Prepare to pay Environment Cess in Maharashtra

Jun 14, 2012

Maharashtra’s environment department is preparing a proposal to levy tax on environment polluters. The proposal, say sources, is almost ready and will soon be tabled before the state cabinet. As per the proposal, any activity that affects the environment, like stone-crushing, mining, vehicular

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Plant biodiversity being threatened by invasive species

May 30, 2012

The Kerala State Biodiversity Board has identified 89 alien invasive species of plants that have become a major threat for the plant biodiversity of the state. The recent survey says that 19 of these species are extremely dangerous as they are causing environmental

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Forest clearance will not be on lines of environmental clearance

May 30, 2012

The suggestion to form forest advisory committees (FAC) to speed up the pace of ‘forest clearance’ process has been rejected by the environment ministry. The group of ministers (GoM) headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had asked the environment ministry to set up

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Actions in Asia-Pacific will be ‘make or break’ for climate change

May 13, 2012

The Asia-Pacific region is rapidly growing in terms of economy and is steadily helping millions out of poverty. The availability of basic resources ad essentials of living are also being taken care of, but the region is compromising its responsibility towards the environment.

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Climate change: Finally, something happened in Durban

Dec 12, 2011

There were several hundred negotiators, each with dozens of conditions and thousands of opinions, but all agreed to one point: that the world is getting warmer, the environment’s resilience is depleting, and ‘something’ needs to be done on an urgent basis. The major

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Companies selected to complete first phase of India solar mission

Dec 6, 2011

About 22 alternate energy companies have been shortlisted to set up solar energy-based power plants in India by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd, a unit of state-run power utility NTPC Ltd. NTPC is entrusted to award the projects. France’s Fonroche Energy and Solairedirect Group are

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Climate change: BASIC stands by India at Durban

Nov 30, 2011

The four advanced developing countries Brasil, South Africa, India, and China (BASIC) have come together and put out a ‘same’ position at the negotiations at the Durban climate change summit. China, South Africa, and Brasil have come in support of India’s proposal to

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Climate Change: Who said what at Durban on day 1

Nov 29, 2011

Representatives of 194 countries finally arrived at Durban with their own agendas to find solutions to control escalating global temperatures. Before they all settled down to start negotiations, they presented their positions. Here is the stand of each influential country: USA The United States

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Climate change: Will it be a stalemate at Durban, too?

Nov 26, 2011

Again, over 10,000 officials from 194 countries will burn gallons of fuel to reach Durban, South Africa, on Monday to start conversations from the ‘negotiation’ point that was left ‘parked’ last year at Cancun, Mexico – that of renewing the current climate treaty,

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Renewable energy ministry wants Rs 40,000 crore to meet 2017 target

Nov 24, 2011

The renewable energy ministry has sought a 10-fold increase in fund outlay for the next five years. The ministry estimates that Rs 40,000 crore will be required to ramp up its capacity to 30,000 MW by 2017. India’s present renewable energy capacity is

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