Contamination, Pollution and Quality

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Featured Articles
September 5, 2024 The current state of play regarding sewage treatment standards in India
Clogged pipes: India's sewage treatment crisis (Image: Trey Ratcliff, Flickr Commons; CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
September 2, 2024 Recommendations made by an expert committee, the NGT's subsequent orders, and a critical analysis of these developments
Drum screens at Bharwara sewage treatment plant (Image: India Water Portal)
August 30, 2024 This article traces the evolution of the legislative framework for water pollution in India and its implications for wastewater treatment standards in the country. 
Open drains in Alwar (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
August 22, 2024 The journey of sewage treatment standards and the challenge of treating India’s growing wastewater
Need to fix wastewater effluent standards (Image: Kristian Bjornard)
August 1, 2024 Recognising the limitations of relying solely on herbicides, a strategic shift towards preventive measures is crucial
Relying solely on chemicals to keep weeds at bay isn't sustainable and can harm the environment. (Image: Needpix)
June 12, 2024 Leveraging research to optimise water programs for improved health outcomes in India
Closing the tap on disease (Image: Marlon Felippe; CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)
WASH away Ujjain woes
The holy city of Ujjain is dealing with severe water and sanitation issues. A study reveals serious anomalies in the WASH situation in the city. Posted on 07 Nov, 2016 10:31 PM

Despite all the hype around Swachh Bharat Mission, the situation on the ground remains dismal. The city of Ujjain is located on the western part of Madhya Pradesh on the Malwa Plateau and is primarily a religious tourism centre due to the Mahakal temple.

Open well in Hira mill ki chaal slum situated next to an open drain resulting in its water getting polluted.
MGNREGA facing fund crunch
Policy matters this week Posted on 07 Nov, 2016 09:30 AM

More fund over the budgetary allocation sought for MGNREGA

Labourers build check dams under MGNREGA. (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
Maha battle over water
The Mahanadi’s water is important for both the farmers and industries of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Instead of squabbling over it, the states need to come up with a plan to use the water judiciously. Posted on 03 Nov, 2016 12:07 PM

It’s a battle that dates back to 1957. Two states of India--Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Odisha--have fought fiercely over the water of the Mahanadi they share. When Chhattisgarh was carved out of MP in 2000, it inherited both the Mahanadi and the conflict with Odisha over its water.

Mahanadi river
Get your facts right, get them to act right
Compliance with environmental laws has been a matter between the company and the government. It is changing with a group of people urging communities to participate in the process. Posted on 31 Oct, 2016 05:37 PM

Hasdeo Arand illustrates all that is wrong with the coal mining industry today. This ancient and dense forest in Chattisgarh, inhabited by several tribes, was once famous for being an elephant corridor. Since 2013, the area has worn a different face.

People attend public hearing late into the night at New Anaya, Arunachal Pradesh.
Smoking is injurious for oceans
Not many smokers realise that their discarded cigarette butts are not just a litter problem. It is a huge toxic waste for the environment, especially the water bodies. Posted on 25 Oct, 2016 07:04 PM

Senthil takes a long puff of the cigarette before flicking it on the road nonchalantly. “I started smoking on the sly when I was in school,” he reminisces. “Sixty years later, I still do the same, only more smokes per day.”

Discarded cigarette butts on a beach. (Source:Wikimedia Commons)
Harike needs a hand
Despite their protected status, Ramsar sites face many ecological issues. In our bid to know wetlands better, we visited some of these sites. Here's what we saw at Harike. Posted on 21 Oct, 2016 12:18 PM

Harike wetland is the direct result of the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan. To make best use of the waters of eastern rivers allotted to it, India constructed a barrage near the confluence of Beas and Satluj in 1952 from where two canals take water to the fields of Punjab and Rajasthan.

Harike wetland Photo by Jaypee/Wikimedia Commons
Selling packaged water above MRP punishable offence
News this week Posted on 17 Oct, 2016 09:02 AM

Jail term for selling packaged water above MRP: Government

Mineral water bottles (Source: Pixabay.com)
Get wealthy with water
This year’s winner of Thiess International Riverprize, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper talks to India Water Portal on how their river restoration efforts became a success with public participation. Posted on 15 Oct, 2016 11:59 AM

The Thiess International Riverprize is a globally renowned prize that is awarded by the International RiverFoundation to those demonstrating outstanding results in the sustainable river basin management, restoration and protection across the world.

Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper receive the Thiess International Riverprize at the 19th International River Symposium. (Image Source: International RiverFoundation)
Health check up for the rivers
While the health of the rivers needs to be comprehensively assessed to bring the contamination down, public participation remains crucial in keeping the rivers alive. Posted on 14 Oct, 2016 06:16 PM

A severe crisis is plaguing the rivers in India.

The Krishna river, Wai, Maharashtra. (Source: India Water Portal)
Ways to keep arsenic away
There are many arsenic removal technologies available to ensure safe drinking water for villages. Picking the right approach is key. Posted on 11 Oct, 2016 10:12 PM

For villagers at Madhusudan Kathi, the handpumps serving water from an unprotected source led to arsenic contamination, making water from these pumps risky to drink.

Arsenic removal unit developed by Arup Sengupta, Lehigh University, Bethlehem at Howrah, West Bengal. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
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