The India Scene

Urbanization Vs Real Estate Sustainability in India
By Sanjay Duttand Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj

Though India has a massive population, its rate of urbanisation has been relatively low. This is a matter of some concern, considering that India has three of the 20 biggest cities in the world, that is, Mumbai, Calcutta and Delhi. It also has 23 cities that house populations of above one million each.

Going by established and ongoing patterns, it can be safely said that true urbanisation has been limited to India’s western and southern parts. However, the process of urbanisation in these parts is limited to certain cities. This is a situation of considerable gravity all by itself; however, the larger issue lies in the gross imbalance between rural and urban development. It is becoming increasingly evident that agricultural growth is no longer the answer for our rural economy, since India’s average yield per hectare is much lower than that of countries like China.

Not surprisingly, there has been a steady exodus from India’s rural parts to its urban areas, putting a huge strain on the infrastructure of the latter. This is most apparent in a city like Mumbai. Other metros across India are also buckling under the pressure of steady inward migration from rural areas.

RAPID URBANISATION

Rapid urbanisation is fast compromising the urban real estate marketplace. There are real concerns now about what the scenario will be a few years down the line. Gradually it is being realised that urbanisation must go hand in hand with environmental sustainability measures.

To illustrate, in India, as in many other countries, the growth in municipal waste is proportionate to its economic growth rate. Further, by 2020, India’s demand for commercial energy will very probably increase by a factor of 2.5. India is a chronically energy-deficient country, and already faces significant challenges with meeting its energy needs.

Rapid urbanisation is definitely not helping in this respect. We see the consequences everywhere in the form of power shortages and supply interruptions. This growing gap between energy demand and supply sends a clear SOS regarding the need to increase dependence on stable, more environment-friendly energy alternatives such as solar power.

A SECTOR DIVIDED

Currently, the Indian real-estate sector is divided into players who take the importance of sustainability seriously, and those who do not. The second group, which is in the majority, has issues with overall profitability, since rendering land and buildings sustainable costs money. However, the overarching issue has more to do with ‘change resistance’. The laws of change resistance underline the difficulty in persuading people, corporations and nations to adopt proper sustainability practices.

A sustainability focus in the process of urbanisation calls for a change in individual values at the personal, corporate and collective levels. The problem is not that of ignorance - most are aware about the need for environmental sustainability, and even agree with it. The problem lies in the adoption and implementation of these values.

SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

At its very root, sustainability is a process or state that can be maintained at a given level for prolonged periods. In the real-estate context, it means developing land and buildings in such a manner that the environment can sustain future growth.

While talking of a sustained and sustainable real estate boom in India, one should remember that there is no market without a marketplace.

Therefore, for companies that deal in real estate in any capacity, environmental sustainability is not too distant from business sustainability. In other words, there is no difference between sustaining the environment and maintaining the marketplace for indefinite business activity.

Sustainable buildings are defined as buildings that are designed, built and operated with low environmental, social and economic impact while enhancing the health, welfare and quality of life of the people that live and work in them. With international awareness of corporate responsibility having grown, sustainability has become a crucial factor in the assessment of the impact of real estate. Organisations, especially MNCs, are taking an increasing interest in the environmental credentials of the real estate that they occupy.

Although the demand for higher levels of compliance may initially appear like a threat to owners of large assets, sustainable buildings do not represent a loss in building utility or level of profit. Rather, modern sustainable technologies possess proven ability to raise environmental efficiencies while simultaneously bringing real economic gains. However, to reap these benefits, sustainable development requires a change in mindset.

IMPLEMENTATION

The process of making commercial buildings more sustainable is akin therefore to embarking on a journey. There are no quick fix solutions to be applied. Rather, owners and occupiers of buildings must work together to establish goals, undertake audits, and establish where savings and improvements can be made.

However, the foundation of achieving sustainable outcomes is the adoption of sound design and management principles. Performance enhancements can be achieved by focusing first on high-impact, low-cost solutions that can be implemented within a realistic time frame.

Once the appropriate solutions are identified and a business case is established for various improvements, the process of physical works, education and internal communication can begin.

The effectiveness of these measures then needs to be tracked, and the results of improvement fed back to the owners and occupiers of the building, and to any other parties involved, including contractors and design teams. From there, further improvement can be made with outcome goals being redefined as information and analysis of the improvement measures build up over time.

What is clear is that you not only need time to implement it, but also that it is not a process with a start and a finish. Rather, it is an ongoing process of improvement, feedback and further enhancement.

In developed nations, there has been a steady increase in the development of sustainable buildings. It is our belief that it is only a matter of time before this market preference towards sustainable buildings in developed markets begins to manifest itself more convincingly in India, as well.

MAJOR NATIONAL RATING SYSTEMS IN INDIA

LEED India by IGBC - Indian Green Building Council and USGBC (US green building council). There are currently 604 buildings registered under LEED India, while another 97 are LEED India certified.

