Demand for work under MGNREGA rises as monsoon plays truant

Rural job demand under MGNREGA rises as monsoon plays truant

India is currently facing a rainfall deficit of 40 percent according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) As monsoon enters the second week of September. The poor rainfall has resulted in an increased employment percentage under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

As per the data available at the Management Information System (MIS) of the rural employment scheme’s website, the percentage of demand for job has increased significantly if compared with the pre-pandemic scenario. 

In the peak monsoon months of June, July and August 2023, the demand has escalated by 32.6 per cent, 28 per cent and 31.12 per cent, respectively as MGNREGS acts as a safety net for rural population. Poor rainfall and delay in sowing of paddy has accelerated the crises.

Bihar, Jharkhand, Tripura, Kerala, Odisha, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are some of the states that are showing show more demand for jobs per households compared to the pre-pandemic era (Down To Earth). 

IIT Madras develops a robot to check for leaks in sewer and water pipes

Solinas Integrity, a climate tech startup incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, has launched a robot that can check for leaks in sewer and water pipes. The Swasth AI and endobot sewer is an addition to the existing pipeline inspection robots the company has developed and aims at revolutionising the country’s urban sewage infrastructure through managing a city’s sewer system, through an end-to-end condition assessment platform. 

Swasth AI’s cloud-based system provides an interface and helps maintain and manage the entire distribution network, providing data visualisation support that can enables stakeholders to easily access and interpret data relevant to their specific needs.

This can help in optimising maintenance schedules, reduce operational costs, and enhance the efficiency and longevity of critical infrastructure assets and reduce the time needed for defect detection, minimising disruptions, and cutting costs associated with manual labour, multiple excavations, and repetitive inspections (The Hindu).

A study suggests ways to combat land degradation in India

Mapping of degraded lands in the country by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre shows that 97.85 million hectare (mha), accounting for about 29.77 percent of the country’s total geographic area, is under degradation as of 2018-19.

A recent study conducted by the researchers at Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) states that soil and land degradation have been extensively influenced by both, natural factors and human activities, for which it is imperative to take immediate action to halt degradation processes and restore degraded lands. Thus, frequent assessments of the type, degree, extent, and causative factors of soil erosion are essential to achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN) in the country.

The study suggests that the land degradation processes can be restricted through a comprehensive planning approach that looks at the causes of land degradation and promotes sustainable ways to use land.

This will require long term commitments and should involve identification of suitable areas for eco-restoration and afforestation with climate-resilient multipurpose tree species; managing soil erosion by adopting location-specific and water conservation practices; dealing with soil salinity in agricultural land; adopting proper agriculture and land management practices and converging these activities with the ongoing national and state government programmes (New Indian Express).

Locals raise their voices against small hydropower projects in Darjeeling

Chhota Rangit is a stream that originates from Manebhanjan, a town bordering Nepal in West Bengal’s northernmost region, and flows through several towns and villages in Darjeeling district before merging with the Rangit river in Sikkim’s Jorethang, which eventually meets the Teesta. Chhota Rangit is met by another river Balawas near a town called Pulbazar, a few kilometres from Bijanbari.

The West Bengal government has proposed two hydro-electric projects–a 12 megawatt (MW) project on Chhota Rangit and a 6 MW one on Balawas near this confluence. However, locals in Bijanbari and Pullbazar fear the projects will endanger their way of life as the rivers are the source of their livelihoods.

Residents of Bijanbari, Pullbazar, and other towns and villages have formed the ‘Save Chhota Rangit Campaigning Committee’ which has 350 active members. A detailed project report (DPR) is yet to be released by the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited (WBSEDCL), the state agency in charge of the project.

Locals allege that the flow of the river would be stopped ahead of Bijanbari, causing severe ecological damages and that Chhota Rangit’s water would be diverted ahead of Bijanbari and taken to a reservoir and powerhouse that would be built near Pullbazar via underground channels. This will not only lead to drying up of the river here and beyond, but will also increase the phenomenon of flooding, argue the locals (Indiaspend).

The Karnataka forest and fisheries departments join hands to revive the critically endangered  mahseer in the Cauvery

The Karnataka forest and fisheries departments have launched a recovery project for the critically endangered orange-finned mahseer, a fish native to the Cauvery river and known as the ‘tiger of water’ which can reach the size of over 1.5 metres in length and weigh 55 kg. The fish that once thrived in the waters of the Cauvery is on the verge of extinction and has been identified as “critically endangered” on the IUCN red list.

Pollution, dam construction and illegal destructive practices like dynamite fishing have all contributed to the decline of the mahseer in the river. The local fish in the Cauvery are being gradually replaced by commercial fish species like rohu, catla and other such 17 invasive species.

The Karnataka forest department has now unfurled the Humpback Mahseer Recovery Project in partnership with the Wildlife Association of South India (WASI). The effort has taken inspiration from the Barwaha forest division of Madhya Pradesh, that created an a sanctuary where the species was revived through artificial reproduction. The Bheemeshwari camp within the Cauvery wildlife sanctuary now breeds the fish by utilising the pristine waters of the Cauvery itself. This is being done through community involvement unfolded, with local fishermen and their families enlisted to participate. A cadre of 10-12 locals are now the custodians of the sanctuary, and ensure the well being of the fish, check the quality of water and look out for any disease breakout (Village Square).

This is a roundup of important news matters from September 1 - September 14, 2023. Read the policy roundups here.