Home
 
Home
News and Features
INFA Digest
Parliament Spotlight
Dossiers
Publications
Journalism Awards
Archives
RSS
 
 
 
 
 
 
Radioactivity Dangers:NATIONAL E-WASTE POLICY CRITICAL, by Syed Ali Mujtaba, 19 May 2010 Print E-mail

Open Forum

New Delhi, 19 May 2010

RadioactivityDangers

NATIONAL E-WASTEPOLICY CRITICAL

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

The death of a person in New Delhi’s scrap market and hospitalisationof seven others has brought to the fore the dangers of radioactivity and theurgent need for a national e-waste management policy to avert any suchincidents in future. 

India, it is estimated generatesapproximately 1, 50,000 tonnes of e-waste every year. This is produced becausethe resurgent growth of the economy is dependent on electronic hardware forhousehold, industrial and office automation. However, the electronic hardwareis generatin

g electronic waste that has a huge potential to causeenormous harm to human health and environment. Therefore, a commitment to eco-responsibilityis the sine qua non for the society, economy and the environment.

E-waste is any broken or unwanted electronic applianceswhich include computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones and otherelectronic items, that are discarded. The main reason why e-waste has become aglobal concern is because of the presence of toxic and hazardous substancessuch as lead, cadmium, mercury, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), arsenic barium,beryllium and brominated flame retardants etc.

In the absence of an effective method for collection ofe-waste and managing the hazardous constituents, some e-waste ends up at thescrap market, which then recycles them, using high polluting technologies. Someother e-waste is being disposed off in land fills resulting in highenvironmental risk and health hazards to both humans and animals.

Therefore, it’s imperative for an early formulation of anational e-waste policy that may clearly spell out the methods to safeguard anddispose off the toxic material. Such a policy should appropriately reflect theconcerns of the various stakeholders which include the end users-- we thepeople of India,as well as the views of the practitioners in the field, both in the organizedand the unorganized sector.

Taking a lead, the southern State of Tamil Nadu has recently unveiled acomprehensive Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) policy on e-waste. It triesto address issues pertaining to public health and environment that has growndue to the impact of the ‘ineffective and continuous disposal’ of e-waste. Thenew e-waste policy would have a single window facility to guide investors. Itwill educate both the public and officials concerned on how to avoid recyclingelectronic equipment more often, recommending changing only the component in anelectronic item.

The policy sets forth the position of the State governmenton e-waste management by identifying the roles and responsibilities of allstakeholders, including the public, in reducing the generation of e-waste andproviding a system for its collection, segregation and recycling. The policywould be implemented in a structured manner by detailing the action programmewith definite timelines, setting up a monitoring committee, promoting e-wasterecycling as a socially viable industry in the State and involving the smalland medium enterprises.

The State government, its IT department and the Tamil NaduPollution Control Board (TNPCB) are responsible for formulation andimplementation of the policy. The Board is vested with the responsibility of effectivelyimplementing it and laying down the requirements and procedures for a recycler.

The policy emphasizes the important role that the corporations,municipalities and panchayats, play in the collection of e-waste, especiallyfrom household and other end-users, and its segregation from other householdwaste. They will also have to send the collected waste to authorized collectioncentres or registered recyclers for recycling.

The necessity for e-waste policy arose because a surveycarried out by a non-governmental organization in the State revealed that the e-wasteproblem had assumed staggering proportions –over 21,810 tonnes of e-waste in2009 alone. The survey was based on the ‘market supply method’, in which fivecomponents like televisions, mobile phones, computers, washing machines andrefrigerator were taken into account.

Taking a cue from Tamil Nadu’s e-waste management, the Centreshould initiate a national policy for complete national level assessment,covering all the cities and all the sectors. Such base line study must envelopeinventories, existing technical and policy measures required for emergence ofnational e-waste policy and action plan for eco-friendly, economic e-wastemanagement. 

