जैविक खेती को बढ़ावा दें : हुड्डा (Dainik Jagran/Faridabad- 31 Aug. 2011)

चंडीगढ़, जागरण ब्यूरो :

मुख्यमंत्री भूपेंद्र सिंह हुड्डा ने गांधी स्मारक निधि को राज्य सरकार की ओर से सहायता देने का आश्वासन देते हुए सुझाव दिया है कि उन्हें जैविक खेती को बढ़ावा देना चाहिए। मुख्यमंत्री मंगलवार को यहां सेक्टर-16 स्थित गांधी स्मारक भवन में गांधी स्मारक निधि पंजाब, हरियाणा व हिमाचल प्रदेश के ट्रस्टी मंडल की बैठक को संबोधित कर रहे थे। हुड्डा ने बैठक में आग्रह किया कि सभी सदस्य घरौंडा में की जा रही जैविक खेती का प्रारूप देखें। उसे देखकर निधि में जैविक खेती के कार्य को बढ़ावा दिया जा सकता है। उन्होंने सदस्यों का धन्यवाद करते हुए कहा कि मुझे प्रसन्नता है कि आप लोगों ने मुझे गांधी स्मारक निधि के साथ जोड़ा।

मुख्यमंत्री हुड्डा भी गांधी स्मारक निधि के ट्रस्टी हैं। निधि के अध्यक्ष महेश दत्त शर्मा ने कहा कि गांधी स्मारक भवन चंडीगढ़ में गांधी संग्रहालय बनाने की एक योजना है। इसमें ऑडीटोरियम और लाइब्रेरी चलाने का प्रावधान होगा। इससे पहले खादी ग्रामोद्योग आयोग के निदेशक करनैल सिंह ने गांधी स्मारक भवन में जैविक सामानों की बिक्री का स्टाल लगाने का सुझाव दिया। निधि के सचिव अशोक शरण ने कहा कि पानीपत के पट्टीकल्याणा गांव में लोगों की मांग को देखते हुए प्राकृतिक जीवन केंद्र के विस्तार की योजना है।

डायरिया से पांच की मौत (Dainik Jagran/ Faridabad- 31 Aug. 2011)

पलवल, संवाद सहयोगी:

जिला के सबसे बडे़ गांव सौंदहद में डायरिया से पिछले तीन दिनों में पांच बच्चों की मौत हो गई। इस घटना के बाद जहां ग्रामीणों में घबराहट है, वहीं स्वास्थ्य विभाग में हड़कंप मच गया है। स्वास्थ्य विभाग ने डायरिया से पांच बच्चों की मौत की सूचना मिलते ही मंगलवार डाक्टरों की टीम गांव में भेज दी। ग्रामीणों का आरोप है कि सौंदहद गांव में पिछले काफी समय से दूषित पेयजल की आपूर्ति हो रही है। जनस्वास्थ्य विभाग की आपूर्ति से गंदा पानी आ रहा है। दूषित पानी पीने से गांव में काफी संख्या में बच्चे व बडे़ पिछले कई दिनों से उल्टी, दस्त व बुखार से पीडि़त हैं। बच्चों में उल्टी-दस्त व बुखार की अधिक शिकायत होने पर लोगों ने उनका होडल के निजी नर्सिग होम में ले जाकर उपचार कराना भी शुरू कर दिया। पिछले एक सप्ताह से उल्टी, दस्त से पीडि़त पांच बच्चों की उपचार के दौरान मौत हो गई।

डायरिया से मरने वाले बच्चों में ढाई वर्षीय संदीप पुत्र अमीचंद, दो वर्षीय हितेश पुत्र अमरचंद, दो वर्षीय वंदना पुत्री कृष्ण, डेढ़ वर्षीय राशि पुत्री मनोज व साढे़ आठ माह का रमन पुत्र यादराम शामिल हैं। सिविल सर्जन डा. आदित्य चौधरी ने बताया कि सौंदहद गांव में दो डाक्टरों के नेतृत्व में टीम बनाकर भेज दी है। डाक्टरों की टीम में डा. विपिन व डा. पंकज के अलावा आशा वर्कर भी शामिल हैं। उक्त टीम ने गांव में जाते ही डायरियाग्रस्त बच्चे व अन्य लोगों की जांच कर दवाइयां देनी शुरू कर दी है।

डा. आदित्य चौधरी ने बताया कि गांव में डायरिया फैलने की शिकायत मिलते ही उन्होंने डाक्टरों की टीम भिजवाकर लोगों को हैलोजन, क्लोरिन की गोलियां दिलवानी शुरू कर दी हैं। गांव में डायरिया से पांच बच्चों की मौत के बारे में पूछे जाने पर उन्होंने कहा कि उन्हें ग्रामीणों से इस बारे में जानकारी मिली थी। इसके बाद ही स्वास्थ्य विभाग की टीम गांव में भेजी गई है। वैसे बच्चों की मौत के कारणों के बारे में जांच करवाई जाएगी। इसके बाद ही कुछ बता पाना संभव होगा।

हर रोज खरीदना पड़ रहा है पानी (नवभारत टाइम्स,31 Aug 2011)

नई दिल्ली।।

ओल्ड राजेंद्र नगर के लोग कई महीनों से गंदे पानी की सप्लाई से परेशान हैं। आलम यह है कि उन्हें पीने के लिए ही नहीं, बल्कि रोजमर्रा के काम के लिए भी पानी खरीदना पड़ रहा है।

स्थानीय निवासी राकेश दुरेजा ने कहा कि ब्लॉक-4 के करीब सौ घर गंदे पानी की दिक्कत से जूझ रहे हैं। उन्होंने बताया कि करीब तीन महीनों से यहां पानी की सप्लाई में दिक्कत आ रही है। अमूमन तो यहां पानी आता ही नहीं और आ भी जाए तो वह इतना गंदा और बदबूदार होता है कि उसे इस्तेमाल नहीं कर सकते। उन्होंने बताया, हम हर तीसरे दिन जल बोर्ड के ऑफिस जाते हैं लेकिन न ढंग से जवाब मिलता है और न एक्शन लिया जाता है।

हमने उपराज्यपाल से भी शिकायत की पर दिक्कत वहीं रही। जल बोर्ड के टैंकर भी कभी-कभी ही आते हैं इसलिए हमें पीने के लिए ही नहीं, बल्कि नहाने के लिए भी बोतलबंद पानी खरीदना पड़ रहा है। हम रोजाना 20 लीटर की 10 बोतल लेते हैं यानी 300 से 350 रुपये का खर्चा। इससे घर का बजट गड़बड़ा गया है।

उधर, जीटीवी एन्क्लेव के लोग भी गंदे पानी की सप्लाई से परेशान हैं। उन्होंने बताया कि करीब एक हफ्ते से गंदा पानी आ रहा ह, जिसमें ऐसी बदबू आ रही है, जिससे लगता है कि उसमें सीवर का पानी मिक्स है। जल बोर्ड से कई बार शिकायत की है, लेकिन दिक्कत दूर नहीं हुई।

Maharashtra, Karnataka take steps to avert floods after dams overflow (The Hindu- 30 Aug. 2011)

Amruta Byatnal

After heavy rain lashed western Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, the authorities of Maharashtra and Karnataka are working in coordination to avert a flood-like situation in the region. Maharashtra dam officials have informed their Karnataka counterparts about the water released from the Koyana Dam, which reaches Almatti dam in Karnataka's Bijapur district.

