Staff Reporter
NGO Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan writes to Delhi L-G
NEW DELHI: Alarmed by the upcoming proposals, non-government organisation Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan has shot off a letter to the Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna to stop more “pseudo bridges” from coming up on the river and disturbing its flow.
According to the YJA, there is a proposal to construct a pseudo bridge by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation across the Yamuna as part of its Phase III alignment joining Sarai Kale Khan with Mayur Vihar Phase I on its proposed Mukundpur-Yamuna Vihar line.
The YJA claims that none of these bridges are built across the entire active flood plain of the river in the city, but are actually cross bunds-cum-road on the river with the bridge portion being only over 500-600 m of the lean season river flow. “This is often resorted to in the name of cost saving, without taking into account the huge environmental costs (and additional dangers of flooding). It is unfortunate that such bridges hardly ever go through the scrutiny of the Environmental Impact Assessment mechanism of the MOEF,” said YJA convenor Manoj Misra. Appealing to the L-G, who is also the chairman of the Yamuna River Development Authority (YRDA), the YJA adds: “It is the reason why bridges in the past were always aligned across the narrowest stretch of a river. The best such example is the British time built road-cum-rail bridge that straddles the narrowest portion of the river Yamuna in the city. Since then 10 more pseudo bridges have come up on the river over its 22 km stretch from Wazirabad barrage till Okhla barrage.”
The NGO claims there are pseudo bridges at Wazirabad, ISBT, Shastri Park (DMRC) Gita Colony, ITO, Yamuna Bank (DMRC), New Railway Bridge, Hazrat Nizamuddin, DND and Okhla.
“The Signature Bridge is presently under construction and at least two more are planned as part of the Zone O (River Yamuna) zonal plan by the Public Works Department, one upstream of New Railway Bridge as part of the East-West corridor and the other as an extension of the elevated Barapullah road till Mayur Vihar Phase I. These all put together would mean 14 bridges on the 22 km stretch of the river in the city. This comes to on an average one bridge after every 1.57 km of the river,” the YJA has alleged.
The NGO has also suggested finding a design that will allow the Barapullah road extension to Mayur Vihar I and the newly-proposed DMRC bridge to be constructed in synchronisation. “Both the elevated Barapullah road extension to Mayur Vihar I and the newly-proposed DMRC bridge as part of its phase III are proposed in the same stretch of the river, why can't we plan them together as a road-cum-rail bridge and thus save substantially on costs,” Mr. Misra has suggested.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Metro’s big leap across river (Times of India 19 June 2011)
NEW DELHI: The third phase of the Delhi Metro, which will connect Mukundpur with Yamuna Vihar, will throw up a number of firsts. At 55.69km, it will be the longest alignment on the Metro network and will have around 10 interchange stations — the most so far. Its two stations, Hazrat Nizamuddin and Mayur Vihar Phase I, will be over 4.5km apart — the longest stretch on the network. And to top it all, a new station will be constructed above the existing Mayur Vihar I station to integrate the two lines.
A Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson said, "The stretch between the two stations will be the longest on the entire network. It will be built on a bridge spanning the Yamuna."
The Hazrat Nizamuddin station, which will be underground, will provide easy access to the nearby Nizamuddin
At the other end, the line will integrate with the Mayur Vihar Phase I station. And as part of this integration, a new station will be constructed above the existing one.
The corridor will arch over towards Trilokpuri, going over the present Dwarka-Noida alignment.
Officials admit the 4.5km stretch from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Mayur Vihar will be another challenging piece of engineering in the Metro project. The official said, "We plan to use segmental launching technology, which was also used for the bridge after Yamuna Bank station on the Dwarka-Noida corridor." The bridge will span 602.8m across the river. According to officials, this technology involves pulling up segments using launchers.
DMRC officials say that the pillars, or piers as they are called, will be anchored in the riverbed.
"These will be built using well foundation technology that will enable the groundwater to recharge as well as rainwater harvesting," added the official.
On the piers, metallic strips with gauge marks will also be put up to indicate the flood level. The stretch will run between the Delhi-Noida toll road and Nizamuddin flyover, over the Zone 'O' of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Incidentally, the zone has strict building norms, with the DDA refusing non-green projects in the area in the past. But Delhi Metro officials said that permission wasn't expected to be a problem, as transport solutions were allowed under the current norm in the zone.
The Hazrat Nizamuddin and Mayur Vihar Phase I
stations are expected to cater to residents of a large number of nearby colonies, including Nizamuddin East, passengers coming from the Nizamuddin railway station and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT, apart from Mayur Vihar, Pratap Nagar, Patparganj, Shashi Garden, Maharaja Agarsen College and Acharya Niketan.
A Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson said, "The stretch between the two stations will be the longest on the entire network. It will be built on a bridge spanning the Yamuna."
The Hazrat Nizamuddin station, which will be underground, will provide easy access to the nearby Nizamuddin
At the other end, the line will integrate with the Mayur Vihar Phase I station. And as part of this integration, a new station will be constructed above the existing one.
The corridor will arch over towards Trilokpuri, going over the present Dwarka-Noida alignment.
Officials admit the 4.5km stretch from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Mayur Vihar will be another challenging piece of engineering in the Metro project. The official said, "We plan to use segmental launching technology, which was also used for the bridge after Yamuna Bank station on the Dwarka-Noida corridor." The bridge will span 602.8m across the river. According to officials, this technology involves pulling up segments using launchers.
DMRC officials say that the pillars, or piers as they are called, will be anchored in the riverbed.
"These will be built using well foundation technology that will enable the groundwater to recharge as well as rainwater harvesting," added the official.
On the piers, metallic strips with gauge marks will also be put up to indicate the flood level. The stretch will run between the Delhi-Noida toll road and Nizamuddin flyover, over the Zone 'O' of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Incidentally, the zone has strict building norms, with the DDA refusing non-green projects in the area in the past. But Delhi Metro officials said that permission wasn't expected to be a problem, as transport solutions were allowed under the current norm in the zone.
