Will Bangladesh's move make Indian moratorium on controversial Bt Brinjal irrelevant?

Indian NGOs seek New Delhi's intervention to stop Dhaka's move on Bt Brinjal

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 30, 2013, 09.09PM IST 

NEW DELHI: With Bangladesh is getting ready to give its final go ahead to commercial production of genetically modified Brinjal in the country, the anti-GM food groups in India want New Delhi's intervention under international convention and protocol to stop Dhaka doing so as the impending move has potential to endanger rich biodiversity of entire South Asia. 

They feel that once Bangladesh allows cultivation of GM food crops, the existing moratorium on Bt Brinjal in India will have no meaning as the transgenic variety of this popular vegetable can easily seep into Indian side through porous border. 

Prominent civil society groups and NGOs like Greenpeace and Coalition for GM Free India on Wednesday said that it was the same genetically modified Brinjal which was rejected in India and Philippines. "After the failure of getting this risky Bt Brinjal released in India and Philippines, the GM industry has now turned to Bangladesh. Once the transgenic variety of this vegetable gets clearance in Dhaka, it will automatically enter India illegally through porous border", said Rajesh Krishnan, co-convenor of the Coalition for GM Free India. 

He reminded how Bt Cotton had made its entry into India way back in 2001 when its illegal proliferation could not be contained by regulators here. 

Demanding the government to invoke provisions of the international Convention and Protocol to guard the country from any adverse decision taken by Bangladesh, Neha Saigal - sustainable agriculture campaigner of Greenpeace India - said, "The commercialization of Bt Brinjal in Bangladesh poses a threat to the entire Indo-china region which is considered as the centre of origin and diversity of this vegetable." 

She said, "Government of India must take adequate measures under the Article 25 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to stop any such trans-boundary movement of the GM crop in the eventual case of Bt Brinjal cultivation in Bangladesh". 

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to which both India and Bangladesh are parties to, recommends that all measures should be put in place to protect centres of origin and diversity of crops. The Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety, an instrument of the CBD, was specifically created for safeguarding biodiversity, including human health, from either intentional or unintentional trans-boundary movement of living modified organisms. 

The Protocol also highlights the need for all parties to take adequate measures to prevent any damage from this inherently risky technology. 

Referring to these instruments, Krishnan said, "Given that India is holding the president-ship of the CBD until next year, it is all the more important that we take leadership in ensuring that biodiversity - which is a common inheritance of humankind - is safeguarded from any risky propositions like genetically modified organisms". 

He also urged the government to share all its analysis on BT Brinjal - the basis of its moratorium decision - with Bangladesh and request Dhaka not to release this GM food crop.

Civil Societies in India remain alert to use and abuse of GMOs

NGOs seek action against companies selling GM food product without disclosing its content

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 28, 2013, 09.42PM IST 

NEW DELHI: Noting that the transgenic food products are being sold in Indian markets without being mandatorily labeled as "GM" (Genetically Modified), a forum of civil society groups on Monday wrote to the ministry of consumer affairs asking it to take action against those who are selling such product without declaring its genetically engineered content. 

A coalition for GM Free India - the forum comprising many civil society groups - alleged that cotton seed oil from BT Cotton and genetically modified soybean oil were being marketed by flouting the government's existing rules to this effect. 

Pointing out that the government had in January this year made it mandatory for any genetically modified (GM) food product sold in Indian markets to be labeled as "GM", the Coalition in its letter to the ministry said that consumers would logically and rightfully expect that any packaged food with GM should carry the label to alert them and to make 'choice' possible for them. 

Highlighting how the government machinery has failed to implement its rules over GM food products, Rajesh Krishnan, co-convenor of the Coalition, said, "It is an open secret that while no GM food crop has been approved for commercialization in our country, cotton seed oil from Bt Cotton is being sold without any monitoring or labeling....It is unfortunate that Indians are forced to eat it (transgenic food product) without being given a choice." 

The Coalition's letter to the ministry pointed to the fact that these products do not conform to the labeling requirement imposed by the Legal Metrology Act Amendment last year. The existing rule says that "every package containing the genetically modified food shall bear at the top of its principal display panel the words GM". 

Bringing it to the notice of the ministry, the group pointed out that cotton seed oil and soybean oil are being used in different parts of the country as cooking medium. While cotton seed oil is being processed locally, soybean oil is being imported through a one-time clearance provided by Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) of the ministry of environment and forest. 

"However, no soybean oil package sold in the country or other products which contain such imported soybean oil from GM Soy are being marked as such, despite the new notification coming into effect from the 1st of January 2013", said the coalition in its letter to B N Dixit, director (legal metrology) in the ministry of consumer affairs. 

Reiterating its request for implementation of the notification through pro-active action, the coalition said since the labeling law had come into effect from January, consumers would logically and rightfully expect that any packaged food with GM would carry the label to alert them and to make informed consumer choice possible.

Water use efficiency is key to save the precious resource for future generations ..... India Water Forum

http://t.co/0oei6oQcmU

President Pranab Mukherjee pitches for stricter regulation to conserve water

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 28, 2013, 09.53PM IST 

"A broad over-arching national legal framework of general principles on water could pave the way for essential legislation on water governance in the country," the President said.

NEW DELHI: Amid prediction of acute water shortage in the country by 2050 due to limited potential of 'utilizable' quantity of this resource, President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday called for a broad over-arching "national legal framework" to deal with the situation and appealed the users to work for cutting down wastage.

Mukherjee also pitched for "disincentives" and "stricter regulation" mechanism to deal with inefficient water consumption in the country.

He was speaking after inaugurating the second 'India Water Forum' (IWF), which will in the next two days try to find out ways and means to deal with the impending crisis.

Noting how the per capital availability of water has consistently been reducing due to population expansion, rapid urbanization and developmental needs, the President emphasized that the pricing mechanism for using water has to act as "an incentive for saving and disincentive for wastage".

The IWF is being organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in association with different central ministries, including ministry of water resources, and World Bank.

Reminding the participants the "real" danger of climate change which will severely affect water resources in the country, Mukherjee said, "Usable water is a scarce commodity. The pricing mechanism has to act as an incentive for saving and disincentive for wastage. The role of water users associations has to be strengthened by giving them adequate powers for collection of water charges and management of water distribution system".

Ruing that the current legal framework pertaining to water in India is non-uniform and inadequate to deal with the complex water situation, the President said, "A broad over-arching national legal framework of general principles on water could pave the way for essential legislation on water governance in the country".

