स्कूली बच्चों ने किया पौधरोपण (Dainik Jagran Vikas Nagar 22 may 2012)

स्कूली बच्चों ने किया पौधरोपण विकासनगर: अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संस्था इन्वायरमेंट आनलाइन के 100 मिलियन ट्रीज बाई 2017 अभियान अंतर्गत दि इंडियन पब्लिक स्कूल राजावाला सेलाकुई के छात्र-छात्राओं ने दुधई गांव में पौधरोपण किया। विद्यार्थियों ने करीब सौ पौधे रोपे। एक्ट नाऊ संगठन के प्रमुख राजीव कुमार ने कहा कि आज के अव्यवस्थित व दूषित वातावरण में यह नितांत आवश्यक है कि छात्र और नौजवान पर्यावरणीय जागरूकता के प्रयासों में अपने को शामिल करें। पौधरोपण के दौरान प्रधानाचार्य कामिनी जे बहुगुणा, प्रशासक अशोक कुमार, विभोर प्रकाशम, अतुल कविराज, अरुण गुसांई आदि मौजूद थे।

Dainik Jagran Vikas Nagar 21 May 2012

6 विधायक नवप्रभात ने किया पुरस्कृत विकासनगर, जागरण कार्यालय: दि रूरल एजूकेशन एंड सोशियल वेलफेयर सोसाइटी जीवनगढ़ की ओर से डाकपत्थर में छात्र-छात्रओं के लिए विभिन्न प्रतियोगिताएं आयोजित की गईं। प्रतियोगिता के विजेता छात्र-छात्रओं को विधायक विकासनगर ने पुरस्कृत किया। शिशु विद्या मंदिर डाकपत्थर में आयोजित कार्यक्रम में विभिन्न विद्यालयों के छात्र-छात्रओं ने भाग लिया। प्रतियोगिताएं सीनियर, जूनियर और प्राथमिक वर्ग में आयोजित की गईं। सामान्य ज्ञान प्रतियोगिता सीनियर वर्ग में विवेक कुमार सिंह प्रथम, रोहित चौहान द्वितीय और कमल थापा तृतीय रहे। सामान्य प्रतियोगिता के जूनियर वर्ग में सूफियान प्रथम, शिवानी द्वितीय और विपिन चौहान तृतीय रहे। क्विज में गुलिस्ता और शकीना की जोड़ी प्रथम रही। कला प्रतियोगिता के प्राथमिक वर्ग में अजय धीमान प्रथम, अक्षत गुरुंग द्वितीय और प्रभात पुंडीर तृतीय रहे। कला प्रतियोगिता के जूनियर वर्ग में गुलिस्ता अंसारी प्रथम, मोहम्मद नवीद द्वितीय और आयुषी तृतीय रहे। कला प्रतियोगिता के सीनियर वर्ग में मेजर खान प्रथम, राजवीन सिंह द्वितीय और भूषिता शर्मा तृतीय रहे। प्रतियोगिताओं में प्रथम, द्वितीय व तृतीय स्थान प्राप्त करने वाले विद्यार्थियों को विधायक नवप्रभात ने प्रमाणपत्र और स्मृति चिह्न देकर पुरस्कृत किया। इस मौके पर सोसाइटी के अध्यक्ष मोहम्मद इस्लाम, सचिव नशीम अहमद, एसपी सिंह, रिजवान, वीर सिंह, शमीम, आशीफ, मुकेश, श्याम सिंह, हुसनददीन व पीडी शर्मा मौजूद थे।

Dainik Bhaskar Yamuna Nagar 16 May 2012

Dainik Bhaskar Yamuna Nagar 15 May 2012

फैक्टरियों का गंदा पानी सड़क पर (Dainik Jagran Yamuna Nagar 20 May 2012)

