Voluntary Citizen or Civil Society Sector

Content courtesy: National Alliance for People's Movements

On the 26 December, 2011, at 2:15 am, Assam Police in collusion with other security forces swooped down on the protesters at Ranganadi who have been blockading the Highway since December 16 and thwarting state’s attempt to carry turbines and dam materials to project site of Lower Subansiri Dam. Nearly 200 people have been arrested and earlier also security forces have been harassing the protestors. In past too, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti fighting against the big dams on Brahmaputra have faced government’s ire and often been attacked and jailed. NAPM stands in solidarity with KMSS and other students groups of the region who have been consistently opposed to the big dams in highly sensitive seismic zone. We condemn the sustained action and harassment of KMSS and their activists and targeting of Akhil Gogoi for constantly opposing the destructive development policies and corruption of the government machinery.

This report has been prepared by the members of the working group set up by the Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India on the issue of “Entitlements and allocations for livelihoods and ecosystem needs". The introductory chapter sets out the context of the report. The immediate context is the work of the Forum over the last 4-5 years, and the learning that this particular issue leads to many water conflicts in India.

Guest post by: Amita Bhaduri

The public art outreach project was organized by the Max Mueller Bhavan in association with the Government of Delhi and the Goethe-Institut (Hamburg, Germany) as a part of the “Year of Germany in India” programme opened on 5^th of November, 2011. The art exhibition which continued till the 19^th of November co-curated by artist Ravi Agarwal who is also a practicing environmentalist (Director, Toxics Link) along with German artist, Till Krauser attempted to create a pulsating synergy between the Yamuna and Elbe rivers.

Gigi Scaria’s - The fountain of purification

Photo courtesy: Rocky Thongam

This is a 24 ft installation representing a four storey apartment complex that draws Yamuna water, purifies it at various levels and dispenses it from the top in the form of a fountain.

Vrutti addresses the need for social, technical and managerial resources in the livelihoods sector. It’s a group of young, dynamic professionals who are committed to working for livelihoods promotion and contributing to improved quality of life of the marginalised communities. Our core team is drawn from management, social work and public health backgrounds and has research, planning, policy making and training skills.

Content courtesy: DevNetJobsIndia

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an established research and advocacy institute needs Senior Researchers for its programme on clean air and transportation, to do high quality policy and technical research, interact with policy makers, scientists & other target groups and develop networks and campaign.

Content courtesy: DevNetJobsIndia

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an established research and advocacy institute needs Senior Researchers for its programme on clean air and transportation, to do high quality policy and technical research, interact with policy makers, scientists & other target groups and develop networks and campaign.

Content courtesy: DevNetJobsIndia

Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (CINI) focuses its works in tribal areas of West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and South Rajasthan. CINI’s develops approaches for comprehensive tribal development in collaboration with partners of the Central India Initiative. It focuses on food security and livelihood security through its core themes of Food Security, Diversion Based Irrigation, Micro-Finance, Community Based Institutions, Forest Based Livelihoods.

It has a ready to use reference guide on methodological aspects of data (metadata) based on harmonized concepts and methodologies that facilitate international comparison and help in aggregation of statistics to derive meaningful conclusions. The adoption of the methodology suggested in this manual will go a long way in facilitating data aggregation and data comparison both at intra-regional levels, including international levels.

The section on both marine and inland fisheries consists of four chapters and appendices. Chapter I highlights the significance of the sector, need for statistical standards and development of statistical system of the sector. Concepts and definitions are placed in Chapter II. Chapter III presents sources of data and details of methodology being adopted for generating these data. Chapter IV conveys the suggestion for ensuring quality standards. Lastly, appendices include estimation methods, forms and schedules and major resources available in the Indian waters.

Guest post by : Aarti Kelkar-Khambete

Guest Post: Nitin Rai, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)

Drawing upon his experience working with the Soligas who live within the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, Nitin Rai talks about the ‘wilderness’ myth and explores the origins and impacts of the belief that people and animals cannot co-exist.