Rural Water

Featured Articles
October 15, 2022
Evaluating WaSH conditions spatially at the panchayat level
Synthesis of water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) spatial pattern in rural India: an integrated interpretation of WaSH practices
People in rural areas lack potable water, and use unsafe sanitation and hygiene facilities (Image: Sebastian Dahl)
May 26, 2021
Investing in “local water professionals” for the country’s water security
India needs water professionals to manage its water resources locally to be water secure. This needs focus and investment. Now.
Frontline workers get trained and acquire invaluable skills in the process of fulfilling their roles within one or multiple programs
May 18, 2021
Fostering rural livelihoods post COVID
Income loss top concern for rural communities, says study
Must have protocols for timely action and outreach in times of need (Image: DMD, Government of Bihar)
May 17, 2021
Rural realities amid second COVID surge
Practitioner's experiences in tackling the second wave in Indian villages
There is a need to strengthen the capacities of ASHA workers, and other healthcare and grassroots workers. (Image: DMD, Government of Bihar)
April 17, 2021
Skilling and engaging first mile actors to enable local water management: Context, opportunities, and engagement possibilities
Based on conversations with Dr Tushaar Shah and Mr Ved Arya
There is an urgency to create a database of such skilled persons and engage them in future programs or on a long-term basis through different engagement models. (Image: ForWater Partners)
October 25, 2019
Mapping Pune’s aquifers
Groundwater use has doubled in Pune. Comprehensive mapping of groundwater resources and better management and governance is the need of the hour.
Groundwater, an exploited resource (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Fishing for shrimp in Haryana’s farmlands
Saline waters left Rohtak's farmlands fallow. After some research by local organisations, the farmers who were into agriculture, could soon move into aquaculture!
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 05 Apr, 2014 01:08 PM

Mile after mile of saline lands line the Delhi-Rohtak-Bhiwani stretch of the highway. Here, the land wasn't always saline, it became that way thanks to canal irrigation. Farmers have used extensive surface water, which has led to an increase in groundwater levels. This leads to the twin problem of waterlogging and salinity.
Tiger shrimp production at Rohtak; Source: CIFE
A picture paints a thousand words? So do comics!
Local jokes, dialogues and narratives from issues of community quarrels over water tanks to rainwater harvesting came alive in a Grassroots Comics workshop in Sikkim to mark World Water Day.
Usha Dewani
Posted on 31 Mar, 2014 10:31 PM

As a run up to World Water Day 2014, India Water Portal conducted a Grassroots Comics workshop with Field Facilitators, Barefoot Engineers and other field workers of the Dhara Vikas Programme.
Fatehabad - Another Fukushima?
Nuclear plants are usually located near oceans or rivers in order to have access to ample water for cooling but not the plant at Fatehabad. It is India's largest and could be its most dangerous too.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 25 Mar, 2014 08:14 PM

National Highway 10 passes through Badophal, a village in Fatehabad district of Haryana. The highway is lined by a tiny market and a point where several jeeps start and terminate. These jeeps are headed to Gorakhpur village, some 15 kms away via Kajal Heri, another village en route.
Gorakhpur nuclear power plant site
The key to successfully managing groundwater in India
Dr.Himanshu Kulkarni who was Chairman Working Group on Sustainable Groundwater Management for the 12th Plan, suggests measures to mitigate the poor groundwater scenario in the country.
Makarand Purohit
Hamsa Iyer
Posted on 23 Mar, 2014 10:47 PM

Dr. Himanshu Kulkarni is the Executive Director of the Advanced Center for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM), a non-profit organisation in Pune. It is a premier education and research institution, which facilitates work on groundwater management through action research programmes and training.
A study group observing groundwater in a well
A village becomes water secure
Implementing rooftop rainwater harvesting, treating the catchment and building a community water tank are some reasons why Patkhori village is starting to sail through its water crisis.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 23 Mar, 2014 10:12 PM

Mewat, a historical region comprising of the present Mewat district of Haryana and parts of Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur districts of Rajasthan, lies in a semi-arid belt. It experiences variable rainfall annually and receives, on average, 336 mm to 540 mm, as per the Mewat Development Agency.
Water scarcity in Mewat
It takes more than money to make a difference
Eris' and 'ooranis', which are tanks that supplied water for generations in Tamil Nadu, are being revived thanks to monetary donations, good management practices and community participation.
Seetha Gopalakrishnan
Posted on 16 Mar, 2014 10:28 PM

Tamilnadu has a rich tradition of tank management at the village level. Every village had one or more irrigation tanks, locally known as ‘kanmais’ or ‘eris’, and a drinking water tank called ‘ooranis’. This system worked for centuries with the support of residents and the local administration.
View of a 'Kanmai' in Madurai
Managing tanks - a bottom-up approach
Governance by the government must give way to governance by the community if we are to preserve the tanks of Tamil Nadu, which are fast disappearing.
Seetha Gopalakrishnan
Posted on 12 Mar, 2014 10:31 AM

Our day-to-day dependence on fresh water is tremendous, whether for domestic or agricultural use. Theoretically, we know that it is a finite resource and that it can't be taken for granted but in practice, we do. India has an average rainfall of around 1150 mm but lets out nearly 1263 billion cubic metres of water into the sea unutilized. 
Chengalpattu Eri
Kerala's seas are rich in sand: GSI
News this week: Kerala's offshore areas are rich in marine sand, says GSI; JP group sells its hydro projects in HP without settling the tribals' issues; Illegal sand mining kills Chambal's ghariyals.
Swati Bansal
Posted on 10 Mar, 2014 07:54 AM

Kerala seas's rich in sand, says GSI
Ponnani Sea Shore in Kerala (Source: Wikipedia)
MoEF accepts Kerala's recommendations on Western Ghats
Policy matters this week: MoEF approves Kerala's demands on Western Ghats; Committee finds Singrauli pollution a matter of serious concern; Panels set up to manage those displaced by Alamatti dam.
Swati Bansal
Posted on 09 Mar, 2014 05:17 PM

MoEF accepts Kerala's recommendations on Western Ghats
A view of Western Ghats (Source: Wikipedia)
Interventions of a voluntary agency: The MYRADA experience
Watershed projects have succeeded in varying degrees in the country. If they are weak in organisational management, it is due to the failure of the co-interveners in providing enough opportunities.
Aloysius P. Fernandez
Posted on 08 Mar, 2014 02:37 PM

MYRADA has been working on watershed development projects since 1984-85. Through its efforts it had developed a climate of trust and confidence at the field level. Peoples' institutions have emerged and stabilised at various degrees of successes because of these efforts. 
Interventions of a voluntary agency
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