Save India's Beaches

Towards disappearance...: One of the world's most beautiful and popular stretches of white sand are the Goa beaches. One stormy monsoon night in the year 2000, a 240 m long ship, River Princess, broke its anchor and got stuck here. Since then it hasn't budged.

The result? Twenty thousand tonnes of rusting metal, on Goa's famous beaches. This has led to an environmental disaster as these beaches are now almost on the verge of disappearing as the ship interferes with the natural movement of sand.

The Goa government has been accused of inaction, of doing little to remove this ship. Now, 9 years later, just before this monsoon, they seem to have woken up. The government is placing massive tubes, which they hope will serve as artificial sand dunes, like shock-absorbers between the land and the sea. Almost 10 metres into the seabed, the ship blocks sand that moves along the beach feeding it.

The National Institute of Oceanography in Goa says 60 metres of the beach, south of the ship has already disappeared.

The government even introduced a new law that enabled them to confiscate the ship.But its owner, Anil Salgaoncar, an influential business tycoon and an independent MLA dragged them to court where the matter is still pending.

The silhouette of the ship as the wave crashes on shore, is the new attraction for tourists. It looks beautiful. Ironically so. But are we doing something about it?



Complete disregard...: Gujarat, the state which has India's longest coastline is home to one of the country's largest ports and special economic zone. One which will occupy over 60 kms of the coast. This is the stark reality of what is happening here in Gujarat, at one of India's largest ports. Hundreds and hundreds of mangroves hacked with complete disregard and apathy in a zone that is high eco-sensitive and protected. The strip of land was originally part of the port plan but later dropped because of mangroves. A crucial cover that protects the coast from erosion and storms. This is unlike in the West where port projects are based on environment studies and rights of coastal communities is respected.

With the coastal belt sold to the port (the Mundra port), the battle is on...between those whose livelihood depends on these troubled waters and those who see it merely as a means to an end...



Protected, no more...: If the Tamil Nadu government has its way, Chennai could have an elevated corridor from the Light House to the East Coast Road. It would be a 7.4 km, six-lane bridge coming up along three beaches in Chennai. The model made by an NGO is a rough indication of what the world's second longest beach -- the Marina would look like, once the elevated corridor comes up. But it's a nightmare for environmentalists that has come to light through this final feasibility report of Tamil Nadu's Highways department which NDTV has a copy of. The Highways Department says the Rs 1000 crore project aims to decongest peak hour traffic because every day, at least 900 new vehicles hit the city's roads. But experts feel there are better ways of de-congesting the city like removing encroachments and improving the public transport system.And environmentalists fear the expressway will pollute the beaches, displace fishing communities and endanger sensitive ecological zones.




In the name of development... The livelihood of the fishermen and an entire stretch of coastline in Tamil Nadu is under threat. The tough Coastal Regulation Zone that protects beaches and sea side areas will soon be replaced by a diluted version called the Coastal Management Zone or the CMZ.

To begin with, this will lift the existing ban on construction within 500 metres from the high tide line. Instead there will be area specific guidelines which are not clear yet. Apprehension confronts the fishing communities as they fear displacement, to make way for tourism or industrial development.

Even ecologically sensitive areas like mangrove forests could be cut down. This will be a disastrous move, given that when the tsunami struck in 2004 these mangroves actually saved hundreds of lives.
source:-NDTV

Attacks on Indians in Australia racial outbursts: Ravi

CHENNAI: The attacks on Indian students in Australia were "racial outbursts" by "anti-social elements", Overseas Indian Affairs Minister VayalarRavi said here on Saturday. The minister said the Indian government was in touch with the Australian authorities and expressed confidence that "the situation will become normal" there. He said there was no discrimination against Indians in Australia at the societal level. "These were attacks by anti-social elements as a racial outburst," Ravi told reporters as he cited the statement of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that the country follows zero-tolerance of racial discrimination. "With Australian police taking action, the situation will become normal," he said. The string of assaults on Indian students in Australia has gone up to 16 since May 9 and have sparked protests in Melbourne and Sydney and hectic diplomatic activities between the two countries. Ravi said a bill tightening immigration laws for Indians moving overseas by providing more powers to police would be finalised soon after consultations with stakeholders, including the law ministry. The draft of the bill is being vetted by the law ministry and will be discussed by all other ministries before being tabled in parliament and passed into law. The bill, he said, contains penal provisions against unscrupulous travel agents and will give more powers to police to take action against them. Asked about a group of Malayalis stranded in Russia due a job fraud, he said they will be brought to India soon. source:- The times of India

