TERI's World Educators' Conference on Environment and Climate Change.

“THE FIRST ENVIRONMENT EDUCATORS’ CONFERENCE”
TERI GRAM
TERI’S SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS AT GUAL PAHARI
GURGAON (HARYANA)
13th November to 15th November, 2008

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), formerly known as the Tata Energy Research Institute, had invited Papers and Presentations from the educators and environmentalist from all over the world for the “First Environment Educators’ Conference”, in the month of August-September, 2008. Based on the scrutiny of Papers and Presentations submitted, approximately 350 were ultimately chosen to participate in the conference. I was fortunate to be selected for this Conference which was organized by the world’s one of the most renowned and prestigious institute – TERI.

The conference was attended by the educators and environmentalists from across the length & breadth of India and from as far as Brunei, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The three days programme was highly action oriented, informative and fruitful. There were interesting sessions right from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M, including the entertainment programmes based on current environmental issues, in the evenings.

The Conference had an underlying theme of ‘Climate Change’ related to ten specific areas / working groups, viz.:

• Water Management
• Climatic extremes – Disaster management
• Green cover – Forest and biodiversity
• Household energy
• Transport
• Impact on human health
• Lifestyle change
• Waste management
• Impact on coastal zones
• Impact on mountain regions

My subject area in the conference was “Climate Change – Climatic Extremes and Disaster Management”. In the conference, I had the opportunity to work with and share experiences / thoughts with the resource persons. The resource persons in the conference were:

Dr Vibha Dhawan (Executive Director, TERI), Dr P P Bhonvaid (Dean – Academic, TERI University), Mr. I H Rehman (Director – Social Transformation, TERI), Mr. Subhas C Khuntia (Joint Sec. MHRD), Mr. R Mehta (Advisor – MoEF), Ms Ranjana Saikia (Area Convenor, EEA – TERI), Ms Gowri Ishwaran (TGELF, Khemka Foundation), Dr T V Shimray (DESM- NCERT), Dr Branmdeep Sindhu (Dept. of Health, PWD Haryana), Shri Vimlendhu Jha (Swechha), Dr. B C Sabata (Senior Scientific Officer Dept. of Env. Delhi Govt.), Shri Uppendra Dhar (Senior Visiting Fellow, TERI, Delhi), Mr. Arijit Sengupta (Bureau of Energy Efficiency), Ms. Chhavi Dhingra (Associate Fellow, TERI), Dr R C Dhiman (National Institute of Malaria Research – ICMR), Shri Niranjan Khatri (ITC Welcome Group), Shri N B Mazumdar (Consultant, TERI), Dr J Murali (Regional Coordinator, WWF – India), Dr Prakash Rao (Senior Coordinator, WWF – India)

It was indeed a memorable moment for me to address and share my views / presentations at this international gathering in addition to the twenty minutes of 'open house' allotted to take questions from the delegates, on the second day of the conference. This was my second such interaction / address at an international gathering of the learned (last being at the Jilin University – China, during the IWYMIC), giving a great deal of satisfaction to say to the rest of the world as how concerned India is for the entire mankind and its betterment.

On 15th November 2008, Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Hon’ble Chief Minister, Gov. of Haryana); Dr R K Pachauri (Director General –TERI) ** and Mr. I H Rehman (Director – Social Transformation, TERI) graced the occasion with their presence during the valedictory function.

** Dr. R K Pachauri (Director General – TERI, India & the Chairman - IPCC) and Al Gore (U.S.A) were conferred with the Noble Prize on IPCC’s work on Climate Change in 2007.

For the details, careers and research work on / at TERI, click: 1 & 2

Enough is enough. (Series 2)

(In the context of 5th, 6th and 7th October articles posted in the blog.)

Our politicians seem to be thick skinned and cold blooded people. They don’t mind making quick bucks even from the commissions earned on the purchase of coffins for our martyrs. Few things I have always failed to understand like, when:

• the Indian government is aware of the fact that the PoK is a hub of terrorist training centres, then why are we not launching a full fledged elimination operations across the border. Are we scared of a border escalation or a war? Or, are we not sure and certain as how to contain Pakistan where the power structure is shared by the civilians & the military, the ISI and the jehadi groups?

We are dreaming for the ‘super-power’ status by registering a 12% plus growth rate and holding the largest man power supplier in the world,……..but is it feasible in this insecure environment?????

During the Kargil conflict too, our political leaders didn’t allow our soldiers to cross the LoC and finish the intruders into the Indian Territory, else the conflict would have been over in few days with minimum casualties. All these shows the compulsions under which our forces are operating.
Whereas the politicians give all instigating remarks from within the security rings of NSGs all around them, the common man finds them all unsafe at any point of time. It is a high time to teach these dormant leaders a lesson that the NSGs and other such security personnel are not meant for their status symbol.

