Current Affairs June 2017 - Environment

1 - TATA Projects launched Green Thumb initiative

On World Environment Day, TATA Projects has launched an initiative called Green Thumb to enhance the green cover.

TATA Projects planted over 42,000 saplings across over 100 locations during 2016-17. Under the Green Thumb initiative, while the company plants the trees, citizens who wish to do their bit to save the environment, can express their support for the cause by clicking on the banner to plant a sapling - on the Green Thumb Microsite; or on Facebook page or on LinkedIn page or on Company website www.tataprojects.com.

2 - National Board of Wildlife cleared Rutland Island for DRDO’s Missile Testing Project

The National Board of Wildlife has given clearance for long-range missile test facility at South Andamans’ Rutland Island “considering the strategic importance of the project for country’s defence”. It had been held up since 2012.

The proposal involves diversion of 49.978 acres forest of which 0.84 ha falls in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and 49.138 ha reserve forest within 10km of the Eco Sensitive Zone. Rutland Island is also very rich in marine life.

3 - India’s biodiversity riches grow by 499 species

According to the Animal Discoveries 2016, New Species and Records, brought out by the Zoological Survey of India and Plant Discoveries 2016, by the Botanical Survey of India, 313 species of animal and 186 of plants have been discovered from various areas of the country last year. The number of animal species is 1,00,693.

Most of the new species were from the four biological hotspots of the country — the Himalayas, the northeast, the Western Ghats and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.