KPCC rejects parts of Western Ghats report
Forms five-member panel to frame policy perspectives
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has rejected the K. Kasturirangan committee’s key recommendations that directly affect farmers. It has set up a five-member panel to help formulate its policy perspectives on the implementation of the committee’s report on the protection of the Western Ghats, which has triggered violent protests in the high ranges.
At a press conference soon after a leadership meeting here on Thursday, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said the party rejected the recommendations that would affect traditional agriculture practices and the livelihood of the farmers of the high ranges, who had braved weather and wildlife and toiled hard to cultivate cash crops that earned precious foreign exchange.
“There is a general apprehension among the people that they might be evicted from their land. The Congress is opposed to such a situation and will strongly come out against any such move. It wants the Centre to consider exempting land under cultivation from curbs,” he said.
The report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, headed by Madhav Gadgil, had caused a great deal of apprehension, leading to the setting up of the Kasturirangan committee.
The KPCC felt that the Kasturirangan report had several recommendations that had to be given serious thought.
Narrating the circumstances that led to the contentious Union government order imposing curbs on five sectors, Mr. Chennithala said there was four more months for the State to formulate its stand.
The KPCC panel will have its vice-president M.M. Hassan as convener and the presidents of the District Congress Committees of Palakkad, Wayanad, Idukki and Kottayam, C.V. Balachandran, K.L. Paulose, Roy M. Paulose and Tonny Kallani respectively, as members. The committee has been asked to submit its report within a month after interacting with the people of 122 villages identified by the Kasturirangan report. The KPCC will formulate its recommendations on the basis of its panel’s report to be submitted to the Centre. To a question, Mr. Chennithala said the Congress was fully conscious of its responsibility in ensuring that the interests of the high range farmers are protected. Among the six States coming under the purview of the report, only Kerala had registered its strong protest, he said. Mr. Chennithala did not find anything wrong in the Church leading an agitation since it was only reflecting the sentiments of the faithful. The Congress would hold a massive rally at Nedugandam on November 28 to explain the party’s stand.
He accused the Communist Party of India (Marxist) of fishing in trouble waters to capitalise on the hardship of the people of the High Ranges.
Iran remains cautious amid West’s positive spin
Iran and the six global powers are engaged in substantive talks in Geneva, in a bid to close the gaps that caused a possible nuclear deal to falter earlier this month.
As they went into talks on Thursday, the Iranian side made it clear that any deal, if it has to materialise, must accept Tehran’s right to enrich uranium.
“No deal that does not include the right to uranium enrichment from start to finish will be accepted,” said Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister on Twitter.
Israel, Iran’s chief regional rival, has yet again called upon the global powers not to sign a deal that would allow Iran uranium enrichment. In talks in Moscow on Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that the “international community should unambiguously watch how [Iran] fulfils the U.N. Security Council resolution which is to stop uranium enrichment, to withdraw enriched materials from Iran and to demount the nuclear reactor in Arak”.
Mr. Netanyahu was referring to Iran’s heavy water nuclear reactor, which can yield plutonium once it becomes functional, providing Iran with another route to develop an atomic bomb. CNN had earlier reported that the Americans were seeking a commitment from Iran not to “activate” the facility. But France, accused by Tehran of acting on Israel’s behest, instead sought suspension of all construction activity at the plant.
The Voice of Russia reported, quoting an Iranian source, that progress in talks will be hampered if Iran’s interlocutors persist with the ideas introduced by Paris during the previous round of talks.
“If France and the P5+1 as a whole continue insisting on the earlier announced conditions, Iran will hardly like this,” said the source.
Apart from enrichment and status of the Arak plant, the degree to which the United States and its allies would be willing to lift sanctions also appears to have become a subject of fresh contention.
Mr. Araqchi said on Thursday that Iran would seek the removal of oil and gas sanctions included as the “first step” of a possible deal with the global powers. It remains unclear if Tehran would remain inflexible on this demand or use it as a bargaining chip at this stage to get maximum possible sanctions relief.
