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water pollution in india PDF

289 Pages·2014·2.03 MB·English
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1 2 3 ii iii iv v vi -7- R E P O R T CHAPTER – I INTRODUCTORY I. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Water is the basis of all life. It is fundamental for human existence, ecological balance and for the very future of our planet. The National Water Policy declares water a scarce national resource fundamental to life, livelihood, food security and sustainable development. Safe drinking water is a basic need and a right for every human being. Clean, safe and adequate fresh water is vital to the survival of all organisms and the smooth functioning of key systems, entities and economies. Water based eco-systems provide a diversity of services vital for human well-being and poverty alleviation and the delivery of fresh water is a particularly important service both directly and indirectly. While water pollution and contamination weakens or destroys natural eco-system that supports human health, food production and bio-diversity, polluted water can lead to serious problems with diseases and death of humans, animals, plant and vegetation. 1.2. India is a signatory to the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development relating to water and sanitation held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 20-22 June, 2012. The Rio Conference gave recognition that water is at the core of sustainable development and therefore, reiterated the importance of integrating water in sustainable development. The Conference committed to the progressive realisation of access to safe and affordable drinking water and basic sanitation for all as necessary for poverty eradication, the improvement of women and to protect human health and to significantly improve the implementation of integrated water resource management at all levels as appropriate. Commitments regarding the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, to be progressively realised for our population with full respect for national sovereignty was reaffirmed while highlighting the commitment to the 2005-2015 International Decade for Action, "Water for Life." The Supreme Court of India in its Judgment dated 28.8.1996 in the case of Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs. Union of India and Others also took cognisance of 'Sustainable Development' as the answer to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and upheld 'The Precautionary Principle' and 'The Polluter Pays' principle as essential features of Sustainable Development and interpreted that these 7 -8- principles are part of the environmental law of the Country. India's participation in earlier UN Conferences on Human Environment held at Stockholm in June 1972 and that on Environment and Development Rio De Janeiro in June 1992 resulted in the enactment of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 providing for establishment of a National Green Tribunal for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection. Section 20 of the Act ibid clearly stipulates that the principles of sustainable development, the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle are to be applied while passing any order or decision or award. 1.3. Various aspects of the issue of water pollution, albeit, limited to the pollution in River Ganga had engaged the attention of the earlier PACs (2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-03 and 2003-04) wherein oral evidences of not only the representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) but also from the State Governments of Uttranchal, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal were taken in connection with the examination of subject 'Ganga Action Plan' (GAP) and the 62nd Report of PAC (2003- 2004), 13th Lok Sabha contained a number of findings including State specific ones regarding the slow pace of developing infrastructure to control pollution in Ganga River. The Committee had then deplored the inefficiency and lack of foresight on the part of the implementing agencies of GAP I and II and had observed then that unless urgent measures were instituted to accelerate the pace of work on control of pollution, the situation would deteriorate further causing irreparable loss to the entire Ganga river system. Stressing the need to generate additional resources by way of introducing user charges; 'beneficiaries pay' and 'polluters pay' principle along with other collective fine system, etc., the Committee had also emphasised on the core issue of the need for efficient and co-ordinated working of different departments/agencies working for the control of pollution. The Committee also found that the implementation of GAP, had been more of piecemeal solution for tackling a complex problem and failed to treat the river eco-system entirely. 1.4. The Committee had then, further observed that for such a mass oriented programme as GAP, a crucial aspect like public participation which could have been a deciding factor in the successful implementation of the GAP had not been given adequate attention. The Committee recommended energetic mass awareness efforts to establish a pattern of co-operative relationship between the Government NGOs, V.Os 8

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While water pollution and contamination weakens or destroys natural eco-system that . Water Pollution India' which was laid in Parliament on 16 th.
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