Jaitapur nuke plant will be a social disaster: TISS report- DNA

Jaitapur nuke plant will be a social disaster: TISS report

DNA / Ninad Siddhaye / Sunday, December 26, 2010 23:48 IST

A social impact assessment review conducted by Jamshetji Tata centre
for disaster management of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)
has torn into the nuclear power plant being proposed at Jaitapur in the
Konkan region.

The report has indicated that the project — which
requires about 968 hectares of land panning five villages — will have a
huge negative impact on the social as well as environmental development
of not just these villages and the surrounding areas, but also on the
Konkan region in general.

The detailed report was prepared by
researchers in April. Some of the findings suggest that a large part of
land to be acquired for the project is being used for agriculture,
horticulture and grazing purposes, and that the government has subverted
facts by labelling it barren land.

“Farmers and horticulturists
have spent lakhs of rupees to make the land cultivable over years and
even the government has supported them. This includes Alfonso mangoes
and cashews. Now, when the time has come for them to reap their
investments, they are afraid of losing their land as the government now
claims it is barren land,” says the report. It adds that even the
fisherfolk of the region are against the project.

“Their fear
that the fishes will migrate to deeper waters due to release of hot
water from the reactors is not unjustified. Apart from fishing, other
allied activities will also be adversely affected,” says the report,
which was prepared after interviewing villagers.

One of the major
concerns expressed in the report is the lack of transparency in
dissemination of information about the project on the part of the
government and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL). “It
is necessary that the government ensures full transparency in
implementation. But the information can be accessed only through RTI,
and people seem to be losing faith in the government,” the report
states.

The report states there is a lack of clarity on the exact
amount of land that has been earmarked for acquisition. “Even the amount
of compensation and the kind of rehabilitation that the project
affected will get is not clear. Moreover, there is a lot of manipulation
of information, which is disturbing people.

Notification of area
from high severity earthquake zone to moderate seismic severity zone
seems to be one of them. The government is not only hiding facts, but
also manipulating them,” alleges the report.

URL of the article: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_jaitapur-nuke-plant-will-be-a-social-disaster-tiss-report_1486600-all

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Endosulfan Ban in Kerala

The Kerala State Pollution Control Board through its letter No. PCB/L/1541/2001 dated 19th Nov 2010 has banned the use of endosulphan any form with immediate effect in the Kerala State untll lt is proved safe;

Maharashtra halts all Sindhudurg mining

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/TOI-impact-Maharashtra-halts-all-Sindhudurg-mining/articleshow/7115008.cms

TOI impact: Maharashtra halts all Sindhudurg mining
 
MUMBAI: The thickly-wooded Western Ghats escaped a major ecological calamity as the Maharashtra government this week put on hold 49 mining projects in the verdant Sindhudurg district.

The state mining department's decision to denotify the 49 mining areas in the lush region came in the wake of a series of reports in TOI that highlighted the impending environmental disaster. Days after the first report appeared on October 15, Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh had written to then chief minister Ashok Chavan demanding a relook at the leases. He followed it up in November with a similar missive to Prithviraj Chavan, the new CM.

Sindhudurg has the highest green cover in Maharashtra and was declared the country's first eco-tourism district in 1997. Over the last three years, the government granted 53 mining leases — many on the basis of fabricated environment impact assessment reports — in the district, of which four are already operational.

''We have called for all files related to the 49 mining leases, including environment impact assessment reports,'' said state environment secretary Valsa Nair Singh. ''It is a known fact that EIA reports are done in a haphazard manner and there are several inherent flaws in them.'' Singh added that a detailed review would be conducted of the operational mines.

The denotification means that companies cannot dig away for minerals in the region until the MoEF lifts its moratorium on mining in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri. It also forces them to seek fresh permissions from both Central and state agencies before applying again.

''The denotification happened after it was found that many areas in Sindhudurg are ecologically fragile and mining may adversely impact tourism in the area,'' a senior state industry official said.

Of the 49 permissions, 32 were granted in the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg area, which has the highest forest cover in Sindhudurg district. The area boasts of rich wildlife and makes up a major portion of the green corridor between Koyna sanctuary in Satara district and the Anshi-Dandeli tiger reserve in Karnataka.

State mining officials believe that minerals worth Rs 10,000 crore lie in the rich subsoil of the Western Ghats.

US Ban Endosulfan- June 2010

EPA to Ban Use of Endosulfan

EPA to Ban Use of Endosulfan

September 8th, 2010

In June 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took action to ban the use of endosulfan
in the United States because it poses unacceptable risks to
agricultural workers and wildlife, and can be pervasive in the
environment.

The decision was based on a revised ecological risk assessment
report, first written in 2002, which highlights that farm workers face
greater risks than were previously known. The EPA also found that
endosulfan, a colorless solid, poses excessive risk to aquatic and
terrestrial wildlife, as well as to birds and mammals that consume
aquatic prey which have ingested endosulfan.

The EPA’s revised assessment from 2010 is a comprehensive review of
all available exposure readings and ecological effect information for
endosulfan, including independent peer-reviewed recommendations made by
the endosulfan Scientific Advisory Panel.

Endosulfan (6,7,8,9,10,10-hexcholoro-1,5,5a,6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9-methano-2,4,3-

benzodioxathiepin-3-oxide), a dioxathiepin (broadly classified as an organochlorine),
is a broad-spectrum contact insecticide and acaricide that is used on a
wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and cotton, as well as on
ornamental shrubs, trees, vines, and herbaceous plants in commercial
agricultural settings. It has also been used in wood preservation and
home gardening. According to the EPA, crops, such as tomatoes,
cucurbits, potatoes, apples, and cotton, were treated with the highest
amounts of endosulfan between 2006 and 2008.

Endosulfan has emerged as a controversial agrichemical due to its acute toxicity, potential for bioaccumulation, and role as an endocrine disruptor. The EPA is currently drafting a more detailed report of their decision.

For more information on the EPA’s decision visit:

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/endosulfan/endosulfan-cancl-fs.html

Petroleum Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region or PCPIR in Paradeep Orissa

CCEA Clears A Proposal To Set Up PCPIR Region In Orissa
(RTTNews) - The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs or CCEA has approved a proposal of the Government of Orissa to set up a Petroleum Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region or PCPIR in Paradeep, to attract an investment of Rs.277,734 crore, which includes a committed investment of Rs.29.777 crore.

The Government of Orissa proposes to set up a PCPIR at Paradeep extending over parts of Kujang and Ersama blocks of Jagatsinghpur district and Mahakalpada and Marsaghai blocks of Kendrapara district. This is the fourth PCPIR which has been approved after PCPIRs in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal.

The proposal envisages development of physical infrastructure such as roads, rail, air links, ports, water supply, power etc. at a cost of Rs.13,634 crore under Public Private Partnerships to the extent possible and Central Government will provide the necessary Viability Gap Funding (VGF). Accordingly, Orissa government has sought support from Government of India involving a commitment Rs.716 crore on account of VGF funding for one port and three road-related projects.

The total employment generation from the OPCPIR is expected to be around 6.48 lakh persons comprising direct employment to 2.27 lakh persons.

The PCPIR policy is a window to ensure the adoption of a holistic approach to the development of global scale industrial clusters in the petroleum, chemical and petrochemical sectors in an integrated and environment friendly manner. The idea is to ensure the setting up of industrial estates in a planned manner with a view to achieve synergies and for value added manufacturing, research and development.

