10-07-09

Mining – India 1
1. Steel ministry considers restricting iron ore exports to China 1
2. Vedanta comes to Orissa's rescue, supplies 200 MW power 2
3. Sterlite to invest Rs 20,000 cr 2
4. Coal & Oil Group makes Rs 1,470cr buyout plans 3
5. FIMI opposes coal blocks auction proposal 4
Mining – International 6
6. Apollo Minerals in Talks to Sell Stake, Iron Ore to China Mill 6
7. Bolivia urges JSPL to start iron ore production at El Mutun by 2014 6
8. Rio Workers Obtained Chinese Notes on Ore Talks, Herald Reports 7
9. Alcoa shares rise as loss beats Street estimates 8
10. Mine could last 15 years 9
Other News 9
11. Top of the Agenda: Divisions on Climate Change 9
12. A strong political message on climate change: India 11
13. Climate change missions should be target oriented: Ramesh 12
14. India takes a step forward on N-reactor export front 13
15. Justifications not part of info under RTI: HC 14
16. State govt showers water projects in state 15

Mining – India

Steel ministry considers restricting iron ore exports to China
10 Jul 2009, 0210 hrs IST, ET Bureau

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NEW DELHI: The steel ministry is in favour of restricting iron ore exports to China, South Korea and Japan to ensure availability of the raw

material to domestic steel companies, a senior official in the government said. Iron ore is a key input in steel making.

Iron ore should be conserved for the domestic consumption, steel minister Virbhadra Singh said. He added that the steel ministry would discuss the issue with the Prime Minister and the finance minister shortly.

"Iron ore exports should be encouraged only in value added form and that too in a limited quantity. The government will ensure that reserves of iron ore are made available to domestic steel makers at reasonable prices," Mr Singh said addressing mediapersons at an event organised by The Economic Times on Thursday.

At present, iron ore lumps attract export tax of 5% while there's no duty on exports of iron ore fines. India produces 200 million tonnes of iron ore every year, of which half is exported. Around 60% of the country's exports are alone to China.

The minister added that the steel and iron ore prices are favourable and that there’s no rationale for companies to increase prices.

The steel ministry has also formed a committee, which will look into restructuring and revival of companies such as Hindustan Steel Construction and Kudremukh Iron Ore Company.



Vedanta comes to Orissa's rescue, supplies 200 MW power
9 Jul 2009, 2024 hrs IST, Nageshwar Patnaik, ET Bureau

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BHUBANESWAR: Vedanta Group has finally come to the rescue of Orissa which is currently facing an acute power shortage due to scanty rainfall and

"almost dried-up" reservoirs and breakdown of certain thermal power units in the state.

The London-based company on Thursday announced to provide 200 MW power daily to the state grid from its own power plants with immediate effect.

Vedanta has managed to get a better price for offloading power to the grid at the rate of Rs 3.60 per unit against the current Rs 3 per unit bought by the state from the CPPs.

In fact, Vedanta had been providing 115 MW of power from its Group Company BALCO in Chattisgarh to Orissa since July 4 by depriving its own smelter.

"Looking at the continuous demand in the state, Vedanta extended its supply with effect from July 9 from Jharsuguda and has managed to provide additional 100 MW of power to the state grid. The total capacity provided by Vedanta will cover up to the tune of one third of overall power shortage in the state," a source in the company said.

Mr M Siddiqi, whole time director and chief executive officer, Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL), - expressed his satisfaction over the company's support to the state during the present power crisis.

This was accomplished in the face of severe challenges, including shortage of coal and non availability of railway "rack," Mr Siddiqi said, assuring, to stand solidly behind the state in all its critical times.

On an average, Orissa's daily requirement is around 2400 MW, which goes up to 2,800 to 3,000 MW during the peak hours in the evening. The state has a combined installed capacity from hydel projects to the tune of 1,900 MW. But they are generating around 1,000 MW.

Orissa is passing through power crisis forcing the authorities to restrict load restriction on industrial users by 50% among other measures to tackle the situation.

The state is facing shortage of power by 300 MW on an average and 450 to 500 MW at peak time. The delayed monsoon made things worse while the breakdown in the coal fired power plants operating in the state added to the crisis.

The VAL has set up a Greenfield alumina refinery in Orissa's Kalahandi district with a capacity of 1 million tons per annum. It is also setting up a 0.5 MTPA aluminum smelter, 1215 MW captive power plant at Jharsuguda.

