In early January last year, The Indian Express had reported on the health hazards caused by Haryana Power Generation Corporation (HPGC) owned Panipat thermal plant. The story stated that at least one person in each family living in nearby Khukhrana village suffered either from skin diseases or respiratory ailment thanks to air and water pollution caused by thermal power plant. HPGC is a public sector undertaking under Haryana state government, formerly the Haryana State Electricity Board.
A year later, in February 2009, the latest Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit report that contains a detailed performance audit of the plant. It records how Panipat Thermal power station failed to monitor pollution levels and failed to ensure compliance of norms. Scrutiny of the records of Panipat Thermal power station with regard to environmental safeguards and pollution control and monitoring found a plethora of issues:
- Deficiency in keeping the concentration of Suspended Particulate Matter [SPM] and Particulate Matter [PM] under the prescribed limit.- Failure in disposal of 10-12 dumps of mill reject coal that caused frequent fire hazards, an abysmally poor disposal of fly ash produced during 2003-’08 even after lapse of more than eight years. - Failed to develop green belt by the extent of 60 per cent compared to what it committed and targeted for.
The concentration of SPM in ambient air
The concentration of SPM in ambient air, as prescribed by Ministry of Environment and Forests [MoEF] in April 1996 should have been maximum of 500 micrograms per cubic metre. However, the scrutiny of records found that during October 2006 to March 2007 – except during March and July 2007 – concentration of SPM ranged between 600 to 1494 micrograms per cubic metre.
The CAG has indicted the company for having failed to take effective measures to control the concentration of SPM. This could be done by regular tuning of electrostatic precipitators, proper stacking of crushed coal, proper dumping/disposal of mill rejected coal and making sprinklers functional in coal handling areas.
Further the audit scrutiny noticed that the authorities had failed to provide online monitoring system to record SPM levels in Units I to V. The online monitoring system provided in unit VI was not in working condition and the company was getting monitoring done through outsourcing on a year to year basis, although to provide online monitoring system to record SPM levels is mandatory for thermal power station as per existing environmental governance under Environment Protection Act, 1986.
After this deficiency was pointed out by CAG auditors, the HPGC management responded in August 2008 with this: “..efforts are being made to control the concentration of SPM in ambient air and online monitoring system is being introduced”. HPGC's chairman is Ashok Lavasa, and Managing Director is Sanjeev Kaushal.
The concentration of PM
The concentration of PM for thermal power plant should have been maximum of 150 mg per Nm3 (Nm3 is a measure of volume, normal cubic metre, under specific conditions of temperature and pressure), as prescribed by MoEF in May 1993. However, it was found in the audit scrutiny that the PM level of stack emission of units I to IV was higher than the prescribed limit since June 2006 (except in units I and II during August 2006 and for unit II during March 2008) which ranged between 157 and 1276 mg and was the highest at 570 mg in units I and II during April 2007 and 1276 mg in units II and IV in January 2007.
In October 2007, Central Electricity Authority had communicated to authorities its concern over excessive PM level in the stack emission and advised the company to initiate remedial measures to bring down the PM level at stack to or below the prescribed norm
The CAG audit report for the year ending March 31, 2008 also notes that the PM level had not been brought under control till March 2008 and even to this finding the response of authorities in August 2008 was identical, “Unit I is under renovation and modernisation and efforts are being made to bring down the PM level of units III and IV”.
The use of present continuous tense in the language of these replies – ‘being made’, ‘being introduced’ – is a giveaway, in the light of the CAG findings. The plant managers have failed to keep pollution under legally enforceable prescribed limits.
Dumps of mill reject coal not disposed
But this is not all. The CAG audit notes that representatives of MoEF, Chandigarh and CPCB, Kanpur during their visit in October 2007 had observed 10-12 dumps of mill reject coal lying around which caused regular fire hazards and asked plant authorities at HPGC to dispose them. However, not only did authorities failed to dispose those dumps, the mill reject coal had accumulated to 2.04 lakh MT as on March 31, 2008.
Not only this, CAG report shockingly notes that mill reject coal was even used for generation at times!
To this observation, plant management replied in August 2008 stating that sale order for disposal of mill reject coal of unit V had been issued and for disposal in remaining units, tenders had been floated. However, this audit findings leaves one wondering whether representatives of MoEF, Chandigarh and CPCB, Kanpur during their visit in October 2007 looked into the SPM level in ambient air and PM level in the stack emission and had there been any follow up on their observation and advise on the matter of disposal of mill reject coal between October 2007 and March 2008.
Similarly, one wonders whether CEA followed up on what action was taken up by plant authorities after its communication in October 2007.
Abysmally poor record on disposal of fly ash
MoEF had notified in September 1999 that brick kilns within a radius of 50 kms around thermal power plant (by a revision in August 2003 this was enhanced to 100 kms radius) would use at least 25 per cent of coal ash on weight to weight basis and thermal power plants were asked to submit an action plan to the Central/State Pollution Control Board and regional office of MoEF by March 2000 for full utilisation of the ash within a period of nine years. Audit scrutiny found that the said report has not been submitted as of March 2008. Audit of the records of ash produced and disposed during 2003-’08 revealed that the disposal of ash ranged from 1.80 per cent to 11.26 per cent indicating lack of efforts by the authorities.
To this observation, management replied in August 2008 stating that dry fly ash evacuation system was in the process of installation. Again, note the use if the language ‘in the process of’.
