Synopsis India has about two million homeless people. Vacant land is a major wastage of natural resources in any country. These lands are not used for any productive activity. Our project concerns such vacant lands. These empty lands are sometimes turned into garbage dumps by the people living near such lands and hence become home to many disease carrying bacteria and bad odour. Wild plants grow in these lands and habitat many insects which in turn cause problems to the residents living near these lands. India is a fast developing country. Vacant lands are a major economical and social waste. Vacant or empty lands are a major issue in our country where the competition for space to live and carry out daily activities is increasing day by day. In such a situation wastage of lands in such ways is resources is a major problem. These lands can be turned valuable through various ways. They can ease the traffic on the roads by providing area for parking lots. Parks can also be created out of these useful lands and provide space for children to play. These lands can also be used by the government for various purposes such as setting up schools or hospitals here. Thus such lands can be made useful. Government policies can ensure that such lands are not wasted but utilized in the best manner. They can be turned from vacant lands to useful area with help from government and the people. This will not only better the area but also support the people’s need and requirements. So vacant lands are a major wastage of natural resources and have to be transformed into useful area. This is what are project is all about.

Synopsis

India has about two million homeless people. Vacant land is a major wastage of natural resources in any country. These lands are not used for any productive activity. Our project concerns such vacant lands. These empty lands are sometimes turned into garbage dumps by the people living near such lands and hence become home to many disease carrying bacteria and bad odour. Wild plants grow in these lands and habitat many insects which in turn cause problems to the residents living near these lands.                                                            India is a fast developing country. Vacant lands are a major economical and social waste. Vacant or empty lands are a major issue in our country where the competition for space to live and carry out daily activities is increasing day by day. In such a situation wastage of lands in such ways is resources is a major problem. These lands can be turned valuable through various ways. They can ease the traffic on the roads by providing area for parking lots. Parks can also be created out of these useful lands and provide space for children to play. These lands can also be used by the government for various purposes such as setting up schools or hospitals here. Thus such lands can be made useful.                                                                                          Government policies can ensure that such lands are not wasted but utilized in the best manner. They can be turned from vacant lands to useful area with help from government and the people. This will not only better the area but also support the people’s need and requirements. So vacant lands are a major wastage of natural resources and have to be transformed into useful area. This is what are project is all about.                        

Synopsis

India has about two million homeless people. Vacant land is a major wastage of natural resources in any country. These lands are not used for any productive activity. Our project concerns such vacant lands. These empty lands are sometimes turned into garbage dumps by the people living near such lands and hence become home to many disease carrying bacteria and bad odour. Wild plants grow in these lands and habitat many insects which in turn cause problems to the residents living near these lands.                                                            India is a fast developing country. Vacant lands are a major economical and social waste. Vacant or empty lands are a major issue in our country where the competition for space to live and carry out daily activities is increasing day by day. In such a situation wastage of lands in such ways is resources is a major problem. These lands can be turned valuable through various ways. They can ease the traffic on the roads by providing area for parking lots. Parks can also be created out of these useful lands and provide space for children to play. These lands can also be used by the government for various purposes such as setting up schools or hospitals here. Thus such lands can be made useful.                                                                                          Government policies can ensure that such lands are not wasted but utilized in the best manner. They can be turned from vacant lands to useful area with help from government and the people. This will not only better the area but also support the people’s need and requirements. So vacant lands are a major wastage of natural resources and have to be transformed into useful area. This is what are project is all about.                        

EXISTING GOVERNMENT POLICIES GENTLEMEN !!

The Urban Land Policy Committee (Ministry of Health) appointed by the Government of India in 1965, articulated the following Land Policy Objectives (Planning Commission, 1983);


1. To achieve optimum social use of urban land;

2. To make land available in adequate quantity, at right time and for reasonable prices to both public authorities and individuals;

3. To encourage cooperative community effort and bona fide individual builders in the field of land development, housing and construction;

4. To prevent concentration of land ownership in a few private hands and especially to safeguard the interests of the poor and under - privileged sections of the urban society.

In addition, a commonly held objective is,

5. To use land as a resource for financing urban development by recouping the unearned income which otherwise accrues to private land owners. (Fifth Five Year Plan)



The most important experiment of large scale public acquisition of land for urban development has been that of Delhi Development Authority (DDA). However the results have been quite contrary to the expectation. It is generally observed that (Planning Commission, 1983);

1. It has not been possible for DDA to provide land at affordable prices to low income beneficiaries resulting in large scale jhuggi jhopadi colonies.

2. In the absence of price signals land has been sub optimally used, resulting in over provision to powerful groups, and

3. DDA.s policy to auction very few plots at a time and treating the maximum price quoted in such biding as the real market price has in fact meant artificially increasing the land price through deliberate scarcity.



Although the objectives have been neatly formulated, the policy measures which can achieve these objectives in practice still remain to be sharpened and coordinated. The measures can be classified as a) direct government investment b) legal and regulatory; and c) fiscal. Examples of these are;

1. Direct government investment in land development for provision of infrastructure, housing or overall town development through large scale compulsory land acquisition.

2. Statutory provisions for compulsory acquisition of land at less than market price, regulations regarding land use zoning, development control and building codes for health and safety.

3. Fiscal measures in the form of appropriate taxation that can help achieve the land policy objectives.



The Land Acquisition Act, 1894

The Act enables compulsory acquisition of land needed for public purposes and for

Companies. After the amendment of 1984, the expression public purpose includes, the

provision of village sites, land for town planning, for planned development, residential

purposes, schemes sponsored by government and for locating public offices.

The Act requires that the market value of land be awarded as the compensation for

compulsory acquisition. Market value of the land is determined on the rates prevailing at

the date of the publication of the notification under Section 4.

In addition to the market value of the land, an amount of 12% per annum on such market

value for the period commencing on and from the date of the publication of the notification

under Section 4, in respect of such land to the date of the award or the date of taking





Part 2 possession of the land, whichever is earlier and a solatium of 30% on such market value

in consideration of the compulsory nature of acquisition is also payable.

Declaration of Intended Acquisition under Section 6 has to be made within one year from

the date of the publication of the notification under Section 4. The award has to made

under Section 11 within a period of two years from the date of the publication of the

declaration and if no award is made within that period the entire proceedings for the

acquisition lapse.

The amount of compensation to be awarded for the land acquired under the Act is

principally based on the market value of land at the date of the publication of the notification

under section 4 (section 23(1)). However Section 24 clarifies that while awarding the

amount of compensation, increase to the value of the land likely to accrue from the

future use is not to be taken into consideration.

Changes in the Constitution affecting Land (1949-1978)

Article 19 (f) of the Constitution recognised .to acquire, hold and dispose of property. as

one of the fundamental rights. While the Directive Principles of State Policy (Article 39

(b)) require that the .ownership and control of the material resources of the country are

so distributed as best to subserve the common good; that the operation of the economic

system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production to the

common detriment..

