TRINET Weekly News August 11, 2008

GENERAL

India's Andaman Islands hit by quakes, no damage : NEW DELHI (AP) — A
seismologist says two moderate earthquakes have hit India's Andaman
Islands, but no serious damage or injuries have been reported. Ajay
Kumar, a seismologist at the Indian Meteorological Department, says
local residents were shaken Sunday by magnitude 6 and 5.6 quakes that
hit the region within 35 minutes.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hmbgFA2LqOLR3cw1AgNmxn1hiZ6gD92FEV2O0

CRZ/CMZ

Reports of Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) Notification, 2008 Consultative
Meetings organized by Centre for Environment Education (CEE) at various
places are available at http://www.ceeindia.org/cee/cmz2008.html

Call to exclude Goa from 2008 CMZ : PANJIM, AUG 8 — At a consultative
meeting held here today, activists and organizations in one voice
demanded that Goa be excluded from Coastal Management Zone (CMZ)
notification 2008 on the grounds that it is clear ploy meant to allow
commercial activity very close to the beach and in the sea by way of
floating docks, hotels, shipyards, etc. Speakers demanded that Coastal
Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification of 1991 should be retained. The
consultation was organised by Centre for Environment Education (CEE)
with the support from Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF),
Government of India. Participants pointed out the provisions in the
notification which are highly harmful for a State like Goa as it would
cause environmental degradation. Speakers also felt that more
discussions and consultations are required. They also listed several
areas of concern saying CMZ would impact traditional communities and the
environment. Raising strong objections, Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott
said CMZ neither protects the ecology, environment nor the fishermen of
Goa who reside along the coast and rivers of the State. President Agnelo
Rodrigues said all along, the rich and the mighty have been allowed to
establish their structures even within 200 metres from the HTL while the
fishermen and local people have been and are suppressed and denied the
right to even repair or renovate their residential houses and build new
ones. Presently, many are facing demolition notices from GCRZ
authorities even though their houses are there much before 1991. The
Ekvott has demanded that 2007 be declared as the cut-off year for all
residential structures built by the fishermen and coastal people. Former
tourism minister Matanhy Saldanha, castigating the central Government,
said CMZ is said to be based on vulnerability. The entire coast of Goa,
including the river line areas are susceptible to flooding and
submersions and if the eminent consequences of global warming are to be
countered, CMZ based on so-called vulnerability, is not a solution for
the future, Saldanha said.

http://www.oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=8132&cid=2

Environmentalists cry foul over the proposed draft : Environmentalists
in the city are up in arms against the Coastal Management Zone (CMZ)
draft that will replace the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), 1991. The
Conservation Action Trust (CAT) and Mumbai chapter of the Mangrove
Society of India are jointly spearheading a campaign against the CMZ.
They have already dispatched their objections and suggestions to the CMZ
draft notification to the Centre. Experts feel that the CMZ notification
is regressive compared with the CRZ norms as it allows large scale
development in all zones. "The notification is very confusing," said
Rishi Aggrawaal of the Mangrove Society of India.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1182041

CZM norms will affect fishermen' : Thiruvananthapuram: The government
would not approve the coastal zone management norms that go against the
interests of traditional fishermen and do not protect their livelihood,
Minister for Fisheries S. Sarma said here on Friday. Inaugurating a
seminar on 'Coastal zone management norms' organised by the Centre for
Environment Education (CEE), Mr. Sarma said that the influence of
globalisation was quite obvious in the draft CZM norms. Development
should not be at the cost of the life of the fisherfolk. Those in power
may be guided by the Constitution, but the poor are governed not by
rules, but by the problems of life. They will not accept rules that
entail displacement or harm their existence. Similarly, development and
environment should be complementary. Environmental concerns should be
addressed while taking up development ventures, but it should not be
shelved in the name of environmental protection, he said. If displaced
from the coastal area, the fisherfolk would be deprived of their
livelihood. The draft regulations help unrestricted capital investment
in the coastal areas. The State government will encourage development of
tourism, but it should not be at the expense of the culture and
tradition, he said.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/09/stories/2008080954040400.htm

