House concerned over climate variations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Members of the State Assembly on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the signs of global warming changing the climate pattern in Kerala and were unanimous in their view that the government should draw up long- and short-term strategies to mitigate the impact of the phenomenon.

Replying to a two-hour discussion following a motion moved in the Assembly by K.C. Joseph to deliberate on the drought situation prevailing in the State, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said the districts of Palakkad and Malappuram were already in the grip of drought, although a better part of the summer season was yet to unfold.

He said the State government had released Rs.15 crore for relief work and would sanction the release of more funds after assessing the drought situation from time to time.

Water scarcity was now being reported from many parts of the State.

Increasing the forest cover in the State, enforcing in letter and spirit the provisions of the law the State government had enacted against filling paddy fields, initiating a watershed-based water management strategy to recharge the groundwater resources and saving the rivers from pollution were some of the steps the members suggested during the discussion to reduce the severity of water scarcity.

Forest Minister Benoy Viswom spoke of the massive greening programme the government had undertaken in the State with the cooperation of people.

Statutory authority

Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran said the government was working on legislation for constituting a statutory authority for initiating measures to rejuvenate all the rivers in the State.

P. Jayarajan, Sreyams Kumar, P. Raveendranath, Rajaji Mathew Thomas, T.U. Kuruvila, T.N. Prathapan, A.A. Azeez, A.K. Sasheendran, C.P. Mohammed, M. Prakashan, Roshi Augustine and K. Mohammedunni Haji participated in the discussion.

Source: The Hindu, 31st March 2010

Rope indigenous people into climate change decisions: Agatha

NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha Sangma has called for timely interventions and properly implemented policies to protect the lifestyles of several hundred million indigenous people (Scheduled Tribes in India) in Asia-Pacific who are faced with the threat of climate change and extreme rural poverty.

Indigenous people make up six per cent of all humanity on earth and yet, they stand perilously close to the twin threat, she said at an Asia-Pacific regional seminar in Manila on Thursday.
The seminar on ‘Indigenous peoples, Climate Change and Rural Poverty: Promoting Innovative Approaches and Solutions' was organised by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development.

Pointing out that Asia-Pacific was home to a large population of poor and vulnerable communities, Ms. Sangma said extreme poverty itself constituted a severe vulnerability. “Climate change and the effects it has had and may have on the natural surroundings of such communities — who live in harmony with nature and rely on it for their existence — make the future of weaker sections look bleak. It is, therefore, imperative that rural poor, especially indigenous people, are made party to the decision-making process and all decisions.”

In India, as per the latest figures, there are about 82 million people who are among the most vulnerable and are known as STs. A Majority of them reside in forested areas and about half of them live below poverty line. They are grouped into 700 tribes. Like in other parts of the world, they are dependent on forest-based natural resources for survival.

Ms. Sangma said the recent global initiatives and measures in the form of REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation Degradation in Developing Countries) were advocated to incentivise efforts for reducing deforestation. “However, it has also been argued that this will provide the developed countries an escape route for avoiding responsibilities of reducing emissions. It will merely compensate developing countries to prevent forests from being converted into pasturelands and has been described as an attempt to lock indigenous people out of their rights over forest land. It may even deprive local communities of their right to land development and distort local economies.”

On the other hand, REDD might just be the weapon the world had been desperately searching for to combat climate change. “For this, we have advocated that REDD grow into an REDD-plus and also reward efforts for forest conservation and sustainable management of forests.”

Source: The Hindu, dated: 28th March 2010

Disaster management action plan soon: Minister

Thrissur: The State government will soon come out with an action plan for disaster management, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran has said.

He was addressing a State-level workshop for officials of district administrations and heads of various departments held here on Saturday with the objective of coordinating district disaster management plans.

The State-level preparedness plan, which is at the final stage of preparation, will be discussed at a meeting of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, the Minister said.

“Pre-disaster planning is a vital part of preparedness. A disaster management plan focusing on hazard, risk, vulnerability and resource assessment improves the efficacy of rescue operations,” he said.

Effective community involvement and public awareness could largely minimise the impact of disasters, the Minister said. Citing examples of the recent accidents in Thekkady and Kottayam, he said the active participation of local public in rescue operations had reduced the causality rates.

The Minister said that about 10 per cent of the fund for disaster management would be used for providing modern equipment for the Fire and Rescue Services. Ambulances will be distributed to the Health Department for rescue operations in coastal areas.

Training to the key community and social functionaries is an essential element for the successful execution of a disaster management action plan, the Minister said. “Procedures are progressing to start civil defence institutes in Thrissur, Kochi and Kottayam. Eternal vigilance is needed as natural disasters have become common, he said.

Source: The Hindu, dated: 28th march 2010

Survey counts 169 bird species

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, the Great Indian Pied Hornbill, the Rock Bush Quail, the Red-winged Crested Cuckoo and the Malabar Parakeet were among the 169 species of birds spotted in a three-day survey conducted in the Shenduruni Wildlife Sanctuary by the Thiruvananthapuram-based nature lovers' group Warblers and Waders along with the Forest Department.

The survey was conducted from March 12 to 14. Direct sightings of birds and identification of calls were the methods used to finalise the data. ‘Peak observation' of birds was done during 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Last year, 165 species were recorded at Shenduruni.
According to C. Susanth, a group member, significant sightings included those of the Great Black Woodpecker, the Broad-billed Roller, the Blue-bearded Bee-eater, the Red winged Crested Cuckoo, the Indian Black Crested Baza, the Lesser Fishing Eagle, the Malay Bittern, the Open bill Stork and the Black-naped Oriole.

Of the 16 species endemic to the Western Ghats, 13 were recorded during the current survey. The endemic endangered and threatened (EET) species observed include the Malabar Grey Hornbill, the Nilgiri Flycatcher, the White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, the Grey headed Bulbul, the Small sunbird, the Grey-breasted laughing Thrush and the Rufous babbler.

Some birds were conspicuous by their absence in the survey data: the Red Spurfowl, the Drongo Cuckoo, the Lesser Coucal, the Long-tailed Nightjar, the Grasshopper Warbler, and the Painted Bush Quail. The last two surveys did not also record the presence of a common nocturnal bird, the Brown Fish Owl, Mr. Susanth said.

For the purpose of the survey, the Sanctuary was divided into 5 sections: Kattilappara, Rockwood, Umayar, Rosemala and Pandimotta. The survey at these base camps were led by ornithologists K.A. Kishore, C.G. Kiran, K.B. Sanjayan, A.K. Shivakumar and C. Harikumar who were assisted by 22 birdwatchers from all over the state.

The highest bird presence—126 species—was recorded at Kattillappara, Mr. Susanth said. The lowest numbers were recorded at Pandimotta-60 species. While 83 species were recorded at Rockwood, 90 species were recorded at Umayar and 91 at Rosemala.

The Great Indian Pied Hornbill was sighted only at Rosemala and Rockwood. The numbers sighted were lesser compared to last year's survey.

Surveyors spotted the breeding of the Malabar Trogon, the River Tern, the Small Sunbird and the Ruby throated Bulbul. The significant nesting and breeding recorded during the present survey was that of the Nilgiril Wood Pigeon—an EET species—at Pandimotta, Mr. Susanth added.

Source: The Hindu, 28th March 2010

Harness renewable energy: Minister

KOLLAM: Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said here on Sunday that Kerala had tremendous potential for generation of power from new and renewable energy sources. He was talking to presspersons during his journey by road from Kochi to Thiruvananthapuram.

Dr. Abdullah said he would initiate talks with the State government on ways to harness the renewable energy potential of the State. The Centre would extend all support to promote such projects, which, in some cases, can even go up to 90 per cent funding. Such projects were ideal for Kerala, he said.

The Minister pointed out that Punjab had at least 29 bio-mass plants generating electricity. Micro-hydel stations and bio-mass plants, if promoted, could reduce transmission loss and a ensure a more comfortable power position for the country. Tidal, wind and solar power were the other areas that the Centre was promoting and Kerala had tremendous scope in these areas, he said.

Unlike Kashmir, Kerala did not have Pakistan or China on its border and this provided a congenial atmosphere to promote such projects, he said in a lighter vein. The programme to produce 20,000 MW from wind energy would be extended all over the country.

