Monday, January 27, 2020

Merger between Air India and Indian Airlines

Merger between Air India and Indian Airlines INDIAN AIRLINES The erstwhile Indian Airlines Limited or currently known as Indian, was Indias first state owned domestic airline. Indian Airlines was set up under the aegis of federal Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and based in New Delhi. Its main bases were the international airports in Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi. It has now been merged with Air India for corporate purposes, though for now, continues to issue its own tickets. .Indian Airlines came into being with the enactment of the Air Corporations Act, 1953. It was renamed Indian on December 7, 2005. Indian Airlines started its operations from 1st August, 1953, with a fleet of 99 aircraft and was the outcome of the merger of seven former independent airlines, namely Deccan Airways, Airways-India, Bharat Airways, Himalayan Aviation, Kalinga Air Lines, Indian National Airways and Air Services of India. The year 1964 saw the Indian Airlines moving into the jet era with the introduction of Caravelle aircraft into its fleet followed by Boeing 737-200 in the early 1970. Along with its wholly owned subsidiary Alliance Air, it flies a fleet of 70 aircraft including Airbus A300, Airbus A320, Airbus A319, Boeing 737, Dornier Do-228, ATR-4, Airbus A319, A320 A321. Along with Indian cities, it flies to many foreign destinations which include Kuwait, Singapore, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Myanmar besides Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nep al, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Indian Airlines Flight free run over the Indian skies ended with the entry of private carriers after the liberalization of the Indian economy in the early 1990s when many private airlines like Jet Airways, Air Sahara, East-West Airlines and ModiLuft entered the fray. The entry of low-cost airlines like Air Deccan, Kingfisher Airlines and Spice Jet has revolutionized the Indian aviation scenario. Indian has been a pioneer in the aviation scene in India. It was the first airline in India to introduce the wide-bodied A300 aircraft on the domestic network, the fly-by-wire A320, walk in flights and easy fares. It flies to 76 destinations 58 within India and 18 abroad. It has a total employee strength of around 19,300 employees along with Alliance Air and carries over 7.5 million passengers annually, along with Alliance Air. The main base of the Indian airlines are Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai; Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi; Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata; Chennai International Airport, Chenna i. After being granted permission from the Government of India, on 15 July 2007, Indian Airlines and Air India merged and started to operate as a single entity. Post-merger the new airline will be renamed as Air India. This new airline is also a member of the Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance. The government allowed the formation of a few new limited service airlines in the 1970s: Air Works India, Huns Air, and Golden sun Aviation. None of them had long life spans. Around 1979, IAC dropped the word Corporation from its name. Britains Financial Times described Indian Airlines as the worlds third largest domestic carrier in the mid-1980s. With business growing at better than ten percent a year, it was increasing its capacity as part of a plan to merge Indian Airlines with Air-India, the states international carrier, two leading young industrialists were appointed to chair the boards of the two companies in autumn 1986. Neither these plans nor the new chairmen lasted very long. In 1987, Indian Airlines carried 10 million passengers and earned a profit of Rs630 million ($48 million). However, the quality of its service was facing criticism, to be heightened by the coming entry of new carriers into the market. Amalgamation of Air India Limited and Indian Airlines Limited with National Aviation Company of India Limited The Government of India, on 1 March 2007, approved the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines. Consequent to the above, a new Company viz National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 on 30 March 2007 with its Registered Office at Airlines House, 113 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, New Delhi. The Certificate to Commence Business was obtained on 14 May 2007. SCHEME OF AMALGAMATION UNDER SECTIONS 391-394 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1956 For the amalgamation of AIR INDIA Ltd. (Transferor No 1 Company) and INDIAN AIRLINES Ltd. (Transferor No 2 Company) with NATIONAL AVIATION COMPANY of India ltd. (Transferee Company) whereas, National Aviation Company of India Limited (the Transferee Company) is a Company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956, having its registered office at Airlines House, 113 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, New Delhi 110 001. National Aviation Company of India Limited is a Government Company within the meaning of Section 617 of the Companies Act, 1956 and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. National Aviation Company of India Limited has been established as a Government Company to be engaged in the business as an airline for providing air transport and allied services. This Scheme proposes the amalgamation of AI and IA in the Transferee Company, which would result in consolidation of the business of all in one entity (i.e. National Aviation Company of India Limited, the Transferee Company). (a) The Scheme proposes to amalgamate each of the Transferor Companies (viz AI and IA ) with the Transferee Company (viz. National Aviation Company of India Limited). SHARE CAPITAL 2.1.1 As per the latest audited accounts on March 31, 2006 the capital structure of the Transferor Companies is as under: A. Transferor Company No 1 AIR INDIA AUTHORIZED SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 42, 56, 36,820 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each Rs. 425, 66, 38,200/- 74, 36,318 Redeemable Preference Shares Rs. 100 each Rs. 74, 36, 31,800/- Total Rs. 500, 00, 00,000/- ISSUED, SUBSCRIBED