Simi Mehta

Simi Mehta
Lessons from the Uttarakhand disaster
Experts blame it on projects in ecologically fragile zone Posted on 21 Mar, 2021 07:10 PM

In the aftermath of the Chamoli disaster of 2021, the spotlight turned to the area’s proliferating development that made it particularly vulnerable to disasters. The environmental capacity to sustain damage had been severely reduced because of the impact of climate change.

Urban lake governance and sustainability
Applying the social-ecological system framework Posted on 21 Mar, 2021 10:38 AM

"Lakes in Indian cities have seen a pitfall in terms of quality.

Governing and sustaining an urban lake entails improvements in its social and ecological characteristics. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)Wiki
Decentralized water resources management
Role of village communities and rural local governments Posted on 18 Mar, 2021 10:30 AM

Decentralization is the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the central government to the elected authorities at the subnational level. In India, as organs of the government closest to the people, the panchayati raj system has emerged as an effective good governance tool.

A woman fetching water from the third tap in the house premises. (Image: Ajaya Kumar Behera)
Water: Governance challenges and suggested tools
Supply-side solutions are creating havoc for the already disadvantaged and marginalised. Posted on 22 Feb, 2021 03:38 PM

Dahanu, an ecologically fragile area about 120 km from Mumbai, in Maharashtra’s Palghar district witnessed massive protests in 2019. Over 59 gram panchayats were opposing the land diversion to high-tech infrastructure projects.

Dahanu, a green zone enjoyed special protection since 1991 (Image: nathview.blogspot.com)
Budget 2021: Will agriculture sector get a boost?
Solutions are needed that will increase productivity while maintaining sustainability Posted on 28 Jan, 2021 10:15 AM

The agriculture sector is confronted with high price volatility, low returns, low productivity and weather risks.

The government could consider a shift from the price support system to an income support system. PM-KISAN is a step in that direction, but the assistance under that is lacking. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Natural resource management through a gender lens
Need to recognise women, the cogs in the feminisation of Indian agriculture Posted on 21 Jan, 2021 05:16 PM

Building upon decades of international diplomatic relations and scientific research, the United Nations adopted the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ in 2015.

In incorporating female participation, some programmes only added (futile) burden on these women without challenging the current division of labour. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
The invisible face of agriculture
Women farmers need support in the form of resources, technologies, policies and other actions to level the farming field. The first step is to recognise their role in farming. Posted on 16 Jan, 2021 11:14 AM

“Female labour participation has been declining across India from 1990 to 2019. It has declined from 31% to 25% from 2005 to 2010 and further to 20% in 2019. This has contributed to employment loss for women. A shift in economic activity has been observed as more women were engaged in the manufacturing and service sectors.

Though women are involved in economic activities of the cropping system but their role is negligible in household decision making and participation (Image: PxHere)
Climate change: A look through a gender lens
Women are disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Posted on 06 Jan, 2021 02:51 PM

Climate change vulnerability is a multi-layered and multi-faceted phenomenon. “It’s a justice issue determined by both biophysical and socio-economic factors.

The gendered vulnerabilities due to climate change need to be well-recognized. (Image: Justin Kernoghan, Trocaire, Wikimedia Commons)
Should we bet more on historians than engineers to sort flooding?
How the historian's method is invaluable in developing an understanding of floods. Posted on 04 Jan, 2021 12:00 AM

Raging floods swarming great expanses have been a common occurrence in the 21st century in South Asia.

Need to consider the perspective of the historians who see floods as a naturally occurring event. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Sanitation workers amid the pandemic
The pandemic has exacerbated the issues of exclusion and vulnerability of sanitation workers. Posted on 28 Dec, 2020 01:51 PM

Sanitation workers are out in full force tasked with disinfecting the public spaces as COVID-19 crisis continues to impact the country on top of other serious challenges faced by our WASH sector.

Despite the risks and the dire conditions of their work, sanitation workers continued to do their job (Image: C S Sharada Prasad, India Water Portal)
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