Bay of Bengal

Close 23 out of 24 hydel projects in Uttarakhand: SC committee
Policy matters this week: SC committee rejects 23 of 24 hydel projects in Uttarakhand; WB govt planning to amend Land Reform Act; HC orders Gujarat to properly implement the water project. Posted on 15 Apr, 2014 09:09 PM

SC committee rejects 23 of 24 hydel projects in Uttarakhand

Bhagirathi river in Uttarakhand (Source:Wikimedia)
IPCC alarms India of a severe water shortage
News this week: IPCC releases its Fifth Assessment Report on climate change; Hydropower plants in Himachal find it tough to sell power; No toilet facilities in 20% of Goa households. Posted on 06 Apr, 2014 06:23 PM

IPCC releases its climate change report, alarms India of severe water shortage

Himalayan lake in Sikkim (Source: Wikimedia)
South Sikkim adapts to climate change
Climate change is causing heavy, brief rain spells in many parts of the world. Rain-shadowed South Sikkim is bearing the brunt of it in Northeast India. The video shows how the people are adapting. Posted on 02 Apr, 2014 12:11 AM

Climate change poses a threat to all. Be it forests, water or agriculture- it affects everything. India's Northeast, particularly, has witnessed a great deal of this impact. Sikkim, the physical bridge between the Northeast and mainland India, is also bearing the brunt of climate change in a myriad ways with agriculture and water bearing the most pronounced repercussions.

Climate change affects agriculture
Maharashtra reels under hail storms and unseasonal rainfall
News this month: Maharashtra faces the impact of climate change; Developing El Nino raises fear of a weak Indian monsoon; India's water crisis to worsen in the coming years, says UN. Posted on 31 Mar, 2014 11:23 PM

Maharashtra reels under hail storms

Unseasonal rainfall in Mumbai (Source: Wikipedia)
Abolish manual scavenging: SC
Policy matters this month: SC directs all states to abolish manual scavenging; MoEF reduces ESA in its new draft notification on Western Ghats; Maharashtra all set to clean its rivers. Posted on 31 Mar, 2014 11:14 PM

Abolish manual scavenging: SC

A manual scavenger in Chennai (Namathu Blogspot)
Does tapping regional springs affect the Western Ghats?
Dr. Jared Buono, hydrologist at NGO Gram Pari, spoke of a project that helped revive springs in the Western Ghats at an event organised by IIT Mumbai and India Water Portal to mark World Water Day. Posted on 31 Mar, 2014 10:08 PM

The Western Ghats are made of up basalt rocks, which were formed from lava flows. These rocks are also known as water buckets as they are able to retain a lot of water. This unique feature helps create springs. At an event organised by IIT Mumbai and India Water Portal to mark World Water Day, Dr. Jared Buono talked about how springs were revived in Panchgani with the help of spring boxes.

World Water Day at IIT-Bombay
Fluid rivers but concrete mindsets
Flooded rivers may be a problem in Bihar, but diverting them is not a solution; neither is building embankments. Example: Sitamarhi. Posted on 25 Mar, 2014 08:42 PM

The twin sisters:  Bihar is a land of fertile farms bearing sugarcane, wheat, rice, gram and pulses. Interspersed between the fields are venerable mango groves. Of Bihar's children, perhaps none is as universally loved as Sita. The village that she was born in -Sitamarhi- welcomed another daughter along with Sita.

The old course Lakhandei at Sitamarhi
Their land lost to a dam, 2,000 farmers take to fishing -- in cages
The rush for caged fish culture of one variety has created a glut in the market, crashing prices. How will the farmer-fishermen cope? Posted on 25 Mar, 2014 08:28 PM

The Chandil dam reservoir is located 30 kms from Jamshedpur on the Subernarekha river in Jharkhand. While this dam is a 'tourist hotspot', its construction has resulted in the displacement of more than 20,000 families from 116 surrounding villages. “We lost our farmlands because of the project and now, to support our families, we have to take any job available", says Narayan Gope. 

Modular cages used for cage culture in Chandil
Kerala's seas are rich in sand: GSI
News this week: Kerala's offshore areas are rich in marine sand, says GSI; JP group sells its hydro projects in HP without settling the tribals' issues; Illegal sand mining kills Chambal's ghariyals. Posted on 10 Mar, 2014 07:54 AM

Kerala seas's rich in sand, says GSI

Ponnani Sea Shore in Kerala (Source: Wikipedia)
MoEF accepts Kerala's recommendations on Western Ghats
Policy matters this week: MoEF approves Kerala's demands on Western Ghats; Committee finds Singrauli pollution a matter of serious concern; Panels set up to manage those displaced by Alamatti dam. Posted on 09 Mar, 2014 05:17 PM

MoEF accepts Kerala's recommendations on Western Ghats

A view of Western Ghats (Source: Wikipedia)
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