Sustainability

Featured Articles
December 6, 2022 Need to shift to a more sustainable diet without compromising on major nutrients and calories
Historically, India has been a net exporter of virtual water (Image: PxHere)
November 6, 2022 In 2020, 559 million children were affected by four to five heatwaves a year; numbers could increase four-fold by 2050, as per a report by UNICEF
Heat-related mortality is four times higher among children under 1 year of age than in persons aged 1–44 years (Image: Taqver, Wikimedia Commons)
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)
December 6, 2021 Will it be possible to ensure equity and justice while balancing climate action goals with economic progress?
Taking everyone along while achieving a balance between economic growth and climate goals is crucial (Image Source:  Good Energies)
March 22, 2021 The recent 'Water governance standard and certification system' developed by WOTR can greatly help villages to develop good governance practices and manage their water needs equitably and sustainably.
Long queues waiting for tankers are common in different parts of Maharashtra during water scarcity (Image Source: WOTR)
December 29, 2020 Water resources in most Indian cities are overworked and overused, and not adequately replenished.
Cities in India are marked by unequal distribution of water, lack of access, outdated infrastructure and minimal enforcement of rainwater harvesting and other means of supply. (Image: Anish Roy, Pixabay)
Water cup works where authorities fail
Paani Foundation tasks the villagers with the responsibility of managing their water and saving their villages from drought. Posted on 12 Oct, 2017 09:58 AM

Historians will tell you that an explosion of creativity occurs the moment the world starts complaining that there is nothing left to invent, or that the search for solutions has come to an end.

Effective watershed management can solve the water crisis in Maharashtra. (Source: IWP Flickr photos--photo for representation only)
Romancing the Ganga
The Ganga has now been transformed into a water machine with millions of tube wells and canals sucking its waters at frightening rates. What are its implications? Posted on 10 Oct, 2017 09:59 AM

The Ganges, the most revered river in India, faces an unusual predicament. Pollution and excessive usage have turned it into a toxic sludge as it snakes its way through cities, industrial hubs and millions of devotees.

The Ganga (Image source: Anthony Acciavatti)
When women came together for water
The video tells the story of the women of Podapathar village in Himgir panchayat in Odisha who, through their collective efforts, managed to improve the drinking water situation in their village. Posted on 04 Oct, 2017 01:29 PM

Women of Podapathar village in Sundargarh district in Odisha have become an inspiration for millions of women in the country now, thanks to their determination to improve the drinking water situation in their village. 

Women of Podapathar (Source: India Water Problem)
The fight for the doomed land
Here's a video that tells the story of the struggle of the people displaced by the Hirakud dam and their right over the land. Posted on 04 Oct, 2017 05:36 AM

On January 13, 1957, the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the Hirakud dam, calling it the temple of modern India. It has submerged more than 360 villages (1,23,000 acres of land) and displaced 26,561 families.

Hirakud Dam (Source: India Water Portal)
Western Ghats: The green gold of India
Increase in human activities in the Western Ghats is threatening the biodiversity. A video tells us why investing in nature is the need of the hour. Posted on 25 Sep, 2017 05:19 PM

The Western Ghats is one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity in the world and is spread across six states—Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The forests in the Western Ghats are the water towers of peninsular India.

Western Ghats as seen from Gobichettipalayam. (Source: www.wikipedia.org)
Saving kunds of Vrindavan
An NGO comes forward to restore the forgotten kunds of Vrindavan which are not just historical marvels but are also freshwater sources. Posted on 23 Sep, 2017 12:16 PM

Vrindavan, the small dusty twin town of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, has a special place in the Hindu mythology. This is where Lord Krishna is believed to have spent most of his childhood and adolescence. The river Yamuna straddles through the town, a hot destination for thousands of devotees lining up for a dip in it every day.

Ancient man-made small water bodies known as kunds are being revived through an NGO's efforts. (Image source: Braj Foundation)
Ousteri lake needs help!
A large part of Ousteri lake has been converted into commercial, non-agricultural purposes. A video tells us why it is important to restore it. Posted on 19 Sep, 2017 12:04 PM

Ousteri lake is the largest water body in the Puducherry region.

Ousteri lake (Source: Screenshot from the film Ousteri Lake)
A fishing holiday for marine health
Can seasonal fishing ban improve fish production and biodiversity? A video has the answers. Posted on 15 Sep, 2017 02:29 PM

"The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not enough for everyone's greed”--Mahatma Gandhi 

A fisherman shows juvenile fishes. (Source: India water portal)
Citizens participate in mapping Bengaluru’s groundwater
A partnership between Biome, ACWADAM and WIPRO brought stakeholders together to map Sarjapur's aquifer. Posted on 14 Sep, 2017 11:34 AM

The problem of Bengaluru’s water is well known.

Talapariges, the small traditional water bodies of Karnataka. (Source: IWP Flickr photo by Mallikarjuna Hosapalya)
Wetlands wait to be saved
No wetlands have been notified in Delhi-NCR since the wetlands rules were brought out in 2010. Meanwhile, draft wetlands rules are set to decentralise its management to states. Posted on 14 Sep, 2017 10:52 AM

In the afternoons these days, Basai wears a deserted look. Known as a bird’s delight and privileged by the protected status of a national park, the wetland is located just eight kilometres from Sultanpur bird sanctuary in Gurugram in Haryana. No birds can be spotted foraging the soil of the Basai wetland or its waters.

Sun sets on a water body inside Keoladeo National Park. (Image: Swati Sidhu, Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA-4.0)
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