Jihun Kim, CEO Conergy Korea, “Building Asia’s largest solar power plant is a landmark moment for the renewable energy sector in Korea. The success, scale and technical sophistication of the project is a model of how we can lead Korea into a new era of renewable energy production through strong and trusted partnerships between international experience and technical knowledge, Korean construction and engineering expertise, and ambitious local and federal government planning and policy.”

New best-practice engineering and construction standards

Asia and Korea’s flagship solar project broke ground on May 12th, 2007. Since then, a highly proficient and dedicated team of 230 people has worked day and night to complete the 19,6 MWp plant in record time. Together with the extension, the completed 24MWp will cover an area of 720,000m2, an equivalent of 96 soccer fields. Once fully operational, the solar power plant will produce annually 33,000 MWh - enough to supply 7,200 households with environmentally-friendly energy year after year. For the largest single-axis tracking system in the world, 69 Solar Optimus tracker systems developed by Conergy will be installed in SinAn, increasing the energy yield up to 20%. The 24 MW solar project alone will help Korea reduce CO2 emissions by 24,000 tons a year or the equivalent of planting 168,000 trees**.

DongYang Engineering & Construction said, “Considering the scale, high-technicality and speed of delivery of this project, this is a very significant engineering achievement for Korea to celebrate and points to Korea’s potential as a renewable energy producer. Korean companies, working with strategic partners like Conergy, can create a vibrant, dynamic and self-sustaining renewable energy market for Korea to benefit from economically and environmentally.”

Progress of Korea’s renewable energy sector

A key goal of the Government’s 2003 second 10-year National Basic Plan for NRW (New and Renewable) Technology Development and Deployment is to supply 5% of domestic energy requirements through renewable and alternative energy sources by 2010, as well as produce 1GW of solar energy by 2012. Since the introduction of the Government’s feed-in-tariff policy in 2002, the number of photovoltaic installations has increased rapidly. In 2007, 134 photovoltaic installations were connected to the grid, growing 163% from 51 installed in 2006. Today, the total amount of commercial solar power production in Korea has grown to over 160MW.

Discussing the significance of this 24MWp plant for Korea, Stefan Mueller, Conergy’s Asia-Pacific Managing Director, said “Korea’s progress in the development of the solar industry is facing a major crossroads beyond 2009. There are serious concerns within the industry as to whether the changes to the feed-in-tariff policy for large-scale projects will be sufficient to encourage more world-class developments such as SinAn and help reach Korea’s ambitious target of producing 1GW of solar energy by 2012.”

With the price of a barrel of oil surging over US$130, the announcement is timely in pointing to the future potential of the renewable energy sector in Korea. Meeting Korean solar production targets of 1GW could create 37,000 jobs within a solar ecosystem sector and a leading industry worth KRW 5.3 trillion.

For press-quality images, please contact Ms Lyn Toh at +65 6849-4467 or l.toh@conergy.com

* 1 EUR = 1,618.86 KRW (as of 23rd June 2008)

** Carbonneutral.com estimates that the number of trees required per tonne of CO2 varies from 4 – 10 depending on location, species of tree, soil type and type of planting. For these calculations 7 trees was used as an average figure.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

More about Conergy Korea

Conergy Korea is the leading provider of turnkey systems for the utilization of renewable energies and a subsidiary of the stock-listed Conergy AG. Established in Seoul since 2006, Conergy is one of the early pioneers for solar power plant engineering in South Korea. The renewable energy expert successfully commissioned Korea’s first megawatt projects in MuAn and Incheon in 2006 with a peak output of 1 MWp each, followed by another 1 MWp project in Hwasung in 2007. Despite building the largest solar power plant in Asia, Conergy also completed photovoltaic project in YeongChun (1 MWp) as well as in Hampyeong with an output of 2 MWp. With a continuously strong project pipeline, Conergy is strategically well positioned to increase its market leading position in Korea.

With more than half the Indian population living in remote villages away from the grid, Renewable Energy is the most economically and technologically-viable solution for their electrification needs. The Conergy Renewable Energy Village initiative was launched with the aim of meeting the vast electrification needs of rural India. To facilitate this, a fundraising initiative was launched at a charity golf tournament and gala dinner organized by Conergy and the Lodge Elysium Masonic Trust in November 2007, supported by India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The event was highly acclaimed and drew more than 300 opinion leaders who contributed greatly in support of the cause. Using the collected funds, 940 watts in solar power was supplied and installed at the Dewri Gowada Village, which is surrounded largely by jungle terrain. The entire initiative consists of 98 solar-powered home and street lighting systems, which are bringing light to 93 hamlets, two temples and a school, improving the living standards of more of than 500 people.

Former Indian cricket captain, national team coach and clean energy advocate Kapil Dev commented, “I am very happy that people from all over the world are addressing the needs of the underprivileged in India. In committing time and resources to social and environmental needs, businesses and non-governmental organizations can play a key role in sustainable development. I commend Conergy and the Lodge Elysium Masonic Trust in their efforts to reach out to India’s underprivileged communities. This act of commitment, dedication and compassion is both inspiring and also a role model for environmental leadership. We need to do more and I ask more organizations and businesses to follow this example.”

“It has been extremely fulfilling for Conergy to be a part of this initiative,” says Rajesh Bhat, Managing Director of Conergy India. “Through our subsidiary SunTechnics, we have already installed several hundred renewable energy systems for environmentally-friendly solar power and thus improved the living standards of more than 100, 000 people in 250 Indian villages. Till now, more than 13% of the 600,000 remote villages in India lack electricity. Like Dewri Gowada, most are located in remote territory, which proves expensive and technologically-challenging for power supplied through a public grid. Off-grid renewable energy products such as solar-powered home and street lighting systems thus serve as affordable and efficient alternatives, while also environmentally-friendly.”

Venkittu Sundaram, Chairman of the Lodge Elysium Masonic Trust and Managing Director of EPURON India added “India’s potential for renewable energy projects far exceeds the current installed capacity. Of the current 144,913 megawatts of energy produced in India, only 8.4% comes from renewable sources. This equates to 12,195 megawatts.”

For press-quality images, please contact Ms Lyn Toh at +65 6849-4467 or l.toh@conergy.com

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Conergy

Conergy India is subsidiary of the Tec-Dax listed Conergy AG. Headquartered in Bangalore since 2005 with 4 branch offices across India, Conergy is a pioneer in installing and producing renewable energy systems. With more than 70, 000 solar systems installed worldwide, Conergy AG is one of the leading solar enterprises in Europe and also a global market leader in the field of solar system integration. Conergy AG pursues a global growth strategy: it produces, installs and plans solar systems and wind parks for its customers in more than 20 countries. The Group also manufactures photovoltaic wafers, cells and modules in a state-of-the-art production facility in Germany and develops and finances large-scale renewable energy projects. Listed since 2005 on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the Conergy Group is represented by branch offices on four continents.

The 12 sites are located in remote areas around Sumatra, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya in Indonesia and are being developed in partnership with Gerbang Multindo Nusantara (GMN), a local Indonesian system integrator. Under the strategic partnership, Conergy will provide 840 units of solar modules and balance of system for the installation, while providing technical support for PT Telkomsel. In addition to powering an uninterrupted daily load of the transmission equipment, each system has been designed to provide charged solar power from its battery banks for up to 5 days in the worst weather conditions.

“Telecom sites in Indonesia have traditionally depended on diesel to power their repeater stations and cell sites,” Stefan Mueller, Managing Director of Conergy Asia-Pacific explained. “In addition to being environmentally-damaging, diesel power has proven to be costly and difficult to maintain in remote areas, leading to frequent breakdowns of diesel gensets. Solar power thus serves as an effective replacement for diesel gensets in remote sites with poor grid connection, while also providing a cost-friendly solution for reliable, clean and efficient power.”