जनसमस्या - बदहाली के आलम में इंडस्टियल एरिया, नहीं दिया जा रहा ध्यान फैक्टरी संचालक और प्रदूषण नियंत्रण विभाग गंभीर नहीं यमुनानगर, जागरण संवाद केंद्र : इंडस्टियल एरिया में सड़कों पर फैक्टरियों की राख व विषैला गंदा पानी, एरिया में धूल व राख का गुबार, साफ-सफाई का अभाव, टूटी सड़कें एरिया की बदहाली बता रही। सड़कों पर जलते कचरे, गंदगी के ढेर एरिया का बेहाली बया कर रहे। नई सड़कें जिन्हें कुछ समय पूर्व तारकोल बजरी को बिछाया गया था वह भी खस्ताहाल होने की ओर बढ़ रही है। एरिया की सड़कों के टूटने में भारी-भरकम वाहनों का फैक्टरियों के गंदे पानी का योगदान है। बारिश के दिनों में एरिया की सड़कों से अगर गुजर जाएं तो जहां तक शरीर पानी में होगा उतने में संक्रमण जरूर फैल जाएगा। एरिया में मौजूद इंडस्टियों द्वारा मोटा राजस्व भी सरकार को मिल रहा है। इसके बाद भी वहां जो सुविधा चाहिए वह नहीं दिखती। एरिया में पूर्व में ही काफी फैक्टरियां हैं। प्रदूषण का अनुमान इसी बात से किया जा सकता है कि वहां प्रदूषण नियंत्रण विभाग द्वारा एयर व न्वायज पाल्यूशन चेक किया जाता है। पर विभाग उन फैक्टरियों को चेक करने जिनमें फैक्टरियों के विषैले अवशिष्ट नालियों द्वारा फैक्टरी के बाहर आता है उसका फैक्टरी संचालक द्वारा इंतजाम कराने को लेकर सक्रिय नहीं दिखता। इससे विषैला पानी जमीन में फैलने के साथ लोगों के लिए भी घातक सिद्ध हो रहा है। एरिया की फैक्टरियों से उड़ती राख व घातक रसायनों द्वारा एरिया पर्यावरण खराब होने का मसला है ही उस पर फैक्टरियों की राख सड़क पर फेंक देना और बड़े वाहनों के चलने से राख की उठती गुबार पूरे एरिया की स्वच्छ हवा को निगलने की भी विभाग अनदेखी कर रहा है। हमीदा रेलवे फाटक से लेकर इंडस्टियल एरिया के मोड़ तक राख-और धूल से सांस लेना मुश्किल है। इस जगह झुग्गी-झोपड़ी वालों ने भी गंदगी फैला रखी है। बाकी परेशानियों का हल नगर निगम की मुस्तैदी पर निर्भर है। विभाग व निगम नहीं सक्रिय : नगर निगम भी जिम्मेदारी से मुकर रहा है, जिससे फैक्टरी संचालकों बड़े वाहन चालकों ने बदहाली फैला रखी है। इस बारे में प्रदूषण नियंत्रण विभाग के क्षेत्रीय अधिकारी व एसडीओ से बात करने की कोशिश की गई पर संपर्क नहीं हो सका।

‘पोलिथिन नहीं, थैला प्रयोग करें’ (Dainik Jagran Yamuna Nagar 20 May 2012)

कनालसी गांव में पोलिथिन मुक्त सप्ताह संपन्न जगाधरी, जागरण संवाद केंद्र : कनालसी गांव की यमुना जल समिति द्वारा गांव में चलाया गया पोलिथिन मुक्त सप्ताह शनिवार को संपन्न हो गया। सप्ताह के दौरान समिति सदस्यों ने विद्यार्थियों को पोलिथिन की जगह थैले प्रयोग करने पर बल दिया। विद्यार्थियों ने खुद भी पोलिथिन की जगह थैला प्रयोग करने का प्रण लिया। ग्रामीणों को भी पोलिथिन प्रयोग से होने वाली हानि के बारे में विस्तार से बताया गया। ग्रामीणों ने पोलिथिन की जगह थैला प्रयोग करने का संकल्प लिया। विद्यार्थियों ने ग्रामीणों को संदेश दिया कि पोलिथिन की बजाए कागज के बने लिफाफे प्रयोग में लाए, ताकि पर्यावरण शुद्ध रह सके। बच्चों ने संकल्प लिया कि वह अपने घरों तथा आसपास के लोगों को पोलिथिन प्रयोग न करने की सलाह देंगे। यहां के सरकारी स्कूल में आयोजित कार्यक्रम में इको क्लब के सदस्यों ने पर्यावरण बचाव के उपाय बताए। इस कार्यक्रम के तहत बच्चों ने काफी संख्या में लिफाफे तैयार किए। बच्चों ने संकल्प लिया कि वह खुद तो कागज से बने लिफाफे प्रयोग करेंगे ही साथ ही अन्य लोगों को पोलिथिन प्रयोग से होने वाली हानि बताएंगे। समिति के सदस्यों ने स्वयं सहायता समूह की महिलाओं को भी पोलिथिन की हानियों के बारे में विस्तृत जानकारी दी। स्कूल की आठवीं कक्षा की छात्र आरती ने ग्रामीणों को बताया कि पोलिथिन हम यहां वहां फेंक देते हैं। इससे पर्यावरण को तो नुकसान हैं। साथ ही नाली में जमा हो जाती है। कोई इसे नदी में गिरा देता है। इसके कारण यमुना भी मैली होती है। यमुना में काफी मात्र में पोलिथिन गिरी देखी जा सकती है। पोलिथिन के कारण सीवरेज जाम हो जाते हैं। इसके परिणामस्वरूप गंदा पानी सड़कों पर व्यर्थ बहता है। इससे राहगीरों को परेशानी होती है। पोलिथिन कभी गलती नहीं है। वर्षो बाद पोलिथिन ज्यों का त्यों बाहर निकलता है। इस लिहाज से पोलिथिन पर्यावरण के लिए हानिकारक है। आरती की बात को सुनकर महिलाओं ने पालीथिन प्रयोग न करने का वचन दिया। साथ ही कपड़े के थैले सिलने के बारे में सहमति जताई। कक्षा आठवीं के शुभम ने कहा कि प्लास्टिक का कचरा समुद्री पारिस्थितीय संरचना को तबाह करने पर आमदा है। हर वर्ष लाखों की संख्या में जल जीव मर जाते हैं।

