Mining – India 1
1. Another blow to mining project 1
2. Lokayukta will probe mining issues: BSY tells Centre 2
3. 24 Jun 2009, 0452 hrs IST, TNN 2
4. NTPC, Coal India to buy mining assets overseas 3
5. Mining industry: On a growth trail 4
6. The future lies in green coke 5
7. India scrap aluminium importers oppose duty charge 6
Mining – International 7
8. China Says Raw-Material Export Limits Meet WTO Rules (Update1) 7
9. Zimbabwe's mines minister barred from Britain 9
10. Court rejects action against PM 10
11. Coal mine blast in Indonesia kills at least 32 11
Other News 15
12. Rights panel calls for overhaul of child labour laws 15
13. People in Sheikhpura Protest against Water Scarcity 16
14. New slum development scheme to cover 74 cities 16
15. Orissa to give land deeds to tribals after vacation of stay 19
16. 'India, China most favoured countries for FDI' 19
17. Second home for Gir's big cats remains mired 20
Mining – India
Another blow to mining project
Ashwin Aghor / DNA
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 2:42 IST
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Mumbai: The proposed coal mining project of Adani Mining Private Limited at Lohara, on the outskirts of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), suffered yet another blow when the minister of state for coal Shriprakash Jaiswal stated that the ministry could cancel such leases in eco-sensitive areas, wildlife areas, around sanctuaries and national parks. Moreover, Jaiswal has promised not to consider such proposals in future.
"I hope that the ministry will now cancel the lease allotted to Adani Power Limited at Lohara," said Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda Foundation, an NGO working for wildlife and tiger conservation in central India. There are around eight such leases granted around TATR. Even after operating in an open cast mine, the companies have gone for underground mining which is disastrous for the ecology, he added.
The ministry of coal, government of India, vide its letter No. 38011/1/2007-CA-I dated November 6, 2007, had allotted a coal block on 1573.86 hectares of forest land and 81.81 hectares of non-forest land, identified as Lohara West and Lohara extension coal block in the command area of Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) to Adani Power Limited.
This was done to meet the coal requirement for their 1000 MW power plant at Tiroda, in Gondia district. The company had applied to the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF), government of India, for the grant of environment clearance to their mining lease as per the provision of EIA notification 2006.
The issue turned serious and environmentalists, including local nature lovers, had unanimously opposed the move.
"It will be a big relief for forests and wildlife in Vidarbha," said Prof Nishikant Kale, President of Nature Conservation Society, Amravati, who had opposed the proposal of Lohara mine by giving written submission to the chairman of public hearing at Chandrapur.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_another-blow-to-mining-project_1267908
Lokayukta will probe mining issues: BSY tells Centre
24 Jun 2009, 0452 hrs IST, TNN
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BANGALORE: Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has told the Centre that Lokayukta has been asked to probe into complaints of irregularities,
illegalities and environmental issues associated with mining in Bellary and Sandur areas.
In a letter to Union forest and environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday, Yeddyurappa said the terms of reference of the investigation are elaborate and exhaustive. "All aspects of mining in the state are dealt with by the state government. Earlier government's reference to Lokayukta was for the period 2000-2006. However, our government extended the period of reference upto December 2008," Yeddyurappa said.
His letter comes in the wake of Ramesh expressing concern regarding illegal mining in Bellary forest area in his letter addressed to the state on June 15.
"The government constituted a high-level committee headed by the additional chief secretary to study the Lokayukta report submitted in December 2008 and assist the government in taking action on various observations and recommendations contained in the report," he said.
In a separate letter, Yeddyurappa urged Union mines minister B K Handique to revise royalty and dead rent rates in respect of major minerals. The letter said royalty rates fixed by the Centre are very low and are not commensurate with the present market value of iron ore.
"The frequent movement of vehicles carrying iron ore has caused lot of damage to the environment and road infrastructure in the state. The repair of roads and containing environmental damage require huge investment by the state government. Therefore, enhancement of royalty on iron ore to 10% of the sale price (advalorem) and general revision of royalty rates in respect of other major minerals based on the market valueis needed," Yeddyurappa said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Lokayukta-will-probe-mining-issues-BSY-tells-Centre/articleshow/4694124.cms
NTPC, Coal India to buy mining assets overseas
24 Jun 2009, 0118 hrs IST, Pradeep Pandey, ET Bureau
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MUMBAI: State-owned utility National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the largest coal producer Coal India are in advanced stages of
acquiring mining assets in Mozambique, Indonesia and Australia, as the new government firms up plans to meet the growing energy demand.
While NTPC is focussing on Mozambique and Indonesia, Coal India is all set to sign a joint venture agreement with the Mozambique government and has also shortlisted mining firms in Australia and Indonesia, according to top executives from the two companies.
