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September 6, 2011 | Rush for rare earths
Dinsa,
Thanks for this academically stimulating article!
I would like add here that the Chinese monopoly over Rare earth mining has had an overarching implications on the Global Wind Energy Industry.
The wind industry is offlate transistioning to Permanent Magnet Generator based electrical drive train technology for enhancing energy yield and minimizing drive train losses.PMGs as they are popularly known are manufactured using Rare earth elements notably Neodymium. The recent move by the Chinese to arrest exports has sent ripples of uncertainity in the Global Wind Industry and leading Wind Turbine manufacturers such as Vestas have deferred their PMG based electrical drive train designs primarily on account of the looming threat of Chinese monopoly........
2 Comments
September 6, 2011 | Sell stevia, face legal action
In the 1500 years of use of stevia by the indigenous people of Paraguay and in the 20 years of commercial use in Japan, no harmful side effect has ever been recorded as the body metabolizes the sweetening agents of stevia just like any other glycoside.
Stevia is suitable natural non synthetic alternative sweetener for diabetes and phenylketonuria patients as well as for obese persons intending to lose weight and till date no allergic reaction to it was claimed to exist. It is pH stable, non fermentative, flavor enhancing, heat stable and clinically tested.
For awareness purpose for Indian law making authorities, Stevia is approved as food additive by National Health Inspection Authorities in China; in Australia, it is listed under the Australia Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)- 1999; US FDA-1994 approve stevia for usage as dietary supplement (GRAS); Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of World Health Organization (JECFA) also granted permission in 2004 to use stevia as a food additive.
FSSAI must provide the scientific basis of such notice which is contradictory to the research findings globally.
Most importantly, government authority should consider that now people are not unaware or uneducated in India, esp for food related issues before generating such notices.
11 Comments
September 6, 2011 | No two droughts are alike
Richard,
Very intelligently articulated article.You have made a very point regarding factoring time of monsoon delay in drought mitigation programes by GoI.
By the way where can I find the govt document which contains the DMP (Drought Management Programme)of GoI as I wanted to study it from the academic standpoint.
2 Comments
September 5, 2011 | A forest guard’s life is tough
An excellent article.Thanks for highlighting plight of these foot soldiers,who protects our forest & wildlife.
16 Comments
September 5, 2011 | Lessons from Kakarapalli
Dear Mrs. Narain
NGOs such as yours and Team Anna are doing a great job in highlighting issues.The Farming community are at the receiving end of the elements of nature. Surely they do not need man made distructive elements to add to it.
Farmers of some districts in AP have adopted crop holiday because they could not sell their produce. All this is due to the Governments lack of foresight. Government should be made accountable and transparent and willing to listen to its people.
23 Comments
September 5, 2011 | Who messed it up?
It is sad to see how Guahati has declined over the years. I remember as a kid I will visit the city practically every year to see an uncle. The outskirts used to be so beautiful and now there are concrete monstrosities all around while the city itself seems to be choking on the growing crowds.
3 Comments
September 5, 2011 | Lessons from Kakarapalli
The reason behind need & growth of such take-overs is growing population and urbanisaton.
Merely checking a fallout is not likely to help.
The need of the hour is to strike balance between providing better opporunities at such places and environmental damage.
Another issue which requires attention is vast spaces lying unused in urban/industrial areas.
penalties including vacation can be used after fixing a revnue/employment/utility criterion for all such properties.
23 Comments
September 5, 2011 | 47 power plants in Vidarbha
I like it same other report pls updated me.
1 Comments
September 4, 2011 | Lessons from Kakarapalli
the struggle of kakarapalli villagers is genuine and the sacrifices they are making are invaluable. The efforts of CSE in bringing critical issues into public domain and discussion board are well appreciated. the stoppage of projects temporarily cannot be construed as final. the vested interests can stike back and influnce the poor people after the present wave of movement subsides. Therefore the local people have to be adequately compensated financially with additional and sustainable income generating resources and skills immediately on an urgent basis.
The sustaianble mangrove forest development done by comunities living in the estuarian areas of River krishna in Krishna and Guntur Districts can be studied and the suceessful models can be multiplied in all the estuaries of the country more specifically in Andhra Pradesh. The concerns of ecology and biodiversity coupled with liveleihoods of locals have to be kept in mind while formulating different models of development.
Thrift and credit based SHGs develpment and strengthening the existing SHGs can be done with a view to sustaian the benefits of the ongoing movement.
Ecologiacally sustaianble, economically viable and socailly acceptable models have to be developed and put in place.
23 Comments
September 4, 2011 | Lessons from Kakarapalli
Dear Ms. Narain,
Thank you fro publishing this story of the governmental misuse of land without examining an EIA review before giving green light for such a project. The point is this that India wants to catch up its energy back-logs for supporting its development needs and may have been following the same politics like that of China. Today in this world of globalisation money can purchase anything and corruption is the deadly instrument that helps to attain the greedy targets at any cost.
However, in your fight against such injustice we, the PROs and NIRs can come to your side provided in your article if you can provide some "locational maps" and "environmentaland ecological imperatives" data in order to understand the depth of the problems and their consequences. I would have been happy if you you can consider this point in your subsequent articles.
Most thankfully
Dr Hari Baral
23 Comments
Good job bringing this to light. People won't realise how huge the problem is and municipalities are woefully ill equipped to...
Agreed; mining can never be sustainable, but then how do you get the metals to make all the things you need in the course of...
Very good piece.