The Hazrat Nizamuddin and Mayur Vihar Phase I
stations are expected to cater to residents of a large number of nearby colonies, including Nizamuddin East, passengers coming from the Nizamuddin railway station and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT, apart from Mayur Vihar, Pratap Nagar, Patparganj, Shashi Garden, Maharaja Agarsen College and Acharya Niketan.
‘Declare Yamuna an eco-sensitive zone’ (The Hindu 19 June 2011)
The Union Environment Ministry's proposal to declare the initial stretches of the Bhagirathi River as eco-sensitive zone has been welcomed by river conservationists, who now want the Ministry to take similar steps for the dying Yamuna.
Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan (YJA), a non government organisation that campaigns for the protection of the river, has shot-off a letter to Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, asking for a similar protection act for the Yamuna.
“We have requested the Minister to draft a similar plan of conservation for the Yamuna too. In particular, the initial 172-km of the river from its origin at Yamunotri till its harnessing at Hathni Kund in Haryana, needs a similar declaration,” said YJA convener Manoj Misra.
The Ministry recently issued a draft notification on the proposed declaration of initial stretches of river Bhagirathi as eco-sensitive zone under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
“As per the proposal, about 135-km of the river and 100-metre on either side will be identified as an eco-sensitive zone. There will be no development activity allowed without the permission of an empowered committee that will include both government and civil society representatives,” said Mr. Misra.
He went on to add: “Like the Bhagirathi, the Yamuna too is crucial for the Ganga, it has the same religious and social relevance and there is a pressing need to save the Yamuna as well. There are reports of new dams being planned on the Yamuna, if that were to happen the water situation in the river will go from bad to worse. And to prevent such situations, we need to have legally enforceable acts like the Environment Protection Act.”
Declaring the initial stretch of the Yamuna as eco sensitive zone will also help keep polluting industries from coming up along the belt and save the river from the destruction caused by chemicals and other industrial refuse, he added.
Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan (YJA), a non government organisation that campaigns for the protection of the river, has shot-off a letter to Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, asking for a similar protection act for the Yamuna.
“We have requested the Minister to draft a similar plan of conservation for the Yamuna too. In particular, the initial 172-km of the river from its origin at Yamunotri till its harnessing at Hathni Kund in Haryana, needs a similar declaration,” said YJA convener Manoj Misra.
The Ministry recently issued a draft notification on the proposed declaration of initial stretches of river Bhagirathi as eco-sensitive zone under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
“As per the proposal, about 135-km of the river and 100-metre on either side will be identified as an eco-sensitive zone. There will be no development activity allowed without the permission of an empowered committee that will include both government and civil society representatives,” said Mr. Misra.
He went on to add: “Like the Bhagirathi, the Yamuna too is crucial for the Ganga, it has the same religious and social relevance and there is a pressing need to save the Yamuna as well. There are reports of new dams being planned on the Yamuna, if that were to happen the water situation in the river will go from bad to worse. And to prevent such situations, we need to have legally enforceable acts like the Environment Protection Act.”
Declaring the initial stretch of the Yamuna as eco sensitive zone will also help keep polluting industries from coming up along the belt and save the river from the destruction caused by chemicals and other industrial refuse, he added.
Truckers nabbed for sand mining on Yamuna banks (Times of India 18 June 2011)
FARIDABAD: Four truck drivers have been arrested for illegal mining on the banks of river Yamuna. Hailing from Madawali, Tigaon and Lehdowla villages, they were arrested on Thursday for mining and transporting silt around a restricted area near Tigaon bridge, police said. Over 12 people have been booked in this connection.
Three cases have been registered against the truck drivers by Faridabad mining inspector Suresh Shravan. He clarified the accused had nothing to do with the illegal stone crushing prevalent in the area after the authorities cracked down on that form of mining after an SC directive.
In its report on mining in Faridabad, the SC-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has conceded the possibility of stone being illegally collected and transported by villagers in trucks/tractors or trolleys and supplied to the crusher zone. It has stressed the need to strengthen the monitoring apparatus of the Haryana government, "including filling up of vacant posts in the departments concerned."
The report, however, pointed out to regeneration of vegetation and improvement of environment in general following suspension of mining activities.
The Supreme Court had directed the CEC to submit a report on an article published in The Times of India.
The TOI article centred on illegal mining around Sirohi, Alampur and Khori villages. It said "...because of the very nature of the terrain there are areas which are still vulnerable to illegal mining. Scattered stones can be collected from these areas and illegally transported to the crushers."
The panel members also visited the mine pit adjoining Kot village that was mentioned in the TOI report.
Three cases have been registered against the truck drivers by Faridabad mining inspector Suresh Shravan. He clarified the accused had nothing to do with the illegal stone crushing prevalent in the area after the authorities cracked down on that form of mining after an SC directive.
In its report on mining in Faridabad, the SC-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has conceded the possibility of stone being illegally collected and transported by villagers in trucks/tractors or trolleys and supplied to the crusher zone. It has stressed the need to strengthen the monitoring apparatus of the Haryana government, "including filling up of vacant posts in the departments concerned."
The report, however, pointed out to regeneration of vegetation and improvement of environment in general following suspension of mining activities.
The Supreme Court had directed the CEC to submit a report on an article published in The Times of India.
The TOI article centred on illegal mining around Sirohi, Alampur and Khori villages. It said "...because of the very nature of the terrain there are areas which are still vulnerable to illegal mining. Scattered stones can be collected from these areas and illegally transported to the crushers."
The panel members also visited the mine pit adjoining Kot village that was mentioned in the TOI report.
Unsung, this baba starves to death to save the Ganga (The Hindu 15 June 2011)
He was on fast for 114 days seeking a ban on quarrying
SACRIFICE FOR A CAUSE:Swami Nigamanand, who was fasting for stopping illegal mining along the Ganga, in hospital in Dehra Dun on Monday.
HARIDWAR: They may worship the same gods and cite the same scripture but all babas — and their fasts — are clearly not equal.
Lionised by politicians and the media, Baba Ramdev fasted for a few days before he ended his protest. At the first sign of weakness, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj rushed to pay him a visit. However, Swami Nigamanand, who went on a hunger strike in February to save the Ganga, paid the ultimate price for his beliefs, dying in hospital on June 13 with netas and journalists alike oblivious to his cause or sacrifice.