The study should also culminate in identifying potentiallyharmful substances and testing these for any adverse health and environmentaleffects for suggesting precautionary measures. This apart, the national policymay create a public-private participatory forum of decision-making, problem resolutionin e-waste management. This could be a Working Group comprising RegulatoryAgencies, NGOs, Industry Associations, experts etc. to keep pace with thetemporal and spatial changes in structure and content of e-waste. 

There is need for creation of a knowledge data base onanticipating the risks, ways of preventing and protecting from likely damageand safe and timely disposal of e-waste. The Government should promoteInformation, Education and Communication (IEC) activities in schools, colleges,industry etc. to enhance this knowledge. Additionally, it must create a database on best global practices and failure analyses for development anddeployment of efficacious e-waste management and disposal practices within thecountry.

The policy should device ways and means to encouragebeneficial reuse/recycling of e-waste, catalyzing business activities that use suchwaste. It should formulate and regulate occupational health safety norms for e-wasterecycling, now mainly confined to the informal sector. Besides, it shouldreview the trade policy and exim classification codes to plug the loopholes, whichare often being misused for cross-border dumping of e-waste into the country.  

Indeed, the national policy should insist on stringentenforcement against wanton infringement of the Basel convention and e-waste dumping bypreferring incarceration over monetary penalties for demonstrating deterrentimpact. The e-waste policy should foster partnership with manufacturers andretailers for recycling services by creating an enabling environment so asdispose e-waste scientifically at economic costs.

The policy should mandate sustained capacity building forindustrial e-waste handling for policy makers, managers, controllers andoperators. It should enhance consumer awareness regarding the potential threatto public health and environment by electronic products, if not disposedproperly. 

In fact, the policy should enforce labeling of all computermonitors, television sets and other household/industrial electronic devices fordeclaration of hazardous material content with a view to identifyingenvironmental hazards and ensuring proper material management and e-wastedisposal.

Importantly, the policy could announce incentives for growthof e-waste disposal agencies so that remediation of environmental damage,threats of irreversible loss and lack of scientific knowledge do not posehazardous to human health and environment. Simultaneously, as a proactive step, municipal bodies must be involvedin the disposal of e-waste lest it becomes too late for their intervention,should large handling volumes necessitate it.

In addition, the e-waste policy should consider gradualintroduction of enhanced producer responsibility into Indian process, practicesand procedures so that preventive accountability gains preponderance overpolluter immunity.

 Last but not the least, the Government should carve out aninclusive e-waste management policy, as for meeting the need for finding an“India Unique Solution”, that strikes a visionary balance between precepts andpraxis for sustainable management of e-waste. Such a policy alone can bring thedesired paradigm shift for our society, economy and the environment.—INFA

 

(Copyright,India News and Feature Alliance)

India And Bangladesh:BREATH OF FRESH AIR FROM DHAKA, by Dr Nitish Sengupta, IAS (Retd), 14 May 2010 Print E-mail

Open Forum

New Delhi, 14 May 2010

India And Bangladesh

Breath of Fresh Air from DHAKA

By Dr Nitish Sengupta, IAS (Retd)

Former Member LokSabha and formerly

Member-SecretaryPlanning Commission

 A speech delivered by the High Commissioner of Bangladesh, TariqKarim, at Shillong on 10th April last has so far notreceived the importance it deserves.  Inmany respects this speech titled “From land locked to land linked: North EastIndia” deserves to be widely read and widely studied.  It can be called a manifesto of the currentthinking among the best of experts from Bangladesh who wish to normalize traderelations between Bangladesh and India in a way that benefit both thesecountries and, for that matter, benefit South Asia as a whole.  He nostalgically recalls the trade relationsthat prevailed in the early days after the partition of the sub-continentbetween the then East Bengal provinceof Pakistan and the neighboringprovinces of India.  That phase came to end with the Indo-Pakistanclash of 1965 which led to the termination of all the existing communicationchannels. 