Merely 40 per cent plantation in ‘green belt’
MoEF had asked the authorities in August 2002 to develop green belt on 44 hectares of land. The audit scrutiny revealed that it took the company 20 months to come out with a scheme of development of green belt [May 2004] in next three year getting 153 thousand [1.53 lakh] trees planted and raised by forest department by spending Rs.1.59 crores. Although the estimated cost was revised to Rs 1.95 crore subsequently, the forest dept could plant just 61,245 trees upto August 2007, there by submitting utilisation certificates for Rs.1.01 crores, as against the advance worth Rs.1.10 crores released to it by the company.
Thus, even after the expiry of three years, the plantation coverage stood only at 40.03 percent. The audit report doesn’t give details on field visit observation of the said green belt and survival rates of plantation.
Let us go back to what the one-year-old news item ended with. It had stated, “Fed up with lackadaisical attitude of Haryana government and the district administration to the problem, the villagers have formed a Gaon Sudhar Samiti to fight a legal battle in the Punjab and Haryana High Court”. It is not clear whether a legal petition has been filed in courts, but can one hope that the judiciary will take suo moto cognizance of this indictment of Panipat thermal power plant.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Cancer crisis, Punjab officials fiddling
A high powered committee constituted by Punjab Government on the issue of pesticides and health was scheduled to meet on 19 September at Chandigarh. The committee was to meet to take a decision regarding the high incidence of cancer and its relation with pesticides and traces of pesticides in found in human blood in Punjab. The Chief Minister, Capt. Amarinder Singh, is the chairman of this committee. The meeting was postponed to 28 September.
The committee came into being in June this year after New Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment brought out its report on abnormally high traces of pesticides in blood samples taken from villages of Talwandi Sabo block of Bathinda district. Also, an earlier study conducted by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, and sponsored by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) showed that the same villages were recording abnormally high numbers of cancer patients. The PPCB-PGIMER study concluded that pesticides used and detected in the Malwa region could be one of the main reasons for the high incidence of cancer there. The study itself was initiated on the personal interest of the Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh, about two years back.
Apart from the state's Health Minister and Health Secretary, other members of the committee include Dr S S Johl, Vice Chairman, Punjab State Planning Board, Dr G S Kalkat, Chairman Punjab State Farmers Commission, Dr T P Rajinderan, Assistant Director General of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The postponement of the 19 September meeting is the continuation of a series. The committee has had no meeting since its inception. It's notification was issued on June 27 and the first meeting was fixed for 22 July, but this was then postponed to August. Again the meeting was postponed to 19 September, then again to the 20th, and now for the 28th. Clearly the committee does not have time to look into crisis of environmental health in Punjab.
Underlying this is a deeper cause of concern. The Health and Family Welfare Department and some experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have taken virtually a pro-pesticides stance. Soon after the CSE's results were released, a new study emerged in July from the health department which disputed the findings of the CSE study. On 25 July 2005, in a meeting of the expert group held at PGIMER, Chandigarh, the department declared that no pesticides were found in blood samples of their own survey. The department claimed it had procured 235 blood samples and tested for at least four groups of pesticides. It also appears that health department tried to create confusion about the PPCB-PGIMER study by saying that its sample size is not adequate, when the latter study had surveyed a population of 183,243.
Ironically, the same department was part of whole process during the original PPCB-PGIMER study. This study was a scientifically planned (and executed) cancer-prevalence epidemiological study in selected high pesticide-exposure geographic areas of Punjab. It's results are a clear indicator of the grave situation Punjab has fallen into. The study was reviewed periodically by a expert group which include eminent scientists. It was accepted by this group before being made public. Even a representative of the heath department had signed the report. The findings became a consensus document binding on all, including state's health department.
But the health department took a u-turn in July. The department has gone to the extent of questioning the findings of Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow (a CSIR institute, which is the nodal centre for the UNEP sponsored Regionally-Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances and also the nodal centre for the National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants) and the Quality Control Laboratory for Processed Food, Department of Post Harvest Technology, PAU, which had done laboratory tests on behalf of PGIMER.
It is also important to note that within five days of the CSE report, the officials of the state government's Patiala laboratory had gone to the press claiming "No pesticides in human blood, urine and vegetables". The CSE study was released on 7 June 2005. By 12 June, the Chief Chemical Examiner had made his counter claim that was reported in the print media on 13 June. On the very same day the State Chemical Examiner released press statement from Chandigarh, the chairman of Agro-Chemical Promotion Group Mr Salil Singhal had also addressed a press conference refuting the CSE study's findings.
Many questions raised remain unanswered about the Patiala laboratory's counter study. First, it was done very secretively. According to the department, they study had covered four districts - Mansa, Bathinda, Faridkot and Muktsar comprising of nearly 1000 habitats and villages beside towns in just three days! It is not clear what methodology was adopted for this survey. The study methodology and results were not revealed even in the expert group meeting held at PGIMER in Chandigarh on 25 July.
Other questions: From where did they collect their samples? Did they take samples from farmers, their families and farm workers or others who had long term occupational exposure? What tests were carried out and what was the protocol followed? What instruments and equipments were used? Do they have an accredited lab for pesticide residual analysis? From available information, it is doubtful whether the Patiala laboratory is capable of undertaking this exercise. Every epidemiological study has a requisite protocol to be followed and a scientific methodology to be adopted. What systems were followed in the study? What was the study design? What was the implementation mechanism? What was the time frame? Who was the Principal Investigator?
