BM Khaitan group cos plan acquisitions

Eveready eyeing regional packet tea brands

Our Bureau

Kolkata, Nov. 1 Three of the B.M. Khaitan Group companies — Eveready
Industries India Ltd, McLeod Russel and McNally Bharat Engineering
Company Ltd – are looking for Indian and overseas acquisitions.

"Funding acquisitions will not be a problem," Mr Deepak Khaitan,
Vice-Chairman of the Group, told newspersons here on Thursday. "We can
raise any amount," he added.
Packet tea biz

Eveready Industries was looking for acquisitions of regional packet
tea brands within the country and reputed FMCG brands outside.
"Currently, the packet tea business accounts for about 10 per cent of
company's total business of about Rs 850 crore and we would like to
double its size as early as possible," Mr Khaitan said. The company
was looking for acquisition opportunities in Gujarat, Maharashtra and
the northern region, he indicated. The company would also invest in
promoting its existing packet tea brands, namely, Tej, Classic, Jago
and Premium Gold.

Currently, battery and flashlights accounted for nearly 90 per cent of
the company's total turnover. "We would like to gradually reduce the
share of battery business such that by 2010-11, the non-battery
business accounts for 50 per cent of the company's estimated turnover
of Rs 2,000 crore," he said.
New ventures

Apart from packet tea, the other non-battery segments in which the
company had ventured into included mosquito coil, compact fluorescent
lamp (CFL) and dishwasher cakes. "Our debt burden is coming down and
we're out of red and now on the upswing," he added.
Tea gardens

McLeod Russel, the world's largest producer of tea, was also looking
into opportunities for acquisitions of tea gardens both within the
country and abroad. "However, we're yet to zero in on anything," Mr
Khaitan said. McLeod Russel had no plans to undertake non-tea activity
in tea gardens, he added. However, the company's diversification into
bio-fuel in partnership with D1 of the UK was making progress. About
55,000 hectares has been acquired in Jharkhand and North-east for
jatropha plantation under contract farming and there was a proposal to
acquire lands in Orissa also. "We have written to the West Bengal
Government expressing our desire to undertake jatropha plantation in
the State but we're still awaiting a reply," he said. The first
refinery would be set up in the North-east next year. "Our plan is to
grow jatropha over 200,000 hectares and produce bio-fuels and the
estimated investment would be between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 crore," he
said.
Big bet

McNally Bharat Engineering, according to Mr Khaitan, was going to be
the Group's biggest company in terms of turnover estimated to rise to
more than Rs 2,000 crore within three years, up from the current Rs
700 crore. The order book position at Rs 1,500 crore was healthy and
the encouraging export orders has prompted the company to open
overseas offices in Brazil, South Africa and UAE.

"In the past two years, the CAGR has been 50 per cent and the company
is looking for suitable acquisitions in the fields in which it is
active," he said. The new unit in Asansol, which would be the
extension of the existing unit at Kumardhubi, would be focussing on
modern industrial forgings which were in good demand.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/11/02/stories/2007110251010300.htm


[Comments: They are talking about contract farming. It seems that they
are going to grow it in farming lands not in wastelands. So be aware
farmers and natives to carry load of this foreign plant. If you are in
these state and inform me about the land selected for this project I
can suggest you scientifically that how it will affect the
biodiversity and livelihood directly and indirectly.]

Status of Jatropha curcas in year 2022 in India.
by
Pankaj Oudhia

This research article discusses the predictions made by senior farmers
and experts about possible status of Jatropha in year 2022.

http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=3082&page=-2

Future fuel 'panacea' under attack from virus; more research neede
Jacob P. Koshy



New Delhi: Amutant form of a virus, which typically affects tobacco,
tomato and soybean, has begun attacking jatropha plants in Balrampur,
Uttar Pradesh, and scientists who first spotted it say it may decrease
the oil content of the plant's seeds.
Jatropha, a non-edible plant that abundantly grows in tropical
countries, is an increasingly popular biofuel and is seen by
businesses and governments, including India, as a viable source of
biodiesel.
The virus, known as a mosaic virus, is typically transmitted by
insects and causes the leaf borders of plants to curl up, but in the
case of jatropha plants, the leaves were curling up and getting
smaller, without insects getting involved.
" So, while the symptoms are those of mosaic virus attack, it seems to
be transmitted by the sap of the plant, which makes us believe it's
something new," said J.P. Tewari, a professor of botany at the
Maharani Lal Kunwari College, in Balrampur, who first spotted the
symptoms of the disease and reported his findings in the latest issue
of the peer-reviewed Current Science journal.
Jatropha, which grows pretty much anywhere from fertile alluvial soil
to stony rocky fields, usually flowers in the winters and Tewari and
his research students published their findings on the basis of their
observations in 2005.
"But now we see that even the seeds are getting affected. They are
distinctly smaller and it's very likely that their oil output is
lower. We are now testing how much," Tewari added, and said that he
would publish his new findings within two-three months.
Mosaic viruses are known to trigger a wide range of infections among
plants, and though chemicals are available to counter it, scientists
say such viruses have an ability to mutate rather quickly.
"I can't give an offhand estimate of the economic damage by mosaic
viruses, but every season there's a new mutation that poses a new
challenge, " said P.C. Pant, senior agronomist at the Indian
Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi.
Jatropha curacus is one of the few inedible plants with an oil content
ranging from 40-60%, which means that 40-60% of the seed and kernel is
filled with an oil that can be processed to obtain biodiesel, though
how much of it can be actually extracted depends on the technology
employed.
But unlike tomato and tobacco, which are major food and cash crops,
very little research has gone into studying jatropha.
"Before all this excitement on it being a panacea for our fuel
problems, jatropha was just another weed and, at best, was used by
tribals for a few medicinal needs," said M.K. Ananthan, scientist at
the Indian Grassland and Forest Research Institute, Jhansi.
But today, with businesses such as D1 Oils Plc. and BP Plc., and
India's Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd having invested in pilot jatropha
cultivation projects in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and some regions in
the North-East, a lot more time and money is being invested to
understand jatropha.
Smaller Indian firms such as Nandan Biomatrix Ltd, for instance, have
special research wings to study and provide consultancy services on
the feasibility and potential of cultivating jatropha. "Not only
India, but we are looking at land in Malaysia and Africa to cultivate
jatropha," said Jayakumar B., research director at Nandan Biomatrix.
These projects consist of farmers cultivating the jatropha plant in
waste lands. Therefore, a virus threat would imply more investments on
the farmer's part in insecticide or medicines to protect the plant.
"We don't have conclusive studies yet, of how rapidly the disease
spreads, but along with our experiments we are developing some
herbal-based medicines to counter the threat," said Tewari.
Though research on the economics of jatropha is quite limited, the
per-barrel cost to produce biofuel using jatropha is about $43
(Rs1,694), about half that of maize and roughly one-third that of
rapeseed—two other leading materials for alternative energy.
However, independent experts says there's nothing to be alarmed about
yet, but this finding should, if not anything else, trigger more
research. "Jatropha is a hardy plant and is known to be extremely
adaptable plant," said S. Srinivasan of the National Research Centre
for Weed Science.
"Moreover, viruses and bacterial infections are second nature with
plants, too. I am sure a lot more research will be initiated to
understand jatropha better."
Find More Articles On:

