SERI news Vol. 2 No. 5, January, 2008

Vol. 2 No. 5, Jan. 2008

Chief Editor Dear Readers, Sayali Joshi CEO The life began from the sea billions of years ago. Vastness of clean water and air always Executive Editor delights minds. Th e clean and beautiful Prashant Dhotekar beaches like Dive Aagar, Konkan, in

Maharashtra state of India give energy to Design and Concept strengthen the efforts to control Climate Susmit Change . Bali summit concluded without any strong resolution or action. Editorial Board B. R. Pisal SERI’s Ecotechnology actually helps in two Priya Kapole ways – control generation of GHGs from Deepak Kalyanshetti waste degradation and secondly

atmospheric carbon dioxide is sequestered

Advisors by green plants growing in the treatment Dr. Jayant Mandlik systems. So, for the waste management, Dr. Suresh Karkhanis ecotechnology is the best option. Dr. M. S. Kodarkar Suresh Gandhi A new organization – TransNVtech has been incorporated to fight with the pollution Contact generated from point sources. This Executive Editor organization will give ready -to-use Shrishti Eco-Research Institute, B-106, Devgiri, treatment units for the sewage purification. Opp. P. L. Deshpande Garden, Near Ganesh The aim is to provide compact units for Mala, Pune – 411 030. India. Phone: 91-20- residential buildings, hotels and hospitals 24321773 /Telefax: 91-20-66206539 and achieve a sizeable pollution control in Website: www.seriecotech.com the international year of sanitation – 2008.

Email: [email protected] A visit to origin of Pravara river’s origin was

Point for discussion this month a feast for trekkers. The river rises fort Role of EIAs in infrastructural projects Ratangad near Bhandardara at about 4200 ft (For private circulation only) from MSL in highest mountain ranges of Sahayadri – Western Ghats.

Pl. note that the ownership of views expressed by the Wish you all very Happy and author lies with him / her only. SERI’s management does not endorse or own them. Prosperous New Year 2008. Thank you,

Chief Editor

Shrishti Eco -Research Institute, Pune 1 SERI news Vol. 2 No. 5, January, 2008

Newsviews 5. In this fast developing world, local

communities do not have aspirations for Environmental Clearance: modern facilities? Or they should sacrifice Hurdle or Navigator? for others already developed and wanting

In one of the guest lectures in the all India more? Will it lead to equitable sustainable workshop of irrigation engineers, the trainee development from the view of River Basin Development? executive engineers tried to hold the talk on stalling of the ’Dam’ ( damned?) projects 6. Does compliance with EIA rules and due to environmental clearance. It was requirements of environmental clearances surprising to know the views of engineers hinder the process of development? If so, about ecosystems and impact of their ‘civil/ then our request is to quash the rules and /infrastructural ‘development on local to then lobby in such a way that ensures no global processes. Humankind is awakened return of such rules again. (In one due to imminent threats of global warming organizations assessment, it was just and climate change. Is 100 % regional requested to tear off all the NC documents development possible by infrastructural where they didn’t commit to comply with projects without giving heed to the rules). environmental processes and alterations? 7. Are we really heading towards National Environment Appellate Authority sustainable development or just another has invalidated the environmental clearance imbalanced economy trying to patch the for multi crores project – Polavaram ever widening gap between development Irrigation Project in Andhra Pradesh on Dec. and healthy environment? Does it serve the 19, 2007 considering the flouting of rules poor people in the country? during EIA studies and denying affected Isn’t it confusion between development and people to access the information. Because environment? Is the goal of our national public he aring was not conducted in the leaders to provide equitable economic affected areas of other states - Orissa and growth to poorest of poorest individuals? Chhattisgarh. This project has brought one Does that include environment quality? Or more dimension in the light - interstate is it only economic upliftment? conflict of necessities, impacts and concerns of people. Earlier Sardar Sarovar Project - Will environmental impact assessment epicentre of conflicts had issues of interstate studies and clearances suffice the disputes. requirements of administrative and executive machinery? Will it be useful to set Recurrence of such issues and ruling are the goals of regional development? leading to many questions like - The project developer may not have the 1. Are present accounting systems, GDP etc. understanding of regional development and insensitive to local demands, ecological progress to improve the livelihood of local damage and restoration of altered communities. But the EIA report is environmental processes? comprised of baseline studies of

2. Is infrastructure centric development environmental resources as well as socio- willing to consider local to global economic status in the project area. environmental impacts (L2GEI) and to take Therefore it becomes very authentic document of strengths and weaknesses of preventive actions and to implement corrective actions? the region. Then developer has to widen his vista to look at imminent changes – short 3. Can “construction” group take up the task term and long term as a result of his act / of correcting “environmental aberrations” or project in the upstream and downstream of would they be able to give justice to impact project giving overview of entire river basin. mitigation measures (which is not their Then, there will be perfect planning and work profile)? implementation of mitigation of negative

impacts to increase the viability of the 4. Is restoration of environmental processes again another civil / infrastructural project project. - Sandeep Joshi or ecological project? ---x---

Shrishti Eco -Research Institute, Pune 2 SERI news Vol. 2 No. 5, January, 2008

New sAnalysis other subsidiary body of the conference and the complete house before bringing funds to Impact of climate change on India. Bali will provide an in-principle approval to the idea and it could take Businesses another two years for finalization of the details of the scheme allowing India to Every 2.5 0C increase in temperature in India apply and start getting funds. With will loose five percent of its GDP. According stamping approval Bali has assured India’s to Dr. R K Pachaur i, Chairman, IPCC says investment for the ailing forestry sector. that developing country like India is vulnerable to impacts of climate change to a ---x--- substantial degree and it will be one of the biggest business disruptions in the years to Environmental Bali Bali (Balle come. Most of the people’s livelihood is still Balle)! dependent on agriculture only.

