CHENNAI DEC.1. "Enviro-2003 - waste as a resource of business" conference is being organised here by the Confederation of Indian Industry-Southern Region on December 3 and 4.

Maximising markets for waste by changing industrial processes, the potential of the Clean Development Mechanism and resolution of uncertainties regarding its rules and procedures, will be among the themes to be discussed at the conference.

Various sessions at the conference will focus on global and national scenarios of environmental legislation, initiatives by State pollution control boards in the southern region and best practices in respect of waste utilisation and disposal adopted by companies in the region.

Key speakers at the conference will include Girija Vaidyanathan, Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, J.Alexander, Chairman of the Karnataka Pollution Control Board, M.G.Devasahayam, Citizens' Alliance for Sustainable Living, and representatives of consultancy and manufacturing companies, says a CII-SR release.

Govt order banning killing of stray dogs stayed

Newindpress Dec.2, 2003

KOCHI: A division bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday stayed the circular issued by the State Government on August 2, 2002, banning killing of stray dogs.

The stay order was passed by the bench comprising Chief Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Justice N K Sodhi, while admitting a writ petition filed by N Bhaskaran, a member of the Palakkad municipal council, challenging the government order.

According to the petitioner, in exercise of powers under the Kerala Municipalities Act and Kerala Panchayat Raj (Licence to Pigs and Dogs) Rules, the local authorities used to annihilate stray and rabid dogs which posed health problems.

But the local bodies failed to do it on account of the impugned circular, resulting in the increase in the number of dogs.

The government order itself was on the basis of the Animal Birth Control Rules framed by the Central Government, Ministry of Animal Welfare, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Indoor smoke 'kills millions'

BBC News, Dec.2, 2003

Smoke from indoor cooking fires kills one person every 20 seconds in the developing world, UK campaigners say.

The Intermediate Technology Development Group says smoke in the home kills more people than malaria does, and almost as many as unsafe water and sanitation.

The problem affects more than two billion people who burn wood, charcoal, vegetation and dung for heating food.

The United Nations says inefficient stoves can be as bad for health as smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.

ITDG says 2.4 billion people burn biomass (organic matter) for cooking and heating, and when coal is included 3 billion people - half the world's population - rely on solid fuel.

It says smoke in the home is the fourth greatest cause of death and disease in the world's poorest countries, killing 1.6 million people annually. Nearly a million of them are children.

It says: "In poor people's homes throughout the developing world levels of exposure to pollutants are often 100 times greater than recommended maximums.

Increasing scourge

"Illnesses caused by indoor air pollution include acute lower respiratory infection. A child is two or three times more likely to contract it if exposed to indoor air pollution.

"Women who cook on biomass are up to four times more likely to suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, such as chronic bronchitis.

"Lung cancer in women in China has been directly linked to use of coal burning stoves.

"In addition there is evidence to link the pollution to asthma, tuberculosis, low birth weight and infant mortality and cataracts."

More than half the people who cook on biomass live in India and China, but in many sub-Saharan African countries more than 90% of people do so.

On current trends 200 million more people globally will rely on biomass by 2030, the International Energy Agency says.

In parts of central Asia, where gas and electricity used to be available in Soviet days, people are having to revert to biomass use.

Since 1991 the incidence of acute respiratory infection, the world's top child killer, has risen by 35% in Tajikistan, mainly because of the burning of wood indoors.

The answer is to switch to cleaner fuels, but most people at risk are too poor to afford them.

But ITDG says they can reduce their exposure to the pollution, for instance by using well-designed chimney stoves, or smoke hoods able to reduce indoor pollution by up to 80%.

Preservation of heritage buildings gains momentum

Newindpress Dec.4, 2003

PONDICHERRY: The preservation of heritage buildings in Pondicherry has started gaining momentum after the mindless demolition between 1994 and 2002 which saw 500 buildings being razed in the Bouleward town comprising two historic quarters - the French town and the Tamil town.

The efforts of the INTACH and the government to impress upon the people to save heritage buildings seems to be paying off. Moreover, the government is working out an alternate plan with the INTACH through an MoU, to be signed on Wednesday, to work out ways to preserve the buildings and prevent their demolition in the absence of a legislation.

The government proposes to include some provisions in the Town Planning Act to prevent demolition, besides giving incentives for restoration and maintenance, according to Minister for Tourism, Art and Culture, K.Lakshminarayanan.

More and more business establishments like hotels, restaurants and shops have come up in the heritage buildings in the past couple of years and demolitions have gone down to a great extent, says Pondy INTACH Co-Convenor, Ajit Koujalgi.

The success of establishments like Hotel Villa Helena, Hotel de Lorient and Hotel Pondicherry, restaurants Rendez-vous and Satsanga and Curio, Kailash Book shop, Cottonwood, La Boutique d'Auroville and Fleurs en Flacon has enthused people to go for more such projects.

An entrepreneur, who is constructing a modern hotel on the Beach Road, has now ventured into another one by converting an old colonial building on Suffren st-Ceaseran Street into a heritage hotel. Alliance Francaise is also involved in converting a heritage building, Villa Coloimbani, into a cultural centre.

``These hotels are attracting tourists who come on a holiday and like to stay in a heritage building close to beach,'' says Ashok Panda of INTACH. However, maintaining heritage buildings is expensive and this problem is being addressed to now.

``Under the Asia Urbs project, a programme has been drawn up to support private house owners to repair and improve the building by giving matching grant,'' says Ajit Koujalgi who is also Consultant, Asia Urbs Project. ``We are working on modalities for the scheme that would support 10 buildings,'' he said.

According to INTACH, out of a total of 1258 heritage buildings, 78.85 percent are in private hands, 13.1 percent belongs to Ashram, the government owns 4.65 percent, while Cluny and other Catholic organisations own 2.4 percent and the French government one percent. The Pondy government has also planned to restore the Light House, VOC school building, Calve College and Old Museum, Suchilabai Government School, French School, Pensionnal de jeunnes Filles.

``Buildings give character to the town. This fact is being well accepted by the bureaucracy and the political circles,'' says Koujalgi.

Acid found in Bengali sweets

Deccan Chronicle, Dec.4, 2003

Kolkata, Dec. 2: Before you pop in the next rosogolla, think twice. It might contain a hazardous acid often used for cleaning toilets, says an official survey in West Bengal.

The survey by the State Milk Federation found that many small shop owners were selling sweetmeats made of casein - the main ingredient in such products - that had been prepared with muriatic acid.

Casein should be prepared with citric acid, but milk traders and sweetmeat makers find muriatic acid cheaper. Muriatic acid is, however, considered harmful for health.

The government is believed to be considering ways of handling the ""sensitive issue"" because of larger public health concerns.

""The government is looking into the matter. This is a sensitive issue because on the one hand there is the question of public health and on the other a large casein-making industry,"" according to Animal Husbandry department official Jayanta Dutta Gupta.

Usually casein is supplied to sweetmeat makers from villages. The casein is then washed with water before being used in sweets like rosogolla and sandesh. But traces of muriatic acid remain in the cleaned casein.

The government is caught in a bind because it is stressing on preparing casein through automatic machines, but that again will mean loss of jobs for villagers involved in making casein.

""A balance has to be struck,"" said Dutta Gupta adding another survey would soon start to find a remedy.

Sweetmeat makers are trying to defend themselves by saying there is no way they can find out what their suppliers are using to prepare the casein.

""We get all our casein from villages. We have no means to check what is used to make it,"" says Sanat Mistry, a sweetmeat shop owner. West Bengal''s sweetmeat industry is worth about Rs.20 billion and it employs about one million people.

A time-bomb ticking away'

The Hindu, Dec.4, 2003

MUMBAI DEC. 2. Nineteen years ago, on the night of December 2, a tank containing 40 tonnes of the deadly methyl isocyanate burst in the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal. The poisonous cloud released from the tank spread over the city and left in its wake 8,000 dead. Since then, thousands more have died. Yet, the site of the disaster remains untouched and the poison that killed and permanently impaired thousands of people in the Madhya Pradesh capital are still embedded in the soil, water and buildings of the now abandoned plant.

