Aarti Kelkar Khambete

Water wisdom of the Gonds of Garha Mandla

A peek into history shows how the Gonds of Garha Mandla managed their water needs with great ingenuity and wisdom by constructing and maintaining water tanks . Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years ago

Kolatal, a traditional tank in Garha region of Jabalpur (Image Source: K. G. Vyas)

Where does the water in a well come from?

In the water sector, the focus on fixing demand and supply is taking us away from the real problem - the unnoticed groundwater dependencies in ever-expanding urban India. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years ago

An open well in Maharashtra (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos) Image used for representational purposes only.

Who is the thirstiest of them all?

A study evaluating the water use efficiency of sugarcane, curry banana and paddy among borewell irrigating farmers finds paddy to be the most inefficient and thirstiest of the three. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 1 month ago

Paddy, a thirsty crop (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)

Farm ponds need pondering

While farm ponds have often been depicted as magic wands to deal with water scarcity, experiences in Maharashtra show otherwise. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 1 month ago

Farm ponds, often touted as magic wands to tackle water scarcity, have raised a number of concerns (Image Source: Ninad Sargar)

The fast disappearing glaciers of Kashmir

The glaciers located in the Kashmir Himalayas are melting at rapid rates posing a threat to water security in the region!. How is Kashmir coping? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 1 month ago

Kolahoi glacier in Kashmir (Image Source: Irfanaru via Wikimedia Commons)

Holy waters, unholy outcomes!

A study found that mass bathing events in the Kshipra river not only led to high pollution, but also to the presence of multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria in its waters, posing a risk to health. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 1 month ago

A priest offers water to the sun at Ramghat on the Kshipra river at Simhastha (Image Source: Makarand Purohit)

Think, before you have your cup of tea!

Women workers from tea plantations in India are overworked and underpaid. Voiceless, without any rights at the workplace, and their health compromised, they continue to suffer in silence. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 2 months ago

Women workers at a tea plantation in Assam (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Building awareness to changing behaviour: A paradigm shift with digital technology

Use of online training has not only helped rural and urban residents and government in Maharashtra to become more aware, but also empowered them to take collective action to tackle the pandemic. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 2 months ago

Rural training at the doorstep (Image Source: UNICEF)

When solving one problem triggers another

Use of guppy fish to control mosquito populations in water bodies has given rise to another problem - that of its negative impact on native freshwater diversity. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 2 months ago

Guppies for mosquito control (Image Source: Rchampagne via Wikimedia Commons)

Tank desiltation scheme in Maharashtra: Policy concerns and way forward

Maharashtra has been implementing the Gaalmukt Dharan, Gaalyukt Shivar Yojana (GDGS) scheme since 2017. How has it fared and what needs to be done to improve it further? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 3 months ago

Desiltation activities undertaken under the GDGS in Maharahstra (Image Source: NASHIKONWEB.COM)

Water fleas can warn of water pollution!

Water fleas, tiny organisms found in water can help save rivers! Read this interview with freshwater biologist, Dr Sameer Padhye, to know how. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 3 months ago

Pumping groundwater to harnessing rainfall: A tale of two states

Saurashtra, and Vidarbha and Marathwada have similar climatic and aquifer characteristics. Why do the latter suffer from droughts when Saurashtra has been able to improve its groundwater levels? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 3 months ago

Groundwater decline in India (Image Source: India Water Portal)

Protecting mangroves, to deal with cyclones

Mangroves not only help India economically by protecting coastal assets during cyclones, but also help by protecting people in densely populated coastal areas. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 4 months ago

Mangroves of the Sundarbans. (Source: Nature Environment & Wildlife Society - NEWS)

Dams spell doom for freshwater fish

A global study finds that freshwater fish suffer more due to fragmentation and loss of connectivity of rivers due to building of dams. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 4 months ago

Dams can threaten biodiversity (Image Source: India Water Portal)

Battling Covid-19 in Jharkhand

While tribals in Jharkhand continue to struggle with the impacts of Covid-19, WOTR has been on the frontlines helping them cope with poverty and hunger. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 4 months ago

Distribution of ration to cope with the impacts of the pandemic (Image Source: WOTR)

Northeast fights Covid-19

While Northeast appears to be better off than the rest of India in the number of Covid cases, how are migrants from the North East coping? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 4 months ago

Ration distribution to the migrants (Image Source: Sunbird Trust)

Mumbai slums fight Covid-19

While sanitation in Mumbai slums presents unique challenges, MCGM joins hands with other sanitation warriors to fight Covid-19, with conviction! Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 4 months ago

Flushing the virus, in times of Covid-19 (Image Source: Anand Jagtap)

Menstrual hygiene needs, in times of Covid-19

While women in India suffer in silence during menstruation, Red is the New Green helps women cope with dignity, even more in times of Covid-19 Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 4 months ago

Managing menstrual hygiene, in times of Covid-19 (Image Source: RISE Foundation)

Flushing away Covid-19, the Mumbai way!

While Mumbai slums have emerged as Covid-19 hotspots, Triratna Prerna Mandal (TPM) is moving ahead with conviction, to tackle the sanitation situation and ‘flush the virus’! Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 5 months ago

Training safai and cremation workers on safe practices during the corona pandemic (Image Source: Triratna Prerna Mandal)

WASH warriors, in the making!

In addition to improving WASH facilities, changing WASH behaviour at a young age can go a long way in coping with infectious diseases like Covid-19 in the future! Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 5 months ago