1. Mines row hits steel investors
2. High court seeks mining lease details
3. Gold Rush: India to mine 20,000 tons gold reserves
4. Orissa considers applicants for Malda iron ore mines
5. Jindal Steel & Power allotted Ramchandi Promotional Coal Block in Orissa for CTL project
6. RAK to build coal fired power station
7. Invest in India, Canadian mining firms told
8. Catalpa raising money for WA gold mine
9. Australian company gets Ngami mining licences
10. Mineral rights showdown at Badlands ranch
11. Local NAACP chapter to host forum on uranium mining
12. Ottawa predicts mineral exploration spending to be halved in 2009
13. New memorial marks town's mining history
14. Economic crisis to result in deaths of thousands of children: Unesco
15. 16 Children Go Missing Daily
16. Climate change bad news for most birds: study
17. SEZ units and developers can clain refund for tax
18. Wildfires affected by climate change
Mining – India
Mines row hits steel investors
AMIT GUPTA
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“We have purchased about 150-200 acres in Seraikela-Kharsawan district, where we proposed to set up a 2.5-MTPA (million tonne per annum) steel plant in the state,” said a senior representative of Abhijeet group, claiming to have invested over Rs 50 crore in the project.
Another company, Adhunik Alloys and Power Limited, claims to have already invested about Rs 400 crore in Jharkhand for its existing and proposed projects. “But we are yet to be allocated an iron ore mine in the state despite the government’s promise to offer every help to prospective investors,” said Chandra Bhushan Sharma, the deputy chief of corporate communication of Adhunik group.
However, the state mines department officials refuted the claims of both Abhijeet and Adhunik. “The Abhijeet group was allocated Shilpunji-Kauntaria iron ore deposit in Noamundi block but they rejected or surrendered the mine, saying it did not have quality deposit. This also helps Abhijeet to stake their claim over Ghatkuri. Besides, Adhunik group does have ownership right over the Orissa Manganese and Mineral Private Limited through the latter’s acquisition,” said Chaibasa district mining officer R.N. Prasad.
But representatives of the companies raised apprehensions over the gazette notification in 2006 reserving Ghatkuri not only for PSUs but also for a joint venture project of the state government.
“The state government entity, Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation, has no expertise in mining of iron ore and as far as entering into a joint venture is concerned, all big fishes in the steel and iron ore sector are eyeing the Ghatkuri pie. Small players should also be given their due rights and there should not be monopoly of a few big players,” said a senior official of one of the two smaller private companies.
The state government decided to again reserve the precious area for exploration by PSUs and the joint venture project of the government but the matter is far from getting resolved as the apex court would hear the matter soon.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090305/jsp/jharkhand/story_10627437.jsp
High court seeks mining lease details
Kumaraswamy's tenure, apart from submitting original records pertaining to non-consideration of 45 mining lease applications wherein Kabini Minerals was favoured at the then CM's instance.
A division Bench headed by chief justice P D Dinakaran also asked the additional solicitor general representing the Centre to give details by March 11 about the condition rules and regulations governing grant of mining lease and the action to be taken against parties who violate the terms. The court also wanted to know how many leases have been issued by the present government and whether the policy guidelines have been adhered to or not.
The single Bench had quashed the CM's recommendation for granting mining lease to Kabini Minerals.
In a related development, the same Bench ordered notices to both the central and state governments on PIL seeking ban on issuing fresh mining lease and lease renewals to those who don't own a steel industry and also for curbing ore exports.
In his PIL, Sathyamoorty of Bangalore claimed: "In 2007-08 , thanks to 120m tonnes of iron ore exports, the mining industry made a gain of a whopping Rs 60,000 crore.
"But domestic consumption that was in the region of 55% has shrunk to 42%. Though they get Rs 5,000 per tonne in the international market, they pay only at a range between Rs 15-27 per tonne as royalty. The government has not heeded to the applications of domestic steel companies for captive mining... Even in Karnataka, which has 1,150m tonnes of ore deposits, 400m tonnes are being exploited."
Gold Rush: India
2009-03-04
MUMBAI:
The concern increased during the recession time when prices of gold shot up beyond $1,000 per ounce in the international markets. Moreover, gold has become the safest have available for investors at present.
