The Times of India               13.05.2013

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to use water filters to fight cholera, jaundice

AHMDABAD: For years more than 400 slum clusters of Ahmedabad have been plagued by problems of water contamination and diseases every summer. Periodic cases of jaundice and cholera have been often traced to mixing of sewage with drinking water. But now the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) health department is toying with the idea of making nanoparticle composite-based water filters being made available to the residents in these slum clusters.

"The AMC can't have a direct association with the companies which manufacture these products. But these companies which make these filters can be asked to provide them at concessional rates. The filters are affordable," claimed a senior AMC official.

The AMC's health department claims that occasional outbreaks of jaundice and cholera are worrisome and the filters are a sure short way of reducing the numbers. In the first phase of the campaign, women in each of these slum clusters can be introduced to the product. "We may have to see the response of the women to the product and then decide on how to get involved," added the official.

There are several companies which manufacture these filters as well as some leading institutes in the country have long studied how trace quantities of silver ions in these special filters are effective in killing a wide spectrum of bacteria and viruses. While a number of silver-based biocidal compositions have been synthesized, the filter candle in these nano filters have to be changed every year. It costs Rs 300 for every changeover. "These filters don't require power and are better than reverse osmosis filters that waste a lot of water," added the official.

The Pioneer               13.05.2013

Strict vigil on plastic use in Doon

The ban on polythene bags and disposable plastic utensils imposed in Dehradun city a couple of months ago has had considerable effect but there are still many shopkeepers and citizens who have continued to used the banned commodities. The authorities stress that enforcement of the ban will be improved.

It will be recalled that polythene bags and disposable plastic utensils were completely banned in Dehradun city from March 15. Though the authorities have been raiding vendors and penalising those caught violating the ban, there are still many shopkeepers and citizens who have continued to violate this ban.

Petty vendors have continued to use the polythene bags on the grounds that the customers demand these. On being asked the reason for using the banned items, a vendor said that the polythene bags are much cheaper costing 30 paise each and on the other hand cloth bags cost Rs 3 each. According to fruit vendor Manoj, the customers do not cooperate and refuse to spend even few rupees on the cloth bags, preferring in stead the banned item.

Another vendor, Ravi suggested that the supply of the polythene bags should be stopped right at the source. “If we sell only cloth bags- which are not preferred by most of the customers, we will find it tough to sell our stock and face losses, he said.

Regarding the ban the Dehradun district magistrate BVRC Purushottam said that it was the duty of the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun to work on the implementation of the ban in the city. Steps have been taken by the district administration to facilitate effective implementation of the ban with penalty of `500 on customers and `5,000 on the shopkeeper found using polythene bags. New teams have been formed to check and act against shopkeepers selling polythene bags.

It now remains to be seen whether the public in the State capital become aware enough to desist from violating the ban on polythene bags or continues to use the banned items.