Extreme weather conditions due to climate The EU and US insist that developing change may cause major risks to countries must contribute to the global infrastructure and the property damage warming solution and avoid the mistakes by potential at the rate of 2–5% every year. 45% rich countries while they grow. This is of the factories such as refineries and because lower carbon technologies are 50% chemical manufacturing plants being built more expensive than coal fired power plants of same capacity and produce power at best in the costal areas for bulk cargo transportation are at high risk of flooding in one third of time. Secondly developing countries are investing in energy related due to rising of sea levels. infrastructure and will grow by 2030. Thirdly, the suppliers of the available lower A global survey of 1000 companies reported that 20% of respondents think that Climate carbon technologies are all in rich countries change is not very important issue for their and forcing developing countries to undertake GHG mitigation. business and 86% don’t have strategy for responding climate change. The Indian approach at Bali prevailed

---x--- because the arguments of the EU and US were unfeasible and indefensible. A recent

Indian study using energy-economy model India’s eco-diplomacy worked at concluded that to reduce just less than 10% Bali again of emissions in India from what they would be otherwise be in 2036 would require Developing and poor countries have for past additional investment of 2.5 trillion US several years demanded that rich countries dollars! This is well 2½ times India’s current pay them to maintain and increase the forest GDP, and would have to be supplied with covers at the cost of their economic basic infrastructure amenities and facilities. development. In this way poor countries will remain poor The Indian delegation led by science and for many generations more and their technology minister Kapil Sibal at the UN corporate will found large new markets for conference on the climate change, succeeded their technologies. The problem can be and made the conference to accept the solved if costs of renewable energy (solar, country’s demand that the rich world will wind, biomass) become competitive with compensate developing countries for those of fossil fuel technologies. This will afforestation drives and for avoiding require huge R & D effort, money and time. deforestation. India has the necessary scientific capacity to contribute effectively to such project. The contact group has accepted most of the demands but the clearance will have to go - Priya Kapole through two more steps- clearance from ---x---

Shrishti Eco -Research Institute, Pune 3 SERI news Vol. 2 No. 5, January, 2008

New beginnings New beginnings TransNVtech: Post Graduate Diploma in Attempt to serve better to Environmental Planning and Friends of Environment Management

A step forward to serve better to the SERI has decided to start one very sensitive citizens of India who are friends of comprehensive course on environmental environment in true sense wanted to treat planning and management from June 2008. the wastes emanating from their commercial It will be a post graduate diploma of one and residential complexes. World class year. The eligibility is post graduation in any modern technologies packed in small ready stream of knowledge means science, to use units are the simple products engineering, commerce or arts. Disciples of developed by TransNVtech. These are useful commerce or arts faculties who have the for the sewage as minimum as 1000 lit. / experience of at least two years in the day to 200000 lit. / day. environmental compliances or activities can Nowadays, many townships are coming up join the course. in metrocities with independent facilities The course will include classroom teachings, and amenities for the comfort of their field experiments and project works to equip residents. They are already full of all the student with skills and knowledge to beautiful residences, flats, gardens, plan, execute and manage various projects entertainments, pure water supply, leisure with perfect flavour of environment quality. activities, clubs, sports complexes and roads. The main objective of the course is to In addition to these, if sewage is treated with develop environmental planners and state-of-the-art -treatment-unit, there will be managers who understand the short term saving on freshwater use for garden or and long term impacts of projects on toilets (if possible); no fouling of premises environmental processes and plan to by overflowing septic tanks, no flies and no mitigate the negative impacts or restore the threat to the health of residents. damage caused by the project execution or

operational activities. The emphasis will be more on learning through experiences than theory. In addition to essential theory lectures, there will be students’ seminars, presentations, guest lectures, visits to various locations and sites, sharing of experiences and knowledge, activity reports and project reports. After completion of course, the student can work in any government or private sector

project planning or executing organization confidently with result oriented objectives. Four types of ready-to-use equipment for He / she will be able to increase the cost sewage treatment are developed based on effectiveness of the project without aerobic or anaerobic principles such as CAB compromising the results. For more details (Compact Aerobic Bioreactor), A2 please send email to Course Coordinator on (Anaerobic followed by Aerobic), Biopure [email protected] m . (conversion of sewage to drinking water) -Deepak Kalyanshetti and S-tech (Sewage Technology of Rotating

--- x --- Biological Compactor). Automation can be done to avoid manual operations of the Contact: For Pollution Clinic: Mr. Prashant Dhotekar units. These can be easily maintained by For Green Arch: Mrs. Sayali Joshi any person with some induction training. For Microbial cultures in Waste Treatment TransNVtech has vision to begin awareness In – Charge, Microbial Culture Division, Shrishti Eco- of healthy environment for citizens of India Research Institute, B-106, Devgiri, Opp. P. L. Deshpande Garden, Near Ganesh Mala, Sinhagad in the International Sanitation Year 2008. Road, Pune – 411 030. Phone: 91-20-24321773 - Prashant Dhotekar --- x ---

Shrishti Eco -Research Institute, Pune 4