Dr Karim passionately advocates what he calls “relinking thedisconnected linkages” which existed prior to 1965 and were ruthlessly snappedby the Indo-Pakistan conflict of 1965. According to him “Bangladeshis in the very happy position of being able to offer itself as a gatewaybetween India and Bangladesh on the one hand and countries of the South East Asia on the other.  “We are ready to take on our destiny as anatural bridge between India’sNorth East and the rest of the country as also between India and Bangladeshon the one hand and South East Asia on theother hand.  We are ready and willing tohelp reconnect not only the States of the North East to the rest of India but also enable Nepaland Bhutan to get access tothe sea and enable India toreach Myanmar and Thailand.

Bangladesh is eager to serve as the hub ofregional linkages in all its modes – “air, road, rail and riverine”. He dreamsof regular riverine connection between Guwahati and Karimganj in Assam on one side and Kolkata and Allahabad in India.  He mentions addition of Ashuganj as a regularport of call.  He also mentions that as alogical corollary, Bangladeshshould allow India to use Chittagong port for transporting bulk goods to India’s NorthEast and vice-versa.  He also envisagesthe reopening of all the closed rail-road routes through Bangladesh suchas Radhikapur-Birol, Haldibari-Chilahati, Geetaldaha-Moghulhat andSealdah-Khulna not to speak of setting up of railway link between Akhaura andAgartala. 

Once these are established, travelling distance to the NorthEast India will be considerably shortened and that will benefit people of boththe countries.  He even envisages theextension of the existing Dhaka-Kolkata and Dhaka-Agartala bus routes toShillong and Guwahati.  A distinct gainfrom Indiawill be that the cost of transporting bulk goods like food grains and cement tothe North East India will be reduced by one-third.  It will also mean not using costly importeddiesel on a route (Kolkata to Shillong) which is more than double the roaddistance between Kolkata and Mumbai.  Bangladesh will gain enormously through theroyalty that it can levy on Indiaand also through the enormous employment opportunities which will be createdall along these new routes.  Dr. Karimalso talks of reopening of the traditional border Hats which will provideconsiderable economic benefit to the people of both sides of the border.

All this should be music to our ears.  India, therefore, needs to takethis speech very seriously and respond to it in a positive and concrete manner.In that event, Bangladeshwill become an essential platform for economic improvement of not only Bangladesh and India but also as a bridge-head foreconomic development in the entire SAFTA and ASEAN region. 

For years, India-Bangladesh relations were affected by a lotof mutual suspicion and mis-apprehension. Bangladesh feared India’sdomination and tried zealously to safeguard all visible aspects of hersovereignty.  It was felt that allowing India to trans ship her goods through Bangladeshterritory amounted to the loss of her sovereignty.  Also there were deep rooted suspicions of India withholding Bangladesh’s legitimate due ofriver waters.  The unmarked bordersbetween the two countries, not natural borders in any sense, but artificiallycreated borders, caused tension at many points. Extremist opinion in Bangladeshoften forgot Bangladesh’sadvantages in her geographical position, almost like Panama Canal or Suez Canalproviding transit passage for Indian goods through Bangladeshto the entire India’snorth east. 

Bangladesh could have earned billions ofdollars by permitting this transit traffic. Instead, all kinds of difficultieswere created.  Even at the Indian end,many officials in the South Block for reasons best known to themselves wereagainst reliance on Bangladeshfor transit traffic.  One cannot rule outthe influence exercised on both the countries by very powerful road transport lobbyfrom India.  In between for several years under theprevious Jot Government, Bangladeshencouraged both Pakistan’sJihadi elements to launch attacks in Indiatreating Bangladesh as abase and also the secessionists elements in the North East to operate from Bangladesh.  There was a high wall of suspicion betweenthe two sides. 

The new Government, which returned to power with anover-whelming mandate, made a complete break from the recent past by declaringthat Bangladesh would notallow her soil for use by anti-India elements and by handing over secured topsecessionist to India.Also, Bangladesh declaredthat she would favourably consider a request from Indiafor both transit traffic and the use of Bangladesh’sport and riverine facilities for transit traffic between India and hernorth eastern States.  Prime MinisterSheikh Hassina’s recent visit to NewDelhi was a land mark in restoring normalcy.  Now Bangladesh’sHigh Commissioner’s statement with refreshing candour shows that Bangladesh iswilling to forget the past and is ready to begin a new future. 

