Biodiversity

The subsurface aquifer systems in Mahanadi delta region in Orissa (India) is largely characterized by two groups of freshwater aquifer systems, both of which are prone to saline water mixing/migration with time and development:

• The south western Mahanadi delta region is represented by unconfined to semi-confined freshwater aquifers underlained by brackish/saline aquifer systems with a diffusion boundary.
• The north eastern parts of Mahanadi delta is represented by deep freshwater confined aquifers overlained by brackish/saline water aquifers with aquitard/ aquiclude boundary.

Desilting is becoming a major component of any Lake Conservation Project now a days. The basic reasons given for necessity of desilting are - increasing the storage capacity and checking eutrophic conditions.

As it is not practicable to reverse the slow process of silting in the bed of lakes through which only silt can be removed, there is no word like 'desilting' in any standard English dictionary. What we are doing in the name of 'desilting' is practically 'digging' or 'excavation' of lake bed. By so called desilting, the original lake bed is disturbed which has far reaching adverse effects on the performance of the lake. Most visible effect is the increase in percolation rate resulting in heavy seepage losses through the lake bed as observed after massive desilting at Pushkar lake in 2009.

The Renuka Dam Project proposed over the river Giri Ganga (a tributary of the Yamuna) located some 300km away from Delhi, is a joint project of the governments of Himachal Pradesh (HP) and Delhi, to be constructed by the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) in Sirmaur district of HP.

Measurement of riverine biota, particularly benthic macroinvertebrates (such as crustaceans and aquatic insects) and fish, has become a widely accepted method of identifying the structural or functional integrity and the overall health of a riverine system. This manual from the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB), describes in detail the field procedures to be followed in such fish monitoring/measurement surveys, conducted for riverine ecological systems.

KSBB has taken up this manual publication effort, in the conxtet of a state-wide fish monitoring programme, that aims to survey all the 44 rivers of Kerala with the involvement of resource persons from local colleges, research institutes, experts and fisherpeople community.

This is an International conference that intends to discuss the problems on water resources, biodiversity, climatic change and communicate the role of society in the present environmental scenario.

Organized by: The Bhopal School of Social Sciences,Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

1. Vigyan Vijay Foundation (VVF) is looking for a Programme Coordinator
Location: North Delhi
Last Date: December 15, 2009
Email: asha.kumar@vigyanvijay.org

SVARAJ Newsletter October 2009 edition - SPLASH has the following contents:

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• Dying Tigers, hidden numbers
• Is Gen Next more environmentally conscious?
• New Media and Development - Can we stand up to the challenge?
• Tell us what you think - Youth in governance
• The critical link between climate change and food, water and livelihood security
• Water drops Global

13th Birding Fair at Jaipur's Man Sagar on 2 – 3 Feb 2010 to be devoted to 'Rivers’ Restoration'

Photograph by Lynsey Addario