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Hans India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Foolproof plan to check air pollution suggested
Eluru: District collector K Vetriselvi has instructed officials to implement a robust plan to control air pollution in Eluru city. A meeting of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) District Implementation Committee was held at the Collectorate under the chairmanship of the collector with officials from the Pollution Control Board, Municipal Corporation, Transport, Police, Forest, Industries and others on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, the collector said that all steps should be taken to provide clean air and a good environment to the residents of Eluru city. She said that as per the orders of the National Green Tribunal, the Central Pollution Control Board has ordered to take planned steps to control pollution in the cities with air pollution in the country. An amount of Rs 6.77 crore has been released in advance by the Central Environment Ministry to take air pollution control measures in the city. The Finance Department has sanctioned funds. The Collector ordered the Municipal Corporation and Police Departments to review the 2024-2025 works in the city and complete them quickly. The works to be undertaken in the city under the Clean Air Programme were reviewed. The measures to be taken to provide clean air to the people of the city were discussed in the meeting. She said that steps should be taken to reduce the air pollution level by 20 to 80 per cent and improve the air quality. She wanted the Social Forest officials to take action on plantation and gardening in Shantinagar, Collector's Office and Court areas of the city. She wanted to develop a park and grow plants on the Krishna Canal bund from the jute mill. White wet mapping should be done at the goods shed, Eluru railway shed junctions and road junctions. Details were learned about the distribution of cooking gas through pipelines in the city. She ordered officials to inspect the private bunks in the city and test the quality of petrol and diesel. As per the instructions of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Central and State Pollution Control Boards, Andhra University Environmental Engineering Professor S Balaprasad explained the reasons for the increase in air pollution in Eluru city and the steps to be taken to control it. He suggested that green vehicles should be introduced in the municipal corporation and that the transport department officials should take steps to make battery vehicles available to the public. Pollution Control Board Environmental Engineer K Venkateswara Rao, Eluru Municipal Corporation Commissioner A Bhanupratap, District Industries Officer Subrahmanyeswara Rao, ZP CEO M Srihari, CPCB Consultant Komali, along with officials from transport, police, agriculture, civil supplies, forest and other departments participated in the meeting.
Indian Express
30-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Maharashtra finalises SOP for M-Sand Policy, ‘Aims to stop river sand mining completely,' says minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule
The Maharashtra Government on Tuesday finalised the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for implementing the Artificial Sand (M-Sand) Policy aimed at completely stopping sand mining from rivers in the state. As per the Government Resolution issued by the Revenue Department, information on suitable land for M-Sand units on public and private properties will be compiled and made available on the 'Mahakhanij' for auction. A registered undertaking will be required for setting up M-Sand units. According to Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, with the SOP now in place, there will be no obstacles in implementing the policy. Providing an alternative to sand is essential to safeguarding the environment. Therefore, efforts are underway to stop sand mining from rivers completely in the future,' Bawankule said on Wednesday. Ensuring sand availability for construction and simultaneously curbing illegal sand transportation are critical for environmental protection, Bawankule said. The GR stated that the auction process would be conducted for land parcels up to five acres. However, individuals or entities found guilty of illegal mining or transportation will be barred from participating in the auction. Proposals must include a 'Consent to Establish' certificate from the Pollution Control Board, a No Objection Certificate from the planning authority, an Industry Base Registration Certificate, and necessary permissions under the Maharashtra Minor Mineral Extraction Rules, 2013. The SOP provides guidelines for local authorities on implementing the policy that is meant to encourage the use of M-Sand as an alternative to natural sand to maintain the environmental balance of rivers. M-Sand is manufactured by crushing hard stone rocks into sand-sized particles. As per the SOP, existing quarry leaseholders can also apply through the 'Mahakhanij' system for M-Sand production. Upon government approval, the old quarry lease will be cancelled, and a new M-Sand quarry lease will be executed, said the resolution. M-Sand unit holders must apply separately for concessions from the Industry Department. The first 50 projects in each district will be eligible for concessions from the Revenue and Industry Departments. A secondary transport permit will be mandatory for the sale and transportation of M-Sand, the GR stated. Unit holders must establish the unit within six months and obtain a 'Consent to Operate' from the Pollution Control Board before starting production. The Deputy Collector will serve as the nodal officer for the implementation of this policy.
