Govt. to promulgate fresh ordinance on Land Bill
Even as the opposition to the Land Acquisition Bill continues in different quarters, the NDA government is determined to bring to Parliament its amended Bill through a fresh Ordinance. The amended NDA
Hindu
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Water pipeline delays ITO Chungi project
PWD officials are hopeful that this work would be completed in a couple of months
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World Bank should fund disaster prevention projects
M. Shashidhar Reddy, Congress MLA and member of the National Disaster Management Authority, on Sunday wanted the World Bank to focus on funding disaster prevention. Delivering the keynote address at the opening session of the Sustainable Development Network Week organised by the Global Forum for Disaster Risk and Recovery (GFDRR) of the World Bank at Washington, Mr. Reddy said the bank at present approached natural disasters in a manner that was reactive rather than proactive and strategic. "When the World Bank is being reactive, project objectives provide for short-term fixes and rarely address the root causes of disaster. Projects are rushed to approval but then disbursement is delayed. Reconstruction projects build infrastructure that is not disaster resilient and the time required for implementation is consistently underestimated,' he said in a press release from Washington. Need for review There was a need to review the working of the World Bank itself to see how it could further get involved in disaster prevention, which will contribute significantly to sustainable development. Quoting from an evaluation about the bank's funding of projects across the world, he observed that it had mostly lent for emergencies since its inception. Some 110 countries have borrowed for natural disasters for about 528 projects covering more than 60 different activities. Reconstruction focus But these focused primarily on reconstruction with just 21 (out of 528) projects being wholly devoted to prevention. His other suggestions included preparing a strategy that takes into account the differing vulnerabilities of borrowing countries, modifying current operational guidelines so that they address the long-term development needs of borrowers and ensuring that the bank has sufficient specialised expertise available to respond quickly. Highlight A highlight of this year's events was the session under the cross-cutting theme "Investing in Disaster Prevention for Sustainable Development,' he said. The opening session was chaired by Kathy Sierra, Vice-President, Sustainable Development Network of the World Bank. "In India there is now a paradigm shift in our approach from the rescue and relief centric approach to a holistic approach covering all phases including pre-disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness,' he said.
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Wounded tiger dies in Van Vihar
A leopard too shot dead in Panna district, hunter arrested A wounded tiger, said to have been shot by poachers at Uchera in the Panna-Satna forest belt earlier this week, died in Van Vihar National Park here over the weekend. A leopard was also shot dead by wildlife hunters near Panna on Saturday. Panna National Park Director G. Krishnamurthy told The Hindu on Saturday evening that the leopard was shot by a villager in the territorial forest of South Panna division bordering Damoh district. The villager who allegedly shot the leopard has been arrested and the Chhattarpur Conservator of Forest has rushed to the spot for investigation. Following the death of the Uchera tiger, the State Forest Department's wildlife wing has decided to stuff its skin and keep it as a stuffed tiger in its original form in Van Vihar Narional Park for educational purpose. Educating people Van Vihar Assistant Director A.K. Khare said the idea was to indicate the bullet wounds inflicted by poachers and show the people how the tigers are facing the threat of extinction. He said the wounded tiger was located in the contiguous forest of the Kalda Pahad in Panna district and the Parasmania Pathar (plateau) of Satna district. Mr. Chandra Shekhar Dube of Care for the Wild said it would be difficult to conclude at this stage whether the tiger's habitat also included some area of the Panna National Park. The tiger was skinned on Saturday and its skeletal remains were taken out for investigation and stuffing purpose. Its remaining body parts were burnt in the presence of the Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Ashok Bhatia, Van Vihar personnel and media persons here on Saturday evening. On being found injured, it was tranquillised, operated upon and brought to the Van Vihar National Park by the Panna National Park authorities. When contacted, CREW (Crusade for Revivial of Environment and Wildlife) chairman R.P. Sharma said: "The entire episode is a grim warning how the tigers are threatened in Madhya Pradesh.' Alarming level He said the latest estimation of the tiger population by the Wildlife Institute of India and the Union Government's Tiger Conservation Authority shows that the tiger population has dwindled to alarming levels in the State. The death of the Uchera tiger should be treated as one of the last nails in the tiger's coffin, he added.
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Bharat Forge plans steel unit in West Bengal
Speciality steel-maker Bharat Forge on Thursday announced its decision to set up a one-million-tonne integrated steel unit in West Bengal. It is also in talks with the State Government for setting up a manufacturing hub here on the lines of the one proposed in Maharashtra. The steel unit, which would make high-grade steel for the engineering and the automobile sector, would also have a 500 MW power plant along with some downstream units. While the main unit would be set up by Kalyani Steel, a group company, a forging unit might be set up by Bharat Forge, Amit B. Kalyani, Executive Director, Bharat Forge, said. Earlier, he signed a memorandum of understanding with the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation and the West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation (WBMDTC) towards setting up the steel unit, in the presence of State Industry Minister, Nirupam Sen. WBMDTC would help source coal for the project. Mr. Sen said that they were shown two sites for the project, one at Salboni near the Jindal project and another in Durgapur. Mr. Amit Kalyani said the detailed project report would be ready in 12 months. The Bharat Forge group is also planning to locate its eastern regional headquarters in Kolkata and efforts are now on to find about four acres close to the city.
