In general, mangroves are plants and shrubs (mangrove swamp and mangrove forest) that grow in saline coastal areas in the tropics and subtropics. The plants and shrubs are diverse, but all are able to adapt themselves physiologically to the existing local conditions such as saline water and fine sediments with high organic content. Once established, intricate root system of the mangrove plants provide a habitat for oysters and help to impede water flow, thereby enhancing the deposition of sediment in the areas.
In Asia, mangroves occur on the south coast of Asia, throughout the Indian subcontinent, in all the southeast Asian countries, and on islands in the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and South China Sea. The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, located in the Ganges delta in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. The plants are capable of absorbing a lot of energy from the powerful sea waves. Every one of us is aware that the towns in southern India which had good mangroves covers were not affected by the tsunami that devastated the eastern coastline during the year 2004.
In a typical Indian coastal state like Maharashtra (Mumbai is part of the state), it is reported that there are about 6000 hectares of mangroves spread across the state’s coast line. Following satellite mapping, about 2000 hectares (1 hectare = 10,000 square metres) of mangroves are notified as Protected Forests. Mumbai alone has more than 1500 hectares under mangroves. The Bombay High Court has put a ban on destroying mangroves for development purposes.
Various governmental agencies are aggressively trying to get exemption from the earlier stay granted by the High Court’s order not to destroy the mangroves. However, the environmentalists and public are worried that finally these exempted areas will be swallowed by the builder’s lobby for construction of exclusive towers facing the sea, and the protection provided by the mangroves against floods and tsunamis will not be available. The fate of about 4000 hectares is being decided by the Bombay High Court.
The threats of natural disasters are increasing due to global warming. In areas of the world where mangroves have been removed for development purposes, the disturbance of the underlying sediments often creates problems of trace metal contamination of seawater and extensive erosion of the land mass. That only means that the very mangroves which we are trying to destroy for development are required to save the proposed infrastructure and the buildings to be built on the land from floods and tsunamis! Let us all join hands to preserve the life-saving mangroves from extinction.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
“No nukes for peace” – What it means?
This is a recent title appeared in one of the Indian widely circulated dailies, that too in the editorial page. There are many inconsistent and incorrect statements in the article. As per my learned and independent opinion, one should leave the national security and weapons mix-up to the Indian government to decide. I think that it should be a political decision keeping in mind the overall threat perception to the national security. With regard to nuclear disarmament, one can not fight countries having hundreds of Brammahstras with simple bow and arrows. One should remember the debacle and humiliation faced by India in the 1962 war with China.
In view of the Indian three stage nuclear power development program, the major part of the plutonium from the power reactor spent-fuel reprocessing needs to be deployed for the nuclear fuel manufacture for use in Fast Breeder Reactors. Use of plutonium in weapons is only one of the many applications.
The awareness amongst the public now is not that bad as to believe the author that nuclear power is a hazardous and accident prone energy source. One should discuss only with the numbers to prove the points. The statement: “Its radiation is an invisible but deadly poison” does not make any sense. Everybody knows that radiation is extensively used for medical applications to diagnose diseases and to treat cancer patients. In high exposure situations, everything is dangerous. Why only radiation?
Nuclear power has a bright future as a proved clean energy source. Japan, which suffered nuclear attacks in the past, is depending heavily on nuclear power. Everyone knows that coal-based power plants are highly polluting and one should be aware of the alarming global warming effects already felt and seen worldwide. Yes, the management of radioactive waste continues to be an emotional subject. It is proved beyond any doubt technically or otherwise that the waste can be safely managed. One can see that it is definitely managed far better and safely than the much more hazardous chemical and biological wastes.
With regard to the cost of power generation, if one adds up the cost of: controlling the deadly emissions from the coal-based plants, management of coal-ash and the coal transportation cost, the cost of power from the fusil fuel-based plants will be as much or more than the cost of nuclear power.
Yes, the percentage contribution of nuclear power is very small. With the Indo-US deal, the bottleneck of nuclear fuel shortage is likely to be solved. The existing reactors can run with full capacity, more and more of standardized 500/1000 MWe reactors can be quickly built / imported with Public Private Participation, supported of course by stringent regulations. To supplement nuclear power, let the government also work on war footing to develop the clean renewable sources such as wind, geothermal and solar power. There is an urgent need for arranging more and more awareness programs to sensitize the public with regards to the benefits and risks of radiation applications in a focused manner. The article shows that even the educated lot needs to be made aware of the facts so that such articles are not written out of ignorance.