VP Procurement & Logistics M. Iswan, PT Telkomsel said, “Telkomsel is deeply committed to supporting clean energy development and environmental conservation. We are proud to commit ourselves to reducing our energy consumption and carbon emissions with market-leading renewable energy solutions and exceptional technical expertise.”

With this project, Conergy has successfully diversified its off-grid portfolio to include industrial applications for the flourishing telecom sector, in addition to other off-grid projects in village electrification around Asia. This is the second project that Conergy is developing for PT Telkomsel. In February 2007, four standalone off-grid photovoltaic systems totaling 12.5 kilowatts were installed on Indonesia’s Maratua Island to facilitate power for PT Telkomsel’s microwave base stations. The installation was also Conergy’s first telecom electrification project in the Asia-Pacific region.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Conergy Renewable Energy Singapore

Conergy Renewable Energy Singapore has been established since 2006 and operates as Regional Headquarters for Hamburg-based Conergy AG. With more than 70, 000 solar systems installed worldwide, Conergy AG is one of the leading solar enterprises in Europe and also a global market leader in the field of solar system integration. Conergy AG pursues a global growth strategy: it produces, installs and plans solar systems and wind parks for its customers in more than 20 countries. The Group also manufactures photovoltaic wafers, cells and modules in a state-of-the-art production facility in Germany and develops and finances large-scale renewable energy projects. Listed since 2005 on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the Conergy Group is represented by branch offices on four continents.

The two foreigners, Petr Svacha and Emil Kucera were arrested for illegally collecting rare insects in Singhalila National Park, violating Indian wildlife laws. About 500 live and preserved insects were seized from their hotel room in Shrikhola near Darjeeling. Among their collection, which was sent to the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) for identification, the forest officials in Darjeeling had identified Delias sanaca, a butterfly listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act.

The prosecution had, during earlier hearings, requested denial of their bail on grounds that the accused could possibly jump it to avoid the proceedings against them.

Saurabh Sharma, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) advocate, who is assisting the prosecution, said, "We were hoping that they would not be granted bail. Alternatively, if granted, we had pleaded for a 'conditional' bail to prevent them from escaping. On several occasions, foreigners who have committed crimes in India have managed to escape conviction by jumping bail."

Addressing the concerns of the prosecution, the court set several conditions on the bail to restrict their movement. According to the court, the accused will have to deposit their passports with the Inquiry Officer and will have to take prior permission from the court for leaving Darjeeling Sub-division. They will also have to report to the Police Inspector In-charge of Darjeeling Sadar, twice-a-week. Additionally, the accused will have to submit two surety bonds of Rs 1500 and a personal bond of Rs 3000 each. They have also been warned not to interfere in the investigations against them.

The accused had, during the time of their arrest, pleaded that they were collecting the insects for research purposes and that they were unaware of the Indian laws. However, post-arrest investigation had revealed that Kucera, a forester, was involved in the trade of insects. They were also found to have violated other administrative procedures, as required by the local laws.

Utpal Kumar Nag, ADFO, Wildlife Division-1, who had led the arrest a month ago, said, "This is just an interim bail and they have been confined to Darjeeling. So, it is not likely to be able to hurt the case."

"The ZSI has given a preliminary report; the insects have not yet been classified to the species level. However, the authorities in ZSI suspect that the collection has certain species listed under Schedule I and Schedule II Part II," Nag added.

Ashok Kumar, vice-chairman, WTI, said, "An interim bail is different from a normal bail, in that, it can be withdrawn easily without any hearing, if they are found to have tried anything against the conditions set by the court. A full bail, on the other hand, has to undergo a lengthy process for cancellation."

"The case has been quite highly publicised because of the profiles of the accused. This was a good thing, because if this had not happened, they could have easily camouflaged themselves among other foreign tourists and escaped to Nepal through the porous borders. But, because of the publicity, escape attempts may prove to be more difficult as they are easily identifiable now," he added.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Speaking on the report release Mr Arvind Mahajan, National Industry Director, Energy, Infrastructure and Government of KPMG said “Developing countries like India and China are under increasing international pressure to undertake measures to limit their aggregate emission levels. While the government on its part has recently announced the National Action Plan on Climate Change, the onus is now on private businesses to do their bit”. He added “merely good intentions with regard to environment awareness are not enough, what is needed is a structured and measurable plan. The first step to the process is measuring the current carbon footprint.

Secondly, companies should seek to benefit from opportunities brought by climate change. For instance, the global market for low carbon energy efficient technologies is estimated to be $3 trillion by 2050.

The global awareness on climate change is far greater. Most companies in the developed world have measured and announced their baseline carbon footprint, and also their reduction targets over 5 to 10 year periods. As per the KPMG report the case with Indian businesses is rather dismal. 41% of the respondents in this study indicate having at least some quantified goals for carbon reduction to be achieved by 2010. However, a significant 38% of the respondents have no goals whatsoever. The report also brings to light the lack of appreciation of the tools and capabilities required to contain climate change. The most widespread measure that businesses engage in, or plan to engage in, to tackle climate change is the usage of energy efficient appliances (94%), this is followed educating and training employees on environment friendly practices (77%). A lot fewer businesses are engaged in other primary drivers of emission reductions. Only 29% of firms review and update their global supply chain to achieve energy efficiency and only 25% have discontinued high energy services.

The KPMG study was conducted with a view to finding out how Indian firms are responding to the issues and challenges around climate change. A total of around 70 business leaders at the CEO/CXO level were interviewed for this study. KPMG itself is committed to addressing climate change first and foremost, by acting as a good corporate citizen. The principal ambition of ‘KPMG’s Global Green Initiative’ will be to reduce the member firms combined carbon footprint by 25% by the year 2010 from a 2007 baseline, through emission reduction schemes and the use of renewable energy in its member firms.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About KPMG

KPMG is the global network of professional services firms of KPMG International. KPMG member firms provide audit, tax and advisory services through industry focused, talented professionals, who deliver value for the benefit of their clients and communities.

KPMG in India has offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune and services over 2,000 international and national clients. The firms in India have access to more than 900 Indian and expatriate professionals.

The bears, hand-reared at the CBRC, were undergoing acclimatisation in the wild at Upper Dikarai since September last year.

Following the soft-release protocol known as "assisted release", the bears were taken for daily walks in the wild assisted bytheir caretaker or'surrogate mother'. While the animals were encouraged to feed on their natural food, their diet wasalso supplemented with concentrate food at the deep forestcamp where they spent the nights. Initially, the bears returned to their temporary enclosure for the night, but gradually they began to rest outdoors, indicating signs of independence. As the wild instinct took over, the bears detached themselves from their caretaker, and began exploring the forests on their own.

Says NVK Ashraf, director, Wild Rescue Programme of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), "There are four crucial dates in any animal rehabilitation programme of this kind: their first walk in the wild, the first night they spent outside the enclosure, the first time they are left alone during the day and finally the day the walker stops accompanying them."

Tamo Dadda, field officer, WTI, based at CBRC recalled, "The bears had begun showing reluctance to return to the camp at night after a few months from their first walk. Since April 2008, all but one spent their nights outside their enclosure in the camp, choosing to rest on the trees as they do in the wild. During their walks they foraged on leaves, shoots of bamboo, wild fruits, barks of various tree species and termites."

"The five bears are not all of the same age and obviously not all became independent at the same time. Their release date was finalised only after we were satisfied that each one of them was capable of surviving on their own," said Ashraf.

The bears were radio-collared on June 24. Yaduraj Khadpekar, veterinarian, Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) Arunachal Pradesh, said, "They are now being monitored by the keepers who are still at the camp. The bears have not returned to the camp but haven't ventured very far either."

"The radio-collars are fitted to provide six to eight months of post-release monitoring data. The collar drops off by the eighth month, before it becomes too tight, by which time the bear is mature enough to survive on its own," added Ashraf.