To these and other questions, the Director of Health & Family Welfare has not given an answer. It is clear that there were no proper surveys undertaken. In the meantime, if no further postponements happen, the high powered committee chaired by the Chief Minister is scheduled to meet 28 September.
The committee came into being in June this year after New Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment brought out its report on abnormally high traces of pesticides in blood samples taken from villages of Talwandi Sabo block of Bathinda district. Also, an earlier study conducted by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, and sponsored by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) showed that the same villages were recording abnormally high numbers of cancer patients. The PPCB-PGIMER study concluded that pesticides used and detected in the Malwa region could be one of the main reasons for the high incidence of cancer there. The study itself was initiated on the personal interest of the Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh, about two years back.
Apart from the state's Health Minister and Health Secretary, other members of the committee include Dr S S Johl, Vice Chairman, Punjab State Planning Board, Dr G S Kalkat, Chairman Punjab State Farmers Commission, Dr T P Rajinderan, Assistant Director General of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).
The postponement of the 19 September meeting is the continuation of a series. The committee has had no meeting since its inception. It's notification was issued on June 27 and the first meeting was fixed for 22 July, but this was then postponed to August. Again the meeting was postponed to 19 September, then again to the 20th, and now for the 28th. Clearly the committee does not have time to look into crisis of environmental health in Punjab.
Underlying this is a deeper cause of concern. The Health and Family Welfare Department and some experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have taken virtually a pro-pesticides stance. Soon after the CSE's results were released, a new study emerged in July from the health department which disputed the findings of the CSE study. On 25 July 2005, in a meeting of the expert group held at PGIMER, Chandigarh, the department declared that no pesticides were found in blood samples of their own survey. The department claimed it had procured 235 blood samples and tested for at least four groups of pesticides. It also appears that health department tried to create confusion about the PPCB-PGIMER study by saying that its sample size is not adequate, when the latter study had surveyed a population of 183,243.
Ironically, the same department was part of whole process during the original PPCB-PGIMER study. This study was a scientifically planned (and executed) cancer-prevalence epidemiological study in selected high pesticide-exposure geographic areas of Punjab. It's results are a clear indicator of the grave situation Punjab has fallen into. The study was reviewed periodically by a expert group which include eminent scientists. It was accepted by this group before being made public. Even a representative of the heath department had signed the report. The findings became a consensus document binding on all, including state's health department.
But the health department took a u-turn in July. The department has gone to the extent of questioning the findings of Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow (a CSIR institute, which is the nodal centre for the UNEP sponsored Regionally-Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances and also the nodal centre for the National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants) and the Quality Control Laboratory for Processed Food, Department of Post Harvest Technology, PAU, which had done laboratory tests on behalf of PGIMER.
It is also important to note that within five days of the CSE report, the officials of the state government's Patiala laboratory had gone to the press claiming "No pesticides in human blood, urine and vegetables". The CSE study was released on 7 June 2005. By 12 June, the Chief Chemical Examiner had made his counter claim that was reported in the print media on 13 June. On the very same day the State Chemical Examiner released press statement from Chandigarh, the chairman of Agro-Chemical Promotion Group Mr Salil Singhal had also addressed a press conference refuting the CSE study's findings.
Many questions raised remain unanswered about the Patiala laboratory's counter study. First, it was done very secretively. According to the department, they study had covered four districts - Mansa, Bathinda, Faridkot and Muktsar comprising of nearly 1000 habitats and villages beside towns in just three days! It is not clear what methodology was adopted for this survey. The study methodology and results were not revealed even in the expert group meeting held at PGIMER in Chandigarh on 25 July.
Other questions: From where did they collect their samples? Did they take samples from farmers, their families and farm workers or others who had long term occupational exposure? What tests were carried out and what was the protocol followed? What instruments and equipments were used? Do they have an accredited lab for pesticide residual analysis? From available information, it is doubtful whether the Patiala laboratory is capable of undertaking this exercise. Every epidemiological study has a requisite protocol to be followed and a scientific methodology to be adopted. What systems were followed in the study? What was the study design? What was the implementation mechanism? What was the time frame? Who was the Principal Investigator?
To these and other questions, the Director of Health & Family Welfare has not given an answer. It is clear that there were no proper surveys undertaken. In the meantime, if no further postponements happen, the high powered committee chaired by the Chief Minister is scheduled to meet 28 September.
Industrial safety concerns in the ship breaking industry / Alang-India
part of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan, it is necessary to review safety and related issues at the Alang and Sosia Ship Breaking Yard (ASSBY). ASSBY is located on the coast of Bhavnagar district and in the Gulf of Cambay, a distance of 56 km south from Bhavnagar city. This place has the best continental shelf available for ship breaking in the whole of Asia. At the same time, it is known for the highest tidal level (10 meters) in the country. The vast expanse of intertidal zone gets exposed during ebb tide which makes it convenient for ship breaking activity, whereas the high tide makes it possible to accommodate big ships. The first ship breaking activity started in 1983 at Alang. Today ASSBY boasts the biggest ship breaking yard in whole of Asia with 182 plots carrying on this activity year round. Last year, ships worth 3.2 million tones were broken in this yard. With the facilitating measures in the central budget, the ship breaking activity has the potential to achieve more tonnage.
