Mining – India
1. Treasury taken to court for RBS loans to Vedanta Resources
2. North coastal AP set to become hub for aluminium industry
3. Kerala wants to mine sand from sea
4. Govt threatens to cancel coal block allotted to Nalco
5. Plea to stop mining in Western Ghats
6. Cement firm accused of illegal mining in Junagadh
Mining – International
7. Australian co to invest $400m in mineral sand mining
8. Update on major mining operations in Guinea
9. Proposed mining rules revised
10. Powertech would have to cite examples of successful cleanups
11. Union urges mine safety boost
12. Mining project a boon for small community
13. UPDATE 1-Norilsk, BHP plan to mine Russian coal from 2015
14. Mounting pressure against new uranium mining and nuclear power plants
15. Unabated illegal mining in Hosadurga
Other News – India
16. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra & Tamil Nadu show good progress in urban sector reforms
17. Tribals get an identity
18. Climate changes can affect children
19. UN praises UAE efforts to safeguard children's rights
Mining – India
Treasury taken to court for RBS loans to Vedanta Resources
Members of the Kutia Kondh tribe in the village of Dangadahal in the foothills of Niyamgiri mountain in Orissa state, India. Stone is being excavated for roads so Vedanta can extract bauxite. Photograph: Gethin Chamberlain
Ministers face embarrassment in the high court on Tuesday when the Treasury is forced to explain why the state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland has been lending money to the controversial mining firmVedanta Resources, whose activities have been criticised by another government department.
The legal battle will highlight the financial support being given by the bank to a range of other companies engaged in activities such as coal mining and Arctic oil drilling – all of which could be considered contrary to wider policy commitments on climate change and carbon emissions.
Three campaign groups – World Development Movement, Platform and People & Planet – have brought the case. The Treasury argued at a preliminary hearing that it would not be right to consider climate change and human rights when it evaluated the "commercial" interests of RBS.
Rosa Curling, from the campaigners' law firm, Leigh Day & Co, said the Treasury's position was a misunderstanding of the law, "in particular the Companies Act 2006, and flies in the face of the government's wider policies on corporate social responsibility and climate change".
The Treasury, which has oversight of banks such as RBS after they were bailed out with public money, has brought in James Eadie QC, one of its chief lawyers, to defend its position.
Since the case was filed in June, the government has carried out a "green book" assessment of its environmental and human rights obligations with respect to its 70% holding in RBS, and concluded that it must manage its stake in a commercial way. However, the three groups claim that the assessment was inadequate, and that taxpayers' funds invested in RBS should be spent only on projects that promote a "sustainable and ethical future".
Last week the UK National Contact Point, an arm of Lord Mandelson's business department, produced a scathing report on Vedanta accusing it of "disrespecting" the rights of indigenous people over its plans to build an opencast bauxite mine near the holy mountain of Niyamgiri, in the Indian state of Orissa. Vedanta said it "refutes the conclusions [of the report] and has complied in all respects with Indian regulations including consultations with the local community".
RBS was the lead financial adviser to Sterlite, which is 60% owned by Vedanta, in a recent takeover bid. The bank and its ABN Amro subsidiary gave letters of credit worth $100m (£60m) to Sterlite, which is India's biggest copper producer.
Kevin Smith, from Platform, said it was "total hypocrisy" for the government to criticise Vedanta's environmental and human rights record while allowing RBS to use public money to finance it. "The Treasury has a legal duty to ensure that RBS isn't using taxpayers' money to support companies that trample over human rights and trash the climate," he said.
RBS is also under fire for lending to Cairn Energy to drill in the Arctic, and to Hargeaves Services for opencast coalmining in Britain. Campaigners are incensed that ABN Amro holds a 4.75% stake in the mining group CGM Resources, which is opening a mine at Phulbari, Bangladesh.
Deborah Doane of the World Development Movement, which has been campaigning against the Phulbari mine, claims 40,000 people face eviction and 100,000 could have their water supply disrupted. "People in Bangladesh should not suffer due to the actions of a British mining company, and the British government must ensure our money is clean. So it has a moral and legal duty to stop these investments through its ownership of RBS," said Doane.
RBS said it recognised the reality of climate change and supported a transition towards a low-carbon economy. "Over recent years we have been a leading arranger of finance to the renewable energy sector and take our responsibility to play our part in this seriously," it said."As a leading corporate and commercial bank, RBS has customers in almost all sectors of business. We are committed to supporting these customers as they address the challenges of progressively reducing their environmental impact. We only provide finance to projects which meet the environmental and social standards specified by the Equator Principles."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/oct/18/rbs-vedanta-loan-court-case
North coastal AP set to become hub for aluminium industry
VDS Rama Raju / Chennai/ Visakhapatnam October 19, 2009, 0:01 IST
North coastal Andhra Pradesh is set to become the hub for the aluminium industry with three companies lining up over Rs 20,000 crore in the next three-four years for their proposed alumina refineries in the region
Agency areas of Visakhapatnam and Vizainagaram districts have bauxite reserves estimated at about 800 million tonnes.
