INDIA 3RD ON LIST OF ‘GREEN BUILDINGS’ COUNTRIES OUTSIDE US
Washington: India has been ranked third on the list of top 10 countries in leadership in energy and environmental design outside America, according to the latest US Green Building Council report.

Canada followed by China occupy the top two slots in the ranking of the top 10 countries for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) outside the US.

The report said the list demonstrates the global reach of the movement that is transforming the building environment into healthy, high-performing structures that benefit the planet and its people.

From India ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi, built in 1977, Platinum under LEED, was notably mentioned in the report.

“The global community is increasingly recognising the imperative for action as we combat the extraordinary challenge of worldwide climate change,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC.

“LEED’s success across a wide variety of cultures, climates and communities represents not only a growing recognition of its demonstrated benefits for human health and operational cost savings, but also its unparalleled potential to be part of the solution to a warming planet and rising sea levels,” he said.

The ranking of the top 10 countries for LEED outside the US is based on cumulative gross square meters (GSM) of space certified to LEED in each nation as of April 2014, a statement said.

Canada tops the list, with 17.74 million GSM of LEED space.

Collectively, Canada boasts of 4,068 total LEED-registered and certified projects, representing 58.66 million total GSM of LEED space.

China and India, two of the world’s fastest growing economies and rapid adopters of sustainable building practices, took second and third place on the list having 14.30 million and 11.64 million GSM of LEED-certified space respectively, the statement said.

Other Asian nations in the top 10 included South Korea at number four with 3.84 million GSM of LEED-certified space and Singapore at number with 2.16 million GSM.

In Europe, Germany and Finland secured the sixth and tenth spot respectively — Germany with 2.90 million GSM of LEED-certified space and Finland with 1.45 million.

In South America, Brazil stood at number 7 on the list, with 2.85 million GSM while the United Arab Emirates represented green building success in the Middle East at Number 9 with 1.82 million GSM of LEED-certified space.

The list of the top 10 countries for LEED reflects the global adaptability of the world’s most widely used and recognised system guiding the design, construction, operations and maintenance of green buildings, the statement said.

Fixed tenure for Chief Justice

OVER the weekend R. M. Lodha took over as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from P. Sathasivam, who had headed the Supreme Court with distinction but for only a short period. No wonder, therefore, that on the day of his retirement he suggested that the chief justices of the Supreme Court as well as the high courts should have a fixed tenure of two years. Interestingly, his successor disagreed and argued that the present system of the chief justices retiring on attaining the prescribed age of superannuation must continue.

Mr Lodha's reasoning for sticking to the present system is that a fixed tenure for the chief would deny other equally qualified judges on the Bench an opportunity to fulfill their aspirations. It needs to be added that the new CJI will reach the retirement age in five months. However, all things considered, Mr. Sathasivam's proposal merits the most serious consideration and eventual acceptance. For the quick turnover of those presiding over the apex court is hardly conducive to reforms and changes for which the country is crying out because these need a stable leadership of the highest judicial team.

Mr Lodha is the 41st CJI during the 64 years since the Supreme Court's inception on the day the Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950. This gives an average of one-and-a-half years' tenure for the CJI, which is surely inadequate. In one case the CJI served for precisely 18 days. There have also been several other ridiculously short tenures, too. An eminent CJI took over just before the court's vacation and retired soon after the court reassembled.

Now compare this with the state of affairs in the United States where the total number of chief justices of the US Supreme Court through its 238-year history is far fewer than 41. That, of course, is the result of a strange American provision of not having a retirement age for those appointed to the American apex court. It is up to every Supreme Court judge to resign whenever he or she chooses to. If this is very odd, then so is our inflexible adherence to seniority as the sole criterion for the selection of the CJI. As long as this persists the most senior Supreme Court judge is almost certain to be close to 65, the age of retirement.

Seniority has always had sanctity in Indian ethos in every walk of life. Seniority-cum-merit is often talked of as the best criterion for promotion but never adopted. One reason for this is that there is little faith in the fairness of the selection process. In the case of the highest judiciary in this country, seniority acquired an even greater stranglehold during the early years after the inception of the Supreme Court

As a reporter I was witness to what happened when the time was nearing for the first CJI Harilal Kania to retire. The judge next to him in seniority was Patanjali Sastry. He had only a few months of service left. So Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru suggested that the judge just below Sastry in seniority should be made the next Chief Justice. All hell broke loose. No one protested more vehemently than Justice B. K. Mukherjea, who was being offered the job. Ironically, there came a time when, as a result of Indira Gandhi's confrontation with the judiciary, senior judges were superseded several times, and their juniors readily accepted the top job. Those superseded usually resigned. Isn't it time, therefore, to review all this? Or should advancement in every institution continue to be like riding an escalator?

