tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26584877440056616772024-03-06T19:34:22.296-08:00Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaanmanoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.comBlogger3230125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-57713491398475933452016-10-05T00:49:00.001-07:002016-10-05T00:49:19.540-07:00Yamuna under renewed assault - This time it is the NHAI with a pseudo bridge planned on NH24 for Delhi-Meerut Expressway <div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">30 September 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">YJA/CORRES/9/16</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri Najeeb Jung,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble Lt Governor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DELHI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri Arvind Kejriwal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble Chief Minister<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DELHI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sub: </span></b><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Yamuna under renewed assault - This time
it is the NHAI with a pseudo bridge planned on NH24 for Delhi-Meerut Expressway<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Respected Sir,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greetings from Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, we have recently learnt to our
horror that the NHAI is planning to construct two new pseudo bridges on river
Yamuna on either side of the existing Nizamuddin bridge on NH 24 as part of its
Delhi-Meerut Expressway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, there are several serious issues
involved with this plan.</span></u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a) Pseudo bridges (Bridges raised only over the lean
season flow of a river with the approach road being a cross embankment in the
river flood plain) severely impacts a river's ecology including its ability to
convey flood waters downstream freely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">b) The Yamuna Standing Committee (YSC) the apex planning
body in MOWRRD&GR on river Yamuna has as a result already taken a policy
decision to not to allow the construction anymore of Pseudo bridge on river
Yamuna in NCTD and as a result both the Metro Bridge as well as the Barapula
Phase III are already coming up downstream of the planned pseudo bridge by NHAI
as elevated corridors where the flood plain of the river Yamuna between Ring
Road in West Bank and the Eastern Marginal Bund (NOIDA Link Road) is fully
secured as the corridor is on pillars all through. <b>It is strange that
the NHAI in its plans and drawings does not refer to these elevated corridors
anywhere?</b> <u>We wonder if this plan of the NHAI has even been
submitted to the Yamuna Standing Committee (YSC) for preview and
approval? </u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">c) It is strange that NHAI with such huge construction and
its impact on riverine environment and ecology seems to presume that it does
not require any EIA or Environment Clearance of its plans? That such huge
construction projects are covered by Entry 8 (Building and Construction
projects) of EIA Notification 2006 has already been settled by the Hon'ble NGT
in Vikrant Tongad case where Signature Bridge was found to be wanting for not
having taken prior environmental clearance? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">d) Such a plan which would further create traffic
congestion and nightmare on NH24 in NCTD has to undergo prior statutory
scrutiny of the DUAC as well as of UTTIPEC and UCRY in the DDA. We wonder if
this has been done and if yes then how could these statutory bodies have
overlooked the fact that NH24 after the existing Nizamuddin bridge is already a
daily nightmare during the peak morning and evening hours and what would happen
when more vehicles would descend on the limited road coming at high speed (<b>increasing
risks of traffic accidents</b>) from the two new bridges as part of the
Expressway? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">e) Finally the Hon'ble NGT in OA no 6 of 2012 has already
prohibited any new construction in the flood plain of river Yamuna in NCTD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In short this plan would
require </span></u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a) An EIA and a prior EC in
accordance with the Hon'ble NGT decision in Vikrant Tongad case<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">b) Would require prior scrutiny of
the YSC, the DUAC and the UTTIPEC as well as UCRY in DDA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">c) Would require prior scrutiny of
the Hon'ble NGT <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now what is the possible solution if
any</span></u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a) Let the NHAI culminate its Expressway (coming from
Meerut) just short of the Akshardham Flyover on NH24 and after that just for 3
km (till the Ring Road) let the entire traffic flow over the existing road and
the existing Nizamuddin bridges. Just for a stretch of 3 km construction of
more pseudo bridges on either side of existing HNZ Bridge makes little economic
or planning sense. This way the entire expressway project would see its early
fruition and prove economical too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir/s we hope that your honour would
see merit in what we submit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Manoj Misra<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Convener<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CC:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chief Secretary, Govt. of
NCT of Delhi – For your kind information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ms. Swati Sharma, Addl.
Secretary to Hon’ble Lt. Governor of Delhi - For your kind information and
necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chairman,
Yamuna Standing Committee </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">– For your kind information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chairman,
Delhi Pollution Control Committee </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">– For your kind information and
necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vice Chairman, </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Delhi Development Authority </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">– For your kind
information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Secretary
(Forest and Environment), Govt. of Delhi - </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For your kind information and
necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chairman,
Delhi Urban Art Commission </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">– For your kind information and necessary action please.</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-16688527347884205662016-09-22T01:43:00.001-07:002016-09-22T01:43:23.322-07:00Sir, Entry 56 of List I of our Constitution provides the key to sustainable resolution of river disputes<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">19 September 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">YJA/CORRES/9/16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri Narendra Modi,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble Prime Minister of India<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Raisina Hill<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">New Delhi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sub: </span></b><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sir, Entry 56 of List I of our Constitution provides the key to
sustainable resolution of river disputes</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Respected Sir,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greetings from Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, it would be no exaggeration to
state that the inter-state river disputes in our country have reached a boiling
point with the river Cauvery being in the public glare, while river dispute
over river Mahanadi and Mahadayi continue to simmer. That most inter-state
rivers in the country today are facing disputes is a fact that brooks no delay
in their resolution, <u>But the larger question is how?</u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, one of the grounds often cited
by the states while laying their claims, is their constitutional rights over
'water' under Entry 17 of List II (State List). But the fact that the said
right is not absolute is often underplayed. The said fact becomes clear when
one peruses the following wordings of Entry 17 of list II:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">" <i>Entry 17 under List II
of Seventh Schedule provides for "water, that is to say, water supplies,
irrigation and canals, drainage and embankments, water storage and water power <u>subject
to Entry 56 of List I"</u>.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now Entry 56 of List I states:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Entry 56 of List I of Seventh
Schedule provides that "Regulation and development of inter-state rivers
and river valleys to the extent such regulation and development under the Union
is declared by Parliament by law to be in the public interest" </span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, it is surprising and unfortunate
that no Union government till date has endeavoured to utilise its powers under
the Entry 56 of List I since a Central law in public interest would be required
for the same. And what could be greater public interest today than to
rejuvenate our increasingly deteriorating rivers and to alongside resolve the
inter-state disputes on them.</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For, Sir, where would be all the
claims and counter claims on their water, once the rivers themselves become
history?</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, in all humility we submit that
let a Union law be passed by the Parliament under Entry 56 of List I to the
effect that "<u>all inter-state rivers shall belong to none, but the
nation"</u>. Once this sense of ownership is recalled from any authority
(central or state) and vested in the nation, then wherefrom the question of
conflict?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, yet people need their rivers to
meet various legitimate needs.</span></u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> For the same, let the same law
provide for the creation of Autonomous<u>River Commissions</u> (answerable
only to the Parliament) chaired by eminent jurist and with membership both of
experts and non experts from the riparian states of the river in question, with
a mandate to direct all necessary actions for the rejuvenation of the river in
question and to institute <u>River Families</u> from amongst the
riparian people of the riparian states who would be integral to any decisions
made by the River Commission as well as with authority to monitor on the ground
the implementation of the said decisions / directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The River Commissions would have the
mandate to direct actions for both the rejuvenation of the river in question
and also as to how its tangible offerings (water, fishes, sand etc) could be
extracted and used in the larger public and national interest, while ensuring
the health of the river in question. Such use of the tangible offering could of
course vary from season to season and climatic conditions (easy or tough) as it
may then prevail. But the bottom line would be the maintenance of a healthy
river, for wherefrom the tangible offering in a sustainable manner from a sick
river? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, we are aware that your
government and your honour personally are committed to a rejuvenated river
Ganga and in turn all other rivers in the country. But we are also aware that
such a rejuvenation would remain a pipe dream in absence of a strategic resort
to invoking the provisions of Entry 56 of List I, both in public and in
national interest. Sir, we are also aware that if this has to happen then it
can only be under the present overwhelming mandate that your government enjoys.
AMEN.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Manoj Misra<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Convener <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;">CC:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sushri
Uma Bharati, Hon’ble Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation – For your information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shri Anil Dave, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent
Charge) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate – For your
information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri
Shashi Shekhar, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and
Ganga Rejuvenation - For your information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sri
Ajay Narayan Jha, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate
Change </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-
For your information and necessary action please.</span><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-75199612094266545262016-09-06T00:16:00.001-07:002016-09-06T00:16:13.968-07:00Sir, DJB must become transparent and accountable for revival of river Yamuna <div class="Section1">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 4 September 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> YJA/CORRES/9/16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri
Najeeb Jung,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble
Lt Governor,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DELHI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri
Arvind Kejriwal,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble
Chief Minister,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DELHI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sub:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sir, DJB must become transparent and accountable for revival
of river Yamuna</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Respected
Sir/s,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greetings
from Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, the
sick state of river Yamuna in the city has it seems become a riddle that no one
seems to have a pulse on, despite huge amounts of public funds (much of it as
public debt to an overseas Japanese agency namely the JICA) spent in its
cleaning (sic) through raising of the large number of sewerage infrastructure
in the city. Despite such infrastructure, which out numbers any other city in
the country, there is little let up on waste water reaching the river. Clearly
it is management rather than lack of infrastructure that is the key here. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the
face of it, it seems that while the DJB has great interest in adding to the
city's existing sewerage infrastructure, its track record in ensuring that the
existing infrastructure works efficiently, is questionable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There is
another well cultivated myth about the sewerage coverage in the NCT of Delhi
and it is that since 50% of Delhi is unsewered, hence there is a problem of
sewer flowing in storm water drains in the city with all concomitant public
nuisance and hue and cry that becomes most acute during the rainy season with
the over flowing storm water drains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, but
the actual fact is that almost 95% of urban Delhi is already sewered and it is
the absence of sewerage infrastructure in rural areas of Delhi and few
unauthorised colonies (most of which have soak pit toilets) and slums that the
average becomes 50%. This fact which the DJB's own sewerage master Plan 2031
lays bare is hardly ever publicly acknowledged for the obvious questions
shall then be why is sewer still flowing in the storm water drains in urban
Delhi? Which readily points to nothing but poor management of its sewerage
infrastructure by the DJB.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A recent
(July 2016) official report submitted to the Hon'ble NGT by an expert group of officials
led by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) evaluating DJB's plans to
build 14 more STPs amongst other plans, says:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"09
STPs installed at Keshavpur-I, Kondli-IV, Najafgarh, Okhla phase - V and VI,
Papankalan-I, Rithala old, Rithala new, Rohini are not meeting the prescribed
norms with respect to BOD. STPs are also evaluated with respect to proposed
norms and found that out of 32 STPs monitored, 31 STPs are exceeding the new
sewage treatment norms with respect to BOD, COD and TSS."</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The report
goes on to recommend: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Development
of the proposed sites of 14 STPs/SPss in Najafgarh catchment may take long time
(30-40 years) and then may be possibility for construction/operation of
treatment facility. <b><u>First and foremost task of DJB or any concerned
stakeholder may be to optimize the operation of existing STPs upto the level of
meeting the desired standards and plan for how to re-use of treated sewage</u>."</b></span></i><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clearly
the functioning of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) that manages both the water supply
and the sewerage infrastructure in the city leaves much to desire. with
priorities that call for a review.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If one
visits the DJB website (<a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.delhi.gov.in%2Fwps%2Fwcm%2Fconnect%2FDOIT_DJB%2Fdjb%2Fhome&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHR_khh6oLvdniYIdd1pr8X5qAVwA" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/DOIT_DJB/djb/home</span></a>) it
seems that the only job of DJB is to procure and supply potable water to the
city, with the website providing very little information if any about its
sewerage management and performance role. We have in the past raised this issue
at various foras with a request that the sewerage management role of the DJB is
as much if not more important than its water supply role, but in vain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now how
to improve the situation?</span></u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a) Govt
of NCT of Delhi must come out with a "white paper" on DJB's
functioning and this must be made public.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">b) DJB
has large number of Sewage Treatment Plants and Sewage Pumping Stations (SPS)
spread all over the city. These occupy huge space and many of them have
verdant/green atmosphere / environment. Unfortunately presently DJB seems to
suffer from a siege mentality regarding these assets, treating them as
fortresses, whereby a member of public is denied access for no valid reason?
Whereas on the contrary these spaces must be made fully open to public as areas
of rest and learning for the sewerage infrastructure is meant to do a vital
public service and why should the public not know more about them? Regular
school trips must be organised to these facilities for education. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">c) DJB
must reassess the priority provided to raising more STPs over making the
existing one's fully operational and compliant with new standards and recycling
and using the treated sewage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">d) The
website of DJB must be refurbished to provide information on its sewerage
management role and functioning in form of a "daily" online reporting
(technology already exists for this) about the amount and quality of sewer
received, treated and disposed (where) by its various SPS/ STPs so that an
interested member of public may readily come to know as to what is going on?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">e) Let a
reward system be instituted by which the best performing SPS / STP and its
staff is duly acknowledged and rewarded on a regular basis, as is practiced in
many public and private enterprises. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -13.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, is
there anything in the above which may be termed difficult or which is not in
order? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We hope that
your honour would initiate necessary ameliorative steps in the matter so that
the river Yamuna receives the much needed respite from its much polluted state.
AMEN.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Warm
regards,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Manoj Misra<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Convener
<span style="color: #888888;"><br clear="all" />
</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br clear="all" />
</span><b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CC:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sri
Kapil Mishra, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble Water Minister, Govt. of Delhi – For your kind
information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Jal Board – For your kind
information and necessary action please<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chief Secretary, Govt. of
NCT of Delhi – For your kind information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ms. Swati Sharma, Addl.
