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16.50
lakh JE vaccine vials rotting in Govt stores
LUCKNOW, August 22, 2010: With 16.50 lakh Japanese encephalitis
vaccine dosages, fully decayed or in final stage of decay, stocked in
its three depots, Uttar Pradesh faces a peculiar problem of plenty. State health officials here have no clue about how to get rid of the
stuff. Extremely reluctant to handle the live virus without expert assistance, UP, they fear, may soon become a dumping ground of expired
vials. However, despite repeated reminders over the past two years, Union ministry for health and family welfare seems to be in no hurry to
issue the requisite guidelines.
Altogether 4.60 lakh dosages out of the lot have had a two years wait
for disposal, says joint director (routine immunisation) Dr RC
Agrawal.The stock, visibly in a bad state, was received way back in September
2008 by the Lucknow depot. Source: The Times of India
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Vedanta mines illegal, must be shut down: Green panel
NEW DELHI, August 17, 2010: Mining giant Vedanta consistently
violated several laws in bauxite mining at Niyamgiri, encroached upon
government land, got clearances on the basis of false information and
illegally built its aluminium refinery at Lanjigarh, Orissa. As the company engaged in these violations, the Orissa government colluded with
it and the Centre turned a blind eye.
These are some of the findings of the four-member N C Saxena committee,
which on Monday recommended that the company not be allowed to mine in
the hills that are the abode of the Dongaria Kondh and Kutia Kondh tribes in
Orissa. The no-holds-barred indictment of the state and private sector in the
$1.7billion project brings out the short shrift given to concerns about
tribal rights and environmental protection. It is significant also because it underlines the changed sensibilities of the government
towards the issues against the backdrop of Left-wing extremism and why
Naxalites are finding it easy to influence alienated tribal belts. The stern report of the environment and forests ministry panel signalled
that tribal rights and environmental isssues have finally muscled their
way onto the governance agenda, forcing the authorities to take action
against corporates who may have shown disregard for rules. The Saxena
committee report, which could lead to shutting down of the Vedanta smelters in
Orissa, comes after the MoEF moved to stop or stall several high-profile, heavy-investment projects, including the Posco Integrated
Steel project in Orissa, which, at Rs 56,000 crore is the single-largest
foreign direct investment in India, the Jindal thermal power plant in
Chhattisgarh (Rs 10,000 crore), hydroelectric projects on Bhagirathi in Uttarakhand and
the Navi Mumbai airport in Maharashtra (Rs 7,972 crore). The panel was set up by the ministry of environment and forests to
investigate if the state government and the aluminium giant had complied with the Forest Rights Act and
Forest Conservation Act while mining for bauxite. The report reveals exhaustive evidence to nail the complicity of the
state government in permitting Vedanta to flagrantly violate the laws.
Source: The Times of India
Priyanka, the national green ambassador
August 10, 2010 (IANS): Bollywood actressPriyanka Chopra has agreed to
be the national green ambassador to initiate eco-friendly campaigns in
India, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh announced Monday."I have been talking to
Priyanka about how she can be a part of environment friendly campaigns nationally and be involved with projects
such as tiger conservation and river cleaning, especially the Ganga river. I have said that this would be like her public service," Ramesh
said at a press conference here.
"She (Priyanka) has been very kind and has given her consent for it," he added.
The 28-year-old actress is currently the green ambassador for NDTV-Toyota's
environment campaign Greenathon. She was also present at the event, which was organised to
announce Green Awards which are aimed at encouraging and acknowledging people who contribute towards
environment conservation.
Dressed in a burnt orange dress, Priyanka said: "I will be very happy to do so."
Also present were Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chief
R.K. Pachauri, NDTV chairman Prannoy Roy and officials from Toyota. Pachauri told
Priyanka: "You must be a part of the national movement for
river cleaning, so that one day we can swim in the Ganga without any pollution.
Priyanka said it was small efforts by individuals that go a long way in
keeping the surroundings clean and green.
India E-Waste generation to increase about 8.0 lakh MT by 2012
Delhi, August 02, 2010: The projected e-waste generation in India is expected to increase to
about 8.0 lakh MT by 2012. As per the survey by the Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB), it is estimated that about 1.47 lakh MT of e-waste
was generated in 2005. The Inventory Assessment Manual of United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2007, estimated that e-waste generation
in European Union is about 14 to 15 kg per capita per annum.