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Sex ratio in J&K disturbing
Experts at a two-day workshop organised by the Post Graduate Department of Community Medicine (P&SM) under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) at the Government Medical College here expressed concern over the disturbing sex ratio in some parts of the State. Data compiled by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics of the State government shows that the population of female child is fast deteriorating. In Kathua district, the latest ratio is 796 girls to 1,000 boys in the urban side and 847 females to 1,000 boys in the rural part. The trend in Jammu district, which includes Jammu city, is no different. It is 820 girls to 1,000 boys in Jammu district (urban-rural combine). Udhampur with 873 girls, Rajouri with 901, Poonch with 906, Kupwara with 953, Budgam with 931, Baramulla with 927 and Leh with 934 girls present a grim scenario. Dr. Sabu George, one of the participants in the meet, said: "The latest figures in some pockets of the State are simply alarming, and a cause of concern for the progressive society of the State as well the whole country.' He traced the origin of the malice to the machines used for sex determination. Dr. Yogeshwar, nodal officer, National Rural Health Mission, J&K, however, rued the lack of people's support for the cause. "Though we did start a helpline and issued advertisements in both electronic and print media, seeking the support of people to register complaints against the offenders, no positive response has been received so far,' he said. In the late 90s, just few 100 ultra-sound machines were sold across the country but now around 5,000 such machines are sold every year. Experts also exploded the myth that that the incidence of female-foeticide and abortion of female foetuses after pre-natal sex determination occurred mainly in the rural areas and among the illiterate population. Preference for boy The phenomenon is evenly spread in all sections of society irrespective of caste, colour, region and religion. Shockingly, the preference for a boy is stronger and deep entrenched in the elite, educated, prosperous and urban sections. Hence, the incidents are more frequent in these sections, the experts said, quoting various studies.
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Cross-border deal to protect gorillas
Only 720 mountain gorillas remain in the wild, all of them in the misty hills of central Africa. Efforts to protect the critically endangered mountain gorilla received a big boost on Wednesday when Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo agreed to cooperate on a 10-year conservation plan for the animals. Only 720 mountain gorillas remain in the wild, all of them in the misty hills of central Africa where the three countries' borders meet. In the past 14 months, at least 10 gorillas have been killed in Congo's Virunga park by rebel fighters and people involved in the illegal charcoal trade. Despite the apes' vulnerability, conflict and mistrust among the countries has previously prevented formal cooperative efforts to stop the poaching and stem human encroachment. But in a joint statement on Wednesday, wildlife officials said their park authorities would work together "to ensure the conservation of the mountain gorillas and their Afromontane forest habitat.' Moses Mapesa, head of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, told a news conference in Kampala: "For the first time, the three countries have decided to protect the great apes which are threatened with extinction and insecurity in the region.' More than a decade of human conflict has damaged tourism in eastern Congo, but for Uganda and Rwanda the gorillas are still a prime attraction, with visitors paying
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Milk-cooler units to be opened in Kochi today
The bulk milk-cooler units that have been established in the district with the aim of ensuring the quality of milk will be inaugurated by Kerala Minister for Food and Civil Supplies C. Divakaran at the Kozhipalli Milk Producers' Cooperative Society on Friday. The units have been installed under the Clean Milk Production Programme of the Union government, said T.P. Marcose, chairman of the Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers' Union, while addressing mediapersons at the Ernakulam Press Club on Thursday. "The Centre had sanctioned Rs. 2.2 crore to the district for the scheme. Under this, freshly-taken milk will be stored in the coolers that have been installed at different cooperative societies, thus ensuring the purity of milk. Seventy per cent of the milk produced in Ernakulam will be stored in these coolers that have generator back-up. Societies will also be given computers and electronic-weighing machines. Milma will bear the cost of maintaining the coolers.' The function will also see the inauguration of the marketing of a cost-effective milking machine developed by a society member.
