The cabinet yesterday approved a draft bill that aims to stop misuse of surface, ground and river water and preserve and manage water resources in an integrated manner.

Environmentalists yesterday demanded formulation and implementation of a specific land use policy and more budgetary allocation for environment conservation to tackle the effects of pollution.

Government agencies yet to take action to protect the 60-acre lake

Residents of Keelkattalai are shocked and angry over the dumping of construction rubble into the Keelkattalai lake over the past few days. The lake, one of the few precious water bodies that hasn't, until now, been damaged by encroachment and pollution, presents a serene view to people travelling on the Pallavaram – Thoraipakkam Radial Road, say residents of Gandhi Nagar. Spread over 60 acres,

The High Court yesterday directed the authorities concerned to stop encroachment on the river Turag at Gabtoli point in the capital, and remove illegal structures from the point within 24 hours.

Public land grabbing is on the rise. So also the government vigilance often brings the culprits to book.

The Kempambudhi lake is all set to be a centre of tourist attraction after two months, if the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has its way.

Desiltation, cleaning of the lake and boating facilities, etc, will provide a new lease of life to the City’s oldest water body. Choked with weeds, hyacinth and sewage, the lake, at present, is an eyesore to the public. Constructed by the founder of Bangalore, Kempegowda, the water body served as a catchment area.

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court on Monday came down heavily on the state government over illegal allotments and encroachments in the catchment area of water bodies in the state, saying the government was encouraging such illegality with active aide of its officials.

The harsh criticism came soon after the government moved an application demanding that the PIL related to encroachments of water bodies shall be heard by a division bench when the court was about to pronouncement its judgment after several months of hearing.

AS reported in the press, 'non-allocation of funds' and 'legal complexities' have either stalled or slowed down two projects for protecting the Buriganga River from land grabbers or restoring stret

Environmentalists are protesting against what they term a massive land grab by some government politicians in the Buttala forest reserve.

The Survey of India, compiled in 1975, marked around 1,000 water bodies with unique aquatic flora and fauna in the state capital. In fact, Hyderabad then was called the “City of Lakes”. But that was then.

When the HMDA did a count a year ago for the Lake Protection Committee, the officials could list only about 400 lakes in areas within its jurisdiction. Signi-ficantly, experts said, the number of waterbodies that have disappeared would be higher, considering HMDA’s jurisdiction comprises four districts. And if the ‘disappearance’ of about 600 lakes in 35-odd years isn’t alarming enough, even waterbodies that still exist have shrunk, with encroachments on the periphery.

Pages