India

District development, data and diversity: Lessons and the way forward
Though we have highly sophisticated ways of depicting data nowadays, we have gone backwards on linking data with decision making. Posted on 08 Dec, 2020 01:35 PM

The coronavirus pandemic poses a challenge for implementing developmental responses in the context of district, one of the most important administrative units in India. There has been a push towards development at the grassroots level through AtmaNirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, One District One Product and National Infrastructure Pipeline.

The quality of the government data for schematic reporting has improved as compared to 20 years ago, that does not necessarily mean that planning has improved (Image: Pikist)
Not in the interest of women farmers!
The new farm related bills will spell doom for women workers who form the bulk of small and marginal sections of Indian agriculture, warns Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch (MAKAAM). Posted on 07 Dec, 2020 11:52 PM

Three farm-related Bills were recently passed in the Parliament by the BJP led government at the Center, which have subsequently received presidential assent.

Farm women, overworked and underpaid (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Illegal sand mining led to 193 deaths in two years, says report
News this week Posted on 02 Dec, 2020 12:00 PM

Illegal sand mining operations lead to 193 deaths in two years

Sand mining on the banks of Tapti (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
NGT orders states to designate nodal agencies for restoring water bodies
Policy matters this week Posted on 02 Dec, 2020 11:40 AM

Designate nodal agencies for restoration of water bodies: NGT to states

Gharisar lake in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Madhya Pradesh’s recurring droughts: Measuring, responding and reducing the vulnerabilities
Drought vulnerability in agriculture has been recognised as a key development issue in the state. Posted on 02 Dec, 2020 10:40 AM

Climate change has been a popular buzzword for the last two decades in the international policy arena, stimulating multitude of ideas and a few action commitments at different levels of governments.

Rugged, rocky terrain of Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh (Image: Shweta Prajapati)
Sustainable mobility amid COVID-19 pandemic
There is a need to address the wider challenge of development pattern and infrastructure provision to deal with the issue of sustainable mobility.
Posted on 01 Dec, 2020 10:19 PM

Most of the travel demand in the Indian cities is met by the non-motorized and public transport systems i.e. low carbon modes of transport. With the growing urbanization and income levels along with the degraded infrastructure to support the low carbon modes, the dependency on personal motorized vehicles will increase soon.

Though during the COVID-19 lockdown, people’s interest for non-motorised transport has witnessed a rise, the lack of infrastructure such as separate cycle tracks etc. among other reasons is likely to adversely affect this. (Image: Needpix)
Patterns of social exclusion in watershed development in India
How have watershed development projects fared in India? Have they helped in better distribution of benefits among the poor and marginalised? Posted on 27 Nov, 2020 11:13 PM

How have watershed development projects fared in India? Have they helped in better distribution of benefits among the poor and marginalised? Why is it important to talk about watershed development at this juncture?

This book by Dr Eshwer Kale dwells on these questions and explores issues around social exclusion among resource-poor people in watershed development projects.

Watershed development: Towards equitable outcomes (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Helping nature take its course: Composting!
While urban areas are being engulfed by a sea of garbage, the need of the hour is to think about recycling waste that we generate at the source, so as to avoid sending it to the landfills. Posted on 27 Nov, 2020 04:24 PM

My cracked heels seemed to be incurable no matter how much they were  treated, until the lockdown happened! It came with a new norm - Stay home, stay safe. And it gave me my original feet back! This unexpected delight came with a realisation that my body was healing, and so was  Mother Earth, during the lockdown!

From waste to value: The miracle of composting (Image Source: India Water Portal) at h
Increasing water security for the urban underserved
A pilot study with Composite Water Vulnerability Index tool designed for ranking of slums shows that 30% households are Beyond the Pipe (BtP). Posted on 27 Nov, 2020 11:40 AM

Piramal Sarvajal, the safe drinking water initiative of Piramal Foundation launched a tool named Composite Water Vulnerability Index (CWVI) at its recent webinar on ‘Sustainable water security for urban underserved’ hosted in association with Center for Water and Sanitation (CWAS) and Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT).

Piramal Sarvajal and Center for Water and Sanitation launch the  Composite Water Vulnerability Index Tool (Image: Piramal Sarvajal)
Illegal river bed mining continues unabated in north India
Need effective sand mining governance and law enforcement to address the plundering of the rich river ecosystem. Posted on 25 Nov, 2020 09:13 PM

In October this year, locals and river activists campaigned against illegal sand mining in Yamunanagar, Haryana. The authorities were compelled to take notice and the errant firms that had deployed heavy machinery to embank the river and divert its natural flow to extract sand were booked for violation.

Law enforcement is missing on the ground causing immense environmental damage to the river ecosystem (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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