by rakesh | Sep 1, 2006 | World News
A grant was made by TPRF to Yayasan Dian Desa (YDD), a disaster-relief organization in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to rebuild damaged water wells and restore the supply of much-needed water to the people living in this area most affected by the earthquakes. Many water wells were blocked as debris from collapsed buildings obstructed the flow of water. YDD is undertaking the restoration and reconstruction of 100 wells with its team of volunteer engineers working hand-in-hand with earthquake survivors. This partnering approach enables the survivors to become part of restoring their quality of life and to gain a sense of ownership, pride, and responsibility for the work.
A grant had been given earlier to the Indonesian Development of Education and Permaculture (IDEP) Foundation to feed 900 people for three weeks as they began to recover from the earthquakes and resulting tsunami. Dr. Michael Ricos, coordinator of IDEP’s Disaster Management Department, reported: “An entire mountain village came out to see us, and people’s faces soon lit up at the sight of the food aid we had brought. Several people were moved to tears by the fact that someone has remembered them, and my hands were firmly grasped by an elderly lady with tears in her eyes and a smile that said it all.”
Immediately following the first earthquake on May 27, 2006, TPRF had made a generous contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme for food aid to tsunami victims. WFP was one of the first relief organizations on the ground bringing food aid to people in need.
The Prem Rawat Foundation provides clean water and food to people worldwide who are most in need. Prem Rawat has spent the last four decades traveling around the world with the message that each person can find fulfillment by discovering “a peace that is already within, waiting to be discovered.”
by rakesh | Sep 1, 2006 | World News
The World’s Most Powerful Women Elizabeth MacDonald and Chana R. Schoenberger 08.31.06, 6:00 PM ET The Special Report published in Forbes Magazine tells where women stands in the World. It was amazing to see some of great personalities from India in the list....
by rakesh | Aug 31, 2006 | India News, National
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurating an exhibition ‘Where Women Lead’ at the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Lady Shri Ram College, in New Delhi on August 31, 2006. (PIB)
by rakesh | Aug 30, 2006 | Business
Inaugurating the National Workshop on Promotion of Co-generation/Captive Power Plants in Pulp and Paper Mills, organized by his Ministry here today, Shri Muttemwar said that the waste generated by rapid industrialization can be utilized for generating power through waste-to-energy conversion technologies. This can address the challenge of waste disposal and Green House Gas (GHG) emission besides making the industry self-dependent for power. Shri Muttemwar explained the imperative to encourage greater use of renewable energy and to reduce dependence on fossil fuels in the backdrop of crude oil prices crossing $75/barrel and coal prices doubling in international market in recent years.
The Minister emphasized the importance of such projects in the paper and pulp sector, which is one of the energy intensive and highly polluting sector. He underlined the fact that compared to average fuel consumption per unit output by various industries in India, this sector consumes twice the amount of fuels. He added that paper industry is eminently suited for power co-generation as 75-85% of energy is required for process heat and 15-25% as electrical power. Further, large quantity of wastewater generated in pulp and paper industry can be used for generating biogas through biomethanation of the effluents, which in turn can be utilized for production of thermal energy electricity.
Shri Muttemwar also informed that his Ministry is implementing various programmes/schemes for installation of co-generation projects based on biomass and energy recovery from industrial waste. Financial assistance is extended to encourage setting up of such projects, which in addition to providing energy & helping in creative disposal of waste, also helps to cut down transmission and distribution losses.
On this occasion, Shri Muttemwar released the National Master Plan (NMP) for Development of Waste-to-Energy prepared by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources under the UNDP/GEF assisted project on High Rate Biomethanation Processes. He said that the NMP provides a framework for waste-to-energy programme for the country by covering all the waste streams from urban and industrial sector. The primary objective of NMP is to catalyze additional decentralized power generation capacity through projects for energy recovery from urban and industrial wastes in a cost-effective manner by deployment of technologies that are suitable to the Indian conditions. The NMP is expected to serve as a Road Map for planning and implementation of projects in the urban and industrial sectors, in a phased manner over the next decade.
The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources has organized the one-day workshop in association with Cogeneration Association of India and Indian Agro & Recycled Paper Mills Association to discuss various issues including Policy & Financing, Technology Configurations & Case Studies and Action Plan for promotion of Cogen/Captive Power Plants at Pulp & Paper Mills. The Workshop was attended by representatives of industry from all over the country along with State Nodal Agencies.
by rakesh | Aug 30, 2006 | Business
Addressing the company’s directors here, he said SAIL’s growth plan needs to be completed within three years instead of five as scheduled earlier. He called upon them to take all steps to make the organization strong enough not only to withstand all impediments but develop into a leading international enterprise as well. Shri Paswan asked the SAIL management to opt only for the best proven technology and never compromise while implementing the modernization and expansion plans. He directed them to speed up the expansion of its distribution network covering each district in the country to make quality steel available to the consumers.
The SAIL Board accorded approval for three new projects at an estimated cost of Rs. 350 crore. The projects cleared include the re-building of the Coke Oven Battery (COB) No.6 at the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) at a cost of Rs. 176 crore. This project will help the BSP meet its coke requirement for enhanced hot metal capacity envisaged in its modernization and expansion plan on a sustained basis. It would be the 6th COB of SAIL to be taken up for revamping and retrofitting with the state-of-the-art pollution control measures under this growth plan.
Another project approved at the SAIL Board Meeting was installation of a computerized project system at the Steel Melting Shop (SMS)-II of the Bokaro Steel Plant at a cost of Rs. 31 crore. The on-line process system is the latest of its kind and will be integrated with the existing system for improvement in the quality of steel produced by SMS-II and for upgrading its efficiency.
As on date, projects involving a total investment of around Rs. 17,300 crore are under various stages of implementation by SAIL. Among the major projects is the Rs. 1,553 crore expansion plan for the Salem Steel Plant.
