The big fight: Environment Vs Development

Hyderabad: It is the chicken and egg situation when it comes to a nation's economic development and environmental conservation effort. Can the two work hand in hand or one needs to be sacrifised for the other?

The current debate concerning development versus environment is premised on the fatal assumption that the two are in contradiction with each other. The background to the debate is the recent activism of the Union environment and forests ministry.
First it was Vedanta's bauxite mining project at Niyamgiri; then it was Sterlite's (a part of Vedanta) copper smelter at Tuticorin; now it is Posco's steel project in Orissa. All of them had got environmental clearances in the past, and all of them now face the axe.
Some of them have run the gauntlet of environmental controversy for years.

While many environmentalists hailed the government's rejection of London-listed Vedanta's bauxite mining project in Orissa's Niyamgiri hills in August this year, saying the decision was in favour of the poor tribal communities residing there; others contented that, had Vedanta succeeded in making aluminum close to a bauxite source, as it had planned in Orissa, world prices of aluminum could have fallen by half and India could have become an important aluminum producer.
The Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment welcomed the environment ministry's decision, saying that it was appalled at the way that Vedanta had been violating all laws. "This is certainly a decision which goes in favour of the poor and marginalised people of Orissa -- a manifestation of 'environmentalism of the poor'," it said in a statement.
Describing the decision a "great victory for India", environmentalist Bittu Sehgal said, "This is a victory of common sense as these forests would have been badly affected by the mining, not just the people, but all the lions, elephants, everything."

In contradiction, Tavleen Singh wrote in her column in the Indian Express: "As someone who has actually been to Kalahandi, I would like to state clearly that the Adivasis live in such horrible poverty and deprivation that such exalted ideas as cultural heritage are irrelevant. If Vedanta had succeeded in bringing schools, hospitals and employment to Kalahandi, it would have transformed the bleak, hopeless lives of those who live here."
That we need economic development to meet our most pressing challenge of bringing 400-500 million citizens out of poverty and deprivation is unarguable. Take a poll anywhere in India today and if asked to choose, a vast majority of Indians would choose economic development over environmental protection.
It's not necessarily right, but it reflects the priorities as people see it. Wallets will win over the environment for a vast majority.

Even the Prime Minister gave two thumbs up to development when he categorically stated that environmental concerns must not be taken so far that they end development. Dr Singh made it clear that it was not possible to build airports without some degree of environmental damage and that it was not possible to develop India if we banned minerals from being exploited.
This statement by the PM, to many came across as a belated rap on the knuckles for India's environment mininter, Jairam Ramesh who was flying high and being called a crusading minister by many on his move to deny Vedanta's bauxite mining project.
In barely 14 months as environment minister, the suave 56-year-old technocrat-turned-politician has pitchforked a low-key ministry into front-page headlines.

Be it mega projects like Vedanta and Posco, the Navi Mumbai airport, GM foods or tortuous climate change negotiations, Ramesh has an uncanny ability to be in the limelight -- all for the green cause.
But there is however a school of thought that believes that if we are genuinely concerned about preserving the environment, we must begin by ensuring that India does not make the same mistakes that other countries did when they were developing. The main cause of environmental degradation in India is extreme poverty. It reduces people like the Dongria Kondhs of Niyamgiri to living conditions that are not much better than if they were still living in hunter-gatherer times.
In tribal areas where development has failed to reach, often the only means of survival is what they call 'slash and burn agriculture'. This method involves burning down forests for fuel and food. Only when development brings schools, hospitals, roads and public services, does this horrible practice stop.

If the adivasis who live in the Niyamgiri hills were to discover that the bauxite that lies buried under their 'sacred' mountain could help them become rich and prosperous, they might not want Vedanta to leave.
Similarly, the farmers in Uttar Pradesh who have been protesting against their land being taken away for a new highway might be more amenable if they could see real benefits. There is no question that they should be given what they consider a fair price for their land.
Tavleen Singh says that instead of banning projects essential to development, perhaps more focus should be spend on developing an environmental policy that would allow development and yet improve the environment.
If Vedanta, for instance, needs to cut down trees to mine the bauxite reserves under the Niyamgiri hills, then it must take responsibility for reforestation elsewhere.

