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  • Ahmedabad`s mega project for industrial effluents

    Ahmedabad's mega project for industrial effluents

    on january 11, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation approved a mega pipeline project to dump the city's industrial effluents in the Arabian Sea. Corporation authorities claim the multi-crore project

  • Money talks

    Money talks

    This is a message that has both sermons and promises. "Stop polluting the Yamuna now,' it says. We don't have to look far for the target of this admonition. Alongside is a non-descript person washing

  • Why Ganga Action Plan is a pipe dream

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  • Construction spree on Yamuna plains

    The list includes temple, shopping mall, Games Village, road diversions and more Constructions pose a great threat to the city's water security, say activists "Government not adhering to moratorium on further constructions' NEW DELHI: A temple, a shopping mall, a depot, an entire Games Village and now road diversions

  • Norilsk in pollution suit

    Russia's environmental watchdog yesterday said it had filed a Rbs4.35bn ($180m) pollution suit against Norilsk Nickel, the Russian mining group, in its largest ever environmental complaint against a Russian company.

  • Tamirabarani flows through a dark phase

    When the entire nation is working for the dream project of linking all the rivers across the nation, the Tamirabarani River, one of the two perennial rivers in Tamil Nadu, is going through a dark phase. as 70 per cent of the river stands polluted. The river, which originates more than 2,000 metres from a peak in hills of the Western Ghats above Papanasam in the Ambasamudram taluk, flows through the Tirunelveli & Thoothukudi districts. A study conducted by Prof N Khaja Mohideen, Department of Chemistry, Sadakathullah Appa College, Palayamkottai, has revealed the highly polluted nature of the Tamirabarani River. According to the study, over 50,000 goats are sacrificed on the day of Adi Ammavasai function held at Sorimuthu Ayyanar Temple at Papanasam. The blood drains into the river and on the same day, at least around 50,000 persons shave their head and the hair is also thrown in to the river. The river becomes an open toilet for the over-four lakh people who throng the festival. Effluents from 4,961 small-scale industries (4,203 in Tirunelveli and 758 in Thoothukudi) and 19 large and medium-scale industries functioning in the river basin are sidetracked to the river. There are around 866 cremation grounds in the district and the ashes and bones, which have not burned, are also thrown in to the river. Illegal and indiscriminate sand mining has also affect ed the river. At Tirunelveli, dead dogs and pigs can be seen in the sewage pools of the Tamirabarani river bed that serves as a drinking water source for four districts. Moreover, the drainage of Ganeshapuram, Sindhupoonthurai and Meenakshipuram areas in Tirunelveli and wastes of hotels and hospitals are let into the river. Raj Mohan, a professor of a private college working in the field of water pollution says making Tamirabarani pure is impossible but steps could be taken to control the river getting more polluted. He suggests that the government should closely monitor the process of discharge of effluents by the industrial units and must not grant any new license for any more industries to set up their establishments close to the river banks.

