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Society, Culture, Religion and History
In conversation with K. J. Joy of SOPPECOM
Posted on 21 Oct, 2019 10:41 AMTo many in the water sector, K. J. Joy needs no introduction. An activist at heart, Joy is known for his untiring rights based work in mobilising communities in rural Maharashtra, and for his research work on water and water related conflicts including inter-state riparian water conflicts.
![KJ Joy speaks at a felicitation for the late Professor Ramaswamy Iyer.](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/joy_ramaswamy_iyer_felicitation.jpg?itok=84xa2_AF)
Manipur’s floating lake at risk
Posted on 18 Oct, 2019 12:37 PMLoktak, the largest freshwater lake in North East India is also known as the ‘floating lake’ for the numerous phumdis or masses of vegetation it supports. The phumdis float around on the lake’s surface due to decay from the bottom.
![A home on Loktak lake in Moirang, Manipur (Image: Sharada Prasad CS, Wikipedia Commons)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/800px-a_home_on_loktak_lake_moirang_manipur_india.jpg?itok=523C5xX9)
Pune groundwater extraction doubles in last decade; Uranium found in Telengana groundwater; Lower Subansiri project gets a boost
Posted on 16 Oct, 2019 02:13 PMStudy finds Pune's groundwater extraction doubles in 9 years
![Subansiri river in Arunachal Pradesh (Source: Kakul Baruah via Wikimedia Commons)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/voice_of_the_river_subansiri._a_tributary_of_brahmaputra_01_0.jpg?itok=qCjkRJBr)
Saving Aarey, the last lungs of Bombay
Posted on 11 Oct, 2019 06:30 PMLast week saw protests of a different kind in Mumbai. Activists and citizens from all walks of life came together to protest the cutting of trees in Aarey Milk Colony, one of the few surviving green lungs of the fast growing and polluted city of Mumbai.
![Aarey, the green lungs of Mumbai (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/aarey_forest.jpg?itok=4P-iope6)
River as a cultural mosaic
Posted on 02 Oct, 2019 10:41 AM"River conversations are critical to re-evaluate histories, reconnect civilisations, cultures and peoples, ideas and regions and open streams of thought for a future with exciting possibilities," says Kishalay Bhattacharjee, Associate Professor and Vice Dean, Jindal School of Journalism and Communication who has conceptualized a new series of quarterly river conversations.
![Yamuna near Taj Mahal (Image: Flickr Commons, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/yamuna_6.jpg?itok=sCZ_ivE3)
From droughts to floods: India’s tryst with climate extremes
Posted on 01 Oct, 2019 11:54 AMIndia has witnessed extreme weather conditions this year. While parts of the north and south have battled drought like conditions this summer, the northeast and western coastal areas witnessed heavy rains and floods.
![Water talk Series at Mumbai (Image Source:Tata Insitute of Social Sciences)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/water_talk_series1.jpg?itok=cs3tu1tn)
The Water Future Conference in Bangalore: Towards a Sustainable Water Future
Posted on 30 Sep, 2019 12:38 PMThe Water Future Conference in Bangalore last week, saw many from the scientific community, academia, research, civil society and the media come together to discuss the state of water resources across the world and in India, as well as future pathways and scenarios, and different technological a
![Charles Vorosmarty, Chair, COMPASS Initiative, Water Future at the opening plenary on advanced water system assessments to address water security challenges of the 21st century.](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/img_7269.jpeg?itok=y8Th5XHv)
Climate vulnerability map of India coming soon
Posted on 28 Sep, 2019 04:27 PMNew Delhi, September 27 (India Science Wire): Rising sea levels, increasing number of extreme weather events, urban floods, changing temperature and rainfall patterns - such impacts of climate change are being felt in many parts of India, and not just in the coastal areas or hilly regions.
![Dr. Akhilesh Gupta , head of the climate change programme at DST. Image source: India Science Wire](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/isw_article_lead_image_1.jpg?itok=VQPCWhzO)
Return of the pearl millet
Posted on 28 Sep, 2019 01:46 PMPandutalav, a small quiet village nestled in the dry teak forests in the tribal pocket in Dewas boasts an authentic rural way of life. This little dot on the map is known for its attempts to introduce indigenous varieties of crops, in particular pearl millet these days.
![This variety of bajra has extended whiskers on its seeds when on the plant. This prevented the birds from eating it. Growing bajra in Pandutalav became possible only when Majlis could lay its hands on this variety. (Image: Majlis)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/bajra.jpg?itok=pntS2Nlu)
Water wisdom in times of a climate crisis
Posted on 26 Sep, 2019 12:15 PMA recent report by Shailendra Yashwant for Oxfam India looks at India’s ingenious ways of harvesting, storing and distributing water from the Kuhls in Himachal Pradesh that channel water from Himal
![Bandhara (in Nashik, Maharashtra), a low masonry weir of 1.2 to 4.5 m height, which is constructed across a small stream for diverting the water into a small main canal taking off from its upstream side (Image: Shailendra Yashwant, Oxfam India)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/bandhara.jpg?itok=Svnfg1Wu)