The 25th amendment of 1972 made any legislation claiming to subserve the Directive

principle non-justiciable. .Notwithstanding anything contained in Article 13, no law giving

effect to the policy of the State toward securing all or any of the principles laid down in

Part IV shall be deemed to be void on the ground that it is inconsistent with, or abridges

any of the rights conferred by Article 14 or 19, and no law containing a declaration that

it is for giving effect to such policy shall be called in question in any court on the ground

that it dose not give effect to such policy.. This amendment further replaced the word

.compensation. by the word .amount. in Article 31 (2) and the adequacy of the amount

was made non-justiciable.

By the 44th Amendment of 1978, Article 38 (2) has been added which states that, .The

State shall, in particular, strive to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities,

not only amongst individuals, but amongst groups of people residing in different areas or

engaged in different vocations.. The amendment also deleted the fundamental right .to

acquire , hold and dispose of property. and reduced it to only a legal right.

The 25th amendment of 1972 is of crucial significance, as legislation enacted thereafter

provided for taking over of land, at less than market price or at a nominal .amount..

According to Section 32 (1) of the Maharashtra Industrial Act, 1961, the State Government

can acquire the land required for the purpose of development by the MID Corporation.

Provisions for land acquisition are same as in LA Act, 1894.

Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966

Under Section 125 of this Act it has been clarified that "any land required, reserved or

designated in a Regional Plan, Development Plan or town planning scheme for a public

purpose or purposes including plans for any area of comprehensive development or for

any new town shall be deemed to be land needed for a public purpose within the meaning





Part 2 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894". Under the Act, after the publication of a draft Regional

Plan, a Development or any other plan or town planning scheme, acquisition of land can

proceed under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act 1894. On receipt of application

from the Appropriate Planning Authority, the State Government has to make a declaration

in the Official Gazette, in the manner provided under Section 6 of the LA Act, 1894. The

declaration so published is deemed to be declaration under Section 6 of the LA Act,

1894. However, such declaration should not be made after the expiry of three years from

the date of publication of the draft plan.

Compensation is determined on the basis of the market value prevailing on the dates as

described below;

1. where the land is to be acquired for the purposes of a new town, the date of publication

of the notification constituting or declaring the Development Authority for such town;

2. where the land is acquired for the purposes of a Special Planning Authority, the date

of the publication of the notification of the area as an undeveloped area; and

3. in any other case, the date of publication of interim or the draft plan or town planning

scheme.

If a declaration is not made within three years of publication the draft plan, then fresh

declaration has to made and that date is to be used for determining the market value and

compensation.

Section 127, allows the owner to serve a purchase notice to the Appropriate Planning

Authority, if land is not acquired within ten years from the date of the final Plan. If lands

are not acquired within six months from the date of the service of such notice, the

reservation, allotment or designation is deemed to have lapsed and the land is deemed

to be released from such reservation, allotment or designation. The land then becomes

available to the land owner for the purposes of development permissible in the case of

the adjacent land under the relevant plan.

Under Section 128, lands can be acquired for purpose other than the one for which it is

designated in any plan under the provisions of the LA Act 1894 under certain conditions.

The Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment)

Act, 1971

Execution of any work of improvement of any slum area or building in such area or

redevelopment of clearance area is deemed to be a public purpose in this Act.

The State Government on representation of the Competent Authority can acquire the

land for such purposes. The amendment of 1984, allows the State Government to transfer

the lands so acquired by way of lease to Co-operative Housing Societies of the slum

dwellers.

The compensation under Section 17, is 60 times the net average monthly income actually

derived from such land during the period of the five consecutive years immediately

preceding the date of publication of the notice under Section 14.





Part 2 Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority Act, 1974

According to Section 32 (2), discharging any of Authority’s functions or exercising any of

its powers or carrying out any of its projects or schemes or development programmes

are deemed to be public purpose; and on receipt of representation of the Authority, State

Government can acquire the land.

For land in urban areas acquired under this Act, the amount of compensation under

Section 35, is 100 times the net average monthly income actually derived from such land

during the period of the five consecutive years immediately preceding the date of

publication of the notification under Section 32. When the amount of compensation for

acquisition is not paid on or before possession of the land, the Competent Authority has

to pay interest at the rate of 4% for first six months and thereafter at the rate of 9% per

annum.

In case of rural areas the compensation is to be determined as laid down in the Land

Acquisition Act, 1894.

Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976

Section 3 of the Act specifies that persons are not entitled to hold vacant land in excess

of the ceiling limit. Section 4 (1) specifies the ceiling limits applicable to different categories

of urban agglomerations as shown below:

The agglomeration is defined to include an area within a radius of 8 km. in case of

Mumbai and 5 km. in case of Thane and Ulhasnagar respectively.

After the notification under Section 10(1) by the Competent Authority the land in excess

of the limit is deemed to have been acquired by the State Government under Section

10(3). In case of lands, (Section 11(1)(a)) where there is income, compensation is paid

equal to 8-1/3 times the net average yearly income of last five years preceding the date

of notification under Section 10(1). In case of land, (Section 11(1)(b)) which has no annual

income, the maximum compensation is Rs. 10 per sq.m. for lands situated in categories

A or B and Rs. 5 per sq.m. for categories C and D. The competent Authority is entitled to

fix the amount lower than the above. In no case the total amount of compensation exceeds

Rupees Two lakhs under Section 11(6). Furthermore the land owner is entitled to get

only Rs. 25,000 in cash or 25% of the total amount whichever is less. The balance

amount is payable by negotiable bonds redeemable after 20 years duration carrying 5%

interest from the date on which the vacant land is deemed to have been acquired under

Section 10 (3).

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Act, 1976

The State Government by Section 41, is empowered to acquire land to enable the Authority

to discharge its functions or to exercise its powers or to carry out any of its proposals,

plans or projects. The provisions related to compensation are same as in MMRDA Act,

1974.







The salient features of the tripartite agreement are as follows;

The land holders to deliver possession of the land to the State Government for nominal

price of Re. 1 per ha.

The Authority to lease the land to the land owners for a period of 80 years for nominal

premium of Re. 1 per ha.

The landowners to develop the entire infrastructure in the land within a period of 10

years and hand over the same to the MMRDA free of cost.

15% of the entire built up area will be surrendered to the State Government/ Authority for

a fixed price of Rs. 135 per sq.ft., which was subsequently increased to Rs. 150 per sq.ft.

The entire land to be exempted under Section 20 of the ULC Act. However, land holders

to build 50% of the flats less than 40 sq.m.. in terms of FSI and remaining 50% of the flats

not to exceed 80 sq.m..

The land holders were required to offer 50 ha. of developed land to Central Government

Departments who had initiated acquisition proceedings for the land before the execution

of the tripartite agreement. However if the Central Govt Departments did not respond

within a period of three months the landowners were free to use the land. In practice

therefore the Govt. Dept. got less than 10 ha of land.



Alternatives to compulsory land acquisition have to be considered in the three types of

planning situations viz.

1. acquisition of an individual plot reserved in the Development Plan e.g. school, garden

2. bringing about planned development of land that is about to acquire urban potential

over the next decade, but which is currently largely undeveloped, and

3. areas in need of comprehensive redevelopment on account of obsolete pattern of

development and buildings

















Despite these experiences, recoupment of land value gain has been a favourite theme.

