Jairam Ramesh speech at IIT Bombay on Mar 13
A dedicated satellite would be launched with the support of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by 2012 to monitor India's greenhouse gas emission, Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told reporters at IIT Powai. He also said that a National Green Tribunal is to be established soon. And despite government taking several measures to keep river Ganga clean and pollution free, he said the task of cleaning is unlikely to happen in next five years unless there is awareness on part of common man.
India to have satellite to monitor green house emission
A dedicated satellite would be launched with the support of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by 2012 to monitor India's greenhouse gas emission, Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said here today.
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"The objective is to study the impact of climate change, fallout of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment by monitoring it through satellite technology," he said.
Another satellite for protection and development of the forest cover in India would be ready by 2013. "As the forests are getting depleted at a rapid pace elsewhere in the world, there seems to be a need for a satellite," Ramesh said.
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National Green Tribunal to be established soon, says Ramesh
The Government has proposed establishing a National Green Tribunal for quick and effective disposal of cases relating to environmental issues, Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said Saturday.
"The National Green Tribunal Bill 2009 will come up before Parliament next week. It seeks to establish a National Green Tribunal for quick and effective disposal of cases relating to environmental issues," the minister said at a meeting on Environment, Energy and Climate Change Education and Research, at IIT Mumbai.
The Union Cabinet had cleared the bill in December 2009 after the standing committee examined it and submitted its recommendations in November last, he said.
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Cleaning of Ganga is Difficult Without Awareness: Jairam
Despite government taking several measures to keep river Ganga clean and pollution free, Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh today said the task of cleaning is unlikely to happen in next five years unless there is awareness on part of common man.
"We can't assure that river Ganga will be cleaned in five years. The government has spent over Rs 900 crore in the last 20 years for keeping the river clean but today only 1/3rd of the sewage that is generated across the 2,500 km stretch of Ganga is treated. The remaining 2/3rd part is led into the river without being treated," Ramesh told reporters here.
"The big task is to ensure that we set up adequate sewage treatment capacity across 3,00,000 towns and cities," Ramesh said at a function held at IIT-Powai today.
The minister admitted that Ganga and Yamuna are no cleaner today, adding, "It is observed that 25-30 percent if river is polluted due to industrialization. We are sure that new technologies will play important role in keeping the rivers clean."
"The emphasis should be on projects like development of sewage treatment plants for all the major water bodies like Ganga and Yamuna across the country. This signifies the importance that we are placing on the river Ganga, which has such an important place in our culture," Ramesh said.
The Centre plans to save all the river bodies by making it 'nirmal' (clean) and 'aviral' (free flowing), Ramesh said.
"We will not only ensure 'aviral dhara' (continuous flow of the river stream) as being demanded by several NGOs but also ensure 'nirmal dhara' (clean and pollution free flow)," the minister said.
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