If corporations want to acquire land to build roads and factories, then they must be made responsible for ensuring that local communities benefit from what they do.
Perhaps we need to develop an alternate sustainable development model that will empower communities to force developers to consider the potential benefits of economic development (jobs, taxes etc) versus the potential costs to environment at each stage.
So, if the tribal communities in Orissa, for instance, seek to preserve their traditional lands in the way they have tilled it for generations, they would have their way.
There will evolve different types of development zones. Some may prohibit development completely, others may encourage non-polluting and non-mining investments, a few may encourage mining subject to adequate returns to the local community etc.

Sunita Narain, director, Centre for Science and Environment says that it is evident that without environmental management and safeguards, there can be no development. We cannot foster a GDP first and environment later attitude. "But what can be negotiated is the balance that we strike in making development work," she says.
There is no doubt that industrial growth will lead to environmental damage. The question is how this damage can be averted or minimised. Indian industry must understand the challenge of balancing the demands of development and environment. The environment forms the survival base for large numbers of people in India and any destruction of the same would impinges on their lives and livelihoods.
Also, industry needs to invest in improving the regulatory systems in India, especially since industrial growth has intensified over the past few years.

As a nation, we certainly cannot follow the path that says "Its my turn to develop and i don't care how" and not can we bow down in the name of environment conservation and let the economy suffer.
Judiciousness would have to be applied to the decision-making, so as to strike a balance between the various objectives sought to be served.
The challenge of balancing development and environment imperatives requires rethinking growth and making economies work in the interests of all.
Not pitting growth against growth.
Source: The Indian Express, Business Standard, IANS, India syndicate

Polar express' Knut, a loser in love?

Berlin: Knut, the polar bear in Berlin's zoo that shot to global fame as a cub, is reportedly being bullied by a trio of older females, causing the country's media to worry about the superstar's love life.

Tease me baby...
A polar bear sticks out its tongue on a rock in its enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin, October 19, 2010.
German newspapers reported today that the world famous polar bear Knut (not seen) is being bullied by his fellow polar bears in their enclosure in the Berlin zoological garden.

Lolling in the sun
Two polar bears rest on a rock in their enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin.
"Knut, the public's favourite, has become a heap of misery," said Germany's mass-selling daily Bild. "Instead of enjoying himself with the three ladies, he cowers fearfully in a corner," added the more staid Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Bottom's up!
Polar bear Knut dives in the pond in his enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin.
For several weeks, the three-year-old bear has shared his zoo enclosure with his mother, Tosca, and two other females, Nancy and Katjuscha.

Stick your neck out
Polar bear Knut swims in his enclosure at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin.
Hopes that Knut might form a romantic attachment with one of the females appear to have been dashed as stories emerged of violent maulings.

Knut meets Knut
Polar bear Knut interacts with a visitor and her cushy polar bear "Knut" at the Berlin zoo.
One video posted online showed Katjuscha hurling herself at Knut's throat, in an apparent attempt to bite him, before tipping him into the water.

Strike a pose
"These sad images of Knut are pulling the heartstrings of people around the world," said Bild.
But Heiner Kloes, Knut's keeper, downplayed the affair, telling AFP it was "only two minutes in the life of a bear."

Photgrapher's delight
This 3-picture combo shows Polar bear Knut interacting with a visitor at the Tiergarten zoo in Berlin.
"It was a small altercation that is completely normal among bears," he said, underlining that the four bears were still getting used to living together.

Scratch 'em out!
"For the time being, Knut is not yet an adult male and doesn't yet know how to get respect like his father did. But day by day, he is imposing himself and with time, this type of problem will go away," he said.
Source: AFP
Images: AFP Photo

STOP THE KILLING OF SEALS

 

 

 

Norway and Canada have a new kind of tourisme. Killing baby seals!!!! They call it "hunting" and i'ts a sport

 

 

You want to call this sport ??

 

 

 

Is he a sportsman???

 

 

 

 

 

Why?

 

 

 

You're our only hope !!!

 

 

 

Please let it stop. This barbarisme shouldn't be possible in our society

 

 

Don't turn your back on us, we are so defenceless, we have no guns, please help us..!!!

 

 

I know these images seem painfull for you, but we feel the pain...!! We are being slaughtered by ruthless people and it's going on RIGHT NOW...!!!

