Mining – India
1. Lock looms on coal mountain
2. Power Ministry eyeing Australian coal mines
3. Vedanta: Church enquiry to Orissa mine site illegal
4. Land acquisition, rehab details to be computerised
5. India Cements set to acquire coal mine in Indonesia
6. Notice to Reddys on ‘illegal’ mining
7. Does mining always lead to hazards?
8. Karnataka minister's mining firm denies receiving notice
9. SAIL obtains iron ore licence in key state
10. Delays hit ArcelorMittal Rs 1 lakh cr project in India
11. Meghalaya outfit suspends road blockade against uranium mining
Mining – International
12. Toro slams Queensland Government over uranium mining ban
13. Food industry 'worth more than mining'
14. Riversdale, Tata approve $270m Mozambique coal mine
Other News – India
15. NREGS under the scanner
16. Strict law against child labour sought
17. India recognizing the effects of Climate change: US
18. Tribal chiefs' body hails NREGS
19. ILO pushes govt on customary land rights
20. Australia's regional governments play important role in climate change
Mining – India
Lock looms on coal mountain
SAMBIT SAHA AND SRIKUMAR BANDYOPADHYAY
Calcutta, Oct. 28: The Bengal government has taken the first tangible step to facilitate an airport project which could bury forever coal sufficient to meet the country’s demand for nearly four years despite claims that the issue had been “resolved”.
The government this week handed over 533.51 acres — the first tranche of over 3,000 acres — to Bengal Aerotropolis Project Ltd for developing an airport city at Andal in Burdwan. Singapore’s Changi is a strategic equity partner.
The land parcel that changed hands will be the site for the airport itself, expected to come up over 650 acres.
However, the project area also sits over huge coal reserves — an issue Coal India Ltd (CIL) had raised when the airport city was conceived. A meeting convened by the Bengal chief secretary on April 8 had “reasonably addressed” the concerns of CIL by slicing 400 acres off the project to save the coal reserves.
The chief secretary wrote to the civil aviation secretary on April 23 saying the issue had been resolved and the CIL representative had agreed to the realignment.
But coal industry sources point out that the realignment will help save only 300 million tonnes of coal. Nearly seven times that quantity (2,055 million tonnes) will still be locked under the soil, out of reach for use by the country if the project comes up.
The size of the buried natural resource — whose location cannot be shifted unlike that of an airport — is equivalent to what the country uses up in four years. India now imports over 50 million tonnes of coal to meet domestic demand.
Keeping the fate of the reserves in mind, the government had agreed to relocate three steel plant projects but chose to retain the airport venture.
Advocates of the airport city put the reserves at 1,400 million tonnes, not 2,055 million tonnes still locked. But an industry expert pointed out: “The lower figure is reached by estimating what lies vertically below the surface. But you will need a much larger space — like a pyramid — to prevent subsidence while mining.”
Another argument put forth against mining is depth. Some contend that the coal deposits are 600-1,250 metres below the surface, which is too deep to mine. But a CIL official said: “The argument is not valid. We are mining coal from a depth of 800 metres at our Chinakuri mine near Asansol.”
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091029/jsp/frontpage/story_11673201.jsp
Power Ministry eyeing Australian coal mines
Advertisement
Share Print E-mail Comment[ - ] Text [ + ]STAFF WRITER 18:31 HRS IST
New Delhi, Oct 28 (PTI) The Power Ministry is exploring the option of getting coal mines on lease in Australia to narrow down shortage of fuel at power plants.
"I requested the Australian ministers recently while attending an energy conference in France that India would be very happy to have (coal) mines on lease in their country," Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters on the sidelines of a conference here.
Shinde said, "They (Australia) have some companies there for the mining also, on that count I made the suggestion."
The ministry's Navratna company NTPC is also looking at coal mines abroad for sourcing fuel for its power plants.