To utilise this, the state government has signed MoUs with JSW Aluminium, UAE-based Anrak of Ras al Khaimah and state-owned National Alumina Company Limited (Nalco).
JSW Aluminium is setting up a 1.4 million tonne capacity plant with an investment of Rs 4,400 crore. The state government has allotted nearly 1,000 acres of land for the project. “We are ready with all clearances. Once we sign the mining agreement with the Andhra Pradesh Minerals Development Corporation, the company will get funds from financial institutions and can start the work immediately,” a senior executive of JSW Aluminium told Business Standard.
The government has promised about 2,000 acres to Anrak for its 2.5 million tonne capacity plant. The company has proposed to invest Rs 9,500 crore in the project.
APMDC will supply the required bauxite ore to both the units. Accordingly, it is trying for mining licences from the Centre.
With regard to Nalco, the government recently allotted two bauxite ore blocks to the company. It would allot over 1,000 acres land for its proposed refinery. Nalco would spend nearly Rs 7,000 crore on the Vizag project.
In view of these developments, Visakhapatnam Port has proposed to construct two exclusive berths for aluminium exports. At present Nalco uses the port for its exports. The port is planning to invest more than Rs 200 crore in these two berths and related facilities under public-private partnership.
However, non-governmental organisations and Left parties have strongly opposed bauxite mining in the agency areas. Nearly a decade ago Dubai Alumina company signed an MoU with the state government for setting up an alumina plant, but could not proceed due to opposition from environmentalists and tribal organisations.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/north-coastal-ap-set-to-become-hub-for-aluminium-industry/373573/
Kerala wants to mine sand from sea
Offshore sand mining is banned in India under the coastal regulation zone rules, except for a few rare minerals
Kochi: Kerala is seeking the Union government’s permission to become the first state in India to mine sand from the sea, as it struggles to overcome a shortage of the construction material and aims to curb illegal extraction from rivers.
Offshore sand mining is banned in India under the coastal regulation zone rules, except for a few rare minerals.
“We haven’t received any such proposal from the state government and if we do, it won’t be simple,” said an environment ministry official who did not want to be identified.
Some sand mining is allowed in the Andaman Islands, “Even for that they had to go through the Supreme Court,” the official said.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) made a presentation to the Kerala industries department on 7 October, identifying large potential deposits along the state’s coast. These deposits can help meet Kerala’s requirement for about 30 million tonnes (mt) of sand a year, said A.C. Dinesh, a GSI scientist.
T. Balakrishnan, Kerala industries secretary and head of a three-member panel on sand mining and its illegal removal, said the committee is considering the sea as a potential alternative source. The panel, which will submit its report in three months, has sought the public’s views by 20 October.
The GSI surveys indicate fine-to-medium sand at a depth of 1-1.5m below the sea floor, 15-50km off the coast. The agency had been looking for alternative sources of land-based minerals.
“There is great potential to develop offshore sand resources and dredging at selected locations to meet sand supply needs in terms of quantity, quality and competitive pricing,” Dinesh said.
GSI has found similar deposits off Karnataka and is surveying the east coast as well.
Sea sand is not considered ideal for construction because of its salinity. GSI says it can be washed and used.
“Moreover, sand from the seabed has minerals such as monosite, ilmenite and rutile that can be segregated and used in the chemical industry, and the calcium carbonate deposits can be used by the cement industry,” Dinesh said.
State officials say about 1.2 mt of sand is mined illegally from rivers every year, posing a serious environmental threat.
Kerala has attracted large projects in recent years, including a container trans-shipment terminal, a liquid natural gas terminal, information technology parks and large housing projects.
Environmentalists warn against exploitation of the sea, but say offshore mining can help reduce the impact of the illegal digging from the rivers.
A. Latha, head of Kerala-based River Research Centre, a not-for-profit body, says rampant mining of river beds has led to serious environmental hazards, destroying the state’s river ecology.
Several rivers and ponds are drying as the removal of sand increases the base flow of groundwater to the rivers, thus depleting groundwater levels, she said.
http://www.livemint.com/2009/10/19005405/Kerala-wants-to-mine-sand-from.html
Govt threatens to cancel coal block allotted to Nalco
18 Oct 2009, 1200 hrs IST, PTI
NEW DELHI: The government has threatened to cancel a coal block allocated to aluminium maker Nalco for captive use, citing delay in the
development of the mine.
