Protest held off Vizag coast against gas expansion

The Hindu | V. Kamalakara Rao | Nov 08, 2024
Counterparts hold similar protests at Palghar near Mumbai, and off the Gujarat coast in the Arabian Sea

As many as 100 people, including fishermen and tribals, held an innovative protest in 10 fishing boats in the sea as part of the ‘Asia Day Against Gas Expansion’ against the activities that are against the objectives of the Paris Agreement that combats Climate Change.

Mines, Minerals & PEOPLE (MM&P), an NGO, organised the protest on behalf of international organisations Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD), Asian Energy Network, Don’t Gas Asia, and Don’t Gas The South, on the Bay of Bengal along the Visakhapatnam coast.

Speaking to The Hindu, MM&P chairperson Ravi Rebbapragada said, “We held the protest on the Bay of Bengal along the Visakhapatnam coast. We are members of international organisations, and similarly along the west coast, at Palghar in Maharastra, and some places in Gujarat as well, similar protests were held against the activities that affect the environment and go against the objectives of the Paris Agreement.”

Apart from local fishermen, tribals from Borra Caves and other parts of ASR district also participated in the protest by holding placards in the 10 boats in the sea, Mr. Ravi added.

“The Paris Agreement is an international treaty that aims to limit global warming and help countries adapt to climate change. It is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris on December 12 in 2015, and entered into force on November 4, 2016,” Mr. Ravi said.

“World leaders of The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is an international treaty among countries to combat dangerous human interference with climate change, have stressed the need to limit the global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century,” he said.

“Even as the world is facing a climate change-induced crisis year after year, gas projects continue to rise at a pace faster than how countries must reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This prompted us to launch the protest against the expansion of the gas projects with placards saying ‘Stop Gas Expansion’, ‘Stop Financing Natural Gas’ & ‘No to Gas & LNG’. However, the solution is renewable energy. Gas is not a transition fuel. Fossil gas is harmful for the planet, toxic to humans, and expensive. So, don’t gas the south,” Mr. Ravi said.

Rs 82,000 cr collected under District Mineral Foundation till August: Govt

Business Standard | Oct 09, 2023

DMF is a non-profit body working for people and areas affected by mining-related activities in such manner as may be prescribed by the state government

The mines ministry on Monday said Rs 82,370.79 crore has been collected under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) till August this year.
DMF is a non-profit body working for people and areas affected by mining-related activities in such manner as may be prescribed by the state government.

“The total amount of funds collected under DMF comes to Rs 82,370.79 crore and the amount utilised stands at Rs 45,150.21 crore (August),” the Ministry of Mines said.
As of August, DMFs have been set up in 644 districts in 23 states/Union Territories, while 17 states/UTs have DMFs in each district, the ministry said.

States and UTs that have DMFs in all district include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Ensure basic rights of tribals: NCST to Odisha government

The Indian Express | March 20, 2023

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has asked the Odisha government to ensure basic human rights and justice to tribals residing in more than 45 villages bordering West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

Taking cognisance of a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex panel for tribal rights has issued notice to chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena seeking a detailed reply within 15 days.

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India & World Bank signs loan agreement for construction of Green National Highway Corridors Project in 4 States

National News, March 16, 2023

India and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement for the construction of the Green National Highway Corridors Project in four States. These States are Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The agreement has been signed for the construction of 781 kilometers in these States, with loan assistance of 500 million dollars.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, the total project cost is over seven thousand 662 crore rupees. He said, the objective of the Green National Highway Corridors Project is to demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view climate resilience and use of green technologies.

Drop pumped storage hydroelectric projects granted to various private entities in Fifth Schedule region, HRF urges Andhra Pradesh government

The Hindu | Jan 17, 2023

‘Adivasis in these areas have been deliberately kept in the dark’

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) demanded that the State Government drop the pumped storage hydroelectric Projects (PSPs) granted to various private entities in the Fifth Schedule region of Alluri Sitarama Raju and Parvathipuram-Manyam districts.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Tuesday, V.S. Krishna, HRF AP and TS Coordination Committee member, said that there are proposals for four PSPs in the Fifth Schedule region that have been cleared by the State Government recently.

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