"We are looking at coal mines in Indonesia, Australia, Mozambique and South Africa for procuring coal," NTPC Chairman and Managing Director R S Sharma said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/351765_Power-Ministry-eyeing-Australian-coal-mines
Vedanta: Church enquiry to Orissa mine site illegal
By: Babu Thomas
Wednesday, 28 October 2009, 15:45 (IST)
Font Scale:A A A
Church of England inquiring the alumina refinery of Vedanta Resources in Orissa's Niyamgiri Hills is illegal, says its promoter Anil Agarwal.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams had earlier expressed concern over the Church's investment with the company that is facing criticism from all quarters for "turning a sacred mountain into a mine site."
The Church's officials were ordered to travel to Kalanidhi district and investigate on the allegations. But, Agarwal says such an enquiry is against the constitution of India and also violates the guidelines of the Supreme Court.
However, the chief executive officer of Vedanta Aluminium at Lanjigarh, Mukesh Kumar, says the company respects its investors and it is willing to show the project area to the Church officials.
Kumar opined that if the Church was unhappy with the project, they were welcome to withdraw its investment. Nonetheless, the company's finance will not be affected, he says.
Several human rights organisations and environmental activists are urging the Church of England to withdraw its £2.5m share in the mining firm that plans an open-cast mine on the mountain that is home to 8,000-strong Dongria Kondh tribe.
Survival International, Amnesty International, Action Aid and others warn that the mine can destroy the area's ecosystem and threaten the future of the tribal people.
Survival International alleges that Vedanta has failed to consider the implications of its activities in respect of the Dongria Kondh.
Incidentally, the mine project has already been approved by the Supreme Court of India and by the State of Orissa.
http://in.christiantoday.com/articles/vedanta-church-enquiry-to-orissa-mine-site-illegal/4704.htm
Land acquisition, rehab details to be computerised
BS Reporter / Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar October 29, 2009, 0:39 IST
The Orissa government will start a pilot project for computerisation of the details of land acquisition for different projects and rehabilitation and re-settlement (R&R) of affected persons. To be launched under the banner of ‘punarbas project’, the pilot scheme will initially cover three projects.
These projects are Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. (JSPL) located at Angul, Aditya Aluminuium Private Ltd (AAPL) located near Sambalpur and Suktel irrigation project in Bolangir. CSM Technology has been entrusted with the job to develop the data base and the required software.
“Such an initiative is first of its kind in the country and will computerise all the details pertaining to the amount of land being acquired, family data like the income of the family, category of family, compensation received among others”, state revenue minister Surya Narayan Patro said.
Talking to the media after a high level meeting at the state secretariat, Patro said, data base will be developed for the existing and the upcoming projects in the state. CSM has been asked to complete the data base for at least one project by 15 November.
He said, a socio-economic survey will be taken up for preparation of a Rehabilitation Action Plan (RAP). The action plan will be based on the users need to ensure that the rehabilitation package is tailored for the sustainable rehabilitation and culture of the affected persons.
The survey will include families who are likely to lose or have lost, fully or partially their house, agricultural land, employment or are alienated wholly or substantially from the main sources of their trade, business, occupation, and vocation including income derived from formal sector and non-farm activities.
On the other hand, the revenue and disaster management department has decided to digitise all the land maps through scanning. It will be regularly updated for 5 years and any person can get land map paying a fee of just Rs 20 per map, Patro added. It may be noted, the Orissa government has already come out with guidelines for conduct of socio-economic survey, socio-cultural resource mapping and infrastructural survey for different projects.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/land-acquisition-rehab-details-to-be-computerised/374575/
India Cements set to acquire coal mine in Indonesia
BS Reporter / Chennai October 29, 2009, 0:03 IST
India Cements is set to acquire a coal mine in Indonesia for around $20 million (around Rs 100 crore). The company is taking the mine on a develop, operate and market model.
Speaking to reporters after announcing the results here on Wednesday, vice chairman and managing director N Srinivasan said the company would sign the agreement in two weeks. The mine would be for captive purpose.
