Water

Delhi Report Card 3: Enough ‘free lifeline water’ for all, but quality and impact under scanner

February 3, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

In the run up to the Feb 8 polls, the impact of the AAP government’s provision of free water to Delhiites on groundwater, and the quality of the water provided, have been questioned by experts and the opposition. But are voters likely to be swayed?

Why fishermen in suburban Mumbai find their catch shrinking steadily

December 19, 2019 Subuhi Jiwani/PARI

Many in Versova Koliwada have a story to tell of dwindling fish – the reasons range from local-level pollution to global-scale warming. Both have combined to bring the impact of climate change to the city’s shores.

Why residents on outskirts of Hyderabad are forced to drink contaminated water

October 16, 2019 Aarti Kelkar Khambete

Groundwater, drawn at rapid rates from peri-urban areas of Hyderabad is now turning into a commodity, controlled and distributed at a premium by a few, to meet the needs of the city. Recent research reveals the alarming consequences of such trends.

Toxic pollution in Sutlej waters puts one crore lives at stake across three states

October 6, 2019 Raj Machhan

Indiscriminate dumping of industrial effluents and untreated municipal waste in the Sutlej river, and various other channels flowing into it, is causing unprecedented incidence of cancer and other health hazards in the three states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Heavy rain, dams full to the brim, yet Pune citizens have to rely on costly tanker water

September 13, 2019 Ekta Joshi

Citizens fail to understand why, even with abundant rains and a flooded city, their daily needs for water are not met and the municipal corporation has to implement water cuts in so many areas. Here’s a look at the real reasons.

Citizen Matters Impact: Buddha Nullah restoration in Ludhiana gets new life

September 11, 2019 Raj Machhan

It has been a little over three months since Citizen Matters raised the long-pending issue of the clean-up of Buddha Nullah. That coverage has given a boost to attempts by a 50-member umbrella organisation to restore the Sutlej tributary, and the government appears to be listening too.

Can individual water metering help Indian cities avoid Doomsday?

August 29, 2019 Apekshita Varshney

Is there any scarce resource that we can enjoy for free or for a fixed sum, irrespective of the amounts we consume or use? If that’s not true for anything, why should it be so for water? As Indian cities stand perilously close to running dry, a look at whether water metering can help the cause of conservation

When crocodiles roamed city streets: The real reason behind Vadodara floods

August 16, 2019 Himanshu Upadhyaya

Yet another city, yet another time. A tale of how callous city administration ignored repeated warnings and saw Vadodara go under water following spells of intense rainfall over a day this monsoon.

What’s making the water in Shillong oily and undrinkable?

July 9, 2019 Linda Chhakchhuak

Authorities say it is because of the high usage of chemicals needed to treat the turbid waters in the once pure rivers and springs of the region. But what is polluting the water in the first place?

A must-have checklist for apartment buyers as cities run dry

July 5, 2019 Vishwanath Srikantaiah

Multi-storied apartments dot the skyline in all our cities, defining the aspiration of many urban citizens. But don’t forget the terrible water crisis we face today; if you are planning to invest in a flat, make sure the apartment has smart water management in place.

Bhopal left with water for two weeks, thanks to neglect of iconic Upper Lake

July 3, 2019 Anup Dutta

Crores have been marked for wetland preservation and urban water supply; yet, shrinking lakes, ineffective sewage management and diminishing green cover have brought Bhopal to a situation where its natural water reserves may dry up within a matter of weeks.

As Chennai, Bengaluru grapple with water shortage, time to consider a compact with Cauvery

June 25, 2019 Vishwanath Srikantaiah

Cities can no longer rely on romanticized local water resources, but must place themselves in a river basin and take responsibility for the ecological health of the river as a whole. Take the case of the Cauvery in the context of the water starved southern metros.

2020 is around the corner, can we stop Delhi from running dry?

June 24, 2019 Akshita Nagpal

If a 2018 Niti Aayog report is to be believed, the capital is among 21 Indian cities that look poised to run out of groundwater by next year. Here’s what has brought Delhi to this ominous brink, and what needs to be done to avert Doomsday.

Kolkata’s ignored groundwater crisis could lead to much more than just water shortage

June 18, 2019 Gurvinder Singh

Increasing contamination due to deepening of the water table, serious health hazards and even instability in built structures in the city — indiscriminate extraction of groundwater could spell more doom for the city than it seems to be aware of.

Rs 550 crore spent on clean up, yet Ludhiana’s polluted Buddha Nulla only grows more toxic

June 8, 2019 Raj Machhan

Buddha Nulla, formerly Buddha Dariya, symbolises Ludhiana’s decay; its water grows more polluted and contaminated with carcinogens as governments fail to curb dumping and spend crores in sporadic cleaning efforts.

Dumping waste right into Bhagirathi: What Uttarkashi’s garbage problem tells us

May 21, 2019 Rishabh Shrivastava

Uttarakhand generates approximately 1406 Tons of solid waste per day and none of this is getting treated. It is high time we address this huge challenge faced by cities and towns of Himalayan Uttarakhand.

Contrary to 2018, Shimla has enough water today, but will it last?

May 20, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

In the summer of 2018, Shimla’s peak tourist season, not a drop flowed in the taps of the town for over a week and thousands of visitors had to leave. May 2019 has seen a remarkable reversal in the water situation, but can the town afford to be complacent?