release said. The total area of the Ratapani Tiger Reserve will be 1,271.465 square kilometres, it said.Following directives of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, the Ratapani forest has been declared as the eighth tiger reserve of the state, the release said.The Ratapani Tiger Reserve has the core area of 763.812 sq km and buffer area of 507.653 sq km, it said.Nine villages, geographically located in the tiger reserve, are not included in the core area in the notification of the sanctuary, the release said.With the formation of the Ratapani Tiger Reserve, its entire core area is within the boundary of the Ratapani Tiger Sanctuary. This will not change the current rights of the villagers, it said.Ratapani forest is located in Raisen district, adjoining state capital Bhopal.On December 1, the NTCA's technical committee approved the proposal to designate Madhav National Park in MP's Shivpuri district also as a tiger reserve. The state government is yet to issue a notification for it. The Kuno National Park is the only abode of cheetahs in the country. It is located in Sheopur district and is close to the Madhav National Park. As per the 'Status of Tigers: Co-predators & Prey in India-2022' report released by the NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India, the tiger population in Madhya Pradesh is estimated to be 785, the highest in the country, followed by Karnataka-563 and Uttarakhand-560. Also Read: Tiger population in India rises to 3682; shows 6 per cent annual increase This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
03 December,2024 02:39 PM IST | Madhya Pradesh | PTIThe National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NTCA) technical committee has approved the proposal to notify Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district as a tiger reserve, an official said. It will be the eighth tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, the official said on Sunday. Kanha, Satpura, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, Panna and Veerangana Durgavati are the existing tiger reserves in the state. "The NTCA technical committee has approved the proposal to notify Madhav National Park as a tiger reserve. It will have a total area of 1,751 square kilometres, comprising a core area of 375 sq km and buffer area of 1,276 sq km. The committee also approved the release of a tiger and a tigress into the park," Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, L Krishnamoorthy told PTI. The proposal was prepared following directives from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, he said. "This conservation initiative by the Madhya Pradesh government will strengthen wildlife management in the Madhav National Park and Kuno National Park. It will bring about ecotourism benefits to local communities and development of the region," Krishnamoorthy said. The Kuno National Park is the only abode of cheetahs in the country. It is located in Sheopur district and is close to the Madhav National Park. As per the 'Status of Tigers: Co-predators & Prey in India-2022' report released by the NTCA and Wildlife Institute of India, the tiger population in Madhya Pradesh is estimated to be 785, the highest in the country, followed by Karnataka-563 and Uttarakhand-560. Also Read: Tiger population in India rises to 3682; shows 6 per cent annual increase This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 December,2024 09:23 AM IST | Madhya Pradesh | PTI
As Diwali draws near, an annual debate starts taking shape in the country: Should firecrackers be banned? While it is known that air pollution usually increases during the festive season, especially in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai, experts have often debated the share of firecrackers contributing to poor AQIs. It is also an annual tradition for the State governments and the Supreme Court to release directions for regulating firecracker use in the weeks leading up to Diwali. Earlier this month, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee announced a complete ban on firecrackers till January 1, 2025. The order also banned manufacturing, storage and selling of firecrackers, including delivery through online marketing platforms. Last year, the Supreme Court clarified that its regulations of banning all crackers, except green crackers, are to be implemented throughout the country. Closer home, last year, the Bombay High Court directed municipal authorities and the police administration to ensure that the bursting of firecrackers is restricted to three hours between 8 PM to 10 PM. Also Read: Delhi govt imposes ban on firecrackers to combat air pollution While these judicial interventions are necessary to regulate the bursting of firecrackers and subsequently control air pollution, people believe it is not enough. Has the ban on firecrackers been effective in Delhi? Delhi is often in the news for its poor air quality, especially during the winter months. It is also one of the few places that has been implementing a complete firecracker ban for a few years now. But has that helped in reducing air pollution? Bhavreen Kandhari, a city-based environmentalist, says, “The ban is a step in the right direction. It surely helps, just like every other source of emission if checked, helps reduce AQI. Firecrackers contribute significantly to pollution during all festivities.” According to a report released by Delhi Pollution Control Committee, there was a 42 per cent increase in AQI on the next day of Diwali last year. Source: DPCC This, Kandhari believes, was majorly due to firecrackers. The same report also shows that AQI on Diwali reduced by 33 per cent in 2023 as compared to 2022, and the AQI on the next day of Diwali reduced