Shallow Aquifers

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July 11, 2022 The Chauka system of Rajasthan can not only provide a sustainable way to manage water resources in water stressed regions, but also support livelihoods through development of pastures.
Can greening of barren lands happen? (Image Source: India Water Portal Flickr photos)
July 29, 2021 Experiences from participatory groundwater management efforts in Maharashtra
Unless work on managing the demand is undertaken, the notion of ‘infinite’ groundwater will be hard to address. (Image: Rucha Deshmukh, ACWADAM)
December 4, 2019 The 2015­-2018 drought, the longest, but less severe of droughts experienced by India raises alarm on the negative effects of future droughts on water security in the country.
India will see more droughts in the future. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
October 25, 2019 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)
October 1, 2019 Deconstructing the traditional narrow engineering based policy discourses around floods and droughts and connecting them to social and cultural realities is the need of the hour in India.
Water talk Series at Mumbai (Image Source:Tata Insitute of Social Sciences)
September 30, 2019 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.
A peak at the future: Simulating Coonoor’s water situation
Using computer simulation, Keystone Foundation demonstrates the impact of domestic use, tourism, plantation and farming on the water situation in Coonoor in the Nilgiris. Posted on 23 Dec, 2013 03:40 PM

The Nilgiris have undergone an incredible amount of change in the last 10 years. Coonoor, an area well endowed with natural resources, is the second largest tourist destination here. However, over the last year (2012-13), the town has been reeling under a water crisis [1].

Coonoor Land Use Map
Small MP village inspires neighbours
Once water-deficient, Didakhedi in Madhya Pradesh is now a village with year-round water supply and a sense of community and belonging. Posted on 01 Dec, 2013 08:31 PM

The 200 odd residents of Didakhedi, a sleepy village just 13 kms from Sehore town in Madhya Pradesh, never had adequate water. Two decades ago, most of the farming in the village was done during the monsoons. The village had no electricity and a lone diesel pump operated the shallow dug wells to irrigate some lands during the winter.

Phailin rain increases Andhra groundwater levels
News this week: Rainfall after Phailin increases groundwater level in Andhra, poor sanitation in eastern UP and activists rise against petroleum investment zone in Visakhapatnam. Posted on 19 Nov, 2013 10:21 AM

Phailin increases Andhra groundwater levels

Phailin raises groundwater in Andhra (EU-ECHO)
Cyclone Phailin finally wanes
News this week: Cyclone Phailin wanes, Chandrapur power plant pollutes city and Central Railways save power worth Rs. 5 crore. Posted on 15 Oct, 2013 12:26 PM

Cyclone Phailin finally wanes

Phailin over the Bay of Bengal (Wikimedia)
Tug of war on the Gomti
A river, which once unified people, is now being manipulated in the name of 'river conservation'. All it is, is an excuse to create a divide and further caste conflict. Posted on 29 Aug, 2013 02:44 PM

As temple tanks go, this one is quite beautiful. It is a rectangular masonry-lined tank, about the size of a badminton court. Brick steps lead down to the water. On one of its longer sides is a lovely old temple, shaded by mango trees. Groups of men and women sit and gossip in the coolness. Facing them is an avenue of large trees, below which sit contemplative buffaloes.

Gomat Taal is reputedly the source of the Gomti
Amritsar - the pond of nectar
Faith, service and legends - the holy city is full of tales around water. Take a dip! Posted on 16 Aug, 2013 02:27 PM

“PAWAN GURU, pani pita, mata dharti mahat” (air is teacher, water is father and earth our mother) -  thus goes the closing line of the Japji Sahib given by the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev. It holds special significance for Amritsar, the holy city, which boasts of the Harmandar Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple).

The holy sarovar around the Golden Temple
What's in your drinking water?
Water contains naturally occurring compounds such as lead and arsenic among others. How harmful are these and what is the level of contamination we are exposed to? Posted on 19 Jul, 2013 03:11 PM

Both rural and urban India are faced with water problems. People do not have access to good quality, safe drinking water. The source for most drinking water is either rivers or underground aquifers (wells). Since water can dissolve just about anything that it comes into contact with long enough, often the groundwater we get isn’t pure.

Water quality in India Source UNICEF Repository
Sacchidanand Bharti - in his own words
The environmental conservation efforts in Ufrenkhal have been written about for nearly three decades but always by others. Here is the story in the protagonist's own words. Posted on 15 Jul, 2013 07:12 PM

Reams have been written about Sacchidanand Bharti, of Ufrenkhal fame and his work on afforestation and water conservation. However, very rarely does he speak about his own efforts and experiences.

Sacchidanand Bharti in the Ufrenkhal forest
The Bhilai Steel Plant, a symbol of modern India, is running out of iron ore
Once filled with dense forests, the Dalli Rajhara area which supplies iron ore to the Bhilai Steel Plant, is now a reddish vast expanse taking a toll on the villagers and their water resources. Posted on 06 Jul, 2013 09:31 AM

For the last 50 years, the Bhilai Steel Plant, which is India's largest integrated steel plant has got its supply of iron ore from Dalli Rajhara's mines. Dalli Rajhara, a municipality which is also an industrial city is located 90km south of Durg in Chhattisgarh. It is a part of the Rajhara group of mines. Iron ore mined in this area are of two types - hematite and magnetite.

Dalli Rajhara Mines in Chhattisgarh
Crop cultivation or construction - tough choice in Andhra Pradesh
Excessive sand quarrying to meet the demands of the construction industry is destroying local irrigation systems in Anantapur. Which will prevail - agriculture or construction? Posted on 17 Jun, 2013 05:29 PM

The construction industry went through a boom in the 1990s due to more people demanding and affording houses. This put a lot of pressure on the Pennar area in Andhra Pradesh. Sandmining, which is the process of taking sand, became rampant at that time.

Gonchi irrigation system in Anantapur
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