Ecology and Environment

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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

Toolkit for integrated urban water management, developed by Institute for Resource Analysis and Policy

This toolkit published by the Institute for Resource Analysis and Policy (IRAP) is an outcome of a study that involved exhaustive review of research undertaken all over the world on various aspects of urban water management by scholars and practitioners. It is not only relevant for water managers of urban local bodies, but also senior policy makers, scholars and practitioners concerned with water resources, particularly urban water.

Institute for Resource Analysis and Policy (IRAP)

Posted on 12 Apr, 2012 11:24 PM

The review included, but was not limited to urban hydrology, management of water supply infrastructure, water resources management, water quality management (WQM), groundwater management, technical and economic instruments for water demand management, technical and economic aspects of leakage reduction, environmental and economic aspects of wastewater treatment and reuse, storm water management

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.

"Resources, tribes and the State" - A report on an international seminar, organized by the Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies at Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, in February 2012

Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies, an affiliate body of the Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh organized a three day international seminar on Resources, Tribes and State from 13th to 15th February 2012. The seminar was sponsored by Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi and NER, Shillong, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIS), Kolkata, Anthropological Survey of India (ASI), Kolkata and Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hill, Doimukh.

Raju Mimi

Posted on 11 Apr, 2012 04:10 PM

Guest post by: Raju Mimi

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

Climate change and water sources: Strengthening community preparedness and water use regulations hold the key

Climate change is one of the most serious threats to the environment, health and economy of our nation as well as the whole world. Recent scientific studies show that global warming is already causing environmental changes that will have significant global economic and social impacts. As the world's 4th largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India has to juggle the imperative demand for economic development with pressures for greater efficiency in the use of energy.

Neelima Garg

Posted on 10 Apr, 2012 10:34 AM

Author : Neelima Garg

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:

Water law in a globalised world - Philippe Cullet discusses the need for creating a new framework

Water issues are rapidly acquiring a global dimension, while water laws remain rooted in specific regions. In this paper published in the Journal of Environmental Law, Philippe Cullet examines the need for a new framework for water law that allows for linkages with the global water cycle as well as human rights and environmental law.

Philippe Cullet

Posted on 09 Apr, 2012 11:09 PM

1. Introduction

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हरित छत से पर्यावरण संरक्षण

हरित छतें (ग्रीन रूफ्स) पर्यावरण संरक्षण में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभा रही हैं। इस मुद्दे पर डॉ. दीपक कोहली का एक विस्तृत आलेख।

हरित छतों वाली बिल्डिंग (courtesy - needpix.com)