disaster management bill: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil recently introduced the Disaster Management Bill, 2005 in the Rajya Sabha. It is considered a major step towards streamlining mitigation measures and response to disasters faced by the country. The bill's salient features include setting up a three-tier structure comprising a national disaster management authority headed by the prime minister, state disaster authorities and district disaster authorities. It proposes formulating an emergency communication plan and a national policy on disaster management. It also calls for setting up a national institute of disaster management and a national disaster response force.

order for CETPs: On April 26, 2005, the Supreme Court (SC) directed the handing over of 10 completed and operational common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in Delhi to CETP societies within four weeks. It said the impasse over cost sharing, which had stalled the process, could await resolution. The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority for the National Capital Region will supervise the process. Taking serious note of the practice of mixing treated effluents with untreated waste, it ordered Delhi government and other agencies to file an effluent reuse plan within eight weeks.