The Group Company Sterlite Energy Limited is also setting up a 2400 MW Independent Power Plants at Jharsuguda.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Energy/Vedanta-comes-to-Orissas-rescue-supplies-200-MW-power/articleshow/4759365.cms

Sterlite to invest Rs 20,000 cr
10 Jul 2009, 0059 hrs IST, Subhash Narayan, ET Bureau

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NEW DELHI: Sterlite Industries (India), the country’s largest private sector power producer, is planning to invest Rs 20,000 crore over the next

one year to create additional capacity of 4,500 mw. This will also mark the company’s foray into commercial power generation.

The company, part of the Anil Agarwal-promoted $6.5-billion Vedanta Group, is setting up new power projects at Jharsuguda and Lanjigarh in Orissa with a combined capacity of 3,150 mw. It also plans to set up a 160 MW project at Rajpura Dariba in Rajasthan and another 1,200 MW project at Korba in Chhattisgarh.

The new initiative would be rolled out by Sterlite Energy (SEL), a 100% subsidiary of Sterlite Industries. SEL will function as the commercial power generation arm of the company.

“We are excited to enter the commercial power business, as we start our 2400 MW independent power project (IPP) at Jharsuguda in Orissa. We can leverage our strength of building and operating power plants in India and also benefit from our mining experience,” Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal told ET. “About 50% of the new capacity is expected to be sold on a commercial basis, while the balance would be used for the captive metals business,” Mr Agarwal added.

Sterlite, with its five power plants in Orissa, Chattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, has an installed capacity of 2009 mw. Currently, most of this capacity is used for captive businesses.

With the setting up of the new power projects, the total installed capacity is expected to go up to 6,500 mw by next year and the total investment would reach Rs 30,000 crore. The company has already invested Rs 9,000 crore in its power venture.

“The entire power sector capacity addition has been put on the fast track. By 2009-end, 2500 mw of proposed 4500 mw additional capacity would be installed. The first unit of 600 mw of 2400-mw power plant in Orissa would become operative by September-October, 2009,” said a senior Sterlite official, who wished not to be named.

A consortium of 19 lenders led by the State Bank of India have already committed a term loan of Rs 6,150 crore to SEL for the 2400-mw power project at Jharsuguda. This would be the largest syndicated term loan facility arranged for the group from the Indian debt market for a single project.

The project envisages a total capital outlay of Rs 8,200 crore, which is proposed to be funded through a combination debt of Rs 6,150 crore (both Indian rupee and foreigncurrency loans) and Rs 2,050 crore of equity. The entire equity component has already been contributed by Sterlite.

Besides being world’s largest integrated and low cost Zinc producer, Vedanta is amongst the top 10 Copper and Aluminium producers in the world. It has also become India’s largest private sector producer-exporter of Iron ore through acquisition of Sesa Goa.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Energy/Power/Sterlite-to-invest-Rs-20000-cr/articleshow/4760246.cms

Coal & Oil Group makes Rs 1,470cr buyout plans

T E Narasimhan / Chennai/ Coimbatore July 10, 2009, 0:17 IST

To acquire six new ships, coal mine in Indonesia
The Coal & Oil Group is planning to invest $300 million (around Rs 1,470 crore) in buying new ships and acquiring coal mines. The company is planning to invest the money to support its customers' coal requirements in India and to meet its captive requirement for the upcoming Rs 4,300-crore power project at Tuticorin.
Speaking to Business Standard here, Ahmed A R Buhari, founder and chief executive officer of Coal & Oil Group, said the company was looking at acquiring six panamax vessels with an investment of $200 million. These ships will be deployed to carry coal from various mines in Indonesia and South Africa to India.
The company is also planning to acquire coal mines and is negotiating with mine owners in Indonesia. “Currently, we are buying coal from the mine owners to cater to our Indian customers. Since the demand is increasing, we have decided to acquire coal mines at an outlay of $100 million,” he said.
Coal & Oil Group is currently supplying around six million tonne of coal to its Indian customers. Every year, the company deploys 130 ships to transport the cargo, for which it had entered into long-term and short-term charter contracts with owners. Of the six million tonne, 70 per cent is sourced from Indonesia, while the rest is procured from various South African mines. Beginning 2010-11, the company will be transporting 15 million tonne of coal, both for its Indian customers and captive purpose.
Meanwhile, the company has recently achieved the financial closure for its Rs 4,300-crore power plant in Tuticorin. The 2 x 600 Mw coal-fired power project will be commissioned within 36 months and has a provision to expand up to 4000 Mw. The plant will supply power to the state electricity board and to the private sector, for which a 700-Mw contract has been signed with Tata Power.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/coaloil-group-makes-rs-1470cr-buyout-plans/363431/

FIMI opposes coal blocks auction proposal
BS Reporter / Mumbai July 10, 2009, 0:33 IST
The Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI), the representative body of mineral industries in India, has opposed the government’s move to auction coal blocks for captive mining.