In the show-cause notice issued to the company on October 12 for delay in developing the Utkal-E coal block in Orissa, the Coal Ministry said, "The progress (in development of the block) is badly delayed and no serious effort has been made to develop the coal block since the allotment of the block made in the year 2004.
"...and moreover the gestation period of 3.5 years to develop the explored block is also over," the coal ministry said in the letter.
The coal ministry has also taken a serious view of the absence of company officials in series of review meetings it convened to discuss the progress on development of the block.
"No representative attended the (review) meetings, which is a serious lapse on the part of the company. The review meeting has viewed the absence of the company in successive review meeting seriously," it added.
Nalco officials could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/indl-goods-/-svs/metals-mining/Govt-threatens-to-cancel-coal-block-allotted-to-Nalco/articleshow/5135946.cms
Plea to stop mining in Western Ghats
TNN 18 October 2009, 10:21pm IST
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SHIMOGA: Environmentalists around the Sharavathi valley in Sagar taluk have urged the government to prevent mining activities in the Western Ghat
region to preserve and protect the fragile flora and fauna. Participating in a meeting called by the task force on Western Ghats, they appealed to the government to save environment.
Ambara Gudda is a hotspot for mining in the area and villagers have been trying to prevent mining after the government allocated the area for mining some years ago.
Ananth Hegade Ashisara, chairperson of the task force, who took part in the meetings arranged at Tumari, Baykodu, has responded positively to the demands of villagers. He also urged the forest authorities to take precautionary steps to check damage caused to crops by wild animals.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Plea-to-stop-mining-in-Western-Ghats/articleshow/5137087.cms
Cement firm accused of illegal mining in Junagadh
The Gujarat-based company was served notice for unauthorised quarrying of limestone on 320 hectares, worth as much as Rs 640 crore in govt royalty
By Dilip Patel
Posted On Monday, October 19, 2009 at 01:45:20 AM
The Hajipura garden facelift will cost Rs 60 lakh
A leading cement company has been accused of illegal limestone quarrying over 320 hectares in Junagadh district over three years. The Junagadh collector recently issued notices to the cement company as also farmers who had leased the land for the purpose without permission.
According to the notice, the Gujarat-based company quarried limestone on 120 hectares of farm land and 200 ha of cattle grazing land belonging to the gram panchayat.
Sarpanch Somabhai Chavda of Rampra village of Veraval taluka in Junagadh lodged the complaint in a local court against the mining. He said the company encroached grazing land in the village to start its illegal operations.
Following the complaint, the state government’s geology and mining department sent a team to survey the claim and assess the extent of mining.
Team member R H Patel said the survey revealed that limestone mining had been illegally done on 120 ha of agricultural land under survey no. 87/P/9 and 87/P/7. Sources said, according to rules, the government is entitled to a royalty of Rs 2 crore for every hectare of land put under limestone mining.
Thus, the cement company which allegedly carried out mining on 320 hectares in Junagadh district would be liable to pay the government as much as Rs 640 crore in royalty.
Farmer and local BJP leader Razak Isabhai said he complained to Home Minister Amit Shah about the illegal mining on five occasions in the past.
Following this, he claimed he got threat calls from officials of the cement company. Isabhai said he then wrote to the collector and sought police protection. He said he took up the matter as the illegal quarrying was causing the government a loss of about Rs 700 crore.
The survey report said the cement company also mined minerals from several plots of farm land and covered up the craters with rubble weighing at least 1,500 tonnes. Sources said the government plans to itself pursue the issue with the company after illegations of inaction by the district collectorate.
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=3&contentid=20091019200910190145205785c08480§xslt=
Mining – International
Australian co to invest $400m in mineral sand mining
UNB, Dhaka
An Australian company offered to invest 400 million US dollars in mineral sand mining in the Bay of Bengal off Cox's Bazar coast, after ascertaining a good find through preliminary exploration.
The company's willingness was conveyed to State Minister for Environment and Forest Dr Hasan Mahmud by Australian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Dr Justin Lee during a meeting at the ministry yesterday.
Earlier, in January 2007, the government had given permission to Premier Minerals, the Australian Company, for exploration of the sea sand laden with a number of minerals reportedly abound in the bay, apart from hydrocarbons.
"On completion of the first phase of exploration, the company expressed its eagerness to invest in the project for extracting the sea sand rich in mineral resources," an official announcement said.
The sea sand at Cox's Bazar beach contains heavy minerals, including Zircon, Rutile, Ilmenite, Leucoxene, and Magentite. The Australian firm plans to undertake the mining project under Teknaf upazila.
The minister said, "The government is eager to approve those projects which will bring economic prosperity for our country, but these must be environment-friendly."