“We have already informed officials at the Almatti dam, after water was released from Koyana. Till now, Koyana's water discharge has reached 1.03 lakh cusecs. Karnataka officials told us that they too have increased the water release from the Almatti Dam up to 1.25 lakh cusecs,” P.P. Mane, Sangli division Sectional Engineer, told The Hindu .

In the past 24 hours, the catchment area of the Koyana Dam, which is situated in Satara district, received 143 mm of rainfall. Water released from Koyana reaches Almatti in Bijapur through the Krishna river. In 2005, heavy water discharge from Koyana led to a significant increase in the Almatti's water level, resulting in heavy floods at the backwaters of Almatti.

High alert

According to Koyana Dam officials, the dam is 99 per cent full to its capacity. All six doors of the dam have been lifted up to nine feet. Villages adjoining the Koyana have been put on high alert. In Sangli and Kolhapur districts, heavy rains disrupted normal life.

Pune district administration officials said dams in the district were full following incessant rain in their catchment areas since Sunday. According to Vitthal Balote of the Disaster Management Cell, 1.26 lakh cusecs of water was released from the Bund Garden point. The administration had issued flood alert to localities of Deccan, Sinhgad Road and Hadapsar after the water discharge from Khadakvasla Dam on the Mutha was increased to 47,000 cusecs. Torrential rain also affected life in Nashik. A person was washed away on the Dindori-Unhala river. A flood-like situation near the Gangapur Dam prompted officials to issue warnings in the nearby villages.

Forecast

The India Meteorological Department in Pune on Monday predicted heavy rainfall in central and western Maharashtra. Its daily forecast stated that cyclonic circulation over Madhya Pradesh and northern Maharashtra and a low pressure belt area created over the Bay of Bengal was the cause of the heavy rainfall.

Flood situation grim in U.P. (The Hindu 25 August 2011)

The monsoon held sway over large parts of North India on Wednesday and the flood situation in Uttar Pradesh remained grim with major rivers flowing above the danger mark at many places.
“The south-west monsoon has been vigorous in Haryana and active in east Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh,” said the weatherman. The flood situation remained grim in UP affecting 25 districts as major rivers flowed above the danger mark at a number of places across the State.
According to a Central Water Commission report, the Ganga, Ghagara, Yamuna and Sharda had swelled due to release of excess water from dams.
According to a report released by the Relief Commissioner's office, 2,256 villages with a population of 16.4 lakh had been affected due to floods in 25 districts.
Moderate to heavy rain lashed several parts of Punjab and Haryana causing some rivers in these States to overflow.
Several rivers including the Yamuna, Som, Tangri, Ghaggar, Beas, Sutlej and Ravi were in spate with villages close to their banks facing a flood-like situation.
Narnaul was drenched by 79 mm of rain while Bhiwani received 48.4 mm of rain, Ambala 40.3 mm and Karnal 19.6 mm.
Heavy showers lashed several parts of Rajasthan with Dabok recording a maximum of 42.1 mm rainfall till the evening.
Churu, Bikaner, Chittorgarh, Ajmer and Jaipur recorded 11, 8.2, 8, 7.5 and 0.2 mm rainfall respectively.
In Uttarakhand, the pilgrimage to Himalayan shrines of Badrinath and Gangotri remained suspended following fresh landslides triggered by heavy rain at several places on national highways.
Haridwar received 70 mm of rain followed by Dehra Dun (46 mm) amd Mussoorie (40 mm).
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P. K. Dhumal told the Vidhan Sabha that 30 people had been killed and crops and property had suffered losses amounting to Rs.334 crore during the current monsoon season in the State.
Paddy crop damaged
Paddy grown over 30,000 acres of land has been damaged in Punjab after heavy rain caused excess water discharge into the Beas and Satluj rivers and flooded several villages.
“As per our latest reports... crops like paddy, maize grown over 60,000 acres of land got submerged under water due to recent flooding of several villages downstream in the state (Punjab). Out of which, paddy in more than 30,000 acres of land has got damaged,” a senior officer of the Punjab Agriculture Department said on Wednesday.
Fields in Punjab, the State known as the food bowl of the country, were flooded at various places, including Tarn Taran, Ropar, Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar, due to discharge of excess water into the Beas and Satluj from Pong and Bhakra dam.
Due to heavy rain in catchment areas, the water level in Pong and Bhakra dams rose quickly, forcing the authorities to release water to maintain optimum capacity.
According to reports, the flooding caused maximum damage to paddy crop in Kapurthala, sown over 30,000 acres of land.

Bengal rain toll jumps to 50 (The Hindi 23 August 2011)

No relief in sight: Flood victims waiting to collect drinking water in a flooded locality at Ratua in Malda district of West Bengal over the weekend.
Although the rains have subsided in South Bengal, the death trail gets longer and has more than doubled over a week with 50 people succumbing to snakebites, house collapses, drowning and lightning in 15 districts of West Bengal, said an official release on Monday.
The second battalion of the National Disaster Response Force has been deployed in Udaynarainpur in Howrah. State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had visited this place last week, after which she asked her ministers and legislators to fan out across the affected areas to do everything possible to relieve the people's sufferings.
Discharge of water
Water-discharge from the Damodar Valley Corporation and other dams continues. The Government has said that around 35,000 cusecs will be discharged from the Damodar Valley Corporation, 37,000 cusecs from the Durgapur Barrage and 3,000 cusecs from the Kangsabati barrage.
Breaches which had been noticed in some embankments have been repaired. No fresh instances have been reported. Several rivers are flowing above the extreme danger level.
Since last week, the rains have abated in South Bengal, but isolated heavy rainfall has been forecast in the sub-Himalayan areas during the next 24 hours.
Compensation
The State Government, which has declared a Rs. 2 lakh compensation each for the families of the dead, had allotted Rs. 94 lakh for 47 cases till Sunday.
Altogether 42,386 houses have been fully damaged and 1.89 lakh partially, forcing many people out in the open. The government has said that 344 relief camps have been set up and 52,371 affected persons have taken shelter in them.
The Public Health Department has distributed 8.2 lakh water pouches with the scourge of water-borne diseases rearing its head. Mobile water treatments units are also being sent to the various districts. The Family and Welfare Department has deployed 465 medical teams to distribute anti-venom syrups, oral rehydration system sachets, halogen tablets and bleaching powder.