मुंह पर रुमाल रखकर गुजरते हैं लोग (Dainik Jagran Yamun Nagar 20 May 2012)

यमुनानगर, जागरण संवाद केंद्र : छोटी लाइन पर स्थित सदर बाजार में सड़क किनारे गंदगी के ढेर लगे हैं। सफाई के अभाव में नालियां जाम हो गई हैं। मलबा सड़क किनारे पड़ा होने के कारण सड़क संकरी हो गई है। इस कारण यहां जाम लगा रहता है। वाहन चालकों का यहां से निकलना दूभर हो जाता है। छोटी लाइन निवासी कुलवंत, नीरज, आशू, पंकज, रोहित, पवन, वरुण, अश्विनी, चमन लाल आदि ने बताया कि वह लोग यहां काफी समय से रहते हैं। कालोनी में सफाई व्यवस्था पूरी तरह से बदहाल हो गई है। जब से नगर निगम बना है, तब से सफाई कर्मियों के दर्शन को भी तरस गए हैं। यहां से होकर लोग रादौर रोड पर स्थित बाजार तक जाते हैं। इसके साथ ही काफी संख्या में दुकानें बनी हैं। साथ ही पेपर मिल लगता है। रादौर रोड जाने के लिए अक्सर लोग इस मार्ग को अपनाते हैं। सड़क किनारे मलबा पड़ा होने के कारण जाम की स्थिति रहती है। जाम के दौरान वाहन चालक आपस में उलझ पड़ते हैं। सड़क की चौड़ाई तो पूरी है, लेकिन मलबे के ढेर होने से सड़क संकरी हो गई है। इस कारण आवागमन में लोगों को परेशानी होती है। इसके साथ ही सफाई कर्मी जब कभी आते हैं तो नालियों से गंदगी निकाल कर सड़क किनारे छोड़ देते हैं। निगम की से गंदगी उठवाने की कोई व्यवस्था नहीं की गई। इसके चलते सड़क किनारों पर गंदगी का साम्राज्य है। गंदगी से वातावरण दूषित रहता है। नालियां गंदगी से अटी हैं। नालियों की सफाई किए हुए काफी वक्त बीत चुका है। सफाई के अभाव में नालियां गंदगी से अटी पड़ी हैं। जब कभी नालियों की सफाई की जाती है तो गंदगी निकाल कर सड़क किनारे रख दी जाती है। गंदगी सूख जाने के बाद दोबारा नाली में गिर जाती है। फिर से यहां की स्थिति यथावत हो जाती है। मच्छरों की भरमार है। मच्छरों के कारण वह रात को ठीक से सो नहीं पाते। इस कारण उनका स्वास्थ्य खराब रहता है।

A river lost and found (Hindu 12 May 2012)

Manoj Misra Spotted:Google map image of Katha. It merges with the Yamuna River near Ramra village in the newly created district of Prabudh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. Called katha nadi , it first came to our notice during the monsoon of 2008 when flood waters in the Yamuna were back flowing into it. Local people in Ramra have fond memories of Katha being a perennial river not very long ago. But whether it was a true tributary of the Yamuna in its own right or was a relict channel of the Yamuna itself remained disputed till recently. Trying to trace its journey on Google map, we repeatedly lost it due to dense cloud cover obscuring a significant area of its probable track. Later as we surveyed the Eastern Yamuna Canal (EYC) for the Katha's course, people en route could not help us locate the site where the EYC could have crossed it. One probable reason, we reckoned then, could be that if it indeed is a tributary, then its origins could be a site short of the route taken by the EYC in western U.P. Our hopes were rekindled in early April when determined querying of seniors in Ramra, notably Sohan Pal, informed us of a possible origin from a johad (village pond) in Harpal village — close to a place called Islampur in Saharanpur district. This was a firm lead since many such tributaries indeed are known to have their origin in perennial ponds and kunds . Armed with the knowledge about Harpal village, we first reached Islampur which sits on an irrigation ‘minor' of EYC. Could this ‘minor' be the original Katha? Soon this assumption was laid to rest as it was found to be too straight in its behaviour to be the bed of a natural river. We then reached Harpal, but where was the johad giving life to the Katha? Had it been a wild goose chase? Undeterred, we called up Mr. Singh in Ramra whose information led us to an influential local farmer, Madan Pal, in village Landha. Unfortunately the gentleman was in grief on account of the recent loss of his son, yet he readily agreed to help us locate the Katha. Interestingly, although he knew where Katha's river bed and track was and led us to it, he was not sure of the site of its origin. Ultimately it was the chance questioning of a passerby on bicycle that provided us confident leads to the Katha's source in a johad in Nayagaon aka Nayabans village, which was not far from where we were then. Guided by Mr. Pal, we soon reached Nayagaon. A distinct elevated catchment-like formation draining into an almost dried low land with watershed from three directions was unmistakable. But could just a low land be the promised johad ? Curiosity led us up the path of a seemingly eroded channel of a stream, moist due to thick vegetation standing on its either side. Finally, the sight on the top was indeed what we had been seeking for many months now. A typical village pond with old to very old trees of peepal and ber straining themselves over the water body, which obviously had seen better days but still retained its charm enough to attract large number of egrets, few black-winged stilts and a large number of kingfishers on a mid-April noon. The farmer with his fields next to the johad informed us about it never going dry, although evidence was tell tale about it slowly but surely being encroached upon on the sides by vested interests, a situation which is sadly true of most old water bodies across the rural landscape, both in U.P. and Haryana. Later, a search on Google map for the village and the johad confirmed our hunch that the Katha's origin lay just 2 km short of the path taken by the EYC and hence there existed no point of crossover between the two. We left Nayagaon with mixed emotions and with plans to return during the monsoon months to assess the true extent of discharge from the johad into the Katha, and to determine the best way forward to involve the local people all along the length of river in its restoration and rejuvenation. (The author is the convener of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan) Tracing the source of Katha, one of Yamuna's several tributaries

