Droughts and Floods

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December 12, 2022 Study looks at behavioral biases in crop insurance adoption
Adoption rate of crop insurance low in India despite government efforts (Image: PxHere, CC0 Public Domain)
October 30, 2022 This book by Dr. Mitul Baruah presents a fascinating, ethnographic account of the challenges faced by communities living in Majuli, India, one of the largest river islands in the world, which has experienced immense socio-environmental transformations over the years, processes that are emblematic of the Brahmaputra Valley as a whole. This is an excerpt from the book.
Floods are recurrent phenomena in Assam (Image: Mitul Baruah)
September 13, 2022 Heavy rains and floods have battered Bengaluru yet again. Uncontrolled and unregulated development and concretisation of the city that pays no heed to the ecology and hydrology of the region needs to stop!
Urban flooding in Bangalore (Image Source: Thejas via Wikimedia Commons)
August 21, 2022 Floods are not feared, but rather welcomed by the Mishing communities from Majuli island in Assam as they bring bountiful fish- a rich source of food, nutrition and livelihood for the community.
The Majuli island, a haven for fish (Image Source: Usha Dewani, India Water Portal)
August 10, 2022 The irrigation at all costs mindset and narrow policies for drought protection during the colonial rule ignored rainfed agriculture and local practices that sustained agriculture in the Bombay Deccan. This continues even today.
Recurrent droughts and the struggle for survival (Image Source: Gaurav Bhosale via Wikimedia Commons):
August 2, 2022 The frequency and intensity of floods is on the rise in Assam spelling doom for fish biodiversity.
Life during floods in Assam (Image Source: Kausika Bordoloi via Wikimedia Commons)
Source South Asia: Issue 13 (15 Dec 08)
Source South Asia: Issue 13 (15 Dec 08) Posted on 22 Dec, 2008 08:45 AM

Since its foundation in 1968, the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) has facilitated the sharing, promotion and use of knowledge so that governments, professionals and organisations can better suppo

Audio files: Bihar floods - The survival story
Anshu Gupta, the man behind Goonj - an NGO - visits flood hit Bihar and faces the different aspects of this historical disaster. Here is a narration of his experiences and evaluations Posted on 17 Dec, 2008 07:44 PM

Following is the summary of an interview of Anshu after he along with his team did their part in the rehabilitation processes. The summary narrates Anshu's experiences and evaluations on Bihar flood.

Kosi rehabilitation policy document from the Bihar Government
Minakshi Arora from the Hindi India Water Portal provides a quick summary of the Kosi Rehabilitation Policy Document. Posted on 15 Dec, 2008 11:05 AM

The document can be downloaded as a PDF here (Hindi): Kosi rehabilitation policy document

Kosi disaster: The rehabilitation & reconstruction policy

ReliefWeb's field report on the Bihar flood situation
Relief Wed South Asia Program Director Nimmi Gowrinathan travelled to Bihar, India to survey the flood damage in the area. Posted on 06 Dec, 2008 06:42 AM

The report starts from August as the floods struck and chronicles the sequence of events till November. The initial frenzy of the flood & confusion as people panic and relief exists as only a mirage to the slow grind of the government machinery are documented.

Book: 'Kosi - The deluge' a must read for all those interested in flood management
The book "Kosi- The deluge" is a good report on the subject and contains a lot of valuable data Posted on 25 Nov, 2008 06:18 AM

The book is a must-read for those who have some interest in Flood Management and especially in Kosi.

It is priced at Rs. 100/- and is available with

Fact Finding Mission

Dalit Watch's report on Bihar flood relief camps in the wake of the devastating floods on the India-Nepal border in 2008
Here's Dalit Watch's report on the relief camps in the wake of the devastating floods on the India-Nepal border Posted on 25 Nov, 2008 05:33 AM

In September 2008, Dalit Watch published a report on its findings while monitoring 205 relief camps in the wake of the devastating floods on the India-Nepal border. This report records the damage caused by the breach on the embankment of the Kosi river in August 2008 and appraises the quality of relief efforts in the aftermath of the floods.

Rainbow Drive Layout -- A model for urban water management ?
Rainbow Drive Layout: A Case Study of Sustainable Decentralized Urban Water Management Posted on 10 Nov, 2008 10:10 AM

Bangalore's sprawling expansion outpaces the public utility's ability to accommodate skyrocketing demand for water and sanitation services, and it is increasingly common for new residential communities to assume total management for their own water and sanitation services through their resident welfare associations.

Report from Kosi flood affected Murliganj Block of Madhepura in Bihar: Asha Parivar and NAPM
Report from a visit to Kosi flood affected Murliganj Block of Madhepura in Bihar on 31st October and 1st November, 2008 Posted on 09 Nov, 2008 08:57 PM

Mahendra Yadav and his team of Asha Parivar is stationed in Babhangama, 15 kms. from Muraliganj Block headquarters of Madhepura Dist. of Bihar for over two months now to carry out relief operations and help people access relief from government schemes. Muraliganj is 80 kms. from Katihar railway station.

Relief report on the Bihar floods from the AID Eureka team, Chennai
Dharmendar and Oliver from AID Eureka Team, Chennai share their relief work experiences in Bihar Posted on 09 Nov, 2008 08:49 PM

This 8 page document states the approach made by the visiting team towards the disaster and the experiences of the workers on the ground. The report is detailed with covering the minutae of the relief work organized and implemented. It also takes a look at the final impact of the work on the beneficiaries.

Book Shelf : Special discount offer: Between the Devil & Deep Water : by Dr Mishra
The Kosi floods in Bihar stunned the world this year. But the real tragedy is that the disaster had been predicted. It was simply waiting to happen. Posted on 08 Nov, 2008 09:58 AM

The Kosi floods in Bihar stunned the world this year. But the real tragedy is that the disaster had been predicted. It was simply waiting to happen. The Kosi embankments were completed in 1963 with a designed life span of 35 years.

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