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Nestled amidst the picturesque Garhwal Himalayas, <keyword id="20397827" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="tehri-dam" source="keywords">Tehri Dam</keyword> stands as a colossal testament to engineering prowess and natural beauty. As the <keyword id="20397828" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="highest-dam-in-India" source="Orion">highest dam in India</keyword>, Tehri Dam not only offers breathtaking views of the <keyword id="1795657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tehri-Lake" source="Orion">Tehri Lake</keyword> but also serves as a haven for water enthusiasts seeking thrilling activities and serene getaways. Join us as we unravel the wonders of Tehri Dam, exploring the dam's grandeur and the exciting adventures that await. The Marvel of Tehri Dam: Standing proudly at an elevation of 2,610 feet above sea level, Tehri Dam is an architectural marvel that spans the Bhagirathi River. Completed in 2006, it serves multiple purposes, including hydroelectric power generation and water supply. The dam's sheer size and the pristine surroundings make it a must-visit destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Activities to Thrill and Mesmerize:" comment="subhead" text="Activities to Thrill and Mesmerize:">Activities to Thrill and Mesmerize:</cmsannotation> 1. Water Sports Extravaganza: Tehri Dam's vast reservoir, known as Tehri Lake, is a playground for water sports enthusiasts. Jet skiing, water skiing, and banana boat rides are just a few of the exhilarating activities that can be enjoyed on the expansive lake. The clear, cool waters surrounded by the majestic Himalayas create an unparalleled setting for aquatic adventures. 2. Floating Huts Experience: Imagine waking up to panoramic views of the Himalayas from the comfort of a floating hut. Tehri Dam offers a unique accommodation experience with floating huts, allowing visitors to stay amidst the tranquility of the lake. These floating abodes provide a perfect blend of luxury and nature, creating an unforgettable retreat. 3. Boating and Kayaking: Explore the serene waters of Tehri Lake at a leisurely pace with boating or embrace the thrill of kayaking. The calm surroundings and the crisp mountain air create an idyllic setting for a peaceful boat ride or an exciting kayaking expedition. 4. Angling and Fishing: Fishing enthusiasts can try their luck in the bountiful waters of Tehri Lake. The dam's rich aquatic life makes it an ideal spot for angling, providing a relaxing experience amidst the scenic beauty of the region. 5. Best Time to Visit Tehri Dam: While Tehri Dam is accessible throughout the year, the best time to visit is during the post-monsoon months of September to November and the pre-summer months of February to April. During these periods, the weather is pleasant, and the skies are clear, allowing for optimal visibility of the surrounding Himalayan peaks. Additionally, water sports and other outdoor activities are more enjoyable during these months, as the temperatures are moderate. Tehri Dam, with its towering presence and the pristine Tehri Lake, beckons travelers to explore the union of nature and engineering brilliance. Whether you seek the thrill of water sports, the tranquility of floating huts, or simply wish to marvel at the grandeur of the dam, Tehri promises an experience like no other. Plan your visit during the recommended months to make the most of this Himalayan gem and create lasting memories amidst the serenity of Tehri Dam. Note: The article is based on content generated by AI models like Bard and Chatgpt.

Explore tehri dam: where water adventures come alive!

Forget about defining the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Line+of+Actual+Control+">Line of Actual Control</a> and addressing the issue of Chinese intrusion into Indian territories as <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> has now given birth to a new issue which could further widen gaps between the two countries. 
 It has now operationalised the $1.5 billion Zam <keyword id="2398983" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="hydropower-station">Hydropower Station</keyword>, which has raised concerns in India over the likelihood of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=disrupting+water+supplies">disrupting water supplies</a>. 
 The dam, the largest in <keyword id="6364076" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tibet">Tibet</keyword>, built on the Brahmaputra river, also raised concerns in India over <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=China">China's ability to release water in times of conflict</a> which could pose serious risk of flooding. 
 
The China Gezhouba Group, a major hydropower contractor based in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province said on Tuesday that all six of the stations’ units were incorporated into the power grid. 
 
Located in the Gyaca County, Shannan Prefecture, the Zam Hydropower Station also known as Zangmu Hydropower Station, harnesses the rich water resources of Brahmaputra known in Tibet as Yarlung Zangbo River, a major river which flows through Tibet into India and later into Bangladesh. 
 
The dam considered to be the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=hydropower+station+">world's highest-altitude hydropower station</a> and the largest of its kind will produce produces 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year. 
 
According to the company, it would alleviate the electricity shortage in central Tibet and empower the development of the electricity-strapped region. It is also an important energy base in central Tibet. 
 
Investment of the hydropower station, about 140 kms from Tibetan capital Lhasa, totaled 9.6 billion yuan (about $1.5 billion). 
 
The first unit began operations last November. 
 
The problem for India does not end here as China is reportedly building few more dams. The country seeks to allay Indian fears saying that they are the run-of-the-river projects which were not designed to hold water. 
 
An Indian Inter-Ministerial Expert Group (IMEG) on the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=hydropower+station+">Brahmaputra</a> in 2013 said the dams were being built on the upper reaches and called for further monitoring considering their impact on the flow of waters to the lower reaches. 
 
The IMEG noted that the three dams, Jiexu, Zangmu and Jiacha are within 25 kms of each other and are 550 kms from the Indian border. 
 
India has been taking up the issue with China for the past few years the two countries reached an understanding in 2013. Chinese side agreed to provide more flood data of Brahmaputra from May to October instead of June to October in the previous agreements river water agreements in 2008 and 2010. 
 India is concerned that if the waters are diverted, then projects on the Brahmaputra, particularly the <keyword id="743602" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Upper-Siang">Upper Siang</keyword> and Lower Suhansri projects in <keyword id="46408" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arunachal-Pradesh">Arunachal Pradesh</keyword>, may get affected. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