Mr. Araqchi said that if the U.S. representative in talks with Iran, Wendy Sherman, or someone else, has claimed that only a small part of the sanctions against Iran would be removed, in that case “they should be sure that we will also take few measures”.
Contrary to the cautious approach adopted by Iran, western media reports are imparting a positive spin to the likely outcome of the talks. The website Al Monitor reported “unusually heavy diplomatic and police security” in Geneva and, citing diplomats, did not rule out arrival of Foreign Ministers of the six global powers “possibly as early as Friday” at the signing ceremony of the deal. It quoted Jen Psaki of the U.S. State Department as saying that Secretary of State, John Kerry, is “open to going if it would continue to help narrow the gaps.”
While Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, engaged with Catharine Ashton, the foreign policy chief of the European Union (EU) on Wednesday and again on Thursday, he, and members of his delegation also met Russian representative Sergei Ryabkov separately. Besides, Iranian diplomats met Wendy Sherman, U.S. representative to the talks.
Foot-and-mouth disease scare hits Aavin procurement
There was a marginal dip in milk procurement levels in Madurai Aavin, officials said here on Thursday.
Even as rumours of cattle falling prey to foot-and-mouth disease were spreading in Vadakku Navinipatti and a few places surrounding Melur near here, the officials from the Department of Animal Husbandry and a team of experts from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, camped at these villages and interacted with the people.
The officials said they had created awareness among the people of the preventive measures to be taken to save their cattle and instilled confidence in them at this crucial hour.
According to Aavin General Manager Christie, the normal milk procurement level was around 1.75 lakh litres per day during this season. Apart from Madurai, Aavin procured milk from neighbouring Theni district as well, he noted.
The scare of spread of foot-and-mouth disease and the intermittent rains had resulted in a marginal dip in milk procurement. Milk procurement dropped from 1.80 lakh litres to 1.75 lakh litres within two days, another official pointed out.
Except for Melur region, the procurement was almost steady from the other areas. There seemed to be no big threat from the disease, he asserted.
Joint Director (Animal Husbandry) A. Babuji said the officials had conducted a series of campaigns on the safety measures to be taken.
So far, 1.80 lakh doses of vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease had been administered to the cattle in the district.
“The animals left out of the massive exercise – around 4,000 – would be covered soon. All veterinarians had been asked to sensitise the people in this regard,” he said.
Dr.K. Kumanan of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University said bio-security measures like the sprinkling of bleaching powder and other chemical fluids would control the spread of any disease to a certain extent. It was the strategy to eliminate viruses, he added.
Special meetings
Collector L. Subramanian said special gram sabha meetings were organised in all the 420 village panchayats in the district in the last two days.
“The entire official machinery in the district is geared up to tackle any situation,” he added.
Milk procurement dropped from 1.80 lakh litres to 1.75 lakh litres in 2 days
1.80 lakh doses of vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease given to
the cattle
Industry interactions to be extended to all varsities
Industry interactions should not be limited to engineering universities; all universities in the State should have regular interactions with the industry to know their expectations, said Higher Education Minister R.V. Deshpande.
He said he had met with MLCs from the Graduates and Teachers’ constituencies on Thursday, who expressed the need for the same.
Mr. Deshpande was speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of the interactive meeting organised here on Thursday between the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) and industrialists for curriculum design.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) and VTU for curriculum design.
Vishnu Bharath A.S., chairman of the education and knowledge committee, FKCCI, said “Engineering should not be taught like history.” he said, suggesting that open book exams and problem solving should be focussed on.
Automated system
The VTU is taking another step towards digitisation of its examination process, irrespective of the loopholes pointed out in its Question Paper Delivery System. The varsity is working towards Automation of Question Paper Generation.
D.H. Rao, Engineering Dean, said that a mock test for the system had concluded and was aimed at avoiding errors.
Emperor of Japan to take trip down memory lane
On his first visit to India as Emperor of Japan Akhito would retrace some of the steps he took as Prince when he first arrived here 53 years ago.
Accompanied by his wife Empress Michiko, the Emperor would also visit new places that symbolise the exponential growth in India-Japan ties in recent years.
