A month after it was shut down to facilitate its annual cleaning, Upper Ganga Canal was finally opened on Friday. The canal supplies water to the Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi treatment plants in Delhi which, in turn, supply water to east and south Delhi. While the canal was shut, Delhi was supplying Uttar Pradesh's share of Yamuna water to affected areas, prompting huge protests at the sudden change in taste of water. Complaints of water having turned salty had been pouring in from Vasant Kunj, Vasant Vihar, GK-I and II, CR Park, Masjid Moth, Mayur Vihar, Preet Vihar, IP Extension, etc. Chetan Sharma from GK-II said that the water had suddenly changed colour and taste three days back and he had been receiving several complaints from residents. Similarly, Seemi Garg from Vasant Kunj reported that water had become extremely salty and several residents had started purchasing mineral water for drinking and cooking. A senior DJB official said that Ganga water supply would be restored to all areas by Saturday. "There is a marked change in taste of water between Ganga and Yamuna and people find it difficult to adjust to the change. However, the water quality is absolutely fine. We get similar complaints each year but the canal needs to be repaired annually too. For about a couple of weeks some Ganga water keeps coming through, but when all pumps are shut, we pick up UP's share of Yamuna water to ensure that there is no water shortage," he said.

-The Times of India, November 1, 2014

The Supreme Court directive to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to act against industries that pollute the Ganga is an expression of its exasperation with the functioning of the state pollution control boards (PCBs). The apex court has told the NGT to strictly enforce anti-pollution norms and even close down units that refuse to comply. Despite the good intentions, however, such a top-down approach to cleaning the Ganga may not deliver the desired results. The PCBs have been caught napping even as the problem of industrial pollution grows more intractable, but the solution cannot be to bypass them altogether. For sustainable change, these boards must be empowered and equipped with technical knowhow and staff — and made more accountable. Better coordination is needed among the state governments, PCBs and local bodies, especially since enforcing pollution control norms on labour-intensive industries, like tanneries, would entail social, political and economic costs. Restructuring these industries into clusters and building the necessary infrastructure to ensure zero emissions and effluents would require the involvement of local actors and state funding. Moreover, industries are just one source of pollution. Some estimates indicate that nearly 85 per cent of the river pollutants are from sewage generated by about 50 cities located along the river. The preferred mode of targeting sewage pollution since the launch of the Ganga Action Plan in the 1980s has been to instal sewage treatment plants (STP). While many more STPs are needed, even the existing ones haven’t delivered because many cities lack proper sewage systems and the power supply is erratic. Cities must build more drains and improve garbage disposal to address the sewage problem at source rather than at the river end.

All rivers, including the Ganga, have a self-cleansing capacity that dilutes pollutants. But over-extraction of water to meet agricultural and urban needs leaves the Ganga with little flow during large parts of the year, transforming it into a sewage channel. There has to be a rethink on the aggressive damming of the river in its upper reaches, and the barrages downstream ought to be better managed to ensure water flow in the Ganga in the lean months, which could help alleviate pollution. State governments must realise that water management and pollution in the Ganga are connected.

-The Indian Express, November 1, 2014

During his November 2010 visit, US President Barack Obama was hugely impressed with the architectural style of Humayun's Tomb. Soon after, American Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation decided to fund conservation of Bare Bateshewala Mahal, a forgotten Mughal-era tomb within walking distance of the late 16th-century World Heritage Site.

Built in the late 16th-early 17th centuries, Bara Batashewala Mahal is the tomb of Mirza Muzaffar Husain, who was married to the eldest daughter of Emperor Akbar.

Historians say like Humayun's Tomb, this monument is also set within a charbagh. Bharat Scouts and Guides had occupied it for a long time till it was transferred to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) only last year following consistent efforts by Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and ASI. Years of neglect had left the site in a dilapidated condition. In 1989, several temporary structures were also built by Bharat Scouts in the charbagh, ruining the setting and causing further damage to the monument. ASI had demolished hundred such structures after taking over the monument"The tomb structure had suffered significant damage with the western facade in a ruinous condition and the southern facade inappropriately reconstructed in an earlier conservation effort. Water penetration from the roof had led to significant loss of original plaster and replacement with cement plaster," said N C Thapiyal, AKTC project engineer.

In 2011, AKTC started conserving the tomb as well as its enclosure walls with the help of the fund, which backs several heritage projects across the world. Preceding the conservation was detailed documentation. "The tomb is a square structure with each of its four sides being identical. The northern facade was the best preserved. Archival research and careful documentation led us to uncover architectural details that had been obliterated," said Divya Nandini, conservation architect with AKTC.

The documentation revealed severe damages to the facade. Internal walls and ceiling surfaces were found to be covered with soot, algae and lime wash, disfiguring appearance and accelerating the decay. "Most of the wall surfaces had also been re-plastered in cement mortar," said an official.

In 2011, craftsmen started removing cement patches, which exposed blocked openings in four instances. Walls have now been re-plastered with traditional lime mortar to prevent seepage, and geometric patterns have been restored.

The conservation includes not only stabilizing the rapidly deteriorating structure and saving original elements but also dismantling inappropriate repairs carried out using modern materials. After rebuilding the collapsed masonry, concrete used in the roof and flooring during earlier repairs was also replaced with traditional lime mortar.

Portions of enclosure walls, which were damaged when the scouts camp was built in 1989, have also been reconstructed.

-The Times of India, November 2, 2014

As countries across the world gear up for the 2015 climate conference in Paris, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on Sunday unveiled a report warning governments of the “unequivocal” warming of climate system and the “clear” evidence of human influence on the phenomenon.

The IPCC released its last of the four reports, called the Synthesis Report, in Copenhagen Sunday.

This last part of the Fifth Assessment Report has been widely described as the most comprehensive assessment of climate change ever made.

The report comes weeks before the annual climate conference begins in Lima, Peru.

The conference is expected to prepare the ground for countries to stitch together a comprehensive climate agreement at the meeting in Paris next year.

“The evidence produced this time is the strongest. There is absolutely no room for doubt now. The IPCC is telling all the governments to act now and act forcefully,” said Purnamita Dasgupta of Delhi-based Institute of Economic Growth who is part of the team that wrote the report.

R K Pachauri, the head of the IPCC said: “We have little time before the window of opportunity to stay within 2 degree of warming (which scientists say is necessary to prevent catastrophic effects) closes. To maintain a good chance of staying below 2 degrees, and at manageable costs, our (greenhouse gas) emissions should drop by 40 to 70 per cent globally between 2010 and 2050, falling to zero or below by 2100. We have that opportunity, and the choice in our hands,”

-The Indian Express, November 3, 2014

Contaminated waters of the Krishna river in Baghpat district of western Uttar Pradesh, barely 55 km from the nation's capital, may be responsible for cancer, bone deformity and paralysis among residents of several villages along its banks.

Independent studies have shown that the extremely high content of heavy metals and compounds like mercury, lead, zinc, phosphate, sulphide, cadmium, iron, nickel and manganese have been found in the river water which has become so poisonous that it does not have any aquatic life.

Residents of several villages in Baghpat are struggling with cancer which has led to several deaths. In Gangnoli village alone 112 people have died of cancer in the last two years and 47 are currently battling this disease. Some of them have been bedridden for three to five years.

The situation came to light when in May this year, Dr. Chandraveer Singh, a retired senior scientist at Haryana Pollution Control Board and resident of Daha village, sent some samples of the Krishna river for testing to SIMA Labs, an entity recognized by Ministry of Environment and Forests, and UP Pollution Control Board. The results were disturbing. The total suspended solids in the river water was found to be 7500 mg per litre as against the permissible 200 mg. The presence of sulfide was 285 mg per litre as against the permissible 2 mg and iron was 38 mg as against 3 mg. Extremely high levels of mercury and lead were also found.

“Industrial units in western UP, mainly sugar and paper mills and slaughterhouses release effluents into the river,” said Dr. Singh, who travelled to 80 villages along the banks of the Krishna, Kali and Hindon in Saharanpur, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Meerut districts, and found incidence of similar health problems, though in varying degrees. The river water has seeped in and contaminated the ground water. The State Pollution Control Board and the Chief Medical Officer are yet to act on the issue. “Over a hundred villagers have died in this village due to cancer. The same number of people have died in the nearby villages in the last two years. Several thousands in the villages in the vicinity are suffering from various degrees of bone deformities,” says the village pradhan of Gangnoli, Dharmender Rathi, showing a list of villagers who died due to cancer.

“Every month we discover a new patient with grave symptoms,” said Gajay Singh while flashing medical prescriptions of the four family members he lost to cancer in last two years.

“Our next generation is facing an uncertain future with children being born with deformities or paralysis,” said Sundar Singh pointing towards 14-year-old Vikas who is bedridden since birth.

Eight-year-old Neha, can stand but not walk. Dharamveer (48) is bedridden for the last three years. There are very few houses which don’t have a child without any deformity.

According to Dr. Sunil Kumar Gupta, senior consultant, medical oncologist, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Delhi, “All heavy metals do not affect immediately but their prolonged consumption has serious repercussions on the human body and cancer is very much one of them. These carcinogens, in the long run, damage bone marrow, deplete platelets, impair kidneys and even affect nervous system especially in children.”

When The Hindu contacted Dr. Sukhbir Singh, Joint Director, Department of Health, Meerut Division, he admitted to having heard of a “cancer epidemic” in Baghpat and said he had asked for a “thorough report" from the Chief Medical Officer of Baghpat.