Nigamanand, 36, a founder-member of Matri Sadan, went on an indefinite fast on February 19 seeking a ban on quarrying in and around the Ganga in the Kumbh area. The district administration admitted him to the Haridwar District Hospital after his condition deteriorated on April 27.
District Magistrate Meenakshi Sundaram said the Uttarakhand government had issued two orders banning all mining activity in the kumbh region as sought by the fasting seer. These orders were challenged in the High Court at Nainital by a stone crusher owner. “The court rejected the petition on May 26 and we immediately ordered closure of all mining activities in the Kumbh region,” Mr. Sundaram said.
Meanwhile, Swami Shivanand, founder of Matri Sadan here, has sought a CBI probe into the death of Swami Nigamanand at the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) hospital at Jolly Grant in Dehra Dun district.
Doctors at HIHT said the Swami was brought in a state of coma on May 2. He was immediately put on ventilator. He was, however, ‘brain dead' in a few days. Even then, they tried their very best to revive him until he was finally declared dead on June 13, the doctors said.
“Matri Sadan has given a complaint of alleged poisoning of Swami Nigamanand at the district hospital and the police are investigating,” the District Magistrate said.
“It was at the Haridwar district hospital that Swami Nigamanand was given a poisonous injection after which his condition deteriorated further and he was shifted to HIHT,” Shivanand said, adding only a CBI probe would reveal the nexus between corrupt officials, politicians and the mining mafia.
Nigamanand's body will be kept at Matri Sadan for public darshan for three days and then he will be given samadhi in on the ashram campus itself, it was told.
The post-mortem report has revealed that Nigamananda's death was caused by coma, septicaemia and degenerative brain disorder, R.K. Pant, Chief Medical Officer, Dehra Dun, said. The viscera was being sent to a laboratory in Agra for a forensic examination, he said.
Swami Shivanand, however, rejected the report and wanted a second post-mortem by doctors of the AIIMS.
To the accusation that the Swami had been poisoned in the Haridwar district hospital, the doctors said that although the truth would come out in police investigation and the post-mortem report, it was a fact that the cholinesterase enzyme level of the swami was found to be very low. This enzyme level can go down either in case of acute starvation due to fasting or by poison. The HIHT doctors said that no indication of poisoning came out in the MRI and other tests.
Senior Congressman and Leader of the Opposition Harak Singh Rawat said the death of the fasting yogi had brought out the double face of the State government as well as the BJP. “The entire BJP top brass raised a hue and cry over the Ramdev issue but remained silent on the issue of Swami Nigamanand fasting since February 19. Why? Just because Ramdev was their man while Swami Nigamanand and Matri Sadan were silently crusading for saving the holy Ganga without political connections.”
Mr Rawat wondered why Sushma Swaraj rushed to meet Ramdev but never even enquired about Nigamanand.
Ramdev expressed grief over the death of Nigamanand. A large number of holy men went to Matri Sadan to pay homage to the departed soul
SACRIFICE FOR A CAUSE:Swami Nigamanand, who was fasting for stopping illegal mining along the Ganga, in hospital in Dehra Dun on Monday.
HARIDWAR: They may worship the same gods and cite the same scripture but all babas — and their fasts — are clearly not equal.
Lionised by politicians and the media, Baba Ramdev fasted for a few days before he ended his protest. At the first sign of weakness, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj rushed to pay him a visit. However, Swami Nigamanand, who went on a hunger strike in February to save the Ganga, paid the ultimate price for his beliefs, dying in hospital on June 13 with netas and journalists alike oblivious to his cause or sacrifice.
Nigamanand, 36, a founder-member of Matri Sadan, went on an indefinite fast on February 19 seeking a ban on quarrying in and around the Ganga in the Kumbh area. The district administration admitted him to the Haridwar District Hospital after his condition deteriorated on April 27.
District Magistrate Meenakshi Sundaram said the Uttarakhand government had issued two orders banning all mining activity in the kumbh region as sought by the fasting seer. These orders were challenged in the High Court at Nainital by a stone crusher owner. “The court rejected the petition on May 26 and we immediately ordered closure of all mining activities in the Kumbh region,” Mr. Sundaram said.
Meanwhile, Swami Shivanand, founder of Matri Sadan here, has sought a CBI probe into the death of Swami Nigamanand at the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) hospital at Jolly Grant in Dehra Dun district.
Doctors at HIHT said the Swami was brought in a state of coma on May 2. He was immediately put on ventilator. He was, however, ‘brain dead' in a few days. Even then, they tried their very best to revive him until he was finally declared dead on June 13, the doctors said.
“Matri Sadan has given a complaint of alleged poisoning of Swami Nigamanand at the district hospital and the police are investigating,” the District Magistrate said.
“It was at the Haridwar district hospital that Swami Nigamanand was given a poisonous injection after which his condition deteriorated further and he was shifted to HIHT,” Shivanand said, adding only a CBI probe would reveal the nexus between corrupt officials, politicians and the mining mafia.
Nigamanand's body will be kept at Matri Sadan for public darshan for three days and then he will be given samadhi in on the ashram campus itself, it was told.
The post-mortem report has revealed that Nigamananda's death was caused by coma, septicaemia and degenerative brain disorder, R.K. Pant, Chief Medical Officer, Dehra Dun, said. The viscera was being sent to a laboratory in Agra for a forensic examination, he said.
Swami Shivanand, however, rejected the report and wanted a second post-mortem by doctors of the AIIMS.
To the accusation that the Swami had been poisoned in the Haridwar district hospital, the doctors said that although the truth would come out in police investigation and the post-mortem report, it was a fact that the cholinesterase enzyme level of the swami was found to be very low. This enzyme level can go down either in case of acute starvation due to fasting or by poison. The HIHT doctors said that no indication of poisoning came out in the MRI and other tests.
Senior Congressman and Leader of the Opposition Harak Singh Rawat said the death of the fasting yogi had brought out the double face of the State government as well as the BJP. “The entire BJP top brass raised a hue and cry over the Ramdev issue but remained silent on the issue of Swami Nigamanand fasting since February 19. Why? Just because Ramdev was their man while Swami Nigamanand and Matri Sadan were silently crusading for saving the holy Ganga without political connections.”
