Governance

After months of playing hide and go seek, the world's biggest polluter finally got working to shape up their act with the Clea

News updates from various media sources about the floods. You can also find up-to-date news updates on India Water Portal's news feed:

https://www.indiawaterportal.org/news

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Mumbai Mirror:

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=3&contentid=20091005200910050347421404a8e72fe

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=3&contentid=2009100620091006031259984ba7a4bb6

Image & Content Courtesy: Ministry Of Environment & Forests (MoEF) Government Of India

The challenge of environmental management and regulation is immense in a country as large and diverse as India. Over the years, legislation has evolved. With the enactment of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, the various rules and notifications, and the National Environment Policy 2006, a credible legislative and policy base has been created. But there are gaps in the institutional mechanisms and implementation has not kept pace with the legislative and policy evolution.

To over come this problem Ministry Of Environment & Forests (MoEF) Government Of India, has put forward few plans to set up a National Environment Protection Authority (NEPA), which will be responsible for the creation of new policies, implementation of regulations and dispensation of justice in the environmental domain in India.

Ministry Of Environment & Forests (MoEF) Government Of India, has invited comments from the States, civil society, and other stakeholders regarding the design of an appropriate institutional structure for best addressing the growing environmental challenges.

Getting Things Done: Bureaucratic and Entrepreneurial Approaches to the Practice of Participatory Water Management Reforms in Brazil and India

This report on the state of the environment in Tikamgarh district, prepared by Development Alternatives, provides a summary of the environmental attributes and condition of the district and the human impacts on the environment. It also provides a public record of district authority, industry and community activities and achievements in responding to pressures on the environment. The purpose of this report is to bring out an overview of the environmental scenario of the district to serve as a baseline document and assist in logical and information based decision making.

This status report prepared by Development Alternatives contains brief background information about the Bundelkhand region, details about the physical profle (topography, drainage and river systems, land usage, climate, rainfall), water resources information (water demand, availability, supply and accessibility) and information on sanitation practices (toilets, personal  hygiene, solid waste management, liquid waste disposal, availability of water for sanitation).

In Rajasthan Ki Rajat Boondein, Shri Anupam Mishra documents the myriad, well-organised ways in which the people of western Rajasthan have harvested and managed water over centuries, through work of the utmost dedication, painstaking detail and community-led action. These systems have survived the test of time, and are present in most villages and towns of the desert state even today.

This path-breaking work in the harsh water-scarce conditions of the desert, was completely managed by the local communities, and serves as a guide to the rest of us, in organising to face and tackle the water crisis, that we face across the world today.

Shri Anupam Mishra has worked in the field of environment and water conservation for many decades, and is currently with the Gandhi Peace Foundation New Delhi. His books on the work of people/society organising themselves, to harvest and manage water - Aaj Bhi Khare Hain Talaab and Rajasthan Ki Rajat Boondein, are considered landmark works in the field, and continue to inspire several individuals even today, to take up work on setting up and reviving such time-tested water harvesting systems.

The following guidelines give information about a new scheme to repair, restore and renovate 1 lakh water -bodies across the country. The outlay is Rs 4000 crore.

Portal visitors might find this of interest.  

Conservation and Management of Urban Lakes
Brainstorming Session on Conservation & Management of Urban Lakes 26th Sept 09