Speaking to ET, Coal India chairman Partha S Bhattacharyya said: “We hope to finalise our overseas expansion deals in Mozambique, Australia and Indonesia in the next three months. Coal India, which produced over 400 million tonne of coal in the previous fiscal, plans to raise its output to 520 million tonne by 2012 and 664 million tonne in the next five years. Its output past year accounted for 85% of the nation’s production. “From overseas assets, we aim to add 50 million tonne per annum by 2020,” added Mr Bhattacharyya.
In order to meet the country’s growing energy demands, NTPC and Coal India (CIL) have been trying to acquire overseas mining assets. Coal India’s overseas venture arm Coal Videsh and its joint venture unit International Coal Ventures are used for the purpose of acquisitions abroad.
International Coal Ventures is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) created by Coal India, SAIL, NTPC, National Mineral Development Corp and others to scout for coal assets abroad. Coal India and SAIL are major stake holders in the SPV.
According to NTPC chairman RS Sharma, “We will finalise merchant bankers for our proposed acquisitions next month.” NTPC has identified two mining assets in Indonesia and two in Mozambique for which due diligence process is in progress. The public sector utility would require about 150 million tonne of coal for its power units, which is mainly supplied by CIL.
Coal India is progressing fast also. “We have received the drafts of contract and the JV agreement from the Mozambique government,” said Mr Bhattacharyya. “We’ll go ahead after examining these documents,” he added. The company’s ventures in Australia and Indonesia are in advanced stages, he said, adding that the company has shortlisted few mining firms in both the countries.”
India’s largest coal producer has also been granted two exploratory coal mining blocks in Mozambique, with reserves of 1 billion tonne. “This project would require a joint investment of around Rs 2,000 crore per 10 million tonne exploration over five years. In this, CIL’s investment share would be in accordance with the nature of JV — it could be in order of 3:1 or 1:1,” said Mr Bhattacharyya.
Further, the coal ministry has proposals to raise the overseas investment limit of CIL beyond Rs 1,000 crore for asset acquisition. The proposal would be soon placed before the cabinet committee, minister of state for coal Sriprakash Jaiswal has said. Being a navratna company, which has to be listed by October 2011, it could invest Rs 1,000 crore for overseas assets.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News-by-Industry/NTPC-Coal-India-to-buy-mining-assets/articleshow/4694481.cms
Mining industry: On a growth trail
24 Jun 2009, 0305 hrs IST, ET Bureau
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Highly endowed with vast mineral resources, the minerals and mining industry is a key segment of the Indian economy. The country’s accelerated
growth rate warrants a rapid development of the mining sector, on which most of the basicindustries in the manufacturing sector depend.
India, one of the leaders in coal and iron ore production, has seen significant growth in mining activity over the last few years. Moreover, on back of growing demand, even amidst global turmoil, India is surely moving ahead with its aggressive mining plans. There can be a deferral in capital investment, but India will continue to witness significantinvestment in the mining segment.
In 2008-09, the bulk of the value of mineral production, about 80.65 per cent, was confined to seven states, including offshore areas. Offshore areas continued to lead in terms of value and had a share of 17.72 per cent in the national output. Next in order was Orissa with a share of 14.80 per cent, followed by Chhattisgarh (11.36 per cent) and Jharkhand (8.22 per cent).
Coal India alone produced around 403 million tons (MT) in 2008-09. The company had planned to invest over Rs 18,000 crore to produce 520.5 MT of coal during the terminal year of the Eleventh Plan. One of the other most crucial and strategic raw materials for the country, iron ore has attracted major focus and attention. The country produced over 210 MT of iron ore in 2008-09. Considering the steel project expansion in the country, it has been estimated that production will continue to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 2.1per cent.
There is tremendous activity in the non-ferrous metals segment as well. Major metal companies, including Nalco, Hindustan Zinc and Hindustan Copper, have massive expansion and exploration plans.
Getting mining leases are a pain point of the industry. But those who have got the mines are currently controlling the metal market, be it steel making or aluminum or copper. Steel makers with captive iron ore and coal resources have been able to make profit despite recession.
The Indian national steel policy, apart from steel production, also aims to remove the bottlenecks in the availability of inputs like iron and coal. It wants to enhance iron ore production from the current capacity of 172 MT to 290 MT in 2019-2020.
Well recognizing the importance of this sector, the country has already seen a tremendous growth in investment here. According to the Annual Report of RBI, deployment of gross bank credit to mining and quarrying (including coal) sector has already crossed Rs 10,616 crore as on March 2008 against Rs 2,800 crore as on March 2004.
However, the government must carefully evaluate export options and allot mining leases with great care. If national resources begin to go out of the country, it would affect our growth plans heavily.
(Contribution from Steel Insights, a publication of mjunction services ltd)
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Mining-industry-On-a-growth-trail/articleshow/4694631.cms
The future lies in green coke
24 Jun 2009, 0315 hrs IST, ET Bureau
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What do you think about the mining industry in India, also in perspective of your area of
D K Ojha, MD, Global Coke Pvt Ltd
operation?
