river disputes

G.D. Agarwal (Swami Gyan Swaroopanand), the green activist
continues indefinite fast
G.D. Agarwal (Swami Gyan Swaroopanand), Noted environmentalist who has been on a fastunto-
death since Jan 15, 2012 to save the Ganga river, is determined to continue his fast albeit
he is physically worn out. He was shifted to the AIIMS where he is continuing his fast.
G.D. Agarwal, 80, former Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) professor, has served as a
secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board, the country’s premier anti-pollution body, and helped put together
environmental legislation in India. In last 4 years this is his 3rd fast-unto-death.
His major concern is the inadequate and ineffectual operation of the NGRBA (National Ganga River Basin Authority), a
central government constituted body for cleaning Ganga.
He is also against on-going construction of dams/barrages/tunnels on Ganga which would completely destroy the
natural flow regimes and quality of the river water, inability of the regulatory agencies in checking discharge of urban
and industrial wastes into the Ganga and complete lack of sensitivity of the government on these environmental
issues.

Apex court asks CMC to address issues raised by TN and Karnataka

November 2nd, 2012

The Supreme Court asked the Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC)to examine all the issues b/w Tamil Nadu and Karnataka regardingCauvery water sharing dispute b/w the two states. Karnataka has assured that it will comply with the CMC’s recommendations.

Why Karnataka had earlier refused to release water?

• Earlier, Karnataka had refused to comply with the orders ofCauvery River Authority (CRA) (headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) to release 9,000 cusecs of water daily from September 20, 2012 to October 15, 2012.
• Karnataka has been arguing that is has been hit by the worst drought in 40 years and water in the reservoirs across the Cauvery are just enough to meet irrigation and drinking water needs till June 2013 when the four-month monsoon season starts.

Magsaysay award-winner Rajendra Singh, others quit National Ganga
River Basin Authority chaired by PM
Rajendra Singh (Magsaysay award-winner and also known as WATERMAN OF INDIA) and two
other National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) members Ravi Chopra and R H Siddiqi quit the
NGRBA, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh protesting the government’s "negligence" of the
river. They expressed solidarity with noted environmentalistG D Agrawal (known as Swami
Gyanswaroop Anand) who is on a fast-unto-death to press for the cleansing of Ganga.
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
Swami Gyanswaroop Anand’s demand is to respect Ganga and ensure clean and continuous flow of the river. He has
been on an agitation for the last 47 days in Varanasi, on the bank of the Ganga. But the government seems to be
neglecting his demand. He entered the second phase of his agitation on declaring he will not take water and now his
life is in danger.
Rajendra Singh alleged that though the NGRBA was constituted three and half years ago, it had met only twice since its
formation with the last meeting of the body held one and half years ago.