Initially, it would produce 40,000-50,000 tonne a month and this would be ramped up to 100,000 tonne after one year. The company’s present requirement is around 800,000 tonne of coal per annum for cement alone. This is likely to go up by another 400,000 lakh in two-three years when its greenfield plant in Rajasthan and other expansion plans are complete. The company imports around 600,000 tonne of coal every year, he said.
Speaking about the power business, Srinivasan said the company had identified ThyssenKrupp as an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) partner for the two projects coming up in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The first project is expected to go on stream by March 2011 and second by September 2011. The two projects, with a capacity of 50 mega watt each, involve a cost of around Rs 500 crore.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/india-cements-set-to-acquire-coal-mine-in-indonesia/374565/
Notice to Reddys on ‘illegal’ mining
Express News Service
First Published : 29 Oct 2009 05:16:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 29 Oct 2009 07:45:43 AM IST
ANANTAPUR: District Forest Officer Kallol Biswas issued a notice to Obulapuram Mines Company seeking an explanation on how it had illegally excavated Rs 25 crore worth iron ore over the last two years.
The Obulapuram Mines Company belonging to Karnataka Minister Janardhan Reddy has been in accused of illegally excavating ore from areas beyond its allocated jurisdiction.
There is a case pending in the Supreme Court on the issue.
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Notice+to+Reddys+on+‘illegal’+mining&artid=xkkhKSflVJI=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=w44iAeuGCu8=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=Karnataka%20Minister%20Janardhan%20Reddy
Does mining always lead to hazards?
Thursday, October 29, 2009
By Dr Bhagban Mallick
While delay in execution of industrial projects has become a matter of concern for the State, some already operational projects are being opposed by different groups of people over different issues. In this context, I want to cite the example of the protests against the mining project of Vedanta Aluminium Limited at Niyamgiri Hills in Lanjigarh of Kalahandi district. Many people and organizations are opposing this project despite a Supreme Court judgment which has approved it. They are raising voice against the project on the grounds of apprehensions regarding environmental hazards and adverse effects on the lives and livelihood of the Dongria Kondhs residing in this area. But before reaching any conclusion, we must verify whether these apprehensions are true.
In this context, I want to give the example of Panchapatmali bauxite mining site, where Nalco is carrying out its mining operations since a long time. Villages still exist in the foothill of the mining site and people are engaged in agricultural activities. While the anti-Vedanta activists and NGOs are repeatedly claiming that bauxite mining will dry up all rivers and streams from the hill, this is not true. The environment of the area will also not be adversely affected as mining will be carried out in an environment-friendly manner. So, the opponents of Vedanta should stop misleading the innocent tribals.
The other concern of the anti-Vedanta activists pertaining to the socio-economic condition of the Dongria Kondhs will also be addressed as per the directive of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has already been set up for the welfare and sustainable development of the people of the Lanjigarh in line with the judgement of the Supreme Court and it’s first meeting under the chairmanship of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner of Southern Range Mr Satyabrata Sahoo was held to discuss the further course of action.
So, the allegations and apprehensions of the anti-Vedanta people seem to be unjustified and vague to me. As an aware citizen and retired academician , I think Vedanta should be allowed to mine bauxite from Niyamgiri Hills for the proper utilization of the resources of the state. I request the people of Orissa and the locals of Lanjigarh to support the project without being biased by the opinions of some people with vested interests.
Dr Bhagban Mallick
Retired Professor of Geology
Bhubaneswar
http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaColumn.asp?id=15129
Karnataka minister's mining firm denies receiving notice
2009-10-29 14:20:00
Obulapuram Mining Co, owned by Karnataka Tourism Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, Thursday said it has not received any notice on alleged illegal mining in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.
'We came to know through the media about the notice issued to the company,' said Obulapuram managing director B.V. Sreenivasa Reddy in a statement.
