Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

The flagship <keyword id="15492951" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ganga-vilas-cruise" source="Orion">Ganga Vilas Cruise</keyword>, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> last week, got stuck on the third day of its 51-day journey in Bihar's Chhapra due to shallow water in the Ganga, officials said on Monday. The <keyword id="3116" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cruise" source="Orion">cruise</keyword> which was scheduled to dock at the shore for the tourists to visit Chirand, an archaeological site, got stuck because of water deficiency in the Ganges near the Doriganj area of the district. Chirand Saran, situated 11 km southeast of Chhapra near <keyword id="16077965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Doriganj-Bazar" source="Orion">Doriganj Bazar</keyword>, is the most important archaeological site of the district. <keyword id="16077966" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stupanuma-fillings" source="Orion">Stupanuma fillings</keyword> built on the banks of the Ghaghra river are seen to be associated with Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim influences. However, owing to the shallow water at the shore, it was difficult to bring the cruise to the shore, officials said. Upon receipt of the information, the <keyword id="4366360" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SDRF-team" source="Orion">SDRF team</keyword> reached the spot to rescue the tourists through a small boat so that they do not face difficulties in reaching Chirand Saran. Chhapra's CO Satendra Singh who is a part of the arrangement-making team said that adequate arrangements have been made for the tourists in Chirand. "SDRF team is stationed at the ghat so that immediate action can be taken on any untoward situation. Due to less water, there is a problem in bringing the cruise to the shore. Therefore, efforts are being made to bring tourists through small boats," he said. Ganga Vilas Cruise also has special features. Its speed is up to 12 kilometres per hour upstream and 20 kilometres downstream. The cruise has an RO system for drinking water, along with a sewage treatment plant. The cruise has all the necessary facilities for the convenience of the people and their needs. Its fare in India is Rs 25,000 a day, while in Bangladesh the fare is Rs 50,000 a day. PM Modi flagged off the cruise from Varanasi on January 13. The luxury triple-deck cruise will travel on the world's longest waterway from Varanasi to Dibrugarh in Assam. The cruise has a capacity of 80 passengers with 18 suits. This cruise will go on an adventurous journey for 51 days and pass through Bangladesh for 15 days. Following this, it will go to Dibrugarh through the Brahmaputra river in Assam. The luxury cruise will cover a distance of more than 3,200 kms and pass through 5 states in India and Bangladesh. This cruise will pass through a total of 27 river systems of UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Assam. The cruise will pass through three major rivers Ganga, Meghna, and Brahmaputra. The cruise will enter the Bhagirathi, Hooghly, Bidyavati, Malata, and Sundarbans river systems in Bengal. In Bangladesh, it will pass through Meghna, Padma, and Jamuna in Bangladesh and then enter the Brahmaputra in Assam. According to an official statement, the 51 days cruise is planned with visits to 50 tourist spots including <keyword id="6601822" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="world-heritage-sights" source="Orion">World Heritage Sights</keyword>, National Parks, river Ghats, and major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/offers-and-discounts-on-water-heater-and-room-heater-on-amazon-sale/articleshow/97029001.cms">Amazon Republic Day Sale: Offers and discounts on winter essentials that you shouldn’t miss</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/i-belong-to-middle-class-understand-their-pressures-sitharaman-before-budget/articleshow/97031282.cms">I belong to middle class, understand their pressures: Sitharaman before Budget</a>

Ganga Vilas Cruise gets stuck on third day of its journey in Bihar's Chhapra due to 'shallow water'

This move by the Indian government to use sand from rivers to construct <keyword id="6373156" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Highways">national highways</keyword> can be termed as an innovative step. 
 Transport Minister <keyword id="26680" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nitin-gadkari">Nitin Gadkari</keyword> said the government will boost infrastructure by innovative solutions. 
 
"Yamuna's sand will be used for construction of National Highways. State support agreements to be signed which will allow use of sand from their rivers for construction of highways. NHAI will dredge rivers free of cost," said Gadkari. 
 
Also, going a step ahead, Gadkari said that BS-VI fuel standards will be implemented from 2020. 
 
"India will leapfrog to BS-VI from BS-IV. Roads transport ministry has asked automobile manufacturers to leapfrog from BS-IV to BS-VI to reduce vehicular pollution," the minister added. 
 
He also noted that India was not utilising water transportation efficiently and announced that 30 floating water ports and seven permanent ports will be built on the holy River Ganga. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Modi government is putting sand from rivers to great use. Here’s what it is

It is an irony that the river that has always been considered the holiest for the Hindus and whose banks held the most profound form of knowledge is also one of the most polluted water bodies in India. River <keyword id="6357202" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ganga">Ganga</keyword> is considered the ultimate cleanser of sins while her banks hold spiritual experiences for a practising Hindu. At least, people do believe it to be so. 
 
That is till they visit the river to get rid of their sins. But one look at the River Ganga is enough to understand that we would better retain our sins within ourselves. If getting rid of our sins means courting some serious skin diseases, keeping them might be a feasible solution. After all, we do commit sins now and then, and cleansing them is going to cost a lot – physically, mentally and medically! 
 
On a serious note, talks of cleaning the River Ganga are getting more serious and louder by the day. What was started by the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, way back in 1985, has always remained in debates and discussions, without any effective action plan in place. 
 
But between then and now, much water has flown under the bridge and a huge amount of human debris has been dumped, too. The half-burnt bodies float on the surface like they always did. But then, that’s the sacrifice the river has to make to keep her worshippers off the sins they have committed. 
 
According to recent estimates by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), fecal coliform levels in mainstream Ganga have shot up much above the acceptable levels since years. And the stretch of the River Ganga that remains polluted is said to be well beyond 2,500 km. It starts from Gangotri where the religious ceremonies take place and goes up to Diamond Harbour. 
 The highly oxygenated upper stretches are not spared from pollution either. It is a surprise that the river has not dried up yet, as a result of such action. Places like <keyword id="146132" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rudraprayag">Rudraprayag</keyword> and <keyword id="697497" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Devprayag">Devprayag</keyword> leave the river increasingly polluted, thanks to the religious tourism and the mindless urban travellers always in a hurry to cleanse themselves. 
 
