Stop passing the buck on Yamuna once and for all, an angry Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh today told Delhi and Haryana Governments and directed them to take steps to clean the river, which is full of filth and waste.
"Delhi and Haryana... I want once and for all passing the buck on Yamuna to stop. One day in morning Haryana is blaming Delhi and next day Delhi is blaming Haryana. ...But we must do something on Yamuna. Money is not the problem," Ramesh said after dedicating National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network to the nation here.
He said he has convened a meeting of Chief Ministers of both Delhi and Haryana on Sunday to discuss the issue and hoped that a consensus will be evolved about the steps to be taken to stop polluting Yamuna.
"Both the Chief Ministers are coming on Sunday. We will sit down and I hope once and for all, we will have clarity on what steps have to be taken by Haryana and what steps have to be taken by Delhi," Ramesh told the function attended by top pollution control board officials of both the states.
The Minister said the Central Pollution Control Board officials, who had done a field visit, have identified what are the steps Haryana has to take and what are the steps Delhi has to take to stop polluting Yamuna.
"They have done all home work. Now responsibility is up to you and I have told CMs, money is not the problem.
Because we can get money under the environmental remediation window that has been set up as part of the budget," the minister said.
Voicing concern over the pollution in Yamuna, Ramesh on Monday had said that there is "no water" in the river and all we see is waste dumped by the industrial units of Haryana and Delhi.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Two failures later, a third plan to clean the Yamuna (Hindustan Times 28 March 2011)
After two failed attempts that gobbled up thousands of crores of public money, the Delhi government and the Centre are about to initiate the third Yamuna Action Plan to clean the country's dirtiest river, this time for Rs 1,656 crore, to be approved in a couple of weeks, Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh said After a boat ride on the Yamuna and meeting with Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and her Haryana counterpart Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ramesh admitted that all efforts to clean the Yamuna had not yielded results so far.
"We are about to initiate YAP-III, with focus on Delhi. This plan will be completed by 2015 and the existing sewage treatment network in Delhi will be modernised in a very big way," Ramesh said.
The Centre is likely to approve the ambitious Rs 1,656 crore funding, received from the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA).
To put an end to the daily controversy between Delhi and Haryana on the issue of Yamuna pollution, he said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will install continuous water quality monitoring stations at Palla and at Badarpur.
Chief minister Sheila Dikshit, after the meeting, said, "Haryana has promised to do something about the problem. We face this problem every year. Things can't go on like this."
The two states, along with the Union minister, have decided that Haryana will channel the pollution from all the industrial units in Panipat and Sonepat through effluent treatment plants. It was also asked to increase the height of the embankments of Drain Nos 8 and 6, which were mixing with each other and increasing the pollution load emptied into Yamuna in Delhi.
"There will be continuous monitoring of water pollution at Palla, where the Yamuna enters Delhi from Haryana and there will be similar monitoring at Badarpur where the Yamuna flows back into Haryana," Ramesh said.
The first one was already being installed in Wazirabad today, he said.
"There is a common effluent treatment plant in Panipat. Though 512 units have to be connected to that common effluent treatment plant, only 35 have been connected so far," he said.
He said the environment ministry will support further expansion of sewage treatment capacity and effluent treatment capacity if it is required at Panipat so that there is no infiltration of waste water into the Yamuna when the river flows from Haryana to Delhi.
"This will be funded by the MoEF as part of its national river conservation programme. In the next couple of weeks, this proposal will be finalised," he added.
The minister said 47% of Delhi's population is not covered by any organised sewerage network and this situation will go on till the completion of YAP-III in 2015
"We are about to initiate YAP-III, with focus on Delhi. This plan will be completed by 2015 and the existing sewage treatment network in Delhi will be modernised in a very big way," Ramesh said.
The Centre is likely to approve the ambitious Rs 1,656 crore funding, received from the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA).
To put an end to the daily controversy between Delhi and Haryana on the issue of Yamuna pollution, he said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will install continuous water quality monitoring stations at Palla and at Badarpur.
Chief minister Sheila Dikshit, after the meeting, said, "Haryana has promised to do something about the problem. We face this problem every year. Things can't go on like this."
The two states, along with the Union minister, have decided that Haryana will channel the pollution from all the industrial units in Panipat and Sonepat through effluent treatment plants. It was also asked to increase the height of the embankments of Drain Nos 8 and 6, which were mixing with each other and increasing the pollution load emptied into Yamuna in Delhi.
"There will be continuous monitoring of water pollution at Palla, where the Yamuna enters Delhi from Haryana and there will be similar monitoring at Badarpur where the Yamuna flows back into Haryana," Ramesh said.
The first one was already being installed in Wazirabad today, he said.
"There is a common effluent treatment plant in Panipat. Though 512 units have to be connected to that common effluent treatment plant, only 35 have been connected so far," he said.
He said the environment ministry will support further expansion of sewage treatment capacity and effluent treatment capacity if it is required at Panipat so that there is no infiltration of waste water into the Yamuna when the river flows from Haryana to Delhi.
"This will be funded by the MoEF as part of its national river conservation programme. In the next couple of weeks, this proposal will be finalised," he added.
The minister said 47% of Delhi's population is not covered by any organised sewerage network and this situation will go on till the completion of YAP-III in 2015
Minister to also inspect Renuka dam project (Times of India 28 March 2011)
NEW DELHI: Environment minister Jairam Ramesh has promised the Delhi government that he will personally inspect the Renuka Dam site in Haryana in the next couple of weeks. The project is on hold after forest clearance was denied to it as a large number of trees would have to be felled.
"I will visit the Renuka dam site in the next couple of weeks. There is a lot of local opposition to it even though it has been granted environment clearance," said Ramesh.
Official estimates peg the total number of trees that would face the axe to make way for project at 1.67 lakh though sources say that only about 9,000 are fully grown and the rest are small. Delhi has been banking heavily on the project to meet the future water demand.
The minister said it was criminal for a state like Delhi that was losing 50% of its water, 30% as technical losses and the remaining though thefts and non-metered connections, to bank only on outside sources. "Losses have to be brought down substantially. I have also asked the Delhi government to consider rainwater harvesting in the river. The monsoon of 2010 was a lost opportunity as Delhi failed to tap any of the excess water it had received. I had even written to the Delhi chief minister to take action but nothing was done," said Ramesh.
According to the water sharing agreement between the northern states, a minimum flow of 10 cumecs needs to be maintained in the river. The chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana have asked for setting up of a barrage at Palla, as for six months of the year the river is dry and the excess water during other months flows directly into the Yamuna. "The proposal has been brought to me but it would have to be considered by the ministry of water resources. Delhi cannot bank only on dams and needs to look seriously at large scale water harvesting," said Ramesh.
The minister also asked the two states to work actively at resolving the Munak canal issue. Sources said that the group of ministers would be meeting on the issue, and if water sharing between the two is agreed upon, the channel can be made fully functional by 2011-end. It will take another six months to finish the construction work.
"I will visit the Renuka dam site in the next couple of weeks. There is a lot of local opposition to it even though it has been granted environment clearance," said Ramesh.
Official estimates peg the total number of trees that would face the axe to make way for project at 1.67 lakh though sources say that only about 9,000 are fully grown and the rest are small. Delhi has been banking heavily on the project to meet the future water demand.
The minister said it was criminal for a state like Delhi that was losing 50% of its water, 30% as technical losses and the remaining though thefts and non-metered connections, to bank only on outside sources. "Losses have to be brought down substantially. I have also asked the Delhi government to consider rainwater harvesting in the river. The monsoon of 2010 was a lost opportunity as Delhi failed to tap any of the excess water it had received. I had even written to the Delhi chief minister to take action but nothing was done," said Ramesh.
According to the water sharing agreement between the northern states, a minimum flow of 10 cumecs needs to be maintained in the river. The chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana have asked for setting up of a barrage at Palla, as for six months of the year the river is dry and the excess water during other months flows directly into the Yamuna. "The proposal has been brought to me but it would have to be considered by the ministry of water resources. Delhi cannot bank only on dams and needs to look seriously at large scale water harvesting," said Ramesh.
The minister also asked the two states to work actively at resolving the Munak canal issue. Sources said that the group of ministers would be meeting on the issue, and if water sharing between the two is agreed upon, the channel can be made fully functional by 2011-end. It will take another six months to finish the construction work.
Clean Yamuna not before 2015, says Jairam (Times of India 28 March 2011)
NEW DELHI: Any hope of seeing a clean Yamuna in the near future were dispelled on Sunday by environment minister Jairam Ramesh, who said such a situation was not possible before at least the end of 2015.
The minister, who carried out an inspection of the river on Sunday morning and followed up with a meeting with the chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana, said the interceptor sewage system project that was being implemented by Delhi Jal Board would take some time to come up and that in the meantime there were no other ways to stop the flow of untreated sewage into the river.
"By 2015-end I can say with confidence that no untreated sewage will flow into the river. Of Yamuna's 1,375km, Delhi's stretch of 22km is the most polluted. The city's problem has been the massive unauthorized growth, because of which about 65% of the city area is not covered by sewer system. The interceptor sewage system is only an interim measure, and it is the only option we had. What is most important is that DJB sewers all areas," said Ramesh.
Delhi's sewage generation is about 3,200 million liters per day. Its treatment capacity is 2,300mld, and 1,500mld reaches the treatment plants. Of this, the actual treatment is far less. The trunk sewers are settled and a massive process to repair them is on. By August this year, 150km of trunk sewers will be rehabilitated.
The review meeting with the CMs saw discussion on two major points that included the problem of ammonia pollution because of which Delhi has had to shut down its water treatment plants on several occasions and pollution on the stretch of river passing through Delhi. While Haryana has been mandated to supply drinking quality water to Delhi, the capital is expected to release irrigation quality water at Okhla. Both conditions are not met at present.
"We have three main points before us. Continuous monitoring of water quality has to be carried out at interstate borders. For Delhi and Haryana, three such places have been identified. A real time online water quality monitoring system is already installed at Wazirabad and two more have to be installed - one at Palla and another at Badarpur where the Yamuna re-enters Haryana from Delhi. This will immediately pin the blame on the polluter," said Ramesh.
The minister, who carried out an inspection of the river on Sunday morning and followed up with a meeting with the chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana, said the interceptor sewage system project that was being implemented by Delhi Jal Board would take some time to come up and that in the meantime there were no other ways to stop the flow of untreated sewage into the river.
"By 2015-end I can say with confidence that no untreated sewage will flow into the river. Of Yamuna's 1,375km, Delhi's stretch of 22km is the most polluted. The city's problem has been the massive unauthorized growth, because of which about 65% of the city area is not covered by sewer system. The interceptor sewage system is only an interim measure, and it is the only option we had. What is most important is that DJB sewers all areas," said Ramesh.
