Loopholes in Environmental Clearance Process of Projects

A consultancy project was awarded to IIT, Delhi to prepare a Project Report on the establishment of a National Environment Protection Authority. IIT, Delhi has made certain findings and recommendations relating to refinement of processes of environmental clearance in its final Report titled “Scope, Structure and Processes on National Environment Assessment and Monitoring Authority” submitted to the Ministry. The Final Report of IIT, Delhi has also been uploaded on the Ministry’s website.

The Ministry proposes to establish a National Environment Assessment and Monitoring Authority (NEAMA) with domain expertise, technological finesse and field outreach in order to strengthen and professionalize the regimes of environment impact assessment and coastal zone management under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The details and the time schedule for setting up the Authority have not yet been finalised.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan in a written reply to a question by Shri Rama Chandra Khuntia in Rajya Sabha today.

Forest Cover in the Country

Increased urbanisation, industrialisation and rehabilitation does not shrink forestsday-by-day.

According to the India State of Forest Report 2009, based upon the biennial assessment by Forest Survey of India, there is an increase in the forest cover of the country from 690171 square km in 2005 to 690899 square km in 2007.

The Ministry diverts the forest land mainly for the purpose of defence, health, drinking water, irrigation, railway, roads etc.

The Ministry of Environment & Forests is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Afforestation Programme (NAP) Scheme for regeneration of degraded forests and adjoining areas in the country. The scheme is being implemented through a decentralized mechanism of State Forest Development Agency (SFDA) at State level, Forest Development Agency (FDA) at Forest Division level and Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) at village level. As on 31.10.2011, 800 FDA projects have been approved in 28 States in the country to treat an area of 18.32 lakh ha. since inception of the scheme in 2002.


Beside NAP, following steps have been taken are being taken to increase the forest cover in the country:

· 13th Finance Commission has recommended Rs. 5000 crore for five years starting from 2010-11 for conservation and development of forests.

· Additional Central assistance of Rs. 81.66 Crore has been released to the States during 2009-10 for Restoration and Regeneration of Forest Cover.

· Tree planting is also an approved activity under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and other schemes of Central and State Governments.

· The national mission for a Green India has been launched, as on of the eight Mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. The Mission focuses on enhancing ecosystem services and carbon sink through afforestation and ecorestoration of 10 million ha. of forest and non forest lands over 12th and 13th Plan period.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan in a written reply to a question by . Shri Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha today.

BANGLADESH ARMY CHIEF ON A VISIT TO INDIA

New Delhi : 29 Nov 2011

General Md Abdul Mubeen, Bangladesh Army Chief is on a visit to India from 28 Nov to 02 Dec 11. The visit assumes special significance in the light of improving military cooperation between the two countries in consonance with our growing relationship with Bangladesh.

India-Bangladesh relations are multifaceted and founded on historical linkages. The successful culmination of recent visit of Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh in Sep 2011 has contributed significantly to the consolidation of the existing ties and given a further boost to the cordial relations between both the nations. The high level visits of both Army Chiefs in 2008, 2010 & 2011 has boosted our Military to military relations.

Military-to-Military Cooperation between Bangladesh and Indian Armed Forces encompasses exchange of high and medium level visits, availing of training courses in each other’s training institutions, witnessing of designated exercises by military observers from both sides, exchange of War Veterans, UNPKO, sharing experience in disaster management, sports and adventure activities.

During the visit, General Mubeen is scheduled to interact with Defence Minister, NSA, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, Service Chiefs, Defence Secretary and other members of Indian Armed Forces hierarchy. In addition, he will be visiting Agra, Jaipur, Kolkata, important training establishments and field formations.

The visit will further cement our defence relationship with Bangladesh and add impetus to ongoing defence cooperation. Maintenance of enhanced military to military contacts with Bangladesh by Indian Army is mutually beneficial to the strategic interests of both the neighbours. The ensuing visit of Bangladesh Army Chief has a major significance in the burgeoning defence cooperation between both the countries.

KraussMaffei celebrating 45 years of success in the USA

Foundation of the American subsidiary in 1966 - High customer loyalty of products bearing the KraussMaffei and KraussMaffei Berstorff brands

(Munich, Florence, November 29, 2011) KraussMaffei celebrates its 45th anniversary in the USA. Since it was founded in 1966, the American subsidiary has become one of the leading manufacturers of plastics processing machines on the North American market. After a successful fiscal year in 2011, the subsidiary is looking forward with great confidence to NPE 2012.