In 1988, Government of Maharashtra had prepared a draft legislation to tax land value

gains accruing on account of -

1. infrastructure investment (betterment)

2. permission to convert land use, and

3. grant of excess FSI.

The draft legislation had also proposed taxation of vacant land. However, the legislation

could not even be introduced in the legislative assembly.

BY KD

imp

listen half of us are still confused whether the wasteland should be converted into a parking lot or park but no no no none of these is possible as the land has been assinged to d dda wich means dat its for a community land ....
and we can hardly du anything wen d rwa is already trying to convert the land into a community area...
if this is the situation then wat should i write in action plan
kriti

Environmental considerations

Parking lots tend to be sources of water pollution because of their extensive impervious surface. Virtually all of the rain (minus evaporation) that falls becomes urban runoff. To avoid flooding and unsafe driving conditions, the lots are built to effectively channel and collect runoff Parking lots, along with roads, are often the principal source of water pollution in urban areas.

Motor vehicles are a constant source of pollutants, the most significant being gasoline, oil, polycyclic (PAHs), and heavy metals. (PAHs are found in combustion byproducts of gasoline, as well as in asphalt and coal tar -based sealants used to maintain parking lots.) Many parking lots are also significant sources of trash which ends up in waterways.

Treatment of parking lot pollution: Traditionally, the runoff has been shunted directly into storm, streams, dry wells or even sanitary sewers. However, larger municipalities now require construction of storm water management facilities for new lots. Typical facilities include retention, infiltration basins and percolation trenches. Some newer designs include bio retention systems, which use plants more extensively to absorb and filter pollutants. However, most existing lots have limited or no facilities to control runoff.

Alternative paving materials: An alternative solution today is to use paving surfaces, such as brick, pervious, concrete, stone, special paving blocks, or tire-tread woven mats. These materials allow rain to soak into the ground through the spaces inherent in the parking lot surface. The ground then may become contaminated in the surface of the parking lot, but this tends to stay in a small area of ground, which effectively filters water before it seeps away. This can however create problems if contaminants seep into droundwater, especially where there is groundwater abstraction 'downstream' for potable water supply.

       Landscaping

Many areas today also require minimum landscape in parking lots. This usually principally means the planting of trees to provide shade. Customers have long preferred shaded parking spaces in the summer, but parking lot providers have long been antagonistic to planting trees because of the extra cost of cleaning the parking lot.

However, parking lots represent significant heat islands and, indeed, heat sinks in urban areas. The heat from paved areas in urban zones has been shown to even have the power to change the weather locally. By providing trees or other means of shading parking lots, the heat and glare resulting from them can be significantly reduced.

  BY:MAYAANK

Advantages of making a park

• by converting wasteland into a park the area will become more greener and this can be the (little) contribution towards global warming.
• the area will at least become clean.
• by planting trees the oxygen will be fresh and the air will be less polluted.
• when it rains the ground water will not get polluted because of the dirt , there will be fresh ground water

Jatropha : about and policies

Jatropha was put forward as the most suitable crop because, it

was said, that it could be grown on a range of available land,

including in under-stocked forests, on public land alongside

railways and roads, and alongside agricultural crops. An added

advantage was that it would help improve degraded land and so

play a part in poverty alleviation programmes.

The Planning Commission identified 13.4 million hectares of land,

which could be planted with Jatropha curcas. This included:

> 3 million hectares (notional) of forest land (out of India’s 31

million hectares of under-stocked forest).

> 3 million hectares (notional) of jatropha plants for hedges on

agricultural land (on the basis that 30 million hectares of

farmland is likely to be hedged).

> 2 million hectares (notional) agro-forestry, seen as particularly

suitable for absentee landlords.

> 10% of fallow lands, creating 2.4 million ha.

> 2 million ha on wastelands under Integrated Watershed

Development and other poverty alleviation programmes.

> 1 million ha (notional) on public lands along railway tracks, roads

and canals.

A further 4 million ha of “waste land” could also be assumed to be

available, according to the Commission.

Jatropha’s status as a non-food crop was a crucial factor for the

Government. As food prices surged, with shortages in many parts

of the world, land use for fuel production has come under

increasing criticism.

But while jatropha can be grown on land that is not suitable for

food production, it can, and in fact, is often grown on cultivable

land as it produces much higher yields here.

The Commission claimed that jatropha would generate “massive

income and employment for the poor,” providing employment for

127.6 million man-days in the plantations and 36.8 million person

days for seed collection by 2007. Income from the sales of seed

would generate Rs 750 million, enabling 1.9 million poor families

to escape from poverty.

There have been various estimates of the costs and returns of

jatropha plantations, with government agencies and private

companies alike suggesting that the plantations can be highly

profitable, with high yields and low input costs.

But studies of jatropha growth have found that to obtain an

optimum yield, jatropha needs good fertile soil and also inputs such

as manure, which adds to the costs. The plants need treating for pest

control, and some manual labour to weed the plantation and water

the site is needed. All of which increase the costs for the farmer.

Demand for jatropha seedlings has also increased the costs of

setting up a plantation, and a number of private companies have

set up nurseries to sell seeds and saplings in the hope of cashing in

on demand.

Jatropha is a non-food crop that can grow on land that is not

suitable for food production, but it will also grow on marginal and

more cultivable land. The Indian government has targeted “waste

land” and degraded forest lands for jatropha cultivation, seeking to

avoid competition with food, but forests and marginal land can be

a crucial source of food.

An analysis of “wasteland” in India (see table below) shows that in

fact much of the land officially classified as wasteland is not

suitable for any form of cultivation, including jatropha. Those areas

which could be cultivated are predominantly covered by degraded

forests, and degraded pasture land.

Many of the forests being targeted are found in areas where there is

little agricultural productivity, often in dry or hilly areas. In some of

these areas, a third of the population are officially below the poverty

line. More than half of the forest dwellers are tribal people44.

In these areas, shared community resources (known as common

pool resources -CPRs), such as village forests and commons,

provide food, fuel and timber for many of the poorest rural

communities. A state appraisal of the value of the forests

recognised that some 100 million forest dwellers depended on the

forests for these resources45. Many of these people subsist through

small scale farming and animal grazing.

BY KUNAL

advantages of jatropha cultivation

Advantages of using Jatropha Curcas.
- The oil yield per hectare for Jatropha is among the highest for tree-borne oil seeds.
The seed production ranges from about 0.4 tons per hectare per year to over 12 t/ha.
There are reports of oil yields as high as 50 per cent from the seed.

Typically, the seed production would be 3.75 t/ha, with oil yield of

30-35 per cent, giving net oil yield of about 1.2 t/ha.

- It can be grown in areas of low rainfall (200 mm per year), on low

fertility, marginal, degraded, fallow and waste lands. Canals, roads

railway tracks, borders of farmers’ fields as a boundary fence/hedge in

arid areas and even alkaline soils are appropriate for the crop.

- Jatropha is easily established in nurseries, grows relatively quickly and is hardy.

- Jatropha seeds are easy to collect as they are ready to be plucked

before the rainy season and as the plants are not very tall.

- Jatropha is not browsed by animals.