In their varied schedule over six days beginning November 30, the Japanese royal couple would again visit Buddhist sites around Bodh Gaya he had toured as Prince over half a century ago.
In Delhi also, the Emperor would go down memory lane when he tours the India International Centre, whose foundation stone he laid on November 30, 1960, in the presence of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Oil exploration to take place in undisputed areas in South China Sea
One block in Uzbekistan also offered
Vietnam’s offer to India for exploring gas and oil blocks in the South China Sea is in areas where there is no dispute over sovereignty.
Vietnam’s offer for third country exploration pertains to a block in Uzbekistan – a country with which both New Delhi and Hanoi enjoy excellent political ties, said official sources.
PetroVietnam and PetroVietnam Exploration Corporation have offered three blocks each, while the seventh is the Kossor block in Uzbekistan.
ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) signed an MoU to this effect with the two Vietnamese companies, after delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the country’s top leader Nguyen Phu Trong.
Free to pick and choose
OVL plans to study the data on the blocks and has the option to pick and choose. It can even take all or none of the blocks, said the sources.
OVL will evaluate blocks 17, 41 and 43 on an exclusive basis in the next three months and in case commercial viability is found, it will provide PetroVietnam with its proposal for entering into a production sharing contract (PSC). It will do the same with blocks 10&11-1 and 102&106/10 as well as the Kossor block in Uzbekistan.
Election Commission examined video CD of his Chhattisgarh speech of November 7
The Election Commission on Thursday examined a video CD of a gathering Narendra Modi addressed at Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh on November 7 after the Congress alleged in a November 9 complaint that the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate had violated the model code of conduct.
It asked Mr. Modi to be more careful in his public discourses.
After unfavourably considering Mr. Modi’s November 19 reply to its notice on his khooni panjaaremark, the EC pointed out that the right to freedom of speech and expression, under Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution, “is not absolute and is to be exercised in such a manner that it does not transcend, inter alia, the boundaries of decency and morality or disturb the public order or cause defamation.”
In his reply, Mr. Modi denied the allegations, saying he had only criticised the policies and programmes of the Congress and not made any personal attacks on its leaders.
However, Mr. Modi said that in the spirit of fostering a healthy democracy, he would remain willing to engage with the EC in evolving more specific guidelines for maintaining decorum in public discourse.
While the EC noted that Mr. Modi was conscious of its concern at the language in public discourse, it refused to accept his stand that the same strict standards cannot be enforced for remarks against political parties.
‘Decorum paramount’
“The Commission considers that while criticising the policies, programmes and past records of political parties, the expressions and utterances, even when used colloquially, have to be couched in such terms that the same conform to dignity, decorum and public morality,” the order noted.
Utterances, even colloquial, must conform to decorum and public morality, says EC
Modi reasoned his criticism was aimed at Congress’ policies, not personal attacks
Measured Chinese response to India-Vietnam deals
China on Thursday responded cautiously to India’s agreements with Vietnam on oil exploration in the disputed South China Sea, expressing its hope that countries would “do more things that are conducive” to stability, while at the same time not directly voicing its opposition to the projects.
Thursday’s response from China, which in the past strongly opposed exploration projects in the disputed South China Sea citing its “indisputable sovereignty” over its islands and waters — a claim that is being contested by at least 10 countries, including Vietnam — was more measured than the warnings directed at India last year about undertaking projects in the region.
Only last year, in December, did Beijing say it opposed “unilateral energy exploration” and called on India to respect its “sovereignty and national interests” over exploration of blocks 127 and 128, which Chinese officials said were located in a basin that is currently under Vietnam’s control but fell within their claim lines.
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said in response to a question about the deal that “the situation in the South China Sea is, generally speaking, stable.”
“China’s position on the South China Sea issue is clear-cut and consistent,” he said.
“We hope relevant countries,” he added, “can do more things that are conducive to development of peace and stability in the region.”
China had mounted a far stronger response to India’s deals on blocks 127 and 128, issuing formal protests. India has since returned the first block as explorations did not yield significant finds, while the second block has reportedly stalled on account of financial and technical difficulties.