Speaking on various solutions based on 3 R - reduce, recycle and reuse - strategy for sustainable use of water resources, he also pitched for popularizing rain water harvesting by dovetailing existing rural development schemes like MNREGA.

The TERI director general and chairman of the key UN body, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), R K Pachauri too called for an urgent action to deal with the situation and emphasized on "water use efficiency" as one of the most promising approaches for ensuing water security.

Sharing findings of the IPCC, he said the UN body too had projected that the per capital availability of water in India would be around two-thirds of the current level by the middle of the century. "Hence, a large part of India and the population of the country would be characterized by a situation of water stress," said Pachauri.

Idea of the IWF is to explore vast opportunities in developing technically viable and economically feasible solutions for governance and management of water resources. Experts from different countries, including Israel, are participating in this event.....................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMy8xMC8yOSNBcjAxMzAx&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom 

Solar Impulse to date India and China in 2015

http://t.co/ugnDup78UP

Solar powered airplane to touch ground in India in 2015

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 27, 2013, 09.02PM IST 

NEW DELHI: The Solar Impulse - a revolutionary solar powered airplane which had completed its first cross-country journey in the USA in July - will make New Delhi and Varanasi its landing and departing destinations during its round the world mission in 2015.

Idea behind this Swiss-made airplane, which had completed its US mission without using a drop of fossil fuel on board, is to demonstrate the capabilities of clean technology and renewable energy.

The move comes at a time when the governments across the world are looking for alternatives of fossil fuel to not only fight the menace of climate change by drastically cutting greenhouse gas emissions but also to pull themselves out of the vicious trap of oil economy.

Gregory Blatt, head of communication of this project, who was in India last week to get various clearances for its New Delhi and Varanasi stopovers, told TOI that the Solar Impulse is a kind of tool to tell the world about power and potential of clean energy\technology.

Blatt said if an airplane could fly for such a long hour without using a drop of fossil fuel, then why can't a car run on solar power for 50 r more miles in one go.

"Solar Impulse is not designed to carry passengers, but to carry a message. If we can do it in the air, we can do it in our daily life using clean technology", he said, explaining how this solar powered scientific marvel serves as "an Ambassador for renewable energy".

The around the world mission flights will take place from beginning of March to end of the summer 2015. Landing and departing destinations are currently being identified\finalized in Europe, Gulf countries and China, depending on technical and operational considerations. In India, New Delhi and Varanasi have, however, been finalized for the mission.

Crossing the Pacific is expected to be the most difficult phase of this mission as pilot will have to fly five days non-stop during this leg of the trip.

Solar Impulse - having wingspan of a 747 aircraft, weight of a car and power of a scooter - is constructed in such a way that its thousands of solar panels across its wings can harness power from the sun during the day and its lithium-polymer batteries can store that energy for overnight trips.

Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, co-founders and pilots of the Solar Impulse, who had completed the US mission in July, will fly the airplane in different legs of landing\departing destinations during the 2015 around the world mission.

Since each pilot will have to fly for four-five days during the circumnavigation of the globe, both of them will have to be trained in such a way\condition that they can fly the plane non-stop for five days.

The Solar Impulse had proved itself for the first time in 2010 when it successfully conducted its first-ever historical 26-hour flight. Subsequently in 2011, its first plane - HB SIA - flew to Brussels under the patronage of the European Union and was also invited as a special featured guest to the Paris-Le Bourget International Airshow.

It's second airplane, HB SIB, is under construction and will be completed by early next year.

Over to Warsaw, November 11-22, 2013 .... HFCs issue may hit Indian wall

http://t.co/tTzxz36Gsy

India, US spar over choice of mechanism to phase out HFC

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 22, 2013, 09.48PM IST 

NEW DELHI: With New Delhi sticking to its stand over the controversial HFC – climate damaging refrigerant gas – issue, the ongoing meeting of parties on Montreal Protocol in Bangkok on Tuesday witnessed fireworks between India and the US over the choice of legal instrument to phase out the dangerous gas.

As India continued to oppose shifting HFC issue to the Montreal Protocol, the meeting headed for a deadlock.

Since the Protocol operates on consensus, opposition from India and some West Asian countries will see the stalemate to persist – at least till the time the countries agree to set up a contact group to discuss the management of HFCs. Though India maintained what it has been saying since 2009 climate conference, its recent stand — where it sent some positive signal of selectively using Montreal Protocol instruments to phase down HFCs — had raised some expectations of developed countries in the run-up to the ongoing Bangkok meet.

India showed some flexibility during G-20 deliberations and later during meeting between US president Barak Obama and prime minister Manmohan Singh last month.

Indian representatives told them that New Delhi would not agree to the amendment which seeks to address the HFC issue under the Montreal Protocol. India wants the issue continues to be dealt with under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol which make it mandatory only for developed countries to phase out the dangerous gas having global warming potential.

An official here said, “The developed countries should carefully read what India had agreed for during G-20 and Obama-Singh meeting. New Delhi will not deviate from it. The country will go to the forthcoming UN climate conference in Warsaw next month with the same position over this contentious issue”.

During both the G-20 and Obama-Singh meeting, India had taken a middle path. Though it had agreed to use expertise and institutions of the Montreal Protocol to phase down consumption and production of HFCs, it insisted to keep this issue very much within the UNFCCC for “accounting and reporting of emissions” – a crucial clause that works in favour of developing countries.

Officials here said that the developed countries must respect Indian stand which was backed by several developing countries, including West Asian nations like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Indian representatives are learnt to have reiterated New Delhi’s stand arguing that the country would not be party to any change which defies the core of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol. They said that New Delhi would first like to see the outcome of the Indo-US bilateral (joint task force) over the issue.

Since the US is the prime mover of an amendment for addressing HFC under the Montreal Protocol, it’s important to see what the country has to offer in terms of solutions (economically viable and safe technology) for its phase out, they argued.

The stand was, however, criticized by developed countries, including Canada. Their representatives wondered why the world should wait for a US-India bilateral on HFCs before others can talk about it at multi-lateral forum.

Indian stand causes lot of heart-burns in Bangkok meet - October 21-25, 2013 .... HFCs issue to figure in Warsaw with same intensity

http://t.co/VGYnT2J2J9

India sticks to its stand on HFCs     

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 21, 2013, 09.50PM IST 

NEW DELHI: Resisting pressure from the US and other developed countries, India stuck to its stand of handling HFC — climate-damaging refrigerant gas — issue under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and requested the participating nations to remove the controversial subject from the agenda of the 25th meeting of parties (MOP 25) to the Montreal Protocol on its inaugural day in Bangkok on Monday.

