EQ: Centre Allows Jallikattu, Green Subsidies, Megatsunamis

E-India

• Centre Allows Bull-Taming Sport Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu:
The environment ministry has issued new guidelines allowing the controversial bull-taming sport Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu. Earlier, the Animal Welfare Board and the Attorney General had both urged the Environment minister to continue with last year’s Supreme Court ban on the sport.

• Bhopal toxic waste to be cleared:
Over 30 years after the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, the environment minister has announced that the ministry is working on plans to safely dispose of the several tonnes of hazardous waste still at the site.

Bhopal gas tragedy victims protest at Jantar Mantar. (Photo Courtesy: ANI screengrab)

E-Mage

Migratory birds from as far as Europe and Japan flock to Kashmir during winter. (Photo: AP screengrab)

• India decides to sign the Raptor MoU:
The MoU seeks to protect migratory birds of prey across Africa and Eurasia. Signing the MoU will make India the 54th signatory to this international agreement. 76 raptor species are covered by the Raptor MoU.

E-Video

• If you’ve ever wondered how hazardous the consequences of climate change could be, watch this video for a preview of the “worst that could happen”:

E-Renewables

A solar panel is cleaned using a wet sponge. (Photo: iStockphoto)

• Green subsidies for rooftop solar:
Good news for those planning to go green this year! The government has announced an increase in the subsidy for grid-connected rooftop solar installations from Rs 600 to Rs 5,000 crore. The government hopes that this will encourage an additional 4200 MW of installed solar capacity.

E-Nature

Tsunamis may have changed the face of the planet. (Photo: IStockphoto)

• Megatsunamis could have given us the world we live in:
Did you know that “megatsunamis” could have played an important role in shaping planet Earth? While the evidence for such tsunamis remains controversial, some scientists believe that these tsunamis may have fundamentally changed the face of the planet.

E-Law

West Bengal may face massive environmental damage. (Photo: IStockphoto)

• Bengal heading towards an “ecological disaster”?
An environmentalist has approached the Kolkata Bench of the National Green Tribunal, alleging that uncontrolled human intervention is causing massive environmental damage within West Bengal.

E-International

The logo of the COP21 Climate Change Conference is seen on a Nissan LEAF electric car in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, France. (Photo: Reuters)

• What does the Paris agreement mean for the planet?
As the dust settles after December’s climate meet, a new report examines the implications of the agreement for the world’s biodiversity.

E-Architecture

An NDRF official (right) arrives to rescue a boy who fell while wading through flood waters in Chennai. (Photo: AP)

• Trees and flood control:
How exactly do trees help in reducing floods? A new report looks at how trees can have a huge impact on the urban landscape, especially when planted as part of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) which are planned at controlling rainwater runoff.

E-Quiz

• Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary hosts several species of migratory birds. Where in India would you find it?
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Tripura
(c) Odisha
(d) Lakshwadeep Islands

(Shalini Iyengar is a lawyer and Research Associate at the International University College, Turin.)

(The Quint is available on Telegram. For handpicked stories every day, subscribe to us on Telegram)