A little over a third of the world's 246 long rivers remain free-flowing, as per a study by a team of 34 international researchers, including those from McGill University in Canada and World Wildlife Fund India. The study, which assessed the connectivity status of 12 million kilometres of rivers worldwide, found that there are about 2.8 million dams along this stretch. These dams and reservoirs are drastically reducing the diverse benefits offered by healthy rivers. Only 21 of the world's 91 rivers longer than 1,000 kilometres that originally flowed to the ocean still continue to do so. This indicates the extent to which estuarine and marine environments are being deprived of nutrients and sediments coming from the land.

New method to comprehensively evaluate river connectivity

Free-flowing rivers support diverse, complex and dynamic ecosystems globally, providing important societal and economic services. Infrastructure development threatens the ecosystem processes, biodiversity and services that these rivers support. The study which provides the first-ever global assessment of the location and extent of the planet's remaining free-flowing rivers suggests that most of the remaining free-flowing rivers are restricted to remote regions of the Arctic, the Amazon Basin and the Congo Basin. In densely populated areas, only a few very long rivers remain free-flowing, such as the Irrawaddy and Salween.

A total of 409,245 km of rivers was analysed in India. Out of this, the length of short rivers (10-100 km) is 2,69,375 km, medium length (100-500 km) is 95,638 km, long rivers (500-1000 km) is 22,437 km while under the very long category (>1000 km) the total length of rivers is 21,795 km. Among the identified free-flowing rivers in India, a majority (96 percent) falls in the ‘short rivers’ category (10-100 km). Indian rivers are exposed to sustained pressure from fragmentation and loss of river connectivity, constraining their capacity to flow unimpeded, affecting many fundamental processes and functions characteristic of healthy rivers and leading to the rapid decline of biodiversity and essential ecosystem services.

Rivers, the lifeblood of our planet form an intricate network with vital links to land, groundwater and atmosphere. Free-flowing rivers provide diverse benefits that are often overlooked and undervalued even when these are important for humans and the environment alike. Healthy rivers support freshwater fish stocks that improve food security for hundreds of millions of people, deliver sediment that keeps deltas above rising seas. They also mitigate the impact of extreme floods and droughts, prevent loss of infrastructure and fields to erosion and support a wealth of biodiversity.

Disrupting rivers connectivity often diminishes or even eliminates these critical ecosystem services. Protecting remaining free-flowing rivers is also crucial to saving biodiversity in freshwater systems.

“Dams and reservoirs and their up- and downstream propagation of fragmentation and flow regulation are the leading contributors to the loss of river connectivity,” says the report by lead author Gunther Grill of McGill's Department of Geography. The study estimates there are around 60,000 large dams worldwide, and more than 3,700 hydropower dams are currently planned or are under construction. They are often planned and built at the individual project level, making it difficult to assess their real impact across an entire basin or region.

Using satellite imagery and other data, the study examines the extent of these rivers in more detail than ever before. This first-ever map of the world’s remaining free-flowing rivers will help decision makers prioritise and protect the full value rivers give to people and nature.

The study points to six pressure indicators of human impact that breaks the natural flow connectivity of rivers. These are river fragmentation, flow regulation, sediment trapping, water consumption and two measures of floodplain infrastructure development, namely road density and urbanisation.

Climate change to exacerbate the problem

The study fears that climate change would threaten the health of rivers further. While rising temperatures are already impacting flow patterns and water volumes, the increased focus on low-carbon economies will prompt countries to increase their hydropower portfolio. These dams are often planned and built at the individual project level, without a cumulative assessment at the entire basin or region level making it difficult to assess their real impact.

“This will add urgency to the need to develop energy systems that minimise overall environmental and social impact. While hydropower inevitably has a role to play in the renewable energy landscape, well-planned wind and solar energy can be more viable options for rivers and the communities, cities, and biodiversity that rely on them,” the study says.

The study can be accessed here

A recent study by Toxics Link, an environmental research and advocacy organisation on batteries titled Dead and buried: A situational analysis of battery waste management in India estimates that 2.7 billion pieces of dry cell batteries are being consumed annually in India. The report talks about their use in a variety of products and devices ranging from cars to mobiles, laptops, watches, television remotes, toys, medical devices and inverters. It is near impossible to not use some kind of chargers and batteries now. Not just that, in recent times, there is a significant focus on renewable energy, leading to a surge in demand for batteries by this sector.

Indian market is still dominated by non-rechargeable batteries, mainly because they are cheaper and are preferred over the expensive ones. Of the dry cell batteries, zinc-carbon cells account for 97 percent of the market share. These batteries contain a variety of heavy metals and other chemicals like cadmium, nickel, lead, mercury, copper, zinc, manganese or lithium. Most of the “dead” zinc-carbon cells reach landfills and the heavy metals and chemicals in them leach into the surrounding soil, surface and groundwater, thus contaminating the food we eat or the air we breathe, compromising public health.

There is a lack of scientifically designed landfills in the country to treat them better since many of these metals are recognised as highly toxic and known to damage the nervous system, kidneys, cause cancer and birth defects.

According to The Association of Indian Dry Cell Manufacturers (AIDCM), rural areas accounted for a majority of the volume sales share of the Indian dry cell battery market, thereby raising the concern about toxic materials leaching not just in landfills but also in agricultural fields.

“Though batteries like the ones used in mobiles or automobiles or storage for solar energy have longer lifespans, smaller batteries used in flashlights or clocks or remotes have relatively shorter usage life, meaning that they join the waste stream quicker. Recycling of batteries and disposal have been a critical issue globally, but the concern in India is probably greater as here the small battery market is dominated by single-use batteries or primary cells, in comparison to most other countries where rechargeable batteries dominate. In India, huge numbers of used or spent batteries get discarded with household waste as there is little or no monetary value attached to it,” says the report authored by Priti Mahesh and Manjusha Mukherjee.

Eighty six percent of Delhiites not aware of dry cell battery hazards

The study also involved primary survey among 400 households in Delhi on the end-of-life household batteries. This helped trace down the entire supply chain process of these end-of-life household batteries excluding lead acid and button cell batteries. The attempt was to understand the collection, recycling and disposal practices in Delhi. It found that at least nine of every 10 Delhiites dump the batteries after use in dustbins along with other household wastes.

Nearly 86 percent of the people are not aware of the hazards associated with dry cell batteries used by them in portable devices every day. About 92.5 percent of the people said they throw the batteries in common household dustbins after use.

Poor end-of-life battery management

In India, there is a complete absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework and infrastructure for sound management of end-of-life dry cell batteries. The study points to the lack of a proper management system for the batteries used in households. These are wastes categorised as household hazardous, yet citizens are unaware of it due to lack of instruction or information on them.

As per the report, the current Municipal Waste Rules, 2016 include batteries as part of domestic hazardous waste but there are no collection systems or recycling facilities to manage these batteries which are generated in millions annually. Sadly, the Solid Waste Management rule never specifies any separate segregation or deposit centre for batteries and all provisions are directed for aggregated domestic hazardous waste. There is no mandate for extended producer responsibility (EPR) for small battery producers or even recycling of battery resources through any other formal network.

Lack of scientifically designed landfills in the country also adds to the concern of leaching of toxic materials from spent batteries. Apart from the toxicity issue, the used or spent single-use batteries are also an issue of concern as they contain many non-renewable resources and landfilling them would mean losing out on those resources. This could have gone a long way in accounting of reducing environmental impacts and resource recovery.

Informal recycling, which was primarily handling this waste until a few years back, has also hit roadblocks, which means that the waste is currently completely relegated to landfills. The already brimming landfills in cities are now being further burdened by these batteries. This improper disposal unnecessarily squanders resources and energy, represents a missed opportunity for recycling jobs and can result in groundwater and air contamination. Also, though the study did not investigate this aspect, there might be huge concerns about low-quality batteries being dumped in the country.

Study recommendations

Battery recycling is virtually non-existent in India even when resource conservation potential of battery recycling is huge. Current disposal system of batteries in India is certainly not geared towards recycling and resource recovery. The report suggests that through recycling of discarded zinc-carbon cells, efficient recovery can extract 15025.42 tonnes of zinc, 15258.07 tonnes of manganese and 10848.50 tonnes of steel along with 2.4 billion graphite rods from dry used cell batteries per year in India. Efforts have to be made to support recycling through government subsidies, product stewardship and disposal costs.

The study findings clearly says that household battery waste management is a concern which needs to be looked at. Through battery EPR programmes, manufacturers can provide consumers with a convenient way to responsibly manage discarded batteries. With producer funding, EPR can offer an effective, sustainable financing system that increases the collection and recycling of leftover batteries, reduces government and overall costs of battery management and lessens environmental impact.

Though this report did look at the economics of recycling in the informal sector, further studies would help us understand the recycling sustainability in a formalised space. Also, success depends on consumers handing in their waste batteries for recycling. So consumer awareness is crucial.

Regulation for battery constituents, design and labelling are key to reducing impacts, as per the study. Further, in India, the unorganised sector has, until now, played a key role in the collection and recycling of spent dry cell batteries. The evolving framework could be inclusive of the informal chain of collectors and segregators.