From a pioneer to a market leader in the extrusion business

"We are very proud of the achievements and successes since our foundation in New York in 1966. With a workforce of 110 employees, we now very successfully support our customers - many of whom are long-standing - in all three technologies (Injection Molding Technology, Reaction Process Machinery and Extrusion Technology) and also enjoyed a very profitable year in 2011", stated Paul Caprio, who has held the post of President of the US subsidiary KrausMaffei Corporation since 2009. Market acceptance has risen rapidly since 1977 when the company opened a plant for extrusion systems in Wichita (Kansas) and promoted the sale of products on the American market. These products included, for example, single and twin screw extruders for machines and systems in the PE pipe and PVC pipe and profile market. "We are now the market leader with our extrusion products bearing the KraussMaffei Berstorff brand. We supply products to the leading manufacturers in the market and our customer base reads like a 'Who's who' in the U.S. plastic and rubber industry”, said Caprio with pride.

Development into a complete cross-industry supplier

KraussMaffei started to sell premium quality injection molding machines in the USA during the early 1980s. "In order to achieve our growth, we opened a new complex containing offices and a production plant in Florence (Kentucky) in 1986 and combined the overall company business in Injection Molding Technology, Reaction Process Machinery and Extrusion Technology at one location", explained Caprio. This proved to be a step in the right direction as KraussMaffei began growing the U.S. market in a substantial manner. Over the years, KraussMaffei has grown from a specialty machine supplier to a world-class technology and solution partner for many branches of industry, e.g. automotive, packaging, medical technology and electronics. "Our customers obtain complete production solutions (machines and automation) which are tailored to their needs. We help them to increase productivity along the entire value-adding chain", added Caprio.

Optimistic prospects for 2012

Using state-of-the-art machine technology under the KraussMaffei and KraussMaffei Berstorff brands, the company now helps a large number of American companies in different industries to manufacture premium quality products efficiently, thereby reducing manufacturing and product costs. "We are an efficient and reliable partner for our customers. Our great dedication to our customers by delivering world class technology and unmatched customer service has led to an extremely loyal customer base within North America. We look forward to present new products and new processes at NPE 2012 that will continue to make our customers the low cost producers for their respective fields", said Caprio.

About KraussMaffei

The KraussMaffei product brand is internationally recognized for its groundbreaking, multitechnology system and process solutions for injection and reaction molding technology and factory automation. With its standalone, modular or standardized machinery and systems, and a wide, customizable service offering, KraussMaffei is a full-system partner for customers in many industry sectors. KraussMaffei bundles many decades of engineering expertise in plastics machinery and is headquartered in Munich, Germany.

About KraussMaffei Group

The KraussMaffei Group is among the world’s leading suppliers of machinery and systems for producing and processing plastics and rubber. Its products and services cover the whole spectrum of injection and reaction molding and extrusion technology, giving the company a unique position in the industry. The KraussMaffei Group is innovation-powered, supplying its products, processes and services as standard or custom solutions which deliver sustained added value along the customer’s valueadding chain. The company markets it’s offering under the KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal brands to customers in the automotive, packaging, medical, construction, electrical, electronics and home appliance industries. Continuing a long tradition of engineering excellence, the international KraussMaffei Group currently employs around 4,000 people. With a global network of more than 30 subsidiaries and more than 10 production plants, supported by around 570 sales and service partners, the company is close to customers around the world.

KraussMaffei has been headquartered in Munich since 1838.

National Consultation with Civil Society Organizations on the Draft Report of India to
UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

The Government had signed the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on 30th September 1980 and ratified the same on 9th July 1993. The Convention obligates the State Parties to undertake appropriate legislative and other measures to eliminate discrimination against women.

Ministry of Women and Child Development, the nodal Ministry on the issues of women and children has prepared a draft Combined Fourth and Fifth Periodic Reports of India under article 18 of the Convention in consultation with different stakeholdersincluding civil society organizations working in the field of women’s rights. This Report covers developments in implementation of the Convention in India from 2006 to 2011.

The Report was shared widely with the members of civil society through a National Consultation held on 25th November 2011 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Consultation was chaired by Shri D.K. Sikri, Secretary Ministry of Women & Child Development, in his opening speech talked about progress made by women of India in the Spheres of social, economic, legal and political empowerment over the years but emphasized that a lot remains to be achieved in future.

Over 25 participants from different civil society organizations across the country deliberated on the draft Report and gave feedback.

NCPCR irked at overcrowding and lack of infrastructure in Malda District Hospital Paediatric & Neonatal wards

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was irked by the presence of at least four to five adult attendants to the child patients, besides the lack of proper requisite facilities for the infant patients during a recent visit to Malda District Hospital where at least 30 crib deaths had occurred in October and November,2011.