'We will respond once we receive the same (the notice). We are surprised that the officer concerned approached the media before the company was served a notice,' Sreenivasa Reddy said in the statement.
He was reacting to media reports that Anantapur district forest officer Kallol Biswas had issued a notice to Obulapuram seeking an explanation on how it had illegally excavated iron ore worth Rs.25 crore over the past two years.
Obulapuram promoter and Karnataka minister Janardhan Reddy is a business associate of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the son of the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Obulapuram has been accused of having illegally excavated iron ore in areas beyond that allotted to it.
The issue has created political heat in the state on several occasions with the main opposition, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), alleging that the Congress government showed undue favour in extending mining lease to the company.
http://sify.com/news/Karnataka-minister-39-s-mining-firm-denies-receiving-notice-news-jk3oucbcaeh.html
SAIL obtains iron ore licence in key state
Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:41pm IST
By Sujeet Kumar
RAIPUR, India (Reuters) - Steel Authority of India Ltd, the country's biggest domestic steel maker, has obtained a 20-year iron ore mining licence in a key state that will help boost output, a senior company official said.
"Bhilai Steel Plant has been granted Rowghat Deposit-F mining lease over an area of 2,028.797 hectare situated in Kanker and Narayanpur districts of Chhattisgarh by the state government for a period of 20 years," M.K. Bindu, executive director of mines, told Reuters on Wednesday.
Chhattisgarh, in central India, houses one of SAIL's five integrated steel plants at Bhilai that uses iron ore.
In August, SAIL received a key approval from the federal environment ministry that paved the way for the state licence.
Bindu said iron ore is expected to be extracted from the mine, which has estimated reserves of 511 million tonnes of ore, in four years.
The Bhilai plant plans to raise its capacity to 7.5 million tonnes by 2011/12 from about 5.3 million tonnes now.
SAIL produced a total of 13.4 million tonnes of crude steel in 2008/09, down from 14 million tonnes in the previous year. Chairman S.K. Roongta has said the company planned to expand capacity in the near future to feed expected rise in demand.
http://in.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idINIndia-43499120091028
Delays hit ArcelorMittal Rs 1 lakh cr project in India
Agencies
Posted: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 1947 hrs IST
Updated: Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009 at 1947 hrs IST
New Delhi: ArcelorMittal said on Wednesday that options are open before it on shifting its Rs 1 lakh-crore steel projects from proposed sites in Orissa and Jharkhand.
"At this time, we are focusing on Jharkhand and Orissa. We are looking at different sites because existing sites are not making progress. We being the global company are not limiting our options only in two states," ArcelorMittal Chairman and CEO L N Mittal said during a call conference.
Earlier this month, the company had threatened to withdraw from the states on account of inordinate delays in getting land and regulatory approvals for the proposed projects.
Asked if the company is in talks with iron-ore rich states like Karnataka, Mittal said, "We are in India, so I am sure my people must be discussing and talking with various options and opportunities."
Earlier in the day, ArcelorMittal CFO Aditya Mittal said that the company is in talks with the Orissa and Jharkhand governments for alternative sites for the 12-million tonnes per annum steel projects which have remained stuck, mainly due to problems in acquiring land.
"We are in talks (with the state governments) for (new) potential sites for our projects. We can shift the sites within the two states. Theoretically, we are also looking at other sites within the country," he said.
The company is "disappointed" with the progress made so far on its proposed mega-steel plants in Orissa and Jharkhand. It has rued the regulatory hurdles as well. Jharkhand Industry and Mines Secretary N N Sinha said over phone that the state government has not been formally intimated about the company's new plans.
"There have been many informal talks in this regard, but we have not received any formal communication yet," he said.
The Orissa government could not be reached for comments.
Asked if the company would drop the projects, Aditya Mittal said, "India continues to be an important destination for ArcelorMittal."
"India continues to be our growth strategy and we will continue to work (on) opportunities," L N Mittal added. The steel major had proposed to set up a plant in Keonjhar, Orissa, and at the tribal-dominated area between Khunti and Gumla districts of Jharkhand.