The E-waste disposal practices in Western countries are based on
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) concept. Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests has notified the Hazardous Wastes (Management,
Handling and Tran boundary Movement) Rules, 2008 for proper management
and handling of hazardous wastes, which include e-waste.
Ludhiana
recorded highest level of air pollution
New Delhi, July 29, 2010: Air pollution levels in most Indian cities are rising at an alarming
rate due to increase in vehicular congestion. As per new data of Indian
cities presented to Parliament by the Central Pollution Control Board
and National Environment Engineering Research Institute, Ludhiana recorded highest level of air pollution among cities in 2009, overtaking the previous year's
topper Delhi.
"Ludhiana has got the top ranking because there air pollution there has
risen at a faster rate than in Delhi," said a senior environment ministry official.
The average particulate matter (PM 10) recorded for Ludhiana was 254
ug/m3 as compared to 243 ug/m3 for Delhi. Among major cities, Kolkata is ranked sixth on the list, Bangalore 11th
and Mumbai 12th. Source: Hindustan Times
Foxconn India plant shut down following toxic gas leak
Chennai, July 26, 2010 (IANS): Mobile phone accessory maker Foxconn India's plant at
Sunguvarchatram, around 45 km from here, has been shut down following a gas leak late
Friday. The Tamil Nadu government has ordered the closure of the plant till all
safety aspects are checked and cleared by authorities concerned.The decision came after 37 workers were admitted to Sri
Ramachandr a Medical Centre after they fell ill inhaling an unknown toxic gas late Friday.
Foxconn India, part of $1.74 billion the Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology
Group, is the third largest industrial employer in Tamil Nadu with around 7,000 workers, after Hyundai Motor India and Nokia India.
The company's Sunguvarchatram plant, employing about 500 workers, was
reopened Friday after nearly nine months on on the back of increased
orders for mobile accessories.
Berger Paints unit probed for groundwater pollution
PANAJI, July 20, 2001: A manufacturing unit of Berger Paints, a major decorative paint
manufacturing company in India, is being probed for pollution of ground
water in villages near the Pilerne Industrial Estate in Goa, environment
minister Aleixo Sequeira told the assembly Monday.
Speaking in reply to a calling attention motion, Sequeira said the state
pollution control board was conducting a hearing after residents of Saipem village filed a complaint under the Water and Air Pollution Act."The state top pollution control authority is already hearing a
complaint against Berger Paints. An inspection of the unit at the industrial estate has already been conducted after the complaint said
that chemicals were being discharged by the company and was contaminating the ground water," Sequeira said.
"We will take strict action in accordance with law after the hearing,
which is a part of official procedure," Aleixo said. Berger Becker Industries Coating Pvt Ltd located at the Pilerne
industrial estate, about 10 km from here, manufactures industrial paint,
industrial colour powders, white wash colours and paint pigments
76 in hospital after
Chlorine gas leak in Mumbai
MUMBAI, July 14, 2010: Nearly 76 people were treated in hospital on Wednesday after a
chlorine gas leak from an industrial area in India's commercial capital
Mumbai, officials said.
At least 10 people were in intensive care after the gas leak in the Sewri
industrial area on land owned by the Mumbai Port Trust.
Firefighters in protective suits sprayed metal cylinders at the site,
which has been cordoned off as a precaution during the clean-up operation in India's most populous city.
Four firefighters were among more than 80 people taken to the state-run
Jamshetjee Jejeebhoy Hospital suffering from breathing problems, the
fire chief said. A hospital spokesman said 72 people were in a stable condition while 10
others were in intensive care. At least seven other people were being
treated in other hospitals.
The land owned by the Mumbai Port Trust is an industrial area mainly
used for storage and delivery of cargo and containers. It has many derelict factories and warehouses and is also home to a slum.
HC seeks reply on toxic norms in toys
MUMBAI, july 9, 2010: The Bombay High Court on Thursday sought a reply from the Union
government why the standards for permissible toxic levels prescribed by the
Bureau of Indian Standards was not made mandatory for toys-both imported and
local-sold in India. A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice S
C Dharmadhikari have given the Centre four weeks time to furnish their affidavits in reply.
The court was hearing a PIL filed city-based organisation Consumer Welfare
Association, seeking checks on imported Chinese-made and local unbranded toys.
