Day: July 13, 2019

Jharkhand to pay Rs10-cr as ‘performance guarantee’ to anti-pollution body

Source: hindustantimes.com

Following the direction of National Green Tribual (NGT), the state government is set to pay Rs10 crore as performance guarantee to the central pollution control board (CPCB) with assurance of lowering down biochemical oxygen demand below 3mg/litre in seven rivers’ stretches in three years, officials said.

The NGT recently asked the state government to deposit the said amount to the central pollution board as performance guarantee so that the issue could be dealt with serious efforts in a time bound manner.

“Jharkhand is not alone. The performance guarantee was asked from all states having polluted river. The NGT has fixed the rate of guarantee on the basis of pollution level in rivers. Since Jharkhand has seven stretches of seven rivers, the state was asked to pay Rs 10 crore as performance guarantee,” said Jharkhand state pollution control board (JSPCB) chairman AK Rastogi. Rastogi, however, claims Jharkhand stands at four in the river pollution category, which means pollution level is less in rivers of the state.

The stretches of seven rivers Garga, Sankh, Subarnarekha, Damodaro, Jumar, Konar and Nalkari – would go under rejuvenation drive in next three years. The JSPCB has submitted its action plan to the CPCB suggesting ways to reduce pollution level in the stretches.

According to the action plan report, highest BOD level at 8.4mg/litre was found at 10-km stretch of Sankh river, while 6.2mg/litre was recorded at eight kilometre stretch of Garga river along Telmuchu. BOD level at 3.4mg/litre to 10mg/litre was found at 120-km stretch of Subarnarekha river, while 3.9mg/litre BOD found at on 12-km stretch of Damodar near Phusro, Bhandaridah and Dhanbad. Similarly, the BOD level from 3.3mg/litre to 3.8 mg/litre was found on stretches of Jumar, Konar and Nalkari. “We have been given three-year timeline to bring down the BOD level from the stretches below 3mg/litre,” said JSPCB member secretary Rajiv Lochan Bakshi.

Experts say BOD causes a serious threat to the aquatic life due to the depletion of dissolved oxygen. They blame large-scale mining operations in the state for river pollution.

A JSPCB official said about 130 million litres of industrial effluents and 65 million litres of untreated domestic water are released to Damodar drainage system.

The JSPCB suggested hordes of measures in its action plan to reduce the pollution in rivers.

The measures suggested for industries are setting up effluent treatment plants, adaption of zero liquid discharge concept by industries, tailing ponds management plans such as dewatering and drying, water recovery and re-use and discharge legislation compliance.

Pollution abatement measures at domestic source suggested under the action plan included sewerage systems to capture raw sewage flowing into the rivers though open drains and diverting them for treatment and setting up sewage treatment plants for treating diverted sewage.

Long road to zero power-cut dream in Jharkhand

Source: telegraphindia.com

Chief minister Raghubar Das’s zero power-cut dream by July 31 looks likely to come to nought.

Das during a review meeting on July 5 had asked Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam (JBVNL) to ensure regular power supply across the state by July 31, which looks unlikely, given the slow pace of underground cabling work.

A reliable JVBNL source said only 400km had been covered so far against the targeted 1,000km for laying 33KV wires underground. In the case of laying 11KV wires, the situation is more dismal. Again, only 400km had been covered while the target is 5,000KV.

“Underground cabling under R-APDRP (restructured accelerated power development and report programme) which is being done in 30

cities including Ranchi, Bundu, Khunti and 27 others, is a must for zero power cuts, but work is slow on the ground and the onset of monsoon, like it or not, is hampering the speed,” the JVBNL source said.

General manager of JVBNL Sanjay Kumar said they were making every effort to quickly lay cables.

“After summer, power supply automatically becomes normal as load reduces. During summer, we get lower voltage power from the grid, now we are getting proper voltage. When power is supplied at proper voltage, heating of wires reduces and so does disconnection of power, unlike in summer,” GM Kumar said. Asked why power cuts are a daily occurrence in monsoon, GM Kumar blamed branches falling on overhead wires.

