By using this way you can get the list of selected records.
GregorianCalendar gregorianCalendar = new GregorianCalendar();
Criteria cri = session.createCriteria(ProjectActivities.class);
cri.add(Restrictions.ge("EffectiveFrom", gregorianCalendar.getTime()));
List list = cri.list();
All the Records will be generated into list which are greater than or equal to '08-Oct-2012' or else pass the date of user acceptance date at 2nd parameter of Restrictions (gregorianCalendar.getTime()
) of criteria to get the records.