================================================== CSE's Fortnightly News Bulletin (March 19, 2012) ==================================================
The Union Budget's out, and while it covers some ground in meeting our expectations, it also leaves a lot unsaid and undone -- big cars and SUVs get a blast of tax hike, but misuse of diesel fuel subsidy by cars earns no censure. See our press release on this ( http://www.cseindia.org/content/budget-2012-a-mixed-bag-says-cse) and follow us for live updates ( http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/live-updates-budget-2012-13). In Down To Earth this fortnight, we have the editor's comment on the contentious issue of river interlinking, while the cover looks at India's ailing transport behemoth, the Railways... Courses, media fellowships, briefings and new reports... this edition of 'What's New at CSE' brings more of all that. As also our latest publication -- 'Paryavaran ki Rajneeti', a collection of Sunita Narain's writings in Hindi. ======================================= To subscribe to this newsletter, or any of our other newsletters, please click on http://cseindia.my2.in/cseindia/?p=subscribe To unsubscribe from this newsletter, just click http://www.cseindia.org/content/please-enter-your-email-id-unsubscribe-cse-newsletter If you have any questions or concerns about newsletter subscription, please contact Vikas Khanna at [email protected] ==================================================== EDITORIAL: Grand distraction called river interlinking by Sunita Narain ====================================================== Last fortnight, the Supreme Court issued a diktat to the government to implement the scheme to interlink rivers. The directions are straightforward.The government shall set up a high level committee of ministers and other representatives on interlinking of rivers; the committee shall meet “at least, once in two months”; in the absence of any member the meeting shall not be adjourned; the committee shall submit a biannual report on actions to the Union Cabinet, “which shall take final and appropriate decisions in the interest of the country as expeditiously as possible and preferably within 30 days from the matter being placed before it for consideration.” Without getting into the obvious matter of judicial overreach, let us take a careful look at what interlinking is all about and what the decision will simply. The fact is that transfer of water from one river basin to another is not, per se, either a novel or an untested idea. Every irrigation project involves such transfer at some scale. The question is what this particular idea of linking rivers implies. The term river linking has come from the idea floated by irrigation engineer K L Rao way back in 1972. He proposed the construction of a grandiose Ganga-Cauvery Canal, which would divert floodwaters of the Ganga near Patna for about 150 days in a year to river Cauvery some 2,640 km away in the south. This idea captured imagination, as it seemed to state such a delicious proposal: take excess water from the Ganga to the water-deficit and stressed areas of Tamil Nadu. A pilot, Captain Dinshaw J Dastur, suggested a variation: construction of garland canals, one for the Himalayan watershed and the other for the Western Ghats. This idea was also appealing, simple and essential. Long-distance irrigation projects then spawned a huge water bureaucracy. In 1982, the National Water Development Agency was set up to study and implement the project to first link peninsular rivers and then Himalayan rivers. Its objective is based on the same simple concept: there are floods in some parts, droughts in the other, so if we link the rivers, we all will be happy. But for equally obvious reasons the agency’s proposals were, government after government, studied, considered and buried. But not forever. In early 2000, the Supreme Court and government got back into the game. The court ordered the government to speed up implementation of the project and set the deadline of 2016 for its completion. The National Democratic Alliance then in power quickly announced the setting up of a task force for linking rivers. It was to complete some 30 river links in two years, adding some 1,000 km of canals. This task was a non-starter. The next government came to power and while the concept appealed, better sense prevailed. Interlinking was found technically unfeasible and costly. But the water bureaucracy did not give up. In 2008, the National Council of Applied Economic Research produced a study volume, in which it explained in simplistic terms that the project would cost Rs 4,44,331.2 crore at the 2003-2004 rates. But this investment would lead to rich dividends in terms of increased household income and prosperity for all, it stated. The report would have gone unnoted but for the Supreme Court, which has bought this line and ordered the government to obey or face contempt. The question still is: what does this project imply, given that a massive number of irrigation projects on the