Ecology and Environment

Forwarded to the portal by: Graduates Welfare Association, Fazilka

Article and Image courtesy: YaleGlobal Online
Author: Rohini Nilekani

India and China account for one third of the world’s population; each consumes more freshwater than other nations. Per inhabitant per year, though, India uses less than half what’s used in the US, China uses less than one third. This YaleGlobal series examines India and China’s water use, their expectations for rising demand and recognition that shortages will disrupt economic progress.

The Planning Commission of India repeatedly warns that water will become a more serious issue than land or energy for India in years to come, points out Rohini Nilekani, in the second article of the series. India’s transition from an economy based on agriculture to a mixed one, with water use controlled by states rather than the federal constitution, already leads to conflicts. She urges planning for a low-water economy. Good governance and regulatory frameworks can prevent pollution and waste, while encouraging efficiency, reliable and fair allocation, and wise consumer choices.

Thirsty earth: Indian villagers in Gujarat gather to draw water from a well

This paper in Journal of Earth System Science attempts to estimate the possible rate of land subsidence of Kolkata City including Salt Lake City and the adjoining East Kolkata Wetlands located at the lower part of the deltaic alluvial plain of South Bengal basin. Land subsidence is an environmental hazard which is caused by overdraft of groundwater or oil extraction and results in gradual settling or sudden sinking of the earth’s surface owing to subsurface movement of the materials of the earth. 

The occurrence of exceptionally heavy rainfall events and associated flash floods in many areas during recent years prompted the researchers to study long-term changes in extreme rainfall over India. 

It indicates that the aquatic ecosystem of an area disappeared due to unplanned development of agro ecosystems and human settlements. This area was earlier covered with ponds, wetlands and ox-bow lakes. Now, during the rainy season, inhabitants of these wards face severe problem of water logging and pollution. 

Content courtesy: DevNetJobsIndia

The U.S. Agency for International Development is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has field offices in many of the countries where we have programs. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) India is located at the American Embassy, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110 021, India.

Job responsibilities:

The project management specialist (Environment) provides substantial assistance to overall planning and preparation of new programs and activities within the environment and forestry sectors for USAID/India. The specialist works closely with staff members of the GOI, Indian state governments, the U.S. government, international donors, and NGOs on USAID/India investments in these sectors.

DAS India is an ISO 14001:2004 and NABET (under quality council of India QCI) certified consulting organization. For SDEM (Sustainable Development Environment Management) group, DAS India is interested in hiring 4 environment specialists fulfilling following criteria:

Job responsibilities:

• Develop competencies in above sectors to contribute to EIAs
• Assist in development of case specific TORs
• Co-ordinate and monitor environment parameter testing

Content courtesy: DevNetJobsIndia

Umeed is a non government organization registered on 1995 under the registration & society act , and working in Madhya Pradesh.

Job description:

• To build the project team , assisting and motivating through participative management to ensure effective service delivery to the target community
• To develop a weekly work plan as per the performance indicators for the field workers keeping in mind the quarterly requirements of the project
• To conduct weekly/monthly meetings with the team members
• To maintain key relationships of stakeholders

Countries within the Asia‐Pacific region support more than half of the world’s population and changes in the Earth’s bio geophysical system are clearly impacting the societies and economies of these countries.

The APN is inviting proposals under two separate programmes, the ARCP Programme and the CAPaBLE Programme, for funding from April 2012, and is able to provide a limited amount of financial support1 for research and capacity development activities that fall within its areas of interest.