PM chairs meeting of National Ganga River Basin Authority

[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan addressing at the inauguration of a workshop on pollution abatement technologies “Clean Air Campaign”, in New Delhi on February 13, 2018. The Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri C.K. Mishra and other dignitaries are also seen

The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan addressing at the inauguration of a workshop on pollution abatement technologies “Clean Air Campaign”, in New Delhi on February 13, 2018.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan during the inauguration of a workshop on pollution abatement technologies “Clean Air Campaign”, in New Delhi on February 13, 2018.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan during the inauguration of a workshop on pollution abatement technologies “Clean Air Campaign”, in New Delhi on February 13, 2018.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan during the inauguration of a workshop on pollution abatement technologies “Clean Air Campaign”, in New Delhi on February 13, 2018.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
13-February, 2018 20:02 IST
Workshop on Technological Innovation for Mitigation of Pollution as Part of clean air Campaign

300 Challans Issued out of more than 800 cases of Violations

“A synergy has been established between the four Ministries and Departments related to science and technology”, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said. Inaugurating a day-long workshop on technological innovations for air pollution mitigation in Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change here today, the Minister said that to tackle the issue of pollution, it is necessary to identify and pinpoint the causes of pollution and pose the problems before the scientists. Dr. Harsh Vardhan expressed confidence that science has the solution for every challenge that we face today.

Echoing similar sentiments, Secretary, MoEF&CC, Shri C.K Mishra said that the government, industry, civil society and other representatives must sit together and chalk out a programme that can aid mitigation of pollution. Shri Mishra added that the solutions being applied must be tested and whether we are moving in the right direction. “We must create a system to reach out to people seamlessly, put in place a framework for implementation and zero in on appropriate technology, out of the basket of technologies available”, Shri Mishra emphasized.

Addressing the gathering, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. Rajeevan pointed out that air pollution is caused by both – human activities, as well as due to factors related to weather and climate. He added that any solution to pollution is possibly only through a collective effort by all the concerned organizations. “Public should be involved as much as possible”, Dr. Rajeevan said.

The workshop focused on air pollution mitigation in the ambient air and also mitigation of air pollution from pollution sources. Technological innovations for developing low cost sensors and other devices for measuring pollution were also discussed.

Start-ups and private sector industries involved in making these innovative products also participated in a large number. It is expected that the deliberations of the workshop will help in identification of technological solutions for air pollution mitigation. Leading researchers from IITs, NEERI, Delhi University and other academic institutions also participated in the deliberations at the workshop today.

Report for Clean Air Campaign

1. All the teams have been visiting various locations and taking strict actions in respect of violation. All the violations are being reported to the Control Room that has been set up in the CPCB.
2. As directed to the teams, on the sport challans are being issued wherever serious violations are noticed. It may be noted that 310 challans have been issued today. 810 instances of violations have been noted by the teams today as detailed in the table below:

Sl.No.

Category

Count


1.

Open Burning

33

2.

Construction and Demolition Activity

441

3.

Vehicular Pollution

36

4.

Traffic Congestion

72

5.

Road Dust

71

6.

Landfill Emission

3

7.

Others

154

8.

Total

810

1. All the teams have been instructed to continue to take strict action against violators in the coming days.

***

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Finance
15-February, 2018 13:45 IST
India Signs Second Loan Agreement with New Development Bank for USD 100 Million for Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for Desert Areas

The Loan Agreement for financing of Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for the Desert Areas was signed between Government of India and the New Development Bank (NDB) on 13th February 2018 at New Delhi. This is the first tranche loan of USD 100 million approved by the NDB under the Multi Tranche Financing Facility of USD 345 million for this project.

The objective of this Project is to rehabilitate the 678 km long Indira Gandhi Canal system built during 1958-63 to prevent seepage, conserve water, and enhance water use efficiency as mandated by both national and state level policies on water use. The execution of the project would multiple benefits such as:

1. Arresting the seepage by rehabilitating the deteriorating canal lining of the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP) which needs urgent attention;
2. Rehabilitation of waterlogged areas;
3. Modernization and optimization of the irrigation management practices in the project area by involvement of the water users’ associations (WUA) in the command area
4. Strengthening of drinking water supply and irrigation facilities in the project area

The project implementation period is 6 years. Government of Rajasthan will implement the project primarily through Rajasthan Water Resources Department.