Unrest in Iran

Open support: A supporter of defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi holds his picture with former president Mohammad Khatami (R) during riots in Tehran on June 13, 2009. Hardline incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared winner by a landslide in Iran's hotly-disputed presidential vote, triggering riots by opposition supporters and furious complaints of cheating from his defeated rivals.So many supporters are injured in riots.The news in pictures

Musharraf claims Kashmir was near resolution during his regime

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has claimed that the Kashmir problem was near resolution during his regime and dismissedaccusations that the powerful army did not want the settlement of the issue. Musharraf claimed he and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had, during the 2001 Agra summit, even agreed to the draft of a joint declaration under which all issues, including Kashmir, could have been resolved.

"But the Indian leadership changed their mind at the last minute and did not support the joint declaration, saying that the Cabinet had not approved it," Musharraf said in an interview to a channel. Accusations that the army does not want a resolution to Kashmir issue are "vicious propaganda" and the need for the army would remain even if the problem is resolved, he said.

Musharraf said he held talks with all stakeholders in the Kashmir issue, including the Hurriyat Conference and the leadership of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, for the resolution of the issue "but no one could guide me in the right direction." He also said he had convinced the entire leadership in Kashmir, except hardliner Ali Shah Gilani, about his four-point formula which envisaged de-militarisation and joint control of the region.
source:- The Times of India

In rain's embrace...

Rain's embrace on certain places like Mumbai ,Kerala ,Hyderabad ,Guwahati, etc. But still the place like gujrat are sad due the lack of rain or water. The peoples in gujarat are praying and some brahmins perform a Parjanya Yagna to appease the rain Gods at Jai Somnath Mahadev temple in Ahemedabad.The peoples who are happy due the coming of rain in Mumbai,kerala.etc are shown in pitcures

Beckoning rain-Calling the Rain Gods

Uncertain times: Many states in the country are reeling under the intense heat wave due to delayed monsoon, and therefore, lack of rainfall. As Gujarat braces itself for the expected water shortage due to uncertain monsoon, Brahmins perform a 'Parjanya Yagna' to appease the Rain Gods at Jai Somnath Mahadev temple in Ahmedabad.Gujarat is fearing a drought-like situation due to lack of rainfall. At several places people are performing Yagnas to bring on the much-needed rain.

Prajanya is essentially the God of rain, water and rivers. As all else fails, villagers in Ahmedabad pray in the hope that they can find relief from the scorching heat and avert drought. (AFP)

Mobile vans to deliver train tickets

NEW DELHI: In a bid to make booking tickets more convenient, Railways are mulling introduction of mobile vans with ticketing facility. The vans, up-linked to satellite, would be issuing railway tickets in reserved and unreserved categories primarily in rural and remote corners of the country. We are examining a proposal for launching mobile van service for issuing tickets at certain places," a senior Railway Ministry official said. "The purpose behind the system is to reach out every corner of the country. Facilities would be made available for not only reserved tickets but also for unreserved tickets," the official said.

Railways had already announced its plan to book tickets through mobile phones. A pilot project for this is to be launched in Mumbai shortly. "The modalities are being worked out for launching the pilot project," he said. In order to bring transparency, Indian Railway is also planning to display the status of the availability of tickets for reservation for important trains at the ticket counters.

Meanwhile, efforts are on to link all stations selling tickets across the country with the computerised system. Railways have finalised a plan to add more reservation counters across the country in order to help passengers get tickets easily. As per an estimate, there are about 1,800 such counters across various zones. As per the plan, about 500 more counters would be added and a decision in this regard is likely to be made in the upcoming Railway Budget.

The idea is to decongest the existing ticket counters so that people do not face difficulty in getting tickets, said the official. Railways are likely to focus on passenger amentities besides revenue generation in the budget this time.