The report can be accessed here

NGT raps green ministry for failing to curb depletion of groundwater

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has pulled up the environment ministry for failing to furnish a report, sought by the tribunal earlier, on the actions taken to tackle groundwater depletion. In January, the tribunal had ordered the ministry to constitute an expert committee and to issue an appropriate policy for groundwater conservation with a robust institutional mechanism for surveillance. However, the ministry has not provided any report in this regard. Additionally, the NGT has rapped the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for providing an incomplete report on the assessment of environmental compensation to be levied for illegal extraction of groundwater.

NGT pulls up environment ministry for relaxing sewage treatment norms

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has rejected a notification issued by the environment ministry in October 2017 where all the sewage treatment norms have been drastically relaxed. On the basis of an expert committee report, the tribunal has now prescribed stringent norms for sewage treatment in the country and directed the ministry to issue a fresh notification within a month’s time. The expert committee comprises of members from IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, NEERI and Central Pollution Control Board. 

Uttarakhand government encourage farmers to go organic

Under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Uttarakhand government is implementing a scheme for encouraging hill farmers in the catchment area of the Ganga river to adopt organic farming. The move aims to keep the Ganga river free of chemical pollution and augmenting the income of hill farmers. In the first phase of the centrally funded project, all poor and marginal hill farmers in the 42 villages in Ganga's catchment area are being given full support to adopt organic farming. Apart from Uttarakhand, the scheme is also being implemented in four other states--Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal--under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY). 

PMC to begin the much-delayed Mula-Mutha river rejuvenation project

Once the Model Code of Conduct is lifted, the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) is planning to initiate work on the much-delayed Mula-Mutha river rejuvenation project. The project, which is part of the National River Conservation Plan in the city, was sanctioned by the Centre five years ago at an estimated cost of Rs 640 crore. However, due to the delay in implementation of the project, the project cost has raised to Rs 990 crore. Under the proposed project, the PMC plans to construct 11 new sewage treatment plants of 396 million litres per day capacity, lay 113.6-km of sewers and build 24 community toilets.

Gujarat in water crisis thanks to lack of water policy 

The State Draft Water Policy proposed by Gujarat government is stuck in a bureaucratic red-tape for the past few years. In 2014-15, the first draft of the policy was prepared but due to one or the other reasons, the government has not been able to finalise the policy. In June 2018, the last state water policy draft was prepared. Though Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had given in-principle approval to the policy, it has not been forwarded to the cabinet for approval. The policy, which is pending approval, calls on the need for water pricing and skewed water availability due to climate change. 

This is a roundup of important policy matters from May 7 - 14, 2019. Also, read news this week.

Hi, I am working in ESBR wastewater treatment plant. We are struggling with a issue of Low MLSS, MLVSS in aeration tank and high COD after secondry clarifier.

• MLSS-700 PPM, MLVSS- 300 PPM
• Inlet COD 700-800 PPM and after secondry clarifier it is upto 400 ppm.

So, please suggest how to increase our MLSS/MLVSS and reduce COD in our plant.

FICCI is organising 7th Edition of FICCI Water Awards under the aegis of FICCI Water Mission. The Mission instituted the Awards on annual basis to recognize excellence in water conservation and sustainable water management practices.

The last date for submission of nominations is June 10, 2019.

The Awards are conferred for the following five categories and the nominations are scrutinized by an eminent Jury chaired by Dr Mihir Shah, Former Member, Planning Commission.

• Industrial Water Efficiency (Industrial Units)
• Community Initiatives by Industry (Industrial Units – CSR related but community focussed initiatives only)
• Urban Wastewater Management (Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Jal Boards, Water Intensive Industries)
• Innovation and Initiatives by NGO (NGOs – registered as a society, trust, not-for-profit organisation)
• Innovation in Water Technology (Product developer/technology supplier in the area of innovative tools, techniques, products, technologies and technology application in Water Technology and Management)

How to Apply:

Expression of interest for nomination to be sent with a subject line, “Nomination Form for FICCI Water Awards 2019” to watermission@ficci.com.

For any clarifications or information, please write to watermission@ficci.com or get in touch with Ms Kirtika Arora, Senior Assistant Director, Water Division at kirtika.arora@ficci.com.

Download the Water Awards flyer and call for nominations from below. 

Sarla Yadav, a resident of Yamuna Ghat 24 is a treasure trove of stories on the river Yamuna. She runs a boat business with her son Shyam who provides a nuanced personal account of living by the river and of eking out a meagre livelihood by plying boats. They are among a few families who have not sold their boats so far.

Shyam says their business suffered due to the ever-rising pollution—ferries are rare, so are the fairs by the river and swimming competitions. He shifts from one job to the other, sometimes construction work and other times, shopkeeping. On the eastern bank, one can see that pieces of land have been leased out on the river’s floodplains to grow vegetables. The vegetable growers too have a similar story to tell.

“The river has been reduced to a sluggish sewage-laden channel and there’s filth floating along the edges of the bustling Nigambodh ghat on the Yamuna. The river cleanses itself once a year when it swells due to the heavy monsoon rains in its catchment,” says Sarla speaking at an event Revitalising Yamuna: Alternate imaginations held on May 11, 2019 by the Tata Centre for Development at UChicago in collaboration with the Centre for Community Knowledge, Ambedkar University, Delhi.

The event comprised a series of activities such as photo exhibition, screening of a documentary and a panel discussion on Connections and disconnections between the river and the residents of the city. The photo exhibition recorded people’s memories and experiences of the river, the changes happened to it through the decades, human engagements with the river and its future. The Centre for Community Knowledge at the Ambedkar University has been documenting memories, people’s voices and experiences of the Yamuna river under their project: The river and the city. Their stories are woven together into a 30-minute documentary that brought forth the realities of various riverine communities. For example, there is a segment on young children who, for a livelihood, dive into the river to retrieve coins thrown into the water by pilgrims and the impact of the shrinking river on them.

Changes in the river

The panel discussion, moderated by Surajit Sarkar, assistant professor at Ambedkar University, had Neha Sinha, wildlife conservationist associated with the Bombay Natural History Society, Prof. Reema Bhatia and Prof. Meeta Kumar of Miranda House and Bhim Singh Rawat of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) and Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan and representatives of the communities living along the Yamuna. It deliberated on the changes observed in the river over the years and encouraged individuals and communities to reconnect with it.

With no freshwater flowing in it for the most part of the year, the people inhabiting the Yamuna’s banks are dismayed by the loss of aquatic life and the fetid river bed. Sarla claims that doctors nowadays advise people against taking a dip in the river that once attracted lakhs of pilgrims for the customary holy dip. “People like us whose livelihoods are dependent on the river are affected the most,” said Sarla, speaking at the panel.

“Huge barrages and hydropower plants in the upstream reaches of the river are inhibiting its flow. This, along with encroachments on the flood plains, the discharge of untreated sewage water and release of pollutants from agriculture and industry, is killing the Yamuna. Without restoring the flow of the river, there is no solution in sight,” says Bhim Singh Rawat.

The Yamuna Action Plans, in the last 23 years, have focused on the setting of the sewage treatment plants rather than restoring the river flow and the habitat. “Delhi does not need water from newer dams upstream especially since the existing dams on the Yamuna are performing far from optimally,” says Rawat.

Early this year, the Supreme Court had expressed concern over the condition of the Yamuna and has entrusted the task of monitoring government efforts to clean the Yamuna to the National Green Tribunal.

A city indifferent to the river

Speaking at the event, Meeta Kumar who has done research on the social ecology of the Yamuna said that the city that is so obviously dependant on the river has turned its back to it for several decades now. “The Yamuna runs through the city, yet it is quite peripheral to our day-to-day conscious existence. The river turned putrid as far back as in the 1950s, yet there was a lack of public demand for a cleaner Yamuna and public action was sparse," says Kumar.

Kumar, along with her co-researcher Prof. Reema Bhatia, tried to study the dynamics of the relationship between the Yamuna and Delhi. They looked at communities closest to the river, specifically, the villages of Jagatpur and Madanpur Khadar (South Delhi) and found the interplay of change and continuity in these villages interesting. Bhatia said that the approach of the state to the river was apathetic considering that it had granted permission to hold certain mega cultural events on the floodplains recently.

“A river is a shared property and this has unintended consequences on the river. In the absence of appropriate regulation, it is likely to be overused and be subjected to the tragedy of the commons, wherein individual users act as per their own self-interest and not for the common good of all users. This results in the depletion or spoiling of shared resources like the Yamuna. In the case of Delhi, the city’s growth did not translate to a new set of rules or institutions that governed the riverine resources so that both the city and the river could sustain,” says Kumar.

Every year, with the onset of winter, migratory birds flock the city. They come into the Yamuna floodplains and other water bodies and wetlands. “If restored, the Yamuna has a great potential to rebound as a natural entity,” says Neha Sinha.

UChicago, in collaboration with the Young India Fellows at Ashoka University, had conducted a four-month-long field study to understand the impact of river pollution on health and livelihood of communities living on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi. “The social investigations revealed some interesting facts about the city-river disconnect. A strong correlation was found between the data on water quality collected by UChicago with the ground reality,” said Prof. Nutan Maurya, Ashoka University.

