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Ecology and Environment
Saving rice - Ambitious plans to increase productivity
Posted on 24 Dec, 2010 10:13 AMEnormous funds are being poured into research aimed at improving seed varieties, with a heavy focus on developing hybrid rice. Is it the right option for millions of small rice farmers who are already battling high input costs and increasingly unpredictable weather? Or does part of the solution lie in efficient methods of cultivation that will cut down water use and improve yield?
The economic impacts of inadequate sanitation in India: Rs. 2.4 Trillion equivalent of 6.4 per cent of GDP – A report by WSP
Posted on 24 Dec, 2010 09:27 AMThis study report by the Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP), a global partnership administered by the World Bank suggests that inadequate sanitation causes India considerable economic losses, equivalent to 6.4 per cent of India's GDP in 2006 at Rs. 2.4 Trillion. It analyzed the evidence on the adverse economic impacts of inadequate sanitation, which include costs associated with death and disease, accessing and treating water, and losses in education, productivity, time, and tourism. The findings are based on 2006 figures, although a similar magnitude of losses is likely in later years.
The study focused on the safe management of human excreta and associated hygiene behavior. The methodology adopted by the study included disaggregating the economic impacts of inadequate sanitation into health-related impacts including premature deaths, costs of treating diseases, and productive time lost due to illnesses; domestic water-related impacts including household treatment of water, and money and time costs to obtain safe water; welfare losses including additional time spent by people for accessing toilets or open defecation sites, and girls having to miss school, and women not going to work; and the loss of potential tourism owing to inadequate sanitation.
Data on incidence (e.g. diarrheal diseases, deaths, etc.) were compiled from national sources (National Family Health Survey, WHO Demographic and Health Surveys, and other Govt. of India sources). Based on scientific literature, attribution factors were used to estimate the populations impacted by inadequate sanitation. Economic valuation was carried out using costs/prices based on secondary studies.
"Jungle Trees of Central India" - A preview of the field guide for tree-spotters by Pradip Krishen
Posted on 23 Dec, 2010 01:26 AMContent Courtesy: Flowers of India
Jungle Trees of Central India is a lovingly detailed field guide to every tree you're likely to see in the magnificent dry, deciduous forests of the region. Bigger than France and encompassing 5 of India's most visited Tiger Reserves, Central India is home to the classical types of wilderness that one associates with the term 'Indian Jungle'.
National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) 10, FICCI, New Delhi
Posted on 21 Dec, 2010 01:12 PMNational Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) 10
Theme: "National Geospatial Eco-system – The Road Ahead"
Land acquisition for Renuka dam continues despite uncertainties - Press release from the Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti
Posted on 21 Dec, 2010 12:24 PMForwarded to the portal by: Manshi Asher
Content Courtesy: Himvani
Author: Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti
Despite protest against forced acquisition of land, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) and revenue administration today notified Section 9 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894, for approximately 680 big has (about 57 hectares) of land of Panaar Village for the Renuka Dam Project. In a letter to the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court sent today, activists appealed for a stay on land acquisition for the project, considering the uncertainty surrounding the project.
Effluent treatment facilities across Golden Corridor does not conform to GPCB norms – A press release by Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti
Posted on 20 Dec, 2010 10:39 PMContent Courtesy: Radical Socialist
Author: Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti
In this press release dated 4th June 2010, the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti expresses concern that the effluent treatment facilities across the Golden Corridor do not conform to the Gujarat State Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and demands that effluent discharge at Tadgam Sarigam Pipeline, from FETP, Ankleshwar, ECP, Vadodara and CETPs of Ahmedabad be stopped.
Climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation - Science for generating policy options in Rajasthan
Posted on 20 Dec, 2010 09:14 PMThis paper by Rajasthan Pollution Control Board on climate change impacts in the context of Rajasthan seeks to address the issue of need of the society for robust knowledge to pursue strategies for mitigation as well as adaptation in order to address the challenges associated with global warming and climate change.
Accordingly, here a brief review of the available literature and an annotated bibliography of published research on climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation in order to facilitate the identification of policy options in Rajasthan is provided.
Also included is the literature on how human societies contribute to environmental change and how, in turn, become vulnerable to these changes. It also explores the available knowledge on how likely ecosystem goods and services are impacted to climatic oscillations (environmental sensitivity) and the ability of rural communities to cope (social resilience) with those changes.
Ecological farming: Drought resistant agriculture – A paper by Greenpeace
Posted on 20 Dec, 2010 08:09 PMThis paper by Greenpeace on ecological farming illustrates proven, modern farming approaches that help cope with drought. It elaborates on the drought-resistant crop varieties and calls for policy makers to increase funds for research on the system.
Human-induced climate change is resulting in less and more erratic rainfall, especially in regions where food security is very low. The poor in rural and dry areas will suffer the most and will require cheap and accessible strategies to adapt to erratic weather. This adaptation will need to take into account not only less water and droughts, but also the increased chance of extreme events like floods.
Biodiversity and a healthy soil are central to ecological approaches to making farming more drought-resistant and more resilient to extreme events. Practices that make soils better able to hold soil moisture and reduce erosion and that increase biodiversity in the system help in making farm production and income more resilient and stable.
Can India be firm with China on Brahmaputra dams ? - An article by Himanshu Thakkar
Posted on 20 Dec, 2010 02:34 PMForwarded to the Portal by: Himanshu Thakkar
Article and Image Courtesy: SANDRP
Author: Himanshu Thakkar
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s forthcoming India visit (15-17 Dec 2010) provides another useful opportunity for India to be firm and forthright with China on India’s concerns about Chinese dam and hydropower projects on the shared rivers, including in the Brahmaputra basin. The importance of this issue cannot be underscored considering that this issue has been raised in the Parliament several times, even the Prime Minister has had to make clarifications in the recent past, the people and governments of several states, including Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been agitated about this. India’s Planning Commission, Environment, Water Resources and Power Ministries have also been raising these concerns.