Aarti Kelkar Khambete

Aarti Kelkar Khambete
A water warrior’s fight springs hope for springs!
Shailendra Patel, a passionate water warrior from Pune, is on a mission to save a live spring in the city. It is important that he is heard and action taken!
Posted on 03 Feb, 2022 03:15 PM

Springs, symbols of life, freedom, spontaneity draw unique images in our minds – of a bubbling rush of water rolling boisterously, snaking over rocks, picking up pebbles and sand along its path full of jumping fish, occasional frogs, insects, algae – surrounded by green wild bushes and thick vegetation.

Shailendra Patel, near the Bavdhan spring, Pune (Image Source: Tushar Sarode)
‘Fleas’ flee the Pashan lake in Pune!
Restoration efforts focusing on desilting and re-contouring of Pashan lake have added to the deterioration of the lake habitat, threatening survival of organisms such as water fleas, warn freshwater biologists Mihir Kulkarni and Sameer Padhye.
Posted on 24 Jan, 2022 11:17 PM

The calm waters of Pashan lake in Pune city, seldom give us an idea of the hidden wonders they support. Freshwater habitats like this, harbour a wealth of biodiversity ranging from very tiny/ microscopic plants and animals to larger ones – that reside in and around the waters and depend on it for their food, reproduction and survival.

Pashan lake, threatened by urbanisation, doomed by restoration (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Dietary diversity – key to tackle malnutrition among children
The recent NFHS-5 data finds that stunting and wasting among under five children in the country is on the rise. Why is this so? What could be the way out?
Posted on 18 Jan, 2022 10:31 PM

The recently published NFHS- 5 data presents a grim picture of the nutritional status of children in India.

Millets for dietary diversity (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Water can kill!
Mass fish deaths can pose a challenge to the environment, biodiversity and fisherfolk who depend on them for their livelihoods. Why do they happen?
Posted on 12 Nov, 2021 12:00 PM

The news of fish deaths in freshwater bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds is not new to India.

Algal blooms in a pond in Tamil Nadu (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Water contamination and pollution - A growing challenge for health and biodiversity
Contamination and pollution of water is on rise in India. Here is all the information you need to know on the causes and effects of water contamination and pollution.
Posted on 17 Oct, 2021 02:03 AM

Where is water on earth located?

Water on earth exists in two forms, freshwater and salt water. Less than 3 percent of the water found on earth is freshwater, and the remaining 97 percent is salt water found in the oceans.

Poisoned waters of the Yamuna (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Will urban India gain respite from its water woes?
Urban India is hurtling towards a major water crisis. What are the important considerations that the Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) should take into account to meet the water needs in urban areas?
Posted on 19 Jul, 2021 04:13 PM

The 2021-22 Union Budget has announced the launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban), an ambitious project that aims to provide potable tap water supply to 2.86 crore households by 2024. How will this work out for urban India?

Will urban India get respite from its water woes? (Image Source: Aathavan Jaffna via Wikimedia Commons)
When monsoon plays truant!
While the monsoon will become more unpredictable, the accompanying hot and dry extremes due to temperature rise will greatly threaten food production in India, warn these studies.
Posted on 29 Jun, 2021 07:43 PM

A recent study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) found that very few (less than 4 percent) of Indian farmers have adopted sustainable agricultural practices and systems.

When the monsoon plays truant (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Tropical rainforests of the sea, under threat!
The World Ocean Day this year has come with a dire warning, of the threat posed to coral reefs, important for ocean health as well as the livelihoods of millions of people!
Posted on 16 Jun, 2021 04:13 PM

Coral reefs are said to be one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth and harbour a wide range of animals and plant species.

Coral reefs in the Andaman Islands (Image Source: Ritiks via Wikimedia Commons)
Harnessing runoff to cope with droughts in South India
With north east monsoon playing truant, understanding the reasons for droughts in South India is crucial. Can harnessing runoff help to cope with the increasing dry spells that south indian cities are facing?
Posted on 01 Jun, 2021 11:54 AM

The years 2016 to 2018 saw a major drought in the South of India due to low winter rainfall from the northeast monsoon – rainfall crucial for water availability, agriculture and livelihoods for the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

The scramble to collect water: Can it be prevented? (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Fifty million people in Indian cities lack access to safe drinking water
News this week
Posted on 12 May, 2021 05:46 PM

Fifty million people in fifteen cities in India have no access to safe, affordable drinking water: UNICEF report

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