     * future fuel   Jatropha   biofuel   virus   fuel

Find More Articles By:

     * Jacob P. Koshy
http://www.livemint.com/2007/10/31001641/Futurefuel8216panacea82.html

Visit to plantations and see Jatropha failure by your own eyes.
by
Pankaj Oudhia

Another article showing that so-called promising biodiesel crop
Jatropha is failing to perform in every front. It is an effort to
inform about ground situation of Jatropha in India.

http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=3081&page=-2

Now Jatropha is showing its (bad) colors in India.
by
Pankaj Oudhia

So-called promising biodiesel crop Jatropha is failing to perform in
every front. The present article is an effort to inform about ground
situation of Jatropha in India.

http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=3078&page=-2

Dear Friends
It's been a bad week for major U.S. agribusinesses.
>
>I want you to help make it worse.
>
>http://ga3.org/campaign/ag_launch/8753udn2h7ntndnt?
>
>The CEOs of agribusiness giants Archer Daniels
Midland (ADM),
>Bunge and Cargill woke up this morning to their
second big
>surprise in as many days: After opening yesterday's
Chicago
>Tribune to a full page ad accusing their companies of
wrecking
>the climate by producing industrial biofuels, today
they were
>forced to reckon with a 50-foot banner draped off the
Chicago
>Board of Trade calling them the "ABC's of Rainforest
>Destruction."
>
>Now, it's your turn to keep up the pressure.
>http://ga3.org/campaign/ag_launch/8753udn2h7ntndnt?
>
>Tell these CEOs that you won't put up with the
destruction of
>rainforests and our climate, or the displacement of
Indigenous
>communities, just so they can make a buck.
>
>Deforestation is responsible for a quarter of
worldwide
>greenhouse gas emissions. ADM, Bunge and Cargill
clear huge
>swaths of forest, burn the land, and drain peat
swamps in order
>to make biofuel crops - which they promote as a
"green"
>alternative to fossil fuels - and oil for cheap food
products.
>
>Of course, slashing and burning rainforests for
biofuels
>releases massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the
>atmosphere, intensifying global warming rather than
solving it.
>
>Tell these CEOs you aren't buying their false
solutions to
>climate change!
>
>http://ga3.org/campaign/ag_launch/8753udn2h7ntndnt?
>
>All three CEOs need to feel some real grassroots
pressure, and
>I'm counting on you.
>
>Tropical rainforests are not only our best defense
against
>global warming, they also regulate the global climate
by pumping
>out heat and moisture, creating rain clouds that
reach as far
>away as Iowa. Agribusiness expansion also threatens
endangered
>species like the orangutan and Sumatran tiger,
displaces family
>farmers and Indigenous communities, and encourages
the use of
>deplorable labor practices that sometimes include
slave labor.
>
>How can we let these corporations get away with this?
>
>Send a message today and your voice will help stop
rainforest
>destruction, prevent climate catastrophe, and defend
human
>rights.
>
>Thank you so much,
>
>Leila Salazar-Lopez
>Rainforest Agribusiness Campaign
>Rainforest Action Network
>




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Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.
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Note: forwarded message attached.




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----- Original Message -----

From: Pankaj Oudhia

To: jatropha@...

Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 12:33 PM

Subject: [jatropha] Re: Bio security

Thanks Viren for forwarding this article but there are some loopholes
in this case. The most important is that Jatropha is not a plant of
Indian origin. It is exotic plant and world literatures are full of
information on this aspect. Promotion of any exotic plant in millions
of hactares without considering its bad effects on native flora and
fauna motivated me to raise voice against Jatropha. Lets come to
point, as Jatropha is foreign plant NBA rules are not very strict with
it. That is why since beginning the case of this bio-piracy is in
favor of that company. Jatropha supporters in India have always
claimed that it is Indian plant. Now its time to prove it. But I am
afraid as it is not true.

Pankaj Oudhia

--- In jatropha@yahoogroups.co.in, "Viren Lobo" <vlobo62@...> wrote:
>
>
> Published in Business line October 10th 2007 . FYI
>
> Viren
>
> Who decides on bio-security? If there was no legislation to regulate
access to biological resources, including Jatropha, companies would
freely be able to collect and commercially exploit it, despite looming
controversies.
>
>
> Kanchi Kohli
>
> When India enacted the Biological Diversity Act in 2002, it made it
mandatory for all foreign entities (individual, corporate,
organisation or individual) to seek the permission of the National
Biodiversity Authority (NBA) before accessing the country's biodiversity.
>
> So if a plant, animal, or their part, or traditional knowledge
associated needed to be researched upon, commercially utilised or
patented, it could not be done without permission.
>
> The three objectives of the legislation are conservation,
sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits; drawn from the
international Convention on Biological Diversity.
>
> So when D1 Oils India Ltd, the Indian face of D1 Oils plc, a
UK-based producer of bio-diesel proposed to access Jatropha Curacas
(Ratanjyot) plantations in India, they needed to abide by the
provisions of the above legislation.
>
> As per the information available in the agenda notes and minutes of
the NBA meetings available on their Web site, D1 applied to the NBA in
February 2006 with the intention of converting vegetable oil into
bio-diesel to the standards stipulated by the European Union.
>
> The company had proposed to collect 500 grams to 1 kg seeds of
jatropha seeds throughout India at every 10 latitude.
>
> But D1's application was not approved by the NBA. This was keeping
in mind that a controversy around the misappropriation of Jatropha
germplasm from Indira Gandhi Agriculture University (IGAU), Raipur,
was yet to be resolved.
>
> What was this controversy? In 2005, a scientist of the IGAU, who was
a leading researcher in the subject, was hired by D1. He had
coordinated important Jatropha research and access to the University's
important germ-plasm. It was reported that upon investigations it was
revealed the said scientist had illegally passed 18 varieties from
that collection to D1.
>
> The University has filed a compliant against the scientist who has
denied allegation. This news appeared in newspapers and Web sites.
Local groups in Chhattisgarh were critical to exposing this issue.
>
> Why does a case like this become important?
>
> No regulation mechanism
>
> If there was no legislation to regulate access to biological
resources, including Jatropha, companies would freely be able to
collect and commercially exploit it; despite looming controversies
like mentioned above.
>
> The decision of the NBA would need to be appreciated and set as an
example. There are inherent flaws in the regulatory regime prescribed
in the biodiversity legislation; but that does not deny the importance
and need to put in checks like the ones that exist today. The NBA has
used that effectively.
>
> But what is perhaps equally if not more important are the number of
cases where illegalities like the ones mentioned above have not been
caught.
>
> Several approvals have been and are being granted by the NBA (
www.nbaindia.org ). Unless one proactively accesses the NBA Web site
and seeks information, there is no way to know about permissions being
granted for research and transfer of material/knowledge.
>
> As per law, they are to "consult" Biodiversity Management Committees
(BMCs), to be set up by local bodies under this law.
>
> This procedure is far from underway in most of the country. Yet
economic pressures have ensured that the NBA processes applications
irrespective of it.A verification of the content of the application is
important is because it is impossible for the NBA as a small body to
check every instance of misappropriation or "legalised" bio-piracy.
>
> What this means is that if a research institution or private
corporation is seeking to access germ-plasm from captivity or from
wild, people, especially from the area, need to know how much and why?
>
> If 500 grams is approved, can the NBA actually monitor whether it is
that much or more?
>
> If conservation and regulating access keeping the interest of local
communities is truly the objective, would it not be important to keep
local people in confidence for the same?
>
> Is D1 the only case is one that gets curbed? What about the others
that have gotten approval?
>
> The NBA has approved collaborative research project of the
Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of
Agriculture, to export Jatropha to Zambia and Mozambique in 2006 itself.
>
> The DARE will be sending two tonnes of Jatropha curacas seeds to
Zambia at a cost of Rs 60,000 per tonne. As with the other cases,
there is little public information on from where this germ-plasm will
be accessed from and for what purpose?
>
> Who is the deciding authority?
>
> Accessing two tonnes or a few kilograms seem like small amounts at
the outset? But, not if one applies the lens of ethics and governance.
>
> Who gives the right to the government to send out germ-plasm without
the public knowledge of the people?
>
> What if such exports return to India with IPR applications and even
get approved?
>
> It will then impose restrictions on the use of such germ-plasm
without the payment of royalty to a corporation or institution.
>
> At another level, there is also the issue who decides on who should
have the right of first use of biological resources. In such cases it
clearly does not lie with local and indigenous communities when it
comes to both use as well as permissions to grant access.
>
> And this is exactly why cases like that of D1 are important to
understand. It is surely not enough if we let the example used in this
article be the only case where we can laud institutions like the NBA.
>
> The loopholes in legislation have to be strengthened and more
importantly need to recognise the spirit of community sovereignty and
the positive role they can play in countering instances of bio-piracy.
>
> In one known case, local communities in Yuksom, Sikkim, have already
done it when they caught two Russian nationals who were illegally
taking out butterflies and moths from the Kanchenzonga National Park.
>
> That was in 2001, and the biodiversity legislation was not even in
place. Because it was a national park, the provisions of the Wild Life
Protection Act were used.
>
> Of course, there is no guarantee that all this will be able to check
the large-scale illegal access to the country's biodiversity. We can
only remotely fathom the extent and nature of such bio-piracy. With
India's growth agenda, access and commercial exploitation are top
priority. But who said that has to be done at the cost of the
country's bio-security?
>
> (The author is a member of Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group
and is based in New Delhi.)
>