Alan Grant, Chairman of the Premier Minerals, who was present at the meeting, said that they are interested to make the investment in the mining project maintaining full "environmental balance".
Dr Hasan Mahmud said more review is needed for looking into the project's technical and environmental sides. "It must be ensured whether it is environment-friendly before giving final approval."
The Australian mining-project proposal came when the government is negotiating deals with an American and an Irish firm for gas exploration in the Bay, amid outcries from a group of protestors at home and rival mining bids from neighbouring India and Myanmar.
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/10/19/news0081.htm
Update on major mining operations in Guinea
Monday, 19 Oct 2009
Reuters reported that mining and refining activity in Guinea returned to normal after a 2 day strike called by unions to mark the bloody crackdown on anti government protesters September 28th 2009 brought operations to a halt.
Guinea's vast mineral resources have attracted major international mining firms and the West African country is the world's No 1 supplier of aluminum ore bauxite.
Here are details of some of the country's major mining operations and planned developments.
1. Bauxite - Guinea boasts around a third of all known reserves of bauxite, the ore used to make aluminum. CBG shipped a record 13.7 million tonnes in 241 shiploads during 2008. The company accounts for some 80% of Guinea's mining income which was worth USD 149 million in 2007.
Bauxite production is as follows: Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee/Boke Mine 13.18 million, Alumina Company of Guinea/Fria Kimbo Mine 2.8 million, Compagnie des Bauxites de Kindia 3.8 million, TOTAL: Bauxite capacity 2008 21.6 million.
Bauxite production 2008 19.78 million; RUSAL's Friguia plant refines bauxite to alumina with a total projected 2008 production of 527,000 tonnes of alumina. Alcoa and Rio Tinto are considering adding an alumina refinery to their Guinea bauxite joint venture. Toronto listed Global Alumina is building a new 3.3 million tonne per year alumina refinery but has delayed start up by 2 years to 2011 and raised its cost forecast 35% to USD 4.3 billion.
2. Iron Ore - Last December, amid falling demand for metals and a company wide program of spending cuts, Rio Tinto postponed development of the Simandou iron ore concession. The firm said that it is the world's biggest undeveloped iron ore deposit, with an estimated 2.25 billion tonnes of ore. The project, forecast to cost USD 6 billion was scheduled to produce 70 million tonnes of ore in 2013, its first projected operational year with the capacity to increase production later. Rio and the government of then President Mr Lansana Conte had been in dispute for months about the project. At one point the government said it was cancelling a licence for Simandou but Rio said that it would move forward with the project. In December, BSG Resources, a company belonging to Israeli diamond trader Mr Beny Steinmetz said that it had obtained the rights to the northern portion of Simando. Mr Camara's administration has upheld the handing of the portion of Simandou to BSG Resources a decision Rio challenges.
3. Gold - Anglogold Ashanti operates Guinea's biggest gold mine at Siguiri in the northeast where it produced 332,000 ounces of gold in 2008. The Guinean state holds a 15% stake. Anglogold was one the 3 firms the government said in September would be audited. Crew Gold operates the LEFA Corridor Gold Project which produced 189,520 ounces in 2008. West Africa focused gold miner Semafo which is listed in Toronto, operates the Kiniero mine in eastern Guinea. It produced 51,700 ounces in 2008. Artisanal gold mining is also common in Guinea.
4. Diamonds - Mines ministry officials said that Guinea's diamond reserves are estimated at over 25 million carats not including as yet unmapped kimberlite fields. Guinea's mines minister recommended in July 2008 that the government cancel the diamond mining licence of the biggest diamond operator in the country, Ardor, due to lack of activity. Ardor, 85% owned by Toronto listed Azure Resources Corporation and 15% by Guinea's government, previously produced between 12,000 and 38,000 carats per year.
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/10/19/MTE2Nzgz/Update_on_major_mining_operations_in_Guinea.html
Proposed mining rules revised
Powertech would have to cite examples of successful cleanups
BY BOBBY MAGILL • BOBBYMAGILL@COLORADOAN.COM • OCTOBER 18, 2009
The state on Tuesday will issue a revision of proposed rules that will determine how a potential uranium mine northeast of Fort Collins will be required to prevent groundwater contamination near the mine.
The rules will directly affect Powertech USA's proposed Centennial Project uranium mine between Wellington and Nunn. If built, the project will be an in situ leach uranium mine, which many in the region fear could contaminate the area's groundwater.
Already, city and town councils in Fort Collins, Greeley, Nunn, Wellington and other cities have passed resolutions opposing the mine because of its potential impact on area water quality.
