Cut carbon emissions before its too late: Pachauri

R.K. Pachauri, chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has asked the developed nations to get serious about reducing carbon emissions before it is "too late.""Continued greenhouse gas emissions will lead to further [global] warming of 1.8 degree Celsius to 4 degree Celsius over the 21st century," he said while speaking at a seminar on "Global Warming and Climate Change Challenge — Issues and Challenges for India," organised by the Union Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Ministry . "The world can at best allow emissions to increase up to 2015 for an equilibrium temperature increase of 2-2.4 degree Celsius," Mr. Pachauri said.He expressed dismay over the recently-held G8 Summit at Japan where leaders failed to set any target date to cut the emissions and he had expected them to come out with a statement. "Lack of political will has marred the purpose of the summit." he said. Elaborating on the wide range of climate change challenges that confront the global community, Mr. Pachauri said that if mitigation steps were taken adequately for the world as a whole, the Gross Domestic Product loss would be only less than three per cent which would not be a high price to pay.There are many co-benefits too, such as energy security, better health and local environment protection, he added.

The Hindu, 28^th July, 2008

Rain warning systems to be installed in cities

A system to warn against heavy rain would be installed in major cities, including Kochi, as part of the national disaster management programme. Equipment such as Doppler radars could give warning so that the authorities can take timely action. This was disclosed by M. Sasidhar Reddy, member of the National Disaster Management Authority. He said the Authority was preparing guidelines for management of disasters; including tsunami.Climate change was a major factor in the occurrence of heavy rainfall in many cities. New disasters such as sea-level rise could be expected in future. The management strategies should be separate for urban and rural areas. Accordingly, the Authority was preparing plans for Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur.

The Hindu, 26^th July 2008

Great Indian Bustard found in Bellary pocket

The Great Indian Bustar (Ardeotis nigriceps), a majestic bird on the verge of extinction, has been rediscovered on Sirguppa in Karnataka- and they are breeding , too. Sirguppa taluk, situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra in Bellary district, is among the few pockets in the country where the bird survives. There are fewer than 500 of the birds in India today, about 400 of then in the Desert National Park in Rajasthan. A small number is found in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The new specimens were found during an expedition undertaken by naturalist Santhosh Martin, president of Sloth Bear Foundation, and Abdul Samad, president of the Society for Wildlife and Nature (SWAN), Hospet, along with mine owner Dinesh Singhi and surgeon S.K.Arun, both wildlife enthusiasts.The Great Indian Bustard, known locally as Yaery bhoota in Kannada and Bathu myaka in Telugu, is a large bird: its height ranges between 92 and 122 cm and it weights over 12 kg. it has a grayish or white neck, a black crown and crest, uniform brown underparts and white spotted black wing coverts. He says the birds exhibit nomadic movements: some times they move quite a distance. This depends on a variety of factors that are not well understood.Being big birds, they require a substantial wild habitat to survive. The habitat covers a vast area in Karnataka as well as Andhra Pradesh. Most of its under agriculture now. Their number is dwindling fast as their habitats get converted into agricultural fields, according to Santosh Martin.

 

The Hindu, 25^th July, 2008

Paddy land Bill needs change: Mullappally

The assembly passed the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Bill . the select committee hd reported the bill with major changes, including a provision to pay bonus to paddy cultivators for undertaking cultivation. Thjis bonus will be fixed in relation to production costs and income. The local committee will oversee the enforecemnt of the provisions of the bill which seeks to ban filling up pf paddy fields and wetlands. In the course of the clause by clause discussion the minister agreed to a few amendments of which the most important was the provision that permitted a farmer to convert ten centys land for his residential purpose if it was a panchayath and five cents for the same if it was a municipality or a corporation.

The Hindu, 25^th July, 2008

Kerala declares water policy

Kerala declared its water policy acknowledging water as a public resource and asserting the right of the citizens for access to the resource.Presenting the policy in the Assembly, Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran said water could indeed become a very scarce commodity in future due to global warming and consequent climate change.No longer can Kerala take for granted the abundant availability of water for its mounting needs. Conserving all water resources in the best way possible, coordinating the efforts of various government agencies and involving the people themselves in the task, has now become a crucial necessity, according to the policy document.It says that Kerala shall not enter into any new water transfer pacts with neighbouring States without the consent of the State legislature. The policy stipulates treating each river basin as a unit while planning water conservation measures and deciding how the resources on hand shall be apportioned among various consumer groups. The first priority is for domestic consumers. Next in the list are the farmers, followed by power generation, agro-processing sector and industrial/commercial customers, in that order. Commercial use of water is to be subjected to stringent regulations.The Minister said existing laws and rules on the use of water required a thorough review in the light of the policy, formulated by the government after several rounds of discussions with experts and all stakeholders. The policy proposes new laws for setting up 'river and wetland authority' and regulating groundwater exploitation."There will be regulations on groundwater exploitation in all cases except wells dug for domestic use," he said.The policy specifies measures against the delays that have become a norm, rather than an exception, in the execution of drinking water and irrigation projects in Kerala. It says that no more big irrigation projects are advisable for the State. The focus henceforth shall be on small projects, especially lift irrigation schemes that can reduce water wastage.Rainwater harvesting, protection of forest cover, preventing water pollution with stringent penal provisions against the polluters, checking saline water intrusion into inland water sources and strengthening research are some of the other focus areas mentioned in the water policy.

The Hindu, Jul 22, 2008

‘‘Revolutionary results with new paddy transplant’

Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar claims to have developed a cost, labour and time-effective as well as an environment-friendly technique of paddy transplantation which according to Vice-Chancellor J.C. Katyal would bring about a revolution in farming. Dr. Katyal said scientists of the University used this technique at 15 demonstration plots in Yamunanagar district last year with encouraging results.He further disclosed that a Chinese model of paddy transplantation was used under this new mechanism and paddy was transplanted over unploughed land, which resulted in 80 per cent saving of diesel and labour as compared to the traditional method. With the adoption of this new method, 30 to 33 paddy plants per square metre were planted which led to a 10 to 15 per cent increase in productivity, besides decrease in air pollution because of less fuel consumption.The cost of the new machine used in it according to Dr. Katyal is approximately Rs.1.70 lakh and five of these are presently available with the University. "Haryana, where 0.6 million hectares of land is being irrigated by tube-wells, needs 20,000 to 25000 such machines," he said, adding that another advantage of the use of this machine is lesser requirement of irrigation water.The University would urge the Central Government to give 50 per cent subsidy to farmers on this machine, he said.

The Hindu,  Jul 17, 2008

‘Earthquake to cause damage to the dam’

A study conducted by the Roorkee IIT has found that the peak ground acceleration on the Mullaperiyar dam is 0.21 g, Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran told reporters.The site-specific study, commissioned by the State government, has found that a quake would cause extensive damage to the dam. [Peak ground acceleration is a measure of how hard the earth shakes in a given geographical area. It can be measured in g (the acceleration due to gravity).] A study conducted by a team headed by R.N. Iyengar in 2001 had put the peak ground acceleration at 0.16 g. Prof. Iyengar's study was based on the findings of the earthquakes that occurred at Koyna and Uttar Kasi.The Tamil Nadu government rejected the findings on the ground that it was not a site-specific study. A study conducted by the Central Water Commission had put the peak ground acceleration at 0.1g. But further studies conducted by experts had put it at 0.12 g.

