Goa rivers water unfit for human consumption: GSPCB

In a recent study by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), the rivers in the state are polluted to such an extent that their waters are unfit for human consumption. Presence of faecal coliform bacteria, nearly 1,300 to 7,900 colonies per 100 mililitre of water in the average rivers, has made the water dangerous for human health. Sal and Bicholim rivers are the most polluted while Mhadei and Khandepar rivers are the least contaminated.

600 million litres of sewage makes its way to Varthur lake everyday: CPCB

Per the findings of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the cause of frothing in the Varthur Lake is 600 MLD of sewage. Civic authorities have been asked to set up STPs of adequate capacity. Also, a research report from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has found that the foam at Bellandur Lake is caused by industrial effluents. IISc has informed that all of Bengaluru's lakes can be revived in 15 months by adopting the integrated wetlands ecosystem model that is currently being implemented at the Jakkur lake.

TERI releases its Environment Survey Report 2015

This year the TERI Environmental Survey was conducted in seven river cities of India including Delhi, Cuttack, Jabalpur, Dibrugarh, Varanasi, Surat and Vijayawada. Per the survey, 80% respondents in Varanasi feel that the water quality of the Ganga is impacting their health while 65% respondents believe that the Clean Ganga Mission will be a success. The focus of the survey was overall environment, health and environment and environment in river cities.

Chenab in J&K choked with hydel projects: Report

A recent report on hydropower development in the Chenab basin has mentioned that the river falling within the boundaries of Jammu & Kashmir has been choked by cascades of hydel projects. Although the part of the river in Himachal Pradesh is still safe from hydel development, the situation is likely to change soon as nearly 49 projects are under different stages of implementation, most of these being in the Lahaul valley. The report has also stated that people are against these projects as they aggravate floods, cloudbursts and avalanches in the already fragile region.

13 Indian cities among the world's top 20 most polluted cities

A survey conducted for World Environment Day 2015 has revealed that 13 Indian cities including Delhi, are amongst the top most polluted cities across the globe. Also, the Ganga and Yamuna have been placed in the list of 10 most polluted rivers in the world. Vapi in Gujarat and Sukinda in Odisha have been listed among the top 10 most environmentally-degraded zones in the world.

This is a roundup of important news from June 2- 8, 2015. Also read last week's policy matters updates.

Lead image source:  Joel's Goa Pics via Flickr