Latest news with #Frigo
The Wire
4 days ago
- Business
- The Wire
Kings Infra Welcomes India–UK FTA: Marine Exports to the UK Now Duty-Free
Kochi, 25 July, 2025: Kings Infra Ventures Ltd., a pioneer in sustainable aquaculture and marine exports, has hailed the signing of the India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a transformative step for India's seafood industry. The FTA, signed today, grants zero-duty access to 99% of marine products, including shrimp, tuna, fishmeal, and aquafeeds, unlocking new growth potential in the UK's $5.4 billion seafood market. 'The India–UK FTA a game-changer for Kings Infra and the Indian seafood sector. With tariffs removed, we're now more competitive in a high-value market and can accelerate exports of our antibiotic-free shrimp, tuna, and processed products,' said Lalbert Cherian, CFO, Kings Infra Ventures Ltd. With operations spanning Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, Kings Infra is poised to capitalize on this breakthrough—benefiting not just shareholders, but also thousands of fisherfolk, hatchery workers, and MSME units across its integrated supply chain. The FTA also ensures zero-duty access for 95% of India's agricultural exports, supporting the broader ecosystem that Kings Infra operates in. The company foresees: • Enhanced UK market share for shrimp and value-added products • Improved margins with removal of 4.2–8.5% tariffs • Launch of UK-specific offerings under its El Rey, Frigo and Bento brands • Faster rollout of AI-powered aquaculture production using its BlueTechOS platform 'This agreement reflects global recognition of India's aquaculture leadership. Kings Infra is ready to scale exports, expand processing, and deepen its digital transformation in line with this duty-free access,' said Shaji Baby John, Chairman & Managing Director. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
Global News
19-07-2025
- General
- Global News
City of Calgary currently has no plans to remediate creosote in downtown west end
There are no plans at the City of Calgary to clean up creosote from a former wood treatment plant site that operated for decades on the west end of the downtown core. Concerns over the toxic chemical resurfaced this week as council approved the rezoning of a site on the north side of the Bow River where traces of the chemical were found, despite concerns from residents over the developer's environmental contingency plans approved by Alberta Environment. Creosote was found in the bedrock, seven metres below the site along Westmount Boulevard N.W. However, the creosote contamination stems from the south side of the Bow River, where a wood treatment plant operated west of the city's downtown core between 1924 and 1962. The plant used creosote, a toxic mixture of about 200 chemicals, to preserve wood products such as railway ties and power poles. Story continues below advertisement Over time, the chemicals migrated into and under the Bow River and crossed under the communities on the north side of the Bow River. 'When the plant was operating, there wasn't a containment site and this is probably the period where most of the migration of the creosote materials occurred,' said Frank Frigo with the City of Calgary's environmental management department. A containment wall and groundwater collection system was installed on the south bank of the Bow River in 1995 by the City of Calgary and the provincial government. The city has been operating the containment system since 1997 and monitoring has been ongoing since 2004. View image in full screen The groundwater collection system installed at the site west of Calgary's downtown in 1995. Global News According to a recent five-year monitoring program from the province, there are no concerns to human health when compared to human health guidelines. Story continues below advertisement 'Things have gotten better but the long-term fate of that site isn't clear yet,' Frigo said. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy City officials confirmed there are currently no plans to remediate the site on the west end of the downtown core. The City of Calgary purchased the land for $37 million back in 2009, which now sits mostly vacant with the closure of the Greyhound bus station and one of the two auto dealers in the area. 'The city is growing so we need to look at all options that we have,' said Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek. 'It's something I believe we should be looking at but there's no updates right now.' It's been several years since remediating the site was last discussed, when Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation pitched its CalgaryNEXT arena project on the west side of downtown in 2016. However, that project was quashed due in part to estimated costs including up to $300 million to clean up the creosote from the site. View image in full screen A rendering of Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation's CalgaryNEXT proposal. Credit: Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation According to Frigo, provincial legislation mandates the 'original polluter' is responsible for remediating the site, and redevelopment could be challenging without a full cleanup of the area. Story continues below advertisement A provincial study from 2020 found potential vapour impacts and groundwater contaminants closer to the topsoil on the south side of the river. 'If eventual redevelopment occurs, there will have to be some thought process around how the soils can be re-used, if at all, or if they'll need to be removed from the site to enable development,' Frigo said. Redeveloping the west end could still be many years away, according to Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra, due to competing priorities. 'I think right now it's 30 years out,' Carra said. 'But if the city continues to grow at the pace that it's growing, that 30 years might become 15 years.' Carra said the city may need need to use a Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) to spur redevelopment in the area, a financial mechanism the city can employ to borrow funds against future property tax revenues to help pay for infrastructure development. The City of Calgary currently uses a CRL for the East Village and the Rivers District which was extended through 2048. 'You have a chance that you're cannibalizing and the growth that's going into the first one is split, and then you never get paid back for either,' Carra said. 'The conventional wisdom is you don't start on the west village until you've fully paid back the CRL on the East Village and arts and entertainment districts.' Story continues below advertisement This means it could be nearly 100 years after the site closed for the creosote it left behind to get cleaned up. According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas, the province continues to work with the City of Calgary 'to ensure any potential risks on the south side of the Bow River are managed.'
Calgary Herald
20-06-2025
- Climate
- Calgary Herald
Calgary braces for rainfall and riverbank risks on anniversary of 2013 floods
Article content On the anniversary of the 2013 floods, heavy rainfall event is expected to begin later tonight, dragging on over the weekend. Article content While the weather has remained mild through the morning, heavy rain is expected to pick up this evening, continuing on through Saturday and easing up starting on Sunday morning. Article content Article content 'This would be considered a significant rainfall event,' said Christy Climenhega, a scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. Article content Article content The most recent event of this scope was in 2022, when a similar system came through southern Alberta. In that case, the precipitation was less uniform, and a drop in alpine temperatures turned much of the expected rainfall into snow. Article content Article content This time, officials say the rain is expected to be more widespread and sustained. Article content 'In an event like this, we're looking at rainfall totals in the area of 100 millimeters over a broad area. That's not something we see every year,' said Frank Frigo, manager of environmental management with the City of Calgary's Climate and Environmental Business unit. Article content With that in mind, residents should still look out for locally higher amounts, especially in the foothills. Article content The city has been preparing for the weather for days, according to Frigo. Forecasts have been consistent since Sunday, giving them time to lower water levels in key reservoirs along the Bow and Elbow rivers. Article content Article content This type of rapid response is necessary in Calgary's river system, which behaves differently from slower-moving floodplains like those in other prairie cities like Winnipeg. Article content 'These are very changeable, mountain-driven basins. Conditions can swing wildly,' Frigo said, 'We have to be able to turn on a dime.' Article content Calgarians should be cautious around riverbanks Article content 'Calgarians will still see elevated flows, and if anyone is out walking near pathways or recreating near river areas, we do urge caution,' Frigo said. Article content 'We ask people to stay a little further away during periods like this. The water is colder, more turbid and harder to see through. It's carrying more debris and can cause erosion of the riverbanks that you might not be able to detect from the surface.'