Speaking to The Hindu, Ruth Stringer, senior scientist with the international environmental campaigning organisation, Greenpeace, said: "I have traveled the world but haven't seen anything like the Bhopal plant."

Ms. Stringer was part of a Greenpeace team that went to Bhopal last year and collected a dozen samples from six locations within the compound of the factory and four from the solar evaporation ponds that Union Carbide had used from 1977 to 1984 for its liquid effluents. Their findings, documented in a detailed scientific report, "Chemical stockpiles at Union Carbide India Limited in Bhopal: an investigation" (November 2002), says that there are "significant stockpiles of toxic and persistent chemicals within the Union Carbide India Limited Site." It also notes that these stockpiles are "inadequately contained." For instance, the lining of the solar evaporation plants is damaged, allowing the toxins to leach into the soil and most of the storage facilities are damaged with sacks of unknown chemicals lying unattended and exposed to the environment.

The Greenpeace Research Laboratory, located at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, put the samples through rigorous tests following internationally accepted norms. Its findings suggest that the city of Bhopal still has a ticking time-bomb, a receptacle of highly toxic wastes that continue to affect the surrounding soil, water and air.

Ms. Stringer says that the tests have shown that the area on which the plant stands still contains dangerous levels of carbaryl, otherwise known as sevin, a broad spectrum insecticide that the Bhopal plant manufactured, and hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCH). These, states the report, were found in almost every sample that was tested. While the toxic action of carbaryl inhibits an enzyme critical to regulation of the passage of signals between nerve cells, and large doses can be fatal unless an antidote is administered, in combination with HCH it can affect the nervous system. It can also be retained in the body for several years and create long-term health complications.

In November last, Greenpeace handed over the results of the survey and the clean-up guidelines to the Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh. Ms. Stringer says that Mr. Singh assured them that his Government would pursue the matter and look into cleaning up the site of the plant. However, a year later she finds that no steps have been taken and the poisons remain where they were.

Ms. Stringer points out that cleaning up the site is an extremely complex issue. For instance, the contaminated soil would have to be removed from the plant and treated. The process of ridding the soil of the toxics should not result in more contaminants being released into the atmosphere. Therefore, she says, Greenpeace strongly recommends a "closed-loop technology" that ensures that the toxics released in the clean-up process are contained.

Ideally, she says, the toxic waste from the Bhopal plant should be removed and shipped to the United States or some other industrialised country. This would be cheaper than setting up a toxic waste processing facility in Bhopal. And, the costs, which could be anywhere in the range of $200,000 or more, should be met by Dow Chemicals, which took over Union Carbide in 2001. The latter, however, refuses to acknowledge its liability in this instance.

US hails own climate policies

BBC News Dec.4, 2003

Washington has been promoting its own separate policies at the international climate change conference in the Italian city of Milan.

It wants greenhouse gas emissions to be cut not by what it calls "command and control" but by voluntary action and development of new energy technology.

The US decision not to cut emissions via the Kyoto Protocol is the main reason for the treaty's stagnation.

But the US has now come back centre-stage after two years of lying low.

President George W Bush pulled out of the Kyoto agreement in 2001.

Parallel tracks

The American delegation has already hosted the very first press conference of the Milan meeting and unveiled a multi-media exhibit about US achievements.

Their message is that the US has nothing to be ashamed of, that it has domestic policies in place to combat climate change and is pouring money into scientific research and the development of new technologies.

The chief American negotiator, Harlan Watson, told journalists that the US could match its record with anybody in the world.

The problem for most other delegations is that all this admirable activity is running along parallel tracks, totally separate from the policies being pursued by everybody else.

The rest of the world is trying to put an absolute cap on carbon dioxide emissions.

The US is trying to reduce what it calls the carbon intensity of its economy.

It may get more productivity for the amount of fossil fuels it uses but its greenhouse gas emissions, already the highest in the world, will still continue to rise.

Bhopal gas tragedy still showing its effet

The Hindu, Dec.4, 2003

BHOPAL DEC. 3. The families of over 7,000 killed by the poisonous gas that had leaked from the Union Carbide plant here on the intervening of December 2 and 3 in 1984 have received monetary compensation under a final settlement approved by the Supreme Court while over 100,000 Bhopal residents continue to suffer from various medical disorders seriously affecting their quality of life.

The Bhopal victims observed the 19th anniversary of the disaster today by organising a condolence meeting at the Yadgare-Shahjehani Park in the old Bhopal area. They also took out a procession which culminated at the Carbide plant, where effigies were also burnt.

A new generation has grown under the shadow of this disaster and those born within one year of the disaster were also eligible to vote in the December 1 elections. The medical infrastructure raised for the victims has not been functional for a long time due to delay in staff recruitment. Patients encounter shortage of medicines and lack of proper attention.

The original plan to economically rehabilitate the gas victims by setting up special worksheds and training facilities have, more or less, been abandoned.

The Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan, which is a prominent activist group working for the cause of the gas victims, has been in the forefront for the last several years protesting against the closure of these worksheds.

The settlements close to the Carbide plant, where a huge population mainly comprising the weaker sections continues to reside, are in a state of neglect lacking in basic civic amenities.

A tour of the Cholla area, particularly the shanty town adjoining the railway line touching the Carbide boundary, is a glaring testimony of the putrid condition in which people in this area live.

The drinking water in this area, mainly drawn through tube-wells and hand-pumps, is a major cause for concern.

It has been established by Greenpeace and other research groups that the underground water in this part of the city has continuously been polluted by the toxic waste that still lies scattered in the now abandoned Carbide plant.

The convener of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan, Abdul Jabbar, has repeatedly demanded that the State Government use its resources and provide clean drinking water to the gas victims.

He told The Hindu that the State Government should immediately take steps to lay a new pipeline for supplying fresh drinking water.

JPC to meet cola firms

Times of India DEC. 04, 2003

NEW DELHI: Coke and Pepsi officials are expected to make their case before MPs when the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) looking at safety standards criteria for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages meets later this month.

The JPC chaired by Sharad Pawar renewed sitting on Wednesday after a month''s gap and is expected to meet over two days next week. Another sitting is being scheduled for December 16 and 17.

The JPC was set up after a Delhi-based NGO sparked controversy with findings on pesticide residues in soft drinks from Coke and Pepsi.

Government tests thereafter did not find the same alarming results but did find that residues in several bottles tested exceeded stringent European norms.

Wednesday''s curtailed JPC meet was described as inconsequential by some, with a train of senior officials representing the Delhi Jal Board, the Union urban and environment ministries.

Waste disposal need to be properly done, HC told

Newindpress Dec.4, 2003

KOCHI: Rani George, director of Urban Affairs, Department of Local Self-Government, on Wednesday, conceded that none of the 53 municipalities or five municipal corporations in the State resort to disposal of solid waste as enjoined by law.

Summoned by the court, she deposed before the bench consisting of Chief Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Justice M Ramachandran that Parameter 5 of Schedule II of the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, requires municipal authorities to adopt suitable technology or combination of technologies to make use of wastes as to minimise burden on landfill. The criteria to be adopted have also been laid.

But she feigned ignorance as to whether any municipality in the State is following these provisions. No circular in this regard has been issued during her tenure.

She said `on being pointed out by the court,' that she had seen the provisions contained in Rule 5 which categorically make the state government responsible for the enforcement of the rules. It was wrong on her part to have said that the Pollution Control Board was responsible.

As the director, she had not checked up as to whether or not the rules are being followed by the municipalities and the corporations.

During the one-and-a-half years as director, she visited the areas under the corporations of Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode and other municipalities and noticed that solid waste is not treated properly.

About two months back she had written a letter to all the municipalities to acquire land which is to be used for disposal of waste. But she does not know if any municipality has acquired land for use as dumping site after she had written the letter.

