Opinion
Security for India
17 Jun 2007 |
| Business India
The issue of energy security in India is quite often considered synonymous with the issue of oil security for the country. While the geopolitical implications of growing demand for hydrocarbons and increasing dependence of the country on oil are important, energy security in India has to be viewed in the context of primary energy supplies, both commercial and non-commercial. It should not be limited to the concerns about availability of hydrocarbons alone.
Industry in context of its watershed
13 Jun 2007 |
Dr Kapil Kumar Narula
| Business India
Water is a finite resource that needs to be shared between industry, the people who keep industry moving and the environment that sustains the whole process. Watershed, a natural habitat of water, is an area of land that drains water, sediment and dissolved materials to a common receiving body or outlet. The term is not restricted to surface water runoff and includes interactions with subsurface water and groundwater. Watersheds vary from the largest river basins to just acres or less in size. If we imagine a maple leaf the stalk of the leaf is the river and the veins threading into the stalk are the tributaries flowing into the river. The complete leaf represents a river drainage system, or watershed.
Did G8 achieve anything on climate?
11 Jun 2007 |
Dr Leena Srivastava
| The Economic Times
The agreement to "seriously consider" a halving of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 by the G8 countries can, in the context of the stone-walling being done by the United States on any climate targets, be seen as a significant step forward. The adequacy of this longer-term step, with no immediate or short-term commitments to alleviate the risks posed to developing countries from the committed climate change, is highly questionable.
Climate change: Pachauri moots new crop pattern
25 May 2007 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| Deccan Herald
More hot years. More extreme weather events. More species on the vanishing trail. More health problems. Less food to eat.
Reiterating what he called the "horror story" to a small audience at the Bangalre International Centre was Dr R K Pachauri, none other than the man who helped script it, or rather put the global warming story on the front page. As chairman of the International Panel on Climate Change, Pachauri has played no small role in the panel's four assessment reports which have looked into the various aspects of global warming.
Times of a nation
24 May 2007 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| Indian Express
Introduction of two time zones would be a very small step in facilitating efficient use of resources in the power sector. But today every little bit would help
The deficit in supply of electricity against demand in the country is affecting the economy adversely. While estimates of the cost of electricity shortages vary from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent of the GDP, even more serious is the enormous loss of human welfare on account of an erratic and unreliable supply of power. While official figures indicate a peak shortage of 13.9 per cent and energy shortages amounting to 9.3 per cent, the recent performance of the power sector does not provide any assurance that relief is in sight. One basic flaw lies in the sole emphasis on adding supply capacity without adequate regard to bringing about efficiency improvements and implementing measures for demand management.
It's not cricket
26 Mar 2007 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Indian Express
The 2007 World Cup in cricket is likely to go down in history as a tournament that all lovers of the game would like to forget, essentially for the dark shadow cast by the murder of Bob Woolmer, one of the most likable persons in the game. This tragic killing brings to the surface only a symptom of all that's gone wrong with the game of cricket across the world and more particularly in India and Pakistan.
It's a fatal attraction
23 Mar 2007 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| Mint
The rapid rate of economic growth registered by the Indian economy so early in the new millennium raises aspirations that the 21st century would possibly be India's century. Sustaining a healthy rate of economic growth, however, would require substantial improvements in several sectors, one of the most important of which is energy. Over the past two decades, much of the ills that afflict India's energy supply and distribution industry have largely been submerged under the growing consumption of hydrocarbons- in a period when oil prices remained at historical lows after crashing in 1985.
It is also low on energy
01 Mar 2007 |
Dr Leena Srivastava
| DNA
The budget needs to be seen in the context of the fact that against a 10th plan target of adding over 41,000 MW of electricity generation capacity a mere 23,000 MW is likely to be added. The insipid interest of the private sector in electricity generation has not been addressed. The Centre seems to be relying primarily on the Ultra Mega Power Projects to add capacities for the 11th 5-yr Plan period. The increased outlays on APDRP (distribution reforms) and RGGVY (Rural electrification) would have been welcome if only it was clear how these programmes are being refined to reflect learnings from previous years. The Economic Survey estimates the extent of subsidies on electricity supply to agriculture to continue to be a staggering Rs 27,000 crore in 2007-08 with an uncovered subsidy of Rs 18, 270 crore! While Chidambaram spoke of computerising the PDS system, he continues to ignore recommendations on using technology (smart cards) to have targeted delivery of services and subsidies on energy. The reduction in ad valorem excise duty on petrol and diesel is welcome, but it would have had much greater value if a longer term direction had been provided on petroleum product pricing. The unequal treatment to private players on product pricing remains unaddressed. The excise duty exemption to bio-diesel is welcome although, in terms of scale, visible impacts could only be seen a few years from now.
Sustainable Well-Being
13 Feb 2007 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| Science (Vol. 16)
Economic progress achieved since the advent of industrialization has resulted largely from advances in science and technology (S&T). Yet even as society benefits from S&T through choices that we have come to take for granted, decisions on its future are increasingly being questioned and scrutinized. The current path of economic growth deviates from the objectives of sustainable development. It is not only society at large, spearheaded by leaders of public opinion, that is expressing concerns, but also the scientific community itself, which is looking for ways to promote the sustainable well-being of all humanity.
Change Agent
12 Feb 2007 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Straits Times
Back from Paris after presenting a climate change report, Dr Rajendra Pachauri was disturbed by a mosquito's buzz as he rested in his New Delhi home last week.
What alarmed the environmental expert, who chaired the United Nations-backed panel which issued the report, was not the insect's presence so much as the timing: This is the height of the northern Indian winter and flies and mosquitoes ought to have vanished.