Asked about the proposed Athirapilly power project in the State, Dr. Abdullah said granting clearance for the project came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. He said he was certain that if there were no environmental problems, such projects would be given clearance.

Regarding identifying locations for new hydel projects in the country, 65 per cent were “go areas” and 35 per cent “no go areas.” The latter areas raised environmental issues as these were wildlife habitats and had strong Adivasi presence. Therefore the thrust should be on developing hydel projects in the “go areas” to avoid controversies and delays.

Source: The Hindu, 29th March 2010

Tree census yet to begin in Kochi

KOCHI: Tree census, a project to prepare a database of trees announced a couple of years ago, is yet to take place even as the civic authorities have announced more green projects in its annual budget.

Protecting trees

The census was announced a couple of years ago on the realisation that the civic body lacked baseline data on the number of trees located in public places in the city.The authorities thought of evolving a strategy for protecting the trees based on the data as the instances of illegal felling shot up in the city. There were also incidents of miscreants destroying the saplings planted along the roads including the National Highway that passes through the city.

Recently, a few trees located in the central median of the National Highway at Vyttila were destroyed.

It was in January 2009 that the Town Planning Committee of the Kochi corporation cleared the project. Though the Kochi Corporation council too cleared the proposal for assigning the task to Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, the project could not be launched following some objections from a senior official of the civic body, said E.M. Sunilkumar, chairman of the Town Planning Standing committee of the corporation.

Later, the civic authorities included the proposal in People's Plan programme with an estimate of Rs. 6 lakh and the District Planning Committee cleared the project on March 26. The project can be implemented if an agreement is signed between the Kochi corporation and the College before March 31, Mr. Sunilkumar said.

The Deputy Mayor, while stating that the global warming and climate change were the inevitable signs of decline of a social system based on profit and class differentiation, said that one lakh saplings would be planted in the city.

The open spaces, parks, sideways of main roads and crematoriums would be used for the purpose, the budget proposal said.

The formation of a monitoring committee headed by K. Sukumaran, former judge of the Kerala High Court, was announced in the budget for protecting the existing trees and planting saplings.

Silent zone

The area between Fine Arts Hall junction and the High Court junction would be notified as a silent zone and the area will be protected as green belt, the budget announced.

Source: The Hindu, dated: 29th march 2010

Meet to discuss building of sewage treatment plant

KOZHIKODE: A meeting of environmentalists, architects, and residents' associations will be held on April 7 to discuss the issues related to the setting up of a centralised sewage treatment plant by the Kozhikode Corporation under the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP) near Sarovaram Bio-Park here.

Mayor M. Bhaskaran told the city Corporation council on Monday that the meeting would discuss ecological issues raised by residents' associations and environmentalists against the multi-crore project financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). A protest meeting against the project was held last week in which several prominent citizens, including writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair and environmentalist A. Achyuthan, took part.

Councillors P.K. Mamukoya (Congress), M. Krishnan (Communist Party of India- Marxist) and U.T. Rajan (Congress-S) raised the issue through a calling-attention motion at the council meeting. However, the Mayor and CPI(M) councillor P. Divakaran underlined the necessity of setting up a sewage network as well as a treatment plant in the city. Those protesting against the proposal during its implementation stage wanted to scuttle the project at any cost, Mr. Divakaran said.

The CPI (M) member said Dr. Achyuthan had earlier vociferously protested against the Sarovaram Bio-Park when the project was conceived. But it had now proved to be beneficial to citizens.

The protesters said the project should not be implemented in its present form as it envisaged emptying treated water into the Canoly Canal. The project would ruin the Sarovaram Bio-Park that was being developed as a major tourist attraction, they said.

‘Address concerns'

Mr. Mamukoya said the project should not be shelved, but the concerns of the residents should be addressed.

According to KSUDP officials, the new sewerage and sanitation project included rehabilitation and extension of the sewage in the north and the central areas and construction of a sewage treatment plant, with a capacity of 27 million litres a day, at Karimbanapalam.

The Rs. 60-crore project has taken into consideration several aspects such as the Arabian Sea in the west; the Canoly Canal in the east; the Kallai river in the south; and the Corporation boundary in the north. At present, there is no organised and scientific system to disposing of sewage in the city.

Raising another issue, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P.Mamukoya Haji demanded that the Corporation construct buildings for anganwadis at Vellayil under the KSUDP scheme. Hansa Jayant, councillor belonging to the Janata Dal (Secular) faction led by Deve Gowda, said the railway authorities should take steps to open an entry to the fourth platform of the Kozhikode railway station.

Source: The Hindu, dated: 30th March 2010

Protest against tourism project at Metran Kayal

KOTTAYAM: The controversy over the tourism project at the 417-acre Metran Kayal also known as Seminary Kayal is snowballing, with environmentalists and agriculturists joining hands against the project.

On Monday, Fr. Thomas Peeliyanickel, executive director, Kuttanad Vikasana Samithy; N. K. Sukumaran Nair, general secretary, Pamba Parirakshana Samithy; Unnikrishnan of Kottayam Nature Club; and M.J. Sivadas, president of Vembanad Kayal Samrakshana Samithy; joined hands to launch what they termed a sustained agitation. In a symbolic act, the protestors held harvested paddy spikes close to their heart and took a pledge to protect the paddy fields at Metran Kayal and called upon all sections of the people to join hands to protest against the large scale destruction of rich paddy fields in Kuttanad.

Speaking on the occasion, Fr. Peeliyanickel said they would soon form units of environmentalists across Kerala to fight for the ‘kayal.' The fight will signify the future of paddy cultivation in Kerala, he said.

According to him, protection of environment and paddy were part of the developmental efforts and not against society's growth.

There are very clear laws against alienation of paddy fields for other uses but authorities seem to turn a blind eye to it. Fr. Peeliyanickel called upon the authorities to take immediate action to cancel the title deeds issued to the new owners for using the land for purposes other than paddy cultivation.

Fr. Peeliyanickel said the State was facing a crisis in food security and today the State produces only 15 per of its needs. The paddy cultivation area which stood at eight lakh hectares in 1965 has dwindled to just 2.64 lakh hectares in 2007.

Metran Kayal, one of the richest paddy tracks in Kuttanad area, was bought by developers from 153 farmers at very low prices and they had kept the kayal fallow for three years.Now they are going to build a high cost tourism facility after reclamation of the ‘kayal.' This would mark the end of paddy cultivation in Kuttanad and the death of the Vembanad Lake, he said.

Fr. Peeliyanickel alleged that the developers were making unsustainable promises to woo the local people.

Instead of tourism projects with no local moorings, the ‘kayal' should be turned into a comprehensive paddy research and farming centre which would attract tourists, he pointed out.

Source: The Hindu, dated: 30th March 2010

Earth Hour to be observed tonight

Thiruvananthapuram: The WWF-India, Kerala State office, in association with NIMS Heart Foundation, NIMS Educational Trust, the Energy Management Centre and the Centre for Earth Science Studies, is organising the Earth Hour 2010 event at Gandhi Park here on Saturday, from 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. Earth Hour being a global event, people anywhere can express their solidarity with the global efforts to tackle climate change by switching off the lights for an hour from 8.30 p.m. Several corporates, IT majors, banks, hotel chains and institutions are joining hands to support the Earth Hour, which is an attempt to create awareness of climate change. The event began in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Last year, people in over 4,000 cities in 88 countries pledged their support to the event by turning off lights and embracing darkness for an hour.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 27.03.2010

World Earth Hour – Act today for a better tomorrow

Come 27 th March and the world will be in a switch off mode for an hour from 8.30 to 9.30 pm to observe World Earth Hour. The concept behind this campaign is to reduce the use of electricity thereby saving the planet from warming up further. The observation is also being made in attempt to spread awareness about better energy conservation. This year, Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan has been appointed as the brand ambassador of WWF's World Earth Hour observation in India. The World Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned off their lights for an hour as a stand against climate change. Soon after the World Earth Hour campaign went global and last year alone more than 5 million people in 4000 cities across 88 countries switched off their lights to pledge their support towards this noble cause. This year this figure is all likely to shoot up further as more and more organisations and individuals have stepped in to observe the day with due importance.

