<p>Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Debi Prasad Banerjee Vs Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change & Others dated 22.04/2024.</p> <p>The
Streets will get cleaner and be free of stench due to open urination in Secunderabad Cantonment limits soon as the defence ministry has approved a financial sanction for construction of modern public toilets in the area. The project, estimated to cost over Rs 60 lakh, will have private investment and will generate funds via advertisements. In the first phase, 20 modern pay-and-use public conveniences would be constructed on Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.
The district administration is chalking out a strategy to mitigate the drinking water problem in the district, said district collector Sridhar here on Monday. The collector visited the municipal corporation offi-ce and inspected various de-partments. Mayor Parusu-ram, deputy mayor Sriramulu, commissioner Naga-bhushanam, health officer Adiseshu accompanied the collector.
Newly elected Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) Chairman Sanjay Naik on Monday convened a meeting with municipal and health officials, to discuss the ways to stop dumping of garbage and sewage water into the gutters in the town. The Ponda Municipal Council chairman asked Dr Keshav Priolkar to take appropriate measure to stop the dumping of garbage and sewage water into the gutters. "The gutters have been constructed to channelise rainwater and it is not meant for garbage and sewage water,' said Sanjay Naik.
KALGACHIA, Feb 12
Beijing will ban sales of new cars that fail to meet new emission standards starting from March, state news agency Xinhua said on Saturday, in another move to clean up its air before the August Olympic Games. All new cars are required to meet the new national standards that are equivalent to Euro IV standards, Xinhua said, citing Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the city's Environment Protection Bureau. The tougher emission standards will extend to heavy vehicles used for public transportation, sanitation and mail services from July, the report said. About a third of the main pollutants in Beijing such as nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide come from vehicle exhaust, said Du. The new standards are estimated to cut emission of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides by 48,000 tonnes, 5,300 tonnes and 4,100 tonnes, respectively, this year. The capital city will keep a ban on diesel vehicles which emit three times as much nitrogen oxide as gasoline-power ones, Du was quoted as saying. Beijing already ordered petrol stations in the city to sell gasoline and diesel that meet Euro IV standards at the start of 2008. The city has about 3.1 million motor vehicles, and every day about 1,200 new ones hit the road, Xinhua said. (Reporting by Chen Aizhu; Editing by Jeremy Laurence) REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said yesterday the poor conditions of Colombo schools have contributed to the current outbreak of Hepatitis in the city. Dr. Kariyawasam said most of the small schools in the city lack basic sanitation facilities and the toilets were in very poor condition and lacked water supply. Some schools were found without proper drinking water facilities according to him. Schools have been subjected to inspection as it was found that the majority of the infected persons during the past two months were of school attending age. Accordingly there had been 39 cases of Hepatitis and all of them were reported to be school children. Dr. Kariyawasam explained the outbreak was reaching its peak level but was confident that it would be under control in a few weeks time. The CMC has carried out intensive house to house inspections and education programmes to prevent further spread of the disease. Thousands of leaflets have been distributed among the residents in Modera, Mahawatte, Mattakkuliya and Bloemendhal areas. Water samples were taken from the main lines and checked for germs and all were found to be negative. Dr. Kariyawasam explained the CMC has planned to carry out disinfection programmes in schools from today. All water supply points would undergo chlorination. "However, there has to be a long term plan to build proper toilet facilities and provide adequate water supply to these schools which are attended by children of marginalised families/communities in the city,' he said .
The new MCD commissioner K S Mehra took over charge on Wednesday from A K Nigam. Mehra had served as the principal secretary (Urban development) before this and is a 1978 batch IAS officer.
Guwahati, the State capital and the hub of the North-East, presents a pathetic picture of public hygiene and sanitation. It is a matter of shame that the city, now being projected as the future gateway to South East Asia, should be grappling with such appalling living conditions. Heaps of garbage lying by the roadside, clogged and overflowing drains, worsening dust pollution, filthy slums, etc., have been something that the citizens have been living with for years. The occasional outbreak of diseases like gastro-enteritis, cholera, and now suspected kala azar, therefore, occasions little surprise. While nothing has been done to improve the city's crumbling civic infrastructure, its rapid and haphazard expansion has further complicated the matters. The outbreak of cholera a few months back had exposed that a major section of the citizens did not have access to safe drinking water even in the heart of the State capital. Now, the outbreak of suspected kala azar has come as yet another grim reminder about the city's abysmal levels of hygiene and sanitation. The prevailing situation raises serious questions over the functioning of the various agencies entrusted with the upkeep of the city's hygiene. Notwithstanding the high-sounding rhetoric of the State Government, the fact stands that Guwahati has miles to go before it catches up with the norms associated with a modern city. Such indispensable amenities like scientific garbage disposal system, sewerage, water supply, etc., continue to be conspicuous by their absence. And the manner in which the government authorities have been pursuing these matters of vital public interest reflects an insensitive and indifferent attitude. Of late dust pollution has assumed alarming proportions in the city, mainly due to the spurt in construction activities. The authorities, however, have totally failed to ensure that these activities are carried on in accordance with the norms that minimize pollution. While the Government and the administration have cut a sorry figure in maintaining the city, the citizens, too, have to shoulder a share of the blame for the ills plaguing the city. Civic sense is totally lacking among a major section of the citizens, for whom the roads and drains are an open dustbin. Then, spitting anywhere and everywhere is another widespread habit among many citizens. It is to be remembered that clean surroundings and personal hygiene are key to prevention of many diseases, and the people must lend a helping hand to the authorities in maintaining the norms of sanitation.
GPCC President Francisco Sardinha has warned that BJP leader Manohar Parrikar will be solely responsible if any epidemic or disease spreads in the Capital city due to non-lifting of garbage on account of the ongoing strike by Corporation workers. Holding Parrikar responsible for the messy situation in Panjim, Sardinha reminded that the Corporation workers are led by Keshav Prabhu, who is a top functionary of the BJP. "If Parrikar has the will, he could have easily convinced Prabhu not to stop collecting garbage from the city', Sardinha said, adding "I am sure, the mess is being created at the instigation of Parrikar, who represents Panjim city'. The GPCC President warned Parrikar in the name of the citizens of Panjim and Goans in general, that he would be solely held responsible if the situation affects the tourism industry and an epidemic breaks out in the city. Sardinha hoped that better sense will prevail on Parrikar and requests Keshav to ask the workers to report for work and clean up the city, by keeping aside all political differences.
Bangladesh faces a critical health hazards for lack of