If approved, the proposed rules will implement a 2008 law, House Bill 1161, which regulates in situ uranium mines across the state, requiring mining companies to return the groundwater around an in situ leach mine to the same quality it was prior to mining.
Before the state can issue an in situ leach mining permit, the law requires mining companies to cite five examples of other similar mining operations that did not harm groundwater.
On Friday, the draft rules were still being revised, and changes were still being made throughout the document based on public comments the state Office of Mined Land Reclamation had received, office director David Berry said.
The rules and the law will "provide a minimum level of protection for groundwater from in situ uranium mining," said Jeff Parsons of the Western Mining Action Project in Boulder. "Powertech's proposal is in an inappropriate place surrounded by water wells on all sides."
In a Soapbox printed in the Coloradoan Oct. 1, Powertech Chief Operations Officer Wallace M. Mays said the company supports "rational, well-tailored" state rules.
After the revised rules are issued Tuesday, the public will have until Nov. 10 to submit comments. A hearing will be Dec. 3.
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20091018/NEWS01/910180319
Union urges mine safety boost
Posted 4 hours 32 minutes ago
The miners' union is calling for changes to be made to the Coal Health and Safety Act to make it compulsory for all shifts to have qualified search and rescue staff.
Steve Smyth from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union says while there are requirements for underground mines, there are no mandatory standards for open-cut mining.
He says workers and the union are concerned communities like Moranbah could be left without enough emergency resources.
"I believe there's a real potential there that where they're responding to a coal mine we could be leaving the community and the people living in those communities at risk," he said.
"Because the ambulance, wherever it may be, it could be at a mine 20, 25 kilometres from Moranbah for example, there could be an incident and the people could be at risk."
Gavin Taylor from the Queensland Mines Inspectorate says the issue has never been formally raised with it.
"We've never looked at that I must be honest, because it's never really been raised with us in an official complaint," he said.
"If it was then we would look into it but that's one of those kind of things that comes in general conversation without any facts behind it.
"Whether it's true or not, I don't know, because we've never investigated but certainly if someone made that complaint, we'd be duty-bound to investigate."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/19/2717854.htm
Mining project a boon for small community
Last Updated: Sunday, October 18, 2009 | 11:23 AM CT
CBC News
Feelings of optimism are running deep in a small northern Manitoba mining town in the wake of the expected start to a multimillion-dollar ore-mining project.
The Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co., known as HudBay, is starting the first phase of a new mining development called the Lalor project near Snow Lake, Man.
On Oct. 8, HudBay announced it had received approval from its board of directors to spend $85 million on the project's first stage.
The initial phase involves the construction of a ramp from another nearby mine in order to start mining Lalor by 2012.
Work is expected to begin immediately, the company said in an Oct. 8 statement.
Snow Lake Mayor Gary Zamzow told CBC News the start of the project means the company needs to immediately hire up to 100 workers who will likely live in town and contribute to the local economy.
Snow Lake, located about 700 kilometres north of Winnipeg, has a population of about 900 people, Zamzow said.
He said once operations at the mine kick into high gear, as many as 400 workers could be employed there.
Zamzow said he’s expecting local businesses to see a boost and possibly even need to expand.
“That bodes well to everything that takes place in the community, from recreation to the retail sector,” Zamzow said.
“It also then will allow the town itself to expand in things that the town needs to do with an increased tax base."
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/10/18/181009-mining-north-man.html
UPDATE 1-Norilsk, BHP plan to mine Russian coal from 2015
Published: 18 Oct 2009 16:54:02 PST
* To mine Syradasai deposit in the Arctic
* Initial annual output 8 million tonnes
* Output could rise to 12-15 million tonnes/year
* Processing plant, power plant, port also planned
MURMANSK, Russia, Oct 16 - Norilsk Nickel plans to start mining coal with BHP Billiton in the Russian Arctic from 2015, the first production to result from a three-year-old alliance between the mining giants.
BHP Billiton, the world's largest miner, will join Norilsk in developing the Syradasai deposit in a project that could eventually produce as much coking coal for the steel industry as Russian market leader Mechel produced last year.
Nikolai Matyushenko, deputy director for production development in Norilsk's transport department, said on Friday the project envisaged construction of a processing plant and power station at the deposit.
"From 2015, we intend to mine 8 million tonnes and then to increase it to between 12 million and 15 million tonnes," Matyushenko told reporters on the sidelines of an investment conference. He was referring to annual production.
The Syradasai deposit is about 100 km (63 miles) from the port of Dikson on the Kara Sea, even further north than Norilsk's Arctic nickel, copper and palladium mines.
Matyushenko, who declined to say how much would be invested in the project, said the joint venture partners planned to build a shipping terminal capable of handling vessels with capacity of around 70,000 deadweight tonnes.
