Today's News for my Blog: Greenhouse gas emission

Stagnant water in hydroelectric dams is known to emit high levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide and methane from submerged rotting vegetation. “I recognise the fact that we have no other choices but to go ahead with the projects as planned. However, I hope that the government has looked into all aspects of the project in order to ensure that maximum benefit is derived from all the damages we are going to cause,” said a BO source. “There would be small climatic changes due to the dam,” said an advisor to the National Environment Commission, Dasho Paljor Jigme Dorji. “I hope the project is taken on an informed choice.” As a GHG, methane is known to be 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. “The extent to which such an impact occurs will vary,” said the Executive Director of Royal Society for Protection of Nature, Lam Dorji. The height of the Punatsangchhu dam is 136 metres with a back flow of 10 km. According to Lam Dorji, in comparison with another project of this scale in lowlands, Punatsangchhu dam would emit lesser GHGs as the location of the project in the mountains allows efficient outflow of water and steep slopes on either side prevent large areas from being submerged. He said that, the issue of the dam’s GHG emission had not been raised for lack of factual data. “Gauging the GHG emission from the dams in Bhutan remains a plan for RSPN,” he said. The Joint Managing Director of Punatsangchhu phase I, Phuntsho Norbu, said care was always taken before the dam was filled with water. He added that, since the project is run-off the river scheme, there weren’t big chances of large deposits of submerged materials. Reservoir induced seismicity Another concern about the dams around the world is reservoir induced seismicity (RIS) or earthquakes caused by dams. The most widely accepted explanation of how dams cause earthquakes is related to the extra water pressure created in the small cracks and fissures in the ground under and near a reservoir. When the pressure of the water in the rocks increases, it acts to lubricate faults which are already under tectonic strain, but are prevented from slipping by the friction of the rock surfaces. Ambient stress field conditions, availability of fractures or faults, hydro-mechanical properties of underlying rocks, geology of the area, dimensions of the reservoir and nature of lake level fluctuation are some of the factors that affects RIS. “In general, it is extremely difficult to draw any quantitative analysis of probable dangers of reservoir induced seismicity based on the dam height and extent of reservoir,” said a Geophysicist of Geological Survey of Bhutan, Dowchu Dukpa. However, he said that, with availability of advanced technology, building a dam in earthquake prone regions like the Himalayas need not, in itself, be dangerous if all the aspects of seismic shaking are well understood and incorporated in the design. “It is rather impossible to predict accurately whether Punatsangchhu dam will cause earthquakes or how strong the tremors are likely to be,” he said. “A good understanding of the geo-tectonic setting of the dam and the vicinity area will help in assessing the nature of reservoir- induced seismicity from the dam.” Currently, Bhutan does not have a national earthquake station to monitor seismic activities and accurately delineate faults in the region prone to earthquakes. According to Dowchu Dukpa, the need for an earthquake station is critical for understanding the general seismo-tectonic characteristics of any region. He said availability of seismic data over a long time was of paramount importance to carry out any seismic hazard assessments. “Installation of local seismic monitoring equipment at the area of interest is the standard procedure to better understand the nature of reservoir induced seismicity at that particular site,” he said. By Kuenzang C Choden Retrieved from http://www.bhutanobserver.bt/2009/bhutan-news/08/punatsangchhu-dam-a-concern.html