The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr. Govind Mohan, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Shaohua Wu, Director General, Project Financing on behalf of the NDB. The Project Agreement was signed by Mr. Shikhar Agarwal, Principle Secretary, Water Resources Department on behalf of the Government of Rajasthan. The representatives of the Government of India, NDB and the Government of Rajasthan also signed Facility Framework Agreement under which NDB has agreed to provide Multi-Tranche Financing Facility for amount aggregating to USD 345 million to the Republic of India for this project.

The Indira Gandhi Canal is one of the largest canal projects in India. It starts from the Harike Barrage at Harike, a few kilometers below the confluence of the Satluj and Beas rivers in the Indian state of Punjab and terminates in irrigation facilities in the Thar Desert in the north west of Rajasthan state. Previously known as the Rajasthan Canal, it was renamed the Indira Gandhi Canal in 1985 following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The canal consists of the Rajasthan feeder canal with the first 167 kilometres (104 mi) in Punjab and Haryana state and a further 37 kilometres (23 mi) in Rajasthan followed by the 445 kilometres (277 mi) of the Rajasthan main canal, which is entirely within Rajasthan. The canal enters Haryana from Punjab near Lohgarh village then runs through the western part of the Sirsa district before entering Rajasthan near Kharakhera village in the Tibbi tehsil of the Hanumangarh district. The canal traverses seven districts of Rajasthan: Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Sriganganagar.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari chairing the 7th meeting of Upper Yamuna River Review Committee, in New Delhi on February 15, 2018. The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of State for Human Resource Development and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Dr. Satya Pal Singh and the Secretary (Water Resources), Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Shri U.P. Singh are also seen.

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari chairing the 7th meeting of Upper Yamuna River Review Committee, in New Delhi on February 15, 2018. The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of State for Human Resource Development and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Dr. Satya Pal Singh and the Secretary (Water Resources), Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Shri U.P. Singh are also seen.

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari at a meeting to discuss LTIF funding of Water Resources projects through NABARD with representatives of 18 states granted approval for LTIF funding, in New Delhi on February 15, 2018. The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal is also seen.

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari at a meeting to discuss LTIF funding of Water Resources projects through NABARD with representatives of 18 states granted approval for LTIF funding, in New Delhi on February 15, 2018. The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal is also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari launching the APML Saathi and APML Suvidha mobile apps, in New Delhi on February 15, 2018. The Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Yudhvir Singh Malik and other dignitaries are also seen.

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari addressing at the launch of the APML Saathi and APML Suvidha mobile apps, in New Delhi on February 15, 2018. The Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Yudhvir Singh Malik and other dignitaries are also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Drinking Water & Sanitation, Sushri Uma Bharti addressing the press conference on budgetary provisions for the Ministry and issues related to Sanitation and Water, in New Delhi on February 16, 2018. The Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer, the Principal Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Shri A.P. Frank Noronha and other dignitaries are also seen.

The Union Minister for Drinking Water & Sanitation, Sushri Uma Bharti addressing the press conference on budgetary provisions for the Ministry and issues related to Sanitation and Water, in New Delhi on February 16, 2018. The Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer, the Principal Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Shri A.P. Frank Noronha and other dignitaries are also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari lighting the lamp to inaugurate the Bhujal Manthan, in Nagpur on February 16, 2018. The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and the Secretary (Water Resources), Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Shri U.P. Singh are also seen.

The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari addressing the inaugural session of the Bhujal Manthan, in Nagpur on February 16, 2018.

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal addressing the inaugural session of the Bhujal Manthan, in Nagpur on February 16, 2018.