As per Indian standards, the peak ground acceleration of the Mullaperiyar region is 0.18 g. M.K. Parameswaran Nair who represented the State on the committee tried to drive home the point but it was rejected. Mr. Parameswaran Nair then recorded his dissent, Mr. Premachandran said. It was in this context that the State government entrusted the Roorkee IIT to conduct the site-specific study. The latest study points to the need to construct a new dam adopting international technology to overcome such threats. It has been clearly proved that earthquake measuring three on the Richter Scale may occur near the dam and it would cause extensive damage, he said. The State government has filed three affidavits and other evidence including studies conducted by the Delhi and Roorkee IITs at the Supreme Court. Hearing on the case will begin on July 21.

The Hindu,  Jul 17, 2008

High potential for inland fisheries development

Kerala is the leading fish producing State in India. However, 97 per cent of the State's production is from the marine sector. Inland fish production accounts for only 3 per cent. Only 0.3 per cent comes from the reservoirs (Das et al., 1993). Despite the existence of many small reservoirs in the State, no serious attempts had been made, till recently, to develop them on scientific lines for fish yield optimisation. The State has now recognised the importance of inland fisheries and freshwater aquaculture. There are 30 dams in the State where inland fisheries and freshwater aquaculture can be developed. Palakkad district has nine dams (11,351 hectares), as the Bharathapuzha is extensively dammed for irrigation purposes. The Malampuzha reservoir is the largest irrigation dam in Kerala. The water spread area of the reservoir is 2,313 ha with a mean depth of 12.5m (maximum depth 28m). The State government initiated steps to develop the reservoir fisheries, way back in 1951, through a three-pronged strategy comprising large-scale production of major carp seed, stocking of carps and creation of breeding and rearing facilities at the reservoir sites. The first reservoir to be stocked with major carps was Malampuzha, where the fish seed obtained from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal was introduced in 1951. During the 22 years from 1951 to 1972, 2.553 million seed were stocked at an annual rate of 52 ha-1.

Breeding experiments

In 1963, a small fish seed farm consisting of five stocking ponds was constructed and induced breeding experiments were started. Even though breeding experiments commenced at Malampuzha in 1962, encouraging results were obtained only in the year 1967 after the establishment of a fresh water biological research station in 1967. In 1983-84, the Malampuzha seed farm was expanded to the status of National Fish Seed Farm under the Centrally sponsored scheme with Chinese circular hatchery facilities, 91 nursery ponds (1.0157 ha), 22 rearing ponds (0.7176 ha) and 14 stocking ponds (1.1158 ha) for the commercial production of quality carp seed, Mr. Namboothiri said.

Fish production

The total production from Malampuzha reservoir was increased from 14.4 tonnes valued at Rs.1.8 lakh in 1990-91 to 55.64 tonnes valued at Rs.34.42 lakh in 2006-07. In the last 17 years, the production from the reservoirs registered an impressive 3.9-fold increase. The average production for the past 17 years was 14.1 tonnes. The yield was increased from 6.2kg/ha in 1990-91 to 24.05 kg/ha in 2006-07.In 1992-98, a project called the 'Indo German Fisheries Development project (IGFP)' was started to examine the feasibility of organising alternative ways of producing and stocking material, using low-cost and easy-to-manage systems in reservoirs of Kerala (Rajts, 1993). Five reservoirs (Malampuzha, Peechi, Pothundi, Vazhani, and Chulliar) were covered under this project. Under the IGFP, considerable effort had been made (Taege et al 1993) towards continuous evaluation of stock composition and annual stock assessment in Malampuzha reservoir.

Fisheries management

During the appraisal of the IGFP, it is stated that yields up to 150kg/ha can be possible from the Malampuzha reservoir under effective culture-based fisheries management. After the implementation of the IGFP project, the production was increased and reached a maximum of 21.83 tonnes and an yield of 9.44kg/ha during 1994-95 as against 14.4 tonnes with an yield of 6.23 kg/ha in 1990-91. Another scheme for increasing reservoir productivity was the Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana (RSVY) funded by the Union government. The RSVY was implemented in the Malampuzha and Meenkara reservoir in 2003-04 to 2005-06. The total project allocation was Rs.40 lakh, of which Rs.2.12 lakh was for Meenkara reservoir.

The Hindu,  July17, 2008

Monsoon continues to elude State

Things are turning from bad to worse for Kerala this monsoon, with the week that rolled past just now pushing the State deeper into the red in terms of rainfall. The State received an area-weighted-average rainfall of only 1.07 cm during the week that ended on July 9, against a normal of 19.87 cm, according the latest weekly update of India Meteorological Department (IMD). The deficiency for the week is a staggering 95 per cent, making it the driest first week of July in recent history. With such a week succeeding the worst June since 1991, the rainfall deficiency in the State has slipped to 39 per cent for the season so far. The deficiency was 28 per cent at the time of the previous week's update. Against a normal rainfall of 93.4 cm for the period, the State received only 58.2 cm rainfall from June 1 to July 9. Only the district of Kasaragod has managed to come close to the long-term average rainfall for the area. Even this district is 11 per cent behind the long-term average for the period. All the other 13 districts are deep in the red. Idukki district, where the State's major hydro-electric stations are located, is now 44 per cent deficient in rainfall. Wayanad, a district of ailing cash crops, is at the lowest rung of the ladder with 69 per cent rainfall deficiency. And the deficiency is 68 per cent for Thiruvananthapuram district. The IMD's forecast for the next four days is for "an increase in rainfall activity" over Kerala by July 14-15. Some international weather models mention about the chances of monsoon livening up over this part of the southern peninsula by July 18-20.

