Legacy dump at Jawaharnagar in Hyderabad to be capped soon.
HYDERABAD: The long pending capping of the legacy dump at Jawaharnagar landfill site and transferring leachate treatment to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) is going to materialse soon with the Union Ministry of Urban Development releasing its first instalment of Rs 25.72 crore for the project to GHMC a few days ago.
As per the Concession Agreement between GHMC and Hyderabad integrated Municipal Solid Waste Limited (HiMSW), Concessionaire has to do the work of reclamation and capping for Jawaharnagar.
Because of the old dump at Jawaharnagar landfill site, a quantity of 12 million tonnes is piled up due to unscientific disposal practices adopted in the past leading to problems of leachate to several surrounding villages.
Environmental Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI) has recommended GHMC for capping of the legacy dump at Jawaharnagar landfill site in view of ground and water pollution caused due to legacy leachate from the Jawaharnagar landfill site long ago.
Residents of the neighbouring villages have complained about the groundwater and air pollution and even resorted to several agitations in the past over the pollution.
GHMC officials said that proposed capping works would be initiated soon at the Jawaharnagar site.
The area allocated for the active capping is 74.66 acres and passive capping is 28 acres.
GHMC will bear Rs 33.86 crore for the passive capping and Rs 102.97 crore for the active capping.
Another Rs 10.14 crore would be utilised for transporting leachate to STP.

Remember Karachi.
Karachi, being the biggest metropolitan of Pakistan has its own merits and demerits of living.
Karachi is famous for its street foods and active citizens making it a vibrant and energetic city.
But unfortunately, a host of problems surround the Karachiites at every step.
Solving one problem give rise to another.
Lack of these essential resources is disturbing and its unavailability create obstruction in everyday life.
Another problem which tops the list is traffic.
The people of Karachi don’t observe traffic rules due to which perils of major road accidents increases which may lead to life loss as well.
This beautiful city is now known for the unpleasant smell, open sewerages and heaps of garbage everywhere across its streets.
This gives rise to land and water pollution along with many dangerous and lethal diseases.

Neighbor wants conditions for Great Barrington airport permit, future expansion.
GREAT BARRINGTON — As Berkshire Aviation tries to get town approval for three new hangars at Walter J. Koladza Airport, one opponent is doubling down.
"The special permit [request] gives the town leverage," he said.
Fasteau submitted a list of conditions to the Select Board, which he sought to attach to a special permit for zoning compliance, ahead of Monday’s continued public hearing.
It needs approvals before it can build the hangars in its residential/agricultural zone off Seekonk Cross Road and Route 71.
The Planning Board will have to approve all of this if the Select Board approves the special permit.
His conditions would require the town do an environmental assessment.
In the list of conditions, Fasteau explains that his well water tested well above Environmental Protection Agency standards for lead.
Fasteau is also asking that Berkshire Aviation only use unleaded fuel, a request Krentza said he is willing to consider.
Some smaller airplanes require leaded fuel to prevent engine problems.

In the Paris COP21 agreement, member states agreed to commit to reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the shipping industry, making promises that are both ambitious and realistic. A Norwegian chemicals’ group Yara has taken the first step, unveiling its new project vessel Yara Birekland, which is slated to begin operations in the later half of 2018. Yara Birekland will take off autonomously, fuelled by an electric battery and shipping products from Yara’s Porsgrunn production plant to Brevik and Larvik in Norway as a start. “Every day, more than 100 diesel truck journeys are needed to transport products from Yara’s Porsgrunn plant to ports in Brevik and Larvik where we ship products to customers around the world,” explained Svein Tore Holsether, president and CEO of Yara. The new vessel will reduce nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide emissions and improve road safety, by…

HDR names principal program delivery manager for wastewater.
Photo: HDR.
BELLEVUE, WA, March 14, 2017 — Edith Hadler has been named principal program delivery manager for wastewater.
Based in HDR’s Bellevue, Washington, office, Hadler is a vice president and was previously Washington area manager for HDR’s Seattle wastewater and water group.
She is a professional engineer with more than 25 years of industry experience, including 14 years with HDR.
Hadler holds a bachelor of science degree in environmental engineering from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.
She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers and the California chapter of the Water Environment Federation.
About HDR For more than a century, HDR has partnered with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible.
With 10,000 employees, in more than 225 locations around the world and counting.
HDR’s engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services bring an impressive breadth of knowledge to every project.

Just who might buy a bottle of Coca-Cola bottled sparkling water costing US$9?.
“Turn it into a social currency.” That’s the advice being given by one China marketing expert to Coca-Cola, as the US drinks giant launches what it is being billed as an ultra-luxurious Swiss sparkling water brand, a bottle of which costs double what a Starbucks venti cappuccino might cost.
In China there are people who will pay for Starbucks coffee even they don’t like coffee that much.” Traditionally a nation of tea drinkers, China has become the growth engine for the world’s largest coffee-chain, as the booming Chinese middle classes adopt a cup of coffee as an everyday indulgence, emblematic of their growing social status.
Last year, then Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz projected that the China market may one day overtake the US, which has dominated the brand’s sales for nearly five decades.
Its white paper cups bearing the green logo of a twin-tailed mermaid carry not only the caffeinated liquid infusion, but also just the type of Western imagery aspired to by growing numbers of Chinese.
But when it comes to a bottle of plain water, it’s a different story, however, said Veronica Wang, associate partner with OC&C Strategy Consultants.
“The key here is how Coca-Cola justifies its price, by underlining its origin, functions or packaging.” China’s bottled water market has long been dominated by low- to mid-end domestic players such as Nongfu Spring and Hangzhou Wahaha, which typically charge less than three yuan per bottle, a fraction of the cost of a bottle of Coke’s Valser water.
But with China’s water pollution deteriorating, pipelines decaying, and sources of groundwater drying up, many have started shunning domestically-sourced products, fearing their quality, and that many might be contaminated.
“This new generation is trying to quench its thirst for premium goods, while caring about their health and wellness,”Wang said.
Yet still the price of a 500ml bottle of the Fiji branded water, sells on the shelves for only about 10 yuan.