The government has given GSI three years to explore the possibilities to tap the gold reserves. Now,
The government has also accorded the public sector company Hindustan Copper Ltd to diversify into gold and diamond mining in collaboration with leading foreign companies through setting up of joint ventures.
The overseas firms that are in talks with the government for gold and mining exploration include Indogold, Anglo-American Gold Mining, Monarach Gold Mining, De Beers India Ltd, ACC Rio Tinto Exploration Ltd and BHP Minerals.
The Indian government is taking all initiatives to channelise efforts in unearthing high value minerals like gold and diamonds.
Foreign companies rarely come to
However, the new mining policy is expected to open up the mining sector for foreign investment. Under the new rules, approvals for most minerals must be made in about a year or be automatically referred to a tribunal.
International gold mining companies are looking for tying up with gold exploration firms in
Southern India’s
http://www.commodityonline.com/news/Gold-Rush-India-to-mine-20000-tons-gold-reserves-15715-3-1.html
Orissa considers applicants for Malda iron ore mines
The Orissa government has completed the hearing for the Malda iron ore mines, for issue of a prospecting license over an area of about 350 hectares in Sundergarh district. The hearing for this block of iron ore had started in October 2008.
The state steel and mines department is processing applications to determine the most eligible applicant before seeking the government's approval to make recommendations to the Mines Ministry.
Mr Ashok Dalwai Orissa secretary of steel & mines department said that "We are processing applications after completion of the hearing process for Malda iron ore reserves and the most eligible claimant will be decided in next couple of days.”
There were about 57 applicants for the PL or mining lease for this block, which is a part of Malda manganese mines under the Koida mining circle. Interested steel companies include Visa Steel, Dinabandhu Steel & Power, Sree Balajee Industries, Maheswari Ispat, MSP Sponge Iron Pvt Ltd, Jindal Stainless, Chandan Minerals, BRG Iron & Steel Steels, Jindal Steel & Power, Maithon Ispat, Arati Steel and Action Ispat & Power.
Jindal Steel & Power allotted Ramchandi Promotional Coal Block in Orissa for CTL project
Jindal Steel & Power Ltd has announced that Government of India has allotted Ramchandi Promotional Coal Block in Orissa to Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. on
The prestigious CTL project is yet another feather in JSPL's cap. The project will produce 80000 barrels per day (4.0 MMTPA) crude using environment friendly Indirect Coal Liquification technology developed by M/S Lurgi of
JSPL is the first Company to bring coal gasification technology to
JSPL has a track record of successfully executing green field projects in the country. JSPL has also been very successful in Orissa in land acquisition and handling R & R issues. It has been recently awarded Think Odisha Leadership Award instituted by Times of India and TEFLA for its appreciation in carrying out CSR activities.
The stock closed the day at Rs.1030.30, up by Rs.40.35 or 4.08%. The stock hit an intraday high of Rs.1040 and low of Rs.999.
The total traded quantity was 228545 compared to 2 week average of 184773.
http://www.equitybulls.com/admin/news2006/news_det.asp?id=46685
Mining – International
RAK to build coal fired power station |
Ras al Khaimah, which is developing a coal mine in
It is the second coal plant to be proposed for the Emirates, where electricity demand has been growing so fast that utilities cannot meet demand and many industries burn costly diesel to keep the lights on. The country is expected to launch an atomic power programme later this year, but the first nuclear power plant will take about eight years to build.
The coal plant will be built in stages, starting with one unit of between 400 megawatts (MW) and 500MW that would be expanded within five years to 1,000MW, said Madhu Koneru, a spokesman for the government-owned RAK Investment Authority (RAKIA) power in cement factories and now we have a new plant in development," Mr Koneru said. "It will be a very environmentally clean project."
The proposed electricity station would be by far the biggest built in the northern emirate, and would produce power more efficiently and with less emissions than the on-site generators the cement plants use to supplement supplies from RAK's grid.
The emirate's decision to burn coal follows a similar development in
plans to put out a tender to the private sector next month.
Mr Koneru, also the managing director of Investments (RMMI) unit, estimated its share of coal production from the Indonesian mining venture would amount to 15 million tonnes a year by 2014, of which the emirate would import between 8 million and 9 million tonnes.
That would be enough to fuel the new coal-fired plant and any other power stations in the region requiring coal, he said.
