SUBSCRIBER COPY NOT FOR RESALEBangladesh: Taka 58.00 / Pakistan: Rs 58.00 / Nepal: Rs 38.00 / Sri Lanka: Rs 117.00 / Maldives: Rf 28.00 Bhutan: Ngultrum 24 / Rest of the World (South): US $2.70 / Rest of the World (North): US $3.40 JULY 1-15, 2013 S C I E N C E C `45.00 A N D D T U E O V AR E N V I R O N M E N T DownToEarth HAPHAZARD DEVELOPMENT AND POOR DISASTER RESPONSE TURN FLOODS IN UTTARAKHAND INTO A CALAMITY R E T S A S DI F O R T N I G H T L Y A DownToEarth ANNUAL PUBLICATION GET A GRIP ON THE SUBJECT OF LAND. ITS USE AND ABUSE. AND THE STRUGGLE FOR IT. ANNUAL STATE OF INDIA'S ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2014 BESIDES LAND, IT WILL BRING YOU FACE TO FACE WITH ISSUES LIKE WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE, POLLUTION, HEALTH, INDUSTRY AND MUCH MORE… THIS IS OUR INAUGURAL EDITION. LIMITED COPIES ARE BEING PRINTED. For more details, contact Ramachandran at
[email protected] / 9810641996 E D I T O R ’ S PA G E Himalayan blunders he floods in the Himalayas have been ferocious and deadly. Fears are that the final body count could run into several thousands. There is no clear estimate of the number of villages wiped out, property destroyed, roads washed away and hydropower projects damaged in the mountain state of Uttarakhand. The mountains are bleeding and its people have been left battered, bruised and dead. We know that the Himalayas are the world’s youngest mountain range, prone to landslide and flash floods. But what we do not easily comprehend is that two factors have made the already vulnerable region more hazardous. One, climate change-related extreme weather events; Indian monsoon has become more intense. Studies show extreme rain events are becoming more frequent as compared to moderate rain events. Rainfall is also becoming variable and unseasonal. This is what happened in Uttarakhand on that fateful June 16. It rained without a break; some 200 mm came down within hours at a few places like Kedarnath. It brought down the mighty Himalayas. Rain was also unseasonal. June is still not considered the beginning of the monsoon season, so pilgrims and tourists thronging the region were caught unawares. What really compounded the disaster—made it truly man-made—is the scale of development intervention in the past decade or so. This Himalayan region has seen unchecked construction activity, illegal and legal mining, unscientific road building and, of course, hydropower projects built next to each other. In Kedarnath large-scale construction has been done on the land evacuated by glacier in the past few years. It is small wonder that the water, moraine and stones came crashing down and took all with it. Many human lives were lost that morning and families shattered. This is the deadly and painful cost of environmental mismanagement. Will we learn from this? Will we learn how to live with the excesses and shortages of water, particularly in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem? Will we learn that extreme rain conditions will require us to build a new water culture? In 1991, environmentalist Anil Agarwal, after months of research for the publication, Flood, Flood Plains and Environmental Myths, brought to attention facts, which were then considered inconvenient. He wanted to understand why floods occurred, with greater intensity, in the plains of India. The common perception was deforestation in the Himalayas caused floods in the plains. Planting trees upstream would “fix” the problem. His research showed that the Himalayas were geologically dynamic, prone to landslides, which would in turn block rivers and create natural dams. The bursting of these dams made of rubble, stone and silt, would wreak havoc downstream. He then T went on to argue that we needed to consider a Himalayan policy that took into account the fragility and vulnerability of the region. By then, road activity had started to scar the hills and landslides were increasing. This, in turn, was making it more dangerous for people to live there. His message was tough: stop blaming the people living in the Himalayas for the floods in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Instead, focus on building a management system to live with floods; to harvest the excess water in ponds, tanks and groundwater recharge systems. It was the willful destruction of the flood plains through unchecked construction of buildings and drainage systems that had exacerbated floods. The Himalayas, he said, would remain vulnerable to landslides and flash floods and development would not work if it did not take into account the true nature of the region. Learn, therefore, to live with the hazards of the Himalayas. The bottom line is that we need to learn to live with nature and not have the temerity to think that we can overcome it. He had another message a few years later on how we could optimise use of nature’s bounty. In 1997, he published, once again, a seminal volume, Dying Wisdom: Rise, fall and potential of India’s traditional water harvesting system. It taught us how every region had traditionally devised a unique system of water management, which harvested rainwater and adapted to both scarcity and excess of it. The principle was catch rain where it falls. This system was different from how water bureaucracies functioned by centralising water storage and making its distribution through canals and pipelines the responsibility of the irrigation and water agencies. Agarwal argued, against conventional thinking, that this centralised system would not serve India in the future. We needed to rebuild our water systems of the past and in doing so use modern science and technology to improve it. As we sadly witness the devastation and loss of lives, Agarwal’s messages hit home. The future will be even more uncertain and riskier because of extreme weather events and mismanagement of resources. The way ahead is to respect the vulnerability of the region. It cannot be anybody’s contention that the Himalayan region must not see development. The question to consider is how it should develop: by building roads and hydropower projects or local economies based on tourism, which do not work against nature. It is also a fact that changing monsoon pattern will require us to optimise use of every drop and not allow rain to become devastating flood. Only then will the Himalayan tragedy not be repeated. This is our agenda for survival. Let’s learn it fast. ■ —Sunita Narain July 1-15, 2013 • Down To Earth 3 NO 4. B-204. New Delhi 110 062.org SPECIAL REPORT 14 Exotic worry Indian middle class’ preference for foreign food is pushing up import cost and raising health concern DOWN TO EARTH EDITORIAL DOES NOT ENDORSE THE CONTENT OF ADVERTISEMENTS PRINTED IN THE MAGAZINE 4 Down To Earth • July 1-15. Email: downtoearth@downtoearth. Phone: 91-1129955124. 2013 FOUNDER EDITOR: Anil Agarwal EDITOR AND PUBLISHER: Sunita Narain FEATURES EDITOR: Kaushik Das Gupta SCIENCE EDITOR: Vibha Varshney NEWS EDITOR: Arnab Pratim Dutta CHIEF COPY EDITOR: Archana Yadav SENIOR EDITORS: Latha Jishnu Richard Mahapatra ASSISTANT ART EDITOR: Anirban Bora REPORTING TEAM: Aparna Pallavi [Nagpur] M Suchitra [Hyderabad] Sayantan Bera [Kolkata] Alok Gupta [Patna] Ankur Paliwal Jyotika Sood Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava Anupam Chakravartty COPY DESK: Aruna P Sharma Sonalika Sinha Snigdha Das Pooja Singh Smita Pandey DESIGN TEAM: Chaitanya Chandan Shri Krishan PHOTO LIBRARY: Anil Kumar WEB TEAM: Allan Lyngdoh Rajendra Rawat Jaidev Sharma PRODUCTION: Rakesh Shrivastava Gundhar Das CONSULTING EDITORS: Chandra Bhushan Anumita Roychowdhury Aditya Batra VOL 22. Tughlakabad Institutional Area. 41. A report on how the disaster unfolded and why the Himalayan region is becoming even more vulnerable FRONTPAGE 09 Wolf to guard the sheep? Government proposes private investment in gramin banks to make them viable Editorial. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited.S C I E N C E A N D E N V I R O N M E N T F O R T N I G H T L Y CONTENTS DownToEarth JULY 1-15. Tughlakabad Institutional Area. New Delhi-110020 INDIA and published at 41. 205. FOR ADVERTISEMENT CONTACT: Jyoti Ghosh jghosh@cseindia. 2013 .org FOR SUBSCRIPTION CONTACT: K C R Raja raja@cseindia. Phase I. New Delhi 110 062. 29956394. 29956110.org.in © 2005 Society for Environmental Communications. 29956399 Fax: 91-11-29955879. subscriptions and advertisements: Society for Environmental Communications. Printed at International Print-o-Pac Limited. Printed and published by Sunita Narain on behalf of Society for Environmental Communications. Total No of pages 80 22 COVER STORY In water’s way The deaths and devastation caused by rains in Uttarakhand are not just a natural calamity but also reflect human folly. All rights reserved throughout the world. Okhla Industrial Area. Anjali Nambissan Design: Kadambari Misra.google. the wild wonder of Garhwal INTERVIEW 47 Architect Benny Kuriakose on the legacy of Laurie Baker INITIATIVE 50 A school in Nepal teaches farmers how to fight erratic weather COLUMN 51 US Supreme Court keeps everyone happy in Myriad Genetics case CROSSCURRENTS 52 Efficient fishing gear v traditional fisherfolk 54 Myths of pilgrimage in protected areas 56 MEDIA 58 LAST WORD COVER PHOTO: SANJAY SEMWAL www. diabetes later in life FOOD 44 Puyanu.com/+downearthmagazine/posts July 1-15.com/downtoearthindia BLOG gobartimes WITH SUBSCRIPTION COPIES 59-78 Supplement Editor: Sumita Dasgupta Copy: Anupriya Roy.in Column HIGH COST OF DEVELOPMENT Read about the link between Uttarakhand floods and ill-planned development Special Feature UTTARAKHAND FLOODS EXPLAINED See sattellite images released by ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre that could possibly expain the floods in Uttarakhand IS THE DISASTER HUMANINDUCED? A compilation of articles and news reports that look at various aspects of Uttarakhand floods Special Feature Quick Takes Short news reports from ground zero as the disaster unfolded Photo Gallery Images of devastation and the fight for survival from flood-affected regions of Uttarakhand 20-PAGE DTE SUPPLEMENT PHOTO GALLERY BOOKS AND FILMS FOOD DTE REWIND LIKE US ON FACEBOOK www.downtoearth.org.facebook. 2013 • Down To Earth 5 . Surender Singh LIKE US ON TWITTER twitter. Ajanta Sikdar.S C I E N C E A N D E N V I R O N M E N T F O R T N I G H T L Y DownToEarth On the Web 3 EDITOR’S PAGE 6 LETTERS NEWS 11 Over 450 tribals in Thane appeal against RTI replies on land rights 12 WHO clears new drug for resistant TB 13 Sri Lanka employs floating plants to clean up Kandy lake SPECIAL REPORTS 19 Gujarat’s scheme for pregnant women fails to deliver 34 Why is environment ministry in a rush to clear development projects 36 Maharashtra’s conservation plan uses tribals as pawns in Naxal area SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 40 Parasites: the missing link in food chain 41 Chennai researchers develop SMS-based elephant alert system 42 Scientists bioengineer kidneys 43 Infant formula can cause obesity.com/down2earthindia plus. It is the Ministry of Environment and Forests that has to educate itself and adopt global best practices without political bias. 2013 ILLUSTRATIONS: ANIRBAN BORA / CSE ciently mined only from the surface to keep mining costs minimum. There is one farming technique that has the potential to increase vegetable production in India further: hydroponics. India has become a net importer of iron ore from a net exporter since mining was banned in some states. Hydroponics involves growing plants by suspending only their roots in a nutrient solution or in nutrients mixed in an inert medium like perlite. Instead of that we are banning existing mining blocks that have already been devastated environmentally and planning to issue licences in greenfield areas that will clear more forests. Results from various countries show it has definite advantages over conventional horticulture methods.com . “Veggies delight” (April 1-15. peppers. The environment in a hydroponics greenhouse can be tightly controlled for maximum efficiency. In many parts of the world people are involved in sustainable mining. There is also lesser incidence of pests and diseases in hydroponically grown plants. The existing mining fields are ineffi6 Down To Earth • July 1-15. gravel. The method is popular in western countries for growing vegetables like tomatoes.LETTERS FARMS FLUID This is with reference to the cover story. Why is no one talking about it? Where are the regulatory norms that can easily be put in place. 2013).com EYE IN THE SKY Apropos the write-up.jagadeesh@gmail. It is a soil-less method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions. Though some Indian agricultural scientists showed interest in the practice a few years ago it has largely remained unexplored by Indian farmers. A JAGADEESH anumakonda. SANDIP ecothrust@gmail. It is heartening to note that India has become the second largest producer of vegetables in recent years. controlledenvironment farming technique can help us grow food crops regardless of temperature. expanded clay or coconut husk. The soil-less. We in India need not re-invent the wheel but only follow such practices. “Chaos in the iron age” (May 16-31. considering the enormous revenue generated from the resources and technological advances in satellite imagery? Every cubic feet of mining resource extracted can be monitored at a very reasonable cost by using this technology if there is a political will. Today. season and water availability. hydroponics is being adapted around the world as it lowers irrigation and nutrition costs and nutrient pollution. eggplants and broccoli. The technique can be a boon for Indian farmers as it needs just 5 per cent of the water required by a conventional farm to produce the same amount of vegetables. mineral wool. 2013). WTO supports agribusiness giants like Monsanto who hold the patents of most of the genetically modified food plant varieties and want to weaken indigenous agricultural systems. “Become iron woman. eat veggies” (May 16-31. 2013). Sahyadri. 2013 • Down To Earth 7 . This wide biodiversity of vegetables.com You are invited to a learning opportunity at Sahyadri School. Why don’t our so-called great scientists understand this simple truth? JAWINDER SANDHU jaswindersandhu@rogers. Natural diversity can only be maintained in situ. they cannot be made to evolve. 2013). Sahyadri School Bangalore is looking for ‘Learner Facilitators’ who are fired by the process of inquiry. ear. in Bangalore months months 5 mon ths of sessions i n the Bang alore Bhoomi Campus and 5 mon t of ths ŝŶ ƚĞƌŶƐŚŝƉƐ͕ƉƌĂĐƟĐĂůǁŽƌŬĂŶĚŝŶŶĞƌĂŶĚŽƵƚĞƌĞĐŽůŽŐLJůĂďƐ͘ ŝŶƚĞƌŶƐŚŝƉƐ͕ƉƌĂĐƟĐĂůǁŽƌŬĂŶĚŝŶŶĞƌĂŶĚŽƵƚĞƌĞĐŽůŽŐLJůĂďƐ͘ ƵƫŶŐͲĞĚŐĞĐƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵŵĂŶĚ'ƌĞĂƚdĞĂĐŚĞƌƐ Ƶƫ ŶŐͲĞĚŐĞĐƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵ ƵŵĂŶĚ'ƌĞĂƚdĞ ĞĂĐŚĞƌƐ͗^ĂƟƐŚ<ƵŵĂƌĨƌŽŵ^ĐŚƵŵĂĐŚĞƌ ͗^ĂƟƐŚ<ƵŵĂƌĨƌŽŵ^Đ ĐŚƵŵĂĐŚĞƌ ŽůůĞŐĞ͕ƌsĂŶĚĂŶĂ^ŚŝǀĂ͕ƐŝƐŚ<ŽƚŚĂƌŝ͕ĞǀŝŶĚĞƌ^ŚĂƌŵĂĂŶĚŽƚŚĞƌƐ͘ Ž ůůĞŐĞ͕ƌsĂŶĚĂŶĂ^Ś ŚŝǀĂ͕ƐŝƐŚ<ŽƚŚĂƌŝ͕ĞǀŝŶĚĞƌ^ŚĂƌŵĂĂŶĚŽƚŚĞƌƐ͘ Science and Management M Manag ement for for Sustainable Sustainable Living Liv ving tĞĂůƐŽŶĞĞĚĨĂĐŝůŝƚĂƚŽƌƐͬƚĞĂ tĞĂůƐŽŶĞĞĚĨĂĐŝůŝƚĂƚŽƌƐͬƚĞĂĐŚĞƌƐǁŝƚŚĂƐƚƌŽŶŐŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚŝŶŚŽůŝƐƟĐƐĐŝĞŶĐĞĂŶĚͬŽƌ ĂĐŚĞƌƐǁŝƚŚĂƐƚƌŽŶŐŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚŝŶŚŽůŝƐƟĐƐĐŝĞŶĐĞĂŶĚ Ă ͬŽƌ ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐƐ͕ǁŚŽǁŝƐŚƚŽĨŽĐƵƐŽŶĞĂƌƚŚĐŽŶƐĐŝŽƵƐĂŶĚƚƌĂŶƐĨŽƌŵĂƟǀĞůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͘ ĞĐ ŽŶŽŵŝĐƐ͕ǁŚŽǁŝƐŚƚŽĨŽĐƵƐ ƐŽŶĞĂƌƚŚĐŽŶƐĐŝŽƵƐĂŶĚƚƌĂŶƐĨŽƌŵĂƟǀĞůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ Ő͘ Look Lo ok up ǁǁǁ͘ŽŵŝĐŽůůĞŐĞ͘ŽƌŐĨŽƌŵŽƌĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ǁǁǁ͘ŽŵŝĐŽůůĞŐĞ͘Žƌ Ğ ŐĨŽƌŵŽƌĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ŽŶ ƚĂĐƚ͗ŽŵŝĐŽůůĞŐĞΛŐŵ ŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵŽƌĐĂůůϵϴϰϱϲϵϰϯϮϭŽƌϬϴϬϮϴϰϰϭϭϳϯ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ŽŵŝĐŽůůĞŐĞΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵŽƌĐĂůůϵϴϰϱϲϵϰϯϮϭŽƌϬϴϬϮϴϰϰϭϭϳϯ July 1-15. In cryopreservation the genes can at the best be maintained as such.Ju June une 2014) F For or students students who wish ht to ot take ake up green green careers careers or t take ake a Gap Y Year. where I grew up. We strive to cultivate the child’s natural intelligence and physical fitness. Rajgurunagar. Biodiversity keeps increasing in nature as plants evolve after facing new stresses. keep the diet nutritionally rich. “In celebration of biodiversity” (May 16-31. Students may apply for admission in classes 4 to 7. Same goes for the few rice varieties that we are growing in India at the cost of thousand others that were present till just a decade or two ago. The crop diversity completely disappeared with the adoption of green NOTICE BOARD Prakriya Green Wisdom School Krishnamurti Foundation India Tiwai Hill. Weeds also formed an important part of our diet.com The editorial is a reminder of the most serious mistake our governments are making at the behest of the World Trade Organization (WTO). a fully residential. In my childhood crop diversity during Kharif season in Vidarbha. 288442/3 Email: sahyadrischool@gmail. Positions are available in teaching as well as other areas. Please send in your resume to prakgreen@gmail. It was a common practice to maintain special crop alleys called pata in the farms. A limited number of seats may also be available for class 8. Scientists understand most of the issues concerning the conservation of our unparalleled biodiversity but are unable to act due to ego clashes.com Website: www. where a variety of vegetables were grown.LETTERS tant as many of these species may offer us options when climate change wipes out a good part of the biodiversity VINAY TANDON vtandy@gmail. ranging between 10 and 13 crops. whole papaya population would be wiped out in a season or two. We are only one epidemic away from wiping out major crops due to lack of diversity in our crop varieties. We require teachers for Physics and Maths for High School as well as a ‘Green Co-ordinator’. It can be supported by genome storage but cannot be replaced by it.org The Bhoomi Bhoom mi C College ollege g for S Sustainability ust tainabilit a ty S Studies tudies Offers a 1 year Po Post ost Graduate Pr Programme ogramme (August 2013 . The wider intent is to discover right living and right relationship with the earth. Some time back I read an article that in the Hawaii islands only one variety of papaya is grown. This is particularly true for wild plants used in food and medicine. ICSE school is situated amidst great natural beauty in the Western Ghats. whether wild or cultivated. Dist. used to be quite wide. Prakriya offers a vibrant learning space which is committed to continuously asking the fundamental question “What is education for?” Prakriya offers the ICSE and IGCSE curriculum. PRASAD N P thedesitraveler@gmail. The school provides a balanced vegetarian diet. For information: Call: 02135-306100.com Loss of biological and cultural diversity is not a looming threat anymore.sahyadrischool. Imagine if this variety is infested with a bug or virus. focuses on a very important issue of dietary deficiencies.com LIMITED MENU DISASTER IN THE MAKING This is with reference to the editorial. Pune – 410 513. people who would enjoy the rigour of engaging with and stimulating young minds. Conservation of wild plants is imporͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ The article. it is happening. coeducational. 624 101.110 019. Comprehension of conditioning and its limiting effect on the mind and reflecting on responsibility and sensitivity in relationships are some of the themes explored between students and teachers. Bangladesh. gardens and on roadsides. P.110 062.tarak@gmail. In middle and western Vidarabha only three crops— cotton.org EnviroXpressions/INDUS/02/2010 INDUS Environmental Services Pvt. It is called dhekia saag in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.com W indusenviro.2627 7133 E
[email protected] Website: sholaicloaat.com …striving for excellence in environmental. Diplazium esculentum. and West Bengal. Storage and Disposal Facilities Phase-II Soil and Groundwater Investigations & Soil Gas Surveys Soil Remediation and Cleanup Projects Specialized Environmental. 2013 . Kodaikanal . in a beautiful sylvan valley of the Palani Hills. Kachu-dhekia (yam-fern) also regularly appears in Assamese literary works. In the US. New Delhi . June 1-15. The gene test can diagnose symptoms of cancer and go a long way in reducing the number of deaths caused by breast or ovarian cancer. The fern. The students take IGCSE (Xth standard) and A level exams.in NOTICE BOARD INDUS INDUS T R E E ® …INDUS’ Package of Client Service Initiatives on The Road to Environmental Excellence TM EHS and Social Compliance Audits Phase-I Environmental Site Assessment and Due Diligence Audits Specialized EHS Manpower Support and Continual Technical Assistance to Facilities Continual EHS and Social Regulatory Support through .org.Envirotrends® . It grows in floodplains. 70 acre residential School registered with the University of Cambridge International Examinations (IN499). Ltd. 5 to 10 per cent of breast cancer cases in women are caused by inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutations. soya bean and pigeon pea—now cover 85 to 95 per cent of the total cultivated area. INDIA.Box 57.com FERN FOR FLAVOUR This is apropos the write-up. ARUPJYOTI
[email protected] and north-east India as well. Having a teacher : student ratio of 1:6 we are able to explore learning well beyond the confines of syllabi. TARAK KATE vernal. A-8.11. Telephone-04542-230393/297/487 Email: cloaat@yahoo. Email: editor@downtoearth. Editor. it is added to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preparations. MAHESH KUMAR maheshkumar0909@gmail. while in Himachal Pradesh people prepare a wonderful pickle out of it. The actor’s bold announcement has NOTICE BOARD given hope to millions of women suffering from ovarian or breast cancer in India.LETTERS revolution technologies that emphasised on a few cash crops. we are a non-conventional. Send to Sunita Narain. Park. New Delhi . 2013). “How about some baby crocs?” (June 1-15.R.com BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY Angelina Jolie did a commendable job by publicly discussing her double mastectomy (‘A myriad gene worries’. Also known as dhekia. Down To Earth.the regulatory news & documentation services Facilities’ Certification Audits for EMS-ISO 14001 and OHSAS-18001 Standards Hazardous Materials and Wastes Management 3rd Party Audits of Centralized Waste Treatment. Organic Agriculture and Appropriate Technology. NIVEDITA KHANDEKAR nivedita_him@rediffmail. health & safety services ® 8 Down To Earth • July 1-15. C.O.com This is one of the favourite green vegetables found in local vegetable markets of Assam. Tughlakabad Institutional Area. while in Himachal Pradesh it is known as lingadi. Personal and Work Area Monitoring Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Management Planning EHS Training & Capacity Building SHOLAI SCHOOL Located in the campus of the Centre for Learning. T 91. The surgery has reduced her risk of getting breast cancer from 87 per cent to less than 5 per cent. 41.11. responses and other contributions from readers. Send for brochure to: Sholai School. It is said that she is planning to get her ovaries removed too. which tops the list of cervical cancer deaths according to a May 2013 report by Cervical Cancer-Free Coalition. People in north-east India prefer it boiled or with only a little spices.2627 1433 F 91. is extensively used in hilly areas in north Down To Earth welcomes letters. 2013). Some also recommended their liquidation. to raise capital from private sources. also known as gramin banks. the state government and some designated commercial banks. Why the delay Since the inception of RRBS. though after 25 long years. Rest of the fund be raised from private soures ● Change financial year end of RRBs from December 31 to March 31 ● The term of non-official directors should be fixed for two years SUNIL KUMAR SINGH July 1-15. general secretary of All India Regional Rural Bank Employee Association. Kashi Gomti Samyut Gramin Bank is one of the remaining 10 regional rural banks in Uttar Pradesh PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ● Capital base of RRBs be increased from `5 crore to `500 crore ● Shareholdings of the Centre. 2013. The Regional Rural Banks Amendment Bill.F R O N T PA G E Drastic step or careless move? Bill allows regional rural banks to tap private capital JITENDRA another attempt to save regional rural banks from collapse. most RRBs were saddled with bad loan within five years of inception. the government has appointed at least 10 expert committees to analyse their financials and suggest measures to revive them (see ‘Ignored for long’ on p10). If this provision sails through Parliament. aims to infuse vigour into RRBs by increasing their capital base from `5 crore to `500 crore. following the recommendation of the panel headed by K C Chakrabarty. That year. respectively. Analysts are skeptical. Khan questions the need for private investment at a time when the government has already taken measures to revive the banks. it will push RRBs towards privatisation. 