As per the latest global Environmental Performance Index (EPI), India is ranked among the bottom five performers. The reason behind slipping from the 141st position two years ago to 177th position this year is poor handling of air pollution abatement and forest protection measures. However, Switzerland is at the top in protecting environment and sustainable practices, followed by France, Denmark, Malta and Sweden.
A 12-hour shutdown was observed in Karnataka for the Mahadayi river water from neighbouring Goa to meet the drinking needs of the people in Belagavi, Bagalkote, Dharwad and Hubballi districts. Farmers, pro-Kannada organisations and regional outfits protested and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to resolve the two-decade-old interstate water-sharing dispute. However, the Goa government has accused the former of diverting Mahadayi water into the Malaprabha river basin and has proposed a resolution.
As per the study report compiled by the district administration, in the past 60 years, Gurugram has lost as many as 389 water bodies. The study is a first of its kind by the district administration, which has used the revenue record of the 1950s/60s as the baseline of water bodies, along with the Survey of India maps of 1970s and the satellite imagery of 2011-12. The report regarding the lost water bodies has been submitted to the National Green Tribunal which has ordered the Haryana government to protect all existing water bodies under the government ownership.
The Greater Chennai Corporation has declared all the 200 wards in the city open defecation-free and has even passed a preliminary resolution for it. Within 30 days, the Centre will be sending a team for verification. However, a few former councillors have disagreed to the declaration because they believe many areas along the canals, river banks and railway stations continue to report open defecation.
The water ministry has ordered the officials to carry out the measuring of groundwater reserves in the urban areas of Maharashtra. The first-of-its-kind assessment will be carried out by a special state-level committee comprising experts from the fields of water and soil management, agriculture and water resources. Using the Groundwater Estimation Methodology 2015 (GEC 2015), the team will monitor the progress of the assessment and is expected to submit a comprehensive report to the union government by September 2018.
This is a roundup of important news from January 23 - 29, 2018. Also, read the policy matters this week.