Green cover in Odisha threatened by mining

Bhubaneswar: Odisha's decision to open more mines is set to affect the green cover in the state further, environmentalists have warned.
The state has witnessed significant loss of forest land over the years due to mining and industrial projects. It has lost a large chunk of forest cover following the diversion of forest land.
About 44,351 hectares of forest land have been diverted by the end of 2014 under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, for different projects.
Environmentalist and wildlife activist Lala A.K. Singh told IANS that large-scale mining activities would affect the green cover further. "The decision of the government to open up more mines will destroy forest areas in the state," he said.
"The government should ask the mine lease holders to extract minerals in the incomplete mines rather than going in for new areas. Mining in fresh areas means cutting of trees."
Data with the office of the principal chief conservator of forests showed that forests were fast losing out predominantly to mining in the state.
About 20,265 hectares of forest land have been diverted for 164 mining projects in Odisha followed by irrigation projects (about 9,712 hectares). Industries account for 4,265 hectares.
Odisha has allowed reopening of 29 mines and proposes to open several others.
The government, however, said it had taken up compensatory afforestation against forest land diverted for non-forestry activities.
The government said it has carried out compensatory afforestation drive in 42,910 hectares by June 2014 and has targeted to cover 5,428 hectares of land in 2015-16.
The total requirement for compensatory afforestation against forest land diversion for various projects has been pegged at 56,831 hectares, said a forest department official.
"We are taking up several measures for increasing forest cover in the state. While the forest cover has increased significantly in the state, we have decided to look for saplings of 120 million plants at various places this year," principal chief conservator of forests J.D. Sharma told IANS.
The official said several projects from the state were still awaiting clearance from the union environment ministry.
Meanwhile, the Odisha High Court issued notice to the central and Odisha governments over non-payment of net present value (NPV) of around Rs.715 crore by 111 mining lease holders for using forest land for non-forestry purpose.
The NPV is the amount the user agencies need to deposit for diversion of forest land for use of non-forestry purpose.
The fund is to be used for regeneration of forests, forest management, protection, infrastructure development, wildlife protection and management.

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NASA certifies SpaceX to launch big-ticket science probes

Washington: NASA has formally certified US-based Space Exploration Technologies Corporation's (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket to launch the most ambitious science missions.
The Falcon 9 is now certified by NASA as a "Category 2" launch vehicle. SpaceX has successfully launched six re-supply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the NASA contract.
NASA and SpaceX began pursuing the certification of the Falcon 9 in 2012. SpaceX won an $82 million contract to launch the Jason 3 mission -- a project jointly funded by the US and France to measure sea roughness.
The Jason 3 mission is scheduled for lift-off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in July. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket will deploy the 1,124 pound spacecraft into orbit 830 miles above the Earth.
The satellite will then activate a radar altimeter to bounce signals off the world's oceans to measure wave height, sea level rise and other data that are important for weather forecasting, oceanography and climate change research.
"The certification now clears the Falcon 9 to launch what NASA calls 'medium-risk' science missions, a classification that includes most of the agency's Earth observation satellites and many of its interplanetary probes," said NASA spokesperson George Diller in a statement.
The launch will be the Falcon 9's second flight. The first launch of Falcon 9 from California was in September, 2013.

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Pollution discolouring Taj Mahal: ASI

Agra: Centuries of pollution is slowly turning the Taj Mahal yellow despite continuing government efforts to save the historic monument in northern India, officials of the Archeological Survey have said.

The primary sources of pollution are a cemetery near the monument and sewer lines surrounding the Taj, officials added.

Dust particles and carbon gases emanating from the burning of biomass at the cemetery every day, combined with poisonous gases arising from the nearby sewer and the polluted river Yamuna settle on the white marble of the Taj Mahal, causing it to turn yellow.

"You might have seen the polluted environment on both sides of the Taj Mahal. The methane gases that emanate from these places are such that you cannot stand near them. It is a different matter that our officials have repeatedly spent millions of rupees to try to clean the Taj and its environment. But if you see the condition now, poisonous gases arising from the sewer and the polluted river Yamuna continues to affect the monument," said member, Supreme Court committee to monitor environmental threats to Taj Mahal, D.K Joshi in Agra.