-The Hindu, November 3, 2014

BRO documents believed to have been destroyed

More than hundred years old Minto Court building housing the head office of Project Deepak of Borders Road Organisation was gutted here on Saturday night. The 104-year-old Tudor-style heritage building was located in Chaura Maidan area neighbouring the Indian Institute of Advance Study. Although a number of fire tenders were pressed into service within minutes, the half-timbered and gravel building could not be saved and was reduced to ashes in no time. The large wooden frames and the shingled eaves came down straight away in the fire that broke out at around 10 p.m..

A number of important BRO, an inter-services organisation under the Ministry of Defence, documents are believed to have been gutted in the fire. Papers related to various enquiries of GREF (General Reserve Engineer Force) in which the investigations were also on were destroyed in the fire, said the officials. The CBI had filed a charge sheet last year against two BRO officers in Deepak Project here in a telephone equipment scam involving loss of crores to the exchequer.

The BRO is involved in maintaining various strategic roads and locations in the hill State. Raised in 1961 primarily for the construction of Hindustan-Tibet Road, the Deepak Project is looking after a road length of 1863 km in the border areas with Nepal and Pakistan. It had played an important role in “Operation Vijay” by clearing Manali-Sarchu road of snow for the heavy vehicular traffic.

The BRO is involved in construction of a tunnel in Rohtang Pass in Himachal.

This is the second major fire in the heritage building in the Himachal Capital in less than a year. A devastating fire broke out in 109-year-old Gorton Castle building, housing the State’s Principal Audit and Accountant General’s office on January 28, reducing at least three top floors to ashes.

-The Hindu, November 3, 2014

The Chandni Chowk redevelopment plan has thrown life out of gear for not only traders but also shoppers due to closure of one carriageway of the main road. The problems have doubled with no parking plans in place to accommodate the large number of cars that come into the area.

A carriageway of the road from Fatehpuri Masjid to Red Fort has been shut down for construction work. Traffic going towards Red Fort was diverted through SP Mukherjee Marg, near Old Delhi railway station, and vehicles coming from the Fort were allowed to use Chandni Chowk Road.

Though cops have installed 'no parking' signboards and are even prosecuting drivers, they could not come up with answers when asked about alternative parking space. A few drivers were directed to a corporation parking lot near Chandni Chowk Metro station, but that too was filled up during peak hours.

Traffic officials tried to direct visitors to the Parade Ground parking, but only a handful of people were willing as the ground is far from the main road. Instead, a large number of vehicles were found parked on the HC Sen Marg (the road connecting Fountain Chowk with SP Mukherjee Marg). Vehicles were also found parked near Old Delhi railway station. A large number of people were forced to walk down HC Sen Marg or the Town Hall road. By evening the flank going towards Fatehpuri Masjid was found to be chock-a-block with rickshaws, pedestrians, hawkers and CNG buses. "I had to park my car at Old Delhi railway station and walk down from Town Hall to the Fountain Chowk as all the connecting roads were blocked," said Suman Agarwal, heading to a fast food outlet near Nai Sadak.

Further snarls were caused when vehicles of devotees were found parked outside Sheesh Ganj Gurdwara. "We have requested the cops to put up permanent signs showing directions and mark spots providing parking around Chandni Chowk. We hope the situation gets better on Tuesday," said Sanjay Bhargav, president of the traders' association.

A traders' association member said they had written to Delhi Police to decongest SP Mukherjee Marg before closing the Chandni Chowk road to allow parking but little action was taken.

-The Times of India, November 11, 2014

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), on Monday, informed Lt-Governor Najeeb Jung that the tram line proposed as part of the Chandni Chowk redevelopment project is expected to have a ridership of 1 lakh people in a day. In a meeting with senior officials — including the secretary of the Public Works Department (PWD) and DMRC director — Jung reviewed the progress of the project and asked them to complete the work in a time-bound manner.

The DMRC director presented a ‘Feasibility study for operation of trams on Chandni Chowk road’, which looks at decongesting the walled city. The study examined the volume of traffic, parking issues and pedestrian count in the area.

According to officials, the proposed tram line is expected to be 4.5 km long and will run in a loop around the Chandni Chowk area. It will take approximately 15 minutes to travel the entire line. The line is also expected to carry 200 passengers in two coaches. Further, trams will ply at an interval of two minutes. The line is expected to provide integrated movement between the tram stops and Old Delhi railway station. The tram stops are expected to be at a distance of 250 mts to 0.5 km.

Jung also took stock of the steps taken to improve parking facilities in the area. He directed the commissioner (North corporation) to complete the work on Dangal Maidan and upgrade the existing Gandhi Maidan parking. PWD — which was assigned to redevelop the area in February 2013 — also told the L-G that traffic has been diverted and re-routed so that one carriageway is available to PWD for uninterrupted work. Officials said work is currently in progress at the carriageway from Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the Delhi Jal Board informed the L-G that two pump houses, currently not in use, will be removed immediately from areas where work is underway.

The CEO also said that the old water and sewer lines will be replaced since the carriageway has been dug up and the existing lines are too old. Jung then directed that the new pipes should be able to cater to future demands of the area. Jung was also assured that BSES transformers and MTNL godowns will be shifted out of the area.

-The Indian Express, November 11, 2014

A little-known monument in south Delhi's Sadhna Enclave is getting a fresh lease of life. Prominently located in a corporation park inside a densely-populated neighbourhood and at walking distance from a school, this Lodhi-era building has been overlooked by locals for years. Now, thanks to an ongoing conservation project, they have woken up to its existence.

The tomb, along with a nearby Tughlaq-era Baradari, is part of the archaeology department's list of smaller monuments in Delhi meant to be conserved and protected under Delhi Archaeology Act. Though it has a plaque on it declaring it as owned by the department of archaeology, it's conservation work by Intach's Delhi chapter that marks its turnaround.

Work on the tomb and Baradari has been on for over five months and is expected to be completed in another few weeks. "Structurally, the tomb was stable, but its facade desperately needed attention. The original plasterwork has withered away with time and minor cracks may be seen. A major part of the work involved addressing these issues and consolidating the building," said an official. The monument's location makes it quite prominent. A number of large private residences face the park where it stands. Locals say this is the first time they have seen conservation work taking place on the monument and are glad that the government is no longer neglecting the structure.

"There are hundreds of little-known tombs and gumbads in Delhi and they must be protected or will easily fall victim to vandalism and encroachment. Fortunately, this tomb is in a place where encroachment is difficult but the building needed some attention," said a local. Conservation work at the tomb involved removing the heavy vegetation growth around it and weeding out foliage growing out of several places.

The tomb is graded B in terms of archaeological value on the Delhi heritage listing. "The tomb is a domed structure with arched entrances to the north, south and east while, on the west, there is a mihrab (a semicircular niche on the wall indicating the direction of the Kaaba). The dome springs from a high octagonal drum ornamented with battlements. The tomb is originally said to have stood in an enclosure surrounded by a wall, now disappeared. It has a double row of blind arcades in the interiors," reads a physical description of the monument.

Much of the battlement structure and ornamentation work have vanished over decades, but the tomb is still a striking building. Once conservation is completed, the government will initiate proceedings for its protection, said sources.

- The Times of India, November 11, 2014

Facing huge criticism for its alleged "flip-flops" on the Mangar bani, the Haryana government wants to raise the issue of earmarking 500 metres around the sacred forest as buffer at the next meeting of National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB). However, considering the sensitivity of the issue Haryana has decided not to allow any construction activity within the 500 metre buffer until the issue is resolved. A senior Haryana government official told TOI that they have already submitted this stand in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

"But we can't accept any direction from the board to keep 500 meter as buffer zone. Under no law the NCR Board can direct us to do so. What is the rationality to decide the buffer zone and why should it not be less or more than that?" the official asked. He said that the state government own its own had told the apex committee of NCRPB to earmark the sacred "bani" and its periphery as no construction zone since it's an "emotional issue" and locals have protected the huge green cover. "We never said what will be the buffer. But in the minutes of the meeting the buffer area was mentioned as 500 meters around the bani. How can this be accepted? We have informed the board's secretariat that Haryana government will demarcate 60 meters around the bani as buffer zone," the official said.

On the contrary, Central government sources said that the issue on area under buffer zone was discussed in the last board meeting and forest and environment ministry had all along supported the need to go for 500 meter buffer to protect the sacred forest. An official said, "The court is hearing this issue and NCRPB has already filed its affidavit."

Meanwhile, there are reports that the local revenue department, which recently carried out the earmarking of forest in Mangar, has put approximately 165 acres under the bani. Locals and activists have raised concerns since they feel that the identified area is only 50% of the bani.

Sources said though Haryana officials were present at a meeting chaired by UD secretary Shankar Aggarwal on Tuesday to review the exercise undertaken by NCR member states to delineate NCZs this issue wasn't raised.

- The Times of India, November 12, 2014

In what is being seen as an attempt to woo Muslim voters ahead of the assembly polls, the BJP-dominated North corporation has allocated a separate budget of Rs 1.45 crore for beautification and construction of roads in the Jama Masjid area. "Roads in the Jama Masjid area are in a bad shape. Since the Jama Masjid redevelopment plan is hanging fire, the corporation will at least re-construct the roads and beautify the area around the mosque," said Mohan Bhardwaj, standing committee chairman, North corporation.

