Do we need 'Corporate help' in Creation of water bodies and building of check dams, when huge amount of funds are available/allocated under MGNREGS, Watershed Development etc. and also most of these remaining unspent? Corporate's involvement is not questionable, but whether it should be in form of Govt 'seeking help', or Corporate showing its 'philanthropy' (in line with history of pond/WHS digging by rich/elites)or as a Corporate's 'strategy' or should form a part of 'Corporate's Responsibility', is what requires to be debated. This also need to be considered together with the type and amount of water-extraction/use and water-disposal/pollution by the corporates.

Nevertheless it is good that Govt's engagement with corporate over water has started touching many dimensions - be in preventing corporate to draw water from rivers Or initiative towards rationalization of water allocation to industry Or asking corporate to augment water-resources etc. as reflected in the water-news over last few days!

Orissa to seek corporate help to solve water crisis

STAFF WRITER 12:26 HRS IST

Berhampur (Orissa), May 4 (PTI) Faced with drinking water crisis in several urban areas, Orissa government is now planning to seek help from public sector and private corporate houses to mitigate the problem.

"We need assistance from major corporate houses to tackle the drinking water crisis in major urban areas in the state," Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Badrinarayan Patra said here.

Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) has agreed in principle to fund around Rs 40 crore for creating a water body to solve the crisis in western Orissa towns - Brajaraj Nagar, Jharsuguda and Belphar. While the MCL set up a water body, the government will fund the laying of pipeline for water distribution, the minister said.

"We have discussed with the authorities of Rourkela Steel Plant for construction of a check dam on the nearby river, which will help tackle the drinking water crisis in Rourkela," he said.

Towrads River Cleansing!

It seems of late, Rivers in Odisha are getting attention!There was also another news in The New Indian Express regarding a District Collector's notice to Industries to not to draw water from rivers this summer. He has constituted a committee headed by a DSP to monitor this order! While these are welcome initiative, we fail to comprehend, why they always come as 'reactions'!

Nine Projects of pollution Abatement Sanctioned for Cleaning Brahmani River
Monday, May 03, 2010
Ministry of Environment and Forests

Six projects of pollution abatement have been completed under river cleaning project for river Brahmani in Orissa. Nine projects were sanctioned for the towns Talcher and Dharamshala for an amount of Rs. 389.83 lakhs. The remaining three projects are scheduled for completion by March, 2011. In addition, Government has provided financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 49.0 lakhs to Orissa for preparing pollution abatement proposals in respect of Dhenkanal and Rourkella towns for conservation of Brahmani. The assistance has been approved under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shri Mangala Kisan in Rajya Sabha today.