Sangeeta Deogawanka
Sangeeta Deogawanka
Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Outcomes:The Indian approach to climate change
Posted on 14 Oct, 2009 12:29 AMRecognising that climate change has of late transmuted from the geo-political to the political in the global arena, India has tackled the ongoing climate discussions with suave diplomacy that is perhaps a trend-setter of sorts.
The message has gone across loud and clear, that India will not accept categorically any legally binding
A round-off of the U.S. climate legislation-Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.
Posted on 07 Oct, 2009 12:07 AMAfter months of playing hide and go seek, the world's biggest polluter finally got working to shape up their act with the Clea
Countdown to the U.S. climate change bill which is to be filed on September 30th
Posted on 30 Sep, 2009 12:18 AMThe past week shall go down in climate history as the most active period in climate parley, punctuated with a frenzy of debates and compromises on the international table.
India's effort at breaking the stalemate in climate commitments,needs to be applauded
Posted on 23 Sep, 2009 11:15 AMLast week’s strategically timed declaration by India’s Jairam Ramesh, to set numerical targets for emissions, is a coup of sorts. Coming on the heels of U.S. administration’s shelving of the much hyped Climate and Energy Bill, this not only proves that India’s commitments on the climate front are more than honourable, but also places pressure on U.S. to perform on its climate commitments.
Ethical consumerism: An Australian community bans bottled water
Posted on 19 Jul, 2009 06:31 AMLast Wednesday, this rural Australian town 100 miles south of Sydney, made history with its near-unanimous consensus to ban the sale of bottled water. At the town meeting of 350 voters, only 2 voted against the ban. This indicates an increasing awareness of the futility of the bottled water and its drain on natural resources. The landmark decision comes right after the State-wide ban in New South Wales, where State departments and agencies have been restrained from buying bottled water, calling it “a waste of money and natural resources”.
The BHAGEERATH awards!
Posted on 11 Jul, 2009 05:59 AM
The Bhageerath Awards were given at the AQUA 2009 conference July 4-5 2009, to recognise excellence in the fields of water and wastewater management (see here for details about the conference). This year's Bhageerath was Sterlite Industries
Cyclone Aila 2009
Posted on 01 Jun, 2009 11:27 AMTropical Storm Aila struck southern Bangladesh and eastern India on May 27, 2009. The New York Times reported that floods and mudslides killed at least 191 people and left hundreds of thousands more homeless. As of May 27, the death toll was expected to rise. Images from The Nasa Earth Observatory.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this true-color image of Aila on May 25, 2009, the same day that the storm temporarily strengthened to a Category 1 cyclone. Aila almost completely fills this scene, stretching from the Bay of Bengal deep into India, Bangladesh, and Burma (Myanmar). On May 25, Aila's wind speeds ranged from 74 kilometers per hour (46 miles per hour or 40 knots) to 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour or 65 knots). More information and detailed images can be accessed here:Cyclone Aila
Book Review: Empires of the Indus
Posted on 29 Jan, 2009 10:56 AM
EMPIRES OF THE INDUS : THE STORY OF A RIVER - by Alice Albinia
Pages: 366 ISBN-978-0-7195-6003-3 (978-0-7195-6004-0)
Format: hardback / trade paperback
Price: £20 / Rs. 550
Publisher: John Murray, U.K. Empires of the Indus is a comprehensive study of how the river Indus and its waterways have changed the history of the Indian sub-continent. Water is potent: it trickles through human dreams, permeates lives, dictates agriculture, religion and warfare. Ever since Homo sapiens first migrated out of Africa, the Indus has drawn thirsty conquerors to its banks. Some of the world's first cities were built here; India's earliest Sanskrit literature was written about the river; Islam's holy preachers wandered beside these waters. This perhaps captures the essence of this Guardian First Book 2008 awardee, Empires of the Indus , The Story of a River, by Alice Albinia.
Can recycled and treated sewage water ever be feasible in India ?
Posted on 09 Oct, 2008 09:34 AMSangeeta Deogawanka, a frequent contributor to the Portal, sent us this tongue-in-cheek piece on how recycling of sewage water might be received in India. (We welcome contributions from all readers to the India Water Portal blog !
World Water Week 2008 : Recap
Posted on 09 Oct, 2008 09:23 AMThe World Water Week concluded at Stockholm on August 23rd. with 2400 scientists, leaders and various representatives from more than 100 countries. Action is crucial, stakes are high and time is running out, were the key messages coming from the World Water Week (August 17th - 23rd). The focal points throughout were sanitation and hygiene, climate, water management, ecosystems and business issues. Studies, reports, initiatives and announcements made during the week included: Water, Agriculture and Bioenergy: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/Downloads/2008/Water_Agriculture_Bioenergy.pdf Water Resource Management: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/Downloads/2008/Water_Resource_Management.pdf Climate and Water: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/Downloads/2008/Climate_and_Water.pdf Water Economics, Finance and the Private Sector: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/Downloads/2008/Economics_Finance_and_the_Private_Sector.pdf Ecosystems and Biodiversity: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/Downloads/2008/Ecosystems_and_Biodiversity.pdf Transboundary Waters: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/Downloads/2008/Transboundary_Waters.pdf Water in Asia: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/Downloads/2008/Water_in_Asia.pdf