News and Articles

Vijayawada Municipality : Subsidising individual piped water connections to the urban poor
Vijayawada Municipality : Subsidising individual piped water connections to the urban poor
Posted on 16 Feb, 2008 11:47 PM

In Vijaywada a determined effort has been made by the municipality to subsidize individual connection charge for the poor and break this entry barrier which prevents them from accessing piped water. An explanation of the details of the project. Should this be the approach for ensuring water for all?

Issues about the bottled water industry
Issues about the bottled water industry Posted on 15 Feb, 2008 09:52 AM

Bottled water as daily drinking water Thirty five years after Bisleri launched India's first bottled water, urban India is filled with numerous bottled water brands, some known, and some unknown. There are more then 250 brands and 2000 plus bottling plants across the country. The market for packaged drinking water is around Rs 10 billion and is growing at the rate of 40 percent per annum.

NDMA guidelines for urban flood disaster management: Early warning systems installed in Mumbai
NDMA guidelines for urban flood disaster management: Early warning systems installed in Mumbai Posted on 04 Feb, 2008 04:06 AM

Two press releases on the work being done by the National Disaster Management Authority regarding early warning systems for flooding, guidelines for management of urban flooding and more : http://www.pibmumbai.gov.in/scripts/detail.asp?releaseId=E2008PR58

Gastro-enteritis rears its head due to contaminated water in Bangalore
S.Vishwanath on the recent incidence of gastro-enteritis due to possibly sewage contaminated water in Bangalore Posted on 30 Jan, 2008 01:46 AM

There is a spurt of gastro-enteritis in the city today. Residents think that it is the contaminated mains supply from the BWSSB that is the source of the gastroenteritis. The Bangalore water supply and Sewerage Board thinks it is water bought by residents from the private water tankers that is the cause but then seems to change its mind.

"Bagmati Calling" : Dharna by villagers demanding rehabilitation
"Bagmati Calling" : Dharna by villagers demanding rehabilitation Posted on 16 Jan, 2008 08:58 AM

The Bagmati Calling : I am reporting from the south bank of the Bagmati near Benipur in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar.

New water management system in Cape Town, South Africa ensures that everybody gets 6000 litres free every month as a right
The landmark thing they have done in S. Africa is ensure that everybody gets 6000 litres free every month as a right, since water is essential to life Posted on 10 Dec, 2007 11:53 AM

South Africa: New Water Management System in Cape BuaNews (Tshwane) 5 December 2007 Cape Town The City of Cape Town is introducing a new water demand management system for its residents. It consists of a water management device, which is installed in residents' houses, and a central control team in the City administration that regulates the functioning of these devices with the help of a computer set up. "This system will help our customers to save water and to manage their monthly water bills, and it will help the city to manage debt," the city council said. It will also help residents to identify any leaks and have them fixed, instead of running up a huge water bill and then being unable to pay.

Bihar floods 2007-A review of the relief work
Bihar floods 2007-A review of the relief work Posted on 25 Nov, 2007 02:33 AM

Sri. Dinesh Kr. Mishra reviews the relief efforts following the severe flooding of Bihar earlier this year. We have several earlier blog posts regarding the floods: https://www.indiawaterportal.org/blog/index.php/category/bihar-floods/

There is good news from the relief front from Bihar this year and that is definitely a healthy sign for future. It is there because for many years in the past, the relief scene used to be chaotic and 2004 flood relief scandal was the logical end of the goings on in relief distribution. A slight change for the better is greeted with cheers from all quarters. Providing relief is a state subject and the Central Government helps the states in some ways in managing relief to the flood victims. Twelfth Finance Commission has revised the standards set for relief under Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) and recommended it to be effective from June this year (2007). It is intended to glance through the relief operations in Bihar in the backdrop of standards and recommendations set by the Government. Government of Bihar submitted a memorandum for assistance to the Central Government on 28th August 2007. By that time 9939 villages in 225 blocks of 20 districts with a population of 20.4 million was hit by floods. GoB anticipated that by the time the floods are over, some 25 million people would be hit by the current floods. Some 515 persons were killed in the floods (projected 600), 512,000 houses were destroyed (projected 6 lakhs) and standing crops over 16.4 lakh hectares was submerged till then. Besides, there was an extensive damage to National and State Highways, breaches in embankments, damage to health infrastructure, industries, fisheries, energy and cattle. GoB had put its losses at Rs 8000 Crores and requested the Government of India GoI for immediate help. Of the requested amount, over half the demand (Rs. 4,130 Crores) was from the Disaster Management Department (DMD) of the state to cover the costs of food assistance ( @ one quintal wheat/ rice for estimated 6 lakh families), house rebuilding grant, distribution of polythene sheets, emergency cooked food and deployment of helicopters etc. The other departments of the state have put their demands separately.

Cloud seeding for increasing rainfall
WATER SCARCITY CAN BE AVOIDED BY CLOUD SEEDING THAT INCREASES ANNUAL RAINFALL BY ABOUT 25% Posted on 16 Nov, 2007 08:18 PM

Due to the heat from the Sun the water in the rivers, lakes and Oceans becomes water vapour. As this hot moist air rises into the sky the temperature gets reduced at 7oC per km height in the sky.

Restoring the San Joaquin river in California
Restoring the San Joaquin river in California Posted on 04 Nov, 2007 01:55 PM

Following an 18-year legal battle, a great California river once given up for dead is on the verge of a comeback. For more on this inspirational example of river restoration through civil society efforts, see the Natural Resources Defense Council site. The example may be from America, but the inspiration is universal.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California. Image source: Cavan Images/Offset
New website on "rainfed farming" by WASSAN
The website is setup and maintained by WASSAN and focusses on rainfed farming Posted on 09 Oct, 2007 04:55 AM

 Click here to view the website

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