World Environment Day is being observed today (05-June-2011)

Rallies, awareness programmes and seminars will mark the World Environment Day today (05-June-2011). It is arguable just how effective awareness days such as this actually are.

This year's theme is Forests: Nature At Your Service which highlights the critical role of forests in providing services essential to every aspect of life.

World Environment Day was first celebrated on 5th June in 1972, and has since become an important vehicle through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.

The World Environment Day (WED) is being observed today in an effort to overcome global warming and to promote greenery. This day also promotes forests, the lungs of on the earth, which cover 31 per cent of the total land of the world.

These forests keep the environment clean and neat and provide fresh air to living beings. Air contains 70 per cent oxygen, which is essential for the survival of living things.

Forests can absorb 40 per cent greenhouse gas emissions which are harmful for human lives. Deforestation is depriving us of such natural resources. Therefore, more and more plants need to be sown to make the earth green and beautiful.

Our ecosystems are fragile and under extreme pressure. We need more than an awareness day every year if we are to save them for future generations.

World Environment Day is being observed today (05-June-2011)

Rallies, awareness programmes and seminars will mark the World Environment Day today (05-June-2011). It is arguable just how effective awareness days such as this actually are.

This year's theme is Forests: Nature At Your Service which highlights the critical role of forests in providing services essential to every aspect of life.

World Environment Day was first celebrated on 5th June in 1972, and has since become an important vehicle through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.

The World Environment Day (WED) is being observed today in an effort to overcome global warming and to promote greenery. This day also promotes forests, the lungs of on the earth, which cover 31 per cent of the total land of the world.

These forests keep the environment clean and neat and provide fresh air to living beings. Air contains 70 per cent oxygen, which is essential for the survival of living things.

Forests can absorb 40 per cent greenhouse gas emissions which are harmful for human lives. Deforestation is depriving us of such natural resources. Therefore, more and more plants need to be sown to make the earth green and beautiful.

Our ecosystems are fragile and under extreme pressure. We need more than an awareness day every year if we are to save them for future generations.

IT raids on homes of Telugu stars

On Wednesday (23-March-2011) morning, prominent film actors Akkineni Nagarjuna, Anushka Shetty and Ravi Teja and film producer D. Shiva Prasad Reddy woke up to a slew of income-tax raids.

Anushka Shetty - In the popular fairytale Sleeping beauty, the girl is awakened by Prince Charming. But for mana Tollywood beauty Anushka, it was a bit of a rude awakening. On Wednesday morning, the actress, who was fast asleep, was woken up by a team of Income Tax sleuths at her residence in Woods Apartments, Jubilee Hills.

Nagarjuna - Wednesday’s I-T raids on film stars appear to have a Nagarjuna ‘angle’ to them. Except for Ravi Teja, all the others are known to be close to Nagarjuna and some are also said to be his active business partners.

News of the raids did the rounds throughout Wednesday. However, not much information was forthcoming from the department. Simultaneous searches were carried on at residences, offices and other properties in Banjara and Jubilee Hills localities here, apart from some premises in Visakhapatnam.

Film industry sources said the action was prompted when the department found out about large number of land transactions involving film personalities in Visakhapatnam, the second-largest city in the State after Hyderabad.

The undisclosed land deals in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru are now under scrutiny. Ravi Teja`s house was also searched by the same team. He has had a meteoric rise in T-town and his rate increased from a meager Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 5 Crores per film.

IT officials found a lot of discrepancies in the money transfer between different accounts for purchase of properties by these stars. Last year, there were IT raids on producer Ganesh Babu and two years ago IT raided Dilraju, V V Vinayak, actors Mahesh Babu and Charmee.

We are yet to get details on what they unearthed in these raids.

IT raids on homes of Telugu stars

On Wednesday (23-March-2011) morning, prominent film actors Akkineni Nagarjuna, Anushka Shetty and Ravi Teja and film producer D. Shiva Prasad Reddy woke up to a slew of income-tax raids.

Anushka Shetty - In the popular fairytale Sleeping beauty, the girl is awakened by Prince Charming. But for mana Tollywood beauty Anushka, it was a bit of a rude awakening. On Wednesday morning, the actress, who was fast asleep, was woken up by a team of Income Tax sleuths at her residence in Woods Apartments, Jubilee Hills.

Nagarjuna - Wednesday’s I-T raids on film stars appear to have a Nagarjuna ‘angle’ to them. Except for Ravi Teja, all the others are known to be close to Nagarjuna and some are also said to be his active business partners.

News of the raids did the rounds throughout Wednesday. However, not much information was forthcoming from the department. Simultaneous searches were carried on at residences, offices and other properties in Banjara and Jubilee Hills localities here, apart from some premises in Visakhapatnam.

Film industry sources said the action was prompted when the department found out about large number of land transactions involving film personalities in Visakhapatnam, the second-largest city in the State after Hyderabad.

The undisclosed land deals in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru are now under scrutiny. Ravi Teja`s house was also searched by the same team. He has had a meteoric rise in T-town and his rate increased from a meager Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 5 Crores per film.

IT officials found a lot of discrepancies in the money transfer between different accounts for purchase of properties by these stars. Last year, there were IT raids on producer Ganesh Babu and two years ago IT raided Dilraju, V V Vinayak, actors Mahesh Babu and Charmee.

We are yet to get details on what they unearthed in these raids.

