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Society, Culture, Religion and History
Hydropower in the Northeast: Potential and harnessing analysis - A critique
Posted on 15 Jan, 2012 11:41 PMThe main objectives of the hydropower study are as follows:
- An analysis of the hydropower potential in the Northeast and key elements of the strategy that should be followed for optimal realization of this potential
- An overview of the hydropower development options in the Northeast with regard to the water resources in the different river basins, including consideration of flood control and irrigation
Map of the north-east states
India, Pakistan and water - Lecture by Ramaswamy Iyer at MIDS
Posted on 12 Jan, 2012 10:57 PMIt traces the roots of the conflicts to the strained relations between India and Pakistan following the partition and the framing of the Indus Water Treaty in 1960.
A water works science fair for children, Hippocampus and Curiouscity, Bangalore, January 18-22, 2012
Posted on 12 Jan, 2012 10:59 AMOrganizer: Hippocampus,
Curiouscity.
Wetlands for water quality management – The science and technology: A paper from Current Issues in Water Management
Posted on 10 Jan, 2012 10:24 PMThe introduction begins witha brief overview of wetlands: their nature and services offered. These wetlands are ecosystems with water that is static or flowing and characerized by emergent , floating and submerged aquatic vegetation. Some of the services provided by wetlands are fish and fiber, water supply, water purification, flood regulation, recreational opportunities and tourism. It then details the importance of wetlands for water purification.Toxins enter the wetlands through farms, factories and runoff. These toxins are broken down or otherwise buried using a variety of bacteria.
Location map of Keoladeo National Park
Changing currents: Plumbing the rights: A film highlighting water as a common good
Posted on 10 Jan, 2012 08:55 PMSource: Culture Unplugged
Democratisation of water management - The experience of Tamil Nadu with governance reforms
Posted on 09 Jan, 2012 12:18 PMNor is the introduction of the private sector and the reduction in the role of the government going to help. Rather, the time has come to introduce changes at the basic or the fundamental level in the way in which the water sector functions.
There is an urgent need to bring about reforms in governance by moving towards decentralisation and democratisation, leading to involvement of people from all the sections of the society, who know and understand that they are responsible for the system and its functioning, as well as by introducing principles of equity and social justice. The papers demonstrate the successful implementation of this approach by describing the experience of Tamil Nadu at democratising water management through introduction of reforms at the level of governance, through involvement of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD).
Environment Statistics – A compendium by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (2011)
Posted on 07 Jan, 2012 04:25 PMIt broadly covers five core parameters, viz., biodiversity, atmosphere, land/soil, water and human settlements suggested by the Framework for Development of Environment Statistics (FDES) published by United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) in 1984.
Norms and standards of municipal basic services in India: Report by the National Institute of Urban Affairs
Posted on 07 Jan, 2012 10:04 AMStudies indicate that the levels of infrastructure services available in urban regions in India are improving, however their quality is still debatable. This paper uses secondary data available from various government report to review the norms and standards for the following basic services
- Water supply
- Sewereage
- Solid waste management
- Primary education
- Preventive health care
In addition resource gaps and measures to bridge these gaps are also examined.
Floods in Orissa: No lessons learnt – An article in EPW
Posted on 06 Jan, 2012 02:26 PMThis article by Kishore C Samal in the Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) discusses how in the natural disater prone state of Orissa the authorities have not been able to draw up an effective disaster management plan and politicians continue to play politics with relief works. It argues that for dealing with these disasters and the relief and rehabilitation work that follows what is needed is the participation of the local community and functionaries of panchayati raj institutions, and coordination with national and international bodies.
Big dams and protests in India: A study of Hirakud dam – An article in EPW
Posted on 06 Jan, 2012 12:29 PMIt is evident that the domestic resistance to the project was variously compromised by nationalist rhetoric, imperatives of state development and absence of transnational support. The Hirakud dam project has failed on all of its objectives – flood management, hydropower production, irrigation and navigation. Its socio-economic impact has been devastating.