However, oral directions were being given during the course of all the review meetings conducted by her.

She also conceded that in Kerala, garbage and other waste materials are being dumped in the midst of residential and commercial areas. It is not hygienically proper to do so. No direction for setting up treatment plants which may effectively avoid pollution has been given by the government or the directorate to the municipalities. No study has been conducted in this regard.

She also conceded that the responsibility to deal with sewage is with the Kerala Water Authority. It is not being properly done. She does not know whether it has any treatment plant.

Sewage is being discharged into drains which, in turn, goes into the lakes and backwaters and the sea. This is causing pollution. Water in the septic tanks seeps into the subterranean channels of water polluting it and also water in the wells and pumps.

The only way to avoid all these is to set up proper treatment plants by the municipalities and corporations. That would cost crores. They do not have enough funds. The government is also short of funds. Thus, it would be better if private parties do it on their own.

She also conceded that it would be appropriate if the proposal put up by the Shogun group of companies to take up waste-treatment without any financial commitment to the government is reconsidered by the government. A final decision will have to be taken by the competent authority.

She also conceded the none of the persons who participated the meeting held on November 27 to evaluate Shogun's proposal was technically qualified to do so.

The Shogun company had been directed to get clearance from the Ministry of Environment to set up the plants. But there is no rule under which any party who wants to set up treatment plants is required to get the clearance from the ministry.

Action against dumping waste in public places

Newindpress. Dec.4, 2003

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister A.K. Antony has ordered officials to take action against people who dump garbage and waste in public places and canals.

He was speaking at a meeting convened the other day to discuss the improvement in canal modernisation plan in Alappuzha.

The meeting was attended by Local Self-Government Minster Cherkalam Abdullah, Health Minister P. Sankaran, V.M. Sudeeran MP, K.C. Venugopal MLA and District Panchayat president C.S. Sujatha.

Open dumping of garbage degrading Ground water and environment

The Hindu, Dec.4, 2003

CHENNAI DEC. 3. Open dumping of garbage by municipal local bodies has led to degradation of groundwater and environment, speakers at a workshop said here today.

With the ever-increasing garbage generation and rapid urbanisation, the local bodies were struggling to provide an effective waste management system.

Composting the organic waste, recycling the non-biodegradable waste and treating the toxic refuse should be the priority in modern waste management. Only the leftover refuse should be removed to sanitary landfills.

The three-day workshop, being organised by the Centre for Environment Studies, Anna University, and the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, would seek to frame guidelines for effective disposal of municipal solid wastes through sustainable landfills to avoid damage to the environment.

The choice of open dumping was the "choice of a lazy, indifferent and uncaring society," said Almitra H.Patel, member of solid waste management committee, constituted on the directions of the Supreme Court. Whether in Chennai or Mumbai or elsewhere in India, local bodies never adhered to the guidelines on waste management and handling.

Ms. Patel mooted a separate route of collection and disposal for road dust, drain silt and debris. "It is possible to have a zero-garbage city."

In Chennai and Mumbai, where agricultural land was far away, the waste could be stabilised through windrow placement and inoculation and the layers could be used to grow vegetation. Rag-pickers, she said, could get a better alternative for a living.

Stina Vasu, Consul-General of Sweden, set the tone for the forenoon session with a critical view of the waste disposal procedures followed in the country. Open dumping, she said, led to contamination of air and groundwater and caused health hazards for neighbourhood communities and waste-pickers.

As the availability of urban land for landfill sites was becoming a serious constraint, landfills could only be part of the overall waste solution but could not be treated as sole strategy.

The critical issues were waste segregation at source, facilities for recycling, education and incentives to encourage people's participation and the role of the local governments, the industry and the service sector in overall waste management. It was also important to seek voluntary or mandatory participation of the industry or those who designed and manufactured products. "In Sweden, such manufacturers take back waste computers, electronic items, batteries, plastics etc and send them to special recycling facilities," she said.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) was supporting initiatives in India to build a sustainable model of waste management system.

In their race for industrial progress, urbanised societies were paying a price with degraded environs, said S.P. Elangovan, State Environment and Forests Secretary.

Detailing the Tamil Nadu Government's efforts towards waste management, he said a bio-medical waste management plant was coming up at Thenmelpakkam, near Chengalpattu, that would have an incinerator and a landfill facility. Private hospitals, he said, would be charged an amount for using the facilities. A secure landfill for hazardous wastes was also coming up at Mandayur, near Vandalur.

For a sustained waste management, the Government was also looking at gasification technology for generating energy from waste without the emission of toxic gases.

A sustained solution was eluding the local bodies as they were finding it hard to identify land for landfills, bear the cost of transportation and meet the recurring expenditure for maintaining the landfills, he said.

C. Viswanathan, Professor and Principal Investigator, SIDA Asian Regional Research Programme for Environmental Technology, Asian Institute of Technology-Thailand, said the project was aimed at providing certain amount of technical inputs to the policy makers to put in place a sustainable waste management plan.

Prof. Viswanathan said about 50 per cent of waste in Asia was made up of ash and sand. In India, this could be due to absence of good drainage in urban areas. Also, cooking in many parts of the country was done in charcoal.

EIA notification will curtail growth' : K.P. Nyati

The Hindu, Dec 4, 2003

CHENNAI DEC. 3. The Centre's recent notification making environment assessment compulsory for major urban projects will hold back economy by at least a year, K.P.Nyati, Senior Adviser, Environment Management Division, Confederation of Indian Industry, said today.

"We want the country's economy to grow at 10 per cent, but the notification will hinder big projects from coming up over the next year," he said, stressing that environment laws should be useful and pragmatic. The Union Environment Ministry, in October, made mandatory that construction and development projects of Rs.50 crores or above, be subjected to EIA by it.

"The whole process will take at least 10 months. Next year, the consumption of cement, cables and other materials used in construction will be severely constrained. It will hold back the country's economic growth," Mr.Nyati said, speaking at a CII seminar on `Waste as a Resource of Business.'

"There is no need to mindlessly amend legislation. We should first check the laws for their desirability, implementability and effectiveness. Many of the projects, which need environmental assessment currently, do not need clearance at all. We have to review our environment laws periodically and objectively."

Decentralised agencies such as State Governments should be allowed to enforce the laws so that industries need not approach the Centre for all projects.

Mr.Nyati urged the Government to provide incentives to promote environmentally-desirable practices rather than discourage them. "Why should environment protection be taxed if it is desirable?"

Checks and balances

Bharat Jayaraj, legal coordinator, Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group, said the Centre's move to override State authority would allow for "checks and balances." He highlighted the four principles of environmental legislation in India ---- polluter pays, precautionary principle, prevention at source and extended producers' responsibility.

The concept of EPR made producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of a product and dealt with waste minimisation at all stages of production through cleaner design concepts and recycling and reuse of waste. "It makes more economic sense, but unfortunately, the industry itself is blocking EPR."

Elaborating on advanced waste minimisation concepts in Sweden, China and Japan, he said there was a range of environmental laws in India but the enforcement budgets allotted to the Pollution Control Boards and the poor infrastructure provided to them did not allow authorities to enforce the rules effectively. He called for a reform of environmental laws in tune with current practices.

Earlier, Girija Vaidyanathan, Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, said the concept of waste minimisation should be seen more as an economic issue than as an environmental problem. "When we produce waste, we have to try and understand where we are being inefficient." V.R.Pappu, conference chairman, urged the Government to set up an informal committee between the industries and the TNPCB for an exchange of ideas.

`EIA notification, a colourable exercise of power'

The Hindu, Dec.4, 2003

CHENNAI DEC. 3. A new public interest litigation petition challenging the Union Environment and Forest Ministry notification, making environment impact assessment clearance mandatory for building projects involving an expenditure of Rs. 50 crores and above, has been filed in the Madras High Court.