Actor Vikram Turns Producer

Chiyaan Vikram is the latest to join the bandwagon of stars turning producers in Kollywood. However, the actor will not be starring in his film or directing it.

KOLLYWOOD SUPER HERO VIKRAM BECOMES A PRODUCER

Vikram said, “I have floated my own banner and our first untitled venture will be directed by Sasikumar. The film will feature newcomers. The technical team will comprise cinematographer Kathiir and music director James Vasanthan, who have worked with Sasikumar before.”

[ See more stills of Vikram ]

Vikram says that he has been nurturing the idea of turning producer for a long time. “After watching Subramaniapuram, I wanted to do a film with Sasi. The trouble is that in south cinema, after you become successful at the box office, market realities dictate your choice of films and it becomes difficult to experiment. Now, as a producer, I can fulfill my urge to do things in a different way. Sasi is the right choice as he is the best director with innovative ideas in Tamil cinema in recent times. I read the script. It is fantastic and is set in Chennai and I’m sure it would turn out to be a signature Sasikumar film.”

On whether he will do a cameo in the film, Vikram says, “I would love to make an Alfred Hitchcock type appearance, but it will be Sasi’s call.”

What will happen to the actor who takes pride in sporting a different look for each of his films? Replies Vikram, “In Anniyan, the character I did had three different looks in the film and I was able to carry it off. I’m an actor who believes in looking different in every film of mine. Did you know that from Mani sir’s sets, I straight away joined Selva’s film in Ladakh? When you see the films, you will realise that I have two different looks in both of them.” >> [ Read full interview here ]

Actor Vikram Turns Producer

Chiyaan Vikram is the latest to join the bandwagon of stars turning producers in Kollywood. However, the actor will not be starring in his film or directing it.

KOLLYWOOD SUPER HERO VIKRAM BECOMES A PRODUCER

Vikram said, “I have floated my own banner and our first untitled venture will be directed by Sasikumar. The film will feature newcomers. The technical team will comprise cinematographer Kathiir and music director James Vasanthan, who have worked with Sasikumar before.”

[ See more stills of Vikram ]

Vikram says that he has been nurturing the idea of turning producer for a long time. “After watching Subramaniapuram, I wanted to do a film with Sasi. The trouble is that in south cinema, after you become successful at the box office, market realities dictate your choice of films and it becomes difficult to experiment. Now, as a producer, I can fulfill my urge to do things in a different way. Sasi is the right choice as he is the best director with innovative ideas in Tamil cinema in recent times. I read the script. It is fantastic and is set in Chennai and I’m sure it would turn out to be a signature Sasikumar film.”

On whether he will do a cameo in the film, Vikram says, “I would love to make an Alfred Hitchcock type appearance, but it will be Sasi’s call.”

What will happen to the actor who takes pride in sporting a different look for each of his films? Replies Vikram, “In Anniyan, the character I did had three different looks in the film and I was able to carry it off. I’m an actor who believes in looking different in every film of mine. Did you know that from Mani sir’s sets, I straight away joined Selva’s film in Ladakh? When you see the films, you will realise that I have two different looks in both of them.” >> [ Read full interview here ]

Himalayan ice not melting due to climate change

The environment ministry on Monday published a discussion paper stating that there was no conclusive evidence to prove that the Himalayan glaciers are melting due to climate change.

[ Image: Himalayas ]

The report, released by Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh, however, made it clear that the views expressed by the author, Dr V K Raina, retired deputy director-general of the Geological Survey of India, are not that of the Union government and that it is meant to "stimulate discussion".

While releasing the report, Ramesh said that the discussion paper presents evidence that most glaciers are in the process of retreat while some Himalayan glaciers, such as the Siachen glacier, are actually advancing and some others are retreating at a rate lower than before, such as the Gangotri glacier.

The minister clarified that there was no doubt that the `health' of the glaciers was very poor and the situation was reaching alarming proportions but warned that there was little evidence to connect it to climate change or black carbon.

Dr Raina said, "None of our glaciers under monitoring are recording abnormal retreat."

He did qualify saying that there was not enough data to present any conclusive evidence to show linkages at the moment with long term data existing only for 20-30 glaciers and there was only one automated weather station in the entire Himalayas to record climatic data. [ Read complete article ]

Himalayan ice not melting due to climate change

The environment ministry on Monday published a discussion paper stating that there was no conclusive evidence to prove that the Himalayan glaciers are melting due to climate change.

[ Image: Himalayas ]

The report, released by Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh, however, made it clear that the views expressed by the author, Dr V K Raina, retired deputy director-general of the Geological Survey of India, are not that of the Union government and that it is meant to "stimulate discussion".

While releasing the report, Ramesh said that the discussion paper presents evidence that most glaciers are in the process of retreat while some Himalayan glaciers, such as the Siachen glacier, are actually advancing and some others are retreating at a rate lower than before, such as the Gangotri glacier.

The minister clarified that there was no doubt that the `health' of the glaciers was very poor and the situation was reaching alarming proportions but warned that there was little evidence to connect it to climate change or black carbon.

Dr Raina said, "None of our glaciers under monitoring are recording abnormal retreat."

He did qualify saying that there was not enough data to present any conclusive evidence to show linkages at the moment with long term data existing only for 20-30 glaciers and there was only one automated weather station in the entire Himalayas to record climatic data. [ Read complete article ]