CURRENT NEWS
FEBRUARY 2009

Growth push for coal-rich states
PROJECTS in states with coal mines may be given preferential treatment in allocation of coal blocks as the government looks to push growth in coal-rich states that remain economically backward. The new policy, which forms part of the proposal to allow competitive bidding for coal blocks, may allow companies that use fuel for projects in the same state to match the highest bid if it is within 5% of the offer, said a government official.
As per the proposal, the system of preference will come into effect only if the bidder is willing to match the highest bid for the block. This will ensure that the government gets the fair price of its coal blocks. The government expects that the proposed policy will encourage private companies in power, cement and steel sectors to set up units in backward states, said an official with coal ministry.
The policy will benefit states like Orissa, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal. Almost 80% of the coal reserves are in the eastern region that has seen relatively low industrial activity compared with states in the southern and western regions. A proposal in this regard has been included in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2008 that has been cleared by a parliamentary standing committee with some riders. 'This is a welcome step as it will boost economic development in mineral-rich states. However, efforts should be made to facilitate fast approvals, as most of these mines are located in forest areas', said JSW Steel director (finance) Seshagiri Rao.

(Source: Economic Times (New Delhi), Date: 27/02/2009)

CIL to shut down two mines
These mines fuel a capacity of 11,000 MW across five States
KOLKATA, February 26, 2009 : Power crisis is looming over large parts of the country, especially in the western region from March 1, if Coal India Ltd. (CIL) shuts down two of its biggest mines, which fuel a capacity of 11,000 MW across five States. CIL’s decision to shutdown the mines followed a restriction on their production imposed by the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB). Officials of at least three ministries — coal, power and environment — went into a huddle following this development.
When contacted about the impact on the region’s power scenario, NTPC Chairman R. S. Sharma told The Hindu that two of its units at Sipat and Korba with a total capacity of 3,100 MW are expected to be hit badly if coal supplies from these two mines of South Eastern Coalfields (a CIL subsidiary) dry up.
'We have spoken to the authorities concerned and are hopeful of a solution'.
Apart from NTPC, several State-level power utilities in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra are dependent on the Dipka and the Gevra coal mines of SECL.
Together, these mines have a capacity of 45 million tonnes annually and account for half of the production of SECL which is CIL’s largest coal producing company, SECL officials said.

(Source: Hindu (New Delhi)

A 100-acre lake next to mines goes stone dry
HC Ruling Today Could Shape Fate of Aravalis
Faridabad: If still more evidence was required, here it is. A large lake, that till two years ago brimmed with water, has also dried up completely in Dhauj, just 3km from the Sirohi and Khori Jamalpur mines, ramming home yet again the correlation between mining in the Aravalis and the drought in the area.
The evidence is there for anyone who cares to see. It’s there at the Dhauj Jheel, Badkhal Lake, Surajkund,
Damdama Lake and scores of smaller water bodies in the region. But the Haryana government, which could actually roll back the water crisis, is looking the other way. Far from preventing mining in these ravaged mines, even after the expiry of a seven-year lease, it is set to set to extend mining there by two years.
That is, unless the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which is scheduled to take up the issue on Wednesday, rejects the state government and the miner lobby’s argument that construction material is getting scarce in Delhi and steps up to save the Aravalis. On Sunday, TOI had reported how virtually all big projects in the Capital were sourcing their materials from Rajasthan and were tied into long-term contracts, which would not make an impact on prices.
The high court would, in any case, be aware that the Supreme Court passed a status-quo order on February 13, which means the current situation, including expiry of lease on the these two mines, can’t be changed until the apex court has taken a view on the larger issue of the ecological devastation of this entire region.
On paper, they are breeding fish here
Faridabad: Dhauj Jheel, a large lake just 3km from Sirohi and Khori Jamalpur mines in Faridabad, has for the first time in its 70-year history gone completely dry with ugly cracks on its bed telling an eloquent story of water famine, calim locals. Satellite imagery, included in the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee, shows that only last May the lake was full.
Locals say the lake dried up in three months. Interestingly, the lake belongs to the Haryana fisheries department which has leased it out for fishing. But what’s really being ‘‘fished’’ out of here is sand — truckloads of it — that has damaged the waterretention capacity of the soil. All that remains of the lake that once spread over 100 acres is a tiny, dirty puddle on one side with truck marks all around.
As per the records of the fisheries department, the dry bed has been leased out to a private agency for pisciculture. P V Singh director (fisheries) says: ‘‘There are prospects of good rains so there’s fish culture happening there.’’ On being told that there is no water and sand was being scooped out of the lake bed, he replied: ‘‘If there is no water then that is not my lookout, mining department will need to check that.’’ Mining officials claimed it was a ‘‘local problem’’ but promised to get it checked provided ‘‘it is not reported”.
Irrigation department officials said that the dam was constructed to prevent the huge run off rainwater from flooding the agriculture fields and villages in low-lying areas and also to ensure a year-long supply of water and groundwater recharge. The water markings on the dam are an indication of how much water the reservoir once held.
The unorganised mining has left small patches of exposed groundwater in some places (the water level is at 17 feet) — yet another means of ground water depletion in an area where countless tubewells have gone dry since 2002 when mining commenced. Locals have turned incidental profiteers with some charging trucks at the rate of Rs 100 per trip to let them pass through land they own.
Locals and district administration officials said there were signs of alarming depletion of the water level over 7-8 years. A Central Ground Water Board report submitted to the Supreme Court in 2004 said: ‘‘... the drainage pattern of the area has been modified due to haphazard mining and dumping of waste material which has bearing on natural path of ground water flow in the area.’’
The effect on drainage pattern was mentioned in a Supreme Court order of 2006 too while delivering the judgement on a case filed by M C Mehta.
A forest department official explained: ‘‘Since rainwater is the only source for such lakes in the entire Aravali region, till the time the rainwater catchment area remained intact, run off rainwater from 10 km around the dam filled Dhauj. The height of Dhauj Lake is more than the mining areas of Khori and Sirohi so depletion of groundwater from the mining pits affected the recharge rate here. Rainwater hardly reaches the lake now as because of man-made changes in the rock around, either the courses have altered or the water ends up filling only the mining pits.’’ Locals say there have been attempts to ‘‘mine’’ the rockclimbing site of Dhauj too but some local land-owners have resisted that.
The situation, the official added is now so bad that even if all the natural rainwater courses are clear, it will take decades to fill the lake because of the havoc wreaked by mining and the altered soil character. In this situation, can mining for another two years be allowed here?

