A novel scheme is being implemented to rid villagers of polluted drinking water in the rural areas of Madhya Pradesh. Under this scheme, now the villagers would be able to test purity of water in just Re 1. The test would be conducted by trained members of Gram Panchayats. They are being imparted specialised training in this connection. Amount to be incurred on water testing would be mobilised through public participation.

A committee has been constituted comprising officers of concerning departments for development of Parikrama Path of Narmada river and for providing facilities to the pilgrims undertaking the Parikrama. Divisional Forest Officer Shri Pankaj Shrivastava would be the member-secretary of the committee. It would chalk out an action plan for construction of the Parikrama Path.

After getting a show cause notice from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board, the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) has applied for consent of the board under the Water Act and the Air Act (prevention and control of pollution). The HPGCL had started commercial production from the first unit of 300 MW of Deenbandhu Chottu Ram thermal plant here with the mandatory consent from the board. Sources in the board said consent would be issued after verification of the documents filed by the HPGCL.

Effluents push fish off city coast Mumbai's famed local seafood cuisine seems to be losing some of its distinctive flavour with fishes like Pomfrets, Bombay Duck, Lobsters, Prawns and Mackerels slowly disappearing into obscurity. Old timers reminiscence about how these fishes used to rule the coastline not too long ago.

Cumbarjua Fishermen's Ekvott and Cumbarjua Nadi Bachao Samiti have threatened to agitate if the government continues with its ostrich-like attitude to the death of fish in the river. Addressing a press conference here, Samiti President and Panch member Nityanand Sawant and secretary Mahendra Gaonkar said fishing activity has come to a halt as fish is dying due to release of discharge by a sea food factory located nearby.

ONE of the most contentious aspects of Melbourne's channel-deepening project begins today, when contaminated sediment around the mouth of the Yarra River is disturbed. The vessel Goomai will begin dredging the top layer of Yarra riverbed above crucial underground infrastructure, including a Melbourne Water sewer that runs to the Werribee Treatment Plant. The dredging will move sediments that are contaminated with lead, mercury, zinc, DDT and other chemicals dumped over many decades of industry in Melbourne's west.

Pollution of the Hooghly by industries and municipalities will be monitored by a cell within the state pollution control board and an independent committee. A Telegraph picture The state environment department has decided to constitute a cell within the state pollution control board and an independent committee to monitor pollution of the Hooghly, after the Centre shot down the proposal to form a separate authority for the purpose.

Mercury contamination in rivers can spread to nearby birds, even ones that don't eat fish or other food from the water. Researchers from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., found high levels of mercury in the blood of land-feeding songbirds living near the South River, a tributary of the Shenandoah, they report in Friday's edition of the journal Science. The South River was contaminated with industrial mercury sulfate from 1930 to 1950 and it remains under a fish consumption advisory.

RAJINDER SINGH, India's river man, is distressed at the state of the rivers and demands a quick solution