Weekly Green News Update for Week 33 (Aug 10 to 16), 2015
Weekly green news roundup from across different media networks for week 33 (between Aug 10 to 16) 2015.
1. Slew of measures announced to reduce Delhi pollution
Increasing the number of CNG buses, crackdown on polluting vehicles and industries and tree plantation drives are some of the many steps being taken by the Delhi government to curb rising pollution in the national capital, a statement said on Thursday.
2. NGT Directs Joint Inspection of 13 Common Effluent Treatment Plants in Delhi
The National Green Tribunal today directed Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and IIT-Delhi to conduct a joint inspection of 13 common effluent treatment plants which are located in various industrial clusters in the national capital.
3. NGT directs Badarpur, Rajghat plants to control high PM levels
The National Green Tribunal today directed Badarpur and Rajghat Thermal Power Stations to bring particulate matter within permissible limits after an inspection report highlighted their high content in the ambient air around these projects.
4. Government to Soon Launch a ‘Massive’ Campaign to Check Air Pollution in Delhi
The Government today said it will soon launch a “massive” people-oriented awareness campaign to check air pollution, and asserted that it has adopted a “consultative and cooperative” approach with the states to deal with the menace in and around Delhi.
5. ‘One-stop solution’ to Yamuna woes
The BJP-led Union government and the AAP government in Delhi may be at loggerheads on most issues but they have, surprisingly, decided to launch a special purpose vehicle for Yamuna together.
6. Govt fined Rs 1 lakh by NGT over Yamuna
Irked by the blame game by various departments within the state, National Green Tribunal on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the Delhi government for not following its orders on implementation of Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017.
7. No quick fixes for restoring ecological flow in Yamuna
Yamuna water in Delhi and nearby is all excreta and effluent, several reports including Central Pollution Control Board’s latest assessment at interstate borders has shown.
8. Centre plans to take up Yamuna project assisted by JICA
The Centre has informed that it is planning to take up works pertaining to cleaning Yamuna river in addition to the existing scope of Japan International Cooperation Agency project.
9. Gurgaon’s civic bodies pass the buck over sewage leaking into Yamuna
The war of words that has broken out between MCG and HUDA, has inadvertently exposed the truth about the city’s water supply and drainage networks — that may actually be running on makeshift arrangements.
10. CSE challenges CSIR claim on CNG bus emissions ‘being more harmful’
The Centre for Science and Environment has challenged the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s recent conclusions based on the draft findings of a joint study that buses running on CNG may be more hazardous to health than diesel buses.
11. Delhi Jal Board to extend sewerage to 7 new unauthorised colonies
In order to bring maximum area of the city under its network, the Delhi Jal Board today announced to extend sewerage facilities to seven new unauthorised colonies here.
12. National Green Tribunal report accuses top realtors of ‘stealing’ Delhi groundwater
Realtors continue to clandestinely draw groundwater and drain them into sewage lines and the Yamuna, a report by an NGT-appointed inspector alleges.
13. NGTs report on service stations operating in capital
Automobile service stations operating in the capital and discharging toxic pollutants like grease and oil into the Yamuna have come under the radar of the National Green Tribunal which has sought a status report on their functioning.
14. NGT criticises incomplete pollution control boards’ inspection reports, warn heavy fines
Inspectors of central and state pollution control boards are filing ambiguous and incomplete inspection reports, with grave consequences for the environment, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said, warning of heavy fines.
15. Delhi Govt to plant native trees at Asola Wildlife Sanctuary
In order to save biodiversity and make tree plantation more efficient, Delhi Government has decided to plant native trees instead of exotic species in the city.
16. 347 flora, 242 fauna species discovered in 2013-14: Javadekar
347 species of flora and 424 of fauna, including two reptiles have been discovered in the country in 2013-2014, environment minister Prakash Javadekar informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
17. International climate office to be set up in Pune
An International climate variability and predictability monsoon project office will come up at the Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, an official said on Wednesday.
18. Water resources depleting in Ganga catchment area: Study
Over 1,500 billion cusecs of water flow has reduced in the Ganga catchment area of Himalaya due to falling of trees and destruction of other vegetation areas to make way for urbanisation and road construction in the Himalayan region.
19. Paris summit: India should put the heat on rich nations
It came as a shock to those who recently attended the annual climate conference organised by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai to learn that there were only some 20 days left before India submitted its commitments to the UN global summit, culminating in Paris this December.
DEL/103/YR/PPK/2015 Aug 15,2015
Shri Arvind Kejriwal
Chief Minister of Delhi
3rd Level A-Wing, Delhi Secretariat,
I.P. Estate, New Delhi-110001
Sub : ” PUSHPANJALI PRAWAHA KALASH ”
Esteemed Sir,
Greetings
Amid Your busy schedules, we are thankful that Your Good Self have spared few moments on the subject.
We take this opportunity to introduce YFF as a Registered Social Welfare Organization working on prevention of pollution in the major rivers as envisaged in the Article 51 -A(g) & 21 of the constitution of India.
It goes without saying that ours is highly religious and spiritual country.. In Delhi alone it takes 42000 Kg’s of flowers every day for people to convey their obeisance, gratitude, devotion, adoration, reverence, veneration etc to Gods as well as to their dear departed.
Then with the flowers comes statue figures of deities, paper, plastic, coconut husks etc which are thrown into the Rivers. Environmental damage caused is so high that NGT Chairperson Hon’ble Justice Swatanter Kumar [on 13th January, 2015] HAD TO issue a JUDGMENT imposing a fine of Rs.5000/- for throwing Puja Items into YAMUNA River.
The 42,000 kg’s of flowers that enter Delhi everyday adds up to.12 lac 60 thousand kg’s in a month.In addition to this Pooja materials such as derelict idols and images of Gods and Goddess, chunri, agarbathi and dhoop packets,etc.are thrown into the River’s. This is one Major factor contributing to about 30% of damage by polluting and choking of Yamuna and other rivers .
Youth Fraternity Foundation (YFF) has been working for the cause of Prevention & Controlling this pollution for the last ten years in various parts of India. In order to reduce the pollution of rivers, YFF has formulated a project ‘Pushpanjali Parwaha Kalash’ which consists of (a) to collect flowers and other worship- material from Temples, Mosques, Churches, Gurudwara’s, shops, colonies; and, (b) to send this material to the processing site where it is sorted out in different piles like paper, flowers, plastic, coconut husks, etc. The biodegradable waste is turned into compost and the rest is recycled.
During Navratra’s [October] this situation is most intense during which 1.2 Lakh people discard 8.5Lakh Kilogrammes of Samagries into the River’s..With your support and cooperation, we would like to take Pushpanjali Parwaha Kalash project to various parts in Delhi for gathering Puja samagri heading to the YAMUNA River. This will also generate employment for approx. 800 people, most of whom are from vulnerable and disadvantaged sections from all over Delhi.
In light of the Judgement and imposition of the Huge Fine, the Governing body at YFF feels Pushpanjali Parwaha Kalash Project or activity can be Your ideal gift for Your dear Delhites and at an ideal occasion. In this regard YFF humbly requests Your Good Self to spare a few minutes for further process of this project.
Yours Sincerely,
Gopi Dutt Aakash [ President :. YFF INDIA ]