Aarti Kelkar Khambete

The Karnataka State Water Policy 2019

The Karnataka Jnana Aayoga (KJA) set up a Task Group to draft a new water policy for Karnataka in December 2017 and the report is now in public domain. What are the suggestions that the report makes? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 8 months ago

Groundwater depletion, a growing challenge (Image Source: India Water Portal)

Whose forests, whose rights?

While forest bureaucracy has been trying to undermine reforms in forest governance in India, the need for community level forest governance is more urgent than ever. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 9 months ago

Mangar Bani, a green patch between Faridabad and Gurgaon (Image: Pradip Krishen, Facebook)

Groundwater variability: The tale of two states

Gujarat shows good groundwater storage while Rajasthan shows severe groundwater depletion, inspite of both states in western India receiving good rainfall. Why is this so? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 9 months ago

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

Aerosols and droughts: Is there a connection?

A study finds that high levels of aerosols in the atmosphere further worsen the impacts of El Nino on the rainfall leading to increased frequency of droughts in India. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 9 months ago

The role of aerosols in triggering droughts (Image Source: IWP flickr photos)

Micro-irrigation and groundwater use

A study from Gujarat finds that micro-irrigation combined with metered power led to a reduction in uncontrolled groundwater extraction by farmers. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 9 months ago

Micro-irrigation and its impact on groundwater (Image Source: India Water Portal)

India’s tryst with climate change

Dr. Aradhana Yaduvanshi, a hydro meteorologist at WOTR, talks to us about what current research on global warming shows, and possible adaptation and coping mechanisms. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 10 months ago

Flooding in Mumbai during the monsoons (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Looking back into history to understand droughts

The 2015-2018 drought, the longest, but less severe of droughts experienced by India raises alarm on the negative effects of future droughts on water security in the country. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 10 months ago

India will see more droughts in the future. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Shoddy impact assessments, mining and ruin in Goa

A study finds that weak environmental assessment reporting on the adverse impacts of mining has spelled doom for Goa’s environment. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 10 months ago

A mining site in India (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The poisoned landscapes of Punjab

Excessive and unregulated pesticide use has not only poisoned the soil, water and environment in villages in Punjab’s Malwa region – it has also increased health risks for the people. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 10 months ago

Farmer spraying pesticide (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

India’s rivers carry deadly pathogens

A global study on pathogens in rivers finds that Indian rivers harbour dangerous levels of diarrhoeal disease-causing pathogens. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 11 months ago

The river Mutha in Pune (Image Source: India Water Portal)

Mapping Pune’s aquifers

Groundwater use has doubled in Pune. Comprehensive mapping of groundwater resources and better management and governance is the need of the hour. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 11 months ago

Groundwater, an exploited resource (Image Source: India Water Portal)

Ice stupas, the contested water towers of Ladakh

While ice stupas have been hailed as sustainable solutions to the water problems of Ladakh’s villages, the locals think otherwise. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 4 years 11 months ago

Ice Stupas near Phyang monastery (Image Courtsey: Sumita Roy Dutta, Wikimedia Commons)

Saving Aarey, the last lungs of Bombay

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. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 years ago

Aarey, the green lungs of Mumbai (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

India’s target to combat land degradation and desertification

While India has increased its target of restoring degraded land from 21 million ha to 26 million ha, what is the scale of the challenge and what do the new targets mean? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 years ago

Combating desertification and land degradation in semi-arid regions of Maharashtra, India (Image Source: WOTR)

From droughts to floods: India’s tryst with climate extremes

Deconstructing the traditional narrow engineering based policy discourses around floods and droughts and connecting them to social and cultural realities is the need of the hour in India. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 years ago

Water talk Series at Mumbai (Image Source:Tata Insitute of Social Sciences)

Groundwater markets flourish in peri-urban Hyderabad

Groundwater, drawn at rapid rates from peri-urban areas of Hyderabad is now turning into a commodity, controlled and distributed by a few, to meet the needs of the urban elite. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 years ago

Groundwater in Hyderabad, in peril (Image Source: India Water Portal)

Farm ponds change farmers’ fortunes

While farm ponds in Jharkhand have helped farmers increase yields, they have also exposed them to the risk of price fluctuations, highlighting the need for ‘beyond the farm’ interventions. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 years 1 month ago

Farm ponds are one way to deal with water scarcity (Image Source: India Water Portal Flickr photos)

Dams, in distress?

It is time water policies in India acknowledge that many large dams have aged and can no longer be looked upon as the only path to water security. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 years 1 month ago

Hirakud, India's oldest dam (Image Source: India Water Portal on Flickr)

Protecting the kidneys of Kolkata – the East Kolkata Wetlands

A real estate boom is tightening its grip on the East Kolkata Wetlands, a unique waste processing ecosystem. Cooperation and coproduction, not conflict are needed to save them. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 years 2 months ago

Fishermen use wastewater of Kolkata to rear fish (Image Source: India Water Portal)

Is the Jalayukt Shivar Abhiyan just a quick fix to manage droughts?

A research paper argues that quick fix solutions to drought management will not work unless they are backed up by proper planning, implementation, monitoring and regulation of water use. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 years 2 months ago

Quick fix solutions to droughts will not work (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)