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Stop building statue of Gond king, restore Dal Sagar lake in Seoni: NGT
Bhopal: Taking the municipal council of Seoni town in MP to task for planning to construct a statue of Gond King Dalpat Shah on an island located in the midst of a lake constructed by the king, and further planning the construction of a foot overbridge (FOB) to let people reach the statue, the Bhopal-based central zone bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) said that while Dalpat Shah built the lake for the welfare of human beings and all living creatures, the municipal council was 'destroying' it by installing his statue inside the lake and further constructing an FOB for people to easily reach there. The green watchdog ordered the Seoni municipal council to dismantle the slab and columns laid for the construction of the FOB and restore the lake to its original position at its own cost. It also asked the MP Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) to recover compensation from the municipal council, Seoni, according to the law. Hearing a petition filed by Navendu Mishra, a resident of Seoni town, against construction in the lake, the tribunal said, "It is for the parties to consider and reconsider the philosophy adopted by Gond King Raja Dalpat Shah. The philosophy behind the construction of this water body was making necessary provisions for future generations and provision for drinking water as well as for agricultural purposes to the civilians and general public. It was constructed not only for human beings but all living creatures. The pious philosophy should be taken into account, and it is the duty of the litigating parties to fulfil the desire of Gond King Raja Dalpat Shah. It was not desired that the nature of the water body or the lake should be curtailed or damaged, and it was never intended that his statue be installed there." The tribunal, comprising Judicial Member Sheo Kumar Singh and Expert Member Dr A Senthal Vel, further said, "In case it was in the mind of Gond King Raja Dalpat Shah, he might have installed the statue as he was the king, and there was nobody to prevent him. But the spiritual philosophy and the duty towards humanity inspired him to do the spiritual and pious work. It is the duty of the litigants to maintain the philosophy and to promote the philosophy of Gond King Raja Dalpat Shah and not to damage his philosophy by making any construction for their convenience. " The tribunal members further said that in any case, they can't pass any order against the wetland rules and further that illegality cannot be legalised by any judicial order. If anything is legally wrong, then it cannot be justified to be morally correct. The order further said that in view of the above discussion and analysis of the report submitted by the joint committee constituted by the NGT to look into the matter and the members of the SEIAA and the CPCB, the district administration Seoni shall ensure strict compliance with section 4 of the Wetland Rules and ensure that there will not be any encroachment on the wetland, construction activities, discharge of untreated water, or dumping of garbage/solid waste/plastic waste in the lake. The constructions raised during the pendency of this application and those already raised previously in violation of section 4 of the wetland rules must be demolished immediately at the cost of the municipal council. The municipal council, Seoni, shall prepare a detailed time-bound action plan for the restoration of the site that shall be examined by the MPPCB and approved by the MP State Wetland Authority. The State PCB is directed to realise the environmental compensation according to rules, and the amount of compensation must be utilised for the improvement of the lake under the supervision of the Wetland Authority and local administration headed by the Collector. A time-targeted action plan shall be prepared and submitted to the Regional Office, MPPCB Seoni, regarding the demolition of pillars and other civil structures constructed inside the lake. The guidelines on Environment Management of Construction & Demolition (C&D) Waste, 2017, issued by the Central Pollution Control Board, may be adopted and applied. The tribunal said that signboards and caution boards should be installed at suitable places regarding restricted zones. Immediate actions shall be taken by the municipal council, Seoni, for performing cleaning of the lake, and its boundary should be identified, demarcated, and fenced to restrain any unauthorised dumping of solid/plastic waste. The NGT also asked for the removal of weeds in a scientific manner in Dal Sagar Lake, and a catchment area study shall be carried out for the identification of natural inlet drains of the lake to restore water in the lake. A groundwater study, including an assessment of present water quality and the groundwater table around the lake, should be carried out by engaging an expert agency. To compensate for the plants/trees felled during the construction work, the plantation of native plant species shall be carried out