By SNV Sudhir
Visakhapatnam , Oct. 13: The Information Technology revolution has brought many blessings and one major curse—burgeoning e-waste. Electronic devices such as computers, servers, mainframes, monitors, TVs and telecommunication devices are dumped by most users once they go out of fashion. The piling up of e-waste has become alarming in India too.
The country generates about 1.5 lakh tonnes of e-waste annually and almost all of it finds its way into the informal sector, as there is no organised system to dispose of it. Metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, which have a large IT sector, are at higher risk of environmental pollution from e-waste.
According to the study conducted by the NGO, Toxic Link, Mumbai faces grave health and environmental risks because of the dumping of 19,000 tonnes of e-waste. Similarly, a study by the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute of Kolkata found that people in Delhi are about twice as likely to suffer from lung ailments because of the presence of high amount of e-waste. Bangalore generates 15,000 tonnes of e-waste every month.
But the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has put it at 10,000 tonnes a month. Many components of obsolete electronic equipment are considered toxic and are not biodegradable. If treated properly, e-waste is a valuable source for secondary raw materials. However, if not treated properly, it becomes a major source of toxins and carcinogens.
Hazardous substances found in e-waste include lead, cadmium, chromium and flame-retardant plastics. Inhaling or handling such substances or being in contact with them on a regular basis can damage the brain, nervous system, lungs, kidneys and the reproductive system. "It is estimated that around two million obsolete computers are dumped by government offices, business houses, industries and households," says Prof Srinivas of Gitam University. "Manufacturers also produce around 1,200 tonnes of electronic scrap."
Personal computers get obsolete once in two years and consumers think it convenient to buy a new computer rather than upgrade the old one. Because of the lack of rules on treatment of e-waste, these PCs mostly end up in landfills or are partly recycled in unhygienic conditions or thrown into waste streams. A study conducted by Gitam University students found that huge quantities of PC scrap is exported by foreign countries in the form of reusable components. This is estimated to touch 50,000 tonnes a year.
"e-waste is a rapidly growing environmental problem in the world and India," said Prof Srinivas. "India has to handle not only waste generated domestically but also e-waste which is dumped by developed countries." Environmental organisations have warned that India would have to handle about eight lakh tonnes of e-waste by 2012, unless it wakes up and devises concrete ways to tackle the menace.
Students show the right way
A project to tackle e-waste conceived by students of Gitam University gained applause at the Students in Free Enterprise’s (SIEF) meet which was held recently at Mumbai. SIEF has a presence in more than 40 countries across the globe and its approval has inspired the students. “India’s lack of safe e-waste-disposal mechanism is growing to a crisis situation,” says Satyanarayana, a B-Tech student of Gitam University. “There is an urgent need to deal with e-waste, which is posing a major threat to environment and public heath.” The project planned by the students focuses on educating the general population. Meanwhile, a local steel unit, Vizag Profiles, has signed a MoU with the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of Gitam University to start an e-waste-recycling unit.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Hearing unites opposition parties
By SNV Sudhir
Chintapalli (Vizag Agency), Oct 3: The public hearing on the environmental aspects of bauxite mining held here on Friday, proved too costly to the state government as it gave an opportunity to all the opposition parties and NGOs to come on to a single platform. Until now opposition parties were conducting their protest programmes individually. But immediately after coming out of the venue of the public hearing they all held a ‘Praja Court’ and vowed to stop the mining process collectively. They also passed two resolutions on the spot one demanding the state government to declare the just held public hearing null and void and to cancel the two MoUs signed by the state government with Jindals and Anrak. All the parties are eying the Vizag Agency areas as Araku will have one assembly and one parliamentary seat besides already existing Paderu assembly seat after the de limitation process. All the parties were trying to gain hold on the Agency areas and the bauxite mining issue came in handy for them.
CPM’s Bhadhrachalam MP Midiam Babu Rao, who is also the member of the parliament consultative committee on environment and forests, said that he would take up the issue of the way public hearing was held with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). CPM district secretary Ch Narasinga Rao said that they would send their observations with the video clippings about the public hearing to the Supreme Court Enforcement Authority.
“Police created a sort of fear among the public about the hearing. Many of them did not attend it. And who all came to attend the public hearing unanimously opposed the mining and boycotted the meeting. Hereafter we all irrespective of the political party we belong work together to oppose mining,” said CPI district secretary, JV Satyanaryana Murthy. TD district unit president Bandaru Satyanrayana Murthy said that their party when they were in power dropped the idea of mining bauxite after the stiff opposition from the local tribals giving importance to their sentiments. He said that the present Congress government was not at all in a position to listen to the woes of the tribals and going ahead with the project. Srinivas, belonging to Samata, an NGO which was opposing the bauxite mining, said that the apart from the tribals throwed out of their homes mining would also have an adverse impact upon the surrounding environment and water resources. All party leaders later held a huge public meeting in the town.
