Concrete riverfronts or ecological rejuvenation
A two-day Dialogue on urban rivers held in Pune recently focused on the plight of urban rivers. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports and presents his views.
THE NEWS IN PROPORTION
21 June 2018
Environment : Water
URBAN RIVERS
Concrete riverfronts or ecological rejuvenation
Concrete riverfronts or ecological rejuvenation
OBITUARY
A guardian of rivers
Himanshu Upadhayay pays a personal tribute to the inspiring and dedicated river activist Latha Anantha, who passed away on 16th of November.
RESTRUCTURING WATER ORGANIZATIONS
Creating National Water Commission
A recent report suggests merging the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) into a new organisation to be called the National Water Commission. Shripad Dharmadhikary comments on the report.
DRAFT NATIONAL WATER FRAMEWORK BILL
The right to water for life
The Draft National Water Framework Bill, put out for public comments recently, represents an important and progressive step forward despite some shortcomings and challenges involved in its implementation, writes Shripad Dharmadhikary.
STATUS OF GROUND WATER
Extraction exceeds recharge
Last month, the Bombay High Court passed an order to shift IPL matches scheduled for the month of May out of the state of Maharashtra citing an acute water shortage in some parts of the state for its decision. PRS Legislative Research, answers some basic questions about ground water and its depletion in our country.
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
New regulations welcome, but the proof will be in the eating
New regulations from the environment ministry require coal-based thermal power plants to stick to legally binding limits for water consumption. Shripad Dharmadhikary examines the implications of these rules.
WATER & ACCESSIBILITY
Hill women no longer panic over water scarcity
In many part of rural India, women spend most of their time walking long distances to collect water for their household's needs. Nitin Jugran Bahuguna visits the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand where the women no longer have to worry about fetching water from long distances thanks to an intervention that has brought potable water right to their doorstep.
NEW NATIONAL WATERWAYS
Losing our rivers to grand plans
As per the National Waterways Bill recently introduced in the Parliament, 101 stretches of rivers in the country will be declared as National Waterways. There are many advantages of waterways but these advantages will be realised only when certain conditions are met, and only under certain circumstances says Shripad Dharmadhikary. 
KARNATAKA IRRIGATION PROJECTS
15 years, and hardly any lessons learnt!
Successive audits of irrigation projects in Karnataka over the years, starting with a report from the CAG for the year ending 31 March 2001, have repeatedly pointed to missed targets, wasted expenditure and negligible benefits. Himanshu Upadhyaya presents the findings from the most recent audits.
KELKAR COMMITTEE REPORT ON MAHARASHTRA
Pursuing development: The perils of the beaten track
The report of a high level committee led by Vijay Kelkar to promote balanced development in Maharashtra has several important recommendations. But will it all come to nought because of its failure to avoid a few conventional pitfalls? Shripad Dharmadhikary explores.
BHADRESHWAR THERMAL POWER PROJECT
A continuous struggle between ‘power’ and the people
In yet another contested environmental approval decision, a 300-MW power plant in Gujarat has been granted changes in technology, relaxing certain original conditions, without any public consultation. Kanchi Kohli reports on the grievances of the local people.
NEW INITIATIVE
Defining, celebrating and protecting our rivers
India Rivers Week held in November 2014 was a first-of-its-kind gathering in New Delhi, which celebrated rivers and those trying to protect them, while charting out a road map to mitigate the threats they confront. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports on the proceedings.
INDO-BHUTAN ENERGY COOPERATION
Hydropower in the land of Gross National Happiness
The immense untapped potential of hydropower generation in Bhutan has led to several major projects in the offing, with varying degrees of Indian involvement. However, Shripad Dharmadhikary finds a steady rise in voices questioning their impact on the Himalayan environment.India Together offers an excellent forum for people from diverse fields of expertise to present their views, share their experiences and raise questions about where our country and society are headed in the future.
Amitabha Basu
- Retired Scientist
- National Physical
- Laboratory
- India Together reader
India Together
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From Aug 2013, published with support from Oorvani Foundation, a champion of public-funded media for the new India.
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