SC issues notice to Centre on environmental clearance of Polavaram project

Following objections raised by the Odisha government, the Supreme Court has issued notices to the central government and Andhra Pradesh over environmental clearances pertaining to the Polavaram project. As per the Odisha government, the project is being constructed without correctly assessing the backwater extent in the Sabari and Sileru limbs in the territory of Odisha. Also, no public hearing was conducted in the Malkangiri district of Odisha which will be severely affected. 

Sea throws trash on Mumbai shores, HC seeks a solution

Terming the incident serious, the Bombay high court has rapped the Maharashtra government and the Mumbai civic body on the issue of 9,000 tonnes of debris and garbage found along south Mumbai's Marine Drive during a high tide. The court has sought a solution from the concerned authorities and has asked them to frame guidelines on garbage and debris disposal and its discharge into the sea. As per the report submitted by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) in October last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been discharging 655 million litres of untreated sewage into the sea every day. 

Cabinet gives a go-ahead to raising funds for Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin)

The Union Cabinet has approved raising funds up to Rs 15,000 crore as Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR) for Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) during the financial year 2018-19 through NABARD. The decision will benefit around 1.5 crore rural households eligible for the incentive under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). The funds will also be used for the expansion of the scope of work of the International Centre for Drinking Water Quality. Also, the latter will be renamed as the National Centre for Drinking Water, Sanitation and Quality. 

NGT orders all states to set up disposal facilities for hazardous waste within three months

The National Green Tribunal has directed all states to set up treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDF) of adequate capacity at appropriate locations for hazardous waste within three months. It has also asked the Centre and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to monitor the compliance of the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules by reviewing the need for action in all the states. The CPCB plans to constitute a monitoring committee with a Nodal Officer that will exclusively oversee the compliance of these rules.

Hyderabad water board rejects Musi river project due to workload 

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) have rejected the proposal to construct the Musi riverfront across the Musi river. Following the rejection, the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation asked the water board to construct three sewerage treatment plants across the Musi river and look after their maintenance. However, the HMWS&SB official claimed that the water board has been already burdened with many projects and does not have the financial stability to take up the STP construction. 

This is a roundup of important policy matters from August 1- 7, 2018. Also, read the news this week.