RMMI and its Indonesian partner, a company owned by the government of
US$1.5 billion (Dh5.51bn) to develop 200km of railway for coal transport, and a seaport and industrial area in
Mr Madhu said RMMI would pay about 92 per cent of the between $500m and $600m cost of the railway, which he said would halve the cost of transporting coal by road.
The company is seeking to develop a rail link with the capacity to transport 60 million tonnes of coal a year produced by several mines in the region. It also plans to build a coal jetty at the seaport.
"We will work with various mine owners for the transportation of coal and welcome partnerships," Mr Koneru said.
investment decision was influenced by the lower projected cost of mining and transporting Indonesian coal, compared with buying it from suppliers such as
By Tamsin Carlisle
© The National 2009
Invest in India
states like Orissa and Chhattisgarh, saying the sector was poised for big growth.
Speaking at the end of the global mining meet by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) here Tuesday,
Highlighting how the mining sector will become a key component of the Indian growth story, she said this sector currently accounts for 2.6 per cent of the country's GDP, and that it was set for a big growth.
With its liberalisation under the new mining policy, Chauhan said, this sector will become an important component of the nation's economy, offering huge opportunities for Canadian companies.
The deputy high commissioner said the new mining policy introduced last year allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the mining sector. This step opens up "possibilities of collaboration from private partnership (PPI) to joint venture to tie-ups" for
"
She told Canadian mining companies that despite the global meltdown,
Additional secretary Vijay Kumar, who led the 21-member Indian mining delegation to the global gathering, said interactions with Canadian and other global mining companies were "fruitful".
"We showcased
Maintaining that the landmark legislation will change the Indian mining sector, Kumar said: "Though we have three to four major Canadian companies operating in
Hemant Shah, chairman of the mining committee of the Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC), said the India-Canada partnership in mining will make for a "perfect marriage".
"Mining is
Catalpa raising money for WA gold mine
Rebecca Le May
Catalpa Resources Ltd aims to complete its $100 million capital raising this month, as it moves towards commissioning its first gold mine in
The junior explorer on Wednesday secured a $67.5 million finance facility from Macquarie Bank for its Edna May project, despite tight financing markets worldwide.
Catalpa's plans to commence mining in mid-2010 contrasts against a spate of recent mine closures, due largely to a scarceness of project capital.
Catalpa managing director Bruce McFadzean said the estimated capital expenditure for the Edna May project, 2km from the small town of
He said cost savings should shave between five and 10 per cent from that figure.
Mr McFadzean said the capital raising target had been rounded up to $100 million so that the miner would not need to return to the market for the foreseeable future.
He said a forthcoming equity raising of around $32.5 million would include an offer to existing shareholders.
"The fact Macquarie Bank backed us before the equity raising was complete speaks volumes about the robustness of the project," he said.
He said it indicated also the bank was bullish about ongoing gold price strength and tipped it would remain around the current level for some time.
The spot gold price in
Under a hedging facility with Macquarie Bank, Catalpa has sold forward 352,316 ounces at $A1,544 ($US993) per ounce until 2014/15.
The
Catalpa has agreed to issue Macquarie Bank options over the explorer's fully paid shares, which could give the financier a stake of up to about eight per cent in Catalpa.
Resource investment group Lion Selection Ltd has a 51 per cent interest in Catalpa, which will be diluted after the equity raising.
The Edna May mine is expected to realise an average annual cash operating margin of $90 million, after royalties.
Mr McFazdean said the company would eventually eye acquisition opportunities in the gold sector, possibly overseas, but Edna May would remain its key focus for some time.
Australian company gets Ngami mining licences
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The area adjoins the diamond exploration licences held by the company at Tsumkwe in north-eastern
"The company would like to thank the Department of Geological Survey of Botswana and the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources for their efforts in processing these applications.
These licences cover an area of approximately seven thousand square kilometres on the south eastern margins of the Angolan Craton, highly prospective for the discovery of diamondiferous kimberlites," said Nigel Forrester, the chairman and managing director of
Through its previous base-metals exploration and resource development of the Kihabe zinc/lead/silver project, which fell within the same area of
"This will significantly reduce ongoing future exploration costs while operating in this area during this period requiring strict resource management. The company is still awaiting the completion of the Scoping Study in respect of the Kihabe base metals resource," Forrester said.
The Kihabe Base Metals Project is located on the border of
In its half-year results up to December 2008,
"Further resource exploration requirements beyond the consolidated entity's current cash resources can only be funded from further capital raisings, securing funding from incoming joint venture partners, or the sale of ground holdings or equity in the projects.