The PIL cited a report by the Union health ministry, which had revealed that
several Chinese toys sold in the market were toxic as they contain high levels
of cadmium and lead. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board too had reported to
the court on the high toxic content in Chinese-made toys.
Advocate Rajeev Chavan, counsel for the petitioner also pointed out to a study
conducted by NGO Toxics Links which found that many unbranded toys had heavy
metals like lead and cadmium. Both the metals are neurotoxins that could alter
behaviour and health. The study reported that 88 of the 111 toys made of PVC
exceeded the amount of lead and chromium prescribed by the US environment
protection authorities. Source: The Times of India
Air, water pollution rising near Taj Mahal
New Delhi, July 01, 2010: Taj Mahal is again falling prey to rising air and water pollution, eight
years after the government spent Rs 220 crore to reduce pollution levels.
Levels of gaseous pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NOX), which can
dilute the sparkle of Taj Mahal, have crossed the 1996 levels, a decade
later, after showing a falling trend till 2002. NOX levels in 2006 had
been recorded at 30 units per cubic meter of air as against 22 ug/m3 in
1996.
“There is an increasing air pollution tendency beyond 2002 which may be
attributed to rise in man and vehicular population,” said Nagpur based
National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in a report
to environment ministry. The Environment ministry had asked NEERI to study environmental impact
of eight projects, for which the Central government paid Rs 220 crore in
1998 to improve environmental quality of Taj Trapezium Zone (TPZ). Pollution in and around Taj Mahal had risen to levels that was eroding
the monument in early 1990s leading to Supreme Court’s intervention.
NEERI found that the pollution levels in the zone in Agra city showed
improvement till 2002 because of these projects but the situation is
slipping back to where it was before the Central government projects
started.
The report also highlighted that the government’s effort to improve
underground water quality has failed to bear any results. “Salinity of
underground water has not improved despite construction of Gokul barrage,” the central government institute said, in the report.
This has primarily happened because of increase in underground water
extraction in and around Taj Mahal area. As a result of this, the underground water level has fallen to four meters to 44 meters in a
space of seven years since 2007. The underground water was also found to
be polluted because of discharge of effluents from the local industry.
NEERI had garbage was being thrown in drains even around Taj Mahal causing major water pollution and has asked the Agra
MC to have a system for proper collection of garbage. Source: hindustantimes
Suspected oil spill kills thousands of fish
VISAKHAPATNAM, June 26, 2010 : Thousands of fish died and several thousands of other
marine species are facing a threat due to a suspected oil leak from a
vessel and release of poisonous effluents into the sea here. A thick
layer of oil was found spread across the port and Naval dockyard channels on Friday.
Some employees of the shipyard found the dead fish in large numbers in
the morning. A large number of dead Mugil fish, which locals call ‘Bonta’, was found floating in the waters. “It must be a highly
concentrated poisonous chemical because of which the fish might have perished,” a senior scientist said.
Sources said the layer of oil has been present for the past three days.
It was first noticed on Wednesday afternoon when a bad odour enveloped
the dockyard area with people complaining of eye rash and giddiness.
With complaints pouring in from the locals, Malkapuram MLA Malla Vijaya
Prasad visited the area. He said there could be a suspected leakage of
oil from East India Petrochemicals ship when workers were unloading the contents.
Treatment for pollution from fire-fighting foam
Melbourne, June 18, 2010: An Australian team led by a scientist of Indian origin claims to have developed a
groundbreaking solution for treating water and soil
pollution from the toxic remnants of fire-fighting foam. This breakthrough comes at a time of growing global concerns over cancer
and environmental risks of long-lasting chemicals found in the foams that have been used for half a century.
The team from the CRC CARE (Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment) has
developed a new substance called MatCARETM to treat waste-water remnants
at a fire site or practice area that has been hosed down. According to lead scientist of CRC CARE Ravi
Naidu, the advance is based
on the use of modified natural materials that break down the foam's chemicals into harmless substances.
“There are over 49, 000 airports around the world, including 450 civilian and military airports in Australia alone. Many of these have
used foam in fire-fighting exercises for many years, as well as in actual aircraft fires, and the chemicals have been subsequently detected
in nearby groundwater and streams.