India witnesses 22 percent deficient pre-monsoon rainfall this year: IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) data has recorded 75.9 millimetres of rainfall from March 1 to May 15 which is 22 percent deficient from the normal rainfall. Moreover, out of the four meteorological divisions of the IMD, the south peninsula, which comprises all the southern states, has recorded pre-monsoon deficiency of 46 percent which is the highest in the country. However, no deficiency in pre-monsoon rain has been observed in the central region which comprises Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Pre-monsoon rainfall is important for horticulture crops in some parts of the country while in parts of northeast India and the Western Ghats, it is critical for plantation crops.

Brahmaputra to be dredged to reduce floods

The union government and the Assam government are planning to dredge the Brahmaputra river with an initial cost of Rs four billion. The dredging project will serve two purposes--one, it will reduce floods in the river by allowing more water to stay in the river and second, it will make the river navigable for large vessels as it has been designated as the National Waterway 2 by the Inland Waterways Authority of India. However, as per the experts, dredging seems to be a superficial solution to the challenge of drainage congestion and managing floods. Moreover, the government needs to conduct proper planning and a detailed study of the basic aspects before starting this mega project.

Kerala facing acute water crisis just eight months after the floods

It is only eight months since Kerala witnessed the worst floods in a century and all the 14 districts in the state, except for Wayanad and Pathanamthitta, are facing acute drinking water shortage. To address the crisis, the Kerala Water Authority has deployed special teams to monitor the situation and the government has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh to all gram panchayats for the distribution of water. As per the experts, the reason for the crisis is poor northeast monsoon and the lack of proper water conservation. Additionally, the destruction of forests, wetlands, sacred groves and laterite hills over the last few decades has reduced the percolation capacity of the rainwater in the state. 

Aarey tribals in Mumbai stand up to protect their identity and land

In order to file claims for individual and community rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, the tribal inhabitants of hamlets inside the 3,000-acre Aarey Colony in Goregaon are preparing to map the area they occupy and cultivate. The tribals have initiated this battle in the backdrop of the issue to grant forest status to the Aarey colony, which is one of the few still-green expanses in Mumbai. City NGOs Vanashakti and Aarey Conservation Group are currently fighting for Aarey to be declared a forest and eco-sensitive zone so as to save the part of it from getting developed into a car shed site for the upcoming Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro Rail project. 

Study reveals mangroves and forests in the country are turning brown from green

As per the study conducted by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), 46,35,580 hectares of country’s core forest areas, including 41,480 hectares of mangroves, lost their greenness between 2001 and 2014. Moreover, 20 protected forest areas have also witnessed significant degradation in green cover with the highest at the Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha. The researchers have blamed rising temperatures and changes in land use for the loss of this greenness. The analysis has found the highest decline in greenness in the tropical moist deciduous forest while West Bengal has been identified as a hotspot for mangrove degradation. 

This is a roundup of important news published between May 15 - 21, 2019. Also read policy matters this week.

Centre issues drought advisory to six states

Taking note of water levels dipping in dams to a critical level, the Centre has issued a drought advisory to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. The advisory recommends the states to use water for drinking purpose only till the dams are replenished. As per the data of the Central Water Commission (CWC), which monitors water storage available in 91 major reservoirs across the country, the total water storage available is 22 percent of the total storage capacity of these reservoirs. While in the reservoirs of the western and southern regions, where the drought advisory has been issued, the total live storage available is 13 percent of the capacity. 

Developing nations will be no more a dumping ground for the world's plastic waste

Nearly 180 governments have adopted the amendments regarding global trade of plastic scrap at the 14th Conference of Parties to the Basel Convention (COP-14) held in Geneva. As per the new modifications, plastic waste has been included in the legally-binding framework, so as to make global trade in plastic scrap more transparent and better regulated. The need for an amendment was perceived when the developing nations increased their restrictions against accepting plastic trash from developed nations. Now with the new mandate in place, developing countries will no longer be a dumping ground for the world’s plastic waste. 

NGT tells states, UTs to create detailed inventories of water bodies

Following Haryana that has created detailed inventories of water bodies not protected by any law, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered all the states and Union territories (UTs) to review their existing framework for restoration and submit action plans to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) within three months. The CPCB has also been directed to publish guidelines to restore water bodies—between 0 and 2.5 acres in size—not presently protected by any national legislation in a month's time. The order has come after several concerned authorities in Haryana mapped the water bodies in the state, along with assigning them unique identification numbers.

CPCB asks Haryana to augment sewage treatment plants

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed Haryana to ensure augmentation of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in industrial cities of Yamunanagar, Panipat and Sonipat districts. The board took note of the industrial and domestic wastewater being discharged in the Yamuna river through ditch drains and observed that there is a need to augment the capacity of STPs and laying down of sewerage system at Yamunanagar and Sonipat. In the Panipat city, however, the sewage conveyance system needs to be augmented for 100 percent utilisation of the existing treatment facility.

No need for diversion of revenue land in states with more than 75 percent forestland: Committee 

Under the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, when a piece of forest land is diverted for non-forestry purposes like mining or infrastructure, an equal area of revenue land or non-forest land or double the area of degraded forest land has to be used for compensatory afforestation. However, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has now decided that the states with more than 75 percent forest cover won’t be required to provide non-forest land for forest diversion projects. Moreover, the FAC has instead recommended to the environment ministry to allow the compensatory afforestation in other states deficient in forest land. 

This is a roundup of important policy matters from May 15 - 21, 2019. Also, read news this week.

India's water situation alarming

As per the Central Water Commission (CWC), the water storage available in 91 major reservoirs of the country towards the end of May was 31.65 billion cubic meters, which is 20 percent of the total storage capacity of these reservoirs. The data by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows that the country is experiencing the second driest pre-monsoon spell in 65 years. The worst deficiency has been witnessed in Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Konkan-Goa, Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch, coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, among others. Moreover, more than 42 percent of India is abnormally dry which is around six percent more than last year. 

DJB approves largest sewage plant at Okhla, Delhi

Under the Yamuna Action Plan-III scheme, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has given its approval to setting up a new sewage treatment plant (STP) at Okhla. The plant, which is being claimed as the largest such plant in India, will have the capacity to treat 124 million gallons of wastewater per day. The plant, worth Rs 1,161 crore, will cater to around 40 lakh residents in Delhi. The board has also approved construction of 14 mini STPs in the Najafgarh drainage zone and laying of the internal sewerage system for unauthorised colonies. 

Assam, Mizoram and J&K most vulnerable to climate change: Study

According to the study Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the Indian Himalayan Region Using a Common Framework, conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) at Mandi and Guwahati and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) at Bengaluru, of the 12 Himalayan states in the country, Assam, Mizoram and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are the most vulnerable to climate change while Sikkim is the least vulnerable state. The study, conducted in collaboration with the authorities in all the 12 states in the Indian Himalayan Region, is aimed at identifying the drivers of vulnerability and developing ways of adapting to and mitigating their impact. 

Survey of Poisar river falsifies BMC's claims of desilting work

A survey of Poisar river tributary carried out by members of citizen group River March has revealed the precarious state of the river. While the Brihanmumbai municipal corporation (BMC) has claimed to have completed over 85 percent of nullah cleaning work, the survey points to the haphazard cleaning work that has been carried out. There were several stretches which showed no signs of cleaning activities being done. The locals have reported that BMC contractors did not conduct clean-up drive and most of the garbage was left in the river. The group has now decided to take up more such surveys along Dahisar, Poisar and Oshiwara rivers. 

Bhopal's Bhojtal lake inches towards dead storage level

Owing to less than normal rain and scorching heat, water levels at Bhojtal, formerly known as Upper lake, have rapidly dipped and the water level in the lake has reached its dead storage level. The water shortage in the lake has raised concerns in the areas of the city which depend on it for water supply. The authorities have demanded Rs 100-crore package from the state government to tackle the situation. Meanwhile, the authorities have appealed to the citizens to use water sustainably and help in conserving it.

This is a roundup of important news published between May 29 - June 4, 2019. Also read policy matters this week.

Jal Shakti ministry formed by merging water ministry and drinking water ministry

The government has launched the new Jal Shakti ministry by merging the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has been appointed as the minister of Jal Shakti that has been constituted in line with BJP’s Sankalp Patra for the 2019 General Elections. The aim of the new ministry is to provide clean drinking water as well as fight water woes in the country. The ministry will also be responsible for tackling international and inter-states water disputes and carry forward the Namami Gange project. However, as per the experts, the ministry has a fairly wide ambit and rather than restructuring the existing system, there is a need to redefine the role and mandate of the water ministry. 

Release 9.19 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu in June: Cauvery authority to Karnataka

Taking note of monsoon prediction and the storage level in the Cauvery basin reservoirs, the Cauvery Water Management Authority has directed Karnataka to release 9.19 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu in the month of June. As per the authority, the order will not have any immediate negative impacts on Karnataka as the state's reservoirs of Cauvery basin have satisfactory water storage and monsoon is also expected in the first or second week of June. The order is subject to change based on the arrival of monsoon or if the state receives less than normal rainfall in June. The Karnataka government has no objection to releasing water provided there is good monsoon and sufficient water in reservoirs.

