Close to 50 per cent of the land under nine cement plants in Meghalaya are “forest”, said a report of the Joint Inspection Team (JIT) constituted under the directive of the Supreme Court.

The Morning Star Company’s three plants in California emit roughly 200,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year — about the same amount as the Pacific Island nation of Palau — as they turn tomatoes into ketchup, spaghetti sauce and juice used by millions of consumers around the world.

Beginning January 1, under the terms of a groundbreaking California environmental law known as AB 32, Morning Star and 350 other companies statewide will begin paying for those emissions, which trap heat and contribute to global warming.

SHILLONG: The Megh-alaya Forest Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2012 has come under scanner for its definition of ‘forest’. The Bill was passed on the last day of the Winter Session of the State Assembly on Friday.

The environmentalists have pointed out that the Bill does not have any retrospective effect and is aimed at giving free hand to destroy the forest cover to divert it to non-forest activities.

Under the agreement, JFE will provide technology for the production of non-oriented electrical steel sheets at JSW's Bellary plant

JSW Steel Ltd and Japan’s JFE Steel Corporation on Monday announced signing of a joint agreement for technical collaboration. Under the agreement, JFE will provide technology for the production of non-oriented electrical steel sheets (CRNGO) at the JSW’s Vijayanagar plant in Bellary district of Karnataka.

SHILLONG: Replacing the 15-year-old state industrial policy, the State Cabinet on Saturday approved the new Meghalaya Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy, 2012 aimed at preventing land alienation and to protect the interest of local entrepreneurs.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said the new policy, which replaced the industrial policy of 1997, would also help to empower the local entrepreneurs besides checking rampant purchase of land by industries.

The villagers affected by mining activities in Lanjiberna and its vicinity in Rajgangpur Assembly constituency have urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to depute an independent team t

Hyderabad: Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd, the corporate entity of Vizag Steel, is mulling setting up of a cement plant as part of its plans to dispose byproducts such as slag and fly ash, a senior company official said.

RINL may also enter into a long-term contract to supply these byproducts to prevent their accumulation that can lead to environmental issues. "We may enter into a joint venture partnership for setting up a cement plant," the official said.

Field visits indicate factories contributing to pollution

State Government is formulating comprehensive policy to check adverse impact of cement factories on the environment in both regions of the State. The policy will be based on the outcome of fields visits recently conducted by the experts. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that 7-member Committee headed by Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Shantmanu, which was constituted for in-depth and exclusive study of all the cement factories established in the State to assess the environmental pollution caused by these factories, is in the final stage of making detailed recommendations to the Committee on Environment of the State Legislature.

The Cabinet approved the proposed Meghalaya Forest Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2012 to have clarity on the definition of the areas which would be considered as Forest.