In view of the Indian three stage nuclear power development program, the major part of the plutonium from the power reactor spent-fuel reprocessing needs to be deployed for the nuclear fuel manufacture for use in Fast Breeder Reactors. Use of plutonium in weapons is only one of the many applications.
The awareness amongst the public now is not that bad as to believe the author that nuclear power is a hazardous and accident prone energy source. One should discuss only with the numbers to prove the points. The statement: “Its radiation is an invisible but deadly poison” does not make any sense. Everybody knows that radiation is extensively used for medical applications to diagnose diseases and to treat cancer patients. In high exposure situations, everything is dangerous. Why only radiation?
Nuclear power has a bright future as a proved clean energy source. Japan, which suffered nuclear attacks in the past, is depending heavily on nuclear power. Everyone knows that coal-based power plants are highly polluting and one should be aware of the alarming global warming effects already felt and seen worldwide. Yes, the management of radioactive waste continues to be an emotional subject. It is proved beyond any doubt technically or otherwise that the waste can be safely managed. One can see that it is definitely managed far better and safely than the much more hazardous chemical and biological wastes.
With regard to the cost of power generation, if one adds up the cost of: controlling the deadly emissions from the coal-based plants, management of coal-ash and the coal transportation cost, the cost of power from the fusil fuel-based plants will be as much or more than the cost of nuclear power.
Yes, the percentage contribution of nuclear power is very small. With the Indo-US deal, the bottleneck of nuclear fuel shortage is likely to be solved. The existing reactors can run with full capacity, more and more of standardized 500/1000 MWe reactors can be quickly built / imported with Public Private Participation, supported of course by stringent regulations. To supplement nuclear power, let the government also work on war footing to develop the clean renewable sources such as wind, geothermal and solar power. There is an urgent need for arranging more and more awareness programs to sensitize the public with regards to the benefits and risks of radiation applications in a focused manner. The article shows that even the educated lot needs to be made aware of the facts so that such articles are not written out of ignorance.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
BAN ON SMOKING TO COVER ALL PLACES OF WORK IN INDIA
Health minister of Indian Government declared that all places of work in the country will be tobacco free. All the government offices are already non-smoking areas. One really wonders what is happening in the world today! Some of the titles seen in the Indian news papers are given below:
1. Smoking may help to ward off Parkinson’s disease
2. No puffs in offices soon
3. Anti-smoking pill curbs drinking
4. Smokers lose more muscle in old age.
5. Cancers such as lung cancer, throat cancer, breast cancer s in humans could
be related to the consumption of tobacco.
6. Smoking may bring on early menopause with increased risk of heart disease.
7. Smoking affects sex life, bad for good sex.
The same news paper also gives Indian statistics on Tobacco such as:
1. India is the second largest producer of tobacco in the world.
2. Tobacco kills 9,00,000 people per year.
3. 14 Crore (140 million) men and 4 Crore (40 million) women in India are
regular tobacco users.
4. Tobacco is consumed as cigarettes, bidi, chewing tobacco, ghutka and snuff.
5. One out of 10 Indian adults is dying of tobacco related diseases
6. Tobacco worth Rs 24,000 Crore is sold annually. The total tobacco
consumption is 4,300 lakh (430 million) kg.
The past experience on the prohibition on alcohol consumption is not very encouraging. In addition to the loss of revenues to the government, the alcohol was sold illegally in black market without any control and quality assurance of the products. Many fatalities occurred due to consumption of adulterated alcohol.
May be, the only way to control is not half-hearted prohibition on tobacco consumption, but spend the money earned for the education of the masses and bring-in awareness about its ill-effects on health, starting at school level. Television can serve as a powerful medium for such purposes.
1. Smoking may help to ward off Parkinson’s disease
2. No puffs in offices soon
3. Anti-smoking pill curbs drinking
4. Smokers lose more muscle in old age.
5. Cancers such as lung cancer, throat cancer, breast cancer s in humans could
be related to the consumption of tobacco.
6. Smoking may bring on early menopause with increased risk of heart disease.
7. Smoking affects sex life, bad for good sex.
The same news paper also gives Indian statistics on Tobacco such as:
1. India is the second largest producer of tobacco in the world.
2. Tobacco kills 9,00,000 people per year.
3. 14 Crore (140 million) men and 4 Crore (40 million) women in India are
regular tobacco users.
4. Tobacco is consumed as cigarettes, bidi, chewing tobacco, ghutka and snuff.
5. One out of 10 Indian adults is dying of tobacco related diseases
6. Tobacco worth Rs 24,000 Crore is sold annually. The total tobacco
consumption is 4,300 lakh (430 million) kg.
