The State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) has deferred its recommendation for environmental clearance to the first phase of the SmartCity Kochi project based on the inference that “the proposal submitted by the proponent had many factual errors and lacked a specific plan of environmental management”.

Stating that the SEAC had expressed its displeasure in drafting the ambitious project of the State government in such a very casual manner, sources told The Hindu that the promoter has failed to seriously consider many of the environmental factors while drafting the proposal.

Plans on to construct check dams, recharge and village ponds at a cost of Rs.1.65 crore

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has called for intensive water and soil conservation/harvesting efforts in some blocks and other promotional efforts in Tiruchi district. In its Potential Linked Credit Plan, the bank points out that the Cauvery is the most important river in the district irrigating 52,125 hectares. Besides, there are 75 system tanks and 99 seasonal/rainfed tanks that cover 5,751 hectares and 9,164 hectares. Net irrigated area in the district is 99,082 hectares.

Pune: Only 35 out of the approximate 10,000 buildings constructed in the city in the last five years have received the status of an ecofriendly structure.

The civic body adopted the ecohousing policy in 2008 to promote environmental, economic, health and safety benefits that come with such buildings. The policy plans to educate developers, architects as well as buyers to change the city's scenario and to create awareness about such homes. As per the PMC officials, on an average nearly 2,000 building permissions are issued by the PMC each year. Considering this, permissions to around 10,000 buildings have been given in the city in the last five years.

10 years on To replenish groundwater level, Delhi Jal Board invites plans for rainwater harvesting.

Struggling with depleting watertable and wasted rainwater, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has been trying to raise awareness towards the benefits of catching and recycling rainwater for more than a decade. Now, to ensure that its efforts don’t get washed down the drain, the water utility is looking for experienced organisations to boost its campaign.

The Sri Lankan government will take measures to develop 103 river basins in 2013, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

Bangalore’s drinking water crisis is not going to end in a hurry. But, the year 2012 witnessed the pinnacle of this crisis, particulary during summer.

Residents of the newly added BBMP areas, however, had a reason for some hope by the end of the year with the commissioning of the much-awaited Cauvery IV stage II phase by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in October. The last and the final drawal from the Cauvery basin to the City will be supplying an additional 500 million litres (mld) of water per day wherein the City will be receiving a total of 1,400 mld by January 2013.

NGO urges L-G to strop misuse of green areas

To meet the increasing demand for housing in the Capital, the Delhi Development Authority has decided to change land use of a marshland in Dheerpur and announced a housing project for the Delhi Police on the site. Incidentally, the same marshland had been designated as a green area in 2010, after the environment department declined to allow a housing project at the site on the grounds that the designated area is fit for water harvesting.

Initially, 15,000 litres will be treated a day for which a cost effective technology has been developed.

The State government has on Wednesday given in-principle approval to the district administration’s proposal to treat the water accumulated in abandoned stone quarries and distribute it as drinking water using the reverse osmosis technology. A meeting to discuss the proposal in detail will be held towards the end of this month, District Collector P.I. Sheikh Pareed told The Hindu after meeting Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash. Fund for the project has been sought from the drought relief fund.