Found in sub tropicaland Himalayan forests (1200 to 3300 metres)along the Indian sub-continent, the Asiatic black bear is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The species isthreated byhabitat degradation, intensehuman-animal conflicts innorthern India andhuntingfor food and forother cultural usesalong the north-east Indianstates.The bears are also endangered by poachingfortheir gall bladder used in extractingmedicinal bile for Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The CBRC was established to rehabilitate Asiatic black bear cubs orphaned by poachers orrescued from villagers.This isa joint venture of the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and its partner, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The CBRC situatedon the western bank of Pakke Rivercan hold up to 16 bears andprovidestemporary refuge forrescued cubs.Villagers in Arunachal Pradesh, unaware ofthe bear'sconservation status, traditionallyhunt itfor its meat, skin and other body parts. There havebeen efforts to control this practice but it is still prevalent.Bearcubs are oftentaken home from the forestby villagers,to be kept as petsand handed over to the forest department when they become a liability, as they approach adulthood.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), is a non-profit conservation organisation, committed to urgent action that prevents destruction of India's wildlife.

Its principal concerns are crisis management and the provision of quick, efficient aid to those areas that require it the most. In the longer term it hopes to achieve, through proactive reforms, an atmosphere conducive to conserving India's wildlife and its habitat.

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) was formed in November 1998 in response to the rapidly deteriorating condition of wildlife in India. WTI is a registered charity in India (under Section 12A of the Income Tax Act, 1961). It has as its express purpose the provision of rapid aid to wildlife in times of crisis. To learn more about WTI, please log on to: www.wti.org.in

IFAW and WTI formed a partnership in 2000 to strengthen the cause of wildlife conservation and animal welfare in India. The two organizations share concerns for a number of endangered animals, including the Tibetan antelope. Through this collaboration, IFAW and WTI are developing strategies to find solutions to wildlife threats in India and the surrounding region.

The project, valued at approximately 600K Euros, consists of 26 photovoltaic systems comprising 464 units of Conergy C125W solar modules, which were individually customized in various geometric shapes to fit the roof profiles of each building. By converting sunlight into electricity, each system maximizes energy efficiency by generating clean energy for lighting and other domestic uses. The power will be fed into the public grid and facilitate electricity needs for 25 residential buildings and a community center.

“Using building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) elements, buildings can maximize their energy efficiency by saving 0.5 kilograms of carbon emissions for every kilowatt hour of solar power produced,” Rajesh Bhat, CEO of SunTechnics India explained. “Green buildings are thus highly advantageous for consumers and real estate developers in large capital cities. In addition to reaping the benefits of energy cost reductions, green buildings are also interesting architectural applications as they are highly distinctive and innovative.”

S P Gon Chowdhury, former director of WBREDA and Managing Director of the West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation said, “Conergy has demonstrated a deep commitment to the Indian community and a great willingness to combat climate change through renewable energy technologies. These are values we share. We are extremely pleased to explore the benefits of solar architecture with Conergy in the landmark Rabi Rashmi Abasan housing complex, which we hope will inspire other green initiatives and projects in India.”

S K Bhattacharyay, Director-in-Charge of WBREDA added, “This is the first BIPV project in India using the net metering system of Power Transfer to Grid, implemented under the newly-formulated policy guidelines of the West Bengal State Electricity Regulatory Commission. Its innovative architecture is based on the solar passive concept – in which buildings are oriented to receive the southern breeze, while cavities of the walls are built with polyurethane foam insulations to keep extreme temperatures at bay.”

In India, Conergy has electrified over 250 remote villages with solar home and street lighting systems and also developed the world’s highest photovoltaic and wind hybrid system in the Himalayas. Elsewhere in the region, Conergy has also constructed two 1-megawatt solar parks in South Korea and is currently planning Australia’s largest wind farm at 1,000 megawatts in New South Wales, together with strategic partner Macquarie Capital.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Conergy

SunTechnics India is a brand of Conergy AG and has been established in Bangalore since 1995, with 4 branch offices across India. With more than 70, 000 solar systems installed worldwide, Conergy AG is one of the leading solar enterprises in Europe and also a global market leader in the field of solar system integration. Conergy AG pursues a global growth strategy: it produces, installs and plans solar systems and wind parks for its customers in more than 20 countries. The Group also manufactures photovoltaic wafers, cells and modules in a state-of-the-art production facility in Germany and develops and finances large-scale renewable energy projects. Listed since 2005 on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the Conergy Group is represented by branch offices on four continents.

“Biomass (wood, crop waste and animal dung) is likely to remain the primary cooking fuel for a large majority of rural Indian households for many years to come. Against this background and the alarming number of annual of indoor air pollution-related deaths worldover, we are committed to developing products that will make a significant contribution to healthier and cleaner living,” said Harish Anchan, General Manager of Envirofit India Pvt Ltd. “Through the stoves we have developed, we are providing women an opportunity to continue to cook as they would before, but in an environment that is less polluting and hazardous.” Envirofit is a US based non profit corporation that designs, manufactures and markets world-class engineered technology products to improve the quality of human life across the globe.

The Envirofit cookstoves burn traditional biomass fuels and are engineered to emit significantly less toxic emissions and use less fuel. Built of durable, high-quality material and engineered to address the unique cooking habits of Indian women, the Envirofit cookstoves are a result of over five years of research and testing in coordination with internationally recognized academic institutions such as Colorado State University. Available in 5 models and priced between Rs 500/ and Rs 2000/, the cookstoves are currently available in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and will be introduced in other states across the country in a phased manner. They are aesthetically designed with high-quality materials and available in a range of colours with single pot and multipot cooking options. The stoves have already successfully undergone pilot testing in Chitradurga and Dharmapuri. Certified under the most stringent environmental testing conditions in the USA, the cookstoves are currently awaiting BIS certification.

“Although cooking habits in semi-urban and rural India are steeped in tradition and perpetuated by myths, the response to our stoves has been very strong as each stove has been developed based on extensive market research and local customer insights,” said Harish Anchan. “We are in discussion with financing institutions for low cost financing options to provide additional options for families to buy the stoves.”

Envirofit cookstoves are now being made available in over 700 villages in Karnataka and 300 villages in Tamil Nadu through a multi-tier distribution strategy. Envirofit’s aim is to develop local and regional enterprises through the channel network so that the business becomes self sustaining. The current channel network in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu includes dealers, distributors, village entrepreneurs as well as not for profit organizations like MYRADA, the Tamil Nadu Foundation and the Cauvery Women’s Federation. Envirofit is targeting over 40 channel partners throughout the two states with roughly 600 outlets planned by the end of 2008. Significant business opportunities exist for local entrepreneurs, distributors, and retailers as Envirofit plans to increase its footprint across India by 2010.

“There are an estimated 1.6 million deaths per year due to toxic indoor air pollution (IAP). We are proud to be partnered with Envirofit International to introduce clean-burning wood stove technology in India while employing the first market-based business model,” said Ajit Abraham, Shell Foundation India who supports the project as part of their Breathing Space Program. ”The aim is to see 10 million stoves sold in five countries in the next five years.” Established by Shell Group in 2000 as an independent, UK registered charity, Shell Foundation’s mission is to develop, scale-up and promote enterprise-based solutions to the challenges arising from the impact of energy and globalization on poverty and the environment. The Breathing Space Program aims to achieve a significant long-term reduction in deaths related to IAP.

Globally, reliance on solid fuels is one of the 10 most important threats to public health. Indoor Air Pollution in India results from burning biomass (like wood, crop waste and animal dung) during cooking in the home. The toxic emissions and smoke from this cooking claims as many as 500,000 lives in India every year, most of whom are women and children due to their increased exposure in the home. One person around the world dies every 20 seconds from the cumulative effects of IAP, resulting in approximately 1.5 million deaths per year. India accounts for 80% of the 600,000 premature deaths that occur in south-east Asia annually due to exposure to IAP. The World Health Organisation estimates that pollution levels in rural Indian kitchens are 30 times higher than recommended levels and six times higher than air pollution levels found in New Delhi

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Envirofit

Founded in 2003, Envirofit International, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that develops engineered solutions to improve the human condition on a global scale, with a primary emphasis on applications in the developing world. Envirofit India Private Ltd was formed in 2007 to research, market and deliver clean burning cookstoves to the Indian market. Envirofit utilizes the same rigorous product-development methodology and protocols used in modern industry to develop and commercialize energy-efficient, pollution-reducing technologies that have the greatest potential positive impact on global environmental, economic, and public health issues. For more information, visit Envirofit International's website at http://www.envirofit.org or Envirofit International’s cookstoves website at http://www.envirofitcookstoves.org. For channel opportunities in India contact Envirofit India at 080 41153808 or 9343333722.