“During rainy season many time tree falls on the wire and thus power get disrupted. Though we cut branches leaning on wire, sometimes it happens,” GM Kumar said.

Asked whether it was possible to fulfil the chief minister’s dream of zero power cuts, GM Kumar said: “Zero power cut is an ideal situation. We can talk about power supply for more than 23 hours but as far as zero power cut is concerned it is not easy.”

Energy secretary Vandana Dadel, when contacted for her comments, said “work was being done as per the CM’s guidelines” but did not elaborate.

At a high-powered meeting attended by additional chief secretary Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, principal secretary to CM Sunil Kumar Barnwal, energy secretary Vandana Dadel, chief conservator of forests Sanjay Kumar, JBVNL Rahul Purwar and DCs of districts where transmission projects are on, CM Das on July 5 had expressed grave concerns about Jharkhand’s existing power scenario, including irregular power supply, undeclared power cuts and delays in completion of power transmission projects. He had asked officials to complete pending transmission projects fast.

“We have accepted the challenge and given power connection to all houses but are facing problem in supplying power 24/7. Now it is one of our top priorities,” Das had said, asking officials not to “get stuck in files” and dispose forest clearances for transmission projects.

He had asked officials not to cut power without prior information and rectify technical problems without delay.

Heavy Rainfall in Bihar; Rivers Pose Flood Threat to Many Districts

Source: weather.com

Ever since the monsoon swept the Bihar on June 22, the state has witnessed good rainfall. Bihar has received 333 mm of rainfall this season from June 1 to July 12— 9% more than normal for this time of the year. On Friday, the monsoon fury continued as many parts of the state were lashed with very heavy rainfall and thunderstorm.

The downpour is triggered by the monsoon trough—an extended region of low atmospheric pressure— that persists from east to west of Indo-Gangetic plain. This well-marked low-pressure has moved northwards since Thursday and a branch of it runs from northwest Bihar to northeast Bay of Bengal across Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal causing widespread rainfall throughout the region.

The Weather Channel met team has forecast the surface low-pressure to persist for the next 5 days leading to very heavy rain and thunderstorms across the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rains with extremely heavy falls at isolated places across Bihar. The very heavy rainfall is very likely to continue in the state till Monday.

Water levels in all major rivers of north Bihar are rising due to the incessant rainfall in Bihar and Nepal. The Times of India reported that the river Gandak poses a flood threat to Muzzafarnagar and Champaran. The sorrow of Bihar, Kosi river, as well as other rivers like Karcha and Bagmati, are also likely to swell due to heavy rains. The authorities have been monitoring the situation.

The 24-hour rainfall accumulation in Patna till Friday morning was 25 mm. The temperatures in the city stayed 2°C below normal between 25°C and 31°C. Generally cloudy sky with intermittent rain is forecast in Patna till next Tuesday. More rains are likely to follow in the next week. The 24-hour rainfall was very high at 152 mm in Farbesgang and 130 mm Chapra.

Gurugramwale: 87 years later, this snack corner is still going strong

Source: hindustantimes.com

It is good fortune to chance upon an old but thriving place, especially when it is tucked away in a hyperactive metropolis where everyone is so obsessed with the new that it becomes tough for establishments to survive for too long.

Bihari Bhujiya Wala is a landmark shop in Gurugram’s Sadar Bazaar that makes several salty and sweet savouries. These namkeens, bhujiyas, mathris and biscuits are available in various permutations and combinations of fried fritters, nuts, pulses and spices. The shop is like a huge warehouse crammed with snacks piled up into soaring mounds, like heaps of gold coins that you would imagine in the treasure cave in Ali Baba’s story. BBW, as the shop is referred to by locals, is one of the oldest surviving shops in the Millennium City. It was founded in 1932. “My grandfather Lala Bihari Lal established it,” says Raju Goyal, perched in a little air-conditioned glass-walled alcove tucked away in one corner of the store. Although it has only one outlet, the shop has the air of a professionally run retail chain. Expect no muggy claustrophobia of a typical bazaar store.

No flies, no filth; and the staff are looking smart in red shirts.

A clerk behind the counter talks of having more than 100 types of products. The claim seems believable.