Though the delegates from other countries agreed to retain the agenda item on proposed amendments to the Montreal Protocol, India refused to toe their line.

Indian representatives, including senior officials from the ministry of environment and forests, are learnt to have reiterated New Delhi's stand arguing that the country would not be party to any change which defies the core of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol.

Officials here said that New Delhi would first like to see the outcome of the Indo-US bilateral over the issue. Since the US is the prime mover of an amendment for addressing HFC under the Montreal Protocol, it's important to see what the country has to offer in terms of solutions (economically viable and safe technology) for its phase out, they added.

"We are not rigid. But, we'll have to see whether our industries are ready to move to alternatives that have low global warming potential," said an official, adding that New Delhi would not at all go for any costly alternative as the burden will ultimately be passed on to consumers.

Since HFC is not an ozone-depleting gas, it has been kept out of the Montreal Protocol that currently deals with phasing out ozone depleting substances like hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). The HFC, however, contributes to global warming and its phase-out comes under the Kyoto Protocol, which put the onus of its replacement on developed countries.

The US along with Canada and Mexico moved an amendment for addressing HFCs under the Montreal Protocol, arguing that the phasing out of the ozone-depleting substances has increased the use of HFC, which contributes to global warming.

India, however, refused to be part of it. If HFC comes under the Montreal Protocol, it would be binding on emerging economies, including India, to go for phasing it out in an agreed time-bound legal framework.

India has consistently maintained that the country will not phase out HFC unless there is availability of safe and economically-viable alternatives. New Delhi will go to the crucial climate conference in Warsaw next month with the same stand.

As the stalemate continues, the prominent Delhi-based policy and advocacy group Central for Science and Environment (CSE) urged the Indian government to agree to set up a "contact group" to discuss the management of HFCs where countries can turn in their submissions on how the Montreal Protocol should address control of HFC.

The CSE insisted that any move to shift HFC discussion to the Montreal Protocol should be agreed to by countries under the UNFCCC. 

Air Pollution causes cancer ...... Even non-smokers can get lung cancerin Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other cities in India .... WHO's findings need to be taken seriously

http://t.co/qlgeTla2RQ

Delhi, Kolkata have worst air quality in India: Report

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 19, 2013, 06.25AM IST 

Air quality data of Central Pollution Control Board for 2010 shows that Kolkata and Delhi are among the worst affected cities in terms of air pollution.

NEW DELHI: With the World Heath Organization's (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer declaring air pollution as a major cause of cancer, its findings have put the focus on Indian hotspots like Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Jharkhand which showed high concentration of life-threatening air pollutants.

Air quality data of the government's pollution watchdog, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), for 2010 - the last one in the series of such reports on air quality across the country - shows that Kolkata and Delhi are among the worst affected cities in terms of air pollution.

In fact, figures compiled by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for 2009-11 vindicate what the world health body has concluded while putting 'air pollution' in the same category as tobacco, UV radiation and plutonium as lung cancer causing agents.

Quoting the ICMR data which showed that the highest number of lung cancer cases was reported during 2009-11 in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, noted environmentalist and director general of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Sunita Narain said, "It is a worrying development. We need to take urgent steps to find ways to deal with the menace of air pollution which directly affects our health."

She added, "It's not that we can't do it. Taking the message from what the WHO-backed scientific research has found, the government must immediately make Euro-IV norms in vehicles mandatory across the country and stop incentivizing car users. Government must also focus on public transport in a big way to minimize vehicular air pollution on priority basis."



A CSE report pointed to a forecast of the National Cancer Control Programme which said more than 1.4 million people would suffer from some form of cancer in India by 2026. It also said that out of total number of cases reported during 2009-11 in Kolkata for 20 types of cancers, lung cancer had the highest share of 12%.

CSE executive director of research and advocacy on air pollution Anumita Roychowdhury termed WHO's findings as a "wake up call" for India. She said, "This is the first time scientists have evaluated the air people breathe for its cancer-causing potential. This is a sharp departure from assessing only specific pollutants for cancer potency."

Her report extensively quoted figures of the Delhi Cancer Registry, AIIMS, which said Delhi alone reported 13,000 new cases of cancer every year with 10% of them being lung cancer. It stressed that all those who suffered from lung cancer in recent years did not have any history of smoking.

Roychowdhury said, "The situation demands urgent and immediate policy intervention from the government to prevent exposure early in life to reduce risk as it takes long years for this toxic effect to surface."

She called for "legally binding" targets for Indian cities to meet the air quality standard and gave an example of how it was being done in the US where cities have to face cut in their federal grants if they don't meet the targets. "Why can't we handle it through strict legal framework for cities/states in India?" she asked.......................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMTAvMTkjQXIwMTcwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Will state-owned company match the professionalism and competitiveness of private MNCs?

http://t.co/MJt4FgmEzW

PSU bids to break MNCs’ monopoly in farm innovations

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 17, 2013, 10.54PM IST 

NEW DELHI: After making Indian farmers solely dependent on multinational private giants for overall farm solutions, including high-yielding seed varieties for years, the government is now all set to provide them a public sector cushion through an independent commercial arm of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) that aims to break the monopoly of private firms.


Agrinnovate India (AgIn) Limited — first of its kind PSU whose presence remained unnoticed after its soft launch two years ago — will on Saturday, unveil its plan of action, explaining how it would not only take on top MNCs like Monsanto and Syngenta through marketing innovations of Indian agriculture scientists but also set its footprints abroad by acquiring land on lease for farming and other agro practices.

Setting up research and development (R&D) farms and assisting in setting up of production units outside India — especially in Africa and in the Asia-Pacific region, and other parts of the globe like Latin America — is one of the mandates of AgIn.

"Our aim is to commercialize ICAR technologies, high yielding and disease-resistant crop varieties and planting materials, keeping in mind the interest of farmers who have to largely depend on private giants for seeds and biotechnological products," said MM Pandey, CEO of AgIn.

Pandey, however, preferred to tread cautiously at this juncture and said the public sector company would strive to provide a platform to Indian innovations and share agriculture related information to stakeholders including farmers and foreign clientele.
At present, innovations of Indian agricultural scientists make it to local markets through commercial arms of various agricultural universities and institutions. These bodies, however, lack marketing skills making them an unequal challenger to well-entrenched MNCs.

The intervention through AgIn is expected to help farmers in the long run as it will not only provide them with 'choice' but also bring down price of seeds, biotechnological products, vaccines, diagnostics and other farm implements and machinery through competition in the market.