About Shell Foundation

Shell Foundation was established by Shell Group in 2000 as an independent, UK registered charity (no.1080999) operating with a global mandate. It focuses on enterprise-based solutions to poverty and environmental challenges linked to the impact of energy and globalisation. It acts like an investor, identifying financially sustainable solutions to these challenges that can be taken to scale and replicated to achieve global impact. By 2010 the Foundation will have used $75 milllion to leverage $350 million from other organizations.

The campaign, run by the Wildlife Trust of India and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, with support from the Tata Chemicals Ltd and the Gujarat Forest Department has resulted in 56 documented releases of whale sharks on the western Indian Gujarat coast where they migrate in winters from Africa.

“The number of documented releases are far less than the total number of releases,” Jeetubhai Kuvada, leader of the Kharwa community that controls the fishing business in this region said. “The only ones that are being documented are those reasonably close to the shore, there are many in the deep seas which go unreported,” he added.

Whale shark, the world’s largest fish, growing up to almost 50 feet in length, was upgraded to the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act in 2001 giving it the highest level of protection a species can get in this country.

The Tata Chemicals supported campaign, “which got all the stakeholders together and had the religious leader, Morari Bapu, as its ambassador, has created an international impact,” Pradip Khanna, the principal chief conservator of forests and the chief wildlife warden of Gujarat said.

The minister of state for forests, Kirit Rana, in a function that was attended by the member of parliament and other political leaders of the area, presented the boat owners with cheques that compensated them for the loss of nets. The amounts varied from Rs. 8000 to 25,000 depending on the quantum of loss suffered by the boat owner. He praised the Kharwa community for taking the lead in releasing the fish voluntarily.

However, Mr Kuvada had earlier pointed out that the amount being given was not enough to cover the costs of the nets. “What makes it worse is that the cheques are issued quite late so that the fisher folk have to tide over by taking loans which makes the whole process more expensive for them. Sometimes the boat-owner has to wait almost a year before being paid,” he said.

“You should really not take this as compensation, but an honour. Just like a farmer makes an effort to enrich the soil that he tills, you should consider this your contribution to your resource base,” Mr Khanna said.

DCF Anita Karuna hands over the compensation cheque to a boat owner in Veraval

As a result of the three year campaign the Kharwa community, which controls the fishing business along the Gujarat coast has stopped hunting the whale shark completely, although there are unconfirmed reports that the fish is still being harpooned in high seas.

The involvement of the community can be gauged by the fact that a whale shark inflatable model became a show piece at their traditional annual event where the community comes together to mark the birth anniversary of Ramdev Maharaj, their deity. The event marks the beginning of a new fishing season as celebrations carry on through the night and a procession carries an idol of the deity the next day.

For the first time, members of the Kharva community insisted that the life-sized model of the whale shark be a part of the procession from the community hall at Veraval to the Jaleshwar Temple along with the idol of Ramdev Maharaj.

The model had first been displayed at Mithapur, another fishing town on the Gujarat coast, where Tata Chemicals Ltd has its salt plant, as part of a campaign to save the whale shark and had become an instant hit.

The campaign owes a lot of its success to popular spiritual leader, Morari Bapu who formally launched it in Gujarat as an ambassador for the whale shark. Morari Bapu likened the whale shark visiting the shores of Gujarat, to a daughter visiting her parents and said, “it is indeed sad that fishermen hunt this gentle giant instead of protecting it.”

When asked why the Kharvas wanted the whale shark to be part of their religious celebration, Jeetubhai Kuvada, the head of the community had said, "This fish is like our daughter. Morari Bapu has made her our daughter and we would like our daughter to be a part of our celebration."
Early last year thousands of people from the Kharva the forest minister, Mangubhai Patel, announced the “Kartak Amas” as the official date for the Whale Shark Day, to be celebrated every year in Gujarat.

File photo of the whale shark campaign

Milestones of the Whale Shark Awareness Campaign

1. The fish was brought under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act in 2001, after the documentary “Shores of Silence” by Mike Pandey highlighted the plight of the fish in India.
   
   
2. The following year, due to the persistent efforts by India and Philippines, the fish was included in the Appendix II of the CITES, which gave protection to the fish worldwide.
   
   
3. For the first time on December 25, 2006, government announced compensation for fishermen to boost their confidence (whose nets were destroyed for rescue of the whale shark).
   
   
4. The Campaign was jointly launched by WTI, IFAW, TCL, Forest Department and Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd. in the year 2004.
   
   
5. Morari Bapu, famous for his religious discourses, launched the campaign, and called Vhali, the Whale Shark, a daughter of the fisherfolk.

The writer is Senior Director, Wildlife Trust of India

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Mr. Vishal Rawat, President, IKF Green Fuel Ltd said, “Energy Security has become a primary concern for all the countries. Increase in the energy demand combined with increasing cost of fossil fuel extraction is leading to continuous price hike of oil. In light of the said situation, our announcement showcases our commitment to the environment through the usage of biofuels.”

The company that is poised to become the leader in biofuels production in India by 2010 is planning to set up a refinery / trans-esterification plant in Vidarbha which will turn out approximately 10,000 liters of bio – diesel per day. It is expected that the entire operation (plantation and refinery) will generate direct employment for approximately 20,000 people within three years. The company is targeting an area of 10,000 hectares of land in the current cropping season. Consequently it is also in the process to tie up with NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), EGS (Kindly elaborate on the short forms), BRGF (Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme) and other Government schemes.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

"The population of Greater adjutant storks in Bhagalpur district has increased almost two folds as compared to last year, to at least 157 individuals if not more," said Mishra, who along with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is working to conserve the species in the state.

Mishra, an executive committee member of the Mandar Nature Club in Bhagalpur, discovered the breeding population of the storks along the Kosi and Ganga flood plains in the winter of 2006. Prior to this, they were known only from Cambodia and the north-eastern Indian state of Assam, with the worldwide count of less than 800 individuals.

"We (Mishra and his field assistant Jai Nandan Mandal) found two nests of Greater adjutant storks on a Bombax tree in October 2006 in Motichak, along Ganga diara. In January following year, they had been dismantled. However, we later found 16 more nests in Kadwa Kosi diara," Mishra said.

The initial excitement of the discovery however was stifled by the looming threats facing these storks. Because of their size (about 150 cm), they fell easy prey and were preferred by hunting tribesmen known as 'Gulgulwas'. Their behaviour of nesting in communities, with a single tree holding several nests, also worked against their favour. It was apparent that without protection, survival of these storks in Bihar was doubtful.

In addition, the local villagers, annoyed at the birds dirtying their compounds, resorted to felling the branches of the trees to destroy the nests and scaring the storks away.

Under the Rapid Action Project funded by the WTI, Mishra organised awareness programmes and employed volunteering villagers as watchers to protect the nesting colonies from poachers and other miscreants. He also motivated the forest officials, media, police, panchayat representatives, school teachers and students to support his campaign.

"The villagers of Bhagalpur now worship the stork as 'Garuda'- the steed of Lord Vishnu. They had once found an injured juvenile stork and were actually taking care of it. We provided it with locally available medical facilities but the bird did not survive. It was buried by the villagers following the rituals as in a human death," recalled Mishra.

