Bihar

Floods despite dams
In his bi-lingual booklet titled 'Floods despite dams' ('Barh to phir bhi aayegi'), Dinesh Mishra explodes the myth of embankments and hopes that the issue of floods will be widely debated.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 23 Mar, 2014 10:42 PM

Floods in Bihar have acquired menacing proportions following the embanking of its rivers, which has led to severe dislocations in the society. Estimates suggest that 70% of the population in north Bihar lives under the recurring threat of flood devastation (1). The 2013 floods affected more than 5.9 million people in 3768 villages (2).
Floods disrupt life in Bihar
Applications invited for the post of 'State Coordinator Bihar', The World Bank, Water and Sanitation Program
The objective of this assignment is to contribute to the acceleration and scaling up of the implementation of the Nirmal Bharat Abiyan (NBA) at the State and District level.
Posted on 14 Mar, 2014 03:18 PM

Supervisor: Joep Verhagen, India, WSP-SA, TWISA

Assignment Duration: 100 days

Location: India

Email ID to Receive Application: wspsa@worldbank.org

Know more about WSP approach on scaling up rural sanitation. 
Protectors of the lost ponds of Darbhanga
Talab Bachao Abhiyan', a group that is working on pond conservation in Bihar, suggests measures to the government and hopes to involve local youth to further the cause of these dying ponds.
Sabita Kaushal
Posted on 12 Mar, 2014 12:20 PM

In 1989, Bihar's Darbhanga town boasted 213 ponds. Today nearly 25% of them have been drained, leveled to the ground, filled up and built over. Hotels, houses and highrise buildings have bulldozed their way onto these water bodies. Do we not need these ponds any longer? Are they better of as bedrocks of development in these land-starved times? 

Once upon a time
Rally to protect ponds
New law to save the Ganga
Policy matters this week: PMO orders framing of draft legislation to protect the Ganga; Narmada-Kshipra river linking scheme passes the test; World Bank to support low-income states.
Swati Bansal
Posted on 17 Feb, 2014 02:22 PM

PMO approves law to protect Ganga river
Ganga river in Haridwar (Source: Anoop Negi)
Series of Open Conference Calls on, 'A Market Led, Evidence Based, Approach to Rural Sanitation', Monitor Inclusive Markets
Monitor Inclusive Markets will be holding a series of open conference calls to discuss the key findings of their white paper titled 'A Market Led, Evidence Based, Approach to Rural Sanitation'.
Posted on 13 Feb, 2014 07:49 AM

The conference calls will be held on March 13, 2014

Please RSVP to inmim@deloitte.com with the call you intend to join in order to receive dial-in information and materials.

Get more information on the conference.
Whitepaper Cover
Engineering witchcraft in Bihar
The Bhutahi Balan, a tributary of the Kosi may be a small river but it has caused immense devastation. Dinesh Mishra says that embankments aren't the answer to this problem.
Dinesh Mishra
Posted on 09 Feb, 2014 07:46 PM

It's been years since Bhutahi Balan, a small tributary of the Kosi river in Madhubani, North Bihar, has been causing devastation on both its banks. Dinesh Mishra in his book 'Story of a ghost river and engineering witchcraft' objectively analyses the failure of embankments, which are raised banks to contain the river's flooding.

Devastation due to floods
The profitable toilet
Eco-sanitation, or compost toilets have helped achieve nearly 100% sanitation in Rupauliya, a small village in Bihar.
Chicu Lokgariwar
Posted on 27 Jan, 2014 12:29 PM

When Panchamlal Mahto was a toddler, he would frequently squat and poop as the urge took him irrespective of where he was. His mother would take a handful of ash and sprinkle it over the 'gift'. The ash would absorb the liquid, enabling the whole mess to be easily swept away. Back then, Vinita was still not born.
An Eco-san toilet with a kitchen garden next to it
Improved sanitation can reduce diarrhoea cases by 47%
Policy matters this week: Diarrhoea cases can come down with improved sanitation, SC tells Centre to appoint Regulator for environment matters and new water scheme for rural areas.
Ravleen Kaur
Posted on 14 Jan, 2014 06:41 PM

Improved sanitation can reduce diarrhoea cases by 47%: World Bank
Sanitation means good health (www.thinkaboutit.eu)
The indefinite fast continues
River activist Shashi Shekhar has restarted his fast to protest embankments on the Adhwara Samuh rivers in North Bihar. Will the authorities relent this time around?
Sabita Kaushal
Posted on 06 Jan, 2014 08:50 AM

Noted activist Shashi Shekhar has been on an indefinite fast since December 10th, protesting the construction of embankments on the Jheem Jamura river. These rivers are a part of the Adhwara Samuh rivers in North Bihar, which originate from the foothills of Nepal.
Activist Shashi Shekhar (Source: Water-Vagabond)
Bihar villagers against asbestos plant
News this week: Bihar villagers oppose asbestos plant, J&K government restricts civilian movement near Kishanganga dam site and dams for Mumbai result in tribal displacement.
Ravleen Kaur
Posted on 22 Dec, 2013 08:40 PM

10,000 Bihar villagers file petition against asbestos plant
Asbestos inflammation (Source: Adam Cohn, Flickr)
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