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.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
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.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
India's environmental history (Volume 1: From ancient times to the colonial period and Volume 2: Colonialism, modernity and the nation) edited by Mahesh Rangarajan and K Sivaramakrishnan discuss the various facets of India's engagement with its environment over the years. 'India's ecological past' by Meena Bhargava reviews the book and was first published in Environment and Political Weekly.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
After the earthquake that shook Sikkim in November 2011, the safety of the dams being constructed on the Teesta is being questioned by the communities that live along itchicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
The rice fields of Kulgam district in Kashmir have provided the people of the state with sufficient harvest of this staple. However, illegal appropriation of farmland for construction has led to a state-wide rice shortage,says IndiaUnheard.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
The economic feasibility of river interlinking is still debatable, while studies show that it will cause social and ecological harm. Despite this, states are still taking this program forward. Gopal Krishna examines this phenomenon.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
India has set high targets for solar energy through its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. However, this may take focus away from other renewable energy sources, especially small hydro which is a high density resource. This brief by the Observer Research Foundation examines whether small hydro qualifies for a national mission.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
This post presents five papers that were recently published on the physico-chemical properties of water. These papers present the water quality data and analyse these figures. Locations in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam and Gujarat are studied. Download the papers by clicking on the titles.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
Lakes of Mahadevpura constituency, Bengaluru- current status, changes in distribution and recommendations for restoration' by Harini Nagendra, Ramesh Sivaram, and S Subramanya presents the current status of the lake and canal system in Bengaluru’s Mahadevpura constituency, with details of individual lakes as well as recommendations for the restoration of these lakes as well as the entire system. This report has been shared with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, under which the management of these lakes is consolidated, to inform planning at a constituency and ward level.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
The 2012 Khoshoo Memorial Lecture was delivered by 2009 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Dr Elinor Ostrom. In this presentation, she explains the need for a framework to assess complex socio-ecological systems.chicu posted 12 years 4 months ago
Recent policy has encouraged a shift towards community management of water infrastructure through the creation of decentralised institutions.This also implies a shift from large to small structures and institutions. This however presumes the existence of a homogeneous 'community', and does not necessarily acknowledge the effect of various separate groups within such a community on these institutions. This paper published in Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) examines the impacts of this shift towards decentralised irrigation management on different groups residing in six villages in Rajasthan.chicu posted 12 years 5 months ago
This article collates and presents 26 of the 37 environment impact assessment (EIA) manuals brought out by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).chicu posted 12 years 5 months ago
This paper examines social exclusion of resource-poor groups in developmental programmes targeted at them through the lens of watershed programmes.chicu posted 12 years 5 months ago
The new nutrient-based fertiliser subsidy policy provides implicit incentives to farmers to test soil samples regularly and get crop-wise recommended doses of nutrients.chicu posted 12 years 5 months ago