बुधवार, 12 सितंबर 2007

SEMINAR ON THE STATE OF THE RIVERS IN INDIA

September 14, 2007, Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India
Time 09.30 Hrs to 18.00 Hrs

Organized as part of the 4th CMS VATAVARAN –Environment and Wildlife Film Festival

Background

Indian rivers account for major source of freshwater supplies in the country. They are revered around the country. Our rivers have been symbols of our civilization. The situation however is not the same any more. The competing demand for freshwater due to development pressure and population growth coupled with encroachments over river beds, indiscriminate pollution, general neglect and people-river disconnect are taking its toll on these lifelines. It is not only a cause of concern for humanity but also for many other kinds of lives.
Large amount of public money and resource have been deployed particularly to deal with the pollution menace. But the results are not visible. What is it, which is ailing the river management system in the country. The objective of this day-long seminar on the “State of Indian Rivers” is stock taking, experience sharing and recommending corrective measures.

Issues to be discussed

· Major River Clean-up Programmes
· Urban Sewage Management
· National River Conservation Programme (NRCP)
· Legal and Regulatory Provisions
· Technical issues and Information system
· Role of Civil Society
· Waste Management and Rivers
· Conflicts
· Community Initiatives, etc.

Objectives
· To facilitate dialogue on this important lifeline of the capital and many others downstream
· To analyse the River Clean-up strategies
· To address the issue by communicating effectively with the help of media.
· To enhance awareness and exchange learnings and experiences on measures taken to protect Indian rivers, particularly the Yamuna in Delhi.

Targeted Participants

Panelists: Environmentalists and social activists, waterworks engineers and authorities, Scientists, Researchers, Water Companies, Policy makers, Media Representatives.

Audience: CMS VATAVARAN would invite members of civil society, students, youth, engineers, economists, journalists, urban planners, social-economists and specialists in rivers and water management, Researchers, Academicians, Entrepreneurs Representatives of TV Channels, News Agencies, etc.

Sessions

I. Inaugural
II. Indian Rivers: How do we Restore Them?
III. Yamuna – Upstream and Downstream
IV. Concluding Remarks and Recommendations

PROGRAMME

09:30 am – 10:00 am Registration


10:00 am – 11:15 am SESSION I
Inaugural Session
10.00 am Welcome Address: Dr. N. Bhaskara Rao, Chairman CMS
10:05 am Chief Guest and Inauguration: Dr. Abid Hussain, Former Indian Ambassador to the USA (Invited)
10.20 am Guest-of-Honour
Mr. Erik Hammerskjöld, Environmental Ambassador, Ministry of the Environment, Sweden
10:35 am Keynote Address: Rajendra Singh, Chairman, Tarun Bharat Sangh
10:50 am Discussion
11:15 am Tea Break

11:30 am– 1:30 pm SESSION II


Indian Rivers: How Do We Restore Them?
11:30 am Session Chair and address
Shri Ramaswamy Iyer, Visiting Professor, CPR
12:00 pm Two Decades of Ganga Action Plan (GAP)
Mr. Rakesh Jaiswal, Director, Eco-Friends
12.30 pm Water Quality Status of Indian Rivers
Dr R. C. Trivedi, Director, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
1:00 pm Discussion


1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Lunch Break


2:30 pm – 5:00 pm SESSION – III
Yamuna – Upstream and Downstream
2:30 pm Chair: Dr Bhure Lal, Chairman, Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA)
(Welcome and Opening Remarks by the Chair) (Invited)
2.50 pm Revisiting Yamuna Action Plan
Mr. V. S. Thind, SE (SE (DR) Proj.East/NE)
3:10 pm Yamuna – Upstream and Downstream
Mr. S. V. Suresh Babu, Dy. Coordinator, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
3:30 pm Yamuna: How to restore the river?
Dr. Brij Gopal, School of Environmental Sciences, JNU
3:50 pm Yamuna – Legal Concerns and Options
Mr Prashant Bhusan, Advocate, Supreme Court, India
4:10 pm Securing Delhi’s Lifeline and the Ecosystem
Mr Manoj Kumar Mishra, Convenor, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan
4:30 pm Discussions and concluding remarks by the Chair
5:00 pm Tea Break

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