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CSE’s short-term EIA training programme UNDERSTANDING EIA: FROM SCREENING TO DECISION MAKING

Vasantdada Sugar Institute is organizing two specialized training programmes on ‘Four R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover – Case Studies’ and ‘Environmental Monitoring, Control and Implementation of Pollution Control’ at its campus in Manjari, Pune. The objective of these programmes is to give practical exposure to the participants and to update their knowledge regarding the various technological developments in these areas. The details of these programmes are as follows

1. Four R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover – Case Studies (Jan 5-7,2016)
2. Environmental Monitoring, Control and Implementation of Pollution Control Distilleries, Textiles, Sugar, Cement, Thermal Power Plant, Iron & Steel, Aluminium, Lead, Copper and Zinc Smelting Units) (Jan 20-22,2016)

These are residential programs and limited to 20 particpants each from offices of CPCB and various state boards. We can also accept five extra participants from industry, consultancy, academia etc.

The course fee for each program is Rs. 10000/- + service tax per participant which includes tuition fees, training material, meals and accommodation. In case accommodation is not required the course fees will be Rs. 7500/- + service tax. A limited number of seats are available for both these programmes. Interested persons may please contact me on 020-26902343 or by email ds.nimbalkar@vsisugar.org.in

Dr. Deepali Nimbalkar
Scientist and Head
Department of Environmental Sciences
Vasantdada Sugar Institute
Manjari Bk. Tal. Haveli
Pune 412307 INDIA
Tel: +91 20 26902343 Fax: +91 20 26902244
Email: ds.nimbalkar@vsisugar.org.in
Website: www.vsisugar.com

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important tool to inform decision- makers, regulators and stakeholders, about the possible environmental, social and economic costs of the proposed project. To be effective, it requires the active involvement of all concerned stakeholders.

There is a genuine need to develop the capacity of the state-level regulators and state level expert appraisal Committee (SEAC) to screen and scope the EIA process, to conduct transparent public consultations and to evaluate the EIA reports, especially after the new EIA notification. At the same time, there is a need among CBO, NGOs, academicians, and environment managers to review and interpret EIA report, as they are technical in nature.

Centre for Science and Environment recognises this need and has developed a hands-on five-day training programme aimed at giving practical exposure to participants on EIA with specific reference to coal based power plant, cement, pharmaceutical, mining and others. After the programme, the participants shall have:

1. Exposure to all aspects of EIA, from its theory to the practical – such as better understanding regarding

• What data is required, how this data should be collected and interpreted, and significance of the data

• Effectiveness of the assessment methods

• What issues should be addressed in the Terms of Reference (TOR)

• Tools and thumb rules available to evaluate the environmental impact of projects

2. Better understanding of the EIA process – from screening, scoping, data collection to impact assessment as well as the role of public consultation 

3. Better understanding of the environmental and social impacts of the industrial and developmental projects

4. Better ability to review EIA reports and identify its strengths and weaknesses

5. Increased ability to play active role in post-EIA monitoring.
 

COURSE FEES:  

Rs 15,000 for developers, government officials and consultants,

Rs 10,000 for academicians, NGOs and researchers,

Rs 7,500 for students Note:

Note: Accommodation can be arranged nearby the training centre, would incur extra charges 
 

COURSE DURATION:  

DATE: December 7-11, 2015 

TIMING: 10.00 am to 5.30 pm 

COURSE VENUE: CSE, 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi – 62

OPEN FOR ALL
Functional Area Experts, Environment Consultants, NGOs, Regulatory Institutions (such as SPCB, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, etc.), Students, Decision Makers and Industry Professionals.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important tool to inform decision- makers, regulators and stakeholders, about the possible environmental, social and economic costs of the proposed project. To be effective, it requires the active involvement of all concerned stakeholders.

There is a genuine need to develop the capacity of the state-level regulators and state level expert appraisal Committee (SEAC) to screen and scope the EIA process, to conduct transparent public consultations and to evaluate the EIA reports, especially after the new EIA notification. At the same time, there is a need among CBO, NGOs, academicians, and environment managers to review and interpret EIA report, as they are technical in nature.