The issue strained bilateral relations at a time when Beijing was seen as adopting a more assertive stand on territorial disputes.In recent months, however, the new leadership under Xi Jinping, who took over in March as President, has attempted to tone down regional tensions.
Indian chosen for global panel to address Internet governance issues
A diverse group of eminent stakeholders worldwide — Presidents, Ministers and CEOs from multi-stakeholder groups — is on a panel that will address “the future of global Internet cooperation.”
The panel’s first meeting has been scheduled for mid-December in London.
The list of panellists, announced in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where a meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is being held, includes an Indian. Nitin Desai, an economist and former diplomat, who served as U.N. Undersecretary General, is the convener of the Working Group on Internet Governance and first chairman of the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), which organises the U.N. Internet Governance Forum.
For the first time in 2014, the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos will discuss issues of Internet governance. The ICANN was an early catalyst for the panel, recognising the need for a globally diverse group to independently address complex issues. The ICANN, which cited “growing pressures to address issues outside its sphere of responsibility as a motivating factor for forming a high-level panel,” will organise the secretariat and provide logistics support.
The panel will be chaired by Toomas Ilves, President of Estonia, while Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google, will be the vice-chair. Other members include Mohamed al Ghanem, Director-General, UAE Telecom Regulatory Authority; Ivo Ivanovski, a Minister of Macedonia; Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary-General, Council of Europe, former Prime Minister of Norway and Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee; Lynn St. Amour, president, Internet Society; Jimmy Wales, founder, Wikipedia; Fadi Chehade, president ICANN; and V.F. Almeida, chairman, Internet Steering Committee, Brazil.
In addition, Dorothy Attwood, senior vice-president, Walt Disney; Mitchell Baker, chair, Mozilla Foundation; Francesco Caio, CEO, Avio; Olaf Kolkman, Director, NLnet Labs; Frank La Rue, Founder, Center for Legal Action for Human Rights; Robert M. McDowell, former Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission; Andile Ngcaba, chairman, Convergence Partners; Liu Qingfeng, president, iFLYTEK; and Won-Pyo Hong, president, Samsung Electronics, will also serve on the panel.
The panel represents stakeholders from nearly all continents, developed and developing countries, and all important stakeholder groups, including civil society. Its objective is to engage in a dialogue on critical Internet governance issues and “to inform the global discussion on the need for a multistakeholder approach to Internet governance.”
Mr. Desai told The Hindu that the goal of the group “is to give an independent assessment of how the management of the global Internet should evolve.” The panel will release a high-level report for public comment and discourse in early 2014.
The report will include “principles” for global Internet cooperation and proposed frameworks for it and a roadmap for future challenges in Internet governance.
The timing of the announcement is propelled by the controversy stemming from the charges of illegal surveillance by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), coupled with the need for a coherent approach to Internet policy development, which has failed to address spam, child pornography, cyberterrorism, leaving “individual or intergovernmental organisations to develop their own solutions.”
‘Decision on CHOGM won’t hit Sri Lanka ties’
Only time will tell how diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka would shape up as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo held earlier this month.
But the prospects of both countries tiding over this hiccup in ties were positive. There is a commonality of interest on many issues and both countries would continue to engage closely with each other, well placed sources said here on Thursday.
Maintaining that Dr. Singh’s decision not to visit Sri Lanka for CHOGM was no “reflection” of the strength of bilateral ties, they drew attention to External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid’s presence at the summit. “That was widely appreciated and we have to continue to work with each other as we can’t wish each other away,” they added.
Asked if Dr. Singh’s decision not to attend CHOGM meant less leverage with Sri Lanka, without elaborating the sources said India was working on other leverages to improve bilateral ties.
They did not appreciate British Prime Minister David Cameron trying to pin Sri Lanka to a deadline for addressing issues relating to alleged human rights abuses. “This is not our style,” they said and feared that such kind of diplomacy could become counterproductive. “We make our point but not in a manner that is quite so apparent. Our interlocutors know what we are talking about... but we don’t do this through the media,” they added.