2013 • Down To Earth 9 . the government intends to take private parties on board. state and sponsor banks be limited to 51 per cent. Their shareholdings would be limited to 51 per cent and the rest would be raised from private investors. the government began consolidating loss-making RRBs with the profit-making ones to make them economically viable. alleges Sayeed Khan. They say private shareholding may ensure financial stability but would distract RRBs from their objective of strengthening rural economy. In the recently concluded budget session of Parliament. who fund its capital base in the proportion of 50 IN YET per cent. Most committees recommended merger of the loss-making RRBs either with neighbouring viable RRBs or with their sponsor banks. In fact. RRBs were set up in 1975 to ensure banking and institutional credit facility to those engaged in the agriculture sector and cottage industries. But RRB could never become a profitable venture. called sponsor banks. But the capital would no longer be entirely borne by the Centre. By April 2013 there were just 62 RRBs from 196 in 2004 (see tables on p10). the finance ministry tabled a Bill that allows regional rural banks (RRB). It is jointly owned by the Centre. according to the bill draft (see ‘Proposed amendments’). concerned state government and sponsor bank. 15 per cent and 35 per cent. In the next couple of years. But the government did not act until 2005. It is not accepted 1997 : The Experts Group on RRBs recommends merger of uneconomic RRBs with neighbouring viable RRBs. Syndicate Bank is a prominent sponsor bank of RRB s. Private shareholding would lead to further exclusion of rural beneficiaries. agriculture and allied activities. In 2010. N K Thingalaya. Misra presented a paper on the performance of RRBs to the Reserve Bank of India.. sponsor banks often open branches in areas where RRBs operate. It recommends that shareholders should pay back the loss incurred by RRBs annually in proportion to their shareholdings. Years 1975 1980 1985 1990 March. But the point is we are going away from the objectives for which RRBs were established. 2013 April.F R O N T PA G E deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India. recommends the Centre. 2012 January. Even after consolidations. they act as competitors. Going by the performance. 2013 . consolidated.200 crore to bail out these banks. As sponsor banks approach the same set of customers which RRBs have been serving since inception. ■ IGNORED FOR LONG 1981 : Committee to Review Arrangements for Institutional Credit for Agriculture and Rural Development is set up to address financial viability of regional rural banks (RRBs). It is not accepted 2004 : Group of Chief Managing Directors of Select Public Sector Banks recommends amalgamation of RRBs on regional basis. the government increased the capital inflow of 40 loss-making RRBs. he adds..449 14.States with high rural population now have less number of regional rural banks Source: Reserve Bank of India 10 Down To Earth • July 1-15. of Branches 13. Besides. 2004 March. M Narsimhan. Swain. “I am aware of the poor performance of RRBs. It is not accepted 1984 : Working Group on RRBs recommends merger of small and uneconomic RRBs. Government initiates the process of amalgamation of RRBs 2009 : A panel under K C Chakrabarty.. former chairperson of NABARD.” points out B K Swain. which affects RRBs’ financial conditions. including crop loans. of RRBs 6 85 188 196 196 133 82 67 62 No. says consolidation of RRBs has affected its local feel and role. The disbursement of non-agriculture loans increased from `36.537 crore to `45. Madhya Pradesh.” he adds. head of the Centre for Rural Credit and Development Banking at the National Institute of Rural Development in Hyderabad. he adds. the state governments and sponsor banks should release `2. It is not accepted 2005 : A V Sardesai committee recommends restructuring and merger of RRBs.” he suggests. Misra says. an economist and banking expert. “This creates conflict of interest. Khan demands that RRBs be placed under an independent body like National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) where they do not have to face competition. former governor of RBI. more than half of the loss-making RRBs were in four states—Bihar. “The salary structure of RRB staff is not motivating enough. favours private investment.920 14. In 2004. RRBs No. state governments and sponsor banks to release `2.. Sponsor banks also do not share the profit generated through loan interest.007 No.282 crore. the staff of RRBs should be encouraged to become shareholders of their respective banks. says RRBs can be made viable without private investment. was `46. not branches. had pointed out that RRBs had not been able to earn much profit because of limited operation area and target groups. The loan amount increased to `55. The impact of this capital infusion has begun showing on the ground. is there still need for private investment? Proper mentoring is the key Biswa Swarup Misra. It is not accepted 2001 : Expert Committee on Rural Credit recommends sponsor banks should ensure autonomy of RRBs in credit management system 2003 : Committee under Chalapathy Rao recommends to merge all RRBs into a single institution while retaining the regional character of these institutions. It is not accepted 1994 : Committee on Restructuring of RRBs identifies 49 RRBs as lossmaking. In 1998. The long list of defaulters shows lack of commercial orientation of RRBs. of RRBs before after consolidation consolidation (in 2004) (in 2013) 16 16 19 9 36 5 4 8 2 10 . blames the stakeholders of RRB for its poor performance. recommends devolution of decision-making power to the Boards of RRBs. Chakrabarty panel had recommended that the Centre.231 during the period. of districts 130 518 525 620 Andhra Pradesh Bihar Madhya Pradesh West Bengal Uttar Pradesh States No. 2006 March. economist and former managing director of Syndicate Bank. there are 40 RRBs which are considered weak. however.” says Misra. In 2007.” says Khan. deputy governor of RBI. Maharashtra and Odisha. “Instead of raising finance from private sources. It is not accepted 1996 : Committee under K Basu recommends liquidation of RRBs. he says. The latest RBI report shows there have been improvements in credit flow to rural areas. These states neither provided proper infrastructure nor managerial skills to RRBs.526 17. 2013 No.200 crore to bail out 40 loss-making RRBs 2013 : The number of RRBs comes down to 82 from 196 in 2004 MERGER FOR REVIVAL Banks. It is not accepted 1989 : Agricultural Credit Review Committee recommends merger of RRBs with sponsor banks. the loans disbursed for agriculture.067 crore in 2011. “RRBs could have done better had sponsor banks played a proactive role in guiding them and state governments provided conducive banking environment. Y C Nanda. ” Kutade had filed RTI queries to know why he was allotted such a small parcel of land. They allege that Bhadakawad refused to provide minutes of the hearing and intimidated the unlettered applicants by asking them to choose between land titles and information under RTI. tribals of Thane file appeals AKSHAY DESHMANE Jawhar. “The authorities should have approved the claim because our recommendation was based on the survey conducted by the revenue department itself. About 30 tribals from Anantpur village of Jawhar had congregated at the office for the hearing of their first RTI appeals. we are hearing them out. Their main allegation is that the authorities allotted them lesser land than what they had claimed without taking into account the evidence presented by the forest rights committee (FRC) of the gram sabha. Kutade and other applicants started receiving answers to their RTI queries in the last week of April. Thane THE revenue office of Jawhar in Maharashtra’s Thane district witnessed an unusual sight on June 18. Consider the case of Jana Hadkya Kutade from Hateri village.” Milind Thatte. Under the RTI Act. says While people had specific queries about their claims. ■ July 1-15. I feel proud to see the most disempowered people assert their rights. But the answer was the same for all: “Sub-divisional and district-level committees have cleared all land claims made. The tribals from 14 villages in Jawhar and Vikramgad talukas had filed RTI queries related to claims under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) on April 9. applicants can file the first appeal if the authorities fail to provide them the required information within 30 days or if they are not satisfied with the information.5 hectares (ha) while the Hateri FRC had cleared his AKSHAY DESHMANE / CSE Residents of Anantpur village wait for their turn for the hearing of their first RTI appeal at the Jawhar taluka headquarters tially or entirely rejected the claim of an applicant. the authority must disclose why it has parthe authority’s response is ambiguous. not happy with the way the hearing is being conducted. Under the FRA amendment rules of 2012. former chief information commissioner and prominent RTI activist. Shailesh Gandhi. They plan to the make a second RTI appeal—the third step under the RTI Act to get the information requested—with the state information commission. “I have seen people filing 100 RTIs about the same query. who was present at one of the hearings says. who is hearing the first RTI appeals at the taluka level. additional resident collector (revenue) of Jawhar. The hearing.NEWS Tribals play hardball on land rights Dissatisfied with RTI answers on traditional land rights. Several tribals had filed RTI queries despite receiving land titles.” Gandhi says the tribals will find a positive feedback from the state commission. So. FRA recognises traditional rights of the scheduled tribes and forest dwellers on forest land and resources. but never come across a campaign of such a magnitude. However. is likely to continue for a month. Appeals against the decision are filed with the district-level committee. What is the point of saying that no appeal under FRA is found when an FRA appeal has never been made for a single claim?” Datta Bhadakawad. chief of Hateri FRC. He has received land titles for 1. 2013 • Down To Earth 11 . They are part of a group of 456 tribals who have filed first RTI appeals following unsatisfactory answers to their queries. a non-profit working with the tribals. which will be submitted in the first week of July. however. says.” The tribals are. which is being held in batches. Some had resorted to RTI to find out the status of approval of their FRA claims. founder of Vayam. told Down To Earth that “some people feel their claims have not been cleared adequately. your application for an (FRA) appeal was not found in our records. the authority’s response was same for all claim over 9 ha. “People had specific queries about information regarding pending claims or incompletely processed claims. In their appeal. Ganpat Janu Pawar. they have also sought penal action against Bhadakawad. free of charge. India campaign manager of Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) Access Campaign. India. caution ● Patients to be made aware of potential benefits and harm. Bedaquiline is the first MDR-TB drug for adults to be approved in 50 years. The newly issued guidelines highlight an urgent need for the medicine in a country like India.NEWS WHO nod for new TB drug Issues guidelines for use of bedaquiline that can treat multi-drug resistant tuberculosis chosis.” reads the letter. agrees. 2013 . MDR-TB refers to tuberculosis resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin. While applying for WHO guidelines.” she says. Several of these drugs have severe side effects like nausea. Over 3 per cent of new cases and 20 per cent patients previously treated for TB develop multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. 1. particularly inclusion of four effective second-line drugs ● Active pharmaco-vigilance to detect and manage side-effects son informs the firm has already made a regulatory submission for bedaquiline to Drug Controller General of India in May. the government follows Direct Observed Therapy (DOT) to treat TB. Waiting for Phase-III trial could have kept the drug from being released in the market until 2022.000 Indians develop the disease and until recently 1. MSF. vice-chairperson of Stop TB partnership. Soumya Swaminathan. “The government must ensure MDR-TB patients can access new TB drugs. “We need to identify the centres from where the medicine will be distributed and tightly monitor this system. says India also needs to develop its own protocol to identify patients who really need the new medicine. director of the Chennai-based National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis. “My fear is that lack of planning and strategy will land us in a situation that we all dread—of resistance to bedaquiline. The treatment relies on antibiotics developed long time back. We have been requesting for a programme to develop guidelines for new drugs. But bedaquiline was granted accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2012 only after two Phase-II trials owing to an urgent need for a treatment for drugresistant tuberculosis. Johnson and Johnson has also requested the medicine be distributed only through DOT to ensure close monitoring. Resistance risk At present.000 people died of TB every day. Russia and South Africa have almost 60 per cent of the world’s total MDR-TB cases. However. using protocols approved by relevant national authorities when used in elderly and HIVinfected people. according to TBC India. Leena Menghaney. the most powerful first-line drugs for the disease. the official website of Directorate General of Health Services. Blessina Kumar.” says Menghaney. China. which fuels drug resistance. deafness and psy- 12 Down To Earth • July 1-15. like Bedaquiline. specifically bedaquiline. other formalities should be completed like registration and Phase-III trial in India. to give documented consent ● Adherence to WHO recommen- dations. Not to be given to pregnant women and children ● Proper patient inclusion. Simultaneously. says she had written to health officials last month demanding a strong mechanism for bedaquiline distribution. Despite the dismal statistics. says a document by the Global TB Community Advisory Board of New York-based Treatment Action Group. a group of 1. the medicines are available over the counter too.800. says it is equally worried about indiscriminate use of TB drugs in the private sector and poor management of TB treatment. The FDA approval allows for Janssen pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson) to market the drug in the US while carrying out PhaseIII trials to confirm its efficacy and safety. ■ KUNDAN PANDEY has released guidelines for use of a new medicine to treat multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) (see box).000 organisations across the world engaged in advocacy to eliminate TB. Issued on June 13. WHO strongly recommends acceleration of the trials to generate a more comprehensive evidence to inform future policy on bedaquiline. Health experts demand bedaquiline be brought to the country urgently and a proper mechanism be developed for its distribution to avoid indiscriminate antibiotic use. Every year. Johnson and Johnson spokesperWHO VAIBHAV RAGHUNANDAN / CSE Rules of treatment Five conditions that must be in place for bedaquiline use ● Treatment to be closely monitored for effectiveness and safety. This in the past has fuelled drug resistance in the country and is making MDR-TB a serious public health challenge. bedaquiline is yet to be registered in India. She wrote it after reading media reports about how a few doctors have already started prescribing bedaquiline to patients. All drugs get registered only after Phase-III trials carried out on humans. in a statement. Patients receive painful injections for six months and have to take up to 17 pills a day for two years. the interim policy guidance provides advice on including bedaquiline in combination therapy for the dreaded from of tuberculosis in accordance with existing WHO guidelines. But no initiative in this regard has been taken as yet by the policy makers. the lake is surrounded by densely populated housing colonies and hotels. The plant roots hanging beneath the floating mats provide an extensive surface area for trapping suspended particulate matter. ■ SUJITHRA K WERAGODA SUSHMITA SENGUPTA Kandy THE highly polluted Kandy lake of Sri Lanka is in news again. The government has joined hands with University of Peradeniya in Kandy city and is creating artificial floating wetlands to clean up the historic water body. the aquatic plants grow on the water surface rather than being rooted in sediments. Pollution in the lake has already contaminated the nearby Mid Canal and wells around it. “One-third of the lake should have such floating wetlands for cleaning up the entire lake. notes the study paper published online in Society of Wetland Scientists on August 29. blames such severe pollution on the absence of a sewerage plan for the hilly city. University of Peradeniya researchers chose two native aquatic plants—Typha angustifolia and Canna iridiflora for the purpose. It is also loaded with phosphorus and nitrogen compounds that lead to dense bloom of toxic cyano bacteria causing eutrophication. says S K Weragoda. L L A Peiris. Barring a SOUTH ASIA Efficient scrubber The floating treatment wetland mimics an artificial wetland ecosystem. and then placed the wetland units in the lake next to the out- RONALD SAUNDERS (Top) Floating treatment wetland that cleans up Kandy lake while enhancing its beauty. The irrigation department now manages the wetlands by harvesting the vegetation once a year to allow regrowth. Weragoda says the floating wetlands removed the biological oxygen demand of the lake water. hotels July 1-15. Several fish kills were reported in 2009. let of a storm water drain. now attracts tourists who come to visit the nearby famous Buddha temple. and this time for good reasons. all activities other than cruising have been prohibited in the lake since the 1960s after studies showed that the lake water has high levels of faecal contamination and carcinogenic heavy metals. or depletion of oxygen in lake water. The floating treatment wetland is an appropriate technology for the Kandy. deputy general manager of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB). Since the plants are not rooted in the soil. 2013 • Down To Earth 13 . they are forced to acquire nutrition directly from the water. which used to emanate foul smell. The lake. co-author of the study. However. They first allowed the plants to grow in potable water for a week so that they develop roots. Wastewater should be treated before it is released into the lake.” says Weragoda. Weragoda says the colourful flowers of the aquatic plants have added to the beauty of the lake. chief engineer of NWSDB. In case of a floating wetland. nitrogen and phsphorus by 90 per cent within 50 days of setting up the wetland units. which release wastewater directly into the lake or dump the solid waste in open. the lake used to be a major source of irrigation. a frame constructed by PVC pipes. 2012. which enhances the removal of contaminants. he adds. (Left) The lake surrounded by housing colonies. Built in 1800 AD by the last king of Kandy.NEWS Kandy gets beauty treatment Sri Lanka employs aquatic plants to clean up its heritage lake few patches of forest. which eventually drains into the lake. It is created by using a perforated floating mat for supporting the vegetation. and killing of aquatic organisms. coconut coir pith for growing the vegetation and anchors to keep the wetland in tact. But it is difficult to set up sewage treatment plants in the highly urbanised catchment area around the Kandy. and drinking water and recreation centre for the hilly city. consumption.8 kg in 1992-93 to 14.SPECIAL REPORT Foreign food invasion A growing taste for foods from across the globe is adding hugely to India’s import bill for groceries and raising health concerns LATHA JISHNU and JYOTIKA SOOD he colours. Massive inflows of cooking oils. if not daily. their rising graph reflecting growth of the Indian economy and emergence of a new consuming class. although India is one of the largest oilseeds producers in the world. Imports of these items are vital to keep Indian kitchens running as demand far outstrips domestic production. have insinuated themselves into the palate of Indians. have helped raise their per capita availability from 5. mostly crude palm oil and palm olein from Malaysia and Indonesia. But this has come at a huge cost. is giving increasing shelf space to a number of imported items such as almonds and confectionery. most of whom appear to be unaware of their growing dependence on foreign food. flavours and aroma of what India is eating these days have changed—and dramatically in some ways.5 kg in 2010-11. The class that the trade likes to describe as the “modern Indian consumer”: a trendy. are filling shopping bags in cities and towns as the global food trade zeroes in on India as a prime market. Almost unnoticed. health conscious eater aware of global consumption patterns and ready to splurge that extra bit on foods seen as nutritious and of better quality. an escalating figure that is 14 Down To Earth • July 1-15. imported foods have been proliferating and growing in T volume. Imported food items. the neighbourhood kirana store. both fresh and processed. but is set to cross `60. In case of edible oils. 2013 . the most substantive food imports are items of mass consumption: pulses and edible oils. from Washington apples to the Vietnamese basa fish. While shops in affluent enclaves might have a profusion of imported foodstuffs from specialty cheeses to canned meats.255 crore during 2011-12. In fact. too. Many items of regular. The tab for imports of over 10 million tonnes was `46. import dependence has soared from just about 3 per cent in 1992-93 to 50 per cent now.000 crore for 2012-13. which is under the Ministry of Health.476. but since then FSSAI. products carry only the “best before date” and not the date of manufacture although the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations of 2011 require complete information on the label. for the rest. warns Jayati Ghosh. 2013 • Down To Earth 15 . Pune and Mysore. The problem. consumer organisations have been complaining about incomplete or misleading labelling on a host of products. it affects global prices by its entry/exit. professor of economics at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.54 Million Tonnes ` 3. CODEX. To expose the country to import vulnerability is.SPECIAL REPORT WHO IS MANNING THE GATES? SHORT-staffed and plagued by restrictions on its functioning. Ministry of Commerce 2012-13 Source: Export Import Data Bank. the nodal agency for ensuring food safety in the country. However. 