“The World Earth Hour is an event that will surely spread the message in the right direction”, feels Mathew Varghese of Good Earth in Kochi. He is also of the opinion that all such awareness programmes will have to target people at the grass root level as that can always make a big difference especially in areas like energy conservation. Today, both organisations and builders are emphasizing the importance of green buildings that will go a long way in energy conservation. Measures like the use of recycled and renewable materials, rain water harvesting, optimal use of space, application of energy efficient accessories etc are being adopted by builders who are sensitive to their environment. Architects, contractors and developers in the recent years have begun to realize the larger role they play in the struggle to conserve earth's resources. “We have expressed our social commitment and solidarity for a better earth by launching the first residential project in Kerala with coveted rating of Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)”, says John Thomas of Noel Builders in Kochi.
Source: The Hindu, Dated: 27.03.2010

Climate change hits State: Viswom

KOLLAM: Forest Minister Benoy Viswom has said that nature and environment should be protected for the future generations who have entrusted these to us. He was inaugurating the State-level World Forest Day celebrations organised by the Forest Department here on Sunday.

The Minister said that people of Kerala used to think that sunstroke was a north Indian phenomenon that would never happen in Kerala. But now, several people in the State had got sunstroke. Unseasonal rain had become usual in the State, even destroying precious crops in Kuttanad. But rain seemed to stay away during the season. He said the State which once boasted a systematic climate was now suffering the consequences of an upset climate system. Everyone was answerable to the question who was responsible for upsetting the climatic rhythm.

He said work in the Forest Department was not a mere government job. The fruits of the work could be seen only in the future. As a result of the concerted efforts of the department, 28 per cent of land in the Kerala was now covered by forests, above the national average of 21 per cent. Mr. Viswom said the Silent Valley movement was a big awakening for the environment movement in the State. The Neelakurinji sanctuary would be declared open only after taking care of the interests of the farmers there. In his presidential address, Mayor V. Rajendrababu said that while there was concern that the State was losing its greenery, the Forest Department had come out with schemes that stem this rot. N. Peethambara Kurup, MP; A.A. Aziz, MLA; T.M. Manoharan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; W.R. Reddy, Secretary, Forest Department; and District Collector A. Shajahan; spoke.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 22.03.2010

eco crystal water treatment

The opinion people have about water quality and water filters are as varied as the myths and questions. Ecocrystal provides answers to some myths related to water. You may wonder whether there is any regulation in drinking water in India. Yes, Indian standard has a specification for potable drinking water. In January 2003, Drinking Water Regulation TVO came into effect. For the first time the guidelines took into consideration the fact that pollutants can find their way into drinking water between the time it leave the water works and the time it arrives at the point of use.

You may also want to know is boiling water absolutely safe. The answer is no. Some elements in water beyond certain limit are very harmful for human body. For example, calcium, nitrate, sodium, mercury, or lead is very much harmful for human body when consumed from water sources. Boiling does not remove these harmful elements from the water. Hence these elements have to be filtered before drinking. Some people wonder what filtration of water means. Filtering water means removing all harmful elements from water by filtration process, where only water is allowed to pass and the harmful element remain outside the filter.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 22.03.2010

Time has come when every drop counts

In recent years, water has always been the focal centre of debates. Water is perhaps that component in our life which we do not care to acknowledge until we experience shortage of the same. And still, the availability of good drinking water is still a dream for millions of people across the world. It is to reassert the importance of conserving water that World Water Day was began to be observed. The World Water Day that falls on 22nd March every year and is observed under the initiative of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development since 1993. And through celebrations, one is reminded of the great importance preserving water.

Be it for anything man can not do without water. In fact, in every facets of human activity, we find that water play a vital role. It is also said that, although one can live without food for over a month, without water one can only live for approximately a week. According to a United Nations estimate, about half the world's population are likely to suffer from water shortages by the year 2025. This is because water resources are alarmingly dwindling and its demand is always on the rise. Pollution of water sources is another serious cause of concern.

And considering the growing demand for good quality water, experts are of the opinion that nations will have a tough time managing their water boundaries. In India, water disputes have made national headlines a number of times in the recent past. However, tactical approach by the authorities concerned has ensured those in dispute to arrive at consensus and move along the path of cooperation by sharing water. Even though, water is the most common substance found on earth, the fact is that only one per cent of the earth's water is suitable for drinking. And factors such as pollution, reclamation, climatic changes etc are badly affecting the quality of remaining sources of water.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 22.03.2010

Eloor-Edayar, Ambalamugal industrial areas declared critically polluted

KOCHI: The Eloor-Edayar and Ambalamugal industrial belts are the “critically polluted industrial areas of Greater Cochin area” where a moratorium on new projects will be in force, the Union Ministry for Environment and Forest has said in a communication. The “temporary moratorium on consideration of projects for environment clearance located on critically polluted areas based on the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI),” was slapped by the Ministry earlier this year. The moratorium will be in effect till August. The Ministry released the list of specific pollution-hit clusters “as various State governments had expressed difficulties in implementing the order due to inadequate details about the boundaries of critically polluted clusters identified,” the communication said. The index prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board had ranked the Greater Cochin area at 24 among the 81 clusters in the country it assessed.

Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister for Environment and Forest, had also stated in Kochi earlier that the moratorium would be lifted only after pollution mitigation measures were introduced in the areas. The CEPI index recorded “various health dimensions of environment including air, water and land.” The index was intended to act as an early warning tool and to help in categorising the industrial clusters in terms of the priority of planning needs for interventions, according to the Ministry communication. The Greater Cochin area got an aggregate CEPI score of 75.08 out of 100. It was also included in the list of “existing critically polluted areas” by the board. As per the CEPI ranking, the areas that scored 70 and above were classified as critically polluted ones. While the water quality of the Cochin area obtained a CEPI score of 64, the air quality got a score of 57 and the land component 54.

Ankleshwar in Gujarat topped the pollution list with a CEPI score of 88.5 followed by Vapi (88.09), Ghaziabad (87.37) and Chandrapur (83.88). The Burnihat and Digboi industrial clusters of Assam were the cleanest clusters with scores of 46.26 and 44.55 respectively. The blanket order had created widespread confusion in the industrial and political circles of the State. There were also apprehensions that a large number of upcoming commercial ventures in the area would be affected by the order.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 20.03.2010

Climate change hits mango farmers

MUTHALAMADA (PALAKKAD): Mango farmers in Muthalamada panchayat in Chittur taluk are a worried lot. Delayed and poor yield due to climate change have denied them the price advantage they used to enjoy and left them vulnerable to the vagaries of the market. Muthalamada panchayat in Palakkad is known as the ‘Mango City' for its unique early yield and exotic quality. Mango is cultivated in more than 2,500 hectares here. The annual yield is estimated to be over 35,000 tonnes of premium varieties like Alphonso, Banganapilly, Malgova, Kalapadi, Suvernarekha, Sindhooram etc.

Palakkad district is the main commercial mango producing tract in the State. Arrival of ripe mango begins in January as mango trees flower early at Muthalamada. As they are the first to hit the market, mangoes here fetch good price and export orders. But climate change and unseasonal rain in November and December have upset the calculations of mango farmers and exporters. Late flowering and the consequent delay in harvest and the poor yield have denied the early bird advantage enjoyed by the farmers here.

There are more than 30 exporters and 26 semi-permanent and temporary pack houses in Muthalamada. Despite these setbacks, a farmer, Becker, has established a modern pack house with a mango ripening chamber, which will be functional by April first week. Deputy Director of Agriculture Jose Varghese said the State Horticulture Mission was extending all support to mango farmers. It also gave training to the farmers on ripening of mango by using modern techniques at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, which is the main mango growing tract in India. But the mango farmers demanded that the government should help them come out of the crisis so that Muthalamada remained one of the main producers of export quality mangoes in the country. They demanded immediate implementation of a proposal by the Backward Area Development Grant Fund.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 20.03.2010

Environment and folklore in focus

MALAPPURAM: A two-day seminar on ‘Environment and folklore' organised jointly by the Kerala Folklore Akademi, Calicut University School of Folklore Studies, and South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur, began at Calicut University on Thursday. Inaugurating the seminar, Vice-Chancellor Anwar Jahan Zuberi stressed the importance protecting nature and eco-system, especially as they faced serious challenges in the present socio-economic and political system.