There are two kinds of namak pare (plain, masala), two versions of tosha (cheeni, gur) three types of aloo bhujiya (pudina, mirchi, plain)… the list can fill up the entire page. Between us, you can have a filling breakfast just by tasting all the finger-food on sale. And don’t forget to take a sneak peek at the owner’s small cabin. It has the black-andwhite portrait of the late Lala Bihari Lal, BBW’s founder.

The shop is open daily from 9am to 9pm.

Bihar deaths: The Great Indian Survey Trick

Source: thehindubusinessline.com

Basic health and nutrition services — and not just more data — will help save children’s lives in Bihar

Every time there is a major calamity, look out for those in search of the dumb villain. In Maharashtra, state water resources minister Tanaji Sawant blames crabs for the recent breach in the Tiware Dam in Ratnagiri. In Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, fingers were pointed at the litchi when over 150 children died of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) last month.

Crabs can’t deny the charges; nor can litchis.

The exact causes of the neurological illness are still unclear but the litchi was not the sole culprit in the AES outbreak. Many other factors, notably a dysfunctional healthcare system, a creaky Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and extreme heat conspired against the undernourished children who had gorged on litchis fallen from trees and then gone to bed without a meal.

Almost half of Bihar’s children (48.3 per cent) are stunted or too short for their age, indicating that they have been undernourished for some time, according to the latest National Family Health Survey. A toxin in the litchi triggered reactions among children who were already malnourished, leading to hypoglycaemic encephalopathy.

Bihar has witnessed many outbreaks of AES. This time, a public interest litigation (PIL) suit by two advocates, Manohar Pratap and Sanpreet Singh Ajmani, has brought the matter to the Supreme Court (SC). Both the Centre and the Bihar government are defending themselves with masses of data and new proposals.

The Centre gave the SC a list of measures it would take to address the problem. This includes providing funds for a 100-bed paediatric intensive care unit in Muzaffarpur’s Sri Krishna Medical College.

In its affidavit, the Bihar government catalogued the steps it has taken to address the recurring AES problem in the state, and the proposed measures. It has commissioned a socioeconomic survey of the affected families in the AES-hit areas. It says this would help find a long-term solution to halt the disease.

But is more data — or yet another survey — Bihar’s pressing need?

“Credible data is certainly needed. But, currently, the biggest challenge is not the availability of data. There are already numerous government surveys as well as programme data such as Health Management Information System and others. The biggest challenge is in acting on the data,” says Sulakshana Nandi, national joint convener of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (Peoples’ Health Movement, India).

The elephant in the room, say Nandi and other health advocates, is the lack of commitment on the part of many state governments in improving healthcare governance and health provisioning in the public sector.

“For instance, a district official is not ignorant about the status of health facilities in the district, but to what extent are they acting on it, or are empowered to act on it? States with strong public health systems such as Kerala have managed to deal with such crises, while in those with a weak public health system, it is the poor and the most vulnerable who suffer the most,” Nandi adds.

Since 2012, a standard operating procedure (SOP) has been in place to deal with AES cases in the state. The SOP, revised last year, lists the steps to be taken — such as tap water sponging, correctly positioning the patient and infusion of adequate glucose — at various levels to manage AES.

The government says in its affidavit that 6,656 copies of a booklet have been distributed to medical college hospitals, district hospitals and primary health centres to spread awareness on AES, and a soft copy of the SOP has been uploaded on the web page of the state health department.

It also points out that of the 12,206 sanctioned posts for medical doctors in the state, including contractual ones, only 5,205, or 43 per cent, are filled. There is also an acute shortage of nurses, auxiliary nurse midwives and laboratory technicians.

The state government says that it has provided gadgets such as infantometers (height-measuring device) and weighing scales to frontline workers to monitor children. Smartphones have been provided for data transmission.

But of the 1,14,718 anganwadi (childcare) centres that are sanctioned, only 99,795 are functional, according to the Bihar government affidavit. ICDS, a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by state governments and union territories, covers anganwadi services. It has the potential to be a nutrition/food safety net for poor families.

