NHAI aims for conservation and protection of wildlife

NHAI aims for conservation and protection of wildlife

With a view to mainstream Sustainable Development and Environmental Management into highway development projects, National Highways Authority of India has taken the lead in creating a platform for dialogue where development goals and conservation needs can be resolved across the table by all stakeholders. Chairman NHAI initiated the dialogue with the representatives from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change last month. The dialogue will now continue through meetings to be held once every quarter, providing a structured platform for expeditious consultations with all stakeholders for convergence of development goals with conservation needs.


NHAI propose using space technology for planning and monitoring of conflict zones and putting in place mitigation measures for environmental protection and conservation along the highways. Conservation of wildlife is the focus of attention. Chairman NHAI has assured to undertake all necessary measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate any impact on wildlife that may result in the course of development of National Highways. NHAI would provide the coordinates of all NH projects to WII for developing a Geological Information System (GIS) enabled map of all National Highways passing through Protected Areas. Chairman, NHAI emphasized the necessity of scientific designing of mitigation measures, so that the project designs could be optimized, safeguarding wildlife while maintaining the cost-effectiveness of the projects on long term basis. With such a platform in place, NHAI expects to reduce the time factor in consultations, clearances and finalization of mitigation plans thereby saving huge costs to the society.

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JNPT Board extends rebate on Containers transported by Rail to CFS Navi Mumbai

In a move to encourage rail transportation, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust Board had granted a waiver of Rs. 728/- per container towards handling charges of Exim containers moved by rail to and from the Container Freight Services on dedicated rakes at JNPCT. The waiver was granted on 15th October 2015 for a period of 3 months on a trial basis. To further encourage rail movement, the Board has extended the rebate for another 3 months. Also, while the initial rebate was applicable to containers moved by dedicated rakes both ways, it will now also apply to containers which have either arrived through dedicated rakes or moved out through dedicated rakes placed on JNPCT lines. This will not only encourage the trade for usage of rail transportation but also reduce the congestion and pollution on the roads around JN Port.

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Special Purpose Vehicle ensures timely execution of Smart City Plans, says Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu

US Business delegation led by Dy. Secretary of Commerce discuss opportunities in smart cities

UK delegation discusses setting up hospitals in smart cities

Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu has assured a visiting US Business delegation that Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) being set up for implementation of city level Smart City Plans will be empowered to ensure timely execution of all projects by taking required decisions and ensuring necessary coordination. He also said that urban local bodies of 20 cities selected in the first round of City Challenge Competition have passed resolutions to this effect and SPVs will play a crucial role in successful implementation of smart city plans.

A 20 Member US Business delegation led by Mr.Bruce Andrews, Deputy Secretary, US Department of Commerce today held detailed discussions with Shri Naidu and senior officials of his Ministry on various aspects of implementation of Smart City Plans and investment opportunities therein.

Ms.Lee Zak, Director, US Trade Development Agency and senior representatives of 18 US companies participated in the hour long discussions. The companies represented include EXIM Bank of the US, Alcoa, Convalt Energy, Master Card, Qualcom, Turner Project Manufacturing, Ecolab and Smart City Council of the US.

Mr.Bruce Andrews said that “India offers tremendous opportunity for American companies. The Smart Cities Trade Mission is keen to learn more about the market and new business opportunities. By creating a forum to explore avenues for collaboration, the mission fosters commercial engagement between the two countries”.

Responding to the queries of the visiting delegation Shri Naidu said that the American companies can look at Joint Ventures, formation of subsidiaries, delivering turnkey projects and PPP model for investing in smart city development. He further elaborated on sustainability features like water conservation and waste water recycling, solar power generation, energy efficiency measures, green construction, recycling of municipal solid waste etc., offering immense investment opportunities.

A delegation from the Indo UK Institute of Health also called on Shri Venkaiah Naidu to explore the opportunities for setting up hospitals in smart cities being developed in pursuance of Joint Statement by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Mr.David Cameron in London in November last year. The two leaders agreed to support opening of 11 Indo UK Institutes of Health in India with an investment of one Billion Pounds.

