General Assembly declares access to clean water and sanitation is a human right

28 July 2010 – Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights, the General Assembly declared today, voicing deep concern that almost 900 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water.

The 192-member Assembly also called on United Nations Member States and international organizations to offer funding, technology and other resources to help poorer countries scale up their efforts to provide clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for everyone.

The Assembly resolution received 122 votes in favour and zero votes against, while 41 countries abstained from voting.

The text of the resolution expresses deep concern that an estimated 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water and a total of more than 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. Studies also indicate about 1.5 million children under the age of five die each year and 443 million school days are lost because of water- and sanitation-related diseases.

Today’s resolution also welcomes the UN Human Rights Council’s request that Catarina de Albuquerque, the UN Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, report annually to the General Assembly as well.

Ms. de Albuquerque’s report will focus on the principal challenges to achieving the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation, as well as on progress towards the relevant Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The MDGs, a series of targets for reducing social and economic ills, all by 2015, includes the goals of halving the proportion of people who cannot reach or afford safe drinking water and halving the number who do not have basic sanitation.

In a related development, Ms. de Albuquerque issued a statement today after wrapping up a nine-day official visit to Japan in which she praised the country for its nearly universal access to water and sanitation and for its use of innovative technologies to promote hygiene and treat wastewater.

But the Independent Expert said she was shocked that some members of the Utoro community near Kyoto, where Koreans have been living for several generations, still do not have access to water from the public network.

“People are also not connected to the sewage network, despite the fact that the surrounding area is largely covered by sewage service,” she said. “When floods occur, as happened one year ago, the lack of sewage and proper evacuation of grey water result in contamination of the environment, including with human faeces, posing serious health concerns.

“I am also worried that water and sanitation are extremely expensive for some people living in Utoro, who reportedly do not have a right to receive a pension.”

Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35456&Cr=SANITATION&Cr1=#

Nod for project to cut waste flow into Yamuna

The Hindu, July 22, 2010

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Cabinet has given its approval for the Rs.1,358-crore Yamuna interceptor sewer project that seeks to cut pollution in the river.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit explained after the Cabinet meeting that under the project 59 km of interceptor sewers would be constructed along three major drains and seven pumping stations will be set up to intercept and carry the waste water to the sewage treatment plants so that treated effluent is discharged into the Yamuna.

The project has received all clearances. An agreement has been signed between the Delhi Jal Board and Engineers India Limited. The interceptor will be laid along three major drains -- Najafgarh, supplementary and Shahdara -- which together account for about 70 per cent of the discharge into the Yamuna.

Field investigations, feasibility report, project report and land allotment work have been completed by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department and the Delhi Development Authority.

As for finances, it was stated that of the total cost of Rs.1357.71 crore, 35 per cent of the capital expenditure or Rs.475.20 crore would be released by the Union Urban Development Ministry under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission while 65 per cent will be contributed by the Delhi Government. Besides, HUDCO has in principle sanctioned a loan of Rs.800 crore for the project.

The project assumes significance as waste from Delhi is responsible for polluting the Yamuna in a big way. The river enters Delhi near Palla, traverses about 48 km and leaves the Capital at Okhla. The 22-km stretch from Wazirabad barrage to Okhla is the most polluted stretch due to discharge of sewage from 18 main drains in this section.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/22/stories/2010072261800400.htm

Sulabh International chosen for cleanliness drive in twin towns

D N Divakar, Indian express, July 17 2010,
 
Ambala:The Ambala Municipal Corporation (MC) will secure the services of Sulabh International for carrying out sanitation work in the flood ravaged twin towns of Ambala. The work of cleanliness would be handed over to the agency specialised in sanitation for two months on experimental basis which might extend on pretext of good results.

Deputy Commissioner S P Sarao said sanitation work had been allotted to the Sulabh International in view of the unhygienic conditions prevailing after floods in the district. He described the job as gigantic which could not be done by the existing staff of the Corporation of Ambala and Ambala Sadar. 100 personnel for each of the two towns would be deployed by the agency which would work on a contract of Rs 12.25 lakh per month. However the agency’s safai karamcharies would work under the supervision of the MC.

There was an increase of about 50 tons of garbage after the floods, the MC Commissioner said adding that the garbage collected from the two towns would be sent to the Patvi Solid Management Plant for treatment.

He also informed that a Joint Inspection Committee comprising officers from the Public Health Department and Tehsildar would ensure the implementation of cleanliness drive. The Committee members would conduct inspection of the work done for the chlorination of drinking water to check the incidence of contaminated water supply, he added.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sulabh-international-chosen-for-cleanliness-drive-in-twin-towns/647834/

New drainage plan needed for Capital

The Hindu,July 15, 2010,

NEW DELHI: Favouring preparation of a comprehensive new drainage action plan in coordination with various civic agencies, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has said that unless such a step was taken the city would continue to face water-logging woes.

Addressing a meeting of the MCD Standing Committee on Wednesday, MCD Commissioner K. S. Mehra said: “Implementation of the action plan to upgrade drainage is a very important component in preventing water-logging from taking place all across Delhi. The Delhi Government's Irrigation and Flood Control Department is presently working on this plan.”

The MCD officials and councillors also maintained that none of the MCD roads was waterlogged during the recent rain and ongoing construction by other agencies owing to the Commonwealth Games had led to water-logging in the city. BJP councillor Rajni Abbi said: “The construction material needs to be removed by the PWD and the DMRC immediately otherwise water-logging will continue to be a problem.”

The civic body officials admitted that concretisation of the city had increased the surface run-off water to almost double of what the drains were designed to take some 50 years back.

Several councillors also claimed that shortage of nullah beldars had led to many drains not being cleaned by the MCD. However, allaying such fears Mr. Mehra stated that the civic body was not facing any shortage of beldars to carry out de-silting work and whatever vacancies existed in the supervisory staff had also been filled. “Delhi has around 1,500 nullahs which are more than four feet deep and 2,500 which are less than four feet deep. The MCD is responsible for cleaning these nullahs and the job was carried out properly except in some cases where sludge was found. We have identified 102 vulnerable points for water-logging and in cases where water-logging was reported in areas under our jurisdiction it was mostly caused due to ongoing construction work by other agencies,” he added.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/15/stories/2010071558200300.htm