Delhi's sewage generation is about 3,200 million liters per day. Its treatment capacity is 2,300mld, and 1,500mld reaches the treatment plants. Of this, the actual treatment is far less. The trunk sewers are settled and a massive process to repair them is on. By August this year, 150km of trunk sewers will be rehabilitated.
The review meeting with the CMs saw discussion on two major points that included the problem of ammonia pollution because of which Delhi has had to shut down its water treatment plants on several occasions and pollution on the stretch of river passing through Delhi. While Haryana has been mandated to supply drinking quality water to Delhi, the capital is expected to release irrigation quality water at Okhla. Both conditions are not met at present.
"We have three main points before us. Continuous monitoring of water quality has to be carried out at interstate borders. For Delhi and Haryana, three such places have been identified. A real time online water quality monitoring system is already installed at Wazirabad and two more have to be installed - one at Palla and another at Badarpur where the Yamuna re-enters Haryana from Delhi. This will immediately pin the blame on the polluter," said Ramesh.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Plans to check polluting Yamuna (Hindustan Times 23 March 2011)
The Delhi Government has plans to put an end to the discharge of untreated water in the Yamuna to river pollution. On Tuesday, Delhi chief minister and finance minister Sheila Dikshit announced a project for laying three interceptor sewers in the coming fiscal's The three interceptor sewer s will come up on the Najafgarh Drain, Supplementary drain (Rithala) and Shahdara drain According to the chief minister, the project's completion will help plug the discharge of 75% of the river pollutants. Work is expected to start in June this year.
The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 1,357 crore and it is expected to be completed in three years' time.
Its funding will be done under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Waste water from outer Delhi flows into the Yamuna through 18 drains.
The Najafgarh drain, supplementary drain and Shahdara drain contribute the maximum pollution load.
Delhi gets more than 80% of its water from the Yamuna and only 54% of the population is connected to sewer lines.
Dikshit also added that projects for Yamuna Action Plan -III have been selected and are likely to cost Rs 1,700 crore
The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 1,357 crore and it is expected to be completed in three years' time.
Its funding will be done under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Waste water from outer Delhi flows into the Yamuna through 18 drains.
The Najafgarh drain, supplementary drain and Shahdara drain contribute the maximum pollution load.
Delhi gets more than 80% of its water from the Yamuna and only 54% of the population is connected to sewer lines.
Dikshit also added that projects for Yamuna Action Plan -III have been selected and are likely to cost Rs 1,700 crore
Delhi, Haryana industry dumping waste in Yamuna: Jairam (Business Line 22 March 2011)
New Delhi, March 21: There is “no water” in the Yamuna river and all we see is waste dumped by the industrial units of Haryana and Delhi, says the Environment and Forests Minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh, who on Monday voiced concern over the pollution in Indian rivers.
“You will not find any water in Yamuna. All filth and waste material from Haryana and Delhi is dumped into the river,” Mr Ramesh said at a function on the occasion of the World Forestry Day here. He said, “We must finish de-greening before we start greening projects.”
The de-greening has been created by industrial construction, the Minister said, adding that the pressure of population and works done in the name of development had damaged forests and rivers in the country.
“This is the biggest challenge we face today. We have to achieve economic growth along with conserving forests and keeping our rivers clean,” he said.
“Our Culture and traditions teach us to preserve our forests and natural resources. The government will succeed in this movement only with cooperation from people,” Mr Ramesh said.
“Women are leading the movement of ‘Save the Forests' and with partnership we will be able to achieve our goal.
Awareness about protecting environment is tremendous today and schools, colleges, and NGOs must work together to conserve our environment,” he said.
A calendar of events for International Year of Forests, 2011 was released on the occasion.
“You will not find any water in Yamuna. All filth and waste material from Haryana and Delhi is dumped into the river,” Mr Ramesh said at a function on the occasion of the World Forestry Day here. He said, “We must finish de-greening before we start greening projects.”
The de-greening has been created by industrial construction, the Minister said, adding that the pressure of population and works done in the name of development had damaged forests and rivers in the country.
“This is the biggest challenge we face today. We have to achieve economic growth along with conserving forests and keeping our rivers clean,” he said.
“Our Culture and traditions teach us to preserve our forests and natural resources. The government will succeed in this movement only with cooperation from people,” Mr Ramesh said.
“Women are leading the movement of ‘Save the Forests' and with partnership we will be able to achieve our goal.
Awareness about protecting environment is tremendous today and schools, colleges, and NGOs must work together to conserve our environment,” he said.
A calendar of events for International Year of Forests, 2011 was released on the occasion.
PPP for management of water in some areas (Times of India-30 March 2011)
NEW DELHI: The water budget for 2011-12 did not hold any surprises or the promise of new projects. Delhi Jal Board's primary focus will be on completion of old works and tendering of those projects that have already been announced. After a tariff hike in 2010, this year is the first time that DJB will not be seeking any subsidy from the government for its non-plan expenses. Last year, the board had been granted a subsidy of Rs 50 crore.
A total budget of Rs 1,716.28 crore has been set out for the water and sewerage sectors. While Rs 925.05 crore has been assigned for water management and distribution, Rs 791.23 crore has been set aside for sewerage. Japan International Cooperation Agency which is providing financial assistance to several DJB projects has assured the government that it will not pull out of any of them due to the earthquake and tsunami crisis.
The projects that will be implemented this year include public private partnership over water management in Malviya Nagar, Vasant Vihar and Nangloi water treatment plants. Work will also commence on the water and sewer master plans. Major works on sewers will also take off which includes work at Coronation Park, sewage treatment plants at Nilothi, Pappankalan, Okhla, Chilla and Dilli Gate. Several Yamuna Action Plan-III projects will also start taking shape.
In revenue management, the board intends covering more areas under a metered system to bring down non-revenue losses. SCADA system to monitor all aspects of water production will also be implemented at the Bhagirathi WTP. After a non-revenue water curbing programme at Govindpuri and Munirka in 2010, DJB will extend the programme to more areas in this fiscal. It also intends to introduce hand held bill generators this year while integrating its billing, payment and metering system.
Tracking water tankers will also become easier from this year. The proposal to install a GPS system in tankers has been worked out with DIMTS which will install the system at a cost of Rs 27 crore on all of DJB's tankers for their operation and maintenance for five years, revealed DJB CEO Ramesh Negi.
"The primary focus areas for 2011-12 will be extending water network to unauthorized colonies, starting of Bawana WTP, arresting water leakages, full domestic metering, augmentation of treatment capacity at Dwarka and Okhla, implementation of SCADA and improving consumer convenience," said DJB officials.
DJB is also in the process of extending sewerage to 46% unsewered areas in the city, including over 1,600 provisionally regularized colonies, 1,080 JJ clusters, 27 urban villages, 189 rural villages and 44 unauthorized regularized colonies.
A total budget of Rs 1,716.28 crore has been set out for the water and sewerage sectors. While Rs 925.05 crore has been assigned for water management and distribution, Rs 791.23 crore has been set aside for sewerage. Japan International Cooperation Agency which is providing financial assistance to several DJB projects has assured the government that it will not pull out of any of them due to the earthquake and tsunami crisis.
The projects that will be implemented this year include public private partnership over water management in Malviya Nagar, Vasant Vihar and Nangloi water treatment plants. Work will also commence on the water and sewer master plans. Major works on sewers will also take off which includes work at Coronation Park, sewage treatment plants at Nilothi, Pappankalan, Okhla, Chilla and Dilli Gate. Several Yamuna Action Plan-III projects will also start taking shape.
In revenue management, the board intends covering more areas under a metered system to bring down non-revenue losses. SCADA system to monitor all aspects of water production will also be implemented at the Bhagirathi WTP. After a non-revenue water curbing programme at Govindpuri and Munirka in 2010, DJB will extend the programme to more areas in this fiscal. It also intends to introduce hand held bill generators this year while integrating its billing, payment and metering system.
Tracking water tankers will also become easier from this year. The proposal to install a GPS system in tankers has been worked out with DIMTS which will install the system at a cost of Rs 27 crore on all of DJB's tankers for their operation and maintenance for five years, revealed DJB CEO Ramesh Negi.
"The primary focus areas for 2011-12 will be extending water network to unauthorized colonies, starting of Bawana WTP, arresting water leakages, full domestic metering, augmentation of treatment capacity at Dwarka and Okhla, implementation of SCADA and improving consumer convenience," said DJB officials.
DJB is also in the process of extending sewerage to 46% unsewered areas in the city, including over 1,600 provisionally regularized colonies, 1,080 JJ clusters, 27 urban villages, 189 rural villages and 44 unauthorized regularized colonies.
Cut use of chemical fertilisers to save Yamuna: Ramesh (Indian Express- 28 March 2011)
Geeta Gupta
New Delhi : Environment and Wildlife minister meets Dikshit, Hooda to discuss ways to keep river healthy
Excessive algae in the Yamuna brought Union Minister for Environment and Wildlife Jairam Ramesh’s survey of the river to a brief halt on Sunday, prompting the minister to note the damage to the water body due to excessive use of chemical fertilisers in its neighbouring areas.
Now, the minister has asked for a notification under the Environment Protection Act, prohibiting the use of chemical fertilisers near Yamuna. This is part of a slew of measures announced by Ramesh for the “good health” of the river.
The Central Pollution Control Board has also been asked to set up an electronic pollution monitoring system at Palla, Badarpur and Wazirabad.
Delhi Jal Board officials are hopeful that the directions issued on Sunday will have a positive impact in reducing pollution and contamination in the river.
“The minister has asked the Delhi Pollution Control Board to issue a notification prohibiting the use of chemical fertilisers on the river banks,” said Ramesh Negi, CEO of the Jal Board.
Ramesh also met with the chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana, along with senior DJB officials, on the issue of pollution in Yamuna. He is learnt to have given “positive” leads to the two neighbouring states on reducing pollution, also assuring a re-look at the Renuka Dam project to provide the river with an up-storage dam to tap monsoon flow.
“Haryana has been asked to set up a sewage treatment plant (STP) at Panipat and link all its pollution-generating industries to the common effluent treatment plant (CEPT). This may take close to six months,” a senior DJB official said.
At present, only 35 of the 512 polluting industries in Panipat are linked to the CETP.
For Haryana’s Drain 6, which releases all domestic sewerage into the river, the minister has demanded that an STP be set-up at the mouth of this drain. “He has also asked for an early completion of the parallel concrete channel from Munak to Wazirabad, which will automatically reduce the pollution levels in the river,” Negi said.
Ramesh also pumped in some hope for the much-debated Renuka Dam project.
“As per a Supreme Court ruling, the river must have 10 cubic metres of water flowing per second to ensure fresh water in the Yamuna. But most of the water dries up by the time it reaches Yamuna Nagar and Panipat, after it is released from Tajewala,” Negi said.
