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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Friday, September 24, 2010
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/
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
**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)
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.
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.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
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.
However, leading tiger expert Dr Alan Rabinowitz, formerly of the World Conservation Society and now President ofThe fact they can live here is just so important, for tigers in the wild, for their future
BBC wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan
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
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Fwd: Fish workers oppose draft CRZ notification
-------- Original Message --------
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
| Subject: | Fish workers oppose draft CRZ notification |
|---|---|
| Date: | Sat, 18 Sep 2010 10:01:28 +0530 |
| From: | T Peter <peter.ksmtf@gmail.com> |
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
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
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
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
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
Sunday, September 12, 2010
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
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)
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:
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.
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
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).
Saturday, September 4, 2010
GM crop escapes into the American wild- Nature
Finally,It is too soon !!. Our worst fears proven true !!
Arun
=================
Arun
=================
Published online 6 August 2010 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2010.393
News
GM crop escapes into the American wild
Transgenic canola found growing freely in North Dakota.
Natasha Gilbert
canola plantIf GM crops with herbicide resistance spread beyond farmland, they could become problematic weeds.IStockphoto
A genetically modified (GM) crop has been found thriving in the wild for the first time in the United States. Transgenic canola is growing freely in parts of North Dakota, researchers told the Ecological Society of America conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, today.
The scientists behind the discovery say this highlights a lack of proper monitoring and control of GM crops in the United States.
US farmers have dramatically increased their use of GM crops since the plants were introduced in the early 1990s. Last year, nearly half the world's transgenic crops were grown in US soil — Brazil, the world's second heaviest user, grew just 16%. GM crops have broken free from cultivated land in several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan, but they have not previously been found in uncultivated land in the United States.
"The extent of the escape is unprecedented," says Cynthia Sagers, an ecologist at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, who led the research team that found the canola (Brassica napus, also known as rapeseed).
Sagers and her team found two varieties of transgenic canola in the wild — one modified to be resistant to Monsanto's Roundup herbicide (glyphosate), and one resistant to Bayer Crop Science's Liberty herbicide (gluphosinate). They also found some plants that were resistant to both herbicides, showing that the different GM plants had bred to produce a plant with a new trait that did not exist anywhere else.
Sagers says the previous discoveries in other countries of transgenic canola populations growing outside of cultivation were often in or near fields used for commercial transgenic canola production. By contrast, her research team found feral populations of herbicide-resistant canola growing along roads, near petrol stations and grocery stores, often at large distances from areas of agricultural production.
The researchers took samples of plants at 8-kilometre intervals along roads in North Dakota from 4 June to 23 July 2010. The number of B. napus plants in each sample plot was counted, and one plant was collected and tested for the presence of proteins that could give it resistance to either of the herbicides.
The team found B. napus at nearly half of the 288 sites tested. Of these, 80% had at least one herbicide-resistant transgene (41% were resistant to Roundup and 40% resistant to Liberty). They also found two plants that contained both transgenes.
Feral generations
Sagers says the discovery of plants that are resistant to both herbicides shows that "these feral populations of canola have been part of the landscape for several generations". Further studies are needed to establish whether these escaped GM canola plants have any ecological consequences. But those that have evolved resistance to both herbicides could become a weed problem for farmers, adds Sagers.
"The regulatory protocols designed to reduce or prevent escape and proliferation of feral transgenic crops are ineffective. Current tracking and monitoring of GM organisms are insufficient," she says. Sagers blames the delay in discovering escaped populations of transgenic plants in the United States largely on the lack of funding for research in this area.
Tom Nickson, head of environmental policy at Monsanto in St Louis, Missouri, told Nature, "Those familiar with canola know that these plants are readily found on roadsides and in areas near farmers' fields. This was true prior to the introduction of GM canola, and a common source is seed that has scattered during harvest and fallen off a truck during transport."
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Sagers agrees that feral populations could have become established after trucks carrying cultivated GM seeds spilled some of their load during transportation. She notes that the frequency and population density of GM canola that they found may be biased as they only sampled along roadsides.
Alison Snow, an ecologist at Ohio State University in Columbus, says it is not surprising that escaped transgenic plants have now been found in the United States, given that this has already happened elsewhere. The escaped populations "could be a problem if you are worried about herbicide use", she says. A major advantages of herbicide-resistant crops is that non-selective herbicides can be used, reducing the number of applications needed. But if transgenic crops escape and breed with related weed species, then that advantage could be eroded, and different and more herbicides might have to be used.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
About one million green jobs will open up in India over next two years - The Economic Times
About one million green jobs will open up in India over next two years - The Economic Times:
"17 AUG, 2010, 10.55PM IST,
MANU BALACHANDRAN, SUNAINAA CHADHA, SREERADHA BASU & WRITANKAR MUKHERJEE,ET BUREAU"
Mumbai/Kolkata: When he was little, Jai Kumar Gaurav wanted to be a superhero, an imaginary Captain Planet who fights pollution and greens the Earth. Unlike most other little boys, Jai, 24, actually lives his dream. He joined Sindicatum Capital Management as an associate in 2008, and works as a clean development mechanism (CDM) management officer to help firms reduce their Carbon footprint. “I could have chosen to do an MBA, but a clean environment is my priority,” says Jai, about graduating in environmental studies from Delhi University, and later completing his masters in environmental science from the university run by The Energy Resources Institute (TERI).
Like Jai, there are many youngsters today who are drawn to — and engaged in — what are known as ‘green jobs’.
By 2025, a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report from 2008 estimates that India will see the creation of nine lakh green jobs in the area of biogas alone. (The global market for environmental products and services is projected to go up to $2.74 trillion).
In India alone, headhunters estimate about one million green jobs will open up over the next two years alone. “Earlier, the manufacturing sector used to hire health, safety and environment officers to ensure adequate protection. Now such positions are opening up across sectors, and some companies are even hiring chief sustainability officers,” says E Balaji, director and president, Ma Foi Randstad.
Green jobs, as defined by UNEP, refers to work in agricultural, manufacturing, research and development or administrative activities that contribute to preserving environmental quality, and help in protecting the ecosystem and biodiversity. They may include architects designing energy-efficient buildings, organic farmers in villages, environmental engineers or even plumbers installing water-recycle systems. While green architecture, mechanical and chemical engineering, biotechnology and environmental management are the most lucrative and sought-after professions in the new, green sector, policy-making for renewable energy and natural resources management is not far behind.
There are enough enablers as well. The Suzlon group, a pioneer in exploring renewable energy sources, signed an MoU with TERI University in March 2009, to institute an MTech in Renewable Energy Engineering and Management. Rajeev Seth, its Registrar, says the need for sustainable development has sensitised a corpus of scientists, managers and leaders to the importance of environmental protection.
From just 48 students in 2006, the university now has 260, with the promise of an average pay packet of Rs4.5-5 lakh per annum up from Rs2.5 lakh in 2006. “Almost all our students have been placed in companies like TCS, Reliance Infrastructure and IL&FS, and are involved in green activities,” adds Seth.
One of the biggest future recruiters in green jobs is likely to be real estate, with green buildings coming up fast. A recent study by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) estimates that 45 million square feet of additional green building-space in India will be ready by 2012. Companies like Wipro, Microsoft, Cognizant, TCS, Infosys and Oracle are either operating — or planning to — from green offices, says the study. “There will be a huge demand for people who can certify green buildings, and architects and project planners who are adept in green building norms,” says JLL head (research & intelligence service) Abhishek Kiran Gupta
(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/jobs/About-one-million-green-jobs-will-open-up-in-India-over-next-two-years/articleshow/6317003.cms)
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