Sharing these notes here now as i think that there are people who might not only find them useful and interesting, but also be in a position to do something about it! (Congratulations, AAP, on your electoral victory in Delhi)
Short Duration
Discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Increasing Pollution in various rivers in the
country, particularly the Ganga and the Yamuna rivers, 11th March,
2013: V. Shruti Devi’s notes from parts of the debate viewed live on RSTV.
Prof. S.P. Singh
Baghel, UP. BSP tried to bring up the issue of corrupt bureaucrats. The
immediate reaction of Jayanti Natrajan, Min. MoEF, was a blanket defence of all
her officials. Later, when she spoke, she did say that she was not holding a
brief for anyone.
Dr. Ram Prakash
from the Congress spoke well, which led me to google him and find that he is a
scientist who has worked in Prague and Czeckoslovakia. This useful piece of
information, i tagged in my mind, to use at an appropriate juncture of policy
planning.
Prasanta
Chatterjee was the speaker from the CPI (M). This is a party that takes its
research seriously. It briefs its speakers, and chooses candidates who are able
to present their party’s views effectively on the floor of the house.
Darshan Singh
Yadav of the SP quoted from the Quran on water, then from Sikh scriptures, and
finally from the Yajur Veda 36:15, which is the Shanti Mantra, and said it is
the mantra of Environment.
Shivanand
Tiwari, General Secretary of the JD (U) said industrial waste is the main cause
of pollution. He said “we” are all the privileged class that is not so worried
about water quality as it drinks bottled water and uses flushes in toilets.
Shashi Bhushan
Behera spoke from the BJD.
V. Maitreyan of
the AIADMK mentioned many cancers in the context of contaminated water.
The Shiv Sena
fielded Sanjay Pant.
Anil Madhav Dave
of the BJP from Madhya Pradesh spoke from his experience with the Narmada
river. He made the point that a river is not just the water between two banks,
but also includes catchment areas. He said that we have either dried up our
rivers or dirtied them. He said that Bharat kee janta has done this through its
netas, and that urban people, who pollute rivers with waste. He said urea and
pesticides have destroyed aquatic life. He mentioned the Rural Development
Minister, Jairam Ramesh’s views on people having no toilets to go to in rural
areas being shameful, and asked whether it was not even more shameful that all
the people using toilets in these cities send their waste into these rivers. He
referred to the work of George Fernandez in favourable light. He said that he
wants to tell the minister that STP technology is a big fraud, and asked why
such water is put into rivers. He said he has written to the PM, asking for the
formation of a Nadi Ayurvigyan Sanstha, where the river should be viewed and
treated as a patient. He warned that in the next five or ten years, clouds will
be stolen. He said that before this theft starts, and before whatever starts in
the name of Climate Change and global warming is all hypocracy and should be
stopped. He said that for saving water, we have to think from all angles right
from how washbasins are designed. We have to take the help of technology. He
praised Rajiv Gandhi and said he had been pained about the water situation. His
question to the minister was: Rajeev Gandhi ka sapna loota kaisey?
K. Parasaran,
nominated member and a retired judge, said the Supreme Court has referred to
the Yamuna as a “dead/dying” river, and that it has to be resurrected and
cleansed. He was happy to speak on this topic on the day after Siva Ratri.
Rama Jois of the
BJP from Karnataka quoted a Hindu religious text which said that those who
pollute tanks should be punished. Today, too, he said, polluters of rivers
should not just pay but also be punished. He quoted the ‘Seattle chief’s
speech’ from the Satchidanand case that quotes it. He also mentioned how three
days ago, the Supreme Court stopped leather industrial pollution of river and
said this is one of the things that has been done. Similarly, he referred to
the fact that Part IV of the Constitution was added by our Country, for the
protection of environment. He said that from all points of view, protection of
rivers is of national interest.
Ram Kripal Yadav
of the RJD, Bihar said tha lots of money (crores) has been spent on the river.
Tarun Vijay of
the BJP from Uttarakhand recited a shloka. He narrated an anecdote of how holy
water from our river was sent in the past to south-east Asia. He mentioned the
Indus river, and made a fleeting mention of Indo-Pak and Indo- China
river-sharing issues.
Saifudeen Soz of
the INC from J&K started by saying that he had missed Mr. Swaminathan’s
speech, and that Mr. Swaminathan must have raised quite a few points. He also said
that Ram Gopal Yadav had spoken earlier in the day from the heart. He pointed
out that he had personally been a Minister for Environment. His question to the
minister now was: How can we waste taxpayers’ money like this? He also said
all money will go to waste unless we have awareness programmes. He said it was
necessary to go to each family in Haridwar and tell them you should not do
this. He said you can go to pujar, go to temple, go to every mosque, every
girija ghar, and tell them you cannot do this.
