Nature activists oppose Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project in Western Ghat sanctuary limits
Bengaluru: Environmental activists have expressed concern regarding the impact of the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project in the Lion Tailed Macaque (LTM) Sanctuary over the Western Ghats and have written an open letter to the state government, asking why it was in a hurry to implement the project.
Twelve activists and conservationists have written to the government under the banner of ‘Vrushalaksha Andolana’, challenging the stance of the state Forest and Environment Department as regards the project, reports Deccan Herald. The group points out that the project will negatively impact the fragile ecology of the Western Ghats and states that it will launch a movement to spread awareness about the matter among the people.
Anant Hegade Ashisar of the Andolana said that the Forest Department has approved and recommended the project to the Union Environment Ministry. Further, the government has given the tender to implement the project, but the matter has not been brought to the notice of the farmers, fishermen and residents in the Western Ghat areas.
The 2,000MW project, which has been proposed by the KPCL, requires 378 acres (153 hectares), including about 126 acres (52.62 hectares) of forest land spread over Honnavar, Shivamogga Wildlife and Sagar divisions. Within the forest land, 97 acres are the part of the LTM sanctuary.
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India joins US-led strategic alliance 'Pax Silica'
New Delhi (PTI): India on Friday joined a US-led strategic alliance -- 'Pax Silica' -- that is aimed at building a resilient supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
India signed a pact joining the coalition at a ceremony at the AI Impact Summit here.
The signing ceremony was attended by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and US envoy to India Sergio Gor among others.
Gor said Pax Silica is a coalition of capabilities.
"Pax Silica is a declaration that future belongs to those who build and when free people join forces," US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said.
The move comes amid efforts by the two sides to finalise the proposed trade deal and move forward on several other initiatives to solidify bilateral ties after a spell of severe strain in relations.
The Pax Silica initiative was launched in December last year to build a secure, resilient, and innovation-driven supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Pax Silica Summit was held in Washington on December 12 last year where partner nations signed the Pax Silica declaration.
The declaration lays out a shared vision of deep economic and technology cooperation across supply chains -- from raw materials through semiconductors and AI infrastructure -- and commitment to mutual prosperity and security.
The member nations of the Pax Silica included Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Gor last month announced an invitation to New Delhi to join the strategic alliance. One of the key pillars of Pax Silica was to establish a durable economic order to drive AI-powered prosperity across partner nations.
"We recognise that a reliable supply chain is indispensable to our mutual economic security," according to the Pax Silica declaration.
"We also recognise that artificial intelligence (AI) represents a transformative force for our long-term prosperity and that trustworthy systems are essential to safeguarding our mutual security and prosperity," it said.
"We believe that economic value and growth will flow through and across all levels of the global AI supply chain, driving historic opportunity and demand for energy, critical minerals, manufacturing, technological hardware, infrastructure, and new markets not yet invented," it said.
