Political
Assessment of fluoride in drinking water in Andhra Pradesh - A report by Arghyam
Posted on 31 Jan, 2011 12:11 AM
High amounts of fluoride (>1.5 ppm) in drinking water is a serious issue in many parts of India. Fluorosis has been a serious issue in Andhra Pradesh, as early as 1999 with maximum reported levels at 29 ppm. Evidence indicates that 70-100% of the state is affected.
Yale University releases Environmental Performance Indices for 2010
Posted on 30 Jan, 2011 11:47 PMThis website by the Yale University provides information on the global and countrywise ratings for environmental performance in the form of Environmental Performance Indices (EPI) for different countries. The site also provides details of EPI scores for India in comparison with the average scores globally.
This index was developed from the Pilot Environmental Performance Index, first published in 2002, and designed to supplement the environmental targets set forth in the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Performance_Index)
Water and its quality in ancient encyclopedias of Karnataka - Paper presented at the National Seminar on Water and Culture (2007)
Posted on 30 Jan, 2011 06:40 PMThe author looks at three ancient Kannada and Sanskrit texts - Lokoparam, Manasollasa, Shivatattvaratnakara. All these texts were written between the 12th and 18th century. These texts record hydrological data ranging from cloud formation to traditional methods of preserving potable water.
Traditional water management practices and water sector reforms in South India - A comparative analysis of three systems and Participatory Irrigation Management policy - Paper presented at the National Seminar on Water and Culture (2007)
Posted on 30 Jan, 2011 06:13 PMThe authors study three tanks; one each in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and find that almost all tanks in Southern India face similar problems that include farmers in command area being deprived of water, siltation, lack of proper maintenance of such structures, lack of political will to decentralise authority to tank institutions etc.
Traditional water management practices in coastal Karnataka - Paper presented at the National Seminar on Water and Culture (2007)
Posted on 30 Jan, 2011 04:10 PMTh paper begins with a brief history of the region of Southern Kanada, its geography and the religious practices of the region. Some of the key features of this region includes an abundance of rivers though they mostly are rain-fed.
Suranga: A sustainable water resource - Paper presented at the National Seminar on Water and Culture (2007)
Posted on 30 Jan, 2011 02:18 PMThis paper explores Surangas, which are an ancient water system based on tunnels bored horizontally on the slopes of hills to get drinking water. These structures are mainly found in the laterite soils of Dakshina Kannada region and some parts of Kerala and Goa.
Preservation of Mysore urban water bodies - Paper presented at the National Seminar on Water and Culture (2007)
Posted on 30 Jan, 2011 04:00 AMThis paper presents the status of lakes in Mysore. It gives emphasis to the Socio-Economic Natural Complex - Lake Ecosystems (SENCLE) model of lake preservation and management which includes socio-technical aspects of lake care.
Glimpses of the historical water bodies in the Vijaynagar dynasty - Paper presented at the National Seminar on Water and Culture (2007)
Posted on 30 Jan, 2011 03:44 AMThis paper uses secondary data to showcase the water bodies that were built in the Vijayanagar Empire. The author states that there were 88 such water bodies and these were used for irrigation purposes and also for consumption.
Decline of tank irrigation institutions in South India - A case-study of Tamil Nadu - Paper presented at the National Seminar on Water and Culture (2007)
Posted on 30 Jan, 2011 03:34 AMThe author gives a brief history of tank irrigation in South India. The number of irrigation tanks in India were 208,000, of which 120,000 were in the three Southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. These tanks irrigated 1.8 million hectares. The author uses graphs to point out to the decline in tank irrigation.
MGNREGA wage rate revision - Official notification from the MoRD
Posted on 29 Jan, 2011 10:58 AMS.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