The Hindu, July 13, 2008

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India’s climate change views not fully incorporated

Leaders of 16 of the world's major economies meeting at the venue of the G8 summit at Toyako in northern Japan found enough common language to take forward their negotiations on how to mitigate the challenge of climate change. Yet it was not quite the language that India would have liked. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said as much when he told the leaders, including U.S. President George Bush, that "even if some of our views have not been incorporated as we would have wished, we should adopt the text as it is."He said, "A text for our declaration has been agreed [to] by our officials after protracted negotiations. This has been done in a spirit of compromise and willingness to accept each others' views."The declaration issued by the major economies noted that all countries "recognise that deep cuts in global emissions will be necessary to achieve the [U.N. Framework] Convention's ultimate objective, and that adaptation will play a correspondingly vital role."A long-term global goal for reducing global emissions needed to be set, but deferring to the sentiments of the emerging economies such as India, the declaration noted that the size of the cuts would take into account the principle of equity.The developed major economies agreed to implement economy-wide mid-term goals and take corresponding actions in order to achieve absolute emission reductions. They would attempt to first stop the growth of emissions as soon as possible. Only the day before the leaders of the G8 had affirmed that they would stick to the long-term goal of reducing global emissions by 50 per cent by 2050 without setting themselves any mid-term targets. In fact, Dr. Singh told the meeting that "we have not seen demonstrable progress on even the low levels of agreed GHG (greenhouse gases) reductions from developed countries and indeed, the prognosis is that their emissions as a whole will continue to rise even in the years to come.""This must change and you (the G-8) must all show the leadership you have always promised by taking and then delivering truly significant GHG reductions," he said.Reiterating his stand on the obligations thrust on countries such as India, he said, "Sustained and accelerated economic growth is critical for all developing countries and we cannot for the present even consider quantitative restrictions on our emissions."In the end, his stand was not sustained as the declaration confirmed that the developing economies in this group, on their part, would pursue, in the context of sustainable development, "nationally appropriate mitigation actions, supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity-building, with a view to achieving a deviation from business as usual emissions."However, the meeting recognised that their ability ultimately to achieve a long-term global goal would depend on "affordable, new, more advanced, and innovative technologies, infrastructure, and practices that transform the way we live, produce and use energy, and manage land".Recognising that this would require more money, particularly in the developing countries, the declaration noted it was necessary to create positive incentives for actions; to finance the incremental costs of cleaner and low-carbon technologies; to make more efficient use of funds directed toward climate change; to realise the full potential of appropriate market mechanisms that can provide pricing signals and economic incentives to the private sector.The nations agreed to work constructively together to promote the success of the Copenhagen climate change conference in 2009.

The Hindu, 10^th July 2008

Place no bar to grow vegetables

The State government will promote organic farming of vegetables on a commercial scale in 1,000 grama panchayats in Kerala. Campuses of educational institutions, courtyards and rooftops of houses in urban areas and land lying fallow in rural areas will be used for growing vegetables to meet the whopping domestic demand.The government will extend low-interest loans and provide technical expertise and training to cultivators. It will rope in the private sector and non-governmental organisations to make the scheme a success. The land in the control of government institutions will also be used for vegetable cultivation. The government is also planning to set up 1,000 organic farming villages in the State. Collectively-farmed 5 hectares of land will be reckoned as one organic farming village. It hopes to organically farm 5,000 hectares of land and produce 1.5 lakh tonnes of vegetables monthly. In urban areas, the project will be implemented with the help of homemakers and unemployed women. It will form 25,000 farming units with 2 cents of land each in the five municipal corporations. Each unit will be given a subsidy of Rs.200. The government will also fund the setting up of vegetable farms on the campuses of educational institutions. It will give Rs.5,000 as financial aid for every 20 cents of farmland in schools and colleges. Such schools will be provided with assistance up to Rs.15,000 for setting up irrigation systems. Students, school managements and teachers involved in the project will be given incentives and awards on the basis of their productivity. The project will be implemented this year in at least 100 schools. The government has earmarked Rs.50 lakh for setting up organic vegetable farming groups. It will also release funds for enlisting the help of the community in sustaining the environment, including conservation of ecologically important plants, herbs and trees. The government has set apart Rs.100 lakh to be distributed as low-interest loans to organic vegetable farmers. It has also announced special incentive packages for retailers of organic agricultural products. The project will be monitored at the panchayat level by a committee headed by the local Agricultural Officer. At the State level, the Agriculture Minister will be the chairman of the committee which will monitor the implementation of the project.

The Hindu, 10^th July 2008

Illegal sand-mining thrives in Periyar despite ban

Illegal sand-mining has become active in the Periyar river despite a one-month ban imposed by the district administration from July 1. Indiscriminate mining is on especially at night in Kalady, Okkal, Malayattoor, Neriyamangalam, Koovapady, Kanjoor, Sreemoolanagaram, Keezhmadu and Alangad.The district is yet to experience shortage of sand during the ban period. Building industry has also not been affected during this period. It is learnt that those involved in illegal sand-mining has been taking boats from local fishermen on rent. The fishermen are forced to rent out their boats following depletion in fish wealth in the area. Studies conducted by agencies such as the Centre for Earth Science Studies have found that riverbanks are cut deeply for developing new sand-mining locations. Indiscriminate mining has brought the riverbed below sea level, adding to the ecological problems affecting the river. Water level in wells on the embankments has fallen considerably, more so after the monsoon. Research done on the lifeline of the river points out that removal of sediments and creation of deep pits by way of mining sand would lower the water table. Greens allege that the district administration has not implemented a directive given by the Land Use Commissioner months ago. Based on reports and expert findings, the commissioner said that illegal, unscientific and unsustainable mining of sand from riverbeds and banks in the State had reached alarming proportions. Unrestricted mining is badly affecting the riverine and riparian ecosystem. Safety of bridges, sites on riverbeds where religious and cultural activities take place and the riverine ecosystem are all being seriously affected, says a circular from the Commissioner to the District Collectors. The Ernakulam district administration is yet to act on a major directive issued by the Commissioner highlighting the need to set up river protection squads. A proposal that these squads be equipped with wireless sets and given funds to hire vehicles is in the cold storage. The circular says each squad should have a tahsildar, a police officer of the rank of sub-inspector, two onstables and a revenue officer. Funds for the functioning of the squads should be met from the river management fund

The Hindu, 10^th July 2008

Cow farts collected in plastic tank for global warming study -Scientists are examining cow farts and burps in a novel bid to combat global warming.

Experts said the slow digestive system of cows makes them a key producer of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that gets far less public attention than carbon dioxide. In a bid to understand the impact of the wind produced by cows on global warming, scientists collected gas from their stomachs in plastic tanks attached to their backs. The Argentine researchers discovered methane from cows accounts for more than 30 per cent of the country's total greenhouse emissions.As one of the world's biggest beef producers, Argentina has more than 55 million cows grazing in its famed Pampas grasslands. Guillermo Berra, a researcher at the National Institute of Agricultural Technology, said every cow produces between 8000 to 1,000 litres of emissions every day. Methane, which is also released from landfills, coal mines and leaking gas pipes, is 23 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Scientists are now carrying out trials of new diets designed to improve cows's digestion and hopefully reduce global warming. Silvia Valtorta, of the National Council of Scientific and Technical Investigations, said that by feeding cows clover and alfalfa instead of grain "you can reduce methane emissions by 25 percent".

