Ecology and Environment

Several threats have emerged in recent years to the pristine Himalayan rivers of Uttarakhand. These include: (i) the proposed construction of 220 dams (ii) the drying up of rain fed rivers due to deforestation and deforestation of their catchments (iii) release of untreated sewage from river side towns and habitations and (iv) illegal sand mining of river beds.

Pained by the unrelenting destruction of the Ganga river, especially by a series of dams in its upper reaches, Dr G.D. Agrawal, India's pre-eminent environmental quality scientist and a legendary Professor (and HoD) of Civil & Environmental Engineering at IIT-Kanpur. (Access:Biography Sketch Here) has decided to go on a fast-unto-death to oppose its continuing desecration. His conviction that we are staring at an unprecedented ecological and cultural catastrophe comes from his powerfully logical mind. Critique on proposed dams on Bhagirathi River. Access here: Critique on Dams

India is facing a water crisis in nearly all the sectors. Fortunately or unfortunately, measures taken by the related authorities to combat the crisis often depends on the amount of 'noise' made by the relevant stakeholders. It is no wonder then, that the urban India, and especially the rich and the powerful in urban India, seldom have to face problems related to water scarcity, water quality or the sheer inequity in distribution. On the other hand, weaker the stakeholder, more severe are his ( rather 'her') problems. Marginal farmers, tail enders in a canal network, rural and urban poor, especially children and women, stand testimony to this situation. We all agree to this, right?

Godavari delta, destruction of mangroves 

But aren't we forgetting the the weakest, and in some ways, the strongest, of all the stakeholders? How about the ecosystem of the river itself??

The Polavaram project on the river Godavari in AP is in the news due to the rejection of the evironmental impact assessment and the subsequent stay on the rejection by the court. We have put together a page with resources on the Polavaram dam project for the Water Conflicts section. Click here

Finally, another post to add to the "Humor" category of the blog. There is not enough of it in the water sector !

The Bagmati Calling : I am reporting from the south bank of the Bagmati near Benipur in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar.

The latest issue of SANDRP's newsletter contains the following: Solar Power Boom Bihar Floods 2007: Some lessons for everyone Power Options: New Look Required 11th Five Year Plan: Why it may not a

3 day workshop organised by Ecological Society, Pune 7-9 February 2008 Salient Points:Top management experts will facilitate your understaning and interact with you in the 3-day residential workshop in a sylvan environment.

Due to the heat from the Sun the water in the rivers, lakes and Oceans becomes water vapour. As this hot moist air rises into the sky the temperature gets reduced at 7oC per km height in the sky.

Following an 18-year legal battle, a great California river once given up for dead is on the verge of a comeback. For more on this inspirational example of river restoration through civil society efforts, see the Natural Resources Defense Council site. The example may be from America, but the inspiration is universal.