around the lake and at the central island. Bioremediation and restoration of the lake bed to improve the water carrying and holding capacity of the lake should be undertaken. Effective measures shall be taken by the local body to expedite the establishment of sewerage network connections and the construction and operation of STPs proposed under the Amrut 2.0 Scheme in the city within a definite time frame. The tribunal asked the MPPCB to monitor and submit a report in four months to the registrar, National Green Tribunal, central zone bench, Bhopal. It also asked the registrar, NGT, to send a copy of the order to the Principal Secretary, Department of Environment, Member Secretary, State MPPCB, Bhopal, Wetland Authority, Bhopal, Collector, Seoni, and CEO, Seoni municipal council for information and necessary action.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Swachhata' awards to be introduced in Andhra Pradesh
Vijayawada: Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed that 'Swachhata' awards be introduced in the state, similar to the Swachh Bharat awards, to promote cleanliness. He emphasized the need for a robust action plan to foster healthy competition among local bodies to achieve the goals of Swachh Andhra-Swarna Andhra. He asked that an independent agency should conduct evaluations in different local bodies. Naidu reviewed the Swachh Andhra-Swarna Andhra programme with minister Narayana and officials on Monday. He suggested organizing special programmes on July 21 in the corporations of Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, and Rajamahendravaram, which won Swachh Bharat awards. The chief minister directed that Swachh Andhra - Swarna Andhra programmes be conducted theme-wise and instructed measures to reduce the use of single-use plastics in municipalities. He emphasized producing cloth bags through self-help groups. He also directed the formulation of a plan to make government offices plastic-free. The chief minister directed officials to ready a blueprint to achieve a waste-free state through a circular economy. He suggested providing incentives to industries supporting the initiative. Officials informed the CM that circular economy clusters are planned in Tirupati, Anakapalli, Kurnool, Anantapur, Satya Sai, and Godavari districts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dementia Has Been Linked To a Common Habit. Do You Do It? Memory Health Learn More Undo The chief minister noted that the centre has identified 11 sectors favorable for a circular economy and suggested adding more sectors. He directed officials to assess how many units can be integrated into the circular economy and stated that providing incentives systematically would attract investments to the state. He highlighted that a model project is currently being implemented in Kuppam municipality for waste-free management and instructed officials to study the project. He also issued orders to swiftly clear 10 lakh metric tonnes of accumulated waste from the previous govt's tenure within a stipulated timeframe. With 600 metric tonnes of aqua waste generated daily, CM instructed measures to integrate related units into the circular economy. Swachh Andhra Corporation chairman Kommareddy Pattabhiram, Pollution Control Board chairman Krishnaiah, and senior officials from various departments.
New Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Andhra Pradesh government revises SCS to promote ‘real' growth in State
VIJAYAWADA: The State government has issued orders, revising the Self-Certification Scheme (SCS)-2025 under the AP Building Rules, 2017, aimed at improving ease of doing business, expediting approvals, and curbing corruption in the building permit process. Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar issued G.O. Ms. No. 120 on Saturday, superseding earlier guidelines from February. The updated rules extend self-certification to white category industries, non-polluting units certified by the Pollution Control Board, with site areas up to 500 square metres. The scheme also applies to non-high-rise residential buildings up to 4,000 square metres. Previously, Licensed Technical Persons (LTPs) bore legal responsibility for enforcement and could face criminal charges for violations. Under the revised scheme, criminal liability has been removed, though administrative action may still be taken in cases of negligence or misrepresentation. The government has detailed new protocols for applications, inspections, and occupancy under the Online Building Permission System (OBPS). Once a plan is approved online, construction may begin immediately. LTPs must upload plinth-level inspection reports within seven days, and occupancy certificates will be issued based on joint inspections. To ensure transparency, Town Planning officials will conduct random inspections in 10–15% of cases. Any violations may lead to permit revocation and suspension of LTP licenses for up to five years. MAUD Minister Dr P Narayana welcomed the new rules, stating they would promote growth in AP's construction and real estate sectors while reducing delays.