A.K. Nambiar, secretary of the Kerala Folklore Akademi, welcomed the gathering. V.M. Kutty, vice-chairman of the Akademi, released the new issue of magazine ‘Poli'. Purushan Kadalundi, secretary of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, and Raghavan Payyanad, head of the School of Folklore Studies, spoke. E.K. Govindavarma Raja, folklore lecturer, proposed a vote of thanks. The ‘Students Trap' on the campus saw the staging of different folk arts in the evening. Attur Ambujam and party staged Pulluvan Pattu and Thiriyuzhichil. Murugan and party from Marayoor staged Malappulayattam, a unique performance by the Hill Pulaya tribes of Idukki. K. Kumaran and party from Mattul, Kannur, performed Chimmanakkali, a mime drama of Pulaya depicting their caste history and development.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 19.03.2010

Kerala must realise damages from Coca-Cola: House panel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The Assembly Committee on Petitions has called upon the Kerala government to assess the socio-economic damage sustained by the people of Plachimada on account of the operation of the Hindustan Coca-Cola unit there and take steps to realise compensation from the company. In its 11th report tabled in the House on Thursday, the Committee said the main loss sustained by Plachimada arose from Coca-Cola's ‘unjustified' extraction of groundwater that could have been used by several generations in the area. “The Committee understands that the people in the area had sustained economic, social and health-related devastation on account of water pollution, fall in water needed for farming and health-related problems,” the Committee said.

Better water level now : The Committee, which went into questions such as level of water in nearby draw-wells at the time of closure of the company and the change in the level five years later, said the report submitted to it by the Palakkad district unit of the Groundwater Department showed that the water level in the wells in the neighbourhood, which was very low at the time of closure of the company, had improved significantly after the closure. The Committee said that it was informed by officers of the Groundwater Department that a 14-member high power committee constituted by the government had received compensation claims totalling Rs. 203,20,72,410.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 19.03.2010

Students develop eco-friendly engine

Thiruvananthapuram: A group of Mechanical Engineering students of the Sarabhai Institute of Science and Technology here have developed an electromagnetic engine that promises a clean alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles. The students, V. Jayaram, Chanthu S. Krishnan, Akhilesh S.S. Nair and Sreejith P.S., modified a 60 cc sprayer engine to demonstrate the electromagnetic principle. The engine operates on the repulsive force between two magnets, one embedded in the piston and the other on top of the cylinder.

The electromagnet on the cylinder head is powered by a battery that can be charged using solar panels. The engine is controlled by an electronic gadget that acts as the accelerator. “We have demonstrated that any petrol or diesel powered engine can be modified for electromagnetic propulsion. Such a modified engine will be free of noise and air pollution. The cost of modification may range between Rs.20,000 and Rs.30,000,” says Jayaram.

The team took about two years to design the engine. The students were guided by F.P. Joshua, Professor, and D. Praveen Kumar, Assistant Professor. “Electromagnetic engines are more efficient than servo motors and permanent magnet DC motors,” says Jayaram. He said the electromagnetic engine had the potential to revolutionise the automobile industry. “Once the engine is suitably modified, the fuel tank, timer chain, camshaft, air filter, fuel injection system and exhaust mechanism can be dispensed with, thereby freeing up space and reducing the weight of the vehicle considerably,” he added. The students are planning to file a patent application for the design.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 19.03.2010

Campaign against hazards of tobacco

KANNUR: Concerted efforts to create public awareness about the health hazards of tobacco use and law enforcement to discourage smoking in public places were highlighted at a workshop on tobacco control here on Tuesday. The district-level workshop of stakeholders in tobacco control, including Health Department staff, police and excise officials and members of voluntary organisations here, stressed the urgency of driving home the anti-tobacco message to alert the public to the health hazards of smoking and other uses of tobacco. Collector V.K. Balakrishnan inaugurated the meet organised by the Kerala Voluntary Health Services, Kottayam, and the Academic and Technical Education Development Society, in association with the District Medical Office with the support of the Voluntary Health Association of India, New Delhi.

He said that manpower being one of the major resources of the country, the health hazards caused by tobacco and alcohol consumption would adversely affect the country's potential for immense economic growth. District Medical Officer P.C. Sreedharan said that social and economic issues of tobacco use were also important. The beedi industry of the region that once employed thousands of people was now thinking about rehabilitating its workers. Rehabilitation of beedi workers should also be part of the discussion of the health hazards. Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar said the police would extend all assistance to the anti-smoking campaign. Deputy DMO R. Ramesh and Nirmal Raj of ATEDS were among those who spoke at the workshop.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 17.03.2010

Heat threatens paddy crop in Kuttanad

ALAPPUZHA: The scorching sun that has kept people hopping on their toes is now threatening to burn down the hopes of paddy farmers in Kuttanad, some of whom have begun harvesting the ‘puncha' crop, and others, who are just about to begin. The ‘puncha' round of cultivation here, for which seeds were sown in October-November in about 27,000 hectares, has seen harvest completed in around 14,000 hectares. While the yield in areas where seed was sown earlier and where harvest is complete is almost on the same lines as the previous season, the situation in the rest is yet to become clear. According to Principle Agriculture Officer Jose Joseph, the heat over the last one week could sap the energy from the plant, affecting grain production and in turn, the overall weight.

Advice to farmers
Though farmers were advised to let water in and out of the paddy fields to keep the ground moist, many were not doing this. The reason was their apprehension that the moist ground might make it difficult for the combine harvester machine to move around during the harvest. The impact of this would be known in a couple of days as the heat has shown no signs of abating. On the other hand, with no serious pest damage reported so far, the season has been trouble-free, unlike most of the previous ‘puncha' seasons. Some minor pest attacks were tackled effectively with timely intervention from the Agriculture Department and the Centre for Pest Management, Mankombu, Mr. Joseph said. “There is no shortage of combine harvester machines either. We have 258 machines on the fields right now,” Mr. Joseph said. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department's Agromet advisory bulletin for rice in Kuttanad has cautioned farmers that there is a possibility of the False Smut disease due to the prevailing weather conditions.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 17.03.2010

Climate change: women, children most hit

HYDERABAD: If climate change is indeed the biggest global health threat, public health professionals say that women and children in developing countries will be hit hardest. Research has shown that deep inequalities make them the most vulnerable to scarcity and disease when community sources start to shrink. “Malnutrition poses the biggest threat to children,” paediatrics professor Louis Reynolds said. “If temperature rises by 3 degrees centigrade, deaths from malnutrition will go up by three million.” He was speaking from South Africa through a video conference held last week on ‘Climate Change and its Impact on Women's and Children's Health'.

Dr. Reynolds said greater poverty and poorer access to food and primary care would increase malnutrition. Although not responsible for climate change, developing countries and the poor, particularly, would pay the highest price in the absence of ‘climate justice'. “Part of the problem is lack of research” ,said Mala Rao, Director, Indian Institute of Public Health. “Heat waves will have an impact on women's obstetrics but we don't know enough yet.” What they do know is disheartening. Drought, an obvious effect of climate change, will see wives going hungry to feed their husbands, and girls eating less than their brothers.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 17.03.2010

Solar power to light up Mankulam panchayat

KATTAPPANA: With the completion of a Central scheme for electrification of remote grama panchayats on March 25, a total of 1,786 houses in Mankulam grama panchayat in Idukki district will be electrified through the installation of solar power units. It was a major scheme undertaken by the Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) in the grama panchayat. The unique terrain and remoteness of many areas in the panchayat have made it difficult to draw power supply lines. Already solar panels have been installed in 1,300 houses. The grama panchayat authorities hope that solar panels can be installed in all houses before the last date for the completion of the scheme. Mankulam grama panchayat president Valsamma Shaji told The Hindu on Monday that the panchayat had already given power connection to households, shops and business establishments according to priority. She said that lack of power connection had been a major problem faced by the grama panchayat since its bifurcation from the Munnar grama panchayat about a decade ago.

The Kerala State Electricity Board supplies electricity to 400 households in the grama panchayat, which is far below the demand. The survey for installing solar power units had been undertaken nearly two years ago. Another survey was held prior to the implementation of the scheme to eliminate those having power connection already. A major feature of the scheme is that cent per cent subsidy is provided to the households for the installation of the panels. Central government bears 90 per cent of the cost while the rest is contributed by the district panchayat and the State government.