जल स्तर बढ़ने से हजारों लोग बेघर (Dainik Jagran 23 Aug. 2011)

पूर्वी दिल्ली, जागरण संवाददाता :

यमुना का जल स्तर बढ़ने से यमुनापार के करीब आधा दर्जन गांव पानी से घिर गए हैं। हथिनी कुंड बैराज से पानी छोड़ने के बाद यमुनापार के बाढ़ प्रभावित गांव के लोग सरकारी मदद का इंतजार कर रहे हैं। छह दिन बाद भी सरकार ने प्रभावितों के लिए कोई कदम नहीं उठाया है। रात में पानी आने से गांव के लोग अपना सामान भी नहीं निकाल पाए। सड़क पर तो उन्होंने शरण ले रखी है, लेकिन खाना-पानी की परेशानी लगातार बढ़ती जा रही है।

उस्मानपुर, गढ़ी मेंडू व बदरपुरपुर सहित करीब आधा दर्जन गांव हथिनी कुंड बैराज से पानी छोड़ने के बाद यमुना में आई बाढ़ से बुरी तरह प्रभावित हुए हैं। यमुना खादर में बसे सभी गांव चपेट में हैं। लगभग 20 हजार लोग परेशान हैं। उस्मानपुर निवासी चौधरी हिम्मत सिंह ने बताया कि गांव में बाढ़ आने के बाद सारा सामान घर में ही रह गया। उन्हें खाने की भी परेशानी हो रही है। सरकार की तरफ से भी कोई मदद नहीं की गई है। छह दिन बाद भी खाने के लिए किसी की ओर से कुछ नहीं मिला है। विनोद नागर का दर्द है कि बच्चों का हाल बहुत बुरा है। कई बच्चे तो खाना न मिलने से बीमार पड़ चुके हैं। संजय गुर्जर ने बताया कि सरकार ने प्रभावित लोगों के लिए टेंट की व्यवस्था तो कर दी, लेकिन अभी भी करीब 500 लोगों को खुले आसमान के नीचे ही रहना पड़ रहा है। वहीं आपदा प्रबंधन केंद्र जनसंपर्क अधिकारी सुरभि सक्सेना ने बताया कि बाढ़ प्रभावित लोगों की सभी तरह की समस्याओं को जल्दी ही दूर किया जाएगा।

सुविधाओं को तरसते गांव गांवड़ी के लोग :

पूर्वी दिल्ली, जागरण संवाददाता :

उत्तर पूर्वी क्षेत्र स्थित गांव गांवड़ी कॉलोनी में मूलभूत सुविधाओं का भी अभाव है। कॉलोनी के लोग पीने के पानी, जर्जर सड़क, गंदगी की समस्या से बेहाल हैं। स्थानीय निवासी समस्या के संबंध में कई बार अधिकारियों को अवगत करा चुके हैं, लेकिन अधिकारी हैं कि उनके कानों पर जूं ही नहीं रेंगती। ग्रामीण संदीप गर्ग ने बताया कि कॉलोनी की मुख्य सड़क करीब एक साल से जर्जर है। बरसात के बाद यहां का हाल और बुरा होता है। कॉलोनी निवासी विशन लाल ने बताया कि दिल्ली जल बोर्ड ने पीने के पानी की लाइन तो बिछाई, लेकिन महीने में दो चार दिन ही कॉलोनी में पानी की आपूर्ति की जाती है।

Water level in major North India dams reaching maximum limit

The water level in major dams, including the Pong and Bhakra dams, is on the verge of touching its maximum limit due to heavy rains in North India.

The level in Pong Dam is 1,387.48 feet against the maximum limit of 1,390 feet; while it touched 518.69 feet in Ranjit Sagar Dam, where its capacity is 520.94 feet.

The Bhakra dam saw the level touch 1,667.35 feet against the limit of 1,680 feet, an official spokesperson said on Sunday.

Water has also been discharged from the Pong dam in Beas and Satluj rivers, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Haryana Irrigation Department released 250 cusecs of water in Dadupur-Nalwi canal from the Hathni Kund Barrage for the first time.

Out of the 250 cusecs, 100 cusecs has been released in the Nalwi distributary for the farmers the Ambala district on an experimental basis.

The first phase of the Dadupur-Nalwi canal, with a total water carrying capacity of 538 cusecs, had been completed at a cost of about Rs.276 crore.

The Nalwi distributary, with a total capacity of 179 cusecs, was constructed to provide irrigation in the Ambala district.

Rain claims two

lives in Uttar Pradesh

Two children were killed in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh, where major rivers on Suday continued to swell at a number of places.

According to reports, a six-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl were killed in wall collapses in Jaunpur and Badlapur respectively.

Due to the heavy rain and release of water from flooded Nepal rivers, the Ganga, Sharda, Ramganga, Yamuna and Ghagra were flowing above the danger mark at several places, submerging several villages.

A Central Water Commission report said the Ganga was flowing above the danger mark at Fatehgarh and Ballia, while rising alarmingly in Gumtia (Kannauj) Kanpur, Phahphamau (Allahabad) Varanasi and Mirzapur.

The Yamuna was flowing above the danger mark at Mathura and rising at Agra, Etawah and Baghpat.

The Ghagra was flowing above the danger mark at Elgin Bridge (Barabanki), Turtipar (Ballia) and Ayodhya. — PTI

DEAD RIVER’S REVENGE (Times of India/Deep Focus- 21 Aug. 2011)

Barren fields, closed factories, lakhs without a livelihood. A poisoned Noyyal has spelt disaster for Tirupur, a booming town caught in a people versus pollution war