India should encash thisopportunity.  The protocol between India’s CentralInland Water Ways Corporation and Bangladesh Government for riverine trafficbetween Kolkata and Guwahati and Karimganj should be immediatelyimplemented.  If necessary, BangladeshWater Ways Corporation should be allowed 50 per cent share holding in theIndian company. The Portof Ashuganj which isnavigable throughout the year should be reactivated for traffic with Kolkata.  Ashuganj is only 40 kms from Agartala and ifthe Indian trucks are allowed to proceed to Ashuganj and allowed to load goodscarried by the steamers from Kolkata. This can be a key signal for development. Lastly there is strongpossibility of trans-shipment of goods by coastal ships from Haldia andParadeep to Chittagong and thereafter carryingthem through Bangladeshrailways to Akhura where Indian trucks can take over the task of trans-shippingof these goods to all over the north east. 

India need not pursue the agreement thatshe has entered with Myanmarfor trans-shipping goods through Akyab port and Kaladen river to Ajal. Thatwill be very costly and uncertain. Finally there is a question of permitting the ASEAN highway and theASEAN rail road through Bangladeshupto Bangkok and Singapore.  Indiashould no longer spend unnecessary time on “negative list, etc.” and permitfree import of goods from Bangladesh.  This will correspondingly impose on Bangladesh thesame obligation to do so in respect of Indian goods. Already the cement factoryat Chatak depending on raw material, from Meghalaya has set a goodexample.  There could be any number ofgood examples.  Bangladesh’s current power crisis can be solvedby Indiaproviding some power from her own grid. It is the duty of Indiaand Bangladeshto ensure that all these proposals are not allowed to remain only emptypromises but are translated on the ground. They will surely benefit both thecountries and also usher in a new era of friendly cooperation. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

 

 

Hindutva Terrorism:RELOOK MAKKA MASJID CASE, by Syed Ali Mujtaba, 3 June 2010 Print E-mail

Open Forum

New Delhi, 3 June 2010


Hindutva Terrorism

RELOOK MAKKA MASJID CASE

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

 

With the arrest of some persons belonging to Hindu extremist organization for their involvement in the Malegoan Muslim graveyard bomb blast, the Samjutha Express train blast and the Ajmer Dargah blast, the ugly face of Hindutva terrorism has been unmasked. 

 

The probe into these blasts making some headway clearly points a pan India Hindu terror structure operating in the country, a fact so far the Government and we the people has refused to accept.    

 

In the series of these blasts targeting Muslims, there is also the case of the bomb blast that took place in Hyderabad at Makkah Masjid on 18th May 2007, but the investigation of this case has hardly made any breakthrough. The kin of the deceased are observing the third anniversary of the dead in the hope that the long arm of the State may one day reach the real conspirators and bring them to justice.    

 

The blast took place at the historic Makka Masjid located in the old city of Hyderabad, which left five Muslims praying in the mosque dead and scores  injured. Subsequently, those Muslims who were helping the blast victims to be taken to the hospitals were fired upon by the police that killed nine of them. The probe of these two incidents is gathering dust and no one is sure when the truth will come out in this case and when the guilty may be punished.

 

The Makkah Masjid blast is a unique case among all the blast cases in India. This is because the victim and suspect in this case both happen to be the Muslims. First the blast killed the innocent Muslims who were praying, which was followed by the police firing that killed those Muslims who were helping the blast victims reach hospitals.

 

There were more Muslims killed in police firing than in the bomb blast. Subsequently, in the name of investigation, the police targeted innocent Muslim youths arresting hundreds and harassing and torturing them. 