The State Government proposes to constitute the Greater Orissa Paradeep Development Authority, as the authority in-charge of the development of the Paradeep PCPIR. ...............................

IUCN assessing status of freshwater biodiversity

IUCN in the process of assessing freshwater biodiversity of India - The Hindu | India Water Portal

The freshwater biodiversity of the
country is being assessed by the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN). It is after a gap of 13 years that the freshwater
biodiversity of the country, including fish, molluscs, insects and
plants, is being assessed using the IUCN Red List Categories and
Criteria. The last such assessment was held in 1997.

Nemachelus botia, a loach fish species, endemic to Western Ghats

The assessment of the biodiversity of
freshwater bodies in north India has been completed and the results
updated in the Red List of the agency.

The list is considered a comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.

It
has nine classifications namely extinct, extinct in the wild,
critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, least
concern, data deficient and not evaluated. The classification of species
threatened with extinction—vulnerable, endangered and critically
endangered - is carried out after assessing the biological factors
related to extinction risk like the rate of decline of the population,
population size, the area of geographic distribution, degree of
population and distribution fragmentation.

It is estimated that
only 13 of the 807 species of freshwater fish found in India have been
assessed using the Red list criteria. Regarding the other species, only
four insects, two species freshwater molluscs and one species of
freshwater plant have so far been assessed.

The preliminary
assessment of the freshwater biodiversity of the Western Ghats has been
completed and the list is being peer-reviewed by international experts,
said Sanjay Molur, executive director, Zoo Outreach Organisation,
Coimbatore, which partnered with the IUCN for the assessment.

The list will be released at a function in Thiruvananthapuram later this month, he said.

During
the evaluation held in Coimbatore recently, the status of around 250
fish were assessed. Around 100 other species were left out as they were
also found in the waterbodies in north India, said a fisheries expert
who took part in the process.

According to initial reports,
around 30 fish species have been included in the endangered and 15 in
critically endangered lists from the region. It was also reported that
there was no reports on one fish species from the Tamil Nadu region of
the Ghats for the last 20 years.

The Ghats region is facing
increased threats due to economic development in the form of
deforestation, construction of dams, sand mining, pollution and
over-harvesting.

Areva Plans for 1,000 MW Concentrating Solar Power in India

Areva Plans for 1,000 MW Concentrating Solar Power in India

november 04, 2010

Areva has set its eyes on Concentrating Solar Power production in India.

Areva
plans to put up 250MW capacity at four locations and is currently
negotiating with the governments of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
and Gujarat.



Areva has announced its plans to start two new subsidiary companies to
mobilize the required investment of $3 billion for installing the solar
thermal plant.



Areva has initiated dialogues with two leading financial investment
companies for starting a partnership venture to build a 1,000 MW solar
thermal power plant within the next five to seven years time.



Areva has unveiled its plans to develop the plants exclusively by
utilizing the power purchase agreements (PPA) with the state governments
in India without availing the facilities available under the National
Solar Mission program.



According to Anil Srivastava, Areva Renewables Chief Executive Officer,
the company intends to commence the construction of the plant on signing
the convincing power purchase agreements with the state governments
without waiting for the signing of agreements for the full production
capability of 1,000 MW.



Currently he did not name the financial institutions ready to fund the
project and clarified that the proposed tie-ups are expected to take
place after six months.



Areva also has plans to set up a wholly owned auxiliary company for
performing engineering and building work to construct solar turbines and
solar islands which are actually synthetic membranes used for keeping
solar panels.



The company has spelt out its intentions to create an EPC (engineering,
procurement, construction) firm to work in cooperation with a partnering
company from India. The Indian company will be engaged in the civil
works related to the plant and erect the solar islands and turbines
produced by Areva. The created EPC company will sustain Areva’s efforts
in building a supply chain and help in exporting manufactured parts to
West Asia and Australia.





www.areva-td.com/home_tdmain/US_57_Homepage.html

On National Green Tribunal

Can India's New Green Court Get the Job Done?

Posted by Krista Mahr Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 5:43 am

1 Comment • Related Topics: Disasters Regulation , India, National Green Tribunal

Two men carry children blinded by the 1984 Union Carbide chemical pesticide leak to a hospital in Bhopal, India

India has launched a new “green” court this week in the latest push from Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh to toughen up the nation's environmental laws. The National Green Tribunal, as it's called, will be composed of 20 judiciary and environmental expert members who will hear cases regarding environmental protection and rights around the country, and have the power to dispense compensation from environmental negligence as they see fit. The legal body is part of the National Green Tribunal Act passed by India's parliament in June, and follows the example of similar tribunals that have been set up in Australia and New Zealand, says the government. (Read TIME's recent interview with Ramesh.)

A green court, particularly for a vast, growing nation with a catastrophic industrial disaster like Bhopal on its books, sounds like a good idea, but the plan's critics are worried it will deliver more of the same. That is, nothing.

That's because India has created similar bodies before — the National Environment Tribunal in 1995, established to handle cases arising from accidents during the handling of hazardous materials, and the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) in 1997. “We have not seen these two active, and I have not seen any diagnostic study of why they failed in the first place,” says Sanjay Upadhyay, the founder of India's first environmental law firm. The effect of the bodies' failures, says Upadhyay, has been that grievances in environmental cases that should have been filed at the appellate level have often leapfrogged to the higher court systems, including the Supreme Court. That court has been praised for its proactive approach in environmental cases; the court's interpretation of the Indian constitution's guarantee of the "Right to Life" includes the right to a healthy, pollution-free environment. (See pictures of Bhopal's legacy.)

However, Upadhyay says, the high courts' rulings on sweeping environmental issues like sustainable development and the precautionary principle are often too broad to be properly managed at the ground level. “The court system has given draconian orders and judgments which are not implementable. We have laws that are so lofty, but there is no operational arrangement after that,” he says. He fears the new green court may suffer from the same disease, passing judgments that are not supported by sufficient infrastructure to carry them through. “The view that I have had personally is that we've always been jumping the gun without really getting into the administrative first step required.”

A July op-ed in the Indian daily the Hindu argued that, whatever the failures of the past bodies, the new tribunal is sure to have its own shortcomings, including the voice that it gives industry (companies can also appeal their cases), ambiguities about who will pay compensation the court awards, and how the time limit on cases the court will hear could leave some victims, whose symptoms take years to materialize, out of luck. It also notes that Ramesh's stated plan of symbolically headquartering the tribunal in Bhopal, where thousands were killed after a Union Carbide plant manufacturing pesticide malfunctioned and released poisonous gas over the area in 1984, could in fact delay the already long-delayed justice in the case of an unfavorable ruling there that would then send them back to the Supreme Court. (Read TIME's 1984 cover story about the Bhopal disaster.)

All that said, it's hard to say this doesn't seem like a step in the right direction. India remains a model for its neighbors in Asia for making the legal system a place where environmental justice can be found. It will be up the government moving forward with this new tool as to how easily, and how often, even more Indians find it.