Chintapalli (Vizag Agency), Oct 3: The public hearing on the environmental aspects of bauxite mining held here on Friday, proved too costly to the state government as it gave an opportunity to all the opposition parties and NGOs to come on to a single platform. Until now opposition parties were conducting their protest programmes individually. But immediately after coming out of the venue of the public hearing they all held a ‘Praja Court’ and vowed to stop the mining process collectively. They also passed two resolutions on the spot one demanding the state government to declare the just held public hearing null and void and to cancel the two MoUs signed by the state government with Jindals and Anrak. All the parties are eying the Vizag Agency areas as Araku will have one assembly and one parliamentary seat besides already existing Paderu assembly seat after the de limitation process. All the parties were trying to gain hold on the Agency areas and the bauxite mining issue came in handy for them.
CPM’s Bhadhrachalam MP Midiam Babu Rao, who is also the member of the parliament consultative committee on environment and forests, said that he would take up the issue of the way public hearing was held with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). CPM district secretary Ch Narasinga Rao said that they would send their observations with the video clippings about the public hearing to the Supreme Court Enforcement Authority.
“Police created a sort of fear among the public about the hearing. Many of them did not attend it. And who all came to attend the public hearing unanimously opposed the mining and boycotted the meeting. Hereafter we all irrespective of the political party we belong work together to oppose mining,” said CPI district secretary, JV Satyanaryana Murthy. TD district unit president Bandaru Satyanrayana Murthy said that their party when they were in power dropped the idea of mining bauxite after the stiff opposition from the local tribals giving importance to their sentiments. He said that the present Congress government was not at all in a position to listen to the woes of the tribals and going ahead with the project. Srinivas, belonging to Samata, an NGO which was opposing the bauxite mining, said that the apart from the tribals throwed out of their homes mining would also have an adverse impact upon the surrounding environment and water resources. All party leaders later held a huge public meeting in the town.
Tribals boycott public hearing on Bauxite mining
By SNV Sudhir
Chintapalli (Vizag Agency), Oct 3: Tribals gave an unexpected jolt to the State by boycotting the public hearing held on Bauxite mining here on Friday. It was also shock to the police who laid a seize to the entire agency area and banned the vehicle movement days in advance, riding the Maoist threat.
The confused officials had to go ahead with their programme without a single person to hear them. The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) intended to hold the public hearing on the environmental aspects of the proposed bauxite mining by the State owned Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) in four blocks of Jerella reserve forest area, coming under GK Veedhi Agency mandal. The bauxite mined by the APMDC would be supplied to Anrak aluminum, a UAE based firm which would setup its alumina refinery at Makavarapalem in Narsipatnam division. The state government earlier entered into a MoU with the Anrak in this regard.
In a highly guarded affair, the officials of APMDC and APPCB started the hearing process amidst slogans from the tribals drawn from the surrounding villages. However tribals from the actual mining effected villages, which are 40kms away from the hearing site, didn’t attend as the police suspended passenger bus services to those villages. It is learnt that the villagers who were feared of heavy deployment of armed police preferred to stay indoors. And some of them who came all the way on foot from those villages boycotted the hearing and aired slogans against the mining.
The hearing process started half an hour late due to the protests and slogans raised by the tribals asking the authorities to withdraw their decision to mine bauxite in Agency areas, which would render thousands of them shelter less and other environmental related problems. Officials were not given any chance to begin the hearing. Later after half an hour the APPCB environmental engineer Satyanrayana Murthy began the procedure. The APMDC MD, Rajagopal tried to explain the advantages of the mining. But there were no audience to listen to him except few scribes. All the tribals who entered the premises left without showing any interest in the MD’s speech. Interestingly the APMDC and APPCB officials went on explaining about mining addressing an empty ground. Tribals said that they were not interested in taking part in the public hearing, as none of them wanted it. Terming the mining as demon, tribals said that they were also ready to face death to stop the mining process. APPCB EE, Murthy said that they have received around 1,571 written representations of which 1,500 belonged to various tribal associations, MLAs, political parties, NGOs. He said they would send the representations, minutes of the public hearing, series of incidents occurred to the ministry of environment and forests for the permission to mine bauxite.
“We would send the minutes and actual incidents happened here to the MoEF,” said the district joint collector, M Veerabrahmaiah who chaired the meeting. Bhadhrachalam MP, Midiam Babu Rao, CPI and CPM district secretaries, JV Satyanrayana Murthy, Ch Narasinga Rao, TD rural unit president and its MLA, Bandaru Satyanrayan Murthy, Chengala Venkat Rao and G Srinivas of Samata led the tribals.
Chintapalli (Vizag Agency), Oct 3: Tribals gave an unexpected jolt to the State by boycotting the public hearing held on Bauxite mining here on Friday. It was also shock to the police who laid a seize to the entire agency area and banned the vehicle movement days in advance, riding the Maoist threat.