THE IMPACT OF THE ALANG AND SOSIA SHIP BREAKING YARD (ASSBY): The impact of any project will be different on different groups depending upon the way their lives and interests are affected by the project. Their attitudes towards the project are shaped in response to the way the project affects them. There are basically four interest groups involved in the ship breaking activity. They are: the Government of Gujarat through the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), the ship breaking management, the workers or labourers, and the villagers in the ASSBY area. All four groups are stakeholders. They have immensely benefited from the ship breaking industry. However, the sudden expansion of the ship breaking activity, a lack of trained management and manpower and the unorganised nature of the industry has created some problems also. The problems of safety and the work environment in and around the yard are common for all the four stakeholders.
THE ISSUES: The Gujarat Ecology Commission has carried out a detailed study of ecological restoration at ASSBY. However, without going into the ecological details of the project, three basic issues can be mentioned: 1) issues causing ecological imbalance at Alang and in nearby areas, 2) issues causing impact on nearby villages and village infrastructure, and 3) issues causing concern during ship breaking. The ship breaking activity itself is manual labour intensive and unorganised. It is necessary to bring advanced technology to this industry so that the rate of accidents can be further reduced. The uproar on the Alang situation in the Western media is uncalled for, as the situation at Alang is within control and not beyond repair. What is required is a sustainable coastal zone management approach.
Alang is certainly the best location and neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh can compete with Alang. It is the entrepreneurship of ship breakers which has brought this development. However, if we do not take the necessary steps to solve the problems, we will lose Alang. All concerned parties will have to come together to solve the problems. Integrated coastal zone management is the key word for the development of Gujarat in the 21st century. A time for development of a silver corridor on the coastal belt of Saurashtra, in place of the existing golden corridor, has now come. There will be a lot of development pressures on marine resources, marine transportation, effluent discharge in marine area, and industrial pressures on coastal area. All these things call for an integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) approach. There are four stakeholders so far as ASSBY is concerned: (1) the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) or the Government, (2) ship breakers, (3) workers, and (4) nearby villagers. These four stakeholders have different stakes in the ship breaking activity and they will try to influence the policy and programmes. Hence, an integrated plan could only be evolved after meaningful participation of all four stakeholders. The ship breaking activity as it runs today calls for much improvement. The industry, which is unorganised today, could earn more profit and long term benefit if it were organised on scientific management lines which incorporated a sustainable development philosophy. It is in the interest of ship breakers that they cease to be fair weather friends and become scientific managers. GMB should realise that integrated coastal zone management is a multi disciplinary endeavour. It will have to take help from experts of different disciplines like engineering, marine science, environmental science, sociology and planning. GMB will have to adopt a less rigid stance and call for participation of all these experts.
There are around 24,000 direct workers and some 11,000 to 12,000 workers in allied activities in the ASSBY area. Out of around 35,000 workers, according to one survey, only 0.55% belong to Gujarat. It means that more than 99 percent of the workers are from other states. They are mainly from three states, Orissa, U.P. and Bihar. They are mainly from backward and drought prone regions of those states. This means that this is a migrant labour force. The Interstate Migrant Workman Act will have to be applied here. If this Act is applied, most of the problems of working and living conditions can be solved, because the ISMW Act mentions accommodation, medical facilities and even travelling allowances. Wages are not a problem for these workers, but the working living conditions are hazardous and inhuman.
So far as safety aspects are concerned, no standards are observed either by workers or by plot management. Out of 361 workers, according to the survey, 14 (3.88%) workers reported accidents, 11 workers (3.05%) sustained burns and 14 workers (3.88%) reported injuries. Ten workers (2.77%) wear helmets, only one worker reported having gloves, two workers reported having shoes and three workers reported having welding glasses.
Ship breaking labour is a semi-technical task. The survey mentions that 32 workers (8.62%) reported that they received some informal training, while the rest of them are untrained. Working hours are not decided. More than 50 percent of the workers reported that they work for between 8 and 12 hours. The state of industrial safety is found to be very poor as only a few plot owners provide safety equipment such as shoes, glasses, gloves etc. The nozzles of gas cylinders create accidents due to heat and explosion. The oil remaining in fuel tankers also is a major cause of accidents. Fire accidents take place many times. As of today, the ship breaking industry falls under the Factory Act and they have to follow Factory Act rules. There are various rules covering safety provisions mentioned in Factory Act and they should be followed religiously. However, what is more important is the development of a safety conscious mind set or culture for the ship breaking activity. All concerned stakeholders will have to come together to evolve such a safety conscious mind set.
THE IMPACT OF THE ALANG AND SOSIA SHIP BREAKING YARD (ASSBY): The impact of any project will be different on different groups depending upon the way their lives and interests are affected by the project. Their attitudes towards the project are shaped in response to the way the project affects them. There are basically four interest groups involved in the ship breaking activity. They are: the Government of Gujarat through the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), the ship breaking management, the workers or labourers, and the villagers in the ASSBY area. All four groups are stakeholders. They have immensely benefited from the ship breaking industry. However, the sudden expansion of the ship breaking activity, a lack of trained management and manpower and the unorganised nature of the industry has created some problems also. The problems of safety and the work environment in and around the yard are common for all the four stakeholders.
THE ISSUES: The Gujarat Ecology Commission has carried out a detailed study of ecological restoration at ASSBY. However, without going into the ecological details of the project, three basic issues can be mentioned: 1) issues causing ecological imbalance at Alang and in nearby areas, 2) issues causing impact on nearby villages and village infrastructure, and 3) issues causing concern during ship breaking. The ship breaking activity itself is manual labour intensive and unorganised. It is necessary to bring advanced technology to this industry so that the rate of accidents can be further reduced. The uproar on the Alang situation in the Western media is uncalled for, as the situation at Alang is within control and not beyond repair. What is required is a sustainable coastal zone management approach.
