VISAKHAPATNAM: The National Environment Appellate Authority, New Delhi, on Tuesday adjourned to March 17 the proceedings on a petition filed by Bhadrachalam MP M. Babu Rao and Araku Valley ZPTC Killo Surendra of CPI (M) challenging the way the public hearing on bauxite mining in the Visakha Agency area was conducted at Chintapalli during October last.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the APMDC submitted documents and CDs to the Authority and the counsel for the MP and ZPTC sought time to study them and give a rejoinder.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/25/stories/2009022551200300.htm

ArcelorMittal's India projects may be delayed

Press Trust Of India / New Delhi February 25, 2009, 0:16 IST

ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel maker, is likely to overshoot the 2012 deadline to complete the $20 billion India project by nearly two years due to the global economic downturn and delays in securing raw material resources and land.

“We can see (the projects) being delayed by at least two years because of the global financial crisis and delays in securing mining rights, land and other regulatory approvals,” ArcelorMittal India CEO Vijay Bhatnagar said today.

The company was earlier planning to start each of its 12 million tonnes integrated steel plants in Jharkhand and Orissa by the first half of 2009 and complete the same by 2012.

However, with industrial downturn taking a toll on steel demand and the company not yet comfortable with raw material resources it has secured so far, it sees the India projects being delayed to 2014.

In a regulatory filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission also, the L N Mittal-led company said the “timing and scope of implementation of the (India) project is currently under review”.

“Project implementation to date has consisted primarily of detailed reviews and securing assess to a small portion of necessary raw materials,” the steel major said.

For its Jharkhand project, ArcelorMittal has been alloted the Karampada iron ore mines with a reserve of about 65 million tonnes, while in Orissa it is yet to make a headway.

The company’s total iron ore requirements for both the plants would be about 1,200 million tonnes over a span of 30 years.

For land, the company has requisitioned around 11,000 acres from the Jharkhand government and 7,750 acres in Orissa.

As per standard practice in the steel industry, it takes nearly 18 months from the date of MoU signing to complete the detailed project report (DPR) and four years thereafter to commission production at a new steel plant.

For both its projects, ArcelorMittal had roped in M N Dastur of Kolkata as the consultant for preparing the DPRs. The steel major had inked an MoU with the Jharkhand government in 2005 and a year later with the Orissa government.

http://business-standard.com/india/news/arcelormittals-india-projects-may-be-delayed/10/00/350071/

Slowdown, depleting mine dents state's mineral royalty growth

BS Reporter / Mumbai/ Ahmedabad February 25, 2009, 0:15 IST

Gujarat's revenue from mineral royalty is likely to witness stagnation in its growth, missing the 20-25 growth growth it has witnessed since last two fiscals. The depleting reserves of lignite at Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) owned Pannadharo mine in Kutch and delay in timely opening of Bhavnagar mine that was to act as a substitute, has dented the mineral royalty of Gujarat government.

Lignite contributes large part of total royalty income in the state. Lignite production in Gujarat is estimated to be decline by 10 lakh tonnes this year on account of closure of Panandhro mines, according to government sources. Last year, the lignite production in the state stood at 99 lakh tonnes resulting into a royalty income of appoximately Rs 50 crore.

"Although there is no target set, the growth in income from royalty has been about 20-25 per cent annually. However, with some cement companies putting their projects on hold, there has been a dip in royalty income from limestone.

Also the state government has cracked a whip on illegal bauxite exporters due to which there was a dip on royalty of the mineral. Bauxite contributes Rs 20-25 crore royalty annually and there has been a dip of Rs 4-5 crore in its revenue," said government sources familiar with the development.

Data provided by the government show that the government officials have recovered Rs. 10.18 crore as on December 2009 by surprise checks and searches. In 2007-08, total 7,635 cases were filed agaist those indulging in illegal mining and Rs. 14.88 crore were collected from them.

However, with the opening up of Bhavnagar mine two months ago and work going on in full throttle, the loss of income from Pannandharo is likely to recovered to an extent.

Gujarat government has collected Rs. 281.80 crore as mineral royalty from mining industry in the state for the nine months upto December 2008. Last year the income from mineral royalty for the first nine months stood at Rs 266 crore.

"Gujarat government's income from mineral royalty stood at Rs. 363.43 crore by the end of fiscal 2007-08. As on December 2008, Gujarat has registered royalty income of Rs. 281.80 crore", Gujarat government said in a written reply in the state assembly. Royalty income is likely to increase by the end of fiscal 2008-09, however the 20 per cent target might be hard to achieve, sources said.

Gujarat is a mineral rich state both in terms of reserves and production. The sector contributes 2.9 per cent of the State Gross Domestic Product (GSDP). Gujarat government has been constantly trying to control illegal mining of minerals in the state.

Apart from a panel of chartered accounts to scrutinise mine leases and records to control royalty evasion, government has also set up a special cell to detect evasion of royalty.

http://business-standard.com/india/news/slowdown-depleting-mine-dents-states-mineral-royalty-growth/10/00/350046/

Russians eager to extend help in coal mining in India

Tuesday, Feb 24, 2009

BS reported that Russia is keen on lending its technical expertise in coal mining equipment to West Bengal, which has huge reserves of coal, but not appropriate machinery.

Mr Vladimir V Lazarev, Consul General of Russia in Kolkata said that "West Bengal could possibly use Russian equipment for coal mining since the region has huge potential and could benefit from the use of such technology."

Mr Lazarev said that West Bengal and the eastern region also had an enormous potential and the state government has initiated several reforms aimed at the socio economic progress, which had created a favorable environment for favorable business climate, offering new opportunity and vistas of cooperation.

He said that "As it is well known, the Russian experts are offering their expertise at Durgapur, Rourkela and Bokaro steel plants which are undergoing modernization along with the power station at Orissa. The Russian company Technopromexport has commenced construction of the Barh thermo power station in Bihar and has opened its office in Kolkata.

http://www.yourminingnews.com/news_item.php?newsID=24903

POSCO faces uphill task in launching Orissa project

POSCO is a South Korean steel company, which wants to set up a plant in Orissa but it couldn’t as the local people are strongly opposing it. Sources say that the media is siding with the government and is not presenting the reality.

POHANG IRON and Steel Company (POSCO), a South Korean company, which is the world’s fourth largest steel producer is in the news for the past five years. POSCO had signed an agreement with the Orissa Government on March 23, 2003, for setting up of steel plants in eight different villages of the state. The total land that the company would take up is 4,000 acres.