“There will be continuous monitoring of water pollution at Palla, where Yamuna enters Delhi from Haryana, and at Badarpur where Yamuna flows from Delhi back to into Haryana,” Ramesh said after the meeting at Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s residence.
New Delhi : Environment and Wildlife minister meets Dikshit, Hooda to discuss ways to keep river healthy
Excessive algae in the Yamuna brought Union Minister for Environment and Wildlife Jairam Ramesh’s survey of the river to a brief halt on Sunday, prompting the minister to note the damage to the water body due to excessive use of chemical fertilisers in its neighbouring areas.
Now, the minister has asked for a notification under the Environment Protection Act, prohibiting the use of chemical fertilisers near Yamuna. This is part of a slew of measures announced by Ramesh for the “good health” of the river.
The Central Pollution Control Board has also been asked to set up an electronic pollution monitoring system at Palla, Badarpur and Wazirabad.
Delhi Jal Board officials are hopeful that the directions issued on Sunday will have a positive impact in reducing pollution and contamination in the river.
“The minister has asked the Delhi Pollution Control Board to issue a notification prohibiting the use of chemical fertilisers on the river banks,” said Ramesh Negi, CEO of the Jal Board.
Ramesh also met with the chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana, along with senior DJB officials, on the issue of pollution in Yamuna. He is learnt to have given “positive” leads to the two neighbouring states on reducing pollution, also assuring a re-look at the Renuka Dam project to provide the river with an up-storage dam to tap monsoon flow.
“Haryana has been asked to set up a sewage treatment plant (STP) at Panipat and link all its pollution-generating industries to the common effluent treatment plant (CEPT). This may take close to six months,” a senior DJB official said.
At present, only 35 of the 512 polluting industries in Panipat are linked to the CETP.
For Haryana’s Drain 6, which releases all domestic sewerage into the river, the minister has demanded that an STP be set-up at the mouth of this drain. “He has also asked for an early completion of the parallel concrete channel from Munak to Wazirabad, which will automatically reduce the pollution levels in the river,” Negi said.
Ramesh also pumped in some hope for the much-debated Renuka Dam project.
“As per a Supreme Court ruling, the river must have 10 cubic metres of water flowing per second to ensure fresh water in the Yamuna. But most of the water dries up by the time it reaches Yamuna Nagar and Panipat, after it is released from Tajewala,” Negi said.
“There will be continuous monitoring of water pollution at Palla, where Yamuna enters Delhi from Haryana, and at Badarpur where Yamuna flows from Delhi back to into Haryana,” Ramesh said after the meeting at Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s residence.
Clean Yamuna not before 2015, says Jairam (Times of India-28 March 2011)
Neha Lalchandani,
NEW DELHI: Any hope of seeing a clean Yamuna in the near future were dispelled on Sunday by environment minister Jairam Ramesh, who said such a situation was not possible before at least the end of 2015.
The minister, who carried out an inspection of the river on Sunday morning and followed up with a meeting with the chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana, said the interceptor sewage system project that was being implemented by Delhi Jal Board would take some time to come up and that in the meantime there were no other ways to stop the flow of untreated sewage into the river.
He added that a major part of the problem is pollution at Panipat. "The sewage treatment capacity at Panipat is insufficient. Haryana needs a plant with a capacity to treat 21mld. It has a capacity of 16mld so far and it is underutilized.
On the common effluent treatment plants front, of the 512 units that have to be connected only 52 have been connected so far. For this, the ministry of environment and forests has decided to pitch in and provide financial assistance to Haryana under its national river conservation programme to augment its sewage treatment capacity. Haryana will develop a proposal for it shortly," he said.
It was also decided that an STP is needed at Panipat drain's mouth so that the day to day problem of ammonia pollution can be curbed.
Under the Yamuna Action Plan-III, the cabinet is expected to approve a sum of Rs 1,400 crore to modernize existing sewage network in Delhi. The project is being funded by the Japanese government and Rs 250 crore will be spent additionally by Delhi government.
"There are 26 drains that are emptying over 60% of Delhi's untreated sewage into the Yamuna directly and we will have to review the progress periodically. DJB is also planning a 100% sewage treatment system under its sewage master plan but that also will happen only by 2020," added Ramesh.
During his boat ride along the Yamuna, Ramesh took note of various illegal activities taking place along the banks that included cattle bathing, washing of vehicles and farming for which water was being extracted illegally from the river and also being polluted due to massive use of pesticides. " Delhi Pollution Control Committee will be given directions to take action on both sides of the river to remove illegal settlements and stop illegal activities," said Ramesh.
"By 2015-end I can say with confidence that no untreated sewage will flow into the river. Of Yamuna's 1,375km, Delhi's stretch of 22km is the most polluted. The city's problem has been the massive unauthorized growth, because of which about 65% of the city area is not covered by sewer system. The interceptor sewage system is only an interim measure, and it is the only option we had. What is most important is that DJB sewers all areas," said Ramesh.
Delhi's sewage generation is about 3,200 million liters per day. Its treatment capacity is 2,300mld, and 1,500mld reaches the treatment plants. Of this, the actual treatment is far less. The trunk sewers are settled and a massive process to repair them is on. By August this year, 150km of trunk sewers will be rehabilitated.
The review meeting with the CMs saw discussion on two major points that included the problem of ammonia pollution because of which Delhi has had to shut down its water treatment plants on several occasions and pollution on the stretch of river passing through Delhi. While Haryana has been mandated to supply drinking quality water to Delhi, the capital is expected to release irrigation quality water at Okhla. Both conditions are not met at present.
"We have three main points before us. Continuous monitoring of water quality has to be carried out at interstate borders. For Delhi and Haryana, three such places have been identified. A real time online water quality monitoring system is already installed at Wazirabad and two more have to be installed - one at Palla and another at Badarpur where the Yamuna re-enters Haryana from Delhi. This will immediately pin the blame on the polluter," said Ramesh.
Minister to also inspect Renuka dam project
Environment minister Jairam Ramesh has promised theDelhi government that he will personally inspect the Renuka Dam site in Haryana in the next couple of weeks. The project is on hold after forest clearance was denied to it as a large number of trees would have to be felled.
"I will visit the Renuka dam site in the next couple of weeks. There is a lot of local opposition to it even though it has been granted environment clearance," said Ramesh.
Official estimates peg the total number of trees that would face the axe to make way for project at 1.67 lakh though sources say that only about 9,000 are fully grown and the rest are small. Delhi has been banking heavily on the project to meet the future water demand.
The minister said it was criminal for a state like Delhi that was losing 50% of its water, 30% as technical losses and the remaining though thefts and non-metered connections, to bank only on outside sources. "Losses have to be brought down substantially. I have also asked the Delhi government to consider rainwater harvesting in the river. The monsoon of 2010 was a lost opportunity as Delhi failed to tap any of the excess water it had received. I had even written to the Delhi chief minister to take action but nothing was done," said Ramesh.
According to the water sharing agreement between the northern states, a minimum flow of 10 cumecs needs to be maintained in the river. The chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana have asked for setting up of a barrage at Palla, as for six months of the year the river is dry and the excess water during other months flows directly into the Yamuna. "The proposal has been brought to me but it would have to be considered by the ministry of water resources. Delhi cannot bank only on dams and needs to look seriously at large scale water harvesting," said Ramesh.
The minister also asked the two states to work actively at resolving the Munak canal issue. Sources said that the group of ministers would be meeting on the issue, and if water sharing between the two is agreed upon, the channel can be made fully functional by 2011-end. It will take another six months to finish the construction work.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
How safe are our cities? (Times of India 27 March 2011)
Indrani Rajkhowa Banerjee,
The Japanese had planned a worst case scenario of an earthquake of 8.4 on the Richter scale, but the actual quake registered 9 on the scale. The fact is that the science of prediction when it comes to natural disasters is non-existent. The fury of nature is beyond human comprehension.
As Japan picks up the pieces after the devastation, the disturbing pictures push us to take stock of the situation back home. A quick recce of the situation reveals that megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore are living on the edge, caught in an endless debate on development vs environmental protection. Here's a lowdown on the environmental time bomb that our metros are sitting on.
On shaky ground: Delhi
Studies predict a quake measuring 7 on the Richter striking Delhi within a 50-year window of 1983-2033. Are we prepared? With a calamity of such magnitude looming large, it's shocking that the city planners have converted the most vulnerable areas of the city, including the fragile floodplains of the Yamuna, into thriving urban habitats.
Here's some more shocking information. The Delhi Secretariat, the high-seat of power, and the office of Delhi Police Commissioner are two of the most high-risk buildings in the city, both built on the floodplains. To quote Sunita Narain, director of Centre for Science and Environment, "Earthquakes do not kill. Buildings kill." It's an irony that the government fails to see this simple truth. An intense earthquake will bring down such construction like a pack of cards, causing unprecedented loss of lives. Manoj Mishra, convener of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, says, "There's unauthorised and unabated construction all over the city. Builders do not always comply with earthquakeproof designs and standards. Overall, there is no strict enforcement from civic bodies and environment impact assessment is a hog- wash. Entire east Delhi (including Ghaziabad and Noida) lying in the floodplains of Yamuna and Hindon rivers belong to the 'very high damage' zone."
Expert Speak: Nowhere should the power of a quake and flood be underestimated. And when the two combine, the results can be deadly. If the Yamuna floodplains are stifled with permanent structures, Delhi will be prone to severe floods in the future. Also, better and stricter housing laws have to be put in place.
As climate change threatens a rise in sea levels, India's biggest megacity – the business nerve centre Mumbai — faces immediate threats. A study by a group of 100 international scientists says that sea levels are likely to rise by as much as 1.4 metres (more than 4 feet) by the end of this century. If these projections come true, most of Mumbai would go under the sea. Mumbaikars already had a preview of Doomsday when regular monsoon showers turned into the 'great Mumbai deluge', disrupting the lives of millions. The danger of similar calamities, which could cripple Mumbai forever, looms large. Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary Asia, says, "An exceptional series of rainstorms could seriously impact the whole city. The natural storm water drainage system of Mumbai has been disrupted by haphazard urban construction. The Mithi river, which used to carry the monsoon water back to the sea, is totally clogged. To top it, coastal vegetation and mangroves, which acted as the buffer while protecting Mumbai from thetsunami waves have been reduced to almost nothing. That can expose the city to maximum danger if there were an onslaught from the sea."
Expert Speak: Bring in stringent laws to save the mangroves. Stop land sharks from converting the rich coastal vegetation as prime real estate!
Water woes: Kolkata
In another 55 years, Kolkata will be the most vulnerable city in the world with respect to climate change, followed by Mumbai and Dhaka, claimed a report released at a United Nations climate conference in Bali in 2007. If the claim is true, then there are many reasons that could be listed for the collapse of Kolkata. The city is already witnessing unnatural severe cyclonic storms after the monsoons, which have increased in frequency over the years.
