Elections 2014 ..... Raipur, Chhattisgarh ..... Will intra-party rivalry hurt Congress more than anything else? .... over to the D-Day on May 16

http://t.co/NoJltWZZ7b

Post-poll assessment: BJP may not improve its 2009 tally in Chhattisgarh

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 25, 2014, 09.41PM IST 

RAIPUR: The BJP in Chhattisgarh may not improve its 2009 tally, but the post-poll assessment on Friday gave an indication that the party would possibly be able to repeat its last performance by getting 10 of the total 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state where a 'third' factor too appeared to have worked in its favour.

This 'third' factor, besides the other two (Modi wave in urban areas and Raman Singh's effect in rural pockets), is the 'Jogi' factor.

Congress workers on the ground, specifically those in Korba where the party's sitting MP and Union minister of state for agriculture Charan Das Mahant sought re-election, felt that the former chief minister and senior leader Ajit Jogi's decision to keep himself away from the constituency during the last leg of campaigning may cost the party its lone seat.

Factional fight within the Congress is not a secret in the state, but the Mahant's camp thinks the intra-party competition was at its worst in north Chhattisgarh where Jogi has considerable influence among scheduled caste (SC) voters.

"Had Jogi's men worked to their potential, it would have been a clear advantage for Congress in Korba", said a close aide of Mahant.

BJP had won 10 of the total 11 Lok Sabha seats in 2009. Korba was the only Parliamentary constituency which had gone in favour of the Congress five years ago.

The Congress had won four out of eight assembly segments of Korba seat in November last year. Ajit Jogi's son Amit Jogi had won one of the four - Marwahi - seats. Senior Jogi is quite influential in the remaining three assembly seats as well due to considerable number of SC voters in the area.

Congress workers of Mahant's camp said the former chief minister, however, preferred not to be in the Korba area during the last leg of campaigning despite being requested by the local party units.

They said though junior Jogi took round of Marwahi constituency, his absence in other segments of the Korba area during large part of campaigning round sent a wrong signal among SC voters.

"He and his father could have easily spent sometime in Korba once the polling was over in senior Jogi's constituency Mahasamund", said a Congress worker. Polling in Mahasamund was conducted on April 17 while it was conducted in Korba on April 24.

Ground reports from both the parties indicated that while the BJP has clear edge in Rajnandgaon, Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa, Bilaspur, Kanker, Bastar and Raipur, the Congress is hopeful of getting one or two seats from the remaining four — Surguja, Durg, Korba and Mahasamund. 

Elections 2014 ........... Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh ..... BJP-Congress slugfest gets personal

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/lok-sabha-elections-2014/news/Dump-maa-bete-ki-sarkar-it-works-only-for-jijaji-Modi/articleshow/34067230.cms

Dump maa-bete ki sarkar, it works only for jijaji: Modi

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 22, 2014, 01.21AM IST 

BILASPUR: Narendra Modi on Sunday urged voters in Chhattisgarh to throw out the UPA - "Ma-bete (Sonia-Rahul) ki sarkar" because it works only for "Jijaji", Rahul's brother-in-law Robert Vadra. With the state entering a crucial campaign phase where all its seven remaining seats go to polls on April 24, Modi picked three tough seats for his rallies and launched a stinging personal attack against his rivals.

He attacked Congress for invok He attacked Congress for invoking "secularism" whenever issues like jobs, women's security, farmers' welfare and price rise came up.

Addressing crowds at Lal Bahadur Shastri School Maidan here, Modi said while he was constantly thinking of solutions to people's problem ever since he was nominated PM candidate, Congress had been looking for Modi's solution. "Main desh ki samasyayon ka hal dudhanta rahta hun lekin ye Modi ka hal dhudhne me lage rehte hain ... dhudhne me lage rehte hain."

Modi, who in his earlier speeches trained his attack primarily on Rahul, in the current round dragged both Rahul and Sonia Gandhi into the picture, repeatedly talking of UPA as "Ma-bete ki sarkar". Referring to recent media reports, he claimed the "Ma-Beta" duo had benefitted Robert Vadra who, he alleged, made Rs 300 crore in three years from a mere Rs 1lakh.

Asking the gathering if any one of them had got jobs as promised by UPA, Modi said: "Aapko to rozgar nahin mila lekin Jijaji ko mil gaya (You couldn't get jobs but the brother-in-law got one)". His line of attack in Sarguja and Bhilai Nagar were on similar lines.

Obliquely referring to Digvijaya Singh, he blamed the Congress leader for the plight of people in Chhattisgarh. Urging people to vote BJP as "he needs 300 seats (teen sau kamal chahiye)", Modi said Congress won't open its account in many states this time and won't cross double digit in any state. He invoked Atal Bihari Vajpayee's name many times but preferred not to mention directly or indirectly the name of his niece, Karuna Shukla, Congress candidate from Bilaspur......................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTQvMDQvMjEjQXIwMTAwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom 

Elections 2014 ..... buzz over a third factor on the day of polling (April 24) .... Raipur, Chhattisgarh

http://t.co/FheFPlcQ5F

Polling begins in Chhattisgarh amid buzz over a ‘third factor’

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 24, 2014, 09.17AM IST 

Visits to both Congress and BJP’s party offices in each constituency of north Chhattisgarh in the past five days could give one a sense as to how strong this ‘third factor’ actually was.

RAIPUR: As polling begins in seven remaining Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh, the state is abuzz with talks over a 'third' factor which may like the other two — Modi wave and Raman effect (sic) — also go in favour of the BJP.

It may sound odd but this third one is the 'Jogi' factor.

The unpopularity of the father-son (former state chief minister and prominent Congress leader Ajit Jogi and his MLA son Amit Jogi) duo, due to bad governance during the tenure of senior Jogi as chief minister, among urban middle-class and also their alleged 'behind-the-scene' stand against the prospect of their competitors within the Congress appears to add strength to the BJP's candidates in couple of key constituencies.

Though all these three factors together may not improve the BJP's impressive tally of 2009 when it had won 10 of the 11 parliamentary seats in Chhattisgarh, it has certainly made the job of Congress candidates in most of the constituencies quite difficult during campaigning.

Sensing the popular mood seeking change at Centre and taking into account the ground level assessment of party workers from both the BJP and the Congress on the day of polling, one can say that the contest is quite close in five of the seven seats. While the BJP appears to have a clear edge in Janjgir-Champa, the Congress may win the tribal-dominated Surguja seat.

Visits to both Congress and BJP's party offices in each constituency of north Chhattisgarh in the past five days could give one a sense as to how strong this 'third factor' actually was.

Obviously, this perception appears to be strongest in Korba where lone Congress sitting MP and Union minister of state for agriculture, Charan Das Mahant, is seeking re-election.