Groaning under garbage (Hindu 06 May 2012)

Overpowered by stench, Mehrauli's citizens have launched their own drive to clean up the filth in Delhi's first city. They hope it will shame the authorities into action Tired of asking the civic authorities to clean up Mehrauli and the area around the Qutub Minar, a World Heritage Site, that could well lose its claim to fame and history if the profusion of litter and garbage is not removed, residents of ward 7 and 8 of Mehrauli have taken up the job themselves to collect and burn garbage. The operation, which began on the last Saturday of April, will continue every Saturday till the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and those responsible for keeping the area clean are shamed into finding an alternate garbage site to the one in ward 7 which has one of the finest views of the Qutub Minar, says a member of the Residents Jhaadu Brigade. Earlier, there were two garbage dumps in Mehrauli but now there is just this one in which the refuse of entire the entire area is deposited. Pigs, cattle, dogs and even street urchins, collecting plastics and polythene, make forays into the dirt piles hoping to find food and plastics. The overpowering stench from the dump forces the residents to keep their windows shut throughout the day and night. Yet their homes have the most amazing views of not just monuments but the green canopies of the keekar (Prosopis Juniflora) that abound in the forest areas. Peacocks, kites and an abundance of birdlife can be found in these green lungs of Mehrauli. The importance of keeping Mehrauli spick and span cannot be overemphasized, says eminent photographer Raghu Rai, who moved into the area some 10 years ago because of the fabulous view of the Qutub Minar, the historical gullies and a landscape that dates back to the 11 century. Gurmeet S. Rai, conservation architect, who also lives in the area, says the Mehrauli zone is both historically and culturally important. It is home to tangible as well as intangible bonanza of Delhi's heritage. One of holiest shrines of Delhi, the Dargah of Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, the well known disciple of Moin-uddin Chisti of Ajmer Sharif, is in the heart of Mehrauli. People going to Ajmer Sharif on a pilgrimage start their journey at Nizamuddin and stop at the Dargah of Qutub-uddin Bakhtiar before proceeding further. The Department of Tourism, Delhi, through INTACH, Ms. Rai says, is preparing the nomination dossier to inscribe Delhi as a World Heritage City. The archaeological park in Mehrauli is one of the core areas of the six heritage zones in Delhi's Master Plan. In fact, she says, Mehrauli is the first city of Delhi. Lal Kot Qila, on the northern side of the Qutub Minar, Qila Rai Pithora, another fortification wall of the area, Balban's tomb, Gandhak ki Baoli, dating back to Mughal ruler Aurangzeb's time and several other monuments have enriched the cultural significance and heritage of Mehrauli. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last of the Mughal rulers, started the Phool Walon ki Sair from Mehrauli, adding to the cultural plurality of the area. However, all this history and culture is overshadowed by the garbage and stench of the dump and the litter — plastic bags, left over food and construction material. The Archaeological Society of India, the MCD (south), Delhi Development Authority and the Forest Department have jurisdiction over different chunks of Mehrauli. Removal of garbage is the responsibility of the MCD. The DDA has no cleaning or garbage removal wing so if someone chucks a plastic bag full of potato peels or even sanitary napkins into the DDA land, there is no one to remove it. There are also a lot of encroachments in the area. The garbage and littering of Mehrauli is not just a problem of the residents alone. It is a problem of Delhi and those interested in conserving heritage spaces and keeping Delhi clean and green. They should express solidarity with the Mehrauli residents and begin simultaneous campaigns elsewhere!