According to mayor Yogender Chandolia, the reason for delay in starting the redevelopment work is because a consultant is yet to be appointed. "We floated tenders and two consultants were shortlisted. Now, as per procedure we need both the consultants to be present for the project designs. However, one of them hasn't turned up and this is delaying the implementation of the project," said Chandolia.

Officials, however, fear that when work on the Rs 145-crore redevelopment work begins, these newly-constructed roads will have to be re-laid. They have also confirmed that the redevelopment plan includes re-laying of the roads and beautification of the area. "Though it isn't a street-oriented plan, we will be re-laying the main roads. If the corporation is planning to reconstruct the main streets such as the one outside Meena Bazar, then it should be done when the redevelopment plan takes off," said a senior official associated with the project.

Congress members in the corporation view the latest move as a politically motivated one. "Ever since the elections are declared, BJP has realized that development needs to reach Jama Masjid. All these years, they neglected this area. The Jama Masjid redevelopment plan was conceived in 2009 and it hasn't even started yet," said Mukesh Goel leader of the Opposition, North corporation.

However, residents want the roads to be constructed once and for all. With Metro and DJB work in progress, roads in the area are in a pathetic state. Huge traffic jams make the things worse every day. "Agencies keep digging the roads for their own work. Now, we don't want this to continue. The roads should be properly laid once and for all," said Mehmood Zia, former councillor from the area.

- The Times of India, November 12, 2014

The 3D laser show at India Gate has run into more trouble. Protests over a memorial site being used for 'entertainment' has reached the implementing agency, Central Public Works Department , the defence minister and NDMC. A letter by Intach convener AGK Menon said that using India Gate for the 3D show is 'sacrilegious'. Sources said that the project is now being reviewed again by the Centre.

According to Menon, the project should be relocated preferably to locations like Connaught Place instead of India Gate. "India Gate is a war memorial. We have tomb of the unknown soldiers here. It is my personal view that having a 3D show of historical sites being shown here would be sacrilegious. I applaud the concept, but why is it being done at India Gate when many visitors already come here. We should be looking at other locations instead," said Menon, who has written to NDMC, CPWD and Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) over the issue.

Sources said that DUAC had responded saying that the project was cleared after a series of meetings and presentations few weeks ago. The arts body, however, had showed reluctance to the project and suggested that the tourism ministry, which conceived the project, should look at alternate locations. When it appeared that the ministry would move the project out of Delhi to another city, the project was cleared by Intach. The proposal was first considered during the meeting on July 4 where the commission had suggested "exploring alternative sites for comparison."

The matter was reviewed again through a letter dated August 6 from the chief architect, CPWD. "India Gate is a central place and the areas around it are signature buildings of New Delhi heritage. So, it is visited by all tourists. In the past, too, 3D light shows were carried out at India Gate twice and were a huge success. If the show is made a regular feature, it is going to be a great success," said the CPWD letter.

CPWD further proposed that, to avoid traffic congestion around India Gate, the show will start at 8.30pm (after peak hours). "There will be no audio and clippings will be short," added officials. After deliberation, the commission decided to accept the proposal with some observations.

The project involves 3D mapping of monuments depicting the country's heritage at India Gate in the evening. Various ideas are being explored and fine-tuning remains. "Images of one monument from each state would be projected onto India Gate between one and fives minutes. There could be one image for each day or a tribute paid to all 29 states by picking one every day. The details, timings and other technicalities are being worked out," said an official.

- The Times of India, November 13, 2014

The paintings and other art forms on display at the Mirage Art Gallery in Kolkata Mirage brings together multitude of people belonging to different communities on common platform The words of noted painter Leonardo da Vinci Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen recently rang true when a confluence of art and verses found its ideal vent of expression at a gallery show in the heart of the culture-capital. Celebrating a riot of colours and a feast of imaginative themes in the creative cauldron of artists and their aesthetics, Kolkata’s Mirage Art Gallery opened its doors to envelop all shades of palette and strokes of brush as well as pen within its fold. This is Art Utsav open till December 21.

The exhibition features the who’s who of city’s art fraternity with more than 100 artists showcasing some 450 artworks in different mediums of art like paper collage, water colour, acrylic on canvas, mixed media on board, acrylic on wood, pastel colour on paper, pen and ink on paper, tempera on board, among others. Master painters whose works have always inspired the artscape and manifested their craftsmanship time and again have been roped into this exhibition to elevate it to a different level. The participation list includes names such as Aditya Basak, Amitabh Sengupta, Atin Basak, Debabrata Chakrabarti, Manoj Dutta, Monoj Mitra, Pradip Maitra, Partha Bhattcharjee, Partha Pratim Deb, Rabin Mondal, Samir Aich, Sekhar Roy, Subrata Gangopadhyay and Wasim R Kapoor.

Vinayak Pasricha is one such young and promising artist whose paintings are profoundly influenced by the poems of his late friend Rhiju Basak who sadly passed away in 2012. Some of his paintings are dedicated to the deceased wordsmith to stand as testament to his creativity and poetic legacy. “Here I have attempted to pay a small tribute to his creative genius and it has been my constant effort to thus keep his spirit alive,” says Pasricha. “You now, the mortal remains are ruined and annihilated but not one’s immortal deeds which continue to spellbind others till eternity.”

Tagged as one of the most vibrant art galleries in town with a quirky edge, Mirage has brought together a multitude of people belonging to different communities on a common platform to indulge in a dekko and interact with the elite artists of Kolkata. Apart from paintings, other artistic specimens such as collages, sculptures, artifacts, handmade gift items, et al are being displayed at this art fiesta.

Virendra Daga, a founder-member of Mirage, says: “Being an art lover myself, I can certainly vouch for the fact that life beats down and crushes the soul which art reminds you of possessing one. I believe that an art exhibition can be seriously engaging, deeply intellectually satisfying and yet fun at the same time. No matter how much this may sound contradictory to the ears, any form of creativity does spurt forth a vortex of heterogenous ideas and emotions simultaneosuly. For an artist, it is an absolute wonderful feeling to walk into your own exhibition. For you see the array of works as an authentic extension of yourself. It casts the reflection of your mind like a mirror image.”

The joint founder of the art gallery and curator of this exhibition, Sandip Somani, said: “The privilege I have had as a curator is not just the discovery of new works, but what I’ve actually learnt and discovered about myself…moreover, what I can offer in the space of a public exposition which encourages to talk about beauty, power, of our individual perspectives and also to confabulate with one another. Art is often intended to appeal to and connect with a wide gamut of human emotions. In other words, it could be considered an exploration of the human condition, that is, what it is to be human after all.”

-The Asian Age, November 14, 2014

Wednesday’s deal between the world’s two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs) raises the prospect of a robust international agreement in Paris next year. Although the two countries account for over one-third of global GHG emissions, the U.S. and China have for the best part of the last 20 years been hostage to economic arguments to act decisively on global warming. Now, the U.S. has promised to cut emissions by an extent of 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2025, which would mark a near-doubling of the current pace of reductions. As for China, President Xi Jinping has pledged that the country’s emissions would peak by around 2030; by that time, solar and wind power would account for 20 per cent of overall energy sources.

This is based on projections of a slowdown in economic growth, a phase-out of obsolete power plants and a rise in the share of renewables. In the absence of further details, environment experts and activists remain unsure of the full implications of the latest agreement. But the political significance of the agreement is clearly beyond doubt. The latest announcements represent a huge advance over the entrenched positions held by the two countries until recently. Washington did not ratify the lone legally-binding global pact to cut emissions — the 1997 Kyoto Protocol — as it opposed the view that developed and developing countries had differentiated responsibilities on countering global warming. Beijing was exempted from the requirements of the Protocol in view of its status as a developing country.

The proposals presented by the U.S. and China follow the announcement last month of a 40 per cent reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 for the entire European Union. Together, the package from these three main players would create the momentum for other major high carbon footprint countries to come up with matching commitments ahead of upcoming talks in Lima and a final deal in Paris.

Notable among these are India, Indonesia, Australia and Brazil. In the meantime, President Barack Obama would have to sell the deal to a Republican-dominated Congress, with its share of climate-sceptics. The leaders of the Group of 20 countries meeting in Brisbane this weekend should act on their commitment to reduce subsidies for the further exploration of oil, gas and coal. The September 2014 report of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate also makes a strong case against the prevailing high subsidies regime. Beijing and Washington should exert their considerable clout to realise this objective at the earliest. Such an effort would be consistent with their pledge to increase reliance on renewable energy.

-The Hindu, November 14, 2014

Six major infrastructure projects-Delhi Metro, Yamuna Expressway, Interceptor Sewage System in Delhi, Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT), Mundhra Ultra Mega Power Plant and Narmada Canal Solar project-have featured on the list of 100 of the world's most innovative, impactful infrastructure projects prepared by international accounting firm KPMG.

These projects were evaluated on the basis of their scale, feasibility, complexity, innovation and impact on society, a release issued by KPMG said. "Each country has its own approach to developing and funding infrastructure, yet all share the universal challenge of creating the right conditions to attract investment so desperately needed. Private capital continues to play a critical role," James Stewart, KPMG's chairman of global infrastructure said.

According to the report, the six-lane 165km Yamuna Expressway connecting Delhi with Agra has reduced the travel time between these two historic cities. The $1.9 billion project will have a lasting impact on villagers, tourists, traders and working professionals and should expand trade. The report also says that the ever expanding Delhi Metro with over $2.3 billion investment is setting a shining example of how to carry out an effective public works programme.