Mechel produced slightly more than 15 million tonnes of coking coal in 2008, although it also has plans to increase this total significantly by launching the massive Elga deposit in the far eastern republic of Yakutia.
Raspadskaya, Russia's second-largest coking coal miner, produced 9.4 million tonnes last year, although output was severely hampered by the financial crisis. Quarterly output has since returned to pre-crisis levels.
Russia's other main producer of coking coal in the Arctic is Severstal, the country's largest steel maker, which operates mines in the former Gulag city of Vorkuta.
http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/metalworking/100185139-1-update-1-norilsk%252C-bhp-plan-mine.html
Mounting pressure against new uranium mining and nuclear power plants
There is a growing civil society movement against the new uranium mining and nuclear power plants in India. The National Alliance of Anti-nuclear Movements (NAAM) is mobilizing citizens to protest against the reported decision of the government of India to take a quantum leap in installed capacity for nuclear power generation, from the current level of 4,120 MW to 63,000 MW by 2032. "This decision is but an invitation to disaster" says activists.
"Nuclear power, contrary to orchestrated hypes, is actually costlier than power from conventional sources like coal, gas and hydro. And once all the hidden costs are factored in, it would be costlier than even from renewable sources, like wind, in particular" says the NAAM petition that is swelling with citizens signing and endorsing the petition addressed to Ms Pratibha Patil, President of India; Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and Mr Jairam Ramesh, Minister of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
"More importantly, it is also intrinsically hazardous, as large amount of radiation is routinely released at every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle. An even more intractable problem is that of safe storage of nuclear waste and safe disposal of outlived power plants, given the fact that the half-lives of some of the radioactive substances involved are over even millions of years" further reads the petition.
"Even more disconcerting is, considering the complexity of the technology of a nuclear reactor; there is no way to ensure that a major accident at a nuclear power plant will never take place. And a major accident, given the nature of things, will just turn catastrophic affecting a very large number of people, over a large territory, over a very long period. The disastrous accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, in the Ukraine province of the then USSR, on April 26 1986 is a chilling illustration."
"The promise of nil greenhouse gas (GHG) emission is also nothing more than a myth if the entire fuel cycle – including mining, milling, transportation and construction of the power plant – is considered. Moreover, nuclear energy with its highly centralized power production model would only further aggravate the problem by accentuating the current development paradigm reliant on mega-industries and actively blocking any possibility towards ecologically benign decentralized development. The strong linkage between nuclear power and weapons – in terms of large overlaps in technology, in turn triggering strong political push – of which India itself is a graphic illustration can also be overlooked only at our own peril given the genocidal, and suicidal, character of the nuclear weapon" reads the signature petition of NAAM.
The NAAM petition further adds:
As nuclear power is economically unattractive and socially unacceptable, on account of radiation hazards and risks of catastrophic accidents, no order for new nuclear reactors was placed in the USA and most of West Europe during the last 30 years, since the Three Mile Island accident in the US in 1979.
The US and European companies in nuclear power plant equipment and nuclear fuelbusiness are thus looking to Asia for markets – India, China and Japan spearheading the current expansion programme.
It is unfortunate that the Indian government is becoming their willing collaborator in this in pursuit of its megalomaniac hunt for nuclear power and weapon. It has thus, over a period of just one year, rushed to enter into agreements with as many as seven countries, viz. the US, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Mongolia and Argentina.
So far, nuclear power production capacity in India is very small, only about 3 percent of the total electricity generation capacity; and the veil of secrecy surrounding the existing nuclear power plants in the country, and absence of any truly independent monitoring agency, has seriously hindered dissemination of information on accidents – large and small – at these plants and their public scrutiny. That explains the current low level of popular awareness as regards the grave threats posed by the nuclear industry.
Taking advantage of this, the government of India is now set to steamroll its massive expansion program.
The contention that nuclear power is indispensable to meet future energy needs is false; for energy demand, and "need", is obviously a function of the development paradigm chosen and pursued. And "energy security" is not an autonomous entity or objective, but must be in alignment with other chosen objectives which must include equitable growth and concerns for ecology.
Viewed thus, "energy security" may be achieved by: (I) Increasing efficiency of electricity generation, transmission and distribution. (II) Doing away with extravagant and wasteful use of energy. (III) Pursuing a path of low-energy intensity and decentralised development. (IV) Making optimum use of alternative energy options. (IV) Radically raising investment in development of sustainable and renewable energy sources and technologies, especially wind and solar energy.