 

A fact-finding committee of civil liberties group comprising of some eminent citizens of Hyderabad probed the two incidents and came out with a report, which is worth considering for long-term national security purposes. The panel clearly stated that the blast was the handiwork of the extremist Hindutva forces and the firing was ordered by some anti-Muslim police officers within the rank and file of the State police.

 

The committee particularly mentions the name of the then additional commissioner of police, Rajiv Trivedi and inspector Ramchandran who played an important role in feeding the name of one Shahed Bilal, a Bangladeshi responsible for the blast. The report further says that some police officers were misguiding the investigation by registering two cases for a single offence, one for bombs that got exploded and another for those unexploded. They handed over the case of the exploded bombs to the CBI and kept the other case with themselves.

 

The committee also lampooned the print and electronic media, especially the regional press, the Telugu media that has played a negative role, publishing and telecasting false stories by depicting Muslim youths as terrorists in this case. In fact, within five minutes of the blast the electronic media drummed up the name of Shahed Bilal, citing reference of the officers. It further  reported that Bilal triggered the bomb from Bangladesh through his cell phone. As for the print media, it published the story that Bilal celebrated the blast by distributing sweets while sitting in Bangladesh.

 

Since then three years have elapsed and tragically there is absolutely no clue to the investigators who committed the blast at the Makkah Masjid. Initial suspicion fell on the Muslims and they were arrested and harassed. Subsequently, the court exonerated them from all the charges due to lack of  evidence.    

 

Here, it needs to be recalled that last year when Union Home Minister, PC Chidambaram, visited Hyderabad and was asked about the investigation into the Makkah Masjid blast case, he said the main accused, Shahed Bilal had died and the case has turned cold! Sadly, the statement reflects the commitment towards the issues of national security.

 

Well, now that it has been established that the Hindutva terrorists are active in the country, and had an explicit role in the Malegoan Muslim graveyard bomb blast, the Samjutha Express train blast, and the Ajmer Dargah blast, it is time the probe into the Makkah Masjid bomb blast be ordered afresh with new leads emerging from other such cases.

 

There is a growing feeling among a section of the society that the lethargic attitude of the investigators and their non-committal attitude to crack this case, has led to innocent persons being targeted as against the culprits, who are merrily roaming freely. This apart, it is being felt that the biggest conspiracy of the Hindutva terrorists is to make use of their sympathizers among the police personnel to serve their nefarious ends. These terrorists are posing the greatest threat to national security and if their activities are not checked now, like the Maoist, they may become uncontrollable.

 

Moreover, the police firing that took place immediately after the blast, the Andhra Pradesh Government had constituted the Bhaskar Rao commission to investigate the incident. Even after three years, the Commission has failed to submit its report. This shows the panel’s non-seriousness to lead an unbiased probe of the police firing and that its negligent attitude is shielding the guilty officers from being indicted.

 

Now when Hindutva terrorism has been exposed, there is an urgent need for handing over these two cases to the CBI. The investigating agency should  expose the real face of the Hindutva terror operatives and arrest them. The CBI should also investigate the nexus of Hindutva terrorists and some anti-Muslim police officers who had ordered firing on the armless people.

 

The investigation should in fact expose that there are many Hindutva sleeper cells in the country and suggest how to confront with such kind indoctrinated people who are on the prowl to kill and create mayhem in the country. 

 

Importantly, when the courts are exonerating Muslim youth arrested for the Makkah Masjid bomb blast, the Government should take stringent action against the police officers responsible for the illegal detention, harassment, torture and arrest of these innocent youth. Besides, the Government should clearly direct the police to stop labeling the Muslim community as terrorists once and for all.

 

It should also direct the police to stop terrorizing people in the name of red alert, checking on the roads, and all unnecessary actions in the Muslim-populated areas. Additionally, both the Government and the police should change their attitude towards the RSS and its allied outfits and keep a tab on the activities appropriately. 