In a memorandum to minister of coal Sriprakash Jaiswal, FIMI highlighted that the auction process would drive up the cost of coal in the country unnecessarily and may render the block economically unviable, resulting in lost years before the block is forfeited. It has also termed auctioning as “illogical”.

FIMI’s reaction comes eight days after the minister’s announcement for auctioning coal blocks for captive mining, in Kolkata.

“There will be some changes in the policy for allocating the captive coal blocks to maintain transparency and to fetch a better price for the coal blocks. For this the government would amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957,” the minister said.

This is because of the very nature of the exploration geology and methods of estimation of reserves whereby the actual coal reserve may fall short of the declared tonnage despite the “fullest” exploration of the block. Further, auctioning of coal blocks may lead to the coal blocks being purchased by financially strong parties, who may have little or no expertise in coal mining, FIMI said in the memorandum.

Experience in a tender to auction a chromite leasehold at Tangrapada in Orissa teaches us that after years of wrangling and litigation, the tender had to be finally cancelled.

According to FIMI, a better model followed world over separates the activity of mining from the activity of coal consumption since each has its own specialisation. The model recommended is to invite large, professional Indian and international mining companies possessing the necessary mining experience to apply for coal blocks and to allocate the same based on well laid-out, transparent criteria. Shared allocation of blocks must be avoided.

The country should not target short term gains by obtaining higher revenues through auction but should focus on the long term gains through early and efficient production of coal resulting in creation of jobs, development of backward areas and royalties to the government over and above a reasonable “allocation fee” which should be fixed at a level proportionate to the size of the block and which would exclude non-serious players, it said.

This would ensure productivity, economies of scale, non-fragmentation of leaseholds (preventing loss of coal at the lease boundaries) and scientific mining with due attention to safety and environmental concerns. Consumers like power plants, cement plants among others may then obtain linkages from the nearest mining locations based on coal linkage allocations and pricing by the proposed coal regulator, FIMI pointed out.

The federation has also proposed that land acquisition should be facilitated to achieve the national priority of early coal production from allocated blocks. Towards this end, FIMI has suggested amendment of the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act Section 4 (1) to make its provisions applicable to all block allocates even from the private sector or the joint sector (PPP).

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/fimi-opposes-coal-blocks-auction-proposal/363482/


Maoists extort $60 mln/yr in mineral-rich state

Thu Jul 9, 2009 4:08pm IST

By Sujeet Kumar

RAIPUR, India (Reuters) - Maoist rebels are extorting up to $60
million annually from business and industry across Chhattisgarh, home
of one of India's largest mineral reserves, the state's chief minister
said on Thursday.

The Maoists have recently stepped up attacks against police, officials
and civilians away from remote rural areas and closer to towns and
cities across India -- a worry to potential investors as the country
grapples with the global slowdown.

"Maoists extort a whopping sum of at least 250-300 crore rupees
($50-60 million) annually in Chhattisgarh," chief minister, Raman
Singh, told reporters.

State business leaders and politicians are jittery over Chhattisgarh,
whose violence-wracked Bastar region is home to 20 percent of India's
iron ore stocks and has attracted big hitters like Tata Steel and the
Essar Group.

The extortion operation stretches from the state's southern tip near
Bastar to the northern area of Surguja, which is rich with coal, he
said.

The rebels demand cash from traders of Tendu patta (leaves), used to
make hand-rolled cigarettes, mining firms, contractors and
transporters, he said, adding many are scared to go to police.

The Maoists, who say they are fighting for the rights of poor farmers
and the landless, feed off local resentment against industry and
government in one of India's least developed states.

Businesses and politicians fear the mineral reserves in Bastar, where
Tata Steel plans to build a steel plant, could fall into Maoist hands
within a few years.

Steel is a key sector to India's economic growth, which has slowed to
around 7 percent compared to 9 percent or more per year before the
global financial crisis bit.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the Maoist army of 22,000
fighters is one of the greatest threats to India's internal security.

