India

Mr. R.V. Rama Mohan of Center for World Solidarity has come up with freeware (an Excel spreadsheet) to calculate the groundwater extraction vs. recharge in an area. He has made the software available to the public and is soliciting feedback.

 Click here to view the website

Solutions Exchange recently compiled its discussion on "Use of Human Excreta for Agriculture" , closely related to the concept of Eco-Sanitation.

The September 2007 report of the Expert Group on "Ground Water Management and Ownership" of the Planning Commission is available from the Commission. The report looks primarily at the problem of rural depletion of groundwater and feasibility and necessity of changing groundwater law.

Job: To manage the content and community on India Water Portal.

List of tasks will be:

Groundwater - India's Water Lifeline needs urgent intervention

Govt is non serious about the crisis

Attached is an interesting document from Prof. Prithvi Kandhal about using porous asphalt in parking lots so that rainwater seeps through it and recharges groundwater.

Dr. Kandhal has published many papers and has significant credentials in his areas of expertise. He resides in Jaipur after 35 years of working in the US.

Nirmal Vidyalaya Puraskar (Draft guideline) - Please provide your suggestions

(Source: Kuma Alok, UNICEF, New Delhi)

This is the season to start worrying about the pollution caused by immersion of idols made out of toxic materials. Siddharth sent us a short film he's made on this. Please forward to the Portal any other material or initiatives in this regard.

The UNDP is collaborating with the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the Nand and Jeet Khemka Foundation and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 Award.