Physiography

Village heads come together to save Dzongu
In a rare show of solidarity, the panchayat leaders of Dzongu have formed a group, Save Dzongu, that cuts across political differences to save their river. Posted on 15 Mar, 2018 06:12 PM

As we sit sipping tea with him, Ugen Lepcha calmly spells out his stand. “Even if it means having to leave my (political) party, I will continue to be against dams,” he says. Ugen Lepcha, the president of Passingang gram panchayat in the Dzongu area of Sikkim, clearly has courage when it comes to his political convictions.

River Rongyoung which is sacred to the Lepchas is not yet dammed.
Cyclone Ockhi hits south-west India
News this week Posted on 05 Dec, 2017 03:51 PM

Cyclone Ockhi makes landfall, affects Lakshadweep islands, Kerala and Tamil Nadu

A severe cyclonic storm in progress. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
India ranks low on sanitation index: Report
News this week Posted on 20 Nov, 2017 02:20 PM

India has the highest number of people without access to toilets: Report

Toilets in India (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Panel to manage northeastern waters formed
Policy matters this week Posted on 10 Oct, 2017 02:19 PM

Committee formed for the management of water resources in the Northeast

A water body in Assam (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
Asia is at high risk of flooding: Report
News this week Posted on 18 Jul, 2017 12:25 PM

Asia has the highest number of people exposed to flooding: Report

A woman wades through a flooded road. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Why is Shillong sweating?
The temperature in India’s biodiversity hotspot is on the rise which will have widespread implications in the future. Posted on 05 Jul, 2017 05:18 AM

Sitting in the glass-and-concrete State Convention Centre in the capital of the hilly state of Meghalaya, participants of a media workshop on climate change are feeling sweaty. The convention centre is not air conditioned nor does it have ceiling fans.

Shillong (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Every day is a dry day in Kovaipudur
While Kovaipudur is finding it difficult to survive another season with no groundwater and an indifferent government, the solution is in harvesting every drop of rain it gets. Posted on 30 Jun, 2017 07:11 PM

With its pleasant climate and serene environment, Kovaipudur, a quaint township located in Coimbatore, was once known to be a haven for retired people. Kovaipudur is living out a nightmare now, one that has snowballed over the years.

Rainwater harvesting is the way to go in water scarce regions. (Source: IWP Flickr)
Chennai faces acute water crisis
News this week Posted on 27 Jun, 2017 08:46 PM

Chennai reels under acute crisis of drinking water

Buckingham canal in Chennai. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
River health goes south
In a two-part series, we look at the health of rivers across India. Here's a comprehensive assessment of the condition of rivers in the south and the west. Posted on 07 Jun, 2017 11:32 AM

Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa, all located in the west of India, have rivers belonging to several different basins. With the exception of rivers in Rajasthan that drain into the Yamuna basin, the other rivers in these states either drain into the Bay of Bengal via the peninsular basins or run from the Western Ghats and into the Arabian sea.

These iconic falls at Athirapally are threatened by a hydroelectric project upstream. (Source: Arathi Kumar Rao)
Why rivers don’t flow anymore
In a two-part series, we look at the health of rivers across India. Here’s a comprehensive assessment of the rivers of the north and the east. Posted on 07 Jun, 2017 11:13 AM

Rivers in India are always in the news whether it’s the interstate water sharing disputes, dams, sand mining or the recent order of the Uttarakhand high court declaring Ganga and Yamuna as living entities. Seven major river systems, over 400 rivers and numerous streams have sustained lives and livelihoods in India for centuries.

A villager washes utensils in the black water coming out of the coal mines at Kodkel in Raigarh district, Chattisgarh.
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