2010. the first two were directly under its control but in May this year the Ghaziabad laboratory was shifted to the Health Ministry. Kolkata and Delhi. Mumbai. such imports were being monitored by Customs. its jurisdiction is limited to four major ports of Chennai. the giant wholesale market in Delhi.53 Million Tonnes CRORE 0. We are already far too affected by global prices that have been extremely volatile. the imported fruits could be substandard. The bill so far: `11. Among other problems.31 CRORE 1. The biggest lacuna.758. The other challenge is to ensure food safety at locations where FSSAI is not operating as Custom staff are ill-equipped for this task. All this is a huge source of concern for several reasons.92 Million Tonnes 1. is the lack of standards like the European Union’s EUROGAPS for fresh produce coming into the country. is that our focus is on exports for which we have strict norms governed by APEDA but none for imports. that is to say. Quite often the information on the contents are in a foreign language such as Arabic since many consignments destined for the Gulf states are diverted or re-exported to India.484. insane and even criminal.” But is any country self-sufficient in FRUITS ` 10.68 CRORE 3. the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) may be finding it difficult to keep tabs on constantly increasing quantities of food being shipped to the country. director. points out Raj Kumar Bhatia. Vinod Kotwal.19 million tonnes. But it is apparent that FSSAI is finding it tough to cope with the mounting pressure of imports. Of these. he says. FSSAI. At other times. it is still the customs authorities who scrutinise food shipment. Till September.42 million tonnes during 2012-13—was posing challenges. has been given the assignment.051. etc.53 million tonnes against the previous year’s 3. therefore. Ministry of Commerce July 1-15. As a consequence. “India is potentially a ‘big country’ in world trade for all of its food import items. According to her. far from sustainable.25 ` 11.69 Million Tonnes 2005-06 2011-12 2005-06 Source: DGCIS. admitted though that the rising graph of imports—8. member-secretary of Azadpur Mandi. according to economists. there was need for a risk PHOTOGRAPHS: SOUMIK MUKHARJEE / CSE framework to switch over to a food inspection and sampling process to handle increasing volumes effectively. Pulses are the other item that punches a big hole in foreign exchange outflows with imports for 11 months of 2012-13 being 3.758 crore. often for reasons unrelated to actual demand and supply but because of financial speculation. is authorised to send samples of imported articles for analysis to central food laboratories in Kolkata.33 PULSES CRORE ` 2. A senior FSSAI official says this would not have much of an impact on its functioning since there were 62 accredited private laboratories it could use as referral centres. Ghaziabad. an agribusiness consulting firm that represents several US crop associations. Chile.70 Crore ` 783. Thanks to the health benefits it is supposed to confer. It has helped our company turnover to increase by 20 per cent annually in the last five years. dry fruits and nuts. Fresh fruits. The projection is that India. Ministry of Commerce pasta. premium cheeses and dairy products. olive oil and processed foods. SCS GROUP SUGAR & SUGAR CONFECTIONERY ` 3.466. in the Indian subcontinent. Apples. when India was forced to lift its quantitative restrictions on imports of most food items. such as the Pear Bureau Northwest and the US Apple Export Council. The nutritional pitch has been most successful with imported apples. Tarun Arora of Mumbai-based IG International.93 CRORE 27. dried fruits and nuts are skyrocketing. Today’s consumers are demanding similar diets and products that are available in London.502. Italy and Germany are available all the year round on practically every street of Indian metros and bigger cities. that of supplementary and complementary foods. The trick of the trade is to look for a health angle and make it the selling point.86 Million Tonnes ` 41.5 billion. are big ticket item since India produces insignificant quantities of pistachios.3 Million Tonnes 2005-06 2012-13 *include bird’s eggs & honey Source: Export Import Data Bank.085 crore. which is now the world’s 12th largest food market. consumers across the 16 Down To Earth • July 1-15. Its $330 billion food market is expected to expand to $900 billion by 2020 while the current market for processed foods of $40 billion will increase to $300 billion in the next seven years.52 CRORE 8. Complementary foods are those that are imported to cater to the demands of a burgeoning Indian middle class and its aspirations to be a part of the global consuming family. the medium and the market make it so much easier. is now selling well even at `200/kg merely because it is reputed to fight dengue.06 CRORE 12. New Zealand. among others. given the size of the Indian market and its projected growth.34 Tonnes ` 99. These are the figures that have left the global food industry salivating. Kiwi. in particular.2 Million Tonnes 2005-06 2012-13 Source: Export Import Data Bank. etc. the market for imported complementary foods is estimated to be close to $1. pulses. director of SCS Group. says. will zoom ahead to the fifth place by 2025. Nuts. a leading importer of fruits and vegetables. like confectionery items. are the fastest growing items in this category. edible oil and sugar fall in this category. Retailers of these products were few and availability was erratic.” For instance. While imports of spices.88 Crore 706.126. whereas Indian vegetables and fruits are known to be sprayed heavily with pesticides that lead Is any country self-sufficient in food or does it need to be? We should be looking at two distinct categories: supplementary foods that are essential and complementary foods catering for the needs of a burgeoning middle class SUMIT SARAN DIRECTOR. Toronto or Sydney—and getting those as the suppliers. According to various trade reports. Ministry of Commerce food or does it need to be.SPECIAL REPORT DAIRY PRODUCTS* ` 182.08 CRORE 4. imported from China. the market dynamics have changed dramatically. 2013 .160. Raw cashew imports between April 2012 and February 2013 accounted for a steep outgo of `5. US. Now. There appears to be a certain inevitability to food imports. almonds and cashews to meet the burgeoning demand.63 Tonnes 2005-06 2011-12 Source: Export Import Data Bank. beverages and pasta products. In the nineties. asks Sumit Saran. which was an unknown fruit to most Indians. “We should be looking at two distinct categories. In the first category are those that India needs to import to meet the demands of its one billion plus population. some fancy vegetables. which have broken the seasonality barrier.7 Million Tonnes 1. Ministry of Commerce to health problems.. exotic fruits from a diverse range of countries.” And what is this class eating? Tons of SEA FOOD ` 490. products like ginger and garlic are making a dramatic appearance on the import charts. with more widespread affluence and a sizable chunk of professionals boasting disposable income in a comparatively young consuming population. these products were mostly for the well-heeled elite class with high incomes. One reason imported fruits have become popular in a price-conscious market like India is that these are reputed to be more wholesome. Products like cereals. “The niche is an entire set of people who are health conscious and it cuts across class and other barriers. SPECIAL REPORT OIL WARS AND THEIR HEALTH IMPACT Although India is one of the largest producers of oilseeds in the world, it still needs to meet half its requirement of cooking oil through imports. Herein lies a fundamental paradox: imports of cheaper edible oils have helped raise the per capita availability from 5.8 kg in 1992-93 to a substantial 14.5 kg in 2010-11 but this has also increased import dependency from just about 3 per cent in 1992-93 to 50 per cent at present. What do we import? The bulk of it is crude palm oil and RBD palm (77 per cent) and a bit of soybean oil (12 per cent) apart from crude sunflower oil (12 percent) and a minuscule amount of crude coconut oil. Over the past 20 decades the import lobby has been carrying on a campaign against coconut oil which was said to be high in cholesterol but is now making a comeback as discerning customers opt for the extra virgin quality which is enjoying a revival, specially abroad, for its many health benefits. Uneasiness about the health implications of eating palm olein has been growing after the publication of a Danish research study in November 2011 showing that the vegetable fat could behave more like lard in the body. Palm olein, a liquid form of palm oil used in cooking and baking, had so far been considered neutral in its effects on cholesterol but a research team at Copenhagen University found that men who ate palm olein had higher levels of LDL or the bad cholesterol and total cholesterol than those who had a olive oil diet. The rise in cholesterol seen in this study could increase the risk of heart disease by at least five per cent, according to some experts. PASTA ` 14.10 CRORE 2.23 Million Tonnes ` 5.11 CRORE 0.91 Million Tonnes 2005-06 2011-12 Source: Export Import Data Bank, Ministry of Commerce country are happily paying `10-20 more per kg for the imported fruit. But although the import trade and consultants are pushing the health and nutrition angle, there are questions about the quality of foodstuffs that come into the country. For one, many of the processed foods and items carry labels showing date of packaging and expiry affixed by the importing agency and not that set by the manufacturer. For many a consumer this undermines the credibility and quality of the product, and retailers admit there is customer reluctance and suspicion about such labelling. Who monitors the quality of imported foodstuff? All such imports come under the scrutiny of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Its rules and regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 are detailed and, according to trade sources, onerous. But, oddly, since September 2010, FSSAI is regulating imports made only through Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata. Prior to this, foodstuff required a certification from the port health authorities that the product conformed to the standards and regulations of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) of 1954 and its rules of 1955, which were designed to keep out impure, unsafe and fraudulently-labelled foods. However, as the trade itself concedes, certification is, even today, based mostly on visual inspection and records of past imports as most ports have very limited testing facilities. This leaves a loophole for the food trade. FSSAI’s Vinod Kotwal, director CODEX, told Down To Earth that with the In any case, olive oil whose nutritional benefits are accepted universally, has been the front runner in the league of healthy oils. In India, its presence has grown sharply over the past five years with imports, from Spain and Italy, growing at a smart clip of 30 per cent annually. The growth rate is expected to double in the wake of a focused campaign by the inter-governmental International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) on a series of events involving the media, the hospitality industry and schools. The three-year, €1 million (` 7.9 crore) campaign by Madrid-based IOOC is also promoting a number of food festivals across the country along with an awareness campaign on the health benefits of olive oil. Imports in 2010-11 touched 42,000 tonnes valued at ` 110 crore with extra virgin olive oil accounting for nearly 90 per cent of the value. Sumit Saran’s agribusiness consultancy SCS Group has been involved in the promotion and he believes the high growth rates “reflect a structural change in the way the affluent middle class is changing its cooking and eating patterns”. CASHEW NUTS quantity and value of food imports increasing over the years, the authority is ` 5,084.97 CRORE facing some tough challenges as its func` 2,089 tioning gets more and more circum0.85 scribed (see ‘Who is manning the gates’). CRORE Million Tonnes The other shortcoming is that no stan0.54 dards have been prescribed for fresh Million Tonnes fruits and vegetables. With exports having been seen for long as the priority for the economy, the focus has been on meeting the standards abroad and not vice versa. As a result, imports appear to have found the entry barriers not insurmountable, specially since the average 2005-06 2012-13 consumer typically assumes that all that comes from abroad is of superior quality. Source: DGCIS, Ministry of Commerce Several factors make it appear that July 1-15, 2013 • Down To Earth 17 SPECIAL REPORT QUESTION OF FOOD MILES THE American Granny Smith, a bright green apple for which some are willing to pay a huge premium, travels 12,000 km before it reaches consumers in Delhi. That is a lot of food miles the fruit totes up in its transcontinental journey and the resultant carbon impact on the environment. Should consumers feel guilty as they bite into the sour crunchiness of the fruit? Would it be more environment-friendly to settle for the home-grown apple? More people are stopping to consider the impact that everyday goods—including food—have on the environment. Food miles is the distance food travels from field to plate and a measure of the environmental impact of the food we eat. In some countries, like the UK, half the vegetables and 95 per cent of the fruit comes from abroad. And a sizable quantity arrives by plane, leaving a higher carbon imprint because air travel gives off more CO2 than any other form of transport. In India, however, much of the fresh produce and all the processed food come by ship, which is the most environment-friendly mode of transport. But as volumes of imported fresh fruit and vegetables increase, trade might opt for air cargoes for this segment. But reducing carbon footprint of food is not as simple as choosing not to buy imported produce. Consider the carbon footprint of food that is trucked, say, all the way from Himachal Pradesh to Chennai. There is another school of thought that the way crops are produced—organic and putting less stress on resources— should count more than food miles. A more compelling reason is the argument in favour of localised food systems, which bring farmers closer to the consumer and allow the latter to keep an eye on how food is grown and problems related to it. And nothing beats the traditional wisdom of eating seasonal. Despite the trade’s high-power promotion of a global supply system that obliterates seasonal barriers, food and sustainable agriculture experts say it makes more sense to eat fruits and vegetables in season and available locally. It leaves a minimal carbon footprint. food revolution will be irreversible. Right now it involves just the creamy layer of society, the 250 million affluent Indians, who make up the global consuming class. However, the remaining 900 million will be added soon, declares an optimistic food consultant. For one, there is the accelerated urbanisation and the resulting demand for processed, packaged, branded and value-added food and beverage products; more cosmopolitan tastes and a new breed of working women and young mothers who have neither the time nor inclination to cook. “Most high-value imported foods are sold in metros and Tier-I cities,” points out Saran. “But some products like apples that are comparatively less temperature-sensitive and are able to maintain crispness even in ambient temperatures for five to seven days are making it to Tier-II and Tier-III cities.” His contention is that there are no rich or poor cities. “Each city, each area, has its share of rich and poor. So there always are discerning Indian consumers, who can afford imported produce and are willing to pay a higher price for better quality.” The rule of thumb with fruit consumption across the globe is that “fruits are produced seasonally but consumed all the year round” and India is no longer an exception. The irony is that even Mother Dairy, a fully owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board, is offering imported fruits at its Safal outlets. Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable (MDFV) was set up to provide a market for Indian farmers through the cooperative framework and help them get the right price for their produce. But Pradipta Sahoo, horticulture business head at MDFV, sees no conflict of interest in Safal hawking imported apples, pears, kiwi and other such exotica. “Please note that we are in a modern retail business running 400 booths/stores. Therefore, we need to provide consumers the choice of assortment of fruits.” Such compulsions mean imported fruits, mostly apples, are on sale to take advantage of the seasonal window advantage, which products from the US, New Zealand, China and Chile offer. Besides, MDFV does not have enough storage facility for home-grown apples. But there can be serious repercussions on domestic growers as India becomes one of the top 20 fruit importers in the world. Take for instance what hap- We are already far too affected by extremely volatile global prices, often for reasons unrelated to actual demand and supply. To expose the country to import vulnerability is, therefore, insane JAYATI GHOSH PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY EDIBLE OILS ` 56,519.95 Crore 10.06 Million Tonnes Crore 4.28 Million Tonnes ` 8,961 2005-06 Source: DGCIS, Ministry of Commerce 2012-13 pened to apples in 2012. While domestic production was 2.2 million tonnes, consumption was 1.9 million tonnes inclusive of imports of 188,071 tonnes. With a retail market size of $4.9 billion, it is little wonder that agri-marketing companies representing foreign corporations are stepping up their promotions. While Ghosh disagrees with the view that pasta, confectionery and such are elitist in nature “unless we subscribe to the view that masses of the country do not deserve to have a diversified or balanced diet”, she says there are other worries. “Sugar and fruit imports reflect not just free trade agreements and other trade liberalisation measures that are making imports cheaper but also increasing corporate control over food distribution.” India will soon find itself in a cleft stick over the increasing tide of food imports. ■ 18 Down To Earth • July 1-15, 2013 SPECIAL REPORT Premature scheme Gujarat’s plan to increase institutional deliveries among expecting mothers has fallen flat JYOTSNA SINGH Valsad Poor show Deliveries under the scheme Normal wenty-four-year-old Usha Ben, a tribal living in Santrampur tehsil of Panchmahal district, delivered a baby at a private clinic in the absence of a doctor. The baby was delivered by a nurse in the clinic. The doctor stopped attending to her as soon as she was told that Usha Ben was a beneficiary of the Gujarat government’s Chiranjeevi Yojana. Soon after the delivery she was sent home without the essential postdelivery checkup. The state government’s financing scheme that aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate among tribal and below poverty line (BPL) women by promoting institutional deliveries is in a shambles. The scheme was launched in November 2005, a few months after the Central government launched the Janani Suraksha Yojana under the National Rural Health Mission, which, too, aims to improve maternal and child health. Problems in Chiranjeevi Yojana abound as women restrain from availing benefits of the scheme. Four months ago, Geeta Rathwa, a slumdweller in Vadodara, chose Jamnabai Civil Hospital, a government tertiary care hospital, over private hospitals for her delivery. T 760,226 54,953 (88.5%) (6.3%) (5%) Caesarian Complicated 43,718 Total 858,897 Downward trend Number of accredited doctors 2010 824 2009 833 2011 646 Chiranjeevi Yojana aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate among the poor by promoting institutional deliveries 2013 475 Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare July 1-15, 2013 • Down To Earth 19 more health clinics should be opened within everyone’s reach. The number of doctors affiliated with the scheme has dropped from 833 in 2009 to 475.” ■ “Doctors complain that remuneration under the scheme is too little and the verification procedure tedious stringent. Gandhinagar. The state government made the process of documentation stringent after cases of financial fraud by doctors started pouring in. which gives a fixed amount for all deliveries.000. says A S Sanghvi. SEWA Rural (a non-profit providing health services in south Gujarat) and representatives of Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India. Valsad. The design of the scheme limits its reach. which works among the urban poor to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates.000. the state government had consulted experts. Doctors also complain of a tedious verification process. Indu Kapoor.” says Dileep Mavalankar. they had to fill a simple two-page form. I had gone for my ante-natal checkup to a private hospital. Later. it is also possible that the doctors chose only those patients who needed normal delivery. This apart.000 for a package of 100 deliveries. Here. As per the scheme. Initially.SPECIAL REPORT “Doctors ask for too many documents if we want to avail the scheme’s benefits. The researchers interviewed 224 mothers from 23 Chiranjeevi Yojana-accredited hospitals and 372 from 43 other facilities. “We need to train Accredited Social Health Activists and ANMs to keep a check on malpractices. The scheme was launched in November 2005 as a one-year pilot project in five most vulnerable districts— Banaskantha.” he says. “To strengthen the scheme. Eight years down the line. Panchmahal and Sabarkantha. To emerge from the situation. the government signs agreements with private hospitals and pays them a fixed amount of `2. A 2012 study on the impact of the scheme indicates that doctors do avoid treating the beneficiaries. In 2009. Kuchchh. they discriminate between us and those who pay for the services. “The hospital wanted money from the government as well as the patient. the government has made the process 20 Down To Earth • July 1-15. normal delivery costs between `4. health ministry’s latest data shows (see infograph on p21).” he says. compared the number of caesarean deliveries among beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries in private hospitals in Sabarkantha. says stress should be on safe delivery rather than on institutional delivery. The need of the hour is strict monitoring and grievance redressal. But now. doctors avoid the scheme as much as the beneficiaries. caesarean or complicated. and all that they care about is profit.” he says.” she says. They found the rate of caesarean deliveries among the scheme’s beneficiaries was 6 per cent compared to 18 per cent among non-beneficiaries. It seems that the government has shunned its responsibility by signing agreements with private hospitals. “We are thinking of increasing the rate to `4.000 per delivery. is BPL or a tribal. The way ahead Doctors have ample arguments for avoiding the scheme. The hospital staff was angry and misbehaved with her when she refused. says the ANM. The Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH). Training and Nutrition Awareness. To cater to remote areas. Sore over remuneration “We get `2. indeed. To arrive at a uniform 100 deliveries fee package. Traditional birth attendants should be encouraged at such places. A scheme like this requires regular monitoring. the state health department held a meeting with doctors of all the accredited private hospitals in Valsad district.000 and `5. be they normal. The loser in the end are expecting mothers who require utmost attention. “We do not have the expertise to verify documents from anganwadis or district officials which can prove that the patient. 2013 . “There are places in tribal or rural areas where no ambulance can reach. the government plans to increase the incentives. However. says Mavalankar. Ahmedabad. An auxiliary nurse and midwife (ANM) at Umargaon village in Valsad got a pregnant woman registered under the scheme at a private hospital. In Valsad.000 and `25.” says the doctor in Vadodara. chief district health officer. human resource and infrastructure must be developed. has brought the number of caesarian deliveries down. he says. The first page was a checklist of services provided by the private hospital and the second page needed information to prove that the patient was BPL or tribal. but they cannot discriminate. Gujarat government signed an agreement with the government of Daman and Diu. “Introduction of the scheme. Nonincome tax paying women belonging to above poverty line group were also incorporated in the scheme. Sparsely populated tribal areas are sure to have less gynaecologists.000. The Valsad health department has ordered closure of three such private clinics.800 per delivery. “Worse. it was extended to the entire state. “They can pull out of the agreement if they like.000. This is much lower than what we charge from patients otherwise.” says a doctor of an accredited private hospital in Vadodara on condition of anonymity.80. requesting anonymity. director of IIPH and lead author of the study.000. normal delivery at a private clinic costs at least `7. But when the woman went to the hospital for delivery. says Sunanda Ben of Gujarat-based non-profit Sahaj.” she adds. while caesarean costs up to `40. Dahod. Earlier. and caesarean costs between `15. director of non-profit Center for Health Education.” she says. In Vadodara. the doctor asked her to pay `10. That too did not materialise. but none gives them the right to give patients substandard treatment. doctors argued that the remuneration was too less. but the doctor there made me wait till the end.” she says.” she says. “It is also wrong to assume that private hospitals per se are good and would provide acceptable services. 110062 Phone: 011-29955124.41. Water Programme Unit Centre for Science and Environment 41. 29956394. Fax: 29955879 Email: amandeep@cseindia. The technical assistance will be provided at CSE’s office . please get a prior appointment. If you are interested in setting up a water harvesting system at your place.Advertisements CATCH RAINWATER Solve your water problems Technical advice for planning and designing rainwater harvesting Every Friday between 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) provides detailed technical guidance to interested individuals. Tughlakabad Institutional Area. RWAs and institutions to implement rainwater harvesting.org Mobile: +91 9013900696 .org / sushmita@cseindia. 29956110. Tughlakabad Institutional Area New Delhi . COVER STORY HEAVEN’S RAGE BEFORE KEDARNATH TEMPLE SURVIVORS OF THE UTTARAKHAND FLASH FLOODS SHARE HAIR-RAISING TALES OF THEIR ORDEAL AND YET-TOBE-EXPLAINED FREAK WALLS OF WATER GUSHING DOWN HILL SLOPES.052 147 bridges collapsed 1.307 roads destroyed SANJAY SEMWAL 22 Down To Earth • July 1-15. 