 

 

What gives him the right to kill us. Who is he to decide about life and death

 

 

What kind of sport is this..?? I didn't harm anyone..!! I was just swimming around doing nothing, now I'm dead...!!

 

 

  Please help me and my friends...!! !

 

 

 

 

You can't just ignore these images..?? Keep silent and doing nothing makes you guilty...!!

 

 

Please help us...!!

 

 

   

Please don't leave us alone...!!

 

 

 

 

STOP THE KILLING OF SEALS

 

 

You can make a statement by
forwarding this mail
to as many people as you can.
Bring these murderers to the attention
of world leaders.
Thank you...!!!

Crazy Fad Diets

Fad diets are essentially diets that are followed with a great amount of zeal for a short period of time until the validity of the diet is busted. They generally do not really help with weight loss but for soem reason, are adopted by a lot of people.
The world has witnessed numerous fad diets and the frenzy that surrounds them. We've put together some of the most eccentric fad diets that have surfaced at some point in time.



The 7-day All You Can Eat Diet
This diet is perhaps the most attractive diet for overweight foodies who decide to shed the kilos. On first hearing of this diet you might wonder how exactly 'eating all the food you can eat' is going to contribute to weight loss in any way. Perhaps after indulging yourself for an entire week, the sight, smell and thought of food leaves you feeling nauseous and here lies the beauty of this diet. In truth, this diet comes packed with a schedule - for example, only fruits on Mondays, only vegetables on Tuesdays and so on.


HCG Diet
The HCG diet or the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Hormone diet involves injecting this hormone in order to lose weight. The hormone is found in the urine of pregnant women. Apart from these injections, following a lean protein diet is also necessary. The HCG diet thought born in 1971, became popular in 2009. It was once available only at spas and weight loss clinics, but it is now available to try at home as well. Side effects include headaches, depression and blood clots. Cancer detection is also harder as the injections hide the tumour markers.


Tapeworm Diet
We all know tapeworms found in pigs are dangerous so they use the ones found in cows instead! But do you know that cows can host the tapeworms found in pigs as well? The clinics do and that is why they go one step further to ensure the tapeworms they use are not the ones we all fear. These tapeworms absorb most of your food and hence allow you to consume more food without putting on those kilos.
Unfortunately, these tapeworms also consume vital nutrients and vitamins. Despite the introduction of an antibiotic to kill the tapeworm once the required weight is lost, this process is ill-advised as it can lead to the formation of cysts in the brain, spinal cord, liver and eyes.


Cabbage Soup Diet
Let's face it, cabbage isn't really the most loved vegetable and even for you cabbage lovers, resorting to this soup every time you get hungry, day and night for days on end - this is bound to be quite an ordeal. The cabbage soup doesn't bring with it the required nutrients, but it does bring with it unwanted baggage that is sure to leave you smelly and uncomfortable or visiting the loo a tad too often. There is an urban legend that claims that this diet increases one's libido and generates more pheromones which attract the opposite sex. Fo whoever came up with this legend, we wonder if the gas had anything to do with their clouded judgement.


Israeli Army Diet
This is an 8-day diet that required the person to consume one type of food for two days each. On days 1 and 2, only apples are allowed. Days 3 and 4 would require the person to consume only cheese (yes we know - strange!). Chicken dominates the menu on days 5 and 6. Salad is allowed on days 7 and 8. Oh, we forgot to mention black tea and black coffee is allowed on all these days. The diet was not encouraged as doctors found it unbalanced.


The Caveman Diet
Yes, some people actually believe our ancestors had healthier eating habits than we do! The diet allows you to eat meat, vegetables, berries and nuts. Potatoes, beans, sugar, salt, grains (wheat, rice - you name it) are big no-nos!


The Blood Type Diet
A certain Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo developed this diet which allows people to eat according to their blood type. According to him, people whose blood type is A should stick to fruits and vegetables as they have thicker blood and a sensitive immune system. Blood type B people should resort to dairy products. Blood type O people are said to require a higher protein diet and are advised to eat a lot of meat and people of the blood type AB are advised to incorporate the diets of A and B.