 

[Hindustani78]

Rani Rashmoni

She was born on 26 September 1793 into a poor farming family of Harekrishna Das inKona village, in present day North 24 Parganas . Exceptionally beautiful, she was married to Babu Rajachandra Das of Janbazar,Kolkata, a member of a wealthy zamindar family, when she was eleven years old. After her husband’s death she took charge of the zamindari and business.

The Rani and her clashes with the British in India became household tales in her time. By blocking the shipping trade on a part of Ganges she compelled the British to abolish the tax imposed on fishing in the river, which threatened the livelihood of poor fishermen. When Pujaprocessions were stopped by the British on the charge that they disturbed the peace, she defied the orders. The British had to withdraw the penalty imposed on her in the face of public opposition and rioting in her support.

Prince Dwarkanath Tagore had mortgaged a part of his Zamindari in now South 24 Parganas (part of present day Santoshpur and adjoining areas) to Rani Rashmoni.

Rani Rashmoni’s House at Janbazar was venue of traditional Durga Puja celebration each autumn. This included traditional pomp, including all-night jatras (folk theatre), rather than by entertainment for the Englishmen with whom she carried on a running feud. After her death in 1861, her sons-in-law took to celebrating Durga Puja in their respective premises

She funded the construction of ghats such as Babughat (in memory of her husband), Ahiritola Ghat and Nimtala Ghat for the daily bathers in the Ganges.

A divine revelation led her to found the famous temple complex on the banks of the Ganges at Dakshineswar in the North 24 Parganas.Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa (then known as Gadadhar) was appointed its head priest under her patronage.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
19-February, 2018 16:34 IST
Clean Air Campaign shows qualitative impact on Air Quality in Delhi: Environment Ministry

The first week of the joint Clean Air Campaign launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Delhi government on February 10 shows a qualitative impact on Air Quality in Delhi.

Seventy teams comprising officers of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of NCT Delhi, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Municipal Corporations, made the initial visits to their respective areas on February 10. The day-long visits started from February 12 except on Sunday. The teams have so far reported 4, 347 cases of violation and issued Challans in 1, 892 cases, amounting to Rs. 54 crore.

Data collated by Central Pollution Control Board since the start of the implementation of the Clean Air Campaign shows that the level of Air quality which was in Very Poor category at the beginning of the Campaign, has remained at ‘Moderate’ level from February 12-15 and at ‘Poor’ level on three days – February 16, 17 & 18.

There has also been a noticeable reduction in levels of pollution, particularly in comparison to the level of pollution on the same day in 2017. There were no days of Moderate air quality last year. Even on February 16, 17, 18 this year, there has been a reduction in pollution levels.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). SAFAR has projected that the Clean Air Campaign has resulted in significant reduction in the level of air pollution vis-à-vis the business as usual scenario.

The lessons learnt from the Campaign will be used to further strengthen the activities related to mitigation of pollution, besides addressing knowledge gaps on the basis of wide-ranging consultations held during this period with all the stakeholders. The Clean Air Campaign will continue till February 23.

***

Ministry of Water Resources
19-February, 2018 17:15 IST
Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal to Chair Regional Conference of Southern States on Water Resources at Hyderabad tomorrow

The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is organising a “Regional Conference of Southern States on Water Resources” at Hyderabad tomorrow. The conference will be chaired by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, MoS, WR, RD & GR and Parliamentary Affairs. Six southern states namely, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puduchery, Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana will be represented by their Ministers, Principal Secretaies and Engineer-in-Chiefs of Water Resources.

The objective of the conference is to discuss pending issues of water resources and inter-state issues. These would include issues related to the implementation of the latest orders of the Supreme Court on sharing of Cauvery waters, Mullai Periyar Dam, interlinking of rivers like Godavari-Cauvery and notification of jurisdiction of Krishna and Godavari Management Boards, Parambikulam Aliyar projects, Pollavaram project and other interstate issues.

The Conference is scheduled to be held at Taj Vivanta, Begumpet on 20.02.2018 from 11:00 to 13:30 hrs.


