Political

Technology helps provide access to safe drinking water
Piramal Sarvajal's water ATMs are a good example of community-level decentralised drinking water solutions that are sustainable. Posted on 22 Mar, 2019 12:37 PM

According to WASH watch report (2017), over 150 million people in India live without access to safe drinking water. A majority of these people reside in underserved or unserved sections of the society that lives beyond the pipe. As a result, they are dependent on water sources that are not safe for drinking, leading to waterborne diseases.

Piramal Sarvajal’s water ATM.
UN World Water Development Report out
News this week Posted on 21 Mar, 2019 07:48 PM

UN releases the World Water Development Report 2019

UN report suggests better management of water resources to ensure equity of water. (Image source: IWP Flickr photos)
UN Environment Assembly adopts India's two resolutions
Policy matters this week Posted on 20 Mar, 2019 12:37 PM

UN Environment Assembly adopts resolutions on single-use plastics, nitorgen management piloted by India

Recycling of single-use plastic is a global challenge. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Solar pumps solve irrigation trouble
Solar irrigation pumps have been hailed as a one stop solution to meet the irrigation needs of the farmers as they provide sustainable energy at a cheap price. Posted on 19 Mar, 2019 06:10 PM

Agriculture in Bihar has languished primarily because of high input costs, especially that of energy due to inadequate grid electricity supply and a high price of diesel. Rural electrification through grid supply is not happening in Bihar due to lack of public investment. Also, the existing groundwater markets are neither increasing irrigation nor achieving equity.

New employment has been created as a result of the pilot in the form of the S-ISPs and their operators which will increase considerably if the project is scaled up. (Image: IWMI)
An integrated approach to water quality management
Chemical contamination of drinking water is a significant health concern in India, one we haven’t realised the magnitude of. Practitioners across sectors must come together to tackle this issue. Posted on 18 Mar, 2019 03:58 PM

Fluoride, arsenic, nitrate, and other chemicals in drinking water pose significant health risks (such as fluorosis and arsenicosis) to o

Photo courtesy: Arjun Swaminathan
Dumping waste effectively
Three environment-friendly ways of disposing of human waste have proven effective in various districts of Chhattisgarh. Posted on 16 Mar, 2019 03:51 PM

According to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) website, access to toilets has improved in India and 28 out of 36 states and Union Territories are now open defecation free (ODF). While that’s good news, managing faecal sludge in ODF states in an eco-friendly way continues to be a big challenge. 

Evapotranspiration community toilet at Shankarnagar, Kumhari (Source: India Water Portal)
Smart farming changes farms, fortunes in Bengal
Farmers of West Bengal are resorting to rice transplanters and zero tiller machines to save water and labour cost and to increase productivity. Posted on 14 Mar, 2019 03:55 PM

Gulam Mustafa owns around five acres of land at Digalhati Moynaguri village in Coochbehar district of West Bengal. The 34-year-old has switched to “smart farming” to minimise labour cost and water use.

Gulam Mustafa with the rice planter. (Photo by Gurvinder Singh)
Protecting Surajpur wetland
Surajpur wetland faces the threat of habitat loss because of the proliferating real estate development in the area. Posted on 13 Mar, 2019 05:29 PM

The migratory bird season is in full swing and avid bird watchers have flocked to Surajpur wetland to sight the charismatic Common Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Bar-headed Goose, Greylag Goose, Northern Shoveler and Gadwall.

The forest department and local activists discuss the threats on Surajpur, an urban wetland encroached upon by private real estate as well as the government. (Image: India Water Portal)
Hazardous waste rules amended
Policy matters this week Posted on 13 Mar, 2019 03:34 PM

Centre amends hazardous and other wastes rules 2016 to ban import of solid plastic waste

Different types of plastic waste displayed at a sanitation park. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Indore tops in Swachh Survekshan 2019
News this week Posted on 13 Mar, 2019 03:03 PM

Once again, Indore tops in Swachh Survekshan

Clean road near Pardesipura, Indore (Source: India Water Portal)
×