Citizens' Rights and Duties
Delhi’s ground water hits rock bottom
Posted on 20 May, 2013 12:40 PMGreen pastures and meadows, tall trees, lakes, wells and the river…those are my memories of Delhi. It wasn’t too long ago that one woke up early to the sounds of lawns being watered, children running off to school and people walking in the parks. A flurry of activity but quite different from what it is today.
Bangaloreans come together at the ‘Save Our Lakes’ Event
Posted on 17 May, 2013 10:50 AMThe Catch Every Drop campaign, which created awareness about water conservation, spun off a few other events in Bangalore. Save Our Lakes, which focused on protecting B
A village creates magic…and a river!
Posted on 30 Apr, 2013 09:23 AMUfrenkhal – the village
Driving towards Ufrenkhal, a village in Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand), I see a lush, green mountain covered with deodar, banj and utees trees. Little did I realize that this diverse and dense forest, which is alive with wildlife, is very new. 40 years ago, this vast area was a firing range!
Job opportunities at Jhatkaa, a citizens group working on cutting edge innovation in citizen engagement
Posted on 29 Apr, 2013 01:04 PMThe organisation
Why participatory groundwater management is no longer an oxymoron: The story of Randullabad
Posted on 15 Apr, 2013 06:04 PMIndia is heavily dependent on groundwater use. Domestic use, agriculture and industry all rely on groundwater extracted by means of pumps, wells and tanks. This dependence is illustrated by falling groundwater levels. Frequently, this overuse and consequent decline trigger conflicts.
The story of how blissful ignorance allows Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages to deprive Mehdiganj, Varanasi of its water
Posted on 01 Apr, 2013 11:39 PM
Bottled drinks are commonplace and we often reach for them without a thought. We may even feel good about our purchase as we read about the companies' commitment to water security' printed on the label.
What does 'being water positive' really mean for the villages where manufacturing plants are situated ? This article examines the case of one such plant in Mehdiganj, PO Benipur, Arajiline block, Dist Varanasi and its effect on the groundwater levels in the area. The village has led an agitation against 4 specific negative impacts of the plant, acheiving moderate but measurable success.
This year, the movement comes to a crisis point as despite a warning by the Central Groundwater Development Board, the plant applies for a four-fold expansion.
Reviving dying springs in Sikkim
Posted on 28 Mar, 2013 11:48 AMPure and beautiful, mountain springs confer lives. With change in climate conditions and rainfall patterns, rural habitations in Sikkim face drinking water shortages. Many of these springs are drying up or their discharge declining. But there is hope at the end of an endeavour, where science, government and community come together to revive springs of their local region.
Safe water for all - Some ways we can preserve this natural resource
Posted on 21 Mar, 2013 09:36 PMWater rights are being discussed today as a possibility. This will lead to civil war in this country. Rights are meaningless without paying attention to duties. It is our constitutional duty to preserve and heal our environment.
If we pay attention to freeing our waters:
Refugees of the Kosi embankments – A booklet by Dinesh Kumar Mishra
Posted on 13 Mar, 2013 02:44 PMKosi, one of the most vibrant rivers of North Bihar begins its journey at a height of about 7000 m in the Himalayan range. After entering the plains, the bed of the Kosi widens drastically and it spreads over 6 to 10 km.
How have India's flagship development programmes fared ? - Budget briefs on the TSC, JNNURM and MGNREGS by the Accountability Initiative
Posted on 12 Mar, 2013 11:40 AMGovernment of India’s development programmes are aimed to bring in much required inclusive development and pave a way towards an equitable and socially just society. With this motive the Centre had introduced several programmes in social sectors and allocated a fixed amount for achieving the set goals.
An analysis on the performance of the programmes shows how far the targets have been achieved, the shortcomings and the steps that are to be taken to strengthen the programmes.