The Air Diet
We know about vegetarians, non-vegetarians and even fruitarians, but did you know about breatharians? All they need is fresh and unpolluted air to survive. This is perhaps one of the hardest diets to follow as fresh, unpolluted air is hard to come across these days especially for us urban dwellers.

NOTE: Please do not adopt the aforementioned diets. Finally, it's a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise that does the trick when it comes to weight-loss. If you really want to try a diet, we reccomend consulting a nutrionist for some expert advice.

Source: India Syndicate

Salty, sweet: study says fat is the sixth "taste"

People sensitive to the taste of fat tend to eat less of it and are less likely to be overweight, according to Australian research that found human tongues can detect fatty tastes.
Researchers at Deakin University, working with colleagues at the University of Adelaide among others, found that fat was the sixth taste people can identify in addition to the five others -- sweet, sour, salty, bitter and protein-rich.

In a statement, Deakin researcher Russell Keast said the findings built on previous research in the United States that used animal models to discover the taste for fat.
"Interestingly, we also found that those with a high sensitivity to the taste of fat consumed less fatty foods and had lower BMIs (body-mass indices) than those with lower sensitivity," Keast added.

The research team developed a screening procedure to test the ability of people to taste a range of fatty acids commonly found in foods.
They found that people have a taste threshold for fat that varies from person to person -- some people have a high sensitivity to the taste while others do not.

"With fats being easily accessible and commonly consumed in diets today, this suggests that our taste system may become desensitized to the taste of fat over time, leaving some people more susceptible to overeating fatty foods," Keast said.
"We are now interested in understanding why some people are sensitive and others are not, which we believe will lead to ways of helping people lower their fat intakes and aid development of new low fat foods and diets," he added.
The researchers said the discovery of the fat taste could be key to reducing obesity. The results of the study are published in the latest issue of the British Journal of Nutrition.
Source: Miral Fahmy, Reuters

Wine may help women keep weight in check

Light to moderate alcohol consumption, especially red wine, is not only good for a woman's heart, it's also good for her waistline, according to a study reported Monday.

The study started out with nearly 20,000 trim middle-aged and older women. Over time, women who drank alcohol in moderation put on less weight and were less apt to become overweight compared to non-drinkers. This was true even after taking into account various lifestyle and dietary factors that might influence a woman's weight.
Red wine seemed best at keeping weight in check, but white wine, beer and spirits also had some benefit.
"Our study results showed that middle-aged and older women who have normal body weight initially and consume light-to-moderate amount of alcohol could maintain their drinking habits without gaining more weight compared with similar women who did not drink any alcohol," Dr. Lu Wang from the division of preventive medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, noted in an email to Reuters Health.

Many prior studies have suggested that moderate drinking, usually defined as a drink or two a day, can be a healthy habit, particularly with regard to heart health, while heavy drinking can harm health.
The new study, published in the latest issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, is the first to examine ties between alcohol consumption by a normal-weight individual and the risk of becoming overweight or obese.
The women were all at least 39 years old when the study began. About 38 percent said they did not drink alcohol; 33 percent said they drank less than 5 grams daily (a standard drink has about 10 grams of alcohol); 20 percent drank 5 to less than 15 grams daily; 6 percent drank 15 to less than 30 grams daily; and 3 percent downed 30 grams of alcohol or more daily (about 2 to 3 drinks per day or more).
Over an average of about 13 years, the women generally gained weight. However, the teetotalers gained the most weight, with weight gain decreasing with increasing amount of alcohol consumed.
Women who did not drink gained an average of 3.63 kilograms (8 pounds) compared with 1.55 kilograms (3.4 pounds) for those who consumed 30 grams of alcohol or more each day.