Alang is certainly the best location and neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh can compete with Alang. It is the entrepreneurship of ship breakers which has brought this development. However, if we do not take the necessary steps to solve the problems, we will lose Alang. All concerned parties will have to come together to solve the problems. Integrated coastal zone management is the key word for the development of Gujarat in the 21st century. A time for development of a silver corridor on the coastal belt of Saurashtra, in place of the existing golden corridor, has now come. There will be a lot of development pressures on marine resources, marine transportation, effluent discharge in marine area, and industrial pressures on coastal area. All these things call for an integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) approach. There are four stakeholders so far as ASSBY is concerned: (1) the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) or the Government, (2) ship breakers, (3) workers, and (4) nearby villagers. These four stakeholders have different stakes in the ship breaking activity and they will try to influence the policy and programmes. Hence, an integrated plan could only be evolved after meaningful participation of all four stakeholders. The ship breaking activity as it runs today calls for much improvement. The industry, which is unorganised today, could earn more profit and long term benefit if it were organised on scientific management lines which incorporated a sustainable development philosophy. It is in the interest of ship breakers that they cease to be fair weather friends and become scientific managers. GMB should realise that integrated coastal zone management is a multi disciplinary endeavour. It will have to take help from experts of different disciplines like engineering, marine science, environmental science, sociology and planning. GMB will have to adopt a less rigid stance and call for participation of all these experts.
There are around 24,000 direct workers and some 11,000 to 12,000 workers in allied activities in the ASSBY area. Out of around 35,000 workers, according to one survey, only 0.55% belong to Gujarat. It means that more than 99 percent of the workers are from other states. They are mainly from three states, Orissa, U.P. and Bihar. They are mainly from backward and drought prone regions of those states. This means that this is a migrant labour force. The Interstate Migrant Workman Act will have to be applied here. If this Act is applied, most of the problems of working and living conditions can be solved, because the ISMW Act mentions accommodation, medical facilities and even travelling allowances. Wages are not a problem for these workers, but the working living conditions are hazardous and inhuman.
So far as safety aspects are concerned, no standards are observed either by workers or by plot management. Out of 361 workers, according to the survey, 14 (3.88%) workers reported accidents, 11 workers (3.05%) sustained burns and 14 workers (3.88%) reported injuries. Ten workers (2.77%) wear helmets, only one worker reported having gloves, two workers reported having shoes and three workers reported having welding glasses.
Ship breaking labour is a semi-technical task. The survey mentions that 32 workers (8.62%) reported that they received some informal training, while the rest of them are untrained. Working hours are not decided. More than 50 percent of the workers reported that they work for between 8 and 12 hours. The state of industrial safety is found to be very poor as only a few plot owners provide safety equipment such as shoes, glasses, gloves etc. The nozzles of gas cylinders create accidents due to heat and explosion. The oil remaining in fuel tankers also is a major cause of accidents. Fire accidents take place many times. As of today, the ship breaking industry falls under the Factory Act and they have to follow Factory Act rules. There are various rules covering safety provisions mentioned in Factory Act and they should be followed religiously. However, what is more important is the development of a safety conscious mind set or culture for the ship breaking activity. All concerned stakeholders will have to come together to evolve such a safety conscious mind set.
World's oldest construction material, bamboo, now adorns the latest computing technology
ASUS Technology (India) today announced the launch of its much awaited eco-friendly Bamboo Series Notebook in India. The Bamboo series Notebooks are exquisitely designed with real bamboo to give a personalized and exclusive feel to each notebook. The end-to-end eco-friendly Bamboo Notebook is a revolutionary innovation in Green Computing. It is ‘green’ throughout its life cycle – from its conception, production to its recycling and disposal. It totally complies with RoHS* and WEEE Standard and in fact it exceeds the benchmarks of these standards.
ASUS is the first company to come up with a revolutionary concept of using bamboo casing for Notebooks. The Bamboo Series notebooks are ultimate celebration of the versatility of bamboo combined with the most advanced computing technology. It is an extremely fashionable Notebook with exquisite craftsmanship design that exudes unique and personalized user experience.
Stanley Wu, Country Manager for Notebook business, ASUS India, said, “The launch of Bamboo Series Notebook will usher in a new era of green computing. It will mark a paradigm shift in the way computers are used and manufactured. With the ever increasing concern over global warming and the ecological imbalance, we find it necessary to innovate products that are not only eco-friendly but also commercially viable.”
The ASUS Bamboo Series Notebook uses Super Hybrid Engine that reduces the yearly CO2 emission by 12.3kg per notebook. Given that ASUS ships approximately 6 million notebooks per year, this works out to a massive 73.8 million kilograms of CO2 emission reduced per year, which equates to saving 36 million trees annually.
About ASUS Bamboo Series Notebook:
The ASUS Bamboo Series notebook: A Seamless Marriage of Art and Engineering
The first thing about the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook that commands immediate and unfailing attention is its artisan-grade Moso bamboo paneling, which is crafted with the precision and care typically associated with bamboo instruments and arts and crafts. The organic tactility, refreshing scent and minimalist aesthetics of bamboo lend the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook an arresting aura of spirituality, warmth and old world charm that synthetic material and cold, impersonal metals will struggle to replicate. With every touch, users will be able to feel the difference – the bamboo gives an instant sense of familiarity, just like the sensation one would get from running one’s fingertips across furniture. The sensation of being close to nature is even conveyed when users use the touch pad. The genuine bamboo fiber patterns on the touch pad create the sensation of touching live bamboo. Furthermore – like any piece of original art – every ASUS Bamboo Series notebook is unique, each with its own natural patterning that is brought out beautifully by ASUS’ proprietary manufacturing process. The air of individuality of each piece can be further enhanced by several treatments that yield different colors, or by laser etching distinctive designs onto the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook’s bamboo-clad cover.
