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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER February 2009 |
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 Victory!The toxic tide of e-waste will be lessened now that electronics giant Philips has agreed to begin to take responsibility for recycling its own products. The more toxic components there are in a product the more costly it is to recycle. Now Philips will have the ultimate incentive to create less toxic products: saving money! Thanks to your support and the hard work of Greenpeace campaigners the pressure has paid off in a big victory towards the elimination of toxic e-waste.
Energy provider Electrabel is a green company. Energy provider Electrabel invests in coal and nuclear and then calls itself green. Can you spot the lie? Greenpeace Belgium has, and is very generously correcting Electrabel’s misunderstanding of the word ‘green’. When it comes to green energy we need the real thing. You have the power to inform yourself and take action with Greenpeace Belgium’s You’ve Got the Power (in Dutch and French). Indian car manufacturer Tata is considering the construction of a large port on the nesting site of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle. Kindly ask Tata to get out of the turtles’ backyard by e-mailing the construction company, Dredging International, responsible for building the port. Tah-Tah Tata. Yes, there’s more! Greece has Quit Coal! Coal will no longer be part of Greece’s energy future, and on top of this, the government is also no longer considering nuclear. Instead Greece will be promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency in its Long-Term Energy Plan. Greece has set the example for the rest of the world to follow by beginning an Energy [R]Evolution. All over the world, in Russia, Japan, Greece, New Zealand, America and elsewhere, Greenpeace supporters stood in solidarity with Japanese Greenpeace activists Junichi and Toru as they faced their first formal court hearing, in a politically-driven trial related to their exposure of scandal in the whaling industry. During peaceful demonstrations in front of Japanese embassies and consulates Greenpeace supporters asked for Justice for Whales, Justice for Greenpeace. Add your voice – let the Japanese government know that if defending whales is a crime they should arrest you too. |
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Have Australians Stopped Killing Whales? http://is.gd/mgIT What do you think?
Please complete our poll on Whaling, too.
Thanks Lesley
http://www.eco-dhamra.com/photogallery.html
Turtles are nesting!No problem
Green peace needs an attitude check
Green Peace seems to be acting according the phrase ” Its either our way or the highway”.
The facts are clear dredging has had no impact on the nesting this year. In fact thousands of turtles have nested this yr and shame on you green peace as the turtles them selves have proved you all wrong… like someone earlier commented Grow up green peace
Orissa in the recent yrs have gone through hell, the TATA’s r in fact doing a great job
We Indians need this port and greenpeace needs money. Hence this confusion.
You need to admire them for their strategy coz attaching themselves to Tata they get the visibility. Green peace you guys haven’t done anything in Bangalore where your head office is and where you can do much as there is and was so much of tree felling in Bangalore
Green peace is not a body to trust anyway they pick up cause not on the basis of help needed but on which can cause most sensation. They are the Rakhi Sawants of the NGO world.
People it Seems like all other business houses across the world greenpeace also is suddenly interested in India coz all the money and attention is here
The Turtles are being used by greenpeace to achieve their agenda. It has nothing to do with turtles or tata its purely a publicity gimmick.
your conversation does pop a few questions
why question only TATA
why now
why through nano
the propoganda does seem illicit
TATA needs to just ignore these obstructions and go ahead with their planning
Greenpeace reminds me of my high school as they are exactly like a bunch of bullies who used to go around the school telling students that if they don’t do as they say they will have the worst days ahead of them going ahead in school
A funny video about turtles nesting in Gahirmatha Beach. ENJOY!
According to Greenpeace, Dhamra port project will directly affect the Olive Ridley turtles, their mating, nesting etc. however found this video worth sharing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-10fqlbU5U
Even after huge Greenpeace propaganda, turtles came back for nesting at Gahirmatha beach, which is located near Dhamra port project.