(Source: Times Of India, New Delhi dt. 25/02/2009)

List changed to get forest land into mining zone
New Delhi, February 23, 2009 : The auction notice for stone quarrying in Khori Jamalpur and Sirohi in Faridabad claims that no mining will be allowed in the prohibited zones (essentially forest areas) but an abrupt turnaround by the administration in 2005 might have already allowed mining in some of these zones where it will now continue.
Documents with TOI show that in 2005, the official status of some of the kilas (a kila is an acre of land) in Khori where plantation had been done a year earlier was altered to let mining continue.
This was necessitated after the Supreme Court ruled in March 2004 that all areas where plantation had been carried out with European Commission funding would be regarded as ‘‘forest areas’’ where mining would be banned. In Khori, 21 kilas would be closed to mining.
On March 1, 2005, the then deputy commissioner of Faridabad wrote to the director (mines and geology) that the inclusion of these areas in the earlier list was a ‘‘clerical error’’ and that in fact, no plantation had been done in these parts. All 21 kilas have since been quarried and also figure in the list of areas to be auctioned on March 3.
The ‘‘clerical error’’ theory, however, leaves room for doubt, going by the internal communication between the Faridabad divisional forest officer, the deputy commissioner and the director of mines and geology prior to the March letter.
In May 2004, the then DFO wrote to the Faridabad DC, mentioning all kila nos. (which included these 21 kilas) where plantation was carried out and urged him to take action to ensure closure of all mining activities in these areas. The letter had also mentioned, ‘‘This list of kila nos have (sic) been prepared after carrying out physical verification in the presence of district mining officer, tehsildar and his subordinate staff.’’ Doubts remain on ‘clerical error’ claim
New Delhi: The flip-flop in the official stand on which areas had been included in the plantation scheme funded by the European Commission raises questions about the decisions which allowed mining to happen in Khori Jamalpur. After the 2004 list of plantation areas was sent to the DC, mining department officials also surveyed these spots.
This list was revised after the March 2004 Supreme Court order which ruled that all areas falling under the Aravali plantation would be treated as forest and hence no non-forestry activity would be allowed there. One of the persons involved in the plantation activity, in fact, identified the sites to be included in the list.
It was after this that the DC, who is also chairman of the Aravali Monitoring Committee at the district level, intervened. The 2005 ‘‘clarification letter’’ from the DC office to the mining department excluded Kila No 24/14 to 25; 25/15, 16 and 25; 28/4 to 7, 14 to 23 and 23 to 25 from the plantation list of 2004. All these acres will now be auctioned off as mining area.
‘‘Obviously, it raises doubts why the department did not do anything for over one year, if there was a clerical mistake,’’ alleged a mining department official on condition of anonymity. ‘‘Precautionary steps were taken to continue largescale mining in this region. Even the forest department coming out with different figures with regard to the total plantation area in Khori Jamalpur raises doubts over their intentions.’’
Both the 2004 and 2005 letters had highlighted that after the SC imposed a blanket ban on mining in Aravalis, mining in Sirohi and Khori Jamalpur increased manifold and the mining area spread to approximately 230 acres.

