News and Articles

Institutional Arrangements - Ministry of Water Resources (2010)
This document informs of the mechanisms through which development, conservation and management functions related to water as a natural resource are carried out in India. Posted on 21 Oct, 2010 08:02 PM

This document informs of the mechanisms through which development, conservation and management functions related to water as a natural resource are carried out in India.

The document provides the details of the institutions responsible for water management:

  • At the central level
  • At the state level
Urban local initiatives and government responses: A case of Dev Nadi in Pune
Most of the rivers and streams in urban India are dead. Race to urbanisation has cost us these once-beautiful water bodies. One story from many - Pune's Dev Nadi Posted on 21 Oct, 2010 01:26 PM

Most of the rivers and streams in urban India are dead. With a very few and rare exceptions, these once-beautiful water bodies have been encroached upon, sources dried up or converted into sewage drains all over the country.Water is being sourced or pumped from sites upstream of the city for its needs or from long distances and the city administration has little incentive for cleaning its own muck. The dismal figures of urban sewage treated by sewage treatment plants, their installed capacity and efficiency stand testimony to this.

Mitigating the potential unintended impacts of water harvesting - A WHiRL Research Report
Water balance studies in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have shown that water harvesting programmes impact significantly on patterns of water use and that this can result in distinct winners and losers. Posted on 20 Oct, 2010 07:28 AM

This report under the WHiRL research project by the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) identifies the potential unintended impacts of water harvesting so that, if at all possible they are avoided altogether, but if these do occur, they are recognised at an early stage and steps are taken to mitigate their affects. It highlights evidence that is emerging about water harvesting in semi-arid areas, on how water if used inappropriately, can lead to inequitable access to water resources and, in the extreme, to unreliable drinking water supplies.

Floods, Rains - News Roundup (7-14 October 2010)
The new round up for the week ending 14 October 2010, indicates that the flood situation in the North East has worsened and attempts are being made at flood management.
Posted on 15 Oct, 2010 02:37 PM

The latest news indicates that the monsoons and the flood situation has receded in most parts of India except in the North East where Manipur valley continues to suffer from incessant rains and flooding with attempts being started at flood management.

Kisan Swaraj Yatra - A massive outreach effort interacting with farmers and urban citizens about the agricultural crisis and the way out
The Kisan Swaraj Yatra is a massive outreach effort interacting with lakhs of farmers and lakhs of urban citizens about the agricultural crisis and the way out. Posted on 15 Oct, 2010 12:41 PM

Kisan Swaraj Yatra

The Kisan Swaraj Yatra has been initiated by the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA). This is a loose alliance of scores of groups across the country, drawn from more than 20 states. The network consists of farmers’ organizations, consumer groups, women’s organizations, environmental organizations, organic farmers’ cooperatives, individual scientists, doctors, health activists and others.

Article 246 , 262 - Ministry of Water Resources (Government of India) (2010)
The document features the clauses related to Article 246 and 262, which provide guidelines related to dispute over water. Posted on 13 Oct, 2010 05:01 PM

Article  246   includes the following clauses:

  • Notwithstanding anything in clauses (2) and (3), Parliament has exclusive power to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List I in the seventh Schedule (in this Constitution referred to as the "Union List").
  • Notwithstanding anything in clause (3), Parliament, and, subject to clause (1), the legislature of any State also, have power to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List III in the Seventh Schedule (in this Constitution referred to as the "Concurrent List").  
  • Subject to clauses (1) and (2), the Legislature of any State has exclusive power to make laws for such State or any part thereof with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List II in the Seventh Schedule (in this Constitution referred to as the "State List").  
  • Parliament has power to make laws with respect to any matter for any part of the territory of India not included in a State notwithstanding that such matter is a matter enumerated in the State List.
The constitution (seventy- fourth amendment) act - Ministry of Law and Justice (Government of India) (1992)
This document provides the details of the seventy-fourth amendment to the Constitution Act. Posted on 13 Oct, 2010 04:51 PM

This document provides the details of The Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act.

The document includes:

  • The short title and commencement
  • Definitions of the terms in the Act
  • Constitution of Municipalities
  • Composition of the Municipalities
  • Constitution and composition of wards committees
  • Reservation of seats
  • Duration of Municipalities
  • Disqualifications for membership
  • Powers, authority and responsibilities of municipalities
  • Finance Commission
  • Audit of accounts of Municipalities
  • Elections to the Municipalities
  • Application to Union Territories
  • Committee for district planning
  • Committee for metropoliton planning 
  • Continuance of existing laws and municipalities
  • Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters
Extreme water logging and flood situation in channelized areas in Pune - A report
Nallahs and rainwater is good news. Not for Pune. 10 people lose their lives while the city administration neglects the maintenance of the near-natural channel system Pune enjoys. Posted on 13 Oct, 2010 04:32 PM

Guest post by Parineeta Dandekar


While this news item was about to be published, Pune received heavy rains on the 4th of October (highest in the last 118 years, 104 mm in 40 minutes and 181.3 mm in 24 hours). While the city administration stressed that this was a cloud burst, this claim was quashed by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). This was said to a rare event, which was experienced in many places in Maharashtra.

10 people lost their lives to these rains, including three young children and a 25 year old Ph D researcher, Agnimitra Bannerjee, from National Chemical Laboratory, who was washed away in a channelised nallah stretch. Channels prove to be much more dangerous as the velocity of water is high and there is nothing to hold on to, in case a person falls in one of these fast-flowing nallah channels.

Construction in and around a 300 years pond which is a heritage site in West Bengal
Heritage is our history in its living. The question is how do we preserve it. We may be need to see beyond authorities and administration, and assume our roles in saving it. Posted on 12 Oct, 2010 04:42 PM

I, on behalf of the local people bringing to your notice that we have a 300 years-old pond in our  locality which is known as Bhabani Pathak Dighi which is declared as a Historical and Heritage Site by the West Bengal Heritage Commission.It is in the City Centre area adjacent to the Ambuja Housing.

The total 8.48 arcs of pond and its surroundings (area not known) have been declared as a. A tunnel was found when a construction work was going on beside the pond and some renovation work has also been done there accordingly by West Bengal Heritage Commission (annexure no 13). Now the pond is only approx 3.5 arcs left and rest has been filled.

This awesome site has shot to fame by the novel Durgesnandini of great Bengali novelist Bankim Chattopadhyay.The novel describes the best featuring and intricacies of these tunnels and the pond.

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