government’s wish list remain incomplete? First, it implies the notion that there is huge surplus of water in river basins. This assumption is flawed. Most river basins today are overextended in usage, and in most regions tension is growing between old rural users of surface water and new industrial and urban users. The Mahanadi basin, which would be linked to the Godavari is a classic example of this error. As Down To Earth explained in a recent investigation, there is little unallocated water in the basin (see ‘In deep water’, Down To Earth, February 16-29, 2012). The second assumption that floodwaters can be channelised is equally erroneous. The fact is when one river is in spate so is next river and transferring water would require huge storage facilities. Construction of large reservoirs has massive environmental impacts not considered in the scheme. Many irrigation projects are stalled on this count. More importantly, the government’s track record in resettling people displaced by such projects is abysmal. The third assumption is that India will gain from investment in irrigation projects is indeed true. But it is equally true that the current challenge is to ensure that the projects, already built and commissioned, are kept operational. The 12th Five Year Plan working group clearly states that priority is bridging the growing gap between the irrigation potential created and utilised. The idea of interlinking rivers is appealing because it is so grand. But this is also the reason it is nothing more than a distraction that will take away precious time and money from the business at hand. The task is to provide clean water to all and to use the resource with efficiency. This agenda needs our attention. Indeed our obsession. Post your comments on this editorial online at http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/grand-distraction-called-river-interlinking ======================= MORE FROM DOWN TO EARTH ======================= - Cover Story: Time for an overhaul The health of the Indian Railways needs to be restored -- DTE traces the network’s ailments and examines ways to bring it back on track http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/time-overhaul - Special Report: Endgame begins Experts say India needs to move beyond oral vaccine to battle vaccine-generated polio http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/endgame-begins - Special Report: Smart but pricey Why automatic water meter technology is not the best idea for households http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/smart-pricey - Special Report: Bamboo Under siege Gadchiroli villages relinquish forest rights to Ballarpur paper mill http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/bamboo-under-siege - 20 years of DTE: Age-old barbarism Edited excerpts tracing the history of cruelty to animals http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/age-old-barbarism - Science and Technology: Lest mountain slips Wireless sensor network to predict landslides http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/lest-mountain-slips - Science and Technology: Cop’s weapon to track rogue plants Geographical profiling used to hunt down criminals can help predict spread of invasive species http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/cop-s-weapon-track-rogue-plants - Science and Technology: Vitamin shield Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to lessen pesticides’ effects http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/vitamin-shield - Interview: We still have to reach the interiors In conversation with W Selvamurthy, senior scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) - News: Mired in sewage Temple town Guruvayur adamant on dumping its sewage in backwater villages despite stringent laws, opposition http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/mired-sewage - News: Rajasthan bans GM trials But bureaucrats sit on file, while GM mustard sails through http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/rajasthan-bans-gm-trials - News: Accreditation scheme on hold Karnataka High Court stays accreditation of consultants who assess environmental impact http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/accreditation-scheme-hold - Crosscurrents: A cosmetic leap of faith Industry ignores perils of using nanotechnology in beauty products http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/cosmetic-leap-faith - Column: Patently absurd by Latha Jishnu Old wisdom, new threats -- medicine, traditional knowledge and IPRs http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/old-wisdom-new-threats Down To Earth is now on Facebook and Twitter. Do follow us, share, comment, and discuss and stay in constant touch with our reporters on www.facebook.com/down2earthindia and twitter@downtoearthindia. =========================== Web DTE =========================== - Carcinogenic benzene levels peak in Delhi Petrol pumps and heavy traffic locations worst affected