(Source: Times of India, New Delhi)

In a first, Karnataka HC sets up green Bench
Bangalore, February 21, 2009: A green Bench: this could well be a first in the legal history of the country. Providing legal space for green concerns, the Karnataka high court, in a notification on Thursday (February 19), announced the setting up of the Bench to exclusively deal with environmental issues. The high court which receives plenty of appeals on issues like mining, water, forest and lakes, can now speedily dispose of cases as they will directly come under the purview of this special bench headed by Chief Justice P D Dinakaran. The bench will hold its sitting in the principal bench at Bangalore. The cases pertaining to the environment pending in other circuit Benches of the HC will also be transferred to this Bench. The notification says that all the writ petitions having bearing with pollution control, will now be dealt by this Bench.

(Source: Times of India, New Delhi)

Green Bench for mining cases
Bangalore, February 21, 2009 : A Green Bench of the Karnataka High Court headed by Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran will be hearing all writ petitions and appeals relating to grant of lease, licence of mines and minerals, whether minor or major, in, and or from the Government, forest or private lands. The cases may directly or indirectly be concerned with the protection and improvement of environment and prevention of hazards to human beings and other living creatures, plants and property and has bearing with pollution control. All these cases have been withdrawn from the Circuit Benches of Dharwad and Gulbarga and will be heard by the Green Bench headed by the Chief Justice at the Principal Bench of the High Court in Bangalore.

(Source: The Hindu)

Haryana set to start more mining even as CM vows to fill up lakes
Matter in HC, But Govt Sets Auction Date
New Delhi: Disregarding the fact that the Punjab and Haryana High Court is yet to determine whether the mining lease of Sirohi and Khori Jamalpur in Faridabad district should be extended or not, the Haryana government is going ahead with their auction for two more years.
Accordingly, the Haryana department of mines and geology issued auction notice on February 17 — eight days before the issue is taken up by the HC on February 25. This seemingly brazen move would indicate a presumption of the court decision as well as the officials’ determination to carry on with mining which, according to experts, is wrecking the ecosystem of the Aravalis.
It’s not known whether Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda has acquiesced in the auction move or not, though some reports in local papers claim he has. Hooda on Friday told TOI he was worried about the lakes.
A number of expert teams, including an SC-appointed Central Empowered Committee, have recommended that the entire Faridabad district should be declared a prohibited zone for mining. Mine auction on the sly RECKLESS STEP Showing Scant Regard For Experts And SC Panel, Haryana Has Come Out With Notice
Even as number of expert teams, including an SCappointed Central Empowered Committee, have recommended that the entire Faridabad district be declared a prohibited zone for mining, the Haryana government is going ahead with the auction of Sirohi and Khori Jamalpur for two more years. The experts have specifically asked for discontinuing mining in Sirohi and Khori Jamalpur as reckless extraction there has made the area virtually impossible to salvage.
According to the notice issued by the mining department, the auction would take place on March 3. Already the current lease holder Som Sethi has claimed that mining would begin next month at these two mines. According to local activists, his men are claiming that ‘‘money can buy anyone’’ and no one can stop mining from resuming.
The notice for ‘‘extraction of stones’’ in these two mining areas has reduced the total area for mining from 267 hectares to about 110 hectares. This is despite senior mining officials admitting that in some places — in fact in ‘‘almost all of Sirohi’’ — mining has already reached the sea level, the maximum permissible depth.
Apart from the HC, the Supreme Court too is taking up the Aravali mining case in the second half of March. Asked what the hurry was for issuing the auction notice, M P Sharma, mining engineer said: ‘‘There is no stay of the court in this.’’ This is contrary to the court’s order for a status-quo after the expiry of lease on these two mines.
The base price for Khori has been fixed as Rs 109.68 crore and that for Sirohi is Rs 8.96 crore. Asked how
Sirohi, when it has already touched sea level could take another two years of mining Sharma said: ‘‘We don’t expect Sirohi to last more than three months.’’ It’s another matter, the CEC has observed that these mines were already ‘‘over-exploited’’.
Director of mines and geology Arun Kumar, who has issued the auction notice admitted to TOI over phone from Chandigarh, ‘‘In the past, the mining has happened below the ground level. But now we are allowing the quarrying in only those areas where there is more stone to be extracted from above ground level.’’ According to official estimates, over 2 lakh metric tonnes of stones would be taken out in next two years ‘‘subject to court directions’’.
The extent of exploitation in the twin mines has been underlined time and again. On June 23, 2006, a committee comprising Bhure lal, Valmik Thapar and A K Biswas visited the mines and submitted a report with 10 pictures of the devastation. TOI has accessed that report that unambiguously recommended stopping all mining activity since it was ‘‘not being carried out in a scientific manner’’ and ‘‘reclamation of the area from environmental degradation is a very difficult task.’’
The report had recommended that an impartial natural expert should evaluate the impact and should be asked to create a scientific plan. Till such time it is done, ‘‘court should consider to stop all mining activity’’. The committee had reported that the ‘‘contours and elevation of the Aravali had almost disappeared’’ as the ‘‘excavation was done in a merciless manner’’ which resulted in ‘‘overexploitation of the mining site’’.
It also charges the state government officials and the local monitoring committee of portraying a ‘‘rosy picture’’ that has ‘‘no relation with the ground realities’’. According to the report, in 2001 when the lease was given, 6 lakh ton mineral was removed; in 2006 the figure stood at 55 lakh.
CPCB too had submitted a report listing disturbance of air quality, land degradation, depletion of ground water due to alteration of drainage pattern, road degradation and noise and vibration problem as some of the major concerns in the area.
‘‘State government is playing to the hands of only powerful few and to benefit them ignoring large interest of locals and twin cities of Faridabad and Gurgaon. We are moving an application in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to stay this auction,’’ said Ravi Kant of Shakti Vahini, an NGO.
Area of quarries for mining in Khori Jamalpur & Sirohi - 110 hectare
Reserve price - Rs 118.64 crore
Lease period - Up to March 31, 2011
Date of open public auction in Faridabad - March 3
The grant of contract would be subject to the outcome of two cases pending in Supreme Court & Punjab & Haryana High Court