Like to share few more stories:
http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?654147
http://futureberhampur.blogspot.com/2009/05/olive-ridley-turtles-hatchlings-emerge.html
I think Greenpeace problem lies here: “After all, Tata has grown from a national giant into an international player”
Have a look at http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=41645784174&topic=305078
Its says:
“It may be noted that IUCN and the MTSG (Marine Turtle Scientific Group) scientists working with the group have clearly stated that dredging operations for Dhamra does not and will not affect the Olive Ridley Turtles in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and its periphery area. For more details log on to – http://scienceoremotion.blogspot.com“
Greenpeace to see exclusive olive ridley turtles video shared by DPCL:
Know more about Dhamra Port Project
http://www.slideshare.net/John_SM/ecofriendly-dhamra
“Greenpeace has been variously criticized for being too radical, too alarmist, or too mainstream, for using methods bordering on eco-terrorism, for having itself caused environmental damage in its activities, for taking positions which are not environmentally or economically sound, and for valuing non-human causes over human causes. These criticisms have been made by governments, industrial and political lobbyists and other environmental groups.”
Greenpeace Lies About Apple
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/Home/E83D58B3-10E0-4A9C-8847-BCE665EE235C.html
Greenpeace Lies About Dhamra Port
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r39coHPJKdU
Is that like Greenpeace always targets big corporate giant to keep them under pressure and earn money from them ultimately?
I wonder why a non-governmental organization for the protection and conservation of the environment do not like to protect the human beings. I have found in few countries innocent & poor people require protections, importance more than animals.
Why they have been kept ignored and leave behind by this type of so called good organizations.
GREENPEACE HAS NO RIGHT TO CREATE OBSTACLES FOR THE ECONOMICAL & INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ANY OTHER COUNTRY.
“It is sad that we first decide a villain and then find the proof to crucify them, when our concern could be about the turtles and people of Orissa and finding out ways so that both prosper.” – Cyber activist blogger’s viewpoint on Greenpeace and the turtles
Dhamra Port Project is not only concern about the Orissa’s economy or the society’s betterment but they are also concern about the environmental protection. A very nice video which you will definitely like to share with others
Light and lighting are crucial for any industrial project, both during construction and the operational phase. IUCN lighting experts and DPCL are also taking care of implementing lighting safeguards, which would also be turtle safe lighting and would be low pressure sodium vapor lights which have been proven by research to be the least disorienting to turtle hatchlings.
Source: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=296928&id=168851070709
Mr Ratan Tata Chairman of TATA Steel to Greenpeace activists: “I invite you for a discussion and a visit to the port site in Dhamra.”
Tata proved that Tata was always willing to have a best solution for country’s industrial & economical development and they were always ready for solutions.
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/08/29/MTA5MDgw/TATA_Steel_invites_Greenpeace_activists_for_talks_on_Dhamra_Port.html
http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/661058/Business/4/20/4
http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-100917.html
Greenpeace, the professed global environment campaign organization, in an instance of unmatched brazenness, falsified the report prepared by North Orissa University on Biodiversity Assessment of Dhamra Estuary. As a result, a group of forty MPs wrote to the Ministry Of Environment and Forests to call on the bluff of Greenpeace. The Orissa Govt. therefore initiated action against Greenpeace proposing a ban on all its activities in the state.
However, after the 102nd Annual General Meeting of Tata Steel in Mumbai, Greenpeace unabashedly has started their tricks once again. This time it has managed to rope in Retd Admiral Ramdas and his wife Mrs. Lalita Ramdas on the issue of Dhamra port but as far as scientific reasoning goes, the issues raised are totally unfounded. We can just hope that the visit of the Ramdas’ to the site will help to stop meaningless agitations and clear the situation once and for all.
Tata Steel has always maintained a strong focus on environment sustainability and environment management in all its operations. We have seen that in the issues regarding the construction of a deep-sea port at Dhamra in Orissa, the Company has been forthcoming in sharing the concerns of activists and ever willing to implement practical means of mitigating any adverse impact of port construction on the marine eco-system in that area. The Company has held at least eight to nine sessions of meetings with Greenpeace and other environmental organizations in the matter of Dhamra Port. Tata Steel has made it abundantly clear that it is willing to have further discussions in order to alleviate any unnecessary doubts that the dissenters may yet nurture against the project.