Ganga absorbs as much as 3,364 litres of sewage on a daily basis apart from the regular dumping of burnt dead bodies, flowers from religious offerings and discarded clothes. Then there is a large amount of plastic in various forms, dumped by tourism-promoting hotels and mindless travellers. 
 The <keyword id="68133" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ganga-Action-Plan">Ganga Action Plan</keyword> (GAP) has been receiving money for a long time, but the operations were not sustainable enough to keep the river clean of pollutants. 
 
The key here is not just cleaning the River Ganga. It is not a one-time operation or a permanent solution. The government is simply pumping in more and more money into Ganga cleaning operations, but environmentalists have been warning us throughout that it will not resolve the issues in the long run. They say the operation has to be a mammoth exercise only in the beginning, with effective cleaning practices being strictly imposed and followed in the subsequent phases. 
 
The focus should be on a few key areas. Once we have enough water to carry out the operations, the ‘need’ is to filter the water from this point to dilute and assimilate waste from the water. Another stage will be to implement sustainable methods of treating the waste that is currently being released into the river. Making policy-level decisions to stop industries from releasing effluents into the river is of great importance as the ‘Clean Ganga’ operations have to reach a level of participation from those who are abusing it. 
 
Although religious institutions make for a small yet considerable part of the groups that are polluting the river, it has to receive a complete buy-in from all the parties concerned – the Ganga now needs their help to stay clean. 
 
After all, changing a few practices to save the Ganga (an integral part of the Hindu psyche) for future generations is something that could go a long way in protecting the river and its tributaries. No matter how significant our beliefs are, the cost of treating a water body, polluted with dangerous waste, is simply much higher than maintaining the cleanliness. And the cleanliness can be maintained with people’s understanding and active participation. 
 
In fact, simple economy would be enough to understand this. If rivers have enough clean water for dilution, cities need to spend less on hardware and energy for water treatment. If this can be reduced over a period of time, the assimilative capacity of the river for self-cleaning the waste will surely improve, thus benefiting both humans and the nature. 
 
Moreover, instead of expecting the upper riparian states to release more water (in the absence of water-sharing agreements, as of now), states can become self-sustainable by building checkpoints to collect the rainwater, to be used for river waste dilution. This can also increase the water table in the area. 
 
Therefore, when the exercise of cleaning the Ganga is undertaken, it should also change the way we look at the river. Until then, governments can keep pumping in money without the people taking any responsibility for the project.

Cleaning River Ganga Is Not A ‘One-time’ Operation

In a push to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious ‘Clean Ganga’ plan, the Union Government will start making efforts this week to implement <keyword id="2413594" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Namami-Gange-project">Namami Gange project</keyword>, which it claims will bring visible change to the waters of the sacred river. 
 
The Namami Gange project is fully funded by the Indian Government for which it has okayed Rs 20,000 crore. 
 
Under this scheme, intensive river surface cleaning will be taken up in 10 identified cities along the banks of the holy river. Floating debris will be collected and cleaned off the Ganga river surface to see a visible difference in the cleanliness levels of the river waters. 
 
It will also cover ghat cleaning and drain-river confluence for ten priority locations is being prepared by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). 
River surface cleaning boats, trash skimmer machines and trash booms will be pressed into service to collect floating material. 
 
The Modi government will invite global tenders this week for river surface cleaning. The ten identified cities are Haridwar, Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Mathura and Vrindavan, Garhmukteshwar, Patna, Kolkata, Sahibgunj and Nabadwip. 
 
Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation told Economic Times that aerators will be plied into action at river ghats to keep the gathering moss away. 
 
ET reported that the ministry wrote to the Central Pollution Control Board to install real-time monitors at 118 locations on Ganga where a nallah meets the river (drain-river confluence) to ensure that the cleaning is actually taking place and water quality is maintained. Ten of these have already been started on pilot basis. 
 
Moreover, the project will be backed by a mobile application- Bhuvan Ganga, which will enable people to see the difference at the surface of the river. 
 
This ISRO-backed India specific GIS tool will ensure real-time, public monitoring of pollution at the river bed on ground situations. The government is set to launch a Bhuvan Ganga app whereby real-time images of the Ganga can be captured by the public through smartphones and uploaded right away to check for any river surface pollution. 
 
This will bring in public participation as well as officials will be held accountable, if any laxity pointed out. 
 
Another public participation initiative- Ganga Volunteer Corps – which is yet to be launched initiative would channelise public volunteer services for cleaning of ghats and generating awareness. 
 
The Nirmal Ganga Bhagidaari project will see NGOs being involved in Ganga cleaning. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Narendra Modi is ensuring you will get to take a dip in a visibly ‘Clean Ganga’ in the next few weeks

