News and Articles

Envisioning the future
Rural communities in Lakhimpur district of Assam engaged in an interesting exercise of visualising their possible futures in the context of climate change-to prepare themselves for an emergency. Posted on 07 Mar, 2014 10:33 AM

Looking through that peephole where the future seems dark and bleak conjures up discomfort. We would all rather envision a better, happier tomorrow but anticipating a possible bleak future is crucial for communities to plan in the context of changes, says Dr. Petra Tschakert, Professor of Geography at Pennsylvania State University, USA.

Floods in Jiadhol river (Source: Amita Bhaduri)
Krishi Vigyan Kendra to the rescue!
To combat the water shortage caused by irregular rainfall as well as crop rotation patterns, the village of Nidhan in Madhya Pradesh implemented options suggested by the local Krishi Vigyan Kendra. Posted on 07 Mar, 2014 10:27 AM

Nidhan is about 30 km away from its district headquarter Morena, Madhya Pradesh. The village receives an annual average rainfall of 450 mm concentrated in the months of July and August. While much of the village depends on rainfed agriculture, the main source of irrigation in the rabi (winter) season is borewells.

The farmer got bumper crop of pigeon pea
Princely' private ponds
The 'Apna Talab Abhiyaan' programme promotes the building of private talabs on peoples' lands to help improve groundwater recharge in Bundelkhand. Posted on 07 Mar, 2014 10:14 AM

Charkhari, a princely state of India in the colonial period was once a beautiful settlement founded by Saurabh Singh Bundela, a Rajput King. Acceded to India post-Independence, the town is now located in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh. The place was home to intricate water management systems in the past.

A talab in the fort city of Charkhari
Water across Northern Railways highly contaminated
News this week: Report says tap water across the Northern Railways is highly polluted; Metal industry poisons groundwater of Chittoor; Allahabad's water table reducing by 62 cm every year. Posted on 05 Mar, 2014 11:25 PM

Water across Northern Railways highly contaminated, says report

Water tap at a railway station
Wildlife Board approves controversial irrigation projects in Maharashtra
Policy matters this week: Maharashtra's controversial irrigation projects approved; DJB asked to discard metal pipes; SC notice to Centre, UP and Haryana over flow in Yamuna and Ganga. Posted on 05 Mar, 2014 11:23 PM

Maharashtra's controversial irrigation projects get a green signal

Irrigation canal in Maharashtra (Source:Wikipedia)
A school for 'dropouts'
Vigyan Ashram, a vocational education school in Pabal, Maharashtra, gives all students a second chance. It teaches innovation and creativity and encourages them to learn by doing. Posted on 24 Feb, 2014 04:29 PM

'Development through Education and Education through development’ is the motto of Vigyan Ashram, a residential school situated in Pabal, Maharashtra. Dr.Kalbaug founded Vigyan Ashram on the principles of natural systems of learning.

An Ashram built by its students, for its students
Big dams create big conflict
Hydropower development is creating various types of conflict in Northeast India. How can we contain the unrest due to this spate of dam construction? Posted on 24 Feb, 2014 04:25 PM

Northeast India has been in turmoil over the last two decades or so because of unbridled hydropower development in the region. This article is an effort to understand the extent of hydropower development in the region, the multi-faceted and multi layered conflicts unleashed by this development and also explore ways of engaging with them. It is organised around three broad sections:

Maneri Bhali dam- Source:Peoples Science Institute
Adapting to a changing climate
In recent years, Meghalaya has begun to face the effects of climate change. Watch how local farmers have adapted farming techniques and type of crops to accommodate these changes. Posted on 24 Feb, 2014 04:24 PM

Meghalaya, the wettest place in the world till date, has started facing the consequences of climate change. In the recent past, the state has seen pronounced variability in rainfall. This has given rise to myriad problems in the predominantly agricultural state.

Arecanut is susceptible to climate change impact
Want to build a toilet?
Learn about the importance of sanitation and follow the step-by-step instructions in this easy-to-use, hands-on manual issued by the Government of Jharkhand to help build toilets. Posted on 24 Feb, 2014 04:23 PM

The Government of Jharkhand has published a technical document in order to encourage the construction and usage of toilets in the state of Jharkhand. The manual begins with an introduction to Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA), a government programme to tackle open defecation in rural India.

The need for toilets (Source: Sourabh Phadke)
India's dykes on Kaliganga cause misery to Nepal
News this week: Nepal blames India for causing floods in former's territory; Study says Ganga is loaded with superbugs; Slowdown affects water use in Pune industries. Posted on 24 Feb, 2014 04:18 PM

 

India builds dykes on Kaliganga, causes misery to Nepal

Floods in Darchula in Nepal (Source: Wikipedia)
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