Secretary to Hon’ble Lt. Governor of Delhi - For your kind information and
necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-74013200439341389562016-07-14T20:30:00.001-07:002016-07-14T20:30:30.348-07:00First real rain of the season and the city goes down under - Sir, drains desilting in the city has become a farce and a waste of public funds<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">14 July 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">YJA/CORRES/7/16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri Najeeb Jung<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble Lt Governor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DELHI <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">&<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri Arvind Kejriwal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble CM<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DELHI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<h2 align="center" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Sub: First real rain of the season
and the city goes down under - Sir, drains desilting in the city has become a
farce and a waste of public funds<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Respected Sir,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greetings from Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, today was perhaps the first real rain of the monsoon season
in the city and it like previous years turned commuting in the city into a
nightmare. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, kindly recall our communication in the matter from last
month where we had highlighted the fact that the MCDs and the other relevant
departments were hardly onto the job of desilting the storm water drains and
where it was indeed taking place it was being done in a very casual and
mechanical manner, with the silt thrown onto the road sides and which was
actually blocking the mouth of the water traps from the road onto the drain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, this is not the first time that the tall claims of various
agencies of having done their job has come to a naught. And this is just the
beginning of the rainy season !<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir, allow us to reiterate our long standing request that the
storm drains in the city must be managed by only one single agency so that
proper accountability in their management could be fixed.</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Also we now request that instead of an annual ritual of spending
hundreds of crores in the so called desilting of the storm water drains by the
various agencies. but to no avail, this ritual be stopped and precious public
funds saved till a single agency in the city has been made in charge of the
storm water drains. The funds thus saved could be better used to enable the
said agency in terms of additional manpower and other resources to do a good
job of managing the storm water drains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With warm regards,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Manoj Misra<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Convener<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CC:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chief Secretary, Govt. of Delhi - </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;">For
your kind information and necessary action please<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Secretary (Forest & Environment), Govt. of
Delhi </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">– For your kind
information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Vice Chairman, </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Delhi Development
Authority</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">For your kind information and necessary
action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ms. Swati Sharma, Addl. Secretary to Hon’ble Deputy CM of
Delhi - </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">For your kind
information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Commissioner (Planning), Delhi Development Authority - For your kind
information and necessary action please.</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-5534785856789974302016-06-06T02:53:00.001-07:002016-06-06T02:53:01.723-07:00World Environment Day, 2016 - Sir, you have a dream and a promise in common with the entire nation. But the current Ganga rejuvenation map does not inspire confidence or hope?<div class="Section1">
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4 June 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">YJA/CORRES/6/16<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
To,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri
Narendra Modi ji,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hon'ble
Prime Minister<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Government
of India,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">New
Delhi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sub: </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">World Environment Day, 2016 - Sir, you have a dream and a
promise in common with the entire nation. But the current Ganga rejuvenation
map does not inspire confidence or hope?<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Respected
sir,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greetings
from Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan on the eve of World Environment Day, 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir,
we hope that you would not mind our plain speaking on an important day,
specially when your government is no longer 'new; having just observed its two
years in office. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir,
the entire country and many fellow countrymen abroad, dreamt hopefully the dream
of a rejuvenated Ganga, when the Prime Minister (your good self) of this
country made a <i>suo moto</i> solemn promise of rejuvenation to a
river that in more ways than one symbolizes the very nation. For you, like many
millions it is a 'mother', in need of real help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
the 'river people' were most elated, thinking is here finally the hour?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But
we have waited and waited in vain, to see the light at the end of the
despairing tunnel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yes,
we have <b><i>Namami Gange</i> </b>as a fine name. And there is our
'own' (not a foreign loan or grant) money too. But how is it fundamentally
different from the age old (Yes, 30 years since 1984 is a long time) tested and
failed Ganga Action Plans (GAP). And if we cannot conjure a workable
rejuvenational strategy, and remain hung up on pollution abatement measures as
the principal path to Ganga rejuvenation, then we are sorry to say that your
and our dream of a once again healthy Ganga might remain nothing more than a
pipe dream. There might of course be temporary improvement in the water quality
of the river, here and there, but to call it a rejuvenated Ganga would be
delusionary.<u>For unless we let Ganga regain its ability of self-rejuvenation
through ample flow in it at all times, all our STPs and ETPs would together
deliver little if any sustainability to our efforts</u>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir,
our rivers, Ganga in particular, have a special hydrology. They swell in
monsoon and come down to no more than a trickle in later months. But both these
high monsoon flows and low non monsoon flows are integral to their health in
terms of their structure, their biodiversity and their ability to meet various
human and non human dependencies on them. Any interference with these flows and
we are inviting trouble. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moreover
Sir, Ganga is not just the main stem river channel (as is widespread but
incorrectly understood impression) that originates at Gaumukh and ends at Ganga
Sagar, having passed through the cities of Rishikesh, Haridwar, Kanpur,
Varanasi, Patna and Kolkata. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ganga
within the country, is the sum total of the contribution of some 12 major
tributaries (Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Ramganga, Ghaghra, Gandak, Kosi, Yamuna,
Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Sone and Damodar) and one distributary (Hooghly) and hence
unless Ganga rejuvenation strategy targets rejuvenation of each of these, there
can be no Ganga rejuvenation. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir,
it was music to our ears when the need of ensuring <i>aviral dhara</i> (uninterrupted
flow) of river Ganga was emphasised time and again by the Hon'ble Minister for
Ganga rejuvenation.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> But
if ensuring mere 1000 cusec out of a lean season flow of 7 - 8000 cusec down
stream of Rishikesh is the definition of <i>aviral dhara</i>, then surely
Sir, we are deluding ourselves. Fact remains that the figure of 1000 cusec as
was worked out in a colonial period agreement in early 20th century was meant
merely for a canal that passes by Har Ki Pairi and NOT the river proper at
Haridwar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir,
with 40 odd dams, barrages and weirs (and many more planned) already
obstructing and diverting river waters all over the Ganga basin, where from
would there be an <i>aviral dhara</i> in the Ganga? And to confound
further the confusion are the grand plans of river inter linking and
facilitation of river transport through construction of more dams and barrages
within the Ganga basin?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
ensuring <i>aviral dhara</i> in our rivers, there has to be a
statutory provision that mandates that no river (including tributaries) can be
divested of its flow in excess of 50% in any season of the year</span></u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. If this means that
there has to be a reduction in our current levels of power or water supplies
available from our rivers, then so be it, in the interest of the river's
rejuvenation and consequent immense benefits in terms of aquifer recharge and
biodiversity rebound that we as a nation unfortunately tend to over look.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dams
over rivers have been justified in the name of power generation, flood control
and water supplies for irrigation and drinking purposes</span></u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. But Sir, the fact
is that: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a)
for a nation that aims at 1 lakh MW generation from 'solar', where is the need
to 'sicken' more rivers by damming them in the name of hydro-power? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">b)
it is now well established that Dams prevent low floods, which are in any case
harmless, while aggravating the ferocity and hence damage from high floods
(recent examples include Uttarakhand, Odisha and infamous drowning of Surat
city from Ukai dam). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">c)
if surface water canal irrigation (courtesy dams) was a valid strategy then why
would 85% of our irrigation needs continue to be met from ground water? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">d)
it cannot be a sustainable practice to supply drinking water from far off
locations (courtesy dams) to our towns and cities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clearly
dams are <i>passe </i>and today have no valid justification</span></u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. At least there is
no justification to build more dams in the country and the time is ripe to plan
and remove some of the most offending dams in the country like what many
nations in the west have started to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir,
is the simple message of letting the river Ganga 'flow' in its majesty and
diversity appears beyond us? Shall we continue to be driven by inappropriate
and 'unfit' engineering solutions to ecological problems confronting our
rivers? </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sir,
could we on this solemn World Environment Day, expect that we shall under your
able and committed leadership still manage to rejuvenate Ganga through
ecological solutions to an ecological challenge. AMEN.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Warm
regards,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Manoj
Misra<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Convener<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #888888; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><b><u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CC:<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sushri Uma Bharati, Hon'ble Union Minister of Water
Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">– For your kind information and necessary
action please.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Sri Shashi Shekhar, Secretary, Ministry
of Water Resources, </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">– For your kind information and necessary
action please.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri Prakash Javadekar, Hon'ble Union Minister of State
(I/C), Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">– For your kind information and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Secretary,
Ministry of Forests, Environment & Climate Change – For your information
and necessary action please.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-14305958943426879322016-05-31T22:49:00.002-07:002016-05-31T22:49:56.457-07:00NGT tells Art of Living to pay Rs. 4.75 cr. in a week (The Hindu, 1 June 2016)Staff Reporter<br />
<br />
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Miffed by the Art of Living Foundation’s multiple litigation putting a question mark on its bona fide, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday rejected the Foundation’s plea to pay by way of a bank guarantee the Rs. 4.75-cr. environmental compensation slapped on it for hosting the World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplains.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">Toughens stand</b></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Getting tough with the foundation, the tribunal also refused to change the expert committee as requested by it. Instead, the NGT directed it to pay the compensation within a week.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“You can be rest assured that we will not change the expert committee… we may consider adding two more members,” said the NGT.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">Preparing proposal</b></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
In its application, the foundation had stated that it is in the process of preparing a proposal laying down parameters/methodology for collection of scientific data/evidence regarding assessment of actual environmental damage, if any, and hopes to persuade the NGT that “damage, if any, is neither permanent nor irreversible but in fact remediable.”</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The NGT stated that the foundation lacked bona fide as it had been engaging in multiple litigation in order to not pay the fine.</div>
<br />
<div id="articleKeywords" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="outline: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #3b3a39; float: none !important; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; height: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 0px !important;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="body" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
On March 9, the NGT had refused to prohibit the World Culture Festival on the banks of the Yamuna, but slapped a fine of Rs. 5 crore on the foundation for damaging the biodiversity of the ecologically sensitive floodplains.</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-66785128728272909912016-05-26T00:52:00.001-07:002016-05-26T00:52:35.217-07:00Art of Living ‘challenges’ NGT’s contempt powers (Indian Express, 26 May 2016)<span style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">The NGT principal bench pointed out that the order which the counsel was referring to while making his point reiterated the tribunal had all the powers of contempt, including civil imprisonment, as any other civil court. - </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), while hearing a contempt petition against Art of Living Foundation founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Wednesday, was challenged by the counsel representing the foundation on whether it had contempt powers.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
The NGT principal bench pointed out that the order which the counsel was referring to while making his point reiterated the tribunal had all the powers of contempt, including civil imprisonment, as any other civil court.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
The NGT was hearing a petition by activist Manoj Mishra against Ravi Shankar’s alleged statement that the tribunal’s March 9 order imposing Rs 5-crore initial compensation on the foundation for the environmental impact of its World Culture Festival was “politically motivated”. The foundation clarified it was questioning the petition, which was in the tone of a criminal contempt petition. It claimed the petition was based on unverified news reports, and there was video evidence that Ravi Shankar had made no such statement.</div>
<div class="pageadd" id="div-gpt-ad-1429260192255-0" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<div id="div-gpt-ad-1429260192255-0_ad_container" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">The NGT also learned the foundation was yet to file its replies to two other contempt petitions and directed it to do so within three days. Advocate Ritwick Dutta, representing the petitioners, also informed the bench that the Principal Committee constituted by the NGT had not yet visited the site on the Yamuna floodplains where the World Culture Festival was held in March. The committee was to visit the site after the March 11-13 event and file a report within four weeks of the March 9 order. The committee was, however, prevented from conducting the inspection by the foundation, which claimed the land had not been officially handed over to the DDA. The tribunal directed the committee to visit the site and submit its report within two weeks. On the initial Rs 5-crore environmental compensation, the principal bench asked the foundation again if it would pay the amount for the damage the preparations for the festival caused to the floodplains. On March 9, the foundation had paid Rs 25 lakh as an assurance that the rest would be paid within three weeks. The foundation said it would furnish a bank guarantee. The bench replied, “Keep your bank guarantee.” The next hearing is scheduled for August 2.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-27623977507728448712016-05-18T22:27:00.001-07:002016-05-18T22:27:19.084-07:00Ken-Betwa project: Panel warns of dangers to ecology and animal life (The Hindu, 17 May 2016)<a href="http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/jacob-koshy/" style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;"> JACOB KOSHY</a><br />
<br />
<div class="articleLead" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
‘The government should ensure that the proposed canal does not hinder tiger movement’</h2>
</div>
<div class="text-embed" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 15px 5px 0px; position: relative; width: 318px; z-index: 1;">
<img alt="Under threat:A tiger and two cubs in the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. —File Photo: R. Sreenivasa Murthy" class="main-image" height="235" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02856/16-05jacobriver_16_2856247e.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="Under threat:A tiger and two cubs in the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. —File Photo: R. Sreenivasa Murthy" width="318" /><div class="photo-caption" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 36px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
</div>
Under threat:A tiger and two cubs in the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. —File Photo: R. Sreenivasa Murthy</div>
</div>
<div class="article-body" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