Several districts in Bihar are on high alert following a warning issued by the <keyword id="19897673" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India-Meteorological-Department" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="India Meteorological Department" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="India Meteorological Department">India Meteorological Department</keyword> (IMD), forecasting heavy rain and the possibility of <keyword id="20301826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flash-floods" source="keywords">flash floods</keyword>. According to an IMD bulletin released on Friday, the districts of West and East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Patna, Jehanabad, Madhubani, and Bhojpur are expected to experience heavy downpours. The bulletin warned that these districts face a "low to moderate flash flood risk over the next 24 hours." <h2>Districts on high alert</h2>In response to the IMD forecast, the State <keyword id="20020610" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disaster-management" source="keywords">Disaster Management</keyword> Department has issued instructions to district administrations to remain on high alert and to implement preventive measures. The threat of flash floods is particularly concerning given the ongoing flood-like conditions in parts of Bihar, affecting around 12 districts along the Ganga River. These districts, which include Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Patna, Samastipur, Begusarai, Munger, and Bhagalpur, are already grappling with the aftermath of torrential rainfall. The situation is becoming increasingly dire, with nearly 13.5 lakh people living in low-lying areas suffering the impact of rising <keyword id="20152840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-levels" source="keywords">water levels</keyword> in rivers across the state. The affected population is dealing with floodwaters that have submerged homes and farmland, cutting off access to essential services in many areas. As a precautionary measure, a large number of residents from the worst-hit regions have been evacuated to relief camps, where they are receiving basic amenities and medical aid. <h2>Rising water levels and river alerts</h2>The Bihar Water Resources Department has issued a flood alert in several regions along the Kosi and Gandak rivers, which have swollen due to the continuous rainfall over the past two to three days. Rivers across the state are seeing rapidly rising water levels, causing major concern for both local authorities and residents. In addition to the local rainfall, incessant downpours in Nepal's catchment areas have compounded the problem. Rivers flowing through the bordering districts are touching or have surpassed danger levels at several points, significantly increasing the risk of floods. In response to the rising threat, the Bihar authorities took action by opening some gates of the Valmikinagar Barrage on the <keyword id="23350095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gandak-river" source="keywords">Gandak River</keyword>, releasing 6.87 lakh cusecs of water early on Saturday morning. The Water Resources Department also released 7.54 lakh cusecs of water from the Kosi Birpur Barrage at the same time, as noted in a department bulletin. These measures are aimed at mitigating the pressure on the river systems and reducing the likelihood of more severe flooding. <h2>Government response and preventive measures</h2>With the threat of flash floods looming, the Bihar state government and local authorities have been working round the clock to minimise the impact. Evacuation efforts are ongoing, and relief camps have been set up to shelter displaced families. In addition to the preventive steps taken so far, district administrations have been instructed to closely monitor water levels and maintain open communication with both state and central authorities. Contingency plans are in place to deploy additional resources, including rescue teams, should the situation escalate further. With the IMD’s forecast of further rainfall, it is crucial for residents in the affected districts to remain cautious and adhere to the instructions of local authorities. (With inputs from agencies)

Several Bihar districts on alert as IMD warns of heavy rain and flash floods

Panaji, Polymers in <keyword id="19970180" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microplastics" source="keywords">microplastics</keyword> may pose a risk to the Indo-Gangetic plain, a study on the Ganga and Yamuna rivers by the Goa-based CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has said. Researchers behind the study have said their findings could serve as a starting point for an action plan required by municipal corporations to "mitigate plastic pollution and target the possible sources at each location." Microplastics are extremely small pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste. The study, titled 'A comprehensive assessment of macro and microplastics from Rivers Ganga and Yamuna: Unveiling the seasonal, spatial and risk factors', has been published in the 'Journal of Hazardous Materials' on Saturday. As per the study, conducted by a team led by CSIR-NIO <keyword id="20827222" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="principal-scientist" source="keywords">principal scientist</keyword> <keyword id="20994181" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dr-mahua-saha" source="keywords">Dr Mahua Saha</keyword>, microplastics were detected in the Ganga from Haridwar to Patna, with the pollutant concentration being higher during "wet (rainy) season than the dry season". The high-hazard polymers in microplastics may pose a risk to the Indo-Gangetic plain, it said. In surface water, during the wet season, the highest abundance of microplastics was found in Haridwar and the lowest was observed in Patna. During the dry season, Agra had the highest affluence of microplastics, while Patna and Haridwar had the lowest concentration, as per the researchers. During the study, the researchers also identified the plastic leakage vulnerable regions using GIS applications and field surveys. "Among all, Agra recorded the highest plastic leakage followed by Prayagraj, Patna and Haridwar. In contrast, the microplastic concentration was highest during the wet season compared to the dry season for surface water, water column and sediments," it said. The microplastic abundance in surface water, water columns and sediments along the Ganga and Yamuna rivers differed evidently during the wet and dry seasons, the researchers concluded. During the study, it was observed that significant waste was brought by the river from the upstream cities in the dry season and was deposited in the floodplain region. These wastes get washed off during the wet season. "As a result, it is conceivable that over time, these macroplastics might have degraded into smaller pieces and subsequently transported into the adjacent river systems by urban run-off during the wet season," said the study. The dispersion of microplastics is not limited to localised areas in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, it said. "However, it is challenging to distinguish the exact incorporation of microplastics between locally generated plastics and those carried from upstream sources since many rivers pass through the residential areas and due to the lack of awareness, sometimes local deposition of plastics into the river is much higher," the researchers said. The other researchers involved in the study included <keyword id="20994180" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="priyansha-gupta" source="keywords">Priyansha Gupta</keyword>, Akshata Naik, M <keyword id="20162494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manish-kumar" source="keywords">Manish Kumar</keyword>, Chaynika Rathore, Shrish Vashisth from the CSIR-NIO and <keyword id="20994179" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shukla-pai-maitra" source="keywords">Shukla Pai Maitra</keyword>, K D Bharadwaj and Harsh Thakural from the Delhi-based National Productivity Council.

