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)
Water management for climate resilient agriculture
Water management should be given number one priority in agricultural policy to prevent droughts, minimise risks due to droughts and build a climate-resilient agriculture. Posted on 12 May, 2016 11:04 AM

Although agriculture is the largest source of livelihood for people in India, its share in the gross domestic product (GDP) has been declining over time with

Agriculture and climate change (Source: India Water Portal)
SC orders shifting of IPL matches out of Maharashtra
Policy matters this week Posted on 03 May, 2016 02:49 PM

Shift IPL matches out of Maharashtra: SC

Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai (Source: Wikipedia Commons)
Good monsoon expected this year
News this week Posted on 18 Apr, 2016 09:20 PM

Good southwest monsoon expected this year as El Nino declines

Downpour in Bihar (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
NGT slams Railways for using groundwater illegally
Policy matters this week Posted on 05 Apr, 2016 09:47 AM

Railways using groundwater 'indiscriminately and illegally': NGT

Indian Railways (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
The Dying Springs of Chirimiri'
Blasting and drilling around Chirimiri's coal mines have taken a toll on the area's water resources and environment. The film presents the community's perspective on this issue. Posted on 01 Apr, 2016 06:04 PM

Chirimiri Coalfield is a part of Central India Coalfields, located in Koriya district, Chhattisgarh.

Coal mining in Chirimiri
Groundwater: Pressing problems and future prospects
As India grows to be the largest consumer of groundwater, a paper titled ‘Overview of Groundwater in India analyses the situation in the country. Posted on 12 Mar, 2016 10:35 PM

Groundwater is the major source of drinking water in both urban and rural India, and an important source of water for agricultural and industrial sectors.

Using a handpump to extract groundwater (Source: Wikipedia)
The abandoned waters of the Red Fort 'baoli'
A unique 'baoli' older than the fort itself where two staircases from two sides meet at a central pool, lies locked up and inaccessible even to visitors. Posted on 12 Mar, 2016 02:13 PM

The Red Fort, located along the western banks of the Yamuna, was built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan when he moved his capital to Delhi from Agra and laid the foundations of Shahjahanabad, the seventh city of Delhi. Since then, the river has changed course but it’s proximity to the fort ensured that there was abundant water supply as well as protection for the city.

Red Fort: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, hides an unusual L shaped 'baoli' in its midst.
Bundelkhand women forge friendships for water
Women are not only responsible for water but they also face the brunt of water scarcity. Watch the video to find out what happens when these women become 'Jal Sahelis' (water friends). Posted on 07 Mar, 2016 03:09 PM

Sirkoo, a 39 year old woman in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh, walked 8 km every day to fetch water. As a woman, it was obviously her responsibility to ensure the household's water availability. This put an additional stress on her already depleted health as well as time--until she decided to tackle the issue head on.

Water Literacy campaign for Jal Sahelis (Source: Parmarth Samaj Sevi Sansthan)
Need for National Legislation on water announced during Jal Manthan
News this week Posted on 01 Mar, 2016 12:47 PM

Large-scale people participation in important schemes concludes Jal Manthan 

Gravity-based pipe irrigation in Uttarakhand (Source: IWP Flickr Photo)
Jharkhand's octogenarian water warrior
Simon Oraon, leading a people’s movement to save water and forests in Ranchi, Jharkhand Posted on 28 Feb, 2016 01:39 PM

It was 1961. Simon Oraon, a Class IV school drop-out began his journey against drought in Bedo, a tribal block of Ranchi, Jharkhand. An idealistic young man, he along with his fellow villagers began constructing earthen dams to capture rainwater for recharging groundwater.

A water body revived at Bedo, Ranchi
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