Stop all sand extraction across Maharashtra, high court tells govt- DNA news

Stop all sand extraction across Maharashtra, high  court tells govt
DNA / Mayura Janwalkar / Saturday, September 25, 2010
0:34 IST

Taking a serious note of the potential danger to river-beds in the state, the Bombay high court on Thursday ordered all sand extractions in Maharashtra to be stopped immediately. A petition filed by the Sagar Shramik Hatpati Walu Utpadak Sahakari Sanstha, Maryadit, had stated that continuous sand extraction posed serious environmental threats to the river-beds in the state and if ignored, they could lead to flood-like situations in the areas close to the rivers.

In their interim order, the judges observed, "The extraction of sand all over Maharashtra has become a serious issue, posing environmental degradation challenge, thereby causing serious threats of flood or diversion of water flow."

As the state government told the court that it was yet to frame a policy to regulate sand extraction, the court ordered the activities to be stopped with immediate effect. The additional chief secretary (revenue) has been asked to file an affidavit in the case in four weeks. The additional chief secretary has also been directed to immediately inform collectors all over the state about the high court's order.

The division bench headed by justice BH Marlapalle said that the no sand extraction should be permitted until the court's further orders in the case.

The judges further observed in their order,"It is also alleged in a report of former additional chief secretary (revenue) that auctions for sand extraction have resulted in heavy losses to the state treasury. Hence, by way of an ad-interim order, we direct sand extraction all over Maharashtra even on the basis of existing licences be stopped forthwith until further order."
URL of the article:
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_stop-all-sand-extraction-across-maharashtra-high-court-tells-govt_1442857-all
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World’s most isolated tribe threatened by poachers - Andaman Islands

World's most isolated tribe threatened by poachers
SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE
September 20, 2010

World's most isolated tribe threatened by poachers Poachers targeting rich fishing grounds in India's Andaman Islands are endangering the world's most isolated tribe.
More than a hundred iIllegal fishermen from Burma have been arrested in recent weeks. Fourteen were fishing off North Sentinel Island, home to the Sentinelese tribe, who attack anyone approaching their island. Members of the tribe killed two fishermen in 2006. Burmese and local Indian poachers also threaten the survival of the Jarawa tribe, who have only had contact with outsiders since 1998. An Indian poacher and a Jarawa man died in a conflict in the Jarawa's reserve in 2008.
The Indian coast guard has announced a series of arrests of more than a hundred Burmese poachers since late August, mostly in the vicinity of the Jarawa's reserve. However, local Indian poachers are rarely targeted.
Poachers catch turtles and dive for lucrative sea cucumber for the Chinese market, and also hunt in the Jarawa's forest. Local poachers often enter by the illegal road that cuts through the tribe's land. Survival has repeatedly urged the local authorities to close the road, but it remains open.
Local sources say the scale of the problem is much greater than the recent arrests suggest, with most poachers going undetected. Both the Jarawa and the Sentinelese are hunter-gatherers, and theft of the fish and animals in their territory endangers their food supply. Poachers also risk introducing common diseases to the tribes. The Sentinelese are especially at risk: their complete isolation means they are likely to have no immunity to diseases such as flu and measles. Survival International campaigner Sophie Grig said today, 'The Indian coast guard's recent crackdown shows they are taking the poaching problem seriously, but it also reveals the huge scale of the threat. The Jarawa and the Sentinelese have lived on the Andamans for about 55,000 years, but if this invasion of their territory continues, their days could be numbered.'
Watch an exclusive interview with a Jarawa man about poachers on his land

To read this story online:
http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/6488 Notes to the Editors: The Sentinelese are believed to be the world's most isolated tribe, and have no contact with outsiders. The neighbouring Bo tribe on the Andaman Islands became extinct in January this year with the death of its last surviving member, Boa Sr.
For more information and images, or to use the attached image, please contact Miriam Ross:
T (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or (+44) (0)7504543367
E mr@survivalinternational.org
W http://www.survivalinternational.org/

Soil Piping near Idukki dam in Kerala- Yet another lesser known threat from large Dams

*Soil piping causes panic in Idukki
**Correspondent : VR Jayaraj | Kochi*

The formation of deep well-shaped pits due to the phenomenon called soil piping in Kerala's Idukki district, home to the biggest arch dam in Asia and several other major reservoirs, has caused panic in the area. Scientists who assessed the phenomenon, noticed last weekend, said there was no need for panic.
Well-shaped pits with circumferences up to ten metres and depth up to 15 metres had appeared all of a sudden in a 20-hectare area in the Udayagiri area, lying near the giant Idukki arch dam, last weekend. But scientists said the phenomenon had been occurring in the area since Year 2000.
The pits had formed in a straight line of about 500 metres from the top of a hill-slope to the valley, where the opening showed sand-mixed water seeping out. Residents in the area said that they could hear water movement beneath the earth's surface.
Soil piping (also called tunnel erosion) takes place beneath the surface of the earth and it normally goes unnoticed. During piping, large quantities of sand and clay beneath the surface get carried away by water, resulting in the formation of tunnel-like, experts say.
Much of the sub-surface soil could get eroded thus leading to formation of deep funnel-shaped tunnels beneath the surface, which is the phenomenon called piping. Indications of piping had been noticed in the Udumbanchola and Udayagiri areas Idukki since August, experts said.
Experts from the Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), Thiruvananthapuram, who examined the pits and the soil, said the phenomenon of piping was not rare. The process would go unnoticed as far as it is restricted to the sub-surface but pits appear when the surface becomes unable to bear the burden of the hollowness beneath caused by erosion.
According to scientists in the West, sub-surface erosion as in piping normally occurs when it has an abundant content of loose pumice, volcanic ash and such materials. They also say that piping is a phenomenon associated with factors like broken sewer pipes, storm drains or seepage from reservoirs that trigger water movements.
People in Idukki say that the scientists should examine the phenomenon in relation with the giant reservoirs in the district. The reservoir kept by Idukki arch dam, largest of its kind in Asia, is said to exert a force of two billion tons on its bed when filled to capacity.
"The panic may be unnecessary but there is nothing wrong in having a look at this," Kurien, a teacher from Painavu said. The Idukki hydel project reservoir alone is keeping more than 80 percent of the water held by all artificial reservoirs in the State. According to Western geologists, piping is always a huge concern when it happens near huge dams.
"What we should infer from the scientists' explanation is that the sub-surface soil in the Idukki hills is not as solid as we had thought it to be. If that is the case, the water kept in the reservoirs here could act as an external force that triggers movement of sub-surface flow," the teacher said.
One of the major threats that piping poses is that the vertical pits could widen leading to more earth cave-ins but scientists say that there is no pragmatic method to arrest the process. "Western experts are suggesting installation of filters that could block soil and allow water flow but this need not be practical. It is also expensive," said a scientist.
The most recent incident of piping was reported from Guatemala City in May last when a very deep pit formed right in the middle of a residential area. Guatemala City is situated in a valley covered by up to 600 feet of loose pumice and volcanic ash, materials that can be easily eroded.