The construction was supposed to be at Dhinkia, Govindpur, Bad-Kujang, which are near the Paradip port of Jagatsinghpur district of Orissa. There are also several other villages, which were chosen as construction sites. Paradip was specifically chosen because it has a port, which would serve as a base for export and import.

But this triggered an agitation from the local people. They claim that these lands are very fertile in nature and with POSCO starting their project their land would no more be of any use for them. No matter what the compensation would be these people say that they would earn more by farming than working for POSCO. The government has somehow managed to convince some groups but still more than half the people are not willing to give up their land at any cost.

Apart from agriculture, fishing is also one of the important occupations of the people here. More than 20,000 fishermen will be affected by this plant, which would be unethical on the part of the government. There have been constant protests against POSCO and every time it’s the people who have won and till now POSCO has not been able to set up its plant. Iron and iron ore are the resources, which are available in plenty in the state. Opposition leader, Abhay Sahu has been arrested and is now in Chowdhwar jail near Cuttack.

Sources say that the media is siding with the government and is not presenting the reality. One of the reasons why people are rejecting POSCO is the loss of faith in the government as it has failed many a times in paying back the promised compensation. Rourkela’s Ispat, which had earlier promised compensation has yet to give it to the farmers.

The people consider their land as the gift of Goddess Laksmi as it has blessed them with fertility and they earn good returns out of it. When contacted, an NGO said, “Development is necessary but not at the cost of the land of the farmers.” The PSCO project also has supporters and there has been a constant tussle between the agitators and the supporters of the project. POSCO’s investment has been substantial. Orissa’s 4000 acres of land is at stake. Will the government stay with its people or will it go for globalisation?

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=15711993

‘Goa iron ore export sector on come-back trail’

Prakash Kamat

Panaji, Feb 24 Goa’s iron ore export industry, which was badly hit due to global recession between September and December, is on a comeback trail in the present quarter, said Mr Shivanand Salgaoncar, President of Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association (GMOEA). “When recession hit us, the scene was bad, but in the last two months or so, the situation has improved and there could be a marginal drop in terms of volume. It is the decline in international prices of the long-term contracts that is worrying us,” said Mr Salgaoncar. He pointed out that whereas the Chinese market is a spot market, it is the Japan and Korea, the traditional buyers of the Goan ore, that are still under the spell of recession.

Goan iron ore mining could continue for another around 20 years taking 50 Fe as the cut-off base, Mr Salgaoncar said in reply to a specific question. He pointed out that as far as Goa is concerned, over 80 per cent of its ore is low grade.

Reserves

He feels that the iron ore reserves may sustain for at least another 20 years considering the lower threshold iron ore available in the State.

“Goa’s iron ore grade is 58 per cent and below. Thanks to the Chinese market, the ore of still lower grade has value and is exported . The threshold value as per Indian Bureau of Mines is 55 Fe, but for us, iron ore with value of 52 Fe is a viable opportunity,” observed Mr Salgaoncar, who is also the Managing Director of Salgaoncar Brothers Ltd. Riding on a last quarter pick-up of iron ore volumes by Chinese steel companies, Goan iron ore exporters are confident that they would end the current financial year marginally below last year’s ore exports, but continue to be upset over the low contract prices in the international market.

Recession

Mr Salgaoncar said the recessionary trend, which continues to dog the Japanese steel mills, which have been traditional importers of Goan ore through long-term contracts, continues to worry Goan exporters. In worst scenario, the imports by Japan and Korea could be down by nearly 50 per cent of the usual intake, he said. Gross iron ore exports from Goa touched 40 million tonnes last year, including 33 million tonnes of Goan origin ore and the current year could end with the figures of 38 million tonnes and 30 million tonnes, respectively.

Explaining the economics of the low grade ore, he said that some of the Chinese steel mills had been taking Goan low grade ore and using it to blend it with high grade ore procured from Brazil.

Foreign markets

However, from the Goan exporters’ perspective, the Chinese market is spot while their traditional markets of Japan and Korea have long-term contracts. But considering the grip of world recession on some of these mills, the annual 8-10 million tonnes intake could be down by at least2-3 million tonnes, said Mr Salgaoncar.

“What really worries us is the unpredictability of the world iron ore trade at this juncture. We cannot be sure of what can happen in the next couple of months; it is a month-to-month kind of fluctuating situation,” Mr Salgaoncar said.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/02/25/stories/2009022551780500.htm

100-acre lake next to mines goes stone dry

25 Feb 2009, 0658 hrs IST, Abantika Ghosh & Dipak Kumar Dash, TNN

FARIDABAD: If still more evidence was required, here it is. A large lake that till two years ago brimmed with water, has also dried up completely

in Dhauj, just 3km from the Sirohi and Khori Jamalpur mines, ramming home yet again the correlation between mining in the Aravalis and the drought in the area.

The evidence is there for anyone who cares to see. It's there at the Dhauj Jheel, Badkhal Lake, Surajkund, Damdama Lake and scores of smaller water bodies in the region. But those who could actually roll back the water crisis — the Haryana government — is looking the other way. Far from preventing mining in these ravaged mines, even after the expiry of a seven-year lease, it is set to set to extend mining there by two years.

That is, unless the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which is scheduled to take up the issue on Wednesday, rejects the state government and the miner lobby's argument that construction material was getting scarce in Delhi and steps up to save the Aravalis. On Sunday, TOI had reported how virtually all big projects in the Capital were sourcing their materials from Rajasthan and were tied into long-term contracts, which would not make an impact on prices.

The High Court would, in any case, be aware that the Supreme Court passed a status-quo order on February 13, which means the current situation, including expiry of lease on the these two mines, can't be changed until the apex court has taken a view on the larger issue of the ecological devastation of this entire region.

Coming back to the Dhauj Jheel, locals say this is the first time in the lake's 70-year history that it has gone completely dry with ugly cracks on its bed telling an eloquent story of water famine. Satellite imagery, included in the Supreme Court's appointed Central Empowered Committee, shows that only last May the lake was full.

Locals say the lake dried up in three months. Interestingly, the lake belongs to the Haryana fisheries department which has leased it out for fishing. But what's really being ``fished'' out of here is sand — truckloads of it — that has damaged the water-retention capacity of the soil. All that remains of the lake that once spread over 100 acres is a tiny, dirty puddle on one side with truck marks all around.

As per the records of the fisheries department, the dry bed has been leased out to a private agency for pisciculture. P V Singh director (fisheries) says: ``There are prospects of good rains so there's fish culture happening there.'' On being told that there is no water and sand was being scooped out of the lake bed, he replied: ``If there is no water then that is not my lookout, mining department will need to check that.'' Mining officials claimed it was a ``local problem'' but promised to get it checked provided ``it is not reported".