The past experience on the prohibition on alcohol consumption is not very encouraging. In addition to the loss of revenues to the government, the alcohol was sold illegally in black market without any control and quality assurance of the products. Many fatalities occurred due to consumption of adulterated alcohol.
May be, the only way to control is not half-hearted prohibition on tobacco consumption, but spend the money earned for the education of the masses and bring-in awareness about its ill-effects on health, starting at school level. Television can serve as a powerful medium for such purposes.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
EVERYBODY DOWNPLAYED IMMINENT DANGER TO EARTH FROM GLOBAL WARMING
Every one of us, including the government and even the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change downplayed the imminent danger of the earth being perilously close to the dramatic climate change which is being currently witnessed worldwide. We are witnessing unprecedented heat waves and huge fires in Europe, worst kind of floods in England, China, and elsewhere. It is reported that the panel predicted sea level increase between 18 and 59 centimetres due to the melting of glaciers and polar ice sheets.
Intervention at the international level, not less than United Nations, can only save the earth from this gravest threat of climate change. Reliable monitoring for the greenhouse gas levels and the temperature measurements of the atmosphere need to be carried out independently and remedial measures should be taken up on war footing. In addition to doling out money to the developing countries as carbon credits, the so called developed countries should themselves reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the levels stipulated by Kyoto Protocol. The deadline should be not by 2012 and it should be achieved by 2008.
One more question that is in the back of everybody’s mind is: Whether emission of greenhouse gases is only responsible for global warming? Any comments?
Intervention at the international level, not less than United Nations, can only save the earth from this gravest threat of climate change. Reliable monitoring for the greenhouse gas levels and the temperature measurements of the atmosphere need to be carried out independently and remedial measures should be taken up on war footing. In addition to doling out money to the developing countries as carbon credits, the so called developed countries should themselves reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the levels stipulated by Kyoto Protocol. The deadline should be not by 2012 and it should be achieved by 2008.
One more question that is in the back of everybody’s mind is: Whether emission of greenhouse gases is only responsible for global warming? Any comments?
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
EARTHQUAKE IN JAPAN TIPPED OVER NUCLEAR WASTE DRUMS
It was reported in the media that Japan nuke plant leaks after a powerful earth quake of 6.8 magnitude on July 16, 2007 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility run by Tokyo Electric. The spokesman for Tokyo Electric said earlier that the quake had caused the reactor to spill radioactive water into the sea.
However, the latest report from the Associated Press indicates that the earthquake tipped over barrels of nuclear waste at a power plant in the site and the officials on Tuesday are investigating whether there were any radioactive leaks. The report said that about 100 drums containing low-level nuclear waste fell over at the plant during Monday's 6.6-magnitude quake and were found a day later, some with their lids open quoting Mr. Masahide Ichikawa, an official with the local government in Niigata prefecture.
It is desirable that media should refrain from reporting the matter in a way that will scare the members of the public without obtaining confirmed official reports on the incident.
However, the latest report from the Associated Press indicates that the earthquake tipped over barrels of nuclear waste at a power plant in the site and the officials on Tuesday are investigating whether there were any radioactive leaks. The report said that about 100 drums containing low-level nuclear waste fell over at the plant during Monday's 6.6-magnitude quake and were found a day later, some with their lids open quoting Mr. Masahide Ichikawa, an official with the local government in Niigata prefecture.
It is desirable that media should refrain from reporting the matter in a way that will scare the members of the public without obtaining confirmed official reports on the incident.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
WHY HI-TECH INDUSTRIES DRAG THEIR FEET IN INDIA?
Simultaneous growth in Hi-Tech industries in India is important to sustain the growth rate and to ensure national security. The sectors are generally controlled, directly or indirectly by the governmental policy. However, the necessary growth in these industries is plagued by the sanctions from the so-called developed countries for decades. Though, this has definitely helped the country in developing technologies indigenously, it has resulted in considerable delay in the all-round progress. Thus, all the time, India has been lagging behind in the areas of interest such as space, atomic energy and micro-electronics.
It is time that the government needs to take hard decisions with respect to the selection of able leadership for defense research and in the science and technology sector. The selection of the Top Leader should be purely based on all-round merit, and not on caste, religion, regional politics or “apna admi” basis.