SOURCE:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/284670/Soil-piping-causes-panic-in-Idukki.html

MTDC turns to marine tourism to up profits. Corals

MTDC turns to marine tourism to up profits
30 April 2009, TOI, Chitra Nair

          Pune: Adventure lovers have a new destination: Sindhudurg. For those planning a visit to the Konkan coast can now look forward to some scuba diving activity. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has initiated a scuba diving project on the Konkan coast under its coastal and marine tourism programme.
          Manager of adventure sports, MTDC, Subodh Kinalekar says, “The snorkeling activity started in 2007 has generated tremendous response with almost 40,000 to 50,000 tourists so far. We have earned approximately Rs. 20 lakh so far. The next step is to start scuba diving by October this year,” he says. Besides, the MTDC also plans to explore the rich marine life of Konkan coast by initiating marine tourism project that will create awareness about nature conservation. “The Sindhudurg fort is surrounded by some old coral reefs that are approximately 400-500 years old. The area also has beautiful sargassum forest,” said Sarang Kulkarni, a marine biologist, who has been appointed by the MTDC as an advisor for the project. Most of these corals are in shallow water and so doing not need advanced training or equipment. “There is no need to travel abroad when you get to snorkel and see some beautiful underwater sites so close to Mumbai that too at reasonable rates. We have trained local people as snorkeling guides and we can proudly say they are amongst the best in the country,” says Kulkarni who adds that the project is also generating employment for the local people.
          The MTDC is also exploring new ideas in terms of marine tourism including whale watch, sports fishing and also a sea world. “Sports fishing is for those who want to catch fish and eat it too. The advantage is that people will catch only as many fish as they need,” adds Kulkarni.Other projects include a beach rescue project and a turtle interpretation centre.  
(ref: http://envis.maharashtra.gov.in/envis_data/files/news/apr/ecotourism.html)

News on 'Angria Bank' the submerged coral reef atoll of konkan coast

Mah govt plans to explore tourism potential of 'Angria Bank'
Mumbai | Wednesday, Mar 19 2008 IST

Maharashtra Government has decided to take a lead in detailed exploration of 'Angria bank', a submerged plateau that exists around 120 km west of Vijaydurg, Ratnagiri and Malvan in Konkan region.

Finance Minister Jayant Patil, while presenting his budget proposals for 2008-09 in the Legislative assembly, said the submerged island may have potential to change the perspective of tourism not only in Maharashtra, but also in India.

The plateau has average depth of 20 metres and considering other factors, like its distance from the mainland and other oceanic conditions, it is expected that the water in the plateau would be crystal clear and it is suitable for extensive coral reef growth and it may also provide habitat for variety of fishes, which would make this site best among other Indian diving destinations.

The bathymetric chart suggest that it is 39 km in length and 17 km Wide, with 20 metres as an average depth. If further exploration yields positive results then the Maharashtra coastline may have India's largest submerged reef/island, which will have positive influence on coastal and marine tourism sector and it could be a great diving destination for domestic and international tourists.

He said that after further exploration of 'Angria Bank' and biodiversity assessment, there would be need of conducting feasibility study to establish it as a tourism destination.

Mr Patil also said that after exploration and feasibility, the state government will submit the detailed proposal to the centre to bring 'Angria Bank' under its jurisdiction so that the state government can manage the area due to its high biological diversity and also market it as its own tourism destination. An outlay of Rs five crore would be made available for this purpose.

A "lost" population of tigers has been filmed living in the Himalayas by BBC

Lost tiger population discovered

By Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News
A "lost" population of tigers has been filmed living in the Himalayas.
The discovery has stunned experts, as the tigers are living at a higher altitude than any others known and appear to be successfully breeding. Their presence in the Bhutan highlands has been confirmed by footage taken by a BBC natural history camera crew. Creating a nature reserve around the tigers could connect up fragmented populations across Asia, preventing the extinction of the world's biggest cat.  Tigers are known to live in the Himalayan foothills of Bhutan, though little is known about them, or how many there are.

The fact they can live here is just so important, for tigers in the wild, for their future
BBC wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan

However, leading tiger expert Dr Alan Rabinowitz, formerly of the World Conservation Society and now President of
suspected that tigers may also be living at higher altitude, following anecdotal reports by villagers suggesting that some were roaming as high as 4000m (13,000ft). So, together with a BBC film crew, he decided to investigate by journeying to Bhutan to seek proof that such mountain tigers did indeed exist.
Dr Rabinowitz enlisted the help of BBC wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan, who has filmed wild cats worldwide for more than 10 years. Under Dr Rabinowitz's direction, Mr Buchanan trekked up into the mountains, where he then set a series of camera traps, that would automatically film any creature moving in front. The team left the traps at an altitude of between 3,000m and 4,100m, above which trees start being unable to survive. Three months later, he returned to see what they had caught on camera. The cameras recorded a wealth of wildlife, including red foxes, jungle cats, monkeys, leopards, Himalayan black bear, tarkin, serow, musk deer and even a red panda.

This is the only place on earth known to have tigers, leopard and snow leopards all sharing the same valley. It is remarkable to have these three big cats sharing their range.

Most extraordinarily, the cameras took footage of two wild tigers, one male and one female, a discovery that moved Mr Buchanan to tears. The images are the first known footage of tigers in the remote mountains of Bhutan and the first hard evidence that tigers are capable of living at that altitude.
This find was made in close collaboration with Bhutan Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, with help and guidance from forest guard Phup Tshering."The fact they can live here is just so important, for tigers in the wild, for their future," said Mr Buchanan, on seeing the footage for the first time.

The large male tiger, sighted at an altitude of 4,100m is recorded scent-marking, confirming that the tiger pair are living within their own territory, and not just passing through.

The female tiger, sighted at the same altitude, can also be seen to be lactating, strongly suggesting the tigers are breeding at that altitude. Further footage shows tigers living lower at an altitude of 3000m.The discovery, which is broadcast this week as part of the BBC One programme Lost Land of the Tiger was made by the same BBC team that discovered a new species of giant rat living on the slopes of a remote volcano deep inside the jungle of Papua New Guinea. Dr Rabinowitz and the BBC team are not revealing the exact location of the tigers, in order to prevent them being found by poachers.
Tigers used to roam across Asia, now only pockets remain. There are estimated to be as few as 3,000 left in the wild, due to poaching and habitat loss. The discovery of tigers living at altitude in Bhutan could be crucial to one scheme proposed to help save the species from extinction.
Known as a "tiger corridor", the idea is to connect up many of these surviving isolated and fragmented groups.
That would allow individual tigers to move between populations, allowing them to breed more widely, bolstering the genetic diversity of those surviving. It would also offer some tigers sanctuary from human towns and villages and the increasing pressures they bring.
promoted by the conservation organisation Panthera, hopes one such major corridor could extend along the foothills of the Himalayas from Nepal into Bhutan and northern India, then through to Myanmar, stretching across 2000km with an area of 120,000 sq km. The ambition would then be to connect it to another corridor spanning Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, terminating in Malaysia.
"The significance of finding tigers living so high in Bhutan is that it means that huge areas of Himalayas, that people didn't think were natural places for tigers to live, can now be included in the tiger corridor," says Jonny Keeling, a BBC producer who helped track and film the big cats.
"Bhutan could act as tiger nursery from which tigers could breed safely and spread out to re-populate forests of some of the surrounding countries."
Lost Land of the Tiger will be broadcast on BBC One at 21.00BST on Tuesday 21st, Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd September.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8998000/8998042.stm

Published: 2010/09/20 04:11:42 GMT

© BBC MMX

Dr Aziz Panel to visit Kolleru

Experts panel to visit Kolleru - Deccan Chronicle
September 17th, 2010
DC Correspondent
(http://www.deccanchronicle.com/rajahmundry/experts-panel-visit-kolleru-457)

Sept. 16: The expert panel on Kolleru led by Dr P.A. Aziz will be visiting the Kolleru lake from September 20 onwards for six days to elicit opinion on the living conditions of villagers and also the implications over proposed reduction of contour limits from the existing fifth to third by interacting with stakeholders, politicians and environmentalists.

