SWOT and PEST Analysis of Infrastructure Project

SWOT and PEST Analysis of Infrastructure Project ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK Indian Construction Industry was almost similar to the construction industry evolution in other countries: founded by Government and slowly taken over by enterprises. After independence the need for industrial and infrastructural developments in India laid the foundation stone of construction, architectural and engineering services. The objective of such an imposition was to develop local design capabilities parallel with the inflow of imported technology and skills. This measure encouraged international construction and consultancy organizations to set upjoint venturesand register their presence in India. In India Construction has accounted for around 40 per cent of the development investment during the past 50 years. Around 16 per cent of the nations working population depends on construction for its livelihood. The Indian construction industry employs over 3 crore people and creates assets worth over20,000 crore. Total sales of construction industry have reached 42,885.38 crores in 2004 05 from21,451.9 crores in 2000-01. The Indian construction industry comprises 200 firms in the corporate sector. In addition to these firms, there are about 1, 20,000 class A contractors registered with various government construction bodies. There are thousands of small contractors, which compete for small jobs or work as sub-contractors of prime or other contractors. PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL FACTORS SEZ Act to Boost Infrastructural Development: SEZ is the new destination for real estate investors. Currently 150 SEZs are approved out of which 85 SEZs are in the IT/ITES area and 10-15 SEZs in the electronics area.130 SEZs are developed by real estate developers which constitute  of about 50% of the total SEZ area. IT SEZ should be developed and made operational within the period of six months from the date of notification. Thus, 130 approved SEZs would result in investment of US$10 bn to US$ 12 bn immediately. Cement Prices Reduced for State Infrastructure Projects The continued thrust on infrastructure development will provide impetus to the healthy growth in demand, protecting the bottomline of cement companies to an extent. The reduction in the CST and in freight rates on diesel and limestone will be marginally positive for some companies. FDI Liberalization to Augment Industry Growth Recent amendments by the government have made accessibility to the required capital much easier. Opening of FDI in construction and allowing developers to raise capital in international markets has led to developments of larger projects benchmarked against international standard REITs to Positively Affect Real Estate Business The proposed introduction of REMF (Real Estate Mutual Fund) and REIT (Real estate Investment Trust) will boost real estate investments from the small investors point of view. This will allow small investors to enter real estate market with contribution as less than Rs 10,000. The concept of REIT is on the verge of entering India and would be structured as a company dedicated to owning and in most cases operating income producing real estate such as apartments, shopping centers, offices warehouses. ECONOMIC FACTORS Growth in Construction Activity Stimulating GDP Growth India is witnessing tremendous growth expansion of construction activities and construction is largest component of GDP. It has been growing at a rate over 10% in the past few years when GDP growth is around 8%.Within construction; sectors such as roads, railways, housing and power have been keen drivers. Rate Hikes Unlikely To Slow Down Growth It has been analyzed that residential prices have increased by about 15- 20% on average in the last one year. There has been strong growth in demand supported by rising disposable incomes, low interest rates, and fiscal incentives on both interest and principal payments and increasing urbanization. SOCIAL FACTORS Shifting Consumption Pattern to Fuel Industry Growth The consumption pattern of Indian households is undergoing a gradual, but steady change. The share of food and beverages, which used to constitute almost 50% of household spend until 2003 is expected to fall to 45% by FY08. We expect the share of discretionary items to consistently rise given the rising affordability and changing aspiration levels. Increased exposure to western lifestyles (through media as well as overseas travels) has altered the consumption pattern of Indian people. Rising Urbanization to Boost Industrial Growth Urban infrastructure consists of drinking water, sanitation, sewage systems, electricity and gas distribution, urban transport, primary health services, and environmental regulation. Many of these services are in the nature of ‘local public goods with the benefits from improved urban infrastructure. The urban population in India will grow by 85 million over the next 10 years. Green buildings in India The green building movement has gained tremendous momentum during 3 to 4 years, ever since the Green Business Centre embarked on achieving the prestigious LEED rating for their own centre at Hyderabad. The Platinum rating for green building has sensitized the stakeholders of construction industry. There is tremendous potential for construction of green buildings in India. The estimated market potential for green building will be about $ 400 million in 2010.There will be favorable policies of the government would provide the right impetus for advancing the green building movement in India. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS Low Technology Adoption to Hinder Growth The poor state of technology adopted by the construction sector adversely affects its performance. Upgrading of technology is required both in the manufacturing of construction material and in construction activities. As a large number of construction materials are manufactured in the unorganized sector, effective monitoring and regulation of the production of these materials to ensure proper quality becomes difficult. Use of low-grade technology in the construction sector leads to low value addition and low productivity, apart from poor or substandard quality of construction and time overruns in projects. The non-availability of quality construction tools is the main reason for this. Besides, the construction sector also lacks information about new technology. Construction as per Indian Requirements The construction needs to be done as per Indian standards and requirements which will demand considerable changes form the international requirements. The infrastructure requirements of India are much different as the population spread, increasing urbanization, increasing slums, the small space for roads, the water problems are more. Ready-Mix-Concrete Being Experimented With The Ready mix concrete business in India is in its infancy. For example, 70% of cement produced in a developed country like Japan is used by Ready Mix concrete business there. Here in India, Ready Mix concrete business uses around 2% of total cement production. Much of construction done in India is very slow paced. The concrete making process at site takes much time with variation in quality. The increasing use of ready mix not only saves on time but allows the better quality. It will also eliminate the storage space at site, eliminate Procurement / Hiring of plant and machinery, reduce wastages of basic material, noise and dust at site will be reduced. Also organization at site will be streamlined. This will improve the rate at which infrastructure can be built in India. ABOUT THECOMPANY Lanco is one of the fastest growing Integrated Infrastructure Enterprises of India, operating across a synergistic chain of Strategic Business Units (SBUs) comprising Power, EPC, Construction, Renewable, Resources, Non-Power Infrastructure, Property development and CSR. Lanco Infratech Ltds current market capitalization is approximately Rs. 15,000 Crores (USD 3.33 billion). Out of the total Share Capital, the promoters holding is about 68 %. The gross revenue of Lanco as on March 2010 was over Rs. 8200 Crores (USD 1.8 billion). Lanco is fast emerging as one of the top three private sector power developers in India with 2092 MW under operation, 7153 MW under construction, and 11070 MW of projects under development. In a strategic move that provides increased fuel security for its current power generating assets and its future power portfolio expansions, Lanco through its step down Australian subsidiary, Lanco Resources Australia, has acquired Griffin Coal Mining Company and Carpenter Mine Management. Griffin coal, based out of Collie in Western Australia, owns the largest operational thermal coal mines in Western Australia, producing over 4 mtpa of coal which can be ramped up to over 15 mtpa in the near term, post development of evacuation infrastructure. Lanco has strategic global partnerships with top-notch companies which include: Genting, Harbin, GE, Dongfang, Doosan etc. Today, Lanco is one of Indias largest Power Traders in the private sector. A people driven organization, Lanco operates from 20 States in India and has international operations in Australia, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Singapore, United Kingdom and USA with a human resource base of about 6500 people. Lanco has an Order book of Rs 25,425 Crores as of September 2010. Lanco is also a privileged member to the World Economic Forum and it has been acknowledged as an elite member of the top two hundred â€Å"Global Growth Companies†. As part of its business strategy, the company has chalked out an ambitious growth plan Lancos Vision 2015: to build a High Performance Organization with an operating capacity of 15000 MW in Power. Lanco also envisages aggressive growth plans for EPC with a strong Order book growth. VISION OF LANCO An India without poverty, where the internationally agreed millennium development goals are met and people with dignity and respect, using their full potential to access the opportunities and exercise choices for their own development -a society that constantly moves to inspire people. MISSION OF LANCO To work towards developing rural and urben communities in order to reduce poverty and contribute effectively towards reduction in loss of environment resources. To improve human development indices through projects and programs at the local, state and national level. Mission†¦. Development of society through enterpreneurship Vision†¦. Most admired integrated infrastructure enterprise VALUES OF LANCO Integrity We choose to be honest in all our Business Interactions and Transactions and remain steadfast even when challenged. We strive for consistency between what we think, what we Say and what we do. Humility Respect We are consistently humble in our approach to and interactions with people. We treat every person with respect at all times, unconditionally. AWARDS EPC-World Awards 2010 for â€Å"Outstanding contribution in Power Energy sector (Generation)†. 