Thanks Viren for forwarding this article but there are some loopholes
in this case. The most important is that Jatropha is not a plant of
Indian origin. It is exotic plant and world literatures are full of
information on this aspect. Promotion of any exotic plant in millions
of hactares without considering its bad effects on native flora and
fauna motivated me to raise voice against Jatropha. Lets come to
point, as Jatropha is foreign plant NBA rules are not very strict with
it. That is why since beginning the case of this bio-piracy is in
favor of that company. Jatropha supporters in India have always
claimed that it is Indian plant. Now its time to prove it. But I am
afraid as it is not true.

Pankaj Oudhia

--- In jatropha@..., "Viren Lobo" <vlobo62@...> wrote:
>
>
> Published in Business line October 10th 2007 . FYI
>
> Viren
>
> Who decides on bio-security? If there was no legislation to regulate
access to biological resources, including Jatropha, companies would
freely be able to collect and commercially exploit it, despite looming
controversies.
>
>
> Kanchi Kohli
>
> When India enacted the Biological Diversity Act in 2002, it made it
mandatory for all foreign entities (individual, corporate,
organisation or individual) to seek the permission of the National
Biodiversity Authority (NBA) before accessing the country's biodiversity.
>
> So if a plant, animal, or their part, or traditional knowledge
associated needed to be researched upon, commercially utilised or
patented, it could not be done without permission.
>
> The three objectives of the legislation are conservation,
sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits; drawn from the
international Convention on Biological Diversity.
>
> So when D1 Oils India Ltd, the Indian face of D1 Oils plc, a
UK-based producer of bio-diesel proposed to access Jatropha Curacas
(Ratanjyot) plantations in India, they needed to abide by the
provisions of the above legislation.
>
> As per the information available in the agenda notes and minutes of
the NBA meetings available on their Web site, D1 applied to the NBA in
February 2006 with the intention of converting vegetable oil into
bio-diesel to the standards stipulated by the European Union.
>
> The company had proposed to collect 500 grams to 1 kg seeds of
jatropha seeds throughout India at every 10 latitude.
>
> But D1's application was not approved by the NBA. This was keeping
in mind that a controversy around the misappropriation of Jatropha
germplasm from Indira Gandhi Agriculture University (IGAU), Raipur,
was yet to be resolved.
>
> What was this controversy? In 2005, a scientist of the IGAU, who was
a leading researcher in the subject, was hired by D1. He had
coordinated important Jatropha research and access to the University's
important germ-plasm. It was reported that upon investigations it was
revealed the said scientist had illegally passed 18 varieties from
that collection to D1.
>
> The University has filed a compliant against the scientist who has
denied allegation. This news appeared in newspapers and Web sites.
Local groups in Chhattisgarh were critical to exposing this issue.
>
> Why does a case like this become important?
>
> No regulation mechanism
>
> If there was no legislation to regulate access to biological
resources, including Jatropha, companies would freely be able to
collect and commercially exploit it; despite looming controversies
like mentioned above.
>
> The decision of the NBA would need to be appreciated and set as an
example. There are inherent flaws in the regulatory regime prescribed
in the biodiversity legislation; but that does not deny the importance
and need to put in checks like the ones that exist today. The NBA has
used that effectively.
>
> But what is perhaps equally if not more important are the number of
cases where illegalities like the ones mentioned above have not been
caught.
>
> Several approvals have been and are being granted by the NBA (
www.nbaindia.org ). Unless one proactively accesses the NBA Web site
and seeks information, there is no way to know about permissions being
granted for research and transfer of material/knowledge.
>
> As per law, they are to "consult" Biodiversity Management Committees
(BMCs), to be set up by local bodies under this law.
>
> This procedure is far from underway in most of the country. Yet
economic pressures have ensured that the NBA processes applications
irrespective of it.A verification of the content of the application is
important is because it is impossible for the NBA as a small body to
check every instance of misappropriation or "legalised" bio-piracy.
>
> What this means is that if a research institution or private
corporation is seeking to access germ-plasm from captivity or from
wild, people, especially from the area, need to know how much and why?
>
> If 500 grams is approved, can the NBA actually monitor whether it is
that much or more?
>
> If conservation and regulating access keeping the interest of local
communities is truly the objective, would it not be important to keep
local people in confidence for the same?
>
> Is D1 the only case is one that gets curbed? What about the others
that have gotten approval?
>
> The NBA has approved collaborative research project of the
Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of
Agriculture, to export Jatropha to Zambia and Mozambique in 2006 itself.
>
> The DARE will be sending two tonnes of Jatropha curacas seeds to
Zambia at a cost of Rs 60,000 per tonne. As with the other cases,
there is little public information on from where this germ-plasm will
be accessed from and for what purpose?
>
> Who is the deciding authority?
>
> Accessing two tonnes or a few kilograms seem like small amounts at
the outset? But, not if one applies the lens of ethics and governance.
>
> Who gives the right to the government to send out germ-plasm without
the public knowledge of the people?
>
> What if such exports return to India with IPR applications and even
get approved?
>
> It will then impose restrictions on the use of such germ-plasm
without the payment of royalty to a corporation or institution.
>
> At another level, there is also the issue who decides on who should
have the right of first use of biological resources. In such cases it
clearly does not lie with local and indigenous communities when it
comes to both use as well as permissions to grant access.
>
> And this is exactly why cases like that of D1 are important to
understand. It is surely not enough if we let the example used in this
article be the only case where we can laud institutions like the NBA.
>
> The loopholes in legislation have to be strengthened and more
importantly need to recognise the spirit of community sovereignty and
the positive role they can play in countering instances of bio-piracy.
>
> In one known case, local communities in Yuksom, Sikkim, have already
done it when they caught two Russian nationals who were illegally
taking out butterflies and moths from the Kanchenzonga National Park.
>
> That was in 2001, and the biodiversity legislation was not even in
place. Because it was a national park, the provisions of the Wild Life
Protection Act were used.
>
> Of course, there is no guarantee that all this will be able to check
the large-scale illegal access to the country's biodiversity. We can
only remotely fathom the extent and nature of such bio-piracy. With
India's growth agenda, access and commercial exploitation are top
priority. But who said that has to be done at the cost of the
country's bio-security?
>
> (The author is a member of Kalpavriksh Environmental Action Group
and is based in New Delhi.)
>