Microplastics may pose risk to Indo-Gangetic plain: Study

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): A <keyword id="4261957" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="general-discussion" source="Orion">general discussion</keyword> on the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> and the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the fiscal year 2024-25 will be held in the <keyword id="19895369" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha" source="keywords">Rajya Sabha</keyword> later on Wednesday. <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> presented both the Union Budget and the <keyword id="22525621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jammu-and-Kashmir-Budget" source="keywords">Jammu and Kashmir Budget</keyword> in the House on July 23. The discussion is crucial as both the budgets shape the financial direction of the country and the Union Territory, respectively. The Union Budget outlines the government's revenue and expenditure plans for the upcoming fiscal year, while the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is a significant event considering the developmental needs. As per the list of businesses of the Rajya Sabha, the discussion on these two budgets will be convened later in the day. The discussion over these two budgets is expected to start in the second half of the day. According to the list of business of the Rajya Sabha, the ministers that are set to lay the papers on the table are Jayant Chaudhary for the Ministry of Education; Pankaj Chaudhary for the Ministry of Finance; Nityanand Rai for the Ministry of Home Affairs; and Sukanta Majumdar for the Ministry of Education. Besides, Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody will lay on the table the Public Accounts Committee reports. This includes the 124th Report on Construction of Toilets in Schools by CPSEs; the 125th Report on Rejuvenation of the Ganga (Namami Gange); the 126th Report on Avoidable Payment due to Non-Charging of Service Tax/GST from the Passengers; and the 127th Report on Action Taken by the Government on the Observations and Recommendations of the Committee contained in their 46th Report (16th Lok Sabha) on Implementation of the Public-Private Partnership Project at Chhatrpati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, among others. The reports were presented to the Speaker on February 23 and April 29, 2024, and to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, on February 28 and May 13, 2024, before the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha. The Speaker had ordered the printing, publication and circulation of the reports. As per the business list of the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju will move the motion for election to the committee on the welfare of other backward classes. Kiren Rijiju will also move the motion for nomination to the committee on the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The motion for nomination to the committee on public accounts will also be moved by Union Minister Rijiju in the House today. Moreover, Kiren Rijiju will move the motion for nomination to the committee on public undertakings. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday during the Monsoon Session of <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword>. Nirmala Sitharaman became the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budget speeches, surpassing former prime minister Morarji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets as finance minister between 1959 and 1964. In her seventh budget, Nirmala Sitharaman outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities. These included productivity and resilience in agriculture, employment, and skilling and services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the Union <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword> presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "This budget strengthens every section of society. It takes the country's poor, village and farmers on the path of prosperity," the prime minister said in a video message. The Prime Minister praised the budget, emphasising its potential for job generation by incentivizing the top 500 companies to recruit more youth and also induct interns. The PM said the budget would help India achieve its objective of becoming the third largest economy, besides laying a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday also said the Union Budget 2024-25 is game-changing and will go down in history for coupling Bharat's economic growth with the torque of its youth power. He also lauded the government's decision to provide training and internship programmes to youth. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, welcomed the Union Budget 2024 laid before Parliament on Tuesday. Calling the Union Budget 2024 a 'visionary document', Sonowal said, "The Union Budget, 2024 lays the roadmap for renewed and holistic growth towards Viksit Bharat. This visionary budget is aimed at empowering the 'Garib' (poor), 'Mahilayen' (women), 'Yuva' (youth), and Annadata' (farmers) so that the process of development reaches every citizen of the country." Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that Union Budget 2024 stands out for its unprecedented push towards employment generation and powering small businesses.

Rajya Sabha to hold general discussion on Union Budget, Jammu and Kashmir Budget today

People in <keyword id="30033" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bihar" source="Orion">Bihar</keyword> are experiencing early chilly weather this winter season and the met department is expecting 1 to 3 degrees minimum temperature in the next 24 hours. This may be a temporary phase but it is a reflection of the change in the climate due to various reasons, says an expert. He said there are various reasons for the climate change here during summer and winter. The state is lacking green cover especially in the rural areas. Bihar, over the years, is facing disasters like the annual floods in North Bihar and a drought-like situation in South Bihar every year. As per a study by the Journal of Natural Science Research, 21% of the total area comes under seismic zone 5. Bihar has 14 districts which are highly vulnerable due to lack of forest cover, flood affected zones and other issues. Around 70% of the districts have a wind speed of nearly 50 meters/second which is considered very high. The northern part of Bihar has low lying plains where water from Nepal accumulates. Rivers like the Kosi, <keyword id="386267" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kamla-balan" source="Orion">Kamla Balan</keyword>, Gandak, <keyword id="14631341" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="parman" source="Orion">Parman</keyword> originate from the Himalayas and their water crosses various North Bihar districts to finally fall into the Ganga river. The biggest challenge for the state government is the silt carried by these rivers and its accumulation in the low lying areas of North Bihar, affecting the natural drainage. This became worse after the drainage system in various districts was developed in an unplanned manner. The water comes from the Himalayan range but does not exit to other sides due to the poor drainage system. Around 21 districts including West Champaran, East Champaran, Sheohar, Supaul, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Khagaria, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea, Madhubani, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Patna and many others are hit by floods every monsoon season. "The actual reason for flood water accumulating in these districts is the siltation and the poor drainage system. The state government has failed to construct a drainage system in a well planned manner. In the last few years, various people in the government and different agencies are discussing it and expressing concern about the changes in the weather but because of political apathy, Bihar does not have an action plan on the ground," said Bharat Sharma, a Patna based environmentalist. Dinesh <keyword id="390831" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kumar-mishra" source="Orion">Kumar Mishra</keyword>, research expert (IIT Kharagpur) on the Bihar flood situation, pointed out that the poor functioning of the state government is responsible for the problem. "Everyone in the government and engineers in the water resource department know that siltation and drainage are the key issues to resolve the problem but the government looks only at temporary solutions. When the Kushaha tragedy happened in the Kosi region in 2008, the Nitish Kumar government had given compensation to the affected families and they kept quiet. No one spoke about permanent solutions. The state government opens a control room in Patna to monitor the flood situation every year from May 15 to October 15. Every year, floods occur in July. Why can the control room not work for 12 months? They know the problem but have failed to address it," Mishra told IANS. "In 1955, the farmers of North Bihar said that flood waters remained for two and a half days in their villages. Now, the water stays for 4 to 6 months in some of the districts like Supaul and Sheohar. Why did it happen? The natural drainage systems were disturbed at a massive level. Hence the water does not drain towards the nearby rivers," he said. The Bihar government has formulated a plan to connect the rivers with one another. Recently, the Nitish Kumar government had brought Ganga water to districts like Nalanda, Gaya and Nawada. The experts believe that such efforts are needed in North Bihar as well to connect various rivers and drainage systems with rivers through channels to address these issues. The Nitish Kumar government launched the Jan <keyword id="13232834" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jeevan-hariyali" source="Orion">Jeevan Hariyali</keyword> programme on October 2, 2019 and allocated Rs 24,524 crore to promote ecological balance and water conservation in the state. One of its goals was to deal with water scarcity especially in the southern part of Bihar. This needs proper implementation in districts like Gaya, Nawada, Aurangabad, <keyword id="4039212" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jamui-sheikhpura" source="Orion">Jamui Sheikhpura</keyword> and others. The government came with the Bihar State Action Plan of Climate Change in 2015 and made sectoral plans to deal with it. However, the implementation was lacking. In the same year, the state government constituted a team of experts to make an action plan with the help of the Department For International Development (DFID). the DFID suggested some measures like desiltation in North Bihar especially in the Kosi range, strengthening agricultural chains, development of agro based industries. The government, through the Bihar state pollution control board signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Environment Programme India in February 2021 to prepare strategies to build climate resilience and reach net zero emission by 2070. --IANS ajk/bg