Mr Rawat wondered why Sushma Swaraj rushed to meet Ramdev but never even enquired about Nigamanand.
Ramdev expressed grief over the death of Nigamanand. A large number of holy men went to Matri Sadan to pay homage to the departed soul
Will more funds alone help clean Ganga? (The Pioneer 07 June 2011)
The World Bank’s approval a $1 billion credit and loan as part of its long-term support to the Union Government’s new initiative to clean up Ganga is surely a boost to authorities as they embark on an ambitious plan to save the now highly polluted and near-toxic river. But let there be no doubt that without proper monitoring and close scrutiny, the bank’s generous loan is bound to be squandered and the project will be set for failure. After a quarter century of trying, and constantly failing, to clean up the river, the UPA Government in the recent past wiped clean the old slate and decided to start afresh. The result was the establishment of the National Ganga River Basin Authority in February 2009 which is responsible for cleaning and conserving Ganga through a multi-sector programme. Populated by several top leaders, including the Chief Ministers of States which comprise the sprawling Ganga River Basin as well as the Prime Minister who as its chairman, the high-powered NGRBA has a specific midd-term goal: To stop untreated municipal or industrial wastewater from being drained into the river by 2020. This programme is known as Mission Clean Ganga and it is towards this end that the World Bank has sanctioned its billion-dollar loan. On paper, Mission Clean Ganga looks like a well-researched, well-planned programme with achievable goals. Unlike previous efforts which focussed only on those towns and industrial centres that were considered to be highly polluting and thus failed to take a holistic view of what really is a multi-dimensional problem, Mission Clean Ganga seems to have built on lessons from the past as it moves away from the earlier town-centric approach and instead takes into consideration the entire Gangetic basin while planning project investments. The World Bank funded— National Ganga River Basin Project will also help build the capacity of the NGRBA’s new operational institutions as well as the capacity of existing agencies which are currently responsible for managing wastewater, sewage treatment plants, city sewer networks, etc.
While all of this sounds fabulous on paper, and both the Government and the bank deserve praise for their efforts to save Ganga, there is still much that can happen between the cup and lip. Let us not forget that cleaning and conserving a river is not an easy task that can be completed in a a year or two. As World Bank authorties have pointed out, cleaning Rhine took almost two decaded and costed more than 40 billion euros while a similar effort for Danube is ongoing, years after it was initiated. A programme of this nature thus requires long-term commitment and must be strictly monitored for it to achieve its goals. Given our past experience with similar efforts, cynicism would not be entirely out of place.
While all of this sounds fabulous on paper, and both the Government and the bank deserve praise for their efforts to save Ganga, there is still much that can happen between the cup and lip. Let us not forget that cleaning and conserving a river is not an easy task that can be completed in a a year or two. As World Bank authorties have pointed out, cleaning Rhine took almost two decaded and costed more than 40 billion euros while a similar effort for Danube is ongoing, years after it was initiated. A programme of this nature thus requires long-term commitment and must be strictly monitored for it to achieve its goals. Given our past experience with similar efforts, cynicism would not be entirely out of place.
Projcet to clean river waters (The Tribune 04 June 2011)
Patiala, June 3. In an ambitious project to find a solution to the untreated waste flowing in the rivers of the state, the Punjab Pollution Control Board has decided to initiate a project under which the sullied water will be treated and recycled for irrigation.
The project is being drawn in association with the Irrigation Department.
The state government is working on linking the Sutlej, Beas and Ghaggar through “a dedicated corridor”.
”The crux is to treat the sewage water by installing a treatment plant and laying sewer lines to carry this water for irrigation,” says an internal Pollution Control Board project report.
Documents, in possession of The Tribune, show that following the central government nod to the implementation of the River Conservation Project, the Punjab Government has decided to use the “treated water from these rivers for irrigation purposes” through a dedicated corridor.
The government is learnt to have selected 14 towns where work on treatment of sewage being thrown into the rivers by the industry and municipal authorities will be treated and then used for irrigation under the supervision of the Pollution Control Board. Sources in the government said: “The Forests and Environment Ministry has already given its sanction to the Punjab Government to start work in the five towns of Phillaur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Banga, Phagwara and Jalandhar (under the River Conservation Project) on the Satluj at a cost of Rs 319.09 crore”.
A senior officer of the Irrigation Department said another project costing over Rs 640.51 crore and covering 18 districts was in the pipeline. PPCB Chairman Rajat Agarwal said the project would be completed with help from the Irrigation Department. “ It is a big one-of-its- kind project that will help overcome the problem of pollution in the river waters to a large extent”, he added.
Sewage treatment plants (STP)
Laying lines to carry irrigation waters
Areas on the Sutlej for installation of STP include Ropar, Naya Nangal, Anandpur Sahib, Kurali, Phillaur, Macchiwara, Nawanshahar, Banga, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Phagwara, Jalandhar and Moga
Areas on the Beas include Mukerian, Dasuya, Tanda Urmur, Sulatnpur Lodhi, Bholath and Pathankot
Areas on the Ghaggar include Zirakpur, Patiala, Sardulgarh and Mohali
The project is being drawn in association with the Irrigation Department.
The state government is working on linking the Sutlej, Beas and Ghaggar through “a dedicated corridor”.
”The crux is to treat the sewage water by installing a treatment plant and laying sewer lines to carry this water for irrigation,” says an internal Pollution Control Board project report.
Documents, in possession of The Tribune, show that following the central government nod to the implementation of the River Conservation Project, the Punjab Government has decided to use the “treated water from these rivers for irrigation purposes” through a dedicated corridor.
The government is learnt to have selected 14 towns where work on treatment of sewage being thrown into the rivers by the industry and municipal authorities will be treated and then used for irrigation under the supervision of the Pollution Control Board. Sources in the government said: “The Forests and Environment Ministry has already given its sanction to the Punjab Government to start work in the five towns of Phillaur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Banga, Phagwara and Jalandhar (under the River Conservation Project) on the Satluj at a cost of Rs 319.09 crore”.
