Nuclear disaster site teeming with wildlife!!! Interesting!!

Hi people,

Read a very interesting article in TOI today. It was about how wildlife is flourishing in the disaster struck areas of Chernobyl in USSR.

It's common knowledge that the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster was probably the worst in the history of the world. It is also common knowledge that the radiation doses in the area post the disaster were so high that hardly anything or anyone could survive in the area without showing evident effects of radiation poisoning. It was the major reason why human populations fled the area to never return. 

With this background it is easy to assume that probably the area should be a degraded land with hardly any vegetation or wildlife existing there. But the study (link below) shows that massive rejuvenation of animal species, especially mammals has happened in the human excluded areas of Chernobyl. In fact some populations like that of wolves have increased to numbers more than those found in reserved forests!

The study goes on to conclude that it is human interference with nature that is more disastrous to wildlife more than anything else. Though there could be other factors including natural succession taking place in the area, but we can be sure that lack of anthropogenic interference has had a positive impact on the rejuvenation of wildlife in Chernobyl within less than thirty years of the disaster! Good news people.... Stay away from the wilderness areas to let the wildlife thrive. :)

Link for the article:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Nature-thrives-in-Chernobyl-site-of-worst-nuclear-disaster/articleshow/49238618.cms

CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility or Confused State of Redistribution???

The last few decades have made it clearly evident that economic development can no longer be viewed in isolation from environmental protection and social progress. The nature of issues confronting us along with an increasing interdependence among nations necessitates that countries act collectively, in the spirit of multilateralism to chart a sustainable course of development. As a large complex democracy, committed to enhancing the quality of life of its people, and actively involved with the international coalition for sustainable development, the path that India has taken will be of interest to those who believe that a better world is not just essential, but possible. (http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Sust_Dev_Stocktaking.pdf)

The framework of sustainability is generally talked about in global political forums and remains a topic of global debate. But over the years, it has now been accepted that Sustainability is the responsibility of one and all. Consequentially, the need to integrate sustainability into business practices has now become widely recognized. Many Indian businesses have realized the importance of sustainability and there is much appreciation that sustainability offers returns on multiple levels: be it an opportunity to better understand the businesses’ underlying risks, or an opportunity to develop innovative solution and reach new markets.

India is experiencing an all time high on CSR now. Government of India has shown a rather proactive interest in framing CSR guidelines. Suddenly we have lost the view of which Ministry is exactly responsible for the domain of Corporate Social Responsibility! With Ministry of Corporate Affairs coming out with the National Voluntary Guidelines on Social, Environmental and Economic Responsibility of Businesses in 2011, it was apparent that the government was thinking seriously about CSR and sustainability reporting. Now the Ministry is also revising these guidelines to remove any discrepancies and clarifying certain clauses within it. The Ministry of Environment and Forests also came out with guidelines of Corporate Environmental Responsibilities for businesses and institutionalized these as part of the Terms of Reference for all clearance projects in 2012. The biggest uproar was created when the Companies Bill 2012 carried a clause that made CSR mandatory for all registered companies. After the passing of the Companies Bill 2012, it has become mandatory for corporates to adopt Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). What was once voluntary has now become a law. The new legislation makes it mandatory for companies to spend every year at least 2 per cent of their average net profits made during the three immediately preceding financial years on corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects. The Department of Public Enterprises under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has also come out with Guidelines on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability for Central Public Sector Enterprises that have come into effect from 1st April 2013.

With so many guidelines to conform to, the entire framework of CSR has become rather confusing. Now companies are finding ways to include their existing activities into the CSR realm. For instance, a company already doing some work on water management and recycling for the long term benefit of the aquifer and for sustainability of water supply for the company, might like to include the activity under CSR and use the 2% part for their already existing work. Now this will not help them to increase their contribution towards CSR, rather it will make their approach skewed. Now their energies will go in deciding how to best wiggle their existing work under the CSR provision. To an extent, this seems right too, as there are corporate giants that are spending much beyond the 2% of profit portion for sustainability/CSR activities. But for the companies who haven’t yet started on CSR will look at this as an obligation, and not as a long term responsibility.

An interesting insight here: as the regulatory landscape for CSR within India is evolving, we can see a similar evolution of sustainability reporting trends amongst the corporate too. Around 80 Indian companies have reported their sustainability initiatives according to GRI guidelines in 2012, as against 42 companies in 2010. This trend demonstrates the rising commitment of Indian Corporates towards sustainability.

Therefore, yes, we do have a strong base to say that we are ready for CSR. We have the requisite regulatory support, we have the corporate commitment towards it, we have the capabilities and we know how to generate finances for it. What we are still working on is clearing the confusion surrounding all this. Let the various Ministries take a coordinated approach towards CSR in general and give the country one single framework to answer all their queries. Let the government give them a clear guidance of what can and cannot be constituted as CSR. The least we would want is Corporate Social Responsibility to turn into a Confused State of Redistribution of the CSR money in the existing profit-making activities for companies.

Ministries Discussing Vulture Conservation...... Finally!!!