India is among a few rich countries in terms of mineral resources. Some of the valuable minerals being mined here are coal, iron ore and bauxite. Coke, when converted from coal, is one of the most efficient and economical industrial fuel for making steel besides acting as a reducing agent for chemical, cement and allied industries, all linked to the core sector.
Tell us something about Global Coke and your contributions to this sector.
Global Coke is the manufacturer of low-ash metallurgical coke at Jamnagar, Gujarat. After acquiring non-performing assets of a sick unit in Sept 2007, we converted it into a dividend paying one within first year itself. The fiscal 2008-09 has recorded a sales growth rate of 445 per cent with consistent profit. We are making 144,000 tonnes of met coke annually and are expanding the capacity by another 156,000 tonnes of met coke annually with upgraded technology at the same place in Gujarat.
We are bullish about the demand for our product. Moreover, there is plan to set up a 12 MW power plant to be used from waste heat generated from coke oven chimneys. We call met coke as green coke.
We are poised to acquire coal blocks in different parts of the world and expand our capacity with combined emphasis on the power generation.
What is green coke?
The continuous burning of coal at an average temperature of 1,200 degree centigrade and wasting the resultant heat is a national loss. Therefore, its recovery and converting it into energy is a necessity. Rather, it should be made compulsory along with coke making in the industrial policy of the country as it will save not only the scarce mineral resources but also the environment from huge pollutants. We believe the future of this industry lies in making green coke.
What do you suggest for rationalization of mineral resources like coal?
Formation of conglomerate for single-point platform of annual buying of the industry should be encouraged., acquisitions of coal blocks in less developed and developing countries should be promoted by the government for met coke manufacturers. In countries such as Mongolia, Mozambique, Indonesia, Colombia, Canada, CIS countries besides Australia and New Zealand, tremendous prospects of coking coal mining exists. As a long-term industrial policy, coke manufacturers should be provided incentives like low-cost fundS, no-tax-on-imports from self-owned coal blocks based on favourable economic treaties and all such encouragements to acquire and develop coal blocks in such countries.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Interviews/The-future-lies-in-green-coke/articleshow/4694640.cms
India scrap aluminium importers oppose duty charge
Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:53am IST
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By Amena Bakr
DUBAI, June 23 (Reuters) - India's scrap aluminium traders are in talks with the government to seek a rejection of a request by primary metal producers for an import duty charge on scraps, traders said on Tuesday.
The Aluminium Association of India, which represents the interests of the private primary aluminium producers, filed a request late last month to the Directorate General of Safeguards Customs and Central Excise to impose a duty on imports of scrap aluminium, a statement from the custom authority said.
"The primary aluminium producers want to limit the imports of scrap aluminium because the prices of the products we produce from scrap are more competitive," said Zain Nathani, managing director of Nathani Industrial Services, an Indian scrap metal importing firm.
India's Aluminium firms have claimed a 6,707 rupee loss per tonne of the metal during the first quarter of this year, compared with a profit of 5,149 rupees per tonne during the last quarter of 2008.
"Increased imports [of scrap] are also leading to the loss of employment," the statement said.
It added that in 2007-2008 the industry had employed around 6,530 people and by March this year the number had dropped to 5,615.
The statement did not include a proposed percentage for the duty change, however traders told Reuters that it might be in the range of 10 percent to 20 percent.
"If this duty charge is implemented it would really limit our imports and I don't understand why the government would want to stop recycling metals," said Aditya Gupta, a trader from Meenakshi Metallics, a scrap metal firm based in Mumbai.
This week the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), a global federation of industries involved in recovery and recycling of metals started negotiations with the custom authorities to stop the import duties from being imposed.
"Recycled raw materials should always be promoted and it's a well documented fact that recycling one tonne of aluminium conserves up to eight tonnes of bauxite ore and 14 megawatt hours of electricity," said Ikbal Nathani, BIR's representative in India.
During the first quarter of this year India imported 131,858 tonnes of scrap aluminium which represents 49.74 percent in relation to the primary aluminium production, according to local industry statistics.
Earlier this month India eased import restrictions on scrap metals and released thousands of tonnes of scrap that were held in customs after elevator buttons made from the metal and exported to Germany were found to be radioactive. (Edting by Simon Jessop)
http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINLM18018520090623?sp=true
Mining – International
China Says Raw-Material Export Limits Meet WTO Rules (Update1)
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By Bloomberg News
June 24 (Bloomberg) -- China’s government said it will contest complaints to the World Trade Organization from the European Union and the U.S. that the nation unfairly limits exports of raw materials such as magnesium, coke and zinc.
The policy aims to protect the environment and natural resources and “is in accordance with WTO rules,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a faxed statement today.
The EU and U.S., lodging their third joint complaint against China, alleged export taxes keep material costs lower for domestic steel and manufacturing companies, hurting foreign competitors. Former WTO chief Mike Moore warned in Auckland today that the world is in “dangerous waters” as protectionist measures increase.
“China’s policies on these raw materials put a giant thumb on the scale in favor of Chinese producers,” U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirktold reporters in Washington yesterday. “It’s our job to make sure we remove that thumb.”