A reason to worry for! China operationalises biggest dam on Brahmaputra in Tibet

New Delhi, Mar 4 () Average spot power price declined 6 per cent to Rs 2.91 per unit in February on the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), according to official data. The price had stood at Rs 3.08 per unit in February 2019. "The average market-clearing price in DAM (day-ahead market) at Rs 2.91 per unit saw a significant 6 per cent decline over the price of Rs 3.08 per unit in February 2019 and resulted into substantial savings for the market participants," the IEX said in a statement on Wednesday. The electricity market on the IEX recorded a trade of 4,516 MU (million unit) in February, registering a 57 per cent year-on-year rise. The DAM traded 4,289 MU during the month. The increase in trade volume was mainly due to distribution utilities opting for replacement of their costlier power with the Exchange-based procurement. The other key reason was increase in demand on account of early onset of summer and higher agricultural demand in southern as well as western states, particularly in Telangana, due to lift irrigation, it said. The volume growth is a testament to the IEX continuing to be the most-attractive platform for the distribution utilities for procuring electricity coupled with the highest degree of flexibility, the Exchange added. The total sale bids of 10,372 MU during the month were twice the buy bids of 5,233 MU. It ensured lower clearing price and brought significant savings to both the distribution utilities as well as the commercial and industrial consumers. According to the IEX data, 'one nation-one price' prevailed for 28 days during the month. However, DAM saw a volume loss of 2.03 MU due to the real-time curtailment. Term-ahead market (TAM) volumes grew 168 per cent y-o-y to 226 MU, signifying the increasing preference of TAM contracts by the distribution utilities for meeting their intra-day to weekly requirements. According to data from the National Load Despatch Center, the peak demand on an all-India basis stood at 177 gigawatts (GW) in February 2020, a 9 per cent y-o-y rise over demand of 162 GW in February 2019. The energy met at 105 billion units (BU) in February saw an increase of 11 per cent as compared with 95 BU a year ago. On February 26, renewable energy certificates (REC) trading session at the IEX saw a total trade of 14.91 lakh RECs, comprising of 5,07,153 non-solar RECs and 9,84,157 solar RECs. KKS HRS

Spot power price dips 6 pc to Rs 2.91 per unit in February

<keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>'s biggest floating <keyword id="59444" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Solar-power-plant">solar power plant</keyword> with a capacity of 100 megawatt is expected to become operational in <keyword id="68884" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telangana">Telangana</keyword> next month. The project has been set up by the energy conglomerate National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in the reservoir of its thermal power plant at Ramagundam, Peddapalli district. The solar photo-voltaic project, spread over 450 acres, will have 4.5 lakh photovoltaic panels and it can be expanded in the future According to C.V. Anand, Executive Director, <keyword id="10904332" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ntpc-southern-region">NTPC Southern Region</keyword>, this will be the largest floating solar plant in the country in a single location as of now. The project has been set up at a cost of ₹423 crore. The Maharatna company plans to set up solar projects across all thermal power plants in the country. The NTPC plans solar power plants of the total capacity of 450 MW in the southern region. Of this, 217 MW plants would be floating on water bodies. The corporation is also setting up 92 MW floating unit at Kayamkulam gas plant in Kerala and a 25 MW unit at Simhadri power plant in Visakhapatnam. The NTPC embarked on setting up large floating solar plants after successfully completing pilot projects at Kayamkulam (100 KWH) in Kerala and Kawas (1 MW) in Gujarat. Officials say the solar powers project are in line with the country's commitment to attain the target of 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2022 including 100 GW of solar installed capacity. The upcoming floating solar plants in South India are likely to be commissioned in next few months. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the delay in construction of the new projects. Under the floating plants, the photovoltaic panels are deployed on the surface of water bodies. They are considered as a viable alternative to land-based solar arrays. NTPC officials explain that setting up floating solar units on water bodies and huge reservoirs help them in cutting down on the costs. Floating solar units prove to be cost effective when compared to ground-mounted plant. As South India has a large number of major reservoirs, NTPC Southern Region plans to focus on floating solar plants. The company officials say they prefer solar floating plants due to their advantages. As five acres of land is required for setting up one MW solar photo-voltaic plant on <keyword id="6375548" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ground">ground</keyword> and given the challenges in land acquisitions, the authorities are going for floating method. There are other advantages of the floating plants. As water bodies exert a cooling effect, this improves the performance of solar photovoltaic panels by 5 to 10 per cent. This means a significant cost saving for the plant owners. The other benefits include reduced water evaporation, reduced grid interconnection costs, low algal blooming and improved water quality. Interestingly, the world's largest floating 600 MW solar energy project is also coming up in India. The project to be constructed at Omkareshwar dam on the Narmada river in Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh, is likely to begin power generation by 2022-23. Electricity will be produced in about 2,000-hectare water area by installing solar panels in the dam. Solar panels will float on the surface of the water in the reservoir. The floating solar power project at Ramagundam is expected to give boost to share of renewable energy in overall power generation in Telangana. The total installed capacity of renewable energy, including solar, in Telangana stood at 3,944 MW in 2019-20. Telangana is among a handful of States and Union territories who are on track to meet their renewable energy targets for 2022. The solar power projects by NTPC in the southern region include 5 MW unit set up at Port Blair Solar in Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2012, a 10 MW solar plant at Ramagundam in 2013 and the phase I- of the 250 MW (5X50 MW) Ultra Mega solar project commissioned at NP Kunta village of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. The NTPC is also working on 230 MW ground mounted solar power plant in Ettayapuram near Tuticorin in <keyword id="20154" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</keyword>. This is expected to be commissioned by next year. The solar power projects are part of NTPC's plans to reduce its carbon footprints and accelerate its green energy production to 30 per cent of its capacity. NTPC Southern region has total installed capacity of about 9,125 MW, out of the corporation's total capacity of 64,880 MW in the country. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/upi-crosses-5-lakh-crore-in-transaction-value-in-march/articleshow/81820799.cms">India’s digital payments soar – UPI crosses ₹5 lakh crore in transaction value in March</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/west-bengal-is-the-highest-contributor-to-small-savings-schemes/articleshow/81825902.cms">West Bengal is the highest contributor to small savings schemes – with elections underway, it could have been a trigger for the government to roll back interest rate cuts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/revolut-india-plan-starts-with-a-25-million-investment-and-possibly-a-fintech-acquisition/articleshow/81833983.cms">Revolut’s India plan starts with a $25 million investment and possibly, a fintech acquisition</a>