A team of wildlife experts submitted a crucial report Monday, on which hinges the fate of the first-ever inter-State river linking project since India’s independence. The submitted report — not yet public — warns of the dangers to the ecology and animal life due to the proposed Ken-Betwa project. The main feature of the project is a 230-km long canal connecting the Ken and Betwa rivers which will irrigate 3.5 lakh hectares of drought-prone Bundelkhand. However, it will also inundate about 400 of the 4300-hectare Panna Tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The report neither endorses nor disapproves of the Ken-Betwa project but notes that if the government were to go ahead it ought to ensure that the proposed canal does not hinder tiger movement and that there should be enough habitable forest land developed to compensate for the loss of tiger reserve land.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The Ken-Betwa river interlinking project is being vigorously promoted by the incumbent NDA government as the first in a series of projects to transfer surplus water from certain rivers into deficient ones and improve irrigation as well as hydropower availability.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Given the threat to the tiger reserve, the Environment Ministry, whose clearance is mandatory for the project, tasked the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) with an expert analysis on the environmental impact.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">‘Tough report’</b></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“We have given a very tough report … the terms of the committee were not to recommend a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ but to give a site report,” said Raman Sukumar, NBWL member and part of a six-member team tasked to visit the site and assess the ecological and wildlife costs of the project. He didn’t disclose the contents of the report.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Apart from threats to the tiger habitat, there are also threats to gharial, hyenas and vultures that live within the sanctuary.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div id="inarticle_wrapper_div" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Another expert confirmed to <i style="outline: 0px;">The Hindu</i> that the report “had to strike a balance” between the need for irrigation and to preserve the ecology of the reserve, that is also now held as a model of tiger conservation. “No one can be happy about the project but the reality is that there is a Supreme Court directive to the government to implement the project,” he added.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The number of tigers in the reserve had plummeted from 25 in 2006 to zero in 2009, sparking national consternation. In conservation efforts in the seven years since, tigers from other reserves were relocated and are now believed to number 18.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">Dam’s height</b></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Discussions are still under way on whether the height of the proposed dam along the canal can be reduced to limit the extent of tiger reserve inundation. However, the project in its current form will not affect farmers in the vicinity of the river and portions of the tiger reserve that will be lost are not the territory of the resident big cats, said people familiar with the contents of the report.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The Environment Ministry’s go-ahead will enable the National Water Development Agency (NWDA), a Water Resources Ministry body, to begin work on the project.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“The MP government has already agreed to compensate twice the area that will be lost in the reserve, but reducing dam height will make the project unviable,” said S. Masood Hussain, Director General, NWDA.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div id="articleKeywords" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="outline: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #3b3a39; float: none !important; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; height: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 0px !important;">
</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-49674771566279983782016-05-18T22:12:00.004-07:002016-05-18T22:13:26.523-07:00‘No wholesale changes to green laws, focus on strict compliance’ - Javadekar (Indian Express, 16 May 2016)<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
THE GOVERNMENT has no intention to make wholesale changes in existing environmental laws, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said Sunday, suggesting that it had shelved the two-year-old process to amend six major green laws with the objective of bringing them ‘in line with current requirements”.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
In an interview with <a href="http://indianexpress.com/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">The Indian Express</a>, Javadekar said the government will make amendments to laws “as and when necessary” but stressed that there was no plan to make any substantial changes to these laws “at present”. “At present, we are (in the process of) creating CAMPA law and then, next in line, is Civil Penalties law. Not any other,” he said.</div>
<div class="pageadd" id="div-gpt-ad-1429260192255-0" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
The CAMPA law is a reference to the pending Bill that seeks to create Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority to deal with the money generated as compensation for diversion of forests for industrial or infrastructure projects. The Civil Penalties law refers to a proposed legislation, still being discussed by various ministries, that will introduce tougher penalties for violators of environmental norms.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
Javadekar replied in the negative to questions whether the six laws would be amended, as had been announced earlier, or whether the existing legal structure of environmental governance would be altered. He also ruled out a ‘Go/No-Go’ kind of classification of forest areas that the previous UPA government had tried introducing, and a revised version of which was said to be under consideration of the present government.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="holder-article" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 5px auto 25px; max-width: 670px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 670px;">
August 2014, appointed a four-member committee headed by former Cabinet Secretary T S R Subramanian to assess the implementation of environmental laws and to recommend and draft specific amendments to bring them in line with current requirements. The Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, and the Indian Forests Act of 1927 were among those that were sought to be reviewed.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
The Subramanian committee had submitted its report in November, suggesting an overhaul of existing environmental governance framework. It had recommended measures that would ensure faster environmental clearances to projects but stronger compliance to laws and standards. The report had been criticised by activists and opposition parties.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
Javadekar has often described the Subramanian report only as “one of the inputs” in making changes to environmental laws, while seeking opinions and suggestions of other stakeholders as well. Last year, the ministry had appointed a technical consultant and a law firm to finalise amendments to these laws.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
Javadekar said Sunday that these were attempts at “studying” and seeking opinion. “See, I am not afraid of studying anything. I am not afraid of listening (to anyone). I am not afraid of talking or debating anything. We (the government) will prove that we are the most (concerned) about conserving nature, and we will ensure sustainable progress,” he said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
He said he was working towards achieving two objectives: a “strong compliance regime, through rigorous laws, through new technologies, through motivation, and by putting institutional mechanisms in place”, and “to build capacities into local government bodies”.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
“We want to improve compliance (to environmental laws and standards) which is today at absolutely abysmal levels. And building capacities and institutional mechanisms is my second priority. To improve compliance also, we need to build capacities,” he said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
The Civil Penalties law, he said, was part of the effort to improve compliance.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
Javadekar said he was confident that he will be able to convince opposition members to support the CAMPA Bill in the Rajya Sabha in the next Parliamentary session. <a href="http://indianexpress.com/tag/congress/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Congress</a> has demanded some changes in the present Bill. Javadekar said establishing CAMPA was one of the most crucial steps in forest management.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
“We have to preserve forests. We cannot allow unnecessary activities in forests. Probably, only if you find uranium (a nuclear fuel) at a certain place (inside forest), you would be forced to disturb (forests). But (otherwise) you have to preserve all dense forests. And that is the policy of this government,” he said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
But the minister said there was no plan to demarcate ‘Go/No-Go’ areas as was done a few years ago to keep certain forest areas completely out of bounds for any mining, industrial or infrastructure activities. “That is not our decision. But we are already mapping the nature of forests, density and quality of forests on all criteria. And we are arriving at marks. Scorecard of forest areas at 1000 square metre blocks are being prepared. That will help us in managing activities in these areas,” Javadekar said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-11282361960484986542016-05-14T00:27:00.002-07:002016-05-14T00:27:35.013-07:00Water will continue to be scarce (The Hindu, 26 April 2016)<div class="art-horizantal-colored" style="background: rgb(239, 240, 248); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div id="hcenter" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img a="" ahmedabad.="" alt="SOlution: " and="" can="" class="main-image" conservation="" coping="" crisis.="" crops="" cultivation="" drought-hit="" farmer="" go="" height="429" in="" increased="" less="" long="" of="" promoting="" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02828/26TH_DROUGHT_2_2828398f.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; vertical-align: bottom;" the="" title="SOlution: " towards="" water-intensive="" water="" way="" width="635" with="" /></div>
</div>
<div class="photo-caption" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
AP</div>
SOlution: "Increased water conservation and promoting cultivation of less water-intensive crops can go a long way towards coping with the crisis." A farmer in drought-hit Ahmedabad.</div>
<div class="line zero15" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div id="article-block" style="border: 0px; margin: -12px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="article-text" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 12px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 640px;">
<div class="related-column" style="background-color: white; border-right-color: rgb(222, 222, 222); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; color: #3b3a39; float: left; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 5px 10px 6px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 125px; z-index: 1001;">
<div id="RepCont" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 1002;">
</div>
<div class="commonClear" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div id="RepCont" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 1002;">
</div>
<div class="commonClear" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div id="RepCont" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 1002;">
</div>
<div class="commonClear" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="rel-block" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="r-text" style="border: 0px; color: #9f9f9f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 3px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
TOPICS</div>
<h3 class="cat" style="border: 0px; color: #373535; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<a href="http://www.thehindu.com/tag/disaster-and-accident/651/" style="color: #1f57a5; display: block; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 6px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: none;">disaster and accident</a></h3>
</div>
</div>
<div class="articleLead" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
A focus on minor irrigation projects and drip irrigation could go a long way in coping with frequent crises.</h2>
</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
The incidence of drought can no longer be considered a rare event. Climate change has quickened the occurrence of extreme events such as <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/news/nandeds-drought-refugees/article8469342.ece" style="color: #1f57a5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_parent"><b style="outline: 0px;">drought,</b></a>floods and cyclones in different parts of India. It is alarming that the frequency and severity of such extreme events has increased in recent decades. India has experienced numerous drought years in the past, but the frequent recurrence after 1988 — in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2015 — is highly worrisome. It causes enormous hardships to resource-poor farmers, who are forced to fend themselves through sale of assets and migration to urban areas. Though the impact of drought varies across regions, it invariably affects human, livestock and natural resources.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
<img src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/archive/02828/Commen1_2828519a.jpg" style="border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="150px" />Severe <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/drought-issue-to-be-discussed-in-parliament/article8509792.ece" style="color: #1f57a5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_parent"><b style="outline: 0px;">drought conditions</b></a> are being experienced in some parts of the country this year as well. The Union government has already declared that the country is grappling with severe drought conditions which are estimated to have affected a sizeable population, nearly 330 million people. More than 50 per cent of the districts across the country have had rainfall deficit, many in tandem with high temperatures of above 45 degrees Celsius. The most severely affected States include Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Telangana. Given the current scenario, the government has initiated drought relief programmes to compensate crop losses, encourage judicious use of groundwater, and has sent ‘water trains’ to the highly water-scarce areas besides extending financial help to the States to cope with the emerging crisis.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
As much as these relief measures are essential to ease the <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/people-reel-under-drought-as-govt-looks-the-other-way-kishan/article8507593.ece" style="color: #1f57a5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_parent"><b style="outline: 0px;">drinking water shortage</b></a>, the problem is deep-rooted and has important implications for the agricultural sector that provides livelihood to almost 75 per cent of the population directly and indirectly. <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/onus-is-on-states-to-declare-drought-centre-tells-supreme-court/article8468062.ece" style="color: #1f57a5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_parent"><b style="outline: 0px;">Drought conditions</b></a><b style="outline: 0px;"> </b>would severely affect the production and the productivity of key crops viz. wheat and rice, which contribute substantially to India’s food basket. In a situation of a continuous decline in the level of water tables and low capacity of water reservoirs, irrigation would contribute little to help in the drought conditions.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">Scaling up irrigated area</b><br style="outline: 0px;" /><br style="outline: 0px;" />Government statistics have hardly shown any increase in the total net irrigated area, which has been hovering around 63 million hectares and constitutes only 45 per cent of the total area sown in the country. Some improvement in irrigation intensity has taken place in Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in recent years. But it appears to be insignificant in view of a massive increase in real public investment in major, medium and minor irrigation from Rs.235 billion in 2004-05 to Rs.309 billion in 2013-14. While the capital expenditure in major projects increased by 3.5 times, the investment in minor irrigation increased by 2.5 times only. A virtually stagnancy in irrigated area — especially of the area under canal irrigation — raises concerns about the efficiency of the ongoing investments and the quantum of investment that is further required to scale up area under irrigation.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
A study carried out by International Food Policy Research Institute shows a sharp drop in the marginal returns from additional public investment in major and medium irrigation from 1.41 per cent during the nineties to 0.12 per cent when expenditure incurred during the 2000s is also considered. Evidence also shows that the ratio of irrigation potential created from public expenditure is higher for minor irrigation projects than medium and large irrigation projects. Unfortunately, minor irrigation projects have received only scant attention from policymakers over time. Minor irrigation structures play a significant role in recharging of wells, drought mitigation and flood control.</div>
<div id="inarticle_wrapper_div" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">Long-term remedial options</b><br style="outline: 0px;" /><br style="outline: 0px;" />While the India Meteorological Department has forecast above average rainfall during the upcoming South-West monsoon and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley expressed confidence that agriculture would withstand the ongoing drought, the situation calls for long-term solutions. Increased water conservation and promoting cultivation of less water-intensive crops can go a long way towards coping with the crisis. The other remedial option could be to adopt drought-resistant crop varieties as has been done in some parts of Odisha for paddy/rice through the help of the International Rice Research Institute. This can maintain productivity and income of the farmers and also ensure price stability to the consumers. It is important for the government to sustain an increased investment in irrigation but at the same time gear up towards faster completion of the ongoing projects.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Micro irrigation system comprising drip and sprinkler irrigation has greater potential to improve water use efficiency in agriculture. Despite various promotional efforts undertaken by State governments, their level of adoption and spatial spread has remained low. Studies show that micro irrigation system helps save water, reduce cost of cultivation and improve crop yield. Various studies showed that the net return per inch of water supplied through drip irrigation was 60-80 per cent higher than that of conventional irrigation system. However, among others, high initial capital cost, suitability of designs to different soil conditions, problems in receiving subsidy and small holdings are reportedly affecting the adoption of this technology. Subsidy being an important factor influencing adoption decision of farmers, delay in disbursement and appropriation by better-off farmers seems to have affected the vast majority of resource-poor small and marginal farmers in accessing this technology.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana is a good policy initiative that would accelerate public investment in both micro and macro irrigation. During the recently organised India Water Week, 2016, India has also partnered with Israel, a water-scarce country, to learn and adopt innovative strategies to harness rainwater. Small vegetable-growing farmers near Solan, Himachal Pradesh, have long adopted Israel’s water-saving technology through the assistance of the Mother Dairy retail chain that procures their fresh produce. It is an opportune time to scale up technology adoption.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Finally, the shortage of drinking water can be addressed through promoting conservation and generating awareness among people to use the scarce resource with utmost care. Media reports indicate that the funds allocated by the Centre for drinking water projects have remained underutilised in many of the States hit by water scarcity. The States must act responsibly and gear up to come out of the current situation of water crisis.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
<i style="outline: 0px;">Seema Bathla and Elumalai Kannan are Professor and Associate Professor at the Centre for the Study of Regional Development at JNU, New Delhi.</i></div>
<div id="articleKeywords" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-81171045125691826012016-05-14T00:18:00.000-07:002016-05-14T00:18:00.844-07:00A new plan to clean up Yamuna (The Hindu, 6 May 2016)Damini Nath<br />
<br />
<div class="art-horizantal-colored" style="background: rgb(239, 240, 248); border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div id="hcenter" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Sorry sight: Last year, the Centre and Delhi government had set up a special purpose vehicle to execute projects to clean the Yamuna. Experts, however, say there has been no progress on the ground. (File photo)" class="main-image" height="507" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02842/05nddmn03-Yamun_DE_2842066f.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="Sorry sight: Last year, the Centre and Delhi government had set up a special purpose vehicle to execute projects to clean the Yamuna. Experts, however, say there has been no progress on the ground. (File photo)" width="636" /></div>
</div>
<div class="photo-caption" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
The Hindu</div>
Sorry sight: Last year, the Centre and Delhi government had set up a special purpose vehicle to execute projects to clean the Yamuna. Experts, however, say there has been no progress on the ground. (File photo)</div>
<div class="line zero15" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; clear: both; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="article-text" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="articleLead" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Over the years, both the Centre and Delhi government have spent thousands of crores on cleaning the river.</h2>
</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
A new plan to clean Yamuna, including removal of solid waste and preventing sewage from flowing into the river, is likely to be announced by the Union and Delhi governments soon.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
