The coal gamble

With India's clean-energy industry booming, does India need coal exports from Australia?

who will suffer.

Indian_g!ant Adani Gro u p's p lans _ for the $16 billion Carmichael Coal Proiect, the largest in Australia, has stirred up environmental groups in India and Australia

Founder of India's Conservation Action Trust, Debi Goenka recently travelled to Queensland to file legal objections to the approval of this coal mine on behalf of the Indian community. T h is is the 6.rst time that a case has been filed by an ovetseas party o bjecting to a coal mine in Australia.

T he Adani Group's foray into Australi a began in 2 0 10 with the purchase of the Carmichael Coal Niine in cl1e Galilee Basin of Central Queensland an d the port of Abbot Point in North Queensland. Their aim was to operate on a vertically integrated model - the coal from the

''Instead of ln 2011, [(arnataka state's Lokayukta, the anti - corruption ombudsman, investigated complaims of profiteering through illegal exports of iron Ore. It fou n d that "officials of Port Department, C11stoms, Police, K'>PCB, CRZ, 1\1i11cs, Local politicians and others are involved in receiving the bribe JJJ01U!)' fro111 M / s. A drmi Enterprises'~ and Adani and other mining companies were ''fam1d to he active!J involved in large scale illegal expmts".

Adani began construction of the port at Mundra in the late 1990s, wicl1 commercial operations commencing in 2001. The Indian government asked the Centre of Science and Environment (CSE) to investigate complaints of environmental degtadation in Mw1dra, and a 2013 report found destruction supporting India in building its renewable energy capacity, Australia is trying to be its friend by palming off dirty fuel

Carmichael l\fine would be transported by rail to Abbot Point, and then exported co India and other offshore m arkets.

Australian federal and state governments have both approved the GaWee Bas in project. At capacity, this mine will produ ce 60 million manes of steaming coal every year, w ith a predicted lifespan of 60 to 90 years Most of this coal i s destined for India. Instead of supporting India in building i ts renewable energy capac ity, Australia is trying to be its fr iend by palming off of mangroves, blocking of creeks and disregard for local pollution, among other environmental concerns

Organisations such as Greenpeace and GetU p have been campaigning hard co bri ng such reports from Indi a to cl1e knowledge of the public

''and financial institutions in Austra lia. They bave proved successful to some extent. Quite a few financial i nstitutions have shied away from the project.

Deb i Goenka has been working with GetUp in raising awareness of these issues. He is sceptical about the financia.J viability of the project and says that it may well be a non-starter. The Queensland government has approved the project, albeit with 190 myriad environmental condi tions, as it i s rel ying on it to hel p rum around its economy Goenka rues that destruction of cl1e rurcy fuel.

A 2013 Centre

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'The livelihood s and health of fishermen, salt pan ners and small farmers in cl1e port of Mundra , Gujarat, where the Adani coal is headed for, will environment has not been faccored into this economic decision malcing "Do be ruined," says Goenka witb regard to why be bad to take the legal route co stem the inAtL'l of coal into India. of Science and Environment report found destruction of mangroves, blocking of creeks and disregard for local pollution among other environmental concerns at the Adani port in Mundra

Adani claims the high quality in1ported coal will he lp to light the lives of 100 million Indians Studies, however, show the contrary.

''they realise that many of the jobs will actually go co imported labour from India? That ground water and rive rs in the area will be destroyed? Have they considered ,vhat will happen to cl1e wild life dependent on water? Or what will happen to the Great Barrier Reef? Or h ow their approval will affect the poor in Gujarat?"

Tbe legal case lodged pro bono by Environmental Justice Australia on behalf of Goenka, is expected co be heard early n ext year. The Carmichael pro ject is also slated to begin nexr y ear afford the price of imported coal and it would in fact double the price of electricity

Accord ing co cl1e Institute for Energy Economi cs and Financi al Analysis i n Australia, India will not be able to

Other consequences would be inAation, current acco u nt deficits a n d implications for Inrua 's energy security. It i s ironic t h at while coal may meet the energy need s of the r ich, it will be the poor, residing around clw port,

''While on the one hand India is clamouring for coaJ to meet its increas ing ene rgy needs, Goenka is convinced that India's ener g y needs cou ld best be served through renewable energy sources "Anybod y thinking of investing in coal power is li v ing in cl1e past," he conclud es

The new FIAV committee outlines the organisation's course for the future

f it's worth doing, it's goc to be done now! Adopting this pbilmophy, the newly elected committee of the Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (FlAV) is raring to contribute to the con1lltuiiry, according co FIAV Presidem Thomas Joseph.

A dinner event was held recently ar Tandoori Junction lndia.J1

Restaurant in G len Waverley to outline FIAV's current invo lvement within tl1e community along with its course for the future. As part of the event, FlAV's new commi nec members were also introduced to Indian media in Melbomne anJ other community rep resentatives.

According to Joseph, plans are afoot to support an upcom ing Ethno-Specific Aged Care project in MelboLLrnc, 1m aged care facility specially constructed and designed for Indian -origin Vicrorians, raking into consideration the cul tural needs of seniors.

The FIAV also wishes to continue its volLLntary work wid, assisting victims anti families affected by domestic v iolence and od1er community related issues.

While FIAV will continue to undertake projects that were initiated under past Presidem Vasan Srinivasan, it will also seek new opportunities in its aim co effectively engage with and support the community.

The FIAV committee is particularly looking at encouraging youth to take an active role an<l participate in a variety of communicy- based activities in order to build a stronger community.

"We wish to focus on recognising the value, contribution and positive potential of youth and foster a sense of social responsibility to become contributing members of society;' said Thomas Joseph.

As the MC for Lhe evening, Ambarisb Desbmukh spoke at length about Fli\V's action p lan including partici pa tioo and organisation of upcoming events like me 1--loli festival, 1.he Australia Day Parade and lndian Music and Dance Festival. He invited people to join the Fl.AV members in celebrating these events and asked them to provide feedback and suggestions that mar he lp FIAV to make irnprovemems where required.

Discussions continued over a sumpmous meal provided by Karan Gandhok of Tandoori Junction. Karan was formall y acknowledged for his ongoing support to FIAV over the years. A special thanks and appreciation was offe red to Vasan Srinivasan, past President, who successfullr completed his five-year tenure at the helm of FlAV. Vasan is currently chairman of the Confederation of Indian Australian Association lnc.

According to Jospeh, under Vasan's leadership FlAV has made inroads in its goal to serve as an umbrella organisation for all the fodian community organisations in Victoria, bringing togetl1er all me individual organisations as a Linilied body in order to strengthen the community and provide iniproved services ro the Indian origin population in Victoria. Thomas Joseph expressed h is hope in being able to do the same over his tenure.

T he newly elected FlAV Committee is: President: Thomas Joseph; V ice P residents Sh arad

Gupta and Sudes h Singh; Secretary Jay K1m1ar; T reasurer Ambarisb Deshm ukh Surya P. Soni and Supriyo Sin h a will serve as Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary respec tively. Co-op ted members include Usha R avi (Editorial sub-committee), Goldy Brar (Chairman Youth and Sports), Kazween Boika (\'(/oman's Affairs), Vernon Franklin (Mem b ers hip), Moni ca Sharma R aizada (Events), Usha Gullapalli (Seniors Affairs) and Krishna Arora (Catering). Preeti Jabbal