India's biggest floating solar power plant coming up in Telangana

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/35068899@N03/8386517520/">IAEA Imagebank / Flickr</a>Kudankulam <keyword id="41759" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nuclear">nuclear</keyword> power plant</div>If the 1984 Soviet Chernobyl disaster and, more recently, the destruction of Japan’s 11 March 2011 six reactor Fukushima Daiichi Tokyo Energy Power Co. installation, proved anything to the global community, aside from frantic assertions by the authorities that the public threat was minimal, it was that radioactive pollution is a trans-national issue.
The latest international nuclear spat is occurring between Sri Lanka and <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> over the latter’s imminent completion of its Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. India’s government has dismissed as "baseless" the reports here about radiation leaks at the yet to be commissioned Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, saying it has a robust regulatory mechanism to ensure safe operation, with an Indian High Commission statement stating, "These reports are totally baseless. There has been no radiation leak at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. It is reiterated that safety is accorded utmost attention in Nuclear Power Plants and encompasses the entire gamut of activities associated with these NPPs," adding that various works and commissioning tests and regulatory procedures are progressing, in line with oversight by India’s <a href="http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-02-21/news/37221880_1_aerb-kudankulam-nuclear-power-plant-atomic-energy-regulatory-board">Atomic Energy Regulatory Board</a>. The AERB reviews the various reports of performance tests and accords clearance for the next stage to ensure safe operation. Related article: <a href="http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Who-will-Pay-for-Nuclear-Power-Plant-Cleanup.html">Who will Pay for Nuclear Power Plant Cleanup?</a><a href="http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Who-will-Pay-for-Nuclear-Power-Plant-Cleanup.html"></a> The facility is a poster child for India’s desperate efforts to ramp up its electrical generating facilities. India sees nuclear power as a shortcut to alleviating its energy shortages, adding Kudankulam to its current six NPPs, containing 20 reactors which generate 4,780 megawatts, with an additional seven NPPs expected to generate an additional 5,300 megawatts. The $2.5 billion, Kudankulam NPP in Tamil Nadu state will house six 1,200 megawatt and two 1,000 megawatt reactors.
Kudankulam NPP has been controversial since its inception. Last August no less a personage than Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh questioned India’s Department of Atomic Energy about <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/kudankulam-nuclear-plant-hits-new-hurdle-pm-asks-who-will-pay-for-mishap-250419">liability</a> for the NPP and who will pay if there is a mishap at the Kudankulam NPP. Adding to the anxieties of Indian nuclear power proponents is the fact that Singh is also India’s Minister for Atomic Energy.
The question of liability also extends to one of India’s closest trading partners, the Russian Federation, whose Atomstroieksport company constructed the NPP. When in 1988 an agreement for the Kudankulam NPP was signed between India and the (then) USSR for Kudankulam’s number 1 and 2 reactors, India had yet to draft a Nuclear Liability Bill, so the contract maintained that the Indian side, as the operator, would be fully responsible for any damage caused by a nuclear incident.
But the Nuclear Liability Bill legislation was passed in 2010 and provided that the supplier is also liable if the equipment is faulty. So, under the Nuclear Liability Bill, the operator, India, can claim damages from the supplier in such a case. The Russians have sought that the provisions of the pre-Nuclear Bill agreement of 2008 be extended to the next phases, unit 3 and 4, of the project as well and have brought this up at several high-level bilateral meetings, but Singh is resisting. Related article: <a href="http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Iran-Announces-Discovery-of-Huge-Uranium-Deposits.html">Iran Announces Discovery of Huge Uranium Deposits</a><a href="http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Iran-Announces-Discovery-of-Huge-Uranium-Deposits.html"></a> Back to Sri Lanka.
On 21 February the Indian High Commission in <a href="http://www.colombopage.com/archive_13A/Feb21_1361465648CH.php">Colombo</a> dismissed Sri Lankan media reports on leaks having developed in critical equipment of the Kudankulam NPP, stating, "The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is a state-of-the-art plant that is compliant with the highest safety standards available in the nuclear industry today. The safety measures instituted at the plant are of the highest order."
India and Sri Lanka have an <a href="http://www.dailynews.lk/2013/02/23/news04.asp">ongoing dialogue</a> on cooperation in nuclear energy, issues including in the areas of isotope hydrology, radio-tracer studies and dam safety, and an Indian delegation is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in the near future for the second round of dialogue on these and other areas of potential cooperation, including safety.
So, obviously, nothing to see here – yet, move along. By. John C.K Daly of <keyword id="1763642" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="OilPrice-com">Oilprice.com</keyword>
<a href="http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Indian-Nuclear-Power-Plant-Sparks-International-Fears.html">Read more...</a>
Read more posts on <a href="http://oilprice.com/">OilPrice.com »</a>

India's Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Has Been A Magnet For Controversy Since Day 1

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image">Screenshot/Maplecroft</div></div></div>
Leading global risk analytics firm <a href="http://maplecroft.com/">Maplecroft</a> has released its latest Terrorism and Security Dashboard. The dashboard tracked terrorist attacks over the twelve month period prior to July 1, and the results are bleak. 
Globally, fatalities from acts of terrorism rose by 30% to a recorded 18,668 deaths. During the same 12-month period, there were a recorded 9,471 attacks - an average of 26 attacks a day. 
With 3,158 acts of terrorism, Iraq had the highest number of recorded attacks within the time frame. Iraq is currently in the process of staving off a Sunni rebellion led by ISIS and a full-scale sectarian civil war. ISIS controls oil and gas infrastructure in Iraq, and the group has also made frightening <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iraq-can-turn-into-a-failed-state-in-a-day-2014-7">advances</a> towards the country's largest dams. 
Despite the number of attacks in Iraq, Nigeria was the site of the deadliest terror attacks in the world. Islamic militant group Boko Haram has intensified violence throughout the country and has struck in the key cities of Abuja and Lagos. Boko Haram kills an average of 24 people per attack. 
China, Egypt, Libya, and Kenya accounted for the highest increase in terrorist attacks worldwide. With the exception of China, the increase in attacks has had a significant impact on each country's economy. 
"Libya, Kenya and Egypt are among a handful of countries to witness a significant increase in risk in the MTSD and investor confidence in key sectors, including tourism and oil and gas, has been hurt," states Jordan Perry, a Principal Political Risk Analyst at Maplecroft. "When faced with rising security costs and decreasing safety for their personnel, companies can, and do, reconsider their country-level commitments."
Libya has found itself incapable of capitalizing on its vast oil fields as rival militias and terrorist organizations have blockaded ports, limited oil exports, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-wreckage-libyas-airport-2014-7">damaged</a> state infrastructure. Meanwhile, tourism, a major source of revenue in both Egypt and Kenya, has taken a nose-dive as both countries struggle to provide security.
Although terrorist attacks have only had a negligible impact on China's economy, Maplecroft predicts that the impact is likely to increase. China is currently exploring methods of hydrocarbon extraction in the restive province of Xinjiang, which is home to China's heavily discriminated against Uyghur minority. 
Worringly for investors, the high growth economies of Colombia, Nigeria, the Philippines, India, and Thailand are all listed as being at 'high' or 'extreme' risk of further terrorist attacks. 
"The dynamic nature of terrorism means individual events are impossible to predict" Maplecroft CEO Alyson Warhurst stated in a press release. "However, up-to-date global intelligence on the intensity, frequency, precise location and type of attacks can help organisations to make informed decisions relating to market entry, security measures for in-country operations, duty of care obligations, supply chain continuity and risk pricing."