http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/carcinogenic-benzene-levels-peak-delhi - Okhla waste-to-energy plant safe: Jayanthi Natarajan Activists, residents contest the statement; say India has no standards on emissions from incinerators http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/okhla-waste-energy-plant-safe-jayanthi-natarajan - Health ministry hiding facts in Indore clinical trial case? Only one patients’ consent was not available, says health minister in Rajya Sabha http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/health-ministry-hiding-facts-indore-clinical-trial-case - The flush, the city and the river Our cities face a twofold problem — shortage of water and the crippling health consequences of dirty water. http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/flush-city-and-river - Reporter's Diary: Money matters Sonal Matharu finds out how schemes for women and children are all about making money and neglect their health http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/money-matters-0 - Blog: Paying farmers for ecological services MGNREGA 2.0 has the potential but its realisation needs course correction http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/paying-farmers-ecological-services - Blog (on the CSE website): Who are we taking for a ride The controversy on the Delhi BRT and all that... http://www.cseindia.org/content/who-are-we-taking-a-ride =========================== On India Environment Portal =========================== - Blog on the Renewable Energy Portal: A Dearth of Ideas Delhi needs to critically rethink its move to abandon roof-top solar scheme http://re.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/blogs/dearth-ideas You are invited to be our partner and contribute to the RE portal. If you come across interesting renewable energy projects, case studies or stories, the RE portal can be a platform to spread the message (through articles, photos, videos, blogs etc.). Do chip in. - CSE Photo Library presents a selection of photos on environment and development by Anil Agarwal and Sunita Narain http://www.flickr.com/photos/csepictures/sets/72157628728282841/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/csepictures/sets/72157628849514621/ - India Environment Portal is now on Facebook and Twitter. Do follow us, share, comment, and discuss and stay in constant touch with us on http://www.facebook.com/pages/indiaenvironmentportal/228015872817 and http://www.twitter.com/indiaenvportal For more details or any assistance, contact Kiran Pandey at [email protected], [email protected]. ============================================= LEARNING WITH CSE Courses offered by Anil Agarwal Green College ============================================= Managing Information in the Digital Age: Training Programme on Library, Information Management and Web-based Outreach Date: March 20-23, 2012 Course content: - Planning and managing resource centres in the digital age - Sourcing information (print/electronic, internet for research) - Organising Information: Classification & Indexing (including digitized resources) - A primer on managing audio-visual resources (films, photos, Cds, etc.) - Digitisation and e-documentation of news clippings, articles, reports and documents - Building contact databases - Knowledge creation and dissemination (Information Services/Products) - E-mail for outreach (mass mail using open source s/w) - Online presence : reaching out through the web - Potential of social media and web 2.0 for information dissemination and communication Further details: http://www.cseindia.org/node/1653 Register online: http://www.cseindia.org/node/997 NOTE: Few fellowships for participants from South Asia available. Course contact: Kiran Pandey Prgramme Director-Information Management Phone: +91 (011) 29955124/125 (Ext. 287) Mob: 9968767698 Fax: +91 (011) 29955879 Email: [email protected], [email protected] ---------------------------------------------- CSE's short term training on Social Impact Assessment To build capacity and create awareness among regulators, developers, NGOs and academicians to understand SIA process Date: March 26-28, 2012 Couse content: - Exposure to aspects of SIA, from theory to applications regarding: - Integrated approach for addressing SIA and EIA process - Knowledge on review of SIA reports and identification of strengths and weaknesses - Post SIA monitoring - Procedure for institutional strengthening and capacity building - Experience sharing on national and international best practices in SIA For registration kindly email Sujit at [email protected] Course contact: Sujit Kumar Singh Centre for Science and Environment 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi-110062 Ph: 91-11-29955124/ 6110 (Ext. 281); Fax: 91-11-2995 5879 Mobile: 9899676027, 9910496283, 981056423 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Training Programme on Urban Rainwater Harvesting Date: March 27-29, 2012 Last date of application: March 20, 2012 Course content: - Overview –Water – yesterday, today and tomorrow - Science