2013 . SOMA BASU REPORTS FROM GROUND ZERO HOW THE TRAGEDY UNFOLDED AFTER KEDARNATH TEMPLE OFFICIAL FIGURES OF THE DEVASTATION IN UTTARAKHAND houses wiped out 2. ” Six kilometres below. It was the deafening roar of a disaster. I have no clue where the rest are. long stretches of a road and houses were swept away. say people who have managed to return. Its 43-year-old resident Sankar Gosai shudders to recount the sight of the enormous amount of water gushing down the mountain. “It had been raining nonstop since June 14. Singh says his daughter. Ram Singh heard the loudest crack in 45 years of his life. Singh was on the Char Dham yatra with 17 people from his hometown Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. Rudraprayag. had a miraculous escape because he climbed the temple roof.” he says.18 pm on June 16. The rest are missing. we had climbed up the hill. My wife followed us. thousands of people were swept away. brother. Chamoli and Pithoragarh from the mainland and battered the Only broken houses. But we never imagined that such a huge amount of water could swoop down all so suddenly. The group had gone to see aarti at the temple. The lake is 6 km from the temple upstream the Alaknanda.” he recalls lying at the Rudraprayag district hospital. It all started at Chorabari glacier. so I took him along. Rakesh Singh. Huge boulders flung into the sky like an explosion. a massive wall of water gushed towards Kedarnath Temple. Within seconds. The glacier is 7 km in length.9 sq km. 2013 • Down To Earth 23 .940metre Kedarnath peak of the Himalaya. In no time. Ensuing rains cut off the hilly districts of Uttarkashi. Gosai walked down the precarious mountain for two full days till he reached Rudraprayag town. He came to Kedarnath with 12 family members. He does not know where the others are. 36. People recall that on June 16 the lake exploded when clouds burst over it. its basin area is 38 sq km and the ice cover is 5. “That is how we survived. “My son wanted to see the hills.865 metres) and the other becomes the Chorabari Lake (at 3. He is returning with only five.835 metres). bodies and boulders can be seen in Kedarnath ROHIT DIMRI July 1-15. “I felt as if the sky had been torn asunder.t 7. Rambara village is a resting point for devotees going to Kedarnath Temple. sister-in-law and 70-year-old uncle must have been ambling around the market after the aarti when disaster A struck. In less than 15 minutes.” he says. It has two snouts—one is the source of the Mandakini (at 3. Fearing flood. The glacier lies on the slope of the 6. he says. Sushil Singh. There. Pithoragarh faced the disaster twice—on June 16 and on June 22. It took Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to come down to Uttarakhand to admit that there was no coordination among government agen- I have never seen anything like this. ran down from Gaurikund to Gaurigaon to save his life. On June 20. The lake still holds a lot of water. there were 26. Uttar Pradesh. It also receives heavy rains and suffers floods. Nobody is yet sure of the reason. people ran towards water. clearly. At 5 pm. Army personnel helped them walk down to Govindghat in Chamoli district. says Naresh Ram. were screaming on their mobile phones. But most were ill. As the buses and private taxis stopped. The government’s figure of about 800 total deaths is too conservative. Records also show that 39. from where they were taken to Joshimath.” says Vivek Rawat. The ground level had risen by about two metres and bodies could be seen stuck in the debris at about every 10 metres. to be rescued. Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region receives pilgrims in thousands for Chhota Char Dham yatra—Gangotri. “I have never seen anything like this. he says. “Kedarnath is now haunted. Kedarnath and Badrinath. it was clear that the State Disaster Management Control Room had presented only 10 per cent of the real picture. At the Rudraprayag police control room. The Army and the state govern- ment had managed to link the upper hills to the town. so the district may witness a similar disaster soon.000 people had left the valley that day for Badrinath. Govindghat.000 people in Kedar Valley on June 16. There is no trace of the 14 people he came with. On June 18. The only piece of information that seemed to make sense was an 11-page report that the district information officer was quoting to journalists. This is where the temple is located. food stalls and the medical desk where the Rudraprayag Vyapar Mandal had organised free service for victims. Akhilesh Srivastava of Jhansi wept on seeing food. Gangotri. we sucked wet clothes when thirsty. making relief work difficult SOUMIK MUKHERJEE / CSE . sitting inside expensive hotels. which was hampering rescue operations. prepared by the State Disaster Management Control Room in Dehradun. Alaknanda and Mandakini have swollen like never before and swept away whatever came in their way. On June 19. who worked at a hotel in Gaurikund. when Down To Earth reached Kedarnath. It was as if someone was throwing water from under the ground. the lake of Miliam glacier burst when clouds burst over it leading to overflow of two rivers which emerge from the glacier—the Goriganga and the Kaliganga. Rudraprayag town welcomed the first batch of people from Badrinath. Yamunotri. His six-year-old son chewed grass in the night when he could not withstand hunger pangs. about 15 km from Kedarnath. As many as 2.052 houses have been wiped out. they sucked their wet clothes when thirsty. The report.” he says. Pandukeshwar and Gaurikund who came in 11 vehicles.COVER STORY land till it crumbled. Bureaucrats. there was utter chaos in the administration. as the army was battling against time to rescue people. They trekked till Rudraprayag because they had run out of money. 27. Colossal loss Every year. The lanes were strewn with crumbled tin sheets and broken pieces of wood. But the loss the region has suffered this time is horrifying. It was as if someone was throwing water from under the ground RETURNED FROM GAURIKUND Trekking from Joshimath to Rudraprayag. My six-yearold son chewed grass when he could not withstand hunger VIVEK RAWAT AKHILESH SRIVASTAVA RESCUED FROM HEMKUNT SAHIB Around 5. Around 5. is in many thousands. no one knew what action to take.000 per person to reach us to safety.000 people like him reached the village. According to the Char Dham control room records. They had swallowed mud that had flowed with the water. Almost everything in Gaurikund is demolished. resident of Mirzapur. gave an assessment of the scale of the disaster. Many died of it at Gaurigaon. Eyewitnesses have similar stories from Kedarnath Temple and Hemkunt Sahib. waiting at Rudraprayag to be airlifted by an Army sortie. 147 bridges have Landslide in lower Rudraprayag destroyed a road. Yamunotri and Hemkunt Sahib.000 people had reached Gaurigaon to be rescued. resident of Kholi village. During the trek. “Private taxis were charging double the fare and the private helicopters were demanding `50. he warns. The rest waited beside the bodies. The raging Bhagirathi. His family was stranded at Hemkunt Sahib near the Valley of Flowers. Some had so much mud inside their body that they died there itself SUSHIL SINGH RESCUED FROM GAURIGAON cies. The number.” says Rakesh Singh. The temple town was stinking of rotting bodies. 17 km from Rudraprayag.” says resident Arun Negi. Who’s the culprit? Residents now wonder how it all happened. 2012. when flash floods occurred in Uttarkashi. This is where stone quarrying is done most. however. thus. Three drinking water projects have got washed away in Garur block. “These are the real culprits. The 62-year-old. executive director of Dehradun Meteorological Centre. minister of environment and forests.” says Sharma. Jayanthi Natarajan. agrees. The notification. they go bankrupt clearing the debris. Natarajan. while 71 streams and 40 canals have been damaged. no structure is allowed within 100 metres from the river’s banks. Look at them. Heavy machines plying every day on kuchcha roads have weakened it. The water carried all the debris at the dam site and brought it here. “Till when will we play with nature?” With inputs from photographer Soumik Mukherjee July 1-15. say people. “The river has come down to cleanse Uttarakhand of its greed.” Rawat lost his home to a landslide in 2010. extraction of river water for new industrial purposes. did not mention that the area near the Alaknanda and the Mandakini has not been notified. In August 2012. The upper reaches of Uttarakhand look as if the region has travelled a hundred years back in time. Thousands paid with their lives for the ablution. says Rakesh Sharma. The Gangotri and Yamunotri highways are damaged at several places. Higher up. In the wake of the disaster. “What else does one expect from the mountain if there is heavy tourist rush at vulnerable areas. former teacher and founder of non-profit Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation. Its floodgates were opened without warning. “Contractors come from urban areas and do not understand the mountain. who lost his house. No heed was paid to it. the Uttarakhand Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre had recommended strict regulation of developmental initiatives near streams and rivers. A picture of the temple’s doorstep shows why collapsed and 1. prohibits activities such as setting up of hydroelectric power plants of more than 25 MW. “The deluge was the result of the dam at Srinagar. “Tell me one place in the Himalaya that is not ecosensitive. issued a statement that the National Ganga River Basin Authority had notified 130 km stretch from Gaumukh to Uttarkashi as an ecosensitive zone on December 18.ROHIT DIMRI Kedarnath is now haunted. Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited has suffered loss of `77 crore apart from the `50 crore lost in power generation. They cut it open. All the debris was dumped on the riverbed. Then. says Prakash Thapliyal. the disaster has cost Uttarakhand `50. which wiped out 25 houses and 28 shops. once a panchayat pradhan. the Mandakini has shifted course and washed away all the structures along its banks. “Now we suffer landslides more often.000 crore in infrastructural loss. 2013 • Down To Earth 25 .” says Anil Prakash Joshi. says Sharma. burning of solid waste. Landslides are bound to happen. The Himalaya is a young mountain and you dynamite it to build roads.” The mountain was never so fragile.” he says. stone quarrying. a BSc student in Bhatwari region. roads are damaged due to landslides. deforestation.307 roads destroyed.” Near Silli village. The flood widened the river’s course by 15 metres and caused damage worth crores of rupees. the training centre of Sashastra Seema Bal was damaged apart from several houses in low-lying areas. As per preliminary estimates.” says Anand Sharma. which causes landslides. “The river shifted course because of Larsen and Toubro’s Singholi-Bhatwari hydropower project. In Rudraprayag. They ruined us all. “The stretch of road between Matli to Maneri in Uttarkashi is so badly damaged that one cannot tell when it can be repaired. a driver at Dehradun whose family is in Pauri.” says Ram Chandra. says Harish Rawat. mining except for domestic needs. he says. In Srinagar. maneuvers his vehicle through the hydropower projects and mutters. Ram Prasad Tomar. The rivers have damaged the 36-km stretch from Uttarkashi to Bhatwari at six places. a driver at Uttarkashi. state infrastructure development commissioner. the state machinery could not crank itself up to meet the challenge. IMD warned of “extremely heavy rainfall” (244.5 mm to 124. inspector general Army creates a bridge on the Pindar to rescue people 26 Down To Earth • July 1-15.4 mm) on June 15. W Despite warnings from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On June 13.4 mm within 24 hours. Yamunotri and Gangotri— would receive “rather heavy” to “extremely heavy rainfall” in the next 72 hours. At 9 a. The term denotes precipitation between 35. it was clear that different state government agencies have a lot of blood on their cuffs. IMD’s Dehradun centre issued a bulletin to the state government that five places in the state—Joshimath. The prognosis may still take some time.5 mm and above).6 millimetres (mm) and 65. On June 16 and 17. but as the tragedy unfolded. IMD ’s Delhi centre.COVER STORY Caught unprepared POOR COORDINATION BETWEEN DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AMPLIFIED THE IMPACT JYOTSNA SINGH and KUMAR SAMBHAV SHRIVASTAVA ho is to be blamed for the burgeoning number of deaths in Uttarakhand? Ten days after gargantuan amount of water rolled down the Himalayas.m. on June 15. But the state government found its feet stuck in the mud even before the rains had arrived. The forecast was elevated to “heavy rainfall” (64. weather scientists are still trying to understand what went wrong. The forecast was sent to executive director of the state management and mitigation centre. which serves weather-related needs of seven north Indian states. issued a warning that the state would receive “rather heavy rainfall”. Badrinath. 2013 . Kedarnath. including the ones that witnessed maximum damage. an indication that the area around Chorabari Lake. IMD advised pilgrims to cancel their travel up the hills.5 millimetre (mm) to 124. Kathmandu.2 mm. The satellite images also show that this precipitation led to release of a lot of water. flowed towards the main habitation. although many survivors on pilgrimage to Kedarnath say it did. —JS of police (intelligence). both in the form of snow and rain led to large amount of water flowing down the slope. Snow melts faster when it comes in contact with water than air. Nevertheless. There is evidence that a small lake was formed during these rains above the Kedarnath town (see satellite image). Because of the lake there was excessive stream run-off and a third channel emerged. so it cannot say how much rain fell there. which caused the deluge ing the water levels in rivers and streams. The lake burst due to a breach in the blockade. Heavy precipitation.Representative image Many reasons for one calamity Cloudburst in Uttarakhand is nothing unusual for weathermen. temporary lake breached and added to the storm water. compares satellite images of Kedarnath taken before and after the event. an autonomous body for disaster management. Monsoon hits the Himalayan state in July. Coupled with heavy rains in the area. All these factors came together to produce such a large amount of water within two to three days. It snows heavily in the Himalayas in March.4 mm in 24 hours. Meteorologists are considering whether the timing of the rainfall could have created the problem. April and May. senior scientist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. The few Kedarnath pilgrims who survived called the onslaught Himalayan tsunami. “Heavy and prolonged showers occur in July or August. this caused flash floods. which happened this time for days together. Satellite images of National Remote Sensing Agency show substantial increase in the amount of snow in the area above Kedarnath Temple on June 21. leading to the disaster. This brought down debris lying on the path to the Kedarnath settlement. it was not a cloudburst but a vicious natural event akin to a gigantic watery bulldozer rumbling down and flattening everything. professor at the Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Tharali in Chamoli district received 173 mm rainfall on June 17. The rocks and boulders that came down made geologists and glaciologist wonder whether it was Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). Once SDMA and DMMC receive the July 1-15. But the events of June 16 were unprecedented. along with other streams. Between June 14 and 18 most places. so much so that a new stream was formed in the area. Gopal Singh Rawat. That day. J Srinivasan. The state is among five in the coun- try to have Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC). But it does know that heavy rains are not unexpected there. led to faster rate of snow melting. inspector general of Indo-Tibetan Border Police. heavy precipitation. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) was also intimated but did not know what to do. Kedarnath received 120 mm rainfall in 24 hours before the flash flood on June 16. Cloudburst was ruled out within the first few days of the disaster. received what IMD calls “heavy rainfall”—64. The stream.” Glaciologist Anil Kulkarni. But the theory is slowly losing steam. Doordarshan and local media.4 mm). Thus. In June the snow melts. says.5 mm to 244. Bengaluru. who is a visiting scientist at the Indian Institute of Science. a phenomenon the Himalayas are becoming prone to because of global warming. increas- CHORABARI GLACIER SMALL LAKE AND BLOCKADE NEW CHANNEL KEDARNATH Satellite explanation Glaciologists say a small. It is uncertain whether the Chorabari Lake also breached leading to huge gushes. in Uttarkashi. Heavy rainfall in June has its own significance. Only Dehradun received “extremely heavy rainfall” on June 17 with 370. Moisture-laden clouds imploding and dropping large volumes of water over a few villages is a common peril in the hill state. 2013 • Down To Earth 27 . a category below “extremely heavy rainfall” (124. Dunda received 185 mm rainfall and Purola 165 mm. Indian Institute of Science. What has puzzled scientists is that the region did not receive an extraordinary amount of rainfall to have caused such a huge flood. The lake must have lasted a small duration and its water must have come down along with the water from the glacier. The cause of the calamity is still not clear. Bengaluru. adds a bit more. the quantum and force of water was enough to wreak havoc. It shows a rightward shift of the extreme left water channel. The 1-hectare lake contained 10 million litre water. the snout of the Mandakini received heavy rainfall. India Meteorological Department (IMD) does not have a rain gauge near Kedarnath Temple. The Disaster Management Act of 2005. the state government finally shook off its inertia. in effect. Besides. It is headed by the prime minister. In 2007. Every state has to frame its own disaster management Act keeping local conditions and dangers in mind. Paper tigers The shoddy relief and rescue work was because the authorities have nothing to guide them. At least the food shortage that many pilgrims faced in disconnected areas could have been averted to an extent. “There are limited number of roads that connect villages in Uttarkashi and Chamoli. These projects have either been junked or have gone back to the drawing board midway. But by this time most of the damage had been done. Its performance in the last seven years has been anything but sterling. state and district levels. state government officials did nothing more than issue an advisory about open and blocked roads. say NDMA officials. but it was clear that there were commu28 Down To Earth • July 1-15. Soon. the names are being reviewed by the Prime Minister’s Office. under which the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the SDMAs were set up. After its end.” he says. Haridwar and Tehri Garhwal to test disaster preparedness in Uttarakhand. setting up of a new committee was delayed because many ministries failed to nominate experts. Projects that were initiated for disaster preparedness and mitigation have not been properly implemented. NDMA initiated a nationwide project on floods and landslide mitigation. they say. The chief secretary held a meeting with the state disaster management team and issued an alert that rescue operations should begin on June 18. NDMA should have an advisory committee of experts for disaster management at the national. The result of the drill was not made public. gives broad guidelines for disaster management. It is still incomplete.” says NDMA member Jyoti Kumar Sinha. But five years later. stated in its report. it states. the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. Similarly. CAG also pointed out that only 66 of the 117 sanctioned posts in the state authority have been filled up. According to the Disaster Management Act of 2004. In 2008.COVER STORY warning. Worse. The Uttarakhand government failed to do so. CAG placed a report in Parliament pointing out that NDMA is not properly informed about the disaster management work in states. It also noted that coordination between agencies at state and district levels was better than at the local level. . which should comprise people who can interpret IMD data. it is yet to frame a disaster management plan. At present. On June 16. district magistrates do not know the standard operating procedure. These include recommending provision of funds for the purpose of mitigation and recommending relief in repayment of loans or for grant of fresh loans. Twelve bridges crumbled. In April 2013. which audited SDMA. 2013 Pilgrims being ferried to safety near Sonprayag EVERY STATE HAS TO FRAME A DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACT KEEPING IN MIND ITS LOCAL CONDITIONS AND DANGERS. Mud and debris from hill slopes cut off vital road linkages within the state. NDMA indicted NDMA was constituted in 2006 to lay down policies and guidelines for effective management. several critical posts in NDMA are vacant and consultants were used for day-to-day working. NDMA had conducted mock drills in Dehradun. say senior SDMA officials. they should relay it to district magistrates. it constituted its first advisory committee for two years. “We had suggested to the state authorities that they identify locations on roads where food stock and supplies could be stored for trekkers. The CAG report states that NDMA has not performed the functions as prescribed in the Disaster Management Act. The committee’s term was extended for a year. UTTARAKHAND FAILED TO DO SO nication gaps between government agencies. since 2010 the authority has been functioning without a core advisory committee of experts that advises it on different aspects of disaster management. floods and earthquakes started five years ago. On June 17. This. Every district should have a district disaster management authority (DDMA). meant that practical implementation of disaster management would have gaping holes. risk mitigation and prevention of disasters in the country. Since there is no such Act. The authority is accused of taking up projects and leaving them incomplete. a project to prepare a vulnerability atlas of landslides. heavy downpour caused floods and landslides. SDMA was formed in 2007. In May and June 2011. Song. The main indicator of a thriving real estate business are the Himalaya itself.24 hectares (ha) forestland was diverted for mining projects (see infograph on p30.903. diverting additional 1. A survey done by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations in 2006 states that there are an average of 102. forests and minerals to develop infrastructure. pebbles. some right on the riverbanks. As per mining guidelines. hollowed down for boulders. Swami Nigamanand fasted for 68 days and finally died on June 13. 31). the state government. No action was taken. the state’s tourism department data shows. Uttarakhand. but private mining companies go as far down as 9 metres. a resident of Roorkee. sand and gravel. To protest indiscriminate mining on the Ganga by a local quarrying and sand mining company. professor of geology at Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University in Srinagar. as many as 3. The development is triggered mostly by the deluge of pilgrims who visit the holy places in the state annually.4 million tourists visited the state between May and November. The Bench comprising Chief Justice Barin Ghose and Justice Alok Singh ordered the state government to demolish all structures along the banks.COVER STORY SOUMIK MUKHERJEE / CSE Floodgates of the 330-MW Srinagar Dam in Pauri were opened on the night of June 16. 2011. be it of the Congress or the BJP. tenders were floated for mining. without caring for its consequences on nature. Floods have brought down hundreds of small hotels on the riverbanks. not more than 0. Bhagirathi. Unscientific mining helped rivers increase their width and change course this time. Alaknanda and the Mandakini. has been working with one agenda—exploit natural resources of water. says Bhardwaj. 28. Shortage of dwelling units has led to mushrooming of illegal structures. Dinesh Bhardwaj. In the past decade. explains the July 1-15. Y P Sundriyal. The state government’s 2000 notification to prohibit construction within 200 metres from the riverbanks was not adhered to. filed a public interest petition in the Uttarakhand High Court and identified several illegal structures along the banks of the Ganga. The then environment minister Jairam Ramesh wrote to the then chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal demanding an end to illegal mining. Last year.5 hotels per million tourists in the state. In 2011. which inundated many areas Abused and wounded RAMPANT MINING ON THE RIVERBANKS AND INDISCRIMINATE CONSTRUCTION OF HYDROPOWER PROJECTS FOREBODE DISASTER IN UTTARAKHAND ANUPAM CHAKRAVARTTY and ANKUR PALIWAL E ver since Uttarakhand was created in 2000. Statistics of the forest department show that between 2000 and 2010. The state’s population is 14 million. 2013 • Down To Earth 29 . Forest officials favoured passage of the policy and stated that it would help the state government realise a profit of `300-`350 crore. the number of tourists has risen by 155 per cent.608 ha for mining. But the state government did not act. There is hardly any place to accommodate the visitors. What the state government did was form a new mining policy which facilitates auctioning of sites identified by the department of mining and geology.9 metre should be dug. When Vijay Bahuguna became the chief minister in 2012. 