- Being rich in nitrogen, the seed cake is an excellent source of plant nutrients.
In addition, jatropha was held up as a reliable source of income for

India’s poor rural farmers. For instance, jatropha oil could provide

energy self-sufficiency for people living in isolated villages; and as

jatropha is a hardy plant, it can grow in wastelands, which might allow

farmers to diversify their basket of crops, and decrease in turn their

vulnerability to weather vagaries.

by kunal

Advantages nd Disadvantages of a Parking Lot

In most countries where cars are the dominant mode of transportation, parking lots are a feature of every city and suburban area. Shopping malls, sports stadiums, megachurches and similar venues often feature parking lots of immense area.


The usual parking lot is paved with asphalt. Some are paved with concrete. Many are gravel lots. A few of the newer lots are surfaced with permeable paving materials.

Parking lots have their own special type of engineering. While parking lots have traditionally been an overlooked element of development projects by governmental oversight, the recent trend has been to provide regulations for the configuration and spacing of parking lots, their landscaping, and drainage and pollution abatement issues.

Parking lots can be small, with just parking spaces for a few vehicles, very large with spaces for thousands of vehicles, or any size in between. Small parking lots are usually near buildings for small businesses or a few apartments, although many other locations are possible. Larger parking lots can be for larger businesses or those with many customers, institutions such as schools, churches, offices, or hospitals, museums or other tourist attractions, rest areas, strip malls, or larger apartment buildings.

Some such businesse, institutions, or other building may have several parking lots if a single large lot cannot accommodate their parking needs. Large and very large parking fields can be for stadiums, airports, malls or shopping centers with multiple businesses, large schools or universities, convention centers or fair grounds, theaters, workplaces with many employees such as factories, plants, etc., or other large institutions. Often several businesses, offices, apartment buildings, or other institutions may use one or more parking lots in common for their convenience.

At places where most visitors and employees use their car to access place, the parking lot usually takes up more land area than the buildings. This is at least true for shopping centres and office buildings, unless a multi-storey park is used.

Parking lots near businesses, buildings, or institutions are often implicitly understood or explicitly labelled to be for the use of their respective customers or visitors, often with special vehicle spaces for the owners and employees. Parking lots around apartment buildings are often exclusively intended for parking use of their residents, although sometimes separate spaces may be provided for visitors. Such parking for businesses, offices, and residences is often free to the customers, patrons, or residents.

In most cases, especially in areas where parking is scarce, one must pay to park in a parking lot. Entry and exit access is often controlled at these type of lots to ensure those parking pay the required fee. The types of products used to enforce payment are called access controls. Automated payment, entry and exit systems can reduce the need for employees and can reduce payment losses. One way traffic spikes (tiger teeth), automated gates and tire spikes, and signage contribute to control of a fee-based parking lot. Examples of these products can be seen at Tiger Teeth Tire Shredders.[1]

In many congested areas where some businesses lack their own parking areas, there are parking lots where practically any driver can pay a fee to park. These types of parking lots are often effectively businesses in themselves. Some parking lots have parking meters into which coins must be paid to park in the adjacent space.

Some spaces in a parking lot may be marked as "reserved" for certain people, including those who are handicapped. There are often one or more parking spaces for handicapped people, which may be slightly wider, close to the point of entry for the corresponding store or building. Vehicles with handicapped tags may park there, but the non-handicapped are not allowed to.

Although many parking lots are rectangularly-shaped, there are parking lots of all sorts of shapes. A parking lot can be in front or back, on the side of the building it services, or any combination of these, including all around the building, often depending on local building codes. In a very large parking field, it is easy to get lost or have trouble finding one's vehicle. Such large parking lots often have various sections marked, for example by numbers or letters, to help identify the location.

The area in parking lots is organized into parking spaces, which are generally marked with paint lines for each vehicle and driving lanes in between so that vehicles can drive into and out of the spaces. The arrangement of the parking spaces relative to the driving lanes can feature perpendicular parking spaces, angle parking or parallel parking or possibly some combination of these.

Large parking lots have multiple lanes with rows of parking spaces between each one. Except for rather small lots, the location of the parking spaces for each vehicle are usually indicated with pavement markings or lines, similar to center lines on streets. A very common arrangement in large parking lots is angle parking for two rows of vehicles between driving lanes, with the parked vehicles facing front to front between the two rows. At the sides of the parking lot, other driving lanes connect these lanes perpendicularly so that a vehicle can drive into and out of the parking lot at designated locations.



Diagram of example parking lot layout with angle parking as seen from above. White arrows show direction of allowed travel in each lane (for right-hand-drive countries; vice versa in left-hand-drive countries). Several parking spaces closest to the building entrance are reserved for the handicapped. Cars of various colors are shown parked in some of the spaces. The obtusely pointed end indicates the front end of each car.

There may be speed limits, stop signs and crosswalks for pedestrians in large parking lots. Tall overhead lights may illuminate some parking lots at night.

Most spaces in normal parking lots available to the public are sized for vehicles about the size of a car. The spaces are usually arranged assuming the vehicle can back out of the parking space. In many rest areas on highways, long parking spaces are also available for trucks or other vehicles with trailers, into which they can enter at one end and leave at the opposite end to avoid potentially cumbersome reverse driving.

A common arrangement in paid parking lots is to have a vehicle entry point with a cross gate where an entering driver presses a button to take a stub with the entry time and to open the cross gate for access to the lot. When leaving, the driver would pay at an exit point according to how much time was spent in the lot as determined from the stub.

In order to keep unauthorized people from parking in lots, towing crews sometimes patrol parking lots after business closing hours, especially at night, to tow away vehicles which should not be parked there. After snowfalls in winter, vehicles with snow plows often clear snow from parking lots, usually after business closing hours and often during the night.

In response the worldwide intelligent transport system initiative, Parking Guidance and Information systems have been developed for use in urban areas. These systems use variable-message signs to direct drivers to car parks with available spaces.

Many drivers prefer underground car parking over outdoor parking because it prevents the inside of the car from heating up on hot or sunny days and it also prevents the car from being wet on rainy days.

Much of the above discussion also applies to large parking garages and multi-level parking areas.

Many businesses hire parking lot striping companies to stripe their lot. There are a wide variety of striping businesses. There are imprinting companies, striping companies, paving companies and other. They are most commonly hired for maintenance and rehabilitation of older lots.

Environmental considerations

Water pollution

Parking lots tend to be sources of water pollution because of their extensive impervious surfaces. Virtually all of the rain (minus evaporation) that falls becomes urban runoff. To avoid flooding and unsafe driving conditions, the lots are built to effectively channel and collect runoff.[2] Parking lots, along with roads, are often the principal source of water pollution in urban areas.[3]

Motor vehicles are a constant source of pollutants, the most significant being gasoline, motor oil, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals. (PAHs are found in combustion byproducts of gasoline, as well as in asphalt and coal tar-based sealants used to maintain parking lots.) Many parking lots are also significant sources of trash which ends up in waterways.[4]

Treatment of parking lot pollution : Traditionally, the runoff has been shunted directly into storm sewers, streams, dry wells or even sanitary sewers. However, most larger municipalities now require construction of stormwater management facilities for new lots. Typical facilities include retention basins, infiltration basins and percolation trenches.[5] Some newer designs include bioretention systems, which use plants more extensively to absorb and filter pollutants. However, most existing lots have limited or no facilities to control runoff.