The First Bench, comprising the Chief Justice, B. Subhashan Reddy, and Justice K. Gnanaprakasam, directed the Registry to post the matter along with another PIL petition against the new Secretariat project here. Both will now come up for hearing on Friday. In its petition, the Foundation for Fair Practices in Property Development said the October draft notification was ``a colourable exercise of power.'' ``In the guise of the draft notification, the Centre has virtually circumvented the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, tinkering with the powers vested with the State Governments.''

Though the draft notification called for objections as contemplated in the Act, it ``virtually came into force from October 27 itself,'' the petitioner-forum contended. The notification imposed certain sanctions and took away the powers of the state, and vitally affected the members of the petitioner-union engaged in developmental activities.

Pointing out that legislative measures were already in place for prevention of water and air pollution, the petition said the State Government had sufficient powers to take appropriate action through its agencies such as the Pollution Control Board.

``In the guise of making rules leading to environment impact assessment, the Centre cannot usurp a jurisdiction vested in the State or local authorities.''

The notification would attract millions of applications from different parts of the country and it would not be possible for the Centre to deal with all of them, the petition said.

Referring to the State Government's new Secretariat plan, the petition said that since the project was coming up in an institutional area, it was permissible under the Chennai Metropolitan Development and Control Rules.

It prayed for an interim injunction restraining the respondents from giving effect to the impugned notification and to declare it illegal and unconstitutional

Dumping affects Indian industry''

Deccan Herald, Dec.5, 2003

Hyderabad, Dec. 4: Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Thursday, admitted that ""dumping"" by some foreign countries had affected the domestic industry after the Centre removed quantitative restrictions and lowered customs tariffs.

While the number of anti-dumping investigations up to the mid-90s remained in single digits, the number of cases increased to 19 in 1999-2000 and to 30 in 2002-2003. The Directorate of Anti Dumping and Allied Duties has been working in a transparent manner adhering to the substantive and the procedural requirements, he added.

Participating in a seminar on ''Anti-dumping'', organised by Fapcci and others here, Vidyasagar Rao said from India''s point of view it was imperative to understand that a fair, rule-based multilateral trading system was essential to ensure all round global development.

""We now have the agreement on implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, popularly known as anti-dumping agreement. There will also be agreements on subsidies and countervailing measures, besides safeguards,"" the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry added.

Fapcci president S S R Koteswara Rao, Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association president Venkat Jasti, commerce and industry director M S Rao, Industries Principal Secretary K V Rao, Fapcci co-chairman on Foreign Trade Committee, B Shankar and others spoke on th occasion.

Bears in Japan treated cruelly: WSPA

NDTV.com, 5, 2003

Friday, December 5, 2003 (Tokyo):

Bears in Japan are kept in medieval conditions, according to a new report released by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and the Japanese animal welfare group ALIVE.

The WSPA says hundreds of bears kept on public display in open concrete pits are encouraged to fight and beg for food from tourists.

The conditions in the bear parks contravene recommendations and standards set down by the Japanese government and the Japanese Association of Zoological Gardens and Aquariums, according to the WSPA.

Since the WSPA and ALIVE began their investigations 12 years ago, they say they have repeatedly called for improvements to the health and welfare conditions at the bear parks, and lobbied the Japanese government for an effective law which protects animals in captivity.

Despite WSPA and ALIVE recommendations, the report says little action has been taken and bears are still provided with insufficient space, shelter, enrichment and veterinary care.

"In the wild, bears would climb trees, they would swim, and they're very explorative. They would range over a vast area of land in a diverse environment, which is quite the opposite of the way they're kept in Japanese bear parks," said Leah Garce, head of campaigns, WSPA.

The WSPA says cubs born into a life of captivity in the already overcrowded bear pits risk being attacked and killed by adult bears.

In three parks, Noboribetsu, Aso and Okuhida, the WSPA says cubs are trained to do circus acts such as handstands or riding a bicycle.

According to the report, the bears are taught these tricks via a system based on fear and punishment. (AP)

Battling wildfires: Bush signs legislation

NDTV.Com, Dec.5, 2003

Thursday, December 4, 2003 (Washington DC):

US President George W Bush signed legislation on Wednesday in a bid to prevent destruction from wildfires like the California blazes that destroyed thousands of homes.

In a signing ceremony at the Agriculture Department, Bush said the Healthy Forest Restoration Act will help prevent catastrophic wildfires.

Wildfires have destroyed 11 million acres over the last two years and killed 22 people in Southern California this year alone.

Bush said the law would not prevent every fire but it was an important step forward.

The wildfires destroyed more than 3,600 homes and 33 businesses along with vast tracts of forests.

The bill is the first major forest management legislation in 25 years. It streamlines the approval process for projects to cut excess trees out of thick, overgrown forests.

Critics, however, decried it as a payback to the timber industry, which will get greater access to pristine stands of old-growth trees.

The 15 raging fires driven by Santa Ana winds that ravaged Southern California this year prompted Democrats to compromise on the bill. (AP)

Hold your breath at Benz Circle: It''s pollution

Newindpress.com Dec. 5, 2003

VIJAYAWADA : The warning is loud and clear. The respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) count has crossed the normal limit of 100 micro grams per cubic metre. The RSPM reflects the amount of dust that is inhaled by human beings from the atmosphere.
The studies conducted by the AP Pollution Control Board at two random polluting centres in the city have shown a five percent increase in the RSPM count: This now comes to 105 micro grams per cubic metre at Benz Centre and 180 mg per cubic metre at Auto Nagar.
The carbonmonoxide content has been steadily increasing.
''''The random pollution test being conducted by the Road Transport officials does not actually reflect the level of carbonmonoxide and other pollutants,'''' said A Arun Kumar, APPCB joint chief environmental engineer. He also found fault with the system that takes the reading once in six months.

He told this website's paper that the situation, though not ''grave'', may pose serious problems in days to come. The rise in the number of vehicles----which increased by 26,000 from 2.96 lakh in the past year----and plying of heavy vehicles in the city are the main reasons for the rise in pollution levels, he felt.

Even the level of total suspended particulate matter (TSPM), reflecting the amount of dust in the atmosphere, rose from 226 micro grams to 250 mg per cubic metre this year.

Earlier, addressing a seminar on the occasion of Anti-Pollution Day at Atheist Centre here, he mooted the use of four-stroke vehicles to check environmental degradation.

Senior environmental engineer Rajendra Reddy cautioned against the dangers of water pollution which alone led to 11,000 deaths across the world annually.
HPCL senior installation manager S S Kosana said the use of unleaded and ethanol blended petrol (EBP) have reduced the vehicular pollution.

Naxals go on arson spree against uranium project

The Hindu, Dec.05, 2003

PEDDAGATTU (Nalgonda dist.) DEC.4. The outlawed People's War last night set ablaze two drilling machines, two generators, two trucks and a jeep belonging to the Atomic Mineral Directorate for Exploration and Research of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) protesting against the proposed uranium project in this tribal belt in Pedda Adisarlapally mandal of Nalgonda district.

Some 15 naxalites, including six women, led by the CPI (ML-PW)'s district secretary, Naveen alias Samala Venkatesam, participated in the operation which lasted for more than five hours in and around the village. All of them were clad in olive green dresses and eight of them were carrying modern weapons.

The dalam also organised a gram sabha in the heart of the village and explained to the tribals the "disastrous impact of uranium." They pasted posters against the uranium project urging all sections of society to fight against the plant irrespective of political affiliations.

According to eyewitnesses, the naxalites carrying weapons descended on the work place of the AMD in the evening and asked the technical staff to stop work. They poured diesel on two drilling machines that were being used to extract uranium samples and two huge generators being used to run those machines and set them ablaze. They also burnt down a lorry and two makeshift rest rooms.

They brought about 25 employees into the village, 4 km away from the workplace, in a truck and organised the gram sabha after destroying the vehicle. The naxalites sang revolutionary songs and raised anti-project and anti-TDP slogans.