Binoy Valsan | TNN



Six months ago, Tirupur was throbbing with activity. Today, the Tamil Nadu town — a major knitwear export hub — is steeped in gloom. And a river runs through it.
The river, Noyyal, has turned poisonous. For years, the town’s dyeing units had been pumping effluents into it. The toxic water eventually reached the agricultural fields of western Tamil Nadu, rendering them barren. A high court order in January led to the closure of almost all the city’s 654 units. Now, over three lakh workers are paying for the sins of their employers.
“The closure of the dyeing units has crippled the entire economy of the city. Right from the roadside tea-stall to the departmental and textile stores, there is a drastic dip in customers,” says R Annadurai, convenor, Tirupur Industrial Protection Committee.
The tragedy of Tirupur, though, began years ago — and it was first felt by the 1.5 lakh farmers of over 100 villages of Tirupur, Erode and Karur districts. A P Kandasamy, a farmer from Athipalayam village, used to be proud of his lush, green 24 acres of paddy, sugarcane and coconut trees. That was before the dyeing units began to flourish in neighbouring Tirupur and started pumping effluents into the river. Today, the vast barren fields leading up to his house bear only a few patches of shrubs, grass and hollow tree stumps — skeletal remains of an ecological disaster that has struck the region.
The past decade has been a desperate struggle for farmers as agriculture suddenly became unviable. “Not even cattle can drink the river’s water. How did they allow such an atrocious act to be committed? Nothing will grow on this soil,” laments AM Thangamuthu, a farmer from the area. Thousands like him in this belt were forced to migrate to the cities to seek employment as unskilled labour.
The misery of the farmers coincided with the rapid rise of Tirupur as a knitwear hub. As orders poured in from Europe and the US, garment manufacturers started working overtime to maximize profits. Pollution norms were sidelined as rapid economic growth took centrestage. Sources in the Pollution Control Board (PCB) now admit the units used to regularly pump toxic water into the Noyyal at night.
It was in Kandasamy’s house that the farmers finally decided to stand up to the might of the garment barons. In 2003, a writ petition was filed before the Madras High Court on behalf of their organization, the Noyyal River Ayyacutdar Protection Association (NRAPA). Eight years and numerous appeals later, the court on January 28 ruled in their favour and instructed the state government to ensure the closure of polluting dyeing units with immediate effect. The farmers have hailed it as a landmark ruling. “It will strengthen other cases where farmers are taking on industry over sensitive issues like pollution,” says Kandasamy.
The court also came down heavily on the then DMK state government and issued contempt notices to PCB officials for their failure to act. The total dissolved solids (TDS) in the river was found to be alarmingly high — between 5,500 ppm and 7,000 ppm. The permissible level fit for human consumption is 2,100 ppm. TDS levels as per the records maintained by the PCB always peaked during the period between October and May, the peak season for the garment sector.
Out of the 752 dyeing units registered in Tirupur, 654 were still functioning at the time of the court ruling. Action was initiated against them in February. Their power supply was disconnected and they were served with closure notices. Only nine units — with their own individual effluent treatment plants (IETPs) — were allowed to keep functioning.
The tragedy of Noyyal has since shifted from the agrarian hinterland to the epicentre of Tirupur city. Most of the workers in these units are unskilled labourers who migrated from the state’s southern districts (Madurai, Virudhunagar, Theni and Dindigul) and from Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Ironically, many of them had given up agriculture and come here to make a living. Now they have nowhere to go. “I don’t know any other job and I don’t have anyone back in my native town (Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district). I know some people here and will try to borrow money from them to complete my children’s education,” says P Marimuthu, one of the jobless workers.
Fortunately for Tirupur, the assembly elections in April ensured the issue got top billing. The run-up to the polls witnessed several protests by local associations and citizens’ forums. There was also a move to field more than 1,000 independent candidates from Tirupur North constituency, all of whom were affected by the closure. “Our main aim is to revive the dyeing and bleaching units in the city. The economy of Tirupur has come to a grinding halt,” said Chitra, a 36-year-old tailor and mother of two after filing her poll nomination.
What next? The new government, under J Jayalalithaa, and the Union textile ministry have swung into joint action. A 12-member, high-level committee was formed on July 25 to resolve the issue. The panel is meeting in New Delhi on August 24 to discuss possible bailout plans. “The steps being taken by the chief minister and Union government officials are commendable and we are hoping that soon we will be able to revive the garment sector,” says A Sakthivel, president, Tirupur Exporters Association.
The CM has also announced an interest-free loan package of Rs 200 crore for the 20 common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in Tirupur for upgrading their effluent treatment facilities. The authorities are currently monitoring a 90-day trial run to ensure zero liquid discharge at the Arulpuram CETP. The PCB has allowed 15 dyeing units to function at 30% capacity during the trial period. The state government has also promised immediate disbursal of a compensation package of Rs 18.38 crore to farmers affected by the pollution.
The farmers, meanwhile, are watching the developments closely. “The state government has announced some plans but because of the court ruling we believe that garment exporters will not be able to exploit Noyyal the way they did earlier,” says Kandasamy.

Rivers of sorrow continue to devastate U.P. (The Hindu 20 Aug. 2011)

Special Correspondent

Over 3 lakh people affected, thousands homeless: Officials




Nature's fury: A Vrindavan road eroded by the Yamuna on Friday. — Photo: PTI


With the Ghagra, Sharda, Saryu and Ganga causing havoc following heavy and widespread rainfall, there has been no respite from floods in Uttar Pradesh. The situation deteriorated on Friday, leaving a vast trail of death and destruction. Over 70 people have lost their lives since August 1, the deaths being caused by floods and heavy rain.

According to an official spokesperson, over three lakh people in 14 districts have been affected by floods and thousands rendered homeless, with 302 villages in 26 tehsils being cut off from the adjoining areas.

Bahraich, Faizabad, Gonda, Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Sitapur and Ballia districts have borne the brunt of the onslaught by the swollen rivers. Over 1,500 houses have been completely destroyed and 728 others partially in the catchment areas followed by the floods. About 37,000 hectare agricultural area has been consumed by the flood waters.

In Gonda district, where the rampaging Ghagra swept away 32 villages in the Karnailganj tehsil and 24 villages in Tarabganj tehsil, about 15 villages have been marooned, forcing the people to tide across the flood waters in a bid to reach to safer places. The number of flood-hit people in Gonda district was 97,412 as per the information available from the office of the Lucknow Relief Commissioner. The Ghagra has also caused havoc in neighbouring Bahraich district, where nearly 95,000 people in 65 villages in Nanpara, Mahsi and Kaisarganj tehsils have been hit. Apart from the rainfall, the Ghagra's level downstream rose after water was released from the Banbasa barrage upstream on the India-Nepal border.

The turbulent Sharda was another river in spate. It flows through Pilibhit and Lakhimpur Kheri districts, and though the Sharda was flowing below the danger mark at Pallia Bridge and Sharda barrage in Kheri district, flood waters have entered four villages in the past 24 hours. But with the river flowing above the danger mark upstream in Pilibhit district's Puranpur tehsil, 16 villages have been hit by floods in the last 24 hours. The number of flood-hit villages in the district was 73, affecting a population of about 54,000.

Flood waters from the Ghagra entered 82 villages in Laharpur and Biswan tehsils of Sitapur district amid reports of casualties. The Ganga was flowing above the danger level in Ballia district, with 165 villages partially affected.

The official spokesperson said 8,631 flood-hit people were evacuated till Friday and over 4,500 affected present in the relief camps. Over 10,000 cows, goats and buffaloes have also been evacuated. A sum of Rs.6 crore has been allotted to the flood-hit districts for relief and rehabilitation measures.

Rain lashes Uttarakhand

PTI reports from New Delhi:

Heavy showers lashed Uttarakhand on Friday as the monsoon continued to disrupt normal life in North India. Sixty people have died so far in various rain-related incidents in the hill State.

After a one-day break, incessant rain lashed Uttarakhand once again, paralysing normal life and hampering power generation. A red alert has already been sounded in the State, where heavy rain triggered landslides and floods blocking roads and forcing suspension of the Char Dham Yatra for a week.