Another threat comes from the depletion in the flow of river water into the sea. Says environmentalist Mike Pandey, "Due to unabated construction of dams and irrigation in the upper reach of the Ganga, the flow of freshwater to the delta has become less. A survey by the Central Groundwater Board of the Union water resources ministry has revealed that the city's underground water level has receded by seven to 11 metres between 1958 and 2003.
Sea water has gradually crept into the river to fill that space and into ground water, marking an increase in salinity in water used for human consumption." Environmentalists warn that groundwater arsenic and fluoride contamination could be cause for a serious human tragedy.
Also, the entire Sundarban Delta is vulnerable to rising sea levels. Kolkata is 180 km away from the coast, and a third of Kolkata may sink if the drastic fall in the groundwater level is not arrested immediately.
Expert Speak: Keep a check on dams that flout norms. Most dams in the country are built without a care for sustainable flow of fresh water into the river. The civic bodies should ensure that this gap is plugged. There also has to be a stop to illegal encroachment of the mangroves.
Fear from the sea: Chennai
The most recent serious natural disaster to hit Chennai was the great tsunami of 2004. More than 10,000 people died, over 1,25,000 homes were destroyed and hundreds of fishing boats as well as port and rail facilities were damaged. The combination of densely populated areas in the city and the risk of climate-related hazards make Chennai vulnerable to disaster.
Akira Omoto, commissioner of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission, who was one of the men involved in the design of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan, reportedly said: "We thought we had taken all precautions for a tsunami, but what happened was beyond our expectations."
Says Leo Saldanha of Environment Support Group, "Chennai, being especially close to the sea, has a huge danger of being hit by dreaded tidal waves. Sadly, we are not prepared to face the calamity with half the confidence of the Japanese, struck with three simultaneous disasters."
A scientist, under anonymity, says that the warning systems set up after the 2004 tsunami in Chennai have failed, incurring a loss of crores to the state.
However, the loss of lives and property in Japan has been comparatively less than what's envisaged inIndia in a similar scenario. Remarks Saldanha, "This is because the Japanese learnt their lessons from the Kyoto earthquake and fool-proofed their urban planning. Their buildings are earthquake-proof, a rule grossly flouted by authorities in Chennai."
Expert Speak: As seen in 2004, low lying areas of Chennai are most prone to natural disasters like the tsunami. Therefore, adequate relief shelters, healthcare and emergency facilities need to be in place. The state should take immediate measures in planting mangroves as buffers to minimise the effect of tidal waves. The state is also close to nuclear plants, also a high-risk factor during a disaster.
No breathing space: Bangalore
The once 'laidback' city is today a hub of developmental activities. Though the city has no imminent threat from earthquakes or tsunami, experts rue the fact that haphazard planning and construction is choking the city, leading to severe floods after every monsoon. Says Leo Saldanha, "If Bangalore is not equipped to handle 5 cm of rainfall, how will the state ensure the safety of human lives in the face of a big natural disaster?" The city faces meteorological disasters like storms, cyclones and heavy rainfall.
Expert Speak: Proper storm water drainage systems for the outlet of monsoon waters have to be built.
In the case of Japan, with best possible preparation, not to mention the money and scientific talent invested, it was not enough to predict what happened. It will be no different in India if a natural disaster strikes. Sadly, when it comes to saving the environment, we in India are at the stage that the West was in the 1960s. The question is — Can we replicate what the West did? According to Sunita Narain, "Change is very unlikely. It took just a few seconds for an earthquake to erase everything to the ground in north Japan. Taking a cue from Japan on the damage and possible loss of lives, the Indian government must ensure that sustainable development and not greed take over nature's bounty."
The Japanese had planned a worst case scenario of an earthquake of 8.4 on the Richter scale, but the actual quake registered 9 on the scale. The fact is that the science of prediction when it comes to natural disasters is non-existent. The fury of nature is beyond human comprehension.
As Japan picks up the pieces after the devastation, the disturbing pictures push us to take stock of the situation back home. A quick recce of the situation reveals that megacities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore are living on the edge, caught in an endless debate on development vs environmental protection. Here's a lowdown on the environmental time bomb that our metros are sitting on.
On shaky ground: Delhi
Studies predict a quake measuring 7 on the Richter striking Delhi within a 50-year window of 1983-2033. Are we prepared? With a calamity of such magnitude looming large, it's shocking that the city planners have converted the most vulnerable areas of the city, including the fragile floodplains of the Yamuna, into thriving urban habitats.
Here's some more shocking information. The Delhi Secretariat, the high-seat of power, and the office of Delhi Police Commissioner are two of the most high-risk buildings in the city, both built on the floodplains. To quote Sunita Narain, director of Centre for Science and Environment, "Earthquakes do not kill. Buildings kill." It's an irony that the government fails to see this simple truth. An intense earthquake will bring down such construction like a pack of cards, causing unprecedented loss of lives. Manoj Mishra, convener of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, says, "There's unauthorised and unabated construction all over the city. Builders do not always comply with earthquakeproof designs and standards. Overall, there is no strict enforcement from civic bodies and environment impact assessment is a hog- wash. Entire east Delhi (including Ghaziabad and Noida) lying in the floodplains of Yamuna and Hindon rivers belong to the 'very high damage' zone."
Expert Speak: Nowhere should the power of a quake and flood be underestimated. And when the two combine, the results can be deadly. If the Yamuna floodplains are stifled with permanent structures, Delhi will be prone to severe floods in the future. Also, better and stricter housing laws have to be put in place.
As climate change threatens a rise in sea levels, India's biggest megacity – the business nerve centre Mumbai — faces immediate threats. A study by a group of 100 international scientists says that sea levels are likely to rise by as much as 1.4 metres (more than 4 feet) by the end of this century. If these projections come true, most of Mumbai would go under the sea. Mumbaikars already had a preview of Doomsday when regular monsoon showers turned into the 'great Mumbai deluge', disrupting the lives of millions. The danger of similar calamities, which could cripple Mumbai forever, looms large. Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary Asia, says, "An exceptional series of rainstorms could seriously impact the whole city. The natural storm water drainage system of Mumbai has been disrupted by haphazard urban construction. The Mithi river, which used to carry the monsoon water back to the sea, is totally clogged. To top it, coastal vegetation and mangroves, which acted as the buffer while protecting Mumbai from thetsunami waves have been reduced to almost nothing. That can expose the city to maximum danger if there were an onslaught from the sea."
Expert Speak: Bring in stringent laws to save the mangroves. Stop land sharks from converting the rich coastal vegetation as prime real estate!
Water woes: Kolkata
In another 55 years, Kolkata will be the most vulnerable city in the world with respect to climate change, followed by Mumbai and Dhaka, claimed a report released at a United Nations climate conference in Bali in 2007. If the claim is true, then there are many reasons that could be listed for the collapse of Kolkata. The city is already witnessing unnatural severe cyclonic storms after the monsoons, which have increased in frequency over the years.
Another threat comes from the depletion in the flow of river water into the sea. Says environmentalist Mike Pandey, "Due to unabated construction of dams and irrigation in the upper reach of the Ganga, the flow of freshwater to the delta has become less. A survey by the Central Groundwater Board of the Union water resources ministry has revealed that the city's underground water level has receded by seven to 11 metres between 1958 and 2003.
Sea water has gradually crept into the river to fill that space and into ground water, marking an increase in salinity in water used for human consumption." Environmentalists warn that groundwater arsenic and fluoride contamination could be cause for a serious human tragedy.
Also, the entire Sundarban Delta is vulnerable to rising sea levels. Kolkata is 180 km away from the coast, and a third of Kolkata may sink if the drastic fall in the groundwater level is not arrested immediately.
Expert Speak: Keep a check on dams that flout norms. Most dams in the country are built without a care for sustainable flow of fresh water into the river. The civic bodies should ensure that this gap is plugged. There also has to be a stop to illegal encroachment of the mangroves.
Fear from the sea: Chennai
The most recent serious natural disaster to hit Chennai was the great tsunami of 2004. More than 10,000 people died, over 1,25,000 homes were destroyed and hundreds of fishing boats as well as port and rail facilities were damaged. The combination of densely populated areas in the city and the risk of climate-related hazards make Chennai vulnerable to disaster.
Akira Omoto, commissioner of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission, who was one of the men involved in the design of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan, reportedly said: "We thought we had taken all precautions for a tsunami, but what happened was beyond our expectations."
Says Leo Saldanha of Environment Support Group, "Chennai, being especially close to the sea, has a huge danger of being hit by dreaded tidal waves. Sadly, we are not prepared to face the calamity with half the confidence of the Japanese, struck with three simultaneous disasters."
A scientist, under anonymity, says that the warning systems set up after the 2004 tsunami in Chennai have failed, incurring a loss of crores to the state.
However, the loss of lives and property in Japan has been comparatively less than what's envisaged inIndia in a similar scenario. Remarks Saldanha, "This is because the Japanese learnt their lessons from the Kyoto earthquake and fool-proofed their urban planning. Their buildings are earthquake-proof, a rule grossly flouted by authorities in Chennai."
Expert Speak: As seen in 2004, low lying areas of Chennai are most prone to natural disasters like the tsunami. Therefore, adequate relief shelters, healthcare and emergency facilities need to be in place. The state should take immediate measures in planting mangroves as buffers to minimise the effect of tidal waves. The state is also close to nuclear plants, also a high-risk factor during a disaster.
No breathing space: Bangalore
The once 'laidback' city is today a hub of developmental activities. Though the city has no imminent threat from earthquakes or tsunami, experts rue the fact that haphazard planning and construction is choking the city, leading to severe floods after every monsoon. Says Leo Saldanha, "If Bangalore is not equipped to handle 5 cm of rainfall, how will the state ensure the safety of human lives in the face of a big natural disaster?" The city faces meteorological disasters like storms, cyclones and heavy rainfall.
Expert Speak: Proper storm water drainage systems for the outlet of monsoon waters have to be built.
In the case of Japan, with best possible preparation, not to mention the money and scientific talent invested, it was not enough to predict what happened. It will be no different in India if a natural disaster strikes. Sadly, when it comes to saving the environment, we in India are at the stage that the West was in the 1960s. The question is — Can we replicate what the West did? According to Sunita Narain, "Change is very unlikely. It took just a few seconds for an earthquake to erase everything to the ground in north Japan. Taking a cue from Japan on the damage and possible loss of lives, the Indian government must ensure that sustainable development and not greed take over nature's bounty."