Illegal transportation of minerals on Narmada river banks under scrutiny.
Any kind of illegal transportation of minerals on Narmada banks will be strictly scrutinized by authorities .Along with Narsinghpur , in others districts as well struck checking is under process so as to check sand depletion and curb Narmada river pollution .
It was submitted that in a good number of cases the name of the owners of the vehicles involved in the transport of the illegally mined materials are missing as being unverifiable and, in the case of many others even the registration numbers could not be identified.
It was also directed that District Collector / District Magistrate and Mining Officer present here not to release any of the vehicles apprehended by them which does not have registration number or the owner of which is not identifiable.
Such matters be reported to the Motor Vehicles Department and necessary action taken to identify the owner.
It was also directed that such vehicles be confiscated and if none responds to such confiscation, the vehicle be put on auction sale and proceeds be deposited for restoration of the environment.
The same action will be applicable in all those cases where there is repetition of offences.
In order to tackle the menace effectively, the District Magistrate will involve the SP, the Mining Officer, the concerned Divisional Forest Officer, the competent officers of the Motor Vehicle Department and MPPCB ( Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board)whenever information of such illegal activity is received.
With regards to Narmada river pollution many measures have already been taken to check water pollution levels which also includes that during culmination ceremony of Narmada Seva Yatra on May 15 as it is not a religious occasion and no-one would be allowed to take a holy dip in Narmada river at its origin in Amarkantak at Anuppur district.The district administration officials to “monitor the quality of water on regular interval at different identified points.

Hide caption Twenty-two landscape professionals went through a full day of training known as the Green Industries Best Management Practices, or GIBMP for short. [SUBMITTED] Twenty-two landscape professionals recently completed a full day of training known as the Green Industries Best Management Practices, or GIBMP for short. The trainees were exposed to modules on pesticides, fertilizers, irrigation, lawn and landscapes and, most importantly, an overview of watersheds and non-point source pollution. The source of water pollution that comes from diverse sources, such as lawns, landscapes and roadways, is called non-point source pollution — and it is a problem. We all contribute to it, even unwittingly. Oil leaks from a car, grass clippings left on the street, fertilizers not watered in — all these things end up as pollutants in our water. Rainfall and excessive irrigation will move sediments across impervious surfaces (roads, driveways, sidewalks, rooftops and compacted soils) right to the storm drains on our streets. Storm water does not get treated and filtered. It flows directly to the ponds, lakes, streams and rivers near our homes and businesses. Eventually, all of these bodies of water are connected to the aquifer,…

Americus Elementary School students are finishing up the school year with several projects which benefit the greater good.
“They have worked very hard to complete their projects.” Books for babies Addison Landgren, Lilly Parks, Addisyn Hinrichs and Abbie Sull led the Books for Babies project.
“We wanted everyone to have a book of their own,” Parks said.
“It helps them to be ready for school.” Slowing food waste Landon Dody, Cooper Hamlin, Matthew Rouse, Logan Schlimme, Jonathon Marcotte and Gunner Stone focused their project on reducing food waste at Americus Elementary Schools.
“You can put a lot of discarded food in the composters,” Marcotte said.
The students ended up raising $455.12 and presented the money to Christian and his mom, Sarah Risner, during a special assembly at the school.
During the trip the students picked up trash and learned about how to protect fresh water.
Their project was all about saving the trees.
“We have lots of suggestions for how to save the trees,” Lee said.
With each group picking a topic they were passionate about, the work didn’t seem all the difficult “We really wanted to do this so it wasn’t that hard,” Anstey said.

60% of Ghana’s water bodies polluted – Water Resources Commission.
Mr. Ben Ampomah, Executive Secretary of the Commission at a workshop in Ho, said the polluted water bodies were mostly in the south-western parts of the country, where illegal mining activities (galamsey) were widespread.
He was addressing a consultative workshop on “Dam safety regulation and Buffer Zone policy” which attracted Coordinating Directors from District Assemblies and other stakeholders in the Region.
Mr. Ampomah said apart from illegal mining, industrial waste, household disposals and farming, were the major causes of water pollution in the country, and thus charged traditional and local government authorities to help protect water bodies.
He commended the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for the campaign against illegal mining and called for a concerted effort to sustain the campaign to improve the quality of water bodies in those areas.
Mr Ampomah said water bodies in the Volta Region were fairly good, but urged the Assemblies to protect buffer zones and desist from rezoning them for fuel stations.
“We must know that there is no waste land.
They protect river banks, prevent floods and help improve the quality of rivers and streams.
Mr Ampomah, therefore encouraged them, (Assemblies) to demolish structures located on waterways and buffer zones to prevent perennial floods with their related health challenges.
– Source: GNA