The Hindu : National : Centre proposes river accord with States

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 27, 2004

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National

Centre proposes river accord with States

By Aarti Dhar

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 26. Given the poor outcome of the ambitious Ganga and Yamuna Action Plans — now part of the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) — the Centre proposes to put more responsibility on the States, including raising of funds, for the implementation of the NRCP and the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) to achieve the objectives of the two pollution abatement schemes.

It is now proposed that the Centre will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the States, where these schemes are being implemented, that will make it incumbent upon the States to execute the schemes under the NRCP and the NLCP since the release of funds will depend upon the implementation of the MoU.

Generating awareness

One of the highlights of the MoU will be to allow the States to levy surcharge to raise funds and the other public participation and awareness generation programmes meant to involve the public in keeping the water bodies clean that would go a long way in helping to achieve the objectives of the schemes. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has also decided not to sanction any projects under the two schemes during the Tenth Five Year Plan, keeping in mind the shortage of funds. Under the schemes already sanctioned, wherever estimated cost exceeds the approved cost, States will be made to share the extra cost. The implementation of the two schemes, approved in 1995, has been delayed due to problems in land acquisition or encroachment on the acquired land, trouble with contractors, litigations, inadequate capacity of local bodies in execution, low level of public awareness, lack of infrastructure and importantly non-availability of funds for operation and maintenance purposes.

The Ministry seriously believes that for ensuring enough urban infrastructure so that untreated urban waste and sewerage is not discharged into rivers and lakes is primarily the responsibility of the urban local bodies and the State Government. Central funding, at best, can be for supplementing the efforts of the States and the States need to take an urgent action to raise more resources for capital expenditure for development of urban infrastructure.

It is also being said that the States can consider building into external development costs such as cost of collection of sewage, its conveyance and even treatment of whenever new urban centres are developed. States may also consider exploring other means for raising of resources for capital expenditure by levying surcharge on property tax, stamp duty, etc. Among other suggestions made for generating funds include sale of sludge, generation of power from biogas in Sewage Treatment Plants, development of river fronts for tourism and levying user charges.

To make available funds timely for implementation, these need to be kept in separate accounts by the implementing agencies.

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