HELLO, ANYONE OUT THERE?

Jupiter’s moons key to alien life?

Europa, Callisto & Ganymede Fulfil All Conditions Needed To Sustain Life

Collection & Source: Times of India

Washington: Researchers are keen on exploring Jupiter’s icy moons, which may resemble some of the planets found orbiting stars beyond our solar system, to assess their suitability for life. 
Europa, Callisto and Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede, are all believed to have liquid oceans beneath their icy shells, as well as organic chemistry and possible sources of energy beyond the dim amount of sunlight that reaches their distant surfaces. 
These are all conditions that may be required for life in much more distant planetary bodies. 
We thought for quite some time these were dead icy bodies, but we have recently actually discovered a fabulous collection of very geologically active things there,” planetary scientist Athena Coustenis, with the Paris Observatory in France, said. A newly proposed mission, The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, nicknamed JUICE, would send a spacecraft to study the three moons and their habitability. 
Mission planners selected Ganymede as an archetype of an exoplanet water world like GJ 1214b, a super-Earth discovered last year circling a star about 40 light-years from Earth. “We think it is the best example of a liquid environment trapped between icy layers,” JUICE science study team member Olga Prieto Ballesteros, with the Center of Astrobiology in Madrid, Spain, said. Europa poses an intriguing model to those exploring the possibility of alien life because its buried ocean is believed to be in direct contact with the moon’s silicate mantle, a source of salts and other elements. 
Europa is thought to be like exoplanets that are between water worlds and Earth-like bodies. 
The icy planetary bodies have opened the possibility to find habitats in deeper environments. We can say that these will expand the classical concept of habitability,” which previously was limited to places with liquid water on surface, Prieto Ballesteros said. ANI

Treatment of Tree

On its deathbed, neem tree gets A Healing Touch

A 60-year-old neem tree in central Delhi was saved from sure collapse by timely intervention. It will live on for over 20 years

Neha Lalchandani | TNN 

Collected & Source: Times of India

    The operation went on for almost three hours but the doctors were happy with the outcome. Despite a massive insect infestation that had gnawed away its innards and a recent fracture, they believe the patient will make a full recovery and will probably live on for another 20-30 years. The 60-yearold Neem tree at the juncture of Lodhi Road and Bhishma Pitamah Marg has been given a new lease of life. 
    Its growth stunted as it struggled to survive Delhi’s harsh environment, and its roots suffocated by the tightening noose of concrete around its base, the tree was almost split into two as a huge branch was ripped off in a thunder squall last week. MCD asked the NDMC tree ambulance for help, which decided that an immediate “surgery” was needed to save the Neem. 
    Since it started operating in Delhi, the tree ambulance has saved a few hundred trees in the city, most of them in the NDMC areas. More than 50 trees have been operated upon, a procedure in which old and usually hollow trees are treated, packed with flexible material and sealed so that they may grow back. On Tuesday, 
the joint operation by NDMC and MCD started around 10.30am in which first the broken branch was removed and then the tree treated for its 
termite infestation. “The tree was very sick and would have eventually collapsed. First, we hacked out the termite infested part. The wood actually crumbled when we touched it. Once the major portion was removed manually, we hosed it with water jet to clean it completely,” said Kaushik. 
    Once rid of the pests, the inside of the trunk was washed with chloropyriphose, an insecticide. Then the cavity was painstakingly filled with foam, thermocol and cotton to provide support to the trunk. These were then secured using a wire mesh. “These materials were chosen as they provide support and sufficient flexibility to the tree. Wood will start growing back within the next 10 days, and as the trunk heals, these materials will be squeezed inward without any resistance. In earlier operations we used hard materials but realized that it did not leave the tree with any flexibility,” added Kaushik. 
    Finally, the materials were sealed with plaster of Paris and the fallen bark was pressed back into place. This was then secured using strips of hessian. The exposed part from where the branch had broken off was also sealed with PoP and then covered with an additional layer of cement to prevent water from going in. 
    Suhas Borkar, founder member of Green Circle of Delhi, who reported the case to authorities, says that it is not surprising for trees to collapse. “Pollution levels are rising, groundwater tables are falling and the trees are being allowed no space to breathe. Greening guidelines provide for adequate space of at least 6 X 6 feet has to be left around trees while cementing or tiling. Horticulture departments in all civic agencies should have tree disease and surgery units. None of these guidelines are being followed and Delhi’s trees are in poor shape.”