• our government is fully aware on the location and whereabouts of the “India’s most wanted” in Pakistan, then why have we failed in taking some concrete steps so far in either nabbing or eliminating them?



• the IB (Intelligence Bureau), some two to three years ago, has warned the government about the involvement of terrorists and their organisation in our stock markets. It means our own money and capital is being used by them for our destruction. When will our leaders come out of their slumber and take appropriate measures to handle this bombshell……?

The strategies in the post Mumbai attack scenario, designed by the UPA government are all an eye wash for the general public. What’s the point in rolling down few heads and changing the portfolios of the ministers? What legislative measures has the government taken in its entire term of about five years to strengthen the internal security of the country? To play its minority card for electoral gains the government has done away with the TADA & POTA, and forgot that it was only because of these anti-terror laws (with whatever pros and cons) that the assassins of Rajiv Gandhi (the former PM of India) and the master mind behind the attacks on the Indian Parliament, Afzal Guru, could be convicted.

Now it’s quite bizarre to see that the person of finance is heading the Ministry of Home at the Centre and that even in a situation when he himself has expressed his displeasure over the change. The governance is therefore in a total state of chaos and I see a total absence of commitment from the ministers.

The hon’ble PM should now give a positive signal to the countrymen that he himself is capable of taking and executing tough measures to tackle the issues of national crisis and cease to reflect his dependence on Sonia Gandhi who always chairs next to him to project herself as the real authority behind the screen. If not, all these politicians should now be issued with pink slips and made sure that they are not engaged anywhere else in the system. India, infact needs another Sardar Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose or an expert in the field like KPS Gill.

The Flip Side (Series 1)

India’s 9/11 of barbarism on 26th November, 2008 has been an unfortunate event. It has once again exposed the vulnerability as well as preparedness level of India’s internal security system. The 60 hours of live telecast of cruelty had no doubt raised the TRP of almost all the news channels but the viewers who were glued to their TV screens had seen many flaws unfolding as any average TV Soap telecasted these days………..!

Firstly, our Police and NSGs fought bravely with their outdated, sub-standard weapons and the bullet proof jackets against the terrorists who had with them hi-tech and advanced weaponry and communication systems, like: Carbine, 9mm M9 pistol, MP 4 and MP5 assault rifle, Uzi, Asimov Kalashnikov 47 (AK47) and AK54, LWRC, AR-15 assault rifle hand and plastic grenade and obviously Kevler bullet proof vest with inbuilt GPS and satellite phone connectivity.

Secondly, it took nine odd hours for our NSG commandoes to reach Mumbai from the outskirts of Gurgaon city. The reason being, they had to fly in an IL-72, which is basically the IAF’s transport aircraft. The ordeal didn’t finish there as the Maharashtra government could only arrange buses to bring them to the site of violence, from the Mumbai airport.

On being asked, the congress spokesperson Mr. Singhvi flatly said that it would have hardly caused a delay of 2 hours for the NSG commandoes to reach the site. Now, if we go by the statement and evidences, the terrorists didn’t kill any hostages once the NSG commandoes started their operation. On the other hand, the NSG, in the midst of their operation, shouldn’t have said in front of the cameras that the terrorists were better informed about the lay out of the hotel and were therefore at an advantage over them.

Thirdly, the irresponsible statements made by our political leaders in the pre and post operation period have been disgraceful and disappointing. Few disgusting of those were:

• ‘bade-bade sheheron mein aise chote-chote batein hote rehtein hain’,
  i.e., such incidents do happen in big cities- (the former Deputy CM of Maharashtra).


• ‘had it not been Maj. Unnikrishnan’s residence, even a dog would not have visited there.’- the CM of Kerala.

The former CM of Maharashtra, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh, had probably patented his idea of making a film on the issue, prior to his visit to inspect the horrific scenes at the Taj Mahal hotel. He was accompanied by Ram Gopal Verma (film director) and his actor son- Hritesh Deshmukh in the hotel, after all the terrorists were eliminated in the operation. This was totally against the seriousness and sensitivity of the event.

Fourthly, the media seemed not very mature to cover the news in a professional manner. Whereas, the cameras were glued at the Taj Mahal hotel, the deaths and damages at the Chttrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and few other places were not covered at par. Sorry to write, but they were probably trying to sensitise and sympathies the deaths of elite groups over those common people who were killed at the CST Railway station.

On the same note, whereas, the martyrs from the officers’ category were widely acknowledged, we hardly heard or saw much about the personnel’s of other ranks who too had laid down their lives for the same noble cause.

Some of the reporters were simply dramatizing the event at the peak of their voice rather than reporting on them to gain cheap popularity for their respective channels………these journalists should infact go for an internship with the BBC.

A tribute to the Martyrs.... click here.