The company was incorporated on October 19, 2011, as "for profit" firm owned by the Department of Agriculture Research and Education (DARE) under the ministry of agriculture. On the occasion of its foundation day on Saturday, the company will unveil its logo and website.

Besides agriculture, the company will also diversify itself in the area of animal husbandry, fisheries and poultry in due course.

Activities relating to technology for cloning and breeding for both flora and fauna, consultancies, development of soil nutrient maps, post-harvest processing technologies and developing and marketing of value added agro products are also part of the company's mandate.

Climate Change will hit South Asia in our life time ... we can just delay the inevitable by couple of decades

http://t.co/hlRPOAoaPF

Mumbai, Chennai may reach climate tipping point by 2034: Study

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 11, 2013, 01.03AM IST 

The paper carries predictions for 10 Indian cities, saying Mumbai and Chennai will be the first to reach the 'point of no return'.

NEW DELHI: Around 20 years from now, Mumbai and Chennai could routinely start witnessing temperatures hotter than the two cities have experienced in 150 years, an alarming new University of Hawaii study predicting the climate 'tipping points' of various cities around the world has warned.

By 2045, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad would have joined the ranks of cities showing such climate departure, which means even the monthly dips in temperatures would be hotter than that experienced in 150 years (ending 2005), states the paper published in Nature on Wednesday.

The study, a massive new analysis of all climate models, says most cities around the world would have reached their climate tipping points by 2047 if no new steps to contain carbon dioxide emission are initiated.

(Read the full report here)

The paper carries predictions for 10 Indian cities, saying Mumbai and Chennai will be the first to reach the 'point of no return' — as early as 2034 — in the "business as usual" scenario wherein the world makes no special efforts to cut emissions.

Even in the second scenario, where concerted efforts are made to cut emissions, Mumbai is predicted to reach its tipping point by 2051, followed by Chennai a year later. Delhi will follow suit by 2050 (in first scenario) or 2081 (in second scenario).

"The results shocked us. Regardless of the scenario, changes will be coming soon," said lead author Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii. "Within my generation, whatever climate we were used to will be a thing of the past".

Other Indian cities, the study says, will only be delaying the inevitable by a few years. The list predicts Hyderabad would reach tipping point by 2057 or 2085 (under two different scenarios) and Kolkata by 2053 (or 2081).

The years mentioned against each city denotes the beginning of an entirely new — and hotter — climate regime for that city.



These predictions have come from an analysis of 39 climate models developed independently by 21 climate centres in 12 different countries. The Nature reported that Mora and his team of researchers from the University of Hawaii used those climate models to assemble projections on seven environmental variables, such as near-surface air temperature and precipitation, for the years 1860-2005.

"The researchers then ran simulations for the next 100 years to identify the years in which climate variables are predicted to exceed historical limits in various locations", said the report. The study — Projected Timing of Climate Departure from Recent Variability — is the first of its kind which pinpointed when global warming will become the norm in the world's major cities.

The complete global list of cities is available online at the University of Hawaii website. It shows that the Indonesian cities Manokwari will reach its tipping point as early as 2020 and Jakarta by 2029, whereas Maldives capital Male will reach there by 2025 in the business-as-usual scenario.

The statement also referred to the fact that countries first impacted by unprecedented climates are the ones with the least capacity to respond. Co-author Ryan Longman said, "Ironically, these are the countries that are least responsible for climate change in the first place".....................................................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEzLzEwLzExI0FyMDA1MDU=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Israel to increase its agro footprints in India in coming years ...it's time to learn from them and grow

http://t.co/MAd409l9YX

AND

http://t.co/UVE3HPO8YU

Israel to showcase its agro excellence in 10 Indian states by 2015

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 9, 2013, 04.08PM IST 

NEW DELHI: Israel will have its footprints in 10 Indian states by 2015 as it plans to set up various centres of excellence for floriculture, fruits and vegetables. Emboldened by the success of two such centres — one for vegetables in Karnal and another for fruit orchards in Sirsa - in Haryana, both the countries have decided to have 26 similar set-ups in different states under Indo-Israel agriculture cooperation agreement of 2008.

Objective of such centres is to demonstrate Israeli agriculture technologies and know-how to local farmers on use of protected cultivation which allows growing of crops beyond seasonal barrier through efficient use of water and controlling of temperature using poly-houses\canopies.

Calling it the best example of cooperation between the two countries, Israeli minister of economy Naftali Bennett, who visited the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables in Karnal to see its functioning on Tuesday, told TOI that the idea of this step was to increase productivity through efficient use of water and other resources and made the entire agricultural activity less expensive for the farmers not only in Haryana but also in other parts of India.

The concept of cooperation behind these centres is to create a platform for joint Indian and Israeli agriculture research and development (R&D) on the ground that will benefit both the countries in the long run. Each centre will be focused on specific fruit and vegetable crops.

Israel - world leader in agriculture technology - will provide seeds and technologies to help grow new variety of vegetables\fruits like cucumber, capsicum, mango, dates and herbs.

Maharashtra will have the maximum number (four out of 28) of such centres that are to be set up in Nagpur, Rahuri (Ahmednagar district), Dapoli (Ratnagiri) and Roha (Raigad). The centre at Nagpur will be exclusively for citrus fruits, while Rahuri and Dapoli for pomegranate and mango, respectively. A post-graduate harvest college is being established at Roha.

Other states that will have such centres include Tamil Nadu (Hosur and Krishnagiri), Rajasthan (Bassi near Jaipur), Punjab, Gujarat, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar.

Hosur in Tamil Nadu will see intensive vegetable production whereas Krishnagiri will have a canopy management training centre of traditional old mango plantations. Three centres will come up in Rajasthan that will be meant for floriculture, vegetables, fruits and dates.

Israeli ambassador to India Alon Ushpiz, who accompanied Bennett to Karnal, said his country was in the process of setting up such centres in different states in India. Six to eight centres, which are at various stages of development in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab and Karnataka, would be inaugurated by the end of this year, he added.....................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMTAvMTAjQXIwMTUwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Will this whistleblower finally get government act against the wrongdoers?

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Centre comes to Haryana whistleblower’s rescue

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 5, 2013, 03.46AM IST 

Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s persistent move to challenge the decision of the Haryana government went in his favour when he submitted representations before the President through environment and forest ministry.

NEW DELHI: In a decision that may prove to be a big moral-booster for upright All India Services (IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service) officers across the country, the Centre has quashed the Haryana government's departmental chargesheet against whistleblower, Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who had to face the wrath of BS Hooda government for blowing the lid off several forest scams in the state.