Here Are The Biggest Terrorist Risk Spots In The World 

Deforestation is a vicious cycle. It is not just the loss of tree cover, but a negative change in the whole ecosystem resulting in decreased growth not just in the agricultural sector but in all sectors. 
 
While deforestation is a worldwide phenomenon, how does it affect India? In the present context when India is aiming to consolidate and increase its growth, economic losses in the agriculture and industrial growth are serious issues. 
 
Causes of deforestation in India 
 
Farming, cutting of timber, mining and often indiscriminate dam building for hydro electric power projects are the foremost causes of deforestation in India. Another factor is the burgeoning population and its resultant growing urbanisation. It is sad that many forests, scrubland and even agricultural lands have been eaten up by sprawling urbanisation. 
 
In a nutshell, in India it is a sad case of overdevelopment. 
 
How it affects India? 
 
The effects of deforestation are not confined to loss of tree cover and unpredictable weather conditions along with adverse monsoon, but are linked to and result in flooding, siltation, soil leaching leading to low and poor agricultural yield. 
 Deforestation also causes the Greenhouse effect that leads to <keyword id="6366055" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming">global warming</keyword>, another contributor to climate change. Loss of tree cover also upsets the oxygen carbon dioxide balance leading to lower oxygen levels and higher levels of pollution. All these also cause attendant health problems which the population can ill afford. 
 India has experienced this when deforestation in its northern parts and its Himalayan regions resulted in soil erosion, unprecedented floods and landslides. In 2013, <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword> was devastated by floods. More recently, last year Jammu and Kashmir suffered from flooding. These disasters were due to deforestation in catchment areas, silting of lake and riverbeds, unplanned building construction, hydel power projects and road building. 
 
Experiments at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore have shown that deforestation in higher latitudes affects rainfall in tropical areas. The whole monsoon system will migrate further south of the Asian subcontinent and could lead to an 18% decrease in rainfall in India. Couple this with rising temperatures caused by deforestation, results can be devastating. 
 
India’s stand on deforestation 
 The lives of 25% of India’s population (approx. 300 million people) centers round its forests. The Joint Forest Management programme has been working with local communities to halt deforestation. It is also working in close tandem t involve them in various projects of afforestation, social <keyword id="107347" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Forestry">forestry</keyword> and farm forestry besides ensuring they can continue to collect and love forest produce. 
 
Responsible forest management in tune with the area’s geography and biodiversity is the need of the hour coupled with active participation of local populations. 
 
Likewise several projects like the National river water conservation, the Ganga project have brought rivers, waterways and water bodies under a more efficient and pro-environment management. 
 
India and Carbon emission control 
 
Although India boasts of the tenth largest forest cover in the world, spread over 20% of its territory, it is unfortunately the world’s fifth highest carbon emitter. 
 Of special importance is the encouraging fact that India has at last finalized its draft policy for implementing the <keyword id="86409" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="REDD">REDD</keyword> + program of the United Nations. Under the REDD program developing countries would be financially aided by developed countries in their efforts to reduce carbon emission. 
 
The main thrust of the REDD program is ‘Carbon sequestration is one of the ecosystem services flowing from forests, in addition to biodiversity conservation; maintaining water cycle and soil fertility; livelihood supports to local communities.’ 
 
A National REDD + Authority will be established and will be assisted by existing government and non government bodies like the Forest Survey of India, Indian Council of Forestry etc. in preparing a national database, action plans on carbon emissions as well as develop a national emission monitoring system. 
 
REDD in India will also address the need to develop and implement a ‘fair, transparent and participatory mechanism’ that will ensure funds coming out of REDD reach and benefit the affected local communities. 
 
Contrary to his ‘Growth Mantra’ PM Modi has disappointed by slashing the funds allotted to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change by almost 18% from Rs 2,043 crores or US $ 378 million to Rs 1,681 crores (about US $ 300 million). Hopefully some of the funds from the ‘Coal Tax’ may be diverted for deforestation. 
 
Image: thinkstock

Reversing deforestation in India

<ul><li>Yesterday, the central government issued orders for the transfer <keyword id="104347" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="justice-S-Muralidhar">Justice S Muralidhar</keyword> from the Delhi High Court to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.</li><li>The timing of the transfer has sparked controversy, which came in mere hours of Muralidhar addressing the issue of FIRs being filed against right-wing leaders for delivering hate speeches.</li><li>He has been practising the law for 36 years, either as a lawyer or a judge, in addition to having a doctorate and publishing a book.</li></ul>Today is the last working day for Justice S Muralidhar as a judge at the Delhi High Court. Last night, the central government sent a notification for his transfer to the Punjab and Haryana High Court despite protests from the Delhi High Court Bar Association. “Your lordship has been an inspiration to the entire young bar. We hope we can live up to your example,” a young lawyer told Justice Muralidhar, according to <a href="https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/you-are-an-inspiration-young-lawyers-tell-justice-muralidhar-on-his-last-day-as-delhi-hc-judge-153193">LiveLaw.</a> Even though the transfer has been recommended by the Supreme Court on February 12, the timing of the government’s orders has sparked controversy. It came in mere hours after Muralidhar <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indias-second-highest-ranking-law-officer-sees-no-urgency-in-a-case-on-delhi-violence/articleshow/74318695.cms">went up against Solicitor General Tushar Mehta</a> in a plea filed by social activist Harsh Mander. 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="rsprasad" handlename="Ravi Shankar Prasad" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/727848709518675968/xebahww0_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1800" retweetcount="554" status="By politicising a routine transfer, Congress has yet again displayed its scant regard for the judiciary. People of… https://t.co/AuujfSLT5g" createdat="1582779735000" id="1232893688214409217"></div>