8 th Construction World- Annual Awards 2010 for Fastest Growing Construction Company (Large Category)- 1stRank 7thConstruction World- Annual Awards 2009 for Fastest Growing Construction Company (Large Category)- 3rdRank Aban Power Company Ltd TERI Corporate Award for Environmental Excellence and Corporate Social Responsibility June 2009. IKU II IEEMA award for Excellence in Fast Track Commissioning of Small Hydro Projects February 2009 PRSI Confers Golden Jubilee Award for the â€Å"Most Impressive Public Relations Initiatives† August 2008 Clarion Power Corporation Ltd FAPCCI Award for Excellence in Renewable Energy 2007. Construction World NICMAR Awards 2007 for the Second Fastest Growing Construction Company (Medium Category) in India. LANCO Institute of General Humanitarian Trust (LIGHT) TERI Award 2006-07 for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility. PRSI National Award for House Journal (English) First Prize PRSI Confers Golden Jubilee Award for the â€Å"Most Impressive Public Relations Initiatives† Award for Excellence in Bridge Engineering 1999 from the Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS Employment and training opportunities in the field of construction. Private sector housing boom and commercial building demands Construction of the multi building projects on the feasible locations in the country. Good structured national network facilitates the boom of construction industry. Low cost well- educated and skilled labour force is now widely available across the country. Sufficient availability of raw material and natural resources in the country is supportive for the industry. Real estate development is on high and it is attracting the focus of the industry towards construction. WEAKNESS Distance between construction projects reduces business efficiency. Training itself has become a challenge. Changing skills requirements and an ageing workforce may emphasize the skills gap. Improvement in long-term career prospects is highly required to encourage staff retention and new entrants. External allocation of large contracts becomes difficult. Lack of clearly defined processes and procedures for construction and its management. Huge amount of money needs to be invested in this industry. OPPORTUNITIES Continuous private sector housing boom will create more construction opportunities. Public sector projects through Public Private Partnerships will bring further opportunities. Developing supply chain through involvement in large projects is likely to enhance the chances in construction. Renewable energy projects will offer opportunities to develop skills and capacity in new markets. More flexible training delivery techniques are now available. Financial supports like loan and insurance and growth in income of people is in support of construction industry. THREATS Long term market instability and uncertainty may damage the opportunities and prevent the expansion of training and development facilities. Current economic situation may have an adverse impact on construction industry. Political and security conditions in the region and Late legislative enforcement measures are always threats to any industry in India. Infrastructure safety is a challenging task in construction industry. Lack of political willingness and support on promoting new strategies. Natural abnormal casualties such as earth quake and floods are uncertain and can prevent the construction boom. Inefficient accessibility in planning and concerning the infrastructure. Competitors are emerging in the industry by leaps and bounds. METHODOLOGY To Start with, the historical growth of vehicles is examined based on the traffic surveys conducted in the past along the study corridor. Having examined the accuracy and reliability of data, we further analyze the motor vehicle registration statistics at the state level to establish a relationship between the economic variables and the registration data, as a proxy for the traffic growth. The relationship provides the elasticity values by vehicle type, which are then compared with the results of other studies of similar nature carried out in the recent past. The comparative picture provides us the required validation and modification of the estimated elasticity values. Finally, based on the future economic growth prospects in terms of income growth, per capita growth and population growth are considered for estimating the future traffic growth rate by vehicle type. Traffic Studies are carried out: To obtain the knowledge of the type and volume of traffic at present and to estimate future traffic that the road is expected to carry. To determine the facilities provided on the roads such as traffic regulation and control, intersections, so that improvement on the basis of traffic density may be carried out. To design the geometric features and pavement thickness on the basis of traffic surveys. Traffic survey and studies are done as a part of the study to assess the base year traffic pattern. Different traffic studies : A comprehensive 7 day traffic volume count at toll plaza locations. Origin-destination (OD) survey at 2 suitable locations. A comprehensive 1 day number plate registration survey at toll plaza locations. Comprehensive surveys between the alternate routes covering both existing and future responsibilities. Calculation of: Average daily traffic (ADT). Annual average daily traffic (AADT) considering the seasonality variation. A comprehensive 7 day traffic volume count at toll plaza locations: The main objective of classified traffic volume count was to access the traffic characteristics on project road section in terms of hourly variation, peak hour traffic, average daily traffic, traffic composition and directional distribution. The survey was carried out by vehicle counting and classifying the vehicle passing the survey station. The counts were made separately for motorized and non motorized vehicles. In addition toll exempted vehicles i.e. government, ambulance, fire vehicles etc. were classified separately. Traffic Volume is the number of vehicles crossing a section of road per unit time at any selected period. The commonly used units are vehicles per day and vehicles per hour. The various methods available are: Manual methods Combination of manual and mechanical method Automatic devices Moving observer devices Photographic methods Generally manual method is used. This method employs a field team to record traffic volume on the prescribed record sheets. In this method the fluctuations of traffic volume during the hours of the day and the daily variations are observed. Origin-destination (OD) survey at 2 suitable locations: Origin and Destination survey for road section was obtained by carrying out by police assistance. Data of origin and destination of the trip was collected in the survey; a zoning system was order to analyze the origin destination data. Origin destination data was used to identify the zones that contribute to the traffic on the road. Growth of traffic on the road will depend upon the economic developments in the influence areas of the road. TheOrigin -Destination survey was carried out with the primary objective of studying the travel pattern of passenger and goods traffic along the study corridor. The results of this survey forms a useful input for estimating the growth rates for traffic projections, identification of toll plaza location and planning for toll collection system. The various applications of OD survey may be summed up as follows: To locate expressway or major routes along the desire lines. To judge the adequacy of parking facilities and to plan for future. To locate intermediate stops of public transport. To establish preferential routes for various categories of vehicle including by pass. Methods for collecting the OD survey data: Road-side interview method License plate method Return post card method Tag-on-car method Generally road-side interview method is used in which vehicles are stopped at previously decided interview stations by a group of persons with the help of police assistance and the answers to prescribed questionnaire are collected on the spot. A comprehensive 1 day number plate registration survey at toll plaza locations: Registration plate survey is carried out at all toll plaza locations to know that how much traffic is influenced by the local traffic. Because if the person is staying inside the radius of 20 kms from the toll plaza location then he has to pay only 50 percent of the toll tax according to the government policy. Comprehensive surveys between the alternate routes: The main objective of this survey is to analyze the alternative routes and leakage of traffic on the project road because it will directly affect your toll revenue. Average daily traffic (ADT): Average daily trafficorADT is the average number ofvehiclestwo-way passing a specific point in a 24-hour period, normally measured throughout a year. ADT is not as highly referred to as the engineering standard ofAADTwhich is the standard measurement for vehicle traffic load on a section of road, and the basis for most decisions regardingtransport planning, or to the environmental hazards of pollution related to road transport. Annual average daily traffic (AADT): Annual average daily traffic or AADT is a measure used primarily intransportation planningandtransportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of ahighwayorroad for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is. It is also sometimes reported as average annual daily traffic. One of the most important uses of AADT is for determining funding for the maintenance and improvement of Highways. AADT is calculated by multiplying Seasonal variation factor in ADT. Formula for calculating Annual average daily traffic (AADT) from ADT is as under: Annual average daily traffic (AADT) = Factor * Average daily traffic Seasonal Variation of traffic (correction factor) The flow of traffic on the road varies significantly during different months of the year. As monthly flow data is not available, petrol and diesel sales are collected from petrol stations along the highway to calculate the correction factor. This data is analyzed compared to the month of ADT the annual average variation factor valuated to arrive at AADT from ADT as recorded. REASEARCH AND FINDINGS For completion of the project â€Å"Strategies involved in opting an infrastructure project (highway) through traffic study† The aim of the project is to analyze and interpret the traffic study reports based on which highway projects are bid. Interpretation of the report is very critical as it helps in assessing the revenue generation for the entire concession period, based on which a bid is made. In order to complete my project, I was asked to thoroughly analyze the report on â€Å"Kota-Jhalawar road section on NH-12 and Aligarh-Kanpur road section on NH-91† KOTA-JHALAWAR ROAD SECTION ON NH-12 TRAFFIC SURVEYS Proposed