"At the end of the six-month period, the consolidated entity had cash resources of $2 million. At the date of the report, the consolidated entity has cash resources of approximately $1.9 million and an unused overdraft facility of $350,000.
As the consolidated entity was involved only in resource exploration during the six months, there was not any cash generated from operations," said the statement accompanying the results.
Forrester announced that the company had appointed Ben Mosigi as a technical director. "Mosigi has significant experience in base metal and diamond exploration/mining.
His previous diamond exploration and mining experience, which included a significant period of time with Debswana and Botswana Diamonfields covered work on the Orapa, Letlhakane, Jwaneng and Damtshaa in
Mosigi's past experience in diamond exploration and development will add significantly to the company's diamond exploration effort," said Forrester.
http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=4&aid=16&dir=2009/March/Wednesday4
Mineral rights showdown at Badlands ranch
By JAMES MacPHERSON
updated
"If they want me out of the picture, pay me $2.5 million and I'll go back to
Lothspeich, 50, of Miles City, Mont., claims he owns half the mineral and gravel rights beneath the 5,200-acre ranch in western
The Forest Service has not acted on Lothspeich's request to mine the gravel because his application is not complete and lacks proper documentation, said Forest Service district supervisor Ron Jablonski.
"He has not provided to us what we need," Jablonski said. "The reality is, we're still trying to figure out who actually owns" the mineral rights.
The Forest Service purchased the ranch, next to Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch site, from brothers Kenneth, Allan and Dennis Eberts and their families in 2007. It cost $5.3 million, with $4.8 million coming from the federal government and $500,000 from conservation groups. The purchase did not include mineral rights.
The Ebertses had bought the ranch and half the mineral rights from the Connell family in 1993 for $800,000. Lothspeich, who grew up near the ranch before moving to
Byron Connell, of
"Nobody did their homework on this," Connell said. "Now, everybody is ducking and diving at the Forest Service and trying to save face."
Jablonski concedes that the agency never made a formal offer for the mineral rights to the Ebertses or the Connells.
"We thought at the time that the land was a good purchase for taxpayers," Jablonski said. "We had no idea that something like this would come up. We knew the potential was there, but we were willing to take the risk."
The Forest Service is attempting to work with Lothspeich, "but we are not interested in buying Mr. Lothspeich out," Jablonski said.
Lothspeich said the government has been stalling for nearly a year and is fighting his plan with red tape. He wants to begin mining gravel this summer.
"They're jacking me around and backpedaling because they know I got them over a barrel," said Lothspeich, who owns a motorcycle, snowmobile and ATV dealership in
Wayde Schafer, a North Dakota spokesman for the Sierra Club, said Lothspeich approached his group about buying the subsurface rights to the ranch.
"He basically said he'd dig it up unless we gave him money," Schafer said. "He thought for sure we'd just jump at the chance to pay him $2.5 million, but I told him, 'That's not what we do and good luck.'"
Lothspeich said he is open to selling the subsurface rights, which include "coal, scoria, uranium, sand, gravel, the whole works," to anyone who gives him $2.5 million.
"If those tree-huggers want to write me a check, that's OK, too," he said.
Connell, whose family owned the ranch for nearly 50 years before selling it in the early 1990s, said gravel had been mined at the ranch from about 1917 through the 1980s. He said many of the roads in
Roosevelt, who was president from 1901 to 1909, set aside millions of acres for national forests and wildlife refuges during his administration. The ranch is part of an area now hailed as "the cradle of conservation" by the Forest Service, Park Service and conservation groups.
The Forest Service's acquisition of the historic ranch has been fraught with problems since the deal was inked. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., accused the agency of skirting the law when it announced plans last year to manage the ranch as a forage reserve without traditional grazing.
Lothspeich's battle with the agency doesn't surprise Dorgan.
"If he has a legitimate claim, it would be an unbelievable and pretty spectacular failure on behalf of the Forest Service not to have addressed that issue," Dorgan said. "They're going to have a lot of egg on their face, if they didn't deal with the mineral rights."
Lothspeich said tourists coming to the area will be disappointed if he doesn't get his asking price.