The Congress had won four out of eight assembly segments of Korba seat in November last year. Ajit Jogi's son Amit had won one of these four — Marwahi — seats by a record margin of 45,000 votes. Senior Jogi is also quite influential in the remaining three assembly seats due to considerable number of schedule caste voters in the area and his call could well tilt the balance in favour of Mahant. Party workers of Mahant camp, obviously, seem disappointed over Jogi's absence during the last-leg of campaigning in the area.

"Had Jogi been serious enough to garner support for Mahant, he would have visited the Korba constituency instead of camping in neighbouring Bilaspur after poll was over in his own Mahashamund constituency," said a close associate of Mahant.

He said that though junior Jogi visited Marwahi constituency and a couple of more areas, his absence in the Korba area during large part of campaigning round — after April 17 — sent a wrong signal among SC voters.

Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla is contesting from Bilaspur on Congress ticket against BJP's Lakhanlal Sahu. This seat is also considered tough for the BJP but party appear to be confident of winning it, riding on the strong Modi wave in urban areas and chief minister Raman Singh's popularity among rural voters.

The other five seats where polling has begun include Raipur, Durg, Surguja, Janjgir-Champa and Raigarh. While Surguja and Raigarh are the ST reserved seats, Janjgir-Champa is reserved for SC. The BJP had won all these five seats in 2009.

The other heavyweights whose fate will be decided on Thursday include former Union minister and BJP senior leader Ramesh Bais from Raipur and sitting MP and BJP's Mahila Morcha president, Saroj Pandey, from Durg.

Polls on four seats — Baster, Kanker, Mahashamund and Rajnandgaon — were held in first the two phases on April 10 and April 17.

The state may see the tally of nine seats for BJP and two for Congress — a prospect which may not bring smiles on the face of the BJP leadership that is expecting to make a clean sweep in the state after winning last year's assembly polls.

Over 1.18 crore voters will exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 153 candidates, till 6pm. Though the state has direct contests between BJP and Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also fielded its candidates in Durg, Bilaspur, Korba and Raipur.

Elections 2014 .... Korba, Chhattisgarh .... Will Shobhan Sarkar episode contribute one seat to Modi Sarkar?

http://t.co/nuODvtsmEV

Dream gold dig haunts Cong’s lone Chhattisgarh MP

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 23, 2014, 07.25AM IST 

KORBA: The Centre might have stopped the controversial gold dig at UP's Unnao, based on a dream lesser-known sadhu Shobhan Sarkar saw, but the issue haunts Congress's lone Chhattisgarh MP Charan Das Mahant who had requested the culture ministry last year to seriously probe what Sarkar saw in his sleep.

Union minister Mahant is Congress candidate from Korba where the educated urban youth don't appear to spare him for something they think had not only embarrassed them, but brought bad name to this industrial town. Though this isn't an issue among villagers, the urban youth say they'd think twice before voting a person like Mahant, who is "superstitious".

Hemant Sharma, engineering student and first time voter, says: "It's strange that Archaeological Survey of India and culture ministry believed Mahant. It raises a question mark on the Centre. How can we support such a candidate and government?"

The dig took place last year after Sarkar apparently dreamt of 1,000 tonnes of gold under the remains of a fort and convinced Mahant about it through his emissary. Sarkar reportedly dreamt that Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh, martyred fi ghting the British during 1857 uprising, asked him to take control of the buried gold. Mahant wrote to the ministry and ASI conducted the dig before pulling out after severe criticism. The incident embarrassed both Congress and the Centre. Abhishek Sahu, a Korba college student, complains: "Why vote for a person or party who can be hoodwinked by a sadhu?"

Mahant's tryst with the mythical Unnao gold was talk of the town the last day of campaign here when the Congress candidate was taking rounds of Korba town. Many youngsters discussed the Unnao incident when Mahant was addressing a gathering at Tulsi Nagar in Korba on Tuesday. Still, Mahant doesn't appear to be on a weak wicket — thanks to a sizeable tribal population in Korba which votes with six other LS seats in the state April 24.

The day will also test AB Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla, contesting on a Congress ticket from Bilaspur. Mahant defeated her last time when she contested on a BJP ticket. This time, Mahant's fi ght is with BJP's Bansilal Mahto who is riding high on a Modi 'wave'...................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTQvMDQvMjMjQXIwMTUwNQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Elections 2014 ......... Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba ......... voters are getting wiser in Chhattisgarh

http://t.co/Wd7Nx00gFi

In rural Chhattisgarh, ‘khao, piyo sabka, vote do man ka’

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 22, 2014, 08.19AM IST 

KORBA, Chhattisgarh: If party workers in the rural parts of north Chhattisgarh are hoping to garner support by plying villagers with cash and booze 24-48 hours ahead of voting, things might not play to script. In village after village, the chant is: "Khao Pio Sabka, Vote Do Man Ka" (Accept everyone's booze and food, vote at your own will).

Hundreds of villagers TOI spoke to in Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur and Korba LS constituencies said political workers invite them to 'bhandaras' (feasts) through panchayats. And, a wise Mahesh Sahu of Ganiyari in Bilaspur said: "Khane-peene me koi burai nahin hai. Vote to hum apne man se denge (No harm in wining and dining, but we vote as per our wish)." Mahesh isn't the only one. Many at Jali, Jinjara, Beeja, Belmundi, Samdeel, Daija and other villages raised the same "khao piyo sabka..." slogan — especially youngsters.

Even the older folk who not long ago voted candidates who invited them to feasts, may not go the same way, largely because of EC's awareness campaigns. Jinjara school dropout Bhanu,27, said: "If we don't attend the bhandara, we upset the panchayat. So, we go to eat, but vote the candidate we want to." There's no harm eating or drinking at the expense of parties, other say. They earn a lot.

"Wo paanch saal kamate hain. Ek do din khila denge to kya hoga. (For five years, they make money. What's the harm if they feed us)", Suresh Mahto of Jali village on the Bilaspur-Korba Highway said. Offi cially, no political worker talks of the bhandaras, but aren't terribly happy when told what the villagers say. Across constituencies, villagers said they expect more from BJP this time. They believe the party is fl ush with funds. That's why it spends so much on advertisements, posters and publicity. "BJP wale to zyada kharcha karenge, Congress kangal lagti hai (BJP will spend more, Congress looks bankrupt)," says Pawan Sharma, a farmer of Ahiwara in Durg.

