People and Organisations

Fishing village goes plastic free
Muhamma cloth bags replaces plastic bags, sets an example for sustainable tourism. Posted on 08 May, 2017 11:24 AM

A voyage in a traditional canoe or a houseboat through the picturesque Vembanad lake is enough to understand why the south Indian state of Kerala is called the “God’s own country’. 

Plastic collected from the Vembanad lake.
Problems of mine: When coal threatens Raigarh
From increasing health issues among residents to declining forest produce, coal mining in Chhattisgarh has devastating outcomes. Posted on 30 Mar, 2017 05:50 PM

It was in the late 90s that Raigarh emerged as the hub for power, coal mining and sponge iron in Chhattisgarh. The coalfield in Mand Raigarh is spread over an area of more than 1,12,000 hectares with an estimated 21,117 metric tonnes of coal. 

A villager looks at the changing landscape due to coal mines at Kosampalli village in Raigarh.
World Water Day- Prioritising water security for a sustainable future
United Breweries commits to conserving water on World Water Day Posted on 23 Mar, 2017 12:58 PM

Water is the most precious natural resource available to mankind. We can survive without food for days, but not without water. The availability of fresh water has been taken for granted for centuries. The world’s population has grown from 1.7 billion to 7.5 billion in the last 100 years.

A lake rejuvenated by United Breweries in Palakkad, Kerala
No more thirst
A women led initiative ensures access to water in Punawli Kalan village of Jhansi Posted on 23 Mar, 2017 12:57 PM

This story is of Punawli Kalan village in Uttar Pradesh, where a community with the support of a women-led federation, solved its water woes by developing a community-owned water supply system.

Water tank in Punawli Kalan village, Jhansi
Water worried no more
The residents of Yavatmal come together to solve their drinking water problem. With crowdfunding to aid their effort, the result is inspiring. Posted on 10 Mar, 2017 01:44 PM

Located 10 km from the Yavatmal city in Maharashtra, the Nilona reservoir has been the primary drinking water source for its residents since 1972. As in many other parts of the country, the 1990s saw the city growing and the population increasing. The Yavatmal residents, who had not experienced water shortage till then, started facing acute drinking water shortage.

Nilona dam, Yavatmal
Maharashtra goes Doha for water
How the Doha model of groundwater recharge saved the livelihoods of farmers in Maharashtra. Posted on 22 Feb, 2017 12:02 PM

There was a time when the farmers of Yavatmal district depended completely on rainfed agriculture. That was before the introduction of Doha, a water harvesting structure by NGO Dilasa Sansthan in 2014. Farming changed drastically after that, something which Sitaram Kove, a 40-year-old farmer of Rajini village in the district, will vouch for.

A Doha canal at Rajini village. (Source:Dilasa)
A watered-down scheme
The new urban water supply scheme in Madhya Pradesh that encourages private sector participation is replete with lacunae, according to an NGO that studied the scheme. Posted on 16 Feb, 2017 12:25 PM

In November 2011, the government of Madhya Pradesh sanctioned Rs 493 crore to 37 Urban Local Bodies (ULB) for drinking water supply projects under the Chief Minister’s Urban Drinking Water Supply Scheme (CMUWSS) along the lines of the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT).

Source:India Water Portal
The search for a shelter
The sorry state of urban slums are testimony to poorly implemented policies for the rehabilitation of migrants. Posted on 01 Feb, 2017 08:46 PM

In the last few decades, India has seen an increasing number of people migrating from rural areas to urban cities in search of work and better living. These migrants often get employed in the informal sector as construction workers, vendors, domestic servants, etc. They also live in informal settlements, generally known as slums.

Residents struggle for a pot of drinking water at Bhuri Tekri, Indore.
They said it!
During a dismal year that spelt doom for the conservation of the country’s natural resources, some politicians made headlines with their bizarre ideas and statements. Here’s a roundup. Posted on 01 Feb, 2017 10:00 AM

The year 2016 was an abysmal year in terms of environmental policy and conservation in India.

Ken river that flows through Panna Tiger Reserve. (Source: K Gagan, Wikimedia Commons)
The doer from the Thar
There are many unsung heroes amidst us who go about their good work silently. Chattar Singh is one such hero who has revived traditional water management system of the parched Jaisalmer villages. Posted on 10 Jan, 2017 10:53 PM

“Can you see the alternating bands of light and shadow in the sky?” Chattar Singh asks me. When I nod in affirmation, he continues, “This is Mogh. There are clouds where the sun is setting right now. If we get a favourable wind, these clouds will reach here and we may get rain by night. In desert, people live by such clues from nature.”  

Despite all the great work, Chattar Singh's demeanour remains unassuming. Source: Farhad Contractor
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