number and locations of traffic survey stations have been identified after detail reconnaissance. The Traffic Engineer has trained the post-in-charges and monitors the training of surveyors by them. Survey and count sheets have been spot checked on a regular basis and data registered in the field office. Data to be collected from includes: The type of traffic surveys and the minimum number of survey stations were as under:- CLASSIFIED VOLUME COUNT The classified traffic volume count surveys have been carried out for 7 days (continuous, direction-wise) at the selected survey stations indicated below. Keeping in view the vehicle classification system given in IRC codes (IRC 9 1972, IRC SP: 19 2001) the following generalized classification system have been used in recording the classified volume count. Motorized Traffic Non-Motorized Traffic: 2-Wheeler Bi-Cycle 3-Wheeler Cycle-Rickshaw Passenger Car Animal Drawn Vehicle (ADV) Utility Vehicle (Jeep, Van etc.) Hand Cart Other Non-Motorized Vehicle Bus LCV Truck MCV: 2-Axle Rigid Chassis MCV: 3-Axle Rigid Chassis MAV Semi Articulated (For Procedure of Traffic Analysis refer Annexure I ) ORIGIN-DESTINATION SURVEYS: We have carried out O-D and Commodity Movement Surveys at locations given below in accordance with IRC: 9-1972. The roadside interviews were on random sample basis as per TOR. The trip matrices were worked out for each vehicle type information on weight for trucks was summed up by commodity type and the results tabulated, giving total weight and average weight per truck for the various commodity types. The sample size for each vehicle type was indicated on the table and also in the graphical representations. The data derived from surveys has also been analyzed to bring out the lead and load characteristics and desire line diagrams. Three Locations identified for O-D surveys are as under:- Near Kebal Nagar Village(Both Direction) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.265.000 Near Devarighata (Both Direction) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..320.000 Near Chandrabhaga river Toll Plaza†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..337+500 TURNING MOVEMENT SURVEYS The turning movement surveys for estimation of peak hour traffic for the design of major intersections were carried out for the Study. The details regarding composition and directional movement of traffic have been compiled. The methodology for the surveys was in accordance with IRC: SP: 41-1994. The data derived from the survey was used to analyze and to identify requirements of suitable remedial measures, such as construction of underpasses, flyovers, interchanges, and grade-separated intersections along the project road alignment. Intersections with high traffic volume requiring special treatments either presently or in future were identified. Locations comprising major intersections have been identified during detail reconnaissance. Data for turning movement survey is vital in identifying the section for operation as toll road. Details are presented in Annexure to chapter 6. Identified Location of Turning Movement Count (TMC) stations are as: Sangod Kanwas Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.291.000 Chechat Rawat Bhata Road †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.304.600 Link Road of SH 9A Ram Ganj Mandi †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦315.500 Bagher Mandawar Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.67+683 Mandawar Teendhar Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦346+539 AXLE LOAD SURVEYS The axle load surveys have been done using load cell. The axle load data was collected axle configuration-wise. The number of equivalent standard axles per truck was calculated on the basis of results obtained. The results of the survey have been used for VDF. Furthermore, the data from axle load surveys was analyzed to bring out the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and Single Axle Load (SAL) Distributions by truck type (axle configuration). SPEED-DELAY SURVEYS Appropriate field studies such as moving car survey to determine running speed and journey speed. The data was analyzed to identify sections with typical traffic flow problems and congestion. Recommendation was made for suitable measures for segregation of local traffic, smooth flow of through traffic and traffic safety. These measures have included the provision of bypasses, under-passes, flyovers, grade separated intersections and service roads. Speed delay survey was done for whole project highway. TRUCK TERMINAL SURVEYS The data derived from the O-D, speed-delay, and other surveys was analyzed to assess requirements for present and future development of truck terminals at suitable locations en-route. ROAD INVENTORY SURVEYS Detailed road inventory surveys have been carried out to collect details of all existing road pavement features along the existing road sections. The data collected through road inventory surveys was sufficient to meet the requirements. The data are presented in the format given as â€Å"Road Inventory Data Sheet† (IRC-SP- 19-2001). The headings are given below. Terrain (flat, rolling, mountainous) Land Use (agricultural, commercial, forest, residential etc) @ every kilometer; Name of Village Carriageway width, surfacing type and condition @ every 500m and every change of feature whichever is earlier; Shoulder surfacing type and width and condition @ every 500m and every change of feature whichever is earlier; Height of embankment or depth of cut @ every 200m and every change of feature whichever is earlier. Submergence Details of cross road The data have been collected in sufficient detail, compiled presented in tabular form. The data have been stored in computer files using utility packages, such as EXCEL etc. SUBGRADE CHARACTERISTIC STRENGTH The testing of soils for classification mechanical characteristics has been as per terms of reference. â€Å"Testing of three sub-grade soil samples for each design section or three SWOT and PEST Analysis of Infrastructure Project SWOT and PEST Analysis of Infrastructure Project ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY OUTLOOK Indian Construction Industry was almost similar to the construction industry evolution in other countries: founded by Government and slowly taken over by enterprises. After independence the need for industrial and infrastructural developments in India laid the foundation stone of construction, architectural and engineering services. The objective of such an imposition was to develop local design capabilities parallel with the inflow of imported technology and skills. This measure encouraged international construction and consultancy organizations to set upjoint venturesand register their presence in India. In India Construction has accounted for around 40 per cent of the development investment during the past 50 years. Around 16 per cent of the nations working population depends on construction for its livelihood. The Indian construction industry employs over 3 crore people and creates assets worth over20,000 crore. Total sales of construction industry have reached 42,885.38 crores in 2004 05 from21,451.9 crores in 2000-01. The Indian construction industry comprises 200 firms in the corporate sector. In addition to these firms, there are about 1, 20,000 class A contractors registered with various government construction bodies. There are thousands of small contractors, which compete for small jobs or work as sub-contractors of prime or other contractors. PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL FACTORS SEZ Act to Boost Infrastructural Development: SEZ is the new destination for real estate investors. Currently 150 SEZs are approved out of which 85 SEZs are in the IT/ITES area and 10-15 SEZs in the electronics area.130 SEZs are developed by real estate developers which constitute  of about 50% of the total SEZ area. IT SEZ should be developed and made operational within the period of six months from the date of notification. Thus, 130 approved SEZs would result in investment of US$10 bn to US$ 12 bn immediately. Cement Prices Reduced for State Infrastructure Projects The continued thrust on infrastructure development will provide impetus to the healthy growth in demand, protecting the bottomline of cement companies to an extent. The reduction in the CST and in freight rates on diesel and limestone will be marginally positive for some companies. FDI Liberalization to Augment Industry Growth Recent amendments by the government have made accessibility to the required capital much easier. Opening of FDI in construction and allowing developers to raise capital in international markets has led to developments of larger projects benchmarked against international standard REITs to Positively Affect Real Estate Business The proposed introduction of REMF (Real Estate Mutual Fund) and REIT (Real estate Investment Trust) will boost real estate investments from the small investors point of view. This will allow small investors to enter real estate market with contribution as less than Rs 10,000. The concept of REIT is on the verge of entering India and would be structured as a company dedicated to owning and in most cases operating income producing real estate such as apartments, shopping centers, offices warehouses. ECONOMIC FACTORS Growth in Construction Activity Stimulating GDP Growth India is witnessing tremendous growth expansion of construction activities and construction is largest component of GDP. It has been growing at a rate over 10% in the past few years when GDP growth is around 8%.Within construction; sectors such as roads, railways, housing and power have been keen drivers. Rate Hikes Unlikely To Slow Down Growth It has been analyzed that residential prices have increased by about 15- 20% on average in the last one year. There has been strong growth in demand supported by rising disposable incomes, low interest rates, and fiscal incentives on both interest and principal payments and increasing urbanization. SOCIAL FACTORS Shifting Consumption Pattern to Fuel Industry Growth The consumption pattern of Indian households is undergoing a gradual, but steady change. The share of food and beverages, which used to constitute almost 50% of household spend until 2003 is expected to fall to 45% by FY08. We expect the share of discretionary items to consistently rise given the rising affordability and changing aspiration levels. Increased exposure to western lifestyles (through media as well as overseas travels) has altered the consumption pattern of Indian people. Rising Urbanization to Boost Industrial Growth Urban infrastructure consists of drinking water, sanitation, sewage systems, electricity and gas distribution, urban transport, primary health services, and environmental regulation. Many of these services are in the nature of ‘local public goods with the benefits from improved urban infrastructure. The urban population in India will grow by 85 million over the next 10 years. Green buildings in India The green building movement has gained tremendous momentum during 3 to 4 years, ever since the Green Business Centre embarked on achieving the prestigious LEED rating for their own centre at Hyderabad. The Platinum rating for green building has sensitized the stakeholders of construction industry. There is tremendous potential for construction of green buildings in India. The estimated market potential for green building will be about $ 400 million in 2010.There will be favorable policies of the government would provide the right impetus for advancing the green building movement in India. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS Low Technology Adoption to Hinder Growth The poor state of technology adopted by the construction sector adversely affects its performance. Upgrading of technology is required both in the manufacturing of construction material and in construction activities. As a large number of construction materials are manufactured in the unorganized sector, effective monitoring and regulation of the production of these materials to ensure proper quality becomes difficult. Use of low-grade technology in the construction sector leads to low value addition and low productivity, apart from poor or substandard quality of construction and time overruns in projects. The non-availability of quality construction tools is the main reason for this. Besides, the construction sector also lacks information about new technology. Construction as per Indian Requirements The construction needs to be done as per Indian standards and requirements which will demand considerable changes form the international requirements. The infrastructure requirements of India are much different as the population spread, increasing urbanization, increasing slums, the small space for roads, the water problems are more. Ready-Mix-Concrete Being Experimented With The Ready mix concrete business in India is in its infancy. For example, 70% of cement produced in a developed country like Japan is used by Ready Mix concrete business there. Here in India, Ready Mix concrete business uses around 2% of total cement production. Much of construction done in India is very slow paced. The concrete making process at site takes much time with variation in quality. The increasing use of ready mix not only saves on time but allows the better quality. It will also eliminate the storage space at site, eliminate Procurement / Hiring of plant and machinery, reduce wastages of basic material, noise and dust at site will be reduced. Also organization at site will be streamlined. This will improve the rate at which infrastructure can be built in India. ABOUT THECOMPANY Lanco is one of the fastest growing Integrated Infrastructure Enterprises of India, operating across a synergistic chain of Strategic Business Units (SBUs) comprising Power, EPC, Construction, Renewable, Resources, Non-Power Infrastructure, Property development and CSR. Lanco Infratech Ltds current market capitalization is approximately Rs. 15,000 Crores (USD 3.33 billion). Out of the total Share Capital, the promoters holding is about 68 %. The gross revenue of Lanco as on March 2010 was over Rs. 8200 Crores (USD 1.8 billion). Lanco is fast emerging as one of the top three private sector power developers in India with 2092 MW under operation, 7153 MW under construction, and 11070 MW of projects under development. In a strategic move that provides increased fuel security for its current power generating assets and its future power portfolio expansions, Lanco through its step down Australian subsidiary, Lanco Resources Australia, has acquired Griffin Coal Mining Company and Carpenter Mine Management. Griffin coal, based out of Collie in Western Australia, owns the largest operational thermal coal mines in Western Australia, producing over 4 mtpa of coal which can be ramped up to over 15 mtpa in the near term, post development of evacuation infrastructure. Lanco has strategic global partnerships with top-notch companies which include: Genting, Harbin, GE, Dongfang, Doosan etc. Today, Lanco is one of Indias largest Power Traders in the private sector. A people driven organization, Lanco operates from 20 States in India and has international operations in Australia, China, Indonesia, Nepal, Singapore, United Kingdom and USA with a human resource base of about 6500 people. Lanco has an Order book of Rs 25,425 Crores as of September 2010. Lanco is also a privileged member to the World Economic Forum and it has been acknowledged as an elite member of the top two hundred â€Å"Global Growth Companies†. As part of its business strategy, the company has chalked out an ambitious growth plan Lancos Vision 2015: to build a High Performance Organization with an operating capacity of 15000 MW in Power. Lanco also envisages aggressive growth plans for EPC with a strong Order book growth. VISION OF LANCO An India without poverty, where the internationally agreed millennium development goals are met and people with dignity and respect, using their full potential to access the opportunities and exercise choices for their own development -a society that constantly moves to inspire people. MISSION OF LANCO To work towards developing rural and urben communities in order to reduce poverty and contribute effectively towards reduction in loss of environment resources. To improve human development indices through projects and programs at the local, state and national level. Mission†¦. Development of society through enterpreneurship Vision†¦. Most admired integrated infrastructure enterprise VALUES OF LANCO Integrity We choose to be honest in all our Business Interactions and Transactions and remain steadfast even when challenged. We strive for consistency between what we think, what we Say and what we do. Humility Respect We are consistently humble in our approach to and interactions with people. We treat every person with respect at all times, unconditionally. AWARDS EPC-World Awards 2010 for â€Å"Outstanding contribution in Power Energy sector (Generation)†. 8 th Construction World- Annual Awards 2010 for Fastest Growing Construction Company (Large Category)- 1stRank 7thConstruction World- Annual Awards 2009 for Fastest Growing Construction Company (Large Category)- 3rdRank Aban Power Company Ltd TERI Corporate Award for Environmental Excellence and Corporate Social Responsibility June 2009. IKU II IEEMA award for Excellence in Fast Track Commissioning of Small Hydro Projects February 2009 PRSI Confers Golden Jubilee Award for the â€Å"Most Impressive Public Relations Initiatives† August 2008 Clarion Power Corporation Ltd FAPCCI Award for Excellence in Renewable Energy 2007. Construction World NICMAR Awards 2007 for the Second Fastest Growing Construction Company (Medium Category) in India. LANCO Institute of General Humanitarian Trust (LIGHT) TERI Award 2006-07 for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility. PRSI National Award for House Journal (English) First Prize PRSI Confers Golden Jubilee Award for the â€Å"Most Impressive Public Relations Initiatives† Award for Excellence in Bridge Engineering 1999 from the Indian Institute of Bridge Engineers. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS Employment and training opportunities in the field of construction. Private sector housing boom and commercial building demands Construction of the multi building projects on the feasible locations in the country. Good structured national network facilitates the boom of construction industry. Low cost well- educated and skilled labour force is now widely available across the country. Sufficient availability of raw material and natural resources in the country is supportive for the industry. Real estate development is on high and it is attracting the focus of the industry towards construction. WEAKNESS Distance between construction projects reduces business efficiency. Training itself has become a challenge. Changing skills requirements and an ageing workforce may emphasize the skills gap. Improvement in long-term career prospects is highly required to encourage staff retention and new entrants. External allocation of large contracts becomes difficult. Lack of clearly defined processes and procedures for construction and its management. Huge amount of money needs to be invested in this industry. OPPORTUNITIES Continuous private sector housing boom will create more construction opportunities. Public sector projects through Public Private Partnerships will bring further opportunities. Developing supply chain through involvement in large projects is likely to enhance the chances in construction. Renewable energy projects will offer opportunities to develop skills and capacity in new markets. More flexible training delivery techniques are now available. Financial supports like loan and insurance and growth in income of people is in support of construction industry. THREATS Long term market instability and uncertainty may damage the opportunities and prevent the expansion of training and development facilities. Current economic situation may have an adverse impact on construction industry. Political and security conditions in the region and Late legislative enforcement measures are always threats to any industry in India. Infrastructure safety is a challenging task in construction industry. Lack of political willingness and support on promoting new strategies. Natural abnormal casualties such as earth quake and floods are uncertain and can prevent the construction boom. Inefficient accessibility in planning and concerning the infrastructure. Competitors are emerging in the industry by leaps and bounds. METHODOLOGY To Start with, the historical growth of vehicles is examined based on the traffic surveys conducted in the past along the study corridor. Having examined the accuracy and reliability of data, we further analyze the motor vehicle registration statistics at the state level to establish a relationship between the economic variables and the registration data, as a proxy for the traffic growth. The relationship provides the elasticity values by vehicle type, which are then compared with the results of other studies of similar nature carried out in the recent past. The comparative picture provides us the required validation and modification of the estimated elasticity values. Finally, based on the future economic growth prospects in terms of income growth, per capita growth and population growth are considered for estimating the future traffic growth rate by vehicle type. Traffic Studies are carried out: To obtain the knowledge of the type and volume of traffic at present and to estimate future traffic that the road is expected to carry. To determine the facilities provided on the roads such as traffic regulation and control, intersections, so that improvement on the basis of traffic density may be carried out. To design the geometric features and pavement thickness on the basis of traffic surveys. Traffic survey and studies