Hydropower

Goa, going, gone – A film by Carmen Miranda on Goa’s mining

As you may have assumed from its title, “Goa, going gone” is about Goa - - or more specifically, it’s about the environmental impact that is likely to result from the rampant mining that is underway in the state. Goa is being dug out of existence and gigantic craters expand across a 95 km long mining belt.

• Is the government really serious about the Project?  Water Initiatives Odisha(WIO) apprehends this to be a political game rather than a hydro power project, at least for now.
• We urge upon the government to first clear the air on the project design and other related issues before moving any further.
• The project is uncalled for without making a comprehensive analysis of water and energy scenario of the state; and if it displaces people and submerges agriculture land and forests

This draft report by the Planning Commission, which presents an approach to the twelfth five year plan among other things outlines some of the challenges related to agriculture, natural resources management and water resources management.

For the last few decades and more particularly since 1990’s the issue of human rights-violation of rights to life and livelihood of tribal peoples’ is a central concern. Therefore, the discourse on tribal movements and issues of tribal livelihood revolved around securing their well-defined rights on land and forest resources.

 It provides an analytical framework that policy makers and water professionals can use to bring greater clarity to the issue of social equity in their local context.

Changing climate, loss of native forests, disappearance of biodiversity, water shortages, desertification, the reduction of natural soil fertility — all add to the scenario of a world with increasingly complex environmental challenges.

The concept of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) has emerged as a challenge to the all-too-prevalent tradition of taking the Earth’s natural resources for granted. PES highlights a global continuum, illustrating the relationship between our lifestyles, the demands associated with our production and consumption patterns, and the effects those demands have on close or distant ecosystems.

This report by the Indian Institute of Technology (Delhi) for the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) deals with the scope, structure and processes of the proposed National Environment Assessment and Monitoring Authority (NEAMA). The findings and recommendations of the project are based on an analysis of various research and committee reports, a critical review of the implementation of EIA notification 2006, CRZ notification 1991 & CZM Notification 2010, and a review of the international practices.

It presents a summary of recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of energy service delivery through a decentralized program, which currently finds a critical place in the Government‘s energy policies and electrification targets.

The pilot phase of the Village Energy Security Programme has shown several lessons and the need for improvements.

Guest post by: Amita Bhaduri

The drafting of a new legislation on these issues was taken up by a Group of Ministers in May 2007 and this is the second draft bill presented by the UPA Government.

The report by Paul P Appasamy and Ruth Meinzen Dick deals with urbanization and intersectoral competition for water founded on the view that stereotypical images of “thirsty cities” that equate urban demand with “drinking water” or factories, and rural water supply with irrigation do not adequately portray the water uses in each area.