The rebels killed 721 people, including members of the security
forces, in 2008, mainly in India's eastern and central states known as
the "red corridor", up from 696 in 2007.

http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-40922920090709?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

Mining – International

Apollo Minerals in Talks to Sell Stake, Iron Ore to China Mill
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By Jesse Riseborough
July 10 (Bloomberg) -- Apollo Minerals Ltd., an Australian iron ore exploration company, is in talks to sell a stake to a Chinese steel mill after visiting the nation last month.
Executives from three Chinese mills have visited Apollo’s Mt. Oscar iron ore project in Western Australia since Apollo held investor presentations in China last month, Richard Sealy, chief operating officer of the Sydney-based company, said today at a briefing in Melbourne.
Representatives from one of the mills returned to China with 120 kilograms (265 pounds) of ore samples to test through a plant, Sealy said. Apollo is in talks with the mill and may sell a 19.9 percent stake in the company or as much as a 50 percent stake as well as the right to future sales, he said.
“Provided tests were successful I would think you would see a result fairly quickly,” Sealy said. “They are serious about looking at our company.”
Apollo fell 2.3 percent to 21.5 cents at 3:15 p.m. Sydney time on the Australian stock exchange.
The prospective Chinese investor already has investments in Australia, Sealy said. Apollo is seeking funds for development work at Mt. Oscar and is studying possible construction of a mine by 2013, Sealy said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jesse Riseborough in Melbourne atjriseborough@bloomberg.net

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=aBES0NCJAwlQ

Bolivia urges JSPL to start iron ore production at El Mutun by 2014
Friday, 10 Jul 2009
According to Bolivian Agency of Information, the Bolivian government has requested Indian steelmaker Jindal Steel & Power Limited to start manufacturing steel at its El Mutún iron ore works by 2014, its fifth year of iron ore production.

Mr Luis Alberto Echazu minister of mining & metallurgy of Bolivia said that "Jindal will begin early production of the minerals to exploit and export up to one million tonnes of concentrates, as the clause in the production of the contract describes, which is now law. Jindal will start up, in a few months, the first loads of this production, which also implies the anticipation of steel production."

Jindal signed a contract with the Bolivian government in 2007 to mine the Mutún iron ore deposit, which is the largest of its kind in the world. Jindal agreed to invest USD 1.5 billion initially and an additional USD 2.5 billion over the following eight years. The investment also includes on site steelworks.

(Sourced from www.steelorbis.com)
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/07/10/MTAxNjcx/Bolivia_urges_JSPL_to_start_iron_ore_production_at_El_Mutun_by_2014.html

Rio Workers Obtained Chinese Notes on Ore Talks, Herald Reports
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By Bloomberg News
July 10 (Bloomberg) -- Rio Tinto Group employees obtained summaries of internal meetings of the Chinese iron ore negotiation team, leading to the detention of four employees including Australian national, Stern Hu, the 21st Century Business Herald reported, without citing anyone.
Rio Tinto would be able to know the “bottom line” of the Chinese companies in the talks if they knew financial data, production schedules, stockpiles, raw-material costs, gross margins and other details of the Chinese steelmakers, the report said.
China said yesterday the Shanghai State Security Bureau arrested Hu after obtaining evidence he stole state secrets. Three Chinese employees have also been detained. Australian government officials plan to meet Hu today.
Tan Yixin, Shougang Corp.’s head of iron ore purchases, probably provided production data to Rio Tinto, the report said. The paper yesterday reported Tan had been detained for alleged business crimes.
Officials from the China Iron and Steel Association are also being investigated, the report said, without naming any of them.
--Helen Yuan. Editors: Richard Dobson, Wendy Pugh.
To contact the Bloomberg News staff on this story: Helen Yuan in Shanghai athyuan@bloomberg.net


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=aYOP9y.IVoBM


Alcoa shares rise as loss beats Street estimates
Steve James, Reuters Published: Thursday, July 09, 2009

Alcoa Inc. posted a third consecutive quarterly loss yesterday, but beat Wall Street estimates, sending its shares higher.
"At first glance it looks constructive," said Brian Hicks, co-manager of U. S. Global Investors' natural-resources fund.
"They were able to do better than expected from cost savings. Year-over-year production is down, and down sequentially as well, but it looks like they were able to contain costs."
Alcoa shares were up almost 7% at US$10.10 in aftermarket trading.
The second-quarter net loss was US$454-million, or 47¢ a share, compared with earnings of US$546-million (US66¢) in the same quarter of 2008, the Pittsburgh, Pa.-based aluminum producer said.
But the loss from continuing operations was US32¢ a share and excluding restructuring, the loss was US26¢. That was better than the US38¢ loss analysts were expecting, according to Reuters Estimates.
Revenue slumped to US$4.2-billion from US$7.2-billion a year earlier, as Alcoa curtailed aluminum and alumina production in response to reduced demand.
The company said the average price of aluminum on the London Metal Exchange in the second quarter was US$1,485 a tonne, a 9% increase from the first quarter of 2009, but a 49% decrease from the second quarter of 2008.
The economic downturn has affected most of Alcoa's end markets -- automotive, commercial transportation, building and construction, and aerospace, it said.
In response to the tough times, Alcoa -- the first member of the Dow Jones industrial average to report -- has cut thousands of jobs, slashed its dividend, trimmed spending and raised US$1.3-billion to help it through the slowdown.
But yesterday, it said its Juruti bauxite mine in Brazil and the Alumar alumina refining upgrade and expansion are both in the process of being commissioned. The first shipment of bauxite from Juruti is expected within the next 90 days.
The Alumar refinery has already begun to produce its first alumina and is on target for ramp-up to full production during the second half of the year, Alcoa said. Alumina, refined from bauxite, is smelted into aluminum.
---
http://www.financialpost.com/news-sectors/trading-desk/mining/story.html?id=1772595