Seven Chhattisgarh constituencies vote on April 24. They include Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, Raigarh, Sarguja and Janjgir-Champa. Campaigning closes on Tuesday. Going by what the villagers say, the 'bhandara' invites are expected after that. Under instructions from state EC offi cials, police and paramilitary have stepped up checks to detect movement of cash and liquor bottles............................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTQvMDQvMjIjQXIwMTEwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom 

Elections 2014 ........ Durg, Chhattisgarh ..... caste politics at play

http://t.co/BRGGfHATy1

Facing tough fight in Durg, BJP awaits Modi's arrival today

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 20, 2014, 02.19AM IST 

DURG/BHILAI: The BJP may be relying on chief minister Raman Singh's rural and Narendra Modi's urban appeal for a sweep in Chhattisgarh, but the party is staring at a roadblock in Durg — the parliamentary constituency having one of the oldest steel plants in the country.

Its woman candidate and sitting MP Saroj Pandey is facing the 'caste' shield, put up by the Congress which appears strong enough to block the perceived 'Modi wave'.

The Congress has fielded Tamradhwaj Sahu to corner the dominant 'Sahu' votes in the constituency which had sent another Sahu (Tarachand from BJP) to the the Lok Sabha on four successive polls in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004.

Factional fights within the BJP led to his expulsion from the party which opted for Saroj Pandey in 2009.

Pandey had won in triangular contest when 'Sahu' votes went to Tarachand Sahu and 'Satnami' votes went to the then Congress candidate Pradeep Choubey. The division of votes benefited the BJP in 2009.

Over 3.50 lakh out of nearly 18 lakh voters are 'Sahu' (OBC) who have a history of voting on caste lines. On the other hand, the voters from 'Satnami' caste (nearly 2 lakh) and Muslims (around 70,000) had invariably backed the Congress.

Villagers in this constituency have, more or less, shown their inclination on similar lines. Triloki Sahu, a shopkeeper in Ahiwara, said, "My family will vote for the Congress as the party's candidate Tamradhwaj Sahu is expected to look after the fellow caste members."Though many villagers in rural Durg areas - Bemetra and Nawagadh- were not as forthcoming as Triloki when asked about their preferences, they were frank enough to tell TOI that Saroj Pandey did not have time to look beyond the urban areas in the past five years.

BJP seems to be aware of the undercurrents and therefore decided to step up campaign in the areas where caste doesn't play a prominent role.

The Bhilai steel plant township has a cosmopolitan profile and is called mini-India with presence of people from all parts of the country. Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a rally in the city on Sunday.

Party workers here feel the pan-Indian character of the township's population may dilute the caste-equation in favour of Saroj Pandey. Although the constituency has direct fight between BJP and Congress, the presence of AAP candidate Vishwaratan Sinha is seen as the one who may relegate BSP to the fourth slot.

Narhari Tripathi, a retired Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) engineer, and AAP supporter said, "There are many people like me who will vote for the AAP".

Tripathi is among the thousands of non-Chhattisgarhi ex-steel plant employees who are now settled in Durg after retirement.

Eighty-year-old Tripathi, however, agreed that the 'Modi' wave in township whose voting pattern may tilt the scales.

Durg Lok Sabha constituency has nine assembly segments. While seven including Bhilai Nagar had elected BJP candidates in the assembly polls last November, two seats went to the Congress. Arun Vora, son of veteran Congress leader Motilal Vora, is the party MLA from Durg city assembly constituency.

The BJP hopes that Modi's pet lines — 'Desh-Pradesh me ek Sarkar' (same government at centre and state) and Gujarat model of development - will work on the voters.................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTQvMDQvMjEjQXIwMTEwNA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Message from IPCC AR5 WG-III report --- shun fossil fuels, use clean energy (solar, wind, hydro, bio-fuel etc.) .... develop carbon sinks ... go green .... be healthy ... save money

http://t.co/NlhcmTjbYo

UN panel: GHG emissions increased despite green steps

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 14, 2014, 02.06AM IST 

In its report, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said the emissions grew more quickly between 2000 and 2010 than in each of the three previous decades. 

NEW DELHI: Nearly two weeks after predicting a gloomy future for the world due to global warming, a UN panel on Sunday came out with yet another alarming report, telling the global community that the emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases (GHGs) have increased substantially despite reduction measures adopted by different countries.

In its report, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said the emissions grew more quickly between 2000 and 2010 than in each of the three previous decades.

It, however, emphasized that the world has tools (ways) to fight climate change and the time has come when countries must take the measures more effectively.

Highlighting that existing efforts were not enough to bring down emissions, the panel urged nations to take measures to lower global GHGs emissions by 40-70% from the 2010 level by mid-century if the world wanted to limit the increase in global mean temperature to a manageable 2 degrees.

Pitching for a low-carbon future by increasing use of renewable energy and substantially cutting down consumption of fossil fuels, the IPCC also set another target, saying the emissions must be cut down to "near zero by the end of this century", saying "ambitious mitigation may even require removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere".

The report — Mitigation of Climate Change — carries a number of recommendations for policy makers which can be implemented so that the level of emission is reduced and the world is saved from disastrous consequences of global warming.

Though the IPCC did not get into the country-specific recommendation, it enlisted number of measures which can be taken up by developing countries like India, China and Brazil.

Navroz Dubash, one of the Indian authors of the IPCC report, told the TOI that the recommendations regarding reduction of subsidy for fossil fuels (diesel and petrol), specifically in transport sector, and use of energy efficient products (by Bureau of Energy Efficiency) through strict mechanism/testing are couple of suggestions which can be adopted by India.

Dubash and other Indian authors (scientists, researchers and academicians) -- including Eswaran Somanathan, Shreekant Gupta and Joyashree Roy - also highlighted that there are many co-benefits of these measures which India can adopt even if New Delhi may not agree with certain other suggestions which the developed countries might be pushing for.

They also pitched for substantial use of renewable energy and said these efforts had "co-benefits" as cutting down fossil fuel consumption would save money, besides lowering emissions.

Asked about high cost of existing clean technology, Somanathan said if you would use it more, the cost would eventually come down and renewable energy would become more affordable for all sections of societies in due course.

The IPCC report came out with sector-wise recommendations which may help the world in cutting down GHGs emissions. It highlighted that the stabilizing greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere requires emissions reductions from energy production and use, transport, building, industry, land use, forestry, agriculture and human settlements.

Gupta said use of climate smart technology and efficient use of water in agriculture would help countries like India. He pointed out how such measures can even help the country in fighting the adverse affects of El Nino which may hit India this year or other extreme weather events.

The IPCC panel analyzed different scenarios for stabilizing or reducing emissions in each of these sectors and made a number of recommendations to policy makers on this regard.