The $4.4 billion Mundhra Ultra Mega Power Project is a major, coal-fired thermal power plant serving the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana and Punjab. On the $323 million interceptor sewage system that has been kicked off in Delhi, the report says this will keep raw sewage from flowing into and polluting Yamuna. The $17.9 million Narmada Canal Solar project will place a solar photovoltaic grid over the top of a 5.5 km section of the canal, preventing water from evaporating and producing renewable power.

-The Times of India, November 14, 2014

As Mangar forest continues to face threat and intrusion from real estate companies, the National Green Tribunal on Friday directed the Haryana Government to see that a ‘kuccha’ road constructed inside the forest is not taken further. An NGT Bench headed by Justice P. Jyothimani directed the authorities concerned and the State Forest Department to see that no further work is done on the road and that trees are not uprooted.

The Bench was hearing a petition against private companies claiming change of land use in the area from ‘gair mumkin pahar’ (non-cultivable land) to agriculture land by changing ‘girdavari’ (record) of land in Faridabad district’s Mangar village. The NGT had earlier stayed the companies’ attempts. After this, the companies are said to have withdrawn their applications from the revenue office seeking change of land use. Petitioner Sarvadaman Singh’s counsel Rahul Choudhary furnished before the NGT on Friday photographs before the Tribunal showing a freshly laid mud road.

“Counsel for the applicant has produced photographs to show that a kuccha road has been laid from Gurgaon-Faridabad highway...It also shows that trees have been uprooted/ felled. We direct respondents to maintain status quo in respect of laying of road and cutting of trees,” the Bench ordered. Meanwhile, the Bench was informed by the opposite party that 90 acres of land in the forest area is ‘chahi’ or irrigated land to which Mr. Choudhary said it is hard to believe that in the hilly region in forests such a large continuous piece of land would be ‘chahi’ land.

At this, the Bench directed the Haryana Government to produce revenue record to substantiate the claim that 90 acres land is ‘chahi’ land. The Mangar Bani falls in the Aravallis, which is classified as a natural conservation zone in the draft regional plan 2021. Mangar also acts as a groundwater recharge zone for Delhi and has a wildlife corridor with the Asola Bhati sanctuary.

-The Hindu, November 15, 2014

There are many historical and legendary stories associated with the gates of Old Delhi

Delhi Gate at the entrance of Daryaganj, one of the 14 built by Shah Jahan in his city wall, has a quainter history than the other 13 though Kashmere Gate, Mori Gate and Lahore Gate saw most of the fighting during the First War of Independence. But earlier Kashmere Gate was witness to a big flow of wounded soldiers after the third Battle of Panipat in 1761. Delhi Gate did not see much action until 1804, when Jaswant Rao Holkar attacked the Capital. His siege was however broken by Col. Ochterlony, who defended the gate and the wall extending from it to the Turkman and Ajmere Gates.

After the Battle of Patparganj a year earlier, Lord Lake is said to have entered the city through this gate to meet Shah Alam but some historians differ. About 54 years later, the rebel sepoys from Meerut entered Delhi via the Rajghat Gate (now no more). However, the British force under Hodson sent out to arrest Bahadur Shah Zafar, who had taken shelter in Humayun’s Tomb, went this way and brought back the bodies of two of the Emperor’s sons and a grandson, through it after their cold-blooded murder at the Khooni Darwaza. How much importance Shah Jahan gave to his Delhi Gate can be gauged from the fact that besides naming one of the gates of the Red Fort also as Delhi Gate, he ordered this one to be more sublimely built. Going by oral history, two criminals were killed and their bodies buried in the foundation (something also believed to have been done when the foundation of the Red Fort was laid, though the number of condemned criminals was four or five).

This was not unusual in those times, when such a tradition was followed, probably in continuation of the one in vogue in ancient Egypt, where cats were buried alive in the foundation, as the Pharaohs held the cat sacred. The story that the Delhi Gate, like the Kashmere Gate, is haunted is widely believed. While a White Lady (sic) sat outside the latter in a ghostly vigil after 1857, the haunting at Delhi Gate started 30 years later after the murder of a sweeper killed by her lover, a British sentry who had fallen in love with her and got offended when he learnt of her impending marriage. The woman did the sweeping early morning when the soldier was about to end his night duty. Others, however, think it is the peepul tree growing outside the gate that is haunted by achurail who at times startles passers-by with her jingling anklets.

The Delhi Gate in Agra, built on the road to the Capital by Mohammad Farrukhsiyar, is modelled after the older one. Farrukhsiyar, grandson of Bahadur Shah I, and successor of his uncle Muizuddin Jahandar Shah, erected the gate at the instance of his patrons, the Sayyid Brothers of Bara, Hussain Ali Khan and Abdullah Khan. It was with help from these two that he had defeated his uncle at Agra to usurp the throne and finally get Jahandar Shah imprisoned and murdered in the Red Fort. To commemorate his accession, he thought of building a gate in the city in which he had realized his ambition of becoming emperor.

This Delhi Gate also has a mosque adjoining it, which, however, that doesn’t prevent it from being haunted, not by a female ghost but by a Pir whose spirit is seen coming to offer Isha namaz (the last one at night) in the masjid. The story goes that the Pir was held in high esteem by Farrukhsiyar for bringing about his success (through his blessing) at the second and fatal battle, after his victory at the first one at Khajwah. It was on hearing of this defeat that Jahandar Shah had marched to Agra from Delhi in a bid to quell his nephew’s rebellion.

Salim Pehlwan, who had gone off his head, used to sit at the gate and slept inside it at night too, blaming a city dancing girl, who had discarded him, for his plight. Believe it or not, there was another character known as Salimuddin Masood who spent his days at the Daryaganj Delhi Gate, lamenting his fate after being thrown out of a Chawri Bazar kotha by the pimps who thought his presence there was affecting their business. Their grouse was that Kamli Bai spent too much time with him because of his money and virile manhood. Masood, who died in the 1970s, claimed that actually he was poisoned by the jealousdalals of the enthralled Bai.

However, the main Delhi Gate was not illuminated like the one at Agra, which had a thousand lights (diyas) burning at it on Farrukhsiyar’s orders. When his eventual successor, after two puppets, Mohammad Shah was crowned at Fatehpur Sikri, the new Emperor made it a point to visit the gate, 26 miles away, to offer fateha for his unlucky kinsman who had been tortured and assassinated after a brief rule of six years.

Some say this was as per the prophecy of Banda Bahadur, the Sikh general, whom Farrukhsiyar had similarly tortured and killed after quelling his rebellion. However, of the two gates the namesake in Agra seems to have a more colourful history, though few are aware of it like the old bearded fruit seller who used to stand outside the gate, past which and Raja-ki-Mandi station visitors from Delhi go to see the Taj.

-The Hindu, November 17, 2014

The majestic Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) are vanishing from sight and their dwindling numbers have put them in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's critically endangered category (red list).

According to estimates, less than 200 GIBs are left in the country. A huge bird with a horizontal body and long bare legs, the GIB looks like an ostrich. Among the heaviest of flying birds, they were once endemic to the dry plains of India, abundantly found in Ranebennur region of central Karnataka. Habitat changes and rampant poaching have affected their population significantly.

"GIBs are shrinking by the day; their count has fallen below the 200 mark," says Mohammed Esmail Dilawar, president and founder, Nature Forever Society, Maharashtra. S Subramanya, scientist and senior faculty member at University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), says: "Grasslands in the state are being converted to agriculturally fit land and pressure from real-estate development is immense too. Habitat loss is the obvious consequence." Experts say a vibrant GIB population is reflective of a healthy ecosystem. However, the bird's shrinking numbers signal an impending environmental disaster, they warn.

"GIBs are an indicator of a healthy grassland ecosystem," says Sujit Narwade, project scientist, Bombay Natural History Society. "Grasslands as a forest category support biodiversity dependent on it, ranging from termites and spiders to insects and wolves. Unfortunately, they are usually considered wastelands. Many species exist in the food web and food chain in grassland ecosystems. If one is allowed to vanish, other species too will unknowingly disappear."

Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have an estimated population of 10-15 birds each; they can still be spotted in the existing bustard ranges. Gujarat and Rajasthan support a higher number of bustards.

In 2012, the drastic fall in the population of Indian bustards, their endangered status and the decline of grasslands prompted the ministry of environment and forests to draft a species recovery programme for them. Each bustard range state developed site-specific conservation plans, but their implementation has floundered, including of the one in Karnataka.

-The Times of India, November 17, 2014

Till a few years ago, the 16th century mausoleum Chausath Khamba was not just lying in utter neglect but was an abode of ragpickers.

Now, four years after the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) started conservation work on it , one can sit in the renovated forecourt of glistening marble and catch a glimpse of the bygone era. On Sunday,, which is now the largest open public space in Nizamuddin Basti, was opened to the public. In the past four years three teams of stone craftsmen were brought in to repair the 25 domes. The project was co-funded by the German embassy. On Sunday, German ambassador Michael Steiner presided over the completion ceremony in the presence of culture ministry joint secretary SN Mittal.

The AKTC team described it as the most challenging project that they have undertaken in Nizamuddin Basti, where they are working on at least 50 other monuments. "Chausath Khamba is unique and there is no other structure like it in the world. It was an extremely complex and challenging job as every marble block had to be taken down during conservation," said project director Ratish Nanda.