783 pilgrims in 2013 till June 20 489.867 pilgrims in 2013 till June 20 BADRINATH 136% increase of tourists from 2001 to 2012 209. 2013 .COVER STORY HIMALAYAN FOOTPRINT YAMUNOTRI 240% increase of tourists from 2001 to 2012 GANGOTRI 250% increase of tourists from 2001 to 2012 KEDARNATH 378% increase of tourists from 2001 to 2012 323.924 pilgrims in 2013 till June 20 12 Barkot Yamuna Bhatwari Ganga Silla Rambara Gaurikund Guptkashi Sonprayag 5 Dehradun 10 11 Srinagar Rudraprayag Govindghat Alaknanda Joshimath Vishnuprayag Hemkunt Sahib Gauchar 6 Haridwar Rishikesh 4 2 9 Goriganga Kaliganga 8 Ramganga 1 7 13 3 / RA BO AN B IR AN E CS Worst-affected areas Map not to scale N 30 Down To Earth • July 1-15.753 pilgrims in 2013 till June 20 252. 608. The need is to make sustainable use of resources with minimal disturbance to ecology. are essential for meeting energy requirements. excavation. Uttarakhand government aftermath. Most of these are small projects which would reroute rivers’ water through tunnels cut through the mountain.072 ha forestland for roads.6 ha FOREST DIVERTED 598.91 ha FOREST DIVERTED 610.83 ha FOREST DIVERTED 1. power transmission and hydel projects. not only changing its course but also putting roads and houses along the riverbank at a high risk.08 ha FOREST DIVERTED 1.281.87 ha FOREST DIVERTED 478. During monsoon. In the Alaknanda-Bhagirathi basin alone. REAL ESTATE TAKE OVER 1 ALMORA HYDEL PROJECTS 2 BAGESHWAR HYDEL PROJECTS 3 CHAMPAWAT HYDEL PROJECTS 4 CHAMOLI HYDEL PROJECTS 5 DEHRADUN HYDEL PROJECTS 6 HARIDWAR HYDEL PROJECTS 7 NAINITAL HYDEL PROJECTS 1 RIVERBED MINING 59. the project proponents do not leave enough space between two projects for the river to regenerate.7 ha FOREST DIVERTED 5.56 ha FOREST DIVERTED 1.766.9 ha FOREST DIVERTED 15. Dams. “The way projects are being executed is disastrous.522 ha 42 RIVERBED MINING 141. SHOWS DATA DAMS. The July 1-15.104.8 ha FOREST DIVERTED 1. The number of hydropower projects includes operational and proposed projects 2. movement of heavy machinery.6 ha 19 RIVERBED MINING 51. Destruction by dams The website of Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL) shows that 45 hydropower projects with a total capac- ity of 3. no doubt. debris dumping. would affect 81 per cent of the Bhagirathi and 65 per cent of the Alaknanda.84 ha FOREST DIVERTED 577.8 ha FOREST DIVERTED 308. when implemented. Two projects should be at least 3-5 km from each other.69 ha FOREST DIVERTED 145. diversion of forests and rivers. But it is equally essential that the state government assesses how much hydropower it actually needs.5 ha 244 1 RIVERBED MINING 724. The problem aggravates because small projects do not require environment impact assessment (EIA). when the river swells.164 MW are operational in Uttarakhand.7 ha 11 RIVERBED MINING 63.5 ha 51 RIVERBED MINING 115.1 ha 2 RIVERBED MINING 4 RIVERBED MINING 123. MINING.7 ha 62 RIVERBED MINING 34.176 ha 8 PAURI HYDEL PROJECTS 9 PITHORAGARH HYDEL PROJECTS 10 RUDRAPRAYAG HYDEL PROJECTS 11 TEHRI GARHWAL HYDEL PROJECTS 12 UTTARKASHI HYDEL PROJECTS 13 UDHAM SINGH NAGAR HYDEL PROJECTS TOTAL HYDEL PROJECTS 13 RIVERBED MINING 67.” says Vimal Bhai of Haridwar-based non-profit Matu Jan Sangathan. irrigation.3 ha 2 RIVERBED MINING 182.COVER STORY DEVELOPMENT IN UTTARAKHAND IS MUCH MORE THAN THE ECOLOGICALLY FRAGILE REGION CAN HANDLE. 2013 • Down To Earth 31 .203. Worse. it tilts towards the dug up area. In the last decade.1 ha RIVERBED MINING 1. he says.4 ha 13 RIVERBED MINING 13. the state government has diverted 15.072 ha Note: 1. Dam construction involves blasting. Data for forest diversions is from 2000 to 2010 Sources: Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited.38 ha FOREST DIVERTED 299 ha 23 RIVERBED MINING 29. The 69 projects. states a report prepared in April 2013 by the environment ministry’s Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) formed to consider environmental flows and hydropower projects on the Ganga and its tributaries. The state plans to build 199 big and small projects. This has a huge cumulative impact on Himalayan ecology. 69 hydropower projects are built or proposed. leaving long stretches of the rivers dry.51 ha FOREST DIVERTED 1. Delhi non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has submitted in the IMG report. It found that in winters.” ■ . devastation would have been manifold. As many environmentalists submitted a dissent note to this. managing director of UJVNL. Mindless development on this ecologically fragile mountain is one of the biggest reasons the floods have been so devastating in Uttarakhand this time.” he says. “Nature has spoken. They are prone to erosion and landslides. CSE suggested 50 per cent flow for six months during winters and 30 per cent flow in the remaining six months. which increases the river’s water level. Unplanned construction of hydropower projects also affects river’s ecological flow. scientists say there is a need to review dam building concepts such as Design Flood. On June 16. CSE gave an alternative after studying hydrological data of 24 hydropower projects. In view of a Central Water Commission report that reservoirs on some rivers like the Ramganga are overflowing with water 440 per cent above the normal mark. believes there is no link between dams and the recent floods. he says. it will be reduced to a trickle in these months. The reservoir can accommodate water up to 830 metres from the mean sea level. who did not wish to be named. the ecological flow should be 20 per cent. or the minimum water a river requires for its ecosystem and human needs. Based on this analysis. when the Bhagirathi was swelling. But there is no legal requirement to cumulatively assess the impact of a series of dams on a river during the EIA process.” says Joshi. river’s flow was less than 10 per cent of the high monsoon flow in almost all 24 projects. The Himalayas are the world’s youngest mountain range. The situation aggravated this time because of indiscriminate dumping of debris and muck along the riverbanks. An engineer at Tehri Hydropower Development Corporation. and more loudly this time. “This causes extensive destruction in the downstream. G P Patel.COVER STORY PUSHKAR RAWAT Floods destroyed many illegal houses constructed on the riverbanks in Uttarkashi cumulative impact of so many dams on a river can be horrendous.” he adds. “This increases the erosive capacity of the river. states a study by N K Mathur and Bhopal Singh of Central Water Commission in 2012. Had a similar situation occurred in October. Seismic activity and rainstorms lash the region. If less than 50 per cent water is left in the river. Officials fear if there is more rainfall in the coming days. “Had dams like Tehri not been there. This ensures that the dam can hold enough water to avert even a disastrous flood that may occur once in a hundred years. at least 30 per cent water of the river’s flow should be maintained. it stated that it is possible to build hydropower projects on a river and still allow ecological flow. IMG recommended that between November and April.” says Sundriyal. “We cannot afford not to listen to it any longer. the monsoon season. 2013 metres from 750 metres. says the dam was able to avert the disaster because rains came in June. Between May and October. Tehri’s floodgates may have to be opened. devastation would have been greater. when the water level was low. Environment ministry’s guidelines say sites to dispose of debris should be identified in advance. The entire western Uttar Pradesh would have been washed out. But the Indian standard for fixing criteria for design flood for safety of dams does not directly incorporate the concept of hazard. the water level in the Tehri reservoir reached 775 32 Down To Earth • July 1-15. The Water Engineers. Noida .201305.Advertisement THE WATER ENGINEERS i g h P u ri t y S ys n&H te m De s in al atio C on e Polishing Sy nsat ste de m Ind ust rial & Municipal Sect ors & er at W Wastewater Treat me nt gn an dM an ufacture of Equ ipm ENGINEERING WATER TO PERFECTION WATER PURIFICATION WATER RECYCLING WATER MANAGEMENT WATER ECONOMICS Global partnerships. Hosiery Complex.com nt e s De si .trivenigroup. FAX: +(91)-(120)-4243049 Email: wbg@projects. India. TRIVENI ENGINEERING & INDUSTRIES LTD. Cutting-edge technology. Innovative. Phone: +(91)-(120)-4748000. Well respected client base. If there's anyone in the country who thoroughly understands the dynamics of water treatment: from purification to recycling and management to economics—it's Triveni.com www. Over 25 years in the business.trivenigroup. WATER BUSINESS GROUP A-44. Phase-II Extension. Multi-industry experience. National Capital Region (NCR). customised solutions. MoEF has allowed diversion of 12. Take the Tawang Hydropower Project Stage II in Arunachal Pradesh that involves 117 ha of forestland. Since the start of this year to April. ANIRBAN BORA / CSE 34 Down To Earth • July 1-15. FAC in its January 2013 meeting cleared the project noting that demand from the Centre and states was mounting. The project was rejected in 2012 on grounds that the proponent had neither furnished an environmental assessment report nor a rehabilitation plan. MoEF has given green signal for forestland diversion at an unprecedented rate.5 per cent for roads. As per an analysis by Delhi NGO Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). has kept pending one-fourth of the proposals owing to the need for additional information from the states or proponents (see ‘Project tally’). 6. finds CSE. almost half the rejection rate for forest clearance since 1981. pipelines. 42 per cent was for mining. FAC approved diversion of 1. transmission lines. FAC expressed concern over the overall impact of the project but also justified it using Maharashtra’s stand: given the rapid urbanisation and subsequent increase in demand for drinking water. 22 per cent for irrigation projects. FAC had set aside the project for want of a comprehensive study to assess its cumulative impact in the Tawang basin.5 per cent for the period (January 2013 to April). 10.SPECIAL REPORT Clearance rush Environment ministry clears projects. MoEF’s forest advisory committee (FAC). Such decisions by FAC of overlooking the cumulative impact of projects owing to the pressure from the Central and state authorities is fast becoming a trend.571 hectares (ha) of forestland. The diversion will pave the way for a drinking water supply project on the Kalu river proposed by the Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation. the project lay within seven kilometres from a wildlife sanctuary and ecologically sensitive areas of the Western Ghats and. the rate of rejecting projects has nosedived—a mere 3.988 ha has been considered for diversion in favour of the Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited. the rate of granting clearances has increased by 42 per cent compared to last year. wind power and railways. hence. 2013 .5 per cent for hydro power projects and the rest for defence. in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo-Arand Coalfield 1. the projects were denied clearance earlier. which decides on the clearances. While granting the clearance in January. breach of contract by the state of not taking any new project in the area. For instance.595 ha of forestland in the entire last year (see ‘Forests cleared’). FAC had rejected this diversion in 2010. 8 per cent for drinking water schemes. Later FAC was informed that in a meeting between the Ministry of Power and MoEF it was suggested that the “forests ministry may not insist on cumulative impact assessment while considering the proposal of very first project in the Tawang River Basin”. according to CSE. Of the forest area diverted in 2013. Since January this year.000 ha in Maharashtra’s Raigad forest division following a request by the chief minister. During its earlier meetings last year. In another controversial decision this year. even those rejected earlier. the ministry has overlooked gross violations of the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act by the project proponents. It had cleared 26. at an unprecedented rate SRESTHA BANERJEE The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) seems to be in a rush to give clearances to development projects. It has even diluted some provisions of the law to clear proposals that were earlier denied clearance. The violations were noted by FAC and. In addition to the fast pace of granting clearances. In doing so. Making wrong right Such seems to be the urgency that MoEF has given a go-ahead to proposals that were earlier held in abeyance. the Kalu river project is necessary. saying the area falls in the “no-go” zone. Following the observation. clearance was granted for 778 ha to Rohne Coal Company for mining in Hazaribagh. What’s more. FAC had allowed Mahanadi Coalfields Limited to mine in 1. saying it is a public service unit. From the way MoEF is granting approvals.000 ha for mining activities in favour of JSW Steel Limited. FAC said the mining project will be considered further only after submission of a wildlife management plan by the state. 2013 • Down To Earth 35 .300 ha in Odisha despite knowing the company was violating the Forest Conservation Act. It has also illegally allowed Power Grid Corporation of India Limited and FAC Total meeting proposals Jan-13 Feb-13 Apr-13 Total 31 31 26 88 Projects cleared 23 24 16 63 Rejected To be considered later 7 5 10 22 1 2 3 Source: CSE analysis based on Union Ministry of Environment and Forests’ records Note: no meeting was held in March 2013 Odisha Power Generation Corporation Limited to use part of its mine lease area for non-forest activities. violation of regulations are also being played down while granting of clearances. It has the authority to approve any project. Saranda forest is an important habitat for elephants.143 Project tally It is not just ecology that has been ignored. FAC allowed diversion of 1. A report by a FAC subcommittee in September 2012 noted the western part of the mining area.76 2. And this trend is clear from the number of clearances granted since January 2013. CCI has been instrumental in putting pressure on MoEF for giving clearance to big ticket projects. which no other ministry or government department can contradict or overrule. In December last year.189. headed by the prime minister. Since its inception in December 2012. 512 ha was also granted in the same division for iron ore mining by Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. During the same meeting. Still in December last year FAC granted clearance to the company. a fact highlighted in a site inspection report of the chief conservator of forests. it seems it is under dual pressure from the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) and industry. between Hazaribagh Sanctuary and Palamau Tiger Reserve. is a significant wildlife corridor.5 2. In its January meeting this year.216 63 12. ■ July 1-15. But in December when the project was considered for clearance. no plan was prepared or produced.571. FAC itself noted the company had undertaken mining activities in 586 ha without obtaining an approval. is envisaged as a way to deal with bureaucratic red tape that may harm growth of the economy. Wildlife too has taken a backseat at instances of granting clearances. Diversion of forestland and subsequent mining activities in the area will lead to fragmentation of the forest.594. Besides dilution of clauses. CCI.714 27.4 3. Jharkhand.266 859 26. especially for elephants.SPECIAL REPORT Forests cleared 2011 Projects cleared Area Monthly diverted (ha) diversion (ha) Projects cleared 2012 Area Monthly diverted (ha) diversion (ha) 2013 (till April) Projects cleared Area Monthly diverted (ha) diversion (ha) 1. Another instance where wildlife has been undermined is in Jharkhand’s Saranda forest division. the company did not provide any evidence on settlement of rights of forest dwellers. would it?” he asks. Chitveli was first told about the conservation reserve in September 2012. As Sinha admits. so we have to keep both the sides happy. which include seven villages. received only verbal intimation. safety is at stake. DTE was not given a copy of the resolution. People say they were never a part of any consent-taking process. is well. the poorest and the most isolated tribals in the state. Whither people’s consent? A conservation reserve was proposed by the people.SPECIAL REPORT PHOTOGRAPHS : APARNA PALLAVI / CSE Diwakar Bodda Telandi shows the way to the wild buffaloes’ habitat Pawns in conservation Maharashtra forest department’s conservation model puts Madia tribals in Naxals’ line of fire APARNA PALLAVI GADCHIROLI iwakar Bodda Telandi is tremulous as he poses for photographs for Down To Earth (DTE). conservationists and four tribals. assistant principal chief conservator of forests. Despite repeated requests.” The two sides Telandi is referring to are the state forest department and the Naxals who live in the Kamlapur forest range adjoining his village Chitveli. The forest range is in the southern part of Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district. they are only show pieces in the committee. the resolution does not mention names of the villages which comprise the gat gram panchayat. though its own patrolling staff does not stay in the quarters provided for the purpose in the forest range. Tonder village. among the seven villages identified for conservation work. “This won’t get us into trouble. claim forest department officials. This apart.” says Bandu Sidam of Chitveli. leave alone venturing into the forest. says village headman Malu Kusram. About 180 square kilometres in and around the forest.” The forest department denies there could be safety issues. have literacy rate of two per cent. the conservation plan is being prepared by a committee that comprises senior forest officials. But for the Madia tribals. Obviously. says Telandi. is home to about 15 genetically pure Asian wild buffaloes. says Ajay Dolke of non-profit Srujan. “We have no one to protect us. it would appear. slit throats and cross the river to Chhattisgarh. told DTE the Kamlapur gat (group) gram panchayat had passed a resolution in favour of conservation reserve in December 2011. 2013 . and is considered the most Naxal-infested in the state. questioning the authenticity of the document. people are not even aware that their consent is required for the endeavour. which 36 Down To Earth • July 1-15. Vinay Sinha. “They come in the night. The forest department D has notified it as Kolamarka Conservation Reserve as per its plan to protect the highly endangered buffaloes with participation of Madia tribals. Madias. The group consent is meaningless considering that the Panchayats Extension to the Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act demands consent from each individual in the gram sabha. “The forest department cannot save us from the Naxals if something goes wrong. In fact. ecotourism and wildlife administration. No consent was taken. All. The area is contiguous with the Indravati Tiger Reserve in Dantewada. Chhattisgarh. say people. Bande Kusram’s son was not recruited at the forest and says jobs should be given to all. They will be in danger of incurring Naxals’ wrath as they will be doing the actual conservation work. say activists. poaching and felling. “PESA and the Biodiversity Act provide for community participation and employment of people’s traditional systems of management in participatory conservation. irrigation tanks and the right to collect minor forest produce. says.” says Telandi. a Madia tribal of Chitveli village works with Madia tribals in Naxal-affected Bhamragadh tehsil in Gadchiroli. Chouhan. 2013 • Down To Earth 37 Pitting people against people People are aware that the forest department has placed them in a precarious situation. In Chitveli. only discontent So why have people accepted the deal? The answer is simple and stark—they have no alternative.” says Kusram. ■ July 1-15. “We would like to have individual and community rights.000 per month. prevent influx of cattle. say observers.” says Dolke. But this is not enough. people have their fingers crossed. “If people tell us that Naxals want us to stop work for a day we will stop work. “We are happy that the forest department has taken us into confidence. forest rights activist at Mendha Lekha village in Gadchiroli.” For the time being. “We would like to conserve our forests so that our income from minor forest produce is secured.” he says. The forest department is expecting people to act as go-betweens. Those employed as guards would be paid remuneration of `6. but by about 50 tribals chosen by the department.” Kanna Madawi. Such a system is patently wrong and dangerous. Mohan Hirabai Hiralal. says Mahendra Chouhan.” If participatory conservation is. “Cash compensation to a few individuals will create discontent and rift within the highly impoverished community. fertiliser. This makes the entire situation unviable. seeds.SPECIAL REPORT Department’s staff does not live in the houses provided in the forest because of safety issues. the first Madia medical practitioner based in Aheri tehsil. “The arrangement smacks of Salwa Judum. though the exact figure is not with the people. he says. only one out of 14 families has received individual land under FRA . agrees.” No rights. the forest department should first settle community’s rights under Forest Rights Act (FRA) and give decision-making powers to community as a whole. most claims have been rejected. Despite the participatory label.” says Telandi. but the forest department officials do not talk about these. for the matter. will not be done by the community as a whole. Lalsu Nogoti. They will be kept in camps and trained to track and record movement of the buffaloes. (right) Bande Kusram. regarding Naxals will be passed to the police by either the people or the officials doing conservation work. says. The forest department has a list of benefits people would get—solar lamps. In Tonder.” says Telandi. while the remaining claims have been rejected. honorary wildlife warden in Gadchiroli. No village in the vicinity of the reserve has applied for community rights. This is not participatory but proxy conservation. the aim. “The department officials will be angry if something happens to the buffaloes. says. “But we have no power to ensure that nothing will go wrong. using tribal youths to do the work that forest staff are unwilling to do. What is missing on the list is settlement of rights under FRA.” The forest department officials and conservationists say playing safe is sufficient to ensure safety.” Sinha concurs with the strategy.700 and supervisors would get `8. pitting community members against each other. he says. Hand-picking individuals will split the community into artificial categories like government supporters and Naxal supporters. They cannot afford to antagonise the forest department and forego the employment opportunity. a must before any protected area can be notified. Or. “The arrangement is that no information . The actual conservation work. We cannot take responsibility in either case. refuse the little legitimacy that has come their way. in fact. the modus operandi of conservation work does not have space for community participation or decision-making. “Too much trust is being placed on word-of-mouth arrangement. “This is the first time the forest officials have spoken to us. and the Naxals will be angry if the department does something they do not like. the first Madia law graduate and a forest rights activist with Srujan. who claims to have taken the Naxals’ consent for the conservation reserve. who lives in naxal-affected Bhamragadh. but we are not really sure if we will benefit from it. apes and humans. Negative electrodes of present day batteries are made of graphite. the transparent. however. 