News roundup (8-15 November 2010) :"India proposes a new emission check system" and News round-up on the floods

Climate Change

• India to release climate change report on Tuesday

Environment

• India proposes a new emission check system
• Call for declaring soil as national resource: Soil Conservation Society of India

Urban Water/Drinking Water/Water Quality

• Four die as diarrhoea resurfaces in KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput) region
• Boy dies, 40 ill after drinking polluted water in Mysore
• People in Wayanad district in Kerala exposed to water contaminated with endosulphan
• Water a more serious issue than energy crisis in India
• Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai  plans to monitor daily water supply in the city
• Punjab Chief Minister approves Rs 80 cr project for cleaning of canals
• Only 30% of rural population has access to safe drinking water : A government survey reveals
• Government working on a water pricing policy to check waste

Agriculture/Irrigation

• Food security high on agenda in India summit
• 27 districts selected to increase production of food grains
• Lack of ample sewage treatment plants (STPs) hits the irrigation scheme in Pune
• Micro-irrigation to beat the monsoon: Equipment introduced by Amitabha Sadangi has helped reduce farmers’ dependence on the monsoon and allowed them to grow 3 crops a year

Rainwater Harvesting

• Rs 9 lakhs fraud unearthed in rainwater harvesting
• Making every raindrop count: Rainwater harvesting in Chennai
• Rain water harvesting structures prevent stagnation in Coimbatore city
• Chandigarh gets serious about harvesting rainwater
• Catchment areas drying up because of intricate land tenure system in Meghalaya

  
  

Water Bodies/Rivers

• Move for mega dams invites public wrath in Assam
• Kopili dam project suspected to be causing flash floods in Assam
• Grappling with change: Communities along the Shnongrim ridge caught between the plans of mining companies and their own traditional livelihoods in Meghalaya
• Hydro projects to get faster environmental clearances
• Mining taking its toll on Mandovi, Zuari rivers in Goa
• NGOs tell Central team to leave Uranium Mining in Meghalaya
• Himachal Pradesh and its neglected Water Resources
• Palar river sees water flow after five years
• Fathesagar lake in Udaipur in danger due to unscientific construction
• Strategic approach to utilise Narmada water allocated to Madhya Pradesh laid down
• UP Pollution Control Board has directed the Kanpur Jal Nigam to stop the discharge of water from sewers and tanneries into river Ganga and utilise it for irrigation

Sanitation/Wastewater

• 108 crore cleared to clean, replace Mumbai's age-old sewage lines
• Auto tippers allotted for garbage collection in Delhi
• Students forced to use open space despite toilets in schools in Karnataka

Water and Industry

• VA Tech Wabag bags Rs 290 cr water management system order
• Levi's reduces water consumption with Waterless jeans
• Water filter designed indigenously sold at minimum cost at Pragati Maidan trade fair

Groundwater

• Eucalyptus trees may be banned to save groundwater in Bangalore

Floods/Rainfall

Current reports indicate that rains, flooding and cyclones continue to play havoc in parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa leading to loss of lives, destruction of crops. There are also reports of relief efforts being started in parts of the country that are being affected.

Karnataka

• Rains wreak havoc in Karnataka
• Heavy rains in Karnataka have destroyed 20% crops
• Cyclonic depression ravages Karnataka

Tamil Nadu

• Heavy rain inundates residential colony, roads in Tamil Nadu
• Cauvery continues to be in spate

Orissa

• Southern Orissa faces flash flood threat

Andhra Pradesh

• Cyclone kills 5 in AP

Relief Efforts

Distribution of relief to rain affected people by Nov 17