But “ICDS is failing the poorest quintile. Our diagnosis is that this is largely because many of the poorest mothers and children in India live in states such as Bihar where ICDS is in particularly poor shape. Despite improvements over time, in 2016, just about 40 per cent of Bihar’s children had received ICDS services,” says Purnima Menon, senior research fellow at the global think tank, International Food Policy Research Institute.

Menon believes the POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission), launched last year, has a huge role to play here. “What is urgently needed is that the national efforts around POSHAN Abhiyaan push hard for Bihar to get the basics right in the context of their ICDS services — infrastructure, human resources, provision of food, other ICDS programme services — to all target beneficiaries,” she says. “If the basics are working, then the programme can do more in a crisis period. But if the basics are not in place, it’s going to be very difficult to respond in a crisis.”

Amazing facts about Ranchi’s technology assertiveness and needs in various domains

Source: crn.in

Jharkhand, one of India’s newest states, emerged from the Southern portion of Bihar in the year 2000. Although new, Jharkhand is one of the states which is prospering and has avenues for more progress. Its capital city Ranchi is a knowledge hub of Eastern India and is ever-evolving. CRN India, with its Explore Bharat initiative, finds out the technology requirement in the city.

The Ranchi IT market is driven by around 80-100 channel partners.

“There is a big push for technology adoption from the government. A major project in the city is that where all the street lights have a centralised server that can be controlled from one location. Also, the public distribution system – also called Ration Distribution System – is being digitised as it is linked with Aadhaar, to stop fraudulent distribution of commodities. This practice enables transparency by automating the ration shops,” says Shyam Anurag, Proprietor, Shree Shyam Infotech.

The manufacturing vertical is also embracing technology for its growth. Investments in digital technologies such as augmented reality, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and robotics among others, is being highly considered in manufacturing and other sectors. “The Ranchi market is ripe for technology enablement. Several projects are happening in several verticals including the government and corporate space,” says Naveen Kumar, Director, Peripherals Engineers.

“Technology is the requirement of the hour and it has rightly engulfed almost all verticals which include the police department, schools, healthcare, hospitality, etc,” says Sushil Kumar, Past President, Jharkhand Computer Traders Association (JCTA).

Breaking down the technology requirement, Sushil Kumar informs, “In schools, we can see CCTV being installed and there are computers and projectors for students. There are data centers coming up for smart cities. Additionally, when the health department enabled calling facility to number 108 for free ambulance, this brought about the need for data centers. Also, when the police department enabled emergency calling numbers, 100 and 112, data center is what they needed.”

Sushil Kumar further informs that two to three hospitals are coming up in Jharkhand for which the IT budget is about Rs 100 crores. Also, tenders are being floated for five to six star hotels in the state. Thus, when hotels and resorts come up, even the basic IT requirements like Wi-Fi and security will bring a lot of traction for storage.

The IT channel partners in the city reveal that there is still not much awareness about the benefits of cloud and they are not sure about its RoI. There is, however, a high demand from several establishments for small servers in Ranchi.

Bihar constrained by low per capita income, needs special status: Nitish

Source: thehindu.com

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on July 12 told the assembly that his government felt hamstrung when it came to hiking the amount paid to beneficiaries of welfare schemes, a reason why he has been pressing for the special category status.

Mr. Kumar also insisted that the State’s per capita income was “significantly lower” than the national average.

“You talk about Haryana and Tamil Nadu. While comparing the amount paid (to beneficiaries of social welfare schemes) there, please also look at their per capita income vis–vis ours,” he said.

“As a matter of fact, Bihar’s per capita income stands at less than Rs 40,000, which is significantly lower than the national average. This is the primary reason why we seek special status,” Mr. Kumar added, while responding to a calling attention motion introduced by a host of opposition leaders, including veteran Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Abdul Bari Siddiqui.

The motion had sought to draw the government’s attention towards the fact that the amount paid under welfare schemes in Bihar was far less than that doled out by the states of Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

For a pension scheme, the amount paid to beneficiaries in the state stood at ₹400 per month, while in Tamil Nadu and Telangana it was ₹1000, in Haryana it was ₹1800 and in Andhra Pradesh ₹2000, it said.

