News and Articles

A new index to quantify longitudinal river fragmentation
The Catchment Area-based Fragmentation Index (CAFI) can improve basin-wide conservation and development planning Posted on 15 Aug, 2022 03:35 PM

The loss of connectivity is a ubiquitous threat facing rivers worldwide considering the numerous river infrastructure projects that exist worldwide and continue to be commissioned to meet humanity’s growing demands for hydropower, flood control, and water supply. Not surprisingly, freshwater ecosystems are among the most altered and threatened globally.

River fragmentation is a threat to riverine ecosystem processes and communities (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Arsenic removal in groundwater
Use of low-cost Biosand filters and ceramic pot filters such as JalKalp and MatiKalp developed by Sehgal Foundation are greatly effective and promising options in providing sustainable solutions for arsenic removal in the country. Posted on 12 Aug, 2022 11:14 PM

Safe drinking water, a global concern

The safety and accessibility of drinking water is a global concern. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that 80 percent of diseases are waterborne. Contamination from the geological formations (termed geogenic contamination) is the major source of groundwater contamination.

Arsenic contamination of groundwater, a growing probelm in India (Image Source: India Water Portal)
India’s rivers in trouble due to high fertilizer load and heavy monsoons
This could lead to water quality crisis reinforcing the need for basin-specific management strategies Posted on 11 Aug, 2022 10:59 AM

Agricultural intensification in India has increased nitrogen pollution, leading to water quality impairments. The fate of reactive nitrogen applied to the land is largely unknown, however. Long-term records of riverine nitrogen fluxes are nonexistent and drivers of variability remain unexamined, limiting the development of nitrogen management strategies.

Around the world, more than a fifth of nitrogen released by human activity ends up in aquatic ecosystems (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Taming water - Irrigation and drought protection in colonial India and the present
The irrigation at all costs mindset and narrow policies for drought protection during the colonial rule ignored rainfed agriculture and local practices that sustained agriculture in the Bombay Deccan. This continues even today. Posted on 10 Aug, 2022 07:12 AM

Following independence and with the advent of the green revolution, agriculture in India has been based on input intensive farming, and agricultural policies and investments continue to support irrigated agriculture. This excessive focus on irrigated agriculture has led to the neglect of rainfed agriculture.

Recurrent droughts and the struggle for survival (Image Source: Gaurav Bhosale via Wikimedia Commons):
Climate tech startup tries to scale renewable water technology
Uravu Labs raises seed capital for their unique 100% renewable water technology Posted on 09 Aug, 2022 07:53 PM

Uravu Labs, a Bangalore based startup focused on building a renewable water infrastructure, has recently announced its seed round of funding. The lead investor in the round was Anicut Capital and it was co-led by Rocketship.vc and Speciale Invest.

Capital to be utilized for tech commercialization and expansion into new geographies (Image: Uravu Labs)
MGNREGS becoming the quintessential scheme for tribal agriculture
Ensuring irrigation through farm ponds in tribal Chhattisgarh Posted on 09 Aug, 2022 03:00 PM

Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000 in response to the demand for a separate state with the unique Chhattisgarhi identity. Among various facets that make up this identity, being a tribal state is also prominent. It is one of the ten states that constitute the Central Indian Tribal Belt (CITB).

Many tribal farmers opted for individual farm ponds under MGNREGA ensuring protective irrigation. (Image: Meenakshi Singh)
IFC fosters climate action in South Asia
Focus is on sustainable and inclusive growth Posted on 08 Aug, 2022 01:04 PM

IFC Fosters Climate Action with a Focus on Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in South Asia as New Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific Begins Work

IFC works on accelerating the transition to low-carbon development in a wide range of sectors (Image: Kai Stachowiak)
Andaman mega projects: CERD seeks government response on tribal concerns
News this fortnight Posted on 03 Aug, 2022 03:54 PM

CERD seeks government response on impacts of development projects in Andaman

Havelock, Andaman Island. Photo for representation only (Source: Vikramjit Kakati from Pixabay)
Jal Jeevan Mission implementation lags in 13 states: Centre
Policy matters this fortnight Posted on 03 Aug, 2022 03:08 PM

Centre identifies 13 focus states lagging in implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission

A household water pipe (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
The missing frontline worker
India is gearing up to take water to every rural household, but a crucial community connection is missing! Posted on 03 Aug, 2022 02:52 AM

Nobody on the frontline

There is a war going on. The generals are plotting. The armoury is ready. Lands are to be won. The people are all charged up. But there is one problem. Maybe it's a big one. There is nobody on the frontline.

The frontline worker, a crucial but missing link in the water space (Image Source: Sunderrajan Krishnan)
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