Officials said the marble blocks of the 25 domes were tied to one another and embedded in the brick masonry with iron dowels. "The rainwater spouts from the inaccessible roof were blocked, resulting in water collecting on top. This led to rapid deterioration of the roof and large-scale water ingress leading to corrosion, rusting and expansion of the iron dowels. Pressure from the expanding iron dowels led to bursting of marble blocks in all parts-domes, arches, facade, pendentives and column capitals-threatening structural failure and collapse of the structure," explained an AKTC architect.

A study of the structure revealed over 80% stone blocks had severe cracks. In past repairs, burst portions of stone blocks were filled up with white cement, thereby masking the damage but allowing the deterioration to accelerate. Since each stone of Chausath Khamba was unique in shape and size, the original stones were retained. "However, iron dowels were replaced with non-corrosive stainless steel ones," said an official. Preservation of Chausath Khamba was possible only if the iron dowels could be removed. That's why each of the 25 domes were dismantled. the conservation programme required dismantling each of the 25 domes.

Each stone was numbered and mapped. Stone carvers, using traditional tools and building techniques, took eight months to repair the first dome - on the northwest corner - and established the repair methodology. -The Times of India.

-The Times of India, November 17, 2014

The World Heritage Week, which comes to a close today, provides an excellent occasion to introspect and reconsider our approach towards the preservation of a

rich heritage that our forefathers, and nature, have bequeathed. For over one and a half centuries, the state has undertaken this task with a varying degree of success and failure. But it is now time for a mature nation to consider a broader framework of citizen-government partnership, as this heritage belongs to the entire nation and not only to its present custodians. Let us look at our record so far. We have 32 sites, 25 of which are historic or “cultural”, on Unesco’s world heritage list, and only five countries are ahead of us — Italy, China, Spain, Germany and France. This is mainly because they were busy filing nominations in the 1970s, when the argumentative Indian and the Archaeological Survey of India were looking elsewhere.

By the time we realised the importance of being on the list, the “drop gate” had come down and Unesco had restricted nominations from each country to only two per year, irrespective of its size, history or geography. But we do not seem to have succeeded even in this limited task, as the ASI could not submit even a single nomination to Unesco for several years. This “scandal” was hardly noticed either by the nation or successive directors general of the ASI, or even by culture secretaries and ministers. When we finally got our act together, we managed to place 12 fresh sites on the tentative list that precedes the final scrutiny and listing in just four years, between 2009 and 2012, against only 12 claims listed in the preceding four decades. A part of this sudden burst of energy was owed to an advisory committee set up within the culture ministry comprising private experts, though the ASI did not seem pleased to have to give up its monopoly. Within the next two years, India filed 22 more applications, and we now have a wider choice of 50 “properties” on the tentative list from which we can select our final nominations to receive the world heritage tag.

It saves us from the last-minute tension of filing dossiers on the closing day and substantiates the view that wider participation can help improve performance. We have an inherent responsibility to protect and preserve what god has endowed us with, in the form of unique natural landscapes, seven of which find mention as “natural sites”. If one goes over the dates, one can clearly see how there were occasional bursts of energy in the ministry of environment in 1985-88 and then again in the 2010s. There are mysterious black patches when no effort was taken to nominate sites for Unesco’s heritage status, which is proof, if any were required, that a nation’s heritage is too serious a matter to be left in the care only of officialdom. Intach and other societies have made valiant strides to spread the message though, frankly, “heritage” remains the obsession of small groups of concerned citizens. Any attempt to involve citizens ultimately hits the wall of the law: the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, which replaced Lord Curzon’s Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904 and entrusted the entire task of the preservation of “monuments of national importance” to the ASI.

As someone who has worked with the ASI, I believe that other than its perennial shortage of money and personnel, it is too hamstrung by government procedures to incubate and carry out great projects. So sad is the ASI’s condition that half of its 3,680 protected sites do not have a single guard. Horror overtakes us when we read that anywhere between 45 to 92 of such sites are actually “missing”. Entrusting the community to look after “unimportant” monuments, with some local pride and involvement, is suspiciously viewed and thought to be fraught with dangerous consequences.

In most advanced countries, local heritage groups play a key role in the upkeep of many monuments and often do a great job. India too needs to consider this option seriously. The ASI’s list could also be slashed dramatically by deleting from its purview sites such as John Nicholson’s grave which, apart from other factors, commemorates Delhi’s devastating defeat in the war of 1857. But heritage does not mean only built or natural wonders. It also refers to living heritage, like customs, rituals, literature and the performing arts. Traditional societies like India are especially rich in this domain of intangible cultural heritage, as all relations are not crisply monetised. Here again, Unesco stepped in with consultations among its state parties, and developed the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

India could register three living traditions in the first round — Vedic chants, the Ramayana and the Kutiyattam dance of Kerala. But when the lobbying began in earnest in 2008, it was caught napping, as China inscribed 26 traditions in one shot, while Japan and Korea managed to get in dozens. Every attempt to galvanise or even shame cultural organisations were met with yawns or a “What’s in it for me?”, until one literally pleaded with them to think of the nation’s prestige and wasted potential. As a result, India presented 20 nominations by 2010 but Unesco, quite irrationally, cut the national quota to three per year.

So, we now have only 13 on the world list. These are only pointers so that we may move away from Unesco to where we started: public participation. This is emerging slowly, but the current pace of involvement will not be enough to combat the forces destroying heritage, whether in the form of structures, nature or living culture. Respect or pride in one’s history is simply not enough to sustain us in this difficult task. We will keep bemoaning the state of preservation in our country, until we frankly discuss the issues concerning family treasures with its members, especially the younger ones. The writer is chief executive officer, Prasar Bharati

-The Indian Express, November 25, 2014

To protect biodiversity, India must take hard decisions and set thresholds for environmental regulation and pollution

The Prime Minister recently reorganised his National Council on Climate Change and called on an indigenous answer, yoga, to alter consciousness and tackle climate change. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is currently working on the National Democratic Alliance’s position on climate change, with two major United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings coming up. While some say that these recent developments have rightly raised the profile of climate change in the new government, others believe that India needs to do more, particularly in the face of a new U.S.-China agreement on mitigating climate change.

Voluntary action on climate change in India has centered around economic decisions, such as cutting down on carbon intensity and increasing renewable sources of energy. But what is lacking in the discourse is an understanding of keeping the natural natural, or conserving biodiversity. Two important events have taken place in the past few months in the country, which are tied to climate change and the pressing issue of how we deal with it. First, the Convention on Biological Diversity, a Convention under the United Nations which seeks to regulate our use of the natural world, has reached important funding decisions. Second, a high-level committee set up to propose amendments in environmental laws in India has submitted its recommendations to the MoEF. Both developments set the tone for changing the character of growth. Biodiversity and climate change

Biodiversity and wildlife protection is often termed as a ‘co-benefit’ of mitigating climate change. Other co-benefits, usually understood as secondary to economic decision-making, are clean air, potable water, ecosystem services and a stable microclimate. Conservationists have argued that biodiversity has become a low second fiddle to climate change in international negotiations, and decisions related to biodiversity are not yet part of the ‘mainstream’ decisions related to growth, trade and carbon emissions. At the just-concluded conference of parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Pyeongchang, Korea, many stressed that biodiversity targets cannot just be ‘stand alone’ targets.

“In order to move the biodiversity agenda forward, approaches and tactics must evolve. In the framework of the post-2015 development agenda, stand alone targets on biodiversity would not be useful. The principle of universality and integration must define the nature of sustainable development goals,” said Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, urging that the world could not “continue to be a mere librarian of extinction, threat and destruction.” At the meeting, an important commitment for resource mobilisation was made.

Parties have agreed to double biodiversity-related financial flow to developing countries, small island developing states, least developed countries, and economies in transition. The funding is for average annual biodiversity funding for the years 2006-2010, and is to be delivered by next year. The way this funding is utilised when a part of it comes to India needs to be seen as more than just side efforts to climate change action. For instance, climate change action in India is currently focussed on a lowering of carbon intensity in growth. But we are also seeking to peak emissions by a certain period, allowing growth to optimise by then, and then allow a tapering off of emissions. But this carbon space can also be consistently at odds with biodiversity protection efforts. For example, the concept of ‘peaking’ emissions holds no value for biodiversity, and may actively threaten it.

A habitat once destroyed takes decades to be restored as we set up man-made infrastructure. So the question is: are we going to dismantle natural infrastructure and then restore it? If the answer is no, then this will mean taking hard decisions, such as identifying critical, inviolate areas in forests which cannot be mined or dammed, and setting thresholds for environmental regulation and pollution. On the topic of regulation, a crucial review is currently underway. A high-level committee chaired by former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian has reviewed all the environmental laws of India including the Wildlife Protection Act, the Forest Act, the Forest Conservation Act, and the Environment Protection Act.

While decisions related directly to biodiversity, such as species and habitat protection, are under the ambit of review, there are also indirect connections which bridge decisions for both climate change action and biodiversity protection. One of the most pressing questions is that of regulation. What will be revised thresholds for air and water pollution? The government has made moves to lift the moratorium for projects (and thus allowing more emissions) in critically polluted areas, such as Vapi in Gujarat. Further changes in these regulations will set the tone for levels of industrial effluents in seas, rivers, and the sky, and how much clustering of infrastructure and projects can be allowed in an area.

