ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lucknow: The School of Management Sciences (SMS), Lucknow, organised a two-day national conference focusing on sustainable business approaches for a collective future.
At the collaborative event with the Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD) and the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) , institute director Ashish Bhatnagar said, "Sustainability is not an option, it is a necessity."
Speakers, including former chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh R Ramani, former director of IIM Kozhikode Krishna Kumar, and TERI SAS New Delhi Associate Professor, Shruti Sharma Rana, led discussions on sustainable finance, circular economy, and ESG practices. TNN
Read MoreProminent environmental experts have challenged the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) report declaring Triveni Sangam water unfit for bathing during the Mahakumbh. The experts argue CPCB report is incomplete citing missing data on nitrates and phosphates.
New Delhi: Prominent environment experts have countered Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report claiming poor quality of water at Mahakumbh. The CPCB report said that Triveni Sangam water is not fit for bathing. The CPCB cites high levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the water.
Prof Umesh Kumar Singh, who teaches at Centre of Environmental Science at the University of Allahabad, said that water at Sangam is fit for taking a bath keeping in view the current set of data.
‘CPCB needs to work more’
“A few days back, the Centre Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report stated increased levels of faecal coliform (bacteria) in the water. I believe that the CPCB needs to work more on the report because their data is not complete,” Professor Singh said. “The level of nitrates and phosphates are missing from the report. The level of dissolved oxygen in the water, as shown in the report, is good. And on the basis of the current data, I can say that the water at Triveni Sangam is fit for taking a bath,” Professor Umesh Singh told ANI.
“Report very inconsistent”
Similarly, another professor RK Ranjan termed CPCB report “very inconsistent”. According to RK Ranjan, who is Associate Professor Central University of South Bihar, the Central Pollution Control Board data is very inconsistent and to conclude that water is unsafe to bathe in would be to say things in haste.
He added, “There is not enough data to conclude that the waters in Prayagraj are not safe to bathe in. Similar data can be seen from Garhmukteshwar, Gazipur, Buxar and Patna. There could be many reasons for this to happen. Among others one reason behind this is when a large number of people bathe in the same waters. It also matters from where and when the sample of water is taken.”
“Coliform bacteria is nothing new”
Dr. Amit Kumar Mishra, another environmental scientist from JNU, also holds the same opinion. Mishra says the presence of coliform bacteria is nothing new and called for new data set.
I would say we need more data sets, we need more measurements. There is a huge number of population which is taking bath at Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. If you talk about the coliform bacteria, it is nothing new. If you see the data of the Shashi Snan peaks, you will see that the E.Coli bacteria peaks at that time. So, I would say that we need more data sets, we need more parameters, we need more monitoring stations, especially down the stream,” Amit Kumar Mishra said.
Prof. Chander Kumar Singh of TERI School of Advanced Studies also said that many parameters are not present in the CPBC report.
“In the CPCB report available, many parameters are not present. I believe better information can be given if more data and facts come out,” Prof. Chander argued.
https://x.com/ANI/status/1892903056926486548
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Four natural creeks in the Aravallis that serve as a vital catchment area for recharging groundwater table, water run-off from which causes waterlogging on Golf Course Road, will be cleaned on priority, officials said on Tuesday.
The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) commissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja issued a directive to the civic body’s joint commissioners during a review meeting of civic issues, including flood preparedness, held at the MCG’s Sector 34 office on Tuesday.
The four creeks are located close to Golf Course Road, at sectors 26, 42, 54, and 56. The run-off rainwater from these creeks was identified as one of the primary reasons for waterlogging on the seven-kilometre Golf Course Road during last year’s monsoon, in August.
As per MCG and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority’s (GMDA) joint drainage plan, work on cleaning of drains was allocated in October last year, and around 60% of the work has been completed. The pending work was hampered due to encroachments, the report states.
“Work on cleaning of the four creeks as well as clearing encroachments on them is going on. In the meeting, I directed the joint commissioners concerned to inspect the work on the ground and expedite it on priority,” said Ahuja.
“The main objective is to ensure that there is no blockage in the creeks. Besides the prevention of flooding on Golf Course Road, we want to ensure that maximum amount of rainwater can be used for groundwater recharge while the excess can be naturally channelled towards the nearest water body or natural drain,” he said.
On August 19 and 20 last year, the city received over 196mm of rainfall, following which the Golf Course Road was inundated, with rainwater accumulation as high as 0.5 metres above the surface level at several points on the stretch.
Last November, TERI School of Advanced Studies, in a hydrogeological study of the area, done at the behest of IAmGurgaon NGO, highlighted that cleaning of these creeks is the main measure for recharging groundwater table in the Aravallis and for checking waterlogging on the Golf Course Road. They had also recommended to the GMDA and MCG to avoid concretising the creeks in any manner, as it would hinder the rainwater from seeping underground.
Ritu Rao, a PhD scholar at the TERI School of Advanced Studies, who specialises and works on urban water bodies, said that the clearing and cleaning of creeks is a vital move as it will help in groundwater recharge.
“The four creeks are existing rainwater channels and hence, their revival is one of the important steps to avoid flooding in Gurugram and in recharging the groundwater table. It will significantly reduce the run-off rainwater flowing downstream. The creeks would serve as a catchment area for rainwater to seep underground while the excess would flow towards the Ghata Jheel, Badshahpur drain, and eventually, empty at the Najafgarh Jheel instead of flowing to other parts of the city and causing flooding,” said Rao, adding that the MCG should ensure that there is no further encroachment of the creeks and construction and demolition (C&D) waste is not dumped in the area.