by 0.3 per cent between the two years. Source: DPCC Several residents reveal that despite the ban, people still buy and burst firecrackers in the city. On-ground challenges for implementing a ban on firecrackers Kandhari believes that while the ban is important, several challenges exist in implementation. She says, “One of the key challenges with the firecracker ban is that it’s often enforced too late in the year. By the time the ban was announced, manufacturers and traders had already produced and sold large quantities of firecrackers, making them widely available in the market. This leads to easy access, especially with people being able to buy them from neighbouring states where restrictions might be more lenient.” “Also, enforcement of the ban is inconsistent, making it difficult to fully control the situation. Without early intervention and stricter monitoring, both production and sale continue unchecked, thus diluting the effectiveness of the ban. There’s a complete lack of enforcement by the police on the ground as well. For the ban to be truly impactful, it needs to be implemented earlier in the year (the ban should be announced now for the next year) with a focus on stopping the supply chain and stronger cross-state coordination to prevent smuggling and illegal sales,” she adds. These challenges also make it difficult for a complete ban to be announced and enforced in other cities. Ronak Sutaria, a Mumbai resident and founder & CEO of Respirer Living Sciences, a real-time air quality monitoring startup, says, “While Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) or State Pollution Control Boards have the authority to issue such bans, the main question is how do we enforce this? On paper, it looks right. But there’s no proper mechanism to implement it. The ban has to come with penalties but how will the police force be mobilised for this? Theoretically yes, a ban on firecrackers would help reduce air pollution but practically, the situation is different.” Mumbai-based environmentalist Stalin D backs this, saying, “The ban on firecrackers has largely remained on paper. Some smoke-emitting crackers have been banned. Beyond that, nothing has happened.” Ask him why the restrictions have not been effective and he’s quick to say, “The failure of the ban is due to many reasons. The masses believe that crackers are a must during festivals. People have not been able to understand the linkages between air pollution and health disorders. This is despite their children and aged parents suffering. The politicians who can help bring the change themselves encourage the violations and this hazardous activity. For every politician's birthday, loud firecrackers are burst at midnight. This again is done in gross violation of Supreme Court orders banning fireworks beyond 10 PM.” In his words, “A beautiful festival of lights has been turned into a noisy polluting nightmare.” Have firecracker restrictions helped improve AQI in Mumbai – what does data say? While Mumbai has not imposed a complete ban on firecrackers yet, there have been several restrictions in terms of sales, timings, etc. Has that helped reduce air pollution over the years? A report compiled by Repository Living Sciences using data from 18 stations in Mumbai presents the following insights: Average air pollution (PM2.5) one day before Diwali in 2021: 82.80 Average PM2.5 one day before Diwali in 2022: 57.93 Average PM2.5 one day before Diwali in 2023: 46.18 There is a 19.54 per cent reduction in PM2.5 in 2023 as compared to 2022. Average PM2.5 on Diwali in 2021: 84.25 Average PM2.5 on Diwali in 2022: 68.79 Average PM2.5 on Diwali in 2023: 66.64 There is a 1.85 per cent reduction in PM2.5 between 2022 and 2023. However, the air quality remained above the safe level limit of 60 across all three years. Average PM2.5 one day after Diwali in 2021: 91.18 Average PM2.5 one day after Diwali in 2022: 109.49 Average PM2.5 one day after Diwali in 2023: 78.62 The PM2.5 level reduced by 17.86 per cent in 2023 as compared to 2022. However, the levels remained above the safe level. While the insights show a positive change, it is important to note that a majority of stations recorded PM2.5 above 60, which presents a dire picture. Also, factors beyond firecrackers may have also contributed in the increase or reduction in air pollution. Is imposing a ban on firecrackers enough? While restrictions on firecrackers and in some places, a complete ban, are steps to curb air pollution, they are not enough. “The ban is a step in the right direction, but to see real, sustained improvement in air quality, we need long-term systemic changes that address these underlying causes of pollution. A comprehensive approach that includes better waste management, stricter regulation of industrial emissions, promotion of cleaner transportation and policies encouraging green infrastructure will have a more meaningful impact on the AQI,” believes Kandhari. Cultural and behavioural changes needed The harms of bursting firecrackers both on the health of living beings and the environment are not unknown. Yet, people continue this practice because many consider it a part of their culture, a way of celebration. “People believe firecrackers to be inherent in culture. In that sense, if you’re banning firecrackers, you are essentially asking for a cultural change and that is not something that the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) or other authorities can do. Unless some religious or cultural figure persuades people not to burst firecrackers, just the authorities saying it won’t make much of a difference, especially when there are no legal mechanisms to enforce it. A behavioural change and cultural change is required,” believes Sutaria. If one