“It is the first practical, cost-effective clean-up solution to the
large-scale water and soil pollution caused by decades of foam use all
over the world,” said Professor Naidu. “Both PFOS (perfluorooctane
sulfonate) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) increase effectiveness of the foam as a fire quencher. However, both are
highly toxic chemicals and if they enter local water sources, they can
accumulate in the food chain and in humans. — PTI.
Court jails 7, fines firm in Bhopal gas disaster
BHOPAL. June 7, 2010 (Reuters) - A court on Monday sentenced seven people to two
years each in prison for negligence in failing to prevent one of the
world's worst industrial accidents that killed thousands of people in 1984.
It also fined the former Indian unit of U.S. chemicals firm Union Carbide 500,000 rupees
($10,600).
A Union Carbide plant in Bhopal accidentally released toxic gases into
the air. The government says around 3,500 died as a result of the disaster. Activists however calculate that 25,000 people died in the
immediate aftermath and the years that followed. The verdict comes after more than 25 years after the accident.
Vehicles are the major source of pollution
New Delhi, May 26, 2010: In the past two decades, the roads’ carrying capacity increased by less
than 2.5 per cent, whereas the number of vehicles grew at annual rate of
over 10 per cent. In 2008, India’s 12 million vehicles were plying on
the 3.5 million km road network.
For people, its visible impact was increased congestion on roads, but
what one didn’t see was higher air pollution. “Vehicles in major cities
estimated to account for 70 per cent of carbon monoxide, 50 per cent of
hydrocarbons and 30 per cent of suspended particulate matter of the total pollution load of these cities,” the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB) said in its report on May 25, 2010. Four metros and cities
such as Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kanpur are among the worst affected.The report said that high concentration of pollutants cause lung cancer
and asthma, besides routine breathing problems. The sudden jump in air pollution is a recent phenomenon with CPCB
finding that half of two-wheelers and cars running of Indian roads have
been registered in the last five to seven years. The growth phenomenon
in case of heavy vehicles has been less impressive.
The new vehicles, however, are not the sole cause of air pollution.
The CPCB said vehicles older than 10 years caused 60 per cent of vehicular
air pollution. And, the reason is poor maintenance and no norms in India
for expiry of a vehicle, especially the private ones. Adulteration of
fuel has been stated as another reason for high vehicular pollution.
e-waste draft regulations ignore the unorganised sector
NEW DELHI, May 19, 2010: By ignoring the unorganised sector that currently handles 90 per cent of India's electronic waste, the
government's new draft regulations may not be effective in controlling illegal
trade in e-waste.A study by the Centre for Science and Environment notes that the draft rules
insist that e-waste can be handled only by companies registered with the Central
Pollution Control Board. Currently, only 13 companies are registered to segregate e-waste and only one is registered to recycle it. The vast bulk of the
work is carried out by the unorganised sector, using rudimentary methods, in hazardous and polluting conditions, mostly in Seelampur and
Moradabad. An undercover investigation by CSE showed that even that single registered
company, Attero, is illegally reselling its e-waste to the unorganised sector,
and acting merely as a middle man.
Govt's eco-mark scheme fails to take off
New Delhi May 14, 2010 : The government’s eco-mark scheme, meant to encourage companies to come up with more environment-friendly products, has failed
to take off even 20 years after its launch. Till date, only 20 licences have been granted to 15 companies across four product categories — paper, wood substitutes, finished leather and electrical/electronic goods. Under the scheme, 16 product categories had been notified.
“The last licence was given in 2008. Companies are not coming forward,” said M Q
Ansari, senior scientist at the Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB). Eco-mark is a voluntary non-binding scheme that labels consumer products as environment-friendly, based on certain
environmental as well as quality parameters. The scheme was launched for easy identification of
environment-friendly products. An eco-marked product is given the eco-mark logo —a matka or an earthen pot.
The waste in your neighbourhood may be radioactive.
Delhi, May 5, 2010: The incident that led to India’s first official death from radiation was because of negligence on the part of Delhi University. Officials admitted that in March they auctioned an
instrument that produced gamma rays, essential for a host of scientific studies. The instrument which contained radioactive cobalt-60 was in use till 1985.
The Mayapuri incident, while highlighting the dangerous state of junkyards, also drew attention to a development that has been a cause of concern. India has been importing for recycling and
reprocessing waste which can even be lethal. Investigations have exposed large gaps in India’s ability to spot such hazardous materials at entry points. Civil society activists say that India is sitting on a dump of toxic waste. From across the world, nations are sending their hazardous material to India.
