News and Articles

The Nation is back to license-quota-permit raj - MoEF granting license indiscriminately
Sweeping discretionary powers have been placed in the hands of MoEF officials and Civil Society persons, for granting various clearances. We should not be surprised if this turns out to be proverbial tip of the iceberg. Posted on 21 Jan, 2013 03:08 PM

"Arrest of a multi-millionaire deputy director Neeraj Kumar Khatri has apparently blown the lid of what could possibly be a scam involving clearances in the environment ministry. The CBI on Thursday found Rs. 1 crore in cash from Khatri’s homes in Gurgaon and Rohtak, a day after he was arrested on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs.

Neoliberalism and the nature of the Polavaram beast - How the project will affect the Koya settlements in the Eastern Ghats
The Koya community has been aflutter with anxiety and consternation from the time they have heard about the Polavarm project. As this would not only submerge large number of Koya settlements, but parts of the Eastern Ghats forests on which many still depend. Posted on 21 Jan, 2013 11:51 AM

Fascism of the beginning of the twenty first century is the articulation and translation of racism and ethnicity into politics. Political developments in the nineteen nineties and the first years of the twenty first century demonstrate the determination to control the peripheries and the 'third world'.

Building a coalition for the defense and nurturance of biodiversity - Side-event by SADED at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, CoP-XI, Hyderabad
The purpose of the meeting was to articulate the various issues that have been neglected in cases where biodiversity has regenerated or has alternately been threatened. Posted on 21 Jan, 2013 11:12 AM

This side event at the Convention on Biological Diversity, CoP-XI, Hyderabad on 16th October, 2012 was organized by South Asian Dialogues on Ecological Democracy (SADED) in collaboration with Collective for Self Learning on Biodiversity, Beyond Copenhagen, Center for Local Health Traditions, CECOEDECON, Harit Swaraaj, Kisan Swar

A brief note on bio-sand water filters - An adaptation of the traditional slow sand filter
Biosand filter (BSF) is an adaptation of the traditional slow sand filter, which has been used for community drinking water treatment for 200 years. Posted on 17 Jan, 2013 11:20 PM

Pragathi was founded in 1987, it is a non-government, non-profit and non-religious organization that works for the welfare and development of the tribal and marginalized sections of society, particularly targeting women and children. Pragathi is working in Mysore and Chamarajngar District, covering more than 100 tribal villages with approximately 9600 families.

Moving from paddy and sugarcane to less water-intensive crops such as oilseeds, pulses and millets can help resolve the Cauvery water dispute
What happens when two or more states are dependent on same water resource for agricultural purposes ? Do the states compete for the resource or are their needs sufficiently different from each other? What are the consequences of the competition for this precious resource? Posted on 14 Jan, 2013 12:10 AM

What happens when two or more states are dependent on same water resource for agricultural purposes ? Do the states compete for the resource or are their needs sufficiently different from each other? What are the consequences of the competition for this precious resource?

This article sheds light on the dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, for sharing Cauvery river water. The ongoing tussle between the two states has seen a lot of unrest amongst farmers in  form of dharnas, protests, rail roko and non-cooperation by citizens, and disagreement with the agreements made by their respective governments and unending negotiations by governments involved, to come to a mutually agreeable decision.

Drought mitigation measures through climate adaptation for securing agricultural livelihoods in Uttar Pradesh
Prolonged and recurrent drought, being experienced in India and various parts of south Asia, is the manifestation of climate change, partly caused by human interventions. Posted on 13 Jan, 2013 02:43 PM

Prolonged and recurrent drought, being experienced in India and various parts of south Asia, is the manifestation of climate change, partly caused by human interventions. Drought has been one of the primary reasons for widespread poverty and environmental degradation including deteriorating water quality and water security. The world has been more drought-prone during the past 25 years and the vulnerability of tropical countries to drought is likely to increase (Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007).

Process of formation of Jajmau Area Water Partnership in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh – Problems and solutions
Industrial effluents and sewage water are being diverted to the river Ganga by the cities and towns through which it passes. Nestled on the banks of Ganga, Kanpur, a highly urbanized and industrial city is polluting it most. Apart from the Government of India’s recently constituted National Ganga River Basin Authority, civil societies and NGOs too are putting rigorous efforts to make Ganga pollution free. Though the city has several big and small industries, the leather industries located in Jajmau, the oldest part of the city add to the problem of pollution in the river to a large extent. Posted on 13 Jan, 2013 12:01 PM

Industrial effluents and sewage water are being diverted to the river Ganga by the cities and towns through which it passes. Nestled on the banks of Ganga, Kanpur, a highly urbanized and industrial city is polluting it most. Apart from the Government of India’s recently constituted National Ganga River Basin Authority, civil societies and NGOs too are putting rigorous efforts to make Ganga pollution free. Though the city has several big and small industries, the leather industries located in Jajmau, the oldest part of the city add to the problem of pollution in the river to a large extent.

Greening rural development in India - A report that reviews and recommends steps on goverment implemented green schemes
Recognizing the national and global imperatives for regenerating natural resources and conserving ecosystems, the Ministry of Rural Development requested UNDP to examine the environmental implications of its schemes and assess the potential of these schemes to deliver green results. Posted on 11 Jan, 2013 07:49 PM

Recognizing the national and global imperatives for regenerating natural resources and conserving ecosystems, the Ministry of Rural Development requested UNDP to examine the environmental implications of its schemes and assess the potential of these schemes to deliver green results.

Traditional diversion-based phad irrigation systems help mitigate risk of crop failure in the drought-prone farmer suicide belt of Vidarbha, Maharashtra
Communities have across diverse ecological and sociopolitical contexts devised myriad ways over time to harvest and manage water in order to sustain their lives and practise agriculture. Posted on 11 Jan, 2013 11:56 AM

Many of these systems (1) continue to function and are often more sustainable, cost-effective and successfully managed by local institutions. Phads are one such community-based and managed diversion irrigation management system (2) prevailing in the north-western part of Maharashtra and date back to the early 16th century as per historical accounts. The system is prevalent in the Tapi basin on rivers the Panjhra, Mosam and Aram in Dhule and Nashik districts (3).

Phads or diversion-based irrigation systems, are being revived and promoted in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra by Dilasa, a Yavatmal-based voluntary development organisation (Video courtesy: Dilasa)

Increasing rice yields and saving water: Lessons for policy and practice: Bi monthly update from SRI-India Network for November - December 2012
Increasing rice yields and saving water: Lessons for policy and practice: Bi monthly update from SRI-India Network for November - December 2012 Posted on 11 Jan, 2013 07:50 AM

Increasing rice yields and saving water: Lessons for policy and practice - The System of Rice Intensification (SRI)