During the 13 years the initially normal-weight women were followed, 41 percent became overweight or obese. Women who drank 15 to less than 30 grams per day had the lowest risk of becoming overweight or obese, which was 30 percent less than that of non-drinkers.
Put another way, Wang said an initially trim woman who did not drink alcohol had about a 43 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese over 13 years. Her risk fell to 33 percent if she drank 15 to 30 grams of alcohol a day.
Women who drank higher amounts of alcohol were generally more physically active, weighed slightly less at the outset and were more apt to be smokers, than other women. However, the association between drinking and less weight gain and risk of becoming overweight or obese remained strong after accounting for these factors. This suggests that alcohol may independently affect body weight beyond its relationship with diet and lifestyle factors.
There are several reasons why alcohol might help women stay trim, Wang told Reuters Health. In the current study, women consuming more alcohol ate less, particularly carbohydrates -- a finding seen in other studies. Moreover, it's been shown that women tend to expend more energy after drinking alcohol -- more so than that contained in the alcohol. "Taken together, regular alcohol consumption in light-to-moderate amount may lead to a net energy loss among women," Wang said.
Source: India Syndicate

Coffee has its ups and downs

Over the last few years, urban India has acquired a new coffee culture. While, south Indian filtered coffee has been a tradition, India in general is waking up to coffee.The coffee we drink is blended from various different beans. Blending is done by creative artists in the coffee world. They choose the combination of beans in order to produce desirable brews.

Several forms of coffee can be found: decaffeinated, instant, iced and flavoured. Many health conscious people have turned to decaffeinated coffee, but there have been questions over the decaffeinating process itself. Several decaffinating processes involve the use of carbon-dioxide, ethylacetate, and methylchloride or coffee oils. Now, most decaffeinated coffee is made using water and steam with no chemical solvents and are, therefore, safe. Instant coffee powders contain dry, powdered water-soluble solids produced by drying very strongly brewed coffee. This coffee should be kept packed in air-tight containers because they tend to absorb moisture.
Coffee contains more than 400 chemicals including trace amounts of vitamins, minerals and high concentration of anti-oxidants. Caffeine is the main stimulant. A regular cup of coffee contains approximately 100 mg of caffeine. The caffeine content varies depending on how strong the coffee is made. Caffeine increases epinephrine (adrenaline) release, which stimulates the central nervous system, increases alertness and increases heartbeat.

Despite its growing popularity, most people believe coffee to be a somewhat toxic addiction taken only as an indulgence or to overcome sleep and boost alertness. Several health concerns have been attributed to coffee drinking including, its addictive nature, ill-effects on digestion, bone health, cardio-vascular health, disturbed sleep, high blood pressure, infertility and increased incidence in pancreatic or bladder cancer. Numerous studies now, however, reveal that coffee consumption and caffeine does not contribute to cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and stroke, even in people who drink more than four cups of coffee a day. Even though coffee does cause a transient increase in blood pressure, moderate coffee drinking does not pose a significant risk to those with hypertension. A recent study reports that coffee is a major source of dietary anti-oxidants and may inhibit inflammation and thereby lower the risk of cardio-vascular diseases and other inflammatory diseases in post-menopausal women. Researchers have also found no link between coffee consumption and cancers of bladder, breast, colon, lung, pancreas and prostrate. Preliminary studies also suggest a protective role of coffee in liver cirrhosis.
Numerous studies report that regular coffee consumption over long periods of time may reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. A study revealed that coffee helped older people think better, improve their memory and reasoning skills. Caffeine may have a positive effect on weight loss as it has been shown to increase energy expenditure modestly.

In spite of the good news, drinking coffee carries some concerns. It is certainly habit-forming and even a single cup per day contains enough caffeine to create the risk of withdrawal symptoms. In some people, it can induce heartburn by boosting up acid production. Caffeine can also block calcium and iron absorption to some extent.For pregnant women, coffee consumption has been linked to risk of miscarriages. Some studies have shown that women who consume 1-3 cups of coffee increase the risk of spontaneous abortion by 30 per cent. Caffeine is a diuretic, which increases output of urine, which can be a concern for men with prostrate problems. Since it is a stimulant, it can make it difficult for you to fall asleep and may interfere with regular sleeping patterns.
Cafestol and kahweol, compounds in boiled or steeped coffee, can boost cholesterol synthesis by the liver. These are found in highest concentrations in Scandinavian, Turkish coffees and French-press brews. Apparently, these compounds are trapped during the filtration of coffee. This is why the blood cholesterol levels of people who drink filtered coffee reman stable.
In a nutshell, one or two cups a day should certainly not pose any risks for most people. Also, it does not increase the risk for any other health risks including heart disease, bone loss, cancer or infertility. People with irregular heart-beats (arrhythmias), pregnant women are advised non-caffeinated beverages.
Source: Indian Express