Article and image courtesy: IndiaWaterReview

The agriculture sector in India, like elsewhere in the world, remains the largest consumer of water. As much as 80-85 per cent of India's available water resources are deployed annually in the agriculture sector, with industry being the second-most largest water consumer. But, contrary to the amount of efforts being put among industrial consumers to bring down their water consumption, agriculturists remain stuck on age-old methods and systems that lead to wastage of water.

So, while industry has been spending money on conducting in house research and development (R&D) to bring down their overall water consumption for making goods and products as well as deploying technologies that treat and reuse water and wastewater better, the agriculture sector has maintained status quo. Across India, farmers are still using flood irrigation methods for their crops. Most of them have not even head of drip irrigation or are so poor that they cannot afford to invest in drip irrigations systems.

Content courtesy: DevNetJobsIndia.org

The Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) is a multi-donor partnership administered by the World Bank to support poor people in obtaining affordable, safe and sustainable access to water and sanitation services.

Image courtesy: www.projectsmonitor.com

Under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, every industry has to provide adequate treatment of its effluents before disposal, irrespective of whether it is in stream, land, sewerage system of sea. The small scale industrial units (SSI), which are presently defined as units whose plant and machinery are valued at less than Rs. 5 crore occupy an important place in the country's economy. The SSIs are a major contributor to the total industrial pollution load of the country. However, only a small fraction of the effluent discharge from these units is estimated to be treated as on date.

Main hazards that the state is prone to consist of earthquakes, landslides, flash floods, snow storms and avalanches, droughts, dam failures, fires – domestic and wild, accidents – road, rail, air, stampedes, boat capsizing, biological, industrial and hazardous chemicals etc.

This evaluation report by the Indian Institute of Management (Lucknow) of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), a central institution established to set environmental standards for all parts of the country focuses on strengthening of CPCB and its preparedness to undertake various measures as suggested by environmental statutes.

Reap what you sow, eat what you grow - A film by Suma Josson

It depicts how applying ecological principles and practices to maintain soil fertility, to manage crop health, and to keep soil and water in a good condition is especially relevant to the urban setting. The film focuses on the work being done in the urban farms, yet it can be seen as much more than that and, understood as a vision on healthy products, healthy production systems and as a way of life.

The urban expansion in India has not been met by a similar expansion in infrastructure and basic services. This has severely affected the quality of urban life and economic growth.

Author: Anupam Mishra

"The water in springs of my hills is cool, Do not migrate from this land o my beloved.”

Organiser: World Bank 

Venue: IIITB, Electronic City, Bangalore

After the World Bank’s Water Resource Strategy was created, the Bank’s water lending commitments have increased significantly, the quality of the water portfolio has been turned around, and the outcome project rating now outperforms the Bank average. The 2010 mid-cycle implementation progress report, Water for All in a Changing Climate, and the Sustainable Infrastructure Action Plan continue to guide the Bank’s strategy for managing water resources.