Amita Bhaduri

Amita Bhaduri
An exhibition at Studio Safdar in Shadi Khampur traces the history of the urban village and its water systems
Shadi Khampur in West Delhi's rich history and its connect to larger narratives from the past, like the series of land acquisitions in Delhi, the Emergency, and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 which had gone largely undocumented and unarchived have been chronicled in the Neighbourhood Museum of Local History of Shadi Khampur, at Studio Safdar, a cafe cum bookstore. The project attempts to give an account of the living urban habitation and its specific characteristics, as embedded strongly in people's minds. The way the urban spaces of its narrow lanes have grown is really fascinating.
Posted on 10 Feb, 2013 07:12 PM

Guest post: Amita Bhaduri

West Delhi’s dusty neighbourhood, Shadi Khampur now has its own museum, in the traditional brick-and-mortar sense. I live nearby, have worked out of an office here and am familiar with the alleyways. But I got to know only now, what life in the neighbourhood was like. Its rich history and its connect to larger narratives from the past, like the series of land acquisitions in Delhi, the Emergency, and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 which had gone largely undocumented and unarchived have been chronicled in the Neighbourhood Museum of Local History of Shadi Khampur, at Studio Safdar, a cafe cum bookstore.

Studio Safdar

Neighbourhood Museum at Studio Safdar

Source: Facebook page on “Public Art Project at Studio Safdar”

Ahar pynes, traditional flood water harvesting systems can help revive agriculture in south Bihar
An account of the indigenous floodwater harvesting system prevalent in South Bihar and the need for other agencies to undertake its renovation & management.
Posted on 26 Jan, 2013 07:48 PM

Ahar pynes are traditional floodwater harvesting systems indigenous to South Bihar [1], and have been the most important source of irrigation in this region. Ahars are reservoirs with embankments on three sides and are built at the end of drainage lines such as rivulets or artificial works like pynes. Pynes are diversion channels led off from the river for irrigation purposes and for impounding water in the ahars. It is mostly to the credit of these that paddy cultivation has been possible in this otherwise relatively low rainfall area, when compared to North Bihar. The system attained its highest development in the district of Gaya [2].

This article provides an account of the ahar-pyne systems of South Bihar and the need to build organizational and institutional capacities of civil society and government agencies to undertake ahar pyne renovation and management.

Ahar Pyne system in Gaya, South Bihar (Image: Hindi Water Portal)
Videos: Lovraj Kumar panel discussion focuses on the challenges to biodiversity conservation, livelihoods and ecological sustainability
The manner in which biodiversity contributes to poverty reduction and development had recently become a subject of heated debate at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CoP-11) at Hyderabad.
As a curtain raiser to this event, SPWD’s Lovraj Kumar panel discussion on 28th September, 2012 at IIC, New Delhi focused on the challenges to biodiversity conservation, livelihoods and ecological sustainability.
Posted on 26 Jan, 2013 04:14 PM

Guest post: Amita Bhaduri
Living rivers, dying rivers: River Yamuna
The second lecture was on the Yamuna river by Prof. Brij Gopal, former Prof. at JNU, and Manoj Misra, PEACE Institute and Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
Posted on 25 Jan, 2013 12:06 AM

Introduction
Yamuna river flowing through Agra
Traditional diversion-based phad irrigation systems help mitigate risk of crop failure in the drought-prone farmer suicide belt of Vidarbha, Maharashtra
Communities have across diverse ecological and sociopolitical contexts devised myriad ways over time to harvest and manage water in order to sustain their lives and practise agriculture.
Posted on 11 Jan, 2013 11:56 AM

Many of these systems (1) continue to function and are often more sustainable, cost-effective and successfully managed by local institutions. Phads are one such community-based and managed diversion irrigation management system (2) prevailing in the north-western part of Maharashtra and date back to the early 16th century as per historical accounts. The system is prevalent in the Tapi basin on rivers the Panjhra, Mosam and Aram in Dhule and Nashik districts (3).

Phads or diversion-based irrigation systems, are being revived and promoted in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra by Dilasa, a Yavatmal-based voluntary development organisation (Video courtesy: Dilasa)

Land grab is emerging as the country's most pressing development challenge - New research released at a conference organised by SPWD and RRI at New Delhi in December 2012
Control over land and natural resources has recently become a subject of heated debate in India, and is, today, one of the central fault lines of Indian politics. New research released on December 18, 2012 on the eve of an international conference on land and forest rights by the Society for Promotion of Wastelands Development (SPWD), New Delhi and the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), Washington predicts massive resource takeover spurring conflict in 130 districts of India. The research indicates that India is a leader among land-grabbing emerging nations. Not only are rights flouted at home but Indian firms risk some mistakes abroad.
Posted on 27 Dec, 2012 02:37 PM

press conference
Climate change adaptation in water management for food security - A consultation meeting by India Water Partnership
A consultation meeting was held by the India Water Partnership on “Climate change adaptation in water management for food security: Recent developments in India”.
Posted on 19 Dec, 2012 09:20 AM

The meeting held on 22nd November, 2012 at the Institute for Human Development, New Delhi was followed by a discussion which included comments and suggestions of the experts and participants. The meeting was chaired by Prof. S R Hashim, President, India Water Partnership who was accompanied by Dr.
Seminar by CGWB on National Project on Aquifer Management stresses the need for a paradigm shift in groundwater sector from development to management
A two day seminar on National Project on Aquifer Management (NAQUIM) was organized by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) at A P Shinde Hall, NASC Complex, ICAR, Pusa, New Delhi during 8th and 9th October, 2012. It provided a platform for exchange of ideas among various stakeholders including planners and administrators from various ministries of Government of India, Central and State Government organizations and NGO’s. The seminar comprised of deliberations on identified issues such as the steps involved in aquifer mapping, role of state agencies, participatory management, water quality data and related inputs.
Posted on 10 Dec, 2012 05:39 PM

mihir shah

Inaugural session chaired by Dr. Mihir Shah

Image courtesy: www.readandknow.org
Living rivers, dying rivers: Stuffed rivers of Vrishabhavathi-Arkavathi from the Cauvery system
The eighth lecture in the series titled "Living rivers, dying rivers" was on Vrishabhavathi-Arkavathi rivers, by Leo Saldanha and Bhargavi Rao of the Environmental Support Group (ESG).
Posted on 02 Dec, 2012 08:16 PM

Introduction
Narrow flow path of Cauvery, Mekedaatu (Source:Wikipedia)
MoWR stresses the need to provide momentum to our conservation efforts on water conservation day
Amita Bhaduri provides the details of a consultation organized by the National Water Development Agency, Ministry of Water Resources at CSMRS auditorium, New Delhi on 'Water Conservation Day'
Posted on 23 Nov, 2012 02:12 PM

The Union Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) celebrated “Water Conservation Day" on the 19th of November 2012 to create awareness regarding depleting water resources and underlined its vision and commitment to be an active contributor to the sustainability of this very important natural resource. The field offices of various organizations under the administrative c
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