HIMACHAL PRADESH

Govt bans one-time use plastic cutlery

The Himachal Government has banned one-time use plastic cutlery, while giving three months time to individuals, stockists and shopkeepers to dispose of their existing stock in view of the damage being caused to the environment.

The use of the banned items like spoons, bowls, katoris, stirring sticks, forks, knives and straws, made of non-biodegradable material will become an offence three months from now.

The penalty on littering this plastic cutlery by a commercial establishment will attract a fine of Rs 5,000, while the same offence by an individual will invite a penalty of Rs 1,000. The penalty in the case of plastic cutlery will be weight wise with Rs 500 for 100 gms stuff to Rs 25,000 for more than 10 kg.

Himachal is the first state in the country to ban use of polythene bags which was causing immense damage to the fragile hill ecology. As such attempts have been made to ban polythene bags, thermocol plates, glasses and now one-time cutlery made of non-biodegradable plastic.

INTERNATIONAL

· Sixty Six Countries Committed To Net Zero CO2 Emissions By 2050

Sixty-six countriessignaled their intent to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050
The 66 governments are joined by 10 regions, 102 cities, 93 businesses and 12 investors all committed to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050
Around 60 world leaders have convened for the UN Climate Action Summit in New York.
The UN estimates that the world needs to increase its current efforts five-fold to contain climate change to the levels dictated by science a rise of 5 degrees Celsiusby the year 2100 to avoid escalating climate damage.
Countries announced commitments to carbon reduction targets under the Paris Agreement of 2015, and are now expected to update their nationally determined contributions by 2020.

· Russia announced that it is to implement 2015 Paris Agreement

Russia announced that it is to implement the 2015 Paris Agreementto fight climate change. The announcement comes after the approval of a government resolution by the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that signifies Moscow’s final acceptance of the deal.

The resolution also said that Russia would not technically ratify the accord.
Russia would adapt the accord to existing legal norms.
The country will now allocate financial resources to the developing countries for the prevention of and adaptation to climate change.

Russia is the world’sfourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Also, Russia is the biggest emitter not to have ratified the landmark global climate deal.
Russia is one of the world’s key energy producers and has remained one of the largest economies and polluters. It has earlier signed but failed to ratify the accord.

NATIONAL

Amit Shah proposed next Census 2021 ‘digital census’

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that in the upcoming Census in 2021, a mobile app will be used for data collection.

Shah also said the Centre was likely set to spend Rs 12,000 crore on the 2021 Census as well as the preparation of the National Population Register (NPR).

Shah even put forth an idea to have a multipurpose ID card for every citizen which includes the passport, Aadhaar and voter ID card.

In March this year, the government announced that the next census will be done with 1 March 2021 as the reference date.

· India to increase the renewable energy target to 450GW

PM Narendra Modi announced that India is to increase the renewable energy target to 450 GW. He made the announcement at the United Nations Climate Action Summit.PM has also presented a practical approach and a road map to achieve the target. He also reiterated India’s commitment to the creation of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022 under the Paris Climate Agreement.

India is to spend approximately $50 billion on the Jal Jeevan Mission to conserve water, harvest rainwater and develop water resources.

India has planned to considerably increase the proportion of the biofuel blend in petrol and diesel.

India has plans to make the transport sector green through the use of electrical vehicles.

The country has banned single-use plastics

The International Solar Alliance (ISA), an Indian-led initiative, under which India had provided 160 million families with cooking gas connections.

· Centre to set up 20 National Centres of Excellence

Centre has announced to set up20 National Centres of Excellence (NCE). The center will have a single scheme for elite athletes. The move is aimed at ending differentiation in training and other facilities between athletes within the same campus. The move comes the announcement of the budget for the diet of athletes will be made equal, irrespective of the level at which the athlete is training.

Union Sports Ministry said that depending on the infrastructure available each centre will be earmarked forfour to six specific sports

It will train athletes in the developmental group for the 2024 Olympics

The scheme will ensure that athletes in the same premises have access to similar facilities.

NEC will be reserved for athletes training for the Entry-level athletes will be trained at other Sports Authority of India (SAI) facilities. Depending on performance and possibility of an Olympic medal the athletes will be moved from SAI to NEC. The two-tier training system will ensure that the athletes get focused training at both levels.

· India’s second largest railway overbridge in West Bengal

Indian Railways has completed the construction of the giant four-lane cable-stayed railway overbridge (RoB) at Burdwan Junction in West Bengal.

Besides having 1.5 metre-wide footpaths on each of the sides parallel to the lanes, the railway overbridge has 27.7 meters of width to accommodate vehicles on four lanes.

Built at a cost of ₹300 crores, the project is the result of a 50:50 partnership between the Ministry of Railways and the West Bengal government officials

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