As a part of its expansion program, the government of India has announced plans to expand the nuclear power plant coming up at Koodankulam (Tamil Nadu). Additional four reactors from Russia of 1,200 MWe each, in the immediate or near future, are to come up over and above the two of 950 MWe each, presently under construction. The process for setting up a nuclear plant at Jaitapur (Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra) has also reached an advanced stage. The French company Areva is set to supply two new generation reactors of 1650 MWe each, to be followed by another two. Land acquisition notices have been served on the local people to acquire 981 hectare of land.
The government has reportedly already approved 15 new plants at eight sites.
These sites are Kumharia in Haryana – meant for indigenous reactors; Kakrapar (indigenous reactors) and Chhayamithi Virdi (reactor from US) in Gujarat; Kovvada (reactor from US) in Andhra Pradesh; Haripur (reactor from Russia) in West Bengal; Koodankulam (reactor from Russia) in Tamil Nadu; and Jaitapur (reactor from France) in Maharashtra.
Similarly, the mad rush for more and more power plants is matched by an accelerated drive for uranium mining in newer areas: Andhra and Meghalaya, in particular. And this, despite the horrible experience of uranium mines in different parts of the world, as also in our own Jadugoda – where appalling conditions continue despite strong popular protests, spanning decades.
The signatories of this NAAM petition demand that the government of Indiaput a complete stop to the construction of all new uranium mines and nuclear power plants, and radically jack up investments in renewable and environmentally sustainable sources of energy. [To sign the petition, click here or go to
http://www.newspostonline.com/national/mounting-pressure-against-new-uranium-mining-and-nuclear-power-plants-2009101971952
Unabated illegal mining in Hosadurga
TNN 18 October 2009, 09:49pm IST
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HOSADURGA (CHITRADURGA): T H Basavaraju and Ilkal Vijaya Kumar, former legislators, alleged sudden spurt in illegal mining activity inside forest
adjacent to Mallapura, Lakkihally, Pujarahally and Madihally in Hosadurga taluk. Villagers belonging to Madadakere, Kenkere, Lakkihally and Madihally in the taluk too have complained about the illegal mining activity deep inside the regular forest area bordering Hiriyur and Holalkere taluks.
Bhyrappa, former chairman of Kenkere VP, Gurusiddappa, Kenchappa and Marappa of Lakkihally and Siddappa of Madihally, while speaking to The Times of India at Hosadurga on Wednesday, alleged that hundreds of lorry loads of ore has been staked near Sujikal Matti area. A new road has been formed deep inside the regular forest from Madihally to Neera Gudda on the western side of the hill. This area was hitherto inaccessible to people. Dozens of lorries ferry men and material day and night on the new road. Also illegal mining has been going on unabatedly in Survey No 96 of Lakkihally, they added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/TNN4-chitratimUnabated-illegal-mining-in-Hosadurga/articleshow/5136927.cms
Other News – India
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra & Tamil Nadu show good progress in urban sector reforms
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13:4 IST
The Overall Reforms Progress under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) has indicated so far that 56% of State level reforms committed till year 4 (2008-09) have been achieved, 50% of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) level reforms and 57% of optional reforms committed till year 4 have been achieved. The mission was launched on 3rd Dec, 2005. States such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh have shown good progress in urban sector reforms. However it is of concern that Property Taxes have been withdrawn in Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. The Ministry of Urban Development has taken up this matter with State Governments as it contravenes the spirit of JNNURM reforms. It is also recognized that certain States and cities have capacity constraints such as North- Eastern states, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir and small towns under UIDSSMT scheme.
Governance Reforms are Central to successful implementation of JNNURM. The main objective of the implementation of reforms under JNNURM is to provide an enabling environment for the growth of our cities by enhancing effective urban service delivery, land management, financial management and stakeholder participation in local governance. The portfolio of reforms covered by this roadmap can be broadly classified into Governance reforms, Land and Property Reforms, Reforms for financial sustainability and Accountability reforms.
Some of the achievements on Reforms are as under:-
• In Jharkhand, municipal elections were held after a gap of 22 years
• 20 states have taken steps to establish District Planning committees, 8 during theMission
• 10 States have rationalised Stamp duty to 5%. Stamp Duty in Chandigarh was increased to 6.3% from 5%, but after intervention of the Ministry, this has now been reverted back to 5%.
• 16 States have enacted public disclosure laws and 9 states have enacted community participation laws
• 13 cities have accomplished e-governance reforms
• 29 cities have migrated to Double Entry Accrual Based Accounting System and have published their Balance Sheets after valuation of their assets and liabilities
• 15 cities have achieved 85 % coverage in Property Tax collection and 13 cities have achieved 90% collection efficiency
• 45 cities have Internal earmarking of funds for services to urban poor in their annual budgets
• 47 cities have undertaken revision of Building Bye-Laws for Mandatory Rainwater harvesting in all Buildings
• Encouraging of PPP has been done in 40 cities.•
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=53252
Tribals get an identity
Express News Service
First Published : 19 Oct 2009 06:12:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 19 Oct 2009 08:42:11 AM IST
MALKANGIRI: Land pattas were provided to a total 5,113 Bonda and Didayi tribals of Malkangiri district in the last 15 days.