Sustainable fiscal policy too needs attention: PM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that while India needs to incur significant public expenditures to raise the standards of living of a large population, a task that also needs to be grappled with continuously is maintaining a sustainable fiscal policy.
The statement assumes significance as the Central government reached 74.6 per cent of its target fiscal deficit for 2013-14 during the first five months (April-August) itself, according to the latest available official data. This has let the Ministry of Finance propose budget cuts for the UPA government’s flagship schemes such as the MGNREGA.
Dr. Singh was delivering the inaugural address at the 3rd BRICS International Competition Conference, 2013.
The Prime Minister said that BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — had created structures for cooperation, of which the two most significant agreements in the pipeline were those on setting up of a BRICS Development Bank and a Contingency Reserve Arrangement.
He stressed the need for greater economic and political coordination among BRICS countries for dealing with the common challenges emanating from global uncertainties. “Monitoring and managing speculative capital flows is a challenging task in times of global uncertainty,” he said.
Dr. Singh said that effective competition in markets needs to be enforced through public policy as anti-competitive behaviour hurts the poor the most. A competitive public procurement market can make bid rigging more difficult, he said.
“Developing infrastructure at a pace that supports the growth of industry and the increasing aspirations of the people is yet another challenge before us. Last, but by no means the least, there is the need for building credible institutions for sustained and equitable growth,” Dr. Singh said.
Our position at WTO not in conflict with food security Act: Centre
Kisan Sabha, Third World Network oppose “peace clause”
Even as the All-India Kisan Sabha and Third World Network urged India not to agree to a “peace clause” in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations on subsidies for public stock holding for food security, the Commerce Ministry on Thursday said India will settle for it “only as an interim solution leading to a permanent solution.”
Reacting to a letter written by former bureaucrat E.A.S. Sarma to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on agreeing to limit food security to four years under a “peace clause” in WTO, the Ministry said draft ministerial declaration on the subject awaits a decision by relevant governments and is not an agreed position in the WTO.
“India has maintained that its position on the subject in the WTO is in line with the government’s resolve to offer food security on a lasting basis to the targeted population. India’s position does not contradict or conflict with its commitment under the National Food Security Act and remains aligned to stated national policy,” the Ministry said.
It said that “the text of draft ministerial declaration for consideration offers restraint from challenge under the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism till 11{+t}{+h}Ministerial Conference at which time Ministers are expected to decide ‘next steps’ as a follow up to a work programme to begin post-Bali.”
“Protect farmers”
Meanwhile, rejecting the interim solution offered by WTO Director-General Roberto Azvedo to the G-33 proposal, the Kisan Sabha called upon the government to “intervene” in the negotiations to protect the livelihoods of millions of farmers and remain committed to India’s sovereign right to decide its price support policy as well as the food security programme.
The Agreement on Agriculture only allows ‘ de minimis ’ subsidy of 10 per cent of production cost which defies logic calculated as it is on a fixed reference price of 1986-88 when prices were much lower. “This reflects inflated subsidies while remaining totally oblivious to the present day global agricultural prices. It also calculates subsidy on the basis of total production rather than actual procurement.”
“A peace clause means that the use of such subsidies is still illegal but WTO members will not go to dispute settlement for this period,” the Third World Network comprising 270 civil society groups, has said in a letter written to Mr. Azvedo.
Big ideas flow freely from young minds
Christ varsity hosting four-day IRIS national fair
Amidst a veritable chorus of oohs and aahs, a quadrotor took to the skies on Thursday morning, slowly and gracefully.
In the middle of the crowd was Rohit Dey, a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya NAL campus. He seemed completely at ease, taking control of a craft half his size in front of the sizeable audience that had gathered to watch his impromptu demonstration. When, after a series of deft manoeuvres, the craft finally touched down gently, the applause seemed never ending.