Here is an outline of events as they happened till date.
The JV agreement with L&T to build a port at Dhamra was signed by Tata Steel in 2004. At the very onset, discussions were initiated with WWF- India, BNHS, Mr Kartik Shankar, Mr Bittu Sehagal and others.
The company was duly concerned with the objections raised by different environmental organizations and agreed not to begin construction work till a detailed study was complete. Responding wholeheartedly to the demands of activists, Tata Steel agreed for a proposal for a further study of the impact of the port on turtles and on the marine and island eco-system.
In 2005, BNHS and WWF-India, with an unprecedented suddenness, reversed their stand and refused to conduct the assessment study as they had promised. However, the organisations did not provide any reasons for their turncoat attitude.
In March 06, in an address to ED, Greenpeace India, the Chairman of TATA Sons made it clear that commitments were meant to be honoured at both ends. The Company had fulfilled their promise by withholding construction work for the proposed study, which never actually took off. The MD of Tata Steel also met Greenpeace officials in their Bangalore office.
In January 2008 a meeting was subsequently conducted between Greenpeace and Tata Steel and a list of concerns was presented by Greenpeace with regard to Dhamra Port. DPCL on 8th March 2008, gave a detailed and comprehensive explanation to all the points raised by Greenpeace. Subsequent objections were allayed on 3rd May 2008.
Further on 23rd October 2008, MD, Tata Steel along with senior executives of Tata Steel, L&T and DPCL met Greenpeace, BNHS, WPSI, Wild Society of Orissa, Sanctuary Asia and other environmental organizations to discuss the concerns and the way forward on the subject with regard to Dhamra Port.
A team of Company Executives and environment experts visited Bhitarakanika National Park, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and the Dhamra Port site on February 2009, supervising the ongoing dredging operations.
On fourth meeting on 20th Feb 2009 in Kolkata, Tata Steel, L&T and DPCL agreed to conduct the additional biological impact assessment in close collaboration with NGOs’ of environmental organizations team led by a mutually agreed upon Scientists team. However the NGOs’ in a further instance of unreasonableness, insisted upon complete cessation of on-going dredging operation of Dhamra Port even before the commencement of study. However DPCL, Tata Steel and L&T team showed it preparedness to adjust the schedule of works including dredging to facilitate the study after due recommendation by the Scientists team.
The 102nd AGM of Tata Steel had been attended by a number of Greenpeace activists who happen to be shareholders of the Company as well. The AGM highlighted Tata Steel’s interests in further conference with Greenpeace in the matter of the port in addition to an invitation to activists to visit the port site yet again.
From the sequence of events, it is absolutely clear that the only thing that Greenpeace wants is to prolong the situation of deadlock in the matter of Dhamra Port. Perhaps, due to a lack of other valid issues on their agenda, Greenpeace is carrying on with a stance of stiffness, lest they have to give in to valid scientific reasoning. The only deduction that may be drawn from Greenpeace’s lack of willingness in discussion is that they have lost their own conviction long before and fear that they will have to admit it as such in an open forum. It is indeed a very sorry state of affairs in which progress is kept at stake and the environment is being used as a pawn by people who profess themselves to be friends of the environment.
Some shareholders of Tata Steel brought up the concerns raised by Greenpeace about the impact of the Dhamra Port on the nesting habitat of Olive Ridley Turtles at Tata Steel’s 102nd AGM in Mumbai on the 27th August’09 and requested the Chairman of Tata Steel, Mr Ratan Tata, to discuss the Dhamra Port issue with them.
Mr Tata responded immediately to their concerns and said that my invitation is “ to you Admiral Ramdas” and anybody else who would be interested and Mr Muthuraman would make the arrangements for you all to take the time to satisfy yourselves in terms of what we are doing.
Know more: Response to GPs activity on Websites