"Continuous surveillance and awareness programmes conducted with WTI's help have proven very efficient in protecting the storks," said Mishra. "Last year, there were 16 nests and about 81 birds including 25 chicks in Kosi diara alone; this year, we found 32 nests with 62 chicks successfully fledged from both Kosi and Ganga diaras. This increase in the number as well as the range will be crucial for their long-term survival," he added.

WTI has also funded similar projects to protect the breeding populations of these storks in Assam, where about 80 percent of the world's population survive.

Mishra believes that more colonies of these storks may be found in Bihar. "There is an urgent need for a state-wide survey to find more of such colonies. Success in this attempt will prove to be a significant step in the conservation of this endangered stork," he says.

Identified by a loose neck pouch, pinkish bare head, thick yellowish bill and huge dark body, the Greater adjutant stork is classified as 'endangered' in the IUCN red list of threatened species. Sightings in Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand, experts believe, are results of 'straying away' from the populations of either India or Cambodia.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Greenhouses are now being built in Mumbai to store newly shipped indoor specimen plants to offer to clients. Corporations in India who have never been offered this unique and valuable service will be able to take advantage of a wealth of design and product experience based on a 35 year branded trademarked franchise. With a single installation these beautiful plants will transform what was a very ordinary office to a lush tropical inviting space for workers and clients to enjoy.

Green Concepts is a nationally known franchise and now with the launch of their first branch in India will have worldwide recognition. Buyers become part of a group that allows all 800+ members to take advantage of bigger and better buying power worldwide collectively.

This company also offers Christmas Concepts: renting Christmas decorations to these same clients: hotels, medical facilities, car dealerships, retirement homes, corporations and residential homes. This is an inexpensive, lucrative small business that is very easy to run from home. Anyone, regardless of life experience, can be successful with the plant and Christmas rental business. Purchase price is less than $5000 and includes a 35 year proven track record, a free website and unlimited customer service forever as part of the one time purchase price. No royalties or additional costs are ever incurred.

Pamela Dorn is the President and CEO of Green & Christmas Concepts. She can be reached at (888) 782-0020.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

"Rivers are the arteries of our planet and yet many waterways continue to suffer from inadequate protection and inappropriate practices," says Mark Angelo, WRD founder and program head of the Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program at BCIT.

Angelo, a member of the Order of Canada and an inaugural recipient of a UN Award for Science, Education, and Conservation, initially founded the highly successful Rivers Day event in British Columbia before successfully lobbying numerous organizations and agencies of the UN to recognize WRD in 2005. Marking a global response to the need to better manage and conserve river ecosystems, WRD celebrates the many values of the world's waterways while encouraging appropriate action to better protect rivers and streams. The event is also intended to compliment the UN's world-wide Water for Life initiative.

"Millions of people, dozens of countries, and numerous international organizations will be contributing to WRD", adds Angelo. "It provides an opportunity for people to get out and enjoy our waterways. At the same time, the event will create a greater awareness of the urgent need to better care for our rivers and streams."

Endorsed in its inaugural year by UN agencies such as the United Nations University and the International Network of Water, Environment, and Health, WRD events can and will include river clean-ups, fish enhancement projects, stream restoration initiatives, workshops, educational programs, and community riverside festivals. Last year, events took place in countries ranging from Canada to England, Poland to the United States, Taiwan to the Congo, and from Togo, West Africa to the island of Dominica.

Founded by Angelo in 1980, BC Rivers Day has since become a template for WRD with close to 100,000 people participating in British Columbia alone. WRD fosters an increased awareness of water-related issues and promotes core values associated with sustainability, conservation, and river stewardship.

All countries are encouraged to participate. For further information or to register an event, visit http://www.worldriversday.bcit.ca.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Minister Killeen expressed his delight that significant movement had finally been made on advancing both projects.

H continued, “In my role as Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I invested considerable time and effort on behalf of the local communities involved in trying to advance these schemes to this stage. I am glad that Minister Gormley has acknowledged the importance of these schemes to development and other economic activity, as well as the preservation of environmental standards in each location.”

Commenting on the Corofin scheme, the Junior Agriculture Minister said, “Clare County Council has already received tenders for the new sewage collection system and I understand that they expect to be signing contracts for this work shortly. Minister Gormley’s approval will allow the local authority to also invite tenders for the other major element of the scheme, the new wastewater treatment plant with capacity to cater for a population equivalent of 3,000 people. His Department is providing grant assistance of over €2.8m towards this scheme, which, overall, is expected to cost in the region of €5.72m.”

“Following receipt of revised proposals from Clare County Council for the Carrigaholt/Labasheeda scheme, Minister Gormley has now also approved grant assistance of over €1.5m for this project. This clears the way for Clare County Council to draw up contract documents, the main step in getting the scheme to the construction stage”, Minister Killeen concluded.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

“Enhancing reputations–Increasing exposure–Increasing understanding”

Founded in 2006, Dunphy Public Relations is a communications group led by Mark Dunphy from County Clare. Mr. Dunphy previously held the position of ‘Head of News and Current Affairs’ in Clare FM Radio.

Dunphy Public Relations has secured extensive local, national and international media coverage for clients including Clare County Council; Supply Network Shannon; The Atlantis Holiday Group; Shannon Town Council; Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience; Clare Museum; Digino Marketing; Renewable Energy Skillsnet; Magico.ie; Kilrush Town Council; Clonlara Wholesale; Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen; Clare County Library; and Ennis Town Council.

Mr. H.S. Song, Executive Director (Production), Mr. S. Ganapathy, Senior Vice-President (HR) and Mr. M. Inderjith, Vice-President (Production) and officials from Fire & Safety and U & S department were also attended the function.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea and is the second largest and the fastest growing car manufacturer in India. HMIL presently markets 30 variants of passenger cars across segments. The Santro in the B segment, the Getz Prime and the i10 in the B+ segment, the Accent and the Verna in the C segment, the Sonata Embera in the E segment and the Tucson in the SUV segment.

Hyundai Motor India, continuing its tradition of being the fastest growing passenger car manufacturer, registering total sales of 327,160 vehicles in the calendar year (CY) 2007, an increase of 9.2 percent over CY 2006. In the domestic market it clocked a growth of 7.6 percent as compared to 2006 with 200,412 units, while overseas sales grew by 11.8 percent, with exports of 126,748 units.

HMIL’s fully integrated state-of-the-art manufacturing plant near Chennai boasts of the most advanced production, quality and testing capabilities in the country. In continuation of its commitment to provide the Indian customer with global technology, HMIL has set up its second plant, which produces an additional 300,000 units per annum, raising HMIL’s total production capacity to 600,000 units per annum.

HMIL is investing to expand capacity in line with its positioning as HMC’s global export hub for compact cars. Apart from expansion of production capacity, HMIL plans to expand its dealer network, which will be increased from 230 to 300 this year.

The year 2007 has been a significant year for Hyundai Motor India. It achieved a significant milestone by rolling out the fastest 400,000th export car. Hyundai exports to over 90 countries globally; even as it plans to continue its thrust in existing export markets, it is gearing up to step up its foray into new markets. The year just ended also saw Hyundai Motor India attaining other milestones with the launch of the i10 and yet another path-breaking record in its young journey by rolling out the fastest 1,500,000th car.

Hyundai’s new model i10 which made its global debut here in India in October, 2007 made a clean sweep of all the ‘Car of the Year 2008’ awards from the leading automotive magazines and TV channels like BS Motoring, CNBC-TV18 AutoCar, NDTV Profit Car & Bike India and Overdrive magazine. The i10 is also the choice of the discerning automotive media of the country as they conferred the prestigious ‘Indian Car of the Year’ (ICOTY) award to the i10 as well. The i10 bagged these awards on the basis of excellence in build quality, handling, driver comfort, safety and ride quality.

The Santro and the Accent also received the ‘TNS Voice of the Customer - 2008’ award for the Premium Compact Car (Santro) and the Entry Mid size Car (Accent). In March 2008 it achieved yet another milestone by rolling out the fastest 500,000th export car.

