Monsoon 2016: Rains create havoc

Rains cause havoc in Hyderabad while Mumbai lakes, dams overflow with water

Water reserviors in Mumbai record full capacity, while Hyderabad struggles as water logging and flooding is reported from several areas. Hyderabad municipal corporation has asked the Army for help in relief operations, even as several water bodies in the city overflowed on to the roads. Many districts in Telangana continued to receive heavy rain resulting in major reservoirs getting heavy inflows, with streams and rivulets in spate. 

Mangrove cell issues eviction notices

The forest department has sent eviction notices to about 1,500 illegal structures that have come up in mangrove forests in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai over the last two months. As per the law, construction within 50m of mangrove areas is banned by the Bombay high court in an order in 2005, following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the NGO Bombay Environment Action Group. 

Bharathapuzha goes dry much ahead of summer

Kerala's Bharathapuzha river turns into a trickle months ahead of the peak summer season. Its catchment area received 30 percent less rainfall during this monsoon, leaving all the reservoirs in the basin less than full. With a shortage of 31.8 percent of rainfall this season, drought threat looms over Kerala. 

Urbanisation sounds death knell for Kerala's wetlands: Study

A study on kole lands in Kerala has found that the wetlands have borne the brunt of rapid urbanisation in Kerala. Conversion of wetlands leads to decrease in groundwater recharge resulting in the wells in the nearby areas drying up. This increases the economic burden on the households. As per the report, the total welfare loss due to kole land conversion is an estimated Rs 128 crore annually.

Chennai tops in groundwater exploitation

As per the state public works department, three districts in western Tamil Nadu and the entire Chennai district top the table on exploitation of groundwater. Chennai district, parts of  Tirupur, Coimbatore and Salem have been classified under the “over-exploited” category. This means that there is a blanket ban on any development project having a bearing on groundwater use, barrring a few exceptions. 

This is a roundup of important news from September 18 - 25, 2016. Also read last week's policy matters.