Irrigation department officials said that the dam was constructed to prevent the huge run off rainwater from flooding the agriculture fields and villages in low lying areas and also to ensure a year-long supply of water and groundwater recharge. The water markings on the dam are an indication of how much water the reservoir once held.

The unorganised mining has left small patches of exposed groundwater in some places (the water level is at 17 feet) — yet another means of ground water depletion in an area where countless tubewells have gone dry since 2002 when mining commenced. Locals have turned incidental profiteers with some charging trucks at the rate of Rs 100 per trip to let them pass through land they own.

Locals and district administration officials said there were signs of alarming depletion of the water level over 7-8 years. A Central Ground Water Board report submitted to the Supreme Court in 2004 said: ``... the drainage pattern of the area has been modified due to haphazard mining and dumping of waste material which has bearing on natural path of ground water flow in the area.'' The effect on drainage pattern was mentioned in a Supreme Court order of 2006 too while delivering the judgement on a case filed by M C Mehta.

A forest department official explained: ``Since rainwater is the only source for such lakes in the entire Aravali region, till the time the rainwater catchment area remained intact, run off rainwater from 10 km around the dam filled Dhauj. The height of Dhauj Lake is more than the mining areas of Khori and Sirohi so depletion of groundwater from the mining pits affected the recharge rate here. Rainwater hardly reaches the lake now as because of man-made changes in the rock around, either the courses have altered or the water ends up filling only the mining pits.''

Locals say there have been attempts to ``mine'' the rockclimbing site of Dhauj too but some local land-owners have resisted that.

The situation, the official added is now so bad that even if all the natural rainwater courses are clear, it will take decades to fill the lake because of the havoc wreaked by mining and the altered soil character. In this situation, can mining for another two years be allowed here?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/100-acre_lake_next_to_mines_goes_stone_dry/articleshow/4185853.cms

Govt places report on illegal mining before Green Bench

25 Feb 2009, 0714 hrs IST, TNN

Bangalore: The government on Tuesday placed before the green Bench of the high court the Lok Ayukta report, which went into the Rs

150-crore mining bribery scam.

"We have formed a three-member committee to study the recommendations made by the Lok Ayukta in the voluminous report submitted to the government on December 18. The committee comprises additional chief secretary, home secretary and mines secretary. We have three months to decide and send a report on the proposed action. Moreover, there is an SLP pending before the Supreme Court on the same issue. That was tagged with other pleas challenging the power of the high court to direct a CBI probe. That plea is filed by G Janardhana Reddy, who had earlier filed the plea and later withdrew it,'' advocate general Udaya Holla told the court.

"In that case, we'll await the apex court's verdict. We are in a fix. One, there is a similar plea pending before the highest court of the land; second, the applicant there is a respondent here in this petition. There are serious allegations made. If those things are not proved, the petitioner may have to compensate. Tell him to be ready with Rs 1 lakh to pay as compensation to each of the respondent MLAs (including former and present CM) who were made party to this PIL," the division Bench headed by the Chief Justice told the petitioner's advocate before adjourning the hearing.

Shankar Munavalli, former KPCC member from Belgaum, had filed this plea complaining that JD(S) and BJP joined hands to form the government under B S Yeddyurappa in November 2007 -- just to hush up the mining bribery scam.

3 pleas disposed of

The green Bench in its first sitting disposed of three petitions related to mining. The Bench told the authorities to survey the land and take action against the guilty if they are indulging in illegal mining or quarrying.

The cases relate to Melinakuruvalli and Bekalapura in Thirthahalli (Shimoga), Kolachagondalli in Honnali taluk (Davanagere) and Thodar village in Mangalore taluk.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Govt_places_report_on_illegal_mining_before_Green_Bench/articleshow/4185266.cms

Mining – International

Govt to review draft coal policy soon

Sharier Khan

The Awami League government will soon start reviewing the draft coal policy left by the immediate past caretaker government that many people believe has become complicated, anti-investment and discouraging for development of the coal sector due to pressure from various groups.

Energy Adviser to the prime minister Dr Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury says review of the policy will begin soon. “The government believes coal is a valuable resource that has to be extracted in consultation with all stakeholders for the betterment of the country.”

The process of formulation of the policy has already seen four years' delay, which now gives the impression that it had been a process of delaying any decision on the coal sector that might help the country, according to some Petrobangla officials and investors.

A cabinet meeting of the caretaker government in August last year reviewed the draft, but sent it back to the energy ministry along with some observations. These observations included overruling the draft's priority on a “Grand Plan” to incorporate coal sector in the 50-year energy policy saying that since such a grand planning would require time.

Meanwhile, gas production is set to decrease from 2011, and the country needs to take up measures to develop the coal sector fast.

The energy ministry held its last meeting on the draft on October 21 last year and decided to seek opinions of different ministries and authorities on the cabinet's observations.

For instance, the ministry sought the opinion of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) on whether coal can be converted to produce urea, petrochemical and petroleum. Such conversions are possible, but they are costly and non-competitive if there were regular supply of those items, sources said.

The draft policy also dictated that shares of a coal project would have to be offloaded in the local market in phases with 20 percent of the shares reserved for the affected people. The affected would however be allowed to sell their shares only to the government.

Regarding this part, the ministry had sought opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Sec), which said restricting sale of the 20 percent shares of the affected people is not technically possible. Therefore, this part has been deleted.

The draft makes it mandatory for coal mining company to develop power plant. In reality, the mining company is unlikely to be the best power plant developer. So, this can be an incentive, not a binding.

On rehabilitation, the policy demands returning the mined land after mining to the original owners in original state. This suggestion contradicts the land acquisition act of the country.

However, the rehabilitation issue can be covered by another draft policy of the land ministry titled --Involuntary Resettlement Policy-- which covers all resettlement issues, not just those related to coal mining.

The draft policy also says a committee would periodically fix royalty on coal production. Such a provision would impose uncertainty over the investment. Therefore, there should be a clear-cut range of royalty for both underground or open pit mines so that a project cost and return can be predicted.

The draft also speaks about damage of deep aquifer and environment of mining areas. The environment ministry should conduct impact assessment, the energy ministry said.

A new organisation styled after Petrobangla --Khani Bangla-- (Mine Bangla) would be developed to spearhead coal sector investment. Till this organ is created, the mines and minerals division of Petrobangla would oversee such task.

All decisions regarding coal sector development have apparently been shelved following the August 2006 killings in Phulbari in the wake of protests against Asia Energy's open pit mining proposal. As the protests organised by the national committee to protect coal, oil & gas and natural resources appeared successful, committee leaders are now regularly campaigning against any open pit mining in the country.