ArcelorMittal needs about 10,000 acres of land in Jharkhand and about 8,000 acres in Orissa. It has been allocated Karampada mines in Jharkhand with estimated reserves of 65 million tonnes of iron ore. The company needs about 600 million tonnes of iron ore to feed its 12-MTPA steel plant.... The company still awaits iron ore mining leases in Orissa....
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/delays-hit-arcelormittal-rs-1-lakh-cr-project-in-india/534446/
Meghalaya outfit suspends road blockade against uranium mining
October 29th, 2009 - 3:30 pm ICT by IANS -
Shillong, Oct 29 (IANS) The Khasi Students Union (KSU), a dominant student-youth body, has temporarily suspended its road blockade against uranium mining in Meghalaya after the government invited it for talks, officials said here Thursday.
The KSU was to begin its third phase of a night road blockade Thursday to protest proposed uranium mining in the West Khasi Hills district of southern Meghalaya. But it has relented.
“We are ready to talk to the state government to solve the impasse over the uranium mining issue,” KSU secretary Augustine Jyrwa told reporters after a central body meeting of the organisation.
Chief Minister D.D. Lapang Wednesday said the government would hold discussions with protestors Nov 3.
The KSU’s three-phase road blockade started Oct 14 to protest a proposed uranium mining project. It affected vehicular movement at night, specially passenger buses and goods-laden trucks on the national highways between Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura.
The road blockade had turned violent when many vehicles, including several government cars, were set ablaze by KSU activists.
The student-youth body has also demanded that seven KSU members, arrested on charges of instigating arson during road blockades, be freed unconditionally.
KSU and several local parties have been spearheading the movement against the Meghalaya government’s decision to allow the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to carry out pre-project development programmes in 422 hectares of the uranium-rich areas of West Khasi Hills in southern Meghalaya.
Chief Minister Lapang told reporters: “The uranium reserves in Meghalaya are a national property and no one can stop the government from using them.”
“The government has waited for 20 long years to persuade people to allow uranium mining at Mawthabah in West Khasi Hills district of southern Meghalaya,” he pointed out.
A senior Meghalaya government official said the union ministry of environment and forests has already allowed UCIL to start mining for the annual production of 375,000 tonnes of uranium ore and process 1,500 tonnes of the mineral ore per day in the district.
UCIL has proposed a Rs.1,046 crore open-cast uranium mining and processing plant. Meghalaya has an estimated 9.22 million tonnes of uranium ore deposits.
“The UCIL would invest Rs.2.09 billion to undertake pre-developmental project activities to build schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure,” the official said.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/meghalaya-outfit-suspends-road-blockade-against-uranium-mining_100267218.html
Mining – International
Toro slams Queensland Government over uranium mining ban
Sarah-Jane Tasker | October 29, 2009
Article from: The Australian
TORO Energy has attacked the Queensland government for its continued rejection of uranium mining in the sunshine state.
Managing director Greg Hall told the Brisbane Mining Conference today that the government’s list of reasons for continuing its ban on uranium mining didn’t stand up.
The Queensland Labor government has continually said it has no plans to lift its ban on uranium mining.
“There have been multiple reasons why the Queensland Government has decided that uranium mining is not suitable for this state,” he said.
“It started sometime ago, with the government saying that it didn’t want competition for coal and there was an expensive report done that proved that uranium was not competition for coal."
Mr Hall added that another concern was competition for funds during the global financial crisis, which he said had not been an issue as many uranium companies had recently raised capital.
“The people of Queensland have to rethink why is the government against uranium mining?” he said.
“Is it a throw back to old 1970s rhetoric or is it something that is genuinely there.”
Western Australia is now full steam ahead with uranium activity after Premier Colin Barnett’s Liberal party lifted the ban on mining the yellowcake last year.