are done as a part of the study to assess the base year traffic pattern. Different traffic studies : A comprehensive 7 day traffic volume count at toll plaza locations. Origin-destination (OD) survey at 2 suitable locations. A comprehensive 1 day number plate registration survey at toll plaza locations. Comprehensive surveys between the alternate routes covering both existing and future responsibilities. Calculation of: Average daily traffic (ADT). Annual average daily traffic (AADT) considering the seasonality variation. A comprehensive 7 day traffic volume count at toll plaza locations: The main objective of classified traffic volume count was to access the traffic characteristics on project road section in terms of hourly variation, peak hour traffic, average daily traffic, traffic composition and directional distribution. The survey was carried out by vehicle counting and classifying the vehicle passing the survey station. The counts were made separately for motorized and non motorized vehicles. In addition toll exempted vehicles i.e. government, ambulance, fire vehicles etc. were classified separately. Traffic Volume is the number of vehicles crossing a section of road per unit time at any selected period. The commonly used units are vehicles per day and vehicles per hour. The various methods available are: Manual methods Combination of manual and mechanical method Automatic devices Moving observer devices Photographic methods Generally manual method is used. This method employs a field team to record traffic volume on the prescribed record sheets. In this method the fluctuations of traffic volume during the hours of the day and the daily variations are observed. Origin-destination (OD) survey at 2 suitable locations: Origin and Destination survey for road section was obtained by carrying out by police assistance. Data of origin and destination of the trip was collected in the survey; a zoning system was order to analyze the origin destination data. Origin destination data was used to identify the zones that contribute to the traffic on the road. Growth of traffic on the road will depend upon the economic developments in the influence areas of the road. TheOrigin -Destination survey was carried out with the primary objective of studying the travel pattern of passenger and goods traffic along the study corridor. The results of this survey forms a useful input for estimating the growth rates for traffic projections, identification of toll plaza location and planning for toll collection system. The various applications of OD survey may be summed up as follows: To locate expressway or major routes along the desire lines. To judge the adequacy of parking facilities and to plan for future. To locate intermediate stops of public transport. To establish preferential routes for various categories of vehicle including by pass. Methods for collecting the OD survey data: Road-side interview method License plate method Return post card method Tag-on-car method Generally road-side interview method is used in which vehicles are stopped at previously decided interview stations by a group of persons with the help of police assistance and the answers to prescribed questionnaire are collected on the spot. A comprehensive 1 day number plate registration survey at toll plaza locations: Registration plate survey is carried out at all toll plaza locations to know that how much traffic is influenced by the local traffic. Because if the person is staying inside the radius of 20 kms from the toll plaza location then he has to pay only 50 percent of the toll tax according to the government policy. Comprehensive surveys between the alternate routes: The main objective of this survey is to analyze the alternative routes and leakage of traffic on the project road because it will directly affect your toll revenue. Average daily traffic (ADT): Average daily trafficorADT is the average number ofvehiclestwo-way passing a specific point in a 24-hour period, normally measured throughout a year. ADT is not as highly referred to as the engineering standard ofAADTwhich is the standard measurement for vehicle traffic load on a section of road, and the basis for most decisions regardingtransport planning, or to the environmental hazards of pollution related to road transport. Annual average daily traffic (AADT): Annual average daily traffic or AADT is a measure used primarily intransportation planningandtransportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of ahighwayorroad for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is. It is also sometimes reported as average annual daily traffic. One of the most important uses of AADT is for determining funding for the maintenance and improvement of Highways. AADT is calculated by multiplying Seasonal variation factor in ADT. Formula for calculating Annual average daily traffic (AADT) from ADT is as under: Annual average daily traffic (AADT) = Factor * Average daily traffic Seasonal Variation of traffic (correction factor) The flow of traffic on the road varies significantly during different months of the year. As monthly flow data is not available, petrol and diesel sales are collected from petrol stations along the highway to calculate the correction factor. This data is analyzed compared to the month of ADT the annual average variation factor valuated to arrive at AADT from ADT as recorded. REASEARCH AND FINDINGS For completion of the project â€Å"Strategies involved in opting an infrastructure project (highway) through traffic study† The aim of the project is to analyze and interpret the traffic study reports based on which highway projects are bid. Interpretation of the report is very critical as it helps in assessing the revenue generation for the entire concession period, based on which a bid is made. In order to complete my project, I was asked to thoroughly analyze the report on â€Å"Kota-Jhalawar road section on NH-12 and Aligarh-Kanpur road section on NH-91† KOTA-JHALAWAR ROAD SECTION ON NH-12 TRAFFIC SURVEYS Proposed number and locations of traffic survey stations have been identified after detail reconnaissance. The Traffic Engineer has trained the post-in-charges and monitors the training of surveyors by them. Survey and count sheets have been spot checked on a regular basis and data registered in the field office. Data to be collected from includes: The type of traffic surveys and the minimum number of survey stations were as under:- CLASSIFIED VOLUME COUNT The classified traffic volume count surveys have been carried out for 7 days (continuous, direction-wise) at the selected survey stations indicated below. Keeping in view the vehicle classification system given in IRC codes (IRC 9 1972, IRC SP: 19 2001) the following generalized classification system have been used in recording the classified volume count. Motorized Traffic Non-Motorized Traffic: 2-Wheeler Bi-Cycle 3-Wheeler Cycle-Rickshaw Passenger Car Animal Drawn Vehicle (ADV) Utility Vehicle (Jeep, Van etc.) Hand Cart Other Non-Motorized Vehicle Bus LCV Truck MCV: 2-Axle Rigid Chassis MCV: 3-Axle Rigid Chassis MAV Semi Articulated (For Procedure of Traffic Analysis refer Annexure I ) ORIGIN-DESTINATION SURVEYS: We have carried out O-D and Commodity Movement Surveys at locations given below in accordance with IRC: 9-1972. The roadside interviews were on random sample basis as per TOR. The trip matrices were worked out for each vehicle type information on weight for trucks was summed up by commodity type and the results tabulated, giving total weight and average weight per truck for the various commodity types. The sample size for each vehicle type was indicated on the table and also in the graphical representations. The data derived from surveys has also been analyzed to bring out the lead and load characteristics and desire line diagrams. Three Locations identified for O-D surveys are as under:- Near Kebal Nagar Village(Both Direction) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.265.000 Near Devarighata (Both Direction) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..320.000 Near Chandrabhaga river Toll Plaza†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..337+500 TURNING MOVEMENT SURVEYS The turning movement surveys for estimation of peak hour traffic for the design of major intersections were carried out for the Study. The details regarding composition and directional movement of traffic have been compiled. The methodology for the surveys was in accordance with IRC: SP: 41-1994. The data derived from the survey was used to analyze and to identify requirements of suitable remedial measures, such as construction of underpasses, flyovers, interchanges, and grade-separated intersections along the project road alignment. Intersections with high traffic volume requiring special treatments either presently or in future were identified. Locations comprising major intersections have been identified during detail reconnaissance. Data for turning movement survey is vital in identifying the section for operation as toll road. Details are presented in Annexure to chapter 6. Identified Location of Turning Movement Count (TMC) stations are as: Sangod Kanwas Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.291.000 Chechat Rawat Bhata Road †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.304.600 Link Road of SH 9A Ram Ganj Mandi †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦315.500 Bagher Mandawar Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.67+683 Mandawar Teendhar Junction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦346+539 AXLE LOAD SURVEYS The axle load surveys have been done using load cell. The axle load data was collected axle configuration-wise. The number of equivalent standard axles per truck was calculated on the basis of results obtained. The results of the survey have been used for VDF. Furthermore, the data from axle load surveys was analyzed to bring out the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and Single Axle Load (SAL) Distributions by truck type (axle configuration). SPEED-DELAY SURVEYS Appropriate field studies such as moving car survey to determine running speed and journey speed. The data was analyzed to identify sections with typical traffic flow problems and congestion. Recommendation was made for suitable measures for segregation of local traffic, smooth flow of through traffic and traffic safety. These measures have included the provision of bypasses, under-passes, flyovers, grade separated intersections and service roads. Speed delay survey was done for whole project highway. TRUCK TERMINAL SURVEYS The data derived from the O-D, speed-delay, and other surveys was analyzed to assess requirements for present and future development of truck terminals at suitable locations en-route. ROAD INVENTORY SURVEYS Detailed road inventory surveys have been carried out to collect details of all existing road pavement features along the existing road sections. The data collected through road inventory surveys was sufficient to meet the requirements. The data are presented in the format given as â€Å"Road Inventory Data Sheet† (IRC-SP- 19-2001). The headings are given below. Terrain (flat, rolling, mountainous) Land Use (agricultural, commercial, forest, residential etc) @ every kilometer; Name of Village Carriageway width, surfacing type and condition @ every 500m and every change of feature whichever is earlier; Shoulder surfacing type and width and condition @ every 500m and every change of feature whichever is earlier; Height of embankment or depth of cut @ every 200m and every change of feature whichever is earlier. Submergence Details of cross road The data have been collected in sufficient detail, compiled presented in tabular form. The data have been stored in computer files using utility packages, such as EXCEL etc. SUBGRADE CHARACTERISTIC STRENGTH The testing of soils for classification mechanical characteristics has been as per terms of reference. â€Å"Testing of three sub-grade soil samples for each design section or three