Sources said negative campaigns are now affecting even Barapukuria underground coal mining, where workers are increasingly becoming intolerant. It has become easy to convince people about the negative impacts, as Barapukuria mine itself did not do anything to improve the quality of life there.

The perception about the impact of any coal mine is also negative because Barapukuria coal mine project design totally overlooked environment, land subsidence and human settlement issues. But in reality, environment, water and land issues are gradually becoming serious issues for local villagers. Only recently, the AL government sent three minister-level leaders to these villages assuring them of compensation and rehabilitation.

Investors perspective

According to some private energy investors, the government should consider some measures to ensure participation of competent investors in coal sector development that would need billions of dollars.

“The draft is not at all investment friendly. It only says what the investor has to do, not what are the incentives. The investment policy for this sector should not contradict the Board of Investment's Policy,” says a coal sector expert.

A Bangladeshi energy sector investor, requesting anonymity, says, “In selecting a private company to work independently or jointly with the government, the government should see proven track record in coal exploration, resource delineation and mine development; proven track record of production over a period of time; an exemplary track record in health, safety, environment and community performance; proven ability to manage infrastructure development and proven marketing performance.

“To attract companies, there should be a clear and transparent process on engagement; the government must provide a security of tenure; a clear, transparent and internationally competitive investment agreement; ensure a clear understanding of domestic supply obligations and pricing; give a clear picture on local partnership and the obligations of all parties,” he said.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=77347

GBG's $100m rights issue for SA gold mine
Allan Seccombe
Posted: Tue, 24 Feb 2009

[miningmx.com] -- GREAT Basin Gold (GBG) will issue shares to raise US$100m to bring its Burnstone mine in South Africa into commercial production over the next 15 months and it’s hoping there won’t be too much of a discount to the market price, said CEO Ferdi Dippenaar.

The market to raise debt funding has changed markedly in the past six months and banks require mining companies to “put more skin in the game”, said Dippenaar.

“There are different pressures on us now how we put these kinds of things together now,” he told Miningmx.

The banks will match the funding GBG puts into Burnstone, but the company has to raise the money first.

GBG has to raise $50m towards the Burnstone project, another $26m towards a standby facility for potential overruns and then $24m more towards operating capital for the mine until its start commercial production in June 2010.

“By the end of 2010 we should be cash flush, but we need money now,” Dippenaar said.

Mining will start at Burnstone this year and ore stockpiled ahead of the commissioning of the plant from June 2010. Burnstone’s output is forecast at 250,000 oz in 2010. It recently bought a metallurgical plant from Papua New Guinea which it hopes to fully commission in the same year.

The book building exercise is underway and should be completed early next week and the price determined by around Tuesday, 2 March. The book will close a week to 10 days later.

“Now it’s all a function of interest in the issue. I’d expect we’ll not see a significant discount (to the current share price),” Dippenaar said.

“We are working at full speed at Burnstone and want to maintain that momentum. We don’t want anything to hold it up,” he said.

Metorex, a South African diversified miner with a focus on copper, recently issued shares at nearly a 50% discount towards raising R922m to complete a copper and cobalt project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A number of junior companies have brought their projects to a standstill because of the inability to raise funds because of the difficulties banks are experiencing and their reluctance to extend debt, as well as the dramatic fall in share prices, particularly those of exploration or development companies.

GBG’s Hollister project in Nevada is generating free cash, but banks declined to recognise this in assessing the funding risk for Burnstone.

A syndicate led by BMO Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets is underwriting the issue.

South African institutions are included in the book build in an effort to increase the liquidity of the TSX and JSE-listed company’s shares on the Johannesburg bourse, Dippenaar said.

http://www.miningmx.com/gold_silver/951062.htm

Carbon absorbing tropical forests a potential gold mine

Adianto P. Simamora , THE JAKARTA POST , JAKARTA | Wed, 02/25/2009 10:14 AM | National

Indonesia could reap huge financial benefits from carbon sales after international scientists discovered that trees in tropical forests can absorb greater levels of carbon than those in the other parts of the world.

The study, conducted in the African tropics, revealed tropical forest trees absorb about 18 percent of the CO2 added to the atmosphere each year from burning fossil fuels.

The report’s lead author, Simon Lewis from the University of Leeds, said the rainforest would substantially buffer the rate of human-induced climate change.

“It’s well known that about half of the ‘missing’ carbon is being dissolved into the oceans, and that the other half is going somewhere on land in vegetation and soils, but we were not sure precisely where. According to our study, about half the total carbon ‘land sink’ is in tropical forest trees,” Lewis said in statement made available to The Jakarta Post.

Indonesia has about 120 million hectares of rainforest, the third largest in the world after Brazil and the Congo.

A member of the research team, Terry Sunderland from the Bogor-based Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), said that carbon up-take studies were particularly important for Indonesia ahead of the implementation of the emission reduction from deforestation and degradation (REDD) scheme, adopted at the Bali climate change meeting in December 2007.

The scheme is expected to take effect after 2012 when Indonesia’s commitment to the Kyoto Protocol expires.

Under the mechanism, developed nations compensate countries in tropical areas by safeguarding their forests based on the ton value of carbon stored in the trees.

Indonesia has been actively engaged in international dialogue about the REDD, while a number of regional administrations have signed agreements with investors on the REDD project.

Indonesia has however seen rapid deforestation at the hands of large-scale conversion projects, particularly for palm oil plantations.

The deforestation rate between 1987 and 1997 reached 1.8 million hectares annually. From 1998 to 2000, it rose sharply to 2.8 million hectares per year before falling back to 1.8 million hectares per year between 2000 and 2006.

“If carbon payment schemes such as REDD are to succeed in Indonesia, they must be based on accurate assessments on the amount of carbon stored in the country’s forests. These calculations need to be based on local and realistic figures,” Sunderland said.

The report’s implications for future carbon payment schemes are echoed in the comments of the report’s co-author, Lee White, Gabon’s Chief Climate Change Scientist.

“The removal of nearly 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by intact tropical forests, based on realistic prices for a ton of carbon, should be valued at around £13 billion per year. This is a compelling argument for conserving tropical forests,” White said.

Lewis said developed countries wishing to reduce their carbon footprint could assist conserving forests by “transferring substantial resources to countries with tropical forests to reduce deforestation rates and promote alternative development pathways.”

Sunderland warned that any investment in REDD or similar carbon payment schemes must first involve formalized structures and the enforcement of land rights for forest communities.

“It’s absolutely essential that a significant proportion of any payments for environmental services, such as REDD payments, are made to those who rely on forests for their wellbeing.