PAID-UP SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 15, 38, 36,427 Equity shares of Rs. 10 each fully paid Rs. 153, 83, 64,270/- As on April 1, 2007 the Authorized Capital, the Issued, Subscribed and Paid up Share Capital of AI remains the same. B. Transferor Company No 2 INDIAN AIRLINES AUTHORIZED SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 94, 99, 58,200 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each Rs. 949, 95, 82,000/- 50, 04,180 Redeemable Preference Shares Rs.100 each Rs. 50, 04, 18,000/- Total Rs. 1000, 00, 00,000/- ISSUED, SUBSCRIBED PAID-UP SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 43, 21, 36,489 Equity shares of Rs. 10 each fully paid Rs. 432, 13, 64,890/- As on April 1, 2007 the Authorized Capital, the Issued Subscribed and Paid up Share Capital of IA remains the same As on April 1, 2007 the capital structure of the Transferee Company is as under: Transferee Company National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) AUTHORIZED SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 50,000 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each Rs. 5, 00,000/- ISSUED, SUBSCRIBED PAID-UP SHARE CAPITAL AMOUNT 50,000 Equity Shares of Rs. 10 each Rs. 5, 00,000/- Transfer of Assets With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, the Transferor Companies shall be transferred to and be vested in and/or be deemed to have been transferred to and be vested in and managed by the Transferee Company, as a going concern, without any further deed or act, together with all its properties, assets, rights, benefits and interest therein, subject to existing charges thereon in favor of banks and financial institutions or otherwise, as the case may be and as may be modified by them, subject to the provisions of this Scheme, in accordance with Sections 391-394 of the Act and all other applicable provisions of law, if any. Without prejudice to Clause 3.1 above in respect of such of the assets of the Transferor Companies as are movable in nature or intangible property or are otherwise capable of transfer by manual delivery or by endorsement and delivery including plant, aircraft, machinery and equipments, the same shall be so transferred or shall be deemed to be so transferred to the Transferee Company and shall upon such transfer become the property and an integral part of the Transferee Company. In respect of such of the said assets other than those referred hereinabove, the same shall, without any further act, instrument or deed, be vested in and/ or be deemed to be vested in the Transferee Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 394 of the Act. Transfer of Liabilities (a) With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, all debts, liabilities, duties and obligations, secured or unsecured, and whether or not provided for in the books of accounts of the Transferor Companies, whether disclosed or undisclosed in the balance sheet, shall be the debts, liabilities, duties and obligations of the Transferee Company and the Transferee Company undertakes to meet, discharge and satisfy the same. (b) Where any of the liabilities and obligations attributed to the Transferor Companies on the Appointed Date has been discharged by the Transferor Companies after the Appointed Date and prior to the Effective Date, such discharge shall be deemed to have been for and on behalf of the Transferee Company. All loans raised and used and liabilities incurred by the Transferor Companies after the Appointed Date but before the Effective Date for operations of the Transferor Companies shall be loans and liabilities of the Transferee Company. Any guarantee/letter of comfort/commitment letter given by the Government or any agency or bank in favor of the Transferor Companies with regard to any loan or lease finance shall continue to be operative in relation to the Transferee Company Contracts, Deeds, Approvals, Exemptions etc (a) With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, all contracts, deeds, bonds, agreements, schemes arrangements, insurance policies, indemnities, guarantees and other instruments of whatsoever nature in relation to the Transferor Companies, or to the benefit of which the Transferor Companies may be eligible, and which are subsisting or having effect immediately before the Effective Date, shall be in full force and effect on or against or in favor of the Transferee Company and may be enforced as fully and effectually as if, instead of the Transferor Companies, the Transferee Company had been a party or beneficiary or oblige thereto. (b) With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, all rights and licenses relating to trademarks, know-how, technical know-how, trade names, descriptions, trading style, franchises, labels, label designs, logos, emblems, and items of such nature, color schemes, utility models, holograms, bar codes, designs, patents, copyrights, privileges and any rights, title or interest in intellectual property rights in relation to the Transferor Companies to which the Transferor Companies are a party or to the benefit of which the Transferor Companies may be entitled /eligible shall be in full force and effect on, or against, or in favor of, the Transferee Company as the case may be, and may be enforced as fully and effectually as if, instead of the Transferor Companies, the Transferee Company had been a party or beneficiary or oblige thereto. (c)The Transferee Company shall be entitled to the benefit of all insurance policies which have been issued in respect of the Transferor Companies and the name of the Transferee Company shall be substituted as Insured in the policies as if the Transferee Company was initially a party (d) With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective the Transferee Company shall replace the Transferor Companies in the respective Air Services Agreements as the designated carrier of India. With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, all permits including operating permits, quotas, rights, entitlements, licenses including those relating to tenancies, time slots (including those at foreign airports trademarks, patents, copy rights, privileges, powers, facilities of every kind and description of