Opinion
Innovation in habitat design
17 Dec 2001 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire 7(24)
As this issue goes to press, the knowledge capital of India, Bangalore, has witnessed the completion and formal opening of a new building, which proclaims in a practical manner the importance of eco-riendly building design and construction. The Hon'le Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr S M Krishna inaugurated the new building complex of TERI' Southern Regional Centre on 3 January 2002 on a bright and sunny day. This complex has been designed and constructed with unique features. Every corner of the building has a cheerful atmosphere because of the extensive use of daylighting through a provision of skylights and judicious provision of window area.
Regulatory commissions: resource challenges
12 Dec 2001 |
Dr Leena Srivastava
,Mr Shahid Hasan
| Regulateri 11
The infrastructure sectors in the South Asian countries are undergoing reforms and restructuring. The micro objectives could differ from country to country but the overall goals of such economic reforms have been to create a stable economy, and to make conditions conducive to private sector participation in various spheres of economic activity, improving the efficiency and competitiveness. India and Sri Lanka were the first to liberalize their economic policies. Pakistan has also set up independent regulatory agencies in the gas and electricity sectors. Nepal, too, has taken a lead and established an independent regulatory authority in its telecom sector. Other South Asian countries, too, are contemplating setting up regulatory commissions on similar lines in future.
Global recession: time to act now
02 Dec 2001 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire 7(23)
The global recession currently gripping the major economies of the world appears to be deepening; most predictions now indicate that a turnaround may be as many as six months away. The Indian economy, too, has been influenced by these global trends but the sheer size of the Indian market and the relatively low dependence on exports insulates the country significantly from unfavourable global trends in economic growth. India would, therefore, have to do well to maintain a growth rate of about five per cent in the current fiscal year and aim for a significant increase in the following year. However, in order to bring about a resurgence in the Indian economy, it would be essential to ensure a bigger flow of foreign direct investment.
Price of Power
27 Nov 2001 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Times of India
Oil prices soared on September 11, fuelling fears of an adverse impact on the import-dependent Indian economy. But, oil prices in fact tumbled, despite predictions to the contrary. R K Pachauri, director of the TERI, however, feels that India cannot afford to be complacent. He tells Saira Kurup that it is high time the government planned for the country?s energy security.
Collapse of the energy giant
17 Nov 2001 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire 7(22)
A major development which has shaken the financial markets in several countries and caused concern worldwide in business and government circles is the collapse of the energy giant Enron. The fallout of this catastrophic caving in of a major company, which till less than a year ago was regarded as a shining example of a dynamic and successful corporation, is yet to be assessed. But, of course, this development has major implications for India, since Enron has been at loggerheads with the Government of Maharashtra and the Maharashtra State Electricity Board over the Dabhol power project for almost a year now. Several Indian financial institutions have provided a large amount as loan capital for the 3 billion dollar project, and it is not clear at all how the impending bankruptcy of Enron might affect their stakes in the project.
Environmental concerns: catch them young
02 Nov 2001 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire 7(21)
Some years ago the festival of Diwali had become, for several million citizens of Delhi and other cities, a nightmare with prolonged bursting of firecrackers, sometimes through the night, and air pollution at a level that was not merely a long-term hazard but an immediate threat to life. Fortunately, a movement began among schoolchildren who were not only disturbed by the thought of supporting the fireworks industry that employs child labour on a large scale, but also saw the dangers in the enormous noise and air pollution resulting from this distorted form of celebration, which had to be brought to an end. Diwali stands for the triumph of good over evil! So how can the celebration of the victory of good be carried to a degree that it harms the lives of millions of people? The result of action by children has been a significant toning down of the noisy and visible manifestation of Diwali celebrations, with results that are clearly desirable.
India's energy dependence: quest for developing R&D
17 Oct 2001 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire 7(20)
Catastrophic events and calamities become and remain the subject of attention worldwide only for a short period of time. In some sense, this is to be expected in an age when news and pictures travel rapidly round the globe only to be replaced by new sensations, and when the news media concerns itself almost entirely with what sells as news. But enlightened societies have to develop and nurture institutions that are capable of looking beyond the immediate, and engage themselves in assessing the long-term implications of events and disasters of the type we have seen since 11 September.
Complacency on oil prices should not go on for long
16 Oct 2001 |
| The Financial Express
The first of the missile showers over Kabul did not bring any relief to oil producers. Brent, which closed at $21 and 5 cents a barrel on October 5, 2001, was at $20 and 50 cents on October 9. Oil traders are obviously not expecting any disruption in oil supply on account of the war in Afghanistan. However, as an oil consumer, India cannot be complacent about the oil price, especially as the United States has warned that the war could be carried beyond Afghanistan. If this means that Iraq may have to be hit, we may well see a repetition of 1990-91 when the price shot up from $20 a barrel to over $40.
Thermal power generation: Key issues in India
16 Oct 2001 |
Dr Y P Abbi
| TERI Newswire 7(19)
Electric power is the key to the economic development of the country. India currently has a peak demand shortage of around 14% and an energy deficit of 8.4%. Keeping this in view and to maintain a GDP (gross domestic product) growth of 8% to 10%, the Government of India has very prudently set a target of 215 804 MW power generation capacity by March 2012 from the present level of 100 010 MW as on March 2001, that is a capacity addition of 115 794 MW in the next 11 years.
President George W. Bush reneges on campaign promise
15 Oct 2001 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Newspaper Today
An extremely unfortunate development that threatens to halt and even reverse progress in the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol for mitigation of climate change, has been created by none other than the President of the US. President George W. Bush in a reversal of his campaign promise of September 29 wrote a letter last week to four conservative senators stating that he would take no action for reducing emissions of carbon dioxide from power plants in the US. As it happens, 50% of the power generated in the US uses coal, which makes the US the largest user of coal per capita, ahead of China and India. Utterly devoid of logic is President George W. Bush's statement on the Kyoto Protocol that it "exempts 80% of the world including, major population centres such as China and India, from compliance, and would cause serious harm to the US economy".