The Hindu, 10^th July , 2008

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Rising temperature to hit agriculture production: study

The declining agricultural production due to climate change had been a matter of concern in those areas where a remarkable fall had occurred. While a study conducted in Kerala by M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation recently had pointed to the damage in Kerala, leading to lower production of spices, a new study by Assocham has predicted a decrease in wheat production in several States. As part of the study conducted by M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, the pattern of rainfall during South West and North East monsoons was analysed at a few locations in Idukki. The total number of rainy days was found shifting over the years in all the locations. The temperature data showed that the maximum and minimum temperatures in all the three locations were changing. There was an increase of more than two degrees Celsius in maximum temperature at Pampadumpara during the last 29 years. The rate of decrease in minimum temperature was slightly lower."The declining rainfall, particularly during south west monsoon, and the increasing temperature are bound to have very serious impact on agriculture and sustainability in Idukki", according to the Foundation's report. The study conducted by Assocham and 'AgriWatch' predicts a minimum rise of 0.5 degree Celsius in winter temperatures due to accumulation of greenhouses gases in atmosphere. It will cause 0.45 tonne per hectare fall in India's wheat production in next 10 years, says the report titled 'Wheat Report 2008 : Future Tense'. The average per hectare wheat production in India is 2.6 – 2.7 tonne at current estimates. The report warns that if suitable steps for emission reductions are not carried out on a war-footing, the temperature is bound to soar which will have adverse agronomic impact especially on availability of water, cropping pattern, sowing and harvesting cycle, yield and productivity of field crops. Thus, India needs to develop in advance crop varieties tolerant to high temperature and water stress, particularly for sustaining high grain production levels. Punjab which is contributing almost 60 per cent of wheat for central pool (in government procurement) is now facing acute problem of soil salinity, excessive pesticide residues, depleted ground water supply, which if not handled on war footing ,will be disastrous for the country. Haryana too is facing similar problems in a lesser way, according to the report.

 The Hindu, 7^th July , 2008

Call to protect traditional skills

One of the priorities of 'mega-diverse countries' should be to evolve effective mechanisms for developing legal instruments that will ensure regulated access and a benefit-sharing regime in the traditional knowledge sector so that illegal access and transfer of genetic resources by organisations/ individuals with vested interests can be prevented. This was pointed out in a paper 'common approaches to access to and benefit sharing of genetic resources and associated knowledge - some examples from India,' co-authored by P. Pushpangadan and K. Narayanan Nair from the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, presented at a recent conference on streamlining India's traditional knowledge.The paper argues that the second priority of such countries should be to build upscience and technology capacity building and human resource development programmes on a regional and national-level for harnessing the wealth of bio-genetic resources and traditional knowledge shared by these countries. In 2002, Ministers of environment and representatives from 13 countries had decided at a conference in Cancun, Mexico, to set up what is called the 'Group of Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC). Collective efforts of such groups will help countries challenge rising threats of bio-piracy and misappropriation of intellectual property rights of their biodiversity and traditional knowledge systems by power biotechnology lobbies, it concludes.

The Hindu, 7^th July , 2008

Butterfly park at elephant camp

The Forest Department will set up a butterfly park at the Elephant Camp at Konni as part of the third phase of eco-tourism development in this part of the State.Talking to The Hindu, P. Pukazhenthi, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), said the park was aimed at combining eco-tourism with an eye-catching display of butterflies and breeding of its different species.He said the draft plan had already been submitted to the department. The park would be enclosed in a polycarbonate dome suitably designed for weather control. It would be designed in such a way that it could educate the visitors about how the systems of nature work, using this insect as a model, Mr. Pukazhenthi said.He said the proposed park would be home to hundreds of colourful butterflies, including some rare species. Depletion of green cover in cities and in certain village areas owing to the construction boom was identified as a major threat to butterfly population.Certain rare species of butterflies had already become extinct and the proposed park had got much significance in this respect, the DFO said.According to him, the proposed park would have a conservatory, museum and an audio-visual room aimed at creating awareness among the general public as well as students about the bio-diversity. A breeding house displaying development of a butterfly from larva to pupa and to the adult stage would be another major attraction at the proposed park.Mr. Pukazhenthi said the old Forest Inspection Bungalow that dates back to 1915 at Konni would be converted into a heritage interpretation centre. He said a modern inspection bungalow with bathing ghats and river watch pavilion would be constructed on the banks of river Achenkovil. The Forest and Tourism Departments had jointly developed an eco-tourism centre at the nine-acre Elephant Camp in January, 2007, making it a base station facilitating various eco-tourism activities in the region. The camp, at present, housed an elephant kraal, elephant shelters, elephant museum, mini-theatre, administrative block, a biogas plant, retiring rooms for mahouts and shops that sell forest produce.Elephant safari was a major tourist attraction at the camp, besides rock climbing and jungle trek as part of the eco-tourism project, the DFO said.

The Hindu, 6^th July,2008

Call for steps to tackle environmental pollution

 Minister for Health and Social Welfare P.K. Sreemathy said that Kerala would have to face grave consequences unless urgent measures were adopted to tackle the problems caused by environmental pollution. Speaking after inaugurating a networking programme titled WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) launched by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), she said the drought conditions in parts of the State and the outbreak of epidemics were directly linked to the reckless assault on the environment. "Even the most pristine places in Kerala are today threatened by pollution and accumulation of waste. Our cities and villages are in need of scientific solid waste management facilities," she said.Ms. Sreemathy said citizens had as much of a responsibility as local bodies and health workers in ensuring proper sanitation and vector control. Children could act as ambassadors for sanitation activities, she said. She also released a compendium on Climate Change in Kerala by handing over a copy to Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Board Prabhat Patnaik. The WASH programme involves equipping Anganwadi teachers to impart sanitation and hygiene education to school children. It is part of a national campaign funded by the Department of Science and Technology. The year 2008 being the campaign year for sanitation, WASH aims at the improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene conditions for all. In Kerala, the campaign will be supported by the departments of Health and Social Welfare. As many as 100 Anganwadi teachers from each district will be trained in the first phaseof the participatory project to be implemented through district coordinators of the National Green Corps. The awareness programme is to be based on scientific inputs on the best practices with respect to sanitation, hygiene and drinking water. Waste management, conservation of water bodies and protection of the environment form the thrust areas of the campaign in the subsequent stages.

The Hindu, 6^th July,2008

Project to revive local health traditions launched

Long-neglected local health practices and traditional home remedies are set to make a comeback, under a State-wide project launched by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE). Titled Herbs for All and Health for All, the participatory programme seeks to promote home remedies based on traditional practices and endemic medicinal plants as an element of health management. It also focuses on conservation and cultivation of plants traditionally used for food and medicine. Revival of traditional dietary habits is another major objective. In the first phase, the project will be implemented in 14 panchayats, one in each district.Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs M. Vijayakumar inaugurated the programme at Vithura. The project includes the creation of a live gene bank of rare and endangered medicinal plants in each panchayat. Another highlight is the creation of a fund for home remedies in each panchayat. Each of the families in the selected panchayats would be encouraged to contribute one rupee to the fund daily. The collection will also be used for emergency medical assistance. Apart from the families residing in the selected panchayats, the project will also have the participation of elected representatives, medical experts, scientists, agricultural experts and project officials. The Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI) at Palode will be the implementing agency. The action plan involves an awareness programme for villagers on epidemic prevention and training in conservation and sustainable exploitation of plants used for food and medicine. They will also be taught to prepare simple herbal combinations used as home remedies for common ailments. Training will be imparted in homestead-level cultivation of medicinal plants. In the first phase, the project will be implemented in Vithura (Thiruvananthapuram), Veliyam (Kollam), Kuttoor (Pathanamthitta), Kanthalloor (Idukki), Cheruthana (Alappuzha), Neendur (Kottayam), Kuttampuzha (Ernakulam), Chelakkara (Thrissur), Malampuzha (Palakkad), Pulamanthol (Malappuram), Alavana (Kozhikode), Vellamunda (Wayanad), Kelakam (Kannur) and Pilikode (Kasaragod). "The project is designed to revive the concept of home remedy. Once trained, the villagers can depend on medicinal plants reared in their own backyard for small ailments instead of rushing to a doctor. We also hope to promote the cultivation and use of endemic species of edible plants," says E.P.Yesodharan, Executive vice-president, KSCSTE. He added that the programme would be extended to more panchayats in the next phase. The pilot project launched in 1995 was implemented in four villages including tribal settlements in Thiruvananthapuram