Last year, the Hyundai Verna bagged some of the most prestigious awards starting with the title of "Car of the Year 2007" by India`s leading automotive publication – Overdrive, the “Best Mid-size Car of the Year” award by the NDTV Profit Car & Bike India Awards 2007, the “Best Value for Money Car” by the CNBC Autocar Auto awards and ‘Performance Car of the Year 2007’ from Business Standard Motoring.

Hyundai cars have been a favorite at all awards ceremonies and have always been winning awards. Our models like Sonata Embera won the ‘Executive Car of The Year 2006’ award from Business Standard Motoring Magazine and NDTV Profit Car & Bike India declared the Tucson as the ‘SUV of The Year 2006’. Not only this, HMIL has also been awarded the benchmark ISO 14001 certification for its sustainable environment management practices.

Mr. S Sandilya, President, SOS Children’s Villages of India, thanked Coca Cola for this initiative and said, “With the help of such noble initiatives, we will be able to bring about a significant change in the society. These activities not only make children aware of the environmental conservation practices but also help them grow as responsible citizens. We, at SOS Children’s villages, try our best to inculcate all aspects of life including those related to environment conservation. By spreading awareness about the need to create green environment and encouraging children to realise the importance of healthy environment, we can ensure a healthy future for all.

According to Mr Deepak Jolly, vice-president, public affairs and communication, Coca-Cola India, “Coca-Cola has always placed high value on good citizenship and is committed towards protecting, preserving and enhancing the environment. We are happy to partner with SOS Children’s Villages in this initiative as it sensitises young minds to be aware of their duties towards the environment.”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About SOS Children’s Villages of India

SOS Children’s Villages of India is a non-government, voluntary organisation,committed to the care of children in need. The aim and objective of the SOS Children’s Villages of India is to help children in need, by giving them a family, a home and a strong foundation for an independent and secure life. Since its inception in 1964, SOS-India has expanded its services for children in need at a rapid pace. Today, there are 31 SOS Children’s Villages, including the new projects under establishment and 122 allied projects like kindergartens, schools, social, medical, vocational training centres and outreach initiatives spread across the country reaching out to many thousands of children. SOS-India is a member of SOS-Kinderdorf International, operational in 132 countries.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

“Enhancing reputations–Increasing exposure–Increasing understanding”

Founded in 2006, Dunphy Public Relations is a communications group led by Mark Dunphy from County Clare. Mr. Dunphy previously held the position of ‘Head of News and Current Affairs’ in Clare FM Radio.

Dunphy Public Relations has secured extensive local, national and international media coverage for clients including Clare County Council; Supply Network Shannon; The Atlantis Holiday Group; Shannon Town Council; Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience; Clare Museum; Digino Marketing; Renewable Energy Skillsnet; Magico.ie; Kilrush Town Council; Clonlara Wholesale; Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen; Clare County Library; and Ennis Town Council.

Gibbons have never been released before in India, or for that matter any mammalian species known to live pairs. 'Siloni' was less than a year old when rescued from Silonijan in February 2003 and has since then been living without a mate at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) with the support of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Animal Welfare Division, Government of India.

The hoolock gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock) is an endangered species listed in the Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972). The survival of the species is threatened due to habitat loss, hunting and illegal trade. Habitat fragmentation has forced many gibbons in Assam to live in isolation, often without a mate. These gibbon populations living in fragmented forest patches may not be able to survive as a self-sustainable population for long. One possible solution for solitary males and females is to relocate, acclimatize and releasing them after ensuring that pairing has taken place.

Rehabilitation efforts like this and the ones being undertaken for rhinos, elephants, wild buffalos and many other species of birds, reptiles and mammals at CWRC, can make strong political and educational statements concerning the fate of rescued and displaced animals.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

To participate in the offer, commuters need to register at http://www.indimoto.comand go on to post a ‘carpool wanted’ listing (free) mentioning their route and contact details. Commuters don’t need to own a car to carpool as they can carpool with other car owners and share the fuel cost. However to win the full tank of fuel, the winner must have a car. Though carpooling is an excellent medium to reduce fuel expenses, traffic, pollution and carbon emissions, commuters in India have been slow in adapting to it. Indimoto.com is optimistic that the ‘Carpool for Full Fuel Offer’ would generate greater interest in carpooling and make it a wide-spread commuting solution in the Indian context.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Indimoto.com & Carpools

A carpool or rideshare is an activity wherein two or more commuters share a car to travel together. Usually the petrol cost is shared between the car-poolers. Indimoto.com is India’s first online carpool classifieds which enables commuters to post carpool requests and also search for commuters travelling in their city, on their route and time, without any charge. Indimoto.com provides an efficient online mechanism to match commuters and form carpools across 130 Indian cities. Since 2006, more than 10,000 commuters have registered themselves on the website. Majority of the site’s traffic originates from Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

The plant shall be operational after about three months when complete process gets stabilised, he informed. Set up at a cost of Rs.30 crores on a 10 acres land, the plant which is one of its kind in northern India, has the installed capacity to process 500 ton per day of municipal solid waste, which will be converted into refuse-derived fuel to be used in a thermal power plant in Ropar and a cement plant of Jaypee Group in Himachal Pradesh. Mr. Pradeep Mehra, Advisor to the Administrator, said that the leaves sheded by trees in the city, which is the greenest city in the country today, shall also be processed in the plant for converting to fuel pellets.

Dr. Roshan Sunkaria, Commissioner, Municipal Commissioner, informed that the city has simultaneously launched another complimentary project at the site to cap 42 acres of landfill site, and make it usable for putting up playground or sports facilities. The plant is eco-friendly conforming to the norms laid down by Pollution Control Committee of Chandigarh Administration, and has been fenced, with green cover of trees planted around it to create the green buffer zone.

The plant is fully-covered to minimise exposure to atmosphere, and arrangements to spray culture on the garbage to eliminate insects, flies and odour have also been made. All critical equipment have been imported from Dopastadt Germany and the plant has been commissioned successfully in the supervision of German engineers, which has a fully-equipped laboratory, a workshop, and a fully-automatic control room, effluent treatment plant and fire safety equipment.

The project will give much needed relief to the residents of Chandigarh, and the localities near Dadu Majra waste dump site in particular, which suffered from methane emission due to anaerobic decomposition of MSW in uncontrolled open landfill site, which had so far been the only practice of disposal of garbage. The project shall also help in conservation of fossil fuels, enhance nations's energy security, prevent ground water contamination due to leakage of leachate, stop open dumping, enhance the city's aesthetics and overall hygiene of the area in and around the landfill sties, said Mr. Gaur.

The function was attended by Home Secretary Mr Sanjay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Mr. R.K. Rao, former Mayor of Chandigarh Mrs. Harjinder Kaur, municipal councillors, and various officers of the city. Jaypee Group a Rs.4,500 crores industrial conglomerate having rich presence in infrastructure, hydro-power, cement, education and hospitality sectors, embarking on environmental friendly projects to fulfill its social objectives, has taken up this project on BOOT basis - transforming challenges into opportunities - true to its reputation.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Lead by Delap & Waller EcoCo Ltd., a leading Sustainable Design Consultancy with offices in Dublin and Cork, the EU-funded project audited existing social housing schemes in counties Meath, Kildare and Dublin. The schemes featured included family dwellings and dwellings for the elderly and the disabled.

It is hoped that the audit will establish best ventilation strategies for existing social housing in order to achieve occupant health and comfort, maximum energy efficiency and significant reductions in energy bills for householders.

Seminars will take place at the Lifetime Lab in Cork (2pm, 22 May) and at Cultivate in Dublin (7pm, 3 June).

All data collected during the audit will be presented to social housing providers who are considering upgrading their social housing stock by performing energy intelligent retrofitting of individual dwellings and entire schemes.

Consultants and other construction professionals will also be provided with an insight into key issues they will be facing during retrofit projects and practical solutions for improvements in energy performance for old and new dwellings.