Today's News for my Blog: Greenhouse gas emission

Stagnant water in hydroelectric dams is known to emit high levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide and methane from submerged rotting vegetation. “I recognise the fact that we have no other choices but to go ahead with the projects as planned. However, I hope that the government has looked into all aspects of the project in order to ensure that maximum benefit is derived from all the damages we are going to cause,” said a BO source. “There would be small climatic changes due to the dam,” said an advisor to the National Environment Commission, Dasho Paljor Jigme Dorji. “I hope the project is taken on an informed choice.” As a GHG, methane is known to be 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. “The extent to which such an impact occurs will vary,” said the Executive Director of Royal Society for Protection of Nature, Lam Dorji. The height of the Punatsangchhu dam is 136 metres with a back flow of 10 km. According to Lam Dorji, in comparison with another project of this scale in lowlands, Punatsangchhu dam would emit lesser GHGs as the location of the project in the mountains allows efficient outflow of water and steep slopes on either side prevent large areas from being submerged. He said that, the issue of the dam’s GHG emission had not been raised for lack of factual data. “Gauging the GHG emission from the dams in Bhutan remains a plan for RSPN,” he said. The Joint Managing Director of Punatsangchhu phase I, Phuntsho Norbu, said care was always taken before the dam was filled with water. He added that, since the project is run-off the river scheme, there weren’t big chances of large deposits of submerged materials. Reservoir induced seismicity Another concern about the dams around the world is reservoir induced seismicity (RIS) or earthquakes caused by dams. The most widely accepted explanation of how dams cause earthquakes is related to the extra water pressure created in the small cracks and fissures in the ground under and near a reservoir. When the pressure of the water in the rocks increases, it acts to lubricate faults which are already under tectonic strain, but are prevented from slipping by the friction of the rock surfaces. Ambient stress field conditions, availability of fractures or faults, hydro-mechanical properties of underlying rocks, geology of the area, dimensions of the reservoir and nature of lake level fluctuation are some of the factors that affects RIS. “In general, it is extremely difficult to draw any quantitative analysis of probable dangers of reservoir induced seismicity based on the dam height and extent of reservoir,” said a Geophysicist of Geological Survey of Bhutan, Dowchu Dukpa. However, he said that, with availability of advanced technology, building a dam in earthquake prone regions like the Himalayas need not, in itself, be dangerous if all the aspects of seismic shaking are well understood and incorporated in the design. “It is rather impossible to predict accurately whether Punatsangchhu dam will cause earthquakes or how strong the tremors are likely to be,” he said. “A good understanding of the geo-tectonic setting of the dam and the vicinity area will help in assessing the nature of reservoir- induced seismicity from the dam.” Currently, Bhutan does not have a national earthquake station to monitor seismic activities and accurately delineate faults in the region prone to earthquakes. According to Dowchu Dukpa, the need for an earthquake station is critical for understanding the general seismo-tectonic characteristics of any region. He said availability of seismic data over a long time was of paramount importance to carry out any seismic hazard assessments. “Installation of local seismic monitoring equipment at the area of interest is the standard procedure to better understand the nature of reservoir induced seismicity at that particular site,” he said. By Kuenzang C Choden Retrieved from http://www.bhutanobserver.bt/2009/bhutan-news/08/punatsangchhu-dam-a-concern.html

Saturday: A day to relax, refresh, rethink and so......

It is the day to relax, a day to refresh, a day to go out, a day to enjoy, a day to rethink and a day to meet with our friends, family, wife, husband, babies, sweetheart and so on. That is why Saturday is something every one desires to have in a week. We know that every one in the urban areas look forward. These include mostly the office goers, students, private employees and even the home makers. The young ones usually stay at home during the day and go out in the evenings with their friends. Many youngsters make sure that they that they have right shoe, right attire, right make up and right place to hang around. Even the many ladies and gents in thirties go out to get refresh and meet their friends and forget about the hectic week. And for some old people which include grandmas, grandpas make sure that their sons and daughter and relative take them to the monasteries and temples to offer Butter Lamps during this day. For some, people go for picnic, other places such as parks. On the whole, this day is something special in the every one's mind irrespective of gender, age and status.

Saturday: A day to relax, refresh, rethink and so......

It is the day to relax, a day to refresh, a day to go out, a day to enjoy, a day to rethink and a day to meet with our friends, family, wife, husband, babies, sweetheart and so on. That is why Saturday is something every one desires to have in a week. We know that every one in the urban areas look forward. These include mostly the office goers, students, private employees and even the home makers. The young ones usually stay at home during the day and go out in the evenings with their friends. Many youngsters make sure that they that they have right shoe, right attire, right make up and right place to hang around. Even the many ladies and gents in thirties go out to get refresh and meet their friends and forget about the hectic week. And for some old people which include grandmas, grandpas make sure that their sons and daughter and relative take them to the monasteries and temples to offer Butter Lamps during this day. For some, people go for picnic, other places such as parks. On the whole, this day is something special in the every one's mind irrespective of gender, age and status.

Its law class: An overview of Bhutanese Law

The definition of law is to conciliate no to punish. It is there to protect our rights. There are basically two types of laws. Natural law and Prescriptive Law. Natural laws are there as inherent.The constitution, code procedures such as Civil and Criminal Code Procedure. Prescriptive law is also called positive law. These are laws that are legislated by a specific bodies such as Parliament. These includes the acts, rules and regulations. Kinds of Laws in Bhutan 1. 6 Kathrims 2. 6 Kadroe Chhenpos 3. 5 Tenthrims. Sources of Laws in Bhutan 1. Zhabdrung's Kathrim 2. Je Mipham Wangpo's Kathrim 3. Je Sherub Wangchuk's Kathrim 4. Lho Moen's Thrim 5. Ugyen Wangchuk's Thrim 6. Jigme Wangchuk's Thrim 7. Thrimzhung Chhenmo Constitution of Kingdom of Bhutan is the basic and fundamental source of rest of the laws in the country. It is the source of all laws and Chief Justice Lyonpo Sonam Tobgay often call it mother of all laws. Or in other words it is the organic law of the country. Based on constitution acts are legislated. These are rules of law. Then comes the code procedure. It is based on principle of access, due process and fair Trial. It is mainly consist of two. The Civil or Zhi Tsoed and Criminal or Nye Tsoed. The code procedure is compilation of all the acts. And it is this where actually the process of rendering justice is based. Therefore, code procedure is very important from both aspects ie. the people seeking justice and people delivering justice. Acts are