Jairam Ramesh against reducing buffer zones around Goa sanctuaries

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 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.

September 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, whose country is a pioneer in promoting green technologies, Friday virtually endorsed India's stand on climate change but hoped that all countries will come to an agreement by the year-end. "The Indian approach is very ambitious.

August 31st, 2009 PANAJI - The central government would crack the whip on the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) for causing large scale dust pollution in the port town of Vasco in south Goa, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh has said. Ramesh, who was in Goa to attend a public consultative session on the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ), told reporters Sunday that he was appalled by the huge open dumps near the berthing jetties at MPT, a central government-run enterprise.

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 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 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 - 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.

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 3rd, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Giving a boost to its forestry and wildlife, Haryana is all set to declare the distance of up to 5,000 metres surrounding its major national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as eco-sensitive zones. "After the lapse of so many years, our efforts for sustainable development and environment protection has resulted in a draft notification of 10 eco-sensitive zones (surrounding two national parks and eight wildlife sanctuaries) in the state by the union ministry of forest and environment," Haryana Minister of Forests and Environment Kiran Choudhry told reporters here Friday.

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.

January 31st, 2009 SHIMLA - Intiatives to improve trade with Pakistan will remain suspended till it cracked down on architects of the Mumbai terror attacks, said Minister of State for Commerce, Industry and Power Jairam Ramesh here Sunday. 'Trade improving initiatives (with Pakistan) cannot be resumed till the conspirators of Mumbai terror attacks are brought to justice,' Ramesh told reporters on the sidelines of a function.

January 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Indian Inc. needs to shift its focus from trade to investment in order to compete with China, Minister of State for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh said here Monday.