After all, up to a billion of the world’s poorest people rely on forests in one way or another for their livelihoods,” Sunderland said.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/25/carbon-absorbing-tropical-forests-a-potential-gold-mine.html

China may invest $3 bn in Aussie miner Fortescue

25 Feb 2009, 0114 hrs IST, Bloomberg

HONG KONG/MELBOURNE: China, the world’s largest metal consumer, may invest about $3 billion in Fortescue Metals Group Ltd, Australia’s

third-biggest iron ore exporter, three people familiar with the transaction said.

China Investment Corp., the $200 billion sovereign wealth fund, is in talks with Fortescue, which plans to use some of the proceeds to retire debt, the people said, asking not to be identified before an agreement. Separately, Chinese steelmaker Hunan Valin Iron & Steel Group agreed to pay A$1.2 billion ($776 million) for a 16.5% stake in Fortescue.

The Fortescue purchases would extend China’s investment in resource producers to $25 billion this month as the nation takes advantage of prices at a seven-year low to gain access to iron ore, copper and zinc. CIC is turning to mining companies after losing more than $5 billion on financial firms including Blackstone Group LP and Morgan Stanley.

“China needs to boost its pricing power for iron ore and other raw materials because it’s a big consumer,” said Cherry Chen, a Beijing-based analyst with Core-Pacific Yamaichi International Ltd. “Investing in resource companies is a correct step for CIC to shun the financial crisis.”

Fortescue is down 78% since touching a record A$13.15 a share last June, when record iron ore prices had helped turned Chief Executive Officer Andrew Forrest, 47, into Australia’s richest man. The Australian producer is facing a funding shortfall of A$731 million for an expansion, Macquarie Group said. Perth-based Fortescue has ‘non-current’ borrowings of A$4.9 billion as of December 31, 2008, according to company report.

The Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index of 19 commodities fell to the lowest level since June 2002 on February 17, as the global recession crimped demand from carmakers and builders.

The price and demand collapse has forced indebted mining companies Rio Tinto Group and OZ Minerals to seek investments worth $21.2 billion from Chinese state-owned companies earlier this month.

The deal may be in preferred shares paying a dividend, and the payment rate hasn’t been agreed upon, one person said. CIC said December 3 it would avoid investing in foreign financial firms after losing billions in Morgan Stanley and Blackstone.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/International-Business/China-may-invest-3-bn-in-Aussie-miner-Fortescue/articleshow/4185782.cms

Lincoln Minerals signs iron ore agreement with Indonesia's Samusa Corporation

Lincoln Minerals (ASX:LML) has announced the Company has concluded a Heads of Agreement (HoA) with Indonesian mining house, Samusa Corporation of Jakarta, to establish a new iron ore joint venture to explore and exploit Samusa’s Desa Mirah Kalanaman iron ore mine and surrounding exploration concession in the south-central area of the Indonesian island of Kalimantan (Borneo).

Key points of the agreement:

- Lincoln will earn a 45% interest in the mine and exploration concession
- Proposed conditional initial JV commitment by Lincoln of US$2 million
- Mining to commence immediately - Plan for 250,000 tpa mine increasing if sufficient resources are defined
- Existing 7,000t ore stockpile sold under three month contract to Chinese buyer
- First overseas project expansion for Lincoln
- Enables near-term move from iron ore explorer to iron ore producer. Lincoln Minerals was invited to become a party to this joint venture because of its expertise in the geological aspects of this project.

Samusa mines iron ore, iron sand, lead, manganese, copper and chrome – and has exclusive rights to mine and sell iron ore from two areas in south central Kalimantan: a 4,911 hectare exploration area (Exploration No. 188.4 / 320-SK / Distambe / 2006) that also High grade iron ore stockpiles and outcropping ore, Desa Mirah includes a 200 hectare exploitation (mining) area (Exploitation No. 238 Tahun 2008) upon which trial mining operations have already commenced.

A small parcel of 7,000-10,000 tonnes (t) of high grade iron ore has been mined and selected samples range from 64.3% to 68.7% Fe.

Terms of agreement

The Heads of Agreement provides that Lincoln Minerals will contribute US$2.0 million of funding in respect of the initial mining and exploration program at Desa Mirah, targeting direct shipping hematite iron ore (DSO). Funds will be provided by Lincoln on an “as needs” basis but the joint venture arrangement has been framed so that proceeds of the sale of ore can be offset against Lincoln’s contribution obligations.

For every tonne over and above 2 million tonnes of JORC-compliant Inferred Resources from the concession area, Samusa shall be entitled to a further compensation of US$0.10 per tonne.

Subject to certain rights to withdraw, Lincoln will acquire a 45% interest in the Project. If it is determined within 12 months from the date of the Heads of Agreement that the mining concession contains less than 250,000t of iron ore (with an average grade of at least 63% Fe), then Lincoln’s obligations shall cease and it may surrender its 45% interest.

Lincoln Minerals has separately loaned US$50,000 to Samusa to enable mining operations to commence immediately and to enable the existing ore stockpile (approximately 7,000t) to be transported from the mine and loaded onto barges. A 3-month contract has been agreed to with a Chinese buyer to purchase this ore consignment FOB (Freight on Board) the barges. The loan by Lincoln will be repaid by Samusa from proceeds from the sale of the ore stockpile.

Consequent upon establishment of a suitable orebody at Desa Mirah, it is planned to develop a small scale, high grade mining operation producing about 250,000t of iron ore in the first 12 months but ramping up to increased production if sufficient resources can be defined. Field reconnaissance by Lincoln Minerals has identified outcrops both within and outside the exploitation area containing in excess of 61% Fe.

It is planned to commence a drilling program as soon as possible to define the extent of the resource. The iron ore is of lateritic style and forms a relatively flat-lying sheet beneath thin alluvium but cropping out along gullies and hill slopes.

In a statemnt, Lincoln Minerals said, "this is an exciting development for Lincoln Minerals and will enable the Company to become an iron ore producer at little or no cost to its existing investors while it also pursues development of its advanced iron ore exploration projects on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula."

http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/902/lincoln-minerals-signs-iron-ore-agreement-with-indonesias-samusa-corporation-0902.html

UPDATE 1-Rio resuming Australian iron ore mining after floods

Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:39am GMT

* Rio Tinto's Australian iron ore mines steadily restarting * Flooding on transport lines keeps Pannowonica joint venture mine idle (Adds details)

SYDNEY, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto Ltd/Plc (RIO.AX) (RIO.L) was steadily resuming iron ore mining in west Australia's Pilbara region following heavy rains that flooded roads and closed rail haulage lines last week, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.

