CHARLESTON (West Virginia): Officials today partially lifted a ban on tap water that was tainted by a chemical spill, while some in West Virginia had to wash, cook and brush their teeth with bottled water for a fifth straight day.
Questions lingered about how and why the leak occurred and whether the company, Freedom Industries, took too long to let officials know about the problem that affected about 300,000 people and effectively shut down the state capital.
Tests over the weekend showed that levels of the chemical used in coal processing were consistently below a toxic threshold, but testing continued today.
"We see light at the end of the tunnel," Governor Earl Ray Tomblin told reporters. He announced today that the ban was lifted on parts of the region.
Residents had been urged not to use the water for anything but flushing toilets. Some people left town to take a shower and find an open restaurant. Water distribution centers have handed out bottled water.
So far, 10 people exposed to the contaminated water were admitted to the hospital, and none was in serious condition, health and human resources secretary Karen Bowling said.
About 28,400 liters of the chemical is believed to have leaked from a tank and containment area, and some of it got into the Elk River and the water treatment plant downstream.
The chemical quickly dissolves in water, so people have had to wait for it to pass through the water system or be diluted to the point where the water is again safe.
The chemical, even in its most concentrated form, isn't deadly. However, people were told they shouldn't even wash their clothes in affected water, as the compound can cause symptoms ranging from skin irritation and rashes to vomiting and diarrhea.
Freedom Industries' tanks don't fall under an inspection program, and the chemicals stored at the facility weren't considered hazardous enough to require environmental permitting.
Essentially, Freedom Industries wasn't under state oversight at all, said Michael Dorsey, chief of the state Department of Environmental Protection's Homeland Security and Emergency Response office.
"There's no question that they should have called earlier," department of environmental protection secretary Randy Huffman said.
Source TOI - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/After-five-days-West-Virginia-water-crisis-nears-end/articleshow/28760711.cms
Tuesday, 14 January 2014
Monday, 13 January 2014
10 Glasses of water a day to cut fat
We have all heard this advice innumerable times. Drink eight to 10 glass of water a day. Experts say that if you are overweight or tend to get most of your calories from processed and salty food, eight to 10 glass of water could actually help you reduce your weight. Water could lower your BMI. If you drink eight to 10 glass of water everyday you will end up eating less and also drink fewer calorie-laden beverages. Drinking about 500 ml of water before meal can cut the calories and help in losing weight and as a result lower body mass index (BMI). Water helps in burning fat. You can burn about 50 per cent more fat after drinking water compared with a higher calorie beverage. Water helps you play your sports better. Sweating away just two per cent of your body's water content affects the performance of a sportsperson to a great extent. Drinking enough water can improve your game and save you from the risk of dehydration. Water can fight hangovers. Being adequately hydrated is the best way not to feel lousy and grouchy after a late night party. Drink a couple of glasses of water hours before the event. Even when you are flying a long distance flight, staying hydrated helps you fight hangover. Source TOI - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/fitness/10-Glasses-of-water-a-day-to-cut-fat/articleshow/18288281.cms
Thursday, 26 December 2013
Arvind Kejriwal: Will order 700 litres of free water within 24 hours oftaking oath
NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal will pass orders to fulfill his election promise of providing 700 liters of water every day to each household within 24 hours of taking oath as chief minister of Delhi on Saturday.
In an exclusive interview to TOI on the day President Pranab Mukherjee cleared the way for him to be the CM, Kejriwal also declared that he would order an audit of the accounts of power distribution companies in the city to check whether they have engaged in fudging their records.
"We are not claiming that we will make water available to everyone, at least at the present. But we are promising to make 700 liters of water free for each family for which only an executive order is needed," Kejriwal said. He said that distribution of water, and not availability, was the problem.
On the audit of the books of power companies, he asserted that such an audit was possible and comes within the ambit of the Comptroller and Audit General. All that was needed was political will, Kejriwal said.
The two announcements underscored his plan to hit the ground running and could assuage the doubts, at least about his willingness if not capability, to deliver on the promises that he has made.
In the wide-ranging conversation, Kejriwal also said that he wanted to divide the city into 2,720 mohalla sabhas to discharge local responsibilities: from the maintenance of schools, dispensaries parks to construction and repair of roads and provision of drinking water and electricity. Resources will be distributed among the mohalla sabhas to fund their requirements. To bring out what might deepen decentralization by taking it to an additional layer, former chief secretary Madhya Pradesh, S C Behar, has been asked to draw the roadmap.
Kejriwal acknowledged that one of the reasons he agreed to form the government despite being short of the majority mark was because he wanted to call Congress's bluff. He disclosed that he was set to decline the invitation because he was confident that AAP would sweep the re-election. The stand changed when Congress offered him outside support and, within no time, even started taunting for running away from taking responsibility. "This led us to conduct a referendum on whether we should accept Congress's help to form the government," said Kejriwal. He smiled when asked whether he felt that Congress has been trapped.