A senior officer of the Irrigation Department said another project costing over Rs 640.51 crore and covering 18 districts was in the pipeline. PPCB Chairman Rajat Agarwal said the project would be completed with help from the Irrigation Department. “ It is a big one-of-its- kind project that will help overcome the problem of pollution in the river waters to a large extent”, he added.
Sewage treatment plants (STP)
Laying lines to carry irrigation waters
Areas on the Sutlej for installation of STP include Ropar, Naya Nangal, Anandpur Sahib, Kurali, Phillaur, Macchiwara, Nawanshahar, Banga, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Phagwara, Jalandhar and Moga
Areas on the Beas include Mukerian, Dasuya, Tanda Urmur, Sulatnpur Lodhi, Bholath and Pathankot
Areas on the Ghaggar include Zirakpur, Patiala, Sardulgarh and Mohali
20 lakh trees to be cut to restore Wullar lake (Hindustan Times 03 June 2011)
Asia’s largest fresh water lake, Wullar, in Kashmir will be restored to its original but with a huge ecological price – sacrifice of 20 lakh willow trees that can cover half of Delhi. The Environment ministry has approved Rs 400 crore long term restoration project for the lake, once spread in 202 sq
km and now a green patch in 74 sq kms, under the National Lake Conservation Programme. And, as per the plan 20 lakh trees will have to be cut.
Wullar will be second lake in Kashmir valley after Dal to be covered under the central government’s flagship wetland conservation programme.
The Jammu and Kashmir government had planted these trees in early 1980s in and around Wullar Lake to protect the valley from frequent flood but its impact was seen almost a decade later when the lake started shrinking due to accumulating tree fossil.
Now, the state government has approached Kashmir University’s (KU) Centre of Research and Development (CORD) to study impact of felling of these trees in and around Wullar lake.
“It’s difficult to talk about the impact without proper ground research,” said Professor Abdul Rashid Yousuf, a member of the CORD. But was quick to add that feeling of trees in and around Dal lake did not yield fruitful results. More than one lakh trees were cut in and around Dal Lake on directions of the high court.
“The (Wullar) lake has paid its price,” said Environment minister Jairam Ramesh, while recalling the state of wetlands in India. Most wetlands in India were treated as wastelands and Ramesh’s ministry had even approved projects on them. Recently, the ministry revoked environment clearance for a cement factory on a wetland in Gujarat.
“Wullar used to be the largest fresh water lake in Asia. Today it is a patch of green. You can't see any water. We only see willow trees,” the minister said. In the 1980s northern Kashmir’s Bandipore district faced several floods emanating from the lake and then the government decided to plant trees to overflow of water from the lake. The floods subsided but with it size of the lake also, formed centuries ago as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by River Jhelum.
Ramesh said restoration will take five to ten years and will be carried out under supervision of experts. Wular restoration is unprecedented as restoration of Dal Lake had resulted in chopping off of one lakh trees. The minister viewed the Wullar project as a major step for preserving very large eco systems.
km and now a green patch in 74 sq kms, under the National Lake Conservation Programme. And, as per the plan 20 lakh trees will have to be cut.
Wullar will be second lake in Kashmir valley after Dal to be covered under the central government’s flagship wetland conservation programme.
The Jammu and Kashmir government had planted these trees in early 1980s in and around Wullar Lake to protect the valley from frequent flood but its impact was seen almost a decade later when the lake started shrinking due to accumulating tree fossil.
Now, the state government has approached Kashmir University’s (KU) Centre of Research and Development (CORD) to study impact of felling of these trees in and around Wullar lake.
“It’s difficult to talk about the impact without proper ground research,” said Professor Abdul Rashid Yousuf, a member of the CORD. But was quick to add that feeling of trees in and around Dal lake did not yield fruitful results. More than one lakh trees were cut in and around Dal Lake on directions of the high court.
“The (Wullar) lake has paid its price,” said Environment minister Jairam Ramesh, while recalling the state of wetlands in India. Most wetlands in India were treated as wastelands and Ramesh’s ministry had even approved projects on them. Recently, the ministry revoked environment clearance for a cement factory on a wetland in Gujarat.
“Wullar used to be the largest fresh water lake in Asia. Today it is a patch of green. You can't see any water. We only see willow trees,” the minister said. In the 1980s northern Kashmir’s Bandipore district faced several floods emanating from the lake and then the government decided to plant trees to overflow of water from the lake. The floods subsided but with it size of the lake also, formed centuries ago as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by River Jhelum.
Ramesh said restoration will take five to ten years and will be carried out under supervision of experts. Wular restoration is unprecedented as restoration of Dal Lake had resulted in chopping off of one lakh trees. The minister viewed the Wullar project as a major step for preserving very large eco systems.
Selling river environs (The Pioneer 03 June 2011)
Real estate boom spurred by PPP is concretising river environs
Things that people are wont to take for granted — natural environs, water, air, heritage — are being corroded under the onslaught of predatory commerce. The real estate boom, spurred by the public-private partnership model, has been marked by concretisation of green belts, fertile farmland, river environs and protected forests. While Supreme Court intervention has temporarily put a stop to uncurbed mining in the Aravallis, though it is reported to continue clandestinely, and acknowledged conservationists’ plea that the Delhi ridge be protected, environmental rules are bent by Government agencies to oblige builders and entrepreneurs, and for ‘official’ purposes.
Nothing illustrates violations of the apex court judgement of 1996 with regard to the ridge better than the commercial encroachments in the Vasant Kunj area, spread over 92 hectares: A shopping mall, university, a Maruti showroom, the ONGC building and a publishing house. A further 330 hectares has been allotted for military establishments, and 223 hectares for developing the Aravalli Biodiversity Park. The last, an eco venture, and so, acceptable, owes to the efforts of Citizens for Preservation of Quarries and Lakes Wilderness. This body filed a PIL against the International Hotels Complex Project, planned on the ridge. Other conservationists supported the campaign. Finally, the project to build 13 luxury hotels was scrapped, and the earmarked 223 hectares of forest area in Vasant Vihar — Mahipalpur region allocated for the Biodiversity Park.