Worse, the recent incident is only the tip of the iceberg.
Why developed nations dumping their garbage on Indian soil?
April 27, 2010: The picturesque Spanish city of Barcelona decided to ‘go green’ and free its historic land of waste.
So, 103.7 metric tonnes of Barcelona’s garbage — from shredded plastic carry bags to used diapers
and napkins arrived last August at the nondescript port of Tuticorin in
southern India.
The three stinking containers were promptly sent back to Barcelona by alert
Customs officials. However, for the last 8 months, 72.59 metric tonnes of
trash ranging from optical fibre waste to used oil cans and rubber hoses from
Jeddah in Saudi Arabia have been lying at the Tuticorin dock, reeking.
Last year alone, nine containers of hazardous waste imported from Malaysia,
Saudi Arabia and Barcelona by three different companies in Tamil Nadu were
caught at the port in a clear pointer to rural India becoming a waste bin for the developed world.
This year, too, 20 containers of hazardous waste from Greece and Reunion, a
French colony, imported by a paper factory in southern Tamil Nadu, were “resent”
from the Tuticorin port. Used syringes, juice cartons and blood-stained napkins
collected by the municipal councils in suburban London were found in a pile of
rubbish dumped in a well in a farm at Kemmarampalayam in Coimbatore in August 2008.
But why are the developed nations dumping their garbage on Indian soil? Simply
because shipping municipal waste to India is about four times cheaper than
recycling it in their own land. While it costs Rs 12,000 to recycle a tonne of
rubbish after segregation in Britain, shipping the rubbish to India costs just
about Rs 2,800. Cement factories in Tamil Nadu also import toxic garbage on the pretext of using
it as fuel. These consignments are booked innocuously as ‘mixed waste paper,
plastic scrap or latex’ to hoodwink customs.
None of the Indian ports have scanners to detect the actual contents of the
consignments. Environment protection laws in India are not stringent enough to
curb imports of hazardous waste, say environmental activists. “When toxic
consignments are caught, the importing companies manage to get relief from the
court,” says a customs official. Source: The Times of India |
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Pollution in Bhopal Around Tragedy Site
April 19, 2010 (PIB) : The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has carried out a study to assess the status of ground water quality
and soil characteristics around Bhopal gas accident site in the surroundings of Union Carbide of India Ltd.
(UCIL), Bhopal. The CPCB study confirms presence of heavy metals, pesticides and some of the volatile organic compounds in the soil samples and the
groundwater. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers has prepared an action plan which is under implementation.
A Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility has been established at Peethampur in Madhya Pradesh for the proper disposal of hazardous waste of
UCIL.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests
Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri Rajeev Chandrashekhar in Rajya Sabha today. . |
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Pollution in Historical Buildings
April 10, 2010 (PIB): The industrial and pollution causing commercial activities near the historical
buildings have been prohibited in order to reduce environmental pollution in and around these buildings. The State Governments have also drawn local area specific programmes for containing pollution near the historical buildings. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards have been notified
including standards for sensitive areas, which includes national monuments. Monitoring of air quality is being
undertaken by the Central and State Pollution Control Boards under their National Ambient Quarterly Monitoring
Programme in the vicinity of monuments to assess and preserve air quality around such monuments.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests initiated projects for environmental protection of World Heritage Site of Taj Mahal. In the first phase, during the IX Five Year Plan, ten projects related to
improvement in electric supply at Agra, Gokul barrage, widening of Agra
by pass, storm water drainage, solid waste management, improvement of roads, water supply etc. were approved
with a total cost of Rs. 222 crore with 50:50 cost sharing with the Government of Uttar Pradesh. A Taj Trapezium Zone (Prevention and Control of Pollution)) Authority has also been constituted in 1999 under the Chairmanship of Commissioner, Agra to monitor programmes
for protection and improvement of the environment in and around the Taj Mahal. Several restrictions have also been imposed in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ) for the establishment of new industries and expansion of the
existing industries within TTZ. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has established monitoring stations for the
monitoring of ambient air quality/metrological parameters in the vicinity of
Ajanta Caves, Ajanta, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Sikandra at Agra, Sravanabelgola, District Hassan and Charminar,
Hyderabad.