The second question is one of environmental and forest clearances for projects. In public statements, including the one made when Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar accepted the environmental act review, the government says it wants the environmental clearance process made “speedier” and “more transparent.” This sentiment is echoed in States too: for instance, Himachal Pradesh has a committee on ‘Speedy development of small hydro projects.’ Decision-making on environment should not be a question of time; rather it should be one of rigour. While developers want to believe that problems in environmental decision-making lie in time spent around getting a clearance, the issue really is one of technocratic discretion. The MoEF needs to have the forthright discretion to say ‘no’ to projects with deleterious impacts on biodiversity and climate action. While it is a Ministry meant to appraise projects and clear them, it is also one that is meant to halt projects which denigrate biodiversity and environmental conservation efforts. Changing consciousness

The final question then is: in our development efforts, and in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, what rigour will the Indian government put in for capturing our hard-won climate quota, while simultaneously guarding a healthy environment? While conventional sources of energy will stay for a while, environmental regulation and post-project monitoring have to be strengthened and upheld because the country is a constituency wider than just developers who clamour for hasty clearances. Further, in creating a different scenario — that is new forms of energy and low carbon development pathways such as biogas, solar and marine, wind mill energy and energy efficiency — there is a real chance for new job creation. Finally, keeping biodiversity and nature protection at the centre of climate action, and thus our growth strategy, is a pressing requirement. The World Bank estimates that India loses more than 5 per cent of its GDP each year to environmental degradation.

A robust and growing biodiversity protected area framework will save money spent on pollution-related illnesses and buoy climate change mitigation work. On yoga and its role in combating climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change.” This change in consciousness and ‘oneness with nature’ has to be rethought now, at the cusp of our new climate and biodiversity action strategies. We cannot develop now to ask questions later. (Neha Sinha is with the Bombay Natural History Society. The views expressed are personal.)

-The Hindu, November 25, 2014

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad used to pray at the mosque regularly. As also former Presidents Zakir Hussain, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and APJ Abdul Kalam. Located near Parliament House, the 300-year-old Jama Masjid in New Delhi district, which came to be known as the Parliament Masjid after the country’s Independence and witnessed a free India take baby steps, has been renovated. When the mosque was built remains unclear and research is still going on. “The early history of the mosque is still unclear. We are researching the matter, going through old letters and documents. But one thing is clear, the mosque has been at the very centre of New Delhi ever since it became the political capital of India,” Mohibullah Nadvi, who has been the imam at the mosque for the past decade, said. It was the largest mosque in New Delhi district, he added.

The mosque was first renovated in 1946 by Bharat Chemical Works of Calcutta. With Parliament becoming the centre of power, leaders of the Indian freedom struggle and former presidents used to frequent the mosque to pray. The relationship with the country’s political elite continues to date with leaders such as Vice-President Hamid Ansari praying regularly at the mosque.

Moreover, the mosque has been at the very centre of the country’s diplomatic relations with Islamic states across the world. “Whenever the head of state of an Islamic country comes to India, they come to the mosque. The mosque has become a vital part of India’s democratic rise,” Nadvi said. But with time the mosque fell into disrepair. Part of the roof collapsed. The walls and gates were in dire need of repair. The latest renovation, completed last month, was done by Padma Shri M A Yousuf Ali, a businessman from Kerala. Nadvi said with the growth of India, the principles of inclusivity and democracy have been indoctrinated into the practices of the mosque.

“Everyone, irrespective of religion or beliefs, are welcome here. Muslims of different communities come here to pray,” he said.

-The Indian express, November 27, 2014

Highly congested and severely neglected for years now, Lado Sarai is an over 300-year-old small village in South Delhi, which is ironically more famous for designer boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and design studios. The residents too have realised that renting out space to artistes gives them a decent-sized extra income.

All the creativity, however, seems to have failed to touch the village, which remains a maze of open sewers, heaps of garbage, vacant land lying disused, water-logged streets, open drains and haphazard everyday living, which gives the area a slum-like appearance. With an aim to revive this medieval era colony, the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) has carried out a comprehensive study and established dialogue with the locals to identify the problems and arrive at the best possible solutions. Early this November, the Commission consultants visited Lado Sarai.

In a meeting with the residents and Residents’ Welfare Association, they explained the need and the idea of revival of their ‘sarai’. Some major issues plaguing the village include Lado Sarai’s disconnection with the surrounding areas due to intra-city roads around it, dense building activity in the village leading to problems of drainage and sanitation, and deficit of public utilities and social infrastructure. The DUAC has also concentrated on how to utilise open areas within Lado Sarai like spaces near Kali Mandir, Prem Singh Ki Gali and Harijan Chaupal, which are being used as junkyards. The Commission says they can be used to better distribute the density or better the aesthetics. The village has few drains. Surface water flows onto Old M.B. Road, Khaliya Road and Harijan Road.

Water from houses, rainwater and sewage also gets mixed. Houses on the outskirts do not face water scarcity, while those inside suffer from acute water crisis. Haphazard car parking and stray animals also add to the woes. There was a time when tourists visited Lado Sarai to experience its lifestyle, recollects Lado Sarai RWA president Devender Kumar.

“I have seen it as a child too. Tourists used to come visiting us and see how we kept our houses, how we cooked, etc. They used to experience India here. Now, this place is a mess.” “Lado Sarai was developed as an unplanned village, but earlier the density was less. Now it has 35,000 people, which demands development of basic infrastructure. Drainage is the basic problem and open drains are the cause of various diseases. Sewerage system needs to be developed. There are no lines for water supply,” added Mr. Kumar .

-The Hindu, November 27, 2014

Australia will offer technical support and assistance to India’s mammoth undertaking of cleaning up the Ganga, Australian High Commissioner Patrick Suckling says. “We have agreed to work with India. We have spent $350 million to develop river basin modelling technology to save one of our biggest rivers, the Murray-Darling river basin. We are sharing this technology with India,” he said in an interaction here. A pilot study is already on in the Brahmani river in eastern India, he added.

“When Mr. Modi [Prime Minister Narendra Modi] was in Australia, we also announced an intensification of our water partnership in order to work with India on the PM’s priority of cleaning up the Ganga. So, we are going to be looking at some areas of technical support. It’s a massive exercise to clean-up an entire river system,” Mr. Suckling said. Stressing that both India and Australia have huge water challenges that need to be addressed, he said effective management of river systems was essential to ensure equitable allocation of water and preservation of ecosystems. Adani project

Reacting to the controversy surrounding a memorandum of understanding between the State Bank of India and the Adani group on a $1-billion loan for the setting up of a coal mine in Australia, Mr. Suckling said the Queensland government itself was investing in the Adani project. “It is putting some of its own government money behind the project,” he said. “I know that the Adanis are talking with all sorts of banks all over the world. The money that they get will be based on sound commercial decisions. Banks aren’t in the business of throwing their money away.” However, he said the Australian government was not in a position to offer any sovereign guarantees for the viability of the project.

“At the end of the day, these are commercial decisions. If litigation arises, that is a matter for the courts. Our government is committed to be as business-friendly as possible, but not at the expense of undermining any laws or environmental protocols.”

-The Indian Express, November 27, 2014

With the issue of Unified Building Bylaws (UBBL) in focus once again after the change in government at the Centre, the first advisory stakeholders’ committee meeting was held in the capital Wednesday. Representatives of various government bodies and individuals participated in the discussions to finalise a draft of the new by-laws. The laws are being amended 30 years after they were first implemented. Accountability on safety, building envelopes and more freedom to architects were some of the suggestions made by the stakeholders.

Others suggested that the responsibility and accountability in case of a calamity be fixed. “There were concerns that in the event of an earthquake, a large percentage of buildings are prone to damage. In such circumstances, who should take the blame? Should it be the Delhi government, which finally approves the construction in areas, or should it be the builder or the architect?” a source said. While advisory stakeholders’ meetings have been held over the past one-and-a-half years, this is the first one since the Modi government took charge and fast-tracked the matter. “We had sought suggestions from the public and government agencies on the UBBL till November 17.

However, even after that date, suggestions have been pouring in. This meeting had 25 stakeholders representing various government agencies and individuals. Once we finalise the suggestions, a draft will be prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development for approval,” P S N Rao, Chairman of Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC), said.

The DUAC and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had invited suggestions from the public on the issue of amendments to the UBBL and had received 600 suggestions from professionals, public and government agencies. The idea to amend the existing 1983 building by-laws came up in 2012 when it was decided that the laws should be put in the public domain and made more user-friendly and understandable to the public. While the issue was deliberated upon, the idea remained untouched until the advent of the Modi government. Representatives from the DDA, municipal corporations, New Delhi Municipal Council, National Monuments Authority, Airports Authority of India and the Delhi Fire Services participated in the meeting. Sources said the DUAC was holding core group meetings with representatives from the DDA and municipal corporations on a weekly basis to finalise the suggestions.

Over 200 suggestions have been scrutinised. Once the suggestions are finalised, a draft will be prepared and submitted to the UD Ministry for approval. “There have been discussions several times, but nothing has been achieved. The new laws will be sensitive to the urban landscape. Within a family, if there is a marriage, and there are additions to the family, there has to be space. What each individual does with his house is his wish as long as he does not violate the safety rules and compromise the structure of the building,” a stakeholder said.