दिल्ली में यमुना सबसे ज्यादा मैली (Dainik Jagran 07 May 2012)

नई दिल्ली : यमुना हर जगह एक सी गंदी नहीं है। नदी में विभिन्न स्थानों पर प्रदूषण का स्तर अलग-अलग मिला है। दिल्ली में निजामुद्दीन पुल के नीचे यमुना सबसे ज्यादा मैली है। आगरा में भी यह काफी प्रदूषित है। केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (सीपीसीबी) की ताजा जांच रिपोर्ट से इस बात का पता चलता है। सीपीसीबी ने सुप्रीम कोर्ट में यमुना के प्रदूषण की ताजा जांच रिपोर्ट दाखिल की है। रिपोर्ट में हरियाणा के हथनीकुंड से लेकर आगरा में ताजमहल तक 14 स्थानों पर की गई प्रदूषण जांच का ब्योरा दिया गया है। सीपीसीबी का कहना है कि जांच में विभिन्न स्थानों पर अलग-अलग तरह का प्रदूषण पाया गया है। हथनीकुंड में पानी साफ और पीने योग्य है। उसके आगे जाकर यमुना मैली होने लगती है। निजामुद्दीन पुल (दिल्ली) के नीचे नदी सबसे ज्यादा प्रदूषित है। निजामुद्दीन पुल के बाद फिर नदी में प्रदूषण का स्तर कम होने लगता है, लेकिन आगरा शहर में जाकर प्रदूषण का स्तर फिर बढ़ जाता है। आगरा के बाद इलाहाबाद तक प्रदूषण का स्तर फिर कम हो जाता है। सीपीसीबी के वकील विजय पंजवानी का कहना है कि पहली बार बोर्ड की रिपोर्ट में यह बात सामने आई है कि नदी में प्रदूषण की स्थिती सब जगह समान नहीं है। प्रदूषण के स्थान चिह्नित होने से उस पर रोक लगाना आसान होगा। गत शुक्रवार को मामले पर सुनवाई होनी थी, लेकिन केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्रलय ने अभी भी अपना हलफनामा दाखिल नहीं किया है। दिल्ली जलबोर्ड, उत्तर प्रदेश, सीपीसीबी, सीएजी नो

Yamuna water unfit for consumption (The Hindu 06 May 2012)

The dead river: The frothy toxic waste in the Yamuna looks like pale lotus fronds. The scene near Kalindi Kunj in Delhi on Saturday Photo: V. Sudershan “To clean up Delhi's dead river we need stringent laws against industrial effluents flowing into it” The Yamuna is a dead river — scientists, water conservation experts and environmentalists — are unanimous on this one count. With no fresh water flows, almost negligible ecology, contaminants and pollutants mixed with its waters, the grand old river has been reduced to a dead waterway. The river being dirty and dead is not the only worry anymore. This unclean, unfit Yamuna that comes to Delhi from Haryana has contaminated the city's other source of water, the groundwater aquifers. Pollutants, including much harsher heavy metals, like lead and arsenic, known to cause severe health conditions have contaminated the groundwater in the city, leaving it unfit for consumption. While the government and the water utilities in the city have been drawing up multi-crore projects to clean up the Yamuna with aid from international and national agencies, there is a growing concern about the toxics that are entering the food chain from the contamination of the ground water. The Yamuna waters are not the only source of groundwater contamination, experts clarify, aquifers are also fed by rains, but the river is considered a major source of recharge. Use of pesticides, untreated sewage, effluents from factories, residue from power plants are all contributing to make the city's ground water unfit for consumption, experts point out. Official figures peg groundwater usage at less than 15 per cent, but the records of groundwater extraction in the city claim otherwise. “Even if we consider that a large part of the extraction is for non potable uses, we still cannot deny that a huge population in this city is dependent on ground water. Also, the vegetables that are being grown using this groundwater are a health hazard,” said a senior official of the Delhi Jal Board(DJB), requesting anonymity. To highlight the city's dependence on groundwater, a report from the Centre for Science and Environment says that in March 2004, the DJB owned over 3,000 tube-wells and 21 ranney wells located near or on the Yamuna river bed; additionally, 449 deep bore hand pumps had also been installed . In 2005-06, the government proposed to install 84 additional tube-wells, re-bore 221 and install 560 deep bore hand pumps. “It is a natural process. When the aquifers are plundered, water from the nearby areas flows in to fill its place through gravity. The groundwater contamination near the floodplains is a consequence of heavy groundwater extraction and the polluted waters from around it moving into its place,” explained Professor Vikram Soni of the National Physical Laboratory. A study conducted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) indicates the presence of heavy metals in the vegetables that are grown with water from the Yamuna, making them potentially hazardous to health. These vegetables grown in the city along the floodplains have revealed the presence of metals, like nickel, manganese and lead. Yet another recent study conducted by the Department of Geology at Delhi University has pointed to the presence of arsenic in ground water from around the Yamuna floodplains. “The level of arsenic in some places like Geeta Colony, Shastri Park was very high. Near the Rajghat Power Plant it was as high as 40-45 ppm (parts per million), which is five times the permissible levels of 10 ppm. And people are actually drinking this arsenic laced water which is known to cause skin diseases, kidney problems among others. A resident of a temple near the State Bank Colony in East Delhi told us that he prefers drinking the tube-well water in summer because it is cooler. He also told us that he sometimes feels symptoms like nausea, stomach-ache and headache,” said Dr. C.S. Dubey, head of the Geology Department. During the course of the study from 2007-09, samples were collected from the Yamuna floodplains, considered a crucial ground water recharge zone. The contamination of ground water has also been acknowledged by the Union Water Resources Ministry. In a report to Parliament the Ministry admitted that groundwater in several areas of the city has excess fluoride, nitrates, arsenic and iron. The Ministry has submitted that aquifers in north, west and south-west districts along the Najafgarh drain contain lead. On what requires to be done to check further contamination of groundwater, the DJB official said: “We need to clean up the Yamuna and to do so we need stringent laws against industrial effluents flowing into the river, prevent untreated sewage from mixing with the water, ban the use of certain harsh chemicals used in pesticides and maintaining minimum flow in the river at all times to begin with. Water from the Yamuna is critical for the city, it not only the source of water for a large population, but also recharges our own aquifers, the sooner we act, the sooner we'll safeguard our health.”