Water Bodies Authority planned for Delhi (The Hindu- 27 March 2011)
Smriti Kak Ramachandran
For proper restoration, maintenance of water bodies in the Capital
________________________________________
Many water bodies have high BOD level due to sewage mixing with water: NGO Tapas
“About 900 water bodies across the city under various stages of maintenance”
________________________________________
NEW DELHI: For proper restoration and maintenance of water bodies in the city, a proposal has been mooted to form a Water Bodies Authority that will carry out the work of restitution and upkeep. Also for the revival of the water bodies, a team of inter-disciplinary experts will be set up.
These suggestions came up at a recent meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta, to take stock of the water bodies' restoration work. Following suggestions from stakeholders, it was decided to set up a Water Bodies Authority in the city, similar to the Lake Development Authority that exists in Bangalore. The Lake Development Authority is an autonomous regulatory, planning and policy body for protection, conservation, regeneration and integrated development of lakes.
“We have requested the Chief Secretary to direct the agencies involved to ensure that sewage is not allowed to mix with the water fed into the water bodies and lakes. During inspections, we found out that several water bodies had a high biochemical oxygen demand [BOD] level in them owing to the sewage that gets mixed up with the water,” said Vinod Jain of non-government organisation Tapas, who was part of the meeting.
“The Haus Khas lake and the Vasant Kunj water bodies, for instance, have a BOD level of 20 compared to the other water bodies where the level is 10. So, we suggested that the Delhi Development Authority [DDA] and the Delhi Jal Board [DJB], that are responsible for the maintenance of these water bodies respectively, are asked to make sure that the water that goes into them does not have any untreated sewage,” said Mr. Jain.
Pointing out that 900 water bodies across the city were under various stages of maintenance, Mr. Jain said the review committee has been apprised of the need to ensure a policy for their preservation and strict upkeep.
“It has also been decided that the nodal agency for the revival of water bodies should be the Department of Environment and a team of inter-disciplinary experts from the areas of civil, horticulture and forests will be formed to look into their revival and maintenance,” said Mr. Jain.
A Parks and Gardens Society will be asked to work on the development of each water body on a public-private partnership model. In the Ridge Area, water bodies will be maintained by the Forest Department. Geographic Information System will be used to mark each water body, so that their boundaries can be defined and areas used as greens.
“It was also decided that to restore the water bodies less concrete and cement will be used and more stress will be on the greening aspect. It was suggested that water bodies should be treated as greens. The DJB and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will ensure that only water from rain water harvesting be used to revive water bodies, and sewage water be treated before being released into them,” said Mr. Jain.
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
For proper restoration, maintenance of water bodies in the Capital
________________________________________
Many water bodies have high BOD level due to sewage mixing with water: NGO Tapas
“About 900 water bodies across the city under various stages of maintenance”
________________________________________
NEW DELHI: For proper restoration and maintenance of water bodies in the city, a proposal has been mooted to form a Water Bodies Authority that will carry out the work of restitution and upkeep. Also for the revival of the water bodies, a team of inter-disciplinary experts will be set up.
These suggestions came up at a recent meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta, to take stock of the water bodies' restoration work. Following suggestions from stakeholders, it was decided to set up a Water Bodies Authority in the city, similar to the Lake Development Authority that exists in Bangalore. The Lake Development Authority is an autonomous regulatory, planning and policy body for protection, conservation, regeneration and integrated development of lakes.
“We have requested the Chief Secretary to direct the agencies involved to ensure that sewage is not allowed to mix with the water fed into the water bodies and lakes. During inspections, we found out that several water bodies had a high biochemical oxygen demand [BOD] level in them owing to the sewage that gets mixed up with the water,” said Vinod Jain of non-government organisation Tapas, who was part of the meeting.
“The Haus Khas lake and the Vasant Kunj water bodies, for instance, have a BOD level of 20 compared to the other water bodies where the level is 10. So, we suggested that the Delhi Development Authority [DDA] and the Delhi Jal Board [DJB], that are responsible for the maintenance of these water bodies respectively, are asked to make sure that the water that goes into them does not have any untreated sewage,” said Mr. Jain.
Pointing out that 900 water bodies across the city were under various stages of maintenance, Mr. Jain said the review committee has been apprised of the need to ensure a policy for their preservation and strict upkeep.
“It has also been decided that the nodal agency for the revival of water bodies should be the Department of Environment and a team of inter-disciplinary experts from the areas of civil, horticulture and forests will be formed to look into their revival and maintenance,” said Mr. Jain.
A Parks and Gardens Society will be asked to work on the development of each water body on a public-private partnership model. In the Ridge Area, water bodies will be maintained by the Forest Department. Geographic Information System will be used to mark each water body, so that their boundaries can be defined and areas used as greens.
“It was also decided that to restore the water bodies less concrete and cement will be used and more stress will be on the greening aspect. It was suggested that water bodies should be treated as greens. The DJB and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will ensure that only water from rain water harvesting be used to revive water bodies, and sewage water be treated before being released into them,” said Mr. Jain.
© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu
Cities and towns, beware water woes (The Hindu- 26 March 2011)
Prakash Nelliyat Ambujam N. K.
The World Water Day is observed on March 22 as a means of highlighting the importance of freshwater and advocating sustainable management. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Accordingly, March 22, 1993, became the first World Water Day. Each year, a specific aspect of freshwater is highlighted. This year's theme, ‘Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenges,' is aimed at spotlighting and encouraging governments, organisations and communities and individuals to address urban water management.
The world is inexorably becoming urban. Half of the humanity now lives in cities. By 2030, all developing regions, including Asia and Africa, will have more people living in urban than rural areas. Developing countries are experiencing structural transformations, with a decreasing role for agriculture and increasing dominance of the industrial and service sectors. Furthermore, globalisation has led to increased foreign capital that is substantially invested in urban areas.
The exploding urban population growth and economical activities pose unprecedented challenges to the water sector of cities. Urban populations are heavy users of land and water resources. Hence, rivers, tanks and lakes have been significantly exploited or are lost. Moreover, wastes generated in urban areas are more concentrated. In many rapidly developing cities, sewerage and industrial effluent treatment and solid waste management systems are not to a satisfactory level. Moreover, urbanisation adversely affects the drainage systems and their networks in the city and adds up with another dimension of water-related crisis like floods.
In India, the urban population has increased from 11 per cent (1901) to 17 (1951) and further to 28 (2001). Similarly, the number of towns also increased from 1,916 to 2,422 to 4,689 in the respective years. Among the States, Tamil Nadu has the highest level of urbanisation (44 per cent). The ongoing research under the Crossing Boundaries Project of the Centre for Water Resources, Anna University, Chennai, examines water issues with respect to rapid urbanisation of Chennai.
Mobilising huge quantities of water for meeting the increasing urban need is a big challenge. The efficiency of the public supply system is questionable as sources are highly uncertain. Groundwater in most parts of Chennai is not of good quality. In areas where public supply is not efficient or does not exist, people depend on suburban groundwater resources transferred through tankers and in packaged cans. This informal market has led to excessive exploitation of groundwater, and in many suburban villages the water table has diminished and the quality deteriorated. Moreover, coastal areas are experiencing seawater intrusion.
Added to them is the indiscriminative discharge of sewage, industrial effluents and disposal of solid wastes. Socially vulnerable communities are compelled to use the groundwater unfit for consumption and are hence exposed to water-borne diseases. Solid wastes are disposed of in low-lying public land and groundwater pollution in the surrounding areas is severe due to leachate transfer. The multi-functionality (socio-ecological services) of the waterbodies has also diminished considerably.
Unplanned urbanisation with rigorous land use changes has also had significant impacts on storage structures and drainage canals, which have historically discharged floodwater into the sea. The Pallikarani marsh (near Chennai) and the Buckingham canal used to play a significant role in moderating the floods in south Chennai. Recently, the marsh has been considerably encroached on; hence its storage capacity has reduced. Generally, the reduction in the natural recharge options increases the runoff and makes the city more prone to inundation.
Urban ecosystems, in other words, are “built environments” and they sustain various economic activities, including in the industrial, commercial, residential and institutional sectors. Hence, infrastructure such as water supply and sanitation has to be planned not only for the population but also for the economic sectors. New solutions for improving the sustainability of cities are being explored. Urban water resources management is complex and requires not only water and wastewater infrastructure but also pollution control and flood prevention. What is needed is a paradigm shift in urban water resources management through the coordinated efforts of various stakeholders with community participation.
(Prakash Nelliyat is Research Coordinator and Ambujam N.K. is Director, Centre for Water Resources, Anna University, Chennai. Their email ids: nelliyatp@yahoo.co.uk and nkambuj@ annauniv.edu)
The World Water Day is observed on March 22 as a means of highlighting the importance of freshwater and advocating sustainable management. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Accordingly, March 22, 1993, became the first World Water Day. Each year, a specific aspect of freshwater is highlighted. This year's theme, ‘Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenges,' is aimed at spotlighting and encouraging governments, organisations and communities and individuals to address urban water management.
The world is inexorably becoming urban. Half of the humanity now lives in cities. By 2030, all developing regions, including Asia and Africa, will have more people living in urban than rural areas. Developing countries are experiencing structural transformations, with a decreasing role for agriculture and increasing dominance of the industrial and service sectors. Furthermore, globalisation has led to increased foreign capital that is substantially invested in urban areas.
The exploding urban population growth and economical activities pose unprecedented challenges to the water sector of cities. Urban populations are heavy users of land and water resources. Hence, rivers, tanks and lakes have been significantly exploited or are lost. Moreover, wastes generated in urban areas are more concentrated. In many rapidly developing cities, sewerage and industrial effluent treatment and solid waste management systems are not to a satisfactory level. Moreover, urbanisation adversely affects the drainage systems and their networks in the city and adds up with another dimension of water-related crisis like floods.
In India, the urban population has increased from 11 per cent (1901) to 17 (1951) and further to 28 (2001). Similarly, the number of towns also increased from 1,916 to 2,422 to 4,689 in the respective years. Among the States, Tamil Nadu has the highest level of urbanisation (44 per cent). The ongoing research under the Crossing Boundaries Project of the Centre for Water Resources, Anna University, Chennai, examines water issues with respect to rapid urbanisation of Chennai.
Mobilising huge quantities of water for meeting the increasing urban need is a big challenge. The efficiency of the public supply system is questionable as sources are highly uncertain. Groundwater in most parts of Chennai is not of good quality. In areas where public supply is not efficient or does not exist, people depend on suburban groundwater resources transferred through tankers and in packaged cans. This informal market has led to excessive exploitation of groundwater, and in many suburban villages the water table has diminished and the quality deteriorated. Moreover, coastal areas are experiencing seawater intrusion.
Added to them is the indiscriminative discharge of sewage, industrial effluents and disposal of solid wastes. Socially vulnerable communities are compelled to use the groundwater unfit for consumption and are hence exposed to water-borne diseases. Solid wastes are disposed of in low-lying public land and groundwater pollution in the surrounding areas is severe due to leachate transfer. The multi-functionality (socio-ecological services) of the waterbodies has also diminished considerably.
