Current Affairs : June 5 & 6 , 2010

First of 6 Bamboo Bazaars launched at Chennai
The Handicrafts Development Wing of the Union Textile Ministry has planned to organize 6 “Bamboo Bazaars” in various parts of the country in this year. These Bazaars provide an opportunity for artisans to display their talent. On June 4, 2010, the first in this series was launched at Valluvar Kootam, Chennai by Union Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran. 1.

It is a 10 day exhibition and artists from North East States are participating who have been trained by experts from Indonesia. The remaining 5 Bamboo Bazaars will be conduced in other state capitals. The bazaar will continue till June 15 and a sales target of Rs. One crore is expected to be achieved during the ten-day Bazar.

World Environment Day
Notes from Dr A P J Abdul Kalam,speech on World Environment Day
Here are some notes from speech of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, on World Environment Day Read Here

Project Green Hands
On the occassion of World Environment Day, Sadhguru J Vasudev of Isha Foundation, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu,was awarded Indira Gandhi Pariavaran Puraskar for the year 2008 in recognition of Isha Foundation’s massive ecological initiative, called ‘Project Green Hands’ to prevent and reverse environmental degradation and to enable sustainable living.Under this project, over 300,000 Isha volunteers have raised 8.2 million trees for plantation in the last 5 years across Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Project Green Hands is a massive people’s movement to raise the green cover of Tamil Nadu by 10%.He received prize money of Rs. 5,00,000/-,along with a silver lotus trophy and a citation.

Young Environmentalist of the Year Award 2010
Ishita Vishnoi from Delhi has been decorated with the title of “Young Environmentalist of the Year Award 2010”.

Environmentalist of the Year Award
National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), an institution devoted to environmental education under the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests gave ‘Environmentalist of the Year Award’ (YEYA), at national level every year to the best-performing teenager in the age group of 13 – 16 years. NMNH also celebrated its 32nd Foundation Day This year the YEYA was selected through a Written Quiz Contest held all over the country. The theme chosen for the contest was “Our Biodiversity”.

E.K. Janaki Ammal National Award for Taxonomy-2008
E.K. Janaki Ammal National Award for Taxonomy-2008 were also given on the occasion of World Environment Day in two categories, plant taxonomy and animal taxonomy to encourage work of excellence in taxonomy and also to motivate researchers to work in this Science. This National Award in Taxonomy has been instituted by India’s Environement Ministry. Dr. V.J. Nair received the award for Plant Taxonomy is an outstanding grass taxonomist in the country and one of the best in the world. Dr. Ramakrishna who has been selected for animal taxonomy award has done outstanding work on taxonomy and conservation of land and fresh water Indian molluscs. This award carries a cash prize (Rs. 1,00,000), a medallion and a citation.

Pollution Control Acts, Rules and Notifications
Pollution Control Acts, Rules and Notifications is the title of the book whose latest edition was released on world Environement Day 2010. This edition compiles the arious Acts and Rules concerning protection and improvement of Environment notified by the Ministry of Environment & Forests as well as the Central Pollution Control Board. The first edition was brought out in 1989. This 6th edition incorporates all Amendments and Notifications issued till March 2010. It is also regarded as an authenticated reference book on Environmental issues and is brought out under CPCB’s Pollution Control Law Series (PCLS). This volume provides an updated industry specific standards for effluents & emissions under Schedule I of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986. The amendments under the various Waste Rules namely – Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules, 2008, Biomedical Waste Rules 1998, Municipal Waste Rules 2000, Battery Rules 2001, and Plastic Rules 2003 have also been incorporated.

The book also contains the Amendments of the Environment Impact Assessment, 2006, constitution of the National Ganga River Basin Authority, Notifications relating to Eco-sensitive Zone of Matheran and Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, Mount Abu in Rajasthan, Sultanpur National Park in Haryana, amendments to the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. For the first time CPCB is releasing its E-BOOK version (CD) along with the printed version.
Pay for Plastic : Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to to pay for the procurement of plastic waste and use the same for construction activities like road mettling. This was announced by the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh in the National Convention on Good Governance of BJP Governments in various states of the country organised at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Mumbai on June 4, 2010.

The government has decided to purchase plastic waste at the rate of Rs 3 per kg from anyone while one additional rupee was being paid to local bodies as handling charges. A complete ban has been imposed on use of plastic bags in the state and the people of the state had also voluntarily stopped the use of plastic bags.

State of Environment report for Delhi, 2010
On world environement day the State of Environment Report for Delhi, 2010 was released by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Some Points Here
Update on Museum of Moving Images (MoMI), Mumbai
MoMi or Museum of Moving Images was planned by the Government of India to be set up in Mumbai on a 25 acre campus. Here

Anamika Veeramani wins National Spelling Bee
For the third consecutive year, an Indian American has won the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in United States. This year’s winner is Anamika Veeramani, 14, an eighth grader from Incarnate Word Academy in Parma Heights, Ohio.

South African President’s India Visit
On June 2, 2010, South African President Jacob Zuma arrived in India to begin his three-day state visit. The Agreements signed and a factbox on India-South Africa Relationships. Read Here

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