This report — Working Group-III of the IPCC fifth assessment document — will be an important tool for the national negotiators who have been working to have a global climate deal in Paris in 2015..............................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxNC8wNC8xNCNBcjAxMDAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Elections 2014 .... Mathura-Vrindavan, Western UP

http://t.co/Y4Vn7YaAOd

This year, Vrindavan’s widows want a vote

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 14, 2014, 03.17AM IST 

After playing Holi with colours for the first time this year, these women want to shatter the notion that polls don’t matter to them.

MATHURA/VRINDAVAN: They hardly figure on a politician's priority list and largely remain unnoticed in election season, but the 3,000-odd Vrindavan widows want to vote when Mathura goes to polls on April 24. After breaking a tradition this year by playing Holi with colours, these elderly women want to shatter the notion that polls don't matter to them. Shunned by their families, truth is they too have rights and look for better days. Although many of them, as ashram-caretakers claim, don't even figure on the electoral rolls, they want to vote, provided somebody takes them to the booth.

"We'll ensure they vote. Some are on the rolls, they've been living here for years", says S Bose, employee of the Old Age Home for Women, Tarash Mandir Complex.

This NGO-run Ashram has 40-odd widows, all above 60, and from Bengal. They don't know the candidates, for nobody comes to them seeking votes. But they're as aware of polls as any other. They don't hesitate to name the party they'd like to vote. At ashrams that shelter the widows, one can see eyes brimming with hope. They expect politicians to work for their welfare, especially since there's hardly anyone to care for them.

"I'll vote Congress, even though my husband used to vote CPM", says Kamala Adhikari, who came to the Tarash Mandir complex from Howrah three years ago. She enquires after the Congress contestant. Told that Congress hasn't fielded anyone in Mathura and is supporting RLD's Jayant Chaudhary, she asks what his symbol is. Her room-mate Kajal Sharma of Darjeeling would like to press the button against the 'kamal phool' (Lotus fl ower) symbol, although she doesn't know the name of BJP candidate Hema Malini. She doesn't even know BJP's full form but says it's LK Advani's party. She knows Hema is an actress and would love to meet her.

"Hamare pass kaun aayega (who will come to us?)", she laments — a grim reminder of the reality. Unlike the rest of Mathura, where the Narendra Modi wave is the talk of town, the BJP PM candidate is a nonentity among Vrindavan widows who don't watch TV or read newspapers.

For many ashram inmates who want to vote BJP, Advani scores over Modi. This is how it is at Patharpura's Bhagwan Bhajan Ashrams. Hundreds of widows living in different homes come here to pray every day and get Rs 5 each a day and free khichdi for lunch. 

They are aware of parties like BJP, Congress and CPM. They've heard of Advani, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Jyoti Basu and Mayawati, for when she was CM she raised their pensions. In the past, when they lived with their families, they voted. Now, they want to exercise their franchise again so they can live lives of dignity.....................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTQvMDQvMTQjQXIwMDkwMw==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Elections 2014 ..... Mathura, Western UP

http://t.co/hSxCIAVPJR

‘Basanti’ banks on Modi to deliver a hit

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 13, 2014, 02.38AM IST 

Hema Malini

MATHURA: Bollywood's 'Dream girl', BJP's Mathura candidate, Hema Malini, may be drawing crowds in Braj Bhoomi but she knows, perhaps rightly so, that if she pulls through, it'll only be riding on a Modi wave. Mathura is a tough seat and it votes on April 24. At public meetings or road shows, Hema is a huge draw.

She's a star who, people recall, visited here five years ago seeking votes for RLD's Jayant Chaudhary (sitting MP and this time her rival). But loud cheers go up only when she takes Narendra Modi's name. "Aap Modiji ko PM banana chahte hain? (do you want to make Modi PM?)"...The crowds come alive hearing Modi's name... "to aapko mujhe to jitana hi hoga (then you have to make me win)", she says at a rally in Sahar. 

Meeting after meeting, she repeats this line in the villages. Her campaign trail, covering Sakhi, Arvai, Ranvari, Chata and other villages along the Mathura-Delhi highway show her limited knowledge of the area and issues. She runs into crowds interested merely in her star value, a quick Basanti act evokes a tepid reaction. But, once she invokes Modi - the result is electrifying. Some in the crowd yell 'Basanti' or 'tangewali' (of Sholay fame). But these people are probably in their 40s or 50s. The younger lot know her as 'KENTwali' (from a water purifier brand she endorses) or as Dharmender's wife or even Esha Deol's mom.

Sensing the crowd's mind, BJP managers are apparently drawing up plans to get Esha over. Local BJP leaders also don't rule out Dharmender's presence in the last couple of days of campaign which ends on April 22.

Her managers are desperate to change perceptions about her being 'non-serious' and address concerns over her being an 'outsider'. That's perhaps why at public meetings local party leaders invariably announce her as one who'll be a minister in Modi's government — that draws applause.

Ask villagers in this Jatland constituency if they'd prefer jat leader and RLD contestant Jayant Chaudhary over Hema, and they say she is Dharmendra's wife, hence a 'jatni'.

Whatever the excitement around Hema, it may still not be a cakewalk for her. She is in a three-cornered fight against Jayant and BSP's Pandit Yogesh Diwivedi in a constituency where caste matters. Though BJP hopes to ride on the Modi wave which can be felt primarily in Mathura town and nearby villages, RLD may be banking on jat loyalties while BSP must be eying both dalit and brahmin votes................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTQvMDQvMTMjQXIwMTUwNg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom 

Elections 2014 ...... Aligarh and Bulandshahr - Western UP

http://t.co/k9tAwEZUde

Days of Bukharis are history, Aligarh Muslims say

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 9, 2014, 04.36AM IST 

Whether it is Muslim-dominated areas of Aligarh or neighbouring Bulandshahr, community members laugh at Bukhari's air of "false supremacy" and advised him not to project Muslims as mere pawns in the hands of religious leaders.

ALIGARH: The Congress may be hoping to gain in certain pockets here after Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari gave a call to Muslims asking them to vote for the party, but the community in western UP's parliamentary constituencies doesn't think that way.

Whether it is Muslim-dominated areas of Aligarh or neighbouring Bulandshahr, community members laugh at Bukhari's air of "false supremacy" and advised him not to project Muslims as mere pawns in the hands of religious leaders.

A number of Muslims in Aligarh and Bulandshahr told TOI that the days when they used to vote on such calls were long gone.

Mohammed Shafiq, a 49-year-old shopkeeper in Uper Kot area of Bulandshahr, said, "I can tell you with certainty that Muslims are not at all bothered by such calls. It used to happen in our father's or grandfather's era."

Aslam took this correspondent to five Muslim households and asked the members to respond to questions on Shahi Imam's call. Irrespective of their age and sex, they said sons and fathers and uncles in the family voted for different parties in the 2009 elections.