The state government had charged Chaturvedi — 2002-batch Indian Forest Service officer of Haryana cadre — and wanted his termination from service on the basis of fabricated charges against him.

The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) had, however, intervened and got the chargesheet against him quashed on Thursday by ignoring the Hooda government's plea.

Chaturvedi's persistent move to challenge the decision of the state government went in his favour when he submitted representations before the President through MoEF.

The quashing of his chargesheet will give a sense of security to all upright officers who want to go against the wish of respective state governments while exposing corruption within the system. It will also send them a message that the Centre may come to their rescue under the All India Services (AIS) Rules if they stand against graft.

Though the rules existed since 1969, the Centre rarely used this keeping in mind the wish of state governments. The Chaturvedi's case has, therefore, presented an unprecedented example of the Centre's intervention in support of the IAS officer.

The order will also have a direct bearing on the Haryana cadre IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who, too, is facing disciplinary inquiry and an impending chargesheet for exposing a multi-crore land scam in the state. Whether the Central government acts in Khema's favour would depend on who comes to power in Delhi next year, but Chaturvedi's case will act as precedence if such officers decide to challenge it under the AIS Rules or move court against states' decision.

Chaturvedi had become a thorn in the side of the Haryana government when he had unearthed a multi-crore plantation scam in January 2009. Posted as divisional forest officer in Jhajjar, he exposed that funds from international donor agencies were embezzled. He unraveled the scam when he found that the plantation existed only on paper and got 40 field staff, including five forest range officers, suspended.

The move had, however, put him in trouble as most of those — involved in the plantation scam — had their protectors inside the government. He had to face numerous charges. In his representation to the MoEF, he alleged that the charges were fabricated to harass him.

The ministry had got all such claims verified through independent inquiry and found Chaturvedi innocent. He was subsequently brought on deputation to the Centre where he is currently posted as deputy secretary and chief vigilance officer in AIIMS, New Delhi.

But, it was not end of his trouble. The state government had initiated disciplinary proceedings against him and served him a departmental chargesheet — a prelude to his termination from service. He, however, challenged the move and presented his case before the cabinet secretary.............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAxMy8xMC8wNSNBcjAxODAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Clean energy is need of the hour ...... step to counter Climate Change

http://t.co/qfQuSHS6jC

Govt gets tough on states to meet its clean energy target

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 3, 2013, 10.25PM IST 

NEW DELHI: In what may be a significant step to turn states aggressively to clean energy sources, the Union ministry of new and renewable energy has written to the power ministry suggesting it to make it mandatory for states to fulfill their Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) if they want to get central support for financial restructuring of their electricity distribution companies.

Once the power ministry agrees to the suggestion, states will have to meet certain percentage of their energy requirement from clean (solar or wind) sources. If they fail to do that, they will not be able to get concessions from the Centre to make the state-owned ailing distribution companies financial viable.

The move will help the government not only to achieve its clean energy target under the National Action Plan on Climate Change but also to promote renewable energy generation in a big way. India is supposed to increase its share of renewable energy in the total energy mix to the extent of 15% by 2020.

The Electricity Act, 2003 mandates the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions across the country to set targets - known as RPO - for distribution companies to purchase certain percentage of their total power need from renewable energy sources.

"The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) has written to the power ministry which will, hopefully, take a final call on this soon", said Sanjay Jaiswal -- Lok Sabha MP and convenor of the Climate Parliament (forum of legislatures working worldwide to combat climate change) - referring to a letter written to him by the Union new and renewable energy minister Farooq Abdullah.

The move came in the backdrop of the recent decision of Maharashtra to crack the whip on electricity distribution firms to meet their obligation of buying renewable energy in the past four years.

In a strongest ever move taken by any state or central authority since the launch of the RPO programme in 2010, the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) had in July ordered over 90 entities -- including government distribution companies and large private consumers -- to attain their renewable purchase obligation targets by March 2014 or face stiff penalty.

It is believed that the MERC's decision will go a long way in pushing Maharashtra achieve its target. Besides Maharashtra, Punjab is the only other state which has, so far, issued similar direction to its distribution companies and other large entities.

It is believed that the decision, along with couple of other moves, will push the country go green way under a well-defined path, considering huge solar and wind power potential. Except for renewable power-rich Gujarat and Rajasthan, all other states had failed to comply with their RPO targets last year.

Abdullah in his letter to Jaiswal said that his ministry, in close coordination with the ministry of power, has been making concerted efforts to put in place a "robust RPO compliance regime". His ministry has recently requested all the states to ensure RPO compliance and also monitor the same, he added.

IPCC AR5 ..... more to come in March ... Climate Change is as real as it can get

http://t.co/hqQfAg1nwK

Monsoon to get longer in India: IPCC

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Oct 2, 2013, 01.48AM IST 

North India is likely to heat up more than the southern parts of the country while the entire Indian subcontinent may see longer rainy seasons in second half of the century, the UN's report said.

NEW DELHI: North India is likely to heat up more than the southern parts of the country while the entire Indian subcontinent may see longer rainy seasons in second half of the century, the UN's climate body has predicted in its latest comprehensive document on climate change.


The conclusion, showing variation in temperature and rainfall in South Asia, is part of the lengthy technical details of the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which made its comprehensive report — Climate Change 2013, The Physical Science Basis — public in Stockholm on Monday.

The findings of the report show that the northern part of the continent is likely to witness winter temperatures rise of up to 0.4 to 0.8 degree Celsius during 2016-35 as compared to the 1986-2005 average, 2 to 3 degree Celsius during 2046-65 and up to 3 to 5 degree Celsius by the end of the century (2081-2100), under different scenarios of action to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Though the UN body's report on region-wise "impact, adaptation and vulnerability" will come out in March next year, the technical details comprising 14 chapters and Atlas of Global and Regional Climate Projections in its annexure carry indications of these changes in South Asia.

Krishna Kumar Kanikicharla, climate scientist at Pune's Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and one of the drafting authors of the IPCC report, told TOI there was "growing evidence" of the impact of the climate change on monsoons in South Asia and the tropical cyclone system in the Bay of Bengal.

Kanikicharla, responsible for drafting the chapter comprising details of monsoon systems, said: "There is strong hint that the duration of the rainy season would increase due to early onset of monsoon. The quantum of rainfall will also increase during the later part of this century."

He said though the Indian summer monsoon circulation will weaken, rainfall will increase due to higher atmospheric moisture resulting from a rise in temperatures.

