Environment

New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) The government has cleared eight hydropower projects of 144 MW on the Indus river and its tributaries in Ladakh, the highest so far, sources in the Jal Shakti Ministry said on Thursday.

At present, there are several small projects, with a collective capacity of 113 MW on Indus in Ladakh, and the new projects will have much more capacity than those constructed so far, a senior official added.

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) The Delhi government has notified the Tree Transplantation Policy under which agencies will have to transplant a minimum of 80 per cent of the trees affected by their development works.

The Delhi Cabinet had approved the policy on October 9.

LONDON (AP) — Hurricane-force winds reaching up to 106 mph (170 kph) and heavy rainstorms battered parts of Britain on Sunday, disrupting train services and stranding drivers in floodwaters.

The Isle of Wight saw Storm Bella’s strongest gusts hit 106 mph, while parts of the south coast of England and north Wales also saw gusts of around 80 mph (129 kph). Flooding on the tracks caused train cancellations and delays in southern England, and a main train line into London was blocked by a fallen tree.

New Delhi, Dec 28 (PTI) A cold wave is likely to grip parts of Delhi over the next four days as frosty winds from the Himalayas have started blowing towards the plains, weather department officials said on Monday.

The minimum temperature in the national capital settled at 5.6 degrees Celsius as against 6 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

Hyderabad, Dec 20 (PTI): Expressing solidarity with the farmers protesting at Delhi borders against the Centre's new farm laws, members of different organisations including farmers organisations and Left parties held a dharna here on Sunday.

Diverse citizen groups from various walks of life joined the dharna and declared that they stand with farmers and support their demands for repeal of the three new farm laws, a release from the AIKSCC (All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee) said.

Washington, Dec 18 (PTI) US President-elect Joe Biden has announced his climate and energy team, which the transition said is ready on day one to advance his agenda and lead the world to confront the undeniable, accelerating and punishing reality of climate change.

The nominees are Congresswoman Deb Haaland as Secretary of Interior, Jennifer Granholm as Energy Secretary, Michael Regan as administrator for Environmental Protection Agency and Brenda Mallory as Chair of the Council of the Council on Environmental Quality.

Paris, Dec 15 (AP-PTI) French President Emmanuel Macron announced a referendum to add the fight against climate change and the need to preserve the environment into the French Constitution.

Speaking on Monday to a citizen's group in charge of making proposals on climate-related issues, Macron proposed a change in the constitution that requires a parliamentary vote, and then a referendum.

PARIS (AP) — U.S. President-elect Joe Biden pledged Saturday to rejoin the Paris climate accord on the first day of his presidency, as world leaders staged a virtual gathering to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the international pact aimed at curbing global warming.

Heads of state and government from over 70 countries took part in the event — hosted by Britain, France, Italy, Chile and the United Nations — to announce greater efforts in cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that fuel global warming.

New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Delhi's air quality turned "severe" on Saturday with slow wind speed allowing the accumulation of "locally generated" pollutants, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials.

However, it is expected to improve by Monday as the wind speed is likely to pick up.

Juneau, Dec 4 (AP-PTI) The US Bureau of Land Management plans to hold an oil and gas lease sale in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge next month, weeks before President-elect Joe Biden, who has opposed drilling in the region, is set to take office.

Conservation groups criticized Thursday's announcement as rushed and based on environmental reviews that are being challenged in court as flawed.