They said members of the community may vote for RLD (Congress ally) candidate Anju alias Muskan in Bulandshahr but vote for Samajwadi Party in Aligarh.

"If Muslims vote for Congress ally RLD in Bulandshahr, it's not due to the call given by Shahi Imam. It's just a coincidence as the SP's sitting MP Kamlesh Valmiki did not do anything for the constituency and therefore Muslims don't want to vote for him," said Mohammed Aslam of Baigwa in Bulandshahr.

Asked whether division of votes will benefit BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as Muslims at large don't want him to become PM, they said it was a worry but they didn't want parties they vote for to take them for granted. They wanted an MP who would work for the community.

They gave the example of Muzaffarnagar, saying Muslims voted for SP in the 2012 assembly polls but the party failed to come up to their expectations when the community was in crisis.

Still, it appears that the community may vote for SP candidate Zafar Alam in Aligarh which may see a triangular contest among BJP's Satish Kumar Gautam and BSP's Arvind Kumar Singh. Gautam is Kalyan Singh's choice and is expected to gain ground in this election.

Hindu voters in Aligarh are largely in awe of Modi's Gujarat model and may go for the BJP, but the BSP's presence may pose a tough challenge for the party in Bulandshahr if not in Aligarh. In both constituencies, BJP is banking on Kalyan Singh who has considerable influence here. Singh, who has the support of his fellow Lodhs, had supported the SP candidate in Bulandshahr in 2009.........................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTQvMDQvMDkjQXIwMDkwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Elections 2014 ....... Bulandshahr - Western UP

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Riot-hit villages show maturity, say no to posters

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 9, 2014, 05.07AM IST 

Several villages in this reserved (SC) Lok Sabha seat with 4 lakh Muslim voters have asked local workers of all political parties not to put up their posters and banners as these lead to heartburn later. 

BULANDSHAHR: Posters and banners are ubiquitous in election season but villages and kasbas dotting the countryside around Bulandshahr are surprisingly devoid of such campaign accoutrements this time around.

With the region traumatized and polarized after the Muzaffarnagar riots, several villages in this reserved (SC) Lok Sabha seat with 4 lakh Muslim voters have asked local workers of all political parties not to put up their posters and banners as these lead to heartburn later. These villages, TOI visited around 15, include both Muslim- and Hindu-dominated ones.

However, posters and banners were found in plenty in Bulandshahr town.

Asked the reason, 55-year-old Ashin Khan of Muslim-majority Dhakoli village said, "We requested workers of political parties to come and campaign, but not to put up posters as this unnecessarily creates disharmony and bitterness among people after polls."

Six km away, 58-year-old Mustakin of Dudhpur village gave a similar reason, saying candidates may win or lose but the result generally created problems as posters and banners on particular houses were seen as support to a specific party or candidate.

Was this decision taken collectively by all villages? 85-year-old Jagpal Singh of Hindu-dominated Saidpura village, 12 km away from Bulandshahr town, said, "Every village takes such decisions independently, taking in view past experience."

Another feature stands out in the region. Known for strong opposition to Hindu-Muslim or upper caste-lower caste marriages, the district appears to have embraced Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) candidate Anju alias Muskan (a Hindu Jatav woman married to a Muslim businessman) as a reality of modern India. Neither elderly Muslims nor young Jatavs find anything amiss in the union. Though older Hindus said it was still rare as inter-religious marriage was not accepted, they admitted that Muskan's projection would be a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity.

Interestingly, she is called Muskan in Muslim-dominated areas like Uper Kot and Anju in Hindu-dominated Niche Kot in Bulandshahr by party workers.

Though they are not sure whether the only woman candidate in Bulandshahr will win the election, they expect it to be a tough fight between her and BJP candidate Bhola Singh who has the backing of 'Lodh' strongman Kalyan Singh.

The constituency has a significant number of Lodh voters who may tilt the balance in favour of Bhola Singh even if dalit Jatavs vote for BSP candidate Pradeep Kumar Jatav or Muslims vote for Muskan.

But why would Muslims vote for Muskan when Samajwadi Party (SP) has fielded sitting MP Kamlesh Valmiki as its candidate? Muslims have more or less made up their mind not to vote for SP this time, at least in Bulandshahr. Most of the Muslims TOI spoke to said SP had failed to secure their community in Muzaffarnagar.

"What is the guarantee that he may not fail again? We don't want SP or any political party to take us for granted," Mohammed Sajid of Uper Kot area said.

Besides 4 lakh Muslims, the constituency has 3.5 lakh Jats and 2.5 lakh dalits. While BJP expects to make the cut with the help of Lodh votes besides getting other traditional Hindu votes, Congress ally RLD hopes to get Muslim votes besides its traditional vote bank of Jats. Though some young Jats appear to have drifted towards BJP due to Narendra Modi's pull, the majority may stick with RLD.

BJP had finished second last time as most Lodh votes went to SP which was supported by Kalyan Singh...........................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTQvMDQvMDkjQXIwMDkwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Second world record in Cherrapunji's kitty

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World Met Organization announces second world record for Cherrapunji

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 4, 2014, 11.17PM IST 

NEW DELHI: Cherrapunji has been holding a world record of maximum amount of rainfall in a single year for long. But, now this tiny town of Meghalaya has 'officially' been named for holding second world record, reaffirming it as "one of the wettest places on Earth".

A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) panel on Friday announced that "Cherrapunji now holds the world record for two-day (48-hour) rainfall, with 2493 millimeters (98.15 inches) recorded on June 15-16, 1995".

This rainfall amount exceeds the previous world 48-hour rainfall record of 2467mm (97.1 inches) of La Reunion (France) in April 1958.

The WMO came out with this conclusion after a long investigation which was conducted at the request of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and was based on post-event data analysis.

"The WMO Commission of Climatology international panel of experts reached its decision following an in-depth investigation of the Cherrapunji rainfall event for it to be included in the WMO World Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes", said the world body in a statement.

The WMO World Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes is an official international listing of weather and climate extremes.

"The new 48-hour record is particularly noteworthy as it reaffirms Cherrapunji as one of the wettest places on Earth. It complements Cherrapunji's long-held record rainfall for a 12-month (one-year) period, with 26470 mm (86 feet 10 inches) of rain from August 1860 to July 1861", said the statement, issued in Geneva.

La Reunion, which is frequently hit by tropic cyclones and receives large amounts of rainfall over its mountains, continues to hold the record for the most rainfall over periods of 12-hours and 24-hours (in 1966), as well as 72-hours and 96-hours (in 2007) categories.

The committee, which conducted the investigation, was composed of climate experts from Argentina, Columbia, France, Germany, India, Morocco, Spain and the USA.