Demand for special status for Bihar arose with the creation of Jharkhand in 2000, which deprived the state of its mineral-rich, relatively more industrialized and urbanized southern districts.

It grew stronger in 2005 with ascendance to power of Mr. Kumar, who has often made the “special status’ issue a poll plank. After the 14th Finance Commission did away with the provision, the Chief Minister has, on many occasions, urged the Centre to make necessary amendments so that Bihar could get its due.

“You (Siddiqui) have served as the state finance minister. I wish you had taken our financial situation into account before raising your question. You are comparing Bihar with states where the per capita income is higher than the national average,” Mr. Kumar said, turning towards the RJD leader.

“Moreover, please do keep in mind that Bihar is the first state in the country to have introduced its own universal pension scheme – Mukhyamantri Vriddhajan Pension Yojana,” he added.

Unlike other programmes, the pension scheme does not exclude those above the poverty line, he asserted.

“All men and women, not drawing any other pension, shall be eligible to receive the benefit. This would put an annual burden of Rs 1800 crore and even though we need funds for development works, we are committed to implementing the scheme,” Mr. Kumar said.

Talking to reporters outside the assembly, Mr. Siddiqui, however, appeared dissatisfied with the CM’s reply.

“I am glad that the chief minister took seriously the issue raised by me. But his emphasis on the state’s financial situation leaves the basic question raised in our motion unanswered. The state’s budget this year stood at about Rs 2.05 lakh crore. This is a significant rise in comparison with what the size of budget was a few years ago,” he claimed.

“There has not been a commensurate rise in the welfare benefits being extended to the vulnerable sections of the society. So, we had sought to know whether these matters were not high on the government’s list of priorities,” Mr. Siddiqui added.

Weather plays truant in Bihar: Rain or shine it’s Sec 144 Weather plays truant in Bihar: Rain or shine it’s Sec 144

Source: indiatoday.in

t was only one month ago that the administration was forced to impose Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in many parts of Bihar including Gaya, Begusarai and Darbhanga. The reason, as you may think, was not violence or a security threat. The restriction was imposed due to the heatwave. Now a month later, the administration has imposed Section 144 again – this time in Motihari, due to heavy rains.

The prohibitory orders were imposed on Friday. The administration has also asked all the schools to remain shut for two days. This is the first time that Section 144 has been imposed because of rain.

Earlier in June, Section 144 was imposed in six districts of the state — Gaya, Begusarai, Darbhanga, Gopalganj, Madhubani and Sitamarhi. People were ordered not to step out of their houses between 11 am to 4 pm. The severe heatwave had claimed over 100 lives in Bihar in one month.

Monsoon has hit several states and India received 28 per cent more rainfall than the 50-year average in the week to July 10, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) showed. Parts of northern and eastern India received heavy showers, while in the northeastern state of Assam three persons were killed in rain and flood-related incidents and over 2 lakh people across 11 districts have been affected by the deluge.

Incessant rainfall for the past five days has triggered flash floods and landslides in several places in Meghalaya, causing damage to infrastructure and crippling normal life. Heavy rains had also slowed down Mumbai city.

Meanwhile, New Delhi had overcast conditions and the weather department has predicted only very light rains during the next two to three days.

The India Meteorological Department has said the states such as Uttarakhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar are likely to witness heavy rainfall on Friday.

11 years and Rs 1-cr later, conservation work on Patna’s Gol Ghar still not complete

Source: hindustantimes.com

Conservation works at Patna’s Gol Ghar, a colonial-era monument, seem to be a typical case of bureaucratic apathy and red tape.

The structure is a granary built in 1786 by the then Governor General of India, Warren Hastings, following the famine in Bengal and Bihar in 1770. It was designed by the British architect, Captain John Garstin.

A few years ago, this pillar-less monument developed long, deep cracks above its entrances in all the four directions. Steps of its spiral staircase too developed cracks and were crumbling. Alarmed at the impending loss of the city’s history and heritage, Bihar’s archaeology department requested the Archaeological Survey of India to take steps to stop further damage and decay of the monument and handle its conservation work.

