Political

Sacred groves, the water wizards of Uttarakhand
A study from Uttarakhand finds that water from sacred groves conforms to all WHO standards of potability and is of better quality than water from surrounding areas. Posted on 17 Sep, 2018 12:05 PM

Sacred groves are undisturbed or preserved patches of vegetation or forested areas located on the outskirts of villages, towns or plains that are conserved by communities by dedicating them to local folk deities or ancestral spirits.

Auli Bugyal, a meadow in Uttarakhand. Auli Bugyal, a meadow in Uttarakhand. (Photo courtesy: Sandeep Brar Jat via Wikimedia Commons)
Linking weather extremes with climate change
Detection and attribution in case of extreme weather events play an important role in understanding climate change better. Posted on 17 Sep, 2018 10:40 AM

Every time an extreme weather event like the Kerala floods occurs, there is a great demand for information on its causes. The question uppermost in public discourse is if such events can be attributed to climate change and global warming.

Whether an extreme weather event can be attributed to climate change or not is a question that has been on the minds of scientists for long. (Photo: IWP Flickr photos)
Lake congestion worsened Kerala floods: CWC
News this week Posted on 12 Sep, 2018 08:05 AM

Clean chit to dam management, CWC says congested Vembanad lake worsened floods in Kerala

Vembanad lake in Kerala (Source: ATREE via IWP Flickr photos)
NGT asks states to save ecology of Western Ghats
Policy matters this week Posted on 12 Sep, 2018 07:24 AM

No more clearance to activities affecting eco zones in the Western Ghats: NGT

Western Ghats as seen from Wagamon view point. (Source: Anand via Wikipedia Commons)
Dealing with disasters in the Valley
Frequent disasters the Kashmir Valley witnesses are both man-made and natural. What’s the solution? Posted on 10 Sep, 2018 11:57 AM

Witnessing a multitude of disasters from destructive floods to catastrophic earthquakes, the vulnerabilities arising out of natural disasters are ever increasing in Jammu and Kashmir.

Destruction caused by September 2014 floods at a posh locality in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajbagh. Over 300 people lost their lives, thousands were rendered homeless and property worth billions was damaged during the floods. (All photos courtesy: Afsana Rashid)
More water for crops
Subsidies given for irrigation efficiency may have a negative impact on water use. Posted on 06 Sep, 2018 02:44 PM

A new study has pointed out that increased irrigation efficiency does not translate to more water availability for other uses at the watershed level. The subsidies for increasing irrigation efficiency are intended to increase crop production as well as more return flow from irrigated areas that can be allocated to urban, domestic and industrial uses.

Subsidies for irrigation efficiency lead to a decrease in water availability at the watershed level because of increased irrigated areas and water withdrawals. (Pic: IWP Flickr photos)
Maharashtra comes out with draft groundwater rules
Policy matters this week Posted on 05 Sep, 2018 06:26 AM

Maharashtra farmers to need approval to sow water-intensive crops 

A sugarcane farm (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Monsoon takes 1400 lives
News this week Posted on 05 Sep, 2018 05:55 AM

More than 1000 people dead in three months in India due to heavy rains

A man wades through knee-deep water with his belongings during flood. (Source: 101Reporters)
The art of saving a river
Artist and environmentalist Madhavi Kolte is on a mission to save the dying Mutha in Pune through her drawings and sculptures. Posted on 03 Sep, 2018 03:01 PM

River Mutha, the pride of Pune, lovingly called 'Muthai' or 'mother Mutha', is dying a slow death, thanks to the rapidly urbanising city which is depositing huge amounts of untreated sewage and dirt in its water. The pollution of the river is consistently rising.

The highly polluted Mutha river as it flows through Pune. (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Opportunity for Team Leader – City Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS)
The CWIS Trichy project will be anchored in the Practice Programme at IIHS and is expected to run over a duration of about 3 years.
Posted on 30 Aug, 2018 07:59 PM

Trichy, a Tier II city in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, has been selected as one of the cities under the City Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) initiative by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The CWIS initiative is globally supported by multiple agencies and organisations including the BMGF and the World Bank.

×