Dear Group Members,
      Just a short note to aware you that now Jatropha promoters are
using all points raised against biofuel crops in general and
presenting Jatropha as promising alternative to well known biofuel
crops. It is their new strategy to fool common people. In fact
Jatropha is more harmful than these biofuel crops in many sense. So
when you read any article having title against biofuel, be careful, it
may be written to support Jatropha.

Pankaj Oudhia

World grain supply not enough to produce bio fuels
The use of cereals and palm oil in producing bio fuels is forcing a
price hike on basic foods. Non edible plants now being tested.
Meanwhile Beijing sets out plans for renewable energy sources, even if
in the short term more expensive than coal.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – China wants to double its use of
renewable energy by 2020, such as hydro energy, wind power and solar
energy as well as biofuels by increasing their extraction from cereals
and vegetable oils.  But the high costs are presenting obstacles.

After an initial enthusiasm the world has become aware that it is not
capable of producing sufficient grain to feed its population and
produce biofuels.  The boom in biofuels in recent years has led to
sharp rice in world grain prices, with widespread grave social
repercussions. David Jackson, of Lmc International Ltd London,
estimates that by 2015 a further 100 million hectares of crop
production (half the size of Indonesia) will be needed to meet just 5%
of vehicle consumption.  But to obtain this, entire forests would be
decimated.

Sugar cane produces more ethanol, but it requires a lot of water in a
world suffering from drought.  The use of palm oil to produce fuel has
resulted in two thirds price hike in recent years, bringing it to 735
dollars a tonne, which crude oil costs 593 dollars per tonne. Thus
many plantation projects particularly in Asian have been abandoned.

Now there are plans to use non edible oil plants in the production of
biofuels such as jatropha, the leaves seeds and fruit of which are
toxic.  The British company D1 Oils plc has planted 175 thousand
hectares of Jatropha in Africa as well as in India and China.

Beijing has also set out on the arduous journey of renewable energy
sources.  "So far there is not profit" – explains Zhou Fengqi, Chief
of China's renewable energy programme – but there is "the will to
become a leader in clean energy in the future".  This explains why
projects are financed by leading companies in the energy sector. In
order to extract methane gas from the coal mines and biofuels from the
vegetable plantations, over the next few years China Power, the
leading electricity supplier will invest 4 billion dollars and the
petrol giant PetroChina will spend 10 billion Yuan.

Yet coal, although a major pollutant remains the cheapest of all fuels
and covers over 80% of the countries energy demand.  China Resources
Power will invest between 3 and 5 million Yuan by 2010 in wind power,
but exploiting wind power costs three times more than a coal station.

  http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=10516&size=A

Biofuel risk

Listen Now - 11102007 |

Back in 1935, importing cane toads from Hawaii seemed like a great
idea. Nasty beetles were gobbling up North Queensland's sugar crop and
the idea was that cane toads would help get rid of them.

As you all know, that was a spectacular failure, with the toads
turning into a feral pest fatal to all manner of native animals.

Well, we may just be hearing the sound of history repeating.

This time the culprit might be biofuels. They've been promoted as an
environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels but a recent
report says some biofuel crops pose a serious environmental risk.

Tim Low is with the Invasive Species Council and he's speaking here
with Sasha Fegan.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/breakfast/stories/2007/2056509.htm

Biofuels Plans May Cause Water Shortages

Biofuels Plans May Cause Water Shortages

By MICHAEL CASEY – 6 hours ago

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — China's and India's plans to produce more
biofuels could cause shortages of water, which is needed for crops to
feed their growing populations, according to study results released
Thursday.

The International Water Management Institute or IWMI study said both
countries are counting on maize and sugarcane, which need large
amounts of water, for much of their biofuels.

"Crop production for biofuels in China and India would likely
jeopardize sustainable water use and thus affect irrigated production
of food crops, including cereals and vegetables, which would then need
to be imported in larger quantities," Charlotte de Fraiture, the
study's lead author, said in a statement.

"Are these countries, particularly India which has devoted so much
effort to achieving food security, adequately considering the
trade-offs involved, especially the prospect of importing food to free
up sufficient water and land for production of biofuel crops?"

Neither an Indian nor a Chinese government spokesman could immediately
be reached for comment on the study results.

The study follows one released earlier this week by the National
Research Council, which warned that increased production of these
crops for ethanol could threaten water supplies in the United States.

The IWMI study is also the latest to warn that growing demand for
biofuels could shortchange poorer countries that depend on staples
like maize to feed their populations. Setting aside more land for
biofuels could also raise prices for everything from eggs to beef, as
feed would become more expensive.

"For the 2 billion poorest people in the world, many of whom spend
half or more of their income on food, rising grain prices can quickly
become life-threatening," Lester Brown, the founder of the
Washington-based Earth Policy Institute think tank, wrote in 2006.

"The broader risk is that rising food prices could spread hunger and
generate political instability in low-income countries that import
grain," Brown wrote.

The IWMI study said China aims to increase biofuels production
fourfold to around 4 billion gallons of ethanol — 9 percent of its
projected gasoline demand — by 2020, from a 2002 level of 950 million
gallons.

India is pursuing a similarly aggressive strategy. Last month it
announced plans to double the requirement for ethanol-blend gasoline
to 10 percent in the next year.

To meet their biofuels targets, China would need to produce 26 percent
more maize and India 16 percent more sugarcane, the study found. It
said doing so would require an extra 20 gallons of irrigation water
per person per day in China, and an additional 18.5 gallons per day in
India, beyond what is needed for food.

The IWMI's David Molden said in a statement that the situation could
worsen already dire water shortages in parts of China and India.

"Without major changes in water management, how are we going to feed a
growing population, satisfy increasing demand for meat, and, on top of
that, use crops as a major source of fuel?"

The study suggested that the two countries could focus on crops that
need less water, such as sweet sorghum for ethanol, and species
including the jatropha bush and pongamia trees for biodiesel.

