CAG to submit reports on Namami Gange, railway bio-toilets in Parliament

Apex auditor CAG is likely to submit around 11-12 reports, including on railway bio-toilets, Ganga rejuvenation and Kudankulam nuke plant, in Parliament this session, according to official sources.

"Around 11-12 reports are expected to be tabled in Parliament during the ongoing winter session of the Parliament. There will be audit reports on the Namami Gange project, status on bio-toilets usage in railways and Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant," an official said.

Namami Gange is the government's pet project for rejuvenation of river Ganga for which it had allocated Rs 20,000 crore in 2014.

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has sanctioned projects worth about Rs 17,000 crore for sewerage management, effluents management, biodiversity conservation, solid waste management, afforestation, rural sanitation among other.

Besides, there will be around 4-5 compliance reports on the finance ministry, including on customs and excise, the official added.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on bio- toilets in railways is a actually a performance report, which is likely to be placed in Parliament next week, another official who worked closely in preparing the report told PTI.

"The report will present the status how the bio-toilets have been functioning in trains as well as recommendations," the official added.
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Lowering China's coal-fired power overcapacity can save water for 27 mn

Urging China to cut down on its "severe" coal power overcapacity, a report on Wednesday said this could save enough water to meet annual needs of 27 million people in water-stressed areas.

The report by Greenpeace East Asia said that despite reduction in coal powered plants since 2014, the Chinese coal-fired capacity in areas of high water stress continues to increase.

However, China's per capita water resources amount to only one-third of the global average. According to the report, by 2020, more than 60 per cent of the coal power industry's water consumption is projected to take place in areas of high water stress.

China is the world's largest coal consumer, Greenpeace said.

The report also recommends that both the coal power overcapacity and water stress problems be resolved by optimising water saving in the 162 provinces.

"The proposed plan could reduce water consumption in the coal power sector by up to 500 million cubic metres in 2020 in high water-stressed areas," the report stated.

Greenpeace stated that if the expansion goes unabated, the coal power capacity in water stressed areas is projected to jump from 437 GW in 2016 to 527 GW in 2020.

It thus urged that China reduce its coal-fired capacity by retiring plants in areas of high water stress and halting the planning and construction of new coal-fired power plants.

"Targeted capacity cuts in regions with high water stress would free up water for human consumption and economically productive uses," said senior global coal campaigner Lauri Myllyvirta.
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