Environment Archives | Page 44 of 47

Quake-prone, yet not prepared for disaster

October 27, 2015 Editor

State falls in seismic zone IV, V I Its disaster management strategy yet to be implemented A decade after the 7.6 magnitude quake claimed 86,000 lives on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, the government seems to have learnt no lesson in handling disasters despite the state being “tectonically active” and vulnerable to massive earthquakes. The state still lacks concrete disaster management policy and what is more worrying is that the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and its offshoots at divisional and district levels…

Govt to use eco-friendly tech for waste management

October 26, 2015 Editor

The government will make use of eco-friendly ‘waste-to-value technology’ to tackle the problem of solid waste management. An official statement today said Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed chaired a meeting here last evening to discuss various options for treating waste by using latest technologies for cleaner and healthier environment. “During the meeting, a presentation was also given on waste-to-value technology that makes garbage disposal not only scientific but a source of sustained revenue generation for the government by trading in end products. Various options available with the government for adopting…

JU’s two-day ‘Save Tawi’ campaign concludes

October 23, 2015 Editor

The two-day-long “Save Tawi” campaign launched by the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu (JU), in collaboration with the Society for Environmental Education and Research (SEER) and Centre for Environment Education and Training (CEET) on the banks of the Tawi concluded today. The campaign was organised on the last two days of Navratras when a large number of devotees visited the river for immersion of “saakh” (barely sprouts) along with other religious material in it. The campaign was organised to educate people regarding the harmful effects of mass bathing…

Attach unauthorised structures in, around Dal Lake: HC

October 19, 2015 Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed attachment of all the structures and buildings constructed in violation of Srinagar Master Plan and court orders in and around Dal Lake here. A Division Bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Hasnain Masoodi yesterday gave the direction to Lakes and Water Ways Development Authority (LAWDA) to attach all these structures and buildings. “We, in the said backdrop, direct respondent Authority (LAWDA) to attach all the above mentioned structures and buildings raised in violation of Master…

Post floods, people raise commercial structures on residential permits

October 17, 2015 Editor

40% of applicants deceived authorities: SMC official In the aftermath of last year’s floods, many commercial structures have cropped up in Srinagar in violation of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) building permissions. The violators have constructed commercial structures on sites where permission was given for residential structures. For instance, a three-storey commercial building is coming up near National School, Karan Nagar where Mohammad Shafi Shah son of Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Shah was granted a residential building permission. “The permission is purely for residential purposes and (there should be) no change in…

‘Green Kashmir Initiative’ launched from Sonamarg

October 15, 2015 Editor

A group of young tour operators today kick-started ‘Clean Sonamarg Drive’ as part of Green Kashmir Initiative for protecting the fragile ecology of tourist spots in Kashmir Valley. The Green Kashmir Initiative under the banner Kashmir Eco Tourism Club (KETC) was launched from Sonamarg by Shabir Hussain, CEO – Sonamarg Development Authority. Riyaz Ahmad & Saleem Wanchu, General Managers of JKTDC were present, a statement here said. Later, the members of Green Initiative drive visited all the shopkeepers and distributed cloth bags among them to prevent use of polythene. Besides,…

Residential areas in Srinagar turning into commercial hubs

October 14, 2015 Editor

Rampant construction in the aftermath of floods is fast turning residential areas in Srinagar into commercial hubs even as officials of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation maintained that action would be taken against the violators once the revised Master Plan was approved by the Cabinet. There has been widespread construction of unplanned colonies in many parts of the summer capital in violation of the Srinagar Master Plan. Residents alleged rampant construction of shopping malls and other commercial buildings in the flood-hit localities of the city. They said the Srinagar Master Plan…

In 20 yrs, Rs 25.15 cr spent to clean Dal

October 13, 2015 Editor

The state government has spent Rs 25.15 crore in the past nearly two decades to purchase machines to clean the Dal Lake, the prime tourist attraction in the city. The machines that have been purchased to clean the lake since 1997 include two sewer cleaning machines, two multipurpose lake cleaning machines, two weed harvesters and two cutter-suction dredgers. The machines have been purchased for Rs 25.15 crore, according to official documents. The Dal Lake has suffered immensely due to pollution, silt and weed generated from multiple sources and a massive…

Climate change fallout major challenge: Governor

October 13, 2015 Editor

Opens science congress, stresses useful linkages Governor NN Vohra inaugurated the 11th Jammu and Kashmir Science Congress with the theme of “Social, Scientific and Economic Dimensions of Climate Change” at the University of Kashmir here today. Scientists and research scholars from a number of universities from within the state and various parts of the country would discussing the consequences of climate change during the three-day congress. In his inaugural address, the Governor, who is also Chancellor of the university, welcomed the participants and observed that holding an annual science congress…

A critical note on the status of Hangul (Kashmir Deer)

October 12, 2015 Editor

Over View: Of the twenty member family, Kashmir Deer (Hangul) is the only asiatic survivor of this genus, since Shou or Sikkim stag is believed to have vanished from eastern Himalayas in Cumby valley of Sikkim, adjacent valleys of Bhutan and south eastern Nepal. Hangul being endemic to Jammu & Kashmir of a very poor population status was designated as State Animal in 1980’s to focus the attention of national and international organisations for its conservation. The deer once widely distributed in moist temperate forests of the state, is now…