"These people who think they'll come out there and see the so-called 'cradle of conservation' won't see anything except a bunch of gravel pits," Lothspeich said.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29476829/
Local NAACP chapter to host forum on uranium mining
By John Crane
Published:
The
The meeting is open to the public and will take place at
“I’d like to find out the positions of the supervisors,” NAACP President Willie T. Fitzgerald said Tuesday.
NAACP members have invited Board of Supervisors Chairman Coy Harville, who represents the Westover District, and Banister Supervisor William Pritchett to answer questions about the political issues involved in uranium mining. The membership, which numbers about 400 in the county, is interested in learning more about uranium mining and related matters, NAACP Secretary Elizabeth Jones said.
Virginia Uranium Inc. wants to mine and mill a 119-million-pound uranium ore deposit at Coles Hill, about six miles northeast of Chatham. The state has imposed a moratorium on uranium mining since the early 1980s. The Virginia Coal and Energy Commission approved a study in November.
The Board of Supervisors passed a resolution last month calling for a thorough, unbiased study that would ensure no harm to the environment, residents, businesses or other institutions in the county from uranium mining before it is deemed safe.
Pritchett, a member of the
Pritchett said there is hysteria surrounding uranium mining and that most of the constituents in his district are against the idea.
Henry Hurt, a Virginia Uranium investor, said he is pleased that the NAACP is holding a meeting on uranium mining. Hurt said he or another VUI representative will attend the event.
“It will be interesting to hear what they have to say,” Hurt said.
Virginia Uranium conducted a presentation for the NAACP’s
Ottawa
The government figures say companies plan to cut the money they spend on finding new resources almost in half, from $2.8 billion to $1.5 billion.
The drop effects every province and territory in
But the falloff may be felt worst in the North, where mining makes up a larger part of the economy and is one of the few sources of private-sector jobs.
The federal government has announced it will extend a tax credit designed to make it easier for small mining companies to get bank credit.
Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5il4ZFoFBp9lenEVT_AEr-NNGG8Mw
New memorial marks town's mining history
Published Date:
A MEMORIAL to a mining community in the Lothians has been unveiled.
The mural in Prestonpans was officially dedicated to the old Summerlee neighbourhood and all its miners and their families. Miners Association members, residents and community figures were all in attendance at an opening ceremony at
Tom Ewing, who painted the mural with
He said: "It is great to have been able to pay tribute to the miners and their families.
"Almost everyone in the town who has not moved here in the last few years has some family connection to the mines and now there is nothing left of it other than the
The mural depicts streets and houses built by the Summerlee and Mossend Iron and Coal Company between 1895 and World War II, in the Cuthill area of Prestonpans.
Organised by the Prestongrange Arts Festival, the mural marks the start of a campaign by the area's community council to raise funds for a miners' statue.
There are also plans for an exhibition on "Life at Summerlee" later this year.
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/New-memorial--marks-town39s.5036025.jp
Other News – India
Economic crisis to result in deaths of thousands of children: Unesco |
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The global financial crisis sweeping through Wall Street and European banking sector will touch the lives of the world’s most vulnerable, push millions into deeper poverty and lead to the deaths of thousands of children, a new United Nations study said.
The world’s poorest countries are unable to insulate their citizens from the crisis, with an estimated 43 out of 48 low-income countries incapable of providing a pro-poor government stimulus, the report by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said.
The report highlighted an increase in child mortality rate between 200,000 and 400,000, saying that child malnutrition will be one of the main drivers of higher child death rates.
“Millions of children face the prospect of long-term irreversible cognitive damage as a result of the financial crisis,” Patrick Montjourides, one of the authors of the report, said.
There is also a real danger that some low-income countries like Mozambique, Ethiopia, Mali, Senegal, Rwanda and Bangladesh — which have made progress towards the Millennium Development Goals of universal primary education — will suffer setbacks.
Reduced growth in 2009 will affect the 390 million people in sub-Saharan
“This projected loss represents 20 per cent of the per capita income of
The study, prepared by the Education for All Global Monitoring Report (GMR) team, was presented at the first session of the UNESCO Future Forum which analysis the consequences of the present financial and economic crises for international cooperation.
It documented the potential impact of the current worldwide economic meltdown on the Millennium Development Goals, internationally agreed targets to eradicate poverty and reduce child mortality among other human development objectives.
The report said that increased international aid could help reduce fiscal pressure, but development assistance budgets are coming under increased pressure and countries are using these crisis as an excuse to turn their back on the world’s poor.