The seven-member panel from the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, will be arriving at Eluru on September 19 and will meet officials from revenue, irrigation, forests and tourism from both Krishna and West Godavari districts on September 20.

They will take up a field visit to some parts of the Kolleru area, interact with people and accept  representations.

On September 21, the panel will visit Gudivakalanka, Kolletikota, Agadala Lanka and Pothunuru, on September 22, Tokulapalli, Pedanindra Kolanu and Siddapuram villages and Gudipadu, Sriparru and Chinthapalli on September 23.

Later, the team will proceed to Bhujabalapatnam of Kaikalur mandal in Krishna district on September 24. On September 25, the panel will interact with elected representatives like MPs, MLAs, MLCs, ZPTCs and MPTCs at Eluru in the morning and meet officials from various departments in the evening. The panel is visiting the Kolleru lake at a time when there is hectic political lobbying favouring the delimitation of the Kolleru bird sanctuary.

The sanctuary is located over about 308.55 sq km at present and if there is any reduction in the third contour limits, nearly 135 sq km area, which comes upto nearly 42,000 acres, will be excluded from the sanctuary limits. The proposed move for delimitation of sanctuary size is aimed at votes of villagers who belong to the fishermen community.

The National Wildlife Board is learnt to have turned down the proposal on technical grounds. Meanwhile, the Kolleru Lake Development Society chairman, Dr Mente Padmanabham, the general secretary, Dr T. Patanjali Sastry, biologist Prof. B.V.Seshagiri Rao and others found fault with the proposal for delimitation. They fear that if this is accepted, it would result in setting up commercial fish ponds which would lead to an ecological disaster. They appealed to the Centre to maintain the status quo and asked for initiation of steps to conserve and protect the Kolleru lake which is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia.

They also asked government to provide alternate sources of livelihood and welfare schemes to the villagers.

Fwd: Fish workers oppose draft CRZ notification

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Fish workers oppose draft CRZ notification
Date:	Sat, 18 Sep 2010 10:01:28 +0530
From:	T Peter <peter.ksmtf@gmail.com>

Fish workers oppose draft CRZ notification http://www.thehindu.com/2010/09/18/stories/2010091863840300.htm Special Correspondent Say it does not protect fishing communities or environment Thiruvananthapuram: The National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) and the Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) have come out against the draft CRZ Notification 2010 put up on the web site of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. A press note quoting Matanhy Saldanha, chairperson, NFF, and T. Peter, president, KSMTF, said there were only cosmetic differences between the pre-draft and the draft notification. "It appears that either the Minister for Environment and Forests is trying to hoodwink the people or the bureaucrats in that department are misleading the Minister and the public while acting as puppets of the various lobbies and vested interests." The note said the amount spent on organising 10 consultations across the country to understand the views and opinions of the coastal communities had gone waste as none of the recommendations were reflected in the notification. Mr. Peter said fishing communities and other traditional occupants of the coastline had strongly demanded provisions to protect their right to live along the coastline that they had been occupying for centuries and their right to livelihood from what the coastal environment provided. "Sadly, these demands have been ignored. The notification neither protects the fishing communities nor the coastal environment. Activities that do not need to be within 500 metres from the sea such as atomic plants, greenfield airports, industries, special economic zones and large housing projects have been permitted without any clear rationale. There is also no attempt to take account of the cumulative impacts of thermal power plants and ports along the coast." The note said there was no case for the special status sought to be given to Kerala, Goa and Mumbai. "Given that the situation along India's vast coastline and its biodiversity differs so vastly, this only opens up the possibility of each State asking for, and being given, a special status. This will only serve to dilute the CRZ notification and open up the coast to builders, the tourist lobby, land sharks and the industry, while offering no protection to the environment and the traditional inhabitants of the coast." It said the NFF would do everything in its power to ensure that the draft notification in its current form was withdrawn. The KSMTF is organising an open discussion on the notification at the Press Club here on Monday.
http://www.keralafishworkers.in http://www.alakal.net

Nod to Vedanta was faulty. Uttarakhand Dam EC cancelled- NEAA

Green court faults ministry for nod to Vedanta
Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, September 18, 2010
First Published: 01:04 IST(18/9/2010)

An environment court has said the environment ministry had erred in granting environment clearance to Orissa Mining Corporation for mining bauxite in Niyamgiri Hills for Vedanta Resources. The corporation was given the clearance in August 2008 for mining 1 million tonnes of bauxite for Vedanta
Resources’ aluminum refinery in Kalahandi district of Orissa.

The clearance was granted on the basis of an environment impact assessment (EIA) report of Vimta Labs, which was never placed before the Dongria Kondh tribal community for consideration.

This, as per the EIA notification of 1994, was a violation as the clearance can be granted only on the basis of a report that has been circulated during public consultation.

Instead, an earlier EIA report of Tata AIG was circulated among the tribal community during public consultation, which was not the basis for granting the clearance.

In an affidavit before the authority, the ministry admitted that it granted clearance based on the EIA report of Vimta Labs and other reports while complying with a Supreme Court order on granting “clearance as per law”.

The Vimta Labs report had studied the impact of mining in Niyamgiri hills, related to data between May 2004 and November 2004, a year after the public consultation conducted by the state government.

The ministry, however, tried to explain that it followed the procedure laid in the EIA notification of 1994.

“It is clear that Vimta Labs report of 2005, on the basis of which the environment clearance was granted, was never in public domain for people to express their views,” the sole member of the authority J.C. Kala said in his order on Friday. “Leading to non-compliance of ministry’s (EIA) notification.”

The authority had suspended the clearance and asked the ministry to revisit it. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh cancelled it in August on the ground that forest clearance given to the project was faulty as provisions of the Forest Rights Act and Forest Conservation Act had not been met. If a project is coming up on forestland, obtaining a forest clearance is mandatory before seeking environment clearance.

Uttarakhand project in trouble
The National Environment Appellate Authority has the quashed environmental clearance to a hydro project in Uttarakhand as it would cause huge displacement and damage local ecology.

The authority, in its order on Friday, said “tying the river through dams at intervals that restrict it natural flow would amount to playing with the sentiments of millions”, and therefore Ganga should be allowed to maintain its natural flow.  htc

