News and Articles

A recent study monitoring water quality of river Ganga in Hardwar shows that it does not meet the standards for outdoor bathing set by the Central Pollution Control Board. This is primarily due to the continuing discharge of untreated wastewater and effluents from various drains directly into the river. The outfall from the sewage treatment plant (STP) at Jagjeetpur alone releases about 129 million litres daily (MLD) into the Ganga with a fecal coliform concentration of about 34 million/100ml!

Scientists from People’s Science Institute (PSI) took samples from 10 drains falling into river Ganga at different locations in Hardwar on January 2^nd and 3^rd, 2010 along with samples of the river water at 3 locations.

Kansas City makes it easy to lose faith in people. Elected officials often act like schoolchildren. In the local corporate world, job-shredding incompetents outnumber innovators. A list of the metro's 200 most repulsive inhabitants would include a fair number of clergy.

 Weekly roundup of news - January 1-8, 2010

 https://www.thehindu.com/2010/01/08/stories/2010010854350400.htm

Patna, Jan 15 (PTI) The Principal Accountant General (PAG) of Bihar has indicted the state government for the breach in river Kosi embankment in 2008 that rendered lakhs of people homeless and claimed several lives.

A fraud in Kosi flood relief distribution has landed a government official in trouble in Bihar's Supaul district.

As many as 286 cheques allegedly went missing from the office of the block development officer (BDO) of Chhatapur in the district.

The water position in Chennai has been satisfactory for several years now because of a couple of good monsoons, good supply from Andhra Pradesh and from the Veeranam Lake. The rainwater harvesting systems installed by many citizens have also helped in improving ground water levels. However, citizens should not presume that their water problems are solved for the following reasons;

Chennai’s water needs are mainly met by impounding the rainwater from the Araniar-Kortalayar rivers north of the city and the capacity of the reservoirs is woefully inadequate. It has been estimated that an entire year’s supply flows wastefully into the sea consequently. The quantum of supply from AP and the Veeranam Lake is uncertain.

Every time you flush, six litres of processed water goes down the toilet. Even though it may not be required. Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) intends to arrest this wastage of water by suggesting a small modification in the flush tank. It costs less than Rs 5, but could save 25 to 30 litres of water for every household. 

Potable water has been a scarce resource and environmentalists are working day and night to save as much water they can. Many organizations are regularly putting their efforts to make products to save potable water.

From September until December 2009, I completed an internship with Arghyam through my master's studies at Oregon State University to better understand gender, water, and sanitation in rural locations in South India.