Hearings on CZM norms from Friday : Thiruvananthapuram: Those who have
expressed reservations about the draft Coastal Zone Management (CZM)
norms, notified by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)
in May this year, would get an opportunity to present their case at
public consultations on the norms to be held in different parts of the
State beginning August 8. The first of the consultations, to be held in
the State capital, will be inaugurated by Fisheries Minister S. Sarma,
who has himself expressed serious reservations about the draft CZM
norms. Similar consultations will be held under the aegis of the Centre
for Environment Education (CEE) in Ernakulam and Kannur, possibly on
August 12 and 18 respectively. The CEE has been entrusted with the task
of holding public consultations on the draft norms in Kerala and
Lakshadweep.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/04/stories/2008080456070400.htm

CZM notification: role of NGO flayed : Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala
Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) has expressed concern
over the role of a Non-Governmental Organisation called Centre for
Environment and Education (CEE) in the public consultation on the
controversial Coastal Zone Management (CZM) notification issued by the
Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). A pressnote quoting T.
Peter, KSMTF president, here on Tuesday feared that the real sentiments
of the people would not be taken into consideration by the NGO during
the consultation. The website of the NGO states that it was working in
tandem with the Ministry to create awareness on the CZM notification.
This, he said, revealed the real agenda of the NGO.Mr. Peter said the
CZM notification was severely opposed by the fishing community all over
the country right from the time it was suggested by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan
on the grounds that the CZM would legitimise the establishment of
hazardous industries in the coastal belt, threatening the lives of
fishing community and their rights over the coastal land."

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/06/stories/2008080650190200.htm

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FISHERIES AND COASTAL MATTERS

India's coast up for grabs : The 1991 CRZ regulations did put the brakes
on indiscriminate development of coastal areas. Now the environment
ministry's draft Coastal Management Zone notification of May 2008
threatens to undermine the law and bring in changes in coastal land use
for so-called 'development'. Plans are on to develop low-cost housing on
2,167 hectares of saltpans in Mumbai that are presently under the
control of the salt department, a wing of the central government. At a
recent meeting of a high-powered group of ministers, it was decided that
"efforts of various central and state agencies be coordinated and urgent
measures evolved for using these lands for rehabilitation of
slumdwellers" (Financial Express, May 29, 2008). The land freed from the
existing slums would be divided up for private real estate and public
infrastructure projects. One of the 'urgent measures' needed to make
this possible is a change in the environment protection regulations
governing coastal land use -- these regulations, as applied to Mumbai,
prohibit development in all but 240 hectares of the saltpan lands in
question. The change is already underway. The Ministry of Environment
and Forests (MoEF) made public a draft Coastal Management Zone
notification in May 2008 that will replace the current coastal
regulations with a far more permissive regime allowing changes in
coastal land use such as that planned for Mumbai's saltpans. The
government, while proposing a new approach, has not offered an
explanation for why the current regulations cannot be enforced, even
whilst acknowledging 'continuing difficulties' in implementing them.
Neither has any reason been given as to why there will be better
compliance with the new framework in place. The new framework shows a
clear shift away from the objective of conservation and protection of
the coast to the agenda of its 'sustainable development' by opening it
up for 'economically significant' activities. Of course this agenda is
to be pursued "taking into account" conservation of ecologically
significant resources and the livelihood interests of local communities.
Given the history and practice of government coastal regulation over the
last 17 years, there is little reason to expect either.

http://infochangeindia.org/200808047259/Environment/Features/India-s-coast-up-fo\
r-grabs.html

Rs. 27-crore fishing harbour for Colachel : Nagercoil: A sum of Rs.
27.10 crore had been allocated for construction of a fishing harbour at
Colachel in Kanyakumari district. The required land of 3.75 hectares was
acquired from the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board, said the Executive Engineer
of Department of Fisheries, S. K. Mohanan. Speaking to The Hindu here,
he said that the cost of the project would be shared equally between the
State and the Centre. In this project, space would be provided to berth
mechanised fishing vessels and fibre-reinforced boats, along with
necessary approach bund. A quay to a length of 242 metres would be
constructed to facilitate loading of fuel and food and unloading of fish
and other fishing gear. An auction hall, net-mending shed, gear shed,
workshop, administrative office, canteen, toilets, generator room, radio
communication tower and security room would be the other facilities.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/04/stories/2008080457120100.htm

Plan to construct four fishing harbours : Nagercoil: The State
government plans to construct four fishing harbours at Muttom,
Rajakkamangalam, Colachel and Thengapattinam in Kanyakumari district to
prevent migration of fishermen to other States for jobs, Local
Administration Minister M. K. Stalin said on Tuesday. Laying the
foundation for a fishing harbour at Colachel near here, he said the
harbours would come up in phases. In the first phase, two harbours would
be constructed with private participation. In the second phase, the
Colachel harbour, and in the third Thengapattinam harbour, would be
constructed.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/06/stories/2008080661220900.htm