GRIHA - Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment, developed jointly with TERI (The Energy Research Institute) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India. GRIHA has now got a national rating. Government buildings and PSUs would be the first to adopt this new ranking system.

Sanjay Dutt is CEO - Business, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, the Indian operations of Jones Lang LaSalle, the largest real estate consultancy in India. With an extensive geographic footprint across ten cities, the firm provides investors, developers, local corporate and multinational companies with a comprehensive range of services including research, consultancy, transactions, project and development services, integrated facility management, property management, capital markets, residential, hotels and retail advisory.

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India Marches Ahead to Emerge as the Largest Economic Power of the World
By Dr Suvrokamal Dutta

For over a century the United States has been the largest economy in the world. Major shifts have however taken place in the last two decades. During the last 30 years the weight of the world economy has shifted from the US and the rich countries of Europe to China and India.

Of late, economists of all hues have been unanimously proclaiming the emergence of India and China as economic superpowers in the not-too-distant future. The World Bank says India will become the third largest economy after China and the US by 2025.

World Bank Managing Director Graeme Wheeler who was in India recently noted India’s tremendous progress in recent years and emphasized the need for sustaining the growth in high-value sectors along with strides in the healthcare and education sectors.

Clyde Prestowitz in his book, Three Billion New Capitalists? The Great Shift of Wealth and Power to the East: writes, “that by 2030, India will overtake Japan in absolute dollar terms, not PPP, and in the second half of this century will be the largest economy. The really long-term miracle in India will come about because of demographics. China’s one-child policy will ultimately result in a reduced, and ageing, workforce.”

According to Wikipedia encyclopedia, “India’s current economic growth (as the world’s second-fastest growing major economy) has improved its standing on the world’s political stage, even though it is still a developing country, but one that is showing strong development. Many nations are moving to forge better relationships with India”.

The last annual CIA Report says The economy of India is currently the world’s fourth largest in terms of real GDP (PPP) after the USA, the People’s Republic of China and Japan, and the second fastest growing major economy in the world, averaging at an annual growth rate of above 8%. Its record growth was in the third quarter of 2003, when it grew higher than any other emerging economy at 10.4%.

Interestingly, estimates by the IMF shows that by 2007 India will be the third largest economy in the world, overtaking the Japanese economy. Also the growth rate is likely to gear up above 8% in terms of GDP (PPP).

The annual Asian Development Report of 2003-2004 has mentioned that Primary Sector wise India is growing at 8% per year is the world’s second largest producer of food next to China. Food processing accounts for USD 69.4 billion as gross income. Secondary Sector wise India is still relatively a small player in manufacturing when compared to many world leaders. Some new trends suggest an improvement in future. Tertiary and Quaternary Sector wise India currently has an expanding IT industry which is considered one of the best in the world. Some have begun to describe India as a technology superpower.

A recent Report of the Foreign Office of the United States of America has conclude that the rich countries of Europe have seen the greatest decline in global GDP share by 4.9 percentage points, followed by the US and Japan with a decline of about 1 percentage point each. The report further says Within Asia the declining global share of Japan since 1990 has been more than made up by the rising share of China and India. Between 1975 and 2002, Japan’s share of world GDP fell by 1 percentage point while that of South Korea, ASEAN, India and China rose by 1 percentage point, 1.2 percentage points, 2.2 percentage points and 9.2 percentage points, respectively.

As the share of the US in world GDP falls (from 21 per cent to 18 per cent) and that of India rises (from 6 per cent to 11 per cent in 2025) making India the third largest economy by 2025. By 2025 the Indian economy is projected to be about 60 per cent the size of the US economy. This transformation into a tri-polar economy will be complete by 2035, with the Indian economy only a little smaller than the US economy but larger than that of Western Europe.

Various Reports of the FBI mentions that if things go fine in India she might overtake China by the mid of this century and might emerge as the largest economy of the world by then .The way the Indian economy is going that possibility doesn’t look unlikely.

To look into this one finds the answer in the book of Prestowitz where he says the big story between now and 2025 is going to be China but after that, it will be India. “Indian demographics are pretty powerful. Half the Indian population is under the age of 20. Whereas China will age rapidly in another 10-15 years, India doesn’t age very much at all. India will surpass China in population somewhere around 2030, so in the latter half of the century India is likely to be the biggest economy. I know there’s still something of a socialist hangover in India but it’s very much a capitalist economy, one which is driven by entrepreneurs rather than government fiat, which is still very much the case in China.”

Perhaps that distant dream of regaining her past glory as the number one in terms of knowledge and economic power by then will come true. Only time will predict this.