This said let me add that a fixed tenure for the CJI is not the only issue about the higher judiciary that needs urgent attention and action. There are quite a few other problems and matters that need to be taken up even earlier. An extremely important one is the question of judges' appointment and accountability. In their interaction with the media both the outgoing and incoming CJIs have stated that the present system of the group of most senior judges dealing with these matters was appropriate. There is widespread disagreement with this. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government had even a Bill ready for the formation of a mechanism for higher judicial appointments and for enforcing judicial accountability. The new government will have too much on its plate but that is no reason to delay a decision on this issue. Parliament also must be watchful.

Of late there has been a spate of complaints across the country of kith and kin of judges practising in their courts in defiance of all established norms. The malpractice has acquired the moniker "Uncle Judge". In the case of the Punjab and Haryana High Court it was recently reported that the bulk of public prosecutors and other judicial functionaries were relatives of judges and Advocates-General. A parallel phenomenon that is no less deplorable has earned the nickname "Bench hunting" or "forum shopping". In simple English this means that many petitioners manage to get their case heard by a particular judge from whom they receive a favourable judgment. On one occasion one senior counsel created a sensation by declaring before a Bench headed by the retired CJI, Mr Sathasivam, that "Bench hunting" was rampant even in the apex court. He went so far as to name two Supreme Court judges who, he alleged, were involved in the racket. Mr Lodha blames the Bar councils for the spread of these unethical practices. He also says that the selection of better judges would automatically improve things.

There is no problem as alarming as the colossal arrears of undecided cases. There are 56, 893 such cases in the apex court itself. In high courts and lower courts the number has soared to crores. Mr. Lodha has promised to set up three designated Benches to clear this mess. Let these fine words be translated into action speedily.

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 ज़िन्दगी के पत्थर, कंकड़ और रेत

Philosophy के एक professor ने कुछ चीजों के साथ class में प्रवेश किया. जब class शुरू हुई तो उन्होंने एक बड़ा सा खाली शीशे का जार लिया और उसमे पत्थर के बड़े-बड़े टुकड़े भरने लगे. फिर उन्होंने students से पूछा कि क्या जार भर गया है ? और सभी ने कहा “हाँ”.

तब प्रोफ़ेसर ने छोटे-छोटे कंकडों से भरा एक box लिया और उन्हें जार में भरने लगे. जार को थोडा हिलाने पर ये कंकड़ पत्थरों के बीच settle हो गए. एक बार फिर उन्होंने छात्रों से पूछा कि क्या जार भर गया है?  और सभी ने हाँ में उत्तर दिया.

तभी professor ने एक sand box निकाला और उसमे भरी रेत को जार में डालने लगे. रेत ने बची-खुची जगह भी भर दी. और एक बार फिर उन्होंने पूछा कि क्या जार भर गया है? और सभी ने एक साथ उत्तर दिया , ” हाँ”

फिर professor ने समझाना शुरू किया, ” मैं चाहता हूँ कि आप इस बात को समझें कि ये जार आपकी life को represent करता है. बड़े-बड़े पत्थर आपके जीवन की ज़रूरी चीजें हैं- आपकी family,आपका partner,आपकी health, आपके बच्चे – ऐसी चीजें कि अगर आपकी बाकी सारी चीजें खो भी जाएँ और सिर्फ ये रहे तो भी आपकी ज़िन्दगी पूर्ण रहेगी.

ये कंकड़ कुछ अन्य चीजें हैं जो matter करती हैं- जैसे कि आपकी job, आपका घर, इत्यादि.

और ये रेत बाकी सभी छोटी-मोटी चीजों को दर्शाती है.

अगर आप जार को पहले रेत से भर देंगे तो कंकडों और पत्थरों के लिए कोई जगह नहीं बचेगी. यही आपकी life के साथ होता है. अगर आप अपनी सारा समय और उर्जा छोटी-छोटी चीजों में लगा देंगे तो आपके पास कभी उन चीजों के लिए time नहीं होगा जो आपके लिए important हैं. उन चीजों पर ध्यान दीजिये जो आपकी happiness के लिए ज़रूरी हैं.बच्चों के साथ खेलिए, अपने partner के साथ dance कीजिये. काम पर जाने के लिए, घर साफ़ करने के लिए,party देने के लिए,  हमेशा वक़्त होगा. पर पहले पत्थरों पर ध्यान दीजिये – ऐसी चीजें जो सचमुच matter करती हैं . अपनी priorities set कीजिये. बाकी चीजें बस रेत हैं.”

