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Public Health / Sanitation

MCD to spend Rs 50cr on white, green dustbins

Friday, 17 July 2009 12:07 administrator
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The Times of India 17.07.2009

MCD to spend Rs 50cr on white, green dustbins

NEW DELHI: After spending Rs 12 crore on green and blue dustbins many of which have been reported useless by the sanitation field staff the MCD is all set to purchase white and green dustbins at a cost Rs 50 crore. The civic agency plans to provide two dustbins to every household and ensure door-to-door segregation.

The civic agency plans to begin the project by July 20 in Rohini and Civil Lines zones and extend it to other zones by December. According to MCD, door-to-door segregation will help solve city's solid waste management problem immensely. "Once the project begins, only 25% of the present quantity of waste will find its way to the landfill sites. The rest will either be composted, recycled or used for energy generation,'' said an official.

However, MCD officials admitted that even if the proposed project is in place by the year-end, they will be able to process only 57.22% of the waste. The official added: "We will provide two bins, which will be joined, to each house owner. The green bin will be for biodegradable waste and the white one for recyclable waste. It will cost MCD Rs 50.40 crore to purchase these bins.''

Said a resident of GK-I, Alka Singh: "So much money is spent on bins but you can never find one in market areas. Garbage is always strewn out on the roads. Even if MCD purchases these bins under the door-to-door segregation scheme, what is the guarantee that people will actually use them?''

 

65 city lakes contaminated: Report

Friday, 17 July 2009 06:45 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle 17.07.2009

65 city lakes contaminated: Report

July 17th, 2009
By Our Correspondent
Bengaluru

July 16: Bengaluru, which boasted of several lakes in the past, has very few left now. Even these are under threat due to various factors including encroachment of lake beds and unscientific discharge of sewage into the water bodies. A study on the quality of water by the Lake Development Authority (LDA) has revealed shocking facts: 65 lakes in the city were found contaminated with varied levels of nitrates and phosphates. “The report was submitted to Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) for required regulation on June 30,” said M.S. Gaudar, member secretary, KSPCB.

Of the 593 city lakes that come under BBMP, the BDA, minor irrigation department, zilla panchayat and forest department, the LDA has chosen 77 lakes for the analysis on quality of water.

“We have found all the 65 lakes to be contaminated with different levels of phosphates and nitrates. The next round of reports will be submitted on October 31, which will give a comprehensive picture of the city lakes,” said U.V. Singh, Lake Development Authority.

While nitrate levels are the highest in Kaggadasapura lake, the level of phosphates are high in 29 lakes including Kaggadasapura lake, Jaraganahalli lake and Madavara lake. It is highest in Bellandur lake, says the report.

“While the tolerance level of nitrate is 45mg/litre, for phosphate it is 5mg/litre,” says Dr Alka Singh, consultant biochemist at Apollo International. “If the nitrate level in water exceeds the tolerance level, it affects the function of the kidney and liver. It is disastrous to livestock,” she warns.

High levels of phosphate presence in water leads to renal failure, decrease in serum calcium that can result in Tetany-convulsions, she says adding that high levels of phosphate is dangerous for aquatic life.

Eighty per cent of the 870 MLD (million litres per day) water supplied by BWSSB is used for non-potable purposes, generating large quantities of sewage everyday. Only 15 per cent of this sewage is treated in treatment plants. The rest enter storm water drains, which are meant to route excess rainwater to lakes. The presence of detergents in sewage water causes phosphate contamination of lakes, which eventually leads to the growth of algae and water hyacinths, choking lakes to death.
Last Updated on Friday, 17 July 2009 06:57
 

Rs 10,000-cr plan to modernise GHMC drainage system

Thursday, 16 July 2009 07:50 administrator
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The Business Line 16.07.2009

Rs 10,000-cr plan to modernise GHMC drainage system

An 80-km stretch of the 160 km of Outer Ring Road will be ready by the year-end and the rest of the project by 2012.

Our Bureau

Hyderabad, July 15

The Andhra Pradesh Government is considering a proposal to take up modernisation of drainage system in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) which will entail an investment of about Rs 10,000 crore.

Briefing newspersons after a meeting of the State Cabinet, the State Information Minister, Ms J. Geetha Reddy, said that the Cabinet, while reviewing the progress of major ongoing projects in the GHMC, said that this project to revamp the drainage system is top on the agenda.

Referring to the Outer Ring Road project, she said that 80-km stretch of the 160 km planned by the GHMC would be ready by the year-end and the rest of the project by 2012, bringing about a major change in the traffic movement and development of the city.

Apco performance

On the performance of APCO and weavers cooperatives, the Minister said that the Government has decided to extend guarantees till 2012 which will enable it to enjoy access to funds.

The Cabinet was pleased with APCO performance whose turnover has gone up from Rs 112 crore in 2005-2006 to Rs 190 crore in 2008-2009. The performance of APCO in the first half has been very encouraging with support from various Government departments. It registered revenue of Rs 96 crore in the first half, she said.

While one lakh weavers are securing loans from APCO, a committee of Group of Ministers was appointed to study the feasibility of extending loans directly to the weaver rather than to cooperatives. The Finance Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, has been nominated to head the group to study its feasibility.

The Group of Ministers appointed to monitor prices of essential commodities is working out ways to bring down prices and also monitoring them regularly. They have been empowered to take appropriate measures, she said.

INDIAN SILK MILLS

The Indian Silk Mills based in Bangalore has been allotted three acres of land for setting up a spinning unit in Parigi, another 3 acres at Rachepalli for establishing a unit.

The Indian Silk Mills was chosen by the Central Silk Board, Bangalore and the Department of Sericulture for setting up this unit where about 10,000 Eri farmers would benefit. While these farmers will be able to secure additional income of Rs 5,000, besides helping in sale of castor seed and Tapioca tubors. The unit will be set up on a lease for 10 years.

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 July 2009 08:04
 
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