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Contamination, Pollution and Quality
Launch of film 'Mercury in the Mist', NFSC, July 1, 2011, Chennai
Posted on 01 Jul, 2011 11:10 AMOrganizers:
Low carbon strategies for inclusive growth - An interim report of the Planning Commission's expert group
Posted on 28 Jun, 2011 11:44 PMSome policy measures implied by various options have also been indicated. The main sectors examined in the report are power, transport, industry, buildings and forestry.
Increased concentrations of Green House Gases (GHGs) and the overall warming of the atmosphere has resulted in changing rainfall patterns, disruption in hydrological cycles, melting of ice caps and glaciers, rise in sea levels, and increase in frequency and intensity of extreme events such as heavy precipitation and cyclonic activities.
These have in turn had serious impact on sustainability of water resources, agriculture, forests and ecosystems, affecting the well being of billions of people on earth. Widespread melting of glaciers and snow cover will reduce melt water from major mountain ranges (e.g. Hindu Kush, Himalaya, Andes) where more than one billion people currently live.
Hi-tech vs low-tech in the water sector in the village of Dandiganahalli near Bangalore - Article by S. Vishwanath
Posted on 28 Jun, 2011 05:40 PMEver since Schumacher wrote his now very, very famous book small is there has in my mind been a question of the appropriateness of the solutions we urban educated types posit for rural ‘problems’.
Mining havoc: Impact of mining on water resources in Goa - Article from Dams, Rivers and People
Posted on 25 Jun, 2011 02:02 PM
Pumping of water from Cavrem Sheikh Salim mine, severely lowering groundwater table in the village
Image courtesy: Sebastian Rodriguez, Mand Goa
Gravity based spring water supply systems in Vishakhapatnam: A sustainable solution to an age-old problem
Posted on 23 Jun, 2011 05:42 PMWith an annual rainfall of more than 1200 mm, this region has truly pristine and under-developed ground water resources. The water related issues are more complex in the hilly areas. Some of the most concerning issues that affect the current water scenario in the Eastern Ghats are pollution of water sources (springs & streams) leading to poor health, illiteracy and ignorance resulting in improper hygiene and sanitation practices. The burden on women and children is also high since they have to walk a long distance to the springs/streams for fetching water.
Threat of toxic residue leaks in Orissa, India in 2011 - Urgent action requested by Amnesty International
Posted on 23 Jun, 2011 11:32 AMOver 4,000 families in India face serious risk from threats of leaks from Vedanta's red mud pond as the rainy season begins in June. Levels within the pond have already risen, amidst reports of two leaks in the last two months, threatening the communities' safety, health and livelihoods.
On 5 April and 16 May 2011, following heavy rain, local communities in Orissa state reported leakages from the 28-hectare red mud pond, owned and operated by Vedanta Aluminium, through its walls, polluting local streams and creating anxiety among the communities at the downstream villages of Lanjigarh, Bundel and Basantpada.
Chemical characteristics responsible for the higher concentration of fluoride in groundwater - A paper in Springer Science
Posted on 21 Jun, 2011 01:42 PMFluoride is essential for normal bone growth, but its higher concentration in drinking water poses great health problems and fluorosis is common in many parts of India.
From dreams to reality - Compendium of best practices in rural sanitation in India - A document by the Water and Sanitation Programme and the Ministry of Rural Development
Posted on 19 Jun, 2011 05:50 PMThis compendium by the Water and Sanitation Programme and the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India presents case studies about the achievements and experiences of different situations, institutional models, community mobilisation approaches, supply chain management techniques, capacity building methods, convergence of various programmes, school sanitation, innovative approaches etc from different states and regions in the country.
After a decade of launching the Total Sanitation Campaign, India has seen significant successes in terms of the sanitation coverage, creating open defecation communities/GPs and solid and liquid waste management. Thousands of success stories have emerged across the country while still there are many challenges in making the entire rural India Nirmal and sustaining the changes achieved.
Multi-district assessment of water safety (M-DAWS) in Gujarat - A study by Water and Sanitation Management Organisation
Posted on 15 Jun, 2011 12:08 PMThis report by the Water and Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO) is based on the analysis of Multi-District Assessment of Water Safety (M-DAWS) carried out in 8 districts of Gujarat (Vadodara,Valsad, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Kachchh, Surat, Ahmedabad and Dangs) , where ensuring adequate and safe drinking water to the people has been looked upon as a huge challenge needing urgent action during years 2007 and 2008 .
The Multi-District Assessment of Water Safety (M-DAWS) programme was undertaken by Water and Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO) with financial and technical support from UNICEF.
Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation – Information on water and sanitation in India
Posted on 13 Jun, 2011 09:20 PMA huge number of links are present on these sites which provide access to various data and information regarding the status of rural drinking water & sanitation and related government projects.