Aarti Kelkar Khambete

Maharashtra village overcomes its water woes through collective action

News updates this fortnight Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 months 2 weeks ago

Collective effort for water conservation. Image for representation purposes only (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)

Navigating groundwater quality: Challenges faced by farm women from Maharashtra

While the burden of managing water at the economic and domestic level still lies with farm women, has the lift irrigation scheme helped in reducing the burden on women from villages in Purandar subdistrict in Maharashtra? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 months 2 weeks ago

Women water managers in rural India. Image for representation purposes only (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)

Waterbirds, indicators of wetland health

Waterbirds such as Kingfishers play an important role in sustaining the integrity of wetland ecosystems and can be greatly useful as indicators in assessing the health of wetland ecosystems. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 months 3 weeks ago

Common Kingfisher in a wetland (Image Source: J M Garg via Wikimedia Commons)

Traditional salt workers from the Little Rann of Kutch recognised for their role in conservation

News this fortnight Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 5 months 4 weeks ago

The little Rann of Kutch (Image Source: Nagarjun Kandukuru via Wikimedia Commons)

The fast disappearing urban wetlands of Delhi

While Delhi NCR is undergoing rapid urbanisation, what is the state of the wetlands in the region? A study finds out. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 6 months ago

Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Noida (Image Source: Awankanch via Wikimedia Commons)

The plastic siege of rivers and lakes in India

Microplastic pollution in our rivers and lakes is increasing threatening livelihoods and health. More research and evidence is urgently needed to design environmentally sound coping and disposal mechanisms. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 6 months ago

The polluted Ganges (Image Source: Lane via Wikimedia Commons)

Increasing adoption of rainwater harvesting technologies in rural India

What needs to be done to increase the adoption of rainwater harvesting technologies in rural areas? This study shows the way. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 6 months 1 week ago

Catch the rain where it falls (Image Source: IWP flicker photos)

Indian coasts and the threat of invasive species

Coastal ecosystems in India are highly productive and biodiverse. Urgent efforts to protect them from invasive species are needed. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 6 months 1 week ago

Coral reefs in the Andaman Islands (Image Source: Ritiks via Wikimedia Commons)

Waterways can disrupt riverine ecosystems

How does barge trafficking/movement affect the ecology and biodiversity of riverine ecosystems? A study explains. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 6 months 2 weeks ago

River Hooghly at Kolkata (Image Source: Yercaud-elango via Wikimedia Commons)

Villagers in Rajasthan restore grasslands to save the Great Indian bustard

News updates this fortnight Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 6 months 2 weeks ago

Great Indian Bustard, Rajasthan (Image Source: Saurabh Sawant via Wikimedia Commons)

Indian wetlands - under threat from invasive species

Wetlands in India are increasingly facing the threat of invasive alien species that multiply rapidly and fast replace native species thus affecting biodiversity and their survival. Urgent action to deal with the threat is needed. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 6 months 3 weeks ago

Wetlands, treasure troves of biodiversity (Image Source: Aarti Kelkar Khambete)

Bengaluru citizens join hands to save their lakes

News updates this fortnight Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 6 months 4 weeks ago

Jakkur lake in Bengaluru (Image Source: Mike Prince via Wikimedia Commons)

Water fleas see red as river Mula Mutha in Pune chokes

This study conducted by freshwater biologists Avinash Vanjare, Yugandhar Shinde and Sameer Padhye finds that pollution and faulty restoration practices have spelled doom for smaller animals residing in the Mula Mutha river indicating serious threats to the river ecosystem in the long run. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 7 months ago

The Mula Mutha river at Pune (Image Source: Alexey Komarov via Wikimedia Commons)

Farmer’s willingness to pay for groundwater irrigation: The case of Uttar Pradesh

Is there a potential for introducing an organised groundwater irrigation market in Western Uttar Pradesh, where informal groundwater markets continue to thrive? Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 7 months ago

Groundwater, fast diminishing resource (Image Source: India Water Portal)

Monitoring water quality of lakes and ponds in Kolkata

Using organisms living in the water as indicators of the status of water bodies provides a number of advantages over chemical analysis and is increasingly being used to monitor water quality of rivers and lakes in India. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 7 months 1 week ago

Santragachi Lake, beside Santragachi rail station at Santragachi, Howrah district, West Bengal (Image Source: Pinakpani via Wikimedia Commons)

Demand for work under MGNREGA rises as monsoon plays truant

News this fortnight Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 7 months 2 weeks ago

Labourers build check dams under MGNREGA. (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)

Quality soil, crucial for women and child health in India

This study found that soil mineral availability had an impact on the health and nutritional status of women and children in India. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 7 months 4 weeks ago

Soil quality, crucial for human health (Image Source: M Tullottes via Wikimedia Commons)

Floating solar gains importance as land resources in India shrink

News this fortnight Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 7 months 4 weeks ago

Floating solar. Far Niente vineyard in Napa Valley, California. Image for representation purposes only (Image Source: Solarwriter via Wikimedia Commons)

Changing crop types and water scarcity: The case of Marathwada

What are the reasons for enhancement of drought like conditions in Marathwada in recent years? A study provides answers. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 8 months ago

Sugarcane, the water thirsty crop of Marathwada (Image Source: Azhar Feder, Wikimedia Commons-CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Intermittent water distribution networks: A tale of two cities

Improving intermittent water supply systems can be challenging due to complexities of the systems and lack of adequate data. This study proposes new methods to measure efficiency and outreach of intermittent supply schedules by discussing examples of Delhi and Bengaluru. Aarti Kelkar Khambete posted 8 months 1 week ago

Improving water supply systems is crucial to improve access and prevent contamination (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)