50% of Ireland’s 1.5 million dwellings were built prior to the introduction of Building Regulations in Ireland in 1979. Energy consumption in Irish homes is about 40% higher than the European average and Irish homes are responsible for a staggering 11.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

“A dramatic improvement of the energy performance of the existing housing stock is therefore essential if we want to make any dent into our greenhouse gases emission targets”, explained Mr. Jay Stuart, Managing Director of DWEcoCo Ltd.

While welcoming the Government’s Budget commitment to commencing or acquiring 9,000 social housing units in 2008, Mr. Stuart expressed concern that many would not be completed with maximum energy efficiency in mind.

According to Mr. Stuart, “Unfortunately most dwellings due for completion in 2008 will be constructed to the minimum energy efficiency standards of the Building Regulations. Energy savings for householders and greatly reduced carbon emissions can be achieved by going that step further without incurring large additional costs. In particular the current Part F of the Building Regulations dealing with ventilation is out of date and in conflict with the new Part L. The industry requires the knowledge and tools which we will offer to social housing providers and construction professionals through our project findings and public information campaign.”

Advanced thermal imaging and pressure testing equipment was used in the AVASH survey to investigate the state of the dwellings’ thermal insulation and degree of air tightness.

Utilising this information, computer simulations have been used to determine the best ventilation strategy for the dwelling type. A key performance indicator for the project is the level of ventilation and air tightness and their impact on energy use for space heating. Other benefits include a much healthier and comfortable living environment for the households involved as well as significant cuts in energy bills.

Mr. Stuart stated that AVASH project partners in the UK and Denmark had recently launched similar audits.

It is expected that the result of these projects, along with the analysis of social housing schemes in Ireland, will have a European wide impact, will contribute to the exchange and sharing of knowledge and experience in the field and will improve the energy performance of the existing social housing stock and its inhabitants’ quality of life.”

Further information about the audits and Advanced Ventilation Approaches for Social Housing (AVASH) is available from the website: http://www.brighton.ac.uk/art/avash/index.html

For further information about the AVASH seminar in Cork, please contact Xavier Dubuisson, manager of DWEcoCo’s Cork office at 021 496 6757.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

“Enhancing reputations–Increasing exposure–Increasing understanding”

Founded in 2006, Dunphy Public Relations is a communications group led by Mark Dunphy from County Clare. Mr. Dunphy previously held the position of ‘Head of News and Current Affairs’ in Clare FM Radio.

Dunphy Public Relations has secured extensive local, national and international media coverage for clients including Clare County Council; Supply Network Shannon; The Atlantis Holiday Group; Shannon Town Council; Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience; Clare Museum; Digino Marketing; Renewable Energy Skillsnet; Magico.ie; Kilrush Town Council; Clonlara Wholesale; Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen; Clare County Library; and Ennis Town Council.

Beginning first week of December 2006, Jayan along with Mari trekked the forests of the Silent Valley for a year, walking 10-15 km everyday capturing its life in thousands of photographs along the way. “Silent valley is teeming with leeches and it rained for eight out of 12 months we spent there,” said Jayan recalling his experience.

The project was Jayan’s way of advocating for the ‘Save Silent Valley Campaign’ which was revitalised in 2007, after the Government of Kerala sanctioned about 250 crore rupees for the Pathrakkadavu Hydroelectric Project (PHEP). Naturally protected since the historic times by the terrain, the pristine tropical rainforests of the Silent Valley has in the recent past required legal protection from developmental activities, especially the construction of dams. The campaign, initiated in the 1970s against the construction of the Silent Valley Hydro-Electric Project (SVHEP) across the Kunthipuzha River, had resulted in the SVHEP being discarded and Silent Valley being declared a national park in 1984.

“The government said no plants and no animals would be affected by the project. My project was aimed at proving otherwise; to show that the submergence that would be caused by the construction of the PHEP will affect a large number of wildlife,” said Jayan. The PHEP was temporarily abandoned and a buffer zone of 148 sq km was also declared to protect the national park, which forms the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

“Images have the power to move people when even stark facts don’t. We were all a part of the campaign during the 80s. We believed that we had won, but 20 years later, the spectre of destruction is upon us again. What Jayan has brought out of Silent Valley is the beauty of nature that is often difficult to put into words and the picturisation of what we will lose if an ill-planned development is to take place,” said Vivek Menon, executive director, WTI.

In addition to the threats from developmental activities, Silent Valley also faces threats from global warming. “Effects of global warming are clearly visible. Changing climatic patterns can threaten the rainforests and these have been documented in the form of completely sunny summer days which are uncharacteristic of rainforests,” said the photographer.

Through this exhibition, Jayan attempts to spread awareness on the unique and rich wildlife of the Silent Valley national park to the general public. “After Delhi, we intend to take the exhibition to Bangalore, to Kerala and even rural areas of India to convey the importance of wildlife,” he said. “Twenty percent of the proceeds from the sale of my pictures will be given to the Wildlife Trust of India for purchasing items such as boots, raincoats etc for the forest watchers who guard the national park,” he added.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About the photographer:

Born in Nenmenikunnu, a small village in the Wayanad district of Kerala, NP Jayan entered the profession as a press photographer at the age of twenty. A versatile photographer, he has won several prestigious awards for photography including the Government of India’s Photo Division National Award in 2000 and 2004, the Sanctuary Asia Magazine’s International Wildlife Photography Award, the Government of Kerala’s Manaveeyam Award, Green Vision 2003 Award and State Bank of Travancore – National Sports Photography Award.

About Wildlife Trust of India:

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is a non profit organisation committed to conserve nature, especially endangered species and threatened habitat, in partnership with communities and governments. Principally concerned with managing wildlife crisis and providing quick and efficient aid to the wildlife in need, WTI through pro-active reforms works to secure the natural heritage of India.

Pride of Place, first piloted in the summer of 2003, came from the Local Authority All-Island Steering Forum - a forum that encourages strategic, sustainable approaches to cross border co-operation. Since 2003, the following communities and projects in Clare have taken part: Kilrush, Kilkee, Ennis, Labasheeda, Shannon, Sixmilebridge, Ballynacally, Scariff, O’Briensbridge/Montpelier, the Cloughleigh Rapid Pitch, the Michael Cusack Centre, Carron and Kilmihil Community Development.

Commenting on the nominations and County Clare’s previous nominations, Cllr. Tommy Brennan, Chairperson of the Environment, Emergency Services & Consumer Protection Strategic Policy Committee, “We were very pleased with the quality of responses we received from our call to community groups and organisations to participate in this year’s competition. The depth and breath of voluntary activity underway in communities across Clare was very evident in the applications received.”

Cllr. Brennan continued, “We are confident that the nominated projects best represent these efforts and look forward to County Clare achieving success again in this years competition, following on from the great success of the Cloughleigh Rapid Pitch, last year.”

“This competition focuses on local communities, both north and south of the border, coming together to shape, change and enjoy all that is good about their area. Groups have the opportunity to network, exchange ideas and learn from others and further promote their activities”, Cllr. Brennan added.

One group may be entered in any individual population category and one entry in each of the three designated themes of the ‘single issue’ category, providing the total number nominated in all categories does not exceed five. Category 1 caters for villages of up to 200 people, category 2 is for population centres of 200-500 people, category 3 features towns and villages with a population of between 500-1000 people, category 4 is for centres of between 1000-2000 people, category 5 includes centres of between 2000-5000 people, and category 6 caters for towns and cities with a population in excess of 5,000.

The structure of this year’s contest has been altered to include designated themes under the single-issue category, including ‘Social Care – Services for the Elderly’, ‘Community Facility’ (Built Facility, Community driven), and ‘Care of the Environment’ (with emphasis on innovation and sustainability).

Ms. Nicola Cullinan, Pride of Place Co-Coordinator, added, “The competition offers communities the opportunity to showcase the positive contribution that local groups make to the overall enhancement of their localities. This year, we received expressions of interest from towns and villages all over the County. We now look forward to cooperating with the nominees with their preparations ahead of the judging season.”