 

The Bhaskar Rao Commission should be activated immediately and asked to submit its report within a time-frame. More so, at a time when the inland national security is under threat from different actors, and this new facet of Hindutva terrorism that is creeping into the body and soul of India is posing a grave danger to the country. An ostrich like attitude towards this fact, may likely to bleed India for times to come. –INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

 

Congress, CPM ‘Left’ Cold:MAMATA MANTRA: YES WE CAN!, by Poonam I Kaushish, 5 June, 2010 Print E-mail

Political Diary

New Delhi, 5 June 2010


Congress, CPM ‘Left’ Cold

MAMATA MANTRA: YES WE CAN!

By Poonam I Kaushish

 

Political India was a mixed bag of colour hues last week. West Bengal was a sea of green as Trinamool swept a majority of the municipalities across the State. Its arch rival, the CPM was ‘red’ in the face over its defeat and in Delhi the Congress green with envy over ally Mamata’s “historic success”.

 

Predictably, stormy petrel Mamata is over the moon with her Daniel-like success, having demolished the ‘Reds’ in their municipal den. Her TMC emerged the biggest winner with 24, Left Front retained a mere 18 and Congress netted seven out of 81 across 16 districts in the State. In Kolkata alone it won 95 of the 141Municipal Corporation wards. Dubbing it a victory of ma-mati-manush she now demands pre-poning the Assembly elections slated early next year.

 

Questionably, what’s the big deal about a State civic poll? Everything. Importantly, Mamata has unveiled a new brand of politics. She has shown that if one has the courage of conviction, belief in a cause and single-minded pursuit nothing can stop one from achieving one’s goal – Yes We Can. Two, it is set to change the political equations between the Congress-Trinamool, within the UPA at the Centre. Three, it is being seen as a semi-final before the crucial final State poll lap in 2011. Wherein, it could be the beginning of the end of the road for the Left.

 

Like her or hate her, but Bengal’s stormy petrel has shown nothing is impossible. From a street fighter in the early 80’s and vanquished pugilist of the 2005 Assembly polls who took on the Left single-handed, Mamata has today emerged as the beacon of change. With sheer perseverance and shrewd manipulation Bengal’s tigress has turned the "one-woman party" into a vibrant alternative force in Bengal. A mass leader who usurped her arch rival’s strength, farmers and minorities, and beat them at their own game.

 

Riding the winds of political transformation, Mamata’s triumph is set to alter equations to her advantage vis- vis the Congress and within the UPA. Not only will her bargaining power go up but she may well arm-twist the Congress to give in to all her demands, even those unjustifiable, flimsy or unnecessary. Already the Centre has acceded to her request and ordered a CBI probe into the Jhargram train mishap despite the State Government’s opposition.

 

However, Mamata also knows that she cannot always dictate terms. The Trinamool too needs the Grand Dame of Politics on her side to ensure a clear victory in the 2011 Assembly polls. With the electorate giving a hung verdict in 32 municipalities the writing is on the wall. If the TMC and Congress had aligned and fought these municipalities they would have won.

 

Thus, Mamata would need to give up her gun-boat politics and tantrums, "In this election we had to fight against the ruling Party and three to four other forces," read Congress. Behave maturely, continue being part of the UPA, abide by the coalition dharma and agree to seat-sharing with the Congress in the State polls.

 

That the need for each other’s partnership was “mutual” was also clear from Mamata’s statement saying, “I am part of the UPA.” Indicating that her party would cobble up a majority in at least 23 of the 31 municipalities where there was a hung mandate. Her words of seeking "a broad alliance against CPM" also hinted towards a post-poll tie-up with Congress after the civic boards.

 

True, her blind opposition to the CPM has driven her yo-yo like to the BJP and Congress. But now she faces the biggest challenge in her career. She knows she has been walking a razor's edge in her headlong charge against the Left and it's time to make a few changes. With eyes set on the 2011 Assembly polls, Mamata needs to mend bridges with the industry without which it would be difficult to run the State smoothly. Along with going in for an image make-over: from a rabble-rousing Opposition to a dependable Party with a vision. Given that the civic polls are a barometer for people to gauge the worth of the Left and the TMC.

