The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report warns that the region is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, driving more extreme weather and posing serious threats to lives, ecosystems, and economies. In 2024, Asia experienced its warmest or second warmest year on …
Biological diversity is an asset of vital significance to human beings, as it provides food, medicine and industrial raw materials along with an immense potential for accruing many unknown benefits to future generations. The areas rich in biodiversity are also an abode of diverse ethnic groups possessing a valuable reservoir …
The present study analyses viable methods of rainwater harvesting in drought-prone Bolangir and examines different bio-physical and socio-economic factors that influence the performance and sustainability of the water harvesting structures (WHSs). The study reveals that the traditional WHSs have proved to be extremely useful not only in normal years but …
India is endowed with annual average rainfall of nearly 1,200 mm but a very small proportion of it is managed effectively. The various estimates on potential for rainwater harvesting suggest vast opportunities for mitigating the shortages. However, the socio-administrative measures in vogue do not encourage participation by the beneficiaries. There …
India has a rich history of water harvesting. The type of water harvesting structure in a region depends on its geography and rainfall distribution. These include surface water systems such as lakes, talabs, nadis and groundwater extracting systems such as wells, kundis and johads. These practices have often saved drought-affected …
The work of Tarun Bharat Sangh in Rajasthan has received much attention. There is an urgent need though to question development challenges that go overboard in extolling the virtues of greenery without tracing the hands that own the land and harvest the fruits of public money.
Extreme climate events such as aridity, drought, flood, cyclone and stormy rainfall are expected to leave an impact on human society. They are also expected to generate widespread response to adapt and mitigate the sufferings associated with these extremes. Societal and cultural responses to prolonged drought include population dislocation, cultural …
High levels of ‘ecological poverty’ – defined as the lack of a healthy natural resource which is essential for human society’s survival and development – are a key cause of the economic poverty of the world’s rural poor. Conversely, healthy lands and ecosystems, when used sustainably, can provide all the …
Since India's independence, government policies in at least four crucial areas have had damaging effects: - common grazing lands - water management - agriculture, and - animal breeding. Common grazing lands: the disappearing act "Politics is short-term religion. Religion is long-term politics,' said the socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia. This …
Dying Wisdom: Rise, Fall and Potential of India's Traditional Water Harvesting System provides a comprehensive overview of India's millennia-old traditions of water harvesting. This book triggered a nationwide interest in community-based water management.
INDIANS have always stored rain water, sometimes enough for several years in anticipation of droughts. In most parts, it rains only for three months -- during the monsoon. The country is full of indigenous water harvesting structures, known variously as eries, kulams, kuntas, cheruvus and johads. They show enormous diversity …
Anupam Mishra born 1948, is an Indian Gandhian, author, journalist, environmentalist, and water conservationist who works on promoting water conservation, water management and traditional rainwater harvesting techniques. He had been awarded the 1996 Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar (IGPP) award instituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. …
Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), a non government organization starts to bring people together on the issues of management of forests and water resources.Water security, Conservation of forests and wildlife are closely interlinked. One cannot be separated from another.Tarun Bharat Sangh triggered off the process by building one Johad (a pond …
Rajendra Singh is a well known water conservationist from Alwar district, Rajasthan in India. Also known as "waterman of India", he won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for community leadership in 2001 for his pioneering work in community-based efforts in water harvesting and water management. He runs an NGO called 'Tarun …