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Compliance of environmental laws by the textile industry not satisfactory: expert
Bangalore: G.S. Nadiger, Director (Laboratories), Textiles Committee, in the Union Textile Ministry on Thursday said that a large number of textile industries and units, particularly those in the processing sector across the country, have failed to meet many environmental laws and regulations. He was speaking at a two-day national seminar on international quality standards in textile and apparel industries and their implementation, organised by the Institution of Engineers (India), Shahi Group, Lakvinsar Projects and Infrastructure. The Principal Secretary (Commerce and Industry) Aravind S. Risbud inaugurated the seminar and released the souvenir. Dr. Nadiger said that despite stringent environmental laws and regulations, the compliance level by the textile industry has not been very satisfactory. The highly decentralised nature of Indian textile industry further complicated the enforcement of the legislation. Fragmented nature For example, he said the fragmented and small-scale nature of the industry could not support an individual effluent treatment plant (ETP) in every company. The solution to this was to have common ETPs for a cluster of industries, which would share the cost. Barring a few textile clusters, the concept of common ETP was yet to become popular in India. He said that the State Governments and the local authorities need to facilitate the eco-compliance by the textile companies by providing water, land for ETPs and dumping the sludge. The small-scale manufacturers of dyes and chemicals and processors should be sensitised and trained to comply with the laws, he added. The expert said that the Department of Forests and Environment should plug the loopholes in terms of enforcement of the laws and regulations. He said that the Union Government has prohibited the use of 112 azo-based commercial dyes releasing 22 harmful amines which should be implemented by the industry. B.L. Girija Shankar, Chairman of Lakvnisar Projects and Infrastructure said that the work on an eco-friendly textile park on a 50-acre plot at Chickkaballapur has begun. He said that the aim of the park was to use organic dyes in the manufacture of textiles to save the consumers. Former President of the Institute of Engineers B.N. Tyagaraja welcomed the gathering. S.M. Chatterjee, Chairman, Textile Engineering Division Board of the institute presided. B. Basavaraj, former Director, Department of Technical Education, D.V. Muniswamy, former Principal, S.K.S. Technological Institute, T.N. Sonwalkar, former Director of Central Silk Technological Research Institute and R.Venkatesh Babu, Chairman of Shahi Groups were felicitated.
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Treatment of kidney diseases in India pathetic, finds study
An additional 1.50 lakh new patients are added to the existing lot every year 5 to 7 p.c. get some form of treatment, rest die without any definite healthcare intervention High cost of treatment, non-availability of donors major limitations for successful treatment NEW DELHI: Each year an additional 1.50 lakh new patients of end-stage chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis or kidney transplant are added to the existing lot in the country. And of these only a measly 5 to 7 per cent are able to get some form of treatment, while the rest die without getting any definite healthcare intervention, a study conducted by All-India Institute of Medical Sciences and funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research has found. The study revealed that the high cost of treatment and non-availability of donors were the major limitation for successful treatment of chronic kidney disease, which also forced people to resort to all sorts of "legal and illegal' methods to get a kidney transplant. "The study took an overview of patients coming in with chronic kidney disease. Prevention of chronic kidney disease in this country is the only option if we want to reduce the cost of therapy related to the disease. Also co-ordinated approach to solve the acute shortage of kidney is required. Screening for chronic kidney disease is important as patients at early stage of kidney disease do not have any symptoms. If missed, then they come to hospital at very late stage when not much can be done,' said Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Additional Professor in the Department of Nephrology at AIIMS and principal investigator of the study. "Kidney diseases and kidney failure are alarmingly increasingly world-wide including India. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Acute kidney diseases are possible to cure, but chronic kidney diseases cannot be cured by any treatment,' he added. In India one in ten people has some form of chronic kidney disease. Diabetes and hypertension are responsible for more than 60 per cent cases of chronic kidney disease. Fifteen per cent of adults in urban areas are diabetic and 40 per cent of these are likely to develop kidney disease. About 20-30 per cent of the adults are hypertensive and many of them will develop chronic kidney disease. Many patients of chronic kidney disease die of cardiovascular complications. Stating that early detection and setting up a robust country-wide organ donor programme were key in controlling the disease, Dr. Agarwal said: "The group, which is at a high risk of developing chronic kidney disease, is first-degree relatives of patients of diabetes, hypertension and patients of chronic kidney disease. This group definitely needs more attention from point of view of prevention of chronic kidney disease.
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Work on East-West Corridor to start soon
Feasibility studies over the alternative project to Tunnel Road have also been taken up DUAC had suggested that the alternate corridor be constructed over the Bara Pulla drain The first phase of East-West Corridor will link Akshardham temple to New Delhi Railway Station NEW DELHI: While bitterness caused over the controversy surrounding the Tunnel Road project from National Highway 24 to Lodhi Road has led to resignation by four members of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission, the Public Works Department of Delhi Government has taken the alternative suggested by the Commission quite seriously and has begun work on the 5.5 km elevated corridor from Sarai Kale Khan to INA Colony on the Bara Pulla drain. Engineer-in-Chief of PWD R. Subramanian said, "The DUAC had suggested that the alternate corridor be constructed over the Bara Pulla drain and so we have undertaken feasibility studies for the elevated road project that would provide a fast link between Sarai Kale Khan and INA Colony.' This road project would involve construction of two three-lane carriageways. The elevated corridor would pass by Nizamuddin, Jangpura and Lodhi Colony on the way to INA Colony. Areas of concern However, there are some areas of concern here too as the Bara Pulla drain is also an aesthetic feature of Delhi and the corridor would pass close to some tombs as well. The PWD would soon also start work on the first phase of the elevated East-West Corridor that has been approved by the DUAC. Mr Subramanian said while the entire first phase is 8 km long and involved construction of an eight-lane corridor from near Akshardham temple on the banks of the Yamuna in East Delhi to New Delhi Railway Station, what has been approved thus far by DUAC is the section up to Ring Road near Bhairon Marg behind Pragati Maidan. New bridge He said as part of this corridor