The Hindu, 6^th July,2008

Scientists set forth proposals to tame climate

Scientists from 12 academies round the world have met in Tokyo to issue a statement on the inevitable long-term rise in temperature. Their forecast is that in the next 20 years, global temperatures will rise by 0.2-0.4 degree centigrade. The consequences of global warming will be felt worldwide. Polar icecaps will continue to melt and the world's oceans will erode coastlines still further. The academics assessed the scientific aspects of global climate change, due to be discussed by the upcoming G8 summit in Toyako, Hokkaido. This will be a G-8 plus 5 summit involving China, India, South Africa, Brazil and Mexico. Representatives of these five nations participated in drafting the statement on climate change. The decision to expand the summit format was logical as China now ranks second after the United States in industrial emissions, and the other four countries are also notorious for their high pollution levels. The scientists called on world leaders to minimise the threat of climate change, stressed the need for urgent action to clarify the causes of this process and set forth proposals to "tame" the climate.Yury Izrael, director of the Institute of Global Climate and Ecology at the Russian Academy of Sciences, who co-authored the statement, told RIA Novosti that the document mostly aimed at enhancing climate-stabilisation measures, outlined ways of adapting to the situation and stipulated a transfer to a low-carbon society. He said less carbon-intensive energy sources and the energy-preservation principle had to be introduced. Japan, which will host the G-8 summit, has invented a production process making it possible to cut toxic emissions by 70 per cent by 2050. However, Mr. Izrael said this would not solve the climate change problem even if all industrial giants followed suit."To stabilise the climate, we must reduce toxic emissions down to the Earth's natural absorbing capacity. The planet can now absorb less than 50% of toxic emissions," he said. "This means that we cannot achieve any short-term results in this sphere." Mr. Izrael said direct efforts to fight greenhouse emissions held little promise. Scientists have not yet assessed the impact of greenhouse gases on the global climate. At any rate, state-of-the-art industrial technologies are not the only way to fight global warming. This costly programme will take several hundred years and many millions of dollars to implement. The G-8 plus 5 academic meeting also focussed on other factors influencing global climate change. "We must have different 'weapons' for fighting climate change and stabilising the climate, and have to use the most effective ones," Mr. Izrael said. For instance, geo-engineering technologies can alter the Earth's albedo, or reflecting power. According to scientists, young and old trees have different albedo levels. Young trees actively detonate carbon needed for their growth and development, while older trees either absorb little or no carbon at all. Consequently, new forests must be planted regularly to preserve a stable climate. Moreover, we must care for old forests, protecting them from wildfires and implementing well-thought-out tree felling programmes.The Tokyo statement said it was necessary to intensify biological processes in the world's oceans. For instance, plankton, the perennial inhabitant of the seven seas, requires huge amounts of carbon dioxide for further growth and should therefore be planted en masse with special biotechnologies.It is also possible to build orbital solar-ray reflectors. This project may eventually prove less expensive than the costs of global warming. The statement called for developing and promoting Carbon Content Sequestering (CCS) technologies for accumulating, storing and extracting (sequestering) fossil-fuel carbon. This primarily concerns coal, which will remain a major source of energy for the next 50 years. All surplus carbon could be stored under the ground or dumped into the sea.Mr. Izrael is an active supporter of the so-called optimal scenario aiming to change the meteorological solar constant by spraying fine dispersed aerosols of sulphuric acid and other substances into the lower atmosphere at 12-16 km altitudes. This will decrease sunshine reaching the Earth's surface and reduce the temperature in the troposphere by the required number of degrees, serving as an instrument of climate change. In 1974, Mikhail Budyko, member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences and author of the global-warming theory, proposed the aerosol-spraying method for increasing natural atmospheric layers. It is a well-known fact that after volcanic eruptions, surface temperature is reduced over vast areas because natural aerosols block sunshine and bring temperature down.Sulphuric acid aerosols could be sprayed from specially-equipped planes. According to Mr. Izrael, this is an optimal and inexpensive scenario in case of fast global warming. It would be possible to change the situation in 12 months or several years at most. Right now, a group of climatologists headed by Mr. Izrael is preparing to conduct an experiment to assess the impact of sulphuric acid aerosols on temperature fluctuations in some Russian areas.However, the method has some drawbacks. For example, the stratosphere must be sprayed regularly because sulphuric acid aerosols will eventually drift to the ground.But their amount is a thousand times smaller than current greenhouse gas emissions. According to Mr. Izrael, international agreements and joint projects are needed to introduce the aerosol-spraying method. "We have to accomplish this objective because climate remains a major problem and a hard-to-solve social phobia." — RIA Novosti