Chaudhary
Munabbar Saleem of the SP (from UP but lives in MP and is familiar with the
Shipra River). He said the Ganga comes from a pure place, and Hindustanis dirty
it. He said the Hukumut-e-Hind (Govt. of India?) should resolve not to dirty
the Ganga, and to punish polluters. Hindustan Zindabad.
The debate was
initially chaired by EMS Natchiappan, followed by the Deputy Chairman, Kurien
who, along with the leader of the opposition, congratulated the house on the
good quality of the debate.
Reply of the Minister, Jayanti Natrajan (MOS Indep
Charge, MoEF):
Just as there is
a commission for atrocities against women, there should be a commission for
rivers.
We have an EPA,
but it cannot address other issues, it can only address industries that
pollute.
State
governments have the right and responsibility to take action under the air act
and under the water act.
Only talking of
legislation is not enough, now an Authority is needed.
Rajiv Gandhi
started the Ganga Action Plan, under Manmohan Singh, the National Ganga River
Basin Authority was set up. Now, we need a commission by which atrocities
against river Ganga will be acted on swiftly.
For the last one
and a half years, GOI has played a commendable role. The Central Pollution
Control Board has gone around inspecting industries. Action has been taken
against polluting industries. It was a temporary measure. Those who have
promised to comply will reopen. The National Ganga River Basin Authority moved
in this direction (with the co-operation of the state government).
Not holding a
brief for anyone and saying all money was spent well. But if all the action
plans hadn’t been implemented, we’d have done worse.
Remember, biotic
pressures have increased and that industries have increased.
90% of water is
taken for irrigation and you do not give anything back but drainage and
pesticides.
But we can do
much better. We have to learn from our mistakes.
All money is
spent on sewage treatment facilities. But it looks like a museum. The plant has
to be connected to the sewage. The local body does not connect it. People have
to be trained.
20% of effluent
goes from industries into Ganga. This is highly toxic and must be shut down.
The rest comes from sewage from towns.
State government
says it cannot pay for maintenance but they have to co-operate. Centre can give
money. But urban local bodies should wake up and do their duties.
Yes, engineers
are responsible. Why do we create sewers if they are not connected.
In Delhi, there
are 20 drains of Yamuna. All stinking sewers.
Now, there’s a
report from the pollution control board.
The problem is that
our design is that the sewage is treated, then goes into drainage (treated four
times), but each time goes into the drainage. Treated four times with
everyone’s money.
Certainly not
using all our sewage treatment plants to their full capacity.
We need to find
solutions.
Once water is
treated, it should not go back as effluent (maybe it can go to garden, but not
for food).
220 litres is
what a Delhi-ite uses per capita (even Denmark doesn’t do this).
Having taken
this, we generate waste water in Delhi. (Government pays lots to treat, Delhi-ite
pays very little for water).
This is an issue
where state government has to co-operate so that sewage treatment plant gets
electricity.
Bio-irrigation
was explored. Time has come for innovation. We have to all ensure not to waste
water. Water is going to be the war of the future.
If we have dams
etc., water is going to stop flowing. This is a call we all have to take (we
cannot apply laws of Arunachal, Uttarakhand, Punjab: all states have different
needs.
Time has come to
calculate ecological costs. As environment minister, that is my duty.
List of actions
taken against 387 industries was read out.
Ganga River
Basin Authority has adopted a town-centric approach rather than a river basin
approach.
Shortage of
manpower, erratic power supply, lack of participation of civil society (these
are problems).
Pollution
abatement works: Interception and Diversion works. This is what the agitators
are demanding.
Electric
crematoria, river-front development works (bathing ghaat areas) etc.
Question from
Tarun, BJP: All these projects, where are they?
Answer: Personal
opinion: Rivers should be on concurrent list. This is only the list of things
for which the centre has sent money. It is the state’s responsibility.
Want to set up
State River Conservation Authorities.
Project
implementation should be monitored.
There should be
tripartite agreements (Central govt., state government and funding agency). And
there should be third party monitoring.
A list of works
to be done, including the laying of sewer lines.
Yamuna Action
Plan is assisted by JICA (Japan Government).
Constantly
thinking of ways in which to deliver better results.
Two Questions
from the Leader of the Opposition in RS: Will you take some steps for ensuring
that the Yamuna water visibly looks cleaner. What about Vrindavan and Mathura?
Answer from Min:
Assures regarding the point raised about Vrindavan and Mathura.
Delhi Yamuna:
While there are measures, issue is of dilution as mentioned.
Also, Harish
Rawat is the minister for water resources is heading a committee (or is it
commission?) set up by the PM to look into dilution.
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