Dams · DRP News Bulletin

DRP: 04 Jan. 2016 (Rivers are soul of India: PM Narendra Modi)

Rivers are soul of India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi  Excerpts From text of PM’s inaugural address at 103rd session of Indian Science Congress, Mysuru Rivers have played as important a role in human history as oceans. Civilisations have been nurtured by rivers. And, rivers will remain critical for our future. So, revival of rivers is an essential part of my commitment for a cleaner and healthier future for our society, economic opportunities for our people, and renewal of our heritage. We need regulations, policy, investments and management to achieve our objective. But, we will succeed only when we integrate technology, engineering and innovation into our efforts, not just to clean our rivers now but to keep them healthy in the future as well. For this, we also need scientific understanding of the impact of urbanisation, farming, industrialisation and groundwater use and contamination on the river eco-system. River is the soul of Nature. Their renewal must be an element of a larger effort to sustain Nature.

Continue reading “DRP: 04 Jan. 2016 (Rivers are soul of India: PM Narendra Modi)”

Dams · Western Ghats · Wetlands

Remembering Wetlands on World Environment Day

Above: Wetlands in Western Ghats Photo: Parineeta Dandekar

On this World Environment Day, a number of images leap to mind from the past year: Prime Minister of India performing the famous Ganga Arati after elections to new species of fish and frogs discovered (again) from Western Ghats. From TSR Subramaniam justifying his Committee Report which seeks to disintegrate the environmental governance of the country to Jadav Payang, single-handedly planting thousands of trees in Assam.  From the filthy Yamuna flowing through the national capital to the unseasonal rains that damaged crops of millions of farmers. Continue reading “Remembering Wetlands on World Environment Day”

Dams

National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems omits Rivers?

Image While the National Wetland Conservation Program and National Lake Conservation Program did not include rivers in their purview, even the newly announced 900 crores National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems seems to have ignored Rivers. The National River Conservation Program,under the MoEF includes hardly 35 polluted riverine stretches. That is the only specific protection rivers get apart from some failed plans like GAP and YAP.

While Rivers in India provide habitats to endangered biodiveristy, and provide numerous goods and services, they continue being overlooked and abused ..http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_cabinet-nod-to-rs900-crore-wetlands-development-plan_1797394