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MOST POPULAR
- Monsoon arrives early; kills 10 people in Uttarakhand
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- Waste-to-energy plant in Vijaywada shuts down
- Gujarat pollution board gets a makeover in efficiency 33
- India’s population to overtake China’s by 2028; can it leverage the advantage?
- Assam heat wave kills over 10 people
- Environment ministry wants to restore night traffic through Bandipur tiger reserve 52
- A green facade 45
- Diesel: when bad policy makes for toxic hell 38
- Gujarat pollution board gets a makeover in efficiency 33
- What’s good insulation? 30
- How vulnerable are India's nuclear power plants to disaster 28
- Grand distraction called river interlinking 28
- Eat at your own risk 27
- Green energy takes toll on green cover 26
- Temporary solution, permanent jam 25
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Transport
Gujarat game
Issue Date: Aug 15, 2006
In India, Gujarat was the first state to make commercial use of biodiesel in buses, but it reverted to regular diesel within months. The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation contends it had to discontinue biodiesel because of lack of supply. The biodiesel was made by blending diesel with jatropha oil, supplied by Gujarat Oleo Chem Ltd (GOCL). The fuel was distributed by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). But IOC stopped supplies after a fight over pricing with GOCL.
In Short
Issue Date: Jul 31, 2006
kandla mishap: 15 labourers were killed on June 29, 2006, at the Kandla port in Gujarat, when a Cyprus flag ship M V Pontonostos collided with the Anchor Handling Barge. The accident occurred in the navigational channel, where the ship hit the barge, which had 25 labourers on it. The barge belonged to Jaishu Shipping Pvt Ltd owned by Pritambhai Kevalramani. He has filed a complaint in the Kandla police station and also petitioned the Gujarat High Court seeking compensation for damages and for the dead workers.
In court
Issue Date: May 15, 2006
high price: A French court has imposed the highest-ever marine pollution fine of about us $980,000 for a 61-km fuel slick, off the French coast, in 2005. The captain and the owner of the container ship Maersk Barcelon had deliberately discharged contaminated water into the sea, while it was passing the Breton coast in September last year. The slick, which contained much more hydrocarbon than the permitted 15 parts per million, was discovered by the French guards after several hours.
Is the Babudom reformed?
Issue Date: Feb 15, 2006
Administrative Reforms Towards Sustainable Practices edited by Amita Singh Sage Publications New Delhi
We've missed the bus
@ Issue Date: Feb 15, 2005
Kill it, let it die, let's not drag this colossal waste. Bankruptcy with monthly losses totaling Rs 5 crore, indignity of unpaid salaries for 11,500 staff members who help run only 1500 buses forced this euthanasia on the government-run bus transit undertaking in Madhya Pradesh. But we were probably expecting this to happen. Not just to this undertaking in India's largest state but to numerous other city-transport undertakings that have state governments as their bosses.
The smog will remain
Issue Date: Feb 15, 2005
a fresh controversy has erupted regarding the implementation of the National Auto Fuel policy. Union minister of shipping, road transport and highways T R Baalu, in a letter to Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Mani Shankar Aiyar, has demanded a review of the policy's implementation be preponed. The review is scheduled for 2006 in the policy, cleared by the Union cabinet in October 2003.
Government is a loss-making proposition
Issue Date: Jan 31, 2005
theMadhya Pradesh (mp) government had hired a consultancy to suggest ways of managing the mp State Road Transport Corporation (mpsrtc). Before the consultant could give a report, the state government announced its decision to shut down the corporation (see p15). It could have saved the money spent on the consultancy and asked mpsrtc employees.
China shuns green vehicle
Issue Date: Dec 15, 2004
Road not taken
Issue Date: Sep 15, 2004
The High Court of Jharkhand has passed an order banning bauxite-loaded trucks from driving through Palamau Tiger Reserve, Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary and Betla National Park at night. The advocate general of Jharkhand, arguing for the Forest Department, proved conclusively that the noisy, smoke spewing trucks were a threat to the local wildlife and environment. He also pointed out that an alternative route for the trucks existed, and proved that there had been a rapid decline in the wildlife population along the disputed route.
Spoke in the wheel
Issue Date: Apr 15, 2004
more than 80 per cent of Delhi's cycle-rickshaws are facing a dead end. This is because the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (mcd) reintroduced the licensing system for these non-polluting vehicles on March 8. The system was suspended two-and-a-half years ago on the directions of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