The confused officials had to go ahead with their programme without a single person to hear them. The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) intended to hold the public hearing on the environmental aspects of the proposed bauxite mining by the State owned Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) in four blocks of Jerella reserve forest area, coming under GK Veedhi Agency mandal. The bauxite mined by the APMDC would be supplied to Anrak aluminum, a UAE based firm which would setup its alumina refinery at Makavarapalem in Narsipatnam division. The state government earlier entered into a MoU with the Anrak in this regard.
In a highly guarded affair, the officials of APMDC and APPCB started the hearing process amidst slogans from the tribals drawn from the surrounding villages. However tribals from the actual mining effected villages, which are 40kms away from the hearing site, didn’t attend as the police suspended passenger bus services to those villages. It is learnt that the villagers who were feared of heavy deployment of armed police preferred to stay indoors. And some of them who came all the way on foot from those villages boycotted the hearing and aired slogans against the mining.
The hearing process started half an hour late due to the protests and slogans raised by the tribals asking the authorities to withdraw their decision to mine bauxite in Agency areas, which would render thousands of them shelter less and other environmental related problems. Officials were not given any chance to begin the hearing. Later after half an hour the APPCB environmental engineer Satyanrayana Murthy began the procedure. The APMDC MD, Rajagopal tried to explain the advantages of the mining. But there were no audience to listen to him except few scribes. All the tribals who entered the premises left without showing any interest in the MD’s speech. Interestingly the APMDC and APPCB officials went on explaining about mining addressing an empty ground. Tribals said that they were not interested in taking part in the public hearing, as none of them wanted it. Terming the mining as demon, tribals said that they were also ready to face death to stop the mining process. APPCB EE, Murthy said that they have received around 1,571 written representations of which 1,500 belonged to various tribal associations, MLAs, political parties, NGOs. He said they would send the representations, minutes of the public hearing, series of incidents occurred to the ministry of environment and forests for the permission to mine bauxite.
“We would send the minutes and actual incidents happened here to the MoEF,” said the district joint collector, M Veerabrahmaiah who chaired the meeting. Bhadhrachalam MP, Midiam Babu Rao, CPI and CPM district secretaries, JV Satyanrayana Murthy, Ch Narasinga Rao, TD rural unit president and its MLA, Bandaru Satyanrayan Murthy, Chengala Venkat Rao and G Srinivas of Samata led the tribals.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Mining minefield
By SNV Sudhir
Visakhapatnam, Sept. 22: More than 30 years after they were first discovered, the rich bauxite deposits in Vizag Agency tracts continue to cause controversy. Though the previous Telugu Desam government signed two MoUs for mining bauxite, they did not take off. However, the Congress government is going ahead with its plans to mine bauxite despite opposition from tribals, NGOs, rights organisations, Opposition political parties and Maoists.
On July 1, 2005, the then government signed a MoU with Jindal South West (JSW) of the Jindal Group and in February 14, 2007, a second MoU was signed with the Government of Ras al-Khaima of the United Arab Emirates. According to the MoUs, bauxite would be mined from the agency areas by the government-owned Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), which would sell it to the alumina refinery established by the private industries. This alumina will then be converted to aluminium.
JSW will set up its alumina smelter (purifying raw bauxite plant) in S Kota in the neighbouring Viziangaram district and RAK at Makavarapalem coming under Vizag district. The union environment ministry cleared two mining projects in October and December 2007, and a third one is in the pipeline. The Eastern Ghats are a storehouse of bauxite, with 564.33 million tonnes of deposits in Visakhapatnam district alone.
NGOs and activists contend that the bauxite mining would not only render thousands of tribals homeless, and ruin thousands of acres of coffee plantations, but will also damage the environment. The area is also home to tribal populations belonging to Bhagata, Khond, Konda Reddi, Samantha and other communities. The Constitution of India has provided special provisions for their protection in its Fifth Schedule.
A Supreme Court verdict given in the Samata case also helped activists to stall the project. The SC said that tribal land could be leased out only to government agencies, public sector companies or tribal societies and not to private companies.
"It is to circumvent this that the government has cleverly decided to bring APMDC into the picture," said Mr Ravi Rebbapragada of Samata, an NGO fighting against the mining proposal. "The government has not bothered to consult the tribals." It is being alleged that the public hearings being conducted by the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) for setting up the alumina refineries are being stage managed since those who oppose the project are not being given any chance to speak.
However, the tribals still have hope of stalling the project since the mining area has to be selected by the local Adivasi Grama Sabhas as per the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) ACT, 1996 (Pesa Act). Mr Rebbapragada pointed out that bauxite mining in nearby Orissa had left a trail of destruction. "It changes the entire ecology of the region," he said. "The water table would be affected and flora and fauna would disappear."
The mining areas of Galikonda and Chittiam Konda are home to the rare and endangered bird Athera Blewitti. In fact, there are many rare birds in the stretch from Sileru to Lammasingi and Paderu and Araku. Angry tribals have vowed to resist the project at all costs.