(Source : The Times of India, New Delhi , Dated: 21/02/09)

LAKES DISAPPEAR IN MINING PIT
Surajkund is now dry and desolate and Damdama is going the same way. It’s a man-made disaster that could have been avoided
Once these were the city’s favourite picnic spots, big attractions around Delhi — Badkhal Lake, Surajkund and Damdama Lake. No more. All these water bodies have become stone dry. The reason: hectic and indiscriminate mining in the Aravalis. Surajkund and its adjoining lake, Badkhal, dried up a year ago. And now Damdama too has shrivelled up —farmhouses are coming up on its dry bed.
The greed of man — both for mining stones and grabbing land — is causing an ecological disaster in the Faridabad district of Haryana.
The lakes at Surajkund and Badkhal were popular getaways for Delhi-ites and others because of their water bodies. Today, locals play cricket while villagers graze cattle on their dry beds.
The residents of the area — who have seen the tourist flow getting reduced to a trickle over the years — complain that no effort was ever made to maintain the water flow to the historical Surajkund built in 10th century by King Surajpal of Tomar Dynasty to catch ‘‘the rain water from the hills’’.
According to ASI officials, since the Kund has dried up, the complex hardly attracts any tourists except during the crafts mela. ‘‘The Kund has dried upsince the natural rain water supply chain has been blocked because of constructions. So, the water lost due to evaporation and natural recharge of groundwater was never replenished adequately,’’ said a tourism department official, who did not wish to be named.
The Surajkund and Badkhal lakes, of course, have been killed by the unregulated mining all across the Aravalis — in Faridabad and Gurgaon — prior to Supreme Court imposing a blanket ban. ‘‘Since the gaping mine holes were never rehabilitated, the rain water does not reach the water bodies or, for that matter, even Damdama Lake. In many areas, the mining pits have breached the groundwater level and hence slowly these water bodies dried up,’’ said Conservator of Forests R P Balwan.
An alarm had been sounded in the hydrological report submitted by the Ministry of Environment in its affidavit before the forest bench of Supreme Court in August last year. It had mentioned that these used mining pits were found ‘‘filled with water’’ leading to ‘‘massive evaporation of groundwater’’ — about 8.86 lakh ccm of fresh water. The report was prepared by the Chandigarh office of the Central Ground Water Board. It had also mentioned that ‘‘mining was mainly carried out below the water table by pumping out of groundwater’’ and ‘‘dewatering of the mines had affected the groundwater regime, resulting in depletion of groundwater resources’’.
‘‘The natural drainage pattern has also altered due to mining and dumping of waste material,’’ the report stated.
R K Srinivasan, a researcher with the Centre for Science and Environment, too blames the indiscriminate mining. ‘‘Surajkund and Badkhal lakes dried up due to mining, massive quarrying and colonisation. We need to urgently restore the catchment area and to go for large-scale watershed management.’’
Experts also point out that the Aravali rocks are predominantly quartzite which don’t have porosity. ‘‘These rocks also don’t have permeability meaning they don’t have the capacity to allow flow of water in between grains,’’ said an expert. Earlier, when natural sources were active, these factors were not so relevant.
Groundwater board officials warn that the drying up of these lakes doesn’t augur well for the water supply to the twin cities. While Faridabad is 100% dependent on groundwater, Gurgaon gets 40% of its supply from under the ground.
DAMDAMA SHRINKING
Less rainfall Mining in catchment area hinders rain water flow to the lakes Water collected in empty mining pits gets evaporated and does not recharge ground water table
Aravali rocks are predominantly quarsite and hence lack porosity — capacity to retain water
They also lack permeability and does not allow flow of water between grains