"Continued improvements in meteorology and climatology allow climate experts to reanalyze past weather records in much more detail than ever before. The end result is an even better set of climate data for analysis of important global and regional questions involving climate variability and change", said the statement.

World records for rainfall in different categories:

* Greatest 1-minute rainfall (31.2 mm) in July 4, 1956 at Unionville, MD, USA

* Greatest 60 minutes rainfall (305 mm) in June 22, 1947 at Holt, MO, USA

* Greatest 12-hour rainfall (1144 mm) during January 7-8, 1966 at Foc-Foc, La Reunion

* Greatest 24-hour rainfall (1825 mm) during January 7-8, 1966 at Foc-Foc, La Reunion

* Greatest 48-hour rainfall (2493 mm) during June 15-16, 1995 at Cherrapunji, India

* Greatest 72-hour rainfall (3929 mm) during February 24-26, 2007 at Cratere Commerson, La Reunion

* Greatest 96-hour rainfall (4869 mm) during February 24-27, 2007 at Cratere Commerson, La Reunion

* Greatest 12 month rainfall (26470 mm) during August, 1860 to July, 1861 at Cherrapunji, India

..............http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxNC8wNC8wNSNBcjAxMTAx&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

IPCC Chief R K Pachauri.......an interview

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IPCC chairman urges nations to look beyond politics to fight climate change

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 3, 2014, 06.16PM IST 

Pachauri appeals to the world community to replace the north-south distinction by concern for “humanity at large”.

As a UN body - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - in its latest report has set an alarm bell ringing for the world to the looming threats of global warming, its chairman R K Pachauri wants the countries across the globe to look beyond "politics" while arriving at a universal climate deal.

In an interview to Vishwa Mohan, he appeals to the world community to replace the north-south distinction by concern for "humanity at large". He also says nobody is going to be immune to the impacts of climate change and enlists important takeaways from the report which was released in Yokohama, Japan on Monday.

Excerpts:

Q. Do you think the politics and so-called north-south divide over taking desired actions come in the way of fighting the common threats of climate change?

A. We have, in this particular report, looked at equity and ethical dimension of the problem. But, we are a scientific body and we can only carry out assessment of climate change. The politics part of it has to be dealt with under the negotiation process within the UN framework convention on climate change. Politics is certainly there. But, the time has come when we also have to worry about remote parts of this globe. Nobody is going to be immune to the impacts of the climate change. You have seen how some of the recent extreme weather events have affected some developed countries. I think this distinction between north and south has to be replaced by a concern for the humanity at large. We have also said very clearly in this report that the pockets of poverty will also expand in some of the developed countries. If you are going to get an extreme event and get reduction in level of water availability, it is going to affect everybody.

Q. What are the most important takeaways for entire South Asian region in the latest IPCC report?

A. The first takeaway is if we don't limit the emission of greenhouse gases globally, then clearly the climate change will reach a point where we might cross a certain threshold where adaptation is going to be really very difficult to carry out. Second, we in South Asia are very vulnerable because it would have impact on agriculture, human health, water resources and sea level rise plus extreme weather events. So, this is going to affect livelihood. The third one is particularly in respect of water resources. We really need to start using water far more efficiently in agriculture and urban areas. Substantial reduction in availability of water in some areas will only lead to possible human conflicts. Fourth, we need adaptation measures like early warning system and creating local institutions. Lastly, we should use renewable energy because it carries a lot of co-benefits. India has substantial amount of sources of renewable energy. We (India) can really become a leader in the use of renewable energy source like solar, wind and bio-mass.

Q. What would you like to tell the section among Indian policymakers who think the country's economic growth is far more important and they can't take risk of blocking everything at this stage of development in the name of environmental protection? This section also talks about competing with China. What's your take on this?

A. We need to redefine development. Even in developed countries, there is a world of difference between North America and Japan. Japan uses energy far more efficiently. They have much better public transport. Why should we not do something that gives us economic muscle and gives us economic growth that is sustainable? Why should we pursue unsustainable pattern of growth? After all, purely GDP growth by itself is not the end. We talk about inclusive growth but where is the inclusive growth. The rich are getting richer and poor remain exactly where they are. So when we talk about competing with other nations, let's do it an intelligent way.

You can get growth to match that of any other country in the world but you should not pollute all your rivers, soil and air. Because, all of that has huge cost which may not be reflected in the GDP of this country, but it is there. It is a reality. It is affecting all human beings. Why should we have a development the way it is defined by North America or any other developed country? We have to think of our own situation and come up with the pattern of development which is totally suitable to us. And, this is where we need some original thinking.

Q. The IPCC report also talks about impact of climate change on food-grain production. It may negatively affect yields of wheat, rice and maize in India and other parts of the world. Do you think India should adopt genetically modified (GM) food crops and bio-technological route to increase food-grain production to meet its future demand?

A. I think GM food crops and bio-technology certainly have lot of potential, but we have to observe all the safeguards that are required. I mean it shouldn't be like you introduce genetically modified plants which can lead to all kinds of other ecological and environmental impacts which are undesirable. So, you have to carry out trials. You have to introduce proper safeguards and when all of that been done, then you can think about GM in this country. But, my concern is that we in this country or, in fact, in most part of the world have not done any research and development by which a poor small farmer - who is producing food-grain under drought condition or who is entirely dependent on rain-fed agriculture - can be benefitted. We have really not met his needs. And, I think that is a real challenge. A large number of farmers in this country are in that category. They are not large farmers who are using fertilizers, pesticides and large quantity of water. They are small-time farmers for whom we have done very little R&D.

We have to come up with solution for such farmers. We have to think what such farmer is going to do if rain fails for two years in a row. We may also have to create some infrastructure to see that at least the minimal amount of water is available to such people who are spread across the country. So, that's the kind of work we should be targeting. Why should we be emulating what the others countries in the world have done?

Q. What is the problem behind poor implementation of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in India?

A. I think firstly, there has to be some coordination for the plan and its implementation. We have eight missions under the NAPCC. Each ministry has been made responsible for the specific mission. But, you also need to coordinate all these actions and I am not too sure whether there is any group or body or institution that is monitoring and evaluating the actions which are taking place. I am not too sure whether we really are clear about some of the instrument by which those missions need to be implemented.

Q. What would you suggest to the new government (post-forthcoming Parliamentary elections) for proper implementation of the action plan to deal with climate change?