NGT bans RO systems if TDS less than 500 mg/l

Taking into account the joint report from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and IIT-Delhi, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the environment ministry to notify prohibiting the use of reverse osmosis (RO) systems for drinking water in areas where the amount of total dissolved solids (TDS) is less than 500 milligram/litre (mg/l). The joint report came down heavily on the misinformation campaign run by RO manufacturers who promote RO utility for removal of multiple pollutants, although the application of RO is primarily limited to removal of TDS. 

NGT slaps fine over pollution in Ganga river

The National Green Tribunal has slapped a penalty of Rs 25 lakh each on the governments of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal for inaction over continued damage to Ganga river. The tribunal has noted that Bihar made no progress in clean-up of the Ganga river as not a single sewage infrastructure project has been completed in the state. Even in West Bengal, only three out of 22 projects have been completed. The progress made by Jharkhand is also not adequate. The tribunal has also ordered Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure zero tolerance approach to the pollution of Ganga river and take stern action against violators.

Rainwater harvesting in Delhi: NGT orders study of recharge methodology

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the committee, comprising representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), to take groundwater samples and study the methodology of recharging it. The order has come following a petition that alleged the usage of non-scientific methodology by various authorities in Delhi to recharge the groundwater through rainwater harvesting. This has also resulted in pollution of groundwater in the capital. The NGT has asked the committee to submit its reports within a month.  

This is a roundup of important policy matters from May 29 - June 4, 2019. Also, read news this week.

THE ORGANIZATION

Splash is an international charitable organization headquartered in Seattle, WA, founded in 2007. Our mission is simple: “We clean water for kids.” Small, young and growing, Splash is in a unique position to be groundbreaking in the global health and WASH sectors, able to try new approaches to address the needs of urban kids. In ten years, we have brought and continue to ensure safe drinking water to over 400,000 children in cities around the world. Splash is pursuing funding to reach 100% of government schools in Kolkata with full WASH coverage by the end of 2023. 

Our core values guide everything we do including every hiring decision we make. They are: 

• People - People first. People second. People third.
• Quality - Beautiful products that function and last.
• Honesty - No drama, no surprises, no BS. 
• Joy - Kids at heart, seeing potential everywhere.
• Mistakes - Make them, don’t repeat them.

THE JOB

Position Overview

The WASH Infrastructure Coordinator is responsible for the design and oversight of the installation, construction, and rehabilitation of sanitation and water infrastructure at hundreds of school sites across Kolkata. This person will be responsible for making sure that all phases of Splash’s sanitation and water work (design, budgeting, hiring of contractors, and construction projects) are completed on time, within budget, and per Splash quality standards. This will necessitate project and financial tracking, personnel management, contractor management, collaborating with government technical experts, ensuring sustainability of Splash interventions, risk management, and conflict resolution. The Coordinator is responsible for the planning and execution of WASH O&M activities such as technical training for school management and support staff, ongoing technical WASH related support to ensure sustainability.  The Coordinator reports to and assists the WASH Infrastructure Specialist in leading, managing, and executing all WASH infrastructure work and the integration of the same with behavior change and sustainability interventions.  The Coordinator will directly supervise 2 – 3 WASH Infrastructure Assistants.

Primary Duties

• Complete design work for sanitation and water infrastructure activities, prepare and/or refine work plans, monitor progress, and produce recommendations on how to solve implementation challenges and bottlenecks.
• Create BOQs and site level designs for installation of new water filtration systems, water stations, water storage, and sanitation facilities as well as rehabilitation of existing sanitation facilities.
• Plan, implement, and monitor Infrastructure O&M training, capacity building (for Splash staff and stakeholders), and any other infrastructure related sustainability activities of Splash India Project WISE and previous Splash supported sites.  
• Serve as a technical consultant on contractor and vendor evaluation and selection 
• Continually evaluate the effectiveness and long-term sustainability of all water and sanitation infrastructure program processes and equipment. Be a leader for innovation and improvement.
• Communicate with government project staff, local stakeholders, and school management to ensure on-time and on-budget implementation and sustainability of the project interventions. 
• Collaborate and share knowledge with Splash team members in Addis Ababa, Nepal, and Seattle to support continuous global learning and improvement regarding infrastructure and construction.
• Work closely with the Finance team and oversee contractors to ensure appropriate record keeping is maintained on all donor related financial documents to facilitate the timely reconciliation and liquidation.
• Ensure compliance with the financial systems and policies of Splash, donors, and the Indian government.
• Provide technical leadership and supervision for the hiring, training, and mentoring of infrastructure team hiring of assistants. Ensure project staff and other infrastructure personnel get on-the-job coaching on infrastructure activities.
• Evaluates and writes specifications for infrastructure related materials for quality, durability, appropriateness, and cost.
• Is a leader for Splash’s worker safety and training programs for both Splash and contractor staff at active work sites.
• Mentor, coach, train, capacity build, supervise, and manage O&M staff and technicians and ensure that they provide quality O&M/sustainability support to all Splash sites (previous, existing, and future). 
• Provide support/assistance for overall Splash WASH Infrastructure work as deemed necessary by the WASH Infrastructure Specialist, the Seattle-based WASH Infrastructure Manager, and India Office WISE Project Director.
• Support the Water Quality Testing Program by ensuring proper sample collection, testing methods, and data entry
• Perform other duties as needs arise in the course of implementing the project.

Reports To: Kolkata WASH Infrastructure Specialist

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual salary for this position will be established at time of hire and will be reviewed at least annually.

YOU

Education, Experience, & Personal Characteristics

• BE in Civil or other relevant Engineering degree, coursework or certification in Project Management preferred
• At least 7 years of experience working on construction, development, and/or WASH projects preferably in India, including at least 3 years of personnel and project management experience; urban experience strongly preferred
• Highly proficient in the project management, construction management, and WASH sectors, conversant on current sector thinking related to sanitation design, water treatment, plumbing, and construction
• Ability to collaborate effectively with international and local staff, local implementation partners, contractors, government partners, and vendors
• Knowledge of construction management, sanitation design, water quality, and project management 
• Highly proficient with Microsoft Office (required), and Project Management and Tracking software
• Professional level of written and verbal fluency in English required as well as Hindi and/or Bengali (Bengali preferred)

Desired Attributes Include

• You exhibit absolute integrity, honesty, openness and sound judgment
• You demonstrate excellent organizational skills, self-motivation, flexibility, and the ability to work and thrive in a fast-paced, energetic, entrepreneurial environment
• You are an excellent communicator, with the ability to listen, communicate effectively, and build trust with a wide variety of internal and externals constituents
• You enjoy collaboration and have a genuine interest in learning from and developing others
• Innovative and creative: you constantly seek better ways to accomplish objectives
• You think critically and put a high value on offering and receiving constructive feedback and criticism
• You have a deep belief in and passion for Splash’s work and the children we serve

To Apply: https://splashorg.wufoo.com/forms/wash-infrastructure-coordinator-kolkata/

Urban India needs to take air pollution more seriously than it does now. The Centre for Science and Environment’s report, State of India's Environment 2019 has come up with startling facts on the state of air in the country. “Air pollution is responsible for 12.5 percent of all deaths in India. Its impact on children is equally worrying. Over 100,000 children below the age of five die due to bad air in the country.”

Another study by Joshua Apte et al states that air pollution from particulate matter PM2.5 accounts for approximately 10,000 to 30,000 annual deaths in Delhi. The study says as many as 80 lives are lost every day in the city. Yet, this is not seen as a health emergency.

Delhi-based Atul Jain, a cancer survivor and his wife Pooja Jain lament the fact that they paid the price of living in the city. A non-smoker, Atul was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017. Delhi has been touching new records in particulate matter levels every Diwali. After being turned away by five doctors, Atul was treated by Dr Arvind Kumar, a chest surgeon at Gangaram hospital.

“We live in Shahdara, a polluted area next to the Jhilmil industrial estate and there is no way we can get away from this. We were thrown into an endless cycle of hospital visits and financial burden. My husband may have survived this but his lung function has been irreversibly reduced. Like us, millions of families are suffering silently. The government needs to take preventive measures to control the problem of air pollution and meet the national ambient air quality standards,” says Pooja who is his primary caregiver.

Atul’s story is one of many covered by Breathless, a project documenting India’s air emergency by journalist Aruna Chandrasekhar and photographer Ishan Tankha. The duo travelled to different parts of the country—both urban and rural—and recorded stories and images with the support of Clean Air Collective, a network of organisations working on the issue of air pollution.

The exhibit that captures the coal mines of Chhattisgarh, the paddy fields of Punjab, a fishing village in Mumbai and many other places addresses a gamut of pollution sources, be it power plants, household fuels, vehicular emissions or stubble burning. The exhibition opened on the world environment day on June 5 and was on display at Bikaner House, Delhi till June 9.

