Research Papers

Groundwater depletes in north and east India
Study shows a rapid decline in usable groundwater between 2005 and 2013 leading to the risk of severe food crisis and drinking water scarcity for millions of people. Posted on 23 Apr, 2019 07:12 PM

India is the largest user of groundwater in the world. It uses an estimated 230 km3 of groundwater per year, which is over a quarter of the global total. About 85 percent of rural drinking water needs, 65 percent of irrigation needs and 50 percent of urban drinking water and industrial needs are fulfilled with groundwater.

Crop irrigation with groundwater, powered by electricity in Gujarat. (Image: Tesh, Wikimedia Commons, CC-4.0A-ShareAlike-International)
In conversation with nature
This study from Bihar shows that official flood prediction systems are often inadequate to understand the true impact of the floods on the population. Local gendered knowledge can help fill this gap. Posted on 15 Apr, 2019 05:42 PM

“There is a special type of black ant that is visible just before (and during) the onset of heavy rains.

Shape of clouds can be an important indicator of weather. Source: Robert Hensley/Wikimedia Commons
Flourishing water markets in Darjeeling
Better governance and equitable as well as sustainable use of water resources are essential to solving the deepening water crisis in Darjeeling. Posted on 15 Apr, 2019 02:36 PM

"Darjeeling today has a thriving water business, with a fleet of 105 trucks plying three or four trips a day from April to June, carrying 5500 to 6500 litres of water on each run"

Private water tankers, a common sight in urban areas. (Source: India Water Portal)
What’s forest governance without local hand
Multilayered governance and involvement of forest dwellers in the decision making processes can go a long way in managing our forests better. Posted on 02 Apr, 2019 11:42 AM

The recent news on the forced eviction of more than 1,000,000 tribal and other forest-dwelling households from 16 states by a Supreme Court order has again brought the long-debated issue of the role of the state and

Mangar Bani, a green patch between Faridabad and Gurgaon (Image: Pradip Krishen, Facebook)
Could the water towers of Asia be drying up soon?
As climate change and urbanisation threaten water security in the HKH region, there is an urgent need for good water governance. Posted on 24 Mar, 2019 11:03 AM

The Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) cover 3500 kms across eight countries namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.

A view of the Himalayas. (Source: IWP Flickr photos--photo for representation purpose only)
Dumping waste effectively
Three environment-friendly ways of disposing of human waste have proven effective in various districts of Chhattisgarh. Posted on 16 Mar, 2019 03:51 PM

According to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) website, access to toilets has improved in India and 28 out of 36 states and Union Territories are now open defecation free (ODF). While that’s good news, managing faecal sludge in ODF states in an eco-friendly way continues to be a big challenge. 

Evapotranspiration community toilet at Shankarnagar, Kumhari (Source: India Water Portal)
Plastic on the green menu
Expanding tourism has led to increasing generation of garbage and plastic wastes in natural reserves in Uttarakhand. Wild animals feast on this garbage increasing their risk of plastic consumption. Posted on 21 Feb, 2019 10:57 AM

Plastic or non-biodegradable waste can prove to be highly fatal for terrestrial or land-based ecosystems as well as marine ones.

Mountains of garbage can attract a range of animals that feast on it. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Moving beyond just building toilets
Though the statistics and numbers from the Swachh Bharat Mission indicate success, there are still gaps within the programme that need to be examined. Posted on 30 Jan, 2019 11:04 AM

One of the most laudable initiatives of the current government’s regime is the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) that was launched on Oct 2, 2014, with a larger vision of a clean India.

Photo courtesy: Shelter Associates
Human activities reduce catchments’ climate resilience
A study finds that only over a third of human-dominated catchments in India are resilient to climate warming. Posted on 10 Dec, 2018 01:04 PM

The impact of global warming on the hydrological cycle should be of paramount concern to all because global warming affects rainfall patterns in various ways like triggering more extreme rainfall events. Unpredictable changes in runoff make it difficult to plan infrastructure to manage water resources such as dams.

River Krishna at Wai, Maharashtra (Image Source: India Water Portal)
The garbage siege of our coasts
A study finds that plastic forms the largest component of marine litter that is polluting the beaches in the country. Posted on 23 Nov, 2018 05:47 PM

The garbage crisis is not only invading Indian cities, but coasts as well, and the problem is assuming grave proportions.

Marine litter on one of the Mumbai beaches. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
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