 “We can’t let another 1984 scenario happen in this city, not under the watch of this court,” he said. Muralidhar also directed the Delhi police to decide on the matter of filing FIRs with respect to hate speeches made by right-wing politicians. Muralidhar also came to the rescue of victims of the <keyword id="4930213" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Violence">Delhi violence</keyword>, the night before. During a midnight hearing, he issued directions to the Delhi Police to ensure that all injured people are granted safe passage to medical institutions and hospitals. Over three decades of courtroom drama Muralidhar has been practising law for over three decades. Starting off in September 1984 in Chennai, in three years he started to practice at the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court. As an advocate, he worked on some notable cases — like addressing victims of the Bhopal Gas tragedy and arguing on behalf of the people displaced by the Narmada Dam project. In time he also served as counsel for the National Human Right Commission and the Election Commission of India. He was also awarded his Ph D by Delhi University in 2003. It was only 2006 that he was appointed as a judge at the Delhi court. Set to change things from the get-go, he refused to be addressed at ‘Your Lordship’ by lawyers. Furthermore, he was a part of the bench that ruled in favour of disclosing how many Supreme Court judges had declared their assets in response to an RTI. Over the years, he delivered a number of impactful judgements. In 2009, he was a part of the bench which initially repealed section 377, legalising homosexuality. He also convicted politician Sajjan Kumar for his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and revoked the transit demand of activist Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregaon case. He’s also an author. He wrote the book Law, Poverty and Legal Aid: Access to Criminal Justice which was published in August 2004. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indias-second-highest-ranking-law-officer-sees-no-urgency-in-a-case-on-delhi-violence/articleshow/74318695.cms">India’s second-highest ranking law officer sees no 'urgency' in a case on Delhi violence</a>

Justice S Muralidhar who refused to be called ‘Your Lordship’ — was also a part of the bench that repealed Section 377

<keyword id="21521132" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ranikhet" source="keywords">Ranikhet</keyword>, a charming hill station in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, is known for its stunning natural beauty, serene environment, and rich cultural heritage. If you're planning a trip to <keyword id="21761828" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ranikhet-in-2024" source="Orion">Ranikhet in 2024</keyword>, here are some must-visit places that will make your journey memorable. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Quick Information" comment="subhead" text="Quick Information">Quick Information</cmsannotation> <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">District </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Almora </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Nearest Railway station </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Kathgodam </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Nearest Airport </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Pantnagar </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Best time to visit </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March to June and September to November </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Pincode </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">263645 </td></tr></tbody></table> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Jhula Devi Temple" comment="subhead" text="Jhula Devi Temple"><keyword id="21761830" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jhula-Devi-Temple" source="Orion">Jhula Devi Temple</keyword></cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="2" msid="110333036" hostid="261" sizebytes="2108148" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The peaceful Jhula Devi Temple adorned with countless bells.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Jhula Devi Temple is a beautiful temple dedicated to the goddess Durga. It’s famous for its unique collection of bells, which devotees hang in the temple as a mark of respect and fulfilment of their wishes. The temple’s peaceful atmosphere and scenic surroundings make it a perfect spot for meditation and relaxation. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Chaubatia Gardens" comment="subhead" text="Chaubatia Gardens">Chaubatia Gardens</cmsannotation> Chaubatia Gardens are known for their extensive orchards of apples, plums, peaches, and apricots. This place is a paradise for nature lovers and photographers. You can enjoy a leisurely walk through the garden, tasting fresh fruits and taking in the panoramic views of the Himalayas. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Majkhali" comment="subhead" text="Majkhali">Majkhali</cmsannotation> Majkhali offers breathtaking views of snow-capped Himalayan peaks, including the famous Trishul and Nanda Devi. It’s an ideal place for a peaceful picnic or a quiet day out in nature. Bird watchers will also find Majkhali fascinating due to its diverse bird population. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Bhalu Dam" comment="subhead" text="Bhalu Dam">Bhalu Dam</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="Bhalu Dam" msid="110333086" hostid="261" sizebytes="105862" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Serenity and natural beauty at Bhalu Dam.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Bhalu Dam is a small, artificial lake surrounded by lush forests and snow-clad peaks. It’s a great spot for picnicking, fishing, and bird-watching. The calm and serene environment is perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Ranikhet Golf Course" comment="subhead" text="Ranikhet Golf Course">Ranikhet Golf Course</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="3" msid="110333099" hostid="261" sizebytes="2126789" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Picturesque landscapes at the Ranikhet Golf Course.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>One of the highest golf courses in Asia, the Ranikhet Golf Course, also known as Upat Golf Course, is a must-visit. Even if you’re not a golfer, the scenic beauty and tranquillity of the place are worth experiencing. The well-maintained course set amidst rolling hills and pine forests provides a picturesque setting. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Haidakhan Babaji Temple" comment="subhead" text="Haidakhan Babaji Temple">Haidakhan Babaji Temple</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="4" msid="110333130" hostid="261" sizebytes="1893108" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Spiritual solace at Haidakhan Babaji Temple.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Situated a few kilometres from Ranikhet, the Haidakhan Babaji Temple is dedicated to the spiritual teacher Haidakhan Babaji. The temple complex is beautifully constructed and offers panoramic views of the surrounding hills. It’s a serene place for meditation and reflection. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Dwarahat" comment="subhead" text="Dwarahat">Dwarahat</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="Dwarahat" msid="110333171" hostid="261" sizebytes="269224" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Dwarahat&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Dwarahat, located about 35 km from Ranikhet, is a small town rich in ancient temples and cultural heritage. It’s famous for its intricate temple architecture and historical significance. The temples of Dwarahat are a testimony to the town’s glorious past and are a must-visit for history enthusiasts. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Binsar Mahadev Temple" comment="subhead" text="Binsar Mahadev Temple">Binsar Mahadev Temple</cmsannotation> Located in the dense forests of cedar and pine, Binsar Mahadev Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is surrounded by natural beauty and offers a tranquil environment for worship and meditation. The area is also known for its natural springs and streams. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Katarmal Sun Temple" comment="subhead" text="Katarmal Sun Temple">Katarmal Sun Temple</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="5" msid="110333203" hostid="261" sizebytes="2195304" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Architectural marvels at the ancient Katarmal Sun Temple.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>The Katarmal Sun Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to the Sun God. Built in the 9th century, it’s an architectural marvel and one of the few sun temples in India. The temple’s intricate carvings and historical significance make it a fascinating place to visit. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Mankameshwar Temple" comment="subhead" text="Mankameshwar Temple">Mankameshwar Temple</cmsannotation> Built by the Indian Army, Mankameshwar Temple is another popular religious site in Ranikhet. It’s dedicated to various deities, including Lord Shiva, Goddess Kali, and Radha-Krishna. The temple is well-maintained and offers a peaceful environment for prayer and meditation. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Tips for Travellers" comment="subhead" text="Tips for Travellers">Tips for Travellers</cmsannotation> Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit Ranikhet is from March to June and September to November when the weather is pleasant. Accommodation: There are various accommodation options ranging from budget hotels to luxury resorts. Booking in advance is recommended during peak seasons. Travel Essentials: Carry warm clothing, comfortable walking shoes, and a good camera to capture the stunning landscapes. Don’t forget to pack your essential medicines and travel documents. Ranikhet is a delightful destination that offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, spiritual solace, and historical richness. Whether you are an adventure enthusiast, a nature lover, or someone seeking peace, Ranikhet has something to offer everyone. So, pack your bags and get ready to explore this enchanting hill station in 2024! <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Frequently asked questions" comment="subhead" text="Frequently asked questions">Frequently asked questions</cmsannotation> 1. How can I reach Ranikhet? Ranikhet is well-connected by road, and the nearest major city is Delhi, which is about 350 km away. You can reach Ranikhet by: By Air: The nearest airport is Pantnagar Airport, approximately 115 km away. From there, you can hire a taxi or take a bus to Ranikhet. By Train: The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, around 80 km from Ranikhet. Taxis and buses are available from Kathgodam to Ranikhet. By Road: Regular bus services are available from Delhi and other major cities in Uttarakhand to Ranikhet. You can also drive your own car or hire a taxi for a more comfortable journey. 2. What are some popular activities to do in Ranikhet? Ranikhet offers a variety of activities for visitors, including: Nature Walks and Hiking: Explore the beautiful trails and scenic landscapes around Ranikhet. Golfing: Enjoy a round of golf at the Ranikhet Golf Course. Picnicking: Visit places like Bhalu Dam and Chaubatia Gardens for a relaxing picnic. Temple Visits: Discover the spiritual side of Ranikhet by visiting temples like Jhula Devi Temple, Haidakhan Babaji Temple, and Binsar Mahadev Temple. Shopping: Shop for local handicrafts, woollen items, and souvenirs in the local markets. 3. What kind of accommodation options are available in Ranikhet? Ranikhet offers a range of accommodation options to suit different budgets and preferences. These include: Luxury Resorts: For a comfortable and lavish stay, several luxury resorts provide top-notch amenities and services. Mid-range Hotels: Numerous mid-range hotels offer comfortable rooms with essential facilities. Budget Hotels and Guesthouses: For budget travellers, there are many affordable hotels and guesthouses that provide basic amenities. Homestays: Experience local hospitality by staying in a homestay. 4. Is Ranikhet a family-friendly destination? Yes, Ranikhet is a family-friendly destination with plenty of activities and attractions suitable for all age groups. The serene environment, beautiful landscapes, and easy accessibility make it a great place for a family vacation. There are many picnic spots, nature trails, and temples that families can enjoy together. The peaceful ambience and safe surroundings add to its appeal as a family destination.

