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Impending water crisis in India and comparing clean water standards among developing and developed nations - A overview of the issues surounding India's water scarcity

The paper begins with listing the importance of water to communities. It then goes on the describe the water crises in South Asia which are exacerbated by high demand, variable supply, and political volatility. The importance of water in all three pillars of sustainable development economic, social and environmental is noted.

Prashant Mehta

Posted on 03 Apr, 2012 03:09 PM

The two concepts required for analysis of water as regards human consumption are availability and access. Availability refers to the physical presence of adequate water supplies and is influenced by physical and environmental factors.

People of Nuapada district in Odisha build a stop dam themselves - Roundup of audio updates from CGNet Swara (Sep 2011 to Feb 2012)

Article courtesy: CGNet Swara

CGNet Swara

Posted on 03 Apr, 2012 02:57 PM

People get together to build a stop dam themselves

The people of Khariar road town in Odisha have long requested a check dam across the river Jonk. Khuturam Sunani describes how they have now begun constructing it through shramadaan.

The what, why and how of environmental flows: Presentations made during an IUCN training programme in Kathmandu, 2011

IUCN organised a two-day e-flows training workshop in Kathmandu between 5-6 August 2011 that focused on the means of ensuring sufficient water in rivers, for all stakeholders including the environment. This article collates the various presentations made during that workshop, with a short summary of each.

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)

The Nature Conservancy

WWF India

Posted on 03 Apr, 2012 01:42 PM

Bagmati river at Kathmandu, Nepal Bagmati River at Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal (Photo: IUCN\Stefano Barchiesi)

Supreme Court order in February 27, 2012 on the interlinking of rivers project A statement and an appeal by concerned citizens to think of all the implications

A number of citizens have made a public statement, expressing serious concern about the Supreme Court’s Order of Feb 27, 2012 on the Interlinking of Rivers Project. The statement endorsed by more than sixty eminent persons has urged the Supreme Court to put this order on hold and reconsider the matter. The statement first states the concerns relating to the propriety of the apex court making this specific order, and then proceeds to state the concerns relating to the Project itself.

Ramaswamy R Iyer

Posted on 29 Mar, 2012 06:37 PM

The full statement is as follows -

We, the signatories to this statement, wish to record our utmost concern at the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgment of 27 February 2012 on the Inter-Linking of Rivers Project (ILR), on the following grounds:

Corporatising water: India's draft National Water Policy - A document published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

This document published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) warns of the growing perception of water as an economic good and argues that a new consortium of business and international finance is systematically trying to influence how the world’s water will be allocated in future. This consortium seeks to promote policies that will treat water primarily as an economic good to be bought and sold, rather than a fundamental right. Because the consortium works directly with governments, or its office-holders, its initiatives are proceeding without much public awareness or attention.

Shiney Varghese

Posted on 21 Mar, 2012 12:17 PM

The document argues that the latest example of this is India’s Draft National Water Policy (NWP) circulated by the Ministry of Water Resources. At first glance, it appears as if the policy has been taking a holistic approach to water resources management, with a clear recognition of India’s water woes.

Thousands of students across India test groundwater for fluoride on March 22, 2012

Schools Water Portal, an initiative of Arghyam, is a collaborative web-based platform, that shares learning resources on water with teachers, students, parents and schools. The Portal is a voluntary initiative coordinated by Arghyam, a non-profit organisation started by Rohini Nilekani that works in water in India.

Chetana

Posted on 21 Mar, 2012 09:17 AM

Soil endowments, production technologies and missing women in India - A World Bank working paper

This paper published by the World Bank highlights the findings of a study that aimed at exploring the connections between geographical variation in soil texture and rural infant sex ratios in India. The paper argues that the deficit of women relative to men in some societies has emerged as the most extreme indicator of gender-based discrimination. Studies concerned with the demographic gender imbalance have provided evidence on significant effects of economic factors and of cultural disparities in the perception of women’s worth. However, there are very few studies that have tried to explain the geographical differences in population sex ratios.

Eliana Carranza

Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 03:08 PM

The paper argues that in India, where 72 percent of the population is rural, there is a significant and important association between the geographical variation in exogenous soil texture and rural infant sex ratios. In agriculture, the depth of land and seedbed preparation are exogenously determined by the soil texture.

Impact report of watershed development programme in Ayyannapalem village of Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh

We are very glad to bring to the notice of the Watershed Development Fund (WDF) that the Ayyannapalem watershed Capacity Building Phase (CBP) activities are successfully implemented and it has reached the stage of Feasibility Study Report (FSR) proposal. According to the field conditions, the Ayyannapalem watershed is highly suitable for watershed implementation and there are deep gullies and high level hillocks that exist in the villages. Farmers' co-operation is also very encouraging and we could complete the watershed activities within the specified period.

Kotikala Chandrasheakar

Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 11:59 AM

Author : Kotikala Chandrasheakar

Name of the watershed: Ayyannapalem
Name of the Mandal: Bollapalli
District: Guntur

Maps, lakes and citizens: The use of surveys in lake conservation - An article in the Seminar magazine

Settlements in the area that is now Bangalore have a recorded history that dates back to the 5th century CE. Water for these settlements was made available through multiple series of tanks, which numbered 19,800 around the year 1830.

Harini Nagendra

Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 11:44 AM

This lake system is now decaying with lakes either taken over for urban uses, or choking due to neglect. ATREE and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have been engaged in attempting to understand how to restore these lakes for urban use, while maintaining their ecological importance. This article in Seminar describes this attempt.

Puttenahalli: one of Bengaluru's urban lakes

Basin-level impact assessment study of the Lohit river - A study by WAPCOS & Ministry of Environment and Forests (2011)

In view of the number of hydro-electricity projects being commissioned on the free-flowing Lohit river and its tributaries, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) recommended the development of a basin-level impact assessment. This work was awarded to M/s Wapcos Limited, and the cost shared by the various project developers.

Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)

WAPCOS

Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 11:29 AM

Area map of the Lohit Basin

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