India has already announced plans to plant about 7.7 million acres of
jatropha plantations by 2009, and to have identified another 98.8
million acres of wasteland by then to grow the plant.

Jatropha seeds are crushed and mixed with fuel to produce biodiesel.

IWMI is a Sri Lanka-based nonprofit scientific institute that focuses
on sustainable use of water and land resources. It has 100 scientists
from 16 countries and works on research projects in 21 countries.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ifYWHNr0ofU8fTztuNPFiLqJrElgD8S6MSJ00

- The Weedy Truth About Biofuels
________________________________________________

This report, by the Invasive Species Council, exposing the weed risks
of many proposed biofuels is to be released tomorrow, 3 October 2007,
at the 'Greenhouse 2007' climate change conference in Sydney.

Most plants being promoted as biofuels in Australia are serious weeds
that should not be grown, The Weedy Truth About Biofuels report has found.

The assessment examines the weedy risks posed by 18 proposed biofuel
species being touted as climate change solutions.

In the report, the Invasive Species Council also recommends reforms to
policy to reduce the weed risk of the emerging biofuels industry in
Australia.

Thus far the weed risk of biofuels has been ignored by policy makers
in Australia.
________________________________________________

Media Release
Most plants being promoted as biofuels in Australia are serious weeds
that should not be grown, a new assessment by the Invasive Species
Council has found.

In a report to be released on 3rd October, at the 'Greenhouse 2007'
climate change conference in Sydney, the Invasive Species Council has
assessed the weedy risks posed by 18 proposed biofuel species being
touted as climate change solutions.

"Australia should not try to solve one environmental problem by
creating another," warned ISC spokesman and report author, Tim Low.
"These plants have no proven value as biofuel crops but bad
reputations as weeds."

Seven plants considered promising as biofuels are banned as noxious
weeds in parts of Australia - jatropha, spartina, castor oil plant,
Chinese apple, olive, willows, and poplars.

Two species - giant reed and spartina - appear on the World
Conservation Union's 'List of 100 of the World's Worst Invasive
Species'. Giant reed is now on trial as a biofuel crop in South
Australia, despite the enormous weed problems it causes around the
world. In California alone, many millions of dollars are spent each
year destroying it.

Jatropha is widely promoted as a "miracle crop" but there is no
technology for harvesting its seeds. It is closely related to
bellyache bush, one of the worst weeds of farmland in northern Australia.

"The naïve enthusiasm shown for jatropha and other weedy biofuel
plants recalls the enthusiasm shown for cane toads in a past age - and
the outcome may be similar," Mr Low said.

"We should be very wary of "miracle crops" and over-hyped agricultural
ventures, as past experience with aloe vera and deer farming has shown."

"The Invasive Species Council advises that any plant proposed as a
biofuel should be assessed first for its environmental impact," Mr Low
said.

"Disappointingly, Australian governments and biofuel experts have so
far failed to acknowledge that the weed risk exists, an unacceptable
situation."

Full report is available at
http://www.invasives.org.au/issues/biofuels.html

Warning on danger of biofuels


October 4, 2007

ENVIRONMENTAL hopes for biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels are
premature, if not misplaced, a scientist at the Greenhouse 2007
conference says.

Many of the plants being promoted as biofuel "miracle plants" were
weeds that would create ecological devastation, said Tim Low, the
co-author of a report released yesterday.

"This is just like the hype that went into cane toads in the 1930s,"
Mr Low said. "It doesn't have any proven value as an agricultural crop."

He said seven plants that have been deemed "promising" biofuel plants
were already banned in Australia, and two of those - jatropha and
spartina - featured on an international list of the world's 30 worst
invasive plants.

Jatropha has attracted international attention in the biofuel
industry, while spartina is the subject of trials in South Australia.

Jatropha, spartina and other biofuel plants overtake native
vegetation, reduce habitats for native animals and ultimately spark a
loss of biodiversity, he said.

Mr Low said the technology to convert the plants into ethanol was also
of questionable environmental efficiency, and his report noted much of
the land used for biofuel plants came at the expense of land used for
food, which was required by the world's growing population.

The report by the non-governmental Invasive Species Council did not
preclude all hopes for biofuel. "We believe that biofuels could
eventually play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but this
should not be at the expense of Australia's biodiversity or
agriculture," it said.

Conrad Walters

http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/warning-on-danger-of-biofuels/2007/10/03/\
1191091193489.html

Dear Group Members,
      You are invited to read this Hindi article on Jatropha, written
by me.

http://kisanokeliye.blogspot.com/2007/09/blog-post_29.html


regards
Pankaj Oudhia

Economics at the root of Myanmar protests

Likewise, the jatropha plantations currently being planted across the
country, another junta project, will likely not result in any
significant economic gain. Jatropha requires significant
infrastructure to be converted into bio-diesel, which likely means it
will be exported in its raw form to neighboring countries while the
land under plantation could arguably be better utilized to feed the
local population. Regardless, the aging diesel engines that are in use
throughout Myanmar will not be able to burn the resulting fuel stock
effectively, even if the domestic infrastructure were available.

For complete story visit at
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/II28Ae01.html

Item 2 here....
Have no time now to go into the horrors of the biofuel
industry juggernort for most "developing countries" &
their last patches of forest & indigenous communities,
so it's good to see the tide beginning to turn

Felix


[Thanks Felix for time to time update regarding biofuel but let me clear it that
this group is for discussion on negative impacts of Jatropha specially in a way
it is under promotion in different parts of the world. We are not against
*biofuel*, if the sources are promoted with good planing and without damaging
the natural environment and indigenous people. In India we are suggesting
indigenous sources of Biodiesel and opposing Jatropha as it is exotic plant.-
Moderator]
      
________________________________________________________________________________\
____
Luggage? GPS? Comic books?
Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search
http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=graduation+gifts&cs=bz

D1 Oils to 'comply' with India in Jatropha ruling

  LONDON: D1 Oils, the UK biofuels producer that grows its own
materials, will "comply" with an Indian court ruling if found guilty
of violating laws designed to control foreign exploitation of the
nation's resources.

The Indian National Biodiversity Authority referred the company to a
court in the district of Raipur for allegedly using strains of
jatropha, a plant used to make biodiesel, without approval, the
authority's chairman said. Indian plantation accounts for 35 per cent
of D1 Oils' jatropha farming.

"The legislation in India should not apply to jatropha," Ronald
Oxburgh, D1 Oils chairman, said today. "Everything we did in India was
based on this belief. If it turns out to be wrong, we will certainly
comply."

London-based company D1 Oils is seeking to develop higher- yielding
jatropha seeds to boost production and meet growing demand for
alternative fuels.

It said that the company has plans to start a joint venture with BP
Plc, Europe's second-largest oil company, to plant jatropha, a
drought-resistant, oilseed-bearing tree.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Oil__Gas/D1_Oils_to_comply_with_India_in_Jat\
ropha_ruling/articleshow/2379712.cms

[Comments: Real 'Dangerous One'. Isn't it?]