The Detrimental Effects Acid Rain

With scientists and so-called â€Å"experts† on the environment disagreeing on so many issues, it is easy for the public to be lost in the fray of what is truth and what is media hype. Though the term â€Å"acid rain† has been present in our society since the early 1970†³s, many people are not exactly clear on what it is what causes it, and the detrimental effects acid rain has on our environment. More confusing than all of the facts and scientific theories surrounding acid rain is the development of a suitable solution to reduce air pollution, which in turn leads to acid rain. Many experts do not agree that acid rain has in fact been caused by man made pollution because of the fact that rain is naturally acidic. This widespread disagreement delayed international action to reduce pollution for some time. However, with the coming of the 1970†³s an awareness of acid rain spread, and with that awareness, possible solutions were proposed. These solutions involved making environmental changes on the international, industrial, and personal levels. Just how does acid rain form, and what consequences does it pose to our environment? There are numerous theories as to the cause of acid rain. However, the most prevalent is the theory that electric generating plants, heating plants, and other industrial plants have been emitting an excess amount of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic chemicals (VOC†s) into the atmosphere. Once these chemicals are in the air, they react with water to form acids and fall back to the earth as precipitation. People who believe acid rain is a natural phenomenon do so because of the fact that carbon dioxide in the air combines with water vapor and produces carbonic acid (Bolch 95). There are several environmental risks that come with acid rain. One of these is the acidification of lakes, resulting in the lakes† inability to sustain the aquatic life. In fact, Norway reported that 18,000 out of 85,000 of their lakes were acidified, and more than half of their fish population has disappeared (Brunee 23). Ground water can also become more acidic because of the way acid rain depletes the natural buffer system of the soil. Studies done in the early '70†³s indicate immense damage done to the forests, especially in Eastern Europe and in Germany. A sort of â€Å"tree disease† has been destroying a large percentage of the coniferous trees. The effect of acid rain on wildlife could include the contamination of the entire food chain by causing heavy metal accumulation in aquatic life. The effects that acid rain has on humans has not been effectively studied. However, scientists believe that occurrences of respiratory diseases such as asthma may be on the rise. Acid rain is also causing many historical buildings around the world to erode and decay at an increasingly higher rate. Since the early 1970†³s, many efforts have been made to reduce the air pollution that causes acid rain. The United States government passed the first Clean Air Act in 1972. This act established standards of air quality in order to protect public health. It also required states to submit plans for attainment of these standards. The second Clean Air Act passed in1990 took regulation of air pollutant emissions a step further. It called for a further reduction in car tailpipe emissions, as well as mandating the development of cleaner fuels to be used in metropolitan areas. It listed 189 specific toxic chemicals to be regulated as hazardous air pollutants, as well as establishing a new permitting program for stationary sites of industrial air pollution. These sources of air pollution were now required to have an EPA-issued operating permit that specified allowable emissions (Kraft 87). These governmental controls have effectively reduced air pollution in our country, but at what cost? Writer, Michael E. Kraft asks the question that burns in many of our minds. â€Å"How clean is clean enough? How safe is safe enough, considering available technology and costs? † Initiatives to help meet proposed air quality standards are extremely costly, and they impose substantial burdens on the state and local government. The level of spending on air pollution control in 1972 was $8 billion. By 1990 that figure has risen to $30 billion (Meiners 5). Many experts doubt that money was spent wisely by the government, and claim that the same amount of reduction in air pollution could have been attained using half of the money spent if the government was more efficient. Obviously the U. S. overnment has taken a stand against pollution, and has paid the extremely high financial costs. Many people are quick to point the environmental finger at less developed countries and ask why they are not going to such measures to reduce their own pollution. Like many other things, this too comes down to money. There is a drastic inequality among the rich and the poor nations. This has a large impact on the ability of those poorer countries to address environmental concerns. In 1991, the richest 20% of the nations received 85% of the world income, while the poorest 20% received only a mere 1. % (Sandler 20). In order to effectively solve any global problem, the nations who are most affected by the problem, and would benefit the most from a solution must take on an active role in the resolution of the problem. If these countries take an aggressive and public stand on fighting and reducing their own pollution, other countries will follow their lead (Sandler 148). A large group of nations are cooperating in order to solve a global problem; they form a sort of power, or clout that is effective in pressuring other nations to join the fight. Such cooperation and discussion between nations is crucial in olving an environmental problem like acid rain and air pollution because of the fact that one country†s pollution will often harm neighboring countries. If a couple of nations take a stand against pollution while the others sit idly and watch, what benefit will the efforts result in? The fact that the Earth†s population is increasing at a frighteningly high rate is no surprise to most of us. We have heard time and again about the inability of the earth to sustain such a high population. This constant increase in population is causing an extreme increase in energy needs, which is leading to more pollution. Some scientists claim that if the population increase does not stabilize, it will be almost impossible to effectively control and reduce pollution with our current technology and methods of controlling pollution (Sandler 21). Science and technology play an important role in the reduction of air pollution. When there is a better understanding of a problem it can be handled with a greater efficiency. Scientists claim that nitrogen oxide emissions can be lowered through improved efficiency and conservation, especially in residential and commercial uses. Installing low nitrogen oxide burners will reduce the nitrogen oxide emissions. Setting emission standards on vehicles can cut pollution from mobile sources. New vehicles can incorporate improved emissions technology. Sulfur emissions can be reduced through the use of low-sulfur coal and oil, as well as flue-gas desulfurization for power plants. The implementation and use of hydro electricity, solar power, tidal energy, geothermal energy, and wind power have all been proposed as possible solutions to the problem of air pollution. Reducing air pollution is a very complicated task because of the involvement and support it requires from foreign nations, and the industrial world. A much less recognized, but equally important level of involvement is that from the public. It is extremely easy for the public to point their fingers at big business and demand a change for the improvement of our environment, without properly examining their personal effect on the problem. Why is the public seemingly oblivious about the ways that they can help reduce this problem? It is possible that they have been confused by differing opinions, and left out of the process of implementing possible solutions, which has alienated. Consensus among scientists can speed agreement on how to respond to hazards† (Kraft 18). Though this consensus would be ideal, it is not often the case due to growing uncertainties about health and environmental effects. â€Å"A more promising alternative is to improve the way scientists conduct risk assessments and discuss them with the public and stakeholders. Credibility and trust are crucial ingredients in effective assessment and management of risks. Providing opportunities for thorough discussions of the issues at hand and consideration of public views will inspire confidence in any proposed action† (Kraft 18). While some people are simply unaware of the problem of air pollution by the public, others are simply lazy. An extreme dependence on modern conveniences has contributed to this. Driving cars to every possible destination, no matter how near, seems to be an epidemic in this country. Luckily, the cure is a simple one. Alternative forms of environmentally sound transportation are usually readily available to those who are willing to utilize them. Public transportation, car-pooling, bike riding, and walking are just a few ways to cut the pollution that the public sector is responsible for. If the government had not stepped in and taken a stand for the environment, pollution levels would undoubtedly be awful today. The industrial decision-makers are too often blind to the needs and concerns of the environment because of the financial burden that environmental protection entails. And while most of the air pollution does come from industrial sites, we all could and should do our own part to help resolve this problem. Sooner or later we have all got to realize that in order to save the environment from disaster, we are going to have to be willing to sacrifice some of the conveniences that we have become so accustomed to.

