World-wide campaign against impacts of water privatisation
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation Employees Union has launched a world-wide campaign against the much-hyped water privatisation. Boston-based Corporate Accountability International and France-based Public Services International will be helping the Union in this campaign. Nagpur is the first Indian city to opt for water privatisation, something that was loaded with several irregularities and flaws. The campaign aims to expose the flaws in the project that is being hyped by the Government and the World Bank.
NABARD, NRSC join hands for web-based monitoring of watershed projects
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC) have signed an MoU for web-based monitoring of Indo-German Watershed Development (IGWDP) projects, which will be implemented in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Telangana. NRSC will help NABARD by creating a page on the Bhuvan web portal and developing customised software tools and mobile applications for real time monitoring, online comparison and visualisation with respect to activities implemented in the projects.
Smart cities unveil their vision statements
Following the orders of the Ministry of Urban Development, many cities that are Smart City candidates have submitted their detailed plans. Although the plans are yet to be unveiled, the vision statments provided mostly revolve around clean, green, becoming economic hubs etc. Agra's plan, however, revolves around two of the outcomes of the CURE project on heritage and improving livelihood options.
44% of Maharashtra's water goes to the thermal power plants
A recent report has revealed that 44% of the State's dam water allocated for industries goes to thermal power plants. Records have shown that 1,255 million cubic metres of water is allocated to 41 thermal power plants in the State with the highest share to Vidarbha's Nagpur division followed by the Konkan division which includes Mumbai. Also, there are expansion plans of thermal power plants in the Vidarbha region which has created concerns about diversion of agriculture water to industries.
Bengaluru lakes suffer the brunt of authorities' incompetence
Per the claims of a recent report, 42% of Bengaluru's sewage is entering into the lakes. The Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has been held responsible for the city's dirty lakes as it has failed to set up an underground drainage system and sewage treatment plants (STPs) to treat wastewater in proportion to the growth of the city. However, the Board has initiated the process to set up 20 STPs with a capacity to treat 655 million liters per day of sewage.
This is a roundup of important news updates from December 28, 2015 - January 4, 2016. Also read last week's policy matters update.