2013 . circular part at the front of the eye. Researchers believe that a tear in this layer is the cause of keratoconus. June 12 38 Down To Earth • July 1-15. Till now it was thought that cornea. The new species. named Archicebus achilles. The new material. highly increase the chargestoring capacity of lithium ion batteries. many of the world’s 29 major rivers would see massive floods. lithium borosilicide. It belongs to an entirely separate branch of the primate evolutionary tree from those specimens. Nature Climate Change. June 3 ANIRBAN BORA / CSE MATERIAL SCIENCES Scabby bandage Commonly used bandages control bleeding and reduce infection risk but are of no help in healing the wound. thus. The skeleton is about 7 million years older than the oldest fossil primate skeletons known till date. at an increased frequency of every 10 to 50 years. Southeast Asia and Africa. It consists of flexible nano-scale membrane of polyurethane plastic woven into a pattern that mimics the underside of scabs. projected to decrease in most of Europe except the UK and northern France. exists at the back of the cornea. The analysis shows that if warming progresses without effective countermeasures. an eye disease where the cornea bulges and becomes cone-shaped. May 28 (online) CAS / XIJUN NI TECHNOLOGY Battery booster A new electrode material can make batteries run for longer. has five layers. lived about 55 million years ago and was even smaller than today’s smallest primate. consists of boron and silicon atoms connected tetrahedrally. the pygmy mouse lemur. But unlike graphite it has channels within the tetrahedral structure. Angewandte Chemie. like carbon atoms in graphite. The discovery provides insight into the earliest phases of primate evolution and bolsters a theory that early primates first developed in Asia. The finding would help advance understanding of a number of diseases of the cornea. Flood incidence is. which have tiny fibers arranged in the same direction like velvet. Nature. June 5 (online) Flood frequency Increase Decrease CLIMATE SCIENCES Flood alert By 2100 global warming will boost the frequency of extreme flood events in 42 per cent of the earth’s land. Taking inspiration from human scab a new type of bandage material has now been developed that can speed up healing. June 9 (online) HEALTH SCIENCES Hidden layer A new part has been discovered in the eye. including humid areas of India. The new-found body part is a skinny but tough structure of 15 microns. These channels provide 10times more sites for lithium ion storage than conventional graphite layer does and. But it has now been found that a sixth one. This could pave the way for laptops and mobile phones that run for days on a single charge. whose layers can store one lithium ion per carbon atom.SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION Tiny ancestor Palaeontologists have discovered what they believe is the world’s oldest known fossil of a primate in an ancient lake bed in China. lying much closer to the lineage leading to modern monkeys. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. It appears to have been a tree-dweller that used a leap-and-grasp motion. which currently occur once a century. These fibres help repair open wounds by attracting new cells from the bloodstream that speed up the natural healing process. named Dua’s layer after the scientist who found it. Ophthalmology. This is the conclusion of a comparative analysis of 11 models for the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on 29 river basins across the globe. This unusual structure could possibly work as a protective cocoon. On average the employer loses `1.22. While a mutant mosquito with orco gene shut off might land on a human it flies off without biting just as it would do with a guinea pig.SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ASTROPHYSICS BIOLOGY Cradle of dust Discovery of a “dust trap” around a distant star has given clues to solve the long-standing mystery of how planets form.428 due to lose of productivity related to nicotine addiction and `1. The Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. breaking apart in both cases.064 in extra health care costs.208 a year. Tobacco Control. The bird is the principal natural host of bird flu viruses but is a “silent carrier” and seldom develops flu symptoms. Nature Genetics. Science.82. could give scientists an idea about the height of the waves and provide 15 to 20 minutes of advance notice before a tsunami hits. they can trigger big killer waves and produce sound waves that move 10 times faster than ocean waves. May 29 HUGO QUINTERO EARTH SCIENCES Sound alert Sounds from undersea earthquakes can predict if a massive tsunami is on its way. When earthquakes shake the ocean floor. Computer models show that clumps of dust orbiting a star would either become large enough to smash into other clumps or drift too close to their parent star. 2013 • Down To Earth 39 . It reveals genetic factors that protect wild ducks from harmful effects of bird flu. Through computer modelling of acoustic data from the 2011 Japan tsunami. But pension costs are slightly less for smokers— `18.681 due to smoke breaks. if captured in real time. `27. June 9 (online) DEREK KEATS HEALTH SCIENCES Pricey drag Your smoke break costs your employer `537. An understanding of these factors can help develop treatments for bird flu in humans. which traps large dust grains and keeps them safe during the critical early steps of planet. Experiments on a genetically modified mosquito have shown that a specific gene called orco makes the insects prefer humans over other mammals. dengue and chikungunya generally distinguish humans from other animals using body odour. asteroid and comet formation. `30. Thus altering a gene that helps mosquitoes sniff out humans can help keep the pesky insect off. cannot survive long enough to form anything as large as a planet. New image of a region around a young star in Ophiuchus constellation has now shown a cashewshaped dust cloud rather than the expected dust ring. which has become a major health concern in the past decade.000 less per year compared to non-smokers—as they tend to die younger. They.694 due to absenteeism. June 7 ZOOLOGY Quack code The genome of wild duck has been mapped. thus. The sonic signature. A first of its kind study has shown that an employee who smokes costs companies more than one who has never smoked. The finding may help employers formulate better-informed tobacco-related policies. The genome analysis provides insights into how duck’s immune system responds to bird flu infections. it can be of significant help in development of life-saving repellants. Given the ubiquity of orca gene in the insect world. June 3 (online) Sniff gene Mosquitoes that spread deadly human diseases like malaria. scientists have found that these sound waves are very sensitive to vertical sea floor uplift associated with a tsunami. May 3 ESCHIPUL July 1-15. Nature. Maria Thaker. Three versions of each web were analysed. including estuaries. 2013 ture of food webs but most of the changes are due to increase in diversity and complexity and not due to unique characteristics of parasites. For their study. which becomes food for an eagle. In their complex life cycles. we’ve just added more to our understanding of why some food chains are tighter than others. included parasites and all possible linkages. “We don’t need to throw out everything we know about food webs. Apart from the generic changes. tidal basins and mudflats. “Our study shows that this is not accurate. they strengthen certain species connections.” Dunne and her team members say all of their comprehensive food web data on parasites is currently from aquatic systems and they are now looking to extend their analysis to terrestrial systems with parasites. tried to examine if these alterations are due to unique roles played by parasites or simply due to an enhanced complexity owing to an addition of more members (parasites in this case) in a food web. In school they tell us how an ecosystem is as simple as “who eats who”.” says Thaker. parasites often depend on several kinds of hosts for food and sustenance. Grass is eaten by grasshopper. Its common to see parasites hop from one species to another unlike the free-living species who tend to feed on prey that are more similar to each other. But this simple explanation misses out on a very important component of the web: parasites. ■ . assistant professor at the Centre for Environmental Studies of Indian Institute of Science. in Bengaluru. Second. like its linkage with predators of its host organism that inadvertently feeds on the parasite while feeding on its prey. published in PLoS Biology on June 11. But it’s only in the last decade that scientists have begun to bother about how parasites fit into the average food chain. which in turn is eaten by frogs. closely linked to their hosts and have complex life cycles. instead in most cases adding parasites and their links has the same effects of food web organization as adding any types of species and links. “While the authors find that parasites change food web structure in ways that any other species would. First included parasites but did not consider Including parasites and their links in food webs has a similar effect on the web organisation as adding any other new species for linkages that they may have with organisms other than its host. Jennifer Dunne. in a first. the researchers also noticed that parasites were altering the food web in two unique ways: first by inadvertently becoming food to the predators when they eat the hosts the parasites live in or on and secondly in their role as consumers. Parasites link them. that it may have with all organisms in a food web. These are organisms that live on or in plant and animal hosts and depend on them for food. they must alter food web structure in a way that upsets the last decade of food web theory. lions and humans. direct and indirect. salt marshes.” says one of the authors. The third and the last version of food web did not include parasites at all. A frog is then consumed by a snake. Some studies aiming to rid parasites of this under-representation have shown that including them can alter the existing structure of food webs. says this is the first study to very clearly test the common assertion that parasites alter food web structure. Grass is also eaten by large herbivores like rabbits and deer that are consumed by top carnivores like cats. The study shows that including parasites alters the struc40 Down To Earth • July 1-15.” adds Dunne. who is a professor and chair of faculty for Science at Santa Fe Institute in the US. “Our findings are significant because there was conventional wisdom emerging that if you include parasites in food webs.SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ECOLOGY : food web Caught in the web A study shows how inclusion of parasites alters food webs MANUPRIYA WE HAVE all heard about food chains and food webs. An international team of scientists has now. the scientists examined seven highly resolved marine food webs. they also find that because parasites are small. They found that certain bacterial enzymes break down leaf polymers and help release leaf cellulose. Each geophone covers a range of 120 square metre and five are enough to track the study area. says Varma. Periya Thagadam and Anaikatti. which generates a digital analogue code— zero or one. Their study was published in Current Science on June 10. elephant conflicts.” says Surendra Varma.SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY : elephant movement Jumbo alert SMS-based alert system can drastically cut human-elephant conflicts MEGHA PRAKASH fire crackers. lead author of the study. Bengaluru. for bioenergy production. “The study is unique. drum beats. A study has now found that enzymes present in these gardens could be refined for biofuel applications. lion and gemsbok as well. One symbiotic fungus. suggests it would be interesting to find out if sound of cars and trucks may affect the system and how the system would behave with water content variation in soil as this may affect sound transmission. Andre Pittet. Genome sequencing showed that the enzymes identified by the researchers are similar to known enzymes but are completely new and had never been characterised till date. The researchers have taken inspiration for their work from a paper published in 2011 in International Journal of Conservation that described use of mobile phones to control human-elephant conflict in Laikipia County. Bengaluru. researchers analysed 20 years (1990-2010) of elephant migratory data to understand the pachyderm’s behaviour in three areas of high elephant-human conflict in Tamil Nadu— Nanjundapuram. explains S J Sugumar. chief project advisor to the department of electronics systems engineering at Indian Institute of Science. Elephant movement is unpredictable and often villagers are too scared to come out of their houses to urinate. Still elephant-human conflict is on the rise and nearly 500. Kenya. The device design and function is simple. ■ PHOTO : ARRANET BIOLOGY : biofuels Tiny inspiration Enzymes from leafcutter ant colonies to aid biofuel research LEAFCUTTER ants are fungus farmers. It is these fruiting bodies that leafcutter ants feed on. For the study. scientists used genome sequencing to CLINTON & CHARLES ROBERTSON identify the enzymes present in the ant gardens that convert plant biomass into energy and understand how they do it. Researchers from Coimbatore Institute of Technology and SSN College of Engineering in Chennai have now developed an elephant alert system that uses SMS and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology to warn villagers of approaching jumbos. They collect leaves. Geophones convert vibrations from elephant footfall into an electrical signal. This information then gets forwarded to forest officials as an SMS. To distinguish elephant footfall from others. To deploy the new system. This helped identify from where the elephants entered human settlements. 2013 • Down To Earth 41 . Use of SMS may help alert officials and villagers and could help mitigate human- RADIO COLLARS. However. wildlife biologist and conservationist at Asian Nature Conservation Foundation. The researchers believe a better understanding of these enzymes could help develop comparable methods for processing raw materials. powerful spotlights and electric fencing are commonly deployed to track the movement of elephants in villages and to chase them away. the researchers classified footfall outputs for humans. such as corn stalks and grasses.000 families get affected every year. ■ July 1-15. chew them and store the pulp to grow a garden of fungi and bacteria. These glucose subunits are consumed by the fungus to grow and produce fruiting bodies rich in fat and nutrients. published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology on June 15. Leucoagaricus gongylophorous. produces enzymes that break this cellulose into glucose subunits. One indicates presence of an elephant. The fungi act as their food and energy source. sanitation.” IIT Chennai researchers have invented a cheap water filter. It works by constantly releasing silver ions. Even if an operation to separate them is performed. described in PNAS on May 6. One of the reasons being presence of organic and inorganic impurities in water that cling onto nanoparticle surface and hamper sustained release of silver. which they claim could be helpful in achieving the United Nations millennium development goal of sustainable access to safe drinking water. says Ott. say the researchers. The researchers developed the replacement kidneys by stripping living cells from donor kidneys and allowing another rat’s own skin cells to regenerate kidney tissue onto them. 2013 . and hygiene. says it is good information and could prove helpful for many people suffering from kidney disorders but if such a kidney would be accepted by the body or not remains a concern. Sanjay Agrawal. access to safe drinking water remains a challenge for India and other developing countries. To find a way around this technical constraint. 17-year-old conjoined twins from Patna. the researchers formulated a cage-like nano-composite of aluminium oxyhydroxide–chitosan with silver particles embedded in it. uses nanomaterial to remove diseasecausing microorganisms and toxic heavy metals from water. The cell-free kidneys would act as a frame on which human kidneys can be grown using patient’s own skin cells. Thousands others in India and worldwide die of renal failure. According to WHO. Bio-artificial hearts. into the water. one of the girls will not survive due to the subsequent absence of a kidney in her body. senior author of the article and principal investigator at the Center for Regenerative Medicine of MGH. “What is unique about this approach is that the native organ’s architecture is preserved. “Every year there are 2 million diarrhoeal deaths related to unsafe water. The filter. so that the resulting graft can be transplanted just like a donor kidney and connected to recipient’s vascular and urinary systems. MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL TECHNOLOGY : water purification Arsenic trap Silver nanoparticles caged in aluminium can rid water of arsenic INDU M S DESPITE an abundance of water filters in the market. The vast majority of them are children under five. Several silver-based anti-microbial devices have been designed in the past but have not been viable. “It is not so simple. The artificial kidneys were able to produce urine in a laboratory apparatus as well as after being transplanted into live rats. This is because kidney transplants require a natural kidney obtained from a living donor or a dead body immediately after death.” says Harald Ott.SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY HEALTH SCIENCES : renal disorders As good as real Bioengineered kidneys can eliminate need for human donors The kidney was able to produce urine in lab as well as when transplanted in rats KUNDAN PANDEY SABA and Farah. The reason: presence of just one kidney between their two bodies joint at the head. Finding a person willing to part with one of his two kidneys is difficult. can never be separated surgically.” says Agrawal. There are many more issues associated with kidney problems. ■ OTT LAB. lungs and livers have previously been developed by employing a similar approach. Now bioengineered rat kidneys developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have given fresh hope for those suffering from kidney disorders. This composite ensures sustained release of silver ions 42 Down To Earth • July 1-15. which are an effective disinfectant. Bioengineered kidneys can someday eliminate the need for human donors by paving the way for developing kidneys for humans using animal kidneys stripped of cells. head of the nephrology department at AIIMS. The cell-stripped kidney provides a natural scaffold of collagen and extracellular matrix for skin cells to grow into a new kidney and helps retain natural shape and structure of the organ. The study was published online in Nature Medicine on April 14. New Zealand. There is no solution of this kind anywhere. All the monkeys had same weight at birth but after three months it was found that formula-fed ETANSIVAD infants had grown faster than the ones fed with breast milk.” So. the performance and affordability of the system for removing arsenic from real groundwater would be different from that with spiked tap-water. “The arsenic removal in the PNAS paper was reportedly tested in arsenic-spiked tap-water. Arun Gupta. Ashok Gadgil. The researchers used rhesus monkey infants as human stand-ins for the study published in Journal of Proteome Research on June 5. The study explains that a higher rate of growth at this stage leads to adult obesity. This supports the hypothesis that formula feeding affects the immune system of infants. ■ July 1-15. This takes care of all contaminants in water—microbial. This.” he says. could be indicative of damage to the intestinal lining. thus extending support to women. The basis of this link has. adds Gadgil. heavy metal. the study explains. 2013 • Down To Earth 43 . Formula feeding may lead to other complications as well. Lactose level in excreta of formulafed infants was also found to be higher than that of breast-fed ones. have found that feeding formula causes metabolic stress in infants and this causes complications later in life. “What we have is a complete purifier. Researchers from University of California. say the researchers. howev- er. national coordinator of Delhi-based Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India believes such studies should influence policies. All of this is done with advanced materials.SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY into the water in an amount significantly less than the permissible limit set by the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA). organics. Davis and Fonterra Ingredients Innovation.” However. these ions appear in high concentrations in groundwater and compete for the same sites that are intended to capture and remove arsenic. corresponding author of the study.” says T Pradeep. However. Formula-fed infants also showed pro-inflammatory responses that are immune system’s reaction to injury or pathogens. too. which could set stage for insulin resistance. One group was fed standard infant formula and other breast milk since birth. This eliminates a need for secondary filtrations to remove excess silver ions. been unclear. “Common belief is breastfeeding happens naturally but in reality women need support at each level for it. It costs just 6-7 paise/litre for microbially as well as chemically safe water. The study notes that higher growth rate in infants has also been linked with insulin resistance in adults. Two groups of five monkeys each were given two different dietary treatments. “The device is efficient in the sense that it provides clean water as per EPA standards. division director and faculty senior scientist at Environmental Energy Technologies Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the US says. ■ Fatal formula How infant formula leads to obesity in adulthood AVIMUKTESH BHARDWAJ IT IS common knowledge that breast milk is the best diet for newborns. Another issue left unexplored in the study is the fate of the arsenic-laden sludge formed after removing arsenic from water. The results confirmed higher insulin levels in serum of formula-fed individuals. Silver nanoparticles remain intact as the aluminium cage reduces their contact with chemicals that might anchor on them. and those results are not presented in the paper. In our experience. Indian tap water has HEALTH SCIENCES : obesity COURTESY: IIT CHENNAI IIT Chennai researchers show a prototype of the new filter they have developed pretty low phosphate ion concentration. Several studies have even linked infant formula with chronic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes in adulthood. Stir fried puyanu leaves 44 Down To Earth • July 1-15. dropsy. people sell pickle prepared from puyanu or dhandru (local name) twigs during the religious Kedarnath yatra season from May to October. vomiting and uterine disease. Remove from flame when moisture has dried. depend on a variety of wild plants for food. This perennial herb with its white flowers grows luxuriously under the canopy of walnut. add all the leaves along with puyanu. vomiting. particularly in remote valleys. STIR FRIED MIXED LEAVES Ingredients: Fresh puyanu leaves . while its seeds are purgative. Small wonder.one tablespoon Salt to taste Method Follow same steps as in stir fried. people of Garhwal relish puyanu despite its bitter taste. Endemic to the Indian Himalayan region.half teaspoon Chopped onion (optional) . stir occasionally. According to Wealth of India. extract of fresh puyanu leaves and shoots is given to children suffering from stomach ache. for those chilling days. people enjoy dried fermented suksu vegeatble with hot finger millet chapattis.two to three Mustard oil . Serve hot. fry till brown. While some pick them from forests and alpine meadows. epilepsy. Then add onion and garlic.one Dry red chillies . sundried and stored in the form of leaf cakes.half teaspoon Chopped onion . ■ Shalini Dhyani is project scientist at the Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology STIR FRIED Ingredients: Fresh puyanu leaves with twigs .” says Surma Butola of Suraithota village RECIPE in Niti valley where puyanu is called chandra.100 gm Fresh potato leaves . The puyanu proves to be a saviour during winters when snowfall disrupts daily life.four to five Jakhiya (cleome) seeds or mustard and cumin seeds. People use roots of the plant for curing headache. locally called suksu. maple and chestnut. February-April is the best season to collect puyanu. Add the leaves and mix well. An infusion of dried flowers of puyanu is considered useful for curing diarrhoea. Serve hot.one tablespoon Salt to taste Method Heat oil in a wok and splutter cleome seeds. The leaves and shoots of puyanu make for a healthy vegetable but taste bitter.500 gm Jakhiya (cleome) seeds or mustard and cumin seeds . Cover and cook on a low flame.” says a resident. leaves are not collected once flowering starts. “Every household has a bottle filled with the extract of puyanu leaves and shoots. dizziness. 2013 .100 gm Fresh spinach leaves .100 gm Fresh cabbage leaves . One such leafy plant favourite among the residents is puyanu or Himalayan Peony (Paeonia emodi).FOOD On the wild side Residents of Garhwal swear by the taste and health benefits of a lesser known vegetable SHALINI DHYANI M any people in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.100 gm Fresh mustard leaves . In some villages of Garhwal. puyanu grows in alpine pastures and moist areas of forests. Locally.one Dry red chillies . “Bitter taste accounts for most of the medicinal property of the plant. “Tourists really like the taste and buy bottles for their homes. fried red chillies and dollops of butter.” says Asha Semwal of Shersi village in Kedarnath valley. a publication on India’s plant resources by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.two to three Mustard oil . The list of medicinal benefits of puyanu does not end here. the rhizomes of puyanu are used as a tonic to cure backbone ache.two Crushed garlic clove . In Kedarnath valley. Add red chillies and fry for a minute. others cultivate them in kitchen gardens. Puyanu or Himalayan Peony PHOTOGRAPHS: SHALINI DHYANI eye disease. boiled. Its leaves are chopped.two Crushed garlic clove . Women collect its leaves and tender shoots while fetching fuelwood and fodder. For online subscription payment. login at www.in DESERT IFICATI ON AIR P OLLU TION } subscribe to knowledge S C I E N C E A N D E N V I R O N M E N T F O R T N I G H T L Y DownToEarth TOXI C WA STE GO VE IN DU ST RY RN AN CE HE AL TH .downtoearth.Y SIT R E DIV O I B FOR EST E AT M I CL TER WA Fill in the form overleaf.org. POLLUTION.550 Rs 1.org.530 Rs 1.f. HEALTH. 