The ASI head office approved conservation plan for only 100 steps of the monument while the spiral staircase at the structure has 281 steps. To review this discrepancy and to get the things revised, the ASI (Patna Circle) has scheduled a meeting onFriday.

“We have invited some experts to suggest how to go with the work now,” H C Naik, ASI’S superintending archaeologist, Patna Circle, said.

The conservation works at the monument was started in 2008 and Rs 1.05 crore out of Rs 1.35 crore provided by the state’s archaeology department has already been spent. “Now it’s difficult to say who planned this kind of conservation works and got it approved. Many among the officials who had worked on this project might have got transferred or might have retired from the office,” Naik said.

“But it has got the ASI, Patna Circle, in the dock. Only 100 of the 281 steps can be repaired and restored under the approved conservation plan. Who will take care of rest of the structure,” he said.

“Also, the restoration work of this level will also give the monument an ugly look. The original steps were built of cement while the ASI is using lime mortar for conservation works and the difference between the two varieties is too glaring to remain unnoticed,” Naik said.

State’s archaeology director Atul Verma said the ASI was assigned the project as it has the expertise and experience in the conservation and restoration of monuments. “The state archaeology has already provided Rs 1.35 crore for conservation works. Now that the project will be revised, the budget of the project too is expected to increase,” he said.

After 8 years! India’s 1st dolphin research centre to come up in Patna

Sourcce: indiatoday.in

he foundation stone of India’s first dolphin research centre will be laid here on October 5, after an eight-year delay since it was first mooted, an officer confirmed.

DK Shukla, the senior officer from Bihar’s Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said: “It was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi in state Assembly that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would lay the foundation stone of the National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) on October 5 on the bank of river Ganga in the premises of Patna University.”

Shukla said the development was a good news for conservation of the endangered Gangetic river dolphins in the country.

According to Gopal Sharma, a senior scientist at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the population of the endangered Gangetic river dolphins was stable along nearly 1,000 km stretch of the Ganga and its two major tributaries, Gandak and Ghaghra.

More than 1,500 dolphins were spotted by three teams of experts and scientists who undertook the exercise of enumeration of the species earlier this year. The NDRC will play an important role to strengthen conservation efforts and help in research to save the endangered mammal.

Another officer of the Department SAID the NDRC remained stuck for over four years due to refusal of Patna University to part with its land for it.

Unhappy over the delay, Nitish Kumar threatened last year that the NDRC might be shifted to Bhagalpur. After this, the varsity finally gave its clearance.

A well reputed expert on the Gangetic river dolphins, RK Sinha, who is also the current Vice Chancellor of the Nalanda Open University in Patna said the NDRC will prove a boon for research and conservation of dolphin.

It was Sinha’s idea to set up the NDRC in Patna and a proposal was approved by then Planning Commission Chairman Montek Singh Ahulwalia during his visit here in mid 2011 and early 2012.

Within a year, the commission had sanctioned Rs 28.06 crore for the NDRC in 2013 followed by the state government that also released Rs 18,16 crore to the Infrastructure Development Authority in 2014. But till July 2018, the NDRC remained a non-starter.

Sinha, known as the ‘Dolphin Man’ for his research of the Gangetic dolphins, said the species habitat has been threatened and disturbed in the river.

He said the Gangetic river dolphin is India’s national aquatic animal but frequently falls prey to poachers and sometimes killed without intention after being trapped in fishs net and hit by machines.

The mammals are killed at an alarming rate with wildlife officials saying poachers kill them for their flesh, fat and oil.

Sinha, who was conferred the Padma Shri for his research on dolphin, said dolphin presence is the sign of a healthy river ecosystem. Dolphins prefer water that is at least 5ft to 8ft deep. They are usually found in turbulent waters, where there are enough fish for them to feed on.

Gangetic dolphins live in a zone where there is little or no current, which helps them save energy. If they sense danger, they can dive into deeper waters. The dolphins swim from the no-current zone to the edges to hunt for fish and return, Sinha added.

Gangetic river dolphins fall under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, and have been declared an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).