Water Management

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Corporatising water: India's draft National Water Policy - A document published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

This document published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) warns of the growing perception of water as an economic good and argues that a new consortium of business and international finance is systematically trying to influence how the world’s water will be allocated in future. This consortium seeks to promote policies that will treat water primarily as an economic good to be bought and sold, rather than a fundamental right. Because the consortium works directly with governments, or its office-holders, its initiatives are proceeding without much public awareness or attention.

Shiney Varghese

Posted on 21 Mar, 2012 12:17 PM

The document argues that the latest example of this is India’s Draft National Water Policy (NWP) circulated by the Ministry of Water Resources. At first glance, it appears as if the policy has been taking a holistic approach to water resources management, with a clear recognition of India’s water woes.

Thousands of students across India test groundwater for fluoride on March 22, 2012

Schools Water Portal, an initiative of Arghyam, is a collaborative web-based platform, that shares learning resources on water with teachers, students, parents and schools. The Portal is a voluntary initiative coordinated by Arghyam, a non-profit organisation started by Rohini Nilekani that works in water in India.

Chetana

Posted on 21 Mar, 2012 09:17 AM

Soil endowments, production technologies and missing women in India - A World Bank working paper

This paper published by the World Bank highlights the findings of a study that aimed at exploring the connections between geographical variation in soil texture and rural infant sex ratios in India. The paper argues that the deficit of women relative to men in some societies has emerged as the most extreme indicator of gender-based discrimination. Studies concerned with the demographic gender imbalance have provided evidence on significant effects of economic factors and of cultural disparities in the perception of women’s worth. However, there are very few studies that have tried to explain the geographical differences in population sex ratios.

Eliana Carranza

Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 03:08 PM

The paper argues that in India, where 72 percent of the population is rural, there is a significant and important association between the geographical variation in exogenous soil texture and rural infant sex ratios. In agriculture, the depth of land and seedbed preparation are exogenously determined by the soil texture.

Impact report of watershed development programme in Ayyannapalem village of Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh

We are very glad to bring to the notice of the Watershed Development Fund (WDF) that the Ayyannapalem watershed Capacity Building Phase (CBP) activities are successfully implemented and it has reached the stage of Feasibility Study Report (FSR) proposal. According to the field conditions, the Ayyannapalem watershed is highly suitable for watershed implementation and there are deep gullies and high level hillocks that exist in the villages. Farmers' co-operation is also very encouraging and we could complete the watershed activities within the specified period.

Kotikala Chandrasheakar

Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 11:59 AM

Author : Kotikala Chandrasheakar

Name of the watershed: Ayyannapalem
Name of the Mandal: Bollapalli
District: Guntur

Maps, lakes and citizens: The use of surveys in lake conservation - An article in the Seminar magazine

Settlements in the area that is now Bangalore have a recorded history that dates back to the 5th century CE. Water for these settlements was made available through multiple series of tanks, which numbered 19,800 around the year 1830.

Harini Nagendra

Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 11:44 AM

This lake system is now decaying with lakes either taken over for urban uses, or choking due to neglect. ATREE and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have been engaged in attempting to understand how to restore these lakes for urban use, while maintaining their ecological importance. This article in Seminar describes this attempt.

Puttenahalli: one of Bengaluru's urban lakes

Basin-level impact assessment study of the Lohit river - A study by WAPCOS & Ministry of Environment and Forests (2011)

In view of the number of hydro-electricity projects being commissioned on the free-flowing Lohit river and its tributaries, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) recommended the development of a basin-level impact assessment. This work was awarded to M/s Wapcos Limited, and the cost shared by the various project developers.

Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF)

WAPCOS

Posted on 19 Mar, 2012 11:29 AM

Area map of the Lohit Basin

Draft National Water Policy (2012) fails to take into account the multiple, complex problems and issues relating to water in India says M S Vani

The Draft National Water Policy 2012 seems to be an improvement over earlier versions due to a fundamental shift from the ‘project oriented’ approach espoused so far by the bureaucracy and political establishment to a ‘resource’ oriented approach. Water, considered state property due to eminent domain principle, was hitherto seen only in terms of projects- irrigation or multipurpose. Now at least it is defined as a ‘natural resource’.
But what does it really mean, to call water as a ‘natural resource’? What is the relationship we as humans are seeking to establish with this part of nature? What are the relative roles of citizen and state in India towards this resource?

M S Vani

Posted on 18 Mar, 2012 05:49 PM

Guest post by: M S Vani

Perusing the draft, one comes across all the ‘right’ concepts, words liberally sprinkled throughout the document, describing the resource:-

Natural resource
Hydrological cycle
Ecological needs of rivers
Climate change
Sources pollution

and our intended response to it :-

Peace by peace cotton project' is bucking the trend in chemical farming to revive cotton fields in Odisha

An apt quote by the celebrated English author underlines the importance of agriculture to a nation. But it is a tragedy that the very occupation that feeds a nation should come to a predicament in an agricultural country such as India.

Madhusmita Hazarika

Posted on 17 Mar, 2012 11:02 PM

Article and Image Courtesy : One World South Asia

Author : Madhusmita Hazarika

Status of water supply in in class-I cities and class-II towns of Uttar Pradesh (UP)

spectromech

Posted on 17 Mar, 2012 10:15 PM

Source: Central Pollution Control Board’s 2009-10 Report

Class of cities/towns

Integrated water management for rural/urban India: Common effluent treatment plant can conserve fresh water in industrial estates

Contamination of surface and groundwater resources is rampant in rural/urban India with wastewater entering fresh water bodies or seeping into groundwater. An integrated approach is needed to manage the water and wastewater treatment so that water supply is kept clean and wastewater is recycled for beneficial use in agriculture and industry. This paper will present a study that was completed for the Hammond Sanitary District in Indiana where 38 million gallons per day (MGD) will be recycled after secondary treatment for beneficial use by land owners in Northwest Indiana.

Vasudevan Rajaram and John R Sheaffer

Posted on 17 Mar, 2012 11:02 AM

Authors : Vasudevan Rajaram and John R. Sheaffer

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