The high-powered expert committee of the Smart Cities Mission programme has given its approval to the Trichy Corporation for developing and beautifying a portion of the Cauvery river bank in the city. At an estimated cost of Rs 2.94 crore, the civic body will develop bathing ghats along the river banks pursuing traditional style of architecture. The project will be implemented in three separate phases and the corporation plans to float a tender inviting contractors to launch the civil work within a month. (The Times of India)
<p>The National Green Tribunal <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ngt-ro-purifiers-1637062-2020-01-15" target="_blank">(NGT) has ordered the Environment Ministry to issue notification </a>within two months to ban RO purifiers where total dissolved solids (TDS) in water are below 500 milligrams per litre.</p>
In its earlier order, the NGT had directed the government to prohibit the use of RO purifiers in a bid to regulate them. However, the ministry had sought four months for executing the order. But, considering that any steps for environmental protection have to be prompt, the NGT has reduced the period to two months for the compliance of its order. (India Today)
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) to take necessary steps in the matter of muck disposal to prevent it from reaching the river system of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. The order came following a petition filed by Gram Pradhan & Residents of Tapoban. According to the petitioners, there is a clear possibility of muck reaching the river system, which needs to be prevented by levying adequate protective measures. The concerned muck disposal sites are, Near TBM Adit, Dhak near ITI, Barrage site at Tapovan, Near BVC/ Pressure Shaft and Power House site at Animath and most of these have completed their dumping 2-5 years back. (India Legal)
Assam's inland water transport system to get a revamp
The World Bank has agreed to provide a loan worth $88 million to the Centre and Assam governments for modernisation of the state's inland water transport system including those on the Brahmaputra and the Barak rivers.
<p>The Assam Inland Water Transport Project (AIWTP) will help the state improve the passenger ferry infrastructure and its services and strengthen the capacity of the institutions running the inland water transport.</p>
Assam has the largest network of navigable waterways in the country. The state government has taken on the challenge of modernising the ferries sector, which though vital to the state, remains largely informal. (Deccan Herald)
An expert panel of the Environment Ministry has deferred the proposal regarding the development of Dhalbhumgarh airport in Jharkhand. The panel noted that the project could lead to an increase in human-elephant conflict in the area, which could result in loss of lives of both humans as well as elephants. The panel has sought further information related to ecologically sensitive areas, wildlife sanctuary or the elephant corridor around the proposed site, for reconsidering the proposal. The development of the project which is about 60 kilometres from Jamshedpur, requires the total land of 97.166 hectares of which 96.761 hectares is reserve forest land. Moreover, nearly 79,332 trees in the forest area will be sought for the project. (Mongabay India)
This is a roundup of important policy matters from January 14 - 22, 2020. Also, read news this week.