Alternative paving materials : An alternative solution today is to use permeable paving surfaces, such as brick, pervious concrete, stone, special paving blocks, or tire-tread woven mats. These materials allow rain to soak into the ground through the spaces inherent in the parking lot surface. The ground then may become contaminated in the surface of the parking lot, but this tends to stay in a small area of ground, which effectively filters water before it seeps away. This can however create problems if contaminants seep into groundwater, especially where there is groundwater abstraction 'downstream' for potable water supply.

Landscaping

Many areas today also require minimum landscaping in parking lots. This usually principally means the planting of trees to provide shade. Customers have long preferred shaded parking spaces in the summer, but parking lot providers have long been antagonistic to planting trees because of the extra cost of cleaning the parking lot.

However, parking lots represent significant heat islands and, indeed, heat sinks in urban areas. The heat from paved areas in urban zones has been shown to even have the power to change the weather locally. By providing trees or other means of shading parking lots, the heat and glare resulting from them can be significantly reduced.[citation needed]

Services

Some parking lots have charging stations for battery vehicles. Some regions with especially cold winters provide electricity at most parking spots for engine block heaters, as antifreeze may be inadequate to prevent freezing.

Payment

Various forms of technology are used to charge motorists for the use of a parking lot.

Boom gates are used in many parking lots. A customer arrives to the entry ticket machine by vehicle, presses the ticket request push button, takes a ticket and enters the car park via the now raised barrier. To exit the parking lot, the customer presents the ticket to a cashier in a booth at the exit and tenders payment, after which the cashier opens the boom gate. More modern system users automatic pay stations, where the driver presents the ticket and pays the fee required before returning to their car, then drives to the exit terminal and presents the ticket. If the ticket has not been paid for, the boom barrier will not raise and will force the customer to either press the intercom and speak to a staff member, or reverse out to pay at the pay station or cashier booth.

Another variant of payment has motorists paying an attendant on entry to the lot, with the way out guarded by a one-way spike strip that will only allow cars to exit.

Parking meters can also be used, with motorists paying for the time required for the bay they are parked in.

Other parking lots operate on a pay and display system, where a ticket is purchased from a ticket machine, and then placed on the dashboard of the car. Parking enforcement officers patrol the parking lot to ensure compliance with the requirement.



BY HARSH

Advantages nd Disadvantages of Rain Water Harvesting

Water is one of those commodities which have to be used with caution. This is true in countries which have a tropical climate. In particular reference to Australia, where dry condition prevails, scarcity of water during dry season is more rampant. The scarcity of water is more felt by those who have gardens, particularly, if one has plants which require frequent watering. Some plants and turf requires constant watering. But, this can be overcome by harvesting the rain water during the rainy season.




A rainwater collection system can be an excellent alternative source for good quality water. Like all things, rainwater collection has advantages and disadvantages you should be aware of before you decide to begin a rainwater collection system of your own. Being aware of some of the simple advantages and disadvantages will help you make an informed decision.



Method:



Rain water harvesting is a simple method of collecting the water when it rains and using it later when the need for it arises. In villages or jungles this happens by the natural process. But, in cities this is not as possible. According to the convention method of designing houses, water collected from the roof of the house is all let out to the road. This, apart from flooding the road, would also clog the storm water drain. Finally it would join the sewage water. But, this wastage of water could be avoided by properly collecting the rain water. The rain water from the roof is filtered in three stages and then directed to a baby well or to the existing well or to a sump through a PVC pipe. This simple process costs around RS.75,000/-. Water so harvested will be more or less sufficient to meet the requirement routine domestic use and for the backyard garden and one need not look to the sky for water during dry season.

Advantages:

It is said that rain water is purer than the water treated with chlorine. The reason is actually quite simple. Rain water is created through the natural process of evaporation. It also contains minerals and compounds necessary for healthy growth of life on this planet. It may be possible to store the water supplied by the municipal authority for both domestic and gardening purposes. But the harvested rain water is more preferred as this is the purest water. With this, we get pure water for all domestic purposes. Further, even the plants in the backyard will get pure water. Further, there is savings in terms of water bill. In addition to this, the under ground water level also increases. So, rain water harvesting is the very best remedy to reduce the dependence on municipal water supply and to increase the under ground water level

Advantages



1. Simple Construction - The construction of rainwater collection systems is not complicated and most people can easily build their own system with readily available materials.



2. Ease of Maintenance - The operation and maintenance of a household rainwater collection system is controlled by the individual without having to rely upon the maintenance practices of a municipally controlled water system



3. Water Quality - Rainwater is generally one of the better sources of an alternate water supply when compared with other sources of water that may be available.



4. Convenience - Rainwater collection provides a convenient source of water at the immediate place where it will be used or consumed.



5. Systems are Flexible and Adaptable - Rainwater collection systems can be adapted to suit most individual circumstances and to fit most any household’s budget.



Disadvantages:

• The annual rainfall is limited to a minimum of roughly 2000 mm/year and should be spread in at least two (long) rain-periods of three months without total drought in between.

• Cost per capita is higher for a rainwater harvesting system than for a communal pump or well.

• Personal systems do not improve social activities (nor do they necessarily spoil them).

• Some kind of organisation, structure or retailer should be and stay present after construction to supply the users of spare parts and repair materials.

•

1. High Initial investment Costs - The main cost of a rainwater collection system generally occurs during the initial construction phase and no benefit is derived until the system is completed.



2. Regular Maintenance - Regular maintenance, cleaning and repair will be required for the operation of a successful rainwater collection system.



3. Vulnerable Water Quality - The quality of rainwater can be affected by air pollution, insects, and dirt or organic matter. The type and kind of construction materials used can also adversely affect water quality.



4. Water Supply is Climate Dependent - Droughts or long periods of time with little or no rain can cause serious problems with your supply of water.



5. Storage Capacity Limits Supply - The supply of water from a rainwater collection system is not only limited by the amount of rainfall but also by the size of the collection area and your storage facilities.

Rainwater is a source of water that can provide a cost effective and alternative source of good quality water.



Staying above the water line!

By Harsh

India shares 16% of the world population, while its land is only 2% of the total geographical area of the world. Naturally, the pressure on the land is often beyond its carrying capacity. Therefore, the productive lands, especially the farmlands in the India are in the constant process of various degrees of degradation and are fast turning into wastelands. At present, approximately 68.35 million hectare area of the land is lying as wastelands in India. Out of these lands, approximately 50% lands are such non-forest lands, which can be made fertile again if treated properly. It was unprotected non-forestlands, which suffered the maximum degradation mainly due to the tremendous biotic pressure on it. In the last 50 years it is India’s lush green village forests and woodlots have been deforested to the maximum. It is precisely to restore this ecological imbalance by developing the degraded non-forest wastelands, Govt. of India had created the Department of Wasteland Development during July,1992 under the Ministry of Rural Development, which has been subsequently reorganized and renamed Department of Land Resources, with a broader mandate.