Unplanned urbanisation with rigorous land use changes has also had significant impacts on storage structures and drainage canals, which have historically discharged floodwater into the sea. The Pallikarani marsh (near Chennai) and the Buckingham canal used to play a significant role in moderating the floods in south Chennai. Recently, the marsh has been considerably encroached on; hence its storage capacity has reduced. Generally, the reduction in the natural recharge options increases the runoff and makes the city more prone to inundation.
Urban ecosystems, in other words, are “built environments” and they sustain various economic activities, including in the industrial, commercial, residential and institutional sectors. Hence, infrastructure such as water supply and sanitation has to be planned not only for the population but also for the economic sectors. New solutions for improving the sustainability of cities are being explored. Urban water resources management is complex and requires not only water and wastewater infrastructure but also pollution control and flood prevention. What is needed is a paradigm shift in urban water resources management through the coordinated efforts of various stakeholders with community participation.
(Prakash Nelliyat is Research Coordinator and Ambujam N.K. is Director, Centre for Water Resources, Anna University, Chennai. Their email ids: nelliyatp@yahoo.co.uk and nkambuj@ annauniv.edu)
How Millennium Bus Depot, meant to be temporary, became permanent (Times of India – 26 March 2011)
Neha Lalchandani,
NEW DELHI: Even after the Millennium bus depot has been in use for parking DTC buses for more than five months, there is no clarity on whether the structure was meant to be temporary or permanent. DDA has also not approved any change in land use of the site.
The bus depot, created for parking buses of athletes, came up after protests by environmentalists brought an assurance from the L-G that it would be a temporary structure and pulled down after the Games. However, the Shunglu committee has found that even before construction started, some agencies had already made plans to have a permanent structure.
"All clearances were provided by the LG for construction of a temporary structure which was ostensibly to be dismantled after the conclusion of the Games. But this project was implemented by the transport department, Delhi government and DTC right from the beginning as a permanent structure. It appears as if the hosting of CWG provided a pretext for landgrab by various government agencies after short-circuiting the established rules and procedures," says the report.
The committee is also surprised to note that the L-G gave a commitment at a meeting held on December 18, 2009, that "in the event of DTC not being allowed to use the parking facilities at the site after CWG 2010, the entire amount spent on developing the site will be reimbursed by DDA." To make matters even more complicated, the chief secretary said that having spent Rs 60.9 crore on the project, DTC would not be made to vacate the premises.
PWD prepared five estimates for construction. Four were on the premise that the parking would be of a temporary nature while one was with specifications for a permanent one. Eventually Rama Construction Ltd was appointed for development of a semi-permanent structure. In January 2009, DDA gave DTC three site options for its parking. In June that year, the chief secretary cleared 29 acres from IP power station and Rajghat power station for the project and a couple of months later allotted another 14.3 acres for development of a baggage screening facility.
In August, Rs 10.49 crore was sanctioned without mentioning whether the structure would be permanent or temporary. In October, Rs 7.95 crore more was sanctioned on the grounds that the developed site be utilized by DTC later as a depot for parking buses.
DTC had started making suggestions that the facility be of a permanent nature since they were in need of space for parking of 2,500 additional buses. In October, an additional 34 acres were transferred on a temporary basis.
In December, DTC wrote to PWD deputy secretary saying that land use of the site in question is public utility services and the proposed act of parking buses for athletes is also a public utility. Hence, no change in land use was needed. PWD all this while had been working on the assumption that the facility would be of a permanent nature.
In Feb 2010, it officially stated its position by revising the estimate of bitumen required. The report says that PWD initially considered it as a temporary bus parking but later "when it was seen that DTC will use it even after Games as a depot-cum-workshop, an estimate was prepared for providing additional bituminous crust thickness."
Then, a letter from the OSD to the LG said that the parking was temporary and would be completely removed after Games. Finally, with 5% of work still remaining, the cost of the project went up by Rs 7.77 crore for work not factored in initially.
NEW DELHI: Even after the Millennium bus depot has been in use for parking DTC buses for more than five months, there is no clarity on whether the structure was meant to be temporary or permanent. DDA has also not approved any change in land use of the site.
The bus depot, created for parking buses of athletes, came up after protests by environmentalists brought an assurance from the L-G that it would be a temporary structure and pulled down after the Games. However, the Shunglu committee has found that even before construction started, some agencies had already made plans to have a permanent structure.
"All clearances were provided by the LG for construction of a temporary structure which was ostensibly to be dismantled after the conclusion of the Games. But this project was implemented by the transport department, Delhi government and DTC right from the beginning as a permanent structure. It appears as if the hosting of CWG provided a pretext for landgrab by various government agencies after short-circuiting the established rules and procedures," says the report.
The committee is also surprised to note that the L-G gave a commitment at a meeting held on December 18, 2009, that "in the event of DTC not being allowed to use the parking facilities at the site after CWG 2010, the entire amount spent on developing the site will be reimbursed by DDA." To make matters even more complicated, the chief secretary said that having spent Rs 60.9 crore on the project, DTC would not be made to vacate the premises.
PWD prepared five estimates for construction. Four were on the premise that the parking would be of a temporary nature while one was with specifications for a permanent one. Eventually Rama Construction Ltd was appointed for development of a semi-permanent structure. In January 2009, DDA gave DTC three site options for its parking. In June that year, the chief secretary cleared 29 acres from IP power station and Rajghat power station for the project and a couple of months later allotted another 14.3 acres for development of a baggage screening facility.
In August, Rs 10.49 crore was sanctioned without mentioning whether the structure would be permanent or temporary. In October, Rs 7.95 crore more was sanctioned on the grounds that the developed site be utilized by DTC later as a depot for parking buses.
DTC had started making suggestions that the facility be of a permanent nature since they were in need of space for parking of 2,500 additional buses. In October, an additional 34 acres were transferred on a temporary basis.
In December, DTC wrote to PWD deputy secretary saying that land use of the site in question is public utility services and the proposed act of parking buses for athletes is also a public utility. Hence, no change in land use was needed. PWD all this while had been working on the assumption that the facility would be of a permanent nature.
In Feb 2010, it officially stated its position by revising the estimate of bitumen required. The report says that PWD initially considered it as a temporary bus parking but later "when it was seen that DTC will use it even after Games as a depot-cum-workshop, an estimate was prepared for providing additional bituminous crust thickness."
Then, a letter from the OSD to the LG said that the parking was temporary and would be completely removed after Games. Finally, with 5% of work still remaining, the cost of the project went up by Rs 7.77 crore for work not factored in initially.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
महानगरों में पानी ( नवभारत टाइम्स-25 Mar 2011)
राजधानी दिल्ली और आसपास के शहरों की कॉलोनियों में सुबह सुबह एक दृश्य बहुत आम है। अपने फ्लैट के किसी नल या सार्वजनिक बंबे से पाइपजोड़कर लोग बड़ी निष्ठा से अपनी - अपनी गाड़ियां धोते नजर आते हैं। लेकिन इन कॉलोनियों से थोड़ी ही दूर पर दस - ग्यारह बजे के आसपास एक और दृश्यभी देखा जा सकता है। पूर्वी दिल्ली या बाहरी दिल्ली के किसी कम समृद्ध इलाके में लंबे इंतजार के बाद दिल्ली जल बोर्ड का टैंकर आया होता है और एक -दूसरे के साथ उलझते हुए लोग बड़ी बेसब्री से अपने - अपने घर की बाल्टियां और कनस्तर ही नहीं , गिलास - कटोरियां तक भर रहे होते हैं।
ऐसी घटनाओं के लिए पहले मुंबई बदनाम था , लेकिन पानी की चिंताजनक सीमा तक कम सप्लाई के बावजूद इसके बंटवारे का काम वहां पहले से बेहतर हुआहै। गाड़ी धोने जैसी गतिविधियों में पानी बर्बाद करने को लेकर मुंबई के लोग हमेशा से संवेदनशील रहे हैं। खुशी की बात है कि मुंबई में जहां - तहां किचन केपानी की री - साइकलिंग भी शुरू हो गई है। दिल्ली में तो अभी इसकी कल्पना भी नहीं की जा सकती। वॉटर हार्वेस्टिंग के लिए राजधानी की कई सरकारीइमारतों में पाइप और पंप जरूर लगा दिए गए हैं , लेकिन इनकी सफलता के ब्यौरे अभी आने बाकी हैं। महानगरों में उनकी जरूरत भर पानी पहुंचाना औरजहां तक हो सके , इस पानी की बर्बादी रोकना भारत के लिए निकट भविष्य की सबसे बड़ी चुनौतियों में से एक है।
किसने सोचा था कि दिल्ली और इसके आसपास के इलाके पीने के पानी के लिए यमुना के बजाय इतनी दूर से निकल रही गंगा पर निर्भर हो जाएंगे ? लेकिनआज यह हकीकत है। यमुना में पानी बहुत कम है और जो है भी , वह इतना गंदा है कि उसकी सफाई का खर्चा उसको सौ किलोमीटर दूर से ढोकर लाए गए गंगाके पानी से भी महंगा बना देता है। अर्थव्यवस्था के मौजूदा ढांचे में केंद्रीय भूमिका महानगरों को ही निभानी है। रोजी - रोजगार का ज्यादातर हिस्सा भी घूम -फिरकर यहीं आने वाला है। ऐसे में लोगबाग पहला मौका मिलते ही दिल्ली , मुंबई , कोलकाता , चेन्नई , बेंगलुरु , हैदराबाद या अहमदाबाद का रुख कर रहे हैं ,भले ही यहां अपना ठिकाना बनाने के लिए उन्हें गांवों - कस्बों में अपनी पैतृक संपत्ति बेचनी पड़े। महानगरों में स्वर्ग से सुंदर आशियाना बनाने का सपना बहुतआकर्षक है और इसे दिखाने में बिल्डर - ब्रोकर ही नहीं , सरकारें भी पूरे मनोयोग से जुटी हैं। लेकिन महानगर में रीयल एस्टेट के इर्दगिर्द केंद्रित विकासरणनीति की अपनी कुछ प्राकृतिक सीमाएं भी हैं।
यहां रहने वालों को कपड़े धोने और फ्लश करने जैसी जरूरी दैनंदिन गतिविधियों के लिए ग्रामीण या कस्बाई आबादी की तुलना में कहीं ज्यादा पानी चाहिए।वह भी किसी बावड़ी या जोहड़ का नहीं , हर रोज लाखों रुपये खर्च करके पीने लायक बनाया गया पानी , जिसे अगले ही दिन कचरे में बदलकर नालियों मेंबहा दिया जाता है। समस्या यह है कि पानी के जिन स्रोतों के पड़ोस में ये शहर बसाए गए थे , उनका आकार दिनोंदिन घट रहा है , जबकि उनसे पानी की मांगकहीं ज्यादा तेजी से बढ़ रही है। समय आ गया है कि इस मुश्किल को हम खुली आंखों से देखें और इसके हल की दिशा में जो भी बन पड़ता है , वह करें।