The Hindu, 6^th July,2008

SAARC action plan on climate change

Members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have adopted a three-year action plan on climate change. The plan was adopted at the SAARC ministerial meeting on climate change, which was held in Dhaka on July 1-2. The delegates released a declaration - Dhaka Declaration - on climate change. The draft declaration urged the international community for partnership development in this regard by providing additional financial resources, as already agreed upon. The declaration saw it as the moral obligation of the developed countries," said Raja Devasish Roy, special assistant to Bangladesh's Environment Ministry, on Thursday. SAARC members have committed themselves to promote programmes for advocacy and awareness of climate change and to inculcate habits towards a low-carbon society, including incorporation of science-based educational material in educational curricula. The action plan, covering 2009-2011, focuses on seven thematic areas - from adaptation of climate change to regional stance for international negotiations. It emphasises on policies and action for climate change mitigation, technology transfer, financing and investment mechanism, education, training and awareness, monitoring, assessment and management of impact and risks due to climate change.Experts, who met on July 1 and 2, identified priority actions, including clean development management, exchange of information on disaster preparedness, exchange of meteorological data, monitoring climate change impact, supporting international negotiation process and sensitising the media to the issue to implement the plan. The leaders are, however, yet to reach any consensus on mobilising fund for the implementation of such a plan. However, the meeting had suggested diverting funds from the SAARC Development Fund, apart from seeking funds from donors such as the Asian Development Bank. Claiming the meeting successful, Raja Devasish said, the action plan will identify and create opportunities through regional and south-south cooperation in terms of technology and knowledge transfer. Dwelling on the issue of adverse effect on Bangladesh for sea-level rise, Atiq Rahman of the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies said, 'We have taken time to prepare ourselves, but we need to start acting now. A recent report of the US space agency NASA predicted that a sea-level rise of about 25 metres, associated with global warming and melting polar ice caps, could see Bangladesh disappear under the waves by the end of the century. Inaugurating the first-ever SAARC Ministerial meeting on climate change, the head of Bangladesh's caretaker government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, stressed the need for industrialised nations to provide climate adaptation funds for developing countries, the worst victims of climate change, 'without any conditions'. He also called on richer nations to transfer better technology so that developing countries could progress toward climate resiliency. SAARC Secretary-General Sheel Kant Sharma told the meeting, 'SAARC believes that the way forward must include, among others, binding greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments by developed countries with effective timeframes.Ministers of Environment and experts all the eight SAARC nations met in Dhaka from July 1, 2008 to deliberate on measures that may be undertaken to minimise the adverse impacts of climate change. The ministerial meeting took place on the 3rd July .Minister of State of India Namo Narain Meena, Minister of Sri Lanka Patali Cham pika Ranawaka MP, deputy minister of Maldives Abdullahi Majeed, deputy minister of Bhutan Dasho Nado Rinchhen, Afghanistan Ambassador Abdul Karim Nawabi, Bangladesh delegate Dr M Asaduzzaman, and Pakistan delegate Jawed Ali Khan made statements at the meeting saying climate change is a serious threat to the region in the form of more frequent floods, cyclones, droughts, sea-level rise, glacier melting, loss of agricultural productivity.

The Hindu, 5^th July,2008

‘Support water conservation’

 People's support was essential in the initiatives of the government and local bodies for water conservation, said Kerala Assembly Speaker K. Radhakrishnan.He was inaugurating 'Mazhappolima', a community-driven programme, to save rainwater for future use, at Thiruvillwamala, near here, on Friday. The project which aims at filling the 4.5 lakh-odd wells in the district by collecting rainwater through simple, cost-effective methods, would be a model for the country, the Speaker said. Minimising the impact of draught and reducing expense to supply water to water-stressed areas were the main objectives of the scheme. Speaking after the district-level inauguration of 'Mazhappolima', Minister for Revenue K. P. Rajendran said that the government would provide Rs. 2 crore for the project. The government was also planning to sanction the entire amount, required for the construction of a check dam at Cheruthuruthy over Bharathapuzha, he added.

The Hindu, 5^th July,2008

Environment: Climate risk from flat-screen TVs

The rising demand for flat-screen televisions could have a greater impact on global warming than the world's largest coal-fired power stations, a leading environmental scientist warned.Manufacturers use a greenhouse gas called nitrogen trifluoride to make the televisions, and as the sets have become more popular, annual production of the gas has risen to about 4,000 tonnes. As a driver of global warming, nitrogen trifluoride is 17,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide, yet no one knows how much of it is being released into the atmosphere by the industry, said Michael Prather, director of the environment institute at the University of California, Irvine.Prather's research reveals that production of the gas, which remains in the atmosphere for 550 years, is "exploding" and is expected to double by next year. Unlike common greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs), emissions of the gas are not restricted by the Kyoto protocol or similar agreements.Writing in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, Prather and a colleague, Juno Hsu, state that this year's production of the gas is equivalent to 67m tonnes of carbon dioxide, meaning it has "a potential greenhouse impact larger than that of the industrialised nations' emissions of PFCs or SF6, or even that of the world's largest coal-fired power plants".While concerns have led Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology to avoid using the gas, Air Products, which produces it for the electronics industry, told New Scientist that very little nitrogen trifluoride is released into the atmosphere. But Prather argues that as the gas is not controlled in the same way as other greenhouse gases, companies may be careless with it.

www.guardian.co.uk

India commissions permanent research base at North Pole

India commissioned its permanent research base at the North Pole, which will enable scientists to carry out studies on a range of subjects including climate change, in one of the cleanest environments on earth.The research station -- Himadri -- was inaugurated by Union Minister of Science and Technology Kapil Sibal at Ny-Alesund, on the west coast of Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago of Norway.Situated only 1,200 km from the North Pole, Ny-Alesund is the northernmost international research village, managed by Kings Bay, the Norwegian government-held company that runs the logistics at the research station.The research station was set up following two expeditions by Indian scientists to Ny-Alesund in the last 11 months.The maiden expedition to the Arctic was launched in August 2007, under the leadership of Rasik Ravindra, Director of the National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research, Goa. It was followed up by another team of seven scientists led by Professor A K Gwal of Barkatullah University, Bhopal, who spent four weeks in Ny-Alesund in March.The research base in the North Pole comes three decades after India set up a permanent station at Dakshin Gangotri in Antarctica.Initially, Himadri would be manned by Indian scientists on a project-to-project basis and later on converted into a round-the-year station, as is the case in Antarctica. India has access to Svalbard because of a treaty with Norway, which has sovereign rights over the area. India has become the 11th country in the world to have a research station in Ny-Alesund, the others being Norway, Germany, Britain, Italy, France, Japan, South Korea, China, the Netherlands and Sweden.Two-third of Ny-Alesund, which is spread over 63,000 sq km, is permanently under ice, but the climate is mild in comparison to other areas near the North Pole. The mean temperature in the coldest month of February is minus 14 degrees while in the warmest month of July, it is five degrees Celsius.Owing to almost zero pollution, Arctic is generally considered by scientists to be better than Antarctica for a wide range of research activities.India has one operational station in Antarctica -- Maitri -- and is in the process of setting up another later this year. India's first permanent station in Antarctica, Dakshin Gangotri, set up in 1981, today lies buried under the snow.

New Indian Express, July 2, 2008

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Mullaperiyar dam unsafe during floods, says study

A study conducted by experts of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, has concluded that the Mullaperiyar dam bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu is 'hydrologically unsafe' for an estimated probable maximum flood (PMF) of 2.91 lakh cubic feet per second (cusecs) even when the water level is maintained at 136 feet and all 13 shutters are opened.In such an event, the maximum water level will reach 158.67 feet and this will flood the area between the reservoir and the Idukki dam affecting lakhs of people living on the riverbanks.IIT professors Dr. A.K. Gosain and Dr. Subhash Chander, who prepared the report on behalf of the Kerala government with independent data, have said the estimated two-day maximum probable precipitation (rainfall) in the Mullaperiyar catchments is 65.43 cm, and if it occurs, then a PMF of 2.91 lakh cusecs will occur in the catchments and 13.86 tmcft of water will rush to the reservoir within 70 hours.

