News and Articles

Support mechanism needed to halt mass reverse migration
Reverse migration amidst the second wave of COVID-19 Posted on 24 May, 2021 08:50 PM

Migrant workers had been assured multiple times that an economic lockdown will not be imposed and yet by mid-April reverse migration was in full swing.

Stranded migrant workers during lockdown because of COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi (Image: Sumita Roy Dutta, Wikimedia Commons)
Smothered by heatwaves as climate swings
Effective action needed to avoid extreme heat events Posted on 22 May, 2021 11:19 PM

In recent times, India has been routinely experiencing abnormally hot days during the summer months of April and May.

A study shows how the open space on the western bank of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad acts as a heat sink. (Image: Emmanuel Dyan, CC BY 2.0)
Water, at a price!
The water woes of Darjeeling continue to grow with unreliable public water supply and highly elastic private water markets. Is there a way out? Posted on 21 May, 2021 11:15 PM

Darjeeling, a water starved town

Hill stations in India are increasingly getting water scarce. Darjeeling, a well-known Himalayan town, continues to face water scarcity every year during the dry season, despite the abundant monsoon rainfall and several perennial rivers and streams.

Darjeeling, in the grip of a water crisis (Image Source: Bernard Gagnon via Wikimedia Commons)
Managing natural resources at scale in Meghalaya
Improving livelihood opportunities by engaging communities Posted on 20 May, 2021 07:38 PM

Meghalaya, a small hilly state located in the North Eastern Region of India has an area of 22,429 sq. km., which is 0.68% of the country’s geographical area. The state is divided into three regions: Garo Hills, Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills.

Meghalaya's indigenous people historically have immense knowledge about their environment and natural resources. (Image: Meghalaya Basin Management Agency)
Fostering rural livelihoods post COVID
Income loss top concern for rural communities, says study Posted on 18 May, 2021 09:09 PM

As per a new study conducted by the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) and IIMPACT, an NGO loss of income and livelihood are among the top concerns for rural communities struggling to cope with the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Must have protocols for timely action and outreach in times of need (Image: DMD, Government of Bihar)
Rural realities amid second COVID surge
Practitioner's experiences in tackling the second wave in Indian villages Posted on 17 May, 2021 10:44 PM

The second wave of COVID-19 has now spread to the rural pockets of the country at a much faster rate than it did during the first wave of the outbreak.

There is a need to strengthen the capacities of ASHA workers, and other healthcare and grassroots workers. (Image: DMD, Government of Bihar)
About time inland waterways feasibility is reassessed
Serious questions about the dependability of waterways Posted on 13 May, 2021 04:45 PM

In 2016, 106 rivers or river stretches were declared as national inland waterways, and the development of many of these new waterways along with the already existing ones was prioritized for large scale commercial navigation and shipping.

Dredging in progress on National Waterway-1 (Image: IWAI)
Fifty million people in Indian cities lack access to safe drinking water
News this week Posted on 12 May, 2021 05:46 PM

Fifty million people in fifteen cities in India have no access to safe, affordable drinking water: UNICEF report

Green panel clears Central Vista project
Policy matters this fortnight Posted on 12 May, 2021 12:28 PM

Green panel clears Central Vista projects

Rajpath's Central Vista Avenue project (Image: Students of Master in Sustainable Architecture at Central University of Rajasthan, Counterview)
Bathing spaces for women - crucial for WASH!
Bathing spaces and not toilets alone, aid women in maintaining health and hygiene. It is time the Swachh Bharat Mission pays attention to bathing spaces as well! Posted on 11 May, 2021 08:02 PM

While it is known that women and girls experience considerable challenges than men and boys in accessing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) resources, there is minimal discussion on bathing spaces for women while the focus continues to be on toilet construction.

A temperory bathing space with no water and privacy in a fishing village in Tamil Nadu (Image Source: India Water Portal)
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