EQ: Lions on the Loose, Ganga Pollution and Solar Alliances

EQ: Read About All Things Green, Build Your Environment Quotient.

The polluted banks and waters of the river Ganga at Varanasi. (Photo: Reuters)

E-India

• Stop diverting water from the Ganga:
The Ministry of Water Resources has pointed to water diversion as a major reason for increased pollution of the river.
• Get clearance, then build:
The government is planning to issue a new notification which penalises builders who start construction before obtaining environmental clearances.

E-Mage

An Asiatic lion. (Photo: iStockphoto)

• Lions unlimited!
The Lion Census of 2015 has revealed that one in three of Asiatic lions in Saurashtra lives outside protected areas.
• 523: No. of lions in Saurashtra
• 170: The number estimated to live outside sanctuaries

E-Video
• Ever wondered what an exploding volcano looks like?

E-Nature

Dozens of whales have been washed ashore in Tuticorin, close to 600 km from Chennai beach in Tamil Nadu. (Photo: AP)

• Why are whales dying on the Manapad coast in Tamil Nadu?
A report suggests that the shape of the coastline and strong social relations among the whales are among the reasons responsible for their death.

E-Renewables

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) with French President Francois Hollande (R) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 10 April 2015. (Photo: Reuters)

• Indo-France solar alliance:
The French President has pledged 300 million euros for financing projects of the International Solar Alliance over the next five years.

E-Agriculture

Organic can boost incomes, soil health and productivity. (Photo: iStockphoto)

• Organic farming is changing farmer fortunes in Kerala:
Farmer collectives like the Fair Trade Alliance Kerala are showing how going organic can boost incomes, soil health and productivity.

E-International

Illegal fishing has led to financial losses globally. (Photo: iStockphoto)

• Satellites versus illegal fishing:
Satellite radar technology is helping authorities fight back against illegal fishing that is devastating the world’s oceans. To put things in perspective, the World Wildlife Fund estimated that illegal fishing has been responsible for an estimated $23.5 billion of financial losses globally.

E-Law

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Photo: The Quint)

• Petition against Sardar Patel statue dismissed:
The NGT last week dealt a blow to campaigners against the proposed “Statue of Unity” by dismissing their petition on the ground that it was time-barred. However, the Court noted that the petitioners could approach another competent court to argue their case on merits.

E-Quiz

A Blackbuck. (Photo: iStockphoto)

• Which state is the Blackbuck National Park located in?
(a) Gujarat
(b) Arunachal Pradesh
(c) Bihar
(d) Telengana
(Shalini Iyengar is a lawyer and Research Associate at the International University College, Turin.)