The 313 square km area around the marine national park of the Gulf of Kutch will be India's first marine eco-sensitive zone. 208 sq km of this is on the landward side while the remainder is on the seaside. The eco-zone will cover 32 billages and 31 rivers, which means no developmental activity except for residential purposes can take place there. Mining, including fresh water extraction as well as the release of polluted water and waste will be prohibited in the rivers of the eco-zone.
The National Green Tribunal has directed the waste-to-energy plant in the southern part of the capital to control its emissions and segregate waste. The tribunal has given three weeks' time to the project proponent Jindal Urban Infrastructure Ltd. They are to bring down the emission level of particulate matter, dioxins and furans within prescribed limits or face closure. A joint team of the Central Pollution Control Board and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee visited the plant in July this year and found emissions beyond limit. The plant started operation in 2012 only.
The Chattisgarh government launched its 'organic mission farming' last week in the districtsof Bastar, Bilaspur and Ambikapur. The state government proposes to provide infrastructure, knowledge and certification to farmers who opt for organic farming to help them get the best price for their produce.
Given the large amount of water used and polluted in shale gas extraction, the environment ministry has suggested that the Petroleum Ministry include water cess in its new policy on shale gas exploration. Shale gas is extracted from the sedimentary rocks below the earth surface. The major basins in India to be taken up during the first round of auctions for shale gas recovery will be Cambay, Krishna Godavari and Ranigunj.
Enthused by a bumper paddy crop last season thanks to the system of rice intensification (SRI), the Goa government is planning another one thousand hectares under SRI this year. In SRI, the yield is a minimum of one-and-half times to two times while using lesser seeds. While conventional paddy sowing requires 20 kg of seed per acre, the requirement is 16 kgs per acre for SRI. The state department of agriculture is aiming to bring 31,500 hectares under paddy cultivation this khareef and 15,700 hectares in the coming rabi season.
This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from September 9-15. Also read last week's news roundup.