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December 11, 2019
Scientists intervene to save dry toilets
Dry toilets have long been hailed as a sustainable solution to the sanitation and waste management crisis facing India today, but have been overshadowed by more modern toilet designs.
A traditional dry toilet. Image: India Science Wire
October 11, 2019
Saving Aarey, the last lungs of Bombay
Mumbai’s citizens came out in droves to save trees from being felled in Aarey to make way for the metro. Collective action is crucial to save the green lungs of India's rapidly urbanising cities.
Aarey, the green lungs of Mumbai (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
September 30, 2019
The Water Future Conference in Bangalore: Towards a Sustainable Water Future
The recently concluded 4 day conference in Bangalore looked at the current state of global water resource challenges & future pathways to achieve the SDGs, while ensuring equity in access to all.
Charles Vorosmarty, Chair, COMPASS Initiative, Water Future at the opening plenary on advanced water system assessments to address water security challenges of the 21st century.
August 21, 2019
In photos: How temple tanks are helping Chennai conserve rain water
During the monsoon, temple tanks in Chennai fill to the brim with water, helping in groundwater recharge.
Parthasarathy temple in Triplicane has the biggest tank. Recently, volunteers belonging to the Central Industrial Security Force cleaned the tank. Pic: Laasya Shekhar
August 7, 2019
"Digging recharge wells is the only way Bengaluru won’t run out of water"
A million recharge wells for Bangalore
Ramakrishna Bovi is a traditional well-digger in Bengaluru. Image credit: Citizen Matters
July 2, 2019
The need for survival edge technology
Decentralised communitarian technology can mitigate the water crises facing us today.
Digging an open well that had some water at lesser depths ranging from 5-10 m using local technology in which a motor run winch draws up the dug up mud from the well bottom. (Image: Rahul Banerjee)
Rainwater harvesting in Bangalore: Who are the real beneficiaries?
Author: K P Vidyashankar

I have used a pop up filter (rainy type) to filter rain water and inject it into a open well. The water in the open well sometimes stinks and it is not clear where the contamination has occurred because all wells in the area are smelling. In our area water is available at about 7 feet depth. Obviously rooftops have bird droppings as a major source of infection. Now by pouring the filtered water into the open well -
IWP
Posted on 13 May, 2012 02:21 PM

A) Will the ground water really be recharged? There are about 100 houses in the area and  most have rain water harvesting (RWH). My fear is that the well will overflow and water again goes to the storm drains

B) Will the ground water in aquifers get infected? Then why are we doing this RWH (Lot of money, I have also spent like others).
Precious Kaveri water down the drain; wasted to wash vehicles: Letter to the Chairman, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board
I tried sending a suggestion to Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to tackle the urgent crisis in Karnataka this hot summer but didn't get any reply. Water crisis is a serious issue. When people do not have water to irrigate their lands, to drink for themselves, it pains me in the heart to see people wasting water profusely to wash their vehicles which goes down the drain. Manjunath M P presents the letter he sent to the Chairman, BWSSB.
Manjunath M P
Posted on 23 Apr, 2012 12:47 PM

Dear Chairman BWSSB,
Mayadantha Male (The miracle of rain) - All India Radio Karnataka programme on rainwater harvesting
This article by Chicu summarises an AIR, Karnataka programme on rainwater harvesting.
All India Radio
Posted on 26 Feb, 2012 04:37 PM

"The miracle of rain : Let the earth overflow"
3rd National Conference on Green Design, New Delhi, March 1-2, 2012, New Delhi
Posted on 13 Feb, 2012 09:43 AM

Description:
ADaRSH (Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats) in association with MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India) and TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) is organizing the 3rd National Conference on Green Design for deliberations on issues pertaining to sustainable development.

Contextualising urban water supply in a changing environment: India Urban Conference, November 17-20 2011
The India Urban Conference (IUC) was organised to encourage multi-level dialogue regarding India's urban transformation.
AP Tiwari
Himanshu Kulkarni
LS Ganpati
Malini Shankar
Manjunath Prasad
Meera Mehta
M Sekhar
Pavan Kumar
Sudhakar Rao
Vishwanath S
Posted on 30 Jan, 2012 09:21 AM

It aimed to set the challenges faced by urban planners in the current economic, socio-political, and ecological landscape. This would enable informed and negotiated choices on urban development. The stated objectives of the conference are as follows:
Traditional water bodies of Delhi
Amita Bhaduri reports about the tenth public lecture of the Delhi Heritage City Campaign by the INTACH Delhi Chapter delivered by Sohail Hashmi.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 18 Dec, 2011 01:56 PM

Sohail Hashmi, an author, film-maker, one of the founders of the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) and a true Dilliwala on 5 December 2011 at the India Habitat Center. The presentation woven around photographs of the city's step well
Rainwater Harvesting Users and Trainers' Manual by the KUIDFC
A manual for rainwater harvesting users’ by the Government of Karnataka.
KUIDFC
Posted on 10 Nov, 2011 12:03 PM

Adequate potable water supply to the community has become an uphill task to the administration both in rural and urban areas. This is because of dwindling groundwater sources, over-extraction, pollution of surface water bodies, negligence of fresh water bodies, poor water management, etc.
Decentralised treatment and recycling of domestic wastewater - An integrated approach to water management - A pilot project - CPCB (2008)
The Sangamam housing project at Auroville aims to minimize its ecological footprint by using a range of measures.
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
Posted on 27 Oct, 2011 10:32 AM

This report by the Central Pollution and Control Board (CPCB) describes the various intervention measures chosen to reduce the ecological footprint of the Sangamam housing project at Auroville. These measures include water harvesting, recycling and waste management. 
Indian Green Building Congress 2011, October 20-22, 2011, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
Posted on 01 Oct, 2011 07:16 AM

Organizers: CII - Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre 

Venue: Hall No 8 – 11, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

IGBC

Description:

The ninth edition of the Green Building Congress 2011, Asia’s largest Green Building Conference & Exhibition, is scheduled to be held from 20th – 22nd October, 2011 at  Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India. This event is organised by the Indian Green Building Congress (IGBC) which is part of the CII- Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre (CII – Godrej GBC), a division of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Reap what you sow, eat what you grow A film by Suma Josson on urban community farms promoted by Urban Leaves in Mumbai
This film by Suma Josson titled “Urban Leaves: Community farm in Mumbai” based on the work of Urban Leaves, an urban organic agriculture movement out of Mumbai.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 24 Sep, 2011 06:21 PM

Reap what you sow, eat what you grow - A film by Suma Josson

It depicts how applying ecological principles and practices to maintain soil fertility, to manage crop health, and to keep soil and water in a good condition is especially relevant to the urban setting. The film focuses on the work being done in the urban farms, yet it can be seen as much more than that and, understood as a vision on healthy products, healthy production systems and as a way of life.

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