P.D. Joy, grama panchayat member, who is supervising the completion of the scheme on time, said that solar power units would be highly useful to the households, which were not provided with [power connection due to the remoteness of the area. Mankulam grama panchayat had created a history of sorts in October 2004, by starting a mini hydel project producing 50 kV electricity, which was supplied to 300 households. This was the first electricity project implemented by a grama panchayat in the country. This was done in association with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Energy Management Centre (EMC) with public participation.

However, the project had to be abandoned four years ago due to technical problems and failure in synchronisation with the electricity provided by the KSEB. Mr. Joy said that this was the reason for seeking tailor-made schemes for the households. A solar unit consists of a panel, two lights, battery and a plug point. It has also facility for charging mobile and WLL phones.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 16.03.2010

Clouds over Indian Ocean promise showers in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Indications are in favour of a couple of evening showers in many parts of Kerala towards the second half of this week, provided the interplay of all known and unknown factors that govern the weather systems behave to expectations. Responding to a question whether there would be any rain soon over the State, P.V. Joseph, former Director of India Meteorological Department (IMD), said on Monday that a long band of clouds had formed stretching over a length of nearly 1,000 kilometres over the Indian Ocean, some 500 km to the south of the Indian Peninsula. The normal tendency of this cloud band would be to move north. It might come gliding slowly, bringing a couple of showers over Kerala in another two or three days. Do not expect them to be anything more than light evening showers; yet these showers could bring down the temperatures over the State for a while. The summer would stretch ahead,” he told The Hindu.

Unusually hot weather: Speaking of the unusually hot weather at the beginning of this summer, Dr. Joseph, an internationally reputable climate expert, said one need not search for its reasons beyond the simple reality of global warming. The summer of 2009 had been the hottest in the last 100 years in the country. K. Santhosh, Director of the Thiruvananthapuram meteorology centre, said the wind-flow pattern over the peninsula so far this month had not been the usual one for this time of the season. Usually, moist north-westerly winds from the direction of the Arabian Sea would meet with southerly or south-easterly winds from the Indian Ocean around this time of the year, forming a trough extending from interior Karnataka to the tip of the peninsula. This would cause clouding and a few thundershowers, keeping a bridle on the temperatures.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 16.03.2010

India to fight any attempt to unseat Pachauri: Jairam

NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Monday assured Parliament that India would resist any kind of attempt to unseat Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chairman R.K. Pachauri, asserting that the government had full faith and confidence in him. Replying to supplementaries during question hour in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Ramesh said the government had full confidence in the IPCC Chairman. The IPCC had come under fire for making claims on the melting of Himalayan glacier by 2035. Mr. Ramesh said the government objected to the alarm created by the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC over the melting of glaciers. The report was based on poorly substantiated estimates of recession.

“In drafting the paragraph on the subject in question, the clear and well-established standards of evidence, required by the IPCC procedures, were not applied properly,” he said. “India's objections to the report were upheld and we were vindicated. We are backing IPCC Chairman [Mr. Pachauri] and will fight any attempt to unseat him,” he told the House. The Minister said that while most Himalayan glaciers were retreating, some were advancing. Some glaciers like the Gangotri were retreating at decelerating rate. “Most of the glaciers are retreating and this is a cause of concern. There is a need for systematic approach and methodology to address the issue,” he said.

India, he said, was committed to the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change that put the responsibility of cutting emissions on developed countries who were the worst polluters. “The Government is conscious of its responsibility to take steps to address climate change at the global and national level in accordance with the principles and provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol,” he said. Mr. Ramesh said the precise reason for the melting of Himalayan glaciers — whether climate change or natural cyclical process — was being studied. “We have set up a National Institute of Himalayan Glaciology at Dehra Dun to measure, monitor and model what is happening to our glaciers. The issue cannot be discussed in isolation and there is a need to take China, Nepal, Bhutan and at some time even Pakistan on board to prepare a common response,” he added.

Source: The Hindu, dated: 16.03.2010

Corporation plans jetty to ease waste movement

KOCHI: The city Corporation plans to take immediate steps to increase the efficiency of the Brahmapuram Solid Waste Treatment Plant, including construction of a new jetty to facilitate transportation of waste from various parts of the city to the plant through the waterway. “A boat jetty at Brahmapuram will facilitate the smooth and effective transportation of waste materials to the plant,” said a top Corporation official.

The idea of exploring the possibility of waterways came in the wake of the recent fire at the plant, which invited criticism from all quarters. The official said the Corporation was considering a project to improving existing waterways in Kochi. The allocation made in this year’s State budget for purchase of 40 boats for conducting ferry services is good news. Apart from the Brahmapuram plant, the project also aims at extending water transportation to other areas such as Vyttila, Chambakkara, Udyogamandal, Edakochi and Palluruthy by constructing new jetties.

The feasibility study by the Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) will give extra focus to projects which will help in the overall development of the existing waterways in the city. “Global Works International, which is doing a feasibility study for CDIA, is expected to submit its report soon. The report is likely to cover details of construction of new jetties at various places in the City, including Brahmapuram,” the official said. The Corporation, which also plans to install a refuse- derived fuel plant at Brahmapuram, which will help process plastic waste, recently acquired 45 acres.
With this, the civic body has a total of 100 acres at Brahmapuram which will help expedite its expansion plans.

Source: Indian Express, Dated: 12.03.2010

How to Soothe a Sunburn

There are some tricks that will soothe sunburn and some old wives tales that can do more harm than good. This list of do’s and don’ts will help if you find yourself with a nasty burn. Of course, start any time you spend in the sun with a sweat-proof, water-proof sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and you won’t even need this information – prevention is the ultimate way to soothe sunburn!

Start with the Don’ts. They can actually cause further damage to your skin and increase your pain.

Don’t use anything cold to soothe a burn. Always use a cool soak or compress.

Don’t exfoliate or use products that contain glycolic acid, retinoids, or salicylic acid until you are completely done peeling. After you’re done peeling, wait another three days to allow your skin to finish healing. Your skin is too sensitive during this time to be exposed to these ingredients.

Don’t pop any blisters. Don’t apply any lotion or gel to blisters.

Don’t use an oil based spray even if it says it’s for use on sunburned skin. The coating these sprays form locks the heat of the burn onto your skin and greatly increases your pain.

Don’t pull off peeling skin. This can prolong and worsen peeling. Let flaking skin fall off naturally. 

Don’t go back into the sun until your burn has healed and your skin is no longer red or pink. If you must be in the sun, protect the burned areas of your skin with a hat, long sleeves or pants.


And now for the Do’s. These are tried and true ways to treat a sunburn that will benefit your skin and help speed up the healing process.

Do keep your legs or arms elevated when they are even moderately burned.

Do use damp, chilled teabags to soothe sunburned eyelids. Chamomile is gentle and works well.

Do use cool compresses soaked in milk to soothe the affected areas. Milk proteins create a protective coat on the skin that helps maintain the moisture necessary for the healing enzymes to both soothe the skin and take away the sting.

Do take a cool 10 – 15 minute shower to lower your increased body temperature. This will also help pull the heat from the burn and reduce your pain.

Do drink green tea or pomegranate extract or juice. Both have soothing anti-inflammatory benefits and are strong antioxidants, which can help repair the unseen damage of UV exposure.

Do eat lots of fruits (especially berries) and veggies. Their antioxidants will also help lessen UV damage.

Do moisturize a lot! Use moisturizers with aloe and antioxidants, especially on your face. Continue to moisturize even while you’re peeling.

Do sleep in very soft, loose-fitting dress with no lace or tags to help reduce pain.

Do call/see your doctor immediately if you experience blistering, fever, chills or weakness as a result of your sunburn.