Belonging to Khairput and Kudmulgumma block spreading across 14,175.18 acres of forest lands under different kissams, these tribals received Provisional Title Certificates under Forest Rights Act 2006.
After the recent uprising of tribals in Koraput’s Narayanpatna block, the State Government had resolved to distribute land pattas to at least 30,000 rightful forest dwellers across the State. The certificates have been given to Bonda families living in 774.00 acres of forest land in Bonda Hill. There are 32 villages surrounding the hillock comprising 1,605 households.
The certificates were given away at a function held at Mudulipada recently by the ITDA Project Administrator Sundarlal Seal. “The settlement of forest lands in favour of the traditional forest dwellers is a historic step by the State Government,” Seal said.
Certificates were also handed over to Didayi tribals living in 696 acres of land under Kudmulgumma block.
Seal said District Collector Nithin Bhanudas Jawale, tehsildars, block and gram panchayats officials and PRI members were involved in the process and the remaining eligible claimants will be provided the certificates by month-end.
Bondas and Didayis are considered one of the most primitive tribes in the world, who have till date tried to preserve their ancient culture and tradition. They had no legal right over the land on which they lived and cultivated. Implementation of Forest Rights Act enabled the administration to provide legal possession of land to these tribals.
With the distribution of these land pattas, the Bonda and Didayi villages would also start to have their identity on the map of administration and revenue department.
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Tribals+get+an+identity&artid=EPDH7WiISlk=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=
Climate changes can affect children
19 October 2009, 12:00am IST
Climate changes could severely upset the mental health of children worldwide, warn medical experts. Extreme weather events, drought, financial
Climate changes can affect children (Getty Images)
strain and changes in work, migration patterns triggered by climate change, will cause people to be increasingly vulnerable to post traumatic stress disorder and depression, said Helen Berry, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH).
“Mental health problems aren’t just collateral damage from climate change, they could well be one of the most profound effects,” warned Berry. “Climate change amplifies existing risks, particularly for children,” she added. Despite the risk, this is an area that has received little attention.
The impacts will be more severe for children, because they will be exposed to climate change for longer over their lifetime, said Lyndall Strazdins of NCEPH from the Australian National University. Children are also less mentally prepared to deal with the stress from climate change related trauma such as bush fires, which are set to increase by up to 75 per cent by 2050, said Strazdins.
“All of these factors interact and could result in a great increase in severe mental health problems,” she said. Climate change can affect people in a number of different ways, says Berry. It can act directly on mental health through trauma exposure, for example a cyclone caused by increasing temperatures, or it can act indirectly via disease and community changes, said a ScienceAlert release, authored by Fiona MacDonald.
“A number of studies have revealed that children are already anxious and fearful about climate change. They need to be at the centre of the debate – yet the impact of climate change on children and the costs to future generations is not being discussed,” said Strazdins.
Berry presented these findings at the Australian Science Media Centre briefing last week.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Climate-changes-can-affect-children/articleshow/5136276.cms
UN praises UAE efforts to safeguard children's rights
The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, Najat Maalla, welcomed the upcoming ratification of the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.
By Samir Salama, Associate Editor
Published: 00:00 October 19, 2009
Abu Dhabi: A UN children's rights expert yesterday praised the UAE's political commitment to the rights of the child, citing numerous efforts undertaken, particularly in the area of combating trafficking in persons and camel jockeys.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Najat Maalla, however, urged for "a real integrated national child protection strategy, with child protection systems accessible to all children across the country, particularly vulnerable children."
The Special Rapporteur welcomed the upcoming ratification of the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.
The expert visited Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, and held meetings with and undertook visits to the Federal National Council, various ministries, the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, police, courts (Dubai and Sharjah), social service departments and associations and foundations.
She appreciated that the UAE recognised the need for establishing an information system and database for protecting the rights of the child and of a Child Rights Monitoring Mechanism. The Special Rapporteur said she received "a low number of reported cases of sale of children, and child trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation. She received no reports of child trafficking for use as camel jockeys.
The UAE has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1997), ILO Convention No 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour (2002) and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (Palermo Protocol).
The expert said the age of criminal responsibility (seven years) is too low. "All children under 18 years of age who are sexually exploited should be considered as victims and not as delinquents. They should not be put in jail." The Special Rapporteur called for an integrated Child Protection National Strategy.
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/un-praises-uae-efforts-to-safeguard-children-s-rights-1.516355
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