News and Articles

Power'house or powerless: A debate on dams in Arunachal Pradesh
Water conflicts in Arunachal Pradesh have left power projects and people at opposite ends of the struggle. Understanding, and not merely suppressing people, will help resolve this conflict. Posted on 19 Mar, 2014 11:54 PM

Arunachal Pradesh, a state rich in water resources, has a huge potential for cheap and plentiful power. Isolated and one of the least developed states in the country, today it is viewed as the ‘powerhouse’ of the country.

Potential powerhouse ( Source: Wikimedia)
Sikkim's springs discharge 50% lesser over the last decade
The solution to water scarcity due to the shrinking monsoon season & the resultant declining discharge of natural springs lies in storing water. For this the forestland needs to be conserved. Posted on 19 Mar, 2014 11:36 PM

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report predicts large scale changes in temperature and precipitation over the Asian land mass. In the mountains, this translates to less snow, more intense but shorter episodes of rainfall and insufficient groundwater recharge, thereby resulting in the drying up of water sources.

Rural water security in Sikkim
Water warriors of Chennai
The duo of Sekhar Raghavan and Indukanth Ragade, addicts of water conservation, tell why rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling are important and how they can be implemented at homes. Posted on 19 Mar, 2014 11:03 PM

Sekhar Raghavan and Indukanth Ragade
Man-made trouble in Bhimtal lake
Tourism and other human interventions in the Bhimtal area in Uttarakhand has led to drastic changes that have altered the way of life and land use in the region. Can this trend be reversed? Posted on 19 Mar, 2014 11:01 PM

The Himalayan region is facing an unprecedented onslaught of modernization. Large-scale construction, deforestation and pollution are taking a toll on it's pristine eciology. This includes the beautiful Bhimtal lake in Nainital district, Uttarakhand.

Bhimtal Lake (Source: Wkipedia)
Water - not a gender-neutral resource
Generalization and mere quotas for women will not solve this gender bias. Involvement and empowerment of women are necessary for initiatives to succeed in the water sector. Posted on 19 Mar, 2014 10:46 PM

Water is not ‘gender-neutral’, especially in India. It is the woman of the house who walks an average of 6 km each day to collect water for household use. In the Kumaon region, a newly married bride visits the family spring to fetch water a day after the wedding, in a symbolic tradition of water responsibility.

Women & water ( Source: Arghyam)
A multi-pronged approach to improve livelihoods in MP
Out-migration of residents and inefficient agricultural practices in Baldeogarh, MP have been partially resolved by an NGO's intervention, which focused on conserving water. Posted on 17 Mar, 2014 03:46 PM

A little less than 40 km away from the district headquarters of Tikamgarh in northern Madhya Pradesh lies a watershed, which is an area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place (US Environmental Protection Agency).

Farmer looks at the water conservation efforts
An 'Umbrella' for sustainable growth
The cultivation of medicinal plants, eco-tourism and support of rural produce, which focus on livelihood improvements, are some options for an environmentally sustainable community. Posted on 16 Mar, 2014 11:11 PM

The dependence on natural resources is ever increasing, and so is the need to manage it better. Rural communities are relatively more dependent on crucial natural resources such as land, water and forest, the exploitation of which directly affects their livelihood.

Marginal farmers cultivating vegetables in Erode
Kolkata's grossly undervalued natural sewage management system
The benefits of the East Kolkata Wetlands are known to all in the state but the greed for land and lax penalties are destroying this Wetland of International Importance. Posted on 16 Mar, 2014 10:34 PM

The city of Kolkata is blessed to have its very own natural urban wastewater treatment system in the form of the East Kolkata Wetlands.

Fish rearing on wastewater, East Kolkata Wetlands
Technology and public awareness to combat climate change
Using community radio, messages about adapting to climate change and methods to do it were communicated to farmers in Bundelkhand. Posted on 16 Mar, 2014 10:30 PM

In Jhansi, Bundelkhand farmers experience great uncertainties in agriculture due to erratic rainfall. Covering 13 districts of southwest Uttar Pradesh and Northern Madhya Pradesh with a population of approximately 21 million, Bundelkhand is a typical semi-arid region.  Around 83% of the area is rural and more than one third of the households are considered to be below the poverty line.

Crops appropriate to deal with climate change
It takes more than money to make a difference
Eris' and 'ooranis', which are tanks that supplied water for generations in Tamil Nadu, are being revived thanks to monetary donations, good management practices and community participation. Posted on 16 Mar, 2014 10:28 PM

Tamilnadu has a rich tradition of tank management at the village level. Every village had one or more irrigation tanks, locally known as ‘kanmais’ or ‘eris’, and a drinking water tank called ‘ooranis’. This system worked for centuries with the support of residents and the local administration.

View of a 'Kanmai' in Madurai
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