National Wasteland Development Board was established in 1985 under the Ministry of Forests and Environment mainly to tackle the problem of degradation of lands, restoration of ecology and to meet the growing demands of fuel wood and fodder at the national level. During the Seventh Five Year Plan, the strategy adopted by the National Wasteland Development Board emphasised more on tree planting activities rather than Community Participation for wasteland development, In the year 1992, the new Department under the Ministry Of Rural Development (now Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment) was created and the National Wasteland Development Board was placed under it. The Board was reconstituted in August 1992 and was made responsible for mainly development of wastelands in non forest areas in totality by involving local people at every stage of development. It aims at creating a scenario where the Government acts as a facilitator and the people at the grass root level become the real executioner of the programme. Major programme implemented for improving the productivity of waste & degraded lands keeping in view the poverty, backwardness, gender & equity is Integrated Wasteland Development Programme.





WHY PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION?

There is a close relationship between the environment and the community living within that area as the community derives sustenance from it. Increase in biotic pressure leads to over-exploitation and degradation of natural resources. Paucity of resources also leads to internal conflict giving opportunity to others to exploit the situation. It is thus necessary for people to realize the intrinsic relationship between population, poverty and degraded environment they live in. the poor, in the developing country like India are left with no option but to degrade their own environment for their very own survival.

Still, it is only they who can restore the health to environment thus ruined, outside actors can only facilitate but never substitute for stake holders. Hence, there can be no sustainable natural resources management unless it involves all inhabitants of the affected areas in an active manner and development plans are formulated and executed by them.

Integration of indigenous technologies with development is vital. Rural people’s knowledge and the technological advancements are complimentary in their strengths and weaknesses. Combined together, they may achieve what neither would achieve along. Low cost locally available technology with suitable intervention by latest advancements yields best solution.

It is clear that the watershed development cannot be done in isolation. It is a natural entity and may contain different types of lands namely, forest lands, community lands, government lands or private lands. These lands can be treated on "ridge to valley" approach. A land lying in a valley cannot be improved if the land at upper reaches is not treated. Treatment of land in a scattered manner will not lead to wasteland development. Mere treatment of land is not enough. Land and people cannot and should not be viewed in isolation. So the best possible strategy would be treating the land by empowering the people who live in it. It is watershed plus approach which takes care of holistic development. Therefore, the entire watershed community is to be involved for the integrated development of watershed and the assets created in such an effort are to also be maintained through the people of the watershed community in order to ensure sustainability. People’s participation also ensure conservation and development of Common Property Resources. Besides when people decide what they have to do their stake in development become more pronounced leading to their intense involvement. This involvement in decision making is the key to success which brings sustainable development. Hence people’s participation is the approach for the purpose.

Integrated Wastelands Development Project (IWDP) Scheme

Background:-

This scheme is under implementation since 1989-90, and has come to this Department along with the National Wastelands Development Board. The development of non-forest wastelands is taken up under this Scheme. The scheme provides for the development of an entire micro watershed in an holistic manner rather than piecemeal treatment in sporadic patches.. The thrust of the scheme continues to be on development of wastelands.

Objectives:

The basic objective of this scheme is an integrated wastelands development based on village/micro watershed plans. These plans are prepared after taking into consideration the land capability, site condition and local needs of the people.

The scheme also aims at rural employment besides enhancing the contents of people's participation in the wastelands development programmes at all stages, which is ensured by providing modalities for equitable and sustainable sharing of benefits and usufructs arising from such projects.

Activities:

The major activities taken up under the scheme are:

• In situ soil and moisture conservation measures like terracing, bunding, trenching, vegetative barriers and drainage line treatment.

• Planting and sowing of multi-purpose trees, shrubs, grasses, legumes and pasture land development.

• Encouraging natural regeneration.

• Promotion of agro-forestry & horticulture.

• Wood substitution and fuel wood conservation measures.

• Awareness raising, training & extension.

• Encouraging people's participation through community organization and capacity building.

• Drainage Line treatment by vegetative and engineering structures

• Development of small water Harvesting Structures.

• Afforestation of degraded forest and non forest wasteland.

• Development and conservation of common Property Resources.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

To restore the ecological balance in the degraded watersheds through sustained community action, mass mobilization is needed. The programme can only succeed when the community is motivated enough to realize that the programme is not only for eco-restoration through watershed development but also to addresses their other pressing socio-economic needs. The activities under this community organization include organizing Self Help Groups and User Groups, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercises, awareness camps, exposure visits & programmes on literacy, family welfare, social services, income generating activities etc. giving small contributions to SHGs or other village institutions like mahila mandals/ youth clubs/ anganwadis which are considered important for people participation.

The idea is rapport building with the people at grass root level and PIA. The people must feel that the programme belongs to them and its success depends on them only. Once the people realize that it is they who own the programme, the sustenance of the project evolves.

One of the notable features of this component is the flexibility available to the PIAs (Project Implementing Agencies). There is a provision for entry point activities for trust building exercise and speedy community organization. Under this component they can even take up those works which are not directly related to conservation and wasteland development. Certain works of great priority and importance to villagers such as repairing and construction of community and panchayat houses, sanitation improvement, provision of drinking water school building etc. can be taken up. Effective community organization is important to establish credibility of the Watershed Development Team and create a rapport with the village community who is ultimately going to own and implement the programme even after withdrawing the Government machinery.

THE NEW GUIDELINES FOR WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT

• The IWDP scheme is being implemented on the basis of new Guidelines for Watershed Development from 1.4.1995. The new common Guidelines envisage the bottom up approach whereby the Users’ Group themselves decide their work programme.

• The strength of the Guidelines lies in the decentralization of decision making process by involving local Panchayati Raj Institutions, NGOs, Government Departments and the watershed community at the grass root level It is an effort on the part of the Govt. to remove the stumbling blocks that have delayed the process of development. In fact , the initiatives taken by the DoWD aim at establishing a system under which village people can actually involve themselves in planning, implementation and monitoring of watershed development programmes. In preparation of the Watershed Development Plan, Users and Self Help Groups and other people directly depending on the watershed are actually involved.

• Another strength of these guidelines lies on the flexible approach followed in the method of release of funds, the area to be covered in each watershed as well as choice of components.

• The new guidelines attempt to make the projects sustainable by establishing Watershed Development Fund and involving people in deciding equity issues and usufruct sharing mechanism.

THE OLD AND NEW GUIDELINES

Initially, Department of Wastelands Development sanctioned 128 projects for Wastelands Development in various districts of India under Old guidelines. These guidelines envisaged a fixed work programme to be followed by District Rural Development Agencies/Zilla Parishads. Components for each project were designed by the PIAs which used to be sanctioned at the Central level.

From 1.4.1995, Common Guidelines for Watershed Development were adopted with a view to involve watershed community at all levels of project implementation right from project formulation till its completion. The decision making and funds disbursement powers are given to the people under these Guidelines.

Approach

Wasteland Development through holistic development of Degraded watershed.

Employment of people through Institutional arrangements

Planning from below bottom up approach.

Sustainability through people’s participation.

Equitable distribution of Usufructs.