(Source: Times of India, New Delhi, dated 20/02/09)

Question mark over unique sand formations near Visakhapatnam
VISAKHAPATNAM, February 13, 2009: Erramattidibbalu, the huge formation of red sand near Bheemunipatnam where the river Gambheeram once flowed, is in the news following moves to raze it to build a shopping plaza.
The spot where the rare natural phenomenon is seen, believed to be 50,000 years old, is a favourite locale for film-shooting. It is near INS Kalinga on the Visakhapatnam-Bhimili beach road. Perennial streams run nearby. The upper layer of the formation is red owing to a process of oxidisation.
Stretch between Visakhapatnam and Bhimili geovisit;
Anthropologist and retired Professor of Andhra University, K. Thimma Reddy, carried out excavations here under a programme sponsored by Department of Science and Technology in 1992-96.
Expressing shock over the move to raze the formations, he said they are nature's gift to Visakhapatnam. He said Gambheeram changed its course due to tectonic movements and the red sand took the shape of a dome due to climatic conditions. The excavation conducted by Professor Reddy and others on behalf of Andhra University had confirmed a stretch of 5 km sand in the area with a height of 80 m at the central point. The red sand was found in the topmost portion. There were various layers comprising pebble gravel, fine gravel, lime and iron-rich, sandy and brown soil. Each layer reflected various agencies of deposition due to wind, water and marine.
According to Professor Reddy, excavations threw up stone tools, confirming human habitation during Mesolithic period. The recovered sickles, knife and other tools used for hunting and self-defence showed evolution of weaponry. The tools dated back to around 5,000 B.C.
After the Mesolithic Age, huge deposits accumulated. The soil was not conducive to preserving bones. "Trace efforts to make tools were found during Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic Age but no human settlement was found" he said.
(Source: The Hindu)
More in queue to mine at Tadoba
Mumbai: The Adani Mining Private Limited's isn't the only company awaiting clearance to mine coal in the dense forest cover around the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).
Five companies have been allotted coal blocks in the area. Environmentalists say, this will be the death-knell for the tiger reserve.
The major coal blocks here are are the Agarzari Coal Block and Lohara (East). The latter was allotted to ACC in 1999, but which was overturned by the union ministry of environment and forests (MOEF) for being too close to TATR. This block has now been allotted to the Murli Agro Products Limited and Grace Industries Limited.
Swanand Sovani of the Shrushti Paryavaran Mandal, a Nagpur-based environmental group, said earlier no mining permission was for Lohara (East).
Government information says the coal reserve of the area is 309.832 metric tonnes. SM Chopne, president of Green Planet, a Chandrapur- based NGO, said other companies are waiting for the Adani project to be approved before starting their own work.
"If allowed, mining activities will destroy over 17,000 hectare of rich forest cover in the region," he said.