The Yamuna, meanwhile, continued to flow above the danger mark for the third consecutive day, posing flood threat to low-lying areas in the national Capital.

In Punjab and Haryana, the maximum temperature in most parts settled a few notches below normal following rain at few places.

In neighbouring Rajasthan, a few places recorded light rain.

Yamuna level goes down (The Hindu 19 August 2011)

The threat of Yamuna flooding the low-lying areas has bated for now. On Thursday, the level of water fell to 205.58 m and was expected to go down further by midnight.
Officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said the level has been declining with the reduction in the water released from the Hathnikund barrage.
An official said with the release being as low as 32,700 cusecs, the level is expected to fall to 205.70 m by midnight.
“The trend will continue and we no longer expect the river to rise to 206 m, instead with the discharge from Haryana on the decline, the level will fall further,” said an official.
Evacuation of people from the low-lying areas and from near the floodplains, however, is still being continued as part of the precautionary measures, said the official.

Yamuna level close to danger mark (The Hindu 18 August 2011)

As water level of the Yamuna reached close to the danger mark on Wednesday, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Delhi Revenue Minister A.K. Walia took stock of preparations to tackle the expected flood.
Water levels in the river have been increasing on account of heavy discharge of water from Hathinikund since Tuesday.
On Wednesday the water level touched 205.8 metres at 8 p.m., which is above the danger mark of 204.83 metres. Around 6, 22,000 cusecs of water was released from Hathinikund on Tuesday, resulting in a serious flood-like situation in Delhi.
Officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said to meet the challenge of the expected flood all efforts are being made to ensure there is no threat to life and loss of property. “At the meeting on Wednesday Ms. Dikshit instructed the concerned agencies to make coordinated efforts of relief and ensure that there is no loss of life and property,” said an official.
The Chief Minister later said all arrangements are in place and the employees of concerned departments have been deployed in three shifts to remain available for relief services 24 hours.
Arrangements: “As per the forecast the level of the river is expected to touch 206 metres, after which it might start declining as the discharge has already begun reducing and this trend is likely to continue. The discharge from Hathinikund at 8 a.m. on Wednesday was 3,83,000 cusec and 3,57,000 at 9 a.m., it further fell to 1,88,000 cusec at 3.30 p.m.,” the official said

Flood threat looms large as Yamuna rises (The Hindu 17 August 2011)

Fears of a heavy flood are back to haunt the Capital as a large quantum of water released from Haryana is expected to reach the city over the next 40 hours. The water level in the rain-fed Yamuna has been rising over the past 48 hours and has come close to the warning mark.
On Tuesday, Delhi Revenue Minister Dr. A. K. Walia confirmed that a large quantity of water has been released from Hathini Kund in Haryana which is likely to cause a “serious flood-like situation”. The Government has begun the process of issuing warning and setting up tents to accommodate the people who will be evacuated from the affected areas.
Heavy rain in the upper reaches of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh has caused the river to swell and at 6 p.m. the river was flowing at 203.58 mts., a little below the danger mark of 204.83 mts.
According to the Delhi Government officials, water discharge from Hathini Kund has progressively increased through the day beginning at around 2,19,649 cusec and going up to 6,41,462 cusec at about 6 p.m. This is the fourth year in a row since 2008 when the city has to tackle high floods.
Gearing up to meet the flood-threat, the Government has begun issuing warnings to people settled along the riverbed and low-lying areas and will soon begin work of evacuation.
Dr. Walia chaired a meeting of all the departments concerned to take stock of the preparations. “The Minister was apprised that warnings are being issued in the low-lying areas and preparations for evacuation are being made. The Irrigation and Flood Control department has begun the process of creating safe zones for the residents who will be evacuated,” said an official.
Dr. Walia said the river is expected to cross the danger level and may touch 206.0 mts. resulting in floods. In 1978, the level reached 207.49 mts. (the highest so far) and in 1998 it touched 206.92 mtrs.
Officials pointed out that the discharge of around 6,22,000 cusec of water will result in a situation where the Yamuna bed, which is in between the left marginal and right marginal bund area and meant to hold additional water during monsoons, will get flooded.
“Irrigation and Flood Department control rooms are also working all along the marginal bunds on both sides of Yamuna and are ready with men and material to address any eventuality or any kind of breach,” said an official.
Deputy Commissioners of North-East, North, Central, East, South and North-West have been alerted to get the low-lying areas along the river bed evacuated. Necessary rehabilitation arrangements like proper tents, food, drinking water, medical facilities and sanitation will be arranged by the DCs concerned, the official added.
Tents are being pitched at Usmanpur, Garhi Mandu, Badarpur Khadar, ISBT Bridge, Shastri Park (Red Light), Old Yamuna Bridge (North Side), Opposite Chilla Gaon including DND, Chilla, Mayur Vihar-I, Opposite Shakarpur Thana, Near Akshardham Temple, Old Yamuna Bridge (South Side), Shamshan Ghat Geeta Colony, Thokar 19 & 20, Okhla, Batla House, Jamna Bazar and Jagatpur.
Sixteen boats from the Boat Club [DC (East)] and 40 boats of Irrigation and Flood Control Department are ready to be pressed into service.
There are also 55 divers/boatmen to help in rescue operations.

Protests against move to build bridge over Yamuna (The Hindu 12 August 2011)

Activists campaigning to save the Yamuna are up in arms against the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's announcement to construct another bridge across the river.
Non-government organisation, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, has shot off a letter to Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna complaining that the DMRC has been violating rules and has not sought mandatory clearances for the new project.
The YJA is protesting against the construction of the “pseudo bridge” that is part of the Mukandpur-Yamuna Vihar corridor under the Phase-III expansion plans of the metro.
The DMRC issued a notice inviting tender on July 4 for a new pseudo bridge-cum-road over the river Yamuna, according to YJA convenor Manoj Misra.
The proposed bridge is 83 m downstream of the existing Hazrat Nizamuddin bridge-cum-road.
YJA claims that the proposed bridge is in violation of the Delhi Development Authority Act and has no approval from the Delhi Urban Arts Commission as well. “The reason why we say so is because we are aware that such a bridge is not provided for in the approved zonal plan for zone O (it violates the DDA Act), there has been no approval for such a bridge by the DUAC,” the YJA has written to the Lieutenant-Governor.
The NGO has alleged that there has been no prior environmental impact assessment of the construction of such a bridge on the river system in the only remaining relatively secure zone of the river. “The proposal has to our best knowledge not yet been assessed by the Yamuna Standing Committee and no prior permission has been taken from the Yamuna River Development Authority.”
Seeking a ban on the construction of the pseudo bridge at the designated spot, YJA has claimed that sub zone 7 of the river, is the only secure flood plain in the 22 km of the river, where flood waters spread from end to end and recharge the city's aquifers.

“Haryana withholding Delhi's share of water” (The Hindu 12 August 2011)

Delhi Jal Board complains to Upper Yamuna River Board
The Delhi Jal Board has shot off a letter to the Upper Yamuna River Board complaining that it is not receiving its full share of water from Haryana. The Jal Board has also sought a meeting on the issue of Haryana withholding Delhi's share of water.
The DJB has already written to Haryana, asking the authorities to ensure that the city gets its required quantum of water. However, with no let-up in sight, and the city suffering a water shortage for the past four weeks, the DJB has now sought the intervention of the Upper Yamuna River Board. According to Jal Board officials, water levels in the Munak canal have been fluctuating and as a result there has been shortage of raw water at Haiderpur water treatment plant.
The production of water at the WTP has been affected adversely and there has been shortage of about 10 to 20 MGD at the Haiderpur WTP. According to sources, water from the canal is being diverted to paddy fields since there has been less rainfall in Haryana. DJB officials said the command of the Haiderpur plant has been facing shortage of water supply. The major areas affected include all of South Delhi under the command of the Deer Park Reservoir such as Vasant Kunj, Munirka, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indian Institute of Technology, Green Park, Safdurjung Enclave, Mehrauli, Kishangarh, R. K. Puram and areas in North Delhi and West Delhi such as parts of Rohini, Mangolpuri, Sultanpuri, Paschim Vihar, Pitampura, Ashok Vihar, Lawrence Road, Alipur, Janakpuri and Sagarpur.
“The DJB has been taking up this matter continuously with the Haryana authorities, but they have not been able to stabilise the canal at optimum level. It is apparently because of pressure for supplying more water to the paddy areas in Haryana,” said sources.
• ‘Capital suffering a water shortage for the past four weeks'
• ‘Shortage of raw water at Haiderpur water treatment plant'

दिल्ली में उफान पर यमुना, बाढ़ का खतरा (Amar Ujala 17 August 2011)

दिल्ली में यमुना का जलस्तर खतरे के निशान के नजदीक पहुंच गया। इस वजह से अधिकारियों ने यमुना से सटे निचले इलाकों को खाली करा लिया है। हरियाणा के हथिनीकुण्ड बैराज से पानी छोड़े जाने के कारण यह स्थिति आई है।

पूर्वी दिल्ली स्थित गांधीनगर केंद्रीय नियंत्रण कक्ष के एक अधिकारी ने बताया कि जल स्तर 204.64 मीटर तक पहुंच गया है और इसके 204.83 मीटर तक पहुंचने की आशंका है। हम लोगों ने आपातकालीन योजनाएं तैयार कर रखी हैं।

हथिनीकुण्ड बैराज से मंगलवार को 6,22000 क्युसेक पानी छोड़ा गया था जिससे दिल्ली में बाढ़ जैसी स्थिति उत्पन्न हो गई है। दिल्ली के राजस्व मंत्री ए. के. वालिया ने मंगलवार को बताया कि सिंचाईं और बाढ़ नियंत्रण विभाग के नियंत्रण कक्ष यमुना के दोनों तरफ कार्य कर रहे हैं। बाढ़ से निपटने के लिए 56 नौकाएं और पम्प लगाए गए हैं।

In birds' own country a long wait for water to breed (The Hindu 07 August 2011)

An anxious wait for rain continues in the world famous birds' country, Keoladeo National Park (KNP), near Bharatpur in Rajasthan as rain gods have not exactly smiled on the marshes this season yet. Monsoon showers mean everything to the 29 sq. km park, a World Heritage site, as the nesting and breeding of a large number of bird species totally depends on inundation of the marshes and the arrival of fingerlings which form the food for the newborn and the parents.
The wait is not by the hooting, cackling, winging avian force alone as the stake holders include rickshaw pullers doubling as naturalists in the park, hoteliers, vehicle operators and thousands of other people in the Keoladeo surroundings who survive on as well as live with them. The Forest Fepartment authorities, for whom arranging for the annul intake of 550 million cubic feet (MCFT) water to the park has become a herculean task year after year of late, are keeping their fingers crossed on the season's breeding prospects.
“We are still hoping that the park will get water in the next fortnight. If that does not happen, the birds now waiting in the newly built nests would abandon their homes and leave the place,” says Anoop K.R., Field Director of the Park. Early breeders -- Open billed stork, Cormorant, Egret, Darter, White Ibis, Grey heron: in a good year their numbers could be legion -- who start arriving in the park by the end of June are ensconced in the nests and the signal would be the next gush of big waters into the park.
Then there are Spoon bills, Painted storks, Spot bill, Comb duck, Cotton teal, Bronze winged jacana, Purple moorhen… It is during the monsoon that the heronry, terrestrial birds and ungulates alike come alive and celebrate the season of creation.
Of late the water supply to the park, once a duck shooting ground for the rulers of Bharatpur State and their guests, has been erratic. Increasing the height of the Panchana dam in Karauli district without fixing a minimum share of water to the Keoladeo marshes some time back is now proving a big mistake on the part of the planners. The farmers in the upstream area are resisting release of the water and the authorities are afraid to act -- for birds do not have votes, as famously said by a Bharatpur politician once.
There had been some efforts by the Rajasthan Government in the past to help the park overcome its water crisis -- which has also put a question mark over its continuing in the Heritage list. The State Board for Wildlife has already passed a resolution recommending an annul quota for KNP from Panchana, fed by the rivers, Ghambir and Banganga.
Work is in progress on the 17.1 km Govardhan Drain project which is expected to harness flood waters from a 70 km area in the neighbouring States of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana as well. However, this project, funded by the Planning Commission, will be ready only for the nest season -- in 2013. A 3.6 km water inlet -- Chiksana Canal -- built recently at a cost of Rs. 41 lakhs, is to bring in 50 MCFT water.
The previous season (2010-11) was good with 700-800 pairs breeding in Keoladeo while the preceding year was a disaster with park missing its chicks. The year 2008-09 too had witnessed good breeding – more than 1,000 nests, as per Mr. Anoop's estimate -- while there is a question mark on the current season.
The rainy season for east Rajasthan is from July to September but then the birds are not going to wait eternally for their home-making. “If the park is not flooded in another week we can only hope for action from the late breeders such as Spoon bills and Painted storks,” says Mr. Anoop.