Mine could last 15 years
Friday, July 10, 2009
© The Cairns Post

BAUXITE company Cape Alumina says it sees potential for a 12-15 year operation in the Pisolite Hills on western Cape York Peninsula.
The company has just announced a 30 per cent upgrade on the level of bauxite in the ground at its Pisolite Hills project on the Weipa bauxite plateau.
Cape Alumina chief executive Paul Messenger said the results confirmed the project’s viability.
"These results provide us with further confidence of the scale and quality of the deposit," he said.
"We see potential for an initial 12-15 year operation at Pisolite Hills at a target production rate of seven metric tonnes a year.
"There’s a growing market for the resource as the bauxite is suitable as a blending feed for the new breed of low-temperature Bayer-process refineries in China."
Cape Alumina is still to get approval for mining to begin and a spokesman for the company said commercial operations were unlikely until about 2012 or 2013.
The company faces opposition to some of its drilling plans from Terri Irwin, wife of the late Steve Irwin, on environmental grounds.


http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2009/07/10/51115_local-business-news.html
Other News


Top of the Agenda: Divisions on Climate Change
Leaders of the Group of Eight agreed to work to significantly cut (CNN) their greenhouse gas emissions at their summit in Italy on Wednesday. The countries committed to cutting carbon emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050, but theystopped short (WSJ) of specifying tactics they would use to accomplish the emissions reduction, and of setting shorter-term goals.
G8 leaders "called upon major emerging economies toundertake quantifiable actions to collectively reduce emissions significantly below business-as-usual by a specified year," the White House said. But Group of Five developing nations, led by China and India, would not commit (LAT) to the G8's specific targets, citing concerns about stemming economic growth.
The disagreements over the 2050 goals underline the larger difficulties (NYT) facing those attempting to forge a deal at the international conference on the issue of climate change in Copenhagen this December. Mike Froman, the chief U.S. negotiator for the G8, said the United States will continue trying to convince developing nations to "firm up commitments" on climate change in the run up to Copenhagen.
Background:
A CFR Crisis Guide examines the policy implications of climate change.
Analysis:
In an analysis piece by Reuters, Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists said although the G8's targets represent "progress" because they are science-based, "it's a missed opportunity if they don't set clear 2050 and 2020 targets about how to reach that goal."
The Christian Science Monitor's Bright Green blog looks at how countries could decide by how much they should have to reduce their carbon emissions.

MIDEAST: Car Bombings in Iraq
Two car bombings on Thursday killed at least 34 people and wounded 70 in Tall Afar, a northern Iraqi city with a large Shiite Turkmen population. The Los Angeles Times reports militants appear to be focusing attacks on the country's north in the days since U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq's major cities.
A CFR Daily Analysis Brief says some analysts are wary about the U.S. pullout from Iraq.
Saudi Arabia: A Saudi court convicted 330 people (Al Arabiya) of working with al-Qaeda on Wednesday, and sentenced one defendant to death. The trials related to terrorist attacks in Riyadh between 2003 and 2006.

PACIFIC RIM: China Threatens Execution
A Chinese official in the city of Urumqi said those who committed crimes during ethnic riots earlier this week may be executed (al Jazeera). Li Zhi, the Communist party chief for Urumqi, issued the warning to the more than 1,400 people arrested. Ethnic clashes on Sunday killed over 150 people and injured over 800. Protests seemed to be calming down Wednesday.
The Washington Post profiles exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, who the Chinese government accuses of orchestrating the protests, a charge Kadeer denies.
Beijing Arrests: Chinese officials confirmed Thursday they had arrested four employees, including an Australian national, of the mining giant Rio Tinto on charges of stealing state secrets that could hurt China's economic security. TheWall Street Journal says the arrests come amid rising tensionbetween China and the mining giants over iron-ore prices and a failed $19.5 billion deal between Rio Tinto and China's state-run aluminum group Chinalco. Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, however, said he saw no evidence (BBC) to suggest any connection between the detentions and the canceled deal.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: India’s Nuclear Sub
India will launch its first nuclear submarine later this month, the Financial Times reports. The submarine would add India to a short list of countries with the capability to launch a nuclear strike from the sea.
Pakistan: At least 45 people, believed to be Taliban militants, were killed in suspected U.S. drone attacks (McClatchy) on South Waziristan on Wednesday, local officials said.

