Latest news with #AnitaSharma
New Indian Express
27-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Nature lovers in Kerala capital give ‘Treeless Walk' farewell to their beloved ‘grandma mahogany'
'This is what we were irked about. Trees that pose a danger in the changed climatic conditions and urban swell can surely be pruned as per the requirement,' says Tree Walk convenor Anita Sharma. 'There has to be a scientific analysis of it months before the monsoon sets in, and the pruning of leaves or branches should also be done well in advance. But here, most such work happens in the eleventh hour, and in all these cases, the trees are mercilessly chopped down.' On Wednesday, members of the Tree Walk group gathered on the road to YMCA to bid a 'proper farewell' to the mahogany, which they say had been an integral part of the cityscape for 'at least a hundred years'. They called it the 'Treeless Walk'. 'The base suggests the age of the tree. There is another small-leaved mahogany tree, likely of the same age, just a few yards away from the one cut down. Protesters often gather under it during agitations. That tree, too, is very old and can be spotted in some 1934 photographs of the city,' Anita notes.
Hindustan Times
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Inspection reveals open sewage, garbage dump at Tajpur complex
Serious environmental violations and worsening pollution levels have been found along the Buddha Nullah near the Tajpur Dairy Complex. A team from the Public Action Committee (PAC), led by activist Anita Sharma, conducted an inspection near the 5 MLD effluent treatment plant (ETP) on Sunday. The visit revealed shocking scenes of open sewage, garbage dumps, illegal encroachments, and foul-smelling conditions across the area. Temporary huts have taken over nearly one kilometre of the bank. These shanties lack toilets and proper drainage, and waste is dumped directly into the nullah. The nearby government fish market is also discharging waste into the water body. Roads leading to the site are broken and filthy, making the area almost unlivable. Two outlets were found releasing untreated wastewater straight into the nullah — one from the dairy complex and the other from the ETP itself. Residents living near the Tajpur complex have long raised concerns. 'We have been breathing foul air for months. Cattle waste and garbage are left out in the open,' said Harjit Singh, a local resident. Another resident, Shalini Arora, added, 'There is no accountability. Political leaders promise action during elections but disappear later.' The PAC held a meeting with dairy owners and suggested key steps: setting up a dairy cooperative society, following zero liquid discharge (ZLD) norms, building cow dung disposal points, and ensuring proper waste transport. A proposal was made to channel all dairy waste into a central gobar gas plant for sustainable treatment. PAC also recommended installing bio-digesters at dairy units, GPS tracking of waste vehicles, and quarterly audits. A community helpline and monitoring committees were also suggested to ensure transparency. Anita Sharma condemned the inaction of local authorities. 'The Buddha Nullah is choking due to negligence. If no urgent steps are taken, this will become a health disaster,' she said. Despite repeated promises, political parties have failed to act. Even the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had earlier proposed a parking and waste management system under the elevated road nearby, but it never materialised.
Express Tribune
04-04-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Nepal shaken by twin earthquakes minutes apart, strongest at 5.5 magnitude
Listen to article Western Nepal was struck by two moderate earthquakes in quick succession on Friday evening, with the strongest registering a magnitude of 5.5, according to the country's National Earthquake Monitoring Centre. The first tremor, measuring 5.2, struck Jajarkot district at 8:07 pm local time, followed just three minutes later by a stronger 5.5 magnitude quake at 8:10 pm. Both quakes were centred in the Panik area of Jajarkot, located around 525 km west of Kathmandu. Tremors were widely felt across the region, including in Surkhet, Dailekh, and Kalikot districts. As of now, there are no immediate reports of casualties or major structural damage. Nepal, which lies along a seismically active fault zone, is no stranger to earthquakes. The Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge in the Himalayan region, making it highly vulnerable to seismic activity. Dr Anita Sharma, a seismologist at the Indian Institute of Himalayan Geology, remarked: 'While these earthquakes may not be directly related, they highlight the ongoing tectonic pressures beneath the Himalayas. This region requires continuous monitoring and preparedness.' Authorities are currently assessing the situation on the ground and have urged local residents to remain alert as aftershocks remain possible in the coming hours and days.
