India

The database has been developed as a part of Manthan Adhyayan Kendra's engagement in comprehensive monitoring, research and analysis of policies, programs and projects relating to privatisation/commercialisation of water sector. 

It underlines, in this regard, the importance of a responsible municipal fiscal and financial system, simplification of existing water pricing and tariff structures, and regulatory mechanisms which are able to balance the interests of the producers and consumers of urban services.

Tanks are rainwater harvesting techniques which capture water during monsoons for later use. Mention of tanks in colonial texts is made and the authors infer from ancient texts like Tamil Purananuru on the importance of tanks and the locations for their construction, as well detailing their geographical spread.

There is mention of the importance of water in daily life in various prayers in the Rigveda. The author states that the earliest evidence of water conservation goes back to 3000 B. C. when Gabarbands were built in Baluchisthan. The Harappans built tanks and wells and were pioneers of well-digging technology.

Content Courtesy: Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India

Press release: Indian event at Cancun re-emphasises importance of equity, 7th December 2010

India hosted a major event at the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference at Cancun, where the critical issue of equity and equitable access to carbon space was emphasised. 

India's Minister for Environment and Forests and Head of Delegation, Shri Jairam Ramesh personally chaired the side event that had presentations by Prof. T. Jayaraman, Tata Inst. Of Social Sciences, India, Mr. Martin Khor, Executive Dir., South Centre, Geneva and Dr. Harald, ERC & Univ. Of Cape Town, South Africa.

Download the entire press release here.

S.O.82(E)-In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section(1) of section 6 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (42 of 2005), and in supersession of the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Rural Development number S.O 1(E), date the 1st January, 2009, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby specifies the wage rate payable to the unskilled manual worker under column (3) in respect of the state or the Union Territory mentioned in column (2) of the Schedule given below, working on various schemes under the said Act, with from the 1st day of January, 2011

Rivers, streams and lakes are the vital link in the water cycle that ensure that life as we know it can continue to flourish on earth. Unfortunately, as Dr Rajendra Singh points out, there is no river in India that has been spared from encroachment and pollution. The massive Ganga Action Plan has failed to clean the Ganges.

Dr. Bharat Jhunjhunwala, past faculty at IIM, Bangalore, holds a doctorate in Economics.  He has been working persistently on economic impacts of hydropower dams, applying the concepts of environmental economics to arrive at some interesting results.

His latest book, ‘Economics of River Flows: Lessons from Dam Removals from America’ analyses dam decommissioning examples from the United States and raises some pertinent questions about costs benefit analysis of dams in India. His earlier book, ‘Economics of Hydropower’ raised questions about economic efficiency, viability and sustainability of Hydropower Dams in India.

Parineeta Dandekar, IWP, talks with him on some of these issues.

Dr. Bharat Jhunjhunwala can be contacted at: bharatjj@gmail.com