AFRICA: DRC Army to Punish Rights Abusers
The Democratic Republic of Congo's army pledged on Wednesday to hold accountable (BBC) any soldiers who commit human rights abuses. Nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch said last week that the army has systematically committed mass rapes in the country's east.
Somalia: Pirates off the coast of Somalia hijacked a Turkish cargo ship (AFP) with 23 people on board on Wednesday. Reuters details the other ships Somali pirates are still holding for ransom.

AMERICAS: Mexican Army Accused of Human Rights Abuse
Human rights groups are accusing the Mexican army of committing widespread human rights violations (WashPost)in its war against the drug trade. Mexican officials say there have been some cases of abuse, but only in isolated incidents.
Honduras: Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said on Wednesday that he has no intention of negotiating (CNN)with the interim government that overthrew him. During talks in Costa Rica this week, he said: "It's simply listening through a mediator ... to see how they are planning their departure."

EUROPE: Karadzic Immunity Rejected
The tribunal at The Hague on Wednesday rejected former Bosnian Serb Leader Radovan Karadzic's claim that he cannot be prosecuted on genocide (Irish Times) and other charges because of an alleged immunity deal.
Karadzic argues former U.S. envoy to the region Richard Holbrooke promised him immunity in exchange for his commitment to leave politics. Holbrooke denies the story.

TRANSNATIONAL: IMF Predicts Economic Growth
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted worldwideeconomic growth will improve (MarketWatch) to 2.5 percent in 2010. This estimate is more optimistic than the IMF's earlier projection of 1.9 percent.
A CFR Crisis Guide examines the global economic crisis.

http://www.cfr.org/about/newsletters/editorial_detail.html?id=1533

A strong political message on climate change: India
N. Ravi
________________________________________
Developing nations faced with problem of adaptation to climate change
G5 wants existing climate-friendly technologies to be diffused rapidly
________________________________________
L’Aquila, Italy: India considers the declaration on climate change in the agreed draft at the Major Economies Forum a “very strong political message” that would provide impetus to the negotiations on climate change before the Copenhagen summit in December.
The Prime Minister’s special envoy on climate change, Shyam Saran, said at a briefing on the sidelines of the G8 and G5 meetings that the declaration was positive and forward looking and would send the right kind of message, though the specifics would have to be negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change leading to the Copenhagen summit.
Outlining the perspectives of the G5 developing countries, including India, he said that while climate change was a global challenge, there was an aspect of historical responsibility of the industrial countries for the accumulated emissions in the atmosphere. On the principle of “polluter pays,” the major responsibility lay with the industrial nations, and this was a responsibility that they had acknowledged and undertaken under the UNFCCC.
The developing countries wanted the industrial nations to commit themselves to sharp and significant reductions in emissions by 40 per cent below the 1990 (the date of the Kyoto protocol) levels by 2020. This could form the basis for a more ambitious target over the longer term.
The developing nations were faced with the problem of adaptation to climate change and India itself was spending 2 to 2.5 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product on adaptation, including to extreme climatic events and disasters and the impact on agriculture. Even if emissions were reduced to zero, the accumulated emissions would continue to impose a long term burden on the developing countries.
Based on this perspective, the developing countries have been emphasising the two pillars of financing mitigation and adaptation actions and the transfer of technology. The position of the G5 was that there should be predictable, stable and adequate resources available for a credible response from the developing countries and the industrial nations could provide 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of their GDP for the purpose.
The G5 also wanted the existing climate-friendly technologies to be diffused rapidly and widely. In addition, they wanted a global programme for capacity building to combat climate change put in place. Transformational technologies, including on clean energy and new and renewable sources, needed to be developed and provided. It was with these goals that India, in association with the United Nations, was organising a conference in New Delhi in October on the development and transfer of technology for climate change.
The Green Fund proposed by Mexico and endorsed by both the G5 and the G8, involved contributions by all nations assessed on the basis of their historical responsibility, current level of development and weighted per capita emissions. From the Indian viewpoint, the principle of assessed contribution would be welcome as it would provide stable resources.
As regards the binding reduction targets for India and the other developing countries that have so far been exempt from such commitments, India was already committed to the goal of sustainable development, and there has to be a deviation from the business as usual path of growth. However, without clarity on capacity building, funding and technology transfer for climate friendly technologies, India and the other developing countries were unable to give binding commitments on emission reduction targets. However, they were committed to the overall goal of keeping the rise in average global temperature to below 2 degrees over the pre-industrialisation levels.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/10/stories/2009071060261000.htm