Bihar staring at 'hydro-meteorological disasters'; 14 districts most at risk

<ul><li>A netizen has gone a step ahead to launch an online petition to force these companies to roll back their ambitious <keyword id="12728042" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="10-minute-delivery" source="Orion">10 minute delivery</keyword> project.</li><li>Shaik Salauddin, head of an organization of app-based workers, the delivery partners are under immense pressure to make deliveries under 10 minutes.</li><li>To avoid bad reviews or penalties, the delivery partners are forced to resort to breaking traffic rules and over-speeding.</li></ul>Even though the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/newsletter-23-december-2021/binewsletter/88440534.cms">craze of 10 minute delivery </a>peaked among Indian startups last year, several critics have questioned whether this is really something that the customers want. Social media has been filled with such critics who have been raising voices against the quick commerce project led by several tech companies including <keyword id="6358977" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="swiggy" source="Orion">Swiggy</keyword>, Zomato-backed <keyword id="12724311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blinkit" source="Orion">Blinkit</keyword> (formerly <keyword id="2466939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="grofers" source="Orion">Grofers</keyword>), <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/mukesh-ambani-led-reliance-retail-[%E2%80%A6]0-million-in-google-backed-dunzo/articleshow/88734641.cms">Reliance-backed Dunzo</a> and <keyword id="12437554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zepto" source="Orion">Zepto</keyword>. Now, a netizen has gone a step ahead to launch an online petition to force these companies to roll back their ambitious 10 minute delivery project, saying that it was “never the need of the consumer”. “Everyone was doing just fine by getting their groceries delivered in bulk in a day or two, or buying them from their neighbourhood Kirana store,” the petitioner said, highlighting that this just fuels impulse buying and does very little to “safeguard the delivery partner”. “I opened my door and saw the delivery boy drenched, his raincoat muddy. He handed me my order, and started limping towards the stairs. I asked him what was wrong, so he told me he had been in a minor accident. The reason? He was speeding to deliver my order in under 10 minutes,” the person wrote <a href="https://www.change.org/p/swiggycares-dunzoit-zeptocares-blinkitcares-give-up-your-promise-of-10-20-minute-deliveries">in the petition</a>. Business Insider was able to verify the petitioner. Shaik Salauddin, the national general secretary of Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT), in a conversation with Business Insider too confirmed that these types of incidents are pretty common in the 10 minute delivery scenario. He emphasised that the delivery partners are under immense pressure to make deliveries under 10 minutes or else they will be penalised. To avoid bad reviews or penalties, the delivery partners are forced to resort to breaking traffic rules and over-speeding that does make them more prone to accidents, Salauddin added. The larger problem here is that there is no clarity on what the company’s plan of action would be in case a partner is injured while making deliveries. “Jaan ka khatra hai. Essential kya zaroorat hai pehle meri baat company se yeh hai. Agar aap delivery 10 minute mein nahi kar rahe toh kisiki jaan jane walli hai vahan pe? Aisa toh koi product grocery toh nahi hai na ki agar nahi hai toh jaan chale jati. [This endangers lives. I would first like to ask them what essential products are they delivering? It’s not like someone would lose their life if they don’t get that product or grocery within 10 minutes],” he added. He specified the following problems that the delivery partners face while making delivery in 10 minutes. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Stage </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Issue </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Order pick up </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">The store, where the order has to be picked up from, may be crowded or may not have certain items of the bulk order. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Route </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">In order to make up for the time lost while picking up the order, the driver would have to break traffic rules by driving on the wrong route or over speeding. Apart from the life threat, this also leads to traffic penalties that the partner would have to pay later. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Issues at customers end </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Several times the drop location is not correct and the partner has to check with the customer repeatedly to reach the right spot. On the side, several localities don’t allow delivery partners to use the lift and force them to use the stairs instead. Several times, customers also ask delivery partners to pick up other items like cigarette, drinks on their way, which makes it hard for partners to meet their target. </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> "Our network design ensures stores are located within 2 kms of the customer. With this density of stores, our partners don’t need to break any traffic rules to deliver orders under 10 minutes and we don’t incentivise them on speed of delivery at all. We also provide medical and life insurance cover to all our delivery partners in case of a rare unfortunate incident," Blinkit has assured. Business Insider has reached out to Swiggy, <keyword id="3275685" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dunzo" source="Orion">Dunzo</keyword> and Zepto for their comments on the online petition. SEE ALSO <a class="tout-title-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indian-economy-grows-by-5-4-in-oct-dec-lower-than-8-5-in-the-previous-quarter/articleshow/89898660.cms">Indian economy's growth slows down to 5.4% between October to December</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/as-long-as-mukesh-ambani-is-there-to-rescue-the-market-doesnt-care-about-future-retails-financial-stress/articleshow/89886569.cms">As long as Mukesh Ambani is there to rescue, the market doesn't care about Future Retail's financial stress</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/russia-ukraine-conflict-all-you-need-to-know-about-operation-ganga-indian-governments-evacuation-plan/articleshow/89886302.cms">Russia-Ukraine conflict: All you need to know about Operation Ganga, Indian government’s evacuation plan</a>

A netizen is seeking roll back of the 10 minute delivery feature on Swiggy, Dunzo, Zepto and Grofers