Fwd: Failure of artificial reef, Kovalam: Probe sought

By Express News Service 17 Sep 2010 12:24:31 AM IST
Failure of artificial reef: Probe sought THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) and Kerala Tourism Watch have demanded a comprehensive judicial probe and scientific inquiry, as well as social audit,into the failure of the multi-purpose artificial reef in Kovalam. At a press conference here on Thursday, KSMTF president T Peter demanded a judicial probe into the diversion of Rs 8 crore of tsunami funds. "Tsunami funds meant for coastal communities were wasted on tourism infrastructure while the rehabilitation of tsunami-affected communities still waits to be addressed," Peter said. "The Kerala Tourism officials promote ASR Limited, the New Zealand-based MNC that designed the reef in Kovalam," he said. "The reef has proven itself to be a failure in Kerala. However, more reefs are being planned in India using Asian Development Bank and World Bank funds in other States such as Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka,'' Peter said. He said the reefs were destroyed as soon as it was inaugurated. ''Two weeks after its inauguration, geo-textile bags, the key component of the reef washed up at Kovalam and nearby seashores. The shore seine fishing nets of Kovalam are yielding more damaged portions of the artificial reef than fish resources. "At the same time ASR Limited is engaged in aggressive propaganda and lobbying for more reefs, highlighting the Kovalam artificial reef as an indisputable model. The Kerala Tourism officials promote ASR Limited as part of their tourism promotion agenda", Peter said. Sanjeev Ghosh, former Additional Director, Department of Fisheries, demanded a judicial inquiry to expose the unholy nexus of bureaucrats, scientists and MNCs. Ghosh said that the nexus was evident in the manner in which the project evolved over the years. The initial project proposal was for 3000 cubic metres and cost Rs 4 crore. The project received a facelift midway, where its volume increased by a third to 1,000 cubic metres while the cost doubled to Rs 8 crore. "Strangely," he said, "the absurd calculation had been approved by the Government agencies concerned." The coastal Marine Task Force of the State Planning Board had earlier rejected the proposal for artificial reefs in Kerala. "However, the Tourism Department had no inhibitions about approving the same project using Tsunami funds," Ghosh said. "These facts lead us to look at the whole thing with suspicion," he added. K C Sreekumar, Theeradesha Samrakshana Samithi, Sajeer Abdul Rehman, member, Kerala Tourism Watch also participated in the press conference.
http://www.keralafishworkers.in
http://www.alakal.net

25 kW no-dam turbines

It Sounds like a nice idea !
Arun
==============
Hydrovolts to develop turbine for Indian hydro scheme
10 September 2010
http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=130&storyCode=2057546

Seattle, US-based small hydro company Hydrovolts Inc has received investment from civil engineering firm DLZ Corp to develop a 25kW hydrokinetic turbine for deployment at a power project on the 14km Chilla Canal in Northern India.

DLZ Corp, which is developing several hydropower projects in India, will put forward an initial investment of $250,000 to Hydrovolts to fund the manufacture of a prototype turbine for use on the canal project. DLZ has obtained permits and a power purchase agreement to develop a 10MW hydrokinetic power project on the Canal, which currently feeds water to a traditional hydropower plant on the Ganges River.

Under a non-binding letter of intent between the two companies, following successful demonstration and delivery of the prototype Hydrovolts turbine, DLZ could potentially order an additional 400 turbines and place them in the canal leading up to the traditional hydropower plant. Hydrovolts estimates that 400 turbines will sell for about $20M.

The Hydrovolts Flipwing floating turbine will operate like a submerged paddlewheel and is designed to be simple to deploy and connect: it drops in the water and is either tethered or anchored. Electricity generated by the turbine is sent to shore by a power cable linked to the tether. No dams or significant site preparation are needed, reducing costs and minimizing environmental impacts. The turbine is considered fish-friendly because its paddlewheel blades turn slower than the water current ­ fish just swim around or through it.

The Flipwing turbine can also be used in spillways and other water channels such as wastewater treatment plants, tailraces of existing dams, and discharges of cooling water from thermal power plants, says Hydrovolts.

NEAA Quashes EC of Lafarge India's Himachal Project

National Environment Appellate Authority Quashes environment clearance of Lafarge India's Himachal Project
Press Note: 13th September 2010
Issued by- Jai Shri Deo Badeyogi Sangharsh Evam Paryavaran Sanrakshan Samiti

Historical Victory for a local community led struggle in Himachal Pradesh.

In a landmark move the National Environment Appellate Authority has issued a judgment (30th Aug 2010) revoking the environment clearance granted by the Union Ministry of Environment to the Lafarge India's Greenfield project proposed to come up in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. The judgment came after the the Member of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) made a visit, on 23rd June 2010, to the Lafarge Cement and Limestone Mines' proposed project site in order to assess the feasibility of the Environment Clearance granted to the project last year on 8th June 2009. "The dispossession, impoverishment and trauma attached to displacement have neither been captured by the Environment Impact Assessment nor appreciated by the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) or the state government" states the judgment describing the local economy that stands to be destroyed by the project. The order further notes that the Majathal Wildlife Sanctuary is less than 5 kms from the project site and the possible impacts on wildlife. The judgment also notes that the Authority after viewing the CD of the Public Hearing observed that the concluding recommendations of the ADM in the minutes of the meeting were uncalled for. In the final word the order declares "the authority is convinced that the on environmental and social considerations it is neither desirable to mine the Telehan village nor put up cement plant at Ghanger. Both the EAC and the Ministry have not correctly assessed the impact of the project on land, water and air and failed to appreciate its effects on the livelihood of the people of the area.”
This is the first time that environment clearance for a project from Himachal Pradesh has faced such a judgment. The Environment Clearance to the project was challenged by two separate petitioners, Pratapsingh Thakur and Ganga Singh Thakur belonging to the affected area on the grounds that the negative socio economic and environmental impacts of the project have been completely overlooked by the Environment Impact Assessment Report submitted by the company. While the Ministry of Environment and Forest's 'Expert Advisory Committee' before recommending clearance to Rs. 900 crore, 3 MTPA greenfield project did make a site visit in May 2009 after objections raised by us affected communities, the committee did not visit the actual mining site nor did it meet any of the affected persons and granted the Environment clearance in June 2009" said Shri Pratapsingh Thakur. The counsel for Pratapsingh Thakur, advocate Shri Ritwick Dutta has argued "the very purpose of the MoEF committee's site visit was defeated by such a superficial visit". Based on this, Appellate Authority member Shri J.C Kala on 13th May 2010 had ordered that he himself would undertake a visit to the project site in June and carry out a detailed assessment by interacting with the affected people.During the site visit the Authority member Shri Kala visited Shakrori, located opposite the proposed plant site, Thalli (adjacent to the plant site, Bagshyad and Kanda (at the mining site) and had discussions with the local people. More than 200 people had gathered at Thalli and another 400 odd at Bagshyad and strongly opposed the setting up of the project.
On 25th September 2006 the Cabinet of the Himachal Pradesh Government approved the proposal from Lafarge India for the setting up of an Rs.900 crore Greenfield project in Karsog Tehsil of Mandi District in Himachal Pradesh. The project to come up at Alsindi in Karsog involves construction of a 3.0 MTPA cement plant with captive limestone mines. A joint action committee of representatives of the affected Panchayats and 9 local community organisations (including youth groups) called Jai Shri Deo Badeyogi Sangharsh Evam Paryavaran Sanrakshan Samiti has been opposing the project tooth and nail since the last three years. However, despite this opposition the district administration has gone ahead with the Land Acquisition for the project. "The NEAA judgment is a victory of the local struggle because it has upheld and recognized the deep dependence of the local populations on the forest resources for their livelihoods" added K.G Thakur of the Samiti.
"The NEAA judgment spells out the adverse implications of the project and also points towards the faulty and inadequate EIA. Now we appeal that the State government and MoEF study the NEAA judgment thoroughly and not grant the Forest Clearance (which is pending) to the project" added Manshi Asher of the Environment Research and Action Collective, which has carried out a detailed critique of the Environment Impact Assessment Report of the project based on a field study. The state is already reeling under the impacts of the ACC and Jaypee Limestone mining and cement plant projects which have caused severe deforestation and pollution in areas like Bilaspur and Darlaghat. Yet another greenfield cement project will only spell disaster for this ecofragile Himalayan State and its people.