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine: A Next Generation Breakthrough in Power Efficiency
All of the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook’s power does not come at the expense of the environment. On the contrary, the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook – as with the new generation of ASUS notebooks released to market from the second half of 2008 – is remarkably energy-efficient, thanks to the implementation of ASUS’ exclusive Super Hybrid Engine technology, which is the product of a comprehensive redesigning of the hardware, software and BIOS on the part of ASUS’ engineers.
The most remarkable breakthrough of Super Hybrid Engine is that it accords users the control they need to obtain their desired level of performance – either improving power efficiency or boosting performance by the same technology core. In terms of power efficiency improvement, Super Hybrid Engine can extend battery life between 35% and 70% as compared to notebooks with the same specifications but without the technology, and yet enable users to boost their systems’ performance by up to 23%. It achieves this by intelligently monitoring the power requirements of the notebook’s components and automatically adjusting the power levels in real-time to match the current consumption needs, thus optimizing both system performance and power efficiency. Users are also given the option of selecting from a number of presets manually to ensure that the notebook conforms to the owner’s usage demands.
Bamboo as an Alternative Material: The Natural Choice
ASUS has achieved international renown for its research into, and inspired use of, biodegradable materials such as leather in its products, but its decision to embrace bamboo is nothing short of ingenious. Through the use of bamboo which has an immense tensile strength that rivals that of many metal alloys, the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook is highly resilient – an attribute proven conclusively by the fact that it is the first notebook to have survived the unforgiving conditions of snow-capped Qomolangma Peak, which stands at a staggering height of 8,848 meters (29,028 feet). Bamboo also has a renewal rate that no other plant can match. It has been known to grow 60cm in just 24 hours, reaching its maximum height in several years. Bamboo is also capable of regenerating itself upon harvesting without necessitating replanting, making it possibly the perfect renewable resource.
It’s Easy Being Green
The crux of the message borne by the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook is that “it’s easy being green”. This message resonates at both the consumer and solution provider strata. For consumers, being green is a simple matter of making smart, environmentally-conscious purchasing decisions. Choosing the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook – or any of ASUS’ notebooks, all of which were designed and manufactured in strict adherence to the same rigorous green policies and standards that governed the development of the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook – over less green alternatives, will help to preserve the Earth in no small measure.
For solution providers, the key to going green entails looking beyond mere legal compliance and proactively inculcating green values among staff. ASUS is the beacon of success for this approach. In relation to the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook for instance, staff spanning the research and development, strategy development, manufacturing, procurement, quality control, sales and marketing and even administrative departments rallied behind a common raft of green principles set by a steering committee headed by the Chairman of ASUSTek Computer Inc., Jonney Shih. This was only made possible by the company-wide green design, manufacturing and procurement systems that ASUS has in place, as well as its considerable investment into green-oriented e-learning platforms and staff education programs.
Bamboo Notebook Specifications:CPU + NB Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8600 -Mobile Intel® PM45 express chipset- Intel® WiFi Link 5100 OS Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Memory NVidia GeForce 9300M GS with TAG RAM up to 1536MB (depends on system memory). HDD DDR2 800MHz, 2 x SODIMM up to 4GB (depends on Vista 64bits readiness)SATA HDD up to 320G/5400rpm, UltraSlim ODD built in 8-in-1 Card Reader,Fingerprint, TPM module. Camera Built-in 1.3M pixel Camera with ASUS SmartLogon & LED light Battery 300 x 220 x 25.3 - 31.6 mm (W x D x H), 6 cell + 3 cell Net Weight 1.57 kg Warranty 2 years global warranty/ 1 year warranty on battery
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ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than ten thousand and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s revenue for 2008 was 8.1 billion U.S. dollars. ASUS ranks among the top 10 IT companies in BusinessWeek’s “InfoTech 100” andhas been on the listing for 11 consecutive years. ASUS was also selected by the Wall Street Journal Asia as No.1 in Quality and ServicesinTaiwan. Its product portfolio includes notebooks, motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, LCD monitors, information appliances, desktop PCs & PC components, servers, wireless solutions, mobile phones, handhelds, digital home solutions, broadband communication products and networking devices
ASUS is the first company to come up with a revolutionary concept of using bamboo casing for Notebooks. The Bamboo Series notebooks are ultimate celebration of the versatility of bamboo combined with the most advanced computing technology. It is an extremely fashionable Notebook with exquisite craftsmanship design that exudes unique and personalized user experience.
Stanley Wu, Country Manager for Notebook business, ASUS India, said, “The launch of Bamboo Series Notebook will usher in a new era of green computing. It will mark a paradigm shift in the way computers are used and manufactured. With the ever increasing concern over global warming and the ecological imbalance, we find it necessary to innovate products that are not only eco-friendly but also commercially viable.”
The ASUS Bamboo Series Notebook uses Super Hybrid Engine that reduces the yearly CO2 emission by 12.3kg per notebook. Given that ASUS ships approximately 6 million notebooks per year, this works out to a massive 73.8 million kilograms of CO2 emission reduced per year, which equates to saving 36 million trees annually.
