Latest news with #DepartmentofEnvironmentandClimateChange
New Indian Express
07-07-2025
- New Indian Express
CRZ violation: TN cracks down on illegal ECR construction
CHENNAI: In a fresh crackdown on Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations along Tamil Nadu's East Coast Road (ECR), the state government has issued a stop-work order and show cause notice to two individuals for allegedly constructing a compound wall within the No-Development Zone (NDZ) of CRZ-III, in Kanathur Reddikuppam village of Chengalpattu district. The action follows a detailed site inspection by officials of the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DoE&CC) and forest range officer, based on a written complaint from the local Kanathur Reddikuppam Meenavar Panchayat Sabai on June 9. Local fisherman Mahendran Mani told TNIE that a total of 2.5 acres has been compounded, which includes 0.5 acre of kadal poramboke land which is traditionally used for boat parking. 'After groynes were constructed in Kovalam-Muttukadu, the Kanathur coast has experienced severe erosion. There is hardly any beach left for parking our boats and fishing gear. Now, access has been cut off to our traditional land and we are being threatened for voicing our concerns. The state should immediately demolish the compound wall. Our village has about 130 boats of different sizes,' Mani said.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Green energy transition can unlock Rs5.4L cr investment for Vidarbha: Report
Mumbai: India's first regional energy transition plan for Vidarbha has suggested that around 25 million tonnes of carbon emissions could be saved if the region's coal-based mining and energy economy is replaced with the greener one comprising renewable and forests. Such a saving will be equivalent to removing 12.5 million or 1.25 crore polluting cars from the roads, which is equal to one-third of total vehicles (3.77 crores) in Maharashtra, an environmental think-tank has said. A green transition in Chandrapur-Nagpur-Yavatmal (CNY), Maharashtra's coal energy hub, can potentially unlock Rs5.4 lakh crore investment, 3.4 lakh jobs and 4% regional GDP growth by 2035, finds a report by iFOREST, an international forum for environment, sustainability and technology. The CNY region, responsible for 100% of Maharashtra's coal production and half its coal-based thermal power capacity, is the state's energy backbone. With resource exhaustion triggering coal decline by 50% in the next decade, the repurposing of closed and retiring coal mines can propel CNY into Maharashtra's green industry and energy hub, the report said. According to Dr Chandra Bhushan, CEO of iFOREST, saving 25 million tonnes of carbon emissions would have a long-lasting effect as it would mean removing 1.25 crore cars from roads permanently. In a move to secure India's clean energy future, iFOREST, in collaboration with Maharashtra govt's Department of Environment and Climate Change, released the first-ever Regional Just Transition Investment Plan recently, focused on the CNY region. The 10-year blueprint identifies three Economic Development Nodes — Bhadrawati–Wani, Rajura–Chandrapur, and Umred—which can together repurpose 6,000 hectares of coal mine land into green energy and industrial hubs. Highest solar potential found in the CNY region is expected to generate 37 GW of solar energy opportunities. According to a report, Rs33,400 crore from public investments, coal companies and power utilities can fund land reclamation and repurposing. Maharashtra chief secretary Sujata Saunik, said, "Our focus should be to attract investment for development of renewable energy projects and green industrial clusters. We also need to expand electrification from personal vehicles to commercial transportation. This transition will be driven by policy frameworks that unlock green finance and support innovation. Maharashtra has consistently led from the front in adopting progressive policies for climate resilience and sustainability. " Praveen Pardeshi, the chief economic advisor to the chief minister, and CEO, MITRA said, "Forty percent of Maharashtra's energy is used by farmers to pump water for irrigation. Moving them to solar pumps is our biggest ongoing success story. We need innovative nudge policies and behaviour change incentives to support a transition of this scale from traditional energy sources."
New Indian Express
30-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Collector Sheikh Abdul Rahman reviews coastal areas in Villupuram to develop tourism
VILLUPURAM: District Collector Sheikh Abdul Rahman conducted an inspection of coastal areas under the Marakkanam Panchayat block, including Theerthavari, Keezhputhupattu, Pudukuppam, and Thandrayankuppam, to assess and plan for the development of tourism infrastructure on Sunday. During his visit, the collector emphasised the need to enhance the facilities in these coastal villages, which are often visited by domestic and international tourists. The proposals for developing the infrastructure include the provision of essential amenities such as clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, and children's parks. The collector held discussions with officials from respective departments to outline the necessary steps for infrastructure improvement. The inspection also included Keezhputhupattu beach, with the goal of developing the site to qualify for the prestigious Blue Flag certification, an international eco-label for beaches meeting high standards of cleanliness and sustainability. In addition, the collector reviewed the location identified in Nadukuppam for setting up a Blue-Green Centre under the Department of Environment and Climate Change, which has already granted preliminary approval for the initiative. The inspection was attended by key officials, including Fisheries Department assistant director Nithya Priyadharshini, district tourism officer Janarthanan, Marakkanam revenue tahsildar Neelaveni, and Environment and Climate Change Department officer Pavithra, among others.