Fishermen oppose move to set up port : Kancheepuram: The Kancheepuram
district unit of Thamizhnadu Meenavar Peravai has opposed the proposal
to set up a port to import coal at Thazhuthalikuppam on East Coast Road
for a 4,000-MW thermal power plant to come up in this region. In a
memorandum submitted to the district administration on Wednesday,
district unit president of the Peravai R. Panchamirtham claimed that
setting up of the port for non-fishing purpose would affect the
livelihood of fishermen in this region. State president of the Peravai
R. Anbazhagan said setting up of the port would affect the livelihood of
fishermen living in 46 hamlets in this region.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/07/stories/2008080759300500.htm

Bio-shield project along coastal areas inaugurated : Thrissur:
Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran has said cultivation of
mangroves should be one of the major features of coastal development. He
was addressing a meeting at Vadanappally, near here, on Monday to launch
a project to develop a bio-shield for coastal protection under the
Tsunami Rehabilitation Programme. The two-year project, being
implemented by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and
Environment, Forest Department, Vadanapally grama panchayat and the
Kerala Forest Research Institute, envisages creation of a 30km
bio-shield along the Vadanappally and Kadappuram coasts. Species such as
casuarina, thespesia, calophyllum, mahogany and bamboo are being planted
to protect the coastal belt against storms, cyclones and tsunami.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/05/stories/2008080556960300.htm

Dharna against coastal corridor : Vizianagaram: Activists of the CPI,
the A.P. Rythu Sangham, the A.P. Matsyakarula Sangham and the A.P.
Vyavasaya Krmika Sangham on Thursday staged a dharna at the Collector's
office urging the government to drop the proposed coastal corridor and
SEZs. CPI district secretary P. Kameswara Rao told reporters that the
project would displace peasants, fishermen and other oppressed classes
and affect their livelihood. They said the government was alienating
large extents of land to real estate businessmen.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/08/stories/2008080852580300.htm

Mangrove park to be set up in Koyilandy soon : Kozhikode: The mangrove
park being set up by the Koyilandy Municipality is an initiative to
conserve and propagate the precious vegetation and is expected to
provide information to the public on the different mangrove species and
the like. K. Dasan, chairperson of the municipality, said the park
comprised a 3.5-km stretch on the banks of the Anaelapuzha, a tributary
of the Korapuzha, that was noted for the lush mangrove growth. "Rampant
land reclamation in municipal areas and fishing activity near the
mangroves are posing grave hazards. The park is an attempt to prevent
further degradation." The municipality had imposed a ban on fishing in
the mangrove-growing areas. Efforts were also on to sensitise fisher
folk on the hazards of casting net at these places, which would destroy
the fish species.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/10/stories/2008081052350300.htm

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CLIMATE CHANGE

"If U.K. is worried, we've far greater reason to be worried" :
Bangalore: The world could see a potentially catastrophic four-degree
Celsius rise in temperature by the end of the century, a Guardian report
on Thursday has said, and quoted top scientists urging the United
Kingdom to "prepare" for such an eventuality. "If the U.K. is worried,
we have far greater reason to be worried," N.H. Ravindranath, Chairman,
Centre for Sustainable Technology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
told The Hindu. "The implications for India could be catastrophic even
if the temperature were to rise by as much as two degrees Celsius
because our adaptive capacity is so low," he said. The most vulnerable
will be those who depend directly on natural resources for their
livelihood, he said. "Communities who depend on climate sensitive
sectors such as dryland farming, fisheries and forest resources will be
worst affected," he said.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/09/stories/2008080959961000.htm

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DISASTER PREPAREDNESS


Training to deal with disasters : Thiruvananthapuram: Two hundred
voluntary workers drawn from the coastal belt of the city were imparted
training in disaster management at a programme organised by the district
administration and the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP). The training
was conducted under the Urban Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction Project
(UEVRP). Officials of the Fire and Rescue Services demonstrated
techniques to rescue victims of disasters. They also exhibited first aid
methods. The trainees, including a large number of women from the
Poundukadavu, Sanghumukham, Vettukad and Pallithura wards, turned up at
the St. Thomas Community Hall, Valiaveli, the venue of the training camp.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/08/stories/2008080859820300.htm