Source: here

Sunburns - Do's and Don'ts

PALAKKAD: In an unprecedented high temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius experienced in the district for the last two weeks, five persons were admitted to a hospital at Pathiripala, near here, with sunburns on Wednesday. The Health Department which confirmed the sunburn incident after examining the five persons issued a warning to the people in the wake of the rise in temperature in the district. Four taxi drivers and a vegetable vendor who were exposed to the sun suffered burns on the backside of their shoulder. The taxi drivers who went to take bath at a nearby river in the afternoon found that they were having burns on their back and swelling. After sometime the skin peeled out and they experienced severe pain. Source - The Hindu, Thursday, Mar 11, 2010

Friday, March 12, 2010

Click here for detailed news and Do's and Don'ts regarding surnburn

Solar energy mission plans power projects

KOCHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission aims at setting up 20,000 mW grid solar power and 2,000 mW of off-grid solar power by 2022, Bibek Bandyopadhyay, advisor on the Solar Thermal Programme of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, has said. Elaborating on the highlights of the mission at the Indo-German dialogue on ‘accelerated dissemination of solar energy technologies in India' at the Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology last week, Dr. Bandyopadhyay said the programme also intends setting up 20 million solar lights and 20 million square metres of solar thermal collectors by 2022. He said that the mission will be implemented in three phases. The first phase of three years up to fiscal 2012-13 has a target to set up 1,100 mW grid connected solar plants and 200 mW capacity off-grid solar applications.

It will focus on capturing the low-hanging options in solar thermal and on promoting off-grid systems to serve populations without access to commercial energy and modest capacity addition in grid-based systems. In the second phase, capacity will be aggressively ramped up to create conditions for up scaled and competitive solar energy penetration in the country after taking in to account the experience of the initial years. The target of the mission is to create favourable conditions for solar manufacturing capability, particularly solar thermal for indigenous production and market leadership. It will also try to promote programmes for off grid applications, reaching 1,000 mW by 2017 and 2,000 mW by 2022. The mission objective is to achieve 15 million square metres of solar thermal collector area by 2017 and 20 million by 2022. Dr. Bandyopadhyay said the mission will promote accelerated use of solar energy while ensuring the country's energy security with environmental compatibility.

Source: the Hindu, Dated: 10.03.2010

State forests facing fire threat with onset of summer

KOCHI: Forest tracks of Kerala are facing the risk of fire as the mercury levels are soaring. The State has already lost around 700 hectares of pristine forest land to fire this season starting December 2009. Increased atmospheric temperature and absence of summer rain have put the forest areas in perilous position.

“The forests of the State are facing the increased risk of fire,” said T.M. Manoharan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest. Summer rain had evaded the State and it had not rained in the forests too. The delayed summer shower would further worsen the situation, he said. The fire that broke out last year had destroyed over 2,000 hectares of pristine forest land raising major environmental concerns. February proved to be the worst month in terms of loss of forest area this year. The figures available with the Forest Department showed that 441.58 hectares was gutted during the month.

During the first week of March, 203.82 hectares had been gutted. It was mostly in the Southern Forest Range that most of the fire incidents had occurred this month The drying up of bamboo groves in forest areas was another cause of concern for the forest officials during this summer. Bamboo groves die after the flowering season. Large tracts of bamboo groves had dried up after its flowering last year. The dry bamboo could trigger large fires, he said. Extra caution would be exercised in forest areas with dried bamboo. The closure of such areas to visitors was one such measure.

The department was unable to remove the bamboo following an apex court verdict preventing the removal of forest produces for commercial purposes. The Forest Department was monitoring the fire situation closely with the support of a web site (web fire mapper) which tracks forest fire across the world. The satellite images of any fire that broke out in a forest area of minimum one hectare would be posted on the web site. The fire data was followed up every day and SMS alerts were sent to forest officials in the region where the fire was reported. Subsequently, the officials would be directed to file action taken reports. All major incidents of fire could thus be tracked and controlled effectively, Mr. Manoharan said. The general public could access the site and alert the department about the fire incidents. The data of earlier incidents of fire was also available on the web site, he said.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 10.03.2010

Task force on climate change sought

KOCHI: The national symposium on impact of climate change on aquatic ecosystems held here recently has recommended setting up a government-level task force comprising experts to handle the policy making and research for mitigating climate change. The report prepared by the experts who attended the programme also suggested formulating stringent rules to control the green house gas emissions. “Implement inter-institutional collaborative work on climate change and involve the NGOs. There is also a need for creating awareness on climate change and its ecological effects at different levels of the society,” the report said.

Pointing out that research and development funding should be increased for climate change studies in core and allied areas, the report said that the use of algae for bio fuel research and production should be implemented in a greater way. “It is also suggested that all scientific programmes in the aquatic ecosystems including the ocean sector may be conceived, planned and implemented by a core group of professionals in the respective areas so that a synoptic and comprehensive and long term data base relevant to climate change is evolved,” the report said. S. Bijoy Nandan, organizing secretary of the event and Reader in Marine Biology at Cochin University of Science and Technology, said that there was a need to evolve concurrent data on long term impacts of climate change on fisheries and its environment and also the application of ecosystem modeling / system ecology, remote sensing techniques for suggesting definite conclusions. “Although coral bleaching emerged as the most viable impact of climate change, database (related to this aspect) is scanty and there was a need for separate long term comprehensive studies,” Dr. Nandan said.

The report said that there has been closely spaced general observation that long term database on temperature and other relevant parameters is lacking all along the Indian coast. The monsoon rainfall pattern and its decadal, biannual and long term cycles are to be taken note while designing observation programmes. There was paucity of data on methane and other green house gases from the water bodies and other sources along the Indian coast and there was a need for standardisation and inter calibration of measurements, it said. Explaining that healthy ecosystems are better able to adapt to climate change, the report suggested stepping up efforts to reduce the fragmentation and degradation of ecosystems not currently protected or represented in reserves. This includes ensuring an end to broad scale land clearing.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 10.03.2010

Fast to save lake

KOLLAM: Greens under the banner of the Paristithi Samrakshana Ekopana Samithi will observe World Water Day on March 22 by organising a fast to press for the demand of protecting the Sasthamcotta freshwater lake which is shrinking at an alarming rate. Samithi general convener Odanavattam Vjayaprakash said the fast to be held on the banks of the lake would be inaugurated by the Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran at 10 a.m.The samithi felt that constitution of a society to protect the lake would serve no purpose.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 10.03.2010

Plan for mangrove protection to bring cheer to greens

KANNUR: Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac's announcement in his Budget speech on Friday that financial assistance will be provided for the protection of mangroves will bring cheer to green activists in the district, which has the largest area under mangroves in the State. The Budget proposes that since a large extent of mangrove forests in the State is under the control of private individuals, a fixed amount per hectare as incentive be given to them for their preservation. Environmental groups have been demanding measures for the protection of large swathes of mangrove forests, mostly owned by private individuals, in the region. The area under mangroves along the State's coastline has shrunk over the years with their conversion for development activities.

The district is estimated to have 3,500 ha of the total 4,200 ha of mangrove forests in the State. The mangroves-rich areas in the district include Kunhimangalam, Ezhimala, Payyannur, Pazhayangadi, Chempallikkundu, Keeriyad, Ayiramthengu, Valapattanam, Kattampally, Edakkad, Dharmadam, and Thalassery. Azhikyur, Monthal, Kolavipalam, Analikkadavu, Akalapuzha, Eranhikkal, Pavangad, Elathur, Kottoli, Olavanna, Beypore, Chaliyam and Kadalundi in Kozhikode also have mangrove forests. Forest officials complain that private possession of the areas under mangroves is an obstacle to enforcing measures to protect them. Another budgetary proposal to provide incentives for the conservation of sacred groves (‘kavus') based on their extent will also hearten nature lovers. The kavus are mostly concentrated in north Malabar, especially in the region between the Mahe river in Kannur and the Chandragiri river in Kasaragod. Repositories of biodiversity, kavus have been facing threat owing to large-scale conversion of land.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 6.03.2010

Call for energy-efficient buildings

KOCHI: Incorporating energy-efficiency measures in buildings has the potential to save up to 50 per cent energy, since buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emissions. For existing buildings, the savings potential through alterations and energy-efficient fittings is between 20 and 25 per cent. Even non air-conditioned buildings can go green, by making optimal use of wind and daylight and by adopting other environment-friendly measures. These were stated at ‘Go Green' – a seminar-cum-exhibition on green buildings, organised here on Friday by the Rotary Club of Thripunithura and KREEPA, as part of their Akshaya Vikas Project.

