Stop work on lands under probe: slain RTI activist Amit Jethva's father

Bhikhalal Jethava, father of the slain RTI activist Amith Jethava, has sent a legal notice to Gujarat government seeking a freeze on development activities on all lands, the allotments of which are being probed by the M B Shah Commission for alleged irregularities.

The Narendra Modi government, on August 17, appointed Justice Shah, a retired judge, to head a commission of inquiry to probe allegations of corruption; especially those levelled by the Gujarat Congress against state government in a memorandum submitted to the President earlier.

The allotments under the commission's scanner include ones to the Tata (for Nano plant), Adani Group (for Mundra Port and Mundra Special Economic Zone), Essar Group, L&T (in Hazira, Surat) and other allotments to the industrialists near major cities.

Jethava, through his lawyer Anand Yagnik, has sent a notice to the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, demanding that a notification be issued to stop development on these lands.

"It is necessary that till the Commission completes its inquiry...And makes recommendations, all the allottees be directed not to develop the land," Jethava's notice said.

"If the allottees are permitted to develop the land in question, then the inquiry will be inconsequential," it said.

Jethava's notice further stated that if the industries put up constructions on these lands, then irrespective of the outcome of commission's inquiry, it would be difficult for the government to take them back and put them to another use.

Amit Jethava, a Right To Information Act activist who carried on a campaign against illegal mining in Gir sanctuary area, was shot dead last July.

By : daily.bhaskar

Environment approvals valid only for 5 yrs: HC

The high court of Bombay at Goa has in a recent judgment held that the environmental clearances granted under the Environment Impact Assessment Notification (EIA), 1994, were valid only for a period of five years from the date of commencement of mining operations.

A division bench comprising Justice S A Bobde and Justice F M Reis passed the judgment in a public interest litigation filed by Shankar Jog, a retired environmental activist. The petitioner had challenged the operation of an iron ore mine operated by Talaulicar & Sons Pvt Ltd at Saniem, Sacorda. He had alleged that the clearances granted to the mine in 2005 under the EIA notification had expired in 2010 by virtue of condition stipulated in the notification.

While allowing the PIL, the bench has held that "in case there is no check on the environment hazard at the time of carrying out the mining activities, it can lead to degradation of the environment".

The court has also granted liberty to the company to seek renewal of the clearances within a period of three months, failing which, the court has directed it to discontinue the mining operations in the concerned mine after the said period until the environment clearance is obtained.

Mapusa-based NGO Goa Foundation, in a press note on Thursday, stated the judgment will impact 54 mines in the state. All these mines will now have to stop the operations and seek fresh environment clearances from the environment ministry, said Goa Foundation's director Claude Alvares.

 

By :Times of india

India third biggest greenhouse gas emitter: Government

India is the third biggest greenhouse gas emitter with its contribution standing at 5.3 per cent behind countries like China and the USA, the Government said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.


"As per current information available, the countries which are the largest contributor, in percentage term regarding greenhouse gas emissions are China 19.5 per cent, USA 19.2 per cent, India 5.3 per cent, Russia 5.1 per cent, Japan 3.6 per cent and Germany 2.6 per cent," Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan said.

In her written reply to CPI-M MP Susmita Bauri, Natarajan said the Government has taken steps to reduce the carbon emission intensity.

"India will endeavour to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 20 to 25 per cent in comparison to the 2005 level," she said narrating the programmes initiated by the Government to cut the emission.

by: Times of india

Birds avoid dry Keoladeo sanctuary

The green cover at the Keoladeo National Park after the recent short spell of rain is alluring but it cannot get more deceptive than this - the famed bird sanctuary is devoid of its life line, the winged guests.

All one gets to see in the park are a few birds, most of them only the local species. Among the monsoonal birds, only a handful of openbill storks are seen - small colonies of these birds nestled on a couple of trees, in a small portion of the park.

The beauty of the winged visitors at the Unesco's world heritage site begins and ends there. Even these few birds are likely to fly away soon, the reason being shortage of water in the park.

There is little hope that the monsoonal birds, which normally arrive in the park by July-August , will been seen this time too. Forest officials and bird watchers believe that unless immediate arrangements for water are made, no monsoon birds would be breeding in the park. The minimum requirement of water at the park is 500 MCFT (million cubic feet) annually, but all that it has got this season till now is less than 50 MCFT.

Since, the water bodies in the park are completely dry. the winged visitors avoided the park.

Recent spells of rain have ensured a little more than five feet of water in the nearby Ajam dam.

However, only after the level crosses about eight feet, the water would spill over into the artificial ponds and lakes in the park. Despite it being the monsoon season, the only source of water for the birds in the sanctuary are the 11 bore wells across the forest area. However, the amount of water pumped out is far from enough.

"The situation is almost like in 2009 when the open-bill storks and other birds have had to abandon their nests and eggs, which later became food for snakes and monkeys .

This year, though a few birds have started nesting, breeding has not yet begun. Unless a miracle happens, other breeding birds might not even be visiting the sanctuary ,'' an official said. The release of water from the Panchna Dam in Karauli district in August 2010, had brought in a new lease of life for the bird sanctuary.

 

By : Times of india 

Oil spill off Mumbai from sunken ship MT Rak

A cargo vessel which sunk off the Mumbai harbour Thursday has been leaking oil, an official said Sunday.

"Oil has been observed leaking from the sunken vessel Rak Carrier since late Saturday at an approximate rate of 1.5-2 tonnes per hour," a navy official said.

"Coast Guard ship Samudra Prahari on patrol immediately responded and used oil spill dispersant to neutralise the spilled oil. Operation 'Paryavaran Suraksha' has also been launched by the Coast Guard," he added.

