Mining Destroys Habitat; 78 Spotted In 1992

Ajmer: Owing to massive mining in the Sokhliya grassland of Nasirabad block of Ajmer, only two Great Indian Bustards were spotted in the survey which ended on Monday night. In 1990s, more than 75 bustards were spotted here. The department is preparing to restore the habitat of these birds after which it will conduct the second phase of the survey in June. Around 35 teams of forest department were out in the region all long day to spot the state bird (GIB). “Sokhaliya is the natural habitat of this bird but in the last ten years their numbers have drastically dropped in the area,” said the sarpanch of Deratu village.

Will supply 24 units of the S88-2.1 MW wind turbine generators

Aluminium giant NALCO is setting up its second Wind Power Plant in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan with a capacity of 47.6 MW.

The Rs 283 crore Wind Power Project will be executed at Ludarva in Jaisalmer district through M/s Gamesa Wind Turbines Private Ltd, which involves erection of 56 Wind Turbines, each of 850 KW rating, NALCO sources said on Thursday. This is the second green initiative of NALCO towards promoting sustainable development by harnessing unconventional and renewable energy sources, which would credit the 'Navaratna' PSU with incentives from the government.

JAIPUR: The hunting of Houbara bustards through falconry in Pakistani areas close to the Indian border is a violation of international bird conservation legislation. Though Houbara is not endangered but it is considered vulnerable according to International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN. These birds are hunted by members of Arab royal families with permission from the government of Pakistan.

A Jaipur-based environmental group, Tourism and Wildlife Society of India (TWSI), has now sought the intervention of Union external affairs ministry to put pressure on Pakistan to ban hunting of rare Houbara bustards, which has drastically reduced India's share of its annual winter migrants and affected the desert eco-system.

JAIPUR: Residents of Pink City woke up to the coldest morning of the season on Monday when the city recorded a minimum temperature of 2.3 degrees Celsius, almost 5 degrees below the normal minimum. In most places of the state, shivering cold conditions threw life out of normal gear with Churu recording minus 2.7 degrees and Mount Abu recording minus 0.5 degrees - the two most coldest places in the state.

The two places were followed by Pilani which recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, Karauli 0, Sriganganagar 0.4, Vanasthali 0.8, Dausa and Rajsamand 1.5, Bharatpur 1.9, Fatehpur 2.1, Bikaner 2.6, Chittorgarh and Sawai Madhopur 2.8, Bundi 3, Udaipur 3.2, Pali 3.6, Sikar 3.8, Jaisalmer 4, Kota 6.2 and Jodhpur 6.9 degrees Celsius.

With no rain or dust, November was one of the better months for solar power plants in the country

The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) recently released data of power generation from solar plants constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) for November. And the results span from very good to dismal. November means short days for the solar plants, but according to Vineet Mittal, managing director of Welspun Energy, a solar power developer: “November is one of the better months with no rain or dust and with lower temperatures, closer to the conditions they are made for, increasing output from the cells.”

A recent incident of alleged poaching of a Great Indian Bustard -- the State bird of Rajasthan listed in the “critically endangered” category -- near the famous Sam sand dunes in Jaisalmer district has shocked environmentalists who have blamed poor wildlife management and lack of protective measures for the crime.

Some hunters travelling in two vehicles allegedly shot dead a Great Indian Bustard in broad daylight in Sudasari area forming part of the Desert National Park on December 20 and took away the dead bird. A shepherd saw the act and complained to the forest authorities.

JAIPUR: Anticipating the critical situation and high probability of extinction of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), the state forest department is ready with an action plan to revive the population o

JAISALMER: For the first time in India, groundwater surveys using heliborne transient electromagnetic technique will be tried for aquifer mapping.

Mumbai Soaring crude prices and pressure back home to keep rates lower is forcing government-run hydrocarbon firms to diversify into non-oil and gas sectors.

Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), which supplies crude to oil refiners at a lower price as part of a government subsidy plan, said its board has approved a plan to enter nuclear power and will soon start discussions with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) for partnering their projects.