Voluntary Citizen or Civil Society Sector

Featured Articles
October 11, 2022 In an effort to inform the general public, especially citizen activists, policymakers, researchers, and students, about the current status of the Vrishabhavathi river, Paani.Earth has created the necessary maps, data, analysis, and information to drive conservation awareness and action around the river.
Vrishabhavathi river (Image Source: Paani.Earth)
October 1, 2021 Community videos as a tool to influence behaviour change and adoption in rural communities
Community videos are produced by farmers themselves and feature local participants and agents from the rural communities themselves (Image: Digital Green)
September 17, 2021 Benefits of well-managed commons on livelihoods
Collective efforts revived the canal structure of Bichhiya dam bringing water to the village (Image: Foundation for Ecological Security)
September 4, 2021 Committed to use the power of all forms of communication to bring about behavioral change and transformation at scale
Villagers participating in shramdaan for making watershed structures (Image: Paani Foundation)
September 3, 2021 Safe water learning cards being used to train a wide spectrum of stakeholders
Different combinations of safe water learning cards can be customised for a session based on the target audience (Image: INREM)
June 4, 2021 Meet these real-life heroes, who with their consistent and tireless efforts created an impact and turned their local areas into examples to follow.
Meet the water warriors who made a significant change in their own unique way (Image Source: Environment Club)
Inviting endorsements on a submission to the WGEEP for declaring the rivers in the Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs)
Help save some of the last rivers in India! Posted on 22 Apr, 2011 12:58 PM


Dear friends,

We are all aware of the immense ecological, cultural and social significance of rivers originating and flowing through the Western Ghats. This includes source regions of East flowing rivers like Krishna, Godavari and Cauvery and the source, riparian and estuarine region of all West flowing rivers.

We are lucky to still have some of the very few and very rare 'free flowing rivers' in the country. Most of the rivers in our country have been dammed and diverted. This has changed the ecological and physical characteristics of these rivers completely. Today, it is difficult for us to visualise the amazing range of ecological goods and services that an undammed, free flowing river can provide. Some such rivers in the Western Ghats are Shastri, Aghanashini, Gargai and Seetha Nadi.

‘Revival of Siddh Baba Kodiya talaab’ - Janhit Foundation's e-newsletter of March 2011
This issue of the Janhit newsletter presents the revival of a lake,and the proceedings from two workshops. Posted on 22 Apr, 2011 11:39 AM


Janhit FoundationThe Janhit Foundation's newsletter of March 2011 focuses on the following topics:

Eradication of inhuman practice of manual scavenging and comprehensive rehabilitation of manual scavengers in India – A report by Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan
This report deals with the eradication of the inhuman practice of manual scavenging and comprehensive rehabilitation of manual scavengers in India. Posted on 21 Apr, 2011 09:15 PM

Manual ScavengingThe practice continues in the country in spite of efforts of several people, implementation of government schemes such as the National Scheme for Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers since 1992 and Self Employment Scheme

Energy from Water
What is the chain of technology development and delivery that enables small scale decentralised electrification of unelectrified rural areas? Posted on 21 Apr, 2011 10:49 AM

 

An example technology is pico-hydro that uses local streams as a resource.

  • The technology is transferred as an asset to households of farmers with access to streams, in the Western Ghats region.
  • Most critically, the households decide the allocation of water between electricity generation and irrigation - they manage their demand for electricity based on water availability. The entire system retrofits into their current irrigation infrastructure.
  • At the same time, there is an entire value chain of enterprises that develop the technology and deliver it to the farmer's doorstep, integrating access to MNRE subsidies and loans as necessary. 

Development of training module for water safety plan in urban areas - A document by ESCI
A new Risk Management tool to improve Water Safety Plan
Posted on 20 Apr, 2011 03:48 AM

A Water Safety Plan (WSP) is an improved risk management tool designed to ensure the delivery of safe drinking water. It identifies hazards, means to control them, means and actions to identify loss of control and its restoration. It comprises system assessment and design, operational monitoring and management plans (including documentation and communication). Water quality guidelines have been issued by the WHO.

Lives wasted in gutters - A film from Video Volunteers
Two manual scavengers were killed while working without any safety masks or gloves which necessarily have to be provided by the government. Posted on 18 Apr, 2011 12:26 PM


 

Call for applications for DFID-ESRC Growth Programme - Apply by 26th May, 2011
Posted on 18 Apr, 2011 11:24 AM

ESRCThe Department for International Development (DFID) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) are partnering in a new programme on economic growth in developing countries. The DFID/ESRC Growth Programme (DEGP) will fund world class scientific research on issues relating to inclusive economic growth in Low Income Countries (LICs), with high potential for impact on policy and practice. 

Paddy and water management with the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) – A special issue of the journal "Paddy and Water Environment"
The international journal “Paddy and Water Environment” has brought out a special issue on “Paddy and Water Management with the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)” Posted on 17 Apr, 2011 10:30 AM

PAWEThis  brings together the results of formal research on SRI in a number of countries (Part I) and also reports on initiatives by government agencies, NGOs, universities, or the private sector, bringing knowledge of SRI to farmers in a wide range of agroecological circumstances (Part II). It has six articles and nine technical reports from Afghanistan, China, the Gambia, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Mali,  Pakistan, Panama, and Thailand as well as several review articles.

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI), developed in Madagascar almost 30 years ago, modifies certain practices for managing plants, soil, water, and nutrients with the effect of raising the productivity of the land, labor, and capital devoted to rice production. Certain production inputs are reduced—seeds, inorganic fertilizer, water, and fuel where water is pumped—with increased yield as a result.

Operation and maintenance for rural water supplies – A manual by Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation and the Water and Sanitation Program of World Bank
This manual provides information on the process through which village level water supply schemes are operated and maintained to ensure sustainable service delivery. Posted on 17 Apr, 2011 07:23 AM

RWSThis Operation and Maintenance (O&M) manual for rural water supplies by the Department of Drinking Water And Sanitation and Water and Sanitation Program of the World Bank complements their Gram Panchayat Handbook released in 2010 . It takes into account the current aspirations and challenges facing the sector, and builds on the framework already set out in the National Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) and Strategic Plan 2011-2022. 

Transparent & participatory governance in functioning of the decision-making committees on water resources
This article presents the text of an open letter to Ministry of Water Resources from a group of civil society representatives, 13 April 2011 Posted on 16 Apr, 2011 03:46 PM

To
Shri Salman Khurshid,
Union Minister of Water Resources,
Shramshakti Bhawan,
Rafi Marg,
New Delhi - 110001

2. Secretary, Union Ministry of Water Resources
3. Chairman, Central Water Commission
4. Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission
5. Member (Water), Planning Commission
6. Ms Aruna Roy, Chairperson, Working Group on Transparency, Accountability, Governance at National Advisory Council

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