•

State Watershed Programme Implementation and Review Committee

This is an apex organisation at a state level under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary/Addl.Chief Secretary/APC. Representatives of prominent NGOs, SIRDs, Heads of Department of related Departments are also member of the Committee. The Committee undertakes monitoring, review and evaluation of Watershed Development projects. It is an important link between DRDAs and Department of Wastelands Development. Success of programme depend on functioning of State Watershed Programme Implementation and Review Committee.

i. District Rural Development Agency/ZP:- DRDA/ZP is a key institution in the programme execution. The project is sanctioned in favour of the DRDA and funds are released to it directly from Government of India. The DRDA is responsible for successful implementation of the project as per guidelines and submission of various reports and returns to DoWD as well as State Government.

ii. Project Implementing Agency:- The PIA is an organisation having sufficient exposure and experience in the field of community organsiation as well as watershed development activities. These organsiations can be reputed NGOs having proven credibility or technical officers like DFO, Soil Conservation Officer, Horticulture Officer, etc. The PIA is an important link between the villagers and the DRDA. It imparts technical know how to the villagers with the help of Watershed Development Team and ensures that programme is executed as per Guidelines and funds are spent judiciously. It compiles information from Watershed Committees and send to DRDA.

iii. Watershed Development Team:-The Watershed Development Team is a multi-disciplinary team responsible for technical and financial supervision of the project activities. The team consists of field level officials drawn from various disciplines like forestry, soil conservation, horticulture, social sciences etc. These officials are key functionaries in sensitisation of Self help Groups/User Groups and villagers at large.

iv. Watershed Development Association:- Watershed Development Association (WA) consists of all members of the village whose land is situated in the watershed area called user group (UG) and all those members who drive sustenance from the watershed area called self help group (SHG).

v. Watershed Committee:- Watershed Committee (WC) is the key institution at Watershed level consisting of about 2-3 representatives, each of UG, SHG, Panchayat and women etc. Committee also appoints a Watershed Secretary preferably a local man graduate from the same area.

Sanctioning of Project

The IWDP Scheme is 100% Grant-in-Aid from Government of India. The projects are sanctioned on getting basic information from DRDAs about the watershed to be treated and capability of the PIA and over all situation in the area. A well laid criteria for selection of watersheds has been provided in para 27 of the Guidelines. The watersheds selected for the projects should be as far as possible contiguous and there should be preponderance of wastelands. Acute shortage of drinking water, low wage rates and non over lapping of watersheds with any other project are other requirements.

Instead of detailed project having action plan suggested by the Government officials, the project is sanctioned after obtaining basic information in respect of project areas/watersheds and detailed action plan is prepared by the villagers themselves under the guidance of Watershed Development Team

Under IWDP scheme the projects are sanctioned in non DPAP/DDP areas. Normally, not more than two projects are sanctioned in a district. The

DRDA/ZP after getting satisfied that there is a need of watershed development, and that there are suitable PIAs to implement the project, send the project proposal to DoWD. DoWD after proper scrutiny of proposal, in consultation with Internal Finance Division sanctions the project in favour of DRDA/ZP concern and first instalment of allotment is released in favour of DRDA by telegraphic transfer.

By chitrakshi chauhan

plz c this!

plz c this site http://dolr.nic.in/tdet_guidelines.pdf
on the first 2 pages c these 2.0 and 3.0 paragraphs.

this is good information so plz c to it.
thnx

by kunal

policy

Development of wastelands mainly in non-forest areas aimed at checking land degradation , putting such wastelands of the country to SUSTAINABLE use & increasing bio-mass availability especially that of fuelwood , fodder , fruits, fiber & small timber. Government of India is taking up this colossal task through its INTEGRATED WASTELAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT SCHEME (IWDP) by revitalizing & reviving village level institutions & enlisting people's participation. It is people's own programme which aims at giving them actual decision making powers in terms of project implementation & fund disbursal.




It is one programme which is making sincere efforts towards the empowerment of the people so that a sense of collective responsibility can be evolved among them. The new guidelines for watershed development provides a paradigm shift in the traditional approach where the role of the Government is changed from that of governance to facilitation. The institutional arrangements envisaged in the Guidelines can be seen as a true reflections of the Agenda 21 where the sustainability comes through the involvement of people & the local bodies. The approach of watershed development in a holistic manner automatically strikes a prudent balance between environmental concerns & developmental aspirations. The efforts being made under the guidelines can be termed as sincere & honest as here the survival of life itself is at stake with the watershed development rather than the quality of life itself as compared to similar situations in the developed countries. In fact , the effective community control has been an integral part of the Indian social fabric which was fragmented by the colonial rule. This programme is an effort towards its restoration & a small step in the achievement of this goal which might turn into a big leap with the support from the people.

waste landdsss

Vast areas have been depleted of the fertile top soil due to the siltation and salinization mainly attributed to floods. Crops yield have been much reduced. Besides we have come across the various effects caused due to the fast removal of the vegetational cover and massive deforestation in all almost regions of the world .The consequences are well known to all of us. Besides depletion in forest production, a number of ecological changes such as reduction in the quantity of water in the Groundwater (Aquifer) as well as drastic changes in the environmental quality and climate are concomitant. The reason which is quite obvious of the reduction in the production of the crops and tress is the degradation and destruction of the soils. The erosion and depletion of the fertile top layer of the soil are caused by a number of factors such as unscientific agricultural practices, construction of large dams, massive deforestation and number of man's activities concerned with overcultivation, urbanization and industrialization etc. All these activities denude the land of its protective green cover, hastening the process of soil erosion, degradation water logging and salinity. This affects both the cultivated and uncultivated lands. When these problems are not checked in time by taking proper remedial measures, there is every likelihood that the soil might lost its fertility forever turning the same into a barren land and desert.

- vaibhavi singh

hazardous waste

Hazardous waste and its proper disposal have become a major sociological problem today due to its capability of contaminating the area in which we live and its potential to be lethal to all living things. In order for the rest of the world to save itself from a potentially life threatening problem they must fix the causes which lead to the improper disposal of hazardous wastes and like materials. Some reasons that hazardous waste has become a problem in the world today is due to the breakdown in enforcing laws for the proper disposal of such wastes, a lack of initiative on big companies behalf to spend money on proper disposal, and the ease of disposing of such wastes illegally.


The mistakes of the past need not be repeated, for hazardous waste can be controlled using methods that prevent damage to human health and the environment. These methods have been neglected in the past primarily because they cost more than indiscriminate or careless dumping, and because no law required their use.
Hazardous wastes are the byproducts of everyday industry, ranging from heavy metals like lead, mercury, copper to more dangerous chemicals including cyanide, acids, and synthetic organic compounds.

BY KUNAL

policies on effects on environment

The objective of the Directive is to prevent or reduce as far as possible negative effects on the environment from the landfilling of waste, by introducing stringent technical requirements for waste and landfills.




The Directive is intended to prevent or reduce the adverse effects of the landfill of waste on the environment, in particular on surface water, groundwater, soil, air and human health.



It defines the different categories of waste (municipal waste, hazardous waste, non-hazardous waste and inert waste) and applies to all landfills, defined as waste disposal sites for the deposit of waste onto or into land. Landfills are divided into three classes:



landfills for hazardous waste;

landfills for non-hazardous waste;

landfills for inert waste.