Ten of 11 mines owned by Rio in the Pilbara were in various stages of production he said.

The world's second-largest iron ore miner said on Feb. 17 that many roads surrounding its mines and ports were impassable and that employees were advised to take necessary precautions, leading to the suspension of mining and rail haulage over a large part of the region.

The spokesman declined to comment on whether the Rio had declared force majeure on any of its shipments but said the company reserves the right to do so under the terms of its sales contracts.

"It's too early to determine what impact there will be on production," the spokesman said.

Rio Tinto had suspended all operations at its Pannawonica and Brockman/Nammuldi iron ore operations along with pit mining operations at its Tom Price and Paraburdoo projects.

The Pannawonica mine remained suspended due to flooding along the rail line leading to the coast, according to the spokesman.

The mine is owned by Robe River Iron Ore partnership, which is 53 percent owned by Rio. Minority interests are held by Mitsui Iron Ore Development (8031.T), Nippon Steel Corp (5401.T) and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd (5405.T).

Rio owns the rest of its mines in the Pilbara outright under its Hamersley division.

Goldman Sachs JB Were analyst Neil Goodwill in a report cut his production forecast for Rio in the first half by 3 million tonnes to 57 million tonnes, compared to 63 million tonnes in the the same period last year, due to the flooding.

BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc's (BHP.AX)(BLT.L) iron ore operations in the Pilbara were not affected by the rains, a company spokeswoman said.

BHP uses separate rail lines and port facilities to Rio. (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by James Thornhill)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUKSYD35059320090225?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Newmont defers mining in Ajenua-Bepo Forest Reserve

NEW. Watch live television from Ghana plus the latest Ghanaian movies plus OBE TV.

Accra, Feb. 24, GNA - Newmont Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Richard O'Brien says in view of recent volatility in global mining, the Company has had to defer decisions on its Akyem Project in Ghana, which would involve mining in the Ajenua-Bepo Forest Reserve. Also affected is the Newmont Conga Project in Peru, "Mining Weekly & Mineweb has reported.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Ghana had gone ahead to grant permit to Newmont to mine in the forest reserve amidst protestations from a coalition of nongovernmental organizations including Third World Network (TWN) and Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM).

Director of Mining at EPA, Mr Anthony Andoh said the Agency issued the permit after taking into consideration the concerns raised by the nongovernmental organizations and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) presented by Newmont on its plans to mitigate the negative effects of its operations.

The Akyem Project is an open pit mine that would be 2.5 kilometres long, 900 metres wide 500 metres deep.

Newmont has an 85 per cent interest in the Akyem Project, which at year-end 2004 had 5.4 million equity ounces of reserves. The estimated cost of development is approximately 500 million dollars and is expected to generate steady-state annual consolidated gold sales of approximately 400,000 ounces.

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/economy/artikel.php?ID=158190

Other News – India

GoM clears amendments to R&R, land acquisition policies

BS Reporter / New Delhi February 25, 2009, 0:24 IST

Retains 70:30 formula for land acquisition for industrial projects.

With only two days left in the last session of the 14th Lok Sabha, the Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today cleared the proposed amendments to the Land Acquisition Act and the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy.

“I am trying hard to accommodate these items in the list of business of Parliament. Let us see what happens,” Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told reporters at Parliament today.

According to sources, the GoM has accepted the rural development ministry’s demand to stick to the 70:30 formula for land acquisition for industry, after rejecting suggestions of a parliamentary panel, Left parties and some state governments.

This means that a state can acquire only up to 30 per cent of the total land required for a project with the remaining being acquired by the private party concerned. The original Land Acquisition Act (amendment) Bill tabled in the Lok Sabha last year favoured the 70:30 formula.

Earlier, the Left parties, some state governments and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development had raised serious objections over the 70:30 formula and sought full power for the state to acquire land.

The new Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy moots rehabilitation before eviction of the people affected by an industrial project.

The amendments will not be binding on the states as they are free to formulate own policies.

http://business-standard.com/india/news/gom-clears-amendments-to-rr-land-acquisition-policies/10/00/350056/

Declaration of Rivers as National Assets

17:56 IST

Rajya Sabha

The Central Government has declared 14 water resources projects as 'National Projects' in order to increase irrigated area in the country and to harness hydropower potential. Most of the major rivers in India are inter-State in character having catchments/watersheds in two or more States. The water disputes arise amongst the basin States with regard to the use, distribution or control of the waters in respect of these inter-state rivers/river valleys. The settlement of disputes by negotiations foster a spirit of involvement of the States concerned and ultimately lead to more expeditious development of water resources. Success has been achieved in resolving the disputes by negotiations in the past and about 125 agreements have been reached between the basin States.

The Government of India has enacted the Inter- State Water Disputes Act, 1956 for adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter -State rivers and river valley. When the Central Government is satisfied that the dispute cannot be settled by negotiations, the same is referred to a tribunal under the provisions of Inter State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956. At present, three Tribunals have been constituted in respect of water disputes related to Ravi & Beas, Cauvery and Krishna river under ISRWD Act 1956.

Further, the Government of India enacted the River Boards Act 1956 under entry 56. The River Boards Act envisages setting up of River Boards for Inter-state river basins to advise the State Governments in planning and development of inter state rivers. So far, no river board has been established under this act. However, some River Boards, Commissions, Authorities have been constituted through Government resolution, executive orders or Acts based upon interstate agreements, state reorganization acts and award of tribunal such as Betwa River Board, Bansagar Control Board, Tungabhadra Board, Narmada Control Authority, Bhakra Beas Management Board and Upper Yamuna River Board.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Water Resources, Shri Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

SK/BS

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=47889

Rights and forests

NEEMA PATHAK AND ARSHIYA BOSE

The FRA provides an opportunity to resolve a number of issues that have plagued forest management in India for decades.

MANDAL, ATREE

A Group of Soligas, a forest-dependent community, with the customary forest resource mapping of the Biligiri Ranganaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka.

THE Scheduled Tribes and Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, or Forest Rights Act (FRA) in short, was heavily debated right from its inception up to its coming into force on December 31, 2007. While most of the arguments that preceded its notification focussed on the perceived positive or harmful effects of the Act, they are yet to become evident. The Act recognises four main rights: (i) the right of traditional forest dwellers to claim forest land held before December 13, 2005; (ii) the right of the government to divert forest land for 13 kinds of development activities, including building of schools, hospitals, aganwadis and roads; (iii) the rights of individuals and a community as a whole over minor forest produce, grazing land and water resources, and so on; and (iv) the right of communities to protect, conserve, regenerate or manage any forest or community forest resource that has been traditionally protected.

