Groundwater

Featured Articles
October 17, 2022 While informal groundwater markets cater significantly to the needs of smallholder farmers in India, they continue to be unacknowledged and understudied.
Groundwater, a finite resource (Image Source: TV Manoj via Wikimedia Commons)
July 5, 2022 Studies reveal that children are the most vulnerable to the health risks associated with groundwater contamination due to nitrate and fluoride, highlighting the need for urgent remedial measures.
POisoned waters, dangerous outcomes (Image Source: India Water Portal)
April 26, 2022 The water stewardship initiative by WOTR that developed a tool to visualise aquifers has not only helped farmers understand groundwater as a shared resource, but also led to a behavioural change among water users and helped implement groundwater laws and policies.
Groundwater, a fast disappearing resource (Image Source: India Water Portal)
February 13, 2022 A study provides new evidence that drinking water contaminated with arsenic can lead to still births, recurrent pregnancy loss and infertility among women.
A well in Rajasthan (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
August 29, 2021 A study shows that high arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bihar is linked with increase in cancer cases. Districts located near the Himalayan river basins have more people with cancer.
Drinking water in Bihar, linked to cancer (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
August 26, 2021 This study from Rajasthan found that anthropogenic factors led to nitrate contamination of groundwater. High nitrate levels in drinking water posed major health risks to children.
A well in Rajasthan (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Horizontal wells bring more water
Adda boring is emerging as a cleaner alternative to vertical boring keeping farmers happy. Posted on 19 Mar, 2018 01:09 PM

Hanumanthappa Ramanagar from Kushtagi taluka of Karnataka’s Koppal district has 15 acres of arid land with two deep wells on two sides of the land. One is a “very old” dug well and the other, a tubewell, is just 10 years old. Both were on the verge of going defunct two years ago. “There were many areas of land around us which were facing a similar fate.

Govind Ram Jat and his team from Rajasthan. (Pic courtesy: 101Reporters)
Karnataka to stop industries from using fresh river water
Policy matters this week Posted on 13 Mar, 2018 11:19 AM

Karnataka to formulate plan to prohibit industries from drawing fresh river water

Karnataka plans to regulate fresh water use by industries. (Picture courtesy: India Spend)
Farmers’ plight: Leaving land for a lesser life
One of the worst affected districts in Andhra Pradesh, Anantapur is seeing its farmers leave their villages for cities due to water scarcity. Posted on 13 Mar, 2018 06:24 AM

Scanty rainfall, depleting groundwater levels, barren farmlands and mass migration of farmers to cities for better livelihood--this is the reality of most of rural India today. Many parts of India are witnessing this growing trend of farmers leaving their lands in search of jobs in cities.

Many villages look deserted due to mass migration of villagers to cities for jobs. Houses are abandoned and are getting ruined due to nonuse. (Pic courtesy: 101Reporters)
Arsenic-affected village gets water after two decades
Kaudikasa village’s two decades of struggle with arsenic contamination in drinking water ends with a new government scheme. Posted on 12 Mar, 2018 05:41 AM

Kaudikasa is a small village with a population of just 350 people in the Ambagad Chowki block of the Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh. Despite its small size, Kaudikasa village has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Severe health problems have been reported from the village, thanks to acute arsenic contamination in its groundwater.

Yuvraj Singh, a former sarpanch of Kaudikasa near the tube well reported to have the highest level of arsenic contamination.
Hot springs harbour microbial diversity
Scientists isolate untapped bacterial cultures from Unkeshwar hot springs on the bank of river Penganga and are studying their metabolic use in enzyme biotechnology and environmental remediation. Posted on 28 Feb, 2018 08:31 PM

Microorganisms can be found in almost every habitat in the environment owing to their capacity to adapt and to survive. Some of them can withstand extremely hot environments such as natural hot springs. Studying such organisms can help in understanding not just why they are so hardy but may also yield new and useful chemicals. 

The team of scientists from the National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) who are conducting the study at the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. (Pic courtesy: ISW)
Rajim kumbh: Leave Mahanadi alone
Rajim kumbh mela has left the Mahanadi river crying for attention. Posted on 25 Feb, 2018 07:35 PM

Around 25 lakh pilgrims across the country took a holy dip in the Mahanadi during the Rajim kumbh festival held in Rajim from January 31-February 13, 2018. For this annual religious extravaganza at the confluence of the Mahanadi, Sondur and Pairi rivers in Chhattisgarh, the state government organised various religious events.

The entrance of the CG government's culture and tourism exhibition venue at Rajim kumbh 2018.
Millions wait for toilets and water
While millions of people in India still wait for their share of water and toilets, this year's budget fails to give them any hope. Posted on 24 Feb, 2018 10:31 AM

GoI allocations for the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is Rs. 22,357 crores

The state of water supply and sanitation continues to be poor in India.
Supreme Court delivers Cauvery verdict
News this week Posted on 20 Feb, 2018 05:44 AM

Supreme Court reduces quantum of water allocated to Tamil Nadu in Cauvery verdict

Long awaited verdict on Cauvery water sharing out. (Picture courtesy: NDTV)
Atal Bhujal Yojana to be implemented soon
Policy matters this week Posted on 20 Feb, 2018 05:31 AM

Centre to fast track Atal Bhujal Yojana to help manage groundwater efficiently 

Water is a fast depleting resource. (Picture courtesy: India Today)
How Kakaddara village won water cup
The video tells us the success story of Kakaddara village that won the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup-2017 by efficiently managing its water. Posted on 19 Feb, 2018 06:33 AM

Every year, thousands of villages in Maharashtra get affected by droughts. Experts say that the reasons for recurrent droughts include a lack of policy framework, technical knowledge and community participation as well as poor implementation of government programmes.

A farm pond in Kakaddara.
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