whatsoever nature in relation to the Transferor Companies, including specifically ,licenses and permits for operating as airlines and carriers of passengers, cargo and mail ,and all rights relating thereto to the benefit of which the Transferor Companies may be eligible and which are subsisting or having effect immediately before the Effective Date, shall be and remain in full force and effect in favor of or against the Transferee Company, and may be enforced fully and effectually as if, instead of the Transferor Companies, the Transferee Company had been a beneficiary or oblige thereto. With effect from the Appointed Date and upon the Scheme becoming effective, any statutory licenses, permissions, approvals, exemption schemes, or consents required to carry on operations in the Transferor Companies, respectively, shall stand vested in or transferred to the Transferee Company without any further act or deed, and shall be appropriately mutated by the statutory authorities concerned therewith in favor of the Transferee Company. The benefit of all statutory and regulatory permissions, licenses, environmental approvals and consents including the statutory licenses, permissions or approvals or consents required to carry on the operations of the Transferor Companies shall vest in and become available to the Transferee Company pursuant to the Scheme. The Transferee Company, at any time after the Scheme becoming effective in accordance with the provisions hereof, if so required under any law or otherwise, will execute deeds of confirmation or other writings or arrangements with any party to any contract or arrangement in relation to the Transferor Companies to which the Transferor Companies are a party in order to give formal effect to the above provisions. The Transferee Company shall, under the provisions of this Scheme, be deemed to be authorized to execute any such writings on behalf of the Transferor Companies and to carry out or perform all such formalities or compliances, referred to above, on behalf of the Transferor Companies. Reasons of Merger Merger of the Transferor Companies with the Transferee Company, along with a comprehensive transformation program, is imperative to improve competitiveness. It will provide an opportunity to leverage combined assets and capital better and build a stronger sustainable business. Specifically, the merger will Create the largest airline in India and comparable to other airlines in Asia. The merger between the two state-run carriers will see the beginning of the process of consolidation in the Indian aviation space the fastest growing in the world followed by China, Indonesia and Thailand. Provide an Integrated international/ domestic footprint which will significantly enhance customer proposition and allow easy entry into one of the three global airline alliances, mostly Star Alliance with global consortium of 21 airlines. Enable optimal utilization of existing resources through improvement in load factors and yields on commonly serviced routes as well as deploy freed up aircraft capacity on alternate routes. The merger had created a mega company with combined revenue of Rs 150 billion ($3.7billion) and an estimated fleet size of 150. It had a diverse mix of aircraft for short and long haul resulting in better fleet utilization. Provide an opportunity to fully leverage strong assets, capabilities and infrastructure. Provide an opportunity to leverage skilled and experienced manpower available with both  the Transferor Companies to the optimum potential. Provide a larger and growth oriented company for the people and the same shall be in  larger public interest. Potential to launch high growth profitability businesses (Ground Handling Services,  Maintenance Repair and Overhaul etc.) Provide maximum flexibility to achieve financial and capital restructuring through  revaluation of assets. Provide an increased thrust and focus on airline support businesses. Economies of scale enabled routes rationalization and elimination of route duplication. This resulted in a saving of Rs1.86 billion, ($0.04 billion) and the new airlines will be offering more competitive fares, flying seven different types of aircraft and thus being more versatile and utilizing assets like real estate, human resources and aircraft better. However the merger had also brought close to $10 billion (Rs 440 billion) of debt. The new entity was in a better position to bargain while buying fuel, spares and other materials. There were also major operational benefits as between the two they occupied a large number of parking bays and hangers, facilities which were usually in acute short supply, at several large airports in the country. This worked out to be a major advantage to plan new flights at most convenient times. Traffic rights The protectionism enjoyed by the national carriers with regard to the traffic right entitlements is likely to continue even after the merger. This will ensure that the merged Airlines will have enough scope for continued expansion, necessitated due to their combined fleet strength. The protectionism on traffic rights have another angle, which is aimed at ensuring higher intrinsic value , since the Government is likely to divest certain percentage of its holding in the near future. Revenue synergies will be driven by integration of the complementary networks of the Transferor Companies. Cost and capital productivity synergies will be driven by opportunities for leveraging economies of scale and opportunities for rationalizing overlapping facilities and infrastructure. In addition to these synergies, the amalgamation will also provide an opportunity to initiate a comprehensive transformation program to improve the overall competitiveness of the merged airline i.e. the Transferee Company. This, while improving the financial position would help position and equip the merged entity to better face the current and future challenges arising out of intense competition and declining industry profitability. In furtherance of the aforesaid, this Scheme of amalgamation provides for the transfer and vesting of all the undertakings, properties, assets and liabilities of each of the Transferor Companies to and in the Transferee Company. Post-Merger Scenario -Revenue performance of NACIL (Source: Magic Carpet Official Magazine of AIR INDIA) Integration is incomplete Accenture, the consultant that inked the blueprint of Air India-Indian merger in 2006, had advised the Centre to integrate 748 officials up to the level of deputy general manager (DGM) within nine months of the Cabinet clearance, to ensure that the merger pays off. Twenty-five months later, NACIL has been able to integrate 44 officials up to the level of executive director (ED), according to two board members of NACIL. Hit by recession NACIL, like other air carriers, is hit hard by the slowdown crimping passenger and cargo traffic. Air passenger traffic fell for the seventh month in a row by 11 per cent year-on-year in January 2009. In that month, NACILs load factor, the number of tickets sold in proportion to the total number of available seats, was the lowest (domestically) at 60.2 per cent. The core cost drivers including line maintenance, ground handling, terminal services, flight operations/ dispatches and ticket sales should have been merged first for synergies to translate into actual benefits. NACILs employee-to-aircraft ratio, a gauge of efficiency, is the highest among its peers at 222:1 (the global average is 150:1), resulting in a surplus employee strength of almost 10,000. The wage bill of the merged company, which was 23 per cent of total expenditure at the time of incorporation, is expected to rise sharply due to a grade re-alignment. Fleet Expansion NACILs fleet expansion seems out of sync with the times, as most airlines are actually rounding their fleet and cancelling orders for new planes. While other Indian airlines have withdrawn over a third of their aircraft orders slated for delivery in 2009, NACIL plans to induct 30 aircraft in this fiscal and another 45 by March-end 2012. This means NACIL would face a wall of debt going forward. A NACIL board member informed that the companys total debt in the medium term is estimated at Rs 79,000 crore. It will need Rs 44,000 crore for plane purchases. It has Rs 22,000 crore in long term loans and another Rs 13,000 crore as working capital loans, he said. Mutual Distrust and strong unions The distrust between the two sides of Air India and Indian Airlines is almost palpable. For sure, many jobs will become redundant when functions are unified. Many of those appointed are from Indian Airlines, fuelling resentment among Air India employees. Integration has become a tightrope walk for the management. Strong opposition from unions against managements cost- cutting decisions through their salaries have led to strikes by the employees/ Increased Competition The flux at the top has led to delays in decision-making at a time when demand for air travel has dropped around 8-10% over the last year and competition has heated up in the sector. The national carriers domestic market share has been under pressure ever since budget carriers and new private airlines took wing. Air Indias domestic market share dropped from 19.8% in August 2007, when the merger took place, to 13.9% in January 2008 before rising to 17.2% in February 2009. Lower load factor Though the overall operating performance has been steady, Air India passenger load factor of 63.2%, which was the companys record, lags the industry average of 75% in 2006-07.The load factor difference is even greater when compared to other low fares carriers such as Air Deccan. The companys load factor is decreasing year by year, in 2005- 06 load factor is 66.2% which is more than present load factor. Air India load factor is likely to be low because of the much higher frequency operated on each route. Lower load factor could decrease the companys margins. Conclusion The merger of Air India and Indian is the most significant recent development for Indias aviation sector. Managed correctly, the combined entity has huge potential as the largest airline in one of the worlds largest and fastest growing economies. Global alliances will be attracted by its extensive network in an untapped part of the world (and indeed Star Alliance is due to vote on Air Indias membership later this week). However, the complexity of overseeing a merger taking place against such a challenging environment cannot be overstated, albeit there was no other option. Ultimately, Air India will need to be privatized over the next 3-5 years to introduce commercial disciplines. A partial IPO, scheduled for 2008/09 would be the first step, although the value that can be achieved will be highly dependent on the results from the integration process over the next 12-18 months. A Heavily debt-laden ledger will not make that process easy, unless profitability is strong. Introducing a strategic partner would ideally precede this first step, but would probably follow. Yet an Indian partner might raise competition concerns, and an overseas partner would require changes in the regulations which currently prohibit foreign airlines from holding a stake in Indian carriers. If Air India can successfully navigate through the next couple of years, it has the potential to become a major Asian airline, but 2008 will be critical.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Characteristics of Orientalism Essay

There are several differences between the Arab and Muslim groups. The actuality is that Arabs are an ethnic group and Muslims are a religious group. A Muslim is a person who practices the Islam religion. In the world, most Muslims are not necessarily Arabs and most Arabs are not necessarily Muslims. â€Å"Orientalism is the simplistic view of the people and history of the Orient, with no recognition of change over time or the diversity within its many cultures† (Schaefer, 2006). This term is a misrepresentation of people from the East by those in the West. One characteristic is stereotyping the difference in religious expression. Discrimination and prejudice are other characteristics of orientalism. For example, the overemphasis of Arab and Muslim women wearing face veils in the media. This is seen as oppressing women but yet the history behind it is not being told. After the 9/11 attacks, the USA Patriot Act, which was passed in October 2001, had specific provisions that condemned discrimination against Arab and Muslim Americans. This act was revised because it had been accused of contributing to the fear within the Arab and Muslim communities. Unfortunately, all policies were not changed in a positive way. The U. S. Department of Justice required all foreign-born Muslim men to report to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. They have to be fingerprinted, photographed, and interviewed. There are several things that individuals can do to promote tolerance and reduce prejudice in their towns and cities. One way to achieve this is by treating everyone equally. Another way to reduce prejudice is by educating ourselves about a person’s culture. If we can gain an understanding of an individual’s cultural background, we are opening up our minds to realize that those that we consider â€Å"different† may have similar views.