Making a presentation, Siva Kishan, chief executive officer of GRIHA – Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (which is the national rating system for green buildings), said the Energy Conservation Building Code regulates the usage of power in new buildings. “Green-rating mechanisms have been able to sensitise the construction industry to the benefits of integrated design and resource efficiency, from both the economic and environmental perspective. A rating system for India must respond to the country's diversity and help develop sensible solutions relevant to different building projects.” In her presentation on ‘Green buildings – the potential to earn carbon credits,' Mayurika Chakraborthy, senior consultant with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India, said that less power consumption for lighting, air-conditioning, etc., would mean lesser usage of electricity from the thermal-power dominated power grid. “This in turn means an equivalent reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that are released from fossil fuels. This makes a green building eligible to earn carbon credits.”

Guruprakash Sastry, manager (Green Initiatives) of Infosys, said the IT firm has been aggressively going ahead with its plan to design all its buildings as green buildings, to optimise energy performance and occupant comfort. “Sustainable buildings and saving every percentage of electricity and water make business sense and reduces expenses, especially when the annual electricity bills exceed Rs.120 crore and the water consumption is over 3 billion litres.” Quoting Winston Churchill, Sathiaram Ram of IGBC, Hyderabad, said, “We shape our buildings. Thereafter, they shape us.” Buildings consume more energy than industry and vehicles. The green concept must become part of society's DNA. Even a 100-sq ft building can make a difference in shaping a better world. The intangible benefits of green buildings include better working/living atmosphere, he said and cited how a 20,000 sq ft green building saved Rs.9 lakh a year. “India also has a great opportunity to export green-building technologies. Already, India has 508 green buildings spread over 358 million square ft area,” Mr. Ram said.

Source: the Hindu, Dated: 6.03.2010

Bt cotton ineffective against pest in parts of Gujarat, admits Monsanto

NEW DELHI: For the first time anywhere in the world, biotech agriculture giant Monsanto has admitted that insects have developed resistance to its Bt cotton crop. Field monitoring in parts of Gujarat has discovered that the Bt crop is no longer effective against the pink bollworm pest. The company is advocating that Indian farmers switch to its second-generation product to delay resistance further. Monsanto's critics say that this just proves the ineffectiveness of the Bt technology, which was recently sought to be introduced in India in Bt brinjal as well. In November 2009, Monsanto's scientists detected unusual survival of the pink bollworm pest while monitoring the Bt cotton crop in Gujarat. In January and February, samples taken from the field were tested in Monsanto's laboratories. It has been confirmed that pink bollworm is now resistant to the pest-killing protein of Bt cotton in four districts — Amreli, Bhavnagar, Junagarh and Rajkot. Until now, Monsanto held that “there have been no confirmed cases of poor field performance of Bt cotton or Bt corn attributable to insect resistance.” Although there have been cases of insects resisting the technology in the laboratory, Monsanto held that “field resistance is the criterion of relevance to agricultural producers.”

Now that the company itself has admitted that its product has been proved ineffective against some insects on the fields of Gujarat, its advice to farmers is to start using its second generation product instead. “Farmers have another choice. We have a two-gene product called Bollgard II which has greater ability to delay resistance,” says Monsanto India's Director of Scientific Affairs Rashmi Nair. She also recommends that farmers conduct better monitoring and plant “refuges,” or areas of non-Bt crop which would attract insects. Agricultural scientists and activists say Monsanto's advice is “ridiculous”. The Bollgard II has no additional toxin to combat pink bollworm, says G.V. Ramanjaneyulu of the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture. It is simply that as a newer product, Bollgard II will take longer for the pest to develop resistance. Anyway, the Bt toxin is active only for 90 days, while pink bollworm is a late season pest, he adds. “All the hype about the effectiveness of Bt against pests is bogus …This proves that you can't stay ahead of the pest with … this shortsighted approach,” says Kavitha Kuruganti of the Kheti Virasat Mission. Indian farmers with small holdings cannot be expected to give up large parts of their land for non- productive “refuges,” added Dr. Ramanjaneyulu.

Monsanto's Dr. Nair says the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) was informed of the resistance “eight to ten days ago.” The CICR, which has been collaborating in the field monitoring of Bt cotton since 2003, has reported this to the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), she said. However, the Ministry of Environment and Forests seemed to have been unaware of the test results until Monsanto issued a statement on Friday.Over the last month, the GEAC and the Ministry have been at the centre of a storm regarding the government's moratorium on commercial release of Bt brinjal. Critics are now pointing to the ineffectiveness of Bt cotton in Gujarat to strengthen their case against Bt brinjal as well.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 6.03.2010

Earthquake in Chili

Source: Malayala Manorama, Dated: 5.03.2010

Forest fire in Ranni (Vayyatupuzha)

Source: Malayalamanorama, Dated: 5.03.2010

Water on moon a path-breaking finding, says ex-chief of ISRO

KOCHI: The confirmation of the presence of water on the moon by Chandrayaan-I probes will open vast opportunities for space research, says G. Madhavan Nair, former chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). For one thing, water available on the moon could be split into oxygen and hydrogen using sunlight and the oxygen could be used by human explorers while the hydrogen could be used as fuel.

This could reduce the necessity to carry expensive payloads of oxygen and fuel by future space missions. This could drastically cut the cost of space research. At present, every kilogram of payload cost $50,000, thus making space explorations prohibitively expensive. “It is a path-breaking finding,” Mr. Nair, who was at the helm of the Chandrayaan-I project, said in his K.P. Hormis Memorial Lecture here on Thursday. “It is one of the greatest findings from the space exploration.” (NASA had early this week announced that its radar onboard India's lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-I had detected vast ice deposits near the moon's north pole.)

Mr. Nair, talking on ‘Technological challenges for national development,' said investment in research and development in science and technology was meagre in India and this needs to be scaled up drastically so that science and technology could contribute to national development. He urged financial institutions to set apart a share of their financial resources for technological initiatives as a breed of venture capitalists was yet to rise in India. Mr. Nair highlighted improving agricultural productivity as a major technological challenge for Indian scientists as the country needed to grow more food to feed its billion-plus population.

Harnessing nuclear power to jack up energy availability was another major challenge. This needed heavy investment as atomic power cost four times more than thermal power. Use of nanotechnology and other cutting-edge technologies need to be improved vastly so that healthcare is available to India's vast rural masses. Water management was another key technological challenge as, Mr. Nair noted, in another 10 years, water would cost as much as petrol. The lecture was organised by Fedbank Hormis Memorial Foundation to commemorate the founder of Federal Bank, K.P. Hormis. M. Venugopalan, managing director and CEO of Federal Bank, was in the chair.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 05.03.2010

Plea to to protect Sasthamcotta Lake

KOLLAM: The Parsthiti Samrakshana Ekopana Samithi has called for the immediate constitution of a statutory authority for the protection of the Sasthamcotta freshwater lake. In a statement, Samithi chairman R. Gangaprasad and general convener Odanavattam Vijayaprakash said Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran had been promising to set up such an authority for the past three years through the introduction of a Bill in the Assembly. Even though a lake protection society had been constituted, its performance was not effective, the Samithi leaders alleged.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 05.03.2010

‘Be wary of climate change'

MALAPPURAM: The Nehru Yuvak Kendra (NYK) organised a workshop here on Wednesday as part of the National Environment Awareness Campaign. On the impact of climate change on biodiversity, K.V. Mohammed Kunhi, scientist, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, said the phenomenon would have a direct effect on human mortality and morbidity. “We have been witnessing various kinds of new outbreaks,” Dr. Kunhi said. He said climate change had already started brining about physiological changes on the flora and fauna. After some years, we may not see many living beings on the face of Earth. They may be extinct because of climate change,” Dr. Kunhi said. He said Kerala had a huge stake in humanity's fight against climate change.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 04.03.2010

How do we go for Power Management of Desktop Computer System

The Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCD), is a non-profit group dedicated to reducing energy consumption of computers. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has joined hands with CSCI and requested NIC to issue direction to all NIC units to enable power management settings in the computer systems. See details in this regard.

To calculate your power savings, click here

What exactly is the Climate Savers Computing Initiative?

Started by Google and Intel in 2007, the Climate Savers Computing Initiative is a nonprofit group of eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organizations. The Initiative was started in the spirit of WWF’s Climate Savers program which has mobilized over a dozen companies since 1999 to cut carbon dioxide emissions, demonstrating that reducing emissions is good business. Our goal is to promote development, deployment and adoption of smart technologies that can both improve the efficiency of a computer’s power delivery and reduce the energy consumed when the computer is in an inactive state. Find more...