 

For the Congress, W Bengal is another wake-up call. Like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Bihar it has failed to make inroads among the State’s electorate and has to play second fiddle to regional players. Already, Mamata has dared the Party to decide which team, CPM or TMC, it wanted to play for. Sonia needs to rein in her State satraps and make certain they don’t rub the mercurial leader the wrong way. They will have to learn to play second fiddle to the mercurial Didi. Not a few continue to treat Mamata as a junior, notwithstanding her stellar performance. Add to this, the TMC Chief is not an easy ally. Like her ilk, she is well versed in making national parties twirl to her tune.

 

For the first time after 32 long years the powerful Left has been pushed into a corner in Bengal. With the curtain ringing down on its rule over Kolkata’s municipalities. This third consecutive match-up is a clear indication that the political momentum is with Mamata and might sweep it off Writer’s Building. A serious and timely warning for it to tighten its belt, set its house in order or else be prepared to exit the State Government.

 

Prakash Karat and Co have only themselves to blame. Post the controversial land acquisition in Singur and Nandigram, which translated into a huge poll debacle for the Left Front in the 2009 Lok Sabha election down from 62 to 22 seats it did nothing to heal the scars. Instead of taking any development or industry-related steps, Karat turned a blind eye which further alienated them from the people.

 

Also, the Left has developed alarming cracks. Today, it is on a slippery slope in Kerala and its rein may end in the next State poll.  A defeat in Bengal would be a massive setback for a Party that defied the decline of Communism world-wide to command clout. Simultaneously, it can say sayonara to dreams of putting together an anti-NDA and anti-UPA Third Front. It brand equity as a viable option as an alliance partner stands considerably diluted. Be it regional parties or the Congress and BJP.

 

All eyes are on Mamata as a new political hope in Bengal. Will she emerge as a long-term political player in the State and Centre or will her temper, tantrums and capricious ways destroy her. She needs to remember: Its easy to reach the top but difficult to retain one’s numero uno status. She has to deliver the goods. Otherwise go. A long hard battle lies in store for her. Will she make her mark?

 

For Sonia-Rahul’s Congress, it needs to get its act together. Even as exit polls show him as the people’s choice as Prime Minister he has yet to earn his spurs .If the Congress wants to go it alone in the 2014 General Elections it’s going to be tough.

 

The Left should be gracious in its defeat, cut its losses, move aside and let Assembly election be advanced. It needs to learn from its mistakes and reinvent itself. If it continues it dogmatic ways it would not only be fooling itself but worse people who believe in it. After burning its electoral fingers in 2009-2010 can it afford another defeat at the hustings? It remains to be seen if the Red brigade sphinx-like rise from the ashes.

 

Undoubtedly, history will decide what lies in store, good or bad times. But at the moment, a change is what was needed the most. All have miles to go before one of them reaches the winning Red tape and asserts: Yes we can! INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

‘Green Economy’:HOPE FOR LABOUR UNIONS , by Suraj Saraf,2 June 2010 Print E-mail

Sunday Reading

New Delhi, 2 June 2010


‘Green Economy’

HOPE FOR LABOUR UNIONS

By Suraj Saraf

 

Two global studies, one done by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the other by Worldwatch Institute (WWI) have held out promising employment opportunities through “Green Economy”.

 

The study by the ILO on the impact of an emerging global “Green Economy” has suggested that efforts to tackle climate change could result in the creation of new “green jobs” in the coming decades. The study “Green jobs, Towards Decent Works in a sustainable, Low Carbon World” underlined that changing patterns of employment and investments resulting from efforts to reduce climate change and its effects are already generating new jobs in many sectors and economies and “could contain millions more jobs in both the developed and developing countries”.

 

However, the study added that the process of climate change already under way will continue to have a negative effect on workers and their families, especially those whose livelihood depends on agriculture and tourists. Action to tackle climate change as well as to cope with its effects is therefore urgent and should be designed to generate decent jobs, said the ILO study.

