India

Bio-loos on track, Railways to clean up its act
Dumping excreta on the rail tracks is not just an abhorrent practice, it also corrodes the tracks. With bio-toilets underway, the Railways hopes to fix it. Posted on 03 Aug, 2016 10:27 AM

For almost two decades, the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act of 1993 was a paralytic occupant of the statute books. The Act prohibited the construction of dry toilets which required faeces to be removed manually and outlawed manual scavenging.

A rail coach fitted with bio-toilet. (Courtesy: India Railway Info)
Living in fear of water
The proposed Mohar reservoir project is expected to submerge two villages and adversely affect 10 other villages when completed. Needless to say, the villagers are anxious. Posted on 31 Jul, 2016 11:41 AM

Farmer Ravikant Deshmukh (40) is a much worried man. He lives in Kudari Dalli in Balod district in Chhattisgarh, a village that would get affected adversely if Mohar reservoir project takes off. The project, once realised, is estimated to submerge the agricultural land and houses of 1200 villagers in Kudari Dalli.

Punam Kumar Deshmukh at the proposed Mohar reservoir site near Banjaridihi village.
NGT gets strict over notification of wetlands
Policy matters this week Posted on 30 Jul, 2016 11:53 PM

NGT orders CWRA to meet every month for identification of wetlands

A wetland in Assam. (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
Thanks to dirty water, Indian children stunted
News this week Posted on 30 Jul, 2016 11:39 PM

India has largest number of stunted children in the world: Study

Stunting in children highest in India. (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
Towards mission, clean Ganga
River Ganga remains polluted in spite of numerous attempts by various governments to clean it up. Where are we going wrong? Posted on 25 Jul, 2016 08:50 AM

It is common knowledge that the river Ganga, considered sacred by millions of Hindus, is polluted.  It is so polluted that some stretches of the river are unfit even for bathing, particularly during the lean seasons.

Varanasi 'ghats' on the bank of Ganga river (Source: Wikipedia)
State does a Nero while Kharun weeps
Despite the pitiable state of a polluted Kharun, the government is keen on developing the riverfront to attract tourists. Posted on 18 Jul, 2016 09:30 AM

At sunrise, everything is luminous but not clear. 

― Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories

Kharun river at Mahadev Ghat, Raipur.
Floods wreak havoc in many parts of the country
News this week Posted on 17 Jul, 2016 04:27 PM

Floods grip many parts of the country

Flooded Simen river in Brahmaputra basin (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
Call for paper for compendium on groundwater conflicts
ACWADAM and the Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India (Forum) invite abstracts for an edited volume on ‘Groundwater Competition and Conflicts in India’.
Posted on 12 Jul, 2016 02:58 PM

About the opportunity:

Ganga revival projects launched
Policy matters this week Posted on 09 Jul, 2016 10:36 PM

Centre launches 231 projects under Namami Gange

Ganga river at Gadmukteshwar (Source: IWP Flickr Photo)
River conservationist is new environment minister
News this week Posted on 09 Jul, 2016 10:04 PM

Anil Madhav Dave appointed as new environment minister

Anil Madhav Dave (Source: Livemint)
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