The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Planters seek carbon credit benefit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Planters seek carbon credit benefit

Special Correspondent

Kyoto Protocol focusses on countries planting new trees where forests are destroyed

Bangalore: The Karnataka Planters Association (KPA) has urged the Union Government to get the benefit of carbon credit to the planters too under the Kyoto Protocol for their contribution to preserving forests.

Addressing a press conference, association chairman Jeffry Rebello said that the protocol was aimed at stemming greenhouse gas emissions that are primarily responsible for climate change and encouraging adoption of alternative environment-friendly technologies and taxing emissions. The protocol focusses on the carbon credits for countries and organisations that plant new trees where forests have been destroyed, whereas there is no credit for countries that have preserved forests in the form of plantations, he said.

Mr. Rebello said that that there was flora and fauna in and around the coffee and tea plantations.

This helped maintain ecological balance in the region. However, the protocol denied carbon credit to plantations on the premise that it is business. He urged the Union Commerce Ministry to constitute a study group to take up the issue at the appropriate forum.

He said that coffee pulping and washing operations result in emission of effluents for which treatment plants have to be built, so that streams, rivers and ground water were protected. The Union Government, he said, should announce financial assistance in the 11th Plan.

He said that the coffee production in the State rose to 2,06,000 tonnes (80,200 tonnes of Arabica and 1,25,750 tonnes of Robusta) in 2006-07 from 1,96,280 the previous year.

The post-blossom estimate of the Coffee Board for 2007-08 would be 2,12,250 tonnes, he said. However, the production will decline due to heavy rain in the coffee growing regions in 2007-08.

He urged the Government to extend the replanting subsidy scheme on pro-rata basis to those planters who have replanted saplings. They have to tend the plants for another six years spending their own money. He demanded that the personal accident insurance scheme be extended to cover medical expenses incurred on employees and rain gauge stations be set up in every hobli in the coffee growing districts.

Coffee Board chairman G.V. Krishna Rau will inaugurate the coffee conference organised by the United Planters Association of South India and the KPA on Wednesday.

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