The team visited the children's ward, the neonatal ward, the maternity ward and even the labour room. It was disappointed with the cleanliness of the wards, including the labour room. However, the neonatal ward was comparatively better kept, although not to the desired levels.

A five member team, led by NCPCR member Vinod Kumar Tikoo, visited the Malda Medical College and District Hospital on Thursday to inquire into the causes leading to neonatal deaths in the recent past.

"Considering the fact that the hospital is being upgradated to a Medical College, a sudden influx may have caused the enhanced admission intake from the neighbouring districts as well as some cases from the bordering state of Bihar and Jharkhand too, as the next nearest referral Hospital in the area is only in North Bengal, which is quite a distance away from Malda and also reaching there means an additional burden on the pocket for the marginalised population apart from the risk involved in the time taken for carrying the infants and pregnant mothers with critical illness.

"For this kind of influx, the hospital did not have the requisite infrastructure for treatment of the newborns. There is no micro anaesthiser or ventilator machine. Despite the fact that the chief minister in the recent past provided additional warmers in the hospital, the hygiene conditions are not proper,'' Tikoo told reporters on Thursday after taking rounds of the different wards of the hospital.

The Commission team observed that the hospital wards was overflowing with a huge number of relatives of patients present apart from the mother of the infant patient . This increased not only the vulnerability of a newborn to a host of infections leading to certain fatalities, but also acted as an impediment for the doctors and hospital staff to provide effective and proper treatment to the infants as well as neonatals and requested the parents/attendants not to overcrowd the ward.

This was acceded to by them and they vacated the wards, leaving just the mother to be with the infant. The team also directed the hospital authority to immediately provide security to regulate the visitor’s entry into the wards which was seen as a free for all and blocked even the passage for the doctors and nurses.

The delegation also interacted with the parents and relatives of ailing children admitted at the hospital and gave a patient hearing to their problems which included their inability to buy some medicines and go for some clinical tests at unaffordable costs.

The apex child rights body also urged the hospital authorities to make the parents of the infants as well as the hospital staff aware of the different heath schemes available for those belonging to the marginalised sections of the society and the enabling benefits that can be availed by them.

The team insisted on maintaining sanitation in and around hospital and the use of hand sanitisers by the doctors and nurses, especially in the neonatal ward of the hospital. The child rights panel would be submitting a report to the Commission.

Indulge in Pure Belgian Chocolates & Bakhlawa from Bruijn - Noten En Chocolade!

Bruijn brings you a collection of beautiful and reusable collection of silver and nickel polished trays, boxes, dishes, decorated with your choice of pure Belgian cocoa chocolates, Saudi dates, almond dragees and nut bars. So you may now select your tray from their exclusive and limited collection and decorate it with your choice of Bruijn filling! This winter Bruijn is exploring winter delights from Lebanon (Bakhlawa - Lebanese sweet with caramelized crushed nuts embedded in puff pastry).

Bruijn is a luxury brand that houses pure Belgian-cocoa origin chocolates, Saudi dates, dry roasted nuts, health bars and other confectioneries under a single roof. In January 2010 Bruijn opened its first luxury retail showroom in Palladium, High Street Phoenix, Mumbai and a second one within a year at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi introducing the concept of gifting luxury chocolates.

Bruijn chocolates are handmade using pure Belgian cocoa which lends them their finesse and smoothness. Pure cocoa is an important and expensive ingredient, and with its irresistible taste, it separates Bruijn chocolates from the commercial ones available in the market. Bruijn has an exotic variety of chocolates comprising of different nuts, such as Iranian pistachio, Indian cashew, American almond, Turkish hazelnut and also offer coffee, sesame, fig, date and apricot flavoured chocolates as well.

Bruijn serves a range of exclusive Saudi dates as well. Its collection includes Sagi, Ajwa, Khidri and Madjool dates which are rich in iron and delicious in taste. They also have walnut, cashew and almond stuffed dates for their more premium ranges. Moreover, Bruijn are soon going to launch dark, milk and white chocolate coated dates with an almond surprise inside.

The upcoming festive season gives you a reason to stop by at Bruijn and shop for some delicious Cashew, Pistachio and Peanut Bakhlawas, Dragees in Orange, Strawberry and Lemon flavors. Flavours available in December will be Rose, Mint and assorted nuts starting from Rs 500/kg for your friends and family. The price for chocolates ranges from Rs 4000/- Rs 6000/; the price of 100g nuts ranges from Rs 100/- to Rs 200/-Dates ranges from Rs 2000 to Rs 3000/-. for the nut bars ranges from Rs 2400 to Rs 3000/- inclusive of taxes all prices.

Christmas, New Year greetings and weddings; Bruijn is here to sweeten every occasion!