The Yamuna environs have similarly been encroached upon by Government agencies. The Delhi Development Authority, in cases filed by conservationists against the location of the Commonwealth Games Village on the Yamuna bed and floodplains, had committed to the Delhi High Court that after constructing the games village and metro residential flats, river environs would not be concretised. But, the Delhi Government now refuses to shift out the millennium bus depot, built as a temporary games-related amenity. About 60 acres on the Yamuna floodplains have thus been grabbed, part of it for use by private bus operators. NGOs such as Tapas and Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan have been trying hard to get the land vacated by the DTC, pointing out that the bus depot is not shown as part of designated land use in Delhi Master Plan 2021. The Lieutenant Governor, authorised to take decisions relating to land use, is aware of the lapse.
Activist Vinod Jain of Tapas points out that the Master Plan states that the Yamuna and ridge are Delhi’s two natural features, and should be protected and preserved. But, in reality, the opposite has happened, with encroachments occurring under Government patronage. In 2005, he filed a plea in the Delhi High Court to get the Government to notify 150 sq km of the ridge as a reserved forest. But the plea was set aside, and the Government notified 77.77 sq km as ridge area. The 1996 apex court order on a plea filed by MC Mehta accorded the protected forest status to the ridge. This tag permits grazing, wood cutting, etc. Demarcation of its area has been on since 2000. Once this is complete, reveals Mr Jain, the ridge will be declared a reserved forest, negating human presence or activities.
However, as per Mr Mehta’s plea, filed in 1985, since the ridge was notified as a reserved forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, all encroachments would be ‘illegal’, irrespective of Government permission. In Government records, 796 hectares of northern and central ridge were demarcated as reserved forest in 1913, while in 1980, by a notification under the IFA, 20 sites in northern, central and south-central ridge were demarcated as protected forests. Mr Mehta’s plea was to have the reserved forest tag applied to the whole of the ridge. The apex court ordered the Government to set up an environment impact assessment authority to examine the feasibility of projects in the national capital region in environmentally sensitive areas.
The Delhi Master Plan 2021 was notified on February 7, 2007. The website, Delhi Master Plan 2021, under ‘The Perspective for Year 2021’, states the following:
“In 2003, the Ministry of Urban Development issued guidelines and activated the think-tank for the preparation of MPD 2021. It emphasised the emerging need to explore alternate methods of land assembly, private sector participation, and flexible land use and development norms.”
The allusion to “flexible land use and development norms” may be considered an indirect admission that rules for protecting environment and heritage can be changed when required. And, judging by the spate of court cases to protect the Yamuna and its vicinity, and the ridge and forest areas, all of which are being targeted for development purposes, city planning seems to have become an exercise, driven by commercial interests. Petitioners are critical of court orders, viewing them as inadequate for the purpose of countering the ecological damage and human dislocation, entailed by mammoth real estate projects. Mr Ravi Agarwal of Srishti, an NGO that wants an alternate ridge management plan, avers that a more eco-friend land use pattern is required.
Conservationists, intent on saving the Yamuna Floodplains and ridge, which alone can ensure a good quality of life, rightly want the Master Plan of Delhi-2021, to be altered as per sustainable development imperatives. But commercial lobbies reportedly manage to coerce policy-makers to fall in line with their needs, thereby endangering fragile eco-zones.
Things that people are wont to take for granted — natural environs, water, air, heritage — are being corroded under the onslaught of predatory commerce. The real estate boom, spurred by the public-private partnership model, has been marked by concretisation of green belts, fertile farmland, river environs and protected forests. While Supreme Court intervention has temporarily put a stop to uncurbed mining in the Aravallis, though it is reported to continue clandestinely, and acknowledged conservationists’ plea that the Delhi ridge be protected, environmental rules are bent by Government agencies to oblige builders and entrepreneurs, and for ‘official’ purposes.
Nothing illustrates violations of the apex court judgement of 1996 with regard to the ridge better than the commercial encroachments in the Vasant Kunj area, spread over 92 hectares: A shopping mall, university, a Maruti showroom, the ONGC building and a publishing house. A further 330 hectares has been allotted for military establishments, and 223 hectares for developing the Aravalli Biodiversity Park. The last, an eco venture, and so, acceptable, owes to the efforts of Citizens for Preservation of Quarries and Lakes Wilderness. This body filed a PIL against the International Hotels Complex Project, planned on the ridge. Other conservationists supported the campaign. Finally, the project to build 13 luxury hotels was scrapped, and the earmarked 223 hectares of forest area in Vasant Vihar — Mahipalpur region allocated for the Biodiversity Park.
The Yamuna environs have similarly been encroached upon by Government agencies. The Delhi Development Authority, in cases filed by conservationists against the location of the Commonwealth Games Village on the Yamuna bed and floodplains, had committed to the Delhi High Court that after constructing the games village and metro residential flats, river environs would not be concretised. But, the Delhi Government now refuses to shift out the millennium bus depot, built as a temporary games-related amenity. About 60 acres on the Yamuna floodplains have thus been grabbed, part of it for use by private bus operators. NGOs such as Tapas and Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan have been trying hard to get the land vacated by the DTC, pointing out that the bus depot is not shown as part of designated land use in Delhi Master Plan 2021. The Lieutenant Governor, authorised to take decisions relating to land use, is aware of the lapse.
Activist Vinod Jain of Tapas points out that the Master Plan states that the Yamuna and ridge are Delhi’s two natural features, and should be protected and preserved. But, in reality, the opposite has happened, with encroachments occurring under Government patronage. In 2005, he filed a plea in the Delhi High Court to get the Government to notify 150 sq km of the ridge as a reserved forest. But the plea was set aside, and the Government notified 77.77 sq km as ridge area. The 1996 apex court order on a plea filed by MC Mehta accorded the protected forest status to the ridge. This tag permits grazing, wood cutting, etc. Demarcation of its area has been on since 2000. Once this is complete, reveals Mr Jain, the ridge will be declared a reserved forest, negating human presence or activities.