An AMD jeep which arrived there was set ablaze by the naxalites. Though the police say the loss of property is estimated at Rs.30 lakhs, unofficial estimation puts the figure at Rs.1.25 crores. Reiterating the PW's stand on the TDP and BJP leaders, the naxal leader, Naveen, called upon the tribals not to participate in the election process. He also asked people to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the People's Guerilla Army.

Condemning the naxalite attack, the Assistant Superintendent of Police, P.Viswa Prasad, who is heading the anti-naxal operations, said that combing operation had been intensified to nab them. However, no official of the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), which is all set to launch operations in this forest area, was not available for comments. The Pollution Control Board had conducted a public hearing on the project at Peddagattu and Pedda Adisaraplly villages on August 19.

Russia refuses to ratify Kyoto Protocol

NDTV.com, Dec.05, 2003
Wednesday, December 3, 2003 (Moscow):

Russia won't ratify the Kyoto Protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions because it will hurt the country's economy.

The comments came a short while after the EU Commissioner for the environment expressed optimism about Russia signing the treaty.

But Putin's top economic adviser, Andrei Illarionov, said the pollution cuts required by the 1997 treaty -- which needs Russian ratification to take effect -- would slow the economic growth that the Russian president has made a major priority.

The Kyoto Protocol sets targets for countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases which produce global warming.

To take effect, the pact requires ratification by a minimum of 55 countries, which must include the industrialized countries that accounted for at least 55 per cent of the group's carbon dioxide emissions in 1990.

But so far, the industrialized nations that have signed account for only 44.2 per cent of the 1990 emissions.

Russia accounts for 17.4 per cent -- more than enough for the protocol to take effect.

Uttaranchal dilutes Land Ordinance

The Hindu, Dec.6, 2003

DEHRA DUN DEC. 5. The Uttaranchal Cabinet has watered down the provisions of the controversial Land Ordinance. Now the Ordinance, to become an Act during the coming Assembly session, will not be applicable to urban areas and anyone can purchase up to 500 square meters of land for residential purposes.

Disclosing this after a Cabinet meeting, the Chief Secretary, R S Tolia, and Principal Secretary, Revenue, N. S. Napalchyal, said curbs on sale and purchase of agriculture land had been toned down. Now, a person willing to buy agriculture land would be able to do so after getting the required permission from the District Magistrate and giving an affidavit that the said land would be used for agricultural purposes only. In case of a violation, the said land can be seized by the Government.

Special permission will be required from the Government if a person wishes to establish an industry outside the industrial areas.

The Land Ordinance, which prohibited any person who did not own agricultural land in the State from buying more agricultural land, came under sharp criticism from the public and political parties including the ruling Congress. The public unrest was more pronounced in Hardwar, Udham Singh Nagar and the plain areas of Dehra Dun and Naini Tal. A Committee, headed by the State Planning Commission Vice Chairman, Vijay Bahuguna, that went into the grievances of the people had suggested wide- ranging changes in the Ordinance. Later a Sub Committee of Ministers further studied the problem.

The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and the Bahujan Samaj Party have described the amendments to the Ordinance as a clear attempt to help the extra rich at the cost of the common man. " It would have been better if the Chief Minister, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, had introduced a land bill in the Assembly and then sought the constitution of an all party Legislative sub- committee to go into it's merits and demerits so that a land law fulfilling the aspirations of Uttaranchalis could be framed", the former Speaker and BJP MLA, Prakash Pant, said.

Marine Drive: BMC battles heritage activists

NDTV.Com, Dec.6, 2003

Friday, December 5, 2003

The hoardings along Marine Drive, India's best-known promenade, is at the centre of a tug-of-war between heritage conservationists and the Mumbai's civic authorities.

Even though Marine Drive is a heritage precinct where hoardings are banned, the three-kilometre stretch is lined with advertisements.

When angry activists went to court, the municipality, shockingly, said Marine Drive was not a heritage precinct, violating its own guidelines.

"What constitutes a heritage precinct is clearly laid out in law. The Marine Drive is a notified heritage precinct and the BMC itself has so many guidelines on the same," said Iqbal Chagla of the Mumbai Heritage Commission.

But the BMC says that hoardings actually "add" to Marine drive's character, and that the heritage committee is "factually" wrong.

"Marine Drive is not a heritage project. It does not become one just because the Heritage Committee says so," said Karun Shrivastava, BMC Commissioner.

Heritage activists accuse the BMC of being influenced by the powerful hoarding lobby and it is now up to the courts to take a final view on the jewel in Mumbai's crown.

Fly lower to cut climate impact

BBC News, Dec.6, 2003

Flying aircraft 6,000 feet (1.8 kilometres) below current altitudes could help curb the contribution to climate change made by aircraft.

UK scientists say this would result in a 47% reduction in contrails, the exhaust streams produced by aircraft.

Contrails can evolve into cirrus clouds that may trap terrestrial radiation, driving up global temperatures.

The suggestion comes out of computer modelling at Manchester Metropolitan University and other institutions.

"Climate change is a real, measurable phenomenon," said Manchester's Professor David Lee, an author of the research who was speaking at the Science Media Centre in London.

Cirrus clouds - typically thin and wispy - occur about 20,000 feet (6 km) over the Earth's surface, and above. They are composed of ice crystals that form through the freezing of super-cooled water droplets.

3D simulation

The researchers came to their conclusions by developing a computer simulation model of the total global aircraft traffic. This took account of different flying routes, altitudes, flight frequencies, and aircraft types.

They also used meteorological data to calculate where the aircraft would hit conditions favourable for contrails, or condensation trails. The exhaust clouds form more frequently where there is high atmospheric humidity.

This simulation was then played through a 3D computer grid which revealed the contrail coverage produced by the virtual air traffic.

This can be used to calculate the contrail contribution to the total climate change effect from aviation which is assessed using a measure known as radiative forcing.

This describes how an environmental process affects the energy balance of the Earth and atmosphere.

The team tried several scenarios in which they looked at the effect of flying aircraft 2,000, 4,000 and 6,000 feet below their current levels. Flying aircraft at 6,000 feet below their current altitudes reduced the contrail coverage by 47% in the simulation.

Conventional altitudes for commercial aircraft are between 20,000 (6 km) and 40,000 feet (12 km).

Icy clouds

Although contrails have been observed evolving into cirrus clouds, there are currently no figures on their contribution to the formation of cirrus clouds globally.

Dr Paul DeMott, an atmosphere scientist at Colorado State University, US, was cautious about the factors behind cirrus cloud formation on a worldwide scale.

"I think there is at least some potential impact of aircraft causing more cloudiness, but you have to have the right conditions for cirrus cloud formation," he said.

"I think it's fair to say, we're still not completely certain about the direction or magnitude of cirrus clouds on [climate change]. We need to know more about their distribution in the atmosphere," he added.

The study is a joint project between nine different partners across Europe, including Manchester Metropolitan University, the German Aerospace Centre and the University of Oslo.

The UK Government's white paper on the future of aviation, expected next month, will outline a 30-year strategy for the aircraft industry.

Water shortage plagues Chennai and A.P

NDTV, Dec. 8, 2003

Chennai is facing a water shortage for the fourth consecutive year and it's only getting worse. The city's reservoirs are almost empty and even Andhra Pradesh does not have enough water to share with its neighbour.

"We have to carry water for drinking, bathing and cooking. It's been like this for years," said a local.

"We come from long distances on cycles to carry water," said another local.

Less than half the normal rainfall from the northeast monsoon has meant that the three major reservoirs in the city are virtually empty, with less than two per cent of their storage capacity.

Fearing summer

A water shortage in Andhra Pradesh also means water can come from there either.

And with the situation so bad in December, many fear that the coming summer could be the worst that the city has seen in recent times.

"We are dependent on the farm wells in and around Chennai. And are providing nearly 7500 truckloads of water to the city," said M C Sampath, minister, local administration.

Major scheme's like the 700 crore Veeranam project, that were expected to provide some relief, will be complete only by May 2004.