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[Hindustani78]

Cabinet
20-February, 2018 13:20 IST
Cabinet approves proposal for Mahanadi Water Disputes – Constitution of a Tribunal under Inter-State River Disputes Act, 1956 – request from State of Odisha

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for adjudication of dispute on Mahanadi River Waters. The Tribunal shall determine water sharing among basin States on the basis of the overall availability of water in the complete Mahanadi basin, contribution of each State, the present utilization of water resources in each State and the potential for future development.

As per provisions of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, the Tribunal shall consist of a Chairman and two other Members nominated by the Chief Justice of India from amongst the Judges of the Supreme Court or High Court. Further, services of two Assessors who are water resources experts having experience in handling sensitive water-related issues will be provided to advise the Tribunal in its proceedings.

As per provisions of the ISRWD Act, 1956 the Tribunal is required to submit its report and decision within a period of 3 years which can be extended to a further period not exceeding 2 years due to unavoidable reasons.

It is expected that with adjudication of dispute by the Tribunal, the long-pending dispute between States of Odisha and Chhattisgarh on Mahanadi river will come to a final settlement.

***

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Shipping
20-February, 2018 14:36 IST
IWAI engages KPMG as consultants for asset management and market development under Jal Marg Vikas Project

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has engaged KPMG, a reputed consultant, to study and devise a framework for operationalization and maintenance of the assets being built on NW-1 under the World Bank funded Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) . This framework will include various institutional and operational models ranging from outsourcing to Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formulation with participating states and other authorities like Railways and Ports.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had approved the implementation of the Jal Marg Vikas Project for capacity augmentation of navigation on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of National Waterway-1 (Ganga) on 3rd January, 2018. The prominent assets being procured and built under JMVP will be ready by 2018-19. Optimum and sustainable utilization of assets so developed, would not be achievable without an asset management and operation framework.

The consultant will also help in developing the business plan for market development on NW-1 for suitable cost recovery and tariff realization mechanism. In addition, it will assess to develop a plan for multimodal logistics park near the multimodal terminals being built under at Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia. These multimodal logistics parks will act as freight aggregation and disaggregation centres and promote a hub-and-spoke model of freight movement. Other broad scope of the study will include gathering market intelligence and reviewing cargo potential and cargo projections, developing a business and execution plan for marketing and commercial development and organize roadshows to generate investment awareness in PPP projects.

The JMVP is being implemented by the IWAI with technical assistance and investment support of the World Bank. The project is expected to boost the Inland Waterway Transport on NW-1, create/improve integration opportunities with road and rail transport, promote economic growth in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal and facilitate inland waterway connectivity between mainland India and North-Eastern States .

The development and operations of the NW-1 is estimated to create direct employment of 46,000 persons and indirect employment of 84,000 persons in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

****

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal chairing the Regional Conference of Southern States on Water Resources, in Hyderabad on February 20, 2018.

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal at the Regional Conference of Southern States on Water Resources, in Hyderabad on February 20, 2018.

The Union Minister for Drinking Water & Sanitation, Sushri Uma Bharti addressing the gathering at the launch of the ‘Swajal’ programme, in village Veerpur, block Dunda, dist. Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand on February 20, 2018. The Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer and other dignitaries are also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation
20-February, 2018 16:34 IST
Centre's mega water and sanitation push in Uttarakhand, Uma Bharti launches Ganga Gram, New Swajal Project and Gangotri Swachh Iconic Place.

As a special initiative, Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Sushri Uma Bharti, today launched the Bagori Ganga Gram project, New Swajal Project at Bagori and Gangotri Iconic Place at Dunda village in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Besides creating cleanliness, providing basic amenities to the people of Ganga bank villages, these projects would also generate employment.

ODF village Bagori is one of the 24 pilot Ganga Villages picked up to be transformed into Ganga Grams this year. As a first step to it, the Minister inaugurated solid and liquid waste management scheme of Rs 11.88 lakh at Bagori. She urged the people to join in the mission of making Ganga villages true in complete sense. To give huge momentum to tree plantation in Ganga catchment area, Uma Bharati along with Prakash Pant, Drinking and Sanitation Minister, Uttarakhand, Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, MDWS , local MLA and other central and state government officials participated in tree plantation programme at Dharasu NMCG Nursery. More than 1.5 lac saplings are ready to be planted in Ganga Catchment area in Uttarkashi this year.