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
The Hindu wins environment journalism prize
The Hindu bagged the Paristhithi Mithram Journalism Prize (Print Media Journalist ) instituted by the Department of Environment and Climate Change for outstanding contributions to environmental conservation. A collection of over 30 environmental stories authored by K.S. Sudhi, Chief of Bureau, The Hindu, Kochi, and published in The Hindu in 2024 won the award. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presented the award, which carries a cash prize of ₹1 lakh and citation, at a function in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday in connection with World Environment Day. I.B. Satheesh, MLA, Salom Gnana Thanga Vincent, Professor, Department of Environment Science, Kerala University, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, and Guruvayur Municipality also won awards in different categories. K.P. Devika, a Class III student of Kozhikode, won a special mention for her conservation efforts. S. Sambasiva Rao, Special Secretary, Environment Department, S. Sreekala, Chairperson, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, N. Anilkumar, Chairperson, Kerala State Biodiversity Board, N. Krishnakumar, Kerala Legislative Secretary, Suneel Pamidi, Director, Department of Environment, and Ananya Ghoshal of UNICEF attended the event. The event was supported by UNICEF. A workshop on ending plastic pollution was also held.
CBC
04-04-2025
- General
- CBC
New solar-powered greenhouse project aims to combat food insecurity in Shelburne County
Work is underway on a volunteer-run project in Shelburne, N.S., that aims to provide thousands of kilograms worth of fresh produce to the community each year. The Community Garden and Foodshare Association of Shelburne County was recently awarded $142,158 from the province to construct a new solar-powered and geothermal greenhouse that will operate year-round. The funding comes from the Department of Environment and Climate Change's sustainable communities challenge fund. Michael Kozak, the association's president, says the project will be instrumental in combating food insecurity, as various forms of fresh produce will be grown and distributed to people in need. The association will also donate to the local food bank, which has been struggling to keep up with high demand in recent years. "Everyone should have access to healthy, nutritious food," said Kozak. "And isn't it better to eat something that's from 10 feet away instead of 10,000 miles away?" He said the greenhouse will be entirely heated and cooled by energy from the sun and earth, and has the potential to produce approximately 2,000 kilograms of food per year. It will be built near the local high school on a plot of land donated by the municipality of Shelburne. Volunteers have spent months clearing the grounds and construction could begin as early as next week, according to Kozak. The project is expected to be finished by the summer. With growing efforts to support local producers, Kozak said this is a step in the right direction at a time when people should be thinking about ways to create more sustainable food systems at home. "The only thing I can thank [U.S. President Donald] Trump for — the only thing — is the current political climate has made us more focused on the importance of food security and having access to fresh food should things happen wherein logistically, we're not able to get fresh food brought to us." Henry Penn, who is volunteering as the association's project manager, said this is especially important for rural communities that are more disconnected from major grocery chains and distribution systems. "That's just a part of overall community resilience," he said. He added that when the association shared its bounty from several outdoor garden beds back in the fall, everything was gone within 45 minutes. "That's, I think, a part of demonstrating just what it means to local people in the Shelburne area to have access to fresh produce," said Penn. Stanley Jacklin, mayor of the Town of Shelburne, said he's certain this initiative will have a positive impact on the community and believes Canadians rely too heavily on importing food from elsewhere. "I don't think it's sustainable with what's going on in the current world," said Jacklin. "We have to be a little more self-sufficient." Once the greenhouse is up and running, Kozak said the goal is to build at least three more on the roughly one-hectare piece of land. The non-profit association is currently run by about 30 volunteers, but they hope to create several paid positions and even collaborate with local farmers to make proteins and dairy a part of the food sharing project. Kozak said the greenhouse will be named in honour of John Davis, a local volunteer who founded the group but died suddenly in 2024.
