Ecology and Environment

Article Courtesy : Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO)

Author : Ranjan Panda

These large structural engineering solutions not only are obsolete but undermine the importance of ‘integrated flood management’. Time we grow up and design ways to live with floods again.

The work of repair and rehabilitation begins now. Assessments are being done of the assistance –and funds- needed in these two states.

Sikkim is beginning to assess the full extent of the damage caused by the 18th September earthquake. In addition to the loss of life, livelihoods have been severely impacted. The earthquake is also raising questions about the safety of the many dams planned on the Teesta.

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) – a membership-driven organization - has been promoting the cause of a natural India for the past 127 years since 1883. It was started by 8 Mumbai citizens, of which two were Indians. The Society's guiding principle has always been that conservation must be based on scientific research - a tradition exemplified by its former president, late Dr Sálim Ali. Designated as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SIRO) by Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.

It does this in the context of the new decentralised  governance structures that are based on the assumption that domestic water supply is the legitimate domain of women and thus power and authority needs to be granted to women to manage water resources.

However, there is a very little understanding of how this has benefited women and what are the challenges experienced during the process of implementation or the outcomes gained from these processes, in the context of the Indian society that continues to propogate patriarchal values and is based on structures that are inherently hierarchical and inequitable.

Some of the papers dwell on and explore the inherent biases in the literature and make an attempt to understand their implications for women in managing water resources, while some of the papers share case studies on the outcomes of the implementation of the decentralised water management policies at the village level.

Orissa was hit by two spates of flood in September 2011, the first one being caused by heavy rains in the Mahanadi catchment and release of huge discharges from Hirakud dam. The second one was caused by heavy rains and flooding of Brahmani, Baitarani and Budhabalanga rivers. These floods point to the loopholes in river basin planning and management and calls for urgent attention of planners and policy makers. 

Organizers: National Institute of Ecology (NIE)

Venue: Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh)

The National Institute Ecology has currently more than 600 members drawn from every State and Union Territory of India as well as several other countries. The membership includes Fellows who are elected by the NIE every year in recognition of their significant contributions to their chosen field of ecology/environmental science.

Content courtesy: Press Information Bureau

The Cabinet has taken a decision to place a proposal with Parliament to introduce the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill (MMDR Bill), 2011, in terms of the National Mineral Policy, 2008 and also repeal the existing Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. 

A look at the news in the month of September 2011, indicates that the month has experienced a range of events such as heavy floods in different parts of the country with Orissa being the worst affected state, a major earthquake in the North East with Sikkim being the most affected, reports of flash floods and landslides in various parts of the country as well as  reports of heavy rainfall in different parts of the country with indications that the rainfall may further subside in the coming week.

After knowing that the encroachers set fire in the protected forest area, nearly 100 acres and cultivating cash crops in Sirumalai hills, iGREEN and Equal Justice jointly organised fact finding visit with lawyers and media persons and gone to sirumalai Hills. We were shocked when we saw fired forest land.

Water Initiatives Odisha, brings out a special note on this issue in response to the latest spell of the flood disaster in northern Odisha Rivers.