Latest news with #MoEFCC
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Haryana aims to rejuvenate 37k hectares of its Aravali region
Gurgaon: Haryana unveiled a comprehensive forest landscape restoration (FLR) initiative on Tuesday to mark World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. The four Aravali states participated in a workshop in Jodhpur to unveil this plan, which aimed to restore the degraded Aravalis. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This multi-faceted plan by Haryana aims to rejuvenate 37,017 hectares of its Aravali region, where 69.5% of the degraded area is classified as forest land, followed by 13.2% scrubland and 17.3% degraded agriculture land, according to the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC). The core strategy involves the systematic uprooting of invasive species like Prosopis juliflora, followed by the mixed plantation of indigenous Aravali species. The initiative aims for the plantation of 1,000 plants per hectare, with three plants per trench. Plus, seeding in patches of Aravali species will be done in equal numbers, and bamboos will be planted in areas with good soil depth where continuous contour trenching is feasible. The restoration process includes "scattered pit plantation" or "contour trench plantation" on hilly terrains, and the model is based on natural processes, and rainwater will be conserved in situ with indigenous Aravalli and arid region species comprising 25% of the total plants. "The restoration efforts will be meticulously aligned with existing schemes from multiple ministries, operating under a convergent governance model. This will involve oversight by district collectors and coordination through inter-departmental committees, ensuring a holistic and integrated approach. We will be developing strategies for five Aravalis districts for year-long plans. The plan was discussed in Jodhpur today where the nodal officer for Haryana showcased the plan," Haryana's principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Vineet Kumar Garg, told TOI. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Joint forest management committees (JFMCs), self-help groups (SHGs), and watershed committees will be a part of the plan with participatory rural appraisals (PRA), detailed mapping exercises, and micro-watershed delineation. Among the state's Aravali districts, Gurgaon has been worst affected by the environmental crisis, accounting for 13,935 hectares (78.6%) of degraded land, 2,322 hectares (13.1%) of scrub, and 1,464 hectares (8.3%) of degraded agricultural land.
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Environmental clearance now required for large township and construction projects in Chandigarh
1 2 Chandigarh: All townships and area development projects covering an area of more than 50 hectares or a built-up area of more than 1,50,000 square metres will now require environmental clearance. Similarly, building and construction projects with more than 20,000 square metres and more than 1,50,000 square metres of built-up area will also need clearance. This is as per the latest notification issued by the UT department of environment. The notification is in pursuance of the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The NGT, in its orders dated Aug 5, 2024, directed the MoEFCC to strictly enforce the notification dated September 14, 2006, attached to Category 8 in the note on general conditions. The NGT directed the MoEFCC to appraise all those building and construction projects that are located in whole or in part within 5 km of the protected area notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, critically polluted areas and severely polluted areas as identified by the CPCB, eco-sensitive areas notified under Section 3(2) of the Environment (Protection) Act, and the projects located at inter-state boundaries as Category A projects to be appraised at the central level by the Sectoral Expert Appraisal Committee. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The MoEFCC was also directed to strictly comply with the notification or to provide clarity by issuing a notification. A copy of the order was communicated to the MoEFCC for clarification and the issuance of the necessary notification or to comply with the EIA Notification, 2006, in letter and spirit. The UT notification states, "In compliance with the court orders, the General Condition shall be applicable to all the building and construction projects falling in category 8(a) & 8(b) of the schedule to the EIA notification, 2006. All such projects located in whole or in part within 5 km of the protected area notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, critically polluted areas and severely polluted areas as identified by the CPCB, eco-sensitive areas notified under Section 3(2) of the Environment (Protection) Act, and the projects located at inter-state boundaries are to be appraised at the central level by the Sectoral Expert Appraisal Committee as Category A projects until any clarification by way of a notification is issued by the Ministry. " All the project proponents requiring Environmental Clearance for their proposed projects have been asked to approach or apply through the appropriate authority in compliance with the recent directions of the Supreme Court of India. MSID:: 121889588 413 |
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Plea in Kerala HC seeks court-monitored probe into two shipwrecks
Kochi: A public interest litigation has been filed in high court seeking a court-monitored time-bound investigation by a multi-agency special investigation team (SIT) into the recent shipwrecks involving MSC ELSA 3 and MV Wan Hai 503 off the Kerala coast. The petitioner, Parappangadi resident Ummer Ottummal, urged that the SIT comprise representatives from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC), the directorate general of shipping, Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other relevant institutions. The petition, which will be taken up on Tuesday, further prays for the establishment of a dedicated coastal victims compensation, rehabilitation and environment restoration fund (CVCRERF) with an initial corpus of Rs 1,000 crore to be contributed by the central govt. According to the petitioner, this fund should be utilised for the benefit of the affected coastal communities and for the restoration of biodiversity and the coastal environment. Ummer, who claims to represent the 'collective conscience' of the fishermen community in Kerala, also seeks the constitution of a court-monitored environmental restoration task force, comprising independent ecological experts, scientists, maritime safety specialists and representatives of statutory bodies under the aegis of the MoEFCC. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo In addition, the petition calls for the formulation of a national coastal hybrid threat prevention framework and the constitution of a high-level inter-ministerial task force, with representation from the defence and environment ministries, to address strategic maritime security breaches, starting with the circumstances surrounding MSC ELSA 3 and MV Wan Hai 503. Referring to the incidents, namely, the sinking of the Liberian-flagged cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 off the Alappuzha coast on May 25 and the fire aboard the Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503 off the Kannur coast on June 9, the petitioner alleged that they resulted in grave violations of the livelihood rights and safety of Kerala's coastal population, and were compounded by a failure to safeguard the region's ecology, biodiversity, and environment.
