/topics/common-property-resources
Common Property Resources
The story of how blissful ignorance allows Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages to deprive Mehdiganj, Varanasi of its water
Posted on 01 Apr, 2013 11:39 PM
Bottled drinks are commonplace and we often reach for them without a thought. We may even feel good about our purchase as we read about the companies' commitment to water security' printed on the label.
What does 'being water positive' really mean for the villages where manufacturing plants are situated ? This article examines the case of one such plant in Mehdiganj, PO Benipur, Arajiline block, Dist Varanasi and its effect on the groundwater levels in the area. The village has led an agitation against 4 specific negative impacts of the plant, acheiving moderate but measurable success.
This year, the movement comes to a crisis point as despite a warning by the Central Groundwater Development Board, the plant applies for a four-fold expansion.
Assessing the land use change and its impact on water resources: A study on the Mula and Mutha rivers catchment area in Pune
Posted on 17 Feb, 2013 09:11 PMLand use changes hydrologic system and have potentially large impacts on water resources. An assessment in an area with seasonally limited water availability and which is subject to rapid socio- economic development and population growth will provide an exemplary view on the local impacts of major recent developments in India. In this backdrop this paper analyzes past land use changes between 1989 and 2009 and their impacts on the water balance in the Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of Pune. The aim of the paper is:
- assess the land use changes between 1989/1990 and 2009/2010
- analyze the impacts of these changes on the long-term water balance components in the Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of the city of Pune.
Process of formation of Jajmau Area Water Partnership in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh – Problems and solutions
Posted on 13 Jan, 2013 12:01 PMIndustrial effluents and sewage water are being diverted to the river Ganga by the cities and towns through which it passes. Nestled on the banks of Ganga, Kanpur, a highly urbanized and industrial city is polluting it most. Apart from the Government of India’s recently constituted National Ganga River Basin Authority, civil societies and NGOs too are putting rigorous efforts to make Ganga pollution free. Though the city has several big and small industries, the leather industries located in Jajmau, the oldest part of the city add to the problem of pollution in the river to a large extent.
Traditional diversion-based phad irrigation systems help mitigate risk of crop failure in the drought-prone farmer suicide belt of Vidarbha, Maharashtra
Posted on 11 Jan, 2013 11:56 AMMany of these systems (1) continue to function and are often more sustainable, cost-effective and successfully managed by local institutions. Phads are one such community-based and managed diversion irrigation management system (2) prevailing in the north-western part of Maharashtra and date back to the early 16th century as per historical accounts. The system is prevalent in the Tapi basin on rivers the Panjhra, Mosam and Aram in Dhule and Nashik districts (3).
Phads or diversion-based irrigation systems, are being revived and promoted in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra by Dilasa, a Yavatmal-based voluntary development organisation (Video courtesy: Dilasa)
Powerless by choice: Updates from the Eco - Earth Care Optimised magazine's January 2013 issue
Posted on 01 Jan, 2013 05:54 PMPowerless by choice
Privatising the Commons- A book review in Economic and Political Weekly
Posted on 15 Oct, 2012 07:35 PMPublished in the Economic and Political Weekly, this article sheds light on the issue of privatising the natural resources, which are commonly shared by the rural people. These resources include forests, pasturelands, wastelands, coasts, lakes and rivers.