(Source: Daily News Analysis)

Tamilnadu to achieve 33% 'TREE COVER'
COIMBATORE, February 12, 2009 : Tamil Nadu has almost achieved 33% 'tree cover' and also mitigated the impact of global warming and climate change to some extent, forests minister, N Selvaraj said.
As against the decrease of India's forest cover by 728 sq km, Tamil Nadu's cover has increased by 41 sq km, Selvaraj said in his address on the concluding day of 'International Congress on Global Warming on biodiversity of insects: Management and conservation,'.
Chief minister M Karunanidhi had launched a scheme called 'tree cultivation in private land,' in 2007-08 and under the programme, one crore saplings were being planted every year, he said.
Due to this, forest and tree cover in Tamil Nadu has gone up considerably, Selvaraj said, adding as against the reduction of tree cover from 3.05 to 2.79% in India, it had increased in Tamil Nadu from 3.66% to 4.26%, he said.
Increase in temperature would have severe impact on the global hydrological system, sea levels, forest ecosystems, crop production and related processes. The effect of global warming would be very severe in tropical countries like India and other developing countries, he said.

(Source: The Economic Times) 

Increased coal recovery from dewatering fine coal slurries
Researchers at Virginia Tech have demonstrated a technology to separate fine coal from water as an energy resource which can be marketed commercially.
LONDON, February 9, 2009, : A $13 million cooperative effort with America's Office of Fossil Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) over the past seven years has resulted in the successful demonstration of a novel technology that addresses a problem plaguing coal operators and environmentalists alike: separating fine coal particles from water and their ultimate use as a significant energy resource. 
Researchers at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg have developed and patented an advanced technology called a hyperbaric centrifuge that can successfully remove water from very fine coal slurries. During recent prototype tests at Arch Coal's Cardinal plant in Logan County, West Virginia, the technology reduced the moisture to a level that the waste coal can now be marketed commercially. The result is significant in that coal producers each year discard large amounts of moisture-laden coal fines that can potentially be salvaged for energy use while simultaneously cleaning up the environment. 
"We are heartened by the success of Virginia Tech's technology because it represents a major step forward in clean coal separation technology while addressing environmental concerns associated with waste coal impoundments," said Dr. Victor K. Der, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy. "The continued success and application of this technology holds promise for converting millions of tonnes of 'lost' energy into a valuable resource for the US energy consumer." 
Virginia Tech received the award from NETL as part of the Office of Fossil Energy's Hydrogen and Fuels program. Virginia Tech used the grant to develop the prototype centrifuge, evaluate its operation and design, and demonstrate it at coal-cleaning plants in Virginia, Alabama, and West Virginia. Several other technologies were also developed as part of the $13 million cooperative research effort. 
Virginia Tech's Center for Advanced Separation Technologies (CAST) tested the centrifuge at three operating plants, including the most recent test at the Arch Coal plant, where waste coal slurry went through the centrifuge at a rate of 30 gallons per minute and was dewatered to 13-19% moisture with coal recovery greater than 97%. Virginia Tech, in conjunction with West Virginia University, formed CAST in 2001 under the sponsorship of NETL to develop advanced separation technologies. 
The prototype unit tested at the Cardinal plant was constructed by Decanter Machine as part of a license agreement with Virginia Tech. Based on the successful test result, the company is currently building a full-size commercial unit with a capacity of 600 gallons/minute. Virginia Tech holds a US patent on the technology, as well as international patents in seven countries. 
Dr. Roe-Hoan Yoon, the lead developer of the technology at Virginia Tech, explains that the centrifuge applies a combination of air pressure and centrifugal force to successfully reduce significant levels of moisture in fine coal. He said that the idea came from basic research. 
The success of the hyperbaric centrifuge is significant in the overall scheme of clean coal research in that the high moisture content of fine coal waste forces coal producers to discard the waste in storage areas called waste impoundments. Estimates indicate that these impoundments nationwide hold about 2,000 Mt of fine coal in abandoned ponds and an additional 500 to 800 Mt in active ponds. Technology that can recover these wastes would produce valuable resources to energy supplies. 
Removing moisture from very fine coal particles left over from the coal preparation process has been difficult in the past. Conventional methods such as thermal dryers or mechanical dewatering have either been too costly or have been unable to dewater ultrafine coal particles (0.1 mm or less). The hyperbaric centrifuge has successfully addressed those issues. 
Virginia Tech researchers explain that the centrifuge, when combined with another Virginia Tech-developed clean coal technology called Microcel, can remove both ash and water from the fine coal discarded at impoundments. These technologies will not only help coal producers minimise waste generation, but will also create small businesses recovering coal from existing waste impoundments.