He added that though efforts to beautify the Taj Mahal have been taken from time to time, no adequate measures to ensure safety and security of the monument were being taken.

Joshi's comments gain significance in the backdrop of government telling Parliament earlier this week that required actions were being taken to reduce pollution in the vicinity of the Mughal era monument.

"The marble of the Taj Mahal is turning yellow because of the dust particles coming out of the environment. We are continuing our efforts to remove the dust particles and other harmful gases. So some portions get cleaned but deposition of dust and carbon particles also continue. As a result the process of pollution and cleaning go on happening in a cycle," said Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India, Agra, Dr Bhuvan Vikrama.

The Rs 650 crore government programme, launched between 1998 and 2000 after the monument's famous white marble was seen to be turning yellow, has had some impact, but not enough to keep up with pollution around the site, environmentalists say.

Increasing urbanization and industrialization in Agra contribute to environmental pollution taking the pollution levels in the city to two or three times above the global pollution standards.

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Drought face-lift: California paints lawns green

Escondido: The heat is stifling, the soil dry as a bone, and a new law in drought-stricken California restricts sprinklers.

But far from saying farewell to their beloved lawn, some Californians are coping with the drought by... painting it green.

With a simple squeeze of a spray gun, dried-out yellow grass regains its lush green color before the eyes of its proud owners.

It is a kind of make-over which is becoming increasingly common among home-owners in California, which is now in the fourth year of a historic drought.

Paula Pearson, who lives in Escondido, just north of San Diego, is one of those who has turned off her sprinkler faucet. She took the plunge after governor Jerry Brown announced unprecedented water-saving measures in April.

Unsurprisingly, her lawn rapidly turned yellow. But she is determined to fight against nature.

"If I wanted yellow I`d throw rocks down there. Green grass is supposed to be green in my opinion," said Pearson, her eyes protected by shades from the dazzling midday sun.

"I love it! This is the color of my grass when I water it every day. I absolutely love it. I am thrilled," she told AFP.The first time she heard about the possibility of painting her lawn, she laughed -- before admitting, maybe it could be a good idea.

Neat houses with green front lawns are a traditional part of American culture and the landscape in suburbs across the country.

Taking care of your garden is a question of pride -- and can impact on home prices.

"We want to have a perfect lawn, it`s a reflection of you," said Jim Power, founder of Lawnlift, a company specialized in painting grass.

"It`s like if your car is dirty all the time, or your house is messy all the time, or if your lawn is overgrown or dead. It just shows that you don`t take care of things. People want it to look nice and it`s an instant fix to that problem."

California`s extreme drought also has made many homeowners swap their lush lawns for desert plants like cacti or agaves, which need hardly any water.

Some California cities have offered financial incentives, like Los Angeles with its "Cash for Grass" rebate scheme, which offers homeowners $1-2 for every square foot of grass replaced with water-efficient landscaping.

In San Francisco they have an "Ugliest Yard" contest, the winner of which gets a yard makeover featuring drought-tolerant and native plants.

But Power says classic lawn-based yards can survive the drought.

"We had similar drought conditions in the 1970s -- people ripped out their lawns and then lawns came back. So lawns are here to stay," he said.Wasting no time, a Lawnlift employee gets to work in Pearson`s yard by mixing up a potion of water and natural pigments which bring to mind cosmetics used by women every day.

Within minutes, the dessicated lawn is rejuvenated before its owner`s astonished eyes.

"I love it! This is the color of my grass when I water it every day. I absolutely love it. I am thrilled," she said.

The product is non-toxic, lasts for 12 weeks and is water-resistant -- even if the lack of rain is the main threat to California`s gardens.

Power acknowledges that his company is cashing in on the drought, in particular over the last 12 months.

"Sales from last March to this March have easily doubled and in fact we are 150 percent higher than last year and we attribute most of that to the drought," he said.

California is not the only market for his products: he also sells in Canada, and a few weeks ago made a $15,000 sale to Algeria.

"Most people that buy the product are looking for an instant cosmetic fix to their lawn problem. They don`t want to look at a dead lawn every time they leave the house and come back to the house.

