Society, Culture, Religion and History

Featured Articles
January 13, 2022
Water management in the times of Gonds of Central India
The water structures constructed during the Gond period continue to survive the test of time and provide evidence of the water wisdom of our ancestors.
Kundeshwar lake, Kundam in Jabalpur (Image Source: K G Vyas)
January 2, 2021
The fast disappearing traditional water harvesting structures of Rajasthan
Lack of community ownership and local governance are spelling doom for the once royal and resilient traditional water harvesting structures of Rajasthan.
Toorji Ka Jhalara, Jodhpur (Image Source: Rituja Mitra)
December 7, 2020
Not in the interest of women farmers!
The new farm related bills will spell doom for women workers who form the bulk of small and marginal sections of Indian agriculture, warns Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch (MAKAAM).
Farm women, overworked and underpaid (Image Source: India Water Portal)
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
December 4, 2019
In wake of climate change, prioritise and invest in water security and clean drinking water
To adapt well & build resilience, climate change strategies need to factor in efforts towards water security, writes Vanita Suneja, Regional Advocacy Manager (South Asia), WaterAid.
Image credit: WaterAid/Prashanth Vishwanathan
December 2, 2019
Water stewardship approach to minimizing risks for businesses
Water stewardship is an approach predicated on the concept that water is a shared resource and so water risks are also shared risks that everyone in a catchment will face
Picture credit: Romit Sen
Could the water towers of Asia be drying up soon?
As climate change and urbanisation threaten water security in the HKH region, there is an urgent need for good water governance.
Christopher A. Scott et al
Posted on 24 Mar, 2019 11:03 AM

The Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH) cover 3500 kms across eight countries namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
A view of the Himalayas. (Source: IWP Flickr photos--photo for representation purpose only)
UN World Water Development Report out
News this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 21 Mar, 2019 07:48 PM

UN releases the World Water Development Report 2019
UN report suggests better management of water resources to ensure equity of water. (Image source: IWP Flickr photos)
Dumping waste effectively
Three environment-friendly ways of disposing of human waste have proven effective in various districts of Chhattisgarh.
Makarand Purohit
Posted on 16 Mar, 2019 03:51 PM

According to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) website, access to toilets has improved in India and 28 out of 36 states and Union Territories are now open defecation free (ODF). While that’s good news, managing faecal sludge in ODF states in an eco-friendly way continues to be a big challenge. 
Evapotranspiration community toilet at Shankarnagar, Kumhari (Source: India Water Portal)
Protecting Surajpur wetland
Surajpur wetland faces the threat of habitat loss because of the proliferating real estate development in the area.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 13 Mar, 2019 05:29 PM

The migratory bird season is in full swing and avid bird watchers have flocked to Surajpur wetland to sight the charismatic Common Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Bar-headed Goose, Greylag Goose, Northern Shoveler and Gadwall.
The forest department and local activists discuss the threats on Surajpur, an urban wetland encroached upon by private real estate as well as the government. (Image: India Water Portal)
Women and Water
On International Women's Day today, we take a look at the critical connects between gender and water.
India Water Portal
Posted on 08 Mar, 2019 12:45 PM

In India, women often travel long distances to fetch water. This in turn affects school attendance for young girls, and has a domino effect on other development indicators. Women and girls are an important stakeholder to be considered in the design of interventions and programmes to ensure access to safe water for all.
Women and water: a critical connect
Earth not for humans alone: NGT to Assam
Policy matter this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 06 Mar, 2019 08:17 AM

NGT takes a stand on Deepor Beel
Waste dumped near the Deepor Beel (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
SC orders forced eviction of tribals, forest dwellers
Policy matters this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 27 Feb, 2019 01:31 PM

Forced eviction ordered for more than one million tribals and forest-dwellers
Tribal women in Chhattisgarh (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
River basin governance: Learnings from Cauvery conflict
While the recent ruling of the Supreme court on the Cauvery conflict opens up new possibilities, a push for holistic and interdisciplinary river basin governance is required.
Nilanjan Ghosh
Jayanta Bandopadhyay
Jaya Thakur
Posted on 15 Feb, 2019 01:38 PM

The river Cauvery—an inter-state river shared by the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as well as the Union Territory of Pondicherry—has often been in the news for the fight over its waters between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. What dominates the issue is the conflicting demands for irrigation from the plateau region of Karnataka and the delta region in Tamil Nadu.
Cauvery river at Hogenakal, Karnataka. (Source: IWP Flickr Photos via Claire Arni and Oriole Henri)
Urban Water Challenge Workshop
Do you have an innovative solution that will address the Urban Water Challenges in Bangalore?
Posted on 13 Feb, 2019 10:59 AM

Are you ready to apply the collective brain power of multinationals, startups, innovators and entrepreneurial ecosystem builders to make sustainable change for urban water in India?
Can we gain from changing rains?
While changing rainfall patterns, increased frequency of cyclones, droughts and floods threaten food and water security in India, adaptation strategies to cope with these changes are crucial.
Aarti Kelkar Khambete
Posted on 07 Feb, 2019 12:30 PM

India is undergoing a major transition with changes in rainfall patterns leading to increased frequency of droughts, floods, heat waves amidst fear of a major water crisis in the years to come. Why are these threats increasing?
Changing rainfall patterns in India (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
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