The case is the first WTO complaint brought by the Obama administration, which came to office vowing to take a harder line against trade barriers, especially in China.
U.S. steelmakers and unions complain that cheap government loans, tax rebates and grants give Chinese manufacturers an unfair advantage. Trade tensions between the two countries span product safety and calls for a stronger yuan.
‘Good News’
The complaint, filed in Geneva yesterday, accuses China of using taxes or quotas to discourage the export of bauxite, coke, yellow phosphorous, magnesium, silicon metal and zinc. China is either a major supplier or the only source of those materials, according to the EU.
China scrapped or reduced yesterday export taxes on some fertilizer chemicals, including yellow phosphorous.
The “good news” in the dispute is that WTO mechanisms are taking the place of unilateral action, Moore said. “It’s disappointing that they have to, but it is the rule of law that is operating, not the rule of the jungle.”
China, the world’s fastest-growing major economy and biggest consumer of metals, uses coke to make steel and zinc to galvanize the metal. It refines bauxite into alumina, which is then smelted into aluminum.
Kirk and EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton said they hope for a resolution during 60 days of mandatory WTO consultations. China will “properly resolve” the dispute using WTO procedures, the commerce ministry said today.
‘Gradual Slide’
China is the biggest source of U.S. imports, and the EU’s second-largest trading partner.
The global recession is increasing calls by industries worldwide for protection. Chinese officials have complained about Buy American rules imposed on government spending by Congress, and moves to restrict U.S. imports of Chinese tires and steel pipes.
“It’s a gradual slide towards greater trade protectionism,” Ben Simpfendorfer, an economist with Royal Bank of Scotland in Hong Kong, said today.
China reiterated this month its own rules favoring local suppliers for government projects. The commerce ministry said today that it was asking the WTO to set up an experts panel to probe U.S. restrictions on imports of its poultry products.
Export restrictions on raw materials can hurt manufacturers of products ranging from airplanes to semiconductors, detergent and steel, according to the European Commission, the EU’s trade authority.
To contact the Bloomberg News staff on this story: Jennifer M. Freedman in Geneva at jfreedman@bloomberg.net; Mark Drajem in Washington atmdrajem@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: June 24, 2009 00:47 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a03jCig6wATE
Zimbabwe's mines minister barred from Britain
By ANGUS SHAW – 9 hours ago
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe's mines minister, who is on a list of officials close to President Robert Mugabe barred from the West, has been kept from attending an investment conference in London, state radio and British officials said Tuesday.
British officials in Harare said Obert Mpofu was denied a visa to travel to the African mining meeting where he was scheduled to make a speech Tuesday.
Mpofu is among politicians and leaders of Mugabe's party targeted under travel restrictions imposed by Britain, the European Union and the United States. The travel restrictions, freezes on overseas bank accounts held by Mugabe cronies, and a study ban keeping their children from enrolling in foreign schools are meant to punish Mugabe for abusing human and democratic rights.
State radio said leaders of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party accused Western governments of arrogance for barring party members from participating in a re-engagement campaign led by former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who is prime minister in a coalition government formed in February and is and currently touring Western capitals.
In London, Tsvangirai was scheduled to address the International Mining in Africa conference from which Mpofu was barred. The conference is focusing on investment opportunities in Zimbabwe.
Tsvangirai's party held a meeting of its national executive committee in Harare on Tuesday and announced it will seek help from regional leaders on continuing disputes in the fragile coalition government.
Tapiwa Mashakada, the party's acting secretary general, cited bias in the state media against the party and Tsvangirai's foreign trip, and more arrests and prosecutions of party activists and lawmakers.
He said the state media favored Mugabe's ZANU-PF and undermined Tsvangirai's efforts abroad.
"If this inclusive government is going to succeed, the media should project the spirit of the day, but it is attacking and belittling the prime minister in very toxic language," Mashakada said.
The party was seeking an urgent meeting of the Southern African Development Community that could be held early next month to also mediate on "wanton political arrests" and prosecutions still pending against six of its lawmakers on charges that include allegations of political violence and election fraud surrounding polls last year.
But the Southern African Development Community officials, asked about Zimbabwe after a weekend summit on another trouble spot in the region — Madagascar — said they saw no reason to intervene at this point.
Tsvangirai has met Western leaders who have sharply criticized Mugabe. Tuesday's radio report was not the first sign the Mugabe faction has been irritated by the attention Tsvangirai is receiving.
After Tsvangirai met President Barack Obama earlier this month in Washington, Obama praised the premier for persevering in trying to lead Zimbabwe out of a "very dark and difficult period," and accused Mugabe of resisting democracy.
Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper quoted Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi, a Mugabe appointee, as accusing Obama of being "overtly biased" and lacking "diplomatic courtesy."
The Sunday Mail, the Herald's sister paper, later reported Zimbabwe's information ministry was investigating whether a newsletter published by Tsvangirai's office broke the law by reporting on the prime minister's Western tour before he first discussed it with Cabinet colleagues.
