[Reader-list] "Follow Gujarat's lead in fighting climate change"

[anupam chakravartty]

Modi's idea of writing of a book on climate change reminds us of a famous
dialogue from Hindi movie: Waqt unlike the comparisons being drawn with Al
Gore. I also think of following reasons why Modi is writing a book. But is
Gujarat Pollution Control Board listening to him. How is it possible that
near Vatva Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), a low cost housing
project was allowed to be constructed within 1 kilometer radius?

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article396375.ece

"According to a report released by the Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB), Gujarat generates almost 29 per cent of the 62 lakh metric tonnes of
hazardous waste generated every year. It is followed by Maharashtra (25 per
cent) and Andhra Pradesh (9 per cent)."

http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/effluent-treatment-facilities-across-golden-corridor-does-not-conform-gpcb-norms

"Despite the “Polluter Pays” principle, even in the nineties the then
developing common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) were highly supported by
public money; 25% of the cost was state subsidy, 25% central subsidy, 30%
loans from financial institute, and 20% directly paid by the industry. In
essence half of the proposed solution to the pollution generated for private
profit was funded by the general public. Moreover this happened at the same
time that the state was withdrawing from its social responsibilities, such
as education, health care and transportation. It seems paradoxical that the
mounting laissez faire sentiment allowed the state to intervene on behalf of
industries – which come to exist by virtue of concentrated resources and
power – but not for the welfare of the common masses. Even after such huge
investment many of the CETPs including Vapi, FETP - Ankleshwar, Panoli,
Nandesari, Vatva, Odhav, Narol etc.  are not able to meet the prescribed
GPCB norms."

Even though Modi administration was opposed to the transfer of Bhopal waste
to the incinerator owned by Bharuch Enviro Infrastructure Limited (BEIL), it
was BEIL officials who expressed inability to dispose the waste in Gujarat
as 15,000 tonnes of toxic waste were backlogged.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/stalemate-over-bhopal-waste-disposal/433532/1

This happened after there were protests from various sections of the state
including Congress which accused Modi administration for allowing the Bhopal
waste to be incinerated in Gujarat:

http://www.siasat.com/english/news/modi-govt-had-allowed-disposal-bhopal-waste-guj

The title of the book: “Convenient Action-Gujarat's Response to Challenges
of Climate Change”. Whose convenience??? when we have
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/indias-failure-to-prevent-child-labour/137195-3.html






On Thu, Dec 23, 2010 at 10:53 AM, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>wrote:

>
> http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/editorial_narendra-modi-s-green-thoughts-may-not-clear-his-image_1484882
>
> Excerpts:
>
> "His supporters are likely to see this as another feather in the cap of
> this unapologetic right-wing politician. But this is something that is
> likely to drive his critics — most of them from the other end of the
> political spectrum — into a paroxysm of anger. They are sure to see this
> saffron attempt to go green as a conspiracy against secularism."
>
>
> On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 10:27 PM, Bipin Trivedi <aliens at dataone.in> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> December 22, 2010
>>
>> "Follow Gujarat's lead in fighting climate change"
>>
>>
>> Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
>> and TERI Director-General
>> R.K. Pachauri (left) release a book " Convenient Action: Gujarat Response
>> to Challenges of Climate Change"
>> written by Mr. Modi, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
>>
>>
>> MANAS DASGUPTA, Ahmedabad
>>
>> The former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and the chairman of the
>> Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), R.K. Pachauri, on Tuesday
>> recommended that climate change should become the centre of all
>> developmental policies and actions, and advised other States to follow the
>> lead given by Gujarat in this direction.
>>
>> Speaking at a function for the release of a book, Convenient Action:
>> Gujarat's Response to Climate Change written by Chief Minister Narendra
>> Modi, which details the steps taken in Gujarat to meet the challenge, Mr.
>> Kalam said the problem of climate change could not be viewed in isolation,
>> and that India must immediately adopted long-term programmes like the
>> Integrated Water Connections and Energy Independent Mission and focus on
>> renewable sources of energy to achieve the goals in the next two decades.
>>
>> Mr. Kalam said he was ‘inspired" by Mr. Modi's "beautiful book" and
>> Gujarat's programme on linking rivers, which helped rejuvenate the Sabarmati
>> river and solve many of health and other problems in Ahmedabad.
>>
>> Mr. Kalam said he had always believed that State-wise linking of rivers
>> was a must, and had given detailed proposals to States like Andhra Pradesh
>> and Kerala. He said this would not only solve perennial water problems, both
>> for drinking and agricultural purposes, but also arrest the flooding of
>> large areas every year and save over $500 million, which the government was
>> forced to spend for short-term relief measures for the flood-affected.
>>
>> Appreciating Gujarat's agricultural growth — which he said was three times
>> higher than the national average, despite it being a drought-prone State —
>> Mr. Kalam said that the construction of a series of check-dams, village
>> bunds and other water conservation methods had largely contributed to
>> achieving the goal.
>>
>> Dr. Pachauri, who is also director-general of The Energy and Resources
>> Institute (TERI), said the world had no time to waste and wait for
>> cent-per-cent scientific proof that climate change was affecting the earth.
>> "Our future generation is moving towards destruction every minute; climate
>> change is a reality and what is happening around us already is enough to
>> compel us for actions."
>>
>> Mr. Modi — who was acclaimed as only the second political leader in the
>> world, after former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore, in writing a book on
>> climate change — said that Indian scriptures written thousands of years ago
>> had mentioned possible climate change and had given solutions, but not many
>> people had the intention to follow the same. He said his inspiration came
>> from Mr. Gore's book An Inconvenient Truth, which highlighted the resistance
>> that people usually develop for any inconveniences caused by the problems
>> arising out of climate change.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>