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Society, Culture, Religion and History
Drought and the desert: They don't go hand in hand here
Posted on 23 Mar, 2015 09:15 PMWomen in bright, colourful clothes carrying pots on their heads -- this is how popular media often depicts the women of rural Rajasthan. This is what I expected to see in the Bakhasar region of Barmer district, which borders the famous salt desert, the Rann of Kutch. The groundwater is often saline and rainfall does not exceed 250 mm.
Cursed by greed: The Falgu river
Posted on 23 Mar, 2015 04:32 PMThe story of the Falgu is one of greed. Unlike most other rivers, the Falgu is not just a victim of greed, but also an oppressor -- she oppressed none other than Sita herself as she flowed through Gaya in Bihar.
The story
Can Madurai's dying tanks be revived?
Posted on 19 Mar, 2015 09:34 PMMadurai, Tamil Nadu's second largest city, is now filled with buildings and roads which are eating into its age old network of tanks and canals. This change did not happen overnight. It began in the late 19th century by the British when they merged several hamlets to establish their headquarters in the region.
Behaviour change communication for sanitation: campaign materials
Posted on 09 Mar, 2015 03:58 PMIn partnership with the Government of Karnataka, Arghyam ran a communication campaign aimed at creating a demand for improved sanitation.
A hard look at the strategy of fighting open defecation
Posted on 05 Mar, 2015 10:31 PMWith over 620 million defecating in the open in India, do we need a new approach to curb this practice? The force of habit is such that even households with toilets have around forty percent of adults defecating in the open. But, does curbing open defecation necessarily lead to significant improvements in child health outcomes like diarrhoea, anaemia, parasite infection and growth?
Get drenched in the Himalayas!
Posted on 05 Mar, 2015 12:32 PMCulture, recreation, and geology are some of the reasons people cite for visiting the Himalayas. You can literally get drenched in these topics in some of the waterfalls that the Northern Himalayas are home to. Read on to get the full scoop on places you can (and should!) visit. For the geeks among you, we have also explored a bit of the history and science behind it.
Coliform contamination and cholera: Deciphering the connection
Posted on 02 Mar, 2015 05:34 PMVibrio cholerae is responsible for 100,000 -120,000 deaths annually, worldwide. [1] Commonly found in ponds, rivers and brackish areas, the bacterium finds its way into humans through contaminated food and water. And the result?
Embankments: Engineering solutions or problems?
Posted on 02 Mar, 2015 05:12 PMMahananda, a major River of north Bihar rises in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It meets the Ganga after a journey of 376 km through the flat lands of Bihar, West Bengal and Bangladesh. It would spill its banks because of the flat slopes, causing deluge and waterlogging in the Katihar district of Bihar.
A 3-year journey from water scarcity to security
Posted on 02 Mar, 2015 02:43 PMSantosh Gavale, a resident of Manyali village in Umarkhed tehsil of Yavatmal district, is a happy man now. The village, which has faced an increasing water crisis over the years, is now water sufficient because it manages its water resources well and shares it equitably. Santosh managed to do this for his village.