Miyerkoles, Setyembre 19, 2007 12:21:03 PM

18 - Villar asks DA if jatropha is right for Filipino farmers

Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 03:30 PM BST

Agriculture



Senate President Manny Villar has urged the Department of Agriculture
(DA) to issue an official statement on the practicality and
feasibility of growing "Tubang Bakod" or jatropha trees in the
Philippines following the assertion of the agriculture scientists that
the tree variety jatropha curcas is not suitable for the country.

Villar's question to the DA was aired during a press conference held
at the Marco Polo-Davao, in this city before he enplaned back to
Manila after a one-day visit here.

"While we look at this as an important source of fuel which clicked in
India, we should be guided by research findings on biofuels, Villar
pointed out.

Villar made the appeal after Dr. William Dar, an agricultural
scientist, said in a recent interview that an assessment of jatropha
planting in the Philippines should be first done, adding that right
varieties and its economic feasibility should be studied anew.

"Filipino farmers are expecting that Jatropha tree-planting will
improve their livelihood, thus, truthful information by relevant
government agencies on its viability and feasibility should be
earnestly made so as not to bring false hopes," Villar said.

He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has
also cautioned that seeds of Jatropha curcas can cause vomiting and
violent inflammation of the mucuous membrane with a burning sensation
of the throat.

"We should take into consideration the experience of other countries
on Jatropha, where some of them indicate that this is not the 'miracle
tree' as it was reported to be," Villar said.

"The adaptability of Jatropha trees should be thoroughly checked
because what thrives in India will not necessarily thrive in the
Philippines," Villar said.

Oil from Jatropha curcas seeds is used for making biodiesel fuel and
is promoted as an easily grown biofuel crop in hundreds of projects in
India and other developing countries.

A hectare of Jatropha produces 1,892 liters of fuel.

The rail line between Mumbai and Delhi is planted with Jatropha and
the train itself runs on 15 to 20-percent biodiesel.

At the same time, Villar filed a resolution in the Senate urging the
Senate committee on energy to study the rationality of the recent
policy of government directing the massive planting of Jatropha trees
for the last two years, citing that it may be a solution to the
country's continuous and growing dependence on imported oil.

In filing proposed Senate Resolution 110, Villar said the Senate study
on Jatropha should be made with the end in view of formulating a
long-term and more economically feasible energy program for the
country. (PNA)

-- Scanned for viruses and and believed to be clean.

http://www.bayanihan.org/html/article.php/20070918153020328

[Comments: Ths news is having many positive and negative points. It is
matter of appreciation that expert is requesting government to adopt
Jatropha after studying its viability. In India it was done without
this basic need and as result now farmers as well as plantations are
in great danger. As claimed in several reports that Jatropha is
successful in India is not true. It is not more than hype and it is
really surprising that in this era of advanced communication system
the planners of many countries are fooling their citizens by
presenting India's story as grand success.

In this news, it is mentioned that trains run by 15-20 percent
Jatropha biodiesel in India. It is false claim. Please see previous
posts. In India railway stopped using Jatropha oil even after using 5
percent as this oil was damaging their engines. Indian newspapers have
published it many times.]

Dear Group Members,

    Besides insects, please refer to previous post, viral infestation
is also becoming curse for Jatropha plants in Indian state
Chhattisgarh and neighboring states. For the first time I observed it
in farmer’s fields. The infestation was very high and farmers who have
purchased the plants in higher cost were in much worry regarding this
intensity. They described this disease as viral disease common in
Papaya. I am in process of identifying the causal organism. Farmers
have raised this crop considering it as crop free from diseases and
pest. Now they are facing the problems and understanding the hype
generated by Jatropha promoters. They are using pesticides, as extra
investment, with little success. The condition of roadside plantation
is worst as no one is there to care it. It is very sad. After all it
is public’s money.  Jatropha plants are dyeing at alarming rate.
Please see this table for infestation status in different locations.

http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=interactiveTableView&itableId=30413

I am getting similar complaints from different corners of India
specially from North India.

Pankaj Oudhia

Jatropha: Too much hype on little known plant
DEMAND AND SUPPLY
By BOO CHANCO

I am getting a little nervous at the great amount of hype being poured
on jatropha by our government officials. I googled jatropha and it
seems the excitement over the bush is worldwide. But little is known
about the commercial possibilities of the plant because it had not yet
been grown and its nuts processed in a large scale basis.
The Philippine Star
=================

I e-mailed an old associate who was head of our technical staff at
Petron when I was there during the 80s in an attempt to find out a
little more about the potentials of jatropha as an alternative fuel.
He confirmed the potentials of jatropha but cautioned that there are
still many issues to be resolved before it becomes an energy product
of commercial value as diesel fuel replacement.

Dodo Galindo should know. Now in retirement, he is still involved in
developing coco-diesel and during our time working together, he was
the technical guy on top of alcogas and the early attempts at
coco-diesel. Anyway, Dodo’s comments about jatropha gained additional
credibility for me after I also came across the comments of a group of
Los Baños scientists on jatropha as published in a scientific journal.

Here’s what Dodo had to say: “Firstly, it contains a high degree of
unsaturated components, which means, its oxidation stability is
relatively low. Additionally, because of the lack of current local
harvests in commercial quantity, reliable data such as average
production per hectare for different regions in the Philippines is not
yet available. The oil’s performance after its conversion to biodiesel
is yet to be proven in long term tests and accepted by different
engine manufacturers. Even the Department of Energy announced it had
“stopped testing jatropha as feedstock for biofuels due to lack of
fuel samples.�

Dodo wrote me that “in summary, jatropha is a future energy product
worthy of consideration, but unless all the major issues like
stability, engine performance, effect on engine emissions, etc. are
resolved, we should not rush into incorporating the product into our
energy mix. Otherwise, it may just end up like our cocodiesel and
ethanol programs of the past and affect whatever good experience we
have so far with our current biodiesel program using coconut methyl
ester.�

The Los Baños scientists, Professors Ted Mendoza, Oscar Zamora and
Joven Lales faculty members of Crop Science, College of Agriculture,
UP Los Baños, on the other hand, point out that jatropha becomes a
viable source of biodiesel if diesel is retailed at P40 per liter; if
the crop has a high fruit yield of 36,000 kilogram per hectare (ha);
if it has a high rate of oil extraction (34 percent and 38 percent);
and if byproducts are included and provide 50-percent additional
income from the oil revenue.

Those are tough assumptions which, the scientists point out, may be
difficult to meet from what we know now. “Can we achieve a high yield
of 36,000 kg/ha and high oil content (34 percent and 38 percent) under
Philippine conditions? No jatropha variety is grown in the Philippines
that yields 34 percent oil,� the scientists say. “The current
laboratory oil extraction is in the range of 28 percent to 32 percent.�

They surmise that at a low-yield level (12,000 kg/ha), jatropha
becomes profitable for farmers growing it if the diesel price
increases to about P140 per liter at a 30-percent rate of oil
extraction (revenue is from oil alone). And that estimate excludes
processing and marketing costs. Current estimates put the processing
cost at P12/liter. Then, the price of biodiesel from jatropha becomes
P152/liter [P140 + P12].

