Droughts and Floods

Featured Articles
December 12, 2022
Why farmers are not adopting crop insurance in India?
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
Slow disaster: Political ecology of hazards and everyday life in the Brahmaputra valley, Assam
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
Chaos in a concrete jungle
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 – a boon than a bane!
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
Taming water - Irrigation and drought protection in colonial India and the present
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
Floods in Assam - a boon or a bane for fish diversity?
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)
Parched lips, barren lands and the scramble for water in Maharashtra
What are the factors that have caused the Marathwada region to be known as the 'suicide capital for farmers'? More importantly, do farmers here have some respite before the monsoon disappears?
Aarti Kelkar - Khambete
Posted on 13 Sep, 2015 07:44 AM

Rainfall map of India (Source: IMD)
Staring at drought (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
What does being 'water stressed' mean for India and her neighbours?
India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and China rank in the top 50 of the world’s most water-stressed countries projected for 2040. Our data analysis shows the stress to the environment, economy, and people.
Sabita Kaushal
Posted on 10 Sep, 2015 06:25 PM

A worldwide ranking of water stressed nations by the World Resources Institute
India ranks 31 in the world’s most water-stressed countries projected for year 2020 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Bisalpur revisited--10 years after protesters were shot, killing 5
Despite many plans, neither rural nor urban are water secure thanks to the Bisalpur Dam since it was constructed in 2007.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 10 Sep, 2015 01:20 PM

Ten years ago five farmers were shot protesting the diversion of waters from Bisalpur dam to Jaipur city, located about 130 kms away.
Kisan Sewa Samiti, Chaksu struggling for drinking water allocation from Bisalpur dam (Source: CECODECON)
2015 is India's driest year since 2009
News this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 07 Sep, 2015 10:19 PM

40% of India still rain deficit
Parched area near Jodhpur (Source: India Water Portal Flickr Photos)
Water problems with quality and access plague Sambalpur, Odisha
Groundwater in Talabeda village in Sambalpur, Odisha has high concentrations of iron but more urgently, its water supply system is dysfunctional for the last 2 weeks due to electricity issues.
Makarand Purohit
Posted on 27 Aug, 2015 04:00 PM

It's been more than 15 days and the drinking water crisis in Talabeda village in Sambalpur, Odisha is yet to be addressed. The water supply system of the village collapsed due to a fault in the transformer located within the premises of the Talabeda pump house, and no one has the time to fix this and restart the water supply system. 
The colour of the tiles around the public stand-post at Talabeda, Odisha have changed from white to red due to iron contamination.
Europe's Rhine river inspires the Ganga revival
News this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 24 Aug, 2015 09:13 PM

Ganga clean-up takes its inspiration from the Rhine river
Ganga river at Varanasi (Source: India Water Portal Flickr Photos)
Study reveals reduction in water flow of the Ganga in the Himalayan catchment areas
News this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 17 Aug, 2015 08:52 PM

Ganga catchment area has lost over 1500 billion cusecs of water flow: Study
Ganga at Gadmukteshwar (Source: India Water Portal Flickr Photos)
Mysore ranks first in Swachh Bharat rankings
News this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 10 Aug, 2015 09:56 PM

South India performs better in the Swachh Bharat rankings
Mysore tops in Swachh Bharat Rankings (Source: India Water Portal Flickr Photos)
From abandonment to water abundance: Is it possible?
People know that water is crucial, and yet apathy abounds. Dr. Indira Khurana talks candidly on the issues concerning water and how this precious resource can be better managed.
Sabita Kaushal
Posted on 06 Aug, 2015 05:39 PM

Dr.
The earth is water rich, but water is still scarce (Source:India Water Portal)
The invasion of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
Many locals express feelings of regret for the support they initially showed to the hydropower projects in the hope of getting jobs and contracts, but development still continues.
Manshi Asher
Posted on 28 Jul, 2015 07:02 PM

Hydropower development has been given topmost priority in the resource rich state of Himachal Pradesh.
100 MW Tidong-I project, Kinnaur HP
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