India

We talk so much about washing hands, when washing it the right way produces the safety from diseases as enunciated by most national / international organisations. Even washing with soap might not help. Handwashing with soap is one of the most easily available & effective methods to prevent diarrheal & related infections.

Today is Blog Action Day 2008, where blogs all over the world are writing about poverty. We thought we would use this opportunity to talk about water and poverty.

Since its foundation in 1968, the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) has facilitated the sharing, promotion and use of knowledge so that governments, professionals and organisations can better suppo

A call to discussion on "Zero Discharge of Treated Water to Water bodies" has been initiated by George Dsouza on the Answer A Question forum on India Water Portal.

Sangeeta 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 !

The 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

These PROTOONS were produced as part of various engagements of WASSAN with Watershed Development projects and Rainfed Agriculture. DFID I; Commissionerate of Rural Development (GoAP); Ford Foundation; HIVOS; District Water Management Agencies; Mandal Mahila Samakhyas; various NGOs, Resource persons, villagers and several others contributed in developing these PROTOONS.

Sunita Nadhamuni is CEO of Arghyam Trust in Bangalore/Bengaluru, (www.arghyam.org), which is the organisation that manages the India Water Portal.

These facts may surprise you: 1.1 billion people live without clean drinking water.* There are over 116,000 human-made chemicals that are finding their way into public water supply systems.* Water is a $400 billion dollar global industry; the third largest behind electricity and oil.* Flow, a new film about the implications of the world water crisis, can help you wrap your head around those dis