Uttarakhand

Doon valley is known for its spring clusters. The mountain flanks of the Doon valley have a chain of swamps.  Extensive aquifers of Doon spring clusters provide significant/sufficient storage of water. These spring clusters have hydrological effects such as promoting ground water recharge, intercepting rain and storing rain water.

'Amrit: Nectar of Immortality' is a film shot during the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in 2010. Reputed to be the biggest such gathering of people, the Mela attracted 50 million people.

Horrifying images like the one below, where a two-storey house topples like a child's toy, are commonplace in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. This year, the mayhem due to a cloudburst claimed 31 lives and disrupted hundreds more.

The present study published in Current Science deals with water quality assessment of rivers in Uttarakhand using biomonitoring assess

More erratic and extreme rainfall events leading to longer dry periods sometimes and high water availability at other times in the hilly region of Uttarakhand. Owing to the longer dry periods, available water sources are no longer sufficient, and groundwater levels drop even further, resulting in longer distances to fetch drinking water.

The National Institute of Adminstrative Research (NIAR) organised a two-day conference on 'Decentralized governance in water and sanitation in rural India' at  LBSNAA, Musoorie, in June 2012.

This report published by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) presents the findings of an audit that was conducted in the state of Uttarakhand that evaluated the perfor

This seminar aimed to provide a platform for the effective sharing of experiences of PRI-implemented WATSAN service delivery programmes  and so understand the various factors affecting the effective decentralisation of water and sanitation. 

Around 500 delegates from around 19 states and three neighboring countries Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal participated in the 4th National Conference on the Forum of forest people and forest workers organised in Dehradun on 26-28 May 2012. More than 80% delegates were from the forest communities. A summary report of this conference is presented in this article.

What do we see our rivers as? Are they merely conduits for water that is to be used to its fullest extent? Or are they valued and revered ecosystems? The Himmotthan Society, Dehradun and International Rivers, U.S.A., hosted a discussion a workshop on ‘Environmental Flows’ at Hotel Madhuban, Dehradun on 08 June 2012 that sought to clarify the issues around these questions.

A Primer on the What, Why and How of environmental flows, authored by Dr. Latha Anantha (River Research Centre, Kerala) and Parineeta Dandekar (South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, SANDRP) and published by International Rivers, was shared with the participants.  The presentations made during this workshop are presented in this article.

The legendary Jog falls are a shadow of their former self after damming (Courtesy: Dr.Latha Anantha)