Dr Suvrokamal Dutta

(The Writer is a renowned Foreign affairs and Economic Expert)

Dr Suvrokamal Dutta

(The Writer is a renowned Foreign affairs and Economic Expert)

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South India Temple Tour - Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple
By Manish Caper

South India is a fascinating land with fascinating architectural marvels. For those who are interested in South India cultural heritage, they must plan a Temple Tour. The intricately carved and beautifully adorned temples are one of the most striking attractions of South India. Visit the temples, explore their architectural beauty, listen to their glorious and unique legends and participate in the festivals celebrated in the temples. You will not find any city in this region of India which does not have temples.

Huge and towering gopurams, tall gateways, intricate carvings, extremely beautiful sculptures, arresting mandaps are the distinctive features of South India temples. Visit any of the South India states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and you will find some of the most beautiful temples of India dominating their landscapes. One of the most famous temples is Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple which must be visited at least once in a lifetime:

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu:

Incredibly beautiful, Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is among the most fascinating temples. Its architectural beauty never fails to capture the hearts of tourists who come here from far and wide. This temple is located in the historic city Madurai which boasts of its own glorious history. This nine-storied Hindu temple dates back to the 12th century and is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi (Parvati) and Lord Shiva. The 12 majestically painted gopurams, the walls adorned with paintings and sculptures, exquisite carvings and wonderful pillared halls are the major attractions of the temple.

Also visit the Golden Lotus Tank in the temple complex where devotees take a dip before entering the temple to worship the goddess. There is a legend attached to it according to which Lord Shiva himself created this tank. It is also believed that one accumulates good fortune by taking a dip in this tank.

Don’t miss the musical pillars of the temple which are too fascinating. These pillar number five and have been carved out of a single stone. When tapped these pillars produce sound. Do visit the ‘hall of Thousand Pillars’ where you can see 985 pillars with wonderful carvings. And the most interesting part is that all the pillars look different from each other in terms of architectural beauty.

The temple serves as the venue for the celebration of the marriage anniversary of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva annually on the occasion of Meenakshi Kalyanam festival.

South India attractions are many in number which draw tourists throughout the year from across the globe. If you wish to experience the rich culture of South India plan a south India temple tour and treat your senses with sheer architectural beauty of the temples like Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai.

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Meteorology Career in India
By Sameir Mohan

Meteorology deals with atmospheric studies and its effects on day to day activities of human life. Those concerned with the study the atmosphere and its characteristics are known as Meteorologists or Atmospheric scientists. Global warming, pollution in the environment and deforestation has increased the significance of Meteorologists. Various meteorological and technical institutes in India are imparting courses in meteorology to provide efficient and talented meteorologists to the organizations.

Now, many government and private meteorological organizations are hiring efficient, skilled and talented meteorologists, who can provide appropriate predictions concerning the climatic conditions.

Both technical institutes and universities teach Meteorology Courses which are among the earth sciences. Thus, qualified meteorologists can get employed in meteorological institutes, environment regulatory bodies, and research institutes.

Course Details:

Now, many colleges and universities in India are offering Meteorology courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The eligibility for pursuing UG courses is a pass in 10+2 examination with science subjects (Physics, Chemistry and Biology), from any recognized State or National Board and for the PG program is a pass in B.Sc, from any recognized University.

Institutes offering Meteorology courses in India:

• Shivaji University (Kolhapur)
• Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore)
• Andhra University (Visakhapatnam)
• IIT Kharagpur, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
• Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences

Scope of Meteorology in India:

Various Meteorology jobs exist in the meteorological centers in India. Professionals can get placed as research scholars and scientists in research institutes like Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, and Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences. Other research bodies like Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Indian Space Research Organization employs scholars in Meteorology. Even now, many educational institutions offer careers in meteorology in the form of openings for lecturers and professors.

Career Prospects:

After pursuing Meteorology course, depending on the field of specialization, one can specialize in fields such as weather forecasting, aviation meteorology, agricultural meteorology, hydrometeorology, nuclear meteorology and maritime meteorology. Now, Meteorologists are being hired by meteorological department, environment regulatory bodies and research institutes.

Qualified Meteorologists are offered productive placements in:

• Oceanography research academies
• Environment regulatory bodies
• Educational institutes
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Riyal Meteorological Society

Remuneration:

The remuneration for Meteorologist may vary according to the person’s work experience in the field. Fresh graduates may start from their base monthly salaries of Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 per month. When they become more established in this field, they can work their way up to a monthly payment level of Rs. 50,000.

Thus, a meteorologist should be able to make use of various equipments such as rain gauge, anemometer, thermometer, barometer, radiosondes, remote sensing instruments (Radar, Lidar, Satellites etc), to measure temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, rainfall and air quality.

Sameir Mohan is the CEO and Founder of NetVenture Web Solutions. He writes articles for sharing information and promoting websites. You can get more information at http://www.careerlight.org

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