High Court raps Narmada Authority over incomplete canal work

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered the Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) to compensate the farmers of Khandwa and Khargone districts, as per the new Land Acquisition Act 2014. These farmers have incurred losses owing to the incomplete canal work of the Omkareshwar and Indira Sagar dams on the Narmada river and have reported water logging and dumping of muck on their fields from the canal work. 

Government prepares for the much expected drought 

The Agricultural Ministry has allocated 10% funds under all agricultural schemes for contingency planning in the wake of the El Nino expected to hit India in July this year. Apart from the contigency planning at the central level, states have also been asked to prepare for the drought-like situation by setting aside funds, keeping sufficient short duration varieties seeds of Kharif crops and on-time placement of seeds and fertilisers. 

Open dam gates with prior alert: Chhattisgarh Government 

The Chhattisgarh Government has issued a strict notification to the district authorities across the state about opening the dam gates only after giving out prior information. The order has come following the Beas tragedy where 24 students were washed away and a similar incident in Jharkhand where 10 boys were trapped in the Damodar river as authorities opened the floodgates without warning. The government has also asked the authorities to send an intimation of dam gates opening 12 hours in advance to downstream areas within and outside the state. 

Rs 25,000 crore plan to make Yamuna pollution free

The Delhi Government has proposed the 'Interceptor Sewer Project', worth Rs. 25,000 crore, that aims to reduce 70% pollution load of the Yamuna river. The comprehensive scheme seeks to lay three interceptor sewers along the three major drains in Delhi. These interceptor sewers will trap sewage water from the 190 subsidiary small drains and carry it to the nearest wastewater treatment plant so as to allow only the treated effluent to enter the Yamuna. 

Environment Ministry considers 2 km instead of 10 km eco-zone around Okhla Bird Sanctuary

The Environment Ministry is obtaining an opinion from the State Governments of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi following the National Green Tribunal's order to stay construction on buildings in Greater Noida around the Okhla Bird Sanctuary. However, the Ministry is considering notifying as an eco-sensitive zone only a 2 km radius around the sanctuary against the proposed 10 km radius.

This is a weekly roundup of policy matters from June 23-29, 2014. Also read last week's news roundup.