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Analysing Salinity In The River Murray Environmental Sciences Essay

The Murray River is one of the biggest rivers in Australia and spans three provinces: Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. The entire length is 2756 kilometers and has 4 major dikes and 16 storage weirs and 15 navigable locks. The Murray River is a topographic point for a big scope sum of species such as birds, wetland birds, fishes and floras. Today, there are more menaces to the river particularly to the quality of the H2O in Murray River. The low quality of H2O will act upon many industries and human being that rely on the river Murray. One index of H2O quality is the salt degree in the H2O. The salt degree is really high in most portion of the river, particularly in the Coorong, Lower lakes and Murray Mouth. The lessening in H2O flows to these countries caused addition in salt degree which reduces the H2O quality of the river. Still, the salt degree fluctuates at a really short clip because it is being influenced by the flows from up watercourse and the tidal moving ridge. The Living Murray Program ( LMP ) is a response plan to the environmental jobs in the Murray River. It aims to presenting back the H2O into the river to accomplish an environmentally healthier river system that benefits all Australian. The plan was established in 2002 and the first plan was implemented in 2004 to delivered back 5000GL of H2O to the Murray River to profit workss, animate beings and Australian along the river. It was besides aims to better the environmental public presentation of six topographic points that designated as icon sites due to their high ecological and cultural values. The plan provides H2O to retaining, retrieving and bettering the ecosystems, home grounds and species of vegetations and zoologies in these sites. Among all icon sites, The Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth have the highest salt degree. The LMP and other related plans under the LMP attempt to work out the jobs. This essay critiques the LMP and related plans on their effort to cut down the salt degree in Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth countries. This essay besides describes the benefits, strengths and failings of the LMP regrading salt issues. The River Murray and the Murray-Darling Basin The Murray-Darling Basin ( MDB ) covers the country of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. The rivers provide services for the 2.7 million people ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2007 ) . The MDB has a saline status and due to human activities in the last two decennaries through irrigation and dike, the salt degree has been increasing significantly. This status is non a good status for agribusiness, H2O supplies and environment ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2000 ) . The increasing degree of salt in the Murray River is caused by some alterations on the H2O direction system. Naturally, the Murray River is flown by high degree of salt and the natural barrier which came from the form of the Murray River H2O flows prevent the belowground flows to make the sea a create salty deposit bed beneath the upper current which create high degree of salt within the river of course. However, alterations like higher rate of irrigation and, clearance of new land of agricultural industry had accelerated the degree of salt in the river and increasing it significantly ( Quiggin, 1988 ) . Table 1. Salt degrees in the River Murray Murray-Darling Basin Salting. Metric tons of salt mobilised to come up in each State for selected old ages. State 1998 2020 2050 2100 SA 434,000 640,000 870,000 1,020,000 VIC 740,000 825,000 1,150,000 1,370,000 Naval special warfare 3,707,000 5,000,000 6,140,000 7,690,000 QLD 186,000 255,000 256,000 256,000 Murray-Darling Basin Salting. Annual entire salt mobilization in metric tons for selected old ages.A1998 2020 2050 2100 Sum 5,100,000 6,800,000 8,500,000 10,400,000 ( beginning: MDBMC, 1987 ) Due to increasing degree of salt in the Murray River H2O, species which of course live with Murray River as their natural home ground will bit by bit extinct since their organ could non accommodate with high degree of salt ( Nielsen et al. 2003 ) . While some types of plantation and carnal manage to set their variety meats to the increasing degree of salt, the impact is still important and even makes their lives shortened. In add-on, substructure nearby the salty river can be easy damaged and the quality of land, particularly for agricultural intents will dramatically diminish which caused the doomed of productive land. If authorities continues their undertaking to pull off the salt degree in the Murray River by pumping the river H2O and turn up it in an country where it so vaporize and infiltrate into the land will profit by making a healthy Murray flood-plain flora and promote 135 species of birds to populate in the country ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2003 ) . The Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth The H2O quality in Coorong country determine the H2O quality of its environing countries, particularly in four territory parts of chief channel of the lower Murray, the lower Lake Alexandria and Lake Albert, the Northern Lagoon of the Coorong and the Southern Lagoon of the Coorong. The high value of Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth have been doing these countries became iconic sites. Naturally, the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth have a high degree of salt because of the H2O flows to the country is already low both in quality and measure. These countries are located in the down watercourse at the very terminal of the Murray River system. There are 593 Gatess and 5 bombardments in the Coorong built in 1035 and 1940 to protect the Coorong from the Lower Lakes. The H2O flow from the upstream influence the H2O in the Coorong. The Murray Mouth, Coorong and Lower lakes is an country of 140.000 hectares. This country is of import because it is a native topographic point for several species of birds, fish and floras and one of the biggest wetland sites that provide an economic sciences value through its fish. Furthermore, Coorong that has 140 kilometer length is one of the icon sites for waterfowls. Environmental aims delivered in this country through EWMP were making a healthier Coorong and Lower Lakes countries ; pull offing the transition through Murray Mouth ; supplying best status for fish spawning and increasing wading birds home ground in Lower Lakes. The biggest aims in this country is to cut down the salt degree and manage H2O degree fluctuation in Murray Mouth, Coorong and Lower Lakes by constructing Gatess that installed on selected bombardments. The dredging plan in the Murray oral cavity besides one of the efforts to do the Murray Mouth environmentally healthier. Figure 1. Murray Mouth, Coorong and Lower Lakes ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2008 ) . The Living Murray Program The Living Murray Program ( TLMP ) is a Response plan to the environmental debasement in Murray River system. Established in mid 2002 by the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council ( MDBMC ) , it aimed to pull off the H2O flow to run into the appropriate degree to keep the healthy status of the river. The plan was besides set to protect the agricultural concern, the communities, natural and cultural values along the Basin ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2004 ) . Furthermore, in 2003, The MDBMC decided to better environmental benefit in six countries include Murray Mouth, Coorong and Lower Lakes. The marks were: recovery of up to an estimated norm of 500GL/ twelvemonth of H2O ; bettering environmental benefits for all countries on the $ 150 million ; bettering the direction capacity ; constitution of autochthonal partnership and farther work to better the environmental benefit from the six designated countries. The countries were chosen because of their importance on national, regional and international ecological system ; the hazards they face and the economic sciences and cultural values they have ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2004 ) . The Environmental Works and Measure Program ( EWMP ) is a long term plan tallies from 2003 to 2011 as an built-in portion of the Living Murray Program. In October 2002, the EWMP had dredging plan in the Murray Mouth to keep and reconstruct the environmental wellness in Coorong and Lower Lakes. This plan was successful in keeping an gap in drouth in 2003 and 2004 ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2004 ) . There were several menaces to the wellness of Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth in footings of salt degree: terrible drouth cause low flows of H2O or no flow at all through the bombardments ; the average one-year flow is 27 % under natural status ; sudden passage between saline and fresh water at the bombardments and cut down interaction between sea and river, including that the Murray oral cavity is at hazard of closing on norm in one twelvemonth in three. The Actions of EWMP were: making of a new â€Å" River Murray estuary environmental allotment † of about 180GL in every twelvemonth ; Target flushing of oral cavity in accomplishing flows go throughing Barrages in summer and fall in dry old ages ; bettering greater control of the Barrages and triping many species to bread during wet old ages. Between 2003-2011, Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation in South Australia was running a plan to remotely operates the Barrages Gatess. The aims was to heightening the environmental wellness of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth by increasing the flexibleness of control of bombardments releases at selected locations and cut downing the salt fluctuation and H2O degree fluctuation and bettering connectivity between the sea and the Coorong. This undertaking is an built-in portion of the LMP since the results were reported to the Murray Management Plan. The Restoration and sweetening dredging in the Murray oral cavity was besides aimed to increase the environmental wellness of the Coorong and Lower Lakes. The plan is running from 2004 and estimated to be finished in 2011. The results are installing of 10 remotely operated Gatess at the Tauwitchere Barrage ; remotely operated Gatess will be installed on selected bombardments supplying improved operational flexibleness compared to the current manually operated Gatess ; A concern instance based on current monitoring, morphological modeling and probes of a figure of environmental wellness indexs to find whether dredging beyond the current dredging plan will profit the Coorong and Lower Lakes environment and If the concern instance is positive, execution of an enhanced dredging plan to reconstruct, enhance and prolong the environmental wellness of the Coorong and Lower Lakes ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2004 ) . The LMP allocated 15GL of H2O to be released in 2005 and 2006. The primary aims were to supply the best status for some of the native fishes to engender and to increase the estuarial country. Therefore, due to many betterments on LMP program, in July 2005 H2O was released through the bombardments and this status allowed some of the native fish to finish their life rhythm. This status showed that the Coorong was ecologically healthier. The dredging undertaking besides showed a important addition in the flora in the Murray Mouth. Furthermore, in 2006, some native fishes were found and release near the bombardments