  • Conservation of nature must: Dr Jakhar

    While addressing the concluding function of the three-day International River Festival at Bandrabhan in Hoshangabad district today, the Governor stressed the need for conservation of nature and environment for human existence. Underlining the importance of rivers as lifeline of humanity he stressed the need for maximum plantation for their preservation. Expressing regret and displeasure over pollution of great rivers like Ganga, Yamuna and Narmada, the Governor said that development of urban areas should not be at the cost of nature and rivers. Lauding the River Festival the Governor described it as a significant step towards conservation of environment and welfare of humanity. He expressed concern over animosity and terrorism growing in the name of religion and said that the people of India should shun it. They should tread the righteous path shown by sacred books and saints and co-exist peacefully. The Minister for Public Relations Laxmikant Sharma said that the River Festival organised by Narmada Samagra is important for entire country. He stressed the need for proper documentation and compilation of the papers presented by experts during the three-day festival. He said that the Public Relations Department would publish their compilation as a document for future use. The conclusions of the deliberations held by experts during the River Festival were issued in the form of Bandrabhan Declaration. A draft action plan prepared by Narmada Samagra for year 2008-09 was also released on the occasion. The convener of International River Festival and secretary of Narmada Samagra Samiti Anil Dave explained its content. The Bandrabhan Declaration states that every river has her own ground, her own flow-path and her own ethos, which are independent of administrative units. The basis of studies, works and efforts about rivers should, therefore, be river basin. The path of flow of rivers is created by their relentless efforts from time immememorial. An international river bank should be set up to maintain an account of the inflow and outflow of all the rivers. There should be a balance sheet to maintain a vigil on the mobilization and expenditure of the resources for rivers. Also sub-accounts should be maintained for direct and indirect income and expenditure on rivers. It should have complete information of the past and present of rivers and also future ideal shape. There should be a comprehensive thinking on utilization of river waters. Relationship between rivers and people is an important factor. When this love between rivers and people dries up due to oblivion of culture and civilization then a river is reduced to merely a water body. There is need to further cement the bonds of love between the two. Anil Dave informed that an annual action plan for year 2008-09 has been prepared by Narmada Samagra on the basis of Bandrabhan Declaration. It seeks to ensure dense plantation within 200 meter radius of both the banks of Narmada river. Three awards would be given for outstanding works on the rivers in Narmada basin on minor, medium and major levels. The highest award would be given to those working on minor river systems. Under Narmada Samagra Yojana coins of alloy would be provided to the ghats of Narmada river for casting in the river. These coins would comprise 96 percent copper and four percent silver. This would help keep Narmada pollution free. Besides, detergent less soap would be made available to reduce the river pollution level. The next River Festival would be organized in 2010 at the same venue. The president of Narmada Samagra Amritlal Begad delivered the welcome address. The chairman of Pollution Control Board Dr. S.P. Gautam proposed a vote of thanks. Member of Parliament Sartaj Singh; MLA Madhukar Rao Harde; chairman of District Cooperative Bank Yogendra Singh Mandloi; Shiv Choube, former MLA Seetasharan Sharma; officers, public representatives and participants from within and outside the country were present on the occasion.

  • Toxic waste being dumped into river

    Discharge of untreated effluents from Khazana Sugar Mills has turned Shahalam River into a dead tributary causing water, land and air pollution in the surrounding areas of the provincial capital. Thousands of litres of hazardous waste are discharged into Shahalam, a tributary of River Kabul, daily during crushing season, which starts from December every year and continues till the end of March. Local people say that they cannot use the river water due to toxic waste. Khazana Sugar Mills which was privatised in mid-1990s situated near the river. Its crushing capacity is 4,000 tons per day, but presently it crushes over 2,000 tons of sugarcane daily due to lack of supply, says the management of the mills. The mills' manager administration Tali Mand said that over 200,000 tons of sugarcane had been crushed during current season. He said that the management had planed to build treatment plant before discharging the waste into the river, but the mills was going into losses which delayed the project. The mills' effluent is released into Shahalam River without treatment. Environmentalists said that hazardous substances discharged from the sugar mills absorbed oxygen from the water which caused water and air pollution. Residents of Khazana complain that discharge of untreated waste from the mills is not only polluting the river, but also causing severe air pollution. "We can hardly breathe because of the stink of effluents,' said Izatullah, a resident of Khazana. Industrial waste, he said, posed threat to aquatic life and every year killed thousands of fish in the river when the management washed the mills. Shahalam throws toxic waste of Khazana Sugar Mills into Kabul River. Provincial Environmental Protection Agency director general Dr Bashir Khan said that release of hazardous industrial waste into the river was a crime under the law and the agency would take legal action against the management of the mills. "The EPA inspectors will immediately visit the site and will serve notice on the mills' management,' he added. Under section 11(1) of the Environmental Protection Act, 1997 no person shall discharge or emit or allow the discharge or emission of any effluent or waste or air pollutant or noise in an amount, concentration or level which is in excess of the National Environmental Quality Standards.

  • International River Festival from Feb 23

    In order to find out solution for the crises on rivers, a three-day International River Festival will be organised from February 23 at Bandrabhan in Hoshangabad District. According to a press statement issued here on Thursday, more than 500 specialists would participate in the festival, which is being organised by 'Narmada Samagra'. The trustee of Narmada Samagra and environmentalist Anil Madhav Dave informed that in reality, a river is a complete life in itself. Issues like water, forests, land, agriculture, economic development, consumerism, electricity, aquatic life, culture, purity of environment, bio-diversity are all related to river. The pollution of rivers is increasing rapidly and the sensitivity among people towards rivers has vanished. With the objective to discuss on issues related to river and to prepare future strategy regarding conservation of rivers, this river festival is being organised. Thirteen issues have been prepared for discussion in this gathering which are water, forests, land, culture, life, banks, soil, bio-diversity, pollution, economics of rivers, agriculture and role of voluntary institutions. It is worth mentioning here that for this festival, a complete town named 'Narmada Puram' has been developed on the banks of river Narmada at Bandrabhan of Hoshangabad district.

