Research Papers

It warns that groundwater quantity as well as quality are the two major problems that the country has been facing.

The rate of withdrawal of groundwater has reached “unsafe” levels in 31% of the districts, covering 33% of the land area and 35% of the population. The situation has dramatically worsened within a short span of nine years, between the assessments done in 1995 and 2004.

Taking the quantitative and qualitative aspects together, data indicates that a total of 347 districts (59% of all districts in India) are vulnerable in terms of safe drinking water in India. This is a matter of serious concern, requiring a new approach.

The 24^th National Convention of Institution of Public Health Engineers (India) on the theme “Water & Sanitation Utility Services in India and their health implications” will be organised by IPHE(I), Regional Centre, Bhubaneswar during 12^th -13^th  February,2011.

This pollution has been caused by a paper factory that was set up 16 years ago.  The noise, air, land and water pollution that are a direct result of the factory have changed a beautiful and peaceful rural area into one where farmers’ land and crops have been destroyed, the air is full of fine, crystalline ash, the local river is an evil-smelling, stagnant mire of foam-encrusted sludge and the water table has fallen by over 70 feet.

Dear all,

IUCN, with Zoo Outreach Organisation, have today published a new report, 'The status and distribution of freshwater biodiversity in the Eastern Himalaya', which is available online here

India’s Groundwater Challenge and the Way Forward
P S Vijay Shankar , Himanshu Kulkarni , Sunderrajan Krishnan

The groundwater crisis is acquiring alarming proportions in many parts of the country. Strategies to respond to groundwater overuse and deteriorating water quality must be based on a new approach involving typologising the resource problems and redefining the institutional structure governing groundwater. This approach is based on the notion of groundwater as common property.

The scarcity value of natural resources has risen due to rising pressure of human population and demands made by modern economics progress. As such managing these resources has become very important.

Dr Rupela in his keynote address to the organic farming association of India does mention SRI along with several other desirable practices for a 'cool' or climate friendly agriculture. Some of us met him recently at the national workshop. Let us hope this article and his work will inspire many more researchers to work closely with farmers on sustainable agriculture.

Content courtesy: Indian Meteorological Department

Mean annual temperature for the country as a whole during 2010 was +0.93 0C above the 1961-1990 average. It was slightly higher than that of the year 2009, thus making the year 2010 as the warmest year on record since 1901.

Considering different seasons, Pre-Monsoon season (March-May) in 2010 was the warmest since 1901 with mean temperature being 1.8 0C above normal

The annual total rainfall for the country as a whole was normal during the year 2010 with actual rainfall of 121.5 cm against the long period average (LPA) of 119.7 cm.

The author sees the need for the conservation, maintenance and management of these ancient water bodies for the supply of water to cities. The author suggests that there is need to integrate traditional wisdom with modern water resource management.

This paper highlights the role and value of water in ancient times. The author begins with analysing the discussion on water in the Rig Veda and it's deification. The paper points out to the link between various Hindu gods and water. Social mores in the context of water use is also highlighted, taboos like no nude bathing in rivers and no excretion into such water bodies is pointed out.