Mint
5 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Environment minister Bhupendra Yadav calls for a collective action among Big Cat Range countries
Emphasizing the importance of collective action to advance the conservation and protection of the seven major big cat species and their natural habitats, Union minister for environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) Bhupendra Yadav called upon the Big Cat Range countries to actively engage and collaborate in the initiatives and programmes of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA). The IBCA, a global initiative launched by India in 2024, is a coalition of 95 range countries with a mandate for the conservation of seven big cats, namely tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma. On 29 February 2024, the Union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the establishment of the IBCA, with a one-time budgetary support of ₹ 150 crore for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28. 'India has emerged as a global leader in wildlife conservation, demonstrating notable successes over the past decade,' Yadav, who chaired the first assembly of the IBCA in New Delhi, said in a press statement. The assembly, the apex body of the IBCA, was attended by ministerial delegations from nine countries: Bhutan, Cambodia, Eswatini, Guinea, India, Liberia, Suriname, Somalia, and Kazakhstan. 'India stands ready to collaborate with all IBCA members to adapt best models—tailored to local contexts—and to co-develop innovative solutions that secure the future of big cats and their landscapes worldwide,' the minister said on the social media platform X. The assembly unanimously endorsed Yadav as the president of the IBCA. It also endorsed S.P. Yadav as the director general of the IBCA. Also, the assembly endorsed the proceedings of the first International Steering Committee meeting of the IBCA, which was held in April 2024, ratified the headquarters agreement signed by the IBCA with India, approved the workplan, rules of procedure of the assembly and the manual of staff and financial regulations of the IBCA. These will serve as the guiding foundation for the effective governance, operations, and collaborative initiatives of the IBCA. The primary objective of the IBCA is to facilitate collaboration and synergy amongst range countries and other stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise to achieve a common goal of conservation of big cats at the global level. This unified approach, bolstered by financial support, aims to boost the biodiversity conservation agenda, halt the decline in big cat populations, and conserve our ecology.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
IIT-Kharagpur team wins national ideathon under ‘save water' category
Kharagpur: Out of 21 innovative solutions chosen from 1,384 entries received from across India, a sustainable waste management solution proposed by a IIT-Kharagpur team has bagged the first prize at a national ideathon, 'Ideas4LiFE', under the 'save water' category. The IIT-Kharagpur team proposed the concept of reducing water footprint using moisture from raw sewage during treatment of waste and converting the same into bio-carbon materials used for various purposes. The bio-carbon materials are used for energy storage, environmental remediation and industrial processes. 'Ideas4LiFE' is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with UNICEF YuWaah, launched under the framework of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). The team comprises Rajarshi Bhar, Joydeepa Taran, and Anil. The teammates were guided by Civil Engineering Department professor Brajesh Kumar Dubey. The idea has been titled as "Reducing Water Footprint Using Raw Sewage during Hydrothermal Carbonization." The project proposes an innovative solution to use raw municipal sewage as a moisture source during the production of lignocellulosic hydrochar, effectively reducing the dependence on freshwater. This approach not only advances water conservation efforts but also integrates waste management with renewable energy production, making it a scalable and sustainable intervention, the team claimed. The 'Ideas4LiFE' platform was launched on July 29, 2024, at IIT competition followed a rigorous three-phase selection process, including evaluation by experts from the Department of Higher Education and a national jury.