And contrary to the impression being made, specially by Ate Glue in
her SONAs, that all it takes is for government to jumpstart the
planting of jatropha and the miracle product will be available in the
market, the scientists say “it takes five years before some
considerable quantity of jatropha seeds will be available throughout
the country and 35 years before a real high yielding hybrid can be
developed.�

The scientists think “three or five years after planting jatropha is
too short a time to expect commercialization. Are the processing
plants ready by that time?� Furthermore, they say there is a need to
quickly acquire the know-how “to accelerate the optimization of
processing raw oil into trans-esterified oil before it can be used as
biodiesel oil, and processing of byproducts (press cake and/or
glycerol) into high-priced products be acquired soon.�

Anyway, the message of the scientists to those who may have been
enticed by government press releases to get in the jatropha bandwagon
is for them to review the numbers. In fact, even government should
perhaps review their numbers too and not get carried away by the
fad-like enthusiasm for the plant. According to the New York Times,
“farmers in India are already expressing frustration that after being
encouraged to plant huge swaths of the bush they have found no buyers
for the seeds.�

While it is right to invest some money in finding out more about the
plant, it is another thing altogether to throw money into it as if it
is a proven thing. As it is, government is ready to invest billions of
pesos in setting up plantations and processing plants probably without
realizing that the promise of jatropha is still to be proven anywhere
in the world. The folks at PNOC Alternative Fuels Corp. should crunch
their numbers well and proceed only with their eyes fully open to the
possibility that jatropha may not live up to the hype.

As with any alternative fuel, its economics versus petroleum must be
there before serious money is committed to its development. Hopefully,
jatropha lives up to its promise but hold the press releases and the
enthusiastic endorsement of the President in her SONAs until we know
more about it.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=92400

Toxic jatropha not magic biofuel crop, experts warn
Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:44AM BST
Email this Article |Print this Article | Reprints
[-] Text [+]

GUANGZHOU, China, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Oilseed plant jatropha does not
offer an easy answer to biofuels problems as some countries hope,
because it can be toxic and yields are unreliable, experts and
industry officials warned on Wednesday.

The woody plant can grow on barren, marginal land, and so is
increasingly popular in countries such as China that are keen to boost
biofuels output but nervous about food security.

But its nuts and leaves are toxic, requiring careful handling by
farmers and at crushing plants, said experts at an oils and fats
conference.

In addition, it is a labour-intensive crop as each fruit ripens at a
different time and needs to be harvested separately. Its productivity
is also low and has yet to be stabilised.

M. R. Chandran, adviser to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil,
told Reuters it would take five years of intensive research before
jatropha could achieve productivity that would make its cultivation
economically viable. The oil yield of the plant, originating in Africa
and still largely a wild species, is less than 2 tonnes per hectare
with large swings from year to year.

An engineer specialising in oil and fat processing plants, including
for biodiesel production, said special facilities were needed for
crushing jatropha nuts as they could produce a toxic vapour.

The engineer, who declined to be named, said his company hoped to seal
a deal with a private investor to build one of the world's first
large-scale jatropha-based biodiesel plants in China's southern
province of Yunnan before the end of this year.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKHKG7593720070912

Hi,
    As Jatropha is under promotion as crop free from insect pest. The
researchers are saying that it is not true claim. Jatropha crop in
Indian state Chhattisgarh is facing severe problem due to pest mainly
Pempelia morosalis and Scutellera nobilis. Please see this table
http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=interactiveTableView&itableId=29029

You can find the pictures very soon at Ecoport.

For the first time many years back Dr.Chitra Shankar, well known
Entomologist reported many such insects in Jhansi.
http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jul252006/162.pdf

Authorities are using pesticides in bulk to manage these pest with
little success. These costly input and ignored fact are increasing
cost of cultivation. In monoculture infestation is severe. It seems
that infestation will increase month by month. Then more and more
pesticides  will be required and now you can see how large scale
Jatropha will become curse for our environment and biodiversity. :-(

Pankaj Oudhia

Biofuels and food security

Vijayalakshmi Viswanathan

Energy security has become an area of significance, engaging the
attention of all countries. Bio-fuels have come into prominence as
they are considered to be environmentally friendly with reduced gas
emissions. Less dependence on fossil fuels is a goal which many
nations have set for themselves. The US has fixed a target of
reduction in petroleum consumption by 20 per cent in the next 10
years, largely by turning to ethanol and other alternative fuels.
Bio-fuels are thus considered to be a viable option for achieving the
targeted reduction by many countries.
the preferred choice

The preferred option of bio-fuel now is agricultural products. These
include corn, soya bean, rape seed, wheat, sugar beet, sugar cane and
palm oil. It is understandable that a country such as the US ,
predominantly dictated by the interests of the automobile industry and
is self-sufficient in food, has settled for agro-based bio-fuels
rather than thinking in terms of reduced consumption.

The use of corn for ethanol production and their demand for soya bean
oil has increased world food prices by about 10 per cent, according to
an IMF report.

The Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World has predicted a deficit
of 17 to18 million tonnes in the output of major oil seeds during
2007-08 and a food crisis unless the use of agricultural products for
bio-fuels is curbed or if the weather conditions are ideal and sharply
higher crop yields are achieved in 2008.

More alarming is the forecast that food prices will increase by 20 to
40 per cent in the next decade. The projected scenario should kindle
rethinking on bio-fuel front in countries such as India where vagaries
of monsoon still affect the performance of agricultural sector.

India is in the process of importing wheat. It is also not well placed
in edible oil production. Any attempt to divert land for bio-fuel
depends upon the energy inputs, cost of production and environmental
impact.

It may be argued that the country’s choice of jatropha is ideal as it
can be cultivated in wastelands. The expectation is that 98 million
acres of wasteland can be brought under jatropha cultivation to reduce
20 per cent of the country’s diesel consumption by 2011. Another
argument in favour of jatropha by the proponents is that little
attention and inputs are required. This needs to be gone into
carefully to assess the economics as well as employment generation
potential. A systematic study of the soil fertility also may be called
for.
The desirable proposition

These are times when management ‘gurus’ talk of ‘out of the box’
solutions. Should we be obsessed with bio-energy copying the West and
US which are self-sufficient in food production? In fact, the UK had a
wheat surplus of 2 million tonnes in 2005, which if converted into
bio-fuel (ethanol), would have reduced petroleum consumption by 2.5
per cent. It is also to be noted that a 95 litre fuel tank with pure
ethanol will require 200 kg of corn â€" enough calories to feed a person
for a year.

Should we not think in terms of scientific research to convert
non-edible oils into edible oils? Will it not be a more desirable
proposition? It may be a challenge to the scientific community, but it
is worth pursuing when the threat of rising food prices is looming
large before us!
(The author is a former Financial Commissioner, Railway Board.)

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/09/12/stories/2007091250060900.htm

`We are in a state of emergency`
Q&A/ Aruna Roy, founder, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
Prasad Nichenametla / New Delhi August 31, 2007
Aruna Roy, one of the founders of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
and a former member of the National Advisory Council who recently took
part in the Jan Adhikar Yatra through Rajasthan, tells Prasad
Nichenametla that the governments approach on SEZ and jatropha farming
has been undemocratic.

What led to the Jan Adhikar Yatra in which you took part recently?

In Rajasthan, there are several policies pursued by the state
government against the common people�s interest.

While land is being acquired for special economic zones (SEZs), the
government is also allotting wastelands and degraded forest lands on
commercial scale for jatropha cultivation.

