Political

The 2010 Echoing Green Fellowship is for those individuals which “the next big idea for social change, and also have what it takes to start your own groundbreaking organization.” Organizations both non-profit and for-profit from any part of the world can apply for the fellowship.

On 15 November 2009, I set out to gather see how people were coping in the aftermath of the floods that hit parts of North Karnataka. We chose to visit Gudisagar in Navalgund Taluk in Dharwad district.

Symposium details in brief :

Aim: To discuss findings about all recent trace organic pollutants in the environment, its source, effects, and  control stragies.  Bioremediation of sites polluted with organic pollutants will also be emphasized.

This presentation describes the work of Tata Chemicals in organising water management initiatives, with the community around its plant in Mithapur, Gujarat. The various efforts taken up include integrated watershed development, salinity ingress mitigation, Water and Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO) projects, rooftop rainwater harvesting and implementing water saving technologies.

This presentation describes the work of Reliance Energy, in taking up water management initiatives with the local community around their plant in Dahanu. The work taken up includes constructing check dams, weirs and installing hand pumps for providing drinking water to the community. As a result of this, people in approximately 17 villages were benefitted as the availability of potable water improved and ground water levels increased resulting in higher incomes for the villagers. 

Work taken up focussed on promoting direct seeding instead of transplantation in the paddy crop. As a result of this, about 30% reduction in water consumption was achieved covering about 1100 acres in 5 states. Farmers could also reduce their production costs by upto Rs.1400/acre.  

The work taken up involved reducing usage of water in the plant, recycling by treating waste water and reusing in plant operations, and rainwater harvesting and restoring water bodies, both in the plant and the community for replenishing the resource.

The work taken up includes lift irrigation projects, construction of small check dams, rainwater harvesting, promotion of horticulture and timber plantation, promotion of composting and cattle vaccination.

Water harvesting and conservation work was taken up through building check dams, rooftop rainwater harvesting, building percolation and drinking water wells, deepening of ponds, micro-irrigation, cropping pattern interventions and more.