MCD blames Delhi Govt. over water contamination (The Hindu 03 August 2011)

Civic body has been updating the CM on the issue'
In the wake of the National Human Rights Commission's action in asking Delhi Jal Board chairman and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to explain the measures being taken to supply potable drinking water in the city in the wake of the water contamination controversy, the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi also hit out at the State Government on Tuesday.
MCD Leader of House Subhash Arya said: “The MCD is already concerned about the ill-effects of dirty water on the health of Delhiites and now the NHRC has also expressed its concern over the fact. The Commission has stated clearly that it is the right of the citizens to get clean drinking water and it is the responsibility of the Government to provide clean drinking water to them. The Delhi Government has completely failed in fulfilling its responsibility.”
The MCD on Tuesday said its health department on its own and jointly with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has been taking samples of water and apprising the DJB about the findings.
Mr. Arya said: “Dr. V.K. Monga, chairman of MCD Medical Relief and Public Health Committee, has been time and again updating the Delhi Chief Minister on the outcome of these samples. However, he has not yet got a reply. On the ground level, it is amply clear that no concrete action has been taken as the report shows.”
He also stated that of the 4,816 water samples taken by the MCD in the joint survey in the current year, dirty water was found in 315 samples. “There is a signature of DJB officials on the joint survey. In this regard, the statement by the DJB that it is not aware about supply of dirty water is nothing but shirking from its responsibility. The MCD also provides information to the department concerned when the sample of drinking water is found to be dirty,” he added.
Mr. Arya said: “We had also informed the DJB about 642 pipelines that run cutting nullahs. Of them, only seven pipelines have been repaired. Besides this, the DJB was also provided with the list of 23 cases of water leakages. However, only seven of them have been repaired and nothing concrete done on the remaining 16 pipelines so far. The MCD is tasked with maintenance of storm water drains of up to four feet. Whenever samples of drinking water are taken and the levels of dirty water found, it is only of the sewer mixed water.”
He went on to state that people residing in unauthorised and unauthorised regularised resettlement colonies have put their sewer lines in storm water drains, which is an illegal activity. “All this is the responsibility of the Chief Minister and she must rectify this without any delay,” he added.
NHRC notice to Jal Board chief
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice, returnable in four weeks, to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Chairman seeking a report on the news items that stated contaminated water was being supplied in many areas in the city due to cracks in the pipeline.
The Commission wanted the Chairman to explain what measures were being taken by DJB to provide potable water to the Delhi ites.
The NHRC took the issue suo motu based on the media reports. The reports claimed that according to a survey conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and DJB in 200 areas at least 67 major water pipelines had micro cracks and were being contaminated by sewage as the lines crossed each other. The pipelines were quite old and some of them as old as 100 years, like those in Chandni Chowk and have rusted, leading to major leakages. Many residential colonies in Delhi had been getting contaminated water and the danger posed by this contaminated water were manifold as it might cause a variety of aliments including viral infection, hepatitis E, typhoid, cholera and jaundice.
The Commission expressed its concern on the “contaminated water issue” and observed that the contents of the report, if true, amounted to serious violation of right to health of the people of Delhi.

Jal Board refutes MCD report on contamination (Hindu 02 August 2011)

“Complaints over leakage, water quality received daily but problem not alarming”
Making the most of it: Street children enjoying a bath thanks to a leaking Delhi Jal Board pipeline at East Patel Nagar roundabout on Monday. Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
The Delhi Jal Board on Monday admitted that there are complaints of contamination that it receives daily but maintained that the situation is far from alarming. The Board was reacting to a report compiled by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi alleging that there are cracks in major pipelines that allow contamination of water.
Speaking in defence of the water utility, DJB Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Negi said: “We have over 1,400 km of pipeline. There are leakages and on an everyday basis we get about 20-40 complaints of contamination that are attended to, but the problem is not so alarming.”
‘Where is MCD report?'
The CEO claimed that the Jal Board has not been given a copy of the MCD report, and said that contrary to what the MCD has claimed the DJB has not been part of the survey or report drafting. “No such report has been received by the CEO or by the Member (Water supply) in the DJB, from the Municipal Commissioner, the MCD, or the Chairman, Health Committee of the MCD. In fact, no joint survey of the pipelines was carried out. We have learnt that a copy has been submitted to the Delhi Government, we will ask for a copy of the report.”
The DJB CEO turned the tables on the civic agency for flawed policies that make it difficult for the water utility to get permission to cut roads and carry out necessary repair work.
“The MCD has a complex bureaucracy, there is over centralisation. We have requested the Government to make the procedure (of getting permission) easier,” said Mr. Negi. He also made a reference to the disagreement over cost sharing for road cutting and repair work.
Citing examples of delays caused by the time-consuming permission procedure, Mr. Negi said in Inderpuri the Jal Board had to go ahead with the road cutting work without the permission since the contamination complaints had been pending for over a week.
He also said that in most cases of contamination, the Jal Board had found that the service pipelines were old and rusted. These service lines are the responsibility of the consumers and have to be replaced in 10-15 years.
“Another major problem is that there is no dedicated corridor for the pipelines. Over 50 per cent of Delhi is built in an unauthorised way. There are resettlement colonies, unauthorised colonies, urban villages, slums, and in most of the places the sewer pipes run close to the water carrying mains. The problem of contamination is more during the monsoon season,” said Mr. Negi.
He said with a network of over 14,000 km of water pipelines, and 700 km of water mains and the rest peripheral lines under its service, the DJB has a streamlined procedure for handling contamination issues.
“We routinely lift samples for checking the quality of water. If the source of contamination is not traced immediately, the water supply to the area is cut-off without delay, and water is supplied through tankers until the source of contamination is found and remedied,” he said.
Listing the major reasons for contamination he said, the most common causes are leakages in pipelines, overflowing of sewers and nullahs and damaged service pipelines.
The DJB CEO said about 200-250 km of pipeline is changed annually and they have been urging the MCD to appoint an official who can be part of a joint team that can assess complaints and areas that need attention. “But we have not heard from the MCD so far. We have also set up a system wherein complaints can be lodged with the local water emergency or the central control room, or send an SMS to 53030 by typing “DJB (space) C”.

Green hurdle for amusement park (31 July 2011)

NEW DELHI: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's proposed amusement park at Shastri Park Metro station is being opposed by the city's green lobby.
The Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, a consortium of NGOs, says that the 15 hectares of land where park is to be built is not meant for commercial use and that DMRC does not have the requisite approvals to go ahead with the project.
The first violation, said Manoj Misra, convener of YJA, was of the moratorium issued by the lieutenant-governor prohibiting construction on the river bed. A DMRC spokesperson said that this proposal to set up an amusement park was followed up with LG's office and permission for setting up the park was given on November 16, 2010. But sources in the LG's office said this could not be construed as the final permission.
The office made it clear that there could be no permanent structures in the park, no concretization and the project had to be eco-friendly. However, DMRC still has to apply to DDA with the final plans. There is no formal clearance for the project from the LG's office," said a source.
Misra told TOI that as per the 2021 Master Plan and zonal plan, DMRC did not have any land available for commercial activity. "The limited land with designated 'commercial' land use has already been converted into IT parks. In any case, the entire DMRC complex at Shastri Park lies within the active river plain of 1,150m. This is important in view of the Delhi high court's decision of 2005, where it had ordered for the demolition of any structure standing within 300m of the river," said Misra.
He added that DMRC also did not have any approval from either the Yamuna Standing Committee or the Delhi Urban Arts Commission for the final project.
A DMRC spokesperson denied the charges, saying approval of the Central Water Commission's Yamuna Standing Committee for setting up an amusement park was obtained through their 68th committee meeting held March 2005. "The land was handed over to us by DDA in November 1999. Since then, it has been lying vacant. The land has to be commissioned out temporarily for 15 years. We have all necessary clearances," said the spokesperson.
YJA pointed out that even the standing committee clearance came with the rider that the river bed level had to be restored to 204m since during the earlier construction by Delhi Metro, the level had been raised by dumping of debris. The restoration has not taken place.
"The land use of the specific area is not commercial as per the zonal plan and no commercial activity can be allowed here without a change in land use. If DMRC has no operational use for this land why can't it be returned to DDA and restored as floodplain," said Misra.

