Geneva: The EU-India FTA could be disastrous for the farm sector in India, if the demands of the EU negotiators would be accepted, according to a joint study by NGOs Misereror, Glopolis, the Heinrich Boll foundation and the Third World Network (TWN). The report pionts out that it would violate the right to food of a vast segment in India which rely on the poultry and dairy sectors. Opponents of the EU demands see losses for the Indian economy- particularly in retail and agriculture. It is contrary to WTO rules, which advocate lower tariffs rather than removing them.

With European Union (EU) facing global flak over imposition of a green tax on all aircraft flying in its skies, world airlines’ body IATA has warned European airlines of ‘‘retaliatory action’’ by non-EU nations if a global solution was not arrived at soon. ‘‘Time is not on our side. Airlines from Europe may face some retaliatory action.

Reiterating his opposition to the proposed National Food Security Bill, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said it would be difficult to implement the law through existing Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), which has a lot of loopholes. “Public distribution system involving the procurement, transportation, storage and distribution is extremely complex and this is what makes it vulnerable at every stage.

Kerala on Wednesday raised serious apprehensions on the effectiveness of the proposed national food security law as it could remove large number of poor families from the beneficiary list besides putting enormous financial burden on the state. Shibu Baby John, food and civil supplies minister, Kerala said the centre must apply separate socio-economic critieria for choosing beneficiaries under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) as because of better human index of the state, many families could be deprived from getting benefits of subsidised grain.

New Delhi Officials of the food, agriculture and finance ministries will meet the state and central ministers concerned in a bid to thrash out objections raised by the states over the proposed Food Security Bill. The two-day conference that begins on Wednesday will also take up the creation of additional infrastructure for grain storage.

New Delhi India’s forest cover has shrunk marginally, says the latest government report. The reduction of 367 sq km (about the size of the Ranthambore National Park) means that the total forested land in the country is 23.81% of the geographical area.

The reduction implies the ministry of environment and forests will be even more uncomfortable with industrial projects in green areas. The ‘India State of Forest Report, 2011’ shows that while 12 states registered a fall in forest and tree cover, 15 states — led by Punjab – showed an increase.

New Delhi In what may hit steel and mining companies in Karnataka, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) in its report to the Supreme Court has recommended that the iron ore mining in Bellary district should be capped at 25 million tonne (mt), whereas for other districts Chitradurga and Tumkur, a ceiling of 5 mt should be imposed.

Beijing China's airlines are not allowed to pay a charge on carbon emissions imposed by the EU without government permission, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said.

In a statement, the CAAC said it had been authorized by China's Cabinet to notify the ban to all domestic airlines. The EU's decision to charge flights into and out of EU airports for carbon emission "runs contrary to relevant principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the International Civil Aviation Regulations."

New Delhi The 2012-13 Budget may not have to provide as big a jump in the food subsidy bill as expected earlier. This is because of a series of measures initiated by the government to cut wastage and improve efficiency, food minister KV Thomas has said.

The measures that would bring down the need for funds include the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and the setting up of modern grain storage facilities, which have helped increase supply chain efficiencies.

New Delhi In a breather for GVK group company Alaknanda Hydro Power Co (AHPC), the Supreme Court has allowed the construction of the R3,675-crore Srinagar hydel project in Uttarakhand without any hindrance.

A bench headed by justice Dalveer Bhandari, while seeking reply from Anuj Joshi and Bharat Jhunjhunwala, the petitioners before the Uttarakhand High Court, said: “We make it clear that the construction of the dam may go on without any hindrance. However, during the interregnum period, public hearing by the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) as directed by the high Court, shall remain stayed.”