“Delhi is so polluted that children here have lungs similar to chain smokers and end up having all the associated respiratory ailments. But, there is a need to look at other cities as well, considering that seven of the world's 10 worst polluted cities are in India, as per a new study published by AirVisual and Greenpeace. This crisis is not limited to urban India alone. Air pollution can travel up to 400 kilometres. Our villages and industrialised corridors are not immune either,” says Aruna Chandrasekhar speaking at the event.

The panel discussion on the impact of air pollution in India was held on the first day of the exhibition. It was moderated by Siddharth Singh, an energy, mobility and climate policy expert and the author of The Great Smog of India, a book which deals with air pollution. Representatives of the three major political parties—Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi— looked at the need for policy-level action on curbing air pollution during the panel discussion. The house wanted the parties to put aside their differences and work together to tackle the health emergency.

“The problem is as much social and political as it is technological, and there is a lack of political will to address the issue of impact of gas emissions on health and safety of sanitation workers,” says Jai Prakash Chaudhary (Santu) who heads the Safai Sena, a Delhi-based organisation of around 12000 local garbage and scrap collectors. “The corporation continues to dump its waste at landfill sites which smell awful. This can be avoided to a large extent if we follow the zero waste policy. It is important that sanitation workers be provided safety gears so they do not bear the brunt of air pollution,” says Santu.

“There is a lack of awareness of how air pollution leads to chronic cardiovascular and lung diseases which can sometimes be fatal,” says Dr Harsh Vardhan of Lung Care Foundation, Gangaram Hospital.

The exhibition highlights the issue of crop-burning in the rice-fields of Faridkot in Punjab every winter and the resultant “agricultural shock” to the air quality in northern India due to the smog. It also raises the pertinent question—can farmers be held responsible for the crisis? The government should encourage the farmers to take up crop diversification or switch to less water-intensive crops by extending price incentives and better marketing facilities.

The photo exhibit was not limited to issues in Delhi. R.L. Srinivasan, a Kabaddi coach in Chennai has been fighting the issue of fly ash pollution in Ennore which supplies electricity to Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu. This issue also figures in the photo exhibit. A National Green Tribunal petition filed by a six-village committee he helped set up has led to health studies being conducted in the fishing villages around Ennore.

In north India, air pollution is given its seriousness only during winter when it escalates. But if it has to be curbed, air pollution needs a serious year-round engagement of the public.

HC orders Haryana government to supply adequate water to Delhi and monitor Yamuna through live Google maps

The Delhi High Court has ordered the Haryana government to ensure that adequate water is provided to Delhi and to monitor the Yamuna river through live Google mapping. The decision has come after the court was informed that there are bunds present at 11 locations in the canals carrying water meant for Delhi and these bunds are severely affecting the water flow in the Yamuna river. Apart from bunds, large-scale mining in the Yamuna and one of its tributaries, the Somb, is causing huge environmental damage to the flora and fauna in and around the river bed. Moreover, the Haryana government is being held for deliberately keeping back the information regarding the details of mining site permits along the Yamuna river.

Area around Asola in Gurugram, Faridabad gets the eco-zone tag

The environment ministry has declared an area of up to one km around the boundary of the Asola Bhatti wildlife sanctuary in Gurugram and Faridabad as an eco-sensitive zone. With this notification, construction or industrial activities have been banned in the sensitive zone. The Haryana government has been ordered to prepare a zonal action plan that includes steps for groundwater management, soil and moisture conservation, and to demarcate existing places of worship, villages and urban settlements within two years. Although experts have lauded the move, they have recommended an eco-tag for the whole Aravalli region. 

Take action against those using tube wells illegally: NGT to Delhi authorities

The National Green Tribunal has ordered the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to take action against those using tube wells illegally to extract groundwater. The NGT has directed authorities to initiate prosecution, apart from recovering compensation, as illegal installation of tube wells is an offence under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Along with this, the tribunal has asked authorities to dismantle and seize equipment to prevent reopening of sealed tube wells and also consider adopting a policy against illegal withdrawal of water. 

Environment ministry seeks proposal to declare Greater Noida's wetland a Ramsar site

This World Environment Day, the environment ministry has written to the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a proposal to declare Dhanauri, a large wetland in Greater Noida, a Ramsar site and Sarus sanctuary. Dhanauri wetland, which sees thousands of birds every season, meets at least three of the nine criteria listed under the Ramsar Convention. Once approved, Dhanauri will be the 28th wetland in India to be declared a Ramsar site and the second from Uttar Pradesh. As claimed by an environmentalist Anand Arya, at least 150-200 Sarus cranes and around 50,000 birds from 261 species can be spotted every season at Dhanauri wetland.

Pune civic body to halt all road concretisation works as it affects groundwater recharge

After being informed by experts that concretisation was affecting groundwater recharge, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to go slow on constructing cement roads. The city authorities have stated that the PMC will soon finalise a policy to stop the rampant concretisation of city streets which had been ongoing due to a number of potholes plaguing the city's roads. To tackle the water crisis this year, PMC initiated the campaign called Jalayukta Shahar that focuses on replenishing the groundwater reserves and it was during one of the campaign meetings that the experts came up with the issue. 

This is a roundup of important policy matters from June 5 - 11, 2019. Also, read news this week.

Surya Ganga, a film directed by Valli Bindana takes an all embracing view of the energy sector, especially the social and environmental consequences of big energy projects in India. The film was released in India recently. The story begins with an inquisitive six-year-old girl along with her mother and uncle setting out on a journey across the length and breadth of India to seek answers to the adverse impacts of dams on the river Ganga. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah also stars in the film, his character adding a fascinating dimension to the story by presenting the 'positive' impact of building dams and coal-based power plants. The story unfolds through people’s narratives. The director has managed to paint a compelling picture of the subject.

Is hydropower really green?

The film makes a case for a renewable energy future for India which can meet its energy requirements without compromising the ecology and people’s lives. There is an ongoing battle between various factions over these once unshackled rivers. Those who want to harness hydropower to generate “clean” renewable energy are at cross purposes with the local people displaced by dams as well as environmentalists.

The film, through its protagonists, provides a peek into just how “clean” hydropower energy, in reality, is when they visit the Maneri Bhali hydropower project in Uttarakhand. “The dried up stretches of the Ganga are being subjected to intensified damming in the Himalayas and there are anything between 80 to 600 projects slated to be constructed in the belt,” says Himanshu Thakkar, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) in the film speaking on whether hydropower can meet energy deficit.

Hydropower is a leading source of power in India. It has seen accelerated growth since the 1990s. But is it as green as it is touted to be? Hydropower continues to be the second leading source of power and constitutes 16 percent of India’s electricity. This is second only to thermal-based energy which comprises of over 70 percent of electricity in the country. In India, hydropower plants operate at barely 32 percent of their capacity.

Hydropower is seen as clean in terms of air pollution, but the ecological impact of any dam on a river is immense, irreparable and long lasting. The government just sees the direct cost-benefit ratio in terms of money invested and the revenue generated and assumes all negative impacts can be mitigated through technology.

Large hydropower dams underperform their stated installed capacity because the actual flow in the river is much less than the design flows due to continuous deforestation in the catchments of the rivers. Hydropower is poised to meet significant energy demand in the next few years, yet many other environmental and social costs associated with large hydropower dams affect its sustainability and are ignored.

Those affected have continued to protest for long-term sustainability, environmental and social aspects of the projects, the most notable mass protests and public outcry in recent years being in the northeast over projects like Lower Subansiri and Tawang. Yet the government went ahead with the projects.

The projects are being planned bumper-to-bumper with no environmental mitigation measures in the northeast region. “The river flow is restricted for 22 hours and only allowed to flow for just two hours through the power-producing channels, without any consideration for the profound impact on the ecology, biodiversity, hydrology, sociology and water availability of the region. Many of our natural fish populations have been decimated by dams, and nobody seems to care,” says Parineeta Dandekar of International Rivers.

The film also raises the issue of how unprecedented rainfall and fragile Himalayan geology combine to pose a safety risk to all riverine infrastructures. This was seen during the Uttarakhand floods in 2013 where many hydropower projects, be it their barrages or tunnels, were damaged and in some cases, exacerbated the impacts of the flood.

Given the social and environmental impacts, perhaps it is time to issue a moratorium on further projects.

The film did not raise the issue of deforestation and how this results in an increase in the silt load which reduces the storage capacity and life of these dams.

Coal cannot be the goal

India is for the most part dependent on coal to meet its energy needs. We are the third largest producer of coal in the world after China and the USA. The film depicts how energy from coal comes at a huge environmental and health cost. The protagonists travel to Jharkhand’s critically polluted coal mining areas. Coal reserves overlap with dense forests and are also home to tribal populations with high poverty. The areas have witnessed several conflicts between the local communities and the state and developers keen on the destruction of dense forests and wildlife.

Coal-based power plants account for about half of the greenhouse gas emissions and over 70 percent of the total freshwater withdrawal by the industrial sector. They rank highest in air pollution and waste generation. Generation of fly ash, a major pollutant from these plants is to the tune of 60 million tonnes and is more than twice the municipal sewage waste generated in the country.

Rise of the renewables

To deal with India’s energy poverty without compromising the ecology and peoples’ lives, India needs to move away from a hydro-based as well as fossil fuel-dominant energy future. The film says that the answer lies in upscaling renewable energy such as solar and wind.