Centre for Science and Environment recognises this need and has developed a hands-on five-day training programme aimed at giving practical exposure to participants on EIA with specific reference to coal based power plant, cement, pharmaceutical, mining and others. After the programme, the participants shall have:

1. Exposure to all aspects of EIA, from its theory to the practical – such as better understanding regarding

• What data is required, how this data should be collected and interpreted, and significance of the data

• Effectiveness of the assessment methods

• What issues should be addressed in the Terms of Reference (TOR)

• Tools and thumb rules available to evaluate the environmental impact of projects

2. Better understanding of the EIA process – from screening, scoping, data collection to impact assessment as well as the role of public consultation 

3. Better understanding of the environmental and social impacts of the industrial and developmental projects

4. Better ability to review EIA reports and identify its strengths and weaknesses

5. Increased ability to play active role in post-EIA monitoring.
 

COURSE FEES:  

Rs 15,000 for developers, government officials and consultants,

Rs 10,000 for academicians, NGOs and researchers,

Rs 7,500 for students Note:

Note: Accommodation can be arranged nearby the training centre, would incur extra charges 
 

COURSE DURATION:  

DATE: December 7-11, 2015 

TIMING: 10.00 am to 5.30 pm 

COURSE VENUE: CSE, 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi – 62

LAST DATE FOR APPLYING: November 6, 2015 

OPEN FOR ALL
Functional Area Experts, Environment Consultants, NGOs, Regulatory Institutions (such as SPCB, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, etc.), Students, Decision Makers and Industry Professionals.

For registration: Kindly email at: digvijay@cseindia.org 

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is organizing a hands-on three-day training programme on Environmental Impacts with specific reference to renewable energy power projects.

Job Opening for Environmental Sciences and related subjects PG candidates

Location: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Amity University Haryana

Position:    Ph.D Scholar cum Teaching Associate

Area of Research: Interdisciplinary interface of Environmental Sciences.

Eligibility: M.Sc/M.A with NET/M.Tech in relevant subjects (Environmental Science, Geology, Geography, Planning, Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Water resources, Energy Studies, Remote Sensing & GIS or other relevant Engineering disciplines).

Emoluments: 20,000/- per Month (Consolidated)

Job Assignments: To carry out Ph.D research in the Interdisciplinary areas of Environmental Sciences and will also be simultaneously assigned teaching to UG level.

Research Association: It would be a collaborative Ph.D research programme with universities/Institutions, where a co-supervisor is required form institute/university last attended or chosen by candidate.

 Application Process: Interested & eligible candidates may send their application supported by self attested copies of the below mentioned documents to krajendra@ggn.amity.edu. Shortlisted candidates will be called for Interview.

1. An updated CV
2. Statement of Purpose (not more than 2 pages)
3. A reference letter from the concerned faculty from where the candidate will collaborate for research
4. Photocopies of testimonials supporting education qualification, NET certificate, Date of Birth

Note: Above positions are meant for fresh M.Sc with NET (in exceptional case, NET may be exempted)/M.Tech. The research work will be in collaboration with prospective Institutes/Universities where candidate last attended or chosen by candidate. The candidate is required to furnish the consent letter for prospective Co-supervisior at the time of Interview (if shortlisted).

For the nearly 2000 people who have viewed last week's Green Electronics webcast. First - thanks so much for your interest!, and second - here is a link to an in depth slide presentation in case you want more information:  http://j.mp/1j9cEWf  

Please visit the EPEAT website at www.epeat.net for much more information - and feel free to contact me here or directly to request assistance or enter into discussion of any aspect of green electronics purchasing and management.

The authorities in Haryana will be conducting the important public hearing on the environmental impacts of the proposed Gorakhpur Nuclear Power Plant (GNPP) on 17th July 2012.

As per the rules, local people should be given the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report 1 month prior to the public hearing. But the people of 6 panchayats in Fatehabad districts who will be affected by this project have not received copies of the EIA.

Check out the India Environment Portal for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report of this controversial upcoming Gorakhpur nuclear plant in Fatehabad, Haryana . Download, Share and Comment

“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.”