 

Though the study is optimistic about the creation of new jobs it warns that many of these jobs could be “dirty, dangerous and difficult.” Sectors of concern especially but not exclusively in developing economies, include agriculture, recycling, where all too often low pay, insecure employment contracts and exposure to healthy hazardous materials “need to change fast.”

 

The study adds that too few green jobs are being created for the most vulnerable “the 1.3 billion working poor (43 per cent of the global working force) in the world with earning too low to lift them and their dependents above the poverty threshold of two dollars per person per day, or for the estimated 500 million youth who will be seeking work over the next ten years.

 

The global market for environmental products and services is projected to double from the present 1370 billion dollars per year to 2740 billion dollars by 2020, according to this study. Half of this market is in the energy efficiency sector and the balance in sustainable transport, water supply, sanitation and waste management, the study pointed out.

 

It said further that the sectors that will be particularly important in terms of their environmental economic and employment impact are energy supply, in particular renewable energy, buildings and construction, transportation, basic industry, agriculture and forestry. The study suggested that 2.3 million people have in the recent years found employment in the renewable energy sector alone. Employment in alternative energies may rise to 2.1 million in wind power and 6.3 million in solar energy in 2030.

 

Renewable energy generates more jobs than employment in fossil fuels. Projected investments of 630 billion dollars by 2030 will translate into at least 20 million  additional jobs in the renewable energy sector.

 

Creating an environmentally sustainable economy has already generated 14 million jobs worldwide, with the promise of millions more in the 21st century, says a new study by the Worldwatch Institute, a research organization based in Washington.

 

Many new opportunities for job creation are emerging, ranging from recycling and re-manufacturing of goods to greater energy and materials efficiency and development of renewable sources of energy, the study is confident.

 

“Jobs are more likely to be at risk where environmental standards are low and where innovation in favour of cleaner technologies is lagging. Our research shows that a huge potential to create jobs outside the extractive industries exists. The challenge to society is to provide a just transition for workers who will lose jobs in industries like fossil fuels and mining.”

 

Although there will be fewer jobs in resource extraction industries and manufacturing products when goods do not wear out rapidly, there will be greater job opportunities in repairing, upgrading, refurbishing and recycling products. Remanufacturing products when their life cycle would otherwise come to end typically allows 85% or more of the value added the labour, energy and materials embodied in the product – to be recaptured.

 

Boosting the efficiency with which resources are used means that business and households save a large portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars that would otherwise go into purchasing fuel and materials, investing the money from these avoided costs in more environmentally benign sectors of the economy will generate more jobs than investing in source industries.

 

The WWI study went on to say that the industries that extract and process energy and raw materials are among the most polluting of human activities but provide only a small and declining number of jobs.

 

The study pointed out further that job creation is particularly important in the developing world, where almost all of the growth in population will take place in the coming decades. “The trouble is that human labour appears too expensive while energy and raw materials inputs appear cheaper.”

 

It further noted: “fiscal policy can be a powerful tool to increase the productivity of energy and materials. Current tax system encourage high resource use and discourage job creation. An ecologically driven reform of tax policy would reduce payroll taxes while simultaneously raising taxes on resource use and pollution.”

The study also underlined what could be an important correlation between the labour unions and environmentalists. It states that the labour unions and environmentalists could work together to build a stronger political base for these policy changes “Environmental issues often translate into health and safety issues at the workplace. Unions have a role to play --- from struggles for improved occupational health and safety to demand for workers’ right to know clauses, eco-audits and other environmental provisions in agreements”.

 

A just transition policy invokes setting up a fund to provide income and benefits for displaced workers seeking a new career, tuition support to pay for vocational and other training programmes, career counseling and placement services, aid in relocating to find  new jobs and measures to help communities and regions diversity their economic base, said the study. ---INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

 

<< Start < Previous 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 Next > End >>

Results 4438 - 4446 of 5956
 
   
     
 
 
  Mambo powered by Best-IT