The road to safety

The road to safety
India’s roads have acquired a reputation, quite deservedly, of being the most dangerous in the world. Rapid motorisation and fast-paced economic activity over several years have been accompanied by an annual toll of nearly 140,000 accident fatalities; injuries are estimated to be 15 to 20 times the number of deaths. In absolute numbers, more people die in road accidents in India than in any other country. Apart from the human dimension of the tragedy, avoidable death and disability seriously affect economic progress — by some estimates, 3 per cent of GDP is lost in a year due to the carnage. The recent decision of the Supreme Court to appoint a three-member committee to suggest ways to prevent road accidents and ensure accountability offers some hope that a new government at the Centre will be compelled to address the issue as an emergency. It is not as if suggestions for improvements for enhanced safety have not been proposed earlier. The Sundar Committee constituted by the Centre called for an apex agency to be created to assess all aspects of road safety, and to address the lacuna in scientific accident investigation. Although the recommendation was made seven years ago, it has failed to take off. Indians are travelling more miles per capita today, and are at high risk for injury or worse.

Unsafe transport, including services operated by government agencies, are a major part of the problem. Several ghastly accidents involving public transport vehicles have been reported, but the State governments involved have shown little sense of accountability. They routinely challenge even claims for compensation. Their response to the need for improved infrastructure has been woefully weak. In its recent report, the National Transport Development Policy Committee headed by Rakesh Mohan suggested that national, State and local-level institutions be set up, with responsibility to address the issue of safety. There is an urgent need to form these committees, and appoint professionals to them. They must be empowered to upgrade driver-licensing practices, road systems, public lighting and signage. Accident investigation, which remains a neglected area, requires a thorough overhaul, and CCTVs can help determine the cause of mishaps. Also, the neglect of the public district hospital network in most States, and the high cost of treatment at private hospitals affect access to good trauma care for accident victims. The right to life demands that the Central and State governments provide medical facilities at a proximate institution free of cost to all. The Supreme Court panel must give road accidents the status of a public health issue that has acquired alarming proportions. Reform to improve road safety cannot be delayed any longer.

INDIA NOW WORLD'S 3RD LARGEST ECONOMY, BEHIND JUST US, CHINA

INDIA NOW WORLD'S 3RD LARGEST ECONOMY, BEHIND JUST US, CHINA
India is now the world's third largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, ahead of Japan and behind the US and China which hold the top two spots. This was revealed by the 2011 round of the World Bank's International Comparison Program (ICP) released on Tuesday.

"The United States remained the world’s largest economy, but it was closely followed by China when measured using PPPs. India was now the world’s third largest economy, moving ahead of Japan," the report said. (Read report)

It highlighted the fact that the largest economies were not the richest, as shown in the ranking of GDP per capita. The middle-income economies with large economies also had large populations, setting the stage for continued growth, it added.

The report says India "went from the 10th largest economy in 2005 to the third largest in 2011.

Largest economies by share of world GDP, ICP 2011

Incidentally, the economies of Japan and the United Kingdom became smaller relative to the United States, while

Germany increased slightly and France and Italy remained the same.

The relative rankings of the three Asian economies—China, India, and Indonesia—to the United States doubled, while Brazil, Mexico, and Russia increased by one-third or more.

The Philippines and the United States Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement

The Philippines and the United States inked a 10-year Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to allow a bigger US military presence on Filipino territory. This pact would would give U.S. forces temporary access to selected military camps and allow them to pre-position fighter jets and ships. It allows more US troops into the Philippines for joint military training exercises, but will not permit Washington to set up a permanent base in the Philippines or bring in nuclear weapons to the country.

Strategic importance of the Philippines and US deal:

The Philippines and China are locked in a dispute over the territorial ownership of atolls in the South China Sea, part of a proliferation of maritime hotspots that has stirred up Asian tensions. In the Philippine there are negative sentiments against China which accused of being increasingly aggressive in asserting its claims to the sea. In the wake of these developments, the Philippines has called on the US for greater military as well as diplomatic support. With surging regional uneasiness over the implications of China’s rise, the Philippines has sought greater military ties with the US in recent years.