Technology is being developed to generate cheaper electricity from solar photovoltaics-based projects and this will lead to an expansion of renewables. Major domestic and global firms are in the fray to develop new solar capacities.

A systematic electricity sector transformation is needed to bring in cost effectiveness in renewable energy, especially solar and wind power. Not just that, a major grid and energy efficiency drive is the need of the hour. Renewable energy transformation would require policy continuity as the sector needs to rely on private capital to finance this scale of investment.  

Supported by a balanced mix of facts paired with accounts from various stakeholders be it dam officials, affected locals, researchers, activists and doctors, the film questions the continued thrust on coal and hydropower. The film understandably has a heavy focus on the benefits of renewable energy like wind and solar while not fully addressing the ecological and human impacts these sources may have.

The film makes a case for a shift in India’s energy policy from centralised generation and grid-based distribution towards decentralised and modular renewable technologies with an increased role for small-scale electricity generators who may be households, businesses, and mini-grids.

INTRODUCTION

On 30th May, the new government took oath to serve the nation. The celebrations on that scorching summer evening at Rashtrapati Bhavan echoed hollow with more than 500 million people vulnerable to severe drought in the country. India is currently going through an extended dry spell with 13 of the last 18 years having deficit rainfall, resulting in acute water stress in almost 40 percent of the total landmass of the country. While water should have played an important role in the general election, it’s paradoxical how it hardly featured in the campaign of any party. A year back though, NITI Aayog released a report on the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) on the 14th of June 2018. This triggered a lot of discussions centred around the looming water crisis and the statement on how 21 major cities were set to hit Zero Day by 2020. With this in mind, the report stated the necessity for a reliable and consistent database for monitoring the water situation and characterized CWMI as the first step towards making water governance effective by ranking states on nine key themes. The indicators were selected based on policies that are assumed to be promoting sustainable practices of water use. The objective of the index is to nudge the states that have been laggards in implementing these policies through 'Competitive Federalism'.

CWMI: AIMING HIGH, SHOOTING LOW

The Composite Water Management Index comprises of the weighted average of 9 thematic areas having separate sets of indicators. The themes are further divided into 28 indicators to score the states. Broadly, the indicators can be characterized into two types: 1) Continuous (76.67 % weight) and 2) Binary (23.33 % weight).

Each indicator within a theme has total weights assigned to them ex-ante and the index score depends upon the variation in performance across the states except for binary indicators which award 1 point straightaway if the criteria in the indicator is fulfilled. Although their contribution is limited to 23.33% of the total score, upon analyzing the distribution of the states on index scores, it becomes evident that binary indicators are significant enough to traverse the state’s score from the lowest quartile to the top-most quartile in their CWMI ranking. Moreover, these indicators mostly monitor introduction of new legislations that may help the state get brownie points. However, the report itself says that there is no strong correlation between legislation and their outcomes. There is also a lack of justification behind the weights assigned to the themes. Based on the premise if we redistribute the thematic indicators under 5 key dimensions of Access, Efficiency, Sustainability, Quality and Governance, we find that quality and access get the least weight which contradicts the very essence of the ranking. It is important to find a robust indicator that can reflect ground realities about water challenges, but many indicators in CWMI fail to achieve this.

For example, Indicator 16 about adherence to cropping pattern as per agro-climatic zoning, ranks Maharashtra 2nd with 99% of its area planted as per agro-climatic zoning. A recent study on water productivity by NABARD, though, highlights the need to re-align cropping pattern with natural water resource endowments with sugarcane cultivation in Maharashtra as a case in point. Similarly, Himachal Pradesh has a score of 100% for Indicator 22 on access to drinking water for urban population, whereas, Shimla, one of the major urban locations in the state, has faced severe water crisis in the summer of 2018. Similarly, there are numerous other counter examples that show adverse selection of indicators like using total expenses to indicate status of maintenance of structures, not considering the effect on health by quality of water and the list goes on.

Another limitation here is that most of the data is being provided by various state departments and reports. In such a scenario, when we have performance indicators wherein the score is based on the percentage of targets achieved it can incentivize state bodies to keep the target itself low. There is a strong need to employ a benchmark for each performance indicator for absolute comparison and for that, it is important to select indicators with historical evidence of causality with intended outcomes. Indicators that use expenditure as a benchmark cannot suffice. For example, one indicator assigns higher scores for higher expenditure in maintaining irrigation assets. This may paradoxically lead to disproportionate amounts of funds being allocated for maintenance of irrigation structures even when there is no need for maintenance.

A POSSIBLE ALTERNATE APPROACH

While the effort by NITI Aayog to create an index for better water management in the country is laudable, there is definite scope for improvement. The index should not just restrict itself to becoming a common platform for water data. It is important that the compilation of this data in the form of an index should communicate the overall scenario of water sector in India.

From policy perspective, water management has four major dimensions: Access, Quality, Sustainability and Efficiency. In order to get better outcomes, each dimension can be developed as a simple index reflecting the performance of the states. To get a balanced picture of water management, the index can be derived as a compilation of these individual sub-indices. It can be done taking geometric mean of individual sub-indices, the way Human Development Index (HDI) compiles Education, Health and Income to explain overall human development.

As already underscored, the presence of a legal framework cannot ensure its implementation. Similarly, having a water data centre cannot provide assurance that relevant data is being captured. Therefore, we suggest dropping all indicators about legislative frameworks or those related to presence of a data centre. As providing drinking water is a priority and agricultural water use account for 80-85% of total water usage in India, for Water Availability, the focus should be on these two. For drinking water, we can simply measure the per capita volume of water supplied by respective water supply bodies with respect to demand (135 lpcd being the accepted norm) instead of looking at percentage of population or habitation under drinking water supply that does not provide information on actual water availability. For agricultural water availability, we use number of farm holdings instead of area since it is mostly small and marginal land holdings that do not have access to irrigation. Their share of total area may be low, but that of total land holdings will be much higher and provide a better picture of how many farmers lack access to irrigation.       

On water quality, along with looking at habitations affected by water quality issues, it is important to analyze the severity of these issues. Identifying the number of deaths per thousand individuals can provide a measure of this severity. Waste water management is another quality factor that the CWMI looks at by measuring the capacity of waste-water treatment plants. But, actual generation versus treatment data will provide better insight on the capacity necessary for treating all the waste water generated.

For Sustainability, it is important to account for both surface water as well as groundwater resources. As sustainability of groundwater reserves has been a prime concern, it is important to capture data on water table decline. A simple measure will be the proportion of observation blocks not in safe stage of groundwater development out of total observation blocks. Under Water Sustainability, suggested index is capturing data on sustainable practices such as micro-irrigation techniques and adherence to agro-climatic zoning prescribed cropping patterns. It is also necessary to account for efficient utilization of investments made in water resources. To measure this, under Water Efficiency index the indicators being considered are irrigation potential utilized out of the total irrigation potential created, irrigation service fee recovered and the revenue collected for agricultural water use against the power subsidies, since these subsidies reduce the marginal cost of groundwater pumping.

The NITI Aayog’s CWMI checks fewer boxes than it should due to its complex design and the failure of the indicators in mirroring the actual water scenario.

If there is intention to monitor water policies through CWMI in the long run, it should use indicators that can be sourced from public data sets to reduce measurement errors as well as do away with legislative indicators. Instead of measuring each indicator, it should rather evaluate outcomes that get affected directly by improvement in the water sector. Case in point, instead of performing the humongous task of preparing habitation level water quality data, using people affected by water-borne diseases acts as a better proxy. The suggested framework is intended to provide a guideline on creating a more reliable index with reduced complexity and scope of measurement errors.

The authors are both pre-doctoral fellows with the IWMI-Tata Programme. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of India Water Portal.

Sustainable development, still an unfinished agenda

In the fourth year into their implementation, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim at reducing developmental disparities in different parts of the world continue to be a cause for concern, with many international bodies urging for faster and effective action. There have been calls for better communication between research institutes and policy makers, increased responsibility by the private sector and more active participation from civil society to successfully implement the 2030 Agenda in developing countries such as India [1].

Source: www.un.org

The role of NGOs in improving SDG outcomes

While the core responsibility of meeting the development goals lies with national governments working with support (financial and building capacities) of international agencies, there is no doubt that increased engagement from industry leaders and civil society can make a huge difference. There are several reasons why NGOs as a part of the civil society can play an important role in influencing SDG outcomes. They provide, amongst others:

• A universal and integrated agenda
• An advocacy tool
• An opportunity to create new coalitions
• A window of opportunity to influence national political strategy
• An opportunity for new funding sources [3]

The scope to influence sustainability at the regional, national or international level lies in the shared agenda of all the stakeholders concerned, regardless of the point of entry or scale of operations [2]. While the activities of most NGOs contribute to SDG outcomes, very few have attempted to map their activities and identify pathways through which their activities have resulted in improvements in the broader SDG outcomes [3]. Few pioneers in this effort have been WWF, with interesting infographics to show connects to SDGs, and World Vision, which goes into more details of identifying specific SDG targets that it contributes to [4]. 

