TATA corporation of India is in the global spotlight as they launch the Nano, the world's cheapest car. But the spotlight ought to be on a costly little secret: TATA's giant port at Dhamra, which threatens the nesting grounds of an endangered turtle species.
Merriam-Webster has this entry under 'ta-ta'; Etymology: baby talk-used to express farewell.
That's apt, considering that the TATA corporation could soon be making us say goodbye to of one of India's largest marine reserves - Gahirmatha, and with it one of the world's few remaining Olive Ridley turtle nesting grounds.
Manish R Hegde
· 9 months ago
Hi Daniel, it might be useful to remember that 15% of all CO2 a car emits in its lifetime is expended in its production and distribution alone.
You'd have to drive the Nano for 20 years before it becomes "carbon neutral" in that sense. And then run it on sustainably-sourced biofuels, or solar-powered batteries, before you can clean up your Carbon Karma.
So much for the climate-friendly car.
And never mind what so many more cars on one of the world's fastest developing nation's roads means.
The worst thing, really, is what environmental crimes this company has gotten itself involved in to produce the kosher Nano... bailing out Dow in Bhopal, busting unions in Kandhamal, pushing the endangered Olive Ridley turtles over the brink of extinction, that kind of thing.
Found some interesting stuff online this morning to confirm these suspicions...
I think this is a perfect place for people to talk about India's lack of effort to clean up the Earth. They are trying to become a major economic giant and are leaving environmental concerns at the door. I think this is a good move for India but a bad move for the world. More info about the story here, http://www.newsy.com/videos/world_s_cheapest_car_hits_market/
Garrett
· 9 months ago
That's going to be 133500 rupees after they tack on a $670 transportation and processing fee American-style.
Gautam Joshi
· 9 months ago
It is ridiculous and unfair to point fingers at TATA for making this cheap and most importantly one of the most fuel efficient car and least polluting car for the road. Just because the car is cheap and is now affordable by many middle class Indian families does not mean its a bad idea. Its far from it. What tata has given is a long time coming solution for middle class families of india to have a comfortable and far less risky product for transportation. Right now majority of people in india have bikes(2-wheelers) which are very risky for a family of 3-4 people to travel in and also very uncomfortable, tatas car is a boon for these families. Tatas nano is synonymous with what model-t of Ford had done to the middle class families of america.
if anyone says that indian families should be denied this product(transport solution) just so that it will reduce the carbon foot print of the planet, this is ridiculous, as what needs to be FIRST reduced or even totally stopped is the much more ineffecient and polluting forms of transport like Airplanes, sports cars and many many other cars made all over the world, these are lavish forms of transport which pollute much much more then the nano.
If it were up to me and if environment is the concern of todays day and age, i would put public transport systems as no.1 priority and priority no.2 would be to have citizens of the world using cars like nano (which i consider the bare minimum, efficient, cheap) form of personal transport for all families and priority no,3 would be ban all other ineffient forms of transport like sports cars and many high powered cars (anything above 1000cc) infact recycle these cars and make effecient cars like the nano.
I believe what I have said above is in the interest of the planet. Let me know if I am wrong.
stuart
· 9 months ago
yes come on lets all damn the Indains for daring to have what we all take for granted. Environmental sustainability can not occur at the price of keeping people on poverty, the developing world simply wont accept it. On the upside the nano is showing us that a car can be made for (very) cheap and have low emissions, Its an example that needs following.
Also on the wages paid to workers by tata. I think you'll find US$3000 is above average in india, so its really not exploitative, and is much more efficient that paying workers overseas $50000 a year and shipping it over.
All Comments
Oh oh, the heroin dealers have given the innocent "just a taste"...
There's another dark side to Tata and the Nano. They're building a port in critical Olive Ridley turtle habitat. Why? Probably because they can.
From the Greenpeace India story on Tata and turtles and the Nano:
Hi Daniel, it might be useful to remember that 15% of all CO2 a car emits in its lifetime is expended in its production and distribution alone.
You'd have to drive the Nano for 20 years before it becomes "carbon neutral" in that sense. And then run it on sustainably-sourced biofuels, or solar-powered batteries, before you can clean up your Carbon Karma.
So much for the climate-friendly car.
And never mind what so many more cars on one of the world's fastest developing nation's roads means.
The worst thing, really, is what environmental crimes this company has gotten itself involved in to produce the kosher Nano... bailing out Dow in Bhopal, busting unions in Kandhamal, pushing the endangered Olive Ridley turtles over the brink of extinction, that kind of thing.
Found some interesting stuff online this morning to confirm these suspicions...
www.greenpeace.org/turtles and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOvk2pxaqy0
I think this is a perfect place for people to talk about India's lack of effort to clean up the Earth. They are trying to become a major economic giant and are leaving environmental concerns at the door. I think this is a good move for India but a bad move for the world. More info about the story here, http://www.newsy.com/videos/world_s_cheapest_car_hits_market/
That's going to be 133500 rupees after they tack on a $670 transportation and processing fee American-style.
It is ridiculous and unfair to point fingers at TATA for making this cheap and most importantly one of the most fuel efficient car and least polluting car for the road. Just because the car is cheap and is now affordable by many middle class Indian families does not mean its a bad idea. Its far from it. What tata has given is a long time coming solution for middle class families of india to have a comfortable and far less risky product for transportation. Right now majority of people in india have bikes(2-wheelers) which are very risky for a family of 3-4 people to travel in and also very uncomfortable, tatas car is a boon for these families. Tatas nano is synonymous with what model-t of Ford had done to the middle class families of america.
if anyone says that indian families should be denied this product(transport solution) just so that it will reduce the carbon foot print of the planet, this is ridiculous, as what needs to be FIRST reduced or even totally stopped is the much more ineffecient and polluting forms of transport like Airplanes, sports cars and many many other cars made all over the world, these are lavish forms of transport which pollute much much more then the nano.
If it were up to me and if environment is the concern of todays day and age, i would put public transport systems as no.1 priority and priority no.2 would be to have citizens of the world using cars like nano (which i consider the bare minimum, efficient, cheap) form of personal transport for all families and priority no,3 would be ban all other ineffient forms of transport like sports cars and many high powered cars (anything above 1000cc) infact recycle these cars and make effecient cars like the nano.
I believe what I have said above is in the interest of the planet. Let me know if I am wrong.
yes come on lets all damn the Indains for daring to have what we all take for granted. Environmental sustainability can not occur at the price of keeping people on poverty, the developing world simply wont accept it. On the upside the nano is showing us that a car can be made for (very) cheap and have low emissions, Its an example that needs following.
Also on the wages paid to workers by tata. I think you'll find US$3000 is above average in india, so its really not exploitative, and is much more efficient that paying workers overseas $50000 a year and shipping it over.