India to run on Euro III fuel from October
NEW DELHI, April 8, 2010: India will switch over to Euro-III petrol and diesel on October 1, with the petroleum ministry issuing a fresh deadline for
oil companies to sell cleaner fuels. Consumers across the country will pay about Rs 0.20-0 .40 a litre more for Euro-III fuel. The petroleum ministry was acting on a
dictat from the country’s pollution regulator. Prices of better grade Euro-IV diesel and petrol sold in 13 major cities from April 1 have already gone up by Rs 0.50 a litre.
“The environment pollution (prevention and control) authority
(EPCA) has asked oil companies to strictly follow a month-wise implementation schedule and we are all set to achieve it,” said the chairman and managing director of a stateowned oil company. The authority turned down auto the companies’
suggestion to introduce Bharat Stage-III (Euro-III ) fuel in the entire country simultaneously in October 2010, he said, requesting anonymity. Goa is selling Euro-III fuel from April 1, 2010. Chattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh and Maharastra will adopt the standard from June 1.
“Oil companies have together invested about Rs 36,000 crore in refinery upgradation to meet the
deadline,” an oil ministry official said. The government had set April 1 deadline for the entire country
to switch over to Euro-III fuel (from Euro-II ) and for 13 major cities to Euro-IV (from Euro-III ). The deadline could not be met due to logistics issues, the official said.
Oil companies are under pressure from the regulator to advance the deadline for Karnataka. “EPCA feels that introduction of BS-III (Euro-III ) may be preponed (sic) in Karnataka, currently scheduled for July 2010-end because of the growing pollution in the region,”
the authority said to the oil ministry. The petroleum ministry has assured the pollution regulator that oil companies will sell Euro-III fuel in 17 other states and union
territories by July 1. By October 1, Euro-III fuel will be available in all petrol pumps across the country. States to switch over from Euro-III to Euro-IV fuel by July include
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Western UP, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Tamil Nadu.
The ministry of shipping, road transport & highways has been asked to adhere to the schedule due to growing air pollution and its implications on health, the official said. Higher grade fuels will reduce
emission of sulphur and benzene that pollute the environment. Source: The Economic Times
Millions to go dark for Earth Hour on March 27
March 26, 2010: Icons including the Great Pyramids, the Eiffel Tower and China's
Forbidden City will be plunged into darkness on Saturday as millions take part
in "Earth Hour", a rolling grassroots movement aimed at tackling climate change.
Now in its fourth year, the global campaign promises to be the biggest ever,
organisers said, with thousands of cities and towns in 125 countries pledging to
take part, despite last year's failed climate talks. Hopes for a binding treaty to halt global warming were dashed when December's
summit of world leaders in Copenhagen only yielded a general agreement on
limiting warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
Grant to polluting units in Tirupur opposed
VELLORE, March 10, 2010: The Vellore Citizens’ Welfare Forum (VCWF) has opposed the Union
Government’s budget allocation of a one-time grant of Rs 200 crore to Tirupur
dyeing units to overcome the pollution problem. A resolution to this effect was
adopted at a recently held executive committee meeting. According to K A Sankarasivam and P S Subramanian, president and honorary
secretary of the forum respectively, the government’s move was against the
directions of the Supreme Court which insisted on ‘polluters to pay’ and
‘precautionary principles’ established in the forum’s writ 914 of 1991.
“Such a grant to polluting industries also violated article 48A of the
Constitution of India,’’ they argued. Instead of directing the polluting
industries to take responsibility to bring back the ecology to its originality
at their cost, the government’s gesture of helping them amounted to violation of
the above article by the government itself, they added.They pointed out that the proposed grant would make the tax payers money being
spent on unproductive purposes and urged the political parties to oppose the
grant by not allowing the Finance Bill passed. |
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Proactive Steps in Budget 2010-11 for the Environment
New Delhi, February 26, 2010 (PIB):To ameliorate the negative environmental consequence sand increased pollution levels associated with industrialisation and
urbanisation, a number of
proactive steps have been proposed in the Budget 2010-11. This was announced by the Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee in his Budget speech in Parliament today.The major steps include:
National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) - for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technology. The Finance Minister said that in many areas of the country pollution level has reached alarming proportions. While it must be ensured that the
principal of a “polluter pays” remains the basic guiding criteria for pollution management, there should also be a positive thrust for development of clean energy. And
to build the purpose of the NCEF, the Minister has proposed to levy a clean energy cess on coal produced in India at a nominal rate of Rs.50 per tonne, which will
be applicable to imported coal.