Mapping pathways to sustainability: WOTR’s experience

The Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) has been evolving a knowledge-informed, multi­disciplinary and participatory approach to sustainability and resilience building over the past decade. This approach had its roots in the inclusive and community-led watershed development strategies adopted by WOTR during the 1990s and early 2000s that resulted in significant policy influence to national watershed development guidelines and the programmes initiated by key agencies like NABARD and Ministry of Rural Development in India [5].

These interventions in watershed development also influenced other developmental outcomes in places where they were implemented such as improvement in agricultural outputs, elevation in status of women, better health outcomes and sustainable economic development through community participation in villages.

In the recently published 2017-18 annual report, we are happy to note that our works directly contribute to nine of the 17 SDG goals (UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) and are aligned with other key international conventions—Land Degradation Neutrality, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction [6].

Fig 1: Inter-linkages between WOTR’s thematic areas of work and the SDGs they relate to

WOTR recognises that all the above international frameworks are intrinsically linked and that action in one area benefits the other. Linking them to SDG targets can greatly help in developing an integrated approach to achieve the ‘future we want’ and ‘leave no one behind’ that national development priorities, as well as international frameworks, emphasise.

Tracing pathways to sustainability: Challenges faced

The maze of 17 SDGs, 169 targets and 232 indicators can be intimidating, especially to smaller organisations with a limited capacity to dedicate resources for this type of reporting. And this was without a doubt what made us at WOTR also hesitant to embark on this effort. 

What we realised, however, was that taking a holistic approach to development and working on inter-and multi-disciplinary approaches, is something that is part of WOTR’s DNA (for example of multi-disciplinary and inclusive ways used by WOTR, see 1) WOTR’s Wasundhara Approach [7] and 2) CoDriVE – PD tool for vulnerability assessment) [8]. We have always believed in the principles of “learning-by-doing”, “reflection” and “systems-based approach”.

These principles towards poverty alleviation in semi-arid parts of India has led WOTR to develop expertise across a wide range of activities that impact all five capitals critical for sustainable development–natural, physical, financial, human and social [9]. This holistic approach, we realised, was central to the SDGs too, whose benefits lie in their capacity to integrate environmental, social and development challenges [10].

Fig 2: The 5-capital framework used by WOTR towards achieving adaptive sustainable development viii

Taking a multi-disciplinary approach is not necessarily built into many of the individual projects that NGOs might be involved in. The challenges that the NGOs can then face are finding out ways of measuring the impacts that the projects have had on other indicators of development beyond those defined in the projects. WOTR’s attempt to map all thematic areas of work against relevant SDGs in its 2017-18 Annual Report [6] too has had its share of challenges. We have attempted to highlight a few points below that can be a useful checklist for NGOs who would like to map the impacts of their activities on broader development goals. These include:

• Baseline data: Project budgets often specify separate allocation for documentation of ‘work-done’ with impacts and not necessarily measuring allied or knock-on outcomes. For instance, a watershed project might measure the extent of soil and water conservation work done in hectares, but due to lack of reliable baseline data, it might be hard to measure its knock-on outcomes on other allied livelihoods.
• Disaggregated data: Often, generic system for data collection prescribed by large programmes or limited budgets for monitoring and evaluation work might mean there is a lack of gender and age-disaggregated data or lack of details on poorer or more vulnerable sections of society. So, measuring the efficacy of programmes in targeting the most vulnerable is difficult unless NGOs are devoting own funds or resources towards these.
• Differences between national and international indicators: In India, the NITI Aayog is responsible for tracking progress towards the SDGs of states and union territories [11].  It has come up with its own composite indicator–the SDG India Index [12]–to simplify the tracking. However, four important goals, including SDG 13 on climate change is not covered by this index. 
• Capacity constraints: There are a number of targets towards which smaller NGOs might not have the capacity to dedicate resources for tracking. For example, contribution to reducing greenhouse gases would require using a complex set of calculations that are often carried out by very expensive international consulting companies only.
• Cultural or locale-specific challenges: Other challenges that vary from region to region like those related to the rights of minorities and vulnerable sections of society, or transparent and accurate disclosure of household income/expenditure levels. There are ways in which larger government surveys may be able to triangulate data collection methods to verify data, but these could be quite daunting for smaller organisations.

The next stage of sustainability reporting for WOTR

WOTR is today amongst a small, select group of large national/international NGOs that have publicly mapped its actions against SDG outcomes. WOTR would like to take this structure of reporting, aligned with the SDGs, a step forward in the coming year and quantitatively measure its work against the relevant SDG targets and indicators. Such an integrated approach would enable WOTR to continue impacting both sustainable development as well as building resilience to climate change at scale by creating synergies with related national and international policy frameworks.

We believe that such efforts will help integrate impacts of various non-state actors to India’s SDG targets–corporates, NGOs, research institutes and other stakeholders (for example of WOTR’s efforts in multi-institutional collaboration, see the article on Integrated Agro-meteorological Services) [13].  WOTR also intends to use the insights gained in capacity building for other civil society organisations and CSRs in such sustainability reporting. 

Regardless of the point of entry or scale of operations, efforts of all stakeholders concerned are, without doubt, essential for our sustainable future.

Fig 3: Mapping of WOTR’s thematic areas with SDGs

References

1.   Editorial (2018) Tracking progress on the SDGs, Nature Sustainability, 1 (377) 
2.   Bain and Company (2019) India Philanthropy Report: Embracing the field approach to achieve India's Sustainable Development Goals
3.   Hege and Demailly (Date not specified) How do NGOs mobilize around the SDGs and what are the ways forward? IDDRI Working paper
4.   Long (Date not specified) How should civil society stakeholders report their contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development? Technical Paper for the Division for   Sustainable Development, UN DESA.
5.   Gray and Srinidhi (2o13) Watershed Development in India: Economic Evaluation and Adaptation Considerations, World Resources Institute Working Paper.
6.   Watershed Organisation Trust (2017-2018) Annual Report 2017-18
7.   Jewler (Date not specified) The Wasundhara Approach
8.   Watershed Organisation Trust (2013) Community-Driven Vulnerability Evaluation Tool “CoDriVE-Programme Designer” . A Handbook – Incorporating Vulnerability to Climate Change into Project Design and ImplementationCommunity Driven Vulnerability Evaluation
9.   Water Shed Organisation Trust (2019) Engine for Adaptive Sustainable Development. Accessed on 17th June 2019
10.   Watershed Organisation Trust (2010) Comprehensive environmental management through holistic development
11.   SDG India Dashboard: https://sdgindiaindex.socialcops.com/YuJbcq9d44/state-ut-ranking/basic#3/23.00/81.26
12.   NITI Aayog (2018) SDG India Index - Baseline Report 2018: https://niti.gov.in/content/sdg-india-index-baseline-report-2018
13.   Lobo, Chattopadhyay, Rao (2017) Making smallholder farming climate smart: Integrated Agrometeorological Services, Economic and Political Weekly, LII (1)

A copy of WOTR's Annual Report 2017-18 can be accessed at this link

Arjuna Srinidhi, is a Senior Researcher, WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS)
Marcella D’Souza is the Director, WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS)
Crispino Lobo is the Co-founder and Managing Trustee, Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR)

Government to launch rural piped water scheme

Taking note that more than 80 percent rural households in the country are yet to get piped water supply, the government plans to launch a new mission to ensure water from the tap for each house in villages in the next five years. Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced that Jal Jeevan Mission for 14 crore households will be launched soon. Under the scheme, the government plans to provide piped water to villages where the quality of water is good. In villages with poor water quality, however, a trunk water supply system will be arranged. 

Looming drought, farm distress top issues at the NITI Aayog meeting

At the governing council meeting of NITI Aayog, looming drought and farmer distress were the key issues the chief ministers sought answers for from the Centre. While the Karnataka CM urged to increase funds for rural drinking water schemes, the Madhya Pradesh CM stressed on the need for nationwide agricultural reforms and water conservation. Rajasthan demanded to designate the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) as a national project and Assam emphasised on the need for effective disaster management. States like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Odisha, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu demanded effective management of water resources. 

Tamil Nadu to restore its water bodies at Rs 499.68 crore

To tackle the severe water crisis in the state, the Tamil Nadu government has announced a scheme, worth Rs 499.68 crore, for the traditional restoration of water bodies. The scheme would be implemented in 29 districts with support from farmers and ayacutdars (users). This is the third time that the funds are being sanctioned by the state government towards the scheme that was launched in January 2016 with participatory approach on a pilot basis. So far, 979 identified projects have been completed. The scheme focuses on the strengthening of tank bund, desilting of the supply channel, surplus course, repair and reconstruction of sluices, weirs, repair and renewal of shutters, rehabilitation and desilting of canals. 

PM Modi requests gram pradhans to conserve rainwater

Taking note of the looming water crisis in rural areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written letters to Gram Pradhans urging them to conserve rainwater during the forthcoming monsoon. The letters, written in Hindi with a personal touch, will be hand-delivered to the pradhans through respective district magistrates and collectors. In his letter, the PM has made a special request to the pradhans to convene a meeting of their gram sabhas wherein his message should be read out. He has also suggested constructing check dams and ponds where proper harvesting of rainwater can be done. 