-The Hindu, November 27, 2014

The BSNL will soon turn Dashashwamedh and Sheetla ghats in Varanasi — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency — into Wi-Fi zones.

According to officials, the BSNL took up the project following directives from the PMO around two months ago, and the progress on the project was regularly being monitored by the Centre. The officials said required devices have already been installed at both the ghats, which are frequently visited by tourists, and the full-fledged operation would start soon.

The BSNL has put the project on fast-track and a trial run of the devices has already been done. The project was handed over to Bangalore-based firm QuadGen Wireless Solutions Inc. A survey has also been conducted at the Banaras Hindu University so that students could be given access to Internet on the campus and from the hostels free of cost.

“So far, we have received directives to install devices at Dashashwamedh and Sheetla ghats to make them Wi-Fi zones. Operation of Wi-Fi will be started there soon after getting directives from high-ups in corporate office,” said Moti Lal, BSNL general manager, Varanasi.

-The Indian Express, November 28, 2014

With the issue of Unified Building Bylaws (UBBL) in focus once again after the change in government at the Centre, the first advisory stakeholders’ committee meeting was held in the capital Wednesday. Representatives of various government bodies and individuals participated in the discussions to finalise a draft of the new by-laws. The laws are being amended 30 years after they were first implemented. Accountability on safety, building envelopes and more freedom to architects were some of the suggestions made by the stakeholders.

Others suggested that the responsibility and accountability in case of a calamity be fixed. “There were concerns that in the event of an earthquake, a large percentage of buildings are prone to damage. In such circumstances, who should take the blame? Should it be the Delhi government, which finally approves the construction in areas, or should it be the builder or the architect?” a source said. While advisory stakeholders’ meetings have been held over the past one-and-a-half years, this is the first one since the Modi government took charge and fast-tracked the matter. “We had sought suggestions from the public and government agencies on the UBBL till November 17.

However, even after that date, suggestions have been pouring in. This meeting had 25 stakeholders representing various government agencies and individuals. Once we finalise the suggestions, a draft will be prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development for approval,” P S N Rao, Chairman of Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC), said.

The DUAC and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had invited suggestions from the public on the issue of amendments to the UBBL and had received 600 suggestions from professionals, public and government agencies. The idea to amend the existing 1983 building by-laws came up in 2012 when it was decided that the laws should be put in the public domain and made more user-friendly and understandable to the public. While the issue was deliberated upon, the idea remained untouched until the advent of the Modi government. Representatives from the DDA, municipal corporations, New Delhi Municipal Council, National Monuments Authority, Airports Authority of India and the Delhi Fire Services participated in the meeting. Sources said the DUAC was holding core group meetings with representatives from the DDA and municipal corporations on a weekly basis to finalise the suggestions.

Over 200 suggestions have been scrutinised. Once the suggestions are finalised, a draft will be prepared and submitted to the UD Ministry for approval. “There have been discussions several times, but nothing has been achieved. The new laws will be sensitive to the urban landscape. Within a family, if there is a marriage, and there are additions to the family, there has to be space. What each individual does with his house is his wish as long as he does not violate the safety rules and compromise the structure of the building,” a stakeholder said.

-The Hindu, November 27, 2014

Giving the tourism sector a significant push, the government on Thursday launched the much-touted online visa facility for 43 countries including the US, Australia, Japan, Israel, Germany and Singapore. Travelers can apply for a visa from the comfort of their homes and receive a visa within 72 hours. The electronic travel authorization (ETA) will be valid for 30 days and the visa fee has been fixed at $62. Those traveling on leisure, short duration medical treatment, casual business visit or to meet friends and relatives will be eligible to apply. The facility will be made available at nine airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Thiruvanathapuram. Assuring safe and secure tourism for foreign tourists, home minister Rajnath Singh said, "We want to promote tourism in the country in a big way.

The contribution of tourism in GDP is approximately 7% and we want to double it." Other countries included in the first phase are Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, UAE, Jordan, Kenya, Fiji, Finland, South Korea, Singapore, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Oman and the Philippines among others. "Currently, we have included 43 countries in the first phase. Barring those who are 'high-risk' countries, we will extend this facility to almost every country in the world phase-wise," Singh said. Congratulating all those involved in the launch of e-visa system, tourism minister Mahesh Sharma said, "This is a historic day for tourism sector. The facility has opened the country to a vast world." Tourism secretary Lalit Panwar described the launch of e-visa as a "red letter day" in tourism history. "It is going to change the tourism scenario soon," he said.

Highlighting the importance of the scheme, Indian Association of Tour Operators President Subhash Goyal said, "We have been demanding this facility for long. The launch of e-visa system for so many countries will boost the industry and we hope foreign tourist arrivals will reach the seven million mark this year."

-The Times of India, November 29, 2014

Chandnibi’s book on Chola epigraphy fills a gap in the study of the periodThink history, think of the Mauryas, the Guptas, the Sultanate and the Mughals. Maybe, somewhere down the line sneak in a chapter on the Cholas, and a paragraph or two on the likes of the Pandeyas, the Cheras, the Vakatakas and the rest. Some though have gone beyond this lopsided approach to our history and focussed on the achievements of the Cholas, the empire that lasted more than a millennium. Many years ago, the venerable Nilakant Sastri came up with a landmark study of the Cholas. Recently, S. Chandnibi, an academic at Aligarh Muslim University, concentrated on epigraphical data from the dynasty in her book, “Epigraphical Reading in the Chola History” to reveal to us some of the evidence of the vastness of the empire. Beyond Nilakant Sastri, not many top historians seem to have focussed exclusively on the Cholas. Your book fills that vacuum. How challenging was it to do a book on the Cholas that goes beyond academic circles? I dare not to be placed anywhere near K.A. Nilakanta Sastri.

He a giant, never left a stone unturned in the field of Cholas, which itself is too big a challenge for anyone to progress further. Next handicap is the sources, where we should look to epigraphy only, as we lack literary sources as compared to contemporary north India. Among the painstakingly copied inscriptions, ASI has published little, and also the efforts of the State government are too little when compared to other neighbouring States. So one has to wait for permission The Cholas were renowned for local self-administration. Were they the harbingers of local self government in modern India? We may say so. The ancient north Indian literature refers to republican States and two different houses of the State, viz Sabha and Samithi, and we hardly see its practicality here. But Sabha and its full fledged functions are quite obvious in the regime of the Cholas. In certain issues —irrespective of the difficulties of matching with the exact perspectives of present-day democracy — definitely we are yet to catch up with the Chola system, especially in dealing with corruption in general and politicians in particular. The most amazing aspect was their effort to maintain zero tolerance towards public corruption. Public money swindlers were debarred from contesting the elections for life. Could you elaborate on the Cholas’ justice system?

It was more practical in a certain sense, like when two brothers fought with each other and one was murdered, the other was exempted from imprisonment taking into account the aged parents left with no other sons; he was left free with a caution to guard his parents. The caste-based justice of Manu did not find routes with the Cholas’ justice. At the village level grievances were dissolved by discussion, unmindful of whether it was day or night. Traditions were given importance but overcome if documental evidence was produced. The various stages of the present system, right from filing a case to the final judgement including the right to appeal, was followed in the Chola judiciary. The king’s court was the only court of appeal. Even the Brahmins were not spared; they were imprisoned, fined, had their property confiscated and were deprived of their professional duties in the temples for generations. Special care was taken to collect the swindled public money. We do not hear about hard punishments like thrashing, being trampled under elephants and amputation. An example is the case of the murder of a prince by a group of Brahmins; the royal authority did not execute them but confiscated all their and their relatives’ property. At the same time, a very little parallel to Manu’s influence could also be felt. As youngsters we learn about Mauryan Emperor Ashoka’s expedition to Sri Lanka as also the Battle of Kalinga. Yet we are told little about how Raja Raja Chola I’s empire included Sri Lanka as well as Kalinga. How do you explain this dichotomy? This particular question may open a Pandora’s box.

The historians of north India really far exceed in the subject while the south is not yet close to them. Eventually these developments led to a mental picture that the history of north of the Vindayas is the history of the country itself. The historical writings undermined the south and used a blanket term “Indian” — though neglecting the southern touch. I can list at least 50 such books, from my very department’s library . The chapter “Feudalism in South Indian Context” of my book is self-explanatory in this context. Though scholars the world over accept that the so-called undeciphered Harappan script has links to languages of the Dravidian family, we prefer to leave it aside as undeciphered. Though the familiar division of Indian society into four on caste basis has been checked and opposed right from its initiation in the Vedic age, still the basic text books do not show this. All this implies the need for rewriting our history books with absolute objectivity. A senior historian has voiced long back that Indian history should start from the banks of river Kaveri instead of the Ganga. On similar lines our students are told about southern kings in one single chapter, in which the Cholas, Pandeyas,

Cheras are all clubbed together despite the fact that often Cheras, Sinhalas as also the Pandeyas allied against the Cholas. Doesn’t this short shrift to an important Indian dynasty deprive our students of a more balanced representation of our past? Of course, there is no other dynasty in the whole of Indian history, perhaps the universe, that has survived and continued to rule right from B.C to the 13th A.D — which includes the complete ancient period and partially the medieval one, with ups and downs, except the three, viz the Cheras, Cholas and Pandeyas. The Greek and Roman writers exhibit a sense of fear over the gold drain into these kingdoms caused by the excessive imports in the Augustus Era. The two epics of India, Ramayana and Mahabharata, do refer to them. Some of the tribes in the South East Asian islands go with the names of the three dynasties. Asokan inscriptions refer to them as neighbours, meaning they were independent of the Mauryan yoke. Kharavela of Kalinga perceived the confederation of these three dynasties as a threat. Even in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the land beyond carry these dynastical names as their place names today too. The Cholas were the first to excel in a navy and succeeded in subduing the Far East islands politically, culturally and commercially. Until the advent of the Europeans in sea commerce, the southern powers had both east and west overseas commerce in their hands. Embassies were sent to China as an extension of commerce. The dialogue can go on. Yes, our younger generations are deprived of a marvellous piece of their history, which is definitely very unfortunate.