However, as per Mr Mehta’s plea, filed in 1985, since the ridge was notified as a reserved forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, all encroachments would be ‘illegal’, irrespective of Government permission. In Government records, 796 hectares of northern and central ridge were demarcated as reserved forest in 1913, while in 1980, by a notification under the IFA, 20 sites in northern, central and south-central ridge were demarcated as protected forests. Mr Mehta’s plea was to have the reserved forest tag applied to the whole of the ridge. The apex court ordered the Government to set up an environment impact assessment authority to examine the feasibility of projects in the national capital region in environmentally sensitive areas.
The Delhi Master Plan 2021 was notified on February 7, 2007. The website, Delhi Master Plan 2021, under ‘The Perspective for Year 2021’, states the following:
“In 2003, the Ministry of Urban Development issued guidelines and activated the think-tank for the preparation of MPD 2021. It emphasised the emerging need to explore alternate methods of land assembly, private sector participation, and flexible land use and development norms.”
The allusion to “flexible land use and development norms” may be considered an indirect admission that rules for protecting environment and heritage can be changed when required. And, judging by the spate of court cases to protect the Yamuna and its vicinity, and the ridge and forest areas, all of which are being targeted for development purposes, city planning seems to have become an exercise, driven by commercial interests. Petitioners are critical of court orders, viewing them as inadequate for the purpose of countering the ecological damage and human dislocation, entailed by mammoth real estate projects. Mr Ravi Agarwal of Srishti, an NGO that wants an alternate ridge management plan, avers that a more eco-friend land use pattern is required.
Conservationists, intent on saving the Yamuna Floodplains and ridge, which alone can ensure a good quality of life, rightly want the Master Plan of Delhi-2021, to be altered as per sustainable development imperatives. But commercial lobbies reportedly manage to coerce policy-makers to fall in line with their needs, thereby endangering fragile eco-zones.
Clean up the Ganga; Remember the Thames (Economic Times 03 June 2011)
The World Bank has sanctioned a loan, worth $1 billion, to the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), to clean up the Ganga. This is a good idea. The loan is supposed to fund projects to treat waste, from industry, towns and cities on the banks of the river, which is now routinely dumped into it. This, it was recognised many years ago, was one of the primary sources of pollution of Ganga waters.
Effluent treatment and efficient sewage networks in towns and cities can do a lot to clean up the river, which flows through five states, home to about 35% of India's population. The Ganga is one of India's most important water sources and, in its lower reaches, among the filthiest. While it is an excellent idea to clean up the effluents flowing into the river, it's also important to remember that a river can only be as clean as the people who live alongside allow it to be. If a deficit of sanitary infrastructure makes people turn to the river or if incompletely burnt bodies are floated into the river in the name of custom, or people throw tonnes of stuff daily into the river whether as sacrament or as garbage, polluted the Ganga will remain. If the Ganga has to be really clean, it's necessary to address not just its physical ecosystem, but its social ecosystem as well. And the government does not need World Bank money to do that.
The idea of forcing change in social mores might seem daunting, but it's less difficult than it seems. Think of the pristine river Thames that flows through London and try to imagine that as late as the 1950s, it was an open sewer, devoid of oxygen and therefore, all aquatic life, emitting the rotten-egg stink of hydrogen sulphide. And indeed, this was the condition of the Thames for centuries. By 1610, its water had become unfit to drink, by the 19th century, it was called The Great Stink and in 1858, sittings of the House of Commons on the banks of the river had to be abandoned, with MPs staying away from its malodorous presence. Yet by the mid-1970s, the clean-up of the Thames, started in 1964 and finishing exactly a decade later, was so successful that salmon, trout and even seal can now be found in the river. When in doubt about the Ganga clean-up project, remember the Thames.
Effluent treatment and efficient sewage networks in towns and cities can do a lot to clean up the river, which flows through five states, home to about 35% of India's population. The Ganga is one of India's most important water sources and, in its lower reaches, among the filthiest. While it is an excellent idea to clean up the effluents flowing into the river, it's also important to remember that a river can only be as clean as the people who live alongside allow it to be. If a deficit of sanitary infrastructure makes people turn to the river or if incompletely burnt bodies are floated into the river in the name of custom, or people throw tonnes of stuff daily into the river whether as sacrament or as garbage, polluted the Ganga will remain. If the Ganga has to be really clean, it's necessary to address not just its physical ecosystem, but its social ecosystem as well. And the government does not need World Bank money to do that.
The idea of forcing change in social mores might seem daunting, but it's less difficult than it seems. Think of the pristine river Thames that flows through London and try to imagine that as late as the 1950s, it was an open sewer, devoid of oxygen and therefore, all aquatic life, emitting the rotten-egg stink of hydrogen sulphide. And indeed, this was the condition of the Thames for centuries. By 1610, its water had become unfit to drink, by the 19th century, it was called The Great Stink and in 1858, sittings of the House of Commons on the banks of the river had to be abandoned, with MPs staying away from its malodorous presence. Yet by the mid-1970s, the clean-up of the Thames, started in 1964 and finishing exactly a decade later, was so successful that salmon, trout and even seal can now be found in the river. When in doubt about the Ganga clean-up project, remember the Thames.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Jal Board fixes Rs.405/455 as new sewerage development charges (Hindu 31 May 2011)
To be paid in areas where water, sewer lines are newly laid or about to be laid
9-MGD Sewage Treatment Plant to come up on Ghazipur drain
Water flowing in Ghazipur drain to be treated before being released into Sector 14 Noida drain
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jal Board has decided to fix the water and sewerage development charges for the year 2011-12 at Rs.405 and Rs.455 per sq. metre respectively, for recovery from consumers.
The charges have to be paid by residents where the water and sewer lines have been laid recently or to be laid in the near future.
At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday, the Jal Board approved the construction of a 9-MGD Sewage Treatment Plant including regulator on Ghazipur drain at Chilla Regulator along with pumping station and other appurtenant works on design, build and operate basis.
After construction of the plant, dirty water flowing in Ghazipur drain, currently falling into the drain passing through Sector 14 Noida, will be diverted to the plant and treated before being discharged into the drain.