Top places to visit in Ranikhet in 2024

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>SoftBank's $1 billion Vision Fund has invested $110 million into Swiss energy storage startup Energy Vault.</li><li>Energy Vault launched in late 2018, and has come up with a solution to better store energy - a particular problem for renewables, which generate electricity intermittently depending on the weather.</li><li>Energy Vault's system involves lifting and dropping bricks into a tower structure using an autonomous six-armed crane, which stores and releases energy as needed.</li><li>Energy storage is seeing growing investor interest as countries around the world move away from fossil fuels to meet their emissions targets.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories</a>.</li></ul>SoftBank's $1 billion Vision Fund has invested $110 million into Energy Vault, a Swiss startup which has come up with an innovative way to store renewable energy to meet the ebb and flow of demand.It's SoftBank's first investment into an energy storage company and marks growing investor interest in the space as countries shift away from fossil fuels.One of the thornier issues in the switch to renewable energy is that energy provided by the weather is, naturally, dependent on the weather.A sunnier or gloomier day will dictate whether energy production goes up or down, potentially overloading the grid. That can lead to power cuts. And most power grids were built with fossil fuel rather than renewable sources in mind. The issue then is around capturing and storing any excess energy for days and months when consumer demand is higher.Some firms are already working on short-term energy storage - it's why Tesla <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-to-build-worlds-largest-lithium-ion-battery-in-australia-2017-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">built a giant lithium-ion battery next to a wind farm</a> in Australia. But, according to Robert Piconi, CEO and cofounder of Energy Vault, batteries only work to smooth out short-term spikes in energy demand. You need other technologies to store renewable energy for months at a time, something that is likely to become more common."You want to store that in an efficient way, in a way that doesn't degrade," he told Business Insider. "Like in a chemical battery - if you're going to store it, that solution is going to degrade over time."This stack of concrete bricks is Energy Vault's alternative to the giant battery:<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The stack is made up of 35-metric-ton bricks, topped by an autonomous six-arm crane. As a solar or wind farm produces surplus energy, the crane's software directs it to pick up and stack the bricks to form a tower. Energy is stored in the elevation gain. As and when energy is needed, the crane's software returns to the bricks from the ground and turns the resulting kinetic energy into electricity.The tower can be as big as needed, and Energy Vault says each plant has a capacity of between 10 and 35MWh, and power output of between 2 and 5MW.Here's a simulation of the tower in action:The concept, according to Picado, is similar to existing, mainstream pumped hydro storage solutions, which use a reservoir and dam system to store energy. With pumped hydro, however, "you have a dependency on that topography and if you build it, it hurts the environment.""It hurts the wildlife and the local ecosystem," Picado said. "So while that's the largest type of energy storage today, all the best locations have been built. And it's not mobile, you can't go build in other locations."Ravi Manghani, head of energy storage at consultancy Wood Mackenzie, said Energy Vault's tower "has all the makings of good long-duration storage."He said: "It's cheap, it's readily off-the-shelf for the most part, and it's going to last forever if you take care of it. It's not a lot of manufacturing investment to build those blocks, and then it can last decades, unlike some current technologies. Most of the battery storage would last about 10 or 20 years, but here we're talking about lasting double that."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/t-series-interview-how-beat-pewdiepie-youtube-2019-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">How T-Series went from making cassette tapes to dethroning PewDiePie and becoming the biggest channel on YouTube</a>Energy Vault was founded in late 2017 and launched in 2018, and has announced Tata Power, one of India's biggest energy providers, as a customer. It's building a 35MWh tower in Milan, Italy, for completion this year. It also has a partnership with Mexican materials firm CEMEX.According to Picado, the money from SoftBank is part of the Japanese investor's efforts to back big global ideas, such as tackling climate change. "They're trying to invest in things that solve big world problems, climate change being, I think, one of the highest priority problems we have," he said. "It's no surprise SoftBank would be trying to find a solution in energy storage."Manghani said SoftBank's backing signalled growing investor interest in energy storage. "It does speak volumes about which the direction of storage investment is going. We'll see many more investments in the coming months and years as this area gets more mature."<div><div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56%;position:relative;"></div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-super-earth-2018-6">Super-Earths are real and they could be an even better place to live than Earth</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