The Minister urged people that tree plantation on river bank is also the responsibility of people. She further said that integrated development by engaging communities is in the heart of Ganga Gram Concept.

Uma Bharati also inaugurated new Swajal Project at Bagori with a budget of more than 32 lakh rupees. Swajal is a community owned drinking water programme for sustained drinking water supply. Prakash Pant also told that the state is planning to provide water supply to hundreds of villages in Uttarakhand. He also urged people to come forward and adopt this New Swajal Project as it adopted the old Swajal scheme.

Later in the day, Uma Bharti also visited village Sadag, where Swajal scheme is successfully running since 1996.


The Union Minister also launched Gangotri as Swachh Iconic Places. ONGC with its CSR fund will help in taking Gangotri to a higher level of swachhta. DPR for this has been completed by the district administration. The SIP project is being coordinated by Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation (MDWS), in collaboration with Union Ministries of Housing & Urban Affairs, Tourism, Culture, state governments, municipal and local agencies.

Secretary, DWS, who was also the first Project Director of Swajal, in his address gave brief description of Ministry's plans regarding Ganga Gram, Swajal and SIP projects.

In the evening, Sushri Uma Bharati also participated in Ganga Chaupal in Uttarkashi, where she encouraged people and community to work towards making villages on Ganga Bank as Adarsh Ganga Grams.


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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Culture
21-February, 2018 20:19 IST
The two-day Sanskriti Mahotsav “Ras Banaras – Swachhagrah – Bapu ko Kaaryaanjali” begins in Varanasi

Celebrating the creative and cultural industries of Varanasi, the two day long Sanskriti Mahotsav organised by the Ministry of Culture “Ras Banaras – Swachhagrah – Bapu ko Kaaryaanjali” at Man Mandir and Assi Ghat began in Varanasi today. Integrating the tangible and intangible heritage along the river-belt different institutions/missions like the National Mission for Clean Ganga and Namami Ganga Jagriti Yatra, the academia, artists, artisans, writers, poets, environmental and cultural forums came together giving the cultural expressions to the conservation and protection of the river.

The 2-day event is focused on music and dance performances on the theme of ‘Swachhagraha’ presented under the rubric of ‘Swachhagraha: Bapu ko Karyanjali’. School-children affiliated to MoC’s Interpretation steered The Swachhta drive through exhibitions, songs, puppetry, nukkad nataks and folk dances.

The inaugural day witnessed a soulful performance by 5 year old Avantika Mishra, and a Swachhta Geet performed by children from the interpretation centres. In the cultural performances the Mahotsav witnessed diverse genres of classical artists, contemporary Varanasi-centric ensembles and folk troupes offering the perfect blend of the historic and the contemporary. The duo of Pandit Narendra Mishra and Pandit Pooran Maharaj performed on Sitar and Tabla respectively while Sanjeev and Ashwini Shankar gave a mesmerizing performance on Shahnai, in the dance segment, Kathhak was performed by Saurav-Gaurav.

A unique shopping journey was experienced by the guests in the Craft Market organized by NCZCC on Assi Ghat, which included a melange of colourful and traditional handicraft and textiles from Varanasi and other parts of the country. The bazaar included the folk performances by folk singers and dancers from different states with a special focus on Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, the states paired with Uttar Pradesh under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat matrix. A small food corner was also set to bring out the aroma of Varanasi and tribal cuisine from Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. Art connoisseurs got the chance to interact with the artisans and a live demonstration was given.

The Mahotsav showcased a curtain raiser exhibition on Varanasi curated by the National Archives at Man Mandir Ghat while a painting and terracotta-sculpture workshops was conducted with the students of Interpretation Centres by National Gallery of Modern Art in partnership with the Fine Arts School of BHU.