ऐसी घटनाओं के लिए पहले मुंबई बदनाम था , लेकिन पानी की चिंताजनक सीमा तक कम सप्लाई के बावजूद इसके बंटवारे का काम वहां पहले से बेहतर हुआहै। गाड़ी धोने जैसी गतिविधियों में पानी बर्बाद करने को लेकर मुंबई के लोग हमेशा से संवेदनशील रहे हैं। खुशी की बात है कि मुंबई में जहां - तहां किचन केपानी की री - साइकलिंग भी शुरू हो गई है। दिल्ली में तो अभी इसकी कल्पना भी नहीं की जा सकती। वॉटर हार्वेस्टिंग के लिए राजधानी की कई सरकारीइमारतों में पाइप और पंप जरूर लगा दिए गए हैं , लेकिन इनकी सफलता के ब्यौरे अभी आने बाकी हैं। महानगरों में उनकी जरूरत भर पानी पहुंचाना औरजहां तक हो सके , इस पानी की बर्बादी रोकना भारत के लिए निकट भविष्य की सबसे बड़ी चुनौतियों में से एक है।
किसने सोचा था कि दिल्ली और इसके आसपास के इलाके पीने के पानी के लिए यमुना के बजाय इतनी दूर से निकल रही गंगा पर निर्भर हो जाएंगे ? लेकिनआज यह हकीकत है। यमुना में पानी बहुत कम है और जो है भी , वह इतना गंदा है कि उसकी सफाई का खर्चा उसको सौ किलोमीटर दूर से ढोकर लाए गए गंगाके पानी से भी महंगा बना देता है। अर्थव्यवस्था के मौजूदा ढांचे में केंद्रीय भूमिका महानगरों को ही निभानी है। रोजी - रोजगार का ज्यादातर हिस्सा भी घूम -फिरकर यहीं आने वाला है। ऐसे में लोगबाग पहला मौका मिलते ही दिल्ली , मुंबई , कोलकाता , चेन्नई , बेंगलुरु , हैदराबाद या अहमदाबाद का रुख कर रहे हैं ,भले ही यहां अपना ठिकाना बनाने के लिए उन्हें गांवों - कस्बों में अपनी पैतृक संपत्ति बेचनी पड़े। महानगरों में स्वर्ग से सुंदर आशियाना बनाने का सपना बहुतआकर्षक है और इसे दिखाने में बिल्डर - ब्रोकर ही नहीं , सरकारें भी पूरे मनोयोग से जुटी हैं। लेकिन महानगर में रीयल एस्टेट के इर्दगिर्द केंद्रित विकासरणनीति की अपनी कुछ प्राकृतिक सीमाएं भी हैं।
यहां रहने वालों को कपड़े धोने और फ्लश करने जैसी जरूरी दैनंदिन गतिविधियों के लिए ग्रामीण या कस्बाई आबादी की तुलना में कहीं ज्यादा पानी चाहिए।वह भी किसी बावड़ी या जोहड़ का नहीं , हर रोज लाखों रुपये खर्च करके पीने लायक बनाया गया पानी , जिसे अगले ही दिन कचरे में बदलकर नालियों मेंबहा दिया जाता है। समस्या यह है कि पानी के जिन स्रोतों के पड़ोस में ये शहर बसाए गए थे , उनका आकार दिनोंदिन घट रहा है , जबकि उनसे पानी की मांगकहीं ज्यादा तेजी से बढ़ रही है। समय आ गया है कि इस मुश्किल को हम खुली आंखों से देखें और इसके हल की दिशा में जो भी बन पड़ता है , वह करें।
When a govt builds over its own laws (Times of India- 17 March 2011)
Delhi Has Unilaterally Allowed A Slew Of Constructions, Ignoring Environmental Concerns
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: First came the Commonwealth Games Village on the Yamuna floodplain, then the facilities at Siri Fort at the cost of a few hundred trees, then the stop-gap Millennium bus depot, again on the Yamuna bed. While concerns voiced by environmental activists and experts were ignored in the first two cases, the government said the bus depot would be dismantled after the two weeks of the Games.
Five months on, the bus depot is a reinforced, cement-and-steel facility taking the place of the temporary structures that were to come up. The government has refused to move the depot or bring it down. Its reason: Rs 80 lakh have been spent on development of the land and the depot is essential for encouragement of mass public transport in the city.
Environmentalists challenged the construction of the depot on grounds that it had been built on the river bed which, under the master plan, is a zone where only green development is permitted. Delhi’s lieutenant-governor too had passed a moratorium in 2008, putting an end to all construction on the river bed.
Weeks after publicly claiming that the government had done no wrong, the Delhi Transport Commission sent a request for change in land use to Delhi Development Authority. End of matter as far as environmental issues are concerned.
“The government’s justification is absurd to say the least. Spending money on an illegal project does not make it legal. And once the structure is already in place, is it not a mockery of laws when DTC applies for change in land use,” said Vinod Jain of NGO Tapas which filed a PIL on the project.
Delhi, like several other urban centres, is a largely unplanned city. Much of its expansion in the recent past has come at the cost of massive violations, whether of civic norms or of environmental laws. It doesn’t help if on the one hand the government takes up large scale demolition of the very buildings that it permitted clandestinely to come up while on the other, it openly twists its own rules to carry out construction meant for its own benefit or to pander to political whims.
KT Ravindran, chairman of Delhi Urban Arts Commission, says that it is largely government agencies that are flouting laws of which Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are the biggest culprits. DUAC was formed by an act of Parliament and its clearance is mandatory for all building projects that pertain to public use, engineering works like road expansion work and those that impact environment and heritage. The commission is more often than not viewed as a hindrance to development in the city and often is completely bypassed when one is applying for building sanctions.
“Ideally, the government should not sanction funds till a project has received all required clearances. DUAC’s is a statutory clearance and technically, one cannot start construction unless the commission has approved the plans. If we find violations, we can send a ‘stop construction’ order to the local body but if violations are being committed by the civic agencies themselves, then there is not much else we can do,” said Ravindran.
The Commonwealth Games was yet another excuse for the government to invest heavily in infrastructure for which all rules were put aside. In Siri Fort, while barren land right next to where the stadia have come up was available, a possible lengthy procedure to acquire it deterred DDA from even trying to look at alternatives.
Says NGO Tapas, “At one level, Delhi claims to be a highly environmentally conscious city but on the other hand, there are massive violations of environment norms by the government itself. Look at the Vasant Kunj malls that came up on Ridge land. The government was fully aware of the violations being carried out and did nothing. Just because they were constructed by the time the court got around to examining the matter, they were fined a measly Rs 1 lakh. The projects were worth crores and a lakh would not have even made the developers blink while it led to severe ecological crisis for the Ridge.”
DUAC OPPOSES, GOVT EXECUTES
DTC bus depot | Meant to be a temporary construction for the duration of the Commonwealth Games. Govt now refuses to pull it down, having spent Rs 80 lakh on depot facilities
Environmentalists say construction on the Yamuna floodplain was not allowed even in the master plan
Metro quarters | Being built on the riverbed cleared for operational use, not residential. DMRC’s explanation is that the quarters are “operational” as operations-related personnel will stay there
MCD coffee shops-cum-toilets
Neither did the project have DUAC clearance nor did it get approval of residents where some 30 of these were planned. One on Bahadurshah Zafar Marg pulled down while others are locked. Structures allegedly for CWG were occupying parking place and green areas in colonies
MCD’s new civic centre
Rs 700-cr project never applied for DUAC clearance before commencing work and needs a certificate from the commission before it can make the building operational
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Water Woes Vs. Water Vows! (Mail Today- 23 March 2011)
You will need to drink water today, just like you did yesterday and will tomorrow, but today is World Water Day. It is the year 2011 and we all know that
Let’s use World Water Day to reflect on water related movements in 2010, in
Conclusion: some people have easy access to consume a lot more water than others in
In terms of
In 2000, Bolivians in
Another government solution proposed to address
In light of the gloomy facts presented above, you may decide to mourn World Water Day. Here, however, lies the hope- the key to sustainably managed and equitably distributed water resources is the reclamation of water as a common property resource, something to share and use carefully. Communities have revived water sources around
Monday, March 7, 2011
A crore spent on glitzy event to 'save' Hindon, activists fret (Times of India 07 March 2011)
NEW DELHI: The Ghaziabad authorities are believed to be spending crores on an event to raise awareness for cleaning river Hindon, a tributary of Yamuna. The district administration is holding a week-long cultural event on the bank of the river which has become a sewage canal in recent years.
According to sources, the total expense on this programme could go up to Rs 1.5 crore and several builders and developers are sponsoring the event which started on March 4 and will continue till Thursday. Some of the key performers in this "awareness" campaign include Kumar Sanu, Pankaj Udhas, Daler Mehndi besides several other star singers from the small screen.
"Hindon has become a drain due to huge discharge of sewage and effluents from residential colonies and industries. We organized the programme to create some awareness among people on how we can contribute to check the river pollution," said a senior official of the district administration.
But residents and environment activists are not happy with the administration's move. "To clean the river you need to install effluent treatment plants (ETP) to treat pollutants released from industries and residential areas. How can the cultural programme help in this cause?" asked Sushil Raghav, who has also filed an RTI on this issue with the district administration.
District magistrate Hirdesh Kumar, who is supposed to have planned this cultural event to raise awareness about Hindon, did not respond to calls. In reply to an SMS he said he would comment later. Locals said that such an event would not help salvage the river and added that the administration could have spent this money on organizing river-cleaning activities. In fact, former DM Ajay Shankar Pandey had got the 1.5-km stretch of river cleaned in 2009-10 before he was transferred. The administration had also put embankment along this stretch besides installing iron grills on the bridge to prevent people from throwing waste into the river.
All this had cost the administration just Rs 45 lakh. "A river sanitation force was also set up for this purpose. About 4-5 boats were deployed to clear the weeds," said a government official.
Hindon river originates in the Saharanpur district of UP from upper Shivalik. It flows between Ganges and Yamuna rivers, for 400km through Muzaffarnagar district, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida before joining the Yamuna just outside Delhi
According to sources, the total expense on this programme could go up to Rs 1.5 crore and several builders and developers are sponsoring the event which started on March 4 and will continue till Thursday. Some of the key performers in this "awareness" campaign include Kumar Sanu, Pankaj Udhas, Daler Mehndi besides several other star singers from the small screen.
"Hindon has become a drain due to huge discharge of sewage and effluents from residential colonies and industries. We organized the programme to create some awareness among people on how we can contribute to check the river pollution," said a senior official of the district administration.