(Source: www.im-mining.com) 

Traffic police launch campaign against noise pollution
Mumbai, February 5, 2009: Leaving no stone unturned to reduce noise pollution in the city, the Mumbai Traffic police flagged off a 10-day campaign on Wednesday to reduce unnecessary honking by motorists. It has also roped in the Idea Academy of Actors to perform street plays to create awareness on the ill-effects of honking and noise pollution.

(Source: Indian Express, Mumbai)

MCM DAV dedicates fest to green environment
Chandigarh, February 5, 2009: An inter-college environment fest 2009 on the theme of healthy, clean and green environment was organised by the MCM DAV College for Women on Wednesday. Various colleges of the city participated in this festival and stressed upon preservation of nature.

(Source: Indian Express, Chandigarh) 

Weather gods leave weatherman wondering 
NEW DELHI, February 5, 2009: Even as winter is on its way out, the India Meteorological Department came out with a report on Wednesday revealing that this past month was a month of record-breaking warmth in several parts of the country, including the two popular hill stations of Shimla and Mukteswar in North India. 

(Source: Hindu, New Delhi) 

Mulanthuruthi turns green 
KOCHI, February 4, 2009: The filling up of paddy fields in and around Kochi, legally and illegally, is not at all new, as the demand for residential apartments goes up. Mulanthuruthi, a serene village near the city border, has not been spared from the clutches of realtors.
The saga of the high yielding Chengola Paadam in the Mulanthuruthi panchayat and the Thottara Puncha in the Amballoor panchayat remain a misty memory for elders here. Chengola Padam, vast paddy fields bordering Mulanthuruti and Amballoor, had a glorious history of joint farming practice till the late 1970s. This paddy field was termed the Nellara (store house of grains) of Kochi. Even after the implementation of the Land Reformation Bill, this paddy field could feed thousands. 
The farmers here withstood the odds, like abnormal weather conditions, but succumbed to the alluring offers of the land mafia. Acres of paddy fields turned into villas and apartments within no time. Still there is a ray of hope for Mulanthuruthi, once a rice bowl. Keeping the rich tradition of the land in mind, a group of young women are working miracles in this fertile soil.
“The paddy fields here belong to a special category called iruppoo padangal (giving two yields in a year) and are mainly dependant on natural rain water, says PS Kochukunju, panchayat president. Chengola Paadam, spread over a hundred acres, provided the food grain needed for the ancient Kochi state through the twice-a-year cultivation practice.
The panchayat is now trying to bring back the lost prosperity of these paddy fields with the help of the ten odd Kudumbasree units, said Kochukunju. With the high-yielding seed and manure provided by the panchayat, the Kudumbasree units started farming in about thirty acres of farmland in Chengola Paadam. 
Last week, the panchayat president inaugurated the first harvest festival (Makara Koythu). Within a short span of three years, the panchayat has been able to bring back the nearly thirty acres of farm land to its original state. The grains obtained from this fruitful attempt are sorted by the farmers themselves and converted to refined rice. Thus the issue of the storage of grains does not arise.
The agriculture department helps these enthusiastic women by providing advice for applying manure and eco-friendly pesticides. “We have been trying our level best to spread the saga of victory of the dynamic Kudumbasree units to the remaining vast area of paddy fields and make the panchayat self-reliant with a surplus of rice,” said Kochukunju. 

(Source: New Indian Express,Kochi) 