Kaleshwaram project to be inaugurated on June 21

The Telangana government will inaugurate the Rs 80,000 crore Kaleshwaram mega irrigation project on June 21. The project is expected to irrigate 18.24 lakh acres of land in the state, provide 56 TMC (1000 million cubic feet) of drinking water and another 10 TMC for industrial purposes. A total of about 225 TMC of water, including 180 TMC from the Godavari river basin and the rest through other projects, will be drawn through the project. The scheme has crossed several hurdles including protesting locals who refused to give up their land for the project. 

This is a roundup of important policy matters from June 12 - 18, 2019. Also, read news this week.

The threat of desertification increases in 26 of 29 states

As per the State of India's Environment (SoE) 2019 in Figures, between 2003-05 and 2011-13, India has witnessed an increase in the level of desertification in 26 of 29 states. More than 80 percent of the country's degraded land lies in just nine states--Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. With 5.81 percent increase, the highest land degradation is observed in Lunglei district of Mizoram while the top three districts with the highest area under desertification or land degradation are Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh and Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir. Despite the situation, the desert development programme (DDP) has been low on priority for the government. 

Karnataka's several large rivers classified as unfit for bathing

According to a quarterly assessment carried out by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), several large rivers in the state fall under the C and D categories of assessment which implies that water in these rivers is not fit for drinking even after treatment. Out of the 15 rivers assessed by the pollution board, only the Kumaradhara and Nethravathi rivers were placed under category B, which means that the two rivers were fit for organised bathing. As per the report, Arkavathy and Bhadra are at the bottom of the list while Yagachi, Cauvery, Kabini and Kali have been placed under C category for the past one year.

Heatwave kills 184 people in Bihar

The deadly heatwave has claimed around 184 lives in Bihar with the maximum number of deaths occurring in Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada. Extended summer due to delay in the onset of monsoon by over one week is being blamed for this. In response to severe heat waves, section 144 has been imposed in Gaya and authorities have advised people to remain indoors from 11 am to 4 pm. Bihar authorities have admitted that the awareness regarding extended heat wave conditions was lacking in the state. 

Groundwater depletion in Kolkata results in water shortage and contamination

Indiscriminate extraction of groundwater in Kolkata has not only resulted in a water shortage in the city but have also led to an increase in water contamination due to deepening of water table and instability in built structures. According to a recent study, the city faces high levels of manganese and iron content in the groundwater which can cause serious ailments. However, officials of Kolkata Municipal Corporation have dismissed allegations of water scarcity and claimed that the migrating population along with reckless use of water by citizens is impacting the supply of water. 

Excess water from Punjab's reservoirs gets drained out to Pakistan 

Of the 2,060 million cubic metres (MCM) water released from three dam reservoirs in Punjab-- Bhakra dam on Sutlej, Pong dam on Beas and Ranjit Sagar dam on Ravi--only 30-40 percent of water is being used in the state while the remaining gets drained out to other Indian states, including Rajasthan, and also Pakistan through the canal network. As per the officials, the excess water is drained into Pakistan rivers to avoid a flood-like situation in Punjab during the monsoon. However, the officials have underlined the state's failure to utilise the excess water in meeting supply gap in urban areas and to recharge the depleting groundwater table.

This is a roundup of important news published between June 12 - 18, 2019. Also read policy matters this week.

India not a water defict country. Neglect and lack of monitoring behind country's water scarcity: CWC

As per the report, Reassessment of water availability in India using space inputs, by the Central Water Commission (CWC) with technical support of the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad, it has been revealed that India is not a water deficit country but is reeling under water scarcity on account of severe neglect and lack of monitoring of water resources and development projects. The study warned that any further neglect in the sector will lead to water scarcity in future and recommended that imposing regulatory measures to prevent the misuse of water and introducing rewards and punishment to encourage judicious use of water is the need of the hour. Also, the report called for water users across the country to make efforts to conserve water. (Mongabay)

Tiware dam breach in Ratnagiri kills 20 people

On July 2nd, following torrential rains, the Tiware dam in Chiplun taluka of Ratnagiri district breached late in the night creating a flood-like situation in seven villages downstream. The incident took 20 lives; many are still missing. Locals alleged that the 14 year old dam had developed cracks in its wall, which caused its breach. However, in a shocking claim the state water minister has blamed a large number of crabs gathering around the dam for its breach. The state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an inquiry in the matter which will be helmed by a special investigation team under a secretary rank official. (India Today)

17 percent of notified cities and towns in India face water shortage: Government

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has prepared a list of cities and towns facing water shortage in the country.

The list states that out of a total of 4,378 urban areas governed by municipal bodies, nearly 756 - or 17% of urban areas in India are facing acute water scarcity.

Among the states, Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of such urban areas followed by Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. To tackle the crisis, the Centre has ordered states and urban local bodies (ULBs) to carry out focused activities in two phases; from July 1st to September 15th, and then again from October 1st to November 30th. Also, ULBs have been asked to set up a cell for effective monitoring of rainwater harvesting. (Times of India)

Monsoon dips to 21 percent, no sub-division under large-deficiency

The data from the India Meteorological Department shows that the overall monsoon deficiency, which was 33 percent at the start of July, has dipped to 21 percent. However, 24 of the 36 sub-divisions in the country have received deficient rainfall, with the deficiency being highest in the east and northeast parts of India, followed by the southern peninsula. Also, the data indicates that central India has received fairly good rainfall over the last week. Along with this, the Central Water Commission has reported that out of the 91 major reservoirs, 62 of them have storage 80 percent or less than normal. (First Post)

Extreme weather events led to 2,400 deaths in India in 2018-19

As per the information from the Ministry of Home Affairs, it has been revealed that 2,405 people died in India in the financial year 2018-19 due to extreme weather events such as cyclonic storms, flash floods, landslides and cloudbursts. Although the Ministry accepted that global warming may lead to increase in frequency or intensity of weather events, it denied any direct linkages between natural disasters and climate change. The government informed that steps are being taken under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) to tackle the issue and the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project is being implemented in eight coastal states for coastal communities. (Times of India)

This is a roundup of important news published between July 3 - 9, 2019. Also read policy matters this week.

Government cuts budget for Jal Shakti Ministry by 9.4 percent; increases funds for rural drinking water mission 

In the 2019 Budget, the Centre reduced the allocation for the water ministry from Rs 8,860 crore in 2018-19 to Rs 8,245 crore for the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and from Rs 22,356.60 crore to Rs 20,016.34 crore for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The Namami Gange programme, Central Water Commission, the Central Groundwater Board and the dam rehabilitation and improvement programme saw reduced budgetary allocations as well. However, budgetary allocation to the National Rural Drinking Water Mission were increased. The Centre also emphasised its wish to complete 10 lakh projects linked to water conservation through the rural employment scheme in the first 100 days of government. (News18)

Centre raises efforts to battle the severe water crisis

To battle the looming water crisis in the country, as many as 446 director and deputy secretary level officers have been dispatched to the 256 water-stressed districts under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan. These officials will serve as block nodal officers, assisted by more than 400 technical officers at 1,592 blocks. Along with this, making safe drinking water available to all parts of the country a priority, the finance ministry has announced the Jal Jeevan Mission to provide potable water to every rural household by 2024. The programme will be monitored online with the help of an app developed for geo-tagging. (LiveMint)

CPCB suggests penalty against illegal extraction of groundwater

In a report submitted to the National Green Tribunal on July 1st, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has recommended imposing penalties ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 100,000 for illegal extraction of groundwater. The penalty provisions are for three categories — individuals, commercial use and water intensive industries.

For individuals and domestic use, the CPCB fixed a minimum fine of Rs 10,000 while a minimum penalty of Rs 50,000 has been recommended for institutions, commercial complexes and townships. The third category, packaged drinking water units, mining and infrastructure companies and industrial units, comes under the highest penalty bracket of one lakh rupees. Along with this, the board has also recommended that no new water intensive industries be allowed in overexploited blocks. (Hindustan Times)

NITI Aayog plans to desalinate sea water to combat water crisis

Taking note of water shortages in major urban areas of the country, NITI Aayog plans to set up floating desalination plants in India’s marine waters or build plants along the coast. India’s maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is estimated to be 1.63 million square kilometres. To make the plant energy-efficient, solar or ocean energy will be harnessed for operation. NITI Aayog is to chalk out a detailed plan about various technologies that can be used in different states to set up the plant along with a cost analysis and project viability report, for submission to the Jal Shakti Ministry. (Money Control)

BMC proposes Gargai dam project that will have negative implications on Tansa Sanctuary

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed the Gargai dam project that envisages construction of three new dams - Gargai, Pinjal and Damanganga - to tackle the water woes of Mumbai. The project will lead to diversion of 719.39 hectares of forest land from the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary along with displacement of 280 tribal families staying in seven villages in the proposed project area. While justifying its choice of location and ignoring the long-term adverse impacts of submergence of the sanctuary, the BMC claimed that the dam will have a long-term positive impact due to the surrounding flora and fauna that will develop near the reservoir. (Mid Day)

This is a roundup of important policy matters from July 3 - 9, 2019. Also, read news this week.