Untreated groundwater a serious health issue, reveals survey (The Hindu 06 May 2012)

in this 2004 file photo, photo-journalist Raghu Rai smells contaminated water brought from Bhopal and kept for display at "Exposure" a photo exhibition on Bhopal Disaster and after organised by Green Peace at Time & Space in Bangalore. Photo: Bhagya Prakash K A survey of 71 cities across the country conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has shown that officially 82 per cent of all the water that municipalities of these cities supply comes from surface water resources, and the rest comes from groundwater resources. But of these 71 cities, 11 depend almost completely on groundwater for public water supply. In the remaining, agencies supply water from surface sources by digging public tube wells. “However, what is of particular concern is the connection between growing volumes of untreated sewage and contaminated groundwater. The circle of contamination is clearly what should worry city planners, as less and less sewage is treated even as more is generated. The groundwater comes under threat of contamination and public health is compromised,” the survey “Excreta Matters” warns. In general, in a greater part of the country, groundwater is of good quality and suitable for drinking, agricultural or industrial purposes. There is salinity problem in the coastal tracts; high incidence of fluoride, arsenic, iron and heavy metals etc. in isolated pockets has also been reported, according to the Central Ground Water Board report 2010. Inland salinity in groundwater is prevalent mainly in the arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In some areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat, groundwater salinity is so high that the well water is directly used for salt manufacturing by solar evaporation. The report itself claims that 85 per cent of rural population of the country uses groundwater for drinking and domestic purposes. Concentration of fluoride in groundwater beyond the permissible limit of 1.5 mg/l poses health problems. The presence of fluoride beyond the permissible limit has been observed based on the chemical analysis of water samples collected from groundwater the observation wells. Arsenic in ground water is mainly in the intermediate aquifers up to a depth of 100m. The deeper aquifers are free from arsenic contamination. Apart from West Bengal, arsenic contamination in groundwater has been found in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh & Assam. High concentration of iron (>1.0 mg/l) in groundwater has been observed in more than 1.1 lakh habitations in 22 States and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Nitrate, again, is a very common constituent in the groundwater, especially in shallow aquifers. The source is mainly from anthropogenic activities. High concentration of nitrate in water beyond the permissible limit of 45 mg/l causes health problems. The survey has found a shocking fact: In the public domain, no one knows how much water is extracted. Every city today extracts more and more groundwater to meet its thirst. Water agencies formally indulge in extraction. Households do it privately, especially when the official pipeline fails to supply water to them. When water agencies hike water tariffs, commercial establishments quietly shift to the informal water economy, also predicated on groundwater extraction. The bottling water industry is thriving. “Use of contaminated water is a serious public health issue as groundwater is used without any kind of treatment. It is contaminated with nitrates, heavy metals, and pesticides that can cause cancer, mental retardation. Pesticides enter the food chain through agricultures, hence it is important to protect the groundwater,” says Nitya Nacob, Programme Director (Water), CSE. It is lack of proper sewerage that adds to the problem as 78 per cent of sewage seeps back into the ground, he adds while drawing attention to the highly toxic discharges that are drained into rivers in industrial belts, which ultimately find their way into groundwater. Large areas do remain unserved by piped water. These have no option but to depend on groundwater. “We know that 80 per cent of water used in households, industries and institutions is discharged as waste,” the report points out. The Central Ground Water Board monitors quality in their network of 15,600-odd wells countrywide. But the agency has no mandate to control pollution or to supply water. A city's public health and engineering department, or its water supply agency, does have the mandate to take into consideration the important matter of water quality. But since groundwater is not considered a critical part of the system, they do not monitor it. All in all, groundwater monitoring is neglected and this is part of the crisis of water supply in urban India, the CSE report points out. In 2007, the Central Pollution Control Board released a nationwide study on the status of groundwater quality. The survey collected 204 samples from some eight metropolitan cities in different parts of the country. Another 112 samples were taken from areas identified as a ‘problem' — industrial hotspots such as Durgapur in West Bengal or Vapi in Gujarat.

