Contamination, Pollution and Quality

Featured Articles
December 16, 2022 In this article, we will understand how the WQM course is continuing to influence the needs of learners that come from diverse backgrounds. The course model also offers core insights to many others who would like to engage in a virtual training program.
During a WQM course, a field team member from INREM facilitating a demonstration
September 9, 2022 Highlights from a new report released by iFOREST
An old coal-fired power plant has been dumping vast quantities of ash out in the open for many years. (Image: Lundrim Aliu/ World Bank; CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
September 5, 2022 In an attempt to present a perspective on how rivers are used and abused, a map of the Bengaluru rivers illustrate how waste flows through natural river corridors, polluting the rivers and altering their status.
Vrishabhavathi river flow at Thagachguppe Bridge, Kumbalgodu (Image Source: Paani.Earth)
August 27, 2022 Study looks at microplastic types in lakes of Ladakh
(Vinay Goel, Wikimedia Commons)
August 19, 2022 Better access to clean water coupled with health education to bring about changes in behaviour are critical to prevent exposure to dangerous cholera bacteria that lurk in untreated waters.
The hidden threat of cholera in India (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
August 11, 2022 This could lead to water quality crisis reinforcing the need for basin-specific management strategies
Around the world, more than a fifth of nitrogen released by human activity ends up in aquatic ecosystems (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Water quality status of rivers in India – Report of Central Water Commission
These River Water Quality Reports prepared by the Central Water Commission (CWC) summarise the river water data collected under its long term monitoring programme. The Central Water Commission monitors water quality at 371 key locations covering all the major river basins of India by maintaining a three tier laboratory system for analysis of 41 water quality parameters. Posted on 15 Jul, 2011 06:19 PM

The Level-I Laboratories are located at 258 field water quality monitoring stations on various rivers of India where physical parameters such as temperature, colour, odour, specific conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH and dissolved oxygen of river water are observed.

A comparison of PureIt and Swach water purifier brands - Guest post by Mrinalini Goswami
PureIT and Swach are two different water purifiers innovated and manufactured by Hindustan Unilever Limited and Tata Chemical respectively and marketed as low cost water purifier. This post compares the two purifiers against a set of featres Posted on 14 Jul, 2011 11:59 AM

Guest post by: Mrinalini Goswami

Both the purifiers already have identified their space in the niche of household water treatment establishing themselves as competitive technologies. Brief highlights of both the purifiers are compiled in the table below:   

PLC & SCADA based water quality, treatment & distribution management system for 428 MLD PCMC water supply system
Objective: To monitor and control from a single point the water quantity, quality, treatment and distribution process in real time for the entire city. Posted on 12 Jul, 2011 04:16 PM

Objective: To monitor and control from a single point the water quantity, quality, treatment and distribution process in real time for the entire city.

PLC & SCADA based Water Quality, Treatment & Distribution Management System for 428 MLD PCMC Water Supply SystemThis project caters to the need for a real time water auditing, monitoring and control system for the entire city of Pimpri Chinchwad spread over 171 sq.kms with a water supply of 428 ML per day.

Groundwater governance in India – A case study by World Bank
This case study by the World Bank aims to understand and address the paradox at the heart of the groundwater governance challenge in India in order to elevate the need for investing in and promoting proactive reforms toward its management Posted on 09 Jul, 2011 11:43 AM

It examines the impediments to better governance of groundwater, and explores opportunities for using groundwater to help developing countries adapt to climate change. It attempts to understand the practical issues that arise in establishing robust national governance frameworks for groundwater and in implementing these frameworks at the aquifer level.

The case study focused on the national, state and local levels. At the national and state levels, it analyzed the policy, legal, and institutional arrangements to identify the demand and supply management and incentive structures that have been established for groundwater management. At the local level, it assessed the operations, successes, and constraints facing local institutions in the governance of a number of aquifers within peninsula India, on the coast and on the plain of the Ganges river valley.

Guidelines for drinking water quality - Fourth edition by World Health Organisation (2011)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has come up with the fourth edition of “Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality”. Posted on 09 Jul, 2011 10:41 AM

WHOThis integrates the third edition, which was published in 2004, with both the first addendum to the third edition, published in 2006, and the second addendum to the third edition, published in 2008. It supersedes previous editions of the Guidelines and previous International Standards. 

This edition of the Guidelines further develops concepts, approaches and information introduced in previous editions, including the comprehensive preventive risk management approach for ensuring drinking-water quality.

Launch of film 'Mercury in the Mist', NFSC, July 1, 2011, Chennai
Posted on 01 Jul, 2011 11:10 AM

National Folklore Support Centre (NFSC) Organizers:

Low carbon strategies for inclusive growth - An interim report of the Planning Commission's expert group
This Interim Report of the Expert Group of Planning Commission on Low Carbon Strategies for Inclusive Growth provides a menu of options that can reduce India’s emission intensity over the time frame. Posted on 28 Jun, 2011 11:44 PM

CoverSome policy measures implied by various options have also been indicated. The main sectors examined in the report are power, transport, industry, buildings and forestry.

Increased concentrations of Green House Gases (GHGs) and the overall warming of the atmosphere has resulted in changing rainfall patterns, disruption in hydrological cycles, melting of ice caps and glaciers, rise in sea levels, and increase in frequency and intensity of extreme events such as heavy precipitation and cyclonic activities.

These have in turn had serious impact on sustainability of water resources, agriculture, forests and ecosystems, affecting the well being of billions of people on earth. Widespread melting of glaciers and snow cover will reduce melt water from major mountain ranges (e.g. Hindu Kush, Himalaya, Andes) where more than one billion people currently live.

Hi-tech vs low-tech in the water sector in the village of Dandiganahalli near Bangalore - Article by S. Vishwanath
Dandiganahalli, very close to Bangalore, has a problem of high TDS in its water, meaning the water is too salty and brackish. Worse still it has Fluoride in it. The video explores appropriate means of dealing with this issue. Posted on 28 Jun, 2011 05:40 PM

Ever since Schumacher wrote his now very, very famous book small is there has in my mind been a question of the appropriateness of the solutions we urban educated types posit for rural ‘problems’.

Mining havoc: Impact of mining on water resources in Goa - Article from Dams, Rivers and People
Goa's valiant fighter against illegal mines, Ramesh Gauns shares the horrifying impacts of mines on rivers, groundwater and streams in Goa. Posted on 25 Jun, 2011 02:02 PM

 

Pumping of water from Cavrem Sheikh Salim mine, severely lowering groundwater table in the village. Image courtesy: Sebastian Rodriguez, Mand GoaPumping of water from Cavrem Sheikh Salim mine, severely lowering groundwater table in the village
Image courtesy: Sebastian Rodriguez, Mand Goa

Gravity based spring water supply systems in Vishakhapatnam: A sustainable solution to an age-old problem
The tribal inhabitants in water-rich Eastern Ghats mostly rely on the water reserves of natural springs and hill streams for their drinking water and other daily domestic needs. Posted on 23 Jun, 2011 05:42 PM

Gravity based spring water supply systems – A sustainable solution to an age-old problem With an annual rainfall of more than 1200 mm, this region has truly pristine and under-developed ground water resources. The water related issues are more complex in the hilly areas. Some of the most concerning issues that affect the current water scenario in the Eastern Ghats are pollution of water sources (springs & streams) leading to poor health, illiteracy and ignorance resulting in improper hygiene and sanitation practices. The burden on women and children is also high since they have to walk a long distance to the springs/streams for fetching water.