Affluent Treatment Plan, Tirupur - The Government has proposed a one time grant of Rs. 200
crore to the Government of Tamil Nadu towards the cost of installation of a zero liquid discharge system at Tirupur to sustain knitwear industry. This industry which provides livelihood to lakhs of persons will now
be able to do so without undermining the environment.· Special Golden Jubilee Package for Goa -The Government has proposed to provide a sum of Rs.200
crore as a special golden jubilee package to Goa to preserve the natural resources of the State by restoring Goa’s beaches which are prone to erosion, and increasing its green cover through sustainable forestry.
National Ganga River Basin Authority Allocation for National Ganga River Basin Authority has
been doubled in 2010-11 to Rs.500 crore. The “Mission Clean Ganga 2020” under the National Ganga River Basin
Authority (NGRBA) with the objective that no untreated municipal sewage or industrial influent will be
discharged into the National river has already been initiated. The Minister has also announced schemes on bank protection works and development on alternate port facility in West Bengal.
Salman suggests cycling to combat pollution
Mumbai, February 21, 2010 (PTI) :Bollywood actor Salman Khan today said that
cycling is the best solution to curb pollution in the metropolis. The actor was speaking to reporters after participating in the cyclothon which
was organised in collaboration with his charity "Being Human".
"Traffic has gone up so much in Mumbai and other places.However, you can cycle at the speed of a postman or a milkman and reach faster
than a car in the traffic," he said. Proceeds of the cyclothon will go to charity, said the actor.
India refinery threatens health of local community
February 9, 2010: An alumina refinery in east India run by a
UK- based firm is causing pollution that threatens the health of local people, a human rights group says.Amnesty International said those living near the Lanjigarh refinery in Orissa breathed polluted air and were afraid to drink from or bathe in local rivers.
It called on Vedanta Resources not to expand the refinery or mine for bauxite nearby before resolving the problems.
Vedanta has consistently rejected the allegations against it.
It points out that India's Supreme Court has approved its initial plans The firm has previously argued it has support from the state authorities. But it did not respond immediately when asked for the
comment by the BBC on the Amnesty report. On Friday, the Church of England said it had sold its £2.5m stake in Vedanta.
The Church said it was not satisfied the firm had shown "the level of respect for human rights and local communities that we expect".
Vedanta said it was disappointed by the Church's decision and remained "fully committed to pursuing its investments in a responsible manner, respecting the environment and human rights". Source: BBC
Pollution control: India ranks 123rd
WASHINGTON, January 30, 2010 (IANS): India and China rank 123rd and 121st in pollution control respectively, reflecting the strain rapid economic growth imposes on the environment, according to the 2010 Environmental Performance Index
(EPI). However, among the other newly industrialised nations Brazil and Russia rank 62nd and 69th, suggesting that the level of development is just one of many factors affecting pollution control.
Iceland leads the world in addressing pollution control and natural resource management challenges, according to the index produced by a team of environmental experts at Yale University and Columbia
University.
Misleading report that Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035
January 23, 2010 (CNN): The U.N.'s leading panel on climate change has apologized for
misleading data published in a 2007 report that warned Himalayan glaciers could
melt by 2035. In a statement released Wednesday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) said estimates relating to the rate of recession of the Himalayan
glaciers in its Fourth Assessment Report were "poorly substantiated" adding that
"well-established standards of evidence were not applied properly."
Despite the admission, the IPCC reiterated its concern about the dangers melting glaciers present in a region that is home to more than one-sixth of the world's population. "Widespread mass losses from glaciers and reductions in snow cover over recent
decades are projected to accelerate throughout the 21st century, reducing water
availability, hydropower potential, and changing seasonality of flows in regions supplied by meltwater from major mountain ranges (e.g. Hindu-Kush,
Himalaya, Andes).." "The chair, vice-chairs, and co-chairs of the IPCC," the statement continued,
"regrets the poor application of IPCC procedures..."
The apology follows a growing storm of controversy which initially forced the
IPCC to concede that data relating to the Himalayan glacier melt included in the
2007 report was not backed up by sufficient scientific data.Speaking at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi Wednesday, the IPCC
chairman, Rajendra Pachauri admitted errors had been made but said it was not an
excuse to question the legitimacy of all global warming science.
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