“Aid donors could clearly do far more to protect the world’s poorest people from a crisis manufactured by the world’s richest financiers and regulatory failure in rich countries,” Kevin Watkins, one of authors, said.
According to the report, the European Union’s aid commitment to provide 0.5 per cent of GDP in aid by 2010 will be $4.6 billion less than committed.
“We cannot allow rich countries to use this crisis as an excuse to turn their back on the world’s poor,” Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, said.
“Measures to revive growth and fix the financial system must be coupled with greater efforts to tackle the structural problems of extreme poverty and inequality.” he added.
The authors of the report called for a concerted international effort to limit the impact of the financial crisis on the poor.
It has asked for an increase of over $500 billion in International Monetary Fund for special drawing rights along with governance reforms to give developing countries an increased voice. It has also asked EU to provide a $4.6-billion aid adjustment.
16 Children Go Missing Daily
By P. Vijian
Backed by police data, the Naujawan Bharat Sabha (NBS), a youth organisation, claimed that children, mostly from poor families, fall victims to human trafficking rackets.
The children are kidnapped and sold.
"This is a frightening trend. Many are from poor families. Some run away from poor family conditions but many others are kidnapped for financial gains by well-organised rackets across the country.
"We have even found children keeping sand in their pockets as means to protect themselves from kidnappers, to throw at their face during any attempt," Tapish Maindole, NBS coordinator told Bernama today.
The NBS and another social organisation, Bigul Mazdoor Dasta, jointly released a report on missing children in two major cities --
Besides, their sample survey revealed that 5,600 children went missing from
Many are abducted from their homes while their parents are away at work.
"These children are sold as domestic helpers, child labour in the carpet industry or used in camel racing or organ harvesting and child pornography.
"The increasing demand for adoption, both at home and overseas, is another factor. The numbers could be more, because only 10 per cent of the cases are reported," said Maindole.
-- BERNAMA
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_world.php?id=393991
Climate change bad news for most birds: study
PARIS (AFP) — Birds in
Researchers found a strong match between data collected over decades from a continent-wide monitoring network and computer models forecasting the impact of global warming.
"Although we have only a very small actual rise in global average temperatures, it is staggering to realise how much change we are noticing in wildlife populations," said lead author Richard Gregory of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in
"If we don't take our foot off the gas now, our indicator shows that there will be many much worse effects to come."
Any increase in Earth's average temperature above 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial times "will create global havoc" for birds and other wildlife, he said in a press statement.
The study, published in the online journal PLoS ONE, analysed data for 122 wild bird species, more than a fifth of the 526 species known to nest in
"We found that the number being negatively impacted was nearly three times greater than that benefit from climate change," said co-author Frederic Jiguet, a research at
The researchers created the first continent-wide indicator of climate change impact on wildlife.
"Our indicator is the biodiversity equivalent of the FTSE stock exchange, only instead of summarising the changing fortunes of businesses, it summarises how biodiversity is changing due to climate change," said Stephen Willis of Durham University.
Birds that were predicted to fare well under global warming have expanded their habitats, and those predicted to have done badly declined over the last two decades, he said.
The species that have thrived due to climate change include bee-eater, cirl bunting, hoopoe, golden oriole, goldfinch, collared dove, and four species of warbler: Cetti's, great reed, Sardinian and subalpine.
Those hit hardest by rising temperatures include snipe, meadow pipit, brambling, willow tit, lapwing, thrush nightingale, wood warbler, nutcracker, northern wheatear, and lesser spotted woodpecker.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jhCafnOk3zPp0a2o-TPxJ0WE0hFQ
SEZ units and developers can clain refund for tax
whether they are consumed inside or outside the zone.
The government’s decision to refund taxes implies that all developers and units in SEZs will now have to first pay a tax on services consumed and then get a refund from the tax authorities.
Till now, the government exempted developers from paying a tax on services that were consumed within the zone. So while services used within the zone were exempted from taxes those consumed outside the SEZ attracted taxes.
Service tax is levied at the rate of 10%. Some of the serviced that units and developers use outisde the zone include courier service, transport service among others.
While the industry has welcomed the move to refund tax on services consumed outsides the zone, it wants the government to give a blanket exemption.
