The Centre’s ambitious move to set up a national-level body for integrated development of river basins is facing stiff resistance from various states.

DIGBOI: A discussion on the topic ‘Adapting to Environmental and Climate Change in the Eastern Brahmaputra River Basin: Priorities for Research, Advocacy and Intervention’ has been successfully hel

Kochi: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India has shown willingness to collaborate with Kerala to evolve and execute an integrated river basin programme for the state to address its twin requirements of making water available throughout the year and conserving the rivers and nature.

WWF India CEO Ravi Singh and other senior officials already held talks with the top officials of the State Planning Board and other departments early this week. “Our input will be primarily in terms of the expertise we have acquired during the implementation of similar programmes in India and abroad. We don’t want to involve in the programmes as consultants or funding agency,’’ Ravi Singh told TOI here over phone from New Delhi.

After delinking the environment and forest clearances for highway projects, the environment ministry is mulling over a proposal to relax clearance norms for hydro-power projects.

The ministry is considering a proposal that allows hydro-power projects to initiate the forest clearance process without even completing comprehensive river basin study.