For More details contact:
Pratapisngh Thakur (Petitioner)9816028969; Ganga Thakur (Petitioner) 9418425256
K.G. Thakur ( Jai Shri Deo Badeyogi Sangharsh Evam Paryavaran Sanrakshan Samiti) 9418000612
Manshi Asher and Prakash Bhandari (Environment Research and Action Collective, Palampur) 9418745198, 9816089920
Ritwick Dutta and Rahul Chowdharry (Advocates, Legal initiative for Forest and Environment)9810044660, 9312407881
For a soft copy of the order please contact Ritwick Dutta or Manshi Asher
For Photos see http://picasaweb.google.co.in/117784848147494252850/Lafarge?authkey=Gv1sRgCKzprPj9rm2Vw&feat=directlink
For a detailed report on the project see
http://sites.google.com/site/dissentmatters/home/publications/apreliminaryinvestigationintotheimpactsoflafargesintegratedcementprojectinhimachalpradesh

No environment clearance: Notice to GMADA

No environment clearance: Notice to GMADA
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/No-environment-clearance--Notice-to-GMADA/679669

Jasneet Bindra Tags : GMADA, environment Posted: Thu Sep 09 2010, 23:12 hrs Chandigarh:

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, northern regional office, has issued a notice to the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) for not taking environment clearance for its Aerocity township, the draw of which is expected by the month-end.

In the letter to Balwinder Singh Multani, Additional Chief Administrator (ACA), GMADA, the ministry has said it has come to its notice that the authority has launched a mega township on 1,000 acres, and invited applications from the public for allotments of plots of different sizes for construction of residential units.

As per the new Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, starting development of any township or group housing project without obtaining prior environmental clearance from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) or Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is a gross violation of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, and the EIA notification, the MoEF’s letter to GMADA stated

Comprehensive Environnemental Pollution Index (CEPI)

Environmental Information Centre, Maharashtre

Comprehensive Environnemental Pollution Index (CEPI)

About CEPI

CEPI Table & Graphical representation

Temporary restrictions on developmental projects

• About CEPI

        Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi carried out an environmental assessment of industrial clusters across the India. Based on this, comprehensive environmental pollution index was calculated to identify polluted industrial clusters in the country. This was done to priorities planning needs to improve quality of environment in these industrial clusters. Total 88 industrial areas have been selected for this study.
        Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) is calculated considering four factors Namely Pollutants, Pathway, Receptor and additional high risk element. Each of these factors comprises Sub-factors. Details of which are given below:

A) Pollutant:

This factor is calculated as A = A1 x A2
Where A1 is Presence of toxins and
           A2 is Scale of industrial activities.

Maximum Score for this factor is considered as 30.

B) Pathway:

This factor is calculated as B = B1 + B2 + B3
Where B1 is Pollutant concentration,
           B2 is Impact on people and
           B3 is Impact on Eco-geological feature.

Maximum Score for this factor is considered as 20.

C) Receptor:

This factor is calculated as C = C1 x C2 + C3
Where C1 is Potentially affected population,
           C2 is Level of exposure and
           C3 is Risk of sensitive receptors.

Maximum Score for this factor is considered as 30.

D) Additional high risk element:

This factor depends on inadequacy of pollution control measures for large scale, medium & small scale industries. It is cumulative of ETPs, CETPs, Air pollution control devices & unorganized waste disposal.

Maximum Score for this factor is considered as 20.

On the above basis score for these factors calculated as
Score = A + B + C +D = 30 + 20 + 30 + 20 = 100

        CEPI based on above mentioned score is calculated for Air, Water and land.
Following table indicates the CEPI score for industrial areas/ clusters in descending order for the 88 locations in all over the India.