Baby dam

Kerala Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran, who released the report , said the only solution to the problem was to construct a baby dam near the reservoir with the consent of the Supreme Court. The State need not require permission from its Tamil Nadu counterpart for this.According to the Periyar lease deed, valid for 999 years, the maximum water level is fixed at 155 feet and if it exceeds that it would be a clear violation of the lease deed. "Therefore, the demand of Kerala to have a new dam is genuine and logical," he added.The Minister, who disputed the Central Water Commission (CWC) findings on PMF, warned that any compromise on the estimation of PMF would prove disastrous. He said the CWC's recommendation and the Supreme Court's observation that the maximum water level could be increased to 142 feet from 136 feet was unacceptable to Kerala. It is necessary to have a proper estimation of PMF and its effects on the dam's safety.Dr. Subash Chander, who was present, said another solution to the problem was to increase the capacity of the spillways and have an excellent weather forecasting system to alert the people in advance.

The Hindu, July 2, 2008

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Manmohanunveilsactionplanonclimatechange

Reiterating its commitment, India said that despite developmental imperatives, the per capita greenhouse gas emissions would not exceed that of the developed industrialised countries. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said climate change was a challenge that could be overcome only through global, collaborative and cooperative efforts. He was releasing the 'National Action Plan on Climate Change' here, ahead of the G-8 Summit to be held in Japan next week. Developing countries want the industrialised nations to share the burden of reduction of GHG emissions. The developed world insists that the developing countries need to take greater steps to cut down on CO2 emissions.

For fair outcome

"India is prepared to play its role as a responsible member of the international community and make its own contribution. We are already doing so in the multilateral negotiations taking place under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the outcome we are looking for must be effective, fair and equitable," Dr. Singh said. Every citizen on the planet must have an equal share of the planetary atmospheric space. Long-term convergence of per capita emission was, therefore, the only equitable basis for a global compact on climate change.

Key components

The National Action Plan encompasses a broad and extensive range of measures, and focusses on eight missions, which will be pursued as key components of the strategy for sustainable development. These include missions on solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, conserving water, sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem, creating a "Green India," sustainable agriculture and, finally, establishing a strategic knowledge platform for climate change.The mission for sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem will include measures for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan glacier and mountain ecosystem as it is the source of key perennial rivers. The Green India mission will enhance ecosystem services including carbon sinks, to be called Green India. The sustainable agriculture mission intends making agriculture more resilient to climate change by identifying and developing new varieties of crops that are thermal-resistant and capable of withstanding extreme weather. The mission on strategic knowledge will identify challenges and develop responses to climate change.

Solar mission

The solar mission will be launched to significantly increase the share of solar power in the total energy mix while recognising the need for expanding the scope of other renewable and non-fossil options such as nuclear energy, wind energy and biomass. Under the national mission for enhanced energy efficiency, four new initiatives including a market-based mechanism to improve the cost-effectiveness of improvements will be put in place. With solid waste proving a major challenge, the action plan stresses recycling material and urban waste management, and developing technology to produce power from waste.The mission on sustainable habitats will include a major research and development programme, focussing on biochemical conversion, waste water use, sewage utilisation and recycling options wherever possible.

The Hindu, July 7, 2008

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Elephant park to come up near Eroor

The abandoned Aanaparambu owned by the Cochin Devaswom Board will soon attain the status of a well-designed elephant park. The Cochin Devaswom Board in association with the Tripunithura municipality and the Elephant Care will launch an elephant park at Aanaparambu near Eroor.The possibility of using the abandoned Aanaparambu as a suitable shelter for the tuskers of the Board, like the Punnathur Kotta ( the shelter for the tuskers owned by the Guruvayur Devaswom ) was widely thought of.Now, elephants on their way to different temples use the facilities available at the Aanaparambu like a well-placed pond. The Cochin Devaswom Board has drafted a detailed plan for converting the Aanaparambu into an elephant park.The pond situated in the middle of the spacious ground will be cleaned. Elephants, owned by the Board as well as private parties, can take bath in this pond.Quarters for mahouts, a reference library for elephant lovers and a specially designed gallery will be available in the proposed elephant park.

The New Indian Express, 28^th June

Traditional knowledge Authority soon

  The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy of the state released envisages the setting up of Kerala Traditional Knowledge Authority (KTKA) to protect traditional knowledge, especially Ayurveda. Kerala has become the first state in the country to have an IPR Policy.The policy was released by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan by handing over a copy to the former chief negotiator of the country at the Uruguay Rounds S P Shukla. Hailing the policy, Shukla said that the policy would bring down the monopoly in knowledge and technology enjoyed by a few big powers. The policy draws distinction between two categories- one which refers to knowledge which is the preserve of particular communities and the other which does not have any specific community or family custodian. A basic element is that all traditional knowledge, including traditional medicine, must belong to the domain of 'knowledge commons' and not to the 'public domain'.In the case of the first category, the custodian will be deemed to have rights over the knowledge and in the second one, the State will have the rights. No entity registered as a medium or large enterprise may be deemed to have any rights over traditional knowledge. The right-holders will have two kinds of rights- the right to a brand name and right to use the knowledge.Everybody else, other than the right holder to the traditional knowledge, who wishes to use the knowledge will have to do so under a 'commons license'. Any use of traditional knowledge or practice in violation of the 'commons license' within or outside the state will be considered a violation of the rights of the right holders and will invite prosecution.Those in the first category will have to register with the KTKA. This Authority will also be in charge of enforcing the rights and of the 'commons license', and undertaking promotional activities like forming Traditional Knowledge Users' Cooperatives. Its activities will be financed from a fund created by the State Government.All right holders of traditional knowledge will be deemed to be holding their rights under a 'commons license'. Where the state is the right-holder, all actual practitioners of this category in the state have an automatic license for right of commercial use, but are not empowered to transfer this right of commercial use to anybody else.The policy has envisaged mechanisms to prevent misappropriation of traditional knowledge associated with biological resources by foreigners (ie one who is not an Indian citizen or a body corporate, association or organisation not registered in India) and Indian corporates.This can be done by extending the provision of the Section 7 of the Biological Diversity Act 2002. Another point relates to intellectual property rights over the outcome of research in government-funded and government aided institutions.To oversee the activities, a Supervisory Council on Intellectual Property will be set up under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister and with the Law Minister as the vice chairman.

The New Indian Express, 28^th June 2008

Focus on rainwater harvesting

With a view to recharging the depleting groundwater table, the Jalanidhi project is planning measures to improve rainwater harvesting in the panchayats in Thrissur district. Though Kerala gets heavy rain for six months in a year, many urban and rural areas face severe water shortage in the summer months. Given this, Jalanidhi is focussing on rainwater harvesting, especially roof water harvesting, in the district. Participating at a meeting organised by Jalanidhi for local body chiefs at Ayyanthole, near here, on Wednesday, to discuss various steps for effective rainwater harvesting, District Collector V.K. Baby said that the project aimed at finding a solution to the drinking water problem faced by the district. The district has about 4.5 lakh wells, but many of them get dried up in summer. Shrinking wetlands is a major cause for this situation. One third of the area of the district was once covered by paddy fields.

