Droughts and Floods

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Microfinance institutions get away with farmer suicide abetment charges: Police close a third of the cases in Andhra Pradesh

In 2010, Andhra Pradesh witnessed a series of suicides. These were not cases of farmers' suicides—a regular occurrence in the state which continues to be in the grip of an agrarian crisis. The victims in these cases happened to be the poorest of the poor; most of them illiterate dalits and adivasis. The first information reports (FIRs) of the police reveal that most of the suicides were due to coercive loan recovery tactics adopted by the mighty microfinance institutions (MFIs), that had given these people a few thousands of rupees as loans. Ironically, 2010 happened to be a year in which the micro finance industry registered a spectacular growth. This article by M Suchitra in Down to Earth deals with the issue.

M Suchitra

Posted on 27 Apr, 2012 12:43 PM

Article Courtesy : Down to Earth

Author : M Suchitra

Sikkim’s organic farming to feature in Satyamev Jayate, Aamir Khan’s first television project on DD1

Aamir Khan’s first television project Satyamev Jayate will have one full episode on organic farming in Sikkim. Sikkim is on its way to become totally organic and out of the cultivable land of 58,168 hectares, about 8,168 hectares had already been certified as organic by accredited institutions.

iSikkim

Posted on 27 Apr, 2012 11:36 AM

Article and Image Courtesy : iSikkim

Citizens voice alarm over recent Supreme Court judgement on interlinking of rivers

Prominent experts, concerned citizens and neighboring countries have raised concerns over the recent Supreme Court judgement.

Amita Bhaduri

Posted on 25 Apr, 2012 10:39 AM

The Supreme Court of India has in its judgment of 27 February 2012 on the interlinking of rivers project, given categorical directions to the Executive Government to implement the ‘project’ as a whole in a time bound manner and has also asked the Centre to appoint a Special Committee to work out the modalities and oversee the implementation of the project.

Critical review of the impacts, challenges, prospects and conflict management for vitally needed inter-linking of rivers in India

Hon’ble Supreme Court in its judgment of 27th February 2012, directed union and concerned states governments, to implement ambitious interlinking of the rivers project (ILR) in a time bound manner and also asked Union Government to appoint a high-powered committee for planning and implementation of the project. Social tensions, political instability and street fights are already being experienced in India, on account of fast deteriorating situation of availability of qualitative water in adequate quantity.
This article presents a critical review of basic objectives, controversies, social & ecological impacts besides concrete suggestions to overcome the blockades in Inter-basin Transfer of Water (IBTW), now commonly known as Inter-linking of Rivers (ILR).

Er. Radhey Shyam Goel

Posted on 23 Apr, 2012 12:17 PM

Guest post by : Er. Radhey Shyam Goel

1. Introduction

Appointment of young professionals as Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellows - Some questions

There has been quite a bit of news and excitement about the Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellows recently appointed by selecting young professionals from top professionals institutions like IITs, IIMs, TISS and others. It is a welcome idea that large numbers of professionals have been attracted to be such Fellows. It is to be seen if they will deliver what is expected out of them, especially while working in the districts affected by left wing extremism. I wish them all success but the history of such ideas and experiments have failed globally and we should have deeper analysis of them, says Achyut Das of Agragamee, Orissa.

Achyut Das

Posted on 23 Apr, 2012 11:19 AM

The critics of the PMRDFS have already started asking questions as follows:

Interlinking of rivers project: A disquieting judgement - Ramaswamy Iyer's perspective in the EPW on the recent Supreme Court decision

The Supreme Court judgement of 27 February 2012 directed the executive government to implement the river inter-linking project through a special committee which will take precedence over all other administrative bodies. In this article, first published in the Economic and Political Weekly, Ramaswamy Iyer explains why this backing of a 'potentially disastrous' project is disturbing. The article then calls for a reconsideration of this judgement.

Ramaswamy R Iyer

Posted on 20 Apr, 2012 10:52 PM

1. Introduction
Two writ petitions were filed in 2002 on the subject of interlinking. The judgement finally passed in 2012 directs the implementation of this project. This judgement is disturbing for the following reasons:

Water supply and demand management of the Indus basin : Options for current and future sustainable water resources management

The Indus basin is one of the regions in the world that is faced with major challenges for its water sector, due to population growth, rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, environmental degradation, unregulated utilization of the resources, inefficient water use and poverty, all aggravated by climate change. The Indus Basin is shared by 4 countries – Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and China. With a current population of 237 million people which is projected to increase to 319 million in 2025 and 383 million in 2050, already today water resources are abstracted almost entirely (more than 95% for irrigation). Climate change will result in increased water availability in the short term.

A.N. Laghari

D Vanham

W Rauch

Posted on 17 Apr, 2012 12:04 PM

Article Courtesy : Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS)

Authors : A.N. Laghari, D.Vanham, and W.Rauch

A student uses India Water Portal on Twitter (@indiawater) for research

Pranietha Mudliar, a student in the United States recently connected with India Water Portal on Twitter.

Pranietha Mudliar

Posted on 12 Apr, 2012 04:10 PM

She found Twitter to be a useful place to conduct her research on issues of governance and institutions in watershed management programs in India and the U.S., because it enabled her to pick the resources she found useful without having to go through lots of articles and research papers.

PPP models for irrigation projects – Why and why not?

Last month India’s Finance Minister announced that henceforth irrigation projects shall also be considered for the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme. VGF is provided by the Government of India in form of grants (one-time or deferred) for infrastructure projects which are commercially unviable and where the private sector is encouraged to participate. Governments support in the form of VGF is expected to bring action in this area, which has see lackluster response in the past where states have tried to initiate some sort of PPP projects and which have largely been considered unfeasible by the private sector.

Rasika Gokhale Athawale

Posted on 10 Apr, 2012 11:17 AM

Author : Rasika Gokhale Athawale

Scientific and technological approaches for sustainable use of water resources: Summary of the Global Indian Scientists and Technocrats Forum convention held at Pune, in December 2010

The Global Scientists and Technocrats Forum (GIST) organised a convention on ‘Scientific and technological approaches for sustainable use of water resources’ in Pune on the 27 and 28 of December 2010 . The keynote address was presented by Hon. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, and the conference was attended by about 600 delegates.

Posted on 09 Apr, 2012 11:17 PM

The sessions were as follows:

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