of rainwater harvesting - Technology of rainwater harvesting - Harvesting the city’s water endowment - Policy framework for rainwater harvesting - Making water everybody’s business For further details, please visit: http://www.cseindia.org/content/training-programme-urban-rainwater-harvesting-march-27-29-2012 Course contact: Sanyukta Das Gupta Research Associate, Water Programme unit Centre for Science and Environment 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi - 62 Phone: +91 (011) 29955124/125 (Ext. 244) Mob: 08826849773 Fax: +91 (011) 29955879 Email: [email protected]/[email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Managing Urban Air Quality: Focus on Clean Vehicle Technology and Fuels An orientation programme for policy makers Date: March 27 - 29, 2012 Course content: - Pollution challenge of urbanisation - Understanding air quality, trends and monitoring in Indian cities - Why vehicles are a special challenge? - Meeting national ambient air quality standards - Vehicle technology and clean fuel roadmap - Gaseous fuel programme – emissions and safety management - Vehicle technology and fuel economy - Challenges of in-use vehicles and transit traffic - Vehicle inspection system in India and ways to improve it Course details: http://www.cseindia.org/content/orientation-programme-managing-urban-air-quality-focus-clean-vehicle-technology-and-fuels-1 Course contact: Priyanka Chandola Tel: 011 - 29955124 Mob: 9810414938 Fax: 011 - 29955879 Email: [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------ Training Programme on Sustainable Buildings On 'Policy and practices to make our habitats sustainable' Date: April 11-13, 2012 Course contact: Sakshi C. Dasgupta Deputy Programme Manager, Sustainable Building Programme Centre for Science and Environment 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi - 62 Phone: +91 (011) 29955124/125 (Ext. 250) Mob: +91 9811910901 Fax: +91 (011) 29955879 Email: [email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Agenda for Survival A certificate course on the policies, practices and politics of environmental management in India Date: June 1 – 30, 2012 Last date for applying by: April 21, 2012 Course content: - State of India’s environment: An overview - Poverty and the biomass economy - Ecological rights & natural resource management - Conflicts over land use: Agriculture, industry, urbanization - Urban growth challenges: Water & waste management, air pollution & mobility - Sustainable industrialisation & public health concerns - Climate change & global environmental governance - Week long field visit to Himalayas and several with Delhi - Group assignments: Produce a magazine or web documentary, in addition to case study presentations & hands-on workshops Eligibility: The course is open to 25 young professionals and college students from any stream. Further details: http://cseindia.org/node/1701 Course contact: Sharmila Sinha Ph: +91-11-2995 5124 / 6110 (Ext. 270); Mobile: 9818482018 Email: [email protected] / [email protected] ================================ UPDATES FROM OUR PROGRAMME UNITS ================================ For regular updates, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cseindia - CSE Media Fellowships: Applications are invited from journalists in India to investigate and report on any one of the following four subjects: 1. Renewable energy: solution for the future? 2. Sustainable mobility for livable cities 3. Lives transformed: Tales of climate change impacts 4. Good news: Celebrating success stories in managing lives, livelihoods and the environment Date: April - June, 2012 Last date of application: April 15, 2012 For details, please visit http://www.cseindia.org/content/cse-media-fellowships --------------------------------------------------------- - Workshop and media briefing on ‘Our Right of Way: Walk and Cycle’ CSE is bringing together experts, policy makers, civil society groups and the media to discuss how safe cities can be built around walking and cycling to improve the quality of urban life Date: March 22, 2012 Place: New Delhi For details, please visit http://cseindia.org/content/cse-workshop-our-right-way-walk-and-cycle For details contact Ruchita at [email protected] or Papia(for media) [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------- - The Green School Awards Ceremony The top 20 'green' schools in India will be honoured for their work on making their campuses and societies environmentally aware and active. The event will also see the release of a CSE publication titled 'How green is My Neighbourhood?' Date: March 28, 2012 Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Place: Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre For details, please visit http://www.cseindia.org/content/gsp-awards-2011-2012 or get in touch with Ajanta Sikdar at [email protected] -------------------------------------------------------- - South Asian Media Briefing Workshop on Food Safety and Environmental Toxins A two day media briefing to share a range of issues under