The Directive does not apply to:



the spreading on the soil of sludges (including sewage sludges and sludges resulting from dredging operations);

the use in landfills of inert waste for redevelopment or restoration work;

the deposit of unpolluted soil or of non-hazardous inert waste resulting from prospecting and extraction, treatment and storage of mineral resources as well as from the operation of quarries;

the deposit of non-hazardous dredging sludges alongside small waterways from which they have been dredged and of non-hazardous sludges in surface water, including the bed and its subsoil.

A standard waste acceptance procedure is laid down so as to avoid any risks:



waste must be treated before being landfilled;

hazardous waste within the meaning of the Directive must be assigned to a hazardous waste landfill;

landfills for non-hazardous waste must be used for municipal waste and for non-hazardous waste;

landfill sites for inert waste must be used only for inert waste;

criteria for the acceptance of waste at each landfill class must be adopted by the Commission in accordance with the general principles of Annex II.

The following wastes may not be accepted in a landfill:



liquid waste;

flammable waste;

explosive or oxidising waste;

hospital and other clinical waste which is infectious;

used tyres, with certain exceptions;

any other type of waste which does not meet the acceptance criteria laid down in Annex II.

The Directive sets up a system of operating permits for landfill sites. Applications for permits must contain the following information:



the identity of the applicant and, in some cases, of the operator;

a description of the types and total quantity of waste to be deposited;

the capacity of the disposal site;

a description of the site;

the proposed methods for pollution prevention and abatement;

the proposed operation, monitoring and control plan;

the plan for closure and aftercare procedures;

the applicant's financial security;

an impact assessment study, where required under Council Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.

Wastelands: rehabilitation

  guyz the text was too much to be posted so kindly go to the link and chck out
plzzzzzzzz.....
as it is important.

http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy/paper/wastelands804/wastelands.pdf


by Harsh  

Kriti wat abt d interview wid RWA nd MLA ..................
u knw evrybdy is going somewhere after some days so plz.. hurry up

converting wasteland into a parking lot is preferable, as there r many possible advantages:
The pace opposite to the our scul will be clean and not be conjusted..
on the other hand there is a park opposite 2 the road where ppl walk in the morning and exercize.
parking lot will be better as there is less parking area in tht part  and will be easier and useful for the ppl and the scul.
along with transformation of the wasteland onto a parking lot the '' DHABA'' wala shud be removed as the parking lot will again become dirty and filthy....

by mayaank

1 Why is the problem important ?
With the increase in population and growth rate of the country  , it has become important to develop wastelands into productive pieces of land  for residential,commercial and agricultural purposes .

2 What level of government is responsible for  dealing with the problem ?
The state as well as the central government  as responsible because they have been formulating various  policies from time to time in order to encourage  developement  of wastelands .

3 Why should  the problem be handled by the government ?
The problem should be handled by the government because-

•  Such projects require alot of fundings and take a lot of time to reap the benifits .
•  Secondly, private companies are not interested in undertaking such projects because a lot of financial investment is required and believe in  immediate results wheras the government is capable of making long term investments for the benifit of the country .

Rohan

Wasteland policy formulation through planning period

Plan period


Major issue


Policy thrust

First Plan1951 - 56


Area under cultivation to be increased. Community development (CD) networks to take care of the village commons. Vast uncultivated lands locked under large sizes of holdings.


Land reforms to bring in the fallow under cultivation and increase land use efficiency. Tenant to be given the rights to cultivate land. Abolition of intermediaries.

Second Plan 1956 - 61


Concern about vast rainfed agriculture, low land productivity and thrust on irrigated agriculture.


Soil conservation as an important programme. First phase of land reform implementation. Irrigation development for the rainfed areas. Training and extension work for the technology through CD.

Third Plan 1961 - 66


Food security concern dominated. Cultivable waste land to be brought under cultivation. Bringing the lagging regions under mainstream growth.


Area development as an approach. Intensive area development programme adopted for selected districts. An integrated land policy approach was inherent. Soil surveys were taken up.

Fourth Plan 1969 - 74


Emphasis on food security continued as minimum dietary requirements to be met. Incentives were created for diversion of land towards food crops and enhancing the capacity of such land. Domination of large holding sizes and low allocation and technical efficiency.


Increased emphasis on irrigation and soil conservation in dryland regions and technological change introduced. Higher cropping intensity the main concern. Second phase of land reforms with land ceiling acts and consolidation of holding. Institutional changes brought in.

Fifth Plan 1974 - 79


Problems of degradation land management in irrigated command areas surfaced. Drought-prone areas attracted attention.


Drought-prone area development. Desert area development programmes, and soil conservation started and further enhanced. New impetus to dry farming.

Sixth Plan 1980 - 85


Underutilization of land resources. Drought-prone areas continued to attract attention. Attention lagging areas on the background of green revolution required cultivation.


Land and water management programme under drought-prone area programme in selected areas.

Seventh Plan 1985 - 90


Soil erosion and land degradation surfaced as major issues. Land going out of cultivation. Deforestation and degradation of forest lands.


Soil and water conservation and averting land degradation. Specific attention to degraded lands. Wastelands Development programmes. Long-term view of land management.

Eighth Plan 1992 - 97


Dryland and rainfed areas requiring attention. Degradation of land in irrigated command areas. Peoples' participation surfaced as major issue in land management at village level.


Emphasis on watershed approach. Soil conservation merged with watershed programmes. Agroclimatic regional planning approach incorporated.

Ninth Plan 1997 - 2010


Land degradation increased significantly. Integrating Watershed Development Programme across various components. Rethinking on land reforms. Gap between potentials and actual crop yields need to be bridged. Need for a long-term policy document.


Bringing the underutilized land under cultivation. Management of wastelands. Maintenance of village commons. Decentralized land management system. Panchayat Raj institutions to manage the village lands. Rethinking on land legislation.

Rachit

Work Distribution list

1 Explaining the problem

 Vedika & Shreya -  why is the problem important ?

                                  What level of government is responsible for dealing with the

                                  problem ?

                                 What is the Problem ?

Mayank & Harsh –How serious is the problem in the community ?

                                 How widespread is the problem ?

                                 Why should the problem be handled by the government ?

                                  who are the people intrested in the problem ?

2 Existing  Policies

Kunal &; Rachit -  State the policy  [ more than 2 ]

                               Advantages and disadvantages of the existing policy

Milind & Aral-

                           Identify people who are likely to support & oppose the policy

3 Our Class policy

Kriti & Jasmine & Vaishali – Explain the proposed  policy

                                              Advantages and the disadvantages of the policy

                                              Policy proposed is Constitutional  ? [ use constitutional form]

The wastelands around us cause various problems directly as well as in directly.

1. Unhygenic Conditions-the wastelands are often used as areas for dumping wastes.these wastes are  not treated and are thrown recklessly . These untreated wastes often breed mosquitos which cause epidemic and other chronic diseases like dengue, cholera etc
2. Land Exploitation-The condition of land being left fallow and barren also causes over exploitation of land resources.
 

 Rohan