Books and Book Reviews

Author(s):Dr K Palanisami, Dr C Ramasamy, Dr Chieko Umetsu

ISBN:9780230634916

Imprint:Macmillan Publishers India

Copyright:2008

Trim Size:8.5"x11"

Pages:300

Binding:Paperback

List Price:Rs. 750.00

Language:English

One of the impressive developments that have taken place in Indian agriculture after independence is groundwater development and management. India is among the foremost countries in the world practicing large scale irrigation. However the gaps between potential and utilization has been increasing over the years. Groundwater Management and Policies consists of contributions grouped under four themes viz., six research articles on Increasing Water Efficiency / Productivity, three on CPR in Recharging Groundwater, six papers on Groundwater Management and Coping Mechanisms and six on Water Policy Issues.

EMPIRES OF THE INDUS : THE STORY OF A RIVER - by Alice Albinia

Pages: 366 ISBN-978-0-7195-6003-3 (978-0-7195-6004-0)

Format: hardback / trade paperback

Price: £20 / Rs. 550

Publisher: John Murray, U.K. Empires of the Indus is a comprehensive study of how the river Indus and its waterways have changed the history of the Indian sub-continent. Water is potent: it trickles through human dreams, permeates lives, dictates agriculture, religion and warfare. Ever since Homo sapiens first migrated out of Africa, the Indus has drawn thirsty conquerors to its banks. Some of the world's first cities were built here; India's earliest Sanskrit literature was written about the river; Islam's holy preachers wandered beside these waters. This perhaps captures the essence of this Guardian First Book 2008 awardee, Empires of the Indus , The Story of a River, by Alice Albinia.

The book is a must-read for those who have some interest in Flood Management and especially in Kosi.

It is priced at Rs. 100/- and is available with

Fact Finding Mission

The Kosi floods in Bihar stunned the world this year. But the real tragedy is that the disaster had been predicted. It was simply waiting to happen. The Kosi embankments were completed in 1963 with a designed life span of 35 years.

This book brings together current knowledge and cutting edge interdisciplinary perspectives from renowned scholars on the histories, politi

 A list of new books that are currently available and related information is presented.

The World Bank as a Knowledge Producer: How the Bank Uses Flawed Processes to Generate Unsound Knowledge for Promoting Disastrous Policies Book

Key Features: Reviews the risks of inter-basin water transfers warns of critical disadvantages with India's proposed ILR plan offers viable less-risky solutions for water resource development. Inter-basin water transfers are complex human interventions on natural systems that can have profound adverse as well as beneficial social, economic and environmental implications. India's plan to interlink its rivers (ILR) and to transfer water may, according to one set of views, generate positive benefits through improved and expanded irrigation and may also contribute to flood and drought hazards mitigation for India, although the magnitudes are debatable. However, there are opposing views, in the context of India itself, that the interlinking plan is economically prohibitive, fraught with uncertainties, and has potential for disastrous and irreversible adverse after-effects. Water deficit can be reduced through improved water management without large scale engineering interventions. Moreover many of the rivers involved, particularly in the Himalayan component, are international and, therefore, the scheme has major implications for other riparians. Indeed, the planned transfer of water from the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers will adversely impact Bangladesh socially, economically and environmentally---unless arrangements are made to maintain historical flows, which is unlikely to be feasible.

Shri Anupam Mishra, Gandhian and environmentalist is a remarkable person. He lays no claim to copyright for his own books and (similiar to open source software) it has increased the dissemination of his message. During a recent visit to his office at Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi, he showed several different editions of "Aaj Bhi Khare Hai Talaab" brought out by all kinds of individuals and publishers across the country. He recounts the story of how a impoverished young person was inspired to translate it into Punjabi and get it published.

"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.