News and Articles

Global warming mapped: Updates from Earth Observatory
Two-thirds of the warming has occurred since 1975, at a rate of roughly 0.15-0.20°C per decade. The average global temperature on Earth has increased by about 0.8°Celsius (1.4°Fahrenheit) since 1880. Posted on 20 Dec, 2010 05:44 PM

Article Courtesy: Earth Observatory
Image Courtesy: NASA

The world is getting warmer. Whether the cause is human activity or natural variability, thermometer readings all around the world have risen steadily since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Global Warming Mapped

Supreme Court order regarding misuse of NREGA funds in Odisha
The Supreme Court order, dated 16 December 2010, is about the right to livelihood which pertains to issues regarding the misuse of NREGA funds in Odisha. Posted on 20 Dec, 2010 04:29 PM

Forwarded to the portal by: Pramathesh Ambasta

Reference: In the Supreme Court of India, Civil Original Jurisdiction Writ Petition (Civil) No. 645 of 2007, Centre for Environment & Food Security (Petitioner) Versus Union of India & Others (Respondents)

The Supreme Court in this important order dated 16 December 2010, has said that first, the right to livelihood has to be seen as an integral part of the Right to Life as enshrined within Article 21 of the Constitution and second that there is a clear need for an oversight mechanism at the level of the Central government and state governments.

Can India be firm with China on Brahmaputra dams ? - An article by Himanshu Thakkar
Discussing the Chinese dam and hydropower projects on the shared rivers, including in the Brahmaputra basin on Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s forthcoming India visit or underscoring the issue? Posted on 20 Dec, 2010 02:34 PM

Forwarded to the Portal by: Himanshu Thakkar
Article and Image Courtesy: SANDRP
Author: Himanshu Thakkar

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s forthcoming India visit (15-17 Dec 2010) provides another useful opportunity for India to be firm and forthright with China on India’s concerns about Chinese dam and hydropower projects on the shared rivers, including in the Brahmaputra basin. The importance of this issue cannot be underscored considering that this issue has been raised in the Parliament several times, even the Prime Minister has had to make clarifications in the recent past, the people and governments of several states, including Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been agitated about this. India’s Planning Commission, Environment, Water Resources and Power Ministries have also been raising these concerns.

Mining - An increasing threat to our rivers - Article by Nitya Jacob
Mining constitutes a major, and largely unrecognized, threat to our rivers. It takes away what we have and also destroys whatever is left of it. Posted on 20 Dec, 2010 12:29 AM

Content Courtesy: Solution Exchange and Nitya Jacob
Author: Nitya Jacob

India’s arteries are choking. Her rivers, the lifeline of hundreds of millions, are over-taxed, polluted and encroached. They are being mined, dammed and emptied of water. Save for the four monsoon months, most rivers are streams of drains, depending on how many cities they pass through. This year people gaped in awe at the River Yamuna (I am sure they were over-awed by other rivers elsewhere too) as for the first time since 1978 looked like a river and not a drain.

Formation of glacial lakes in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas and Glacial Lake Outburst Flood risk assessment - A report by ICIMOD
Assessing the threat facing the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region: rapid formation of meltwater lakes on the surface or at the end of a large number of the region’s glaciers owing to current climate warming. Posted on 19 Dec, 2010 05:17 PM

This report by ICIMOD contains an assessment of the threat facing the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region from the recent (post-1950s) and rapid formation of meltwater lakes on the surface or at the end of a large number of the region’s glaciers owing to current climate warming. Individual case studies of the catastrophic outburst (glacial lake outburst floods or GLOFs) from such glacial lakes are introduced.

Himalayi Jan Goshnapatra: Himalayi Niti Ka Prarup – A report in Hindi by the Gandhi Peace Foundation
The Himalayan People's Manifesto has been brought out with the help of various documents prepared by various people and organisations at different times, which demands the government to frame a policy to protect the region. Posted on 18 Dec, 2010 08:19 AM

This document in Hindi prepared by the Gandhi Peace Foundation, is a blueprint of the Himalayan People's Manifesto. The manifesto has been brought out with the help of various documents prepared by various people and organisations at different times. It will be finalised by the next Himalayan Day on September 9, 2011.

Conceptual framework of South Asian water futures exchange - Commodity Vision
The concept of the establishment of a 'futures market in water availability' in the context of the risk of water availability that Indian agriculture has been facing in the recent years. Posted on 18 Dec, 2010 12:15 AM

In this article published in Commodity Vision, the author presents the concept of the establishment of a 'futures market in water availability' in the context of the risk of water availability that Indian agriculture has been facing in the recent years.

With South Asian agriculture being dependent on the timely occurrence of the monsoons, any deviation from the scheduled arrival of the monsoon causes problems not only for the farmers, but also produces a threat to the food security of the region. However, the author argues that, there is no market in South Asia where users and investors exposed to water availability risk can effectively hedge against such a risk.

Water management across space and time in India – A working paper by the University of Bonn
This paper links development of water management and its practices with social, religious, economic development with the rise and fall of the ruling regime. Posted on 17 Dec, 2010 10:09 PM

This working paper by the University of Bonn attempts to give a spatial and temporal overview of water management in India. It traces how people and the successive regimes made choices across space and time from a wide range of water control and distribution technologies. The paper divides the water management in India into four periods –

  • the traditional system of water management before colonial times;
  • response from the colonial rulers to manage the complex socio-ecological system;
  • large scale surface water development after independence; and
  • finally, the small-scale community and market-led revolution.

Heavy rainfall, floods and drought affect life, agriculture and economy of the country - News Roundup (8-15 December 2010)
Heavy rainfall and floods disrupt normal life on one end and on the other droughts force massive losses to agricultural produce. Posted on 17 Dec, 2010 12:22 AM

Reports over the last week indicate heavy rains and loss of lives and property in the state of Tamil Nadu, which has faced the maximum brunt of the rains followed by Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and some parts of Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh. Reports also indicate that there have been massive losses to agricultural produce due to heavy rains in parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and because of droughts in the state of Orissa. At the same time, reports also indicate good news that there has been a rise in the water levels in the country and of attempts being made in different parts of the country to cope with floods and excessive rains in the future.

Rainfall
Tamil Nadu

National Rural Livelihoods Mission – Framework for implementation by Ministry of Rural Development
The key challenge, in India is to ensure that the economic growth is inclusive and leads to significant reduction of rural poverty. This document presents the framework for implementation of National Rural Livelihoods Mission. Posted on 16 Dec, 2010 07:46 PM

This document prepared by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) presents the framework for implementation of National Rural Livelihoods Mission. The key challenge, in India is to ensure that the economic growth is inclusive and leads to significant reduction of rural poverty.

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