In its projection for South Asia, the technical summary of the report clearly points at "enhanced summer monsoon precipitation and increased rainfall extremes of landfall cyclones on the coasts of the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea".

What is the confidence level of these predictions? Prashant Goswami, one of the lead authors of the IPCC report, admitted that these conclusions were based on climatic projections that were not as firm as those made at a global level.

"These uncertainties increase as you go to smaller scale (from global to regional or from regional to sub-regional levels). But one has to have an element of faith in these conclusions which are based on well defined scientific methodology," Goswami, chief scientist at Bangalore's CSIR Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation, told TOI.

The impact of temperature rise and rainfall variations on the region's agriculture that's highly dependent on monsoon, will be considered in the report on impact, adaptation and vulnerability, to be released next year as part of the IPCC's fifth assessment report (AR5).

As far as global temperature is concerned, the summary report said it was likely to rise by 0.3 to 4.8 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Sea levels, it said, could rise by 26-82 centimetres by the end of the century.

A S Unnikrishnan, chief scientist of the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, said policymakers would have to rely on the global sea level rise projections to draw up their strategies to deal with the emerging scenarios.......................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAxMy8xMC8wMiNBcjAwMzAy&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

IPCC AR5 ...... Climate Change issues on policymakers' table ... What,Why, Where, when and How to be discussed in Warsaw in November, 2013

http://t.co/TGXeuLjvAu

UN panel 95% sure humans causing global warming

Vishwa Mohan & Amit Bhattacharya,TNN | Sep 28, 2013, 01.27AM IST 

IPCC raised the likelihood of human activities causing global warming from "very likely" in its 2007 report to "extremely likely" — moving from being 90% sure to 95%.

NEW DELHI: There is more certainty than ever before that earth is warming under "human influence", said a report compiled by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), warning that only "substantial and sustained reduction" of greenhouse gas emissions will limit the disaster of climate change.

IPCC raised the likelihood of human activities causing global warming from "very likely" in its 2007 report to "extremely likely" — moving from being 90% sure to 95%.

Releasing the Summary for Policymakers, the first part of its fifth assessment report in Stockholm on Friday, IPCC scientists said global warming had resulted in an average sea level rise of 19 cm since 1901 and an increase in surface temperature by 0.85 degree Celsius between 1880 and 2012.

As compared with the fourth assessment report released in 2007, the report tones down its temperature rise projections for the end of this century from the earlier range of 1.1-6.4 degree C to 0.3-4.8 degree C. But scientists associated with IPCC said the two ranges were not comparable because they were based on very different sets of scenarios.

In what may help India's position in climate negotiations, the report put the blame for warming on the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) more than gases such as methane, hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) and black carbon — which are present in smaller quantities in the air and exist for much shorter periods.

The developed countries have been pressuring emerging nations such as India to cut emissions of these short-lived gases while the latter have been demanding that the West undertake more meaningful cuts in its CO2 levels. The issue is sure to be raised when policymakers from across the globe gather in Warsaw in November to discuss finer points of the report, which will be the basis of a new global climate deal in Paris in 2015.

Though the IPCC report summary blamed methane and nitrous oxide too for the global warming, it named CO2 as enemy number one. "The carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by 40% since pre-industrialized times, primarily from fossil fuel emissions and secondarily from net land use change emission (such as deforestation)," it said.

Stating that the atmospheric concentrations of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide have increased to levels unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years, the IPCC summary report statement said, "The largest contribution to total radiative forcing is caused by the increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 since 1750".

"Cumulative emissions of CO2 will largely determine global mean surface warming by the late 21st century and beyond," said the report, a compilation of the latest research from across the world.

The most optimistic of four warming scenarios in the report sees an average temperature rise of 1 degree C by 2100 over 2000 levels, ranging from 0.3 to 1.7 degrees C. This is the only scenario that can safely meet a UN target of 2 degree C, which also factors in warming from the start of the Industrial Revolution to 2000.

The report also highlighted that each of the last three decades had been "successively warmer at the Earth's surface than any preceding decade since 1850 in the northern hemisphere and the period 1983-2010 was likely the warmest 30-year period of the last 1400 years.

It also observed that the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have been losing mass, glaciers have continued to shrink almost worldwide and Arctic sea and northern Hemisphere spring snow cover have continued to decrease in extent over the last two decades.

The report asked policymakers to take urgent action to handle greenhouse gas emissions. It said, "Continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and changes in all components of the climate change system. Limiting climate change will require substantial and sustained reductions of greenhouse gas emission".

Reacting to the summary report, the Centre for Science and Environment - a Delhi-based research and advocacy group - said the report called for urgent action on reducing greenhouse gases.

CSE deputy director general Chandra Bhushan said, "There are not many surprises. What this report, however, has done is to say in no uncertain terms, more than any report before, that climate change is happening because of mankind".

The Greenpeace, on its part, demanded governments across the world to take action on climate change. "The only logical response to a warning of this magnitude is immediate action", it said in a statement........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDkvMjgjQXIwMDIwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

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Climate Change forecast ..... bracing up for new beginning before the debate, probably, ends in Paris in 2015

http://t.co/40pJcqR8ZX

IPCC report on climate change to be released today

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Sep 27, 2013, 04.54AM IST 

NEW DELHI: The much awaited summary report of the United Nation's body on climate change will be released in Stockholm on Friday, answering a number of questions on the state of 'global warming' which will help policymakers across the world chart out their course of action before arriving at a new climate deal in Paris in 2015.

Has global temperatures increased due to climate change or has it actually cooled down as suggested by climate change sceptics? How much has it affected the sea level and is the Arctic ice pack shrinking? The summary report is likely to answer these questions.

Though two 'leaked' draft reports of this body -- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) -- in western media point at contradictory findings in terms of degrees on global warming issue, there is an unanimity that the assessment report will raise the "level of certainty" while concluding that humans are responsible for changes that warmed the ocean, melted snow and ice, raised global mean seal level and changed some climate extremes.

One of the leaked draft report of the IPCC - world's leading advisory body on climate change -- claimed that the "level of certainly" in the final report is likely to be increased from 90% in 2007 to 95% this year. The last report of the IPCC (which was its fourth report) had in 2007 said that it was almost 90% certain that the humans were responsible for global warming in the last over 50 years.

Some of the media reports, referring to the leaked draft of the IPCC, have mentioned that the UN body would project that the warming is likely to be above 1.5 degree Celcius and very likely to be below 6 degree Celcius. If it happens, then it will be rollback from the 2007 report which had put the low end of the warming range at 2 degree Celcius.

