MINISTRY OTENVHGNMENTAWJ) FORESTS ORDER ' New Delhi, the 29th May, 2001 S.0,583(E).— in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (3) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the Central Government hereby constitutes an authority to be known as "Water Quality Assessment Authority" consisting of the following members for a period of three years with effect from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette, hamely:-
1. Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests - Chairperson
2. Additional Secretary and Project Director, National River Conservation Directorate, Ministry of Environment and forests - Member
3. Chairman, Central Water Commission -Member
4. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources - Member
5. Adviser, National River Conservation Directorate, Ministry of Environment and Forests - Member
6. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation - Member
7. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Urban Affairs and Poverty Alleviation " -Member
8. Chairman, Central Ground Water Authority - Member
9. Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board .1 - Member
10. Director, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi v * -Member
11. Director, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur ' - Member
12. Commissioner (Water Management), Ministry of Water Resources - Member Secretary The Authority shall exercise the following powers and functions:/ to exercise powers under section 5 of the said Act for issuing directions and for taking measures with" respect to matters referred to in clauses (ix), (xi), (xii) and (xiii) of sub-section 2 of section 3 of the Act;
to direct the agencies (government/local bodies/non-govemmental) for the following :
(a) to standardize method(s) for water quality monitoring and to ensure quality of data generation for utilization thereof; . - "
(b) to take measures so as to ensure proper treatment of wastewater with a view to restoring the water quality of the river/water bodies to meet the designated-best-uses;
(c) to take up research and development activities in the area of water quality management;
(d) to promote recycling/re-use of treated sewage/trade effluent for irrigation in development of agriculture;
(e) to draw action plans for' quality improvement in water bodies/ and monitor and review/assess implementation of the schemes launched/to be launched to that effect;
THE GAZETTE OF INDIA: 5JCTRAQRDINARY [PART U—SEC. 3 (ii)
(f) to draw 3cheme(s) for imposition of restriction in water abstraction and discharge of treated sewage/trade effluent on land, rivers and other water bodies with a view to mitigating crisis of water quality;
(3) to maintain minimum discharge for sustenance of aquatic life forms in riverine system;
(h) to promote rain water harvesting;
(i) to utilize seif-assimilation capacities at the critical river stretches to minimize cost of effluent treatment;
(j) to provide information to pollution control authorities to facilitate allocation of waste load;
ik) to review the status of quality of national water resources (both surface water & groundwater) and identify "Hot Spots" for taking necessary actions for improvement in water quality;
(1) to interact with the authorities/committees constituted or to be constituted under the provisions of the said Act for matters relating to management of water resources;
fjn) to constitute/set-up State-level Water Quality Review Committees (WQRC) to coordinate the work to be assigned to such committees; and
(n) to deal with any environmental issue concerning surface and groundwater quality which may be referred to it by the CentrarGovernment or the State Government relating to the respective areas, for maintenance and/or restoration of quality to sustain designated-best-uses.
i. The Authority shall exercise the powers under section 19 of the said Act.
-. The Authority may appoint domain experts for facilitating the work assigned to it.
;. The Ministry of Water Resources shall create a cell to assist the Authority to carry out the assigned functions.
;; - The Authority shall furnish report about its activity at least once in three months to the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
jF. No. J-15011/S/20COnNRCE>3 A. M. GOKHALE, Addl. Secy.
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