SoftBank invests $110 million in a startup trying to solve a big problem in renewable energy with a giant brick-lifting crane

<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Aung Hla Tun A <keyword id="16488" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jade">jade</keyword> merchant inspects the most valuable jade lot that will be auctioned at the Mid-Year Emporium in Yangon November 13, 2007.</div></div>
HPAKANT, Myanmar (Reuters) - Tin Tun picked all night through teetering heaps of rubble to find the palm-sized lump of jade he now holds in his hand. He hopes it will make him a fortune. It's happened before.
"Last year I found a stone worth 50 million kyat," he said, trekking past the craters and slag heaps of this notorious jade-mining region in northwest Myanmar. That's about $50,000 - and it was more than enough money for Tin Tun, 38, to buy land and build a house in his home village.
But rare finds by small-time prospectors like Tin Tun pale next to the staggering wealth extracted on an industrial scale by Myanmar's military, the tycoons it helped enrich, and companies linked to the country where most jade ends up: China.
Almost half of all jade sales are "unofficial" - that is, spirited over the border into China with little or no formal taxation. This represents billions of dollars in lost revenues that could be spent on rebuilding a nation shattered by nearly half a century of military dictatorship.
Official statistics confirm these missing billions. Myanmar produced more than 43 million kg of jade in fiscal year 2011/12 (April to March). Even valued at a conservative $100 per kg, it was worth $4.3 billion. But official exports of jade that year stood at only $34 million.
Official Chinese statistics only deepen the mystery. China doesn't publicly report how much jade it imports from Myanmar. But jade is included in official imports of precious stones and metals, which in 2012 were worth $293 million - a figure still too small to explain where billions of dollars of Myanmar jade has gone.
Such squandered wealth symbolizes a wider challenge in Myanmar, an impoverished country whose natural resources - including oil, timber and precious metals - have long fueled armed conflicts while enriching only powerful individuals or groups. In a rare visit to the heart of Myanmar's secretive jade-mining industry in Hpakant, Reuters found an anarchic region where soldiers and ethnic rebels clash, and where mainland Chinese traders rub shoulders with heroin-fueled "handpickers" who are routinely buried alive while scavenging for stones.
Myint Aung, Myanmar's Minister of Mines, did not reply to written questions from Reuters about the jade industry's missing millions and social costs.
Since a reformist government took office in March 2011, Myanmar has pinned its economic hopes on the resumption of foreign aid and investment. Some economists argue, however, that Myanmar's prosperity and unity may depend upon claiming more revenue from raw materials.
There are few reliable estimates on total jade sales that include unofficial exports. The Harvard Ash Center, which advises Myanmar's quasi-civilian government, has possibly the best numbers available.
After sending researchers to the area this year, the Harvard Ash Center published a report in July that put sales of Burmese jade at about $8 billion in 2011. That's more than double the country's revenue from natural gas and nearly a sixth of its 2011 GDP.
"Practically nothing is going to the government," David Dapice, the report's co-author, told Reuters. "What you need is a modern system of public finance in which the government collects some part of the rents from mining this stuff."
<h3>HIDING STONES</h3>
Chinese have prized jade for its beauty and symbolism for millennia. Many believe wearing jade jewelry brings good fortune, prosperity and longevity. It is also viewed as an investment, a major factor driving China's appetite for Burmese jade. "Gold is valuable, but jade is priceless," runs an old Chinese saying.
Jade is not only high value but easy to transport. "Only the stones they cannot hide go to the emporiums," said Tin Soe, 53, a jade trader in Hpakant, referring to the official auctions held in Myanmar's capital of Naypyitaw.
The rest is smuggled by truck to China by so-called "jockeys" through territory belonging to either the Burmese military or the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), both of whom extract tolls. The All China Jade Trade Association, a state-linked industry group based in Beijing, declined repeated requests for an interview.
Hpakant lies in Kachin State, a rugged region sandwiched strategically between China and India. Nowhere on Earth does jade exist in such quantity and quality. "Open the ground, let the country abound," reads the sign outside the Hpakant offices of the Ministry of Mines.
In fact, few places better symbolize how little Myanmar benefits from its fabulous natural wealth. The road to Hpakant has pot-holes bigger than the four-wheel-drive cars that negotiate it. During the rainy season, it can take nine hours to reach from Myitkyina, the Kachin state capital 110 km (68 miles) away.
Non-Burmese are rarely granted official access to Hpakant, but taxi-drivers routinely take Chinese traders there for exorbitant fees, part of which goes to dispensing bribes at police and military checkpoints. The official reason for restricting access to Hpakant is security: the Burmese military and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) have long vied for control of the road, which is said to be flanked with land-mines. But the restrictions also serve to reduce scrutiny of the industry's biggest players and its horrific social costs: the mass deaths of workers and some of the highest heroin addiction and HIV infection rates in Myanmar.
There are also "obvious" links between jade and conflict in Kachin State, said analyst Richard Horsey, a former United Nations senior official in Myanmar. A 17-year ceasefire between the military and the KIA ended when fighting erupted in June 2011. It has since displaced at least 100,000 people.
"Such vast revenues - in the hands of both sides - have certainly fed into the conflict, helped fund insurgency, and will be a hugely complicating factor in building a sustainable peace economy," Horsey said.
The United States banned imports of jade, rubies and other Burmese gemstones in 2008 in a bid to cut off revenue to the military junta which then ruled Myanmar, also known as Burma. But soaring demand from neighboring China meant the ban had little effect. After Myanmar's reformist government took power, the United States scrapped or suspended almost all economic and political sanctions - but not the ban on jade and rubies. It was renewed by the White House on August 7 in a sign that Myanmar's anarchic jade industry remains a throwback to an era of dictatorship. The U.S. Department of the Treasury included the industry in activities that "contribute to human rights abuses or undermine Burma's democratic reform process."
Foreign companies are not permitted to extract jade. But mining is capital intensive, and it is an open secret that most of the 20 or so largest operations in Hpakant are owned by Chinese companies or their proxies, say gem traders and other industry insiders in Kachin State. "Of course, some (profit) goes to the government," said Yup Zaw Hkawng, chairman of Jadeland Myanmar, the most prominent Kachin mining company in Hpakant. "But mostly it goes into the pockets of Chinese families and the families of the former (Burmese) government."
