Dumping of coal at Goa port irks Jairam Ramesh

October 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh Wednesday slammed Greenpeace, a voluntary organisation, for spreading "wrong information" about the commercialisation of genetically modified Bt brinjal. Opposing the introduction of Bt brinjal in India, Greenpeace has said India is the centre of origin and diversity of brinjal and if Bt brinjal is approved, this would be the first time in the world that a genetically modified crop is allowed in its centre of origin/diversity, risking bio-diversity.

October 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - India has proposed annual bilateral dialogues with the United States and the European Union to exchange notes on the issue of climate change, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh has said. The proposed dialogue with the Europeans and the Americans could be on the lines of the first India-China energy dialogue scheduled to take place in New Delhi Oct 21, he said at a press conference here Friday at the end of his US visit.

September 22nd, 2009 PANAJI - Goa's Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has entered into a partnership agreement with Adani Mormugao Port Terminal to develop a mechanised coal handling berth in the port premises, a top official said here Tuesday. As per the deal, Adani Mormugao, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) floated by a consortium of Adani Enterprises and Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone, will invest around Rs.250 crore in the project and operate it for 30 years, MPT chairman Pravin Agarwal told reporters.

September 18th, 2009 LONDON - Indian plans to set numerical targets for curbing greenhouse gas emissions were described Friday as a breakthrough that challenges the US and other rich nations over climate change action. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told The Times of London legislation was being drafted to limit India's carbon footprint ahead of a UN climate change summit in Copenhagen December.

September 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Recent talks between India and China on saving the critically endangered tiger were "not a great success", Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh admitted here Thursday. The talks were held during the minister's recent visit to Beijing.

August 19th, 2009 CHENNAI - The central government will soon set up a national authority to enforce environmental laws, minister Jairam Ramesh said Wednesday. "At the state environment and forest ministers' meeting yesterday (Tuesday) in Delhi, there was a broad agreement on this aspect.

July 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Refrigerators, air-conditioners, distribution transformers and fluorescent lamps will need mandatory ratings from the Indian government's Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) from Jan 7 next year, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh announced here Friday. "The necessary notifications are being prepared," Ramesh told reporters.

July 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Many projects will no longer need environmental impact assessment (EIA) and clearance from the government, according to amendments to EIA rules proposed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh informed parliament Monday that the proposals included: * Threshold limits of construction projects (that require clearance) would be raised from 20,000 to 50,000 square metres * Modernisation and expansion projects without increase in pollution load would be exempt from EIA provisions * Prospecting of minerals would be exempt * Biomass based power plans up to 50 MW would be exempt Ramesh informed the Rajya Sabha in response to a question that the amendments envisaged more involvement of civil society groups in environmental clearance.

July 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Two hundred and fifty-four proposals to divert 50,818 hectares of protected forest land have been approved by the government since the Forest (Conservation) Act was passed in 1980, parliament was informed Monday. Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh informed the Rajya Sabha in response to a question that the maximum amount of protected forest land, 12,579.12 hectares, had been diverted for coal mining in Chhattisgarh, followed by Andhra Pradesh (12,709.62 hectares), Madhya Pradesh (10,980.37), Jharkhand (7,545.33), Orissa (2,899.99), Uttar Pradesh (1,984.83) and Maharashtra (1,815.09).

July 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh Friday admitted that the Ganga and Yamuna rivers were no cleaner now than they were 20 years ago, despite the government spending "hundreds of crores of rupees". The minister also said the pollution load on the major rivers in the country has increased over the years due to "urbanisation and industrialisation".

July 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government plans to strengthen the wildlife protection act so that poachers are convicted more quickly, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said here Thursday. "I met (the Supreme Court's) amicus curae (on environment) Harish Salve and he had some very good ideas on how we can strengthen the act," Ramesh told the media.

July 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Water security was a key area in the governments national action plan on climate change, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said Wednesday and described the drying up of natural lakes across the country as a matter of serious concern. The minister of state with independent charge of environment however said his ministry faced a problem of resources and suggested that the issue could be more aggressively addressed if the water resources ministry joined hands with him.

July 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh Wednesday said the government would pursue a policy of encouraging bio-degradable plastic and argued that banning polythene bags was no solution. It is the failure of the solid waste management by (the) local bodies that is forcing the state governments to ban the use of plastic bags, Jairam Ramesh, who holds independent charge of environment ministry, said in parliament.

June 24th, 2009 KOLKATA - Hoping that West Bengal will maintain the highest environmental standards at the petroleum, chemicals and petrochemical investment region (PCPIR) on Nayachar island off Haldia port, the central government Wednesday said there was no reason to cancel the project if everything was in order. "I hope the state government will adhere to the highest environmental standards and monitor the project regularly once the chemical hub came up," Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told reporters here.

June 21st, 2009 SRINAGAR - The central government will lend all required assistance to Jammu and Kashmir to protect the state's green pastures, heritage mountains, forests, natural springs and streams, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said here Sunday. Accompanied by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Ramesh, who arrived here earlier in the day, visited the Dal, Nageen, Khushalsar, Anchar, Manasbal and Wullar lakes.