Doordarshan is all set to make staying at home more enjoyable for people during the lockdown by bringing its Golden Era shows back on television. The following shows are scheduled for re-telecast 1. <keyword id="120638" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="chanakya">Chanakya</keyword>: 47 episodes, directed by <keyword id="554125" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandraprakash-Dwivedi">Chandraprakash Dwivedi</keyword> is planned for daily telecast in the afternoon time bands of DD Bharti from 1st week of April, 2020. 2. Upanishad Ganga: 52 episodes, produced by <keyword id="162673" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chinmaya-Mission">Chinmaya Mission</keyword> Trust and directed by Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi, also scheduled for afternoon slots on DD Bharti starting 1st Week of April, 2020. 3. Shaktimaan: the famous serial featuring Mukesh Khanna planned for a 1-hour daily telecast on DD National network from April 2020 at 1 PM. 4. <keyword id="760675" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shriman-Shrimati">Shriman Shrimati</keyword>: the rib tickling comedy produced by Markand Adhikari is scheduled for a comeback on DD National from April 2020 in the 2 PM slot. 5. Krishna Kali: 18 episodes are scheduled for a daily telecast at 8:30 PM on DD National Ahead of the above television serials, the re-telecast of the following has already begun on March 28, 2020. 1. Ramayan: from the stable of Ramanand Sagar's catalogue comprising 78 episodes(35 minutes each) and 30 episodes(30 minutes each) being telecast on DD National everyday at 9 AM and 9 PM 2. Mahabharat: 97 episodes (45 minutes) is being telecast in the 12 noon and 7 PM slots. 3. Byomkesh Bakshi: 52 episodes telecast for 1 hour daily at 11 am 4. Circus: 19 episodes and featuring <keyword id="6357753" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shahrukh-Khan">Shahrukh Khan</keyword> is being aired at 8 PM 5. Hum Hain Na: comprising of 60 episodes has been scheduled starting from 28.3.2020 as a daily serial at @10.00pm on DD National Network 6. Tu Tota Main Maina: comprising of 26 episodes has been scheduled as a daily serial from 28.3.2020 everyday @10.30pm on DD National Network. It is further highlighted that it is mandatory for all the DTH/Cable operators to show all the DD Channels as well as Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Channels as per the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act. Non carriage of these channels is liable for action under Section 11, 12 and 18 of the Act. In case viewers are not able to see the desired DD Channel they can complain about the same to the Station Head of the nearest Doordarshan Kendra or e-mail at ddpb.inform@gmail.com. A letter to this end has been issued by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. --IANS rt/

Shatikmaan, Chanakya and Shrimaan Shrimati to be brought back by Doordarshan

New Delhi, Jul 4 () The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed more than 90 teams for flood rescue works across the country with a "strong focus" on sanitisation of men and material in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official said on Saturday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had reviewed the preparedness for monsoon rains and floods in the country on Friday at his office in North Block and directed officials to develop a well-planned scheme to reduce damage and casualties. "We have earmarked over 90 teams across the country for flood rescue related works," NDRF Director General (DG) S N Pradhan told . An NDRF team for flood rescue has about 45 personnel and it is equipped with gadgets and inflatable boats. The DG said some new strategies have been put in place for rescue drills and rescuers in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The deployment of NDRF teams will take place with full preventive and protective precautions with a strong focus on sanitisation and hygiene of men and material, Pradhan said. He said the force has written to the chief secretaries and special relief commissioners of states seeking ample space for its rescue teams and personnel in view of the Centre issued COVID-19 guidelines related to physical distancing, sanitisation and hygiene. Another official said the states where NDRF teams are deployed for flood rescue works will also carry their own temperature check gadgets, masks, sanitisers and basic medicine kit. About 60 NDRF personnel who worked during cyclone 'Amphan' in West Bengal last month were infected with the coronavirus during the course of their work. However, almost all of them have now been cured, the official said. "A unified disaster control room will be run by us and round-the-clock monitoring of all teams and their work will be done as usual from the NDRF headquarters in Delhi," the DG said. The home minister, as per an statement issued on Friday, had sought priority action on finding permanent solutions to the perennial flood problem in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and the northeastern states. He emphasised on better coordination between different agencies to have a permanent system for forecasting floods and rise in water levels in major catchment zones and areas of the country, it said. Shah also directed the Ministry of Jal Shakti and Central Water Commission (CWC) to review and assess data on real storage capacity of major dams with a view to ensure timely release of water and prevention of floods. A total of 40 million hectares of area in India is prone to flood in which Ganga and Brahmaputra are main flood basins and Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are most flood-prone states, the statement said. NES AAR AAR

