Why is there no action in Gujarat against industrial discharge of untreated effluents? Ask environmentalists

Counterview Desk
Senior environmentalists of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS), Vadodara, have asked the secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change(MoEFCC), Government of India, to provide information as to under which environment law the effluent treatment plants at Gujarat’s different industrial hugs – Vapi, Ankleshwar, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad – are “allowed” to discharge their allegedly polluted waters.
Posted on Wednesday, the letter, written by Rohit Prajapati and Krishnakant, cite four studies which prove effluent treatment plants, jointly operated by the Gujarat government and industrial associations of the industrial hubs, are discharging untreated effluents.
The letter states, the first one is an April 2008 study by the Department of Water Resources Development and Management, IIT, Roorkee, “Residual Life Assessment Study of Effluent Channel”, provides physical condition of the effluent channel carrying industrial effluents from Vadodara to Mahi estuary, leading to groundwater contamination.
The second one is a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) study of February 2010, “Report on Effluent Conveyance System for Nandesari Industrial Area and Industries Located near Vadodara, Gujarat”, which, the letter says, highlights “the grim situation due to industrial pollution in the area.”
Then, in September 2011, the Institute of Seismological Research, Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat, came out with a report regarding ground water pollution, exposing the extent of damage done due to industrial pollution in and around Luna village.
And the last one is the “Ground Water Pollution in Luna, Dudhawada, Piludara Area Near Vadodara, Gujarat”, July 2016.
Pointing out that these are “sufficient evidences to take immediate action”, the letter says, each of the studies “recommends immediate-, short-, and long-term remedial measures and also the adoption of the Polluter Pay Principle, laid down by the Supreme Court of India.”
Pointing to the Effluent Channel Project (ECP) of Vadodara, which passes through 24 villages’ prime agricultural land, also known as the vegetable basket of Gujarat, the letter says, “The 55.6 km long effluent channel was commissioned in the year of 1983 to carry ‘treated’ industrial effluent from industries near Vadodara to estuary of River Mahi, Gulf of Cambay.”
“It carries the effluent of Nandesari Industrial Estate and Vadodara Industrial Complex. Since 2004 the villages have experienced ground water contamination at alarming rates. The pollution began because of the seepage, leaching, leaking and overflowing of effluents”, and “illegal untreated effluent discharged by number of polluting industries which were established 1995 onwards.”
Accusing the MoEFCC of “inaction”, the letter states, “We ask you to respect environmental laws. Any action to contrary will be tantamount to committing an extra-legal act akin to an 'encounter’ of environment laws”, adding, “Nobody, not even the GPCB, nor the industrialists, have denied that the groundwater is severely contaminated and contamination is spreading in different areas.”
The letter underlines, “There are a number of farmers who had been practicing organic farming (i.e. without the use of chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizers) but because of the groundwater pollution they are not in the position to claim their agriculture produce as organic.”
“The farmers who are affected by groundwater contamination and pollution have not been compensated in terms of money”, the letter points out, demanding, the effluent treatment plants’ Consolidated Consent and Authorization should be cancelled.

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Rushdie, Pamuk, 260 writers tell Modi: Aatish episode casts chill on public discourse

Counterview Desk
As many as 260 writers, journalists, artists, academics and activists across the world, including Salman Rushdie, British Indian novelist, Orhan Pamuk, Turkish novelist and recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in literature, and Margaret Atwood, Canadian poet and novelist, have called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the decision to strip British Indian writer Aatish Taseer of his overseas Indian citizenship.

Church in India 'seems to have lost' moral compass of unequivocal support to the poor

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*
In 2017, Pope Francis dedicated a special day, to be observed by the Universal Church, every year, as the ‘World Day of the Poor’. This year it will be observed on November 17 on the theme ‘The hope of the poor shall not perish for ever’; in a message for the day Pope Francis says:

There may have been Buddhist stupa at Babri site during Gupta period: Archeologist

By Rajiv Shah
A top-notch archeologist, Prof Supriya Varma, who served as an observer during the excavation of the Babri Masjid site in early 2000s along with another archeologist, Jaya Menon, has controversially stated that not only was there "no temple under the Babri Masjid”, if one goes “beyond” the 12th century to 4th to 6th century, i.e. the Gupta period, “there seems to be a Buddhist stupa.”

VHP doesn't represent all Hindus, Sunni Waqf Board all Muslims: NAPM on SC ruling

Counterview Desk
India's top civil rights network, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), even as describing the Supreme Court's Ayodhya judgement unjust, has said, it is an "assault on the secular fabric of the Constitution". In a statement signed by top social workers and activists, NAPM said, "The judgement conveys an impression to Muslims that, despite being equal citizens of the country, their rights are not equal before the law."

'First time' since 1970s poverty up 10%, consumer spending down 4%: GoI survey

By Our Representative
In what may prove to be a major embarrassment for the Government of India (GoI), a new official survey, carried out in 207-18, has reportedly said that average consumer spending in India fell by more than 4% the previous six years "primarily driven by slackening rural demand." The survey, "Key Indicators: Household Consumer Expenditure in India”, carried out by the National Statistical Office (NSO), says that money spent per person in a month fell by 3.7% from Rs 1,501 in 2011-12 to Rs 1,446 in 2017-18.

As fear 'grips' right liberals, Arvind Panagariya, too, would be declared anti-national?

By Rajiv Shah
It is surely well-known by now that India's top people in the power-that-be have been castigating all those who disagree with them as "anti-nationals". Nothing unusual. If till yesterday only "secular liberals", and "left-liberals" were declared anti-national, facts, however, appear to have begun surfacing that, now, guns are being trained against those who could be qualified as right liberals, too. Let me be specific.

National award winning film 'Hellaro' co-produced by three chartered accountants

By Our Representative
“Hellaro”, a Gujarati feature film produced by Saarthi Productions in association with Harfanmaula Films (Ahmedabad) was declared as the Best Feature Film at the National Film Awards which was conferred by the Government of India. The film also won the Special Jury Award for the Best Actress to all the 13 actresses of the film.
Ashish Patel produced the movie, which has been co-produced three co-producers, Aayush Patel, Prateek Gupta and Mit Jani, all of whom, interestingly, started their filmmaking journey after becoming Chartered Accountants in 2012.
“Hellaro” is directed by Abhishek Shah, who has been working in Gujarati theatre since the past 17 years as writer, director and actor and has received numerous awards for his plays. He has also worked as a casting director for 12 films.
“Hellaro” is a period drama based in Kutch and has been co-written by Abhishek Shah and Prateek Gupta. Gupta previously received the Best Debut Director Award, along with Mit Jan…

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