which means that the H2O quality in that country was suited for them. The MDBC claimed that these two aims were achieved. However, the absence of the control site made some of these groundss weak. LMP prosperity will go a weak grounds of ecological status betterment without any control site. Furthermore, there is no effort to warrant some of these betterments by comparing with the other impact on the other similar sites. The Living Murray Program and Salinity Issues Reducing the salt degree is of import and needs committedness from all histrions: persons, communities and authorities. Many research reported that the salt degree continue to increase along the river. Several betterments in irrigation system and direction, H2O distribution system and salt interception system seem fail to get by the salt issues. The addition Numberss of irrigation system along the river significantly increase the salt degree in the river ( Schrobback et al. 2008 ) . Human activity within 40 kilometers is believed to be the ground to this addition every bit good. The salt in the River Murray largely came from the shallow dirt. Deforestation and flora remotion from the shallow dirt land caused the salt entered into the river ( Quiggin. 1988 ) . The monitoring plan showed the informations that there was no consistent increasing in salt degree in the South Lagoon. The salt in the South Lagoon is 2 to 3 times of the saltwater and it was still in that scope. This is means that the LMP is non affected in cut downing salt in the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth. Figure 2. The Five Barrages in Murray Mouth, Coorong, and Lower Lakes ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2007 ) Five bombardments were built in the Coorong, Murray Mouth, and Lower Lakes. Those are Goolwa, Mundoo, Boundary Creek, Ewe Island and Tauwitchere. The chief intent of the bombardments were to insulate the fresh H2O in the Lower lakes and the Murray River. Furthermore, these bombardments were meant to take downing down the salt degree in the lower River Murray and Lakes ; bracing the river degree ; concentrating the flow to the sea to a peculiar country during low flows and to keeping the pool H2O to be pumped for Adelaide ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2008 ) . Since the dredging undertaking in 2003, the best tidal scope has been making the Murray Mouth estuaries. However, the bombardments did non run into the mark since they merely had a low freshening impact on the country near the bombardments. There is no important grounds on salt degree after the 640GL of H2O released in 2005 and 2006. The deficiency of attending on monitoring and mensurating the salt degree worsen the grounds that the LMP merely had a minor affect on the H2O quality. The other aim in presenting back the H2O of the LMP in this icon site was supplying more frequent estuarine fish spawning. The MDBC claimed that this nonsubjective partly meets the mark since the figure of estuarial addition during the releases but in the South Lagoon the status was still saline. Furthermore, the last aim was heightening the bird home ground. The mark was achieved in winter but exceeded in summer. However, the salt in the Lakes was still high except during the releases. These groundss show that the bombardments system in influence the salt degree, even though the consequence was minor, their public presentation in commanding the releases is of import. There were failings and strengths in the bombardments releases method like addition in apprehension of the reaction of the Coorong and surround country to the low flow of H2O ; the grounds that show the accomplishable benefit from let go ofing H2O less than 750 GL ; addition in understanding on the sum of H2O needed to blush anoxic deposit and the importance of let go ofing the H2O from Gatess in different bombardments. In order to let go of fresh and oxygenated H2O to come in Coorong ; sand dredging method and bombardment release, method commanding the H2O degree in the lower lakes and at the same clip maintaining the Murray Mouth unfastened, are used to pull strings the lake degree. The benefit of such method is comparatively broad, non merely for the wading bird bird home ground but besides human activities such as irrigation and domestic usage. The bombardment method can besides be used for cut downing the salt degree of the H2O in other countries like in Lake Alexandria and Lake Albert. Manipulating the H2O degree in Lake Albert can do the saline H2O to flux outside the lake and cut down the salt degree. The bombardment theoretical account is proven to be able to cut down the salt degree in the Goolwa, Mundo and Coorong channels. Prior to the H2O release from the bombardment in September 2003, preliminary research had been indicated that non or minimum connectivity between Goolwa and Tauwitchere to the Murray river had increased the degree of salination, stagnancy and besides had increased the temperature degree of the H2O every bit good as lowered the degree of dissolved O. This event was conducted by joint cooperation of river operators, research workers from SARDI and besides the natural resource directors. The event occurred in 2003 has impacted positively to the environment since it outflows and freshened the Murray Mouth country by blending the H2O in North laguna. In add-on, the estuarial status had been established for a short clip together with the impermanent proviso of foods and phytoplankton in North Lagoon. Such event besides caused the Black Beam fish larvae being collected which suggested that the flow might haveA caused spawning. Figure 3. Barrages in Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2008 ) Even though the impact of such event was really short, it was a difficult grounds of how barrage method can be really successful. The similar event was so repeated in August 2004. The bombardment method shown that bombardment flows of at least 2,000 ML/day and may keep the Murray Mouth to be opened comparatively and besides prevent sand to ingress. It is besides shown that ‘scouring ‘ of sand from the oral cavity did non happen with big volumes. Finally, direction system of fluxing H2O through bombardment has to be focused on the attempt to forestall