Fishermen unhappy with Centre's revised guidelines for deep sea fishing

According to the Central Government's revised guidelines for deep sea fishing, big ships can obtain permit from the Government for carrying out fishing in the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ)—an area of the sea between 22 km and 370 km from the coast, beyond the territorial waters. The revised guidelines have further angered the fishers organisations that claimes the move will be detertimental for the traditional fishing communities.

Centre to constitute the Brahmaputra Authority soon

The Government has proposed to restructure the Brahmaputra Board into an Authority, which would probably be named as the North East and Brahmaputra River Rejuvenation Authority (NEBRRA). The new Authority is proposed to be an integration of the CWC, CGWB and the Brahmaputra Board and it will undertake an integrated river basin management approach, unlike the Brahmaputra Board whose work is restricted to only the flood control aspects. The Government has also proposed to invest Rs 1 lakh crore into the new Authority.

NGT has ordered strict implementation of its directive to clean Chandrabhaga

The National Green Tribunal has ordered the West Bengal Chief Secretary to ensure that the District Officers should implement its directive to clean up the Chandrabhaga river in Suri, Birbhun. As, alleged, the river has been polluted by the fly ash from Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station. The thermal power plant, that was commissioned in 1999, had added two more units to the plant wihtout increasing the fly ash pond capacity. And now, it has been a year that the fly ash has been overflowing into the Chandrabhaga from the saturated pond.

HC bans mining of rivers flowing through the reserve forest area

The Uttarakhand High Court has put a ban on mining in the Dabka river that flows through the reserve forest area and has also ordered the State Government to restrict the private firms from induldging in mining activities. The directive has come following a petition filed against the violation of Government's March 2013 order. As per the order, only government agencies like Forest Development Corporation and mining and forest department have the authority to mine the riverbeds.

NGT forms committee to weigh and dispose sand from Yamuna riverbed

The National Green Tribunal has formed a committee to weigh and dispose nearly 70,000 cubic metre of sand and clay lying on the Yamuna rivered in Delhi. This committee will comprise of Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Delhi Jal Board and an officer from the Delhi Government. The move has been taken to stop further mining on the Yamuna riverbed in the name of dredging.

This is a weekly roundup of important policy matters from December 16 - 22, 2014. Also read last week's news updates.