-The Hindu, November 28, 2014

The construction of trams under the Chandni Chowk redevelopment plan will be completed in three years, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) informed Lt-Governor Najeeb Jung on Friday. Jung and Union minister and Chandni Chowk MP Harsh Vardhan were jointly reviewing the progress of the work being undertaken in Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid precincts.

The DMRC managing director stated that the feasibility study shows that the ridership of the proposed tram will be 1 lakh people per day and 5,000 people per hour during peak hours in each direction of the line. The tram line is expected to be 4.55 km long and will run in a loop in the Chandni Chowk area. Six two-coach trams, with a capacity of 200, will run on the line. The frequency of the tram will be 2-3 minutes. The tram will take approximately 15 minutes to complete the entire length. The Public Works Department (PWD), which is executing the redevelopment project,

said the shifting and relocation of old water and sewer lines of Delhi Jal Board, BSES transformers, MTNL and police posts was on track. The PWD is carrying out the laying of underground RCC ducts for relocating all over-the-ground utilities underground, thereby providing a clear view of the vista in Chandni Chowk.

The meeting, attended by many senior officials, also discussed issues such as restoration of the fountain in Chandni Chowk, developing parking facilities in Dangal Maidan,

upgrading the existing Gandhi Maidan parking and removing encroachments on pavements. Harsh Vardhan said he will hold meetings with residents of the area and government officials to speedily resolve issues of parking and encroachments.

-The Indian Express, November 29, 2014

Having a record 5,198 large dams in the country, third only after the US and China, the Centre is aggressively working on a new dam safety law to put in place good practices and procedures on safety parameters of large structures. "It is not a legislation to regulate, but to lay down certain good practices. Consultation is going on within the government," Central Water Commission chairman AB Pandya told TOI on the sidelines of the 31st Visvesvaraya memorial lecture here.

"We have placed the draft bill before the standing committee, and it has given some suggestions based on which we have modified the bill. Internal consultations within the government will have to conclude before it reaches the Parliament," he said. A call for legislation on dam safety was first suggested by a standing committee set up in 1982. In 2007, the governments of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal adopted resolutions in their respective state assemblies, empowering the Parliament to pass necessary Central Dam Safety Act.

The previous UPA government introduced a bill in 2010. But with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha, the bill lapsed. Tamil Nadu had earlier sought deletion of some objectionable clauses in the earlier bill as it takes away the control over maintenance of dams from the states owning them. It owns and operates four dams in Kerala.

The proposed legislation is intended to provide proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all large dams to ensure their safe functioning and thereby protect persons and property against risks associated with dam failures. The bill will address issues of emergency action plan and disaster management. "But there has to be a public consultation when the draft bill is ready," South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People coordinator Himanshu Thakkar told TOI.

India has 4,857 large dams and another 341 dams are under construction. While 2.2% of the dams built before 1950 have failed globally, there are about 36 failures reported in India. None of the concrete dams have failed. All failures were reported only in earthern dams. "Majority of them failed immediately after construction or at the time of first full-load, which can be clearly attributed to factors like faulty design or poor quality of construction," Pandya said.

While structural safety is one concern, siltation is also a worry. "Securing the structure per se will not help unless there is a periodical cleaning up. How to go about it is what CWC perhaps should tell the states," Tamil Nadu PWD secretary M Saikumar said.

There were suggestions at a recent meeting of water resources ministers in New Delhi that the Centre should involve dredging corporation to resolve siltation. CWC, the apex organization for water resources, implements Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP), a World Bank sponsored programme for rehabilitation of dams at a cost of Rs 2,100 crore in four states.

The six-year project, aimed at strengthening dam safety, covers 233 dams in Tamil Nadu (107), Kerala (53), Odisha (25) and Madhya Pradesh (29). Pandya said the commission would also bring on board states like Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Jharkhand and organizations like Damodar Valley Corporation shortly.

-The Times of India, November 30, 2014

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan to inter-link rivers (ILRs) across the country will have one more project, bringing the total number to 31. The new link plans to bring surplus water from Sharda on the Indo-Nepal border to the parched Yamuna near Delhi via Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Modi had even discussed the feasibility of this link with his Nepalese counterpart Sushil Koirala during his maiden visit to the neighbouring country as Prime Minister in August.

Nepal is learnt to have agreed to cooperate, in the same way it promised extend its cooperation in the case of other proposed inter-linking of river projects in northern India. Sources privy to preliminary facts of the new proposed project said that the 31st ILR, once implemented, would help the Yamuna to have 'uninterrupted' flow of water between Delhi and Agra and even beyond till the point the river Chambal joins it and gives it a normal flow. "The Uttarakhand government has agreed for the new proposed project as the link would pass through the state. We need to take consent from Uttar Pradesh as well before moving ahead with the new link", said an official.

He said the cleanliness of the Yamuna and development of the river front in Delhi would largely depend on the success of the proposed link as 'uninterrupted' flow is a prerequisite to keep any river clean. Since the Modi government has decided not to go ahead with any of the ILRs unless riparian states give their assent, the Union water resources and Ganga rejuvenation minister Uma Bharti has been trying to build consensus while taking up the matter with various states.

So far, the Union cabinet has approved only the Ken-Betwa river link project as it got consent from both Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The other links are at different stages of developments including making 'detailed project report' (DPR) and consultation with the states amid resistance from environmentalists who have been opposing ILRs. They feel that such projects would be disastrous for ecology and bio-diversity.

Though most of the states agree in principle to go for ILR on case-to-case basis, Odisha has completely opposed the concept. The state has not even sent its representative to the Centre for any meetings on the subject so far. Kerala is also among the naysayers but it participated in discussions suggesting dos and don'ts for the peninsular rivers. The ILR project, which was first conceived during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure but went in to cold storage during the UPA regime, has two components — peninsular and Himalayan. Both the components together have 30 river-linking projects. New proposed link will be the 31st ILR.

The peninsular component, involving the rivers in southern India, envisaged developing a 'Southern Water Grid' with 16 river linkages in different states. It primarily includes diversion of the surplus waters of Mahanadi and Godavari to Pennar, Krishna, Vaigai and Cauvery rivers. The Himalayan component will have 15 river linkages including the new one. It was conceived for building storage reservoirs on the Ganga and the Brahmaputra and their main tributaries both in India and Nepal.

The government has claimed that the ILR projects, if fully implemented, will make water available for irrigating 35 million hectares, generate hydro-electricity to the tune of 34,000MW and control floods in many states.

-The Times of India, November 30, 2014

Rapid decrease in suitable habitat across India has resulted in the addition of 253 new species of wildlife in the endangered list in just two years. The number of endangered species in 2010 was 190, which jumped sharply to 443 in 2012, according to the latest data by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). The startling information became public through a Comptroller and Auditor General’s report tabled in the Parliament on Friday highlighting malaise in the ZSI, a 100-year-old institution, and its failure to conduct status surveys of endangered species — its primary objective.

The ZSI list is split in five categories: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Of them, birds were hardest hit with 139 species on the list in 2012 – up from 57 in 2010. The list includes the Nicobar Megapode, Black-necked Crane and Jerdon’s “Birds are the first sign of health of a habitat and quality of life,” said Fayaz Khudsar, a biologist in the Delhi University. “As the external environmental parameters are not conducive, the birds of specialist foraging guild are shrinking and the list of endangered birds is enlarging.” The number of mammals on the endangered list has gone up from 62 in 2010 to 123 in 2012 and includes the Snow Leopard, Hangul Kashmir Stag and the Pygmy Hog. Rapid water contamination has taken a toll on the fishes too with 45 new species added to the list for a total of 67 endangered species in 2012.

39 new species of Amphibians have been added to the list – up from 35 species in 2010 to 74 in 2012. The Anamalai Flying Frog, Gundia Indian Frog and Kerala Indian Frog figure on the list. There are now 40 endangered reptiles – up from 14 in 2010 – including Gharial, Hawksbill Turtle and the Red-crowned Roofed Turtle. Blaming the ZSI for failing to carry out its mandate to provide direction to the government for protecting India’s massive biodiversity, the CAG said status surveys were carried out on only three endangered species since 1993 and were ‘insignificant’.

The institute also failed to perform its primary job of regularly updating the Red Data Book --- the country’s official record of threatened species, said the national auditor. The book was last updated about 20 years ago and the environment ministry blamed lack of expertise and logistical constraints for ZSI’s failure. This was despite money being provided for the job.

India is home to about 8% of the world’s total species and has one of the finest biological hotspots on the globe. An estimated 45,000 plant and 89,000 animal species have been recorded in Indian forests so far.

-The Hindustan Times, November 30, 2014