A. Whosoever will come to the power (new government), my key suggestion would be to use the knowledge which is available and develop a plan of action which would protect life and property. We have new knowledge about impacts of climate change. We need to modify or refine this plan in the light of the new knowledge. We will have in another two weeks time a new knowledge about the mitigation of the emissions of greenhouse gases (through the upcoming Working Group-III report of the IPCC). In that sense, whether the government should revise that plan. We have Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission which laid down a target of 20,000 MW. But in view of the reduction in prices of renewable energy, is there a case for us to revise the target upwards? I think that has to be done. This is where the state governments have also to get involved. On the basis of what we know will be the impact of climate change in future, we should be putting in place a set of adaptation measures and some institutional mechanism by which we can take care of and reduce the risks to life and property.

IPCC chairman RK Pachauri's advice to South Asian countries in the context of the UN body's latest report on impacts of climate change

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'South Asia needs to unite on climate change'

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 2, 2014, 05.00AM IST 

NEW DELHI: A day after a UN panel predicted gloomy future for South Asia where climate change may even push nations to war due to pressure on natural resources, its chairman R K Pachauri on Tuesday admitted that the situation is indeed bad and it would be worse if the countries do not act together to face this common challenge.

"The world has all kinds of drivers of stress and drivers of conflict. With the climate change, these are likely to get accentuated further," said Pachauri in an interview to TOI.

Pachauri - chairman of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which released its report in Yokohama, Japan on Monday - was responding to the kind of messages one can get from this much-awaited document.

Asked how this problem could be tacked unless countries in South Asia join hands, he said, "Under SAARC, for instance, we have a programme to deal with environmental protection and climate change. But I am afraid that is not being implemented effectively."

Pachauri gave an example of massive floods in Pakistan in 2009 which he could see himself while flying over the country. He had later conveyed his concerns to then Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, when he met him.

"I later went to meet the then President Zardari and told him that there is no political conflict on these issues and that the two countries should work together because all we are vulnerable. So, it would make a lot of sense that countries of South Asia should coordinate their policies and action to fight the common threat," he said.

Asked about Zardari's response, Pachauri - who is also a member of the Prime Minister's advisory council on climate change in India - said, "The response was positive. But, it's a question of who's going to bell the cat."

His remark assumes significance in view of the predictions made by the IPCC not only for the Asia but the also for whole world where the threat of climate change must be handled through joint action.

Referring to the report, even UN climate change secretariat in Bonn had on Monday highlighted those points. In a statement, it said, "The IPCC report makes clear that people around the world are already suffering from climate change, as it directly affects their livelihoods, reducing crops, destroying homes and raising food prices, and that this will accelerate if climate change is left unchecked. It provides a detailed assessment of regional aspects, which give a much clearer understanding of climate impacts in different regions."

Touching the human conflict aspects, the secretariat said, "Among other things, the report warns that climate change increases the risk of armed conflict around the world because it worsens poverty and economic shocks. Therefore, climate change is already becoming a determining factor in the national security policies of states." .................... http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAxNC8wNC8wMiNBcjAxMDAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Climate Change may drive nations to armed human conflicts due to scarcity of natural resources

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Climate change may lead India to war: UN report

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Apr 1, 2014, 01.35AM IST 

Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) chairman Rajendra Pachauri (L) and IPCC Working Group II co-chairman Chris Field.

NEW DELHI: Asia is facing the brunt of climate change and will see severe stress on water resources and food-grain production in the future, increasing the risk of armed conflict among India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China, the latest report of a UN panel has warned.

UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in its report assessing impacts of climate change on human health, settlements and natural resources released on Monday, carried a dire warning. "The worst is yet to come," it said, if no measures are taken to curb the ill-effects of global warming.

India, like other developing economies, may lose up to 1.7% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if the annual mean temperature rises by 1 degree Celsius compared to pre-industrialization level, hitting the poor the most.

The report also predicts an increase in extreme weather events such as last year's flash floods in Uttarakhand and cyclone Phailin in Odisha if steps are not taken to control the rise in temperature.

"Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change," R K Pachauri, IPCC chairman said while making the report public in Yokohama, Japan.

The report says rise in temperatures would also affect 'beach tourism' in many countries. India surprisingly stands out as the most vulnerable among 51 countries where beach tourism is an important sector.

Climate change is not just about the future. The report said people around the world were already getting hit as it directly affects livelihoods, reduces food-grain production, destroys homes and raises food prices. These trends will accelerate if climate change is left unchecked.

Among other things, the report warns that climate change increases the risk of armed conflict around the world because it worsens poverty and economic shocks.

"Climate change is already becoming a determining factor in the national security policies of states", said a statement issued by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which has been working to arrive at a global climate deal by 2015 to fight the menace effectively through combined efforts of nations.

Though the report doesn't have country-specific predictions, its region-wise findings brought out many eye-opening conclusions for India.

Aromar Revi, lead author of one of the chapters of this report, said the impacts of climate change would be felt severely in Indo-Gangetic plains, affecting poor people in the entire region. "The areas which are facing frequent floods these days may face drought like situation in the distant or near future. We cannot ignore the changes which are taking place either in the Indus river basin or in Brahmputra river system over the longer period," said Revi, explaining the implications of the report in Delhi.

Another lead author, Surender Kumar, explained how climate change would affect the poorer nations. He said if mean temperatures increased beyond 1 degree C, it would knock 3% off the GDP of developing economies.

Key messages from IPCC report

* Coming years will see more extreme weather events (floods, cyclones, cloud bursts, unseasonal excessive rains and drought etc) in most parts of the globe

* Maldives, China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be among the most affected countries in Asia

* Severe stress on fresh water resources in South Asia and China (Himalayan river basins) may become a reason for armed conflict in the region by middle of the 21st century

* Climate change may be a determining factor in national security policies

* Coastal flooding will not only kill people and cause destruction, it will also affect tourism in India (like in Goa and Kerala)

* Decline in foodgrain production (wheat in India/Pakistan and wheat and maize in China)

* Big coastal cites like Mumbai and Kolkata will be affected by sea-level rise in 21st century

* Some fish and other marine animals will face extinction by 2050, affecting fishing community

* In many regions, changing precipitation or melting snow and ice are altering hydrological systems, affecting water resources in terms of quantity and quality

* Glaciers (including Himalayan) continue to shrink almost worldwide due to climate change, affecting run-off and water resources downstream

* Climate change will impact human health mainly by exacerbating health problems that already exist......................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDE0LzA0LzAxI0FyMDAxMDc=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

IPCC chairman RK Pachauri's message to Indian government

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IPCC chairman wants new government to fight climate change with all its might

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 31, 2014, 06.06AM IST 

NEW DELHI: With a UN body on Monday predicting severe negative impacts of climate change on many countries including India, its chairman, R K Pachauri, sought to advise the new government - which will come to power after the forthcoming parliamentary elections in May - to use "knowledge and objective information" for making an effective plan to fight the menace of global warming.