According to the official, an aerial recce conducted Sunday morning indicated spread of oil up to seven nautical miles from the sunken vessel.

The Coast Guard has pressed another vessel, ICGS Sankalp, in the area, he added.

However, the coastal authorities have been advised to maintain strict vigil. "State authorities have also been advised to direct fishermen to refrain from fishing in the vicinity of the affected area," the official said.

The ship MT Rak Carrier, laden with 60,000 tonnes of coal and 340 tonnes of fuel and diesel, sank Thursday afternoon, raising apprehensions of an ecological hazard.

The 30 crewmen aboard -- all Indonesians, Jordanians and Romanians -- were rescued in a coordinated effort by the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.

The Panama-flagged ship, owned and managed by M/s. Delta Shipping Marine Services, Qatar, was on a voyage from Lubuk-Tutung, Indonesia to Dahej Port in Gujarat, carrying a consignment of coal meant for Adani Enterprises Ltd.

Two top officials of the cargo vessel were Saturday arrested and later released on bail by a Mumbai court.

The duo -- Jordanian Capt. Arkan Younis, 36, and Romanian chief engineer Eonascho Eon, 54 -- were nabbed under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 336, pertaining to endangering life or personal safety of others.

By :Times of india

Tiger conservation does not stop with numbers, warn experts

The latest national tiger estimation showing a 20 per cent increase in the number of big cats to 1706 from 1411 is cause for cheer, but leading experts and conservationists say the next focus should be on protecting its habitats and retaining their continuity and overall ecological quality.

"Though the latest national tiger population estimation shows an increasing trend, we need to focus on protection of tiger habitats, retaining habitat contiguity and the overall ecological quality of tiger habitats," says Ravi Chellam, a scientist with the Wildlife Institute of India.

The All India Tiger Estimation - conducted every four years - in 2010 showed a 20 per cent increase over the figure in 2006 which was 1411.

Notwithstanding the increase in the numbers, experts feel the big cats are constantly under threat due to development related infrastructure expansion into tiger habitats.

"Though we still have a few large tiger habitats, expansion of infrastructure into tiger habitats like laying of railway lines and roads have a very negative impact on their habitat as well as on direct mortality of animals and also increased human access to these habitats," says Chellam.

"Data only shows the number of tigers left in the wild, but it is other deeds like conserving habitats and preventing their fragmentation and restoring connectivity that will ensure the tiger population survives and proliferates in the long run," he said.

Tamil Nadu along with Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Karnataka leads in tiger density, says the estimation.

By: Timesofindia

International Coastal Cleanup campaign

It is my pleasure to inform you that this year we (Gir eco friends) are celebrating International Coastal Cleanup from 15th August to 15th September 2011. I welcome you to associate with us in this year’s International Coastal Cleanup campaign & support this noble cause.


Ocean ecosystems play a vital role in all living things — on land & underwater. Hence our mission is to protect sea animals from careless human behaviour simultaneously keeping the river streams clean & creating & awareness among citizens.

We look forward for your support in creating a better world, a better place to Live

You participate at any location in Gujarat and any day between 15th Aug to 15th sep.

If you interest, Please send your details with address and location so we arrange required support & necessary kits for the cleanup.

Write to, girecofriends@gmail.com

Nearly 37,000 trees are cut in Gujarat every day!

It is estimated that 1.35 crore trees are felled in Gujarat every year.

The threat of increasing population, urbanisation, industrialisation and road expansion is greatest on social forests in non-forest areas.

Illegal mining, increasing tourism, road construction and expansion, human encroachments and illegal grazing in forest areas are perceived as threats to the Gir forests in Saurashtra.
In central and south Gujarat, unchecked cultivation encroachment by tribals in forest areas in the hope of getting land is a rising concern

Rs 3,505 crore worth of revenue per annum is estimated to be generated from timber alone in Gujarat

State's forest cover is merely 9.66% of the state's total geographical area, much lower than the UNEP requirement of at least a third of the total land mass

As the world celebrates World Environment Day today on the theme, 'Forests: Nature at your service', it is a good time to point out that Gujarat's forest cover is meager and it faces further threat largely from human interventions like encroachments, tree chopping for industries and road expansion, illegal mining, illegal cultivation and grazing. These have put the state's forests under immense pressure.

According to a forest department estimate of 2009, there are approximately 42 crore trees in Gujarat in forest and non-forest areas. But shockingly, 5.6% of the 26.9 crore trees in non-forest areas (approximately 1.35 cr) are felled every year! The rest 15 crore are in forest areas.

While the forest department is aware and concerned about the degradation, it has aptly pointed out that this is a global phenomenon, not local. As increasing human population requires land, the biggest pressure is on forests because trees can be chopped within hours to make land available to man for housing, animal grazing etc.

"Social forests are disappearing. It is only because we have massive plantation drives that the rate of degradation has been arrested, otherwise in no time, the forest cover would disappear. The forest and tree cover has increased in the last ten years, though not as much as we need," says additional principal chief conservator of forests HS Singh.

Gujarat minister of state for forest and environment Mangubhai Patel candidly states that development is a must and it cannot be compromised, but "we are ensuring that forest are not harmed in the process".

Singh adds that the Planning Commission has estimated that revenue of Rs3,505 crore is generated every year from timber alone in Gujarat, which makes forest maintenance a very lucrative economic activity. The national revenue from timber is pegged at a whopping Rs45,000 crore by the Planning Commission. Principal Secretary, environment and forests, Gujarat, SK Nanda says that the state is encouraging farmers to take up timber cultivation.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_37000-trees-felled-in-gujarat-every-day_1551360
By:DNA