Some of the concerns raised about the FRA relate to individual holdings of forest land and development activities on them. Many people fear that indiscriminate regularisation of forest land could encourage encroachments on forest areas. It is also felt that any emphasis on private landholdings will lead to further individualism among communities instead of fostering a community feeling. Additionally, the provision of development facilities could lead to fragmentation of forests and open up the possibilities of misuse of the Act.

The pace of implementation of the FRA has varied from rushed to relaxed in different States. The various awareness campaigns undertaken by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government agencies during the past year have focussed on a few provisions rather than the Act in its entirety. As a result, the thrust of the implementation so far has been on claiming individual rights to land. Community rights have remained largely invisible.

Why are community rights important? Across India, forest-dependent communities have access to and use most forests. While in most cases these communities do not have the legal rights to use the forests, their de facto management of the forests lies with the community as a whole rather than individuals or households. In many cases, community resource use is considered more equitable since through this model most or all households within a community, including the poor and the landless, can gain access to resources. Given that forest resources are crucial for survival, forest-dependent communities have used elaborate systems of resource use. These include well-defined boundaries and regulations regarding the time and amount of utilisation.

However, over the years a number of factors and complicated ground realities have broken down some of these community systems. One such factor has been the takeover of natural resources by the state. As the state assumed control over natural resources, forest-dependent communities experienced a sudden lack of access to, control of and responsibility over them, resulting in the indiscriminate use of common forest resources. While the use of forests is illegal, it is done informally under the watch of some forest staff, resulting in acts of bribery and harassment. Overall, a deeply negative relationship has developed between forest officials and communities living around the forests. The outcome of this complex situation is that forest areas that were once managed by these communities have become degraded.

Given this situation, it is imperative that communities claim community rights under the FRA. Otherwise, the current conflict between the Forest Department and the people will worsen. This means that the state could at any time, and without prior notice, restrict access to forest resources on the grounds that the communities should have claimed the rights when the opportunity was presented under the Act. The absence of tenure security brings about a lack of involvement among the local communities in the well-being of forests.

On the other hand, there are several communities that even today remain closely linked to the forests around them. They are known to protect patches of forests although they have no legal mandate to do so. The reasons for such protection include sustainable use, religious beliefs and conservation of biodiversity. However, many of these protected sites are threatened by local conflicts and development projects and often require some form of legal protection. The FRA provides one of the few spaces available in the legal system to support such conservation efforts by communities. The most important aspect of the Act is that while supporting community-protected sites it does not prescribe a uniform blueprint for management of forests by these communities. For example, it does not specify the role of local institutions or the rules and regulations. Given the diversity of forest management systems in India, this flexibility will help a number of community-conserved areas to bring their own systems of management under a legal umbrella.

Strong tool

EMA PATHAK

A community-conserved forest at Mendha-Lekha village in Gadchiroli district,Maharashtra.

The FRA could become a strong tool for forest-dependent people who have been struggling to protect the forests and their resources from being diverted for development and industrial projects. The community rights provisions of the Act can be actively used to fight the ecological destruction wrought by such projects. Currently, much of the diversion of forest land for industrial use is done without taking into account the importance of the area for the survival of biodiversity, local cultures and livelihoods. If forest dwellers claim community rights, their consent will have to be sought when forest land is allocated for industry. In Dhinkia village in Orissa, the gram sabha has passed a resolution stating that the forest land meant to be diverted for a POSCO steel plant is actually a “community protected forest”, which is to be claimed under the FRA.

Even in cases where community-managed forests are acquired for setting up industries, people will have far greater bargaining power in respect of compensation provided their rights are recognised. As things stand now, either compensation is not paid or, if it is paid, it is not fully reflective of the full range of benefits that forest-dependent communities avail themselves of from the forests. Usually, only land use is accounted for. Claiming community rights would ensure not only that the loss of use of forest resource is compensated for but also that all members of the community (including the more marginalised) are adequately compensated.

Additionally, in the absence of adequate compensation and alternative livelihood options, many communities displaced by development projects have occupied more and more forest lands. An increasing population, occupation of forest land by powerful local individuals, the failure of communities to take stock of the situation, and other socio-economic factors have made communities shift their focus towards individual land ownership instead of community management. Fresh encroachments upon forest land in anticipation of its being regularised under the FRA could become a major cause for concern.

While law enforcement is one possible solution, establishing resource rights for the communities could be another. The premise of this argument is that a community is not likely to tolerate encroachment on its communal forest. In Mendha-Lekha village in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, the residents have increasingly moved from individualism to community resource management by adopting principles such as gram dan.

It is hoped that many communities can use some provisions of the FRA (specifically, Section 3(1)(i) and 5) to support their conservation efforts and to manage forests as a community entity. However, as of date, this remains a hope since only a few communities have come forward to claim their protected forests under the Act.

Why then have community rights not been claimed? The answer to this could lie in the complicated application process. The Act specifies a three-month deadline to file claims. However, for forest-dwelling communities, this is a complicated and unfamiliar process. Across the country, the implementing agency, the State Tribal Welfare Departments, have conducted only a few training programmes for local officials. The multi-department sub-divisional level committees have not adequately provided translated copies of the Act, claims forms and training material to forest dwellers. The awareness exercises have mainly focussed on individual land claims, and in many areas the application forms for community claims are not even available. Additionally, given the “illegal” nature of the land they occupy, the fear of eviction, and the means often adopted by the state to evict them such as burning of crops, it is not surprising that achieving some security for individually held lands is of primary concern to these communities.

It is imperative that the Tribal Welfare Departments explain the full range of provisions of the FRA in order that communities make informed decisions. Many forest rights activists have suggested that the State governments call a special gram sabha meeting to discuss community rights after the process of claiming individual rights is completed. This would ensure that communities and officials are not bogged down by the complications of having to deal with two kinds of unfamiliar processes. It is also crucial that the State governments issue a clarification on how to claim community rights to protect forests since this option does not exist on the Government of India claims form.

The State governments could perhaps take their cue from organisations such as the Dahanu-based Kashtakari Sangathana in Maharashtra and Vasundhara, an NGO working primarily in Orissa on natural resource management, among others, which have worked out a process for claiming community rights. The governments could provide a set of guidelines based on the experiences of these organisations.

It is crucial for the State governments, forest-dwelling communities and civil society organisations to work on a post-claims scenario where the rights accepted under the Act would get exercised. One key issue needing resolution is the nature of the relationship that is to ensue between a community and its local institutions and the Forest Department. The Act is silent on how conservation duties will be distributed among these actors or through what mechanism community conservation practices will be incorporated into forest management plans. Discussions are also needed on how to monitor the protection, management and use of a forest. Clear systems of checks and balances need to be incorporated to ensure that the exercising of rights does not damage forest resources.