Compare and Contrast the Main Principles Psychological Therapies

Good psychological health is characteristic of a person's ability to complete some key functions and activities, including: learning ability, ability of feel, expression and management of all kinds of positive and negative emotions, the ability to form and maintain good human relations and the ability of deal with and change management and uncertainty. (Mental health foundation) Good psychological health not only is the lack of may diagnose mental health problems, although a good mental health may help prevent the development of many of these issues.There are some mental health problems: strong emotional experience, behavior/motivation to change, physical/physical symptoms, unrealistic idea and thought prejudice and distress and damage function, etc. So in order to tackle those mental health problems, psychology clients need some effectively therapeutic approaches to treat. In generally, treating common mental health problems can through two main ways: Medication therapy and Psycholo gical therapies. The ratio is 2:1 preference psychological therapy and medication therapy, when people seeking treatment for common psychological health problems.It can be seen that people are more willing to choose psychological therapies to treat their problems. The psychological therapies including: psychodynamic therapy, behavior therapy, humanistic therapy, cognitive therapy, systemic and family therapies. (Kate Cavanagh(lecture), 2012) In this essay, I will focus on the behavior therapy and cognitive therapy. Following paragraph will analysis the behavior therapy and the paragraph next the behavior therapy will explain cognitive therapy in detail. In the finally paragraph I will compare and contrast the main principles between behavior therapy and cognitive therapy.Behavior therapy The definition of behavior therapy is a nonbiological form of therapy that developed largely out of learning theory research and that is normally applied directly, incrementally, and experimentally in the treatment of specific maladaptive behavior patterns. (Erwin, 1978, p. 44) There are two main principles here, ‘the classical conditioning principles’ and ‘the operant learning principles’. Classical conditioning is the learnt association between stimulus and response. Behaviorists have described many different phenomenons with classical conditioning. The most famous xperiment is a famous physiologist Ivan Petrovich(1894-1936)’s experiment. The experiment is about the salivary reflex in dong. Without any special training in any way, when the researcher put the meat in a healthy dog’s mouth (the stimulus), the dog is starting to produce saliva quickly (the response). Then the assistant put the meat in a healthy dog’s mouth, and the dog still producing saliva, different from last time, at the same time assistant was ringing the bell. Finally, when assistant is ringing bell, the dog will producing saliva. It can be summing up to thre e basic stages of classical conditioning. Geoffrey L L, 1990) Stage 1: food (unconditioned stimulus) can lead to salivation (unconditioned response). And bell (neutral stimulus) can lead to nothing (no effect). Stage 2: food (unconditioned stimulus) linked with bell (neutral stimulus), and food still lead to salivation (unconditioned response). Stage 3: bell (conditioned stimulus) can lead to salivation (conditioned response) directly. (Kendra Cherry (1)) Based on classical conditioning principles, the therapeutic approaches include: systematic desensitisation, aversion therapy, flooding and counter-conditioning / reciprocal inhibition.Joseph Wolpe, behavior therapy pioneer, developed a technology, called systematic desensitization therapy for anxiety related diseases and phobia. Systematic desensitization usually begins to see yourself in a progress and use relaxed fear and anxiety of the competition strategy. Once you can successfully manage your anxiety and imagine terrible event s, you can use this technology in real life this kind of situation. The process's goal is to be gradually to trigger cause you pain. (Sheryl Ankrom, 2009) The procedure shows us the desensitization process in following figure. Source from: ‘The practice of behavior therapy’ (Third Edition), Copyright 1982, Pergamon Books Ltd. ) As the figure shows, when anxiety evolking potential of A is reduced from 1 to 0, B automatically is reduced from 2 to 1, and so forth. Aversion therapy is a form of therapy, the use of behavior principle to eliminate unwanted behavior. In the treatment, unnecessary stimulation is repeated collocation discomfort. Regulating process goal is to make the individual association stimulus and unpleasant or uncomfortable feeling. Kendra Cherry (2)) That means using the pairs problem stimulus (e. g. alcohol) with aversive outcome (e. g. nausea), to deter engagement. In the aversion therapy, the client may be asked to want to or participation behavior the y enjoy and contact some unpleasant things such as bad smell, a bad smell or even mild electric shock. Once the unpleasant feeling become related behavior, hope is unnecessary actions or action will begin to decrease in the frequency or completely stop. Mainly the aversion therapy can be used in bad habits, addictions, alcoholism, smoking, gambling etc.The overall effectiveness of aversion therapy can depend on many factors, including the use of methods, and whether the clients to continue after practice the prevention and treatment of recurrence. In some cases, the client may return to previous behavior patterns once their treatment and no longer exposed to frighten. One of the most important disadvantages is aversion therapy the lack of rigorous scientific evidence to prove its effectiveness. A question of ethics in the treatment of the use of penalty is a bigger worry. Flooding is prolonged exposure to feared stimulus and counter-conditioning / Reciprocal inhibition.Pairs feared stimulus (e. g. giving a talk) with new response (e. g. feeling relaxed and confident). Those two therapeutic approaches are not very popular than systematic desensitisation and aversion therapy, so I just describe them briefly. (Kendra Cherry (2)) Operant conditioning is a kind of study method that occurred in the behavior of the rewards and punishment. An association is made between behavior and result of behavior, through the operant conditioning. The most different from classical conditioning is the behaviors are voluntary. Geoffrey L &Sheryl L, 1990) There are two main concepts in operant conditioning: reinforcement and punishment. Reinforcement is any event that raises the behavior follows. Positive reinforcers and negative reinforcers are the main point in positive reinforcers. Positive reforcers are presented after the behavior. The response or behavior is strengthened by the praise or a direct reward, which reflect positive reinforcement. And negative reinforcers involve th e removal or outcomes after the display of behavior. In both of these cases of reinforcement, the behavior rises.On the other hand, punishment is the presentation of outcome or event that caused a decrease in behavior. There are also two kinds of punishment: positive punishment and negative punishment. Positive punishment involves presentation of event or outcome, in order to recede the response. And negative punishment as a punishment by removal is removed after behavior occurs. Both of these case of punishment the behavior decrease. (Kendra Cherry (3)) Operant conditioning key is to use either rewards and punishment mechanism increase or decrease a behavior.Through this process, the association formed between the behavior and the behavior of the consequences. For example, suppose that a coach tried to teach the dog to get a ball. When dog successful chase and picked up the ball, the dog was praised as a reward. When an animal can't search ball, coach reserved praise. Finally, the dog form a connection between his behavior of the grab the ball and receive the reward. Cognitive therapy Cognitive therapy = cognitive behavior therapy (CPT). It is a way of talking about how you think about yourself, how what you do affects your thoughts and feeling and the world and other people. Windy Dryden & William L. Golden, 1978) Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can help you to change how you think (Cognitive) and what you do (Behaviour). After those changes you will feel better than beforetime . It is different from some of the other treatments, it focuses on more the ‘here and now' problems and difficulties rather than focusing on the causes of your distress or symptoms in the past, it looks for ways to improve your state of mind now. (Nancy Schimelpfening, 2007) A lot of mental health problems like anxiety, stress, bipolar disorder bulimia, panic, disorder, depression etc. an be treated by cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). (Brian Sheldon,1995) Everything have both side, also cognitive behavior therapy have some problems. For example, CBT is not a fast repair. A therapist can give you advises or encourages, however they cannot do it for you. If you are depressed, it difficult to excitation and concentrate. (Alec G, Michael T, Ronam M & Nigel S, 2010) Also to overcome anxiety, you need to face it. This may make you feel more eager for a short period of time. Good doctors will your conversational pace. You decide what you do together, so you should keep control. (RCPSYCH)Compare and contrast the main principles in cognitive therapy to behavior threapy. Behavior therapyCognitive therapy focuses on changing undesirable behaviors. Behavior therapy involves identifying objectionable, maladaptive behaviors and replacing them with healthier types of behavior. focuses on working with the client to identify and evaluate potentially unhelpful thoughts and beliefs. Key point: classical conditioning principles. operant learning principles. Key point: chang e how you think (Cognitive) change what you do (Behaviour) Therapy may longer. Therapy may be quiet brief or longer for more severe or complex difficulties