wants to stop or control the bursting of firecrackers, a mindset shift is required which can’t come about at the snap of a finger. It needs to start from an early stage. Other steps to control air pollution While firecrackers do play an important role in contributing to air pollution, especially during this time, other factors are also responsible for poor AQI. To manage those, some steps need to be taken around the year beyond restricting firecracker use. Kandhari suggests the following: Urgent transition to clean energy: For example, diesel gensets were banned in Delhi, which has been a great step. While alternatives like battery storage systems or solar-powered options are available, the high cost and limited infrastructure for cleaner options discourage widespread adoption. Convenience and affordability are key barriers to moving away from polluting technologies. Expanding public transport, promoting electric vehicles and creating better infrastructure for cycling and walking can reduce vehicular emissions. Implementing congestion and emission taxes in high-traffic areas can further discourage the use of private vehicles. Encouraging responsible waste management, strict implementation of SWM Rules 2016 implementing waste segregation at source, curbing open burning of waste and promoting composting will help curb harmful emissions from landfills and incinerators. Stricter enforcement of emission standards for factories and industries is crucial, along with incentives for cleaner technology adoption. Protecting forests and increasing green cover through urban forests and green belts is necessary. There’s also a need to implement greening guidelines for footpaths, roads and highways. Civil society and experts should be included in all stages of decision-making and implementation. Also Read: Diwali 2024: Eco-friendly and DIY ideas to elevate your home décor
30 November,2024 11:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Raaina JainIn a significant achievement in wildlife conservation, India’s tiger population has grown to 3,682 in 2022, up from 2,967 in 2018, showing a 6 per cent annual increase in consistently monitored areas, the Parliament was informed on Monday. The rise in tiger numbers is due to efforts by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which focuses on three main strategies -- material and logistical support, restricting habitat interventions, and following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. The Central Indian Landscape Complex and Eastern Ghats Landscape Complex, spanning Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand, saw the numbers rise from 1,033 in 2018 to 1,439 in 2022, while the Shivalik-Gangetic Plain landscape complex, encompassing Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, registered a rise from 646 to 819, including from 442 to 560 in Uttarakhand. Other complexes also registered significant growth, such as Sunderbans where the population increased from 88 to 101. However, within the Central Indian Landscape Complex and Eastern Ghats Landscape Complex, the tiger population has declined in Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. Apart from this, the tiger population has also decreased in Arunachal Pradesh where it has come down from 29 to 9 in 2022. However, in Madhya Pradesh, tigers increased from 526 in 2018 to 785 in 2022, and in Maharashtra, from 312 to 444. India's tiger population has more than doubled since 2006, when it was 1,411. This growth has been supported by Project Tiger, a government initiative that funds conservation activities through annual plans prepared by tiger reserves. These plans are based on broader Tiger Conservation Plans, as mandated by the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the reply said. Funding is provided to tiger reserves for acquiring capacity in terms of infrastructure and material, to deal with tigers dispersing out of source areas. These are solicited by tiger reserves through an Annual Plan of Operation (APO) every year which stems from an overarching Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP), mandated under Section 38 V of the Act. Based on the carrying capacity of tigers in a tiger reserve, habitat interventions are restricted through an overarching TCP. In case tiger numbers are at carrying capacity levels, it has been advised that habitat interventions should be limited so that there is no excessive spillover of wildlife including tigers thereby minimising man-animal conflict. Further, in buffer areas around tiger reserves, habitat interventions are restricted such that they are sub-optimal vis-a-vis the core/critical tiger habitat areas, judicious enough to facilitate dispersal to other rich habitat areas only, the reply said. As per Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs), the National Tiger Conservation Authority has issued three SOPs to deal with human-animal conflict -- the issue of managing dispersing tigers, managing livestock kills so as to reduce conflict as well as relocating tigers from source areas to areas where the density of tiger is low, so that conflict in rich source areas does not occur. Also as per Tiger Conservation Plans, need-based and site-specific management interventions are undertaken by the tiger reserves to improve the quality of wildlife habitat and funding support for these activities is provided under the Project Tiger Component of the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats, the Minister said in the reply. Also Read: Wildlife conservationist Dr Jane Goodall praises Mumbai’s human-leopard co-existence; watch video This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 07:46 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSADVERTISEMENT
