Research Papers

Development or drastic ecological changes: Where is Dehradun headed?
Inspite of Dehradun being declared as an Ecologically Sensitive Zone 30 years ago, we couldn’t safeguard its fragility. Will the so called 'Smart City Plan' by UHUDA really help? Posted on 05 Feb, 2016 11:49 AM

The Babur Nama mentions that the “

The changing face of Dehradun (Source: Wikipedia)
The paradox of poor sanitation in India
Scholars of development are puzzled that other regions where people are poorer, literacy rates lower, and drinking water more scarce, are better off that India when it comes to open defecation. Posted on 28 Jan, 2016 09:17 PM

Despite India's rapid economic growth in recent decades, open defecation rates continue to be very high. This presents a unique puzzle for scholars of development because other regions where people are poorer, literacy rates lower, and drinking water more scarce, are better off that India when it comes to open defecation.

The open defecation puzzle in India (Source: Sourabh Phadke)
Informal water markets in Chennai
A significant number of the urban poor purchase water from tankers and those that deliver water in plastic cans, bottles, sachets, etc, incurring a sizeable monthly expenditure on water purchases. Posted on 17 Jan, 2016 09:43 PM

In India, managing the current demand and planning for future water demand in urban areas is becoming a major challenge for urban water supply authorities. According to current figures by the World Health Organisation, 10% in urban areas in India still do not have access to improved water supply.

Water scarcity and informal water markets in urban India (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Why do farmers commit suicide in Marathwada?
Poor land holding capacity, lack of irrigation facilities and inability to repay loans taken for agricultural and personal use are some reasons for the pitiful state of many farmers. Posted on 17 Jan, 2016 09:11 PM

Marathwada, one of the most drought prone areas in Maharashtra, continues to be in the news over the last few months due to the severe agarian crisis that the region has been facing and the very high rates of farmers suicides.

Droughts in Marathwada (Source: India Water Portal)
Sanitation interventions: A threat to drinking water supplies in rural India?
A study argues that increasing faecal contamination of groundwater-derived potable supplies is inevitable as the uptake of on-site sanitation intensifies in India. Posted on 03 Jan, 2016 11:05 PM

Inadequate separation of excreta from human contact can lead to a number of health problems. This is a cause for concern in India because as many as 600 million

Sanitation and groundwater contamination (Source: Sourabh Phadke)
Indigenous knowledge helps fisherfolk cope with floods
Observations based on changes in animal behaviour and the position of celestial bodies among others have helped Dhemaji's fisherfolk in the early prediction of rains and floods. Posted on 03 Jan, 2016 05:39 PM

Dhemaji is one of the most flood-affected districts in Assam. Although the majority of its population depends on agriculture and sericulture, fishing and driftwood businesses are also practised on a smaller scale. People of Dhemaji are intimately associated with fish culture and capture for their livelihoods.

High frequency of floods and its effect on livelihoods

Fisherfolk, traditional knowledge, and coping with disasters (Source: India Water Portal)
The importance of women in natural resources management
A study among the hill women in Uttarakhand found that they showed a high inclination to participate in water and forest management programmes through Informal communities. Posted on 16 Dec, 2015 12:40 PM

Although the state of Uttarakhand is rich in water and forest resources, its watersheds are under threat of wasting and erosion due to decreased forest cover, faulty agricultural practices, hydrologic imbalances and natural calamities. The growing population is further increasing the pressure on natural resources.

Hill women and natural resources management (Source: India Water Portal)
Industrial effluents dirty River Brahmani
Setting up industries along rivers may be financially rewarding but when untreated effluents drain into the river, the water quality deteriorates. Posted on 14 Dec, 2015 06:47 PM

Water is the most fundamental component of any natural resource, and the crisis of fresh water has posed a formidable challenge worldwide. Among the sources of drinking water rivers play an important role, and in the peninsular river system in India, the River Brahmani plays a pivotal role. 

Effluents from industries & factories contaminate the water source (Source: Wikipedia)
How will India's growing thirst for water impact regional relations?
India's growing water security requirements can threaten to test regional relations over the next ten years. Cooperation, not competition, is needed to maintain the stability of the region. Posted on 09 Dec, 2015 12:00 AM

As the demand for water is projected to increase globally, South Asia is becoming a hotspot where the economy and the population could be adversely impacted by poor water security due to growing household, agricultural and industrial needs, as well as increase in water-related disasters.

The threat of water security challenges faced by India

The Brahmaputra river (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Understanding the connect between caste and sanitation
De-linking the relationship between the two and not acknowledging the contribution of sanitation workers can limit the goal of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to clean India and achieve total sanitation. Posted on 05 Dec, 2015 11:14 PM

Of the one billion people defecating out in the open globally, 66% live in India of which as high as 92% live in rural areas.

Factors affecting sanitation outcomes (Source: Sourabh Phadke)
×