The CM-designate struck a realistic note when asked about AAP's plan for Lok Sabha elections, saying that AAP could contest any number of seats ranging from 20 to 400 depending on its assessment of its prospects in individual seats as well as its ability to find "suitable clean" candidates. Though this appeared modest in view of the assessment that the rookie party could run both Congress and BJP close at least in urban constituencies, Kejriwal was confident that its spectacular performance in Delhi will help AAP expand its footprint to other parts of the country. He said that government's performance in Delhi will the most effective campaign for the party.
He was not deterred by the fact that AAP might be squeezed out of the Lok Sabha arena because it will not be seen as a serious contender for power at Delhi in case it is unable to contest a majority of the seats. "Our polity is already fractured. Trinamool and SP win seats even though they restricted to their states", he pointed out.
Source - TOI - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Arvind-Kejriwal-Will-order-700-litres-of-free-water-within-24-hours-of-taking-oath/articleshow/27927843.cms
In an exclusive interview to TOI on the day President Pranab Mukherjee cleared the way for him to be the CM, Kejriwal also declared that he would order an audit of the accounts of power distribution companies in the city to check whether they have engaged in fudging their records.
"We are not claiming that we will make water available to everyone, at least at the present. But we are promising to make 700 liters of water free for each family for which only an executive order is needed," Kejriwal said. He said that distribution of water, and not availability, was the problem.
On the audit of the books of power companies, he asserted that such an audit was possible and comes within the ambit of the Comptroller and Audit General. All that was needed was political will, Kejriwal said.
The two announcements underscored his plan to hit the ground running and could assuage the doubts, at least about his willingness if not capability, to deliver on the promises that he has made.
In the wide-ranging conversation, Kejriwal also said that he wanted to divide the city into 2,720 mohalla sabhas to discharge local responsibilities: from the maintenance of schools, dispensaries parks to construction and repair of roads and provision of drinking water and electricity. Resources will be distributed among the mohalla sabhas to fund their requirements. To bring out what might deepen decentralization by taking it to an additional layer, former chief secretary Madhya Pradesh, S C Behar, has been asked to draw the roadmap.
Kejriwal acknowledged that one of the reasons he agreed to form the government despite being short of the majority mark was because he wanted to call Congress's bluff. He disclosed that he was set to decline the invitation because he was confident that AAP would sweep the re-election. The stand changed when Congress offered him outside support and, within no time, even started taunting for running away from taking responsibility. "This led us to conduct a referendum on whether we should accept Congress's help to form the government," said Kejriwal. He smiled when asked whether he felt that Congress has been trapped.
The CM-designate struck a realistic note when asked about AAP's plan for Lok Sabha elections, saying that AAP could contest any number of seats ranging from 20 to 400 depending on its assessment of its prospects in individual seats as well as its ability to find "suitable clean" candidates. Though this appeared modest in view of the assessment that the rookie party could run both Congress and BJP close at least in urban constituencies, Kejriwal was confident that its spectacular performance in Delhi will help AAP expand its footprint to other parts of the country. He said that government's performance in Delhi will the most effective campaign for the party.
He was not deterred by the fact that AAP might be squeezed out of the Lok Sabha arena because it will not be seen as a serious contender for power at Delhi in case it is unable to contest a majority of the seats. "Our polity is already fractured. Trinamool and SP win seats even though they restricted to their states", he pointed out.
Source - TOI - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Arvind-Kejriwal-Will-order-700-litres-of-free-water-within-24-hours-of-taking-oath/articleshow/27927843.cms
Karnataka MLAs to go to Latin America for 'studying water falls in Amazon forests'
BANGALORE: A 30-member Karnataka legislators delegation is planning to take off to three Latin American countries in January, to "study the water falls in the Amazon forests and sporting activity," which will cost the state exchequer Rs 2.25 crore.
Confirming the junket, Congress MLA Mallikaiah V Guttedar, who heads the legislature committee on estimates told TOI here on Wednesday that there was nothing wrong in the fortnight trip they are planning. "We legislators get only one opportunity to undertake a study tour abroad in five years, whereas MPs go often. There is nothing wrong in us going on these junkets," he added.
Guttedar said the dates are yet to be finalized and most likely would be after the brief legislature session in January. The trip would cost Rs 7.5 lakh per member. "We will visit the Amazon forest and study the waterfalls there to see how it can be replicated in Karnataka as we have thick forests here. We will also visit Brazil to see the sporting activity there," he maintained.