"I will not hesitate to use my bows and arrows," warned Mr Killo Surendra, an MPTC of Araku. Recently tribals in Araku roughed up a manager of Jindal South West Ltd who came to their areas to run a campaign in favour of bauxite mining. Authorities are now readying for a crucial public hearing by the AP Pollution Control Board at Chintapalli on October 3. Tribals in the area are strongly opposed to mining.
"They have deployed Greyhound squads to create fear among tribals but we are spreading awareness among people about the ill effects of mining," said the CPI district secretary, Mr J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy. "We will mobilise the maximum number of tribals to attend the hearing.
Maoists afraid of proposal
Visakhapatnam,, Sept. 22: The outlawed Maoists are bitterly opposed to the government plans to mine bauxite not just because of their concern for tribals but also because it would expose their hideouts. They fear that the mining activity would threaten their strongholds which come under the strategic Andhra Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee. The AOB tracts are known to be shelter zones of the extremists and are turning into action zones as well.
These tracts are also used as an escape route by many Maoists to move from one state to the other through the thick forest cover. Availability of water bodies in abundance also helps Maoists hide in the Vizag Agency and the thick forest cover makes combing operations difficult for the police. Maoists have now started organising meetings in the open with the tribals, goading them to fight against the mining proposal.
The extremist leaders have exhorted tribals to even physically fight the authorities to prevent the mining operations and warned of dire action against those who support it. These meetings gain importance because of the public hearing planned by the AP Pollution Control Board in Chintapalle on October 3.
Visakhapatnam, Sept. 22: More than 30 years after they were first discovered, the rich bauxite deposits in Vizag Agency tracts continue to cause controversy. Though the previous Telugu Desam government signed two MoUs for mining bauxite, they did not take off. However, the Congress government is going ahead with its plans to mine bauxite despite opposition from tribals, NGOs, rights organisations, Opposition political parties and Maoists.
On July 1, 2005, the then government signed a MoU with Jindal South West (JSW) of the Jindal Group and in February 14, 2007, a second MoU was signed with the Government of Ras al-Khaima of the United Arab Emirates. According to the MoUs, bauxite would be mined from the agency areas by the government-owned Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), which would sell it to the alumina refinery established by the private industries. This alumina will then be converted to aluminium.
JSW will set up its alumina smelter (purifying raw bauxite plant) in S Kota in the neighbouring Viziangaram district and RAK at Makavarapalem coming under Vizag district. The union environment ministry cleared two mining projects in October and December 2007, and a third one is in the pipeline. The Eastern Ghats are a storehouse of bauxite, with 564.33 million tonnes of deposits in Visakhapatnam district alone.
NGOs and activists contend that the bauxite mining would not only render thousands of tribals homeless, and ruin thousands of acres of coffee plantations, but will also damage the environment. The area is also home to tribal populations belonging to Bhagata, Khond, Konda Reddi, Samantha and other communities. The Constitution of India has provided special provisions for their protection in its Fifth Schedule.
A Supreme Court verdict given in the Samata case also helped activists to stall the project. The SC said that tribal land could be leased out only to government agencies, public sector companies or tribal societies and not to private companies.
"It is to circumvent this that the government has cleverly decided to bring APMDC into the picture," said Mr Ravi Rebbapragada of Samata, an NGO fighting against the mining proposal. "The government has not bothered to consult the tribals." It is being alleged that the public hearings being conducted by the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) for setting up the alumina refineries are being stage managed since those who oppose the project are not being given any chance to speak.
However, the tribals still have hope of stalling the project since the mining area has to be selected by the local Adivasi Grama Sabhas as per the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) ACT, 1996 (Pesa Act). Mr Rebbapragada pointed out that bauxite mining in nearby Orissa had left a trail of destruction. "It changes the entire ecology of the region," he said. "The water table would be affected and flora and fauna would disappear."
The mining areas of Galikonda and Chittiam Konda are home to the rare and endangered bird Athera Blewitti. In fact, there are many rare birds in the stretch from Sileru to Lammasingi and Paderu and Araku. Angry tribals have vowed to resist the project at all costs.
"I will not hesitate to use my bows and arrows," warned Mr Killo Surendra, an MPTC of Araku. Recently tribals in Araku roughed up a manager of Jindal South West Ltd who came to their areas to run a campaign in favour of bauxite mining. Authorities are now readying for a crucial public hearing by the AP Pollution Control Board at Chintapalli on October 3. Tribals in the area are strongly opposed to mining.
"They have deployed Greyhound squads to create fear among tribals but we are spreading awareness among people about the ill effects of mining," said the CPI district secretary, Mr J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy. "We will mobilise the maximum number of tribals to attend the hearing.
Maoists afraid of proposal
Visakhapatnam,, Sept. 22: The outlawed Maoists are bitterly opposed to the government plans to mine bauxite not just because of their concern for tribals but also because it would expose their hideouts. They fear that the mining activity would threaten their strongholds which come under the strategic Andhra Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee. The AOB tracts are known to be shelter zones of the extremists and are turning into action zones as well.
