India

"THOSE 'IGNORANT PEASANTS' KNOW MORE ABOUT WATER THAN ENGINEERS"

Former business and environmental journalist Nitya Jacob has undertaken an unusual task -- an ecological travelogue across the Indian subcontinent, focussed on water. The Delhi-based writer's findings are stark. After writing a book on the subject, he says that in spite of surplus water, and one of the world's richest traditions of managing it, India's water crisis has reached critical levels. Says Delhi-based Jacob's new book is called 'Jalyatra: Exploring India's Traditional Water Management Systems'. It notes: "The 5000 years worth of traditional knowledge which made India one of the richest countries in the not-too-distant past has been forgotten and is one of the main reasons behind the crisis."Original Review on India Water Portal Blog, Click here Frederick Noronha (FN) interviewed Jacob about the book (Penguin, India, 2008, Rs 295), his findings and more.

Forwarded to India Water Portal By Ashoka Changemakers The Global Water Challenge and Ashoka's Changemakers had launched a global collaborative competition to find the most innovative community

Forwarded to the Portal by Anuradha Pati Recognises the planning, evaluation, and implementation of water-related projects with the aim of promoting awareness and encouraging the efficient use of this resource. The International ReSource Award is worth US$150,000 in total and is granted to one or several projects selected by an international jury.

The Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi, India with the sponsorship of Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, India has developed an indigenous, low cost method of removing Arsenic from drinking water. The purifier is eco-friendly and can be run off a solar power source. Models for Domestic as well as Community use have been developed

India is facing a water crisis in nearly all the sectors. Fortunately or unfortunately, measures taken by the related authorities to combat the crisis often depends on the amount of 'noise' made by the relevant stakeholders. It is no wonder then, that the urban India, and especially the rich and the powerful in urban India, seldom have to face problems related to water scarcity, water quality or the sheer inequity in distribution. On the other hand, weaker the stakeholder, more severe are his ( rather 'her') problems. Marginal farmers, tail enders in a canal network, rural and urban poor, especially children and women, stand testimony to this situation. We all agree to this, right?

Godavari delta, destruction of mangroves 

But aren't we forgetting the the weakest, and in some ways, the strongest, of all the stakeholders? How about the ecosystem of the river itself??

The book published by Penguin India, explores traditional water management systems in 8 states of India, including Delhi, and is writte

These trucks with a built in pump suck out septic tanks and pit latrines for a fee of Rs 1300/- ( 33 US $). They do the job cleanly and in 15 minutes. The waste is then deposited at a sewage treatment plant or for farmers to compost and use as fertilizer. A protocol for safe handling of the manure needs to be quickly developed as well as to tell farmers how much manure to use.

"Water MOVES"is a quarterly newsletter from Society for Promotion of Wastelands Development. This issue contains an article on Integrated Water Resource Management by N.C.

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