"They want to look at a green lawn," he said.

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Indian-American boy wins 'Young Scientist' award at Intel International Science Fair

Pittsburgh: An 18-year-old Indian-American boy has been awarded the prestigious Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award in the US for inventing a device that can quickly shut down undersea oil spills.

Karan Jerath of Friendswood, Texas, claimed USD 50,000 top prize on Friday at this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (IISEF).

He was also one of the five students selected for the Intel and Indo-US Science and Technology Forum Visit to India Award.

Jerath won the prize for designing a sturdy device that can collect the oil, gas and water spewing from a broken well on the seafloor.

According to Jerath, “sensors inside the 350-ton device would measure the temperature, pressure and density of the mix of gases and fluids erupting from a well.”

“A computer would then calculate how valves in the gadget should be adjusted so that the gas and oil can be collected. That should stop a spill in its tracks.The device could help prevent an ecological catastrophe. It also would reduce cleanup costs,” Jerath said.

He shared the top position with two other teen researchers.

One developed a technique to more quickly diagnose infections by HIV. The other used sophisticated software to improve the flow of air inside aircraft cabins that could reduce the transmission of disease among passengers.

Maya Ajmera, who heads the Society for Science and the Public that conducts the IISEF, congratulated the winners and said, “These talented young students are the problem solvers and innovators of their generation.”

Apart from Jerath, many Indian-American students won awards in various categories, five of them getting the first award in their specialisations, biochemistry, behavioural sciences, environmental engineering, mathematics and energy physics.

This year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair featured approximately 1,700 young scientists selected from 422 affiliate fairs in more than 75 countries, regions and territories.

The Intel ISEF awards are based on students’ abilities to tackle challenging scientific questions, use authentic research practices, and create solutions for the problems of tomorrow.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Task force to study growing habitat of Asiatic lions in Guj

Ahmedabad: Gujarat government has decided to form a high-level task force to study the growing habitat of Asiatic lions, after the latest census revealed that their population has increased outside the protected area of Gir National Park and Sanctuary.

The forest department will form the task force to analyse the census data in the wake of growing lion population outside Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, the sole home of the Asiatic lions, officials said.

The aim of the task force will be to prepare a report about growing habitat of lions outside the sanctuary and suggest measures to reduce man-animal conflicts, they said.

"We will chalk out a plan based on the census data, which suggests increase in habitat area of lions. I have asked the officials to form a task force comprising 4-5 senior officials to suggest corrective measures on how to reduce threat on lions and decrease man-animal conflicts," Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) in state forest and environment department P K Taneja said.

As per the 14th lion census, the results of which were revealed on May 10 this year, the lion population has gone up to 523, which was 411 in the 2010 census.

While the Gir sanctuary is spread across 1,412 sq kms, the census report of 2015 suggests that the habitat area of the lions has increased to around 22,000 sq kms, which is almost double than 2010.

Out of total 523 lions spotted during this census, 268 were registered in Junagadh district, 44 in adjoining Gir-Somnath district, 174 in Amreli and 37 in Bhavnagar.

When asked if the state government was considering to extend the sanctuary limits or form a new sanctuary where lion habitat is found, Taneja said the committee will also look into these aspects. He also pointed out the need for re-deployment of forest staff to keep a check on lion movement outside the sanctuary.

"The task force will also suggest us all necessary steps to be taken for re-deployment of forest staff in areas outside the sanctuary. Before taking any decision on forming a new sanctuary, we need to analyse several aspects about the availability of herbivores as well as quality of forests," Taneja said.

Officials also admitted that lion population has significantly increased outside the sanctuary, particularly in Amreli district, where the number of the big cats has gone up from 108 in 2010 to 174 in 2015.

"Amreli as well as Bhavnagar are showing significant presence of lions. To avoid chances of man-animal conflict, we are now establishing regular communication with locals and farmers. We are also providing training to social forestry staff to handle the situation," Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) C N Pandey said.

"We have also launched an Asiatic Lion Landscape Scheme last year to handle lion population outside the sanctuary. Our main aim is to improve the habitat of lions in those areas and take measures for better conflict management," Pandey added.

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