This was just one of the many fascinating creations on display at the Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science (IRIS) National Fair 2013 at Christ University. The four-day event was inaugurated here on Thursday. Organised jointly by the Union government’s Department of Science and Technology, Intel and the Confederation of Indian Industry, the fair was a carnival of innovation. As many as 200 schoolchildren from across the country had been invited to showcase their projects after a gruelling selection process, and they definitely did not disappoint. The ideas were extremely diverse – from using latex as a fuel to building an intelligent wheelchair. Broadly classified into disciplines such as animal sciences, social sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics and engineering, the projects on display showed just how much potential India’s classrooms host.
Of the 200 students who participated at the fair, 17 will participate at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) at Los Angeles next year. Their names will be announced on Sunday.
Intel authorities announced that in keeping with the contest’s traditions, NASA will name a minor planet each after these students.
Solving problems
Another project on display at the fair was that of Arpan Ghosh, a student from Delhi. He says he has already begun collaborating with security agencies over his project that uses unmanned aerial vehicles for bomb disposal.
The exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday.
Seismic monitoring gets a boost
Digital network of seismological sensors inaugurated
India’s real-time seismic monitoring capabilities received a boost on Thursday with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art permanent digital network of seismological and geophysical sensors spread across the country.
The Indian Seismic and GNSS Network (ISGN) Project was inaugurated by Dr. Shailesh Nayak, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences ( MoES) at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), which has been designated as the nodal agency for the implementation of the project.
Describing it as critical services for disaster management, he called for building a resilient hazard mitigation system through a combination of knowledge expertise, organisations’ response and community awareness.
‘Create awareness’
Underlining the importance of creating awareness among people, he said that while 24 lives were lost in cyclone Phailin because of the preparedness, 80 people died subsequently in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh because of heavy rains.
Under the ISGN project, 50 standalone seismic stations, including one located at Siachen, have been connected as also 40 GPS stations scattered across the country to receive data in real time.
Data from several regional networks operated by national institutions such as Indian Meteorological Department and National Geophysical Research Institute get integrated into ISGN using high-speed terrestrial links. In the second phase, another 78 seismic stations would be linked to the network by 2014 end.
Dr. Nayak also inaugurated a fail-safe VSAT-aided Emergency Communication System (VECS) for Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The system has been set up in view of the proximity of the islands to the subduction zone.
It mainly consists of three components—Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Phone, Electronic Display Board (EDB) and a computer-based earthquake alert and web-access system. The EDB is capable of displaying tsunami warning messages and can trigger a siren that would be audible up to 1 km radius.
According to INCOIS director, Dr. S.S.C. Shenoi, the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre, which has been designated as the regional service provider of services for 24 Indian Ocean rim countries, has been imparting training to officials from those countries. A five-member team from Oman would be undergoing training here next month.
India, France to lead study on monsoon
India and France will spearhead an international, 10-member country project to study the impact of melting polar ice caps and glaciers on the monsoon.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an international workshop here on Thursday, Dr. S.S.C. Shenoi, director of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), said the changes in the polar region would affect circulation and temperature structure in the oceans, which in turn, impacts the Indian monsoon.
He said that a project had been formulated and India and France would be leading the study. The other countries in the project include the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Africa, Brazil and Germany.
Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. Shailesh Nayak, said that climate change was playing a critical role in day-to-day life and weather advisories were being sent twice a week to 3.5 million farmers in the country. The aim was to provide them to 10 crore farmers in the coming years.
Replying to a question on India joining Arctic Council as an observer, he said what happens in Arctic directly affects weather and climate and India was keen to take up studies in Iceland, Greenland, Canada and other areas in the region. He said that discussions were on with those countries in this regard.
Concerted effort for conservation of rainforests urged
Concerted efforts are the need of the hour to conserve the rich contiguous rainforest patch of Dihing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary and its adjoining Upper Assam’s Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts.
“The presence of this valuable stretch of tropical rainforest puts a responsibility on us to protect it and chalk out a sustainable model for the judicious utilisation of its immense resources,” noted wildlife conservationist Soumyadeep Dutta of Nature’s Beckon said during the launch of a pictorial bookRainforests of Assam here on Thursday.
