NEW DELHI EST OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEKS OF JUNE 01 TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001221 SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS STATE FOR STAS DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL INTERIOR FOR FWS RILEY STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO MNUC ECON KGHG TRGY IN SUBJECT: NEW DELHI EST OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEKS OF JUNE 01 TO 05 AND JUNE 08 TO 12, 2009 ¶1. (U) Below is a compilation of environment, science, and technology highlights from Embassy New Delhi for the week of June 08-12, 2009, including the following: -- Not-So-Expert Group Recommends Dilution of Environmental Clearance Process -- India to Establish Environmental Protection Authority -- Sariska Tiger Reserve - First Tiger Cub Litter Due By September -- Government Accountability for Tiger Conservation -- Sea Trials for India's First Indigenous Nuclear Submarine -- Team to Study Impact of Climate Change on Arctic Microbes -------------- ENVIRONMENT -------------- Not-So-Expert Group Recommends Dilution of Environmental Clearance Process ¶2. A so-called "expert group" brought together by the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance, met to examine the Government of India (GOI) Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) process for industrial and infrastructure projects, according to media reports. Notably absent from the list of government and industry participants were the environment experts, including those from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) which is the government's nodal agency for all environment issues and who oversee the EIA process in India. The lone environmental voice was that of WWF-India CEO and former investment banker Mr. Ravi Singh. Although changes in the EIA process require Cabinet clearance, usually with significant input from the MOEF, the group delivered four recommendations including: government outsourcing of the environmental clearance process for infrastructure and industrial projects; industry self-certification of the environmental appropriateness of projects; that State Industrial Development Boards, rather than State Pollution Control Boards, be allowed to hold the public hearings currently mandatory to obtain EIA clearance; and that a project be deemed cleared if EIA authorities do not respond within a fixed period of time. ESTOffs believe these recommendations would, if implemented, lead to serious dilution of an already poorly-implemented EIA process. India to Establish Environmental Protection Authority ¶3. Jairam Ramesh, newly appointed Minister of Environment and Forests, announced plans to remodel India's ineffective Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) along the lines of the U.S. Environment Protection Agency. In a speech given in Hyderabad, Ramesh said the new CPCB model would create a central science-based environmental protection and regulatory authority and designate State Pollution Control Boards as the state environment protection authorities. Minister Ramesh indicated the new authority would be given enforcement powers and entrusted with the responsibility of setting environmental standards; conducting scientific assessments for approvals or rejections of project proposals; and monitoring for compliance with environmental standards. Ramesh stated the remodeled authority would be provided with resources and become functional within a matter of months. Sariska Tiger Reserve - First Tiger Cub Litter Due By September ¶4. The Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR),which gained notoriety in 2004 for losing its entire tiger population to mismanagement and poaching, is expecting its first litter of tiger cubs from the three tigers (two female and one male) relocated to STR from Ranthambore between June 2008 and February 2009. Kartik Shankar, research NEW DELHI 00001221 002 OF 002 scholar at the Wildlife Institute of India, confirmed to ESTOffs that one of the females is expected to deliver a litter by early September marking the first tiger cubs born in Sariska in five years. Government Accountability for Tiger Conservation ¶5. MOEF Minister Jairam Ramesh said his ministry will adopt a collective responsibility approach to concerns regarding India's dwindling tiger population and the ineffective use of conservation funds. Although funding from MOEF's National Tiger Conservation Authority increased substantially over the last few years, Minister Ramesh indicated many states had failed to use the money. MOEF intends to sign three-way agreements with the State governments and the tiger reserves to ensure both accountability and proper utilization of tiger conservation funding. -------------- SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY -------------- Sea Trials for India's First Indigenous Nuclear Submarine ¶6. More than 30 years after conception, newspapers report India plans to conduct sea trials of its first indigenously-built nuclear-powered submarine this August. The Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) is based on a Russian design, and was developed jointly by the Defense Research and Development Organization, the Department of Atomic Energy, and private industry partners. Powered by an 80MW light water reactor using 45 percent enriched Uranium, the ATV has a capacity of 12 ballistic missiles to meet India's goal of a nuclear sea-launch capability. The submarine is intended to initially carry Sagarika 750KM range missiles, but later move to Agni-III 3500KM range missiles. The Indian Navy currently plans to perform sea trials for two years before officially inducting the ATV into service. If all goes as planned, the ATV will be joined by four to five sister submarines. The total outlay for the ATV project is 3 billion USD, with each submarine expected to cost approximately 625 million USD. Team to Study Impact of Climate Change on Arctic Microbes ¶7. Newspapers report that on 18 June India's second Arctic expedition team will begin their month-long experiments at Himadri, the Indian Arctic research base located in Ny-Alesund, Norway. The all Indian team of seven biologists, led by Dr. Mohammed Hatha from Cochin University of Science and Technology's Department of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, will study issues related to climate change and microbial communities of the Arctic region. Experiments include the study of ice binding proteins in algae, ecological imbalances caused by glacial melt, the recycling of biogases, and determination of sulfur and phosphorus levels in the region. Himadri is managed by the National Center for Antarctic and Ocean Research in Goa, an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and can accommodate up to 10 researchers. The next expedition in 2010 is expected to focus on geological issues. BURLEIGH