South Australia, with BHP's massive Olympic Dam mine and the Northern Territory, with ERA's Ranger mine, are both pro-uranium states. Victoria and NSW have blanket bans on both exploring and mining uranium.
Geological survey of Western Australia executive director Tim Griffin said the industry got excited when Barnett won government and lifted the uranium ban.
“There is a lot of new work going on in Western Australia on the exploration side, but more particularly, in trying to get a mine up and running in the next fours years and the industry is confident it can do that,” he said.
“The government is definitely supporting that target and focussed on trying to make the changes to allow that to happen.”
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26276637-5005200,00.html
Food industry 'worth more than mining'
Thursday, 29/10/2009
The Australian food industry says it turns over $100 billion a year, and is worth more to the nation than mining.
The Australian Food and Grocery Council commissioned an independent report, which also found the industry employs 315,000 people, half of them in rural and regional areas.
It hopes this annual State of the Industry report will get governments to take more notice of challenges facing the food and grocery sector.
Hugh Tobin, from vegetable grower group AusVeg, says the report will help with lobbying.
"It helps us to build a case for the importance of our industry, so when we do make appearances before Senate committees, we can use these figures to argue the importance of our sector, and argue for an emphasis to be shown which values our industry and its place as one of the most important industries in Australia," he says.
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/200910/s2727447.htm
Riversdale, Tata approve $270m Mozambique coal mine
0 COMMENTS |
28th October 2009
TEXT SIZE
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Australian coal-miner Riversdale Mining and joint-venture partner Tata Steel have approved the development of the first phase of the Benga coal project, in the Tete province of Mozambique.
The partners have committed $270-million, excluding working capital, to undertake the stage one development of the project, which would produce an initial 1,7-million tons a year of coking coal and 300 000 t/y of export thermal coal.
Riversdale Mining, which owned 65% of the project, and India’s Tata Steel, which owned the balance, would provide funding in their respective proportions from existing cash resources or alternative means.
The ASX-listed company noted that it had A$268-million in cash available to fund its required share of $175-million.
Construction would start as soon as the final environmental approvals were received, which was expected to be before the end of this year.
“We are committed to bringing the Benga coal project into first production during 2010, and we will be supplying the world’s coking coal markets in 2011 initially through our relationship with project partner Tata Steel in India,” commented Riversdale chairpersonMichael O’Keeffe.
The ASX-listed company was also planning to build a mine-mouth coal-fired power station at the Benga project and has partnered with Elgas SARL to develop the initial 500-MW power station.
This would be commissioned by April 2013, following which the plant could be scaled up to 2 000 MW.
http://www.miningweekly.com/article/riversdale-tata-approve-270m-mozambique-coal-mine-2009-10-28
Other News – India
NREGS under the scanner
SHARE • COMMENT (2) • PRINT • T+
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (2005) differs from the other poverty alleviation measures in two significant respects. Where most welfare programmes cast the state in the role of benefactor offering handouts to the poor, the NREGS is built around notions of citizenship and entitlement. Secondly, the NREGS also facilitates disclosure by means of regular social audits. These audits, mandated to be done by the Gram Sabhas, are intended to identify and plug pilferage and corruption, which in turn, helps build awareness and confidence in beneficiaries who learn, over time, to become vigilant and assertive. Institutionalised social audits are vital if a programme of the dimensions of the NREGS is to succeed, and as much was the objective of a sample 10-day social audit conducted recently in Bhilwara by the Aruna Roy-led Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan in close collaboration with the Rajasthan government. Over a fortnight, social auditors, fully backed by government machinery, minutely examined NREGS documents like job cards, muster rolls, and technical and financial sanctions and interacted with thousands of beneficiaries.
