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Environment

NMC joins hands with MWRRA to save water bodies

Friday, 28 June 2013 12:33 administrator
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The Times of India              28.06.2013

NMC joins hands with MWRRA to save water bodies

NAGPUR: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), in association with the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA), has organized a workshop on rejuvenation of city's rivers and lakes to mark the civic body's 150th anniversary, on Friday. The one-day workshop is part of efforts being taken by the civic body to save water bodies, especially Nag River, in the city.

MWRRA chairman R Budhiraja, member Chitkala Zutshi and secretary SV Sodal will attend the workshop, which will be inaugurated by mayor Anil Sole. Municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane will throw light on condition of city's rivers and lakes. Zutshi will put forth MWRRA's views on the issue and the conservation efforts taken up for rivers and lakes.

Neeri director Tapan Chakraborty, Pradyumna Sahasrabhojanee and Sudhir Paliwal will speak on various aspects of rivers and lakes, past and present, along with road map for rejuvenation.

Various industrial, social and business associations have been invited for the workshop. It will be interesting to know MWRRA's plans for city's water bodies. Being a regulator for water resources, MWRRA's plan can help rejuvenate the city's rivers and lakes in proper and quick manner.

 

HMDA wakes up to eco concerns of twin cities

Friday, 28 June 2013 05:54 administrator
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The Hindu               28.06.2013

HMDA wakes up to eco concerns of twin cities

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has decided to come out with a comprehensive Environmental Master Plan to assess the damage to environment in the city and suburbs accrued over the decades and to plan its protection in coming years.

A concept plan to take stock of the status of air, water and soil is being worked out and the urban planning body looks at initiating a study of the key parameters of environment in coming weeks. The entire Hyderabad Metropolitan Region (HMR) is to be covered under the exercise.

“We have to understand where the city stands in terms of environment and come up with a road map to be followed over the years to restore and maintain environmental standards,” says HMDA Commissioner, Neerabh Kumar Prasad. It will be a multi-department exercise involving Andhra Pradesh Control Board, Forest Department, Metro Water Board and others. After a thorough assessment of the present status, the Master Plan will unfold a comprehensive strategy at protection of environment in phased manner. For the purpose, the whole plan is divided into different segments such as lakes and water bodies, conservation and adding forest area, air quality improvement, ground water improvement and addressing the needs of solid waste management.

The work on water bodies has already been initiated and protection measures such as fixing full tank levels and identifying encroachments is on, Mr. Prasad says. “A study of green cover in the metropolitan region will be taken up to compare it with accepted international standards. Then, we will identify areas where there is scope for afforestation,” he says.

The APPCB is to be roped in to suggest measures to improve the standards. Similar will be the work on groundwater improvement while solid waste management measures to be located outside the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits are to be enlisted.

The Authority to come out with a comprehensive Environmental Master Plan to assess the damage to environment.

 

GHMC to entrust tree protection to contractors

Wednesday, 26 June 2013 10:36 administrator
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The New Indian Express             26.06.2013

GHMC to entrust tree protection to contractors

The GHMC will take over their maintenance after two years from the agencies only if the plants are maintained in good condition and tree guards are in place. Express file photo
The GHMC will take over their maintenance after two years from the agencies only if the plants are maintained in good condition and tree guards are in place. Express file photo

For the first time, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to fix responsibilities on contractor agencies for maintenance of saplings and protection of tree guards for a minimum of two years.

Maintenance of plants by contractors was not existing previously resulting in huge loses to the corporation as the saplings that were planted were dying within days of planting due to non-watering and the tree guards getting stolen and sold in the scrap market by petty thieves to make easy buck.

From now onwards, contractors who bag the contract award for tree plantation in  residential colonies and other places have to compulsorily maintain them, water them everyday and protect the tree guards for a period of two years.

The GHMC will take over their maintenance after two years from the agencies only if the plants are maintained in good condition and tree guards are in place.

Speaking to Express, additional commissioner for urban biodiversity N Chandramohan Reddy said that it was for the first time the corporation was fixing responsibilities on contractors for taking care of the plants. Tenders were called to select the contractors for all the 18  circles. About 20 percent of the contract amount will be deposited with the GHMC as security deposit.

On quarterly basis, GHMC officials will inspect the colonies where saplings were planted and will check whether the trees are growing properly and submit reports to the higher authorities for taking necessary action against the contractors if any loopholes are found.

The GHMC will also take the support of Residential Colony Welfare Associations in keeping tabs on the contractors.  

With the arrival of monsoon, the GHMC Urban Biodiversity will take up one lakh tree plantations this season. Of them, 50,000  will be planted in residential colonies,  20,000 in 892 open spaces, 10,000 in institutions like schools and colleges,  10,000 native species in 15 biodiversity parks, 5,000 herbal plants each in 10-C Jubilee Hills  and Ashwini Layout parks.

Species such as Peltophorum, ficus, Spathodea campanulata, Pongamia pinnata, Tabebuia,  Holoptelea integrifolia, neem and others will be planted in the above places.

 
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