Contamination, Pollution and Quality

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/topics/contamination-pollution-and-quality

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)
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)
Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu sets an example by becoming water secure
News this fortnight Posted on 05 Jul, 2023 04:40 PM

Namkaal district of Tamil Nadu shows the way to successfully manage water scarcity

Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district has successfully addressed its water scarcity challenges and become the second-best district in India in terms of groundwater availability according to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry’s annual ranking. 

Being water secure. Image for representation purposes only (Image Source: India Water Portal Flickr photos)
Building the water quality champions cohort in Jharkhand
A knowledge-driven platform could act as a catalyst in achieving drinking water targets Posted on 27 Jun, 2023 09:33 PM

Jharkhand State is on the journey of ensuring the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation of their laboratories and recently completed the accreditation of 29 labs in the state for water quality testing on a mission mode.

From perennial to seasonal
An attempt to examine the historical and ecological importance of the East Kaali River while focusing on its rejuvenation work. Posted on 21 Jun, 2023 09:10 AM

Like many small seasonal rivers in India, the Naagin River (East Kaali) is unidentified on Google Maps; however, it is still alive in the collective memory.

The current state of the river’s origin (April 22, 2023; Image: Anushka)
FAQs - Plastics and their environmental impacts
Plastic pollution is a major contributor in the production of greenhouse gases and the quickening pace of climate change.
Posted on 31 May, 2023 05:10 PM

What are the environmental impacts of plastic?

Plastic has several significant environmental impacts, including:

There is a need to encourage the development of sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics (Image: Peakpx)
Fiscal health of the State Pollution Control Boards
Has their financial predicament indirectly constrained their ability to fulfil their mandate effectively? Posted on 06 May, 2023 12:39 PM

The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) in India is one of the most polluted regions in the world. A densely populated region, with many sources emitting a range of pollutants, regulating air pollution here is an extremely difficult and complex task.

AI generated image of air pollution (Image: Alan Frijns from Pixabay)
Turning waste to wealth sustainably
While profusely growing water hyacinth contines to be a menace to water bodies worldwide and in India, attempts to put this weed to sustainable use and improve rural livelihoods is showing promising results. Posted on 27 Apr, 2023 03:58 PM

Water hyacinth, a devil in disguise

Water hyacinth, invaders in disguise (Image Source: India Water Portal)
The fast drying Cauvery delta, at a tipping point
Groundwater depletion from shallow and deep aquifers due to overextraction and seawater intrusion are rapidly drying up freshwater resources in the Cauvery delta. Large-scale groundwater recharge campaigns to raise awareness and aid the recovery of water levels are urgently needed. Posted on 11 Apr, 2023 11:31 PM

Deltas around the world are under threat. Recent research shows that around 85 percent of the deltas of the world are shrinking

What are deltas

Cauvery river at Karnataka (Image Source: Ashwin Kumar via Wikimedia Commons)
Building the water quality ecosystem for safe drinking water
Dr Sunderrajan Krishnan, Executive Director of INREM Foundation shares his perspectives on making water quality knowledge accessible to people on the ground. Posted on 25 Mar, 2023 02:03 PM

We get a sense of water purity from its appearance, smell and taste to figure out if the water is clean to drink. But unsafe water can be tasteless and odourless too, making it difficult to determine its quality. Water can have chemical, mineral and biological contaminants that can make us sick in the short and long run. 

Flipchart as a teaching aid (Image Source: INREM Foundation)
A large-scale training program that actually delivered results
Summary of INREM’s Water Quality Management Course assessment
Posted on 21 Mar, 2023 07:58 PM

The context

Ms. Chandana Biswal using the Safe Water Learning Cards to train other Chemists and Lab Assistants in her District. (Image: Chandana Biswal)
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