The Bhilwara social audit exposed irregularities; indeed it underscored the NREGS’s susceptibility to corruption. Yet significantly, it also provided the answer to the problem. There can be no better certificate for the audit than the resistance it faced from the panchayat staff who obviously feared being held to account. The sarpanchs (village heads) sat in dharna, made their displeasure public at the ‘jan sunwais’ (public hearings), and demanded that they be spared punishment for wrongdoings. That the demand was backed by a Minister from the Rajasthan government points to the difficulties involved in breaching local power structures, now doubly more influential for the huge funds made available by the NREGS. Bhilwara alone got Rs.330 crore this financial year from the State’s budget allocation of Rs.9,500 crore. The monitoring mechanism under the NREGS must function robustly, not only to silence critics who argue that influx of funds on this scale can only lead to more corruption, but more importantly to reach the programme’s numerous benefits, both financial and social, to the target group. Among other things, the Bhilwara audit team found that guaranteed employment had reduced distress migration by the Bhil tribal community, and raised wage levels across the private sector. With so much going for it, the NREGS is also a potential election winner — which ought to make it an article of faith with every politician.
Keywords: National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, poverty alleviation measure, welfare programme, citizenship and entitlement, social audit, Gram Sabha, pilferage, corruption
http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article40049.ece
Strict law against child labour sought
Bangalore: Oct 28, DHNS:
Ramon Magsaysay award winner, activist and Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Dr Shantha Sinha lamented the absence of an adequate legal framework to prohibit child labour in the country.
She added that the law itself permitted child labour being practised and had notified only 57 occupations under the relevant Act.
Shantha Sinha delivered the 36th foundation day lecture at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB) on Wednesday. Addressing an audience composed of alumni, students, parents and media, Sinha said, “All unorganised sectors have shifted to the confines of homes and child labour has become invisible. The law allows child labour to be practised in the home of the child.” Further, she added that the maximum number of children who dropped out of school worked in the agriculture sector. Sinha, however, turned to an optimistic note when she hailed the Indian democracy and said that there is no other concept other than ‘government’ which can protect child rights. She also hailed the newly-enacted ‘Right to Education Act’ as a “great law” and a step in the right direction. “For the first time the compulsion of sending the children to school is on the state and not on parents.” She added that she was a product of state support and most people of her generation were “subsidised persons.”
Sinha also called the growing under-current of cynicism against the government and the perception of the state’s incapacity to deliver as dangerous. “It simply allows the state to abdicate itself of its responsibilities,” she said. She expressed hope that the graduates of IIMB, who she referred to as the best minds in India, would come together in nationalistic sentiment and protect children’s rights.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/33043/strict-law-against-child-labour.html
India recognizing the effects of Climate change: US
Advertisement
Share Print E-mail Comment[ - ] Text [ + ]STAFF WRITER 6:53 HRS IST
Lalit K Jha
Washington, Oct 28 (PTI) India which has started recognizing the effects of climate change is working in this regard, but has not moved as far as China, US Energy Secretary Steven Chu has said.
"India is starting to move. They're not as far along in China. But it is remarkable," Chu told the CNN in an interview. A Noble prize winner in physics in 1997, Chu is soon heading to India to hold a series of talks with his Indian counterparts on a wide range of issues.
Chu, who believes that a shift from fossil fuel is necessary to combat global warming, said in his discussions with representatives from India, they are also recognizing the effects of climate change.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/350692_India-recognizing-the-effects-of-Climate-change--US
Tribal chiefs' body hails NREGS
Source: The Sangai Express / Addie Chiphang
Ukhrul, October 28 2009: The All-Tribal Chiefs' Association Manipur (ATCAM) comprising of all the chiefs of tribal areas of Manipur has expressed satisfaction on the implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in the rural areas.
In a press handout made available here, president of ATCAM Ashang Siro stated that NREGS schemes in Saikul under Senapati and Phungyar block of Ukhrul district has remarkably improved living condition and is giving equal benefit in every aspect of rural life.
The ATCAM statement further maintained that the touring undertaken by the association functionaries in Saikul and Phungyar blocks recently found out that most of the rural poor families had been equally benefited in many ways since the introduction of NREGS in these areas.