Tsvangirai was expected back in Harare on Sunday.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jeld_E8pF3JtekbErEoPZYTmqv0gD990IH4G0
Court rejects action against PM
HANOI - A VIETNAMESE court rejected legal action against the communist country's prime minister filed by a lawyer seeking to halt a controversial bauxite mining plan, the government said Tuesday.
The head of the court decided not to hear the complaint against Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung alleging the mining project would violate environmental, defence and cultural heritage laws because there was no 'legal basis' for it, according to a government website.
Cu Huy Ha Vu submitted the court complaint June 11 in an attempt to get a decision on the mines signed in 2007 by Dung nullified.
The major mining operations would be run by a state-owned company in the Central Highlands.
In a one-party state where public protest is rare, the move triggered a public outcry from scientists, intellectuals and former soldiers.
Critics said the environmental and social damage from the mines would far outweigh any economic benefit, and pointed to security concerns because a Chinese company has been granted a contract to build one of the projects.
Vietnam's most powerful ruling body, the Politburo, in April endorsed the bauxite mining but said it must be carried out with respect for the environment and local residents.
The court in its decision defended the government's policy on the mines, saying it was 'just'.
Vu questioned the court's decision and said he wanted 'to be told which court was competent to hear his complaint'.
He said the publication of the decision was however positive as it made his legal action, which has been ignored by the state-controlled Vietnamese media, 'very official'. -- AFP
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_394367.html
Coal mine blast in Indonesia kills at least 32
By Carol Divjak
24 June 2009
A gas explosion at the PT Dasrat-owned Sarana Arang Sejati coal mine in the Sawahlunto district of West Sumatra on June 16 killed at least 32 people. The tragedy is the outcome of the appalling safety standards that prevail in much of the Indonesian mining industry.
The blast sent flames 50 metres into the air and left a huge crater on the surface. Rescue efforts inside the 150 metre-deep mine were hampered by rock slides and dangerous concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide.
Many bodies were pulled from narrow paths deep in the mine and were so badly burned they could not be identified. Sixteen workers were saved from the scene, but five died later in hospital. More than 40 miners were working underground at the time.
Police and disaster officials are investigating the cause of the blast. According to a report in the Jakarta Post on June 18, there is speculation that a short circuit in a power generator or a miner lighting a cigarette may have triggered an explosion of methane gas, which had reached dangerously high levels in the mine. In the meantime, police have sealed off the mine.
The Sarana Arang Sejati mine has a history of safety problems. The head of the Sawahlunto Mining Agency, Syafirwal, told the Jakarta Post that another explosion at the site in 2007 had killed three workers and the agency had recommended its closure. Instead, a licence for mining at the site was given to PT Dasrat in December 2008, which subcontracted production to the same local businessman who had previously operated the pit. The mine produced about 1,500 tons of coal a month, supplying local paper and power companies.
The mayor of Sawahlunto, Amran Nur, claimed that he had advised the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in December about the risks of a methane explosion at the mine, but the warning was ignored. “They did not listen to us,” he said. “They kept on sending miners to the site.”
Ultimately, the only action taken by the local government was to send a letter to PT Dasrat asking that it install additional ventilation in the mine shafts. “But we didn’t know whether they had abided by it or not. We didn’t check it again,” Amran admitted.
Priagun Rahmanto, an analyst from the Reforminer Institute, told the Jakarta Globe that had proper safety measures been taken, the disaster could have been prevented. “The owners should be the main party responsible for the accident. The blast must have happened because there were incorrect procedures and safety measures in place,” he said.
If one changed the Indonesian names and places, the tragedy in Sawahlunto could be yet another of the accidents in China’s coal mining industry that kill thousands of workers every year. Disregard for safety measures, poverty wages and corrupt government officials who collude with mine owners are the social conditions that produce the deadly disasters. Indonesia does not have the same death toll as China only because most mines in the country are open-cut, rather than underground operations.
The Sawahlunto coal fields are rich in reserves and have been worked since 1892. The burgeoning global demand for coal, however, particularly from China, has led to a vast expansion of mining. Indonesia is now the world’s second largest coal exporter after Australia, with a projected output of 230 million tonnes this year, more than double the 100 million tonnes produced in 2002.
Miners today have to dig far deeper to access high-grade coal, creating greater dangers from lethal concentrations of methane gas and unstable mine structures. Moreover, the prospect of lucrative profits, however short-term, has seen large numbers of small and often illegal operations started up.
The Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program (RMAP) web site at the Australian National University published a short report last year titled, “Illegal Mining in Indonesia”. It estimated that there were approximately 77,000 illegal mines in the country, employing 465,000 workers in diverse industries such as tin, gold, diamond and coal. The report noted that Indonesia’s Central Bureau of Statistics recorded the average number employed in the informal mining sector in 1997-2002 to be 324,000—about 10 times higher than the 34,000 workers employed in the formal sector. The “informal” miners are poorly paid and approximately 10 percent are children under 17 years of age.
The conditions in the illegal mines are shocking. The RMAP cited the example of gold miners in Kalimantan, who “never use diving equipment or protect their bodies with wire while diving in the bottom of river; rarely use gloves and allow their skin to contact directly with hazardous mercury and often inhale it; never use ear caps despite 6-8 hours non-stop of heavily vibrated mechanical sounds; never use boots or appropriate clothing to protect their bodies while they are submerging in the water river; never filter the water they drink from the river—which is in fact contaminated by mercury; and prefer to see a traditional healer (dukun) to cure them when they are sick rather than a doctor”.
RMAP pointed to the likely relationship between major corporate concerns and the small illegal mining operations. The report suggested that many of the local businessmen who hired poverty-stricken farmers, fishermen and the unemployed to work in mines functioned as intermediaries for larger investors, including foreign companies.
Referring to the illegal mining of close to 30 million tonnes of coal in South Kalimantan between 2001 and 2003, RMAP wrote: “It is most unlikely that, given the national income per capita of $US725, locals were able to self finance billions of rupiah worth of mining operations—with trucks, excavators, 20HP machineries, smelters, or even ships. Along the coasts of Batulicin, Tanah Laut, and Tanah Bumbu, there lay illegal stockpiles and ports where barges are waiting to ship coal to investors’ destinations, mainly to China and India.” In regions like West Papua, the Indonesian military directly controls the illegal gold mining operations and reaps significant profits from them.
Following the explosion, the Sawahlunto authorities belatedly ordered a halt to mining at 12 other coal mines in the region, which employ some 1,000 workers. “Company operations have been temporarily closed until they comply with proper mining procedures and ensure the safety of miners,” mayor Amran told the Jakarta Post.
The production halt, however, is unlikely to last for long. Government officials and businesses are calling for mining to resume as quickly as possible in order to guarantee coal supplies to the local power plant. Moreover, authorities in Indonesia view mining—both legal and illegal—as an important source of revenue, whether in the form of taxes or kickbacks. The least important concern in deciding when production will restart is the safety and lives of miners.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/jun2009/indo-j24.shtml
Other News
Rights panel calls for overhaul of child labour laws
24 Jun 2009, 0329 hrs IST, Himanshi Dhawan, TNN
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NEW DELHI: Terming the existing law to abolish child labour as "faulty", the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has
called for comprehensive legislation and a national policy to ensure that all children under the age of 18 years have a right to education. The commission has recommended stern legal provisions and penalties to prohibit all forms of child labour.
These recommendations are part of a report on abolition of child labour prepared by the child rights commission. One of the foremost recommendations is to re-define "child" and "child labour" to include allchildren up to 18 years of age and to include all forms of work that children are engaged in. The commission, headed by chairperson Shanta Sinha, has also suggested that the national policy must focus not just on rescue of child labourers but also on rehabilitation in mainstream schools.
It is estimated that there are about 9 million child labourers of which a majority are in rural areas. Two-thirds of such child labourers are engaged in agriculture, accounting for 73% of casual wage child labourers and 9% of regular workers.
According to the 2001 Census, 85 million children in India do not attend school and wind up supplementing family income through various activities.
Critical of the current legislation -- Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, NCPCR member Dipa Dixit said, "The child labour Act is faulty. It leaves out of its purview girls employed in household work. It also differentiates between hazardous and non-hazardous work."
As a short term measure, the commission would like to amend the law to abolish all forms of work and enunciate a policy of "no child must work and every child must attend full-time school up to 18 years of age".
As part of a long-term policy, the report suggests that 6% of GDP must be spent on education to ensure adequate hostels for first generation learners, efforts must be made to bring the backlog of children back to school and integrate older children (15-18 years of age) into an appropriate education programme.
Activists feel that despite a ban on child labour since 2006, there has been little progress in implementation of the law. In cities, children continue to be exploited for household work, in hospitality and other sectors. In rural areas, child labour, especially of girls, is not even recognised as work.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/India/Rights-panel-calls-for-overhaul-of-child-labour-laws-/articleshow/4693754.cms
People in Sheikhpura Protest against Water Scarcity
Patna: June 23, 2009
Hundreds of protestors in Sheikhpura area in Patna on Tuesday took to the street to express their anger over lack of drinking water in their area particularly in view of the hellish temperature currently engulfing the state making life miserable for all.
Starting at around 9:00 am, dozens of protestors gathered on Bailey Road near the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) and blocked the street for more than two hours by burning tires and assaulting passing-by vehicles.
"More than 20,000 people in Sheikhpura and Raja Bazaar are going without water for last several days. Earlier the water pump was reported to be burnt. The engineers came and took away the pump with them but failed to replace it with a working machine," protestors complained.
Ravindra Kumar, Chief Engineer, Water Board, while admitting water shortage in the area, said the department was doing everything to rectify the situation.
