News and Articles

Success of first participatory irrigation development & management programme and its further extension in Maharashtra

With the financial assistance from the German Government/Development Bank (KfW); the Rural Development & Water Conservation Department (RD&WCD); Govt. of Maharashtra (GoM), has undertaken a programme called Minor Irrigation Programme-Maharashtra (MIP-M). Under this, 28 Minor Irrigation Schemes (MIS) have been completed under Local Sector Wing of RD&WCD. Programme originally started in March 2001 and ended on 30 June 2011.

Ulhas Krishna Apte

Posted on 27 Feb, 2012 11:33 AM

Author : Ulhas Krishna Apte

Draft National Water Policy 2012 - Dialogue organised by NEER Foundation, Meerut on February 18, 2012

The Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), Government of India (GoI) has recently prepared a National Water Policy whose draft has been put up on the Ministry's website for public comments by February 27, 2012. The MoWR also stated that it would incorporate reasonable comments and suggestions into the new water policy after discussions. NEER Foundation, Meerut organized a one day intensive dialogue on February 18, 2012 at Hotel Crystal Palace, Meerut on the policy draft in which experts from across the country and farmers participated.

Raman Kant Tyagi

Posted on 27 Feb, 2012 10:07 AM

Guest post by: Raman Kant Tyagi

Meeting

Mayadantha Male (The miracle of rain) - All India Radio Karnataka programme on rainwater harvesting

This article by Chicu summarises an AIR, Karnataka programme on rainwater harvesting.

All India Radio

Posted on 26 Feb, 2012 04:37 PM

"The miracle of rain : Let the earth overflow"

Ignoring precaution, MoEF clears a project which has been categorically rejected by majority Standing Committee of the NBWL

MoEF, which holds the mandate of safeguarding country's environment, has given a completely unjustifiable wildlife clearance to the 1750 MW Demwe Lower Hydroelectric dam on the Lohit river in Arunachal Pradesh (http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Demwe_Lower_Hydroelectric_project.pdf), in face of severe opposition from civil society, experts across country and all the independent members of National Board for Wildlife. This shocking decision has come at the heels of one more such clearance given by MoEF to 300 MW Alkananda project in Uttarakhand, which has been rejected twice by FAC and given a negative recommendation by WII.

Parineeta Dandekar

Himanshu Thakkar

Posted on 26 Feb, 2012 01:31 PM

Guest Post : Parineeta Dandekar and Himanshu Thakkar

Water resource accounting as a tool for urban water management - An illustration in NCT- Delhi - Journal of Indian Water Works Association

This paper published in the Journal of Indian Water Works Association demonstrates how urban water management can be based on policies with the goals of effective water allocation, and its quality and quantity management, by making use of a water resource accounting framework and focuses on illustrating how urban water management can be achieved through water accounting through a case study of NCT-Delhi.

N Ramakrishna

Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 10:41 PM

The paper discusses the natural resources accounting in the context of national/regional policy first, and then places water resource accounting within it. Subsequently, the methodology as well as study framework adopted for resource accounting are discussed.

Inducing vulnerabilities in a fragile landscape: The implications of hydropower development in a seismically active zone - An article in EPW

After the earthquake that shook Sikkim in November 2011, the safety of the dams being constructed on the Teesta is being questioned by the communities that live along it

Kanchi Kohli

Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 08:25 PM

Close to 30 hydroelectric projects are being planned on the Teesta and its tributaries. Not only is this river an essential part of Lepcha identity and life, but it also flows through a fragile zone. In this article first published in the Economic and Political Weekly (EPW), Kanchi Kohli examines the ramifications of this policy.

Diverting rivers for linking, a catastrophic idea: Questioning the state impetus to river inter-linking despite uncertain economic, social and ecological benefits

The economic feasibility of river interlinking is still debatable, while studies show that it will cause social and ecological harm. Despite this, states are still taking this program forward. Gopal Krishna examines this phenomenon.

Gopal Krishna

ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)

Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 12:12 PM

Author: Gopal Krishna, ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)

Small hydro: Too small for a national mission - The need for an assimilated national mission for renewable energy in India

India has set high targets for solar energy through its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. However, this may take focus away from other renewable energy sources, especially small hydro which is a high density resource. This brief by the Observer Research Foundation examines whether small hydro qualifies for a national mission.

Sonali Mittra

Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 10:58 AM

Photo of a small hydropower plant

Small hydropower plant (Source: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy)

Trends in private sector participation in the Indian water sector: A critical review - A Water and Sanitation Programme publication

This report published by the Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) involves a study that involved a review of PPPs in the urban water supply sector since the 1990s, explores the trends emerging in the sector and analyses the factors that have facilitated or impeded the development and implementation of PPPs in the sector.

Water and Sanitation Program (WSP)

Posted on 23 Feb, 2012 05:54 PM

The study also analyses the direction in which the sector is heading with respect to private sector participation. Since most PPPs are at early stages of operation, this study focuses only on learnings from PPP design and transaction. This study does not seek to assess the operating or financial performance of PPPs.

Challenges for achieving conservation and development - A presentation by Elinor Ostrom at the Khoshoo memorial lecture, ATREE

The 2012 Khoshoo Memorial Lecture was delivered by 2009 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Dr Elinor Ostrom. In this presentation, she explains the need for a framework to assess complex socio-ecological systems.

Elinor Ostrom

Posted on 22 Feb, 2012 06:52 PM

Portrait of Dr.Ostrom

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