The fifth report (AR5) of the IPCC will come out in four parts. The first of these four parts report will be released on Friday. The remaining three parts will be released by October, 2014 with the second and third parts being expected to be come out in March and April next year, respectively.

The UN body comes out with its report on 'climate change' every five or six years. Its reports do not include its own research. Its job is, in fact, to collect and assess the most recent published research on climate change and come out with its final report which will serve as a guide to the policymakers..........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDkvMjcjQXIwMTkwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Sewage Treatment Plants across the country need treatment

http://t.co/hpk5jSSyAw

One-fifth of centrally-funded sewage treatment plants remain non-operational

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Sep 24, 2013, 10.07PM IST 

NEW DELHI: Almost one-fifth of the centrally-funded sewage treatment plants in the country are "non-operational", leaving millions of liters of untreated water either sink into the ground as a potential pollutant of ground water or is discharged into natural drainage system causing pollution in downstream areas.


Besides, performance of nearly another one-fifth of the total 152 such sewage treatment plants (STPs) is found to be "not satisfactory".

The finding is the part of a report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) which conducted performance evaluation of these sewage treatments plants through constant monitoring over a period of time.

The Board, which made its report public on Tuesday, had conducted the evaluation of only those plants which are funded under the National River Conservation Plan of the ministry of environment and forest. This report has nothing to do with hundreds of other STPs, which are being ran by different state governments or other agencies.

The report says, "Out of the 152 STPs, nine plants are under construction, 30 are non-operational and performance of 28 plants are not satisfactory".

As against the collective sewage treatment capacity of 4716 million liters per day (MLD), these plants however actually treat only 3126 MLD of sewage. Plants located in different states work at different level of efficiency.

"Close examination of the data indicates that the percent capacity utilization is maximum in the states of Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and Goa," says the report.

The maximum sewage "treatment capacity", however, exists in Tamil Nadu (16.9%) followed by Uttar Pradesh (16.4%), Andhra Pradesh (15%) , Punjab (14%), West Bengal (10%), Haryana (7%), Maharashtra (6%), Gujarat (4.9%), Madhya Pradesh (3.6%), Bihar (3.4%) and Uttarakhand (1.1%).

The report noted that 80% of the water supplied for domestic use comes back as wastewater. Hundreds of STPs have been set up across the country over the years to treat the waste water so that the discharge cannot sink into the ground or discharged into rivers without being treated.

The year 2005-06 report of the CPCB on status of municipal waste water generated in 35 metropolitan cities shows that all these cities collectively generate 15,644 MLD of sewage. But, these cities have sewage treatment capacity of only 8040 (51% of the total swage) MLD.

Among the metropolitan cities, Delhi has the highest capacity of sewage treatment (2330 MLD) - 29% of the total treatment capacity of metropolitan cities. Mumbai has the second highest capacity (2130 MLD). Both Delhi and Mumbai together have 55% of treatment capacity of these 35 metropolitan cities.

Treatment capacity of only five cities -- Hyderabad, Vadodara, Chennai, Ludhiana and Ahmedabad -- meets the volume of sewage generation. Other 30 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Surat, Rajkot, Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur, Lucknow and Patna have treatment capacity lower than their sewage generation............................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEzLzA5LzI2I0FyMDEwMDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar bares it all before the TOI in candid conversation over various issues

http://t.co/Jp5sX5VsPe

We need to increase farm productivity: Pawar

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Sep 24, 2013, 10.03PM IST 

Even as India has consistently been producing foodgrains in good quantity and increasing share of agriculture in its export basket (10.22% in 2008-09 to 13.8% in 2012-13), agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is a worried man. He is worried about the country's future, wondering whether India will be able to meet food demand of growing population with the current level of farm productivity. He knows the solution, but resistance to his ideas troubles him. He thinks it's high time to accelerate pace of agricultural growth to meet "additional requirement" of foodgrains for proper implementation of the Food Security Act. He knows farm productivity can be increased by introducing genetically modified (GM) crops, besides simultaneously taking other steps. He even pleads for taking some bold steps to reap benefits of scientific research and suggests measures which can bring "food and nutritional" security. He shared his views and concerns during an interview to the TOI. Excerpts:


Q: Production of foodgrain has increased over the years (from 230.78 million tonnes in 2007-08 to 259.29 million tonnes in 2011-12). India also has buffer stock to meet demand in a bad crop year. Still, we have seen rise in price of foodgrain. What are the factors behind it?

A: It is due to the Minimum Support Price (MSP). We have increased MSP for various foodgrains so that farmers can get better price. In fact, the cost of cultivation has been increased due to high prices of diesel, fertilizers and other raw materials and high labour (minimum wages) cost. We have to factor in all these while deciding the MSP. If we don't increase it, farmers will shift to other (non-foodgrain) crops. It will further complicate the matter. You know MSP is the benchmark. Market price is always higher than the MSP. Farmers have benefited from it and therefore they stick to foodgrain cultivation.

Q: It is good that farmers are getting better price. But it, in a way, affects common consumers due to high market price. Can't we have a solution where all sections can benefit without facing the pinch of price rise?

A: Government procures substantial quantity of foodgrain at MSP and distributes it at cheaper rate through public distribution system across the country. Under Food Security Act, 82 crore people will now benefit from all these measures by getting foodgrain (rice, wheat and coarse grains) at cheap rates. Nowhere in the world is foodgrain available at such a cheap rate. Production of foodgrain has increased substantially in the past five-six years. We had 259.29 million tonnes of foodgrain production in 2011-12 which was the highest in 60 years. We have also become foodgrain exporter. In the year 2012-13, we exported agricultural produce worth Rs 2.32 lakh crore. We are, in fact, the largest exporter of rice and second largest exporter of cotton, sugar and wheat.

Q: Will the current level of production sustain the food requirement in future, taking into account our growing population and shrinking cultivable land?

A: Yes, this is a major concern. India accounts for only 2.4 % of the world's geographical area and 4% of its water resources, but supports about 17% of the world's population. We cannot expand land. That's why I have consistently been telling my colleagues (in the Cabinet) to think about it and take adequate measures. We have to increase productivity. We have to take four measures. First, we have to improve irrigation facility and bring more and more area under irrigation, taking into account the limited availability of water resources. And for this, we need more investment. Second, we have to lay emphasis on research so that our scientists can develop new varieties of seeds. Third, we have to ensure availability of fertilizers. Finally, we have to constantly offer better MSP to farmers. I firmly believe that if we follow these measures, our food security obligations can easily be sustainable.