About ASUS Bamboo Series Notebook:
The ASUS Bamboo Series notebook: A Seamless Marriage of Art and Engineering
The first thing about the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook that commands immediate and unfailing attention is its artisan-grade Moso bamboo paneling, which is crafted with the precision and care typically associated with bamboo instruments and arts and crafts. The organic tactility, refreshing scent and minimalist aesthetics of bamboo lend the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook an arresting aura of spirituality, warmth and old world charm that synthetic material and cold, impersonal metals will struggle to replicate. With every touch, users will be able to feel the difference – the bamboo gives an instant sense of familiarity, just like the sensation one would get from running one’s fingertips across furniture. The sensation of being close to nature is even conveyed when users use the touch pad. The genuine bamboo fiber patterns on the touch pad create the sensation of touching live bamboo. Furthermore – like any piece of original art – every ASUS Bamboo Series notebook is unique, each with its own natural patterning that is brought out beautifully by ASUS’ proprietary manufacturing process. The air of individuality of each piece can be further enhanced by several treatments that yield different colors, or by laser etching distinctive designs onto the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook’s bamboo-clad cover.
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine: A Next Generation Breakthrough in Power Efficiency
All of the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook’s power does not come at the expense of the environment. On the contrary, the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook – as with the new generation of ASUS notebooks released to market from the second half of 2008 – is remarkably energy-efficient, thanks to the implementation of ASUS’ exclusive Super Hybrid Engine technology, which is the product of a comprehensive redesigning of the hardware, software and BIOS on the part of ASUS’ engineers.
The most remarkable breakthrough of Super Hybrid Engine is that it accords users the control they need to obtain their desired level of performance – either improving power efficiency or boosting performance by the same technology core. In terms of power efficiency improvement, Super Hybrid Engine can extend battery life between 35% and 70% as compared to notebooks with the same specifications but without the technology, and yet enable users to boost their systems’ performance by up to 23%. It achieves this by intelligently monitoring the power requirements of the notebook’s components and automatically adjusting the power levels in real-time to match the current consumption needs, thus optimizing both system performance and power efficiency. Users are also given the option of selecting from a number of presets manually to ensure that the notebook conforms to the owner’s usage demands.
Bamboo as an Alternative Material: The Natural Choice
ASUS has achieved international renown for its research into, and inspired use of, biodegradable materials such as leather in its products, but its decision to embrace bamboo is nothing short of ingenious. Through the use of bamboo which has an immense tensile strength that rivals that of many metal alloys, the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook is highly resilient – an attribute proven conclusively by the fact that it is the first notebook to have survived the unforgiving conditions of snow-capped Qomolangma Peak, which stands at a staggering height of 8,848 meters (29,028 feet). Bamboo also has a renewal rate that no other plant can match. It has been known to grow 60cm in just 24 hours, reaching its maximum height in several years. Bamboo is also capable of regenerating itself upon harvesting without necessitating replanting, making it possibly the perfect renewable resource.
It’s Easy Being Green
The crux of the message borne by the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook is that “it’s easy being green”. This message resonates at both the consumer and solution provider strata. For consumers, being green is a simple matter of making smart, environmentally-conscious purchasing decisions. Choosing the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook – or any of ASUS’ notebooks, all of which were designed and manufactured in strict adherence to the same rigorous green policies and standards that governed the development of the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook – over less green alternatives, will help to preserve the Earth in no small measure.
For solution providers, the key to going green entails looking beyond mere legal compliance and proactively inculcating green values among staff. ASUS is the beacon of success for this approach. In relation to the ASUS Bamboo Series notebook for instance, staff spanning the research and development, strategy development, manufacturing, procurement, quality control, sales and marketing and even administrative departments rallied behind a common raft of green principles set by a steering committee headed by the Chairman of ASUSTek Computer Inc., Jonney Shih. This was only made possible by the company-wide green design, manufacturing and procurement systems that ASUS has in place, as well as its considerable investment into green-oriented e-learning platforms and staff education programs.
