Ecology and Environment

The study presents a preliminary hydrological investigation of the Deepar Beel, a natural freshwater lake near Guwahati, and notes the theoretical aspects of the techniques to be used, methodologies and instruments for conducting a detailed study of the natural processes at hand.

Deepar Beel acts as a natural stormwater reservoir during monsoon period and is greatly influenced by the rapid urbanization and improper land use pattern of Guwahati. It receives a large portion of sewage of the city, but the preliminary investigations reveal that the Beel is largely free from significant levels of pollution. This is due to the dilution effects of large storm water runoff during monsoons as also the release of the Beel water to river Brahmaputra through the Khanajun outlet. Yet, the soil quality is found to have deteriorated to a large extent.

Various parameters of soil and water quality indicate that the process of eutrophication is in progress in this wetland. Although many trace elements are present in the Beel sediments, no known toxic effects are observed on aquatic life. Increasing sedimentation and reduction in lake water capacity and inflow are also observed.

The study prepares a landuse and landcover map of Devak catchment of Ujh river basin in Jammu for the years 1958, 1979, 1990 and 1998 using image processing and visual interpretation techniques. It involves analysis of IRS-1A L2B2 (FCC) data for the year 1990, IRS -1C LISS III (digital data) for the year 1998 and SoI topographic maps for the year 1958 and 1979.

The study uses remote sensing data to develop a land use classification and applies statistical methods appropriate for Indian catchments to estimate the annual sediment load from the Upper Indravati catchment in Orissa for the year 2000. The study points to the fact that assessment of reservoir catchment regions at regular intervals would enhance the understanding of the geodynamic processes and help in identifying effective control measures.

Small and big dams and big embankments were constructed in this region, without understanding the nature of the rivers which have always changed course or overshot their banks. Assuming however, that the river will not change course, the Government adopted a skewed development program - that of building embankments to contain the river.

The Renuka Dam Project proposed over the river Giri Ganga (a tributary of the Yamuna) located some 300km away from Delhi, is a joint project of the governments of Himachal Pradesh (HP) and Delhi, to be constructed by the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) in Sirmaur district of HP.

Goa is the second smallest state in India, with a total land mass of 3702 sq kms, and is one of the world's 12 bio-diversity hot-spots. While the largest industry is Tourism, conversely the second largest is mining. 8% of this state’s land is already under mining, mostly for iron ore, which is largely exported to China.

Love for green: Healing the hills with trees - Work of Sachidanand Bharti in Uttarakhand

From Tubaah (NDTV Network) website (November 26, 2008).

Sachidanand Bharti is known as the treeman in Uttarakhand, where he has been dedicatedly planting trees since the last 25 years. Hills in Uttarakhand were once barren, but now they are lush green, all due to his efforts. Bharti is a school teacher by profession but his real calling is as a climate crusader.

The momentum for a better Global drinking Water Environment is increasing.

One way to achieve this Mission is to reduce the global High energy wasteful costs in producing Plastic Bottles, then transporting these products (so-called mineral,spring, volcanic Water) daily to Supermarkets, Newsagents & Corner stores.

This brief article by Prof Jayanta Bandyopadhyay in the May 16-31 2010 issue of Business Economics magazine, highlights the recent plans of the central and state goverments of constructing a large number of dams on Himalayan rivers. Environmentalists continue to consistently argue against the construction of dams that are built without respect for ecological sciences and warn that this could lead to increase in disasters in the fragile Himalayan region.

Measurement of riverine biota, particularly benthic macroinvertebrates (such as crustaceans and aquatic insects) and fish, has become a widely accepted method of identifying the structural or functional integrity and the overall health of a riverine system. This manual from the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB), describes in detail the field procedures to be followed in such fish monitoring/measurement surveys, conducted for riverine ecological systems.

KSBB has taken up this manual publication effort, in the conxtet of a state-wide fish monitoring programme, that aims to survey all the 44 rivers of Kerala with the involvement of resource persons from local colleges, research institutes, experts and fisherpeople community.