"Because of immense heat this season, the water level in the reservoir is nearly 15 feet below its normal level causing water scarcity in the area," Kumar said adding the administration was dispatching 3 tankers of water in the morning and 3 tankers again in the evening to ease the pain of the people in the area.
http://www.patnadaily.com/news2009/june/062309/protest_against_water_scarcity.html
New slum development scheme to cover 74 cities
Rs 1.5 lakh Central assistance to be given to each family.
________________________________________
Conditional aid
Assistance is, however, conditional upon the State governments concerned assigning property rights to slum-dwellers.
________________________________________
V. Sreenivasa Murthy
A slum area in Bangalore (file photo). —
Harish Damodaran
New Delhi, June 23
Barely a fortnight after the President’s address to Parliament outlining the new Government’s development priorities, work is under way on translating some of these goals into actionable programmes.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), it is learnt, has already drawn the broad contours of an affordable housing scheme for urban slum-dwellers across 74 cities having a population of half-a-million and above as per the 2001 Census.
The idea is to “create a slum-free India in five years,” as the President, Ms Pratibha Patil, underlined in her June 4 address.
The scheme — to be called Rajiv Awas Yojana on the lines of the existing Indira Awas Yojana to meet the housing needs of the rural poor — proposes Central assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh for each family living in slums.
“The plan is to extend Rs 50,000 as grant and the balance Rs 1 lakh as a 20-year bank loan. Banks will be given an interest subvention of five per cent to enable them to lend at 4 per cent. The equated monthly instalment (EMI) would work out to around Rs 600 in this case,” official sources told Business Line.
This assistance is, however, conditional upon the State Governments concerned assigning property rights to slum-dwellers.
“It could be on the land on which they are already squatting or even tenements being built under various slum rehabilitation projects involving public-private partnerships. How the States do it is not our concern; the sole criteria is that the beneficiary be assigned a clear heritable title to the property,” the sources noted.
Many real estate players — HDIL, Akruti Nirman Ltd, DB Reality, Sumer Builders, SD Corporation (a Shapoorji Pallonji-Dilip Thacker joint venture) and Rizvi Builders, among others — have interests in slum redevelopment, which is seen as an area offering significant business potential.
According to the 2001 Census, the country has 74 towns/urban agglomerations with population above half-a-million. This includes 35 with more than a million and of which six have more than five million (Greater Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore in that order).
The 2001 Census recorded the country’s total population residing in slums (as notified by State/local governments) at 40.30 million. Of this, 16.57 million were concentrated in 26 municipal corporations, including 5.82 million in Greater Mumbai, 1.85 million in Delhi, 1.49 million in Kolkata and 0.75 million in Chennai.
The new scheme is tentatively being planned for launch on August 20, the birth date of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
“Well, that’s what we are aiming for, though the scheme’s finer details have to be worked out by the Ministry of Urban Development,” the sources added.
ID cards
Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet, on Thursday, is expected to clear the establishment of the National Authority for Unique Identity Authority (NAUID), likely to be headed by the Co-Chairman of Infosys Technologies, Mr Nandan Nilekani.
The Authority will oversee the implementation of the current Government’s ambitious programme of providing all citizens with a unique identity number that would be a permanent marker right from their birth to death.
In her speech, the President had set a three-year time frame for completion of the project. “The Cabinet will basically approve the governance structure for the NAUID, with its chairman to be given the rank of a Cabinet Minister,” the sources informed.
http://www.blonnet.com/2009/06/24/stories/2009062452041500.htm
Orissa to give land deeds to tribals after vacation of stay
Published: June 23,2009
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Berhampur (Orissa), June 22 The Orissa government would give land deeds to tribals settled in jungles under the Forest Rights Act as soon as a stay on it was vacated in the High Court.
Around 30,000 to 40,000 tribals in the state would be benefitted under the Act, while 20,000 would get jungle land in southern Orissa districts including Koraput, Kalahandi and Kandhamal, Orissa Revenue minister S N Patro said today.
The Act has been stayed by the HC, but as soon as it was vacated, the government was ready to provide the land deeds to tribals settled in forest areas, Patro said.
"We have settled about 33 cases and returned about 15 acres to tribals in Narayanpatna block in Koraput district by June 10," Orissa Revenue minister Patro told newsmen.
The government took the initiative at Narayanpatna after tribal body Chasi Mulia Sangh took possession of about 500 acres taken over by non-tribals there.
Two senior officers have been deputed to dispose cases of tribals in Narayanpatna by holding camp courts and efforts were on to settle the land disputes in other districts.
The government has asked those who purchased the land belonging to tribals after 1956 to submit an affidavit showing reasons under section 22 of the Orissa Land Reforms Act, Patro said.
The district administration has been asked to examine the records of post-1956 period, the minister said.
http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/605562/Orissa/1/20/1
'India, China most favoured countries for FDI'
Press Trust of India / Hyderabad June 24, 2009, 9:35 IST
BRIC nations showed a pattern of growth amid the global financial crisis, and the two emerging economies of the bloc — India and China have been the most sought after countries for foreign direct investment (FDI), said Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) president L Pugazhenthy here today.
"Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) nations showed a pattern of growth while all other countries were facing economic crunch and slowdown consequent to the global meltdown. That is because India after China has been the most sought after country for foreign investments," he said.
Pugazhenthy, who is also the executive director of India Lead Zinc Development Association (ILZDA), in his presidential remarks at a national seminar on 'Non-Ferrous Metals and Global Meltdown-India's Strategies' here, said, "Many Indian non-ferrous companies too have started investing and acquiring mines in countries like UK, USA and Australia."
Earlier, in his inaugural address IIM's former president and former CMD of Nalco, P Parvathisem said India was "least affected" from the current global downturn.
"It is mainly because of various regulatory and control mechanisms that we have and by nature being conservative in our approach," he said adding on the other hand there was absence of such a regulatory authority in other countries.
India witnessed substantial growth in Zinc and Copper production and needs to progressively invest in exploration and mining, Parvathisem said.
With regard to aluminium, India is endowed with rich deposits and requires R&D efforts for making alumina and "In case of lead, we should strive to develop it in a big way," he said.
"We cannot depend only on exports but we need to pay more attention on domestic market," he stressed adding that Indian economy is expected to grow at about seven per cent.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) P Ramachandra Rao, while making a presentation on Rapid Solidification of Aluminium Alloys, in his address said that there is tremendous scope for developing downstream processes of aluminium alloys.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/\india-china-most-favoured-countries-for-fdi\/65396/on
Second home for Gir's big cats remains mired
22 Jun 2009, 1657 hrs IST, IANS
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NEW DELHI: India's Asiatic lions are the most vulnerable of all the big cats as they live in a single area in Gujarat, making them prone to
diseases as well as other threats, and yet calls for creating a second home by the scientific community have been repeatedly ignored, say experts.
The sprawling Gir National Park in western India is home to some 350 Asiatic lions, the last refuge for these cats. In the past, the lions had roamed in almost the entire Central Asia.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), a leading scientific organisation, recommended the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh for setting up a second home for the Gir lions.
But the Gujarat government rejected the proposal, saying it lacks scientific backing and security.
Experts believe Kuno in central India is part of the lion's historical home range.
Gujarat says if Madhya Pradesh cannot protect their tigers, how can they protect the lions.
Supreme Court lawyer Ritwick Dutta, who has taken up the case filed by the Biodiversity Conservation Trust of India, a Delhi-based NGO, in the apex court for transfer of the lions, said: "If the issue is not resolved, there would be a huge economic loss."
"The 24 villages that were inside the Kuno reserve have been resettled elsewhere to make room for the Gir lions and an estimated Rs.15 crore has been spent on the project," said Dutta.
However, with the recent admission by the Madhya Pradesh government that there are no tigers left in the Panna reserve, it might just assure the Gujarat government of its case.
But Faiyaz Khudsar, a wildlife biologist who heads the NGO and has worked in Kuno for the lion relocation programme, says, "Wild animals confined to a single area can spell death knell to their long-term survival, and this has been proved by science."
"Some years ago in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, at least 25 percent of the African lion population there was wiped out due to the canine distemper disease, (a fatal viral disease) and the rest of the lions fell sick. This shows how a single epidemic can wipe out the entire lion population in the park," said Khudsar.
The Serengeti Park, a Unesco World Heritage site, is spread across more than 14,000 sq km, whereas Gir has an area of just over 1,000 sq km. Despite the sprawling size of Serengeti, the African lions fell to the onslaught of the viral disease, he maintains.
Besides, inbreeding over a period of time can render a population confined to a single area genetically weak, as they don't get the chance to mate with stronger partners from other geographical areas, making them more prone to diseases, he said.
Gir lions are also threatened by poaching, man-animal conflict and accidents. Many lions have died recently after falling into the wells created to provide water for flora and fauna of the park.
"If Gujarat says that there is a security issue in Kuno, then why are the lions straying out of Gir. Some of the lions are even reaching Daman and Diu," said Khudsar.
"The only solution left is to create different populations in different areas. The geographical barriers might help the lions evolve stronger genes in the near future that would ensure their long-term survival," he explains.
Gujarat said its lion population has stabilised and shown healthy growth from just 177 in 1968 to about 350 at present.
In 1956, attempts to introduce Gir lions in Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh "failed due to scientific shortcomings" and there is no scientific basis to show that the present initiative would be a success, Gujarat said in an affidavit to the Supreme Court recently.
"This project shall be pioneering and hopefully trail blazing," it noted. But Khudsar claims science has made tremendous progress since the first attempt in the 1950s.
"Now we have the technology such as 'radio-collaring' to monitor the lions. Besides, there are many other advances animal science has made."
For now, the Supreme Court has referred the case to the Wildlife Board of India for its opinion. The next hearing in the case is on Aug 11.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Earth/Earth/2nd-home-for-lions-in-trouble/articleshow/4688195.cms
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