Government starts river transport project with eight waterways

Shipping ministry identifies 37 inland waterways, that include rivers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Assam and West Bengal, for the development and transport of cargo and passengers. The work on eight of these waterways has already been initiated, even as the government plans to come out with a new policy on dredging and prepare a new Inland Vessel Act. The inland water transport terminals at Kolkata and Patna will be developed as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. 

Pune metro threatens riverbank ecosystem

The Pune metro project could be catastrophic for the riverbank ecosystem along the Mula–Mutha riverbed, suggests a report by the Biodiversity Monitoring Committee (BMC) of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Even as the metro is being seen as an answer to the city’s traffic gridlock, its proposed alignment poses a threat to the habitats of at least 18 species of birds and endangered flora and fauna along the Mula–Mutha riverbed.

Glacial lakes, a growing danger in Himalayas

Due to accelerated glacial melting, 109 new glacial lakes have been formed in Himachal Pradesh in the last two years, raising the spectre of glacial lake outburst floods, warns a recent study. Even though no such case has been reported in India so far, the 2013 floods in Uttarakhand have been correlated with bursting of a lake.

Chemicals found in water tanks worries Solan residents 

Five incidents of water tanks being contaminated with poisonous chemicals in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh leave locals worried, even as the  police struggles to nab the culprits. 

HC restrains state from draining sewage into Amaravathi

The Madras high court bench has restrained the state government from letting sewage into the Amaravathi river. The bench was following a public interest litigation petition pending since 2012, noting that the Amaravathi river joins the Cauvery before water is pumped out for drinking purpose and hence will cause great health hazards to the people.

This is a roundup of important news from October 3-9, 2016. Also read last week's policy matters.