To ensure that the Ganga is revived ithin three years, the Centre has taken three major decisions. The Ministries of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Environment & Forests will work closely. The Environment Ministry will set up a real-time 24X7 monitoring system along the Ganga to check pollution and 11 states along the river have been identified to be connected with a dense sewer network. Also, the Government plans to observe 2015-16 as the 'Water Conservation Year'.
A tussle between the Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry and the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is impeding the Centre's plan to build seperate toilets for boys and girls in government schools across the nation. Both the Ministries are at crossroads over who will fund the toilet construction in state-run schools under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme. The former is asking for funds from the HRD Ministry as it has been ordered to converge funds from various Ministries to achieve Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by 2019.
The Goa Government stands against the Karnataka Government's move to construct four dams across Khandepar river, which is upstream of Goa's Dudhsagar waterfall. The former alleges that the four dams namely, Katla, Palna, Diggi-Mara and Diggi-Bondeli are being planned by Karnataka to divert the water to Supa reservoir without taking into consideration Goa's riparian rights. The proposed dams, if implemented, will hinder the source of water to the Dhudsagar waterfall and will impact the people of Dharbandora and Ponda talukas.
The National Green Tribunal has given the Madhya Pradesh Government three months to remove encroachments within 33 meters along the entire length of Kaliasot river. There are nearly 20 major encroachers in the riverbed and greenbelt areas of the river. With the order to declare the area as a 'no-construction zone', the river will get a fresh lease of life. Authorities have also been ordered to set up sewage treatment plants to prevent sewage from mixing with the river water.
The High Court has reprimanded the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) for not being able to control air and sound pollution in Bengaluru. It has further asked the Central Pollution Control Board to supercede the State Board, which has failed to perform its duty for the past 30 years. It is in violation of both human rights and the right to life of citizens of Bengaluru.
This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from August 19-24, 2014. Also read last week's news roundup.