Closure notice issued to Coca Cola's UP plant
The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board has cancelled the 'No Objection Certificate' of Coca Cola's bottling plant in Mehdiganj. The plant was unable to get Central Ground Water Authorities' (CGWA) clearance for extracting groundwater and had raised its production capacity without the Board's consent. However, the National Green Tribunal has stayed the Boards' Order on the condition that the plant will produce only 600 bottles per minute till it receives clearance from CGWA.
Need of a new legislation for river management: NGRBA
The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) has recommended constituting a new legislation for integrated river basin development that will enable establishing the National River Ganga Basin Management Commission. The reason behind making these suggestions is the numerous loopholes in the existing legislative framework, which do not address all the issues related to river management and entitles no authority to prevent river pollution.
Kerala Wildlife Authority against raising of Maullaperiyar dam height
The Kerala State Wildlife Advisory Board has opposed the Supreme Court's Order that allows the Tamil Nadu Government to raise the height of Mullaperiyar dam. As per the Board, the directive is in violation of the Wildlife Act 1972 that requires permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state for raising the water level. Also, no consent has been taken from the National Board of Wildlife which is against the norms as the Periyar Tiger Reserve will be impacted by raising the dam's height.
Narmada-Malwa-Gambhir link project gets green nod
Madhya Pradesh government has given consent to the Rs. 2143 crore Narmada-Malwa-Gambhir link project. The project, which requires no resettlement and rehabilitation, aims to irrigate 158 villages across 50,000 hectares in Indore and Ujjain districts. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister assures that this will be a boon for Indore's Yashwant Sagar lake.
Government appoints panel to review forest policy
The new government has formed a committee to review the National Forest Policy 1988 and has initiated seeking recommendations from the public and various stakeholders that includes both state Forest Departments and Forestry Institutions. The policy is in dire need of revision following the Supreme Court's order that had altered the definition of forestland because of which plantations with heavy tree growth are also included in natural forests.
This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from June 16-22, 2014. Also read last week's news roundup.
Lead Image Source: S. Subramanium in The Hindu