Responding to a question from the TOI as to what message he would like to convey to the new government, Pachauri said, "The most important thing the government should do is to use knowledge and use objective information in arriving at plans and policy. Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen. Policies are sometimes made in vacuum as far as knowledge and science are concerned".

Pachauri, who is also a member of the Prime Minister's advisory council, said that with the information that has been made available by IPCC, the government would really be well advised to see that it comes up with its plan with all that which are known on the subject of climate change. "And, I think it should involve both adaptation as well as mitigation", he said.

The IPCC chairman rued that though the government had made the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) six years ago, it could not be properly implemented.

He said it was a good plan, but like any other effective plan it had to be dynamic.

"We need to modify or refine this plan in the light of new knowledge which are now available to us. This plan should be implemented properly. I think, this should be the first challenge (of the new government)", he said.

"Whosoever will come to the power (new government), my key message would be to use the knowledge which are available and develop a plan of action which would protect life and property. That's what the challenge is all about", said Pachauri.................. http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxNC8wNC8wMSNBcjAwNjAy&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Climate Change: IPCC comes out with its WR-II at Yokohama, Japan

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UN panel on climate change presents gloomy picture for Asia in its fresh report

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Mar 31, 2014, 05.47AM IST 

A UN panel on Monday morning released its much awaited report which assessed impacts of climate change on human lives, natural resources and marine ecosystem across the globe.

NEW DELHI: A UN panel on Monday morning released its much awaited report which assessed impacts of climate change on human lives, natural resources and marine ecosystem across the globe. It predicted a gloomy picture for Asia where most of the countries, including India and China, will not only have to face more extreme weather events but also have to experience severe stress on drinking water and food-grains by middle of this century.

It more specifically predicted that both India and China will have to see "negative impacts on aggregate wheat yields", impacting the overall food security in the continent.

The 49-page report — summary for policy-makers — explained in detail how the global warming would affect most of the countries across the globe where poor, who live at the margin of the societies, will have to suffer the most due to pressure on available natural resources.

For Asia, this report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — released in Yokohama, Japan — said that the impact would increase "risk of drought-related water and food shortage causing malnutrition".

It also predicted increased "riverine, coastal, and urban flooding leading to widespread damage to infrastructure, livelihoods, and settlements, in Asia". This prediction may well see the impacts of sea-level rise on cities like Mumbai and Kolkata in India and Dhaka in Bangladesh.

Some key predictions for Asia include "Increased risk of heat-related mortality, permafrost degradation in Siberia, Central Asia and Tibetan Plateau, shrinking mountain glaciers across most of Asia, changed water availability in many Chinese rivers and increased flow in four rivers due to shrinking glaciers in the Himalayas".

"Negative impacts on aggregate wheat yields in South Asia (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh), negative impacts on aggregate wheat and maize yields in China and increase in water-borne disease in Israel" are some other predictions of the IPCC.

The report said— "the effects of climate change are already occurring on all continents and across the oceans. The world, in many cases, is ill-prepared for risks from a changing climate".

It, however, concluded that there are opportunities to respond to such risks, though the risks "will be difficult" to manage with high levels of warming.

The report, titled Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, from Working Group II of the IPCC, detailed the impacts of climate change to date, the future risks from a changing climate, and the opportunities for effective action to reduce risks.

A total of 309 coordinating lead authors, lead authors, and review editors, drawn from 70 countries, were selected to produce the report. They enlisted the help of 436 contributing authors, and a total of 1,729 expert and government reviewers from different countries including India.

The report identified vulnerable people, industries, and ecosystems around the world. It found that risk from a changing climate comes from vulnerability (lack of preparedness) and exposure (people or assets in harm's way) overlapping with hazards (triggering climate events or trends). Each of these three components can be a target for smart actions to decrease risk.

Releasing the report, Chris Field, Co-Chair of Working Group II said, "The report concludes that people, societies, and ecosystems are vulnerable around the world, but with different vulnerability in different places. Climate change often interacts with other stresses to increase risk".

The Working Group I report was released in September 2013, and the Working Group III report will be released in April 2014. The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) cycle will conclude with the publication of its Synthesis Report in October 2014.

R K Pachauri, Chairman of the IPCC, said: "The Working Group II report is another important step forward in our understanding of how to reduce and manage the risks of climate change. Along with the reports from Working Group I and Working Group III, it provides a conceptual map of not only the essential features of the climate challenge but the options for solutions."

Key points of the IPCC WR-II report:

* In many regions, changing precipitation or melting snow and ice are altering hydrological systems, affecting water resources in terms of quantity and quality

* Glaciers continue to shrink almost worldwide due to climate change, affecting run-off and water resources downstream

* Climate change is causing permafrost warming and thawing in high-latitude regions and in high-elevation regions

* Many terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species have shifted their geographic ranges, seasonal activities, migration patterns, abundances, and species interactions in response to ongoing climate change

* Based on many studies covering a wide range of regions and crops, negative impacts of climate change on crop yields have been more common than positive impacts

* Climate change has negatively affected wheat and maize yields for many regions and in the global aggregate. Effects on rice and soybean yield have been smaller in major production regions and globally

* Climate-related hazards affect poor people's lives directly through impacts on livelihoods, reductions in crop yields, or destruction of homes and indirectly through, for example, increased food prices and food insecurity

* Freshwater-related risks of climate change increase significantly with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations. The fraction of global population experiencing water scarcity and the fraction affected by major river floods increase with the level of warming in the 21st century

* Climate change over the 21st century is projected to reduce renewable surface water and groundwater resources significantly in most dry subtropical regions, intensifying competition for water among sectors

* Due to sea-level rise projected throughout the 21st century and beyond, coastal systems and low-lying areas will increasingly experience adverse impacts such as submergence, coastal flooding, and coastal erosion

* Some low-lying developing countries and small island states are expected to face very high impacts that, in some cases, could have associated damage and adaptation costs of several percentage points of GDP

* Due to projected climate change by the mid 21st century and beyond, global marine-species redistribution and marine-biodiversity reduction in sensitive regions will challenge the sustained provision of fisheries productivity and other ecosystem services

* Spatial shifts of marine species due to projected warming will cause high-latitude invasions and high local-extinction rates in the tropics and semi-enclosed seas

* Species richness and fisheries catch potential are projected to increase, on average, at mid and high latitudes and decrease at tropical latitudes

* Climate change will impact human health mainly by exacerbating health problems that already exist

* Throughout the 21st century, climate change is expected to lead to increases in ill-health in many regions and especially in developing countries with low income, as compared to a baseline without climate change

* For the major crops (wheat, rice, and maize) in tropical and temperate regions, climate change without adaptation is projected to negatively impact production for local temperature increases of 2°C or more above late-20th-century level