Quality of water

Shortage of drinking water is compounded by the poor quality of available water, mainly in low-lying areas and costal belt. The available water bodies could be cleaned and rainwater harvesting pits and small check dams could be built under the NREGP. This would ensure clean water and job opportunities for the people. Planet Kerala, a voluntary agency based in Thiruvananthapuram, has successfully implemented a simple process 'back washing', in more than 600 wells for roof water harvesting. The process can be used in any kind of roofs. Jalanidhi project is planning to take this process to more panchayats in a big way. It would focus on awareness campaigns in grassroots level and also planning to create model panchayats in rainwater harvesting.

The Hindu, 26^th June

Satellite to study climate change

Few issues have taken the global centre stage as did climate change recently, and images of melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels are now all too ubiquitous to ignore. But how much do we really know about global warming? What is the quantity of greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane — in our atmosphere? How are they distributed around the world?Some answers might be brought back by I-STAG, a satellite to be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2012, in a unique collaborative initiative with science institutes."I-STAG, (Indian Satellite for Aerosol and Gases) is a small satellite, weighing no more than 150 kg and will most likely go as a co-passenger with one of the major launches scheduled for 2012," R. Sridharan, Programme director, Space Science Office, ISRO, told The Hindu. It will be placed in a low Earth orbit at 600 km. In its two-year life span, I-STAG will collect data on the quantity and distribution of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, aerosols (suspended particulate matter), ozone, water vapour and the oxides of nitrogen and sulphur so that an estimate can be made on their impact on climate. "The satellite will have a special focus on the tropics and will monitor the spatial and temporal variation in the amount of these gases to assess their long-term effect on the climate and ecosystem," said Prof. Sridharan. The experiments would also attempt to estimate the impact of biomass burning and forest fires on climate. I-STAG will be developed jointly by the Indian Institute of Science, the Space Physics Laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram, the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, and the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory in Tirupati.

"ISRO will put in the seed money of about Rs. 10 crore, and scientists will, through simulations, demonstrate the concepts and also work out the methods for analysing the data," Prof. Sridharan said.

The three experiments on I-STAG would measure and trace the distribution of greenhouse gases through an infrared spectrometer, and a multiwave radiometer would monitor the distribution and polarisation properties of aerosols. I-STAG is part of the space organisation's "small satellites programme" for scientific experiments, said ISRO Chairman G. Madhavan Nair. "The first of the series of small satellite was the Indian Mini Satellite, which flew with CARTOSAT-2A. We are scheduled to launch three more small satellites in the next four years, including I-STAG. These are SENSE, to study the near-space environment; Aditya, to study the solar corona; and YOUTHSAT to measure solar radiation," he said. Prof. Sridharan said the science institutes were now preparing the project report for I-STAG in consultation with the satellite group at the ISRO Satellite Centre.

The Hindu, June 25, 2008

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Climate variability making monsoon weak in state

The weak monsoon activity over so far during the current monsoon season can be attributed to climate variability, said Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural Meteorology, Kerala Agricultural University, G S L H V Prasada Rao.
Talking to this website's newspaper, Rao said that the climate variability was the short-term phenomenon of the climate change. He said the climate change could be assessed only in the long term. Rao said Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargodu districts had normal rainfall so far this season. However the rainfall between the areas of these two districts is in deficit, the shortfall is varying between 30 and 60 percent.Usually two strong currents which develop during the monsoon season cause rainfall in the country. While one current develops from the Bay of Bengal and the other is from the Arabian Sea, he added.In the normal monsoon years, the current that develops in the Arabian Sea advances faster and causes the rainfall in Kerala before the current originating from the Bay of Bengal advances.This phenomenon results in the commencement of the monsoon season in Kerala before the onset of the monsoon in other parts of the country. However this year, it was the other way round. This was because the current that develops in the Arabian Sea was weak compared to the current developed in the Bay of Bengal owing to monsoon trough oscillations.There is however, no reason for worry. The season has just begun and as per the indications, the monsoon over Kerala is expected to pick up in the next few days, pointed out Rao.He said that in the past two days, the rainfall in Thrissur, Ernakulam and some other southern districts ranged between 20 and 30 mm. It is an indication of the possibility of the monsoon picking up in the coming days and Kerala will receive the normal rainfall this year too, he said.

New Indian Express, June 22, 2008

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100 panchayats ready to handle monsoon disasters

About 100 panchayats will be ready to handle emergencies and disasters during this monsoon. However, the district-level disaster management plans are not yet ready.Each of the 100 selected panchayats has formed disaster management task force to act on call in the event of a disaster. The task forces have members from local voluntary agencies, Nehru Yuvak Kendra, Kudumbasree and similar agencies.They are equipped with essential equipment for rescue and relief operations. The Revenue Department has plans to equip 100 more panchayats shortly. These panchayats are spread from coastal to hilly areas. India adopted the Disaster Management Act in 2005 to institutionalise mechanisms at the national, State and district levels to ensure a swift response, including medical response to both natural calamities and manmade disasters and accidents. The State government has brought rules under the Act and formed the Disaster Management Authority headed by the Chief Minister. Though a disaster management policy was drafted last year, it is yet to be finalised. After public debates on the policy, the executive committee of the authority headed by the Chief Secretary is to approve the policy. The district disaster management plans are also through the drafting stage only. Though a few districts such as Ernakulam and Alappuzha had plans, they are considered inadequate. Crisis management plans are required for each type of calamity such as earthquakes, landslips and flooding. Crisis management is to follow standard operational procedures.

The Hindu, June 23, 2008

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String of plants for garbage treatment

The City Corporation is working on a project to establish a network of garbage treatment plants, under plans to decentralise the solid-waste management system and make it environment-friendly.The local body has tied up with the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) to establish a pilot plant and develop the appropriate technology. The project has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Non-conventional and Renewable Energy Sources for funding.The plant of five-tonne capacity will be used to develop a replicable model for integrated management of garbage. Various technology options will be tried out to achieve optimum conversion of garbage.While the Corporation will provide the land, electricity and water required for the plant, the NIIST will foot the capital cost and operation and maintenance cost for three years. The project will be transferred to the Corporation after that.Sources at the NIIST said that One of its primary components would be an anaerobic composter equipped to produce biogas out of easily putrefying garbage. The Department of Environmental Technology of the NIIST has successfully tried out a laboratory version of the anaerobic digester.

Zero-discharge system

Scientists who worked on the project said they had come up with a zero-discharge system for the primary treatment process. The system uses a powerful microbial extraction process and a bio-filtration method to control the odour. One of the advantages of the system is that it can handle un-segregated garbage. Research scientists at the institute explain that easily putrefying waste is the most difficult to manage because of the smell and the leachate it generates. The secondary stage involves the development of appropriate technology to treat the residual waste. Various options such as RDF (refuse derived fuel), incineration, bio-composting and landfill will be considered during the three-year pilot project.Scientists from the NIIST and Corporation officials have held discussions on identifying a location for the pilot plant. There are indications that it will be located at Vilappilsala. Researchers will come up with a system to utilise the huge amount of biogas to be generated by the plant. The discussions have centred on using it to power a generator or piping it to the neighbourhood.

The Hindu, June 23, 2008

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