the broader subject of food safety and environmental toxins -- pesticides, junk food, contaminants, drugs of daily use, industrial contaminants, industrial liability, regulations and regulatory capacity. Date: March 29-30, 2012 Place: New Delhi Register Online: http://cseindia.org/node/2937 For details, visit http://www.cseindia.org/node/3680 or contact Papia at [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------ - Round table on 'Energising the energy efficiency in buildings agenda' The Green Buildings team of CSE is organising a round table to look into impediments for mandating ECBC, executing ESCO contracts for public buildings, promoting Energy Star labelling for buildings and requiring regular Energy Audits for designated consumers amongst other provisions of the Energy Conservation Act 2001. Date: April 6, 2012 Place: CSE, 4th Floor,Core 6A, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi For details, visit http://cseindia.org/node/3812 or contact Sakshi at [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------- - Fellowship Media Briefing Workshop on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation Open only to active journalists and mediapersons Date: May 2-4, 2012 For details, please contact Papia ([email protected]), or check out http://cseindia.org/content/cse-fellowship-media-briefing-workshop-tigers-tiger-habitats-and-their-conservation-india -------------------------------------------------------- - Update from Catch Water newsletter In this issue of Catch Water, the main stories look at the failure of the government to play its role of a custodian and trustee of water resources on behalf of the people. Groundwater is being mined recklessly across the country, with the government playing the role of an onlooker.... To read more, just go to http://cseindia.org/content/newsletter-2 ------------------------------------------------------ - Churning Still Water CSE has come up with a paper called "Churning still water"- on conservation and management of urban waterbodies in India. The paper discusses the state of urban waterbodies, conservation and management in India and has tried to bring out the threats to the urban waterbodies in India. The paper has also reviewed the existing policies, acts and laws to tackle the loss of these bodies of water. To see the report click on http://www.cseindia.org/content/churning-still-water-briefing-paper-urban-waterbodies For any queries get in touch with Sushmita Sengupta at [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Green Building Report CSE's Green Building Team has come out with a report on ‘Buildings: Earthscrapers: Environment Impact Assessment of Buildings’- A critique on the current regulatory instrument available to assess the environmental impact To download the report, please visit http://www.cseindia.org/node/3585 For any queries get in touch with Sakshi C. Dasgupta at [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Jaipur Citizen's Survey: Transport and air quality challenges CSE's Clean Air Campaign team is organising a citizens’ survey in Jaipur to understand the challenges of air pollution and transportation that the city faces, and identify the way forward. Would you like to volunteer your participation in the survey? Just fill out a form at http://cseindia.org/node/1190 and send it to us. For details, please get in touch with Vivek at [email protected] ----------------------------------------------------------------- - RainWater Harvesting Technical Support Every Friday between 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, CSE provides detailed technical guidance to interested individuals, RWAs and institutions to implement rainwater harvesting. The technical assistance will be provided at CSE’s office at 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area. For details, see http://www.cseindia.org/content/catch-rainwater-solve-your-water-problems ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Technical advice: Decentralised wastewater treatment systems Every second and fourth Friday, meet our experts at CSE, 41, Tughlaqabad Institutional Area for guidance on planning and designing these systems. For details, contact Deblina at [email protected] or call her on 9899596661. ==================================== The CSE Store ==================================== - 'Paryavaran ki Rajneeti' (The Politics of Environment), a collection of writings of Sunita Narain in Hindi. For details, just visit http://csestore.cse.org.in/books/water/paryavaran-ki-raajneeti.html ================== About this e-mail ================== You are receiving this newsletter because you have asked to be included in our list, attended a CSE event or requested information. CSE is an independent, public interest organization that was established in 1982 by Anil Agarwal, a pioneer of India's environmental movement. CSE's mandate is to research, communicate and promote sustainable development with equity, participation and democracy. -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
