610 sites for NE hydel projects
The Union Ministry of non-conventional energy sources has identified 610 sites in the northeast for small hydro electric power projects to generate 504 mw of power. The ministry has already announced a speical incentive package for small hydro electric power projects, considering the immense potential for them in the region.
Contaminated groundwater poses threat to residents.
Several Shahdara residents have been consuming water laced with heavy metals and toxic compounds, while Delhiites living in some southern part of the city are exposed to the danger of nitrate excess. This, says the Central Ground Water Authority, is because a majority of Delhiites in these areas depend on …
Govt. acted under pressure
Medha Patkar: The Narmada Bachao Andolan leader, Ms. Medha Patkar, has criticised the "last-moment" decision of the Central Government to stop the visit of the World Commission on Dams. The commission was scheduled to have a meeting in New Delhi on September 19 and 20, which was to be followed …
Next hearing unlikely to be in India
The postponement of visit to India by the World Commision on Dams come on the heels of the frenzied protests by Gujarati politicians of all hues at a special session of the Gujarat Assembly on Friday called to condemn the Commission's impending visit. The day before this, a delegation headed …
Cauvery goes to Constitution bench
A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court will decide on Monday whether Tamil Nadu's suit seeking implementation of the 1991 interim award of the Cauvery Tribunal survives in view of the centre notifying a revised scheme on the sharing of the river water.
Chinese firm to collaborate on Kerala hydro projects
Decks have been cleared for a collaboration between a Chinese outfit and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) for the setting up of small hydro power stations in the state. The Hangzhou International Centre on Small Hydro Power of China will collaborate with KSEB in setting up 18 small hydro …
Vietnam provinces suffers as water dries up
Water supplies in a drought stricken province in central Vietnam are running out fast, triggering growing health fears. Quang province has already appealed for emergency aid as it struggles with its worst water crisis in almost a century.
Land acquisition to be state govt's responsibility
The Central Government is assigning the entire responsibility for aquring land owned either by itself or an individual or the forest department to State Governments concerned for promoters of mega hydro projects. The issue of resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R;), associated with the execution of such projects will also be addressed …
Maharashtra exempts Pune water supply project from sales tax
The Maharashtra government has exempted equipment purchase of the Pune Municipal Corporation 's (PMC) Rs 735 -crore water supply project from sales tax. The examption will reduce the project cost by 20 per cent (Rs 140 crore). Maharashtra is the first state to give any such exemption for a water …
Ministerial talks on Periyar dam today
Thursday's ministerial level talks between Kerala and Tamil Nadu on the vexed Mullaperiyar dam isse would centre round the question of wheather to raise the water elvel of the dam above the 136 feet danger mark.
Maharashtra cuts down on Krishna river plans
Maharashtra has decided only to impound its entitled share of 594 tmc feet of Krishna waters and postpone the building of canals, to beat the deadline of March 31, 2000. If it could not impound that quantum in time, the State may forfeit its right to the share.In doing this, …
Jaswant asked WCD to defer visit
Patel: The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr. Jaswant Singh, has aksed the World Commission on dams to defer its proposed visit to the country scheduled later this month, the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Keshbhai Patel, claimed in the State Assembly here today.
Kuwait funded irrigation project making progress in Ningxia
A Kuwait-funded irrigation project in northwest China's Ningxia, has been progressing smoothly with first-phase sub projects to start trial operation next month. The whole project, China's biggest aid-the-poor water conservation undertaking, is to open up 130,000 hectares of irrigated land within six years.
Centre notifies revised scheme on Cauvery
Undeterred by threats to withdraw support to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, the centre on Tuesday formally notified the revised scheme approved last week by cheif ministers of four Cauvery basin states to facilitate the implementation of the seven year old interim award of the Cauvery Water Tribunal.
Long-term plan for groundwater needed
Naidu : The Andhra Pradesh chief minister, Mr Chandrababu Naidu emphasised the need to chalk out a long term approach to make groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing water supply needs. Speaking at a one-day conference on Rain Water Harvesting and Water Recycling Project at Hyderabad on …
Cleansing of Dal Lake begins
The state authorities have begun cleaning the world -famous but fast shrinking Dal Lake in Srinagar. One of India's best known tourist attractions, the Dal Lake is getting a major clean up after years of neglect.
Dam team cancels trip, but session is still on
Even as the World Commission on dams cancelled its proposed visit to Gujarat, the state has decided to go ahead with its special Assembly session on Friday. The Vidhan Sabha will meet for a day to voice it's solidarity on the Sardar Sarovar Narmada dam and to protest the visit …
Bihar not to get funds for NRCP
The Ministry of Environment and Forests would not release money to Bihar under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and the Phase II of the Ganga Action Plan (GAP), till a firm commitment of regular operation and maintenance of the assets created under the phase I of GAP was available …
Andhra to save rain water
The Andhra Pradesh government has undertaken a scheme to harvest rainwater for recharging the depleting groundwater levels in the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The plan involves diverting rainwater from rooftops to percolation pits near borewells.
Uproar in Nepal over slowdown of Enron project
The US energy and gas giant Enron's attempt to close a giant hydroelectric project deal in Nepal has snowballed into a political storm that could unseat the fragile four-month old centrist government in the Himalayan kingdom.
