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Impending water crisis in India and comparing clean water standards among developing and developed nations - A overview of the issues surounding India's water scarcity
The paper begins with listing the importance of water to communities. It then goes on the describe the water crises in South Asia which are exacerbated by high demand, variable supply, and political volatility. The importance of water in all three pillars of sustainable development economic, social and environmental is noted.
Prashant Mehta
Posted on 03 Apr, 2012 03:09 PM

The two concepts required for analysis of water as regards human consumption are availability and access. Availability refers to the physical presence of adequate water supplies and is influenced by physical and environmental factors.
People of Nuapada district in Odisha build a stop dam themselves - Roundup of audio updates from CGNet Swara (Sep 2011 to Feb 2012)
Article courtesy: CGNet Swara
CGNet Swara
Posted on 03 Apr, 2012 02:57 PM

People get together to build a stop dam themselves

The people of Khariar road town in Odisha have long requested a check dam across the river Jonk. Khuturam Sunani describes how they have now begun constructing it through shramadaan.

Supreme Court order in February 27, 2012 on the interlinking of rivers project A statement and an appeal by concerned citizens to think of all the implications
A number of citizens have made a public statement, expressing serious concern about the Supreme Court’s Order of Feb 27, 2012 on the Interlinking of Rivers Project. The statement endorsed by more than sixty eminent persons has urged the Supreme Court to put this order on hold and reconsider the matter. The statement first states the concerns relating to the propriety of the apex court making this specific order, and then proceeds to state the concerns relating to the Project itself.
Ramaswamy R Iyer
Posted on 29 Mar, 2012 06:37 PM

The full statement is as follows -

We, the signatories to this statement, wish to record our utmost concern at the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgment of 27 February 2012 on the Inter-Linking of Rivers Project (ILR), on the following grounds:
Corporatising water: India's draft National Water Policy - A document published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
This document published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) warns of the growing perception of water as an economic good and argues that a new consortium of business and international finance is systematically trying to influence how the world’s water will be allocated in future. This consortium seeks to promote policies that will treat water primarily as an economic good to be bought and sold, rather than a fundamental right. Because the consortium works directly with governments, or its office-holders, its initiatives are proceeding without much public awareness or attention.
Shiney Varghese
Posted on 21 Mar, 2012 12:17 PM

The document argues that the latest example of this is India’s Draft National Water Policy (NWP) circulated by the Ministry of Water Resources. At first glance, it appears as if the policy has been taking a holistic approach to water resources management, with a clear recognition of India’s water woes.
Thousands of students across India test groundwater for fluoride on March 22, 2012
Schools Water Portal, an initiative of Arghyam, is a collaborative web-based platform, that shares learning resources on water with teachers, students, parents and schools. The Portal is a voluntary initiative coordinated by Arghyam, a non-profit organisation started by Rohini Nilekani that works in water in India.
Chetana
Posted on 21 Mar, 2012 09:17 AM

school water portal 
Soil endowments, production technologies and missing women in India - A World Bank working paper
This paper published by the World Bank highlights the findings of a study that aimed at exploring the connections between geographical variation in soil texture and rural infant sex ratios in India. The paper argues that the deficit of women relative to men in some societies has emerged as the most extreme indicator of gender-based discrimination. Studies concerned with the demographic gender imbalance have provided evidence on significant effects of economic factors and of cultural disparities in the perception of women’s worth. However, there are very few studies that have tried to explain the geographical differences in population sex ratios.
Eliana Carranza
Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 03:08 PM

The paper argues that in India, where 72 percent of the population is rural, there is a significant and important association between the geographical variation in exogenous soil texture and rural infant sex ratios. In agriculture, the depth of land and seedbed preparation are exogenously determined by the soil texture.
Draft National Water Policy (2012) fails to take into account the multiple, complex problems and issues relating to water in India says M S Vani
The Draft National Water Policy 2012 seems to be an improvement over earlier versions due to a fundamental shift from the ‘project oriented’ approach espoused so far by the bureaucracy and political establishment to a ‘resource’ oriented approach. Water, considered state property due to eminent domain principle, was hitherto seen only in terms of projects- irrigation or multipurpose. Now at least it is defined as a ‘natural resource’.
But what does it really mean, to call water as a ‘natural resource’? What is the relationship we as humans are seeking to establish with this part of nature? What are the relative roles of citizen and state in India towards this resource?
M S Vani
Posted on 18 Mar, 2012 05:49 PM

Guest post by: M S Vani

Perusing the draft, one comes across all the ‘right’ concepts, words liberally sprinkled throughout the document, describing the resource:-

  • Natural resource
  • Hydrological cycle
  • Ecological needs of rivers
  • Climate change
  • Sources pollution

and our intended response to it :-
Integrated water management for rural/urban India: Common effluent treatment plant can conserve fresh water in industrial estates
Contamination of surface and groundwater resources is rampant in rural/urban India with wastewater entering fresh water bodies or seeping into groundwater. An integrated approach is needed to manage the water and wastewater treatment so that water supply is kept clean and wastewater is recycled for beneficial use in agriculture and industry. This paper will present a study that was completed for the Hammond Sanitary District in Indiana where 38 million gallons per day (MGD) will be recycled after secondary treatment for beneficial use by land owners in Northwest Indiana.
Vasudevan Rajaram
John R Sheaffer
Posted on 17 Mar, 2012 11:02 AM

Authors : Vasudevan Rajaram and John R. Sheaffer
Improving farmers’ access to agricultural insurance in India - A World Bank working paper
This working paper by the World Bank provides a detailed overview of The National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and the entire policy process involved in the change over from the NAIS to the modified NAIS and beyond. India’s crop insurance program is the world’s largest with 25 million farmers insured. However, issues in design, particularly related to delays in claims settlement, have led to 95 million farmer households not being covered, despite significant government subsidy.
Niraj Verma
Olivier Mahul
Posted on 12 Mar, 2012 11:08 PM

To address this and other problems, the Government of India is piloting a modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme, a market-based scheme with involvement from the private sector.
Our water woes: Ecological imbalance is the culprit!
When we were solely dependent on hunting and/or gathering as tribes, we used to draw only as much natural resources as could be easily replenished by “Mother Nature” - which is the case even today with the most pristine environs of all the tribal societies, across the globe.
Madhuranthakam Prabhakar Rao
Posted on 12 Mar, 2012 12:01 PM

Author : Madhuranthakam Prabhakar Rao
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