Water woes to stay as dam work stopped (Times of India 29 July 2011)

NEW DELHI: It will be long before Delhi finds a solution to its water problem. The national green tribunal on Thursday ordered Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL) to stop all construction work related to the Renuka Dam project.
The interim order put an end to any further land acquisition for the project till the main hearing, scheduled on September 1, takes place.
Delhi's share from the40-MW hydel project is pegged at 270 million gallons per day - a massive amount considering that the city is treating about 700MGD for its drinking water needs at present.
While forest clearance to the project was cancelled by the ministry of environment and forests in October, 2010, questions are also being raised about its environment clearance. Lawyer Ritwick Dutta, who appeared for the petitioner, said the two major issue son which the tribunal had stepped in were the discrepancies in total land required for the project and the number of families which would be displaced .
"So far, there is no one figure of how much land is required for the dam," said Dutta . "The environment impact assessment report states a figure that is completely different from what is mentioned in the environment clearance letter issued by the ministry. Yet another figure is being thrown up by the land acquisition reports. While the environment clearance states a figure of 1,477 hectares, HPPCL is quoting 2,239 hectares. About 37 villages will be impacted. This will also play a role in deciding the number of trees that need to be felled for the project, which, as per our analysis, is more than 13 lakh," he added.
There is still no clarity on how many families will be affected if the dam comes up. The assessment report mentions that about 308 families will be displaced while HPPCL's own land acquisition records indicate that the figure is around 1,300.
"How can the project be accorded any clearances when the baseline data is absent or false. The approved project seems totally at odds with what is being implemented. Even the credibility of the group that carried out impact assessment is being questioned .Acquisition work and maybe even construction was taking place at a breakneck speed," added Dutta.

Jal Board to make info on PPP projects public by September 1 (Hindu 28 July 2011)

Delhiites will soon be able to access much of the information pertaining to private parties engaged by the Jal Board for carrying out meter changing, meter reading and bill collection in their areas with consummate ease.
The Central Information Commission has directed the DJB to put out on its website the information pertaining to all memorandums of understanding (MOUs), contracts or other documents entered into between it and any private company or individual to engage them in these operations.
In an order issued to the Delhi Jal Board Secretary, Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi recently demanded adherence to Section 4 of the RTI Act under which public authorities are under an obligation to make certain suo motu disclosures which ensure accountability in institutions and reduce the load of RTI applications being filed with them. The Commission said it had received representations from two persons, Ms. Aheli Chowdhury and Ms. Preeti Sampat, requesting that some additional information also be displayed by the DJB under its obligations mandated by Section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005.
Noting that “this matter warrants larger public interest and information connected to it, as mandated by law, should be available proactively on the website of the department”, the Commission directed the DJB to provide all documents -- reports, circulars, notices, and proposals indicating the reasons for the decision to undertake each public private partnership.
It has also demanded that all contracts, agreements, proposals, MoUs, expression of interest related to the hiring of any consultants for the PPPs be put in the public domain. Similarly, it has called for making public all documents at any stage, submitted by a consultant for the PPPs.
It is also required to put on its website all documents indicating the budgets, expenses (estimated and undertaken), sources of finance including loans, grants and other monetary transactions related to the PPPs; details of public consultations held for these PPPs; the Water Board Amendment Bill; and all documents, reports, proposals, notices, contracts related to the preparation of the Water Board Amendment Bill and to the Master Plan for Sewerage System of Delhi for the year 2031.
The Commission has directed that the information be made available on the DJB website by September 1 and the compliance report be filed with it by September 10.

Faced with administrative apathy, village solves its own water problem (Hindu 29 July 2011)

Self-Help is best help: Madhera residents digging a one-km-long channel to lay a cement pipeline for receiving Yamuna waters for drinking and irrigation in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district. — Photo: Rohit Jain Paras
In a rare community-driven initiative, the residents of a nondescript village near Deeg in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan have solved the perennial problem of groundwater salinity by laying a one-km cement pipeline to get the Yamuna river waters from a feeder canal situated nearby.
The small Madhera village had been facing difficulty in getting clean and pure water for both drinking and irrigation for years in view of the unusually high fluoride, nitrate and salt contents in the groundwater of the region. The water salinity is so high it is unfit for drinking even by the cattle.
Eager to tackle the problem, the villagers convened a meeting earlier this month and decided to bring on their own the water from the Bharatpur feeder canal, situated about one km away from Madhera, which carries the waters of the Yamuna. Demands to connect the village with the feeder canal had been raised several times in the past without any response from the administration.
The villagers decided to lay an underground cement pipeline from the canal to Madhera at an estimated cost of Rs.2.50 lakh. Since the money required was not readily available, the village elders decided to pool in finances and declared that each household would make contributions as per its capacity.
Each of the 60 households in the village made contributions ranging from Rs.200 to Rs.5,000 for the unique community-driven project. A total of Rs.1.50 lakh was collected, but the work on the project was held up for want of the remainder amount.
The villagers met once again and this time decided to seek help from the Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation — the corporate social responsibility wing of pharmaceutical major Lupin — working actively for rural development, livelihood promotion and employment generation in Bharatpur district for the past two decades.
Lupin Foundation executive director Sita Ram Gupta said here on Thursday that his organisation considered the project a major initiative towards villagers' empowerment, and at once provided a financial assistance of Rs.70,000 for the purpose.
After arranging adequate finances, the villagers dug a one-km channel and laid a 700-metre cement pipeline of 12-inch diameter in it. The pipeline's installation was carried out in a professional manner, with each villager contributing his time, energy and expertise to ensure that water passed through it smoothly.
Mr. Gupta said the first action the villagers took after the getting the water supply was to fill up the pokhar (small public pond) in Madhera. This has led to an increase in the water level of the wells situated nearby, which are now being utilised for irrigation.
The Yamuna waters received through this unique model have facilitated irrigation in an area measuring 500 hectare, besides quenching the thirst of the villagers. The villagers have also put up water harvesting structures at several points to reap full advantage of the rains.
Mr. Gupta pointed out that the farming of vegetables and fruits had been taken up on a large scale in Madhera thanks to the “creative idea, ingenious planning and hard work” of villagers. With the expectations of a high agricultural yield, the financial lot of the villagers is also set to improve in the time to come.