347 breached embankments in State plugged
The fund-starved Water Resources department of Assam has managed to plug most of the breaches in the embankments, that occurred in the devastating floods last year, but no one can give guarantee that the embankment network in the State, which could not be raised and strengthened properly for years due …
Wanton destruction of archaeological sites
Archaeological sites at Mailewa Rajamaha Vihara Temple (Sri Lanka) with 60 rock caves , in Galgamuwa DS Division have been left to the mercy of treasure hunters. Treasure hunters have already destroyed several rock caves in the temple constructed during the reign of king Walagamba. According to the Buddhist tradition, …
New dino species prompts rethink on Sauropods
An odd-looking dinosaur whose fossilised remains were found by a Patagonian shepherd looking for lost sheep has prompted a rethink about the lumbering four-legged herbivores called Sauropods. Beloved of toy-makers and cartoonists, Sauropods typically had long flexible necks, studded with as many as 19 vertebrae, that enabled them to munch …
Qutab tilts 10 arc seconds each year
Historic Qutab Minar, one of the most celebrated monuments of the country, is tilting. Union information & broadcasting and culture minister S. Jaipal Reddy, in reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, said, "The extent of tilt of the Qutab Minar has been very negligible being at the rate …
Minister launches plan to conserve Irish national heritage
A five-year management plan for Wicklow Mountains National Park was launched by Irish Environment Minister Dick Roche at the official opening of the park's headquarters at Kilafin this week. The park's management plan was finalised following a lengthy consultation between the Department for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's (DEHLG) …
Network of check dams planned for Saurashtra, other areas
The Gujarat Government has chalked out a plan to create a network of 25,000 check dams in Saurashtra and other areas of the state where water levels are sinking alarmingly. Forty-five thousand small and big check dams have been constructed through joint venture.
India losing priceless dinosaur fossils
Rich fossilised remains of dinosaurs in parts of India are being lost as tribals in these areas are selling them to foreigners who know the value of the product in the international market, says Ashu Khosla, who was recetnly awarded the Young Scientist Fast Track Award for the third time …
HC frowns at PMO letter on Jama Masjid status
The Delhi High Court took exception to a communication from the Prime Minister Office (PMO) to the Imam of Jama Masjid stating that the ancient mosque would not be declared a "protected" monument and has called for relevant central government files and records. Chief Justice B C Patel and Justice …
The world`s poor need to learn the lessons of history
While the coming together of some 90 states from the Asian and African continents for the forging of "a new strategic alliance to boost trade and tackle poverty", needs to be considered as most encouraging in a global political economy which tends to disunite states rather than unite them, a …
Indo-Lanka consultations on Sethusamudram ship canal project
Following the deliberations of the Sri Lankan Cabinet appointed Inter Ministerial Committee on Sethusamudram convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a multi-sectoral technical level delegation was constituted to undertake discussions on the proposed Sethusamudram Project, to connect Gulf of Mannar to Bay of Bengal through the Palk Bay and …
Water in NCR highly contaminated: Study
The water supplied to Delhi as well as NCR region is not of good quality. People develop serious diseases if they drink such water for long. According to a research study conducted across the NCR region which include Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, water supplied in the region is contaminated. …
New study explodes`myth` of Bhakra
'Unravelling Bhakra,' a study that assesses the role of what was once hailed as "the temple of resurgent India," explodes the myth of India's first showcase dam's contribution to foodgrains production.The study, done over three years by the Badwani-based Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, points out that Punjab and Haryana had extensively …
Exceptional whale fossil found in Egyptian desert
An American palaeontologist and a team of Egyptians have found the most nearly complete fossilised skeleton of the primitive whale Basilosaurus isis in Egypt's Western Desert, a university spokesman said. Philip Gingerich of the University of Michigan excavated the well-preserved skeleton, which is about 40 million years old, in a …
Dinosaur fossil gives clue to bird ancestry
The discovery of a pair of shelled eggs inside a female dinosaur, who died more than 65 million years ago, shows that the animals were very bird-like, but also resembled reptiles such as crocodiles, researchers said. Like birds, the dinosaur probably would not have been able to lay its entire …
Sahara desert yields ancient amphibious fossils
The fossilized skulls of two new species of large, meat eating amphibians have been discovered by researchers in the Sahara desert of Niger in West Africa. The fossils are believed to be 250 million years old - the first and oldest amphibious carnivores found in the arid, low-lying region. Until …
Dams control most of the world`s large rivers
More than half of the world's large rivers are fragmented and regulated by dams, including all the largest and the most biologically diverse rivers, according to new research from the University of Umea in Sweden and the Nature Conservancy in the United States. The study shows that flow in 172 …
Only 35% work done in Ganga Action Plan
Two decades after the Ganga Action Plan was inaugurated and despite the declaration regarding the completion of its first phase five years ago only 35 % of the work is complete, the planning Commission has said. Despite the Rs 451.70 crore spent, the process of cleaning the Ganga is not …
Peru presents Machu Picchu plan to UNESCO
Peru will submit a $132.5 million plan to the United Nations' cultural body to preserve the famous Inca citadel, Machu Picchu, from the ravages of tourism and avoid losing its status as a World Heritage site, a senior official said. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, warned in …
Malaysia eyes cheap funding for water projects
Malaysia plans to tap low-cost, long-term debts to fund the $13 billion needed to improve water supply to meet swelling demand, a minister said. After years of under-investment in the sector, Malaysia proposed to spend up to 50 billion ringgit ($13 billion) over the next 10 years to replace old, …