NDMC & MCD staff first sawed off termite infested part of the trunk and then hosed it with water. The cavity was then treated with insecticide and painstakingly filled up with foam, thermocol & cotton

Cavity was then sealed with plaster of Paris and cement, and bound with hessian strips in the end

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डीएल और प्रदूषण प्रमाण पत्र ही पास रखना जरूरी

अब आपको वाहन चलाते समय सिर्फ असली ड्राइविंग लाइसेंस और गाड़ी का प्रदूषण प्रमाण पत्र ही रखना होगा। वाहन जांच के दौरान अन्य प्रमाण पत्रों की फोटो कॉपी मान्य होगी। निजी वाहन चालकों को राहत देते हुए दिल्ली यातायात पुलिस ने इस बारे में सर्कुलर जारी किया है। इससे पुलिसकर्मियों द्वारा सभी वास्तविक प्रमाण पत्र दिखाने के नाम पर उगाही पर लगाम लगेगी। दिल्ली के संयुक्त पुलिस आयुक्त (यातायात) सत्येंद्र गर्ग ने मंगलवार को सर्कुलर जारी करने के बाद मीडियाकर्मियों से बातचीत में कहा कि अक्सर वाहन चालकों की शिकायत रहती थी, कि इंश्योरेंस और आरसी (रजिस्ट्रेशन सर्टिफिकेट) की फोटो कॉपी दिखाने के बाद भी पुलिसकर्मी उन्हें परेशान करते हैं। अब निजी वाहन चालकों को इस तरह की परेशानी नहीं होगी। गर्ग ने कहा कि महिला और वरिष्ठ नागरिकों को वाहन के मूल दस्तावेज न दिखाने पर काफी परेशानी होती थी, क्योंकि मूल दस्तावेज न दिखाने पर वाहन को जब्त कर लिया जाता था। वाहन चोरी होने पर असली आरसी और इंश्योरेंस मांगा जाता है। जिससे वाहन मालिक को बीमा लाभ मिल सके। लेकिन वाहन के साथ ही असली प्रमाण पत्र चोरी होने पर उसे बीमा लाभ.  डीएल और प्रदूषण प्रमाण पत्र ही पास रखना जरूरी लेने में भी कई तरह की परेशानियां आती हैं। इन सब परेशानियों को ध्यान में रखते हुए ही यह प्रावधान किया गया है। अब निजी वाहन चालक अपने वाहन की आरसी और इंश्योरेंस की फोटो कॉपी रखेंगे। साथ ही डाइविंग लाइसेंस व प्रदूषण प्रमाण पत्र असली रहेंगे। फोटो कॉपी साफ होनी चाहिए, जो पढ़ी जा सके। फोटो कॉपी को किसी राजपत्रित अधिकारी से सत्यापित कराने की भी जरूरत नहीं है। उन्होंने बताया कि इस बारे में यातायात पुलिसकर्मियों सहित स्थानीय पुलिस के सभी वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों को अवगत करा दिया गया है। अगर किसी वाहन चालक को परेशानी होती है तो वह यातायात पुलिस की एसएमएस सेवा 56767 पर अपनी शिकायत दर्ज करा सकता है। इसके अलावा वाहन चालक दिल्ली पुलिस की हेल्पलाइन सेवा 25844444 पर भी संपर्क कर सकता है।
News Collection Source: Dainik Jagran
Photo: the Hindu

WEAVER BIRDS BAYA RETURN TO THE SUB-CITY

Source: City Plus (Dainik Jagran)

Ever seen the weaver bird Baya? If not go to these beautiful birds weaving nests in the vacant plot near Dwarka Court in front of Sector 10 Metro station. Environmentalists are surprised that the Baya birds have started weaving nests in the same patch of land where they did last year.

Even bird watcher and nature lover from Dwarka, Ramesh Chand, finds it surprising that when such birds are not seen even in forest areas, green areas and parks, they are seen in such a populated area near a metro station.

About the birds returning to the same land after one year, programme officer of Bombay Natural History Society, CR Naveen, said, "Bayas are birds which migrate locally. They usually return to the nesting sites of the previous year. They may or may not be the same birds that nested previously in the same area. But it is a very good sign that the land has become their favourite nesting place."

Centre manager of BNHS Sajeev TK said, "The weaver bird is one of the master architects of nature. The male birds play a major role in the site selection and making the nest. The females are invited by the males to inspect the half built nest. If they find the nest suitable they will join hands and complete the nest. Otherwise the half built nests are abandoned by the males and they try their luck with new nests. Thus the males with good nest-making skills alone will be able to breed and produce next generation. This also accounts for the large number of half built nests in a nesting site."

Senior Scientific Officer of Environment, Delhi Government  BC Sabat, said, "Baya birds coming again to the same land is a good sign in favour of environment. People should go and see them to feel their importance. Parents and schools should take their kids to that particular land to show these rare birds. Involvement of community is the only way to save them as it would create pressure on the authority to make them feel the importance of fauna in the sub-city." 

Important facts

The Baya's scientific name is Ploceus philippinus. Flocks of these birds are found in grasslands, cultivated areas, scrub and secondary growth and they are best known for their hanging retort shaped nests woven from leaves. These nest colonies are usually found on thorny trees or palm fronds and the nests are often built near water or hanging over water where predators cannot reach easily. 

it is a very good sign that the land has become baya birds’ favourite nesting place.

CR Naveen

Programme officer, Bombay Natural History Society

                                                                                                                               — Akhilesh Pandey