Revised Coastal Zone Management Plan frees up large swathes of coastal land for development

Tamil Nadu government’s environment department had recently released the revised draft of the coastal zone management (CZM) plan for Chennai city. Going by the draft, it appears that large swathes of land which are currently under Coastal Regulation Zone II have been freed up for development along the East Coast Road. Activists argue that the no CRZ maps have been prepared and the plan by itself remains incomplete and half-baked.

700 large dams to be renovated over six years at a cost of Rs 7,000 crore

A screening committee of the department of economic affairs has given in-principle approval to a World Bank-funded project to repair and renovate large dams. Under this, 700 large dams across 18 states would be renovated over a six-year period at a cost of Rs 7000 crore. This is a part of the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project which looks to strengthen the safety aspects of major dams across the country. India has 213 large dams which are over a 100 years old.

Karnataka government directs state PCB and BWSSB to frame O&M guidelines for private STPs

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board along with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has been tasked with framing operation, maintenance and safety guidelines for private sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Bengaluru. These two bodies will also be made responsible for recruiting and training people for cleaning private STPs across the city. Rules to penalise contractors who fail to provide protective gears to men involved in cleaning septic tanks and sewers are expected to be framed.

Projects worth Rs 4,000 crore approved under the National Mission for Clean Ganga

The executive committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved projects worth nearly Rs 4000 crore. Setting up of a 20 MLD Common Effluent Treatment Plant to treat refuse from tannery units in Kanpur is part of the plan to reduce the river’s pollution near urban and industrial centres. Similarly, funds have been allotted to set up sewage treatment infrastructure in Allahabad and smaller towns in Bihar and West Bengal.

Maharashtra constitutes State Wetland Authority following the union MoEFCC's notification

Following the notification of the Wetland (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 last year, the Maharashtra government has constituted a 21-member Maharashtra State Wetland Authority. This body would now be responsible for coming out with a list of wetlands which are required to be notified. In addition to bureaucrats and academicians, experts from a cross-section of related fields such as ecology, urban development and fisheries are a part of the state’s wetland authority.

This is a roundup of important policy matters from February 20-26, 2018. Also, read the news this week.