The government should maintain overall control over the strategic departments and related industries. The applicable civil rules and work conditions may be diluted/ modified / changed to facilitate Public-Private-Partnership so as to:
1. Create openings for the academics to work in national laboratories on sabbaticals and vice-versa.
2. Establishment of more close and transparent interaction/association between defense services, academy and industry.
3. Quality assurance should be given top most priority in all manufactures and procurements.
4. Rules should be made easy to penalize corrupt and in-efficient officials.
5. Hierarchy should be planned in advance to facilitate smooth and timely implementation of the projects. Seniority need not be the only criteria.
6. Procurements should be made less time consuming. Purchases should not be bound by the “accept minimum quotation” basis. This concept not only compromises on quality, but also causes avoidable delay in project implementation.
It is time that the government needs to take hard decisions with respect to the selection of able leadership for defense research and in the science and technology sector. The selection of the Top Leader should be purely based on all-round merit, and not on caste, religion, regional politics or “apna admi” basis.
The government should maintain overall control over the strategic departments and related industries. The applicable civil rules and work conditions may be diluted/ modified / changed to facilitate Public-Private-Partnership so as to:
1. Create openings for the academics to work in national laboratories on sabbaticals and vice-versa.
2. Establishment of more close and transparent interaction/association between defense services, academy and industry.
3. Quality assurance should be given top most priority in all manufactures and procurements.
4. Rules should be made easy to penalize corrupt and in-efficient officials.
5. Hierarchy should be planned in advance to facilitate smooth and timely implementation of the projects. Seniority need not be the only criteria.
6. Procurements should be made less time consuming. Purchases should not be bound by the “accept minimum quotation” basis. This concept not only compromises on quality, but also causes avoidable delay in project implementation.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
ETHICAL ISSUES IN MEDICINE
Often, it is reported that negligence on the part of doctors resulting in fatalities, delay in providing life-saving medical support, delay in admitting seriously injured in accidents, etc. Any loss of life results in irreplaceable losses of various kinds like financial and emotional, to the near and dear ones of the dead.
It is true that doctors are not Gods, but only mere mortals. It is a profession which should be taken only if one has the mentality of providing service to the needy. But today, the profession has lost its godly face and has become overly commercial. What happened to the sacred Hippocratic Oath taken while passing the MBBS degree promising to treat the ill to the best of one’s ability? Medical ethics should be made compulsory in the medical curriculum.
There many bioethical issues which need harmonization efforts at the global level so that a comprehensive protocol / recommendations are brought out for acceptance and implementation by the appropriate national bodies like Medical Council of India. Some of the major ethical issues that need immediate attention are:
1. Clinical research activities, using new drugs or carrying out new procedures on patients without their as well as their relative’s knowledge. The side effects should be fully explained.
2. Use of unnecessary radiological procedures. Radiation dose to the patients should be optimized in consultation with the medical physicists. The side effects of the exposures to high levels of radiation should be explained to the patients.
3. Surgical and other intrusive procedures should be carried out only by the suitably qualified and authorized medical personnel, that too only if it is necessary. Commercial angle should not be the guiding force.
4. Sexual exploitation of female patients by medical and paramedical personnel.
It is planned to collect responses and comments from the readers on this all important issue, analyze and publish it for the information of everybody.
Often, it is reported that negligence on the part of doctors resulting in fatalities, delay in providing life-saving medical support, delay in admitting seriously injured in accidents, etc. Any loss of life results in irreplaceable losses of various kinds like financial and emotional, to the near and dear ones of the dead.
It is true that doctors are not Gods, but only mere mortals. It is a profession which should be taken only if one has the mentality of providing service to the needy. But today, the profession has lost its godly face and has become overly commercial. What happened to the sacred Hippocratic Oath taken while passing the MBBS degree promising to treat the ill to the best of one’s ability? Medical ethics should be made compulsory in the medical curriculum.
There many bioethical issues which need harmonization efforts at the global level so that a comprehensive protocol / recommendations are brought out for acceptance and implementation by the appropriate national bodies like Medical Council of India. Some of the major ethical issues that need immediate attention are:
1. Clinical research activities, using new drugs or carrying out new procedures on patients without their as well as their relative’s knowledge. The side effects should be fully explained.
2. Use of unnecessary radiological procedures. Radiation dose to the patients should be optimized in consultation with the medical physicists. The side effects of the exposures to high levels of radiation should be explained to the patients.
3. Surgical and other intrusive procedures should be carried out only by the suitably qualified and authorized medical personnel, that too only if it is necessary. Commercial angle should not be the guiding force.
4. Sexual exploitation of female patients by medical and paramedical personnel.
It is planned to collect responses and comments from the readers on this all important issue, analyze and publish it for the information of everybody.
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