Bamboo Notebook Specifications:CPU + NB Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8600 -Mobile Intel® PM45 express chipset- Intel® WiFi Link 5100 OS Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Memory NVidia GeForce 9300M GS with TAG RAM up to 1536MB (depends on system memory). HDD DDR2 800MHz, 2 x SODIMM up to 4GB (depends on Vista 64bits readiness)SATA HDD up to 320G/5400rpm, UltraSlim ODD built in 8-in-1 Card Reader,Fingerprint, TPM module. Camera Built-in 1.3M pixel Camera with ASUS SmartLogon & LED light Battery 300 x 220 x 25.3 - 31.6 mm (W x D x H), 6 cell + 3 cell Net Weight 1.57 kg Warranty 2 years global warranty/ 1 year warranty on battery
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ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than ten thousand and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s revenue for 2008 was 8.1 billion U.S. dollars. ASUS ranks among the top 10 IT companies in BusinessWeek’s “InfoTech 100” andhas been on the listing for 11 consecutive years. ASUS was also selected by the Wall Street Journal Asia as No.1 in Quality and ServicesinTaiwan. Its product portfolio includes notebooks, motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, LCD monitors, information appliances, desktop PCs & PC components, servers, wireless solutions, mobile phones, handhelds, digital home solutions, broadband communication products and networking devices
Friday, June 26, 2009
global warming & the environment - "How The Environment Is Affecting Your Health"
The affects of our polluted environment and poor eating habits on our health can be disastrous or even deadly in some cases. For example, consider this:Due to deteriorating soil conditions, and poor eating habits, we are subjected to many of us are deficient in these vital nutrients. This results in insufficient vitamins, but also insufficient glyconutrients in the body and therefore a breakdown of the critical communication system within your body. This affects among other things the body’s ability to heal itself.All the hard water that we ingest and the chemicals that pollute our environment wreck havoc on our digestive system and destroy our health. We are sometimes not aware of what the cause is but know we are not feeling quite 100%. We tend to take our digestive system for granted and are seldom aware of the fine balance between all the mechanisms that help us digest our food and give our bodies the energy it needs to survive. Any one of these mechanisms can break down with serious consequences for us.Not only does our harsh environment impair our digestive system but our finely balanced immune system is also affected, leaving us wide open to serious diseases and infections. This leads to an insidious decline in our health. We often do not notice this until we are really sick and then it can be too late to reverse the process.What can you do to help your body strengthen it's own immune system?Think: Ambrotose!How can Ambrotose help reverse this process?Ambrotose, with its beneficial effects, can help our cells reverse all this and help you lead a healthier life. You will have more energy feel better and be able to live a fuller life. How does it do this?By taking the supplement Ambrotose you can supply the body with the necessary Glyconutrients that will help you reverse the downward spiral of ill health. Glyconutrients are very beneficial to the general health of your body they will not only aid in digestion but will actually help your body repair your digestive system. They will also help strengthen your immune system.Scientists discovered quite recently the presence of Glyconutriants in the body. They were observed with the electron microscope. Our cells are covered with fibers, which are called glycoforms. They are made up of proteins and fats. Sticking to these fibers are trillions of sugar molecules known as Glyconutrients. These molecules are vital to cell communication. They also play a critical role in helping our immune system function and strengthening our resistance to life threatening diseases.Our health is our most precious commodity. It is up to us to take care of our health and we can do this with the aid of supplements like Ambrotose. When we take steps to improve our health we can enjoy a better life and have more energy to do the things that matter to us in life.
global warming & the environment - "Lead Poisoning In Environment And Children's Exposure
Pollution is generallyy defined as the release of harmful environmental contaminants. Pollution can take two major forms: local pollution and global pollution. In the past, only local pollution was thought to be a problem. For example, coal burning produces smoke and in sufficient concentrations can be a health hazard. One slogan, taught in schools was "The solution to pollution is dilution". In recent decades, awareness has been rising that some forms of pollution pose a global problem.Traditionally, serious pollution sources include chemical plants, oil refineries, nuclear waste dumps, regular garbage dumps (many toxic substances are illegally dumped there), incinerators, PVC factories, car factories, plastics factories and corporate animal farms creating huge amounts of animal waste.Lead is still the single most important chemical toxin for children and is probably the best known example of a neurotoxin to which children are particularly vulnerable. Their special vulnerability to lead is related to their exposure (hand–mouth activity, ingestion of paint chips),the fact that upon exposure children absorb four times more lead than adults, and their susceptibility at a critical period of brain development.Children may be exposed to lead in leaded petrol from car emissions, water contaminated by lead pipes, old paint, emissions from factories, contaminated soil and food contaminated by environmental sources (including improperly glazed ceramic ware for cooking and food storage).Lead particles can move with water, soil, dust and wind. The neurotoxic effects of lead depend on the exposure level and the stage of nervous system development at the time of exposure. Studies have documented that developmental exposure to lead can adversely affects several specific brain functions, resulting in particular in learning disabilities, attention deficit, poor motor coordination, and inadequate language development. Do a thorough check of your home and always watch what your children are putting in their mouths
global warming & the environment - "Outdoor Fireplaces For Environment And Ambience
Although the summer season is coming, many people are looking towards their fireplace as a great place to spend time with friends and family in the warm months - not an indoor fireplace, but a semi-portable design often located on a back deck or in the backyard. These outdoor fireplaces provide ambience to any outdoor evening gathering, less expensively than many people think.The most common kind of outdoor fireplace is known as a chiminea, consisting of a concave base, a single opening through which to feed the fire, and a short chimney or smoke stack. These small outdoor fireplaces are often made of cast iron, aluminum, ceramic or terra cotta, and although they are intended mostly for small fires, there are larger and more durable units (generally cast iron) which are intended for a controlled but roaring bonfire in the safety of your own back yard.Chimineas and other outdoor fireplaces are designed for use in the summer with the intention of winter storage, since the clay or terra cotta based units can actually crack in extremely cold winter temperatures. Cast iron chimineas or outdoor fireplaces are not at risk for cracking, but snow and other precipitation will quickly cause them to rust. These outdoor fireplaces tend to range in price from $150 all the way up to well over $500 depending on the material, size, and the extra safety or comfort features that you happen to choose.Some have safety grills and pitched chimney stacks to keep hot embers or ash from floating away and creating a fire hazard, while others are no more than a firebox with an open stack. Regardless of the type of chiminea or outdoor fireplace, only firewood should be burned in it. Other substances may give off toxic chemicals that can ruin the atmosphere of your gathering both literally and figuratively, and some fuels may leave hard to clean deposits on the inside of the fireplace.Outdoor fireplaces are an increasingly popular way for people to gather together, experiencing the outdoors without traveling too far from home – in the evening when the air grows cooler and some brave souls venture past the air conditioning. If you think back towards childhood memories of open campfires, an outdoor woodstove might just be the thing to try.
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