These tracts are also used as an escape route by many Maoists to move from one state to the other through the thick forest cover. Availability of water bodies in abundance also helps Maoists hide in the Vizag Agency and the thick forest cover makes combing operations difficult for the police. Maoists have now started organising meetings in the open with the tribals, goading them to fight against the mining proposal.
The extremist leaders have exhorted tribals to even physically fight the authorities to prevent the mining operations and warned of dire action against those who support it. These meetings gain importance because of the public hearing planned by the AP Pollution Control Board in Chintapalle on October 3.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Fishy tale: Vizag’s Tuna in foreign net
By SNV Sudhir
Visakhapatnam, Sept. 13: More and more Sri Lankan fishermen are entering Indian waters to catch tuna fish which is much in demand in European countries as well as the United States and Japan. The fishermen are catching tuna illegally from the Exclusive Economic Zone of India in violation of Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of fishing by foreign vessels) Act of 1981.
Under international provisions, India can lay claim to 200 nautical miles of EEZ with 2.02 million square kms of area. Around 3.9 million tonnes of fish is available in the zone, of which 2.5 lakh tonnes is tuna alone. This tuna has proved to be too much of a temptation for Sri Lankan fishermen. In less than a week, the Indian Coast Guard has captured 20 Sri Lankan fishermen who were illegally fishing in the EEZ and seized the four vessels in which they were travelling.
On August 29, the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sagar patrolling the EEZ found two fishing boats about 42 nautical miles southeast of Vizag harbour. The Sri Lankan fishing boats Chamari Duma with five crew members and Sumundra Dev Mata with six were fishing without any licenses or permits.
In another incident on September 1, nine Sri Lankan fishermen were apprehended by the Coast Guard while they were fishing in Indian waters 99 nautical miles southeast of Vizag. "They were Sri Lankan boats, Sant Odalya with five crew members and Malki Duwa with four crew members," said the Coast Guard deputy commandant, Ms Lalima Sharma.
The Coast Guard also seized 1,800 kg of tuna which was in the possession of the fishermen. They were later handed over to the local harbour police, who booked cases against them under sections 3 and 7 of the MZI Act.
Sri Lankan fishermen often enter the Indian territorial waters on Chennai side but this is the first time they have entered waters off Vizag. The City Police Commissioner, Mr Nanduri Sambasiva Rao, said authorities were looking at ways to release the fishermen. "Already an attaché from the Sri Lankan embassy has come to us," he further added.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Security), Mr P. Viswa Prasad, said that the Sri Lankans entered the EEZ only to catch tuna. "There is no sabotage involved," he said. "They just wanted to catch tuna which is in high demand in foreign countries."
Mechanised and motorised craft of India are permitted to operate under licences issued under the Marine Fishing Regulation Act. Each category of fishing boat is given a separate licence for purse-seining, gillnetting, dolnet fishing, hook-and-line fishing and trawling. The zone in which traditional craft conduct fishing is also protected through legislation.
The number of Sri Lankan vessels engaged in tuna fishing has doubled after the increase in demand for the fish in European and US markets. "We have requested the Coast Guard to check such illegal fishing," said Mr Appa Rao, president of the Mechanised Fishing Boat Operators Association. "It would be a huge loss for us if the Sri Lankans net our marine resources," he added.
A big catch
Visakhapatnam, Sept. 13: The depletion in the stocks of shrimp in the Bay of Bengal has forced local traders too to focus on tuna. Around 70 country boats fish tuna in the waters between Vizag and Kakinada and each boat gets a catch of at least 100 to 200 kg in a single voyage. And half of the catch of the local fishermen is purchased by four traders who export them to Japan and the United States from Chennai port. A kilogram of tuna is sold at Rs 60 in local markets and for about five dollars in international markets in Japan and US.
Some mechanised boats have also been converted into tuna liners to catch the fish. Local traders could export tuna worth Rs 129 crore from Vizag last year. The Marine Products Export Development Authority has set en export target of Rs 200 crore this year. MPEDA is also providing subsidy of around Rs 35 lakh per vessel for it to be converted to a tuna liner.
Factfile
* More Sri Lankan vessels enter Indian waters to catch tuna.
* The number of such vessels has doubled recently because of the high demand for tuna in Europe, the United States and Japan.
* Coast Guard has seized many vessels and arrested the fishermen.
* More than 2.5 lakh tonnes of tuna fish is available in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.
Visakhapatnam, Sept. 13: More and more Sri Lankan fishermen are entering Indian waters to catch tuna fish which is much in demand in European countries as well as the United States and Japan. The fishermen are catching tuna illegally from the Exclusive Economic Zone of India in violation of Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of fishing by foreign vessels) Act of 1981.
Under international provisions, India can lay claim to 200 nautical miles of EEZ with 2.02 million square kms of area. Around 3.9 million tonnes of fish is available in the zone, of which 2.5 lakh tonnes is tuna alone. This tuna has proved to be too much of a temptation for Sri Lankan fishermen. In less than a week, the Indian Coast Guard has captured 20 Sri Lankan fishermen who were illegally fishing in the EEZ and seized the four vessels in which they were travelling.