Q: As far as better quality of seeds are concerned, Indian scientists and their counterparts in other countries have come out with many transgenic (genetically modified) varieties which can increase productivity. But there has been lot of resistance to it in India. What is your stand?

A: As far as GM crops are concerned, it should be the responsibility of any government to take maximum precaution to see its impact before releasing such seeds for commercial production. Take number of years of field trials to see whether these transgenic varieties have any bad impact on soil, water, other crops, human being, birds, animals and overall environment. One has to thoroughly check all these for years. And if we come to the conclusion after field trials that it does not affect human health and environment, then we don't have choice but we have to use GM seeds to increase productivity.

Q: All these happened in the case of Bt Brinjal. The crop had passed trials. But the government in February 2010 put an open-ended moratorium on its release. Why did government take that decision?

A: Look, agriculture ministry had never supported that decision. Certain decisions were taken by the Supreme Court when issues were raised before it. Secondly, it was the environment ministry which had taken the decision of putting a moratorium on it. Subsequently, field trials were stopped for other GM crops by different states. I had written to the prime minister expressing my views. I told him that it was quite unfortunate that our scientists are not even allowed to take field trials. It's really very strange. How will they know the impact of such crops on human health or environment unless they are allowed to go for field trials? They don't need thousands of acres of land for trials. They only need two-three or four-five acres of land for carrying out scientific trials. My plea is to allow our scientists, who have done tremendous work in this area like the best scientists in the world, to go for field trials to see the impact and usefulness of transgenic seed varieties they have developed. Don't let their work remain in the lab. Don't demoralize our scientists.

Q: Do you see prospects of any breakthrough after your persistent advocacy for using GM crops to increase agricultural productivity, of course after proper trial, in the country?

A: The major part is pending with the Supreme Court. The apex court had set up a Technical Expert Committee (TEC) which gave an adverse report. When we resisted, one more expert (an agriculture scientist) was included in the committee. I am told that expert (R S Paroda) has submitted a positive report in court. Let's see what the apex court thinks about all this. I wish learned people of our country discuss issues weighing all the arguments and take a decision which can benefit farmers, scientists and all other citizens while taking into account the country's food and nutritional security. I need to tell them that we have been importing edible oils from countries like the US, Brazil and Argentina. These are mostly soya bean and these are primarily GM. It's strange that certain organizations based in these countries are engaged in propaganda against transgenic crops whereas their own countries are growing such crops and exporting it to other parts of the world including India.

Q: Is there any plan to create special agricultural zone in the country like special economic zone? And, do you think the government should go for separate budget for agriculture as there has been demand for it from farmers' organizations?

A: We had discussed the concept of special agricultural zone in the past. You know land is a 'state' subject and it depends on agriculture land ceiling issues. So, it is not feasible. As far as separate budget for agriculture is concerned, I don't subscribe to such views. It's an impractical demand. There are so many sectors - industry, power, water etc - which contribute to agriculture sector directly and indirectly. Similarly, we can't say water in a particular dam should exclusively be used for irrigation or power from certain electricity generating plants should be used exclusively for agriculture. So, instead of going for a separate budget, I would rather prefer more money for investment in irrigation projects, research and providing better price to farmers for their agricultural produce........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEzLzA5LzI1I0FyMDEyMDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

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NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's prediction for 2014 general election and the next government ... He makes sense

http://t.co/lmMRiJYuh9


Whoever gets 180 seats can form next government at Centre, Sharad Pawar says

Vishwa Mohan & Diwakar,TNN | Sep 24, 2013, 04.11AM IST 

BJP projecting Modi as its PM candidate would not hinder the party’s post-poll quest for numbers, Sharad Pawar feels.

NEW DELHI: Union agriculture minister and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Monday said the next government at the Centre will be formed by whichever of the two principal contestants -- Congress and BJP -- crosses the 180-seat mark in the 2014 polls.

In a conversation with TOI, Pawar, one of the most astute political minds, also said the controversy about its PM candidate Narendra Modi's personality will not be a deterrent for the BJP should it cross the threshold of 180 seats. He disputed the assessment of a groundswell for BJP at the grassroots and said regional satraps will hold the key to who gets the reins of the Centre next year.

"Any party which crosses 180-190 can form the government with the support of regional parties. It will have the opportunity to form the government," Pawar said.

Stressing that regional players will decide the make-up of the next coalition at the Centre, he said, "Essentially, the next government will be formed with the support of many state leaders like Trinamool, AIADMK or DMK, either of the two UP players -- Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati -- Navin Patnaik and Nitish Kumar. They will be a big factor."

Importantly, Pawar did not agree that BJP projecting Modi as its PM candidate would hinder the party's post-poll quest for numbers. "Frankly, this is not an issue. It would all depend on the figure," the veteran politician said when asked about the view that the main opposition would have less trouble meeting the shortfall had it persisted with L K Advani. The NCP boss pointed to the speculation about TDP's possible return to the NDA to back up his contention.

However, Pawar did not agree that there was a surge of support for Modi. "We have been holding regular meetings at ground level, at the level of panchayats and above. And l don't think that the situation is as bad for Congress and the UPA as a whole as is being reported. The ground reality is different from what is being projected," the agriculture minister said as he asserted that UPA could hold on to power.

He ruled out the replication of a United Front-type of experiment at the Centre where Congress between 1996 and 1998 supported a non-BJP coalition from outside. "I don't think that type of situation will be there. Frankly, you cannot think of a stable government which does not have a very strong core. A major party has to be there for ensuring stability. We have seen this with the Vajpayee government as well as the UPA which had big parties as their main constituent. On the other hand, we have also seen what happened to governments of Deve Gowda and Gujral saheb which did not have a solid core. If the Congress gets 170-180 seats, it can form the government with regional parties," the NCP boss said.

He parried a question on whether Congress will gain by projecting Rahul Gandhi as its PM candidate. "What is the point in discussing it when they have not taken the decision. We cannot react unless and until there is definite projection," Pawar said.

Asked about the tension between NCP and Congress over how to run their coalition in Maharashtra, Pawar dismissed the suggestion that he has been critical of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. He said that being a partner which has a stake in the government, the NCP has the "moral responsibility" to express concern when decision making gets stalled. "If things get delayed by two months, three months or even four months, it is understandable. But if they remain stuck for two, three or four years, then it becomes a cause for concern," he said.....................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMDkvMjQjQXIwMDEwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

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