According to the itinerary prepared by a reputed travel agency the junket is for 16 days and 15 nights in January to Argentina, Brazil and Peru. They will be provided accommodation in deluxe hotels and will have to bear the cost of English speaking tour guides in each of the cities.
The itinerary for the tour includes boat tour of Buanabara Bay and Sugar Loaf mountains, visit to Tijuca rain forest, Amazon jungle tour, Tango show in Buenos Aires and a desert safari in Dubai on the way back.
Committee member and Congress MLA NA Haris said such trips provided a good opportunity for the legislators to get to know each other. "I don't think its wrong. We don't get to travel by business class. 300 legislators represent six crore population of Karnataka. Its generally the first and second time legislators who go on these junkets. Last time I went to Washington and London, it gave me an insight into many things. Our state budget is Rs 1.21 lakh crore and in this a couple of lakhs for junket will not matter," he added.
However, one of the panel member, BJP MLA V Suneel Kumar said he was not part of the junket. "My constituency work is import," he claimed.
During the BJP government in August 2012, when the state was reeling under drought, 14 MLAs had gone on a junket to South America, Peru and Brazil. Then Congress MLA BC Patil had taken exception to the flak their tour had received. "Why shouldn't we go on a junket? Are we committing theft or dacoity? It is our privilege as legislators," he had maintained.
Source - TOI - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Karnataka-MLAs-to-go-to-Latin-America-for-studying-water-falls-in-Amazon-forests/articleshow/27924810.cms
Confirming the junket, Congress MLA Mallikaiah V Guttedar, who heads the legislature committee on estimates told TOI here on Wednesday that there was nothing wrong in the fortnight trip they are planning. "We legislators get only one opportunity to undertake a study tour abroad in five years, whereas MPs go often. There is nothing wrong in us going on these junkets," he added.
Guttedar said the dates are yet to be finalized and most likely would be after the brief legislature session in January. The trip would cost Rs 7.5 lakh per member. "We will visit the Amazon forest and study the waterfalls there to see how it can be replicated in Karnataka as we have thick forests here. We will also visit Brazil to see the sporting activity there," he maintained.
According to the itinerary prepared by a reputed travel agency the junket is for 16 days and 15 nights in January to Argentina, Brazil and Peru. They will be provided accommodation in deluxe hotels and will have to bear the cost of English speaking tour guides in each of the cities.
The itinerary for the tour includes boat tour of Buanabara Bay and Sugar Loaf mountains, visit to Tijuca rain forest, Amazon jungle tour, Tango show in Buenos Aires and a desert safari in Dubai on the way back.
Committee member and Congress MLA NA Haris said such trips provided a good opportunity for the legislators to get to know each other. "I don't think its wrong. We don't get to travel by business class. 300 legislators represent six crore population of Karnataka. Its generally the first and second time legislators who go on these junkets. Last time I went to Washington and London, it gave me an insight into many things. Our state budget is Rs 1.21 lakh crore and in this a couple of lakhs for junket will not matter," he added.
However, one of the panel member, BJP MLA V Suneel Kumar said he was not part of the junket. "My constituency work is import," he claimed.
During the BJP government in August 2012, when the state was reeling under drought, 14 MLAs had gone on a junket to South America, Peru and Brazil. Then Congress MLA BC Patil had taken exception to the flak their tour had received. "Why shouldn't we go on a junket? Are we committing theft or dacoity? It is our privilege as legislators," he had maintained.
Source - TOI - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Karnataka-MLAs-to-go-to-Latin-America-for-studying-water-falls-in-Amazon-forests/articleshow/27924810.cms
Wednesday, 25 December 2013
Rs 11-cr metro funds diverted to water plant
PUNE: With no signs of any work on the metro project taking off this year, the standing committee of the Pune Municipal Corporation diverted Rs 11-crore allotted for the project in its annual budget to compensate the educational institute that gave up its plot for the Wadgaon water purification plant.
The committee also pulled out Rs 6.25 crore funds set aside for works under two heads for the Baner-Balewadi grade separator to pay over Rs 17 crore to the institute. The total budgetary allocation for the metro project was Rs 12 crore.
The civic administration, with help from Jawarlalal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, has planned the treatment plant to purify 125 MLD water.
Source - TOI - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Rs-11-cr-metro-funds-diverted-to-water-plant/articleshow/27876171.cms
The committee also pulled out Rs 6.25 crore funds set aside for works under two heads for the Baner-Balewadi grade separator to pay over Rs 17 crore to the institute. The total budgetary allocation for the metro project was Rs 12 crore.
The civic administration, with help from Jawarlalal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, has planned the treatment plant to purify 125 MLD water.
Source - TOI - timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Rs-11-cr-metro-funds-diverted-to-water-plant/articleshow/27876171.cms
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)