And till then, it is clear that Chennai will remain dependent on the rain god's and on trucks, which carry water from wherever they find it to quench the city's thirst.

Fresh proposal for Pooyamkutty project

The Hindu, Dec.8, 2003

KOLLAM Dec. 7. An ecologocal impact assessment (EIA) of the Kerala State Electricity Board's Pooyamkutty Hydroelectric Project (PHP), conducted by the Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI), may pave the way for the revival of the project, which was almost dropped due to environmental concerns.

The EIA report has been submitted to the office of the Electricity Minister and is expected to be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for clearance. The EIA team comprised the director of TBGRI, G.M. Nair, as principal investigator, Pandurangan, head of the Plan Systematic and Evolution Science, Babu Ambat of the Centre for Environment and Development and M. Balakrishnan of the Kerala University's Department of Zoology.

The thrust of the report is to reduce the mean sea level (MSL) height of the dam from 338 metres to 300 metres.

The EIA task was entrusted to the TBGRI after the KSEB had expressed willingness to consider the environmental aspects through a reduction in the height of the dam

As per the 1998 assessment, the PHP across the Pooyamkutty river in Idukki district would be a 240 MW power generation project at an estimated cost of Rs. 820 crores, with two dams having a full-reservoir level of 1,226 million cubic metres after submerging 2,668.80 hectares.

As early as 1977, a study conducted by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History had recommended that the project be rejected in order to conserve the area in totality. It said the project posed a threat of submergence of vast areas that were rich in flora and fauna. It was on the basis of this report that the PHP was thought to have been virtually dropped.

However, the TBGRI report states that if the MSL height of the dam is restricted to 300 metres, the negative impact on land, vegetation, wildlife and habitat could be reduced by about 50 per cent in addition to various other advantages. The submergible area would come down from 2,668.80 hectares to 1,351.27 hectares. Moreover, the power generation capacity of the PHP would only get marginally reduced, by 9 per cent, if the height of the dam was brought down as recommended.

The report states that the Pooyamkutty region is a mosaic of vegetation and rich wildlife. The vegetation comprises 736 species of flowering plants and 95 known medicinal herbs. The wildlife includes 105 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles, 23 species of large mammals and 38 species of fishes. These would comprise rare and endemic species like the Malabar tree nymph, giant red eye butterflies, Malabar grey hornbill, leopard and the dusky striped squirrel in addition to elephants. There are also 24 human settlements consisting of both tribal and non-tribal population in the catchment area.

According to the report, if the project coming up at the MSL height of 300 metres, the construction of the saddle dam at Kumpanpara can be avoided and the construction of a road from Pooyamkutty to Kumpanpara through the forest would not be required. The patch of evergreen forests at Kundrapuzha could be saved from submergence. The resettlement compensation can also be brought down since the settlement and cultivation areas in the project site would come down from 92.87 hectares to just 3.51 hectares.

The report suggests formation of a Catchment Area Treatment Plan involving regeneration and enrichment of vegetative cover, and soil and water conservation during construction of the project in order to offset the negative impacts. The Plan should be an integral part of the project and has to be strictly monitored through the constitution of an Environment Monitoring Committee to assess the environment during pre and post commissioning phases of the project.

The TBGRI claims in the report that the study had been conducted in accordance with EIA procedures after critically analaysing various components of physical and biological environment within the proposed project area.

India's concern as Russia refuses to ratify Kyoto Protocol

Newindpress.com, Dec.8, 2003

NEW DELHI: India, which last year played host to a global meet on the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, is concerned over the fate of the treaty following objections from Russia.

Moscow's stand has come at the ninth Conference of Parties (COP-9) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change now underway in Milan.

India had hosted COP-8 last year, and at this year's meet Indian environmentalists were hoping for more progress on the Kyoto Protocol that aims to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

But now Russia, whose backing is vital to enactment of the global pact, is dithering. In a statement on Friday, Russia said the Kyoto Protocol in its current form was not acceptable, thereby dampening hopes of the UN's programme for binding commitments from developed nations to reduce global warming emissions to 5.2 percent of 1997 levels by 2012.

Experts in India, which has signed the protocol, see a clear link between the US refusal to stay out of the Kyoto Protocol commitment and the Russian stand.

Both countries had voiced fears over the adverse economic fallout.

"It is clear that the US is working hard to ensure that oil-rich Russia does not ratify the Kyoto Protocol," said Sunita Narain, a leading environmentalist who heads New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment.

"Kyoto Protocol is our last hope. It is more than what the developing world would get if we were to renegotiate (for another global pact)," Narain told B.C. Choudhury of the Wildlife Institute of India echoed the view that Kyoto Protocol was meant to be a small but concrete step towards reducing global greenhouse gas emissions leading to climate change.

Such adverse climatic change is already manifesting itself in several parts of the world through rapid melting of glaciers, rising sea level and higher temperatures in several parts.

"The biggest setback to Kyoto Protocol was the no by the US and Australia," said Choudhury, who is hopeful of Russia ratifying the landmark environment pact.

Choudhury said the only silver lining is that "even nations that should be against it have adopted it as in the southern hemisphere".

Experts felt that even a small percentage of reduction in greenhouse gases would be one step forward.

"I don't think the door has been closed on the subject as far as Russia is concerned," said R.K. Pachauri, chairman of the global environment body Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Pachauri said diplomatic efforts would have to be stepped up not only to stand firm on the environment pact.

The COP-8 and the Delhi Declaration had clearly highlighted the need for technology transfer and overall need to step up efforts for combating climate change, said Pachauri.

K.P. Nyati, head of the environment division of the Confederation of Indian Industry, is optimistic that diplomatic pressure would bring Russia into the fold by 2005 and "even the US may still come on board".

Nyati feels that the EU, Canada and Japan have already shown commitment to push through provisions the carbon trading mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol for enabling developed countries to fund or buy credit from developing countries for reducing climate change.

Planting of saplings to be made compulsory

The Hindu, Dec.9, 2003

BANGALORE Dec. 8. The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) has proposed to amend the building bye-laws to make it compulsory to plant at least two saplings in houses built on 60X40 sites and higher dimensions, the Palike Commissioner, M.R. Sreenivas Murthy, said here n Monday.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Urban Horticulture training programme organised as part of its weeklong garden festival, Mr. Murthy said officials should develop parks and undertake planting of saplings on a large scale. The BMP would distribute saplings to those who come forward to plant them, he said.

The Mayor, P.R. Ramesh, said the BMP would soon come out with an integrated plan to plant saplings and enhance the beauty of the city without hindering development.

Expressing displeasure over the disappearance of gardens and trees that once dotted the city, he said the need of the hour was to reshape urban forestry policy to achieve development and beautification.

He wanted the public, NGOs, and the BMP to join hands and identify places and species of saplings for urban development.

The BMP officers should organise more training programmes to educate citizens in urban horticulture, he said.

The Director of Horticulture, G.K. Vasanthkumar, the BMP Special Commissioner, Subash Chandra, the Zonal Deputy Commissioner, S.G. Hegde, Pashvanath, N. Jayaram, the Chief Horticulture Officer, A.Narayanswamy, and the corporators, Vasanta Kumari, Muniraju, Ramakrishnaiah, Muniswamappa, and A. Krishnappa, were present.

Water recycling mandatory for industries
The Hindu, Dec.9, 2003

Bangalore Dec. 8. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has made it mandatory for large industries and the various urban development authorities to provide for water recycling facilities.

The Chairman of the Board, J. Alexander, MLA, said here today that urban development authorities had to provide such facilities in extensions for housing a population of 1,000 and more. Already several large industries such Hindustan Machine Tools (Bangalore) and Jindal Steel in Bellary district had made arrangements for recycling water.