― C. S. Lewis

With the introduction of Environmental Studies in the Indian educational syllabus since the early 2000s, many of us have started appreciating the need for environmental education for children in particular. However, many of us are not aware of the good work being done by some organizations in this field for the past many years. One such stellar Non-governmental Organization (NGO) is Paryavaran Dakshata Manch. Started in July 1999, Paryavaran Dakshata Manch, the founders of this NGO recognized the need for continued environmental awareness raising and education much before the Supreme Court needed to step in to make the subject mandatory for school children.

The brainchild of a group of friends in Thane (a north-eastern suburb of Mumbai), the efforts of Paryavaran Dakshata Manch has been educating school children about conservation, biodiversity, and preserving and protecting natural resources such as forests and creeks for many years now. Simple exercises like educating children and citizens about the use of paper flags instead of plastic ones ahead of the Republic and Independence Days strikes a chord with them. Another popular festival with an eco-friendly twist is Rakshabandhan. Paryavaran Dakshata Manch encourages children to celebrate Rakshabandhan by tying rakhiaround their favourite tree. They then take a vow to take care of the tree and protect it, and further the cause of conservation.

The organization’s efforts are particularly notable due to the fact that it caters to a variety of students, including those whose medium of school instruction is Marathi. Since 2003, the NGO has been publishing the Aapale Paryavaran magazine, which is the only Marathi magazine devoted entirely to environmental issues. In a world where information on environmental issues is undoubtedly easy to find online, we forget that it is primarily available in English. Updating this material and presenting it to students in Marathi is of prime importance. Other noteworthy activities conducted by the NGO throughout the year include nature trails and camps, and the annual Nisarg Mela, a workshop-based event. Last year, close to 1,200 students from about 40 schools participated in the Mela, thus attesting to its popularity. Most recently, the organization introduced a scholarship programme called Nisarg to encourage students to conduct research on environmental issues. Under this flagship scheme, five groups of deserving students who have completed the tenth grade (SSC) are given a sum of Rs. 10,000/-. The research proposals are evaluated by a panel of judges and thereafter, the chosen groups receive guidance from experts on the basic principles of research methodology. Projects are to be completed within six months. Paryavaran Dakshata Manch hopes such efforts engender a spirit of inquiry and problem-solving within the younger generation.

Above: School students posing with a rakhi tied to “their tree” on the occasion of Rakshabandhan. By doing so, they promise to nurture the tree.

Paryavaran Dakshata Manch does not concentrate on school-going students alone. Last Diwali, it hosted two stalls, one each at National College (Bandra) and IBM Business Centre (Malad). The stall at IBM was a product stall where volunteers showcased friendly material like vermicompost, the “Magicbucket” specially designed by them to make vermicompost, paper bags, and artefacts made from wooden waste material by Pragati Prathisthan an NGO working in the Adivasi belt of Jawahar (Thane district). The stall at National College was geared towards raising awareness about environmental issues during the college’s Diwali Mela. In 2010, the NGO also conducted Nandanvan Sunder Gharghuti Baug, a competition of home gardens in Thane and Dombivli.

So how does this make Paryavaran Dakshata Manch different from the other NGOs working in the environmental education arena? For one thing, aside from a full-time small and dedicated staff, a large number of volunteers continue to find time to devote towards environmental issues. Professor Vidyadhar Walawalkar, one of the co-founders of Paryavaran Dakshata Manch,is particularly thankful for all the support the organization has received from various quarters, including its wonderful employees and staff, and the volunteers who help run its initiatives. Aside from donations from well-wishers, all its activities are funded through profits made by their common biomedical waste management consultancy located at Thane. Professor Walawalkar, who is also a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at Thane’s VPM Polytechnic, puts particular importance on the concept of “social entrepreneurship”. A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change. While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur focuses on creating social capital, particularly to further social and environmental goals. Typically, in such ventures, the management and employees are brought together by a common goal, and themselves become the shareholders at the organization. As a result, there is a greater stake at ensuring goals are met and that the organization continues to prosper.

If only we had more such organizations, we could change the face of India.

This article was contributed by Mahazareen Dastur. Based in Mumbai, she has been associated with environmental issues for over a decade now.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has assessed a sugar beet plant a $50,400 civil penalty for air quality and storage tank violations. Inspectors also found violations of storage tank requirements. Those included late and missing tank inspections, corrosion on steel tanks and piping, and unreported leaks and spills of beet juice.

Impact of Corrosion on Environment.