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November 13, 2019 News this week
A cyclonic storm that hit India in 2016. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
October 18, 2019 A study using remote sensing techniques assesses significant changes in land use in Loktak lake.
A home on Loktak lake in Moirang, Manipur (Image: Sharada Prasad CS, Wikipedia Commons)
October 11, 2019 Mumbai’s citizens came out in droves to save trees from being felled in Aarey to make way for the metro. Collective action is crucial to save the green lungs of India's rapidly urbanising cities.
Aarey, the green lungs of Mumbai (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
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.
September 24, 2019 Policy matters this week
Despite the ban, manual scavenging continues. (Image courtesy: The Hindu)
Land acquisition for Renuka dam continues despite uncertainties - Press release from the Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti
Protests against Renuka dam fails to stop land acquisitions; owners of the land being resettled against wishes: Cost of Development? Posted on 21 Dec, 2010 12:24 PM

Forwarded to the portal by: Manshi Asher
Content Courtesy: Himvani
Author: Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti

Despite protest against forced acquisition of land, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) and revenue administration today notified Section 9 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894, for approximately 680 big has (about 57 hectares) of land of Panaar Village for the Renuka Dam Project. In a letter to the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court sent today, activists appealed for a stay on land acquisition for the project, considering the uncertainty surrounding the project.

Himalayi Jan Goshnapatra: Himalayi Niti Ka Prarup – A report in Hindi by the Gandhi Peace Foundation
The Himalayan People's Manifesto has been brought out with the help of various documents prepared by various people and organisations at different times, which demands the government to frame a policy to protect the region. Posted on 18 Dec, 2010 08:19 AM

This document in Hindi prepared by the Gandhi Peace Foundation, is a blueprint of the Himalayan People's Manifesto. The manifesto has been brought out with the help of various documents prepared by various people and organisations at different times. It will be finalised by the next Himalayan Day on September 9, 2011.

Immediate moratorium sought on clearances for large dams in northeast India - Press release by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (Assam)
Recent times have seen many concerns raised both about individual and cumulative impacts (downstream and upstream) of multiple dams planned in the North East region. Posted on 14 Dec, 2010 10:56 PM


23rd November 2010, New Delhi

  • Seeking a moratorium on clearances for large dams in Northeast India
  • Withdrawal of clearances granted to 2000 MW Lower Subansiri, 1750 MW Demwe Lower & 1500 MW Tipaimukh dams
  • Future steps on hydropower projects and dams only after full, prior and informed consent of people in the region
  • Protect the Brahmaputra river basin as a cultural and ecological endowment
Wildlife Wetlands Photography Contest & Young Environmentalists Programme
Posted on 09 Dec, 2010 10:48 AM

Wildlife Wetlands Photography Contest by WWF & Young Environmentalists Programme in association with Meluha-The Ferns ecotel, Hiranandani Gardens Powai, Mumbai-400076 on 2nd February 2011.

World Wetlands Day Photography Submissions

A brand new photography international competition is here, the WWF & YEPT in association with Meluha-The Ferns ecotel awards celebrates and recognizes the talents of photographers of all nationalities highlighting the great wealth and diversity of wetlands and wildlife on Planet Earth.

Climate change and India - A sectoral and regional analysis for 2030s by the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA)
Assessment of impact of climate change on himalayas, western ghats, coastal areas and the north-east in 2030s Posted on 05 Dec, 2010 10:45 AM

This report prepared by the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) provides an assessment of impact of climate change in 2030s on four key sectors of the Indian economy, namely agriculture, water, natural ecosystems & biodiversity and health in four climate sensitive regions of India, namely the Himalayan region, the Western Ghats, the Coastal Area and the North-East Region. This is the for the first time that such a comprehensive, long term assessment has been undertaken based on rigorous scientific analysis for the 2030s (all previous assessments were for the 2070s and beyond). 

Rapid assessment survey of Kodaikanal lake - ENVIS Centre (TN) (2009)
Tourists endanger Kodaikanal's freshwater lake and the biodiversity dependent on it Posted on 02 Aug, 2010 02:02 AM

Rapid Assessment survey of Kodaikanal lake - ENVIS Centre (TN)This document by the Department of Environment, Government of Tamil Nadu highlights the importance of the Kodaikanal lake as an important tourist destination and warns that this freshwater lake is under the threat of getting polluted and its biodiversity endangered.

The document presents the findings of the study that aimed at assessing the physico-chemical and biological quality of the Kodaikanal lake.

Evidence indicates that unrestricted tourism activities have led to high use of plastic bottles, glass bottles, plastic bags, causing high levels of pollution and silting of the lake. Damaged fibreglass boats left inside the lakes also pose a serious threat to the lake ecosystem.

Salvaging and scapegoating: Slum evictions on Chennai’s waterways - EPW paper
This document discusses the historical shifts in the governance of urban water and the urban poor in cities, their reflection in the transformed cultural and political imagery of rivers in Chennai. Posted on 02 Aug, 2010 01:03 AM

The paper highlights the case of recent projects that have been planned on the river Cooum in Chennai.

Environmental flows: Free-flowing rivers around the world
The other side of the story: Free-flowing rivers around the world Posted on 30 Jul, 2010 11:56 AM

This is the first in a new series of articles that IWP will host on various aspects of Environmental Flows. We welcome your comments and original articles for this series, please mail us at portal@arghyam.org


The other side of the story: Free-flowing rivers around the world

With around 5100 large dams, India ranks third in the world with regards to the number of large dams. The ongoing debate over the economic, social and environmental costs of large dams has indicated many times that these costs are not commensurate with their benefits. Although we have dammed all our major rivers, (except Brahmaputra and plans to dam its major tributaries are on way, some like Ranganadi have already been dammed), profoundly changing their hydrological, ecological, social and cultural systems, we are yet to form a policy which states that environmental flows in rivers are a necessity. It is more than clear now that environmental flows relate to well being of not only ‘birds and fishes’, but also of the entire human society . Take an example of fisheries, lack of flows in rivers and contractor-owned reservoir fishing has affected the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of small fishermen . Environmental flows also dilute pollution load, so let us not hide behind the fact that pollution is wiping out our riverine fish, not the absence of flows. It is also clear that environmental flows do NOT mean a decommissioning of all the present dams, nor do they mean any random figure like 60% or 10% of MAR . Eflows require reaching a wise compromise through science and local negotiations, for each river.

While many countries have put in place policies and laws for maintaining environmental flows in their rivers, there is also a rarer category: Rivers which have not been dammed yet, rivers which retain their connection from the source to the sea, nurturing myriad ecosystems and communities in their wake! These are known by many names like Free flowing rivers, Wild Rivers, Pristine/ Virgin rivers, Heritage Rivers, etc., each indicating their rare character and value. In ecological and cultural terms, the value of these rivers is immense and as more and more rivers are being dammed the world over, this value is increasing steeply. Unfortunately, in today’s economic terms, these rivers are still waiting to get their due recognition, but as human systems evolve, they will surely be seen as ‘invaluable’ service providers with phenomenal use and non use values.

Relevance of Meltwater in River Basin Hydrology
Much talked about disappearing Himalayan glaciers, little is done and more is debated. In this ongoing discourse, we lose the rate of river flows. Seeking facts... Posted on 23 Jul, 2010 10:53 PM

peer paper in Science Magazine focuses on the core of a riverine system, the upstream basin, and its impact on the entire river basin.

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