All of us related to the environment field, especially biodiversity enthusiasts have happy news here.... In March, 2011, an inter-ministerial discussion was held to discuss strategies to save Vultures in India. In the recent past, the vulture population in India has drastically reduced. The condition is attributed to the drugs found in the carrion they eat. Diclofenac (a drug) is used to cure cattle of colic. This drug is the main cause of Vulture Deaths as it causes a deadly kidney ailment in vultures known as visceral gout. According to sources, since the drug was introduced in the mid 1990s, the population of Vultures has reduced by 95%!!! (Source: zeenews.india.com)

When scientists and conservationists found this trend, then Diclofenac was banned three years ago. Safe substitutes were being found to treat cattle colic which would not hard the Vultures. One of the drugs which were then administered to cattle was Ketroprofen. But sadly, this substitute also was found to be lethal in higher doses. The problem is also cultural. Even though Indians consider cows to be sacred, yet the carcass of dead cows lay rotting in garbage dumps and deserted streets. When scavenged by Vultures, these drugs find their way to vulture kidneys causing death. Also, since vultures are slow breeding birds, the birth rate cannot bring such alarming death rate in equilibrium. Vultures are not only Beautiful birds associated with mythical presence throughout the world, but they are also major players in the food chains. Especially for the Parsi Community, they hold special importance as Parsis do not bury or cremate their dead and vultures hold a major role in Parsi Funerals.

Conservationists all over the world have been trying to devise ways to save the Vulture population in India. It’s just the Government that opens its eyes late…. Anyhow, it is good that they are coming to terms with the critical condition the Vultures are in. And to address that, an Inter-Ministerial meeting was held on the 21st of March 2011. This meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministries of Environment & Forests, Health, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Commerce, Agriculture, State Forest Departments, and scientists from Bombay Natural History Society, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History. Since the meeting was held between an inter-disciplinary group, a good view of various stakeholders could be established. Numerous suggestions were made which included formation of a Vulture Sanctuary between Bangalore and Mysore in Ramnagaram District, bettering captive breeding efforts and strengthening mechanisms to ensure better off-take of the alternate safe drug meloxicam for veterinary use. All members present agreed to the concept of having 'vulture safe zones' where a landscape approach will be implemented to free certain vulture important areas from use of the killer drug diclofenac. Also ways and means to check leakage of human diclofenac for treatment of livestock, figured prominently in the discussion. (Source: moef.nic.in)

It yet remains to be seen how much of the discussion transcends to reality and how much work is done on ground to achieve the feat. I would like to request all associated to join hands with the government to protect these beautiful birds. The least we can do is spread awareness amongst us all against the use of Diclofenac. Let us hope that our Children would be able to see the graceful birds in the sky and not in Zoological museums.

Renewable Energy: Where to get the stuff from???

Okay People! so we all are convinced on the fact that we need to develop in a SUSTAINED MANNER. After all we gotta leave our future generations some amount of Coal/Petroleum/Natural Gas for the museum collections!!!

Sustainable Development again would mean using maximum Renewable energy, for instance Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Tidal, Biomass energy etc. The idea is great! Let's make a move towards solar energy. Readily available in India as the Sun shines brutally for eight months over our heads, and shies away just for four months (rains and winters)! So the Raw Material is abundant, now comes the technology! Call the Germans/Americans/Japanese and give them bundles of money to buy the technology. Great! Another feat achieved! Now the manufacturing and installation part! Most of the developers in India are private parties, they will certainly want to go for cheaper solar modules, and these modules are readily imported to the country. Result: Indian manufacturers are left High & Dry! So what do we do? Help Indian manufacturers with subsidies or impose different tariffs on modules based on imported technology? These kinds of issues will keep rising until and unless we review and re-review our policies again and again in order to achieve all feats simultaneously: Go solar but promote indigenous products, after all sustainability is all this is about!!! 

Priyanka

Solar Integrated Landfills

Now Harness Solar Power from Landfills!

We all know that the Landfills have a huge potential for energy generation in terms of LFG (Land Fill Gas) which is predominantly methane. This means that due to Anaerobic decomposition of the organic matter in the landfills, the complex organic molecules break down into a much simpler CH4 and CO2. Methane and Carbon Dioxide both form a major part of the LFG. This LFG can be collected, cleaned and purified to utilize Methane as a fuel or to generate power.


Now a new mode of power generation from the landfills has been discovered. Cashing on the large area covered by the Landfills and utilizing the suitable slope, Solar cells (photovoltaic modules) can be integrated to the liners of the closed and capped landfills. These solar cells convert the solar energy into electricity. The wide expanse of the landfill, the raised platforms, the treeless/shadeless area and slope stability help significantly in such an installation. These kinds of projects are already being developed in New York City and Massachusetts, but their viability in India still remains a question. The major concerns are:
a) Funds for investing in a project like that
b) Safe closure, covering, monitoring and maintenance of exhausted landfills 

c) Project can be done only on stable slopes of landfills eg. landfills that have closed about 15 years ago
d) Potential of power generation still in research phase

Picture source: http://www.solarintegrated.com/landfills.html

Nonetheless, the idea itself is quite viable and I am sure ca be implemented in India in the near future!

Welcome Ms. Jayanthi Natrajan

Mr. Jairam Ramesh gets Elevated!!!


Ms. Jaytanthi Natarajan is the new environment minister with independent charge in the cabinet now. Mr. Jairam Ramesh has been elevated to the Ministry of Rural Development. I just hope Ms. Jayanthi Natrajan would be able to keep up with the tempo of environmental activism started by the erstwhile Minister at the governmental level! He has set a kind of Benchmark for the proactive work he did. He managed to keep the Environmental issues in the mainstay (for right or wrong reasons!). According to sources, Ms. J. Natrajan is close to the Gandhi Family. We hope her association with the Ministry would be fruitful!


Welcome Ms. Minister! We will look forward to your active involvement in Environmental Issues of concern in the country as well as internationally!!!


Priyanka Arora