Climate change missions should be target oriented: Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Thursday indicated that all was not well with the eight national missions announced as part of the National Action Plan for Climate Change last year even as he said most of them are under various stages of finalisation.
"I am not at all satisfied with the way these documents are being translated into action," Mr. Ramesh said at a press conference here.
"We have just documents not missions documents," Mr. Ramesh said stressing on a need to make them more target oriented and dynamic.
The eight missions relate to solar, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem and 'Green India' besides others.
He said that the missions are to be institutionalised by the nodal ministries, which have to prepare the mission documents and obtain approval of the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change.
"Mission documents are at various stages of finalisation. Coordination meetings have been taken at various levels in the government to finalise the missions," he added.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200907092032.htm

India takes a step forward on N-reactor export front
Preliminary talks in Kazakhstan concluded.
________________________________________
N-plans
Agreement with Kazakhstan likely to be signed shortly
India actively eyeing export of indigenously built 220 MWe PHWR
________________________________________
Anil Sasi
New Delhi, July 9 Preliminary discussions on the possibility of setting up a nuclear power reactor in Kazakhstan based on India’s Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) design have been wrapped up.
A final decision on the issue, which could be a big step forward in India’s efforts to develop an export market for the indigenous 220 MWe PHWR, is likely once the inter-governmental agreement for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy is finalised between the two countries, official sources said.
“Kazakhstan is likely to be the first overseas market for Indian-made reactors. Preliminary discussions between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and the central Asian nation’s nuclear utility Kazatomprom have been held. A final decision on whether this (India setting up reactor units in Kazakhstan) would be a stand-alone deal or a barter arrangement against Kazakh uranium supplies will be decided only after the broad-based civil nuclear agreement under discussion between India and the uranium-rich country is concluded,” an official said.
The agreement, which is likely to be signed shortly, is also expected to address the possibility of joint cooperation in uranium mining, deliveries of Kazakh natural uranium for the Indian nuclear industry, and personnel training.
India has been proactively exploring the possibility of exporting indigenous PHWRs to developing nations that are eyeing nuclear power generation but are constrained by small-sized electricity grids. India had earlier moved a resolution to enable export of indigenous reactors at the IAEA General Conference of Member States in Vienna in late 2007.
With the opening up of international civil nuclear cooperation, which has technically cleared the decks for India to enter the global nuclear trade, the potential for export of indigenous reactors and services is being viewed as a viable commercial proposition, an official said.
“Currently, India is perhaps the only country to have an actively working technology, design and infrastructure for manufacture of small reactors with a unit capacity of 220 MWe. These units have a great potential for exports, particularly to nations with small grids that are planning nuclear forays with relatively lower investment levels,” an official said.
Globally, the major developers of nuclear reactors in the EU and North America have moved on to larger reactor sizes of 700 MWe or 1,000 MWe and above. India stands out in having an active nuclear power programme using 220 MWe reactors, which is based on proven technology in a number of domestic atomic stations.
In all, 12 such 220 MWe PHWR reactors are in operation currently while three more are under construction.
Officials said small size nuclear reactors are apt for countries that have small grids of around 10,000 MW. Use of large reactor units in case of countries having small grids could potentially lead to grid failures if even a single large unit shuts down at any point in time.
Besides, assembling clusters of 220 MWe reactors is projected to be more cost-effective than large-sized reactors from the US or Europe, officials said. Several Asean countries are reported to be eyeing the nuclear option, with Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand among those having announced plans to tap atomic energy in the future.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/07/10/stories/2009071052461500.htm


Justifications not part of info under RTI: HC

9 Jul 2009, 0550 hrs IST, Gauree Malkarnekar, TNN


PANAJI: An order of the high court of Bombay at Goa, stating that the definition for information under the Right to Information Act cannot include answers to the question "why", which would be the same thing as asking the reason for a justification, has been circulated to Central ministries and departments.

Bringing relief to public information authorities, the high court of Bombay at Goa held: "The public information authorities cannot expect to communicate to citizens the reason why a certain thing was done or not done in the sense of justification because the citizen makes a requisition about information. Justifications are matter within the domain of adjudicating authorities and cannot properly be classified as information."

The judgment was circulated by office memorandum dated June 1, 2009 to all ministries, departments and state information commissions of the government of India by the Centre's department of personnel and training. The judgment has also been circulated in the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha, and offices of the President and Prime Minister.