These processes involve no dialogue with the people who would lose
their land and livelihoods.

The state is also amending the Rajasthan Land Tenancy Act, 1955, to
facilitate land transfer from Dalits to non-Dalits, which would take
away the land holdings of the former.

There are also concerns about improper implementation of the National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Right to Information
Act (RTI).

So, to know the problems of the people and make them interact on these
issues, we organised the Jan Adhikar Yatra.

The basic idea is while opposing the undemocratic manner in which the
government makes some policy decisions, we want to initiate a
discussion among the general people, the intelligentsia and the
political class.

What kind of response did you receive from the Yatra?

A state-wide procession started on August 9 from Alwar, Tonk, Ajmer
and Sikar towns to converge in Jaipur after interacting with villagers
on the way.

The marches were followed by a discussion till August 26 where people
took part in large numbers. About 1,300 km were covered by 500
padyatris (processionists) who travelled through 800 villages. The
yatra was supported by about 50 organisations.

What about the issue of land acquisition by SEZs?

The Centre has approved the SEZ Act in just two days, without taking
into consideration concerns expressed by various quarters.

This only reflects the government�s reluctance to involve a democratic
discussion on a sensitive issue like land acquisition and displacement
of the marginal sections. Only after the Nandigram episode, the
government has constituted a Parliamentary Committee to look into the
issue.

The same applies to Jatropha cultivation, regarding which the state
cabinet has approved a policy to acquire huge tracts of land for
companies to cultivate the plants. However, even representatives of
the ruling party were not aware of the process.

Under the movement, we would like to know how viable are the projects
like SEZs or Jatropha cultivation and how they would benefit the poor.

Are you satisfied with the NREGA?

I think the NREGA is better than any other employment generation
programme in the country. While it has achieved around 60 per cent
success, a lot more has to be done with a better participation of people.

But the pace of the Act is a bit slow. It is being implemented only in
330 districts, out of which 130 districts will get it in this
financial year.

Social audit is a better way to share ideas and solutions and make the
Act a big success. While it has shown positive results in Rajasthan
and Andhra Pradesh, it seems the government lacks the space and time
to take it to the national level. We need better infrastructure for
better implementation.

What do you think about the implementation of the RTI? Will the Act
with its present content be able to deliver perfectly?

I think the Act in its present form can deliver on its promise. But
the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the nodal body
servicing the Act and the Central Information Commission, is letting
some vested interests play their part.

The DoPT website is still carrying the section on file notings. I
think the RTI should be brought under some other ministries like the
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to make it free from such
interventions.

What is your opinion about the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal?

I think the deal paves way for the imperialist forces like the United
States to walk into the country. We are against the deal, and I am
also a signatory to the memorandum submitted to the Centre demanding
that the deal be stalled.

What are your plans? Your opinions on the course of people�s movements
in the country?

I think we have reached a point where there is a severe unrest over
government policies and the overall democratic set-up. There are
attempts to curtail the freedom of the citizens. We are in a state of
emergency without being aware of it.

There is a dire need to save democratic spaces, whether it is the lack
of space to hold protest in Jaipur or the lack of public participation
in policy formulation.

This padyatra was the beginning of a long struggle to regain a voice
in the decision-making process. I would continue my struggle for
people�s rights in all forms.

http://www.business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?leftnm=3&subLeft=2&chklog\
in=N&autono=296381&tab=r

After ‘Cut Carbon’march, he readies petition for Brown
Pulkit Vasudha

Ahmedabad, August 24: THE crusading environmental activist from the
city, Mahesh Pandya, is back from ‘Cut the Carbon’ march being held in
the United Kingdom. Kicked off on July 14, the march will culminate in
London on October 2 after covering 1,000 miles across the UK.

The march aims to highlight the devastating impacts of climate change
on the poorest people in developing countries. The marchers demand
urgent action by governments to check global warming.

Pandya covered over 400 miles on foot, but he is not tired. Now he is
ready with a signature petition that will soon be sent to British
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, requesting him to consider specific
recommendations in the Climate Change Bill to be tabled in the House
of Commons in October.

Another demand is that the UK should encourage other developed
countries to reduce carbon emissions and keep global warming below two
per cent during the UN Conference on Climate Change in December.

Pandya was the only Indian environmental activist among the 21
invitees from Brazil, El Salvador, Congo, Kenya, Philippines,
Tajikistan, Mali, Bangladesh, South Africa, Jamaica and the UK. He
dazzled ministers, leaders and local people with his keen knowledge of
environmental problems facing the developing countries.

During their walk, the marchers kept on asking: ‘What will we do
without rain?’ Pandya encouraged people to think about how the
luxurious lifestyle of the first world contributed to increasing the
penury of the poor in the third world.

“Climate change is no longer an intellectual debate. It is a fact, a
reality of the present,� emphasises Pandya. “More so, it is the
reality of the poor in the poorest regions of the world. If developed
countries reduce their needs, global greenhouse emissions will fall
and stall global warming.�

The UK, a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, is the first country to
initiate a Climate Change Bill which will formally resolve to cut
carbon emissions by 50 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.

Pandya points out that a single person in a developed country used as
many natural resources as 20 people in developing nations. He cited
Gandhi’s as an example _ the Father of the Nation used a single bucket
of water from the Sabarmati for his daily bath, rich people cannot do
without luxurious showers which consume many litres of water.

In his three interviews with the BBC, and many addresses to the
public, Pandya stressed that developed countries should stop playing
‘green politics’. “Though developed countries are buying carbon credit
from developing and under-developed countries, they have to ensure
that carbon emissions are reduced,� he said. “Clean Development
Mechanism projects in developing countries should be monitored before
buying carbon credits.�

Pandya also rejected the idea of alternative fuel such as biofuel,
which is becoming a rage in many countries which want to switch to
clean sources of energy.

“Biofuel is derived from the jatropha plants which grow naturally in
tropical climates and are used for grazing cattle. If the jatropha is
grown commercially, common grounds _ a valuable resource for shepherds
_ will be enclosed leading to migration and loss of livelihoods,�
explains Pandya. “Displacement also rots the clean environmental
systems of natives. Migration to urban areas leads to a depletion of
natural resources, all of which contribute to climate change.�

Climate change is not just about variations in seasonal cycles, it is
also about growing infertility of land, depletion of fish in water,
scarcity of natural resources and its effects on individual lives.

“The GDP of the country never takes into account the environmental
pollution index. More and more urban Indians are now installing RO
plants to get clean drinking water. Those of us who can afford it, pay
for clean water supply but what about the millions for whom the only
source of water is rivers, ponds and wells?� asks Pandya.

“To be an environmental activist in Gujarat is seen as being
anti-development, but industrialisation needs to be regulated and
monitored even in Gujarat,’’ he says.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=252699

Protests against land acquisitions in India intensify

Besides SEZs, the other burning issue for rural people in India is the
threat from cultivation of jatropha -- the plant used to produce
bio-diesel. “Jatropha is being introduced in a large area of Rajasthan
without any consultations with the people. People who hold documents
for the land they are occupying are thrown out even without issuing
notices,� says Sawai Singh, an activist. “Attempts at reclaiming
common land will lead to serious conflicts in the villages,� he warns.

http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/152479/1/1893