On August 29, the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sagar patrolling the EEZ found two fishing boats about 42 nautical miles southeast of Vizag harbour. The Sri Lankan fishing boats Chamari Duma with five crew members and Sumundra Dev Mata with six were fishing without any licenses or permits.
In another incident on September 1, nine Sri Lankan fishermen were apprehended by the Coast Guard while they were fishing in Indian waters 99 nautical miles southeast of Vizag. "They were Sri Lankan boats, Sant Odalya with five crew members and Malki Duwa with four crew members," said the Coast Guard deputy commandant, Ms Lalima Sharma.
The Coast Guard also seized 1,800 kg of tuna which was in the possession of the fishermen. They were later handed over to the local harbour police, who booked cases against them under sections 3 and 7 of the MZI Act.
Sri Lankan fishermen often enter the Indian territorial waters on Chennai side but this is the first time they have entered waters off Vizag. The City Police Commissioner, Mr Nanduri Sambasiva Rao, said authorities were looking at ways to release the fishermen. "Already an attaché from the Sri Lankan embassy has come to us," he further added.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Security), Mr P. Viswa Prasad, said that the Sri Lankans entered the EEZ only to catch tuna. "There is no sabotage involved," he said. "They just wanted to catch tuna which is in high demand in foreign countries."
Mechanised and motorised craft of India are permitted to operate under licences issued under the Marine Fishing Regulation Act. Each category of fishing boat is given a separate licence for purse-seining, gillnetting, dolnet fishing, hook-and-line fishing and trawling. The zone in which traditional craft conduct fishing is also protected through legislation.
The number of Sri Lankan vessels engaged in tuna fishing has doubled after the increase in demand for the fish in European and US markets. "We have requested the Coast Guard to check such illegal fishing," said Mr Appa Rao, president of the Mechanised Fishing Boat Operators Association. "It would be a huge loss for us if the Sri Lankans net our marine resources," he added.
A big catch
Visakhapatnam, Sept. 13: The depletion in the stocks of shrimp in the Bay of Bengal has forced local traders too to focus on tuna. Around 70 country boats fish tuna in the waters between Vizag and Kakinada and each boat gets a catch of at least 100 to 200 kg in a single voyage. And half of the catch of the local fishermen is purchased by four traders who export them to Japan and the United States from Chennai port. A kilogram of tuna is sold at Rs 60 in local markets and for about five dollars in international markets in Japan and US.
Some mechanised boats have also been converted into tuna liners to catch the fish. Local traders could export tuna worth Rs 129 crore from Vizag last year. The Marine Products Export Development Authority has set en export target of Rs 200 crore this year. MPEDA is also providing subsidy of around Rs 35 lakh per vessel for it to be converted to a tuna liner.
Factfile
* More Sri Lankan vessels enter Indian waters to catch tuna.
* The number of such vessels has doubled recently because of the high demand for tuna in Europe, the United States and Japan.
* Coast Guard has seized many vessels and arrested the fishermen.
* More than 2.5 lakh tonnes of tuna fish is available in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Maoists stir up a Nandigram in Vizag
By SNV Sudhir
Visakhapatnam, Sep 11: Vizag Agency might turn another Nandigram where
the outlawed Maoists suspected to be behind the agitation launched against
SEZs. More than 30 were killed in the clashes between the police and
agitating tribals supported by Maoists in Nandigram. The same situation
might arise in Vizag Agency areas. Hitherto pledging their support to the
anti bauxite mining agitation launched by tribals through posters and
pamphlets the ultras took a giant step. Throwing a challenge to the
greyhounds and police the Maoists started organizing meetings in open with
the tribals. They are instigating the local tribals to fight against the
authorities if needed. The meetings by the Maoists gained importance in
view of the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) going to hold a public
hearing on bauxite mining in Chintapalle on Oct 3. Around 15 to 30 naxals
with their arms organized meetings in Koundrupalli village last week and
Dhoundupalli village on Tuesday this week. Both the villages come under
the Jerella reserve forest division of GK Veedhi Agency mandal where the
State proposed to mine bauxite through AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC). CPI Maoists (East Division)
representative Ganesh along with some of his associates took part on the
meetings. They told the tribals to strongly oppose the bauxite mining at
the public hearing and if needed resort to a physical fight. They tried to
influence the tribals by saying that the bauxite mining is an evil, which
would eat them while throwing them out of gear. The naxals said that the
mining would be a threat to the livelihood of lakhs of tribals and also
affect the surrounding environment. They have also warned the tribals of
dire consequences if they vote for mining at the slated public hearing.