Grow and let grow (The Hindu 06 May 2012)

Baba Mayaram : Inspired by Japanese agricultural scientist Masanobu Fukuoka, Raju Titus has taken to ‘no-till farming' and flaunting the results GREEN FARMING: Raju Titus Three kilometres from Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, on the road to Bhopal, is situated the Titus Farm that proudly flaunts its fertile expanse of 12 acres and a unique farming method that can potentially help overcome the worrying suicidal trend among farmers of the State, and perhaps of the country. The sole but strong characteristic of the farm that differentiates it from the rest is the use of natural methods to grow and to let grow. For the last 25 years, a unique experiment of natural farming is being practised here by a local farmer, Raju Titus, who abandoned traditional plough-based and chemical methods of farming in his farms. He favours farming without tillage, known as “No-Till” farming. By doing so, Raju attracted the attention of people who comes from across the country to see his experiments with natural farming. The unfortunate incident of farmer suicides that had jolted the nation in recent years has not yet come to a halt, even though it has lost visibility in the media. In November last year, three farmers committed suicide in Hoshangabad. Perturbed by the suicides, Raju feels that days of chemical farming are over. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides and unnecessary tillage of the land leaves soil susceptible to erosion and leads to agricultural runoff. Irrigation by water from the Tawa dam had raised hope initially, but now, the dream has been transformed into a nightmare. This year, the soybean crop in Hoshangabad was completely destroyed — producing only two quintal of soybean per acre. In such situations, alternative farming is what one needs to think of. Farmers disappointed with the “revolutionary” methods of cultivating crops are attracted towards this promising idea of natural farming. Equal contribution in his experiments comes from his wife who, along with a young worker, is painstakingly levelling weeds on the farm with a crimper roller. One part of the farm, where wheat has already been sown, is covered with green ground cover of paddy straw along with gajar ghass (carrot grass). Once the sunlight reaches the seeds, filtered by the green ground cover, the young wheat saplings will grow out, celebrating life. Proud of his experiments, Raju shares, “Covering the fields with weeds and grass gives birth to microbes, earthworms and insects which bore holes in the soil and make it softer and porous. It collectively increases the fertility of the soil, resulting in a good harvest.” He disapproves of chemical farming for several reasons. In chemical farming, water that is filled in the paddy field doesn't go deep inside the soil while in natural farming water penetrates deep, increasing the level of water. Under the green cover reside many insects which can easily foil attacks from insects harmful for the crop. According to him, tilling the field, which entails weed removal, contours the soil into rows to plant and dig channels for irrigation — leading to adverse effects like loss of organic matter, death of soil microbes and soil erosion where topsoil is washed away. Every year, rainwater washes away some fertile soil leaving behind parched fields. The result: debt traps, since farmers are forced to fall back on the desperate measure of relying on chemical fertilisers. Natural farming increases the fertility of the soil, whereas in chemical farming, it is on a constant decline, till there comes a point when the soil is rendered completely infertile. The organic fertilizer, the carbon, formed inside the soil is lost in the air after tillage as the soil's organic matter is broken down more rapidly. This increases the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere, thus contributing to global warming. A no-tillage technique gives hope for a solution to a worrying global problem. Raju owns 13.5 acres, of which 12 acres are used for farming. On 11 of these 12 acres, there is a dense forest of subbool (Australian Agesia) which is a type of fodder for the animals and a good source of wood. Only one acre is used for agricultural purposes. His farming is dictated by his requirement, not by what the market requires. He explains, “One acre of land is sufficient for our need. We get food grains, fruits, milk and vegetables from it, which is sufficient for the need of our family. We sow wheat in winter, corn and green gram in summer and paddy in rainy season.” The steps he is following are those of a famous Japanese agricultural scientist Masanobu Fukuoka, who practiced natural farming for years and wrote a book ‘One Straw Revolution'. This natural agricultural practice is also believed to be popular in the United States of America. Typically considered to be the enemy of the crops, weeds are the backbone of natural farming. Raju has developed a friendly relationship with the weeds as they create the green zones in the field. When asked if these plants harm the crops, Raju replies, “Not at all,” adding, “The roots of these plants and trees run deep, thus strengthening the soil.” It is natural to assume that no-till farming is tough. People usually tend to disbelieve the methods adopted as part of natural farming. But seeing Raju's farm, those sceptics come away convinced. (Charkha Features)

Gases damage ACS in nearby areas (Hindustan Times 04 May 2012)

NEW DELHI/NOIDA: The fact that their house is situated near a river is no consolation in this torrid heat for those who have their abode near the Yamuna. RAJ K RAJ/HT PHOTO Sanjay Mago, a resident of Mayur Vihar, says he has to get his AC repaired after every three-four months. Apart from the air-conditioning systems of Metro trains, which have been affected by the toxic gas emanated by the extremely polluted Yamuna, the cooling machines of the people living along the river belt have been hit by the noxious gases that the sewage-filled water of the Yamuna releases into the air. The air conditioners installed in homes at Mayur Vihar, Vasundhra Enclave and Noida collapse within a year of purchase due to the toxic gases being released by the Yamuna. "We have to get the gas of our AC refilled twice in one season as the gas pipe leaks due to corrosion. The AC mechanic told us that it is due to the polluted air in our area," said RK Saxena, a resident of DDA flats, Mayur Vihar-1. The residents claim that within a month of purchase, the cooling capability of their air-conditioner goes down. "The AC repair shops in the locality are doing brisk business as the number of complaints has gone up considerably. "I get more than 10 calls every day. There's too much pollution in the air in this area that damages the ACS. The life of ACS has been reduced to a couple of years in this area," said Shambu Deb, who has been running an AC repair shop in Mayur Vihar phase I for more than a decade. Rising level of pollution in the Shahdara drain, a major drain that flows through the city and finally empties out into the Yamuna, has been damaging ACS, refrigerators, coolers, gold and silver jewellery, besides cars in Noida as well. "The servicing cost of the air conditioners has shot up manifold in the past two-three years. We either have to buy a new AC every season or spend almost half its cost on the repairing," said Sanjay Mago, a resident of pocket 4, Mayur Vihar Phase I.