2013 Option @ Rs 45 cover price You Save Colleges/Universities.e.690 Rs 2.in Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery DTE Tariff — w.590 Rs 3. . only 1 year (24 Issues) + 1 Annual Issue 1 year Sub.cse.040 Rs 1. A Down To Earth Supplement.060 Rs 2.900 Rs 1. 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[email protected] Rs 1. Govt/Private Sector etc. Buy online at http://csestore.270 Rs 1. Schools.000 Rs 860 Rs 2. ANNUAL STATE OF INDIA'S ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2014 BESIDES WATER.160 Rs 540 Rs 530 Rs 220 Rs 2.900 Rs 970 Rs 1. NGOs & Individuals Only You Pay Only You Save You Pay Only ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ 3 Years (72 Issues) + 3 Annual Issues 3 Years Sub. Baker met Gandhiji. His buildings were constructed at a much lower cost. once said. Once when a journalist asked him how he was able to design different house shapes. Baker thought it would be wrong to delegate work to an assistant because the client approached him for a “Baker house”. Wouldn’t it have been silly if Picasso was only allowed to give working drawings for a painting and not paint them?” How did Baker conceptualise a building? Each design had to be different. Why should I waste an assistant’s time to do a draft?” He wasn’t sure if he could pay me because that would add to the construction cost. During their meeting.” For Baker. there is one there and a third one there. Baker directly paid masons. Baker was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. it had to be minimal. but they will be useless unless you try to understand our needs here. Baker replied. He never covered a brickwall with plaster.” It is because of Gandhiji that Baker made India his home.INTERVIEW ‘My mentor Laurie Baker’ BENNY KURIAKOSE began his architecture career in 1984. He used to say. It had to take care of a client’s personality and local needs. Baker once said that not everyone in India had “access to architecture”. Nobody does that now. He was open and explained whatever he knew in simple language. He took over the responsibility of the entire construction process. plumbers and other people involved in the construction. “I see nothing wrong or unethical about an architect taking part in the construction of a building. “I would rather see a million mud houses that are 200 sq ft than one more high-rise building. I walked up to him and started a discussion at the end of which I asked. electricians. Excerpts making architecture accessible to the common man and was upset that it was not fulfilled. Chennai-based specialist in low-cost housing. “small was beautiful”. Baker was visting one of the sites. He showed another side of architecture wherein he used the same standards in building for the rich as for the poor. there were more than 20 million families without a house and many more were living in structures without the benefits of architecture. The most important aspect for Baker was the building cost. including accounts. He was one of the privileged few who worked under the tutelage of Laurie Baker which involved both learning and unlearning.” What role did Baker accord to an architect? For Baker an architect had to turn his design into reality. Another aspect which Baker brought into his work was the use of indigenous materials like mud and bamboo. He carried Gandhiji’s values of honesty and sincerity to the buildings he designed. I said I was not interested in payment and would simply like to learn. “There is a tree here. Kuriakose. 2013 • Down To Earth 47 When did you meet Laurie Baker? It was in 1984 when I was doing fieldwork for my final year thesis. “You are bringing knowledge and qualifications from the West. who was referred to as “daddy” by his colleagues and workers. He said. When I met him in 1984. I do not want to cut any trees and this principle has much to do with the shape of a house. “Beauty is related to truth. How did he imbibe Gandhian ideals in his work? In 1943 while waiting for a boat in Bombay (now Mumbai) to return home in England. In an e-mail conversation with DISHA SINGH. What were his reasons? He strongly believed that the profession had a responsibility of .” July 1-15. How did the experience of working with him impact your architectural sense and general perception? I was able to learn by just watching him work. A stone house should look like it is made of stone and the same goes for a brick building. carpenters. “Can I work with you for two or three months?” He said. Today the number of families without a house is more than 45 million. describes the pioneer architect’s methods. Baker. “I do not take assistants. Gandhiji said. But Baker had designed and constructed more than 1. mud walls. . MBE 1988 Became Indian citizen 1989 Received Indian Institute of Architects’ Outstanding Architect of the Year award 1990 Awarded Padma Shri 1992 Given UN Habitat Award and UN Roll of Honour 2006 Nominated for Pritzker Prize 2007 Died in Thiruvananthapuram at the age of 90 PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY : BENNY KURIAKOSE How did he handle all aspects of design and construction? Baker had a thorough knowledge and was very committed. He also made a lot of buildings in Gujarat.000 buildings in and around Thiruvananthapuram. As Baker once said. a doctor from Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram. There is a belief that if an architect supervises construction of buildings. craft and architecture of south India. Neither did he seek publicity nor did he care about critics. What was his take on making appropriate choices for building materials? Since most of his buildings were in Thiruvananthapuram. Sreekaryam 1983 Awarded Order of the British Empire. I was entrusted with the task of completing the project. “We should be thinking and designing as Indians for Indians in India. Kerala 1967 Approached to design Centre for Research in Applied Economics in Ulloor. a centre for the living traditions of art. he mostly used filler slab which had rejected mangalore tiles as the filler. he used clay pots as a filler material. (Below) Kerala’s Thiruvalla church designed by him 1937 Studied architecture at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design 1938 Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1943 Deeply inspired after meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in Bombay (now Mumbai) 1945 Returned to India as a missionary and travelled all over the country 1945-48 Was chief architect with the Leprosy Mission and designed and oversaw construction of leprosy homes for the mission across India Thiruvananthapuram. he or she can do only a small number of structures. and made schools 1949 Experimented with vernacular architecture and local materials like laterite. and problems like termites and monsoons 1950s Designed and built the Lucknow Psychiatric Centre at Noor Manzil 1956 Designed Saksharata Niketan in Lucknow for Welthy Fisher. founder of World Education 1963 Moved to Vakamon. which he completed by early 1970s 1970 Became a fellow of the Indian Institute of Architects 1970 Moved to Thiruvananthapuram 1971 Designed the Centre for Development Studies. Moved to Pithoragarh. At that time changes had to be made to the site plan because the transplanted vernacular houses were different from those in the master plan. the walls were made of country burnt bricks. restaurant. For roofs. For the site’s public buildings like the main building. by 1985. Uttarakhand 1948-63 While in Pithoragarh.LIFE OF LAURIE BAKER 1917 Born in Birmingham Baker’s signature brick work. and the Loyola Chapel and Auditorium. helped his wife run a hospital. In places where stone was available in plenty. There. 2013 1948 Married Elizabeth Jacob. Kerala. Are Baker’s ethics and principles relevant today? It is important for the present generation to ensure that the principles Baker stood for are taken further. This was in addition to the large number of buildings he designed outside the state. library and guesthouse which were designed by me. Some critics said his buildings would not last for more than 10 years but they are still standing. he used stone. Do you think your additions keep Baker’s vision intact? He had made a master plan for DakshinaChitra. You completed DakshinaChitra in Chennai which Baker had designed.” ■ 48 Down To Earth • July 1-15. I tried to remain true to Baker’s principles. After his demise. Advertisement . The T Lalitpur Nepal analysis and the field recording help farmers decide the time for irrigating and protecting crops. Bhandari records temperature and rainfall twice a day. “Now we know when a calamity will strike. stepped forward to enroll as students. the Lutheran World Federation agreed to pay for the instruments and one year salary of the local youth who would work as the facilitator. This youth was Bhandari. president of a local self-help group. It was then that The Lutheran World Federation-Nepal. After one year. says Thapa. a teacher at the school where lessons are given just before the students take the most important decision of their lives: when to start or harvest their life-saving crop. floated the idea of a climate field school that was already being explored in Indonesia with some success. this is what the school is meant for. students attend the school to learn about weather and soil conditions. After a series of meetings. In October 2011. “We sought the help of a local science teacher to train a youth selected by the village on basic knowledge of instruments and the science of climate. Before and during a crop cycle. 16 residents.” he informs. A manual on changing climate and its impacts on local crops was created after a year of consultations with farmers. Once in a while in the middle of a crop cycle. he takes the device to record moisture and pH to people’s farms. “Does early rain mean early paddy? Without the instruments in our village I wouldn’t have taken the risk of early transplantation. The fenced land hosts three vital instruments: a thermometer. Bhandari has a cell phone that receives daily alerts of national forecast which he shares with his students. Arguably. the idea was discussed during a village meeting. Those with big landholdings were the first to become members of the school since they had suffered the most.” says Krishna Bahadur Ghimire. the village development council. “Due to advance warning and better monitoring. students would have to pay. They agreed to give a patch of their land to host the weather laboratory and convinced a local school to spare a classroom when needed. the only seed farmer in Chhampi where people lose up to 30 per cent of their crops because of hazards like hailstorms and erratic rains.” informs Uttam Bhandari.” says Bhandari. manager with the federation. of whom 12 were women. zeroed in on two things that could save the crops: a mechanism that alerts people of impending hazards and assessment of soil and water. Of the 1. “This is the place from where the village fights erratic weather.” she says. Thanks to the efforts of the school. we covered our standing crops with twigs and saved our crops. 80 per cent depend on agriculture. The village’s only stream is no longer perennial.000 residents. the village has mapped its own weather conditions. It has been eight months since the school was inaugurated and residents are already raving about it. ■ RICHARD MAHAPATRA / CSE 50 Down To Earth • July 1-15. temperature RICHARD MAHAPATRA Lalitpur his is a school where both students and teachers are adults.” says Thapa while measuring moisture in the soil with Bhandari. “Moisture reading has prepared people to manage water well. says Subhadra Thapa.” says Ghimire. Welcome to Climate Field School in Chhampi village of Nepal’s Lalitpur district which imparts practical lessons on climate change. Nepal’s local government. This year it started raining early due to the cyclone that hit Bangladesh in May. Since the local crops need specific inputs.I N I T I AT I V E Time for climate lesson A Nepal school that imparts practical knowledge to farmers Uttam Bhandari teaches how to measure soil moisture. As one descends into Chhampi using a mountain road. “These recordings are stored in a data card which is sent for analysis to the meteorological department in Kathmandu. The birth The Climate Field School is a response to the village’s long drawn fight against erratic weather. the national forecast was of no use and the local forecasting system had vanished by then. “There was no way we could prepare ourselves to protect our crops.” says Gopal Dahal. That’s not all. To start the process. an international charity organisation. We are prepared well in advance to save our crops. a rain gauge instrument and a meter to measure the moisture and pH levels of the soil. 2013 . a small fenced structure in the middle of farmland emerges. Books and regular classes are not part of the curriculum and the pupils are practising farmers. scientists and meteorologists in Kathmandu. After months-long dis- cussions. there are good gene patents and bad gene patents. indeed spur. according to the current US administration. according to the US Supreme Court. As for the US Patent Office. How it defines the good and separates them from their bad ideological brethren is a tough one to crack but the US might have a strategic explanation for this. but it is dis- tinct from the DNA from which it was derived. It found an important and useful gene. the patents at issue directed to ‘isolated DNA’ containing sequences found in nature are unsustainable as a matter of law and are deemed unpatentable under 35 USC 101. cDNA. Adding to the confusion for the rest of the world is the fact that both Myriad and the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) that had filed the lawsuit are claiming the Supreme Court verdict is a victory for them. Likewise. “As we have recognized before. says the Supreme Court. except insofar as very short series of DNA may have no intervening introns to remove when creating cDNA. patentable because it is an invention and not a naturally occurring product. Earlier.” It is difficult to understand how the work of the lab technician who detached the genes from the rest is different from the work of the technician who eliminates part of the DNA to create the cDNA since the sequence of chemicals of both the DNA and the c DNA are determined by nature. cDNA retains the naturally occurring exons of DNA. In that situation. Antonin Scalia declared that he could not personally stand behind the “fine details of molecular technology” cited by his colleagues because “I am unable to affirm those details on my own knowlANIRBAN BORA / CSE edge or even my own belief!” There have been regular twists and turns in the litigation over Myriad’s patents. when mutated. therefore. As a result. but groundbreaking. 2013 • Down To Earth 51 . invention.” That’s the realpolitik of biotechnology. based on some curious logic. patenting full sequences of the DNA is out. This in turn was a reversal of the district court’s verdict which had stated: “DNA’s existence in an ‘isolated’ form alters neither this fundamental quality of DNA as it exists in the body nor the information it encodes. “But the lab technician unquestionably creates something new when cDNA is made. or even brilliant discovery does not by itself satisfy the (Section) 101 inquiry. it has been generously doling out patents. Their lordships’ explanation: cDNA is synthesised and. It’s willing to do business with the “good Taliban” because that is the only way Washington can deal with complexities of Afghanistan’s realpolitik. one court’s view on gene patenting is diametrically opposed to another’s. the judges were saying that not all of cDNA is patentable either. there is a refreshing confession from one of the judges. In its much-awaited decision in the Myriad Genetics case. not by the lab technician”. However. Myriad’s principal contribution. is patent-eligible. Given the overdose of scientific hair-splitting involved in the judgement. patent protection strikes a delicate balance between creating ‘incentives that lead to creation. innovative. Analysts say the explanation lies in the rationale offered by Judge Clarence Thomas for the court’s decision.” In other words. “That may be so. AMP looked forward “to future advancements in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics”.000 of them which cover close to 25 per cent of our genes. The lawsuit filed against Myriad by the Public Patent Foundation and the American Civil Liberties relates to the company’s patents on BRCA1 and BRCA 2 genes—naturally occurring genes which. Therefore. “Myriad did not create or alter either the genetic information encoded in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes or the genetic structure of the DNA. and discovery’ and ‘impede the flow of information that might permit. a short strand of cDNA may be indistinguishable from natural DNA. the court disagreed. can significantly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. invention.” In other words. ■ July 1-15. cDNA is not a ‘product of nature’ and is patent-eligible under Section 101. which does not have the noncoding regions found in genomic DNA. but patenting the abridged bits is kosher. In short. Although the petitioners contended that cDNA is not patent eligible because “the nucleotide sequence of cDNA is dictated by nature. was uncovering the precise location and genetic sequence of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.” conceded the Supreme Court judges. the court held that a naturally occurring DNA segment is a product of nature and cannot be eligible for patenting merely because it has been isolated.COLUMN PATENTLY ABSURD / LATHA JISHNU GENE PATENT VERDICT IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS The US Supreme Court’s verdict in the Myriad case keeps everyone happy T here are “good Taliban” and “bad Taliban”. the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had held exactly the opposite view by declaring that isolated DNA could be patented. While the company’s share values shot up 10 per cent in the aftermath of the June 13 verdict. about 40. CROSSCURRENTS Good catch. including SONAR fish finders and GPS. His immediate concern is quickly sorting the fish into piles that will end up at different places and be sold to different people for distinct uses. “Will you come and see my new house? It is not far from here. “Much of what I have now is thanks to the use of a new range of fishing technology. Adept fish finders were like a bumper catch.” he says while swatting away flies. My father was a fisher too.” As Dabholkar plies us with a nutritious breakfast of upma. bad catch What do efficient fishing gears mean to traditional fisherfolk? DIVYA KARNAD rabhanand Dabholkar’s daily routine involves weighing the fish being lifted from his boat.” he says. mackerels and pomfrets his staple. although they form the bulk of his catch. P PHOTOGRAPHS: AGNIMIRH BASU / CSE . No longer are king fish. We also had to depend on knowledgeable people to predict where the fish would be. Species like ribbonfish grab most of his attention now. “I make a good living from this.” Dabholkar uses the technologies to catch a novel suite of marine species. “few and far between. but we only used a wooden rowing boat then. he tells us more about his rise in fortune. but in his ability to read SONAR map and in the capacity of the net The catch from his fishing boats goes to Dapoli town in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district. telling people where to go. ■ Divya Karnad is a conservation scientist July 1-15. “I used to be the person standing at the helm of the kattumaram (traditional catamaran). “The whole profession is changing. said. But this also means competition for traditional fisherfolk who are reporting declining catches. “I do not want my children to fish. its ability to withstand force as it is dragged through the water to catch whatever comes in its path. sitting in a room faraway.” he says. 2013 • Down To Earth 53 . Significantly. Global concerns about overexploitation of fish are echoing among fishing communities in India. But this seemingly simplistic explanation also has something to say about interference in fishery by policymakers. While such knowledge might still be important. fisherfolk today are infused with a strong sense of practicality. easy. “The way we fish these days. could it be that fishing was just a job to them? A conversation with Paul.” he says.” This is an oft-repeated sentiment among the fishers who have made it big. Dabholkar replies that it is simply a matter of getting better price: sending fish to China means sending his children to better schools. “The life of a fisherfolk is too hard. Is the new blood in the fishing industry equipped to develop a sense of responsibility and ownership of the fishery and its fish? Only time will tell. I wonder if people like Dabholkar ever feel any cultural legacy for an occupation that has sustained them for generations.” complains Arumugam. “Now I work on a trawl boat like anyone else. and might have come at a good time. a large part of what he catches ends up in Fujian Province in China. Knowing the breeding cycles. There is a growing disconnect between fisherfolk and what they catch. Nobody is stepping back to ask why (are we doing these things)?” The answer may be obvious to the economists in the room but economic efficiency always comes at a price that is ignored. Joel Salatin. where they could find the fish. Perhaps the fisherfolk were simply locked into their professions for lack of anything better to do. What is the use of all my hard-earned knowledge?” Paul’s disillusionment in the whole enterprise of fishing seems to stem not from his earnings. if we do not know whether we can keep up?” Both the people benefitting from fishing and those making losses feel the same way and are looking for alternative career paths for their children. near his village. right from the way we fish to people involved in the profession. begins to clarify the issue. never having gotten their fingers wet. saying. How can we possibly conceive of a future in this line of work. but from a lack of respect for his knowledge in fishery. anyway?” he asks. But Paul brushes their praise aside. lets painters and politicians call themselves fishermen. How well do agricultural economists really know the system that they are trying to streamline? An alternative explanation is that the occupation is just becoming too mechanical—and as a consequence. “We are wasting too much time working out how to do things (more economically efficiently). and the boatman’s ability to read SONAR map. which have risen. be it in Maharashtra or Tamil Nadu. a famous organic and eco-friendly farmer in the US.CROSSCURRENTS A fisher’ s identity no longer lies in the skills developed over a lifetime. “They have the new-fangled devices these days. The trend of moving away from fishing as a livelihood option coincides with advances in fishing technologies. what is more important today is the capacity of the net. When asked if there is a difference between feeding consumers in Dapoli. They also travel to Mumbai and southward to feed sunkissed tourists in Goa. This perhaps indicates that the economic “trickle-down” of alternative occupations is actually happening in rural India. movement patterns and other biological rhythms of different species of fish are no longer essential for making big catches. Or. too variable and too risky. A fisher’s identity no longer lies in the skills developed over a lifetime. Paul chose a lack of respect over an entirely new profession. selling for `100 to `250 per kilogram. and those in China. a fisherman from Tamil Nadu. Far from romantic ideals about traditional livelihoods and identities. “What respect could I earn in a new line of work with no experience at my age. There is an increase in fishing boats which means newcomers—who do not require traditional skills— can now make a living from fishing. a worker on a trawl boat in Kerala.” Paul’s nephew and cousin vouch for his expertise and say they still come to him sometimes for advice on where to steer the boat. we took an unambiguous moral high-ground when we started our engagement with the festival. and he lost someone in the family that year. It also provided an exciting freedom for young girls and boys. Several streams originate in KMTR . Spread over 895 sq km. 42 per cent of them admitted to have collected the fuel wood from the forest • The most probable number of microbes in river is 1. 