South Africa a Development and Economic Overview - 2383 Words

South Africa A Development and Economic Overview Introduction I chose South Africa as the topic for this research paper. I have always wanted to visit South Africa but have never had the opportunity to travel there. My involvement in international development has given me an interest in this country, as it has many ties to the developing world and the history of developing countries through colonialism. South Africa is influenced by all levels of economic activity including the primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary and quinary sectors which determine if South Africa’s commercial economy. These economic levels, along with the indicators of development, show whether or not South Africa is a developed nation and if so, how†¦show more content†¦The city of Cape Town remains today a city of commercial trade, as trade is conducted through the port in Cape Town to other countries around the world (Economy, 2011). Although many people in South Africa still rely on subsistence agriculture to live, the majority of the Sout h African economy is commercial. They have a plentiful supply of natural resources, which enable them to process those resources and trade them with the rest of the world in the free trade market (South Africa, 2011). In 1948, South Africa faced many problems as a policy of apartheid was implemented by the elected National Party (South Africa, 2011). This meant that there was a separate development of the African Americans and Caucasians, which favored the Caucasian minority (Comaroff, 1997). The apartheid caused many economic problems such as poverty, a lack of public transportation and â€Å"a lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups† (South Africa, 2011). South Africa’s economy also suffered major blows in 2007, when there was an electricity crisis, and in 2009, from the global financial crisis. During this time South African GDP dropped 2 % (South Africa, 2011). This being said, the South African stock exchange remains strong and is now the 18th largest in the world (South Africa, 2011). The Economic Base of South Africa Primary In the primary level of economic activity, South Africa produces many crops through theShow MoreRelatedBrazil Trade Patterns1516 Words   |  7 PagesBrazil Trade Patterns and Overview The world s seventh wealthiest economy (2011 GDP US$2.2 trillion), Brazil is the largest country in area and population in Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil was one of the last to fall into recession in 2008 and among the first to resume growth in 2009. Brazil s GDP grew 7.5% in 2010 and 2.7% in 2011, because of the new global slowdown. The Growth Acceleration Plan (PAC, its acronym in Portuguese) was launched in 2007 to increase investment in infrastructureRead MoreFour Different Economic Systems and Which One I Think Best Suits South Africas Mixed Economy1448 Words   |  6 Pagesanswer the three key economic questions has lead to the evolvement of four different economics systems which i will critically analyse in this assignment. Furthermore, i will be critically discussing South Africa as a mixed economy as to why it is characterized as a mixed economy and the suitability of the economic system for the current economic conditions. â€Å"A government is not need to ensure the whole society’s welll-being† Adman Smith. 2.LITERARY REVIEW OF THE FOUR ECONOMIC SYSTEMS 2.1.Read MoreThe Role Of Competition Law And Its Effects On The Local Market And South African Economy Essay1380 Words   |  6 PagesMy interest in this paper is to consider a complex network prospective; the application of Competition Law, and more specifically related to its effects on monopolistic competition, and its effects on the local market and South African economy as a whole. South Africa (SA) was distant from many other major markets and production centers. This made it complex for international trade to compensate for these conditions, even though trade has expanded since 1994, mainly with the European (EU) and theRead MoreState Capitalism vs Liberal Capitalism1465 Words   |  6 PagesOverview Capitalism is the combination of many actions that provides the economic structure such as the changing balance of output, trade, income and employment. This is based on private ownership by means of corporations or individuals. There are many types of capitalism. This essay discusses two types of capitalism that are currently being debated in the media, State capitalism and liberal capitalism. This essay also investigates whether the South Africa is really state capitalism or are theyRead MoreThe Global Issue Of South Africa1516 Words   |  7 Pages â€Æ' Engagement Summary The Global Issue in South Africa Corruption has overrun all aspects of South African culture since the early 1900’s. The government, the police force, and all of the citizens commit acts of corruption on an everyday basis in order to secure contracts, grants, and in order to earn more money. From a business standpoint, as government contracts are given to certain businesses with connections, many other legitimate businesses are driven out of the market, often leading to lessRead MoreThe Challenges Of Small Businesses Essay1428 Words   |  6 Pages 2 List of abbreviations 4 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Basic overview 5 1.2 Background to the study 5 1.3 Problem statement Read MoreBrics ( Brazil, Russia, India, China, And South Africa1546 Words   |  7 Pages(Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) nations are emerging as global powers in international business. The term BRICS was first coined by Wilson Purushothaman (2003) in a paper published by Goldman Sachs. This paper was the first to forecast the economic potential of the BRICS nations. Today these BRICS nations are referred as emerging economies or emerging markets despite most of these nations already ranking in the world’s top 10 economies. Economic forecasting projects that these BRICSRead MoreThe Following Three Concepts Describe How the World Has Been Divided According to the Levels of Development. Discuss the Origins and Validity of These Concepts: Third World/South, North (West/First World), Development1524 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world has been divided according to the levels of development. Discuss the origins and validity of these concepts. Table of contents 1. Introduction 2. Third world/south and North(West/first world) 3. Development 4. Referencing Introduction In this assignment the three concepts will be discussed, defined according to the levels of the development. Third world will be defined and discussed together with the first world and development. Third world is the developing countries or poor countriesRead MoreInterpersonal Cross-Cultural Competencies And Capabilities1376 Words   |  6 Pagesmilitary, economic, social, information, and infrastructure systems. A country’s culture can be defined as a programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of a region or nation from another. South Africa has a rich and complex culture and history of its own since its independence from Britain nearly a century ago. This essay will go on to discuss in depth the culture and history, as well as geography and military history and concluding with an understanding of how the people of South AfricaRead MoreSouth Afric A Vast History Of Colonialism, Migration, And Migration1605 Words   |  7 PagesOverview: South Africa has a vast history of colonialism, migration and emigration, racial and gender segregation, epidemics, income inequality and extreme violence that has intrinsically affected and shaped the Healthcare System (South Africa Info, 2015). The apartheid is a major contributor of the problematic health system. Although, development in the public healthcare sector has occurred over the years, it still lacks adequate leadership and good management. Despite the policies initiated to