Ban on plastic carry bags in city limits

KOZHIKODE: A ban on plastic carry bags below 30 microns in thickness was enforced in the city limits from Monday. Henceforth, Kudumbasree volunteers engaged in door-to-door collection of garbage will not collect the plastic carry bags from households. Standing committee chairman on Health Kanangot Haridas has directed the Kudumbasree units not to collect the banned plastic bags. The households would have to seek their own ways and means to dispose of the plastic bags.
Vegetable and fruit shops, fish markets and slaughter houses have been directed not to use the bags for packing. Two years ago, the Corporation had enforced a ban on the use of carry bags or containers made of recycled plastics less than 30 microns for storing, carrying, dispensing or packing foodstuff. However, the ban was not effective. Now the civic body finds it difficult to recycle the plastic waste from households. The recycling plant located on the Corporation land near the West Hill Industrial Estate had become defunct. The plastic waste had also accumulated in the area. Earlier, the residents had opposed the dumping of waste in the region by Kudumbasree units. This prompted the Corporation to enforce the ban on plastic bags from March 1.

Punishment
Offenders would be booked under various sections of the Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000 in the city from April 1. The fine would be Rs.500 for first-time offenders. However, it would be Rs.5,000 for the offence committed a second time, Rs.10,000, third time and Rs. 25,000 fine and six-month jail term for fourth-time offenders. Those littering and burning of plastic waste in public places would be fined Rs. 2,000, officials said. However, the Corporation has decided to keep in abeyance a rule not to collect garbage from hotels and restaurants from Monday. The hotels had been earlier asked to set up their own biogas plants to dispose of the waste materials.

Hotels have been directed to establish the biogas plants within three months. Hotels functioning in rented buildings have been asked to get the facility of ready-made biogas plants to dispose of the garbage. From April 1, the Corporation will engage squads to conduct raids and seize plastic bags from shops. Random checks will be carried out in commercial establishments. Legal action would also be initiated against those littering garbage in public places.

The licences of shops found guilty of selling or dispensing the banned carry bags would be cancelled on the basis of the Licensing of Dangerous and Offensive Trade and Factories Rules. Six years ago, the Corporation enforced the ban on plastic carry bags below the thickness of 20 microns as part of the Model Solid Waste Management Programme. In 2006, the civic body banned carry bags below the thickness of 30 microns. However, the ban was not enforced strictly. Later, the Pollution Control Board asked local bodies in the State to strictly comply with the ban on plastic carry bags below the thickness of 50 microns. A circular to this effect was also issued to the Corporation. But it was embroiled in legal issues.

Source: The Hindu, Dated:02.03.2010

Rich nations to blame for climate change: jurist

KOCHI: Climate change has become a major problem for the entire mankind, V. R. Krishna Iyer, former Supreme Court judge, has said. In his address after inaugurating the ‘Cartoons for Climate’, an exhibition and workshop on the theme of climate change, organised jointly by the British Council, Kerala Cartoon Academy, and Ernakulam Press Club here on Tuesday, Mr. Iyer said that global warming had altered the climatic conditions of the earth, leading to a very precarious situation for humanity. He said the developing countries were forced to bear the ill-effects of climate change thanks to the unchecked interference in nature by developed nations.

Mr. Iyer blamed Barack Obama, U.S. President, for failing to take a strong stance on the issue of climate change during the recent Copenhagen summit. He said that Mr. Obama was now taking the route of his predecessor, George Bush, on the issue of climate change and global warming. G. S. Gujral, head, Science, Environment and Technology (India and Sri Lanka), British Council, Charles Diaz, MP, Sudheernath, Secretary of Kerala Cartoon Academy, and N. Sreenath, Secretary, Ernakulam Press Club, attended.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 03.03.2010

‘Scientists working to tackle climate change'

KOCHI: British Council's low carbon futures project has been focussing on mitigating the effects of climate change in an urban environment, G. S. Gujral, head, Science, Environment and Technology (India and Sri Lanka), British Council, has said. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Dr. Gujral said that the council is working with three key networks including scientists and researchers, media, and young people, as part of the project.

He said that the network of scientists in India and the U.K. are involved in developing technology to tackle climate change. Dr. Gujral said that the council has also initiated steps to create awareness on the issue of climate change by holding various programmes. Pointing out that the ‘Cartoons for Climate' programme being held here is one among such initiatives, he said that select works of cartoonists from the country and abroad are exhibited at the venue.

Dr. Gujral said that cartoons help in communicating the ideas of climate change in a humorous manner. He said that the media has a big role to play in highlighting the ill-effects of climate change. Dr. Gujral said that a workshop for cartoonists facilitated by Michal Boncza Ozdowski, Trustee, Ken Sprague Fund, UK, will be held here on Wednesday.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 03.03.2010

German experts to attend solar energy meet

KOCHI: A seminar on solar energy technologies will be organised by Rajagiri School of Engineering, Kochi, on March 4 and 5. The programme, called Indo-German Dialogue on Accelerated Dissemination of Solar Energy Technologies (ADSET 2010), is being held in collaboration with the German Aerospace Centre and the Institute of Thermodynamics and Thermal Engineering of the University of Stuttgart, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and Department of Science and Technology.

Exhibition: Announcing the details of the programme at a press conference here, the convenor of the seminar and Professor at Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology, Varghese Panthalookaran, said an exhibition would be organised as part of the meeting. Close collaboration between nations was a prerequisite for the success of the national solar mission announced by the Central government, and the meeting would be a step in that direction, he said. H. Muller Steinhagen, Director, Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, German Aerospace Centre, Germany, B. Bandopadhyay, Advisor, Solar Thermal Programme, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, R. Banerjee, Professor, Department of Energy Science and Engineering, IIT, Bombay, are among the experts expected to participate in the programme.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 03.03.2010

Circular for the temporary restrictions on new development projects in industrial clusters

The Centre has imposed temporary restrictions through a circular issued on 22nd Jan 2010 on new development projects in industrial clusters that score more than 70 points on the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Consideration of projects for environmental clearance based on Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index. Dated:13-01-2010 [pdf].


Consideration of projects for environmental clearance basded on Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index - Implementation thereof. Dated:22-01-2010 [pdf].

Sasthamcotta Lake fast shrinking

KOLLAM: Sasthamcotta Lake in Kollam district, designated as a Ramsar Site in November 2002 and listed by the Union government as a wetland of national importance, is shrinking at an alarming rate. Although the water level in the lake, the largest freshwater lake in the State, has always responded to changing seasons, environmental activists and those living in its vicinity say that the decline in the lake’s water volume at present is “alarming.” Summer has only started advancing but parched bed is exposed on all sides of the lake. At a couple of locations the lake has shrunk by about 250 to 300 metres. Indiscriminate exploitation of lake water and environment degradation activities around its catchment area are being cited as the main cause for the reduced lake volume. The main water source of the lake is the underground sprouts, which had been sustaining the water volume at a satisfactory level even during the height of summer. But this year, the lake started shrinking by January-end itself.

The area of the lake as per official records is 3.74 sq km and it can hold 22.39 million litres of water. It is surrounded by 38 hills on three sides and paddy fields on the east. To prevent water from spilling into the fields an earthen bund has been constructed. Almost all hills surrounding the lake have human habitations. According to Environment Protection Coordination Council general convener Odanavattam Vijayaprakash, the prime threat to the lake’s volume is the illegal clay and sand mining in its catchment areas. The council has been championing the lake’s protection for many years. Mining has created huge chasms all over the catchment area, which in turn has depleted the underground sprouts, Mr. Vijayaprakash said.

Burdened by projects
The lake remains the drinking water source for Kollam city and a couple of grama panchayats. Each day 37.5 million litres of water is being pumped from the lake despite its alarming rate of shrinkage. Adding to the woes, the State government will shortly commission another drinking water project for three more grama panchayats with the lake as the source. This is despite the fact that the Centre for Earth Science Studies has warned against further exploitation of the lake for drinking water projects. Environment activists say that the new project will sound the death knell for the lake. Projects for the lake protection have been announced from time to time, but none has taken concrete shape, Mr. Vijayaprakash said.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 01.03.2010