According to sources in the Delhi government, several measures to improve water quality and an overall plan to combat pollution in the Yamuna are likely to be revealed on Saturday. Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and Delhi Water Minister and chairperson of the Delhi Jal Board Kapil Mishra have had several meetings, and are expected to announce a plan soon.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Mr. Mishra told <i style="outline: 0px;">The Hindu</i>: “Things have been moving in a positive direction. Very soon you would see positive steps.”</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The measures are likely to include a Rs.700-crore fund from the Centre for sewage treatment plants at Kondli and Rithala. A new ghat for Chhat prayers is likely to be developed at ITO, while a steamer to collect solid waste from the river is also expected to be announced. Apart from these, Ms. Bharti and Mr. Mishra could issue a joint statement on the plans for cleaning the river.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
This isn’t the first time that the two governments have come together for the cause. Last year, the Centre and Delhi government had set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to execute projects to clean the Yamuna. Experts, however, say there has been no progress on the ground.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“No work has been done after the announcement of the SPV. Instead of announcing plans, the government should follow the National Green Tribunal’s judgment of last year that lays out a detailed blueprint,” said Manoj Misra, convenor of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Mr. Misra was referring to the NGT’s order titled ‘Maily se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project, 2017’, which issued strict measures for curbing pollution in the river. Among them was a total ban on construction on the floodplains, and the setting up of 15 mini-sewage treatment plants.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Over the years, both the Centre and Delhi government have spent thousands of crores on cleaning the river. Despite this, Delhi’s 18 major drains drop 3,500 million litres of water into the river every day.</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-20646372124566027082016-04-01T01:48:00.002-07:002016-04-01T01:48:37.122-07:00Review petition on NGT’s decision to allow mega event (The Hindu, 1 April 2016)<a href="http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/bindu-shajan-perappadan/" style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;"> BINDU SHAJAN PERAPPADAN</a><br />
<br />
<div class="art-horizantal-colored" style="background: rgb(239, 240, 248); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div id="hcenter" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img alt="" class="main-image" height="476" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02796/1DE_AOL_GAAC05PQV__2796810f.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="" width="636" /></div>
</div>
<div class="photo-caption" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="line zero15" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="article-text" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="articleLead" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<span class="cg-intext-span cg-intext-span-reset cgspnlink " data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" id="cg_intext_rt_search_8" style="background: none !important; border: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-stretch: inherit !important; font-style: inherit !important; font-variant: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important;"><a class="cg-intext-link-replace cgspnlink" data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" href="http://www.cgstatic.info/code/r.php?r=yahoo%7CSeeking%2520a%2520review%2520of&t=39&did=39&uid=2057381982_3232235780&type=bl&subid=raftxXYZcay%24&rkw=Seeking+a+review+of&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehindu.com%2Fnews%2Fcities%2FDelhi%2Freview-petition-on-ngts-decision-to-allow-mega-event%2Farticle8420293.ece&domain=thehindu.com&lnktype=10&v=0.128&browser=Chrome_49&country=IN&_=1459500530270" id="cg_intext_rt_search_8_link" style="background: none transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; color: #1f57a5; float: none !important; outline: 0px !important; position: relative !important;" target="_blank">Seeking a review of<span class="cg-intext-trigger debug-mode" style="background: none rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.298039) !important; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; float: none !important; height: 31.7188px; left: 0px; margin-left: -0.56685em; margin-top: -0.283425em; outline: 0px !important; padding: 1.1337em; position: absolute !important; top: 0px; width: 144px;"></span></a></span> the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) March 9 order allowing the cultural extravaganza by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living group on the Yamuna floodplains, a fresh plea has been filed before the court.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The court had allowed the function citing delay by petitioners, but slapped a fine of Rs. five crore on the group for damaging biodiversity and aquatic life of Yamuna.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The plea, filed by Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, has challenged the NGT order, which had dismissed his petition on the ground of “delay” by him in approaching the Tribunal.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Mr.Misra’s review application states: “question of delay would apply when an applicant watches the violation and springs into action after the construction is substantially completed. That is not the case here”. He added that in this case the construction by the foundation was in violation of the Tribunal's judgment dated January 13, 2015 which was immediately brought to the notice of the Tribunal by the applicant as a vigilant person.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Mr. Misra added that he had also written to the L-G of Delhi and the Delhi Development Authority pointing out that there was a legal injunction on any new construction on the floodplains.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Meanwhile, the plea, filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary further said that the question of delay would not apply if the Tribunal had stayed further development on February 8, 2016.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Mr. Misra said: “We are <span class="cg-intext-span cg-intext-span-reset cgspnlink " data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" id="cg_intext_rt_search_10" style="background: none !important; border: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-stretch: inherit !important; font-style: inherit !important; font-variant: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important;"><a class="cg-intext-link-replace cgspnlink" data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="cg_intext_rt_search_10_link" style="background: none transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; color: #1f57a5; float: none !important; outline: 0px !important; position: relative !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">seeking a review in<span class="cg-intext-trigger debug-mode" style="background: none rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.298039) !important; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; float: none !important; height: 31.7188px; left: 0px; margin-left: -0.56685em; margin-top: -0.283425em; outline: 0px !important; padding: 1.1337em; position: absolute !important; top: 0px; width: 140.391px;"></span></a></span> the interest of justice and to prevent miscarriage of justice”.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div id="articleKeywords" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="outline: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-44516987973065973982016-04-01T01:47:00.000-07:002016-04-01T01:47:01.048-07:00‘Clean-up by mid-April impossible’ (The Hindu, 1 April 2016)<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<li style="border: 0px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/bindu-shajan-perappadan/" style="color: #7f7f7f; outline: 0px;"><span class="tumbimg" style="display: inline-block; height: 35px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: middle; width: 35px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02781/Bindu_2781691j.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 35px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="" /></span> BINDU SHAJAN PERAPPADAN</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; text-transform: uppercase;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; text-transform: uppercase;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; text-transform: uppercase;">W</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">hen the National Green Tribunal (NGT) allowed the Art Of Living foundation to hold its three-day (March 11-13) World Culture Festival-2016 extravaganza on the ecologically sensitive Yamuna floodplains, it had directed the group to clean up the area “within a month of the event”.</span></div>
<div class="article-body" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
But a visit to the site revealed that the group may not be able to meet this deadline.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Workers engaged in dismantling the gigantic structures put up for the function said that “clearing the ground was simply not possible in the assigned time frame”.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“The massive stage – sprawled over seven acres covering 3,34,358 square feet, almost 100 feet tall and a width of 1,200 feet – will easily take till the end of April to dismantle and transport out. The target of clearing it out by mid-April doesn’t seem possible,” said a worker in the area.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
While the Art Of Living has already removed other temporary constructions which were put-up to accommodate seating arrangements for more than 11 lakh people daily and six towering floodlight masts, they maintained that their “volunteers on the field are working to ensure compliance” with the deadline.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“Most of the cleaning is complete. Only area around the stage is left, which will be done simultaneously as the stage is getting dismantled. The dismantling of the stage will be completed by April 13,” said Gautam Vig, spokesperson of Art Of Living.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Despite massive protests by environmentalists and months of litigation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art Of Living was able to secure an NGT nod for the mega event on the promise that minimal damage would be done to the area and that the group would clean up “within a month”.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“We have engaged help for housekeeping and cleaning, garbage collection and garbage removal from the venue, waste management for dustbin dissemination etc. Volunteers from are working on the ground to clean up. The volunteers will also continue participating in the clean-up work in the days to come,” the group said.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
</div>
<div id="articleKeywords" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="outline: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #3b3a39; float: none !important; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; height: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 0px !important;">
</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-25252051808998526042016-03-31T02:13:00.000-07:002016-03-31T02:13:09.915-07:00World culture festival: Two weeks later, a look at who is cleaning up the Yamuna (Indian Express, 31 March 2016)<span style="font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">In an official email, AOL had listed the agencies that would be involved in cleaning up the Yamuna floodplains, the festival venue, and said a team of volunteers would participate in the exercise </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<div class="editor" id="storycenterbyline" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #484848; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
Written by <a class="bulletProj" href="http://indianexpress.com/profile/author/kedar-nagarajan/" id="written_by1" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #a32020; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Kedar Nagarajan</a> | New Delhi | <span content="2016-03-31T05:15:29+00:00" itemprop="dateModified" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Published:March 31, 2016 5:15 am</span></div>
<div class="ImpulseAd" id="impulseadcontainer" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 2px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px 45px; outline: none; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -125px; width: 470px; z-index: 1;">
<div id="adtechAdContainer_14268614_415435694" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 120px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 550px; z-index: 26001;">
<div id="adtechAdContent_main_415435694" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(130px 550px 250px 0px); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 250px; left: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: -130px; width: 550px; z-index: 26002;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="no" height="250" id="adtechAdContent_main_415435694_iframe" mozallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="http://ads.pictela.net/rm/ads/224152/4438/index.html" style="border: 0px none transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 250px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; visibility: visible; width: 550px;" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="550"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">At the conclusion of the World Culture Festival, which faced much flak for the impact it would have on the Yamuna floodplains, founder of the Art of Living (AOL) Foundation — which organised the event — Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had said AOL volunteers would be involved in the clean-up.</span><br />
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
In an official email, AOL had listed the agencies that would be involved in cleaning up the Yamuna floodplains, the festival venue, and said a team of volunteers would participate in the exercise. Gautam Vig from AOL said, “The clean-up effort is going on. Volunteers have been coming in shifts. A lot of the plastic and food waste has been cleared by the volunteers. The event was a big one, therefore, it is unfair to expect that the clean-up will take place that soon. As is visible, most of it has been taken care of. The service is voluntary, so people cannot be made to come and clean up. But we have been actively taking part in the effort.”</div>
<div class="pageadd" id="div-gpt-ad-1429260192255-0" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="holder-article" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 5px auto 25px; max-width: 670px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 670px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="holder-article" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 5px auto 25px; max-width: 670px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 670px;">
Two weeks after the event, <a href="http://indianexpress.com/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">The Indian Express</a> visited the site and spoke to those on the ground involved in the clean-up process.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Raj Kumar (38), truck driver:</strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
Kumar is involved in transporting the pipes that formed part of the stage. He said he has been working at the site since the preparations for the event began. “I was part of the team that brought the pipes when the stage was being constructed. I have been coming to the site frequently. I spend about 8-9 hours a day on the job — loading the pipes into the truck, driving to Greater Noida, unloading them, putting them in the warehouse and then returning,” he said.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Bharat Singh Yadav (63), contract labourer:</strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
Yadav has been living and working at the WCF site since December. He was involved in setting up the stage, and is now working on dismantling it. He doesn’t complain about the long hours of work or the pay, but about the mosquitoes he has to deal with at the venue. “The fact that we are not paid enough money for the work we do is not new. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep for days. During the event, the lighting tests kept me awake. Now, it is the mosquitoes,” he said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Rajesh Kumar (24), employee of Uttar Pradesh’s Public Works Department that built the pontoon bridge:</strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
“I have been in and out of the venue since January. Our team is not that big; 20 to 25 workers are working on dismantling the bridge. More workers were involved during the construction of the bridge, but there have not been many after the event. I expected those of us still working to be paid more, but that has not happened. We are still paid the same Rs 500 a day, sometimes even less. After the event concluded, I was asked to clean up garbage as well. That is supposed to be done by others (volunteers), but they usually come for an hour or two and then leave,” he said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Rohtak (35), contract worker:</strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
He works for Third Wave, a company that supplied power generators for the event, and has been living at the site since the event ended.. “… in the few days since I have arrived, I have been asked to clear plastic waste from near the stage. The people with pink gloves (AOL volunteers) come once in a while, but they are never here for long. Only one or two of them remain,” he said.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Gajendra Singh (40), AOL volunteer:</strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
Near the banks of the river, where a great deal of plastic and food waste is still strewn around the place, Gajendra Singh, a volunteer for AOL, was spotted cleaning up the trash and putting them into garbage bags. “Many of the volunteers have not been coming since Holi. I have been here regularly, before, during and after the event. The other volunteers usually come for a short while in the morning and leave. Some can come only when they have holidays. In the meantime, I have cleared a lot of waste from near the stage. I hope I can soon remove the plastic waste from near the river,” he said.</div>
<div class="share-social" id="custom-share-id" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<div class="icons" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<span class="st_fblike_hcount" displaytext="Facebook Like" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 0px; margin: 3px 3px 0px; outline: none; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: bottom;"><div class="fb-like fb_iframe_widget" data-action="" data-href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/world-culture-festival-two-weeks-later-a-look-at-who-is-cleaning-up-the-yamuna/" data-layout="button_count" data-send="false" data-show-faces="false" fb-iframe-plugin-query="app_id=&container_width=0&href=http%3A%2F%2Findianexpress.com%2Farticle%2Findia%2Findia-news-india%2Fworld-culture-festival-two-weeks-later-a-look-at-who-is-cleaning-up-the-yamuna%2F&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&send=false&show_faces=false" fb-xfbml-state="rendered" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify; vertical-align: bottom; width: 80px;"></span></div>
</span></span></div>
</div>
<br />manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-25767330151251490942016-03-28T00:07:00.003-07:002016-03-28T00:07:45.479-07:00Too many cooks spoil the broth (The Hindu, 28 March 2016)<div class="articleLead" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></h2>
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="art-horizantal-colored" style="background: rgb(239, 240, 248); border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div id="hcenter" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img alt="The DDA does not own all the land along the 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi. Parts of the river's left bank, from Palla to Wazirabad, are under the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments. The eastern bank of the river from Loha Pul (old iron bridge) to Okhla is with the UP government.Photo: Shanker Chakravarty" class="main-image" height="346" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02791/28DE_IgTO_GSABVEGS_2791614f.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="The DDA does not own all the land along the 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi. Parts of the river's left bank, from Palla to Wazirabad, are under the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments. The eastern bank of the river from Loha Pul (old iron bridge) to Okhla is with the UP government.Photo: Shanker Chakravarty" width="635" /></div>
</div>
<div class="photo-caption" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
</div>
The DDA does not own all the land along the 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi. Parts of the river's left bank, from Palla to Wazirabad, are under the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments. The eastern bank of the river from Loha Pul (old iron bridge) to Okhla is with the UP government.Photo: Shanker Chakravarty</div>
</h2>
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></h2>
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
No coordination among agencies — each carrying out their own rejuvenation plan — is hurting the river</h2>
</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
: Amid all the “rejuvenation” plans for the Yamuna, which have been tasked to dozens of agencies, it's ultimately the river itself which has become a “victim”.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