Other players include the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (UMEHL), the investment arm of the country's much-feared military, and Burmese tycoons such as Zaw Zaw, chairman of Max Myanmar, who made their fortunes collaborating with the former junta.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Minzayar Hand-pickers search for jade through rubble dumped by mining companies at a jade mine in Hpakant township, Kachin State July 8, 2013.</div></div>
<h3>THE CHINA CONNECTION</h3>
Soldiers guard the big mining companies and sometimes shoot in the air to scare off small-time prospectors. "We run like crazy when we see them," said Tin Tun, the handpicker.
UMEHL is notoriously tight-lipped about its operations. "Stop bothering us," Major Myint Oo, chief of human resources at UMEHL's head office in downtown Yangon, told Reuters. "You can't just come in here and meet our superiors. This is a military company. Some matters must be kept secret."
This arrangement, whereby Chinese companies exploit natural resources with military help, is both familiar and deeply controversial in Myanmar.
Last year, protests outside the Letpadaung copper mine in northwest Myanmar triggered a violent police crackdown. The mine's two operators - UMEHL and Myanmar Wanbao, a unit of Chinese weapons manufacturer China North Industries Corp - shared most of the profits, leaving the government with just 4 percent. That contract was revised in July in an apparent attempt to appease public anger. The government now gets 51 percent of the profits, while UMEHL and Myanmar Wanbao get 30 and 19 percent respectively.
China's domination of the jade trade could feed into a wider resentment over its exploitation of Myanmar's natural wealth. A Chinese-led plan to build a $3.6 million dam at the Irrawaddy River's source in Kachin State - and send most of the power it generated to Yunnan Province - was suspended in 2011 by President Thein Sein amid popular outrage.
The national and local governments should also get a greater share of Kachin State's natural wealth, say analysts and activists. That includes gold, timber and hydropower, but especially jade.
A two-week auction held in the capital Naypyitaw in June sold a record-breaking $2.6 billion in jade and gems. But jade tax revenue in 2011 amounted to only 20 percent of the official sales. Add in all the "unofficial" sales outside of the emporium, and Harvard calculates an effective tax rate of about 7 percent on all Burmese jade.
It is, on the other hand, highly lucrative for the mining companies, whose estimated cost of production is $400 a ton, compared with an official sales figure of $126,000 a ton, the report said.
"Kachin, and by extension Myanmar, cannot be peaceful and politically stable without some equitable sharing of resource revenues with the local people," said analyst Horsey.
<h3>THE PECKING ORDER</h3>
At the top of the pecking order in Hpakant are cashed-up traders from China, who buy stones displayed on so-called "jade tables" in Hpakant tea-shops. The tables are run by middleman called laoban ("boss" in Chinese), who are often ethnic Chinese. They buy jade from, and sometimes employ, handpickers like Tin Tun.
The handpickers are at the bottom of the heap - literally. They swarm in their hundreds across mountains of rubble dumped by the mining companies. It is perilous work, especially when banks and slag heaps are destabilized by monsoon rain. Landslides routinely swallow 10 or 20 men at a time, said Too Aung, 30, a handpicker from the Kachin town of Bhamo.
"Sometimes we can't even dig out their bodies," he said. "We don't know where to look."
In 2002, at least a thousand people were killed when flood waters inundated a mine, Jadeland Myanmar chairman Yup Zaw Hkawng told Reuters. Deaths are common but routinely concealed by companies eager to avoid suspending operations, he said.
The boom in Hpakant's population coincided with an exponential rise in opium production in Myanmar, the world's second-largest producer after Afghanistan. Its derivative, heroin, is cheap and widely available in Kachin State, and Hpakant's workforce seems to run on it.
About half the handpickers use heroin, while others rely on opium or alcohol, said Tin Soe, 53, a jade trader and a local leader of the opposition National League for Democracy party. "It's very rare to find someone who doesn't do any of these," he said.
Official figures on heroin use in Hpakant are hard to get. The few foreign aid workers operating in the area, mostly working with drug users, declined comment for fear of upsetting relations with the Myanmar government. But health workers say privately about 40 percent of injecting drug users in Hpakant are HIV positive - twice the national average.
Drug use is so intrinsic to jade mining that "shooting galleries" operate openly in Hpakant, with workers often exchanging lumps of jade for hits of heroin.
Soe Moe, 39, came to Hpakant in 1992. Three years later, he was sniffing heroin, then injecting it. His habit now devours his earnings as a handpicker. "When I'm on (heroin), I feel happier and more energetic. I work better," he said. The shooting gallery he frequents accommodates hundreds of users. "The place is so busy it's like a festival," he said. Soe Moe said he didn't fear arrest, because the gallery owners paid off the police.
<h3>MOVING MOUNTAINS</h3>
Twenty years ago, Hpakant was controlled by KIA insurgents who for a modest fee granted access to small prospectors. Four people with iron picks could live off the jade harvested from a small plot of land, said Yitnang Ze Lum of the Myanmar Gems and Jewellery Entrepreneurs Association (MGJEA) in Myitkyina.
A 1994 ceasefire brought most of Hpakant back under government control, and large-scale extraction began, with hundreds of backhoes, earthmovers and trucks working around the clock. "Now even a mountain lasts only three months," said Yitnang Ze Lum.
Many Kachin businessmen, unable to compete in terms of capital or technology, were shut out of the industry. Non-Kachin workers poured in from across Myanmar, looking for jobs and hoping to strike it rich.
The mines were closed in mid-2012 when the conflict flared up again. Myanmar's military shelled suspected KIA positions; the rebels retaliated with ambushes along the Hpakant road. Thousands of people were displaced.Jade production plunged to just 19.08 million kg in the 2012/13 fiscal year from 43.1 million kg the previous year. But the government forged a preliminary ceasefire with the Kachin rebels in May, and some traders predict Hpakant's mines will re-open when the monsoon ends in October.
When operations are in full swing, the road to Hpakant is clogged with vehicles bringing fuel in and jade out. Such is the scale and speed of modern extraction, said Yitnang Ze Lum, Hpakant's jade could be gone within 10 years.
"Every Kachin feels passionately that their state's resources are being taken away," a leading Myitkyina gem trader told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "But we're powerless to stop them."
(Andrew R.C. Marshall reported from Myitkyina; Min Zayar Oo reported from Hpakant; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing <a></a>

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