Agreeing to extend full cooperation, Shri Naidu informed the delegation that promotion of affordable healthcare services is one of the key objectives of Smart City Mission. He said that Pune proposed to build 3 new super speciality hospitals and all cities are keen to promote digital healthcare services.


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Uma Bharti to hold meetings with CMs of Odisha, Maharashtra and Gujarat to put Inter-Linking on Fast Track

Eighth Meeting of the special committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers held

The Inter-linking of River (ILR) programme is very important for enhancing water and food security of the country and would be very helpful in providing water to water short, drought prone and rainfed farming areas. This was stated by Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti while chairing the Eighth meeting of the Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers held in New Delhi today. She said the Government of India is committed for implementation of ILR programme with consensus and cooperation of the concerned State Governments.

Referring to her meeting with the Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik held in Bhubaneswar on 3rd of this month regarding Mahanadi-Godavari link project, the Minister said that it was decided that a team of officers from the centre and state Government will discuss all the issues about this link and will submit its report within six months. Sushri Bharti said, “After this report its submitted, I will have another meeting with the CM of Odisha to finalise Mahanadi-Godavari link project and I am very hopeful for a positive response from Government of Odisha in this regard”.

Giving an update about Ken-Betwa link project, the Minister informed that various clearances in respect of Ken-Betwa link project Phase-I are in the advanced stage of processing. She said, “I am happy to inform that the link project has been recommended by the State Wild Life Board of Madhya Pradesh in its meeting held on September 22, 2015 for forwarding the proposal to National Board of Wild Life of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change for according the Wild Life Clearance to the project. Sushri Bharti said that she has spoken to the Union Environment Minister in this regard and is very hopeful of getting the necessary clearance very soon.

Referring to the status of Par-Tapi-Narmada link project the Minister informed the meeting that DPR of this project has been submitted to the Government of Gujarat and Maharashtra in August, 2015 and their comments/views are awaited. She said the issue of water sharing between Gujarat and Maharashtra in respect of Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada link projects is being taken up on priority. Both the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat have expressed their desire to resolve all issues relating to water sharing under the proposed link project for taking up their implementation. The Minister said, in this connection it has been decided that an officer level meeting will be held with the officers of both the States and the Union Water Resources Ministry to sort out pending issues. Sushri Bharti said, “After this, I will hold a meeting with the Chief Minister of both the States on the issue. I hope we would be able to reach an agreement on water sharing in the two projects with the cooperation of both the States at an early date”.

The Minister said the Task Force for ILR constituted by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is examining all relevant issues in details and will help in bringing speedy consensus amongst the States on the link project. It met last on November 05, 2015. The three sub-committees of the Special committee are also holding meetings regularly and carrying out the tasks assigned to them consistently. The cooperation and assistance of all members especially the concerned State Governments is very essential for the successful implementation of ILR programme. The inter-linking of rivers is not a mere dream project of the Government but is coming to reality, the Minister added.

Representatives of some states raised the issue of redefining the term “surplus water”. Responding to this Sushri Bharti said that a sub committee under the task force constituted by National Water Development Agency is seized of the issue and will submit its report within two months. The Minister said this is a very important issue which requires large national consensus. The meeting was attended by Water Resources Ministers from Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Rajasthan and senior officials from other states.

Interlinking of River (ILR) programme is of national importance and has been taken up by the Government on high Priority. The purpose of this programme is to ensure greater equity in the distribution of water by enhancing the availability of water in drought prone and rainfed area through interlinking of rivers. The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has already identified 14 links under Himalayan Rivers component and 16 links under Peninsular Rivers component for inter basin transfer of water based on field surveys and investigation and detailed studies.

Union Cabinet in its meeting held on July 24, 2014 approved the constitution of the Special Committee on ILR. Accordingly, Special Committee on ILR was constituted vide order dated September 23, 2014. The first meeting of the committee was held on October 17, 2014. The committee, after considering the views of all the stakeholders, is proceeding ahead to expedite the objectives of the interlinking of rivers as per terms of reference. Vigorous efforts have been made for generating consensus with development of alternative plans and also setting out road maps for implementation of projects.