The judgment, dated April 3, 2008, came in favour of Goa's director of education Celsa Pinto, who had challenged an order dated July 27, 2007 passed by the Goa Information Commission holding her responsible for furnishing "incorrect, incomplete or misleading information".

Education department's legal officer Avinash Nasnodkar said that the judgment appears to have brought relief to several government officials across the country. "Several copies of the judgment were picked up from us by all government offices in Goa and the judgment has now been circulated all over the country by the central government. At times officials are harassed using the RTI act for wrong purposes. They are expected to have an answer to anything and everything. At least now they will not be challenged or penalised for not justifying things they have no control over."

The judgment states that section 2 (f) of the RTI Act defines information to mean "any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advises, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force."

The case pertained to information sought by Milan Natekar, a government servant, seeking to know from the education director, in this case also the public information officer, "why the librarian from the engineering college was not considered for promotion for the post of curator in the Central library when it had fallen vacant due to retirement" of the person holding the position.

Initially, the director had replied "N.A." to all questions posed by Natekar, and when the latter sought clarifications, the director replied that the abbreviation stood for "not available". To the question as to why the post of librarian was not filled up, the director stated: "I don't know". Natekar then approached the Goa Information Commission (GIC).

Ruling in the matter, the GIC held that the education director was guilty of furnishing incomplete, misleading and false information and imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 which was "liable to be deducted from her salary from the month of August 2007".

Nasnodkar and advocate J A Lobo challenged the commission's order in the high court. Lobo argued that GIC wrongly held that the director provided incomplete and misleading information.

The court held that, "it is not possible to comprehend how the commission has come to this conclusion" and that it saw nothing wrong in the director's reply that she does not know the information because "PIO cannot manufacture the information".

The court also held that "it is not possible to accept the reasoning of the commission. There is no substance in the observation that merely because the director said not available' and later on corrected her statement and said that she does not know and the petitioner provided incomplete and incorrect information.

"In this view of the matter, the order of the commission appears to suffer from a serious error of law apparent on record and results in the miscarriage of justice," the court held.



http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Goa/Justifications-not-part-of-info-under-RTI-HC/articleshow/4755825.cms



State govt showers water projects in state

10 Jul 2009, 0544 hrs IST, TNN
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JAIPUR: With water scarcity gripping the state, the government has laid thrust on providing drinking water and irrigation facilities in the

state.

The state has decided to frame a new water policy. The initiative is directed to regulate the consumption of water in the state which has 10.4% of the country's total land mass, in contrast to 1.16% of the total water available in the country.

It has increased the allocation for drinking water projects in the current fiscal by 23% taking the amount to Rs 4,126 crore. The government would also take steps to complete pending water projects with Rs 20 crore.

About 10 towns and cities, including Niwai, Malpura, Sambhar, Narayana, Chaksu and Pali, would be connected with some of the major water projects this fiscal. Besides, 10,929 villages would also benefit under various water programmes.

A sum of Rs 1,127 crore has been allocated by the state to complete projects such as the controlling the fluoride content of water in Ajmer, village projects in Tibba and Ramganjmandi-Pachpahar, area specific programmes for Aspur-Dungarpur, Umaid Sagar and the Udaipur city project.

About 30 bigger projects like the Barmer lift programme, Jaipur-Bisalpur, Ajmer-Bisalpur phase II, Pokran-Phalsund, etc would be completed. The new projects on which work would commence this year are Tonk-Bisalpur-Uniyara, rehabilitation of Jodhpur and the Panchwa-Bhadwasia project.

A special project to procure water from the Chambal for Bhilwara with World Bank aid is on anvil.The project would cost Rs 1,020 crore and would benefit seven towns besides 1,600 villages.

To facilitate drinking water, the state has planned to take up disiltation work of the wells and ponds under NREGA, and has also earmarked a sum of Rs 12.27 crore to control the rising ground water level at Jodhpur.

The allocation for irrigation too, has been increased from Rs 2,046 crore to Rs 2,316 crore, to initiate work on 27 irrigation projects. A host of new projects would begin this year including the Kalisind project.

The government has also decided to promote drip and sprinkler system for irrigation, and would provide 1 lakh hectare for irrigation.

A sum of Rs 4.64 crore has been set aside for the survey and detailed project proposal of the Parwan and Vrihad Irrigation and drinking water project in the Baran district. The project will help 313 villages to irrigate 1 lakh hectare land, besides providing drinking water to 820 villages.

Other proposals include the setting up of canals for all the major water projects to irrigate land and completion of elections of all water consumer societies.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Jaipur/State-govt-showers-water-projects-in-state-/articleshow/4760284.cms