The State governments would do well to create a multi-stakeholder think tank, which could jointly prepare guidelines on how to operationalise the community’s conservation rights. This would include developing a mechanism for effective and equitable joint management of resources and institutions of dialogue between various actors. The FRA provides an opportunity to resolve a number of issues that have plagued forest management in India for decades. State governments and civil society organisations must make the best use of it.

The authors are members of Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group based in Pune.

http://www.frontline.in/stories/20090313260508800.htm

National Biodiversity Action Plan 2008 released today

JANAKI AMMAL NATIONAL AWARD FOR TAXONOMY, 2007 PRESENTED

14:12 IST

Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests said that biodiversity is fundamental to the fulfilment of human needs and vital for the survival of this planet itself. Releasing the National Biodiversity Action Plan -2008 here today Shri Meena said an environment rich in biological diversity offers a broad array of options for sustainable economic activity, for sustaining human welfare and adapting to change. This makes sustainable development possible, protecting life from the potential consequence of change, including sudden changes to ecosystems, such as those caused by disasters. Biodiversity thus is truly life insurance of life itself.

Criticizing human activities of today including consumptive lifestyles, the Minister observed that they are placing severe pressure on biological resources, and increasingly leading to fragmentation and degradation of habitats and resultant loss of biodiversity. These losses are irreversible and are a threat to our own well being. Adding to this he said another significant threat to biodiversity, ecosystems, and the goods and service, they provide, is due to a build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In fact, biodiversity and global warming are closely linked, and each impacts upon the other. Biodiversity is threatened by human-induced global warming, but biodiversity resources can reduce the impacts of global warming on populations and ecosystems. It is believed that ecosystems with undiminished species diversity, and species with their genetic diversity intact, are likely to be in a much better position to face the impacts of climate change.

India has a long history of conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. India is also a Party to a number of international agreements relevant to biodiversity, including the Conservation on Biological Diversity (CDBD). The Convention calls upon all Parties to prepare national biodiversity strategy and action plan for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Accordingly, India in 1999 had developed a ‘National Policy and Micro level Action Strategy on Biodiversity’. The document on prepared through a consultative process by revising and updating the earlier policy, so that it is in consonance with the National Environment Policy, 2006. The NBAP was approved by the Cabinet on 6th November, 2008.

The NBAP is founded in backdrop in NEP’s cardinal prescription that human begins are at the centre of concern for sustainable development, and they are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature. The NBAP has been prepared in pursuance of Article 6 of the CBD and Section 36 of the Biological Diversity Act. In addition to preparation of the NBAP, two other important activities undertaken by the Ministry are enactment of Biodiversity Act and Capacity building for Taxonomy in the country.

Presenting the Janaki Ammal National Award for Taxonomy , Shri Meena the study of identification, classification and naming of living organism i.e. taxonomy is a dying science today. Expressing his concern at non-availability of taxonomy expertise either due to aging or retiring, Shri Meena stressed on the need for capacity building taxonomy. He said it is essential and urgent, considering that a sound taxonomic knowledge base is a prerequisite for environment assessment ecological research, effective conservation, management and sustainable use of biological resources. Explaining the initiative taken by the Ministry to address this concern ,he said that a National Award named after the Late Prof. E.K Janaki Amma has been instituted.

The Janaki Ammal National Award for Taxonomy is bestowed upon Dr. M Sanjappa in recognition of his contributions to the subject of taxonomy. Dr.M. Sanjappa has done outstanding work on the flowering plant families of Leguminosae, Ericaceae. Aristolochiaceae, Iridaceae and Lamiaceae. His contributions have significantly enriched the understanding of these plant groups Dr.Sanjappa’s pioneering work on Legumes ahs formed the basis of the World Legume Database for India and south Asia. As a field botanist he has explored various ecosystems of India and other countries and discovered 36 new species/ varieties and 23 new records of plants of potential value.

Dr.Y.Ranga Reddy has been given E. K. Janaki Ammal National Award for Animla taxonomy 2007.Dr Reddy is an outstanding taxonomist who has unswervingly devoted his entire lifetime or the cause of taxonomy of crustaceans, especially the freshwater free-living copepods and bathynellaceans. His outstanding contributions to the taxonomy of these aquatic organisms are well known through out the world and have rendered his name synonymous with the Indian copepods bathynellaceans.

Dr. Reddy has meticulously revised as many as twenty crustacean genera besides discovering about fifty new species, establishing four new genera, tow new families and reporting about twenty new species records for India.During last one year alone, he has discovered 36 new additional crustaceanspecies from hyporheic habitats and borewells in in different parts of the country. Considering the fact that the diversity of crustaceans is far less than that of insects, Dr.Reddy’s discovery of new crustacean taxa form India is very imopressive. He has also resolved several previously intransigent taxonomic problems, particularly concernimg diaptomid copepods.His collaborative research effort with several eminent overseas peers is really commendable and speaks volumes about the niche he has carved out for himself in the area of animal taxonomy .

KP

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=47876

`Human rights violation continues unabated'

24 Feb 2009, 2139 hrs IST, TNN

MYSORE: Protection of human rights in the country has remained only on papers. Regrettably, over 28 crore people are being ill-treated in India

as they are considered untouchables, said Mahajana's College director of legal studies C K N Raja here on Tuesday.

Enforcing human rights in India cannot happen only by the Constitution and judiciary. Social and intellectual reformation of society is also needed for the same, he felt. Raja was speaking after inaugurating a two-day all India course coordinators' meet organized by the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) to focus on role and responsibilities of the Rehabilitation Council of India in implementation of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in the city.

Speaking of the tyranny being faced by the under-privileged, he said it is shameful to note that even the educated class in the country exploits and humiliates the less privileged like domestic helps. It is appalling that educated people force domestic servants to over work and disregard them too. Such acts are a shame to society. Simply portraying that they are god fearing and honest is insufficient. It is important for people to follow moral principles and values, he added.

The two-day meet will focus on identifying areas where adaptations have to be made for persons with disabilities, to effectively exercise their rights and the areas where their rights have been violated.

Resource faculty from different institutions will lecture on various aspects related to UNCRPD. Coordinators from various institutions offering bachelors and masters courses in speech and hearing from across the country are participating.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mysore/Human_rights_violation_continues_unabated/articleshow/4184851.cms

News & Views !!

Feb 25, 2009

25/02/09

Mining – India

Plea against bauxite mining adjourned