The rainforests cover more than 500 sq. km. of tropical forest land spread across Joypur, Upper Dihing and Dirak Reserve forests and only 111.19 sq.km. of this area includes the Dihing-Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary. — PTI
When the price for coal is health and life
Is there a viable alternative to coal? At the end of a dirt road, in the central Kosovan municipality of Obilic, lies Plemetina, a labyrinth of hastily constructed houses. Home to about 2,500 people, it is nestled below Kosovo B, a 600-MW lignite-fuelled thermal power plant that belches black toxic fumes day and night.
“I have woken up and cursed that power plant a million times,” says Driton Berisa, a Roma civil rights activist, sipping an espresso. “The air is always thick with smoke and dust, no matter how fresh the morning is.” He is sitting in a cafe in Prishtina, the capital of Kosovo — Europe’s most polluted country — but even here, in a city choked with car fumes, the air is much cleaner than in his village.
Like many in Plemetina, Mr. Berisa and his family arrived as refugees during the war. His mother, 55, has just undergone surgery for cancer, an illness he believes is the result of living less than half a km from the power plant. “Everybody I know here has someone in the family with cancer,” he explains. “It’s one of the reasons I want to get out. I don’t want my children growing up breathing this air.”
It has not been easy to find a balance between Kosovo’s urgent need for energy security and the poisonous effects of lignite, its cheapest naturally available resource.
Lignite reserves
The country sits on the world’s fifth-largest reserve of lignite, which produces 97 per cent of its energy. Worth an estimated $1 trillion, at current consumption levels the supply will last another 1,500 years. Yet Kosovo faces frequent power cuts and exceptionally high levels of energy poverty.
“Kosovo has difficult and complicated energy needs,” says Jan-Peter Olters, World Bank’s Kosovo manager. “Three things have to be done at the same time: secure a supply of energy that it still does not have; ensure energy is affordable for people and enterprises operating here; and minimise the social and environmental impacts as much as possible.”
The Bank is providing technical support to help the government develop and implement its energy strategy. At the core of the plan are two projects: one is to rehabilitate technology at Kosovo B to meet European Union (EU) environmental standards; the other is to replace the outdated Yugoslav-era Kosovo A power plant — which generates 2.5 tons of dust hourly — with a 600-MW facility, Kosovo C. If this plan goes ahead, the new unit will be built next to Kosovo B — further increasing pollution in the vicinity of Obilic.
These projects are progressing slowly but surely. Tender bids for private investment are scheduled for completion in April 2014, after which the World Bank — which has begun an environmental and social impact assessment — will determine the extent of its future financial involvement. The likeliest outcome is that it will at least act as a partial financial guarantor. This year the bank imposed stringent conditions on coal investments.
‘Efficiency first’
But as an International Development Association country — financially and energy poor — Kosovo meets the exceptional circumstances clause that permits lignite lending, according to the Bank.
That claim has triggered outrage among environmental lobbyists, who see Kosovo as a litmus test of the bank’s commitment to withdraw from coal borrowing. “Kosovo has high losses in its energy grid, around 30-40 per cent,” says Visar Azemi, co-ordinator of the Kosovo Civil Society Consortium for Sustainable Development (Kosid). “We should not be talking about increasing capacity before efficiency.” Mr. Azemi believes investment in Kosovo C will do little to reduce energy poverty.
Kosid cites research produced by the University of Berkley that shows potential for Kosovo to incorporate a significantly larger proportion of renewables into its energy mix than the existing two per cent. The World Bank, however, says its experts are unable to find an economically viable solution that does not require substantial further investment in coal.
“For better or worse, Kosovo sits on 14 billion tons of lignite, its comparative advantage in renewables is not really evident,” says Mr. Olters. “We would like to be position to say an energy mix is doable, but that is not the case. If this [investment] doesn’t happen, then the default option is that Kosovo A will remain open.”
The importance of energy security is not lost on the residents of Plemetina, who experience regular power shortages. Locals, however, say more open dialogue is needed. “I am not against the power plant,” Mr. Berisa says. “But I have never heard of any representative from the Kosovo government or World Bank visiting Plemetina to discuss these issues.”