As the theme of the mahotsav focuses on the cleanliness, Installations and large canvases drawn by the children with a message of Swachhta were exhibited at prominent places and ghats of the city. Graffiti Art and multicoloured murals and tags celebrating the theme of ‘Swachhagraha: Bapu ko Karyanjali’ were made at prominent walls, Buses and Boats provided by the District Administration. Children from the Interpretation Centres trained in workshops by Centre for Cultural Resources and Training and Sangeet Natak Akademi performed at different venues of the city.

One of the other vision with which the mahotsav is being organized in Varanasi is that no cultural talent or heritage should remain unattended and if it is talent, it should be nurtured and if it is a heritage, it should be conserved and used as an icon to learn from the past, and also to propagate our cultural talent across all boundaries. The mahotsav is organized to encompass Cultural mapping, research and documentation of the tangible and intangible heritage of Varanasi with a focus on preservation of time-honoured inheritance.

The 2nd day of the Mahotsav will cover a profusion of art forms from classical, folk music, dance and visual arts - Malini Awasthi will perform a thumri, Shruti Sadolikar will perform a classical song while Vishal Krishna and troupe will give performance of Kathhak at Manmandir Ghat.

The closing ceremony will also see Minister of State for Culture (I/C) and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma along with Smt. Mridula Jaiswal, Mayor, Varanasi Municipal Corporation, Ravindra Jaiswal, MLA, Varanasi North, Dr. Neelkanth Tiwari, Minister of State for Law and Justice, Information, Sports Youth and Welfare, Saurabh Srivastav, MLA, Varanasi Cantt., Surendra Narayan Singh, MLA, Rohaniyan and Neel Ratan Singh Patel, MLA, Sevapuri gracing the occasion.

*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Water Resources
22-February, 2018 16:05 IST
Projects worth nearly Rs. 4,000 crore approved in 9th executive committee meeting of NMCG

In the 9th Executive Committee meeting of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), projects worth nearly Rs 4,000 crore were approved including a 20 MLD Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for tannery cluster at Jajmau in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. This 3-phased project at an estimated cost of Rs. 629 crore includes pre-treatment unit in 380 individual tannery units, a 20 CETP with physical, biological and tertiary treatment, installation of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)-based pilot plant of 200 KLD capacity among other components. The central share of this project is Rs. 472 crore. This is a major step forward in arresting the pollution in Ganga emanating from the crucial industrial town of Kanpur. The project will be executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) – Jajmau Tannery Effluent Treatment Association.

Another project in Kanpur was approved at an estimated cost of Rs 967.23 crore for rehabilitation and integration of sewage treatment infrastructure in Jajmau, Bingawan, Sajari zones under Hybrid Annuity-PPP mode. This project also includes construction of a 30 MLD STP at Pankha. The central government will do capital investment and 15 years Operation and Maintenance.

In Allahabad, a project worth Rs 904 crore for rehabilitation and integration of sewage treatment infrastructure in Naini, Salori, Numayadahi, Rajapur, Ponghat, Kodra sewerage zones in Allahabad was approved under Hybrid Annuity-PPP mode. An online monitoring system for all STPs and SPS for proper implementation has also been approved. The central government will do capital investment and 15 years Operation and Maintenance.

One project of in-situ/ex-situ bio-remediation treatment of drains going into river Ganga has also been given approval at an estimated cost of Rs. 410 crore. NMCG through CPCB and other PSUs identified major polluting drains meeting main stem wherein technology service provider will set up treatment facilities including containerized modular treatment plants for abatement of pollution of river Ganga and its tributaries. The identified drains were further classified into priority drains which require immediate intervention. 20 drains have been considered for treatment in the first phase of the project. The step has been taken to adopt swift, techno-economic and sustainable technologies like in-situ/ex-situ to manage the pollution load in drains for interim period of infrastructure development and also to manage the cumulative effect of direct discharging of sewage into river Ganga. The activity is packaging holistic approach being taken under Namami Gange programme to arrest the flow of sewage into river Ganga.

