Uttarakhand’s classification of rivers to set up stone crushers violates NGT Act
As per the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the state government's decision to classify streams into ‘perennial and non-perennial rivers’ for setting up stone crushers is illegal and violated Section 20 of the NGT ACT, 2010.
The NGT has asked the state to revisit the mining policy in 2021 as it has allowed miners to set up plants as close to 500 m from the bank of a ‘perennial’ river and just 50 m away from a ‘non-perennial’ river. These limits were earlier 1 km and 500 m respectively.
Besides the order to revisit the policy to do away with such distinction for protection of all streams and rivers, the chief secretary of the state has been directed to take remedial action accordingly for compliance of the NGT order. (The Times of India)
River rejuvenation: Environment Ministry plans for forestry intervention
With an aim to rejuvenate 13 rivers, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has decided to start a mega project of forestry interventions.
The four major components of the programme include Forestry Intervention, Strengthening Knowledge Management and National capacity development, maintenance phase, including scaling up and replication of successful models and the national coordination for Forestry Intervention and River Conservation.
Along with this, the government also plans to include works for reducing silt load and flooding and enhancing groundwater recharges in the action plan for the river rejuvenation. The rivers selected for forestry intervention for their rejuvenation are Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Luni, Narmada, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and Cauvery. (The New Indian Express)
Telangana, Rajasthan and UP’s schools infrastructure in a grim state
Out of the 30,023 state-run schools in Telangana, as many as 2,124, or 7 percent, are without toilets, while 11,124 schools, or around 37 per cent, do not have tap water facility.
Following Telangana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh fare poor in toilet infrastructure in the country, however, 1.8 percent of 68,948 schools in Rajasthan and 0.8 percent of 1,37,024 schools in UP do not have toilets, which are in a much better state than Telangana.
On the contrary, states and Union territories such as Chandigarh, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Goa and Andaman had toilets in all government schools. (The Print)
Jharkhand becomes the first state to distribute forest soil health cards to all the forest divisional officers
On the occasion of the World Soil Day, Jharkhand government has announced to distribute forest soil health cards to all the forest divisional officers to plan forestation drives suited to the local needs. With this Jharkhand becomes the first state in the country to distribute the forest soil health cards, earlier only agricultural lands soil health cards were made.
These health cards will provide information on soil quality parameters which will be useful for the forest officials for sustainable management of forests, plantation growers to identify suitable places for growing trees with respect to soil quality and ultimately its benefits will reach the rural people living near the forests.
Also, according to the forest soil health card report released, nearly 69 percent of the soil in Jharkhand’s forest areas has turned unfit for plant growth due to acute deficiency of nitrogen. (Telegraph India)
Uttar Pradesh withdraws from the water exchange pact with Delhi: RTI
According to an RTI reply, it has been revealed that the Uttar Pradesh has withdrew from a plan to provide 140 million gallons per day (MGD) of raw water to Delhi in lieu of an equivalent quantity of treated effluent for irrigation despite the Lieutenant Governor making a request to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The plan envisaged supply of 270 cusecs of fresh water from the Murad Nagar Regulator to the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant in Delhi and the release of an equivalent quantity of treated effluent from the Okhla sewage treatment plant in the Agra Canal.
DJB has even paid Rs 70 lakh for the preparation of the feasibility report, however, the UP government has returned this amount to the DJB without citing any reason for backing out from the plan. (NDTV)
This is a roundup of important policy matters from November 20 - December 10, 2022. Also, read the news this fortnight.