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Centre provides relief fund to drought and flood-hit states
Policy matters this week Posted on 05 Jan, 2016 11:19 AM

Relief assistance to drought-hit Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and flood-hit West Bengal

Drought affected area in Karnataka (Source: Pushkarv via Wikipedia)
Right information and collective strength of people triumph!
The film titled 'A Hand Pump' tells the story of the villagers of Padapadar, Odisha and their struggle to finally get their right to safe drinking water. Posted on 04 Jan, 2016 08:25 PM

"More than eight villagers in Padapadar have died due to water-borne diseases such as typhoid, diarrhoea, jaundice, etc.

A hand-pump installed at Padapadar village
Sanitation interventions: A threat to drinking water supplies in rural India?
A study argues that increasing faecal contamination of groundwater-derived potable supplies is inevitable as the uptake of on-site sanitation intensifies in India. Posted on 03 Jan, 2016 11:05 PM

Inadequate separation of excreta from human contact can lead to a number of health problems. This is a cause for concern in India because as many as 600 million

Sanitation and groundwater contamination (Source: Sourabh Phadke)
The Last Builder of Naulas in Chatola, Nainital
Constructing naulas, the small structures that house springs in Uttarakhand, requires an intimate knowledge of many sciences. One of the last practitioners of this dying craft tells his story. Posted on 03 Jan, 2016 05:57 PM

No temple is as venerated in Uttarakhand as the little unassuming naulas. These small hut-like structures dot the mountains and hold within them a great treasure--water. Usually made of stone masonry with pyramid-like slate roofs, every naula respresents within it a residing spirit which can range from a simple stone piece to an ornately carved statue.

Ratan Singh Bisht is one of the few people today who constructs naulas
Indigenous knowledge helps fisherfolk cope with floods
Observations based on changes in animal behaviour and the position of celestial bodies among others have helped Dhemaji's fisherfolk in the early prediction of rains and floods. Posted on 03 Jan, 2016 05:39 PM

Dhemaji is one of the most flood-affected districts in Assam. Although the majority of its population depends on agriculture and sericulture, fishing and driftwood businesses are also practised on a smaller scale. People of Dhemaji are intimately associated with fish culture and capture for their livelihoods.

High frequency of floods and its effect on livelihoods

Fisherfolk, traditional knowledge, and coping with disasters (Source: India Water Portal)
How did Indian rivers fare in 2015?
Namami Gange', big budgets, 'Yamuna Aarti', interlinking of rivers and many other plans were made by the government to better our rivers. Have they helped? Posted on 30 Dec, 2015 12:33 PM

Government allocated Rs 4,173 crore for Water Resources and of this, Namami Gange received Rs 2,037 crore.

Ganga at Gadmukteshwar (Source: India Water Portal Flickr Photos)
Lounging by Laknavaram Cheruvu in Telangana
Tucked away in the middle of picturesque paddy fields and the rolling hills of Govindaraopet, Laknavaram cheruvu is the perfect spot for a idyllic weekend getaway. Posted on 24 Dec, 2015 01:21 PM

Erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh, like its neighbours Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, is a land of tanks. The ‘Cheruvus’, ‘Eris’ and ‘Keres’, as they are known in the respective regional languages, are irrigation tanks dug centuries ago by kings and philanthropists to feed thousands of acres of thirsty paddy fields. 

Laknavaram Cheruvu in Warangal, Telangana
Life and water at Rachenahalli lake
It provides natural resources to people living around it, acts as a sink for fisher folk cleaning fish or women doing laundry, and receives treated sludge from new residences around it. Posted on 22 Dec, 2015 02:04 PM

Rachenahalli is one of the few living lakes in north Bangalore. It is connected to water bodies upstream and downstream, particularly Jakkur Lake on the north-east. Both these lakes have been rejuvenated at substantial costs by the Bangalore Development Authority over the last decade.

Rachenahalli Lake (Source: Sumetee Pahwa Gajjar)
Irumbuliyur Lake explains sudden floods in Chennai
Urban planners have forgotten that lakes and waterways can only be altered by giving appropriate alternative means of storage and drainage. These water bodies must be revived. Posted on 17 Dec, 2015 02:51 PM

The December 2015 rains in Tamil Nadu caused Chennai and its adjoining areas to be suddenly flooded. Huge portions of residential areas and roads were inundated for long periods of time. The rivers too flooded in an unprecedented manner, causing human loss and property damage to individuals, state and corporates.

Irumbuliyur lake outlet from where entire rain water is expected to be drained (Source: P Sakthivel)
The importance of women in natural resources management
A study among the hill women in Uttarakhand found that they showed a high inclination to participate in water and forest management programmes through Informal communities. Posted on 16 Dec, 2015 12:40 PM

Although the state of Uttarakhand is rich in water and forest resources, its watersheds are under threat of wasting and erosion due to decreased forest cover, faulty agricultural practices, hydrologic imbalances and natural calamities. The growing population is further increasing the pressure on natural resources.

Hill women and natural resources management (Source: India Water Portal)
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