For years, the central as well as the State governments involved have been discussing, drafting and constituting committees for the river, only to worsen the mesh of multiplicity of authority.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Apart from the slew of measures ordered by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) over a year ago, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in October last year had decided to introduce a legislation named, the Yamuna River and Flood Plain Development Bill, but nothing has happened after the announcement.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
In fact, sources say the proposed bill, which was aimed at eliminating multiplicity of authorities that has contributed to the river turning into a highly polluted waterway, has been scrapped now as “it was not feasible”. The legislation was to enable the Delhi government to create a separate agency to revive the river.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The issue of rampant encroachments along the floodplains, which fall under the Delhi Development Authority's jurisdiction remains unchecked.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Here too there's a catch: the DDA does not own all the land along the 22 km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“Parts of the river's left bank, from Palla to Wazirabad, are under the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments. The eastern bank of the river from Loha Pul (old iron bridge) to Okhla is with the UP government,” said a DDA official. Even then, encroachments continue unabated at the floodplains which are with the DDA.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Besides, the Flood and Irrigation Department of the Delhi government is also largely dissatisfied with the lack of quick response from the neighbouring states. “There are three barrages on the Yamuna as it meanders across the eastern side of Delhi. The Wazirabad Barrage is under the Delhi government, the ITO barrage is with the Haryana government and the one at Okhla is under the UP government. During peak rainy season, synchronising flood control with the other two States becomes a real challenge. And all this we need to do even after the river flows totally within our city,” said an official from the department.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Adding to the woes is the multiple parallel planning which have been going on for years without any coherence with each other. Multiple agencies are now working “to revive the Yamuna” - there is the Unified Centre for Rejuvenation of River Yamuna under L-G Najeeb Jung; then there is also a Special Purpose Vehicle, a legal entity created in August last year with participation from Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party government, to fulfil specific objectives. The blueprint for the project was to be prepared in the next 45 days, but the same has not been done even as seven months have passed.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The municipal corporations claim to have challaned around 700 people for dumping “debris” on the banks, but complain that full enforcement of the same is not possible as it is not mandated to impound those throwing “wastes”.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
At the same time, the Delhi Jal Board, which is responsible for treating sewage that flows into the river, rues of not having received enough funds to build “new” Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
This, despite the fact that the water utility currently is treating only 450 MGD of sewage out of the city’s installed capacity of 650 MGD.</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-88555689884605232182016-03-28T00:05:00.002-07:002016-03-28T00:05:29.682-07:00Yamuna action plan to be ready by June, focus on natural drains (The Hindu, 28 March 2016)Damini Nath<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="jcarousel-wrapper" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; margin: 0px 0px 6px 11px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="jCarouselHolder" data-jcarousel="true" id="article-new-carousel" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 8px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; position: relative; width: 574px;">
<ul style="border: 0px; left: -10px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; top: 0px; width: 2000em;">
<li style="border: 0px; float: left; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 10px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 564px;"><div id="pic" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 564px;">
<img alt="The AAP government’s action plan will focus on every drain that falls into the Yamuna, including the smaller ones that enter the Najafgarh and supplementary drains. file photos" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02791/28DE_DRAIN_GSAB_28_2791611g.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="The AAP government’s action plan will focus on every drain that falls into the Yamuna, including the smaller ones that enter the Najafgarh and supplementary drains. file photos" width="564" /></div>
<div class="photo-caption padright5" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 5px 3px 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
</div>
The AAP government’s action plan will focus on every drain that falls into the Yamuna, including the smaller ones that enter the Najafgarh and supplementary drains. file photos</div>
</li>
<li style="border: 0px; float: left; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 10px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 564px;"><div id="pic" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 564px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02791/28DE_DRAIN_GSAB_28_2791612g.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="" width="564" /></div>
<div class="photo-caption padright5" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 5px 3px 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jcarousel-control-next" data-jcarouselcontrol="true" style="background: url("../gfx/arrowsSprite.png") -198px 0px no-repeat; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; height: 32px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; right: -3px; top: 156.391px; width: 32px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="article-text" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="articleLead" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Instead of large-scale projects, the plan will include decentralised solutions</h2>
</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
: This summer, the Delhi Jal Board is likely to come up with a comprehensive action plan to clean the Yamuna that will include decentralised sewage treatment plants and focus on storm-water drains.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Kapil Mishra, the chairperson of the DJB, told <i style="outline: 0px;">The Hindu</i> that a detailed action plan will be made public by June. Mr. Mishra admitted that both the Centre and the Delhi government had spent huge sums of money over the years, but not much had changed.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Mr. Mishra had made an ambitious promise in June last year when he announced that he would take a dip in the Yamuna within three years, meaning that the water would be up to bathing standards.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Since then, the Delhi Jal Board has interacted with the public and experts on how the river can be saved.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“We have reached a stage now where our action plan for the next two years is almost ready. It will focus on each and every drain that falls into the Yamuna and the smaller ones that enter the Najafgarh and supplementary drains,” said Mr. Mishra.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Instead of large-scale projects, the plan will include decentralised solutions in the form of a group of projects. There will be separate plans for the natural drains, the main course of the river, the banks and for involving Delhiites.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
According to a senior DJB official, the focus on the river’s water alone won’t be enough.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“We have to go for a holistic approach. The whole space where the water flows needs to be revived. We need to start with the drains, which have become dumping grounds for the population nearby,” said the official.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Just installing more sewage treatment plants won’t work, said the official, as solid waste from the slums and unauthorised colonies along the drains finds its way into the water.</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-42127311562367384672016-03-28T00:04:00.000-07:002016-03-28T00:04:06.286-07:00It’s now or never for the Yamuna (The Hindu, 28 March 2016)Damini Nath<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="text-embed" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; float: left; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 15px 5px 0px; position: relative; width: 318px; z-index: 1;">
<div class="photo-caption" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 36px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
Religious paraphernalia floating in Yamuna nearITO bridge.photo: Shanker Chakravarty</div>
</div>
<div class="article-body" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="articleLead" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Decades after govts. and judges woke up to the state of the Yamuna, and after thousands of crores of rupees were spent, the river is as polluted as ever</h2>
</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The lifeline of the city is dying. The statement won't cause a controversy or shock anyone these days. The Yamuna has been dying for years. Some environmentalists say the river’s 22-km-long stretch in Delhi is already non-existent.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Decades after governments and judges woke up to the state of the Yamuna in Delhi, and after thousands of crores of rupees were spent, the river is essentially unchanged today.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Storm-water drains meant to carry excess surface run-off during the monsoon are still being used as makeshift sewers, with untreated waste entering the Yamuna from 22 outfalls.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
In January last year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) came out with a comprehensive plan to tackle pollution in the river when it gave its order on a petition filed by Manoj Misra, the convenor of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The order, titled ‘Maili Se Nirmal Yamuna project 2017’, banned construction on the floodplains, called for the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to set up 15 sewage treatment plants (STPs) and imposed an additional environment compensation on households producing sewage.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Over a year later, there is no perceptible change. “This order was our ‘now or never’ moment. The NGT came up with a detailed plan involving all the stakeholders and looking at all the possible factors. But, nothing has happened so far,” said Mr. Misra.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
He added that the only change in the river in the past year was the increased amount of water released by Haryana at the Hathni Kund barrage in that State.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“The river at Hathni Kund needs about 2,000 cusecs of environmental flow. Haryana was earlier releasing 160 cusecs. After the NGT order, they are releasing 352 cusecs,” said Mr. Misra.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
As a result, the river is perennial till it reaches Panipat in Haryana. When it reaches Palla, on the outskirts of Delhi, a portion of the river is diverted so it can be used for drinking water in the Capital.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
This “artificial” river, as Mr. Misra terms it, is a beautiful site. The water is still polluted, but is fit for drinking after conventional treatment.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
By the time it reaches Wazirabad treatment plant, the water is used up. “The river is sucked dry,” says Mr. Misra.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
A total of 3,500 million litres per day (MLD) of water – both treated and untreated – is released into the river through 18 major drains. By the time the river leaves Delhi, it has gained 70 per cent of its pollution in two per cent of its course, as per the Central Pollution Control Board.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Since the NGT order last year, the Delhi government and the DJB have been asked not to spend any money on sewerage infrastructure without the Tribunal’s consent.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The aim was to make sure that new treatment plants or sewers address the problem of pollution in the Yamuna.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
However, it seems to have backfired. The DJB is currently in the final leg of its ambitious Interceptor Sewer project, which will likely be launched in December.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The massive 59-km-long sewer will target the Najafgarh, Supplementary and Shahdara drains by carrying the waste water to a treatment plant before releasing it into the river. With the Najafagarh and Supplementary drains accounting for 66 per cent of the pollution in the river, this project will substantially improve the quality of Yamuna water.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“But, the NGT has ordered us to make new STPs, which will treat sewage in those areas that feed the Najafgarh and Supplementary drains. So we will be spending money to treat the sewage at these STPs, and then take the treated water through the Interceptor and treat it again. It is a huge waste of money,” said a senior DJB official.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
To make things worse, the Centre, which has otherwise talked a big game on cleaning the rivers, is yet to help financially.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“We have not received any funds from the Centre yet,” confirmed DJB chairperson Kapil Mishra.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
As Mr. Misra put it, it is now or never. Unfortunately, now it is looking like never.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-47360916167272056622016-03-21T01:24:00.002-07:002016-03-21T01:24:30.176-07:00‘Culture fest has altered floodplain ecosystem’ (The Hindu, 16 March 2016)<div class="article_content clearfix" itemprop="text" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<arttextxml><div class="section1" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="Normal" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 18px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<li style="border: 0px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/bindu-shajan-perappadan/" style="color: #7f7f7f; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="tumbimg" style="display: inline-block; height: 35px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: middle; width: 35px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02781/Bindu_2781691j.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 35px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="" /></span> BINDU SHAJAN PERAPPADAN</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The three-day cultural extravaganza organised by the Art of Living Foundation (AoL) has altered the fragile ecosystem of the Yamuna floodplains, say environmentalists.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
According to them, the event has left “a gasping floodplain, with hardened soil and stripped of its natural vegetation and water-recharging capabilities”.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“They have driven poles into the floodplains — for segregation, crowd management, and setting up lights and cellphone towers. This is a clear vio<span style="font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">lation of the National Green Tribunal order,” says environmentalist Anand Arya.</span></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Mr. Arya says that Delhi has lost its sand banks.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“The porous sand on the floodplains has been hardened due to the use of bricks, stones, and other material. The area will now lose its ability to recharge its water table,” he said.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“Levelling of ground damages the ecology and biodiversity of floodplains. A river is not just where the water channel is; it includes the surrounding area. Anything done in this area would cause damage to the river, whether one admits it or not,” said the environmentalist.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Representatives of AoL, however, say that no environmental harm has been done. They maintain that they only cleared debris from the floodplains, and that the ground was levelled to put carpets, chairs, etc.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The Foundation also claims to have appointed private agencies to clear garbage from the venue, clean mobile toilets, and fumigate the area.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The stage that was set up across seven acres at the venue will remain for another “two-three weeks”.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“Cleaning efforts will continue thereafter,” read a statement issued by AoL.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The choice of venue had come under fire from environmentalists, with the National Green Tribunal imposing a Rs. 5-crore fine on AoL as environmental compensation.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
<i style="outline: 0px;"><b style="outline: 0px;"></b></i></div>
<b style="outline: 0px;"><span style="color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span style="color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></span><div id="articleKeywords" style="border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="outline: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #3b3a39; float: none !important; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; height: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 0px !important;">
</div>
<div class="noline" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 0px 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 14px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="amzn" style="border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 641px;">
<center style="outline: 0px;">
<span id="Zedo-Ad=1408936_552_1_640_55;Domain=.zedo.com" style="outline: 0px;"></span></center>
</div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<span class="count8358645 c_p3" style="float: right; outline: 0px;"></span></div>
</b></div>
</div>
</div>
</arttextxml></div>
<div class="relatedarticle" style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(225, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 5px; color: #525252; font-family: proxima-semibold, 'roboto slab', roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 12px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul class="relstr_list" id="marketnews" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></ul>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-1142683634848305132016-03-21T01:20:00.002-07:002016-03-21T01:20:40.002-07:00DDA shelves riverfront plan? (Times of India, 15 March 2016)<div class="article_content clearfix" itemprop="text" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-regular1, roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<arttextxml><div class="section1" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="Normal" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
W DELHI: DDA seems to have shelved its riverfront development plans for now because of different views on the matter.<br style="content: "."; display: block;" /><br style="content: "."; display: block;" />Earlier, a central government-appointed expert committee headed by C R Babu, professor emeritus of DU, had almost reached a conclusion on how floodplains ought to be used and what kind of a riverfront was best suited for Delhi.<br style="content: "."; display: block;" /><br style="content: "."; display: block;" />The committee constituted by NGT had laid out detailed recommendations in April 2014 in a report, "Restoration and Conservation of Yamuna", which factored in the vulnerability of the floodplains. It had also observed that DDA's earlier plan that involved several constructions of walkways, parking lots, cafeteria and others were "untenable". But more than a year after the tribunal ordered that the riverfront be developed accordingly, DDA hasn't started any work on ground.<br style="content: "."; display: block;" /><br style="content: "."; display: block;" />The reason is complicated. DDA sources told TOI that the authority had proposed an extensive plan making recreational use of the floodplains. The Babu committee, thereafter, submitted a different plan laying stress on environmental factors. "The ministry of shipping too has a different view on what should be a riverfront. Then, you have the Unified Centre for Rejuvenation of River Yamuna (UCRY) under LG Najeeb Jung. All these versions need to be discussed. We couldn't implement Babu's plan because of these issues," said a DDA official.<div class="last8brdiv" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;">
<div class="sponsor_block clearfix loaded" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(235, 235, 235); border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(235, 235, 235); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px; display: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 20px auto; padding: 15px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 665px;">