• CEPI Table

List of industrial clusters

Sr. No.	Industrial Cluster / Area	Air	Water	Land	CEPI
1	Anklesh war (Gujarat)	72.00	72.75	75.75	88.50	Ac_Wc_Lc
2	Vapi (Gujarat)	74.00	74.50	72.00	88.09	Ac_Wc_Lc
3	Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh)	68.50	75.25	71.50	87.37	Ac_Wc_Lc
4	Chandrapur (Maharashtra)	70.75	67.50	66.50	83.88	Ac_Wc_Lc
5	Korba (Chhatisgarh)	67.00	57.00	72.50	83.00	Ac_Ws_Lc
6	Bhiwadi (Rajasthan)	71.00	69.00	59.50	82.91	Ac_Wc_Ls
7	Angul Talcher (Orissa)	64.00	69.00	65.75	82.09	Ac_Wc_Lc
8	Vellore (North Aroot) (Tamilnadu)	69.25	65.25	62.50	81.79	Ac_Wc_Lc
9	Singrauli (Uttar Pradesh)	70.50	64.00	59.50	81.73	Ac_Wc_LS
10	Ludhiana (Punjab)	68.00	66.00	64.75	81.66	Ac_Wc_Lc
11	Nazafgarh drain basin (including Ananad Parvat, Naraina, Okhla and Wazirpur), Delhi	52.13	69.00	65.25	79.54	As_Wc_Lc
12	Noida (Uttar Pradesh)	65.75	64.00	60.00	78.90	Ac_Wc_Lc
13	Dhanbad (Jharkand)	64.50	59.00	65.50	78.63	Ac_Ws_Lc
14	Dombivali (Maharashtra)	66.00	63.50	57.50	78.41	Ac_Wc_Ls
15	Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)	66.00	63.50	56.00	78.09	Ac_Wc_Ls
16	Cuddalore (Tamilnadu)	54.00	65.25	64.00	77.45	As_Wc_Lc
17	Aurangabad (Maharashtra)	64.75	60.50	59.50	77.44	Ac_Wc_Ls
18	Faridabad (Haryana)	63.50	59.00	62.75	77.07	Ac_Ws_Lc
19	Agra (Uttar Pradesh)	59.00	63.75	59.50	76.48	As_Wc_Ls
20	Manali (Tamilnadu)	64.00	59.00	58.00	76.32	Ac_Ws_Ls
21	Haldia (West Bengal)	53.75	64.50	57.00	75.43	As_Wc_Ls
22	Ahmedabad (Gujarat)	62.75	58.00	58.00	75.28	Ac_Ws_LS
23	Jodhpur (Rajasthan)	52.00	65.50	54.00	75.19	As_Wc_Ls
24	Cochin, Greater (Kerala)	57.00	64.00	54.00	75.08	As_Wc_Ls
25	Mandi Gobind Garh (Punjab)	62.00	55.50	62.00	75.08	Ac_Ws_Lc
26	Howrah (West Bengal)	57.00	54.50	63.50	74.84	As_Ws_Lc
27	Vatva (Gujarat)	60.00	62.00	56.00	74.77	Ac_Wc_Ls
28	Ib Valley (Orissa)	61.00	56.50	59.00	74.00	Ac_Ws_Ls
29	Varansi-Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh)	58.00	62.00	53.50	73.79	As_Wc_Ls
30	Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra)	61.00	59.00	55.50	73.77	Ac_Ws_Ls
31	Pali (Rajasthan)	52.00	64.00	52.00	73.73	As_Wc_Ls
32	Mangalore (Karnataka)	61.75	57.75	54.00	73.68	Ac_Ws_Ls
33	Jharsuguda (Orissa)	61.00	56.50	56.00	73.34	Ac_Ws_Ls
34	Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu)	62.25	58.75	45.50	72.38	Ac_Ws_Ln
35	Bhadravati (Karnataka)	62.75	56.50	45.50	72.33	Ac_Ws_Ln
36	Tarapur (Maharashtra)	60.75	56.00	51.25	72.01	Ac_Ws_Ls
37	Panipat (Haryana)	55.75	56.50	59.00	71.91	As_Ws_Ls
38	Indore (Madhya Pradesh)	59.00	57.50	52.00	71.26	As_Ws_Ls
39	Bhavnagar (Gujarat)	54.50	57.50	57.75	70.99	As_Ws_Ls
40	Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)	57.00	57.50	55.00	70.82	As_Ws_Ls
41	Junagarh (Gujarat)	53.25	52.50	59.50	70.82	As_Ws_Ls
42	Asansole (West Bengal)	58.38	56.25	50.50	70.20	As_Ws_Ls
43	Patancheru- -Bollaram (Andhra Pradesh)	50.00	59.00	54.00	70.07	As_Ws_Ls
44	Paradeep (Orissa)	54.00	58.50	48.00	69.26	As_Ws_Ln
45	Nashik (Maharashtra)	55.00	57.50	50.25	69.25	As_Ws_Ls
46	Chembur (Maharashtra)	59.75	50.75	46.00	69.19	As_Ws_Ln
47	Baddi (Himachal Pradesh)	56.00	54.50	54.50	69.07	As_Ws_Ls
48	Kala Amb (Himachal Pradesh)	56.75	54.50	51.00	68.77	As_Ws_Ls
49	Dewas (Madhya Pradesh)	51.50	57.50	51.50	68.77	As_Ws_Ls
50	Batala (Punjab)	51.00	56.50	54.50	68.59	As_Ws_Ls
51	Tirupur (Tamil Nadu)	56.75	50.75	53.00	68.38	As_Ws_Ls
52	Durgapur (West Bengal)	49.50	58.50	47.50	68.26	An_Ws_Ln
53	Raichur (Karnataka)	59.75	46.50	44.50	68.07	As_Wn_Ln
54	Bidar (Karnataka)	58.75	49.00	44.00	67.64	As_Wn_Ln
55	Singhbhum, West (Bihar)	55.50	51.50	51.50	67.30	As_Ws_Ls
56	Mettur (Tamilnadu)	46.00	58.00	46.50	66.98	An_Ws_Ln
57	Vadodara (Gujarat)	57.00	48.00	48.00	66.91	As_Wn_Ln
58	Jaipur (Rajasthan)	55.00	52.00	50.50	66.82	As_Ws_Ls
59	Rajkot (Gujarat)	45.50	54.50	55.50	66.76	An_Ws_Ls
60	Nagda -Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh)	44.50	54.50	56.00	66.67	An_Ws_Ls
61	Jamshedpur (Jharkhand)	55.75	55.50	42.00	66.06	As_Ws_Ln
62	Pimpari-Chinchwad (Maharashtra)	55.25	52.50	46.00	66.06	As_Ws_Ln
63	Raipur (Chhatisgarh)	56.50	42.00	49.00	65.45	As_Wn_Ln
64	Saraikela (Jharkhand)	50.50	49.00	54.00	65.38	As_Wn_Ls
65	Ramgarh (Jharkhand)	44.00	53.00	54.50	65.11	An_Ws_Ls
66	Pinia (Karnataka)	56.75	46.00	42.00	65.11	As_Wn_Ln
67	Pitampur (Madhya Pradesh)	47.75	54.00	50.50	65.09	An_Ws_Ls
68	Jalandhar (Punjab)	52.00	52.00	52.00	64.98	As_Ws_Ls
69	Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh)	54.00	49.00	47.50	64.71	As_Wn_Ln
70	Bada Jamtara (Jharkhand)	48.00	52.50	52.50	64.47	An_Ws_Ls
71	Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh)	53.00	48.00	48.00	63.83	As_Wn_Ln
72	Parwanoo (Himachal Pradesh)	53.00	47.50	48.50	63.83	As_Wn_Ln
73	Haridwar (Uttarakhand)	51.75	48.00	40.00	61.01	As_Wn_Ln
74	Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh)	52.00	41.50	43.00	60.57	As_Wn_Ln
75	Ferozabad (Uttar Pradesh)	49.00	47.00	47.75	60.51	An_Wn_Ln
76	Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)	48.00	48.00	48.00	59.98	An_Wn_Ln
77	Meerut (Uttar Pradesh)	50.00	47.50	39.50	59.38	As_Wn_Ln
78	Erode (Tamil Nadu)	47.38	47.25	43.50	58.19	An_Wn_Ln
79	Surat (Gujarat)	46.00	46.75	45.50	57.90	An_Wn_Ln
80	Kathedan (Andhra Pradesh)	44.50	47.00	45.50	57.73	An_Wn_Ln
81	Kukatpalli (Andhra Pradesh)	41.50	47.00	43.50	56.56	An_Wn_Ln
82	Hajipur (Bihar)	43.50	44.00	44.50	55.12	An_Wn_Ln
83	Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh)	45.88	38.50	42.00	54.63	An_Wn_Ln
84	Udhamsingh Nagar (Uttarakhand)	44.00	41.25	44.25	54.37	An_Wn_Ln
85	Bhillai- Durg (Chhatisgarh)	44.00	35.00	33.50	50.57	An_Wn_Ln
86	Bulandsahar-Khurza (Uttar Pradesh)	42.00	33.50	36.50	49.09	An_Wn_Ln
87	Burnihat (Assam)	39.00	34.50	34.50	46.26	An_Wn_Ln
88	Digboi (Assam)	32.00	32.75	38.00	44.55	An_Wn_Ln

The last column of the table indicates the status of air, water and land environment in terms of subscript as Critical (c) / Severe (s) / Normal (n). When the total score is more than 60 pollution index is consider as Critical in the respective environmental component.(Ac means pollution level of environmental component “Air” is critical.)

Out of 88 industrial clusters 8 clusters belongs to Maharashtra these are namely Chandrapur, Dombivali, Aurangabad, Navi Mumbai, Tarapur, Nashik, Chembur, Pimpari-Chinchwad.

• Graphical representation

Graphical Distribution

• Temporary restrictions on developmental projects

Ministry of Environment & Forest vide Office Memorandum J 11013/ 52010- IA. II (I) dated 13 January 2010 imposes temporary restriction on developmental projects in identified clusters as

(a) In the industrial clusters with CEPI Score above 70, Environmental clearance will not be granted for developmental projects. This condition will apply for 8 months i.e. upto August 2010 during this time CPCB along with respective state pollution control board will finalize time-bound action plan for improving the environmental qualities in these areas.

(b) The developmental projects from industrial area with CEPI score between 60 and 70 will be considered as projects located in critically polluted areas. Environmental Clearance will be accorded to these projects as per MoEF Circular No. J-11013/18/2009-IA II (I) dated 25 August 2009.

(c) Various state government had expressed the difficulties in implementing the above referred Office Memorandum due to inadequate details about the boundaries of polluted areas. So the details of these clusters were clarified by MoEF vide Office Memorandum J-11013/5/2010-IA.II (I).