Quietly flows the dirty, poisonous Yamuna (Hindustan Times 04 May 2012)

NOXIOUS FUMES Dangerous gases released by the river a health hazard Yamuna is no better than a sewer now. It poses a serious health hazard. RAVI AGARWAL Director, Toxics Link NEW DELHI: Have you felt nausea, difficulty in breathing, headache or dizziness while crossing the Yamuna on your way to work or while returning home? If yes, then it is a good time to visit a doctor and get yourself examined for an infection of the upper respiratory tract. The highly polluted water, mostly sewage, that flows into the river releases highly toxic gases which are a serious health hazard to anybody coming in direct contact with them. Noxious gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulphide emanated by the Yamuna are poisoning the air for people living around the river belt. Health experts said Yamuna, in Delhi, is a little different from highly-polluted drain. The gravity of the problem can be gauged from the fact that one does not need scientific instrument to detect the presence of these gases as any body breathing near the river's can smell the poisonous gases. "These gases are released by the sewage which is dumped into the river from across the city. The river is no better than a sewer now. Both ammonia and hydrogen sulphide are extremely toxic and can pose grave health problems for the people living around the water," said Ravi Agarwal, founder director, Toxics Link, a Delhi-based NGO working for clean environment. Hospitals and nursing homes situated near the river caters to a regular stream of patients suffering from various upper respiratory tract infections. "We get about 10-15 people suffering from bronchitis, aggravated asthma, interstitial lung disease and diseases of the upper respiratory tract each month. Though it is difficult to tell the exact cause as it may vary from case to case, environmental pollution could be a major contributor," said a doctor at Jeevan Anmol Hospital in Mayur Vihar, Phase-i. "I have been experiencing difficulty in breathing for the past few years. I do not know the reason, but I have a feeling the pollution has taken its toll on me," said YC Wadehera, 78, a resident of Mayur Vihar, Phase-ii. Dr Rukamani Nair, medical superintendent of an alternative therapy hospital, Bapu Nature Cure Hospital and Yogashram, in Mayur Vihar, PhaseI also claimed that two in 20 people who visit the hospital every day have symptoms of nose, throat and lung infections. "Pollution is obviously a leading cause for these diseases. We run a very busy OPD and treat people using natural therapy and yoga," she said.

No study to check air above Yamuna (Hindustan Times 04 May 2012)

NEW DELHI: It doesn't take an environmentalist to know that Yamuna is one of the most polluted rivers in the country. But what has escaped the attention of all government agencies and NGOS alike is to assess the effect of the toxic fumes emanated by the water on the air quality above the river. Yamuna's water is fully diverted to the Western Yamuna Canal up stream of Hathni Kund. Downstream of Wazirabad barrage, it is mostly sewage — treated, partially treated and untreated — emptied into the river by 18 drains. "Yamuna is no longer an ecological entity. There is no oxygen…it is a dead (river), anaerobic. It releases ammonia and hydrogen sulphide among other toxic gases," explained Dr DD Basu, senior scientist from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). But neither Delhi Pollution Control Committee nor any NGO has carried out any study to assess the damage being caused by the dangerous gases that hung over the river water. The CPCB has carried out certain investigations for measuring ammonia at a few places. "(Now) we are carrying out an exhaustive study for ammonia. Later, we would do it for hydrogen sulphide," Basu said.

Yamuna's poison leaves Metro hot and gasping (Hindusran Times 04 May 2012)

The Metro — a boon for commuters in Delhi’s cruel summer months — is losing its cool on the Yamuna stretch. Blame it on the toxic river. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation officials claim the air conditioning systems of trains that cross the “dead” Yamuna daily and of those parked at damaged. “The toxic gases damage the coating on the condenser joints of the AC system, which in turn causes leakage of coolant gas,” said DMRC director (operations) Rajkumar. “Condenser systems of 350 coaches on lines 3 (Dwarka-Noida City Centre) and 4 (Yamuna Bank-Vaishali) and of 100 out of 200 coaches on line 1 (Dilshad Garden-Rithala) have been replaced.” But here’s the more worrying aspect: if the river toxins are affecting the Metro, imagine the damage it is causing your respiratory system (see box). “There is no oxygen in the Yamuna, just sewage. Toxic fumes, including ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, emanating from the polluted water corrodes metals,” said DD Basu, senior scientist, Central Pollution Control Board. The DMRC has asked the coach manufacturer to coat coolant tubes with anti-corrosion paint