<ul class="colombiatracked" data-ad-size="[0,370]" data-autoplay="false" data-callback="sponsorAdSuccess" data-cb="processCtnAds" data-desc-len="90" data-expansion-size="[0,380]" data-loop="0" data-native-tmpl="ctn_midarticle" data-native-vid-tmpl="ctn_belly_vid" data-position="514013201" data-skew="0" data-slot="129146" id="129146-514013201" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; max-height: 430px !important; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h4 class="ad_title" style="border: 0px; color: #3ca2c8; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; max-height: 40px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" pg="RHS#AcrossWebVid#undefined" style="cursor: pointer; opacity: 0.8;" target="">#BMWstories – The enthusiast from Kerala</a></h4>
<div class="ad_brand" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
BMW</div>
<div class="ctn-vid-ad" data-played="true" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 645px;">
<iframe class="ctn-vid-ad-iframe" frameborder="0" height="370px" id="129146-514013201-iframe" scrolling="no" src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ads_native_video_dev.cms" style="background-color: black; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="100%"></iframe></div>
</ul>
<div class="alR" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="clmblogo" style="border: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; max-height: 40px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Recommended By Colombia<span class="clmcup" style="background: url("/photo/48374813.cms") 0px 0px no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; float: right; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 14px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 14px;"></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br style="content: "."; display: block;" /><div class="last7brdiv" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<br style="content: "."; display: block;" />The ministry of shipping had even conducted a pre-feasibility study and found the Palla-Wazirabad stretch of the Yamuna to be navigable and the Wazirabad-Okhla stretch suitable for limited transport.<div class="last6brdiv" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<br style="content: "."; display: block;" /><div class="last5brdiv" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;">
</div>
<br style="content: "."; display: block;" />Experts, however, feel non-implementation of the Babu report is not only a violation of the NGT's judgment but also allows events like World Culture Festival to be held on the floodplains. "DDA could've started conserving the floodplains by developing wetlands by now if it started implementing NGT's orders. It's clear that DDA didn't own up the plan given to them," said Manoj Mishra whose petition against WCF and pollution in the Yamuna led to the NGT's judgement on the riverfront.<div class="last4brdiv" data-topcmt-status="true" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;">
<div class="show_wdgt topcomment" style="border-top-color: rgb(54, 54, 54); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 5px 0px 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 35px 18px 40px 0px; padding: 10px 10px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 230px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div class="msg" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; font-family: proxima-semibold, 'roboto slab', roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Latest</span> Comment</h2>
<span class="cmnttxt" style="border: 0px; color: #555555; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THIS COUNTRY WILL NEVER PROGRESS AS WE HAVE TOO MANY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE WITH FOOLISH IDEAS. ..GOVERMENT OF THIS COUNTRY ONLY TAKE UP PROJECTS WHERE THEY CAN SWINDLE MONEY....THIS COUNTRY NEEDS DICTATORSHIP. .....</span><span class="cmntauthor" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Arif Kamal</span></div>
<input class="btn" data-type="allcomment" pg="TopComment#SeeAllComments#http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/DDA-shelves-riverfront-plan/articleshow/51401320.cms" style="background: rgb(89, 88, 88); border: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; float: left; font-family: proxima-regular1, roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 10px; margin: 10px 0px -30px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-top: 4px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: middle;" type="button" value="See All Comments" /><input class="btn" data-type="addcomment" pg="TopComment#AddComment#http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/DDA-shelves-riverfront-plan/articleshow/51401320.cms" style="background: rgb(55, 172, 205); border: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; float: right; font-family: proxima-regular1, roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 10px; margin: 10px 0px -30px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-top: 4px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: middle;" type="button" value="Add Comment" /></div>
</div>
<br style="content: "."; display: block;" /><div class="last3brdiv" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<br style="content: "."; display: block;" />It appears that DDA wants the riverfront to be used for a number of public and recreational facilities. However, the Babu committee which also had A K Gosain of IIT Delhi and former JNU professor Brij Gopal, said that "construction of public facilities by effecting topographic changes will reduce the flood carrying capacity and aggravate flooding besides causing pollution". In 2014, there was also a major uproar against a proposal to develop Yamuna's riverfront along the lines of Gujarat's Sabarmati river, which would involve reclaiming floodplains and "developing" them.<div class="last2brdiv" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<br style="content: "."; display: block;" /><div class="last1brdiv" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<br style="content: "."; display: block;" />Mishra cautions, "The western nations have made many mistakes because of which they are now facing severe floods. Floodplains are crucial to avoid floods." Babu said along with wetlands, limited agriculture and pisiculture can be considered once Yamuna starts recovering.</div>
</div>
</arttextxml><div class="photogallery34" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="relatedarticle" style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgb(225, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 5px; color: #525252; font-family: proxima-semibold, 'roboto slab', roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 12px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /><ul class="relstr_list" id="marketnews" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></ul>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-50369972226440229492016-03-21T01:15:00.001-07:002016-03-21T01:15:10.993-07:00Post festivities, clean-up act begins on Yamuna floodplains (The Hindu, 15 March 2016)Staff Reporter<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="jcarousel-wrapper" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; margin: 0px 0px 6px 11px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="jCarouselHolder" data-jcarousel="true" id="article-new-carousel" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 8px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; position: relative; width: 574px;">
<ul style="border: 0px; left: -10px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 10px; position: relative; top: 0px; width: 2000em;">
<li style="border: 0px; float: left; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 10px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 564px;"><div id="pic" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 564px;">
<img alt="A ragpicker collects plastic bottles (above), while a volunteer clears up the site where the three-day mega event was held.Photos: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02775/DE15_STAGE_GUVB_DE_2775033g.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="A ragpicker collects plastic bottles (above), while a volunteer clears up the site where the three-day mega event was held.Photos: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar" width="564" /></div>
<div class="photo-caption padright5" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 5px 3px 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
</div>
A ragpicker collects plastic bottles (above), while a volunteer clears up the site where the three-day mega event was held.Photos: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar</div>
</li>
<li style="border: 0px; float: left; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px 10px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 564px;"><div id="pic" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 564px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02775/DE15_STAGE_GUVB_DE_2775034g.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="" width="564" /></div>
<div class="photo-caption padright5" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 5px 3px 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jcarousel-control-next" data-jcarouselcontrol="true" style="background: url("../gfx/arrowsSprite.png") -198px 0px no-repeat; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; height: 32px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; right: -3px; top: 152.391px; width: 32px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="article-text" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="articleLead" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
It <span class="cg-intext-span cg-intext-span-reset cgspnlink " data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" id="cg_intext_rt_search_2" style="background: none !important; border: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-stretch: inherit !important; font-style: inherit !important; font-variant: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important;"><a class="cg-intext-link-replace cgspnlink" data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="cg_intext_rt_search_2_link" style="background: none transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; color: #1f57a5; float: none !important; outline: 0px !important; position: relative !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">will take<span class="cg-intext-trigger debug-mode" style="background: none rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.298039) !important; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; float: none !important; height: 36.25px; left: 0px; margin-left: -0.56685em; margin-top: -0.283425em; outline: 0px !important; padding: 1.1337em; position: absolute !important; top: 0px; width: 74.3906px;"></span></a></span> weeks before the World Culture Festival venue is cleared of erected structures</h2>
</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
t <span class="cg-intext-span cg-intext-span-reset cgspnlink " data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" id="cg_intext_rt_search_4" style="background: none !important; border: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-stretch: inherit !important; font-style: inherit !important; font-variant: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important;"><a class="cg-intext-link-replace cgspnlink" data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="cg_intext_rt_search_4_link" style="background: none transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; color: #1f57a5; float: none !important; outline: 0px !important; position: relative !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">will take<span class="cg-intext-trigger debug-mode" style="background: none rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.298039) !important; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; float: none !important; height: 31.7188px; left: 0px; margin-left: -0.56685em; margin-top: -0.283425em; outline: 0px !important; padding: 1.1337em; position: absolute !important; top: 0px; width: 62.3906px;"></span></a></span> weeks before the site of the Art of Living Foundation’s three-day World Culture Festival, which ended on Sunday, is freed of the massive seven-acre stage and other structures put up there.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The venue on the <span class="cg-intext-span cg-intext-span-reset cgspnlink " data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" id="cg_intext_rt_search_6" style="background: none !important; border: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-stretch: inherit !important; font-style: inherit !important; font-variant: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important;"><a class="cg-intext-link-replace cgspnlink" data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" href="http://www.cgstatic.info/code/r.php?r=yahoo%7CYamuna%2520floodplains&t=39&did=39&uid=2057381982_3232235780&type=bl&subid=raftxXYZcay%24&rkw=Yamuna+floodplains&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehindu.com%2Fnews%2Fcities%2FDelhi%2Fpost-festivities-cleanup-act-begins-on-yamuna-floodplains%2Farticle8358324.ece%3Futm_source%3DRSS_Feed%26utm_medium%3DRSS%26utm_campaign%3DRSS_Syndication&domain=thehindu.com&lnktype=10&v=0.126&browser=Chrome_49&country=IN&_=1458548146972" id="cg_intext_rt_search_6_link" style="background: none transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; color: #1f57a5; float: none !important; outline: 0px !important; position: relative !important;" target="_blank">Yamuna floodplains<span class="cg-intext-trigger debug-mode" style="background: none rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.298039) !important; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; float: none !important; height: 31.7188px; left: 0px; margin-left: -0.56685em; margin-top: -0.283425em; outline: 0px !important; padding: 1.1337em; position: absolute !important; top: 0px; width: 150px;"></span></a></span> hosted thousands of artistes and lakhs of visitors from across the world.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The festival, however, attracted the ire of the National Green Tribunal after environmentalists filed petitions asking for the venue to be shifted as no construction was allowed on the floodplains.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Though the NGT ultimately allowed the festival to happen, it imposed a fine of Rs. 5 crore on the Foundation.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
On Monday, workers of private cleaning and housekeeping companies hired by AoL began clearing the venue of the huge amount of litter strewn around. Posters, pamphlets and garbage could be seen on the ground as workers and volunteers began cleaning up. “The structure of the 7-acre stage <span class="cg-intext-span cg-intext-span-reset cgspnlink " data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" id="cg_intext_rt_search_8" style="background: none !important; border: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-stretch: inherit !important; font-style: inherit !important; font-variant: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important;"><a class="cg-intext-link-replace cgspnlink" data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="cg_intext_rt_search_8_link" style="background: none transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; color: #1f57a5; float: none !important; outline: 0px !important; position: relative !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">will take<span class="cg-intext-trigger debug-mode" style="background: none rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.298039) !important; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; float: none !important; height: 31.7188px; left: 0px; margin-left: -0.56685em; margin-top: -0.283425em; outline: 0px !important; padding: 1.1337em; position: absolute !important; top: 0px; width: 62.3906px;"></span></a></span> two to three weeks to dismantle. The cleaning efforts will continue thereafter,” the Art of Living Foundation said in a statement.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The Foundation added that the contract for cleaning had been given to Hemant Gaekwad, who also works for the Prime Minister’s Office and Rashtrapati Bhawan.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
Meanwhile, the potential impact of the mega event on the ecologically-sensitive floodplains will be assessed in the coming week. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), which had issued directions to the Foundation to follow environmental norms, will conduct an inspection with other members of a committee set up by the NGT.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“The directions issued with regard to waste disposal, waste water and air quality are statutory. It is a criminal offence if they are not followed,” said a senior DPCC official.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which had given the land for the festival, will be waiting and watching as well.</div>
<div class="body" style="outline: 0px;">
“If the organiser does not return the land to us in the condition it was handed over to them, we will deduct the money from the security deposit and carry out the cleaning ourselves,” said a DDA official.</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-3063358172141612832016-03-21T01:12:00.000-07:002016-03-21T01:12:04.910-07:00Sri Sri explains NGT cess climbdown, blames media (Indian Express, 13 March 2016)<div class="row" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 1200px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 1200px;">
<div class="heading-part" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-color: rgb(218, 218, 218); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 10px 0px 20px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 10px 10px; position: relative;">
<h2 class="synopsis" itemprop="description" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
“I have never even paid a late exam fee in school. When I have done no wrong, I said I won’t pay a fine. But when I learnt that the media had reported it wrongly... that it was not a fine, but a cess... we paid,” Sri Sri said to an audience comprising a number of political leaders.</h2>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-stretch: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 1200px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 1200px;">
<div class="leftpanel" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-stretch: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 650px;">
<div class="story-details" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-stretch: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<div class="main-story" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 10px; width: 640px;">
<div class="articles" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-stretch: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 640px;">
<div class="full-details" itemprop="articleBody" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; width: 640px;">
<div class="share-social" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<div class="comments" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<div class="icons" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<span class="st_fblike_hcount" displaytext="Facebook Like" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 0px; margin: 3px 3px 0px; outline: none; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: bottom;"><div class="fb-like fb_iframe_widget" data-action="" data-href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" data-layout="button_count" data-send="false" data-show-faces="false" fb-iframe-plugin-query="app_id=&container_width=0&href=http%3A%2F%2Findianexpress.com%2Farticle%2Findia%2Findia-news-india%2Fsri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media%2F&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&send=false&show_faces=false" fb-xfbml-state="rendered" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify; vertical-align: bottom; width: 83px;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" class="" frameborder="0" height="1000px" name="f260bae99a7ee18" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?app_id=&channel=http%3A%2F%2Fstaticxx.facebook.com%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter.php%3Fversion%3D42%23cb%3Df1a619fdac7df74%26domain%3Dindianexpress.com%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Findianexpress.com%252Ff3e7e9e2c8ffea%26relation%3Dparent.parent&container_width=0&href=http%3A%2F%2Findianexpress.com%2Farticle%2Findia%2Findia-news-india%2Fsri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media%2F&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&send=false&show_faces=false" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 83px;" title="fb:like Facebook Social Plugin" width="1000px"></iframe></span></div>