Judging for ‘Pride of Place 2008’ will take place from Mid June to July 2008. The awards ceremony will be held in November 2008 in Waterford. The winners in each category will receive an exclusive crystal decorative memento, along with a cheque for €2,000. The runners up for each category will receive a framed certificate and a cheque for €500.00. The recipients of special awards will receive a crystal memento.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

“Enhancing reputations–Increasing exposure–Increasing understanding”

Founded in 2006, Dunphy Public Relations is a communications group led by Mark Dunphy from County Clare. Mr. Dunphy previously held the position of ‘Head of News and Current Affairs’ in Clare FM Radio.

Dunphy Public Relations has secured extensive local, national and international media coverage for clients including Clare County Council; Supply Network Shannon; The Atlantis Holiday Group; Shannon Town Council; Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience; Clare Museum; Digino Marketing; Renewable Energy Skillsnet; Magico.ie; Kilrush Town Council; Clonlara Wholesale; Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen; Clare County Library; and Ennis Town Council.

Svayamhas undertakenan access audit and has put together a set of recommendations forproviding andensuringaccessibility in Jallianwala Bagh complex. The audit reportis then given to executing agency in this case being ITDC which willtake the recommendations forward.

Ms. Sminu Jindal, founder, Svayam and Managing Director, Jindal SAW Ltd., said, “We are delighted that regulatory authorities are getting sensitized towards the needs of the people with reduced mobility and of making places with historical references accessible to all. Jallianwala Bagh has a great significance to our freedom struggle and this initiative is our humble endeavour to make this world heritage side accessible to all. At Svayam, we work with a mission of making India accessible to all. With ITDCinviting Svayam as access consultants for making this heritage site accessible and inclusive as per international set of guidelines and standards further drives our mission.”

“We, at Svayam, have been working hand-in-hand with government agencies and civic bodies to ensure that the public infrastructure of the country finally moves towards a truly inclusive environment,” said Ms. Abha Negi, Director, Svayam.

Svayam Team accompanied the ITDC officialsandconducted anAccess Audit to identify the access issues at hand, develop a strategy to plug those issues andprovide solutions to make the site accessibleas per international standards of accessibility and inclusive environmentunder ITDC's revitalization initiative of Jallianwala Bagh.

Mr.RK Safaya,Senior Vice President (Engineering), India Tourism Development Corporation, said, “ITDC is proud to be associated with Svayam for this unique initiative and we stand committedto extend our full support & cooperation to make this a complete success.A historical landmark in the freedom struggle of India thismonument salutes thespirit of patriotism; making Jallianwala Bagh accessible to all is an effortto welcome visitors with diverse needs and will promote an inclusive environmentforall.”

Svayam has been closely working with ASI to make the Heritage Sites accessible to people with reduced mobility wherein it has conducted access audit of Qutab Minar, the most frequented monument in the country after Taj Mahal. The report with recommendations was shared with the ASI, which accepted the same in toto.

ASI is now implementing these guidelines with constant hand-holding by Svayam during the execution process. The recommendations made by Svayam are under various stages of implementation by ASI. Taking into cognizance Svayam’s work, ASI has further invited Svayam to help them understand and make some of the world heritage sites in Delhi, Agra and Goa barrier-free. Svayam has also conducted workshops for ASI engineers to sensitize them towards the issue.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Svayam:

Svayam, an initiative of Sminu Jindal Charitable Trust, has been working towards providing independence and dignity to people with reduced mobility. Svayam has been engaged in making various public places accessible to all especially the elderly and the disabled. Having been afflicted by reduced mobility as a result of an accident at the age of 11 that made the founder of Svayam - Sminu Jindal wheelchair bound physically, she did not allow her spirit to be chained. Instead, she is effectively discharging a dual role that of being a successful businesswoman as the Managing Director of Jindal SAW Ltd. and a person with social consciousness as the founder of Svayam.

About ITDC:

ITDC came into existence in October 1966 and has been the prime mover in the progressive development, promotion and expansion of tourism in the country. The Corporation is running hotels, restaurants at various places for tourists, besides providing transport facilities. In addition, the Corporation is engaged in production, distribution and sale of tourist publicity literature and providing entertainment and duty free shopping facilities to the tourists. The Corporation has diversified into new avenues/innovative services like Full-Fledged Money Changer (FFMC) services, engineering related consultancy services etc. The Ashok Institute of Hospitality & Tourism Management of the Corporation imparts training and education in the field of tourism and hospitality.

For further information, please contact:
Abha Negi Sunaina/ Jagmeet
Director, Svayam Perfect Relations
09811707968 09811645243/ 09914261484

Two local organisations, Duarbagori Co-operative Society and Kuthori Krishi Unyaan Committee joined hands with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in a Rapid Action Project (RAP) in 2007 to install electrified fence to minimise human-wildlife conflict by preventing the entry of wild animals into the village.

Four lines of electrified wire were installed on bamboo poles placed six metres apart, along the 8 km stretch of Kuthori's border towards the national park to provide protection to about 125 bighas of farmlands. Powered by solar energy, low voltage current (of about 9V-12V) was passed through the wires to scare away the animals. Energisers, batteries, a lightening diverter and insulating material for the power fence were provided by WTI. Four checkpoints were made and volunteers engaged to periodically monitor the functioning of the fence.

Of the proposed 125 bighas, timely installation of the fence could be done only to cover 65 bighas, following which, no raids were reported from there. Crop damage was high in the remaining 60 bighas where the fence could not be installed on time, but despite the loss, the farmers gained a net profit of over 25,000 rupees with a crop production of 112 quintals of mustard from 65 bighas as compared to 18.77 quintals from 96 bighas cultivated in 2003.

"The villagers were distraught because of their inability to farm and their declining economic condition. The success of the power fencing project gave them hope. After the success, we have been approached by the villagers for more projects of such sorts" said Ataur Rahman, Secretary, Duarbagori Co-operative Society, and the proponent of the project.

In addition to benefiting the farmers, the power fencing project also provided some intangible benefits to the wildlife of Kaziranga, believes Rahman. He said, "Wild animals cannot exit the park from this part of Kuthori and are thus less likely to be involved in conflicts or succumb to poaching."

"The fencing has obviously helped the animals indirectly, as cases of conflicts arising from the animals trespassing the cultivation area have been reduced," SN Buragohain, director, Kaziranga National Park concurred. "The project however was implemented mainly to protect the farmers' crops from depredation by wild animals and it has served its purpose," he added.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Health hazards from climate change are global in nature and diverse ranging from higher risks of extreme weather events to changes in the dynamics of infectious diseases. Many of the leading killer diseases are sensitive to climatic conditions and changing weather patterns impact their incidence and spread.

There are established steps in health and related sectors to reduce the exposure to and the effect of changing climate. For example, controlling disease vectors, reducing pollution from transport and efficient land use and water management are well-known and tested measures that can help. Moreover, many of the steps needed to prevent climate change have positive health benefits. For example, increased use of bicycles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the increase in physical activity from cycling and walking may lead to less obesity and fewer obesity-related illnesses.

In Pilani where Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani is located, rainwater harvesting is a religion and extensive use of bicycles as well as the concept of car pooling is very popular among faculty, students and children.

Since a brisk morning walk has so many health and stress management benefits which include getting one ready for the day apart from helping one to sleep better at night, BITS Pilani celebrated the World Health Day by organizing a morning walk on Monday April 7, 2008 across the Institute led by the Vice Chancellor Dr LK Maheshwari in which faculty members and spouses, children and students enthusiastically participated.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani Rajasthan which has set the industry university collaboration bench mark as well as having the reputation of pioneering the online examinations for admissions in India today through the path breaking BITSAT offers degrees in various disciplines presently at Pilani, Dubai, Goa campuses and in the short future at Hyderabad campus apart from an array of work integrated learning programmes for HRD of a vast spectrum of Indian corporates. The alumni of the Institute are spread across the globe from Australia to America.