One project for rehabilitation with Operation & Maintenance of 15 years for Garden Reach STP (57 MLD) and Keorapukur STP (50 MLD) in West Bengal under Hybrid Annuity mode has also been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 165.16 crore. The central government will do capital investment and 15 years Operation and Maintenance.

Besides, three sewage infrastructure projects have been accorded revised approvals in Begusarai, Hajipur and Munger in Bihar at an estimated cost of Rs. 230.06 crore, Rs. 305.18 crore and Rs. 294.02 crore respectively. The central share in these three projects is Rs 161.04 crore, Rs. 213.63 crore and Rs. 205.81 crore respectively. The central government will do capital investment and 15 years Operation and Maintenance.

The meeting was chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and DG NMCG, Shri U.P. Singh and senior officials of Ministry and NMCG.



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Ministry of Water Resources
22-February, 2018 16:03 IST
Shri Nitin Gadkari calls for Innovation and Sharing of Resources, Information and Best Practices in the field of water conservation

Presides over the 37th annual general meeting of National Institute of Hydrology Society

The Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Nitin Gadkari has called upon research organizations to innovate in the area of water conservation and sustainable management of water resources. He has stressed upon the need to study advanced technologies and procedures like cloud bursting and water accounting being used in other parts of the world, and adopt those that are feasible for our country. Shri Gadkari was addressing the 37th Annual General Meeting of the National Institute of Hydrology Society in New Delhi today. The Minister said that a lot of people and organizations are doing very good work in this field, and we need to network them on a single platform. Many departments are doing the same kind of work to achieve the same objective, but there is a lack of proper coordination and information sharing among them. In this regard Shri Gadkari suggested that a website should be created for sharing available resources, information and best practices available in different parts of the country.

Shri U.P. Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation drew attention to the decreasing flow of water in many springs in the Himalayan Region and the need to start a programme for rejuvenating these springs.

Director, National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) Shri Sharad Kumar Jain made a presentation on different activities of NIH. The institute was setup in 1978 to carry out research and development in the area of hydrology and water resources. It has excelled in research and consultancy projects, developing world class laboratories, organizing training and mass awareness programmes. NIH is contributing in three major national projects – National Hydrology Project where its role is to provide training and R&D; National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem and Neeranchal National Watershed Project of the Government of India and World Bank. It is also working on various other projects like Interlinking of rivers, Snow/Glacier studies etc.

Shri Thakur Mahender Singh, Irrigation and Public Health Minister of Himachal Pradesh and senior officials of the Ministry also attended the meeting.

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[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Finance
23-February, 2018 15:24 IST
Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India Sign $ 84 Million Loan for Improvement and Expansion of Water Supply in the State of Bihar

The Government of India and The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $84 million loan today for improvement and expansion of water supply in Bhagalpur and Gaya towns in Bihar.

The tranche 2 loan is part of the $200 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for the Bihar Urban Development Investment Program that was approved by ADB in 2012 to provide sustainable urban infrastructure and services in four towns in Bihar – Bhagalpur, Gaya, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur.

“The Project 2 will improve access to better quality and sustainable water supply, for the people of Bhagalpur and Gaya towns. It will also promote better water management practices that will result in a citywide coverage with 24-hour uninterrupted supply of treated water of 135 litres per capita per day in both cities,” said Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary (Multilateral Institutions), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, who signed the loan agreement for Government of India.

“The loan finances will support civil works subprojects and would benefit 1.1 million people in the two project towns with increased coverage of treated water supply by 2021; train 400 urban local body (ULB) staff in the management and operation and maintenance (O&M) of water supply systems, and help ULBs improve technical and financial management of the water supply operations,” said Mr Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission who signed the agreement for ADB. The project agreement was signed by Shri Vipin Kumar, Resident Commissioner on behalf of the Government of Bihar.

The two towns under the project would achieve the national urban service goals or match many of the national averages for urban service delivery performance in India. The investment program will assist ULBs in designing affordable tariffs for O&M cost recovery.

The loan will have a 25-year term, including a grace period of 5 years, an annual interest rate determined in accordance with ADB’s lending facility based on the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR), and a commitment charge of 0.15% per year.

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