H2O from come ining the oral cavity alternatively of taking sand after its being formatted inside.A The Water Quality Monitoring Program ( WQMP ) The WQMP is a plan aims to bring forth study and appraisal on the River Murray H2O quality that can be used as ushers and recommendation in plan constitution in the river direction system. The WQMP started its activity in 1978 in roll uping bio chemicals informations from the river on 36 sites. Statistically, between 15 to 18 bio-chemicals parametric quantities are measured every hebdomad along the length of Boundary Creek, which located between Mundo Island and Eve Island, in six monitoring sites. The WQMP provides the information sing the salt in several periods of clip from 1978 to 2000. However, it did non supply the information of H2O quality after the LMP is delivered. However, in relation to the LMP plan, the WQMP information is utile as a comparing of the information before and after the LMP plan. It besides helps in supplying the recommendation on the current direction to better the wellness of the river particularly sing icon site. Figure 4: The Water Quality Monitoring Program ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2009 ) The consequence of H2O trying from six supervising sites indicates that the 24 hr freshening activity, which occurred between 25th of August and the 27th of October 2005, A had maintain the salt degree below saltwater salt. In add-on the salt readings had indicated that the 1 m tide did non perforate past the oral cavity of boundary brook on the first September. In 14th of October, high tide indicated that some estuarial H2O was able to force up Boundary brook despite the influence was merely less than 200 m ( Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2009 ) . Decision The LMP is a plan run by three provinces in Australia that aims to retrieve and better the River Murray status that will profit all Australian by maintaining the natural being of the river which has economic sciences, ecology and cultural values. Many species and native species rely on the river and a low H2O quality on the river will do important consequence on the life things includes human along the river. Salt is a immense job for the River Murray since the natural feature of this river is already saline. Human activities over two centuries increase the salt degree of the H2O and cut down its quality. In Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth, the salt jobs is significantly act uponing the ecology and environmental conditions since the country is the lowest terminal of the flow that influenced by the human activities in the upper watercourse. The LMP is non supplying the existent and specific informations on salt degree in this country. Furthermore, the aims of this icon site are largely to better the life status for the birds and fishes. The prosperity of the LMP can be seen from the salt degree as an of import indexs in WQMP. The before and after informations was provided by the WQMP ; nevertheless, the LMP did non go on supervising the salt degree, hence the prosperity of LMP is non evidently recorded by the clear informations. The absence of the control site is one of the failings of the LMP. Without comparing the alterations in the wedged site to the control citation, the alterations can non be seen as strong grounds on the prosperity of the LMP. As the whole plan, LMP give good alterations in bettering environmental conditions of the river in Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth. However, the grounds was non clear plenty in depicting LMP prosperity to cut down salt job of this icon site. Abbreviations and acronyms EWMP: Environmental Works and Measures Program GL: Gigalitre ( 1 billion liters ) ICM: Integrated Catchment Management MDBMC: Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council NAPSWQ: National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality TLMP: The Living Murray Program MDB: Murray-Darling Basin

Friday, January 3, 2020

Obesity Obesity And Obesity - 1334 Words

Health Factors Related to Obesity in Adolescence Childhood obesity is a worldwide epidemic that has increased dramatically over the past few years. There are many reasons this could be and research shows that as cultures are developing kids are spending more time indoors than being active outside. Technology is becoming so advanced that people are now able to play sports right from the comfort of his or her living room couch. Although these technological advancements are quite outstanding and has created an easier atmosphere in which society could function, it is also acting as a crutch and, as a result, creating a lazier society. Due to this inactivity in which children are partaking, the statistics of overweight and obesity in children†¦show more content†¦A research that studied the health consequences of childhood obesity reported, â€Å"Only 1% of 6600 school children 5 to 18 years of age had persistently elevated blood pressure.† It goes on showing that,  "60% of these children had weights 120% of the median for their sex, height, and age† (Dietz 521). Although statistics of this study show that only some of the children suffered from hypertension, doctors pay special attention to monitor children that suffer from obesity because hypertension can lead to more serious illnesses such as, hypertensive heart disease and cerebral hemorrhage. The effects of childhood obesity and the heart continue on into adulthood. In another study, David J. Gunnell et al. analyzed the relation between childhood BMI and cardiovascular disease mortality. This study was a 57 year follow-up involving 1,165 men and 1,234 women. In this study, Gunnell et al. found that older children had an increase of all-cardiovascular morality with increasing BMI (Gunnel et al. 1114). The children that had a higher BMI ended up having more heart related health issues. The study’s data showed that 109 males and 159 females died due to cardiovascular disease (11 15). It later goes on in the article stating, â€Å"The linear relation between childhood BMI and adult IHD mortality†¦ is in keeping with the relations reported in adult cohorts (2, 6, 7, 27, 28). The most likely explanation for this relation in adults is