In the past a number of government schemes were launched but never reached the targeted people, the Association pointed out while adding that after the introduction of the flagship programme of the UPA Government such as the NREGS there is visible improvement in many sectors including repairing of old roads and most of the inter village link roads motorable at present apart from many of the financial problems of the rural people reduced significantly.
Mentioning that NREGS has been implemented in a highly efficient and transparent manner in both the blocks, it said wages are also paid in time and that 100 days job guarantee granted to the areas have been successfully provided in 2008-09 .
It is very commendable on the part of officials of Ukhrul and Senapati districts for carrying out this program with success, the Association president added.
The statement further eulogised that an idea can never remain constant but will always evolve into new and better innovations.
The poverty-alleviation programme of NREGS will evolve with time into better and novel means to root out poverty from our society, it said and conveyed of another novel insurance scheme with micro-insurance cover with a crucial component of micro-saving of all the NREGS job card holders launched in Saikul areas.
Moreover, under a project NREGS workers will get insurance cover including accident, disability and death benefit, and the vicious cycle of poverty could be addressed through natural progression of a poverty-alleviation programme like the NREGS, the statement add.
http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=3..291009.oct09
ILO pushes govt on customary land rights
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 10/29/2009 1:13 PM | National
The government must ratify Convention No. 169/1989 on Indigenous and Tribal People, to put an end to frequent conflicts between customary communities and corporations regarding land use, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and an alliance of indigenous people said Wednesday.
A senior specialist on international labor standards from ILO New Delhi, Coen Kompier, said the convention provided broad principles for the government to regulate the rights of ownership and possession over lands traditionally occupied by customary communities.
Every year conflicts arise across Indonesia between members of customary communities and corporations occupying their territory with government concessions. In some cases such conflicts have resulted in the criminalization or deaths of community members.
Currently there is no law regulating the land rights of customary communities. Concessions, on the other hand, are regulated in several laws, including the 2009 Mining Law and the 1999 Forestry Law.
By ratifying the ILO convention, the government would prevent many such conflicts, misunderstanding and discrimination, Kompier said.
"The convention can help to promote peaceful and sustainable development," he told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a workshop on the convention.
Under the ILO convention, removing customary communities from their territories can only be conducted under exceptional circumstances that satisfy specific criteria.
"The main principle is that the people cannot be removed from their land," Kompier said.
Under the convention, the government must ensure the participation of members of customary communities in consultations regarding their land.
"If consultations conclude there is no option but to remove them, there needs to be fair, adequate compensation," Kompier said.
"Also, if people must be moved they have to go to areas where the land is of equal value and of equal meaning. You cannot move mountain people to a desert."
A bill on the protection of customary communities is currently being drafted at the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).
DPD member Farouk Muhammad said the council was reviewing the bill and would be ready to hand it over to the House of Representatives within six months.
However, the deliberation process would not likely be straightforward, as businesses owned by corporations in concession areas would be at stake. (adh)
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/10/29/ilo-pushes-govt-customary-land-rights.html
Australia's regional governments play important role in climate change
CANBERRA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- State and territory governments in Australia have an important role to play in solving climate change, Queensland's Premier Anna Bligh said on Thursday.
Responsibility for land use, energy and building codes meant state governments work in environmental initiatives was crucial, she noted.
"Regional governments, both here in Australia and around the world, have a distinct and important role to play in assisting and adapting the effects of climate change," Bligh told state parliament.
"States and territories will be working together in key areas including in supporting innovation and low carbon technologies, and building a workforce that is capable of meeting the needs of new and emerging green industries."
Queensland Environment Minister Kate Jones will host a summit of environment and business leaders next Wednesday before she attends the Copenhagen climate talks in December as part of Australia's delegation.
The Queensland Climate Change Summit will be led by international non-profit organization The Climate Group, and a chance for the government to exchange with businesses on strategies and opportunities, Bligh said.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/29/content_12354903.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment