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Smaller farm sizes limit the impact of agricultural intensification in Eastern India
Posted on 29 Jul, 2023 04:40 PM

Agricultural intensification and irrigation development have been considered vital for achieving food security, climate action, and poverty reduction in small holder dominated poverty hotspots of the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) in South Asia informs this paper titled 'Farm size limits agriculture’s

Paddy fields of Bihar (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
How to save Punjab from floods?
The devastation caused by the torrential rains that pounded Punjab serves as yet another painful reminder of the cost associated with our hasty urban expansion and unplanned development. Posted on 29 Jul, 2023 12:18 PM

These days, Punjab is in the grip of floods. In more than 1,400 villages in 19 districts of Punjab, water from Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, and Ghaggar is causing heavy damage to crops, houses, people, and other belongings. The state government has evacuated more than 25,000 people to safer places to avoid the flood.

Green regulations and environmental warnings are often disregarded by our planners. (Image: Rawpixel, CC0)
Wading through stagnant waters can be risky
Walking unprotected through stagnant or accumulated waters in urban as well as rural areas can expose you to diseases such as leptospirosis. What is leptospirosis? What are its causes?  Posted on 27 Jul, 2023 10:15 AM

The monsoon can drench besides forcing you to wade through flooded stagnant waters in cities or make you to start working happily in the rice fields in rural areas. Rainwater puddles in the fields or stagnant waters in cities are often mixed with water from animal and rodent waste, and sewage in urban areas. Do you know that this can cause diseases such as leptospirosis? 

Working for long hours in collected waters can increase the risk of leptospirosis (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Designing for inclusion
How can architecture and design play an important role in redevelopment and rehabilitation to improve the built environment for marginalised communities. Posted on 26 Jul, 2023 04:57 PM

Slums have become ubiquitous parts of the urban landscape today. The lack of formal planning and public infrastructure in these settlements makes them unhealthy and unsafe for the residents. There is an urgent need to provide safe and healthy housing to these communities.

How can architecture support marginalised communities (Image: Community Design Agency)
The pit lakes of Raniganj
While pit lakes are formed as discards of open pit mining operations, they store huge amounts of water and support the drinking and daily water needs of communities living around them. Sustainable plans to improve water quality and biodiversity in the pit lakes are crucial. Posted on 26 Jul, 2023 11:52 AM

Pit lakes formed as discards of open pit mining operations in West Bengal and Jharkhand buzz with activity as a large number of migratory winged visitors visit the lakes to rest and refuel, providing a ray of hope for the large number of abandoned pit lakes that are found in mining areas of India.

Pit lakes can provide a great source of water. Image for representation only (Image Source: Aniket Rajendra Ingole via Wikimedia Commons)
Nudging farmers to conserve water
Study investigates whether the package of both training and comparisons would be more effective than training alone to urge farmers to conserve water in a field experiment in Haryana. Posted on 25 Jul, 2023 10:07 PM

In a randomised field experiment, researchers tested whether training medium scale farmers in an agricultural water reduction practice reduced water use from common aquifers in Haryana, India.

Alternate Wetting and Drying (Image: Zoheb Mahmud Khan)
One stop shop and services: Skilling rural Maharashtra
A pioneering initiative of training and skilling Young WASH Entrepreneurs (YWEs) as WASHMitras has not only helped solve the need for operation and maintenance of WASH facilities in schools in Maharashtra, but also helped empower WASHMitras in the process. Posted on 21 Jul, 2023 12:19 PM

Sapna, a WASHMitra from Chandrapur now frequently travels outside her village solving practical problems, breaking barriers and stereotypes while looking after Operation and Maintenance of toilets and marching towards earning more than enough to be financially independent.

(Image Source: CYDA, PEF, UNICEF (2022) One stop shop and services: Bringing 21st century skills to rural Maharashtra)
Water and worries of Bodh Gaya
Water is a major concern for the poor, who do not have the financial capability to exploit resources Posted on 21 Jul, 2023 10:35 AM

Bodh Gaya, a globally venerated small town, derives its significance as the birthplace of Buddhism. It is considered as the 'navel of the earth' (Pathavinabhi) among Buddhists.

Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple, Bodh Gaya, Bihar (Image: Hiroki Ogawa, Wikimedia Commons)
ActionAid Association provides emergency relief to communities battered by floods in India
Heavy rains and flooding have ravaged parts of north India recently Posted on 21 Jul, 2023 09:35 AM

Northern India was battered by heavy rains over the past two weeks, with New Delhi marking its wettest day on July 9th, 2023, in more than 40 years, according to officials and local media.

ActionAid provides relief as the flood situation in north India wreaked havoc on the lives and livelihoods of people (Image: ActionAid Association)
She the change: Empowering voices, enriching workplaces
The inaugural Women at Work Conference of Arthan Posted on 17 Jul, 2023 08:25 PM

On July 4, 2023, Arthan organised its first Women at Work conference, 'She The Change: Empowering Voices, Enriching Workplaces,' at the India International Centre, New Delhi. The conference aimed to bring together organisational leaders, human resource experts, gender experts, and thought leaders from civil society organisations and enterprises.

Recognising intersectionality and prioritising accessibility was seen as essential for creating a diverse and supportive work environment. (Image: Arthan)
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