• Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Namo Narain Meena admitted in Parliament on May 13, 2005 that the Denmark government had warned the Indian government about the arrival of the fugitive Danish ship carrying hazardous waste, but the ship was allowed to dock in India (see Down To Earth, 'Toxic receipt', May 31, 2005). He said a government inspection team found no hazardous waste on the ship.
• At a recent UN meet, investors of the US and the UK announced their decision to invest US $1 billion on clean energy companies to reduce the risk of climate change. This will include the US $450 million investment they pledged earlier.
• Thousands of fish were found dead and floating in the Gomti river in Uttar Pradesh recently. The state pollution control board said the reason was that the dissolved oxygen level in the water dropped because effluents were carried into the river by the rains. But the Lucknow Municipal Corporation blamed a factory for dumping its effluents in the river. An inquiry has been ordered.
• Indonesia has protested the EU decision to temporarily ban the import of its fish products due to the threat of histamine contamination. The country's minister of maritime and fisheries Fredy Numberi claimed: "The bacteria was found after the tuna had been in the EU market, or had passed the port of entry."
• Russia's Atomic Energy Agency director Aleksandr Rumyantsev said on May 11, 2005 that his country will let US inspectors examine those nuclear installations where equipment was installed with US help. There are dozens of such sites in the country. Russia will, however, not allow them access to its most secret facilities.
• The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) recently protested the arrest of its main leaders by Hyderabad Police. PFF says fisherfolk from all over Sindh had gathered in front of the Fisheries Department office at Hyderabad for a peaceful demonstration against the contract system, on the first day of the auction of fishing rights. The arrests were unwarranted as they were exercising their democratic rights, it adds.
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