Charge fees, use funds to clean Yamuna: NGT 

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Delhi's civic agency to charge residents an 'environmental compensation fee'. Every household in the city will now have to pay a minimum environment compensation of Rs. 100 for generating sewage and the fund will be utilised to provide new sewage treatment plants (STPs) and other technologies to clean up the Yamuna.

Gujarat HC raps state for non release of water from Kadana dam

The Gujarat High Court issued a contempt notice to the state government for not following a court order, which was to implement a scheme of releasing water from the Kadana dam in the Sujalam Sufalam canals to boost irrigation in North Gujarat districts. A petition had earlier demanded the release of 2000 cusec in the canal as promised by the government, and further releasing it in 21 rivers that are crossed by the canal in 8 districts. The state government was unable to do this due to various problems and breaches in certain portions of the canal. The next hearing is later this month.  

China approves 3 more hydropower projects on the Brahmaputra

Construction activity on the Yarlung Tsangpo/ Brahmaputra river on the Chinese side indicates that three more hydropower projects have been approved by the Chinese authorities, according to the Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti. She further clarified that detailed data in this regard is not available to assess the likely impact of this activity.

Plans to inter link rivers to make AP drought proof 

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said that the state government plans to interlink all the rivers in the state, to make it a drought-free state. The plans include linking the Godavari with the Krishna and Penna rivers. He added that his vision is to make Andhra Pradesh one of the top three states in India by 2022, number one state in the country by 2029 and one of the best states in the world by 2050.

Andhra tells NGT that it will not damage environment near Krishna river to construct new capital

The state government assured the NGT that it will not take any action that damages the environment near the floodplains on the banks of the Krishna river to construct a new state capital. Officials have said that they will abide by all statutory requirements which are necessary to protect the environment. These submissions have come in reply to a plea that sought an immediate stay on the acquisition of floodplains and wetlands between Vijaywada and Guntur on the banks of the Krishna.

Metering and putting a price on groundwater: SC issues notice

Excessive extraction of groundwater has reduced this common resource. The Supreme Court has issued notice to the centre and Delhi governments asking them to respond as to whether metering and putting a price on groundwater would help reduce its alarming depletion.The court gave the the governments six weeks' time to file their response.

This is a roundup of important policy matters from July 28 - August 3, 2015. Also read last week's news updates.