Gold crosses Rs 33,000-mark, silver firms up
New Delhi: Gold prices surged by Rs 425 to Rs 33,215 per 10 gram in the national capital Monday due to increased buying by jewellers amid firm trend overseas, according to the All India Sarafa Association.
Silver too rose by Rs 170 to Rs 38,670 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers.
Traders said, positive trend overseas and rise in demand from local jewellers led to upward movement in the prices of yellow metal.
In the international market, spot gold was trading higher at USD 1,298.30 an ounce, while silver moved upward to USD 15.23 an ounce in New York.
In the national capital, gold of 99.9 per cent and 99.5 per cent purity rose by Rs 425 to Rs 33,215 and Rs 33,045 per 10 gram, respectively.
On Saturday, the yellow metal had closed at Rs 32,790 per 10 gram.
However, sovereign gold held steady at Rs 26,400 per eight gram.
Silver ready advanced by Rs 170 to Rs 38,670 per kg, while weekly-based delivery gained Rs 594 to Rs 37,753 per kg.
On the other hand, silver coins held flat at Rs 80,000 for buying and Rs 81,000 for selling of 100 pieces.
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Environment ministry endorses names of 10-member expert committee set up to define Aravalli hills
New Delhi (PTI): The Union Environment Ministry has told the Supreme Court that it has no objection with the Central Empowered Committee's proposed 10-member high-powered expert committee which has been tasked to come up with a uniform definition for the Aravalli hills and ranges.
In an affidavit filed before the top court, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has endorsed the names suggested for the high-powered expert committee comprising in-service and retired bureaucrats associated with the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Survey of India, along with academicians.
"The MoEFCC respectfully submits that it has no objection if this court as the aforesaid suggested names for the constitution of the proposed High Powered Committee. It is further submitted that the Ministry does not have any additional names to propose at this stage for inclusion in the said committee," the affidavit said.
The committee is proposed to be headed by Kanchan Devi, the current director general of the Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education.
The MoEF, in its affidavit, said the aspects relating to the Aravalli Hills and Ranges require a comprehensive and analytical examination, including stakeholder consultation, by a group of domain experts in the relevant fields.
The CEC in its report to the apex court said Devi, a 1991 Indian Forest Service officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has over three decades of experience in forestry education and research, wildlife and forest policy, and institutional leadership.
The other members include Subhash Ashutosh, former director general of FSI,
former GSI director Rajendra Kumar Sharma, climate and energy policy expert Tejal Kanitkar, senior academician and life sciences researcher Jaya Parkash Yadav, senior geographer and scholar Tejbir Singh Rana, former additional surveyor general of India SV Singh, former Gujarat principal chief conservator of forests CN Pandey, and former Nagaland PCCF Dharmendra Prakash.
The CEC also recommended names of RN Mishra, a noted author and Vijay Dhasmana, an ecological restoration practitioner and conservationist.
On February 26, the top court had asked the environment ministry and other stakeholders to suggest names of domain experts for the panel which would define the Aravalli hills and ranges, and observed that only lawful mining would be allowed in the region.
The top court, on December 29, took note of the outcry over the new definition of the Aravallis and kept in abeyance its November 20 directions that accepted a uniform definition of these hills and ranges. It had also stalled all mining activities.
It remarked that there was a need to resolve "critical ambiguities", including whether the criteria of 100-metre elevation and the 500-metre gap between hills would strip a significant portion of the range of environmental protection.