  • Capital is dying, time for green activism, say experts

    Some of the Capital's best minds stressed that the citizens of Delhi should utilise the up coming elections by improving the city

  • PMC has a sewage job on hand

    The general body meeting of Pune Municipal Corporation witnessed a row over the effluents and sewage water being released into the Mutha-Mula Rivers on a large-scale. However, Municipal Commissioner Praveensinh Pardeshi admitted that at present the PMC only has half the number of sewage treatment plants (STP) needed for the city. Mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale even called for White Paper about the entire situation from the civic administration, to which the commissioner asked for a "minimum period' of one month. The debate started with the Shiv Sena leader Shyam Deshpande pointing out that the civic body is satisfied only with desilting the rivers and not actually keeping them clean in the real sense. "Desilting the rivers is fine, but what about the huge quantum of effluents being released into these rivers?' he asked. Corporator Anil Shirole said, "PMC received Rs 200 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, some of which are being spent on the rivers. But what is the use of such huge funds, if unclean and sewage water is let out into the rivers.' Pardeshi said, "As against the need of the city, only half the number of STPs are functioning in the city. The total amount of sewage water generated in the city is 700 MLD, out of which only half is being treated and then released.' Corporator Vikas Mathkari asked the civic administration to carry out a probe into functioning of the agencies, who are given a contract of handling the STPs. Meanwhile, on Wednesday Shiv Sena corporator Sachin Bhagat had allegedly carried a pistol into the general body-meeting hall. NCP corporator Mohansingh Rajpal had raised questions about this during the same meeting. Thursday's meeting also witnessed some initial discussion on the same. While Congress corporator Aba Bagul objected to carrying weapons into the meeting hall, NCP corporator sought a metal detector at the entrance of the GB hall.

  • Court reserves order on Games Village site

    The Delhi High Court today reserved its order on the ongoing construction of the Commonwealth Games Village that has been challenged on the grounds that it could harm the ecological system of the Yamuna riverbed. A division bench headed by Justices A.K. Sikri and Rekha Sharma reserved the order after hearing the arguments from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and environmentalists. "We are giving one week's time to all parties in the case to file their affidavits if they want to say anything else in the case,' said the bench.

  • Court reserves verdict on Games Village

    The Delhi High Court on Tuesday reserved judgment on a bunch of public interest litigation petitions challenging the construction of concrete structures, including the Commonwealth Games Village, on the Yamuna riverbed here. A Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice A. K. Sikri and Justice Rekha Sharma reserved the judgment at the conclusion of arguments by counsel for the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the petitioners.

  • HC reserves order on Games site

    The Delhi High Court today reserved its orders on a bunch of petitions filed by environmentalists challenging the construction of the 2010 Commonwealth Games village site on the banks of river Yamuna. The court reserved its order after hearing the petitioners' ecological concerns over the construction of the Games village for the international sports event and a Metro corridor on the river banks.

  • DDA to withdraw Yamuna zonal plan

    The Delhi Development Authority has decided to withdraw the draft Yamuna River Zonal Plan dealing with 90 square kilometres of active flood plain of the river here.

  • Industry pollutants in river kills cattle and fishes in Bihar

    Industry pollutants in river kills cattle and fishes in Bihar

    People living along Manusmara river in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district dread kala pani

  • Hell befell them with change of govt

    Two adjoining villages in haor areas of Karimganj and Itna upazilas in Kishoreganj could be saved if the work started by a previous government could be completed. Vast areas of Chong Nowagaon village in Karimganj upazila and Shimulbag in Itna upazila have been eroded by Dhono river, rendering about 300 families homeless in last several years. Locals said, they fell victim when the then Ershad government in 1988 dug a four kilometer cannel, locally known as Katakhal, in the haor at Boribari union in Itna upazila to link Dhono and Ghorautra rivers to the reduce waterway distance.

  • GANGA: Polluted beyond belief

    While the Magh Mela at the Sangam in Allahabad attracted tens of thousands of pilgrims each day over the last month for their annual dips, as usual, the UP government can sigh with relief that there were no protests this time, unlike during the Ardha Kumbh Mela in January last year when sadhus threatened to take

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