But residents and environment activists are not happy with the administration's move. "To clean the river you need to install effluent treatment plants (ETP) to treat pollutants released from industries and residential areas. How can the cultural programme help in this cause?" asked Sushil Raghav, who has also filed an RTI on this issue with the district administration.
District magistrate Hirdesh Kumar, who is supposed to have planned this cultural event to raise awareness about Hindon, did not respond to calls. In reply to an SMS he said he would comment later. Locals said that such an event would not help salvage the river and added that the administration could have spent this money on organizing river-cleaning activities. In fact, former DM Ajay Shankar Pandey had got the 1.5-km stretch of river cleaned in 2009-10 before he was transferred. The administration had also put embankment along this stretch besides installing iron grills on the bridge to prevent people from throwing waste into the river.
All this had cost the administration just Rs 45 lakh. "A river sanitation force was also set up for this purpose. About 4-5 boats were deployed to clear the weeds," said a government official.
Hindon river originates in the Saharanpur district of UP from upper Shivalik. It flows between Ganges and Yamuna rivers, for 400km through Muzaffarnagar district, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida before joining the Yamuna just outside Delhi
Haryana committed to securing its water share: Governor (The Hindu 05 March 2011)
New Session: Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia along with Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda arrives at the State Assembly in Chandigarh on Friday.
CHANDIGARH: In a significant statement, Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia on Friday affirmed that the Bhupinder Singh Hooda regime would make renewed efforts to secure Haryana's legitimate share of water from Ravi-Beas rivers.
Delivering the Governor's Address on the opening day of the Budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here, he said the State Government was committed to getting its due share.
Appreciating that the State Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) was expected to grow at nine per cent during 2010-11 and per capita income at 7.2 per cent, he said the revenue receipts were expected to grow at 23.7 per cent in 2010-11 as against 13.8 per cent in 2009-10.
He said a well-defined Public Private Partnership policy had been formulated for development of physical and social infrastructure. The State's economy was showing distinct signs of resurgence leaving behind the financial stress of previous years.
Calling for a second “Green Revolution”, he said a ‘Kisan Aayog' (Farmers' Commission) had been set up to assess the current status of agriculture and suggest measures to enhance productivity, profitability and sustainability of the major farming systems.
He said enabling legislation for setting up a Gau Seva Aayog (Cow Commission) had already been passed.
It would be ensured that the landowner does not feel cheated when his or her land is eventually acquired. Mortgaged surplus land of farmers was being released on the basis of present realistic valuation of the land.
Complimenting the government for effective and efficient handling of the floods in 2010, he said crops on 5.08 lakh acres were damaged and farmers were given relief of Rs.257.60 crore for damage to their crops.
He said the NCR water supply channel for augmenting drinking water supply to Gurgaon and industrial townships of Manesar, Bahadurgarh, Sampla and Badli was expected to be completed by this April. The Kaushlaya Dam is likely to be functional during 2011-12.
Mr. Pahadia disclosed that pre-project activities had been initiated by the Nuclear Power Corporation for setting up of a nuclear power plant of two units of 700 MW each at village Gorakhpur in district Fatehabad.
The Governor said that as per Sample Resource Survey 2009 of the Union Government, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) had declined to 51 compared with 54 in 2008. According to Health Department data, Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) had declined to 137 as in November 2010 compared with 164 in 2009-10. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) had also fallen to 2.5 compared to 3.0 in 2004.
CHANDIGARH: In a significant statement, Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia on Friday affirmed that the Bhupinder Singh Hooda regime would make renewed efforts to secure Haryana's legitimate share of water from Ravi-Beas rivers.
Delivering the Governor's Address on the opening day of the Budget session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here, he said the State Government was committed to getting its due share.
Appreciating that the State Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) was expected to grow at nine per cent during 2010-11 and per capita income at 7.2 per cent, he said the revenue receipts were expected to grow at 23.7 per cent in 2010-11 as against 13.8 per cent in 2009-10.
He said a well-defined Public Private Partnership policy had been formulated for development of physical and social infrastructure. The State's economy was showing distinct signs of resurgence leaving behind the financial stress of previous years.
Calling for a second “Green Revolution”, he said a ‘Kisan Aayog' (Farmers' Commission) had been set up to assess the current status of agriculture and suggest measures to enhance productivity, profitability and sustainability of the major farming systems.
He said enabling legislation for setting up a Gau Seva Aayog (Cow Commission) had already been passed.
It would be ensured that the landowner does not feel cheated when his or her land is eventually acquired. Mortgaged surplus land of farmers was being released on the basis of present realistic valuation of the land.
Complimenting the government for effective and efficient handling of the floods in 2010, he said crops on 5.08 lakh acres were damaged and farmers were given relief of Rs.257.60 crore for damage to their crops.
He said the NCR water supply channel for augmenting drinking water supply to Gurgaon and industrial townships of Manesar, Bahadurgarh, Sampla and Badli was expected to be completed by this April. The Kaushlaya Dam is likely to be functional during 2011-12.
Mr. Pahadia disclosed that pre-project activities had been initiated by the Nuclear Power Corporation for setting up of a nuclear power plant of two units of 700 MW each at village Gorakhpur in district Fatehabad.
The Governor said that as per Sample Resource Survey 2009 of the Union Government, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) had declined to 51 compared with 54 in 2008. According to Health Department data, Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) had declined to 137 as in November 2010 compared with 164 in 2009-10. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) had also fallen to 2.5 compared to 3.0 in 2004.
Water woes: Demand to outsrtip supply by 40% in 20 years (Times of India 03 March 2011)
LONDON: The demand for water in the world may exceed its supply by 40% within the next 20 years due to global warming and population growth, scientists have warned.
As looming water shortages threaten agriculture, industry and the communities, a new way of thinking about water is highly essential, suggested the experts who gathered at an international meeting in Canada. They warned that in the next two decades, a third of world population would get only half the water they require to meet basic needs, the Daily Mail reported.
Around 300 scientists, policy makers, and economists attended the international meeting in Ottawa hosted by the Canadian Water Network (CWN) in the run-up to the World Water Day.
Nicholas Parker, chairman of international environmental technology consultants Cleantech Group, highlighted the vast amount of "virtual water" used in farming and industry. Virtual water describes the volume of water "embedded" in the production process, he said.
For example, Parker said, 1.5 tonnes or 1,500 litres of water is required to manufacture a desk top computer. A pair of denim jeans use up six tonnes of water, while a kilogram of wheat needs one tonne of water. Similarly, three to four tonnes of water is spent for a kilogramme of chicken, while 15 to 30 tonnes of water is need for a kilogram of beef, he said. pti
As looming water shortages threaten agriculture, industry and the communities, a new way of thinking about water is highly essential, suggested the experts who gathered at an international meeting in Canada. They warned that in the next two decades, a third of world population would get only half the water they require to meet basic needs, the Daily Mail reported.
Around 300 scientists, policy makers, and economists attended the international meeting in Ottawa hosted by the Canadian Water Network (CWN) in the run-up to the World Water Day.
Nicholas Parker, chairman of international environmental technology consultants Cleantech Group, highlighted the vast amount of "virtual water" used in farming and industry. Virtual water describes the volume of water "embedded" in the production process, he said.
For example, Parker said, 1.5 tonnes or 1,500 litres of water is required to manufacture a desk top computer. A pair of denim jeans use up six tonnes of water, while a kilogram of wheat needs one tonne of water. Similarly, three to four tonnes of water is spent for a kilogramme of chicken, while 15 to 30 tonnes of water is need for a kilogram of beef, he said. pti
Another ammonia scare in river (Times of India 02 March 2011)
New Delhi: In a span of just 15 days, Delhi was again forced to curtail water production at the Wazirabad and Chandrawal water treatment plants after level of ammonia in raw water went up substantially on Tuesday due to high levels of pollutants.Union minister for environment Jairam Ramesh asked the Central Pollution Control Board to submit a report to him on the issue by Wednesday noon. I have asked CPCB to send team for field inspection immediately and report by 12 noon on Wednesday, he told TOI on Tuesday.The minister had written to CMs of Delhi and Haryana last week, asking them to take steps to curtail pollution levels in Yamuna.
According to Delhi Jal Board officials, the level of ammonia in water on Tuesday went up to 1 part per million (PPM) against the permissible 0.6ppm.At 1pm, we were forced to curtail production by 35% in both plants, which have a combined capacity of 210 million gallons per day.By evening,the situation had improved and levels had come down to 0.7ppm but full production could not be started.We are waiting for ammonium level to decrease further, said a DJB official. The partial reduction in water treatment is likely to affect water supply in some areas of north, northwest, parts of west, central and parts of south Delhi, NDMC and Cantonment Board areas though officials said the problem would be restricted only to a reduction in pressure and not a complete halt of supply.Delhi has been reporting afrequent rise in level of ammonia and chloride in raw water.Haryana is supposed to provide optimum quality water to Delhi at Wazirabad since all of it is meant for the capitals drinking needs.However,very often untreated sewage and effluent enters the river near Sonepat and Panipat,leading to high level of pollutants in the raw water. In his letter to Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda,Jairam had asked the administration to increase height and width of dividing wall so that water from a dirty drain doesnt get mixed with a fresh water drain.Delhi,meanwhile,had been given adeadline of 2012 to stop discharging untreated waste into the Yamuna by strictly implementing its river cleaning projects.
WATER SUPPLY HIT: The high level of ammonia affected treatment plants at Wazirabad and Chandrawal
According to Delhi Jal Board officials, the level of ammonia in water on Tuesday went up to 1 part per million (PPM) against the permissible 0.6ppm.At 1pm, we were forced to curtail production by 35% in both plants, which have a combined capacity of 210 million gallons per day.By evening,the situation had improved and levels had come down to 0.7ppm but full production could not be started.We are waiting for ammonium level to decrease further, said a DJB official. The partial reduction in water treatment is likely to affect water supply in some areas of north, northwest, parts of west, central and parts of south Delhi, NDMC and Cantonment Board areas though officials said the problem would be restricted only to a reduction in pressure and not a complete halt of supply.Delhi has been reporting afrequent rise in level of ammonia and chloride in raw water.Haryana is supposed to provide optimum quality water to Delhi at Wazirabad since all of it is meant for the capitals drinking needs.However,very often untreated sewage and effluent enters the river near Sonepat and Panipat,leading to high level of pollutants in the raw water. In his letter to Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda,Jairam had asked the administration to increase height and width of dividing wall so that water from a dirty drain doesnt get mixed with a fresh water drain.Delhi,meanwhile,had been given adeadline of 2012 to stop discharging untreated waste into the Yamuna by strictly implementing its river cleaning projects.
WATER SUPPLY HIT: The high level of ammonia affected treatment plants at Wazirabad and Chandrawal
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