Recycling would go a long way in saving water. Mr.Alexander was speaking at a seminar on "State-level Water Policy" organised by the Action for Food Production and the Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Consulate General in Chennai. The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences (Bangalore), G. Dwarakinath, said the State had met with only partial success in the utilisation of water in the various watershed areas. Unfortunately till now there were no plans for irrigating the dry land in the non-watershed areas of the State. The State had to give attention to popularising water harvesting in the rain-fed agricultural areas of the State. It was not difficult considering that rainwater harvesting was already being resorted to on small rooftops.

The former Development Commissioner, J.K. Arora, spoke of the contradictions between the water policies of the State and the Centre. Whereas the national water policy adopted in 1987 and revised in 2002 favoured subsidising irrigation facilities only in the case of disadvantaged farmers, the State policy was for providing subsidies to all. The cost of irrigation under the major irrigation projects was Rs. one lakh an acre. Mr. Arora said that the Upper Krishna Project had already cost Rs. 3600 crore but was still incomplete. He added that the major beneficiaries of such projects were large farmers. Ravi Candade, Consul for Public Affairs, U.S. Consulate in Chennai, said the Americans had no solutions to water-related problems.

They only wanted to share their experience. Lawrence MacDonnell of the Colorado Watershed Network in the U.S. and legal expert on international and inter-State water sharing, noted that while the eastern parts of his country had abundant sources of water, the western parts were not that well endowed. Even today 80 per cent of water available in his country was being used for irrigation and 10 per cent for meeting the needs of urban centres. Though the U.S. had legalised the concept of "prior appropriation of water", it recognised the fact that water was meant for all.

EIA issue: Jaya to write to Vasundhara Raje
Newindpress, Dec.10,2003 CHENNAI:

The State government on Tuesday announced that Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa would soon write a letter to her Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje on the ``abrogation of powers of the State governments by a draft notification of the Union Environment and Forests Ministry on Oct 27'' on mandatory Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).

An official press release hoped that Raje would respond positively as it was an issue of vital importance.

The release said Ashok Gehlot, Raje's predecessor, just before demitting office, had replied to Jayalalithaa's Nov 3 letter on this issue and said: ``I appreciate your concerns about the federal nature of Indian polity as enshrined in the Constitution.'' Gehlot added that at the same time the larger concerns regarding the environment could not be ruled out. ``Keeping in mind your views on the matter I am having it examined in detail and shall be taking up the issue at the appropriate level,'' he added.

It may be recalled that after the Centre issued the draft notification on mandatory EIA of projects costing above Rs 50 crore, Jayalalithaa wrote letters to the CMs, Lt Governors and Administrators of all States and Union Territories claiming that this was ``an insidious attempt to take over the powers of the States.'' She asked the States to collectively oppose the move.

She had said that the notification sought to assume for the Centre the sole authority and powers to accord approval for such projects, with no role for the State governments.

Villagers warm up to watershed development scheme
Newindpress, Dec.10, 2003

TIRUCHY: The people-oriented five-year WARASA (Watershed Areas Rainfed Agri Systems Approach) in Tiruchy district has met with success from the word go. This is in sharp contrast to the earlier NAWPRA (National Watershed Development Programme for Rainfed Areas) schemes, which faced problems due to corruption and improper implementation.

As the local people are being involved in various stages of its implementation, right from planning to decide where the various scheme facilities should be constructed, it has resulted in their eager participation in the various awareness activities relating to this scheme.

Of the four WARASA schemes being implemented in Tiruchy district, only the Musiri block WARASA is being undertaken by an NGO while the other three in Manaparai, Marungapuri and Manachanallur are being implemented by the agriculture, agricultural engineering and forest departments.

The NGO `SCOPE' was selected as the implementing agency due to its good track record in similar schemes and also for its success in converting a once barren stretch near Thaneerpandal village into a 612 HA watershed within a space of four years.

The Rs.1.98 crore scheme is aimed at maintaining ecological balance in rural areas, through various water saving measures. This includes construction of check dams, gully plugging, contour bunding and raising of horticultural crops to utilise minimum water.

Though 10 months have passed by since the commencement of the scheme, the enthusiasm of the villagers who participate in PRA (participatory rural appraisal) is to be seen to be believed.

Knowing that the scheme will ultimately mean a lot to their village, residents do not mind participating in the village resource mapping exercise even at night, as is seen in Manparai village. A Watershed Development Committee (WDC) and a Watershed Development Team (WDT) have been formed to inspect the constructed work and also recommend release of funds.

As the members to these committees are elected by the local population it has encouraged the people to participate willingly in this programme. SCOPE, already known for its rapport building skills with rural population, has seen to it that villagers are fully knowledgeable about the scheme before the actual work begins. The scheme envisages formation of nine watersheds in eight villages in Musiri block, according to SCOPE director M Subburaman.

The villages include Gunaseelam, Moovanur, Vadakkipatti, Sithambur, Vengaimandalam, Thiruthiamalai, Manparai and Sukkampatti. PRA exercises, which recently concluded in these villages, led to occasional heated arguments among the residents on where check dams are to be built.

Based on the data collected from the eight villages, a strategic plan for the remaining four year period is to be readied shortly, Subburaman said and added that this would be the blueprint for the area's watershed development.

With work progressing on this watershed satisfactorily, it is to be seen whether government will cash in on this too-good-to-be-missed-opportunity to redeem its besmirched name in earlier NAWPRA schemes.

Centre to introduce Bill banning tobacco ads both print and electronic media
Deccan Chronicle, Dec.12, 2003

New Delhi, Dec. 11: With the Cabinet approving ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the Government is in the process of readying a comprehensive legislation to ban advertising of tobacco products in print and electronic media.

With this approval on Wednesday, India will become the seventh nation in the world to ratify this global convention, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said here adding it would be implemented three months after at least 40 nations ratify it.

As per the convention, a comprehensive legislation is needed by member-countries and the government will be ready with this legislation within 10 days, she said. This Bill will seek to ban advertising of tobacco products across both print and electronic media by all companies whether of Indian or foreign ones selling these products.

In view of the adverse impact of tobacco on health, all the member-States of the World Health Organisation resolved to implement the tobacco control strategies through legislative means.

Pesticides found in vegetables
Deccan Chronicle, Dec.13, 2003 New Delhi,

A study by All India Coordinated Research Project on Pesticide Residues found 46 per cent of 359 samples of fruits and 64 per cent of the 592 vegetable samples it analysed to contain residues of locally applied pesticides like endosulfan, chloropyriphos and malathion.

�Out of 359 samples of different fruits analysed, 46 per cent samples were found to contain residues of locally applied pesticides. However, in all these fruit samples, the residues were found to be below the prescribed MRL values,� Minister of State for Agriculture Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

However, of the 64 per cent vegetable samples found containing pesticide residues, nine per cent contained residues above their respective MRL values, the minister said. �Pesticide residues in vegetables can be decontaminated to 80-100 per cent by washing and

Ban on cow slaughter in Madhya Pradesh

The Hindu, Dec.13, 2003 BHOPAL

The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet today decided to impose a complete ban on cow slaughter, a promise made by the Bharatiya Janata Party before the elections. Ms. Bharti had announced during her election campaign that once she came to power, a decision would be taken at her very first Cabinet meeting to impose a complete ban on cow slaughter.

The BJP Government has also decided to properly equip the cow sheds for keeping sick and ailing cows.

Walayar river being threatened by Sand-mining
The Hindu, Dec.15, 2003 PALAKKAD DEC. 14.

Illegal sand-mining in the Pulampara, Kongampara and Kanalpiruvu stretch of the Walayar river is posing a threat to the river system besides creating major environmental problems in the area. Mining is done in the river at Pudussery East village using JCB (earthmover) mainly during night.

The sand is being transported to Tamil Nadu in violation of all rules through a road laid through the riverbed. According to farmers in the area, as many as 60 lorries are used for transportation of the sand daily to a transit point in Coimbatore, from where it is taken to other parts of Tamil Nadu.

The modus operandi of the sand mafia is to buy land on both sides of the river, remove the upper layer of soil, mine the sand, mix it with river sand and sell it in the neighbouring State at an exorbitant price.

