Conservation - Reducing Water Usage

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November 25, 2022
Categorising watersheds for freshwater ecosystem conservation in India
These maps at the watershed scales have been made to not only ensure inclusion of different freshwater ecosystems, their connectivity and hydrological processes, but can also provide a spatial context for conservation decisions.
A stream at Anini, Arunachal Pradesh (Image Source: Roshni Arora)
September 21, 2022
The Chakla bavdi of Chanderi
The unique design and functioning of the Chakla bavdi in Chanderi Madhya Pradesh is another example of the water wisdom of our ancestors, which needs to be conserved and passed on to the future generations.
Chakla Bavdi at Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (Image Source: Shirole, S. 2022. Architectural eloquence: Water harvesting structure in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (India). Ancient Asia, 13: 9, pp. 1–13)
June 21, 2022
Springs spring hope in Kashmir, Himalayas
While springs in Kashmir have still retained their good quality and have a great potential to be used for drinking water, threats to them are growing. Their protection and sustainable management is crucial.
Verinag spring in Anantanag district of Kashmir (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
January 13, 2022
Systems at breaking point
State of the world’s land and water resources for food and agriculture: The synthesis report 2021
Sustainable agricultural practices lead to water saving, soil conservation, sustainable land management, conservation of natural resources, ecosystem and climate change benefits. (Image: Maheshwara, Pixahive)
November 9, 2021
Potential of rainwater management in Bundelkhand
Building resilient agricultural system through groundwater management interventions in degraded landscapes of Bundelkhand region
Charkhari talab in Bundelkhand (Image: IWP Flickr)
September 1, 2021
Study calls for securing water sustainability in Chennai
Best practices for holistic urban water management in Chennai Metropolitan Area
These bright plastic jugs are ubiquitous in Chennai and Tamil Nadu. (Image: McKay Savage, Flickr Commons; CC BY 2.0)
Strengthening quality monitoring to provide safe drinking water: Common treatments and analyses
The latest techniques that can be utilized to ensure provision of safe drinking water are described here.
Ravi Savant
Posted on 30 Jan, 2012 10:59 AM

Author : Ravi Savant
Contextualising urban water supply in a changing environment: India Urban Conference, November 17-20 2011
The India Urban Conference (IUC) was organised to encourage multi-level dialogue regarding India's urban transformation.
AP Tiwari
Himanshu Kulkarni
LS Ganpati
Malini Shankar
Manjunath Prasad
Meera Mehta
M Sekhar
Pavan Kumar
Sudhakar Rao
Vishwanath S
Posted on 30 Jan, 2012 09:21 AM

It aimed to set the challenges faced by urban planners in the current economic, socio-political, and ecological landscape. This would enable informed and negotiated choices on urban development. The stated objectives of the conference are as follows:
Saving some last remaining free flowing rivers
Parineeta Dandekar writes about the novel conservation reserves on Kali, Bedthi and Aghanashini in the Western Ghats.
Parineeta Dandekar
Posted on 24 Jan, 2012 06:38 AM

Guest post by: Parineeta Dandekar
Tank irrigation in Karnataka: A historical survey
Tank irrigation in Karnataka, authored by GS Dikshit, GR Kuppuswamy, SK Mohan, and first published in 1993, provides a historical overview of this ancient method of water management.
GR Kuppuswamy
GS Dikshit
SK Mohan
Posted on 24 Jan, 2012 06:12 AM

The book covers entire eras from the ancient to the current period. It also gives information about the structural, financial and institutional aspects of tank construction and management.

The full book is available for download on the India Water Portal. Please right-click on the cover page image of the book, and select 'Save link as', to download the full book.

Right-click this image, and select 'Save link as', to download the full book - Tank irrigation in Karnataka - A historical survey

Liquid Dynamics: Rethinking sustainability in water and sanitation
This paper by Lyla Mehta highlights the various interactions around water.
Lyla Mehta
Posted on 20 Jan, 2012 06:55 PM

This paper begins with the slow rate of progress in achieving the millennium development goals of environmental sustainability, especially in the areas of water and sanitation. This is due to the disconnect between the global rhetoric (which often focuses on water as an economic good) and social realities (such as the cultural attitudes towards water)

cover illustration of Liquid Dynamics showing two girls in a paddy field

Community managed sanitation in Kerala - Tools to promote governance and improve health - A Report by the World Bank Institute
This report by the World Bank Institute describes the Kerala Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project.
Balachandra Kurup
Posted on 16 Jan, 2012 01:14 PM

It also deals with the efforts made by the Government of India to revolutionise sanitation services in the state of Kerala, with the aim of improving public health. Earlier experience had shown that significant governance problems had hindered water and sanitation reforms in local and national programmes in the state.
Hydropower in the Northeast: Potential and harnessing analysis - A critique
This paper was commissioned as an input to the study “Development and Growth in Northeast India: The Natural Resources, Water, and Environment Nexus” by the World Bank.
V V K Rao
Posted on 15 Jan, 2012 11:41 PM

The main objectives of the hydropower study are as follows: 

  • An analysis of the hydropower potential in the Northeast and key elements of the strategy that should be followed for optimal realization of this potential 
  • An overview of the hydropower development options in the Northeast with regard to the water resources in the different river basins, including consideration of flood control and irrigationmap of the north-eastern states

Map of the north-east states

The unquiet river: An overview of select decisions of the courts on the river Yamuna
This report by Ritwick Dutta presents an overview of the legislation on the river Yamuna.
Ritwick Dutta
Posted on 14 Jan, 2012 06:40 PM

The river has attained the distinction of being perhaps the river attracting the most judicial attention in india, after the Ganga. This report analyses the various laws and judicial decisions pertaining to the Yamuna and their effects on the river.Cover page of 'The unquiet river'

River Yamuna - Dying by default or by design: A public lecture on river Yamuna
This presentation by Peace Institute Charitable Trust is part of a lecture organised by Toxics Link as part of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan and held at the India International centre in September 2007.
Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan
Posted on 14 Jan, 2012 05:24 PM

It aims to inform, enlighten and suggest solutions to bring back the river Yamuna to a healthy and resilient state. 

slide showing factories on the banks of the Yamuna

India, Pakistan and water - Lecture by Ramaswamy Iyer at MIDS
This lecture by Ramaswamy Iyer delivered at the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) highlights the conflicts over water sharing in India and Pakistan.
Ramaswamy Iyer
Posted on 12 Jan, 2012 10:57 PM

It traces the roots of the conflicts to the strained relations between India and Pakistan following the partition and the framing of the Indus Water Treaty in 1960.
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