L B Singhal, director general, Export Promotion Council for Export oriented Units and SEZs says: "SEZ Act provides ab-initio exemption from service tax whereas the notification has provided exemption from service tax by way of refund of service tax.
Hence, service tax has to be paid first and then refund has to be claimed. It would result into unnecessary blockage of funds, paper work and transaction cost. Hence it would be appropriate if ab-initio exemption could be provided".
Says Bipin Sapra, associate director, Ernst & Young: "This notification puts to rest the ambiguity which existed regarding whether the services were actually being consumed in a SEZ or not. However, by allowing the exemption by way of a refund the government has not only increased the transaction cost but also increased the cash outflow of SEZ units".
The new finance ministry notification exempts services used for ‘authorised operations’ within SEZs, but, developers and units will have to first pay service tax and then claim it back as a refund through the specified mechanism.
Authorised operations are the government approved activities that can be undertaken within a zone. The refund can be claimed by SEZ unit or developer within 6 months from the date of payment of service tax.
The new provision also overrides the tax exemption provided in the SEZ Act. "The notification implies that service tax would now be reimbursed over 6 months for both services consumed within and outside the zone for authorized operations," said Anita Arjundas, chief operating officer, Mahindra World City Developers.
The move to refund tax paid on services provided outside the zone comes following a decision in this regard by the empowered group of ministers on SEZs headed by finance and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Refund of tax paid on services provided outside the zone has been a long-standing demand of SEZ unit owners and developers who had argued that they should not be made to pay tax on services consumed outside the export zone so long as the services were related to production within the SEZ.
The notification clears the ambiguity with regard to eligibility of the service tax exemption in case of input services consumed by SEZ units and developers, that were being disputed by the tax officials.
All the services required in relation to authorized operations of SEZ will have to be approved by approval committee of SEZ which would be called specified services.
Also, developers and unit holders would not be able to claim credit with regard to such input services. Developers and units would also have to give a declaration to claim the refund exemption, to the effect that such service is received by him in relation to authorised operations in SEZ.
The notification will come into effect on or after the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette.
Wildfires affected by climate change
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Recent data and model simulations have indicated that anthropogenic climate change can stimulate fire activity, but paleo records (indicators of past climate) also provide us with a view into the past. By using these records, an international team of scientists has discovered that abrupt climate change during a phase of forest expansion can trigger more wildfires. Their findings were recently published online in Proceedings of the
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The scientists from the Center for Bio-Archeology and Ecology (i.e. CNRS/Universite Montepellier 2/Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes de Paris) assessed the variation in wildfires in response to the abrupt climate change that occurred almost 13 000 to 11 000 years ago.
The period from 15 000 to 10 000 years ago was examined and scientists note that that particular period was characterised by a major change in the environment. They have even said that the change can be described as being similar to the change we are facing today.
To get an idea of what happened then, the scientists reconstructed the history of wildfires from that period. The data they used were 35 sedimentary charcoal and pollen records, and their finding was very interesting. The scientists explained that by studying fossil pollen, they found that biomass burning gradually increased until the start of the Younger Dryas (i.e. the Big Freeze).
While records regarding variation in fire activity between 12 900 and 11 700 years exist, no systematic trend was evidenced at that time. Data shows, however, that the number of wildfires grew after the Big Freeze ended around 11 700, when the world entered the Holocene period, which according to experts, is the period in which we are currently still living.
It should be noted that rapid climate change occurred at intervals of 13 900, 13 200 and 11 700 years, brought on by the expansive fire activity.
Clear links between the large climate changes and fire activity were established, the scientists remarked. According to the authors of the paper, the timing of the changes was ‘not coincident with changes in human population density or the timing of the extinction of the megafauna’, or even the theory about a meteorite bombardment.
These factors may have played a role in the fire-regime changes at various sites or specific times, they explained, adding that the charcoal data show what a significant role the climate plays in determining the major levels of fire activity. This is especially evident in rapid fire change, they added.
The scientists also remarked that the findings offer key information about the possible trends in wildfires in the future.
This latest study followed another study published in Nature Geoscience last October, indicating that the climate played a significant role in the fire regime over centuries before the Industrial Revolution, the team said.
In a nutshell, the findings of the current study suggest that climate-driven fires may increase due to continued global warming and forest expansion. The result of which are new environmental and societal risks, they cautioned.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/headlines/news/article_09_03_05_en.html
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