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TSUNAMI REHABILITATION

Dublin diocese's €4m tsunami fund helps a million survivors : Almost all
the €4,095,331 raised in Dublin's Catholic archdiocese after the
December 2004 tsunami in Asia has been spent in helping people there to
recover from one of the worst natural disasters of recent times.
Trócaire's second report to the Dublin archdiocese (the first was in
November 2005) on tsunami recovery spending from funds it raised
indicates that the total spend on 10 projects in Indonesia, India, Sri
Lanka and Thailand has come to €3,945,331, or 96 per cent of the total
raised by the archdiocese. The remaining €150,000 (4 per cent) has been
allocated to two projects in Indonesia. In his appeal to the people of
Dublin in early 2005 Archbishop Martin asked that parishes would
remember particularly children affected by the disaster. A considerable
amount of the funding subsequently raised has been spent in building and
repairing schools, such as the 65 which were reconstructed in the Aceh
area of Indonesia, benefitting 20,000 children aged between five and 18.
That project was completed last May. Trócaire spent €680,769 from the
Dublin archdiocese funds and €750,000 from the Government funds on that
particular project.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0808/1218142762053.html

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INDIA

UN tsunami relief team's mission over : Chennai: Four years after the
United Nations sent its multi-disciplinary team to set up office in
Chennai to help coordinate recovery efforts post tsunami, the UN Team
for Tsunami Recovery Support (UNTRS) is scaling down its operations in
preparation to withdrawal from the country in December this year. "We
are winding up in December and have started scaling down operations,"
Benjamin Laroquette, UN Tsunami Recovery Manager, told The Hindu. "It
has been quite a successful programme. We did not start with the
objective of taking up the entire rehabilitation work. We had an
informal agreement with the Government of Tamil Nadu to provide
technical back-up wherever possible and support the reconstruction and
recovery efforts." An external team will be evaluating the projects
implemented or supported by the UNTRS. The office has received, over
four years, funds amounting to US $15 million, 92 per cent of which went
into funding the rehabilitation process and the remaining 8 per cent was
accounted as running costs. The objective was to have pilot projects
that could be scaled up and made sustainable. The team worked in close
collaboration with various government departments and reliable NGOs, Mr.
Laroquette said. In the initial stages, the team also helped set up
coordination centres in various districts and, at the State level, the
Tamil Nadu Tsunami Resource Centre, which will now be taken over by the
State government and run as the Disaster Management Resource Centre.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/07/stories/2008080757400100.htm



Soft drink company to adopt village in Kanyakumari : Nagercoil: The
villagers living on the banks of Pazhayar and Valliyar rivers here have
made a suggestion to the Coca-Cola India to reconstruct the damaged
check dams. The vice-president of Coca-Cola, Deepak Jolly, who visited
the district recently to hand over the keys of the houses constructed
for the tsunami-affected fishermen community in Simon Colony, said that
water was vital for realising the full potential of the agricultural
sector in the district. The agricultural output, however, depended up on
monsoons, as nearly 60 per cent of the area sown was dependent on
rainfall. Therefore water resources, with ground water being a major
contributor, played a dominant role in not only the development of
agriculture, but in the maintenance of people's livelihood also. The
Coca-Cola was exploring the ways and means to adopt a village in
connection with eradicating poverty from the society in the district.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/08/stories/2008080853790300.htm

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SRI LANKA

Fish production exceeds pre-tsunami average : Fish production last year
exceeded the pre-tsunami average in 2004, said Secretary to the Ministry
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, G. Piyasena. The annual fish
production recorded a 10 per cent growth of 29,100 MT compared to 2003.
Fish exports recorded a growth of 18 per cent last year, he said. He
said that the government launched infrastructure development activities
such as construction and expansion of fishery harbours, anchorages,
landing sites, ice plants and retail outlets which were damaged by the
tsunami devastation. Most of these were completed last year, he said.
Incentives for the construction of 234 multi-day boats have been
provided to promote off shore and deep sea fishing. The Secretary said
the Fisheries Ministry introduced a guaranteed price for 26 fish
varieties to protect small scale fishermen who operate one-day boats and
were most affected due to the rising cost of fuel.

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/08/10/new20.asp

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Disclaimer:
This news update is provided by TRINet for the benefit of those working
in coastal areas and in tsunami
rehabilitation for information purposes only.
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