The Board also approved of providing sewerage services in Urban Village Samaipur at an estimated cost of Rs.11,16,38,850. “It has been decided to connect the outfall in the existing 2.5 MGD Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) which is ultimately proposed to be connected with the Interceptor Sewer proposed to be laid along the supplementary drain and other big drains in Delhi,” the DJB said in a statement.
Approval for rehabilitation, operation and comprehensive maintenance for 10 years of the 40-MGD Phase-II of Rithala Sewage Treatment Plant at a cost of Rs.84.50 lakh was also given.
Further, the Board has approved the refurbishment of 450 mm to 900 mm diameter Sewer line along C. V. Raman Marg from Sukhdev Vihar via Escort Hospital to Ring Road Sewage Pumping Station in Delhi by CIPP technology at a total cost of Rs.5,25,00,000. This will provide relief to sewerage problems in New Friends Colony and adjoining areas.
The Board also approved transfer of land to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation against payment of Rs.3, 89,042 towards the cost of land to the DJB at the notified rate of Rs.22 lakh per acre for the area utilised by them for the Sarita Vihar Metro Station at Mohan Co-operative Industrial Estate, Mathura Road. The DMRC has been requested to restrict the construction/design within the 715.48 sq. mtr area.
9-MGD Sewage Treatment Plant to come up on Ghazipur drain
Water flowing in Ghazipur drain to be treated before being released into Sector 14 Noida drain
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jal Board has decided to fix the water and sewerage development charges for the year 2011-12 at Rs.405 and Rs.455 per sq. metre respectively, for recovery from consumers.
The charges have to be paid by residents where the water and sewer lines have been laid recently or to be laid in the near future.
At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday, the Jal Board approved the construction of a 9-MGD Sewage Treatment Plant including regulator on Ghazipur drain at Chilla Regulator along with pumping station and other appurtenant works on design, build and operate basis.
After construction of the plant, dirty water flowing in Ghazipur drain, currently falling into the drain passing through Sector 14 Noida, will be diverted to the plant and treated before being discharged into the drain.
The Board also approved of providing sewerage services in Urban Village Samaipur at an estimated cost of Rs.11,16,38,850. “It has been decided to connect the outfall in the existing 2.5 MGD Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) which is ultimately proposed to be connected with the Interceptor Sewer proposed to be laid along the supplementary drain and other big drains in Delhi,” the DJB said in a statement.
Approval for rehabilitation, operation and comprehensive maintenance for 10 years of the 40-MGD Phase-II of Rithala Sewage Treatment Plant at a cost of Rs.84.50 lakh was also given.
Further, the Board has approved the refurbishment of 450 mm to 900 mm diameter Sewer line along C. V. Raman Marg from Sukhdev Vihar via Escort Hospital to Ring Road Sewage Pumping Station in Delhi by CIPP technology at a total cost of Rs.5,25,00,000. This will provide relief to sewerage problems in New Friends Colony and adjoining areas.
The Board also approved transfer of land to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation against payment of Rs.3, 89,042 towards the cost of land to the DJB at the notified rate of Rs.22 lakh per acre for the area utilised by them for the Sarita Vihar Metro Station at Mohan Co-operative Industrial Estate, Mathura Road. The DMRC has been requested to restrict the construction/design within the 715.48 sq. mtr area.
DTC asked to return land on Yamuna floodplains (Hindi 31 May 2011)
Efforts to remove a bus shelter from the Yamuna floodplains seem to have paid off as the process to reclaim the land has finally begun. The Indraprastha Power Generation Company Limited (IPGCL), which had handed over the land for the construction of a “temporary” bus shelter, has now asked the Delhi Transport Corporation to return it.
IPGCL's decision is a shot in the arm for activists who had been campaigning to rid the floodplains of illegal constructions like the DTC bus shelter. The land measuring 61.05 acres owned by the IPGCL and the Delhi Government was offered to DTC to construct a bus shelter for the duration of the Commonwealth Games. However, the land remained in DTC's possession and continued being used as a depot despite the orders against its existence.
In response to an Right To Information query, the DDA has said the issue of land being used for the depot was examined and the land use of the site has been shown as ‘river water body' as per Masterplan 2021 and the land use has been shown as ‘recreational' as per the zonal development plan of zone ‘E'.
“As per the zonal development plan of zone ‘O' clause 9.2.2 (vi) the area falls in river front and should be conserved and developed considering the eco-sensitive nature of River Yamuna and based on comprehensive scheme,” the DDA has said in its reply.
“The fact that the Delhi Development Authority has admitted in a reply sought under the RTI Act that the land was meant for recreational purposes in itself is a huge relief,” said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
Mr. Misra has also written to the Lieutenant Governor complaining that the DTC is also allowing private buses to park at the disputed site. “The DTC has no right to allow a third party (here the recently introduced orange buses) to park at a place which is illegal. We have also seen earth work and construction activity going on inside the depot in violation of the directions of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission,” said Mr. Misra.
IPGCL's decision is a shot in the arm for activists who had been campaigning to rid the floodplains of illegal constructions like the DTC bus shelter. The land measuring 61.05 acres owned by the IPGCL and the Delhi Government was offered to DTC to construct a bus shelter for the duration of the Commonwealth Games. However, the land remained in DTC's possession and continued being used as a depot despite the orders against its existence.
In response to an Right To Information query, the DDA has said the issue of land being used for the depot was examined and the land use of the site has been shown as ‘river water body' as per Masterplan 2021 and the land use has been shown as ‘recreational' as per the zonal development plan of zone ‘E'.
“As per the zonal development plan of zone ‘O' clause 9.2.2 (vi) the area falls in river front and should be conserved and developed considering the eco-sensitive nature of River Yamuna and based on comprehensive scheme,” the DDA has said in its reply.
“The fact that the Delhi Development Authority has admitted in a reply sought under the RTI Act that the land was meant for recreational purposes in itself is a huge relief,” said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
Mr. Misra has also written to the Lieutenant Governor complaining that the DTC is also allowing private buses to park at the disputed site. “The DTC has no right to allow a third party (here the recently introduced orange buses) to park at a place which is illegal. We have also seen earth work and construction activity going on inside the depot in violation of the directions of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission,” said Mr. Misra.
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