Date:17/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/17/stories/2006061704531000.htm

Tamil Nadu

State to set up unit to reduce green house gas emissions

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: A Clean Development Mechanism Authority may be constituted in Tamil Nadu as per the Kyoto Protocol to protect and improve the quality of environment in the State. The Central Government had already constituted a national authority in this regard and it was up to the stakeholders, including the State Government, to take a decision, said Viswanath Shegonkar, Secretary, Forests and Environment, here on Friday.

(As per the Kyoto Protocol, industries in developed countries must reduce their green house gas emissions by a certain percentage and this reduction may be achieved by assisting industries in developing countries.)

Participating in a seminar on `Clean Development Mechanism,' organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Shegonkar said that in order to achieve sustainable development, CDM projects must be oriented towards improving the quality of life by reducing poverty, removing social disparity and providing basic amenities to people. While doing so, it was obligatory on the part of industries and governments to see that such projects were bio-diversity friendly and had a minimum impact on human health.

Stressing the importance of curtailing green house gas (GHG) emissions, K. A. Mathew from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said it took 10,000 years for the Earth's temperature to increase by 5 degree and the same rise in temperature was bound to happen in the next 100 years if the present GHG continued.

Alop K. Mittal, advisor to FICI, said the seminar aimed to create awareness among industries about CDM and its benefits. To develop confidence among Indian companies to implement the CDM initiative, a pilot project would be undertaken and a few units would be assisted in implementing CDM projects on a highly subsidised basis, he added.

M. Rafeeque Ahmed, chairman of the State council of the FICCI, said the industry body in collaboration with the Government of Norway was organising seminars throughout India to transfer procedural know-how amongst Indian industry to make successful projects to claim CDM benefits and to impart training to a mass of persons to develop the required know-how to guide the Indian industry and other stakeholders.