2013 ALLWIN JESUDASAN Impacts of Sorimuthu Iyyanar temple festival on Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve • 400 per cent increase in traffic compared to a regular weekend • About 5. Bengaluru . called Valayam. we observed that people from other religions were also attending the festival. dryland villages bordering KMTR. Some pilgrims walk for more than 50 kilometres to the temple carrying a hereditary spear to seek blessings of Lord Sorimuthu Iyyanar. a tributary of the Tamirabarani river. During an interview.100 during the festival period. Over 76 per cent of the people we interviewed said they took part in other recreational activities like cruising in the dam reservoir during their camping days. As pilgrims camp around the temple for 11 long days. One of the performers told us that once he did not take part in the festival. in their village temple until the visit next year.3 hectares by the banks of the Karayar. Since then he has not missed performing at the festival. and so has its impacts.000 cars and buses enter the forest on festival days • 600 per cent increase in the number of roadkills • Fewer mammals encountered in forests as far as 10 km from the site of the pilgrimage • 76 per cent of camping pilgrims use fuel wood for cooking. KMTR is the southernmost habitat of Bengal tiger and is home to several endangered species. a visit to the festival was a cheap and viable alternative to expensive hill stations such as Udhagamandalam or Kodaikanal. the size of the congregation has increased steadily. This led us to assume that although religious. But subsequent rains wash away the human excreta into the Karayar. the festival was an occasion to escape from the mundane chores of everyday life. Being part of a team of mostly biologists. For others. Over the years. We realised that for many low54 Down To Earth • July 1-15. Given the inadequacy of temporary toilets most pilgrims prefer relieving themselves in the forest and on sloping rocks not far away from the camping area where bleaching powder is repeatedly sprinkled to negate the smell and prevent disease. they keep the spear. Unsurprisingly. Although popular for the Hindu deity. a large area of the forest gets invaded by thousands of tarpaulin tents. a 500-fold increase from normal days The figures presented in the article are of Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment. For many. year after year. The temple premises spread over 21. After the festival. many matches and weddings are formalised and finalised during the festival. Notwithstanding the colourful details and sentiments associated with the festival. A huge slum-like atmosphere replaces the otherwise clean and green forest. But we found it difficult to fathom that faith can be the sole driving force behind such a large congregation inside a tiger reserve. Another event is a ritualistic performance by descendents of warriors in front of the former zamindar in a customary durbar. eventually pollut- ALLWIN JESUDASAN & RAJKAMAL GOSWAMI I t is difficult to comprehend the motivation that drives hundreds of thousands of people to travel to the Western Ghats and camp deep inside the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) for 11 days during Adiamavasya. the fallout of such a gathering should be opposed since the temple was situated inside a sanctuary reserved for tigers and their habitat. one young girl told us that there was no family restriction to talk and mingle with boys during the festival. which is a critical source of water for the densely populated downstream districts of Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi. we were trying to understand the adverse impact of such a gathering on the fragile dry evergreen forest ecosystem as well as on people living downstream. for which the protected area is popularly known as the water sanctuary.CROSSCURRENTS Invasion of tiger reserve Are religious pilgrimages only about faith and religion? income families from the hot. a deep religious sentiment brings them here. The festival is celebrated at the Lord Sorimuthu Iyyanar temple every year in the Tamil month of Adi (mid-July to mid-August). 2013 • Down To Earth 55 . Naange aaru maasam kashte paduvvom (They stay here happy for a week and we struggle for six months). The river takes months to heal. a small tribal village few metres downstream the temple. add to the pollution. In 2010. The Kanis originally lived deep inside the forest and were resettled to their current settlement. skin rashes and food poisoning.RAJKAMAL GOSWAMI Camp sites along the Karayar river. soon after the festival the Kanis struggle for survival for months. pilgrims and civil society. the festival is an opportunity to earn some cash. Bengaluru July 1-15. Most Kanis are unhappy with the way the festival is celebrated. remain with big businessmen from towns. Chemicals in soaps and detergents used by the pilgrims. Any action thus has to be taken up jointly by all stakeholders such as the temple authorities. Every year. the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court passed an order asking the forest department to ensure that no one camps beyond the temple premises. Since our responses to problems tend to be devised by our perceptions of them. forest department. However. district administration. Examples abound at Sabarimala in Periyar Tiger Reserve. which results in outbreaks of dysentery. garbage and slaughter waste resulting from the sacrifice of thousands of animals. For some. perhaps because it was an issue too sensitive and sentimental to be tackled by the department alone. snacks and toys while others sell services such as soothsaying and tattoos. we estimated that the camping pilgrims alone spent more than `1 crore in 2010. they depend on the polluted Tamirabarani. Despite the order. however. however. At such a large scale. ■ Allwin Jesudasan & Rajkamal Goswami are with Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment. The environmental damage caused due to large pilgrimages is a serious issue and our empirical evidence of the annual environmental and ecological damage caused due to the pilgrimage of the Sorimuthu Iyyanar temple at KMTR represents just the tip of the iceberg. In the absence of any other source of clean water. Rights to set up big shops. The figure would double or triple if we include the number of visitors who returned without camping. “Ivenge oru vaaram sondosamaa thangittu povaange. the police confiscated over 350 kg of polythene and 450 litres of liquor from the visitors in two days of frisking. Adi-amavasya too has its share of booze and waste. (Left) Pilgrims carry religious spears to Sorimuthu Iyyanar temple to seek the Lord’s blessings ing the Tamirabarani. through setting up small shops. our KMTR experience shows it might be presumptuous to view “religious pilgrimages” in or beyond forest areas as solely “religious” and “pilgrimage”.. ranging from sheep to goats to hens. To get a perspective on the economic turnover. a Kani tribal who lives in the Agasthymalai Kani Kudiirruppu. A heartening fact is that some NGOs have joined hands to address the concerns. Numerous petty traders from the plains join the Kanis and sell articles like bangles..” rues Ramesh. In 2009. Their tolerance to pollution is low. otherwise hard to come by. Collections from our post-festival clean-up drives suggest that many times more of what is confiscated gets smuggled inside despite the gargantuan measures of the local police. the camping and clearing of forest continued. we urgently need to refine and enrich our engagement with not only our last remaining abodes of biodiversity but also the sacred ones. the forest department and local NGOs. polythene. Belladukuppai in Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Ganesh temple inside Ranthambore. Not to mention the animal hazards caused by the movement of such a large number of visitors (see ‘Impacts of. Like most festivities.’). it represents a far deeper and complicated fabric than what has been popularly perceived and portrayed. ” said Nick Cutts. ■ KEVIN COLE The app provides profile of birds like oystercatchers The June 7 tornado killed 20 people in Oklahoma DVIDSHUB positioning system (GPS) facilities to allow real-time characterisation of likely noise effects. >> India’s state-owned telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is discontinuing its 160year-old telegram service because of falling business. Boasting an eight-hour battery life. that can measure the impact of construction work on waterbirds in protected areas has been developed. A other underground facilities. Brainchild of Kenyan tech firm Ushahidi. 4G and Ethernet connections automatically. the software provides profiles of bird species and their susceptibility to noise disturbances. deputy director of the university’s Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies. The advice given by Mike Morgan. Users can also plug in a SIM card to offer a network anywhere within the reach of a mobile tower. chief meteorologist for Oklahoma City TV station KFOR and 11-time winner of weather broadcast award in the state. Some people said they followed his advice and ended up stuck in traffic jams on highways as a storm bore down on the Oklahoma City area. the last large-scale telegram service operating in the world. The software uses onphone noise and global A USHAHIDI SNIPPETS T V > > WEATHER REPORT • USA NEWS Twister jam n award-winning Oklahoma television meteorologist has been deemed “irresponsible” for telling viewers to get in their cars and flee approaching tornadoes. or app. It also allows contractors to measure noise levels on the site and offer advice on the degree of disturbance from their work. in particular from noise. depending on what signals are available. Warner gets $2 million in royalties every year. BRCK. A product by researchers at the UK’s University of Hull. It demanded the song be made freely available to the public and Warner return the licensing fees it has received so far. there is an antenna to boost signal strength. ■ 56 Down To Earth • July 1-15. will cease on July 15. Good Morning to You. which is filming a docu on the song’s origins. Oklahoma Governor called the traffic situation on June 7 a “nightmare” after it was confirmed that some of the 20 deceased were found dead after being sucked out of cars by the storm. a modem developed to deal with unreliable power supply in Africa. was I recently unveiled at the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh. BRCK also has cloud-based software which means that it can be accessed from anywhere to see how Wi-Fi and electricity are performing. claims Warner is “unlawfully” claiming the copyright. 3G. “There is relativley little information on the impacts from disturbance events on waterbirds. BRCK will go on sale in November with a price tag of US $199. ■ P H O N E A P P > > BIRDS • The UK Enough of noise smartphone application. the device can connect up to The modem’s rugged design suits the continent’s climate 20 devices at a time and seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi. was in stark contrast to the common advice given in the event of a twister which is to seek refuge in cellars and >> A New York-based production company has filed a lawsuit against Warner Music Group over its ownership rights on the song “Happy Birthday”.MEDIA M O D E M > > INTERNET ACCESSIBILITY • Africa African connection t is a device designed for Africans by Africans. 2013. 2013 . It also offers advice on how development projects can affect behaviour of birds. For remote villages where mobile signals are hard to find. The service. Viewers blamed Morgan for putting people in danger on clogged roads on June 7. Athens has pledged to cut thousands of public-sector jobs as part of agreements under which it receives billions of euros in rescue loans from the EU and International Monetary Fund. said the series was meant to highlight the state of infrastructure and development opportunities in India and had nothing to do with agriculture.MEDIA C O M I C > > BRADLEY MANNING ONLINE • USA www.” said an ERT newsreader at the end of the main TV station’s final broadcast. which set off a signature campaign against the partnership much before the Facebook page was launched. was funded by a direct payment of 4. Stoeckley has WHERE SCIENCE MEETS FANTASY A FOR all those who love books.700 people jobless. the former computer hacker who turned Manning in. was a huge drain on public resources.30 euros added monthly to electricity bills.” The channel. The website focuses on news of the science fiction publishing field with reviews of books and magazines. According to the government. Besides books.” said Anantha Sayanan of Greenpeace. “Now it is trying to clean up its public image.locusmag. and a weekly compilation of genre books that appear on general bestseller lists. and of Adrian Lamo. The protests saw people criticising the campaign’s Facebook page launched on May 1. I REUTERS Bradley Manning (right) is charged with the nation’s biggest leak of classified files The campaign was stopped before it went on air T V > > ECONOMIC CRISIS • Greece Greek tragedy n a drastic move to meet its debt bailout obligations. Interviews with well-known and upand-coming writers are also part of the website. smaller workforce. the US Army private facing 22 charges for providing classified material to WikiLeaks. is being created from the courtroom. seeds or geneticallymodified food—something for which Monsanto is often criticised. NDTV has stopped its campaign Improving Lives. four national radio stations. science fiction and fantasy. More than 2. The comic is scheduled for release in October.600 people had signed for Greenpeace’s campaign till April. “This is a blow to democracy. Two of the comments were “Monsanto is known for its agenda to control food and farming as in the case of Bt cotton in India” and. leaving nearly 2. Greenpeace India. which began broadcasting in 1938.com Trial becomes comic comic book about the trial of Bradley Manning. already drawn images of Manning at the defence table. stories of publishers and authors and. Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation. or ERT. ■ T V > > MONSANTO • India Breaking ties n the wake of growing protests against its collaboration with US agri-biotech giant Monsanto. It ran three domestic TV channels. ERT. a WikiLeaks activist. ■ 57 July 1-15. Locus Online also offers weekly to monthly listings of new books and magazines. regional radio stations and an external service. their search ends at Locus Online. The United States vs PFC Bradley Manning: A Graphic Account from Inside the Courtroom by Clark Stoeckley. combines illustrations of the topics being discussed with actual trial transcripts. It said the corporation will reopen “as soon as possible” with a I new. 2013 • Down To Earth . Since the trial of the US soldier for leaking hundreds of thousands of classified digital files began on June 3. rights of farmers and consumers. Greece has shut down public broadcaster ERT. “NDTV should choose a non-controversial. however. ■ ethical partner. essays and commentary on new developments also feauture on the website which is produced from southern California in the US. The move has angered many. charged Monsanto of crime against nature. Close to four dozen companies are involved in this project—admittedly not all are multinationals but include small companies from the developing world——and clearly they are looking for rich pickings. Italy. The partnership agreements that the alliance countries have signed do nothing to dispel these fears. there is a desperate readiness by African countries to sign up for the promised benefits. the rich nations of the world who make the G8. Swiss. for example. Monsanto. farm and trade policies. And among the line-up of companies that have signed the Private Sector Declaration of Support for African Agricultural Development are the usual suspects: Archer Daniel Midlands. a huge displacement is expected with French. Bayer CropScience. have agreed to pass legislation to promote partnerships that will “facilitate access to land for smallholder farmers and private enterprises”. and its cheerleaders are Barack Obama and acolyte David Cameron of the UK who is seeking to cover himself with glory with his campaign to end hunger at the just-concluded G8 summit in Lough Erne. Syngenta and Yara of Norway. Northern Ireland. the smallest and most powerful club of their group. Benin.000 hectares. Germany. nine countries. This is a commitment that they will ensure major changes in policy to facilitate investment opportunities and trade. The New Alliance was set in motion in May 2012 at the last summit of G8 in Camp David. have joined the alliance with a simple price for entry.LAST WORD G8 AND TRAGEDY OF AFRICA Rich nations are forcing African states to change laws to facilitate private investment in agriculture in a replay of colonial adventurism RIGHT TO DISSENT / LATHA JISHNU T he white man’s burden never eases. the European empires (with the US going along) were in effect deciding the carve-up of Africa among themselves. points out that “corporations are not parties to the human rights covenants that oblige most governments to realize the universal human right to food. ■ . It is a toss-up as to which of these is the more cynical exercise. Canada. Cargill. This is to lift 50 million Africans out of poverty in the next decade. In the 19th century. 2013 CIAT INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TROPICAL AGRICULTURE ambitions. Virtuously called The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. paving the way for private companies to bring in their patented varieties once these country pass legislation granting intellectual property rights on seeds. The lives of hundreds of thousands of small farmers are at stake. The most egregious example is Ethiopia which has already leased around 4 million hectares to foreign companies. But land alone is not the issue. creating a host of new nations and bringing democracy to dark corners of the world in the last century in return for their treasury of natural resources. Governments of these countries—the US. How different are the Lough Erne and the 2012 Camp David summits from the Berlin conference of 1884-5 when the great powers of that era thought up a similar project. Under the cloak of liberating the Dark Continent from slavery. Mozambique and Tanzania. Vast numbers of farmers in Mozambique have lost their land and in Ivory Coast. the big powers rushed to grab the resources and territory of Africa for their territorial 58 Down To Earth • July 1-15. these countries will also have to change their seed and food trade regulations. Ethiopia. In short. Mozambique has agreed to “systematically cease distribution of free and unimproved seeds”.5 billion into countries where poverty and hunger are endemic. France. Burkina Faso. Singaporean and Algerian companies signing deals for over 600. primarily by setting right their agriculture. Long after the sun set on colonial empires. So far.” Another influential non-profit Oxfam says the New Alliance “focuses too heavily on the role of the private sector to tackle the complex challenges of food insecurity in the developing world.” And yet. Private companies are expected to pour in about $3. African. DuPont. the conquering armies of the past have been replaced by subtler forms of appropriation—through legislation and contracts signed by compliant regimes. this neo-colonial enterprise is apparently all about G8’s commitment “to expand Africa’s potential for rapid and sustainable agricultural growth”. Ivory Coast and Mozambique. That is the tragedy of Africa. Nigeria. After redrawing regional boundaries. The emphasis on private investment is the most troubling factor. History repeats itself. in today’s scramble for Africa it is about ensuring corporate control over land and resources in those very nations. UK. The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. an international advocacy for sustainable food. Ghana. Japan and Russia—will provide funding of sorts to those African nations willing to join up but the true saviours will be private companies. the new powers have launched a new crusade. many of them the multinationals who dominate the global seed and pesticides business or control the trade. European and US non-profits working towards sustainable agriculture systems have warned that hundreds of millions of hectares of arable African land will pass into the control of the food and agri-biotech giants. are preparing for yet another onerous task. Malawi. Ivory Coast. Tughlakabad Institutional Area.org .org. This lip smacking platter of herbs. . Fax: 91-11-29955879 Website: www. Please fill this form and mail or fax to: Sales & Despatch Department. New Delhi-110 062 Ph: 91-11 29955124/6110/6394/6399. E-mail: cse@cseindia. Buy online at http://csestore. fruits and leaves from different parts of the country reminds us that biodiversity is best protected when it is celebrated in our kitchens.in CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT 41. New Delhi-110062 Ph: 91-11-2995 5124 / 6394 Fax: 91-11-2995 5879 Email:
[email protected] FOOD: A TASTE OF INDIA'S BIODIVERSITY This collection of more than 100 recipes invites the reader to savour the magic that takes place when biodiversity comes together with culinary skills. (PAGES 168) PB: ` 950/US $60. Tughlakabad Institutional Area.org.org YES! I WANT TO GET ‘FIRST FOOD: A TASTE OF INDIA’S BIODIVERSITY’ Price `950 ✄ ORDER NOW… No of copies Total Cost Name: Mr/Ms_______________________________________________________________________ Designation_________________________________________________________ Institution_______________________________________________________Address: ■ Office ■ Residence_________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________State:_______________________________ Country: ____________________________________ Pin Code ■■■■■■ Phone: Off ■ Res ■ __________________________Fax: ____________________________E-mail: ____________________________________ DD/Cheque No I wish to pay by ■ Cash / MO ■ Cheque/Demand draft (add Rs 15 for outstation/non-Delhi cheque) ■■■■■■ Dated ____________________________ payable to Centre for Science and Environment. Centre for Science and Environment. 41.cseindia. spices. NGOs. Environment Consultants. Tughlakabad Institutional Area. POSTED ON: 2-3 of the same fortnight. cement. 251). the participants shall have: 1. regulators and stakeholders. Industry & Environment Unit Centre for Science and Environment 41. Students.R. Centre for Science and Environment recognises this need and has developed a hands-on five-day training programme aimed at giving practical exposure to participants on EIA with specific reference to coal based power plant. Regulatory Institutions (such as SPCB. about the possible environmental.00 am to 5. academicians and students COURSE DURATION 22-26 July. it requires the active involvement of all concerned stakeholders. 2013 OPEN FOR ALL NGOs. Increased ability to play active role in post-EIA monitoring. and environment managers to review and interpret EIA report. decision makers and Industries E nvironmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important tool to inform decision-makers. Published on 1st of every month.I. New Delhi – 62 LAST DATE FOR APPLYING July 15. scoping.cseindia. o r g Selection will be done on first come first basis For details contact: Swati Singh Sambyal. and significance of the data ● Effectiveness of the assessment methods ● What issues should be addressed in the Terms of Reference (TOR) ● Tools and thumb rules available to evaluate the environmental impact of projects 2. Tughlakabad Institutional Area. CSE’s short-term EIA training programme UNDERSTANDING EIA: FROM SCREENING TO DECISION MAKING COURSE FEES Rs 9. to conduct transparent public consultations and to evaluate the EIA reports. Better understanding of the environmental and social impacts of the industrial and developmental projects 4. there is a need among CBO. academicians. Fax: 91-11-2995 5879 Mobile: 9910496283 Website: www. NO. environment consultants and regulators) 25% discounts for NGOs. New Delhi-110002. To be effective. 53588/92 POSTAL REGN. social and economic costs of the proposed project. as they are technical in nature. 2013 TIMING 10. Better understanding of the EIA process – from screening. DL(S)-01/3109/2012-2014 ISSN 0971-8079. For registration: K i n d l y e m a i l a t : s w a t i @ c s e i n d i a . especially after the new EIA notification. state environment impact assessment authority. After the programme.N. pharmaceutical. There is a genuine need to develop the capacity of the state-level regulators and state level expert appraisal Committee (SEAC) to screen and scope the EIA process. data collection to impact assessment as well as the role of public consultation 3. how this data should be collected and interpreted.900 (For industry. Licensed to Post without Pre-payment U(SE)-44/2012-14 at PSO Kotla Road. mining and others. Better ability to review EIA reports and identify its strengths and weaknesses 5.30 pm COURSE VENUE CSE. Exposure to all aspects of EIA. New Delhi-110062 Ph: 91-11-2995 5124 / 6110 (Ext.org . 41. NO. from its theory to the practical – such as better understanding regarding ● What data is required. At the same time.