The Statesman , Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Correspondent : Press Trust of India

New Delhi, 13 April: Almost a month after India's key negotiator on climate change Mr Shyam Saran quit the post, environment minister Mr Jairam Ramesh today said he will be heading the country's climate talks teams at international forum.I will be India's chief negotiator for talks related to climate change. There is no big deal in it, Mr Ramesh said here when asked if Mr Saran's replacement was on the cards. Justifying his move, he said that it is always the minister who represents his ministry at an international forum and hence it is no big deal if I head my team at the negotiating forums on climate change.Mr Saran, who was the Prime Minister's special envoy on climate change, had resigned last month following his differences with Mr Ramesh on India's stand on climate change particularly at Copenhagen last year, which he felt had weakened the country's position at the global fora.In a departure from the past trend when retired civil servants were favoured by the government for international talks on climate change, Mr Ramesh made it clear that henceforth only serving officials would represent the country, a move indicating his greater role on the issue.Environment secretary Mr Vijai Sharma, additional secretary Mr JM Mauskar, joint secretary Mr RR Rashmi and two others are part of the team.Former Indian diplomat Mr Chandarshekhar Dasgupta and former environment secretary Mr Pradipto Ghosh, who were part of the Indian team at Copenhagen last year, have been dropped.Protest against Narmada Dam project Bhopal, 13 April: Thousands of tribals, farmers, and fisher folk whose way of life and livelihoods are threatened by the Narmada Dam projects, have marched in protest from Barwani to Indore this week. Holding public meetings along the way, the jeevan adhikar yatra has crisscrossed through the villages of the Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh, areas threatened by the Sardar Sarovar and Jobat dams as well as the Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar canals. Symbolising the "death noose" that the Narmada projects hold to the 2 lakh affected people of the valley, two large bells, are been carried by the protestors led by octogenarian Gandhian Mr Shambhunath Gupta. The rally proceeded to the office of the Narmada Control Authority in the city, where an indefinite agitation will be held. The march marks 25 years of protests in the Narmada Valley against the damming of the river.SNShttp://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-223900426/ramesh-head-climate-talks.html

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