</span></span> <span class="st_facebook_hcount" displaytext="Facebook" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span class="stButton" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 3px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span class="stMainServices st-facebook-counter" style="background-image: url("/images/facebook_counter.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 0px; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 60px;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #484848; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 16px;">m</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span itemprop="image" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="border-color: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-style: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; outline: none; padding: 0px;"></span></span><span class="custom-caption" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(219, 219, 219); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #747474; display: block; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><img alt="sri sri ravi shankar, art of living, world culture festival, world culture festival new delhi, natioanl green tribunal on world culture festival" class="size-full wp-image-2700708" src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/03/gurudev-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-2.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: middle; width: 640px;" />The second day of the event also saw saints and community leaders, from religions around the globe, speak about world peace.</span><div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 28px;">On the second day of the World Culture Festival, Art of Living (AOL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar blamed the media while explaining why AOL had paid the first installment of the cess imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Friday, despite his initial refusal to pay the Rs 5 crore fine the NGT had asked for.</span><span style="line-height: 28px;">“I have never even paid a late exam fee in school. When I have done no wrong, I said I won’t pay a fine. But when I learnt that the media had reported it wrongly... that it was not a fine, but a cess... we paid,” Sri Sri said to an audience comprising a number of political leaders.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;"> sri sri ravi shankar, art of living, world culture festival, world culture festival new delhi, natioanl green tribunal on world culture festival The second day of the event also saw saints and community leaders, from religions around the globe, speak about world peace.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">On the second day of the World Culture Festival, Art of Living (AOL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar blamed the media while explaining why AOL had paid the first installment of the cess imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Friday, despite his initial refusal to pay the Rs 5 crore fine the NGT had asked for.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">“I have never even paid a late exam fee in school. When I have done no wrong, I said I won’t pay a fine. But when I learnt that the media had reported it wrongly… that it was not a fine, but a cess… we paid,” Sri Sri said to an audience comprising a number of political leaders including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, along with governors and chief ministers from several states.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Maybe someone called up NGT to clear Sri Sri event: Cong leader Jairam Ramesh5 crore becomes 5 per cent the day after Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says he won’t pay NGT fineEverything’s fine, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, except the fineWill go to jail but not pay a penny: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on NGT fineCan revoke licence if Art of Living doesn't pay Rs 5 crore fine: NGTSri Sri Ravi Shankar event gets NGT nod, Art of Living fined Rs 5 croreMaybe someone called up NGT to clear Sri Sri event: Cong leader Jairam Ramesh5 crore becomes 5 per cent the day after Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says he won’t pay NGT fineEverything’s fine, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, except the fineWill go to jail but not pay a penny: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on NGT fineCan revoke licence if Art of Living doesn't pay Rs 5 crore fine: NGTSri Sri Ravi Shankar event gets NGT nod, Art of Living fined Rs 5 croreMaybe someone called up NGT to clear Sri Sri event: Cong leader Jairam Ramesh5 crore becomes 5 per cent the day after Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says he won’t pay NGT fineEverything’s fine, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, except the fineWill go to jail but not pay a penny: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on NGT fineCan revoke licence if Art of Living doesn't pay Rs 5 crore fine: NGTSri Sri Ravi Shankar event gets NGT nod, Art of Living fined Rs 5 crore</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">The second day of the event also saw saints and community leaders, from religions around the globe, speak about world peace. Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, grand mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic, Reverend Gunnar Stalsett, Bishop Emeritus of Oslo, Mufti Mohammad Saeed Khan, founder of Madani Trust in Pakistan, Ram Bhadracharya, founder and head of Tulsi peeth in Mathura, were among the speakers.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">While Hassoun called for “unification of the good people of all religions”, Mufti Mohammad Saeed Khan and Sri Sri raised slogans in favour of both India and Pakistan.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Congratulating Sri Sri, Swaraj said, “For three days, Guruji has converted Delhi into a vishwa nagari (global city)”.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">She said she was not surprised at the scale of the event, adding, “I know Guruji can have an event of this scale, not just in Delhi, but anywhere in the world. I took him to New York during the International Yoga Day. He was nearly mobbed at Times Square amid cheers of Sri Sri,” she said.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">Sisodia said the event showcased the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is your family) philosophy of India. He also urged people to remember the contribution of farmers. “This event could be organised on the banks of Yamuna because farmers vacated their land… for us. I would like to remind us all that whatever we can do for this land, to help them in their work, we must do,” said Sisodia.</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Droid Serif, serif;"><span style="line-height: 28px;">- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/#sthash.BFHtX7Ks.dpuf</span></span></div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
“I have never even paid a late exam fee in school. When I have done no wrong, I said I won’t pay a fine. But when I learnt that the media had reported it wrongly… that it was not a fine, but a cess… we paid,” Sri Sri said to an audience comprising a number of political leaders including Union Home Minister <a href="http://indianexpress.com/profile/politician/rajnath-singh/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #346f99; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Rajnath Singh</a>, External Affairs Minister <a href="http://indianexpress.com/profile/politician/sushma-swaraj-2/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #346f99; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Sushma Swaraj</a>, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, along with governors and chief ministers from several states.</div>
<div class="holder-article" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 5px auto 25px; max-width: 670px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 640px;">
<div class="cara-article" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 168, 208); border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 168, 208); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 2px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 120px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative; width: 475px;">
<div class="bx-wrapper" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<div class="bx-viewport" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 70px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 475px;">
<ul class="rel-article" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; transform: translate3d(-1506px, 0px, 0px); transition-duration: 0s; width: 3871.25px;"><br />
<li class="bx-clone" style="background: rgb(240, 240, 240); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; content: inherit !important; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 70px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 10px 0px 3px; position: relative; width: 475px;"><a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ngt-world-culture-festival-can-cancel-event-if-rs-5-crore-fine-not-paid/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/03/yamuna-480.jpg?w=450?w=65" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 65px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 65px;" /><span class="text" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; width: 210px;">Can revoke licence if Art of Living doesn't pay Rs 5 crore fine: NGT</span></a></li>
<li class="bx-clone" style="background: rgb(240, 240, 240); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; content: inherit !important; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 70px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 10px 0px 3px; position: relative; width: 475px;"><a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/live-world-culture-festival-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-yamuna-parliament-rajya-sabha/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2015/12/rajya-sabha-480.jpg?w=450?w=65" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 65px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 65px;" /><span class="text" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; width: 210px;">Sri Sri Ravi Shankar event gets NGT nod, Art of Living fined Rs 5 crore</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="bx-controls bx-has-pager bx-has-controls-direction" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 10px; width: 142.5px;">
<div class="bx-pager bx-default-pager" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 1px 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link active" data-slide-index="0" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" style="background: rgb(0, 168, 208); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">1</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="1" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">2</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="2" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">3</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="3" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">4</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="4" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">5</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="5" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">6</a></div>
</div>
<div class="bx-controls-direction" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-prev" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/vip/indianexpress/style/../images/sprite.png"); background-origin: initial; background-position: -602px -88px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px; position: absolute; right: 125px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; top: -4px; width: 13px;">Prev</a><a class="bx-next" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sri-sri-explains-ngt-cess-climbdown-blames-media/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/vip/indianexpress/style/../images/sprite.png"); background-origin: initial; background-position: -617px -88px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; top: -4px; width: 13px;">Next</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
The second day of the event also saw saints and community leaders, from religions around the globe, speak about world peace. Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, grand mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic, Reverend Gunnar Stalsett, Bishop Emeritus of Oslo, Mufti Mohammad Saeed Khan, founder of Madani Trust in Pakistan, Ram Bhadracharya, founder and head of Tulsi peeth in Mathura, were among the speakers.</div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
While Hassoun called for “unification of the good people of all religions”, Mufti Mohammad Saeed Khan and Sri Sri raised slogans in favour of both India and Pakistan.</div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
Congratulating Sri Sri, Swaraj said, “For three days, Guruji has converted Delhi into a vishwa nagari (global city)”.</div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
She said she was not surprised at the scale of the event, adding, “I know Guruji can have an event of this scale, not just in Delhi, but anywhere in the world. I took him to New York during the International Yoga Day. He was nearly mobbed at Times Square amid cheers of Sri Sri,” she said.</div>
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
Sisodia said the event showcased the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is your family) philosophy of India. He also urged people to remember the contribution of farmers. “This event could be organised on the banks of Yamuna because farmers vacated their land… for us. I would like to remind us all that whatever we can do for this land, to help them in their work, we must do,” said Sisodia.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-27093858375654566862016-03-21T01:02:00.002-07:002016-03-21T01:02:31.201-07:00Shoddy arrangements expose loopholes (The Hindu, 12 March 2016)Shiv Sunny<br />
<br />
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The venue of the World Culture Festival, a three-kilometre walk from the main road, gave the visitors a tough time.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Getting to the venue from the main road proved to be a challenge for people, many of who were senior citizens. The long walk on hurriedly-created muddy paths through agricultural fields turned out to be unexpected for most.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Private vehicles had to be parked far away from the venue and there were no transport arrangements ahead. The few cycle rickshaws plying on the routes were asked to keep away as the crowd swelled. Further, there were not enough pointers in place to guide people to the venue, which led to chaos as the visitors did not know about the different entrances and where they would be seated. Since men and women had separate entries, many people were seen exchanging phone numbers with their family so that they could meet up later.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Though five layers of security had been put in place, the checks were relatively poor considering the risk involved with a gathering of this extent. While visitors had to walk through metal detectors, bags were checked only manually — and often superficially — by the security staff trying to trying to protect themselves from the rain.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Pressed into security services were personnel of the Delhi Police, the CRPF and BSF, and the National Security Guards. Also, amid the public were some policemen — their number very small as compared to the gathering. Though the NDRF also went about patrolling the Yamuna in boats even as people walked above on the temporary bridge built by the Indian Army, it was mostly the Art of Living Foundation volunteers guiding people to their enclosures.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The arrangements for the general public appeared to be a disaster waiting to happen in case of an emergency. While there were directions to ‘emergency exits’, there could have been confusion if the huge gathering rushed out together towards the narrow bridges.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The rain, meanwhile, only did more damage as the muddy ground and the routes leading to and from the venue turned slippery. People were barely able to walk a few steps without landing in a pool of rain water. Also, there was a power failure for at least 10 minutes during the programme. The gathering, however, sat through the darkness without complaining.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The cultural show for the general public was mostly about getting the “feel” of attending it. Even standing on chairs did not help much as little of what was happening on the stage was visible. Since many of the visitors were several hundred metres away from the stage, they had to rely on the audio alone.</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-66198403863423205542016-03-21T01:01:00.000-07:002016-03-21T01:01:11.566-07:00Mega event makes a slippery start (The Hindu, 12 March 2016)Shiv Sunny<br />
<br />
<div class="art-horizantal-colored" style="background: rgb(239, 240, 248); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div id="hcenter" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img alt="The rain affected the evacuation plans put in place in case of an emergency.Photo : R. V. Moorthy" class="main-image" height="414" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02771/DE12_ENTRANCE_P_DE_2771702f.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="The rain affected the evacuation plans put in place in case of an emergency.Photo : R. V. Moorthy" width="636" /></div>
</div>
<div class="photo-caption" style="border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
</div>
The <span class="cg-intext-span cg-intext-span-reset cgspnlink " data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" id="cg_intext_rt_search_4" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; background-position: initial !important; background-repeat: initial !important; background-size: initial !important; border: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-stretch: inherit !important; font-style: inherit !important; font-variant: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important;"><a class="cg-intext-link-replace cgspnlink" data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="cg_intext_rt_search_4_link" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; background-position: initial !important; background-repeat: initial !important; background-size: initial !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; color: #1f57a5; float: none !important; outline: 0px !important; position: relative !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">rain affected<span class="cg-intext-trigger debug-mode" style="background: none rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.298039) !important; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; float: none !important; height: 27.1875px; left: 0px; margin-left: -0.56685em; margin-top: -0.283425em; outline: 0px !important; padding: 1.1337em; position: absolute !important; top: 0px; width: 80.3906px;"></span></a></span> the evacuation plans put in place in case of an emergency.Photo : R. V. Moorthy</div>
<div class="line zero15" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="article-text" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="articleLead" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Despite the weatherman forecasting rain for the Capital, visitors at the World Culture Festival seemed to be caught unaware as brief but strong showers left most of them drenched and shivering.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The rain ultimately subsided and gave way to sunshine and a rainbow just before the three-day mega event started, but by then the venue was dotted with small pools of water.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Though the floor mats at the venue prevented damage to a certain extent, the ground outside and the path leading to the main road were rendered slippery. The muddy ground also affected the evacuation plans put in place in case of an emergency.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Dark clouds had started forming around 3.30 p.m. with a drizzle beginning soon after. But, this did not deter the visitors, who continued to walk the three kilometres from the main road to the venue. The real challenge, however, began at 4.15 p.m. when it started raining.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
With no roof overhead, the general public seemed to have no option. While most people tried to find some cover under the plastic sheets at the stalls here, a few decided to brave the rain. A few others, meanwhile, stood with chairs over their heads during the brief hailstorm. Very few people were seen carrying umbrellas.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Ironically, there were no arrangements in place even for the police and other security personnel, who mostly looked for cover at the few stalls around.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The showers also affected the video screens installed at the venue. As a result, the organisers could relay only the audio for the programmes.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
The rain, however, did not <span class="cg-intext-span cg-intext-span-reset cgspnlink " data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" id="cg_intext_rt_search_6" style="background: none !important; border: 0px !important; float: none !important; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: inherit !important; font-stretch: inherit !important; font-style: inherit !important; font-variant: inherit !important; font-weight: inherit !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; width: auto !important;"><a class="cg-intext-link-replace cgspnlink" data-type-id="10" data-type="yahoo" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="cg_intext_rt_search_6_link" style="background: none transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; color: #1f57a5; float: none !important; outline: 0px !important; position: relative !important; text-decoration: underline !important;">dampen the enthusiasm of<span class="cg-intext-trigger debug-mode" style="background: none rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.298039) !important; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: border-box !important; float: none !important; height: 31.7188px; left: 0px; margin-left: -0.56685em; margin-top: -0.283425em; outline: 0px !important; padding: 1.1337em; position: absolute !important; top: 0px; width: 195.594px;"></span></a></span> the attendees with the host of the event later calling it ‘showers of joy’.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“We knew it would rain today. It has only added to the excitement of the festival,” said Ravi Kant, a youth who has come visiting from Bihar, while trying to dry his shirt.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
“I am in Delhi only to attend this festival. I have to ensure that I have a dry shirt for the night,” said Mr. Kant who had plans of spending the night at the venue.</div>
<div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px;">
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the venue after the rain had stopped. Even as the crowd indulged in chants of ‘Modi, Modi’, some in the public credited the Prime Minister’s arrival for the rain stopping.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div id="articleKeywords" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="outline: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-8843242987369146442016-03-21T00:57:00.002-07:002016-03-21T00:57:37.092-07:00At Sri Sri event, Modi attacks critics of cultural heritage (The Hindu, 12 March 2016)<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<li style="border: 0px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/nistula-hebbar/" style="color: #7f7f7f; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="tumbimg" style="display: inline-block; height: 35px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: middle; width: 35px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02635/Nistula_jpg_2635467j.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 35px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="" /></span> NISTULA HEBBAR</a></li>
<li style="border: 0px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/profile/author/bindu-shajan-perappadan/" style="color: #7f7f7f; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="tumbimg" style="display: inline-block; height: 35px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 2px; vertical-align: middle; width: 35px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02781/Bindu_2781691j.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 35px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="" /></span> BINDU SHAJAN PERAPPADAN</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<div class="art-horizantal-colored" style="background: rgb(239, 240, 248); border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div id="hcenter" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<img alt="PM Narendra Modi with Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the opening session of the three-day World Culture Festival on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi on Friday." class="main-image" height="477" src="http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02771/TH12_MODI_2771247f.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="PM Narendra Modi with Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the opening session of the three-day World Culture Festival on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi on Friday." width="636" /></div>
</div>
<div class="photo-caption" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px 3px; position: relative;">
<div class="photo-source" style="border: 0px; color: #1f57a5; float: right; font-size: 9px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 30px; position: relative;">
PTI</div>
PM Narendra Modi with Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the opening session of the three-day World Culture Festival on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi on Friday.</div>
<div class="line zero15" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; clear: both; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
</div>
<div id="article-block" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: -12px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="article-text" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 12px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 640px;">
<br /><div class="articleLead" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
NGT softens stand, agrees to Rs. 25 lakh initial compensation.</h2>
</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Prime Minister Narendra Modi braved both the environmental controversy and unexpected rains on Friday to attend the World Culture Festival, organised by the Art of Living (AoL) Foundation, led by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Mr. Modi not only watched the cultural programme seated beside Ravi Shankar, but, in a speech of around 10 minutes, praised the spiritual guru for taking Indian culture to the world. In an apparent reference to the controversy surrounding the event, taking place on the Yamuna floodplains and its impact on the environment, he said, “If we keep criticising everything we have and do not take pride in our cultural legacy, why should the world look at us?”</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Earlier in the day, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) accepted the AoL Foundation’s argument that it was a charitable organisation which could not at short notice raise Rs. 5 crore imposed by the NGT earlier this week as an initial environmental compensation for the three-day cultural festival.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">NGT frowns on Sri Sri’s stance</b></div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
In its interim direction, the NGT ordered the AoL Foundation to pay Rs. 25 lakh before the commencement of its three-day World Culture Festival being held on the flood plains of the Yamuna river in the national capital. The Tribunal granted AoL three weeks’ time to pay the remaining Rs. 4.75 crore of the compensation.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
“The amount of Rs. 5 crore is being levied as environmental compensation for the restoration amount for biodiversity park and not as penalty,’’ NGT said.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">Hearing on April 4</b></div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
It has also said that if AoL “fails to pay up, then the Tribunal would attach the grant which the Culture Ministry is to release to AoL.’’ The next hearing on the matter would be on April 4.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
However, at the beginning of the proceedings on Friday, the Tribunal expressed its strong displeasure on the statements in the media by AoL head Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who had allegedly said that “he would go to prison but not pay the fine.” Sri Sri had also said that he was not “satisfied” with the verdict of the NGT and would appeal against it.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
“If anybody hurts the image of the Tribunal, we will take it to a logical conclusion as per rule of law. Don’t make the Tribunal a subject of controversy,” the NGT said.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
The AoL informed NGT that it had obtained the certificate of safety from the Delhi Fire Department, while the counsel arguing against the festival sought a ban on the event saying that construction at the venue has been allowed without any risk assessment to the environment.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
The Tribunal's order came on the pleas by NGOs and environmentalists who had sought cancellation of the festival, saying it would seriously endanger the fragile ecosystem on the riverbed.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
More than 35 lakh people are expected to participate in the festival.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
<b style="outline: 0px;">‘Kumbh Mela of art and culture’</b></div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Speaking at the event, Mr. Modi said: “We need the art of living to follow our dreams, to fight challenges and live for others. This is the Kumbh mela of art and culture; the world is not only connected through economic issues, it can be connected through humanity… I still recall during my visit to Mongolia, there was an Art of Living centre in that country, and they had organised a reception for me, where there were few Indians, but Mongolians were waving the Indian tricolour,” he said. That was, he added, the importance of soft power in international relations.</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
The Prime Minister’s stout defence of the spiritual guru followed similar statements by members of his Cabinet earlier. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu had dismissed criticism of the WCF, saying, “It has become a fashion to criticise anything concerned with Hinduism.”</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, facing loud protests in the Rajya Sabha from the opposition over the event, said: “There is no controversy. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is known for resolving controversial issues.”</div>
<div class="body" style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Significantly, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, often on the opposite side of the political spectrum from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is slated to attend the WCF valedictory on Sunday.</div>
<div id="articleKeywords" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px;">
Keywords: <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/at-sri-sri-event-modi-attacks-critics-of-cultural-heritage/article8343133.ece#" style="color: #1f57a5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;">World Culture Festival</a>, <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/at-sri-sri-event-modi-attacks-critics-of-cultural-heritage/article8343133.ece#" style="color: #1f57a5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Art of Living Foundation</a>, <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/at-sri-sri-event-modi-attacks-critics-of-cultural-heritage/article8343133.ece#" style="color: #1f57a5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Sri Sri Ravi Shankar</a>, <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/at-sri-sri-event-modi-attacks-critics-of-cultural-heritage/article8343133.ece#" style="color: #1f57a5; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Narendra Modi</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2658487744005661677.post-17518417424374068232016-03-21T00:54:00.001-07:002016-03-21T00:54:28.257-07:00Everything’s fine, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, except the fine (Indian Express, 11 March 2016)<div class="row" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 1200px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 1200px;">
<div class="heading-part" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-color: rgb(218, 218, 218); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 10px 0px 20px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 10px 10px; position: relative;">
<h2 class="synopsis" itemprop="description" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6b6b6b; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
We have not done anything wrong. We have been taintless and will remain so. We we will go to jail but not pay a penny,” said Ravi Shankar.</h2>
</div>
</div>
<div class="row" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 1200px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 1200px;">
<div class="leftpanel" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; width: 650px;">
<div class="story-details" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<div class="main-story" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 10px; width: 640px;">
<div class="articles" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 640px;">
<div class="full-details" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: none; font-family: 'Droid Serif', serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; width: 640px;">
<div class="share-social" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;">
<div class="comments" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<div class="icons" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<span class="st_fblike_hcount" displaytext="Facebook Like" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 0px; margin: 3px 3px 0px; outline: none; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: bottom;"><div class="fb-like fb_iframe_widget" data-action="" data-href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" data-layout="button_count" data-send="false" data-show-faces="false" fb-iframe-plugin-query="app_id=&container_width=0&href=http%3A%2F%2Findianexpress.com%2Farticle%2Findia%2Findia-news-india%2Fpay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail%2F&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&send=false&show_faces=false" fb-xfbml-state="rendered" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify; vertical-align: bottom; width: 83px;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" class="" frameborder="0" height="1000px" name="f1c138fedb4e1d8" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?app_id=&channel=http%3A%2F%2Fstaticxx.facebook.com%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter.php%3Fversion%3D42%23cb%3Df103ea7506d7d3c%26domain%3Dindianexpress.com%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Findianexpress.com%252Ff6e3dd839392a4%26relation%3Dparent.parent&container_width=0&href=http%3A%2F%2Findianexpress.com%2Farticle%2Findia%2Findia-news-india%2Fpay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail%2F&layout=button_count&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&send=false&show_faces=false" style="border-style: none; border-width: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 83px;" title="fb:like Facebook Social Plugin" width="1000px"></iframe></span></div>
</span></span> <span class="st_facebook_hcount" displaytext="Facebook" st_processed="yes" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span class="stButton" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 3px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span class="stMainServices st-facebook-counter" style="background-image: url("/images/facebook_counter.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 0px; position: relative; white-space: nowrap; width: 60px;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #484848; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px;">By:</span><span style="color: #484848; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px;"> </span><a href="http://indianexpress.com/agency/express-news-service/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #a32020; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Express News Service</a><span style="color: #484848; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="color: #484848; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px;">| New Delhi |</span><span style="color: #484848; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span content="2016-03-11T13:12:40+00:00" itemprop="dateModified" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #484848; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Updated: March 11, 2016 1:12 pm</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<span itemprop="image" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"></span><span class="custom-caption" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(219, 219, 219); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #747474; display: block; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 5px;"><img alt="World Culture Festival, art of living, ngt, sri sri ravi shankar, ravi shankar, green court, aol, " class="wp-image-2700708 size-full" src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/03/gurudev-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-2.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; float: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: middle; width: 640px;" />The organizers have been told to put up barricades on the bridges and deploy volunteers.</span><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
The heat generated by the World Culture Festival organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living (AOL) reached a flashpoint on the event’s eve with the National Green Tribunal being informed that the organisers were yet to obtain all clearances and the spiritual leader saying he would go to jail rather than pay a fine of Rs 5 crore levied on the organisers.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
Environment activist Manoj Mishra, who had petitioned the NGT for a ban on the event, approached the Tribunal Thursday, complaining that AOL has not yet obtained clearances from the police, fire department and CPWD.</div>
<div class="pageadd" id="div-gpt-ad-1429260192255-0" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Mishra said that the organisers were yet to pay the fine imposed by the NGT as interim compensation for the environment damage that the event on the Yamuna floodplains may likely cause.</span></div>
<div class="holder-article" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 5px auto 25px; max-width: 670px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 640px;">
<div class="cara-article" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 168, 208); border-bottom-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(0, 168, 208); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 2px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 120px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none !important; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative; width: 475px;">
<div class="bx-wrapper" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<div class="bx-viewport" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 70px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 475px;">
<ul class="rel-article" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; transform: translate3d(-1506px, 0px, 0px); transition-duration: 0s; width: 3871.25px;"><br />
<li class="bx-clone" style="background: rgb(240, 240, 240); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; content: inherit !important; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 70px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 10px 0px 3px; position: relative; width: 475px;"><a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/live-world-culture-festival-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-yamuna-parliament-rajya-sabha/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://images.indianexpress.com/2015/12/rajya-sabha-480.jpg?w=450?w=65" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 65px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 65px;" /><span class="text" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; width: 210px;">Sri Sri Ravi Shankar event gets NGT nod, Art of Living fined Rs 5 crore</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="bx-controls bx-has-pager bx-has-controls-direction" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 10px; width: 142.5px;">
<div class="bx-pager bx-default-pager" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 1px 0px 0px 4px; text-align: center;">
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link active" data-slide-index="0" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" style="background: rgb(0, 168, 208); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">1</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="1" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">2</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="2" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">3</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="3" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">4</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="4" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">5</a></div>
<div class="bx-pager-item" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-pager-link" data-slide-index="5" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" style="background: rgb(200, 232, 240); border-radius: 5px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 10px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 5px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; width: 10px;">6</a></div>
</div>
<div class="bx-controls-direction" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">
<a class="bx-prev" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/vip/indianexpress/style/../images/sprite.png"); background-origin: initial; background-position: -602px -88px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px; position: absolute; right: 125px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; top: -4px; width: 13px;">Prev</a><a class="bx-next" href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pay-fine-by-tomorrow-or-face-action-ngt-tells-aol-sri-sri-ravi-shankar-says-ready-to-go-to-jail/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/vip/indianexpress/style/../images/sprite.png"); background-origin: initial; background-position: -617px -88px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px; position: absolute; right: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; top: -4px; width: 13px;">Next</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
The NGT bench, headed by chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, responded that AOL had time to pay the fine till Friday and that the law would take its course otherwise. Late on Thursday, however, the fire department confirmed that it had given permission for the event to go ahead.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Reacting to the NGT’s fine, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told NDTV that AOL would appeal the order. Asked what he would do if the Supreme Court upheld the NGT order, he said, “We will go to jail but will not pay the fine.”</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
Stressing that AOL would respect the orders of the apex court, Sri Sri said, “But we have not done anything wrong.”</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
Meanwhile, during a hearing on the issue of air pollution in the city, a Delhi High Court bench of Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva remarked that the Rs 5-crore fine imposed on Art of Living was “peanuts” and asked whether any fine had been paid at all.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
The observation was made after the court was informed that senior officials of the Forest Department were not present for the hearing before court as they were required to appear before the NGT.</div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3e3e3e; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 28px; outline: none; padding: 0px 0px 20px;">
The bench had observed on Wednesday, during a hearing on unauthorised constructions on the Yamuna’s banks, that the event appeared to be an “ecological disaster”.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />manoj misrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07089339661862425067noreply@blogger.com0