It is reported that the Walayar bridge across the river is in a dangerous condition owing to sand mining near it. The local people have sent petitions to the District Collector and other authorities pointing out that their drinking and irrigation water sources have been drying up.

They have alleged that sand is being mined not only from the riverbed but also from government land. The Kizhakke Attappallam Padasekhara Samiti secretary, T.K. Devadas, in a memorandum to the Collector on November 28, said the sand mining in the river at Nellassery and nearby areas would badly affect the Walayar dam.

The Kanalpiruvu Padasekhara Samiti has complained to the Collector that the sand-mining near the check-dam constructed to divert water to the Kaundar, Nellissery and the Main canals would affect the irrigation system in the area. The sand mining using heavy machines from above and below the check-dam would cause damage to the check-dam. Samiti leaders have pointed out that the contractors had claimed that they are mining the sand with the permission of the Mining and Geology Department and the local village office.

The Nellissery and Chullimada Padasekhara Samitis also have petitioned the Collector against the sand-mining, which they fear would even change the course of the Walayar river. Samiti activists have alleged that the local authorities are not taking any action against the illegal act despite requests from farmers and local people for immediate action. They have alleged that the nexus among the sand mafia, panchayat authorities and revenue officials has put the people in the area in dire straits.

People of Padre fear re-entry of the pesticide
The Hindu, Dec.15, 2003 KASARAGOD DEC. 14.

The people living in and around the plantations of Kasaragod district are a worried lot after the Central Government giving a ``clean chit'' to the pesticide, Endosulfan.

The Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, made an announcement in this regard in Parliament on December 8 while replying to a question raised by K. Muraleedharan, MP.

According to reports, the Ministry had taken the decision on the recommendations of the O.P. Dubey Committee appointed by the Central Government to study the health problems caused by the pesticide here. The committee had submitted the report in December 2002.

The Dubey committee has expressed the view that the use of the pesticide, within the limits prescribed by the Insecticides Act 1968, would cause no harm to the environment. And the local people fear that the State Government might lift the ban on the pesticide in the district on the excuse of the Central decision. Activists who had fought against the use of the pesticide in the plantations here have voiced their concern over the Dubey report. ``We will fight it tooth and nail. In fact, cases against the use of the pesticide are pending before the High Court.

The Sivaraman Committee appointed by the State Government to study the impact of the pesticide on human health has highlighted the adverse effects of the pesticide and has recommended its ban in the State.

The ball is now in the State Government's court and I wonder why it is keeping mum,'' says Shree Padre, an activist who was among those who spearheaded the campaign against the pesticide. (The Sivaraman Committee submitted its report in April this year) N.A. Nellikunnu, who claims himself to be a `victim' of the pesticide, and three others had moved the High Court seeking a direction to the Centre and State Governments and the Plantation Corporation Kerala (PCK) to pay a compensation of Rs.10 lakhs each to the victims of Endosulfan, ``most of whom live a miserable life''.

Their contention is that they have become victims of the indiscriminate use of the ``highly toxic'' pesticide. The case is pending before the court. It was only a few years ago that the PCK started using the pesticide in the cashew plantations on the hills around Padre. Very soon, the people of the area started complaining of health problems such as cerebral palsy, mental and physical retardation, congenital abnormalities.

The A. Achuthan Committee which had gone into the issue recommended a ban on aerial spraying of all types of pesticides in the cashew plantations. The committee, appointed by the State Government, also recommended a five-year pesticide holiday in the Perla division of PCK. It also proposed a special scheme for the treatment for financially weak victims. (The Achuthan committee submitted its report in November 2001.) On the other hand, the Dubey committee had drawn flak from many quarters including the Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, who accused the committee of manipulating the evidence in favour of the pesticide industry.

During a visit to the plantation areas of Enmakaje and Mooliyar panchayats, the Opposition leader had gone to the extent of saying that the Dubey committee would do no justice to the hundreds of victims of Endosulfan. Even the efforts of the PCK to study the issue came a cropper.

Alleging that it is an industry-sponsored study, the villagers of Padre and other areas refused to cooperate with the officials of the Fredrick Institute of Plant Protection and Toxicology (FIPPAT) in Kancheepuram, commissioned by the PCK for the study.

"The National Institute of Occupational Hazards under the Indian Council of Medical Research has conducted an in-depth study in Padre and Meencha and has listed the ill-effects of the pesticide. The London-based Environmental Justice Foundation has termed Endosulfan as a `dangerous and outdated chemical'.

In fact, the pesticide has been banned in Cambodia because of its adverse effects,'' says Shree Padre, a journalist-farmer who along with Y.S. Mohana Kumar, a doctor in Padre, is in the forefront of the protest against Endosulfan. Meanwhile, the PCK managing director, in a press note issued recently, said the pesticide was last used in the plantations of the Corporation in December 2000.

Moreover, the ban imposed by the High Court on aerial spraying of the pesticide is still in vogue and there is no move on the part of the PCK to reintroduce the pesticide. (The High Court ban came into effect in August 2002.) Also, the PCK is not using Round-Up in its plantations.

It was only recently that a new chemical, Round-Up, was introduced in the plantations by the PCK. The people, who had a miserable time with Endosulfan, were apprehensive of the new product, sprayed to destroy unwanted vegetation in the plantations, and the PCK had to make a hasty retreat. Meanwhile, the ambitious Rs.one-crore project mooted by the district panchayat for the rehabilitation and vocational training of the victims of Endosulfan is yet to materialise. Except for a few medical camps, there have not been any serious attempts to implement the rehabilitation package announced a year ago.

"The project seems to lack direction and medical camps alone would not do any good,'' says Mr. Padre. But for the time being, the people are more concerned about a re-entry of the old pesticide.

New way of protesting sewage discharge
The Hindu, Dec.15, 2003
CHENNAI DEC. 14.

Residents of Vijayalakshmipuram, Ambattur, poured rosewater into the Thangal lake today as a symbolic protest against discharge of sewage into the lake. Residents from 10 streets gathered near the lake and protested discharge of drainage into the water body through open stormwater drains for about 10 years.

The Ambattur branch of the Water Body Protection - Exnora, was also inaugurated on the occasion. The founder of Exnora International, M.B. Nirmal, assured the residents that the lake, which had become a reservoir of sullage would be desilted and provided with rainwater harvesting facility. B.R. Prasad, general secretary, Water Bodies Protection (Ambattur), said those living near the lake had been suffering the stench for nearly a decade.

The drainage from apartments and houses, which do not have proper sewage facilities, is being discharged into the lake. Moreover, it spilled onto open grounds such as Prakasamgaru Street, Mr. Prasad said. During the rainy season, it overflowed onto the roads, making them unmotorable. Groundwater in the area has also been contaminated. ``It has been years since we breathed fresh air and drank pure water.'' The president of the forum, K. Lakshminarayanan, said due to this problem about 400 families living in the area faced water crisis throughout the year and had to depend on metrowater.

The lake, which was used for irrigation, has been converted into a makeshift dumping yard, he said. Residents also face health hazards due to unhygienic conditions. The residents charged that despite several representations to officials, the problem was not solved. They wanted authorities to repair blocks in canal on Patel Road and restore flow from the lake.

Spurt in leopard population: Need of rethink on wildlife Policies
The Hindu, Dec.15, 2003 Dehra Dun

The population of leopards in Uttaranchal has increased in forest areas close to human habitation while it has decreased in protected areas, prompting experts to recommend immediate rethink of the state's wildlife policies.

According to the latest wildlife census report, there has been a 12 per cent increase in leopard population in forest areas near villages while the numbers of the wild cat dipped by eight per cent in the protected areas.

Noting that despite declaration of 18 per cent area of the state as protected for wildlife, as against 12 per cent occupied by human habitations, the number of leopards has decreased, renowned environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt of the Chipko movement said official claims of wildlife being safe there need to be examined. ``Wildlife is not safe in the so-called legally safe areas.

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