Cabinet's go-ahead to eco-tourism
Chandigarh, February 3, 2009: Punjab Vidhan Sabha session will start on February 27. This was announced after a meeting of the Council of Ministers here today. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. This will be the sixth session of the 13th Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
The Cabinet also approved the formulation of eco tourism policy as one of the major thrust areas for the promotion of tourism in Punjab as identified by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. The Department of Tourism had taken the initiative to frame the eco-tourism policy based on the inputs of the Department of Forests Wildlife Preservation, as the state had tremendous potential to become a premier eco-destination. 
In another significant decision, the Council of Ministers approved the restructuring of the Directorate of Youth Services to harness the energy of youth on creative and constructive lines. To achieve this objective, the posts of Director, Deputy Director and State Liaison Officer in the Youth Services Department had been revived by the cabinet. 
The cabinet also approved to levy VAT at a rate of 4 per cent on mosquito repellants, toilet cleaners, wood preservatives, chemicals for killing domestic insects, termicides, phenyle and similar other products, which are not used for agricultural purpose. This decision would enable the government to earn revenue of Rs 10 crore annually.
The cabinet approved the disposal of 17,053 acre of pond area land acquired by the Irrigation Department, land falling between international border and barbed wire and land falling between barbed wire and Hussainiwala Head Works to be allotted to its unauthorised occupants on the basis of possession at the rate of Rs 25,000, Rs 75,000 and Rs 1,50,000 per acre in the districts of Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Gurdaspur.
It also approved the creation of PCS (executive branch) and allied services posts to be filled by the Punjab Public Service Commission. Besides, it gave nod to socio-economic criteria for identification of socially advanced persons (creamy layer) from the Backward Classes in the state for their exclusion from the benefits of reservation meant for these classes in the state services/posts on the pattern of the Government of India. The rule of exclusion would apply to the sons and daughters of persons having gross annual income of Rs 4.5 lakh or above or possessing wealth above the exemption limit as prescribed in the Wealth Tax Act for the period of three consecutive years. 
The amount to inter-caste married couple has been enhanced from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 under the Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955 in order to eradicate untouchability.
The Council of Ministers also gave approval to the inclusion of circle style kabbadi, an event similar to the national kabbadi, to be included in the Sports Gradation Policy. It allowed the inclusion of 22 villages of sub-division/tehsil of Nangal into sub-division/tehsil of Sri Anandpur Sahib in district Roop Nagar.

  (Tribune News Service)

Cooper Hospital set for green makeover
February 3, 2009: MUMBAI: Dr R N Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle will be the city's first-ever green hospital. The BMC was forced to go back to the drawing table after the ministry of environment and forests insisted that it consider alternate sources of energy and other environmentally friendly technologies to run the hospital. "The hospital will use wind energy for its electricity, solar energy to heat water and a sewage treatment plant to treat water. This water will be used for gardening and other non-drinking purposes,'' said A Kale, city engineer. The cost of construction is estimated at Rs 230 crore. The new plans will be placed before the municipal commissioner this week for approval before inviting tenders.

(Source: Times Of India, Mumbai)

A million ‘green jobs’ our goal- Champika
February 3, 2009: Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday said that Sri Lanka should endeavor to create one million green jobs in the next six years in view of slowing down of the world economy while making the country more eco-friendly in the process.
Minister Ranawaka made these remarks at a stamp issuing ceremony held at the Central Environment Authority (CEA) to observe World Wetlands Day that fell yesterday.
Speaking on the occasion the minister said green job opportunities should include green building architects, green vehicle engineers, solar energy engineers, biological system engineers, environmental consultants, ecology educators, environmental lawyers and eco-technology workers.
Parallel to these jobs which require expertise in energy efficiency, he said, at a secondary level there should be another set of jobs generated by way of construction workers who build energy-efficient buildings, electricians who install solar panels, plumbers to install solar water heaters etc. while thousands of other employment opportunities should be made available to advance the clean energy policy the government plans to promote.
He emphasized that the global market for environmental products, which stands at USD 1.37 trillion at present, is projected to double and reach USD 2.74 trillion by the year 2020 and Sri Lanka, which is known for its eco-friendly habitat that has existed for thousands of years, should be very much part of this movement. ‘In order to make the political stability achieved through our military victories more meaningful it is imperative that we adopt energy efficient methods of development, which would make our economic progress truly sustainable’, Minister Ranawaka elaborated.

(Source : Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka)

NMDC set to bag mining lease in Jharkhand
NMDC Limited is set to secure mining lease for Sansangora deposit in Jharkhand. The company, which had already obtained mining lease for Kumaraswamy deposit in Karnataka and deposit-11B in Bailadilla (Chhattisgarh), expects to increase its production by 65-70 per cent with these new and existing mines in the next three to four years.
“As part of our forward integration programme and value-addition, we have planned to set up a 3-million tonne per annum (mtpa) steel plant in Chhattisgarh, two pellet plants of 2 mtpa and 1.2 mtpa capacity respectively – one each at Bacheli in Chhattisgarh and at Donimalai in Karnataka. Besides, a beneficiation plant for extraction of high-grade iron ore concentrate will be set up,” Rana Som, chairman and managing director of NMDC, stated in a release here. 
None of these projects will be put on hold. On the contrary, work on all the projects will be expedited to take advantage of low cost of materials on account of recession, he added. 
NMDC is also looking for new mines in Karnataka to support its proposed 10-mtpa steel plant. It has already entered into joint ventures with state-owned J&K Minerals Limited for magnesite mine in Jammu and Kashmir and would develop a limestone project in Arki, Himachal Pradesh, initially with SAIL.

(Source: Business Standard, New Delhi)