Floods: NDRF positions 90 teams, new drills to tackle COVID-19

The blanket of haze over Delhi thickened on Friday morning with the national capital's pollution levels increasing overnight by around 50 points, taking the overall air quality index to 459. A Central Pollution Control Board official said the AQI entered the "severe plus" or "emergency" category late Thursday night, the first time since January this year. If the air quality persists in the "severe plus" category for more than 48 hours, emergency measures such as odd-even car rationing scheme, banning entry of trucks, construction activities and shutting down schools are taken under the Graded Response Action Plan, the official said. The hazardous pollution levels forced a number of people to miss morning walks and other activities. Shubhomoy Sikdar, a Delhi-based journalist, said the pollution levels gave him a throat infection and he had to skip his daily sports session. Amanpreet Singh, a resident of <keyword id="1775695" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jangpura">Jangpura</keyword>, said he has been avoiding morning and evening walks and preferring to stay indoors. The number of masked faces continued to grow as the city remained shrouded in pungent haze for the fourth consecutive day. At 8.30 am, the capital's overall air quality index stood at 459. It was 410 at 8 pm on Thursday. All the 37 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi recorded the air quality in the severe category on Friday morning. Bawana was the most-polluted area with an AQI of 497, followed by Delhi Technological University (487), Wazirpur (485), Anand Vihar (484) and Vivek Vihar (482). Neighbouring Ghaziabad was the most-polluted city in the country, with the levels of PM2.5 -- tiny particulate matter less than 2.5 microns that can enter deep into the lungs -- reaching as high as 493. Greater <keyword id="18858" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Noida">Noida</keyword> (480), Noida (477), and <keyword id="47896" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Faridabad">Faridabad</keyword> (432) also breathed extremely polluted air. An AQI between 0-50 is considered good , 51-100 satisfactory , 101-200 moderate , 201-300 poor , 301-400 very poor , and 401-500 severe . Above 500 is severe-plus or emergency category. Delhi is impatiently hoping for favourable meteorological conditions to blow away the toxic air, as health experts said the hazardous air pollution has become a serious health concern for about 2 crore residents. "Intake of every 22 micrograms per <keyword id="6805104" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cubic-metre">cubic metre</keyword> of polluted air is equivalent to smoking a cigarette. So whether the PM2.5 level is 700 or 300 units, the impact is still as bad. People need to take precautions, especially those suffering from asthma, <keyword id="55923" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bronchitis">bronchitis</keyword> or other respiratory illness," said Dr Arvind Kumar, lung surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here. Weather experts said increased wind speed due to a fresh western disturbance approaching the northern region would help disperse pollutants faster from Saturday. Parents are a worried lot as health experts say children breathe faster, taking in more pollutants. Many took to Twitter to demand that schools be shut till the situation ameliorates. "We, as parents, request Delhi government to keep all schools (pvt and govt) shut for the time being," Anil Atri, a Delhi resident, posted on the microblogging site. "Whole Delhi air at hazardous levels now. Pollution at its peak. Activate all emergency measures. Close down schools @msisodia (sic)," another resident tweeted. Deputy Chief Minister <keyword id="6354681" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="manish-sisodia">Manish Sisodia</keyword> had on Wednesday said the decision to shut schools would be taken "when the need arises". In November 2017, the government had shut schools for a few days due to the deteriorating air quality. The government, however, started distributing 50 lakh N95 masks, considered one of the good quality masks for tackling smog, among school students in Delhi on Friday morning. Meanwhile, the BCCI said it would carry on with the India-Bangladesh T20 at the Feroz Shah Kotla grounds on Sunday, disregarding concerns raised by environmentalists about the health of players and thousands of spectators. The AQI takes into account five chief pollutants -- particulate matter with a diameter less than 10 micrometres (PM10), PM2.5, <keyword id="36673" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ozone">ozone</keyword> (O3), <keyword id="142405" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nitrogen-dioxide">nitrogen dioxide</keyword> (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and health concerns.

A different kind of emergency engulfs Delhi as air quality drops again

Deforestation is a vicious cycle. It is not just the loss of tree cover, but a negative change in the whole ecosystem resulting in decreased growth not just in the agricultural sector but in all sectors. 
 
While deforestation is a worldwide phenomenon, how does it affect India? In the present context when India is aiming to consolidate and increase its growth, economic losses in the agriculture and industrial growth are serious issues. 
 
Causes of deforestation in India 
 
Farming, cutting of timber, mining and often indiscriminate dam building for hydro electric power projects are the foremost causes of deforestation in India. Another factor is the burgeoning population and its resultant growing urbanisation. It is sad that many forests, scrubland and even agricultural lands have been eaten up by sprawling urbanisation. 
 
In a nutshell, in India it is a sad case of overdevelopment. 
 
How it affects India? 
 
The effects of deforestation are not confined to loss of tree cover and unpredictable weather conditions along with adverse monsoon, but are linked to and result in flooding, siltation, soil leaching leading to low and poor agricultural yield. 
 Deforestation also causes the Greenhouse effect that leads to <keyword id="6366055" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming">global warming</keyword>, another contributor to climate change. Loss of tree cover also upsets the oxygen carbon dioxide balance leading to lower oxygen levels and higher levels of pollution. All these also cause attendant health problems which the population can ill afford. 
 India has experienced this when deforestation in its northern parts and its Himalayan regions resulted in soil erosion, unprecedented floods and landslides. In 2013, <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword> was devastated by floods. More recently, last year Jammu and Kashmir suffered from flooding. These disasters were due to deforestation in catchment areas, silting of lake and riverbeds, unplanned building construction, hydel power projects and road building. 
 
Experiments at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore have shown that deforestation in higher latitudes affects rainfall in tropical areas. The whole monsoon system will migrate further south of the Asian subcontinent and could lead to an 18% decrease in rainfall in India. Couple this with rising temperatures caused by deforestation, results can be devastating. 
 
India’s stand on deforestation 
 The lives of 25% of India’s population (approx. 300 million people) centers round its forests. The Joint Forest Management programme has been working with local communities to halt deforestation. It is also working in close tandem t involve them in various projects of afforestation, social <keyword id="107347" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Forestry">forestry</keyword> and farm forestry besides ensuring they can continue to collect and love forest produce. 
 
Responsible forest management in tune with the area’s geography and biodiversity is the need of the hour coupled with active participation of local populations. 
 
Likewise several projects like the National river water conservation, the Ganga project have brought rivers, waterways and water bodies under a more efficient and pro-environment management. 
 
India and Carbon emission control 
 
Although India boasts of the tenth largest forest cover in the world, spread over 20% of its territory, it is unfortunately the world’s fifth highest carbon emitter. 
 Of special importance is the encouraging fact that India has at last finalized its draft policy for implementing the <keyword id="86409" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="REDD">REDD</keyword> + program of the United Nations. Under the REDD program developing countries would be financially aided by developed countries in their efforts to reduce carbon emission. 
 
The main thrust of the REDD program is ‘Carbon sequestration is one of the ecosystem services flowing from forests, in addition to biodiversity conservation; maintaining water cycle and soil fertility; livelihood supports to local communities.’ 
 
A National REDD + Authority will be established and will be assisted by existing government and non government bodies like the Forest Survey of India, Indian Council of Forestry etc. in preparing a national database, action plans on carbon emissions as well as develop a national emission monitoring system. 
 
REDD in India will also address the need to develop and implement a ‘fair, transparent and participatory mechanism’ that will ensure funds coming out of REDD reach and benefit the affected local communities. 
 