According to the highly placed sources Maoists leader Ganesh at the
meeting in Dhoundupalli said, “You all should be ready for a physical
fight if needed. We would be behind you. Get ready to revolt against the
government which is trying to mine the bauxite mineral”. The ultras
earlier also held similar anti bauxite mining meetings in the villages
going to be affected by the mining in GK Veedhi Agency mandal. After the
Balimela incident where the Greyhound personnel were killed by the ultras
they stopped organizing such meetings as the police stepped up combing
operations on the Andhra Orissa Border, especially in Vizag Agency areas.
Now freshly the naxals organsied these meetings. It was in June this year
in an encounter police gunned down four extremists including three women
members and one important leader Ranadev, who was the master mind behind
the Koraput and some more major attacks in Orissa and Chattisgarh at
Gunukurai in GK Veedhi Agency mandal. It is leant that the police struck
them when they were making arrangements to organize a special meeting
against bauxite mining on large scale. “More than love towards the welfare
of the tribals the Maoists are pledging their support for anti mining
agitation for their own existence. Once the mining starts there will be a
lot of activity in the Vizag Agency, which would be threat for their
survival. Vizag Agency bordering Orissa is a promising shelter zone for
the ultras due to the tough terrain and thick forest cover it offers,”
said a senior political leader belonging to Agency areas. The state
government through Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC)
is planning to mine the bauxite that is richly available in Vizag Agency
tracts. The APMDC entered into MoUs with the Jindal South West Ltd and Ras
Al Khaima, a UAE based firm to supply bauxite. The Jindals and RAK are
planning to setup alumina refineries in Vizag and neighbouring
Vizianagaram districts. The bauxite mined by the APMDC in Vizag Agency
will be supplied to Jindals and RAK. Bauxite mined in Araku and
Anantagiri, both known for rich coffee cultivation will be supplied to
Jindals’ refinery and the mineral available in Jeralla division under GK
Veedhi will be supplied to RAK.
Visakhapatnam, Sep 11: Vizag Agency might turn another Nandigram where
the outlawed Maoists suspected to be behind the agitation launched against
SEZs. More than 30 were killed in the clashes between the police and
agitating tribals supported by Maoists in Nandigram. The same situation
might arise in Vizag Agency areas. Hitherto pledging their support to the
anti bauxite mining agitation launched by tribals through posters and
pamphlets the ultras took a giant step. Throwing a challenge to the
greyhounds and police the Maoists started organizing meetings in open with
the tribals. They are instigating the local tribals to fight against the
authorities if needed. The meetings by the Maoists gained importance in
view of the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) going to hold a public
hearing on bauxite mining in Chintapalle on Oct 3. Around 15 to 30 naxals
with their arms organized meetings in Koundrupalli village last week and
Dhoundupalli village on Tuesday this week. Both the villages come under
the Jerella reserve forest division of GK Veedhi Agency mandal where the
State proposed to mine bauxite through AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC). CPI Maoists (East Division)
representative Ganesh along with some of his associates took part on the
meetings. They told the tribals to strongly oppose the bauxite mining at
the public hearing and if needed resort to a physical fight. They tried to
influence the tribals by saying that the bauxite mining is an evil, which
would eat them while throwing them out of gear. The naxals said that the
mining would be a threat to the livelihood of lakhs of tribals and also
affect the surrounding environment. They have also warned the tribals of
dire consequences if they vote for mining at the slated public hearing.
According to the highly placed sources Maoists leader Ganesh at the
meeting in Dhoundupalli said, “You all should be ready for a physical
fight if needed. We would be behind you. Get ready to revolt against the
government which is trying to mine the bauxite mineral”. The ultras
earlier also held similar anti bauxite mining meetings in the villages
going to be affected by the mining in GK Veedhi Agency mandal. After the
Balimela incident where the Greyhound personnel were killed by the ultras
they stopped organizing such meetings as the police stepped up combing
operations on the Andhra Orissa Border, especially in Vizag Agency areas.
Now freshly the naxals organsied these meetings. It was in June this year
in an encounter police gunned down four extremists including three women
members and one important leader Ranadev, who was the master mind behind
the Koraput and some more major attacks in Orissa and Chattisgarh at
Gunukurai in GK Veedhi Agency mandal. It is leant that the police struck
them when they were making arrangements to organize a special meeting
against bauxite mining on large scale. “More than love towards the welfare
of the tribals the Maoists are pledging their support for anti mining
agitation for their own existence. Once the mining starts there will be a
lot of activity in the Vizag Agency, which would be threat for their
survival. Vizag Agency bordering Orissa is a promising shelter zone for
the ultras due to the tough terrain and thick forest cover it offers,”
said a senior political leader belonging to Agency areas. The state
government through Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC)
is planning to mine the bauxite that is richly available in Vizag Agency
tracts. The APMDC entered into MoUs with the Jindal South West Ltd and Ras
Al Khaima, a UAE based firm to supply bauxite. The Jindals and RAK are
planning to setup alumina refineries in Vizag and neighbouring
Vizianagaram districts. The bauxite mined by the APMDC in Vizag Agency
will be supplied to Jindals and RAK. Bauxite mined in Araku and
Anantagiri, both known for rich coffee cultivation will be supplied to
Jindals’ refinery and the mineral available in Jeralla division under GK
Veedhi will be supplied to RAK.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Surrendered naxal awaits State relief
By SNV Sudhir
Visakhapatnam, Sep 7: A former naxalite is now caught between deep sea and the devil. Korra Pandhanna alias Naveen, 35, who was earlier a deputy commander of Galikonda and Polakagiri dalams is now in a fix. He can neither go back to naxals nor continue with the police. Pandhanna, a native of Kannavaram village coming under Koyyuru mandal joined naxal movement in 2001. He later gave up arms and surrendered before the then district superintendent of police Sanjay Kumar Jain in 2005 due to some health related problems and also hearing the incentives and schemes announced by the state government for the surrendered extremists. Even three years after his surrender he still awaits for his reward of Rs 1 lakh announced by the state government and leading a troublesome life as a home guard with a meager Rs 3,000 per month given by the police department. He also frequently receives threats from the extremists for surrendering and working for police. “Mine is a very miserable tale. The constant harassment by the police when I was just a naxal sympathizer drove me to become an active fulltime extremist. Later due to some health related and family problems I quit the naxal movement thinking that my life would be fine after hearing the assurances given by the state government and police,” Pandhanna told this correspondent. He further said that all the assurances given by the police and the state government were just nonsense. Pandhanna said that now he is not able to lead a peaceful life and unable to look after his family properly due to financial woes. He is pleading the authorities to sanction his reward immediately. The surrendered extremist said that he gave up arms and joined mainstream with a motive to give education to his three kids, which was not fulfilled even three years after his surrender due to the financial woes. Pandhanna can operate a AK 47, SLR and .303 weapons and took part in the assassination of a police constable and also many important land mine blasts, attacks on police stations and exchanges of fire. After his surrender Pandhanna could not live in his native Agency villages as he received threatening calls from the naxal leaders. “CPI Maoists east division committee secretary, Jagadeesh had sent statements many times saying that they would kill him. Then the police asked me to work in Vizag as a home guard. Greyhounds’ parties take us with them for combing in Agency areas. Greyhounds take us forcibly with them even though we show our unwillingness to accompany them as the extremists kill us for helping police,” said Pandhanna. Some of the surrendered Maoists once wrote some letters to the extremists stating their plight with the police department, which later fell in the hands of the police. Pandhanna said that after the combing parties seized those letters from an arrested naxal party they harassed those who wrote letters. “Now I really don’t know what to do. If I go back to my native village extremists will definitely kill me. But cannot live here with the police department,” the surrendered extremist added.
Visakhapatnam, Sep 7: A former naxalite is now caught between deep sea and the devil. Korra Pandhanna alias Naveen, 35, who was earlier a deputy commander of Galikonda and Polakagiri dalams is now in a fix. He can neither go back to naxals nor continue with the police. Pandhanna, a native of Kannavaram village coming under Koyyuru mandal joined naxal movement in 2001. He later gave up arms and surrendered before the then district superintendent of police Sanjay Kumar Jain in 2005 due to some health related problems and also hearing the incentives and schemes announced by the state government for the surrendered extremists. Even three years after his surrender he still awaits for his reward of Rs 1 lakh announced by the state government and leading a troublesome life as a home guard with a meager Rs 3,000 per month given by the police department. He also frequently receives threats from the extremists for surrendering and working for police. “Mine is a very miserable tale. The constant harassment by the police when I was just a naxal sympathizer drove me to become an active fulltime extremist. Later due to some health related and family problems I quit the naxal movement thinking that my life would be fine after hearing the assurances given by the state government and police,” Pandhanna told this correspondent. He further said that all the assurances given by the police and the state government were just nonsense. Pandhanna said that now he is not able to lead a peaceful life and unable to look after his family properly due to financial woes. He is pleading the authorities to sanction his reward immediately. The surrendered extremist said that he gave up arms and joined mainstream with a motive to give education to his three kids, which was not fulfilled even three years after his surrender due to the financial woes. Pandhanna can operate a AK 47, SLR and .303 weapons and took part in the assassination of a police constable and also many important land mine blasts, attacks on police stations and exchanges of fire. After his surrender Pandhanna could not live in his native Agency villages as he received threatening calls from the naxal leaders. “CPI Maoists east division committee secretary, Jagadeesh had sent statements many times saying that they would kill him. Then the police asked me to work in Vizag as a home guard. Greyhounds’ parties take us with them for combing in Agency areas. Greyhounds take us forcibly with them even though we show our unwillingness to accompany them as the extremists kill us for helping police,” said Pandhanna. Some of the surrendered Maoists once wrote some letters to the extremists stating their plight with the police department, which later fell in the hands of the police. Pandhanna said that after the combing parties seized those letters from an arrested naxal party they harassed those who wrote letters. “Now I really don’t know what to do. If I go back to my native village extremists will definitely kill me. But cannot live here with the police department,” the surrendered extremist added.
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