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 …
HERE is something for those who would not believe that the wars of this century will be fought over water-related issues. Three people died and 20 were injured on December 14 in Falla village, 28 km from Jamnagar town of Gujarat, when the police opened fire on a mob of …
in order to provide safe drinking water to all rural areas during the Ninth Plan, the ministry of rural development has revised the guidelines for implementing the Rural Water Supply Programme (rwsp). This would involve exercising control on over-extraction of groundwater, more funds for repair and rehabilitation of infrastructure, increasing …
fifty years ago, Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh was covered with dense forests. People were rich and prosperous. All was well till a famine ravaged the district and forced the people to go hungry. Forests became their only source of livelihood. Fifty years later, Anantapur stands bare. Its parched land …
the barren lands in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh are slowly becoming green. Thanks to efforts by the women who have struggled to regenerate the region. "Three years ago not even a single blade of grass grew there,' said Sita Bai, pointing towards the lush green fields and hillocks. …
A people's movement, like that in Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashtra and Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh (MP), is indispensable before ecological regeneration can be undertaken in Rajasthan. This was stated by Anil Agarwal, director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) in a presentation to Rajasthan chief minister …
congress president Sonia Gandhi has lauded the Madhya Pradesh ( mp) government's efforts in converting the once barren landscape of Jhabua district into a green belt. Addressing a mammoth crowd in the district recently Gandhi said: "When I visited the area with Rajiv Gandhi in 1985, the whole area was …
A D M I R E R S Digvijay Singh is the only chief minister of Madhya Pradesh who thinks about the environment. He knows that environment is a source of livelihood for villagers. Watershed activities and Panchayati Raj have not only given us back our agriculture but also the …
Four years ago, Kali Bai's residence was the most notorious place in village Kakradhar of district Jhabua. She was the only woman who had a liquor shop catering round the clock to villagers who had nothing to do. "They used to drink liquor throughout the day in the backyard of …
Gula Ralu, 90, is the eldest resident of Village Ambakhoda in district Jhabua. According to him, two Renerations of people reside in the villages: his generation, which:has t seen the jungle, and the next one, which migrates in tpe absence of the jungle. But, in recent times, he admits that …
DIGVIJAY SINGH Do you think environment is Important? It is very important because the survival and quality of human life depends on how we handle am environment. How will you link envirolmem with development? The relationship between Human beings and the environment has been damaged and that is why there …
Chandrababu Naidu ia known more for his obsession with technology and computers. Little is known about his watershed mission Dream politician. Going by common sense, that seems like a contra- diction in terms. But recently, N Chandrababu Naidu, chief minister (CM) of Andhra Pradesh, has been dubbed just that: a …
He has seen the forests being destroyed since the 1950s. Today, he is trying to unite people to undo the damage. Dase Gaud, 75, has played a vital role in the formation of Hottebetta Vana Samrakshana Samithi (HVSS). As an "opinion-maker". he has successfully made people cast their personal differences …
Just two years ago, the people of P Yaleru village in Anantapur district had to walk several kilometres to get drinking water. According to 6 Sreenivas, technical director, Rural Development Trust, Anantapur, this area gets less than 550 millimetre of rain every year. Till 1992-93, only 15 out of 70 …
CHANDRABABU NAIDU Do you think the environment is important? Environment protection is one of my biggest priorities. We have a responsibility towards the future generation. My program mes like Janmabhoomi, watershed development and Joint Forest Management (JFM) will help improve the environment. With the help of JFM,,we are trying to …
: small king, a small portfolio', was the popular reaction in 1985 when Digvijay Singh became irrigation minister of Madhya Pradesh (MP). For the next five years, the civil engineer-turned-politician advocated small dams in agriculture. "He was speaking the language of the villagers who traditionally irrigate their land through small …
This paper presents four case studies from India in which rainwater harvesting has lead to both ecorestoration and poverty alleviation. East case study shows that activities to manage local hydrological resources must be preceded by measures to mobilise local communities and create community institutions that can bring the community members …
• Some 22 per cent of the districts land area was brought under the Rajiv Gandhi Watershed Development Mission (RGWDM) by April 199& 374 villages have got involved In developing 249 micro- watersheds. • The foundation of any watershed programme is water and soil conservation. In JbidAw it means arresting …
This is the visiting card of an Indian tribal who has witnessed the travails of living in an environmentally-ravaged land. His story is by no means isolated. It probably resembles the story of millions of other tribals. Mangilal remembers when there were lots of trees in the forest near his …