Contrary to his ‘Growth Mantra’ PM Modi has disappointed by slashing the funds allotted to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change by almost 18% from Rs 2,043 crores or US $ 378 million to Rs 1,681 crores (about US $ 300 million). Hopefully some of the funds from the ‘Coal Tax’ may be diverted for deforestation. 
 
Image: thinkstock

Reversing deforestation in India

The June 2013 disaster in <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword> is unforgettable for the heavy loss of human life, as well as the economic and ecological damages it caused. However, the inadequate disaster management and delayed response from the government were even more ominous. 
 While heavy rain (more than 375% of normal rainfall) inundated Uttarakhand and the surrounding areas, it also led to the melting of the Chorabari Glacier and the <keyword id="30363" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mandakini">Mandakini</keyword> burst its banks, resulting in the region’s worst-ever flooding in five decades. 
 
Government officials committed many errors that had a direct bearing on the tragedy: 
· Early weather warnings went unheeded. Otherwise, the loss of human life would have been lower. 
· Haphazard development with hotels near the waterways, extensive tunnelling for badly planned roads and more than 70 hydroelectric projects have created a serious environmental imbalance. 
· Private sources put it to over 5,000 deaths. As the flooding occurred during peak pilgrimage season, more than 70,000 pilgrims were stranded with little or no food for over three days. 
 
Total economic loss is estimated at Rs 20,000 crore. The damage to infrastructure such as roads, hydro projects and housing will be difficult to overcome. As tourism accounts for almost 30% of Uttarakhand’s GDP, road and other infrastructural damage means the state government has to ask tourists to stay away, leading to loss of economic activities. 
 
Disaster management While the <keyword id="107430" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Disaster-Management-Authority">National Disaster Management Authority</keyword> (NDMA) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, did their best, it was not enough. The NDMA and the NDRF have to be better equipped, especially in terms of communications, to properly manage quick relief work. The director general of the NDRF has been changed every year for the past nine years, causing a lack of continuity in this body. Moreover, we don’t have fully trained and fully equipped disaster management personnel. The locals are not trained either or opt to work with the authorities. Early and prompt action is vital for all disaster management and this requires active involvement of the locals. 
 
Local people should be made aware of the problems likely to occur and must be taught how to respond to those. Each region or locality should have a rescue shelter and a command network in place. In other words, public awareness of ecology and environmental issues is a must. The government has to work with the people to protect the environment. Also, weather warnings should be taken seriously and government officials should focus more on prevention in order to minimise such losses. 
 
A comprehensive Himalayan environment and ecology plan covering all the Indian states concerned should be drawn up and implemented. Experts even advocate an international policy in co-operation with other countries such as China, Nepal and Bhutan. 
 
Uttarakhand today is focusing on rebuilding its infrastructure and preventing further ecological damage. The state has already reconstructed a major part of its roads, bridges and communication infrastructure. However, this should top the priority list now as transport and communication are extremely vital to keep the economy going in this mountain state. 
 
Only last month, the government reopened the Char Dham Yatra for the pilgrims, which can revive the tourism-based economy to some extent, bringing in the badly needed tourist money to the state. The government has also been criticised for the slow pace in rebuilding houses and infrastructure, and thus generating employment. 
 
The state government has come under fire for the irregular disbursal of compensation – Rs 2 lakh for every affected family and Rs 3,000 per month for two years as rental compensation to each of the 3,320 families that lost their houses. An additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh for building a house on the land owned by a family did not help either. That is because the families that lost their homes in the floods found it difficult to prove land ownership as all their belongings had been washed away. In many cases, the land itself no longer exists and it is still unclear where the new dwellings can be built. Understandably, the government will have to reassess and speed up the relief and rehabilitation process for genuine sufferers. 
 
Additionally, the government is taking steps to ensure proper development of watershed areas, water supply and sanitation. Loans to the tune of $121.20 million for a decentralised watershed development project and $24 million for rural sanitation and water supply have been obtained from the World Bank. 
 
Employment issues 
Uttarakhand is now witnessing third highest level of unemployment across the country. The state has a largely rural economy and last year’s dislocation of the tourism industry and loss of homes have increased unemployment and forced many to migrate. 
 
The failure of industrialisation also contributes to unemployment in the state. The government has to first ensure that the rural areas have access to sufficient clean water, land and clean environment. It should also actively support local agriculture and other employment-generating activities. 
 
The government is currently working towards better forest management and planned hydroelectricity management. Two of the country’s major rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna, originate in Uttarakhand and responsible handling of these river projects is not only crucial for the state but for the entire country. 
 
However, Uttarakhand is gradually overcoming the impact of the natural disaster that struck last year and rebuilding itself. But how fast it can be back on the prosperity track is the key question now.

You Searched For "Ganga Action Plan" and got 14 results

Ganga Vilas Cruise gets stuck on third day of its journey in Bihar's Chhapra due to 'shallow water'

ANI

Modi government is putting sand from rivers to great use. Here’s what it is

BI India Bureau

Cleaning River Ganga Is Not A ‘One-time’ Operation

Preetam Kaushik

Narendra Modi is ensuring you will get to take a dip in a visibly ‘Clean Ganga’ in the next few weeks

BI India Bureau

Several Bihar districts on alert as IMD warns of heavy rain and flash floods

BI India Bureau

Microplastics may pose risk to Indo-Gangetic plain: Study

PTI

Rajya Sabha to hold general discussion on Union Budget, Jammu and Kashmir Budget today

ANI

Bihar staring at 'hydro-meteorological disasters'; 14 districts most at risk

IANS

A netizen is seeking roll back of the 10 minute delivery feature on Swiggy, Dunzo, Zepto and Grofers

Kritti Bhalla

Shatikmaan, Chanakya and Shrimaan Shrimati to be brought back by Doordarshan

IANS

Floods: NDRF positions 90 teams, new drills to tackle COVID-19

PTI

A different kind of emergency engulfs Delhi as air quality drops again

PTI

Reversing deforestation in India

Preetam Kaushik

Uttarakhand: Dealing With The Disaster Aftermath In The Abode Of Gods

Preetam Kaushik

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides